Kneeling to the Sword

by Gatekat

Knights of Light. Dai Atlas/Axe. When General Dai Atlas and his SIC decide to retire from Nova Prime's army, they know it could cost them dearly and plan accordingly.

14. Unchecked Desires

Fandom: Transformers G1
Author: gatekat, ultrarodimus on LJ
Pairing: Axe/Dai Atlas/Wing, Wing/Shogun/Stormcloud, Dai Atlas/Titanium
Rating: NC-17
Codes: Slash, Historical Setting, Knights of Light, Spark, Sticky, Mechpreg
Summary:
Disclaimer: The authors are only playing with their own twisted muses. Transformers belong to Hasbro. Fandom-side, check the inspirations page (gatekat-fics .livejournal 290 .html). We draw from a ton of amazing stories and authors you should read.

Kneeling to the Sword 14: Unchecked Desires
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Dai Atlas stretched after his sparring match with Vanguard, energized and feeling more settled than he had in vorns. He'd been defeated, soundly, but he also knew the Sovereign was pleased with his showing. It felt good, to go down and know there was no shame in it, even with his mate and creation watching. It felt good to know there would be no question that his surrender would be accepted, and that his opponent was going to offer him a hand up with a smile of approval.

It was strange, knowing that finding out if he knew when and how to surrender was the point of some matches, and such approval could come from doing so.

Strange, but good.

He was home. Something he had never had before the Citadel. He liked being home.

Axe smiled at his mate as he walked over. "That seems to have settled your processors quite a bit." ~And you're not the only one who likes being home.~

Wing bounced in place. "You lasted longer than I ever do against Vanguard. That was impressive." He grinned up at the much larger blue mech.

"I may be relatively new to the swords, but I am far from new to sparring." Dai Atlas reached down to stroke Wing's crest with a smile for the purring creature that his spark had fully claimed as his own as much as his spark claimed Axe, if in very different ways. "Are you free to join us in the rec room?"

Wing nodded, leaning into the touch. "I just finished with my chores for the orn, and my shift is over. Let's go get some energon." A white wing flicked out to brush against Axe's armor, earning an affectionate tweak to the wingtip from the black triple changer before they walked at an easy pace for the giants. Two of their paces along and Wing was up on Dai Atlas' shoulder to save himself from running.

"You are such a shoulder-mech," Axe laughed playfully at the sight even as Wing grabbed one of his perch's horns.

"Small mech with short legs," the white jet chirped in response. "Otherwise I have to run or fly to keep up." He grinned brightly at the black mech.

"You're such a flutter-mech, I would have though it'd be easy for you to fly," Axe chuckled even as he reached out to rub Wing's crest. "Though you are easier to pet this way."

"Impossibly shameless," Atl's friendly laugh caught up with them shortly before the grounder did.

Wing leaned into the petting, almost falling off Dai Atlas' shoulder. Only a quick grab to latch onto his shoulder and helm crest saved Wing, getting a chuckle from Dai Atlas.

"I think that's the point," Dai Atlas pointed out with a rumble of amusement. "He's a cybercat in mech form. Loves petting."

Hearing Atl, Wing stuck his glossa playfully out at the red grounder, but didn't lean away from Axe's hand.

"You're never going to grow up, I'm sure of it," Atl grinned at his friend, his tone suggesting that he didn't find it a bad thing in the least.

"Probably not," Wing chirped in easy agreement.

When they reached the rec room, there was a small crowd loosely gathered off to one side. Conversation flowed back and forth. At the table for the larger frametypes, the distinctive silver crest of the former Altihex policemech Shogun was easy to spot. After getting energon for all four of them, Dai Atlas headed for that table with an easy greeting for the mechs that had done so much to help him get through the roughest spots in Axe's training.

"You've got a lump on your shoulder," Shogun deadpanned, grinning at the huff he got from Wing in response. "Careful where you pet... Stroke behind his audial fin and he will ooze right off."

The gray Praxian in the next seat swatted his mate, getting a mock-yelp from the red mech. "You behave." Stormcloud smiled at the older pair. "Good to see you back."

"It is good to be back," Dai Atlas chuckled and sat down so Wing was easy to access by anyone who cared to pet him. "I heard much happened in your lives."

"It's certainly been interesting," the former cop agreed. He tilted his helm toward the seat on his mate's other side. "There's the biggest change right there."

Axe perked up a bit at that, his blue gaze turning on the indicated seat.

He met the curious green optics of a red and gray youngling, a Praxian Aerial frame. The youngling's armor showed the clear influence of his sire's Altihexian frame. Gold trimmed red plating and wings, and his upper chest was gold. The little mech, who could only be Firefly, had a silver chevron with gold along the upper edge, and his wings had silver tips.

Dai Atlas managed to contain his reaction to a sharp intake of air and quiver of long, wide wings, but both Axe and Wing got the full brunt of what he kept from the others.

Mine.

Intense, nearly enough to slip the giant's tight self-control, but kept in check for the moment.

"Our sparkling, Firefly." Stormcloud ran a hand over his creation's helm, smiling at the little mechling.

Green optics, inherited from his carrier, blinked up at the much larger blue mech. "You're Dai Atlas? My creators told me about you."

"Good things, I hope," he managed to smile at the red youth, already almost Wing's size despite being only half grown. His spark was twisting in on itself, but it was his processors, protocols so ancient and unneeded they should have been deleted generations ago, that the real turmoil was lodged in. In his higher function processors he knew, without doubt, that he was only responding to Firefly as a sparkling, not because of any reaction to his situation or creators.

Axe glanced at his mate, sensing the turmoil through their bond. One dark hand sneaked over to curl around Dai Atlas' larger white one.

"Good things," Firefly agreed, leaning over the table in curious interest. Red and gold wings fanned out slightly. "I've been looking forward to meeting you. I was kindled while you and Axe were away."

The movement closer and stated interest was more than Dai Atlas' scrambled thought processes could handle. In a single movement he was on his pedes, around the creators' backs and scooped the sparkling up in his arms so their sparks were close. His wings flicked a muted apology to Shogun and Stormcloud, but it settled his protocols enough to think again.

~I'm going to have a long binding ahead of me on this,~ Dai Atlas murmured to his mate.

Firefly yipped in surprise, wings flaring out and flapping a couple of times. It took a moment for the surprise to wear off, the youngling relaxing in a way that said this was not the first time he'd been scooped up by surprise, and he knew no one in the Citadel would try to hurt him. Shogun eyed the larger mech, optics narrowing as bright orange met Dai Atlas' red. The look was a clear "hurt him and you will regret it". Then the red mech relaxed somewhat, leaning back in his chair to watch.

Wing, caught by surprise, nearly fell right off Dai Atlas' shoulder. Twisting around, he grabbed at blue armor and wide white wing, trying to avoid a helm-first trip to the floor. He clung to Dai Atlas' back, nearly upside-down, like a magneto-lizard on a ceiling until the blue mech stilled, then righted himself and climbed back onto his creator's shoulder.

Amusement flowed through the bond. ~I don't doubt it. That's going to be an interesting binding.~ Axe's blue optics gleamed.

~With an unusually predictable ending,~ Dai Atlas managed to find the humor in it now that protocols had settled somewhat and he nuzzled the youngling in his arms, protocols lining up with all the impertinence of Firefly being his. ~It's good I didn't get this bad out there, or I might have grabbed more than mature mecha that happened to be the right size.~

"That was unexpected..." Wing resettled himself, this time making sure he had a firm grip. Gold optics gave Dai Atlas a puzzled look.

Firefly chirped, returning the nuzzle. He didn't seem the least bit bothered about having been snatched out of his seat. His creators had told him about the ancient blue mech since he'd separated; he had no fear of the much larger mech.

Stormcloud lifted an optic rim. "I've seen the reaction of older mecha to Firefly, but nothing quite like that. What brought that on?"

~I look forward to that ending,~ Axe replied. ~And you have a point. If you'd been scooping up younglings and sparklings out there, then there would have been trouble.~

"My creator protocols have been growing increasingly demanding since we met Wing," Dai Atlas admitted, his systems more soothed than he'd ever admit by having the youngling in his arms and inside his field. "It seems that I've reached a critical point."

Stormcloud lifted a sensor wing to poke at Wing teasingly. "Looks like you got under his armor even more than anticipated, jetling." He tilted his helm at Dai Atlas, regarding the larger mech measuringly for a long klik.

Wing shifted slightly on Dai Atlas' shoulder. "Is that a good thing?"

"I like him," Firefly announced, wiggling into a more comfortable position against black chest armor and found that strong arms easily adapted to his new position. The flare of pleasure in Dai Atlas' field only reinforced the youngling's opinion.

"Which means you'll likely be seeing a lot of him," Shogun added with a chuckle. "Those he likes he tends to hang around with as much as he can get away with. It keeps him out of trouble. Usually."

Dai Atlas cracked a devilish smirk as he cradled the youngling, happy to have his processors clear for the moment. "Given that means he'll be hanging around with Wing and Axe as well, don't count on it."

Shogun mock-groaned while his bonded chuckled. "Life around the Citadel is certainly going to be interesting. And now that you're back, Wing won't be moping quite as much anymore, which means there will be at least harmless mischief afoot."

"And Axe has an interesting sense of humor, too," Wing added with a grin.

The red Altihexian pointed his cube toward his offspring. "Just remember, little scamp, I used to be a cop. If you pull any stunts that could be dangerous, I will trace it back to you, and any co-conspirators, and you'll be grounded until you're as old as Dai is."

Red wings quivered and tucked tightly against the youngling's frame. "I'll be good."

"I'll be making sure of it," Dai Atlas rumbled in agreement. "Fun, yes. Dangerous, no."

"You're going to be stuck with sparkling sitting duty quite a bit, then." Stormcloud smiled warmly up at the larger blue triple changer. "If you ever get the chance, Dai, I think you would make a fine creator."

"He certainly would," Wing agreed, fluttering his own wings.

Dai Atlas controlled the flash of pain that twisted his spark so he didn't disturb Firefly. "I'm military, we're military," he murmured as if that explained it all. "Wing's as close as it'll get."

At the look of confusion in Stormcloud's wings, Axe spoke up. "Mecha sparked for the military are designed with inhibiters as part of their spark chamber and all the kindling systems and protocols scrupulously absent in case the inhibiter fails. They want to make very sure to control all the military sparks."

The gray Praxian looked shocked. "Oh. I apologize, Dai. I didn't know that." Black-tipped wings folded closer to Stormcloud's back.

Wing's optics flared in matching shock. That was something he hadn't known, either. Shifting on Dai Atlas' shoulder, he leaned down to wrap his arms around his creator's neck in an awkward hug. Firefly blinked up at him, not quite certain what was going on but knowing his new friend was distressed.

"It's all right, little one," Dai Atlas cooed at the youngling. Behaviors that would have been beyond alien when he'd arrived at the Citadel now came so natural he didn't even notice them as odd. "There is no reason for you to know, Stormcloud. It is so far outside most military mecha's awareness that they never think of it. Only command officers actually know why military don't kindle, and that's only because they need us to keep the rank and file occupied enough that the smart, curious ones don't start to wonder why there aren't even regulations regarding carrying mecha."

Stormcloud shook his helm. "It does make sense. I still don't like it, though. But then, I'm not military."

Shogun's optics narrowed as he gazed up at the blue triple changer. "You said that military mecha don't even have the protocols, yet you rather clearly do," he pointed out. An optic rim lifted in a silent request for clarification.

"I was an ancient General when you were kindled," Dai Atlas snorted. "When the rules were put in place I was retrofitted along with everyone else in the army. Apparently they couldn't strip them well enough to keep all of it suppressed when permanently clear of the war zone."

"Makes sense." Shogun nodded. One corner of his mouth quirked in a smile. "I might be younger than you and Axe are, but I'm not that much younger."

"Yes you are," Dai Atlas snorted. "You're close to his age, but mine? Try being sparked under Alpha Prime and you can talk about my age."

"Don't let him get all puffy about it," Axe snickered. "His trainer makes him look like a youngling, and he's still kicking."

Dai Atlas glared at his mate, only to get smirked at in reply.

Green optics gleamed for a moment, and Stormcloud's sensor wings unfurled slightly. "Retrofitted... That means your inhibitor can be removed." His gaze shifted to Axe. "I'm assuming yours can't." There was a questioning tone in his voice.

"We're going to speak with Hardwing, but it seems unlikely," Axe admitted. "It certainly couldn't have been in the time I was created, but even though I'm a youngling compared to him," he nodded at his mate, "I've seen more technological revolutions than I care to think about. I have no idea what medics can do these vorns."

Firefly wiggled in Dai Atlas' arms, clearly getting bored with the conversation. Silver-tipped red and gold wings flapped briefly as the youngling somehow managed to climb up onto Dai Atlas' other shoulder, opposite Wing. "Fly?"

Dai Atlas had enough sense to glance at Shogun for permission.

Shogun chuckled. "He's flown with every other airframe in the Citadel since becoming able to fly. Just don't go too far, and don't let him try the stunts Wing can pull off. He's not built for it."

"I didn't even know he was following me that time," Wing protested, flattening his nacelle pinions. "And I caught him before he fell too far."

Firefly made a face. "I already know I can't fly like Wing can. Remember the lecture you gave me right after that attempt? I'll behave."

"Then come fly with us," Dai Atlas smiled, flaring his own wide wings, each longer than Firefly was tall, but far simpler than the Praxian airframe's. "I'm sure between the three of us we can keep tabs on one energetic youngling. He's hardly the first over-eager flyer we've brought up."

Firefly squealed happily, optics wide and bright as he stared at the larger mech's wings. He was almost bouncing on Dai Atlas' shoulder. Wing grinned at him over the blue mech's helm, his own wings fluttering and wiggling.

Axe rose to his pedes, stretching and finishing his cube. Reaching up, he gently tweaked a silver wingtip, getting a giggle from Firefly. "We won't let him get hurt."

"Definitely not," Dai Atlas agreed with a protective rumble as they turned to head out. "I haven't lost one yet to training."

Shogun tilted his helm slightly to the side, then smiled. "Good to know. He's probably going to be asking you to fly with him quite a bit."

There were a few other fliers in the air when the small group walked out into the courtyard. There was almost no wind and clear skies in every direction. Perfect for flying with an eager youngling.

Wing launched himself right off Dai Atlas' shoulder, Firefly nanokliks behind him. The two stayed low, flying in lazy spirals, waiting for the two larger mechs to join them before going any higher.

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Hardwing was setting up the last of the relatively specialized scanners and tools he would need to determine just how unfixable Axe and Dai Atlas' reproductive systems were. He knew both were functionally non-existent and both spark chambers had inhibiters built into them at a disturbing level. It was work he'd seen before. Every military mecha that came through his bay had similar mutilation. These two were the first to show an interest in finding out if it was fixable.

"Do we have any hope of giving them good news?" Redline asked quietly.

"There is always hope. I do not have much for them, but there is always hope," Hardwing huffed, his wings flaring and settling before Axe and Dai Atlas, Wing on his shoulder, entered the bay. "On the berths. I have a lot of tests to run."

Axe's hand brushed his mate's briefly before heading to one of the berths. Outwardly he appeared fine, but Dai Atlas could feel his nervousness through their bond. Blue optics swept across the medical equipment.

Wing shifted on Dai Atlas' shoulder. "I hope the news is good," the white jet murmured before hopping to the floor.

"As do I, jetling," the larger mech responded just as softly, settling onto the second berth.

Wing found a perch where he could watch but would be out of the way as the two medics went to work. It was disturbing, watching the errors pile up on monitors. Even more so when Hardline opened up Dai Atlas' chassis from groin to neck to examine all the systems, and their former locations, in detail.

The white jet's wings trembled, but he managed to hold still, not wanting to be kicked out. Hardwing would have no problems with grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and tossing him off the balcony if he got in the way or became a distraction. Clamping his armor tight to his frame and pulling his wings close to his back, Wing stayed as still as he could, watching.

Dai Atlas' hand was curled into a fist on the edge of his berth, Axe's hand gripping the edge of his. Both were nervous about what the results of the tests might be and neither dealt well having so much of themselves exposed.

It was an agonizing two and a half joors of silent medics before the pair were sealed up again and managed to relax a bit.

"I can install the reproductive hardware in both of you, though only Dai Atlas' systems are actually built to handle supporting it," Hardwing began. "To install them in Axe would involve what amounts to a full-frame rebuild, including at least half your protoform. I do not recommend it."

The black mech's hand tightened on the edge of the berth, though his expression remained impassive. "I'd rather expected as much. I was built and sparked after the rules about military builds not kindling came into effect."

Dai Atlas looked at his mate, their optics meeting, then his gaze shifted to the white jet watching quietly from nearby. Wing sidled closer, but still remained out of the way. After a klik, the blue triple changer turned his attention back to the medics. "I would like to have the hardware installed," he finally answered, red optics meeting Hardwing's.

The medic nodded. "It will not be easy, though you at least still have the substructure and systems to support it. I would prefer to remove the inhibitor on your spark chamber first. If that can not be done, the rest of the install is pointless." He hesitated. "When you gave me your history, you indicated you had been sparked."

Dai Atlas nodded. "I was sparked into this frame." He shifted on the medberth, watching the chief medic intently. Wing finally sidled into reach, and a large white hand lifted to lightly stroke the red-crested white helm.

"Not according to your chamber," Hardwing watched the giant carefully. "There are distinct differences in how a spark chamber is built inside a carrier vs. by a mecha's hand. Yours was definitely built inside a carrier. That's why your protocols could never been completely suppressed."

Red optics widened, Dai Atlas' hand stilling on Wing's helm. "What?" His tone expressed utter shock. "I don't remember ever having a carrier or a sire. How is that possible?"

From the other berth, Axe stared. Through the bond he could feel just how shocked his mate was. Neither had ever expected this.

"The simplest way would be to fully wipe your processors after you were in your adult frame. A complete reformat," Hardwing sighed. "It's an accepted method for giving a criminal that can't be reformed a chance to live. It's also an effective method to convince a mecha they've just been sparked so they accept anything they are told."

Dai Atlas sat there, trying to digest this new piece of information. Questions were whirling through his processor. He wondered who his own creators had been, though he knew that by now they were likely long since deactivated. He also had to wonder who or what he had been before the reformat. Again, a question he would likely never have the answers to.

It took a half breem or so for the big mech to push all the unanswerable questions aside and focus on Hardwing again. "And that's why my creator protocols weren't completely suppressed?"

"I would expect so," the medic nodded. "As you know, there are several former military mecha here, and I have treated many more. You are the first to have creator protocols that ever went this direction. Some will adopt adults, as you did Wing, mimicking the military mentoring system, but none desire a true sparkling, or react to them the way you do. I am reasonably confident that what interest Axe shows has more to do with long-term exposure to you than anything inherent to him. He does read as a completely normal, if old, military frame."

There was a mutter from Axe at the "old" as cautious agreement seeped through the bond. Blue optics met red as Dai Atlas looked over to his mate, then the blue mech looked down as Wing evidently decided he was done lurking and crawled into his creator's lap. The bigger mech ran one palm over folded white wings.

"This is... quite a shock," Dai Atlas murmured.

"Understatement," Axe chimed in.

"I am sure it was," Hardwing sighed before glancing between the mates. "I can try to remove enough of Axe's inhibitor to enable him a chance to kindle with you. The odds would be small, even if it works. It also carries serious risks greater than all the modifications that have to be done on Dai Atlas. Tinkering with a spark chamber is very dangerous at best."

Dai Atlas turned toward Axe, who was looking at the medic. Blue optics shifted to him. ~I would dearly love the chance to try and create a sparkling with you, love, but not if there is a chance that you could be harmed,~ the blue mech murmured.

~I'm not so keen on your chances in this either,~ Axe replied. ~I don't want to lose you. Are you sure you need to do this? Maybe we can find a sparkling that lost its creators?~

The blue giant's wings trembled. ~This is something I want. Yes, I need to do this.~ Red optics met blue.

Axe's frame slumped slightly. ~Then if all goes well with your rebuild, we'll see what he thinks of my chances. Otherwise ... who would you want? Would you carry?~

Redline glanced between the pair. "If this has to do with the surgery, out loud please."

~For you, yes, I would carry,~ Dai Atlas murmured. ~Others, I would have to think on.~ He looked at Redline and Hardwing, his hand once again stroking the back of the white jet in his lap. "I do want the hardware installed, and the inhibitor removed, if it can be done."

"Then you have much to discus with each other. It will take me at least a metacycle to compile all the parts and tools I'll need, and speak with some of my colleagues on the outside about this," Redline said. "Reconstructive surgery is possible, that much I'm sure of, but I've never done it before. I may need to call in a specialist. Do any of you have any questions for me right now?"

"None that you would have any answers for." Dai Atlas scooped Wing off his lap so that he could get to his pedes. Wing shifted position, curling into the blue mech's arms, bathed in Dai Atlas' troubled field.

~Spar, love?~ Axe offered what was still the best way for them to process stress.

~Yes, definitely.~ Dai Atlas leaned over to touch his shoulder to his mate's. ~I have... a great deal to process. So many questions I will never know the answers to.~

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Axe walked into the quarters he shared with his bonded mate and was promptly hit by a fluttering, keening white blur. Wing's wings were vibrating and twitching back and forth so rapidly they were only visible as blurs of white, his gold optics wide with distress.

The black and gold triple changer sighed, stroking the white jet's helm and backstruts to calm him. "What's wrong, Wing?"

"It's Dai." Wide, distressed gold optics met blue. "What's wrong with him?"

"Hardwing dropped a major bombshell on him, and it's thrown Dai nosecone over tailfins," Axe replied, giving a ping along their bond to find his mate. "You saw him in the badlands, didn't you?"

Wing shuddered at the reminder. "I think half the Citadel saw him. That was rather hard to miss." The small jet fidgeted. "Has nearly everyone freaked out."

"That's just a military lifer when meditation, binding, katas and sparring aren't enough to settle him." Axe stroked Wing's back, his field encompassing the smaller mech with a calming energy. "He's facing a lot of very important questions that he'll never have the answers to. He's thought he knew where he was from, why he'd been sparked his entire existence, only to find out that it's all been a lie. Everything he's ever thought about himself is a lie. He'll be a time accepting that."

Wings trembling, the jet pressed against Axe's plating. "I can see why he would be upset. His world was turned upside-down. But still, it's very unnerving, seeing what he can do when his temper is really roused."

Axe hummed. "I always thought witnessing his gift would be worse, but what he's doing now has been normal for much of our existence. Though just for reference, he's stressed, not particularly angry."

"That is stress?" Wing blinked at the black mech. "I don't think I ever want to see him really mad, then."

"Yes, that is stress. Suicidal depression is when he thought I'd deactivated. Anger ... tends to make stars to go supernova." Axe chuckled a bit. "His anger, real anger, is a truly spectacular event."

"And something I never, ever want to see," Wing informed him emphatically. Slender wings twitched. "How long will he be out there blowing holes in the landscape?"

"I hope you never witness it," Axe murmured, stroking Wing's back gently. "I never want to face anything that causes his anger again. For how long he'll be at this ... a few orns, until he's ready to fall out of the sky. Then he'll recharge himself out and probably boot up in the present once more."

The white jet curled into Axe's plating, leaning into the touch. "He'll come back here when he's done?"

"Yes," Axe reassured him gently. "Or more likely, he'll ping me to get him and I'll drag his aft back here. Honestly, I'm just glad he asked for his old weapons, instead of getting overcharged until he can't process one plus one anymore."

A slender white wing twitched. "I don't think I want to know what he might do overcharged and in that particular frame of mind. It most likely would not be a pretty sight."

"It's not," Axe agreed grimly. "But try not to think about it. We aren't going to lose you. He's not going to do that anymore. He likes this existence."

That got a soft chirr from the jet. "I'm glad. I don't want to lose either of you." He leaned his cheek against warm black armor, venting a sigh.

"It's very mutual, my little flutter-bot." Axe nuzzled him. "Up for a spar or three? I could use a workout to burn off what's leaking into my systems from his."

Wing perked up a bit. "Certainly. I always enjoy sparring with you." White wings fluttered happily as he returned the nuzzle before climbing onto Axe's shoulder for the walk to the sparring rooms.

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~Did he sound upset?~ Dai Atlas asked his mate as they walked towards the Sovereign's office after they had finished their chores for the orn.

~No, but when does he?~ Axe pointed out.

~When I asked for my weapons back,~ he shrugged, sharing that memory that was more horrified Sovereign than angry one.

Vanguard watched the two as they entered his office, steepling his fingers as he studied them. His expression gave away nothing of his state of mind; not even his wings twitched from their perfect neutral stance.

"Since you have returned your former weapons to the vault, can I safely assume that they have done what you needed them to?"

"Yes," Dai Atlas canted his wings in thanks.

The Seeker nodded. He looked the taller mech over for a long moment before speaking again. "Might I inquire as to what it was that Knight training and ways could not help you deal with?"

Dai Atlas huffed, his armor fluffing and settling. "Time. It can't compress time. Binding and meditation would have worked, eventually. What it wouldn't have managed is to untangle my processors before I did something monumentally stupid."

A burgundy wing flicked. "While I am glad you have managed to get your processors straightened out, it would have been preferable, at least to me, for the method to have been... less destructive. You are coming to terms with whatever it was that created the issue in the first place?"

"Enough for preferable methods to work," he nodded, one wing twitching. "Being informed that the foundation of your entire existence was a lie doesn't end cleanly, Sovereign. It leaves too many questions that at my age will never be answered."

Vanguard tilted his helm to one side, clearly curious but refraining from asking. "I can see how that would create such a tangle in your processors."

Dai Atlas cocked his helm, a flicker of confusion crossing his wings. "What aren't you asking?"

"I have not heard what it is that made you so upset," the Seeker answered.

Deep red optics cycled. "Hardwing didn't tell you?"

"It falls under the heading of doctor-patient confidentiality. Hardwing will not tell me without a direct order and a pressing reason to do so." Calm white optics met confused red.

"Right. Civilian law," Dai Atlas drew in a deep breath and let it out. "I was kindled, not sparked military," he said the simple words that still made his wings tremble and Axe lean close to offer physical support. "Why I was reformatted, or what I was before, is unlikely to ever be known."

"Or who your sire and carrier were." Vanguard's white gaze was compassionate. "I can understand your reaction. Any mech would be thrown by a revelation like that."

Dai Atlas inclined his helm. "Or that," he agreed, though to be honest they'd never entered his processors until mentioned. Neither were terms that mattered to anything in his existence. He had his mentor, his creator, in Titanium, and he was still comfortable with that. But with what he may have been, with why he'd been reformatted, those were questions that would trouble him for many vorns to come. "Have you learned about why I learned of my real origins?"

"I have heard of your desire to have your reproductive systems rebuilt," Vanguard agreed. He tilted his helm slightly to one side. "I do hope all goes well for you. But, if the surgery should fail, have you given any thought to what you might do?"

"If it can be done, have protocols installed to counter what can't be stripped," he said unsteadily. "If it can't be ... I'm not entirely sure."

It was a lie, he knew. He shouldn't lie to his commander, but he couldn't say it yet. It hadn't happened yet, so he wouldn't give it too much thought.

Vanguard knew there was something his Knight wasn't saying. White optics met red levelly before the red pair dropped, a tact admission that the Sovereign was correct.

Axe caught Vanguard's gaze, silently pleading him not to press yet. That this did not need to be said. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

White optics met blue, and then Vanguard nodded slightly. "As I said before, I hope the surgery goes well. For both of you." His gaze took in both of the ancient pair.

"Thank you," Axe said, giving his mate an extra moment to pull his wits together. It was intensely unsettling to feel Dai Atlas so rattled.

The Sovereign inclined his helm to both of them. He could see from the very faint trembling of Dai Atlas' wings that the blue triple changer was barely keeping it together. "I wish you both well. You may go."

SXSXSXSXSXSXSXSX S===================S SXSXSXSXSXSXSXS

Wing trotted through the corridors of the Citadel's residence tower, where the Senior Knights had their quarters. He'd been busy with chores most of the orn and hadn't yet had a chance to see his creators. The jet was aware that Vanguard had had a meeting with them, and there had been several more consults with Hardwing and Redline over the last few orns. Finally free of his chores, Wing was going to see how Dai Atlas and Axe were doing.

Reaching their door, he tapped in the code, humming absently to himself as he crossed the main living area. Hearing sounds from the berthroom, he headed in that direction, opening his mouth to speak as he entered.

The little white jet stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he cleared the door, golden optics going almost perfectly round. White armor puffed out, slender wings flaring open in startled surprise. A squeak escaped his vocalizer as he just stood and stared.

Dai Atlas was bound, wrists above his helm to the berth frame, wings pinned flat with magnetic clamps and legs spread and bound to the corners of the berth on the other end. Axe was all but on top of him, driving his spike in so hard the larger mech's entire frame jerked with every thrust. Between them Dai Atlas' thick, long spike was fully pressurized and begging for attention Axe wouldn't give it.

Wing felt like his whole frame had locked up. He couldn't even twitch. All he could do was just stand there are stare, optics so wide he was a bit surprised they hadn't popped out or cracked yet. This was most definitely not what he had expected to see the elder mechs doing.

But it was fragging hot. Wing's cooling fans kicked on with a loud whir, his nacelles revving.

That was enough to drag Axe's attention away from pounding into his mate. Rich blue optics locked onto Wing, glittered hotly with mischief, a look that soon reached the black mech's face. "He looks amazing, all trussed up and helpless to do anything but take what's given, isn't he?"

The jet tried to reply, but all that came out was another squeak. White armor ruffled and fluffed, like the feathers of an organic bird, before Wing managed to nod. Finally getting himself to move, the jet drifted closer, easing to one side for a better look of Axe's thick spike sliding in and out of his mate's valve. Each draw and thrust dragged a need-filled moan and shudder from the bound mech as Dai Atlas struggled to gain enough control to be part of the interfacing.

"He does look amazing," Wing finally managed to say, wings fluttering and wiggling behind him. His bright golden gaze was locked on the action; the slide of spike, the glistening of lubricant, the jerk and struggles of Dai Atlas' frame in tandem with wordless, incoherent cries.

"He'd look more amazing with you riding that spike," Axe suggested hotly.

White wings and pinions flared out, the white jet's audial fins twitching as he contemplated that idea. A klik later, a grin of mischief that matched Axe's own appeared on Wing's face. "He's only ever taken me once... It will require a bit of preparation." Wing's grin widened.

"Then get up here so he can watch me stretch you out," Axe growled, rolling his hips until his mate's optics managed to focus on the being crawling up on his abdominals.

"W-Wing?" the sound that made it out of Dai Atlas' vocalizer was almost as much squeak as Wing's first sound had been.

The little jet grinned brightly down at Dai Atlas, fluttering his wings at the blue mech as he climbed up onto Dai Atlas' torso, valve cover already open. "Hi!" Wing chirped, bright grin clearly hinting at mischief. The very tip of one footplate brushed lightly, teasingly, against the much larger mech's spike before Wing moved his leg away.

"I'm going to work him until you beg to have him on your spike," Axe rumbled, optics locked on Dai Atlas' as he watched comprehension very slowly dawn in them.

Wing's cyber-cat-with-turbo-canary grin widened, optics gleaming with mischief. Fluttering his wings playfully, he lowered his front half until his chest was pressed against blue metal, aft in the air. Lubricant seeped around his valve platelets, dripping down onto Dai Atlas' plating.

He could feel it in the giant's field every time a drop connected, as well as every movement that Axe made. Then his entire focus was centered on Axe and the large finger as it stroked his valve entrance, teasing and spreading the lubricant along itself.

"You really get off on watching hard bondage, don't you?" Axe rumbled, turned on by so many things.

Wing moaned softly, pressing back into that finger. "First time I've ever seen it," he purred, wiggling his hips and nacelle pinions. "But frag, is it ever hot."

"It's even hotter to be part of from the beginning," Axe promised, sliding his finger to circle the entrance of Wing's valve. "The trust it takes for a warrior to submit, to give up all control to you, can be as intoxicating as high grade."

"Then I'm sorry I arrived so late." Black hands kneaded warm armor, Wing's cockpit scraping lightly against Dai Atlas' chest as the little jet squirmed, another moan escaping. His armor began to fluff out, venting heat, and his nacelles revved again, vibrating through his frame and into the frame below him.

"Don't be," Axe chuckled as he pressed his finger carefully forward. "You know he'd never agree to this if he wasn't already completely submitting to me."

"You have a point." Wing gasped softly, back arching. "Then I'd miss out on all the fun. Ooh!" Slender, shining white wings performed a rapid, intricate little flutter-wiggle as Wing dropped his helm to nuzzle Dai Atlas' ebony chestplate.

It was Dai Atlas who keened first, the sound a strange mixture of pleasure, desperation and distress. Axe's purr at the sound was the reassurance Wing needed to continue enjoying the stretch of Axe's finger pressing deeper into his valve.

Bright golden optics sparkled at Dai Atlas as Wing pressed back into Axe's finger, chirring and moaning as the black and gold mech's fingertip brushed over the sensor nodes lining his valve. Wing's fingers kneaded Dai Atlas' armor, skimming along the seams, lubricant leaking from his valve in a steady stream, forming a small puddle on the larger mech's plating.

Another whine escaped Dai Atlas as his processor once more lost track of who was on his chest, aware only that his bonded was deep inside him and commanded him to enjoy what was done to him, for him, before him. His hips struggled to roll into Axe's thrusts once more as his spike twitched and strained, knowing exactly how good a mech as small as the one on his chest would feel. His optics locked on the slide of Axe's finger and the drip of lubricant; the sensations and sights of intense arousal.

He wanted. Just not enough to beg yet.

Wing's hips pressed back into Axe's hand, straining to take that finger in deeper, shifting to guide the tip toward the most sensitive sensor nodes. The jet panted and trilled, soft gasps and moans escaping now and then. Hot air flowed from his vents, gliding over Dai Atlas' armor. Leaning down, Wing nipped gently at Dai Atlas' chestplate, his glossa darting along the edges of the armor plates.

"You are good at this," Axe rumbled, more than a bit turned on himself by what he was doing, by the subtly forbidden nature of it. There may not be any laws against interfacing with your creation, especially one adopted in their adult frame, but it didn't make it any more accepted by much of the population.

With a hard thrust of his hips forward Axe drew his finger almost completely out of Wing before pressing two in slowly, all but forcing the white jet to do the work of taking them in deeper.

"I've heard myself referred to as sensuality incarnate once or twice," Wing chirped back, a soft mew breaking the sentence in half he rolled his hips, taking Axe's fingers in deeper. The calipers of his valve rippled against the black mech's digits, working them as they would a spike. "I've never encountered a pleasure I didn't want to try."

"I hope you find a mate with a bit of self-restraint, or the two of you will never get anything else done," Axe snickered, moaning at the flares of desire, need and pleasure washing across the bond. He continued to press his fingers in until he felt the nodes at the very back of the valve. "Though you might need an entire flock to keep you sated."

Wing laughed, wiggling his wings at the black and gold mech. Then Axe's fingers wiggled against the nodes at the back of his valve, sending Wing keening into overload. The trickles of lubricant from his valve became a steady flow as pleasure washed through Wing's field, flaring against the two fields he was currently enveloped in.

That and the flexing tightness of his mate, was enough to send Axe over the edge, his bellow deep and resonant as he flooded his mate's valve with hot, heavily charged transfluid, yet refusing to allow the larger mech release.

Wing stretched, his armor sliding against Dai Atlas', wiggling his hips in a silent demand for more. White wings wiggled rapidly before going stiff, tips twitching. Shifting position, he let out a soft mewing sound, leaning down to nip and nuzzle along the edge of an armor seam, teasing the bigger mech under him.

"How many times do you want to overload around him?" Axe asked as he drew in deep vents to recover from his overload and regain the coordination to work both his hips and hand again. Despite being sharply aware of just how desperate Dai Atlas was to overload, they both knew the rules and function of this game. Dai Atlas had to surrender, completely, and he wasn't ready to do that just yet.

Wing trilled. "As many times as I can before I pass out, once I'm ready," he answered, squirming. Arching his back, he took Axe's fingers in as deep as they could go. He whined when they withdrew, only to tremble at the near-painful stretch of three fingers, each the size of the spike he was most used to taking in.

"Then try to hold out until I get you ready," Axe chuckled, rolling his hips against his mate's, watching with eager optics the turmoil Dai Atlas was experiencing at this intense mixture of need and disapproval.

It stung, but only briefly. Wing adjusted quickly, and the faint whine of discomfort became a moan of bliss. White armor flared out all the way, heat shimmering over his frame, nacelles revving higher and higher. Wing wriggled all over, taking those three fingers in deep. It felt insanely good. Not even Shogun stretched him this much, or even when Atl and Thorn both spiked him at once.

"Think you're ready?" Axe asked, drawing his fingers nearly out and pressing them back in deeply.

"Almost," the little white jet gasped out, stretching and pressing his chestplate against Dai Atlas'. His hands curled loosely over blue shoulders, the jet sliding forward to sneak a quick kiss, wriggling away before the blue mech had time to respond, one way or another. He could feel the intense turmoil in his creator's field and desperately wanted to ease it, yet the strength and sureness in Axe's spoke of a situation that was under control and doing its purpose.

Huge fingers pulled out of him once more, drawing along all of the sensors, before plunging back in all the way to the back.

Wing pressed back into those fingers, moaning as they stroked over all of the sensors lining his valve, the moan rising into a whine as they were withdrawn. Venting hot air, trying to cool his systems, Wing tilted his helm at Dai Atlas, then looked over his shoulder at Axe, making sure to do so as showily as he could. "Dai isn't allowed to overload yet?"

"Not until he gives in," Axe told him, rolling his hips against his mate's once more. "This serves a purpose beyond any pleasure it might generate."

Deep red optics were still locked on Wing, watching him. The giant's field was a sea of turmoil and mixed emotions, some clearly related to what was physically happening, others harder to trace.

Wing hummed, one hand lifting to gently trace the black markings on Dai Atlas' cheeks, feeling the way the giant he cared so much about trembled at the tender touch. Gold optics met red and red darkened even further in desire that Dai Atlas, in any level of his right mind, would have suppressed, rejected, denied.

"It will be interesting to see how long he can hold out," the jet murmured, his valve rippling against Axe's fingers as he now soaked in all the complex, contradictory signals and layers of meaning and need in the field of the great mech that was, in so many ways, in no control at all. Yet it was Dai Atlas that held the ultimate control in this, for it was his need that was driving it.

"As long as he has to, to accept what he needs to," Axe said softly, stretching his fingers a bit as he drew out and pressed back in.

The white jet fluttered nacelle pinions and shoulder spires, stroking his fingers along the seams of Dai Atlas' chestplates, index fingertip drawing lazy spirals on blue and black armor. A deep purring moan escaped as Axe's fingers drew out, then pressed in again.

"Will you push him hard, or just ride his spike?" Axe suddenly asked, the words causing Dai Atlas' entire frame to lock up as his optics flared brightly and mouth opened in a mute expression of shock.

Wing looked over his shoulder at Axe, his grin full of mischief. "Which is more fun?"

"It depends on whether you ever wanted to get your hands inside another mecha's chest," Axe purred, a distinct impression that he enjoyed it immensely.

Dai Atlas, on the other hand, actually managed a sound of protest. Axe slammed his hips forward in retaliation, forcing a keen from his mate.

White audial fins flared in interest. "Sounds interesting," he purred. The white jet patted Dai Atlas' chest, grinning at the larger mech, who was now trembling. Deep red optics looked up to meet blue.

With a sound deep in his throat Dai Atlas unlocked his chest plates, offering his very life force to the curious mech he'd adopted.

Golden optics widened as Wing caught sight of the red orb in its crystalline prison. He'd seen it before, but never this close. One dark hand lifted, then paused. White wings fluttered as Axe's fingers found and stroked over a sensor node, Wing's hips squirming at the stretch and pleasure. It felt so good ... and yet he could get spiked any orn. When would he get this close to a spark again?

He could feel Dai Atlas' trembling, and it wasn't the good kind either. Behind him Axe's field was a soothing reassurance.

Wing purred, leaning down to nuzzle the edges of the blue mech's armor plating. Light fingertips skimmed over the exposed circuitry, keeping the touch light. Golden optics met deep red, hoping ... hoping to see something other than fear in them.

He wasn't going to get it. His creator was afraid.

A large black hand came around from one side to gently cup the large crystal chamber, the thumb stroking the complex surface until Dai Atlas slowly began to relax back into the trust that allowed him to be bound and the overload inhibitor activated in the first place.

"You know I won't hurt you," Wing murmured. His fingers stroked over the circuits, very slowly working his way in until his hand brushed over Axe's, just barely skimming the crystal surface. The flux and flares of his creator's field were intense there, every minute change clear and unmuted by systems or intent. Processors may fear, but the spark that powered them did not.

Dai Atlas' vents hitched, a mixture of pleasure and stress, but that spark didn't lie; the touch felt good and it was very welcomed.

The purring jet stroked again, very lightly, his fingertips just brushing the crystal. Bracing himself against Dai Atlas' torso armor, Wing shifted his hips against Axe's other hand while continuing to lightly run his fingers over exposed circuits, tracing the edges of the blue Knight's spark crystal.

It felt amazing to touch it, even one that belonged so completely to another. To feel the pulse of life and emotions unfiltered by thought or training. To know that even this vulnerable his creator's spark trusted him was a serious rush.

Slow, more sensation than sound, a moan rolled from Dai Atlas as his chassis admitted what his spark already knew: he liked Wing's sensual touch.

Wing trilled in response, his fingers feathering light, almost teasing touches across Dai Atlas' circuitry, ghosting over circuit boards and internal systems. Leaning forward slightly, the jet blew gently across the exposed wiring, setting off sensors left and right.

"Sensually incarnate," Axe murmured, watching his mate's optics close fully as he submitted to the contact and the desires he fought every time Wing touched him. "You laid down that law yourself, my love. Enforced it over regulations and even direct orders. When all involved desire it, it's not wrong."

Wing skimmed his fingers over Dai Atlas' systems, the nacelles in his shoulders revving high, sending vibrations through his frame and down his arms into the systems he was touching. Greatly daring, the young jet leaned forward, his glossa flicking over the crystal cage holding that deep red spark. Powerful red energy tried to latch onto his face, only to be stopped by the crystal containing it.

The white jet let out a soft chirr of surprise as he withdrew, a motion made less jerky as he was already retreating when it registered what the spark was trying to do. Even as Wing tried to work out if it was a good or bad thing, Dai Atlas' spark chamber spiraled open to allow the tendrils to reach out.

Golden optics widened slightly. Wing glanced back at Axe for a moment before returning his attention to the red threads reaching out toward him when Axe nodded. Cautiously, he leaned forward again, wings fluttering behind him.

Pure spark energy danced across his face, sending zaps of pleasure along every sensor they contacted. That wasn't what held his attention though. It was the intense connection with his creator, with a mech that so clearly loved him dearly. Loved him, feared for him, wanted him close. It was the connection of an EM field mesh taken to the next power.

Wing purred, leaning into the contact. His own spark surged in its casing, his field expressing just how much the jet loved the big blue mech he called his creator.

A deeply pitiful keen escaped Dai Atlas, nearly a sob. His helm thrashed back and forth, given motion his entire frame was seeking. Yet the deep red spark only reached out more, trying to draw Wing's spark closer. In the tumbling emotions Wing teased out the key conflict.

Dai Atlas' very spark wanted him, needed him, and yet couldn't have him for some reason.

Wing echoed the keen, his whole frame trembling. Part of him wanted to give Dai Atlas his spark, but the rest of him insisted otherwise. The blue mech was his creator, but not his mate. White wings folded close to his back for a brief moment, his field expressing the internal conflict to both of the larger mechs.

A large black hand reached forward to stroke trembling white wings while the other continued to stroke Dai Atlas' spark chamber.

"I am sorry you had to feel that," Axe whispered close to Wing's audial. "I wish this could have been done without burdening you. It has been building for vorns, twisting this way and that, but always cycling back to you. He, we, need you to be strong. Love him, but as a creator, not a mate. Help him settle his spark on what you will be to him. Merge ... if you are sure you can resist his spark. Or simply be clear within yourself of what you will be to him."

"I apologize for all the mixed messages," Wing murmured, flattening his armor briefly. "I didn't mean to make things so confused."

Beyond any words, Dai Atlas still responded. Acceptance, gratitude, affection, love that was still conflicted, understanding.

"It is your nature," Axe said gently, still stroking Wing's wings with lubricant smeared fingers. "We do not blame you for it, for all we are thankful you understand how it added to his struggles."

The jet nodded and took a long moment to judge whether he would be able to resist the pull of that spark, the force of Dai Atlas' need. Wing was a strong mech, but he wasn't going to enter a merge unless he was sure he would be able to resist going too far. He understood that Dai Atlas could not resist, not now, maybe not ever.

White wings trembled, leaning into Axe's hand. Then Wing shifted forward. Red-trimmed chestplates parted, revealing a spark as golden as Wing's optics gleaming brightly within its casing.

For an incredibly long moment everything seemed to still. Wing could feel Axe's surprise even as the large mech gently untangled himself from his mate and Wing. This was between Wing and Dai Atlas. It had to be. Axe could support, translate, comment, but in the end, he was not part of this struggle.

Red spark leaders rushed from Wing's face to his spark chamber, dancing and seeking to tangle with the golden light so close.

Wing inhaled deeply, preparing himself, then opened his spark chamber. Gleaming golden threads stretched out to meet red, twining around them and merging into strands of shining orange. The jet trembled all over at the contact, his wings rattling against his back plating, gold optics flaring brightly as the pure nature of Dai Atlas' need crashed into him.

In one blinding moment he understood not just what Axe did for his mate, but why Dai Atlas had so calmly chosen a suicide mission when that bond was thought lost. Dai Atlas. Burden from God; he'd never heard Dai Atlas' designation that way, but now he doubted he would ever be able to hear anything but the burden again. The gift of being Primus' map in the physical world, of being able to absolve or inflict the full burdens of their entire race with a song, were a terrible thing to endure for long. It mean knowing every burden, every pain and grief from the separation of Prima from Primus to the newest abomination.

Dai Atlas was desperate, every moment, for things to balance that pain. Wing was a bright spark, full of passion, joy and playfulness that the ancient mech was drawn to in a way that was alien on many levels. It came from being outside real functioning, ever so slightly, because of the connection his gift gave him to Primus.

Wing floundered for a long moment, until he was able to get his mental feet back under him, resisting the urge to merge completely. Dai Atlas was not his mate, not destined to be Wing's bonded.

The little jet's love flowed back through the connection, brushing against Dai Atlas' spark. It was the love of a creation for his creator, one family member to another, but not that of a committed lover.

Love wrapped around Wing in reply, affection and need mingled into a painful thing to inflict on one you loved, and yet it was a burden Dai Atlas needed to share to remain sane. Slowly, gradually, the pull of that great red spark lessened as Wing's decision to be a creation and not a mate settled and spread from spark to processors and back.

The white mech purred so hard his frame vibrated, but he didn't even notice. All his attention was on the contact between his spark and Dai Atlas'. He'd never felt anything like it before, that connection to another mech. Slender wings fluttered and wiggled unnoticed except by the watching mech, who was gradually sagging in relief.

~Love you, need you,~ Dai Atlas whispered across the temporary connection with Wing. ~Need you to never waver on what you wish to be.~

~Your creation, your family,~ Wing murmured back. ~I love you, as my creator.~

Dai Atlas gave himself more time to assimilate that, work it deep into his spark and processors. As the need to bond with Wing faded to a dim whisper, something Dai Atlas knew would never fade, the cascade of consequences began to fall. One set of futures fell away and another took prominence. Wing ≠ bonded. Reproductive protocols took further prominence, but with far less confusion as to the draw.

Dai Atlas was old. Protocols dating back to Prima demanded he contribute to the population.

All this while Wing watched, Dai Atlas all but oblivious to the other mech.

Wing watched, chirring softly, basking in the connection he shared with the much older mech, temporary as that connection was. Leaning his helm down, he nuzzled Dai Atlas' cheek. ~I'll find my own mate some orn, but I will always be your jetling,~ he whispered, startling Dai Atlas out of his contemplation of largely-welcome fallout.

~I hope you never lose your joy in existing,~ Dai Atlas replied, calling his spark back to his frame even as he showed Wing how to do it. ~Not every merge ends in overload. Not all of them are meant to. The greater your understanding of how to control your spark the more joyful your eventual spark-loving will be.~

Orange threads unwound into gold and red, retreating back to their respective sparks. Wing's spark chamber slowly closed around the gold light that was his very essence. White armor and wings trembled the jet came back to himself. Leaning forward, Wing brushed his lips lightly against Dai Atlas' cheek, letting out a soft purr.

There were soft clicks as the restrains came off Dai Atlas at Axe's silent command and strong arms came up to wrap around him, holding him in the familiar embrace they usually shared at night.

Wing could feel Dai Atlas already dropping into recharge, one that was likely to be unusually deep as a deep defrag ran. He settled down onto the larger mech's chestplate, his hips squirming slightly, valve cover still open. Golden optics dimmed, Wing purring warmly. He would need to track down one of his other lovers later.

"That was interesting," he murmured, looking over to Axe as the black mech settled on the berth next to his mate. "That was the first time I've ever touched another mech's spark... It was an incredible experience."

"It is," Axe smiled and reached out to stroke Wing's back. "The touch of a lover's spark is indescribable. Should I ping Shogun for you?"

Carefully, Wing eased out of Dai Atlas' hold, sitting up on the larger mech's torso before sliding off. He leaned into Axe's hand, purring softly. "Please. After that, I'm going to need a partner, and Shogun is always agreeable."

Axe smiled and pinged the other extra large Knight and waited for the response. "He and Stormcloud are in their quarters. Just please close your cover before flying over."

Wing grinned. "And he doesn't mind sharing with 'Cloud." The little jet finally closed his valve cover, then jumped up to hug Axe before trotting out onto the balcony and flying toward Shogun's quarters.

With a sigh Axe settled in next to his mate and relaxed. As impressively well as this went, he still had that spark-twisting sense that things were going to get much worse before they got better.

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A little over a metacycle had passed since Dai Atlas had asked for his reproductive systems to be rebuilt. The blue mech had been summoned by Hardwing for the pre-surgery prep.

The parts Hardwing had needed had been delivered just under a decaorn before. Dai Atlas and Axe had been just finishing a consult with the medics, Wing on Dai's shoulder as usual, when the parts had arrived. The courier had been a mech who actually stood slightly taller than Dai Atlas, a white and deep gray airframe, very clearly a teleporter. The courier, introducing himself as Titanus, had appeared out of nowhere in a blue flash and a small pop of displaced air, bringing with him a hover-pallet laden with carefully-packed parts. His sudden appearance had startled Wing right off Dai Atlas' shoulder, slender wings flailing and armor fluffed out; the young jet had clearly never met a teleporter before. Only a quick snatch by Axe saved Wing from an awkward impact with the floor.

All four of the older mecha had to stifle laughs, some more successfully than others.

Titanus, looking sheepish, had apologized for startling the little jet while the medics unloaded the parts, Hardwing checking to make sure everything was there. Wing had kept a careful optic on the teleporter, but Titanus' departure, as sudden as his arrival, had still managed to startle the young jet again.

Walking into the medbay for the prep work, Dai Atlas was visibly nervous to anyone who could read him. Wing was chirring softly on his shoulder, and Axe's hand was wrapped firmly around the larger mech's, his shoulder just touching Dai Atlas' armor.

"On the berth," Hardwing motioned to the most advanced of his medical berths in the surgery. "You two, meditate. This will not be quick."

Axe kissed his mate's cheek and nodded to the medic before settling in a corner on his knees and sinking into a light meditative state.

Dai Atlas lifted Wing off his shoulder, holding the white mech in his arms for a moment. Wing gave him an affectionate nuzzle and a very soft trill before being placed on his pedes and trotting over to join Axe. One white wing flopped open, resting against Axe's thigh as Wing settled into his own meditation.

Steeling himself, Dai Atlas walked over to the med berth, settling onto it and laying back. His wings quivered slightly, then folded as close to his back as they could get. "I am ready."

"Just relax," Hardwing smiled gently at him. "When you boot up, you should be fully intact once more."

Dai Atlas nodded, doing his best to relax. Red optics powered down as one of the medics reached over to put him into deep medical stasis.

Wing twitched slightly when Dai Atlas' chassis was opened up from neck to valve, but somehow managed to settle himself down as the medics went to work.

The little jet was almost vibrating anxiously and finding it hard to settle into a deep meditative state. Every now and then he would rouse from his trance, looking over to watch the medics and listen to the technical jargon being thrown back and forth. He could see the monitors from where he knelt, and to him the readings looked good. Sidling sideways slightly, Wing leaned against Axe's dark armor, finding the black and gold triple changer's presence a great comfort.

If Dai Atlas was weakening or in real trouble, Axe would probably know before the medics. If Axe was calm and centered, Dai Atlas must be doing all right. Joors passed, early morning passing to evening when there was a short break for the medics to down a cube of energon before returning to work.

Wing stirred from his kneeling position only once, to stretch out a kink that had formed in one leg. He was pretty sure it was a result of how nervous he was; he'd knelt in one place far longer without any problems. Fishing out a cube of energon from his subspace, he downed it before settling against Axe's side again and doing his best to settle back into meditation.

It was dark outside, though the surgery room lights were bright, and Wing had managed to settle back into meditation. Axe's sudden movement almost startled him right out of his armor. He jumped sideways, scrabbling at the floor to get his balance back, armor standing on end. Gold optics stared up at Axe, then snapped over to the medics.

The sound of Wing being startled caught Hardwing's attention long enough for the CMO to send the small jet a glare, then ignore his presence again. Axe, however, was allowed to join the medical dance as cutters came into play.

::His internals decided not to be where Hardwing expected them.:: Axe's tone was amused. ::Minor issue.::

Wing managed a small chuckle. ::Hardwing had to have something to complain about.:: The jet stretched wings and arms, sliding onto one of the other berths and curling into a ball to watch. It was fascinating when he didn't think about who was on that berth. He really had no concept of how much space the carrier systems took up. Dai Atlas would look weird for a while until everyone got used to his new, thicker abdominal profile.

He could only hope that it not only went well, but Axe's inhibitor could be removed. Wing understood that the black and gold mech could never support the hardware to carry, but it would be terribly sad to go through all this and then not be able to create the sparkling Dai Atlas was so determined to carry.

When he did think about who was on that berth, Wing was a bundle of nerves. It was his creator laying there, armor opened to expose all his internals. The jet just wanted it to be over, for it to have worked, and to one day have a sibling. Thinking about that made his wings twitch happily.

"Happy thoughts are good," Axe smiled as he turned to scratch Wing's helm crest. "He's going to be sore for orns after this. That much rebuilding is never fun."

Wing nodded his understanding, leaning into the scratching, tilting his helm to give Axe access to the more sensitive areas. "And sore mechs are grouchy mechs."

"Yap," Axe grinned and tugged gently on a wing before walking back to their corner. "Hopefully he'll recharge through most of it this time. A sore Dai Atlas is utterly insufferable."

"And this differs from his usual how?" Hardwing groused from where he was working.

Wing slid off the berth, following Axe back to their corner. "If he doesn't, he'll be making use of your hot oil bath. Between the two of us, I think we can keep him from biting anyone's helm off."

Axe snickered as he settled. "I'm sure we can. A cube of high grade, hot oil and something else to focus on all work well. Believe me, I've seen him through more major chassis work than either of us can count."

Wing nodded, settling against Axe's armor. "A cube of high grade, a hot oil bath, his mate, and a lapful of purring jetling should keep him occupied."

"And maybe a good bookfile," Axe smiled. "If he gets really fidgety, I'll just ask Vanguard to assign him to clean all the weapons in the vault. Mech'll be in paradise. No matter what anyone says or trains him to do, he's a soldier and putting weapons in order makes us feel better."

Wing chuckled. "That will definitely keep him occupied." Sidling closer, he managed to wriggle himself under Axe's arm, leaning against him and watching the medics. He'd drifted off, wrapped in Axe's comfortable field and frame, when he felt the large mech try to nudge him awake.

"They're done," Axe murmured quietly. "Time to wake Mr. Sore up."

It took a klik for Wing to boot up completely. The white mech stretched from helm to pede as he disentangled himself from Axe, climbing to his pedes. Slender wings stretched and wiggled to get the kinks out of the joints before folding to his back again. Next to him Axe stood smoothly and stepped up to the berth.

Only Hardline was there now, doing the last checks before bringing Dai Atlas out of stasis. Just the cant of the medic's wings informed Wing that things, overall, had gone well. That was enough to let him relax.

"You know how sore he's going to be more most of a decaorn," Hardwing commented as Axe stopped across from him.

"Too well," the large mech nodded. "Though at least this time it's not because he did something psychotic."

The white mech turned his attention to Dai Atlas as the large mech began the slow, controlled boot. Slender wings quivered against his back, his optics locked on the black glass that gradually began to glow with the strong red fire that was his mentor. Climbing up onto Axe's shoulder for a better look Wing grinned down at the peaceful looking giant with the now oddly normal-proportion abdominal section. "Sore and cranky we can deal with."

Dai Atlas groaned deeply but otherwise didn't try to move. "What hit me?"

With a smirk Axe snickered. "Creator protocols."

"Huh?" Red optics cycled in clear confusion before brightening in comprehension and his helm snapped towards Hardline.

"All my readings say it worked and will integrate fully into your systems within the metacycle," the medic smiled at him. "Just try not to kindle before then."

"Yes, sir," Dai Atlas chuckled, relaxing on the berth for the rest of the boot cycle to finish.

"I'll make sure he behaves himself." Axe ran his hand along Dai Atlas' arm.

Wing chirred his agreement, leaning over as much as he could on Axe's shoulder without falling off. "How are you feeling?"

"Disoriented, heavy," he answered calmly, his optics bright on his adult creation. "Both expected given the additions. I'll be a couple joors getting my coordination back."

"Stay still until you feel up to moving around," Axe advised, his hand firm on his mate's arm. "Trying to walk when you're not sure of your balance will make you even more sore than you already are."

Wing returned Dai Atlas' gaze with a bright grin, wings wiggling happily.

"As if any of you are going to let me so much as roll over until I'm sure I can manage not to fall," Dai Atlas huffed, before chuckling at the antics of Wing's wings.

"Yes, the pool is ready, high grade is waiting, there are book files to read and weapons to polish within an inch of their lives," Axe chuckled, knowing his mate well.

"You just underwent major surgery," Hardwing demanded his attention and got it. "You have hardware and protocols that you haven't had in a very long time, if ever. It will take time to integrate fully. I expect you in here every morning until I say otherwise. Until further notice, you do not have duties to the Order or the Citadel other than to heal. If all goes well, you'll be on light duty in a few orns and moderate duty within a decaorn."

"I understand," Dai Atlas assured him. "This isn't the first time I've been rebuilt. I will behave."

"If you don't, we'll hear about it," Redline added. "And you'll be stuck in here until we see fit to let you out."

Axe chuckled. "You've been warned, Dai."

Wing giggled. "Hot pool, high grade, bookfiles to read, weapons to polish, and wings to pet." He flared his out, wiggling them before folding them again.

"Yes, and a mate to lean against," he smiled up at the two most important mecha in his existence. "I'm sure you've both made arrangements to ensure I've never alone until I'm cleared too," he teased his mate.

"Who me?" Axe feigned innocence.

"Yes you," Dai Atlas chuckled and reached up to pull him down for a kiss with one arm while the other grabbed Wing from Axe's shoulder to hug him against his chassis. "You're my snuggle-toy," he snickered at Wing.

The medics chuckled as Wing's loud purr actually echoed in the room. Wing cuddled into Dai Atlas' armor, rubbing his cheek against warm plating and curling into the larger mech's arms. The little jet made no attempt to deny the statement, humming his agreement. Axe laughed at him, reaching over to gently tweak an audial fin tip.

"That's entirely too adorable," Dagger chuckled as he entered the surgery fresh from the wash rack and a good recharge. "I'll watch'm," he told his mentors. "You two can get some recharge."

Wing chirped a greeting to his second Initiate, adjusting his curl slightly. Resting his chin on Dai Atlas' armor, the jet let golden optics dim contentedly.

Redline nodded to Dagger. "Once we clean up." He eyed the mess on his armor, heading for the medical washrack.

"Wing is adorable personified," Axe chuckled. "Even more so when combined with a Dai in a cuddling mood."

"I can think of other things he is personified," Dagger chuckled and grabbed a chair to relax and wait until Dai Atlas felt like getting up. "But yes, he does adorable extremely well."

That got a chuckle from the white jet. "I've had a lot of practice."

Axe chuckled, reaching over to stroke Wing's crest. "Of that I'm well aware."

"I'm ready to try and stand," Dai Atlas announced evenly, his grip on Wing relaxing. "No riding my shoulder this orn, however."

Wing trilled. "I wasn't going to perch on your shoulder. Axe already warned me off." He slid off Dai Atlas' chest, standing next to the berth but keeping out of the way. He was too small and light to be of any help getting Dai Atlas on his pedes or bracing him. At best he'd need medical care and at worst he'd do harm to his creator.

Dagger stood to be ready, but allowed Axe to be the one ready to catch Dai Atlas as the giant carefully shifted his frame awkwardly to sit up, getting used to the lower center of mass he now had. With that firmly on his processors he stood with reasonable grace for the added bulk to his frame.

Axe watched with critical optics, lightly resting one hand against Dai Atlas' arm. Wing sidled a little farther out of the way, watching carefully as Dai Atlas wavered slightly before steadying his stance.

"Dizzy or calibrating?" Dagger asked with optics even more critical than Axe's.

"Calibrating. Center of mass is lower, but the real oddness is what my wings aren't reading anymore because there is more of me to get in the way," he explained. "I should be fine," he insisted before taking a step to both check and prove the point.

Wing scooted over to stand by Dagger, one wing twitching as he watched the largest of the group test out his balance. Axe stayed close, prepared to catch his mate if balance proved more elusive than Dai Atlas expected.

"He does look reasonably stable, if all he's going to do is walk to his quarters and rest," Dagger told Wing quietly. "The installation went well."

"I'm glad to hear that," Wing murmured back. "And yes, he's going straight to his quarters. Axe will make sure of that, and I have no doubt Redline or Hardwing asked one of the other larger mecha to make sure Dai gets there without falling."

"Shogun, I believe," Dagger nodded, watching as Axe shadowed his mate while Dai Atlas made steady progress around the room, each step more steady and balance than the previous. "Though I have no doubt that Axe can carry his mate if need be. He's stronger than he looks."

"Axe is stronger than he looks," the white jet agreed, watching his creators. Axe was staying close, one hand hovering just above Dai Atlas' armor. "Still, the help will be there if it is needed."

"And it will keep a certain red youngling from doing a full-speed hug," Dagger chuckled. "You look steady enough to make it," he added to Dai Atlas, who nodded.

"Let's go then," Dai Atlas glanced at Wing before heading for the door.

Wing chuckled. "That, too." He grinned at Dagger, then trotted over to join his creators. "Let's go."

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A decaorn after the surgery to rebuilt Dai Atlas' reproductive systems, the blue triple changer leaned back in the oil bath with his mate, one arm wrapped around Axe's shoulders and a dozing white jet draped across his torso. There had been a comfortable silence for several breems as the trio just basked in each others' fields and presences.

Axe shifted slightly, running one palm over his mate's abdomen, where the new systems had been installed. His own inhibitor had proven impossible to remove; the black triple changer had nearly flatlined on the table during the attempt, badly frightening both Dai Atlas and Wing. Axe himself had been disappointed but not overly surprised; the inhibitor had not been built to be removable, nor had it been a postproduction addition.

Dai Atlas hummed, the touch sending a flare of pleasure-desire across the bond. He shifted to nuzzle Axe. "We don't have to decide just yet."

Axe returned the nuzzle. "I know. It's just something I wonder about now and then. You want a sparkling, and I can't give you one."

Regret flowed both ways, but Dai Atlas nodded and stole a quick kiss. "Too many options, sometimes, since it can't be you. I can't say I'm looking forward to not merging with you for so long."

Axe's palm slid over Dai Atlas' torso again, brushing against a white wingtip and getting a sleepy twitch of said wing as the black mech returned the kiss. "Anyone catch your optic as potential sire material? And I can't say I'm looking forward to no merging, either."

"A few," he admitted a bit reluctantly. "Shogun's a big mech and it's proven he can sire a quality sparkling. It's hard to go wrong with someone like Vanguard, for traits or status. That big teleporter, Titanus. I'd want to do more research, but he's got the size and a good gift. Temperament seems good enough. If I can track down Titan in time, he's my top pick." He leaned into his mate and sighed. "It's temping to just throw it open over Vos. Some of the biggest and best would come from the entire empire for the chance."

"I can just imagine some of the fights that might break out among those potential suitors," Axe replied, shuddering slightly. He had seen several open flights devolve into vicious fights as mecha competed for the opportunity. "If Titan's anywhere on the planet contacting his personal comm would get his attention. Titanus does seem like a very nice mech; he'd have public files you can look at, or you could call him and talk to him for a bit. I have to wonder if his teleporting is inheritable..." Axe contemplated that thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Both Shogun and Vanguard would also make excellent sires."

"Agreed on all counts," Dai Atlas murmured. "I did try Titan's comm a couple orns ago. No answer, but no real surprise. He didn't spend much more time on Cybertron than we did. He's still an officer, so I sent a message asking him to contact me, but it could be centuries. I doubt I can wait that long."

"That is true." Axe frowned thoughtfully, resting his helm against Dai Atlas' shoulder as his hand migrated to Wing's half-spread wing. "Even if he does answer, he would have to undergo the surgery to remove his inhibitor. His is an add-on like yours was, so it should be removable."

"Assuming he's willing, and either the Prime agrees, or he agrees to lie about it," he nodded.

"I can't see why he wouldn't be willing, either to help you or lie through his dentas to the rest of Cybertron about it," Axe pointed out.

A low, wordless grumble escaped Dai Atlas before he sighed. "I'm just being pessimistic. Almost losing you, not being able to kindle with you, protocols that just won't shut up."

Axe tilted his helm, rubbing his cheek against his mate's. "I know, love. But you didn't lose me; I'm still here and have no intentions of leaving." He pressed a kiss to Dai Atlas' cheek, purring softly as his mate turned his helm for a full kiss.

"I didn't lose you," he agreed, his long, wide wings trembling faintly. "I've never felt this out of control in my entire existence. I don't like it."

"It's a very weird feeling." Axe nodded. "But it's one we're going to have to get used to, even though we hate it." He looked down as Wing stirred, nuzzling into Dai Atlas' armor and resettling with a content purr.

"I hope after one it will calm down," Dai Atlas murmured. "If not, at least we'll have longer to research who to ask next time."

The black and gold mech nodded. "True."

"Do you want to be part of the choosing?" he asked softly, internally conflicted about it himself.

The black and gold mech considered. "I would like to be there when you speak with them and I will give you my opinion, but ultimately the choice is yours."

Dai Atlas kissed him, slowly, firmly and with all the possessive love in his spark. "I will always listen to your opinion. It may be their spark that kindles the new life, but it's your frame that will provide the rest of the coding with me."

Axe returned the kiss just as possessively. "I look forward to it, and I will give you my honest opinions."

"Good. This is your sparkling too," he rumbled, leaning closer as his field reached out with the very distinct growl of arousal. ~Want you. Want this new life to be with you.~

Axe took a moment to very gently dislodge Wing from his mate's plating, settling the small jet on the rim of the pool before returning his attention to Dai Atlas. His field meshed with the taller mech's, returning the arousal. ~As do I.~

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A flash of blue, a moment of disorientation, optics seeing nothing, then another flash, and reality returned as Titanus touched down on the balcony at the coordinates he'd been given. Long used to the effects of his teleportation, the big white and gray mech shrugged it off easily, walking over to the balcony doors and politely knocking for entrance.

Titanus had been teleporting supplies to and from the Citadel of Light for centuries, but his last trip, carrying a load of medical supplies and some specialty items needed in the Citadel's foundries, had been a surprising one. Two large mechs, nearly as big as he himself was, had been waiting for him. They had asked him to meet them at the coordinates outside the Citadel. Curious and intrigued, Titanus had agreed, and they had given him the coordinates for this apartment in Iacon.

"Thank you for coming," the larger of the pair, an obvious flier with wide white and blue wings, opened the door and stepped aside for him to enter. "We brought good energon, if you would like. Teleporting must be draining."

"Yes, thank you. Teleporting is draining, more so than most think," Titanus agreed, stepping inside. "The farther I have to go, or if I have to teleport multiple times in rapid succession, the worse the energy drain." Folding down his own wings to take up less space, he nodded to the black and gold mech.

"I'm Axe," the black and gold introduced himself and offered a cube of good jet high grade. "My mate's Dai Atlas. We did meet before, a few metacycles ago when you were dropping off medical supplies. You startled the little white jet off his shoulder."

"I remember." The teleporter nodded. "I saw you grab him before he hit the floor. That was a nice catch." Accepting the cube, Titanus inclined his helm to both mecha before taking a sip. Shifting his weight slightly, he looked from one to the other, body language and field expressing his curiosity.

"That shipment included the parts to rebuild my carrier systems," Dai Atlas explained as they settled in the living room. "Unfortunately, the repairs to Axe's systems did not go so well. I can carry, but I can not kindle with my mate. We're looking for a mecha willing to create a new spark with me, and leave afterwards."

Titanus' wings fanned out in startled surprise. Lowering his cube, he held it between his hands as he digested that. "And you chose me as a potential sire?"

"On the short list." Dai Atlas nodded seriously. "You're a large mech with a large, strong spark. According to your files you are likely to produce a large, strong newspark with me. Your files put you as my second choice, but files never cover the important things. Like who you are."

"I'm honored that you'd consider me." Titanus folded his wings back down, settling himself comfortably. "I can see why you would want to meet with me. It gives you the chance to learn things that are not in my files." He nodded.

Dai Atlas smiled faintly and settled back with his own cube of high grade, Strength of Conviction's gem glittering over his shoulder. "Like whether your ability to teleport is a spark gift or not."

"It is." The teleporter nodded. "So there is a good chance any sparkling of mine could inherit it. Fortunately, it doesn't fully manifest as a usable ability until the sparkling is in its youngling frame, so there's no chance of a newly separated sparkling teleporting by accident."

"That's good to know." Axe shivered faintly at the thought even as he realized it was overflow across the bond.

"Do you have any other spark-traits that are likely?" Dai Atlas asked as he pulled himself together. "Any history of triple changers?"

"My carrier's carrier was a triple changer, so it does run in the family. I myself only have one alt mode," Titanus answered. "I'm not aware of any other spark-traits I might have. Teleportation is the major one."

"So with both of us being triples, the odds are very high," Dai Atlas smiled, pleased. "Do you have any creations that aren't recorded?"

Titanus shook his helm. "I have no creations, recorded or unrecorded. If you do choose me to sire your sparkling, the newspark will be my first."

"Then you don't have experience with a contract kindling," Dai Atlas assessed. "It's rather different than a normal out-of-bond kindling."

The white and gray mech's audial antennae twitched. "I have heard of the concept in passing, but no, I have no personal experience with it." He leaned forward, tilting his antenna in Dai Atlas' direction.

"In principle, it is a simple thing. In practice, it can be as complicated as the mecha involved." The blue mech settled again. "A contract is written, signed and filed. The sire gives up any and all claim to the newspark that may or may not come of the interfacing. Legally, socially, your only part in this is to interface with me with the intent to kindle. Those are the basics. As with any contract, it is modified based on what the parties wish."

Titanus considered that. "If the newspark does develop the ability to teleport, it will need to be trained. Only another teleporter can properly provide that training. Other than that, I can't think of any other modifications that would be required."

Dai Atlas inclined his helm. "We know how to find you. If it does require training, it should not be an issue to contact you for that. You are within your rights to request a fee."

The teleporter shook his helm. "I see no need for a fee. Knowing that my offspring will be well cared for will be more than enough."

"It will be." Axe smiled and snuggled into his mate's side. "We haven't failed once in twelve times."

Titanus smiled. "Then I agree to this, if you do end up choosing me. I will sign a contract."

With a smile, Dai Atlas lifted his cube. "Tell me about yourself, the things that aren't in the file. Why should I choose you?"

Titanus sat back, crossing one leg over the other. "I was kindled in Polyhex to a small merchant family. That's how I got into couriering once my ability manifested. I enjoy the traveling about and meeting new mecha. Rare as teleporting is, I had to duck many attempts by Nova to draft me into the military." The flier made a face. "He finally gave up once he figured out that he can't draft what he can't catch. In my downtime I'm something of a historian and scholar. My preference is to avoid conflict whenever possible."

Dai Atlas suddenly burst out laughing. "That was you? I really should have guessed. You have no idea the joors of entertainment I got listening to Nova rant about you, though he never used your designation. But yes, it almost had to be. A shuttle-class teleporter. You're probably the only one."

The teleporter grinned. "No one has yet to figure out how to stop me from teleporting into or out of an area, so I managed to stay one jump ahead of him. And yes, I'm the only shuttle-class teleporter. The others are smaller frametypes, and almost all of them were drafted for military supply, ambushing, or assassination. Eventually I started leaving prankish booby traps for his MEs when they tried to track me down."

"Mech has a sense of humor too," Axe grinned, snickering as he pulled up some of those reports. "You made for some priceless footage for the front. It's fun to watch the MEs get their paint messed up. Though I have to admit, they weren't any of the smart hunters. He needed all of them out with us. A few of us do know ways to disable teleporters for interrogation."

"Then I'm glad I never met any," Titanus replied. "I much prefer moving cargo across Cybertron, the moon bases, and the orbital stations. As I said, I prefer to avoid conflicts if I can. If I do find myself cornered, I will fight, but only to defend myself."

"You do know the Knights well enough to realize that this creation will be trained to fight, and is very likely to fight every few centuries? We do not back down from defending what little we claim as ours," Dai Atlas said seriously. "As we are both former military, we are likely to raise this creation much as we did the others."

Titanus nodded. "I've been the preferred courier for the Citadel for centuries since I can come and go without much fuss, and no one can intercept me on the way. I'm well aware of how they operate. If I'm there while the Knights are engaged with a raider group, they occasionally ask me to help bring in the wounded. I can fight, and I will if I have to. It's just not something I prefer doing."

Dai Atlas nodded. "We have come to prefer that as well, even if we're unlikely to ever lose the military mindset completely. It's why we left Nova's service."

"Does your sparkline have any incidence of violent insanity?" Axe asked quietly, almost pleading for the truth. "We know it officially does not, but..."

Titanus frowned thoughtfully, thinking back along his lineage, the other mecha in his sparkline. "Not that I'm aware of. My sparkline usually produces fairly well-balanced individuals."

"A good thing." Dai Atlas relaxed slightly. "Axe was sparked and my history lost a long time ago. Stacking the odds in the favor of the sparkling being balanced is important. It's the primary strike against the mecha I favor overall. His temperament is worse than mine, and his gift that of natural violence. I'd prefer to have one that does not struggle to keep their temper in check."

"Especially considering what the newspark might inherit." Titanus nodded his understanding.

The conversation continued for the better part of a joor, with Dai Atlas and Axe asking questions and Titanus answering. The answers he gave helped to establish him as a fairly mellow mecha of stable lineage. He would make good sire material to balance out the fire and violence that Dai Atlas would bring.

The three mecha were so involved in the conversations that no one noticed the rising sound of large jet engines approaching. What finally got their attention was a shadow crossing the balcony doors, indicating someone coming in to land.

Titanus turned, blinking at the silhouette visible through the doors. "Were you expecting other company?"

"Not specifically," Dai Atlas pinged his ID to the incoming mecha, warning that there were mecha inside and they were friendlies. "It's probably the owner of this apartment."

The silhouette paused, the wings flicking up in clear surprise before the mecha finally entered. As tall as Dai Atlas was, silver and purple with red optics and clearly a triple changer, the mech looked over the group before his optics settled onto Dai Atlas.

"I think this is about the last place I would have expected to see you, Little Blue," Titanium commented by way of greeting, grinning and walking over, extending his hand. "It's good to see you again, my friend."

Axe snickered at the old nic, one that pre-dated him by several Primes.

"I really hate that designation," Dai Atlas groused even as he stood and took his mentor's hand before pulling him in for a hug. "Did you get a chance to listen to any of my messages?"

The older mech's grin widened. "And you're stuck with it for the rest of your existence." He returned the hug, letting out a soft rumble. "Not any of the more recent ones. I just got back on-planet; my unit's been hunting pirates in the more distant reaches of Cybertronian territory. I did get most of them, though... I was glad to hear you'd managed to escape Nova, and you've found a new lifestyle that suits you. I've encountered Knights before, but it's been a very long time." Red optics turned to Axe. "Long time no see, Axe. Managing to keep this old troublemaker in line?"

Titanus watched with curious interest. The newcomer was clearly a very old mech, his whole bearing announcing to the universe that he was military. Shifting slightly, the teleporter waited and watched.

"With help." Axe grinned back and sprawled with the ease of being even more comfortable with Titanium there. "Did you get to the ones about Wing?"

"I did get those messages. Is he keeping you on your toes?" The big mech subspaced the swords he carried, settling onto one of the chairs and stretching his legs out in front of him while Dai Atlas settled next to his mate once more.

"He's making us soft," Dai Atlas snorted. "Little mech is such a snuggler. And the last two I sent, about having a sparkling?"

Titanium's optic rims went up. "Those messages I haven't gotten to yet. I haven't gotten the chance to check my messages for a while. You had your inhibitor removed, then?"

"Yes, and my systems rebuilt." He motioned to his noticeable larger abdominal area. "Though it shouldn't surprise you to find out that the same couldn't be done for Axe. Thus the interview." He nodded to the youngest mech in the room. "Titanus is on my short list of potential sires. As are you." He turned to Titanus. "This is Titanium, my mentor and that top choice I mentioned earlier."

"Not surprised at all." The elder shook his helm. "Slagging techs were thorough when building in those inhibitors and ensuring that the systems couldn't be installed." He looked over at Titanus curiously.

"Titanus, courier and teleporter, the same teleporter who gave Nova Prime fits until he gave up trying to catch me." The gray and white mech nodded politely.

Titanium chuckled. "Those rants were the source of much amusement. My compliments on ducking Nova for as long as you did." His attention returned to Dai Atlas. "I'm surprised and honored that you would consider me. Though I too have an inhibitor."

"And you are even older than I am," Dai Atlas pointed out. "Hardwing has agreed to remove it, and put it back if you wish. After the work on me he's reasonably confident it will be the work of a few joors and less in recovery, since you don't require the multi-system rebuild I did. Though I haven't chosen yet."

Titanium considered that for a long moment, then nodded. "I'm on leave time now, so if I vanish for a while no one will be overly suspicious. Let me know when you do make your choice, and then I'll see about getting my inhibitor removed."

Dai Atlas inclined his helm in thanks. ~Do you have any questions for Titanus?~

~No, I think I have a good read on him for what matters.~ The black and gold mech kissed his mate's cheek.

"Then thank you for coming, Titanus," Dai Atlas said as he stood. "I intend to choose within the decaorn."

The younger, taller mech nodded, putting aside his empty cube and rising to his pedes. "It's an honor to be considered, Dai Atlas." Turning slightly, Titanus nodded to Titanium. "It was good to meet you."

"Likewise." Titanium returned the nod with a warm smile, watching as Dai Atlas saw the courier off, then returned to the living room and his mate.

"So what is the military like under Sentinel?" Dai Atlas asked.

"It's certainly different than it was under Nova," the older mech answered. "We're not taking any new territory, merely holding what we already have. There're fewer large-scale actions. A few smaller groups, like mine, have been dispatched to deal with the pirates that have been raiding along the edges of our space."

Dai Atlas nodded, and Axe felt something unpleasant stir across the bond, nervous and determined all at once. "Mentor," he used the title that hadn't been bothered with after the first few vorns. "What was I before I was reformatted?"

The silver and purple mech regarded his former charge silently for a long moment. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that you know about that... The medic who removed your inhibitor would have noticed your spark chamber." He vented heavily. "You were either orphaned or abandoned... Which, I'm not sure. Because of that gift of yours, you were training for the priesthood. But whoever ran the military at the time saw a weapon in that power, and you were abducted just before your final adult upgrade."

Dark red optics closed as Dai Atlas struggled to center himself for a long, silent moment.

"Why didn't you tell me, when I was still young enough to buy out?" he eventually asked in a very small voice, too deep in shock to be angry yet. It was coming though, and all three knew that was a storm that could destroy worlds if he lost focus on his oaths as a Knight of Light.

"They wanted to use your power as a weapon, and if you'd tried to leave they'd either have reformatted you again or destroyed you, to ensure that your gift could never be used against them," Titanium answered. "It took me a while to connect the dots, and I myself was under intense scrutiny and the threat of reformatting at the time. I couldn't."

"Are any of the mecha who knew me before still functioning?" He struggled to keep the erratic surges of emotions under control. "Or at least the designation I had then?"

"Your designation was Dei Kanal. And I'm really not sure if any of them yet survive. Most of the priests you were training with were already older mechs when you were taken, and you had no other family that I was ever aware of." Armored shoulders rose in a helpless shrug as Dai Atlas nodded his acceptance.

"A search for me to continue, then," his wings shivered as he managed to control his reactions. "You have given me far more than I knew before."

"Thank you for that," Axe added quietly, even more disturbed than he had been before. "I didn't realize the military did things like that so far back."

"Some things don't change." Dai Atlas leaned against him, drawing him close. "Some Primes were more assertive than others about the rules for recruiting, but it probably always happened. I knew it happened when I was young. I just never thought I was one of them. I truly did like my existence for a long time."

"It was a particularly ruthless General who ordered it, and that particular piece of gutter slag met with an unfortunately fatal accident a couple millennia later." Titanium's red optics glittered, cold and hard. They softened as the elder mech's gaze shifted back to Dai Atlas. "I am sorry that I could not tell you before."

Slowly, Dai Atlas nodded. "I ... am not entirely sure I would have been ready to hear until recently," he admitted. "I remember being happy, enjoying my function for the most part, until half way through Nova's reign."

"You did enjoy it, until Nova started going too far." Titanium got to his pedes, carefully placing a hand on Dai Atlas' shoulder. "It was a life you were well suited for."

"That is how I remember it too," Axe snuggled against his mate, grateful beyond words that Titanium had returned when he did with the knowledge he did. Like any good mentor, the relationship never truly ended, and Dai Atlas had precious few to lean on as a General.

"Thank you," Dai Atlas managed to say, trying to express his own gratitude in his field as it brushed against the long-familiar one. How much his mentor's approval meant to him. How much knowing he wasn't deluding himself meant. How much Titanium's support meant.

Titanium stepped closer, resting his forehelm against Dai Atlas' in an old, affectionate gesture. His field melded with the blue mech's, expressing just how proud Titanium was of his student. "You are welcome."

With a smile Dai Atlas relaxed, relieved and settled inside himself in a way he hadn't been since he'd been told he'd been kindled.

"High grade?" Titanium offered as he straightened.

"Yes," Axe answered for his mate. "I think that would be good. No more getting plastered for us, but a second cube tonight won't hurt."

"Agreed," Dai Atlas leaned back on the couch. "How has your existence been going?"

"Few new scars, the usual assortment of creaks and groans from old joints," the older mech answered, walking into the kitchen area to retrieve three cubes of high grade. "I'm actually rather glad that long battles are becoming fewer. I do need at least a little time to recuperate between major fights." He passed a cube to Dai Atlas, then one to Axe, before settling down with the third. "How is existence as Knights?"

"Still strange in some ways, but Vanguard's a good CO," Dai Atlas relaxed with the cube cradled in his hands and sipped the quality brew, savoring every drop. "Though I'm beginning to think that the worst of my difficulties adapting are from forgotten protocols trying to reassert themselves, like the kindling ones. The whole 'don't kill unless you have to' is an odd one to get used to, especially their definition of what that actually means."

"Understandable." Titanium nodded. He tilted his cube at Dai Atlas. "You spent almost all your existence in situations where letting an opponent live wasn't an option. I'm not surprised it takes some getting used to. And you're not used to having all those non-combat protocols cluttering up your attention queue, so of course adapting to them wouldn't be easy."

"Too true," Axe agreed from where he was snuggled against his mate's side. "At least I know what and when mine were added and what they all do. It's not so simple when they are turning on instead of being installed."

"Do you hear much about the civil war that's building?" Dai Atlas asked, treating his theory as if it was fact.

The purple and silver triple changer eyed Dai Atlas for a moment. "There have been rumors flying around for centuries. But rumors have a tendency to become more and more exaggerated the more they're told. Most of the military forces are aware that there is discontent stirring in the depths of the cities."

"In my estimation, it's more than discontent and it's with good cause," Dai Atlas rumbled. "We spent six centuries traveling Cybertron as part of our training as Knights. The trouble starts only a couple levels down even in Iacon. Sentinel might just turn it around, but my tactical processors say it's only waiting on a leader as a catalyst."

"I didn't think things were that bad. But then, I haven't been in the lower levels for a very long time. Very few times since I finally decided to get out of Kaon's arenas." Titanium took a sip of his cube, contemplating this new information.

Axe perked up a bit. "Speaking of Kaon, what was that thing on the floor of your apartment in Kaon? Both of us were wondering about that, and neither of us could figure out what it was or where it came from."

"That?" The ancient triple changer chuckled. "That was a transorganic. A beast from right here on Cybertron, originating before our race even really began. I fought some in the arenas, and after I got out I helped hunt them. That one has been dead longer than either of you has been alive. They were rare by the time Dai was kindled, and by the time you were sparked, Axe, they were almost completely extinct."

Dai Atlas hummed. "I should not be surprised we'd do that on our homeworld, given what we did for so long on the worlds we conquered," he admitted with a flicker of unease.

"Transorganics were monsters, experiments, created to hunt us," the older mech stated flatly. "Relics from a time when our whole race was enslaved. Destroying them was all that could be done with the things." Gold-trimmed purple and silver armor rippled, then settled.

Axe gave a sound of confusion and even Dai Atlas frowned. "You never told me about that."

"It's a time most of Cybertron has completely forgotten about. You won't even find it in the official histories unless you dig into the very oldest records. Both of you are too young to have known about it." Titanium took a long drink of his high-grade. "It was an ugly period in our history."

"That seems to have ended," Dai Atlas assessed. "Given that we are no longer slaves to another race."

"How'd we get rid of them?" Axe asked.

"Violent, open rebellion. It was Cybertron's first war. Millions were killed, since at the time only the military technology lines, which were sold off-world as self-directing weapons, had decent armor. The domestic slave line barely had any armor at all. It was after we threw the disgusting half-organic freaks off Cybertron that our own history truly began." Titanium looked from Axe to Dai Atlas. "We threw them off, but we never destroyed them. They're still out there, somewhere. And I'd bet my spark that they'll be back one orn."

"They must be very far away, if we haven't crossed paths again," Dai Atlas scowled. "Nova, we, ensured the empire is huge."

"Where they went, no one knows." The older triple changer shrugged. "Or we might have seen them. Since only the oldest mecha even recall what they looked like, it's hard to say."

"What do they look like?" Axe prompted.

"How could such a threat be stripped from training?" Dai Atlas wondered, mostly to himself.

Titanium databurst the image of five faces, each more hideous than the last, attached to an ovoid body to both of them. An energy beam kept the creature aloft, and it had an array of clearly organic tentacles. "Why, I don't know. Maybe those who ended up in command figured that after the beating we gave them, they'd never want to face us again. I really have no idea."

"Or it's been so long they figured something else took them out," Axe twitched as his tanks roiled. Why he had such an extreme reaction he had no clue, but knowing what he did of them he wasn't about to question it.

"Well I definitely didn't get any reports on such creatures," Dai Atlas added. "But if there is ever a time for them to come back, it'll be in the middle of a Cybertronian civil war."

"That would be the most logical time for the fraggers to show their hideous faces again." Titanium nodded. "And nobody's gotten a report on them, Dai. I'm old enough to remember; that's why I know of them. They called themselves Quintessons, though we Cybertronians had a lot of other things to call them."

"I don't doubt it," Dai Atlas chuckled darkly, then paused. "Did they create the first of us?"

"They created our frames. But not our sparks." A gold-streaked optic rim lifted. "The eventual leaders of Cybertron did not want to admit that our race began as slave goods for another race."

"And may well still be," Dai Atlas muttered, his wings quivering in anger. "They may have lost a factory world, but if they sold Cybertronians off world, they probably had more." He sank down with a huff and shoved it all out of his processors. "Though again, if we haven't found them, they are far from here. You fought against the Quintessons?"

"I was sparked in one of their factories, near the end of their rule. Prima was the Matrix-bearer at the time. Yes, I fought them, their nearly mindless soldiers, and their transorganic pets. As I said, it was an ugly time." Titanium's armor flared and settled, old scars glittering as the lights caught them. "Enough about the distant past. It was a time I don't like thinking about. I'd rather hear about what you've been up to since you left the military, and about the jet you've adopted."

Dai Atlas smiled his understanding. "Have you met Wing?"

The older mech shook his helm. "No, I don't think I have. It's been a long time since I've had much interaction with Knights. I'm not sure how many of them would remember."

"I'm sure he'd love to meet you," Axe grinned. "Another warm frame to snuggle against that makes him feel like a sparkling. It's too adorable for words."

"Main descriptions of him include 'cybercat in mech form,' 'sensuality incarnate' and 'a perpetual sparkling.'" Dai Atlas chuckled. "He's a darling creature."

"He also loves perching on Dai's shoulder, like some of the organic birds we've seen," Axe added. "And he's got Dai here so well-trained when it comes to cuddling that Dai apparently can't recharge without a small mech curled up on his chest."

Titanium laughed. "That does sound adorable." His grin widened at the rest of Axe's comment. "Have any pictures?"

Dai Atlas groaned at his mate's happy chirp of confirmation and the databurst he felt go between them. "No one really objected," he said weakly.

The big purple and silver mech laughed so hard his vents wheezed. "Oh Primus..." He grinned widely at a grumbling, scowling Dai Atlas. "He does indeed have you well-trained."

"It's not like he recharges any better alone," Dai Atlas tried to deflect.

"The best story is the one I don't have pictures for." Axe leaned forward, ignoring his mate's death-glare with manic glee. "Apparently that first time my dear Dai had to recharge alone while I was in training he walked into Wing's room and picked him up like a toy to snuggle with, all without fully booting up."

That set the older mech off again, laughing hard enough he nearly slid off the chair and had to dig his heelplates into the floor to stop himself. "Awww, that's adorable." Sparkling red optics met Dai Atlas' fuming look. "Sounds like this little jet has managed to uncover your well-hidden softer side."

"He's good at that," the big mech huffed. "Just be careful when you visit. He'll do it to you too. Ruin that tough-mech rep you have."

"I got that reputation on the battlefield, and I would not mind having it ruined, actually," Titanium replied, hoisting himself back into the chair and settling his wings into a relaxed position. "I would like to meet Wing."

"If you know where the Citadel is, you can come by any time," Dai Atlas offered. "I'll vouch for you."

Titanium nodded. "I know where it is, and I will come visit."

"We look forward to it," Dai Atlas nodded. "Wing will be all flutter-mech over it. He has no shame and proud of it, but he's a pit of a good fighter. Nothing compared to the more senior Knights, but he's good."

"Wing sounds like a very interesting mech to get to know. It will be an interesting meeting." Picking up his cube of high-grade, the ancient warrior took a sip, finishing it. "I look forward to meeting him."

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Two orns after Dai Atlas and Axe returned to the Citadel following their interview with Titanus and catching up with Titanium, Dai Atlas' comm beeped. The older purple and silver triple changer was on his way to the Citadel, calling ahead to let them know. Dai Atlas went to inform Vanguard, who was wary but allowed Titanium to enter as long as he surrendered his energy weapons while he was staying in the Citadel. It was Dai Atlas' right as a Knight to vouch for any visitor he wished to invite inside. The price of inviting an unruly guest, the Knight had to suffer their punishments, was high enough to keep things civilized.

Wing was perched on his larger creator's shoulder, almost vibrating with curiosity as he waited for the Citadel's main gates to open. He was looking forward to meeting the mech he had seen in Dai Atlas' images files so many vorns ago, and had heard about on many more occasions, the swordsmech who had trained his creator. From what he'd heard, the mech called Titanium was gifted with violence and could be more than a little fuel-thirsty when on the field of battle, as well as possessing an occasionally wicked temper.

Other Knights gathered at a distance, murmuring to each other. Vanguard eased through the crowd, advancing to stand next to Dai Atlas. Burgundy wings shifted as the Seeker's white optics fixed on the opening gates. Surprisingly, tense wings relaxed slightly as the Sovereign spotted purple and silver armor.

Red optics swept the crowd as Titanium walked inside. He was still carrying twin swords across his back, though he had promised to keep them sheathed unless he was in the sparring arenas. There were several Knights who wanted to test their skills against him.

"Welcome to the Citadel of Light, my friend," Dai Atlas greeted.

"Thank you." The older mech smiled, then tilted his helm toward Vanguard. "Thank you for allowing me to visit."

Vanguard looked the older mech over. "As long as you behave yourself and obey our laws, you are welcome here."

Titanium held up his hands, palms up to show he wasn't looking for trouble. "I'll behave. I have no intention of causing any problems while I'm here."

"Good." Vanguard inclined his helm slightly. His optics landed on the hilts showing over the big triple changer's shoulders. "Perhaps you would give us a demonstration of your skill with blades while you are here? I do not recognize your designation from the records of those who have trained here."

"I'd be glad to spar with anyone who wishes to test their skills against me. I never trained here. My skills were learned in other manners." The ancient warrior turned his attention to Dai Atlas and the white shape on the blue mech's shoulder, leaning forward almost to the point of losing his balance. "And you must be Wing. Your creators have told me much about you."

"All good, I hope," Wing chirped, gold optics bright as he looked Titanium over. The purple and silver mech matched Dai Atlas' height, though Dai Atlas' helm crest and his back kibble made him look larger. Titanium was slightly slimmer of build and carried his wings spread out behind his shoulders like a Seeker or a shuttleformer rather than folded down the way Wing did. Old scars were faintly visible against rich purple and shining silver plating, and his red optics were calm and level. Some kind of golden synthetic fiber flowed out from under the purple helmet, flowing loose over powerful shoulders and around the hilts of the swords Titanium carried.

"The good, the interesting, and the cute," Titanium replied, giving the little white jet a warm smile. "I'm pretty sure I know what you've been told about me, and I assure you I do not bite."

Wing debated for a moment, then hopped from Dai Atlas' shoulder to Titanium's. The older mech held still as he was thoroughly inspected, Wing poking curiously at one swordhilt before playing with a few strands of that synthetic fiber. His field brushed curiously against the much older mech's, feeling the aura of age the big mech carried that far exceeded even Dai Atlas'. That field was calmer and more relaxed than Wing had expected. Gold optics turned toward Dai Atlas. "He doesn't feel like a violent mech."

Titanium chuckled. "That's because I'm not. Not by nature, at least. Because of my past, what I was sparked as, violence and fuel-thirst was trained into me, not sparked with me. I can be violent if I have to be. If I don't have to be, I'm fairly mellow. Relatively speaking. Dai knew me mostly in battlefield settings, so he didn't get much of a chance to see my not-so-violent side." He tilted his helm slightly. "Be careful how hard you tug on that. It is attached."

Dai Atlas snorted. "You never complained when I yanked on it."

"Because you never listened to me grumbling about it," the older mech retorted.

Hardwing stalked over, eying the large purple and silver triple. "So you're Titanium, hm? Dai Atlas tells me that you have an inhibitor that needs removing, should you be his choice."

"You must be the medic." Titanium nodded. "Yes, I do."

Hardwing grunted. "I'll keep a berth ready for you."

Axe chuckled, reaching over to swat Titanium's arm. "C'mon. We'll show you around, and show you the quarters you've been assigned for your stay."

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During his stay in the Citadel, Titanium proved that he was, as he'd said, much more relaxed and laid-back than he had been in a battlefield setting. He sparred with several Knights, showing his skills and differing techniques. Surprisingly enough, he was also often found in the main courtyard, an audience of younglings and adult mechs in attendance, all listening intently as he told them stories of mecha, places, and events that modern Cybertron had all but forgotten. The old mech could keep his audience riveted for joors on end. Wing would actually climb up onto his shoulders and listen from there.

When the time came to remove Titanium's inhibitor, Hardwing took one look into the big mech's chest cavity and announced that Titanium was without a doubt the oldest mech he'd ever worked on. Though he had to compliment the ancient warrior for keeping himself in such good condition. Despite his great age, Titanium had yet to lose any of his strength or speed. His protoform was seamed with old scars, the welds gleaming against the duller protoform.

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Dai Atlas surveyed the small gathering with a touch of pride. Even the mech who didn't know him had come on his invitation. Titanium and Titanus were no surprise; they'd already agreed to sire, even if they hadn't originally agreed to compete. Vanguard and Shogun lived in the Citadel and while Shogun was in a notoriously open relationship for pleasure, he was bonded with a youngling. Dai Atlas wasn't sure he even wanted to know what kind of conversation had happened with Vanguard's trine-mates, but the Sovereign had agreed with a warm smile and wing-flicker of pride. Skyfire was the real surprise, though. So far from home and they'd never met. Dai Atlas simply liked his looks, intelligence and the intergalactic shuttle had a superior temperament by all accounts. No matter who ended up catching him, the sparkling would have an exceptional sire and every advantage Dai Atlas could provide.

The five mecha were stretching their wings and flexing their flaps and control surfaces. Turbines and jet engines hummed and revved loudly as they warmed up. They were all looking each other in the process, sizing up the competition.

Hardwing had insisted on dragging in all five for a thorough checkup, making sure they were all in peak shape for the flight. The CMO was watching as the quintet fueled and warmed up.

Titanus' engines revved, propelling the teleporter in a series of short hops as he warmed up, reaching back to dislodge a bit of debris that had gotten lodged in one of his heel turbines. Tailfins and wings flared and wiggled, checking mobility. Not far away, Titanium hovered briefly before setting down. Shogun made a quick adjustment to one of his tailfins.

Preparations over, the five settled into a loose line, optics on Dai Atlas.

"Remember, no causing harm," Dai Atlas reminded, a rule put in place and mostly directed at Titanium and Vanguard, though it applied to them all, including himself. Once he was caught, he was caught. In that rule he agreed not to fight whoever caught him, something he would never have accepted in a true open flight. But here, with it by invitation only, he knew that no matter who it was, it was an acceptable sire.

Various wing twitches acknowledge that all understood.

With a deep intake of air, a final check that the bond with Axe was as closed as it could be and Dai Atlas took off. Straight up, showing off the power of his engines as he made the middle atmosphere before his pursuers could even register the motion enough to take off themselves. His wings flared, wide and strong, cutting through the air in a strange sort of freedom. His final flight as a ... before he became a carrier.

Engines howled behind him, five mecha taking off in a tight group. All optics were fixed on the blue dot that was their quarry. For a long moment they remained in a close clump before spreading out, weaving and darting around each other, jostling for position. Shogun sideslipped, sneaking between Skyfire and Titanium, only to pull up as Vanguard shot ahead of him.

The Seeker had the advantage of speed on all of them, being built for high-speed combat and with the highest thrust to mass ratio of any of them. Yet he also faced the disadvantage of that smaller, high-performance frame; if the chase dragged on he would be out-paced by the larger mecha with their far higher fuel loads. No one was taking his presence lightly however. An old, fighting-fit Seeker was a Seeker who'd chased many a mate through the sky and no one was willing to ignore the fact that he'd won more than a few open flights over Vos in his youth.

A flicker of blue marked a jump on Titanus' part, the teleporter deftly avoiding getting caught in the pack by teleporting out of the way. He'd agreed beforehand to not cheat by teleporting ahead, but avoiding colliding with the others was permitted. Titanus reappeared off to the side and slightly ahead, and four engines revved as the others closed the distance.

On the ground, a crowd had gathered. All the other airframe Knights stood in a cluster, murmuring in amazement, watching six dots vanishing into the sky. They were all receiving the broadcasts by Vanguard's trine-mates, who were recording the event for the records and for anyone who was interested to watch later on, but there was something about seeing it with one's own optics that made it special to watch the dots dart and dance in pursuit of the one so far ahead.

Well aware of his limits, Vanguard pressed his engines to catch up well ahead of the others, drawing even with Dai Atlas. They began a twisting dance as Vanguard attempted to match his cockpit to Dai Atlas' chest and Dai Atlas did his best to avoid it without touching the much smaller mech.

Engines screamed as the other four rose to the challenge. They were closing rapidly, all intent on being the one to catch the prize. Titanium scooted sideways a bit, startling Titanus into dumping speed to avoid him, and the teleporter grumbled to himself as he fell behind, forced to work to catch up again. The red ex-cop wove around Skyfire, trying to gain some speed advantage, only for the tables to be turned on him as the scientific pacifist veered into him in a calculated move learned from watching far too many flights, both open and trine.

They all knew that their quarry would give them no better a welcome than Vanguard was currently receiving. They watched as the Seeker was frustrated at every turn, his greater speed and agility not enough to overcome Dai Atlas' experience in the sky.

Shogun sideslipped to avoid Skyfire, losing speed and pushing his engines to catch up again. Taking advantage of the jousting between Skyfire and Shogun, Titanium shot forward, taking the lead. The eldest of the group was the only one who had more flight experience than their quarry did, and all of them knew it. They were keeping a wary optic on the purple and silver triple changer. No one doubted that Dai Atlas favored him, open flight or not.

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Far below the action that was down to Titanium and Titanus, Axe was in Atl's quarters with him and Wing, the smaller Knights doing their best to distract Axe from what was going on with his bonded and mecha that were not Axe. Currently they were playing a game of chance with dice that Axe had to teach them, thus keeping his processor focused on the task. They were betting with energon chips, 150 to a cube. It made for very low actual wagers in line with Knight of Light values, but with the appearance of much higher stakes that Axe had been used to as a command officer.

Wing had draped himself across Axe's lap, one wing flopped open to brush against black plating. Bright golden optics watched every move the black mech made, audial fins flared wide with interest. There were quite a few games played in the Citadel, but this one was new to him. Axe had laughingly reminded him what games of chance were founded upon as they were all betting games.

That laugh was worth any amount of grief the orn might bring for Wing.

"These games suit Wing," Atl teased. "He's a magnet to good luck."

Wing's wings fluttered, the tips brushing lightly against Axe's armor. "Not like I can help it. I'm just good at games." Tilting his helm, he grinned up at his current perch. "When playing team games, everyone always wants to be on my team."

"You don't think that's just because of your charming personality?" Axe snickered, moving his hand to stroke the wing still folded along Wing's back.

"It could be that, too." Wing purred contentedly at the petting, leaning into Axe's hand. It took a poke from Atl to remind Wing that it was his turn, but even as he reached for the dice he froze when he felt Axe's field flare sharply in an unsettling mixture of arousal, emotional pain and anger and the hand against his wing tightened into the air.

Gold optics widened, then Wing turned his helm to look up at Axe, aware that something had come through the bond the black and gold mech shared with Dai Atlas. "What's wrong?" A slender wing twitched uncertainly, the one that had been sprawled open across Axe's armor trembling before slowly folding tightly to Wing's back.

"The ... chase is over," Axe ground out, his frame trembling faintly.

"Dai's been caught," Wing murmured. He debated for a moment, noting just how still Atl was holding himself. "Who caught him?"

Axe huffed and drew in more air before responding. "Big, dark ... probably Titanium," he murmured, trying to avoid feeling too much of his mate's spark merge and freefall.

Wing leaned closer to Axe's torso. "I like Titanium," he murmured softly, then shifted slightly, resting his helm against Axe's plating. His wings squirmed against his back, one stretching up to tap against Axe's hand. It obediently began to stroke the demanding wing.

"I do too, as does Dai," Axe gathered himself. "He's a good mech, with a strong spark. He'll make a good sire, any of the ones invited to would. Doesn't make it hurt any less that I can't even try to win my own mate."

The small white jet chirred softly, curling into Axe's lap to press against warm black plating. Not knowing what to say to that, he pressed close and purred, the edges of his field entwining with Axe's, trying to sooth the distressed mech. Axe's reply was to welcome the contact, leaning on Wing's strength to sustain him through the long moments of ever-intensifying pleasure from the other side of the bond.

Axe was panting, tiny licks of energy dancing across his frame when Dai Atlas' overload finally broke and washed through him unresisted.

Wing nuzzled into black armor, pressing closer. He quivered slightly as darts of energy leaped off onto his own armor. Axe's field washed over the little jet, causing white plating to flare slightly. He stayed where he was, pressing against his creator's armor, purring loudly.

"I am willing to help you with that, if you wish," Atl offered, uncertain if it was a welcome offer.

Axe shook his helm. "Thank you, but no. I'll wait until my mate is finished, then go to him." He shifted slightly, resuming his petting of slender white wings, much to Wing's delight.

"Then spar?" Atl suggested. "Strenuous physical activity would do you some good."

The black and gold triple changer considered for a moment, then nodded. "A good spar will help." He reluctantly shooed Wing off his lap, petting the white and red helm as Wing oozed off onto the couch next to him.

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More than two joors later a red line decorated Axe was standing at the door to his quarters. Distracted as he was, Atl had mopped the floor with him, literally a couple of times, but it had done what he needed. Much of his charge was burned off. Red-streaked plating quivered for a moment, then Axe palmed open the door and stepped inside. Crossing the living area, he walked into the berthroom, stopping in the doorway to survey the scene inside.

His mate was sprawled on his back on the berth, wings flared wide for balance for what had come before he'd dropped into stasis. Though his chest plates were closed, the paint transfers on them and everywhere else spoke of the multiple merges that Axe had felt. The obvious sign of what had happened was Dai Atlas' bared valve, still dripping transfluid and lubricant, and the large purple and silver triple changer that was collapsed on Dai Atlas' far side.

Titanium had managed to scoot a slight distance away before settling, clearly having expected Axe to show up. His paint bore clear streaks of blue and black, and the golden synthetic fibers of his mane, emerging from under the back of his helmet, formed a shining puddle around his helm and shoulders. One red optic flickered dimly as he registered Axe's presence, then darkened again as the older mech settled back into a light recharge, trying to get back enough strength to move.

Blue optics regarded the silver and purple lump for a moment, then Axe crossed the room to settle next to Dai Atlas, gliding his fingertips lightly over blue armor. Despite the intense exhaustion in Dai Atlas' frame, he roused himself enough to leaned into the bond with love-regret-thanks-snuggle.

Axe rumbled very softly, curling into Dai Atlas' side and resting his helm on his mate's shoulder. Reaching through the bond, he replied with reassurance-love-mine. Light fingertips stroked over the seams of Dai Atlas' chest armor before stilling, a warm palm pressing against purple-streaked black.

Yours Dai Atlas' emotions flowed back, even firmer than Axe's claim. ~Take me?~ he asked with the flickering of awareness that meant his frame was going to shut down and recharge whether he wanted to or not.

The black and gold mech's thoughts hinted that, once his larger mate was conscious again, Axe was going to stake his own claim and do it properly. Purring, Axe watched Dai Atlas settle into recharge, then settled over his mate's frame, releasing his own aching spike and sliding it into Dai Atlas' well-used valve. Even in recharge, he could feel the welcome, the subtle shifts in his mate's position to accommodate him.

As wound up as he was, it didn't take long for Axe to reach his overload, flooding his mate's valve with his own transfluid. Charge crackled over his plating, leaping off onto Dai Atlas' armor. Bracing himself. Axe continued to thrust, driving himself to a second overload that came almost as quickly.

He was sprawled on top of his mate in exhausted recharge, his spike still buried in Dai Atlas, when Red optics warmed up as Titanium clawed his way back to awareness several joors later. Cycling his optics to clear them and slowly sitting up, he looked over at Dai Atlas, noting Axe's presence atop the blue mech. Chuckling softly, the old warrior peeled himself off the berth, stretching carefully before rising to his pedes.

The interfacing had been intense, the merges processor-blowing. Titanium was fairly certain the kindling had been successful, but he would be remaining in the Citadel for a few more orns, just in case his services were required again.

The old mech looked at the bonded mates for a long moment, smiling softly. He hoped that one orn he'd finally have a mate like that, though he didn't think it too likely, considering his age. Ruffling his armor, Titanium decided to leave the pair alone, padding out of the berthroom and heading for the washracks. His own berth here in the Citadel guest quarters would be better than intruding on the bonded pair further.

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Joors later, Axe's limbs twitched as the black and gold mech began to boot up. Blue optics flickered and came online, the big mech blearily raising his helm. It took him a moment to realize that he was still on top of his mate and slowly pushed himself off to lie next to Dai Atlas. The large purple and silver mech who'd been there when Axe had fallen into recharge was gone, having left sometime during the night.

Settling down again, Axe ran his fingers over Dai Atlas' chest, tracing the seams of the armor plates. Those wouldn't open for him again until the new spark was firmly settled in its frame, and quite possibly not until after Dai Atlas recovered from the separation.

He'd miss it dearly, but their bond would remain open and he'd always have that.

Even with Dai Atlas deep in recharge, his systems responded to the touch with a flicker of desire and pulse of warmth along the bond. Axe responded with a pulse of warmth and love of his own along the bond, continuing to lightly trace the armor seams. His fingers skimmed lightly over a streak of purple, and the black Knight made a slight face at it.

It was enough to draw a flicker of need me? across the bond. Dai Atlas wasn't booting up, but he was willing. Axe purred, his intention of reclaiming his mate flowing through the bond. Once Dai Atlas was conscious enough to participate, preferably. It didn't take long for the blue giant to audibly begin to boot up, his optics lighting, dimly, a moment later.

~Love,~ Dai Atlas purred deeply.

~Beloved,~ Axe purred in response. ~Mine.~ He leaned over to steal a kiss, fingers wandering up to Dai Atlas' shoulder as the kiss was returned with the passionate fire of wanting it for too long.

~Yours,~ he agreed as he reached up to pull Axe against him and into a deeper kiss. ~Mine,~ he growled in reply. ~Get this paint off of me,~ he demanded, the thought including a clear indication of how.

Axe's grin was wicked. ~Gladly, my love.~ Shifting, returning the kiss with equal passion, he settled over his mate's frame, his chestplate scraping lightly against Dai Atlas'. He felt his mate's legs come up, thighs rubbing against his, and the distinctive click of an interface cover sliding open.

~Fill me,~ Dai Atlas moaned into their kiss, his hands roaming over Axe's back. ~This sparkling will look like ours. Black and gold and strong as a tank.~

A shiver ran through Axe's frame as he released his spike, sinking it into his mate's valve with one smooth motion. He didn't even hesitate before he started thrusting; he knew when Dai Atlas was ready to go.

"Yessss," Dai Atlas hissed in pleasure that was as much in his processors as his frame. His hands dug into seams as his legs wrapped around his mate's, locking them together in the familiar passion with an unfamiliar need. Never had this been anything but for pleasure, bonding and release. Now, if all had gone well, it was to influence the coding and frame of the creation Dai Atlas was now nurturing with his spark.

Just the thought of it was enough to make the charge in Dai Atlas' frame spike as he drove his hips up into Axe's thrusts and squeezed his valve walls around the very welcome intruder.

The pace Axe set was hard and fast, pounding into Dai Atlas' valve. Bright blue optics fixed on glowing red. Shifting his weight slightly, Axe braced himself with one hand, the other palm sliding over the wide expanse of a white wing. With the bond wide open, he felt his mate's pleasure, the rush of such finely tuned sensor being stimulated so strongly.

~Yessss. Love you. Want you. Never let this sparkling doubt who its creators are,~ Dai Atlas moaned, nearly pleading. ~Want it to look like you. My wings.~

~Black and gold and a bit of blue,~ Axe purred. ~Want it to look like both of us.~ He glided his fingertips along the leading edge of the wing he was stroking, leaning down to nip at his mate's neck cabling.

Dai Atlas' helm tipped back, offering himself even more fully as his wing pressed into the touch. At the same time Dai Atlas abandoned armor seams to wiggle his fingers into the treads of Axe's tank form that ran down his back.

Axe moaned against his mate's throat, nipping and licking at an energon line. One fingertip located a sensor in the flat plane of Dai Atlas' wing, circling it lightly. Axe's powerful engines revved, vibrating through his frame and into the larger mech's where their armor touched. The slide and roll of hips as they thrust, both seeking to get Axe as deep as possible became a background rhythm to the charge and rush of the touches only an intimate and long-time lover knew.

Soon Dai Atlas was trembling as he held his charge in check, desperately wanting to feel Axe's transfluid rush into him and wash away the other before he gave in.

Blue optics flared brightly as Axe slammed his hips forward, driving his spike in as deep as it could go. The black and gold Knight bellowed his overload, transfluid bursting from his spike, charge dancing and sizzling across his plating, leaping off onto Dai Atlas'. He had only the nanoklik before his transfluid crashed into the thick cluster of nodes at the top of Dai Atlas' valve before the larger mech lost it.

Dai Atlas' frame bowed, taking Axe in even deeper as his valve rippled and squeezed, milking the spike for all it was worth. Deep red optics flared, then darkened as Dai Atlas gripped his mate tightly in the intense bliss of the full-on maelstrom of energy running rampant through every system, feeding the tiny, loose ball of energy that could become a new life in time.

Axe clung just as tightly to his mate's frame, fingers tightening around the leading edge of a wide white wing but being careful not to damage it. His frame trembled, hips bucking against Dai Atlas', dentas closing on an energon line in the blue Knight's neck.

When their frames finally unlocked, settling back down onto the berth, Axe noted with possessive pride that streaks of his black paint had succeeded in covering up some of the purple streaks Titanium had left on Dai Atlas' plating.

Under him and around him, Dai Atlas hummed his pleasure and drew Axe down to snuggle tightly. ~Thank you.~

~You're welcome,~ Axe murmured, pressing himself close to Dai Atlas' warm plating. Resting his helm against a blue shoulder, the black Knight let his optics dim, letting out a soft contented rumble.

SXSXSXSXSXSXSXSX S===================S SXSXSXSXSXSXSXS

Wing was almost vibrating right off Dai Atlas' shoulder as the blue Knight walked into the medical bay, Axe at his side and Titanium following. White wings flared and fluttered, plating flared and settled, and his excited chirr hadn't stopped for a nano-klik. Dai Atlas had had to grab hold of the little jet to stop him from vibrating right off his perch, and Titanium was laughing at Wing's antics.

"Well, I can see who is most eager for the news," Dagger snickered at his Daoshi from where he was double checking the equipment that hadn't been used since Stormcloud had come in, hoping the fluctuations in his spark meant he was carrying.

"Which should surprise no one," Hardwing shook his helm. "On the berth, and hand your living kibble to someone else."

"No surprise at all." Axe looked up as Wing took a flying leap from Dai Atlas' shoulder in Titanium's direction. The elder mech caught the jet right out of the air without looking up, letting Wing climb up his arm to his shoulder. "You should have seen him bouncing around our quarters before he climbed up there."

"It's been a very long time since I've seen anyone bouncing around like that," Titanium added, reaching up to scratch right between Wing's wings. Wing grasped a purple-and-gold-marked wing for balance, leaning into the touch.

"Can you blame me for being excited?" Wing squirmed slightly.

"No," several voices replied in unison.

"Are you sure you want a sparkling subjected to his antics?" Dagger grinned as he handed a scanner to Hardwing to use on Dai Atlas.

"Have you felt anything unusual?" Hardwing asked Dai Atlas.

"Nothing I can't attribute to other causes," he admitted, unwilling to get his hopes up.

"I'm sure we can get him to calm down somehow," Axe chuckled, reaching out to take his mate's hand, curling his dark fingers around Dai Atlas' white, thumb stroking lightly over the larger mech's fingers. "After all, we know where his 'off' switch is."

Titanium's laugh echoed through the room. "Is it that spot right between his wings? He goes from bouncing to puddle when scratched there."

Wing's wings twitched, the little jet choosing to ignore that comment.

"That one," Dai Atlas grinned, pretending to ignore the various devices being plugged into him, then the gentle demand to open his chest armor and spark chamber.

Wing pouted at Dai Atlas and Axe, crossing his arms over his chestplate. Titanium chuckled, petting a white wing lightly while he watched the examination. Axe shook his helm at the little white jet, continuing to lightly stroke his mate's hand as the room fell to a tense silence. Everyone was waiting for Hardwing's determination.

Most of them noticed when Firefly dropped in through the balcony window, but he remained respectfully quiet so he was permitted to remain. Even as a youngling he knew the rules of Hardwing's domain.

"Congratulations," Hardwing smiled at Dai Atlas, watching as the much larger mech sagged in visible relief. "For its age, the new spark is large and strong. I'd say your gambit paid off."

Wing almost pounced on Dai Atlas, only to be caught out of the air by his current perch and tucked under a purple arm. Tilting his helm, he scowled up at Titanium while everyone else laughed. "Hey!"

"Save the pouncing for after he's out of Hardwing's clutches, or you'll be tossed out the window," the larger mech pointed out. Titanium walked over to stand next to Axe, not letting go of the squirming jet. "Congratulations, my friend."

"Thank you for your help," Axe murmured, looking up into the older warrior's optics.

By the windows, Firefly beamed, green optics lighting up. "That's great! I'll have a playmate soon."

"Yes, you will," Dai Atlas smiled at the youngling that he still wanted to grab and make off with. "Thank you," he inclined his helm to Titanium as he sat up and double-checked that all his ports were closed and parts were back where they belonged. "Give the little flutter-glitch here before he combusts," he laughed at Wing's continued squirming.

Firefly bounced over to join the group, silver-tipped wings fluttering happily. Titanium shifted his grip on Wing, holding the white jet under both arms and handing the wiggling form to Dai Atlas. Wing puffed up at Titanium, glowering up at the unrepentant triple changer's grin, before melting as Axe reached over to stroke behind a white audial flare, neatly distracting him.

Titanium stood back, watching with a smile. He was happy for his old friend and student, and he knew the sparkling would be well cared for. His own role in the newspark's existence was now over, and it was for the best. Any hint that he'd kindled, much less with Dai Atlas, and the sparkling would never know peace.

"Do you need that inhibitor back in before you go back on duty?" Hardwing shifted his focus from the happy family to the mech who'd made it possible.

"To tell the truth, I don't care if it goes back in or not, but getting it reinstalled will spare me an interrogation at my next fitness exam." Titanium flicked his wings.

"Then come by in the morning and I'll install it," Hardwing nodded.

"Are you leaving?" Wing looked up.

The old mech reached over to rub Wing's red crest. "I'll be around for a few more orns. Then I have some business to see to in Iacon."

"It's been good seeing you again, and for so long," Dai Atlas smiled at him and got the rest of the way up. "I'm sure everyone else will miss you, too, both stories and sparring."

Titanium inclined his helm to the CMO. "I'll be here." Returning his attention to Dai Atlas, he smiled. "The stories, the sparring, and occasionally the hyper jet wrangling." Smile became grin at the huff he got from Wing at that comment. Reaching over, he tapped Dai Atlas lightly on the helm. "Send me images every now and then. The sparkling is yours and Axe's, but its spark is part of me, and I would like to see how the little one turns out."

"We will," he promised easily. "Along with the antics of these two," he added as Wing settled happily on his shoulder. "Just stop by next time you're on Cybertron. I'm sure the youngest one of the lot would like to meet my mentor he's heard so much about."

The older silver and purple triple changer smiled. "I will."

"I'd like to see you again, too," Wing chirped, reaching over to lightly tug on golden pseudo-hair.

"It might be a while until my next leave, but I will be back," Titanium murmured.

"We know," Axe assured him. "There may be delays, but messages do get through."

"All right, everyone but the new creators out," Hardwing began to shoo everyone away. "Yes, Wing, you can stay." He rolled his optics at the pathetic pleading look he got from the white jet. "I just need to give them supplies and explain everything they need to do differently."

Firefly was out the window in a flash, probably off to tell his own creators the news, who would then pass it on to the rest of the Citadel long before the happy couple and their eldest escaped Hardwing. Titanium rubbed Wing's helm once more, then followed Firefly out at a more sedate pace, casually hopping off the balcony and heading down to the main courtyard.

Axe watched the two mechs leave, then leaned against his mate, reaching up to tweak a white wingtip before turning his attention to Hardwing.