Firestorm has always been one of those bots that never knows when to quit. He's always working, always worrying, always doing SOMETHING. Well one day... it all catches up on him... and through it he learns a valueable lesson...

DISCLAIMER : I do not own Transformers.. But I own Firestorm! Ok well this version anyway... Jealous much? XD


.:Exhaustion:.

Name : Firestorm

Rank : Second in Command of the Freelancers.

-Commence Playback-

FREELANCER HQ - PRESENT DAY 4:38AM.

Firestorm walked down the hallway to his quarters, his face lost in a pile of datapads. Even as he walked he was memorising the writing and noting down important areas. He yawned, followed by a creak from his back. His circuits ached, but something was stopping him from calling it a night. It wasn't the gunshots from the training room, nor the giggles and crashes from the main room. He didn't know what it was, but it always stopped him. He sighed, passing another dormatry. As he passed however, the door opened. "Firestorm?" He stopped and turned "Oh... Hey Sam"
"I thought Skartplug told you to take a break" said the small human crossing her arms. The girl wasn't like the other humans Firestorm had come across whilst on Earth. His first impression was that they'd all be like her... trigger happy, energetic, ace with a laser and half metal. But they wern't. Every other girl he had seen wore short pieces of material showing their legs, not baggy trousers like Sam did. They also wore long gold or silver chains of metal around their necks. Sam only ever wore two, both of them on black strings. He sighed, eyeing up his commander. "I did. And now I'm working again" he replied setting the data-pad down far enough so he could see her. She wasn't impressed "He told you to take a break about 5 minutes ago! I don't think he meant a quick breather! Now get some rest!" she said, scowling her eyes. Firestorm supressed a yawn. It was true... he was tired, but he had too much work to do... "Let me finish this lot then I'll call it a night ok?" Sam raised an eyebrow "Alright. I'm gonna check on you in a few breems. If you're not resting I call Skarts got it?" Firestorm nodded. Sam walked off in the other direction. As soon as he knew he was alone, Firestorm let out the yawn he had surpressed. It was true Skartplug had told him to rest, so he had, for a couple of minutes anyway. He had to work. It was like he was obsessed with writing reports and defence stratigies. He must write these reports. He must read over the medical veiws... it had to be done! A sudden strain in his spark chamber snapped him out of his focus. Quickly, he leant against the wall, clutching onto the pile of work in his other hand. He ran an internal system to see what was wrong. Nothing. Not even a glitch. The only thing wrong was his energy levels "Hmm... 14 and dropping... Eh I still got enough" he thought. Pushing himself off the wall he continued to head for his room, thinking about what Skartplug had lectured him about earler...

EARLIER THAT DAY

"You need at least 20 of your energy to function properly" Skartplug was lecturing him again about working to exhaustion. "Yeah I know I got it the first 12 times you said it" he replied, a datapad on his knees. Yeah so what if he worked too much? There wasn't any dangers involved! It wasn't like he was gonna die because he was overdoing it... "Firestorm if you keep working the way you are you're gonna"
"I SAID I GOT IT" snapped Firestorm. Impaitently, he stood up and left before Skarts rabbled on again. He hated it when Sam ordered Skartplug to send him into a forced recharge. It had only been three days since his last one! He had pleanty of energy left to keep going!

PRESENT - 4:42AM

As Firestorm entered his quarters, his clutched his chest again. "What the heck is wrong with me..." he whispered to himself as the jolt of pain subsided momentarily. He edged his way towards his desk, finally reaching the chair and sitting down. A warning light flashed infront of his optics, warning him he was running on 10 energy. He shrugged it off and turned to the data pads on the table. But as he started reading his vision began to blurr. Squinting his optics made it readable, but eventually he couldn't see it. Another warning... 'Energy Levels 8 and dropping' He had to recharge... but he had so much work to do... Looking back at the pads made his optics burn. 'Energy Levels 6 and Dropping' He fell backwards on his chair. The pain in his spark returned. It had been two weeks since his last recharge, but the others didn't know that. He couldn't let them know... they'd probably strap him down to a berth and stop him from working if they knew! in desperation he let out a silent whimper and began to army crawl towards his berth. 'Energy Levels 3 and Dropping' He lost all feeling in his arms and legs. Infact, the only thing he could feel was the aching pain in his spark, telling him to rest. His body twitched as it fell offline. His vents took in air heavily as the pain surged from his spark to his throat. It felt like he was burning... "You better be- Firestorm!" Sam had come to check on him... like she said she would. "Skartplug I need you in Firestorm's quarters now! Firestorm? Can you hear me? Listen you're gonna be ok just stay awake"
Stay awake... For the first time in Sam's life she was telling him to stay awake instead of getting some sleep. Skartplug entered the room "What the- I knew this would happen!" he said. That was the last thing he heard before the suttle sound of his gears stopping pulled him out of reality...

PAST EXPERIENCES

"I need those reports done by 0400 hours. That isn't too early is it?" asked his father. Firestorm saluted "Ok dad no problem!" He wandered to his room, the new reports in his hands. This was the 12th file in the past three weeks but Firestorm didn't care, he loved doing them! This certian one was on Micro Organisms and Sentinal Beings, something he had been reading about earlier. As he entered his room, his desk was lit up warmingly. He didn't have any toys like a regular sparkling did, only a bookshelf overloaded with datapads, a recharge berth and a desk with a small lamp and spinny chair. On top of the desk sat a computer and a pile of Data pads in two piles. The taller pile was in a small compartment marked 'Completed'. The other was on the side of his desk, a note attached. Firestorm had already read the note, he had just left it there so he didn't forget what time his father needed them done by. "Alright... This one needs to be finished at 0400 hours... them at 0200 hours." Firestorm spoke to himself whilst he set an alarm "And School starts at 0700 hours so I need to be up at 0600 hours for that..." He shuddered "Perhaps I could try and get another day off to finish these..." he hated school. He only ever got teased. He wasn't the best in target practise, and couldn't work with teams very well in practical obsticale courses. However, he always came out on top when it came to written work. His friends always deserted him at break and physical lessons, but they were always nice to him when it came to writing. He even did their homework... "Firestorm! How's your energy levels? You need some shots?" his mother shouted. Firestorm snapped out of his daydream "No mom I'm ok!" he bellowed back. Sighing but still smiling, he sat down in his comfy chair and began to work. The exams started soon so he had to fit in some revision and training before he stopped. That would mean he was working through the night again, but he could always grab some highgrade from the cupbored. He always had a shot or two, it kept his mind on the target at hand...

PRESENT DAY - 6:29AM

"Firestorm? Dude can you hear me?" Syndrome's voice was ringing through his audio sensors. So was another sound... some sort of ringing... "Slag!" Firestorm sat up. It was one of his set internal alarms, notifying him he was off scedule "Crikey! Careful mate you'll break sumin!" Syndrome jumped backwards being thrown away when Firestorm had suddenly sat up. Skartplug stood in the doorway to his office on the far side of the room. His optics were narrowed. Firestorm ignored him and sat on the berth, his legs hanging over the edge of it as he slowly slid off... "I wouldn't do that if I were you" Firestorm froze. The coldness of Skartplug's voice at that presice moment could've made even the mighty Megatron himself cringe. He knew he had done something... "I-I have work to do..." he stuttered, shifting uncomfortably "Not until I clear you you haven't"
"Bu"
"I said no!" Firestorm jumped. This had been the first time Skartplug had actually shouted at him. Even Cannonball, his joint second in command feared the medic. He was almost like Rachet.. except he didn't throw tools... luckily. Skartplug stomped over. There was one thing you didn't do, and that was to ignore one of his lectures. Firestorm had done just that. He had ignored Skarts' silent pleas for him to rest more, he had ignored the fact that you needed 20 of energy minimum to function properly... he had ignored the doctor's orders to take a break "I told you something would happen! You just never listen do you!" he bellowed. Firestorm cringed slightly. He was joint second in command... and afraid of one of his team members. Syndrome stood up "I'll... be going then" he said coughing a little. He quickly made for the door, but a point from Skartplug and it clicked, locking itself "Sit down. I'm not finished with your virus scans" Muttared the medic, his teeth chiming together. A sudden noise from Firestorm shifted the attention back to him. He was gasping for breath, like someone had him tightly round the throat. Skartplug's mood immeadiatly changed as he ran over to him "Alright calm down! Breathe slowly... that's it..." Firestorm wheezed a little, and coughed as the pain in his spark subsided "What the heck happened?!" jumped Syndrome running over as he gently pushed Firestorm back so he was lying back on the berth "He had a small attack." Stated Skartplug, his optics shifting to the programming medic "What? An attack!? What caused it"
Skartplug turned to Firestorm again "Exhaustion." he said. Firestorm looked at him wide eyed. All of those time's his spark had hurt... all this time.. it was because he was- "From working too hard with not enough rest inbetween" added the medic. He turned, placing a hand on Syndrome's shoulder "Get some recharge. If you don't those attacks will just get worse. Next thing you know your body will lock up, and eventually you'll die due to lack of recharge" He walked away with Syndrome to another berth. He was trying to scare Firestorm to sleep... and it worked. The moment he had stopped talking, Firestorm tilted his head and fell asleep, ignoring the second personal alarm that buzzed in his head.


It's strange how these things come to me... This one appeared in a dream I was having about me slapping Megatron... Don't ask... It ain't like he doesn't have it coming...

Please Comment! Or Complain! But please note all complaints go to Skartplug... and you do NOT want to piss him off at the moment...

-Airstrike.The.Careful.Risk.Taker-