Alright, I know I promised I would post chapter 2 of the "Hyper Nova Crash Out" arc soon, but there were somethings bothering me in that first drabble so I decided to rewrite it. And honestly, I much prefer this one. The second chapter, will probably come out either this weekend or the next (depending on how much I crash out over my microbiology seminary).
Fun fact: That original drabble I sent to yaya's blog as a sneak peak had around 832 words, while this one has around 1873 words, this more than doubled.
Soooo.... @yayasvalveplay @mionkingsvibe, my pookies tell me what you think...
Also, Wall Anon and Yaya, boos, thank you, for letting me use your OC's, Pyrostroke and Javelin respectively, for Hyper Nova's team.
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Today had been a dull and slow cycle, she had spent most of it perusing through Lord Straxus' demands for changes on some newly conquered planets and writing her own reports about Team Stellari's progress for General Strika. Ever since her arrival a quartex ago, she had been bound to desk duty in her personal study. Punishment, obviously, for leaving behind her team so soon after crushing that puny rebellion and the planet they had taken as base. Under normal circumstances, Nova would have remained there until an officer of higher status, a Lieutenant or even a General of her Sire, had her relieved from duty.
But these circumstances were anything but normal.
The Primum Duellum, was a special type of coming of age ceremony, as it only affected the creations that weren’t official heirs or carried by the Ruling Consort. As a way to prove they were worthy of being acknowledged by their Sire. Once a creation had turned 15 stellars, they would engage in the Primum Duellum with their Sire. The objective was landing a hit in the Sire's chassis, just deep enough to leave behind a mark, a physical proof of their worth.
Hyper Nova herself had engaged in this ceremony once she had turned 15. It was the most difficult battle she had ever fought, not even her first battle in the frontlines compared to it. By the end of it, she had sustained cuts in the protoform of her left arm and leg, a deep stab wound in her right shoulder plating that had reached a main energon line, which almost lead her to lose her entire arm, and multiple dents across her armor while the only damage her sire had was the slash mark in his lower chassis. The problem was, Hestia was not of age to partake in the Primum Duellum yet, that was something her Sire would've never allowed considering how it was such a deep staple in their culture, the amount of hatred for their carrier aside.
Unless, Hestia had personally offended their Sire in public, leading him to question her worth in the royal family and force her into fighting for her honor. But her little sister was smart, Tia was more than capable of navigating her way through the royal court. Besides, the third princess antagonising the Emperor in public would've been the number one news in the whole empire and would have had witnesses. But there was absolutely nothing. No witnesses, no recordings, no photos, no security feed. Nothing.
Along all of that, there was the whole, Hestia had disappeared while hurt and no doctors or guards had seen her. How could a 14 stellar cycles old femme that had been seriously damaged and blinded in an optic, had managed to flee the palace, the most secure place in the Decepticon Empire, whitout being seen by anyone or anything. Her carrier had been worried sick and asked to send a search party but was denied by the Emperor himself. Turning to his only hope, his Eldest child, the consort was able to comm her despite interference and pleaded for Hyper Nova to come back and search for Hestia. Which she'd doing the moment she put her pede back in the Capital, if it wasn't for this insubordination punishment.
This couldn't have been a coincidende, it was way too perfect to be one. Someone had waited until Hyper Nova and her brother had left the palace in a mission so it would have been near impossible to contact them, then targeted Hestia who would've been left vunerable and basically force their sire into punishing her for something that she hadn't done. Someone out there wanted to hurt her family.
The datapad in her servo started glitching due to the amount of strength in her hold. Taking deep in-vents and ex-vents to reel in her anger, Nova put down the datapad and rubbed the protoform under her forehelm. Breaking important reports wouldn't help her situation nor Hestia's, if she wanted to be useful, she would be by solving these with spetacular accuracy and innovation. With her new found motivation, Hyper Nova brought up her stylus to continue with her datawork, before hearing a knock on the door.
Knowing it could only be one bot, her personal servant, Tenebrae, a gloomy bot who always had a blank look on their faceplate. Despite their looks and personality scaring of most bots, Tenebrae was a great subordinate of hers and was loyal to a fault. They ran a tight ship over hers and even her younger siblings' quarters, all while she was away leading Team Stellari onto the frontlines. Secretly glad to step away from the dull desk work even if briefly, and without looking up, still organizing away the datapads, she pressed a button, allowing the door to unlock and slide away.
Tenebrae stepped into the room without even a sound. "My Princess, there’s someone who requests to speak with you." Done rearranging the datapads in her desk, she inquired. "Is it my Sire? Because I've warned you that anyone unimportant should be turned away, even if they were my Carrier or younger siblings."
Walking further into the room, her lead servant only said. "I'm well aware my lady, but the one asking to meet with is not unimportant, in fact, it is your sister, the crown princess." Surprise took over Hyper Nova's EM field and faceplating. Her older sister had never wanted to chat with her before and turning her down would surely have consequences for herself.
'What could it be that Sari wanted that I could give to her, but not Sire? How fascinating!' She thinks.
With a slight smirk gracing her lips, she turned to Tenebrae. "Very well then, what a fool would I be to turn down a wish from her Highness." Getting up from her chair, she exited her study with a steady rythm, not rushing but taking her time. "Tenebrae, ask for someone in the kitchen to bring some of that rubidium tea and a few appetizers too and prepare a table at the balcony."
Sitting in one of the sofas around her living room, she reached a digit unto the underside of her finial, activating the comm protector so that no one could hack into her private comm call. It took a while, but soon enough, the signal went through and a jesting voice with a terribly awful Jhiaxian accent spoke in her audials.
:: Ye have commed the scrappy restaurant, what is yer slagging order, aye? ::
Relieved in hearing my second in command's voice asking for that dumb and unnecessary password he came up with, I let out a faint giggle and respond with an equally terrible Polyhexian accent.
:: Vell, from vhat I hearrrd, the knuckle sandvich is zhe zpecialty of your chef. ::
From the other side of the call, Pyrostroke also let's out a laugh at our play, mocking the fake accents each one of us bestowed at the first time we met in the frontlines.
:: Boss! It's great finally hearing from you. Though I know the circumstances are less than ideal. But I assure you, we'll find Hestia, that’s a promise. Did you call for a report on Javelin's progress with the security feed? I'm afraid she hasn't found anything new. ::
:: Thank you, Pyrostroke, for your belief, but Hestia's disappearance is unfortunately not the reason why I'm calling. It's the Crown Princess, she requesting to speak to me regarding something, though I'm unsure of what. But... ::
:: The fact that she came to you instead of the Emperor is not good. ::
:: Precisely, at least is not good for me. Pass this comm to Javelin, I'll need her expertise in this matter. ::
After that, I only heard a faint click, Pyrostroke disconnecting from the comm link, before hearing another click, louder this time, and then, the voice of my intelligence officer echoed in my audials.
:: Javelin, intelligence officer, reporting for duty, boss. Pyro, explained me some of it, but what's the situation as a whole and what do you need me to do. ::
:: Javelin, the security cameras in my quarters, you're able to control them and modify their feed, isn't that right? ::
:: Yes, boss! I'm also able to control some of the cameras around and leading up to your quarters, but the chance of me getting caught is significantly higher. Especially since our ship is still quite far away from the Capital. ::
:: Then leave those alone, there’s no need to risk yourself for such. What I need that you do is keep an optic in the balcony cameras during the conversation that I have with Crown princess Sari. I'll give you a signal if anything goes awry. ::
:: Would you like me to destroy the feed, given the signal? Or should I do something else? ::
:: Something else, it would definetly look suspicious for me if the feeds of a conversation I had in my private quarters with the princess were deleted. Do something to the audio receptors of the cameras. ::
:: But from what I remember, the last official security check of my quarters were a few stellar cycles ago. After so long without proper maintenance, those things tend to malfunction, isn't that right? ::
:: You're absolutely right, my lady! My sire always says that proper maintenance is key for the longevity of any apparatus. ::
:: Good, I'll have to end this comm now, I already left my dearest sister waiting for long enough. I can't possibly be such a rude host. ::
Hearing the echoing click, that signaled the end of the call, Hyper Nova gets up from the sofa and starts to walk. Arriving at her quarter's main doors, she takes a deep in-vent and smoothed down her EM field, bestowing a neutral look with a small but still pleasant smile. Opening the doors, right at the front stood her older sister Sari, with that pesky guard of hers, Requiem, son of Tarn. "Your Highness, how pleased I was to know you wished to speak with me!"
Stepping aside and gesturing with my servos for them to come inside, I bow down slightly as a show of respect. "Please enter, I apologize for leaving you waiting, but this visit of yours took me and my staff by surprise and we had to hurry to prepare everything for this meeting. I've asked my main servant to prepare a table at the balcony and soon others will arrive with food and drinks." Restraining myself from taking the lead inside the room, despite the fact that these were my quarters, I allow the crown princess to always be one step ahead, of course, only physically, while I walk slightly behind her left side. Requiem walks behind us, observing my every move, like the little cyberhound he is, just waiting for orders to attack.
Tenebrae opens the door to the balcony, the table had already been prepared to perfection like everything they do. I give them a nod to show my approval and they bow before saying that they'll bring the refreshments soon. Sitting across from my sister at the other head of the table, I smile at her.
'Now, let the farse begin!' Is the main thought going through my head.
