Livewire: Chapter 3
"Livewire, be careful how you handle that."
She froze and looked back at Wheeljack with a cylindrical part in her mouth, loose wires dangled limply from both ends, slapping against her jaw. She shot him a scowl. Livewire was being as careful as she could without the use of hands, appendages she was quickly beginning to miss. The first time she tried to pick up a blocky electrical component in her mouth, she accidentally bit through the metal casing. Ever since then Wheeljack had been quick to remind her to check her jaw pressure and only asked her to bring the more durable items. Besides a few teeth marks here and there, she didn't think she was doing that poorly, especially since she couldn't actually feel the object resting on her fangs until she had ripped through it.
Livewire jumped onto her hind legs and supported her upper weight on the surface of the table with her front paws to deposit the part next to a pile of metal scraps. She swiveled around to Wheeljack who was working with his back to her and sat on her haunches. "What are you building?" she asked.
Wheeljack waved a wrench like object in his hand and his ear fins lit up a bright blue. "It's a secret!"
Livewire's head tilted to the side in befuddlement. "Why can't you tell me? I don't have anyone to tattle to?"
"I said it's a secret. Please grab that component next."
Perplexed, she picked up the metal object he pointed to and brought it to his outstretched hand. He placed it on the table and began soldering it to the mess strewed about his work table. The sparks from the welder weren't blinding to her optics like they would have been to her human eyes, her new sight automatically adjusted to the harsh light. She didn't realize the stray shards of heat that sprayed from the welder, harmlessly bouncing off her armor. Her mind was too preoccupied with her conveniently built in chronometer. She had been checking it periodically the last couple days, hoping it had been set incorrectly. Whatever passed for her heart at the moment fluttered and constricted each time looked.
"What year is it?" She asked.
Wheeljack didn't miss a beat when he answered "2013."
Livewire's tail straightened and she felt her fuel pump's pace increase.
"That one is next." With barely a glance, Wheeljack pointed to a part across the room.
Livewire silently obeyed, but stopped short of picking it up. She didn't want to believe him, or her internal clock. If she did, it meant she had been dead - or comatose - for a little over a year.
Livewire tried to close her eyes to shut out the metallic surroundings, but the natural action was impossible without eyelids. In frustration, she dove into her accessible mind and discovered that she could offline her optics.
It was as simple as flipping a mental switch. One moment she saw the world in vibrant colors outlined by distracting data feeds, and the next was blissful darkness.
"Livewire, I need that part now." Wheeljack's impatience snapped the world back into focus, more on instinct than her own will. She bent down and carefully picked up the part between her jaws and brought it to him. It might be time she told him about being human and ask him straight up if he knew, and if so, why he placed her in this body.
She hated to think an Autobot had done this to her, and even worse, ignored it, treating her like another machine. Wheeljack was dedicated to his work, but nothing he had done so far was evil. He hadn't done much at all, really. Besides tinkering almost endlessly with pieces of scrap and slowly accumulating piles of parts near his projects.
Livewire opened her mouth and her vocals seized with a soft click before relaxing.
"Wheeljack, I-I need to ask you something-"
The door swung open and Livewire nearly jumped a mile in the air. Perceptor strolled in and she stared at him, opened mouthed as her fuel pump raced. If she still had hands she would have strangled the mech, or shoved him back outside.
He walked over to Wheeljack and Livewire sensed a weak discharge of energy that tickled her frame like a ghosting fingertips from where they stood. She shrank away from the alien feeling until she was out of range.
"This is the final start up, are you ready?"
Wheeljack put his project down on the table. "Sure am. I've got everything set up."
Livewire watched them skeptically and started to get a bad feeling when they both turned to look down at her. Perceptor produced a familiar handheld from subspace. It was a device he had been using to dive into her systems to turn on or calibrate the programs that now ran through her body and dictated the functions that allowed her to live. She had the feeling this wasn't going to be the usual system tweaking.
"What are you doing?" Her pitch came out a little higher than normal.
"I'm going to start up your battle computer and test your weaponry," Perceptor said a bit too enthusiastically for her taste.
Livewire felt a slight tightening in her chest. "I'm a weapon?" She bit out in disbelief.
"No, but you do have weapons. It's only logical."
She couldn't fathom why she would need a gun in her hands, or paws. "Why?"
"Simple. It's so you can conduct your missions and have the highest probability of coming out alive."
"Missions?" She felt sick.
"Of course. Do you have access to your functions profile?"
Livewire hastily searched her information banks with the keywords 'function' and 'profile' and found a file that branched into several sub topics that she was surprised she hadn't come across earlier. The first one was short and to the point.
Designation: Livewire
Faction: Autobot
Rank: Soldier
Function: Reconnaissance
Special Functions: (redacted)
"Recon? I don't have any training. I can't fight." Panic was slowly setting in.
Wheeljack tapped his helm. "It's all up here in your battle computer. It will tell you what to do. The rest will come from practice."
He wasn't joking. They were both expecting her to fight for the Autobots.
Her optics went wide. "I can't…I'm not a soldier!" She started pacing and the two scientists shared a look of concern.
"Of course you are. That's what you were programed to be." Perceptor tried to reason.
"Programed? You think you can brainwash me into thinking I can fight? I don't even have a reason to. Why should I risk my life for that?"
"The reason is under the Autobot code. We fight to survive and protect those around us."
Livewire was close to snarling now. "What if I refuse to fight? Will you kill me? Break me down into parts to create a more obedient machine?"
Perceptor was quick to object, "Primus no."
"Livewire," Wheeljack said with a sternness she hadn't heard before, even after she had bitten through his precious electronics. "If you don't want to fight no one will force you."
Perceptor gaped and swept his hands in the air disbelievingly. "But this is what we built Livewire for. It would best function following its imbedded programs."
Livewire balked, "You can't just-"
"And I was never meant to be outfitted with a blaster. She's barely been online for a human week. Give her time to decide what she wants to do."
It was uncanny for Wheeljack to back her up. Usually he let Perceptor do as he pleased and reprimanded her with words whenever she objected to a scan or armor adjustment. The surprise wasn't hers a lone. Perceptor stared back at Wheeljack for a good click before relenting with a vented sigh.
"Fine. I don't see why it wouldn't be happier following its core programing. But as you said, it's still early and there are more tests to be done."
Livewire's cables loosened and her tail dropped in relief despite the implications of further prodding.
The engineer's ear fins brightened a little. "Great. Now how about we get that Battle Computer online?"
Her ears stiffened. "I thought you just said I didn't have to fight."
"No, but you would like to be able to defend yourself if need be, wouldn't you?"
She would have scowled if she could. "This is a scam, isn't it? You intend for me to fight anyway. Not now, but later."
"We'll see."
"Wheeljack!"
The mech held his hand out to Perceptor and the scientist handed over the scanner.
"Stand still, this will only take a moment."
He pressed the armor at the base of her neck to uncover an access point and plug in the device. The machine sent a stream of data that flashed on her HUD. The Battle Computer booted up and her vision became filled with sensory information. Standing across from her, Perceptor was evaluated as 'friend', potential weak points or points of damage were circled on his frame, and possible escape routes were highlighted. For any normal person it would have been too much at once, but she was surprised at how much she was able to process without trouble. The individual details were hard to grasp, but she had the feeling she could react to them as a whole if she needed to. It was like recognizing words on a page instead of reading the individual letters they were composed of.
Next to her softly purring engine a buzz built from somewhere inside until it became an audible whine. A surge of electricity went through her frame from the inside out and expanded to her appendages, almost like a spreading warmth that radiated outward. Wheeljack let out a yelp and sprung away, accidentally ripping the scanner out of her neck. Livewire squeaked in pained surprise and rounded on Wheeljack who was fervently shaking his hand.
"I should have been expecting that."
The soft buzzing wound down powered down to a low hum. "What just happened?"
"Your electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, activated," Perceptor pointed out. "It's meant to shock a Decepticon trying to grab you and momentarily fritz their sensors so you have time to escape. It's much stronger than its handheld or haphazardly installed counterparts."
"Lucky for me it had just turned on and hadn't had time to charge up any significant amount of voltage." Wheeljack put the scanner down and poked Livewire in the shoulder. The hum intensified and at his touch and rippled over her armor to reach out and shocked him with invisible tendrils.
"It should be a good fifteen minutes before it gains any significant charge."
Wheeljack began poking her shoulder over and over to test the shock and Livewire moved away in annoyance. "So your big plan was to turn me into a living taser and act as a spy?"
"No, no. This is just your last line of defense if you get caught," Perceptor went on to add, "That electrical field has more than one use. Its special function lies in its ability to mimic any spark signature nearby. They are officially called Chameleon circuits."
"Meaning you can't be picked up on scanners unless there isn't another transformer within ten miles," Wheeljack piqued in.
"I don't know what a spark signature is, but that sounds kind of cool."
"Right! You'll be begging to go on missions to try it out pretty soon." Wheeljack sounded too hopeful for her liking.
"You're not going to change my mind that easily."
He nodded in a way she knew he wasn't listening. "Yep, now let's go and present you to Optimus."
Her spark sputtered at the mere mention of the Autobot leader's name. See him now? As in right now? She hadn't thought of what to say to him. How she was going to tell him she was a human who woke up in a transformers body. How could she even talk to him? Anything that came out of her mouth would probably sound stupid.
"Are you sure that's wise? Her battle computer is online, but we haven't tested to make sure the electromagnetic components are working properly."
More tests sounded good, it would give her a little bit longer to think. She nodded to his short list despite not understanding what he meant.
Wheeljack bumped his leg into her side and used his hands to start guiding her reluctantly towards the door. "Those things don't matter. We can find out during demonstration. I've already set up a meeting with him and we're about to be late."
Perceptor scowled. "You set up a meeting already?"
"Two weeks ago."
"And you conveniently forgot to tell me?" Perceptor looked decidedly put out. "If I had known there was a deadline I would have completed more checks and turned on her systems far earlier."
"We both went over the weaponry several times before onlining her. You checked the electrical pathways specifically. Nothing has changed since then so it should work just fine. Come on, let's go." Wheeljack couldn't contain his excitement as he usured a speechless Livewire out of the room, receiving small zaps each time he prodded her.
She walked behind Wheeljack with Perceptor bringing up the rear as they marched down the empty hall. She could barely focus on where her feet were going her mind was racing so quickly. What was she going to say to Optimus? "Hi, I'm not really a transformer. I'm a human who woke up this way. Can you please change me back?"
Her jaw creaked as she grit her teeth, a bad habit from when she was human that had developed after she started working full time. It started out as a concentration thing whenever she was fixing a frustrating program to a habit when fully engrossed in something. She had eventually put so much strain on her jaw that she developed TMJ problems.
Wheeljack led them into a large room and Perceptor nearly tripped over Livewire she had stopped so abruptly. Inside was Optimus Prime and a cluster of other Autobots she recognized from the news, and others who were completely alien to her. Bluestreak waved enthusiastically, causing Prowl to look up from his data pad.
Livewire ducked behind Wheeljack as a hush fell over the room.
"Bluestreak? Even you knew about this meeting?" Perceptor sounded betrayed.
Bluestreak's optics went wide. "It's on everyone's schedule. I thought you knew about it. If you hadn't I would have told you right away. Please don't look at me like that, I promise I didn't hide anything from you."
Perceptor vented dramatically. "I suppose I have been too engrossed in my work. I've been doing my daily duties without much thought to everyone else's schedule."
Prowl scoffed. "You should check it at least three times every dozen cycles. Scheduling of events could change at any time."
"Wheeljack," was all Optimus had to say to quiet the room. "What is this 'amazing masterpiece' you and Bluestreak have been going on about that you didn't want to present until now?"
Livewire felt an excited chill go up her spine and the rate of her fuel pump spiked at hearing his voice in person. It sounded larger in person than on a scrawny TV sound system.
Wheeljack went into automatic presentation mode and bent forward with an excited glint in his optics. "We all know how much of a pain in the neck Ravage is, but also how useful the cybercat is to the Decepticons on gathering info and being a general nuisance."
The group gave each other apprehensive glances while Optimus merely nodded.
"We've always been strapped for specialized spies or anyone with the equipment especially built for reconnaissance. Perceptor and I found a way to build our own spy. One that can go behind enemy lines, record audio or retrieve data, and get out before anyone notices they're there. I present to you my latest project, Livewire!"
To Livewire's horror he stepped aside and spread his arms to showcase her to the others.
"Absolutely not!" Prowl shouted, above a burst of conversations. "I recall you were strictly ordered not to make any more primitive drones. You remember how mindless and destructive the Dinobots were. You," he then turned on Perceptor. "I thought you knew how to follow protocol better. I expected you to keep Wheeljack in line, not help him with his synthetic spark projects."
"She's different," Wheeljack defended hotly. "And it's not Perceptor's fault. Her processing functions weren't scarified for power and she was never given a synthetic spark. She's all program. Though, she does shows signs of having some degree of awareness. I'm not sure how deep that goes or if it's just a quirk of the personality program."
Prowl didn't look very assured.
"Um." Livewire was having a heard enough time finding her voice and when the whole room turned to look at her, including Optimus, her vocals locked and she shrank a little behind Wheeljack.
"Well, at least it's not trying to breath fire down our necks," one of the 'bots sighed.
"I don't see the harm in it. This Live-something just looks like a giant dog. A good choice in animal if you ask me." For the first time Livewire noticed the older human male standing at the feet a rather short transformer, Bumblebee if she remembered right. She hadn't realized just how much bigger she had become. The man wearing a construction outfit didn't even come up to most of the Autobot's knees. She stood a little over 9 feet tall, but she hadn't felt particularly big during the time she spent around Wheeljack and Perceptor. Everyone still towered over her by at least ten feet.
"Livewire is not a dog. She is designed after the species classification Canis Lupus," Wheeljack huffed.
The man crossed his arms. "That's nice, but why is it staring at me like I'm going to be its next meal?"
Livewire couldn't help but be entranced. She was a human only a few days ago, or what seemed like a few days ago, and now she was being stared up at by one of her own species as if she were a strange creature.
"There's nothing antagonistic that was programed into her, as far as I know. Ask Perceptor, that was his part of the project." Wheeljack nudged her a little with his foot, bringing her out of her stupor staring contest.
"Watch this. She can do more than just recon. Her systems are fully built for combat."
Wheeljack brought out a metal cube and tossed it onto the floor. It unfolded and a blue light shot out from the center of it where a form slowly began to take the shape of a nameless transformer.
"Livewire, attack!" Wheeljack pointed at the hologram, but all she did was stare at him in confusion. He couldn't be serious. She didn't know how to attack, or with what. It looked like she would go right through the shimmering image so she wasn't eager to barrel straight into it.
"Attack!" He repeated.
"How?" She asked nervously.
"Just activate your Battle Computer and your weapons will automatically online." Perceptor provided.
Livewire felt she didn't have much choice with everyone looking at her expectantly so she searched inward for the mental switch that would turn the Battle Computer back on. Her core temperature rose and her HUD zeroed in on the hologram. Several prompts flickered in the corner of her vision and she picked one without thinking. Immediately, something sprang out from between her shoulder blades and curled over her head like bull horns. A distinct hum filled the air and she could see electricity snaking its way around the horns and dispersing into the air as it flailed around the twin rods.
She panicked at the nearness of the electricity snapping at the air like an enraged creature and tried to duck away from it. Perceptor grabbed her by the rump and kept her still the next time she tried to flinch away in an attempt to keep from getting zapped.
"You can't be harmed by the electricity. Go ahead and attack the target. Just ram into it with the electromagnetic prongs," he encouraged.
Ram into it? She thought he was nuts. What could she possibly do to a hologram, and how was a computer supposed to suddenly allow her to fight? Livewire back up a step and allowed the battle computer to line up a trajected path. She still thought this was an astronomically bad idea, but cycled once then took off at a sprint towards the hologram. It hadn't occurred to her that running on four legs might have been slightly different and more difficult than walking. She slipped a few times over her paws as the unfamiliar weight of her body shifted around her and she thought she was going to be eating the floor at any second, but her internal stabilizer helped to even out her stride just in time for the computer to prompt her to jump.
She didn't. Despite a nagging feeling in the back of her head that she should jump now, she waited until the last second to try and get a better angle before jumping up. She instinctively curled her head under her paws to protect her neck and cranium as the two prongs coming out of her back collided with the hologram with a loud fizzle followed by an electric pop.
Surprisingly, the flickering figure was solid on impact and she felt it give way under the electric shock the prongs administered. The hologram wavered and broke apart seconds after she touched down on all fours.
Someone whistled and the human clapped.
"Interesting. So its abilities are focused around electricity. A bit inefficient, but useful in some situations." Prowl noted.
Perceptor pointed a finger in the air. "On the contrary, it is very efficient. Instead of focusing on cloaking technology where the user's very armored plates mimic the area around them, Livewire's basic ability centers around chameleon circuitry which depends on a special kind of electric field to match the exact rhythm and signature of nearby Cybertronians. This requires an incredibly high energy output and makes it almost impossible to add other types of weaponry because it would overtax the body and burn through reserves too quickly to be practical. In order to overcome that barrier Wheeljack and I had to find a way to manipulate the electromagnetic field that that the generator-"
"Perceptor. Get to the point," A blue and white mech snapped.
Livewire thought he was being a little harsh, but he was speaking his mind for everyone else who didn't have the heart to stop him. Even she had started to drift from the conversation to sneak a look at the other Autobots. Every now and then one would look over to her, but overall they seemed more interested in the two that had built her new body. Until now, that is. It was looking more and more like the majority of them just wanted this small presentation to be over. The only one who didn't look irritated or bored was Optimus.
During the breath Perceptor took Wheeljack picked up with a brief summary that was a little easier to digest. "The electricity manipulation was something I thought of when studying the trace chameleon circuitry from a piece of Ravage's armor. It only made sense to expand on its electrical use and integrate it into other functions. It makes for a surprisingly flexible defensive and offensive system when you can redirect the flow into other parts and change its intensity at will."
"What happened to fire breathing monsters? This one almost seems tame, even with all that shocking," Jazz noted. The signature number four painted across his white chassis was a dead giveaway to his identity. The media tended to congregate around his seemingly carefree personality.
"Its maneuvers are all defensive, not offensive unless provoked. Naturally there would be no need to add aggression to her personality as it would contradict the point of slipping behind enemy lines and slipping out as quickly as possible." As Perceptor explained Livewire turned off her battle computer and the prongs above her head retracted back underneath flaps in her armor. The flow of electricity returned to lying dormant just under her plates and a rush of hot air gushed from the vents protected by her shoulder armor.
"Great. Is that all you had to show us?" A tall yellow Autobot asked rudely. "Because I would like to get out of here before that thing decides one of us provoked it."
"If you wish. There really isn't much else to show unless we send it out onto the battlefield." Perceptor had barely finished speaking when the yellow Autobot followed by a train of others exited the room as if there was a fire hot on their heels. Only Bumblebee took his time scooping up the human and strolling out with a parting wave. The scientists, Prowl, and Optimus lingered behind. Livewire wasn't sure if she should feel offended that no one seemed overly impressed with her presence or glad for it.
She felt eyes boring into her and turned to Optimus who was watching her with keen interest. The room suddenly felt deadly silent more intimidating than when it was full of Autobots.
Wheeljack was oblivious. "So what do you think, Prime?"
"I think, we'll see in due time. I don't blame the others for being wary, and truthfully I am as well."
Wheeljack and Perceptor looked like they were about to argue, but Optimus cut them off. "But, I am willing to give this creation of yours a chance when the time calls for it."
Livewire wanted to snap and wave in their faces saying 'I'm standing right here!' but thought better of interrupting them.
Instead, took a step forwards. "Excuse me, Optimus Prime?"
His intense blue optics locked onto hers. "I am listening." He was probably the only one to ever say those lines and sound sincere.
Livewire wasn't sure, but she thought a little part of her had just died inside. Optimus Prime had spoken to her, a life-long figure she had looked up to for as long as she could remember. It took a moment for her brain to scramble together the words she wanted to say.
"I don't want to go on the battlefield." Everything came out in a rush and they weren't the ones she had intended. "I don't even know how to fight. I don't think I can wing it by following a computer." She added a belated "Please?" when he didn't immediately respond.
"There is no reason to rush. The physical battle field isn't the only place help is needed. There are other tasks that can be performed on base."
"Thank you." She breathed in relief. He wasn't going to throw her straight into the fire, but it surprised her that he expected her to work on their ship as if she were really one of them.
Wheeljack and Perceptor looked disappointed, but she counted it a small victory.
"I need to return to my duties if I might be dismissed. Unless there is anything you wish to speak about." Prowl said brusquely.
"You may go." Optimus nodded. "I need that report ready by the end of the next cycle."
Perceptor stepped aside and Prowl gave him a pointed look before exiting.
"That didn't go as well as I had hoped." Wheeljack noted when the door slid shut.
"Your life-like creations are still a sore spot for many of us, including me."
Wheeljack looked rightly offended.
"I'm sorry Wheeljack, but we're just now getting used to the Dinobots and even then they're still a violent wild card."
"Which is why I was present to do all of the programing. I made sure Wheeljack didn't sacrifice any major functions for a ludicrous reason such as making more room for lustful tendency towards destruction." Perceptor felt inclined to point out.
"I understand, and I thank you for the consideration. Livewire could be of significant use in the future. If you will excuse me, I need to finish filing paper work before Prowl sends his report." Optimus walked out of the room and Livewire sprang into action. She followed him out, leaving the two scientists in the room behind her.
Optimus' gait slowed after he made it into the hallway and fell into step behind him. She was beginning to wonder what these Dinobots were and why everyone kept bringing them up anytime she was mentioned. No one seemed to like them.
"Was there something else you needed?" Optimus stopped and turned to face her.
She froze in place and looked up at him with a nervous twitch of her ears and opened her mouth slowly.
"There's something I need to tell you."