Obscurity

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Chapter Seven: A New Beginning

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Skids sat beside Megatron in the transport, still adjusting to his new appearance. The reflections in the shiny metal around him were all the wrong color. They should have been a mundane blue, not this exotic rosy gold. He would have never gone back to it, had he the choice. The color was that of his place in life, the color of a Praxian pawn. But if it pleased Megatron, he was willing to wear it. Grimlock, sitting behind him in the transport shuttle, liked it too, and had been nothing but complimentary on the new appearance. "Me Grimlock think I want shiny new paint too," the big lug had decided.

Megatron chuckled in quiet amusement. He'd not been fond of the Dinobot at first, but after a while had found himself liking the oaf. Grimlock was very good at chasing off Starscream when the Vosian prince began to annoy him.

The transport stopped, the doors opened, and the small party got out of the passenger compartment. Optimus and Soundwave were there to meet them, and Skids noted immediately that Soundwave had also been repainted. His external plating was primarily white while his inner framing had been done up in a medium blue, just a shade lighter than Skids had once been. The red visor had been swapped out for a golden-yellow one.

"Megatron, Skids," said Optimus with a welcoming nod.

Skids couldn't help but notice that the Autobot leader's optics lingered upon him. The metallic pinkish-gold was honestly too conspicuous. At least Megatron had allowed for a slightly more burnished finish than what Aureus had insisted upon. And this time it was only tinted chrome rather than real gold. But he still felt like one of those Earth vehicles that spent their lives put on display where the humans oohed and ahhed over them while their owners lovingly buffed them with soft cloth. He was just a showpiece once more. But, as he frequently reminded himself, he was Megatron's showpiece. If he could keep the emperor calm and reasonable through their bond, he was fulfilling a great duty.

::Nice color. Don't tell me you chose to go back to that yourself,:: came a ping from Mirage. Of all the Autobots, only Mirage had known his secret. Despite best efforts to unlearn his accent and manner of speaking and moving, Mirage had suspected. Suspicion became investigation, and finally a confrontation. Friendship had followed soon after.

::Megatron wanted it.::

::Oh really? Primus! You didn't tell him, did you?::

::He knew. In fact he's known all this time.:: Skids confessed.

::What! But... Well, we'll talk later. You, me, and a cube of the twins' best. If your mate will let your shiny little aft out of the house.::

::I'll see if I can arrange it.:: Skids had spotted Mirage and Hound standing off to the side, awaiting the ceremony about to begin. While Mirage had kept his blue and white color scheme, Hound's familiar battlegreen chassis now was a dark blue that glowed like watery pools where the sun hit it. The pair looked beautiful together. And looking around, Skids realized that quite a few of them had left their wartime colors behind in the forging of this new era of peace.

They gathered in front of the new building—the first to have been erected in what would be Cybertron's unified capital, idealistically named Pax Cybertron. The large structure, containing a great round meeting hall, would be the new senate building where the legistators would meet and have their offices. Until now, the new government had been meeting in the ruins of a stadium that had once stood on the outskirts of Kaon. The new building had been completed quickly, the Constructicons and Shockwave's drones laboring intensely at the orders of Megatron, knowing that having such a structure would stabilize the union in everyone's thoughts.

Emperor Megatron and Optimus Prime moved to stand side by side at entry to the new capitol building, behind them the long hall that lead straight into the rotunda. Grapple's design was symbolic of the accessibility of the law to the common Cybertronian citizen. Between the outside and that meeting room there were no doors, further emphasizing the point. Skids and Soundwave, while not officially part of the new government, stood slightly behind their mates. Their presence was symbolic of the union between the two factions.

At that point, the two leaders clasped hands and raised them together. And then each gave a brief speech about the hopeful future of their people and the need for defense against alien races and offshoots of the two factions that might decide to prey upon Cybertron in its weakened state.

Skids didn't pay much attention. He'd actually helped Megatron write and practice his speech in the previous days and knew the content intimately. Plus he was receiving a number of distracting messages from friends and former teammates.

::You look really pretty,:: Bumblebee gushed.

::Seriously?:: was all Tracks had to say.

::I've changed my mind,:: said Mirage. ::I think I like that color on you.::

::I hardly recognized you. You're a real standout now, perfect for Megatron's bondmate,:: decided Ratchet.

::I want to touch you in the worst way,:: came the message from Sunstreaker. ::Sides' does too. How does Buckethead feel about sharing?::

And after the speeches, Megatron and Optimus clasped hands again and led the way inside. For today, everyone was free to explore the rotunda and the unoccupied offices. Tomorrow the new legislature would be moving in and beginning the official unified rule of Cybertron. But for now, there was plenty of high-grade and there were plates of energon goodies, all offered to anyone who visited the capitol. Various mechs had their images captured sitting in the various legislative seats, or standing at the podium, or even sitting in Optimus' and Megatron's chairs.

Later, Mirage cornered Skids away from the others. "So how's married life? Enjoying it? Things going well? They do seem to be."

"Mirage, two words... I'm carrying," whispered Skids.

For a moment the noblemech froze, an expression of shock on his face. And then he smiled. "I guess it is going well for you then." he patted Skids on the shoulder. "I know it's a secret until you announce it, but may I tell Hound? It might encourage him to get started on our family."

"I guess, but we'll be announcing it in an orn or so. Ratchet says I'm about to start showing."

"That's wonderful! Skids, I'm so happy for you." The blue and white mech embraced his friend happily. And then he paused. "Soooooo..." Mirage scrolled through a few layers thought. "That would put you about four metacycles along..." He looked stunned again. "Right after the treaty was signed!"

"That night."

"Skids! Your bonding night?! You should name him Pax."

"That's what Megs suggested."

Mirage looked surprised. "He did? How does he feel about this?"

"He's very excited about it. He wants it."

Mirage laughed and hugged Skids again. "I'm happy for you. I really am. I'm happy for us, as a whole. It looks like this treaty may actually hold, especially if... well... if you're going to..." He trailed off as Jazz approached.

"Hey! Skids! I dig the new paint. You're looking like sunrise over the desert."

Skids smiled and took the hand offered in greeting.

"How's living with ol' buckethead going? Must not be too bad if you're looking so pretty."

"Megatron has been a surprisingly good mate. More so than I think any of us, Decepticons included, ever thought he could be," was the calm answer.

"I guess so. Starscream still jealous?"

"Probably, but he leaves me alone. He's even tried to make some peace with me... and still tries to get invited into our berth."

"Our berth?"

"It is. It's strange when I think about it that way, but if I don't, it's not bad at all." Skids waved his hand dismissively. "But enough about me and Megatron. How are things going in Iacon? Everything going well with Optimus and Soundwave?"

Jazz and Mirage both laughed. "Well, Optimus has had some difficulty with Soundwave's brood, but as for the two of them, they're doing well."

"Very well, I'd say," interjected Jazz. And then he leaned in closely. "Sounders is carrying," he whispered confidently. "But it's not been announced yet. They'll be announcing it probably within an orn. So this is all still hush-hush."

Mirage and Skids looked at each other, and then began giggling.

"What? What's so funny?" Jazz asked.

"Should we tell him?" Skids asked.

"Jazz can keep a secret... if he's told to," Mirage chuckled.

"Oh?"

Mirage leaned in closely and whispered into Jazz's audial, the mech's sober expression slowly growing into a big grin.

"Well then. I wonder if we'll have a dual announcement ceremony," responded the black and white mech.

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Obscurity concludes in Chapter 8: Full Union

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Transformers and all related concepts, characters, worlds, and events are property of Hasbro and Takara Tomy. Original characters and story elements are property of E. Potter, writing under the pen name of Miratete.

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