A Streak of Genius

Aka- Oh, Primus, What've Done?

(May be retitled at a later date)

Thank you to all reviewers! You guys are awesome and I leave messages in inboxes to those who have that enabled. To those who don't, I wish to express my gratitude and sparkfelt THANKS for all you've written. The reviews make my day a LOT brighter. :D

WELCOME to the newcomers! Feel free to drop me a line or a request. I promise they WILL be done, just no idea on the timeline. :D

AN: Short one here folks! Don't really have anything longer to post and I don't want you to think I've forgotten ya. Its been REALLY hectic this past week with my back out and having my heart to flutter/stop on occasion. Haven't had a chance to sit and really write, let alone plot to the twins' standards.

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'Sideswipe, I need to speak with you,' Prowl called through the comms.

Sideswipe continued to laugh with his friends in the rec room while he acknowledged the summons. 'On my way.'

Sideswipe nudged his brother, who was uncommonly social as of late. When Sunstreaker showed no desire of moving aside, Sideswipe shoved him. Sunstreaker shoved back. Sideswipe shoved harder. Sunstreaker drew back his fist with every intention of correcting his brother on the wrong assumption that one can shove the gorgeous mech and not suffer consequences, when Sideswipe's irate glare burned into his spark.

"Prowl just commed me," Sideswipe snapped, giving his brother another shove to prove his vehemence. "If I'm late, he'll trump up some stupid charge and then I'll be stuck doing who knows what with who knows who and if I'm going to be jailed for being late, then I'm dragging your aft into the equation and you can suffer with me."

Sunstreaker lowered his fist and moved aside, allowing his brother the chance to leave the booth. His scowl was deep as he glared at his twin. He didn't want to be alone with the other mechs. They got on his nerve function. One or two was okay but four was asking too much of the golden Lamborghini. He was just learning to come out of his preverbal shell, but still needed his twin nearby to deflect the majority of the attention. Sideswipe was the natural life of the party. Sunstreaker was just the observing optics that watched everyone enjoy themselves without partaking in the fun himself. He wasn't programmed for group activities unless it meant beating the slag out of someone or terminating them . He was good at both. But that was a very limited resume when it came to social skills.

"I'll be back shortly," Sideswipe said giving a nod to Hound, Jazz, Bumblebee, and Hoist. Mirage nodded in greeting as Sideswipe passed.

The noble made for the only occupied table and sat down beside of Sunstreaker, expecting him to slide in and allow the Tower brat to rest his cube on the table. Sunstreaker remained motionless, except his lip plating, and that curled as soon as the Noble made for their table. Mirage gave Sunstreaker a long suffering sigh and scooted to where he was seated more at the neighboring table than with the group.

Sunstreaker felt his ire rise upon seeing the tower brat and snapped to his pedes. In a few strides he was out of the rec room and heading toward the open road for a long, and hopefully Red Alert-free, drive. He saw Sideswipe disappear into the command Hub before following Prowl out, the Praxian lost in thought as he read a report on a datapad. Needing solitude, Sunstreaker left, racing to destinations unknown. Had he would have stayed, he would have been stupefied at what Prowl was perusing and even more shocked as to why the Praxian asked Sideswipe to join him.

"Walk with me," Prowl commanded, his pedes as ever, light upon the floor.

Sideswipe fell into step, noting that though Prowl was of heavier build, he barely made a sound with his pedefalls. It was rather creepy. A mech that big shouldn't be able to sneak around so quietly, especially if he didn't reveal his secret to those who could put such talent to good use.

"I need you to pull a prank," Prowl said, highlighting a section of the screen for later dissection. He was several steps away when he realized he was alone. He turned, finding Sideswipe standing frozen, one pede having yet to descend to the floor with his last step. It look like Wheeljack froze him again. "Sideswipe, are you functional?"

Sideswipe shuttered his optics for a moment, placed his pede upon the ground and opened his optics in slow motion. Prowl stood a few paces away looking concerned.

"I think I need to have my audios checked," Sideswipe said, taking the few steps toward his superior officer. He shook his helm and rubbed his temples as he gained Prowl's side. "I could have sworn you told me to pull a prank."

"I did," Prowl said in that flat tone that got him laughed at more often than anyone cared to admit. How he could deliver some of the most hysterical, perverted, or downright sadistic one-liners and not crack a smile was anyone's guess. It seemed unnatural. No one should have such a neutral expression.

"What?" Sideswipe asked in a little gush of air. He shook his helm again to clear the fog but Prowl merely waited in his ever patient way as he gained control over himself.

"Stop shaking your helm," Prowl said, wondering how the frontliner didn't make himself dizzy with such actions. "You look like a dog twitching with fleas."

Sideswipe's optical ridge shot up, expecting to see Prowl crack a smile but as ever, he was passive. He sighed inwardly before mustering up the courage to ask, "Why do you need me to pull a prank?"

"Not a prank per say," Prowl amended, motioning for Sideswipe to follow him toward his office. "It is merely an unplanned eruption to daily life to precipitate the odd occurrence of a Decepticon infiltration and to ascertain our ability to prepare and engage in unexpected combat."

"What?" Sideswipe asked, not sure he was understanding his parameters.

"I want you to set up a simulation," Prowl paused, turning to look at Sideswipe and reiterating in a clear tone, "Simulation only, of a Decepticon attack. As our troops are caught unaware, I will evaluate each of them for efficiency, accuracy, and response to unexpected, critical situations."

The duo turned the corner that lead to Prowl's office. The door stood as always, in taunting orange and glaring brighter than the hull.

"I don't get it," Sideswipe said, staring at Prowl as if the Praxian had lost his mind. There was a good chance the glitch had done permanent damage. "You want me to fake a Con attack so you can watch how everyone will react?"

"In the past we had the constant threat of Decepticon incursion," Prowl explained. His door wings hitched a little higher, causing Sideswipe to pay particularly close attention. "With the limited Decepticons available on Earth, and the high concentration of human populace, I need to evaluate everyone to ensure we are not falling lax in our duties and become too complacent with the sparse engagements thus far."

"You want to make sure everyone doesn't get lazy and put the fear of Primus into them in case we're ever attacked for real?" Sideswipe surmised. "Just because the Cons aren't as active, we now have other civilians to consider for casualties."

"Precisely," Prowl nodded. "Since I can no longer do such evaluations due to the lack of constant battles and limited access to training areas, I must…" Prowl paused, flicking a doorwing in agitation before amending, "Improvise."

Sideswipe still looked shocked and somewhat skeptical. There was a good chance he was a second away from comming Ratchet for assistance.

"If you have any questions, you may ask Prime for clarification," Prowl insisted, that annoyed expression flittering across his face. It seemed to be the only expression he could present.

Sideswipe narrowed his optics, trying to understand the situation. No, Prowl had never come to him with such a request before. No, Prowl wasn't the joking type. Prowl wouldn't suggest he go to Prime if this was not already approved by the higher ups. Yes, it was most definitely doable. Yes, Sideswipe had correlating ideas and multiple props. Yes he was looking forward to scaring the oil out of everyone. Yes, he was feeling that tingling in his circuits that meant good, violent and potentially devastating things were going to happen.

He would take it as a personal insult if someone was unaffected by the calamity he was formulating.

"You must inform Prime and myself of your intentions so we may be prepared and conduct our own evaluations accordingly," Prowl said, putting down the ground rules before Sideswipe got carried away and his audios shut down. He had a habit of doing that.

"You're actually giving me permission to do this" Sideswipe asked, staring slack jawed at Prowl. It was like all the Earth holidays rolled into one!

"Yes," Prowl said, feeling that a burning sensation that only Sideswipe could accomplish. "I grant you permission and have already spoken to Prime about requisitioning your services, as it were. We both condone the choice and await your suggestions for approval."

Sideswipe made a noise of surprise and joy, the sound coming out like a strangled owl. His body tensed, his hands clapped together and a high pitched whine filled the air as he got his mental cogs to working. Like a streaking meteorite he was gone, his burning trail left in his wake that disappeared around the corner.

Prowl offered a soft whimper before entering his office and finding the softest place on the floor to crash. He could deal with the processor aches when he woke up. Right now, he wanted to be blissfully unaware and allow Sideswipe free reign to plot his scenarios.

All the processor aches and the ensuing aggravated bots when they realized this whole thing was a test was going to push Prowl's seemingly limitless patience. But he wasn't going to back down nor ignore a direct order. Prime had held a valid point in noticing his troops weren't as alert and responsive as they should be. Why Prowl immediately thought of Sideswipe and even broached the subject with the esteemed leader, the Praxian would never know. He succumbed to the shut down, knowing he was going to be hearing a lot of asinine, childish, and potentially hazardous scenarios when Sideswipe finished his scheming.

Primus. He must be delusional.

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I don't know what the fragger was planning and I don't care to know. I claim plausible deniability! There are no plans to further this insanity, but I may continue at a later time, given the right incentive. :D

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