Work Text:
“One last tie off...and...got it! Ok, Fixit. Try it now.”
“Copy that.” The Minicon technician entered the start-up sequences for the Command Center’s alternate antennas as the machinery hummed to life. Pulling up another screen, Fixit gave a startled noise at the surprising strength of the signal. “Incredible! The antennas are at their optimum performance with more than half the power input. What did you change?”
“Nothing much.” The human pulled herself out from underneath the console and started to brush off the dirt and dust bunnies that clung to her clothes as she stood to her full height. “I used a couple of the spare radio’s we had in the shop to act as your tuners and amplifiers. You are now using Earth’s Radio Towers and Satellites to boost your signal without having to use all that extra Energon.”
“And you’re absolutely sure no one will detect our scanners along those frequencies?” He questioned.
“Yep.” She reached up to undo the hair tie that held her twists back and shook them loose. “Each of those radios have a frequency scrambler attached to them so even if say a Con tried to scan those frequencies, all they would see and hear is noise. Plus, Earth Radio stations only really listen to what’s going out of their station, not what’s coming in.”
“Huh, the ingenuities of humans. Thank you, Staff Sergeant Rogerio.”
“Of course, Fixit, and I’ve said before that you can call me Cassía, Casey, or heck even Kessie.” She cheekily replied. “And don’t be quick to chalk this to normal human teachings. This is all stuff I learned from the military, Wheeljack and Perceptor when they were here on Earth a few years back.”
Before Fixit could reply, the klaxon sounded, making Cassía yelp in shock as another screen appeared with two moving blips.
Cassía tried to calm down her very hard heartbeat as everyone began to fill into the Command Center’s foyer. “What’s the story here, Fixit?” Bee asked.
Fixit answered by pulling up the supporting screen and enlarged it. “Sensors are detecting two Cybertonian ships landing in the forest west of Crown City. Scans are inconclusive.”
“We should prepare for hostiles just in case.” Bee prepped.
“Ok.” Grim said as he pounded his fists together excitedly, “I’m prepared.”
“Hang on Grim.” Bee paused him. “There’s a hunting lodge in that area. If we run into locals, it might be tough to explain a big...metal...you.”
Grimlock hummed out a reluctant grumble, clearly not happy with staying behind. Again…
Bee turned his attention to their human companions near him, “We might need you, the girls and Russell to run interference, Denny.”
“I’m in, Bee,” Denny replied as he put an arm around his son’s shoulder, “But Russell won’t be coming on any more missions.”
To which Cassía noted Russell’s displeasure at his father’s announcement as Charlie replied with her answer. “You got it, Bee.”
It didn’t take long for the team to roll out with their human partners in tow to the location of the Hunting lodge and the general area of those two blips. “No sign of humans.” Bee pointed out in relief.
Denny popped his head out of Strongarm's cab. “Maybe it’s not hunting season?” He added.
“Let’s hope so.” Cassía answered as she got out of Sideswipe’s driver seat.
Just as Charlie got out of Bee, the Bots transformed, and Bee turned to their human partners. “Denny, Charlie take cover. Cassía, be ready for anything.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Denny answered as he took off for cover with Charlie following behind him.
“Good luck.” Cassía answered in kind as she followed them up the rear with her Shield deployed.
Not even a few seconds had passed after they took cover when an engine roared to life, and the motorcycle leaped into the clearing before transforming into a tall and thin Decepticon who zeroed in on Bee.
“Who’s that?” Charlie questioned out loud.
“Yeah. Ask me like I’m gonna know…” Cassía answered with snark which earned her an elbow jab from Charlie.
Another engine roared to life as an orient-style car zoomed into view, this time shifting into an Autobot that bore a resemblance to a Samurai who stood opposite of the Decepticon, readying for a challenge it seemed.
“Ok, now who is that?” Denny asked this time.
Cassía couldn’t but let out an impressive whistle before she caught herself and let out her snarky response, “Again ask me like I’m gonna know.”
“Will you stop?” Charlie asked her best friend with an exasperated tone and another shove.
It wasn’t long before the two bots clashed. Swords rang out into the air as their blades clashed with each other, forcing the other into a back-and-forth dance with no give. Each of their partner paired minicons in combat with the other, in the mirror reflection of their masters.
All Bumblebee and his team could do was watch and wait for their chance to move and sure enough they got their opportunity to jump in as the Decepticon pinned down the Autobot and ready his sword to come clean down. Bee had no problem tackling the Decepticon off while Strongarm and Sideswipe returned fire onto the opposing minicons. Other than a few knicks and scratches from the scuffle, it wasn’t long before the Decepticon was forced into a retreat as his minicons un-deployed back to him and escaped further into the surrounding woods.
Bumblebee seemed to know this Autobot as he greeted him, giving a signal for their human companions that it was safe to come out. As they drew closer, they started hearing of all the different charges against Bumblebee.
“--Unauthorized use of a Space Bridge, unauthorized travel between Cybertron and Earth, and kidnapping.” The new Bot finished.
“Bee has a bounty on him?” Charlie quietly exclaimed.
“Oh my.” Cassía said in slight shock. “You think you know someone…”
“Do we look kidnapped to you?” Strongarm questioned fiercely. “Listen, we—”
“None of that matters now.” Drift stopped her with a raised servo. “You saved me from Fracture. I now owe you a life-debt which must be repaid in kind.”
Cassía didn’t like the way this new Bot acted towards Strongarm as she stepped forward and spoke out, "Ok. First off, rude. You don't interrupt someone when they're trying to say something. It’s called bad manners. Second, why would the Council put a Bounty on one of their own Officers?"
The new bot gave her a hard look (was it a glare?) and Cassía had no problem giving it right back, the ever burning fire in her soul flaring again.
One of the Minicon’s appeared with a lone blade in hand. Cassía noted how he was in a kneeling position that reminded her of the temple drawings she once saw in her tour in Morocco. “Your blade, Master.”
The new Bot took one look at the sword that still had a fleck of dirt on it before saying, “It is dirty.”
The Minicon looked down in embarrassment at the blade. “Ah! Humble apologizes, Master Drift.” Cassía noted the rising ire she felt in her chest at this so-called ‘Master’ Drift as the Minicon moved back with the sword.
The new Bot, Drift, directed his attention to the other Minicon that was before him. “Slipstream, secure our ship and place it in synchronous orbit.”
Denny, already sensing the growing tension between the two, tried to cut through with introductions as Slipstream bowed in acknowledgement for his Master’s order. “So, I’m Denny Clay and these lovely ladies are Charlie Watson,” Charlie raised her hand in greeting, “And Cassía Rogerío who has already introduced herself.”
Drift looked admonishingly between the humans before he turned his attention towards Bumblebee, “Your pets have poor manners.”
Cassía crossed her arms and her jaw set as she replied easily with her lip curling a bit to show a fang, “Speak for yourself.”
Bee gently pulled her back, both in the physical sense and hopefully the metaphorical sense as well. “Easy, Cassía.”
“So now you don’t want the bounty?” Sideswipe asked gingerly. “We’re all friends?”
“I retrieve fugitives so that they may explain their actions to the Council and eventually choose a more honorable path. Fracture has no honor, and he will not give up easily.” Drift answered as Jetstorm returned with the now cleaned blade appeared and handed it to him as he picked it up and cleanly sheathed it. “To repay the life-debt, I will protect you from the attack he doubtless plans even now. And I shall not move from your side until that is done.”
It was always interesting to see how different each of the Bots' heights were, but it was made all too clear as Drift loomed over Bee, as though to keep a vigilant watch as Bee tried to appease this sudden new guard. “That really isn’t necessary.”
The girls could look only between themselves as Denny jokingly replied, “So, three more places at dinner?” As he swatted at the increasingly annoying fly that flew around his head.
As they returned to the Scrapyard, Charlie couldn’t help but notice how her best friend stayed quiet, the harsh frown a stranger on her usual fanged smile. It wasn’t until she and Cassía stood off to the side and watched as Drift and Bee conversed about the layout of Denny’s security system that she heard the taller girl grumble out, "Ooooh, he's gonna be sooo fun to deal with..." The rumble in her tone already displaying her impression of the very rigid Autobot so far was not impressive.
"Come on, he's not that bad." Charlie tried to settle. He wasn’t, but even Charlie had to admit that he reminded her of an all-too familiar Bot who took Command during the fall of the Nevada Base.
"No.” Cassía answered before she continued. “He's just rude, blunt and overly stiff. Honestly the Redwoods are more flexible than he is."
“Cassía, your adoptive father is Ultra Magnus.” Charlie answered in kind. “I’d imagine Drift would remind you of him a little bit.”
Cassía couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the noted similarity. “Oh sure….if he was also rude, and if we were still in the middle of the War.”
They didn’t even hear the others come up behind them until Drift bluntly stated, “Your inexperienced law officer, juvenile delinquent, oafish Dinobot, damaged Minicon, and human pets are no match for an enemy as devious as Fracture.”
Everyone made a retort at the blunt statement and Sideswipe moved to challenge it, but Cassía stopped him with a hand on his strut, “I’ll handle this.” She marched every bit of her smaller self to stand in front of Drift to stand her ground and with a warning growl in her tone, "Eí! Let's get something straight here. They are not juvenile or oafish, and we.... are NOT...pets! Call them any of those things again, and we're,” she gestured to Drift and herself, “going to have a problem. Call ME a human pet again and I'll have no problem showing you how I earned my marks with the Wreckers." She finished with the fire hot on her breath as she brandished the Wrecker Emblem that lay beautifully integrated with her sleeve tattoo on her shoulder.
A stunned silence greeted the air around the Team and guests as each tried to discern what just happened. Bee was pinching the bridge of his optics and prayed to his mentors-past that their ONE HUMAN Wrecker didn’t start an intergalactic fight while his team looked on in amazement that their tiny (to them) friend just stood up for them. Drift could only stare down at this fiery human, wondering exactly what to do with her while his students looked between their Master and the fiery human with a mixture of awe and astonishment.
Thankfully Bee stepped in between the glaring match to redirect the pissed off human, “Cassía, how about you go with Fixit and Russell while the others set up temporary quarters for our, guests?”
“Yeah, we can show our guest’s partners around the Command Center.” Russell answered as he pulled Cassía with him and away from further agitating the big robot alien with the swords.
Cassía could only let herself be pulled as she continued to glare at Drift until she got a crick in her neck and broke contact.
As the others dispersed to their task, Drift pulled Bee to the side. “Do all humans display such reckless behavior in challenging someone that is beyond their height level?”
Bee could only laugh a bit as he answered, "No, but they can be pretty determined when they’re pissed off. She, like a few others," He looks lovingly at Charlie, who caught up to the others and pushed against Cassía’s shoulder to get her to smile, "Are very special in their own right."
Drift not quite understanding what Bumblebee meant by this as he rolled his optics.