Series: The Ghost Unit
Title: Symmetry (25)
Setting: IDW Transformers, inspired by the "What's Wrong with a Little Destruction" 'verse by ajremix
Note: Many thanks to rexlapinii and ajremix for beta-ing!
Summary: In which the team finally get around to wondering about Deadline's alt-mode.

Symmetry
"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."
~ R. Buckminster Fuller

#So, what's Deadline's alt mode, anyway?#

A few heads rose at the question, some noting that Deadline's connection to the team internal comm channel read "Away" and others just turning around to give the sniper a curious look. Wildside took another sip of his energon, noting how Fallout peered over the edge of a datapad and tried not to look as intrigued as the others, even as Salvo paused from his current bout of sulking and leaned forward with clear and unabashed interest. And anything which might distract Salvo from the fact that his triplechanger upgrade had been reallocated to their newest recruit was good, as far as Wildside - and everyone else in the room - was concerned.

#What makes you ask that now?#

#Well, we've never seen him transform, have we?#

The sniper's questions was casual enough, if one wasn't aware (or hadn't heard from a greatly amused Salvo) about how Longshot had been finding more and more ways to linger about the medbay of late. The conversation continued on the same topic, with various theories brought forth, until finally the bot in question chimed in, apparently having rejoined the channel with no one noticing.

#Why are you all talking about me and what is this about?#

#Um. Longshot was wondering what your alt mode is.#

Salvo leaned back in his chair, waiting to see what the response might be. Silence followed, the pause in the conversation drawing out until Deadline spoke.

#...I suppose I should just get this done and over with.# The resigned cycling of vents accompanying the comment was almost audible over the comm channel.

Longshot's whoop of glee definitely was.

~*~

"Well? May I return to my work now?"

Silence answered the question, the gathered bots still staring in stunned silence. Callsign peered in from the large window bay on the far wall, hovering in place. Salvo's optics widened and the mutter "He had another color hidden in his frame! Frag me, that a Sentax shade, too..." was the only thing to break the silence.

It was enough for most of the Ghosts to be jarred out of their shock and stare at him curiously, until the front liner just shrugged embarrassedly and muttered something about being good with colors. The others reacted with good-natured teasing, though most still stole the occasional glance at Deadline as he patiently waited for them all to get over the novelty of his alt mode.

"Guh."

Longshot however, staring at the black and grey vehicle gleaming against the gun-metal surface of the hangar bay, was still failing at speech. (Much later on, Salvo would gleefully translate the sound as the Longshot equivalent of "Take me now, I'm yours!")

"As articulate as ever, I see." Deadline's voice was dry enough to compete with the barren surface of any desert planet.

#Pretty!# Callsign's contribution to the conversation was cheerful and enthusiastic (as usual).

"How... did you end up with an alt mode like that?" The sniper's hands wavered in the air, shifting in delicate - and definitely on target - curves and strongly defined lines.

#Longshot!#

"But! He's so-"

"You needn't sound quite so stunned." Deadline spoke with a touch of annoyance to the words, though the y all knew it had far more to do with being pulled away from his work than anything like his vanity (non-existent) being affected. "I made the critical miscalculation of letting Jazz choose an alt-mode for me while I worked on my basic structural frame, giving him only the basic markers I required for my own augments and modifications." The next sound was definitely a snicker and likely originated from Fallout. Somehow, the luxurious hovercar oozing elegance and style managed to look defensive. "There was hardly anyone else to assist back then and I wanted to get to work on your refits as quickly as I could. I knew they were going to start bringing some of you in soon."

#Oh wow. You let Jazz pick? Really?# Callsign's comment radiated with awe.

"That's what Flagship said when he first saw it..."

"Um. That explains a lot I guess." Longshot stared some more. "Guh." A sharp, metallic sound followed. "HEY! What'd you do that for?" The sniper glared at Salvo aggrievedly, rubbing the back of his helm.

"Looked like you needed a little help there, pal." Salvo grinned wickedly, ignoring the sniper's retaliation (at shoulder level) with insulting ease.

The hovercar's engine purred, the sound both rich and smooth and warm and every bot in the room stared a bit more as Deadline moved towards the doorway, transforming to his root mode as soon as he was close enough that walking was faster.

"Well then. I have a patient in recovery and have work to do."

Silence reigned once more in the hangar bay as the door shushed closed behind the medical engineer, everyone still staring at the door. Fallout and Wildside followed soon afterwards, each also citing work to be done, the former already tapping away at a datapad to refine the plans related to their next mission before she even turned out of sight, the latter pausing only long enough to grab an inventory form before heading for his office. The remaining mech shifted and stared at one another, until Longshot broke the silence.

"You wouldn't think when looking at him in his root mode, somehow."

"The six arms are a bit creepy." Salvo shuddered, remembering only too well the medlab "incident" not too long ago.

#They're not!#

"Okay, Call, okay... But, wow. That hovercar mode..."

"Guh."

"...yeaaaah. That."

#Pretty!#

"That too."