The Broken Camera
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Note: This story takes place just before the G1 episode "Auto Berserk."
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Sideswipe stared...unashamedly.
He of knew of course of Red Alert, the somewhat paranoid and rather reclusive head of security. And he'd heard that the officer had been given same vehicular format as himself. But having only caught glimpses of the red and white mech he was unprepared to discover that said mech, perhaps the greatest threat to his occasionally profligate lifestyle, was so handsome.
"Ah, is that the broken security camera?" asked Red Alert as Sideswipe approached his station in the bunker.
"It is," he replied, handing over the tray with the malfunctioning camera in it.
"Excellent I'll have it fixed in a jiffy." He set the tray onto the wide lip of of the console in front of him and began to examine it. His optics moved back and forth between the security monitor and the camera.
Sideswipe's optics moved back and forth between Red Alert's slender waist and thighs, and the all too touchable sensor horns on his helm. The mech kept himself in top shape, being beautifully shined and polished. Even the pads and palms of his hands, usually scratched and worn on most bots, were pristine. In fact overall there was something of a pristine nature to him... something untouched and unsullied. Perhaps it was only the result of the mech being pretty much chained to the monitors and security banks, but Sideswipe liked it.
The predicted jiffy turned out to be a full cycle, and though Red Alert had told him that he could return to his post at the chamber where Wheeljack was assembling the Negavator, Sideswipe chose to stay. "I'll help watch the monitors while you work," he'd responded amiably.
Red Alert brightened. "Why thank you," he said with a gracious smile.
"Anytime," Sideswipe smiled back, knowing that it was only an excuse to continue allowing his optics to caress the security officer's aesthetics. And beyond his appearance there was something of a gentleness to him, perhaps a timidness even. The fact that he generally kept himself hidden away from the others made him all the more intriguing.
And when the repairs to the camera were complete, Red Alert thanked Sideswipe again for bringing it in and helping to keep an eye on things.
"No, thank you. You do such a great job here," Sideswipe said with a buttery-smooth voice. He'd made up his mind on what needed to be done regarding his latest and most sudden crush. "Why don't we drive back to the Ark together when our shifts are over?"
"But don't you and Trailbreaker have to escort Wheeljack back?"
"Of course. But by we, I meant you joining us. You normally hang out here an extra cycle while Blaster gets settled in. I mean, we appreciate your diligence and devotion, but I'm sure he'll be fine if you leave at the shift-change. We've been in this bunker a deca-cycle now. He knows the systems."
"You're right. I suppose I could... just this once."
"You could use a little company now and then—a break from staring at these screens all day." He gestured to the monitor, scene after scene of empty desert, lonely roads, dry skies, and a sleepy military installation marched in a loop.
"You're right. It would be nice to spend a little time with the other Autobots assigned to this project.
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Sideswipe continued to visit Red Alert at his station in the bunker over the next few days—bringing him an occasional energon goodie or a sample draught of high-grade, and staying long enough to seem sincere but not long enough to get the security director's paranoia stimulated by their being distracted from guarding the madcap engineer's latest creation.
Red Alert seemed to enjoy the attention, and when he reached out to touch Sideswipe on the arm as he thanked him for the latest proffering, Sideswipe knew that the time was right to make his move.
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The Broken Camera continues in Chapter 2.
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Transformers and all related concepts, characters, worlds, and events are property of Hasbro and Takara Tomy. Original characters and story elements are property of E. Potter, writing under the pen name of Miratete.