The Diego Diaries: Game Changer 17 (dd3 8)
=0=California
They looked up at him, a giant green and gray Autobot. He was staring down at them with a stogie in his mouth, his expression confident and no nonsense. "Uh … we were going to film an opening sequence to the films we're going to be making with you. We would need your bots to transform so we can see them and plan out this process more."
Kup stared at him for a moment, then looked behind him. "Autobots, transform."
The sound of metal moving and steps being made as vehicles came apart and began to rise filled the air. All of the bots began to reshape into humanoid forms almost faster than the eye could follow, then came closer when they'd made the last shift. All of them stared down at the humans with fierce pride and a bemused optic.
The humans looked upward, then at each other.
Kup looked at Lennox who was grinning. "We're transformed. What the frag now?"
Aaron Belcher nodded toward the giant door of the sound stage that was slid open. "We need you inside. We'd like you to identify yourselves to us if you may. Some of you we already know a little. Some of you are new."
Kup looked back. "Those two are twins. Sunstreaker is the yellow one and Sideswipe the red." He looked at Springer. "This youngling is Springer. He was and still is chief of the Wreckers and is Head of Security of Mars and the colony. That youngling," he said nodding to Drift, "is Drift. He was a holy terror as a Decepticon back in the orn. Now he's a Knight of Cybertron, Autobot and a follower of the Circle of Light."
He glanced the other direction toward two silent former 'Cons. "This is Nitro, a Seeker and reformed Decepticon. This is Scar, a former Decepticon and all around maniacal slagger until he saw the light."
They snickered and the two ex-'Cons smirked.
"Speak for yourself, old mech," Scar said.
"That is amazing. Two Decepticons, a bunch of front liners, the Wrecker chief, a Knight and you," Mellar said looking up at Kup.
The big bot considered that, then leaned forward slightly, looking down at the humans looking upward with ginormous grins on their faces. "You coulda done worse. I'm a Wrecker and front liner. Forgot more about fightin' than these sparklings know. Ask Megatron."
The humans hurried everyone inside.
-0-On Earth
Agent Simmons walked into the office for the day's snooping. He was tracking a traitor. Even the thought of that word made him wince. As demented as he was sometimes, all he did was for the country.
Even when it wasn't.
Mostly.
But it was.
Usually.
He entered his office and sat to stew slightly over the notion that he had no concrete evidence of hacking, stealing or all around traitoring. All around him there were Sector 7 personnel working hard at their jobs. He looked at them wondering who was the one.
It was surely one of the people he was watching that was the traitor. He had to find them so he leaned into his computer to work madly to find the one. Then he'd smack their ass.
-0-Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California
They walked into the sound stage and took a moment to look around. Mostly it was empty but for a lighting and camera set up in front of a wall that appeared to be made of grayish-toned corrugated steel that looked aged.
Aaron looked at the group. Then he singled out Sunstreaker. "Perhaps you can come first," he said.
Sunstreaker glanced at the others. "What does that mean?" he asked in his deep masculine voice. He stood before them in his skate mode. It was a ferocious incarnation, one that could change easily to full peds.
The same was true of his brother who watched from nearby with his arms folded over his chest and a smirk firmly on his handsome face.
"Come with me," Mellar said as he walked toward the set up.
Sunstreaker glanced at the others then followed pausing by the lighting and camera crews. Staring down at the director, Mellar explained what he wanted. "We want to make a really moody noir opening to this series. That means we want you to stand against the wall, perhaps leaning on it with your shoulder. Then we turn down the lights and play those across you," he said pointing to spotlights nearby. "It'll be a beautiful effect."
Sunstreaker looked at him doubtfully. "If you say so." He rolled to the wall. Looking down, he waited.
"Turn sideways to the wall and look at me down here. We're going to hit the lights and the spotlight will play over you. Just look in this direction and we'll try a take."
Sunstreaker looked at Mellar, watching as he walked back to a monitor and called down the lights. The room became dark, the light from the big door eliminated when they came in by grips sliding them shut. He watched silently, then a spotlight flashed on. It was aimed toward him and slowly played over his body. He looked at them adjusting his optics.
The light moved across his body slowly, shadowing him as parts appeared and some disappeared. It was sinister and moody, accented his alien beauty and made him look ferocious.
Mellar halted the shot and replayed it. The humans huddled around the monitor of the playback including the three soldiers and Warren Roberts. "Wow. That was beautiful." He looked at Sunstreaker. "How about you kneel on one knee and look down at me?"
Sunstreaker looked at him, then the others all of whom were watching with night vision. He smirked slightly and complied, kneeling down gracefully. The spotlight played back and forth over him slowly panning to expose his face, his big frame and his incredible beauty.
They would continue for several hours pausing to reset the staging differently for each bot and group of bots. They'd be posed separately and together.
Scar would appear menacingly alone and in tandem with Nitro as the Decepticons in the mix. Kup would appear by himself facing the camera with his stogie in his mouth and his big arms crossed over his chest. Kup looked unshakable, his gaze direct and his demeanor solid.
Posed with Springer, it was a nice contrast. Kup older and unflappable, stoic stern visage firmly in place was a contrast with Springer's affable good natured poise. Both looked like they could flatten you with a single step of their big peds. They were more accessible than the two Decepticons who read as guarded.
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe as twins were posed in tandem and alone. Standing with pride together, then one standing, the other kneeling, they went through the gamut of possibilities. Their personalities became clear in the process.
Sideswipe had a more mellow nature, more accessible, more open and funny. Sunstreaker was the opposite. He looked more dangerous and gave that vibe. They were amazing together and the lighting effect was perfect to express their dangerous personalities.
They waited as the film crew went over the shots. They were gathered together looking at the quality of their work so far.
The bots were lounging around the place, some kneeling and talking together, the others standing in small groups. Scar and Nitro mech together watching two still photographers take images of them.
:These insects make me nervous: Scar said.
:They do. The soldiers are alright: Nitro said agreeing.
:They are. But they're soldiers: Scar said.
Nitro agreed.
As they waited together a man and woman came up to them.
They looked down.
The humans looked up.
"I wonder if we can ask you some questions please?" the man said.
Nitro shrugged. "Alright."
"What's your name and what do you do now at Autobot City?" he asked. The woman with him had a tape recorder in her hand to take his words down.
Nitro glanced at Scar, then looked at the humans. "My designation is Nitro. I'm Master of Munitions for the city."
"What's a Master of Munitions?" the man asked.
"I supervise the creation of all munitions for the city and the army. I design special ammunition and rockets. I'm responsible for making sure that the soldiers and Seekers have what they need."
"You're a Seeker?"
"Yes," Nitro said.
"It's our understanding that the Seekers were Decepticons. What made you change sides?"
Nitro considered that as images of his bond and his wonderful daughter came into his mind. "I had a family to protect. I couldn't stay in the Decepticons and keep my family alive. I also wanted a leader that didn't lie and made me proud. Optimus Prime does that for me."
"Did you know Megatron?"
"I saw him. I spoke to him. I didn't know him better than that. Few do," Nitro said.
"What's your name, sir? What do you do at Autobot City?" he asked looking at Scar.
"I'm Scar and ... I was a Decepticon. I, uh worked in a hunter group. My group defected and I liked what I saw. It was better than the Decepticons. Prime keeps his word."
"What do you do now?" he asked as he noted 'hunter group' on his note pad.
"I work in construction. I'm a boss on site. I have a bond and a daughter, too."
"How did you get your scars?" he asked with a minimum of tact. "Is that why your name is Scar?"
"My name is Scar. I got these marks from a fight with a Reaper."
"You got those from a Reaper?" Nitro asked with surprise.
Scar nodded. "Deathbringer."
"How did you manage to walk away in one piece?" Nitro asked.
"I faked death," Scar said.
For a moment they chatted, then looked down. The two humans were looking up at them both with something a bit between appalled and awestruck on their faces.
"I won't ask you what a Reaper is," the man said.
"Good move," Scar said.
Nitro nodded.
Neither smiled.
The two humans moved on shortly after.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
Prowl sat at the command table reading intel as Ratchet ambled into the room. Pausing to look at the winger in his element, Ratchet pulled out a chair and sat. "Hey."
"Hey. What brings you here? I thought you'd have some doctoring to do," Prowl said relaxing slightly.
"All is well," Ratchet said. "My magic servos have done their job."
Prowl snorted. "Is that so?"
"It is," Ratchet said with a grin. "Any news from the 'platoon'?"
"Just the odd remark from Bluestreak," Prowl said. "They're keeping Blue informed."
"I hope Nitro and Scar come through in one piece. They looked pretty nervous this morning when they left," Ratchet said with a grin. "By the way, who put this list of 'playas' together?"
"Jazz and Optimus," Prowl said.
"How can you leave the Master of the Army out of the equation?" Ratchet asked. "I'd think that the awesomeness that's Ironhide would be included."
"Do you want me to do that?" Prowl asked.
"Not really. I just want to be on the record when the slag hits the fan. If it does," Ratchet said.
Prowl grinned. "I'll remember that."
"Do. By the way, RTR Tools is back in business."
Prowl glanced up sharply. "Really? I better get my order in now then. I lost the tool kit they made for me way back when."
"I'd suggest it," Ratchet said proudly. "The genitors are working already to fill some and its only the first day of business for them."
Prowl did. And one for Optimus, too. Christmas Surprise was now covered at the winger's house.
-0-Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California
They watched as Springer and Drift made the desired poses for the director. They posed this way and that. Springer knelt while Drift stood. It was eerie, evocative and sexy.
Then Mellar glanced back at the mechs standing behind him in a group. "I'd like to have Scar, Drift and Nitro please."
Springer stepped away as the two big bots joined Drift who watched with his characteristic smirk firmly in place. Springer walked to Kup and joined the twins who were joking over everything about the process. "I guess they got tired of my beauty."
The twins snorted. "You say that in our hearing? What's wrong with you?" Sunstreaker said with a wolfish grin.
"Yeah," Springer said smirking at Kup. "What the frag is wrong with me?"
Kup took the stogie out of his mouth. "You asking?"
"Nope," Springer said with a grin.
"You younglings are too vain for your own good. I'm the sexy one."
Laughter broke out.
The director turned in his chair to hush the group, then changed his mind.
"That director mech ... I think he wants us to tone it down," Springer said looking at the group who had returned to the task at hand.
"Frag him," Kup said champing on his stogie. "We're the slagging stars."
"We?" Sideswipe asked with a big grin. "You got a 'Con in your subspace, old mech? Sunny and I have the star thing covered."
Kup looked at Sideswipe with the 'slagging little recruit, listen up' expression on his face. "Fragging younglings."
=0=2012 (9) 4-23-2022 edited
guff: giving someone a hard time verbally
stew, stewing: worrying and fretting over something, anxiety