Chapter 5: Epilogue
The entire fortress was gathered in the centre of the ship, its people crammed onto the various levels, staring out in the square, empty space between floors. A holoscreen stretched from top to fathomless bottom, projecting the image of Esmeral as she walked out on the highest platform above; at her right, Star Saber, and hanging back in the shadows on her left, Deathsaurus. The femme walked to the very edge, her smile reflected in the ever flickering sheen of the holoscreen, her gaze dropping a little to address the 'bots standing below her floor.
"Destrons," her strong voice called, echoing loudly for everyone to hear, "Today, we are no longer outsiders. Today, this war has finally come to its end. We rejoin our brethren in peace and to Cybertron we return -as one people, as one kind. Let us finally shrug off the lingering despair these long stellar cycles of war have draped over us and look to the future as a free people!"
The crowd roared in triumph, happy and ecstatic at the dragonformer's statement. Her wings flared as she lifted her servos, holding them out openly as she continued. "Together, with Deathsaurus, Star Saber and myself, we shall guide our people through the transition of soldiers to people of choice: choice to pursue new goals, new careers, new heights and new places! Today, we are crumbling the hierarchy and once we touch upon Cybertron, a new power will take hold. A council of thirteen, as our great and ancient ancestors once held before the division of our race, one each publicly selected from Cybertron's great thirteen sectors, who will oversee the growth of our kin."
"Anyone can take this role," Esmeral smiled upon the holoscreen, "Anyone who cares and loves our home and its people as equally as themselves. There will be no walls to bar you from this; no legislate saying that a denizen of Kaon or Tarn can't participate in the growth of our once great planet. And I know, given such an opportunity, you my brethren will rise up and show Primus the strength of your good sparks. Show all those that may have remaining doubts, that change for the better is a gift that even the lowliest of previous castes can possess."
Again, the Fortress blew up in a cacophony of sound -slight murmurs of concern and uncertainty at such a bold change of power, but easily swallowed up by screams and whistles of joyous, hopeful people ready to move on. Lady Esmeral really knew how to treat her people, Lyzack mused silently, and it wouldn't surprise her if the femme was voted to take head of the council for many stellar cycles to come. What should have been joy also in the jet's spark though was shrouded by heavy doubt, her scanners only just now confirming that her brother was not anywhere gathered in the surrounding crowds.
Quietly, the femme turned and gently pushed her way to the back, catching a lift and heading for the only place she knew Leozack would have gone... The ship docks.
xxXxXxx
"Hellbat, be careful with those containers!," an impatient vocalizer snarled, even before the doors had slid apart to grant her entry. "Idiot!"
Lyzack took a step inside, watching as Hellbat regained his balance and disappeared into the small two-seater aircraft. She almost didn't recognize the bulky, heavy-set design of the ship through its layer of dust and old dings, but the engines she did. This must of been one of the crafts used for deep space exploration, sealed away and forgotten for some time now, except in the archived databases of the Fortress' inventory. At the realization, Lyzack's spark revolved lowly in its casing.
"Sorry," the blue mech chirped in foolish pride as he bounced back out of the ship's hull, "Didn't mean to almost trip." Hellbat bounced all the way over to Leozack, coming to an abrupt stop before the other jet; servos grasping at Leozack's waist and foreheads bumping together gently.
The teal Destron grunted sourly, lifting a servo and poking his index finger under the spy's chin. He did not move to rip Hellbat's servos off and Lyzack stared in disbelieving bafflement at such inaction. "You're nothing but a burden," Leozack grumbled, slowly, almost unnoticeable at first, leaning forward into his companion, "Such trouble..."
Hellbat's battle mask retracted, showing his wide, happy grin as he too leaned forward. "But of course, Lieutenant Com-"
"Ahem!," Lyzack called out sharply, stomping forward, making her presence known finally. In less than an astrosecond, Leozack had shoved the other jet away from him and was turning to his sister, his lip components twisted in a displeased scowl.
"Lyzack, what are you doing here?," he demanded, paying no mind to the Destron who groaned pitifully from behind him.
"I could ask you the same thing," the femme returned just as snippily, her optics glancing quickly at the spy before returning to her brother. Hellbat had his face covered again and after picking himself up, he silently moved about, returning to his task of stocking the ship. There was a knot growing in Lyzack's throat cables and her spark flared in angry, sporadic bursts as she stared stubbornly into the other tomcat's gaze. "Why are you here and with him? You've already been pardoned and Lady Esmeral is taking control of the Fortress! You're a free mech now!"
Leozack maintained his gaze silently, before venting lowly, shaking his helm. "You understand nothing Lyzack, you never did," he replied cruelly, scowling. "I will never be free, not within this Fortress or upon Cybertron. With everything that has happened this last while, it's become apparent that I must take my leave."
"B-but...," Lyzack choked, fists balling at her sides as she shook with building rage, "But why?! Why can't you stay here? This is your home; we were protoformed here together! What's so wrong with staying here with me?!"
She realized she was crying and in horror, she quickly turned her face away from her twin, ashamed that she showed him her weak side. He had always appalled her emotions; told her that to survive she would have to be strong and never show an opponent her true feelings. Coolant down her cheekplates would win her no favors with Leozack.
Silence reigned for a few moments, more shocking than the fact her brother's departure was creating such a bitter reaction within her. The femme thought to look up but she refrained, partially out of fear, and still, no scathing remarks came.
Then, a small sigh...
"Lyzack..."
"Lieutenant Commander?," Hellbat's vocalizer rang out, quickly swallowing up Leozack's words. Lyzack lifted her helm finally, watching as her brother half-turned to the spy, giving him his attention. The blue Destron stood on the ship's dock, pointing up into its minimal cargo space. "The, uh, ship's ready to go. Whenever you are too, that, u-um, is."
The tomcat nodded and when he turned his face forwards again, Lyzack saw a strange tenderness recede from his optics. Servos fell flatly at her sides as her tears finally came to a stop, the femme's spark dim within her chestplates.
Leozack watched her for an astrosecond before stepping forward, resting one servo on her shoulder. "I wouldn't have the time or words to describe how the war has changed things between us, Lyzack. I am no longer the same as you remember... and perhaps that is for the best," he said softly. The most kindness the other tomcat had seen from him in eons. "I can not stay here but you still have a place in this world. Use that and make the changes I know you so deeply desire. And remember not to let other afts shove you around."
His fingers squeezed around her plating in attempted comfort before he pulled away entirely; the teal mech grabbing a small case and striding directly for the dock door control panel. Lyzack watched blankly as her twin walked ahead, feeling strangely torn away from her physical frame. She still didn't understand anything of what was happening and her spark ached at the thought of losing her brother once more... Why had their reunion been nothing but a trial of near-losses, only to end in a final goodbye?
"Let me do that," a soft vocalizer spoke up behind Leozack as he set his servos on the control.
Glancing over a wing, he was somewhat surprised to see Lyzack standing there, but quietly stepped out of her way so the femme could take up his post. Immediately, she set to punching in codes and turning dials, her face void of all expression under the panel's glow.
"...go, Leozack," the smaller Destron finally said, as the other tomcat continued to linger, "He's waiting for you. And you don't belong here."
Lyzack looked to her brother for a moment, sparing a quick glance to the waiting ship's cockpit and the anxious rafale within, before giving Leozack her full attention again. He stared down at her in strange silence for who knew how long, then nodded; picking up his case once more and continuing his march for the ship. Lyzack finished typing in the commands for the dock door's to open, watching as the ship's engines roared to life the moment the Fortress' exterior panels began to part.
Even through the thick glass of the explorer's cockpit, she could see the joyful glimmer of Hellbat's optics as he turned to look at Leoazck; the hint of a hard smile -but a smile nonetheless- tugging at her twin's lip components.
"...be happy," she wished, gripping the control panel tightly as the ship rocketed out into the fathomless vacuum of space, taking her brother and his chosen one from her one last time.
C.M.D: We've finally reached the end, and honestly I'm so glad. I'm sad to wrap things up but to go any further would be redundant at this point. I'm actually shocked I even got five chapters out of this fic, when initially I was aiming for three. But, as each chapter came out, I decided I needed to give a proper ending not just to the politics taking place, but also to Lyzack, who played such a vital role in this fic.
If you've read this far, thank you, and I hope it enjoyed the story as much as I did writing it! Be kind; give me your mind~ REVIEW, please?