[ti]Ep 2.5[/ti]Still Adjusting [Miko/Open]

[Deleted]

Week 2
Day 1



Odessa's Workshop. A large warehouse like room with a human sized small door, a large shutter for the bots. And Trash from corner to corner. All for different use and speculation.

It has been a little under a week since the greatest revelation of the greatest reveal in history. An alien encounter of third kind. Such events would shake up the human community. Perhaps even enough to reset the calendar. One-A.C. - after contact. No normal human would have the privilege of making first contact. Well, perhaps not first contact. Fowler was already in the base and knew much of these bots before Odi was even thinking outward towards the stars. It caused him pause. The buzzing of a welding torch emptied out into silence, Shrouding Odessa into a veil of darkness behind a welder's mask. Overall, this encounter was hard to take in, but with proper time he had come to adjust to stay with these aliens. Not exactly the exact vision of what an alien would be either. Perhaps something more organic than metallic. Organic being the wrong word, as the definition for organic simple means an object made of molecules that includes at least one carbon atom in its chain. Suppose, an alien bio organism was more expected than Metalloid.Oh well, take it in stride. They speak our language, try to fit in, and aren’t combative. No different than human. Don’t be racist about it.

Reigniting the torch, the flame slowly drifted along some exposed silvery chrome metals. Attaching two separate pieces independent from one another. He removed the torch, allowed the red metal to turn back chrome, and ran his hand over it a few times. Nice clean blend at the point. Should’ve been a welder instead of a Pawnshop owner, much easier thirty dollars an hour.

He took a step back to admire the work, however much of it was under a long blanket. He still saw the full picture of what it was, and its purpose. Now he could thoroughly be of help for the Bots.

[Miko Nakadai]

For a base full of giant robots, things sure were boring sometimes.

The last week or so had been especially mellow – Bulk hadn't gone into too many details, but it didn't take a genius to work out that the Autobots were hurting for Energon. Even despite the Truce, the Decepticons held the majority of the Energon mines and weren't about to start sharing, and while there'd been talk of a few deposits that were untapped, they were super unsafe and not worth the risk!

Arrgh! She wished she could do more to help! She'd even made a point to do all her homework lately just because it seemed to cheer Bulkhead up, and she loved to see him smile!

She found herself wandering, looking for company or something to help out with. She wasn't sure where Raf and Jack were, and things were weirdly quiet. Everyone was probably off doing their own thing, and she could respect that! Earbuds in her ears, the wire tumbled down and into her pocket, no doubt connected to her phone. She made a point to stick to the edges of the corridor like she was supposed to, wandering the corridors and moving down onto the second level. Maybe she'd find someone down here training or something.

She found herself humming along to the music, distracted by it almost when a flash of light under a door caught her eye.

Hhhuh?

Maybe it was Jackie! Then again his workshop wasn't anywhere near here but hey, maybe he wanted to come down here to work on a surprise! He was always up for a chat, and Miko found herself drawn to the human-sized-door.

Pulling the earbuds from her ears and shoving them into her pocket, she knocked once.

Twice.

Eh, good enough – maybe Jackie, or whoever it was, couldn't hear her – and so she pushed open the door after another second and a half of waiting.

Well, it definitely wasn't Wheeljack or another bot! Not unless they were super tiny and hiding behind that- whatever that was under there! With a skip in her step, she moved further into the room and then stopped, rocking on her toes – gaze lingering on whatever it was that was being worked on, and then her attention shifted to the owner of this new room.

Wait it was that guy!

Least she thought it was, little hard to tell behind the welding mask – same mess of brown hair though. Even if not, eh she should introduce herself! It'd be rude not to!

“Heeeey!” she grinned, waving a hand and trying to get his attention. She probably wasn't supposed to be in here but since when did she follow all the rules to the letter?

[Deleted]

The greatness of a job well done. The feeling of satisfaction when a job is complete. Not that this was a hard little project. Not to the likes of anything he’d been working on the side, Endothermic reactions and all. Now that was a pain. This was more like a little lego set. Simply follow instructions from start to finish. It felt good to not be rummaging through the absolute nit-picky rules of physics and sciences to strain the mind into thinking of new ideas or angles to approach a technology. Something like just zoning out and not even trying to think. This was something of a hobby. Having done this project many times to many other objects in the past for shit n’ giggles with the friends and family.

The chirp of a little voice peaked into the workshop from just in the door. Glancing over, he couldn't make anything out from the visor of the mask. Flipping it up showed the same little thing that he met a few times before. He flashed her a smile. One that held a hint of pride. Only a hint though, as this project’s pride has become desensitized. Completing this so many times had worn the polish off it’s shine. Still. It felt good to at least finish something for once. Now that this easy job was done, it was time to get back to the mind wracking.

“Hey… Still masquerading as a human with highlights? Nineteen-Ninety-Nine called…” He poked in a jibbing manner. Liking her dyed tips to ye’ old Frosted Tippings, from ye old antediluvian times. A more peaceful time, a more prosperous time. “Don’t knock much huh? You’re lucky. You pop in a few seconds ago and you’d be blinded.” He waved the blowtorch for added measure. “But then again I guess robotic scooters don’t need to worry about blinding lights.”

He stepped off to a nearby table, littered with tools and half finished gizmos. Some squares, some circles, all unknown what the fuck they do. The mask came off, the torch put down, and the nozzle of an acetylene tank closed before any random wanton spark killed them all. He stretched only once. Popping a few bones from constant hours in hunched position.

“Do they let you just wander the base? Do the bots not stop you because they don't have any word for personal privacy?” That line was a bit more rough towards her sudden intrusion. He wasn’t by all means an absolutely private person, but dang, at least a knock would've been nice. At least he wasn't in a compromising position.

[Miko Nakadai]

Once the welding mask was flipped up, Miko would grin wider.

It totally was that dude from the Junkyard! Interesting how they'd given him a room here at the Omega Base – then again she'd heard Optimus had been called to sort things out in the end there, so maybe he'd managed to prove himself useful or something. He did make a huge and super destructive weapon that'd been picked up on their scanners from all the way out here, so she was sure Fowler was involved in this somewhere. At least he wasn't around though, eugh. Either way, having more humans around the base to hang out with was always nice, and this guy seemed pretty rad.

“Pff, if I was an Autobot do you think I'd be walking around like this all the time? No way dude!” she scoffed, waving a hand. “And eh you get used to not knocking much when Bots are concerned, ain't like they can hear it anyway since our knocks are so tiny! Althooough for your information I did knock though, twice!” she corrected, it wasn't her fault he hadn't heard her over his work! “Besides, I thought Jackie was in here and he doesn't mind me stopping by to hang out!”

As he moved over to the table, she'd take another step into the room, then another. He hadn't told her to go away, so that basically meant it was okay to stay in here and chat, right? Plus she didn't want to linger in the doorway. His question made her head tilt, and she'd turn her attention to him briefly.

“Well yeah – I hang out here after school all the time! Allowed to wander as long as I don't go where I'm not supposed to, and as long as I stick to the edges of the corridors when I'm not up on the catwalks! Suppose you have to stick to the same rules, huh?”

The personal privacy line wasn't lost on her, and she'd wrinkle her nose. Again, not her fault he hadn't heard her.

“Now I know you are in here though, I'll knock harder next time. What's the big deal anyway? You working on something totally super secret?”

Her gaze had shifted back to the thing under the sheet and she'd squint, trying to work out just what it was that was under there.

[Deleted]

“Mmmmm, you’d think as human-like their personalities seem. They’d appreciate some time to just get away.” He pulled off his mask and set it on the table. “Then you need to knock louder, you lil liar.” He felt awkward talking to these kids. Almost like having to censor himself. “Jackie? Who are the other humiez here? Javelin only told me, you and two others. Is that one of the others?”

He took up a socket-wrench, popped in the proper socket, and moved back to the tarp. “Uhhh. I mean, if we were told the same rules. For the most part, but hey, what Dadimus doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” He replied with a coy smirk walking around the tarp towards her. Putting one finger on her forehead to playfully (SOFTLLLYYYYYYY) push her out the way. ”Not something suuuuuuuuper... not yet anyway. However, you ARE…” He reached for two good handfuls of the tarp, ripping it off in one motion. Revealing a completed dune buggy. “We’ll be able to ride out with the bots with this. Help out any way we can...Well… I can.” He smirked yet again.

“However. That isn’t all.” He’d set the socket wrench down on a thick plate that rested above the engine. “Come see.”

He moved back towards the other side of the buggy once again. To a large wooden box stacked on top a metal one. Unlocking one latch, then another. Popping open the lid of the box he’d rest against its side. Waiting for her to slink over and drop her jaw on seeing what beauty was inside.

“Got a requisition order from Fowler. Got him to agree to supply me with things. Told him that it’d be better some random dude was out fighting with the bots that the government could officially deny than put their own guys in the middle of danger. So he’s gonna be hooking me up with a lot of stuff. Like this bad bitch.”

[Miko Nakadai]

“Maybe! We'd have to ask them! I know if I was a Cybertronian I wouldn't want to walk around as a tiny human though!” she grinned. Honestly, why would you want to be something so tiny, squishy and boring when you could be a giant ass-kicking robot or turn into a vehicle?! Then again, her thoughts were probably a liiiiitttttle bit biased because she herself was a tiny, squishy human. “Liar? Dude! I knocked! You should get one of those uhhh..” she waved a hand, trying to think of the word. “Door knocker things! If you're gonna be working in here and can't hear your door! Or a super loud doorbell!”

Oh man, that'd be hilarious.

“Jackie? Oh no, he's not a human! You're thinking of Jack! He's uuh... 'Bout this tall-” she held a hand up above herself sort-of-roughly about Jack's height, before lowering it to her side. “Jackie is Wheeljack, my bad! I'll hafta introduce you sometime!” she was so used to calling him Jackie that it was just second nature to her. “He has a ship, kinda comes and goes as he pleases which totally isn't fair! He has a workshop but good luck ever getting in there!” the door was basically perma-locked, even from Optimus she thought, and even she didn't know the access code!

Probably for the best.

She watched curiously as he moved back to the tarp, giving an amused snort at his words. “Dadimus?” She'd never heard that one before, but eh he was kinda right, Optimus was kinda their giant robot dad. They all seemed to have 'family' roles, she realized. Optimus being the dad-type, Ratchet the super cranky grandpa... Arcee the wine aunt... Not that she'd ever say that to their face, even she knew better! “That's a good motto to have, though!” she grinned. If Optimus knew half of what she got up to she probably wouldn't be allowed back here, like, ever again! Thankfully he had more important things to worry about than what she was doing, though.

As he moved around and toward her, she didn't quite realize she was in the way – not till the finger was pushed against her forehead and she took a step or two back. The tarp was ripped off with one fluid motion, and her eyes widened at seeing what was underneath.

“WHOA!” okay she'd been expecting a lot of things – but a dune buggy? Dude he hadn't even been here that long and he'd made this already? Awesome!!! “That's super cool! How fast does it go?”

The comment about riding with the bots made her smirk, standing up straighter.

“Pf, I can too – I just ride with Bulk!” she boasted, grinning. Nothing would ever beat that, although the dune buggy was pretty dang cool.

But there's more?!

She moved around the side of the buggy with him, keeping her distance – you never knew! - while he opened the box. Once it was 'safe' and he'd moved aside, she took a step forward, then another. Her jaw did indeed drop, and she gasped.

“Oh. My. God.”

It was beautiful. And Fowler had given him this?! Fowler had suddenly become WAY cooler. Now she suddenly wished she could sit on top of the buggy and fire this thing. Mwhahahaha. This'd rip Cons to shreds!

“I love it! Did you name her? You gotta name her!”

[Deleted]

“Im sure the bots are happy the way they are. Although it’d be cool to be one. I like being squishy myself.”

“I’ll just put dynamite on a string as my doorbell from now on.”

“Lots of bots on both sides huh? I’ve only seen Op… Bee.” He rose fingers to start counting. “Carbine, Cassette, Ratchet, Javelin…………………………………………….. Thats about it. I’d like to know who's here. I can try to make things for everyone on base. Wheeljack sounds like a great guy then… Saying guy is right...right? Ehh whatever. I’ll have to take trips with him just to spite you.” He started a chuckle that was only half hearted, like an intentional playfully low droning chuckle.

“It’s the best motto to have. Except you can’t get caught. Because it only makes things worse.” He froze at the thought of utilizing that advice in the wild. Staring off into the far wall with a thousand-yard-stare. The sounds of police sirens screaming klaxon through his head. The final sight of two golden bars rushing him on base. He’d shake his head to rid himself of that minor bout of P.T.S.D.. Then lowered a directed finger at her. “Hey hey hey, I know that kinda smile. You keep those ideas down. We have a privilege here on base. Let's not ruin it.” Then a lowering of his voice just in case any would-be eavesdroppers. “You better not do anything without me.”

“I KNOW, ITS GREAT RIGHT?!” In response to the buggy. “Engines bolted and good to go. No idea, but judging that its five-hundred horse… we gonna find out.”

She was a regular demon child. Sneaking out with the bots into combat. Woulda been shit if children came on combat ops back in the military. Optimus and the other bots must likewise flip their shit if she sneaks along. Jeez, this girl must have their circuits fried 24/7. Especially when these mature bots have to deal with a child.

“Didn’t care to name it. Name the whole thing. Lets go. HRRRRGGGGGG” Odessa struggled to lift the eighty-pound gun from the box. Heaving it over to the machine. Yeah cool Miko, thanks for the help. He’d drop it on a plate that was above the engine. Then a hop onto it. Hefting the gun once more onto a special frame above the driver’s seat.

Bolt, wrenchwrenchwrench

Bolt, wrenchwrenchwrench

Bolt, wrenchwrenchwrench

Great! Buggy was done. Well, like ninety-eight percent done, still needed a little buffing to get out sharp edges and to place a proper bucket seat on this backplate to make extra riders more comfortable, that and a proper support for the gunner. In time. Miko had strong hands to hold onto these support bars right? Yeah sure whatever. Hopping off, the last thing he went for was a hose. A hose connected to a large gas tank that came up waist high. The smell of fumes littered the area on opening the valve. Filling the tank and a smaller secondary one on the back. “Oh! One last thing. Another box he ran to. This one was just as militarized as the box he pulled the gun from. This one was withdrawn with two smaller boxes, large fifty caliber rounds on a belt dangling from it’s top.

“Alright lets roll, ya gremlin’.” Knowing he couldn’t stop her from tagging along. Knowing all too well he was the same at her age. A kindred heart between them. Odessa hopped in the driver’s seat with the engine roaring to life. Ok, perhaps a few more tweeks. Dess didn’t even have the mufflers installed yet.

”AWWW YEAH, THATS IT.” Quick, sharp revs of the engine gave an excited jolt. Damn, this thing wanted to go.

“I’m at least driving us out of here. I’m not gonna let you wreck it on the wall in the first fifteen minutes of it’s life.” Another button, the garage shutter opened. Man, Fuck whoever was trying to sleep at this time, right? This engine roared in these tiny concrete, sound amplifying walls. Rubber tires screeching as they clawed at the concrete. No doubt alerting the entire base, the Shit Twins were on the loose. “Hang on Darlin’.” Odessa drove like a dipshit, that is to say like a bat out of hell. An absurd amount of acceleration and power applied in absolutely unnecessarily small distances. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOing all the way. He was a tad excited as well. If there was any less friction on these tires. He might’ve sent the buggy into a wall (or bot’s foot) himself. Roaring the engine up the ramp to the outside desert. Launching the buggy into the wall of heat that was an unwelcoming desert.

[Skirmisher]

[Episodes 2.5: Week 2, Day 1: Location: Sol System: Planet: Earth, Continent North America: Region: Southwest: State: Nevada: Omega Outpost: Gym/Training Room]

Another recharge cycle had been interrupted by memories of his city remining him of how ineffective he'd been in protecting those he'd been tasked to, which had led him to seek out the Outpost's Training Room. He'd had to deal with the memories, and for a time had believed he had only for the memories to have returned to haunt him on some nights -- with increasing frequency. He'd told himself more than he'd cared to remember that he'd managed to attend to his duties and had managed to do everything in his power, except that he hadn't with the melted ruins of his once proud city. More than a millennia had passed since that moment where that city's ruins had remained on a dead planet, but it had been a failing of his. Regardless of what he'd believed that he'd held his ground and that he'd destroyed his share of Decepticons in that attack, the shame behind it had been real. It had gnawed at his internal processes in similar fashion to the actions of the Battle of Earth where his previous garrison had been nearly eliminated save for a few survivors. His demons had been his own.

The Praxian had found himself in the Outpost's Training Room after a brief trip down the corridors glad very few of the current garrison-members had bothered him or inquired as to why he'd interrupted his own recharge cycle, and had soon started his work out. The hand to hand methods, to the way his legs with the pistons inside shifted had been both trained and hardwired into his processors over the span of several millennia. Techniques practiced over at least several millennia had been second nature to him, but most if not all of the Enforcers from the Praxian Precincts had been trained in such methods either through the street tours to those that dealt in more specialized approaches. The movements shared at times a fluid motion designed more to incapacitate quickly to the more deliberate raw and brutal to even crude motions that had been from a glance seemed intended to cause as much collateral damage to an opposing Cybertronian's frame and while the assumption would have been correct those same motions could have been controlled to deliver only enough force to bring one down without splitting a frame. That is, if the Enforcer behind the limbs had desired that effect. Sometimes, his frame flipped in mid-air to twisting to the side as if dodging a blow to even doing a somersault or two which with his large frame had been an impressive feat in its own.

He'd been about to bring the impromptu training session to an end when a loud buzzing sound caught his attention, a sound he'd quickly identified as belonging to an engine although he'd been certain hadn't been of Cybertronian design given the fluctuations in pitch combined with the detection of gas fumes in the air. No, it hadn't been of a Cybertronian design given that no Cybertronian operated or at least ideally operated on fossil fuels. With his scanners having been extended to create a perimeter farther out despite being within the confines of the Outpost, he'd allowed his audio receptors to have zeroed in on the source or at least the direction and the velocities according to the increasing pitch of the obnoxious sound or at least obnoxious to him. Deactivating the training robots, he'd turned before crossing out of that particular compartment doubling as the garrison's gym and kept his visor scanning the concrete floors at his pedes while continuing to look forward.

[Miko Nakadai]

“You like being squishy? Boooooring!” she laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “As for the dynamite, maybe it could just play a huge explosion noise and scare the crap out of everyone!” that'd get old in about five minutes but it'd still be hilarious!

As he listed out the Bots he knew, she tilted her head. Wow, he'd met hardly anyone here at the Omega Base! Ah well, he'd only been here for a short time, she figured – plenty of opportunities to meet the rest of the Autobots to come, she was sure. She was glad in a way he hadn't met Bulk or Jackie yet – she'd love to be the one to introduce him to them!

Or not, if he was going to take trips with Jackie without her!

“Uh-huh! Sure dude!” she scoffed.

“Puh-lease, getting caught? I've not been caught yet for anything!” she grinned at that, thumbing to her chest almost like she was super proud of this fact. Although Odi seemed to have.. frozen for a sec there and she'd blink as he snapped out of it. His voice quiet then, like he was letting her in on some kind of secret and she'd simply nod to his words, smiling innocently.

Wouldn't dream of it~

Then he was loud again and she jumped, taking a step back and laughing.

“Five hundred horsepower? No way dude!” not that she knew a whole lot about cars or what five-hundred horsepower even was, that number seemed kinda high for a buggy! Then again maybe he was telling the truth!

She'd watch as he moved over to the box, hands shifting to her hips as he struggled a little in moving the heavy weapon. She'd totally help but honestly, she'd be more of a hindrance than actual aid – and eh, he seemed to have it!

“You didn't name ANY of it?!” she balked some. How did he have this cool-ass weapon and this equally cool buggy – that he'd built himself -and he hadn't named it! “I'll think of something super badass for it!! I gotta see her in action first!”

That moment was going to come a lot sooner than she realized, and after he'd gone to another box – this time getting a belt of ammo – and moved back to the driver's seat? The invitation was given.

And she couldn't move fast enough!

“WOO!” damn right he wasn't going to stop her, and she scrambled quickly up and onto the back of the buggy. The engine roared to life – it was so, so so loud, especially in the confines of the room but it sounded SO good.

“You can drive us outta here but I want a go when we're out of the base!!” she yelled over the engine, tightening her grip on the support bar.

“Go go go!!!”

Aaaaand they were off! At least the thing didn't fall apart the second he put his foot on the accelerator! The sudden lurch forward caught her off guard regardless, and she eek'd and clung to the support bar a little more.

Uh oh! Busted!!

“Bot alert! Bot aleeert!” she yelled, voice full of laughter as they tore forwards toward an Autobot that she didn't quite recognize. She was sure Odi was well aware of him, given he was driving – maybe he'd stop and chat but... Nope!

“Hey dude! Snooze ya lose!!” She called out to Skirmisher as they swerved and sped past him, with seemingly zero intention of slowing down. “Let's go race!! C'mon!” her voice faded out quickly due to the speed they were going, and soon the pair were gone. They launched up the ramp and through the base and it seemed like mere seconds had passed and they were outside into the almost blinding sunlight of the desert. One arm released from the support bar and she threw it up into the air in a victory fist-pump.

“Woooohoooo!”

[Deleted]

“Yeah, but squishy is who I am. I’m sure you wouldn't be the gremlin you are if you were one of them.”


“That gives me an idea. My dad used to make little concussion bombs for fun. Maybe change the formula and throw them at decepticons.”


“Damn right. I’ll be sure to take a selfie of earth.”



Odessa tore out of the slanted ramp like a bat outta hell. Gaining more power and speed as centrifugal force almost caused the wide ass grin on his face to slide off. No doubt lil gremlin would struggle to stay on. Shes a big enough girl to hold her own and if she dies, she dies. Ok maybe not. He took his foot on the accelerator a tad if OOONNNNLLLLLYYYY to give the girl a break. Wouldn't be off to a good start if the girl was a splat on the wall during his initial trial run of the base. Keep gremlin safe then. Babysitting, not like anything he isnt used to. Crayon eatign jarheads, These are great but to they come in Jalapeno cheese flavor? … fucking jarheads.

“Keep up nerds!” Odessa called back to the warehouse. Whomever was there was to snooze and lose. “We’re gonna go chew ass and find decepticons. And I’m all outta ass!”

Odessa continued a burn out the gate. Giving a noticeable hop as the wheels hit the ledge. Raising out of his seat only slightly. For her, it might’ve been worse. He was still just as jovial about it. Glancing over his shoulder once to make sure she was still even on the monster. The buggy settled into a more comfortable posture as rubber hit sand. High impact suspension becoming comfortable in its purpose. The chassis giving soft rises and falls over the dunes while wide toothed treads cut through the sand. Odessa ran the buggy hard. Not pushing all horses into the wheels, no need to launch Miko into the Stratosphere… yet. The duo went deeper into the desert. Away from the city and prying eyes that could see the inner steel of the mesa for what it was. Still, he was genuinely careful with his driving.

His excitement dialed down with the engine, coming to a complete stop. One hand on the roll cage gave him leverage to hop out.

“Alright Grem. Left pedal - brake to stop, right pedal - go. Don’t hammer it too hard. No back seat yet means you’ll fling me off.”

He’d hop up on the back plate just as she had. He’d take off his belt, wrapping the belt around one pant-loop and the roll-cage. Second thought. With her driving, if she rolled it, he’d be strapped to the cage going the distance. If he didn’t he’d be flung to thorough safety, but he could always slip off and go rolling some rocks. Neither a good scenario.

“Keep it below forty.” And then undid the belt loop.

While she was sitting in, he’d take a moment to rack the action of the HMG. Firing one surprising shell off into the sands. It worked. Happy Fowler came through on his end. If he was willing to supply such firepower, it was a wonder what else he could squeak away with. Maybe get a Stinger. Maybe ask NASA for a ten-thousand dollar ice-cream scoop. Maybe some rocket fuel. Strap an engine to this bitch, how cool would that be?

“Have fun kid.”

For second, he considered letting her off the reins to be a terrible idea.

Let us pray. Heavenly Father, hallowed be thy name. Blessed be are his fifty calibers. Hallowed art thou - his five-hundred horses. Holy is his eleven-to-one compression ratios. Please return this Gremlin from the pit of hell you found her and return us safely to the sights of our underground base.

Amen.

[Hot Rod]

     This was boring. He had been stuck with transporting supplies from one spot of the base to another one, as if it really mattered to anyone where things were. It was a stupid task, but one that he had been given and told he would be held responsible for if it went incomplete. So he stayed with it as long as he could, while taking sevral breaks in the process in an attempt to find SOMETHING else of interest. No luck, so back to it he kept going.

     Then, it was like the Well of the Allsparks opened up for him out of pity.

     “Keep up nerds!”

     Roddy heard the call faintly echo through the base. There was definitely the sound of what he knew to be engine revving, and that... certainly was the call of his people. Forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, Hot Rod right away dropped the box of supplies right there in the middle of the hall and started running in the direction he'd heard the sounds coming from. Something about keeping to some side of the wall or... whatever Ratchet had said. Either way, it didn't matter. What mattered was finding that siren call that he just had to answer. 

     It was just in time to see the little dune-buggy like abomination tear off up the slanted ramp to head out of the base. There was the voice from before that he didn't recognize and then one that he was much more familiar with. A grin came across his faceplate. 

     Did they want to know what speed was? Well, certainly they didn't know the definition of it without Hot Rod around, and he was more than willing to show them what it meant to burn rubber. He transformed, revving his engine as his rear tires spun on the cement flooring beneath them, and the disgusting smell of tires being set on fire would be as distinctively smelled by anyone in range just as well as the sound of his spinning wheels would be heard. He tore off, then, drifting off to the side slightly and nearly missing his mark, though screaming tires filled the air as he corrected himself and took off up the ramp. 

     Oh, this was definitely gonna be fun!

     It didn't talk long for him to catch up to the pair, driving alongside of them for a moment. Would he be sensible and tell them to return to base before they got in trouble? Remind them that Optimus expected better out of them? Tell Miko that she should definitely know how to behave by now and that they shouldn't be wasting their time?

     The pit with that.

     "Taste my dust, slow pokes! Keep up... if ya can!" Hot Rod would shout out towards them, if it was even heard. It may have not, but the next actions were sure to indicate the challenge that he left for them, for he gunned it and took off to speed ahead of them with a kick up of dust left in his wake.

[Miko Nakadai]

Damn this little dune buggy could really move! Granted things seemed to feel a heck of a lot faster when you were clinging to nothing but a safety bar with the wind wooshing through your hair! The bump as they hit the ledge of the gate was pretty rough, but she knew the base well enough to prepare for it - and clung on a little tighter so she didn’t bounce completely off and onto the floor!

They drove for what felt like no time at all - then again it wouldn’t with the speed they were going. But soon they were a ways out from the base, and far from the road itself - which meant the chance of them being spotted by a passerby was slim to none, and also…

Oh. Sweet. Freedom.

Only then he seemed to slow down and come to a stop. Her first thought was they’d run out of gas! But he hopped out a second later and-

Whoa whoa whoaaaa! HECK YES! Okay this dude just got a hundred times cooler!!

“Pff, dude, I know how to drive!” she grinned at that, waving a hand as she eagerly jumped down from the back plate - rushing around to plunk her butt in the driver seat - hands moving to 10 and 2, safety first after all!

Below forty? Ha. What was this dude, like, 80?!

She’d try, though. At least at first. Nothing wrong with setting out slow and steady and then pushing and pushing the rules until oh whoops are we going a hundred miles an hour in a dune buggy across the desert? I think we are!

The moment he gave her the okay. The moment the words ‘Have fun kid’ were spoken, she eased her foot down onto the peddle with a giggle as they set off. Aaaaaw yes. This was quite possibly the worst idea in the history of ever, but also the BEST idea.

She was way, waaaay too excited and focused on what was ahead of them - nothing but desert - to hear the roar of an engine from behind.

Movement beside them, and she turned her head to look at who it was, before turning her attention back in front of herself.

“Hot Rod! NO WAY!” she cackled with excitement as she yelled over the roars of the engines. Someone had actually taken them up on their challenge! She didn’t hear what he said so well, but that last part, paired with the fact he shot off into the sunset? It meant one. thing. only.

RACE TIME, BITCHES!

Keep it below forty yeah right my dude, it was on!

Not that they had any kind of chance against Hot Rod, but man she was going to push this buggy to its limits.

With that, she’d put her foot down - pedal to the metal as it were! And she was all about that!

“Woooohooo!”

[Deleted]

Yeah! It could move! It was FIVE-HUNDRED HORSEPOWER! It’d do backflips in place! It was a well oversized engine compared to it’s frame. Having to finagle quite the bit of customization to the chassis to fit the thing. It’s power-to-weight ratio was phenomenal. If you dropped the clutch the power of the engine could twist the chassis in half, and that's not a joke! Most buggies like this only had one hundred horses, max! Odessa was a cajun, not a redneck, but they were kindred spirits of peoples.

“I’m not afraid that you DON’T know how to drive. I’m afraid you don’t know how to handle this!”

His hands tightened on the roll cage above her. Perhaps he did a bad thing, giving Miko anything. Still, let the kid have some fun. Best to prepare in the inevitability of excitement taking hold. Centering his weight into his knees.

“Careful… CAREFUL!” He didn’t doubt she didn’t know how to drive, but this was a different monster. It was more slender than a car, it would handle much differently. The shorter wheelbase and closer wheel for turning radius meant the buggy would naturally have a tighter turn angle. The more powerful engine meant a quicker sprint. He’d might have to tweak the gear differential solely for Miko, so it went 0-50 in three days, and then 50-100 in three seconds. This only spelled disaster. She at least was putting a toe in the water at first. He could actually track a rock on the ground with his eyes.

“Ok, good… good. Get used to it first. Know your power curve so you don’t backflip the buggy.” A soft rumble in the distance. The People have answered the call. A Doppler effect followed by.

“Taste my dust!”

Hot Rod.

“Hot Rod?!” Oh no! Miko felt the call as well! Everyone hide! Protect the children! Odessa lurched forward, taking his hands off the rail to wrap his entire arm around the bar so that his elbow was his seatbelt. “Miko! No!”

Saying that the engine roared to life would be an understatement. Turning the area into a deafening blast of sound once the headers opened. A strict lurch forward as the tires dug for more grip. The front end of the buggy came up at a complete forty-five degree angle almost instantly. Shooting up a rooster tail of dust twenty feet into the air. Odessa’s feet slid out from under him. Dangling on by his elbow. The power was sensational.

And if you think Im joking

Ahhh, the beauty of human ingenuity.

And they were off.

The Buggy flew off majestically after the dust trail that was another bot. This trial was enough to remind him to add a reinforcement to the chassis. It wouldn’t take long for the little speed demon to begin catching up. Poised ready to overtake the bot.

[Hot Rod]

     Cute.

     The buggy was doing rather well with keeping up, and Hot Rod was even able to hear it catching up to him before he noticed it in his scanner. Over this terrain wasn't the best idea for a vehicle that was as low to the ground as his alt mode was, but that didn't stop him from being just as stupid about his driving as Miko was about hers, even if his was a direct extension of himself and the buggy... well... that wasn't exactly the same thing. Again, that wasn't going to stop Hot Rod. If Miko wanted to play in that toy she was in control of, then Hot Rod was definitely going to play- and things would probably get hella nasty really quick.

     Hot Rod would have found a way to tune into the radio had he thought about it, project his voice through a station and have a decent conversation with the two in the vehicle behind him, but that probably wouldn't do much good anyway. From the way Miko was tearing things up, he could only imagine that her passenger was probably too busy screaming his lungs out to hear anything relating to reason anyway. 

     That was fine. This was all fine. Ratchet would probably blow a gasket if someone back back wrecked, though.

     He'd push himself a little more, wanting to keep this up. This was definitely not his sort of track, and it did irk him some that the buggy seemed to be more fit for this than he was. His front was low to the ground enough that should he hit any of the local wildlife, he would probably be in Ratchet's medical bay being stalked by the medic until he managed to remove each and ever piece of the unfortunate critter. Oh, but Hot Rod wasn't about to just let them overtake him, not when he had his nimble little slick self and all the tricks up his sleeve to hand out.

     Tires screamed as Hot Rod threw his brakes and his back end swung out from behind him at 180 degrees and drifted, kicking up a blinding cloud of red clay and dust that Miko was about to confront head-on. Hot Rod didn't stop there, correcting himself as he gunned it again with a bit of a jerky slide to turn back towards base, zipping right past the pair. He wasn't heading back to go inside, however. No, he had a much more dangerous course of action happening behind him with the humans. No doubt whatever was going on would cause enough of a ruckus to make someone's ears burn, but Hot Rod didn't care. He was having fun and knew that Miko was probably in the same boat. Loud music, fast cars... that was the kinda stuff he figured that organic was into.

     Poor little Odi, though. Not like Hot Rod knew him, so he didn't really care.

     Hot Rod probably should have thought that turn through, though, if only for Miko's sake.

[Miko Nakadai]

“How hard can it be!” Miko yelled over the roar of the engine. She’d played so many video games, she’d be able to handle this dune buggy no issue - even going at the speeds they were. Or at least, that was the plan! This’d totally be a trial by fire. A, uh- trial by… possible crashing and burning and dying fire. No pressure!

His words were kind of falling on deaf ears. Careful? That word totally wasn’t in her vocab right now! It was a little different to driving a regular car, then again she’d never technically driven a regular car before. Did sitting in Bulkhead count? Even he wasn’t a car!

Whatever, so far so good! Odi was talking about curves and backflips and all Miko cared about was going fast.

Or, even faster now that Hot Rod was involved. She totally wasn’t going to back down from a race, no way - and Odi’s plea went unheard as she slammed her foot down, the engine roaring as they lurched forwards.

This thing. Could move. It was probably a little too much too fast, but she was doing well at keeping the steering level so they didn’t flip over. It was just like a video game! Only uh - with certain death if she made one wrong move. No respawns here!

At least they’d go out having a buttload of fun.

They were even catching up to Hot Rod, now! The buggy was totally perfect on this terrain, and Odi could rest well knowing it’d been pushed to the limit on a rough surface and was totally okay! Hot Rod was like… SUPER DUPER fast, and the fact they were catching up? Miko would never ever let him live this down! Mwaha!-

Only-

Brake lights lit up in front then, paired with a cloud of red, gritty dust kicking up right into their path. She couldn’t risk taking one hand off the wheel to lift her arm to shield her eyes, not at this speed! and so would power through it as best she could.

Oh no way that’s not fair!!!

He’d spun in an almighty skid, and was now heading back the way they’d come from before she’d even realized what’d happened! That wasn’t in the rules! They hadn’t agreed to go to that point and turn around!

Focus up, Miko!

This would be where some heavy metal music would be totally fitting, but for now, she only had the roar of the engine as background noise. It’d do. It’d have to do.

Time to attempt. The most badass. Turn. Ever.

For the first… time… ever.

“HANG ON, ODI!” she yelled. That’d be the only warning he got - even though it was probably totally obvious that she was going to copy Hot Rod and she wouldn’t have blamed the man if he’d leapt for safety before what was probably certain death.

Her foot shifted from the accelerator pedal and onto the brake - easing down on it as both hands began turning the wheel quickly at the same time. So far so good, the buggy pulled into a skid - except…

That damn dust!

Miko closed her eyes.

Hoping for the best.