I never thought I would be writing another chapter for Scrap. I mean, it's just… it's been so long! 5 years since I updated of Scrap! I mean, I never thought I would be here, publishing a new chapter!
This new 'sub story' which is kinda like 'Knight With the Stars' as it is a new crossover story! Now one is based on the musical Starlight Express and Transformers Prime! If you know Starlight Express, this story starts around 'Make Up My Heart' where Pearl is trying to work out who to race with. If you don't know Starlight Express then I hope you can follow the story without knowing… or go research it.
Anyway! So, after FIVE YEARS! I am proud to present the first chapter of;
Scrap's Starlight
Scrap couldn't help but gasp as she practically felt the bullet zip past her head and imbedded in a tree while she pulled herself back into the safety of the car. "Frag! That was too close! Knockout! We need to get off the road! Now!"
"I would but there's nowhere for us to go!" The car shouted as he drove rapidly down the pitch black road, swerving to avoid rocks as they appeared in the headlights but also the bullets coming from behind them.
"I know!" The woman shouted as she looked at her weapon, reloading it with a thin blue cylinder then leant out the window once more to shoot at the other car that was following. "According to the map, there is a train yard just up ahead to the right. No entrance so you will have to jump but it's our only chance. If we can get in there than we can activate the cloak."
"Scrap, the cloak is still damaged! We haven't had chance to fix it."
"We will have to hope it will work long enough." She muttered more to herself. "But we have to try. These guys aren't quitting and I can't keep shooting at them."
"Right. I can see the turning coming… get ready!"
Bracing against the doorframe, the human held on as the car gunned his engine even more and sped forwards into the dark. Just at the right moment, El fired once more as Knockout pulled sharply to the right, skidding to the side and down a steep bank, over rocks and small trees before crashing through a thin metal fence while behind them their pursuers went flying past but clearly already preparing to turn around.
"We have only a few seconds." Scrap shouted as she pulled herself back inside and looked around. "There! In that building there! Now!"
The car didn't complain as he raced towards the building that she had pointed out, his tires slipping only for a moment on the metal tracks that lead in and out of the building while the red haired woman in the driver seat nodded while tapping at something on a screen. "Shield's ready."
"You sure you want to use it now? Even damaged?"
"It's our only chance." She said, tapping the screen once more, sending the command to activate the program on the small device on the back seat. It hummed for a moment and glowed a pale blue, the air in and out of the car began to shimmer and change. "It's working." She informed him victoriously as she checked at the screen. "Only 84% but in this darkness, we will be okay."
Just as she looked back to it, the device gave a sound of something electrically short circuiting before beginning to spark and bolts ran across the insides of the car. Scrap gasped suddenly and backed off slightly. "Frag!" She shouted, tapping the screen to try and stop it.
"Warned you!" Knockout yelled as the device sparked once more, one of the bolts going wild and hitting the car on the dashboard while Scrap reached back towards it to manually turn it off but on touching it, a final shot went up her arm and made her back off with a grunt of pain, holding her arm tight at the pain.
"Ah!"
"You alright?" Knockout asked as the bolts stopped.
"Yeah." She sighed, pulling her sleeve back to look at the angry red mark on her skin. "Just a minor burn but at least we turned off the generator." She sighed as she covered it again. "That's gonna hurt in the morning."
Knockout was silent for a moment then let out a sound of relief. "Looks like it worked long enough, I'm not picking up any sign of MECH behind us."
"Good because I need time to repair this shield generator." The woman sighed as she opened the car door and looked around, the car behind her transforming into his root bi-pedal form. "There must be some tools around here for repairing the trains. Maybe I can borrow them."
"Well while you do that, I'm gonna look around." The mech said, stretching and exploring the large building they were in, peaking out to make sure they weren't being followed.
As he headed out a bit further, he spotted something move and carefully walked over to explore, surprised when he walked around another building and spotted a tall femme with a lustre pink paint, pacing back and forth, her eyes narrow with worry and thought, going back and forth on a narrow space, passing under neither a lamp that made her paint shine brighter and reflected off the glass that made up a large part of her lower body armour.
Knockout frowned as he walked closer and looked at her. "Hey there."
With a gasp she looked up at the sound, taking in his sharp red and white colours, only just taller than her but not by much. "W-What are you doing here?"
"Didn't mean to scare you. I have no idea there were others hiding out here."
"Hiding?" The femme said, confused. "I live here."
"In a train yard? I guess it meets the 'hide in plain sight' idea." He chuckled. "So, what's your name?"
With a polite nod of her head, the other introduced herself. "My name is Pearl. And… you are?"
"Knockout."
"Knockout?" She repeated, her pale blue optics looking over him. "What kind of coach are you?"
"Coach?" The mech chucked. "I'm no coach."
"A train then?"
"Hunny, I'm an automobile." The mech said, trying not to sound insulted.
"Who are you talking to Knockout?" Called another voice as someone walked out from behind the mech.
Pearl looked to the voice as well before her eyes went wide. "Passenger!" She yelped then transformed down into a long train carriage with all the sides covered with large windows to allow those inside a good view out as well as a small platform at the back to allow people to stand outside if they wished.
Scrap and Knockout shared a look before the human walked over and gently tapped on her side. "Umm, I already saw you. No point hiding. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
The coach was silent for a moment before humming. "Yeah, I guess you did." She sighed, transforming back, holding her arm in embarrassment. "Sorry, it's kinda rule number one; don't let passengers see you."
"Well, I already know about Cybertronians so no point hiding to me. I'm called Scrap, and I'm Knockout's partner."
The femme knelt down slightly to look at her closer. "Wow, I've never spoken to a passenger before… but… what's a Cybertonian?"
The two visitors blinked at what she was saying, the red haired human tipping her head in confusion. "Wait… what?"
"You are a Cybertonian, right?" Knockout asked, his voice showing his perplexed processor. "I mean, you're from Cybertron, right? Here to escape the war?"
"Sorry but I have no idea what you are talking about. I mean, I'm not from this yard, I only just arrived but… I'm from not from anywhere called… Cybertron. And there is certainly no war, here or anywhere I know of."
The former con looked down at his human as she lifted a pair of glasses from her pocket and slid them onto her face, looking the coach up and down before her jaw dropped slightly. "Primus above. What is this?"
"What is it Scrap?"
"She doesn't have a spark… and her armour is made of completely of materials that are man-made. There is not a single scrap of CNA anywhere on her. Not a trace of it." She explained, taking off the glasses and looked at the carriage closer. "She's not a cybertonian."
Knockout didn't stop himself from showing his disgust as he backed away from the female a few steps. "Then what the frag is she!?"
"I have no idea… but something about this isn't adding up." The woman sighed as she looked around before rubbing the brink of her nose. "I need a computer… a screen to work with. I can't work on just my headset." She turned her eyes to the other and nodded. "Umm… sorry, what was your name?"
"Pearl." The coach introduced again.
"Pearl. Well, Pearl, is there someone in charge around here? Someone I could talk to?"
The femme thought then nodded. "I guess I could take you to Control. He's the one in charge of everything around here."
"Then lead the way please."
Obedient, the coach turned on the spot and led the way around the train yard. As she moved, the visitors realised that her feet covered with wheels so she didn't have to walk but instead glided from one to the other, pushing herself forwards.
As Knockout went to follow, he suddenly stopped on hearing a loud deliberate cough behind him, turning on the spot with a smirk as he saw his partner behind him with her arms crossed. Holding back a chuckle, she knelt down and held out his hand, allowing the human to stand on his palm. "Sorry." He said as he placed her on his shoulder. "I forget you have short legs."
"Jerk." She teased back to him as they turned to follow Pearl who was looking at them with a fond smile.
They walked around the train yard for a while, passing various buildings, each one with its own use but Scrap couldn't help but notice the number of flags around the place. "You guys having a party or something?"
"Oh." The coach said, skating backwards. "No, it's the Trans-America trials."
"The what?"
Pearl laughed suddenly. "You don't know what the Trans-America trials are?"
"We aren't from around here." Knockout said casually.
"Well it's the greatest train race in the world!" She laughed, spinning on the spot. "Trains from around the world have come here to enter, to try and win the cup and be named champion of the world." Humming, she clasped her hand over her chest. "And to be the coach to win the race with a train… it's such an honour."
"A race?" The mech said, suddenly interested. "Sounds right up my game."
"Knockout, we don't have time for racing."
"But Scrap…"
She gave him a glare that cut off any further argument. Once sure the matter was dropped, she turned to the coach once more. "So this Control… he is in charge around here?"
"Yes, he sets the rules for the races, he deals with punishments and rule breakers and… when it's not the races, he tells us where to go and what to do for our everyday work and… well… he's in charge. He lives up there." She nodded and pointed up to a large tower they were approaching, the whole building well lit and all sides covered with flags from around the world.
Knockout looked up as well then his gaze was drawn to the sky behind it. "Scrap…"
"Finally noticed Knockout." The woman said as she watched his expression fall.
"The stars." He whispered, optics wide. "They're wrong."
Pearl looked up as well and shook her head. "The stars have always looked that way."
"Not where we're from." Scrap explained as she rubbed her arm over the burn. "Those arrangements are all wrong."
"Where are we Scrap?"
She tapped her ear and checked but then shook her head. "Our GPS is the same, we haven't move. At least… not in any normal way."
The medic looked over at her with concern. "You mean like the shadow zone?"
"Similar. But this place is too… occupied to be the shadow zone. I think this may be a parallel or alternative universe but it's certainly not ours."
"So how do we get back to our world?"
"Slag if I know." She muttered as Pearl stopped ahead of them at the large tall building.
"This is Control's tower. You can get in from there." Pearl said, pointing to a small door with a keypad lock on it.
Knockout turned from the door to the femme. "How the frag am I meant to get in via such a small door?"
"Oh no, we can't go in." She explained like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Trucks, coaches and trains aren't allowed inside the control tower. Only crews and marshals are. I don't think even passengers are allowed up there."
The red Decepticon frowned before noticing Scrap had made her way down from his shoulder and was tapping at the keypad. "Scrap, what are you doing?"
"I need to speak to this Control." She sighed as the door unlocked and opened inwards for her.
"But..."
"Don't worry. You know I can handle myself if things go south." The human cut him off as she entered the tower, faced almost instantly with an abandoned security desk and a staircase that spiralled upwards around the edges of the wall. It was a good few minutes climb but Scrap made it to the top, looking around at the banks of computers, phones, levers and screens in the room as well as the large glass window before them. As she looked around she spotted that some of the screens were showing video feeds from around the station, each one showing mechs and femmes similar to Pearl in conversations or preparing for something.
"Who are you?" A sharp voice called, making the human turn around and look at who was addressing her; quickly spotting the man in white shirt under a yellow high visibility waistcoat with scruffy black hair that stuck out from his backwards black train driver's cap on his head, his face very young looking while in his hand was a cup of coffee. "What you doing in here?"
Scrap blinked as she looked at him, her eyes narrowing with suspicion at the man. "Are you Control?"
"I am the one of the controllers, yes. Why? What do you want?"
"I was told you could help me." She informed him as she began to look around the room careful. "I need access to the internet or data net or whatever you call it here."
"We have the web, if that's what you mean but why should I let you? This is a secure area! Passengers are not allowed up here!"
"Passengers?" She questioned, looking over at him again. "Funny, that's what Pearl called me." She watched as the visibly Controller gulped. "And I will tell you why you should let me use your web; because if you don't I will tell your co-workers that you are a hologram."
His eyes went wide. "A... a what?" He laughed but it was clearly forced. "Miss, you are clearly mistaken..." He was cut off as his whole body suddenly shimmered and his right arm vanished completely. Panicking, he looked at his visitor who just smirked. "What..."
"It's a very good hologram but it's still a hologram with emitters. And I can turn them on and off as I wish." She said with a chuckle. "So, I'm guessing you are part of this massive computer here? In control of all that happens in this yard. Yes?"
"How did you know I wasn't real?" the Control said, giving up the act as his arm returned.
"Your coffee was the first clue." She nodded to the cup that was in his hand once more. "No heat vapours. But I also have a habit of scanning people when I meet them and you don't have a heartbeat."
Control looked to his cup as well then sighed deeply, his whole body sagging as he did. "Well, you are the first to ever notice." He turned to her and nodded to a far corner. "There is a computer over there you can use. It's connected to the external web."
"Thanks." She stated as she went over and pulling up a seat, typing quickly at the controls, overriding firewalls and passwords in just a few moments.
Control watched her for a bit but then a small bleeping noise went off from one of the systems and he hurried over to check what it was. "Ah, time for the race."
"The Trans-America Trial?"
"Yeah, it's time for heat one." He glanced over. "Wanna come watch? Best view in the house up here."
Looking at the screen, the woman shrugged. "Alright. Never seen a train race before so... why not." Getting up from her chair she went over to the window and looked out, spotting a large twisting track right in front of the view, a collection of ramps, twists turns, a tunnel and a high hill all making up the race while around the edges were barriers to protect spectators and there were a lot of them, every single bank filled with mechs and femmes of the strange designs, most of them being big and blocking ones in greys and browns but some were colourful.
Control smiled as he turned his cap the other way around so the brim was over his eyes and pulled out sports announcers' microphone from somewhere, holding it close to his lips. "This is Control! This is Control! Will Electra, Greaseball, Nintendo and Turnov report to the starting line with their partners! That's Electra, Greaseball, Nintendo and Turnov to the track!"
As he spoke, searchlights began to move and swirl around the track, spotlights swinging over the lines while yellow lights began to spin in various places and Scrap noticed there was no real 'track', just a flat surface, more like a road than a rail line.
To one side of the track, a few mechs and femmes were gathering, each one in pairs with one hanging on to the back of others. "So… which ones which?" She asked Control who was looking at the close up on the screens.
"That's Greaseball." The hologram said, focusing on a mech with black and gold paint, large golden rivets covering most of his body while his were eyes covered with a black visor even with the night around them. "Reigning champion, undefeated. And that's his partner Dinah." Scrap looked at the young femme, very much like Pearl but with a blue tartan design to her metal to her and far less glass than the other.
Control moved the camera along to show a mech with red and white metal, his armour sharp and defined while on his front was a hammer and sickle. "That's Turnov the Russian entrant. Looks like he is racing with C.B. Odd choice but C.B's still a good partner."
"Do they normally race male female?"
"Normally, as the girls are the lightest to pull. Each train has to have a carriage or truck in the race, doesn't matter who but C.B is the Caboose so he's still quite light." The camera moved along the lines to see a train that was completely white from top to toe apart from one red spot on his forehead. "That's Nintendo."
"Nintendo?" Scrap said, barely holding back a laugh. "Like the game console?"
"Umm... I think so? Anyway, he's the Japanese competitor. And that looks to be... Krupp? I think so anyway, all of Electra's components look the same to me... oh yeah, it is Krupp, and you can see his holster." Control then moved the camera again and focused on a very flashy red, white and blue mech with lightning bolts on his sides that appeared to sparkle like he was covered in glitter.
Scrap lifted a brow at his flamboyant appearance. "I'm guessing that is Electra?"
"Yeah, first time entrant and already said to be a challenge for Greaseball."
"Is that Pearl racing with him?" She asked, looking at the shy young femme behind him.
"Looks like it. I was wondering who she'd pick. Anyway, they are all there so time to start the race." He nodded and lifted his microphone once more. "This is Control! This is Control! Time for Race one! Time for Race one! Trains to your tracks!"
On the screen, the four pairs got into neat lines and the carriages held on tight while around them glass barriers began to rise up to protect the crowds. As they went up, a couple of smaller trains went skating around the track, each one identical in black and yellow armour before they all gave thumbs up and headed off together.
Control grinned as he began a countdown, the crowd roaring as they cheered for their favourites. "4, 3, 2, 1! TRAINS GONE!"
