BATTLE CRY
winterminch

CHAPTER THREE / BODY SCANS INDICATE

[SAME DAY. 1600 HOURS. PST. NEVADA, U.S.A.]

William rapidly learned that the new and improved Skylar Rosette was actually quite a good listener when she wasn't trying to weasel Government answers out of him.

Before he got to that point, however, like every transaction that happen in, out, and around the N.E.S.T. Base, it consisted of stacks upon stacks of paperwork.

She hadn't been permitted to move from her spot for another good half an hour; she was handed a ballpoint pen to fill out his thumb thick of a contract. All the while, Lennox had stepped out of the room himself to quickly send a message to a certain red and blue clad leader that every one of his soldiers needed to return to incognito form until he was given the okay. By the time he returned with a sandwich for the girl who hadn't eaten all day, the last curve of her signature hit the paper, and she was sworn into N.E.S.T. secrecy.

It was official - whatever she would see, hear, experience, know, or not know until permitted to speak of it was classified beyond belief. On a personal level, she believed it was a small price to pay for her to get to do what she loved, what she lived for. She would be lying if she said she wasn't pleased with the outcome of this entire thing.

Also, as promised, she'd got her promotion.

Though it was brief, only a handshake to give her for now after she finished all of her agonizingly boring work and got settled, her position of PFC shifted to WSPC, her title claimed by N.E.S.T. Formally from now on, she would no longer be viewed as Private First Class Rosette of Boot's Sniper Platoon, or addressed in that manor, but both seen and heard as N.E.S.T.'s leading Human Liaison and Weapons Specialist Skylar Rosette. It would be a change she would have to get used to, but she wasn't complaining.

As soon as she had completed her, "Thanks for this opportunity" smile with Captain Lennox, confirming the deal, she neatly stacked away all of her work, placing all of her books, notepads and blueprints back into the binder, then proceeded in hiding them once again in the back compartment of the black pack she zippered shut for a final stressed to her the importance of never letting anyone but herself and the soldiers she would be working with see the documents. She wouldn't argue with him, but something in his face screamed the priority that she listened to his request. No family, no friends. Just him, and the soldiers.

Skylar slung the straps over both her shoulders. Reaching to her hips to grab the dangling belts, she yanked them tight, securing the backpack from theft. Then, quickly retying her undone shoelaces on her left boot, followed by her fallen hair, she had thrown on a pair of sunglasses from the side pocket of the bag, and had a very sloppy bun hanging from her head. Fixing the leather working gloves on her fingers, she finally gave a ready bob of her head, and followed Lennox to wherever he would want to take her.

Now that she was in the okay to leave, came the hard part:

The tour of the Base.

Maybe not difficult for her, for all she had to do was keep her ears and eyes open, and retain what information was being spoken, but for Lennox, it was much more of a challenge. Not only was this a temporary 'Area 51' in the heart of Nevada as they deconstructed Diego Garcia and began building inside the Department of Health and Human Services warehouse in D.C., but he had the position of carefully telling her as much as he could about what she would be doing here, without telling her just who she would be working on. She simply couldn't know about the Autobots just yet, due to the fact that he A, had yet to ride it by the Mechs themselves to expose their knowledge to someone they had yet to interrogate from afar themselves, and B - he had yet to run it by his superiors either.

So, perhaps, he was a little behind the 8-ball. But, like had stated before, she was an attentive listener.

He pointed out little things she should know as they walked side by side through hanger to hanger - one dedicated just to food, because after all, these men and women, "- gotta' eat, don't they?" She was still happily munching on her BLT that he had brought her (it's contents almost gone in the pits of her stomach), so she paid no mind to the awkward selection table, and more towards the N.E.S.T. Soldiers who stared her down as they passed by. She had been so caught up in slight fear and agitation from this entire thing, that she had momentarily forgotten that it would be like High School all over again.

New kid in a crowd of people who knew each other?

Instantaneous eye-molestation. She murmured on the inside of her brain, however she did not drop her gaze to the floor like she would have in school. She was anything but awkward now, her chin up just as proudly as it had been 5 minutes ago. She wouldn't let a couple shifty gazes throw her off, even though just beneath the shell, she was unnerved of some conversations to come.

As they continued to the next room and the next and the following after that, she had met and greeted more officers than she could count on both hands and feet, each of them saying they had heard of her excellent sniper track record, and what she could do, and that they were overjoyed to have her join their Team. She would smile faintly and shake their hands back, and salute when saluted to. It had become routine so much that when a man about her age, maybe older, approached her, and called her a 'Specialist, ma'am' because she had a higher ranking them him now, her eyes had widened in size, unsure how to respond. Lennox laughed it off, clapping her on the shoulder, and pulled her on.

"Sleeping quarters are down that hall." He motioned the the large double doors that someone shut behind them with two fingers. "A lot of team members go home, but those like you who will be staying more times than not, have your own bunk in there."

Skylar dug her hands down into her pockets, making another mental list of what she had learned so far:

First, to get into this Base, you had to either travel by air or car, but by car, it was a very long drive with a lot of security checks to go through. Once inside, more security and guards and soldiers, and then there was the flight hanger, where their Air Force Personal resided most of the time with their fighter jets and inside jokes. Leaving through double doors on the opposite wall, came the prep-hall, where when it was time for battle, soldiers grabbed their weapons, their vests and their belongings. Further, deeper in came the food room, then the training hanger, continuing to the officer's headquarters, technological and statistic offices, sleeping bunkers, a couple of abandoned labs, and then -

"And this is the -" Lennox had instantly cut off, throwing a hand out to stop her from walking any more forward. She had been looking at him before, taking in the information she could, but he gazed at what was in front of her.

By his anxiously troubled expression, she couldn't contain her nagging curiosity any longer.

Twisting her gaze over his arm, she had expected something spectacularly classified to look at, but all she saw was that it was just a regular automobile hanger.

She was no true expert on cars, in fact, she had no knowledge except for brand names, so it was nothing truly special to her at first. Sure, she could look at them and notice how shiny and wonderfully built they were. Skylar could spot a nice, expensive vehicle when they fluttered by her and her muddy motorbike on the highway. But if she had to be generic, it was a very large truck, a Peterbilt, wasn't it? Her uncle used to drive one before he died. Next to it sat an Emergency Hummer, it's lights off, awkwardly parked, as if the driver had difficulty. Two little Chevvy boxes sat on either side of a large GMC Truck, and somewhere behind, someone was working on a shaded purple motorcycle.

Other than that, she wasn't sure what to say.

She opened her mouth to inquire, but her commander beat her too it.

"Hell, uh - you." He outstretched his arm to point at the man screwing a bolt on the motorcycle. He looked up cautiously when Lennox's voice carried across the walls, motioning to himself with one hand, fingers resting against his chest.

William nodded.

"Yes you, come here." He directed, practically yapping. Throwing his rag over his shoulder, the man made his strut closer. As he approached, Skylar took in his lightly dyed blonde hair, dark brown, angular ethnic eyes and soft smile.

Will grabbed both of their wrists, mashing their hands together to force a handshake. Despite herself, her face heated up at how direct her commander was being about their meeting. It was easy to see the man was well uncomfortable too, red ears an offset to the starch white hair that tangled to an end at the nape of neck.

"Private Rosette, this is Sebastian Yin, one of our main mechanics. Mr. Yin - Weapons Specialist Skylar Rosette. You two will be working together a lot soon." Before either could speak, Mr. Lennox had grabbed both their shoulders, and turned them towards the exits. Walking with them, he continued to speak, one of the most fake smiles she had ever seen plastered across his chin gracing her presence. Whatever was about to go down in this room was not for her eyes, she noted, but didn't act on it. If he wanted her to respect his secrets, she guessed she would have to, as he had respected hers. "He will be a dear and show you around while I am in a meeting."

There was a pause where he gazed at the man, then pursed his lips.

"Briefly. He will briefly show you around, and somewhere farther out than here. I must speak to someone important in your leave."

"Sir?" Sebastian had looked so perplexed his cheeks inflamed, looking over his shoulder to where the Autobots sat in their Alt. Modes. But, when he looked back, something in the Major's eyes clicked in the man's brain, and to Skylar's greatest surprise, he grinned. Keeping this act going, throwing his arm around an unsuspecting Ms. Rosette's shoulders, Sebastian squeezed, making her actually squeak like a chew toy. "Oh, okay, understood, Lennox. If you will, Ms. Rosette, I will show you our food court. You've gotta be starving. Despite what some people think of the crappy food here, I really enjoy it."

As they disappeared from sight, all Lennox could hear in the distance was -

". . . not really . . . sandwich . . . been a little too nervous for that . . . stupid gun . . ."

"Alright! Coast is clear." He turned to the fancy, quietly sitting vehicles. Almost all at the same time, the automobiles sprung to life with a rev of their engines. They purred like a group of pleasured kitties, and all but one awoke from stasis upon being called. Lennox turned his gaze at the Black GMC Topkick that was still as stone with a look of displeasure, before sauntering over and smacking his hand down on the hood once. The entire car shuddered under impact, as if it had been shocked by thousands of watts, before slamming to life, engine not purring, more growling. "Let's go, out of Alt. Mode, up an' at 'em, boys."

The strangest thing happened.

A whirl of hydraulics, the sound of metal rubbing against metal, a couple of elder grumbles here and there, the sound of shifting gears, and where the Topkick had sat, gathering dust, now stood the great and skilled Ironhide, the equivalent of Weapons Specialist Skylar, in mech Form, that is. He was 26 feet tall, armed with so many weapons it was hard to count each one individually, and his optics were narrowed considerably as he starred right back at what someone would call his friend, others would call his one true human brother. Finally, all of his metal plates snapped into place, and he was a towering warrior.

"Unwise move, William." He grumbled under his breath, voice deep, but hazy, as if it came through an HD radio, but a radio all the same. It sounded sleepy, and Lennox clicked his tongue once at how much of a drama queen his (not) truck was. William himself gave the ceiling an amused stare, turned around, and waved a hand as if to get the mech off his back. He could hear the increased hum of a battle cannon springing to life. "You wanna do something about it?"

Will turned back, lips forming a tight line. His eyebrow popped up.

"What are you going to do about?" He teased the Mech, and when the cannon began to squeal and shine bright blue, not just hum and woosh in warning, Lennox shuffled back a step cautiously, hands going up besides himself. Subconsciously, the man knew his friend would never do it, but his own nerves were as fried as Skylar's had been for the day. The Autobot waited a moment, then roared with laughter at that one, saying something about Little Will's face looking more frightened than Annabelle's on bath night. Finding the joke anything but amusing, knowing perfectly well what Anna's face looked like on those days, Captain scoffed once and turned away. "Oh, bug off you big metal -"

"I would like to point out that your phrasing is incorrect."

The motorcycle that had been tinkered on by Mr. Sebastian shook out, removing itself, or, herself from her Alternate Mode, finally standing to a stretch, snapping into place. When she was done transforming into something much greater than a bike, she continued with her arms folded behind her back. Out of all of her sisters, Lennox found Arcee to be one of the most hard to come to terms with. Never piss off a woman, and especially when they're wired to more ammo than he could get his fingers on, and especially after she was just toyed with by her least favorite mechanic. Why she didn't like Sebastian she wouldn't officially say, but he gathered it had something to with what she once had called his 'meaty hands'.

"Though we are not human and your saying of 'up and at them, guys' is a generic terminology," Continued Arcee, walking up to join the others, "my sisters and I are not mechs, and I wish you would remember that. We may fight like them, but we do have some class."

Lennox put his hands up higher, once more shuffling away. This time, he meant it just a little more than he did with Ironhide. He'd had his share of angered females for the day, and didn't want any more. In fact, all he wanted was aspirin or a really hard drink. Perhaps if he got released early for the day, he would have Sarah pick up both.

"Apologies, Arcee. It won't happen again."

Though he couldn't pick up everything she had said after that, Arcee mumbled something that sounded awfully like, "You said that last time." Pretending he hadn't heard it to begin with, trying to doge awkward banter that was wasting time, he turned to the next 'Bot to speak. It was the small, red Chevrolet Trax that was no longer that, but like it's twin in Green, Mudflap (twin, being Skids).

"Speakin'a 'lil ladies," Unlike both Ironhide and Arcee, who spoke with more normal American tongue, sophisticated, at the very least, Mudflap and his Twin found themselves using more street slang dialect. Not, to say, that they minded. It only made things more entertaining for the two trouble makers, "I cannot be the on'y one who noticed Newbie-Nancy." He did a small dance, metal hips shaking, ignoring his twin who had scoffed loudly, cracking the knuckles of large fingers. "Awh, yeah, it'd be a dayum shame if we've gotta' get rid of 'er."

There was the sound of metal smacking metal as Skids beat his brother in the shoulder once, making the red Autobot flip on his back.

"We all 'ave seen 'er, stupid. That's why we're not showin' ourselves." Skids very humanly had motioned to himself to add emphasis as he hovered over, ignoring his brother's comment of, 'ey, man, d'at ain't cool. Let a brother be happy'. When the two Twins were standing again, Skids added something very quietly, beginning to plot away with his Evil Identical as his arm was tossed around his brother's shoulder. "Not yet." He pointed at the their leader, who had finally removed himself from Alt. Mode, and was standing tall and proud. "But, if we be good, Opto mi' not see us exit."

"Brotha', I like the way you thi -"

"No." Lennox shook his hands up at them, getting their attention, getting everyone's attention. The same as a frown showed up on both of the Twin's mouthplates at being denied their exposure plot, and Mudflap began to protest. Will still continued on over him, despite his size, voice carrying quiet far. "No. Again - no, no, no, no. Rethink that thought, rethink it again, and then don't think on it at all."

Crossing his arms over his chest as he turned away to speak to the entire group, and not just the Trouble Twins from Hell, Will was greeted with a couple confused mumbles, minus perhaps Ratchet and Optimus Prime himself.

"We will let her know in time, but for now, you are still as classified as if you weren't even real."

Ironhide winced.

"A wound to our pride."

Will was close enough to him now that he pat Ironhide's foot supportively.

"Though I'm sure we all do trust your judgment, William, I must insist from curiosity on why we do not just let her know right away what she will be dealing with?" Ratchet stroke up the confusion of the entire team that may or may not have been expressed by comm. link, and not spoken. Though, when he did finally release what they were all perplexed about, his voice was gruff, a slight accent bleeding through. "We are her test subjects, are we not?" He briefed, and it was Lennox's turn to wince at his wording, hands digging into his pockets.

Though Ratchet didn't mean it, there was a snap to his tone that clearly stated that he was still not officially sure about what they were doing.

"Is that not what we agreed to?"

"You're not test subjects." Lennox promised, voice strained with truth. "You will never be test subjects. You're soldiers, damn good ones, and she is only here to help you guys create what you need to fulfill those duties, like you wished. You will never be test subjects."

It was Optimus who finally spoke up after all the Autobots were taken aback by Lennox's very pretty, sparkwarming speech. Even the twins and Arcee could take his words to heart kindly, and maybe they were also just a little more lenient on him for the rest of the day too.

"Then she lived up to your - our - expectations, Lennox?" Optimus wondered about the non-interview/interrogation that Specialist Skylar had gone through just an hour before, voice baritone and gruff, very American. He designated in a proud aura, holding himself in a way that anyone who gazed at the Autobots knew he was leader, despite his towering height over the others. His arms falling behind his back as he restarted the conversation, Optimus's blue optics gazed down at his team's main ally. Lennox, who despite himself, had his ears turn red.

"Right on spot, Optimus." He admitted of his new member, hearing the zip, zip, zip of the gun she'd shot with in the back of his head as it hit the titanium through the target sheet. He could see her flustered, furious face as he pointed a gun at her, but yet, was still able to work under pressure, no, work under pressure in 15 seconds on a gun that was almost completely destroyed. "She exceeded my expectations."

He spoke very highly of her, the Autobots realized, and it took quite a large personality to make Will get excited over them joining his team. Not to say that he wasn't happy with any specific members of N.E.S.T., but some were more difficult than others.

Ironhide chuckled. He would have to see for himself how this little fleshy really was at weaponry for himself, especially at how pleased Lennox was.

"I," Continued the man, "only wish to observe her in her natural working station for a while before I put your, literal, arms out on the line for her to tinker with your weaponry." Skids found that one punny, and spoke on it. Lennox ignored him with the second eye roll of the meeting. "Besides, she's had an extremely stressing day as it is. I think we should let her have a while to get used to the scene before she is introduced to you guys."

Ratchet raised his hand to bring the attention back to him, and when he had it, he nodded in thanks.

"I was already out of stasis when she entered, but I did not react for obvious reasons. I ran a couple of tests on her, body wise. Her stress levels are quite complex, and I even detected a foreign sense of fear, however she did not show much emotion on her face, unlike most humans, and even soldiers, who are going through a weighing event. I agree with Lennox to wait for a formal introduction; she will need to calm down, or she may not be okay in the results."

"She's got a good mask, Rach." Agreed Will, once more thinking about the not really interrogation room, and how her expression had changed perhaps twice: from angry, to intent on listening. "She's young, but she's strong-willed."

"That doesn't solve the problem of her learning of the existence of the Autobots." Persisted Arcee, throwing her voice into the mix to make sure her thoughts were being heard as well. "I has to be sooner versus later, William."

"Perhaps," Spoke a new voice, who had been quiet silent the entire time. Will hadn't even realized he was in the hanger when they had first entered, for he had been hidden somewhat behind Ironhide, deep in stasis. Only now did he finally put his ideas on the table, and Captain Lennox turned to face the electrowhipped Autobot, "if we sent someone to continually watch her and give feedback for if and when she was ready?" Jolt amended, and only half of the team agreed with that notion, Lennox himself not being one of them.

"A noted notion, a good idea," He promised when Jolt grumbled, "but we also don't want to start off on the wrong foot with her either, and not have her cooperate because we've been stalking at her." Lennox pursed his lips, eyes narrowing ever so. Not at them, but the female of topic. "She's young, as I stated, and though may look controlled, she is also stubborn, quite sarcastic, snarky -"

"Sounds like you, ya' lil' bitch -" Mudflap had begun the insult, but Ironhide smacked him on the back of the head so hard, the 'Bot was on the floor yet again. Saving the conversation from going sour, Optimus regained control with a look to both the Twins, Ironhide, and then William himself, who were all silent when their leader needed to be heard.

"We understand, Lennox. We're just running out of time. After the death of Megatron in Mission City, his allies scattered across your globe. In the recent events of Egypt," The Autobots shifted awkwardly, thinking of how Optimus hadn't been Optimus at all, until brought back from, well, offline. The leader himself didn't falter once, "he has gone into hiding, along with those allies who aided his return. Yet, we have all come to the conclusion that they have shown up in the recent year more often every month. I can only believe that this is no coincidence, and that if we do not act soon, there will be war."

"I get it, Big Man." Lennox nodded, truly getting it. He had been in all the same debriefings and battles with the Autobots, as one of the head honchos of N.E.S.T. himself. Lennox put a hand on his chest, the other up, as if he was taking oath. "Sooner than later, agreed, I swear on my honor. All of your weaponry that was damaged and destroyed will be fixed - that you couldn't do yourselves, of course, remade, whatever is needed. She can do it; I know she can."

Once again, the Autobots were brought to silence by his words.

"Now," He clapped his hands together when the quiet lasted too long for his liking, "that you all are here, I do have to ask - wait, I lied, where's Swipes and Bee?" He inquired, turning in a complete circle, as if he had missed to Autobots who didn't want to speak. But they were no where in sight, and when he looked back at the allies suspiciously, all of them took a turn sharing looks on how to tell him, even Optimus, who in the end put his hands up defeat, rather than let himself get chewed out by the Army man. There came a point where even the fearless leader wouldn't step on the wrong side of Lennox, which, was about to show.

William's left eye twitched.

"We have . . . a potential secrecy threat on scene, and none of you know where -" He'd started in on them, Mudflap taking it on himself to hide behind his brother, who'd hidden behind Ironhide, who scoffed at them, cannons flaring, but before any drama exploded all over the walls like it would have if they let this continue, it was Rachet who spoke up, once more holding out his hand for response.

"I have contacted both of them, freeze your boosters. They are," If Ratchet could smile like a human, he would have been. For now, his mouthplates mirrored a grin as realistically as Lennox would have been, if this was good news he was delivering, "as they do in your Earth universe: speed racing in their Alt. Modes."

"- and this," Sebastian threw his arms out sarcastically, making Ms. Rosette giggle at his antics, "is what surrounds this place."

Squinting one brown eye in the illuminating light of the sun bouncing off the pavement like a basketball would, his outstretched arm came over his forehead to block his face, creating some relieving shade from the UV rays that hovered back at him. Skylar didn't need do that; her sunglasses looked tiny, but were very expensive, and very sturdy. For the first time since she'd arrived here, because of her new friend, she actually smiled quite profoundly. If they were going to work together soon, she wouldn't mind. He was extremely witty. It would keep it all interesting.

"Lot's and lot's and lot's of dirt." Finalized Sebastian, proving that point, taking a few steps back into the shade to attempt to keep cool. He could feel sweat dripping from his neck already, mostly because he was still in his blue and grey jumpsuit from working in the shop. She was in leather boots and jeans all the same, so after a final inhale, taking in the feeling of the sun and outside and freedom, she stepped back under with him. It was the very beginning of summer, June 3rd, so the sun was eccentric and ready to shine.

"That would explain why I'm still picking it from my hair." She chuckled softly, fingers shaking throughout the raven colored ponytail that, if on cue, began to sprinkle with sand and dust. It would take her a couple showers to get it all out, she was sure. Though she would only keep it to herself, she was still uncomfortable with the fact they had put her under, and let her fall out of the chopper like she had. It wasn't going to be good evening with her shoulder, and washing away all this grime would suck majorly. She didn't even realize she had oil still smeared on her chin from holding the screwed rifle, either.

Sebastian tapped his chin:

"That's right, they sedated you, didn't they?" He snorted, and when he gazed at her frown from the corner of his eye, he burst into laughter, turning around a bend on the wall to walk on the outside edge of the building. They could hear something up ahead, and whatever it was, subconsciously - they both drifted towards it.

Eyes narrowing just a little at his current state of exploding snickers, she flexed her hands down to her sides, curling them ever so lightly into fists.

"Indeed."

"Don't sweat it. It's not the first time it's happen here." He was no longer laughing, not looking at her either to signal he'd noticed her stony change in character. In fact, he was looking at the group of soldiers dressed in every day wear clad, about 100 feet ahead, the ruckus behind all the noise they'd been hearing from the other side of the wall. As they approached, both intrigued despite direct orders to keep the tour brief, he continued to speak. "We used to be stationed at Diego Garcia, but there were some issues with transporting the -"

They had arrived, and when they did, Skylar peeked over the shoulder of one of the soldiers, eyebrows raising at what she found. So many people, just to watchthis? Sebastian, on the other hand, cursed his bad luck and gulped down something the size of a grape. Turning completely to her from behind, he wiped the sweat of his mouth and forehead, eyes so wide in worry he wasn't sure what to say. He reached, as if to put his hands on her shoulders and yank her away, but he then thought better of it, in fear she'd drop him to the ground. Instead, biting his knuckle and quickly thinking of what to do, he did a small 360, somewhere in the back of his mind hearing her speak.

"Racing, huh?" She whistled, slightly amused by the whole thing. "Not much to do around here on down time, is there?"

Sebastian couldn't help it. He peeked over his shoulder, just to see a glimpse, before he made a choice, and there they sat, gleaming and noble. It made his stomach drop, and immediately regret it.

In the illuminated and hard to look at in the blinding light of the late afternoon day, two humming vehicles sat in neutral. For what reason, no one knew, but what they did know is that a spectacular race of perfectly fine engines was about to take place. Perhaps to build momentum or, perhaps, somewhere deep inside that no one else could hear, they were communicating. But they had been sitting there for 5 good minutes, refusing to budge, even when soldiers prompted them to move.

The first, closest to them, was a sleek, metal dripped silver Corvette, the brightest of the two. Skylar could only look at it out of the corner of her eye due to the sun's reflection off it's paint job, so she directed her attention to the next - a Chevvy Camaro, entirely yellow, despite the two black stripes down the center. It too was difficult to gaze at, so she looked to Sebastian for direction.

"They're not supposed to be doing that." He finally was able to stutter out. Patting her head once, he turned over his shoulder, practically making a beeline for the door. "Stay here! Don't move! Don't talk to anyone!"

And with that strange request, he was gone.

Skylar's attention was suddenly brought back to the two cars when the sprung to life, engines practically roaring in response to the people who had crowded left and right. Whoever was driving was hitting the gas pretty hard, doing it like a professional. The soldiers hooted and hollered all around her at the official prep to the race, and ignoring Sebastian's voice in the back of her mind telling her not to move and not to talk to anyone, she quickly wiggled through the man that had blocked her view, and stood with her hands behind her back next to a soldier who leaned over to his friend.

"5 bucks on Bee." She could hear him call over the noise, cupping his hands so his partner could listen. She struggled to stay attentive herself, especially when the two automobile stopped their screeching, and were waiting for some sort of okay. "Sideswipe is fast, but Bee's determined."

The man to her right finally moved back into his spot, straightening up, however in the process, he bashed elbows with her, practically jabbing her in the side on accident. Turning his attention to the shorter female next to him, his eyebrows raised, and he frowned a little.

"Apologies, were we blocking you view?"

She only shook her head. He was a good half a foot taller than her, which displeased her. She cursed her long family line of shorter women for that one. His hair was matted with water from being outside for so long, the same shade as hers, however, and his eyes were the same blue as the sky. His face was beaded with sweat, and his nose and cheeks were red, however not in a blushing way or heat induced. It looked natural.

"Is Bee and Sideswipe last names of the drivers?" She inquired gently, not answering him, only trying to get answers. It's become a habit; she made a mental note to introduce herself formally when she got them.

"You're kidding, right?" He laughed out a little, but when he realized she wasn't when she shook her head no, sincerely confused with a small pout of her bottom lip, he cleared his throat and added in: "You must be new here. Well, that's -" He began to point, but his friend he had leaned at before hand smacked his arm, making him jolt as if he'd been shocked.

"Wait," Said the voice, and she had to lean around the man who rubbed his arm to see the other. When she did, she wished she hadn't, as he had a large grin plastered across his face, in such a manor like he knew a dirty, dirty secret that she honestly didn't want to hear, "you're that extremely classified sniper, aren't you?"

He wagged his bushy, thick brown eyebrows, and she didn't answer immediately. Her reflexive brain forced to look and take in his features: tall as his friend, but skin so tan, she wondered what his ethnic backgrounds were. His head was full of bushy hair, but it looked quite shaved down, and unlike his friend who mumbled something very inappropriate in irritation, he was all muscle and bronze, where the murmurer was more lanky and pale.

Skylar exhaled through her nostrils, quickly crossing her arms over her chest. If it was to look more proud, or self-consciously, no one but herself would ever know.

"I would believe so."

"This," A voice carried behind her, deep yet raspy, and she didn't have to turn around to know who it was. She knew from familiarity, but also because both men stood a little straighter and a little more controlled. She kept her face straight, the same way as them, but instead of looking at Lennox, she gazed upon the cars that revved their engines again at getting a referee on each end, "gentlemen," Continued Will kindly yet strong, "is our new Weapons Specialist Skylar Rosette."

She saluted them sarcastically with two fingers, in turn, made both men laugh under their breath.

"Ms. Rosette," Her attention finally changed to Lennox, who seemed calm enough. She hoped his meeting went well. He motioned to the raven haired soldier, who saluted her in the same way she had him, "Corporal Joey - though we all call him Santa - Santossteffano, and this," the other 'this' followed the same movement as his friend, the one with the buzzed head, "is Corporal Gabriel Newman. You are all E-4's."

"An honor to meet you, ma'am." They both said at the same time without meaning to, then glared at each other in unison, and may have started a banter contest, until -

"Kick his ass, Bumblebee!"

"Let's go, let's go, let's go Sides!"

And then the two cars shot off, taking everyone's attention with them.

Inside the Camaro that wasn't a Camaro at all, there was no driver either.

Like the Autobots in their Alt. Mode, the only difference was simply that Bumblebee was in anything but stasis. Zooming ahead of Sideswipe like a champion at first off, hooked up to internal comm. link, the little warrior was more than gloating about his lead. Yet . . . everyone watched from afar as Sideswipe took what some were calling a 'dick move': he was drifting behind Bee to get more speed. Trying to shake Sideswipe off, it didn't work as planned, and up ahead, some good half a mile, Bumblebee could see through his sensors the human ref. that shook a big red finish flag.

[ Stay off my aft, Sideswipe, and quit cheating! ]

The comm. link suddenly exploded with Bee's agitated, exaggerated voice. To a human, it would have sounded like complete and utter gibberish, but to a Cybertronian, it made perfect sense.

[ Drifting should be illegal. ]

There was a throaty laugh, and yet Sideswipe didn't let up at all. The Camaro made a furious noise.

[ What's that Earth saying? 'All is fair in love and war?' ]

Jerking out of the way when it was just too much for Bee to handle anymore, the wheel inside twisting into a 180, that got Sideswipe all on his own, and Bumblebee behind and driving to his right. Making a very dangerous 360 to get back in it, there was still room to win if he pushed himself. Punching the gas even harder, already going a good well number over 100, Sideswipe and Bee were fast in battle to see who was going to actually dominate this race to make up for their tie last time.

[ Are you proclaiming your desire for me? ]

Bee was witty, teasing, sarcastic as he took the lead, cutting Sideswipe off, but the Corvette wasn't just going to give up like that.

[ Of course, Honey Bee - love is sacrifice, so hasta la vista, baby! ]

He practically cooed, and Bumblebee made a strangled noise at a petty nickname like that. He lost concentration for just a second, trying to come up with a bantering response, but by then, Sideswipe saw his opportunity and took it.

Zig-zagging around the yellow vehicle, the finish line was just a head, and Sideswipe was going to take it.

[ Slag it. ]

And then it was over, and Sides had won, and Bee slammed on the brakes to finish with pride instead of slowing off. The comm. link was full of Sideswipe proclaiming his victory like a precious child, and a silent Bumblebee who suffered defeat like a punch in the faceplate. However before they could remove themselves from Alt. Mode and remove the sand from their gears and wheels, a strong, independent voice interrupted their childish conversation of who cheated and who didn't. It was Optimus, and the two soldiers hushed, ready to take orders.

[ Sideswipe and Bumblebee - I must demand you refrain from transforming until I give the okay. Lennox has given all AutoBots strict orders to stay in alternate mode until we are able to debrief N.E.S.T.'s new Human WSPC, who is, untimely, in your crowd. ]

Perfectly fine with this, used to the California sand getting stuck in places uncomfortable from when he had been with Sam in Tranquility before his adventure to college, Bumblebee made a U-turn and made his way back to Main Hanger. However, Sideswipe wasn't as keen to stay like this, dirt and heat in all the wrong parts.

[ But - awe man there's sand in my wheels! ]

He protested, yet, still turned to go back to the start as well. Bumblebee and Sideswipe had reached the hanger, where some people were happily holding their hands out, the other's not so much pleased, placing money in the open palms. For example, Corporals Santossteffano and Newman, but that's not what intrigued the two 'Bots at all. The two friends were just as bad as the Twins.

It was the new face - short, angular chin, dark, deep hair and a blank expression as she turned her attention from Lennox, to the approaching vehicles. She didn't react to them much, except for one thing.

Skylar smiled.