A Convoluted pile
Oh joy, Transformer Plot ideas and snippits I can’t work into a story/ficlet at this time. I want to see them, but keeping them straight (and giving them the attention they deserve) is not possible right now.
I. Red Alert is (or was) a TripleChanger.
a. Red Alert was born a Triple Changer, and his parents admonished him to keep this a secret. Those who have figured it out, are deactivated.
b. Red Alert has the programming for three forms - the robot, a groundbound vehicle, and a flight capable system - but not the actual parts.
i. His flight capable system was destroyed and never replaced.
ii. The flight (Seeker?) frame, removed by the Deceptions, wanting to see how a TripleChanger copes with being reduced to only two forms.
iii. Red Alert doesn’t know/remember he is capable of flying.
c. Red Alert got a memory core strike or processor wipe (voluntary or not, your choice), and doesn’t remember his second frame.
d. Red Alert dismantled his alternate appearance to better escape persecution.
e. deliberately ignoring his second transportation form has caused the paranoia - irrational fear or 'glitches' are more predominant when the mechs and femmes don't spend enough time in all of their forms.
II. Before the war, Ironhide was a tour guide - he first picked up a weapon when his group was attacked by raiders or thieves or violent criminals.
III. Kup has never forgotten his job as a history keeper - every race needs someone to remember the past, and to pass on the lessons learned, but so far, Kup hasn’t found a worthy apprentice to keep up the tradition and continue the stories.
IV. Hound is a hidden Tape Deck or Cassette holder - he doesn’t advertise the fact, because nothing’s wrong with Blaster, and really, there is only need for one active, healthy Tape Deck at a time.
V. Mechs like Wheeljack and Soundwave wear facemasks because they don’t have mouths - or, if they do have mouths, they also have proboscis, from which they drink their energon. The mask is used to hide the straw-like-tongue, or lips-that-roll-into-a-tube, because it is considered a disfigurement.
VI. Skyfire has ‘Hulk’ issues. When he gets mad, he ignites the air around him. Enough anger, makes the atmosphere burst into flames - but short lived, since fire can’t burn without oxygen. Skyfire isn’t harmed, but those around him can be horribly burnt.
VII. Skyfire is as much as a Iacon Scienctist Outcast as Starscream - the reason they were paired together is because the giant mech absolutely refused to work with other assigned roommates. Starscream was a last resort.
VIII. If gestalts are mechs that are linked together, mentally, and cassettes are litters (instead of one or two little ones at a time), what were the Arielbots like? Or the Stunticons? Or the Compaticons? Or the Protectobots? Before the war, and before their final upgrade anyways.
IX. Preprogramed mechs were, designed to fill empty spots immediate, when training younglings would take too long. So, what happens when their service is no longer necessarily?
X. The war, between Autobots and Decepticons? It’s a virtual reality system. Or a dream world. None of this really exists.
a. A long time ago, about the time of the first Prime, or near the start of the Golden Age, someone devised a holographic system that expands one’s life while immersing them in the big universe - explore the cosmos at no harm to yourself! Was the main idea. It became a big hit. Now, with almost every known Cybertron plugged into the system, it’s overloading, and the designers programmers told the automatic repair system to fix the problem. Big mistake, because under such flimsy orders, the computer software descided the best way to relieve the demands is to destroy and cut links. That has the unforeseen side effect of killing those hooked up. However, no one is awake or aware enough to notice what’s happening in the real world.
b. The Quintessons won. They only allow the slaves to think they were pushed out. Now, working in secret, the old Masters, are working to destabilize the Cybertron Empire, because honestly, necessity is the mother of inventions, and the current batch of transforming robots is no longer a selling item. So, to get people interested in buying their products, show off the capabilities of the older models, and let the slaves figure out new gadgets that will make nice additions.
c. Humans don’t exist. Earth is a figment of someone’s imagination. One of the scientists figured out they were living in a ‘dream’ realm, and invented humans in an effort to reunite all the cybertrons and overwhelm the system.
d. Rather than preprogramming every single bot that comes out of the factory, the Quintessons hooked up their mechanical helpers to a cybernetic system that allowed ‘older’ mechs and femmes to teach the ‘younger’ ones. When they sell or need a particular mech to leave Cybertron, he (or she) is deactivated in the fake world, and never seen again. The Quintessons are turning a nice profit, since all those that are pulled out are never allowed to contact their friends.
e. The real reason femmes are either endangered or extinct? They were held back for reproductive purposes - only those with faulty programming, or too young/old to bear young, are allowed inside. Most of the offspring are sold off, but a few are added to replenish the old, failing slaves. From the observer’s standpoint, all such sparks are seen as ‘granted’ by Vector Sigma, the All Spark, or through another old device dating from before the first Primes.
XI. A new theory: The Transformers have always had two sides. For the most part, they get along, and every exploration team has both Autobots and Decepticons. They must be very careful when coming across an occupied planet, or any system that has sentient life present. Well, the Ark and Nemesis didn’t have that option. All members of that ill fated expedition were in stasis when they landed, and only now, are they waking up. Unfortunately, the automatic systems designed to hide their occupants are not working. When the inquisitive humans find the ship and explore it, the first transformer he or she encounters will dictate which side is ‘good’ and which is ‘bad’.
a. If the first live ‘alien’ the unlucky human encounters is an Autobot, then the natural violent impulses are hidden, and concern for others thrives - perhaps because that’s how the individual in question acts most of the time. Or just when they first met.
b. If the Decepticon was the first ‘alien’ addressed by the curious human, then perhaps the ‘crazy’ moods diminish and teamwork is enhanced - because it takes a shipload of individuals working together to explore an underwater base. Which means 'Shattered Glass' verse isn't so far fetched.
c. However, there was a neutral stowaway, who is also wandering the halls. So, if he/she/it is the first alien to talk with the organics, how does that effect the others and their response? Because first impressions are lasting impressions, and if neutrals are despised by both factions, (and vice versa), does that mean the humans are wary of all ‘AI’ robots? Will this lead to the official groups to leaving the planet and trying again, after the current batch of natives dies off, or avoiding all contact with the rightful inhabitants? How will the humans react?
XII. Energon that is derived from Energon crystals is healthier than the other sources of energon. Energon converted from solar power, nuclear fusion, nuclear fission, wind power, petroleum, oil spills, or other natural resources doesn’t last as long, isn’t as strong, and burns up much quicker, resulting in daily or weekly refueling, while true energon, distilled from crushed crystals, can keep the body going for months or years at a time.
XIII. Time Travel is possible - but not worth the effort. Jumping back in time, feasible, yet the high energy costs (enough energon and fuel to keep a family of four alive for several thousand vorns), makes it impractical. Besides, the rider is thrust randomly into the past, location and time unknown and uncontrollable., Traveling into the future? Well, there is no documentation, but this reality does have a few arrivals that are near exact copies to mechs and femmes who died a long, long time ago, and yet their ‘leave’ time, is their ‘arrival’ time, so in effect, they swapped realities.
XIV. In the course of searching for good fics that are different, unique, and have an interesting spin on things, one of the many cliché’s I’ve encountered is: relationships. It seems everyone is related to everyone else. Sometimes marriage (a.k.a. bondmates), sometimes child/creator, sometimes brother or twin, or half sibling. So, let’s try something different. NO ONE IS related to anyone else. Well, okay, we can keep the couples, but not hidden faction links. Please?
XV. How many twins are there? Instead of twins being rare, everyone is a twin. Typically one child joins the Autobots, and the other joins the Decepticons. Example: Optimus Prime and Megatron. It’s the rare when both twins are on the same side: Example: Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.
Well, now that I got these off my chest, maybe I can actually work on the stories that are bouncing around in the attic. If any of the bunnies attack you, so sorry, but I would like to see the results.