One word. D-R-A-M-A.
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Sideswipe didn't like traveling in silence it so he tried starting a conversation. Tek never cared for idle prattle and Wildfire was content to keep ignoring them all. Sunstreaker didn't seem in the mood to talk either and soon enough Sides was muttering to himself. It was turning into quite a long drive back to base.
Tek still couldn't figure out why Wildfire was acting the way she was and it perplexed him. It was the first time in a very long time that he had no idea what his twin was thinking or feeling.
"Hey!" Sides yelled over the groups shared comlink, dragging Tek back to the drive at hand. "Fire I'm talking to you!"
The "male" sports car swerved and narrowly avoided trading paint with Wildfire. Tech's CPU had already analyzed the situation, calculated all possible outcomes and was ready for any reaction. He had everything planned out almost before it happed. Smoothly he reduced his speed and changed lanes away from Sunstreker as the gold mech slammed on his brakes when Wildfire swerved into his lane. The yellow Lamborghini would have crashed into Tek's front bumper if the Corvette hadn't already been safely out of harms way.
"WATCH IT SIDESWIPE!" His brother yelled as all three cars righted themselves.
Tek's processor whirred as his sister stayed unexpectedly quite. Normally she would have been yelling as well. This did not bode well.
"And you Wildfire!" The golden Lamborghini screeched. "You could have scrapped off my new wax!"
"If you want to keep any of your paint you'll shut your vocalizer right now."
Tek heard the shocked silence over the comlink and could almost feel the surprise from his teammates. Violent outbursts where just short of regular for her, but this icy seriousness, however, was new. Not only that, but threatening another Autobot was just way out of line.
"Hey Fire, no need to get upset." The red Lamborghini started. "I was just…"
"One more word and you'll be carrying your vocalizer back to base. I'm sick and tired of you running your mouth. "
Wildfire gunned her engine and pulled away from of the mechs. Tek detested braking speed limits, but this was one of those times when it needed to be done.
"I'll talk to her."
The Corvette slipped between the still stunned Lambo twins. Tek tried talking to her through their spark bond and founded it completely blocked like before. He couldn't feel anything from his twin. The hacker pulled along side his sister as she increased her speed again.
"Was that rebuke necessary?" He asked. "You know how much Sunstreeker loves his exterior."
Silence.
"Sideswipe is only guilty of poor judgment."
Nothing.
"Exceeding the speed limit will only result in a confrontation with human police. Prowl won't be happy."
Still no communication. The lack of a logical explanation wore on Tek's circuits.
"Wildfire we are on a mission! Reduce speed and link up with the patrol party NOW. That's an order."
As an officer, Tek formally outranked Wildfire, and that was something he didn't like to throw in her face. She had enough talent to be an officer herself and with a little control of that temper of hers Tek knew she could one day be rather high ranking. He was still wondering why she never applied herself. He gave her a few moments to comply but she didn't. She actually increased her speed again. The Lamborghinis sped up to keep pace with other twins. Every time Tek pulled up to Wildfire's side the fem increased her speed.
Sunny and Sides shared an uneasy feeling as Tek and Wildfire began racing. They said nothing as their engines roared and they left the confused lambos in their wake. The blue and red sports cars zig-zaged through traffic seeming to be unconcerned for any human law now.
The rest of the ride back to base was a fast one as the Wildfire and Tek made it back to base in record braking time. They all but flew into their base of operations still nose to nose and still racing as they transformed to their robot modes. Hound and Mirage had to leap aside as Wildfire power walked right between them, Tek hot on her heels. The twins nearly trampled a pack of minibots without even flinching before they disappeared into the bowls of the Ark.
"What was that about?!" Mirage demanded as Hound helped him to his feet.
"I think there's going to be a show!" Sideswipe grinned as he slid to a stop and transformed outside the Ark.
"Show?" Hound asked with a confused head tilt. "What show?"
"Tek and Wildfire are having some kind of fight. I'm pretty sure the slag is going to hit the ventilation system in about a minute." Sunstreaker filled in as he fallowed his brother inside. "Hurry up before all the best seats are taken!"
Wildfire and Tek were blue and red streaks as they ran trough the base. Their race took them through the most crowded areas of the base. Once those that had to quickly get out of their way recovered, they fallowed after the twins like sharks fallowing a blood trail in the water.
Zack was reading a data pad in his claws when he heard the first foot steps. He peered uneasily down the hall as the noise grew to a low rumbling. When Wildfire rounded the corner the black Ranger braced himself. He had never seen the fem with her visor down outside of battle and his shock was doubled when her brother appeared aright after her. Zack's first thought was that he had somehow pissed off BOTH twins. But when the rest of the Ark filed in behind them saying he was just a little surprised was like claiming Megatron was just a little egomaniacal or Starscream was just a little treacherous. Wildfire's arm whipped out and shoved the sturdy mech out of her way. Which should have been no easy task. The former con was built as powerful as Cybertionions came.
"Get out of my sight!" She snarled.
The ranger was so surprised by the ferocity of the command he did nothing to defend himself as he was thrown out of the way. The black pick up was left bewildered in the twins wake. The throng of bots made room for him as he joined their ranks, his morbid curiosity bidding him to find out what was going on.
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Optimus Prime was talking with his lieutenants Jazz and Prowl when the automatic door was opened behind them. They all turned to see an unexpected sight. Most of the crew of the Ark was crowding around the door and even spilling into the command center. All of them where craning their neck cables to watch the red and blue twins.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
All three high ranking officers where astonished to hear Tek raise his vocalizer's volume. Optimus was stunned to see them back so fast. He had only just received Tek's transmission about coming back a few moments ago. Wildfire stormed up to him first, her visor down and what he could see of her face set in a scowl. She was holding a datapad out when she came to a sudden stop before the Prime.
"That was fast." Optimus commented as he reached out for the debriefing report.
"Sir," Tek said grabbing for the data pad at the same time. "We haven't had time to…"
Wildfire yanked her arm back and both Tek and Optimus's hand missed the file.
"I'm handing in MY report!" Wildfire growled at her brother.
With that she shoved the pad in to Optimus's chest with enough force to startle the red Perterbuilt.
"WILDFIRE!" Tek said. "That's our commander!"
"I know slagging well who it is!" Wildfire snarled, her dental plates flashing.
"Tek it's alright…" Optimus started.
"Sir, with all due respect, it's not!" Tek rounded on his sister.
The two drew themselves up and squared off face to face, each trying to stare the other down.
"Learn some respect for others!"
"Tek I'm warning you…" Wildfire's engine growled as she jabbed a finger in his chest plating.
The siblings didn't notice the crowd they had drawn, as the continued to growl and snap at each other as both of their tempers flared.
"You need to keep your temper in check! You have to learn to fallow orders!"
"I'm sick of all your talk! Get out of my face or I swear to Primus Tek you'll be sorry!"
Optimus couldn't tell who these two where anymore. This pair of siblings never ever fought with each other. What could have driven them to this extreme?
"Maybe I should file an insubordination report." Tek threatened. "Maybe that will remind you of the chain of commend that you think your better then."
"That's it! I can't take anymore of you!" Wildfire said throwing her arms up. "I'm out of here."
Wildfire turned on her heel and headed for the door. The crowd shuffled back out of her way. Tek wasn't about to leave it at that. His blue hand roughly gripped his sister's shoulder.
"Where do you think your going? We aren't done here!"
Even Tek's CPU couldn't calculate what happened next. Wildfire's mask clamped down over her face as she spun. Tek didn't have time to engage his own mask as Wildfire's fist connected with his jaw and sent him sprawling. Everyone present gasped as Tek slammed into the wall. Wildfire straightened up, glared at her brother and started to leave again as everyone stared at her.
"Wildfire what…" Jazz started stunned.
Wildfire didn't have time to respond. Tek was back on his feet, his battle visor down and mask clamped on his face. He lunged and before anyone could stop him. His own fist caught the side of his sister's head and she stumbled.
"That's enough!" Optimus roared as he put himself in between the twins before things escalated any further.
"ARRRGHHHH!"
Optimus didn't know what happened for a moment as Tek disappeared in a blur of red. Wildfire had rushed pasted him and tackled her brother to the floor. Jazz and Prowl scrambled out of the way of the fighting siblings as they rolled around the floor, ripping and tearing at each other, screaming in Cybertronion.
"WILDFIRE! TEK!" The Autobot leader yelled.
The siblings didn't hear him as the pounded each other with iron fists. They broke apart for only a second as they scrambled to their feet. Everyone assembled ducked and dodged as Tek was picked up and thrown through the air. The hacker crashed through the doors and into the hall. The crowd of onlookers scattered as Wildfire gave chase.
"GET UP!" Wildfire screamed.
Zack had enough. This was insane, those two got along better then anyone and now they where trying to tear each others sparks out. He freed himself from the crowd and quickly put himself between the struggling to stand Tek and the oncoming Mustang.
"Wildfire stop!" He growled as he blocked her path. "This is crazy."
Wildfire didn't even seem to care that he was there. Her arm whipped out, grabbed the black mech's shoulder and flung him aside without missing a beat. Zack hit the wall with enough force to scramble his processor for a moment. Blue hands snatched the fem's helmet in the fray and Tek slammed his forehead down on his sister's. Dazed, Wildfire couldn't do anything when Tek's foot collided with her chest and sent her flying. She landed hard and skidded down the hall for a few meters before she flipped herself up. Tek was already within range again and punching at her face. The red warrior dodged and grabbed the arm, flipping Tek over her shoulder. Tek crashed through the outer door and rolled in the dirt outside.
The Corvette stumbled to his feet in time to defend himself from another attack. The crowd poured from the Ark and stood in a line watching the two beat the slag out of each other.
"YEAH FIRE! GET EM!" Sideswipe yelled pumping his arm in the air.
After a moment Prime pushed through the crowd and showed up on scene. He ordered Jazz and Prowl to help him settle this insanity. The two officers leapt on Tek and Optimus himself caught Wildfire by the arms. It was a struggle to pull the two apart. It took everything they had to separate them and even still the twins struggled to get back to beating the each other.
"LET ME GO!" Wildfire yelled. "I'm going to KILL him!"
"I'll kill you first!"
"I HATE YOU!"
"I HATE YOU MORE!"
"Stop it! Both of you!" Optimus bellowed over the both of them.
"Yeah guys! Knock it off!" Jazz said, hard pressed to hold back Tek even with Prowl's help. "Your family!"
"Pompous know it all!" Wildfire yelled.
"Insufferable maverick!" Tek yelled back.
"I said stop this right now!" Optimus ordered.
Tek broke lose from his captors and headed for Wildfire again. Prime didn't let Wildfire go, even to avoid Tek's attack. The hacker got a sucker punch in on her mask plating before Wildfire could recover. Prowl and Jazz where on him a moment later. Prime felt wildfire slip out from his grip. In a flash he was cracked across his face plating by a solid steal fist. Everyone froze including Tek and Wildfire as Optimus hit the ground. Wildfire's engine grumbled as she stared at the leader she had just struck down. Everyone gasped and stared. Tek was the only one that could speak.
"WILDFIRE!" Tek said unbelievably. "You just… just… "
"ENOUGH!" Wildfire screamed. "I know what I did and I don't care! I'm sick and fucking tired of you! And this stupid fucking base and these stupid fucking ASSHOLES!"
Wildfire flung her arm out to indicate the watching Autobots.
"I hate you all and you can all GO DIE IN A FIRE! I FUCKING QUIT!"
Optimus sat up holding his still ringing head in time to watch Wildfire speeding off in a cloud of dust.
"What just happened?" The Simi truck asked.