JML Ranch: Finally done with this chappie... *leans back in chair, stretching*
Dodge: That's good, I suppose.
JML Ranch: In a way... I would have finished it sooner if it wasn't for that monstrous pink dress...
Dodge: But it was worth it, wasn't it? *grins at me*
JML Ranch: Oh yes, it was so worth it. *laughing*
Gunstorm: Talking about Sentinel's fluffy dress?
Dodge: Yep. *whispers to the readers* The picture is on JML Ranch's deviantArt, link to her page is in her bio.
Gunstorm: That dress and Sentinel's expression is permanently stored in my memories under "Side Splitters". *bursts out laughing at the memory*
JML Ranch: I'm not done with the Sentinel Pwnage Saga... I'm only getting started. *psychotic laughter*
Dodge: *shakes helm at my antics* While JML Ranch is plotting Sentinel's embarrassment, here's Chapter 3. She doesn't own Transformers Prime, she only owns her OCs and the story plot. Warning is for language and mild violence.
[Cybertronian speech]
"Normal speech"
:...Comlink...:
Gunstorm was walking along the halls, exploring the base when she sensed someone approaching. Not recognizing the Spark Signature, she deployed her Energon blades and turned around, battlemask snapping into place automatically. She was about to make a move when she froze, realizing whom she had nearly attacked.
"Please don't walk up behind me. I've had so many Decepticons try to attack me from behind that every time I don't recognize someone, I automatically think it's an ambush," Gunstorm said as she put her weapons away and disengaged her battlemask.
"I apologize. I did not intend to alarm you," Optimus replied.
"It's alright. It just takes me a few orns to be able to recognize someone based on their Spark Signature alone."
"How are you able to sense Spark Signatures?" He asked curiously.
"My wings," She replied, moving them slightly. "They're very sensitive, even more than a Seeker's wings. Fortunately I am able to adjust the sensitivity so I am not distracted."
"I see. What did you do before you became a Prime?"
"I used to be a medic-in-training, and my mentor was Ratchet."
"Ratchet?" He looked at her in slight surprise. Ratchet had never mentioned anything to him about being a mentor for someone.
"Yes. I remember the first time I saw him throw a wrench at someone…"
**Flashbacks begin**
Gunstorm was moving around Ratchet's Medbay quietly, retrieving and putting things away for Ratchet and Oceania as they worked on patients. A sense of calmness settled in the room, a rare occurance for the trio.
[It's nice to have a change of pace for once,] Oceania sighed as she leaned against the counter, taking a brief break.
[Agreed. It has been busy lately,] Gunstorm replied as she placed a tool in its proper location. [Although I get the feeling that the moment won't last very long…]
And she was right. An irate Ironhide stormed into the Medbay, dragging two mechs behind him- one was red, and the other was yellow.
[They got into another fight and I had to break it up,] Ironhide grumbled as he put both mechs onto two separate berths. He saw Gunstorm and looked at her in surprise. [Gunny? What are you doing here?]
[I work here. Ratchet's been mentoring me,] She replied, grinning at the black mech.
[I would have never guessed you were a medic-in-training,] Ironhide shook his helm. [You're real good with that Ion Fusion cannon of yours; I haven't seen you miss a target yet.]
Gunstorm was about to answer Ironhide when she heard Ratchet start going on a rant about something, and looked over to where he was working on the yellow mech. Curious, she watched the commotion unfold in front of her. It was clear that Ratchet was lecturing the red mech about something-she didn't know what. She saw Ratchet reach into his subspace and pull something out.
A flash of silver flew through the air towards the other side of the room, and a loud CLANG echoed through the air followed by a yelp. Gunstorm saw the silver object, and realized that it was a wrench.
[Did Ratchet just throw a wrench at the red mech…?] She asked Ironhide, turning to face him.
[Yep. Don't get him too mad, otherwise he'll lob a wrench at your helm,] Ironhide nodded, walking out of the Medbay. Gunstorm made a mental note to make sure to always stay on Ratchet's good side.
**End of Flashback**
"Ever since that day, I have never gotten whacked in the helm by one of Ratchet's wrenches and I intend on keeping it that way for good," Gunstorm chuckled, shaking her helm slightly.
"I have found that although Ratchet's wrench-throwing may be... a bit unorthodoxal, it's very effective for keeping mechs and femmes alike out of trouble."
"Agreed."
Optimus and Gunstorm walked in comfortable silence for a few cycles, the sounds of their pedesteps echoing in the air. The silence was shattered when a loud siren went off, making both Primes freeze in place for a klik. Gunstorm was the first one of the two to recover from the intital shock, and started back towards the main room.
:…Bo, what's going on?...: Gunstorm commed her brother.
:… Decepticon signals have been detected, and they're moving…:
:… What are they after now?...:
:… I believe they are after Energon, but there's too many Decepticons for that to be possible. I fear that they are up to something…:
"Talk to me, what's going on?" Gunstorm barked out, taking command as she strode into the main room.
"Like Bo said earlier, there are Decepticons on the move," Oceania reported. "However, it looks like they are preparing for an ambushment."
"Ambushment? On what?" Gunstorm walked up to the screens for a better look.
"Gunny, they're setting up a trap. It's an old trick; I've seen it too many times. They send a lot of 'Cons to one location to draw us out, then leave to confuse us, giving Megatron the perfect opportunity to attack us," Lookout replied.
"Looks like it. They are going to expect Optimus to come out with at least two or three others," Gunstorm mused. "Windjack, Wheeljack, Bulkhead- y'all are now the Wreckers. Windjack, you're the leader of the unit now. Y'all do what Wreckers do best- causing havoc."
"Alright Gunny. I'll do my best to keep my bro here in line," Windjack nodded, grinning.
"Good. Lookout, you're the sniper. Find yourself a well-concealed location and pick 'em off."
"Yes ma'am," Lookout barked.
"Camo, Bumblebee, Arcee- y'all are going to be our outriders. Camo, use your cloaking abilites to your advantage. Keep me informed on what the Decepticons are doing."
"Okay!" Camo gave Gunstorm a thumbs-up.
"Ratchet, Oceania- get Medbay ready for any injuries, and be ready to get a lock on our coordinates for an emergency Groundbridge." They both just nodded at Gunstorm, acknowledging her orders. "Bo, you're with me. Bo and I will be the first ones out, then the Wreckers. Lookout and Camo will be right behind the Wreckers. Optimus, you're the last one out of the Groundbridge. Is everyone clear on who is doing what?"
Everyone nodded, some saying "yes". Gunstorm and Robustspeed combined quickly, not wasting any time. Gunstorm's familiar maroon color was replaced with a burnt orange color, making her nearly unrecognizable to anyone who did not know her very well. She had a habit of switching colors frequently in an attempt to conceal her identity while in her Centauri form. Once, she changed her colors to neon orange and yellow! (That particular color combination had elicted a… rather interesting reaction from the Decepticons. Most of the force glitched when they saw her bright neon colors, leaving Gunstorm standing in the middle of the battlefield surrounded by unconscious Decepticons.) Taking a vent, Gunstorm walked towards the entrance of the Groundbridge and brought her Star Cannon online. She looked at everyone, silently asking 'are you ready?' with her body language. Everyone gave a nod. They were ready.
Gunstorm walked through the Groundbridge, ready for whatever was waiting on the other side.
In the base after everyone went through the Groundbridge
Ratchet stood in front of the Groundbridge controls, staring at the tunnel where the others had just gone through in shock. Oceania noticed this, and walked over to Ratchet.
"Ratchet? Are you alright?" Oceania asked gently, touching him on the shoulder.
"In all the time I have known Gunny, I have never seen her take command so swiftly and unequivocally before… I thought Optimus was going to question her orders, but he did not," Ratchet replied.
"That's just Gunny. She knows how to say something in a way that lets others know that she cares about them, yet at the same time she won't tolerate any rubbish from them. My guess is Optimus was thrown off by how she was able to gather information so efficently and formulate a battle plan within a cycle."
"I think you're right about Optimus being thrown off by Gunny's response to the alarm. Does she always ask everyone to tell her what's going on?"
"Yes," Oceania nodded. "She has always been big on communicating with each other, both on and off the battlefield. When she's on the battlefield, she may seem to be completely distracted by what's going on in front of her, but that's not the case. Everyone is usually on the main channel, and she devotes a few processors for listening to the chatter on the comms. She is capable of carrying a full converstation during a full-on assault without missing a single beat."
"She can do what?" Ratchet spluttered in surprise. "You mean Gunny can talk about anything on the comms while she is in the middle of battle?"
"Yep. That's why she is so good at improvising when things don't go as planned. She can scrap battle plans and come up with completely new ones on the fly."
"She's something else, that's for sure…" Ratchet shook his helm.
"Yes, she is something else all together," Oceania laughed, walking towards the Medbay to finish the preparations.
Next chapter is going to have the battle sequence! I just wanted to change things up a bit there at the end by focusing on Oceania and Ratchet a bit.
Comment, fav, follow... ah, y'all know what to do anyways XD
Until next time, this is JML Ranch and Dodge transforming and rolling out!
