Redemption Kick

Log of original characters Geardust, Hardwire, Volver, Crankit, Lightfall, Hawk, Disher, Snowblind and Highsider -- set in the Transformers IDW G1 universe.

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

[handsofprovidence]

Providence, for the most part, was unmoved.

“I have lived far long enough with you to know that you are never unarmed,” Providence growled, but in his next gesture slowly and cautiously easing his sword back from Striker’s face. He turned ever so slightly to address the rest of the robots and human with him. “Go. All of you. Take Rider to safety. I will deal with Striker and his…proposal.”

Jerking back to glare at him, Providence added, “I will join you, but not as warrior to warrior, but warrior to guardian. I will not let you touch them. Not anymore. Make a wrong move and I will not hesitate to choose their lives over yours. I will test the validity of these statements.”

Rider looked ahead, incredulous. Was Providence going to leave just like that? Was he trying to simply put distance between Striker and the rest of them? But what if he got hurt? Rider wanted to reach out and to try and stop Providence, but the calm and unmoving gaze that he witnessed made him realize that Providence had already set his mind to it; there would be no changing his decision now.

[gear-dust]

Striker chuckled and nodded. “Perhaps, but then you would also know I waste no time on petty revenge escapades or pursuit battle like a fool. I came to speak to you, that is all.”

Striker gestured to the group behind Providence. “Your little herd can stay here. We will talk on the other side.” The warrior gestured to the portal. “I’ll leave my axe behind. Surely you know I would never sink so low to battle without it like some savage. Join me when you are ready.”

Striker gave Snowblind one last mockful look before turning slowly to disappear into the portal, leaving only the massive axe behind, sunken into the grass.

The others remained stunned. Snowblind whirled around to look up at Providence, the visible part of his face wrought with dread.

“You can’t trust him. You know that. Whatever he wants goes beyond just words. You have to know that.”

“Providence, you’re not going, are you?” Geardust hurried to join them are the forefront and almost cut Snowblind off before he had finished.

“I second this, Providence.” Lightfall spoke up from the sideline as well, albeit quietly and calmly with just the slightest hint of unease in his voice.

Hardwire slowly sat down next to Rider and looked the boy over just to make sure he was fine.

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

[handsofprovidence]

“I don’t make any distinctions between them as I would you,” Providence told Boresight sternly. “Do not be so quick to judge; many might see you in much the same way.”

Exasperated, Providence was about to physically intercede between Geardust and Boresight when the space bridge hummed to life. At first, relief swept over his features, happy that Geardust, Boresight, and Snowblind managed to fix their means to return home. It was only with Snowblind’s sudden explanation that his mind turned once again towards caution, but he had not yet crossed the threshold into suspicion. The other person had not arrived yet.

“We have lost contact with Volver and Crankit, to say nothing of Hawk and Disher,” Providence murmured, nudging Snowblind on the shoulder. “Perhaps they were simply worried and have waited for an opportunity to come through, now that the Space Bridge is repaired.”

Rider stood alongside Hardwire, his eyes alight with that familiar glow, and wondered if what Providence said was true; he himself had only experienced coming out the other side, the first time he had used it.

[gear-dust]

Snowblind considered Providence’s reasoning and simply nodded in turn. He sheathed his blade and let his shoulders sink, shaking his hands free of some tension and kept his optics fixated on the portal, expecting to see a familiar face.

He couldn’t help but sense dread crawl up his spine, regardless, perhaps it was just his roughly repaired internal systems. The nightmares had been unrelenting and full of memories that weren’t his own . It disturbed and scared him greatly and he was therefore likely the most eager of the group to make it back to Cybertron to get properly repaired.

“I wasn’t sure it was working, we did the best that we could…perhaps someone fixed it on the other end as well.” He mused, crossing his arms while they waited.

Geardust hoped in excitement to see his blue friend again and Hardwire smiled reassuringly at Rider, remaining kneeling by the boy’s side.

The portal lit up, stretched wide and tall like a massive beacon of light. Something enormous was coming through, slowly but surely. The silhouette that appeared made those familiar with the giant warrior assume it to be Hawk. Wings and a massive frame materialized in light.

As did a helm adorned in giant, curved horns. The light withdrew back into the portal and unclad the figure into a giant of dark armor and blood red accents. He greeted their faces of shock and horror with a cold, lopsided smile and stared right into Providence’s golden optics with an icy blue gaze.

Hardwire all but snatched Rider from the ground and set off running. Instead he flew up on his feet and stood guard before the boy, his brother stumbling back to his side as well. Snowblind had already armed himself again and stood ready to leap forward.

“Get Rider to safety, now.” He calmly ordered the mechs behind him.

“You are all in good shape after our last encounter, I see. Pleasant surprise, perhaps you’re a cadre made of sturdier stuff than others. Good. Though, you should’ve rid yourself of your traitor, he’ll surely sell you for a vat of rich engex and a oil soak on Hedonia.” Alpha Striker spoke calmly and unsheathed his great, black axe from his back and set it to the ground with his segmented gauntlets resting on the pommel.

[handsofprovidence]

As quickly as Providence recommended calm, he was suddenly at the front of the group, his fingers already curling against the pommel of his sword and withdrawing it just as he lowered it inches from Striker’s face.

Rider was taken up in what felt to him like a whirlwind, his eyes wide and his body limp, stunned from how quickly events had folded and glimpsing the obsidian and arctic gaze of an enemy he thought they defeated all those miles away. He almost forgot to breathe.

“I will only say this once, and then I will kill you,” Providence warned with a snarl. “Go back to where you came. We have no quarrel with you, unless you still hold a grudge against us.”

[gear-dust]

Striker glanced down at the blade’s edge that reflected it’s teal glow over his angular, steely features. He felt the warmth of the hardened energon within the weapon against his facial membrane, but he didn’t move. Instead, he slowly lifted his hands from where they rested atop his battle-axe and let the weapon, almost the size of Geardust, tip to the side and fall down to the ground with a dense thud. The weigth of his weapon furrowing the earth where it landed among grass, flowers and fallen leaves.  “And now? You would execute an unarmed warrior?” Alpha Striker asked and held his hands up while piercing Providence’s gold optics with a calm gaze.  “He’s lying. Destroy him, Providence.” Snowblind hissed and gripped his blade harder. “Lying. That’s rich coming from you, Snowblind.” Striker scoffed.  “I’m taking Rider. We’ll hide somewhere safe.” Hardwire whispered and slowly backed up while his brother nodded and tried to keep his hands from shaking as he held his saw blade ready.  “I have not come here to battle, nor to claim what someone still rightfully owes me...” Striker added, hurriedly. “I simply wish to...talk. To Providence. None else...of matters utmost important to our people. Our home.”  “What are you on about?” Boresight huffed out, being the only one who had not drawn his weapon on his former ally. “What’s going on on Cybertron?” “Providence,” Striker continued, ignoring the seeker’s questions. “Join me across the bridge, warrior to warrior.” 

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

[handsofprovidence]

“I don’t make any distinctions between them as I would you,” Providence told Boresight sternly. “Do not be so quick to judge; many might see you in much the same way.”

Exasperated, Providence was about to physically intercede between Geardust and Boresight when the space bridge hummed to life. At first, relief swept over his features, happy that Geardust, Boresight, and Snowblind managed to fix their means to return home. It was only with Snowblind’s sudden explanation that his mind turned once again towards caution, but he had not yet crossed the threshold into suspicion. The other person had not arrived yet.

“We have lost contact with Volver and Crankit, to say nothing of Hawk and Disher,” Providence murmured, nudging Snowblind on the shoulder. “Perhaps they were simply worried and have waited for an opportunity to come through, now that the Space Bridge is repaired.”

Rider stood alongside Hardwire, his eyes alight with that familiar glow, and wondered if what Providence said was true; he himself had only experienced coming out the other side, the first time he had used it.

[gear-dust]

Snowblind considered Providence’s reasoning and simply nodded in turn. He sheathed his blade and let his shoulders sink, shaking his hands free of some tension and kept his optics fixated on the portal, expecting to see a familiar face.

He couldn’t help but sense dread crawl up his spine, regardless, perhaps it was just his roughly repaired internal systems. The nightmares had been unrelenting and full of memories that weren’t his own . It disturbed and scared him greatly and he was therefore likely the most eager of the group to make it back to Cybertron to get properly repaired.

“I wasn’t sure it was working, we did the best that we could...perhaps someone fixed it on the other end as well.” He mused, crossing his arms while they waited.

Geardust hoped in excitement to see his blue friend again and Hardwire smiled reassuringly at Rider, remaining kneeling by the boy’s side.

The portal lit up, stretched wide and tall like a massive beacon of light. Something enormous was coming through, slowly but surely. The silhouette that appeared made those familiar with the giant warrior assume it to be Hawk. Wings and a massive frame materialized in light.

As did a helm adorned in giant, curved horns. The light withdrew back into the portal and unclad the figure into a giant of dark armor and blood red accents. He greeted their faces of shock and horror with a cold, lopsided smile and stared right into Providence’s golden optics with an icy blue gaze.

Hardwire all but snatched Rider from the ground and set off running. Instead he flew up on his feet and stood guard before the boy, his brother stumbling back to his side as well. Snowblind had already armed himself again and stood ready to leap forward.

“Get Rider to safety, now.” He calmly ordered the mechs behind him.

“You are all in good shape after our last encounter, I see. Pleasant surprise, perhaps you’re a cadre made of sturdier stuff than others. Good. Though, you should’ve rid yourself of your traitor, he’ll surely sell you for a vat of rich engex and a oil soak on Hedonia.” Alpha Striker spoke calmly and unsheathed his great, black axe from his back and set it to the ground with his segmented gauntlets resting on the pommel.

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

[handsofprovidence]

“Snowblind,” Providentius admonished sternly. “I know you don’t mean those words. You are still injured and not in your right mind. Slow your thoughts, and think on them before being so reckless with your words.”

Turning to Boresight, he added with even greater admonishment in his tone, “You are hardly one to speak, Boresight, given the company you stand with.” He took a few steps towards the former seeker for emphasis, crossing his arms and looking down at him with a piercing, bright gaze. “And you know VERY well that I back my words up with my actions. Do not push the issue.”

Rider, witnessing these things, scurried out from beneath Hardwire and ran towards the group. “Hey guys, come on,” he pleaded. “Let’s not get on each other’s nerves. We only just got out of that awful Earth Defense Command bunker, and the whole point of all this is so you guys can get the help you guys need back home on Cybertron! You aren’t enemies anymore…”

[gear-dust]

Snowblind looked away from the golden optics that rested on him and vented another hard torrent of air through his mask. He gestured in frustration as he trudged off to the edge of the clearing to sit down with his back to the group, cooling off before instigating more trouble with the former Seeker. Boresight tilted his head back to make at least one indignant grimace up at Providence that quite literally blacked out the sky for him. He glared back up from behind the hard visor covering half of his face then held his hands up in yield, knowing full well those words were far from empty.  “I didn’t do anything wrong, ok? Your group of people here are as damaged as they are incompetent, Providence. I’m just trying to get stuff done!” Boresight insisted and gestured angrily to Snowblind and then Hardwire. Lightfall looked skyward with a sigh and turned to look at Rider who chimed in from down below on the ground. He said nothing but merely nodded in agreement.  Hardwire looked after the sprinting boy with a start, but stayed in place and let Rider run up to the heated mechs in the group. He smiled, proudly, and tilted his head to regard his brave little friend with a swelling spark. Geardust, however, was not happy and stomped up next to Providence.  “Apologize to my brother! I’m not gonna let you talk to him that way.” “Geardust, please, it’s quite alright!” Hardwire rushed up and tugged on the wheels on his brother’s back to get him to back down. “Everyone is tired and frustrated.” “Tired of deadweight Nails, for sure.” Boresight snapped back at the two, feeling far too wound up to not seek another fight.  “Then take off! Who needs you, anyway?! You’re some reject of Galvatron’s group of hasbeens and failures, what good are you to anyone?”  The short autobot and the fuming Seeker where just about to throw down when the groaning engines of the space bridge came alive and lit up the clearing in brilliant blue light. Snowblind leapt up from the ground and sprinted back to the group, weapon drawn and standing himself in front of Rider.  “We haven’t radioed anyone on the other side! Do you know who’s coming through?” He asked Providence over shoulder. 

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

@handsofprovidence

—– The evening air of high summer still remained fairly temperate though accompanied with the wind of the coast. The forest still filled with songs of the small birds that still braved the protection of their nests and territories against the giants that had arrived in their home some time ago. Giants that disturbed the trees and dented the earth but otherwise bothered none of the wildlife. A young mother fox called her cubs out of their safe den where she had held out as long as possible until they were grown enough to join her. The air reeked of strange, harsh smells to her and with her cubs in tow she made her quick escape out of the woods. She felt the eyes of a giant on her as she stalked away, quickening her and the cubs’ pace. Hardwire zoomed in closely while watching the little family of foxes leave the area, bodies held low to the ground in apprehension and mouths open and panting while they ran. A small frown formed on his face, one that grew slightly more severe as the noise nearby interrupted his thoughts.  “If you ‘accidentally’ blast my hand with that torch one more time I will assemble your limbs in sockets where limbs ought not to be.” “Like it really hurts that bad!” “It does. Look at the finish on my gauntlet, it took me several difficult hours to get that polish to match and now you’ve melted it off around the knuckles because you have the precision of a drunk insecticon.” “Focus.” “You’re just standing around looking at us work.” “Hardly. Had I not been a mediator in this task, you two would’ve made a mess of eachother.” “Right so get your fat hands back in and hold the frame back up so I can set it.” “Now that’s just projection on your part, have you seem the sleek, surgical perfection of my fine tuned servos? I can barely see what I’m doing for your fat nosecone getting in my face.” “Focus.” Hardwire observed the three decepticons Snowblind, Boresight and Lightfall, who apparently acted as mediator,  trying to cooperate around the tight space on the undearthed space bridge engine. He held a concerned hand to his chin and side-eyed Skyshark. “They should’ve just waited for my brother,” Hardwire whispered, gently, to the autobot ace. “He’s really small and quite flexible in cramped spaces like that!” Hardwire would’ve worried about his brother’s long absence if it weren’t for the one that accompanied him. However, he realized if they did not return soon, the strain between the decepticons, former or otherwise, would come to a head. Hardwire raised his arm to open in on-board computer to contact either Geardust or Providence but soon heard their steps draw near, along with the warning call of a fox mother to her cubs.   

[handsofprovidence]

Skyshark felt an untenable itch develop beneath his armor. He stood on his feet for too long, and he made a habit of staring skywards whenever he was not in-flight. Restless, he paced around the area, his worry growing more apparent the longer he tread the earth in unsteady, hurried steps. At Hardwire’s quip, he jerked his head over to the slender NAIL and grimaced.

“Yeah, well, in hindsight that was an obvious error,” Skyshark muttered, looking around. “Providence still took him out somewhere, right?”

Rider had kept himself in his room during the evening, busy with dinner and his studies. When he could no longer force his eyes to focus on the jumble of letters and punctuation in front of him, Rider closed the book and leaned back in his chair. With the lights in his room finally shining through a darkening night, Rider still felt restless where he sat; he wasn’t tired enough to sleep yet. Finding himself in solitude, he decided to make for the forest and to meet his big friends. Quickly putting his arms through the sleeves of a light jacket, and leaving his bags at home, Rider descended the flight of stairs and slipped through the door. Streetlamps illuminated his quiet flight through the sidewalks until he disappeared through the treeline to the forest, and from there he knew the way by heart. He paused when he heard the approach of a pair of other robots. He recognized the gold lights of Providence, and by his side, the fiery orange of Geardust. 

***

Providence neared the outer limits of town when he slowed his pace, and then looked down to see Rider. He motioned for Geardust to also slow down, and knelt down to look at the small human who approached them.

“Rider,” he began softly. “I thought the others were with you. Do you know where they have gone off to?”

[gear-dust]

Geardust didn’t notice Rider at first, busily looking around as they walked to make sure they disrupted anything or caused any alarm of the locals. He perked up at Providence’s gesture to stop and looked around briefly before seeing Rider down the path ahead. “Hey, Rider!” Geardust called out and waved to the boy. “What are you doing out this late?” he asked after Providence while remaining standing upright, not having the same towering height between himself and the human as Providence did.  *** “For a little stroll, I think?” Hardwire said and looked up with a nod to Skyshark. “Strange, my signal is ge-” Hardwire jumped at the sudden cry of Snowblind and a moment later the three workers at the space bridge were tangled up in a small brawl with Lightfall pushing the two away from eachother while the two Decepticons engaged in a match mostly of threats and insults. Snowblind suffered still from his severe systems damage after their recent dire fight out at sea, giving the former sabuteur a short temper and worse mood overall and Boresight seemed to just itch for a fight with everyone, regardless of circumstance. Hardwire reared back, himself, fearing getting involved in his own frail state of recovery.   

[handsofprovidence]

“Couldn’t focus on studying, and I’m not tired yet,” Rider mumbled. “I wanted to see you guys and see how repairing the space bridge was going.”

“I guess we’ll see soon enough,” Providence supposed with a smile, and pivoted his footing to proceed forwards. At the sudden cry, he quickly strolled over to the rag-tag group of Cybertronians and put his hands on his hips, looking with a sad but approving glance to Lightfall. As always, he had proved a faithful second. Skyshark, meanwhile, hooked his arms underneath Boresight’s and kept him from lunging forward.

“Settle down, Boresight,” Providence admonished sternly. “Snowblind is in no condition to take punishment, and you are scaring Hardwire. Rider is with us too, so it would be best to restrain yourself; if you do not, then I myself will have no choice but to intervene. We will all be better off once we re-establish the connection back to Cybertron.”

[gear-dust]

Hardwire was the first to look up and notice the return of Providence and Geardust, greeting both with an expression of great relief as he hurried over to them. He then noticed Rider and his reaction was both one of great joy and some concern, before he said anything to either his brother or Providence, he sunk down on his knees and huddled close to Rider.

“Oh, what a wonderful surprise to see you, Rider!” Hardwire beamed like the sun and held an arm steadily infront of the boy to shield him from any fallout from the brawl between the Decepticons. “Even though, uhm...things aren’t very pleasant or safe here. Please keep a safe distance!”

Snowblind blew hard jets of hot air through the vents in his mask, twirling his polished knife between two fingers while his reactive camouflage made him flicker in an out of invisibility. “Aww, dont restrain the poor plane, I was just about to do us all a great favor and make a very precise cut into his voice box so we’d all get some peace a quiet.” He said coolly and scoffed at the slight struggle Boresight put up against the bigger Skyshark. He felt it almost impossible to hold back spitting more poison to provoke the former Seeker, but stayed his tongue as Providence’s deep voice urged them to stop fighting. Snowblind promptly sheathed his knife on his armor and backed off with his hands held up.

“I’ll have you back that up later, slag-sucker.” Boresight barked back and huffed out when growing still against Skyshark’s strong grip on his arms. He then glared and grimaced in disgust at Hardwire, then back to Providence. “Yes, pardon me, I forgot that you’re dragging around a pet NAIL in need of constant care and coddling.”

“Hey, back off! You’re the ones making a mess, not him!” Geardust reacted immediately to the aggression toward his brother and sprinted up to put himself between Hardwire and Boresight.

“Pipe down, tiny. Big mechs are talking.” Boresight sneered down at Geardust who’s own bio lights flared up, angrily.

Hardwire looked around the group with a deeply concerned and disheartened look, but didn’t move from Rider’s side. He looked back down to the boy with a gentle, apologetic smile. “You should let me help you get back home safely, my friend.”

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

@handsofprovidence

—– The evening air of high summer still remained fairly temperate though accompanied with the wind of the coast. The forest still filled with songs of the small birds that still braved the protection of their nests and territories against the giants that had arrived in their home some time ago. Giants that disturbed the trees and dented the earth but otherwise bothered none of the wildlife. A young mother fox called her cubs out of their safe den where she had held out as long as possible until they were grown enough to join her. The air reeked of strange, harsh smells to her and with her cubs in tow she made her quick escape out of the woods. She felt the eyes of a giant on her as she stalked away, quickening her and the cubs’ pace. Hardwire zoomed in closely while watching the little family of foxes leave the area, bodies held low to the ground in apprehension and mouths open and panting while they ran. A small frown formed on his face, one that grew slightly more severe as the noise nearby interrupted his thoughts.  “If you ‘accidentally’ blast my hand with that torch one more time I will assemble your limbs in sockets where limbs ought not to be.” “Like it really hurts that bad!” “It does. Look at the finish on my gauntlet, it took me several difficult hours to get that polish to match and now you’ve melted it off around the knuckles because you have the precision of a drunk insecticon.” “Focus.” “You’re just standing around looking at us work.” “Hardly. Had I not been a mediator in this task, you two would’ve made a mess of eachother.” “Right so get your fat hands back in and hold the frame back up so I can set it.” “Now that’s just projection on your part, have you seem the sleek, surgical perfection of my fine tuned servos? I can barely see what I’m doing for your fat nosecone getting in my face.” “Focus.” Hardwire observed the three decepticons Snowblind, Boresight and Lightfall, who apparently acted as mediator,  trying to cooperate around the tight space on the undearthed space bridge engine. He held a concerned hand to his chin and side-eyed Skyshark. “They should’ve just waited for my brother,” Hardwire whispered, gently, to the autobot ace. “He’s really small and quite flexible in cramped spaces like that!” Hardwire would’ve worried about his brother’s long absence if it weren’t for the one that accompanied him. However, he realized if they did not return soon, the strain between the decepticons, former or otherwise, would come to a head. Hardwire raised his arm to open in on-board computer to contact either Geardust or Providence but soon heard their steps draw near, along with the warning call of a fox mother to her cubs.   

[handsofprovidence]

Skyshark felt an untenable itch develop beneath his armor. He stood on his feet for too long, and he made a habit of staring skywards whenever he was not in-flight. Restless, he paced around the area, his worry growing more apparent the longer he tread the earth in unsteady, hurried steps. At Hardwire’s quip, he jerked his head over to the slender NAIL and grimaced.

“Yeah, well, in hindsight that was an obvious error,” Skyshark muttered, looking around. “Providence still took him out somewhere, right?”

Rider had kept himself in his room during the evening, busy with dinner and his studies. When he could no longer force his eyes to focus on the jumble of letters and punctuation in front of him, Rider closed the book and leaned back in his chair. With the lights in his room finally shining through a darkening night, Rider still felt restless where he sat; he wasn’t tired enough to sleep yet. Finding himself in solitude, he decided to make for the forest and to meet his big friends. Quickly putting his arms through the sleeves of a light jacket, and leaving his bags at home, Rider descended the flight of stairs and slipped through the door. Streetlamps illuminated his quiet flight through the sidewalks until he disappeared through the treeline to the forest, and from there he knew the way by heart. He paused when he heard the approach of a pair of other robots. He recognized the gold lights of Providence, and by his side, the fiery orange of Geardust. 

***

Providence neared the outer limits of town when he slowed his pace, and then looked down to see Rider. He motioned for Geardust to also slow down, and knelt down to look at the small human who approached them.

“Rider,” he began softly. “I thought the others were with you. Do you know where they have gone off to?”

[gear-dust]

Geardust didn’t notice Rider at first, busily looking around as they walked to make sure they disrupted anything or caused any alarm of the locals. He perked up at Providence’s gesture to stop and looked around briefly before seeing Rider down the path ahead. “Hey, Rider!” Geardust called out and waved to the boy. “What are you doing out this late?” he asked after Providence while remaining standing upright, not having the same towering height between himself and the human as Providence did.  *** “For a little stroll, I think?” Hardwire said and looked up with a nod to Skyshark. “Strange, my signal is ge-” Hardwire jumped at the sudden cry of Snowblind and a moment later the three workers at the space bridge were tangled up in a small brawl with Lightfall pushing the two away from eachother while the two Decepticons engaged in a match mostly of threats and insults. Snowblind suffered still from his severe systems damage after their recent dire fight out at sea, giving the former sabuteur a short temper and worse mood overall and Boresight seemed to just itch for a fight with everyone, regardless of circumstance. Hardwire reared back, himself, fearing getting involved in his own frail state of recovery.   

[gear-dust]

The Long Night

@handsofprovidence

----- The evening air of high summer still remained fairly temperate though accompanied with the wind of the coast. The forest still filled with songs of the small birds that still braved the protection of their nests and territories against the giants that had arrived in their home some time ago. Giants that disturbed the trees and dented the earth but otherwise bothered none of the wildlife. A young mother fox called her cubs out of their safe den where she had held out as long as possible until they were grown enough to join her. The air reeked of strange, harsh smells to her and with her cubs in tow she made her quick escape out of the woods. She felt the eyes of a giant on her as she stalked away, quickening her and the cubs’ pace. Hardwire zoomed in closely while watching the little family of foxes leave the area, bodies held low to the ground in apprehension and mouths open and panting while they ran. A small frown formed on his face, one that grew slightly more severe as the noise nearby interrupted his thoughts.  “If you ‘accidentally’ blast my hand with that torch one more time I will assemble your limbs in sockets where limbs ought not to be.” “Like it really hurts that bad!” “It does. Look at the finish on my gauntlet, it took me several difficult hours to get that polish to match and now you’ve melted it off around the knuckles because you have the precision of a drunk insecticon.” “Focus.” “You’re just standing around looking at us work.” “Hardly. Had I not been a mediator in this task, you two would’ve made a mess of eachother.” “Right so get your fat hands back in and hold the frame back up so I can set it.” “Now that’s just projection on your part, have you seem the sleek, surgical perfection of my fine tuned servos? I can barely see what I’m doing for your fat nosecone getting in my face.” “Focus.” Hardwire observed the three decepticons Snowblind, Boresight and Lightfall, who apparently acted as mediator,  trying to cooperate around the tight space on the undearthed space bridge engine. He held a concerned hand to his chin and side-eyed Skyshark. “They should’ve just waited for my brother,” Hardwire whispered, gently, to the autobot ace. “He’s really small and quite flexible in cramped spaces like that!” Hardwire would’ve worried about his brother’s long absence if it weren’t for the one that accompanied him. However, he realized if they did not return soon, the strain between the decepticons, former or otherwise, would come to a head. Hardwire raised his arm to open in on-board computer to contact either Geardust or Providence but soon heard their steps draw near, along with the warning call of a fox mother to her cubs.   

[handsofprovidence]

Providence smiled. “At least I can say with confidence that the honors of being a companion to you are mine, then. And I’m sure Hardwire will be overjoyed to see his brother return to him as well.” 

At Geardust’s next question, Providence shook his head. “No, I haven’t heard anything from Cybertron. Disher hasn’t mentioned anything of particular danger to me, and neither has Volver. As far as I am aware, it has been the same as always. I wouldn’t think that they would contact me unless they needed something, though now that you mention it, I haven’t really taken the initiative to check in on them, either. One moment…”

Providence’s gold prongs pulsed with light. And then he blinked. “Curious,” he murmured quietly. “I’m not getting a signal from all the way out here. Maybe it’s the cloaking field that Snowblind set up. Let’s head back to Rider’s town, and I will try again there…”

[gear-dust]

Something in Providence’s voice sounded off, but he didn’t seem to be fully alarmed by the lack of signal. At least not yet. Geardust himself realized his own channels had gotten strangely silent for some time. Then again, he didn’t have the most well functioning, high grade built-in equipment to interstellar communications, though the space bridge had always provided decent chatter from the various outlets on Cybertron, and Volver was always keen to hear back from Earth. He simply nodded and made a small sound in agreement and set off in a brisker pace, making some small talk along the way as he was awkwardly aware that Providence had to take both slow and small steps to not leave the smaller autobot behind.  Geardust’s steps were much lighter than before and he felt himself move without much of the discomfort he’d gotten used to over the years. Whatever Providence had done or transferred into his systems had really helped. Occasionally, the mechanic’s biolights flickered back to blue as he trotted forward. 

[gear-dust]

Providence’s gaze lowered and his gait came to a stop. “They were the people that belonged to one of the thirteen, Nexus Prime, the original combiner himself. Truthfully, I do not think there was any such danger that they posed, at least nothing beyond what is afforded to Cybertronians such as ourselves…and we have proven the extent of that far enough already.”

The old guardian’s face soured. “It was Galvatron, and his talk of ‘purity’ and ‘supremacy‘ that brought death to their people. He himself was responsible for the vast genocide against them, and his crimes paved the way for unity after the end of the civil war. Our entire history of progress is founded on it, and much of my early life is steeped in it as well. There is much for me to be penitent for. Sometimes I wonder if all my actions are merely an attempt to redeem myself after that time…”

Geardust distractedly watched the glimmering ocean before them. He shifted and felt his joints slightly creak and grind with the sand and gravel that had collected under his armor plates. He listened and nodded, turning back to look at his towering companion while he spoke. When Providence’s tone took a somber turn, Geardust frowned and stepped closer.  “But…that’s not a bad thing, is it? At least I don’t think it is.” he said with a tilt of his head. “To want to be better and make up for the past is at least better than…nothing. Than hopelessness and apathy. That’s…what’s it’s been like for me, until now and all of these changes.” Geardust’s crooked and uneven head-antennae flicked momentarily as he considered his words. “I was really lonley for all those years. The highlight really was when you visited me the first time…and I always thought that ‘soon as my brother returns, then…then it’ll be different, then everything will change for the better’. He had changed for the better, but not me and…our home was gone. I’ve not been a good support for him, and his mourning over Cybertron…it was uncomfortable to see his tears, when I couldn’t even remember when last I shed any of my own over…everything.”  The ocean breeze hit his back and Geardust almost felt it move his deep blue cape that he’d worn for cycles upon cycles until it was destroyed along with his body and used to suspend his mangled remains over the Senate tower gates.  “I’ve seen enough of your spark to know that’s not all there is to your actions, Providence.” he added, softly and looked up with a warm pulse giving his lights an increased glow and the sound of gears and shifts moving inside his face indicated futile reflex to smile without a face to show it to his friend. 

[handsofprovidence]

“It begs the question, all the same, whether I would be the person I would, if the tragedies that befell us never came to pass,” Providence murmured. “Was I always so blind? Did it take a near-endless war for me to finally do something right?”

Providence shook his head. He knew it was a question neither of them, or anyone for that matter, could answer. The point was made even more moot by the fact that it changed nothing about his present circumstances. He was still here with Geardust. He still had Geardust, and all the others. They were enough for him.

“You are not hopeless, nor are you apathetic. If you were, then I would be considered the far greater villain, for being so cruel in my idealism,” Providence murmured to his smaller companion, kneeling down to face Geardust on more equal ground. “You care for your brother, and despite your own fears you helped save the life of Rider, when I myself was preoccupied with Hardwire, to say nothing of Snowblind. Tears are not always a symbol of sincerity, and you have had to dry yours long ago to survive. I myself find difficulty in it. I am built and compelled to act more than to lament. But you…you are different.”

Smiling, Providence reached out and placed his hand on Geardust’s head. “You strive, always, for the best in others, despite having lost everything else. Not even the fires of a war you did not ask or fight for, that took so much from you, could extinguish that inner fire. It is a fortitude of something pure and precious that I have not found in all my years of striving. I see much good in you, too.”

[gear-dust]

Geardust could almost swear he felt himself physically grow from the encouraging words and the realization that someone he looked up to as much as Providence not only saw past the mess that was his desheveled self, but found fondness and admiration in it too. The gentle hand on his head flushed him with warmth and the telltale beaming lights on his frame truly did give away the happiness radiating from his spark. It made the mechanic glow a crystalline blue in the sunset twilight on the beach where they spent this unforgettable moment. Geardust felt the resolve burn within him that only cemented what he had felt since life had changed all so abruptly and all for the better.  He was going to make himself better, and be better. Most of all, he was never again going to give into fear and hopelessness.  Geardust fell quiet, while his biolights did most of the speaking for him. He suddenly moved in and gave Providence as much of a big hug as he was able to with his much shorter arms. It wasn’t easy, but he did his best.  “Thank you for everything…thank you.” 

[handsofprovidence]

Providence laughed a little. “And now that you say it, I never really did thank you for repairing my rotary cannon. Thank you too, Geardust.”

Rising to his full height again, the aged guardian cycled his vents, feeling recharged and a smooth movement to his joints; he was relaxed, at peace. “It is getting late. Will your brother be missing you? We can return, if you so wish. I am sure the rest of them will be waiting for our arrival.”

[gear-dust]

“Well, you paid me generously!” Geardust chuckled and looked up, giving the bigger mech a thumbs up. “That was much appreciated, I was pretty broke at the time too. Really, it was my pleasure!”  Geardust turned and observed the sky briefly before nodding. “Eh, he’s hanging out with the boy, I doubt he misses me for how much fun he has with the organics.” he joked and then nodded, shaking his rattling frame free of as much sand as he could before turning to leave the beach. “Yeah, let’s head back. This was really, really nice. Thanks for taking me here and...everything else.” the smaller mech said, happily while looking up at his towering friend. He wasn’t particularly keen on returning to the group of clashing personalities and motivations that had gathered at their little self made sanctuary in the woods and cliffsides of Maine, well hidden by an advanced cloaking dome Snowblind and Hardwire had fashioned out of the space bridge engine.  “Have you heard any news from home?”

[gear-dust]

Providence’s gaze lowered and his gait came to a stop. “They were the people that belonged to one of the thirteen, Nexus Prime, the original combiner himself. Truthfully, I do not think there was any such danger that they posed, at least nothing beyond what is afforded to Cybertronians such as ourselves…and we have proven the extent of that far enough already.”

The old guardian’s face soured. “It was Galvatron, and his talk of ‘purity’ and ‘supremacy‘ that brought death to their people. He himself was responsible for the vast genocide against them, and his crimes paved the way for unity after the end of the civil war. Our entire history of progress is founded on it, and much of my early life is steeped in it as well. There is much for me to be penitent for. Sometimes I wonder if all my actions are merely an attempt to redeem myself after that time…”

Geardust distractedly watched the glimmering ocean before them. He shifted and felt his joints slightly creak and grind with the sand and gravel that had collected under his armor plates. He listened and nodded, turning back to look at his towering companion while he spoke. When Providence’s tone took a somber turn, Geardust frowned and stepped closer.  “But…that’s not a bad thing, is it? At least I don’t think it is.” he said with a tilt of his head. “To want to be better and make up for the past is at least better than…nothing. Than hopelessness and apathy. That’s…what’s it’s been like for me, until now and all of these changes.” Geardust’s crooked and uneven head-antennae flicked momentarily as he considered his words. “I was really lonley for all those years. The highlight really was when you visited me the first time…and I always thought that ‘soon as my brother returns, then…then it’ll be different, then everything will change for the better’. He had changed for the better, but not me and…our home was gone. I’ve not been a good support for him, and his mourning over Cybertron…it was uncomfortable to see his tears, when I couldn’t even remember when last I shed any of my own over…everything.”  The ocean breeze hit his back and Geardust almost felt it move his deep blue cape that he’d worn for cycles upon cycles until it was destroyed along with his body and used to suspend his mangled remains over the Senate tower gates.  “I’ve seen enough of your spark to know that’s not all there is to your actions, Providence.” he added, softly and looked up with a warm pulse giving his lights an increased glow and the sound of gears and shifts moving inside his face indicated futile reflex to smile without a face to show it to his friend. 

[handsofprovidence]

“It begs the question, all the same, whether I would be the person I would, if the tragedies that befell us never came to pass,” Providence murmured. “Was I always so blind? Did it take a near-endless war for me to finally do something right?”

Providence shook his head. He knew it was a question neither of them, or anyone for that matter, could answer. The point was made even more moot by the fact that it changed nothing about his present circumstances. He was still here with Geardust. He still had Geardust, and all the others. They were enough for him.

“You are not hopeless, nor are you apathetic. If you were, then I would be considered the far greater villain, for being so cruel in my idealism,” Providence murmured to his smaller companion, kneeling down to face Geardust on more equal ground. “You care for your brother, and despite your own fears you helped save the life of Rider, when I myself was preoccupied with Hardwire, to say nothing of Snowblind. Tears are not always a symbol of sincerity, and you have had to dry yours long ago to survive. I myself find difficulty in it. I am built and compelled to act more than to lament. But you…you are different.”

Smiling, Providence reached out and placed his hand on Geardust’s head. “You strive, always, for the best in others, despite having lost everything else. Not even the fires of a war you did not ask or fight for, that took so much from you, could extinguish that inner fire. It is a fortitude of something pure and precious that I have not found in all my years of striving. I see much good in you, too.”

[gear-dust]

Geardust could almost swear he felt himself physically grow from the encouraging words and the realization that someone he looked up to as much as Providence not only saw past the mess that was his desheveled self, but found fondness and admiration in it too. The gentle hand on his head flushed him with warmth and the telltale beaming lights on his frame truly did give away the happiness radiating from his spark. It made the mechanic glow a crystalline blue in the sunset twilight on the beach where they spent this unforgettable moment. Geardust felt the resolve burn within him that only cemented what he had felt since life had changed all so abruptly and all for the better.  He was going to make himself better, and be better. Most of all, he was never again going to give into fear and hopelessness.  Geardust fell quiet, while his biolights did most of the speaking for him. He suddenly moved in and gave Providence as much of a big hug as he was able to with his much shorter arms. It wasn’t easy, but he did his best.  “Thank you for everything...thank you.” 

[gear-dust]

Providence’s gaze lowered and his gait came to a stop. “They were the people that belonged to one of the thirteen, Nexus Prime, the original combiner himself. Truthfully, I do not think there was any such danger that they posed, at least nothing beyond what is afforded to Cybertronians such as ourselves…and we have proven the extent of that far enough already.”

The old guardian’s face soured. “It was Galvatron, and his talk of ‘purity’ and ‘supremacy‘ that brought death to their people. He himself was responsible for the vast genocide against them, and his crimes paved the way for unity after the end of the civil war. Our entire history of progress is founded on it, and much of my early life is steeped in it as well. There is much for me to be penitent for. Sometimes I wonder if all my actions are merely an attempt to redeem myself after that time…”

Geardust distractedly watched the glimmering ocean before them. He shifted and felt his joints slightly creak and grind with the sand and gravel that had collected under his armor plates. He listened and nodded, turning back to look at his towering companion while he spoke. When Providence’s tone took a somber turn, Geardust frowned and stepped closer.  “But...that’s not a bad thing, is it? At least I don’t think it is.” he said with a tilt of his head. “To want to be better and make up for the past is at least better than...nothing. Than hopelessness and apathy. That’s...what’s it’s been like for me, until now and all of these changes.” Geardust’s crooked and uneven head-antennae flicked momentarily as he considered his words. “I was really lonley for all those years. The highlight really was when you visited me the first time...and I always thought that ‘soon as my brother returns, then...then it’ll be different, then everything will change for the better’. He had changed for the better, but not me and...our home was gone. I’ve not been a good support for him, and his mourning over Cybertron...it was uncomfortable to see his tears, when I couldn’t even remember when last I shed any of my own over...everything.”  The ocean breeze hit his back and Geardust almost felt it move his deep blue cape that he’d worn for cycles upon cycles until it was destroyed along with his body and used to suspend his mangled remains over the Senate tower gates.  “I’ve seen enough of your spark to know that’s not all there is to your actions, Providence.” he added, softly and looked up with a warm pulse giving his lights an increased glow and the sound of gears and shifts moving inside his face indicated futile reflex to smile without a face to show it to his friend. 

[gear-dust]

Night. While Rider remained sleeping beneath flannel covers on a starry night, a lone guardian and his companions stood watch over the house near the outskirts of the town. To him, the hours that passed by the midnight and still deeper into the twinkling sky felt like an instant. It was all for the best, anyhow. While the others rested and recharged elsewhere, he found the mechanic wandering again. Providence requested Geardust's presence shortly thereafter; he wanted to shown him the stars.

Ever since their chaotic arrival on Earth, Geardust had found himself unable to rest and recharge fully. Their new surroundings, while beautiful and peaceful, felt so strange and himself even moreso out of place. He was just as aware of their presence being tolerated but not necessarily wanted by the humans. Meanwhile, threats still lingered out there in the dark. Were they looking for them? Would they come stalking in the night to kill them all? While he was uncertain of almost everything, Geardust remain vigilant, and exchausted himself often, in the process. Still, he was glad to not be on Cybertron either. Chaos and skirmishes between activists, peacekeepers and apparently massive and enraged Combiners? Maybe they should all just stay in space forever…“Hm?” Geardust was woken from his brooding when his on-board computer notified him of Providence’s message. He quickly gathered himself and hurried to meet the older mech, overcome with worry that something had gone wrong or was about to.

“What’s happening? Is everything alright?” the mechanic annoucned himself as he joined Providence. He looked around and shifted, anxiously, but his scanners picked up nothing but the soft, small sounds and rustlings of the organic world around them.

[gear-dust]

Geardust walked in a new pattern in front of Providence, making the odd skip and slide while watching both of their massive prints in the sand, entirely amused by the sight. The wind from the ocean blew through his frame and cooled him. This was a nice place. Quiet and unlike anything he’d seen in what felt like endless cycles. He stopped and perked up, walking backwards to get a clear view of Providence’s face. “Really?” He asked, optics beaming. “I’d love to - uhm..I’d love to hear one, if you’re willing?” the shorter mech scratched the back of his head, worriedly. “Or if you have any recording of one?” Geardust sighed with admiration, looking skyward. “I forget that you’ve lived through and seen so much more than most of us. Here I am prattling on about pointless canon repairs when I could ask you about the old temples, the ancient Primes and fields full of sparks bursting through Cybertron’s surface…”

[handsofprovidence]

“Both are important,” Providence replied with a faint, amused smirk. “If you had not repaired my rotary cannon, then I likely would not have lived to tell you of the ancient days. They were different times…more primeval, and more terrible.”

The giant guardian seemed to trail off. “The Primes were stewards of an expansion paved by the blood of the conquered. I was young and foolish, then, my energon reserves fresh and my feet swift. I was their weapon, one of many, and easily blinded by their vision, their ambition. To serve them was both a duty and an honor. Their songs are equally as memorable. Even now, part of my spark burns when I recall the chants and the canticles we would sing before battle in those dark days. It is an evil power, one that poisons virtue.”

Providence withdrew his sword in a practices flourish, his optics suddenly ablaze as he opened his mouth. A booming thunderous call burst from his mouth in the wilderness, a fell cry in the ancient Cybertronian dialogue.

Glory!

One indomitable heart, Brothers all. We, the wrath of Cybertron, Brothers all. And glory, eternal glory, We shall bear its weight together. Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brother’s all. One indomitable heart, Brothers all. We, the wrath of Cybertron, Brothers all.

And…

Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame. Our vengeance burns brighter still. Every last traitorous soul shall kneel. Our vengeance burns brighter still. Every last traitorous soul shall fall. Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brother’s all.

Though he sung alone, Providence could still hear the voices of the men who fought and sang beside him as they slew.

[gear-dust]

Like in a trance, Geardust watched on like beholding an ancient statue outside the Primal Basilica come to Life. His optics lit up in a blaze from what the old chant awoke in him, it felt like his frame flooded with powerful hunger and strength. His fists tightened and as swept away as he became, he wished for nothing more than the ability to join Providence both in song and battle. Long, hard fought battles, Walking victorious out of fields of golden fire… Geardust let out a hard hiss of vented steam, holding his head as the chant ended. “Whoa…that was - that was something, alright!” he huffed out and let out a chuckle. “That was amazing! I’m so surprised my memory of the old tongue is intact, I knew every word!”

[handsofprovidence]

Providence’s half-trance was broken by his surprise of Geardust’s recognition. So few of whom he knew understood ancient Cybertronian.

“Did Tyrest teach you the old language?” he asked Geardust, growing curious. “I apologize for my spotty memory, but I cannot remember your presence during those early days. Such times are long passed, and they are not memories that I am particularly fond of remembering,” he admitted, his gaze lowering.

“I pursued all my directives with the burning zeal of youth, but it was not yet tempered by wisdom, or empathy. Some of my greatest regrets come with that age, Spherion not the least of these. People such as he are relics of my past mistakes, and the mistakes of our people when we had first learned to grasp organized violence. We have never really moved on from those days, but at least we have finally learned to look at ourselves through the mirror now. I hope it will give us pause before we resort to fighting in the future.”

[gear-dust]

“He did...yes. I had to translate lots of old scrolls, tablets, inscriptions on excavation sites and such.” Geardust studied the sand while he spoke. “I was certainly not there in person, I was forged around the end cycles of the Golden Age, so in that aspect I’m a fairly young mech, compared to you at least.” he said with a chuckle and tipped his head back to look up at Providence again. Geardust then stopped as the conversation steered into an uncomfortable topic. He stifled a shudder, thinking back on the dark crypt where the monstrous creature had impaled Providence and made quick work out of the others, too. He thought of poor little Crankit who was still in stasis, and of the ever watchful and worried Volver by his side.  “I thought he was just...a crazy NAIL or something. He’d have fits and his voice would shift like I was talking to two different people. Could never have imagined it to be literally the case.” the mechanic thought back on his lonlier days with the strange person he’d only known as Thinktank to keep him company, mostly against his own wishes. “What...what was so bad about the Headmasters, anyway? Were they dangerous? Did they want to dominate the planet or something? I remember trying to ask Tyrest and Sentinel about it but neither of them wanted to tell, or maybe recall, and excused both accounts with there being no point in lingering on the demented of our kind that have since long been dealt with.”

[gear-dust]

Night. While Rider remained sleeping beneath flannel covers on a starry night, a lone guardian and his companions stood watch over the house near the outskirts of the town. To him, the hours that passed by the midnight and still deeper into the twinkling sky felt like an instant. It was all for the best, anyhow. While the others rested and recharged elsewhere, he found the mechanic wandering again. Providence requested Geardust's presence shortly thereafter; he wanted to shown him the stars.

Ever since their chaotic arrival on Earth, Geardust had found himself unable to rest and recharge fully. Their new surroundings, while beautiful and peaceful, felt so strange and himself even moreso out of place. He was just as aware of their presence being tolerated but not necessarily wanted by the humans. Meanwhile, threats still lingered out there in the dark. Were they looking for them? Would they come stalking in the night to kill them all? While he was uncertain of almost everything, Geardust remain vigilant, and exchausted himself often, in the process. Still, he was glad to not be on Cybertron either. Chaos and skirmishes between activists, peacekeepers and apparently massive and enraged Combiners? Maybe they should all just stay in space forever…“Hm?” Geardust was woken from his brooding when his on-board computer notified him of Providence’s message. He quickly gathered himself and hurried to meet the older mech, overcome with worry that something had gone wrong or was about to.

“What’s happening? Is everything alright?” the mechanic annoucned himself as he joined Providence. He looked around and shifted, anxiously, but his scanners picked up nothing but the soft, small sounds and rustlings of the organic world around them.

[gear-dust]

Geardust walked in a new pattern in front of Providence, making the odd skip and slide while watching both of their massive prints in the sand, entirely amused by the sight. The wind from the ocean blew through his frame and cooled him. This was a nice place. Quiet and unlike anything he’d seen in what felt like endless cycles. He stopped and perked up, walking backwards to get a clear view of Providence’s face. “Really?” He asked, optics beaming. “I’d love to - uhm..I’d love to hear one, if you’re willing?” the shorter mech scratched the back of his head, worriedly. “Or if you have any recording of one?” Geardust sighed with admiration, looking skyward. “I forget that you’ve lived through and seen so much more than most of us. Here I am prattling on about pointless canon repairs when I could ask you about the old temples, the ancient Primes and fields full of sparks bursting through Cybertron’s surface…”

[handsofprovidence]

“Both are important,” Providence replied with a faint, amused smirk. “If you had not repaired my rotary cannon, then I likely would not have lived to tell you of the ancient days. They were different times…more primeval, and more terrible.”

The giant guardian seemed to trail off. “The Primes were stewards of an expansion paved by the blood of the conquered. I was young and foolish, then, my energon reserves fresh and my feet swift. I was their weapon, one of many, and easily blinded by their vision, their ambition. To serve them was both a duty and an honor. Their songs are equally as memorable. Even now, part of my spark burns when I recall the chants and the canticles we would sing before battle in those dark days. It is an evil power, one that poisons virtue.”

Providence withdrew his sword in a practices flourish, his optics suddenly ablaze as he opened his mouth. A booming thunderous call burst from his mouth in the wilderness, a fell cry in the ancient Cybertronian dialogue.

Glory!

One indomitable heart, Brothers all. We, the wrath of Cybertron, Brothers all. And glory, eternal glory, We shall bear its weight together. Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brother’s all. One indomitable heart, Brothers all. We, the wrath of Cybertron, Brothers all.

And…

Those who stand before us light the night sky in flame. Our vengeance burns brighter still. Every last traitorous soul shall kneel. Our vengeance burns brighter still. Every last traitorous soul shall fall. Forged like the saber in the fires of death, Brother’s all.

Though he sung alone, Providence could still hear the voices of the men who fought and sang beside him as they slew.

[gear-dust]

Like in a trance, Geardust watched on like beholding an ancient statue outside the Primal Basilica come to Life. His optics lit up in a blaze from what the old chant awoke in him, it felt like his frame flooded with powerful hunger and strength. His fists tightened and as swept away as he became, he wished for nothing more than the ability to join Providence both in song and battle. Long, hard fought battles, Walking victorious out of fields of golden fire... Geardust let out a hard hiss of vented steam, holding his head as the chant ended. "Whoa...that was - that was something, alright!" he huffed out and let out a chuckle. "That was amazing! I'm so surprised my memory of the old tongue is intact, I knew every word!"

[gear-dust]

Night. While Rider remained sleeping beneath flannel covers on a starry night, a lone guardian and his companions stood watch over the house near the outskirts of the town. To him, the hours that passed by the midnight and still deeper into the twinkling sky felt like an instant. It was all for the best, anyhow. While the others rested and recharged elsewhere, he found the mechanic wandering again. Providence requested Geardust's presence shortly thereafter; he wanted to shown him the stars.

Ever since their chaotic arrival on Earth, Geardust had found himself unable to rest and recharge fully. Their new surroundings, while beautiful and peaceful, felt so strange and himself even moreso out of place. He was just as aware of their presence being tolerated but not necessarily wanted by the humans. Meanwhile, threats still lingered out there in the dark. Were they looking for them? Would they come stalking in the night to kill them all? While he was uncertain of almost everything, Geardust remain vigilant, and exchausted himself often, in the process. Still, he was glad to not be on Cybertron either. Chaos and skirmishes between activists, peacekeepers and apparently massive and enraged Combiners? Maybe they should all just stay in space forever…“Hm?” Geardust was woken from his brooding when his on-board computer notified him of Providence’s message. He quickly gathered himself and hurried to meet the older mech, overcome with worry that something had gone wrong or was about to.

“What’s happening? Is everything alright?” the mechanic annoucned himself as he joined Providence. He looked around and shifted, anxiously, but his scanners picked up nothing but the soft, small sounds and rustlings of the organic world around them.

[gear-dust]

Geardust walked in a new pattern in front of Providence, making the odd skip and slide while watching both of their massive prints in the sand, entirely amused by the sight. The wind from the ocean blew through his frame and cooled him. This was a nice place. Quiet and unlike anything he’d seen in what felt like endless cycles. He stopped and perked up, walking backwards to get a clear view of Providence’s face. “Really?” He asked, optics beaming. “I’d love to - uhm..I’d love to hear one, if you’re willing?” the shorter mech scratched the back of his head, worriedly. “Or if you have any recording of one?” Geardust sighed with admiration, looking skyward. “I forget that you’ve lived through and seen so much more than most of us. Here I am prattling on about pointless canon repairs when I could ask you about the old temples, the ancient Primes and fields full of sparks bursting through Cybertron’s surface...”

[gear-dust]

Night. While Rider remained sleeping beneath flannel covers on a starry night, a lone guardian and his companions stood watch over the house near the outskirts of the town. To him, the hours that passed by the midnight and still deeper into the twinkling sky felt like an instant. It was all for the best, anyhow. While the others rested and recharged elsewhere, he found the mechanic wandering again. Providence requested Geardust's presence shortly thereafter; he wanted to shown him the stars.

Ever since their chaotic arrival on Earth, Geardust had found himself unable to rest and recharge fully. Their new surroundings, while beautiful and peaceful, felt so strange and himself even moreso out of place. He was just as aware of their presence being tolerated but not necessarily wanted by the humans. Meanwhile, threats still lingered out there in the dark. Were they looking for them? Would they come stalking in the night to kill them all? While he was uncertain of almost everything, Geardust remain vigilant, and exchausted himself often, in the process. Still, he was glad to not be on Cybertron either. Chaos and skirmishes between activists, peacekeepers and apparently massive and enraged Combiners? Maybe they should all just stay in space forever…“Hm?” Geardust was woken from his brooding when his on-board computer notified him of Providence’s message. He quickly gathered himself and hurried to meet the older mech, overcome with worry that something had gone wrong or was about to.

“What’s happening? Is everything alright?” the mechanic annoucned himself as he joined Providence. He looked around and shifted, anxiously, but his scanners picked up nothing but the soft, small sounds and rustlings of the organic world around them.

[handsofprovidence]

The return of Geardust’s blue optics was not lost on Providence, and he treasured the moment in his heart, even though he did not speak his observations aloud.

“Your dreams are your own, and size means nothing when your mind is committed to it. The only key is persistence,” he replied, following Geardust‘s gaze to the sighing waves.

“It is a strange thing, faith. From what I have seen and experienced of it, the comforts it promises are not often what we expect, or even ask for. It sustains us in invisible ways, and in our most difficult trials we cannot feel its presence, and we understand its effects largely in retrospect. It’s why we see it as a matter of trust, when it comes to matters of the future.”

Providence looked down to Geardust again, and nodded. “As for mine, I trust that seeking the your good and that of the others will be the answer to what I have sought all along. I will always be by your side, and I have faith that one day, what is lost may be found.”

[gear-dust]

Geardust looked down and nodded. “I’ll try to remember that, but, hey - in my defense, that’s easy for a giant like you to say.” he said, chuckling. “No, sorry…I really do appreciate it, you taking the time to listen to my ramblings. I guess I had more on my mind than I realized. Hm.” Geardust ran a hand over his bare head and vented some pent up steam from the slits on the side of his chassis. “and thank you for showing me all those things I either forgot or couldn’t remember. I feel strangely at peace, surprisingly.” Geardust looked to the stars, then back to Providence. “I haven’t heard anything from Cybertron. Whatever’s going on over there knocked out all comms. I should get back to trying to repair the space bridge, I’m sure Lightfall will let me know how long I’ve been absent down to the nanosecond.” Geardust said with a roll of his optics. 

[handsofprovidence]

“Cybertron has it‘s own share of problems,” Providence began, “but their troubles will find their own resolution. I will reassure Lightfall of our safety, but if he needs our help, then I will provide it for him.”

Lifting up his sword to sling across his back, the old guardian took his time as he saw the last fiery shades of the setting sun fade into the night over the horizon. “Still, I would not seek to rob you of your time with me; I very much value it, myself. There is no need to hurry; I trust Lightfall, Hawk, and Disher to be able to fend for themselves before our arrival, and we still have much to gain from our time together.”

[gear-dust]

“Oh...okay. Alright. Yeah, sounds good.” Geardust shifted his footing in the soft sand. He watched the sunset. The waves. The faint stars that began to emerge. He started walking and studied the imprints in the sand from his feet.  “Honestly? I realize I don’t really know how to just, hm...spend time. I felt like I always had to work so the Autobots would keep me around, or I was afraid they’d kick me out otherwise and life was hard for the Nails during the war. And I don’t like to think, not about things that aren’t about fixing.” He walked slowly to form a spiral with his footprints while he talked.  “...not that I don’t enjoy this!” he added, quickly and with a flash of his biolights that had dimmed back to fiery orange. “I never really liked going to the bars, back then. I have a hard time processing engex and stronger stuff and I make a fool out of myself when I get drunk. I’ve been known to sing, but at least I’m a good singer, heh.” He looked up at his big friend, cocking his head to the side. “Do you know any old songs, from the past? Tyrest usually asked me to lead the morning hymns, that was the favorite part of my day.”

[gear-dust]

Night. While Rider remained sleeping beneath flannel covers on a starry night, a lone guardian and his companions stood watch over the house near the outskirts of the town. To him, the hours that passed by the midnight and still deeper into the twinkling sky felt like an instant. It was all for the best, anyhow. While the others rested and recharged elsewhere, he found the mechanic wandering again. Providence requested Geardust's presence shortly thereafter; he wanted to shown him the stars.

Ever since their chaotic arrival on Earth, Geardust had found himself unable to rest and recharge fully. Their new surroundings, while beautiful and peaceful, felt so strange and himself even moreso out of place. He was just as aware of their presence being tolerated but not necessarily wanted by the humans. Meanwhile, threats still lingered out there in the dark. Were they looking for them? Would they come stalking in the night to kill them all? While he was uncertain of almost everything, Geardust remain vigilant, and exchausted himself often, in the process. Still, he was glad to not be on Cybertron either. Chaos and skirmishes between activists, peacekeepers and apparently massive and enraged Combiners? Maybe they should all just stay in space forever…“Hm?” Geardust was woken from his brooding when his on-board computer notified him of Providence’s message. He quickly gathered himself and hurried to meet the older mech, overcome with worry that something had gone wrong or was about to.

“What’s happening? Is everything alright?” the mechanic annoucned himself as he joined Providence. He looked around and shifted, anxiously, but his scanners picked up nothing but the soft, small sounds and rustlings of the organic world around them.

[handsofprovidence]

The return of Geardust’s blue optics was not lost on Providence, and he treasured the moment in his heart, even though he did not speak his observations aloud.

“Your dreams are your own, and size means nothing when your mind is committed to it. The only key is persistence,” he replied, following Geardust‘s gaze to the sighing waves.

“It is a strange thing, faith. From what I have seen and experienced of it, the comforts it promises are not often what we expect, or even ask for. It sustains us in invisible ways, and in our most difficult trials we cannot feel its presence, and we understand its effects largely in retrospect. It’s why we see it as a matter of trust, when it comes to matters of the future.”

Providence looked down to Geardust again, and nodded. “As for mine, I trust that seeking the your good and that of the others will be the answer to what I have sought all along. I will always be by your side, and I have faith that one day, what is lost may be found.”

[gear-dust]

Geardust looked down and nodded. “I’ll try to remember that, but, hey - in my defense, that’s easy for a giant like you to say.” he said, chuckling. “No, sorry...I really do appreciate it, you taking the time to listen to my ramblings. I guess I had more on my mind than I realized. Hm.” Geardust ran a hand over his bare head and vented some pent up steam from the slits on the side of his chassis. “and thank you for showing me all those things I either forgot or couldn’t remember. I feel strangely at peace, surprisingly.” Geardust looked to the stars, then back to Providence. “I haven’t heard anything from Cybertron. Whatever’s going on over there knocked out all comms. I should get back to trying to repair the space bridge, I’m sure Lightfall will let me know how long I’ve been absent down to the nanosecond.” Geardust said with a roll of his optics. 

[gear-dust]

Night. While Rider remained sleeping beneath flannel covers on a starry night, a lone guardian and his companions stood watch over the house near the outskirts of the town. To him, the hours that passed by the midnight and still deeper into the twinkling sky felt like an instant. It was all for the best, anyhow. While the others rested and recharged elsewhere, he found the mechanic wandering again. Providence requested Geardust's presence shortly thereafter; he wanted to shown him the stars.

Ever since their chaotic arrival on Earth, Geardust had found himself unable to rest and recharge fully. Their new surroundings, while beautiful and peaceful, felt so strange and himself even moreso out of place. He was just as aware of their presence being tolerated but not necessarily wanted by the humans. Meanwhile, threats still lingered out there in the dark. Were they looking for them? Would they come stalking in the night to kill them all? While he was uncertain of almost everything, Geardust remain vigilant, and exchausted himself often, in the process. Still, he was glad to not be on Cybertron either. Chaos and skirmishes between activists, peacekeepers and apparently massive and enraged Combiners? Maybe they should all just stay in space forever…“Hm?” Geardust was woken from his brooding when his on-board computer notified him of Providence’s message. He quickly gathered himself and hurried to meet the older mech, overcome with worry that something had gone wrong or was about to.

“What’s happening? Is everything alright?” the mechanic annoucned himself as he joined Providence. He looked around and shifted, anxiously, but his scanners picked up nothing but the soft, small sounds and rustlings of the organic world around them.

[handsofprovidence]

Providence let the barrels of his CIWS whir for a few seconds in reply. “You also fixed my defensive subsystems, old schematics and all,” he said softly, glancing to his shoulder and then back to Geardust. “It still works as intended. And as for your alt mode, well. Trucks aren’t meant for speed; they’re for heavy loading.“ 

The old guardian took a knee in front of Geardust, and pointed to the mech’s chest where his spark chamber lay underneath. “You don‘t have to be anything different; that is what I mean. Repairs are a restoration, not a transformation, and you were always meant for something more than just your performance. You believed in that, once.”

Standing back up, Providence returned his gaze to the sunset, and unslung the sword that weighed heavily on his back. He brought the curve of the anchor down to rest on the sand, and rested his palms atop the pommel. “Once, I compromised my strength in lending it to an unworthy cause. I have always been closer to Megatron than I have been with Optimus, foolishly so, and I admit my share of injustices during the war. I hope that you will not forget those parts of me either, for I am no hero, that you ought to idolize me, no superior that you ought to feel compelled to obey. The world could use more healers, and less warriors. I had wished to become obsolete well before this time. You never ought to.”

[gear-dust]

“I - yes, I know. I know I did…” Geardust said in turn, looking down in embarrassment. “I guess so many things changed. So much bad happened…and I’m hardly the first one to lose faith.” The gentle nudge over his sparkchamber made his lights flare up, slightly. He took a few steps back and tilted his head to even fully see the face of Providence as the old guardian rose to his full height and towered above him. In every sense of the word. Geardust looked down and across the massive anchor that gleamed its mysterious, ancient metal. It reminded him of the color of the ocean as the sun lit the world under the surface. Geardust merely listened, struggling as every to accept the kindness and encouragement offered to him. Providence was right, of course, as he was about so much. Except for one thing. “But,” the small, lopsided mech spoke from down below. “You are. My hero, that is. You willingly gave your energon to save my brother when he was injured. You’ve saved us both from peril, more than once.” Geardust put one of his small hands on the mighty blade and held it there.  “You saved my life, and you’re helping me now, yet again. And this, just…well, this makes me feel like I could be, maybe, like you, someday. I’ll never be big or strong or powerful but maybe I can also be as good to someone who really needs it, as you are to me.”

[handsofprovidence]

“You are one of the few to still hold onto it, in some form,” Providence reassured him. “If not, you would have resigned yourself to the tides of the war long ago. Even if you cannot see your faith, it has sustained you, in the deepest reaches of your heart. That has made all the difference.”

Providence smiled in a mixture of humility and great joy upon hearing Geardust’s gratitude. “That was the least that I could do. My reserves are deep, and it was Disher’s charity that allowed me to give out of what I have to your benefit. I have done it once, and I would do it again. The fact that you wish to do the same, however, is what makes all the difference. It’s why we are already alike. Why we have always been alike.”

[gear-dust]

Geardust stepped back, slowly taking his hand off the blade and met the golden optics that gleamed high above. His own glowed brightly blue but he wasn’t aware.  “Heh...I, uh... yeah. Maybe we are. Somehow.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Or maybe I’m just dreaming too big. Literally.” Geardust turned and looked at the ocean. “I both feel like Primus left me, long ago, when I hurt others, and that he never left me or Cybertron at all. It is a painful thing, all the same. I miss the reassurance and the conviction...but I know it was never confied in the temples or kneeling at Tyrest’s feet. It is the spark of life and light of all sentient beings that are one and will always be one.”  The warm breeze picked up and brushed against the uneven plates that covered his back, and Geardust rolled his shoulders, almost feeling his old blue cloak move in the wind. “Thank you for this. I really needed it.”