The Next Life.

By Kaimaler.


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Great Diabla Assassin: D'awww, all reviews count. =) So thanks!
Took me a while to update, I've accepted two Beta Reader jobs from different people, one writes 13,000 words a chap and another 14,000. One can't write perfect English because it's not their native tounge and the other has to rush through writing.

A lot of typos/misspellings/mistakes.
Lots. But, it's fun. =D

Anyways, this chapter is 7,836 words long, I'm trying to make then longer so people like them more. Right now we're getting our first look at the future Gaia has on Cybertron with or without the Autobots.
The pace will be quickened here soon, more battles, more drama, more "Holy shit, you're going to die you idiot!" moments. Which I am looking forward to writing.

The best upcoming chapter that I hope crowns my life as an author here on FF will be when Gaia arrives at the Corsair, where her reunion with the destroyed vessel should spark some sadness in my readers. I am evil and I hope you cry when that chapter is published. =3


"I cannot wait." Orion was brimming with joy, "The last time I was in Iacon was months ago; I did not stay long then, this time with Prime seeing the High Council Pavilions we can recharge in a safe place finally."

Gaia listened contently, Orion really missed this city. They only just took off from their initial stop to let relief set in. She was somewhat confused though; how could one city mean so much, even if it was the home of their leaders and the Autobots? Gaia had a home like that, it was Earth; somewhere in the middle of nowhere Gaia planned to buy a house secluded from the metropolis', the few places on Earth that remained natural under conservationist rule.

It was interesting watching Orion as he ached to run to his home; was he born here? Scratch that, created here? If so, what about family, brothers and sisters, mother and father? Did Cybertronians even have that kind of genetic family or was it something completely different?

Personal questions ran through her head like wildfire, she didn't mind it, enjoyed all the new inquiries she'd make to Orion once they reached the city and Sentinel attended his meeting with the High Council. It would be information she'd learn, perhaps it would be exchanged, and Orion explained family life to her while she gave him more insight to her alien world.

Oddly enough, it was becoming alien to her as well. This built planet; Cybertron, was easily the equivalent of Earth if the Metropolis' engulfed the planet.

She didn't like the mechanical vibe the planet gave her, but she was beginning to remember why she was fond of open fields, forests, and farms now. Machines were just too damned complicated; she wasn't going to live with them for her entire life, especially not the last years of her long life.

While there were towers that put some of Earth Metropolis' to shame, this Iacon served a far more important role in the Autobots life rather then being their home base. Gaia interpreted their skyrocketing mood as Iacon, instead of a fortress, a peaceful city where they could live without fear of Decepticons and reunite with old friends, perhaps even families if they have that.

Gaia looked at Orion, to the Autobots, and to Sentinel. Kup was an old warrior while Sentinel was a "chosen one" per se, one Prime exists at a time and only one, any more would contradict the belief that the living Prime holds the Matrix; a key to great power.

What does the Matrix do? Gaia looked around Sentinel's form, she saw no baggage, no item he carried in his hand; maybe the Matrix is left in a place only a Prime knows and only he has the ability to access the power stored within this mysterious relic.

She could only guess that whatever this Matrix was; it served as a symbol to the Autobots.

The Captain felt an unfamiliar sting in her pride; she was lost, a lone wanderer on a desolate world inhabited only by a warring people, each side devoted to eliminating the other. That usual battle hunger should have been enough for Gaia to recognize the damage thrust upon the manufactured planet.

It was a downright oddity to her; the Autobots served as a way to reach salvation, a route off this dead planet. Somehow, her curiosity kept her pondering more on the mechanical alien race beside her rather then the condition of the radio on board what was left of the Corsair Escion's rusting skeleton.

Sentinel already knew the urgency of returning Gaia to her ship was something to consider in terms of time and limitations; her people were still a mystery for him to solve (one he suspected he may never truly uncover completely) but the life of someone proven to not be a Decepticon and instead a good natured being was beginning to etch its way to the front of his already busy processor.

Gaia was, in all respects, a leader of the people. She had nearly sacrificed grave injuries from the Decepticon forces in order to defend the Autobots' backs while they retreated into deeper cover and she did so without a second thought, a soldier like her would be invaluable to the war effort.

But she was not to be his, she was a visitor on his world and he reminded himself of the fact anytime she peaked his interests. This time, it was due to Orion's observations and reports as a guard to the ex-Captain, Sentinel found he had more reasons to be concerned with the traveler then he previously believed.

While he couldn't venture into the outskirts of Iacon without a viable reason, he could send a team to escort her safely to the downed vessel; from there he hadn't a clue as to what would happen. If she wasn't an ally and ambushed his people then he'd loose valuable soldiers. At this time in the outbreak of war, he couldn't risk such a thing.

He was outside of Iacon only because a growing mass of Decepticons were meeting Southeast of Iacon, a cause for great concern. With haste and order from the Council, he left with nearly an army of honorable warriors to meet this threat helm-first.

It was a success; one Sentinel was greatly relieved by.

The Decepticons had not yet a chance to predict their arrival since outposts failed miserably at their mission to alert them to any danger and miraculously not by any interference on the Autobots part. They didn't want to alarm the Decepticons, instead they took a quieter, though much longer, path to the small army Megatron had devised for himself.

Ah, Megatron. He wasn't there, of course he wouldn't, that would be too sweet a victory had the Autobots defeated his horde in front of him before justly bringing him down with them.

Sentinel didn't dwell of possibilities. The necessity of their company will be decided by the High Council Pavilions during his meeting with them.

Her presence was almost too much for him to deal with; not like he'd admit to it, but her grand entrance to them through Orion's normal kindness was something all too disturbing. Had she not spoken up and Orion not stood up for her, he'd deny it.

He could lie to himself like that easily; if she didn't convince him otherwise he'd never let her join them. He betrayed his own trust; he would've invited the visitor anyhow. There was nothing that could hurt his spark worse then believing he left an innocent to their fate on an unknown world.

Insisting that Orion's strong conviction actually coerced him, Gaia stood by his side today. It hadn't been long, not too eventful after a battle like the ones the Autobots' with him and narrowly survived.

He was also surprised by her enmity to the Autobots as a whole.

No time for hindsight now, however, they were just arriving at the gates to Iacon and that meant it was time to call the outposts to request entry.

Gaia stood by as Sentinel withdrew from the Autobots, she didn't worry, the mech was smart enough to dictate all his actions and reactions rationally. For now, she took comfort in releasing the past anxiety and reveling in Orion's closeness.

The mech was a marvel, not just because he was part of a specie that existed solely of organic machinery. His heart, or spark as his kind called it, was of a material Gaia hunted down with ferocity when she was building her crew for the Corsair Escion. He would've made a perfect First Lieutenant.

"Prowl, contact Iacon; tell them we are on approach and request entry." Sentinel kept straight ahead, Gaia momentarily thought this city was more like a fortress if people have to 'request entry' instead of just flashing an ID and heading on through.

Hmpf, aliens. Gaia chuckled to herself and listened in on Prowl.

"This is Autobot Military Strategist Prowl; we are on route to the Iacon gates. I travel with a small squad of Autobots and Sentinel Prime. We are requesting entry to Iacon." The Autobot held a hand on his helm, almost like Gaia would in battle whenever she was trying to command a teammate or and outside force. Aside from his hand actually touching the top of his helm; Gaia saw little difference.

"We respectfully request permission for a Cybertronian-" Gaia blinked as she watched Prowl glance to her, she guessed he was wondering if she heard him, '-she has never previously been granted entrance to Iacon; though she accompanies us on Sentinel Prime's wishes."

Gaia certainly hoped it wasn't just Sentinel's now, Orion was a nice mech, but it was the groups' approval that would affect her in the long run.

"De Mercurio, do you have any form of identification?" Prowl spoke above the conversing Autobots, "Aside from what I can supply through my HUD, no." He seemed to mull that around in his helm for a moment before reaching a conclusion. "It would be best if the issue of her citizenship was brought up only within Autobot jurisdiction."

Gaia glanced worriedly over to Orion, it sounded like everything was well after Prowl didn't reply and no one else showed signs of concern. She just didn't feel right after hearing 'within Autobot jurisdiction'; it almost sounded like they weren't going to let her in if it wasn't on Sentinel's personal request.

Orion hadn't even flinched when Prowl asked her about ID, perhaps a non-Autobot party was more common then not.

She sighed lightly, whatever that little deal was about, it was over; in the past and didn't require her attention any further.

After the walk to the front walls of Iacon, they finally reached the gate doors. It took a few seconds before the doors moved and when they did, it only surprised Gaia more. The two great, golden doors shifted into slots in the walls, pulled to each side.

It wasn't the opening of Iacon's gates that astonished her, rather the lights not previously seen to her eyes on Cybertron.

Iacon held a great contrast from the Cybertron she knew so far. The brilliant lights, alien words, and livelihood was a shock to her system. It produced a sense of instinct within Gaia's mind. She knew Earth's metropolis' at night, more famously; Las Vegas, known for the exciting atmosphere. It was immediately that Gaia took sense of all valuables she carried, those not tightly connected to her suit.

She almost laughed at herself for such an assumption. Nothing she carried would provide value to these people, not only that, but this was also a military stronghold; no one would try something so menial when their leader stood just ten feet from the possible victim.

Instead, she focused on her surroundings, dropping mental breadcrumbs in case drastic measures needed to be taken.

Landmarks served perfectly, on Earth at least, the alien language and symbols could easily be mistaken for another in her human oriented brain. Granted, the other Autobots were probably so used to these symbols that it became as easy as remembering the alphabet.

They were descending, that was about the extent of Gaia's internal directory and without a proper map of any sort all she could do was read her HUD compass; they were heading northwest, and that was all.

Though in the event of escape or Decepticons, which she doubted, but her life exploring the galaxy told her not to take unnecessary risks; chasing the walls would be easier. Granted, much of the city towered over her and if they were heading underground it would become extremely difficult, it was better then nothing. She'd have to rely on the compass and Iacon's walls.

It was apparent to her that the deeper they went the brighter the lights were. Maybe a side effect of the planet's glowing core? Or because 'the underworld' had the same meaning to Cybertronians as it did to humans.

Gaia looked up, slowly, a ceiling ahead of them began to cut off her vision of the stars (unfortunately, the walls too) and Gaia had a solid feeling that she'd see them again very soon.

A slight bit more confident, Gaia closely followed the Autobots, noticing that although there is much action around there wasn't too many Autobots to be seen. Many were in sight, she caught them walking past them, continuing on their duties, but it was more of a home base then a city, and there were no civilians to be seen.

Or perhaps there was and it was required by law to wear the Autobot insignia...? And guns?

It was only when Gaia snapped her head back down did she notice the Autobots had stopped at another impressively sized door. They opened faster the Iacon's gates and did not fail to surprise her once more.

The inside of Iacon differed greatly from the dead planet she saw from orbit and now, looking inside this massive underground tower, did Gaia realize the vast change in scenery.

It was like rediscovering human history. Ancient writings, architecture, and relics. Gaia couldn't tell one letter from the next, but anyone could guess this place must be deeply important to the Autobots, if not, then the Cybertronian species as a whole.

She'd have only more questions to raise to Orion later, mostly about the standing this lightly illuminated tower was to any of his kind.

"De Mercurio, you are falling behind." Speak of the devil, Gaia put on a playful grin. "Are you alright?" he walked beside her as she quickened her pace to match the others.

"Orion, every time you speak to me, the first thing you say is 'are you alright.'" Orion nodded, shifting his gaze. "I cannot help being concerned over your well being, you are, after all, on a time limit. The air on Cybertron is causing complications. I prefer to be sure on the matter whenever I am given the opportunity."

Gaia patted the mech's back lightly, "You win Orion, I'm good. Hungry, a bit tired, thirsty, but that's normal, nothing serious or medically severe." He replied with a light hearted smile, "Actually, I was daydreaming; I was planning on asking you about this... tower we're in."

"Well, it houses the High Council Pavilions." He mentioned them earlier, Gaia simply didn't know much about them, but figured she'd learn eventually. "It is they who decide who becomes the successor of the current Prime."

"Is it religious, political, or military related?" Orion stared with wide optics; he tapped his helm for the best answer until he found nothing better then to dive straight into it all.

"All of the above."

Gaia's turn to watch dumbfounded, "It can bring life in a Prime's hands, and it is a symbol of the Autobots and that which keeps us..." Orion trailed, it was interesting to watch an advanced computer struggle for the proper words. "Alive?"

Orion figured she would understand, it was a matter of being cautious, saying nothing that could be misinterpreted in the future. He also wanted to say there was more to the Autobots' standing then the belief in an object that a select few have ever seen, much less had the honor as Prime, hand chosen by the High Council Pavilions.

"... Yes, that would be a correct term."

"We have something like that." Gaia smiled, all too aware now Orion couldn't see the knowing look on her face. "Honestly, we have a number of things like that. For some, it's just the idea the God exists and watches over us, others it's the idea that everything has a reason, and everyone has a purpose, a role to play in the game of life."

Primus, was the first name that appeared in Orions' helm, he often thought about both extremes of Primus, either he existed or did not. If someone proved to him personally Primus was there, aware of all, he'd feel a tremendous guilt for his doubts; then again, he was only a soldier, his ideas of the all powerful mech surely meant less then one of Sentinel's stature.

"What do you believe? What keeps you alive?" He wanted to know more about her, her world, her people, they sounded so... exotic, so alien to his nature he couldn't help but desire to learn more. Obviously, the feeling was mutual, or she wouldn't pay so much attention to this tower, to Iacon, or to them as individuals. It was intriguing to Orion how she had swaying moods when she spoke to different Autobots.

Gaia thought long and hard about her faith in God, about the possibility of there being a supernatural being guiding humans through life.

She also decided that it was a vanity to believe that God would watch over her, life exploring the galaxy either meant the God didn't travel the universe and preferred the familiarity of Earth, or didn't exist.

In the end, after years of tossing the idea around, praying, reading the Bible, even studying many religions in order to find out what she truly had faith in.

It was easy after her scouting, she didn't believe in God, but she did believe in someone else. A man who she could see, have the comfort of touching, holding a conversation with, even marrying.

"My husband." She didn't want to bring it up, she had tried not to let his name into her head as a personal memorial or hold a quiet eulogy for the man she fell in love with, but she couldn't stop after Orion asked, she had only one thing dear to her heart; the only being she'd ever entrusted with her dark secrets and her fears.

The damn pilot had to go and get himself killed.

Gaia promised she'd continue, if she could find a way, return to Earth and give him a proper burial, one a brave soul like him deserved. The thought of him never looking at her again, never fighting beside her, never holding her when she felt the weight of her leadership come crashing down, that he'd never kiss her again...

"What is a husband?" Orion queried, Gaia almost lost track of their discussion. She didn't want to deal with grieving until after this was all done with, or if she was to die on Cybertron, then before her death she'd rather succumb to the void that she felt with each passing hour.

"Is there a term here for two people who choose each other to live with, to be connected to for the rest of their lives, not in a family sense, but as in two non-related people who find each other in their mature years to share their love?"

Orion's face seemed to brighten. "Yes there is, a bond mate. When a mech and a femme claim each other as theirs, it is a lifetime decision, an act that requires much commitment from one to the other."

"When a man and woman come together in, as it's deemed, Holy Matrimony, they are married and the man becomes the husband and the woman becomes the wife, during marriage they are called the Groom and the Bride respectively. It's a heavy commitment, when married there are ways of going back, things like divorce or becoming a widow."

"There is no way to reverse a bond to us, it is permanent and cannot be undone." Orion stared forward, as if in confusion as to how divorces were possible, "When bond mates separate usually the surviving mate dies."

Gaia shot a weary look at Orion, "Dies? As in, on the spot, commits suicide, or... what?"

"I see there must not be an equal to this to humans, but bond mates share their spark, their life force when they mate so as to become one. Think of it as if when one mate dies, the bond is severed, and half of the spark is taken with them. I have heard it is... painful, though some have lived through the ordeal."

By God, Gaia found the statement somewhat ironic at this time. "Well, we have something... like bonding. I wouldn't know how to explain it, but it's how we reproduce and can be had with any other willing partner, even if they aren't married, or if one is and the other isn't."

"How can that be possible?" Orion was almost taken back by the reply, "Bonding with another without bonding? Or bonding with another when you have a mate? I do not understand."

She laughed weakly at Orion's confusion, "Our 'bonding' or, what we call it, sex, it is an act of pleasure; something to be enjoyed physically and, to some people, spiritually. It is also necessary for human survival because that is how other humans are born." Gaia was shooting her eyes from Orion to the Autobots ahead of them; thankfully, she had not caught up with them, but was close enough not to cause distress.

"I do not want to know how you can do that without bonding, yet how can this be done with good intentions? Do two humans mate then separate? Is that all there is to it? Is that what you do?" He seemed more frustrated with the lack of emotional connection involved; perhaps she wasn't painted a good enough picture.

"Orion, I've had a decent amount of men in my bed, by human standards I'm attractive to the opposite gender." She wondered how her skin looked now without the rays of the sun warming it, she had mocha skin that was always exposed to one type of light or another, but she was shadowed in her armor, no beaming warmth comforted her body anymore. She'd look like a ghost by the time she arrived at the Corsair's crash site.

"Then, I met a man I was serious with, after a few years we were married. I am monogamous, after our marriage I have never slept with another man." She smiled brightly though her mind was forcing the emotions down as they came rushing to the surface, threatening her usual calm visage. "When a married person sleeps with someone else but their partner, then it's called 'grounds for divorce.' Though two people can divorce each other at any time, this is what usually causes permanent separation. It's called cheating and it's looked down upon, but not illegal, though to the partner cheated on... That's another story."

"We do not have that." Orion shook his head lightly, displeasure evident on his face. "If I had a bondmate, I could never do such a thing."

"I once thought my husband cheated on me when we were on shore leave." Gaia felt herself heat up, the memory was a more recent one and the feeling of betrayal on both sides was her fault. She apologized, he accepted, and they were fine once more, yet it was still there. A nagging at her mind, she caused distrust in her marriage.

"I accused him of being with another woman, he denied. Turns out he was being honest and I was being an idiot." She huffed, her eyes stung, she wanted to fight them back. Not because someone was would see her cry, even just one or two tears, but because she didn't want to feel this here and now, she was exposed, when she was alone she would more then happily express herself. Not here, not like this, it was undignified. "We made up, I apologized to him a dozen times and he said he understood."

"I don't know how I felt; most people don't when this thing happens. I was angry, I thought, I felt hurt, like I was disrespected, kicked when I was down. I wanted to kill him, but I loved him so much. I can't tell you that I felt hurt, that's not true, I felt everything. Like betrayal, pain, like I was being stabbed in the chest and the assailant refused to stop." She felt this now, but this time she can pick her pain, loss of a love she'd never have returned.

"I was so very relieved to find out it wasn't true, I still felt guilty for believing he'd cheat on me, but he just passed it off as another part of marriage." That she smiled at, he was so easy going in her eyes. He was down to earth while she had her head in the clouds; it was a very amusing contrast to the crew when they'd disagree.

Orion even smiled at this, he could imagine two bondmates arguing all the time, it was more common then not. Whoever Gaia was bonded to, he wanted to meet him. "Is he on your home world? Or in space?" He felt at least somewhat excited; Gaia was a trustworthy woman and any male she chooses must certainly be as well.

Gaia stopped smiling though; she looked down and felt her hand mindlessly flicking over a piece of protruding material on her hip.

"He's..." She felt the familiar lump in her throat; it made breathing painful, speech only worsening it. "He's dead. He was the head pilot of the Corsair Escion, he went down with it."

Orion looked away; her voice emitted was cracking somehow, making the words come out like she was choking to death on them.

She lost her bondmate.

It wasn't the same though, like the bond a Cybertronian has with another, it was an alien practice that connected two humans; one he was deciding to accept as insane and he'd never fully comprehend it.
Now though, his offworld friend was suffering through a heavy loss and he'd be lying if he said he knew how she felt. He had never been bonded to another nor thought about a femme in that sense, if there even was a femme around to think about it.

Human emotions proved themselves clearly more complicated then his own, they were full of variables while he could explain every inch of his own; humans had to suffer the pain of complication, simplicities he always thought were mundane and common would take a weight off Gaia's shoulders if only she had the same mind as a Cybertronian.

Not being about to shift through ones emotions in order of strongest to easiest was too strange to him. Not knowing that sadness overwhelmed your anger; that could cause problems then and there.

"I am sorry." Orion muttered out lowly, his knowledge that Gaia traveled his world, one unknown and alien to her, alone and without another human to comfort her properly like her specie would had enacted a sense of protective instinct in Orion. He was all she had currently; he had to be there for her when no one else could be.

"Don't worry about it." She took a deep breath, one strangled by her tight throat. "It's over now and I just need to go home."


Sentinel informed the Autobots that their time spent in Iacon should be one of rest, something was happening, or going to happen, that he wasn't saying and everyone knew it, but didn't act on it. Sentinel knew what he was doing, if the Autobots needed to know, he'd let them.

For now, Gaia learned a much welcomed treat while she was in Iacon.

She'd been given a room where she'd sleep alone, lock the doors, and no one could interrupt her dinner or her sleep. In Iacon, apparently, everyone was safe. The Decepticons had tried and failed miserably several times to take control over Iacon, so no one was worried about a single thing.

Now, she could relax, armor off and let her skin breath in the lightly toxic air. She could breathe for a few days before succumbing to poisoning and lack of enough oxygen. Tonight, the armor would be thrown to the side, she'd sleep happy while her body relaxed back to the way she needed it to be to fall into a deep sleep, the one she'd been aching for since she joined the Autobots.

Gaia remained in the main room with the Autobots from her journey here and others she was now passing by in hopes to wait until Orion was finished with his reunions and join her in her room, where they could be alone and talk freely for the first time in a while.

Autobots barely paid attention to her, friends they've missed for who knows how long was too much to bear already without adding an alien on top of the mix.

However, while the main group of Autobots she had traveled with dispersed to reunited with old friends, a few other Autobots appeared, anxious to meet the offworlder.

She was none-too-pleased; she didn't much like playing the balancing act with these Cybertronians.

"Well hello there." The deep green and copper Autobot greeted, "Word got around that we have a Neutral here, then others started saying you're from out there." He pointed straight up; Gaia lazily glanced to his hand then back to his golden visor. "Call me Hoist, I take care of the Autobots here while Ratchet busies himself with other things."

"Like recharging." An Autobot beside him laughed. "Jazz." He held his hand out as Gaia took it, she quickly pondered on the choice of name. Did they have jazz music here or was it something else? What are the coincidences of an alien named after a music genre? She shook the next Autobot's head without even realizing it.

"I am Nightbeat," Gaia almost balked at the name. What was up with these weird names? Hoist? Jazz? Now Nightbeat? She admitted Sunstreaker was an even stranger name since there was no sun around and she was half surprised they even knew what one was; a dark manufactured planet as it is should have the technology to know, but they refused to leave the confines of their home world.

Something Gaia could never understand, why stay when there are so many other worlds to explore and build upon?

"Captain De Mercurio, if you haven't heard my name already." She greeted without mentioning one word about their names, holding back the desire to ask 'What kind of name is that?'

"Captain?" The silver one, Jazz, asked. "No one said you were a Captain. Just that your ship crashed and now, here you are." He shrugged, space travel mustn't be too interesting to him; he seemed more a person who finds home on solid ground.

Land dweller. Gaia stared straight to the mech, "Yeah, the vessel was called Corsair Escion, she was great ship. In fact, Sentinel has agreed to return me to it when we leave Iacon."

The dark green mech put a hand on his metal mask, "It still works? I thought it was grounded." She nodded with a sigh, "It is, but I need its radio functions-" And a few other things, Gaia didn't say yet continued, "-to contact home, perhaps get them to send a shuttle down to pick me up."

"So where is this massive space worthy station? The others said you told them it carried your people." Nightbeat, the strangest name of them all, asked, all were around the same height as Orion and she kept the title as tallest of the soldiers. Apparently it's either your built huge or your built small. Odd concept.

"Don't know right now, we travel, but we also colonize on other worlds." Gaia didn't want to go into too many details; she'd keep it as a blurry sketch. Mentally blaming Orion, who was happily watching while she was bombarded with questions.

She'd have to ask about these three aliens later, if they were always together or took bets to see who could bother her first.

"Colonists, eh?" Hoist huffed, she could hear a grin in his voice; something telling her he liked the idea, but didn't know much about it. "You still have Cybertron as your home world though, right?"

"This is my first time ever seeing it, we don't hang around in this sector; we're all hundreds of thousands of miles away. We made our home in another system, the Sol System which holds a completely inhabitable world that is also capable of natural life." Earth. She never thought she'd miss it this badly, but getting a look at what those massive metropolises could create if they engulfed the natural world; she hated the dark image.

"Natural life? Are there other species?" Gaia almost tripped back at Hoist enthusiasm on the subject. She could say yes, they're called humans and all live contently side by side, or lie and say no, the galaxy is a desolate place where only plants and animals roam the life sustaining planets.

The former sounded better in her head, she'd be able to freely tell about her species even while pretending they weren't her own. It would make any slip ups understandable and appear to be a side effect of living with another intelligent kind.

"Yes." Orion's optics went wide; his coolers went wild as he tried to keep himself calm. "They are called humans; they are an organic based sentient lifeform that hail from Earth, a planet within the Sol System and the only one able to sustain life."

The Autobots in the room, who had 'til now ignored the conversation and her, but with the topic of aliens on the line those who heard were instantly drawn to it. Some began leaning it, joining the others in stunned silence.

Gaia could only imagine what they were thinking.

"What do they look like? Are they made out of the same organic metals as us?" A small yellow bot asked, he was short, sounded younger then most Autobots she heard.

"No, not at actually." Orion came around to the idea of her expressing her people to them in a quiet way and crossed his arms while she spouted information to the eager crowd. "They have only a few colors, pale, tan, or brown. Any tones between those are common, anything else and they're probably sick." Gaia laughed at herself, she should've done this earlier; even Kup stood around to listen and he never listened to tales, unless they were Sentinel's.

"They are not made out of organic metals? What are they made out of?" Another asked, oblivious to Gaia's human appearance as were they all, the whole thing proved itself rather amusing.

"Well, I'm not a scientist so all I can tell you is that they're soft and smooth individuals with skin instead of armor. Touching armor is hard and unless pounded in, it won't budge. But their skin does to a certain extent, it bends without open joints like ours-" Gaia was going to separate her from the humans she was describing as minimally as possible, it felt better that way. "-and they have millions of thin strings on their head called hair, it's seen as both vanity and beauty."

"Hair?" Hoist was trying his hardest to imagine the humans Gaia explained to them. "Flexible skin?"

Ratchet would have a field day if he ever got to see Gaia's actual form. She thought about the multitudes of tests he would subject her to with a scowl on her face, that doctor was determined she'd give him that.

"Their society is-"

The Autobots turned their attention from her to the doorway. Sentinel stood with mild interest, it was clear the powerful mech was waiting to get recharge after a long meeting with the High Council Pavilions.

"I would ask what had all of you so interested, yet I know De Mercurio well, no doubt she recalls some history of her people." He had a tired grin on his face plates, "We leave early, it is best we recharge for tomorrow."

"Where are we going so soon Sentinel?" Kup asked, the words slightly muddled by the cigar-like cylinder in his mouth.

Sentinel almost looked distressed to tell his soldiers, he knew better though, they were freedom fighters; they had to march into battle when they were needed.

"It is with a heavy spark that I inform you-"

Gaia blinked, frozen to her spot.


"It is with a heavy heart that I... I inform you that there is not enough power to launch all the crew members aboard. This is a vessel of one hundred and twenty crew members, not including myself and our senior pilot."


"I, as Prime, will not hide the truth. A Decepticon army is quickly approaching our borders; Megatron is said to be present at the head of an army that is sweeping over the regions around Iacon. I will not force you to go; this will be the greatest battle we have ever been a part of." Sentinel's spark ached; this was going to be a great battle, the High Council Pavilions called them back in order for them to regroup the entire Autobot armies.

"It is only a matter of time until they reach the city and seek to find a way past its defenses." Sentinel saw his soldiers' serious expressions, not one acted bitter or cheated out of their time together. All were aware of the stakes.


"I, as your Captain, will go down with the ship. I will try to buy you all some time to guide the shuttles back to military space. While our enemies target those aboard our ship, those who flee will have time to reach guarded military space. I will not force this decision on my personnel, you are all my crewmates, but I ask you choose quickly, our power level is draining and the enemy will resume their attacks."


Gaia knew that speech; it was hers when the Corsair was being destroyed. That wasn't just a warning, or a speech to set the mood to march into battle; it was a death sentence.

This wasn't going to be like what they faced in the past; Orion never mentioned anything about a great battle just that the Decepticons plundered while the Autobots gave charity.

"We are with you Prime," Kup cackled, "All of us." The Autobots nodded, each one standing their ground.

"'Til all are one, Prime." Prowl announced, the rest of the Autobots cheered the same, "'Til all are one!"

He was thankful, his Autobots held no fear for the coming battle. "Recharge Autobots, we rise early."

Orion saw Gaia's head drop, the visor darkening under shadows. "Gaia?" They were alone, she could tell by the use of her first name.

The Autobots had left to their respective rooms, Gaia snatched Orion's wrist, the mech protested at first before recognizing her plans.
She quickly pulled Orion along, out of the prying optics of other Autobots and directly into an empty, unclaimed room. At which, she locked the doors, closed all windows and covered them before facing Orion and tossing off her helmet.

"Sorry about dragging you like that, I needed to get out of there." She removed pieces of her armor, one by one until she only wore her greaves and an undershirt while her armor plates were tossed onto the table in the room with her weapons, the material underneath the armor was still zipped to her hips, the upper half hung limp around her waist.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked, his logic processor was quickly draining in her new shown skin. He hadn't seen so much of her before; she really was a strange alien.

He skin would dent but retain its shape once whatever dented it lost pressure. When she scratched her arm, Orion saw white lines appear where the tips of her fingers touched before disappearing.

It was like rubber that wouldn't tear, just kept taking back its natural shape.

Orion hesitantly poked her arm before his hand snapped back; the skin repeated the action of pressure, then appearing as nothing had ever happened.

"Orion, I'm concerned about you now." Gaia glanced back and forth between his face and his hand. "Why did you just poke me?"

His optics flashed a moment before he turned his attention to what she said, "Yes, ah-" His processor was ablaze with this new knowledge, "I was just interested... Your skin is so..."

Gaia almost laughed, "Yeah, when I learned you were all made out of metal, I had similar thoughts." Orion felt a sudden rush of both intrigue and embarrassment; he wanted to get off this new topic before it turns against him.

"When Sentinel spoke to us, you seemed like you were in a trance." She took a seat, the chairs were hard, but she could live with it. "Like Kup when he remembers something he doesn't want to tell us."

"Yeah it's like that." Orion sat near her, watching as she let her hair loose and fall wherever it wanted to before anxiously taking two ration bars from her pack and a bottle of water. "When the Corsair was failing I had to tell the crew that we lost too much power, our emergency generators were already draining and we didn't have enough energy to evacuate all crewmembers."

Orion let out a low sound of realization. "I see."

"Some went down with the Corsair, most escaped... I hope. I don't actually know, but that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Tell my crew, people I spent the majority of my life with that some were going to die and I couldn't save them." She took a hungry bite out of the ration bar, it tasted sweeter then sugar on her empty stomach.

"I suppose you could tell this will not be just any battle coming." Orion mused, of course she knew, she probably had to face it more then once; she traveled the galaxy, once her people were threatened by a barbaric alien specie. She knew better then he did the weight of this inevitable war.

"He said the same damn words I did when I told the crew I couldn't save them all." Gaia finished once bar, she wanted to eat, drink, and go to bed, she didn't want to stay up and think about her place in the universe anymore today. "I suppose Sentinel will drop me off at the Corsair's crash site before you reach the battlegrounds."

"Most likely, yes." He didn't want her to go, she was a good friend, albeit they didn't have much time to openly talk about their own histories to one another; but she treated him with the same respect as the rest of the Autobots yet acted more like a leader, like Sentinel then a soldier.

She was a Captain whose people died, as Sentinel would if majority of the Autobots were slain.

"This room has two berths, would you mind if I remained here for recharge?" Orion asked, he pleaded just to spend a few more moments in her company. After they recharged, they'd remain apart for the most part and when they reached the Corsair he'd never see her again; he didn't know much about her other then her position, her husband, and her personality, but he thought of her as a friend, as another Autobot.

Gaia smiled, "Sure, why the hell not."

The two rooms were on opposite sides of the main living room where they sat now, when Gaia finished her food and water, she bid goodnight to her good friend and the chamber doors on their rooms closed.

Gaia felt a bit pleased the inside of the rooms were heated enough for her to sleep comfortably, but for the night, rest came with struggle; her mind was set on her husband and the lost crewmates of the Corsair Escion.

If she got home, she'd never leave again.


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