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The New Age - (Market Commodity book II)	By : Scienceteacher Category: Transformers > G1 > Round Robins Views: 6401 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Do not own the Transformers, am not making anything from this story.

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**New Era Part 10**

**Written by StSE, Universe G1**

“Man, when’s this rain gonna slow down so I can fly?!?” Spinner grumbled as he stood on the metal platform that the Constructicon clones had built right in front of the sealed exhaust fan. The Blades clone paced back and forth. Impatiently he waited for Petri and Alchemy to finish taking rain samples.

“He, he, he, why don’t we just throw the freager’s aft outside and see if his rotors dissolve off? He, he, he, be a definitive test for acidity,” the Mixmaster clone snickered to Petri. “Yes, why don’t you just fly on out there like the idiot you are? He, he, he, we could use some amusement.” He even went so far as to offer to lift the clear plastic to the side for Spinner to slide through.

Storm roughly pushed the chemist away, snorting in disgust. His rotors spread out slightly in agitation. “Do your tests. If anyone’s getting thrown out in that battery acid – it’ll be you Alchemy – NOT one of us!” The Vortex/Onslaught clone narrowed his red optics as he lowered his voice to a very threatening tone.

“All of you – shut up!” Clipper barked. He pointed for the two scientific clones to go and complete this latest round of pH tests. Then he turned to the other members of the chopper squad. The Vortex/Magnus clone wagged his finger at the pair. “Spinner, settle down – and Storm, do NOT egg Alchemy on again!”

“True, we are all in this together. Though Alchemy’s level of sanity is in question,” Storm replied with a smirk. He gave the impatient Protectobot clone a conniving wink as he said it.

“Freagin’ glitched if you ask me – needs to get stomped a few times,” the Blades clone muttered. He saluted the Magnus hybrid. “Just tell me WHEN you want that done sir! Be happy to oblige!”

The squad leader rolled his optics. He was stuck with an over-eager thug, and a rather strategically sadistic wing mate. Primus! How did Scream and Daniel think he was going to get anything done with this crew?!?

Spock climbed up the ladder. The purple and green clone scanning them all with critical optics. “Transform and let me check the new sensory pods again,” he stated. These new sensors were Petri’s and TC’s brainchild – but HIS invention. So he wanted to make sure that everything was in perfect order before the test run commenced.

“Geese, again?!? I just wanna get out there and kick any infected clone’s tail pipes!” Spinner grumbled as he transformed along with the other two choppers. Spock’s perfectionist tendencies were so freagin’ annoying!

“It’s better to check your systems a hundred times before a potential battle…” Storm began.

“…than to have them fail during it,” Clipper finished without missing a beat. Storm did have some sadistic tendencies – but he was full of common sense when it came to entering a sparring match, or mission, fully prepared. At least THAT Clipper and he could agree on!

Spinner gave a disgusted snort as the Hook clone crawled under his belly and poked at some wires. “Stuck with two flyers that have no cables,” he muttered under his breath.

The scaffolding clanged with many metal feet climbing it. “Hey guys, mission’s a go!” Jester exclaimed as he made it to the platform before everyone else. He patted Spinner’s fuselage as he sat down and scooted his legs under the chopper’s belly. His tail pipes firmly settled along one of the landing skids. He hooked his fingers through some small loops on the side of the clone’s alt mode, securing himself for flight. “Ready to go partner!”

Jag and Mirage settled themselves the same way on Clipper and Spinner. Daniel and Drew climbed up, full ECE units on, and settled themselves on the opposite skids from those clones.

“Hey, I can handle two passengers. No problem!” Spinner complained. Why was HE stuck with one, while his wing mates each had two? It was like they didn’t think he was tough enough or something.

Daniel chuckled over the com as Spock and Scream pulled back the plastic and moved the exhaust fan aside on its new hinges. “You and Jester need to be fast and maneuverable. While we scan those cargo jets – you two will be running offense in case of trouble,” he explained.

“Wish WE could,” Scream added in a worried tone. There was still too much potential for fine tephra to get into jet intakes for the Fighter Squad to assist. Too much chance that their engines would jam up… So he was forced to send them on their own. But at least Daniel and Drew would basically be in command.

“Don’t worry Screamer, we’ll make sure lover boy here gets back in time for ya’lls normal screamin’ session,” Drew joked. Even through the gold tinted face mask, everyone could feel his wink.

Predictably, Jag turned a darker shade and ignored them. Granted, he was used to the comments about his over-active mate. It was just part of being bonded to the Seeker. But he still wished everyone would just keep their comments to themselves.

“Hey wait! Let me go with ya bums!” Rumble gasped as he climbed the ladder up to them.

“You - volunteering? Why?” Scream eyed him with suspicious optics.

The answer to his question was readily discerned, as Sharon’s complaining about just ‘WHERE that lazy Decepticon was?!?!’ drifted across the expansive hangar. He had apparently been dragged over to help the women clean under the shower area. And had fled… Of course..

“Freagin’ degrading bunch of fleshies,” Rumble muttered as he looked across the hangar at the women. “Plus, I’m supposed to be psycho clone bait – right?” He slid onto Spinner’s other skid, his weapon out and powered up. Better to face possible battle, than mop!

Scream marched up to him, debating on if he should peel the lazy mech off the clone’s skid and force him to help the women. But then he thought about it. Of all of them, Rumble DID actually have the most experience in fighting other mechs. And clones weren’t much different. So instead of grabbing the young mech, he surprised him by slapping him on his back armor. “Good to have you actually volunteering to stick your tail pipes out!”

Daniel and Drew chuckled, both of them welcoming the young mech on the mission. But they both thought the same exact thing as the choppers lifting off the platform and headed out in the heavy rain. Scream was learning to let bygones be bygones! A fitting trait for a future leader!

------

The rain was blinding, but only mildly acidic. Since it’d rained straight for twenty-four hours, much of the volcanic gases had already been washed to the ground. Until the rain left and the dry atmosphere began to collect the gases that Yellowstone was continuing to pump out – it’d be reasonably safe to scavenge for supplies. Depending primarily on radar in the dark and water-laddened flight, the chopper squadron targeted the runways. Beginning their complete scans of each half-buried cargo jet…

“UPS number 76-890 is showing significant organics… and… shit!” Clipper reported. His voice broke off in disbelief as he made a tight circle and hovered over the top of the jet. He quickly ran another scan.

“Ok, so we got shit underneath us?” Drew quipped. He patted the young clone, knowing he was full of nervousness at his first real mission.

“Um, no, sorry about that. I was just, uh, caught off-guard. Storm, come over here and rescan,” the Vortex/Magnus clone collected himself and began to give out the orders again.

The sound of muffled rotor blades came close to them, the other Vortex hybrid doing as Clipper ordered. “Scanning….” He muttered over the com. “Rescanning to confirm..” His voice was filled with a slight tension.

“Confirm five spark signatures?” Clipper asked.

“Confirmed… Weak.. But there.. Back section, behind the wings..” Storm responded.

“My sensors are showing them grouped together, no movement. Confirm?” the Vortex/Magnus clone continued. He hovered right next to that section of the cargo jet, his passengers’ feet almost touching it as he probed it again.

Storm lowered, to hover right off the other side. He paused for a second, scanning on full power. “Confirmed. No movement.”

“So we’ve got sparked clones on that plane,” Daniel stated. He mulled it over in his head, trying to decide what to do. They needed food more than yet more clones, but these were already sparked. Therefore, just as alive as he was! And as a soldier, he couldn’t leave others behind.. And the squadron clones most definitely wouldn’t.

“If they aren’t moving, they might be in a shipment for refurbishing.” Jag tapped the jet’s fuselage with his foot. The ash-mud made it very slippery… Cautiously, he slid off of Clipper – but held onto a skid for balance. “See if they move,” he told the choppers. He gave the fuselage several hard stomps.

They waited for several moments. “No movement,” both choppers reported.

“Ok Jag cut a hole. Mirage, recon the situation,” Daniel ordered.

With his laser set on medium, the Prowl clone proceeded to cut an access hole in the top of the cargo jet. Huffing a bit, he pulled it back. Mirage hopped off Storm’s skid, engaged his cloak and slid into the darkness. A few tense minutes passed as he reconned.

“All’s clear. They’re crated. Refurbish shipment. Several other shipping containers are registering edibles,” he reported.

Daniel, Jag and Drew slid into the cargo jet. Clipper and Storm engaging their cutting lasers and creating a bigger hole while they waited. Rumble and Jester were dropped off on the nose and tail regions of the jet. The two ‘sentries’ scanned the darkness of the storm with all available sensors – looking for trouble.

Shortly, the three choppers began the tiring task of hauling crates of supplies and clones back to their base hangar. The heavy rain muffling the sound of their straining blades.. The wind striving to whip them into silent hangars as they struggled to keep the crates dangling beneath their bellies aloft… After four hours of frantic hauling, the UPS jet was relieved of anything deemed useful..

-----

“They’re totally exhausted, let them defrag,” Ratchet said as he walked up to the other medics.

“No damage?” First Aid asked. He’d been worried about the clones being exposed to the acid rain. So many systems could be affected!

“Good rinse got most of it off. They’re a tough bunch, not some freagin’ losers!” Speed snorted as he slapped the mild-mannered medic on his shoulder plating.

“That and we waited for the initial rain to wash much of it out before they went. The pH was up to almost 4. Our armor can handle that. As long as we rinse it off later,” Ratchet explained with an understanding smile at the quiet First Aid clone. Even though they were technically the same age, somehow he felt like an older brother to him.

“Nothin’ like flyin’ in lemon juice, huh?” Speed snickered. He marched by them and began to pry open the clone shipping crates they’d been brought. “Well, time to find out why these freagin’ losers need refurbishing. If we’re lucky, we can fix ‘em with the spare parts from the infected clones we shut down.”

“If the parts suitably match,” a voice agreed with him.

“Why in the frag are YOU here?!? We don’t need no losers helpin’ us!” the Drag Strip clone snorted. Stopping his work on prying open the shipping crate he was at, he stood straight up and glared at the approaching Constructicon clone.

Ratchet tried not to roll his optics as the Hook clone strolled up to them. He understood that the more medics they had to work on the damaged clones, the better. But when Spock and Speed tried to work together… Well, you couldn’t tell the serious conversation from all the insults that filled their words towards each other. Briefly, he wondered if that’s how it was in the Decepticon ranks. If so, he could more than understand Rumble’s attitude!

“Because there’s too many of them, that’s why he’s coming to help. And plus,” Scream said as he landed lightly on his thrusters in front of his cousin, “you two have GOT to learn how to work together!”

“I don’t have to learn nothin’. Spock’s a loser, and I don’t want him fuckin’ something up!” the yellow clone snorted. He crossed his arms and gave Scream a look of pure defiance.

“Tell you what we’ll do; I will split up the clones between you four. That way, you hopefully don’t get in each other’s way too much,” Charge said as he strode up, TC and Jester at his side. He put a hand on the Hook clone’s shoulder mount, stopping the clone from throwing an insult back at Speed. “And if one needs two medics to put him back together, I’ll make sure to referee,” he added.

“And while you are telling us medics how to do our jobs, what will THEY be doing?” Spock asked with a tone of pure contempt as he nodded to TC and Jester. Arrogance seemed to just flow off every single word he uttered. He didn’t like anyone looking over his shoulder armor, period!

“I’m not telling you how or what to do, just coordinating on who you do it to,” Charge explained with the utmost patience. “And these two will be checking for any glitches on the sparked clones and any viruses in the unsparked ones.” He waved for the pair to set up their laptops. They had to do these diagnostics, since there were far more than just five clones in the refurbish shipment. In the shipment, there were only five that couldn’t have the virus. But obviously, something was still wrong with them. Or they wouldn’t have been sent back to the factory.

The medic team began working first on the sparked clones.. Laying some of them on the tables, they each went to work…

Scream and Charge moved to the side, trying to stay out of their way even as they made sure that no fist fights ensued between Speed and Spock. They leaned against the cold metal wall of the hangar. The Seeker’s wing tip just grazed the Brawl/Prime clone’s thick shoulder armor.

“Scream, I know that you’re far more experienced in these things than I am. But can I make a suggestion?” Charge asked. He turned his head so that he could look directly at the Seeker. Scream’s profile felt so familiar, creating a sense of deja vu’ to fly over his networks. This time it didn’t bother the Prime hybrid. He understood it was the hint of a memory echo from the real Prime. That was all.

Scream narrowed his optics as he studied the activities of the medics. “Shoot.”

“Since these clones are already sparked, let’s not force them,” Charge said. He still hated forcing clones to bypass their programming. Something about forcing any creature to do something against their will just grated against his logic circuits.

The Seeker turned and met his optics. “Still not comfortable with it, huh?”

The Prime hybrid shook his head. “I know that you think it’s an essential part of becoming sentient, becoming sparked. But these clones are already sparked. Why not let them seek it on their own?”

“Because they won’t,” he replied. Scream was sure of this fact. So sure, that he’d lay a Dr. Pepper on it. Well, when they came across some..

“But what if they do? Don’t you want to find out if we’re really locked into our programming after we’re sparked?” Charge asked. He was as sure of the opposite occurring as Scream was of it not occurring. But there was only one way to find out. And that was to leave these new clones to their own devices.

“Hmmm, an experiment then? Ok Charge, we’ll try it with this group. If you’re wrong, then you do what I want for an evening,” he challenged with a mischievous wink.

Charge smiled behind his mask. Yes, he and Clipper were technically also Scream’s and Jag’s spark mates. But even though they’d been sharing their mentors’ tent, they’d only really been ‘active’ with each other since they’d been sparked. Not the mentors. The mentors were busy ‘training’ Sandy to accept clone-to-human relations. “And if I’m right, you do what I want for an evening,” he replied with a nod. He’d just have to figure out what he wanted his mentor to do for that evening. But he’d have plenty of time to come up with something – he was sure.

Scream grinned. As far as he was concerned it was a win-win situation. Regardless of if he won or lost. He nodded to Charge and took off, leaving his future co-leader in charge of the medics.

----

Jinx felt his chassis picked up. He was carried for a moment, and then set down fairly heavily on a hard surface. Clicking his audios on, he listened to those around him. True, he’d known he was being sent back for refurbishment. His master had ordered him into deactivation for the duration of the trip. But his curiosity had been getting the better of him as of late. The two-day shipping had gone on for weeks! He was just a clone, but still… It was so freagin’ boring in that damned crate!

He’d activated a couple of times during the shipping process. But he’d been crammed in the crate, with no way out. Silence had met his audios. He’d even whispered ‘hello anybody there?’ many times over the last few weeks. But nothing but the whispered replies from the other clones in transit had replied. No humans, no nothing…

He wanted to stand.. To stretch.. But he felt a technician open the top of his helm. An outside computer plugging into his meta, running diagnostic scans. So he fought his urge to move. Since that would just tick them off. He was tired of ticking people off. It seemed like everytime he’d tried to do something right, to improve something so that life would be easier for his human – that he screwed up. And well, that last time had done some damage to his armor. He felt the twinge of pain in his right knee servo. Oops, forgot, it had almost ripped his knee apart too.

“Nothing seems out of whack in his processors,” a male voice said.

Jinx’s identifier programs locked onto that voice pattern. He knew it! Searching through his files, he quickly identified it. It was the vocal processing of a Sideswipe clone. What in the frag was a Sideswipe clone doing scanning HIS processors? Those guys were just racers and personal body guards - that was it… He couldn’t help it; he activated his optics and scanned around him.

“That’s because nothing’s wrong with my processors. Just my chassis,” he replied. He carefully turned his head so that his optics could see the red clone. His optics widened in surprise. The clone had his face painted rather strangely.

“Oh, you’re activated. Hi, I’m Jester,” the Sideswipe clone said with a warm grin. He unplugged the data link cable and shut the clone’s helm.

“I’m Jinx. Um, can I ask you something?” He shifted a bit, stretching as much as he dared. Several of his tight joints popped… A sigh escaped his lips. Sure his armor still stung from the burns – but it felt so good not to be curled up anymore!

“Fire away,” Jester quipped with a wink.

“Since when did they start programming your model to act as a programmer – and what’s up with the face?”

“He wasn’t programmed for it, he was trained. And the face paint – well, all I can say is – get used to it.” A Ratchet clone leaned over him, studying his damage.

Jester gave him a friendly pat. “You’re all his now, buddy. See you around.” With that, he trotted off to his next ‘patient’.

Jinx shifted his optics to the medic clone. Somehow it seemed familiar to have this particular model working on him. Like it was meant to be… He smiled at the white clone, even as he cringed when the guy probed his right knee linkages. “Hello, I’m Jinx,” he said, offering his hand in greeting.

The Ratchet clone snorted as he accepted his hand and gave it a firm shake. “Jinx hmmm.. Let me guess, you tried to blow yourself up like your model’s notorious for doing?” he asked.

The Wheeljack clone grinned and shrugged. “I was just trying to rewire the garage. Didn’t think it would short out like that…”

“Well I’m McCoy,” the medic replied. Then he rapped his patient rather hard on the top of his helm with his wrench.

“Ouch! What was that for?!?” Jinx yelped as he threw up his hands and tried to protect his helm from another hit. He’d never heard of medics hitting their patients! What was up with the guy?!? But yet again, the action seemed so familiar… A memory echo tickled the back of his meta. Just out of reach of his conscious thought processes.

“THAT was for doing something stupid and getting hurt. Don’t do it again,” McCoy grumbled. He went to his tool chest to get what he needed. Something about this entire situation seemed way too familiar… Too familiar… He considered that for a brief moment, before driving it from his meta. He’d never met this clone before – so it couldn’t be familiar! With a snort, he slammed his tool chest closed and turned around.

The damaged clone was watching his every move. The Wheeljack clone’s right knee was almost completely blown apart. His armor blackened with the paint bubbled up a bit. Obviously, he’d been in quite the explosion.. The odd feeling of having seen this all before pervaded his senses again. Once more, the Ratchet clone blew it off. He had no time for memory echo silliness! “Took out the garage, I assume,” McCoy stated in disgust.

“Actually, the entire house went up. But it was an accident! I swear! If they’d only let me fix it, I’d…” Tears filled his blue optics and his chassis began to tremble. His owners had been enraged at the accident. In fact, quite a few of his dents were caused by the man grabbing a bat and going after him. He’d managed to crawl under one of the fire trucks and escape his wrath for a while. But then he’d heard what they were planning to do with him. He was being sent back to the factory. To be refurbished so that he could be sold.. “I really didn’t want to screw up.. honestly..” he stammered to the white medic.

At his last statement, McCoy almost dropped his screwdriver. He’d HEARD that line from a Wheeljack before! He had!... It was easily pulled up in his memory banks.. But those tears… Those tears of rejection were so like what poor Stoner had had.. McCoy set his screwdriver down, and gently pulled the damaged clone into his arms. He murmured soft words as he rocked the clone slightly, petting his door wing…

----

“So we have no owners now?” Jinx asked. His optics were full of disbelief as he stared at the woman in front of him. His identifier programs had easily matched her image to one of the manufacturer’s main research scientist. So if she said they had no owners – it must be true! But his registration programs demanded that he have a human…

“Once you have a spark, you are sentient. We cannot own you,” Sharon replied. She touched one of the clone’s audio panels with gentle fingers. The way they lit up had always made her consider this model kind’ve cute. Like a teddy bear kind’ve cute.

He shivered as her touch created sensations that washed over him. But he was confused. He understood what she was saying, but every wire in him cried out for a human to call ‘his’. “But my registration programs… I need an owner..” he stammered. He needed a human to please. He prayed he could please them! He’d really REALLY try not to screw up again…

Sharon sighed.. He was still locked by his programming. Locked into having some type of relationship with a human… Scream had wanted them to let these sparked clones react on their own accord. To see just how locked they were. See if given enough time, they’d overcome it on their own. But it was obvious that it would take some time and effort.

“He’s not hot tempered is he?” a man’s voice asked from behind them.

The woman smiled as Drew walked up, Spinner right next to him.

“No, he’s more of an easy going, happy, want to please you type of temperament,” Sharon explained. She patted the clone’s leg, nodding for him to remain seated on the crate.

Drew walked around Jinx, looking him up and down. “But he likes to tinker, and tends to be a little accident prone?” he asked.

“I… Well, um… Yah, guess you could say that sir,” Jinx admitted. His optics went to the floor. “But I’ll really, really try to do it right this time – I promise!” he said with a hopeful voice, and pleading optics. He sensed that perhaps this man wanted to have him or something. Even though Sharon said they couldn’t own him..

The old Navy man laughed. He patted the clone’s shoulder armor. “I like honesty in my men. So I’ll give you brownie points for that. So where’s your face?”

Jinx took off his mask and smiled up at the man. He really wanted someone to give him a second chance! He was all repaired now. He’d really try to do good work…

“He doesn’t look like much of a fighter,” the Blades clone muttered as he studied the Wheeljack clone.

“Ah partner, the front line needs the support troops – or we don’t survive. He’ll be one of the ones helping to keep you at full fighting form!” Drew chuckled. He gave Spinner a brotherly hug. But then his eyes returned to the hopeful clone looking up at him. “But Jinx, if I adopt you as a son, doesn’t mean I want any interfacing action. Understand?”

“You don’t? But…” Wasn’t that what they were built for? Jinx just didn’t understand. Why would the man want him – if he didn’t want him?

Spinner shrugged. “Drew ain’t really into clones like that. I mean he loves me and all. But I’m more like his kid – than a mate. But hey, there are plenty of other clones to have fun with – so who cares?”

“You interface with other clones?!? But that’s not what we do!” the Wheeljack clone stammered.

“You’ll learn. The clones here date each other. Even become couples. I’m sure a good-looking clone like you won’t have a problem finding a ‘date’,” Sharon told him as she rubbed his door wing.

Jinx blushed. For some reason it seemed strange to be called ‘good-looking’. But the woman was encouraging him to DATE other clones?!? And the Blades clone engaged in that?!? “Well, I, uh… Dunno.. I guess I might, uh, if someone asks..” he stammered. It was such an awkward idea. But he wanted to please her. Wanted to please Drew… So if this dating thing pleased them – he’d at least give it a try. He glanced up at the Blades clone, hopeful that mech would at least give him some pointers first.

Drew nodded and held his hand out to the clone. “So what do you say? Do you want to be my second boy or not?”

Not really having any better option, Jinx shook the man’s hand. Drew knew how he had screwed up and was still willing to give him another chance. The least he could do, was give the man’s offer a chance as well. He still wasn’t sure about this clone-to-clone interface thing, but if the other clones enjoyed it. Perhaps he’d learn to. Lost in his thought processes, he was surprised when Drew pulled him into his arms. Yelping in surprised happiness, Jinx fell into his hug.. Feeling the arms of his new brother clone going around him as well… He was wanted…

----

Blue optics followed the new clone as he trotted happily after Drew and Spinner. With a sigh, McCoy put up his tools so that he could take his break. So Jinx had been taken in by Drew and Spinner? Well, at least the man had a sense of humor! He was going to need it with a Wheeljack clone. McCoy thought with a smirk.

But a part of him had really hoped that Jane would’ve taken the clone in. That way Jinx would defrag next to him and Doc. Sadness filled him for some reason… A longing to have the Wheeljack clone next to him..

McCoy shook the feeling off. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t ever see the clone again. After all, they were all in the same Unit. They’d be working on many projects together… And it wasn’t like the clones were stuck only dating their brother clones either.. They were free to date whom they wished…

----

Note: Thanks for all the character suggestions!
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The New Age - (Market Commodity book II)