ØLife came as a shock.
Surging through new and unused systems.
Processors momentarily flooded with streams of data, nearly overwhelming.
A shudder passed through the great metal body.
Then, perhaps at some pulse from outside, came acceptance.
Relaxing, the sparkling considered the data.
Slowly making sense of it, letting it tell him what he was and what his purpose was.
Some span of time later, optics powered up. Briefly getting little more than static, before vision cleared.
He was in a compartment, similar ones stretching out in a line from both sides of his own. Before him was a vast room, filled with strange shapes, some pulsing with energy. After a while though, he was able to identify it, the needed knowledge part of what had been programmed into him.
Suddenly clamps released, cables disengaging to pull back. Almost automatically, he took a not quite steady step forwards. Programming told him what to do, yet that first big movement came as bit of a surprise. Knowing and actually using the complex workings of his body being two different things.
Movement caught his attention, and he turned, seeing others like him step out of their own compartments. Most of them larger, he noted. However, some were of a similar size to him, with just a couple that were noticeably smaller. Focused on those in front of him, a growl from behind didn't really register. Then the sparkling suddenly found himself shoved forwards, a fist slamming into his back. Claws tore at new armor, and the sparkling snarled, as much in anger as in pain. Staggering, he spun around, to find one of the bigger ones bearing down at him.
Anger surged through the
sparkling, before he forced it back as best he could, in spite of
being sent reeling again. Giving another snarl, he backed away,
considering. How dared the other one attack him!
Others
had caught on to what was happening now, the majority hanging back, a
few approaching. Three even joining the other big one in its advance
on the smaller sparkling. Talons twitching, he watched them for a
moment, red optics blazing stronger. Thought they were going to
take him down, did they?
Right...
With a
snap of teeth, he charged forwards, leaping right at the big one that
had first pushed him. An arm came up, aiming to send him crashing to
the floor. Rather than letting that happen though, he sunk one set of
talons into it, hanging on. Then he just knew, parts of his
left arm shifting, reconfiguring into an elongated structure. There
was a hum, an odd tingling in his arm, then he brought it up. Next
came a bright flash.
Letting go, the sparkling staggered back, gears complaining a bit as he fought to stay upright. Much worse off though, was the big one. Standing there, swaying, its face little more than burning and smoking metal. The sparkling stared, wavering between horrified and wonder at what the weapon had done.
Soon a growl from many throats echoed through the great room. From the supporters of the one who was even now falling, striking the ground noisily.
Figuring out the deployment of their own weapons, they started forwards. Optics narrowing, the sparkling considered each of them in turn, trying to determine the biggest threat among them. Sensors suddenly alerting him to a presence just behind, he jumped. Only to experience something akin to surprise as another big one stomped right past him. Moving with the obvious intent of tearing right into the group of other 'bots.
Not bright, the sparkling decided. Yet he felt a strange connection to that one.
Odd that...
But his opponents were already bringing their weapons about to aim at his unexpected ally. Well, he was going to take what he could get. The new one was certainly a match to the others in terms of size.
The sparkling's mouth plates twisted in something that might have been a grin. Starting forwards with the intent to join the attack. Two of them together should be able to put up a good fight.
None of them ever got as far as to starting a serious exchange of weapons fire however. A wordless command to stop passing through the room, causing them all to freeze.
Flanked by several others, a tall mech was standing close by. Not the tallest in the room though, but still carrying a commanding presence that caused several of the sparklings present to slink back. So did the sparkling, though he couldn't help but peer at the new mech and his companions with a certain inquisitiveness. Knowing that the other one was not one to cross, at the same time a newfound want to have whatever it had, waking.
Knowing that it wanted to lead, not being lead.
And they were given a purpose.
To learn, to fight. However, most important of all-- to fly.
All for one named Starscream, Commander of the aerial forces.
Just the brief idea of flight caused the sparkling to stir impatiently, something in the core of who he was driving him to want to do so right now. Talons stirring, he watched the commanding one, who had spoken to them. Why did they wait? The sparkling wanted to get out now, to see that idea of wide open sky that seemed to have been promised.
Unable to hold back a impatient growl, the sparkling shifted, moving to stand beside the one who had helped him earlier. That one, too, seemed just as restless now. As did the rest.
A surge of irritation then passed through the sparkling as the commanding one laughed. Seemingly amused by the anxiousness to get out that was now quickly spreading among the whole sparkling group.
If not due to kindness he didn't keep them long in waiting. Ordering them to form a line.
Then they were lead out, to see the planet of their birth for the first time. Then the wide, endless, dark sky sprawled out over it.
And to the war that had spread across it.