Fiction: "Fresh Paint"

[grahamthomson]

The Transformers in "Fresh Paint" by Graham Thomson

Sunstreaker wore the smile of a dying warrior; proud, satisfied.

His entire body had been locked into a stasis pod, his steel-grey skeleton secured into place with polycarbide clamps. Periodically, the pod emitted a fine mist of nitrogen vapour to keep his chassis dry and clean.

Sunstreaker, in his entirety, had been stripped and sterilised.

"Don't look down," Hoist said. "Please, just don't look down."

The Autobot maintenance engineer held up a panel of Sunstreaker's armour. The fresh paint glistened with a sugar shell sheen, reflecting the medbay's overhead lights.

"That's a beautiful shade," Sunstreaker said.

Hoist bent forwards and lowered his voice. "There's a cadmium mine near here. I, ah, appropriated some from the humans for you. It really makes the colour pop!"

"I love it!" Sunstreaker grinned. He tried to dip his chin to look down at his body.

Hoist quickly cupped his patient's chin. The fresh yellow paint on his fingers smudged. "I said don't look down."

"What's the damage this time?"

Hoist put down the armour panel so he could fully gesticulate Sunstreaker's latest sortie. "Oh, you should have seen yourself in battle!" he sang. "Skywarp and Thundercracker had you in their sights in a no-escape strafing run, but you turned the tide!"

"I did? I don't remember any of that."

Hoist held out his arms, as if he were an aircraft himself. "Fly boys think they're so hot up there, but the way you out-manoeuvred them!"

Sunstreaker's eyes widened. "I wish I could remember."

"Well the rest of the Autobots aren't going to forget, that's for sure!"

"That's made my day!"

Hoist nodded his head. "That's what I'm here for. Now, you're sure you're happy with the colour?"

"Very!"

"Excellent. Now, please rest and I'll get your armour painted and fitted and you'll be back in action before you know it!"

Hoist reached for the console on the side of the stasis pod and flicked a switch. Sunstreaker's optic covers slid shut automatically as he slipped offline. The smile remained on his face as power drained from the gears and cogs underneath.

Hoist set some more controls on the pod, too engrossed in his work to realise that he was being watched.

"So you're ignoring my orders, regardless," Prowl said sharply.

Hoist whirled around. He'd been caught yellow-handed.

To be continued...

[grahamthomson]

The Transformers in "Fresh Paint" by Graham Thomson

Part 2

Prowl marched Hoist out of the med bay and into one of the Ark's many maze-like corridors.

"You are in direct violation of Article 4 of Addendum 17 of the Freyaan Protocol," Prowl recited.

Hoist folded his arms across his chest. "I do not acknowledge that article," he said. "I never will."

"I appreciate your position," Prowl said. "But despite your medical status, you can't just pick and choose the rules."

"Isn't that what you do?"

"I make recommendations, and High Command, as a collective, votes on them."

Hoist narrowed the apertures of his optic sensors. "And how did Ratchet vote on Article 4?"

"Such information is classified."

"Thought as much," Hoist said curtly, before turning away. "Now, please excuse me. I have a maintenance schedule to, well, maintain."

As Hoist walked away, as fast as his portly form could allow, Prowl called out, "I'll be watching you."

* * *

"Grapple, where are you?" Hoist shouted.

His voice echoed across the glistening surfaces of the largest cave that lived within Mount St Hilary's inner walls.

Scaffolding, ladders and walkways reached up from the ground and cross hatched themselves across the body shell of the enormous robot that stood, partway finished.

"I'm up here," came Grapple's muffled reply.

Hoist followed the sound of his best friend's voice, realising that it was coming from inside the body that was hidden amongst the scaffolding.

Grapple emerged from an access panel, black scorch marks running up the length of his orange forearms. "You look pissed, my friend."

"And you look like you've been in a fire."

Grapple smiled. "I'm welding as it happens. What can I do for you?"

"I'm all out of paint."

"What colour paint?" Grapple eyed his friend with suspicion.

Hoist bowed his head. "Yellow."

"Oh, Hoist!"

"I know, I know. Article 4, blah blah blah."

Grapple shook his head. "No can do, I'm afraid. I have plenty of orange, though."

"Orange? Sunstreaker would hate that!"

"Well it's going to be one of Alpha Supreme's colours."

"Alpha Supreme?"

Grapple looked worried. "You don't like the name?"

"I thought he's supposed to be the last line of defence."

"He will be," Grapple said, putting his hands on his hips.

"Well you'll want to call him Omega Supreme, then."

Grapple paused for a moment. "Works for me," he smiled.

"So no yellow paint, at all?"

"Sorry."

Hoist lifted his head and took in the view. Grapple's skills were amazing. The formidable form of Omega Supreme sent a surge down his spine. "Decepticons are going to discharge themselves when they see this coming at them!"

"You know that was Optimus Prime's first bullet point in the design brief," Grapple laughed. Then: "Tell you what, use this and get yourself some yellow paint."

Grapple threw a small plastic card in Hoist's direction.

"What's this?" he said, catching the card between his fingers.

"Humans call it a credit card. It belongs to G. B. Blackrock."

"What does it do?"

"You can contact any human supply installation, give them the number on the card and buy anything you want."

"But what value does a 16-digit decimal string have?"

"No idea, but that's Earth for you. Go on, try it!" Grapple strode over to a nearby Teletraan terminal and tapped at its keypad. Data started to scroll down the screen. "There's a local vehicle augmentation specialist that might have what you want. Call them up."

"Call them up? What do you mean?"

"Here," said Grapple. "Use this." He slid a small black device across the desk. "It's called a telephone. Wheeljack modified it for our use. Just interface with it there."

Hoist shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't want to stick my finger into anything Wheeljack's invented."

"Just try it!"

The end of Hoist's index finger opened up and a small connector slid out. As per Grapple's instructions, Hoist pushed the connector into the telephone. Issuing a silent mental command, Hoist dialled the number of the supply shop.

There was a moment's pause.

"Oh, hi!" Hoist suddenly said. "I'd like to buy some paint, please."

Silence.

"Yellow."

Grapple smiled at Hoist, wondering exactly what the person on the other end might be saying.

"What kind? It's for a sports car, so nice and bright. Pearlescent you say? The most expensive you have in stock? I'll have that, then!"

As Hoist gave the credit card details to the shop owner, Grapple turned his focus back to Omega Supreme and what he'd been asked to build. Grapple, too, was against Article 4 but didn't quite have it in him to rebel.

"All sorted!" Hoist sang. "They're expecting a green tow truck driven by an old man who, for reasons they don't need to know, can't get out. They said they'd happily load it up for him, uh, me."

"Whatever makes you happy!"

"Thanks, Grapple. I appreciate your efforts," Hoist said, putting a hand to his friend's shoulder.

"Glad I could help."

"Sunstreaker would certainly appreciate it. I mean, if he really knew what was happening to him."

* * *

"Now remember," Hoist said. "Don't look down!"

"You're the doc," Sunstreaker smiled. "So what happened this time?"

"Well..." said Hoist, puffing out his chest as though it were filling with pride. "The Decepticons had you and Sideswipe in a pincer movement. Sideswipe launched himself into the sky to get away..."

Sunstreaker's eyes widened.

"... Between you and me," Hoist continued. "I think you're the braver brother. Anyway, once he'd fled it was just you against Starscream, Soundwave and Ravage."

"Wow."

"I know. So then, you had just one last flare and you launched it directly into Soundwave's chest. He tumbled backwards over Ravage, sending them both to the ground. Starscream got distracted for a moment, and you took advantage by performing this capital 'A'-mazing roundhouse kick!"

"I must have been badly damaged... I don't remember this at all."

"Oh you might have taken a licking," Hoist said. "But you sure gave them a kicking."

"Then what happened?"

"Well the whole town was saved, the Decepticons retreated, you were branded a hero and Sideswipe was hauled home sobbing in the back of Prime's trailer!" Hoist clapped his hands, ending the story with a bang.

Sunstreaker laughed loudly. "Hoist, that sounds amazing! I just wish I had a better recollection of it."

"You were injured in the line of duty, what more can I say?"

"It's just lately, I feel like all I'm doing is waking up in the med bay. I feel like I'm always in here."

"Not true," said Hoist. "If that was the case, why would I be here, showing you how nice your new armour's going to look?"

"I guess..."

"Now, today, I have a special treat," Hoist said as he held up a panel of freshly painted armour.

"Oh, wow," Sunstreaker said. "That's amazing!"

"It's a special mix, with tiny metallic flakes in it to really reflect the light."

"And you made it especially for me?"

"No one else."

"I'm sure I don't deserve this," Sunstreaker admitted. "But you've really given my spirits a lift."

"And that's why they call me Hoist!"

Sunstreaker began to laugh again, but suddenly stopped when he noticed who had entered the med bay. "Prowl, sir."

Hoist experienced an intense feeling of dread as Prowl stepped past him.

"Greetings to you, Sunstreaker," Prowl said, forcing a smile.

The Autobots' second in command looked Sunstreaker from head to foot. From the neck down, all that Sunstreaker consisted of was an awkward, colourless frame of metal clamped inside a stasis pod. He was a skeleton of struts and hinges. He was an empty cage.

Prowl turned to Hoist. "Please finish here as quickly as you can. You and I have a very serious matter to deal with."

To be continued...

[Andy Turnbull]

Great stuff so far G.

There's a nicely sinister undercurrent to everything that is going in, very atmospheric.

Andy

[grahamthomson]

Thanks for commenting, Andy, much appreciated.

Things may well get more sinister as we go along...

[grahamthomson]

The resplendent Mr Turnbull has kindly provided some illustrations to accompany the story, which you can see here: www.polarismagazine.co.uk/fiction-fresh-paint/ and here: www.polarismagazine.co.uk/fiction-fresh-paint-part-2/

Thanks, Andy!

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Apr 12, 2011 8:20:50 GMT @grahamthomson said:

The resplendent Mr Turnbull has kindly provided some illustrations to accompany the story, which you can see here: www.polarismagazine.co.uk/fiction-fresh-paint/ and here: www.polarismagazine.co.uk/fiction-fresh-paint-part-2/

Thanks, Andy!

Ah! If it's printed in the mag I shall hold off on reading Part 2.

Martin

[grahamthomson]

This story is online-only, Martin!

[Grand Moff Muffin]

OK! Read it all then.

Wow! Mysterious. Inspired at all by elements of Source Code, perchance?

Love the screen time given to Grapple and Hoist. Always figured they'd be best mates. Nice bit on Omega Supreme's name too.

Looking forward to Part 3!

Martin

[grahamthomson]

Thanks, Martin!

Glad you liked the interaction between Hoist and Grapple.

I have yet to see Source Code as I tend to wait for movies to come out on home release and put them on my online rentals list. It makes me unpopular as I am usually 6-12 months behind cinema-goers when discussing films. But, I digress.

Part 3 will be up next week. It's currently with Andy, hoping for an illustration...

[legios]

I am intriqued. The last paragraph of part two feeds nicely into the niggling sense of something wrong that permeated the first part. An arresting way to end the installment, that much is for certain.

Hoist and Grapple sound so much like ordinary working folks having a natter in the workplace - if they weren't giant alien robots they sound like they would fit in perfectly fine where I work. The interplay between them is delightful.

I look forward to the next installment.

Karl
(Andy's illustrations are good too - especially Hoist. I have a soft spot for Hoist because I had the toy as a kid, and you have got the slightly tubby look of him down pat there).

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Trying to play detective here, we know that the deactivated Sunstreaker was blasted in two by Shockwave in 'The New Order', as a demonstration of his power to Megatron. He was then the only Autobot listed in the 'Who's Who' as having "little possibility of revival". But he did show up briefly (and was name-checked) during the battle on the moon in 'Totalled'. And then he wasn't seen again until (depending on your continuity) 'On the Edge of Extinction' (freshly Nucleoned by Grimlock) or 'Perchance to Dream'. When he awoke in the latter, he had never heard of Galvatron, and the other Classic Heroes had to explain who he was.

Hmmm.

No, can't figure it out just yet. Keep going, Graham!

Martin

[grahamthomson]

Sunstreaker's AtoZ is going to be a short entry when I get around to the S's in 2032...

All will be revealed next week, I am sure.

[grahamthomson]

Apr 12, 2011 20:47:38 GMT legios said:

I am intriqued. The last paragraph of part two feeds nicely into the niggling sense of something wrong that permeated the first part. An arresting way to end the installment, that much is for certain.

Hoist and Grapple sound so much like ordinary working folks having a natter in the workplace - if they weren't giant alien robots they sound like they would fit in perfectly fine where I work. The interplay between them is delightful.

I look forward to the next installment.

Karl
(Andy's illustrations are good too - especially Hoist. I have a soft spot for Hoist because I had the toy as a kid, and you have got the slightly tubby look of him down pat there).

Thanks, Karl! Glad you're enjoying the story so far and liked the Grapple/Hoist bits!

And, yes, Andy has done us proud with the illustrations!

[Andy Turnbull]

A few more will accompany the next part...

Thanks to folks for the kind words regarding the drawings - trying for a stripped down Adrian Salmon-like approach.

Andy

[grahamthomson]

Hooray for illustrations! Hooray for everything!

[grahamthomson]

The Transformers in "Fresh Paint" by Graham Thomson

With special thanks to Andy Turnbull for illustrations

"This has gone far enough," Prowl said. His patience was fraying rapidly as he tried to maintain his composure.

Hoist was past maintaining composure. He threw his arms into the air. "Not at all," he said. "In fact, consider my actions a sign of protest."

Prowl leaned into Hoist, pushing a finger into his chest. "I am done tolerating this. You're going to the brig to cool off."

Hoist pushed his wrists together and held out his arms as if waiting for restraints to be applied.

"Not necessary," said Prowl. "There's no need to make a scene."

"Oh yes there is... You put me in the brig and the others will start to ask questions. And I will tell them all about Article 4, and I will tell them all about Sunstreaker."

Prowl scoffed. "You presume that the rest of the team are as detached from the rules as you are."

Hoist lowered his arms.

"The Freyaan Protocol has been followed strictly since we awoke on Earth," Prowl continued. "And you yourself agreed to follow it when you put yourself forward as part of the crew."

"Yes I did," said Hoist. "But several amendments have been added since, and those are what I can't understand or abide by."

Prowl squeezed the bridge of his nose, tying his patience back together. "Hoist, complete your rounds for today and come see me in my quarters. We'll talk then, okay?"

Hoist did not respond.

"It's not an order," said Prowl. "It's an invitation."

"Okay," Hoist finally said.

* * *

"I heard you did great things helping to get the Dinobots back," Hoist told Sideswipe.

"Ah, it was nothing," he shrugged.

"So modest!"

Sideswipe laughed. "I have enough for both--" he stopped himself short.

Hoist looked at Sideswipe lying there on the slab, one leg absent, half of his face without skin, but still in good spirits. "Go on," he urged.

"Sorry," said Sideswipe. "I was going to say enough for me and Sunstreaker, but that sounds a bit mean... considering..."

"... that's he's been offline since Shockwave..." How could Hoist put this delicately... "enthusiastically bisected him?"

"Yeah," said Sideswipe, turning away from Hoist.

Luckily for him, Sideswipe's injuries weren't severe enough to fall under the finer points of Article 4. That was at least one thing Hoist was grateful for.

"Doc?" Sideswipe turned his head back again, the exposed filaments of his jaw bouncing back pinpricks of light.

"Yes?"

"What's taking so long with Sunstreaker? How long is he going to stay in stasis?"

Stasis, thought Hoist. So that's what they've told you. "It's all to do with replacement components," he explained. "Shockwave was very, well, thorough with Sunstreaker. And each component that needs to be rebuilt from scratch has to be attuned to his very specific energy signature."

"Oh, right," said Sideswipe, perhaps not fully understanding.

"I guess that explains why it was quicker to build new bodies for the likes of me, Grapple and Tracks," Hoist said, hoping to provide comfort.

"Right," said Sideswipe. "I just had this suspicion that Sunstreaker had been superseded, you know, replaced."

Hoist winced. "Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "The whole med team is doing everything it can. I mean, we're doing everything we can."

"Good," said Sideswipe. "I feel better knowing that."

Hoist dusted his hands together. "Anything else I can do for you today?"

Sideswipe smiled. "No, doc. I'm good. But thanks again for replacing that rotator cuff. It was really bugging me."

"No problem."

"So, who's next on your list?"

"No one, actually, but I do have to see Prowl."

"Is he okay?"

"Oh, he's fine. It's more of a, uh, administration issue."

"Bendin' the rules, are we?" Sideswipe chuckled. "I hear that!"

Hoist nodded without realising. "I'd rather be impaled on my own tow hook..."




* * *

"You'd probably prefer to stand," Prowl said as he ushered Hoist into his quarters.

Hoist swung his gaze around the room. Prowl didn't come here to relax, he came here to categorise and cross-reference. Or maybe those were the same things.

"I'll get to the point," Prowl promised. "What you're doing with Sunstreaker has to stop. Article 4 clearly states--"

"I can't stop what I'm doing," Hoist explained, begging himself not to lose his temper. "I am duty bound to him."

Prowl, too, remained calm. "I would prefer if you were duty bound to the rules."

"But why? I don't see what I'm doing wrong?"

"Changes are coming. Big changes."

"You mean Omega Supreme and the Special Teams?"

"Omega?"

"Last minute name change."

"I must have missed that memo."

"The point is, we're creating new warriors at the expense of repairing and rehabilitating our existing ones."

"I know that," said Prowl. "But it's the dilemma we must put to rest if we are to move forward and gain the advantage over the Decepticons."

"Is that all this is to you? A strategy?"

The corner of Prowl's lip curled into a slight sneer. "You certainly have a penchant for being surprised by the obvious."

"Don't try to outwit me, Prowl. I maintain your waste regulator."

Prowl's face returned to neutral. "Sorry," he said.

"I can handle this, I have plenty of time to keep everyone ticking along smoothly and see Sunstreaker in my zero-time."

"Your zero-time should be used for yourself, to recharge, to update."

"I can do all that."

"But what happens when the Special Teams are online? And Al--Omega Supreme? That's 11 new Autobots to take care of."

"I'll manage... somehow."

"No, you won't," Prowl said, sounding sterner. "That's the whole point of Article 4. There comes a time when we draw a line under the likes of Sunstreaker and confine them to permanent stasis. It allows us to move forwards."

Hoist clenched his fists. "You cold, callous--"

"It's my job to be that way, it's why I'm so high up the chain of command."

"Someone like you shouldn't be in such a position, nor hold such influence over Optimus."

"Meaning?"

"Special Teams? I've never heard of the like! How you convinced Optimus to go ahead with their creation, I'll never know."

"We're just going round in circles here," said Prowl. "You are to stop attending to Sunstreaker. End of discussion. Let him go into stasis. I did it for four million years, you did it for four million years."

"But it's not as simple as that, and you know it."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do!" Hoist could feel his rage rising.

Prowl tried to put a calming hand on Hoist's shoulder. Hoist recoiled.

"Sunstreaker can't be put into normal stasis. When Shockwave tore into him, there must have been some kind of neural feedback that fused his cerebral circuitry," Hoist explained. "Sure, he can be put offline for short periods for pain relief, but his mind can still perceive the passage of time. To lock him away in a box without regular stimulation or contact is cruel. It's like burying him alive."

Prowl suddenly found himself unable to keep eye contact with Hoist.

"But you already knew that when you came up with Article 4," Hoist guessed. "You'd already been through the medical reports before making your recommendations."

"I do what's right for the Autobot cause," Prowl tried to explain. "This is war. There are going to be casualties, there are going to be impossible decisions."

"Well at least we all know where we stand." It was Hoist's turn to sneer.

"Hoist... please..."

"It's okay," the engineer said. "I can see it from your point of view. You have a desire to win the war with the Decepticons... What would that be called?"

"I don't follow."

"What would be another word for it?"

Prowl contemplated Hoist's question. "Hope," he said.

"And I have hope that all my patients will make a full recovery, no matter how long it takes and no matter what I have to do."

Prowl remained quiet.

Hoist continued: "Hope is what should drive us forwards; not economy, not strategy. And that's why I am going to continue to tend to Sunstreaker and that's why you can't--or won't--punish me because you know, morally, that I am doing the right thing."

Prowl's mouth fell open, just slightly.

"Article 4 no longer exists," Hoist said as he marched out of Prowl's quarters with his head held high.

* * *

Hoist flicked a switch on Sunstreaker's stasis pod. The familiar head atop the derelict body stirred into life.

Sunstreaker smiled at Hoist: "Am I glad to see you!"

The end

[Andy Turnbull]

A fine resolution to the story G and a nice bit of time in the sun for Hoist. Sunstreaker's predicament is pretty horrific to endure. Prowl's point of view is nicely in character for him and nice to see that he doesn't get the upper hand.

Andy

[grahamthomson]

Apr 14, 2011 20:30:22 GMT Andy Turnbull said:

A fine resolution to the story G and a nice bit of time in the sun for Hoist. Sunstreaker's predicament is pretty horrific to endure. Prowl's point of view is nicely in character for him and nice to see that he doesn't get the upper hand.

Andy

Thanks, Andy! I'm pleased you've enjoyed the story. And thanks again for the illustrations.

[Grand Moff Muffin]

Excellent stuff, very fitting, and the pictures are spot on too. Well done, guys.

Martin

[Andy Turnbull]

Cheers.

Nice to do something, quick and off the cuff like this.

Andy

[legios]

Very good stuff. It feels very true to the characters and their response to a quite frankly awful dilema is well argued and feels relatively even-handed.

Good stuff.

Karl

[grahamthomson]

Apr 14, 2011 20:56:18 GMT Grand Moff Muffin said:

Excellent stuff, very fitting, and the pictures are spot on too. Well done, guys.

Martin

Thanks, Martin!

[grahamthomson]

Apr 15, 2011 7:37:48 GMT legios said:

Very good stuff. It feels very true to the characters and their response to a quite frankly awful dilema is well argued and feels relatively even-handed.

Good stuff.

Karl

Thanks, Karl. Glad you found the central debate and Prowl's and Hoist's perspectives interesting!