Disclaimer: Hasbro owns the canon Transformers, I own the others. Songs are property of Jamie Brown and myself.
Five Stars
"Damn that mech to the inferno!" Electro burst out as he and Jazz walked out the bar.
"Its rejection Electro," Jazz said. "It comes with the package. Just gotta learn to deal."
"Don't suppose I can change the package huh?"
"Not unless you want to starve to death."
It had been two days since they'd started looking for a place to hire them. It was decided that Jazz and Electro would go down to whatever bars were in the area and talk to the managers. Strings and Slowmotion meanwhile had made some notices using large scraps of metal and leftover paint and were sticking them around the neighborhood. And Lightshow… he had decided to use his own brand of impeccable charm to try and blend in with the locals and advertise the band through word-of-mouth. Nothing had really worked so far.
"I see your point," Electro said. "Ah scrap, wouldn't want to play in a bar like that anyway."
The bar in question was a place called Scooterz. It served the usual heavy-duty energon: lots of buzz, very little burn; and said energon was usually served to its patrons by rather 'well-enhanced' femmebots, most of whom took a liking to Jazz.
"Yeah. I think I'd be afraid for my existence," Jazz said as he rotated his shoulder. "I didn't know femmes like that existed. If we stayed in there any longer I have a feeling they'd have been on me like filings on a magnet."
"Its the optics Jazz. You probably have that charming twinkle in them that femmes love," Electro said with a laugh.
"Right now I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. And whatever you do, don't tell Lightshow about that place."
"Not even under pain of death."
The five reconvened at an empty spot on the street a few hours later to compare results. The figures were not at all encouraging.
"One big, fat zero," Lightshow said.
"Are you sure this is going to work out?" Slowmotion asked. "Right now we don't have anything."
"I never said this was going to be easy, and neither are results going to be instant," said Jazz. "We've just got to be patient for a while. Something will turn up."
"In the meantime, lets just see if we can get us some energon for now ok?" Strings said.
The blue mech let out a barely audible sigh, summoned his guitar and leaned back against a wall. Jazz twitched an optic ridge up. Strings was trying to make his stance look casual, but Jazz was not fooled. He knew all this was starting to take its toll – on all of them, yes, but especially on Strings because of his condition. Again Jazz wondered if he made the right choice in bringing Strings along through all of this, and he wondered if he shouldn't try to find some place that Strings could settle into for good.
He dismissed the thought as soon as it came to him. Even if all four of them agreed, he knew Strings would never settle for being left behind. Still, he couldn't let the mech slowly die either. They needed a breakthrough.
"What are we playing?" Lightshow asked after tuning up.
"Lets give 'A Place' a try," Jazz said.
"The new one?" Electro asked, looking up from his keyboards.
"Yep. Lets break it in. Slowmotion, we're ready when you are."
The green mech nodded. "On four, three, two, one!"
I've traveled down so many roads
Seen things you wouldn't believe
But all the while, I long for a place
Where I could stay and never leave.
Bridge:
The world out there's exciting
Always full of things to see
Yet none of it's as appealing
As a home would be to me
Chorus:
Will I always be a wanderer
Destined to forever roam
Will I be this way
And never stay
In a place I can call home
Will I journey on unceasing
And forever walk alone
Always finding I'm too out of reach
Of a place I can call home.
I've walked across so many miles
And passed through different places
But I never stayed round long enough
To recall familiar faces
Bridge and Chorus
Oh will this journey never end
Will I never find my peace
Will I never lay down
Rest my head on the ground
Will my travels never cease
Chorus
A place I can call… home……
Applause. The small crowd that had gathered in front of them was applauding. The five looked at each other, not exactly sure what to think. It had been a long while since they'd gotten this kind of response. Lightshow winked and gave Jazz a thumbs-up. Jazz grinned back at him.
"Alright guys, why don't we give these nice folks one more song," he said.
"Take 'Jazz's Song'," Strings said. "Slowmotion, count us down."
"I have a better idea," a voice said. "Why don't you bots come with me."
All of them looked up to see a black and red mech pushing his way to the front of the crowd. He was broad, rather big, and looked to be a more well-to-do bot than the rest of their audience.
"Are we in some kind of trouble?" Jazz asked. "We're sorry if we disturbed ya, but the street is public property, and we're not doing anything wrong."
"I would like to have a little talk with the five of you, please. In private," the mech said.
"Alright," said Electro, subspacing his keyboards. "We'll follow you, but this better be worth our time. C'mon."
The others put away their stuff and together they followed the stranger down the street. Lightshow had his light panels charged up and ready incase the mech turned out to be shady and they had to make a quick escape. Evening was slowly turning to night and the stars were starting to twinkle brighter. All of them were tired and low on energy, and hoped that this little talk wouldn't take too long. The mech led them to a fancy little bar called 'The Lunarium' and held open the door for them. They all eyed him warily. Jazz spoke first.
"Listen, I'll just be honest. None of us can afford anything in here."
"Its on me," the mech said. "Please, go inside. I'm not going to hurt you."
Still on their guard, the five of them went in. The inside of the bar was unlike anything they'd seen before. The walls were mostly varying shades of silver, as was the floor. The ceiling was black, and on it was painted a variety of white moons. Bright blue neon lights along the edges provided the illumination, as did a few amber lights from below and behind the bar counter. The waiters were a handful of drones serving the few patrons that sparsely dotted the bar. The mech ushered the five over to a large table and bade them sit.
"Well, now that we are in private, mind telling us who you are and what you want with us?" Electro asked.
My name is Ignitio and I am the owner of The Lunarium. You must forgive my secrecy, but I would rather the bots on the street not know who I am," the mech said. "The reason I asked you here was to offer you a deal."
That made all of them sit up, except Strings, who had his head resting in his hands. Jazz noticed.
"Is it possible to get some energon for our friend here first?" he asked Ignitio. "I'm afraid he's not feeling well."
"Of course!" Ignitio replied. "Where are my manners, you must all be very tired." He clapped his hands and a drone came up. "Bring five large canisters of energon, and make it quick!"
The drone beeped twice in response and motored to the bar. It came back minutes later carrying a tray of five canisters, which it set down in front of each mech.
"Here you go Strings, drink up," Lightshow said, patting the blue mech on the back.
Strings gratefully gulped down half the can. The others followed at a slightly slower pace. Lightshow put his can down first.
"So what kind of deal is this?" he asked Ignitio, who had been waiting patiently.
"A musical deal," the bot replied. "As you can see, my business has been a little slow as of late, and I would like to do something to pick it up again. Judging by the crowd I saw gathered just now, you kids are good musicians, and just what I need. I would like to hire you on a permanent basis."
"Well, you see, we're on our way to Iacon," Slowmotion said, and got no further as Jazz stretched out a leg under the table and kicked him.
"To Iacon? If I'm not being too curious, why, may I ask, are you going to Iacon?"
"Our creator died recently," Jazz said. "And his last words were that we go to Iacon and find his best friend. So y'see, we're kinda obligated. We'd love to stay and play for you forever, but we did promise."
"I am sorry for your loss, and I understand," Ignitio said.
"Five days," said Electro. "We'll perform for five days here – it can be a sort of promotion thing. In return, you give us lodging, energon and 30 credits each, per day."
"Ten credits."
"Make it 20 credits and you have a deal."
"Very well, 20 credits and 2 cubes of energon per day. Now what did you say your names were again?" They introduced themselves. "Alright. Now if you would excuse me, I have to go and make some arrangements."
Once Ignitio was gone, there were high-fives all around.
"But I don't understand why we didn't tell him about the war," said Slowmotion.
"We don't want him thinking we're all a bunch of rust-heads," said Lightshow. "In future, just let Jazz and Electro handle the negotiations. They know what they're doing."
"Are my audios deceiving me or did Lightshow just compliment me?" Electro asked.
"At least there aren't any gladiator femmebots," Jazz said. The other three looked at him. "Uh… bad experience this morning."
"There are such things?" Lightshow asked.
"Trust me Lightshow, if you'd met them, they'd be wearing your wiring as garlands," said Electro.
"Y'know we'll have to think of a name for the band," Strings said quietly.
That shut them all up. None of them had really given it any real thought – until now. For a good, long while they sat and tried to come up with a name that would best represent who they were. An hour passed. Ignitio still hadn't returned, and none of them were any closer to thinking up a good name. Jazz looked up and gazed through the small, round porthole that was positioned just above their table. He could just make out the two full moons in a corner. A cluster of stars occupied his direct line of sight. Maestro loved stars, he liked to go outside some nights and gaze at them for a while. Jazz never knew why he did it, and even when he'd asked the old mech, the answer had been vague.
Each of us is a star Jazz, all born to shine. And eventhough sometimes we may flicker or twinkle, there's still light in us – the light to guide others and give them hope that things will eventually be alright in the end. You are my star Jazz.
Jazz looked at the other four. They were not just his bandmates, they were his friends – best friends. They were his guides and hope, just as he was theirs. They were his stars. Five.
"Five stars," he said out loud.
The others looked at him.
"What?" asked Electro.
"The name of the band, why don't we call it 'Five Stars'?"
Lightshow grinned. "Five Stars… like we're very highly-rated. I like it."
"It does have a certain ring to it," said Strings.
"And it's the best we've got," Slowmotion added.
"It's the only one we've got," Electro said. "Okay, Five Stars it is then."
They were just in time. No sooner had they agreed upon it when Ignitio came back.
"I'm dreadfully sorry, I forgot to ask you what your band was called."
"We're called Five Stars," said Jazz, and the others nodded.
Ignitio smiled. "Very nice…. Now if you will follow me, I will show you where you will be lodged for the next few days. And it has been arranged, your first performance will be tomorrow night. Rest as well as you can." He led them out of the main bar through a small door behind the bar counter and up a flight of stairs to the next level; down a small corridor and stopped at two adjoining doors. "I'm afraid we only have two rooms to spare. The one on your left can accommodate three, the one on your right, two. Share as you will. Goodnight."
"Slowmotion and Electro, take the double," Jazz said once Ignitio was gone. "Strings, Lightshow and I can share the triple."
"Works for me," said Electro. "No incessant chatter."
"Same here," said Lightshow. "No noisy air circulation."
Jazz opened his respective room door and shoved Lightshow inside. Strings said goodnight on behalf of them and followed Jazz in, shutting the door behind him. Electro and Slowmotion did the same.
The rooms had only the basic necessities: lights, temperature regulator and a recharge berth lined against each wall. Yet to each bot, after sleeping on the streets for so many nights, these were welcome comforts. As soon as they were lying in their berths, they shut down almost immediately. Lightshow was the first to fall asleep. And without having to concern themselves about what to do the next day, they slept restfully for the first time in months.
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Jazz wasn't the only one who sat for hours trying to think of a good name for the band...