CHAPTER 70
"... Synthetic energon ..."
As always, Glowstrike faced the spider, the spider sitting on her throne, resting her chin on her wrist, gazing lazily. The empty cubes from the previous day's party were still hanging on the ground, the last witnesses to her last euphoria.
The firefly was trying not to pay attention to all this wasted energon, repeating to herself that it would be pointless to lament at the moment. She was holding the vial in her servo to present it to her.
"Tarantulas' latest creation," said Glowstrike, keeping a loose expression so as not to reveal her own rejoicing after her own idea came to fruition. "Synthetic energon shall be able to alleviate the hunger at the Sanctuary the day there'll be a shortage of natural energon on Earth."
Because it had always been an important issue to resolve. While waiting to recover the artifacts, to eradicate the Autobots and to guarantee their survival ...
She had always been pessimistic about the results. But Tarantulas had succeeded, even if Glowstrike couldn't help but think that the presence of the medic Autobot had greatly contributed to the research and work.
Hardshell, Scorponok ... all those who had complained about her decision to save an Autobot, under the pretext that he was a standard mode and belonged to an enemy camp ... His medical and scientific skills had been greatly useful to them. They had achieved a result that they would never have thought possible and that would allow them to save the inhabitants of the Sanctuary.
Though he should never have run away, Glowstrike thought bitterly. They didn't have any medic any longer, but they would fix it later.
"This synthetic energon will not fill our reserves as quickly as normal energon," said Glowstrike. "But otherwise, it will allow us to hold on, long enough to recover the artifacts."
Silence fell. Glowstrike took a step towards her, handing her the vial.
Airachnid did not receive it. She just stared at the bottle without saying anything.
Then her bored expression turned into a disdainful pout.
"Do you truly think I'm going to let you feed my Sanctuary with a formula belonging to Megatron?"
Glowstrike twitched. However, she didn't change her expression.
"… Megatron was the Decepticon leader. I thought that borrowing some of his ideas would be beneficial."
"There will be only natural energon" retorted Airachnid, in a voice without call.
The firefly stiffened. Airachnid had always had crazy and reckless fads ... but Glowstrike had always guessed reasons behind them, no matter how wobbly they were.
Selfishness, madness, a sadistic urge to quench ... Each time, Glowstrike had always labeled her final decisions with a word.
"... I tested the synthetic energon myself. Me, as well as some of our workers. It is safe for us, my Queen."
How much using that title cut her own throat off.
"I said I only wanted natural energon."
Glowstrike was left speechless.
Yes. She had always put a word on her whims ... But this time, she had none. She did not understand. She did not understand how the Queen could refuse such a solution. Anyone with starvation would choose it.
"There will soon be no natural energon left" Glowstrike explained slowly.
"There will always be," squeaked Airachnid.
"No longer on Earth. There are some on Cybertron, but if we go there, the Autobots will fall on us. Synthetic energon might be beneficial to us."
Glowstrike paused.
"... And then, we can reproduce it as much as we want."
Airachnid straightened up gently. Her purple optics crossed hers, an indecipherable expression on her features.
Glowstrike added nothing more. Airachnid could only accept, with such arguments. Anyone with some sense would accept.
But Airachnid had never been anyone sane or even unreasonable to begin with, unfortunately. The spider gestured to her. The gesture to come.
Glowstrike took a discreet but deep breath. She feared each time to approach her. To enter her personal sphere. Each time, each time Airachnid touched her, she had the impression that the spider tore off part of herself before burning it.
Still, she did, clutching her jaw to endure what was about to happen. This did not miss. Airachnid grabbed the flask with one servo before stroking her chassis with the end with her claw.
Absent-mindedly, her servos went up before lingering on her breasts, almost like a request to open for her and thus let Airachnid enter. Glowstrike suppressed a shudder, believing that this was precisely her intention. Let it open for her.
Instead, her free servo went down to her waist, continuing on one of the wings of the firefly.
Glowstrike still feared that Airachnid would snatch it from her. She knew how important a wing was to the Insecticons.
There was a time when neither Glowstrike nor Airachnid moved. It was as if everything had stopped. As if nothing else mattered.
Then the spider ran a servo behind her helmet to lean her over. Airachnid brought her face closer to hers. Even though no emotion crossed her, Glowstrike thought she felt her spark miss a beat. She wrinkled the optics while Airachnid's lips fell a few inches from hers.
She wouldn't dare, she thought. She wouldn't dare. Airachnid was much more vicious than Hardshell in the matter. Much more subtle. Even when it came to violating intimacy. Glowstrike thought of Saberhorn, of his erased memory, of what he had had to endure. And the desire to watch her die was all the stronger.
In the end, Airachnid stopped, her breath caressing the mouth of the firefly as she said these few words.
"Your Queen has already refused, Glowstrike."
Then the spider pushed her back violently and Glowstrike toppled over. She almost lost her balance. However, she set pede to narrowly catch up. Airachnid raised the servo in which she held the vial and threw it in a dry gesture.
A few meters from them, the vial shattered on the ground in several hundred small pieces of broken glass.
Glowstrike clenched her fists at this gesture. Despite herself, despite all the intentions of the world to remain calm, not to let her disgust with the spider get the better of her, she could not prevent her false anger from rising inside her.
"Why?" she asked simply, her jaw clenched.
"You dare ask me why."
"If you didn't want any synthetic energon, you could leave the natural energon for the officers and distribute the synthetic one to the workers."
"Because I'm the one who should have had the idea" she simply replied.
So. She was having a fit of jealousy because it was Glowstrike who'd had the initiative?
But Airachnid didn't really care about her people! She made no move to keep them alive! And she dared to ruin this solution for such a trivial reason?
"Don't forget your place, Glowstrike" grunted Airachnid as the firefly turned on her heels, ready to leave the room.
"... Very well, my Queen."
Glowstrike didn't even bow. She didn't care if Airachnid took this for an affront and had her whipped for disrespect. It was nothing compared to the workers whom she risked condemning with her misplaced pride.
How was she going to do now? Let the Sanctuary die? Reduce rations over and over again? As if that would fix the problem.
But as she was about to make her way to the Hive, suffering another defeat, her optics were drawn to the reflection of the light coming from behind the red door, left ajar.
Glowstrike stopped to watch.
It only lasted a few seconds. The light was gone.
The reflection of light on a lens.
The lens of a camera pointed towards the throne room.
A few hours later, she found them at the Hive, at the bottom of the staircase leading to the basement. A discreet place for conspirators to trade and carry out their plans. Not difficult to find them. Glowstrike knew this place very well since she went there herself to chat with Saberhorn when their respective rooms did not allow them to be quiet.
"… Filming the Queen without her knowledge is punishable by death," Glowstrike calmly informed them.
The group turned around in her direction. There were three of them, and among them, the firefly recognized the man named Scowl whom she had almost sent to death. Immediately, the Dinobot took a step towards her, fists clenched and threatening but Glowstrike did not start at all.
She knew perfectly well her strength and her chances.
"You'd better leave if you don't want to become a collateral victim," Scowl growled in warning.
Glowstrike turned her head to a lizard holding a camera in his servo. Probably the one who had filmed and whom she had seen wandering around the throne room earlier.
"Talking to the Second in such a way is punishable by the same sentence," said the firefly. "All crimes are equal here."
"You will soon be no Second any longer" warned the third, as muscular as Scowl. "Just like Airachnid will soon no longer be Queen."
"An insurrection will only have the merit of granting you a slow and painful death," said Glowstrike.
It was not the first attempt at Airachnid. During the time that Glowstrike had been under the protection of the former authority, there had also been assassination attempts on her person. But unlike Airachnid, who punished this audacity in the worst way, the former Queen had been content only to exile the so-called resistance fighters, no matter how much they deserved a more painful fate.
Glowstrike closed the optics, feeling the desolation invading her.
The former Queen had been so nice ... even a little too much.
The three stiffened. Glowstrike walked in their direction.
"I can warn the Queen ... you would be executed with a good audience."
"You let us starve !" spat Scowl, rage in his tone. "While you have synthetic energon! You are going to let us die!"
"We see everything on this video!" scolded the lizard. "We will circulate it! Everyone will revolt! You will fall!"
Glowstrike nodded.
Yes. On this point, they were right to be angry. She was even ready to say that she understood their reaction. And for a moment, she was even tempted to let them do it: divulge the video to all the inhabitants of the Sanctuary to show how Airachnid was a pitiful Queen and a bad leader.
"... No need to do that" she retorted.
But if Airachnid no longer had any legitimacy, Glowstrike would have even less as Second.
"... You don't have to do this."
"What do you mean?"
"Delete the video. I won't report you. And in addition, I will leave synthetic energon for you and your families."
The three widened the optics. They surely expected to die. They had not expected such a turnaround from the Second, who, however, was supposed to be loyal to Airachnid.
Better not having their families to perish for the Queen's whims. Especially Scowl who had children.
"I just need you to do something in return."
When Glowstrike explained to them the little service she wanted in return, the lizard hastened to perform.
After all, there was no harm in voicing an opinion, right?
Only Scowl did not seem delighted.
"... You may also die, my Lady" he commented. "Or that the Queen would also be torturing you in the worst way."
"She could hardly do worse to me" Glowstrike said coldly.
She had already suffered enough because of her. There was not much more she could do. Touching, Galamb, synthetic energon ...
There was little else she could do.
"... There are thousands of ways to torture, you know" added Scowl before going up the stairs. "And not only physically."
Glowstrike did not react to this remark. She let Scowl join her comrades at the Hive. Once alone, she released a sigh of relief.
It could work. She was sure of it.
And it worked. During the break, Saberhorn and Glowstrike were joined at the South Tower by Rose who brandished a Pad under their optics.
"It's great, Glowy!"
She knew she was not mistaken. She had recognized the lizard. He was in charge of the news section of the Sanctuary and was instructed to transcribe the news of the day, including new legislation.
Glowstrike leaned over to read the article. She approved the title.
"The synthetic energon, a current idea from Glowstrike?"
"It's not really my idea," said Glowstrike airily. "It's Megatron's. I just studied it."
"I was starting to lose hope!" exclaimed Rose, setting the Pad down to grab Glowstrike's servos in hers. "We will finally be able to feed ourselves!"
Her smile was beaming. Glowstrike had to admit that his enthusiasm was pretty cute.
"Let's not get on board," said the firefly. "The Queen still has to approve."
It was highly likely that the lizard kept copies of the video. She would only have to tell the Queen that the information had leaked without them knowing the source. This would occupy Airachnid. But if she wanted to keep her Sanctuary, she would have to comply with the idea and authorize the distribution of the synthetic energon. And if she refused, Glowstrike would only have to find a way to slide the vials under the coat. After all, if there was a copy of the video left, she could still use it to sponsor a real insurgence later.
By now, she had at least gained legitimacy and popularity.
"You should be in command, Glowy! You are the one who saves the Sanctuary!" Rose raved as she joined the other grasshopper jester who was waiting for her in the hallway.
At this remark, Glowstrike gave a slight smile. Oddly, she felt something that looked like pride.
She turned to Saberhorn. The latter was reading over her shoulderplate. But unlike Rose, he did not smile, take her in his arms, or congratulate her.
He seemed ... concerned.
"What's the matter?" Glowstrike asked him gently. "You should be happy."
"It may harm you, my dear."
"For the moment, this is advantageous."
"For the moment."
Saberhorn crossed his arms, not changing his expression.
"… But Airachnid will react."
"You have to know how to take risks," said Glowstrike, lightly.
"I worry about you."
"You have to know how to take risks to survive," she repeated.
"... There are other ways to survive, I think."
Strangely, Glowstrike had no answer for that.
Saberhorn added nothing more.
And soon, Mortilus appeared in the clouds of Cybertron, surrounded by the Knights of Cybertron.
Let me predict the future
Let me tell you the most beautiful of your glories that you risk winning ...
… And the most important things you risk losing.
" …Here we are "
The Forest of the Knights. The Sacred Place in which the Hand of Mortilus, the fourth born artifact, was supposed to be confined.
Wing, Bumblebee and Rung had been sinking into the Holy Forest for eight hours now, Wing closing the group. They had landed in Frayus recently and the Hand of Mortilus was apparently located in the heart of the forest.
According to Dai Atlas, this planet had been inhabited by organic natives during the war. But when the forces of the Black Block Consortia and the Galactic Council had come into conflict, Frayus had become a battleground to the point that the Autobots had to evacuate the entire planet to avoid genocide. Even on reaching the Forest, the trio found the abandoned, lifeless places. Residents apparently migrated elsewhere and have not returned to this planet since the evacuation.
Even if Wing was slightly disappointed at the idea of not crossing organic, it might be better that way. There would be no destruction of an entire civilization at stake, unlike Arkus.
Wing inhaled the air. Oxygen. The planet was habitable for humans. Father John might have been delighted to come here. But unfortunately, it would have been too dangerous.
Wing felt his spark tighten and he accelerated to keep distance from the Autobots. As they walked towards the coordinates provided by Dai Atlas, the white bot heard a vibration, as if someone had been trying to communicate with him.
When Wing picked up, only crackles answered him. A voice tried to speak to him, but he couldn't make out who it was.
Maybe it was Drift ... Wing took a breath, trying to calm the pain to his spark that had been present but silent since they had left Earth.
Finally, he hung up. Anyway, he couldn't communicate with him. And even if he could ... Even if the mission mattered more than anything ... Wing wasn't sure if he was ready to talk to him.
He had wished to communicate with him. Since they'd left Earth. Wing had never picked up. He had wanted ... but it had been beyond his strength.
He knew it was unfair. Drift had told him the truth. He'd told him what he'd wanted to hear. He had been sincere about his daughter's existence, what had happened to Heavenlight ... And they had erased his memories. For his own good.
They had only wanted to protect him. Save him from pain.
Yes. Wing had no reason to hold it against him. To blame them. They had done ... what any other friend would have done.
Preserve him. Dai Atlas, Gasket, Drift… they had wished him some good.
So… why did it hurt? Why did it hurt when he had no memory of this daughter he would have loved, with whom he would have bonded ...?
"Wing?"
Wing reopened his optics. He turned back to Rung who had been looking at him, a worried expression on his face.
" …Everything is fine?"
"…Yes. I'm fine."
"You look ... so sad, since we left."
Wing's lip trembled.
"... Father John ... Outrigger ... Karan ... I miss them, that's all."
He would have liked to say that he missed Heavenlight, his own daughter. But he couldn't when he should.
To say that he had been a father ... He had been a father and that part of his life had been taken from him.
His daughter had been taken from him.
"We will find them" reassured Rung gently.
"... I think we found the artifact,"
Bumblebee told them. Suddenly, Rung and Wing looked up, following the direction of the yellow bot.
At the bottom of the Forest of Knights… a clearing. A clearing barely lit by daylight through the trees, falling on an altar made of white and black stones.
In the center of this altar… A Stone Hand, Cybertronian Size. A frozen Hand, in the open position, stretched out towards them.
Wing did not detach his optics from the artifact.
It felt like ... the artifact was already waiting for them.
As Rung and Bumblebee took a step, Wing remembered the part over the artifact of Mortilus, the latter being supposed to represent Death.
Death…
She called you "daddy".
Wing stopped.
… And the most important things you risk losing.
Losing… an important thing.
When he had already lost something important ... the nightmare which was said to be the worst for a parent ...
"... I can't" said Wing.
"Wing?" Rung reacted, turning to him.
"Go ahead ... but ... I can't. I will not go near it."
His voice was trembling. Bumblebee and Rung exchanged looks.
"Wing ..."
"I ... I don't want it... to predict my future."
What would it predict? What could he lose? What was ... what was he going to lose?
"... We can't escape our future" Rung whispered to him softly. "And ... maybe it won't be as bad as you think."
"But ... do we have to? Do we have to see our future?"
He didn't want it.
"I understand you're afraid, Wing" added Bumblebee. But ... right now, the safety of the universe is at stake."
The safety of the universe ...
When Heavenlight, who had apparently been everything for Wing, was dead? And that he didn't remember her?
Wing bowed his head. He felt Rung put his servo on his shoulderplate in a brief but almost comforting hug.
"... When you come back ... I'm sure you will have answers to your questions, to your wonders."
"How would you know?"
"I know it. I prefer to act like you. To be optimistic most of time."
Rung moved closer to him.
"But ... right now, we have to save the others. We have to save the universe. The bottom line is this. The present ... not the future."
"And then ..." added Bumblebee. "Nothing is set in stone. You know ... I lost my voice box during the war. I thought I would never speak again. In the end ... right now, I can communicate with words. With you."
This left Wing speechless.
The present ... not the future. Nothing was set in stone ...
Even if it was an artifact from a deity?
Wing took a breath, his sight blurring slightly.
It was true. They had people to save.
Wing looked up. He stared straight ahead. The artifact was ready to receive them.
Rung held out his servo to him.
"… Together, Wing?"
Wing hesitated.
The future… wasn't set in stone, he tried to repeat himself, his spark beating faster.
Finally, he chose to grab Rung's servo. Bumblebee took the other, and the three of them walked over to the artifact.
They were going to see their future… simultaneously.
Postpone your pain, Wing thought.
They were now a few feet from the artifact. Once they were close enough, Wing leaned over and grabbed the Stone Hand that was held out to them.
On Earth… ?
He was on Earth.
Around him, Lake Tekapo…
Wing stood at the edge of the blue lake, surrounded by the purple flowers that lined the earthly greenery around him.
It was a vision, he thought. A vision of the future.
In the future… will he be on Earth?
Someone passed by him. He looked down.
Father John, accompanied by Starry, carrying in his hand a basket. As if he was planning to have a picnic.
He was laughing. He was whistling.
He seemed so happy ... Wing watched him stop to sit down and open his basket. He took out a tablecloth and, in a flowing gesture, placed it on the grass in front of him.
His future… involved Father John?
Father John looked up at him.
Her eye colour… it had changed. Wing frowned. He did not understand.
He made a gesture, as if to greet him.
Wing heard laughter. Laughters ... the laughter of a child.
A kid ? His whole body began to shiver.
And his spark almost stopped when he saw a little Cybertronian running in the fields, rushing into the arms of a white and red Cybertronian with an aviator alt-mode, much larger than her. He lifted her into the air, a happy smile on his face.
This Cybertronian ... it was him.
Wing.
And this little girl ...
She ... she looked so much like Heavenlight. To the one he had seen.
But ... it wasn't her.