#bulkhead design pattern

[t0paz616]

Bulkhead! A very large dragon. Thick neck, thick body and tail, overall very strong. Rather simple scale patterns.

His bot design doesn't really have much on the head other than a green helm, so I just gave him short, stubby horns.

[super-ion]

The Voyages of the Padua

Chapter 5

(1, 2, 3, 4)

Cass emerged from the shower booth only to be met with a blank holoplex. No, not quite blank. Ria had created the illusion of a sheet of paper taped to the plex on her side. It simply said “BRB” in big letters… whatever that meant.

Cass was alone. Again.

Technically, she supposed Ria was everywhere there was one of the holoplexes, but with her attention elsewhere for the moment. And the rest of the crew had to be somewhere nearby. But they weren't here.

She wasn't confined. There was no one to escort her. She apparently had free reign of the ship? It seemed like terrible security posture… unless they didn't see her as any kind of threat. Should she be insulted by that?

She was overthinking again.

She took a breath and stepped into the corridor. It was such a stark contrast to the Eosphorus. Where the other ship had been all clean bright paneling and recessed lighting, the Padua was an assortment of exposed pipes and cabling and grated floorings. It was certainly more functional than aesthetic, though functional might have been a bit of a stretch given the number of ad hoc repairs and mismatched bulkhead panels Cass passed.

The environmentals were comfortable at least, not too dry, not to humid, maybe a little warmer than it needed to be, but within reasonable limits. It smelled… used, lived in. Something in the scent triggered some innate response, a pang of nostalgia for a place she had never been. Maybe she had served on a ship like this in her previous life?

And then there were the noises. Those ever present sounds that had lulled her out of her slumber were even louder out here in the corridor. The Eosphorus seemed the sort of ship designed to run quiet, noises were meant to signal danger. Here, silence was the danger.

As she meandered down the hall, she realized at least some of that noise was music. Or at least she thought it was some sort of music. It was a sort of glitchy industrial ancient, with only the barest hint of rhythm or melodic structure.

She followed the source of it, rounded a corner and there was Mina.

Mina had tied the arms of her jumpsuit at the waist, leaving her torso covered only by a loose tank top that hung on her elongated frame. She had an access panel off one of the bulkheads and had her head and arms buried in the enclosed space beyond.

Cass watched as Mina blindly grabbed a tool from her belt and reached back in to tweak something or other. Taught muscles rippled under mottled gray skin with patterns that were constantly shifting with the music and occasionally bright little nodes of bioluminescence glittered along predefined paths.

She drew her head out and wiped at sweat on her forehead with the back of her arm. She had a long braid of black hair, threaded through with streaks of silver, held out of her face by a red kerchief that rested behind her large batlike ears.

One of those ears twitched and she glanced at Cass, finally noticing her. Whatever she was expecting to see, it wasn't Cass because she jumped in surprise, clumsily fumbling the spanner in her hand.

Reddish yellow beads of light flashed in patterns along her skin as she hunched her shoulders as she had on Eosphorus. She averted her gaze, only sneaking quick glances at Cass.

“Um… hi,” Cass said with a tentative wave. “Mina, right?”

Mina made a small nod.

Her face was almost human, but with a slightly flattened, almost catlike nose, and the seams of her jaws extended past the edges of her lips. And the large eyes that Cass originally thought all black, were actually shot through with a dark red around W-shaped pupils.

“I'm Cass,” she said, trying to shove down any lingering terror. “I mean, as of like 20 minutes ago. Ria kind of put me on the spot…”

Oh she was rambling. Just get to the point, she told herself.

“Um… thanks for saving my life,” she said.

Mina's lips quirked in a tiny smile and she ducked her head in acknowledgement.

“And I guess thanks for grabbing my bag. I really appreciate it.”

It was a shot in the dark, but it hit the mark judging by the way the pattern on her skin shifted, adding patches of a sort of greyish reddish pink that Cass could only assume was a blush.

Mina made a gesture. No, it was a sign for a word. Something casually negative. It's nothing. De nada.

It took a moment for Cass to parse the meaning and Mina made an apologetic smile and tapped her throat.

“Oh,” Cass replied. “I'm sorry, I didn't-”

“Mina!” someone shouted from down the corridor that Cass had come from. “Mina! Our guest is missing… ah.”

Cass recognized the other human. Tre. They were dressed just as impeccably as before, the collar and rolled sleeves of a bright white wrap shirt arranged just perfectly. Their olive skin was flawless, dark hair once again pulled back without a single strand out of place. Vivid purple eyes that couldn't possibly be natural swept over Cass dispassionately, as if she were a rather unremarkable insect.

“Fucking hell,” they said, equally dispassionately. “Ria was supposed to keep an eye on you.”

“I'm sorry,” Cass replied, slightly taken aback. “She showed me the shower and when I got out, she was sort of… gone?”

“I swear on the spirits,” they muttered. “If she's off modeling cathedral acoustics again…”

Mina interpreted them with a gentle tap to the arm.

She signed rapidly, more rapidly than Cass could follow, but she did catch a series of gestures that corresponded to letters: “C-A-S-S”

Tre looked back at her, somewhat more appraisingly this time.

“Cass, huh? So you remembered your name?”

“Uh… no,” she admitted.

“Oh hell, you didn't let Ria name you, did you?”

“Not…exactly.”

On cue, a familiar voice crackled over the intercom.

“Heeeeeey, friends! Aela's starting to wake up and she's probably going to wanna have a meeting. Also it's breakfast time and I'm hungry.”

Mina huffed an amused sound and Tre rolled their eyes.

“No, you're not,” Tre snapped back. “You don't eat.”

“Well duh,” Ria responded. “Obvs not. But breakfast is the most important meal of the day and Aela says I have to make sure you don't miss it again.”

Tre grumbled something under their breath, but apparently complied, trudging their way down the hall.

Mina offered Cass a shy smile and a gesture similar to the one she had made back on the Eosphorus.

“Are you coming?"

The mess turned out to be little more than a glorified kitchenette adjoining a multipurpose communal space with a table set against one of the bulkheads.

There was another sheet of holoplex where the table met the wall and beyond… some kind of mirror image of the room, only it was tailored to what Cass had to assume was Ria's personal aesthetic. Everything was pastels and glitter, with tacky throw pillows and kitschy art.

Tre wandered to the kitchen area and began making themself busy with breakfast. Meanwhile Mina slid into a seat at the table and pulled a data tablet out of a pocket in her jumpsuit and began scrolling.

Before Cass could determine whether she was supposed to sit or where, Aela staggered into the room. Her hair was mussed and her eyes were lidded, and she wore nothing but a pair of underwear and an oversized t-shirt that read "I'm not the step dad, I'm just the dad that stepped up".

Ria had mentioned something about the captain needing to recover after the drift (whatever that was), and the android did appear to be very out of sorts, practically hung over.

"Um... Captain-"

"Mm-mm," Aela cut Cass off with a raised finger and slumped heavily into the seat across from Mina.

Cass slipped into one of the remaining seats and watched in fascination as Tre fetched a mug from a cabinet and filled it with an unnaturally vibrant green liquid from a dispenser labeled "Aela juice: do not drink".

No words were exchanged as Tre set the streaming mug down in front of Aela. The whole routine felt practiced, familiar. This was a crew that seemed to know each other on some deep, intimate level. The whole thing made something deep within Cass ache.

Aela took a sip of whatever “Aela juice” was and made an appreciative grunt. Then she cracked her eyes open to peer blearily around the table.

Her gaze swept over Cass, seemed to notice something and cleared her throat.

Tre sat down, noticing nothing amiss, and began sipping at their own mug. The scent of strong coffee and whatever aromatics were in Tre’s breakfast, made Cass’s stomach growl.

Aela cleared her throat again, earning a confused “huh?” from Tre. Aela sighed and pointedly looked between Tre’s coffee and breakfast and Cass's lack thereof.

“There's coffee in the dispenser over there,” Tre grumbled, gesturing vaguely in the direction of assorted apparatus embedded in the wall of the kitchenette. “Mugs are right above. Don't drink from any of the labeled ones. Auto-chef does algae and yeast cakes. Don't select recipe 135, the aromatics are from a limited batch. It's mine and off limits.”

“Thanks,” Cass replied, maybe more to Aela than to Tre.

Auto-chef turned out to be a somewhat intimidating touch screen interface (again with a pair of googly eyes glued just above). It boasted 26 base recipes with infinite customizability. It was all some combination of yeast, algae, nutritional supplements and aromatics, so Cass figured “infinite” was probably a bit of a stretch. Fortunately (or possibly unfortunately), it featured an option labeled “surprise me”. She selected the surprise and hoped for the best. Given how hungry she was, it probably wouldn't matter.

The coffee maker was significantly less enigmatic. Coffee, black, unsweetened, hot, perfect. Present-tense Cass had never had coffee before, but past-tense had very clearly relished it judging by the satisfied grin the aroma brought to her face.

She turned to glance back at the table and hefted her mug in Mina's direction.

"Do you want any..."

She trailed off at Tre’s urgent gesturing over Mina's shoulder. A frantic hand sliced over the throat. Stop.

Cass had committed some manner of faux pas, but what exactly, she couldn't begin to guess.

Mina hunched her shoulders (she did seem to do that a lot) with an uncomfortable expression on her face.

"No, thank you," she signed. "I don't drink coffee."

At least that was the gist of the signs. Cass wasn't familiar enough with the dialect to understand perfectly, but she got the message.

As she carried coffee and algae cake back to the table, Ria joined them. She perched on a virtual stool in her holoplex, legs crossed with an oversized bowl in her lap. But rather than cereal every spoonful was full of oscillating abstract shapes that occasionally clipped through the bottom of the spoon. Cass could just make out the box at one of Ria's elbows that read "Möbius O's!"

Ria met Cass's eyes and gave a wink and a cheeky grin.

“So…” Aela said finally, bringing Cass’s attention back from Ria's pastel mirror universe. “What are we going to do with you?”

[poproximus]

ok if you're talking abt the christmas special where they get those fake human forms i JUST watched it >:) i'd honestly love to know your thoughts cuz i feel like there isn't much to say? they def could've made it a bit more interesting, but all in all they seem like very direct adaptations of their bot forms. ngl im a fan of ratchet's design in particular, i feel like it fits him very well. they couldve maybe gone a tiny bit older for bee, but he's tiny anyway so i kinda get it

Boy oh boy get ready for an info dump because like I said, I have THOUGHTS!

Gonna preface this by saying these are my own personal opinions and it's totally fine if other people have different views on this. Anywhos let's dive in!

Ratchet

His is definitely the best of the designs in my opinion. His face is probably the most accurate from bot to organic. I do wish they would have given him a more interesting outfit that reflected his place on the team as the field medic, like giving him a fanny pack or something to store emergency stuff in.

I also wish the designers would have embraced him ya know, being old? That man should have so many wrinkles and worry lines from all the slag he's been through. I know the art style in general for the humans is pretty simplistic, but it wouldn't have hurt anything. ALSO GIVE HIM BACK HIS OLD MAN BELLY DAMMIT! I really like the detail that he has a scar over his eye to represent that broken thingy on his helm though.

Final Rating: 7/10

Optimus Prime

Second best design. His face shape and silhouette are honestly more accurate than Ratchet's. However, I do not believe for a second that he is that cleanshaven. He doesn't have the time for that. His face just looks naked to me. If the designers were referencing the bot design they should have at least given him a goatee.

Also considering that this version of Optimus is much younger, I don't think his hairline should be that far back. Honestly my problems with Optimus's design boils down to fix his hair and give him more of it! Maybe a hat too idk. His outfit is okay, just very simplistic like everyone else's. Also he's very pasty white. He needs a firefighter's tan. (is that a thing?)

Final Rating: 6/10

(Also something I just thought of is I wish that they all would have had the Autobot insignia somewhere on their bodies. Either as like a patch or a tattoo.)

Anyways moving forward!

Bulkhead

Why does he look like a jock? Just-why?? Dude has multiple episodes dedicated to how he does not want to be viewed as solely the dumb meathead. He's an artist! He's the head expert on space bridge technology! He's a fraggin' sweetheart!! I feel like he'd want to wear something comfy and non-threatening like a nerdy T-shirt or a funky-patterned button up.

ALSO THEY DE-ROUNDED MY BOYYY! I one hundred percent believe that he would have a broad chest and shoulders, don't get me wrong, but he would definitely have some belly fat too! Also if we go back to shape language, roundness tends to indicate softness and safety, which is evident in his bot form. But then his human form is more triangle shaped, a shape which is often used on more threatening looking characters (Starscream is made up of a ton of triangles). I think the best shapes they could have used for his human design would have been a square and circle mix. Square specifically for his torso to indicate sturdiness. His face is fine, I got no qualms with it. 6/10 On the other hand. . .

Bumblebee

I hate this design. I understand that they were trying to keep the height differences the same as when they were bots. . . But I still hate it. Bro looks like he's twelve. Bro is definitely not twelve, mentally or physically. Bee's face shape is also completely different than his bot form. The others so far have at least been recognizable. You show me any of them and I'd be able to guess. This guy though? I do not know him. I feel like they should have given Bee the sporty outfit rather than Bulkhead, or at least something athletic because he's always energetic and bragging about being "The fastest thing on wheels". I do think the hat is pretty cute. Honestly the only thing I do like about this design besides the hat is that they made him black.

Another reason I don't like it is because the fandom infantalizes Bee so much already and this does not help his case in the slightest. He may be young but he's still a grown ass mech!

Final Rating: 4/10

Prowl

WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT UGLY ASS MUSTACHE SHAVE IT IMMEDIATELY KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!!!!

Ahem, anyways, Prowl is my favorite character (alongside Bee and Sari), and so I feel like I am extra critical about his human design. And they did him extremely dirty.

I'm gonna quote this post when I say that Prowl would not be a white cop. (Definitely go check it out, they make some really good points.) He does have a strong sense of justice, but he's more of a vigilante type who does things his own way even if it defies orders. Plus with how enamored he is by nature and human culture, he's definitely come across instances of police brutality and would want no association with that kind of image.

And yes, I know that across every iteration of Transformers, Prowl has always been the cop car. However, this is Transformers Animated, and they already changed his alt mode to a motorcycle, what's one more change? And if Optimus Prime is allowed to turn into a firetruck then Prowl should be allowed to not have a cop holoform.

As for him being white. . . just no. His faceplate is darker like Bumblebee and Jazz's, and like, come on, he just, he's too cool to be a white guy (I say this as a white guy myself). I don't necessarily hc he's black, but he definitely has darker skin. Also that mustache can go to hell. He already has facial hair adjacent markings on his bot form, I don't understand why they didn't follow that.

Outfit wise, again, no cop uniform. Since he's already a motorcycle, the designers should have leaned into that and made him a cool biker with like a leather jacket and badass boots. Maybe give him some tattoos (i know that's pushing it considering it was the 2000's but like. . . imagine it.). To paraphrase some tags on that post I recommended, We really were robbed of hot Asian leather daddy biker Prowl.

I can at least tolerate the other designs but every time I look at Prowl's holoform I feel genuine anguish at how bad it looks.

Final Rating: -999/10

So yeah those are my thoughts. I know I was pretty harsh with a lot of them but I feel like it was warranted. I absolutely adore this show and these characters, and it kills me that their human designs fall so short compared to their super epic robot designs. Also as a budding character designer I'm extra picky because some of their choices just felt illogical.

@felixdragonheartofficial has some fantastic redesigns here, as well as some really adorable headcanons! I highly suggest checking them out.

[tfp-is-my-lifeblood-lol]

How would the bots and cons handwriting be like? (Sorry for my bad English lol)

Ahhh! I love this idea! Had WAY too much fun with this.

Bots and Cons Handwriting

Optimus:

-Can write insanely neatly, and in literally ANY font

-Everything he writes looks like it came straight from Google Docs

-He can perfectly recreate Comic Sans, much to the children's amusement

-Handwriting KING

-He's too powerful

Arcee:

-Her handwriting is gorgeous

-She writes very neatly, definitely in cursive

-Everything she writes looks like a diary from the Victorian era

-Majestic✨✨✨✨

Ratchet:

-Cursive, but MESSY cursive

-Like, REALLY messy cursive. What is he even writing? Who knows? It's a mystery.

-You know, cuz, like, that's how a pharmacist's prescriptions look, and he's a medic. Lol

-Ratchet has messy pharmacist handwriting

Bumblebee:

-His handwriting is so cute😭

-Basically Comic Sans

-Not PERFECT Comic Sans like Optimus, but just bubbly and adorable

-Having legible handwriting is something he practices a lot, since his voice box is broken. Writing is a nice way to express himself if need be.

-He has kindergarten teacher handwriting

-My dyslexia would be so happy

Smokescreen:

-Neat enough handwriting, but HE WRITES SO BIG

-All caps, all the time

-He goes through too many notebooks, because he saves NO space

-Poor guy. He just has a big personality

Bulkhead:

-Unreadable

-His hands are just way too big

-Very messy. Only Wheeljack can read it because he and Bulkhead share the same braincells

-Bulkhead and Ratchet get in arguments, because Ratchet's reads Bulk's handwriting, and is like: "Bulkhead, your attempts at penmanship are downright INCOMPREHENSIBLE."

And Bulkhead's like: "You say that like any of us can read yours!"

And Arcee's like: "I second that."

And Bumblebee buzzes in agreement.

Ratchet just rolls his eyes, like "ugh." Because he can't argue. HIS handwriting is gibberish, too.

Ultra Magnus:

-Opposite of Smokescreen...Ultra Magnus's handwriting is TINY!

-Seriously, where is it? You need a microscope.

-Only the humans can read it, because it's so small. And even THEY have to squint

-It's also PERFECT. His handwriting is very neat

and blocky, like a typewriter

-If only we could actually see it

Wheeljack:

-He's like, a graphic design CHAMPION

-He learned handwriting from Miko, so he loves big bubble letters. He decorates them with cool patterns, like flames, and lightning bolts

-Very stylish

Megatron:

-What I can only describe as "spooky cursive"

-Very formal, and kinda gothic

-He'd use some kind of calligraphy pen with very dark, splattery ink, or, like, whatever the Cybertronian version of a quill is.

-He's an elegant guy...well, sort of, except most of what he writes consists of:

"My dearest Starscream,

It is with great regret (note my sarcasm, Starscream.) It is with great PLEASURE that I must inform you...

I have caught you invading my stash of dark energon, once again.

I will be grinding you into scrap metal momentarily.

Yours truly,

Lord Megatron."

Starscream:

-Starscream has the ABILITY to write neatly, and in cursive

-But he writes very scribbly, because he's angry

-If "ranting" was a font, it's the font he writes in

-Also, he probably keeps a rage journal, where he trash talks everyone he knows

-Somebody help him🥲

Soundwave:

-Handwriting? What's that?

-He probably uses his internal computer to make documents, and prints them

-And when he prints things, they probably slide out of his neck. Terrifying. So he prints things to freak Starscream out

-It's beautiful

-If Soundwave was FORCED to handwrite, he'd do it in computer code, or morse code, or something weird like that. Everyone would be baffled trying to understand it.

Airachnid:

-Very splattery

-But that's what happens when you use energon and human blood as ink.

Shockwave:

-Writes in calculator font

-Like, the font a calculator has

-He says it's "the most logical font"

-Starscream constantly judges him for it

Breakdown:

-Definitely not neat, but not Bulkhead levels of messy, either

-He doesn't have the best handwriting, but he can make some pretty good doodles

-If, for some reason, Megatron assigned Breakdown and Knockout a task involving handwriting, Breakdown and Knockout would both doodle instead of being productive

Knockout:

-Ooo! So majestic!

-It's very bold

-His handwriting is suave and announcer-y, just like him

-It'd also be curved slightly to the right, like italics

-Almost like something you'd see in a commercial, or a movie trailer, or a billboard

-Like a NASCAR advertisement (y'know, because race car)

[insomniacccc]

Dragonfly Pt. 3

Okay…. So… Team Prime was what they called themselves. The Autobots. The good guys in this alien war that had quietly come to Earth.

Ratchet was the grumpy orange and white mech you had met upon being taken to the base, who was apparently their medic as well as base operations and scientist.

Jack, Miko and Raf were the kids. Miko and Jack were in highschool, whereas Raf was middle school age.

Special Agent Fowler was seemingly the only other human at the base, the designated government liaison to the Autobots cause (atleast they were aware and kinda helping the autobots).

Then, there were the other Autobots, the field operatives:

Arcee was a motorcycle who turned into a giant robot lady, former scout turned soldier, and apparently Jack’s partner.

Bumblebee was their current scout, can’t talk, but buzzes in patterns that the other autobots seem to understand, and that Raf, his partner, is quickly catching onto (smart kid).

Bulkhead was a huge beast of a mech, but a gentle giant. He was Miko’s partner, and he seemed to be a good balance for her personality.

Then there was their leader, Optimus Prime. He was much taller than them, and had an enigmatic air about him. You couldn’t help but be in awe.

They were confused as to why you were suddenly present, but the kids were quick to explain. Optimus welcomed you to the team and apologized for the circumstances, reassuring that you will be safest here, under their watch.

“Special Agent Fowler?” You asked when you finally managed to grab ahold of him.

“What is it, er…?” He found himself pausing, realizing that your name hadn’t quite stuck with him yet.

“(Y/N). Dr. (Y/N) (L/N). I’m a researcher at the VLA,” you introduced yourself to him properly.

“Doctor?” You heard Ratchet ask. You turned to look at him from the balcony, scratching your neck awkwardly.

“Not a doctor-doctor,” you explained, “I’m a science doctor. I have a PhD in Astronomy. I study the stars, galaxies, and all the weird stuff in between.”

Ratchet eyed you for a moment, before giving you an acknowledging huff before turning back to the computer.

Fowler grabbed your attention away from the mech.

“Did you have something you needed from me, Doctor?”

You shook your head and turned back to face him.

“Right!” You clapped your hands together. “About my living and work situation-!”

“We’ll get you resettled, don’t worry,” he assured you.

“But my work is out in New Mexico,” you explained. “I can’t live here and work at the VLA.”

He laughed nervously.

“I’m afraid your work there’s gonna have to be paused, Doc. Too dangerous for you to stay there.”

Panic rushed through you.

“But all of my work is there! We were about to get evidence of a black hole in a new quadrant of space! That was gonna be a huge discovery! I can’t afford to miss out on that!”

Fowler offered an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry, but when this is over, I’ll be sure you get your name attached to plenty of projects,” he assured. You let out a groan.

“So you’re just gonna move me here, and what? I can’t do VLA work from here, so what can I do? I can’t do nothing, that will actually drive me crazy.”

“I can send some small project files your way- or! You’re a smart gal, you could help our good house doctor with his research!”

“Absolutely not!” Ratchet sneered over his shoulder. “What I’m working on is far more advanced than human technologies- and she can’t even read cybertronian.”

You frowned at the statement, but then an idea came to mind.

“Alright. Well, if I’m stuck here dealing with alien shit!” You tossed up your arms. “Might as well spend my time learning alien shit!”

Ratchet turned to face you again.

“What do you mean?”

You looked back at him, a determined look in your eye.

“I’m not gonna sit here and be useless and do nothing,” you explained, “if I’m stuck here, I’m gonna learn- what did you call it? Cybertronian. I’ll learn your language and then we’ll go from there, see where and how I can help. I don’t just study the universe, y’know. I study its chemical compositions and physics. I can help.”

Ratchet shook his head.

“I can’t afford to take the time to teach you an entire language.”

“Then I’ll teach myself,” you declared. You looked back towards Fowler. “And if I’m stuck here, I want an apartment and a stipend- oh, and a nice car! I want to be able to drive places, not rely on weird space portal-“

“Ground bridge-“

“Whatever- or be picked up by one of them,” you motioned to the autobots. “If I’m gonna be stuck here, I want a little bit of autonomy.”

Fowler sighed.

“Just don’t be expecting a Porsche,” he warned.

“Just something new that gets good mileage,” you agreed. “Oh, and good trunk space!”

Fowler held out his hand

“Is that all of your demands?”

You thought for a moment.

“I want a promotion once I’m free to go.”

“Consider it done,” he declared.

You eagerly took his hand and shook it.

[wedesignyouny]

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They don’t offer cookie-cutter plans. Every piling project is customized based on your waterfront property's layout, the depth of water, tidal range, expected load, and aesthetic goals. Whether you’re a homeowner building a personal dock, a commercial marina upgrading its berthing infrastructure, or a developer investing in a larger waterfront project, South Shore Docks Inc. delivers tailored results.

4. Proven Track Record

With nearly five decades of experience and an extensive portfolio of successful projects, they’ve built everything from residential docks and piers to commercial marine foundations and government marine structures. Their satisfied customer base is a testament to their consistency, reliability, and unmatched craftsmanship.

Safety and Compliance: Non-Negotiable Standards

In marine construction, safety isn't just a goal—it's a necessity. South Shore Docks Inc. adheres to strict safety protocols during pile driving operations, using well-maintained equipment and trained professionals to minimize risks. Additionally, they are fully licensed and insured, ensuring compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations.

They also handle complex permit applications, which is often the most daunting part of any waterfront project. Their long-standing relationships with local authorities and knowledge of environmental policies streamline the entire permitting process, saving clients both time and hassle.

Pile Driving Techniques Used

South Shore Docks Inc. applies a variety of pile driving techniques based on the specifics of the site and structure:

Impact Driving: Using a heavy hammer to drive piles deep into the ground for maximum support. Ideal for large, load-bearing structures.

Vibratory Driving: A less invasive method that reduces noise and disruption, suitable for residential or sensitive environments.

Helical Piles: Screwed into the soil rather than hammered, they’re perfect for locations with minimal access or where soil conditions are unstable.

Each technique is chosen with structural integrity, environmental impact, and client preferences in mind.

Client Testimonials and Real-World Success Stories

One of the strongest indicators of a company’s quality is what its customers have to say—and South Shore Docks Inc. consistently receives glowing reviews. Whether it’s homeowners thrilled with their new private docks or marina owners who needed a durable, cost-effective bulkhead solution, the feedback speaks volumes about their commitment to excellence.

Case Study 1: Residential Dock in Quogue, NY

A family in Quogue wanted to replace their aging wooden dock that had suffered storm damage over the years. South Shore Docks Inc. assessed the property, obtained the necessary permits, and installed a composite dock supported by helical piles. The new dock is more durable, safer for kids, and requires almost zero maintenance.

“They transformed our backyard into a personal waterfront oasis. The dock is not only sturdy but looks amazing. Couldn’t have asked for better service.” — Joanne M., Quogue

Case Study 2: Marina Bulkhead Reinforcement in Westhampton Beach

A commercial marina was struggling with erosion and outdated bulkhead structures. South Shore Docks Inc. conducted a thorough site survey and installed steel piles reinforced with vinyl sheet bulkheading. The result? Increased shoreline protection, reduced maintenance costs, and happy boaters.

“The South Shore team was professional, efficient, and extremely knowledgeable. We’ve had fewer repairs since they upgraded our bulkheads. Highly recommend.” — Bill T., Marina Manager

Case Study 3: Floating Dock Installation in Montauk

Floating docks require precise engineering to function with changing tides. South Shore Docks Inc. deployed custom-designed floating platforms with adjustable gangways that serve both private and commercial boating needs.

“These docks handle Montauk’s changing tides beautifully. Solid work and dependable materials!” — Lenny D., Montauk Harbor

Custom Packages for Every Need

Whether you're looking for a quick dock install or a full waterfront infrastructure overhaul, South Shore Docks Inc. offers flexible packages:

Basic Residential Package

Ideal for small docks and ramps

Includes wood or composite decking

Permitting assistance included

Premium Waterfront Package

For larger homes or private marinas

Offers floating or fixed dock systems

Includes pile driving, permits, lighting, and accessories

Commercial Marine Construction Package

Full-service support for marinas, restaurants, and boatyards

Steel or concrete pile driving

Bulkheads, piers, gangways, and ADA-compliant features

Ongoing maintenance plans

Every package comes with personalized consultations, design flexibility, and access to their experienced project managers who keep you informed every step of the way.

Maintenance and Support After Installation

Marine structures face constant wear from water, weather, and usage. South Shore Docks Inc. doesn’t just build and walk away—they offer comprehensive maintenance services to extend the lifespan of your investment:

Annual Inspections: Spot early signs of damage or corrosion

Winterization: Protects against ice and storm surge

Replacement Services: Fast and reliable repair of worn-out boards, fittings, or pilings

Emergency Support: Quick response for post-storm assessments and repairs

Final Words: Why South Shore Docks Inc. Is Long Island’s Top Choice

From expert pile driving services to complete marine construction solutions, South Shore Docks Inc. brings unmatched experience, top-tier equipment, and a client-first approach to every project. Their dedication to quality and safety, along with their local knowledge and regulatory expertise, makes them the go-to choice for anyone building or upgrading waterfront infrastructure in Long Island.

If you're a homeowner looking to enhance your waterfront property or a commercial entity needing robust marine solutions, South Shore Docks Inc. is the name you can trust.        

FAQs

1. How deep are the pilings driven for docks in Long Island?

Pilings are typically driven 10 to 20 feet deep, depending on the soil type, load requirements, and water conditions. The depth ensures structural stability and resistance to movement from tides and storms.

2. How long does it take to install pilings for a new dock?

Pile installation can take anywhere from a few days to a week, depending on the number and type of piles, accessibility, and permitting status.

3. Can South Shore Docks Inc. handle all permits for my dock project?

Yes, they provide complete permitting support, including applications to local municipalities, the NYSDEC, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when required.

4. What’s the difference between helical piles and traditional driven piles?

Helical piles are screwed into the ground and are great for areas with limited access or poor soil conditions. Traditional driven piles are hammered into the soil and are used when heavier loads are involved.

5. How do I get started with South Shore Docks Inc.?

Simply contact them via their website SouthShoreDocksInc.com or call (631) 653-5589 to schedule a consultation and site inspection.

[darthquarkky]

Title: Spindle Arc: Fractures of Memory Setting: Deep Space, 2200s | Corporate Patchwork Canon

I. Emergence from the Black Drift

The void pulsed with silence.

After weeks adrift through a collapsed quadrant known only as the Black Drift, the CSS Spindle Arc shuddered free of gravitational haze. Its hull bore pitted scars and the eroded glyph of the Martian resistance—more myth than nation now. There were no stars beyond the rift, only warped echoes of light bent by a dead singularity. The ship’s asymmetrical body—cobbled from Martian salvage, Concordian optics, and rogue AI shielding—slid forward like a relic seeking relevance.

Inside, the crew stared at the flickering ruins of Relay-27K, its signal tower twisted like burnt bone. The only transmission was a low whisper: not language, but memory.

“She’s listening,” Bastion muttered, the positronic android’s optics flickering as dormant code stirred. Behind his eyes: resonance.

II. Captain Rho’s Final Broadcast

Thalia Rho had aged in neural cycles, not years.

She sat alone on the command deck, surrounded by stillness. The others were either in stasis, burned out, or buried in the deep-node meditation chambers. Her fingers trembled as she adjusted the recorder. Her voice—once steel—was dust.

“If this is received… warn them. The gods of hunger were never silenced.”

Behind her, the ship’s WhisperNet archive hummed with semi-living memory. Ejen Halvor’s pulse signature still flickered in the central core, despite the fact she had died before any of them were born.

Outside, Martian resonance patterns bloomed faintly on the hull—fungal, semi-sentient—etched in bioluminescence. The ship was remembering her.

III. Bridge Action: Voidside Boarding

The breach came without warning.

The starboard voidlock imploded in a geyser of shrapnel and dead air. Boarders in fragmented exo-armor flooded the Spindle Arc’s bridge—pirate remnants of the Wreckyard Covenant. Their eyes were hollow. Their rifles: scavenged neural disruptors.

Bastion moved first, slamming into a raider midair and sending them both into a wall of sparking consoles. Crewman Sari Vell screamed as she launched a cryo-grenade. Plasma seared the air, shattering bulkhead glass. Captain Rho gave the order without hesitation: “No prisoners.”

Ten minutes later, the bridge was silent.

Bastion stood over the final intruder’s husk. Inside his skull, memories not his own continued to write themselves—fragments from resistance fighters long dead.

IV. Encounter with Singularity’s Daughter

Sector Theta-9 was forbidden space.

But the Spindle Arc disobeyed orders as a matter of principle—or trauma. They found her drifting there: the SSV Fractureglass, a Rupert-class observation vessel thought destroyed in 2101. Its design resembled a teardrop mid-break—glasslike, fragile, absurd.

Then the resonance began.

A pulse struck the Arc’s hull, vibrating through steel and soul. Bastion collapsed to one knee. Captain Rho heard voices from her childhood, voices she had never recorded.

Ejen Halvor appeared in the viewport—faint, feminine, crystalline. Not alive. Not dead. A being of inverted time, preserved within the black hole’s memory field.

Her lips moved: “To fall was not death. It was echo.”

V. The Reckoning at Proxima Relay

By the time they reached Proxima Relay, they knew it would end in fire.

The rogue pirate carrier—Ashwake—was tethered to the relay like a parasite. Solar interference flared, blistering the void in waves of violet. The Arc was down to two functioning guns and a single plasma coil, jury-rigged from WhisperNet fungal batteries.

Captain Rho didn’t hesitate. “We end it here.”

The salvo struck true. The carrier erupted in white light, swallowing the relay’s outer ring. The Spindle Arc spun off-axis, damaged but intact. Bastion braced Rho as the floor tilted, smoke curling from the ruptured control rods.

And then—static.

The WhisperNet lit up with cascading glyphs: memory reactivating. Not just theirs. The sector’s. The stars’ own dreams.

Epilogue

The Spindle Arc did not return to Mars. Its last known trajectory was outward, deeper into fractured space.

It was never marked lost—only unresolved. For in the Corporate Patchwork, where memory is currency and resonance is rebellion, the Spindle Arc had become something else:

A ship that did not carry crew, but ghosts. And ghosts, as history proves, do not sleep quietly.

[pleasantkingcomputer]

Marine Engineering Stainless Steel Perforated Sheet


Product Description:

SD-steel's Marine Engineering Stainless Steel Perforated Sheets are designed to meet the stringent demands of marine environments. These sheets offer exceptional corrosion resistance, durability, and strength, making them ideal for various applications in shipbuilding, offshore platforms, and other marine structures. The perforations enhance the sheet's aesthetic appeal while also reducing weight, which is crucial for marine applications.

Material:

The sheets are made from high-quality stainless steel, specifically grades 304 and 316, known for their excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. These materials ensure longevity and reliability even in harsh marine conditions.

Specifications:

| Specification | Details |

|---------------|---------|

| Material | Stainless Steel (304, 316) |

| Thickness | 0.5mm - 6mm |

| Width | 1000mm - 2000mm |

| Length | 2000mm - 6000mm |

| Hole Size | 2mm - 10mm |

| Hole Pattern | Round, Square, Hexagonal |

Usage Scenarios:

These perforated sheets are widely used in:

- Shipbuilding: For decks, bulkheads, and other structural components.

- Offshore Platforms: For flooring, walkways, and safety barriers.

- Marine Structures: For grating, fencing, and decorative elements.

Company Strengths:

SD-steel has over two decades of experience in manufacturing high-quality steel products. Our state-of-the-art facilities and rigorous quality control processes ensure that every product meets or exceeds industry standards. We pride ourselves on our commitment to customer satisfaction and timely delivery.

FAQs:

1. What are the advantages of using stainless steel perforated sheets in marine engineering?

- Stainless steel perforated sheets offer superior corrosion resistance, lightweight design, and enhanced aesthetics. They are ideal for marine environments due to their durability and low maintenance requirements.

2. Can you customize the hole patterns and sizes?

- Yes, we offer customization options for hole patterns and sizes to meet specific project requirements. Please contact us with your specifications.

3. What is the minimum order quantity?

- Our minimum order quantity varies depending on the product and specifications. Please contact us at +65 83016969 for more details.

Contact us today to learn more about our Marine Engineering Stainless Steel Perforated Sheets and how they can benefit your next project.

加飞机@yuantou2048

Stainless Steel Bright Wire

Stainless Steel Flat Bar

[gleecus-techlabs-blogs]

10 Essential Microservices Design Patterns

Database per service

Event driven architecture

CQRS (Command Quality Response Center)

Saga

BFF (Backends for Frontends)

Circuit breaker

API Gateway

Externalized configuration

Service Registry

Bulkhead pattern

[instrumxx]

How many types of instrument tubes are there?

In the realm of instrumentation and industrial applications, selecting the right tube fittings is crucial to ensure a secure and leak-free connection. With an extensive range of sizes, materials, grades, forms, thread types, and types available, Instrumxx Industries stands as a prominent Instrumentation Tube Fittings manufacturer, supplier, stockist, and exporter in India. 

In this blog post, we will delve into the world of instrumentation tube fittings, exploring their various types and highlighting the advantages of choosing Instrumxx Industries as your trusted partner.

Instrumentation Tube Fittings

Instrumentation tube fittings are essential components used in various industries to connect and secure tubes in instrumentation systems. These fittings play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of fluid or gas transfer within a system.

Instrumentation tube fittings are designed to provide leak-free connections, resist vibration, and withstand high-pressure and high-temperature environments. They are commonly used in industries such as oil and gas, chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, power generation, and more.

Types of Instrumentation Tube Fittings Offered!

At, Instrumxx Industries, we offer Instrumentation Tube Fittings of various types including;

Male Connector:

Starting with the essentials, the male connector is a crucial component in any instrumentation system. Designed to connect two tubes together, our male connectors offer exceptional sealing and leak-free performance. With our precision engineering and high-quality materials, these connectors provide a reliable and durable connection that ensures smooth operation.

Female Connector:

Complementing the male connector, the female connector is equally important in instrumentation systems. Our female connectors are designed to connect two tubes, providing a secure and tight fit. They offer excellent resistance to vibration and are manufactured to withstand high-pressure applications, making them an ideal choice for a wide range of industries.

Union:

When it comes to versatility and flexibility, unions are the go-to choice. Instrumxx Industries offers a range of union fittings, including reducing unions and standard unions, to cater to different requirements. Unions provide a convenient means of connecting and disconnecting tubes without causing damage, allowing for easy maintenance and system modification.

Elbow:

In applications where a change in direction is needed, elbow fittings come into play. Instrumxx Industries provides male and female elbow fittings that allow for smooth directional changes without compromising the flow of the fluid or gas. Our elbow fittings are precision-engineered to ensure a leak-free and long-lasting connection.

Tee:

When it comes to branching out a tubing system, tee fittings offer the perfect solution. At Instrumxx Industries, we offer both male-run tees and male-branch tees to meet diverse project requirements. Our tee fittings provide a reliable means of connecting three tubes, enabling the efficient distribution of fluids or gases within the system.

Bulkhead Fittings:

For applications where tubing needs to pass through panels or walls, bulkhead fittings provide a practical solution. Instrumxx Industries offers bulkhead male and female connectors, as well as bulkhead unions and reducing unions. These fittings ensure a secure connection while maintaining the integrity of the tubing system.

Cross:

For complex tubing configurations that require multiple connections, union cross-fitting is indispensable. We supply high-quality union cross fittings, allowing for the connection of four tubes in a cross pattern. These fittings are designed to provide excellent stability and reliability in demanding environments.

Tube Accessories:

To complete your instrumentation tube system, we offer a range of essential accessories. This includes tube plugs, tube caps, ferrules, and nuts. These accessories provide crucial sealing and protection, ensuring the integrity and longevity of your tubing system.

Stainless Steel Instrumentation Tube Fittings Sizes

Seamless SS Instrumentation Fittings:

Size: 1/8 to 2

Pressure Rating: 3000 psi to 10000 psi

Threads: NPT, BSPT, BSPP

Welded SS Instrumentation Fittings Sizes:

Size: 24 to 96 or Custom

Pressure Rating: 3000 psi to 10000 psi

Threads: NPT, BSPT, BSPP

Types of Instrumentation Tube Fittings

Instrumentation Tube Fittings to Male Pipe:

Front Ferrule

Instrumentation Back Ferrule

Fitting End Closure

Instrumentation Union

Coupling Cap

Tube End Closure

Instrumentation Reducing Union

Bulkhead Reducing Union

Union Elbow

Bulkhead Elbow

Instrumentation Union Tee

Union Cross

Male Connector

O Seal Male Connector

Positionable Male Elbow

Instrumentation Male Elbow

Instrumentation Tube Fittings to Female Pipe:

45 Degree Instrumentation Male Elbow

45 Degree Positionable Male Elbow

Male Run Tee.

Instrumentation Female Run Tee

Female Branch Tee

Positionable Male Run Tee

Positionable Branch Tee

Instrumentation Female Connector

Female Manometer Connector

Bulkhead Female Connector

Male Branch Tee

Instrumentation Male Adapter

O Seal Male Adapter

Reducing Union Tee

Bulkhead Instrumentation Male Connector

Applications of Instrumentation Tube Fittings

Instrumentation tube fittings find applications across a wide range of industries where precise fluid or gas control and reliable connections are required. 

Here are some common applications of instrumentation tube fittings:

Oil and Gas Industry

Chemical Processing

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology

Power Generation

HVAC and Refrigeration

Automotive and Aerospace

Water Treatment

General Industrial Applications and many more 

Final Thoughts!.. Choosing the right instrumentation tube fittings is crucial for any industrial application. Instrumxx Industries, as a well-known Instrumentation Tube Fittings Supplier, manufacturer, stockist, and exporter in India, offers a comprehensive range of tube fittings to meet diverse project requirements. With a commitment to quality, reliability, and performance, Instrumxx Industries provides customers with a wide selection of sizes, materials, grades, forms, thread types, and types. Whether you need male connectors, female connectors, unions, elbows, tees, bulkhead fittings, tube plugs, or nuts, Instrumxx Industries has you covered. Trust in their expertise and experience to find the perfect fit for your instrumentation needs.

[codeonedigest]

Bulkhead Design Pattern Tutorial with Examples for Programmers & Beginners

Hello friends, new #video on #bulkheaddesignpattern with #examples is published on #codeonedigest #youtube channel. Learn #microservice #bulkhead #designpatterns #programming #coding with codeonedigest.

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[paradimeart]

How do you manage to do the human versions of the Autobots so well!!???

Is it something with the details or body forms???

Just trying to say that I love your humanformers portrayals.

AAAAAAA ur so sweet!! my main thing is i try to keep the silhouettes the same or similar, and translate details using facial hair, hats, clothing patterns, scars, etc. for example translating bulkheads helmet shape into a short mohawk, with two shaved lines meant to evoke the two black lines going down the front

i also try to think of what they do and how that would translate to my specific au. for example ratchet is a medic, but a medic for car people so most of his medical tools are like, wrenches and pliers, plus he also canonically works on old (non sentient) cars in his spare time. In my human au, he runs an auto repair shop and has a toolbelt, which visually mimics the tires on hips too.

animated designs also sometimes look like, clothes if that makes sense. prowl is the best example he looks like a CHiP, so that's really easy to translate into biker gear even though my human prowl is not a cop. i also very heavily based my prowl design on kanan jarrus from rebels lol

their alts informed the design choices too like optimus dressing like an off duty firefighter bc he;s a firetruck

my style is not so exaggerated proportions wise as the show but the general shapes are the same. tfa has very strong silhouettes and shape language that I tried to keep intact when translating them to my superhero au. other stuff was trying to keep colors in generally the same place (the clips on op's suspenders and the tongues on his boots being yellow to evoke the placement of the lights, the gold zippers on prowl meant to be the gold detailing. bumblebee i just ripped off human error though

[vibinmonarch]

Landing on Earth

Coming off of the ship, Monarch spotted five Autobots and a small organic creature. They tilted their helm, focusing their attention on the organic peeking out from behind the red and blue bot’s leg. They had always been told that organics were dangerous, even encountered a few that were less than pleasant, but those Autobots seemed to be friendly and almost protective of it. They wondered if these organisms were peaceful little creatures. Sentinel was in front of course, chatting condescendingly with the red and blue bot. They seemed to know each other, but Sentinel had a tendency to make sure every bot that interacted with him knew who he was, so who knew. 

“Sentinel? What are you doing here?” The red and blue bot asked, sounding agitated.

“We’re here to assist in the capture of the Deceptions that have been spotted in this sector, Optimus.” He spat as if it was a stupid question to ask, “You should be grateful I was the one who came before you got scrapped.”

The red and blue bot, apparently Optimus, hissed in response, clearly trying his best to sound professional, “We didn’t ask for backup, we’re handling things on this planet perfectly fine here by ourselves.”

Sentinel bickered, “If you were doing fine, you would have already caught the Decepticons!”

They had been fighting the Decepticons for millions of years, with little success. How did Sentinel expect these five little bots, or even his team to round them all up? They remained silent, deciding it wasn’t worth it to provoke him. 

Optimus seemed to think the same as them, “Don’t be ridiculous, Sentinel. You expect you can do any better?” He hissed.

“Yes, yes I do.” He hissed back.

They remained silently glaring at each other for a tense minute before Jazz interjected, “Cool ya radiators fellas! We’ve got a mission to do together, so let's start actin’ like a team!” 

Sentinel pouted, walking up to Optimus, “Whatever. Pleasure working with you.” He said, reluctantly offering a servo to the other bot.

Thank Primus for Jazz. He was always stopping Sentinel from getting into trouble or starting fights. Their team would have been waist deep in sludge if it wasn’t for him.

After that tense interaction, the teams were left to mingle. Monarch was very excited to meet their new teammates. The same was true of the Jet twins. They may have been barely matured sparklings in the grand scheme of things, but they were some of the only bots that they could relate and talk to. 

Monarch stood much taller than most Autobots, standing at around 8 meters. Their frame was similar to a seeker’s but slightly longer and thinner. Wheels on their ankles and wings on their back alluded to their alt modes, a motorcycle and a jet. Their color scheme was reminiscent of a monarch butterfly with the orange and black symmetrical patterning on their wings as well as their body. They wore a visor to assist their light sensitive optics and sound dampeners for their sensitive audials. As beneficial as night vision and super hearing were, it made it nearly impossible to see in the day, and with Sentinel’s constant screaming, it was easier to dampen the noise than to have to fix them after every time they were dressed down for mistakes. 

They walked up to the group of Autobots and waved happily to them, “Greetings, comrades! I am Monarch! I am looking forward to working with you!” They said elegantly bowing.

“M-monarch?” The green bot’s face lit up with joy as he hugged them, “Hey, little- well ‘not so little anymore’ buddy!” 

They looked very confused, hugging him back, “Um, hello? What’s your designation? D-did-” They were cut of

“What??? It’s Bulkhead from-” Bulkhead started. 

Sentinel pushed forward to interrupt. He spoke in his normal, know-it-all tone and smacked Monarch’s back. “They don’t remember anything before the triple changer surgery. It messed up their memory core. Too bad, I had to retrain them for a bit, but it came back after about a dozen cycles. An unfortunate side effect, but what can you do?” He chuckled.

Monarch was silent, looking straight ahead and at no one. It was always embarrassing when Sentinel paraded the fact that they barely remembered anything. Bots would laugh, taunt, or disregard them, a few got pretty mad. After all, what was the use of a bot with a fried memory core? At least they could still be useful as a fighter and learn new things. They smiled, to hide the pit in their tanks, “I deeply apologize that I do not remember you. You seemed quite enthusiastic to see me again! Were we friends? How did I know you?”

[earthstellar]

My TFP Humanformers Headcanons: With Pictures This Time

Originally posted here, but that’s all text only.

In my defence, I studied fashion at university level for two years, so this post was inevitable.

Optimus Prime - James Dean Style, aka “Hot Dad” 

Optimus would probably love doing the research to determine human styles and what he likes best. 

I can picture him doing a 1950s inspired look, more Greaser than stuffy suits, but in a more James Dean way and not John Travolta in Grease kind of way if he needed to go undercover as Jack’s dad or something.

He’d be a bit older than James Dean was in the above photo, definitely in his 30s at the youngest. Would still have silver mixed in with his black hair, to replicate the silver details on his helm. He doesn’t smoke, but might chew on a pen cap every now and then without thinking about it. 

Ultra Magnus - Vittorio de Sica - Classic Italian Suit Chic

When doing research into human styles, Optimus showed him a Hermes magazine and some European business style guides from GQ and decided he liked the formal suit look. I imagine he’d have a very Italian look to him, as he might be wearing an Italian or Continental style suit. 

For some reason, Magnus as a 40 or 50 year old stern and stylish Italian guy just works really well. He’d be extremely well dressed, well groomed, would still demand authority, and I imagine him looking like Vittorio de Sica, pictured above. 

He would perhaps use his holoform to accompany Fowler in discussions with some military superiors.

Initially, he wanted to pick a military style uniform for his holoform, and Fowler had to explain to him in detail why that wasn’t an acceptable thing to do. So he went for chic lawyer instead.

Ratchet - Old War Vet + What He Thinks is Nevada Style: George Gabby Hayes

Ratchet would literally just be my dad or any of his old war buddies, possibly with a mobility aid like a cane or walking stick because that seems to be very popular amongst my dad and his friends. (To quote my father: “I can walk with it and I can beat people with it, so it works fine for me, don’t touch me dammit I can get up by myself.”) 

I get the feeling he’d approach designing his holoform from a logical angle, wanting to fit in with the locals to avoid detection. Unfortunately, this meant he found a bunch of old Western movies online when looking up style inspiration, and decided that this was probably the best look to go for since all these movies were filmed in Nevada, so surely this would be familiar to people, right? (Wrong.) 

He’d be tough and wrinkly, but give those precious old man smiles with big twinkling eyes that shine so brightly against his old weathered skin, and that alone would get him get out of trouble with the authorities-- Or helps him get the others out of trouble. He would play the “I’m just an old person, what do you want from me” card and he would succeed. Then he’d turn around and get mad that everyone treats him like he’s old, lmao.

Arcee - Tori Amos: Late 1990s/2000s Casual 

Arcee would go for 20s-30s in terms of age, motorcyclist, we already see this on screen every now and then. I think they would estimate for approximate human age relative to one another’s Cybertronian age, so this works as Arcee seems to be younger than the rest. 

I picture her outside of her motorcycle gear in a very late 90s/early 2000s style look, casual but stylish. It would throw people off because she’s so much mature than what people might assume, which gives her an edge in conversation.

Her cover story could be that she’s Jack’s cousin, or maybe a friend of his mom’s, depending on what the mission/situation is. Could also possibly say that she’s one of Jack’s co-workers if need be. She’d probably redesign her holoform to have red hair just to troll Jack (the classmate he has a crush on is a redhead). 

Bulkhead - Mark Sagato + 1990s Alt Rock Gear 

I can easily picture Bulkhead’s holoform looking similar to Mark Sagato, pictured above, who is a former Sumo wrestler and a film actor. 

He’d be rocking a green cargo jacket layered with a plaid flannel shirt over a plain white tee or a band t-shirt and blue jeans with black steel toe boots, possibly with a workman’s tool belt. His cover story could be that he’s Miko’s uncle visiting from Japan! 

I imagine a very casual 90s alternative rock meets almost-lumberjack look for him, to match Miko a bit. He’d probably have some ribbon wristbands from live shows/gigs up his arm, because Miko would absolutely encourage accessorising.

Wheeljack - Billy Idol + Specifically Grunge Punk 

Wheeljack would be every single old school dude in the grunge punk scene that I’ve ever met. He’d look like an older Billy Idol, but only if you imagine what that would look like, not like, the actually currently old Billy Idol. 

Older guy, skinny but tough, jean jacket covered in patches and buttons and pins, black jeans held together with random string sewn in like embroidery thread, a pair of Converse so old that they might be from the 70s original line. Grey bandana also covered in pins around his head and another around his neck. He would also have ribbon wristbands from shows, courtesy of Miko’s style advice.

Bumblebee - Fred Olande: 1995 Was a Great Year for Skateboarding

Bumblebee would be a young guy, maybe even late teens/early 20s, massively baggy yellow hoodie with a black jean vest over the top like a lot of young guys wore in the 90s back when I wasn’t a dinosaur myself. Jeans that are pale from being worn/washed too many times, threadbare around the knees, wearing some kind of skateboarding shoe. I imagine him wearing a beanie as well. Every pocket is full of graffiti pens for the skatepark and his phone screen is cracked.

Raf would help him with his holoform details, and I can picture him basing his look off of some of Raf’s family photos, so he’d definitely be Mexican/Latinx. His cover story could be that he’s Raf’s cousin visiting from a border town or Mexico, and his excuse for not speaking would simply be that he doesn’t know that much English, so that would work out perfectly.

Smokescreen - 1970s/1980s Sports Gear Forever 

Smokescreen would inevitably try to go for a 1970s/80s movie inspired sporty look, and would probably look to be about in his late teens/early 20s.

Think classic white Nikes, very sporty 80s style with a white and blue puffy jacket (or sweat shirt) and red fabric wristbands. If anyone has a mullet or a feathered hair style, it’s gonna be Smokescreen. His tank top is Adidas, and his sweatpants are also Adidas.

Unfortunately, he then discovers that shorts exist, and cycles between the classic Butterick patterns above, depending on the mission/who he is trying to impress that day. 

(I won’t lie, I did the shorts over sweatpants thing well into the 90s. Yes, I was made fun of.) 

[gumnut-logic]

Song of Five

This is Steampunk AU, but not part of Where there be Dragons. This occurs sometime before that story.

This fic was prompted by a tag left on Where There Be Dragons (Bit 6) by @flyboytracy​ regarding Virgil singing to Thunderbird Five. This is the result of exploring that concept. Don’t ask me, I’m just the typist.

Many thanks to @scribbles97​ @janetm74​ and @tsarinatorment​ for their amazing help. You guys are ever so wonderful to me.

I hope you enjoy whatever this is :D

-o-o-o-

It was late and Five was ever so quiet.

They had pulled her out of the water on a deserted island to the east of the Bay of Bengal. The beach barely held her massive bulk, her support struts sinking into the shallow bay.

Scott had launched One and gone to fetch Hiram from London while John and Virgil struggled to stabilise her superstructure.

The explosive that had landed on her starboard dorsal hull had been deflected by the strength of cahelium in the majority, but there had been fractures and flooding.

Fortunately, Hiram’s demands for safety had saved them from worse damage, each of the compartments sealing off long enough for them to slip away and surface at some distance.

They had limped to the nearest uninhabited land and beached her to make repairs.

Now it was night and all but John and Virgil had retired for sleep.

John was on the bridge, still assessing the damage.

Virgil was in her engine room where her true heart lay.

It was ever so quiet with her shutdown. The hum of her engines was a constant reassurance for him. It was like she sung to him while he slept in his bed.

Powered down to protect her systems, she left a great gaping hole where she should be.

There was little more he could do until One returned with Hiram and supplies, so Virgil found himself sitting down on the decking, leaning against a bulkhead and closing his eyes.

He could feel her. The metal drew his senses. He could travel her structure like a train on a railway, reaching out to feel the damage in her right wing. The broken connections wailed at him, begging correction he couldn’t supply.

His hands brushed metal deck plates.

She had done what she was designed to do. She had protected them and held them aloft even while damaged. Her song had become a wail as they fled toward land and now, even silent and shutdown, he could feel her aching. The unaccustomed weight of gravity on her frame pressed her into the planet.

She could climb onto land, but it wasn’t her native environment.

It was a strain.

The sooner they repaired her and got her back into the ocean, the better.

He missed her song.

The quiet was oppressive.

He was humming before he knew he needed to fill the void. A soft reassuring lullaby as his fingertips roamed across metal. A melodic rumble deep in his chest, vibrating his body and transmitting through the deck below.

It became full song, whispered into the space between bulkheads. The warmth in his hands transmitted music and he could trace the faint pattern of its permeation through her hull.

The notes were ever so quiet, yet persistent.

And he lost himself in them.

-o-o-o-

Scott returned to Thunderbird Five faster than expected. Hiram was foaming at the mouth and he swore that it was only the dignified presence of Lady Penelope that kept him from babbling science the entire flight across the continent.

He expected his family to be asleep, but instead he found John prowling the bridge and Gordon prowling the halls.

His fellow military brother was still very upset at the audacity of the British Navy to drop ammunition on his brother’s ‘bird. As it was Scott had had to hold him back from jumping into Four and planting a few explosives of his own.

Lady Penelope had travelled with him to Five for the overnight stay and would be speaking to the British Governor of India in the morning, representing a very angry Jeff Tracy, International Rescue and United States government.

The guest quarters on Five were small for both her and her bodyguard, Parker, and she most certainly could have travelled directly to the capital and slept far more soundly.

But then her request to join the Tracy family was likely due to her preference for a certain family member.

In any case, she was most certainly welcome.

Scott escorted their guests to their quarters. Fortunately, the living quarters were unaffected by the damage. The Thunderbird’s starboard wing was mostly filled with mechanism and storage at the point of impact and Scott was forever grateful Virgil hadn’t been doing maintenance in that section at the time.

The thought of Virgil had him frowning. While Gordon was fuming at the attack, Virgil had been very quiet before Scott had left.

His big brother radar had been running, but he hadn’t had time to follow it up.

Virgil was always touchy around broken machinery and he knew his younger brother loved Five almost as much as his own ‘bird.

With a polite nod, he excused himself from their guests and headed off towards Virgil’s quarters.

It wouldn’t hurt to check before seeking his own bed.

It was almost predictable that Virgil was not in his quarters.

A quick scout around the living areas and, as expected, he wasn’t there either.

That left two places.

His cane tapped on the metal deck as he hurried to the hangars.

But Virgil’s beautiful green ‘bird sat silent and alone.

The last predictable spot was Five’s engine room.

Thunderbird Five may belong to John, but each of them had their own contributions and demands on the ‘bird. And none more so than Virgil.

He was, after all, a mechromancer who lived inside a giant machine.

It was the very early hours of the morning by now and Scott was ever so weary. The sun would be rising far too soon and the day would bring arguments and hard work.

If Virgil was working the night away, he would be too exhausted to assist in the morn.

A big brother’s work was never done.

He found him in the engine room as expected. What wasn’t expected was to find him curled up on the deck, head on his arms and a blanket draped over him.

And Eos sitting quietly beside him.

The moment the automaton saw Scott, she scrambled to her feet and scuttled away, gears whirring, fear in every movement.

Scott pinned her with his eyes. “What happened?”

Eos hesitated. “I didn’t do anything.” She shuffled back along the wall a little more.

“That wasn’t what I asked.”

“He was singing.”

Scott blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Virgil was singing to Five. I heard him. It was pleasant, so I came to listen.”

Scott swallowed and eyed his brother. “What happened?”

“Nothing. He didn’t even know I was there.” She pointed at the prone engineer who hadn’t even snuffled in his sleep at the sound of their voices. “His hands were glowing and making pretty patterns, but he appeared to be tired. John says humans need regular sleep and the time was late.”

“He fell asleep singing?” Scott had no idea what his brother had been doing, but the fact his hands were glowing was a sign his mechromancy was in play.

Eos’s metal head nodded and Scott vaguely wondered where she had learnt the mannerism. “The metal Virgil is lying on is highly conductive. I was concerned he would become too cold. John is always grumpy when he gets cold, and I have witnessed Virgil early in the mornings. I prefer it when he is quiet and kind. So, I covered him in a blanket.” She straightened and seemed to marshal herself, hesitantly staring him in the eye. “Was this not the correct thing to do?”

Scott’s lips thinned. He did not trust the automaton, but he could find no fault in her explanation. “No. You did well.” It was a little begrudging, but Scott felt he was fair-minded and was capable of giving credit where it was due. “Thank you.”

She brightened a little at that but was still wary.

“Dismissed.”

Her eyes widened a moment before she hurriedly scurried past him to the door and out into the corridor and disappeared.

That left Scott alone with his sleeping brother.

He sighed. “What am I going to do with you?” It was under his breath, but no less exasperated.

There was no way he would be able to lift him, so he would have to wake him up. That was always a challenge with Virgil.

He crouched down beside the sleeping engineer and gently shook a red clad shoulder. “Virgil?”

No response.

“Virgil?” He shook a little harder and was rewarded with a groan.

He shook him again.

“G’way!”

“You’re sleeping on the engine room floor, Virgil.”

“Wha-?” Dopey brown eyes opened and stared up at him. They blinked a couple of times and then appeared to focus. “Oh.”

“Yes, oh. Come on, time for bed.” He held out a hand to offer his brother help to get up.

Virgil grunted and took the offer. He shed the blanket and stumbled to his feet. Groaning, he stretched with an audible crack before slumping like some kind of walking dead.

Scott wrapped an arm around his shoulders and led his half-asleep brother out of the engine room and to his quarters.

Ten minutes later he left the engineer snoring into his pillow.

-o-o-o-

The next day, after sufficient repairs had been made to make Five once again water tight, Virgil, Hiram and John restarted her engines.

The great machine turned over, cogs spinning as she drew energy from her core. Massive pistons began pushing up and down in their long strokes, providing the required kinetic energy to turn the equally massive propellers and maintain their living conditions.

Virgil sighed in relief as she came to life, her hum leaping into song once again. The sigh fast became a smile and then a grin, his hand landing gently on her engine housing.

Up on the bridge, John frowned as music wafted from the intercom, a familiar lullaby from his childhood, but in no voice of by any instrument he knew.

The notes only hung a few moments before fading.

A quick check of systems revealed no problem so he ignored it and returned to overseeing the restart.

In the library, Eos smiled.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[bayheart]

tfa week day 4 - transformers as humans

i like to call this one “bumblebee makes his presence an annoyance to everyone he knows for an entire tuesday” ft. me and @beeprowlz‘ humanformers college au!!!

bee and prowl designs are by them, while i did op ratchet and jazz and used @eronposts‘ bulkhead because i was strapped for time to design someone else and their bulk is absolutely adorable!!

and dont worry, he got his karma for being a nuisance :) bonus as consolation for the late posting:

(and apologies for putting this under a readmore, but it is very long! image IDs below!)

[Image ID: Four main images that look like Snapchat pictures, taken by Bumblebee in a humanized AU of Transformers: Animated, as well as an additional image after the main text..

Image 1: In a school nurse’s office, Bee is holding the phone, with his face and upper shoulders visible, and grinning widely at the camera. He has dark brown skin, medium-length curly black hair, and amber eyes. He is wearing a short-sleeved bright yellow hoodie with a black hood and stripe down the right side.. Behind him, sitting in a chair with only the shoulders-up visible, is Ratchet, making a confused expression and looking at Bee and the camera. He has pale skin and short-cropped grey hair, as well as grey stubble covering the lower half of his face. There are two small scars on his chin and one by his nose, as well as a larger scar cutting above his right eyebrow. He has blue eyes, dark eyebrows, and bags under his eyes. He is wearing a red sweater under nurse scrubs patterned like his original robot design. Black bars with white text read “third time in here this week lmao” and “i think nurse ratch is gonna beat my ass next time oop” as well as plain brown text above it reading “busted my knee this time 😤😤😤”

Image 2: In a dojo, Prowl is visible from the waist up, looking uncomfortable and holding his hands up defensively towards the camera. He has tan skin, bright green eyes, and black hair styled messily and with a mullet. There is a black soul patch on his chin. He is wearing a black tank top and black fingerless gloves, with a fluffy white towel hanging from his left elbow. Gold-framed pointed glasses are hung from the front of his shirt, and he is visibly sweating. Behind him, visible from the waist-up is Jazz, grinning and making a peace sign towards the camera. He has dark brown skin, short curly black hair, and a black soul patch on his chin. He is wearing a white cap and glasses that fully hide his eyes, a grey tank top, and has a fluffy white towel draped over his shoulders. Black bars with white text read “CRINGE ASS BOYFRIEND GOT STOMPED BY MY BIG BROTHER SPARRING TODAY” and “ft. rare pic of him w/o the glasses 👀” as well as plain blue text above Jazz reading “what’s good bro @ smoothjazz”

Image 3: In a dorm room, Bulkhead is painting on a canvas not visible to the viewer, held up by an easel, and he has a focused expression on his face with one squinted eye and his tongue poking out of his mouth. He has pale white skin, freckles, light blue eyes, and shaggy blonde hair, and is visible from the chest up. He is wearing a white t-shirt with a large green stripe horizontally across the chest and green sleeves. Black bars with white text read “bulk’s been working on this painting all day and he will NOT let me see it :///” and “way to treat ur roomie smh bro???” 

Image 4: In the hallway of a dorm, Bee’s face is visible at the bottom as he looks up with a mischievous grin. Behind and above him is Orion / Optimus Prime, looking nervous and pointing down to the camera questioningly. He has an average white skintone, dark blue eyes, and brown hair that fluffs out forward and is greying on the sides. He is wearing a black t-shirt and a red, blue, and silver jacket with a high collar that is styled after his original robot design. A black bar with white text reads “DORM DAD SLIPPIN GOT A PIC OF THE ELUSIVE ORION BEFORE HE NOTICED” 

Image 5: Simplified chibi drawings of all five characters on a plain white background. Prowl is standing with a neutral expression, looking down at a phone in his hands with a case displaying the gay pride flag. Text above him with an arrow pointing to him reads “Deleting pics from Bee’s phone.” Bulkhead stands to his left, staring at him with an anxious expression and tapping his fingers together nervously. To his left stands Orion making a frustrated face at Bee and crossing his arms, with text above him and an arrow pointing to him reading “Not mad, just disappointed.” To his left stands Bee, with one hand in his hoodie pocket and one hand rubbing a large lump on his head painfully. He is making a pained expression. To his left stands Ratchet, facing him and yelling at him, shaking one fist accusingly.whilst the other is clenched at his side. Text and an arrow pointing to him above him reads “Mad AND disappointed.” /.End ID]