Chương 37: INTERCEPTED DATA-003. BACKBITE.

There was a low rumble as the pair of cybertronians exited the chamber, a layer of dust following behind them as the explosive charges went off. Other figures emerged from the remaining doorways, all converging into the center of the tunnel they'd initially deployed from. Of course, those observations came second to the fact that he was getting stares. Shockwave's little green knockoffs certainly shared their creator's visage, at the very least.

"Knock it of-" Starscre-no. Backbite's (and that was going to take some getting used to...) annoyed response to the constant staring was interrupted by a pair of servos wrapping around his arm.

"You finally unlocked your root mode!" Twin yellow optics stared up at the surprised mech in clear joy, the femme latched to his side like a metal limpet (or maybe a particularly determined scraplet) entirely oblivious to his discomfort.

"I'm Airazor! But you already knew that since you were there for all of our naming ceremonies, you're Backbite, right? It's so good to finally be able to talk to yo-" Her rapid babbling was cut short as the mech that had strode up behind the femme cuffed her on helm with a playful servo, smirking.

"Knock it off 'Razor. You're gonna fry his audio receptors!" The Predacon's joke (Adam, he vaguely remembered. What an odd designation.) prompted a pout, even as Airazor wrapped her arms around Backbite's side. He looked up to see Shockwave watching him with crossed arms.... Slowly, Backbite awkwardly gave the overly affectionate femme a pat on the shoulder, even as his emotions roiled beneath his placid expression. Now that he thought about it...

he couldn't actually recall the last time someone had given him an outright hug. A little bit before the war, maybe? Well... that was certainly a sad thought. Moving on before he depressed himself further.

"It's good to be able to talk, yes." His response prompted grins from both of the Predacons, Airazor bobbing her beaked helm up and down as Adam made some strange gesture, sticking his thumb into the air. Their odd little moment was interrupted as Shockwave began walking, his Zakus closing in around him.

"We need to keep moving. Walk and talk if you need to." Adam shrugged, before sauntering after the group with that sardonic smirk of his. St- Backbite, dammit. Backbite made to shrug Airazor off only for the Predacon to grab his servo, pulling him along.

"C'mon, I can share some files with you while we're moving!"

It had been a little over a human hour, and Backbite was considering throwing Airazor off his frame and making a run for it down one of the many intersecting tunnels they'd passed in a desperate bid for escape. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. If the damned femme sent him one more meme, his processor was going to short circuit!

"Halt." The Seeker turned Predacon slowed down alongside the rest of the group as Shockwave raised a servo to the side of his helm, before nodding once and glancing back at them.

"I've just received a communication from Optimus. We're nearing the core, but there appears to be heightened numbers of terrorcons between us and the vanguard force." The cycloptic mech shrugged.

"At the very least, we don't need to deal with the antibodies, they're all currently being drawn away by what we can safely assume to be allied forces beginning to advance deeper into the tunnels and establishing entry points." Before anyone else could respond, Backbite stepped forward, clapping his servos once.

"Then I don't see a problem. We'll avoid the terrorcons and let the Autobots draw them away, thinning both side's numbers!" The scientist shook his helm in response.

"The Autobots are allies for the time being. Additionally, the rest of our Predacon contingent are with them, alongside the reliquary. Abandoning them isn't something we can do." Backbite frowned even as a servo impacted his shoulder plate, Adam passing by with a grin.

"Relax 'Bite! Those robo-zombies are practically target practice for us fire spitters!" The former air commander mouthed the word 'zombies' in mild confusion even as Shockwave nodded, gesturing into the darkness with his AstroMag cannon.

"Indeed, Adam has the correct attitude. Now, everyone swap to low light vision and prepare for potential confrontation." Rolling his orange optics, Backbite nonetheless followed the order, activating the extra protocol that the mad mech had presumably programmed into his new frame and shifted his servos into their brand new tri-blaster configurations. A low whistle drew his attention as Airazor peered around his shoulder, staring at his weapons.

"Packing some real firepower there, Backbite. I've just got boring standard guns." She lifted a transformed limb for emphasis, the sleek looking blaster attached to it glowing a faint yellow in comparison to his own armament. Backbite allowed himself to smirk, relishing in the attention ever so slightly.

"Comes with the frame, femme."

"Sis!" He paused, blinking exactly once at the smaller cybertronian's retort.

"What?" Her face was entirely serious as he waved her gun between the two of them.

"Shockwave made both of us, which makes us siblings. And I'm a girlbot and stuff, so I'm your sister! Were you even reading the files I sent you? It's all on the internet!" Rearing back ever so slightly, Backbite shook his helm.

"I'm... not calling you that." Airazor stared. He stared back, raising a brow plate. Then the femme covered her face with her servos, doubling over and taking on an anguished tone.

"My brother doesn't love meeeeeee!" He took a step back, frowning.

"Stop that." The bawling continued.

"He haaates meeeeeeee!" His frowning increased.

"I said stop!"

"Whaaaaaaaaaah!" Adam walked up next to the startled mech, servos over his audio receptors.

"Just call her sis, dude!" Backbite shook his helm again, crossing his arms.

"No! We're not even-" He felt a deathly chill go down his spinal strut as Shockwave glanced at him.... Slumping, he quickly strode over to the whining femme, (who may or may not have had some form of sonic emitter installed in place of a standard voicebox) shifted his blasters back into servos and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her.

"Fine! You're my sister! Sis! Stop!" The Predacon slowly looked up, wringing her servos.

"Y'mean it?" He sighed as Adam rapidly nodded his helm from behind the distraught femme, one of the Zakus also doing that strange thumb gesture.

"... I... yes. You are... my sister." Clawed servos clapped around his helm as the bird-helmed cybertronian pulled him closer.

"Your favourite sister? In the whole wide world?" Cringing at the humiliation, Backbite nodded.

"Yes, you are my favourite little sister in the whole wide world." Airazor grinned at his declaration, before wrapping her arms around his neck and scaling up his frame in one smooth motion, settling atop his shoulders. He looked up, glaring.

"Just what do you think you're doing!?" Airazor grinned, patting his helm happily.

"Big brothers give little sisters piggybacks! Also, I can shoot better from up here." The statement was punctuated by her servo shifting back into a blaster and pointing forward.

"See? Bam. Bam bam bam! Bam."... He'd been tricked. Duped. Mislead. Deceived! He swore he could see several of the Zakus shaking in silent laughter! Even Shockwave seemed to exude an aura of subtle amusement! A servo clapped against his back, Adam passing by the transformed mech with a grin.

"Come along big bro, we've got terrorcons to scrap." Sighing in utter defeat, Backbite slowly began to march forward as the rest of the group followed along behind him. Oh how the mighty had truly fallen... Oblivious to his internal thoughts, Airazor merely hummed happily from her position atop her new mount.