Darkness and Lightning 12: Sneaking In

A decaorn or so after the separation of their creation Starcrossed, Wing slipped through the tunnels toward their lair. He was still wary about being followed, since Thorn was still determined to get the bottom of whatever was going on with the smaller jet. So far, Wing had managed to avoid being tailed.

About to open the heavy door, Wing paused. ~Mate of mine, is Starcrossed anywhere near the door?~

The tiny jet had managed to slip out once, and both of her creators had been scrambling to retrieve her before anything happened or anyone spotted her. Fortunately she was still a dozen vorns or more from being flight-worthy, but if early indications were anything to go by, they'd have to install a force field around their quarters to keep her in once she did.

~She's currently trying to fly,~ Drift grumbled back, along with an image of their creation, still only a lanky protoform, attempting to climb the storeroom shelves.

Wing chuckled. ~Determined little bitling, isn't she?~ He opened the door just enough for him to slip inside, quickly closing it after him.

~Takes after both of us,~ Drift agreed ruefully with a touch of humor.

The dark jet trotted into the storeroom, chirring a greeting to his mate and creation. Drift rounded on him for a kiss and stroking hug, keeping most of his sensors on their creation while he enjoyed having his mate close.

Starcrossed chirred back, the thin bond with Wing echoing her pride at making it as high as she was ... the second shelf and angling for the third.

Wing returned the kiss, rubbing his cheek affectionately against Drift's and leaning against his mate's frame. Gold optics glowed warmly at their creation before the dark jet noticed something, looking down to examine his mate's frame. ~Your frame is back to normal,~ he observed after a moment, again leaning against Drift with a soft purr and enjoying the rush of relief-pleasure his statement brought.

Right on the heels of that was a flare of desire as black hands found a sensitive seam and teased their way in.

"You are high," Wing chirped to Starcrossed, fluttering a wing and watching as she went for the next shelf. Pride and amusement slid along the bond he had with her, as well as the usual undercurrent of worry.

"Not fall, fly!" she chirred back at him.

The dark jet leaned into Drift's hands, all but melting against him. Equal desire answered Drift's, golden optics glowing warmly.

"Your engines aren't functional yet, and those wings are not meant for gliding," Wing replied, returning his attention to Starcrossed.

"It won't stop her," Drift chuckled ruefully, relaxing about it now that he had backup in catching her. ~Though if you want a little attention, she has yet to work out how to unlock the crib.~

Wing's purr deepened. ~Then we should take advantage of that before she figures out how,~ he crooned suggestively, one optic winking at his mate. ~After she works it out, we'll be too busy chasing after her!~

~After, we get a better lock,~ Drift smirked and let go of his mate to scoop their creation off the shelf, expertly containing the squirming mass of limbs as he walked to the berthroom. "Time for your creators to have some personal time, so it's time for you to take a nap."

Wing grinned at the protesting squawk and the wail of "No wanna!" as he followed his mate and creation to the berthroom.

Oozing onto the berth, the dark jet watched as Starcrossed was placed in her crib, pouting up at her carrier until Drift reached down and stroked her from helm to aft with a gentle touch to each wing. He cycled his optics in surprise when she immediately dropped into a deep recharge and the smug satisfaction he felt from his mate at it.

"Found her stasis button," the dark grounder smirked as he stood and turned to his mate. "Same place as yours."

Wing chuckled. "Always a helpful discovery, and more useful on her than on me." He shifted his position, draping himself invitingly over the berth, wings half spread and optics half-lidded.

"Yes, I like you very much aware," Drift purred and pounced, landing squarely on top of his mate and pressing into a heated kiss. ~Still want to try for a sibling so soon?~

"Much more fun when I'm conscious and can participate," Wing purred. ~And I do want another sparkling. I want to carry one.~

~Better you than me,~ Drift rumbled as his chest plates unlatched and began to part. ~Even if it means another half vorn without spiking you much.~

Wing grinned in response, his own chest armor unlocking. Orange light seeped out through the seams as the plates began to shift aside. Dark hands glided over Drift's armor, sliding into a transformation seam to tease the wiring underneath. ~You were a very good carrier.~

~Only because you wanted to keep it so badly,~ Drift pointed out with the brutal honesty that had gotten him in trouble so often as a Decepticon. ~My creator protocols stop somewhere around 'feed it and don't let it get hurt.'~

Wing pouted at him, then slid a hand between Drift's parting chestplates to stroke the circuitry behind them, teasing over the sensitive nodes he found there. Pleasure flared over their bond, desire hot enough to scald chasing its tail.

~You know I could never deny you anything,~ Drift moaned, his optics dimming at the touch and his helm tipping back as his frame stilled, offering himself in pure vulnerability to the only mecha who had ever truly owned him.

~Oh, I know,~ Wing purred with a chuckle, tilting his own help to press nipping kisses along the exposed cables of Drift's throat. His fingers worked their way deeper into the delicate systems until his fingertips just brushed Drift's spark chamber.

A core deep shiver passed through Drift, one of his vulnerability, but also relishing in his own willingness to offer it, to be here, like this, and simply enjoy it. Without command, his spark chamber spiraled open, letting loose a dozen leaders to dance along Wing's fingers and hands.

A shiver ran through Wing's entire frame at the contact. His own spark flared, sending out hair-thin feelers as far as they could reach, trying to connect with Drift's. The orange orb was practically flattened against the side of its own casing, as if trying to ooze out as the chamber spiraled open.

Reluctantly, Wing removed his hand from Drift's chest, wrapping his arms around his mate and pulling him closer. The first leaders connected with a rush of sensation that made them both moan and draw closer, the recent infrequency of their interfacing driving them to move quickly rather than savor it.

The dark jet's chamber opened all the way, releasing the red-tinted orange spark. Wing moaned deeply, his mouth seeking Drift's while one leg curled around his mate's hip. Their chests crashed together, need driving the merge more than desire. Wing's fingers dug into Drift's back seams as their sparks merged into one fiery red-orange orb. Gold optics flared, blind with ecstasy. Dark wings flared and fluttered, their tips beating a tattoo against the berth surface.

Awareness spiraled outward only to condense as the two became one in every way that mattered. Despite the offer and the want, it happened too fast to think of kindling until well into the merge, when they stabilized in the whole.

~Still want to try?~ The tint part that was Drift asked, willing but only because it was Wing.

~Yessssssssssssss,~ was the response, Wing's optics flaring brightly as the dark jet seized Drift's lips in a searing kiss.

Drift shuddered at the intensity of the desire and surrendered himself fully to it, offering his spark and whatever Wing needed for it to work.

Wing absently checked his chronometer, noting the three joors discrepancy from when he'd walked in, and reluctantly focused on the fact that it was time to have one of those serious talks he hated, largely because Drift didn't talk, he just made, or demanded, a choice be made. With a slight nudge he roused his sedate mate to the point that deep red optics flickered on and focused on him with a curious ping across the bond.

~Your frame is back to normal... You can be seen in public again,~ Wing murmured, shifting slightly and draping a wing over his mate. ~We can go back to the Citadel. But...~ Gold optics strayed over to Starcrossed's crib.

~We don't have to,~ Drift followed his gaze, agreeing that it wouldn't be good. ~We've managed this far, living out here. With both of us mobile, we can stay here and just go in for duties.~

Wing considered that. ~You've got a point. Only Thorn knows where we are, and we can run him off when he does show up. We have plenty of supplies. One of us can stay to look after Star, and we can take turns.~

~Not that different from how it's working so far, except that I'll be handling my own duties while you watch her,~ Drift murmured. ~It feels safe out here. Easier to recharge.~

~No one can sneak up on us, and the tunnels are too small for certain insane triple changers to get into.~ Wing settled back, relaxing. ~You do make a very good point.~

~Good,~ Drift leaned into to kiss him, though he was worn out enough to be content to snuggle and doze back off soon. ~Saves us trying to sparkling proof our quarters too.~

~And these tunnels are, praise be to Primus, stable.~ Wing purred as he relaxed completely. ~You found the best possible spot when you located this cave.~

Drift actually purred at the praise, reveling in it this time as it was something he was proud of. ~Just be ready to have sole creator duties for a few decaorns while Dai Atlas and Axe vent their frustrations at not seeing me for nearly six metacycles. I don't expect my first few encounters are going to go my way.~

Wing nodded, his armor clamping tight to his frame. ~Noted,~ he murmured with an internal cringe. Redline was probably going to be seeing a lot of Drift for a while.

~Just remember, if you need some recharge or to leave her alone, that stasis trigger will keep her down for no more than five joors. Then she'll be demanding attention. She comes out of forced stasis in the same mood you do.~

Wing nodded, making a face. He couldn't think of anyone who actually liked forced stasis. The majority of mecha came out of it in a rotten mood. ~I'll make sure to have some toys handy.~ He'd raided about half of the sparkling supply shops in the city, so they had a good stash.

~And be ready to play with her,~ Drift emphasized. ~That's the payback. She'll want your attention.~

Wing purr-chuckled. ~Message received.~ He was actually looking forward to getting in some playtime with Starcrossed. The majority of his time had been spent pulling a double chore load in the Citadel and working odd jobs for extra credits.

~Then how about you play with her for a couple joors,~ Drift rumbled. ~I haven't been out of this place in far too long. I need to see the sky.~

~Once you're not about to fall over into recharge,~ Wing replied. ~And if you're going to the surface, make sure you aren't tailed.~

Drift laughed silently at that. ~Right. Recharge. And if I can't ditch a tail, I deserve to be caught.~

~Don't underestimate how sneaky some of the others can be,~ Wing cautioned, looking toward the crib to check on Starcrossed before settling back down as his mate drifted into recharge. He had up to two joors to rest, or he could bring her out early.

~I won't,~ Drift promised before succumbing to the lure of recharge.

Wing nuzzled his mate, then settled down to doze until Starcrossed came out of forced stasis. He had a feeling he'd need the extra rest.

A joor and a half later he was roused by the jerk of his mate, nearly tumbling him out of the berth, and the screech of outrage erupting from the far side of the room. Wing jumped, his engines revving and almost sending him into the wall. Making a face at Drift as the other mech chuckled at his reaction, the dark jet walked over to the crib, opening it and peering inside. "Hello, little one."

"Nap time over!" she squawked at him in outrage, her protoform wing struts flapping in displeasure as she glared up with baleful red optics.

From the berth, Drift was still chuckled as he settled in for more recharge. "Have fun with him."

Wing shook his helm at his mate, reaching in to pick Starcrossed up. His fingers ran lightly down her back and over her wings. "That sounds ominous..."

She peered at him, focusing on where his wings had been visible had been not long ago. "Fly."

Wing fluttered his wings, flaring them out and pulling them back in. The tip of one wing poked out before flicking out of sight again. The dark jet repeated the process with the other wing, watching small red optics dart after the wiggling appendages.

"Take me flying." She enunciated clearly with a click, entertained but annoyed at not having her request humored.

The jet chuckled, flaring his wings out and hovering. "It's not safe to go outside the den. But I can do some flying in here."

Starcrossed pouted for a few nanokliks before she giggled in delight at being in the air. Happy kliks and trills escaped her as she looked all around, her wing struts flapping gleefully.

~Toss her and she's be even happier,~ Drift supplied sleepily. ~Different room,~ he requested, pressed a desire for recharge through the bond.

Wing smiled at his creation, flying out into the main room of the den, where the ceiling was higher. Holding Starcrossed securely, he began flying in slow circles near the ceiling while she squealed in delight at something her carrier couldn't do with her. Joy and love tickled Wing from their bond.

The adult jet's smile widened. Drift hated flying, so it was nice to have someone who loved it to fly with. Even this low above the ground.

Perhaps one day he'd get to fly her around the city cavern. And then one day take her above the sands and show her what it was like to fly with no limits except the contents of her own fuel tanks and the heights of the atmosphere.

She cooed, clicked and squealed in delight, the bond brimming with her happiness. Even the bond with Drift, who deep in recharge, hummed softly with pleasure-happiness at her reaction.

Humming softly and smiling at the little jetling's reaction, Wing began flying figure eights and other patterns, banking gently on the curves. He stayed away from the berthroom so the sound of his engines, and their creation's squeals of delight, wouldn't wake Drift.

"Faster!" Starcrossed cried gleefully.

Slowly and carefully, Wing increased his speed, keeping an optic out for any obstacles. Fortunately, he'd smoothed out the ceiling and removed all the stalactites when he had been prepping the cavern to become their new lair. "I can't go too fast or we'll hit something."

"Then outside!" she giggled, simply beaming with delight at flying. Her tiny wing struts were flapping wildly in her joy, completely uncoordinated for flight yet.

"It's dangerous outside," Wing pointed out. Though he was fast enough to outrun the vast majority of those who might try to chase him.

"Life is dangerous," she chirred unrepentantly.

Wing debated internally for a long moment. The city cavern was large enough for him to stay well away from the Citadel, giving him plenty of head start if any other Knights started coming in his direction. And none of the other flying Knights could match his speed.

Venting heavily, Wing landed in front of the door, checking all the monitors to make very sure there was no one in the tunnels anywhere nearby. Keeping a firm hold on Starcrossed, Wing slipped out into the tunnels. She squealed and clicked in delight, the bond flooded with excitement as she squirmed in his grip, though she made no actual effort to escape.

The dark jet made his way quickly through the tunnels, stopping just inside the mouth of the tunnel and letting Starcrossed take in the city that filled the vast cavern before them. Artificial light made the stone walls and ceilings glitter as it caught the minerals studding the stone. Other fliers could be seen moving between the gleaming towers.

She actually stilled, awed and amazed, her bright red optics trying to pop out of her helm as she snapped her helm back and forth, trying to take everything in. Like a true flier, the wide open space held only attraction for her.

Wing let her take in the sight for a few kliks before easing out into the open and rising slowly into the air. Shifting his grip on her to make very sure she couldn't get loose, Wing angled away from the direction of the Citadel, heading for the ceiling of the city cavern.

"The city is called New Crystal City," he murmured to the tiny jetling he carried.

"What happened to old Crystal City?" she asked, most of her energy directed at taking in everything, especially the height. "Carrier would hate this."

Wing chuckled. "Drift is a grounder to the spark. Absolutely hates heights. Very rarely does he let me fly him anywhere. The last time he flew with me was the orn you crawled out of him. And the original Crystal City was on another planet."

"The one carrier came from?" she chirped.

"Yes, the planet your carrier came from," Wing agreed, banking around a stalactite and over the city. He was keeping a sharp optic on their surroundings, looking especially hard for any flickers of black. Despite all his worry, two joors passed and the cavern was clear of danger and his sparkling was cooing in contentment when his fuel tank pinged him a low level warning.

"Time to go home," Wing told Starcrossed, banking and heading back for the tunnels. "I need to refuel, or we'll fall out of the air." He spiraled down to the mouth of the tunnel, flying into the passage before touching down. The sparkling in his arms was nearly in recharge, cooing and clicking in contentment at the long flight.

Wing smiled as he carried her through the caves and passages back to their lair. Slipping inside, he locked the door behind them and walked into the berthroom, testing the bond to see if Drift was still in recharge. Not that much to his surprise, his mate was still very happily oblivious to the universe.

The dark jet chuckled at his mate, walking over to the crib. There was barely a murmur of protest from Starcrossed as he placed her in her crib, making sure a couple of her favorite soft toys were in easy reach and the small thermal blanket was there if she needed it. Golden optics watched the tiny femme for a few kliks, until his fuel tanks pinged him again. Wing vented and went to get himself some energon.

Tanks full, Wing checked on Starcrossed again, finding her out cold in her crib. The jet padded across the room, sliding onto the berth next to his mate. Pressing himself against Drift's dark armor, Wing let himself drift into recharge as well.

Drift smiled as he finished booting up, content with the warmth of his mate against him and the safety of this home they'd carved out for themselves. It felt good to feel reasonably safe, even more so now that they weren't going to be leaving.

A jolt of excitement across the creator-creation bond had Drift out of the berth and on his pedes in a flash. His optics snapped to the empty crib and he cursed sharply, trying to focus on the bond to track her.

Wing shifted, lifting his helm and blinking blearily at the sudden loss of the warm frame against his. His helm had been resting on Drift's shoulder, so the sudden movement had jarred the dark jet out of recharge. One wing flopped open as recharge-hazed gold optics turned toward Drift.

"She's loose," Drift rumbled with a clear edge of fear as he began a systematic search for their creation, guided on the bond and many days of chasing and finding her.

That woke Wing up all the way. He almost landed on his faceplate scrambling off the berth, moving to help his mate search for their stray creation. "There's no way she could have gotten out of the den... not with the locks we've got on that door."

"Not this time, but you'd be amazed what she can unlock already," Drift grumbled as he worked his way into the main room, checking her favored spots first. "I've upgraded that crib twice in less than a metacycle."

"I wonder which of us she got that little talent from." Wing began looking in the less likely spots, though with Starcrossed they never knew where she might get into.

"Definitely you," Drift retorted, turned half upside down looking under the couch. "I break doors. And don't think any spot is too small."

"Probably, considering all the trouble I got into when I was that size." Wing looked behind another piece of furniture, then peeked into the storeroom. A squeal of delight and the sudden sound of the washrack turning on got both their attention. "That she got from you."

"As if you don't love a good shower," Drift retorted as they ran for the washrack and their squealing creation under a solvent shower.

Wing managed to slip in first, chuckling as he spotted Starcrossed. "Oh, I do enjoy a shower... You enjoy pouncing on me in it." He flicked a wing at his mate, walking over to their creation who grinned up at them with unrepentant happiness at her current state.

"At least we won't have a problem keeping her clean," Drift shook his helm and allowed Wing to deal with their sparkling.

"Proud of yourself?" Wing asked as he reached down to pick Starcrossed up, stroking her back and small wings.

"Yes. Shower's fun!" she giggled. "Creator all wet!" she pointed at Wing.

"Well, would you look at that. I am wet." The dark jet chuckled, flicking his wings to send droplets flying. "And you missed a spot." He slid his fingertips over a ticklish spot on her back.

The lanky protoform giggled and squirmed, happy and playful in her creator's arms as her carrier watched with amusement and no small amount of desire building for his solvent-slicked mate.

Wing chuckled, shifting Starcrossed to one arm as he reached to turn off the shower, flaring his armor to flick off some of the solvent. Wings and pinions wiggled, sending bright drops flying. Golden optics flicked to Drift's deep red as the dark jet walked over to his mate, teasing a small wing.

With a soft chuckle to cover the deeper rumble of desire, Drift tickled Starcrossed's abdominal plates while he stole a kiss from Wing. ~Want to jump you right now.~

~In front of these innocent little optics?~ Wing tilted his helm toward the giggling armful of protoform he was holding, humming as he returned the quick kiss.

~You never objected to it when she was part of the fun,~ Drift rumbled. ~Even if the merge was all she knew. She can go down for a nap.~

~She wasn't able to watch then, so there was no chance of corrupting her,~ Wing crooned. ~And if she goes down for a nap it'll take flying her around the city cavern again to calm her down when she wakes up. You'll also be late getting to the Citadel.~ The dark helm tilted to one side, golden optics sparkling playfully. ~But who cares about that?~

~Given the trouble I'm already in, I don't,~ Drift snickered, sneaking a hand around to stroke his mate's aft. ~I want more of this while I can get it.~

Wing purred, his field pulsing with agreement, his own rising desire flowing through the bond. "Time for a nap, Star," he told the squirming bundle in his arms. "I'll take you flying again later."

"More creator berth time?" She grumbled.

"Creator shower time," Drift rumbled. "Same idea."

"Nothing for little optics to see," Wing added, tapping her lightly on the very tip of her nose as he carried her toward her crib. Setting her in forced stasis, he placed her in the crib, making sure to lock it this time.

Several Knights were milling around the main courtyard of the Citadel when Drift arrived. The gates opening caught their attention, all optics snapping in that direction. The Knights paused when they saw just who was entering.

"Drift?" One of them finally ventured a step closer while another darted into the Citadel itself. "We were starting to think you'd gotten lost in the tunnels or something of that nature."

"I'm harder to make go away than that," Drift snorted, making it clear he had every intention of having his reappearance be as much of a non-event as he could manage.

More Knights began flowing out of the main structure, muttering to themselves. A red airframe, clearly returning from the city, landed on the wall, watching from above. Within a breem or so, at least half the Knights in residence had made an appearance.

"You're going to need that ability," one of them advised, glancing warily toward the main doors.

"I've survived crazier than either of them," Drift shrugged and stalked towards the doors, intent on either disappearing into his chores or getting the beating over with. Despite the brave words, he knew just how dangerous his position was right now and only his loyalty to his word to Wing was keeping him from setting up an ambush to kill both the fraggers right then.

"We'll take your word for that." The other Knights parted, watching Drift enter the Citadel with the air of a crowd watching someone walking to their execution.

Drift muttered under his breath about what he did for love, his sensors wide open to give him at least a fraction of a moment to be ready for what was coming.

Other sets of optics peered out of every available nook and cranny big enough for a mech to hide in that the giants couldn't. The other Knights had gone to cover, which was not a good sign. Neither was the deep growl echoing down the corridor.

Still, between Megatron, Starscream and Turmoil, Drift knew enough about insanity to deal with it ... his processors paused on that thought and pointed out how he'd become this Drift in the first place. His deep red optics glittered with a madness all his own as he turned to the sound.

~If I get killed doing this, you'd better keep her safe,~ he growled at his mate before locking his end of both bonds down as far as he could. Wing was used to it. Their creation would need Wing's full focus right now as her carrier abruptly ceased to exist to her for the first time.

The watching optics retreated even farther into hiding at the sound of that growl. Dai Atlas was waiting in the training arena, somehow managing to stay there rather than hunting Drift down. Spattered energon on the floor around the doors hinted that one of the other Knights had already gotten on the Knight leader's bad side, and was probably in Redline's medical bay for an extended stay.

A destination Drift was likely to be in soon. With another sub-vocal mutter he stalked towards the training room, mentally reviewing what was acceptable grounds for killing the psycho.

Dai Atlas was waiting in the center of the room, optics blazing a feral red. One hand was so tightly fisted the metal was audibly creaking. Long wings were visibly vibrating with tightly-leashed fury.

"So," the dark blue mech rumbled. "You finally decide to reappear."

"Miss me?" Drift asked cheekily, easing to lean against the doorframe. "You aren't looking so good."

There was a long moment of absolute silence. Even Dai Atlas looked briefly stunned by the response. Then the Knight leader's optics flared, the big mech baring his dentas in a snarl as he took a step forward. "Insolence!"

Drift cocked his helm, feigning unconcern well. "You have low standards. I haven't tried to shoot or replace you. Yet. Ask Turmoil what Insolence is. You have no idea what it means."

The response to that was a roar that rattled the Citadel, scattering most of the Knights in all directions. For such a big mech, Dai Atlas was fast. He charged directly at Drift, not even bothering to draw his swords yet.

Deep red optics narrowed as Drift's frame flowed with a smooth grace he rarely displayed, seeming to brace for impact as if he could take the much, much larger mech. A the very last nanoklik two short swords flashed as he drove forward, one slashing at an extended wrist, the other slashing across the giant's unguarded throat.

At the last moment Dai Atlas lurched sideways, his own swords finally making an appearance. Drift's sword glanced off the armor of the larger mech's shoulder, the tip grazing a cable of his neck just enough to sting and make the big mech even more enraged. Snarling something incoherent, optics narrow, Dai Atlas charged again.

Drift ducked and rolled between the giant's legs, making his pedes and slashing out at a knee joint from behind. The resulting bellow threatened to short out Drift's audials.

Murder in his optics, Dai Atlas spun, both blades aiming straight for Drift's chest and throat.

The smaller mech darted to the side, accepting the long gash along his right arm as payment for survival. The pain was nothing after so many beatings that required a massive rebuild. Automatic systems closed off the cut energon capillaries before he had even fully registered the damage.

He slashed out as he moved forward, leaving a good-sized gash sparkling and oozing along Dai Atlas' hip.

If a mech could froth at the mouth, that was exactly what Dai Atlas did. The giant lashed out, backhanding Drift hard enough to send him skidding across the arena. Dai Atlas was immediately after him, bellowing in incoherent fury as the smaller mech scrambled to his pedes and lunged out of the way.

He wasn't quite fast enough, catching a slice from a short sword across his back diagonally. Any closer and it would have cleaved him clean in half. As it stood, he was limp for a moment as he was forced to reroute all his commands to his lower frame around the severe break in his spinal strut and the primary lines under it.

Like an organic predator scenting blood, Dai Atlas rounded on him, glaring down at the limp grounder as the blue giant moved in. His blades were aimed directly at Drift's vital circuitry and spark core.

A sharp whistle snapped the giant's gaze to his mate, and he instantly crumpled to a limp heap.

"You are insane," Axe shook his helm as he looked at the immobile pair, focusing on Drift. "Not even Shogun," he nodded toward the red flier watching from the doorway, "would challenge him like that."

Drift just snorted. "Nut job needs a processor wipe."

"You will find that most of the Citadel would agree with you there." Shogun walked into the training arena, picking his way around the limp pile of deep blue to look over Drift's injuries. The red Knight grimaced. "Have to admire your spunk, though... No one else would dare speak to Dai Atlas like that."

"No one else here has my background," Drift shrugged one spaulder and attempted to move a leg. When that worked, if only somewhat, he shifted to push himself up. "He's not the first insane giant leader I've served under. Just with less interest in spiking me than the last two."

Shogun made a face. "I'd rather not contemplate that thought, personally." He waited for Drift to get to his pedes, observing how much control the grounder had with a badly damaged spinal strut. "The sooner you get to Redline, the better."

"Agreed," Drift gave a serious, hard look at the blue pile of metal on the floor, his thoughts painfully transparent.

More than slightly to Shogun's surprise, Axe allowed it, watching as the youngest Knight debated the value of killing their insane leader right then and there. Perhaps even more to his surprise, Drift muttered something inaudible and limped towards the door, sheathing his short swords on the way.

A slight smile appeared on Shogun's face as he stepped over Dai Atlas' limp form and followed Drift, intending to make sure he got to the medical bay without keeling over. "I admire your restraint."

"I'm a fool in love," Drift shook his helm.

Shogun snorted at that. "Wing got you to promise to let them live, did he? Can't say I'm surprised." He shifted a red wing panel absently.

"As long as they weren't trying to kill me at the moment," Drift nodded, then looked up at the giant. "What's with the control over red collars?"

"Solid red collars mark the seven mechs and femmes who are members of my harem, so everyone else knows to keep their distance," Shogun replied easily. "It's been long enough now that most of the city recognizes a solid red collar with my designation-glyph on it as my mark. Keeps the fights to a minimum. Wing can tell you that I will protect what's mine by any means necessary, and Thorn can corroborate."

"That makes more sense," Drift chuckled weakly. "Wing forgot to mention the glyph as part of your mark."

"Wing's never gotten close enough to see," was the reply. "Thorn has, and the scars that resulted from that misstep are still quite visible. He's lucky I left his wings attached to his frame."

"Wing has rather fine survival instincts when it comes to avoiding violence," Drift cracked a grin, amused and sad for his mate. "Had a couple fine teachers for that early on."

Shogun rumbled his agreement. "Wing has needed those survival instincts." He glanced behind them, back toward the training arena. "One day those two will fall, and then Wing will no longer have to be so afraid."

"It won't be soon enough for me," Drift grumbled, suppressing a wince as his leg twisted when he made a step. "I had enough of this as a Con."

Shogun looked at him curiously. "I am assuming that 'Cons where you come from are different from the ones I am more familiar with."

"If your Megatron isn't as messed in the processor as Dai Atlas, then probably not," Drift said. "Mech was more than a few lines short of a full OS."

The red Knight considered that. "Definitely very different. Megatron was quite sane. The Prime... not so much. It's a toss-up as to who is worse... Dai Atlas or the current Prime."

"Then the Cons I know are like the Bots here," Drift careened and landed heavily against his shoulder against the wall where he remained as he made a few more reroutes to regain control of his frame. "Crazy to the last and violent for fun."

"It definitely sounds that way." Shogun waited for Drift, waiting to see if he needed any assistance. Though he was sure that the grounder would never ask for help, if he couldn't stand within another klik, he'd get himself carried to medical.

With a grunt Drift pushed off the wall and made it four more paces before his spinal strut shifted dangerously out of alignment and took many of his internals in the area with it. The dark gray and black mech dropped like a stone and other than growling in frustration and struggling to get up with his still-functional arms, didn't really manage to move again.

The red flier vented heavily, walking over and dropping into a crouch. Orange optics took in the damage with the experienced optic of one who'd seen just about everything that could be done to a mech's body. Shogun frowned for a moment, then shrugged to himself and picked the smaller mech up as carefully as he could manage. "Stubborn mech."

Drift growled, though his field spoke of anger with himself and the situation, not directed at Shogun. Otherwise, he relaxed into a compliant mass in the much larger mech's arms.

~I survived,~ Drift cracked the bond open with Wing, though he kept it closed to Starcrossed.

What came back through the bond was a mix of relief and worry. Wing was almost beside himself, and probably not that far away from the Citadel. A tiny seed of amusement threaded its way through as Wing took in the fact that Drift was being carried.

~Where is Starcrossed?~ Drift demanded the moment he realized that Wing wasn't safe in their stony quarters.

~I'm carrying her,~ was the reply. ~I did promise to take her flying, and as soon as she woke up she was screaming to fly. After this she'll be calm and contented for the rest of the orn.~

~Right,~ Drift relaxed fractionally. ~Long as you weren't coming here. Good distraction for my absence in the bond too.~

~We're not coming to the Citadel,~ Wing replied. ~We're nearby, but not approaching any closer.~

Shogun made a neutral hum, heading for the medical bay, settling into a ground-eating pace. He shifted his grip slightly, keeping away from the worst of the damage, and comming ahead to let Redline know he was bringing in a broken-backed Drift.

::He's alive?:: the medic sounded genuinely surprised. ::And is he bleeding out?::

::Deep gash across the back severed his back strut,:: Shogun reported. ::The severed end has shifted severely out of alignment and has done more internal damage. Won't be a quick fix. We're almost there.::

::Right. I'll have Rachidian ready for you,:: Redline said before closing the line.

Shogun made a hum of acknowledgement. "Redline's ready for us. You're going to be in there for a while." He turned into the corridor leading straight to the main doors of Redline's domain.

"Figured as much," Drift admitted. "Not the first time I've been seriously damaged."

"I've seen some of what Dai Atlas has done to you before, and I can infer that you've been blown halfway to the Pit and back before you arrived here." Shogun's wings twitched as the medbay doors came into sight. He could feel energon running down his arm from the gash across Drift's back as another internal shift broke a line too badly to be immediately sealed even by battle-centric systems.

"Hasn't even given the worst beatings," Drift murmured, stasis threatening to claim him as systems struggled to stay on line. "Too much rage. Turmoil ... cold bastard made it an art he called discipline. So did Jazz, was more honest. Said it was torture, designed to break a mecha."

"Put him on the berth," the spindly medic, a true specialist among the staff, pointed to his special workstation.

Shogun winced. He'd seen Dai Atlas' more brutal punishments, and he had seen what had happened on Cybertron before the Circle had left. "Mecha I am glad I will never meet. Dai Atlas is bad enough." He followed the medic's instructions, very carefully placing Drift on the berth face down, then moved out of the way to clean the energon off his armor.

"Jazz is ah good mech," Drift's voice began to slur. "Wouldn't want to meet him now though."

"Drift, I need you to stay with us," Rachidian said firmly as long, thin fingers took in the damage as much as optics and scanners. "Keep talking." He glanced at Shogun. "About anything."

The large red mech eased closer, finding a place to settle near the berth. "If the Jazz you knew was a good mech, then I would imagine he'd be very different here, if he was an Autobot. I saw more than enough of their cruelty before we left Cybertron." Orange optics narrowed. "Don't fade out on us, Drift. Wing will not be happy if you do."

"No, he wouldn't," Drift's optics brightened at the reminder of his reason to keep going. "Just how sane are the local Cons?"

"From what I can infer from what you said of yours... Pretty much the complete opposite of the ones you're used to," Shogun replied after a moment of thought. "You're less from another dimension than... a reverse dimension. I would bet good credits that if there are Knights where you came from, they're nothing like us."

"Depends on what about," Drift murmured, briefly drifting off before focusing again as pain roared at him from his back from Rachidian's work. "Most Knights are less reversed and more ... just darker, less sane. Wing's still very much Wing. Dai Atlas never did like me much, would have rather flattened me than trained me. Redline ... slightly less into throwing things, but really the same. Thorn ... he's different..."

"But I would bet that Dai Atlas was a lot saner than the one we have to put up with," Shogun commented. He shifted position, interested. "How different is our Thorn from the one where you came from?"

"A scholar, shy, not willing to risk his wings to get laid," Drift muttered, the decidedly personal nature of the last item difficult to miss.

Shogun's optics flickered in a blink. "Ours thrives on ferreting out others' secrets and trading them for things he wants, or as straight blackmail. He's always watching. I've heard him referred to as the biggest snoop in the Circle. He's gone after my harem, though only the once, and I think he's got his optic on you."

"He does," Drift actually snarled, far less offended by the interest, or even the persistence, as the method. "He might have actually gotten somewhere if he didn't go after Wing to get to me."

"Be still," Rachidian snapped at his patient. "Unless you like being paralyzed."

"That would explain the mangled state he and Wing came back in that one time," the red Knight noted. "I don't doubt that he had something to do with outing the fact that you're bonded to Wing. That was the kind of information that mech thrives on."

"Yes," Drift muttered and settled into being still once more. "That was over me. I'm sure he was, given he got his pet shortly after."

"Traded the information to Axe for permission to have a pet." Shogun shook his helm. "I don't need to caution you about his sneakiness, then. And somehow I'm not surprised Wing took on Thorn for you."

Drift made a curious sound, wondering what the senior Knight thought was going on.

Shogun only shrugged, unwilling to put voice to his reasons. He watched the medic working for a moment, taking in the damage and Drift's reactions. As wild as the story of Drift's previous existence were, the past joor made them much more believable to the senior Knight. Reactions like Drift's did not come from anything less than a long, brutal existence.

A red wing panel shifted to a more comfortable position behind the older mech's back. "You're more coherent than you were when I carried you in here... That's a good thing." Orange optics swept the medbay briefly. "Odd that Wing isn't here..."

"Told him to stay away," Drift said. "Not safe yet."

Shogun nodded. "That makes sense... If he'd come with you he'd likely be in here for repairs, too." He glanced in the direction of one of the surgery areas. "When Dai Atlas snaps he doesn't much care who gets in his way."

"Glitch," Drift rumbled. "Why is he tolerated?"

"Because he's still the best in the Circle, and no one else yet has the skill to bring him down," was the reply. "Not even myself. Yet. But as he descends further into madness, hopefully someone will be able to get past his blades and end him."

"Eventually, someone will," Drift spoke in as much a promise as in hope. "There are actual leaders to take his place here."

Shogun tilted his helm at the grounder, but didn't comment on that. "I'm one of the major candidates. Of the others... Lightstrike is almost as bad as Dai Atlas is, and the others are already firmly under Axe's control. Dai Atlas may technically be the Circle leader, but it's Axe who has the real power."

"Not after Dai Atlas falls," Drift said simply, more than familiar with the dynamic between his mate's creators.

"We hope." Shogun shrugged slightly. "Axe can't control me... That's why he hates me. We've existed in a state of mutual intolerance for a long time."

"He can out-fight you too?" Drift asked, rolling plans and information around his processor even as he shared it with Wing, who still knew the ins and outs of Citadel politics far better.

"Axe and I are close in skill... He's slightly better than I am because he's been training longer, but only just. On a good orn we can fight each other to a standstill. On a bad orn Redline sees more of me than he'd prefer." Shogun flicked a wing. "Even if I could bring Axe down, it would only make Dai Atlas fly completely off the handle. So I don't dare."

"After Dai Atlas is gone, Axe won't be in any condition to fight his best," Drift pointed out.

"That would depend on someone being able to take Dai Atlas out, but yes... The shock of it would leave Axe vulnerable, and therefore easier to fell," Shogun agreed.

Drift hummed, confused by Wing's shock on the other side of the bond. He really didn't think any of this was new, much less news, to anybody. Why else would Wing make him promise to only kill if he was in danger? Pits, today he had been.

Today he'd been damn suicidal is what he'd been. He had the time to shoot, he simply hadn't. He'd had the time to charge Stormsurge of War and the blade was quite agreeable, but he hadn't drawn it.

Don't do anything that stupid again! was very much the flavor to what was coming through the bond as Drift reflected on that. Along with that came an image of the tiny jetling in Wing's arms as he flew over the underground city.

Shogun tilted his helm, leaning back. His Great Sword tilted to one side behind him, the dark stone in the hilt flaring, proving its color to be a blue so deep it looked black as jet.

~Which, not killing or talking?~ Drift asked back, his processors slightly fuzzy from pain and he was beginning to suspect some blocking programs his medic had uploaded.

~Don't provoke Dai Atlas like that!~ Wing shot back. ~I need you, and Starcrossed needs you. Don't get yourself killed doing something stupid!~

Shogun pondered for a moment, waving off a glare from the medic at the silence. "What were the Autobots like where you came from?" he finally asked, leaning forward curiously.