Two Can Play That Game
Since being finally allowed to carry his cannon Deltron spent more time than most
of the sparklings in the simulator. His father Megatron had only allowed him to keep it because he had been able to pass the
Emperor's first set of safety trials. Refusing to fail that trust Deltron had set out to make sure he learned all the fine
tuning controls as well as improve his aim. More often than not one of the others would accompany him and keep read out of
the simulator results as he worked. It wasn't necessary but it helped with increasing the unpredictability of the targets.
This time was one of those times were the others were off attending to some other thing and he had a few moments alone. Stepping
into the control room he had chosen the current program that he had been using. It wasn't lethal, nor was it even damaging
as those were still beyond his better judgment when alone. He logged it in and then headed out to the main door. The door
was set to start program once it had closed behind him. He took a breath and powered the cannon for use, since it was one
of the things Megatron insisted he have off while not within the simulator. He stepped in allowing the door to close behind
him.
The room set off about the task with whirl of machinery the back drop of the room changed and the targets began
to come at Deltron. He took aim and they burst apart as he fired at each of them. The simulator kept track of his position
and has its auto guns basically target him with nothing more than their red tracking lights; it was the first step to learning
to dodge live fire. If the red light hit him the simulation would stop marking his simulated injury.
Coming back from
a class Syndication noticed that the simulator doors were closed. She decided to head up to the control room to see who was
getting a work out. The teacher had frustrated her again and she had actually thought about taking that aggression out in
the simulator herself. She had to hop up on to the chair before she could peer down into the training room itself.
A
wicked thought came to her, he had been to join him and maybe get a few shots near him to knock him off balance or to go in
and make the simulator realign, and account for two targets forcing him to fight it harder. Syndication looked over the controls,
and then her optics settled on the level dial. She could just turn it up and watch him get beat instead. That would mean she
wouldn’t' have to enter and risk being damaged. Perfect. Click, she turned the dial and the simulation raised one level.
She watched the targets speed up and begin to come more frequently, excellent. Click, the heated plasma bolds increased in
strength, she could see the heat trail they left. Nice. Click, one of the buttons began to sound she looked over and read
the report. That would be the last click to the sim went into using live rounds. For a few more moments she watched rather
impressed that he was doing rather well regardless of the increased level. Syndication looked over the dials again and focused
on the one that was labeled enemy type.
Taking the power level into consideration Deltron lowered the level on his
cannon so he would be able to fire more frequently instead of waiting for it to recharge. He blasted the targets keeping those
that were firing back at him as the top priority. The longer he could manage to keep the active firing targets incapacitated
kept him from being damaged. Swivel at the waist, rather than turn his feet then have to reset his firing posture Deltron
aimed again and again, sure that this was not what he had set up in the program.
Giggling Syndication changed the
enemy title, from targets to turrets. Instantly the targets disappeared and in their place turrets rose that fired on him
like machine guns forcing him out of his stance and to take cover behind the barrier that had rose in the process. Syndication
ducked as he searched the window for an answer to why the simulator had changed. She stifled another giggle and slowly got
back up to see what he would do next.
Deltron's systems began to heat, and he panted in effort to keep control of
it. No one was in the command window, and it didn’t make sense to what was going on. To top it all off he knew that
the door wouldn't reappear until the simulation was over which meant he had to beat it. Hot plasma belched from his cannon
in quick increments when he had the chance to over look the turrets. A bit of a smile racked over his face as he notice that
once one turret was destroyed it remained that way.
Catching that same thought just as Deltron noticed and it made
her slump back into the chair. She really rather enjoyed watching him, and was in no way ready for it to end. She looked over
the console again and then dialed up the enemy list again, this time from turrets to Autobots.
Catching his breath
again Deltron sat his back to the barrier and listened to the simulator whine as the turrets sunk back into their surfaces.
It had got quiet very quiet until he heard foot fall. His first instinct was that someone had come to join him, knowing that
if they had stopped the simulation the barrier he was leaning on would have also sunk into the floor. He got up and looked
over to see what was going on when he was caught by the chest by someone that looked a lot like Optimus Prime.
Looking
over into the room Syndication's optics nearly unseated themselves from their sockets. She didn't think that it would go so
far as to pull out the Autobot leader and some of the more notable Autobots, like Ironhide, and Sunstreaker. In her fascination
with them she didn't hear the door open.
Deltron felt his chassis hit the floor as the Autobot dropped him; it forced
the cooling air from his filters resulting in him gasping quickly for more as he got to his feet. Quickly he took at aim at
the leader he had studied, and charged the cannon to the highest level below opening its gate and faced the towering mech
down. Things seemed as if a standoff, as Deltron hadn't a clue what he could do now surrounded by Autobots. Out of the corner
of his optic he saw the simulated ‘Streaker move and he swiveled around to fire at him when the Prime picked him up
and caused him to miss. Again the cooling air was forced from his filters as he hit the ground once more. Something did click
in his processor though these Autobots were only using hand to hand combat moves, which he silently thanked Primus for, it
meant that whatever the simulator was set at, it wasn't in the lethal rage. He scrambled to get back behind the barrier so
there would be some distance between them and him but was caught my Ironhide and promptly laid out on the floor once more.
The Autobot leader placed one hand over Deltron's chest and spoke, "Do you yield?"
Syndication was awestruck
when the large gray hand came and turned the simulator off. She snapped back to see Thundercracker standing there. "Thunder?
What the hell are you doing? Leave this alone!" She yelled trying to get the simulator restarted. Thundercracker just powered
it down again with ease. "Look Thundercracker I came over here to keep an optic on him, we don't need you checking up on us."
The
small heir laid back and waited till he caught his breath then got up, he noticed the door was open and headed out. It hurt
to move his arms legs and even a section of his back all seemed to twinge with pain each time he took a step. His metallic
skin was split on his lip and he could taste the Energon that leaked from it. The more he thought about it the more it angered
him he turned the corner and entered his parent’s quarters not expecting anyone to be there.
Turning from the
desk computer Prizm looked to see who had entered, she took note that Deltron had various burn marks and dents, as well as
the grimace on his face which included clenched dentals. He walked with a bit of a stagger which told her there was more than
just his physical appearance that had been damaged. She got up from the desk and followed him.
"What is the matter?"
She asked.
He nearly threw himself on to the couch then stiffened with a shooting pain. "Someone turned up the simulator."
he began to slowly relax then stiffened again with pain. "I nearly killed myself defending before it was turned off!" The
volume of his voice had begun to rise as he spoke.
Watching her youngest child Prizm noticed each movement and knew
he was hiding just how much pain he was really in. "Are you alright?"
The little Decepticon looked up at her with
a glare that would suit his father Megatron when obviously angered. "No. I am not." he lifted his hand from the spot that
was cracked and still leaked some Energon. "I . . I. ." he stammered about what actually happened and the full force hit him
like a freight train. He leaned forward with another bolt of pain till his elbows rested on his knees. "It was like a nightmare."
Prizm moved over next to him giving him her undivided attention, Deltron was so much like Megatron that regardless
of her human instinct to want to hold him he wouldn't have it unless he wanted it. One thing that was also apparent he wasn't
so reserved on his emotion at least in private with her it was something she figured was one of the few things he had got
from her.
In an attempt to sit up pain shot through Deltron's systems nearly making him yelp, he rested his head down
on to his mothers thigh not wanting to sit up again as he began to tell her about the encounter. "They just kept coming, for
everyone I hit it was like five appeared." he explained about the targets, then the turrets, and then he finally got to the
Autobots. "I tried, but they were bigger full sized they had the advantage the sim doors wouldn't open" solvent starting to
seep from his optics.
Taking him closer, and putting her arm around his shoulders she questioned herself about the
Autobots in the simulator but then realized that being Decepticons it only made sense that there should be programs that included
Autobots. Her COM link came to life shaking her from her thoughts.
"Raider to Prizm"
"Prizm here." she almost
said it absently.
"TC just got here and is holding Syn by the scruff, says she was fooling around with the sim, know
anything about it?"
"Yes."
"Was Deltron involved?"
"Yeah, he's here with me now." Prizm was starting
to figure what was going on easily now.
"Is he alright?" Raider hadn't got the whole story from her middle daughter
before sending her to her room.
"Mostly. He's been roughed up, but he's too stubborn to go to the med bay right now."
Prizm couldn't help shake her head and think 'Just like his father.'
Raider took a breath knowing this had to
stop. "Syn needs to be taught a lesson you want to help?"
"Give me some time Del needs to recover for a bit." Which
was Prizm's way of saying he won't let me hold him often.
"Alright we'll be there in a while I'll com you before we
get there then have Del play stasis locked and we'll give Syn a guilt trip."
"Sounds good."
Raider closed the
link and headed to Syndication's room, she didn't knock and as the door slid open she gave the meanest look she could to the
small Cassetticon. "What did you think you were doing?" before Syndication could answer Raider continued. "You've been in
the simulator, why would you turn it up so much that it would endanger Deltron like that?" Again before the smaller Decepticon
could answer Raider cut her off. "Did you even see what happened to him?"
"I can't answer if you won't allow it."
Syndication protested.
"Honestly I am not sure I want to hear it. I just talked to Prizm about Deltron and what I
should do is send you down to the med bay to be at Hook's beckon call for the work he is going to have to do to repair Deltron
because of you." Raider was just as sick of her little pranks as her other kids were.
"I wasn't going to do it to start
with I just watched, but he's always bragging about how good he is and what he can do I just couldn't help it." Syndication
finally answered.
"That isn't an excuse, you are going to have to apologize," Raider's tone was insistent.
"What?
You can't be serious!"
"It suits you right maybe you'll learn that there are consequences to your actions. Or would
you rather I tell your father what happened?"
Syndication looked down at the ground, "He doesn't already know?"
"He
probably does but also knows I am handling it for now."
"I really didn't mean for it to hurt him. He was doing really
well too." She tried to hide her smile while thinking of him.
Prizm held Deltron where he was for a while he didn't
move, he didn't cry he just lay on her lap and relaxed while his self repair systems worked the pain out. "How are you feeling
now?"
"Yeah it doesn't hurt so much anymore." he said up but then leaned on her shoulder.
"Raider told me who
turned the simulation up."
He didn't have to be told, "Syndication."
Prizm nodded. "We're going to give her
a guilt trip. Make her feel real bad about it."
"Well she should. I could have been killed." Deltron's anger rose
again.
"Standard punishments don't work with her you know that so we're trying something else."
A glint lit
up in Deltron's optics. "What are we going to do?"
Raider told Prizm they were on their way and things were set up
as the neared the door to Prizm's quarters. The door slid open and the two entered, Syndication looked around half expecting
a very angry Deltron to come at her head long. She slowly walked to the couch to see the small gun former laying there his
optics out, Prizm sitting near his head watching him worried.
"What, why... “Syndication wasn't sure what it
was she wanted to know since she knew what had happened for that most part.
"He's been in stasis lock since he got
here. He just collapsed here." Prizm said.
"Why hasn't he been taken to med bay?" Syndication approached the silent
form of Deltron. "If he is really hurt shouldn't he be in there?" Her voice quivered.
"The Constructicons are out
on a mission with your father, there is no one here to help him right now." Raider said firmly.
"What about you mom?
Dad's been teaching you this stuff for years!" She turned to look at her mother near pleadingly.
"His systems are
much more complex because of his size I wouldn't want to try and make things worse." Raider explained.
"What are we
going to do? We can't just let him lay here." Syndication knew she didn't have the skill to look over his systems either;
it gave her the feeling of hopelessness. She moved his arm and looked him over for damages catching the spot where he was
leaking fuel. "He's dripping Energon!" She squeaked.
"I can't find the source without opening the panel and there
is no telling if something might ignite and that would be worse." Raider was rattling things off the top of her head.
"Did
you tell Father or even the Constructicons?" Syndication whined.
"When I tried to the communications systems were
down," Raider said quickly knowing that since Syndication didn't have her own telepathy she couldn't ask Soundwave herself.
Raider
leaned down and turned Deltron over so he was face up. There was a large spot on the couch where he had been leaking and his
midsection lights even looked dim. She had to suppress the smile that threatened to give away his great performance.
Prizm
had to look away for an instant, the Energon spot on the couch was actually Deltron's idea, he had asked her for some fresh
to make it look real since his systems had already stopped his leak. Once she contained herself she reached down and nudged
Deltron, "I don't know what else to do," she put both hands on her mouth as if she might cry herself.
Syndication
nudged him as well. "We have to take him to the med bay, at the very least we can inject Energon so he won't run out." her
optics were on the verge of tears. "I didn't see what happened to him last because Thundercracker came in. I would have never
done it if I thought this would have happened. I mean I know I mess with him a lot but I like him I really do."
"I
don't believe it you said you liked me." Deltron didn't turn his optics on but spoke through a smile.
Syndication
stepped back in shock, "Del.. Deltron?"
"I am fine." Deltron spoke again this time sitting up and turning his optics
on.
Still surprised Syndication didn't know what to do. She leaned over and checked his crack and swiped the Energon
off it and watched to see if it would leak again. She sat back on her aft when it didn't. "I really thought you might die."
"That
is the idea. You need to learn there are consequences to your actions." Raider told Syndication.
The small cassette
only shook her head. "I am sorry." It was the only other thing she could think of. Something clicked in the small Cassetticon
something she didn't quite understand but knew it would change her.
"Alright enough fooling around come on Syn your
still in trouble." Raider looked down at her middle child.
Without argument or protest of any sort Syndication looked
Deltron over once more and headed to the door. Raider looked slightly surprised at Prizm who shared her look, Deltron just
smiled as the door opened and Syndication left.
"You think she's really learned something?" Prizm asked.
"I
don't know, it’s hard to tell." Raider answered. "I better catch up to her see you later." She left in a bit of a quick
paced walk to catch up to Syndication, who was actually walking rather slowly apparently in thought. Raider marveled at it
for a moment then just kept up with her. Perhaps things will change.
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