Transformers Galaxy Force: Thunder Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers.

Part 5.5 Xian Strike

Chapter 42

WHACK!

Coby fell to the floor with a grunt. Sitting up, he tenderly rubbed the side of his jaw where Lori's bare foot had struck seconds earlier. She stood above him, smiling, her pink sweatband struggling to keep her growing bangs in check.

"I win," she said, offering her hand. He took it and stood, rolling his shoulders to try and unstick his sleeveless shirt from his sweaty back.

"That means you have five wins over me," he said, stepping back and dropping into a fighting stance. "Care for another round?"

Lori grinned and nodded, putting a hand on her waist and putting her weight on her left leg. To anyone else, she looked like she was perfectly relaxed. But Coby knew her better than that. In reality, she was tensed like a coiled spring. Only the tension in her arms and the light of battle in her eyes gave away any indication that she was more than ready for a fight. She had beet up many a high school pervert with her deceptive stance. Coby began to look for any indication of an opening or an attack. His eyes took in her grey tank top and brown sweats, his mind reflexively noting just how much he liked her in that outfit. For a brief moment, Coby let his guard down.

Big mistake.

She charged, her hand thrusting towards his abdomen like a knife. Coby spun on his foot, dodging her thrust and brining his elbow down between her shoulder blades. Unfortunately, Lori was a girl, and was therefore more flexible than him. She linked her elbow with his, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing hard on a pressure point. Maintaining her grip, she spun them both around so they were facing each other. She let go of his shoulder, deflected his punch to her gut, and shoved him hard, stepping back from the recoil. As he staggered backward, she charged again, this time aiming for his forehead.

Time suddenly slowed down for Coby. He could see Lori coming toward him, intending to slap his head with her palm and send him to the floor. Figures flashed before his eyes, calculating her speed and his balance. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes began to glow green and his body began to radiate a blue aura. However, Lori did notice. Her eyes widened in shock and surprise as she tried to stop her charge, even though she knew she couldn't. Seconds before she would have collided with him, Coby jumped. There was a popping sound of displaced air as he vaulted twenty feet over her head and landed on his feet behind her.

His body and eyes no longer glowing, they turned and looked at each other in surprise, simultaneously asking, "What was that?"

Neither one spoke for a second, and then Lori slowly said, "Your eyes were glowing green and you were radiating a blue aura. You looked like you were summoning a Force Chip or something."

Your Human form and your Transformer form are interconnected.

Coby took a deep breath and closed his eyes in concentration. He turned his attention inward, and heard himself gasp at the vast information that was suddenly available. He knew how much blood was in his body to the tenth decimal; he knew his height was 5'8.759"; he knew how much air he was taking into his lungs, and how much of it was oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and other chemicals. He opened his eyes and tried to extend that same attention outwards. He gasped as his vision changed, as if he was looking through his optics as Rodimus Convoy.

"Your eyes are glowing again," Lori remarked, brining him back to earth.

"It's amazing," he said, his eyes still glowing as information scrolled across them. "Being a Terraformer allows me to enhance my abilities in Human form. By using my "Terraformer powers" so to speak, I can increase my endurance, my physical strength, my speed; things that would take minutes of pen and paper to solve, I can solve in seconds in my mind." Coby turned towards Lori, smiling as his eyes returned to normal, "It's like I am aware of my Human body the way Transformers are aware of theirs. I even have auto-heal in Human form."

Lori looked thoughtful for a moment, and then asked, "Can you fire electricity from you hand?"

He shrugged, "Perhaps." He tried, aware that his body was giving off a blue aura again as he raised his hand toward a bare wall. Red electrical energy crackled at his fingertips and he grinned, "Yep!"

She nodded, "Good. Now just try not to shock me when we spar again."

"No problem," Coby answered as she turned away towards the bathroom. "Uh, Lori," he said, blushing.

"What?" she asked as she pulled her shirt off. She noticed his face and giggled, "I should show you my linguine more often."

"Your dad would have a fit if you did," he warned.

"So stop looking," she teased, throwing her shirt into his face and closing the door. He heard her turn on the shower a few minutes later, singing a song.

Coby suddenly felt a powerful desire to pull off his clothes and join her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and feel her returning his love. But he didn't act on his desire; he loved her too much to put her in such a position unwillingly.

After Lori was done, Coby showered as well and put on some fresh clothes. He pulled some food out of their packs and they sat in silence, eating.

"I have to leave tomorrow if I'm going to get to my race on time," he said after a while.

"You'll do fine," Lori said.

More silence.

"Do you want to go for one last spin in the sky?" he asked her.

She nodded, "I'd like that." So Coby changed forms and she climbed into his cockpit. Firing up his thrusters, Rodimus Convoy took to the skies.

This, he thought to himself, is where Lori and I truly belong.