Hey sorry for the slow update, I was busy with the holiday craziness! Merry late Hanukwanzmas (Hanukkah Kwanzaa, Christmas) Predacon Prime Prototype insignia.
Primes (In order of receiving Matrix) :
Prima
Primon
Onyx
Vector
Megatronus
Solus
Alchemist
Amalgamous
Quintus
Micronus
Nexus
Sentinel
Alpha
Time Units (Found on Tf wiki):
Astro-second: .498 seconds
Breem: 8.3 minutes
Cycle: 1.25 hours
Deca-cycle: ~3 weeks
Groon: ~1 hour
Klik: 1.2 minutes
Meta-cycle: 13 months
Orbital cycle: ~1 month
Solar cycle/lunar cycle: 1 day/1 night
Stellar cycle:~7.5 months
Deci-vorn: 8.3 years
Vorn: 83 years
Currency:
1 credit: ~60.25 shanix
1 cred card: 400 credits
Ch. 11
Star and Saber were bouncing with excitement in Meister's arms as the sight of the park was getting closer. They were so excited when their guardian came in to tell them that they were going to play in a youngling park over in Nova Cronum. Meister lowered them down when the park started coming into view. There were several structures scattered around that had slides, poles, bridges, bars, block puzzles, and various types of ladders. Away from the structures were a few swing sets, a merry-go-round, a few swing bars, and then a single pole with a ball attached to a thin chain.
The Polyhexian and the younglings stopped at one of the tables near a hill, "okay remember the rules?"
"No talking to strangers, stay in sight, don't use our mods," Saber said with his servos going behind his back with a proud smile on his face.
Star added the rest of the rules, "and we can't tell anyone that you're like us. You're our sitter while our creators work."
Meister nodded with a smile as he added some small black spurs on his elbows and knees. He gave them a big hug and quick kisses on their helms before letting the two run off. The pair cheered and ran for the swings and took turns pushing each other. The Polyhexian was sitting under a shaded area with a smile on his face. Meister knew that they needed time outside of the apartment and away from Helix, and he hadn't visited Nova Cronum before. He had his visors on, so he didn't need to worry about changing his optics. The older AI had a lot to think about, especially when Alchemist gave him the news in regards of his interface array. Everything would in theory work, except when they input they coding they purposefully left out the heating protocols, so he couldn't get properly sparked. Meister didn't know how to feel about the news, but from how Alchemist reacted he thought he was supposed to be sad.
The Polyhexian snapped out of his thoughts when he saw a strange white mech with six orange-red biolights wrapping around his midsection, deep yellow optics, and fairly thick armor walked up the hill to him. He caught sight of Star and Saber stop their playing when he stood up, but he gestured for them to continue playing. The strange mech looked over to see the younglings that he was gesturing to and looked back at Meister with a smile on his face. "Oh good, was 'fraid ya were some creep watchin' little sparks playing. They yours?"
"No, I'm their sitter. And what do you mean by creep? Is it not okay to watch younglings play?" Meister questioned as the mech got closer to him. He crossed his arms with a defensive stance.
The unknown mech bellowed in laughter at what Meister wasn't able to guess. "Usually the adults are a lot closer just incase something happens. 'Creeps' are matured bots that like to do… adult things to younglings. Where have you been? In a lab?" He laughed and Meister only pressed his lips tightly. "That was a joke. I'm Casper of Nova Cronum." The mech held his large servo out and Meister took not of the scuff marks on the servo held out in front of him.
That is the servo of a killer. Is he part of a group like the Mask? Meister's servo was smaller in this Casper's, it was ridiculously hilarious compared to shaking servos with Alchemist, Onyx, Amalgamous, or Megatronus. "I am Meister of Iacon. Your servo is scuffed, did you experience road burn?"
Casper looked down at his large servo and then at Meister with proud smirk. "Well being a bounty hunter for eleven deci-vorns will do that to you. And what do you do or is sparkling sitting a full time job?" He put his servos on his wide hips and that's about the same time that Meister saw the strange object on his left forearm and then the blaster on his left thigh.
"You brought weapons to a park? And my occupation is… classified." Meister didn't know if he could trust this mech, especially when he had never seen a bounty hunter before. He wanted to ask him questions, but that would give him away and he didn't want that in the slightest.
"This is the route I take to get home and I had seen you off in the distance." Casper continued to be friendly to Meister which the droid found weird for some reason. "So, you're from Iacon what brings ya to my neck of the cyber forest?"
Before Meister could answer the question both Star and Saber came running over to Meister with their arms wrapping around his legs. "What's wrong, why are you both crying?" He knelt down and pressed his servos on their backs to look at them. His visors rippled red when he saw the small scuff under Star's optic. "What happened?"
"They didn't want us playing and they went to hit Saber." Star didn't cry, but Meister knew he was upset.
Saber rubbed his optics, "I wanna go home."
The silver mech looked at the swing set that they had been playing and his visors started staying red, but then he remembered what Alchemist said and he calmed himself down. "Okay we'll go home," he looked at Casper as he picked up the younglings. "Please forget you ever saw us."
"Huh wha-"
Meister quickly walked away with Star and Saber in his arms. He deactivated his mod and took them for a walk with an upset expression on his face. Star and Saber looked up at their caretaker with concerned looks in their optics. The younger AI patted Meister on the chest, getting his attention. "Are you mad at us?"
Hearing the question caused him to come to a complete stop and look down at them with a stunned expression in his optics that were hidden behind his visors. "I'm not mad at you, either of you. I'm upset that younglings would hurt others just because of you being different. There is nothing wrong with either of you or any of us; you got that? We are perfectly fine the way we are."
"Even though you change the way you look?" Star hit Meister with a low blow question.
"I do it to avoid getting Alch in trouble. I'm happy with who I am." The silver mech smiled with his helm gently tapping on the tops of their smaller helms. "Let's go back home and we can watch movies. How's that sound?"
The two younglings squealed and nodded with claps of their servos. They walked all the way from Nova Cronum to Helix; well walked until the reached the border of Nova Cronum then Meister turned into a Predacon, and they flew the rest of the way to their apartment. The Polyhexian carried them inside and in the berth when they had fallen into stasis half way up the stairs. He laid down beside Saber and wrapped both of them in his arms. He was thinking about that strange Cybertronian that was oddly interested in his life.
It was coming up to the party and Alchemist and Meister were busying themselves with finishing up work, and the newest Prime was often turning to Meister to help teach him how to use his new ability. The AI was kneeling in front of a statue of Primus, taking notes of what he had learned about the Cybertronians and then to also learn why everyone looked up to someone that had no physical appearance. "And yet here I am often talking to you for help in oddly difficult situations. It is too bad that you are not real enough to give me any actual answers."
"Primus may not be able to answer your questions, but I can certainly try." Alchemist joined his friend on the ground, getting the Polyhexian to smile cheerfully while they looked up at the statue. "What questions does my pupil have brewing in his processor now?"
The AI crossed his legs while holding onto his ankle struts. "How do Cybertronians know when they have found their conjux endura?"
"Well, we feel it in our sparks. Like two magnets their sparks will call each other to be close. They'll wish to spend every moment with each other, and they love each other no matter what flaw the other has." Alchemist smiled before giving him a questioning gaze, "why do you wish to know?"
The Polyhexian looked at the datapad in his servos and then up at the statue interpretation of Primus. "It's just the way you looked at your family when you told me about them, you looked happy. And it's not the same kind of happy that Tronus feels when fighting or Onyx when he his with his beasts. It's like… the same feeling I believe I felt when Star and Saber were with us."
"Love has many meanings to it, but they all depicted it. For example, what you and I experience with my mate and my sparkling, and Star and Saber is familial love. And I must admit that I have grown accustomed to loving you as not just a friend but as a creation." The Prime admitted his friend before pointing up at the statue. "Sometimes Primus will guide us to the answer we need to hear rather than the ones we want to hear."
Meister didn't understand what he meant, but he knew the meaning will be revealed when something happens. "Alch, do you think I'll ever experience something like you did with your mate? Find someone I want to be with for as long as I'm online?"
"Perhaps, Primus works in mysterious ways." The Prime gave him a pat on the back, "were you wanting to find a romantic partner?"
"I'm not sure. I just wish to get personal experience of what it's like to be a Cybertronian." Meister looked at him with a smile on his lips. The AI was genuine with his answer, he wasn't sure if he was genuinely interested in having a relationship like Alchemist had with his mate, but he did want to experience what the Cybertronians seem to take advantage of. "What if I did meet someone that I wished to spend my time with besides you? Would you be upset if I did? Should I give them the master file?"
The Prime quickly corrected his friend, "no don't do that Meister. I don't want you risking your freewill by giving it to someone. Not unless you trust them with your very being. If you find someone you trust and like and wish to spend time with, then I certainly hope you'll honor me the chance to meet him or her."
"You would want to meet them? Is this something Cybertronians do?" Meister asked with his interest piqued. The Prime nodded to both questions.
"When you find someone to be your conjux endura, it's polite to meet each other's families because you're going to be seeing them for a long while." Alchemist smiled with his servo landing on the back of Meister's helm, and the Polyhexian shifted into his cyberwolf form and was rewarded with Alchemist's large digits scratching his helm. "You certainly enjoy this form, don't you?"
Meister nodded with a small huff, "it's relaxing, and it looks more sociably acceptable to pet a mechanimal and not a mech." He leaned against the larger frame with his tail wagging behind him. Alchemist saw the appendage moving excitedly which amused him and he continued petting the silver faux cyberwolf. The Prime watched his servo run through the metallic silver coat, admiring how it was surprisingly softer than he had imagined. "Have you been spending time with Onyx's pack?"
"The last I went to his property near Dark Mount was when the moons were full. Being with them were fun, now I understand why your brother admires the creatures. I know I'm not really a cyberwolf, Onyx knows this, and I believe the pack knows I'm not real, but they accept me. Just like how you accepted me for who I am." He finally shifted back so he could hug his friend as tight as he could. "Thank you so much for letting me find myself."
"You don't need to thank me my friend. You deserve just as much freedom as the rest of us." The older mech helped his friend onto his peds and they went back inside once again missing the yellowish optics spying on them from a pair of binoculars in the distance.
The time came for the party and Meister was standing beside Alchemist reluctantly forced to not wear his visors. He felt exposed now that he had his visors off which meant he couldn't socialize like he wanted, but that didn't mean he couldn't obtain any information for the Council or Mask. The mechanism looked around at how extravagant Prima's home, it looked a lot more lived in that Alchemist's. Alchemist let Meister chat his comms off as to avoid boredom and to satisfy his intense hunger for knowledge. There were lots of droids being brought into the Prime's home, but they were forced to tend to their code holders.
::And Cybertronian nobility expect the council to have parties for every new spark? That is ridiculous and expensive.:: Meister was in a state of disbelief at how crazy these Cybertronians were. He watched the happy new creators being fawned over some of the guests.
::I agree but being praised by a Prime is like having Primus in your home.:: He told him with a chuckle. The AI nodded and held onto Alchemist's modified high grade while watching his friend try some of the treats that were on the table beside them. ::Would you like to refuel?::
The Polyhexian shook his helm with a smile before he heard the sounds of a heavy steps across the room. He looked up and saw the mech from the park chatting it up with one of the lords. The AI saw that the mech looked very confused with something which caused him to be confused with the reaction. ::Alch, why does that mech look about as confused as a warrior trying to weld a stab wound?:: Alchemist looked at the mech that was looking around with his optics wide. The Prime didn't personally recognize the white mech, but he certainly recognized the black insignia that was a helmet with several small black spikes coming off the tops and a large horn in the center of the helm.
::I do not know, but that insignia tells me he's a bounty hunter. They sometimes are out of the loop because of their job. Would you like to go talk to him?:: The Prime asked and was answered with a Meister's helm shaking furiously. Alchemist was confused by his friend's response but respected it and let the conversation drop. He noticed that Meister was getting antsy and was trying to hide himself away when the bounty hunter landed on them. "Meister?"
The bounty hunter walked over to the pair when Meister was hiding partially behind Alchemist's arms with his helm tilted down. "Well hello again, you're certainly a lot shier than when I met ya. How are those younglings after that scuffle they were in?"
"Younglings? Meister, you met this mech before?" Alchemist looked down at his nervous friend. Meister was shifting from one ped to the other and crossed and uncrossed his arms. "Meister, look at me."
The droid reluctantly looked up at his code holder. ::Wicker wanted me to watch a pair of younglings cause they were being targeted by some bad Cybertronians.:: He refused to look up at the white mech that was frowning at his reaction. "And the younglings are fine now that they back in the safehouse."
"Oh, that's good. I'm sorry if I'm a bit awkward, I apparently missed a lot while off world. Who da thunk that some Cybertronian would make droids that look like us. Crazy." He tried to joke until he saw Meister finally look up at him with their optics locked now that Meister didn't have his visors. "Oh? Oh! You're one of them. I had no idea, you were so-"
Alchemist put a servo on his chest, actively getting his attention, "I'm sorry,"
"Casper." He finally introduced himself.
"Right, Casper, but we would like Meister's sentience a secret. It is imperative that the public or the company that supposedly built his kind do not find out." Alchemist spoke softly while Meister was trying hard not to draw attention to himself. He put his servo on Meister's back. "You're okay Meister, relax. Do you need to be alone to calm down?"
Casper looked down at Meister and saw how anxious he was being. The AI looked back up and their optics locked again. "Well I mean our optics look very similar, so no judgement from me." Hearing that the AI flashed a smile, "well it was nice talking to you again, but I gotta skip this high end town and find some more jobs. Maybe we'll run into each other again."
"Run into each other again? We haven't run into each other before." He looked at him with confusion. Casper shook his helm with an amused chuckle just like Alchemist. The Prime explained to his friend what Casper had meant and the AI understood the saying. "Well I hope to see you again soon. Especially when I am able to be what I believe is myself."
"Oh Primus, I didn't know the Council had an AI too!" A young adult femme grabbed Meister's arm and brought him closer to her face. "How much do you want for it? My stupid creators got me this old house model when I wanted a model like this."
Meister played his silent shadow well while Alchemist pulled him behind his frame. "Fortunately, he isn't for sale. Meister is my personal assistant and would be far too advance for your inept… processor. Meister, why don't you go take our new friend on that private tour of Prima's back gardens like we had discussed earlier." The Prime hinted and the droid bowed his helm.
"I will ensure Casper of Nova Cronum has a pleasant experience." He gestured for Casper to follow him and the white mech followed with his gaze occasionally going to the Prime that was currently being bothered by the femme's creators. Meister didn't say anything until they made it outside and away from the crowd. "I wish I could have my visors."
"Then why not wear them? And is that normal, to be talked to like you were some furniture or something?" The bounty hunter lowered himself slightly to be Meister's level. He saw how the AI refused to look at him now. "I may hunt down criminals and such, but I'm not a bad mech."
The droid looked at Casper with a bit of wariness in his stance. He looked around before answering the innocent questions. "Bots think it's weird that Alchemist has an AI and treat me like your kind. He's seen me as a Cybertronian since I was brought online, even before I allowed myself to trust him to be myself. As for the rest of the planet treating my kind like items, it's sadly normal. Our optics, are so similar, which I find it odd." Meister lowered Casper down to his level forcefully, putting his servo on the heavily armored chest.
"What are you doing?" He stuttered slightly when the AI looked very closely into his optics. The droid pulled away with a sound of disbelief.
"You are not like me. I thought only mechanimals had optic filters like my kind?" Meister looked up at Casper with his arms crossing over his chest.
"Well I'm part Predacon. Our optics are naturally this color." He pointed at the droid's frame. "So, what happened to your frame? It's not all sparkly and rippling like before."
The question caught the faux Polyhexian off guard. He looked away, "My code holder has frowned upon me answering to my questions in regards to my modification chip." Meister held an arm to his side with a bow of his helm. The droid led Casper through the garden and explained all of the cyber-organic plants and some spliced crystals that the Prime had collected over his lifetime.
"Modification chip? Did the big mech himself put it in you?" Casper looked at the droid, trying to get more from the mechanism just how it… he carried himself… itself. "How identical are you to us as a race?"
The AI shook his helm, "no Alch didn't put the mod in me. All AI droids are installed with modifications by Artificial Life. Our shells have every physical indication of a Cybertronian, excluding a spark and ability to reproduce." Meister covered his mouth with his optics unfocusing as his frame started to ripple. "I-I… I need to go."
Meister knew he shouldn't have but he shifted into his technohawk form and took off rapidly. He flew for the roof of Prima's mansion and shifted back once he made it on a crook in the roof. The Polyhexian folded his arms with his frame rippling as he thought about how upset Alchemist would be when he found out about him using his ability in front of someone he didn't know. Meister covered his face with a deep groan of self-annoyance. He heard the sounds of wings flapping which confused him and he turned around to see a strange looking Predacon landing behind him. This creature's body was shorter height wise, the tail had sharper tail spikes than normal, the claws on the front paws were longer and sharper, and the creature was lacking spinal dorsal fins. It transformed into Casper which startled Meister.
"See, I can fly too. Why did you flee? Was it something I asked? You really don't like Cybertronians do you?" He sat down beside the staring AI, he groaned as rested his arms on his knees. "Don't blame ya, don't like Cybertronians much myself. They can be awfully annoying sometimes."
"When I get asked a question about my systems or about Artificial Life, I am forced to answer the questions as clearly as I can possibly can. I don't like not being able to answer what I want. You were asking questions that made me feel… uncomfortable. As for my feelings towards your kind, it is strangely varied. I enjoying spending time with Alchemist and the rest of the Council and a group in Helix, but there a few Cybertronians that I do not like being around." He looked at Casper with a confused look in his optics, "why are you so invested in being around a piece of equipment?"
Casper tilted his helm with a matching expression, "piece of equipment? Ain't that a bit of self-verbal abuse to say that about yourself? And I find you interesting."
The mechanism repositioned himself to look at the bounty hunter, "interesting in what way?"
"Someone I'd like to have more spark to spark conversations with you." The bounty hunter spoke smoothly with his left wrist extended out to Meister. The AI cautiously put his servo on the wrist and took the white mech's comlink frequency.
"You do know that my kind do not have sparks, right? So, how could we have a spark to spark conversation?" Meister looked at him with a frown. The mech started laughing with a shake of his helm. Seeing the action caused the faux Polyhexian to rethink what Casper had said. "Oh, it's an expression. You didn't actually mean your spark. Can I trust you?"
"Can I trust you to not go all freaky on me and stab me in the back?" He returned the question with a playful question.
Meister finally smiled with a small chuckle, "unless you threaten me or Alchemist, you are safe."
Casper laughed with playful punch on Meister's shoulder, "you are a strange mech, but I like it. I'll see you next time, there are bounties calling for me. Good lunar cycle." He stood up and stepped away from the staring mechanism. "I'll be seeing you some other time." Meister watched him walk off the edge of the roof, and then the bounty hunter was replaced by the Predacon that flew off towards Stanix. The AI continued to stare up at the direction that the strange Cybertronian flew off too.
I'm still alive.
