Several solar cycles later, Glitch was a very intelligent and mischievous youngling (6 by human ages). She was very curious, about everything. Shadestalker, the rogue ninjabot, barely survived he "Why?" stage. She followed frogs, mimicking the way they hopped. She always watched any organic near the ship that she knew as home, seeing that she had no other younglings to play with. She didn't mind, she thought organics were interesting. Tran preferred her outside, seeing that she constantly hacked around his firewalls and got into files forbidden to her. She started to develop a roguish attitude, due to Shadestalker's influence, and a neutral outlook on everything in general.
Glitch sneaked past a recharging Shadestalker into Tran's central processor. "Shouldn't you be recharging?" someone asked. Glitch turned around to find Shadestalker, fully awake, with his arms crossed. She smiled sheepishly and went back to her room. Shadestalker went to the console and checked out what she had looked up. "What was the little glitch looking up in this time?" He got his answers in a few keystrokes. He put his palm over his face and shook his head. "I don't need this! I have enough trouble keeping up with her as it is!" Tran came online. "Shadestalker, what's wrong?" "She's looking up advance mechanics! I barely made it past basic! Face it Tran, my youngling is smarter that me!"
Glitch got up the next morning, before Shadestalker. She went over to the storage area and took out some energon, snacking down on it. Tran's form appeared. "Good morning, Tran." "Good morning, Glitch. Shadestalker told me that you made a run at my databanks last night." "He did?" "Yes, he did. Apparently, you're interested in advance mechanics." "There's nothing wrong with that! Shade said that I can be anything I want!" "I didn't say there was. It's just you should wait until you're a teen bot to start studying. It's obvious that you soak up info like an over energized bot with energon. If some bot finds out, they'll want you on Cybertron, away form Shadestalker and me." "Really? They would really separate me from Shade?" "Yes, that's the unfortunate truth. He's technically not even supposed to be here." She nodded.
"Tran, what's your real name?" "Teletran-2, Holographic Tech Edition." "No wonder Shade calls you Tran, it's a lot shorter." Tran chuckled and patted her head, his servo going through her armor and solidifying in her head. "Stupid glitched programming," he muttered, "Hang on, I'll get it out." A moment later, his servo came out. "Sorry about that." Glitch just smiled. The security alarm went off, scaring the nuts and bolts out of Glitch and waking up Shadestalker.
"Don't worry, Shadestalker. It's just him," Tran stated, after looking at the sensors, "No cause for alarm." "No cause for alarm?! If it were up to him, I would be in the stockades right now! Glitch, sweetie, go to your room. I have to discuss something with some bot." "You mean some bot finally visited us?! Oh goody! Can I meet him?" "Maybe later, honey." Glitch hung her head and went to her room.
Tran switched himself to her room. "You aren't going with Shade?" "If I did, then I couldn't show you the security so you could watch the discussion. Tran smiled slyly, causing Glitch to giggle. "Are you sure you're a Bot and not a Con computer?" "I'm a rogue, so I'm neither, and I can do what I want." Another giggle escaped from her. "Okay, let's watch." He switched on the sensors.
Shadestalker gathered his twin energon edged katanas and activated his battle mask, covering the top half of his face. He inhaled deeply, and exhaled, assuring himself that Glitch was out of sight. He pressed the opening button, dreading the moment. There, outside the door, stood a tall dark blue mech with a large chin. Shadestalker nearly rolled his optics at him. "What do you want… Sentinel Prime?"
Sentinel scoffed. "I think you know why I'm here, Ninja Master Shadestalker. You stole an experimental computer! What would've happened if the Decepticons had gotten a hold of it?!" "They would find a glitched program. He randomly solidifies and phases through things, I need to get that fixed." "He? IT's a slagging computer! It doesn't have a gender!" "Try telling Tran that." "You named it! What kind of glitched Autobot are you?!" "Watch this," Tran told Glitch, "I'll show him!" Tran disappeared from her room and appeared outside, scaring Sentinel out of his armor. He took his shield out and attempted to hit him. Tran was unphased as the shield went through him. "Are you done yet?" he asked, "I'm surprised that a "slagging" computer scared you."
Sentinel stopped attacking, inhaling heavily. Shadestalker chuckled. Sentinel regained his poise. "Cybertron High Command requests that you report to them." "Why?" "I don't know, they didn't tell me. Besides, it's none of your business! You're an Autobot, and that means obeying High Command! You're lucky they didn't send some bot after you when you went rogue!" "I'm tired of this conversation; I have better things to do." Shadestalker turned around to walk back into the ship. Sentinel blocked him. "I have a warrant to bring you in." "You mean to arrest me? I've broken no laws!" "No, but I can use any means necessary to get you there."
Shadestalker snatched the data pad and read over it. He grumbled and threw it at Tran, who it phased partially through until he randomly solidified, making it stuck in his servo. "Tran, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed, "Are you damaged?" "No, I can't feel pain, remember?" Tran took out the data pad and scanned it. "Sensors indicated that it's the real thing. Sorry Shadestalker." Shadstalker growled and went back into the ship. Tran disappeared. "Stupid holographic techs!" Sentinel murmured, "I'm glad that they ditched that program!"
He stepped into the ship. Shadestalker had shut his door to his room to meditate on the current situation. Glitch became curious and came out of her room. Sentinel set down his shield and helped himself to the energon in the storage area. Glitch used her mini-ninja skills (as Shade called them) to sneak in the room and steal his shield. She then found a spider that had wandered onto the ship, picked it up, and set it on his foot. The spider crawled up his armor as he sat down to digest the energon. As he gulped it down, he noticed that his shield was missing. "I could've sworn I put it down right there. I'll look for it later. Stupid ninja bots and their meditations." He felt a tingle on his shoulder. He looked over to see the spider. "EEEKK! AHHH! GET IT OFF!"
He ran around the ship, trying to get the spider off, screaming his head off. The spider got bored and hopped off, still leaving Sentinel screaming. Glitch laughed, accidently tripping and falling to the floor, revealing herself. He frowned and came over to her. "Scaredy Bot!" she exclaimed, "You were scared of an itsy bitsy spider!" "Was not!" "Was too!" "Was not!" "Was too x 2!" "Was not x a million!" "Was too x infinity! I win!" "Do not!" "Do too!" Of course, Tran recorded the whole thing for possible blackmail.
Sentinel grabbed her arm. "I don't know where you came from, you little glitch, but you're in trouble little missy!" "Let go of my arm, you big meany!" He kicked him in the shin, leaving a visible dent in his armor. "Yeow! That's it; you're in big trouble now!" He proceeded to chase her. She ran and laughed, seeing it as one big game, until he caught her. "Some bot needs some discipline! Where's your creator?" "I don't have any." "So you're an orphan?" "No, Shade's my daddy, but don't tell him I said that. He doesn't like it when I call him that since he's really not. I think I know your name. Shade calls you Jerkinal Prime."
Shadestalker came out to see what all the noise was about. "Is this yours?" Sentinel asked accusingly, thrusting Glitch in front of him, "She claims she is, but that was after she tried to infect me with some organic disease from a spider. I'm going to have to decontaminate again!" "Glitch, did you really?" She smiled and nodded. "Good femme!" "Wait, you're praising her for trying to kill me?! And where's my shield?! It was right there!" "Glitch, give Sentinel his shield back." Sentinel let go of her, and she retrieved his shield.
"Give me that!" he declared, snatching it away, "You should discipline your youngling more, Shadestalker." "Don't tell me what to do with her! You don't know how to even sparkling-sit! I wouldn't be talking if I were you!" Glitch stuck her tongue out at him, he did the same thing. "Alright, you two younglings, knock it off! Sentinel, would the Command mid if you rode with us to Cybertron? Tran needs the experience. We could put your ship in our cargo bay." "I guess it wouldn't hurt, you need to return the ship anyway." "Actually, this is my ship. I just accidently stole Tran because my navi computer was out and I thought he was its replacement."
"Are we really going to Cybertron, Tran?" Glitch asked him as Shadestalker prepped everything. "It appears so my young friend," he replied, "Shade and I are going back home." "Is it my home?" "We're not sure. It doesn't help that you don't have any colors, making you a neutral." "Huh? What are you talking about? I'm aquamarine!" "Not that kind of color. You'll understand when you're older." He blinked off to prepare also. She blinked a few times, confused by Tran's words. Since Shade was busy, she decided to go bug Sentinel.
She put on her cutest face and went up to him. "What's a Prime?" "It's a position, a title for officers." "Is Shade a Prime?" "No, ninjas can only be Masters because of all the time it takes to train." "Why are you a Prime?" "Because I'm better that every bot else!" "No you aren't! You're scared of a spider!" "Are not!" "Are too!" "Are not!" "Are too!" "Are not!" "Are not!" "Are too, and that's final!" Glitch walked away, pretending to be defeated, but giggled under her breath.
"Uh, Sentinel?" "What is it now, ninja?" "You do realize that you just got tricked." It took Sentinel a while to realize that Shade was right. "I can't believe that a youngling outwitted me!" "I can."
"Everything's prepped and ready, Shadestalker," Tran reported, "I have this odd sensation in my digestive tract." "You're nervous," Shade explained, "It's perfectly normal." "Not for a hologram," Sentinel pointed out, "They aren't supposed to feel anything." Tran ignored his remark. Glitch yawned, worn out from all the excitement. "Some bot needs a recharge," Shade commented, "Come on; let's get you to your berth. He followed her to her room. She hopped into the berth and laid down. "It's only a few megacycles to Cybertron," he assured her, stroking her head, "Don't worry, I'll be there too." "Night Shade." "Goodnight, Glitch." He turned out the lights and shut the door.
Glitch's optics shone in the darkness, searching for something. She finally found it. She pressed it. Soft music sounded in the room. She closed her optics and let her mind drift to a peaceful place. Eventually, she fell into recharge. Shadestalker checked on her a few cycles later. He cracked a smile and shut the door. "How is she?" Tran asked. "I don't think she even felt lift off. She's been in recharge for a while." "About time," Sentinel commented, "Now we can finally have some peace and quiet for once."
Shadestalker woke up to Tran's alert system, Sentinel fell out of his chair, and Glitch naturally out of recharge. "Transmission incoming." "Let it through, Tran," Shade yawned while rubbing his optics, "This is Shadestalker on the Nova. Who's hailing me?" "This is Cybertron Space Traffic Control. Standby for docking instructions." "10-4." Shade took the helm to help guide Tran. "What's going on?" a tired Glitch asked, "Are we there yet?" Sentinel rolled his optics. He picked him up, set her in a seat, and strapped her in. "You ready, Tran?" "I hope so, here it goes!" "This is CSTC again Nova, you are clear to land on Pad #665.5." "Acknowledged, CSTC. Coming in for landing, now."
"Point 5?" Glitch wondered, "How can you have half of a pad?" "It means that you can fit two ships on it and we're landing on the second half," Sentinel explained, "Don't you know anything?" "I know who to read, write, add, subtract…" "Ok, so he did a decent job of keeping you in your minimal IQ levels." "…and how to multiply, divide, problem solving, critical thinking, basic mechanics (computers and ships), basic tech (robots), basic computer analysis, and the analysis of resources." Sentinel blinked a few times. "Okay, so you know a lot." "I also know ho to hack past firewalls and find info." "I bet you can."
AN: Phew, long chapter! Next time, more Sentinel bashing, and few familiar faces.