Welcome back all. Just want to say sorry about the wait. The ending of this chapter fought me a little bit. In addition, I didn't know my authors' note got cut off the end of the last chapter until after I published it. Essentially Vinces' new form is just a recolored Beast Machines Nightscream, although not so hunchbacked. While researching the characters I wanted to use, I saw some parallels between the two and thought, 'why not?' Anyway, on with the story. Enjoy. Note: edited 3/15/22
Clearing the space bridge Bulkhead, Wheeljack and Miko appeared at the bottom of a bluff in Scotland. Miko circled once before landing and transforming back next to the bots. "Alright boys, where we headed?" She asked looking at the small holomap Wheeljack was holding.
Bulkhead pointed to his left. "They're at another bluff three miles that way. Although I think we can shave some time off the trip by going up and over the next bluff. Not to mention gain the element of surprise." He turned his hand slightly to the right.
Wheeljack nodded and shut the map off before looking at Miko. "You mind doing some aerial recon for us?" He asked. At her raised eyebrow, he smirked. "Wrecker rule 17." He grinned.
Bulkhead nodded. "Guards never look up. From what we saw on the map the cons are stationary. They won't be expecting anyone to observe them from above." He looked over at Miko to. "And besides, from that altitude they'd probably just think you're a regular bird."
Miko fist pumped. "Say no more boys." She shifted back to her bird mode. "Time to take wing and take names." With a flap of her wings, she was airborne again. She was really coming to enjoy flying and all the freedom that came with it.
When she got high enough, she flew to the bluff in question. Looking down she focused in of the Decepticons working around the area. During the last week she'd discovered that she'd inherited her beast modes binocular vision in both modes. She'd successfully tested it by clearly reading contract fine print from the other end of the base. Observing the Decepticon operation from this high up was not going to be a problem.
Looking around she saw that several Vehicons were using what looked like excavation equipment to dig around the area. She could tell they were searching for something, even if she didn't know what they were looking for. Looking again she saw something that made her spark flare in anger. Standing near the cliff wall, supervising the Vehicons and looking utterly bored, was Knockout.
For a brief second, she considered divebombing that flamboyant fop and raking her talons across his beloved paint job. But looking out of the corner of her eye she saw that Bulkhead and Wheeljack had just finished climbing up the bluff that they'd bridged next too. Putting revenge on hold for a moment she turned and flew back. Better to have backup for this.
While Miko was doing her recon, Bulkhead and Wheeljack began climbing their way to the top of bluff. Part way up Bulkhead asked a question that'd been bugging him for a few days. "Hey Jackie, I been meaning to ask, I know you and Mags didn't get along all that well back in the day. But now your following orders and mission assignments from him. What changed?"
Wheeljack, near the top, paused his ascent. "Honestly Bulkie, Miko and the boys' situation happened. When I came across them when I was escaping, I could tell they were scared and panicked, no matter how much they tried to hide it." He sighed. "I think I just took it upon myself to protect and help them, and ultimately, their wellbeing is more important than my pride or my dislike of following orders." With one final heave he pulled himself to the top of the bluff.
Bulkhead pulled himself up a minute later. "It seems like Terrorjack the Wrecker lost to the guardian in you." He teased.
Wheeljack rolled his optics. "You spent way too much time with Drift Bulkie." He shot back. He'd never admit it, (It would ruin his tough bot image) but his spark went out to those three.
Miko swooped back down to them, flipping back into her robot mode as she landed. "The cons are digging around for something down there. I don't know what, but Knockout is the one supervising." She grit her teeth and looked at the other two. "If I get close enough, he's dead, I want his head, in my hands." She breathed.
Bulkhead and Wheeljack nodded in understanding. What Knockout did to those three was terrible. He now has a debt to be paid and they were going to collect on it, Wrecker style. One thing though.
"We'll help you." Bulkhead began. "But the rule about staying close to one of is will be in full effect, starting now." At Mikos' glare he explained. "I'm all for revenge as much as the next Wrecker, but I still need to keep you safe as possible."
He crouched down to look her in eye. "I fragged up big time when you three were captured Miko. I didn't do my duty, and you suffered for it. So please, stay close to us."
Miko closed her eyes and nodded slowly. She didn't like it, but this is how it had to be. "I'll stay within eyesight." She looked back up at them. "Just be careful not to get hit when the feathers start to fly." She gave a smirk. "Last one there's a cracked T-cog." She took off at a sprint towards the cons' location.
Wheeljack grinned at Bulkhead. "Looks like Bulkhead the Wrecker lost to the guardian in you." He cracked before taking off after Miko. Bulkhead rolled his optics before following suit.
Coming to the edge of the cliff, Miko looked over the side. Seeing Knockout caused her anger to spike again, but she did promise to stay close to the bots. Hearing Bulkhead and Wheeljack catch up she motioned over the side. "There's five groups of three working around the area. What's that thing the red menace is standing next to?"
Wheeljack, being the lighter of the two Autobot Wreckers looked over the side. "That's a stasis pod." He answered. "Wonder what's in it?"
"That'zzz for uzzz to know, and you to die before finding outzzz." Buzzed a new voice. Whirling around the trio came face to faces with a red and black wasp with aqua colored eyes and wings. Miko shuddered and Bulkhead tensed. Did it have to be another Insecticon? Hardshell was bad enough.
"What the scrap are you, some kind of supped up Insecticon?" Wheeljack queried, trying to stall for time to form a counterplan. How the pit did this guy sneak up on them? The buzzing should've given him away.
"My dezzzignation izzz Wazzpinator." He declared. "I am part of the firzzzt wave of new Predaconzzz designed to exzzzterminate you Autobotzzz. The Maximal izzz a nizzzce bonuzzz." Flipping into his robot mode Waspinator pointed a rifle that looked like it was made from part of his stinger at the ground in front of them. "Now it'zzz time for you to join the party."
With that he opened fire at their feet causing the ledge they were standing on to break away from the cliff by their weight. Miko was panicking, first a damn bug-con, now they were falling right into a Decepticon operation and would be injured and outnumbered. Closing her eyes in anticipation of the hard landing, she desperately wished they were already on the ground and unharmed.
Responding to her desire a burgundy pulse erupted out from her body, causing all three to vanish mid fall. A second pulse expanded in the middle of the area the Vehicons were working, depositing the three safely on the ground, catching the workers attention. Miko looked at herself and around her. Did she do that?
Wheeljack looked around. "Hell of a time to discover you have an outlier ability, but I ain't complaining." At her confused look he shook his head, deploying his mask and drawing his swords. "I'll explain later, let's wreck and rule!" He finished with a shout.
Bulkhead deployed his wrecking balls as Miko pulled a handful of kunai from behind her. The Vehicons had gotten over their shock at enemy troops suddenly teleporting into their midst and were charging towards them for a counterattack.
Not wasting time with dramatics this time, she began to throw kunai at the oncoming horde like she did the first time. This time however the kunai exploded on impact with their target. This took down three enemies before she had to dodge their return fire.
Bulkhead smashed two Vehicons in the face, putting them down for the count. Looking around, he saw that Miko had changed tactics and drew her swords. Leaping around she decapitated two more enemies before jumping out of the way of a third that'd been kicked away by Wheeljack. Re-sheathing her katanas, she pulled another kunai and winged it into his visor, taking his head when it exploded.
Wheeljack was having some difficulties with the five that had surrounded him. After kicking the one to his immediate left away (and seeing Miko handle it not two seconds later) He turned to the four advancing on him with the laser drill they'd been digging with. Diving to his right he sprung up into the air. Only to be dinged at the height of his jump by Waspinator in jet mode, knocking him back down to Earth.
Flipping back into wasp mode Waspinator taunted the Wreckers. "Having fun Autobotzzz? Why don't you try zzzome of my toxzzz-EN stingerzzz." With that he fired several barbed darts from his thorax, each dripping with the toxic green energon variant.
Bulkheads' optics widened as the remaining two dodged the fire. This con was carrying Tox-En? He made sure that the sample they'd discovered was destroyed, how did the cons get it? He shook his head and took a battle stance near the fallen Wheeljack.
Looking around he saw the now five bot team with an additional laser drill advancing towards them. At least until a shadow leapt up and threw a pair of kunai at the drills in their power packs, causing an explosion that took out the whole five bot team. Miko smirked as she landed next to the others. "I figured big toys would equal a big boom."
From the moment the three Wrecker team appeared in the middle of the work site, Knockout hid behind the stasis pod, remote in hand. This was just meant to be a simple recovery mission. Now he had two of the toughest Autobots to deal with, and a Techno Organic that he knew from Starscreams' reports would be out for revenge. He thought that between the remaining Vehicons and the new Predacon he'd be safe.
Those hopes were dashed however when that femme caused the laser drills to explode, leaving him with only the still airborne Predacon as a guard. The explosion however had the added benefit of sending a fossilized optic spinning through the air, landing at Knockouts' feet. With a yell of joy, he hefted the football sized fossil up and put it under his right arm. "Thank you all, and with that, goodbye." He transformed, stowing the fossil in his trunk as he did. "Knockout requesting ground bridge, party of two. Come on Waspinator!"
Waspinator flew down to Knockout as soon as the bridge opened, followed closely by Miko with Bulkhead and Wheeljack close behind. Switching to robot mode he reached into Knockouts' glove compartment and pulled out the Stasis pods' remote and pushed the release button. "Watch the upholstery." Knockout cried.
Waspinator shook his head. "Juzzzt making zzzure they don't follow uzzz." Changing into his jet mode they took off towards the portal. Just as it was closing Miko took a kunai and winged it through the closing portal. An emasculate yell of pain told her she'd connected. It may not have killed him, but hopefully it hurt. The portal vanished completely. Miko growled. That damned fop-bot got away, but hopefully the next time they met, she and the boys could get payback in full.
"Uh, guys." Bulkhead said, taking a step back from the stasis pod. "I think we have a problem here." This brought everyone attention to the object in question. In the center of the pod was a seven-foot tall, human shaped bulb that appeared to be in the fetal position. There were ribbons of light blue circuitry spread about it in patches. The moment after the sunlight hit it the bulb, it began to spasm. Thick vines shot out towards the three Wreckers who barely dodged in time.
"This is too weird for words." Miko said, keeping her distance from the techno organic plant. This wasn't the biggest shock though. When she spoke two of the vines turned toward her and bloomed a red flower at the end of them. This didn't surprise Miko so much as the eye that was in the center of one flower, and Mouth that was centered in the middle of the other.
The eye opened wide in surprise as the mouth said in a somewhat familiar voice. "Nakadai?" There was a pause as the eye narrowed. "Miko?"
Miko did some quick thinking. She knew that Voice. Then with a shock it hit her. 'You have got to be kidding me.' She thought. "Sierra?"
Sierra Krosney woke up scared and confused. She'd been wheeled into that lab as they were stuffing the monster that they'd turned poor Vince into inside a pyramid shaped box. Then that one eyed purple robot flooded the chamber she was in with that cold burning stuff and she'd passed out.
Now, waking up wherever she was now, she felt she couldn't move. Listening carefully, she heard three sets of footsteps and panicked, thinking that purple robot was back she tried to lash out some way and was shocked to feel something grow out of her and at them at high speed.
Hearing one of them speak with a familiar voice, she wished she could see who it was. Then to her surprise an eye opened up at the end of what grew out of her. Did she attack with her eyeball somehow? Looking at her she couldn't mistake the hair or voice now that she thought about it. "Nakadai?" She struggled for a moment to remember her first name. "Miko?" Seeing the girl narrow her eyes and say Sierras' name back to her confirmed her identity.
Miko looked at Sierra in shock. How had this happened? She mentally kicked herself, duh, Decepticons. The third vine grew a second eye that turned to look at the bulb that was now Sierras' body. Immediately she began to panic, causing more vines to grow from the bulb. "What the hell, what happened to me?!" She yelled. The Vines were growing wild now.
Miko prepared to transform and fly away, but the vines bypassed her and went straight to Bulkhead and Wheeljack. Wrapping around their arms and legs they were hoisted into the air. Miko shuddered, (she'd seen too many videos online that started that way) and turned back to Sierra. "Whoa, Sierra, calm down, they're friends. They're here to help you." She tried to console.
"Help me? How? I'm a plant!" Sierra exclaimed in a panicked voice. "How can they help me with this?"
Miko interjected. "I was kidnapped and experimented on too. We got help, so can you." She tried to explain in the calmest voice she could manage.
Sierra put the two big robots down gently. "You, you did?" She asked looking her up and down with both eyes, much to Mikos' discomfort. "Can I be human again?" She asked.
Miko winced slightly. They didn't know if they'd ever be human again. And even if they had the chance, she wasn't sure she'd want to be. Sierra needed an answer though and tried to give the best she could think of. "We're working on it, but we can at least figure out how to fix what that other bot did to you."
The majority of the vines pinched off the main bulb and decayed in seconds. "Who else was this done to? I know they did something to Vince, and Allie was still in the lab when I blacked out." Sierra asked, notes of concern in her voice for the other two that were taken.
Miko sighed. Best to get this over with. "Raf and Jack were taken with me and we were probably put through the same process you three were." She explained.
"Jack is with you guys?" She asked with an edge of hope in her voice that made the bottom of Mikos' stomach fall out as she nodded. Of course, with Sierra now in the loop Jack would probably lose interest in her. "Then yes I'll come with you." The eye stalks retracted back towards the pod, examining it. "I think this thing is on wheels; your robots should be able to tow it."
Miko glowered at Sierra. "Okay, some ground rules." She said in a huff, partly fueled by her dread. "First off, these are Bulkhead and Wheeljack, they are Autobots from the planet Cybertron. Second, they are living beings and definitely not 'mine'."
Bulkhead and Wheeljack looked at each other. They'd have to ask if Ultra Magnus had been killed on his mission, because Miko was sure channeling him right now.
"Finally." Miko continued. "When we get back to base there will be more like them. Treat them with respect. We are their guests for the time being as much as they are guests of this planet. Understood?" At the weak nodding from the three stalks Miko turned to Wheeljack. "Take it away Jackie."
Shaking his head, Wheeljack activated his comms. "Doc bot, this is Wheeljack requesting ground bridge back to base. We also found one of the kidnapped humans from Jasper and will be bringing them." At least this new techno organic would know how to act around Prime and the Doc.
"Was this one experimented on too?" Ratchets voice came back over the comms. "Because Magnus' team recovered one as well, and they're in quite a bit of distress." Over the comms they could hear a commotion in the background.
Wheeljack responded. "Yes, but she seems pretty calm at the moment. I don't think this one will be a problem." A moment later the bridge portal opened up near them. Taking the stasis pod base by the handle he pushed it through the portal and back to base, Miko and Bulkhead following suit.
Arriving back at the Unit E hangar they found the source of the commotion they'd overheard earlier. Apparently, it was another techno organic that looked like an anthropomorphic cross between a femme and a horse. It was panicking worse than Sierra was when she saw her body and it was running around the control room with Raf and Bumblebee close on its heels. However, as it ran it seemed to be pulsing silvery white energy from its' hooves.
Bumblebee tried to reach for the techno organic, only for them to kick him in the chest. The blow and the ensuing pulse of energy caused his body to spasm as he collapsed to the floor. "Leave me alone!" It screamed in a girls' voice. A voice Sierra recognized. "Allie stop, they're friends." Sierra yelled, trying to get her friends' attention.
The hybrid stopped and looked wide eyed at Sierra. "Siri, is that you?" She slowly trotted over to the foursome. Looking at the flowers with eyes, she knew it was her, they'd known each other since they were in diapers so she would recognize those eyes.
Giving her best friend a 'nod' with her eye vines she saw her start to relax a bit. She knew Allison was prone to panic attacks in high stress situations, and this was a whopper of one. Looking at the large bot that was helping the yellow and black one back to its' feet she explained. "She's having a panic attack, just be gentle and speak softly to her and she'll calm down."
The large bot came over and got down on one knee. "Hey, sorry we scared you back there. We were just trying to help." Came another voice she vaguely recognized. Thinking a second Sierra and Allison realized with a jolt, that it was little Rafael that hung out with Miko and Jack so frequently. "Would you please come over here so that the good doctor can do a quick check on you?" He looked over to Sierra. "I'm sure he'll be with you as soon as he's finished."
Both nodding in agreement, Allison walked back over to where Ratchet was standing, scanner in hand. Raf sat down and held Allison in his lap, speaking calmly to her as the doctor set to work. Bulkhead cleared his throat. "I think I'd better go debrief Prime and Magnus." He said pointing to the bots in question who'd been in quiet discussion during most of the debacle.
Wheeljack looked at the floor and his optics widened. "And I think I need to do some pruning." Miko and Sierra looked down to see that new vines had sprouted from Sierra and were making their way across the room. "I don't think Doc bot will be happy with the space bridge controls being covered in vines."
With that he set to work with his swords, cutting away the excess vines. To Sierra it didn't feel any different than having her hair cut. The two girls stood in awkward silence for a moment. Trying to ease the tension, Sierra brought up a topic she hoped Miko wouldn't mind talking about. "So, how are things going with you and Jack?"
Miko shut her eyes and sighed. Of course, she would want to talk about him. "He and I only just got together. When we were captured, we thought we were going to die, and I just blurted it out." She sounded she was admitting defeat.
"Really?" Sierra replied, eyes narrowing. "I thought you two had been together for months. Hell, everyone at school thought you were. Honestly the way he acted so protective around you is why I stopped showing an interest in him. Honestly, throw in Esquivel and you three looked like a little family already."
Face heating up, Mikos' eyes shot open. Not that it mattered anymore, but seriously. Did the whole school think that she and Jack were already together? Then it really hit her. Sierra wasn't interested in Jack anymore. "Really, you got so excited when I mentioned him before."
Sierra scoffed a bit, raising one eye higher than the other. "I've seen how he is in emergencies. If anyone we know can keep a level head in a shitstorm, it's Jack." She looked at Miko appraisingly before her eyes shot open. "OMG, you thought I wanted to take him from you?"
Mikos' downward glance confirmed her suspicion. "Look, Miko, whatever I felt for Jack was just a passing thing. I thought he was interesting at first but then he started to become distant with everyone, with the exception of you and Rafael. Honestly when I looked at you two, I saw how well you balanced each other out. Your loud adventurous spirit breaking him out of the overly cautious mind and his calm stability tempering your reckless nature causing both of you to grow as people."
Sierra gave a sigh. "Besides, I've had my eye on another boy for some time now." She looked over at where they'd arrived. "I just hope he's okay. Wherever he is."
Miko couldn't wrap her head around it. The girl she was jealous of for garnering Jacks' attention not only had no interest in him, but actually thought they were a good fit. She'd never actually thought about them the way Sierra described. Thinking about it, she smiled, that was actually a good description of their relationship."
She was drawn out of her musings by Wheeljack. "Hey Wingsaber, hate to interrupt but mind giving me a hand with this?" He asked pointing to the vines that'd been growing rapidly while the two were talking. Apparently faster than he could keep up with.
Miko looked around for a moment before realizing he was talking to her. "Wingsaber?" She asked.
Wheeljack nodded while going back to his work. "I figured if you're going to be in the field with us more often, we need something to call you. I know it's a little on the nose, but I think it works."
"Wingsaber." She said quietly to herself, testing it out. "I like it. I am Wingsaber, Maximal Wrecker." She declared drawing her katanas with a flourish. Venturing out a bit she began cutting vines alongside Wheeljack.
Sierra cocked an eye vine. "What's a Wrecker. Come to think of it, What's a Maximal?" She was seriously confused now.
Raf interrupted. "I think we need to have some kind of class for these two to get them caught up on everything that's happened." Honestly, he thought he could use one himself with how rapidly things were changing.
"Oh, come on Rhinox." Miko groaned. "Do we really need to make this into a school lesson?" What was the point of becoming kick-ass beast machines if they still had to go to school?
"We do need to keep up with our education Miko." Raf said tersely. A second later the name registered. "Seriously, Rhinox? That's the name you'd call me?" He honestly didn't care what codename he used. Although he was curious about her reasoning.
"Well yeah." Miko replied. "I mentioned to Jack you were built like Fort Knox before you got your beast mode. Add Rhino to it and it just sounds more awesome."
The newly dubbed Rhinoxs' reply was cut off by a beeping from the space bridge console. Pausing his scan of Alison, he went over and engaged the comms. "Ratchet, requesting a bridge back to base." Came Arcees' voice from the speaker. "And we're bringing someone with us."
Ratchet threw his head back. "Another one! For the love of. Alright, one bridge coming up, but be warned it's a bit of a circus here right now." With that he punched in the coordinates for the New Mexico location and activated the space bridge. A moment later, Arcee, Smokescreen, and Jack walked through the bridge back into base with what looked like a metallic red techno organic bat with them.
Seeing their return Miko paused in her cutting and smiled at Jack. "Glad to see you're back safe Jackrabbit, as you can see, we have a bit of a situation." Looking at the group she took note of the techno organic bat. This could only be one person she called out to Bulkhead. "They have the last one, that's all three accounted for." She yelled as the new arrivals looked around the room, trying to figure out what the hell happened in the short time they were gone.
A/N- And so Miko and Raf have their Maximal/field names. I was originally going to call her Airazor but I liked Wing Saber better. Especially since I was very fond of her and Tigatron. I will say one quick thing about my version Waspinator though. He is not like the one we saw in Beast Wars. He isn't as disaster prone and a more serious warrior. See you all next time.