Troja Major

Chapter 10 - An Excursion

-o-o-o-o-o-

Nautica sat on the transport, watching through the large windows as Port Vantage came into view. Next to her, Vision was staring out eagerly. He'd been gazing out of the window since they'd first boarded.

Again Nautica got out the business card that had been handed to her at the Festival of Chrosis and read it once more. "Trev'ath the Enchanter. Spells from the Dark Nebula. When technology fails you, consider magic." She shook her head. If technology failed, it was usually just a matter of changing technologies. There were always multiple roads that led to the same destination. Though she couldn't doubt the claim really; wasn't 'magic' just a more nebulous form of technology? And Trev'ath definitely seemed to have something beyond understanding about him. The way his voice had sounded when he'd spoken to her. That for certain wasn't normal.

The transport began to descend and the pilot announced that they'd be landing shortly. Vision all but plastered himself against the window. He'd chosen to wear his latest set of clothing, the fur-trimmed robes of a Wintillan mystic from Nywilak. Though the planet of Nywilak was long-dead and its surviving children scattered to the stars, those of the Galactic Council and the Perseus Arm remembered it as peopled by a spiritual race with a deeper connection to the Old Order. Wintillan ceremonies had recently come into fashion, so Vision had taken it upon himself to learn the exotic rites and funerary processes. Not long after the Festival of Chrosis, he'd gone to study with a Wintillan master, who'd put him through three months of rigorous training to learn the secrets of the mystical orders. Vision had assured Nautica that the cost of the training would be returned multifold once he had his credentials. She however wouldn't let him wear the skull and feather headdress on the transport, so he'd settled for a simple hood.

The shuttle made an unexciting landing at the spaceport and the two Cybertronians disembarked into the late afternoon sun. And outside of the terminal, Crankcase and Trev'ath were waiting, the pair unmistakable. "Nautica. And Vision, is it?" the former Decepticon greeted them.

Vision bowed graciously. "I'm Vision."

"You're clothed," Crankcase pointed out. "What has your mentor been teaching you?" he complained,eyeing Nautica.

Trev'ath stepped forward, reaching for Vision with multiple arms. "Oh don't be so cynical, Grumpybox," he said, his voice again comforting and disturbing at once. "I'm Trev'ath, and I think that you wear fine clothing," he said with a genuine warmth, he himself wrapped up in deep robes and a face mask that hid all but his three-fingered hands.

"Thank you," replied Vision. "I've been looking forward to meeting you two. I was led to believe that Decepticons hated organics."

Nautica gave an embarrassed laugh. "Well, the war is long over. Things have changed, especially in regard to individuals."

"Yes, we're a couple, if that's what you're asking," Crankcase grumbled. "Though it was mostly his idea."

Trev'ath nudged the blue mech with a shoulder. "If I'm remembering right, you were the one who asked me to come to Troja Major to meet up. And you were the one who left his team to stay with me. And you were the one who got us an apartment together."