"For the last time, Starscream, this isn't my area of expertise! Shockwave's experiments are beyond my level of understanding, as much as it pains me to admit." Knockout stood in front of his leader's second-in-command, attempting to block him from his equipment without making it seem obvious. "Besides, if Shockwave himself put it in storage, he did it for a reason! And Lord Megatron—"
"Never mind him! He need not be bothered with this, but mark me when I say it will be for the greater good of the Decepticons." Starscream motioned to a vehicon trooper to bring forth a cylindrical container that held inside of it a fetal mass suspended in a viscous yellow liquid. "And don't worry about your intellectual capacity, as Shockwave left it with specific instructions. I'm sure even you can follow some simple steps."
Knockout ignored the commander's snide remark and took the container from the vehicon before turning it over gently in his hands. The label read: Experiment 243, Trial 107. "Do you even know what this is? Most, if not all of his experiments were highly complex."
Starscream waved the trooper away, ordering him to keep the matter quiet. He turned back to Knockout once they were alone in the room. "It's an infiltration unit, but I believe you can make it into something a bit more formidable."
"With all due respect, Commander Starscream, have you fried a circuit? Not only are you asking me to complete this project, but you want me to modify it as well? I can't even count the ways this could go wrong! If Shockwave—"
Starscream interrupted him again, clearly annoyed. "Shockwave isn't here and never will be again. It's sat in storage gathering dust for over a million cycles, and it would be irresponsible to allow it to go to waste." He crossed his arms and stared at Knockout like he was stupid, as if he shouldn't even have to ask. "If it's not you that completes it, Knockout, then who?"
The medic narrowed his optics, then shrugged with his free hand to get the point across that that had been a stupid question, and the solution to Starscream's excuse of a dilemma was overwhelmingly obvious. "No one. Some things are safer left gathering dust. 'Irresponsible'," he muttered derisively.
He turned his back to Starscream and set the experiment's container on his work table before pulling up its file on the computer beside it. Starscream loomed over his shoulder as the doctor skimmed over it briefly. Knockout noticed and waved his face away. What he discovered in Shockwave's old logs wasn't something he'd expected.
"A techno-organic? I didn't know such a thing was even possible." He scrolled through the lines of text. "It does, however, make it seem a little less... hazardous than usual. I just want to make sure you understand that this isn't some kind of super soldier. If that's what you were expecting, you're going to be disappointed."
"Of course not, Doctor. Which is why I'm entrusting you with the task of arming it. It may not naturally be strong or skilled, but with the latest Decepticon technology we can make it a force to be reckoned with." Starscream raised his fist for dramatic effect. Knockout's brows furrowed.
"I'll do the best I can, but I don't think it's a good idea," he said, annoyance evident in his tone. "And rein in your expectations."
Knockout had Breakdown move a larger containment unit into his laboratory to transfer the embryo into. When asked what he needed it for, the medic merely told him it was something unimportant that probably wasn't going to work anyhow. Shockwave's instructions stated that the experiment required organic DNA and an electrical charge to start the chain reaction, which Knockout found to be suspiciously simple. But perhaps he was just overthinking it.
As he finished calibrating the containment pod, the vehicon trooper from before returned with the necessary DNA sample. He held out a very small vial of red liquid between his digits with a short, "Here you go, sir." Knockout took it without comment and put it into a centrifuge. The trooper continued to stand there and watch the red mech work, before moving his gaze to the pod. "So... what exactly is it?"
Knockout didn't look up. "Some kind of transformer that can disguise itself as a human. Or it will be that at least." A hum of acknowledgment reached his audio receptors. He turned his crimson optics to the vehicon when he heard no further response, nor the sound of exiting footsteps. "You're still here? Unless you need shrapnel removed from your cranium, that will be all, Trooper."
"Please, call me Steve, sir."
Knockout deadpanned. "What?"
"Err... my name... it's Steve," the vehicon stuttered, then quickly straightened to attention. "Commander Starscream ordered me to stay and assist you with anything you might need, sir."
The doctor raised an optic brow. "Okaayy... Steve." He paused, trying to think of something for him to do, then remembered the scratches he'd received from his latest mission. A smirk crept up onto his face as he pointed to his tools. "Hand me that buffer."
Over the next several weeks, Knockout hardly touched the containment pod. After starting the experiment's chain reaction, he didn't have to. The creature inside — which he had come to (what he would say affectionately) refer to as 243 — grew more rapidly than he had anticipated and quickly began to resemble that of an ordinary Cybertronian. Although, Knockout hadn't expected it to be pink. He was concerned for a moment and wondered if the appearance of pigmentation so early was normal for a transformer grown in a test tube, but shrugged it off in the end as something of little consequence.
"Are you sure this isn't important?" Breakdown questioned as his lone optic moved up and down the pod. "Seems like it's working just fine to me."
"Well we won't really know until the gestational period is complete," Knockout replied, giving the glass a gentle tap.
His partner shuddered and cringed faintly at the word. He felt it was an objectively gross word. "How do you know it's even alive?"
As if in response to Breakdown's inquiry, a thump from inside the pod earned the startled attention of both mechs. 243 had placed a silver palm onto the inside of the glass facing them; but after running a swift diagnostic, Knockout determined that it wasn't actually conscious. Just the reflexes of a sleeping sparkling.
"She's... kinda cute," Breakdown said, forgetting his earlier disgust. Knockout gave him an incredulous stare. "Not in a weird way! It's like when you see a baby turbofox and you just go 'awww cute'. You know what I mean?"
The doctor glanced back at 243. Now that he looked closer, it did seem to be developing as female. "I suppose..." He picked up a data pad and returned to his work table. Vitals were good, it wouldn't be long now.
Knockout was preparing a berth for 243's alterations when Starscream entered unannounced, hands folded behind his back. Steve pretended to be busy inspecting the tools laid out for the procedure, avoiding any and all eye contact. The Commander's authoritative stride came to a halt in front of the containment unit. He stared at it with narrowed optics for a good five seconds, possibly scrutinizing 243's color, but apparently decided not to voice whatever he was thinking.
"Magnificent!" He declared, raising his arms. "When will it be ready, Doctor?"
Knockout glanced at his computer before making his way toward the pod. "Tonight, if things go uninterrupted," he said, making a point to direct his comment at Starscream. Before his superior could form a sarcastic retort, he continued, "I have a few experimental battle programs I'd like to upload to 243's processor while I operate, the whole procedure is going to take a good long minute."
Starscream crossed his arms. "Can't you speed things along? You should be doing that now, the creature looks fully developed to me."
"I could, but disrupting gestation even in the final stages might cause unforeseen issues," Knockout reasoned.
"Issues that you could remedy, no doubt. Proceed with the activation, Knockout, I wish to bear witness to my soldier coming online." Starscream backed up from the pod and looked at the doctor expectantly.
Knockout felt his irritation rising and turned his back so he could roll his eyes at the high-heeled seeker. He wasn't sure if it was because of Starscream's ignorance and carelessness, or if he was actually concerned about 243's wellbeing. Perhaps he simply felt responsible for 243; after all, it was his project. Either way, he was surprised he cared worth a scrap at all. He'd only done all this on Starscream's orders, and since when did his plans work out?
Knockout sighed and pressed the manual activation key on the control panel. He stepped back as the pod gave a high-pitched hum, electricity flowing throughout the container. 243 jolted, both hands flying to the walls that surrounded her, pointed digits scraping at the glass. The yellow liquid then began to drain, and Starscream grinned as the pod opened. 243 stumbled out but managed to maintain her footing, hunched over with her hands on her knees as the fluid dripped from her body. Slowly, she stood upright.
243 was tall for a fembot, about as tall as Knockout. Her armor boasted pink and black pigmentation, and she had formed small spines on her head, back, and forearms. But her most noticeable feature was the black visor that covered the entirety of her face. Knockout wondered why 243 had developed to such an extent, rather than coming out as a protoform. He decided to ignore it.
Starscream let out a sinister chuckle. "The little glitch will be on the battlefield in no time. Proceed, Knockout." 243's head inclined curiously towards the Commander. She looked down at her hands, flexing them, then at the rest of her body before returning her gaze to him.
"Glitch?" Was the first word that came from her vocalizer. Everyone in the room was taken aback, even Steve whose attention was now fully focused on the new bot in the room. 243 simply returned their stares.
"It speaks?" Starscream looked to Knockout for an explanation.
"It stands to reason, she is technically a Cybertronian after all." Knockout took 243 gently by the arm and lead her to his operating table before having her lie down. She moved where he wanted without protest. "The next step is a long and arduous process, in case you were intending on sticking around."
Starscream ignored his tone. "I have other matters to attend to. You will inform me when it is battle-ready," he stated before exiting the lab.
Knockout returned his attention to his tools as soon as the doors were closed. Despite being unable to see her face, 243 looked confused. Steve began to attempt communication but was met with little response other than an acknowledging gaze. The trooper seemed content with it.
"Don't get too attached," Knockout said. "She'll more than likely end up as cannon fodder, especially with the way Starscream handles his soldiers." 243 looked at him, and Steve's shoulders slumped slightly. He knew all too well how vehicon troopers were treated; they were the vast majority of all Decepticon casualties.
"It's hardly fair," Steve muttered mostly to himself. "She just got here and we're already putting a blaster in her hands..."
"All is fair when you're at war. Forgetting that is how bots get killed." Knockout faced the vehicon across the operating table. "Now then, are you going to help or are you going to mope? It's not your job to worry about ethics, trooper."
Steve straightened up at that. "Yes sir."
"Good. Let's put her out so we can begin."
243 awoke slowly. As she became aware of her surroundings she sat up, noticing the three bots in the room with her. She wasn't sure where she was, or why she was there, but the one thing that was clear to her was that she'd just come online. She was experiencing her beginning and expected these others like her to guide her through this strange process of existence. 243 caught the eye of the bigger of the three.
"Hey, she's awake," Breakdown said as he nudged his partner out of his work. Knockout and Steve both turned and saw that he was correct.
Knockout set down what he was doing and approached the operation table. "Time for the only test that Starscream cares about..." With that, he held up his hand and transformed it into his saw without activating the blade. "You try. I need to make sure the upgrades are connected properly."
243 looked at her hands, then transformed both of them into blasters without needing further clarification. A moment later they became hands again, then blades, then hands again finally. She seemed pleased with herself.
Knockout grinned. "Good. Now let's try the vehicle mode I uploaded for you," he said, gesturing for her to stand. She did so and immediately transformed into the Audi R8 he had picked out for her. He figured finding her a stylish vehicle mode was going to be a waste of time since her destruction was likely imminent, but he felt he had to put his signature on the experiment somehow. And damn did he have good taste. "You're ready. Err... well, as ready as you're going to be anyway."
"Who knows?" Breakdown added. "We might be in for a pleasant surprise."
243 transformed back into root mode, then removed her visor with a quiet mechanical hiss. Everyone was taken aback. Behind her mask were a pair of large bright blue optics, uncannily similar to a certain Autobot scout they knew. Knockout's brows furrowed as he thought back on Shockwave's old data logs, but nothing explanatory came to mind.
243 looked around the room once again, as if she was seeing everything for the first time. Her optics fell on the Decepticon medic finally. "You're Knockout?" He stood there in slight shock, whereas Breakdown's mouth hung agape. Before he could get a reply out of his vocalizer, she spoke again, pointing with one finger at each respective bot in the room. "Breakdown... Steve..." She paused briefly before placing a hand on her chest. "I am Glitch."
Knockout felt his spark drop down into his fuel tank. "What...?"
"My name," 243 repeated cheerfully, "is Glitch."
Breakdown laughed. "Would you look at that, she can talk! Are you sure that's what you wanna call yourself, kid?"
Kid, Knockout thought.
"I think it's pretty," 243 replied with certainty, sounding it out. "Gliiiitch."
Think...
She glanced down at her hand before stretching it out towards the three of them. "Friends?"
Friends...
The words rang in his head like a gong. Knockout suddenly felt like he'd done something horrible, unforgivable, and that he was the most immoral person to walk the face of Cybertron. Until now, he hadn't thought of 243 as a person; she was merely an experiment, hardly even alive. He'd forgotten — or overlooked, rather — that she had a spark just like any other transformer; now here she was naming herself after yesterday's insult from Starscream. Guilt now clenched at his spark because he was going to allow her to be sent to her death, and 243 had no idea. It would be illogical to try to stop it now, wouldn't it? After all, that's the whole reason he made her. Knockout suddenly regretted his decision to follow Starscream's orders, because if he hadn't, he wouldn't have 243's premature termination on his conscience. 243 looked at him expectantly, arm still outstretched.
"Erm..." The doctor barely got out before Steve butted in, grasping her hand cheerily.
"Of course! We're your friends! It's good to meet you, Glitch!" The vehicon blurted out. Knockout gave him a cautious look as a reminder of what they'd talked about. This wasn't going to end well.