Part 2
"Grab a seat by the bar, I'll fix you something to drink!" Midnight motioned to the bar spanning the entire length of the tube as he hurried over to a table of Nebulans waiting for their drinks.
Windblade tried to come visit more often, but her duties as Speaker got in the way. It really was a nice space, dark but not close, lived in but not seedy. Midnight was not the sort to cross, so the disreputable drank elsewhere or were swiftly shown the door.
The bar skirted the Wharves and the Organic Quarter, so the crowd was diverse. Off-world traders didn't like coming into the city now that the Autobots lived there, but the soldiers helped build a new section of the port to accommodate the new wave of technophobia sweeping the galaxy as Megatron's message of cyber-supremacy made the rounds. The Nebulans drinking in the center of the dining area shared the space with fellow Camiens, but also a brood of Vorathi sipping from pink vials on the ceiling, a lone Rock Lord dozing in the corner, and other colorful patrons. There were soldiers here too. A lanky orange bot with a power shovel on his shoulder chatted up a giggly forklift, a duobot pair was competing to see who could fit the most bar nuts in his mouth. There was also a black and orange bot slumped over a few stools down from Windblade, a pile of glasses in front of him.
Midnight had reached the other side of the bar while Windblade was staring at the bot. "I take it you'll be skipping the hard stuff while you're on the clock. I have some unleaded down here somewhere..."
"That would be wonderful Midnight. It looks like business is booming."
"The Autobots sure know how to drink. The Nebulans put away Nightmare Fuel like it's going out of style too, now that you mention it. It's good to see you girlie."
Windblade laughed, "I've missed our movie nights! I wish I was here to chat, but the Mistress sent me here on inquiry."
"I hope this isn't about my license to serve that Bloodmoon Brandy again."
"No, no. One of the business owners down the way had a problem with two Autobot drunkards last night, an Aquabot and a big guy. Throw anyone out like that?"
"Rings a bell. They were getting at it with one another, the little guy was trying to welch on a bet over some kinda kraata race. Not sure what attachment they came from, if you're looking to throw the cuffs on."
"Those clowns? Eh they're witha 6th Maritime. Or the 7th. Wunna those."
The slurring came from the bot Windblade had noticed at the bar. He was sitting upright now, staring at, or maybe through, Windblade and Midnight Express.
"Are you... with the fleet?" The Speaker asked.
"Boy is that a question. I think they left me here to rot. Somethin' 'bout - oof - somethin' 'bout 'emotional distress.' Buncha scrap, you ask me."
"I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"Don't you apologize! It's bastards like them two that are givin' us Autobots a bad name. Fightin', breakin' stuff... If Optimus were still around he'd about die all over again. I knew him, you know. I was right by his side, fightin' the fight, you know?"
"Trailcutter, I think you've had enough," Midnight interjected. "Why don't you get going?"
"Yeah I'm going. Straight to the 7th's ship to snap some sense into those losers!" As he said this he snapped his fingers, and an amber sphere half-heartedly flickered at the tip. He rather abruptly got up and staggered out the door.
Midnight sighed when he had gone.
"Poor guy. Trailcutter's unit came in on leave an astral cycle ago. The fleet admiral, some blue sod with a chin the size of a few moons I know, decided not to tell them about the Prime's death until the tour ended. Thought it would keep morale up. Looks like it's going great so far."
"Do you think he really knew the Prime?"
"He's taking it harder than a lot of bots 'round here. Digging hard for solace at the bottom of a bottle. If he didn't know Prime, he must have lost somebody on that ship of his."
"Well, I guess I can see if he finds my jet ski. Thanks for the help Midnight."
"Stay and finish your drink at least?"
With a full tank, she glided off again. There was still enough time in her break to visit another friend, if she was back in port yet.
Caminus' oceans teemed with creatures of all shapes and sizes. The colonists couldn't do anything with them of course, but organic traders paid top dollar for fresh hauls. So some Camiens made a living fishing for offworld export. Windblade's best friend Chromia was one such Camien. The Speaker spotted her ship, the Silver Scabbard, from the air.
"Nacelle, watch where you're swinging that! Get the product on ice stat people, we're burning daylight!" Chromia spotted a flash of red above her.
"Moonracer, take charge of unloading, I won't be a minute."
The two met in Chromia's quarters on board. Windblade told Chromia about the day's adventure in the bar. "Sounds like you have a professional on the case then," Chromia laughed when she heard about Trailcutter. "What a mess those Autobots are becoming without the Matrix to guide them."
"Do you ever want to do what they do?" Windblade asked.
"Go out and die for your homeland? I mean I could think of worse ways to go, but I'm perfectly fine risking my neck on a boat. At least you could fly away if you took a rogue wave."
"No not that. Not really I mean. Do you ever want to get out and see the universe? You sail all over Caminus with the Scabbard, but when was the last time you got offworld?"
"That was a long time ago. I imagine the universe has changed a lot since I was a part of it. More dangerous for sure with Decepticon War Worlds zooming around it. What about you? Are you getting bored watching the flames all day?"
"I love my job Chromia, but... I think I need reconnecting. The flame and I are one but everything beyond that is fuzzy when it should be clear. I want to go out and see the universe, not just feel it."
"Maybe the Mistress could give you some time off? Let you clear your head."
"I could never just up and leave. What would it look like, with my position? People think I have the best job in the colony."
"Hn. As long as you know what you're doing. I'm just an old sea hand. The sun's getting high, I think you need to get back for midday rites."
"Oh my gosh, you're right! Thanks for listening, Chromia!" Windblade transformed and jetted off for the high temple once again.
The next two days went by without issue. She got up, went to the temple, carried out her duties, and went home at sunset. On the third day however, some commotion reached the Mistress's Chambers from down below. Windblade was alarmed to see the bot from the bar, Trailcutter, arrive at the temple, with two large force fields in tow. Each field housed one fuming Autobot, a huge one with an arm cannon, and a small one with skifs on his legs.
"Honorable Mistress of Flame, I present to you two troublemakers I apprehended last night." He stood tall and saluted, "I leave them to face your justice!"
The Mistress looked amused. "Are these our window breakers from the other day? You have been... busy. This is a great help to the city. Your force fields are quite a boon. You have my thanks, Autobot...?"
"No need to introduce myself, I'm just doing my duty. Now, if you excuse me, I must be going," he said turning and heading for the door at a fast pace. Windblade rushed after him.
"Sir! It's Trailcutter, right?"
He paused, grabbing his head. "Yeah. That's about right. Could you keep it down? I feel like I have a Dynobot sitting on my brain module."
"That was an amazing thing you did. I... didn't really think you were serious that night. You were pretty out of it."
"I may have looked... and sounded... and have been... staggeringly drunk, but I still knew the Autobot code, and those two? They ain't it."
"So was everything you said true? Did you know the Last Prime?"
"Heh. Yeah, I knew Optimus. I'm not one of those guys who knew him from before he was Prime, but I fought with his unit on Cybertron. I even served on board the Ark for a while. That coulda been me on board..."
"What was he like? I've never actually, you know, heard him. I was away on business when he came to Port Solaire. The news here was all about the Matrix, but I would catch snippets of his speeches here and there, the inspirational words, the stories his followers would tell. The adventures they went on. Is it all really like that?"
The soldier chuckled. "He wasn't that much different in private from in person. Look up an old disc or two of him. That sappy inspirational scrap was all off the cuff. It's one of the things we admired about him."
"I might just do that. Thank you, again, for bringing those two in."
"Bah, was nothin'. You ever hear about more glitchheads like those two, you come find me at the Express."
On her break that day, Windblade gave Midnight Express a call. "Would you mind closing early tonight Midnight? I have an idea for a Movie Night."