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.

23. Freedom in the Stars

Kneeling to the Sword 23: Freedom in the Stars
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Titanus stared at the scene before him, too stunned to fully grasp what he was looking at. Fire and destruction, deactivated mecha, those were things he knew, at least from distances like this. The scale of it, that it was in the very core of Iacon, the Senate buildings and Palace of the Prime, was more than his processor could cope with so quickly. The teleporter's armor rattled as his frame trembled, wings pulled tight to his back. This was bad, worse than anything else that had been happening. The situation was exploding out of control. This was the first major step toward utter chaos.

The sound of a chunk of debris falling startled Titanus out of his state of shock. The white and gray mech jumped, calculations flooding through his processor. Coordinates had barely locked when he jumped, teleporting as soon as his pedes cleared the ground, heading for the one place that the chaos had yet to reach. His apartment in the Citadel's civilian quarter faded into view with relief, barely a moment before the purple-blue flash of light announced his daughter's arrival.

"Carrier!" she cried out in relief and rushed to hug him, her entire frame shaking and field a torrent of terror-panic.

"Star!" The much bigger mech scooped her up, holding her close. Considering how volatile the situation had become, he had been worried about her, and was very glad to see her safe. "I'm so glad you're safe," he murmured, resting his cheek against her helm.

"They blew up the amphitheater I was performing in," she keened, shaking terribly. "I didn't even have time to think about grabbing Sirenis! The audience, band, staff ... everyone's probably deactivated!"

"Sentinel Prime is dead, too," Titanus told her, rubbing her back and wings. "Everything's falling apart. Dai Atlas was right... There's a war coming. The opening shots have just been fired."

"What do we do now?" she sobbed. "We can't go back out there."

"I have to tell Vanguard and the Masters what's happened. They have to know. Once the war breaks out full-force, not even the Citadel's isolation will save the Knights. But I'm not going back out there unless I absolutely have to. My clients can go retrieve their own shipments." The big mech's jaw set, and he held her as close as he safely could.

She nodded against his chest as they felt White Stripe rub against them. "You tell them, or should we? I can cuddle White Stripe..."

"I can tell them. It might take a while, though. Stay here with Stripe, and I'll be back as soon as I can. Okay?" He nuzzled his sparkling lightly.

She nodded and reluctantly let him go only to scoop up her pet.

Titanus ran his hand over his daughter's helm once more, then tapped into the Citadel's computer system to find out where Vanguard was, or where the greatest concentration of Knights had gathered only to find they were the same place. Once he had the location, he teleported ... and promptly began to wonder what he'd popped into when his optics focused on a sea of drawn swords and equipment that was noticeable in that it was turned off but still warm.

"Titanus!" Dai Atlas rumbled as the first to recognize the visitor, causing most of the others to begin to settle. "You really should not appear in restricted areas."

"I wouldn't have popped into a restricted space if what I had to tell you wasn't urgent," the teleporter replied, his armor ruffling. He shifted his weight from one pede to the other. "That I didn't wait until you were out of the restricted area should be a hint as to the importance of what I have to say."

"Then speak your news," Vanguard said, his tone even and mood level and he stepped forward.

"Sentinel Prime is deactivated," Titanus announced. "Assassinated. The Palace of the Prime and the Senate buildings are just piles of rubble now. The whole core of Iacon is burning. And it's not just Iacon. Starspark was nearly extinguished when the amphitheater where she was performing in Yuss was blown up."

Shivers of shock rippled through the room.

"And thus passes another one," Axe murmured.

"Yes," Dai Atlas vented heavily.

"Do you know anything else we should hear?" Vanguard asked, his wings quivering in stress.

"Cybertron is on the brink of war. The sparks have been struck, and the situation is a single wire away from exploding. It's not safe for any residents of the Citadel to leave for any reason. If there are any Knights out there, they should be called back immediately. Star and I will be staying here... I won't risk her out there, not with the situation so volatile." Titanus' armor ruffled and settled, wings flaring and folding again.

"Would you be willing to rescue a Knight that calls for help to get back?" Dai Atlas asked, earning a sharp look from Vanguard and more than a few startled looks from elsewhere in the room.

"Give me their exact coordinates, and that I can do." Titanus nodded.

Dai Atlas nodded. "Thank you."

The teleporter inclined his helm. "I'll be in my apartment if you need me... Star was very badly shaken by the explosion. She barely got out; the band and the audience weren't as fortunate." Nodding to the assembled Knights, he vanished again.

::And Tai ... next time, comm before you jump. Or just comm,:: Dai Atlas' tone was more amused than reprimanding. "Well now, that was interesting," he turned his attention to Vanguard and the other Knights as the command room lit up with information and displays once more.

::Will do,:: Titanus replied, sounding sheepish. ::Sorry about that.::

Axe shifted his pedes slightly. "The war is beginning, then..."

"Yes," Vanguard vented heavily. "What an opening salvo."

"With the Prime and much of the Senate deactivated, it is possible that it will also be over soon," Talon spoke up, motioning to the monitors that only a few centuries ago would have only displayed information from within the Citadel's nominally claimed section of badlands. "This leader may well take over now ... or the new Prime will enter negotiations."

"Possible," Dai Atlas inclined his helm, though there was no missing how little faith he had in such an outcome. "We can hope for that as we move forward on the assumption that it will not end here."

"We can't count on being left alone if the whole planet does become involved in civil war," Tornado commented from the upper tier, leaning over the railing to look down at Vanguard and Dai Atlas. "We may be forced to defend the Citadel against larger forces than have ever been seen in this area."

"Or do what two Sovereigns before me have done, and move to a safer location," Vanguard spoke quietly, evenly, as if he was suggesting a simple relocation and not the monumental risk he really was speaking of. A risk that only the others in the Circle of Masters had heard of before now.

Multiple pairs of optics fixed on the Sovereign, monitors and consoles momentarily forgotten.

"Where would we go?" Lightstrike asked from his position. "If this war will be as bad as we fear, there will be no place on Cybertron that will be safe."

"No, if this Citadel is no longer safe, no where in the empire will be, nor any territory that heard of Nova Prime," Vanguard inclined his helm.

"It will be a very long journey, and it should not be ours alone," Dai Atlas spoke up. "All who are willing to commit such an act for peace should join us to provide a suitable population and skill base to rebuild our race."

"You're suggesting leaving the planet, leaving Cybertronian space entirely." The big white Master Knight stared at Vanguard. "How would we do that, exactly? We have no ships."

"We would need to get the word out, covertly so as to not attract the attention of the warring groups," Axe pointed out. "And those who come with us would have to be ready for a difficult existence until we get settled." He looked at his mate, a memory file of Titanium telling them about black market slavers and raiders preying on Cybertronians outside the empire's space rising in his processor.

Dai Atlas replied with his own research, that there was a direction that patrols hadn't run into anything. The habitable planets were few, far between and at best hostile environments, but they existed.

"Yes," Vanguard nodded. "Thanks to Dai Atlas and Tradewinds, we have the ships and financing to do this. We have contacts across Cybertron that know who to speak with and how."

"And we have a screening process to ensure that those who come can carry their weight and will not create strife once we launch," Dai Atlas added.

The other Knights glanced at each other, some of them shifting uneasily. After a few kliks, all optics turned back to Vanguard. "When and how do we begin this venture? It will not be easy due to the scale that this... this exodus... is likely to become."

"It will not be," Vanguard inclined his helm. "It is also something that calls on us to look to practicality rather than tradition. Two among us have experience with such large scale operations."

All optics shifted to Dai Atlas and Axe.

"Yes," Vanguard agreed. "Though I am still Sovereign, Dai Atlas is in charge until we are settled on a new world. He knows how to do so."

"We will do our best," Axe replied. He had almost as much experience at this as his mate did.

Lightstrike's wings twitched, then the white Knight nodded. "At least we will have someone experienced guiding us, since none of the rest of us knows a thing about operations on such a vast scale."

Other Knights murmured agreement.

"What of those of us who have contacts on the outside that might be of value?" Lightwing spoke up, glancing at his half brother across the room.

Dagger nodded. "A few of us do have kin that are willing and able to help without asking too many questions."

"Once arrangements are ready for the influx of those who choose to come with us, you may send word to your relatives," Axe told them. "We will need supplies, enough to last a great number of mecha for however long it will take to find a new home. Otherwise all but a skeleton crew will make the trip in deep stasis."

A handful of Knights around the room nodded, each mentally calculating what they could get from their relatives, and in some cases how many of those relatives could be convinced to come.

"How many are you looking to have come?" someone asked.

Dai Atlas turned his helm to the speaker. "We need at least three thousand across the twelve ships we have commissioned to create a stable, self-sustainable city. I am hoping to get a hundred thousand to leave, so thirty thousand might arrive."

Stunned silence responded to those numbers. The scale was beyond anything any Knight was prepared to contemplate right away. Most had long forgotten what it meant to live anywhere with a population over a thousand.

Then it sank in that seven in ten were not expected to survive the journey.

"We will be looking for teachers, artists, scientists, scholars... Those with skills vital to sustaining our culture and history," Axe added. "Including singers and performers, since they have an important place in our culture as well."

"Just as important will be those skilled in construction and what is commonly considered the lowest functions in society; energon refining, accounting, inventory management and factory workers of many kinds," Dai Atlas added. "Those that create what we need to survive every vorn."

There was a deep silence as the gathered Knights digested that. Their monitors and screens were utterly forgotten, all their attention on what they were hearing now. This was going to be a truly massive venture, unlike anything they had ever seen before. It made them even more glad that they would have experienced mecha organizing and directing everything.

"All of this will be necessary if we want to have any chance of building a fully independent, self-sustaining, stable city, and any hope at all for our race to survive the conflict that is coming." Axe's gaze swept the control room. No one challenged him. Not openly. There was doubt. There was fear. There was distress. There was a room full of mecha that would be meditating and undergoing bindings in the coming orns. But there was no open rebellion.

When it came right down to it, they trusted their leadership.

"How ... long ... before the launch?" Someone asked in a small, unsteady voice.

"If all goes well, within sixty vorns," Dai Atlas responded. "Enough ships are ready now. The rest will be by then. We have supplies for the minimum needed. If it comes down to requiring escape, the full population of the Citadel could depart in the morning. It would be a last resort. We do not have the skills to rebuild the society we have here among us. There are few who know factory work, or how to build a factory to take raw material to what we use every orn. Fewer know what to look for on an organic world to sustain us in the long term. Axe and I can judge for defensibility and threat assessment. Wing and a few others could design a city. I know everyone is willing to put in hard labor. Yet we do not have so many skills to make it go smoothly."

"Just how much scouting have you done for the population to come with us?" Kimark half-demanded, his processors incapable of coping with such a project.

"We have been compiling lists of the skills the city will need to survive and to thrive." Axe locked optics with Kimark. "Mecha with those skills, who are willing to come and to work hard in order to preserve our race will come with us."

Various mecha nodded. "What of those willing to come, willing to work as best they can, but do not have a 'useful' skill?" someone else asked. "Like Cocotte..."

"Will be included in the third tier of those coming," Dai Atlas explained. "The first tier are Knights, their dependants and those with skills we can not do without. The second tier are those with skills we need to build and maintain the city, or are important for maintaining our society. The third tier will be those willing to work hard, to fulfill what function is needed, but are not required for the first generation to survive."

There were more nods from around the control room. Mutters echoed across the room as the other Knights considered that.

"When will the rest of the Citadel's population be told about this?" another Knight asked, raising his hand.

"When everyone here," Dai Atlas motioned around the room, "has finished coming to terms with it. We must present a united voice in response to this. There is likely to be some backlash out of fear from the civilian population. The more in agreement we all are, the less the chance that their response will turn ugly."

"What about any who chose not to leave with us?" Someone asked uneasily.

"Will remain, under lockdown, until after we launch," Dai Atlas said firmly, his wings expressing his displeasure with the idea.

"They will have to stay here until we leave, otherwise they could attract attention of the kind we really do not want." Axe touched his mate's hand lightly. "We want to avoid drawing the attention of the warring factions for as long as possible, to give the ships the best chance of escape."

"And ever with that, you expect seventy percent to be lost before we land..."

"And in the first stages of settling the new world," Dai Atlas nodded. "Colonization in a hostile environment is not a low-risk endeavor. Though yes, the majority of the losses are expected to be within Cybertron's system."

"We will be leaving in the middle of a war. While we will be doing our best to remain under the radar, there is still a very high probability that we will attract unwelcome attention and lose ships to enemy fire," Axe pointed out.

"Are there any other questions or concerns?" Vanguard spoke up, looking around as he waited for any. Gradually the gathering settled, many shaking their helms. "Then you may all return to your duties, and make extra time to meditate on this."

SxSxSxSxSxSxSxSx S===================S SxSxSxSxSxSxSxS

Dai Atlas' comm pinged with an incoming call. Titanium was back on-planet, about a joor out of the Citadel. This time he was letting the Knights know he was coming rather than just dropping out of nowhere, as he'd gotten into the habit of doing. The older triple changer was flying low to keep under the radar, following the surface contours when Dai Atlas joined him over the plains.

::It's good to see you again,:: Dai Atlas said. ::What brought you back?:: He asked cautiously.

::Since everything's gone to the Pit in a handbasket, all the military forces have been called back. I'm avoiding getting caught up in the chaos for a bit longer. Besides, I wanted to see how you and your family were doing. And maybe find out if there's anything I can do to help keep the cyber-jackals at bay for a while longer,:: the older mech replied.

Dai Atlas huffed. ::We're well into executing an exodus. Anything that keeps both armies from paying attention to the Citadel's territory and why so many supplies and mecha are headed out this way would be a blessing. The real part I'm dreading are the losses we'll sustain between the surface and the edge of the system.::

Titanium sidled closer, his wingtip almost brushing Dai Atlas'. ::I'm pretty sure I can keep the faction calling themselves 'Autobots' otherwise occupied... and any 'Decepticon' who gets too curious won't survive long enough to report.::

::That would be most welcome,:: Dai Atlas' field sang with relief. ::Are you inclined to join us?::

::I'm not ready to hang up my swords just yet. But one orn, I will decide enough is enough. And when that orn comes, Cybertron will likely never see me again.:: Armor plates ruffled along the length of the older mech's flight mode before they passed over the outer wall and transformed to land on the balcony of Dai Atlas' apartment.

"When that orn comes, follow your bond with Sheerwing," Dai Atlas offered. "Not even we know where we are going yet."

"I will," the silver and purple triple changer agreed, taking a moment to pause and check for pouncers before setting down. Wing had once managed to tackle him right off the balcony. Titanium had managed to ignite his engines before actually hitting anything, but he'd made a point of checking first ever since.

That pause, and the memory of why, made Dai Atlas chuckle. "How long will you be staying?"

"I think I have a good two metacycles or so before the chaos of all the soldiers returning at once calms down enough for anyone to notice that I'm absent." Titanium settled onto the balcony, his engines spooling down to a faint idle. He barely made it two steps into the apartment before a white streak hit him square in the chestplate. "Oof!"

"One of these orns you'll manage to be braced for that," Axe laughed deeply as Titanium rocked back on his heel-plates.

"At least Wing's small," Dai Atlas grinned at his mentor. "Imagine that impact if he was one of us."

"No matter how much I try to brace, Wing has an uncanny knack for spotting that one instant when I'm not braced," Titanium retorted, exchanging nuzzles with the happily squirming white jet. "And if Wing was any bigger, I'd have an interesting dent in my chest armor and the wall would have a perfect imprint of my back plating."

"It's good he never taught Sheerwing that trick then," Axe snickered.

"Where is Sheerwing?" Titanium glanced around.

"In Kaleidoscope's clutches," Wing trilled. "Seems his lover isn't done with him yet."

The silver and purple triple changer chuckled. "They make an interesting pair." He walked farther into the apartment, a second white shape darting forward to jump on him. "And hello to you, too, Star."

"He's good for my biggest brother," she grinned, hugging Titanium next to Wing.

"He is," Axe added with a knowing gleam in his optics. "Sheerwing does well as a sub."

"I'm glad to see everyone's safely here in the Citadel." Titanium looked from Wing to Star. "I'm assuming that Titanus is here as well."

Star nodded as the big mech settled onto the couch. "He moved back here right after the first attack in Iacon, and hasn't been back out except to retrieve Knights who couldn't make it back to the Citadel on their own."

"The best use of his abilities." A large hand ran lightly down Star's back, then Titanium turned his attention back to Dai Atlas. "How hard was it to convince the other Knights that leaving the planet was the only option?"

"Less difficult than I anticipated," Dai Atlas admitted as they all settled in the living room. "It seems they are as tuned into obeying rank as military, only because they trust their leaders rather than fear of reprisal."

"Always a good thing." The older mech nodded.

"Are you coming, too?" Wing wanted to know.

"Not yet, Wing. I'm not ready to retire yet. But when I do, I'll find you, that I promise." Titanium rubbed Wing's red crest, getting a purr from the small mech.

"But how?" Starspark wanted to know. "We don't even know where we're going." She looked over at Dai Atlas in case he did know and just wasn't telling.

"I'm Sheerwing's sire. I can follow the creator bond I have with him and find him wherever he is," Titanium explained. "Since Sheer will be with you, wherever you end up settling, when I find him, I'll find all of you, too."

She nodded her understanding, excitement flaring in her field once more.

"And he has a couple metacycles to enjoy our company in the meantime," Dai Atlas added with a smile for the two normal sized mecha that would always look like sparklings to their family. "Plenty of time for new stories."

Both of the small white mecha chirred enthusiastically at that.

"I look forward to hearing your stories; you always have the most interesting ones," Wing trilled. He reluctantly peeled himself away from Titanium's frame. "I'm meeting Tradewinds for dinner... See you later?"

"I'll be here." Titanium leaned in for a quick, affectionate nuzzle, watching the young jet bounce away. "That attachment has lasted longer than most," he commented when Wing was gone.

"Yes, and very serious too," Axe nodded, his tone betraying that all was not going well with it lately.

Dai Atlas huffed. "Too serious. The mech's refusing to leave Cybertron."

"Did he say why?" Titanium frowned slightly. "If he's that attached to Wing, I would have thought Tradewinds would follow him anywhere."

"Says he's no use outside the empire," Dai Atlas shrugged.

"He's afraid," Axe added quietly. "His skills and gift are both intrinsically linked to the economy and processor-set that is Cybertron. Not even the empire, but this world. I believe he's more afraid of being unable to support himself than he is of losing Wing or the war."

"He does understand that a war like the one that's about to explode is going to bring the economy crashing down, right? The longer the war lasts, the worse things are going to get. He might end up unable to support himself anyway," the older mech pointed out, then sighed. "This won't end well, for either of them."

"No, it won't," Dai Atlas growled. "He understands as well as any mechling does. He's more afraid of the unknown than what he can see coming."

"And that's the hardest type of fear to get around." Titanium sighed and shook his helm. "You're going to have Wing clinging to you for quite a while after you leave Cybertron. And if the war really explodes, Tradewinds might not survive it."

Starspark shifted on his lap, yawning hugely. She uncurled, sliding off onto the floor. "I think I'm going to go get some recharge... But I will be back when you start sharing your stories!" She grinned brightly at the ancient triple changer, then disappeared.

"Even if he does, he won't come out of it in nearly the same condition he's in now," Dai Atlas grunted, his optics settling on his mentor as he shifted uneasily. "There's a real chance you won't make it either..."

"I'm harder to get rid of than rust rash, and I have no intention of getting killed anytime soon. Like a bad credit, I just keep coming back." Titanium got to his pedes, walking over to lightly touch his forehelm to Dai Atlas'. "I'll be careful, and I will find you when I'm done with the fighting. I promise you that."

A large white hand came up and slid along Titanium's neck to draw him down for a kiss. Sensual, full of need and desire, and very much like that first night before Dai Atlas had first gone into battle. Needing to connect, to claim a bit of reassurance that didn't involve words or thinking. In the back of his processor Titanium was aware that Axe had excused himself and was headed for the balcony.

Titanium returned the kiss, his hands coming up to lightly stroke over Dai Atlas' plating, skimming along the smooth plane of one wing. He understood what his former student needed and was willing to give it, his field reaching out to meld with the blue mech's. The elder's engines purred, his plating vibrating against Dai Atlas'.

The mouth against his opened as Dai Atlas stood and embraced him more fully. The blue mech's field returned the embrace, meshing fully to wrap each mech in the extended essence of the other as hands slid along plating, eager in the mutual understanding.

The older mech's mouth descended to Dai Atlas' neck, his glossa flicking along the cables and tubes. Titanium purred, his lips vibrating against the sensitive cables, sucking lightly on an energon line. His fingers dipped into an armor seam, trailing lightly along the wiring.

"Mentor..." a soft sound of pleasure escaped Dai Atlas with a shiver along his entire frame. His own fingers slid up Titanium's back to dig into wing joins as he pulled his mentor towards the berthroom. His field flared hot and bright with need, rich with the trust so very few had ever earned.

Titanium followed willingly, his wings leaning into the touch, stretching out to open up the seams and give his former student more access, a soft purring moan escaping. One hand slid up Dai Atlas' back to slip under a wing, wiggling into the complex machinery, the pad of one fingertip brushing against a sensor node. "Dai." The blue mech's designation rolled off the elder's glossa, his tone warm as his former charge slid backwards to lie on the berth and pull Titanium down on top of him.

Their kiss grew more heated as Dai Atlas unlocked his chest plates, the sound as distinctive as it was smooth.

The purple and silver mech's wings fluttered slightly, the older mech working his way down Dai Atlas' throat to nip and lick along his chest seams. Brilliant red optics lifted to meet Dai Atlas' deep red gaze. Soft clicks announced the unlocking of Titanium's own chest armor, his cockpit sliding out of the way as the plates parted slightly. The white light of his spark could be glimpsed through the opening seam before it mingled with the deep red of Dai Atlas'.

"I will miss you," Dai Atlas managed to get the words out before his entire frame arched with a cry that was as much pain as pleasure with the entwining of the first leaders from their sparks.

"And I will miss you," Titanium responded unsteadily, his chest armor parting, plates sliding over and under each other. Red and white leaders merged into brilliant red and pink threads, more threads reaching out, twining around each other. The silver and purple mech echoed his former charge's cry, optics flaring, wings hiking up as far as they could go.

The pain wasn't something he was prepared for, not in a merge like this.

~Spark was damaged,~ Dai Atlas gasped across the growing connection as he sought to deepen it. ~Didn't think this would hurt so much.~

Purple-and-gold-streaked wings twitched. ~I heard about your miscarriage... I grieve for your loss.~ Titanium's frame trembled slightly as he fought to control himself, letting Dai Atlas set the pace, not wanting to cause his former student, the mech he considered his family, more pain.

The response was wordless but intense. Gratitude for the words and truth behind them. Apology for causing his mentor pain. Thanks for not pulling back. Lingering grief that one sparkling would be the only one he would every carry, and quite likely the pair of them the only ones he would ever create. Thanks that the reproductive protocols had been silenced by it. Fear twined around grief that he was losing his mentor, the only thing in his entire existence that was stable. Primes came and went. Regulations changed. Even his bonded mates were transitory compared to Titanium.

~I'll find you... I'll come back, and when I do, I'll be there to stay,~ Titanium murmured. ~Primus himself couldn't stop me.~ Diamond-hard determination that he would return to Dai Atlas in the future flowed through the connection. The elder mech's field wrapped around Dai Atlas', radiating the reassurance Dai Atlas so desperately needed in that moment. They both felt the trust Dai Atlas had in his mentor silence the swirling fears. If Titanium said something with such conviction, it would happen. There was no room in Dai Atlas' processor or spark for anything else.

When that tension unspooled the merge sank deeper, the boundaries of thought and programming falling away into a union that Dai Atlas treasured as deeply as he did anything in his existence. His bonded mate balanced him, and he loved each of them deeply and honestly, but it was this mech who had defined him and taught him what it meant to care about another, how to lead, how to be a mentor and care for his charges.

Titanium lowered his helm, his lips meeting Dai Atlas' in a deep, thorough kiss. His love for the mech he had taught and guided and the pride he had in his former student flowed through their linked sparks.

Relief. Pride. Desire. Love. Trust. Everything Dai Atlas felt for his mentor wrapped up in a single glyph that meant so much more than it did for others.

#Mentor#

Softly Dai Atlas cried out as his spark was soothed in a place he hadn't even realized was in pain. Where his bond with Axe was, love, understanding and support flowed, relaxing the pain inside Dai Atlas even more.

In reply the red spark flooded his lovers, his loves, with all they'd done for him and his core-deep gratitude that they respected each other and didn't try to make him choose between them. In reply the red spark flooded his lovers, his loves, with all they'd done for him and his core-deep gratitude that they respected each other and didn't try to make him choose between them.

~Would never make you choose,~ the purple and silver mech whispered. ~Would never hurt you that way.~

SxSxSxSxSxSxSxSx S===================S SxSxSxSxSxSxSxS

The Citadel was caught completely by surprise. Following the initial attacks on Iacon and other cities around Cybertron, the Knights had upgraded their sensor arrays, using the Citadel's funds and their various contacts to get the best equipment available. They had been counting on their isolation to keep them off the radar long enough to organize their exodus and get off the planet, and their new sensors to make sure they spotted any approaching enemies long before they got close enough to be any real threat.

The Decepticon special ops strike team managed to avoid the sensors entirely, remaining completely undetected right up until they launched their attack. The Knights were caught completely off guard. Civilians and dependents milled about uncertainly, not sure what to do. Knights darted about in a panic, scrambling to mobilize, to get their weapons and receive their orders. Vanguard was in the thick of things, trying to get the situation under control, even as another explosion at the main gates caused another panicked rush.

A spat of designations, smaller Knights and grounders, was transmitted along with sectors to check for saboteurs and explosives. A fully detailed assault and protection plan was transmitted to everyone else. It focused on the small army that could now be seen rushing to attack, but also paid attention to the hidden enemy that had blown up their gate.

"Knights, attack!" Dai Atlas roared as he, Axe and Titanium blasted overhead towards the enemy.

Hearing Dai Atlas and the call to battle, the Knights flooded out of the badly damaged gates, swords bared. Laser fire erupted as soon as the first of them came into view, mecha darting about madly to avoid being hit. The attackers clearly were expecting return fire; being charged with bladed weapons caught them by surprise for the barest instant. That was enough for the Knights to reach them.

Titanium watched the Knights from the corner of his optic, hissing a curse. Knight law and tradition had a strict no-killing law, and the Knights were still holding to it, fighting to incapacitate but not to kill.

"Don't leave them alive!" the purple and silver mech bellowed, startling the nearest mechs. "If they survive to report back they'll bring back an entire army with them!" Picking out an opponent, Titanium drove one swordblade straight through his enemy's shoulder, then brought the other sword around in a blinding arc, the blade cutting deep into the Decepticon's shoulder. One precise, merciless thrust through the spark finished the mech, and Titanium stepped over his carcass to challenge the next.

"Kill them all!" Dai Atlas backed his mentor's order as he joined the fight, side by side with his mate as they surrendered themselves to the familiar battle-lust that had served them both so well in their long lives. Mecha fell under sword, ax, and pede as the giants made a relentless path through the force that had yet to meet their like.

Some of the Knights balked at actually killing; they had been trained to incapacitate. But they could see the giants' reasoning and understood the logic. That didn't mean they had to like it, though.

Mentally, those three and a handful of others they knew could kill without grief, like Kimark and Demeter, were marked as the ones to commit the crime that was killing an incapacitated opponent when the time came.

Those few were prepared to pay the price to keep the Citadel and their comrades safe.

One Decepticon tried to draw a bead on Dai Atlas' helm, keeping out of the blue giant's reach. Spotting the bold 'Con, Titanium didn't even bother with using his sword. His attack was a stiff-fingered strike that punched straight through the Decepticon's abdominal plating. Knights stared as the ancient warrior proceeded to rip out his prey's entire fuel processing system, spraying energon everywhere. The Decepticon crumpled, and one final piledriver stomp to the helm put the mech out of his misery.

"Ouch," was Axe's only comment as he darted past, putting all his mass behind one powerful ax blow, splitting another mech cleanly in half from one shoulder to the opposite hip.

All around them Decepticons began to pull back, unprepared for the sheer violence of the giants and the punishment their armor could take. Even more they were unprepared to face a force that was almost completely airframes. These Decepticons had not yet been hardened by war, few had been upgraded from their standard armor, and none had faced such a well-led, well-organized force before. As small as the base was, they hadn't expected more than a few dozen serious defenders. Faced with more than two hundred they tried to cut their losses and run.

"Don't let one escape!" Dai Atlas bellowed, taking to the air to tackle the escapee farthest from the front line.

"I got the strays!" Titanium was airborne in a thunder of engines, bringing down the first Decepticon with a burst of gunfire. The ancient mech was such a regular visitor to the Citadel that no one bothered to confiscate his other weapons, trusting him not to use them. His target went down trailing black smoke, the crash creating an impressive gash in the landscape. Ignoring his fallen enemy, Titanium went after the next enemy flier, leaving the slower grounders in favor of picking off the faster airframes.

Far to his right he picked up Dai Atlas doing much the same, though he used variations on flying tackles and crash techniques since he, like all Knights, lacked ranged weapons.

Axe was working with Kimark and several of the more violent Knights to take down the grounders as they tried to fall back, only to find that retreat wasn't going to be an option.

The last flying Decepticon went down, one wing thoroughly perforated.. The mech survived the crash, but having a giant mech come dropping out of the air and landing on him with both pedes ensured that he didn't live much longer. Titanium put a shot through his helm just to make sure, then pushed off again, making a detour on his way back to catch up with the groundframe that had gotten farthest away from the Citadel. Several precise slashes and stabs crippled the Decepticon and forced him back to root form. The mech quickly ended up flat on his back with a massive pede pinning him down and a sword at his throat.

"Now, you are going to tell me exactly why you pieces of slag-sucking gutter slime are out here," Titanium hissed, optics blazing a fiery red as he glared down at his prey.

About a breem later, the purple and silver mech was back in the air, returning to the Citadel and leaving behind the grayed form of his quarry, a neat stab right through the spark chamber having ended him.

Below him Knights were largely headed back, each one burdened with at least one dead frame. Only a handful of the former military and gladiators types out to check each fallen frame to ensure it was indeed deactivated before assigning someone to drag it inside. He approved of Dai Atlas taking command of that as well, watching as the Knights were introduced to another new, very unwelcome concept: recycling frames.

Descending, Titanium transformed and touched down next to his former student, his wing brushing against Dai Atlas' shoulder. "I got the fliers... Most of them didn't leave much behind to recycle. And I found out why the slaggers were out here in the first place."

"Good," he nodded to his mentor as he helped a mid-sized Knight situate one of the deactivated mechs to take inside. "What did they think they were going to encounter?"

"Apparently they thought this was an Autobot stronghold... An energon cache or a weapons store. Were expecting it to be lightly guarded. Easy pickings." Titanium shifted. "Mind if I borrow one of your assistants here to help retrieve the ones I brought down? My ground alt's a heavy cargo transport; I just need someone to help me load the carcasses."

"Hopefully this lack of a returning force will keep them away rather than draw them back," Dai Atlas said grimly even as he nodded. "Atl. Go with Titanium to pick up his kills."

The red and white Knight nodded and transformed to a fairly non descript, medium sized red ground vehicle, ready to go where the giant led.

Titanium nodded to Dai Atlas, then transformed to his ground alt, getting some odd looks from other Knights. They'd been expecting a tank or some other military vehicle, not a cargo transporter. Exhaust gusting from his stacks, Titanium headed out, Atl following.

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"Titanium, Dai Atlas, Axe," Vanguard's voice was low, his wings quivering with what was either fury or fear. The Circle of Masters plus one visitor had gathered in the Sovereign's office and were now three to four around a circle. "You will explain yourselves."

Titanium's back straightened, level red optics meeting Vanguard's white. "Those were Decepticons... One of the two warring factions, the faction who arranged the attacks that killed Sentinel Prime and wiped out the Senate. If even one of them had survived and escaped, they would have come back in force, and the Citadel would have fallen. Killing them was the only way."

"I expect no different from you," the Sovereign softened slightly before his wings quivered and he locked onto Dai Atlas. "You however, should know better."

"Do you remember why you put me in charge of the evacuation?" Dai Atlas asked in reply, his own frame stiff but not the least bit repentant. "Those were no raiders. That was part of an army strong enough to challenge the Empire in its capitol and win. You deal with raiders. The war is my domain. I understand how it works, and you know it."

"We know how war works, and we know what we must do to keep our people safe," Axe added, armor ruffling down his back. "This is not a time for half measures."

"The situation is different from anything the Citadel has faced before," Titanium pointed out. "There was no other choice, and there will be no other choice if they're dumb enough to try again."

"And what of the other army, these Autobots?" Marwir didn't even bother to hide her growl. "What of the ones who did get away. We only caught one of the team that planted the bombs. All that killing, and what did it accomplish?"

"The point was to keep either army from finding the Citadel or even drawing their attention here." Titanium's wings flared out. "I would kill any mech from either faction to keep them from finding this place."

"But killing is not our way," Vanguard took control back, only now appreciating just how many of the Circle of Masters were more warrior than diplomat. It was too late to try and shift the balance. Their path was set and a warrior would lead the Order into the next phase. "We understand it is your way. We do not fault you for killing when on the battlefield. We will ask you to refrain from encouraging Knights to do the same."

"He will not." Dai Atlas shivered, protective fury roiling up from spark and programming. Every single one of them heard it in his voice, that echo that could pierce one's very spark that was the core of his damage-dealing singing voice. "Those of us who can with a clear spark will do what must be done after the battle, and face what penance will come of it."

"All the family I have is here. I will do whatever I have to in order to protect them." The oldest mech's optics blazed a fiery red. "The times have changed. I know that killing is not your way, but if the Order is to survive you must adapt. At least until you're off Cybertron and out of the war's reach."

"Vanguard, leave the killing to those of us who can take it with a clear spark," Dai Atlas almost pleaded. "Six Knights I know can accept this duty and not break."

"You know what will happen when this is over," the former priest looked sick.

"If that is the price for the Order's survival, so be it," Dai Atlas said firmly.

Titanium had been around the Knights long enough to have a good idea of their traditions and penances. The big mech shifted ever so slightly. "War is not always black or white, Sovereign. Sometimes it's about finding the shade of gray you can live with. It's about doing what must be done in order to survive."

Dai Atlas reached out to place a hand on his mentor's shoulder. "That is why those few of us who know that in our sparks will do what Knights should not do. If any can take the penance and live, it will be those who can understand what war really is. Better us than inflicting our crimes on the entire order. The results of this orn will be bad enough already."

The older mech lifted his hand, resting it atop Dai Atlas'. "When I'm called back out, I will do whatever I can to keep the warring forces away from the Citadel. Or at least keep them down to groups a small number of Knights can handle." Red optics met red optics.

"Thank you," Vanguard inclined his helm while Dai Atlas and Axe answered with their fields.

"How long before they come back?" Marwir vented heavily, already dreading the affect on Wing when the final penance came due.

"There's no way to know," Axe answered. "It could be within orns, it might not be for metacycles or vorns."

"This bunch managed to get right past your scanners, so if they come back there's a chance you might not even see them coming," Titanium pointed out. "You'll have to be even more on guard."

"We'll begin to patrol the plains," Vanguard nodded. "Even if they wouldn't have spotted the team that snuck in, they will see an army on the move."

Titanium inclined his helm. "I wish you the best of luck in avoiding another conflict like this orn's."

"Thank you," Vanguard inclined his helm. "I hope the remainder of your stay is a pleasant one."

"Come," Dai Atlas guided his mate and mentor from the office. "The two of us have a binding to undergo."

"I hope so as well." Titanium nodded to the Sovereign, then followed Dai Atlas and Axe out. "I'll either be in my quarters or in the courtyard with the usual audience."

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Dinner was over, the family, including Titanus, was just getting up to move to the living room when Dai Atlas caught his mentor's mouth in a fierce kiss. The younger mechs chirred and watched with interest, Titanus scooping up his daughter. Wing grinned hugely, wings fluttering as he found himself a perch. Titanium returned the kiss just as fiercely, one hand lifting to Dai Atlas' heavy helm, stroking around the bases of his golden crests.

The white wings twitched, the ancient's frame stiffening slightly as his comm chirped for attention. His former charge, his lover, growled at the interruption and what he knew it meant, but he backed off slightly to allow Titanium to attend to the call without disruption.

::Hey boss, sorry about interrupting, but the Prime's getting fidgety. I don't think he can be put off any longer. You'll have to get to Iacon ASAP.::

The big triple changer muttered something rude, then sighed. ::It'll take me two, maybe three orns to get back... I'm pretty far out. Try and fend him off for that long, please.::

::That I can do. I can just say you're heading in from ... say Kaon? You still have a place there, don't you? This one's a grounder. He wouldn't think twice about three orns from Kaon.::

::Yes, I have a place in Kaon. And it's my home city, so I'd have reason to be there. Thank you.:: Titanium's wings drooped as he refocused, looking at Dai Atlas. "I couldn't avoid it forever ... I've been recalled to Iacon."

"I know," he murmured, drawing his mentor into an embrace and fierce kiss. "Can you leave in the morning, or must it be now?"

"I told them two to three orns to get back... I should be there in time even if I leave in the morning." Titanium leaned into the kiss.

"Good," Dai Atlas shivered, his field expressing just how he wanted to spend their last night together. Reluctantly he pulled away. "You should say your goodbyes to everyone else before I distract you too much."

"Agreed." Titanium ruffled his armor, turning to face the other mecha in the room. "I've just been recalled to Iacon to face the new Prime... I'll be leaving in the morning. I probably won't get the chance to drop in again before the exodus takes place, so it might be a very long time before I see any of you again."

Wing promptly launched himself at Titanium, latching on and clinging.

"If you ping me with coordinates, I can pick you up and drop you off," Starspark offered. "Even if it's not often, you could come now and then."

"Thanks, Star." The old triple changer reached over to stroke her helm lightly. "If I can, I will do so. But I might not get the chance. It depends on what happens between then and now." Titanium ran his palm over Wing's wings, nuzzling the little jet. "However long it takes, I'll find you, wherever you end up settling."

"Be careful," Wing trilled, his voice shaky. "Be ready to retire soon."

"I will be careful," the big purple and silver mech promised. "Cross my spark and hope to rust. Though my retirement might not be as soon as you'd prefer." Curling one arm around Wing, Titanium walked over to exchange hugs with the others, even Sheerwing, who put up a token protest but returned the gesture.

"It would only be soon enough if you were going to Iacon to hand in your fee," Sheerwing admitted, his grip on his sire tightening. "You'll be missed."

"And I'll miss you." Titanium pressed his forehelm to Sheerwing's, his optics dimming slightly. "I'll miss all of you, very much."

"Why aren't you ready to stop killing?" Starspark asked unsteadily.

"It's too difficult to explain... This is something that's not easy to put into words. I'm not ready to be a civilian yet. One orn, that will change, and that is when I will leave the battlefield behind forever." The old triple changer scooped the young femme from Titanus' arms, nuzzling her helm gently. Titanus watched for a moment, then stepped forward to wrap his arms around the older mech and the two small white mecha.

"It's not that simple," Dai Atlas spoke up. "It's like asking you why we aren't ready to stop being a Knight and enjoy the freedoms of the civilian world."

She simply nodded against Titanium's chest, her field full of distress. "Just remember, even if it's just a couple joors in the evening, I can bring you here and drop you off in your quarters, no one the wiser."

"I will remember." Titanium gave her one last nuzzle, then placed her gently on her pedes. Axe had to pry Wing away from the oldest of the group's chest armor, the white jet fluttering unhappily.

Titanium walked back over to Dai Atlas, leaning against his former student's shoulder. "I'm going to miss all of you," he murmured.

"You will be welcomed when you return," Dai Atlas murmured, wrapping his arms around his mentor and glancing at the others before nudging Titanium towards the berthroom.

"And probably glomped, too," the elder quipped as he obeyed the nudge. "Wing will probably latch onto me and not let go for an orn or two."

"And I'm the only one who will actually object," Dai Atlas chuckled, giving a teasing look at his eldest surviving creation before the door closed behind him and he twisted to press his mentor against the wall with his entire frame. Their mouths met in a kiss that was as intense and urgent as any they'd shared. Though never seeing each other again had long been a possibility, it had never been quite like this.

The older mech purred into the kiss, one hand lifting to catch the edge of a long white wing. Deft fingertips kneaded over one of the sensors while Titanium's other hand ran up Dai Atlas' back to stroke along the back of his neck, teasing lightly over the cables. In reply strong white hands ran up his sides as the kiss intensified. Knowing fingers found Titanium's wing joints, building the charge fast and hot as their frames scraped together.

Mixed deeply with the arousal was the need to connect, to experience his mentor in every way possible and hold onto that pleasure.

Long wings stretched out, opening the seams and allowing Dai Atlas' fingers to slip inside. The reinforced false glass of the elder mech's cockpit and ground-alt windscreens scraped lightly against the blue triple changer's chestplate. Shifting his weight, Titanium pressed one pede against Dai Atlas' lower leg, the engine in the elder's leg revving high, vibrating through both mechs. Titanium's field wrapped around and melded into his former charge's, laced with understanding of Dai Atlas' need and a matching arousal.

The kiss broke and Titanium's mouth moved to Dai Atlas' throat cables, drawing a shuddering moan from the blue mech. One of Dai Atlas' hands slid down his mentor's side to hook a leg and draw it up as his spike cover slid back. The silver and purple mech purred against Dai Atlas' throat cables, his glossa probing between them, flicking against the sensitive wiring. Valve cover sliding open, Titanium wrapped his leg around the blue mech's hip, his fingers slipping into a seam on Dai Atlas' back, the other hand caressing a wide wing.

Their moans mingled and melded as Dai Atlas slid inside his mentor, hilting himself in a single smooth motion. One hand remains inside the wing joint while the other guided Titanium's leg and hip with the knowledge of long intimacy with the larger mech.

Titanium's hands sought out the most sensitive places on Dai Atlas' frame. His engines revved high, vibrating through his frame, setting off sensors under blue armor. Tilting his helm, the older triple changer nipped delicately at the base of one of Dai Atlas' golden horns, purring in his former charge's audial.

"You'll always be remembered," Dai Atlas breathed as he pulled back and thrust deep, driving Titanium's hips against the wall and scraping his back lightly against the hard surface.

A deep moan rolled out of the elder mech's vocalizer. He murmured something in an ancient Cybertronian dialect, old long before even Dai Atlas had been created, and captured Dai Atlas' lips in a fierce kiss. Silver fingers ran over the leading edge of a wide wing, a sweeping stroke that ran over a line of sensors, sending surges of sensation through the blue triple changer's sensor net as Dai Atlas surrendered completely to his mentor.

A low whimper and flare of intense pride in Dai Atlas' field spoke of his understanding, even if neither could give a translation of the term. Closer than spark-kin, a bond deeper and more binding than a spark-bond in those early orns where bonding was intended for reproduction rather than an act of love.

His hips drove forward again, hard and deep, while his hands sought to bring even more pleasure to the mech that had been there for him when his bonded mates had not been.

Purple and silver armor flared out, allowing Dai Atlas' hands access to the underlying systems. Titanium shifted his hips slightly, altering the angle, pressing his frame against the blue triple changer's. His engines and turbines roared, the vibration rattling plating, setting off every sensor in both mechs' frames.

It was all Dai Atlas could take. With a hard thrust his frame stiffened, only allowing for minor thrusts as energy crackled and danced over his armor and thick, hot transfluid exploded into Titanium's valve.

Dai Atlas' overload set off Titanium's, the older mech's valve clamping down on Dai Atlas' spike. Charge raced through his circuits, sizzling across his armor. His engines revved even higher for a brief klik before slowly spooling back down to an idle as they both stilled, welcoming the post-overload hazy stillness as they held each other.

Gradually Dai Atlas came to himself enough to nuzzle his mentor, then kiss him in a slow, sloppy kiss.

"Berth?" he murmured, not yet moving.

Titanium hummed softly, returning the kiss with barely more coordination. "Once we're sure we can move without falling over," he replied, trailing his fingertips lightly up Dai Atlas' back to stroke the back of his neck. It was a spot that could drive Dai Atlas to pleasure, rage or willing surrender depending on who and how he was touched there, much like the base of his crown.

Slowly Dai Atlas nodded, more than willing to remain where he was, propped up against the wall and by his mentor's arms even as his mass held Titanium upright. His valve's complaining would get him to move in time, but for the moment he was willing to be still.

It took a couple of kliks for their legs to be willing to support them again. Titanium was the first to stir, nudging gently at Dai Atlas, slowly shifting off the blue mech's spike and lowering his leg. After making sure he had his balance back, he nipped lightly at Dai Atlas' jawline, nudging him toward the berth. His former charge willingly followed, all but falling onto the berth and pulling his mentor down on top of him. Strong blue and yellow legs spread. White thighs lifted to rub against Titanium's.

The deep rumble of Dai Atlas' voice was laced with power drawn on by his emotional state. The ancient term his mentor had called him was repeated, full of understanding, thanks and intense pride that he'd earned such a distinction.

Titanium settled over his former student, pressing his pelvic plating against Dai Atlas'. The older mech's purr was soft and warm as he leaned down to trail his lips along the blue triple changer's throat cables, murmuring another phrase in ancient Cybertronian into blue armor.

The words drew another shudder as Dai Atlas' valve cover slid open to expose platelets already glistening with lubricant. Dai Atlas' entire frame arched up with a moaning whine of pleasure that was pure emotion when his processor finally translated the term for him. It was much as he felt about his mentor, only from his mentor's side.

One hand slid into a seam along Dai Atlas' side as Titanium released his own spike, sliding it smoothly into the blue triple changer's valve in one swift motion. The elder mech shifted his hips, rubbing his spike against as many sensors as he could, bracing himself with one hand while the other wandered down to Dai Atlas' hip joint.

"Mentor," Dai Atlas cried out, a deep rumbling moan overlaying the emotion and loyalty-laden word-glyph from a time when mentor was for both mecha's existence and far more important than one's creators. It was from a time before Dai Atlas, but he had been raised with it. His valve tightened around the welcome intrusion, around the only mech who spiked him regularly and it never felt awkward with.

"My student," the older mech murmured in response, nuzzling the underside of Dai Atlas' jaw, fingers sliding deeper into the hip joint, feathering over the wiring and gyros. Titanium held still for a moment, then settled into a rhythm, shifting for the best angle.

Deep red optics slowly shuttered, the pleasure rippling through Dai Atlas' core. His hips, his frame, eagerly responded while his hands stroked wide upswept wings. What few words escaped him were of a dialect long dead, the first one he'd been loaded with when he'd been reformatted; his mentor's preferred one at the time.

Upswept wings pressed into Dai Atlas' hands, sleek plating flaring out. Old scars showed on the glimpses of protoform showing under flared armor. Titanium responded in the same dialect, leaning down to nibble at the edges of blue and white and black armor plates.

Their frames easily settled into the familiar pleasure, the slide, push and pull of this newest and messiest form of interfacing, yet also the most physical and simple in so many ways. Whispered words stroked the emotional pleasure as high as the physical, each side promising to remember and treasure the other until thinking, much less speaking, was too difficult.

Energy danced across their plating as moans overtook words as the rhythm began harder, their frames demanding the overload being promised.

Titanium picked up the pace, hips shifting so that each thrust rubbed over a different set of sensor nodes, his spike driving in deeper, as deep as it could go. His fingers brushed over the delicate inner mechanisms of Dai Atlas' hip joint as he nipped at the blue armor framing the blue mech's face, glossa flicking out to trace the black markings on Dai Atlas' cheeks.

A keening roar rumbled up from Dai Atlas' frame and his hips rolled up to take his mentor deeply before it closed and rippled around that beloved spike. His arms and legs wrapped around Titanium's frame before locking, entwining them together tightly in their helpless pleasure. The elder mech answered with a roar of his own, thrusting into Dai Atlas' valve once more, as deep as he could possibly go, before his frame locked up. Charge erupted across his plating, cascading through his sensor net. Transfluid burst from his spike, flooding into Dai Atlas' valve, hot and thick, spurting directly into the dense cluster of nodes.

They both trembled, caught in the overload and protocols that overrode their physical control, yet neither felt anything but the bliss of it in their trust of the other. Slowly, smoothly, they came down, feeling languid as the kisses came softly. Yet as physically drained as they both were, they could feel Dai Atlas' desire to merge one last time before they parted for a very, very long time.

Responding to that desire, Titanium's chest plates unlocked, cockpit sliding back to allow the plates to fold out of the way, releasing the white glow of his spark. The big mech shifted slightly, nuzzling at Dai Atlas' chestplates, brilliant red optics lifting to meet the blue mech's darker red gaze.

"Mentor," was all Dai Atlas could manage, the ancient glyph going far beyond what it meant even in Axe's time, much less to modern mecha. His chest plates unlocked, offering his deep red spark, still fundamentally the same color despite bonding three times to paler sparks. His hand came up to cup Titanium's face as they kissed, the tendrils of their sparks reaching out eagerly.

The older mech rubbed his cheek against Dai Atlas' hand, nuzzling into his palm as he returned the kiss. Shimmering white threads twined around deep red, merging into strands of every shade of light red and pink. The contact was almost electric, emotions and feelings flowing back and forth between them.

Deep in Dai Atlas' spark was the chaos of intense conflict, something he had managed to conceal until now. A deep desire to bond, to have a reason to go on after Axe was gone, to have and keep the only stable part of his existence in his spark no matter what. Yet in the same desire was the knowledge that it was a terrible idea. That it was a desire born of fear and not love, but also that his mentor, no matter how important to him, was a spark that would unbalance his tenuous grip on sanity that was already stretched taunt by his gift.

The only thing that was not there was shame. Not for the fear, not for the desire, not even for the consequences if Titanium agreed.

Titanium nuzzled into Dai Atlas' palm, his optics dimming slightly. ~Your grasp on sanity is tenuous enough already; I have no desire to cause any more damage. I love you dearly, Dai, but my spark is not for you.~ Regret flowed along the connection.

~I know,~ honesty flowed back. ~I have always known, or you would have been my first bonded, as you were first in everything else.~

Affection swirled through their connected sparks. ~That knowledge doesn't make it cause you any less pain, my student, my love.~

~No,~ Dai Atlas admitted. ~No less pain, but far less than if we bonded.~ Affection, love and absolute trust swirled around Titanium's spark in deep red eddies. ~I never thought I would take a long separation from you so poorly.~

~Though I can't say I'm overly surprised... I've been a pillar of stability for you for nearly your entire existence. Even while you were hiding from Nova Prime I would have helped you any way I could, and lied to his face with a clear spark. But now, it's more than just politics that will separate us. Distance, and time, not knowing how the other fares or having any way to remain in contact, and on the eve of a catastrophic civil war.~ Understanding flickered and danced in shimmering white arcs around and over Dai Atlas' deep red life-force.

~All true,~ Dai Atlas sighed. He still bore a deep desire to bond, to keep his mentor close forever, but the need was cooling in face of the mutually spoken truth. ~I will miss you dearly, my mentor,~ he murmured as he gave himself over to the pleasure and perfect closeness of the merge with one who knew him so well.

~And I will miss you,~ was the soft response. ~But I will find you. Primus as my witness, I will find you, wherever you finally settle.~

~I will be there to embrace you,~ Dai Atlas shuddered at the depth of the oath given and received from them both.

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::Incoming forces!:: a half panicked comm broadcast to every Knight from Lightwing, the tag glyphs warning that he was under attack and rather desperate to escape the Seekers trying to shoot him down.

"We're out of time!" Axe briefly met his mate's optics across the crowd of mecha swarming through the Citadel's courtyard. ::Help is on the way, Lightwing!::

Knights were gathering, preparing for battle. The front cluster were the half-dozen or so who could kill an enemy mecha with a clear spark, those who would finish off the fallen. While the civilians boarded and cargo was crammed into every last niche possible, these Knights would hold off the enemy for as long as they possibly could.

::How are you doing?:: Dai Atlas opened a comm line with Titanus and Starspark even as he picked up Kimark and launched himself to enter the battle.

Skywolf and Coldbolt, laden with the modern weapons as Dai Atlas and Axe were, darted forward, ahead of the main contingent of Knights to support Lightwing.

::The mecha I'm moving have finally figured out that I can teleport with large groups as long as they're all in physical contact,:: Titanus replied. ::I've got a couple more loads of cargo to move to Altihex before I start hauling up to the moon.::

::Just about done cramming cargo into the Praxus ship,:: Starspark added. ::Will be back to the Citadel soon.::

Sureshock followed with the rest of the Knights, letting out a wild battle cry as he charged. The nearest Knights gave him wary glances as they followed. They faced a force far larger than any they'd met before. More organized and better armed as well. But the real difference was in the air. This army boasted more than a dozen trines of Seekers, all heavily armed for air-to-air combat. Something only a handful of Knights were capable of, even now.

With the front line in view, the grounder Knights were set down and the majority of the airframe Knights landed to attack. Only Dai Atlas, Axe, Skjöldur, Shogun, Sheerwing, Coldbolt, Skywolf and Sureshock remained airborne to deal with the Seekers and Decepticon airframes.

In one of the opening salvoes, both sides learned how Skjöldur had earned her designation. A full set of missiles were launched at the sleek orange-winged Praxian as he darted past the airborne line and toward the ground. Without so much as a quiver, the dusty rose colored femme, a giant among the Knights, transformed to root mode and twisted to put her wings in the way.

With the fire and smoke cleared, she barely had burnt paint.

~Impressive,~ Axe commented to his mate, having watched the big femme take that hit.

The lines collided with the audible crash of metal on metal, swords meeting armor. The lead Knights plowed in, aiming their blades at the most vulnerable points, where they could cause the most damage. Laser fire erupted all around them, searing paint and sending bolts of pain deep into circuitry.

~Very. She's well-designated,~ Dai Atlas replied as he unloaded a barrage of missiles on the back ranks of the Decepticons before focusing his full attention on the airborne threat.

The Citadel's Knights were mostly airframes with a small number of grounders among their ranks, but they were all trained in close combat with edged weapons. Against Seekers armed and trained for air-to-air combat, the Seekers had the advantage.

A white streak darted past, dumping two fairly fragile containers into the Decepticon ranks, then disappearing before Dai Atlas or Axe could bark at him. Wing had been left in charge of helping with the dependents, which he hadn't argued with, but that didn't stop him from getting in a few licks of his own. One of the containers contained several particularly large crystal vipers, the other several dozen large, angry cyber-scorpions.

The resulting chaos made Dai Atlas grin at his eldest creation's adaptation to the idea of non-sword combat. None of the Decepticons were small or young enough to be serious harmed by the creatures, but even the largest would be subjected to crippling pain if bitten or stung.

~He's got a creative tactical processor,~ Axe agreed before focusing on a trine of Seekers that made the mistake of assuming his size meant he was slow.

Shogun streaked past, transforming as he shot over a stray Seeker and using his swords to sever the enemy flier's wings. Shrieking in pain and alarm, the Seeker dropped, clawing at the air. Dropping back to the ground, the red Knight pulled out his energy naginata, a weapon he'd adopted a couple millennia before, and started tearing a swathe through the Decepticons.

Another Seeker howled and went down as Skywolf opened fire, shooting wings and fuselages and control flaps full of holes. The flying Knight whooped as his target impacted the ground, then barked in surprise as laser fire scored along his undercarriage. Coldbolt dealt with the offending enemy, his own armor scored with laser burns, energon seeping from a few of the wounds.

They all knew this was a battle that would cost Knights their sparks. Every last one of them was willing to sacrifice theirs so the exodus would be successful enough. Every last one also fought with everything they had not to be among those who would be lost.

Sureshock was the first to fall. His battle cries and exuberant whooping as he plowed through the attacking Decepticons were suddenly cut off with a cry of anguish, then went silent altogether. Shogun plowed through to retrieve the fallen Knight's Great Sword, subspacing it for the duration of the battle. One of the mid-sized fliers was shot out of the sky, managing to survive the crash but not the waves of enemy mecha she crashed into.

Roaring rage, Axe fixed his sights on the leader of the closest Seeker trine, blowing the mech out of the air before leveling everything within a hundred paces of her remains to retrieve her Great Sword. He didn't even realize that his kill had been one of only four Decepticons still in the air. The rest either shot down or having retreated.

The ground forces weren't nearly so willing to give up, though their far greater numbers giving better odds against the nearly two hundred Knights that had first appeared ... a number now down to less than fifty as the bulk had retreated to board their assigned ships.

The vibration of large ship engines made the ground underpede tremble. Still more Knights began to peel off, leaving less than a dozen still on the battlefield as the ships began to lift off, slowly rising toward open space.

Flashes of blue marked the arrival of Titanus after the fourth ship had launched and broken the gravity well. He was there to retrieve those who would be the last to leave, covering the launches by keeping the enemy forces occupied. Dai Atlas and Axe were the last to be retrieved and taken aboard their ships.

Axe settled from the disorientation of the jump on the bridge of his vessel, the Pobegniti v nov Dom Deset and looked on the monitor showing the ships behind him and another showing the full fleet and the status of each ship as they bolted from Cybertron in all directions.

~All good?~ Dai Atlas asked him from the bridge of the very last ship to launch.

~So far so good,~ Axe replied, nodding his thanks to Titanus before the visibly exhausted teleporter collapsed. The black and gold Knight watched for a moment as the giant white and gray mech was taken away for some rest and a refueling, then turned his attention to the screens. ~Now, the hard part begins.~

Wing, on Dai Atlas' ship, glanced back once at the abandoned Citadel, seeing darts of movement as those mechs who had chosen not to come took off in all directions. White wings twitched, then the white jet returned his attention to his monitors and his duties until they were clear of danger from the warring factions.

"Open fire on anything that attacks," Dai Atlas ordered, a reminder that at least this ship was still not following the ways of the Circle of Light. He, Axe and three of the others rather pointedly assigned non-Knights to the weapon stations for just that reason. All former military, all with experience in ending mecha's existences, but not bound by the laws and morals of the Knights.

"We've got incoming!" the mech at the sensor station announced. "Multiple contacts!"

Axe's hands tightened on the edges of his console as his optics took in what was coming their way. There was a massive firefight underway over Cybertron, larger ships and smaller single mecha shooting the scrap out of each other.

"All ships, scatter, and we'll meet up at the prearranged rendezvous coordinates!" the black mech barked. Then the ship shuddered as the first shots impacted, and the mecha at the weapons station, designated Crossfire, began returning fire.

"Primus to the Pit!" Axe snarled in a language old enough his crew only caught the intent. "What's wrong with that special transponder?"

The attacking mech was quickly blown to scrap, and Crossfire checked his screens carefully. "No other ships or mecha are moving to attack... That one probably just had a really itchy trigger finger."

"Looking good so far," Tornado reported from another ship. "The battle is mostly ignoring us."

"Pobegniti v nov Dom Eden under attack," Vanguard's voice was steady, but the explosions and screams behind his voice told a different story. "Critical system damage."

Axe glanced at his monitors, noting the swarm of hostile contacts around Vanguard's ship, and swore vilely, using a few phrases in several different languages, as he realized that although the special transponder was working it was being completely ignored. A glance at another screen drew out another storm of cursing; both teleporters were unconscious and unable to try evacuating the critically damaged ship. "Vanguard!"

"We've taken a few hits, but no major damage," Sheerwing reported on another channel, a comment repeated by the others on this side of Cybertron.

From further out, the two ships that had been on the moons, reports came that they were all in the clear. The same with those on the far side of the planet.

"It seems Dai Atlas will lead longer than intended," the Sovereign of Light said calmly. "I only regret that so many Great Swords will never be borne again."

Metal creaked under Axe's grip as he stared at the display, watching helplessly as Vanguard's ship was shot to pieces by enemies who were completely ignoring the transponder signal. There was absolutely nothing he or any of the others could do, and the ships had had to be stripped of escape pods to make room for cargo and passengers. Everyone knew that if something went wrong there was little point to escape anyway. The only safety was far, far out of the system, and none of the ships had room, or time, for collecting survivors.

So it was quietly decided that there would be no effort to enable survivors.

A burst of cursing from Sheerwing's ship, words that could only have been picked up from his creators, spoke of a second ship soon to be lost.

"Sheerwing! What's going on?" Axe couldn't stop a spike of alarm from searing through the bond. His optics darted to the display, picking out the dot that was Sheerwing's ship.

"Under attack," Sheerwing hissed in pain that was echoed from Dai Atlas to Axe. "Transponder damaged. Both sides are attacking us. Engines going critical."

Axe ruthlessly clamped down on a keen, feeling the agony radiating from Dai Atlas at the prospect of losing his sparkling. From another channel, Wing's keen was audible as he reacted to the news.

The fireball, when Sheerwing's ship exploded, was visible on the viewscreen of the ship Axe commanded.

"Sheerwing!" the black Knight cried out, gripping the console so hard metal crumpled under his fingers.

On another ship Dai Atlas keened in pain at the shredding of yet another bond, but remained standing. As painful as it was, the emotional pain was worse than the spark pain. He'd learned to continue to fight after the loss of a mate-bond. He would continue after this.

"How many are free of danger?" he growled out.

"Six in the clear, two destroyed, one in imminent danger, three still in the danger zone," the report came back.

"Then we've already done far better than anticipated," Dai Atlas murmured.

Axe reached through the bond, wrapping his thoughts around his mate's, sharing grief. Wing continued to keen, pulling his wings tight to his back.

The one ship that was in imminent danger exploded, taking one of its attackers with it. Two more broke free of the danger zone, while the third began broadcasting distress signals.

"We're clear," Axe reported, checking his monitors. "Only minor damage."

"As are we," Dai Atlas reported dully.

The black mech ached to be able to hold his mate, but that would have to wait until the ships rendezvoused or one of the teleporters woke up. He wrapped love and grief around Dai Atlas' spark as best he could. "Let's get to the rendezvous. The Circle has serious business that needs to be attended to."

"Yes," Marwir agreed over the comm. "We will meet you there."

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The surviving ships traveled for several orns, closing in on the coordinates that had been chosen as a rendezvous point. There was fairly constant contact between the ships, exchanging status reports and locations. Wing spent every moment he wasn't on duty all but glued to Dai Atlas' armor, recharging on the big blue mech and only peeling himself away with great reluctance.

Finally, the chosen meeting site was in range, a sun-baked, barren chunk of rock smaller than one of Cybertron's moons. It would serve as a place for the surviving ships to gather, and for the Circle of Light to take care of the important business they had to deal with.

As the mission leader, it was Dai Atlas who stood before the Circle, the four others of the Circle of Masters in a loose semi-circle around him.

"I am sure everyone has heard of those who were lost," he began, his rumble deep and still quietly grieving. "The funerals will be held after we attend to business. Vanguard was deactivated when his ship was lost. The Circle requires a new Sovereign. Those on the floor are those in contention for the position."

Murmurs rippled through the remaining Knights. All of them were grieving for the lost of almost a hundred and twenty of their comrades, and for the mech who had led them for so long. Wing muffled a keen, leaning against Thorn, who had been on Axe's ship. The black Knight slid an arm around him and held him tightly.

Dai Atlas glanced at his fellow Masters. "Do any of you wish to speak before the vote?"

Axe nodded and his mate gave him the floor. "Though I am of the Circle of Masters, I do not wish to be Sovereign now. My place is by my mate's side, nothing more."

The other Knights nodded their acknowledgement, murmuring to each other. Their optics swept over the other Masters. Tornado shook his helm, indicating that he had nothing to say, then glanced at the others.

Aurora and Marwir exchanged a glance, then Marwir flicked her wings to indicate she had nothing to say. It was no secret that before the exodus was planned, they were expected to be the next Sovereign and SIC. Now ... no one was sure any more.

"Dai Atlas will remain in charge of the exodus regardless of who the new Sovereign is," Aurora told the gathering, one far smaller than it had been before.

The blue giant nodded and swept the Circle with deep red optics. "Then let the vote begin. Aurora."

A chorus of humming rose from the crowd, indicating that their votes went to Aurora. Murmurs flew back and forth as Knights exchanged soft opinions, tallying votes, keeping their attention on the group of Masters.

"Marwir."

Far fewer hummed their support of her, though still a reasonable showing, given she was expected to be the next SIC.

"Tornado."

The blue and slate flier had a decent amount of support. Inclining his helm with a slight smile, he settled back to wait on the results of the vote, clasping his hands together behind his back. Like Marwir, he had no chance to win against Aurora's count, which meant this was about to get very interesting. A full third had not voted yet, which meant that unless a significant number abstained, there would be arguments and then a second vote between Dai Atlas and Axe against Aurora and Marwir.

"Dai Atlas."

The chorus of humming for Dai Atlas rivaled the chorus for Aurora, which surprised few. Tornado nodded slightly, as if he'd expected this outcome. The vote was getting interesting. As the one no longer involved, he now stepped forward to take over the moderator duties, such as they were.

"Master Aurora, present why you should be the next Sovereign to the Circle."

The femme nodded to him, then stepped forward to face the assembled Knights. "I have been the SIC of the Circle for a long time under Vanguard, and I have been training and preparing to take over leadership of the Order for longer than Dai Atlas has been a Knight of Light." Lifting her helm, she met the larger mech's optics. "The laws of the Order forbid the use of modern weapons, of guns and missiles, armaments which Dai Atlas and his SIC still carry in defiance of our laws. He is not suited to take over as Sovereign of Light."

A ripple of whispers and flurry of comms responded to the accusation, accurate but everyone knew that Vanguard himself had given them permission.

"Master Dai Atlas, present why you should be the next Sovereign to the Circle." Tornado kept his opinions to himself. After all, he was heavily biased toward his creator, who'd be the next SIC under Aurora and everyone knew it.

"I have been a leader longer than the rest of the Circle of Masters combined. My SIC was created and trained to be a command officer, a leader in his own right. He has long been willing and able to call me on my faults," Dai Atlas rumbled. "Vanguard agreed to these weapons, and the killing my team has done. We have and will face the penances for our infractions, just as Vanguard did in agreeing to them. There is not a Knight here that does not owe their continued existence to both." He looked around, literally daring any of the gathering, particularly Aurora, to contradict him.

When none did, he continued. "I will lead the Order and the society beyond ours that has traveled with us to a new home safe from conflict. I have the experience in settling a new world and leading that few can match. I have and will continue to respect the experience of those who know more about a subject than I do."

More murmurs and whispers rippled through the crowd, more than a few mecha nodding in agreement. Wing chirred his support of his creator, one wing twitching. It took a klik for the murmuring to die down, all optics returning to the circle of Masters.

"Then for the second vote. Aurora," Tornado spoke up.

There were slightly fewer votes for the Seeker this time when you counted that she should have gotten Marwir's vote and at least some of Tornado's. A few Knights looked uncertain. Aurora frowned internally, tallying up the votes. Assuming everyone did vote, Dai Atlas would be confirmed if she did not challenge him.

"Dai Atlas," Tornado called for the votes, internally very curious at the change of votes and who, if any, would choose to abstain.

Voices rose, Wing being the first to cast his support to his creators.

Tornado nodded. "Dai Atlas has 172 to 149 for Aurora and 3 beyond the five in the Circle of Masters who abstain. The vote is close enough for a challenge, if any call for Master Aurora to do so."

There was some scattered muttering at that, but no one called for a challenge. Aurora glanced around the assemblage, flicking a wing in a tiny shrug, then looking at Tornado. "I see no need for a challenge."

The de facto moderator inclined both helm and wings to her before facing the gathering once more. "Then by majority rule of the full Circle of Light, Master Dai Atlas is now our Sovereign."

The blue giant inclined his helm and wings respectfully, still faintly surprised that the vote had gone his way.

Wing was bouncing on his pedes, fluttering and trilling. Only a quick snatch by the nearest Knight, Firefly, kept him from pouncing.

"Pounce on him later," the red and gray Praxian told Wing, grinning at the glare he got in response.

Axe sidled over, leaning his shoulder against Dai Atlas'. ~You made it, love.~

~Yes,~ he purred back. "Thank you for your confidence in me. It will not be misplaced," he promised.

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Wing chirred and rustled, trying to remain calm and not squirm in his restraints too much as the shuttle descended onto a world dubbed Aelios. It was exciting and terrifying all at once. More than six thousand vorns spent exploring space, looking for an uninhabited world they could settle on. If this was it, seven would be the lucky number. If not ... maybe eight would be.

The planet appeared uninhabited; the sensors on the ships had been unable to find any signs of civilization. Basically a desert, Aelios circled a binary star, far enough from the twin stars to maintain an atmosphere and maintain a fairly steady temperature. Sensors had registered high concentrations of minerals in the sand and the rock below, more than enough to sustain a Cybertronian colony for a very, very long time. With two suns, there was plenty of solar energy with which to produce energon, good solar energon. There was a live magma core below too, though it was deep.

Around Wing the other members of the scouting party exchanged soft comments and comms. Some were grumbling about getting sand into their joints. Others just wanted off the ship, an open sky to race through. Anything was better than being cooped up.

Wing was lucky. He was small enough that he could fly, albeit in a limited fashion, in the larger rooms on his ship. It wasn't great flying, but it was far more than his creators got to enjoy.

He twitched again at the thud of the shuttle setting down.

All optics were on Axe when the big black and gold mech stood from the pilot's seat. "Everyone knows their duties. Everyone knows the rules. Never lose sight of your partner. Never lose comm contact with me. First sign of intelligent life and we bolt."

The shuttle's occupants nodded almost in unison, unfastening their restraints and getting to their pedes, stretching and shifting to work the kinks out. Once everyone was ready, they gathered around the shuttle's hatch, eager to get out of the cramped craft.

"If anyone gets into trouble and can't make it back to the shuttle on their own, comm in your coordinates and either Titanus or Starspark will come to retrieve you," another Knight added, ruffling his wings.

Another round of nods and the hatch slid open, sending a blast of hot, dry air into the shuttle to swirl around the score of mecha in it. Armor ruffled at the pleasant sensation.

"Move out," Axe barked with a strange lilt of humor.

The command was unnecessary. As soon as the opening was wide enough mecha were already streaming out, flaring armor and wings to the clear air, basking in the warmth of the suns on their plating. The air was pleasantly warm even by their standards, heat shimmering off the sands stretching as far as the optic could see.

"I'm certainly hoping there is no intelligent life here," Wing murmured to Axe, flaring his wings and pinions. "Those suns feel so good."

"Yes, and will provide nearly unlimited energon," the big black mech's armor shivered in pleasure. "Let's go going."

Wing chirped happily, taking off. He couldn't resist doing a few aerobatics just for the heck of it, purring at the feel of the hot air over his control surfaces, swirling around Axe as the larger mech took flight. He could feel the shifting in his creator as he opened more and more comm lines, becoming a communications hub of sorts for the nearly four hundred mecha, mostly Knights, exploring the world for both intelligent life and conditions to settle.

Wing stayed near Axe, orbiting the black and gold mech in a wide circle, occasionally darting down to get a better look at something. The small jet poked into ravines and shallow caves, never straying too far, always remaining well within Axe's sensor range. He occasionally picked up hints of organic life, but never much. Insects, small animals ... this was not an environment that was suited to the development of organic intelligence, which made the harsh sun and lack of watch all the more desirable to the mecha that thrived in such conditions.

That sand, though ... the sand would be the pit.

As the two mechs rounded a tall mountain, one of the caves Wing poked into caught his attention. This one went deeper into the rock, sloping down into the rock under the sand. Curious, Wing landed, peeking inside, bouncing sonar pings down the tunnel. The only hints of life were some cave-dwelling organic insects and lizards. ::This looks like it goes down pretty far... I wonder what's down there.::

::Go pick up Marwir and Demeter to explore it,:: Axe said, much of his processor power taken up by constant comm chatter. ::They're coming.::

The little white jet chirped in response, darting off to collect Marwir and Demeter, also collecting a couple of lanterns, to make it easier to see in the dark caves. He walked next to his Daoshi, both with optics bright and sensors on full while Demeter smoothly trotted forward on all fours when they entered the cave.

::This one is huge,:: she commed them, excited and curious with that distinctive edge of one who loved their function and was doing it well.

Wing turned on one of the lanterns, wanting a better look at the cave. The tunnel descended deep under the mountain, finally opening onto a wide ledge above a vast cavern, so wide they couldn't see the far side. Easing forward, Wing looked over the edge, spotting the floor of the cavern far below. His audial fins twitched, hearing the sound of moving water, an underground river.

::Demeter, stay up here while we do a fly-by circuit,:: Marwir instructed before launching herself off the edge with a motion to Wing to go the opposite direction. ::Let's see how much water, and just how big this place is. It might be a good city-place.::

Chirring in acknowledgement, Wing leaped into the air, flying across the cavern, rising toward the ceiling and then descending, measuring the vertical distance. The cavern was vast enough that it actually took a breem to reach the far side, and there he found the source of the water sounds, a powerful underground river cutting through the stone wall. ::I found the water... It's a substantial river. And this cavern is huge.::

::It is,:: she agreed. ::Let's get a full scan of it. We'll need full stats of it for the presentation. Bring Demeter down if you pick up anything worth sniffing at.::

Wing chirped, the sound echoing through the vast space. Rising back to the ledge, he scooped Demeter up, carrying her with him as he began scanning, his sensors probing every inch of the cavern. A few times he did put Demeter down for a closer look at something, finding a few insects and some kind of softly glowing purple lichen growing on the spray-covered rocks around the river. Otherwise, the vast cavern was empty. A few other cave entrances led up toward the surface, others stretching off farther into the bedrock. Exploration teams would probably be kept busy for vorns mapping the caves.

::This is the best we've encountered yet,:: Demeter chirred in excitement. ::It's even big enough for most airframes not to go crazy.::

::The ceiling's high enough for even the high towers of a Cybertronian city, and with the mountain above us there's a very, very small chance of us ever being discovered,:: Wing added. ::As long as this planet really is as devoid of any intelligent life-forms, this is the perfect spot.::

::Agreed,:: Marwir rumbled with real excitement. ::Let us hope that all the other teams and scans come back as an empty planet.::

::Back to the surface with the prelim?:: Demeter asked.

::Back to the surface before Axe starts to think we've gotten lost down here.:: Wing rubbed behind Demeter's canine ears, heading back to the ledge where the tunnel they'd entered through was. Turning off and subspacing the lantern, he waited for Marwir to join them, then began walking back up the tunnel toward the surface.

::...ng! Wing! Report!:: his creator's near frantic transmission slammed through his awareness before he saw the light of the outside world.

"I think we were out of range," Marwir gave him a smirking look.

::I'm fine!:: Wing sent back. ::We were out of comm range. You're not going to believe what we found!:: Reaching the tunnel mouth, Wing stepped out into the desert sunlight, looking around for the black frame he knew would be nearby.

::Good,:: Axe began to calm down, his trembling frame settling. He hadn't broken from his duties circling high above, but it hadn't stopped the panic. ::You can show Dai Atlas in a few moments,:: he added a bit sheepishly.

Wing chirred softly. ::I didn't know we'd be out of comm range... Sorry for worrying you.:: He flipped his wings slightly, turning his attention skyward, toward where the ships orbited high above. Finding a convenient rock, the white jet settled onto it to await Dai Atlas' arrival. Marwir was the first to spot the incoming fireball, nearly white-hot and in a sharp descent.

"I think you're going to get glomped for a change," she snickered.

White armor flattened slightly. "Most likely." Wing shifted, letting go of Demeter so she could hop down onto the sand. "Being out of comm range really worried him. Dai's been more protective of me and of Star since we lost Sheerwing."

"I dare you to be surprised," Demeter snickered before she sobered at the reminder of all they had lost. "I'm glad we didn't lose your creators. We need them for the transition."

"I'm not at all surprised." Wing's wings drooped as he thought of his lost brother, then he shook himself, looking skyward to watch the incoming fireball. "And yes, I'm glad, too. This venture would be much, much harder, even nearly impossible, without them."

The eerie silence that preceded Dai Atlas was testament to his speed of decent, as was the fiery rush of air that engulfed the three at his skidding landing. Giant arms reached out to grab Wing and hug him.

"I wouldn't let him come to harm," Marwir chided the giant. "I'm his Daoshi."

"He's my creation. Logic doesn't matter," Dai Atlas retorted to her smile as the powerful sonic boom caught up with them.

The little white jet nuzzled into friction-warmed armor as the shock wave passed them by, kicking up sand as it dissipated into the distance. He tucked his helm under Dai Atlas' chin. "I'm okay, Dai. Really. Not even a scratch." He shifted slightly, curling closer to his creator's broad chest. "I'm sorry for worrying you so badly."

"I'd rather it be for no cause than for another cold frame," he murmured. "Now, let's see what it is you found."

Wing trilled, leaning his cheek against Dai Atlas' shoulder as he sent the bigger mech a databurst containing all the measurements and details of the underground cavern he, Marwir, and Demeter had found. "It's incredible, Dai. This cavern is enormous, easily big enough for a city with room for airframes to fly about. And there's a river flowing into the cavern."

"Impressive," Dai Atlas rumbled, more than happy to have a Wing-barnacle for the walk inside. "So far no one has reported any signs of advanced life forms. There seem to be many large cavern systems. Yours is not the first reported. It's the largest so far, though."

The cave, thankfully, was easily large enough to accommodate Dai Atlas' massive frame, as long as he kept his wings folded down. Wing chirred in the bigger mech's arms, bringing his lantern back out of subspace to light the way back to the vast cavern.

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It had taken several decaorns to completely survey the planet, from the vast plains to the rare bodies of water on the surface, to the canyons and ravines and the extensive underground cave systems. During that time, the search and survey teams had been unable to find a single shred of evidence that the planet had ever supported or been visited by intelligent life. The only life-forms were simple organics; insects and small animals, and some hardy vegetation that thrived in the canyons.

Those orns of exploration, which spanned many of the planet's own day-night cycles, had also exposed the mecha to the varieties of weather the desert was capable of spawning. One team had brought back vids of funnel-shaped whirlwinds lazily making their way across the dunes, and another team had been forced to shelter in caves from a massive storm of wind and wind-driven sand.

Now, finally, all of the data had been collected, and it was time for the Circle and civilian leadership to decide if they were going to settle on this planet Aelios. It was a massive gathering. Nearly four hundred Knights and three hundred civilians, three percent of the entire fleet, with Dai Atlas in control of it all as he had been from the beginning. At the center of the gathering were four mecha that had rarely been at the center of anything.

Rockslide; geologist, environmental risk assessment and much more likely to be having a conversation with a mountain than his mate.
Inward Spiral; geographer and general sociology geek.
Crystal Spire; chief city planner and one of the more disliked mecha on board.
Hardwing; medical. Don't ask.

Then there was Dai Atlas and Axe, there to translate the science-geek into modern Cybertronian for the rest of them.

There was some shuffling and settling as mecha took their seats, grumbling at each other. The Knights mostly settled into place without much fuss, while the civilians grumbled and took more time about it. Finally, after much grumbling and shuffling, the gathering began to fall silent, attention turning to the Knight leaders and the four mecha who would be presenting their findings.

"Everyone has been forwarded the complete reports these mecha have written on each of the potential settlement sites," Dai Atlas' deep voice rolled over the gathering, stilling and silencing everyone with the reminder that this meeting, their vote and opinions, were being taken in solely at the giant's discretion. "However, our chief advisors have agreed to give their summaries on the four best locations on Aelios."

"So this planet shows absolutely no signs of any sentient life?" one of the civilians wanted to know, standing up from his seat. Yes, it had been in the reports, but it wouldn't be the first time that something had been discovered later that meant they had to move on.

"No signs of even stage two intelligence," Hardwing grunted. "It also lacks the fundamental nutrient load to develop stage three intelligence within the next thirty six and a half million vorns."

"Yes, we are sure," Dai Atlas gave the simplified answer. "No traces of it nor hope of it."

A current of utter relief ran through the crowd, Knights and civilians but more audibly from the civilians. Finally, after so many thousands of vorns of wandering, they had found a planet that might suit all their various needs. "Then, by all means, let's hear what the big processors there have to say."

Inward Spiral stepped up. "While we have long assumed that we would build on the surface, the conditions on Aelios and what we have learned of the universe outside the empire both indicate we should fashion the city underground."

"There are multiple cavern systems large enough to safely contain a full city with room to expand for generations," Crystal Spire added. "While it is less than ideal, it is preferable to attempting to survive in the sand and electrical storms."

More muttering sprang up at that. "Underground? A city under the surface? But won't that be as bad as being confined to the ships for millennia on end?"

"It would be more defensible, to build underground," one of the older Knights pointed out, standing up to make sure he had everyone's attention. "And it will be much, much harder for any outside forces to find us."

"It would not be as bad," Inward Spiral insisted firmly. "When it's safe to be out, we could still venture outside."

Rockslide grunted in agreement. "The simple fact is that the surface is ill-suited to large life, even our kind. The sand..."

"If we built on the surface, we would have to either dome the city or have a full-time force field to protect us," Crystal Spire added. "That is all in our reports."

The muttering continued, rippling across the sea of mecha. Wings and flight panels shifted restlessly or uneasily. Many of the civilians who had come were airframes, as were the majority of the Knights.

Wing shifted in his seat, glancing over at his creators for a moment. "We have found caverns fully large enough to contain a city while still having plenty of space for airframes to fly about. 'Underground' in this case does not mean 'cramped'."

"Yes, yes, you do not understand," Crystal Spire broke into the conversation and waved a hologram into display. In the center of the room was a blue transparent outline of the favored cavern system, complete with a city of spires and towers in orange. A red dot near the base just outside the city demanded attention. "That is Dai Atlas, correct to scale." Another red form, this time blatantly that of a sentinel robot formed, half the height of tall of the tallest tower and a third the height of the cavern ceiling. "That is the famed Omega Supreme. As you can see, while there may not be blue skies, there is room to fly."

That got at least some of the muttering to die down as the assembled mecha took in the dimensions of the cavern. Wings settled as the fliers realized they would have room to spread their wings. Some of the younger fliers, noting the impressive stalactite formations on the cavern ceiling, were already plotting out obstacle courses and flight races around those obstacles.

"How do you propose we even begin this project?" one of the master builders who had come with the exodus asked. "There is a lot of material to be moved, and somehow we will have to get it all underground."

Rockslide glanced at Dai Atlas, who actually chuckled lightly. "For that, we will take a screen from the military manual on building underground. You remove the roof, build what you need to, and put the roof back on. It will also enable us to construct the city with the ability to rise to the surface if need be, or convert into a ship should we require a quick evacuation again."

For a moment, there was a long silence. "But... But if these readings are right, the chosen cavern system is under a mountain! How are we expected to be able to move a mountain?"

"Drilling, select placement of explosives and a tractor beam," Dai Atlas actually shrugged. "The energy to do so is abundant here."

"The details of that plan are in my report, section 16," Rockslide added.

The construction teams exchanged glances, flipping through the report to the correct section. "That is going to be a massive undertaking." The team leader eyed Dai Atlas. "Is that cavern site going to be the final site? I don't want to start planning this just to find out we're going to settle elsewhere."

"It is one of three sites under final consideration," Crystal Spire took center stage once more. "This is the most likely one. There are plans for the two alternate sites, or possibly the next two cities. Sections twenty and thirty respectively."

"Baring a surprise that the sensor sweeps did not discover, yes, we will build there," Dai Atlas said firmly.

The construction team leader nodded. "We'll start getting things ready. Once we know exactly where we're going to build, we'll work with the designers to get the city under construction."