Updated - 20~09~2019

Sketching The Future

Cybertron, Pan Pacific, 12th Iaconian 3223, Iacon

Six years were gone, we battled new Terrorcons, we lost five Jaegers, only leaving Cherno and Puma Real. Yes, we were almost lacking Jaegers, and we could not keep improving the ones we had, because we already had made all possible changes.

We were all nervous and there was a palpable tension in the air. It was settled during the last attack, five months now, when we lost our last Jaeger, Tacit Ronin. The Terrorcons were getting stronger, and in the last fights, we started losing robots. It was now two years and a half that we lost Eden Assassin and Solar Prophet, a year and few weeks that Coyote Tango was deceased, and now a year that he lost Romeo Blue, a great loss. That left us quite unarmed. The R.R.D.C. was getting nervous, and they were pressing Alpha more than ever. We were having a bad time calming them down. Anyway, we would come up with something soon.

Talking about myself, I didn't even realise, but time had flown since first I came here with just sixteen, and now, I was already twenty-two. And I suffered some changes myself. My shoulder plates grew wider and I also displayed a higher shoulder-guard, my helm got pointier and the fin got more prominent, my legs lengthen, stylising my silhouette, my voice became lower and a goatee had appeared on my chin. Some inner mechanisms and systems had also undergone changes. I was a real knock out, which started attracting femmes' attention. I must say that my seductive red optics didn't help either.

Not only that, my body also toned up, getting a bigger muscular mass, due to Prowl's training sessions. He had taught me in a really curious way, taking advantage of the whole base instead of just the training room. Every object or element was a useful thing to train with. At the beginning, people looked at us quite confused, some even laughed, but then they got used to it and become something common in our daily lives. We even had some pilots working alongside us, like the Steams, never missed a chance to show their greatness. He was getting more comfortable with me training alongside him, and he also taught me everything he did when he was a pilot. I was like a son to him, and he had become almost like a father to me.

Talking about mech that had adopted me, Ratchet treated me like a grown college, occasionally giving me father advice, which I loved. I also started arguing with him and Shockwave as a scientist. Pharma always said that they had corrupted my mind, that I started acting like them, and he gave us the name of 'Grumpy Doctors'. Just another nickname to add to my list.

And last, but not least, Alpha. He was the mech who treated me with respect, but also with kindness. He had given me a lot of opportunities during my life, and that day, 12th of Iaconian 3223, he gave me best chance ever.

I was called to his quarters, and I found him looking through the window. I walked towards him and he informed me about the situation. "Knockout, you already know that we are undergoing a crisis. We have just two Jaegers left, and I'm afraid that they are not enough to fight the now stronger Terrorcons back." He let the words sank on my processor. "I need your ideas and your skills working again."

"I wouldn't mind, but I cannot improve the Jaegers anymore." I tried to explain.

"I know it, that's why will ask you the most important task you have ever made." He let few seconds of suspense, he really love having me anxious. "You're going to design the very first Mark III."

I had to suppress a joy cry as a smile crossed my face. "You mean from zero? Design a Jaeger from the inner mechanisms to each cover plates?"

"Yes." He confirmed. "It will be your own Jaeger, Knockout. Your design, your style, your calculations... You may also give a designation of your own if you wish to do so." He added. I didn't read between lines, so I didn't understood what he really meant. "But one condition. The first final sketch must be done in seven months, maximum a year. It's not easy. Will you be able to fulfil the task?"

"Well, I can have the covering plates and form today. I would only have to figure out how to fit machinery in and make the necessary changes." I said, gesturing. "Anyway, how difficult can be to design a Jaeger?" I added self confident. I think I opened my mouth too soon. But since I was really a stubborn, even though it took me ages to finish it without recharging, I would do it. I was decided to complete that task and give the best of me, after all, we were talking about my own designed mecha, and I loved it.

"Ok, then, I'm getting down to work." I prepared to leave.

"Knockout, remember, anything you need, ask for it to anyone." He suggested. "I would be glad to watch the progress of it. And remember, as long as possible, discretion. We need some time to tell R.R.D.C. our plans. That way, they may calm down and stop stinging us."

I nodded and I exited the room. I could have worked in my quarters, but I felt more inspired working surrounded by scientists. In fact, I really wanted to show myself off. And fortunately, the Laboratory had windows that let me the Jaegers' hangar in view. Prefect for hunting ideas.

I entered in and I stood still. It didn't seem they had noticed me, so I cleared my voice and I straightened myself up, puffing my plates, full of pride. The three scientists looked up at me. "You'll never guess what Alpha asked me to do."

"Let me guess." Pharma taunted. "Humm... Alpha told you to disassemble the Jaegers and assemble them again." He joked. "Maybe you can even count all the bolts." He laughed, mimicking. "... Two hundred thirty-one... Two hundred thirty-two... Two hundred thirty-thr... I'm lost, so I will have to start again!" He mocked.

"Yeah, really funny, Pharma. I think you could help me... Help me losing them." I replied, kidding him too. Ratchet giggled, hiding his smile behind his hand, and Shockwave stated that was illogical, as always. I could smell a discussion from where I was, or may be a scientific argument? Who knew!

"Ok, guys, no need to start over Pharma's Illogical joke." Ratchet intervened before anyone did. "Now, let's let the kid talk. He's anxious." He added reading my body language. "Come on, tell us."

"I'm gonna design my own Jaeger." I said hilariously. "Every plate and piece, even the bolts' shape if I want. Everything on my own. And the coolest part, the name!"

"That's a logical decision." Shockwave shook my hand. "Congratulations, Dr. Knockout."

"Ah! Good job Knockout, you're gonna build history." Ratchet also shook my hand. "Everyone will know your Jaeger, and I'm sure they will love it."

"Superb Kiddo." Pharma approached, and he whack my back. "Now, how are you gonna name it?"

"Still no idea, but I'll come up with something, eventually." I answered, rubbing the spot where he had scratched my plates slightly. "So I came here to work, other ways, I would end up bored." I explained. "Oh! By the way, I would appreciate not to tell anybody in Pan Pacific about this. I want to have it ready as soon as possible and make sure that by the time they learn about it, it would be in construction." They nodded.

I shat on a chair, in front of a desk and I took my data pad. I took an intelligent pencil, and I opened a blank page. Then, I did the very first line of the sketch of my Jaeger. I isolated myself from everything, focusing on the draft. I had always thought about how would have looked like a new Jaeger when I was younger, and now, those ideas were coming back to me. I could see different plates taking form and assembled to others. Step by step, line by line, I drew the first foot.

I wanted the robot to have a good base, not something that could destabilise the whole structure, so I did it big and flat enough but proportioned in order to seek beauty and efficiency at once. I also tried to make it in someway attractive, with good looking, and of course unique, easy to recognise every plate. And of course resistant and fast.

I came up with the ankle's shape, trying to make flexible enough to assure a good... No, a perfect walking cycle. I continued sketching up the leg. I didn't want sharp lines like Cherno Alpha had, nor the tubular thigh of Puma Real. I wanted my robot to have a smooth leg, more natural, more resembling to a giant Cybertronian...

A memorial crossed my mind. I remembers the impression Cherno gave me when it came fully online. That's it! That was the key of this. I needed to make the Jaeger like a giant Cybertronian being, I needed it to make it come to life, metaphorically of course. It had to be an extension of its future pilots, an extension of its creator... An extension of myself.

I could feel there was someone behind me, watching over my shoulder and regarding my sketch, but I wasn't really aware of it. I kept sketching, this time coping the leg. That was the best, I only needed to sketch a leg and an arm, and then just copy the design. That let me to wonder how to make the rest of the Jaeger, but first, let's do it step by step.

Sometimes, I raised my gaze in order to compare my drawing with the other Jaegers. I was content with the leg design. Then I moved to the hip, and I decided to do it narrow, I wanted it to look like a mech, even though in my mind I started referring at it like her. At the end, she ended up having a more feminine frame than what I had expected, even though if it had a mech form.

I sketched also the torso, powerful and toned up, perfect for fast moves, but also strong to support the weight of the chest and shoulders. I kept working up. The chest was wide, and I gave it a round nucleus, where the nuclear energon core was gonna be. That was the main power source of the titan. Almost all the Jaegers had it there, so that if any limb was left, the machinery could continue working and far enough from the pilots so that they would not suffer from radiation, in theory. But that was too good to be true, after all, all de systems nourished with nuclear power ended up irradiating everything, and specially the pilots inside it.

I decided I would have a look to the power source, just in case I could improve it. Then the next ideas were for the arms. I didn't have an idea for the shoulders, but it turned up that the answer was just in front of me, or maybe just behind me. I turned around the chair and I observed. Pharma was watching something in the microscope, few meters away from me. Shockwave was working with his experiments on the table in the right site of the room, and Ratchet was just behind me, observing my sketch.

"Don't move." I stated. Everyone looked at me confused. I observed them, and I decided that they looked just perfect for it. "Ok, Pharma, you can continue working. But you two have to stand still." I decided to make a mash up of Shockwave and Ratchet. They looked at each other and then at me. I sketched in a new page the shoulder guards they had and I mixed up the different possibilities.

"Why have we have to be still?" My mentors wondered.

"Because I need a model and you two are perfect!" I grinned. I drew few more lines and the I stood up and walked in front of the purple mech. "K, Ratchet, you can continue with... Whatever you were doing." I said looking at Shockwave and measuring his plates with the pencil. "Few more details and... Done!" I raised the data pad to watch the result, I loved it. "Thank you all, you can continue with your things." I sat back on my chair, not paying attention to their confusion face.

"What were you even doing?" Pharma asked.

"I needed ideas for the shoulder guards, so it resulted that our colleagues had the perfect structure." I explained. "And now, I have mixed both plates and voilà! The perfect combination for my Jaeger." I put the shoulder design on the full robot design, and to be honest it suited perfectly well. "I dedicate you the shoulder of the titan." I added. "By the way, Pharma, which is your favourite number?"

"34. Why?" He asked.

"Well, since they have given me the idea for the shoulder, and I'm dedicating you that part of the Jaeger, I want it to have something yours, even if it is part of the paint job." I could see a smile on his face plates, and that made me happy. I loved making people smile with gratitude as much as I loved been polished.

I returned down to work, and soon had the arms and hand design. I only had the con pod left, but I couldn't come up with any idea. I decided I wanted her to have a Conn-Pod like helm, not like a tin, with visor and not so many flat plates or angles. Of course, is easier to bend lines in a drawing rather than metal in real life. But even though that, I still couldn't come up with nothing, so I saved the drawing and I got out for lunch with the rest of my colleagues.