Advent 2013, day 23
Title: A Dastardly Plot
Universe: G1
Rating: G
Characters: Red Alert, Sideswipe, Prowl, Sunstreaker
Pairing: implied Red Alert/Sideswipe
Content Advisory: none
Prompt: 4. Task: write fluffy stuff between the two most unlikely characters you can think of.
Notes: for the tf_speedwriting 2013 Advent Calendar
Now
Red Alert heaved the frontliner into the brig with a satisfying clank. Sideswipe hit the floor and groaned.
"Frag, Red. What'd I do?"
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Twelve Hours Ago
"Everything's ready, right?" Sideswipe asked.
"The package will arrive precisely at ten a.m. as ordered," his contact replied. "You will keep up your end of the deal and make sure the target is suitably distracted this time?"
"Of course I will. It's not much of a secret plan if the target sees you coming."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
The security director scanned the large white box almost frantically, attempting to discover what horrible plan Sideswipe had concocted. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good for the Autobots if he had been planning it in such secret.
Too bad he hadn't known that Red Alert had a tracking system set up in the communication channels with flags to alert him to certain types of conversations.
Now if he could just avoid having to open the package and risk setting off whatever nefarious device was inside...
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Eleven Hours Ago
Red Alert opened his morning security log--such a waste of time; why couldn't Ratchet see that he was just fine handling security matters in off duty hours?--and skimmed over the entries. Most everything was base-standard normal, including Gears and Huffer singing very drunken renditions of popular pub songs, for the majority of the duty log. Only one entry stood out, and its contents quickly grew alarming.
Sideswipe was plotting against another Autobot.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
"Whatever my idiot brother has done," Sunstreaker said darkly, "I wasn't involved. I've been in New York with Tracks."
"No one is accusing you of anything--"
"Yet."
Prowl shot Red Alert a Look and continued speaking despite the interruption. "We just want to know what you know about this plot."
"I know that unless it involves glitter and glue, my brother isn't capable of plotting." The yellow twin's optics narrowed dangerously. "Are you calling Sideswipe a traitor?"
"I have multiple records proving that he is!" The security director declared. "He, his target and his anonymous source will be found out soon enough. You might as well confess what you know now."
"You're an idiot, Red." Sunstreaker crossed his arms and glared at the other mech.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Ten Hours Ago
Once he had sifted through the communication logs to find all of Sideswipe's contacts with his mystery supplier--and how had he missed them before? There were nearly two dozen this week alone--Red Alert began issuing recall orders. Sunstreaker was a likely accomplice and Prowl needed to be present for any disciplinary measures that would take place. And Optimus, of course, would be required as judge when Sideswipe's treason went to trial.
He didn't notice when his message to the Prime was blocked, or the addendum to the message en-route to Prowl. He was too focused on making sure Sideswipe was stopped before mechs died.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
"How could you release him?!" A warning pop of electricity sparked across Red's helm as his normal levels of concern edged into panic. "He's going to kill us all!"
"I do not believe this is the case," Prowl replied calmly. "I interviewed him extensively, and I feel certain that this is simply a very large misunderstanding."
"I should have known you would side with him! I should have brought in someone who isn't his friend! I should have taken this to Prime myself instead of waiting for him to return on his own schedule!" The crackles of energy grew more intense as Red's processor attempted to calculate all the variables. "I should have--"
"Just asked him what was going on," Prowl interrupted smoothly. "He would have told you. Sideswipe is terrible at keeping secrets."
"Not if it was a plot! Not if he's really a Decepticon after all!"
"Red, did you even open the box?"
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Nine hours ago
Sideswipe smiled as his contact sent him a grainy (but decent by human standards) digital image of the finished product.
It's perfect, he sent back via email.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
Red Alert looked at the box with trepidition. Prowl was right, of course, however. He had to open it to determine the exact nature of the threat, because his scans had turned up nothing but titanium and assorted Earth-made pigments and enamels. And he had to do it now, because waiting gave Sideswipe the chance to escape before his true deception was discovered.
Inferno was standing guard outside the door. Now was as safe as it was going to get. Carefully, the red and white mech reached out and lifted the box lid.
Nothing happened, not even one of the frontliner's trademark explosions of confetti.
Red set the lid aside and looked into the box. Again, nothing happened. All he could see was a paper wrapped bundle, nestled on top of a pile of shredded paper.
"You should just unwrap it," Sideswipe said softly from behind him. "It's for you, anyway."
"For me?" The security director sounded as mystified as he felt.
"Yeah. It's a gift. You kind of ruined the surprise, though."
Red Alert turned and gave the frontliner a confused look, but Sideswipe looked sincere--and a bit weary as well. Perhaps Prowl was right in how he had overreacted.
"All of that elaborate planning was for you to bring in a gift."
"Yeah."
"For me."
"Yeah."
"But why? Especially now. I was awful to you."
"Maybe I'm crazy, but I still like you and I still want you to have it. Even after you were awful." The red twin took a step closer. "I know you were trying to look out for everyone, so we're good."
"Oh." Red Alert didn't know what else to say. No one but Inferno had ever been so forgiving of one of his bouts of paranoia before. "I'm sorry, Sideswipe. Next time, I'll try to do better."
"Better this than one of Frenzy's bombs or Ravage's hacks." Sideswipe moved closer again, and put an arm around the security director's shoulders. "Now open your present."
Red nodded and did as instructed. Sideswipe had put forth a lot of effort and deserved to see it rewarded. He tore the paper off carefully, revealing a shaped piece of metal. It was unassuming and contained none of the pigments he had discovered in his scans, so he turned it over.
His optics went wide at the perfect replication of his family's House Crest. Sideswipe had to have made it on Earth; none of the crests in his possession had survived the Decepticon assaults on the Crystal City and Iacon.
"Happy sparkday, Red."
He looked at the frontliner, torn between hugging him in happiness and shutting down in shock. "How did you know?"
"Your sparkdate is a matter of public record, I just had to do some converting. And I remembered that you used to keep your family crest over your desk back in Iacon. When I realized you didn't have one here, I knew what I was getting for you. Even if it meant spending a considerable amount of my personal fortune to have it commissioned."
"It's wonderful. A perfect replica. Even the cyberhound is the right color."
"I found one heck of an artist," the warrior agreed. Then he added, "You really should apologize and let her out of jail now."
Universe: G1
Rating: G
Characters: Red Alert, Sideswipe, Prowl, Sunstreaker
Pairing: implied Red Alert/Sideswipe
Content Advisory: none
Prompt: 4. Task: write fluffy stuff between the two most unlikely characters you can think of.
Notes: for the tf_speedwriting 2013 Advent Calendar
Now
Red Alert heaved the frontliner into the brig with a satisfying clank. Sideswipe hit the floor and groaned.
"Frag, Red. What'd I do?"
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Twelve Hours Ago
"Everything's ready, right?" Sideswipe asked.
"The package will arrive precisely at ten a.m. as ordered," his contact replied. "You will keep up your end of the deal and make sure the target is suitably distracted this time?"
"Of course I will. It's not much of a secret plan if the target sees you coming."
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
The security director scanned the large white box almost frantically, attempting to discover what horrible plan Sideswipe had concocted. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good for the Autobots if he had been planning it in such secret.
Too bad he hadn't known that Red Alert had a tracking system set up in the communication channels with flags to alert him to certain types of conversations.
Now if he could just avoid having to open the package and risk setting off whatever nefarious device was inside...
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Eleven Hours Ago
Red Alert opened his morning security log--such a waste of time; why couldn't Ratchet see that he was just fine handling security matters in off duty hours?--and skimmed over the entries. Most everything was base-standard normal, including Gears and Huffer singing very drunken renditions of popular pub songs, for the majority of the duty log. Only one entry stood out, and its contents quickly grew alarming.
Sideswipe was plotting against another Autobot.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
"Whatever my idiot brother has done," Sunstreaker said darkly, "I wasn't involved. I've been in New York with Tracks."
"No one is accusing you of anything--"
"Yet."
Prowl shot Red Alert a Look and continued speaking despite the interruption. "We just want to know what you know about this plot."
"I know that unless it involves glitter and glue, my brother isn't capable of plotting." The yellow twin's optics narrowed dangerously. "Are you calling Sideswipe a traitor?"
"I have multiple records proving that he is!" The security director declared. "He, his target and his anonymous source will be found out soon enough. You might as well confess what you know now."
"You're an idiot, Red." Sunstreaker crossed his arms and glared at the other mech.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Ten Hours Ago
Once he had sifted through the communication logs to find all of Sideswipe's contacts with his mystery supplier--and how had he missed them before? There were nearly two dozen this week alone--Red Alert began issuing recall orders. Sunstreaker was a likely accomplice and Prowl needed to be present for any disciplinary measures that would take place. And Optimus, of course, would be required as judge when Sideswipe's treason went to trial.
He didn't notice when his message to the Prime was blocked, or the addendum to the message en-route to Prowl. He was too focused on making sure Sideswipe was stopped before mechs died.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
"How could you release him?!" A warning pop of electricity sparked across Red's helm as his normal levels of concern edged into panic. "He's going to kill us all!"
"I do not believe this is the case," Prowl replied calmly. "I interviewed him extensively, and I feel certain that this is simply a very large misunderstanding."
"I should have known you would side with him! I should have brought in someone who isn't his friend! I should have taken this to Prime myself instead of waiting for him to return on his own schedule!" The crackles of energy grew more intense as Red's processor attempted to calculate all the variables. "I should have--"
"Just asked him what was going on," Prowl interrupted smoothly. "He would have told you. Sideswipe is terrible at keeping secrets."
"Not if it was a plot! Not if he's really a Decepticon after all!"
"Red, did you even open the box?"
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Nine hours ago
Sideswipe smiled as his contact sent him a grainy (but decent by human standards) digital image of the finished product.
It's perfect, he sent back via email.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-
Now
Red Alert looked at the box with trepidition. Prowl was right, of course, however. He had to open it to determine the exact nature of the threat, because his scans had turned up nothing but titanium and assorted Earth-made pigments and enamels. And he had to do it now, because waiting gave Sideswipe the chance to escape before his true deception was discovered.
Inferno was standing guard outside the door. Now was as safe as it was going to get. Carefully, the red and white mech reached out and lifted the box lid.
Nothing happened, not even one of the frontliner's trademark explosions of confetti.
Red set the lid aside and looked into the box. Again, nothing happened. All he could see was a paper wrapped bundle, nestled on top of a pile of shredded paper.
"You should just unwrap it," Sideswipe said softly from behind him. "It's for you, anyway."
"For me?" The security director sounded as mystified as he felt.
"Yeah. It's a gift. You kind of ruined the surprise, though."
Red Alert turned and gave the frontliner a confused look, but Sideswipe looked sincere--and a bit weary as well. Perhaps Prowl was right in how he had overreacted.
"All of that elaborate planning was for you to bring in a gift."
"Yeah."
"For me."
"Yeah."
"But why? Especially now. I was awful to you."
"Maybe I'm crazy, but I still like you and I still want you to have it. Even after you were awful." The red twin took a step closer. "I know you were trying to look out for everyone, so we're good."
"Oh." Red Alert didn't know what else to say. No one but Inferno had ever been so forgiving of one of his bouts of paranoia before. "I'm sorry, Sideswipe. Next time, I'll try to do better."
"Better this than one of Frenzy's bombs or Ravage's hacks." Sideswipe moved closer again, and put an arm around the security director's shoulders. "Now open your present."
Red nodded and did as instructed. Sideswipe had put forth a lot of effort and deserved to see it rewarded. He tore the paper off carefully, revealing a shaped piece of metal. It was unassuming and contained none of the pigments he had discovered in his scans, so he turned it over.
His optics went wide at the perfect replication of his family's House Crest. Sideswipe had to have made it on Earth; none of the crests in his possession had survived the Decepticon assaults on the Crystal City and Iacon.
"Happy sparkday, Red."
He looked at the frontliner, torn between hugging him in happiness and shutting down in shock. "How did you know?"
"Your sparkdate is a matter of public record, I just had to do some converting. And I remembered that you used to keep your family crest over your desk back in Iacon. When I realized you didn't have one here, I knew what I was getting for you. Even if it meant spending a considerable amount of my personal fortune to have it commissioned."
"It's wonderful. A perfect replica. Even the cyberhound is the right color."
"I found one heck of an artist," the warrior agreed. Then he added, "You really should apologize and let her out of jail now."