Crossbreed

This idea has been bouncing around in my head for a while, and it didn't seem to want to go away. And so here it is, the first new story in, I want to say, a while for me. This is the first Beast Hunters story I have written, so it's something a bit new for me.

This starts in Ratchet's POV and goes from there. I do not own the Transformers. In my honest opinion, they own themselves, but they legally belong to Hasbro.

Here we go, the first chapter of Crossbreed!

The Ground Bridge suddenly opened behind me and I looked away from my workstation upon seeing the blue-green reflection of the transportation vortex on the sample vile I was holding. It was late into the partially cloudy night and all the humans, aside from Rafael, had left to their government lent accommodations. Rafael said that he would rather wait for Bumblebee to return from the mission.

All of the others had gone on a rather large scale scouting mission, as the cave they were searching was of a massive size. We still have the issue of energon, and even though we managed to seize an energon mine from the Decepticons, we are still burning through our supply quickly. Optimus's upgraded form requires more energon than he needed before, three new permanent additions to the Autobot team need energon to function, of course, and we need to keep Ultra Magnus's ship fueled in case the Autobots must relocate at a moment's notice, so we take whatever opportunity we get to harvest more energon.

Because of this need for energon, I have worked hard on the Synthetic Energon formula to complete it. Unfortunately, my progress has been the equivalent of running uphill underwater, due to the lack of the appropriate technology.

And even after the destruction of the Decepticon citadel, Darmount, dealing with the Decepticons, has been, of course, no easier. With the arrival of Shockwave came his pet. That Predacon, or the Dragon, as the humans have taken a liking to calling it, has made it very difficult for us Autobots, to say the very least. Almost every time we search for energon, or, more recently, Predacon remains, the Predacon is sent to attempt to rip our bots to shreds. And there has been too many times that such a thing has almost happened.

When our 'Bots are forced to engage in combat with this beast, usually one or more bots return to the base injured. Thankfully I have seen no life-threatening inflictions, but it is only at matter of time before the Predacon causes serious damage to one of the Autobots. And I fear that if that happens, I won't be able to aid them to my fullest ability, because of the lack of the proper tools.

I just hope that the same does not go for this late mission.

I placed the sample vile down gently on my workbench and turned completely to face the opened Ground Bridge. Glancing briefly at Rafael, who had sent the Bridge for our team, I stood and waited for my comrades to emerge, mildly aggravated that my private project had been interrupted.

Soon enough, our leader, followed by Ultra Magnus and the Wreckers, and the scout team walked into the base. I shook my helm slightly at the sight. All of them appeared to be tired and were riddled with dents, scorch marks and painful tears in their armor.

Today was a good day, compared to others.

But, I can tell that they didn't emerge victorious when I saw that Bumblebee's scratched, dented doorwings were very low and when I heard Smokescreen say nothing.

The Ground Bridge closed once all of them were inside of the base, and I looked up at Optimus as his large form approached me. I can clearly see the damage he suffered, and there was a tired look in his optics, an expression more noticeable than usual. I have come to know that tired look as the look of defeat for our leader.

Before he could tell me, I said what was evident. "I take it the Predacon was there."

He blinked down at me and nodded once, confirming what I knew. "Yes, old friend, the Predacon was sent to the mine we were searching."

"Slagging thing managed to cut most of the team off, and tossed Bulkhead and I around. Optimus came to help, but it didn't work out too well." All of us turned and looked at Wheeljack, who looked back with his arms crossed over his chassis. There was an irritated edge in his tone, something that was mildly surprising for a mech who is usually calm under the worst conditions.

There were long, deep claw marks that marred Wheeljack's frame, starting at his right shoulder and traveling down at an angle to his left side. One of the three claw marks was leaking energon onto the floor below.

I suppose that the tone in his voice is understandable. This is the first force that the Decepticons have come to own during our battle on this planet that we have yet to figure a way around.

Well, the other 'Bots have yet to figure a way around the Predacon. I believe I have created a way around.

I looked past Optimus and at the others' damaged frames, beckoning towards Bumblebee. Knowing what I wanted, he left Arcee's side, walked past Optimus and I and took one of my frame welders from the high shelf on the wall behind me.

I am glad that I had begun to train him to be a sort of medic in my spare time, even before arriving to Earth. In case I was preoccupied with more urgent matters, Bumblebee would be able to take my place temporarily as medic. Now he was going to assist in mending the team's wounds, just as he did after the last mission, and the one before.

Bumblebee turned around and politely asked Optimus to take a seat on one of the medical berths. Once our leader complied, I took my second frame welder from the high shelf and moved to work on Wheeljack's lacerations.

As the quiet triage started, I took note of the frustrated look in Bumblebee's optics as he adjusted the power on the frame welder in his servos.

...

Smokescreen complained and grumbled as I kept his shoulder still to weld the split armor shut. He wasn't complaining about me (he'd have a wrenched shaped dent in his helm if he was), but he was complaining about how dissatisfied he was about the latest missions against the Predacon.

Bumblebee and I worked rather quickly through their injures, and soon the last bot in need of medical care was this blue and gold mech that I am working on now. The others stood in a loose circle, near Smokescreen and I, talking quietly among themselves. Optimus was speaking with Ultra Magnus about something regarding our energon stores, the two Wreckers chatted with Arcee about what they could have done differently out on the field, and Bumblebee spoke with Rafael, detailing the mission he had just returned from.

"I wish there was some way to take that thing down!" Smokescreen said from his seat on the berth, a bit louder this time, causing the others to briefly look at him.

I continued to stand over him and work on his shoulder, though I did spare a glance towards my full sample vile on my workbench at the young mech's frustrated words.

"We all do, Smokey," Bulkhead said, rubbing at a fresh weld on his arm, and earning a look from Bumblebee. The green Wrecker immediately took his servo off the weld.

Before he could say anymore, Arcee continued his statement. "The only way we could put it down for good is with another Predacon. And we don't exactly have the means to get one." The others said or did something that meant that they agreed with the blue femme.

I didn't nod or say anything.

"Thanks, Doc," Smokescreen said as he stood from the medical berth, flexing his shoulders and wincing slightly. After the weld I had just completed, the mech will be somewhat sore for a few days.

I gave him a half-sparked glare after calling me 'Doc' as he moved to stand near our leader, and I put the frame welder back on the high shelf, next to the welder I had Bumblebee use.

Now that everyone has been helped, I have the opportunity to tell the others what I have been working on.

"Ever since Optimus returned with the Predacon skull, I have been hard at work studying it," I said, gaining everyone's attention. I let the words sink in before continuing.

"While I studied the skull, I was able to extract Predacon CNA." With that, I turned and took my sample vile from my workbench and held it so all of the others in the room could see its contents, the processed fossilized remains.

Optimus's gaze grew intense as he looked down at me and spoke. "What have you discovered?"

The room suddenly grew tense at Optimus's tone. Our leader, along with the others, knows that I wouldn't state an obvious fact like this unless I have something important to say.

I continued, shifting my gaze around the room at the others in the room. "I have found that, with a bit of tampering, I can modify the CNA to separate a specific gene from the rest of the strand." I was particularly glad that the tools I use for the synthetic energon formula can also be used for CNA modification and observation. I had discovered this out of the need to improvise, due to my current lack of equipment.

I took note of the slightly confused expression on Ultra Magnus's face.

"Why would you want to separate genes in Predacon CNA?" Bumblebee asked, lifting his doorwings in curiosity. Thankfully, Rafael answered for me from the balcony.

"To be able to give a bot superpowers, kind of like in comic books." It wasn't the answer I would have liked, but I suppose that it was the best way the young human could explain.

I nodded, agreeing with the young human and turning the vile of Predacon CNA over in my servo. "If the right gene is allowed to bond with Cybertronian CNA, there is a very high possibility that the function of that specific gene will show in the bot themselves."

"Like super strength," Rafael said, giving an example of an ability that could be granted to the bot. I nodded again. I could go into the details of the exact process of how the CNA will be bonded together and how the newly introduced gene would remain compatible with the host's own CNA, but I doubt that anyone aside from myself would fully understand me.

Wheeljack casually shrugged from next to Bulkhead. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

"Now that would be cool," Smokescreen said, placing a servo on his chin and looking up thoughtfully, apparently pleased with the thought of having super strength.

"Are you suggesting that we attempt this... experiment?" Ultra Magnus asked, arching an optic ridge at me.

"Yes," I answered, unfazed by the questioning look in his optics. "It could very well be our only way to effectively resist the Predacon."

Bumblebee's doorwings shifted a bit as he moved to get a closer look at the CNA sample vile in my hand. "Fighting fire with fire."

"Precisely," I said, giving the young scout a small smile. That was the aim in my project. We can't seem to fight the Predacon using the methods we are used to employing, so we may need to turn to the Predacon's tactics. I knew that the others would have their reservations on the notion of creating, essentially, a super soldier, since they have all heard of Shockwave's monstrosities early on in the war and the horror stories surrounding them. I can only hope that they can put this aside, knowing that I would make sure that the change in genes remains completely compatible with the bot chosen.

Suddenly, Arcee shook her head and said, "Wait a minute. If we're going to do this, one of us has to be the test subject."

"That is the reason why I am reluctant to allow such a procedure. This cannot be tested on a machine to ensure that the process is sound, and the risk of one of our team being permanently handicapped is one that I am not willing to take." It wasn't surprising to me that Optimus protested, but what was surprising was that the others had sided with me, even Bulkhead, who appeared to be nervous about the entire concept.

Wheeljack made the point that I wasn't trying to rewrite the host's entire CNA code, so changes caused by the gene bonding wouldn't be drastic or life threatening. Bumblebee and Arcee said that it could give us the edge we need against the Decepticons and their Predacon. Even Ultra Magnus supported my cause by saying that the risk may be well worth the reward.

Soon enough, Optimus was convinced otherwise, and gave me permission to start my project tomorrow, as well as permission to choose a bot I thought was best for the procedure, not that I needed to.

I already had a mech in mind.

After that brief meeting, Rafael said goodnight to all of us and left for his human accommodations and the 'Bots left for their quarters to get some recharge.

I stayed behind in the now empty front room for a few moments, clearing off my workstation, putting away my sample vile and turning out the lights, thinking of the procedure that is going to ensue the next day.

This was something that I have never attempted before, and though I would rather not admit it, I was quite excited.

I smiled a bit to myself as I turned away from my now clean workstation and walked towards my own quarters, leaving the darkened front room. The mech I chose has nothing to worry about, since I know how I am going to conduct this procedure.

The only question is the outcome of this experiment.

...Bumblebee's POV: Next Day – Late Afternoon...

I never really thought that Ratchet would pick me for something like this. I always thought that he'd pick Arcee or someone else.

Smokescreen was mildly upset when Ratchet announced that he had picked me for the procedure. I can understand why Ratchet made that choice, though. The new guy proved more than once that he can be a little too impulsive, and that can put the rest of the team at risk. Not that I don't like the guy, but I'd rather not have a bot who's still learning the ropes of the war be given some sort of enhancement, like super strength or enhanced speed.

But now I'm sitting here on one of Ratchet's medical berths, watching him get his tools from near the Ground Bridge controls, across the room. He had the prepared CNA sample in his hand as he looked for a syringe that was the right size.

Raf came with the other kids, and had a pretty nervous look on his face. Last night I could tell that the notion of us actually doing this unnerved him and that had carried over into today. He asked if I really wanted to do this, and I told him yeah, only to calm his nerves a bit. I really didn't know if I wanted to because I didn't know for sure what was going to happen after Ratchet was done.

But I do know that Ratchet would do his best to make sure that nothing happened to me.

Jack was nervous, along with Raf, but Miko thought it was pretty awesome that we were making something happen that only existed in science fiction for the humans. She was all for it.

Ratchet had to shoo the others out of the room since they were starting to crowd around, keeping up a lot of noise. Everyone on the team knows that Ratchet hates it when he has to work with a lot of noise, so they didn't put up much of a fight when Ratchet put them out.

Only one of the others, including the humans, was allowed to stay and that was Optimus. Ratchet and Optimus discussed the scientific details earlier, and most of that stuff I couldn't understand, but I got the basics of it. Basically the new gene would bond to my CNA and make changes to my frame over time.

Optimus moved from his spot near the wall to stand next to me as I sat on the medical berth, putting a large, strong servo on my shoulder. I looked away from Ratchet, who was a little bit in front of me, with his back turned and still looking for the right tools, and up into Optimus's serious, yet kind gaze.

"If you do not wish to continue with this procedure, do not hesitate to let me or Ratchet know."

I shook my helm a bit as I looked up. "I want to keep going. This could be the only chance we have against the Predacon."

The concern I saw in his optics only grew as he took his servo off my shoulder to hang at his side. I know Optimus really doesn't like this idea, but I know he does understand the logic behind my going through with this.

Finally Ratchet turned around, with a full syringe ready in his servo. My doorwing twitched as I fidgeted at the sight of that huge needle on the end, but I sat still.

Ratchet arched an optic ridge at my nervous movement. "I know you've felt worse things than this. It'll be fast."

He stepped forward and gestured for me to hold out my arm. I could feel Optimus almost standing over me as I did so, letting Ratchet take my wrist and hold my arm still.

I never liked needles, but I need to muscle through this. It could mean the edge we need against the Decepticons.

I stared at the translucent, pale blue contents of the syringe as Ratchet brought it steadily closer to a large fuel line on the inside of my elbow, and I suddenly felt even more nervous. He had to have seen the look on my face, because I saw him give me reassuring look before plunging the tip of the needle into my arm.

The sharp pain caused my arm to jerk a bit, but before I knew it, it was over.

Ratchet had pulled the needle out and was walking back to his workstation to prepare to properly dispose of the dirty needle. Optimus had put a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I gave him a small smile through my optics.

Well, the needle didn't kill me and I don't feel like I'm going to mutate into some strange monster. I just feel like I got a normal shot.

Ratchet told me that I was not to go out on the field for at least few days, so he could keep an eye on me, something I was fine with. Ratchet also said that Agent Fowler would have to be notified about this, and Optimus said that basically he would handle the government.

I guess Ratchet wanted to go through with this without the human government beforehand so they don't interfere with any of his decisions.

At this point, it was going into the evening, and Ratchet sent me off to my room so I could get some rest. I was cool with that since I hadn't been getting the amount of recharge I'm used to because of all these late missions.

While I lay on my berth, going into recharge, I thought about what kind of abilities I might get with this Predacon gene.

I just hoped that it was something cool.

...

I have never felt so free.

The wind roared in my audio receptors as I stared out, zooming through the clear blue sky.

The cool air against my armor felt so wonderful, and I've never felt so strong in my life.

I felt as if I was floating on a cloud moving through the sky, and I smiled.

Feeling the warm sun on my frame, I looked down and saw the grassy flatland give way to water, and I saw on the blue tinted mirror a strange, dark silhouette. It was following my movements perfectly and looked kind of like an angel, only different.

Suddenly, I was pulled away from the water and rose higher and higher in the sky. I looked forward to the fluffy clouds ahead of me and saw a figure coming through them, right towards me.

The world then faded to black, I lost that wonderful sense of freedom and power, the figure never got closer, and I couldn't help but feel like the figure soaring towards me was familiar.

...Ratchet's POV: Ratchet's Quarters - Midnight...

I am having a bit of trouble falling into recharge.

I lay here in this dark room, simply worrying about what had taken place earlier in the day. I know that the procedure was successful, but that's what was concerning me.

There is a nagging fear in the back of my processor that the Predacon gene bonding was too successful.

Some dream Bee had...

I don't think that we can do this sort of genetic modification on humans, but I still find it interesting.

If you have any questions, comments or ideas, just let me know in a review.

Till next time! :)