Transformers: New Generation -- Pt 1

chapter 2 -- a familiar face?

✔️ Rewritten & Edited!

The walk through the Autobot headquarters was... awkward, to say the least. Optimus felt almost extreme amounts of uncomfortableness as they toured the halls silently, passing by small groups of Autobots who would give small gestures to Knockout, which the cherry-red Velocitronian would return. Along the way, Knockout would gesture at the different hallways and rooms, explaining their uses to the newbie.

"That's the commanders' meeting room." Knockout said as they passed.

He noticed that there was a crack in the door, which was odd for a sliding door. He couldn't help but peek inside upon hearing quiet voices within the room. With one optic peeking through the crack in the door, he could see the arm and shoulder-pad of a black Cybertronian. At the other side of the room, he saw a tall white Cybertronian, standing instead of sitting, wings perked and dull azure optics hardened on another person in the room. He could barely see another Cybertronian, dawning reddish-orange armor and soft blue optics. Optimus flinched away upon the tallest Cybertronian suddenly glancing through the crack, Spark pounding. He quickly turned to catch up with Knockout, running up the hallway and slowing once he was behind the Autobot again.

"This hall here leads to personal quarters for commanders, captains, and medics." He spoke, gesturing a clawed servo down yet another hallway, "Cabins are just two halls over. A bunkmate will lead you to it."

"Oh, who are my bunkmates?" Optimus asked, looking down at the red Cybertronian.

Knockout shrugged, "Not me, that's for sure."

The red and blue Cybertronian only blinked at the response. They kept walking throughout the outpost, Knockout gesturing to more rooms and hallways and explaining where they went or their uses. More Autobots started coming down the halls, and they would give Optimus a quizzical look or a smile. Either way, it confused the new Autobot. The two Cybertronians found themselves in a large, warehouse-like area full of storage containers, making it clear that they were on the bottom-most floor of the building. A loud voice caught Optimus off guard, which reverberated alongside the sounds of the working Autobots.

"K.O.!"

Knockout groaned and rolled his optics, turning towards the voice. A small yellow Autobot ran towards the two, optics wide and a large smile to match his nature. He stopped in front of the cherry-red Velocitronian, tripping over his pedes, though he fortunately caught himself before he fell. Knockout looked down at the smaller, a blank look in his optics to mask his distaste.

"Hello, Bumblebee." He said casually, then gesturing back at Optimus, "If you can't see, I'm a tad busy at the moment."

Bumblebee tilted his body comically to look at Optimus, waving to him. Optimus waved back, a happy glow coming from his optics. The yellow Cybertronian leaned back so both pedes were on the ground, looking back at his friend.

"Sorry, Knocks, just came back from Zeta's speech!" Bumblebee spoke excitedly, bouncing on his pedes.

"Oh, now I'm intrigued." Knockout said, resting a servo on his chin.

"He was tellin' us about the new 'Bot, big-A's student. He got everyone riled up by sayin' that he'd help us in ending the war!" The smallest explained enthusiastically.

Autobots were looking at the yellow Cybertronian as he spoke to his friend and the new Autobot, though he ignored them or just didn't care. Optimus's Spark lightly thumped against its chamber at hearing this. Alpha Trion had never told him that.

"I-I wouldn't say that." He spoke, catching Bumblebee's attention again, "I don't have nearly enough experience to be such a big help. Your commanders have been training for much longer than I have."

The shorter Cybertronian blinked, then shrugged, "I'm sure you'll be a great 'Bot. Some of the guys here were nobodies before they became part of the cause."

He turned back to Knockout, his smile dimmed, though the happy glow in his optics remained.

"Anyways, 'Cee and I were gonna race, and she said you could join in." Bumblebee said.

"Ah, I can't." Knockout said, shaking his helm, "I was assigned to patrol after showing Optimus around."

"Awwe, that sucks." The smaller Cybertronian pouted, "Guess I'll see you later, then?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. I'll race you later, though." The cherry-red Velocitronian said.

Bumblebee smiled as a response, nodding in understanding. He turned, running off to meet with a pink and white Autobot not too far away. They exchanged greetings — the taller clearly not as energetic as the smaller — and started walking away while talking. The cherry-red Velocitronian sighed and rolled his optics dramatically, looking back at the taller.

"I swear, the kid has too much energy." He spoke, "Let's continue, hm? There's still the upper levels you need to see."

Optimus looked from where Bumblebee had left to Knockout, simply nodding as his response. They started out of the warehouse, and found their way to the nearest elevator. As the doors were about to close, someone yelled from down the hall.

"Hold, please!"

Optimus quickly stuck a servo in front of the closing elevator door, which made it stop and slowly slide back open. He saw a small reddish-orange Cybertronian at the other side, who looked up at him once the door was out of the way. She smiled gratefully, and stepped into the elevator.

"Where you going?" Knockout asked, leaning against the far corner of the elevator, arms crossed.

"Top floor." She explained, Optimus pushing the upper-most button, "Chromia wanted me to oversee Spy-unit training."

The doors closed, and Optimus backed up. He looked down at the Autobot, remembering her from the meeting room he spied into earlier, and she looked up at him in return, smiling and waving.

"Hi." She said, "What's your designation?"

"I'm... Optimus." The taller spoke, "I'm just... I'm new."

"So I've heard." She said, giggling at his uncertainty, "I'm Elita-one, but you can call me Elita."

Optimus nodded at the Cybertronian, the mental battle in his processor raging as hard as the Great War.

I know you, don't I? The name's familiar, at least. He thought.

"Sorry, but... do I know you, Elita?" The red and blue Cybertronian asked.

Elita looked confused, her smile dropping. She looked up at the ceiling, waiting for a few klicks, and then looked back at him and shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Maybe." The reddish-orange Cybertronian said.

Oh. Well, I guess it's just me. Optimus thought, now feeling awkward for bringing it up.

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. Knockout stood, walking out. Optimus turned and followed, giving a semi-enthusiastic parting wave to Elita as he stepped out.

"Optimus!"

The named Cybertronian turned, looking back at the shorter. She took a moment to think, then smiling at him.

"If you're free later, wanna hang out?" She asked sheepishly.

Optimus felt his faceplates heat up at the question, (he was glad his battlemask was still up) though he didn't exactly know why. He fumbled with his words for a moment, before settling on "yea, I'd like that" as his answer. Elita nodded, waving at the red and blue Cybertronian, and the doors slowly closed. The sound of machinery whirring indicated that the elevator was making its assent, and Optimus looked at the doors for a while longer.

Elita. He thought fondly, the feeling of content washing over his processor.

"Optimus, we still have the rest of HQ to look at, y'know." Knockout called from down the hall.

The other Cybertronian blinked, looking back at the cherry-red Velocitronian. He nodded, taking one glance back at the elevator, and then walking towards Knockout. Only one word went through his processor, racking it to figure out why it felt so familiar.

Elita.