Updated - 06~08~2019

Cherno Alpha

Cybertron, Pan Pacific, 14th Paxian 3217, Iacon, 16:15 pm

After the little incident I had before, I decided that right now the best option was to wait for Shockwave in the Lab. I had few minutes before checking the neural connection, so I started working on calculations. I sat down by Pharma's side as I watched him examine a little extract from the Terrorcon's CPU.

"You do have a bad face. What happened?" The scientist suddenly asked, without diverting his gaze from the microscope.

"How did you...?" I was surprised. "Never mind. I think that Cherno's pilots are quite obsessed with the idea of touching their robot." I explained.

"Nah, don't think it's about Cherno, is because they think they can handle this on their own, that their Jaeger is better than anyone, that it doesn't need maintenance... You know, Kaonian vanity." He added scattering some Terrorcon pieces on floor. "You need to impose yourself, you know, let them know you worth it."

"Yeah, I know what is it to bear that behaviour." I replayed back. "I've been dealing with it quite a long time." I added bored, leaning back on the chair.

"So you're Kaonian?" He asked cautiously.

"No, I'm Crystalline, but I do have Kaonian family." I explained. "Long story."

Suddenly, the door opened and Shockwave came into the room. I stood up as the purple mech stared at me. "Cherno is prepared." He stated. I got up immediately and gathered my data pad. "It would be logical to record all the data now." He added as we exited the room, in order to pay a visit to the Kaonian titan. We walked for a while, and mid time, Shockwave took advantage of it to give me some advices. "You do know how to interact with Decepticons. Use your background, your Kaonian background. It will come handy to you now."

"I will, Shockwave." I admitted. He was right. I should use everything I learned from my eight years in the Decepticon capital, and of course everything I learn from my family in there, but specially, from my father. "Thank you." I just needed to give another point of view to the situation.

We entered the third hangar, at the highest level where the Conn-Pod of Cherno Alpha was. The pilots were waiting for us. 'Well, round two Knockout, go ahead.' I encouraged myself. We stopped by their side, and they greeted Shockwave. Everyone respected him, but not me, yet.

We walked in, as the eldest one whispered me full of venom from behind, "Did ya came for more, Knock-Out?" He scoffed, remarking my name.

"Sky..." The youngest one looked at his brother, trying to maintain the situation calm.

But Skywarp didn't payed attention to him. "You know that you lil mech cannot play with big robots, and you..." I cut him off.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking about. How's a mech like you controlling such a big robot if you lack intelligence?" He was stunned. Before he could say anything, I cut him off again as I continued, "I may be short in stature and have less strength than you, but I have more neural connections in just the frontal part of my CPU than what you will ever have in your entire life. That almost makes me more capable of piloting any Jaeger, even on my own." The Kaonian silenced as he looked at his brother stunned. I thanked my father for teaching me how to keep people in their place and how to talk to Decepticons. "So now, if you don't have anything left to say, shut your mouth up and let me do my work."

"If you're done, it would be logical to make the revisions now, so that we could gain time." Shockwave stated emotionless. "So if you don't mind you two should be wearing your respective suit and helmet." Both Kaonians looked at each other and ten minutes later they appeared again, this time wearing their neural black suit on.

We entered the pod and each pilot took its right place as they engage themselves physically to Cherno. We connected some cables to the pilots in order get the data we needed to analyse later. Then we took our places and secured ourselves as well, after all, we were going to take the Jaeger out for a walk, and maybe some fight practice. We could hear the main central computer establishing the pod. "Two pilots welcome to the Conn-Pod. Preparing physical engagement."

"Everyone prepared for Cherno Alpha's testing session. Let the way free." Shockwave must had warned the Command Station, since Alpha was directing the connection. "Ok, Steams, you're authorised to complete the pilot-to-pilot connection."

"Command received." The silver mech said while he pressed some buttons as the giant switched on. "Preparing every system, and ready to fuse with Cherno Alpha."

"Completing connection... Now." Skywarp stated.

There was a moment of silence as each pilot entered into the other's mind. "Connections pilot-to-pilot... Engaged." The paneling started showing functions and information about the Jaeger. "Calibration in process... Calibrating... Now." The pilots adjusted their position. "Calibrated."

"Let's go then!" The pilot grinned.

Both Kaonians started moving the titan and for the very first time of my life I felt gigantic. "Woooohoooo!" I shouted with all my strength. "Ha ha ha..." I was really enjoying the first steps and almost laughing due to the emotion I felt brothers also smiled sincerely at my reaction, so in the very core of their spark I think they valued me, at least in some way. I'm also sure that Shockwave would have been grinning at me, if he had had a usual face.

He let me enjoy the way out of the hangar, until he reminded me the purpose of that walk. "Remember Knockout why are we here. There are data bases we need to collect and study, so I would suggest to start taking notes." I nodded as I started to take mental notes, while Shockwave wrote his own down. "First impression?"

"Well, apart from the awesomeness of this machine, I must say, as an expert, that there are few things that should be changed. The walk cycle is quite good, which its stability is essential to move in battles, but I think it's slow and heavy. I've noticed that that pilots have developed a bigger muscular mass in their legs and pedes than in the rest of their frame, which suggests that they are making a great effort to move Cherno. The leg control I think should be improved in order to make it faster and easier to move it." I concluded with the first visual information I mentally gathered.

Shockwave wrote it down and then asked the pilots. "Well, few questions before we get into the battle mode. What's your impression about Cherno Alpha's performance, the effectiveness, the movements...?"

"Well, even though Cherno is the best Jaeger ever, I agree with Knockout." Silence answered. "We do quite a lot exercise, but the robot is slower than what we would like to."

"We're talking about Cherno, he is the heaviest Jaeger ever. It would be a huge challenge to make such a giant faster." The pilot also gave his point of view. "So tell me, lil mech, would you be able to take on such a big challenge?" Skywarp added, but this time like if I were his little brother, almost with kindness.

"Well, big challenges for big robots it's something nothing less than appropriate. Now the question is, would you let me put my hands over it?" I smiled enthusiastically.

"If you're able to survive the combat mode without throwing up, kiddo..." The pilots looked at each other and then back to me smirking, "...Then may be you're lucky to work on it."

"Go ahead!" I took the challenge up with my best smirk. The fun was just about to start. That was the moment when I could feel the rumble of the Tesla fists colliding together ready for battle moves.

The Conn-Pod moved sharply in more than an occasion, and I could see Shockwave's feelers flipping up and down with each movement, which made the scientist even cutter than what he already was. I also became aware of the impeccable coordination of the pilots, whose performance was brilliant.

We could see how the pilot's thoughts were interpreted by the copilot and put into action and the other way round. Even though that, there was agreement in every movement or decision. They did really thought as a single mech, in fact, when they fuse their minds together, Cherno became totally alive, like I giant Cybertronian being. That's the moment when I fell in love with Jaegers. Then a thought crossed my mind.

Even though I would probably never fully understand what piloting a Jaeger meant, I wanted to became a pilot.