Chapter five: The mission

By the time the escort arrived, all persons who resided in the temple were waiting at the back entrance of the temple.

"I don't like this, to be quite honest." one of the priests, Bluebird, spoke up, "All of us going out of the temple? I think only a few should go and rest should stay behind to guard the temple."

Copperlock sent them a look. "It's not like we were doing anything, besides, Hymnal's already locking the place down, the moment we're all out for good, that entrance is just gonna become another wall, no way in, or out."

"It seems like we are just walking targets, or do you forget we have a barrage of assassins just itching to off us?" Bluebird snapped back.

Xernia spoke up from Ironclad's side. "Bluebird, enough. Be thankful, Alpha Trion knows what he's doing, he's the Ancient one. Everything is going to be fine."

"I still don't like this." Bluebird shook her head, her arms crossing.

It was Luna's turn to speak up then. "You think any of us like standing out here, this whole scrap started because there was a literal hunting party trying to slice my fur off my protoform! This isn't easy for any of us Bluebird!"

"Then why are we standing out here when no one wants to? I don't get why we are all heading to the Hall? It is a lot closer to the Decepticon outpost on the side of Iacon than the Temple. I don't understand why we all must head there, when a message or data pad from Alpha Trion delivered by a scout would perfectly suffice." Bluebird argued.

Luna was quick to respond. "You seem to forget that this is the mech who raised me from a foal! Do not doubt his judgement! He's likely gotten hold of information which shows that we're in more danger here! And is getting us to safety!" She snapped back, moving stand in front of the larger femme fully.

"The temple is more than well equiped and no bot but a priest can control the lift to the inner temple. I'm not risking my neck for this, mech who raised you or not, he holds no importance to me." Bluebird said angrily. "You all go, and get offed by the snipers. I'm staying where I know I'll be safe, anyone who wishes to join me is free to."

Luna just rolled her optics and stalked off to the side. "Unbelievable, why is it that you're so damn short sighted all of a sudden?! Eventually they will get in, and a few piles of explosives is going to be their down button for the lift!" She snapped back, hooved pede slamming into the ground and leaving a spider web like crack.

"Well why are you being such a glitch all of a sudden?! It's my life, it's my choice! Do what you want with yours, but I'm staying. I'll take my luck in a cryostation chamber near Primus rather than paint a giant red target on my back by going out there."

Luna just sighed, reaching up to rub her digit tips over her closed optics. "Very well, I guess we'll just have to await news of the others demise to see which of us is right then." She finally answered, moving to sit on the floor under a small overhang her small stature allowed her to squeeze into. "Good luck Bluebird."

Bluebird said nothing, just turned and went to the lift to go into the inner Temple.

"That was less than pleasant," Hymnal commented once the other femme left.

Luna huffed. "She's too damn stubborn for her own good if you ask me, gah, how is it that's I've only punched her twice?"

"Four times, two of which during you're 'freak outs'" Temba piped up.

"Never mind." Luna huffed.

"She brings up a valid point, however. We are rather exposed outside of the Temple." Hymnal said, their voice even.

"If I could, I'd use this damn gem to make a shield for us… but we all know I can hold it up for about as long as a sparkling has an attention span… and then you'd have to lug my comatose aft around." Luna huffed, trying to glare at it, after all the practice she'd put into it, she still wasn't getting anywhere with building up any kind of stamina with the thing, and all of her testing on it throughout her lifetime had been so far inconclusive.

"We wouldn't wish to tap into that power, only when it is absolutely needed," Hymnal said, a thoughtful look on their face. "But we need a plan incase we are ambushed on our way to the Hall."

They all fell into thought, but before an idea could be discussed, a large armoured transporter appeared, it's rumbling engines only then heard by the group, mostly due to the cloaking field it had on until moments prior.

Within half a breem it had landed in the courtyard which stood in front of the temple, the Transports main doors at the back opening and two lines of heavily armed soldiers came striding out, weapons in standby positions as they approached the group, the leader of which stopped before them, putting those behind him at an immediate halt.

"You're the temple residents we were sent to escort to the Hall? Alpha Trion is awaiting your arrival." The large Iaconian mech declared, easily towering over all but Copperlock and Iornclad.

Hymnal stepped forwards, their posture and attitude impeccable in front of the new mechs.

"We are," they swept a servo out to gesture to the group. "Fifteen in all, will your transport be capable of holding us all?"

The lead mech nodded. "Yes Ma'am… we were alerted there'd be sixteen, where is the last one?" He enquired.

"One of our own has decided to go into cryostation within the Temple." Hymnal informed.

The mech nodded, before glancing around again, this time spotting Luna in particular. "They were right, you really do stand out Mrs Luna, I have word from Alpha Trion saying that you're not fond of enclosed spaces, correct?" He enquired.

Luna nodded. "It comes with my coding. Despite being raised in it, captivity is something I never feel comfortable within." She admitted.

"We should get in now," Copperlock said, looking around at the abandoned buildings with shifty optics.

The mech nodded, gesturing for them all to enter the transport, which they quickly did, Luna easily outpacing the rest in a few short bounds, hastily finding a spot on one of the massive chairs built into the main areas walls and strapping herself in, watching as the others followed and did similar.

It took Hymnal some maneuvering before they could fit into a seat, their wings making things difficult. They managed to finally wrangle their wings into place and settled down, ready for the flight.

Luna couldn't help but chuckle. "Minus the wings and somebot might think you have a rust problem in your undercarriage!" She joked, trying to distract herself from the two unknown mechs who'd just sat down either side of her.

Hymnal tilted their helm to the side, "I'm afraid I don't understand, what would cause such an assumption?"

The hybrid just shook her helm. "Nevermind, I'm just glad I'm going home." She admitted, glancing towards where the doors were closing and where she could hear the engines firing back up. "It does feel odd though… we've been in the Temple so long… and now, this? I think the shock hasn't quite registered yet." She admitted.

"I wonder what Alpha Trion has planned." Hymnal said softly, looking out one of the windows.

Luna shrugged. "Probably something… err… well, he's the eccentric type when you get to know him, so pretty much anything."

Hymnal hummed, deep in thought.

The rest of the journey was uneventful, mild chatter was flung between the bots surrounding them and towards them at some points, much to Luna's dismay at one point when the mech to her right leaned in closer and tried to ask what all the microfibres on her armour were for.

"Err… insulation?" Was her brief answer, feeling her audios droop back and figure sink into itself in hopes of achieving some more room.

"Perhaps we should save the talking for when we reach our destination," Hymnal said flatly to the other passengers, looking around with a "no-nonsense" look on their face plates.

Luna gave a curt nod in agreement, watching as the soldier frowned and returned to his upright position to focus on Hymnal. "Why? We're allowed to interact, jeez, was just curious about floppy audios here." He responded, jerking a digit at Luna, whose features quickly switched to that of 'peeved off'.

"Hey! Who the frag are you calling Floppy audios?!" She snapped, lifting up her hoof and bringing it down on his left pede, nowhere near as hard as she could, but it still left the mech yelping in pain and reaching down to clutch the dented armour there.

Hymnal gave Luna a scolding look, but their optics clearly shown their amusement at Luna's actions.

Luna returned with an admittedly embarrassed look. "Sorry, temper got the better of me then."

The soldier was clearly not best pleased. "You think?! Damnit I'm gonna have to go to med bay to get this fixed! Hey, Crankshaft, wanna do me a solid and help me there? This damn femmes totaled my pede!" He exclaimed, gesturing towards the limb whilst addressing the mech opposite to Luna, who'd been completely uninterested in the situation by that point."

"You're own fault for rilling her, surely you've heard of this Hybrids temper? It's practically legendary in Iacon by this point." Was his friend's response, causing Luna to duck in on herself in embarrassment.

"I thought they were all damn exaggerations? Look at her! She looks like a malformed crystal she's so thin and tiny!" He snapped back.

Hymnal sighed and closed their optics, feeling a helmache coming on.

"How much longer till the Hall did you say?" Hymnal called up to the captain.

"Few breems at most ma'am, they had to clear us for landing due to the size of our craft." He responded, turning back to focus on whatever task he had at servo. "Oh and Longhaul, stop pestering the Hybrid, Alpha Trion has close ties with her and I doubt you'd want to end up on the receiving end of his wrath." He warned.

The mech gulped but nodded, sitting bolt straight and moving to tuck his injured pede behind the other, as if in an attempt to hide the injury from his snickering crew mates.

The Captain was right in his call however, as they landed not a few breems later, the doors sliding open to reveal the form of on Alpha Trion, a warm, yet tired smile on his features.

Luna had as much hesitation at that moment as a sparkling as she practically ripped her harness off, and with a powerful horizontal kick, sent herself flying out the back of the transport like a rocket with an excited squeal far outside her normal dignity as she tackled the mech, sending both of them rolling for a moment before stopping in a laughing pile. "Luna! What have I told your about lunge tackles?!"

"Err…. they always wreck whatever I was standing on?" Glancing back she took note of the wide opticed looks of the soldiers as they looked at the significant dent in the bottom of their transport, along with her Temple mates trying their hardest not to laugh or shake their helms at the scene. "Oops." She muttered, audios lowering against her helm in embarrassment. "My bad!" She called back to the Captain, who had joined his crew in staring at her, much to her growing discomfort, causing her to quickly clamber off the Ancient mech and duck behind him. "Sorry."

"Perhaps we should proceed into the building?" Hymnal offered, walking out of the ship, quickly followed by Temba and the rest of their small group.

Alpha Trion nodded, nodding farewell to the Captain, before turning and bringing his arm up over Luna's shoulders in a one armed hug as he led her and the others inside. "Of course, of course, quickly, there is much to discuss." He responded.

The group headed into the Hall, heavy doors closing behind them. They went into a small meeting room where they all sat down in large seats, Alpha Trion sitting at the head of the table. "Now, you were all brought here for different reasons… hmm, it seems we are short a bot, Bluebird correct?" He enquired.

"She requested to remain in the temple." Hymnal informed.

The Ancient mech nodded in understanding. "Very well, now, I understand you are all confused as to why I called you here from your refuge, and it is simple… we're sending you off world. You see, recent sources have revealed, that, due to the incident which lead to your prolonged stay at the temple, you were all marked on the Decepticon hit list, not just Hymnal, and you Luna."

This caused a murmur to break out among the bots in the room, all whispering to each other with concerned and worried looks.

Luna jolted at the notion. "You mean, because of what happened, they're all being targeted too?! But they did nothing wrong! They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time!" She exclaimed before turning to them. "I can't even begin to find the words I need to apologise to all of you! I put you all in such unnecessary danger…"

"So now what? You cart us off world? Do you got a ship for that?" one mech asked.

Alpha Trion nodded. "Yes, one for each of you. You'll each join an Autobot Convoy, with your mates if that is such, and be transported to safe neutral planets, outside of the reach of the war, from there, you are free to do as you wish." He responded calmly.

Luna nudged his servo with her own. "What about you?" She got out, concern quickly forming on her features.

"As Head of the Hall of Records, I plan to remain, now, Temba, you will be going with a Convoy leaving Iacon Starport in three joors, this is by choice I must remind you, we will not force your servos. Ironclad, Xeneria, you're convoy is the one after Temba's, and so the trend goes." He announced, pushing single data pads to each individual bot. "These are your passes, and don't worry about accommodation, you're flying first class." He declared humorously.

Luna wasn't done though. "If you're staying, then as head Data Clerk, it is my duty to stand by your side and aid in the documentation of this war! It must be recorded so such events will have a lesser chance of happening again!" She declared.

"I will not leave Primus's spark unattended." Hymnal said as well, "It is my duty to stick with my deity until the end."

Luna nodded in agreement. "And if they're staying, there ain't no fragging way I'm moving! Alpha, normally I would listen and do as you say without question, but I refuse to leave when the two bots I hold closest to my spark, remain on this war torn planet! With their helms on a most wanted list!" She snapped.

The other bots in the room looked between Alpha trion and Luna, various degrees of curiosity on their faces.

Alpha Trion looked to Luna, a slight frown on his features. "Luna, I am trying to keep you from harm's way, the Hall is no longer safe for you, and your spark condition makes you the most vulnerable in this situation, please, I will be fine. I am fine with the others making this decision, but as your Sire, I want what is best for my only creation." He declared, watching as Luna's features dropped into shock and she failed to get even the first syllable of a response out.

Ironclad spoke up then. "So… looks like we're all going our separate ways…" He said, his gruff voice almost down to a mumble, his servo intertwined with his mate. "We've both decided to take this, we don't want any part of this war." there was a murmur around the table as others spoke up about wanting to go. The only two who didn't speak up was Hymnal, Luna, and Alpha Trion.

Hymnal had a contemplative look on their face. They were deep in thought, about what, no one could tell.

"I will be returning to the temple shortly." They said suddenly, "there is something I must do."

Xernia gave the Priest a look. "Go back there? You planning to inform Bluebird?" The femme guard enquired.

"I need to do a few things in light of this news." They stood, "I will be going alone." they said sternly.

There was a silence in the room for a long moment as the group all exchanged looks, wanting to go to reinforce the Priest, but also knowing not to question their judgement.

The silence didn't last long, as Luna had apparently, finally recovered from whatever shock she'd gone into. "What did you just say you were?!" She exclaimed, apparently having not noticed that the conversation had continued.

"I'm going back to the Temple, Luna. There is something I must do before I will willingly leave." they informed, "and i will be going alone."

"Eh uh ie?" She responded, glossa failing her for a moment.

"I will be leaving shortly here, I won't be back for any length of time. If i have not come back within an orn, assume i have either perished or decided to stay." Hymnal continued, standing up from their seat.

"Oh… ok… well, safe journey, and stick to the shadows, and don't do anything stupid!" She shouted as Hymnal made for the door. "It ain't worth the tombstone!"

Hymnal then left the room.

Once the door closed, Luna felt herself slump, before sliding back into her chair. "Did I say something wrong? Ah pit what was that sire scrap even about! You know the council never let you adopt me! Why the sudden change?!" She exclaimed, trying to understand at least something which had happened in the last few breems.

"The answer to that is quite simple young one, with the Council all dead, all I needed to do was speak to Optimus, and, he was able to convince the remaining strutless lower ranking, somehow still functioning council members to pass the adoption. I wanted to tell you in bot, hence why I did not alert you to when it got passed a few orns back." He responded,reaching out to run a servo down her helm like he used to whenever she was spooked and needed comfort.

The comfort didn't last though as she pulled away, turning her focus to the table dejectedly. "And now, you want to send me off world."

"For your own protection, Luna. The Decepticons have you and Hymnal on their list, prices are on your helms. You need to leave before you have every Decepticon and bounty hunter knocking down the front Temple doors." Alpha Trion said, a touch of desperation in his voice.

"Wait… what?! Since when?! I thought it was just those hunters?! Is that why Epsial and Rifter got offed?!" Luna exclaimed, very nearly jumping out of her chair hadn't she grabbed the desk at the same time.

"For all intensive purposes, I can assume so."

"And you just let Hymnal walk out of here?!"

"There was no stopping them, we've both known Hymnal enough to know when they are serious, and they are far too stubborn to allow anyone to accompany them."

"They could get shot!" Luna snapped back.

"Luna! You think I don't know this?"

"I know you know! But you still let them go! Why are we even on the Decepticons most wanted list anyway?!"

"Information, Hymnal is head Priest with knowledge of Cybertron's inner workings. And you have access to the Hall's knowledge through your processors."

"Ah… fraggit… Ok, the whole exodus thing is making a bit more sense now… but why didn't you let them know about that juicy little detail, before they left?"

"I believe they were already deduced the situation for themselves."

Luna's helm connected with the table, waving a servo in the air as she spoke. "There's no point arguing this point is there? I take it you have a nice little ship set up for us to get to the next solar system or something?"

"There are a few ships ready, you will be setting out in different ships for covert reasons. The smaller the crew, the less likely you will be picked up and any scanners." Trion informed, sitting back down in his chair.

"So? I'm going with Hymnal? Or is the last chance I have to see them before one of us gets found by hunters? Namely me." Luna responded.

"That depends on who is leaving with who. Hymnal has promised to return within the orn, so it depends on who decides to stay till then."

"No disrespect, Alpha Trion," one of the guards spoke up, "But if the 'cons are after our tailpipes, i don't wanna stick around and give them the opportunity." there was an agreeing murmur throughout the room.

"The ships are ready to leave whenever you decide to leave." Alpha trion said.

"So you are all ready to just leave Hymnal behind?" Luna said angrily,

"There is no point in waiting around, you heard what Alpha Trion here said, those hunters are out for you two, they are a walking target." another bot said, their tone upset.

Luna let of an irritated groan. "Then… I'm not going to stop you, go if that's what you want, but I'm gonna wait that damn orn for Hymnal, they're in too much of a state to go it alone, I'm going with them if we do end up leaving, because I am still considering just welding myself to the nearest wall!" She added at the end, shooting a glare towards her now official sire.

"You're right," Copperlock stated, "We've all seen what's been goin' on with the Head Priest, they ain't in the right-o-mind to travel space alone. I doubt they'd leave if it was just them goin'."

Luna nodded, sending the mech a thankful look as murmurs of agreement went around the table. "I've memorised practically every data pad the hall had on the functions of the processor through my life cycle, namely as a way to identify why everyone deemed me too different to function in your society, but it's also helped me see exactly what you just said, Anxiety, Depression, there's the significant potential that… if Primus does… I don't… we've all been thinking it so I won't say it,but, if that does happen… Hymnal could even lose the very will to live, I… I can't just… that thought would be my end if I left them here, I already know it."

A grave silence settled over those in the conference room as they processed Luna's words.

"I'll be waitin' with yee," Copperlock spoke up, breaking the bleak silence. "I can' do much, but i'll be waitin' for the Head Priest." a few others spoke up, but most remained silent.

Luna nodded to all of them in thanks, and Alpha Trion smiled a bit.

"It is settled. The new plan is all but three ships will set out tonight with those who wish to leave. The rest will remain and wait for Head Priest Hymnal."

What followed was a cluster of agreements.

It was settled a few jours later. Copperlock, Temba and Evelia would be staying with Alpha Trion, his guards and Luna until Hymnal's return. The rest of the bots would be leaving in groups in three on individual shuttles off world to the nearest neutral space.

It was a sad time, saying goodbye for likely the last time, the majority promising to spread the word of the War, and try their best to prevent such travesties occurring wherever they were, others, promising to stay safe and under the radar, hoping to start new lives, and maybe, if they were lucky, raise families.

Once that was over, and they had left, their echoing pede steps fading at some point down the corridor, the room fell deathly quiet.

In the room, only Alpha Trion and Luna remained.

"So… we got one orn to be… sire and creation huh?" Luna sighed, slumping in her chair slightly and glancing at the ancient mech from behind her visor.

Alpha Trion sighed at her words, placing a servo on the top of her helm.

"I've always viewed you as my creation, Luna." he said

"I know… but… officially… to me at least, it always made me feel like there was a barrier preventing something… no amount of research helped me figure out what though…" She admitted.

Alpha Trion drew Luna into a hug, his much larger frame covering her smaller one and easily helping him wrench her out of her seat, not that she resisted.

"Better make the best of this, then." he said quietly.

Luna let off a muffled chuckle, pushing her helm up into the frayed and cracked wiring which she used to nibble on as a foal. "Yeah… I'd like that… sorry for having a go at you earlier."

"I think you had valid reasoning behind it." he chuckled.

"They're my best friend, of course I'd want to know why you just let them walk out."

"I could see it in their optics, Luna. They are scared. They needed closure before leaving the Temple." Alpha Trion said softy.

"Yeah, but the whole 'most wanted list' bit, might of helped remind them to keep to the shadows. I guess that's what my opinion is on it."

"How about we take our processors off all of this? We still have the viewing screen working if you want to watch something, we could invite Copperlock, Temba and Evelia if you wish?"

She really let off a chuckle at that. "I doubt 'Planet Cybertron' is exactly up to date… Time, Space, and the potential for something else?"

"One of your old favourites?"

Luna nodded, gesturing to the red gem in it's ever present spot. "It asks some good questions, and you know how I am with finding the answers."

"How is your training with that strange little thing going? Ever since I heard what you did at the hall… well, it's certainly another reason you should stay far from any Decepticon."

"I… I haven't really? It burns through so much of my reserves, I've had to take double to rations for three cycles after… and when the supply began depleting…"

"I did notice you'd lost some weight, all of you have… however, lose anymore, and I might begin fearing you're turning into a neo snake. The hunters may lose interest in you if that happens though." The ancient mech mused.

"I would never become a snake! Such an occurrence isn't even possible!" Luna exclaimed, flaring her plating at the sheer audacity of the notion, her sire just responded with an jovial chuckle.

"And yet it is fully possible for you to control powerful energy waves from a gem which we've never been able to remove from you." As if to demonstrate, he gave the blue cabling a light tug, trying to bring it beyond the back of her helm, only for the cabling to immediately wrench itself from his grip and settle back around her neck. "Luna, at this point, I'm very nearly tempted to classify it as a sentient species."

"Alphaaaaa…. Nooooo, it's a rock!"

"I'm sure you saw the files of the Gargaliyan Rock people from Manhuritan 5?"

"... Ok, you have me there… can we go watch this documentary?"

"Of course young one, alert your friends to our plan, I'm sure they'll be more than happy to pass some time without having to worry so much on their continued chances of survival."

"Well, that didn't sound morbid in any way at all."