SUMMARY: The origin story of Cybertron, centering on Megatron's younger sister and victim of the war, Luma.
CHAPTER ONE: Family Values
** Housing Unit 66B, Luma's berthroom **
The apartment was empty and lifeless without Solas and Turn Table. Megatronus missed the days of joking around with his Irat, listening to his Ira sing old songs (Kaonian artists only), and spending time with both of them when their schedules permitted. Luma would have no such memories.
Megatronus kept his parent's room door shut tightly. He'd have to go through their things eventually, but he wasn't ready yet. Luma's room was the smallest. They had a crib, an emptying dresser (and he wasn't looking forward to the first tank purge), and a miniature painting of Kaon. Luma was resting in her crib, holding on tightly to Megatronus' old stuffed turbo-hound. It was well worn and colored black with several yellow spots on its back and chest.
"Cute little sister," Megatronus whispered, smiling at his sister's recharging form. She was the perfect copy of his Ira. She did have their father's base color, black, but her facial features were a copy of Solas. He left the door cracked and headed towards their living room.
It was small, like the rest of the apartment, with two worn black couches, a table with a radio, and a big screen with Cybertronian entertainment downloaded on it. His Ira had enjoyed the Kaonian dramas, while Megatronus and Turn Table had stuck to their gladiator matches and news stories.
Megatronus watched an episode of Ira's favorite drama, Love in the Rings. Around the end of the episode, he heard a little cry and almost ran to his little sister's side.
Luma was wide awake, white optics filled with tears as she reached out. Megatronus could feel her reach through their bond, and he gladly flooded her with feelings of safety and love.
"It's alright, Luma," He said soothingly when he picked her up. She gave him and sad look and snuggled closer to his spark. "I'm here with you, sister. Feel my spark and know you're loved."
Solas used to say that to him when he was a youngling, frightened and at his most vulnerable. He hoped it comforted Luma as much as it comforted him. He checked her tanks (good to go) and her fuel levels (not so good to go) and went to the kitchen.
Mixing her energon was an exciting project. Sparklings as young as her needed specific minerals and chemicals in their energon to help grow them. It would be expensive, but they'd survive. They always did.
The energon was a violet-blue color, glowing dimly. Luma happily suckled the energon down while holding onto his arm. She was the cutest little sparkling he'd ever seen. Not that he'd seen a lot of sparklings.
"I should talk to Darkout and Sharpdrive," Megatronus muttered, thinking of the polite couple living next door. The two mechs and their scrappy youngling son had become close to Megatronus and his family unit. In the eyes of Prime, they were one. "I bet they would jump on the chance to sparklingsit you if I do well on this gladiator audition. I'll win it for you, Luma."
Luma babbled in a cute sparkling voice and sucked on the energon bottle again. Megatronus would have to pick up a wax bottle the next time he went shopping. He wanted her armor to shine like his. That was one pleasure that he and his parents had disagreed on.
She finished the bottle, and he set her on a blanket in the living room. It was well worn and patterned with their clan colors, black and grey. She lay on the ground and babbled to the sky, content in her little safe bubble.
The way it should be, Megatronus thought grumpily. He headed towards his window when he heard a sound and peeked over to Unit 68B, where he could see the housing manager, a mech named Gambler, shaking a slim Seeker's servo and handing over a code datapad.
The Seeker was handsome with a sleek, shiny red and blue paintjob with silver accents. His face was thin and riveting, his wings artfully crafted, and his armor waxed and shined. A black and purple Seeklet babbled playfully in his arms, and a blue-and-black Seeklet beside him shivered in the cool Kaonian air.
New neighbors, Megatronus thought. It had been a long time since anyone had lived in 68B. Megatronus only knew a few of his neighbors. There was, of course, Darkout and Sharpdrive next door, and on the other side, a cranky old femme named Breem. There was another family on the other side of the hall, two mechs and their two mechlings and single femme. There was another mech his age living by that family, but Blackout had been chosen as a gladiator orns ago.
"A family," He informed Luma. She laughed gaily. "One my age, a youngling (not second frame yet) and a mech your age. I'm sure Sharpdrive will be over soon to - ah, there he is. Oh no, he spotted me. Frag. He's calling us over, Luma. Frag. Okay, come here, sister."
While enjoying her brother's commentary, Luma made no argument against her brother scooping her up. She let him wrap her in a purple blanket while they headed toward the small group.
"This is Megatronus," Sharpdrive said, smiling at both younger mechs. "And the little one."
"Luma," Megatronus said helpfully. He smiled at the Seeker. "How's the move?"
"Exhausting," The Seeker said lightly, although Megatronus didn't miss the sad look in his optics. "My designation is Starscream, and these are my brothers, Thundercracker and Skywarp."
Skywarp babbled to Luma, and Luma babbled right back. Beside Starscream, Thundercracker was eyeing Megatronus with a suspicious optic.
"I was telling Starscream that we try to keep a tight-knit family on this floor," Sharpdrive chirped. "My mate, Darkout, doesn't work, so he offers to care for the younglings and sparklings on this floor. We were going to offer that to you, Megatronus."
"I'm grateful, that would help a lot." Megatronus said, a burden off his back. Luma sat up against his armor and whistled to get Skywarp's attention.
The white-optic sparkling sat up too, and whistled back at her. Both grinned excitedly while they waved to each other.
"I would appreciate that as well," Starscream said hesitantly. "I am to start at one of the factories in a few orns and wasn't sure what to do with Thundercracker and Skywarp. Skywarp is a very happy sparkling and Thundercracker is a helpful youngling."
"I always help," Thundercracker squeaked.
"How nice," Sharpdrive said with a happy smile. "Darkout watched our own youngling, Knockout as well as Burnoff and Force's two youngling's and femmlet."
Burnoff and Force that was the couple that lived down the hall. Megatronus didn't feel bad for not remembering them. They were better friends with Darkout and Sharpdrive.
"I'd appreciate that. Thundercracker will be a good helper, won't you?" Starscream said, putting a servo on the mechling's shoulder.
"I always am!" Thundercracker explained indignantly.
They all laughed.
** Kaon Shuttle Dock, Bridgebuilder Association **
The air was cool and light in Kaon when the Iacon-to-Kaon shuttle landed. This was a special shuttle, a team of architects and mathematicians in charge of the significant bridge building. After many vorns of being denied, Kaon was now allowed to build a massive interlocking bridge that would connect their city in a new, different way.
The shuttle doors opened, and the first mech off was happy to descend. The mech stretched his arms, smoothing any dust off his impressive red and blue paintjob, and helped a rose-red femme off the shuttle.
"Thanks," The femme said, moving out of the way for the bots in their team. "Arcee is going to purge."
The mech laughed, a handsome noise to Kaon onlookers. He helped several bots out of the shuttle and hurried to gather them when they had all exited.
"What's the plan, Pax?" A silver mech shouted.
"Calm down," Orion Pax, head architect of the group, shouted back. "We're heading to the Rings Hotel."
"By the Gladiator Rings?" The rose-red femme asked incredulously. "You have to be kidding."
"It's what they gave us." Orion sighed. "Listen, you got the datapads on your spending money and food rations. Don't be dumb. Spend it wisely. We're going to be in this city for a while. Get used to it."
A blue mech saluted sarcastically, and they all laughed. Orion shook his helm and began herding the rowdy group towards in-town shuttles that would take them to their new home for the next vorn and a half.
It'd be a long one.
** Housing Unit 34B, near the Gladiator Rings **
The orn had been long and hard, but the femme didn't mind. She liked Kaon's roughness, the mechs' rowdiness, and the danger that came with living so close to the Rings. She'd been raised in Iacon with her sisters, but after meeting her bond, she had moved to Kaon to live with him.
A sore spot for her Irat and Ira.
The blue and silver femme straightened up and began the walkthrough of her tiny home. She expected Arcee would want to see her. She didn't think Flare-Up would be on the team, but the possibility was out there. She'd bring Ariel too, and the blue femme wouldn't mind that.
A picture of her and her bond hung on the hallway wall. Underneath in glyphs: Ironhide and Chromia.
Chromia grinned and touched the picture softly. She moved on. Their berthroom was neat and cozy, with little trinkets and pictures scattered around. Across from them was a tiny room. It was special. It had a small crib with cute pink blankets nestled in it. A cabinet for tank purge was in the corner with a cute painting Chromia had gotten done of Kaon.
She patted her sparkplates happily. Their little one was growing well, and she was active and happy. Ironhide made up stories during the end of the orn. Their femme loved that.
Hopefully, Arcee would react well. God knows their creators would not. Harp and Ultra-Vice were high-caste mechs that had wanted their daughters to bond with other high-caste mechs. Meeting Ironhide had been the greatest disappointment of their lives. Finding out that he was a vacationing Gladiator from Kaon had near given them spark attacks. Primus knew that they would never visit the bonded couple.
"Mia, I'm home!" Chromia smiled brightly and hurried to the entrance of their home. Ironhide was a handsome mech, giant and robust, with a shiny black paintjob. Chromia hoped their little one looked like him.
Ironhide swept her up, pressing kisses on her face. All she could do was laugh loudly.
"You get word from your sister?" Ironhide asked, holding a breathing Chromia.
"Yes, she'll comm me when she's settled into her hotel." Chromia said. "Guess where the high castes have them."
"Them?" Ironhide asked. "That includes Pax?" He'd met Orion Pax the same orn he'd met Chromia. The mech had been welcoming, kind, and untouched by the caste system—a breath of fresh air.
Chromia nodded excitedly. "Moonracer is in the group, and I heard they have two new inventors coming with, Wheeljack and Perceptor."
"I don't know." Ironhide shrugged. "A fancy place uptown?"
"Rings Hotel." Chromia deadpanned.
Ironhide's laughter shook the entire building.