See Prologue for disclaimer.
Chapter 28: The Lights
Megatron growled, detaching his soaked cape and tossing it onto the berth. He stalked out the doors, projecting his "don't-disturb-me" aura and going up to the roof. He transformed and took off, going as fast as he could as if he could burn away some of his anger. He was insulted that she thought so little of him, would expect him to do such a dishonorable act.
Eleaniris cried until there were no more tears to give, and she removed herself from the tub and went to the stack of towels. Pulling one off the top with some effort, she patted dry and tried to squeeze as much water out of her skirts and cape as she could. Once she had managed to reattach her pelvic plates, she left the bathroom via the smaller human-sized doors and entered the berthroom.
As she had suspected, the old coffee table was gone and had been replaced with a single-leveled one exactly like the table in the main space. Shaking her head dismally, she made her way past the large berth and was about to leave when she saw a gleam. Turning to face the berth, she made out that some of her belongings were on the top of the right nightstand. Good God, really?
Not wanting to give herself an opportunity to dwell on the meaning of this action, Eleaniris entered the main space and tried to push the sight out of her mind. She had decided that staying here and waiting for him to return was a bad idea, and instead she should try to find someplace else to sleep and face him in the morning. Seeing Wheelie and Borealis recharging on the table, she smiled and walked to the large doors quietly, not wanting to disturb them.
She knocked, and one of the massive, engraved doors was opened for her to walk through. The guards watched her quizzically, having just seen their Lord march out. Truly they wondered why she was still online, for anyone who had angered the warlord so before was on the scrap pile the next breem. Knowing it was not their place to question such matters, they only watched her walk down the corridor to the stairs.
There was really only one robot she trusted and found safe, but a large staircase stood between her and him. Now's the time to find out how good my shocks are, she thought as she slid off the top stair. Landing smoothly and on her pedes, she repeated the process and found herself in the next hallway, uninjured. Finding the right door, she raised her hand and rapped lightly. If he's recharging, I'm out of luck.
She only waited a moment before there was a hiss and the door was open, revealing a perplexed Soundwave. A movement in the dark beyond caught her optic, and Ravage crept forward to stand behind one of the long legs of his master. "Sorry, Soundwave. Do you mind if I come in?"
"Please do," he replied quietly, stepping aside and gesturing with a hand. The door slid shut, and she proceeded to the familiar table. Soundwave had flicked on a light and now held out a metal palm for her respectfully, and she obliged him. He didn't grab her like he had before, making what was once an imperative command a question. Probably comes with the title.
If "Queen" even is a title around here.
Once on the table she sat and crossed her legs, smoothing the front skirt. Ravage leapt up, purring and nuzzling her crown. He laid behind her, acting as a backrest and letting her lean on him.
"What brings you here, my Queen?" Soundwave inquired politely, taking a seat in front of her. She could tell that what he meant was "Where is Megatron?"
She shuttered her optics, stroking Ravage's head between his ear-like spikes. You trust him, remember? her mind gently prodded.
"Well, Megatron left. I don't know where he went, and I came here." That much is true. "And please, just call me Eleaniris." Please, just leave it at that.
Soundwave was silent for a moment, studying her with his red optics. "Do you know why he left?"
Her optics welled up with tears again, embarrassed and ashamed. Just tell him. Someone needs to know, and you need to get it off your chest. Besides, what are you going to do? Tell Ravage? She had come to trust the Decepticon, as he had earned over the months. She knew that it would help if she revealed it to someone else, and all traces of Grace and Susan had been removed from the apartment...
By the end Soundwave had allowed her to hold one of his digits, his optics soft. When he was sure she was done, he consoled her, "Eleaniris, you do not need to fear this ever happening again. Megatron has always enforced a hard line in cases of rape among his ranks, and he has your best interests in mind." Slag, why hasn't he told her about Circuitsia?
She raised her head, wiping her cheeks with the back of a hand. She was doubtful of the caring part, but shocked at his rule. "Really?" Who knew a murderer like him could have some semblance of morals.
He nodded slowly, continuing, "If he ever found out about any of his Decepticons raping a femme or mech, they were publicly executed. They were always long and grueling deaths, Eleaniris."
"Why is he like that?" She was still amazed that he bore a shred of sympathy and justice in his cold metal frame.
"It is not my place to tell you, Eleaniris." He stood, asking respectfully, "Would you like me to return you to your rooms?"
She shook her head, "I want to sleep here." Seeing the unsure look on his face, she reassured, "I will be sure that he knows that it was my idea in the first place, Soundwave."
He relented, albeit reluctantly, "As you command, my Queen."
The Lord High Protector made his way through the dark, vacant street on his way to his fortress. He was eager to return so that he could look over the battle plans and, more importantly, see that little cleaning femme again. She had intrigued him when she had been cleaning his office one day and he had come in earlier than usual. Her form was hidden by the baggy uniform that all servants of his home wore, but he could tell a beautiful protoform lay underneath the armor. Her very presence made his spark jump in a way he had never felt before, and he wanted to explore the feelings farther; they were far too delicious to let go.
His palace loomed before him, and as soon as he was going to enter the code for the gate he heard a cry. It made him stop, his finger hovering over the screen, listening for another sound.
A shriek came from the way he had come, sounding eerie in the quiet air. He swiftly ran toward the location of the scream, coming across a small alleyway. A large figure was lying over a smaller one, the latter lying on the ground and making the piercing sounds.
"Stop!" he ordered, firing up his fusion cannon. The topmost form seemed to peer at him for a moment before getting off of the figure and sprinting down the alley, melting into the darkness.
Sobs came from the Cybertronian on the ground, and he approached cautiously. "Are you alright?" No response was given.
When he reached the body he saw the familiar armor, though torn to shreds, and felt the familiar pull. Pink Energon was seeping from between her legs, forming a small pool on the ground. Dread ran through his circuitry, and picking her up he hastily entered the fortress and ran into the medical bay.
He waited anxiously for what felt like a vorn, diligently pacing the hallway outside. An assistant poked his helm through the door, speaking quietly and gesturing for him to follow,"My lord."
She was in stasis on the berth, hooked up to several monitors. Her ruined armor had been replaced with the simple coverings of the medbay. "She is stable, but has taken severe damage to her port and chamber."
He growled, servos clenching with a flurry of sparks. "What is her designation?"
"My records say that she is known as Circuitsia, my liege."
Later, when she had come out of stasis lock, he had been there to speak with her. At first she was very humble, not meeting his optics and incessantly thanking him for his kindness. Eventually he had to give a strict order for her to stop, which she respected.
He visited often, seeing her progress and slowly coming to know her. A war was looming on the horizon, and he wanted her healed and safe before it began.
She told him that she felt dirty by how that bot had used her like a toy. She believed to be unworthy of life, unworthy of another mech's care. He had silenced her with a kiss, telling her that she was not soiled but was a beautiful femme who deserved retribution.
And so, with the rapist's data, he had the bot tracked down and brought to the fortress. In the dark brig he slowly killed him, pulling out wires in all different places while cursing at him. When he was finished nothing was left but a pile of wires and circuitry in a puddle of Energon.
Nevertheless her road to healing was a long one, and he spent many of his nights holding her while she cried. Though the bond of friendship grew stronger, every so often he would see the look in her optics when she remembered. Would hear her screams in the sporadic fluxes, thrashing in his berth and begging for her assailant to stop.
It had still haunted her, even the day she had died in his arms nearly a quarter of a vorn later.
"Frag!" His fist tore into the side of the old skyscraper, ripping out steel beems in his frustration. When the building toppled with a groaning of metal and shattering of glass, he moved to the next and pummeled it with his mace. If she hated you before, she fears and despises you now.
Megatron scooped up a burnt-out hull of a car and flung it as far as he could, watching it hit the side of a building and take a chunk of cement out in the process. Scouring his data banks for everything Soundwave had mentioned she liked, he compiled a list in his processor. Firing up his jets, he transformed and left the abandoned city on his quest.
Her optics flickered online, and she sat up on the berth. Soundwave had given her his own to sleep in, much to her protest, and had taken to his couch to recharge instead. He had insisted that it was an honor to have her in his quarters anyway, and his will had shattered hers. She was incredibly tired from the Coronation and the attempted rape, shutting down as soon as she laid on the metal. It was now late evening of the next day, according to the small windows of the apartment. The sun cast orange light around the room, illuminating the space in early spring light.
Booming footsteps came down the hallway, and she saw Soundwave stand up from the sectional. She braced herself when she heard them stop outside the door, and he snatched her up and shoved her in a cabinet.
A hiss and a statement in Cybertronian met her audios and she froze in the darkness, careful to avoid making any sound. "Soundwave, your report on her was complete, yes?"
"Yes, my liege." Report? On me? Something clicked in her head, and she remembered the color scheme of her old bedroom. Will this train ever stop?
"Then these items will fit the ones described, yes?"
There were dangerous consequences implied in Megatron's tone and it was several seconds before Soundwave responded "Yes."
There was a click of the door, and Soundwave waited for a minute before he scooped her up from her hiding place. "He is on his way back, and you must return to your suites." Seeing her pained expression, he set her down outside the door and said, "He cares about you, Eleaniris." Ravage followed her and she mounted him, knowing she had no choice but to go back. When do you ever have a choice? her mind snarled cynically.
Megatron was in the main space when she entered, seated on one of the chairs of the table. Ravage left her, nudging at her in goodbye and leaving, ignoring her cries for him to stay.
The Emperor stayed where he was, watching her with sorrowful optics. She backpedaled in her fear until she hit the door. She begged the guards to open them, but they did not budge.
She turned back to him slowly, expecting him to lunge for her. Her gaze was locked on her hands, and no matter what she did she could not move it.
Megatron's words snapped her out of it, "Soundwave will be rewarded for providing you with comfort." His spark wanted to add, Even if it should have been me consoling you. He had felt her presence in his temporary second-in-command's quarters, had smelt her scent on the air. One of the cabinets' doors was ajar, and he knew that was where she had been hiding from him.
He stood, taking a step toward her. She pushed into the wall like a caged animal, sobbing in fear. Sighing he stopped his approach and knelt, trying to get her to look at him. "Eleaniris, I should not have done what I did." Her gaze remained on the floor, her head turned to the side. Hurt throbbed in his spark when he saw her legs had instinctively clenched themselves together, knowing that it was his own fault that she was so afraid of him. He had inflicted the scar on her processor.
He almost jolted when she spoke, surprisingly firm for her state, "You are damn right that you shouldn't have." Her head snapped around and her optics locked with his. He saw them shift dramatically from fear to anger in a nanoklik.
"I care for you, my dear. Please, forgive me." She laughed at him, an insane cackle that made him reset his audios to make sure they were functioning properly.
"You care for me? Is it a part of your culture to rape those that you care for?" She spat at him, trying to stand taller. She was pleased with his none-too-subtle flinch.
The Emperor stood, walking back to the table and collecting the gifts. "I know that I cannot ever take back my actions, but I can try to make up for them."
She was about to bite back with a nasty retort when he dumped a pile of packages in front of her. Chocolate, precious jewels, roses of all colors, several of her favorite books...
"What..." she crept towards them, watching him wearily. He retreated and gave her space, peering at her with optics softer than she had ever seen them. She realized what it was, though, and shot him an angry look.
"You think you can win back my trust with gifts?" He shook his head at her, kneeling and cooing quietly in a deep baritone.
"No, but it is a start." His servo curled around her before she could react, bringing her up to his chest to cuddle with her there.
She fought him, pushing and shoving, but a strong vibration from his chest quieted her. A faint red light seemed to glow from behind the metal where it hadn't before, and a yank from within her own chest made her gasp in surprise. The ensuing feeling relaxed her body against her will, dimming her optics. Megatron watched, pleased that at least their sparks wanted to get along.
He stepped around the gift pile and walked out, heading to the roof once more. "There is something that I would like you to see."
He transformed around her this time, flying straight up into the sky. "You're going into space?" Eleaniris shrieked, grasping at the metal siding. His chuckle reverberated around her as they came through the atmosphere in record speed, fire eventually fizzling out.
Megatron's jets came on, hurtling them out further into space. Gradually he banked to the right and the Earth was shown to her. The clouds swirled over the blue of the ocean and greens and browns of the land, and she couldn't help but think, No wonder they called it the "Blue Marble."
He reveled in her wonder, smiling as he sped up towards his destination. Nearing the darker side of the Earth, he found what he had been looking for.
His purr made something pull in her chest again, and with confusion she stared down at her plating. She noticed that all of her fear was gone, and that the throb made her feel safe with him again. Her brain told her not to trust him but something strange was happening with her body. A soothing pulse from her chest was having the effect of a massage on her frame, relaxing it against her command.
The lights of the Aurora Borealis danced and shimmered over the surface, flashing green and pink. He shut off his jets and let them drift in complete silence. "Wow, I have always wanted to see them but I never dreamed it would be from up here..."
"You like them?" he asked gently, and she nodded, her hand on the small glass window without so much as a thought about touching him.
"They are beautiful," she breathed in awe.
"Just like you," he cooed sweetly, though no lust was present in his voice. The pull in her chest intensified while her head was repulsed, and never had she been so emotionally confused.
