We pick up the story shortly after Jack's rescue…
Jack was relaxing in his quarters, when his bell rang. He got up and opening the door, got quite a surprise!
"Mom!" He flew up to give her a hug, and they embraced. "How are you? It's so nice to see you!"
"Oh, Jack! I'm so happy to be here! Ratchet in the other dimension came to Protihex to tell me what happened. I was just about to begin finals; I didn't know what to do! He and I went to go speak to the Dean."
"He was reluctant to let me miss the decacycle of final exams - he wasn't quite understanding this notion of me having a 'son'," she chuckled, "but then, during the discussions, I got an email from Professor Sumdac that you'd been rescued! I was so relieved!" she sighed.
"Wow! What timing," laughed Jack, "hey, come on into my quarters." And June entered.
"Oh, what a great living space you have!" She looked at how nicely he'd decorated it, with pictures of the two of them, both "human" and "bot"; photos of him with Jack Sr., High School friends, and a big selfie of Jack and Arcee. He showed her his private area, with its combination human/bot sleep/recharge accommodations, and his meditation room.
"Much nicer quarters than that one at Outpost Omega One, eh?" she laughed.
"Well, a little bit more modern, that's for sure" he smiled. "So, you were able to finish up at Protihex?"
"Yes. I stayed to take the final exams. Jack! I passed every one with top scores!" she smiled.
"Mom! That's awesome! Did you tell our Ratchet?"
"I haven't yet. As soon as I arrived here, I came straight up to Skybolt to see you. Sari - oops! I mean, Captain Sari - brought me to your door."
"How long can you stay?"
"We've got a decacycle off before the next semester."
"That's great! I'm sure Ratchet will be glad to have you here."
"Oh, his optics lit up when he saw me," she smiled, "especially after having completed one semester of medic school. After all, just one more semester and I get to come back here as his nurse bot!"
"Well, let me show you the rest of the Skystriker's sector," and Jack took his Mom out the door leading to the training room. "This is where the team trains, and also where I get my Cyber-Ninja training from Sensei."
"Sensei?"
"It's what I call Sari now, since I am her Gakusei, or student, just like when she was Gakusei to Jazz, and called him 'Sensei'."
"Oh, I understand. And Miko and Raf, they call her 'Captain'?"
"Correct. Also, now that she is a full Cyber-Ninja, she no longer has to call Optimus – either of them, 'Sir'; it's just 'Optimus' now. But as a Skystriker, I call them 'Sir'," he smiled.
"Even Miko calls Optimus Sir?"
Jack chuckled. "Even Miko. And, Miko calls Sensei 'Captain', as does Raf."
"My goodness," June smiled. "Raf, I'm not surprised at all; but Miko, wow."
"Don't get me wrong, Mom; she's still Miko. But all that training she received from Ironhide, Sideswipe and Swoop was really good for her, just like the training you and I got up on Cybertron. And Raf retains all the military-style training that MECH had implanted in his brain."
"All-in-all, we're a terrific team. I guess it really shined forth during my rescue," he said with pride. He looked up at his Mom and laughed, "of course, I don't remember any of it, since Sensei had to shut me down."
"Shut you down?"
"Yes. Knockout was using the cortical psychic patch on me to try to extract the location of the Autobot's base."
"And you couldn't resist it, could you?" she said, looking down to her son with compassion.
"No," he sighed. "So the only way to stop it was to use Processor-Over-Matter to completely shut me down, then put a cold stasis on my Spark."
June gasped! "Oh, Jack! That would make you for all practical purposes, dead!" She then thought for a moment. "It had to have affected Arcee."
"It did. She told me it felt like I died."
"She must have been in terrible pain! Like I told you two, a Spark Bonded partner initiates their own death process when the other dies. It's a good thing Sari brought you back before too long."
"Yes, as soon as Sensei rebooted my systems, she began recovering from the sensations."
They had been walking around the training amphitheater all this time. June looked around, admiring the size. "Jack, this place is huge!"
"It's more than a simple room. It's a special holo simulator that can give you the sensation that you're in all kinds of environments, from being out in space, to all different planets, fighting various enemies - without actually getting injured, of course."
"Amazing! Where do they get such capabilities?"
"Agent Fowler says that Unit:E has been interacting with various extraterrestrial civilizations for several decades, and they share their technology."
Captain Sari entered the training room and walked up to the two. "It's so great to have you here, June! Would you like a little demo of the simulator?"
"That would be great, Captain, thanks!" she replied. And Sari retrieved a portable control unit. "Let's see. Nothing combat-related, this will be just for fun. I've programmed several Autobot Commonwealth planets in here; let's try Daffodil II," and entering in the coordinates, she pressed a key. Instantly, the room disappeared, and they were standing on a lush, green, luxurious all-natural planet.
"Oh, wow!" said June, "This is incredible. What a beautiful planet!"
"The Autobot Blaster liked to vacation here," said Sari. "I'm told he was a bit unusual for a bot, liking Earth things almost as much as humans, especially LOUD music. I'll bet he and Miko would have gotten along great!"
The three walked around the lush tropical gardens. "Where is Blaster now?" asked Jack.
"I don't know," replied Sari. "The last I heard, he was battling the Decepticons on Klo, but that was a long time ago. He hasn't yet responded to Optimus' broadcast that Cybertron is alive again; hopefully he's still out there somewhere."
"This is an amazing simulation!" Remarked June. "It's hard to believe we're still in the training room."
Sari turned off the simulation, and the training room returned. "Of course, we can also bring in opponents to battle." And they headed out.
"Shall we go check on the rest of the Skystrikers?" she asked June.
"Oh, I'd like that very much, so I can give my thanks to Raf and Miko for rescuing Jack."
"Raf just arrived in the transport room," said Sari. "He and Ro are adjusting our bridge to allow us to transport directly to the other dimension. Miko's in her quarters, so we'll stop by there first." And as they approached Miko's room they heard the faint sounds of guitar music. "Ah, sounds like Miko's on her guitar," said Jack.
"Could be," said Sari, "but it might be a recording; hard to tell."
"Guess you've got good sound shielding in these walls," remarked June.
"Yeah, Raf appreciates it, since their rooms are so close," said Jack. And they rang Miko's doorbell. The music that was coming through the door didn't stop, and when it slid open, the blare was deafening! Miko opened the door in Predacon mode. "OH, HI!" she shouted. "HEY! MRS. D! NICE TO SEE YOU!"
"MIKO! TURN DOWN THE MUSIC!" Yelled Sari, putting her servos over her audio receptors, as did Jack and June.
"OH, OK!" And she went to the wall and used a Predacon claw to turn it down. "Sorry, was getting caught up on the Slash Monkey concert that just ended; I missed the second half."
Jack laughed. "You were watching it in Predacon mode?"
"Well, yah! I am a Predacon, duh! And to tell you the truth, I've been finding out that staying for long times in 'human' mode wears me out a little. When I relax, it's easier to be like this."
"Oh, I gotcha. Sorry, Miko."
"Eh, no biggie," she gave a toothy grin. "So, what 'cha doin' here, Mrs. Darby?"
"I came to see how Jack's doing, and also, Miko, to thank you and Raf for rescuing him," she smiled, putting a servo on her Predacon neck, patting it.
"Aw, you're welcome!" she replied, closing her optics and purring. "Glad to help rescue my buddy from those Deceptislimes. Don't forget Bumblebee and Arcee! They were part of the team too!"
"Oh, that's right, Mom! They were in on it as well."
"Thanks! I'll be seeing them when I get back to the base. Optimus has my old quarters ready for me."
"Well, I'll let you get back to your Slash Monkey concert, Miko," smiled June. "It's so nice to see you!"
"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Darby! I'll close the door before turning the volume back up," she laughed, and after the door closed, they could barely hear it.
"Well, I'm glad she was able to download the concert," smiled Sari. "I felt bad about having to pull her away."
Arriving at the transport center, they found Raf and Ro working inside the bridge tunnel, finishing up the circuitry.
"This ought to complete it, Ro," said Raf, "but before we actually send a person, I'd like to try an inanimate object first."
"Do you have any Radio-controlled cars here on Skybolt?" asked June, smiling.
Raf looked up. "Mrs. Darby! I didn't know you were here!" He turned to the blue Sirian. "Ro! It's Jack's mother!"
Ro smiled, waving up to June. "Yes, I bridged her here earlier."
Jack smacked his forehead. "Oh! Of course," he laughed. "Hang on, Mrs. Darby, we're almost finished here."
They completed their work and came out of the tunnel. "It's so good to see you again! How are things at the university?"
"Doing well, Raf. Just completed my first semester with top honors," she smiled.
"Awesome! Congratulations! Ratchet's going to have one great nurse during your practicum when your first year's up."
"Thanks, Raf," she smiled. "I've got a decacycle break, and wanted to come see how Jack's doing and thank you, the rest of the Skystrikers and Team Prime for rescuing him."
"Oh, it was my honor to be able to get him out of that Decepticon ship," Raf replied. "When Captain Sari said he'd been abducted, I was so worried!"
"June, there's information you deserve to know about what Shockwave was doing to Jack," said Sari. "Let's go to a conference room." And Sari, June, Jack and Raf went to the Skystriker's conference room to debrief June.
"That's terrible!" said June. "Recruiting unknowing troubled teens for Megatron?"
Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave, and Knockout collaborated to find and recruit candidates for the Decepticon's Technorganic project. Soundwave deployed Laserbeak to study human teens and locate those who might be the most conducive to recruitment.
Satisfied with their research, they put their plans into action.
"He went this way!" yelled the officer, chasing the teen. "Officer in pursuit!" he yelled into his 2-way transmitter, as he ran down the San Antonio suburb street. The teen ducked into one of his familiar haunts, an apartment complex with several familias who would protect him. Knowing which had unlocked front doors, he ran into one. Rushing through the apartment, he came out the back, exiting the kitchen doorway and ran towards the alley. That was when he spied the car.
"Holy…!" It was a bright red European sports car like he'd never seen! "What are YOU doing here in this neighborhood?" he thought. It had shiny gold hubcaps – obviously an expensive model. He looked around; there was no one to be seen. Then, he heard the sirens. "I've got to get out of here, quick!" Looking around on the ground, he found a wire clothes hanger, and was prepared to break into the car, when to his amazement, it was unlocked! "Oh, no!" he laughed. "This is just too convenient!" He got inside; the keys were in the ignition? His caution was firing on all cylinders, but then he looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the lights coming. Sighing, he said "No choice!" and started the car, speeding away.
He got on the highway, and thought he was home free, when suddenly, a voice came from the dashboard!
"Comfy?"
"What?!"
"I said, are you comfy?"
"Aw damn it! I knew this was too easy! This is a bait car!"
"Eh? What's a bait car?"
"You're gonna take me to the police station, aren't you?"
"Uh, that wasn't my intention, no. I'd rather not involve human law enforcement, if it's all the same."
"Human…what?!"
"Look, let's start off again. What's your name?"
"Uh, Frank. Frank Jalisco. And…you?"
"I'm Knockout!"
Frank laughed. "Is that a name or an occupational hazard?"
"Ha ha," Knockout responded dryly. "It's my name."
"Well, OK, then. What's your last name?"
"We don't have last names."
"We? Who's this 'we'?"
"We, Frank, are Decepticons. And we have been observing you for quite some time. You're quite the talented kid."
"Is that so? What do you know about me?"
"You're the leader of your own gang, for one. We like that. You're also very good at getting people to do your bidding. However, we notice you're in quite a lot of trouble. We can help you with that."
"Is that so? And why would you want to do that?"
"Because you're the kind of person we're looking for."
"And what's in it for me?"
"Quite a lot actually, Frank. How would you like to be the leader of a group of powerful robots? Maybe be a powerful robot yourself?"
Frank scoffed. "Yeah, right. This is all stupid. What kind of idiot do you take me for, anyway?"
"You think this is a joke?"
"Yeah."
"Well, pull over, and get out of the car. I'll show you how much of a joke this is." And he pulled over to the side of the road and got out. Knockout transformed into his bipedal mode. Frank fell back in shock!
"Does this look like a joke, Frank?"
"Wha…what are you?"
"I already told you," and he transformed back into his alt mode car. "Now, are you interested?"
Sometime later at sunset, Knockout was driving west on I-80 entering Nevada when he spied a hitchhiker. "Well, this might be fun," he thought, and bringing up his holo driver, pulled over to pick her up. The young redhead got in his car. "Thanks a lot!" she said getting in," I thought I'd be waiting all night."
"Where are you headed?" Knockout said through his holo driver.
"I'd like to get to Reno," she responded.
"Then let's get there! So, it's a long ride; tell me about yourself."
"Oh, uh, not much to tell," she replied.
"Well, how about your name?"
"JoAnne."
They chatted, off and on, the entire way to Reno. Slowly, Knockout was able to gain JoAnne's trust. She eventually opened up to him about the trouble she was in; how she was running away from the law, about how she'd set fire to her High School gymnasium, all because her boyfriend wouldn't take her to the Junior prom. She'd been on the run ever since – it'd been10 months now, and she was tired.
"I just wish I could get away from everything," she sighed, looking out the window. "Get away, and start new somewhere."
"Hey, wouldn't it be nice if I could begin all over, with a new identity, on a new country, or even," she laughed, "on a new planet? Stupid idea, huh?"
"No, not stupid at all, JoAnne."
"Scott!" His mother yelled and banged on the cellar door. "Dammit, Scott! I got another letter from the Principal; you haven't been to school this week! Are you listening?"
"Aw, geez!" Muttered the teen, as he gathered up his things, stuffed them into his backpack, grabbed his skateboard and climbed out the basement window. "Leave me alone!" Running down the alley between the houses, he reached the main street and took out a cigarette. "Hate books, hate homework, hate school!"
He lit up his cigarette and took a deep drag. Then, his smartphone beeped; a text message. "Congratulations: you have won a free ride on a jet plane." It read.
"Awesome! Where do I go?"
It gave directions to an empty field outside of town. "Freaky!" He thought, "must be one'a those stolen Russian jets or something." Getting on his skateboard, he made his way to the site. "Whoa! Super Sonic!" He exclaimed, seeing the jet fighter.
Approaching the aircraft, the cockpit opened and a ladder descended. "Welcome!" Said the pilot, "climb aboard."
The jet took off, and did a vertical climb. Scott started feeling the effects of the high G's. "Slow down, dude! I'm gonna..." Too late, the teen passed out.
"Hey! You awake?" Asked Starscream.
"Huh? Wha...? Aaah!" He yelled, looking out the cockpit window. "We're in space!"
"So we are," said Starscream dryly. "About 50 kilometers above the planet. Shall we go higher?"
"What kinda ride is this?"
"Oh, just wanted to get to talk a little. Actually, I've been watching you for a while. Had some proposals for you."
"Pro-proposals?"
"Yes. You've got a lot of potential, Scott, but you seem very unhappy with your life. My associates and I can offer you some great things. A new beginning! With tremendous powers and abilities! How would you like to be able to soar through space, on your own?"
"You mean, be an astronaut?"
"Oh, much more than just a measly astronaut! I'm taking about flying, Scott! How about flying through air and space, not in a ship! All by yourself, on a skateboard, perhaps?"
"Dude! Like the Silver Surfer?"
"Silver...? Er, yes! Like him!"
"Awesome! Where do I sign up?"
"Well, Mr. Osgood, your writings are certainly...interesting," said the Headmaster.
"I've heard that description before," said the young prodigy.
"You believe that all rights should be retained only by those individuals deemed by the government to be the most capable?"
"Of course. Should it not be so?"
"What about those found to be less capable? Should they not be accorded certain rights?"
"They may be accorded certain lesser rights, but certainly never permitted to govern."
The Headmaster tapped the student's papers on his desk. "Yes, well, thank you, Mr. Osgood. To be quite honest, I'm unsure whether your theses are a good...fit for our university."
"That will be all."
The young genius got up from his chair and left the office. "Fools! Antiquated notions! Technology will soon outpace their medieval ideas of civilization and human rights!" He returned to his guest room, and opening his laptop, pulled up his blog. Deleting the usual entries calling him a neo-Nazi, devil-worshipper, and other derogatory comments, he found his one admirerer, someone whose ID was "Shockwave". He'd been corresponding with this individual for several weeks now.
The latest entry: "I find your recent treatise on organizational dynamics most logical. Your theory of embryonic screening to weed out undesirable tendencies for the purposes of developing a 'homo superior' species is admirable. I would like to introduce your ideas to my colleagues. Would we be able to arrange a meeting? I think you would find that what we have to offer would far exceed what any university might be able to provide you."
He replied to the poster: "I would indeed be very interested in your proposition. Please arrange a rendezvous."
"You're off the team."
"What?! You're f***ing kidding me!"
"No, Adam, I'm not. Shoving your stick into your opponent's chest and breaking his ribs, then elbowing him in the face, breaking his nose is not how we play hockey. It's a full-contact sport, but not one where you try to kill someone."
"I didn't kill him, just...sent him to the ER."
"Sorry. My decision's final."
"Screw you!" The High School senior threw his play book at the coach and stormed out of the locker room. He left the school and took a long walk, winding up at the local park where he plopped down on a bench.
"That sucks." Came a voice from behind.
"What?" Adam turned and looked up to see a young man approaching. "Who the hell are you?"
"Name's Frank." He was carrying a six pack of beer, and offered him one. "I'm sorry about what happened. That coach is stupid. I've been watching you; you're a damned good right wing."
"Thanks!" He took a swig of beer.
"You've got a great deal of talent; a shame it's wasted in this small school."
"Aah," he scoffed, "it's the best I can do in this dump of a town."
"What were your plans after graduation, Adam?"
"I wanted to enlist in the military, but after what happened today, I guess I blew my chances. They're a lot more selective these days."
"What if I told you I could offer you a chance to sign up for a real military? Something that would give you incredible powers and be part of a team beyond your wildest dreams?"
"You mean like a soldier of fortune?"
Frank chuckled. "Oh, way, way better than that, Adam. Why don't you step into my car and we'll talk?" And he led Adam to Knockout's alt mode vehicle.
So the Decepticons have identified their recruits, and their hand-picked teen leader Frank Jalisco, has actually come on board and begun working on with them! Has he already gone through Shockwave's operation, or are the Decepticons waiting until all five have signed up? We'll see!
Again, many thanks to TheSealer for the initial idea for these Decepticon Technorganics; he and I are collaborating on the character developments.
Thanks for reading. Please review.
NOTE: As much as I would like, I'm not able to respond to Guest Reviews.
