Naughty Channel

"Yellow...Why did it have to be yellow..!"

"Quiet, Tracks." The firm, gravelly voice offset the appearance of the green-blue mech who stood over the pair of sparklings with his arms crossed, regarding them with a frown. He was faintly puzzled as well, having not encountered anything like them before -- twins of the same spark yet oddly one male, one female. They both had very simple hover vehicle-mode armor, being so young. The male had his arms crossed also and was pouting, the femme trying to hide a grin but failing to the utmost. She was silver, while he was blue...with newly acquired yellow splotches that had no rhyme or reason. "Tell me again what happened."

"I was in recharge and she dumped paint on me!"

"I didn't do it! I promise..." The femme smiled sweetly, and the taller mech knew she'd be breaking sparks when she got older. But he wasn't about to fall for it. He noticed she had one arm behind her back; he was certain her fingers were crossed.

"Then how did it happen, Channel?"

"Um...I don't know. I wasn't even in the room..."

"Kup, she's lying!"

The older mech doubled his efforts to seem no-nonsense. "Let me try this again. Why did you do it, Channel?"

"Because he's a dork!" She blinked. "I mean--wait!"

Kup smirked. "I thought you just said you didn't do it."

"I...uhmmmm..." She blinked then turned that smile on him again.

"Won't work, kid. Now go get a sponge and mild solvent, and some blue paint. You got some fixin' to do."

Now Tracks was the one grinning.

"Awwww..." Channel made a face at her brother then stomped off to do as told.

Kick-ass Channel

Laser fire flew overhead and, more accurately, across ground level -- a sight not unusual for yet another battle betwixt the Autobot femme resistance and the Decepticons. At least there were fewer seekers this time around, and the femmes were gaining ground. From behind a shattered wall, Chromia reviewed their progress so far and every few seconds issued new orders. Things were going well, but it had to have been their most violent operation yet. She looked over at the soldier providing her backup at the moment. Channel was leaning as far out from the wall as she dared, one handgun raised at ready to fire if needed, the other tightly clenched in the hand still behind the wall.

Just then a burst of machinegun bullets peppered the top of the wall. Chromia ducked by instinct while Channel leapt to the side, avoiding a falling chunk of debris. She then whirled, shooting at the 'Con who had been creeping up on them from the opposite side of their cover. He dodged and ran at her, then swerved a few feet shy of her position and hurried away. The silver femme followed, reserving her fire for the moment. She hopped up onto some rubble, moving along confidently despite the doubtful sturdiness of some of it. Part of it shifted all at once and she leapt off, landing in a crouch just behind the 'Con. She lashed out with her right leg, catching one of the bent wings on his aft-end, then followed swiftly down as he tumbled onto his face. She slammed her left arm across his shoulders before placing the handgun against the back of his helm. "Ventured too close," she offered in way of parting comment.

Caring Channel

"Vital signals are dropping."

"He's not going to make it..."

"This shouldn't have happened."

Channel hovered at the edge of a group of mechs, mostly members of the femme unit that had been dispatched to a section of Altihex. The subject of the chatter was a wounded minibot who used to be bright blue. His armor was already losing its luster. Channel frowned and began to push her way through the crowd. None of them were doing anything useful, and if they wouldn't, then she would. Once clear, she put a hand on Firestar's shoulder. The red femme was kneeling beside the mini with her monitoring system held over him, but she looked at a loss for what to try. Channel knelt by the minibot's head, sitting sideways a bit in order to more easily pull him up against her lap. His optics brightened somewhat as he tilted his head to look at her, more pain making it into his expression than curiosity. She stroked the side of his helm, then began to sing softly.

It was true she was utilizing the influential tones of her voice, but in this way it was done out of mercy. The tightness in his face faded, and he almost smiled at one point. She continued to sing and hold him, still stroking his helm, for several moments after his optics went dark and his armor went gray. She trailed off to a hum as she leaned over, a drop of optic fluid falling from her chin onto his cheek.

She glanced over at Firestar, murmuring, "It's all that could be done..."

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(c) 2006 S. Loweck. This work may not be copied, distributed, or reprinted without the author's permission. Characters of Tracks Kup, Chromia, Firestar, and Thundercracker are property of Hasbro and Takara. Character of Channel is property of S. Loweck and may not be "borrowed" or mentioned in other works without notifying the author first