Livewire: Chapter 4
"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."
Livewire stiffened under his long shadow. Optimus Prime was larger than she had imagined, fully armored and wide enough to fill the hall with his powerful girth. Standing so close, she felt insignificant in comparison, like an annoying bug trying to gain the attention of a greater being. Her tank did a little flip and she felt something akin to bile rise her throat.
"Is this urgent?"
"Well, no." Yes.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but if it can wait I would appreciate it if you made a report for Prowl or myself to read later." There was a heavy sigh in his voice that hadn't been present when he was in the meeting.
"Ok, it's fine. I'll make a report." You idiot.
"Thank you. I would hear you out, but there is growing list of pressing matters that need my immediate attention."
Optimus left her standing in the hallway alone and internally screaming at her own stupidity. Why couldn't she just tell him? He had been standing right there, alone, his full attention on her, and she still couldn't tell him about her…condition. Livewire rammed her forehead into the wall with a solid thunk and admired a close up of the scratches in the metal wall. There was no way she was going to send a report in. She didn't want to announce that she was human on anything that could be recorded, duplicated, or possibly seen by someone else's eyes.
She slowly ground her head into the wall. The longer she held her mouth, the longer she would be trapped like this; in a metal canine body that can barely feel a thing, has no hands, is run on a built in super computer (ok, that was actually kind of cool), and everyone treats her like an object. The Autobots were always saying how they're sentient; they weren't electronics because of something called a spark which they translated for humans to be a heart or a soul. That was all she really knew, but for some reason she imagined them having a little more respect than to call her an 'It'.
Come to think of it, everyone turned into cars and giant robots while she was just a dog, wolf - she growled at the correction. Was her form a reason for them to think she was below them?
"Hey, is that thing glitching out already?"
"Don't look at it. It might think you're a good snack."
"I thought it would only attack if provoked?"
"Your face is all it needs to see."
"Hey!"
Livewire whipped around with a snarl. "I can hear you just fine. If you bastards want to say something about me say it to my face."
Her two toned metallic growl fizzled out as she trailed up two pairs of tall white legs to Autobots with wings sprouting from their backs. She didn't remember seeing them in the meeting room.
"Who are you?" The question came with a cautious glare.
"The name's Slingshot and this guy with the ugly face plates is Air Raid."
Air Raid shoved Slingshot forward with a disgruntled, "You fragger!" and Air Raid elbowed him back. They looked almost identical with their matching red and red white jobs except Slingshot looked slightly bulkier than Air Raid and had a smirk on his face that raised her hackles.
"Hey, drone. Think you can go and fetch us some energon?" Slingshot put his hands on his hips and leaned over her.
Energon, she knew it was their life sustaining force and provided energy for much of her own civilization ever since the Autobots introduced humans to it. It was cleaner to use and had a higher yield of energy than coal when it came to input versus output and could be created through solar energy, essentially making it undepletable. The only downside was how unbelievably expensive it could be to produce.
Livewire couldn't help but hear the arrogance of her boss in his voice. The difference between the two was her salary and livelihood didn't depend on this 'bot. "Get your own. I'm not your maid."
Slingshot frowned and Air Raid moved in closer to mirror Slingshot's towering posture. Livewire felt her battle computer itching at the back of her mind as if it were on a hair trigger.
"Are you defective or something? If you don't go and get that energon I might have to tell Wheeljack you're defective and need to be broken down for scrap." Air Raid's hungry optics told her he was serious. A chill went through her circuits at the thought of Wheeljack listening to him. For all she knew Air Raid was Wheeljack's boss. Plus Air Raid had called her a drone. It might have been some sort of derogatory term, but she was begging to feel that was how everyone viewed her. If there were true, Wheeljack would have no problem killing her if she were deemed a flawed piece of machinery.
"Fine. I'll go." As much as it killed her to say it, if it kept her alive, it would be a small price to pay. After all, it wasn't the first time she had been forced to suck up her pride.
The two 'bots smiled simultaneously and straightened to give her some much needed breathing room.
"That's a good little drone," Slingshot oozed.
Livewire shot through the opening they had left between them and took off down the hall without looking back.
"Don't forget to put an olive on it!" Slingshot hollered before she was out of hearing range.
The energon flowing in her lines boiled as she slowed her steps into a stomping march. Why did they have to be such…such jerks! Never in her life had she imagined an Autobot being as annoying or boorish as another human. It was disgusting.
A stocky green and yellow Autobot came around a corner and she stared at him from the corner of her optic in case he decided to jump her like the other two had. He only gave her a passing glance and never looked back before disappearing around another bend in the hallway.
Livewire fumed for a while longer until her shoulders were starting to relax from walking in circles despite the occasional Autobot she would pass and pointedly glare at their backs. They all left her alone which helped her gradually feel better. She hadn't been looking for energon and wouldn't know the first place to begin or how to even transport it. She had no hands and she remembered the cubes they were stored in to be huge. For a moment she thought of not bringing them any at all, but the thought of them pulling through with their threat hung over her head like a dark cloud. She was about to turn around to search the rooms she had passed when a familiar voice called out to her.
"Hey, Livewire! I wanted to say how great you were when Wheeljack and Perceptor showed you off to the others, but I had to leave with everyone else. I could tell Optimus wanted to talk to you guys in private. Wheeljack told me you had a massive generator for electricity stored in your frame that sounded like it could do a lot of cool things, but I had no idea it would be like that."
She stared at Bluestreak like a fish out water as he rambled about how cool she looked and that he knew the others would like her. She wondered if he saw the same room full of Autobots she had. She waited for him to finish reenacting her charge at the hologram and couldn't help but snicker at his theatrics. He had one leg in the air, his head was curled to his chest, and his hands were fisted by his side.
"I don't think it looked like that," she laughed.
Bluestreak put his foot down and gave her a contagious smile. "Were you going somewhere? You looked like you were in a hurry."
The grin that couldn't fully articulate itself on her plated face faltered and her ears twitched. "I was looking for energon. Slingshot and Raid-something wanted it."
"Slingshot and Air Raid? That's weird. Follow me. I'll show you where the dispenser is."
Bluestreak gave her a quick rub between her ears as he walked by and lead her down the hall until they reached a room furnished with giant round tables and chairs that a few Autobots were occupying. Bluestreak led her to the back where a large machine that looked like a giant water cooler sat against the wall. He pressed a button that made a cube materialize out from the base and a pink liquid poured down from above.
"Here you go. One Energon cube to go."
Livewire stared at the glowing cube a foot from her face and glanced up at Bluestreak. "I don't have hands."
He realized her problem and took back the cube. "Oh. Why don't I carry them for you?"
Livewire vented with relief. This meant she wouldn't have to face the two Autobots with wings alone when she went to try and find them. Bluestreak was filling up a second cube when a shout across the room caught their attention.
"What's going on Blue? Don't have a patrol?"
At the entrance Bumblebee waved while the human she saw from before sat on his other outstretched palm.
Bluestreak took the second cube and approached with light steps to Bumblebee who let the human down. Livewire cautiously approached and stood by Bluestreak's side.
"I don't have patrol duty for a few cycles so I'm helping Livewire out. Say, what did you think about her? She's pretty cool, huh? And cute too."
Livewire felt a rush of heat. What was he doing saying something so casually?
The human laughed. "Cute? That thing there could probably tear your head off and bite me in two."
He was a lot older than she thought he was. From up close the man looked to be in his seventies. The construction outfit from earlier was gone and he now wore a pair of jeans and a button down shirt. She lowered her head until her optics cast a yellow hue on his skin.
"Why would I tear anyone's head off?" She was wondering why everyone seemed to think she would go rabid at any moment. Was it a drone mentality?
"If you have to ask, then there's probably nothing to worry about." He held out a hand. "My name is Sparkplug. It's a pleasure to meet you."
She lifted her paw to shake his hand before remembering she all she could do was step on him and put it back down after pawing at the air between them. "Likewise. I'm Livewire. I don't mean to be rude, but Sparkplug is a strange name…for a human." She added the last bit slowly, the context alien to say.
Sparkplug chuckled. "I suppose it is. Actually, it was a nickname given to me by my colleagues back when I served in the Marines. There was once an incident involving sparkplugs and gunpowder and the rest was history. Ever since I told the Autobots that story they haven't called me anything since and it's become a bit of a bad habit. You can call me Witwicky if you prefer."
She liked him already. Sparkplug – or Mr. Witwicky - reminded her of one of those older guys who had seen so much bull in their life that they preferred to get to the point and not worry about the small things.
"My name is Bumblebee." The smallest Autobot, who was still taller than her, gestured to himself. Livewire felt the ghost of a strange tingling sensation brush across her armor like the electricity that hummed under her armor when the battle computer was activated, only this time it came from an external source. The feeling made her shiver and Bumblebee had a momentarily worried look that she would have missed if she still had to blink.
She was about to say she knew him from TV, but stopped short. "Hello."
"You know," Witwicky rubbed his chin. "I always had a feeling Wheeljack was a dog person, but Perceptor I always took as a cat person. I wonder how they figured which one they were going to make."
Bumblebee gave him a look that suggested Witwicky grew two heads, but Bluestreak practically gushed at the mention of a dog.
"I've seen puppies at the park. They are so cute. I always wanted one, but I knew Prime would never allow it and I might accidentally step on it they're so small. I would never be able to live with myself if I killed a puppy."
Livewire didn't know if this was a tangent or something he had wanted to bring up for a while. If he saw her as a puppy that would explain the bouts of baby language and gratuitous amounts of rubbing between her ears. He would probably have done that several times already if it weren't for the energon cubes currently occupying both of his hands.
"I'm not a dog, you know." She wanted to make that very clear.
"I know. You're way better than a regular dog. I can't squish you and you can talk. We might even fight together in battle someday. You could be the Autobot's war hound."
Livewire vented at the huge smile he was giving her. There didn't seem to be any convincing him or anyone that she wasn't a dog or drone and that she wasn't going to fight their war.
"Hey, you're blocking the doorway."
Bumblebee was lightly shoved aside by a tall red Autobot who stepped over Mr. Witwicky and paused to glance down at Livewire.
"So that's the new runt. It looks smaller up close."
Bumblebee crossed his arms at the newcomer. "Sideswipe, do you always have to be so rude?"
"Moi? Never."
Livewire was getting really tired of being talked down at. She nudged Bluestreak's leg to grab his attention and he seemed to know what the problem was right away.
"I need to take these cubes to Silverbolt and Air Raid. We'll let you guys catch up. Come on Livewire."
Sideswipe steeped aside to let them through and Livewire couldn't help but feel she had several pairs of eyes on her back, the other Autobots who had been sitting quietly and enjoying their energon cubes at the tables included.
"Where are we taking these?" Bluestreak held up the two cubes of energon.
She was hoping he could tell her. "I don't know where they are. I just met them in the hallway."
"That's no good. Give me a click and I'll radio them."
Livewire watched him curiously when he made no move to pull out a radio and kept walking with his optics straight ahead.
"Um-"
"I couldn't hail them, but Prowl said they were deployed on a mission with the rest of the Arielbots and they won't be back for at least a day."
Livewire couldn't even begin to express how relieved she was to hear they were gone. She wouldn't have to see them so soon again and they couldn't blame her for not bringing them energon. It also made her incredibly angry that she had complied with their demands and had gone on their little errand. They probably knew they were leaving the whole time and sent her on a wild goose chase simply because they could. The next time she saw them she was going to sink her fangs into their shiny white armor and see how they like having teeth marks marring their finish.
"Since they're gone we could split the energon or we could bring them to Wheeljack and Perceptor. They worked really hard to finish building you the last few months. Did you know they had been working on your frame on and off for over a year? I can't believe Wheeljack forgot about you and was going to let you rust before. I'm glad he decided to finish what he started."
That was news that she wasn't expecting to hear. Her body had been in production for over a year, and she had been dead for over a year. She wondered if the two might be connected, but couldn't possibly see how.
"Sure, why not."
They entered the lab she had become overly familiar with over the course of a week and immediately spotted Wheeljack tinkering with one of the many projects he had going. She stepped around a pile of parts and Bluestreak whistled loudly like a bird.
"Look what I've got!"
Wheeljack jerked his attention towards Bluestreak and dropped his welder in the process. It landed on his foot, sending off a shower of sparks, and Wheeljack exclaimed as he danced around it.
"Primus. A little warning next time?" he groused as he leaned down to pick up the dead welder.
"I'm sorry; I thought you would have noticed me. I wasn't trying to sneak in and-"
Wheeljack held up his hand and Bluestreak silenced immediately. "What's with the energon cubes?"
"These are for you and Perceptor, though I don't see the latter anywhere." Bluestreak handed Wheeljack a glowing cube. "Here you go. One energon cube from Livewire. I carried it here for her since she couldn't use her hands."
Wheeljack looked at Livewire strangely before shrugging and taking a sip. "For me? You shouldn't have."
"It was Bluestreak's idea," Livewire didn't feel right taking the credit even if it was such an insignificant gesture.
Wheeljack took a large gulp and put the cube down on the bench. "That hit the spot. Say, since both of you are here do you want to help me with a little something?"
Livewire lost track of time scurrying about the workshop with Bluestreak who helped put parts together while she retrieved items, all under Wheeljack's supervision of course. She was starting to associate parts by their name and didn't need direction to find them and was starting to pick up the method to Wheeljack's madness of strewn about parts. Livewire was glad she wasn't a neat freak; her mom would have a heart attack at the growing mess the three of them were creating.
She paused at rifling through a box full of wires. It had been a while since she thought of the people she had left behind in the wake of her death. There was no doubt in her mind she had died and wondered what her parents had thought about her disappearance. Had there even been a body to mourn? Her coworkers and boss probably didn't bat an eyelash and replaced her within the month. She wondered what had become of her clownfish Orange Juice floating alone in her apartment. It was depressing to think about. There would probably be nothing to return to if she somehow changed back, if that was even possible. Everything from her life would be gone, sold off, or trashed.
"Having trouble finding what you need?" Bluestreak asked next to her.
"No," she said sharply and pawed at the contents of the box with more force than necessary, making a few pieces go flying.
Bluestreak leaned away and shielded his optics from the wires slapping against his armor. Livewire had decided to take her anger out on the box, no longer looking for a specific wire, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, ready to bite whoever's hand it was, and came face to face with a familiar pink glow stick.
"You get cranky when you're low on energy." Wheeljack shoved the energon stick in her mouth before she could protest and he looked far too amused by her glare.
Without much choice, Livewire bit the stick in half and swallowed it. "Why do you always do that? My moods aren't dictated by my stomach."
Wheeljack smiled in his strange way by the slight lifting at the edge of his blast mask and the brightening of his optics. "You have a fuel tank, not a stomach, and every time you start getting angry my readings say your energy is low. That makes it a scientific fact."
Livewire was about ready to explode. "I didn't know you were my psychiatrist."
Wheeljack shrugged. "I like to branch out. I might be scientifically inclined to the mechanical side of things, but I don't mind dabbling in the abstract."
She was going to say something nasty, but went back to digging out the wire box until she found what she had originally been looking for.
"Here." She dropped the red and yellow wire in his hand and stalked off to 'her corner', or the spot under the table she woke up on, and laid down with a burning look directed at Wheeljack.
He merely chuckled and went back to his project, leaving her to silently fume.
Now that she was lying down, a wave of tiredness washed through her with the same feeling of neglecting sleep she had experienced as a human. During her stay she had drifted in and out of a low power setting whenever she would hunker down in her spot while Wheeljack, and sometimes Perceptor, milled about the lab. The lack of needing to sleep hadn't bothered her, she was sure it wasn't a necessity anymore, but the sluggish feeling and a want to curl up into a warm bed lingered on the edge of her fuzzing conscience.
Bluestreak hastily shoved the strewn about wires back into the box and came to bend down near her spot. She glared at him, making it clear she didn't want to be bothered.
"Come on. Please don't be like that. Wheeljack didn't mean to make you mad. He likes to tease sometimes, but he never means anything by it. One time he made fun of my door wings and I wouldn't talk to him for a week, then he gave me a box full of energon sticks and acted like it had never happened. I'm sorry if I also did something to offend you."
Bluestreak had a look akin to a kicked puppy with his door wings sagged downwards and his optics dimmed.
Livewire turned her head away. "I'm not mad at you. You didn't do anything."
His door wings twitched upwards and his electric optics shined. The movement gave her an idea. She looked at Bluestreak with a wolfish grin and his optics went wide. "What are you-?"
Livewire slithered out from under the desk and trotted over to Wheeljack with her tail held high and her ears erect. Under her armor she could feel the buzz of electricity as her battle computer activated.
"Wheeljack?" She asked in a honeyed voice.
He gave her a sideways glance without taking his hands off of his 'secret' project that looked more like a pile of scrap to her. "Done moping already?" He asked.
"Nope." She touched her nose to his thigh and a zap of lighting snapped between them. Wheeljack leapt backwards, stepping on a cylindrical part that was carelessly thrown on the floor, and fell over backwards with an earth shaking crash.
Livewire couldn't hold back a bark of laughter as she darted from the room leaving Wheeljack struggling to get up and Bluestreak rushing to help him with a startled yelp and string of questions as to his wellbeing. She kept up a fast pace in the hallway and swore if she had a tongue it would be lolling out of her mouth in amusement. She didn't care how much trouble she would get into later, that was worth it. Now if she could just find Perceptor to shock him for every time he plugged that machine into her head and messed around with her programs, then she would be home free to seek out Optimus and tell him about her problem.
The pace of her stride slowed and a painful strike to her chest made her almost stop. It was so stupid that she hadn't told him earlier. What would happen if she waited too long and they found out on their own? The outcome would probably be worse than anything she could think of from just telling them herself. She hated to admit it, but she was scared at what they would think of her and what kind of life she would have afterword. She was already called a drone and considered an asset rather than a living being, but was that worse than being known as a human who was dead yet somehow alive in the body of an Autobot's science project?
Her tail went lax and she felt the lack of sleep, or whatever was the equivalent to it, catching up to her like a thick cloud. Normally, she would go to her spot and curl up, but she couldn't go back after zapping Wheeljack. He might dismantle something in her sleep, like her vocal box. She found the first open door and slipped inside. Inside was a darkened room ringed by glowing monitors that extended to the ceiling with different Cybertronian symbols blinking on and off them faster than she could keep track. She was baffled by the control system imbedded into the desks under them and had a strong hunch that touching them would be a bad idea no matter how much she wanted to see how an alien super computer might work. She wasn't looking to piss everyone in the Autobot army off by messing with their computers. Besides, there was probably nothing but hordes of robot porn on it like her bosses computer. The more sophisticated a machine looked, the more likely it was to have childish things on it that would that scar her for life.
There was no one around and the place felt fairly safe and secluded. One would think that a person would be unnerved being surrounded by giant computer screens, but nothing about the place screamed maliciousness to her. Livewire rooted around the room, checking under the chairs and the lining walls, and nearly squealed with delight when she found a pile of different sized rags, or cloth - she didn't care what they were for - piled into a sort of closet. It was the first nonmetal object she had seen in days. She dove into the off-white sheets and buried herself in them. She curled up with a contented sigh at the familiar weight of something she knew was soft and warm.
Author's note: Some of you might be feeling exasperated with Livewire by now, but I promise she'll reveal her little problem in the next chapter and the ball will get rolling. If there is an obscure/less used Autobot or Decepticon you would like to see more of that people usually neglect, review or PM me and I'll see what I can do.