Notes: This drabble is actually not part of the beastwars_100 challenge. But it came to me and needed to be written.
"At last, a proper nestmate! Tell me, are you a drone or are you a soldier?"
Those were the first words Inferno spoke to Waspinator.
The wasp had been busily working on a repair to the computer console in the control room when the larger mech's clanging footsteps had come echoing through the room. He knew of the new addition to the team, of course, but Megatron had demanded that the computer be repaired Right Away You Fool! and he'd been too busy to meet the other mech yet.
Waspinator had looked up at the pyromaniac ant with a mixture of wariness and interest. He was never quite sure what to make of newcomers for the simple fact that he was never quite sure what to make of any one.
And…Inferno wasn't quite like any of the others. He was tall -Waspinator's shoulder came up only as high as his hip- and intimidating, like most other Predacons, but Waspinator got the feeling he was…curious. About Waspinator. And no one ever cared enough about Waspinator to be curious.
Inferno wasn't leering at him. He wasn't towering over him -though Inferno did seem as if he failed to understand the concept of personal space- with a menacing glare on his face. He wasn't fingering a weapon or posturing, trying to show he was the better mech. Instead, he was standing ramrod straight, with no trace of the usual sulky, slumped posture the small insect was used to from Terrorsaur, or the conniving looks the spiders gave.
Waspinator cocked his head, looking up at his new teammate. "Wazpinator iz worker." He finally said, "Iz hiz job to…uh…carry out…Queen'z wishez."
At that, q wide grin spread across Inferno's face and he nodded brusquely - And Waspinator knew he'd given the right answer. "Yes, yes. It is our duty as the Queen's soldiers to carry out His commands. It is a relief to know there is another here who understands this. The others seem to be…lacking in this basic knowledge." Inferno sounded puzzled by his own statement, and Waspinator knew what Terrorsaur had crowed to him was true - The new Pred really did think he was an ant.
"Iz becauze they not insectz." Waspinator supplied helpfully, "Don't understand social structure and hierarchy."
"But you do." Inferno clapped him on the shoulder, leaning in closer, "And that is good. I can tell we will get along well."
Waspinator offered him a tentative smile, still uncertain what to make of him. In all honesty, he didn't really believe any of that social insect stuff. He understood it, yes, but thought it was kind of silly. Megatron was hardly a Queen. And they certainly weren't a Colony; they were a ragtag group of outlaws who were more likely to destroy each other than the Maximals.
But Waspinator…wasn't about the shatter Inferno's illusions. Here, for the first time, was some one he understood. That was a rare thing, as far as he was concerned. Usually, the other Predacons were so complicated he was left guessing at their motives and only figuring them out when it was too late.
But with Inferno…He was so simple. If this was all it took to please him, Waspinator wouldn't complain, nor would he try to tell Inferno otherwise.
He was so grateful to have some one he understood, he would gladly play along.