**Matter of Pride part 3**
Note: I'm bringing in some more G1 canons, just try to imagine them how you would picture the movieverse form they would be in. But their personalities will be strictly based on G1.
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Barricade frowned as she picked up Drone #3 and set him back on his peds for the umpteenth time just this day cycle. The sparklings were all progressively getting weaker. Something had to be done! "It is time for you all to defrag, transform and do so," she ordered. With a feeling of satisfaction she watched as all six sparklings immediately obeyed her without question. They were very well trained… Testament to their upbringing by con femmes!
Carefully picking up each small sparkling, she set them side-by-side. It would be easier to keep tabs on them in this manner. Running a security scan of the immediate surroundings, the wary cruiser made sure that the area was still free of unwanted intruders. It was helpful that she was still on Decepticon frequencies. She'd spot a fellow when he was still kilometers away..
"Frenzy, the sparklings are growing weaker," she reported as she walked around the corner of the old building and found her leader.
Glancing up from her card game with Sunstreaker, Frenzy-Jazz nodded. "I know."
"We need Energon; do you still have the items?" Cade asked.
Again, the silver femme nodded. "I will use them tonight in order to track the source."
Sunstreaker glanced from femme to femme, his optics narrowing in suspicion. True, these two had sided with the Autobot mechs for the safety they offered – but he understood more than the other Autobots that the femmes were only loyal to themselves. Not that he expected them to actively betray the Autobots, but he wouldn't put it past them to swipe something from them if they thought they needed it more. "Mind telling me what the 'items' are and what this 'source' is?"
Frenzy-Jazz looked up at him and shrugged. "He, he, he, nothin' a drone needs to worry his small meta over."
Throwing the cards down, the mech glared at her. "I'm no freagin' drone – and no slaggin' youngster recruit! I'm your protector – and you'd better start treating me with more damned respect!" he snarled.
'Cade set a hand on his shoulder armor, stopping him before he could even think of swinging at Frenzy. "It is better that you not have this knowledge. The Decepticon forces are rising up en masse. If your Prime cannot defeat our true lord – you may end up the last of your faction."
"He, he, we can always protect YOU then. Claim you as our, he, he, he – interface slave," Frenzy added.
"Yes, the One will help us to hide without being detected as we build up the strength of the next generation. Then we can approach the true Lord and offer our services as a separate faction to Megatron's." The cruiser patted Sunstreaker's shoulder armor as if to comfort him.
His optics widening in total outrage over their calm description of his faction's possible fate, Sunstreaker balled his fists tightly. "You're both fuckin' TRAITORS!" he growled.
"Not traitors. We protect our own. Those femmes who are young – and those sparklings that I now carry. He, he, he, all the other Autobot mechs understood this – your optics must need realignment." Frenzy patted her lower abdomen, reminding Sunstreaker that she was indeed pregnant with his leader's get.
"That is why Optimus trusts us with minimal mech security. He knows the rules which govern us as femmes," Barricade agreed. She let go of Sunstreaker's shoulder. "He is only concerned that the species shall survive – as are we."
"He is concerned with stopping the Decepticons from destroying everything they touch – not just breeding!" Sunstreaker snorted. Granted, he was talking to two of them right now, but he didn't care.
"Mechs will destroy what they touch – femmes do not," Cade countered.
"So you don't give a damn which side wins?!?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing! Didn't they have an ounce of loyalty for the mechs they bred?!? Turning to Frenzy, he stuck his digit in her face plate. "And YOU have the audacity to claim to be Ironhide's mate?!? He'd shoot you down for what you are saying!"
Frenzy-Jazz shook her head and gave him a smirk. "He, he, he, nope – he'd be proud that we survive to continue the species."
"And you don't even seem to give a damn whether he lives – or dies!" he accused.
In a blur of motion, she grabbed him and threw him against the building. Before he even knew what had happened, she was straddling him. Her optics mere centimeters from his as she glared at him… "Don't ever say that again!" her voice became low and threatening, "for I will miss him, every time I must lower myself to breed with a lesser mech – such as you!" She huffed as she got off of him, stalking away angrily.
Sunstreaker pointedly ignored Barricade's offered hand. Climbing to his peds, he locked her optics with his. "You'd better come clean and tell me what all this is about!" he threatened. Grabbing her by her neck, he spun and slammed the femme against the very spot he'd just been slammed against himself.
'Cade studied him, not really afraid in the least. "There's only one way I'll agree to disclose information," she stated in a cool level tone.
"What's that?" he growled. She was probably going to have the audacity to demand that he stick his transfer in her or something. He beat the information out of her – before he'd EVER concede to THAT!
"If you are captured, you completely erase all memory files from the moment you entered this planet's atmosphere." She shrugged off his hand, and stood there as calm as a statue.
Taken aback, Sunstreaker stood there staring at her for a moment. This wasn't what he expected her to demand at all! For a femme, or any mech for that matter, to demand something so drastic of another – was outrageous! But it meant that whatever secret the two femmes had – was of life-or-death importance. It was even more important to the femme to keep this secret – than to get slagged! Which was impressive to say the least, considering the fact that she was still unabashedly chasing him for his transfer. "Why?" he demanded to know.
"Because if Megatron, or our true Lord, finds out – we are all doomed. Femmes AND Autobots," Barricade whispered.
So, a secret so big that the femmes had to keep it away from Megatron himself? Considering how loyal Barricade had once been to the tyrant - that was almost unbelievable. Though it did tell him that she wasn't joking…. "Ok, I'll agree to dump my memory banks IF the cons ever get GOOD enough to catch me alive," he replied, his tone slightly colored with sarcasm, since he highly doubted that there was even the slightest possibility that the cons would ever get THAT good.
"The MOMENT that you are taken." Barricade leveled her optics at him, her tone deadly serious.
"The second my peds leave the ground – not that it's ever gonna happen," he agreed.
Sitting down, Barricade gathered up the thrown cards, making it obvious to the mech that they'd talk over a game. Taking his spot across from her, he waited impatiently as she dealt the cards.
"When Frenzy was in the form of Sam's cell phone – she found several items of interest within his room," Barricade began.
"Yeah, heard 'bout that. Sneaky little freak!" Sunstreaker replied as he threw down some cards and picked up others.
"She now possesses two fragments."
"Do what?!? They were all supposed to have been collected and safely stored! The bitch hid them?!?" He ground his dental plates together in anger over the femme's secret ploys – right under Optimus's olfactory sensor!
'Cade snorted as she played her hand, winning the round. "Mechs are notorious for losing such items. The Decepticons have already obtained another shard. They will soon rise up."
"How do you know this? Are you freagin' playin' both sides?" His tone became accusatory again, but he controlled his emotions and dealt another round.
She shrugged as if it were nothing special. "When you are a Decepticon femme, you remain aware of what your old faction is up to."
"Do they know you are still around?" If so, what would they face?
"Yes, they are aware that I wasn't destroyed." She tossed down a few cards and replaced them with new ones.
"And why aren't they coming after you?" He smirked a bit as he looked down at a rather good hand.
"Because they believe that I'm still a mech who is working for their cause." She threw down her hand, confident that she'd won again.
Smirking victoriously, Sunstreaker played his hand, winning the round. "And how are you managing that deception? Giving away our secrets or something?" he snorted. He wouldn't put it past her…
"Sending believable, yet not-truly-necessary, false information." She gathered up the cards to deal the next round.
He glanced up at her. For the first time, he found himself impressed by the ugly con femme. She could very well have been sending useful military secrets that she knew about the Autobots and their human allies – yet hadn't been. So in a sense, the 'double agent' was actually loyal to the Autobot cause. "And what if you're found out?"
"The One shall protect me then. Claim that I mis-understood the directives that I was sent," she explained. She noted the slight softening of the mech's arrogant tone towards her now. Perhaps he was coming around? Realizing that she was a valuable ally?
"Hmmmm, mind telling me who this 'One' is?" he prodded. Picking up the hand she just dealt him, he began to sort his cards.
"I cannot." She also began to sort her hand.
Her tone told him that there was no way she'd ever disclose the Decepticon who was helping to protect her. He understood it a little, for whoever that faceless con was – he was risking his existence by doing such. He'd never thought that cons would ever go to such lengths to protect each other. Perhaps that con was her mate or something? And if he was – then why was she chasing him? No, couldn't be a mate then.
Perhaps a twin? Sunstreaker thought about his spark bond with Sideswipe. Yes, has to be her twin brother or something. He decided. For he would risk his life for Sideswipe – and vice-versa. He looked at her in a whole new light now. She must be lonelier than hell to be apart from her twin brother for so long… He actually felt sorry for the ugly femme now. Not REAL sorry – but just a little…
Deciding to change the subject a little, he went back to the matter of the fragments. "So what will the fragments lead us to?" he asked.
"The Energon source we need for the sparklings," 'Cade explained.
He cocked his head in curiosity. There were no Energon sources on this planet. Ratchet would've found them if there were! "Ratchet found no Energon pulses. And he's been looking ever since we landed."
Barricade looked up at him, a wry smile on her face plate. "Mechs look for the obvious – Femmes do not. The AllSpark imprinted its code on Frenzy's meta before it was destroyed. It told her how to use it to find the Energon. A single fragment is all she needs."
"So you expect me to believe that there's actually a catch of Energon that the ancients stored on this planet or something? I wasn't sparked yesterday!" he snorted. Tossing down his hand, he smirked as he beat her a second time in a row.
"Not a catch – a naturally occurring source." Barricade frowned as she lost the round.
"And you'll take me there? Share it with the Autobots?" He gathered up the cards and began to deal another round. But his meta was going wild thinking of the great advantage that having access to natural Energon would give the Autobots. The depleted Decepticons wouldn't stand a chance!
She gave a sarcastic chuckle. "If they survive this new threat, yes – if not, we will hide with the Energon." She leaned forward and touched his knee armor. "We will breed. Raise and train and army of Drones, femmes and mechs… And when the time is right.."
"Avenge our friends – if they don't … survive.." His core plummeted as he spoke that last word. Now he understood why they had conned him into accepting this mission. Optimus knew the femmes were more than capable of keeping themselves and the young safe and out-of-sight. Heck, they were masters of deception! He'd just sent a mech along who wasn't related to any of them or their young. Sunstreaker's optics drifted up to the shimmering stars as he realized that Ratchet had basically given his daughters as future mates to him – in the event of the medic's demise.
'Cade stayed silent as she watched the emotions pass over the yellow mech's face plate. She'd been the one to secretly inform Optimus as to what he and his mechs were facing. It had meant almost certain death to them. That's why he'd sent one mech along with them. The two femmes were more than capable of surviving without Sunstreaker. More than capable of raising the young themselves… But Prime had wanted to ensure the continuation of the Autobot spark line within the resulting generations. Whether he was still alive to see it – or not… Sunstreaker could mate them all – if need be. Without the weakness associated with inbreeding… "You understand now," she said softly.
"Optimus knew something when he sent us away to hide – didn't he?" Sunstreaker's hands trembled slightly as he felt the fear of potentially losing his twin spark – and not being able to do a single thing to help him… "And you told him – what the Decepticons were up to."
"Affirmative."
"Why? You're a Decepticon. You could've just disappeared into their ranks as a mech again." He set down his hand, unable to continue the game.
"I'm loyal first-and-foremost to the femmes. If I hadn't given him warning – the Autobots wouldn't stand even a chance against the threat they face." Barricade searched his face plate as she leaned back against the building.
"So in a warped way – you are actually loyal to the Autobots – whether you admit it or not." It wasn't really awe in which he looked at her now – but he felt differently about her. As if she was now truly a comrade. Even if she was the ugliest, most annoying, comrade he'd ever had…
"Femmes prefer Autobot mechs, you are easier to enter contracts with," Barricade explained. Standing up, she nodded to the yellow mech, hoping that one day he'd make that contract with her.
He said nothing as she walked off, his meta was too busy going over all the ramifications of what he'd just learned….
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"It's an Autobot signal," Barricade stated.
The trio and sparklings watched as the fireball flashed across the night sky. They all instinctively tracked it, and marked where its trajectory indicated that it would land.
Sunstreaker transformed. "You two stay back, I'll make first contact. Then I'll radio you when it's safe to meet," he ordered.
Neither femme insulted him for his arrogance in ordering THEM around, since they more than understood his reasoning. They watched the yellow Stingray disappear across the high plateau, before they themselves transformed and gathered up the weakening sparklings within them.
"It would be good to have two mechs loyal to us," Barricade noted as she drove after Frenzy-Jazz.
"He, he, he, yep. Hope he's not some loser like Sun though!" the silver femme cackled.
Barricade sighed; Frenzy never would learn to appreciate the less violent mechs – would she? Unlike herself – who had found herself quite attracted to them. Even though she had to pursue them; it was the pursuit itself that she found the most exciting. If she'd wanted a mech who'd just slag her without so much as asking him to – she'd just catch a Decepticon mech. No, pursuing an Autobot was much more enticing to her. She was actually hoping that this new Autobot mech would turn out to be another for her to eventually pursue… It'd make life even more entertaining!
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The sphere opened, allowing him to leap out of its superheated confines. The mech glanced around as he quietly made his way across the dark landscape. He had to find a form to scan before the Decepticons found him!
His strides were long as he covered the rough terrain effortlessly. Passing by a sheer cliff face, he couldn't help but to pause and take a full scan of its mineral content. His urge to learn and study his surroundings, briefly overcoming his common sense. He startled as he realized that he'd lost track of time – and still hadn't found a form to scan. Mumbling to himself, he hit himself on his helm a few times as he berated himself for getting sidetracked.
Continuing on, he tried to keep his optics off the fascinating scenery as he desperately searched for his disguise. He almost squealed in happiness as he ran across a campsite. Stepping back quickly before he could accidentally step on a tent occupied by organic creatures – he scanned the mechanical vehicle parked next to them. His silvery form changing in the blink of an optic as he took its form….
The humans came out of their tent, bleary eye'd and swearing they heard the sound of their Dune Buggy driving away. But their vehicle was still parked right where they'd left it. Shaking their heads, they went back in their tent, blaming the imagined noise on the case of Budweiser they'd consumed a few hours before.
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"Hey Beachy – long time!" Sunstreaker's voice exclaimed, interrupted the preoccupied mech's studies of another cliff face.
The Autobot geologist turned to face his old comrade, opening his arms to give him a friendly hug. "Isn't this planet cool man? I mean, check this out!" Letting Sun go, he turned his attention back to the rock, running his hands over it – almost lovingly….
Sunstreaker rolled his optics. The scientist hadn't changed a bit – had he? But at least he was another mech. Now he wouldn't be the only one getting dogged by the two obnoxious femmes! "Yeah, guess so. The humans got some nice car washes."
"Humans?" Beachcomber asked without taking his optics off the fascinating geologic formation. This was obviously sedimentary rock, which meant this planet was still geologically active. Primus, he couldn't wait to find a volcano or two! He loved to sit and just watch them in action.
"Yeah, they're intelligent organics – make pretty good allies when they're not trying to tell Optimus that he's an idiot," Sunstreaker explained.
"So they have an advanced society then?" the mech turned his optics back to his comrade. Perhaps they'd finally run across a peaceful race – that he could hang with their Geologists and discuss theories? He sure hoped so!
"Pretty much. They've got weapons that can actually slag a Decepticon or two – so they help us fight 'em. Granted, their weapons aren't as good as mine!" Sunstreaker's normal bragging filled his tone.
"Violent then – a pity dude." Beachcomber sighed sadly and went back to his study of the rock.
"Hey, it isn't that bad Beachy," Sunstreaker started to say. He noticed the femmes stopping on the rise not far from their location, obviously waiting for him to give the signal. "And Prime gave me a special mission. Guess you're now stuck helping me."
"What's that? Hunting down Decepticons?" The laid back mech shot him a look, "tell him I'm not interested."
"Naw, this mission's right up your alley."
Beachcomber snorted, he doubted Sunstreaker would accept a mission involving peacefully studying anything. "Not likely – if you're involved dude."
"Well, how's hiding out with a couple of femmes and sparklings sound to you?" Sun knew it'd sound pretty good to the scientist. Hell, the mech hated fighting and would only do so if he was backed into a corner! Which is pretty much what the mission was about – wasn't it?
"There's no femmes left – Megatron off lined them all. You gotta glitch dude," Beachcomber gave him one of his haphazard smiles.
"They were hiding right under his olfactory sensor," Sun snickered, his optics gleaming in amusement at the thought of Megatron not even being the least little suspicious.
"Decepticon femmes? Seriously dude – you gotta have a glitch."
Sunstreaker waved to the distant femmes. He knew Beachcomber wouldn't be the least bit wary of them. "Nope, check it out." He leaned forward and whispered in Beachcomber's audio, "But they're both a pain-in-the-servo. Don't say I didn't warn you!"
Frenzy-Jazz spun in front of them first. Her doors opened and the sparklings tumbled out, chattering excitedly. Transforming in a blur, she walked around the Geologist, looking him up and down.
"Dude, that's just Jazz," Beachcomber chuckled. "Hey Jazz. Found any good tunes here?"
The Jazz look-a-like stopped in front of him and cocked her head. Giving him an amused grin, she shrugged, her mouth clamped tightly shut.
"Told you – you had a glitch!" Beachcomber said to Sunstreaker. Turning his back to them, he began to pull at the rock a bit.
Sunstreaker glared daggers at the silent Frenzy, just knowing that the femme was doing this to make him look like a complete fool. "Tell him Frenzy," he ordered.
She kept her mouth shut.
Beachcomber chuckled. "So where's Ratchet? He REALLY needs to fix that glitch of yours dude. That's Jazz – not Frenzy. Frenzy's like, yay tall," he explained as he held his hand up by his thigh.
"Fucking bitch!" Sunstreaker snarled under his breath. He wanted so badly to wipe that knowing smirk right of her face plate!
Barricade pulled up right then. The sparklings tumbling out of her as she too transformed… She glanced from the amused face plate of Frenzy – to the enraged Sunstreaker – to the confused Beachcomber. Taking Frenzy's lead, she kept her mouth shut and simply extended her hand to the Autobot.
"Wow! How'd you get Barricade to switch sides?" Beachcomber exclaimed. He'd met the con more than once in battle, and NEVER expected him to ever switch sides! Pulling the silent cruiser to him, he gave him a welcoming hug. "Never mind – just glad you finally saw the light dude!"
Sunstreaker snarled under his breath and stormed off. The concerned geologist staring after him….
Frenzy-Jazz couldn't hold back any longer, falling onto her back armor, she began to roll in laughter. Barricade soon following her lead….
Beachcomber's jaw dropped in amazement as he realized that Sunstreaker wasn't glitched at all. These were BOTH femmes!!! He stood there in total shock, staring down at the hysterically snickering pair, not even really noticing the small hands reaching out to touch his legs. The small sparklings clambering up onto him…..
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Ok, just HAD to think of some twisted twists. Tried to keep from directly putting movie spoilers in – though there are some references… The plot's gonna get REAL intense/twisted now! And I am an unabashed review whore, so the 30 of you who have alerted this story – tell me what you think. I'm always looking to improve, but can't if no one will point out my strengths or weaknesses out to me!
