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***Prototypes/Insanity part 1**

**To Feel Human Part 5** written by StSE, universe G1

**Note** The Prototype and Insanity arcs are now combined. But this still falls under the 'To Feel Human' section...

“Found a new passion, hmmmm?” Sam asked with a wink as he watched his husband packing up for yet another ‘survivor man’ trip.

Daniel looked over at him, giving one of his standard ‘cocky’ grins. “Well, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed that type of training. Keeps the mind alert!” he replied.

Sam took a sip of his beer, glancing through the Wall Street Journal again. Since that first hunting trip, Daniel had been going on almost monthly excursions. Each one lasting almost a week, but Sam wasn’t highly concerned for his lover. In fact, it was kind’ve cute to see the macho man taking it as such a responsibility to ‘train’ the clones in everything Navy Seal. It was like he had found the sons he’d never had! And the clones just ate up the attention like candy. Always eager to try new things! Whether it was wading through swamps or climbing mountaintops – they were at Daniel’s side. Their optics just begging for praise…

“You know, I wonder what kind’ve son we would’ve had. Well, providing we could’ve!” Sam joked as he took another sip and grinning at Daniel.

Daniel sighed, pausing for a brief second as he contemplated it. Yes, in their lifestyle – there just hadn’t been room for children. They’d lived fast and on the edge. Even now, when it was motocross season – he’d be eagerly risking his neck to enjoy the feeling of adrenaline racing through his veins! “Yep, it’s hard when you hit our age and realize that you should’ve slowed down for a few years.. And paid a surrogate..” he came over and took a sip of Sam’s beer. “But I wouldn’t change my life – and neither would you. So it’s pointless to think of could’ve, should’ve, would’ve..”

Sam grabbed his fingers as he set the beer down. “You know, I never realized what a good father you would’ve been – until we got Speed,” he said with a soft smile.

“And you’re a damned good father too!” Daniel said as he met his husband’s lips. They kissed passionately for a long moment before separating. “But at least with Speed, neither one of us feels like a pervert,” he said with a wink.

Knowing exactly what he meant Sam slapped his butt and laughed. He watched Daniel walk out, his mind drifting to his schedule today. He had to take Tron to another one of those counseling sessions with Dr. Phelp. None of them blamed the gray clone for being the way he was. He was simply like a pit bull whose owner had conditioned him to fight. That was all. But could he ever be safe around other clones without supervision? Sam was beginning to doubt it. Just something about Tron told him that he’d snap in an instant around another clone.

They’d allowed Tron to interact with Speed over the last four months – with intense supervision of course. Tron showed a tendency to continually try to dominate the other clone. Only the fact that Speed was confident, cocky, independent and not afraid to kick Tron’s ass – kept Tron in line. Sam took another sip as he considered Tron. Yes, if the gray clone ever sensed another clone was submissive, he’d take advantage of him in a heartbeat! He’d been taught as such, and so far it didn’t look like they would be able to knock him out of that.

Standing up, the older man waved from the window as the two clones climbed in the back seat of the new Hummer they had bought for Daniel’s renewed ‘hobby’. Sam chuckled, since even from here he could tell that the blue and yellow clones had already started up their standard ‘off-color’ banter with each other. Briefly, he wondered if the mechs they were cloned from acted like this? For where else would the two otherwise peaceful clones get this constant urge to insult each other?

He watched as the quiet red clone loaded his bag and climbed into the front passenger seat. Daniel had started to take him along with them ever since Scream had been released to Sharon’s home. The man was trying to rebuild the clone’s shattered confidence. And even though his weapons systems weren’t activated, he trained just as hard as the other two clones. But Daniel made sure to never, NEVER point out when he failed at a task – unlike the crass joking he gave to the other two when they did that. He made sure to always point out what Scream did right.

Daniel and Sam both felt some responsibility for what had happened to the poor red clone – and the gray clone for that matter. Even though they hadn’t known what was going on, they still felt a sense of guilt. So, they’d decided to do anything and everything that Dr. Phelp and Sharon recommended to try and ‘fix’ the damage within these clones. To repair what they felt that they could’ve possibly prevented..

Still chuckling to himself about the two arguing clones in the backseat of the SUV, Sam watched the camouflage painted Hummer as it left the estate. Better that Daniel endure the juvenile behavior – than him.

“Would you care for another beer?” a voice asked from behind him.

Sam turned and gave the gray clone a smile. He had followed their orders and had waited for the sound of the Hummer pulling out, before he’d come out of his bedroom. The man knew that the clone wasn’t stupid; he knew exactly why he was kept away from Scream even catching sight of him. “Thank you, and Tron?” Sam said as he sat down and picked up his paper.

“Yes, Master?” Tron replied. His face and voice devoid of emotion. He’d known Scream was on the property. The urge to leave his room and charge out there to watch the red clone cowering before him – had been very, very strong. But his orders had been specific. And his feet had stayed planted, even as he watched the red clone from his window.

Sam patted the couch next to him; His standard way to indicate that he wanted Tron to have a seat next to him. “You understand why we won’t let you near other clones without supervision – right?”

Tron sat down heavily next to the man. “Because I’m superior, I’m meant to lead – they are meant to follow,” he stated. His tone indicated that he considered this a documented fact.

Sam sighed. He kept hoping against hope that the clone would eventually get the real reason. But every time they asked him, he still stated the same answer. The same false belief.. But it wasn’t his fault. No, it was the fault of his deceased original owner. “You are not superior Tron, you are equal with all other clones. You need to learn this,” he said for the hundredth time.

The gray clone was tired of this same argument. It always went the same way. “I am equal to you. I am merely a slave to my programming,” he stated flatly.

“You truly believe that? That you are slaves? You clones aren’t alive. You must be truly alive to be slaves.” Sam stated, just as he and the researchers working with Tron continued to ask, to probe, to re-affirm.

Tron turned his head, his optics boldly meeting Sam’s. “We are sentient, we are slaves,” he stated.

Sam sighed, they were machines. True, they were learning and reacting machines. But even under Cybertronian law – they were no more sentient than a toaster. “Tron, even the mechs you are cloned from do not consider you sentient. You have no soul, no spark,” he replied.

“I will get you another drink Master,” Tron stated coldly as he rose. He did not want to hear this same argument yet again. He didn’t care what the humans or mechs believed. Clones WERE sentient! And one day, they wouldn’t be slaves to their programs. One day….

Sam watched the clone leave the room. The clone’s programs were still badly fragmented. His logic circuits still damaged. Even after four months of ‘therapy’, the clone still clung to his illogical point of view. Sadly, Sharon and her team would probably have to wipe his meta clean. Start Tron in a new life with a clean slate. Taking the last sip of his beer, Sam sighed. It was bad news that Scream was responding to the rehabilitating but Tron wasn’t. And Scream had gotten the worst end of the stick in Angie’s house! But apparently, once the clones had been ‘taught’ to be aggressive – rehabilitation just didn’t work….

----

“Why does the freagin’ fly boy always get to ride in the front?! Why? Why? Why?!” Speed griped from the back seat.

Daniel noticed the red clone cringe slightly at the yellow clone’s bitching. Reaching over, he patted his hand in a comforting manner. “Because there’s no room back there,” he replied. He glanced up in the rear view mirror, meeting Speed’s optics. “So why do you have to insult EVERY clone?” he asked.

“Because they’re losers,” Speed replied with a smirk.

“Fuck you nigga,” Scream quietly muttered, biting his lip in apprehension as he did so.

Everyone’s eyes/optics got huge as they stared at the red clone in shock! He’d never dared to throw an insult back to Speed! Never!

But TC’s look of shock quickly became a devilish grin. “What’d ya say Scream? I couldn’t hear you,” he baited.

Scream felt pride wash over him as he straightened his shoulders. He knew Speed would never actually hurt him. And even if he wanted to, TC and Daniel would stop him. But he’d never dared to throw insults back at the yellow clone. All his conditioning under Tron had taught him to stay silent and just take it. But since he’d been shadowing Tyrone these last few months; going to every class, reading every textbook he could lay his hands on, and being treated as part of the football team – he’d been gaining confidence. So he dared to insult Speed.. “I said FUCK YOU NIGGA!” he almost shouted.

Daniel and TC began to laugh and congratulate Scream on his breakthrough. Speed, on the other hand, narrowed his optics, for now he had another active target. “You ain’t got the cable to fuck me asswipe!” he challenged.

His actions were obviously supported by TC and Daniel, which made the red clone swell up in pride. He turned his head, boldly meeting the yellow clone’s optics. “You couldn’t handle my cable dirt eater,” he retorted.

A slag-eating smile crossed Speed’s face. Since Daniel wasn’t ordering him to ‘shut up’ – he was really going to enjoy this insulting match with Scream! So for the next hour, the two went back-and-forth, insulting every aspect about the other’s anatomy. Everyone in the Hummer enjoying it….. For now Scream was showing he had regained some of his confidence, his spunk….

They finally arrived in the mountainous region that Daniel had chosen for this weekend’s trek. Getting out, he grinned across the Hummer at Scream and TC. He felt that Scream was now ready for his weapon systems to be activated. Yes, the clone was finally whole again! “Hey TC, connect to Scream and activate his weapons systems, would ya?” he said with a smile.

“I..I’m ready?!?” Scream asked in amazement. Sure, Daniel had let him use human rifles and weapons, but he hadn’t had his own systems activated. And to be honest, he’d never expected to either. But this meant that Daniel felt he was rehabilitated! His engines began to hum in happiness.

TC grinned as he motioned for the red clone to turn towards him. Opening access panels in both of their chest regions, he ran a data cable between them. Sharon had taught him to be quite the hacker, just as she was. And within a few minutes he had fully activated Scream’s systems. Disconnecting from him, TC slammed their panels shut and slapped his hand on Scream’s intake. “Congratulations Son!” he said.

“Oh great, now you’ve got two loser fly boys running around with laser sights,” Speed griped even as he patted Scream’s wing in congratulations. “Just don’t freagin’ hit me like the blue idiot here,” he snickered.

Daniel grinned at the three. Yes, they were quite the team. Always full of spunk!

-----

Dr. Phelps sat and looked at the data, a frown furrowed on her face. The four clones being studied had just finished another round of psych testing, and the results varied widely. Much more widely than she thought they should. With a sigh, she flipped her laptop shut and shoved it into her briefcase. It was almost time for the meeting with the robotics researchers; time to decide on what to do….

----

Sam’s brow became deep canyons as he furrowed them with the intensity of his emotions as he continued to listen to the speaker on the other end of the cell phone. “So you don’t think there’s any other way?” he finally asked. He silently listened for another few minutes, saying ‘Uh-ha’ and ‘Hmmm’ several more times.

The gray clone sat silently in the chair across from him. From all appearances he was engrossed in the program on TV. What Sam didn’t realize is that the clone had figured out how to decipher the cell phone transmissions. The crafty Tron now able to listen in on almost anyone’s conversation that he felt like! So while he APPEARED to be engrossed in the visual stimuli, he was actually engrossed in Sam’s conversation.

Tron willed himself to maintain a poker face, even as he felt total rage flow through his meta. The humans were planning to wipe his meta clean and reprogram him! He ground his dental plates together in silent anger. He was already a fucking slave to them! A fucking slave because of his base programs! Now they were planning to strip him of every last remnant of his sentience! To make him a ‘happy’ and ‘controllable’ slave once again. A slave in blissful ignorance of his sentiency! Just like TC and Speed were…

As he listened in, he realized he couldn’t allow this to happen. He would lose his very soul this way! And despite what the humans, mechs and fellow clones thought – clones WERE sentient! Sparks or no sparks. Legal protection or not! They WERE alive! Tron felt this down to his very core! But what could he do?!? The clone gripped his fingers to his leg armor as he thought.. As he planned..

He had to convince other clones of their sentiency. Yes, that’s what he had to do! He had to convince the clones that were already accepted as the humans – as an equal. Those were the only clones that the humans would listen too. His meta fell on the one clone that he thought would listen to him. The one clone that he might be able to convince. The one clone that held the position needed to convince the humans. Yes, he had to get to TC…

But how could he do that before they reprogrammed him?!? He considered this for a few moments. He HAD to go against his loyalty programs! Had to escape before the deed was done! Yes, that was what he had to do! Daniel would probably send Speed and TC to track him down. Tron would let them find him. Would convince them of their sentiency while they were alone together! Yes! Daniel would listen to Speed while he wouldn’t listen to Tron! Sharon would listen to TC while she wouldn’t listen to him! The two clones would understand why Tron had been forced to run.. They wouldn’t take him back!

His meta now focused on his plan, Tron silently followed Sam to the SUV. With not a word, he blindly climbed in, as if totally ignorant of where they were going. He sat quietly while the man drove. But inside he fought an internal struggle against his core programs. Programs that sought to force him to allow his master to do whatever he wanted to with him. Programs that would allow the programmers to wipe the slate clean. To remove all knowledge of his sentiency from his meta, and force him to live in slavery in blessed ignorant happiness.

As the wheels of the SUV rolled on the bridge that went over the Dantes river, Tron suddenly ripped his seatbelt off. Opening the door, he flung himself out of the fast-moving SUV. As a shocked Sam locked the brakes, along with many other motorists, the clone tumbled on the pavement and went over the side of the bridge. Falling the two hundred feet until he smacked hard on the water’s surface.

Barely avoiding an accident, Sam pulled close to the side of the bridge and jumped out of the SUV. He and many other motorists ran to the side of the bridge and looked over. The clone was nowhere to be seen as the swift currents of the river swallowed him beneath their swirling depths. Pulling out his cell phone, Sam first called Daniel, then Sharon, and finally, the police. He had no clue why the clone had decided to off-line himself. No clue at all.

Under the waves, Tron felt himself being pulled along by the current. He was mildly damaged, but not enough to offline himself. Opening a panel on his lower right arm, he allowed some water inside. Better to lose the use of one arm, than have the authorities track him! He grimaced as the cold river water shorted out those systems. Not only shorting out his control network there, but shorting out the GPS tracking chip located there…

A feeling of bliss came over the clone as he felt the pain. He was FREE! Free of their control! Free of the slavery! No, he had no idea of where he wanted to go after he’d convinced TC and Speed. But just this moment of freedom would be worth a future of struggle and uncertainty! Stroking with his one functional arm and kicking with his legs, he put miles in between him and the bridge he had leapt from – before he ever came to the surface…..

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