CHAPTER 32
Dai Atlas had great difficulties to recharge.
Too much in his processor…so many thoughts…Most of them weren't very positive.
Indeed, he was thinking about Crystal Cities' safety.
He was thinking about troops threatening the cities and its inhabitants.
He was thinking about the Circle of Light.
More than anything, he was thinking about his members: Axe, Wing, Outrigger, Star Saber…
At any time, he wondered if whatever he was doing was enough.
If they would manage to survive till the end of the war…
If greed and lust for power would fade away one day…
He let out a sigh. Probably never.
Star Saber and he practiced the ritual of praying Primus once per day, begging Him for bravery and luck for the rest of the war yet to come. That's their customs. Any time they left, Dai Atlas felt mixed about it: on one servo, he felt relief. He knew that Primus was listening to him and would hear such a courage and luck he needed. One the other servo, he was afraid of disappointing Him.
He was afraid of not being worthy of His help.
"Others should pray more often" Star Saber declared.
Dai Atlas let out a sigh.
"They have other business to do."
"The Circle of Light is supposed to be a religious community. How faithful can they be if they don't bow to our God?"
"They…surely have other business to do"
Dai Atlas wished he could repeat to him over and over that it wasn't the Circle of Light's goal. They were warriors who protected the Crystal Cities and its peace. Whether they were believers of Primus was a secondary matter.
However, he didn't desire any conflict.
He stared back at Star Saber. He was the second one who'd joined him. The one Dai Atlas know the longest. Unlike Dai Atlas, Star Saber had risen from nothing. However, during the Golden Age, Star Saber had ascended and had become the head of the interplanetary Galactic Defence Force, in order to protect Cybertron from anyone wanting to harm it. A legendary swordsman who'd given up on everything to join the Circle of Light.
He'd always wondered why. Star Saber wasn't a talkative person when it came to his motives.
Except for one thing…
"Star Saber?"
"Yes?"
They left the Temple.
"This peace you were looking for. Did you find it?"
Behind Star Saber's mask, Dai Atlas could read his surprise.
"The day you came here, you talked about a peace you wanted to find. A peace you haven't tasted during your days in the Galactic Defence Force."
He paused.
"I always wondered what you meant."
Star Saber took his time to reply.
"That war, conflicts…I risked my life every day to protect a planet that didn't deserve it."
"Cybertron is our planet" Dai Atlas sternly corrected him.
"A planet full of idiots that caused war to gain some power while none of them are worthy of it. Optimus, Megatron…none of these deserve power."
Dai Atlas admitted he'd a point.
"That's the reason why the Circle of Light should remain closed. Since these fools wouldn't reach us." Star Saber completed.
Yes.
He'd already committed a mistake by allowing Drift join the Circle of Light.
Especially since he was a Decepticon…
It inevitably brought Dai Atlas back to his darkest days…
Till we are all one.
None of us shall have any free will. We are…everything.
He shook his head. Why was he thinking about it?
No. He wasn't like him.
Suddenly, he caught sight of someone at the end of the corridor. Dai Atlas stopped. Outrigger.
"What are you doing here?" Dai Atlas asked him.
He was usually accompanied by Beak…
This time, he was alone.
It meant…
"I don't find Beak" The young bot said.
Dai Atlas sighed. That's not the first time Beak left to enjoy his life. It could last a few days before he came back, satisfied as if nothing ever happened.
"This camera-bot will only bring us troubles" Dai Atlas commented.
"That's not true" Outrigger answered. "If not for him, we wouldn't know if troops are planning to assault the cities."
The young bot looked worried.
"I don't like knowing him alone"
Dai Atlas tried to give him flat reassurance.
"He is probably out somewhere…he'll come back. He always does."
"What if he doesn't? What if he's captured by pirates? Or slave traders?"
The giant rolled his optics.
"So…we'll seek him again. But that's the last time, Outrigger. You need to control your pet."
Outrigger immediately twitched.
"That's not a pet! That's a camera-bot!"
"He remains a pet" Star Saber added.
"He's part of the team!" Outrigger cried out.
"If you say so…"
Dai Atlas was about to leave when he heard Outrigger mutter.
"Anyway, he's given more responsibilities. Much more than me."
Primus! They'll not talk about it again!
"You have something to say, Outrigger?" Dai Atlas dryly replied.
He wasn't in the mood for this.
"Let me go outside to search for him. That's all I ask."
"That's a no. And you know it" The giant replied.
"Why? I can fight!"
Yes. He knew how to fight.
"That's too dangerous"
"What is dangerous for me that isn't dangerous for you? I followed the same training as you! I'm a member too!" Outrigger roared.
Dai Atlas and Star Saber exchanged a look.
Another tantrum…
"…You slowly start annoying me" The blue bot growled.
They would just leave. It will be over soon…
"I'm just like you! However, you never give me the chance to prove myself!" The young bot roared.
To him, the talk wasn't over.
Dai Atlas clenched his fists. He sharply turned back to him, displaying a deep glare.
"You're not like us!" Dai Atlas roared back. He was angry now.
Outrigger froze.
"You aren't mature enough to take care of important missions! You're not experimented enough to be viewed as a full member of the team! You're only a brat who doesn't know how to take care of his camera-bot!"
He didn't even wait for the young bot's counter-attack.
Probably because Outrigger had nothing to say…
Rage slowly invaded him…
Dai Atlas gestured Star Saber to follow him, leaving their comrade alone.
As soon as he was out of their sight, Dai Atlas felt such an emotion he hated: the same one that prevented him from recharging.
Guilt.
He was aware of it. Words he'd said to Outrigger had been harsh. He could actually feel the young bot's rage, disappointment and sadness.
They'd took him in. They'd raised him up. They'd trained him…
And he wasn't viewed as a member.
However, if he gave him time to explain himself, if he allowed him to go outside, even for Beak… Dai Atlas was afraid that he would never come back.
He could be attacked by troops, pirates, thiefs, just like the ones Axe, Wing and Drift had confronted the last time.
That's better to be too strict instead of being too neglectful…
He couldn't afford himself to lose Outrigger.
Or any other member.
"Unicron and Primus…a close yet deadly bother-"
Drift tried to read the word correctly. In the end, he stopped. He didn't understand.
"…Botherhod…"
"Brotherhood" Wing corrected him with a smile.
"You chose a difficult book"
"No. It's quite an easy one. It's written in big signs."
Wing had taught him the many different cybertronian signs during these last days. It's time for reading now. Yet that's still difficult.
"You already did some progress" His mentor encouraged him.
"Definitely!" Axe approved, reading a book on his own. "That's way better than the kind of new language you created during the first days"
"You probably did the same when you'd learned to read" Drift sneered back, irritated.
He closed the book.
"Some words will always get me."
"Hey. Take it slowly, Drift" The white bot reminded him. "Slowly yet surely. Science hadn't been performed in one way"
He paused.
"I think you're doing well"
Drift's cheekplates went warm again. Drift chose to ignore it.
"Jetstorm and Slipstream will not learn to read with me. You should teach them to read. I'm not good at this."
"Learn and teach. Step by step. One fight at the same time" Wing stated.
Wing stood up, heading for the kitchen. As soon as he was out of their sight and Axe and Drift were alone, the yellow and purple bot turned back to him, a big grin on his face.
"What?" Drift asked.
"I know" Axe didn't change expression.
"You know what?"
Axe closed his book as well.
"Your optics are full of hearts whenever you look at him"
"Who? Wing?" Drift almost shouted.
"You like him. That's obvious."
He liked—
Drift got it. He glared daggers at Axe.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Oh, please! Don't play with me!"
"I'm not interested!"
"Oh, yes!" Axe insisted. "You definitely have hearts in your optics whenever you talk to him."
"Whatever…"
The orange bot chose to ignore him. He decided to go back with reading. However, Axe didn't leave him alone.
"Ask him out"
"What?"
"A date. You already dated in your life, right?"
No. Drift knew what it meant but…
"…I never did"
He'd been too busied to survive to have time for a romance.
And that's still the case here. He's just trying to prove himself to other members.
He wasn't interested in it.
"Life is short. Even for us" Axe stated.
"As if I'll listen to a bot who hadn't tried anything with his 'friend'."
This time, Axe was the one feeling awkward.
"Stop it. I barely know her" He chuckled.
"Yes. And Wing is my mentor"
"It doesn't stop anything"
"What are you talking about?" Wing asked, coming back.
"Nothing"
Drift stood up now. He'd done enough today.
"I'm leaving now"
"Aren't you staying?" Wing asked.
"No…I need to recharge"
"And Jetstorm and Slipstream need you" He approved.
He definitely read him like an open book.
Wing followed him to the apartment's door. However, right before joining his flat, Drift felt an impulse through his body.
These words came out from his mouth.
"You could…show me more about Crystal cities, right?"
"Excuse me?"
He understood what he just did. Drift immediately pulled himself together. He felt ashamed, cursing Axe for bringing such an idea in his mind.
"…Nothing. Forget it"
"Are you asking me to…give you a tour?"
That's the idea.
But it was dumb. Wing would refuse. He was a member of the Circle of Light. He wouldn't have time for tourism…
"Okay. Tomorrow?" Wing offered.
Drift suppressed a thrilled smile. He kept a neutral expression on his face.
"Okay. I'll wake you up tomorrow."
"…See you tomorrow"
"See you tomorrow"
Drift and Wing didn't tear their optics off each other until Wing closed the door behind him.
Had he accepted…?
Drift shook his head. That's idiot. He would just give him a tour. That's another thing he would teach him. Beside training, reading…
But Drift couldn't…ignore how his spark beat faster whenever he was alone with the white bot, or whenever he was close to him.
You like him.
No. That's untrue. Wing was the very first person who didn't look down upon him. He wasn't expecting anything in return of his teaching…
He…admired him. But…he wasn't like this. He wasn't like this.
No. He wasn't.
Drift returned to his flat.
He found Jetstorm laying down on the sofa. As for Slipstream, Drift had come across him along with Outrigger on the way home. He would be back soon.
The orange bot slowly walked closer to Jetstorm. He wondered if he'd fallen asleep…Indeed. Jetstorm had his optics shut.
Optics shut…and tears running down his face.
It shocked Drift. He immediately wondered what'd happened. Had Jetstorm got troubles? Had he been assaulted…?
Shadow Raker…
A Shadow remains a Shadow.
Jetstorm moved in his sleep, whines coming out from his mouth.
Drift realized he'd a nightmare.
The orange bot gently sat down near him. He hesitated to wake him up to calm him down, to reassure him about his nightmares…
In the end, he massaged his back.
To comfort him…to give him a presence…
It eased his sobs. He went slowly less shaky…
Jetstorm was calming down.
Then, he muttered these words in his recharge.
"That's…not my fault…"
That's not his fault.
Was he dreaming of…?
Yes, of course. Shadow Raker. Treatments he'd inflicted on Jetstorm.
Jetstorm had thought that's normal to be beaten by his Master. He had been a tool for the Insecticon.
That's the first time he'd been realizing that…he didn't actually deserve such a mistreatment.
No.
That's not his fault.
Drift cursed Shadow Raker again.
If you ever come close near them again, I'll kill you, he thought.