Yaatree was in a foul mood
Shockwave’s latest experimental implants were still settling, the durasteel pinging as it shifted. An assortment of scavenged metal hunks and fibers was spread alongside him, and he sourly picked through the meager scraps. He wasn’t supposed to ingest anything for several more hours, but his tanks pinged insistently, low fuel warning warnings flashing as the integrations ate up his reserves.
Even small movements hurt, the coils of serrated blading scraping harshly against the floor. Yaatree tried to still, but his patience was wearing thin. Shockwave would know if he left the room, he always did… but he hadn’t forbidden Yaatree from exploring, only from disturbing the implants.
Yaatree flinched inwardly, remembering how his fussing had inadvertently pulled out some delicate circuitry, and the many welds he’d had to replace it. But really, who would put that many optical sensors on a driller? Yaatree was hardly a stealthy mecha, totally unsuited for surveillance.
If Shockwave wanted to court Soundwave, Yaatree was a poor choice. Even if he was not much bigger than the typical Autobot now, (and therefore the perfect size and age to ping Soundwave’s carrier instincts) he would grow, quickly.
Yaatree was hardly one for cuddling, anyways, despite what Shockwave insisted to himself when he thought he was alone in the lab.
Peering around the doorway, Yaatree slithered through the cross-corridor and into a smaller lab room he hadn’t been in before. He squirmed under a table, and plucked open a cabinet to rifle through the contents.
Yaatree froze, suddenly aware he wasn’t alone.
Yaatree turned slowly, blenders chirring as his blades spun uneasily. Faint red optics peered up over the edge of the table.
Spinflask was not having a good day.
He’d just wanted a bit of privacy. Duo were lovely, but they were… they were a lot. Energetic, to say the least. He’d wanted some time alone, and had apparently picked entirely the wrong spot for it. Namely, a spot Shockwave frequented.
And Shockwave was strong enough that, even with Spinflask’s adrenaline spiking enough to have him trying to drive claws through the other’s plating, he could grab Spinflask by the scruff and hold him easily in one servo. All of Spinflask’s adrenaline had only gotten him deemed “interesting” and strapped to a table with a crown of sensors on until he wore himself out.
Once he’d woken up, he’d found himself on top of a table entirely suited for his alt mode, fastened to the table by a leash around his ankle. There was an IV dripping energon into his systems, another cube nearby, and a short list of tasks and supplies in front of him. It was probably not wise to upset his captor, so he did as was implied-slash-ordered, loading up his internal rack and spinning everything as was specified.
He could do this. It wasn’t exactly fun, working for an unknown purpose, but he could do it. Wasn’t difficult or particularly distressing. He could just… do this. Hopefully Duo would come to rescue him, but… that wasn’t really a reasonable expectation, was it? He… probably wasn’t worth the trouble of getting into Shockwave’s lab, after all, even if they knew where he was. Which they didn’t.
So… he could work with this. Could be worse, after all.
And then a thing came into the room, and it was worse. Spinflask hunched himself into the smallest ball possible on top of the table, optics nervously locked on… whatever that was, and waited to see if it would leave.
It did not leave.
It noticed him.
Slag.
Not knowing what else to do, Spinflask offered the thing a tiny wave, then tucked his servos up with the rest of himself and tried to look uninteresting. And not edible.
Yaatree slid closer, caution fading to curiosity as he saw Spinflask’s restraints.
Whirring, he pulled himself closer, blades biting chunks out of the table as he hauled himself up. One cable bumped curiously at the IV line, inner sawblades kneading together as another fuel alert pinged on his HUD.
Weaving his torso around Spinkflask, Yaatree twitched with hunger when he saw the energon cube. It was just… sitting there. So easily within reach.
But Shockwave would know. Shockwave always knew.
Hissing, Yaatree drew back and studied the mech strapped down. A petty urge to smack the notepad onto the floor surged inside him, to shred the notes and shatter carefully arranged vials where this one would not be able to reach, to fix and continue his task.
Instead, Yaatree withdrew to the other end of the table, coiling in on himself. Destructive driller coding urges aside, Yaatree well remembered Shockwave’s cold displeasure at his tantrums, and the inevitable punishments. How that precise, calculating mech would enjoy what he put Yaatree through, even though he rarely vocalised it.
It was a learning process, and a harsh one. Everything was a test, and failure… failure was unacceptable.
Loopholes can be found… or made.
Optics muted to a hazy maroon glow, Yaatree stretched a cable out and chewed through one strap, eating each link with a lazy, smug satisfaction.
He wasn’t really eating it, that was still against the rules. Shockwave’s bizare obsession that he be handtrained as part of the appeal for Soundwave ensured that he knew he would not eat except from his hand.
No, the chain would never end up in his tanks. Such a small amount of foreign metal would be ground up and implemented in his cables long before it came anywhere near his processing plant.
In the meantime, the new mech might turn out to be a fun playmate. Or at least have some information from outside the labs. His EM field radiating curiosity, Yaatree waved the cable mouth in front of Spinflask’s face before withdrawing again.
Alarming as it had been to be scooped up by Shockwave, his unceremonious method of capture turned out to be helpful to Spinflask in that moment. He’d spent all his energy and all his adrenaline on trying to escape, which meant that, instead of his new-normal hyperaggressive response, his reaction to the attention was just a quiet whine in the back of his throat. Fortunate, since trying to murder the whatever-this-was would probably have resulted in it tearing him apart with no effort whatsoever.
Instead, Spinflask managed to stay still and almost silent, even as it curled around him. His frame shook, his engine made a quiet shiver-rattling noise, and his vents cycled hard enough that something clicked rather loudly, but he didn’t move, and he bit back the whine of terror that wanted to escape. This creature didn’t seem aggressive, but it looked predatory, and it could probably smell fear. Which Spinflask couldn’t do much about.
But… it had chewed through one chain, and, at least for the moment, it didn’t seem to be… doing anything. Spinflask hunched into himself, looking down at the remaining strap, then lifted his helm to eye the nearby security camera. The straps around his ankles, though they didn’t stop him from transforming, were clearly meant to keep him here. But he didn’t like them, and… surely Shockwave couldn’t object to him removing the straps but remaining on the table? He didn’t intend to run away, he just… didn’t like the restraints.
So, hesitantly, Spinflask lifted the remaining strap and offered it to the creature. “…come on, then. Here… creature, creature. Whatever you are. Come. You… may as well… chew through this one as well, yes?”
Chew on whatever you want other than me. as long as it isn’t me. I cannot reasonably be expected to defend anything against you, and Shockwave, whatever else he may be, is a logical enough mech to realize that. I hope.
Yaatree wound his way closer to curl over the strapping. Annoying as he was being treated as non-sentient and incapable of speaking, he had grown used to it.
Yaatree stretched to his full length, trying to appear as self-assured and distantly interested as Soundwave.
With a lightning quick slash, Yaatree unlatched him, cables rearing back in an unconscious display.
He meant to demand Spinflask entertain him, but what came out was a hoarse, “Why are you here?”
Yaatree glanced up at the camera, then looked away, suddenly shy. Blades shunked and reordered themself in a flustered embarrassment.
It -they- could talk.
Well then.
Spine straightening considerably, Spinflask looked the being over more closely, trying to figure out what in the Pit this was. It looked something like a Driller, or at least like the images of Drillers he’d half-glanced at in the past, but those… didn’t talk.
Right?
Goodness.
Servos clenching nervously on his plating, Spinflask rebooted his vocalizer to chase the last scraps of terrified noises out of it, hoping to speak coherently. It worked. Mostly. His voice was still a bit higher-pitched than normal.
“I-I looked useful, evidently, and did not manage to escape being carried back. And now I am-” a glance at the camera “-not attempting to escape, because I am not equipped to escape, so I am staying here and behaving myself.”
And he was. That was his plan- just behave himself. It wasn’t like he could escape. Better to just avoid upsetting his captor. He’d probably be treated better that way.
Right?
“Oh yes, I can see why Shockwave would snatch you up. Anything to improve efficiency.“ Yaatree laughed bitterly, the harsh hissing startlingly loud.
“Not much point in trying, anyway. Shockwave is the only one who knows the way in this purple maze.” Yaatree stared defiantly at the camera now, optics glittering with rage.
“Shockwave knows…” He continued softly. “But Soundwave is the eyes and ears.. and he is always watching.”
Yaatree straightened, flicked his cables dismissively to hide his nervousness. Slipping off the edge of the table with a thump, he resumed rummaging through the cupboards, studying each item. Odd, incongruous objects were tossed over his torso to the floor behind him, others realigned in neat rows.
Yaatree muttered about jury-rigging cleaning drones and idly tossed one cube of something green at Spinflask.
Yanking a chair between the shelving and table, Yaatree slumped halfway against the back to keep and eye on Spinflask while he sorted through his findings.
Muttering something like “I am useful”, Spinflask watched the driller-creature for a few moments longer, twitching when the cube was tossed at him. Shocking absolutely no one, he did not catch the cube. Nor did he even try- his armor could shrug off whatever was in it, probably, and he couldn’t catch thrown items. Falling? Maybe. Thrown? No.
With nothing else to do, Spinflask organized his tasks a bit better, sorting out the products of his work and arranging them pleasingly. He’d finished it all, though, so that couldn’t occupy him for long. Which left him with nothing to do but watch Yaatree, be curious, and…
And, finally, murmur “may I inquire as to what you are?” in the most polite tone he could manage. That was… hopefully how to not upset the… loud, potentially dangerous thing. But, Pit- Spinflask wanted to know. What in the name of science was this? Another of Shockwave’s notorious experiments?
Hopefully not something that was angry at him.
Yaatree snorted, dropping what he was holding to give Spinflask his full attention.
“Shockwave’s labs, Pit of Cybertron, far as I can tell. Haven’t yet gotten outside, though Shockwave keeps telling me when I get pretty enough he’s gonna present me to Soundwave.”
Yaatree shivered and nosed disinterestly at the spilled green fluid spreading across the table. Another cable slid up and began to tug at Spinflasks’ loose restraints.
“Driller, of a sort. Shockwave’s trying to figure out a way to keep me miniturized, something about being small enough for infiltration in unsteady cities. That, and ‘dock-sized for convieniant training. Yaatree, for all the good a name does me.”
Not appreciating the attention but not daring to pull away, Spinflask nervously eyed the cable next to his ankle, putting only a token bit of effort into resisting the pull. He didn’t dare fight any further and risk upsetting whatever this creature was. Hopefully it would remain idly curious.
Oh- an introduction. Muttering “Spinflask”, he gave a tiny, tiny wave in return, then wraps his arms around himself for the scraps of comfort it gives him. He’s cold, he’s afraid, and he doesn’t dare to move to fix either problem. The most he can do is distract himself.
And this is… hm. Interesting. And not the most sensible thing. “Odd. Why… why not pick a creature that stays small in the first place? And- are drillers usually sapient? I have… never encountered one. Before now.”
Yaatree stretched on the chair, uncurling to inspect where a few of his smaller scales had been scuffed.
“Prove he could? Trying to court Soundwave, wants to show off the only way he knows how.” Yaatree’s blades whirred as he resettled himself, lost in thought.
“And yeah, we’ are. Your legends of us came about for a reason. Uusally hiding down in the core, but with all the racket from rebuilding, came up for easier fuel. It’s how Shockwave found us in the first place.”
“Captured one a while back, harvested and been raising me.” Something shrieked in protest as Yaatree shrugged one coil over the top of his chair.
He glanced towards the doorway, plating flared, but it remained quiet.
Well. He’d never heard of drillers being sapient, but… probably not the biggest surprise. No one ever really studied how sapient various animals were, it was generally preferred to just… assume that they weren’t. Place them even lower than disposable-class mechs. Do whatever you wanted with them.
Like this.
Though, from what he’d heard, Shockwave wouldn’t have cared either way. Spinflask sat for a moment, not sure what to do, then shrugged and settled on “continue to ask”. For one thing, the floor looked- hm.
Leaning over the edge, Spinflask regarded the floor for a moment, then turned his attention to Yaatree again. The mech didn’t seem aggressive, at least. “Could you not… drill through the floor? Or… do you have an implanted tracker to prevent escape? You look… ideal for escaping most areas, really. I assume there are reasons why no one ever seems to keep drillers captive. Size chief among them, I suppose.”
A moment more, then he offered Yaatree a rather apologetic look, hunching back into his place in the center of the table. “I apologize. I… am nervous. And I have nothing to do. So I am talking in lieu of listening to my own thoughts, as” curling in and tucking his arms over his helm “I do not like my thoughts right now.”
Yaatree rocked back, staring at Spinflask in complete surprise. He refocused on Spinflask after several moments, voice quiet.
“I… Well, it’d be a futile effort, for one thing. Yes, I’m chipped. Can’t go beyond so many floors without getting electrocuted. That old driller Shockwave caught wised him up to what works. Think he kept is here, not much room elsewhere anymore. And if he couldn’t get away…” Yaatree trailed off, gave the floor a serious consideration, then shook himself.
“No, even if I.. I’m running on fumes as it is. Shockwave brags about how the floors have been reinforced and rebuilt for millennium against Autobot attacks.” Yaatree looked at the door, smaller coils snicking quietly.
“Trying to wheedle Megatron to live here, cause where Megatron goes, Soundwave follows… With trouble never far behind.”
Whipping off the chair, Yaatree slammed two cables against the wall, which yelped guiltily.
Rumble peered around the corner, pouting. Frenzy dropped behind Yaatree and kicked him lightly. Yaatree rattled in distaste, swatting his leg in retaliation and scuffing both their paint in the process.
It seemed like they would start roughhousing any moment.
Of course. Had to be a reason the driller hadn’t escaped already. From what little he knew of drillers, they were near-eldritch beings who very much disliked being contained or restricted, it must take some serious measures to keep one from-
Oh no, the baby agents of chaos were here.
Rumble and Frenzy were well-known among Autobot scientists for violently sabotaging entire labs, and Spinflask curled even tighter into himself, hips clicking as he tucked himself down to shield most of his frame with his leg plating.
He almost wanted to transform outright and hide away, but he wouldn’t have been able to see properly like that, so he stayed out- had to watch what they were doing. Maybe they would ignore him in favor of the more interesting driller. Just- sit still, like this, don’t make noises, maybe it would keep them from being too interested in him. Treat them like predators and try not to be interesting.
It was hard not to be interesting, though, his plating was shivering enough to rattle and he couldn’t stop staring at them. Which looked… unfortunately frightened, wide blue optics bright and scared behind the lenses of his built-in protective goggles. He looked like a frightened little bundle of scientist, and he still had both cuffs around his ankles.
While Yaatree and Frenzy scuttled around the room trading blows, Rumble’s interest was flagged by Spinflask. In his mind, anyone trying not to be noticed meant that they had something to hide.
He waltzed up to the table and prodded Spinflask. He flicked a finger against the loose restraints, mouth quirked.
“Hey, looky what Shockwave dragged in. Guess the old cyclops might be worth something after all, Ravage sure ain’t wasting his time being a mouser.” Rumble leaned in close to Spinflask, visor glittering, and tapped Spinflask hard just beneath his goggles.
“You’re not carrying a Autobrat sign, but you sure don’t look like a ‘Con to me.”
Across the room, Yaatree hissed, distracted, and looked up. Tangled underneath the driller’s weight, Frenzy quickly freed an arm to uppercut him, and sniggered at the muffled yelp.
Spinflask was indeed trying to hide something. That “something” was mostly his assorted vulnerable parts, though. Still just looking quietly worried, he stayed perfectly still at the poking, though something deep in his frame made a quiet clack-clack noise as his adrenaline tried to start up again. It failed, though, he was still too tired to respond strongly- even to the poke to his mask. But he should answer, yes? Try to keep the living embodiment of chaos happy.
Voice quiet and muffled further by the protective facemask, Spinflask spoke as steadily as he could, which wasn’t terribly steadily with how nervous he was. “I-I’m, no- not any of- no. Don’t want to hurt people, don’t want to be hurt, just- just want to do science. ‘S my job. Like my job. Don’t like this, though. Don’ wanna be vivisected.”
Trying to protect his face, Spinflask tucked one arm over his optics, leaving himself just enough space to barely watch Rumble. “Not here on purpose. Clearly. I-”
Pit. He didn’t want to go back with these two, but Soundwave was much less likely to get curious and take him apart than Shockwave, hopefully. Probably unlikely to experiment with Spinflask’s adrenaline reaction like he was sure Shockwave intended to. “-can come with you? ‘M useful, an’ I can be quiet. Lot more useful t’you not taken apart.”
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