Air superiority

Travelers and Gamblers

Knockout entered the rec room quietly, his usual, standard smirk in place. He didn't even know why he was smirking but didn't really care. Looking around in the room he was satisfied to see few bots.
First was Ironhide, drinking a cube of warm energon and cleaning his huge blaster. His blue optics fixed on his job like there was nothing more important than that. Knockout was just happy he was all too busy to pay any mind to him.

Then slightly away, a yellow and black scout was chatting away with Hound. The two young bots looking very relaxed and happy, so happy Knockout almost snorted. How could bots be so carefree during a war? Sparklings in adult frames, they seemed.

The last two bots were though what he had interest in. The two doorwinged bots, especially the older, red and blue mech. With Prowl away, the resources on their way and the project going just like he wanted, this was a golden occasion. So Knockout started approaching them.
"Hey Smokes, you up for a game? ' he asked. Smokescreen didn't like him, or trust him, but would gamble with him. It was the best way he had to know him.
His question immediately had the junior tactician look up to him, his optics glinting. He was interested. Good. But before he could speak, and Knockout was sure he would agree, the youngest mech piped up.
"Smokey sir- Prowl does not want you to gamble. He'll get angry and you'll get in the brig for so long and-" he started rambling worriedly. Knockout blinked. Did he say sire? He knew Prowl was protective, had feared him to dismantle him for changing Blue in a seeker, but didn't think it was proper sire creation bond. With both, even.
If he tried something with them he was fragged.

Smokescreen's voice shook Knockout out of his really miserable thoughts on the painful, long death at the SiC's servos that was expecting him.
'Aw come on Blue. " he was saying rolling his optics ' Prowl isn't here! It's just a small game. Just don't be a snitch."
Bluestreak pouted and stood, leaving them, while Knockout sat better on the chair. Smokescreen took out his cards and smirked. There was nothing friendly in that smirk. Knockout forced himself not to mind as the game began.

Three games and sixty credits lost later Knockout was sipping some dubious looking high grade, leaning on the chair as he watched Smokescreen grin, his smile becoming more genuine at every sip.
"You're not that bad. ' the Praxian giggled softly and smiled, looking at him " but I am the king of gambling, and that's truth!"
Knockout snorted not saying anything but a derisive, muttered " you will see", though he had almost no credits left and so could not play anymore. He was distantly glad his shift was a night one and he would have time to process this high grade.
Speaking of high grade.
"Mech... Where did you even get this? It's amazing. ' he murmured softly, giving him a small grin. " didn't know you were good at brewing as well.'
Though Smokescreen shook his helm, the pleased grin on his face told him he got the reaction he wanted.
"Nah mech, this isn't mine. I won some from Sideswipe. Have been hiding it until now because Prowl has a special sensor for it, or at least it seems like that. ' he laughed " but I have no doubt that if I tried hard enough I would be even better than him.'
" No doubt at all. ' Knockout agreed, taking another sip. "you should try one day or the other.'
" Oh I will and you'll be the first to have it!"

It took another good earth hour of drinking, now in Smokescreen's quarters not to be discovered completely drunk by Optimus or, even worse, Ratchet, to push the conversation where Knockout wanted.
"I wish Ratchet did mods. ' the now totally drunk tactician purred, a longing look in his optics' I've seen the craziest stuff in Praxus before everything went down hill. One that could extend arms, one orange guy could get his armor harder than a metal wall. "
Knockout listened, a smirk on his face as he watched pieces of his  plan falling in place. Thanking mentally Starscream for the involuntary plotting lessons.
'and a flying praxian?" he asked, pleased by the excited shine in Smokescreen' s optics.
"No," he admitted "but that would be so cool! Like the ones of the legend! '
Knockout blinked curiously at that. Intrigued.
'What legend?' he asked, but the mech waved it off.
" Just a sparkling tale. I will tell you about it another time. Prowl read it to Blue when we were younger." was the only response he got "now let's drink some more. '