Quint plus Two

Continuation of Helicon and Quartet. If this goes much further, I might pull from One Shots and make it it's own story. Thanks goes to Pika, ThunderRemix8 for showing me these other 'drone's. If anyone sees other interesting bots that fit into this concept, let me know. For this is becoming fun.

Frank the Fuel-Tankercon hears the sounds up ahead but knows it can't be what he thinks he hears. His poor old audios must be playing tricks on him. Winding his way around the Manganese Mountain Range he zeros in on the unusual sound and energy reading. Over the next rise the sound increases. Not just in volume but also in intensity and rapidity.

"Nah-ahah. No, na, no-no, he-he-he!" comes out. Sure the words mean to halt but the tone clearly does not. How….confusing.

Around the next bend, he breaks hard. For lying in the middle of the path is a helicon laid out on his back with a Predicon-dragon a little bit bigger than he standing over him… licking him? Frank blinks, yep, the dragon is licking the helicon! On the face, the arm, the leg, whatever hasn't been yanked out of his way while his tail twitches. That tail doesn't look agitated, just… playful? And the helicon is liking this attention?

All is fine until Frank is spotted just stalled and watching. The female dragon of mercury-black with very light amber accented (not the deeper hues like the males) hunches over her helicon. Frank gulps but notices this is not an attack on the helicon but a protective move. The helicon pats the dragon's neck as it gives a low growl to the Tankercon vehicle. "Hey hold on friend. Give me a moment." Patting harder gives the dragon more of a comforting shove, "Let me up, will you."

Shifting a paw to pin the lavender flyer down, the snout comes over to sniff the Tankercon. Hot breath slightly moist with heavy life but not salivating for a kill. Once more the pinned one shoves, "Alma! Let me up right now."

Hesitating for a moment longer, Alma finally complies to the order. With a mock of disgust to the dragon, our helicon brushes himself down and turns to the new one. Alma stays right behind her master ready to charge the moment this intruder makes a foul move.

For as friendly as the lavender one was with the dragon, sentry voice comes out now, "Who are you and state your purpose on this path."

Slowly unfolding to show no aggressive movement, Frank changes from a tanker vehicle to a slowly standing older bot. "I was exploring and found an unusual reading. I came to investigate."

"Exploring for whom?"

"Myself."

Hector looks up to Alma and then pings his brothers to join him. "Try again. Who do you explore for: Decepticon, Autobot or Neutral?"

Frank shakes his head, "None of them. I am a loner. I have no allegiance. I have been outcast. I ask nothing except one: Why does my signature reading find harmony with yours?"

The sound of others approaching gives Hector cause to move. Just as they come into view beside Alma, Hector circles Frank doing his own closer inspection. "What is your designation?"

"They call me Frank."

That stills Hector to stare into the blue optics of this rare one. He looks like he's lead a rough life, most certainly done self repair even if a bit shotty in some places. "You said you were a loner, so who are 'they' to name you?"

Victor swiftly searches his memory banks for any sign of who this rare bot could be. Yes they all can feel it, there is a connection to this bot but just can't pin point it. No memories, no record of the name… confusing, but yet something welcoming. Not a foe but too many questions to be safe in just letting him into their home. Most certainly not with Alma.

Alma does not break her own gaze from Frank. Her tail swishes back and forth in a calm sway but ready to pounce if need be. She may be young but most certainly she knows her role is to stay and protect these masters of hers. So Protective that when Toby comes on the scene she wraps her tail around him to hold him back. Toby tries to slap her into some slack but she forbids it.

Eraline and Victor are also doing their examination of this Tankercon. With whispered voices to each other where Hector and Toby won't hear, they begin their own list of questions. Then with a nod to Hector, Victor takes over the examination.

First thing he notices, there are no weapons visible and not really many places to hide one. "Activation date?" Frank easily answers a date that well precedes Victor or Eraline's. "Designation." Once more Frank answers. "Where do you hail from?"

Rubbing his helm he grouses, "Shockwave's laboratory."

That brings the four back to Toby and Alma's tail. "It's him. The mysterious first one." Toby practically bounces.

"Stop, Toby. That's not… possible. He was…"

Hector, turns between Eraline and Victor, "I thought you were first?"

"We were the first in mass PRODUCTION, but there was one before us. One that Lord Megatron determined was unworthy."

Frank's lowered helm nods, "Yes. I was designed to refuel the troops or medics or whomever. A resupply tanker. Commander Starscream said I was useless to the Seekers because I could not fly and was not fast enough to aid ground troops." That leaves the flyer and speedster looking at each other's improved abilities.

Toby is the one to poke his head from between his brothers since Alma still won't let him go, "Frank, what are you doing out here alone?"

They all know that he doesn't mean this specific spot but out of the laboratory. Frank rubs his temple to remember, "After I heard I was useless, all I know, is that I found myself waking up in a refugee camp. I did what I could in helping shuttle supplies knowing that my master cast me aside and abandoned me like the worthless project I was."

"I did not cast you aside."

They all turn to the large purple bot standing on the ledge of the canyon path two stories above them Planting one pede to the side, he easily digs the other beside it and remaining upright, using a lone hand to guide his decent, slides down the soft canyon wall like a skier.

With a last light leap-thud he lands before Alma between Frank and his other creations. The four have broad smiles for their creator's return. Alma releases Toby to move before her creator and lower her helm into his reaching touch. With a soft hand and purring hurr for her, caresses her crest. "Toby, she looks healthy, you have done well."

"Thank you, M-Shockwave." With a nod to each he sees they are all well and like wise they give respectful nods back that they are very pleased to see him again as well. Shockwave turns to the one bot who does not understand.

"Frank, is that what you are called?"

"Master," he gives a curt-bit response.

Shockwave takes a sigh and tries again, "Emotions may be illogical in a time of war, but I do have them. Loyalty is far above any of my others." Frank doesn't seem to care for this trail of conversation but knows it is not his place to say anything. Shockwave presses on, "You were my first attempt to aid in the loyalty of the Decepticon cause and ensure that our soldiers lived and survived. The greatest need our soldiers have is medical attention and fuel. I had your holding tank at an acceptable capacity and an engine large enough to haul it, but I did not have it designed well enough to be effective to the military command's needs."

"So I was a failure," Frank accepts the truth.

"No to me." The tone is ever so soft and warm. Not one these bots has ever heard. A tone that warms Alma and she nuzzles into him again over his broad shoulder. Shockwave digs his long digits into her plates to give her a good scratching like the male on Earth serving Lord Megatron enjoys.

"What happened?" Hector presses on to ease Frank and quell all of their curiosities.

"Commander Starscream deemed my project a failure. Too stupid to see the bigger picture, it was decided to terminate my project." They all hold their breath. Frank and Shockwave lock gazes, "I could not euthanize a perfectly good project. Maybe you were not meant to be for the Decepticon Cause, but there is no need to deactivate you so easily." Slowly laying a warm hand on Frank's shoulder, Shockwave continues, "It was war and there are innocents out there trying to make their way to shelter and… they had needs I could not aid with. But you could."

Frank understands now that Shockwave had brought him to the refugee tent to aid them. He had no been abandoned, he had been gifted a free life. Looking to the others in his mist he can see that they too do not bear their master's sigil. "And they?"

"Have been set free. If I had known you were sentient, I would have told you what I was planning. I did not know you had a conciseness like us. I am sorry."

Toby ducks under Alma's neck and takes Frank's arm, "Well, I guess that means that it's time you came home. Come on." Tugging the arm again, Toby leads Frank through the others and down the path, "So tell me, what's it like out there? What have you seen? Met anyone interesting?"

The others watch Frank and Toby walk away knowing it was probably time to head back as well. Eraline follows the others, with Victor falling in beside him easily. Hector scratches under Alma's chin again and turns to Shockwave, "Would you like to come?" Shockwave ponders the thought. "Even for just a few moment to check up on us?"

Shockwave knows that they are welcoming him into their home. Flaying a hand out, he silently asks for Hector to lead the way. Hearing something, Alma bounds around the last two bots and over the next two.

Hector laughs, "Toby must be carrying a treat and just now broke it out. We have been experimenting with different wrappers to conceal them from her. She went through a whole jar. Gorged on them so much she was sick."

Shockwave chuckles lightly seeing the young dragon bounding like a turbo-puppy, "Yes they do have quite the scent trackers."

Hector smiles up to the genius, "Got any ideas?"

Scratching an antenna connector spot, he hums, "I might."

"Got any ideas on how to get Toby to stop creating the most horrendous tasting products and getting us to taste test them?"

Shockwave stops and stares at Hector. Hector turns back surprised that Shockwave had stopped. "Really?"

Hector nods, "Yes, it's awful. Can you just remove my taste-sensors?"

Shockwave shakes his head, "No, but maybe we can adjust his!"

"Do that BEFORE he offers you anything to eat," Hector grimaces.

Shockwave releases the most glorious laugh he's had in a very long time.