Hammerhead.
Warnings: Violence, bad language, gore and possibly some sex.
"Through this doorway what's on the other side, never knowing exactly what I'll find, locked and loaded, voices screaming: let's go, come on do it, here we go!" – Hammerhead, the Offspring.
Timing: Post season 2 finale, set few weeks after Beauty of the Beast in my very own BotB Prime Timeline (due to ending of the series and because the first chapter was posted before the last season was aired).
Rating: M (alternative – if there will be any – or extended chapters will go MA and will be available on my Tumblr account, the address is available on my profile page).
Pairings: Megatron and June, Bumblebee and Miko, maybe some Shockwave and Arcee.
Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.
Spellcheck performed by Monstrous-hourglass of dA.
My Generation.
People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
This is my generation
This is my generation, baby
Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation) – "My Generation" The Who
oOo
Nevada, desert near the Military Base.
Bumblebee stayed in his bipedal form as he surveyed the desert. He and Gavin didn't went far, mostly because Bumblebee was very cautious, not of his partner though but of his surroundings. He didn't become one of the best scouts just by hanging on and strolling around.
He knew that all Decepticons were under Megatron's direct order to cooperate and he knew Gavin to be one of those who preferred to make love not war. Of course he was also an enemy soldier and under different circumstances he would have orders to eliminate Bumblebee, though Gavin (and few other Vehicons) wouldn't hurt an organic fly if it was up to them.
This meant that Bumblebee felt relatively safe and could focus on his task. Scouting was hard work, it required concentration and observation skill, it wasn't a job for the clumsy or the easily distracted. Unfortunately Gavin seemed to be one of those who find it hard to stay focused. He just couldn't stay on task. It wasn't that everything distracted him; it was that he was easily bored. If it didn't have breasts (preferably uncovered) and pair of nice legs (preferably in fish net stockings), it wasn't worthy of his attention… And that was probably the best definition of Gavin.
Bumblebee glanced in the direction of the Vehicon who was just wandering around, kicking dust and stones, looking at the sky, rocks and dry foliage; clearly bored. As Bumblebee observed his temporary partner, the Vehicon crouched and started to draw something in the dust with his digit. Bumblebee walked closer, peered over the Vehicon's shoulder and rolled his optics. Gavin drew a nude human woman. Well, not exactly nude, she had fish net stockings or something that looked like stockings.
Bumblebee was no stranger to naked young women, his recent clash with Bulkhead was best proof for that, but he was far from scribbling in the dust.
"You know, we're here to scout." The Autobot beeped unhappily. "Not create semi-porn graffiti."
"This ain't graffiti, and it's not semi-porn." Gavin got up and shuffled his pede to destroy the scribbling. "And this scouting is boring."
"We're here not to amuse ourselves; we're here to do our job." Bumblebee crossed his arms. This entire cooperation was proving to be a challenge.
"That's the problem, there's no job to do here." Gavin gestured around. "No signs of any M.E.C.H. operations. There's nothing here."
"Yeah, and what about there?" Bumblebee pointed in the direction they were heading at. "Here may be nothing, but we can find something there."
"We won't find anything there." Gavin just shrugged his wheeled shoulders. "That's not even the direction M.E.C.H. came from."
"What if that's the direction they fled?"
"I seriously doubt it." The Decepticon trooper found group of couple boulders and sat on the smallest one. "Look, I wasn't there, but my buddies did tell about what happened. M.E.C.H. had to have some sort of camp, why would they leave it? They would want to return there and pick up their stuff. Maybe they left some people behind, maybe they had some medics there just in case? Maybe some equipment too? They would probably grab it and re-locate."
"OK. Can't deny logic behind that." Bumblebee was impressed, he wouldn't say that out loud to his partner, but he would never expect a Vehicon to think strategically. "But you may not know that M.E.C.H. doesn't care much about their fallen members, not ever since Silas died."
"First: don't bother to hide it. You Autobots never give us much credit when it comes for brain-module department. And second: I wasn't talking about any fallen members, but people they left behind, like medics and mechanics. You don't leave those behind; you might need them in case of a failure." The Vehicon's looked up at the Scout with his expressionless face.
"All right, fine, you've made your point." Bumblebee stirred his doorwings in equivalent of shrug, and then shrugged knowing that the Vehicon may not understand the gesture. "That doesn't mean that we can just hang around ignoring our orders."
"Do you really think our Lords expect us to find anything today?" Gavin leaned a little back, finding support on the slightly larger boulder behind him. He looked like he was sitting on a comfy chair.
"Firstly, Optimus never used title 'Lord'. If you have to call him something, call him 'Prime'." The young Autobot reminded himself to not be angry at the Vehicon; it was natural that Decepticon would call a leader 'Lord'. "And of course they don't expect us to find anything. Optimus said it himself, it's a trial of how well we will do, but that doesn't mean that we can't find anything. You know that there is always a chance."
"Boy, you're an optimist." Vehicon laughed. "If there is anything here, it will be in the plain sight; otherwise, it won't be here at all. There's no point in searching this place with magnifying glass."
"Plain sight or not, we may as well try to look for something, anything." Bumblebee pointed to the desert.
"You're no fun." Gavin stood up and stretched. "We could at least go in the direction of Vegas."
"Why would you want to go to Las Vegas? There's no way M.E.C.H. would go there."
"Who said anything about M.E.C.H.? I wanted to pick some girls up there." Gavin couldn't pull any face, but there was something in him that made him look more lecherous that usual.
"Yeah, I bet you would. You do have an opinion." The Scout shook his head.
"We could find a girl for you too, you know a human femme, you could use some fun. You know what I mean."
Bumblebee stared at his partner for a moment and then sigh a heavy vent. "I know what a 'girl' is, and I already have one." He paused not knowing if he should elaborating on the subject, but chances are Megatron already figured it out, especially if he overheard some of the conversations on the base.
"The two-wheeler? Hate to say this, kid, but one of these days she may end up dead. She isn't loved among our ranks." Gavin never found himself on Arcee's receiving end, but he knew those who did. Some of them didn't make it alive; others were wounded in varying degree.
"No, not Arcee." Bumblebee decided not to start the discussion of Arcee and death, especially that chances were that she would beat her would be killers. The dark blue femme was one tough chick. "I don't know if I should tell you who it is."
"Let me guess. There is only one other femme on this planet, and, let's face it, Arachnid isn't material for a girlfriend to anyone. Even Knockout and he's not renewed for living in celibacy." Gavin stood up and walked few steps closer. "I don't think you like mechs, maybe a carrier mech, but I don't know if you could call one of them a 'girl'. I don't believe you're a carrier mech yourself?"
"Eeer, no…" The young Autobot stepped one tiny step back. Gavin was too close for his liking.
"That's what I thought. Sooo, let's see." And the Vehicon grabbed his Autobot partner and almost stuffed his facial plating into his armour as he sucked one vent of air through his oral gap. "Hmm, you haven't washed yourself this morning, before you came here, I can smell an organic femme on you… all over you…" The Vehicon let go and stepped back putting his servos on his hips. "Why, you lucky bootleg 1], you just had some few hours ago! Does your Prime know about this?"
Bumblebee felt his facial plating get warm, he was embarrassed that it was so easy to detect. On the other servo, he was lucky that Bulkhead didn't sniff him like this; otherwise he had feeling that he would be spending his time on Ratchet's medical berth. "Yes, he does. We don't keep it secret!"
Gavin glared at Bumblebee though his visor for a moment. He knew that Bumblebee's human charge was a young boy, maybe it was one of said human's family members? And then he recalled something that Knockout said just a week or two after they attacked Autobots' old base.
"OOOHHHH!" He yelled. "I know who it is! It's that small, loud and mouthy femme, the one with black and pink hair, the one that rolls with Wreckers!"
Bumblebee optics couldn't grow large, but their lens ridges spun madly. "How? How do you know?"
"Ah, Knockout said once that he managed to bump into you and one organic femme being all cuddly or something like that. He didn't know what it was all about and he couldn't stay to find out. I didn't give it much thought, but now I connected the dots!" 2] Gavin would grin if he could. Autobot looked stunned, his optic brows rose high and his optics showed total surprise.
"Aww, man!"
"No worries, I totally understand, and completely back your choice!" The Vehicon patted Bumblebee's shoulder. "So, I never learned the names of all of your human supporters, what's hers?"
"I really don't know if I should tell you. You are a Decepticon, at some point we'll end to being enemies again." Bumblebee didn't try to put any distance between Gavin and himself.
"What's the harm? I already know which one it is, so knowing her name won't change a thing. Besides, I won't harm her without order."
"Miko…" Bumblebee beeped the equivalent of Miko's name. It was hard to pronounce human names in beeps and clicks but he had experience.
"Cute name!" Gavin cheered. "So, care to tell me some details? You know, I know few techniques of having fun with human ladies; I may as well pass the knowledge to you. Or perhaps you two figured something I didn't?" The Vehicon's voice took on a more conspiratorial tone. "So, how did you solve the size difference problem?"
"Get lost, its private!" Bumblebee whirred, but Gavin only giggled. It seemed that at least on their end the cooperation would work somehow.
oOo
Couple miles from Bumblebee and Gavin's location.
Wheeljack walked in silence, he had no reason to talk. Especially that even if he did, his 'partner' wouldn't answer. The ex-Wrecker spared a glance to the other mech. Soundwave walked in silence keeping the same pace as Wheeljack, his drone flying around and chirping every now and then. The robo-bird seemed happy if its flying pattern and trills meant anything.
Wheeljack re-focused on his task, it wasn't much, just to test the 'partnerships' and perhaps find some traces, but mostly just to see if Starscream made matches that won't end up with a couple of corpses. If they would indeed find anything on the first day it would be simply a bonus.
Wheeljack peeked again at Soundwave who was silently looking around and every now and then at Laserbeak. Laserbeak… Wheeljack was familiar with the surveillance drone, but didn't know much about the creature. He recognised the frame, a simple flying drone, an asexual symbiont with the mentality of a sparkling and that was all he could tell. He knew that Soundwave had a few deployers and only two or three were drones, and that only one of them was now with him. He could tell that Laserbeak underwent some massive upgrades, the wing span was larger than normal and the little flyer had weapons that weren't on any drone's original equipage. But then again, it was a war and everyone got upgrades and enhanced in-build equipment, why the little snitch would be different? Drones often developed personalities and he wondered if Laserbeak was allowed that too.
Soundwave noticed that the Autobot was giving him stares but he ignored it at first. It was given that the temporary ally would be wary of him, they did fight recently after all and the Autobot survived just because of Laserbeak going back on-line. To Soundwave his deployers came first before any kill, they were his responsibility and he always took his responsibilities seriously. It didn't matter if said deployers were just reformatted into their present shape and function, adopted or build especially for him with their spark created from the spark energy he donated (and that wasn't anything safe or pleasant, every time the procedure could kill the donor).
That's when he noticed that the ex-Wrecker was observing Laserbeak as well. He wasn't happy about that, in fact he became more careful and paid more attention to the other mech. The Autobots implanted a virus AND a live grenade into his symbiont once already, he was still more than little disturbed by such a thing. He could deal with Laserbeak being hurt during a mission; it was risk that everyone had to take. But things like that were just wrong. He would never even thought about hurting any of his Autobot counterpart's deployers. Abducting them and trying to win them over to the Decepticon cause, keeping them hostage, imprisoning them – of course, but never inflict harm on them, it would be an atrocity. Not even Megatron would force him to such an action, his One True Lord and Master knew better than that.
Then, finally he couldn't take it anymore. Wheeljack was just giving furtive looks to him and Laserbeak and that was unnerving. It is never a good thing when an enemy is behaving like that. Soundwave decided that it was about time to confront the primary white ground pounder, if scrap would hit the fan he could beat the Autobot and if he couldn't, he could always fly away. He summoned Laserbeak, if he would have to fly; he wanted to have her on him. Then he walked to the ex-Wrecker and silently stood before the mech until he would be noticed.
Wheeljack almost jumped when Soundwave materialised before him, the mech moved so silently that he could be ghost just as well.
"Whoa!" Wheeljack took one step back. "Could you at least make some noise when you move?"
Soundwave crooked his head and, as always, said nothing.
"What do you want?"
The answer was few snapshots of him glaring secretly. Wheeljack could tell they were made just minutes before.
"All right. So?" The Autobot shifted into a discreet defensive position.
Soundwave displayed the photos again and finished the display with big, red question mark – meaning clear.
"What, it's not banned?" Wheeljack repressed the urge to snap his mask shut.
Soundwave made the question mark flashing.
"Curiosity isn't a crime."
The Decepticon spymaster crooked his head again. So it was curiosity, but what kind of curiosity, and what? He didn't move hoping that it would hint the Autobot to elaborate. Just in case he displayed picture of Laserbeak.
"Yeah, I was curious about your little bird." Wheeljack wanted to kick himself, how he could think that the Decepticon creep wouldn't notice that.
Soundwave narrowed his optics behind the visor. It could mean anything between 'how to inflict the most damage' to 'I want to have a symbiont myself'. He looked down at Laserbeak who just sat still in her designated place on his chassis; he reached and gently touched her wings.
Wheeljack observed the display with disbelief; he wouldn't guess that Soundwave of all people would be able to show any signs of tenderness. The realisation hit him straight in his face; the Decepticon scum was just worried that he planned something to hurt the tiny flier. He knew that he would be if their role were reversed. Maybe few local solar cycles before he wouldn't but now, after experiences with humans, he was more aware and protective.
"I wasn't planning on harming him, just was curious about his upgrades, you know you can spot them on sight." Wheeljack explained. He would gladly off-line Soundwave, but for now he had different mission, one with top priority: find and eliminate common threat.
Soundwave snapped his head back up and then gave the ex-Wrecker one long glance. The white, red and green mech had it wrong. He shook his head slightly and displayed Laserbeak's photo with the Mars sign, the circle and vertical arrow were crossed, then he displayed the same photo with the Venus sign and made the circle with little cross underneath it to glow and pulse.
"Eh?" Wheeljack didn't connect the crossed masculinity symbol and the pulsing femininity one with what Soundwave meant, but then he realised the Decepticon's intentions. "Oww! Laserbeak's a she? Heh, didn't see that coming. She's her daddy's little girl then."
Soundwave almost face palmed at that. He knew what 'daddy's little girl' meant and he didn't like it, Laserbeak wasn't some pampered brat, she was hard working symbiont deserving respect and appreciation.
"That answers all my questions then." Wheeljack gave Laserbeak one long look, so the tiny spy was allowed to develop personality, he wouldn't take it for granted among Decepticons. "Don't worry; I won't be shooting her, or you, not until this matter is solved."
Soundwave sighed quietly, he wasn't thrilled about this entire situation but he knew he would manage, and after the alliance is over he knew it would be him doing the shooting.
TBC
1] Bootleg – equivalent of "bastard".
2] See my other fic "Date Pains".
As promised, Rumble and Frenzy… Frenzy and Rumble!
Just so you know I do not support FIRRIB neither FIBRIR as such. The intended colour scheme for the cassette twins from the toy line had it that Rumble was Red and Frenzy was Blue BUT an error in cartoon colouration switched their colours. It resulted that for the cartoon Frenzy indeed became Red and Black and Rumble became Blue. So, having this cleared out, in my opinion both versions are correct in their respective verses/mediums.
Now, how will I colour twins? Normally, I would have to choose one of the above colour schemes (Primeverse has it sorted out, at least in the games, though the cartoon differs from both games quite noticeably in the area of graphics), but because this is Primeverse, I can be minimally more creative. What does that mean? Well, look at Laserbeak, the robo-birdy is nowhere near the G1 colouration.
But let's get back to Frenzy and Rumble. Mostly, they will be the same indigo – grey-ish shade as Soundwave (note: Ravage will be his usual black with couple shades of grey MultiCam-like camouflage with no bio-lights), the only difference will be colour of their bio-lights. This is where I had to make a choice, as always when in doubt I recalled what I have learned from book that I recommend to any and all graphic artists: "If it's Purple Somebody's Gonna Die – The Power of Color in Visual Storytelling" by Patti Bellatoni.
Let's start with analysis of Frenzy and Rumble's personalities.
Frenzy is, how to say it, Frenzy's crazy. He's frantic, he loves to cause panic and he only obeys Soundwave and Megatron's orders. Frenzy lives for violence, if it weren't for the war, he would probably be Gladiator still (I am following Megatron's Origin where both twins were employed in the same mine as Megatron and ended up as Gladiators just like him). Or perhaps he would be already dead? In any case, the little imp acts like he's on Ratchet's Synt-en all the time. He's small, he's angry and he twists words as he speaks with accent.
Rumble's a thug, street punk and acts though all the time, but he's also a tiny bit calmer than his twin. It doesn't mean he's nice, he's as mean as they come. He'll attack anyone and it's like being attacked by rabid mouse – you just didn't see that coming. But he's more likely to behave than his brother (though he may just as well back talk). Where his brother is focused on mad violence, Rumble is focused on acting though.
Now, let's see colours that are available for us. Originally said colours were red and black, and greyish blue. Red and black are acceptable but greyish blue is not.
Why?
Because greyish blue is colour divided of any strength. It's powerless. More so, the paler the weaker. Blue is cold, cool and calming colour. It will render us inactive, either by lack of strength or lack of will. Cold blues, icy blues, greyish blues will make us weak in body and mind; they will drain our might and leave us passive. This cannot be, especially for a Decepticon. We must switch to other kind of blue. And we have three choices.
Turquoise, blue-green, tropical blue isn't draining any energy, but it's not a good colour for a Decepticon. Tropical blue is a happy colour, it's relaxed, it makes you chatty, flirtous even. It's the colour of summer holidays on some nice, warm sunny island, not warfare.
Navy blue is too serious, it's government colour, it fits some serious figures, generals and politicians, not foot soldiers.
This leaves us with dark, intense blue, not too warm but without any trace of grey, with just a hint of purple in it (hex sample: # 2b1681, RGB: 43/22/129). It will make good bio-lights.
Why red is so good?
Because red is energy, aggression, passion, power and speed. On a woman (and Knockout) red is erotic, sexy; on a man (and somehow Knockout) it is daring and aggressive. The red colour is visually jumping to the front (while blue is melting to the background), it makes things look bigger, faster, it makes you think they're closer. Red is screaming at you "look at me" (hex sample: # ff0000, RGB: 255/0/0). This is perfect colour for bio-lights (as well as purple and yellow – both giving different sensations though).
Red work good for both Frenzy and Rumble; but blue, even the intense, dark one, will only work for one of them.
Frenzy may be the aggression on two pedes, but it is Rumble who is the dominant twin, he's the one who you should be wary of. While Frenzy depends on his opponent to panic in face of himself charging with his sonic attack; Rumble stays in place and swipe Autobots off their pedes – literally.
Red would work good for both Rumble and Frenzy. But Frenzy's the one jumping to the front and charging at his enemies with his sonic attack, there's no way that blue (any kind of blue) would works good for him, he needs to have his bio-lights doing the same as he does, be as frantic as he is.
Blue will work good (or at least acceptable) for Rumble, who don't need it to enhance his impact on his opponents.