Seekers Come In Threes.
Chapter Three.
Sam blinked as the door opened fully. It was dark outside and all he could see was three menacing-looking forms, darker patches of blackness again the slightly lighter sky. He wasn't sure how it happened, had to assume it was an automatic adjustment by his new optics to the lack of light, but his vision flickered a bit and he could see them more clearly, although the light level did not change.
"I know Starscream said he should not be disturbed until morning, but I want to have some more fun with this one," Barricade said. "I don't take orders from that jumped-up usurper unless it suits me to do so, and this is one of the occasions it does not suit me to."
Barricade was standing with his back to Sam, so had not noticed his new form and size. It must have been something about the looks on Dropkick's and Payload's faces that must have clued him in that something was up, for he turned. He stared for an astrosecond, then grinned unpleasantly.
"Well, it looks as if we can't have the sort of fun we anticipated with you Sam - it is still Sam isn't it, not some sort of imposter?" he asked.
"Uh…yeah, I'm Sam." he said. He wondered if his change of form might spare him from being tormented by the three any more.
"What happened to you?" asked Dropkick. "You were a human!"
"I dunno." Sam said. "It just happened."
"Who cares?" Barricade asked. "Starscream and his wing brothers have left the Base for a flight, he's still here, it's of no consequence that he's in a Cybertronian body." Barricade lunged forwards, his claws catching on one of Sam's sensitive wings, he cried out as he felt them sink in.
"I never did like Seekers, and this one is an Autobot. New body or not, he still killed Megatron and destroyed the AllSpark. We can still try him and punish him for his crimes." As Barricade gave Sam's wing a vicious yank and he felt the metal tear, he toppled forwards. He felt the other two also seize hold of him none too gently. "Stand, or we drag you." Barricade ordered, pushing upwards on one shoulder. How he was do this when he'd only just gained his body, Sam did not know, but he did try, and ended up managing a strange crawl on hands and feet, shuffle-hopping along as he was pulled about by the three.
'Oh Bee, I wish you were here, I could really use some help right now!' Sam thought desperately. 'If ever I needed a guardian, I think it's now!'
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As the two new Seekers rebooted fully, Optimus and Dawnstreaker moved to assist them, Dawnstreaker helping Mikaela sit up, Optimus helping the Autobot scout.
Bumblebee had the standard Seeker frame, Mikaela, like Dawnstreaker, was the less bulky femme version, but still obviously of the same basic form. Her optics shuttered and unshuttered rapidly in confusion, as she raised her hand to her head. It stopped as she encountered the metal, and she drew her hand down her face. She
pulled her hand away, looked at it, then turned to look at the others, her optics taking in Bumblebee's altered form. She inhaled and then exhaled through her vents.
"Okay," she said, and although a little different, her voice was still obviously that of Mikaela. "Can somebody explain just what the fuck is going on?"
"I do not know how or why, but it appears that you and Bumblebee have been reformatted into Seeker-frames," Optimus stated.
"I felt the presence of the AllSpark Essence," Bumblebee said. "I do not know why this has happened, but until we know more, can I suggest we learn to use these new bodies? The AllSpark wouldn't, I believe, do this without reason, so if we are in Seeker-forms, may I suggest we find out how to use them, as I think we may need to."
"If I can figure out how these legs work!" Mikaela said. "How can we learn to fly when we can't even walk?"
"Prime, Ironhide, could you help Mikaela to her feet? Dawnstreaker asked. "Bumblebee, you watch me walk, Mikaela, try to copy my movements. Once you learn how to use the extra joint, you'll be halfway there, the other half is balance, which will become easier. As to flying, I can download all the theory and a few memories into your processors, enough so that you can at least fly without crashing every few metres. Elegance and finesse will come partly from instinct and partly from practice."
Mikaela circled the room twice with Optimus and Ironhide holding her upright, after that she felt able to just hold onto Optimus, while Ironhide helped Bumblebee to his feet and assisted him. Mikaela was surprised to find that she got the movement and adapted to the extra leg joint quite quickly. Balance, too, came quite quickly, once he learned to adapt to her new top-heavy shape. Within twenty minutes they were both able to walk around the room unsupported, albeit slowly and with less certainty than they had in their original forms.
Although Mikaela seemed to be coping with her change well, Optimus was certain that at some point she would have some sort of reaction: it was easier for Bumblebee, at least he had started out mechanical to begin with, Mikaela had to cope with a greater change, both in size and species.
The two sat once they had learned to walk, and Dawnstreaker shook out her data transfer cable from a wrist.
"I am now going to download pre-flight checks, the theory of flying, and some of my own memories of flight to help you," she said. "I shall also give you knowledge and memories associated with using both melee and ranged weapons, just in case you need to use them." This she did, first with Bumblebee, and then with Mikaela. "Remember, these are your melee weapons." she told them, as she took Mikaela's hands and one of her feet in her own hands, flexing them to erect the claws on the digit tips and on the joints. Mikaela nodded.
"Oh, I've been in enough bitch-fights to know all about scratching and nailing people," she said. "Not toes though, I have to admit that's a new one." She flexed her own toes experimentally again, looking at the two back digits. "Bird-feet, that's gonna take getting used to."
"Okay," Dawnstreaker said, comming Ratchet. "Now you have the knowledge, carry out the pre-flight checks I have downloaded, but leave out fuel capacity until Ratchet has filled your tanks. Pre-flight checks should be performed when coming out of every recharge, and before every flight. It will seem odd at first, but soon it will become as natural to you as the beat of your Sparks."
The two complied in silence, and a few moments later Ratchet came in, tapping Bumblebee's shoulder. The yellow Seeker turned to give the medic access to his fuel tank valve, which Ratchet flipped open with practiced fingers. He inserted a fuelling wand, filling Bumblebee's fuel tank with kerosene, then repeated the procedure on Mikaela.
"There's one thing that's confusing me." Dawnstreaker said. "Somewhere there should be, must be another one of you. I've never heard of any Seeker's being created in groups of less than three. Where's the third member of your trine? You should be able to sense him or her through the bond. You two can sense each other, correct?"
Bumblebee and Mikaela looked at each other, and it was then they realised that yes, they could sense each other, as though some invisible cord connected them. In fact…
"Yes, I can sense connection to two others." Mikaela confirmed. "So somewhere is another person, changed like us?"
"Sam." said Bumblebee. "I don't know why, but I'm sure it's Sam. It would explain why only two of us are here, Sam's at the Decepticon base."
"He must be okay though, or you two would feel his stress or pain." Dawnstreaker said. "The trine-bond can convey feelings, emotions and sensations."
She had barely finished speaking when both Mikaela and Bumblebee stiffened. They both let out cries that sounded frightened, then changed to cries of pain.
"Sam!" Bumblebee cried, "He needs me - needs us!" he said, his optics meeting Mikaela's.
"Then let's go find him, and punish those who are hurting him," she said, her voice laced with fear and anger. Together they headed for the door of Optimus' office, their gait unsteady. Optimus move to stop them but Dawnstreaker shook her head.
"They have to go, if you try to stop them they may fight you, the pain of their trine-mate down the bond is compelling. They have to go. We will follow them and give them cover."
Summoning her own trine via the bond she shared with them, and engaging her own pre-flight check subroutine, she exited the office, following the two newest Seekers.