Springer's Busy Week Part 1

Springer flew through the Iacon sky, high above the Engineering District of the city. In times gone by, he had revelled in his skill at flying. Blasting through the sky at high speed, watching the lights of the cities stream in his optics used to be his favourite thing in the whole world. Then came the war, and then came the Wreckers. A single squad lead by Ultra Magnus had grown in fame and members, but before had been strictly unofficial and improvised. Now Optimus Prime wanted them to become the Autobot's black ops group, willing to go so far beyond the call of duty they may never come back.

That was why he was in the Engineering District. With input from Impactor, Wheeljack and even Optimus a new squad of Wreckers had been chosen. A capable leader, a weapons engineer, an experimental duo of super-soldiers, the brother of an excellent Wrecker, and a combat medic who made just as much use of the "combat" part as he does the "medic".

Springer's tracker beeped, announcing that he had arrived at the location of his first Wrecker: Ironfist the weapons engineer. He flew down to the door of a small building. A plaque beside the door announced it as "Ironfist's Workshop". He pressed the button for the door to open. Inside the door he could hear multiple locks working. While he waited for the door to open, Springer took the opportunity to take out a datapad and review Ironfist's Autopedia profile.

Ironfist was part of the second-newest generation of Cybertronians. Born before the war, he had been selected for the engineer caste and had been apprenticed to Crosshairs. He had quickly shown an initiative for making deadly and unorthodox weaponry and after six hundred years had struck out on his own as a mechanic and designer. When the war began he had served in Galaxy Maximus' squad before returning to weapons manufacture. He was a bit of a shut-in and, Springer suspected, a paranoiac if his door was anything to go on.

Just then the door opened. Springer went inside. As he walked down the corridor, he could hear the sound of welding, which he followed. Springer noticed that hanging on the walls were multiple weapons of design both famous and obscure. Among others, he noticed a version of the photon burst rifle which he kept concealed in his arm, something that looked worryingly like Megatron's fusion cannon (he'd have to ask him about that one), and an early version of Optimus Prime's ion blaster.

As Springer walked into the main workshop, which felt cramped with tools despite its fairly large size, he noticed Ironfist attaching a targeting laser to a dual-barrelled cannon around as half as tall as he was. He didn't seem to notice Springer in the room.

Hmm…, thought Springer. Does he know I'm here? I don't want to freak him out. He got his answer.

"Whoever you are," said Ironfist, still using a nail gun to attach the targeting laser. "My network of motion sensors in this workshop picked you up as soon as you came in here. If you're a Decepticon, know that I've got a silent alarm ready if you try anything. So don't!" Springer scratched his head. He sounded serious, but a little bit inexperienced.

I think I'll have a little fun with him, thought Springer. If he is who he I think he is he'll be ok with it. "I think you're a bit new to this." smiled Springer. "Firstly, you don't tell your attacker you have a silent alarm. Second, try actually taking a look at your 'intruder' before you threaten him, Ironfist. Or should I say Fisitron? "

Ironfist turned around. "So who exactly are y- Oh." said Ironfist, his words cut off as he realised who he was looking at. "You're Springer."

"Yup."

"You know who I am."

"More than that, I've read your blog."

Despite his apparent lack of a mouth, Ironfist gave a pretty good "shocked" face. "You've read my blog?!"

"Wreckers: Declassified is the most popular blog on the datanet. You'd think its subjects would have read it. The Wrecker's Air Attack is my favourite entry, by the way."

Ecstatic wouldn't have done Ironfist's mood justice. "R-really? Mine too! The way you took out Soundwave's aerial drilling platform was amazing! Did Impactor really send him plummeting by replacing one of his Minicons with a bomb? And did Wheeljack really surf down to the surface on Carapace's corpse?"

Springer laughed. "Yep, yes and, though it was more 'hold on for dear life' than surf, yes. How'd you find out about this stuff anyway? A lot of your blog technically shouldn't exist."

Ironfist glanced to his side. "Well… I sent a whole bunch of data access requests to high command, and used the files they gave me to write the entries. I also maybe possibly might have done just a little bit of… hacking. It was just a small bit though! Really!"

Springer gave Ironfist a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry; I'm not arresting you or anything. Just know that we don't hack our own COs in the Wreckers, got it?"

Ironfist blanked. "You... You want me in the Wreckers?"

"We want you in the Wreckers," corrected Springer. "You're part of a new squad chosen by a committee of high-ranking Wreckers. Wheeljack in particular was extremely impressed with your knowledge of weaponry and weapon design."

Ironfist's eyes lit up an electric blue. "I-I don't believe it! You actually want me in the Wreckers? I don't know what to say."

Springer smiled. "Well, I personally hope you say yes. We think you're ready for this gig, and we'll be glad to have you on board."

Ironfist looked around his workshop, taking in the room where he had spent a large portion of his life figuring out ways to kill people in interesting ways while writing about the heroes who now wanted him to join them. "Yes. Yes, I think I'm ready." He whispered. "Just let me finish up a few projects here, ok?" he tapped the cannon he had been working on. "I won't be able to help you without my new perfected lightformer cannon."

"Don't worry; I don't need you for a week. Report to the Autotrooper barracks in Iacon in a week. We'll set you up with your new squad from there." Springer walked over to the cannon. "You must be very proud of this. What's it fire?"

Ironfist picked up the cannon and attached it to his back using a pair of magnets. The barrels flipped down, and the targeting laser glowed red at the wall. "The lightformer cannon, version 3.5 with optional targeting attachment, magnetically accelerates large bolts of destronium to speeds of up to 200 km/ph , which explode on hit. It also comes in a tank mode modification, for an extra fee."

Springer clapped his hands. "Wow. You know your stuff. Can I get one? A little smaller, hand-held if possible. I need less weight for when I'm jumping."

Ironfist powered down the cannon. "Version 4 will be held like a minigun. By version 7 I'll be able to condense it to rifle size. I'll save the first one for you, sir."

"Good work, Ironfist. Or should I say Ballistics Officer Ironfist? I'll leave you to your work. I'll see you in a week."

Ironfist gave the happiest salute he had ever given. "Yes, sir!"

Springer left the workshop and blasted off into the sky. If all the other recruits are this eager, he thought, they'll be the best Wreckers yet!