TF (OC): Searchin’
Rating: PG
Series: G1
Summary: This is the back-story for my OC Tracer. Tracer is made an offer she can’t really refuse.
Warnings: Nothing… absolutely no warnings required I think…
Disclaimer: As per usual, the good things in life are not mine to have, but belong to someone else... in this case Hasbro, Takara and IDW and anyone else I’ve forgotten… Tracer belongs to me… as do Kicker and Rollback
Feedback makes friends. Flames dealt with by the masters of paranoia and fire, Red Alert and Inferno.
Authors Notes: And the convergence continues! And we get to have some fun soon!
Searchin' Part One
Searchin' Part Two
Searchin' Part Three
Searchin' Part Four
Searchin' Part Five
Searchin' Part Six
Searchin' Part Seven
Searchin' Part Eight
Life was different now. Knowing that there were other Autobots in reach renewed the enthusiasm in the femmes for planning and raiding. It wasn’t as much of a problem now as they could get energon from the Earth, but it still meant they got to disrupt Shockwave’s plans. Regular visits from Earth had been scheduled, but no femme had yet to go down. Therefore it was no surprise when Omega Supreme landed less than a hic away from their current base of operations. Tracer left her station briefly to inform Elita One that they had visitors before racing to find Firestar.
“You’re gonna have company Firestar!”
“What?”
“Inferno’s back… and he’s brought Red with him!” Firestar raced out her quarters at a speed that would have made Kicker jealous. Tracer followed her back up the corridor, taking her place back at her station whilst Firestar joined Elita One in welcoming the Autobots into their base. The atmosphere was always excitable when the mechs came up from Earth. They brought energon and stories of their adventures on Earth and often provided help around the base. The first trip up from Earth had included Grapple and Hoist amongst its occupants. They had helped in designing and expanding parts of the base.
This time however, the party consisted of Optimus Prime, Red Alert, Inferno, Hound and Prowl, the Autobot tactician. As much as she wanted to see her old team-mates and her mentor, her duties came first and she slumped in her chair slightly, staring at the monitors, half her processor on her sensors and the approaching Autobots.
Yet it was still a surprise when Hound placed his hands on the back of the chair and leant over to look at the monitors. Holding her hand over her chestplate as though she could slow the racing of her fuel pump that way, she turned round in her chair and glared up at her mentor.
“No one ever told you not to sneak up on a femme?” Hound’s grin widened.
“Elita says you’re off duty as of now, so why don’t you show me around?” Hound suggested, ignoring Tracer’s dumbfounded look.
“Er… sure?”
“Thatta girl.” Hound patted her on the shoulder and stepped back as she stood up.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As she took him on a small tour of the base, Hound talked about everything he’d seen on Earth. Tracer had to admit, it sounded beautiful; the colors and textures sounded vastly different to those on Cybertron.
“You sound as though you love it there Hound.” She teased.
“I do. And you would too.”
“I don’t doubt that, but my place is here…” She paused, processor working double-time as she joined the metaphorical dots. “Hound…”
“Yeah?” They had stopped on one of the upper decks, near an opening that had a view across towards the cities. Hound stared at it, optics taking in the destruction that was still evident in the debris littering the ground.
“Why are you here?” She could hear him vent a sigh before he turned round to face her.
“Because I stand the best chance of convincing you.”
“Convincing me? To do what?”
“Come to Earth.”
“What?” Hound leant back against the wall, staring down at the Minibot in front of him, determination and defiance clear in every inch of her chassis.
“We need you.” He answered simply. “The Decepticons are living up to their name and we’re finding it hard to locate their temporary bases. Much of the time, between me, Beachcomber and Bumblebee, we don’t find them until it’s too late.”
“Too late?”
“They destroy something.”
“I still don’t see how I could do anything more than you’re already doing.”
“Tracer. You’re good. You know you’re good. Soundwave wouldn’t have even tried if you weren’t.” Tracer brought her head up sharply at sound of that name. “Your sensors are better equipped for distance and sensitivity.”
“I know that… but, I have a job to do here too.”
“Optimus Prime and Prowl are talking to Elita One. Prowl believes you could better further our efforts in the war on Earth.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They made their way back slowly to the control room. Tracer was occupied by the thoughts racing through her processor, so Hound had his hand on her shoulder guiding her gently. She was abruptly brought of out her musings by Firestar rushing up to her.
“Is it true Tracer?”
“Is what true?”
“That you’re being transferred to Earth? I’m so proud of you!” Tracer found herself enveloped in an awkward hug, just seeing the smirk on Hound’s faceplates before she lost sight of him.
“I’m not sure it’s up to me.” Tracer replied, managing to pull herself away from Firestar.
“Of course it is.” Suddenly wishing she were anywhere but standing there, Tracer turned to look up at Optimus Prime. “We wouldn’t want anyone to do something they didn’t want to.”
“I… I…” Tracer stuttered, looking from Prime to Elita to Hound and then to Firestar, Red Alert and Inferno. There was no way she could turn this offer down. The search for energon wasn’t as crucial now they had contact with the mechs on Earth so she wasn’t as useful as she had been. “I… I guess I’m going…” Above her head, Prime gave a satisfied nod, glancing down as Prowl walked up to the group. Red Alert shared an unreadable look with Hound.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Within a mega-cycle, they were ready to leave. Tracer was more nervous than she had been when she joined Red Alert’s team. This would be unlike anything she had ever experienced. There would be more than thirty mechs on the base on Earth, five times as many as she had ever worked with. That combined with the fact that Soundwave was on Earth nearly made her withdraw her consent to being reassigned.
“You okay kid?”
“I guess…”
“If you’re worried about Soundwave, don’t be. Red let Prowl know the situation, and that mech. can compute outcomes like no-one I’ve ever seen. If there were a big chance of him coming after you again, Prowl wouldn’t have recommended we try.”
“Okay…” Still hesitant, Tracer followed Inferno as they boarded Omega Supreme. She sat down next to him, watching as the others filed aboard. Hound smiled reassuringly in her direction as he took his seat. Red Alert sat down the other side of Inferno, nestling up against the larger mech. Leaning back, Tracer offlined her optics briefly.
“Still don’t like flying?”
“It’s not the flying I mind.” She answered, not at all surprised that Red Alert had picked up on her unease.
“The journey won’t take long. We’ll be there before you know it.” Tracer nodded, listening to the low rumble that signified Omega Supreme starting his engines, steeling herself, ready for the lift off.
“Oh Primus…” She muttered quietly to herself as they launched into the air.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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Part Ten