CHAPTER 59
As always when she needed to leave the earth and isolate herself, she joined the swing between the two trees, hoisted up high, to contemplate the horizon.
This time, she took care to bring her drawing materials. Beside her, Galamb muffled a meow, curled up in her lap as she drew her portrait. The tenth since arriving here. But she didn't care. It was a portrait she never got tired of.
She planned to stay there for a while, away from all the hustle and bustle of the Sanctuary. The morning had been hard and busy. There had been another shake at the Hive, paralyzing all activity for several hours. Glowstrike frowned at the thought, but didn't stop drawing. It was common for the planet to be hit by earthquakes. However, it turned out to be a little too powerful compared to the previous ones.
She sighed lightly before refining the features. Galamb yawned, a reaction that almost amused the firefly. She leaned slightly to caress his head with the tip of her digit, before turning her attention to the landscape.
It was then that her gaze shifted to the moors beyond the ocean, near the mountains. She wrinkled the optics, adjusting her vision to take a closer look.
Between the mountains, there had always been a lake. A small lake, which painted the mountains with a blue glow.
That blue glow was gone.
Glowstrike stopped drawing and placed the book next to her. It was strange. It was not common for a lake to dry up so quickly, while a few days ago it had been still there. She still didn't know much about this planet. But an instinct deep inside her whispered that it was not normal. Far from there.
She heard a slight noise from above. She looked up to see where it came from.
She narrowed the optics, noticing the ship through the clouds. Hardshell's ship.
He came back ... with Saberhorn. She put her portrait away before taking Galamb in her arms. Her wings extended and she left the swing to land on the ground.
"Scorponok has left with the ship again?" Glowstrike heard as she entered the main hall.
The red door closed behind her. She found Airachnid sitting on her throne, while Hardshell and Saberhorn were facing her.
As Glowstrike stepped forward, she noticed something shining in her servos.
A ruby… No. A red diamond whose glow almost dazzled her. A smile appeared on the lips of the spider who looked at it with her purple optics.
"He did well. I had forbidden him to come back until he had found two other artefacts. He only has one left. And even. If I'm in a good mood…."
The Diamond of Adaptus... Glowstrike rose to the Queen to be able to observe it with her own eyes.
It was resplendent ... She'd pictured him bigger. Nevertheless, she knew that size had nothing to do with it and that she should not underestimate it.
Airachnid opened her chassis and stored it inside.
"What did it cost you?" she whispered.
Glowstrike looked at Saberhorn. The beetle had a dark, closed face, which caught Glowstrike a little off guard. He, who usually masked his hatred and resentment towards Airachnid through expressions of politeness and deference, did not even bother. His voice rose, cutting Hardshell.
"The destruction of Arkus."
The firefly felt herself stiffen.
They had destroyed Arkus? The city ? For an artifact?
However, that didn't seem to bother the Queen in the least. Her smile only got bigger. Again, what reaction could they expect from her? From someone who didn't care about torturing her own people in their Sanctuary?
"I hope the locals screamed in agony" she sneered. "If I had known, I would have moved."
Wasn't she even surprised that the recovery of the Diamond had cost the destruction of a City? In her shoes, anyone should be surprised. Glowstrike herself hoped to have details about this mission.
However, Hardshell spoke again, glaring at Saberhorn.
"My queen. Without his hesitation, we could have been faster."
Glowstrike remained frozen while Airachnid narrowed the optics.
"Faster?"
"He intended to abandon the mission," Hardshell informed. "We could have missed a great opportunity if he'd led troops in this mission."
Airachnid sat up on her throne.
Glowstrike took a step forward, ready to intervene. She guessed the intentions of Hardsell. He and Saberhorn had never gotten along. And if he could give himself the beautiful role in the Queen's optics while selling the beetle's mistakes, he would do it with joy.
"Explain yourself, Saberhorn," murmured Airachnid in a low tone.
Saberhorn cowered in spite of himself. She knew him by heart. He smothered his terror to the maximum. His voice rose, without any tremor.
"I didn't know it could lead to the destruction of a City when I accepted this mission."
Stop it, Glowstrike thought. Don't act defiant toward the Queen.
Airachnid's smile evaporated at the words of the beetle.
"And you think I shall care about the life of a City that I don't even know?"
"Will all respect, my Queen—"
"I don't care about your respect!"
Saberhorn suddenly took a step back. The Queen had risen from her throne. She had raised her voice, which would be her only warning.
Even if she remained upright and motionless, her clamps had risen on alert, ready to split her target in two halves.
"You are under the command of Hardsell. His command. And as long as he directs operations, you obey him!"
Saberhorn kept his jaw clenched. Airachnid took a step towards him. Glowstrike's gaze met Saberhorn's. Silently, she invited him not to continue.
The tone of the spider became more honeyed.
"You know, Saberhorn, disobeying an order from a superior ... This can be considered a sign of betrayal."
She paused. She spoke to Hardshell.
"I think fair punishment would be necessary, right?"
Saberhorn paled at this last observation.
No. In turn, Glowstrike spoke.
"My Queen. I think Saberhorn made an error in judgment" she said, placid. "It's the first time since he started working for you."
Airachnid turned slowly towards her.
"Since when do you have your say? Who allowed you to speak?" she asked, a hostile expression on her face.
You are pitiful as sovereign, Glowstrike wished to say.
Instead, the firefly just bowed.
"I'm your second, my Queen. It is my duty to advise you. I think a little reminder would be more appropriate than a real punishment."
"A sub-Insecticon as a Sec—"
"Shut up, Hardshell !" yelled Airachnid at him.
In turn, Hardshell jumped, shocked. Glowstrike could almost have approved the Queen just to see this reaction.
Airachnid remained silent for a few seconds, which seemed too long for both Glowstrike and probably Saberhorn. She reflected, her gaze not moving away from the beetle.
In the end, she shrugged. A sly smile appeared on his face.
"Tarantula?" she called the scientist, who had been sterilizing the scaffold square for future executions.
The latter turned around. Despite herself, Glowstrike's spark missed a beat in her chassis.
If she sent Tarantula ...
"Saberhorn needs a remainder. Tie him up and give him ten lashes."
Glowstrike closed the optics. Even if she didn't see Saberhorn's reaction, she guessed that Saberhorn had jumped at the order. She guessed two great emotions. Terror and shock.
"As you wish, my Queen" approved Tarantula.
"Wait" Airachnid stopped him as he approached.
All attention was focused on the spider.
Airachnid's smile returned.
"… Twenty lashes" she changed with pleasure. "I want to see him suffer."
No word came out of the beetle' mouth. Saberhorn shook his helm, crucified by the spider's decision.
"Are you going to follow him or do you need me to increase the remainder?" Airachnid asked him, her tone annoyed.
The beetle remained motionless. He did not have a choice.
Twenty lashes ... it was not expensive to pay for disobeying the Queen.
Saberhorn's optics met Glowstrike's.
With a nod, she suggested that he follow Tarantula without arguing. Pale, Saberhorn ended up being carried by his legs, following the scientist slowly and with difficulty to the scaffold. When he passed her, Glowstrike could only lean discreetly to whisper into his audio.
"... Endure. It will be painful but it will be temporary."
Saberhorn showed no reaction. He walked away without answering in the direction of the platform while Airachnid dismissed Hardshell as she sat back on the throne.
"Glowstrike."
The firefly turned. Airachnid waved her servo. She understood what she meant. Glowstrike moved closer to her, without protesting.
The Queen wrapped her arms around her shoulderplates. She waited until Hardsell had left the room to giggle.
"He's really naive, don't you think? As if he thought he was going to become my consort."
Glowstrike did not answer. She let her continue. Airachnid opened her chassis again. She brought out a photo.
Photography of a standard bot, white and green colors, red optics, a hook in servo.
Lockdown. Of course. The Queen often talked about him.
"There will never be other than one consort. When I get all the artifacts, I will revive him. And we will rule together."
Glowstrike didn't repress a shiver when Airachnid's servo reached down to the bottom of her back to stroke her wings.
"He's beautiful, don't you think?"
You make me want to throw up.
"Yes, my Queen."
"Now watch."
Glowstrike did so.
She turned and watched while Tarantula gave the first lash.
"Are you sure?"
Even though the punishment had only lasted about ten minutes in total, it had lasted too long for Saberhorn. Sitting on the steps of the stairs, the firefly caught a disinfectant and passed it over the bruised wings of the beetle. Fortunately for him, the wings had protected his back from the lashes even if it was still a very sensitive part for each Insecticon having it. Saberhorn was still shaking, and he hissed in pain when Glowstrike removed the sponge.
"Yes. These were his words."
"He could have lied," said Glowstrike.
"He wouldn't have lied. It's not in the nature of Autobots. And ... he gave off a special aura. I felt it when I took him hostage."
Glowstrike frowned at the statement.
"Would the artifacts together destroy the universe?"
"You saw what generated the Diamond."
He paused.
"Imagine what would happen if we used the five artifacts."
A destruction of the entire universe ...
Glowstrike wanted Saberhorn to lie. Or be frightened. But she knew it wouldn't be in his best interest to lie.
She thought back to this dry lake. Was this a consequence of the use of these artifacts? She wanted to believe that it was not so. That it was a consequence of global climate change.
But ... it would be difficult to swallow. She put the sponge down.
"... If the universe was destroyed, the Sanctuary would be too."
And it wasn't what she wanted. She did not want the Sanctuary, the Sanctuary of the old authority, her own Sanctuary which she directed, to end in ashes as had been the case of the City of Arkus.
But… the Queen would lead the Sanctuary to its loss.
If she could revive Lockdown ... what if they reigned together? They would probably use the artifacts to destroy everything ... no matter what the consequences would be.
And Airachnid was already enough of a plague on her own.
"We have to stop her," said Glowstrike.
And by stopping her, they had to kill her.
She ... as those who would pose a threat to the Sanctuary.
She found Airachnid in the same posture. On her throne. As she stepped forward, Glowstrike noticed that she was carrying something on her helm.
The firefly stopped, realizing that it was the very first artifact they had recovered.
The Crown of Solomus. The artifact that burned in the presence of someone's lie.
She was facing one of the workers with an eagle mode. The latter had been slammed to the ground by Hardshell, and the war commander violently raised his helm to confront the Queen in person.
"So, are you telling me you didn't steal the leftover ration?" Airachnid asked him, crossing her arms.
"Please!" cried the worker.
"Answer my question."
"No! No!" he shouted in a shrill voice.
Airachnid waited a few minutes.
"... It is still burning."
The eagle received a powerful slap which made him fall again. His helm had been split and a streak of energon was running from his forehead. It did not improve the bruises he had already received.
"Answer honestly," growled the spider.
"Please! Please! I'm ... I was so hungry ..."
"Too bad for you."
Of course ... The lies could not be protected from a treasure coming from the Guiding Hand itself.
But that disgusted Glowstrike. Even without emotion, it disgusted her that Airachnid could use an artifact for such a trivial subject. Of course, all crimes were equal here. But after having listened Saberhorn's words and the risk that the artefacts could cause if they were used improperly, she thought that such an item should not fall into the servos of someone like Airachnid.
To say that this person was their Queen ... she did not deserve this title. The firefly watched. She watched in silence as Hardsell took advantage of the eagle on the ground to strike him over and over until he spit the energon by the throat.
"How about we continue?" laughed Airachnid. "Is this the first time you steal in the Sanctuary?"
"Y-yes ..." replied the eagle in a strangled voice.
"it's still burning."
The dry lake ... the blue glow disappeared ...
The worker's cries redoubled.
Glowstrike ended up facing the Queen again. showing no emotion at the eagle' suffering.
At the sight of her, the spider's smile tightened.
"You're still bothering me. For what reason, this time?"
She couldn't kill her here. Not in the presence of Hardsell. Not in the presence of these witnesses. Glowstrike expressed nothing but detachment.
"I think you shouldn't do that, my Queen."
"Sorry?"
You only wear a Crown on your head. You don't look like a Queen at all.
Words came more easily.
"If the artifacts are that dangerous, it might be better not to use them systematically. You might suffer physically."
Hardshell stopped hitting the eagle. The worker let out only weak moans.
Airachnid took a while before reacting.
She laughed.
"Did you hear that, Hardshell? She claims to be my Second. And yet, she still doesn't know how much I love pain."
Glowstrike remained unmoved by this mockery. Airachnid leaned on her throne, a sly smile on her face.
"You know, Glowstrike. Maybe Hardshell is not wrong."
The firefly blinked.
"You play the leader, you give all the orders, all the directives… Lately, you behave a little too much like the Queen of this Sanctuary."
Glowstrike flinched this time.
I play the leader, I give orders, because otherwise, you would lead the Sanctuary to its loss.
"Right, Glowstrike?" completed Airachnid.
I've been there before you, wanted to retort the firefly. Long before you. Without you, the old authority would not have died.
"It looks like she has nothing to say, my Queen" cooed Hardshell.
Yes. I'm the Queen of this Sanctuary. You may have the official title, but I'm the real authority.
Airachnid chuckled again before nodding towards the Insecticon.
"Drop that thief, Hardshell. I think my Second needs a remainder."
Glowstrike widened the optics. Before she could even react, move away, dodge, Hardshell raised his fist and slammed it right into her face.
Glowstrike found herself on the ground. Servos covered her bloody face as her vision sizzled. Stunned, she tried to straighten up, looking for the exit door.
A strong servo grabbed her wrist. Again, she was standing on her pedes.
Again, she was struck in the face.
The energon sank to her pedes. The blow had been so powerful that Glowstrike spat energon from her mouth, her words drowning in her throat.
A third time, she was punched. Her audios whistled. Yet Airachnid's sinister voice was clearly heard.
"She's still not screaming, Hardshell."
No. She wouldn't cry out. She wouldn't give her that pleasure.
Suddenly, she was turned over. She found herself pressed against the wall, her face against the cold metal. She clenched her dentas, her wings buzzing behind her as she struggled.
She heard a click.
The energon flowing from a corner of the lip, Glowstrike shivered when she understood what it meant.
"Are you giving me a show?" Airachnid asked, her amused voice ringing like an echo.
"Of course, my Queen," said Hardshell.
This tone ...
Envy, lust ... Glowstrike watched her own servos tremble.
Again, Hardshell pushed her against the wall. Glowstrike spit energon again.
She felt a violent blow of kidney penetrating in her which almost made her vomit; the pain being so strong.
Hardshell withdrew. He was ready to start again.
No. He wouldn't do it again ...
Glowstrike swung around and, before he could continue, the light appeared in her palm.
When she was ready to throw a ball of energy at him, she changed her mind and placed her servo right on his face.
Hardshell screamed in pain as Glowstrike squeezed, oppressed, tucked his claws into his face, into his visor.
For a moment, she thought of killing him. Then kill the Queen next.
The screams did not stop. Glowstrike managed to free herself and lost her balance, the harshness of Hardhell's gesture still gripping her entire body.
Hardshell was holding his face in turn. He removed his servos and Glowstrike noticed the burns.
She bared her dentas.
"Don't come near me."
"Sparkless monster!"
Again, he rushed towards her.
If he hit her again, she would lose consciousness. Glowstrike was about to send out a new energy ball when suddenly she was grabbed from behind. Someone grabbed her shoulderplates and placed her behind him.
Glowstrike recognized the bruised wings. Saberhorn had placed himself between her and Hardshell. Fury in his optics, the beetle had pulled out his blades.
Silence fell. Then, spending a few minutes staring at each other, ready to pounce on each other, Saberhorn raised his voice.
"You pretend to be war commander and you dare to do such a thing ?"
His tone was cold. Hardshell giggled despite the pain.
"Why ? What will you do? It's your fault, after all."
Saberhorn tightened his grip on his blades.
"My fault?"
"You deserved a punishment. There it is."
"He's right" added Airachnid.
Glowstrike did not understand. Despite the blows, she was still conscious to hear everything.
What?
"I received my punishment. My punishment was the lashes" replied Saberhorn, voice trembling. "It never involved Glowstrike!"
"Too bad, you aren't the one who decides" smiled Airachnid.
She nodded to Hardsell. The latter grunted before stepping back. Saberhorn moved closer to the firefly, even if he kept a blade up, ready to use it if Hardshell approached them.
"Looks like you got the message. The next time you disrupt a mission again, it will be even worse" the spider warned, her tone having changed to something colder and more cruel.
Glowstrike covered her face again. The energon blurred her sight. She had to treat herself and quickly.
It was unfair ... it was so unfair ...
She felt herself falling back. Saberhorn stopped her fall by catching her by the waist. The nausea took her by the throat and she dropped her helm against his shoulderplate, the wings trembling in pain.
She heard that Saberhorn whispered words as if to reassure her.
She would be looked after, she would pretend nothing had happened ... It was what she always did ...
"Ha" Airachnid called out to them. "I almost forgot."
She took something from her chassis.
Red drops fell to the ground. Glowstrike looked down.
When she recognized what it was all about, Pharma's words echoed in her mind.
You will no longer experience pain ... Neither anger, sadness, nor any other negative emotion that you would have felt when you were about to die ...
Her fists clenched. And for a moment, she almost forgot that everything she could feel was not real.
Yes, it was not real. Everything she could feel, even when she saw Galamb, meant nothing.
"In the end, it's Saberhorn's fault" answered Airachnid nonchalantly. "He shouldn't have offered you a cat."
Glowstrike just turned around.
She forgot about her nausea. She forgot the blows to the face.
She rushed quickly out of the room and as far as possible from this person who claimed to be Queen.
She had to leave ... she had to get away as quickly as possible.
" …I am sorry. "
He could be ...
She knew it wasn't his fault. She knew he had nothing to do with it.
She was the one who'd chose to accept, after all.
She shouldn't have. She shouldn't have accepted invitation from someone whom she felt nothing for.
Someone who might lose his life because of her, at the whim of Airachnid.
At the whim of this thing that believed to be Queen ...
Glowstrike kept her helm down as she rejected Saberhorn's attempts to disinfect her wounds. She raised the optics to the various portraits of Galamb.
The ones she had drawn since it'd come here.
"... You shouldn't have hesitated" declared the firefly, her voice low.
"Excuse me?"
"If you hadn't hesitated ... we wouldn't both have suffered."
Saberhorn placed the disinfectant next to him.
His expression was painful. Even Glowstrike couldn't act indifferent to it.
"I don't want to destroy the universe if it includes you, Glowstrike. You know."
"If roles had been revered, I would have taken the Diamond" said Glowstrike, face closed.
"No. I do not think so."
"You do not know me. If the roles were reversed and if that would have allowed us to protect the Sanctuary from mistakes like Airachnid, I would have gladly done it without hesitation!"
Saberhorn shook his helm.
Why did he not believe her?
"You want to be Queen. I know. But most of all you want to get your emotions back, Glowstrike. Remember your original goal."
"Why? For a happiness that I'm not even sure I get?" squeaked the firefly, expressionless.
She felt her own words hurt the beetle. He ended up getting up.
"Nothing is written in stone."
"You better get away from me, Saberhorn" she advised him coldly.
She pointed to the door. Her intentions were clear.
Saberhorn's servos trembled. However, he chose to obey and turned to leave the room.
"I'll do everything for you, Glowstrike," he told her before disappearing. "Everything. You know."
Yes. She knew it. But this should not be reciprocal.
A few hours later, she heard someone knock on the door. Glowstrike took a long time to get up to open.
When she glanced through the opening to see who it was, she was surprised to see no one.
When she opened the door, she ran into one of the Minicons. The so-called Swelter, the one in fire.
"Excuse me, My Lady but ... we found that."
He was holding a small basket. Glowstrike narrowed her optics and leaned over to look.
Meows were heard. Glowstrike gently lifted the blanket and saw three small heads, which looked like two drops of water to Galamb.
Impossible, she thought.
Yet somewhere it gave her a slight alleviation in her being, no matter what it was.
"What do I do with it?" Swelter asked.
Glowstrike just stroked the kitten's head without a word.
Of course she would like to keep them ... but that was useless.
Not while Airachnid was alive.
Their place was not here.
"... find someone to take care of it. Far from the Sanctuary."
Then she closed the door.
In the evening, she knocked on the door of Saberhorn.
She felt silly. Especially when she was remembering their last exchange together.
When the beetle opened the door to his apartment, he was obviously surprised to find her here, on the doorstep.
And the words were easy to pronounce.
"... I would like to sleep with you tonight."
I don't want to sleep alone.
Saberhorn replied with a smile before stepping aside to let her inside.
"Should I sleep on the couch?"
"No. I want to sleep by your side."
She understood that it pleased him.
She needed a presence ... to make her forget that the Sanctuary in which they were was hell.
As long as Airachnid would live, everything would be hell.
She couldn't let her live.
Glowstrike would kill her. And then she would rule over the Sanctuary.
She thought she deserved it, more than anyone else.