Title: Flight
Characters: Donnelly, other humans
Rating: Teens
Continuity: Bayverse
Summary: Donnelly and the team fled certain death, only to encounter it (again) later
Prompt #1 (2012 Sep 15th) I’m only going to say this once: RUN!!!”
The survivors didn’t need to be told twice. Seeing how easily (and quickly) the faux Helicopter tore through their base, running seemed to be the only way to let someone know of the enemy’s capabilities.
“Hey, kid - which way’s your village?”
Mahfouz led the way, his smaller size (and lack of heavy laden backpacks) meant he didn’t fall down as often into the shifting sand or as deeply as the armed soldiers following him.
“This way! Keep up!”
Trailing the pack, Donnelly half-turned, expecting to see the midnight black monster following them. He didn’t see the thing chasing them, but he thought he saw (or imagined) a small section of the big black thing break off the creatures’ back and burry under the sand, tracking them. He couldn’t say for sure one way or the other because the setting sun, sweet in his eyes, falling glasses, and light-absorbing colors of the shifting forms all contributed to his blurry vision.
They continued to run, even as the adrenaline faded, giving way to exhaustion and thirst.
Title: complaining converation
Characters: Starscream, unspecified others
Rating: K+
Continuity: Any (Bayverse, pre-movies)
Summary: Starscream knows how to turn simple complaints into a full-conversation.
Prompt #2 (12 Jan 2013) Setting: In crowded Transport (passengers POV)
“It would be faster to fly under my own power.” The nondescript seeker mumbled.
“Then why don’t you?” Asked the black mech on his right.
“In a city that has restricted air-space?” The red-and-blue flyer shrieked. “If I transformed and started to lift off, I’d be shot down without hesitation.”
“Go ahead and do so. Fed up with your constant whining.” Somemech on his left side retorted.
“I would rather walk to my destination than be stuck here with you, but I can’t move a servo to escape.”
“Tight confines bothering you?” The Vosian traveler smirked. “You should try a semester as a non-resident student at the local academy - compared to the rat holes provided to them, this is quite luxurious.”
“Why don’t you shut your big trap so we can get some decent recharge?’
“And miss my exit? Forget it, smokestack.” The seeker spoke loudly.
“Stop spreading the misery.”
“I’m just sharing my delight in the small confines I find myself forced to travel in.”
“You mean you’d rather everyone you encounter stew in anger with you, than you stew alone in silence.”
“That too.” Stasrcream cheerfully admitted.
Title: Make-or-break
Characters: Megatron,
Rating: K+
Continuity: Bayverse
Summary: Megatron wants what Optimus Prime has: Soldiers who will choose self-preservation over suicide missions (and yet, somehow come out alive)
Prompt #3 QUOTE (8 Oct 2011 Sun Tzu, The Art of War) ‘Regard your soldiers as your children and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look on them as your own beloved sons and they will stand by you even unto death.’
“Sniveling cowards!” Megatron stormed the corridors of the Nemesis. “I ask for one simple task and none of you are willing to do it.”
Most of the cons on board fled at the Tyrant’s approach. Only Starscream traveled in his wake - and Starscream was keeping his mouth shut.
“All I want is someone to bring me the spark of Optimus Prime.” Megatron’s blood-red optics swept the corridors, looking for a capable volunteer. All he found were the still-forming frames of hatchings, incapable of surviving on their own.
“Fine. I’ll go myself.” Megatron transformed and few off, ignoring the fact he left crumpled doors and crippling damages to non-vital systems behind. If his fearless troops fought like untrained drones when facing the once-routed enemy in battle, then they could very well take the place of the non-fight-capable broken machinery.
Title: Newfound Similarities
Characters: Ratchet, Epps
Rating: K
Continuity: Bayverse
Summary: Epps hates it when doctors appear to be ganging up on him (and those under his command)
Prompt #4 (14th June 2014) ‘You Need to take better care of yourself …”
Epps glared. “Geez, Ratchet! You sound like my doctor.”
Ratchet stared down at the human. “Well, he’s right - the stupid stunts you insist on pulling are going to get you permanently damaged one day.”
Epps crossed his arms, refusing to be intimidated by a giant metal medic. Ally or no ally. “My so called ‘stupid stunts’ are saving lives - humans and Autobots.”
“Take fewer chances with your own welfare.”
Epps burst into laughter. “I’m fighting monsters to protect earth and you want me to reduce my risks?” His low chuckles gained volume and strength. “Do the cons obey you when you ask them not to kill?” He asked, already knowing the answer.
Title: First fatal step
Characters: Ratchet,
Rating: K
Continuity: Bayverse
Summary: ‘Watch out for low-hanging cables.” Bumblebee transmitted as the newly-arrived team transformed.
“Why?” Jazz asked, just before one of their own gave ample demonstration.
Prompt #5 (2 June 2010) ‘ CRASH’
Ratchet didn’t just brush against the poorly insulated power lines. He walked right into the taunt wires, tangling the charged chords around his frame. The immediate neighborhood suffered a brown-out as electricity surged through the medic’s systems.
There wasn’t enough energy to blow his fuses, but some local families needed to reset their circuit breakers.
After landing on the soft earth, recovering from the unexpected power jolt, Ratchet ignored easy-going Jazz’s pointed remarks about being careful not to walk into anymore human-made webs.
He stood up, gyros already stabilized. “Takes more than a few million volts to take me down.”
Title: Wrong substance
Characters: Ratchet, Jolt
Rating: Teens
Continuity: Bayverse
Summary: Not everything that is needed for optimal health is good to eath (and drink)
Prompt #6 (5th April 2014) Accidentally ingesting the wrong thing.
Ratchet turned his apprentice on the side, letting the tanks spew out the rest of the containments. “Take it easy, Jolt - your systems suffered quite a shock.”
“What happened, Ratchet?” Jolt asked, sitting upright once his takes stopped heaving.
“Some fool thought to be helpful and put new coolant in recycled oli-drums.”
Jolt lost what little color he’d regained. “Is everyone else alright?”
Ratchet vented. “You were the only one fool enough to continue chugging the odd-tasting additive to our fuel.”
“I … turned off the chemical receptors.” Jolt admitted, looking down at the floor. “Can’t bear the taste of earth oils, but I …”
“Let’s see if there is something of earth origin you can tolerate.” Ratchet gently squeezed Jolt’s shoulder, reminding the young medic-in-training that his mentor would support any mechs under his authority.