CHAPTER 75

OOC: Emily belongs to VendettaPrimus

Wing was awakened by severe pain in the head, legs and forearms.

Several times he tried to open his optics. But the attempt ended in discomfort after a few seconds, completely preventing him from regaining consciousness.

Around him he heard murmurs, whispers.

We shouldn't have used this drone.

He is dangerous. Remember.

If you say so.

It is not normal for him to be accompanied by a human.

If they threaten our species ...

Father John, Wing thought.

They waited for him to wake up ... He'd thought it was the Decepticons on Earth ... He'd thought it was an ambush. That they had waited for the right time to attack them.

They hadn't been careful ... They should never have gone alone. Why did they go there alone?

Can you hear us?

Wake up…

Again, these whispers ... But ... the intonation was not familiar to him. It was not Cybertronian intonation ...

No… it sounded like the intonations of Father John, or Mary…

Wing gasped. Again, the pain woke him up.

The first thing he saw when he opened the optics was his pedes floating a few feet above the ground. Wing felt his lips move, but no sound came out. No words were heard. The same pain spread through his cross forearms.

Raising his head with difficulty, he quickly realized that his arms, as well as his wings, were attached by laser chains.

Cybertronian technology ... As soon as Wing made a movement, he stifled a cry of pain.

Ignore the pain, he tried to repeat himself. Postpone it until later…

"Can you hear us?"

Wing's thoughts were interrupted by a calm, feminine voice. The white bot tried to answer but again, his tight throat prevented him from speaking.

The only thing he could do was raise his chin to look straight ahead. Everything was white and gray around him ... The room was empty.

It looked like a prison cell ... or a cell in an asylum. His attention suddenly turned to Father John, whom he saw sitting in a chair in the corner of the room.

He wanted to call him, to find out if he was alright ... but Father John seemed very awake. His face was bruised with anxiety and uncertainty, even if he said nothing. His gaze fixed on the voice that spoke to Wing.

"... Do you understand our language?" grunted another, masculine, more hostile and aggressive.

"Of course he understands our language" answered the first voice, as if it was obvious.

"The Autobots understand us" added another male voice, less dry and more concerned. "But that might not mean that this is the case for all Cybertronians."

I understand you… Wing wished to say to answer them. I understand you!

Release ... release ...

"He was with this human. He has to understand us one way or another."

"What does he want with us then?"

Three humans, located on a platform at the level of his face, a few good meters from him. Wing realized by narrowing the optics that a window separated him from them. As if they viewed him as a possible danger.

But that was not his intention. Wing could barely answer their questions. He did not understand why they had captured them. Autobots and humans ... were supposed to be allies, right?

Why ... why were they going after him? Them?

Despite his blurred vision, Wing was able to discern everyone's appearances. They were all officially dressed in black, in a uniform similar to the one Mary usually wore. The first was a rather strong human, taller than the others, a gray tuft on the head, a disdainful and contemptuous pout. The second was a rather well constructed individual, brown hair, green eyes and concerned.

And the third was a human. Almost white blonde hair, big black eyes, a smirk on his lips.

"Do you understand us?" repeated the first individual, his voice rising in debit.

Wing did not react. His forearms were trembling. And it wasn't just because of the pain ...

"Stop ignoring us!" the same man suddenly shouted. "You understand us perfectly!"

He was scared. He didn't know what was going to happen to him ... to happen to them ...

Autobots protected humans ... humans deserved to be protected, right? That's what Wing tried to say to himself.

"Answer! You are wasting our time!"

Hoarse and weak voice, Wing hissed.

"... Release John ... that's all I ask of you."

"Well, we have some talk! There is progress!" taunted the man, contemptuously.

Wing began to cough deeply. A single gesture electrified him in pain, even though he never screamed.

The woman spoke in turn.

"We don't mean you any harm, Cybertronian. We just want to chat with you."

"... Just release John ..." repeated Wing, trembling voice.

"We will release John once you have revealed your intentions to us!" scolded the first human.

Wing only had the strength to shake his head, masking as much as he could of his anxiety and the panic that arose within him.

I don't want to lose anyone anymore. Please.

Finally, the third human spoke.

"... He will not be harmed" he promised, reassuring tone.

"We don't kill civilians," said the female human, a little too abruptly to the white bot's audios.

She paused.

"… But we want some information. From you. We just want to protect our planet. I am sure you understand."

Protect their planet ...? But from whom? Of them? Cybertronians in general?

However, Wing let her continue in silence.

"…My apologies. I did not introduce myself. My name is Emily, commander of the military of the United States of America. And here are my associates. Aaron, my second" she introduced the first man, "and Cade, renowned scientist" she completed by introducing the last member of the group.

Wing nodded slightly in response, indicating that he heard and listened. He took one, two, three breaths, trying to calm his spark that was screaming to let them go.

"…What is your name?" asked Emily gently.

"... Wing" he introduced himself, exhausted by both physical and mental pain.

"So, Wing. What are you doing here? On our planet?" Cade questioned him. "What are you looking for?"

Wing kept his mouth ajar, wheezing.

"You're not an Autobot, are you?" insisted the man named Aaron.

"…I do not understand…"

"If you are not an Autobot, then you are a Decepticon!"

Wing blinked.

"Please…" intervened Father John trying to get up.

"Sit down immediately, you!" Aaron spat at him violently.

"Aaron, I forbid you to speak to him like that," Emily reprimanded coldly.

Right away, Aaron twitched, stopping dead. Emily had changed her expression in a quarter of a second. She shot him with an air of reproach, silently reminding him that she was his superior and that therefore he had to obey his orders. The human stifled a groan before crossing his arms, seeming unhappy with this treatment.

"... You don't have any insignia" remarked Cade.

"… I am not a Decepticon…" replied Wing weakly.

"So who are you? And what do you want from us?"

"The Decepticons have done enough damage to our planet," Emily said calmly. "We do not want this to happen again. Humanity will vanish for good because of our role in the Autobots-Decepticons conflict."

"We should never have helped the Autobots anyway," growled Aaron. "We should never have been involved in conflicts that did not concern us."

Wing searched for words. He couldn't think clearly because of the pain. Emily gently asked him if he wanted any energon to ease his pain, which provoked an outrageous comment from Aaron. But neither Emily nor Cade paid any attention to it.

"I ... I'm neither Autobot. Neither Decepticon. I ... I'm from Cybertron. Cities of Crystal" he explained.

He coughed, before resuming.

"I come ... I come from the Circle of Light."

"The Circle of Light?" Cade was surprised, incredulous.

"… We are warriors who protect Cybertron. The ancient culture of Cybertron. This is our role."

This left the trio of humans surprised. Behind the window, Father John tried to get closer but Aaron rebuffed him again, freezing the priest.

That expression ... he looked so helpless. Wing knew he felt helpless that he couldn't help him. Finally, Cade cleared his throat, before resuming.

"But in this case… what does this Circle of Light want to do? What are your intentions for us humans?"

Wing suffered a new coughing fit. Aaron summoned him to answer immediately.

"I ... I don't know! Look ... we have nothing against you!"

"And how could we believe you?" Cade asked, even if his tone was not hateful. "We know nothing about you, or about this Circle of Light."

"It's the truth…"

"He is telling the truth," he heard Father John add.

But Aaron didn't seem to believe it. Cade and Emily, however, seemed skeptical.

"If you have nothing against us ... why are you here?" asked Emily.

"I ... I was sent on a mission."

"On a mission ? Come on" taunted Aaron. "And what was it about?"

Artifacts ... the safety of the universe ...

However, Wing couldn't explain himself. He wanted to tell them, explain to them the reasons for his coming ... But ... would they believe it? Wing had no bad intentions. On the contrary. Even though he didn't know humans outside of Father John and Mary, he had spent enough time on this planet not to let the Decepticons of the Sanctuary go after its inhabitants.

"... I tell you the truth ... I came because ... because you are in danger."

"In danger?" asked Emily. "What do you mean?"

"So, you are indeed an Autobot!" Aaron insisted.

"No!"

"So, you're a Decepticon!"

"No! I am neutral!"

"Neutrality does not exist! It never existed. Or it only existed for a while. But it's never forever!"

Wing startled. So, even with humans, was the sincerity of neutrality in relation to a conflict also questioned?

They weren't listening to him ... all that mattered was whether he was in one camp or another...

"I swear ... I ... I tell the truth! You are in danger!"

"We don't help anyone without reason" said Emily's second.

"So, you have an outdated vision of reality!" Wing cried suddenly. "I don't need a reason to help you!"

His words hit home. At least at Cade and Emily's. Cade's eyes widened as Emily kept a hand on her arm, her cold smile breaking into an abashed expression.

Silence fell. Wing saw an approving smile tinged with bitterness at the corner of Father John's lips. As if to tell him that he was looking for a solution.

He'd ended up finding one.

"We should never have helped these creatures," said Aaron again.

"They are beings with intelligence, Aaron," said Emily. "Like us. That's why we took part in this war."

"This is no longer our responsibility. The responsibility of humanity. The war is over."

"The war is not over," Wing replied.

He forgot the pain. Now it felt like he were a spectator, as if he had left his own body just to forget the tugging in his forearms and legs, as well as the immense shock received to the head.

"I know you have no reason to believe me" Wing began. "But ... I'm telling you the truth. You are in danger ... not only not your planet, but the entire universe."

"The whole universe?"

"What is this nonsense?" said Aaron.

Wing took a breath.

"Decepticons want to take it out on you ... on your planet ... using rare items as weapons of mass destruction. If ... if you don't let us help you, or if you don't let us counter them, you will all perish!"

Emily and Cade exchanged looks.

"Decepticons ...?"

"On Earth… I don't know where they are located," said Wing, breathless. "But ... we have to stop them. We have to stop them before they harm your planet. Let them use these objects ... let them destroy the entire Earth ..."

If they had been at Arkus ... they would have believed it more easily.

"... He does not seem to lie" commented Emily.

"If there were such objects" said Cade, "as well as some Decepticons threatening us, we would have seen them. Our security systems have improved considerably."

"But they are not infallible," corrected the female human, thoughtful.

"Come on! He is probably telling us these lies to get away!" growled Aaron.

Cade gave him a furious glare.

"I don't feel like he would be able to pretend such emotions."

"He does not pretend" added Father John. "He is telling the truth ... I was with him ... I already have everything—"

"You are a civilian!" Aaron interrupted. "A citizen ! You have been foolish enough to approach a machine whose characteristics you were unaware of, without notifying the competent authorities to resolve this problem!"

This time Father John turned in his direction. Frowning, he articulated on each word.

"He is not a machine. I forbid you to call him like that."

"And if not what?"

Again, Wing felt the pain in his forearms, pulled by the chains.

He couldn't ... he couldn't calm down. To calm his mind. As Gasket had taught him.

As long as they hadn't decided anything ...

"... We should turn him off" Aaron offered.

Silence fell. Wing's energon froze at this statement.

"No!" cried Father John, turning pale.

"That's what we should have done with this other machine" Aaron continued without listening to him.

No ... please ... listen to me ...

"I'm telling you the truth!" Wing repeated, the timbre of his voice getting faster and faster. "You will perish! You will perish if we don't stop them!"

"There's no neutrality possible," said Aaron, his voice almost covering Wing's as he spoke to Emily and Cade. "It's either an Autobot or a Decepticon. We can't trust him because otherwise he would admit that he would be on our side."

"I'm on your side!"

"So, admit that you are an Autobot! Or perish!"

No… I'm on your side ... I mean no harm to you ...

Behind the window, Wing kept repeating that same phrase over and over. I'm on your side ... I don't want to hurt you ...

"Is that really what you think, Aaron?" said Emily, pensive.

"It is better not to take a risk to preserve humanity."

But why did they refuse any dialogue ...?

He stared at Emily, despair gradually taking over. The more Aaron spoke, the more hesitant she seemed. And Cade seemed completely overwhelmed by this situation.

A neutral protecting humanity ... why did they believe it was impossible?

Emily and Cade shouldn't accept... Emily would have the last word. The others would follow her.

"…Please…"

I don't need any reason to help you. If he could, he would have hit the window to get their attention, to force them to listen.

"Please ... you are in danger ... you are in danger ... you are going to die ... just ... listen to me."

He remembered Gasket ... the ordeal he had to go through with the human army ... He as well... he had also suffered all this?

While the Autobots, Bee, Drift ... the Optimus faction had never stopped defending them?

Emily closed her eyes. But as she was apparently on the verge of deciding, Father John's voice rose unexpectedly.

"… The Circle of Light has decided to join the Autobots."


At first, Father John's words did not reach Wing's audios.

"... To protect the universe" continued Father John, "the Circle of Light has decided to join the Autobots. To protect the universe, including humanity."

Aaron slowly turned to Father John, his jaw clenched.

"How do you know? You're just a civilian. You know nothing about this whole situation. And it's not your role to give an opinion."

"I know it," said Father John calmly, keeping his hands against the glass. "I was there when Wing first came to Earth. He explained to me that he was looking for a comrade. A friend. A person who meant everything to him. Just like the Autobots… were looking for their missing comrades."

Despite the words spoken, Wing noticed Father John's expression decay visibly. It struck him. He understood what he was doing ... to save him ... to prevent his deactivation ...

"The Circle of Light is neutral," continued Father John. "But they joined forces with the Autobots. They united to find their comrades, who were captured by the same people."

"Damn Decepticons," growled Aaron.

"I want to hear what he has to say, Aaron" Emily once again berated him.

"The fact that they are Decepticons is not essential" rectified Father John. Wing saved me several times. Without him, I would be dead. Several times. And if he hadn't acted sooner, humanity would have been eradicated long before."

Throat tied, Wing let him finish.

Father John, Wing thought sadly.

"... Wing saved humanity. He saved us. And you thank him by mistreating him? By chaining it? By treating him as a machine? By threatening to deactivate him?"

"Who do you think you are? It's not-"

"My role, I know" admitted Father John firmly. "But ... right now, we are all fighting against one and the same threat. Autobots protect humans… The Circle of Light joined the Autobots… we are all on the same boat."

He paused.

"… The Circle of Light means us no harm. Like the Autobots, they have our protection in mind. And he doesn't tell a story. These objects of mass destruction do exist. And we have to keep them before our enemies get their hands on them."

"… I would be curious to know what they look like" said Emily, taking her chin.

Doubt appeared again on Emily's face as well as on Cade's. Aaron intervened again:

"We shouldn't take any chances."

"And what is the greatest risk today?" asked Father John. "You will deactivate an Autobot ally ... instead of letting him protect us from the threat that targets us all?"

Wing endured.

It may have been the only solution ... for them to listen ...

"... The universe, huh?" Emily straightened up.

She stared at Father John who added nothing more. She sighed deeply. She turned towards a door, far behind them, located on the right.

Wing hadn't noticed it before.

"... Maybe we can ask for the advice of your former soldier, Aaron?" Emily decreed, a tone of mockery in her voice towards her second.

Aaron jumped.

"... According to the report, army fired her for insubordination. Because she refused to go after the machines you captured. Maybe she was right" Emily whispered.

"But ... commander, I swear to you -"

Aaron couldn't finish his sentence. The door opened.

Wing widened the optics when he saw Mary entering the room.

The human expressed no emotion. Her expression was serious and hardened considerably when she saw Aaron, high up on the platform, appear in front of her.

However, she quickly forgot it when she noticed Father John standing near the window, which she hurried to join. Very quickly, she wrapped her arms around him, silently checking that he was okay.

"… Do you know why you are there, Mary?" asked Emily gently.

Mary looked up at her.

"... I think I know, Commander."

"Why did you choose to help Cybertronians? Even more of the Cybertronians whose faction we ignored? It could have been Decepticons. Have you thought about it?"

Mary looked for Father John's hand. The latter handed it to her and she took it from him, squeezing it tightly in his own.

"I can assure you that he is not a Decepticon. Wing is not one. Just like Gasket is not. None of them means to harm us."

"Are you sure?"

He would never thank her enough. For Gasket, for all of this. Mary's response was all the more effective.

"I gave up everything to do my duty. To protect my planet."

"And do you think we should trust them?"

Mary glanced at Father John.

"… The Autobots will stop supporting us during future conflicts with the Decepticons, commander. Because there will be others, whatever my former superior says."

She took a while before adding.

"The war is not over."

"And will you vouch for it? For Wing… as well as for this Gasket?" asked Emily curiously. "Would you put the safety of the universe in their hands?"

Wing couldn't help but remember the day Drift first came to the Crystal Cities. There had been the same exchange… between him and Dai Atlas to authorize Drift to join the Circle of Light. He too had vouched for Drift.

But this time, he was the one whom the fate would be decided. Mary did not hesitate for a second.

"… He saved Father John. Yes, for me, I would put my own life in their hands."

"I see." Emily's cold air disappeared.

She smiled, more warmly this time.

"... I hope you are not mistaken, Mary."

"I'm sure I'm not, Emi –I mean. Commander."

Emily turned to Wing. She ended up ordering Cade to release him.

It felt like a weight was suddenly removed from him. Wing felt relief invade him when the chains disappeared from his wrists and wings, letting him fall heavily to the ground.

He breathed out of relief, despite Aaron's outraged protests.

"Aren't you serious, Commander?"

"Is this an act of insubordination, Aaron?"

She was very personable. She had the art of commanding, directing ... She shared the same aura as Dai Atlas and Ultra Magnus had, even though she was a human.

"... I wish I didn't give this file to you, Aaron."

Their eyes met. Emily's dark eyes stared into Wing's optics.

Emily bowed, surprising Wing as much as Mary.

"... I understand that you do not forgive us."

"What does that mean?"

"We humans ... We are selfish by nature. Unfortunately, it is our nature. We think above all of our own preservation. Even if that doesn't excuse everything because we often forget the most important."

Wing made no response. Of course, he had to blame them ... but he was mostly relieved that they wanted to believe him and that they agreed to let them help them.

There was no time for this. They had to stop shooting each other. They had to join forces and recover the last artifact to place them in safety. Whether it's Decepticons, Autobots, neutrals, humans ... they had to stop fighting with each other. Even if it meant arresting those who threatened them ...

"If you choose to fight alongside the Autobots ... the army will give you its full support."

"Just give your word," replied Wing.

"It would not be honorable not to keep a promise. When I make a promise, I respect it at all costs."

Her words reassured him. If humans also assisted them, they would surely have a clear advantage.

And they wouldn't go after him ... or Gasket anymore.

"We should start by securing the cities" suggested Mary.

"I'm going to call an emergency meeting. We will establish measures as quickly as necessary."

Cade pressed a button. Soon the window opened and Wing was finally able to join Father John and Mary.

He was free now. His optics met Emily's again.

Wing, in turn, bowed in respect, before letting Father John and Mary climb into his servo so they could leave the base.

Together.


As soon as Wing, Father John and Mary entered the Autobot base, they found the residents gathered in the meeting room.

A silence greeted them. At first Wing did not understand why. Then, the expression Bumblebee addressed to them was very clear: the news had already reached their audio.

They had received a call from the army, inviting the Autobots to the meeting set up on the initiative of the commander, to discuss the different strategies to adopt and thus eradicate the threat that affected them all.

Wing scanned the room. His optics stopped on Dai Atlas. And immediately, his spark squeezed.

As much the Autobots seemed optimistic by the invitation of humans, the latter being ready to renew their past alliance with them in memory of the war on Cybertron ... But Wing was aware that their action, their contact with the American army would have other consequences than having additional support on Earth.

Dai Atlas turned to the Autobots.

"... Leave us," he ordered them, a cold fury in his optics.

An expression that Wing hated.

"Dai Atlas ..." tried to intervene Ultra Magnus.

"This is about my team. Not yours. Leave us" he repeated in a voice without appeal.

Ultra Magnus sighed. He ends up inviting the Autobots to withdraw. Father John was about to follow them when Dai Atlas called out to him.

"No. He stays there."

"Dai Atlas…" Wing began.

"What have you done?" his leader cut him off, his becoming more and more hostile.

What have you done?

Father John squeezed his white cane in response. Wing looked away, searching for words to explain. But Dai Atlas did not give him the opportunity.

" 'The Circle of Light has joined the Autobots' " quoted Dai Atlas. " 'We have pledged allegiance to the Autobots.' 'We joined them to protect humanity.' "

"That's not what we meant" simply said Wing, wearily.

"But ... do you realize? Do you realize what you have done?"

He straightened up. Father John felt it and took a step back.

As for Wing, he made sure to stay between them.

"The Circle of Light has always been neutral. From the point of view of the Autobots, from the point of view of the Decepticons, from the point of view of the universe. It lasted for millennia. And in seconds, you ruin it all!" finished Dai Atlas, his tone still calm.

"They didn't believe us when we said we were neutral" justified Wing.

Dai Atlas' tone rose. He was frankly angry and even though it was rare, it was still something terrifying.

"You tell humans that we're going to protect them, that we joined the Autobots to do it."

"We're protecting the universe," said Wing. "Humans are included."

"Precisely, we protect the universe! But there was never any question of humans! These are the problems of Autobots! It was never our problem! Now, because of what you have done, we are no longer considered neutral on Cybertron! Everyone will believe that we are Autobots in disguise!"

Yes, that had been the fear of Dai Atlas. And this fear was realized.

But even if Wing had also shared this fear once, of being identified with Autobots, today he no longer felt any reluctance. He was not afraid to the point of adopting the Autobot badge ... He was a member of the Circle of Light. And in the end, it was no longer the faction that mattered. It was the individual himself.

They interacted as much with Autobots as with Decepticons. Decepticons who, despite their faction, were good people who wanted them good but who were stigmatized. Dai Atlas took his face in one servo, trying to calm the anger that was rising in him.

"That's your problem, Wing. You get attached too easily! You have recovered a human, a vermin, as a pet of the Autobots! And now, you are circumventing the rules established by the Circle of Light, to act like the Autobots!"

"His name is Father John," Wing said coldly in turn.

"That's enough ! I should never have sent you there! I should never have sent you to Earth!"

Wing endured. Dai Atlas now focused his attention on Father John.

The latter kept his head down, a shameful and helpless expression on his face.

"What about you ? Who do you think you are? You are a human. You are not even an important human in your community. You know nothing about the Circle of Light and you categorize them as your allies? So that our society has always been based on neutrality?"

Father John remained silent. He didn't know what to answer.

"Who do you think you are to act like that?"

"I only wanted to free Wing…" articulated Father John. "Let them know that they were committing a big mistake by ..."

"You track down, you imprison beings of a different species because they are neutral! Because they are not attached to you, humans. What do you deserve to be protected in?"

No ... They deserved it, Wing thought.

Father John, Mary, Emily… all of these people illustrated the fact that human nature deserved to be protected, even if their society was full of faults. Just like the Cybertronian society itself... which could not see beyond its faction system.

Dai Atlas turned to Wing. In an irrevocable voice, the sentence fell.

"You'll not see him again."

His words fell like a bomb.

"What?" shouted both Wing and Father John.

"I forbid you to interact with the members of my team, Father John, whatever your name is" replied Dai Atlas. "You didn't stay in your place and you caused too much damage!"

Father John turned pale. He did not move, cashing in as much as he could.

"We are not Autobots. Put that in your head" scolded Dai Atlas harshly before turning around, indicating that the conversation was over.

Father John turned towards Wing. It felt like his spark was bleeding. The priest tried to add something, but his mouth closed.

Dejected, he finally took his cane and walked to the door to get out of the room.

No ... No, he refused it.

"How can you say he caused too much damage ?" cried Wing, Dai Atlas' decision making him forget his fear.

Dai Atlas kept his back facing him.

"This conversation is over, I think."

"You don't know what he did for me" Wing ignored him. "You have no right to treat him like that, just because he is a human protected by Autobots!"

"Precisely, I know it! And because of him, you forgot your place! You forget that you are not an Autobot. You belong to the Crystal Cities. In the Circle of Light!"

He'd had enough. Decisions of Dai Atlas, of the closed nature of their faction which prohibited the other factions… How were they better than the Autobots? The Decepticons?

"He was one of the best things that ever happened to me on Earth. Father John was there for me when no one else was" hissed Wing, downright angry. "He made mistakes, okay, but he just wanted to save me!"

"Everyone tried to save you, Wing" scolded Dai Atlas.

"Except that he gave me the choice!"

Silence fell. Dai Atlas turned slowly.

"Excuse me? What is that supposed to mean?"

Wing kept his fists clenched. He took a breath, and said:

"I know everything! I know what you did! You, Drift, Gasket!"

With these few words, Dai Atlas's harsh expression crumbled.

"I know about Heavenlight! I know about my daughter's existence! I had a daughter! An Insecticon that I adopted! And you have erased my memories concerning her!"

Finally, the face of his leader broke down. His cold anger gave way to glaring desolation.

Wing felt his spark beating at full speed in his chassis, as if he was going to tear it to go out.

"You took my daughter away from me ... you pretended that she never existed."

"How?" simply asked Dai Atlas.

"Do you think that's the only thing that matters?" said Wing, his voice shaking. "You took away my memories, Dai Atlas. You took my daughter from me and now ... now you want to take Father John from me, who tried to help me in his own way."

He was no longer in denial ...

Now he was in anger. He knew it.

"... It was to protect you" said Dai Atlas, trying to appear as self-confident as possible.

"Father John did it too. But you, you refuse to let another person help me."

"Not when it has consequences for the Circle of Light!"

"really ... or are you jealous of not having control?"

Dai Atlas had no answer for that.

Instead ... It was Star Saber who intervened. In a contemptuous tone, his voice rose:

"A daughter... How long did you know her actually? Five years ? What does this represent in the life of a Cybertronian, five years? It wasn't enough for you to view her as your daughter, anyway. You two weren't even bound by the spark."

This sentence ... didn't hurt him as much as those spoken by Dai Atlas. But that didn't stop Wing from feeling rage.

"And then ... it was an Insecticon. A race of thieves, criminals without any law ..."

"A heretic again? Like everything else? Actually, what are you doing within the Circle of Light, Star Saber?" Wing replied softly, his vision blurred.

He did not deserve to be dwelled on his words. He looked up at Dai Atlas.

If he hadn't been angry, he would have been shocked to see the desolation on his leader's face.

"… Primus would be ashamed of you" Wing said harshly before turning on his heel to leave the mech he was supposed to consider his leader.


They had left to Lake Tekapo.

He needed a quiet, neutral place ... for what he was going to do. Sitting in the grass, Father John at his side, Wing stared into the palm of his servos, his face showing no emotion.

"... You don't have to make this decision now," said Father John.

"I know."

Wing watched the Lake in front of him ... so pure blue water ...

He could just throw it away in the water, instead of destroying it ... It wouldn't be that difficult.

"... But ... I have to do it quickly because otherwise nothing will stop. This spiral will not stop."

"That's your decision, Wing."

"I tell myself that ... that would not be fair."

"You don't have to justify yourself."

It wouldn't be fair… for Heavenlight. Neither for Drift, nor for Gasket, nor for Dai Atlas who had endured it all because of him.

Neither for himself…

"... Wing ..."

"If I must suffer, I suffer. It's better than staying in the blue."

"I understand."

"Just ... don't go, Father John."

The human nodded, a gentle look on his face.

"You know I won't leave. I won't let you down."

Wing forced himself to smile. But he couldn't.

Instead, he looked at that USB drive again.

So small, containing so many memories…

Fracture had explained to him how to do it.

With a slow move, he reached out.

Then, he plugged the USB key into the port dug in his wrist.