PROLOGUE
"For the one hundred and thirteenth time, Kick-Off, it's not an obsession! It's a-"
"Hobby," the black and red Autobot muttered, moving through Ironfist's cluttered office. "So you say."
Ironfist quietly groaned. This was the third time this month that Kick-Off, a member of Kimia Facility's security personnel, had commenced an investigation of his room. It was the officer's concern that many of Ironfist's "collectibles" could prove a future hazard to the station.
"I can just see this photon disruptor cannon accidentally going off," Kick-Off said, nodding to the large weapon in the corner of the room.
"But Roadbuster used that during the Wreckers' Lightning Strike!" Ironfist protested. "Just read datalog ninety-seven of Wreckers: Declassified!"
Kick-Off scoffed. "If it really means that much to you, then just strip out its mechanisms to the point that not even Wheeljack could fix it."
Ironfist's optics dilated. "Strip... out? Have you no respect for art?"
"No, but I do respect this station's safety. So either do that or I'll have it dumped off on Junkion. You have two hours to make a decision."
As Kick-Off left the room, Ironfist groaned in defeat. If he were to write a bio for himself like he had for all members of the Wreckers, his main weakness would be passion.
Very few others on Kimia- save for Brainstorm and Atomizer- admired the weapons they created like Ironfist did. And even fewer, perhaps none, had such an enthusiasm in following the feats of famous Autobot warriors. It started with the Elite Guard shortly after he was built, then he moved on to the historical Primal Vanguard, and now it was the Wreckers. And he knew the reason for his enthusiasm quite well, though he would never admit it to anyone.
It was his dream that, one day, the Wreckers themselves would notice his work and ask him to join their ranks. A Syk dream, his friend Skyfall would call it. But even he didn't know how deep his "obsession" ran.
As he stared at the photon disruptor, mulling over what to do with it, he heard a knock at his door.
"You said two hours, Kick-Off!" Ironfist called. "It's not even been a minute!"
"It's me. Skyfall. Can I come in?"
"Oh. Yeah, sure."
Slightly embarrassed, Ironfist opened the door to let his winged friend in. As Skyfall walked in, Ironfist noticed something different about him.
"You've changed your color scheme."
Skyfall to look at him and then grinned sheepishly, glancing down at his red and black paint job. "Oh, yeah, that. I changed it because people were mistaking me for Atomizer... which is strange, since he has orange where I always had white-"
"Come on, Skyfall," Ironfist said. "Come clean with me. We're friends."
Skyfall sighed before smirking. "Okay, fine. So I've got a date with Nautica. Sort of."
"Sort of?"
"Well, I haven't asked her yet. And there's a very good chance that she'll say no. But hey, always be prepared, right?"
Ironfist rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just go to Kaput if you need a wrench removed from your head. Personally, I think you should get over her."
Skyfall crossed his arms. "Maybe after you get over the Wreckers."
"No," Ironfist murmured, shaking his head. "Not in this lifetime...."
WRECK AND RULE
A Wreckers Interlude
CHAPTER ONE
Ironfist quietly groaned. This was the third time this month that Kick-Off, a member of Kimia Facility's security personnel, had commenced an investigation of his room. It was the officer's concern that many of Ironfist's "collectibles" could prove a future hazard to the station.
"I can just see this photon disruptor cannon accidentally going off," Kick-Off said, nodding to the large weapon in the corner of the room.
"But Roadbuster used that during the Wreckers' Lightning Strike!" Ironfist protested. "Just read datalog ninety-seven of Wreckers: Declassified!"
Kick-Off scoffed. "If it really means that much to you, then just strip out its mechanisms to the point that not even Wheeljack could fix it."
Ironfist's optics dilated. "Strip... out? Have you no respect for art?"
"No, but I do respect this station's safety. So either do that or I'll have it dumped off on Junkion. You have two hours to make a decision."
As Kick-Off left the room, Ironfist groaned in defeat. If he were to write a bio for himself like he had for all members of the Wreckers, his main weakness would be passion.
Very few others on Kimia- save for Brainstorm and Atomizer- admired the weapons they created like Ironfist did. And even fewer, perhaps none, had such an enthusiasm in following the feats of famous Autobot warriors. It started with the Elite Guard shortly after he was built, then he moved on to the historical Primal Vanguard, and now it was the Wreckers. And he knew the reason for his enthusiasm quite well, though he would never admit it to anyone.
It was his dream that, one day, the Wreckers themselves would notice his work and ask him to join their ranks. A Syk dream, his friend Skyfall would call it. But even he didn't know how deep his "obsession" ran.
As he stared at the photon disruptor, mulling over what to do with it, he heard a knock at his door.
"You said two hours, Kick-Off!" Ironfist called. "It's not even been a minute!"
"It's me. Skyfall. Can I come in?"
"Oh. Yeah, sure."
Slightly embarrassed, Ironfist opened the door to let his winged friend in. As Skyfall walked in, Ironfist noticed something different about him.
"You've changed your color scheme."
Skyfall to look at him and then grinned sheepishly, glancing down at his red and black paint job. "Oh, yeah, that. I changed it because people were mistaking me for Atomizer... which is strange, since he has orange where I always had white-"
"Come on, Skyfall," Ironfist said. "Come clean with me. We're friends."
Skyfall sighed before smirking. "Okay, fine. So I've got a date with Nautica. Sort of."
"Sort of?"
"Well, I haven't asked her yet. And there's a very good chance that she'll say no. But hey, always be prepared, right?"
Ironfist rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Just go to Kaput if you need a wrench removed from your head. Personally, I think you should get over her."
Skyfall crossed his arms. "Maybe after you get over the Wreckers."
"No," Ironfist murmured, shaking his head. "Not in this lifetime...."
WRECK AND RULE
A Wreckers Interlude
CHAPTER ONE
"What am I looking at? Not more failures."
Thunderwing smirked as he and his fellow Decepticon general Turmoil watched the archival footage of several battles that had ended in Autobot victory. Maderan, Sandokan, Moriturus... the list- and the video itself- dragged on.
"Unfortunately, yes," Thunderwing replied. "And it's all thanks to a certain team of Autobots."
Turmoil grunted. "The Wreckers. They have caused many a Decepticon grief."
"Indeed," Thunderwing said as he turned off the video. "Which is part of the reason I called you here."
The other general was silent, merely nodding for him to continue.
"It has crossed my mind that, if the Wreckers are composed of the Autobots' most violent, powerful, and... unhinged, it would only make sense for us to make a team comprised of the same."
"I take it the Warriors Elite aren't enough?"
Thunderwing shook his head. "They are either overly psychotic, like Overlord, or are too dumb to tell a Vehicon from a post."
"So how am I involved."
"You command some of the strongest and skilled Decepticons. I can envision some of them being a part of my 'anti-Wreckers' team."
"This is truly a daring task, Thunderwing," Turmoil said. "The Wreckers are numerous and have even divided into multiple units. How do you plan on tackling the 'big ones' like Impactor?"
Thunderwing grinned. "I'm not. At least, not yet. Each of the Wreckers' teams go from most skilled to least. And the ones on the very bottom are going to be swell practice."
"Unfortunately, yes," Thunderwing replied. "And it's all thanks to a certain team of Autobots."
Turmoil grunted. "The Wreckers. They have caused many a Decepticon grief."
"Indeed," Thunderwing said as he turned off the video. "Which is part of the reason I called you here."
The other general was silent, merely nodding for him to continue.
"It has crossed my mind that, if the Wreckers are composed of the Autobots' most violent, powerful, and... unhinged, it would only make sense for us to make a team comprised of the same."
"I take it the Warriors Elite aren't enough?"
Thunderwing shook his head. "They are either overly psychotic, like Overlord, or are too dumb to tell a Vehicon from a post."
"So how am I involved."
"You command some of the strongest and skilled Decepticons. I can envision some of them being a part of my 'anti-Wreckers' team."
"This is truly a daring task, Thunderwing," Turmoil said. "The Wreckers are numerous and have even divided into multiple units. How do you plan on tackling the 'big ones' like Impactor?"
Thunderwing grinned. "I'm not. At least, not yet. Each of the Wreckers' teams go from most skilled to least. And the ones on the very bottom are going to be swell practice."
* * *
"This certainly is an unexpected visit, sir," Security Chief Downshift said as he led the veteran Autobot Kup through Kimia Facility's entrance corridor. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but-"
Kup silenced her with a curt wave of his hand. "Save the pleasantries, kid. I don't plan on staying here for long."
"I see," Downshift murmured. "Are you here got weapons or supplies?"
Kup shook his head. "I'm recruiting for the Wreckers."
Downshift came to a halt and gave the veteran a puzzled look. "Recruiting? Wreckers? Doesn't Impactor have, like, a lot under his command?"
"Yeah, but a lot of them tend to die. Rookies are gonna be needed to fill in the gaps."
"But why Kimia?"
"Do you know nothin' about the Wreckers?" Kup snapped. "We're almost all about heavy weapons and brute strength, especially for when the going gets tough. So Kimia is pretty much the ideal place to go."
Downshift nodded. "I see. Well, you can speak with Emirate Xaaron about that. He pretty much runs this place anyway."
"Take me to him then."
Downshift nodded. "I see. Well, you can speak with Emirate Xaaron about that. He pretty much runs this place anyway."
"Take me to him then."
* * *
"I'm still amazed by how you can always pass Kick-Off's evaluation tests," Chromedome said as he stepped into Brainstorm's office. "I mean, it's not like I don't want you to, but any security officer in their right mind wouldn't let something like a mass-displacement gun out and about."
"Yeah, because no one except me is allowed to touch it," Brainstorm said as he snatched the gun before Chromedome could lay his hands on it. "Besides, passing the routine security check is one thing. The Ethics Committee is a whole 'nother issue."
"Still tense from that last meeting?"
"Rejection, you mean," Brainstorm said bitterly. "Sure, Tripwire's explosive trap thingy gets a pass, but my existential gun? Forget about it."
At that moment, two old 'bots appeared in the doorway to Brainstorm's office. One was the tall, slightly bulky, greenish-blue veteran Kup, while the other was the shorter and gold Emirate Xaaron.
"Brainstorm," Kup grunted. "Just the bot I was looking for."
Brainstorm blinked. "Really? I mean, of course I am! You'd never find a better source for weapons and artillery than me."
"Some of us would beg to differ," muttered Xaaron. "Honestly, sergeant, I think you'd be better off with Tripwire or-"
"How can I help you, sir?" Brainstorm said, cutting off the Emirate. "Could I fancy you with some scatter blasters? Magma frag launchers? Laser lancers?"
"Actually," Kup said, "I'm here for you."
Brainstorm laughed. "Good one, sir, but I'm afraid that I have yet to convert myself into a weapon. Working on it though."
"Er, no. I'm talking about recruiting you into the Wreckers."
"What?" Brainstorm, Xaaron, and Chromedome exclaimed in unison.
Kup smirked. "You heard me. Omega Team is in need of some brains, especially when it'll come to weapons. So, what do you say?"
Ignoring Xaaron's stammering protests, Brainstorm eagerly nodded. "I say you've got yourself some brains, sir. And more so."
"Glad to hear it," Kup said. "Meet me and the rest of the team on Babu Yar."
As he turned to leave, Xaaron grabbed him by the arm. "But, sergeant, wouldn't it be... wiser to take someone else? Like, say, Crosshairs! His very function is weapons supervisor."
"Then I'll bring both of them along. I'm sure they'll make a great combo."
The anguished look on the Emirate's face was the greatest thing Brainstorm had seen all day.
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