beckyh2112: (Default)
Rebecca Hb. ([personal profile] beckyh2112) wrote2009-12-28 07:40 am

Fourth Day of Christmas

Title: Best Laid Plans
Fandom: G1 Transformers
Characters: Silverbolt/Motormaster, Dead End, Skydive, the rest of the Aerialbots and Stunticons
Rating: PG
Word Count: 700+
Summary: At least the mission briefing hasn't gone horribly wrong.
Author's Notes: I am so rusty with these guys. SO RUSTY.

Best Laid Plans

***


"-Likely, of course, we will simply be caught in its gears and ground to so much scrap-metal, thus rendering this entire mission moot and dooming Cybertron to an agonizing death," Dead End said as he concluded the briefing.

"Thank you, Dead End," Silverbolt said, glancing at his team. Fireflight wasn't even paying attention, Slingshot was glaring at the Stunticons, Air Raid looked excited, and Skydive looked thoughtful. About as expected. "Skydive, is there anything you'd like to add?"

Motormaster's engine growled. All of the other Aerialbots and Stunticons both glanced at the massive grey truck.

Silverbolt selected an icon on his datapad and ostentatiously ignored the sound of displeasure. They were joint-commanders of this mission, not commander and lieutenant, and he would not be intimidated into forgetting that. "Skydive?"

The grey jet's ailerons flipped back and forth, the equivalent to Spike's gesture of giving himself a shake when he wanted to resettle his thoughts. "Well. Dead End has covered all of the ways the mission could go wrong that I can think of-"

"-Undoubtedly, something will come out of nowhere that none of us knew or imagined, and no one else will ever know or imagine it because of how quickly it kills us."

"Thank you, Dead End. Skydive?" Silverbolt kept his voice level and pleasant, and the Stunticons just stared at him. There was a lot of uncertainty in their looks, edged with fear, and Silverbolt found it rather fascinating. He wondered if they'd continue to get more scared as he continued to be polite to them.

(He tried not to wonder why they reacted this way at all.)

"This situation looks a lot better than Dead End painted it," Skydive said, then began to point out where he thought things would be better or at least not as bad as Dead End's more realistic assessments.

//He's optimistic,// Motormaster rumbled over Silverbolt's radio. //Soft. Like you. Next time the skullhead snaps and attacks someone, you crack his cockpit so he learns better.//

//That's not how I handle my team.//

//No wonder they get away from you half the time.//

Silverbolt smiled slightly and didn't reply. He'd gotten similar instructions from various Autobot officers over the years. Never so violent, of course, but everyone felt he should keep the Aerialbots on a shorter leash. He found it wasn't worth his time to explain that a shorter leash would have made them even more uncontrollable.

Skydive wrapped up a minute later, and Silverbolt inclined his head to his gestaltmate.

"Thank you, Skydive." He glanced at Motormaster to see if the Stunticon commander had anything to say. He found himself meeting hard purple optics and harder mouth that slowly curved into a smile.

//'Bout time he shut up,// Motormaster drawled over the radio. //When are you? I've got a better use for that mouth of yours.//

Silverbolt flicked his gaze back at the rest of their combined gestalt teams. "Does everyone understand the plan?"

Various nods, grunts, and snarls answered his question with Air Raid digging an elbow into Fireflight's jet to get his attention and Drag Strip's answer only boiled down to yes after Motormaster smacked him and he stopped cursing. Well. It would have to do.

"The mission doesn't launch for another three hours. Do what you like with your time as long as it doesn't damage either yourselves or each other." Silverbolt paused. "Don't waste your ammunition or energy, either. We're going up against Unicron, and we don't have second chances."

"We don't have a first chance."

"Thank you, Dead End. Any questions? No? Dismissed." Silverbolt took a moment to collect himself as his gestaltmates and the Stunticons vanished out the door. This was going to be... difficult. At best. He hoped the ceasefire wouldn't disintegrate in the middle of the mission, but he didn't have any illusions. The slightest hint of one side shooting at the other, and they were all doomed.

//Get over here, 'Bolt,// Motormaster growled, shifting to sprawl out invitingly.

Temptation powerful as lightning shot through him. But- //No. We have a mission. I can't afford that kind of damage right now.//

Motormaster snarled, and Silverbolt called his rifle to his hands.

"I need to check my gun," he said quietly. "Make sure everything is in working order."

Fear, muted compared to the looks the other Stunticons had given him, flashed across Motormaster's face so quickly Silverbolt thought he imagined it.

Why were they all so scared of such level, quiet command? He didn't think he'd ever understand, but he'd certainly take advantage of it. Maybe if they all survived, he'd let Motormaster take him before Prime and everyone.

Maybe.

-End-

[identity profile] kalaryx.livejournal.com 2009-12-28 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
I love the idea of people, especially the Stunticons, being a little afraid of Silverbolt because to them he's just so unpredictable...

Good old cheery Dead End!

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2009-12-29 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Silverbolt is so kriffing weird to the Stunticons. He just ignores a lot of bullshit from his team, and then he gives them orders, and they hop to, and it so dang weird. <3

[identity profile] ianam1983.livejournal.com 2010-01-03 07:12 pm (UTC)(link)
It makes perfect sense to me. They keep expecting him to go Motormaster on them and kick their asses. They're just not used to polite command.

It makes me wonder why Silverbolt would have anything to do with a mech who treats his team so badly. I don't think lust alone would explain it.

[identity profile] dualistic.livejournal.com 2009-12-28 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I like the characterisations in this :) I'm curious why Silverbolt's politeness has them so rattled, though (is there a story behind that? Do they have bad prior experiences with polite mechs?)

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2009-12-29 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! There's no particular story behind it - it's just so strange to them in comparison to Decepticon commanders that they're sure when he finally snaps, it's going to be worse than when Motormaster does.

[identity profile] lunatron.livejournal.com 2009-12-28 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)
I like that they're co-commanders in this. There is definitely some appeal to a ceasefired universe where all the Transformers are on one side and go have fabulous adventures.

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2009-12-29 12:09 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! Not sure how much Motormaster views it as being co-commanders, but Silverbolt will play it that way. I do kind of wish there were more opportunities for ceasefires with the Transformers, especially when there's all these weird space-adventures they can have.

[identity profile] raisedbymoogles.livejournal.com 2009-12-29 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
Thirded. I love how the Autobots and Decepticons played off each other in the Marvel G2 comic; I want to see lots, lots more of that.

[identity profile] weirdlet.livejournal.com 2009-12-28 06:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Never saw transformers, but I do love the whole 'deadly-polite' thing.

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2009-12-29 12:10 am (UTC)(link)
It's a fun little trope, it is.

[identity profile] weirdlet.livejournal.com 2009-12-29 05:58 am (UTC)(link)
Vetinari is one of my many fictional light-of-loves.

[identity profile] tv-the-sue.livejournal.com 2009-12-31 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe if they all survived, he'd let Motormaster take him before Prime and everyone.

I'd totally read that.

I can't help but snicker at the Stunties being slighty afraid of Silverbolt, I bet they think the other Aerialbots are all secretly terrified of him.

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2010-01-01 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

They probably do. They seriously do not grok how Silverbolt can be in charge when he's so laid back and nice.

[identity profile] ianam1983.livejournal.com 2010-01-03 07:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, Silverbolt seems to lead through making his team love him rather than fear him, which is perfectly in-character for him. But it's so outside the Stunticons' experience that it just freaks them out wondering what his "real secret" is.

I do like how you wrote his take on command, though. My experiences also suggest that the Aerialbots would get more rebellious under tighter control. And Primus help you if you actually hit one of them -- I think they'd all gang up on Silverbolt if he did, I really do.

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2010-01-03 07:28 pm (UTC)(link)
I think if Silverbolt hit one of them, the first time they'd just be too shell-shocked to do anything. It's the second time where they'd gang up.

[identity profile] ianam1983.livejournal.com 2010-01-03 08:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, but even that first time would damage the hell out of his command. They wouldn't trust him after that at all.

[identity profile] caiusmajor.livejournal.com 2010-01-02 05:29 am (UTC)(link)
I like this! It's fun watching the Stunticons try to deal with Silverbolt's leadership style. I like it when the Stunticons and Aerialbots have an excuse to deal with each other in a non-fighting capacity (and non-fucking, even, though I certainly do not object to the Silverbolt/Motormaster)--and hey, Unicron is always a good one!

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2010-01-03 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Unicron always is a good one. It's hard to get fics where they can deal with each other outside of fighting and sex, really, but Unicron works great for uniting everyone.

[identity profile] peacewish.livejournal.com 2010-01-03 11:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah, Dead End. He absolutely kills me everytime, when he's written well. Of course, he'd point out that everything can kill me, and probably will, but it's all good.

[identity profile] beckyh2112.livejournal.com 2010-01-04 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
ext_38613: If you want to cross a bridge, my sweet, you have to pay the toll. (TF: Optimus Prime - worth dying for)

[identity profile] childofatlantis.livejournal.com 2010-04-05 01:35 pm (UTC)(link)
ZOMG HOW DID I MISS THIS. I love it to bits. I love Silverbolt being in absolute ironclad command. And I will never stop finding it hilarious how the Stunticons are terrified of him for being nice to them. :D