Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Triple Changing. Enjoy the 4200-word chapter. I do not own Transformers, Hasbro does.
(Abandoned Factory)
The trio of helicopters landed as the few M.E.C.H soldiers who were not slain by Fuse's airstrike were taken into custody. Fuse hummed as the human soldiers swept the factory with the precision of an Autobot squadron.
It made his respect for the natives increase a little with each little gesture. Arcee finished talking to the humans and turned.
"I was stupid," Fuse said finally as she blinked. "I have acted stupid… Last op? One before then? I have been looking at this as a full-scale campaign… Not us acting like Autobots." Fuse said.
"You apologizing? I did not think you would…" Arcee started to say before she considered it. "Thanks for backing me up… I was hard on you since you showed up a few days ago." Arcee added.
"Well, I have been itching for a fight since I got here and I have been acting like shooting all the cons to pieces and charging in is the way to go… Like on Cybertron." Fuse stated.
"This is not the same battlefield… Trust me, it takes some getting used to," Arcee stated. "You going to start trying to wise up?" Arcee asked.
"If you mean 'act like a team player?'" Fuse asked. "That, or 'don't act like the big gun?'" Fuse questioned.
"I…. Will try, I like handling the biggest gun on the field, it is what I was made for." Fuse stated. "But? I want to try and play by the book… Arachnid is dangerous, and so are you. You look ready to chase her down and put 6 rounds through her face." Fuse stated.
Arcee looked to the side, her optics blazing with rage. She hated the spider bot and she knew that sparing her was a mistake. Fuse did not know her hatred for the assassin but it was clear he also wanted her dead.
"She… Took down someone I miss." Arcee stated, leaving out a few words.
"Ah," Fuse said. "We will her down… Might want to explain to Optimus what happened today, make sure M.E.C.H doesn't make another house call." Fuse stated.
"We will handle that," Fowler said. "You both can return to base… I will make sure our friends are safe," Fowler stated.
"I can drop them home with Arcee if you want," Fuse stated, making the Autobot look at him. "Jack had a Decepticon and human insurgents use him for target practice. The last thing I want is to make sure he is put in the crosshairs again." Fuse stated.
"We can bring them to base… They can head home in the morning." Arcee stated.
"We going to keep arguing and hate each other?" Fuse asked before he looked to the side.
"I'll try to be better if you do," Arcee stated as Fuse chuckled.
"Fair… I will meet you back at the base… Unless you want to give me a look around Earth on the way there." Arcee heard until she sighed and looked over to the side for now.
"Think flying around is the best option?" Fowler asked as Fuse shrugged.
"Wait… That reminds me. If you were in trouble? How come you did not radio for backup?" Fuse asked.
"They kinda… Jammed her radio or something." Jack said as he stood next to his mother.
"So, their smart insurgents. That complicates things." Fuse said. "Fowler? It might not be my place to question things. But you might want to up security if M.E.C.H. can get to people so easily. They are going to keep doing it." Fuse stated.
"Agreed," Fowler said.
"So, we were talking about some recon?" Fuse asked as Arcee smirked.
(10 minutes later)
Fuse had to wait for the human woman to okay it as still her duty as Jack's parental figure to guard him and Fuse respected that.
But he was going to adore this planet if it was anything like this.
Fuse followed Arcee from the air, not bothering to open his engines and speed miles ahead of her as the two navigated back to base.
"You know? The ground bridge is great and all… But it feels good to be out like this, taking in the sights." Fuse stated.
"Wow, you went from serious soldier to a protoform quickly." Arcee teased.
"Hey, I want the Cons taken down, that doesn't mean I just want to fight constantly," Fuse stated. "You still did not tell me how you guys got around the jammer. Arachnid get cocky and turn it off so we could hear her take you apart?" Fuse asked.
"I might have taken one of their radios when they cornered us," Jack said.
"Oh, the kid has manifolds…" Fuse said with a chuckle. "You stole a radio in front of Arachnid and armed soldiers? Kid, you are all right with me." Fuse said.
"Like I said, like a protoform," Arcee stated.
"Laugh it up, Cee…" Fuse muttered. "Almost forgot. Doc was talking about finding something in my memories, another Triple-Changer. We were about to shift through them when Fowler asked for me to recon the Maltreat… Which is when we got the call to find you." Fuse stated.
"Maltreat?" Jack asked.
"Arachnid's ship. Jack did not tell you why it was blown up?" Arcee asked.
"The kid blew up a Decepticon warship? This is officially one of my favorite planets." Fuse stated.
The two arrived at Omega 1 soon, Fuse flying up to take the elevator downwards into the base. Arcee let the doors open as she and Jack entered.
The sound of the elevator caught them as Fuse descended into the base, Bulkhead, Rachet, and Optimus were there to greet them.
"You guys are back late," Bulkhead stated.
"Ran into a problem… Arcee can explain it." Fuse said.
"Arachnid kidnapped Jack's mother as a trap for us. M.E.C.H. jammed my comms." Arcee stated.
"So, Fuse showed up and blew them away?" Bulkhead questioned.
"Jack called Agent Fowler. I came along for the ride." Fuse stated. "Did you guys figure out anything about Sandstorm? I do not know if he came here… Only that he and Captain Springer were part of the project." Fuse stated.
"We have figured out his pod has landed on Earth… In another settlement of Earth." Optimus stated as he pointed to the map. "Agent Fowler has narrowed it down to this country. A providence called 'Australia'." Optimus stated.
"Let me guess, we can't just ground bridge in and snag him?" Fuse questioned.
"Not without causing an international incident that may drag the United States into a war," Optimus stated.
"Ah. Politics was never my area of expertise." Fuse stated.
"Was it shooting things?" Arcee teased.
"Yep," Fuse stated. "Then how do we extract him?" Fuse questioned.
"I leave that to this country and the government… For now?" Optimus stated as he turned back to the map. "We must press our attack on the Decepticons… The first step will be to disable the Nemesis. Megatron being mobile means a very clear threat." Optimus stated.
"Taking down the flagship of the Decepticon navy is a very hard thing to manage, sir," Fuse stated.
"But it is one we must make certain," Optimus stated before he frowned. "I am glad you are attempting to involve yourself with the group more," Optimus stated.
"Just attempting to be a team player, sir," Fuse stated as he frowned. "We still are not going to win easily. The Decepticon army outnumbers us and we are reduced to stealing from the enemy to survive." Fuse stated.
He knew more and more with each passing second that more enemies were less of an issue… It was a strategy to fight.
(With the Decepticons)
Megatron knew Vehicons were not enough. They were killed too easily and he knew more and more with such an idea was to try and deal with it for now as he clicked his fingers.
He hadn't any idea of what was going on before he sighed as he paused.
He hadn't been unable to deal with it as he clicked his fingers against one another before he seemed to try and deal with it.
There was a lot more to try and deal with for now, he clicked his fingers before he paused to try and deal with for now as he hummed to himself.
He had not known for now as he clicked his fingers… He was tired, thrown off and he had been beset by backstabbing and then looked to the side, tired with exhaustion with an idea for now.
He had not been able to try and deal with the chaos. He was chaotic enough to remember that trying this was out of the question if he tried a direct attack. He'd be left with fewer soldiers and an even worse tactical position at the end of the day, no he had to be clear and precise with his goals and his intentions at the end of this idea.
He had been unable to deal with it for now as he clicked a talon.
"Bring me Dark Energon and the pod for Octane… Old friend." Megatron ordered as Sound nodded and left.
(With Fuse)
Fuse was silent, knowing what was going on as he looked over to Arcee then Bulkhead then Bumblebee.
"We're… All that's left of the Autobots?" Fuse asked before Optimus nodded. "Frag, now I do feel like an idiot for trying to be cocky and act like we can take on the entire con army," Fuse stated.
"The rules and terrain have changed considerably since the last time," Optimus stated.
Fuse fell silent before he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He hadn't been able to strategize since he had come here… Now? The pistons pounded in his skull as he looked to the side.
"Optimus? Whatever happens? We're going to win… If not for us or this planet? Then for all those who died to get us this far." Fuse said.
There was a twinge of anger in his tone… As well as the mourning on what was going on before he sighed, thinking for but a moment before he leaned against the wall. He had been unable to deal with it for now and he could not bear the idea.
"The next battle we go on? We need to fight as one, that's our strength over the Decepticons. Our friendship, our ability to coexist." Fuse stated.
"Agreed… But we will act as one as well." Optimus stated. "Arcee? Please make sure that Jack is safe within the barracks." Optimus ordered.
"I will help, I am going to power down for the night soon," Fuse stated.
Fuse turned and followed Arcee into the base. He turned to Arcee and Jack a moment later.
"So, from what I know about the nightmare spider? She isn't one to care about people she isn't torturing." Fuse stated.
"So, what does she want with me?" Arcee said.
"Pretty much," Fuse responded. "Arachnid shouldn't care enough to go out of her way to try and offline someone unless they screwed them over." Fuse put in.
"Long story," Arcee stated.
"I have time if you want it off the mind." Fuse put in. "Cons took a lot from us; she took someone from you I'm guessing…" Fuse stated.
Fuse could see Arcee fall silent, she had been unfamiliar with it and she probably didn't require such a thing to be dealt with for now, he had been too interested in what he could have dealt with.
He hadn't been too unsure for now; he had been too thrown off for such a thing had been unsure and unable to be dealt with at the end of the day.
There was a lot more to such an option going on for now as he clicked his tongue and then looked to the side… Something that would be done next was too much and it would not have lasted.
Perhaps he had a lot more to see at the end of the day, it was a lot more chaotic to him and yet he hadn't been unable to deal with it for now and for good reason at the end of the day.
Such was life at the moment and life was good enough to eat for when it came to it. He paused only to think and then thought of his next move, unsure of it to the end.
He looked around and realized that he didn't know this base at all. He hadn't been here enough to have to think, he had to keep learning or else he'd fall behind when it came there.
He paused, thinking for a few moments, and then turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
"If Arachnid is so dangerous and I know fragging well she is? Why isn't she on the list of people to take down first?" Fuse asked. "She's fast, nimble like you, can plan ambushes, and is incredibly lethal," Fuse stated.
"You forgot how Optimus is," Arcee said.
"I didn't forget we protect the innocent. There is a limit to how much a person can be given a chance to change." Fuse stated.
"Some people don't," Arcee stated.
"Yeah, like Arachnid," Fuse stated. "It was still gutsy for him to take the radio in front of her, though… I can see why Optimus sees people here as equal allies and dangerous enemies at the same time." Fuse added.
"Careful, your make Jack think he's got more than one partner." Arcee quipped.
"I do have to ask about why you only worried about them, though," Fuse responded as he leaned on the wall next to him. "Arachnid is dangerous but she's also one soldier, Megatron has more resources and he knows about people wanting to backstab him." Fuse put in.
"Arachnid just wants to hunt people," Jack said.
"Yes, she does. Unlike Megatron? She won't stop because it's pragmatic or doesn't work. She wants to hurt people." Arcee stated. "Megatron wants to rule, Arachnid wants an excuse to kill anything that gets in her way. She would not stop with wiping out humans, she would find more species." Arcee added.
"Well… In any case? Jack has the guts to steal a radio in the middle of all of them… Their commander must be breaking something knowing someone stole their radio in the middle of them all." Fuse responded.
"Thanks… I'm going to get some sleep if that's ok." Jack said, settling into one of the cots.
"I'll be back in a few minutes… Bumblebee will probably keep watch after then." Arcee said as she and Fuse left him to sleep. "I am sorry for how I've acted… You can't go around guns blazing and trying to take a bullet for us all the time… But I did misjudge you." Arcee stated.
"I have not done much to improve yet. I plan on trying to move on from what I was taught tomorrow, Optimus will probably have another mission. The only problem is we need energon while Megatron has an entire army and doesn't need to spend nights in rest mode." Fuse said.
"He still has to power down eventually," Arcee said.
"Yeah, when we're dead, Cee," Fuse said. "I am honest about trying to change. I want the cons gone and I want to do what I was built for. Yet? I know trying to take them on directly is insane… And I know enough about war to know we need an edge." Fuse stated.
"And what do you suggest?" Arcee asked.
"First? We find a way to get more energon in case things go bad… Taking a bit works only if we're sure we won't get pinned… The second is engaging the cons on the terrain we have the advantage." Fuse stated.
"Like how trying to engage Arachnid in close combat is going to get someone killed," Fuse stated. "She is an assassin and all of her skills allow her to slaughter people at close range. No abilities will stop that." Fuse said.
"Scared to fight her?" Arcee asked.
"Scared to fight her where we can't back off and fight her smartly… Never take on someone dangerous at close range in close quarters… It's the same as trying to fight a sniper at range." Fuse stated before he paused.
Fuse hummed and then looked to the side. There was a moment of silence before he slowly transformed into his M1 Abrams mode.
"Ok, I'm going to power down for the night. If you guys need me? Come wake me up." Fuse said before a few clicking noises were heard. "Well, now I won't fire if you guys surprise me," Fuse stated before he sighed.
Fuse fell silent, too interested in the war tomorrow. He knew Megatron could make a move at any moment and he was only limited by his energon reserves and the amount of ammo currently within his internal magazines which a dispenser slowly manufactured more.
Perhaps it was better he not be a strategist to his friends and instead act as a soldier. He was better fighting than he was thinking and most of what he thought about anyway was mostly fighting.
Perhaps he had been unwilling to think the way they wanted. He had been a soldier first and he was good at fighting cons or driving them off… Protecting Jack was easy; he just fired his guns at anything.
Perhaps he hadn't the idea to deal with it and he knew that. He no longer cared as he slipped into low power mode, he'd consume more energon when he awoke and then he would wait until he could carry on for now.
(2 hours later)
Fuse had been in silence until a rap on his armor made him stand up, shifting forms as he did so. Bumblebee took a step back as he and Arcee recalled Fuse was as tall as Optimus was at the moment.
"It's only been two hours," Fuse stated before he cracked his fingers and then looked to the side. "We got a mission?" Fuse questioned as Bee nodded.
Fuse followed the two into the base, silent before he thought for but a moment, knowing that it could have been dealt with for now.
He had been too inside of what was going on he managed to relax as he clicked his fingers and then followed them.
"Try sleeping?" Fuse questioned before he cracked his fingers before he seemed to look to the side as he paused. "Oh, my parts," Fuse stated.
"Tried. We haven't been able to try and pass out." Arcee stated.
"You need energon?" Fuse asked.
"Nope… Not yet." Arcee stated before she sighed. "You? I cannot imagine being a triple-changer." Arcee said.
"It doesn't eat as much energon until I do something big…" Fuse stated.
Fuse fell silent, passing into the control room as he did so, and then looked over to the side as he clicked his fingers.
Fuse looked to Optimus as the two Autobots began to speak. Fuse settled into a corner before looking to the side.
"I am sorry to awaken you," Optimus stated.
"I was not resting as well as I should have, Optimus," Fuse stated before he sighed. "Do we have a mission to deal with, sir?" Fuse asked before he raised an eyebrow.
"We do. Agent Fowler has managed to secure a way to gain Sandstorm." Optimus stated before he turned to the side. "However? It seems Megatron has located a second capsule and is moving to intercept it." Optimus stated before he typed in more data.
"Yes, it seems like a team is being sent to secure another capsule," Rachet stated as he typed in more and more data. "Octane… I don't remember that name." Rachet stated.
"I do… He's a thief and a former con artist on Cybertron." Arcee stated.
"Why would Megatron want him to be a Triple-Changer for then?" Fuse asked, gaining a look from Arcee. "Oh, I am never going to hear the end of that, am I?" Fuse asked.
"We must secure Sandstorm and make sure Octane is not gained by the Decepticons," Optimus stated before he sighed.
"And the plan is? Most of us are military… I doubt another human nation is going to be ok with us riding in." Fuse stated.
"He's right, if Fuse and Bulkhead go in? They think we're attacking them." Arcee stated.
"Fowler has suggested some of us stay on this warship…" Optimus stated, pointing to a dot out in the middle of the ocean.
"So, we're sitting on a boat?" Fuse questioned.
"Until we can ascertain the pod? Yes…. However? I will be making sure this is not a trick. I and Bumblebee will make certain the mission is directly safe." Optimus stated before he fell silent.
"The cons are going to blow that ship to pieces… Who's commanding their forces? Megatron?" Fuse questioned.
"No. Megatron wouldn't dirty his hands with grunt work. It looks like Soundwave or Starscream and a large squadron of Vehicons." Rachet stated.
"I'm going to take a wild guess and say the pod isn't in the same area… That? And there's a second energon signature." Fuse stated as he gestured to the map.
"They are plotting something… I will inform Agent Fowler and we will engage the Decepticons." Optimus said.
"We shouldn't," Fuse said, causing Optimus to turn. "Megatron knows what he's doing… Starscream has an Alt-Mode based on the United States military. When he hits their fleet?" Fuse stated.
"There will be a war…" Arcee said as she cursed.
"Then we must stop Starscream from causing undue collateral damage… I will inform Agent Fowler and we will go from there." Optimus stated.
"We still have the fact that the Nemesis can show up and easily sink the ship… There will be problems either way." Fuse stated.
He knew Megatron wanted a war and he knew more and more with each little emotion that Megatron was going to cause problems. Zero human soldiers could stop Megatron and if they didn't stop him from attacking? There were going to be fatalities.
Fuse looked over to Optimus, then Bulkhead, Arcee, then Bumblebee.
"We going?" Fuse asked as Rachet opened the ground bridge, a swirl of power greeting them. "I just realized something. Sandstorm doesn't know anything about war or what is going on while we're on Earth doing what we're doing." Fuse stated.
"And Sandstorm is a wrecker… Oh boy." Arcee said.
"We will inform Sandstorm when he is in our fold. Bumblebee, follow me." Optimus said before transforming.
Bumblebee did the same as the two Autobots slowly entered the gate. Fuse checked his weapon systems before he looked to Arcee and then Bulkhead.
"So, we're going to sit on a boat the entire time?" Fuse said before transforming into his M1 Abrams mode. "Well, at least I'll finally get to use this," Fuse stated.
"What happened to act more like an Autobot?" Arcee stated.
"Then what do you suggest? We are not going to be seeing land action." Fuse stated.
Fuse seemed entirely ready to think as the trio entered the gates. He was not to be ready for the operation ahead but he let the two other Autobots enter first.
(With Optimus and Bumblebee.)
Optimus was silent, navigating the roads with Bumblebee in silence as well. The Autobot leader knew Octane was not carried by this country, Rachet had tracked their pod and its descent on the way down.
That? And he also knew Megatron wasn't interested in capturing Sandstorm if he had? They would have done something more subtle. No, this was a diversion and a plan which he seemed to be countering for now.
He hadn't been unable to doubt their position in the war. The next move they had to make mattered more and more.
He had been unable to make a move but he knew what the new move he would be making was. When they managed to retrieve Sandstorm? He would up their operations on Earth and continue to act with discretion.
Perhaps they could act in a certain way with it all for now. He had other options and all of them involved a pain that he hadn't the ability to stand up to… Not in the method he had become accused to deal with. Not when he had other options.
Yes, it seemed as if he would need to handle something like this lest he falls crashing to the floor in a heap.
He had not been able to deal with it for now, he had been too unable to relax that he was stressed out for now and he smiled once more as he sighed and then thought of whatever he did next.
Fuse was useful and it was clear he was honestly beginning to act like a skilled soldier at least a smidge. The oddness was just figuring it all out.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be a bit delayed. I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be in 900-6500 words and show the mission to get Sandstorm. Until then? Lighting Wolf out!