Summery: Cybertron is split. In the Southern Hemisphere of Cybertron, the Decepticons whom are ruled by Megatron have control. They own slaves, who are treated as animals. The Autobots are in the North, and they believe in equality. It is ruled that if slaves are able to escape the Decepticons and head to the north, the 'Cons can't go and get them back. But, the slaves have to cross through neutral territory, some of whom would gladly bring them back. But many of them will help smuggle the slaves north.
I do not own Transformers! I'm just borrowing them for my own amusement.
"Soundwave" "Barricade" "Shockwave"
Duskstorm strode into the café, several neutrals looking at the Decepticon cautiously. Duskstorm paid no attention to them, instead making his way to a small table, where a dark green mech with brown highlights and green optics was sitting.
"Hello Trailblazer." Duskstorm greeted his neutral friend as he sat down across from the other mech.
"Duskstorm, it is good to see you again." Trailblazer says with a slight smile.
"Same to you." Dusktorm replied. A femme came over, taking their orders before walking off.
"How have you been?" Trailblazer asked.
"I am fine, the mines are doing well." He answered.
"Well, that is good, I suppose..." Trailblazer says hesitantily. He was one of the bots that was undecided about slavery. He felt it was probably a bad thing, but slavery was what helped extract most of the energon in the southern hemisphere.
Duskstorm nodded. "It is. How have you been?"
"I've been well. Photon has started his second year at the youngling academy." Trailblazer says, a proud smile on his face. His mate had had complications during her carrying period, and while the doctors had saved the sparkling, they could not save his carrier.
"That's good." Duskstorm says, smiling faintly.
Trailblazer nodded as the femme returned with two cubes, both mid-grade with sweeteners added. "Thank you." He says as Duskstorm nods to her.
"You're welcome." The femme say quickly, giving the Decepticon a nervous look before hurrying to another table.
"She's acting like you're going to jump on her." Trailblazer observes, sipping his cube.
"She must be anti-Decepticon... I've heard some of the rumors they spread about us." Duskstorm says.
Trailblazer frowned. "Ah... Are any of them true?"
Duskstorm sipped his cube. "I can place a few bots into the rumors that are spread."
Trailblazer gave a small nod. "But... You wouldn't do any of it, would you?"
Duskstorm tapped the side of his cube with a digit. "Most of them, no."
Trailblazer blinked. "Which ones do...?"
"I'll let you figure that out." Duskstorm interrupted, quickly finishing his cube.
Trailblazer looked at him, startled. "Did I say something wrong?"
"No." Duskstorm says, standing. "I just received a comm that I have an unexpected visitor at my ranch."
"Ah, alriuhght..." Trailblazer says. "So I will see you another time?"
"Yes." Duskstorm says, handing Trailblazer enough credits to pay for his own cube. "Have a good day." He adds, leaving the café and starting toward the tram that would bring him back to the Decepticon territory.
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A couple of days later, Duskstorm called Trailblazer to see if they would be able to meet again to talk some time. He frowned when Trailblazer didn't answer the call. There was a quick flash of concern in his spark, though the Decepticon quickly pushed the feeling away. Trailblazer was probably out with Proton, so Duskstorm would call him later. He hung up the call, then stgood to busy himself with his ranch.
-000000-
Duskstorm made his way through the neutral territory, heading to visit Trailblazer. It has been a few days since he first started calling the neutral, but Trailblazer hadn't answered any calls, nor tried to call him back. Several bots glanced at the Decepticon as he stepped off the tram, but Duskstorm paid them no mind. Instead, he hurried up the road toward Trailblazer's dwelling. To his surprise, Photon was playing out in front of the dwelling next to Trailblazer's own.
Photon looked at him, then abandoned his toy and ran over to the Decepticon. "Dusk!"
Duskstorm smiled, kneeling down as the green and gray mechling ran up to him. "Hi Photon. How are you?"
"Good!" Photon said cheerfully.
"Good." Duskstorm says. He looked up as a white femme with silver highlights walked up, her optics narrowed. "Hello Skylight."
"Get away from him!" Skylight growled, grabbing Photon's arm and pulling the mechling away from the Decepticon.
Duskstorm stood, looking at her in surprise. "Excuse me?"
Skylight glared at him. "I said, get away from him! It's your kind that took his sire away!"
Duskstorm blinked, confused. "Took him...?"
Skylight growled. "Don't pretend that you don't know! Three bots grabbed him a few days ago, and no one has been able to find him!"
"Didn't anyone try to stop them?" Duskstorm asked, his voice rising slightly.
"We did! Lightfall and several others were wounded trying to help Trailblazer!" Skylight snapped.
After she spoke, Duskstorm went silent. While he had never been fond of the slave catchers, he tolerated them because they returned fugitive slaves. But grabbing mechs off the street...? He took a step back from the seeker femm and the mechling. He needed time to think...
"Dusk?" Photon's voice drew Duskstorm from his thoughts, and he looked at the mechling.
"Yes?"
"You come back?"
Duskstormed remined silent for a moment. Seeing Skylight about to speak, he interrupted her. "Of course I will." He answered, ignoring the seejer's protests. "And I'll find Trailblazer. I promise." With that, he turned an walked away, ignoring Skylight as she shouted at him.
"You won't come back to see him, I won't allow it! You will never see Photon again!"
"Have you had any luck finding Bluestreak yet?"
"No I have not. I am still working on it."
"Very well... Soundwave, have your seen Barricade? Is he out for a patrol?"
"The answer to both questions is no. Why do you ask?"
"Because I have not seen him today. I am concerned he may have done something stupid."
"Barricade is fine. Do not wsorry about him."
"Very well..."