part. 1 #1

"The Autobot/Decepticon war continued on Jharra for a million megacycles." the historical display continued.

Borrring! A spark of 3 cycles knows this stuff. Neither side could leave the planet, something about a material necessary for FTL drives not being available on this rock, so the war went on until both sides figured out it was useless. So both leaders had their bodies modified to combine with each other so neither side could complain about favoritism.

I just don't know why I came here. I mean, I know I had to waste a few milicycles till my appointment, but I could of gone to the arcade, or at least back to the practice dojo. But noooo, I gotta go to the historical center and get bored to rust. Another display.

"The Stone core were the first true Autobot advance during the great war." Those guys look tough. Practical too. I mean, Autobots invented transforming to hide, right? Well there weren't too many service drones or transports on Jharra. Probably made it a little hard to hide. So these Autobots rebuilt themselves to transform into small mounds, right? Then they covered themselves in rock and poof! Jharran camoflauge. And as a bonus, the rock acted as extra armor. Spectrum idea. Too slow though. I'd rather stick to my hover transport bod.

Shock this place is boring. Oh well, I gotta get to the body doc's anyway.

"And what do you think your doing?" Someone behind me!

"Scrap Blue! You shouldn't sneak up on me like that." Blue and me go way back. "What are you doing here?"

"Yah, good to see you too Randis." He works for an in city courier company. Fore that, we were in the Revers together. "I'm just dropping off some supplies. What've you been up too? We've managed to keep in touch. I don't have that many friends, but Blue's one of the best.

"Been Training mostly."

"Aw man. You still think your gonna make it?"

"Deffinately. Scrap, I'm gonna be late for my last body job. Cya later." Blue thinks I should settle into some life and get a normal job like his. I don't think so. I mean, all you need to get by on this rock is an energy converter. Shock, I'm gonna be late. Better transform and roll out....... I wonder where that phrase came from?

Anyway, I'm not cut out for that sort of thing. Just 'cause I'm an Autobot doesn't mean I like boring jobs. I'm gonna be an Arena Fighter. I know, only 'cons are Fighters. I mean the fights were started for the 'cons to blow off steam. "Outa my way!" Shockin drivers think they own the road. Anyway, I've been watching the fights since I was only cycles old. I've always wanted to be a fighter. Scrap, thats probably why I got involved with the Revers. So when I left the Revers, I started training. I do odd jobs to get cred's to pay for body jobs.

Here we go. This run down little hut in the bad part of the wrong side of town is Blackzone's body shop. Probably the best mod/repair shop in Aegis City. Blackzone's a 'con. So old he was probably in the great war. He used to be a fighter. One of the best. Then he got slagged real bad and messed his core memory. Was never quite the same. Here he is.

"Hey Randis. Just in time. Give me a milicycle and I'll be done here." Patching an arm back on someone.Not everything Blackzone does is strictly legal. He'll do any repair or modification. No questions asked, no report.

"All done. Okay kid, sit down." I'm here to get a laser knife installed. I know, a sheathed knife would be cheaper and I wouldn't need the mod, but it can be knocked out of your hand during a fight. I don't want to get caught unarmed.

This is my tenth mod. "I'll go grab the parts. Put your in the brace and pop the catches." So you can pop open my arm and start pidling around with the soldering iron. Scrap, I know what to do.

"Ah, here it is." Some nice equipment on that rack. If I were still a dilingquent, I'd come back tonight to do a little..... shopping. Ah, now he's got my knife! "One LX-3 mark 5 Laser knife. It slices, dices, and cuts up energon goodies so fine, you don't even have to chew. Now sit still kid, while I install it." Right. Like I was gonna jump around so he can mess my arm up.

"So you still think your gonna go through with this, kid?"

"I'd better. Otherwise I've slagged a lot of creds for nothing." Blackzone isn't one of those people who think Autobots don't belong in the Fights. He just keeps checking to see if I lose my nerve.

"All done kid. Take a look to copy the layout."

"I don't need to do that. I know you do good work. Besides, you already uploaded me the skematics."

"NO! Always see the work for YOURSELF! That's rule number one for Arena Fighters! What if I make a mistake, hu? You wanna be in the thick of it and have a hand fall off? Always check what's been done against the skematic! Some doc's ain't so ethical as I am."

"Okay! I'll look!" Scrap, he doesn't have to give me the same lecture every time.

"One of these cycles, I'm gonna make a mistake on purpose. And that time I won't give you a lecture!" Woh, He turn into a mind reader or something? S'okay, he's right anyway. You can't trust everyone. "Okay, I got it. We done?"

"Ya kid, we're done. Close your panel. Bet your off to register, aren't ya?"

"Did that lastcycle. My first fight's tomorrow. Just gotta go back tonight for a final check." I know I'm grinning from one end of my face to the other, but I don't mind.

"To make sure everything's legal eh? I'll bet your pumped for your first fight."

"Better believe it. I'm gonna be better then Artemis!" Artemis was the best fighter ever seen she only lost 4 fight out of almost 250, and was Arena champion for 6 megacycles!

"That one hefty goal there kid. I'd just be concerned with staying operational. Cya round kid."

"Later Blackzone." It's finally happening. 10 megacycles of training and preparing and now it's finally happening! Final check isn't for another 200 milicycles. Nothing left to do now except go home. Funny, I never realized how impressive this city really is. Stretching from one end of the valley to the other. Buildings, round, square, reaching up past the mountains to the sky in undulating patterns. Beautiful really.

"So doc, do I pass?" Scrap, this guy's been checking me out for over 100 milicycles already!

"Ya. I guess you do."

"Good. Gimme my slip and I'm outa here." I'll put this in my storage pocket. "Cya doc." Scraphead. Glad to get outa there. I get the feeling that he was looking for any possible reason to kick me out. Oh well, I got through it, didn't I? And my first fight's tomorrow! 420 milicycles. Nothing else matters.

I guess I'd better go home, do some downtime. No, I'm too reved up to do that. I wonder what Blue's up to? There's a com. I'll call him.

"Please insert credit chip." Here you go, ya stupid drone. "What is the desired call?"

What is it? Oh ya. "Id number 1701-74." Come on Blue, answer!

"Ya, whatsit?"

"What, you on downtime already?"

"Hey, Randis. What's up?"

"I got my first fight,"

"Congrats!"

"And, I didn't feel like going home and I got 50 creds I can slag so I wondered if you wanted to get Deepscan and Windsong and meet at Skyclear."

"Ya, sure."

"About 10 milicycles?"

"Cya then. And remember, your buying."

"Com out"

We go to Skyclear every so often to check in on each other. That's where I met Deepscan. Never been in any kind of trouble in his life. When he found out I had been in the Revers, he thought it was so spectrum. I let him know the reality of it. That made him think. He still thinks it's some kind of adventure, but at least he realizes there is a price to be paid.

Best not to think about that. Anyway I'm here. Skyclear got it's name from it's transpearant dome ceiling. You look strait up from your table into the clear sky. We always take the center table so we can look at the stars from time to time. Stellar, Deepscan and Windsong are already here. I didn't expect them so soon.But where's Blue?

"Hey Randis! Good to see you"

"Where's Blue?"

"What are you talking about? Deepscan and me haven't hear from him in cycles."

"Well, I just called him about 15 milicycle's ago and asked him to get you guy's together and meet me here."

"Ya? What's the occasion?"

"I got my first fight tomorrow."

"So you've finally gone and done it. Well, we'ed better help him prepare, Windsong. How about a bottle of 10 megacycle Burgundy to start thing's off. Your paying of course, Windsong, on account of the amount of creds you new job pays." He's grinning.

"What's this about a new job?"

"I'm now working for Protransit as a long distance courier."

"Oh, here comes Blue."

"No wonder I couldn't get a hold of you two. You starting to see the future or something?"

"We were here celebrating Windsong's new job. We didn't think you'd be off work yet and we couldn't find you, Randis."

"Well I had a check up to go to. I can't be home all the time."

"You don't need to be home all the time. Just at the right time.giggle"

"If we're celeibrating for two, we'ed better get a bottle of Burgundy. And Randis is buying."

"Uhuh, Windsong has taken that honnor from me. She now makes more creds than you and me combined." Windsong used to be in the Valkries. A rival of the Revers. We met for the first time in a turf war. That was when Burg and Hotshot were killed. After the funeral Blue and I left the Revers and Windsong left the Valkries. We finally reallised the price of what we were doing.

"Good, the booze is here. Hey Randis, why the look?"

"I was just thinking about Burg. He and I planned to become fighters together."

"You need a swig of this to get it off your mind. This is supposed to be a happy occasion! Let's give'em a toast though. To old friend's long lost!" "To old Friends!"

Oh man, I shouldn't have had so much Burgundy last night. What time is it? 380!? Scrap! Only got 40 mili's to get there! Gotta get going! Oops, better grab something to eat 'for I go.

Scrap, I can't be late for my first fight! Better slow down a little. Wouldn't do to blow a power coupling on the way there either. Good, my head's clearing up. And here it is. 15 mili's till showtime. Better head strait for the registration desk. "Hi,"

"Betting's around front."

"I'm not placing a bet, I'm a fighter." Interrupting scrap!

"Ya right. Get outta here kid."

Shocking deadcore! "Here's my registration!" Pop the knife, give him a scare. "Need any other identification?"

"Put that thing away! I've been threatend be people a lot scarier than you. So you really are a fighter, eh? Randis, right? I've never seen an Autobot fighter before.

"Ya, get over it." "Stop mouthing off kid. Ya can't intimidate me. Scrap, I've had Artemis herself wave that staff of hers in my face. Your first fight, right? Always got something to prove. Okay. Down the hall and turn right to the lounge. There's an energon dispenser and a shower unit. Get all nice and shiny and wait for them to call your name. Your in the fourth match. Well? Go on!"

Down the hall and turn right. Get all nice and shiny. Here it is. only 4 people here. Don't look to chatty. Guess I'll go get cleaned up and wait.

And now the fourth match - Galefist, the Warrior vs. Randis! Galefist is undefeated in his last three matches and Randis is a newcomer to the games. Randis is also the first Autobot to ever enter, in the history of the games, so this promises to be an interesting match regardless of the outcome. And here are the fighters now. Galefist entering from the left end, brandishing that electrosword he favors, and Randis making a spectacular entrance from the right end, spinning around in vehical mode. He transforms and lands in the center ring. He may not do so well if he tries stunts like that during the fight. I have been requested to announce that betting is now closed. Now the ref gives the signal to begin from his place in the judging booth. Randis backs up a step and goes into a low crouch. Now Galefist takes the offensive, sweeping his sword low and then high. Randis dodges easily and backs up again. Galefist attacks again, sweeping the sword low. Randis dodges the sword, and is smashed down by Galefist! Galefist gets the first blow! Randis is up on his feet. Galefist thrusts his sword. Randis leans left, grabs Galefist's wrist and punches his midsection! That must be some punch! Galefist seems shaken! Now Randis kicks Galefist's leg out from under him and jumps back. Wait! Is that a knife on his wrist?! What other surprises does the young Autobot have for Galefist? Galefist gets to his feet, you can see the rage in his eyes. He doesn't want his winning streak broken by some newcomer. Galefist has backed off and is aiming his sword at his opponent. We know what this means. Galefist fires a shockblast! Randis rolls left and comes up kneeling. And he has a blaster in his hand. One shot fired, and in catches Galefist in the Knife wound from earlier! Galefist goes down, and I don't think he's getting up! The judges have confirmed.... Galefist has been locked! Randis is the winner! You have to wonder if this will mean more Autobot fighters in the future. Listen to that crowd! I think some people made some good money today.

I won! Listen to the cheers! This is what I've been waiting my whole life for! And yet, this is only the first step...... to victory!

-end