CHAPTER 42
"…What do you mean?"
Dai Atlas stared back at Star Saber, who'd taken a seat behind his desk. Star Saber looked down. The masked bot's expressions were difficult to read. However, Dai Atlas could guess them right now. That's as if he didn't dare look at him back, as if he was actually ashamed by his discovery.
Truth to be told, he hadn't been much struck by Star Saber's information. Yet, almost. He felt many different emotions: surprise, disbelief, even anger…He could have expected anything else. Armed troops walking to the cities…Megatron or Optimus…even Gasket who'd came back…
"I wanted to warn you" Star Saber justified.
But the only question that he'd had in mind was this:
How could he have been so blind?
How could he have seen nothing? He'd never noticed a change of behaviour in his members.
With Wing, with Axe…
Desolation took over him now.
"…You have been right…"
Actually, he didn't care about a so-called plot orchestrated by Minicons. Star Saber could sometimes be paranoid about beings different from them. Smaller beings, bigger beings…Star Saber hated them, despised them and was probably afraid of them as well. Yet he didn't pay attention to Jetstorm and Slipstream. Minicons accomplished their tasks without any question and had never given them much problem. They just followed their Master. If they had been Decepticons, it had been because of Drift.
No. He was thinking about Axe.
When Star Saber had described that femme's speeches, Solus Prime, the reincarnation, Dai Atlas had immediately thought of the Way of Flame. Axe was listening to these speeches from a femme part of a sect, who'd given him books for free…it got him alerted.
Axe had always been a believer. A believer in Primus.
The Way of Flame was a religion that they had to be distrustful of. They questioned the existence of an eternal, infinite Allspark…their speeches were indoctrination. Brainwashing.
Dai Atlas mustn't have been that blind.
As for Wing and Drift…
It surprised him as well. Dai Atlas had always been suspicious of something going on between Wing and Gasket in the past. Yet if something had been real, these two had always kept it hidden. Wing had never talked about it. If there had been something, Axe had been probably the only one to know about it.
After Gasket's departure, Wing had shown regret and sadness…but Dai Atlas had thought it was because his mentor had left and would never come back.
Now, according to Star Saber…Wing openly displayed his feelings. With Drift.
Drift. A Decepticon. Yes. A Decepticon who was trying to prove himself to become part of the team…but he was still a Decepticon.
And Dai Atlas was afraid for Wing. He was afraid that his teammate would be disappointed. He thought it wouldn't end up well. What if Drift turned on them? What if he returned to his old bad habits?
If they openly displayed their relationship…unlike with Gasket, it may mean that Wing felt something different for Drift.
Stronger…more intense feelings…
"Okay. I'll…go to investigate. If that's necessary, I'll talk to them."
Star Saber was able to see things, for most of time.
Maybe he wasn't wrong. That wasn't the Circle of Light's way of thinking. The society remained closed, on a right path, believing in one God. Their God Primus.
He realized that some of their members…didn't respect this view. They were attracted by something else, something that Dai Atlas wasn't able to control. It was his duty as a leader to protect his members.
It worried him. He'd to check it.
He must check that his members weren't in danger.
He started with Axe.
He didn't have to search him for long. He only followed the way given by Star Saber. The Atynx Market Square.
Yes. All these times he'd visited this place, he'd noticed bots giving ambivalent speeches, especially about faith. However, he'd realized that these individuals were part of the Way of Flame though he'd never had time to waste here.
Not like today.
Yet he came here a bit too late. Indeed, as soon as he arrived to the place, the crowd was already scattered around.
The only one he noticed was Axe. With this femme. Standing very close to each other.
And as soon as Dai Atlas walked closer, he caught them kissing, the femme's arms wrapped around Axe's neck.
It got him startled. Axe had never been the kind to search a mate. He'd always been the one to put the Circle of Light above everything else.
Above everything else…
But this kiss…emotions were clearly obvious. Affection, tenderness between two lovers.
Axe…looked happy.
Dai Atlas took his time to watch. That's a very strange show. And Dai Atlas tried to remember the last time he'd fallen in love.
He didn't manage to remember.
Axe and this femme pulled apart. His comrade finally noticed him.
"…Dai Atlas…"
Yet he shouldn't forget that the femme was part of a sect. At least, potentially.
Axe walked closer, the femme remaining apart. She looked shy. Not distrustful…but impressed. His comrade smiled to him, as if there was nothing wrong going on.
"Here is Esmeral. Esmeral, here is Dai Atlas. My leader…"
He paused.
"…and my friend."
Friend?
Dai Atlas watched him, completely astonished.
They had been comrades, colleagues…but never once, Axe or anyone else from the Circle of Light, had ever introduced them as friends.
It startled him.
"…It's a pleasure to meet you" The femme named Esmeral answered back.
Truth to be told, Dai Atlas barely glanced at her. However, she displayed an enchanted smile who seemed genuine.
He stared back at Axe.
He didn't seem…brainwashed or lobotomized. His processor didn't seem to be—
He looked normal. Happy.
Yet…he shouldn't take the situation lightly. Maybe Axe had been indoctrinated…?
"…What are you…?"
"We're together" Axe replied with a big smile. "Since shortly…"
He could guess.
Esmeral smiled again.
"Dai Atlas…Axe often talks about you. I'm happy to meet you."
And she didn't seem to be…She didn't look like a guru. Of course, he hadn't witnessed to her speeches and discourses but…
She didn't seem to be the kind who would pull Axe away from his comrades…his companions…
And Axe looked proud to introduce her to him.
He noticed a young bot who walked over to Esmeral. A child. This latter took her arm to lead her away in another direction. Dai Atlas guessed that the child knew her and that he was lost in the Crystal cities.
Before following him, Esmeral greeted them again then left to help the young one to find his way.
Good. It left Axe and Dai Atlas alone to talk. With all his height, Dai Atlas analysed his comrade's behaviour.
"How did you know…?"
"I have my sources" Dai Atlas retorted, his tone a bit drier than he'd actually expected.
Axe nodded.
"She is the one who…gave me these books."
Ha yes. Books.
"I guessed so. She mustn't have been happy to learn what happened."
"No. These books belonged to her parents but—"
Axe unexpectedly opened his chassis. Then he pulled some books out.
New books. Books that had never been burnt.
"What's this-?"
"She lent me some others."
He didn't ask permission. Dai Atlas grabbed them. He read the title. The summary. The first page.
It wasn't anything about whatever he'd expected…They were crime novels, adventure novels…
None of them mentioned a religion.
He looked up back at Axe.
"…Axe…"
"I know what you're thinking."
Let's go straight for it, so.
"You know who she is…or rather, what she is."
"Yes, of course."
Axe's tone betrayed his annoyance.
"She is part of the Way of Flame. I know."
"Will you join her cult?"
"Of course not! I don't think so—"
Deep down, Dai Atlas felt relieved about it.
"I thought—"
"I believe in Primus. But I don't care about her religion. I don't care about the divinity she worships."
He paused.
"She is the one I love, not her religion." He finished, a determined tone. "We are all bots. We aren't defined by one trait or a particularity."
It left Dai Atlas speechless. Axe didn't leave him any time to answer, to protest…
What should he protest for?
"We are in a changing society, Dai Atlas. It will take time before someone could end the conflict. Wing is right. We can't stay in an enclosed society, staying with each other…If we wish for a peace, we must welcome the ones who are in need. No matter if they practice a different religion, a different cult…"
Everybody was different…
Everybody has their own free will…
For one reason or another, he thought of Nova Prime who'd tried to create the Allspark on Cybertron.
They couldn't afford to forget their individuality…
From far, Esmeral was coming back…
This femme…Axe had chosen her…
She was different from them…but not in a negative way.
He'd thought that Wing was naïve. But now…Axe had come to share his point of view…
Was he the one who'd been wrong? Who'd always been wrong?
He just turned around to join their base.
"…Don't come back too late…"
He could feel Axe's smile in his back.
"Drift. Focus."
Dai Atlas joined the training room. He stopped when he caught sight of Wing and Drift sparring on the tatami, exchanging blow after blow. They weren't the only ones. Jetstorm, Slipstream, Axe and Outrigger were also present here. The only difference was that they weren't sparring. They just watched the two fighters with interest.
That's the good chance for Dai Atlas to observe their behaviour. Drift had apparently some trouble to focus today. However, he quickly discovered the reason why.
Drift didn't like an audience. Yet he didn't seem to have noticed Dai Atlas' presence, at the other end of the room.
"I ordered you to work!" He scolded them.
"But Mister Drift…" Jetstorm quickly apologized. "We can't miss your duel. Your fights with Wing are always the greatest to watch!"
Yes. He'd noticed Drift improving in their duels. Wing had been a great teacher. Dai Atlas had been right to put Drift under his watch, despite his wariness of him.
"I do not care. Go back to work! Outrigger, Axe, don't encourage them!"
Dai Atlas watched as Axe rolled his optics.
"That's okay, Drift. Have some fun for once. They need a break too."
"He is right"
Dai Atlas saw Wing's casual smile. He'd lowered his guard, standing by Axe's side. Dai Atlas then realized how much Drift was serious in his will to integrate the society, to prove his worth…
And surprising Wing with his progress.
"Then… They do not need that much pressure."
"I just try to teach them that life isn't easy." Drift justified.
"Drift…"
Axe simply shrugged. He understood what it meant. Fun time was over. He ordered the two Minicons to go back to work. The break ended.
Then Dai Atlas heard Wing's words to Drift. It made him think.
"Get your optics out of the mud and look at the stars. You forgot good things."
"What should I do?" He asked him. "Do you think I should spoil them?"
"No. You just need to strike the balance." Wing said. "As their mentor, you shall guide them, protect them, reprimand them if that needed."
"I'm not their mentor."
"You are"
Indeed. Drift was. Even Dai Atlas had noticed it. This relationship, this protective instinct Drift had displayed toward the Minicons…
Yes. If someone ever came to teach them things, it would be Drift.
"But you forgot the most essential thing."
"What is it?"
Wing gave him a nod then walked closer to him, caressing Drift's cheek.
It struck Dai Atlas again. Star Saber had been right.
Wing and Drift…had something. And Wing would never have been as open with Gasket at the time where the latter had been a member.
"Affection. Everyone deserves to be loved, Deadlock. Everyone. You must show them affection as their mentor, but also as their father."
Drift tensed up. He moved back, staring at his mentor.
"Slisptream and Jetstorm are not my sons! I would never view them as such!"
His sons…?
"Stop believing that—"
"You gave them a first taste of training. Now you'll complete the teaching…after I would have taught you everything I know."
Drift didn't seem convinced.
"Take your time, Drift. Take your time. Now, let's return to our sparring. I'm there to help you"
Dai Atlas kept staring at the scene.
Drift and Wing…expressed their feelings. They expressed their affection…
Just like Axe and Esmeral, they genuinely looked happy together.
Dai Atlas let out a sigh before leaving the Dojo. He was still stunned by what he'd just learnt.
Even if Star Saber had been right…Axe' and Wing' words resonated in his mind.
Axe looked happy…Wing also looked happy…
Drift and his Minicons…struggled every day to deserve their place here.
And Dai Atlas closed the door. Closed his mind.
He stopped at his flat's doors.
They shouldn't be the ones to suffer…World was changing…in a positive light. They were curious about the world, about the changing society…
No. It was Dai Atlas's role to change his own ideas.
And maybe he knew…how he could change things