Autobot City Construction SitePharma wrote:“Your concern is valid. My greatest concern, Bluestreak, my boy, is the advances the Decepticons — the Constructicons, in particular — will make in their established science while we flounder about. I personally think it would greatly benefit us to have one of them to study. But that’s above both our pay grades, is it not?”
“Well, it’s definitely above my pay grade. Heh,” Bluestreak responded to
Pharma with a slight chuckle. “But I share your concern. If we flounder about as you say for too long the ‘Cons will gain the advantage and iron out the rough edges as it were to Devastator. It would be great to have a Constructicon prisoner to study, but that would take a lot of effort to make happen and I doubt the Decepticons would just hand one over to us. Heh.”
Once Bluestreak was done babbling again, he shifted his focus to aiding Pharma with making the final connections of the diagnostic machine to Omega Supreme. With both of them working on it along with
Arclight’s help, it didn’t take long to complete the hook-up. Standing beside the CMO, the chatterbot looked down at Parma as he checked the connections. Then the Autobot doctor praised both him and Arclight for their assistance before switching on the machine.
“I hope this works,” Bluestreak muttered openly as it took a few astroseconds for the diagnostic equipment to whir to life. Eventually, the screen lit up and began to run the cycle Pharma had already entered into the controls. “Eureka! We did it! Now, we can finally see exactly what’s ailing Omega and then go about fixing him!”
Pharma wrote:“It appears things are going as well as could be expected. If one of you would be so kind as to monitor the device and inform me of any problems that arise, I shall begin a basic visual diagnostic of Omega Supreme’s fuel lines, energon pump, and processor to ensure his vitals are functioning before he attempts to come online. I agree, the diagnostic machine will find any faults, but I’m old fashioned in that I wish to ensure certain areas are working with my own optics. Machines can fail, don’t you know? Either of you are welcome to aid me in this, or continue to refuel or other tasks you need to. Be assured, none of this would be possible without your efforts.”
Bluestreak smiled at Pharma as the CMO couldn’t help but continue to heap praise on the chatterbot and his femmebot companion. “I think I can speak for the both of us when I say we’re glad we could help out,
Pharma. Also, I have no problem keeping an optic on the diagnostic device and I’ll be sure to let you know if I see any issues arise and specifically what injuries the machine uncovers. Anyway, you go ahead and do your visual inspection.
Arclight, you can help him out if you want. I’ve got things covered here.”
With that said, Bluestreak turned his attention to the diagnostic machine’s primary viewscreen as the device continued to operate accordingly. Soon, data would begin to pour in and they would then know exactly what was wrong with the great Omega Guardian.
_______________
Arcee wrote:"Hi there, Howlstrike is it? I'm Arcee. What's the game plan?"
The former Predacon regarded Arcee with a respectful nod. This new femme seemed a lot tougher than the last one he had been paired up with while out in space rescuing Omega Supreme. The energy swords alone showed that Arcee was not a femmebot to be trifled with. Her friendly demeanor didn’t fool him for one astrosecond. If she wanted to, Arcee could be a formidable force to be reckoned with. Howl decided not to get on her bad side.
“Well,
Arcee, we need to secure the entire valley,” Howlstrike began, clearing his vocalizer. “As for specifics, that’s not up to me. I’ll just follow whatever orders I’m given.” And those orders came sooner rather than later as Mirage began to speak. The teal and gray tracker listened as the blue mech spoke to Prowl and Springer first.
Mirage wrote:"Prowl, Springer, I understand you have higher matters to deal with, so if I may, I would like to take these mechs out for border patrol."
Prowl, who was still awaiting a debriefing from
Springer, turned his head towards the Autobot spy. “Permission granted,
Mirage” the military strategist said plainly before turning his attention back to those more important matters which had just been mentioned. The blue and white ‘Bot then began handing out assignments.
Mirage wrote:“Arcee, please take a few Autotroopers to the northern side of the border. Another few will follow me to the southern half. Howlstrike, your tracking skills would be most useful towards the eastern edge of the valley, so take some of the Autotrooper scouts along with you. Broadside, it would be helpful if you could be our eyes in the sky and circle around the valley. Everyone should keep their comms open. The rest of the Autotroopers should remain within the construction site and nearby Omega Supreme. This way, we can ensure that all areas are secured. All good? Let’s roll.”
“Sounds good to me,” Howlstrike responded as he unfolded his arms from across the wolf head mounted in the center of his chestplate. Broadside soon took to the skies to keep an optic on things from the air while Arcee took five autotroopers with her to the northern edge of the valley. Howl then motioned towards another group of autotroopers. “You six are with me.”
“We’re not going anywhere with you,” came the immediate response from one of the Autotroopers.
“Excuse me? What did you just say to me?” Howlstrike replied in an angry tone as he stopped in his tracks and glared over at the group.
“You heard me,” the trooper shot back in a serious tone. “We’re not going with you. We know who you are and we know what you are! You’re that Predacon fragger pretending to be an Autobot! We don’t associate with your kind!”
Rage began to well up inside of Howlstrike as his clawed actuators balled up into tight fists. The former Predacon approached the six autotroopers slowly with a deep scowl etched across his faceplate. “You’re under orders to assist me, trooper, so I suggest you do what you are told!” Howl’s vocals had deepened into a guttural growl. He had encountered this kind of prejudice before from Autobots who saw him as nothing more than the disgusting Predacon he once was. It had been awhile, but these autotroopers reminded Howl that there were still those who felt that way about him and likely always would.
“We don’t take orders from a Predacon!” The lead autotrooper spoke, stepping into Howlstrike’s personal space to the point of being only inches away from his faceplate. The two mechs appeared as though they were about to come to blows until another voice interrupted the intense encounter.
“No, but you do take orders from me,” Prowl interjected as he approached the group.
“But, sir, he’s a Predacon!”
“He
was a Predacon,” the black and white corrected his subordinate. “He’s one of us now and you will do as ordered. Understood, soldier?”
There was a brief pause but the autotrooper eventually responded. “Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now, get to work,” Prowl replied as he turned his attention towards the former Predacon.
“Thank you, sir, I…” Howlstrike began to say before being cut off by a private transmission from the military strategist.
>>”Don’t mistake my words as a sign that I fully trust you. I don’t. I will be keeping my optics on you, Howlstrike. Step out of line and you will have me to deal with.”<<Prowl said nothing further after cutting his comm to the tracker. The black and white simply turned and walked back to where
Springer,
Brawn and
Grapple were standing.
Howlstrike let out a deep sigh. He shouldn’t have been surprised by the prick-bot’s attitude towards him. The logic-driven mech was overly cautious and had very little latitude for those he deemed a potential threat. Still, at least Prowl had the curtesy to say how he really felt to Howlstrike privately and not out loud.
The wolf-former then glared back at the six autotroopers who had just been put in their place. “Follow me,” Howlstrike growled as he transformed into his timber wolf alt mode. With scowls of their own, the troopers reluctantly obeyed and assumed their vehicle forms. The mechanical wolf then took off down a path through the forest. Less than a breem later, he and his assigned autotroopers had reached the eastern side of the valley where he stopped and opened a comm line to
Mirage and the others:
>>”This is Howlstrike. I’ve arrived at the eastern border with a half dozen autotroopers. We’re ready to begin our patrol of the area.”<<Before Howlstrike had received any kind of response from the blue and white spy, he picked up another comm from one of his newest friends who had abruptly disappeared earlier.
Blindside wrote:>>"Sorry about my disappearance, Howl. I needed to see Veneer with my own optics. It's...Well. Don't worry about it. Just a heads up that I'm on the Guardian now."<<
The former Predacon sent a simply non-verbal acknowledgment back to
Blindside, letting him know that he had received his message. Maybe they would meet back up again later. It didn’t matter at this point. Howl had a job to do and he was focused on getting it done and not tick anyone else off in the process. It was not just for his own benefit that he remain calm, but for everyone else’s, as well.