A/N: Nova's about 300 vorns old now. Wow!

32. Sunstorm

"I believe I may be able to shed some light on the situation, as it were," Shockwave said.

Sunstorm was in the washracks for a well-deserved cleaning, and then he would report to the Constructicons for a check-up. It had (fortunately) turned out that when Sunstorm calmed, he was able to control his heat so that he didn't melt everything he touched.

I was practically bursting with questions about the golden Seeker, but I knew that Shockwave hated to be interrupted, so I kept my silence.

"In the middle of the war, at the height of the energon crisis, I began to experiment with alternative power sources. I needed many subjects with the same basic structure, to accurately record the results, so I constructed multiple clones from the same host's data. After many vorns, and many failed experiments, I realized that an internal reactor was the most efficient solution.

"The immediate problem was that a self-sustaining nuclear power core caused each clone's internal systems and armor to melt. It took vorns to refine the reactor so that the radiation would not affect Cybertronian systems. The temperature remained a problem. I could not tamper any further with the design for the reactor, so I turned my efforts to discovering a means of strengthening the Cybertronian body."

"Electrum!" Skywarp suddenly burst out. "You coated all of Sunstorm's parts with electrum, and that's why he's that color, and why he glows in the dark. But we tried that on ourselves on Earth once. It wore off after a megacycle or two."

"Precisely. I was forced to devise a formula that would protect a mech's armor permanently. It took me many further vorns, as well as more resources than it was worth. Although I eventually found the proper formula and synthesized enough to coat a mech, I was forced to declare the project a failure; the expense in time and materials was too great. Sunstorm remained as the only functional result of my experiment."

"You said you made multiple clones of the same host," I said. "What host?"

"Surely by now you have noticed the similarities."

"Starscream," I guessed, which Shockwave confirmed with a nod. "You cloned Starscream? And he let you?"

The brief moment of silence told me that Starscream had not, in fact, "let" him.

"I had taken the necessary samples from him long before then, as a means of investigating his unusual Spark."

"Unusual?"

"Unique. Starscream's Spark has… had… many unique properties, most of which I still fail to understand."

"He was always one-of-a-kind," Skywarp laughed. "What's this Primus business? He keeps saying things like 'Primus sent you for me' and stuff like that."

"I noticed similar obsessive traits in some of the other clones. Each was given all the information that I could gather about Cybertronian culture. Many latched onto a certain subject, perhaps as a result of their psychological instability."

"So in Sunstorm's case," I finished, "it was the Book of Primus."

"Precisely."

"When you say 'unstable,' does that mean it isn't safe to have him as our wingmate?"

"I believe a trine will stabilize him, particularly after the loss of Acid Storm and Hurricane. I understand that the deaths of wingmates are detrimental to a Seeker's health, while the formation of new trines is beneficial."

"Yes." I checked my chronometer. Sunstorm ought to be finished by now. Skywarp and I had planned to fly with him for the next several orns so we could all become accustomed to our new trine. "Thank you, Shockwave. We should be going now."

In some ways Sunstorm was like a sparkling in the air; the long period he had spent underground had robbed him of familiarity with the sky, so Skywarp and I led him through basic maneuvers. The session was a learning experience for me as well—since Starscream's death Skywarp and I had flown in an uneasy side-by-side formation, but now I moved to the front of the triangle. I had flown as wingleader with Hurricane, but having two Seekers behind me was completely different.

When we flew, it was as though some part of my Spark that had always been cold and empty began to fill. While learning to fly in Iacon, my programming had cried out for wingmates; now it was content. As well as I had worked with Skywarp and Starscream, this was a perfect fit.

Flying with my trine also distracted me from missing Apis and Ramrod, wherever they were. There had been no word from the former and only a brief check-in from the latter. I couldn't fret about them while we flew. I spent every moment of my spare time in the sky, practicing maneuvers with my trine or by myself.

The war had settled into a tense stand-off. The Decepticons held their ground without attacking, and the Autobots waited as well. Orn after orn I felt the pressure building; again I wondered whether Ironhide had gotten my message through to Optimus.

Our intelligence reported tensions within the Autobot ranks. I wished we knew exactly what was happening—a power struggle among the Autobots could affect the outcome of this war.

I was tired of fighting. I wanted to laze about and read datapads and eat rust sticks. I wanted to rebuild our planet, to see Apis and Ramrod, to hold my sparklings.

Skywarp, Sunstorm and I flew to Trypticon, a test of Sunstorm's long-distance endurance. Shockwave had advised us to make the trip as a way to test Sunstorm safely. It still amazed me to see how long the golden Seeker could function without refueling; he needed very little energon, thanks to his internal reactor.

/We'll stay here for the night, then head back to Kaon first thing tomorrow,/ I commed my wingmates as we came in for a landing just outside the fortress.

/What's your hurry?/ Skywarp asked. /We could stay a while, make this an official inspection or something. It's not like anything's going on in the war right now./

I landed and transformed. "I want to be in Kaon just in case something happens. The Autobots could attack at any moment."

"You mean, you want to be back there in case your loverboy calls," Skywarp shot back, grinning mischievously. "Watch out, Nova, you'll pine away into nothing."

I growled, turning away. "He's not, 'Warp. Would you let it go?"

"You're so slow sometimes, Nova. The mech volunteered to go deep into enemy territory for you and you won't even admit—"

I shut him out, stalking into the fortress. I didn't want to pursue that line of argument right now, especially since my Spark leapt at every mention of Ramrod's designation. I couldn't think about Ramrod that way. Each flutter of my Spark felt like a betrayal. Apis was my bondmate, my only bondmate. What Skywarp had said about Seekers taking two mates was all well and good for him. Starscream and Thundercracker had been Seekers themselves, and had understood. But Apis wouldn't understand, and I didn't want to lose her.

I paused to read the glyphs on the walls. It was my first time in Trypticon since my return from Kalis, and during my absence someone had come to update the stories. Down the hall I found half a wall dedicated to Lugnut, the other half to Stryka. I found Thundercracker further along, with Skywarp just below him, and paused to admire both. Someday when we had time, I would have Skywarp tell me these stories from his own perspective, all the adventures he had shared with his wingmates.

Starscream's tale, like Megatron's, had now come to a close. Reading it made my intakes hitch. It told of his final deed, detailing and embellishing his rescue of me—how he had taken a squad of brave fliers and battled through an army to reach me—which, though exaggerated, still made my Spark swell in pride and gratitude. Starscream had been a great warrior, one of the greatest; these stories only increased my respect for him.

I noticed another addition to the wall and stopped, optics widening in surprise. It was my story, as seen through another's optics. I ran my fingers disbelievingly over the glyphs—this Decepticon, this warrior and leader, couldn't possibly be me.

But it was my description, my similarity to Megatron despite my Seeker frame, and my designation. Nova. A sparkling's name, even though I was now in my fourth centivorn, something that would have earned me yet more mockery in the far-off Iacon of my adolescence. I remembered how I had once wished for an adult designation, to prove that I had earned it. I hadn't thought about it in decavorns. Nova was my designation, what my mechs called me, "Lord Nova" or "Commander Nova" or just "Nova."

Seeing myself through the optics of the mech who had carved my life into the walls of Trypticon, I had earned an adult designation, and that was Nova: the destruction of the old and the birth of the new.

This was my story, which began where Megatron's ended and carried on down the wall. Knowing that I was here along with my creators, with Skywarp and Thundercracker, with the greatest Decepticon warriors, made my Spark warm. I stood for some time longer, feeling the very dust shimmer around me.

"So this, uh, Primus stuff," Skywarp said somewhere in the darkness, his wing shifting against mine—we were all on the oversized berth, curled up as a trine—as he moved. "You believe all that?"

The color of Sunstorm's optics turned the red glow orange. "Of course. Do you not?"

"Starscream would say deities are for squishies. 'We are creatures of science' and all. I don't think it makes too much of a difference to me or any of us. I've never seen or heard of anything that makes me believe Primus intervenes at all."

"Surely the existence of life itself is a sign of Primus. Witnessing a birth or a death seems in itself a miracle. Nova? What do you think?"

"I don't know," I answered truthfully. I believed in the Well of All Sparks, but I wasn't sure that Primus or any god really cared about what happened on Cybertron. "It's been proven that the first of our species were created by the Quintessons, so I don't believe that we were created by Primus. I think that we created Primus. Life is amazing, but it will go on with or without Primus guiding it." I thought of the way I had felt when Apis told me about our sparklings. "We created someone to thank, because we need to celebrate existence itself."

I quieted. I wasn't entirely comfortable with the subject; it reminded me too much of laying Starscream to rest. "Do we have to talk about this?"

"All have the right to believe what they wish," Sunstorm answered, shuttering his optics. "There are far stranger cultural ideas on other planets. They always fascinated me."

"Sorry, Nova," Skywarp put in. "We'll let you get back to your nice dreams about your loverboy."

"'Warp!"

"Good night!"

I sighed and offlined my optics, not wanting to get into that again. Still, now Ramrod occupied my processor and it was several breems before I drifted off.

I woke to an urgent comm alert and answered groggily. /Yes?/

Soundwave's signal responded. /Approach of Ramrod and Neutral designation Apis confirmed, accompanied by Autobot Jazz and Neutral Shortstop./

I bounded up, shaking my wingmates awake. /We're on our way./ "We need to go. Sunstorm, it looks like we're going to test how fast you can fly."

"Whazzhappn?" Skywarp muttered, sitting up.

"They're back," I told him. "Apis and Ramrod. Get up, we have to go now."

"A few cycles won't make much of a difference."

"They will to me." It felt as though they'd been gone for vorns, though it hadn't been longer than two decacycles. I could wait no longer to see them again—to see her again, I forcefully corrected myself. "Get up, 'Warp, please! I'll leave without you if I have to."

"All right, hold your horses, I'm coming."

I had no idea what a horse was, but I hoped that meant Skywarp was getting up.

Despite pushing our altmodes to the limit, I still felt as though we were flying too slowly. I wanted to go faster, to arrive sooner. Finally, finally Apis had come home with Ramrod, finally I would see them, finally…

I wondered what Jazz and Shortstop were doing with them. Shortstop was a Neutral, free to come and go as he pleased. Unlike any of my Decepticons, he could go to Iacon whenever he liked. The Senate, or what was left of it, had no authority over Neutrals; they were outside the war, despite most of them being Decepticon sympathizers, and territory lines meant nothing to them.

Jazz was the greater mystery, especially since it was dangerous for him to be in Decepticon territory. How had he ended up traveling with the little group? Had Optimus sent him? Did this mean that Ironhide's message had been received and Jazz carried a reply? How would Optimus respond to me now?

The closer we grew to Kaon, the stronger my connection to Apis became until I could feel her joy at my approach, the bond pulsing with happiness and love. I answered with my frustration at the long flight. Amusement filtered back, but I could tell that she was also impatient for my arrival. She had something to show me, she communicated, or rather, someone to introduce me to.

I could feel Apis's location again. The knowledge was comforting, reassuring me that she was indeed back, that I hadn't lost her.

We transformed and came in for a fast landing over Apis's little garden, where I saw a small group gathered. I flung myself towards the small orange femme the moment my pedes touched the ground, drawing up at the last moment when I noticed what she held in her arms, clasped against her chestplate. Still, I could not check myself, not when we had been apart for so long. I embraced her, careful not to crush the tiny forms between us.

"I thought I'd lost you," I murmured into her audio. My Spark communicated so much more—the pain of her loss, the joy of seeing her again, affection, devotion, love.

"Never," she whispered back, her Spark doing the same.

I had completely forgotten about the others in the garden. I drew back just far enough for her to shift the sparklings—our sparklings—so I could see them properly. Two tiny black Seekers, completely identical from their scarlet optics to their blunt wing-nubs, looked up at me, comprehension dawning in their small faces as they recognized my Spark. They began to chirp and beep excitedly. I gave a strangled, stunned laugh.

"What… what are their designations? How do you tell them apart?"

"I tried to choose Seeker names for you," Apis replied. She shifted one sparkling so I could see a red spot painted on its right wing-stub. "This one is Spacespot." She showed me the other's back; the red spot had been painted on the left. "And his brother, Black Hole."

"They're so… tiny," I managed. Apis offered Spacespot to me; gingerly, careful of his delicate plating, I took him into my arms. Bright optics blinked innocently at me and I was immediately charmed. Was this how Starscream had felt, holding me for the first time? I offered him a claw, which he grabbed in small hands and brought up to his mouth to chew on with fangs too small to hurt. He purred contentedly; Black Hole squirmed in Apis's arms, no doubt wanting a finger to chew as well. Seekers, tiny twin Seekers… our sparklings!

Awed and humbled, I let Apis take Spacespot back, my Spark expressing what my vocalizer could not. My bondmate smiled back at me.

"Aren't there others you need to greet?" she reminded me gently.

Suddenly remembering the rest, I turned. Shortstop sulked on a nearby bench. He scowled as he met my gaze. Jazz and Ramrod stood near Sunstorm and Skywarp, waiting patiently. The Autobot grinned and waved at me.

"Hey, Nova!"

I pulled my optics from Ramrod's indecipherable expression. "Jazz. What are you doing here?"

"O.P. sent me along. Cute offspring, kiddo! They look just like you."

"Optimus sent you?"

"Yup, along with the little lady and her buddy. Your friend Ramrod here ran into us just outside of Iacon. Sorry to steal your spotlight, Ramrod, just haven't seen him in a while."

"Neither have I," Ramrod answered. "I hate to cut the reunion short, but we have some things to tell the command team as soon as possible, so we should head inside."

"Right down to business, aren't you?" Jazz laughed. "But I'd better head back now. I'd like to come along, but I'd probably turn a few heads in there and I don't want to make a scene. Things'd get messy real fast. Ramrod, you know what to tell them. Seeya, Apis, Shorty, squirts. Oh, Nova, before I go, got a databurst for you."

I opened up to his signal and saved the transmission to peruse later. "Thank you, Jazz."

"No problem, Nova. Gotta split!"

The moment Jazz had gone, Ramrod turned towards the entrance to the base. I stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Ramrod, wait."

He paused. I became all-too-conscious of the others… of Apis.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"Don't thank me, I didn't do anything. Prime had already sent them when I got there."

"But thank you for looking. You didn't have to…"

"Apis can tell you the whole story later, but as I said, we've got things to discuss. Important things."

With that, he disappeared into the base, followed by Skywarp and Sunstorm. I stared after him, confused. Had I said something wrong, or had something happened to him in Autobot territory?

"He's a good mech," Apis said from behind me. "He helped me with the sparklings all the way here. They really like him."

"And what am I, a junkyard scrap drone?" Shortstop grumbled.

"Will you be all right?" I asked her. "I don't know how long we'll be in there, depending on what Ramrod has to tell us."

"I'll go back to our quarters with Shortstop," she answered. "The sparklings are tired; he'll help me get them into recharge."

That made me hesitate. I wanted to spend some time with my sparklings before duty called me away, but clearly I wouldn't even get that much. Instead I kissed her before following the others to the command center.

"While in Autobot territory, I obtained some information that all of us should know about." The voice was so cool and businesslike that I knew it had to be Torsion speaking. He stood at the table, hands resting on the controls for the holomap.

"It seems that a power struggle is taking place between the Prime and the remnants of the Senate. Although both are powerful and have many allies, it seems at the time that the Senate is gaining more favor with certain sub-factions. With the Senate in almost complete control of the Autobots, it is unlikely that an end to the war is in sight."

I listened with growing unease. A power struggle… that Optimus was losing? My hopes for a peaceful resolution to our conflict all rested on Optimus, who wanted to war to end as much as I did. With the remaining Senators and their loyal generals in charge, the war would drag on even longer and claim more lives.

"In addition, there is a growing mistrust among the Autobots towards the Neutrals. As you are all aware…" His optics rested on me for a moment before settling on the holomap. "…many Neutrals are sympathetic to our cause and we have been receiving supplies from several Neutral settlements in our hemisphere. Since the battle of Axis, Neutrals have also harbored escaped slaves on their way to Kaon.

"The Senate has evidently decided that it can no longer overlook these activities. Several orns ago a unanimous vote subjected Neutrals to the provisions of the Axis Decree."

A low murmur rippled around the table. I sat in numb shock. No wonder there was a rift between Optimus and the Senate… Prime would have fought this with all his strength. The Senate must have planned this for vorns, slowly undermining the Prime's position, winning over many generals, waiting for public sympathy to swing away from the Neutrals.

The thought of the citizens of Khalkon in chains, being marched away for auction, made my Spark flare in anger. No Senate scum would treat Apis the way Ratbat had treated me.

"Several raids have already been conducted on Neutral settlements in the northern hemisphere," Torsion went on. I understood why he was talking, rather than his other half: Ramrod would be too furious to speak. Several red dots appeared on the map. "Those who lived in these towns have been moved to a large camp in Altihex, near the Rust Sea. The camp is heavily guarded, making infiltration impossible.

"Reliable information says that the Senate is massing a large attack force here and here." The city-states of Protihex and Gygax lit up in red. "Their targets are the Neutral states of Praxus and Kalis."

I felt a chill. Praxus had been Autobot territory until only a few vorns ago. The Senate was going to attack its own people.

"From there it is possible that the Autobots will attack Polyhex on three fronts, or that they will press south into Tarn, where there are many populous Neutral settlements that will prove easier prey."

Red dots sprinkled Tarn. I recognized Khalkon among them.

"The Autobots will be ready to march in a matter of orns," Torsion continued. "I recommend that we mobilize our forces quickly to defend the Neutral territories."

"Will they allow it?" Trannis asked. "The Neutrals are nothing if not proud, and they may refuse our help."

"If they refuse, they will be overrun," Torsion answered flatly.

"Then we need to get the word out to the Neutrals right away," I said. "I have a contact who may help." If anyone could persuade the Neutrals to allow us to defend them, it was Steelcrusher. "Begin mobilizing the troops. Leave enough mechs in the southern city-states to defend them against a surprise attack if necessary, but I want all the soldiers that can be spared at the Neutral states and the northern border. I don't want anything to slip through while we're occupied by the main assault."

We laid out our plans, determining which group would go where, while Sunstorm went to my quarters to fetch Shortstop. I hoped that the little Neutral would help us, for Apis's sake if nothing else.

The visored mech arrived as Trannis volunteered to muster his elite battalion and start the journey north tonight.

"I hear you're supposed to be fast," I said. Shortstop scowled.

"Supposed to be? I was built as a messenger. Fastest thing on wheels."

"I hope you aren't exaggerating," I said. "We need your help."

Shortstop blinked in surprise. "You need my help?"

I explained the situation, watching shock, disbelief, and then fury pass across his face. "We need to contact the Neutral leaders as soon as possible. I believe Steelcrusher will be able to persuade them."

"They'll listen to him." Shortstop nodded jerkily. "Then I'll go back to Khalkon right away. You owe me."

"All right. Thank you." I was tempted to call him "Shorty," but I didn't want to humiliate him when he were all depending on him.

When we had finished planning out troop positions, I stared across the holomap at the fields of red and purple. The behavior of the Autobots astonished me—that the Senate thought they could enslave civilians, enslave anyone.

"Very well," I concluded. "Trannis's mechs will move out immediately. The rest of you, prepare your troops to leave in the morning."

I sighed as the others left around me, going to speak to their officers. Remembering the databurst that Jazz had delivered, I settled more comfortably in my chair and accessed it.

An image of Optimus superimposed itself over my visual feed. His unmasked face looked grave.

"I received your message, but I must admit I was unconvinced at first. That changed when I met Apis, and she told me what transpired between the two of you. I am glad that you have come to your senses, for I now need your help.

"Doubtless you have been informed of the situation. I am under house arrest in all but name, guarded by soldiers loyal to the Senate. You must do all in your power to stop them. The Neutrals cannot be drawn into this conflict or I fear that slavery and hatred will always mar our planet.

"I hope that you will forgive me for not helping you sooner. I was wrong to let matters fall so far, and I will do all that I can to aid you. The information I provided Jazz should help you plan your defense, but I implore you not to lose yourself again. The Autobots in the field are not responsible for the actions of their superior officers.

"Time is already short. I hope that this information reaches you before it is too late." He hesitated. "Til all are one. Be safe, Nova."

The message ended. I played it once more, letting Optimus's deep voice calm me as it always had.

Optimus regretted his actions… or rather, his inaction. It may not have solved anything—no amount of regret would take back what Ratbat had done to me—but it was enough. Now I had to do what he could not: preserve the right of freedom.