Skills Chapter 1, a transformers/beast wars fanfic

TITLE: Skills
SERIES: Imperfection Deviation
AUTHOR: Macx
RATING: PG-13
DISCLAIMER: None of the characters belong to me, sadly. They are owned by people with a lot more money :)
FEEDBACK: Loved
BETA: okami_myrrhibis

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Sam had wanted to come up to the Ark ever since it had been completed. The whole matter with Soundwave constructing a space bridge and forcing Cybertron into the solar system had thrown a wrench into that plan.

Now, three months after the events, he was finally here.

His motives hadn't been to sight-see and get the grand tour. He had had other plans; more serious and important plans. Sure, looking at the remains of the space bridge that had been towed to the Ark and stowed in the loading bays to be closely examined was exciting. And he wanted to look at the components, but not as a priority.

No, he wanted to experience the Ark. The powerful former ship, the computer, the machinery. He wanted to challenge his mind with the space station, see how well he could keep it together. And he wanted to spend time with Blaster.

The Autobot communicator had agreed to work with Sam, whatever the technopath needed, and Sam was grateful for it. Blaster wasn't Soundwave; he wasn't telepathic or technopathic. He had close connections to his symbiotes, though, and he had known Soundwave for a very long time. So training his mind to move around the rather complicated processor of Blaster, and with it the symbiotes, might give him a headstart.

Bumblebee had remained on Earth. For one, Optimus had had a mission for him. And two, Sam didn't want him to hang around and possibly move in to protect the human. Bumblebee could swear every oath he wouldn't, but if Sam's mind reached out for an anchor, maybe even crying for help, he would react instinctually. Sam didn't want to risk it. He had to train alone.

That was why he had asked for Barricade's help. He could count on the former Decepticon's distance. Barricade would only serve as an anchor should he need one later on, and interfere in case things got out of control and neither Blaster nor Sam had any control over the situation.
Barricade had agreed, but he hadn't been thrilled.

"You don't have to come," Sam told the black and white Mustang. "Really."

"I'm coming along," Barricade rumbled.

"But you don't like it," the technopath summed up what he felt emanating from the other mind.

It got him a growl. "Stop spying."

"Am not. You're projecting."

Barricade rolled forward, making him stumble as the bumper connected with his knees. It was a warning, but one Sam knew how to take.

"You know as well as I do that I'm not spying intentionally," he said levelly. "You and I share something you don't like. Too bad. Live with it. You formed it just as much as I did."

There was a spike of annoyance, but Barricade remained silent.

"And you offered, Barricade," Sam continued.

"Apparently a mistake."

Sam smiled a little, holding back on patting the smooth metal within his reach. "A mistake I appreciate."

For a brief moment their minds met, then the technopath pulled up walls and Barricade ignored that it had ever happened.

So now Barricade was on the Ark as well, ignoring the Autobots and simply keeping watch over Sam. Jazz was on Earth; he had his own duties.

Sam concentrated on Blaster again. The mech had come to the Ark for their first few sessions and it had been as weird as it had been confusing at the beginning.

Not just because Blaster hadn't taken on an alternate mode. He was in his Cybertronian form – a jet-like construction – and transformed into bipedal mode was massive and even a bit scary. Sam was used to mechs in all their modes and forms, but he knew that should Blaster face someone not familiar with these modes, he would create fear.

The symbiotes were all in their raw beast modes. While they resembled quadrupeds or avian creatures, nothing of the like could be found in an era of Earth's life. There were spikes and strange protrusions, moving scales and weird nobs and additions. Thankfully none of the bipedal forms, like Eject and Rewind, had any likeness to Frenzy.

Blaster's mind was so unlike any from the Autobots he had ever touched, and Sam was glad that Blaster was very much in control of it. With so many symbiotes connected to him he had to be. They all interfaced on some level with the 'parent mind', and it had thrown Sam into a loop at first. Now he could at least tell the difference between them and Blaster.

Blaster in turn had let him roam, only keeping him from going too deep when it was necessary, and when Sam was ready, they had engaged in games of a more serious note. It left the technopath with light headaches, but nothing too serious.

Sliding past what looked like a very complicated array Sam nearly stumbled over a second presence, curiously regarding him from very close-by.

::Eject!::

He caught amusement and curiosity. The connection between Blaster and the symbiotes was varying between them all, but it was always strong. Sam had apparently entered the twilight area again, a place where the symbiotes interacted with their parent mind.

::Scared you?:: the mech asked playfully.

::Surprised me::

Curiosity touched him and he let Eject scan his presence. All of the symbiotes were curious about him, some more so than others. Ramhorn tended to keep back, Steeljaw was playful, Rewind and Eject interacted directly with him. They were bolder, but not careless. The others he hadn't really gotten to know yet. And beyond the interaction hovered the watchful presence of Blaster.

::Ready?:: Blaster asked, making Sam concentrate on his task once more.

He steeled himself. ::Ready:: he answered, hoping his mind-voice wasn't quivering.

::I won't harm you, Sam:: Blaster reassured him.

Okay, so he had shown fear.

::This my training exercise, Blaster. It will hurt. I know it. I need to know how far I can already go.::

The mech was silent, then his presence grew closer. ::Fearing Soundwave will make him an impossible opponent, Sam:: the communicator said, voice serious. ::He's good. He's telepathic. He is the most controlled and logical mind I know, but he makes mistakes, too.::

Yeah. Like when he had space-bridged Cybertron here. That had been more than major stupid. It had been insane and reckless and bound to fail right from the start.

::Okay:: he then said.

::I've known Soundwave for a long, long time. I know his strengths, I know he has weaknesses:: Blaster went on. ::And whatever you think, he won't be so confident in confronting you or Will Lennox. You are unknowns to him. I think you could really give him a run for his money::

Sam could hear the smile, but his confidence wasn't that high. He mentally squared his shoulders and turned to look at the powerful presence of the Autobot close by.

::Let's get this going:: he announced.

Blaster radiated readiness and Sam began.

Barricade knew the feeling inside him was pride, but he would sooner die than tell anyone. Sam Witwicky had truly developed into a strong technopath and his taking on Blaster had shown just that. Of course the human had had to fight a major headache after the last session, but Barricade had been pleased to notice that Blaster seemed to be off balance, too.

Blue optics had met red ones over the sleeping form of the human, held safely in sharp-tipped claws that could so easily hurt him, and Blaster had nodded his respect and his understanding. Barricade hadn't said anything, not even through a comm line. Now he turned and retreated from the room, carrying the dozing technopath into the quarters Sam Witwicky had been assigned.

He didn't meet anyone on the way.

Barricade placed his fragile cargo onto the bed and was surprised when Sam blinked his eyes open.

"Sleep," he told the technopath gruffly.

"Not tired. Just headachy."

He knew that. The flailing mind anchoring to him was proof enough. He allowed it, tolerated it. It was why he was here. He wasn't Bumblebee. The Autobot guardian would probably have interrupted the last session; it had been quite intense. Barricade had simply watched.

And he had been proud.

Sam sat up and leaned back against the wall, rubbing his temples. He reached for a powerbar and tore off the wrapper. While he preferred chocolate, anything high in energy helped ease the strain on his system.

"Blaster is… different. This was scary and weird on one side, but also quite interesting."

Barricade's optics turned a deeper red. "Explain," he ordered.

"Blaster's mind is… like many minds sharing the same processor. He's so wide-spread, hooked up into every imaginable frequency, into wifi, into short-wave and long-distance, ultra-high, ultra-low, into human tech, hybrid and pure Cybertronian, and it's not confusing him. It is him, Barricade. He is here and he's connected to the Ark, to the satellites, to his symbiotes, to whatever he can. He's kind of an addict in that regard." Sam grinned a little. "And when his symbiotes interact, it's like the same frequency is used by all their minds. It makes no sense, but to them it's normal. The thoughts are so fast. The words not really words…"

Barricade was silent, only listening. He watched the human he had been assigned to guard and protect, the one he protected voluntarily, noticed every shift in his body, every change in his features. Sam was tired, but not sleepy. He was fatigued and drained, but less than when they had started out so many years ago.

Yes, he was proud.

Brown eyes suddenly looked up and a smile crossed the pale lips.

Understanding. He had felt and heard and experienced that pride.

Barricade glowered, but it didn't have the wished-for effect.

::Thank you:: the technopath projected, showing Barricade just how much he was still able to coordinate his abilities. ::Your work::

Yes. His work. His pride.

Barricade let a smile show. A frightening smile, one filled with dark humor. Still the human didn't recoil.

Because there was too much left of the intense connection they had had that one time. Sam was to this day the only other person to ever to know the shock-trooper's spark like this. The imprint of the human's mind was still inside Barricade's, too.

He almost laughed at that.

"Rest," he now rumbled.

Knowing Sam he would want to spend the time he was on the Ark going over the space-bridge parts, too, which would lead him into temptation as well. Barricade had to confess he was interested in what Perceptor and the Constructicons had found out about the ancient technology, too.

Sam tilted his head a little, apparently catching the fleeting thought, and Barricade fought the impulse to slam a wall down on the connection, severe the anchor. He didn't.

The pride extended to the fact that he was an anchor to this special human, too.

Without a word he turned and left the room, catching a fleeting brush of thankfulness, then the technopathic mind went into rest mode. He watched it as he put physical distance between them.

The pride was still there. He smiled to himself. Jazz called it his 'good side', the Autobot in him. Barricade just called it reason. He had survived among the Autobots because he had helped Sam; that was the only reason.

Nothing else.

A small voice that sounded a lot like Jazz begged to differ, teasing him about it mercilessly. He ignored it.

Barricade stopped at the end of the corridor, looking back at the closed door to Witwicky's private quarters. Coming to a decision he transformed and settled into his guarding duties.
He felt the technopath's mind curl closer once more and he tolerated it. For a moment he was tempted to grumble something, then simply let things be. Sam was… snuggling. It was probably the best word for it, and it should happen with his partner, not a back-up guardian, but since Bumblebee wasn't here, Barricade decided to stand in. He wondered how embarrassed the human would be in the morning.

When Perceptor came by two hours later he was startled to see the Saleen. Blue optics widened a little and the scientist stopped, unsure.

"He's sleeping," Barricade snarled.

"I did not plan on disturbing Dr. Witwicky," Perceptor replied, voice reflecting annoyance.

Barricade snorted.

The scientist hesitated one more second, then quickly headed to the lab at the other end of the intersecting corridor, his actual destination.

Having the former Decepticon aboard had been no problem so far and he had ignored him, but the fact that Barricade guarded Sam so fiercely had come as a surprise. Perceptor had been told about the latest training session with Blaster by the communicator himself. Blaster had been truly surprised at how strong Sam really was and he had talked about it with Perceptor, who had yet to understand the workings of an organic mind, let alone mutations of the normal human brain.

Sam was unique.

Letting the lab doors close after him, Perceptor pushed those thoughts away and concentrated on his work again.

tbc...