Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or anything of the transformers brand. All rights belong to Hasbro.

Hey guys it you enjoyed the last chapter here's another. not much happens here but it sets up the Combaticons characters a bit, and we learn of life in the Elite guard.
the characters are of course different to R.O.S as they have not become part of project Bruticus yet so they actually like each other and are not psycho killers.

Reign of Starscream: Combaticons Rising

Chapter two
Strategic ambitions

Location: elite guard command.
Refueling hall

Combatmaster sat at a table. He was drinking a shot of energon while holding a datapad. Around him the other tables were filled with bots. Most of the Elite guardsmen were off duty. 'Off duty? ... hah more like a permanent vacation...lazy good for nothing scrapheap's' he thought'.
The hall was relatively loud with the tables packed with guardsmen talking, yammering and generally being obnoxious. 'They are hardly warriors let alone Guard's thought combat master.

He was awaiting his team, by the time he finished his mornings training he had 30 cycles too kill, before even break could start. He often goes through a few glasses of energon that way. H looked around at the others. A few he recognized while others he didn't know or care about.
His datapad displayed what he would be doing for the next few solar cycles. His tasks he will take, which guards he will be with what lecturer/trainer. He observed with interest over the next few solar cycles most of it was combat training, 'at least that is more interesting and challenging than listening to lectures on the 'etiquette way to drink energon in public' as if I care what others think of me I'm here to hone my skills, I have no time for such idiotic lessons'. He moaned to himself.

His datapad also received personal tasks to complete. These assignments were strategy based; hence he was training to be a tactician. These kept him occupied for no more than five-ten cycles' per assignment. They involved a situation such as taking out a group of energy raiders. Combatmaster would have to submit a detailed answer of how to solve the situation. He received marks from the analysts when they saw it. He usually got 95-97%, this was acceptable for him but he wanted more. He knew that another guardsman was achieving higher scores than him, and CM hated him with a passion.

The main entrance opened and in came brawl. Brawl saw combatmaster and gave a nod of respect. CM did the same to him and carried on drinking and reading. Brawl ordered a drink and then joined CM at his table. 'Hey boss you hear the news' asked Brawl nicely.
'I'm updated with lots of news Brawl to which are you referring?' he asked.
'the guys they passed their tests looks like we're all gonna be moving to combat training' with ya' he answered.
'Oh well that's good I suppose that means I'll be our team leader again. Every level we get separated and I have to delay myself for you lot to catch up' sighed CM.
'WELL that's because your good with that data, tactical slag perhaps if you sucked we'd be at the same level all the time' he laughed.
CM chuckled as well. 'I and brawl had been friends since we first applied for Elite guard training. Brawl is not the brightest button on the console, but he as a passion for what he does. We'd help each other, I try my best to teach him the more data based parts of training and he helps me with combat. He is the kind of bot that would start up a fight just because he enjoys it. He would stop a crime with is bear servos some would think this admirable, I know better. But we remain firm comrades he thought.

They took a sip of energon before continuing talking; his team mates were about the only thing stopping him from being glued to assignments.
They were all in the second level. The first level would be where they are finally tested to become true guards, but for now there was just exams and training. CM often wished he was higher up; he needed to prove himself to be a brilliant strategist. His arch nemesis was on his way to the top, everyone respects him but CM was treated like a sparkling, trying to get his way. It made him angry but he always bottles it up.
'Well I suppose I have to stop being perfect once in a while' Cm admitted.
'YEAH about time save that talk for other scraplet brains, but your teammates no way we respect you and we want the same back' he admitted.
'Sure of course...ooh a new assignment' and quickly he went typing away with the stylus. Brawl frowned and took another drink.

A few cycles later and in came Swindle, he carried a personal computer with him. He grabbed a drink and sat with the two.
'So swindle have you been selling spare Aft's to Alpha Trion again? Laughed Brawl.
'HA HA HA HAAA hilarious no I have not and there has never been a first time. No I was busy talking to the lecture about the inflation of current retail prices. Thank you very much' explained Swindle. He enjoyed his teammates company but their jokes could sometimes be intolerable.
'Shame I'm sure the walking rust pile could use one' said brawl sarcastically.
Onslaught sighed 'FINISHED' he cried after completing the assignment '...oh Swindle you joined us...HELLO...yes hello' said CM sheepishly.
'hey...so you scrap piles have passed, nice one though of course I did as well, I mean someone of my intelligence has to, if he wants to make it in this world, there is a weird economy out there and we have to learn to move with it' said swindle.
'Save it for the propaganda filled news feeds would you swindle I don't want another lecture on 'the economy' said CM dryly.
'Charming that is' said Swindle, taking a sip. 'how would you make it in the caste system if I was not here, huh?... right you'd fail to grasp it that's why I 'lecture' you it's what mates do, help each other out'.

The pair sighed and agreed with him. They waited for the others, and in the meantime attempted to quiz CM, he answered every single question with a brilliant strategy. Half way through break Vortex and blast Off finally entered, they ordered their drinks and sat with the threesome.
'you guys took your sweet time I've just been telling these guys about the price for an energon battle pistol for our caste, it's surprisingly cheaper on the black market'.
'Swindle I care as much about your energon battle pistol as much as I care about scraplets' Blast off sighed.
'Well excuuuussse me, great blast Off prime please accept my aft as an offering to your greatness' said Swindle smugly.
'So anyway' said Blast Off ignoring swindle, 'it is excellent that we passed at least now I can show off to a team who appreciate my skills'. Though his team 'obviously' agreed.
'Uh huh' said CM
'Yup' said vortex
'Whatever' said brawl
'we're right behind your great ego your Primeness' said swindle sarcastically.
'I wish you would at least try to appreciate my skills just once' Blast Off sighed. He took a drink knowing the conversation would move to something else.

'So vortex how is flight training working out for you' asked Combatmaster.
'Oh absolutely fine it's like a WILD RIDE...hey maybe I could make that a catchphrase ore something' he wondered.
'Oh okay then...Mr Vortex's...WILD RIDE? I don't think its good myself' said Swindle.
'Meh it'll do I suppose...but anyway yeah I'm one of the best in class I can manoeuvre like there's no tomorrow' he boasted.
'Second only to me of course...why I'm the fastest cybertronian in the sky' boasted blast Off.
'Probably cos no one wants' to be near ya' joked brawl
'Funny do you all make these up on the spot or do you pay millions of energon credits to some computer genius with no life to send them too you?' he asked.
They all stopped laughing it was the end of break and they had to go to their final lecture of level 2 before they graduated to lvl 1. It was quite exiting for the group finally they could be rid of the endless lectures and computing. They could do some real learning.
As they left they bumped into Springer, the leader of one of the rival teams.

'Hey what's up you guy's you going to your lecturer for sparkmating' he laughed' 'well I won't hold it against ya'.
Cm hated this Guard too he desired to be a soldier but also he was not very respectful of authority, decisions made by others, or his team for that matter.
'Funny I've heard better insults from swindle's aft' said CM sighing.
'My aft doesn't make insults...just so you know' said swindle sheepishly.
His team groaned at him.
'Well then looks like we are gonna be spending combat training together 'Combatmaster' can't wait to see if your punches are as useless as your strategies' he said walking by them.
'I really hate him' sighed CM though he was not his arch nemesis.
'Heh don't worry he'll get what's coming to him in combat training, oh yes he will' said Brawl.
'Good now can we go to class without having a conversation about aft's, sparkmating or each other's abilities please' sighed Swindle.
'No promises' said Cm as they went to their class. 'Tomorrow I will finally reach level 1 training and then we will show every cybertronian who the best elite guard team is...even sentinel prime himself' he thought as they entered the room.

Thanks for reviewing please R&R and ill see you next time. the next chapter will be about the cCmbaticons training and we meet CM's nemesis.
Note I have two stories too right so their will be no schedule, just which story I fancy writing a few chapters for. I might do a couple more on my other story before this one, then I have a significant amount/stage their and then I can focus on maing this fun and filled with drama stuff. =)

Till all are one.

Till all are one.