Disclaimer: Don't own Transformers
Third Time's a Charm
Chapter 2: The Escape
Jazz settled into his assigned brig cell, lounging on the floor as if it was the most comfortable berth he had ever had access to. "Hope ta see ya three again sometime soon!" Jazz called after the praxians.
Their trine leader appeared to not be impressed while the youngest of the three chattered excitedly with the third member of the trine.
He waited for the doors to close behind them before giving the other prisoners a mock salute. "Fancy seein' all of ya here."
Sunstreaker scowled at him before picking at the dried energon off his arm.
Sideswipe grinned, "Welcome to the club. Got any good stuff?"
"Just a cube of high grade fer each and every one of ya all once we get back." Jazz smirked, "Security's a bit lax."
"What are you talking about?" Mirage questioned from a corner cell, "The bars are just as powered as before."
Jazz stretched out before settling down into a comfortable position, playing music that only he could hear. "Yeah, but they're seein' a feedback loop so we have plenty of privacy as long as no one comes in. Is everyone here?"
"Yes." Perceptor answered, "When the commotion started up, they brought Patch back in and he's been resting ever since."
"Ya might as well wake him 'cause I have a little trick Ah wanna show everyone."
Perceptor gently nudged Patch awake who looked around with optics that told of many sleepless nights.
"In four… three…. two… one…" Jazz motioned to the bars seconds before they powered down for each and every cell.
"How did you do that?" Patch questioned.
Jazz put a finger up to his lips, "Shhh…. its mah little secret."
Silverstreak sat at their usual table in the Rec Room while Gambler volunteered to get energon from across the room. As he approached the energon dispenser, he overheard a cluster of Decepticons talking about the events of the day. Gambler discreetly positioned his doorwings so that he could overhear the conversation.
"Did you see Silverstreak when the base was first attacked? He was running around without his armor." A dark blue femme started.
"It might be some kind of weird fetish." A purple mech shrugged, "You never know, Vortex gets off on pain. Maybe the praxian was trying something new."
A silver mech added in, "Or stupid. He could have easily offlined with a stunt like that."
"Blackshot claimed Silverstreak was running away from the Autobots. What a wimp. I bet the only reason why he's here is because someone's getting a good frag, perhaps multiple 'cons." A green mech snarled.
Hearing enough, Gambler nonchalantly poured his ration on the floor into a precise shape and depth. "If you're going to talk about my trinemate like that, don't do it behind our backs."
"And what are you going to do about it?" The green mech sneered, "Get Bodycount to throw us in the brig?"
The silver mech spoke up, "Or have Silverstreak shoot us in the aft? Oh wait, he'd rather be the one shot."
Calculating how heavy Silverstreak's ration was, Gambler threw it at the silver mech's faceplate, causing the cube to be emptied onto the once pristine armor.
Hearing the sound, those in the Rec Room looked over to see what was going on, including Silverstreak who looked amused by the display.
Wiping the energon off his face, the silver mech got up from his spot and came after Gambler who at last minute, dodged the larger mech slid a good distance when his ped hit the puddle before falling on his aft.
The dark blue femme jumped over the table in which she was sitting at while the purple mech circled around that way they could attack from two different sides.
"You know this isn't exactly fair." Gambler mused, servos barely brushing up against his well hidden throwing knives.
"You started it." The green mech joined his friends in surrounding the praxian.
"Actually you did when you insulted my trinemate." Gambler flashed them a cheeky grin before whipping out his knife and embedding it in the purple mech as he came in to attack Gambler.
Angry, the green mech pulled out his gun and aimed at Gambler. Gambler came in close and disarmed the mech, two hard blows to the arm, breaking the limb in one go. The gun fell uselessly to the floor as the mech stepped back to cradle his arm.
A blue servo hooked onto the armor on his back, right before flinging Gambler into the nearest table with a loud crash.
Gambler twitched his doorwings as he let out a pained grunt.
Well that wasn't expected. The femme moved a lot faster than he had calculated, not to mention stronger than she looked.
Clenching her fists, two blades slid out of place from the compartments on her arms, giving off a sheen as the light hit it that Scavenger would love to add to his collection.
Gambler got up and made sure that the table was between them as he pulled out two close range swords.
As she circled around, Gambler went in the same direction, keeping a close optic on where the energon puddle was as he neared it. The femme was suddenly before him, blades colliding against his as they struggled to find openings and take advantage of them. Gambler nudged back ever so slightly with every blow.
When she got close enough, Gambler moved to the side before throwing an unexpected kick. She braced herself only for her pedes to scrape on the ground and slip on the energon puddle. Quickly retracting her blades, she caught herself before something regrettable happened.
It was then that Megatron entered the room, Bodycount beside him as they talked about what sounded like a great opportunity which knowing Bodycount, it was in reference to the special ops agent residing in the brig.
"What's the meaning of this?!" Megatron snarled upon noticing the mess.
Catching Bodycount's stern look, Gambler hid his swords before Megatron could notice them though the throwing dagger was still firmly lodged in the purple mech's chassis. It wasn't as if the mech was dead, but by the looks of it, he was cautious about not wanting it to something important.
"They were fighting over my honor." Silverstreak explained, "And I think Gambler did a good job, but Hook's not going to be so happy."
Bodycount rubbed his chevron, "I left you two alone for several breems and this is what happens?"
"Pretty much." Gambler admitted, "Why you put up with us, we'll never know. There's a betting pool on the reason, though some are under the impression that you genuinely care about us."
: Hook, your assistance is needed in the Rec Room. :
: Bodycount, what is it now?! If you haven't noticed, I'm on my energon break. :
: A fight in the Rec Room. One is unconscious and two need repairs. Bring your cleaning drones as well. :
: I just got them. How'd you know? :
: I have my ways. Consider it a test run. : Bodycount switched his attention to his trinemates. "We need to have a talk… again."
"Bodycount, don't worry about it." Megatron stated as he went to get energon for him and the tactician, "No one has offlined and I wanted to talk to the three of you about the events in my absence."
"Very well, Lord Megatron." Bodycount flicked his doorwings in a gesture to the other praxians to come with him.
"Have you determined the reasoning behind the latest attack?" Megatron questioned as he relaxed on his throne while the praxians stood side by side before him with Bodycount in the center.
"With the evidence that I have, the only reason to attack other than the sake of attacking and damaging not only the base, but the inhabitants within is an act of revenge for yesterday's attack on their base. As such, as so long as you don't conveniently and spontaneously decide to go for a drive with a large portion of the troops and attack those you come across that you don't like, we should be fine for a while."
Silverstreak snorted.
"Who's in charge of interrogating the newest prisoner?"
"Soundwave." Bodycount replied, "He is a good choice and we're more likely to get information from the special ops agent than we are if Vortex does."
:: Have you ever noticed that Megatron looks like he has a bucket on his head? :: Silverstreak oh so innocently questioned.
:: Perhaps we should call him Lord Buckethead. ::
The two snickered.
Bodycount hit both of them simultaneously with his doorwings. :: Stop that. ::
:: Lord Buckethead. :: Silverstreak mused, :: I like the sound of that. All hail the mighty Buckethead! ::
Gambler doubled over in laughter.
"What are you talking about?" Megatron asked in a not so pleased tone. He understood that Praxians, like Seekers had their own codes or language based on the movement and position of their wings, but even then, due to the greater flexibility of doorwings, the two languages were vastly different.
Silverstreak beat Bodycount to the question, "I overheard the Autobots referring to you as Buckethead. In fact, I believe Ironhide started it. They seemed to be very fond of the nickname. Gambler and I found the idea of what you'd do once you get ahold of them to be very amusing."
"Then I'll be sure to pay them a little visit." Megatron growled, not liking the idea of being called Buckethead at all, while he plotted various ways to enact his revenge.
Starscream entered the room, a scowl on his faceplate. "Lord Megatron, I thought you'd like to know that Bodycount's brilliant idea to lock Autobot Jazz in the brig with the other Autobot prisoners was a horrible idea."
The trine gave Starscream a curious look.
"Why is that?"
"We found out when Soundwave went in to get Jazz that the security for the brig was down and all of the Autobots had escaped some time before."
Bodycount clenched his servos. "It was a ploy to not only get revenge, but to rescue the Autobot prisoners."
This meant war.
He was going to get back at Jazz for making him look like a fool and losing all of the other prisoners in the process.
Next time, he wasn't going to underestimate the polyhexian.
"Welcome back my main mech!" Blaster pulled Jazz into a tight hug, "I was beginning to think we'd have to send someone after you."
Once Jazz was released, he stepped back and handed the cassette player a datachip, "Ah got ya his entire music collection when 'Wave was busy thinking Ah was after 'Screamer's personal files."
"Great, but what took you so long? You're not usually this happy after completing a mission."
"Oh, stuff." Jazz folded his arms behind his helm, "Getting' captured, flirtin' with a mech with such beautiful doorwings and a great processor ta boot, oh and breakin' out of da brig with the rest of da prisoners."
"Oh, I see. We'll have to celebrate your great accomplishments." Blaster drapped an arm across Jazz's shoulders as he lead the head of special ops to the Rec Room. He stopped midstep and gave Jazz a skeptical look, "You were flirting with a Decepticon?!"
"Sure was! Ah've never seen him around before. Mah only regret is dat Ah didn't get a designation. He's got a whole trine with him."
"Jazz, I thought you said you had enough with pursuing Seekers after what happened last time."
"Relax mech." Jazz chuckled, "He's the leader of a Praxian trine."
"Jazz, my main mech, I worry about you and your sanity."
"Ratch' had meh tested for mah sanity 'bout a vorn ago." Jazz said with a grin, "And he said Ah either lost it or never had it ta begin with."
Blaster sighed, "What am I going to do without you?"
"Listen ta the music Ah got ya and wonder if Soundwave will ever notice?"
Blaster shook his helm before continuing on the way to the Rec Room.