#this story takes place after predacons rising and after knockout comes across starscream out in the wastes of cyberton

[ask-dr-knockout]

Perfection through Deception

(Oneshot Takes Place after the events in @tyrantofthefirmament  and @ask-dr-knockout “Reunion” RP Story)

Previously: Knockout had just arrived back at the Autobot base after coming across the gravely Injured Starscream out in the wastes of Cybertron. Soon after he leaved the Seeker behind but only after secreting him away to his once old base of black market operations. For his trouble in helping the former Air Commander he is covered in scratches and rust dust grime while forced to contend with an very irritated Ultra Magnus upon his return.  As discipline for his negligence to report in to the rest of the Autobot team while on patrol Knockout is sent off to monitor duty without the opportunity to clean up his damaged pride first.  A punishment detail Knockout is remiss to follow.

Knockout stormed into the monitoring room barely containing his ire! His claws raked across the border of the entrance with an unpleasant shriek. The sound alone causing the occupant in the room to startle in their seat. “What the Scarp!? Oh… Knock Out… It’s just you… You mind not defacing the brand new base I thought you were the one saying we need to wax every surface…” Arcee had only briefly glanced back to catch the other in the corner of her optic between monitoring what looked like a shadow on the west perimeter. After a zoom in yielded only a wayward turbo mouse she continued. “Sooo…Judging from the entrance… What has you grinding gears this time?- Wait don’t tell me, you ran out of polish? or Ratchet had you pulling a double shift?… hurm No?… OH Smokescreen stole your buffer again!” Arcee shot off with practiced interest. Her speech dry as per tradition between their interactions during their shift changes.

Knockout rolled his optics at her for good measure. There was something familiar however… and almost welcoming about the unwarranted sass that Arcee brought to the table it reminded him of simpler times sometimes… Knockout relaxed slightly despite himself. He fell into a new but somewhat normal routine with the warrior Fem and that was one of the few things he could appreciate.

“Maybe if you turned around to greet me like a normal civilized Cybertronian you could see it for yourself!” he huffed back crossing his arms indignantly. “Oooo… Yep that’s bad.” Arcee cringed in sympathy for once as she spun around having finished her log to see what terrible oh so horrible thing had befallen the ever dramatic Knockout this time. 

“YES IT IS! And the Big Blue himself has deemed it acceptable for THIS-” he motioned to his entire body exasperated. “ –to remain until my monitoring shift is over so~ if you wouldn’t mind hurrying up and vacating the preemies!!! ~Please my dear~ I would like to get on with it!” “What no elaborate story telling today Knockout? I’m Shocked! Surely this all must come with a long winded tale that should garner my sympathy? I’m so disappointed in you!” Arcee gave a fake pout. Getting up from her seat in her ever typical way she tilted her hips while crossing her arms with an amused smirk.

“I could always tell you about the time Rats Infeste a Vehicons Interior again if you like seems right up your interest with organics and all… Arcee…” He scoweled. “heh so its going to be like that tonight I see… It’s a shame I might have fetched you your Buffer.” She flashed Knockout a knowing look.  “Arcee…Trust me when I say a BUFFER isn’t enough for this atrocity to my finish! Now in the words of our esteemed rusty CMO “YEP YEP YEP” and get out of this room before I throw you out!” “Careful I will tell Ratchet you stole that from him.” Arcee giggled lightly amused.

Knockout didn’t reply but simply ex-vented waving a hand to shoo her away he was done talking. He took a seat as dignified as he possibly could manage while picking at his back or rather trying to… Arcee’s optics softened a bit as she got a look at him when the doctor turned his back to her. She never had seen Knockout in this state before; well not since New York and the Train incident that shall not be named. Something out of the ordinary was definitely going on with him. Perhaps later when he had a chance to clean up he would come back to air his grievances like he usually did. It wasn’t like him to hold back like this. “You know my com is always open if you get bored.” Arcee smiled patting Knockout on the shoulder as she left.

“Watch the Fin-“ Arcee had already exited, the door sliding shut. “-oh why do I even care at this point…” he sighed while logging into the monitoring systems at least now he had some peace and quiet.   Suddenly an image of Starscreams broken dead body laying out in an abandoned scrap pile shot across his processor. He flinched.

That was right… He, had bigger things to worry about now. Knockouts processor raced with all the possibilities of how he could be punished for this and for a moment Knockout wondered if he should even go back. “who can blame a monster for acting as a monster would”

Uhg Right, so how to go about this then.

…

Knockouts fingers rapt the keypad in bored chorus the glow of the monitors playing out before optics that stared out into the vast space of thought beyond. He realized his greatest risk would be his location beacon. If he simply returned to the same place he had been before it would raise far too much suspicion putting him and Starscream at risk of discovery. But if he simply switched off his locator beacon that would be suspicious and call his loyalties into question too.

Think Knockout think! He inspected the scalpel like edges of his finger tips as he idly spun in his chair.

There was always a way to play the system he used to do this all the time. If only he could just be in two places at once this wouldn’t be an issue! He groaned leaning back the metal chair conforming to his weight its mechanisms creaking slightly with its constant use.  

A few seconds later and Knockout Snapped his talons! That was it!

He Spun in his chair around excitedly using the motion to make sure nothing, or no one was watching him besides the security feeds above him.

Of course he could not be in two places at once physically speaking, but~ he was certainly capable of creating that illusion.

Soundwave wasn’t the only hacker with a few tricks up his subspace pocket.

Typing away at the consul he accessed the security feed logs. Once inside the mainframe Knockout began to work as if he was simply reviewing the previous surveillance data as per usual.

Unbeknownst to the surveillance above him a small data cable had slipped out from his wrist holding a compact data chip. The width of his Door panel easily concealed the device from view while it plugged in with a barely audible click. The screen flickered so quickly it was nearly undetectable to the untrained optic. A classic little hacking trick that faked signals and then some! he contained his excitement behind a bored looking demeanor. He had never dared try this before on the nemesis. Deceiving Soundwave the spymaster in favor of his infamous racing jaunts; however tempting it had been would never have gone over well. But~ that wasn’t to say the current team of Autobus weren’t exactly adept at this type of cunning.

They wouldn’t detect this… he smiled as it loaded and disappeared into the endless weave of data. With this little program he would be able to directly control the security signals wirelessly! The hacking ware was already made to blend in with the normal source code and did nothing to interfere with the original data. Rather it simply manipulated its existing contents in a way that prevented undesired security data from being recorded at all by replacing it with loops or old content!

He could even set notifications to inform him where his teammates were at any given moment in relation to his proximity protocols. Though the latter would be a bit more difficult to multitask given the number of mechs on base currently not mentioning the drones. He wasn’t Soundwave after all, but given Ultra Magnus’s strict and highly predictable duty roster it would be easy to at least predict to a degree and play with the data accordingly. With a wireless uplink encrypted into his own comn system he would be able to manipulate the data from anywhere he could hold a signal! He could even mess with the visual feeds all he had to do was plan a little in advance. He smirked proudly at himself for his cunning. He knew stealing this tech from that one bounty hunter would be worth the risk some day! There would be no proof of when or who interwove this secondary program into the network.  Sure one could pick apart the encrypted code but that be no easy feat given who this code was originally designed by. Knockout inwardly mused.  In fact the tech had the mechs signature style and fingerprint all over it within the data. It was his work not Knockouts.

With no direct way to pin this back on him it would be highly unlikely the Autobots would have a leg to stand on. If they did find out and decrypt everything the data instantaneously erased its own contact code upon discovery. He would just have to be careful in how he used it and make careful calculations when best to leave the base undetected, AND when to return. He realized with a sinking feeling… The safest time would be during his off shifts… well there went his personal time… He felt tired just thinking about this…

Why did Starscream always have a way to make him feel so tired? He sighed. “because personal time is so important when you left a mech to blead out in the middle of nowhere” Knockout remembered the supplies he left would only last the seeker so long… He supposed he could rest some of the time at the secret facility he had left to Starscream when he had to. This could work, if he played his cards right… it had to work. Now if this would just hurry up and finish uploading already! Every second he sat waiting was a second he could be caught in the act. “Com on Com on…” he internally chanted.

A few minutes later the chip ejected itself from the access port and Knockouts data cable retracted the chip to tuck safely away under his armor compartment once again.

Well… only one way to find out if it actually worked…

with a test.

Knockout relaxed finally as he leaned back in his seat propping his foot onto the consul like he normally would before crossing them and making himself comfortable. One couldn’t be too hasty he still had to check his options after all. For a while He watched the normal boring evening events of the Autobot base. Drones chatting in the barracks and sharing energon rations. The guards outside the base carving the occasional Decepticon logos on the side of the base to be rebellious little punks. Knockout Laughed at that.  

Then he chanced the feed. He noticed with an irritated twitch of his optics that smokescreen was currently in the rec center buffing his finish in plain view of the cameras. He was doing it on purpose to taunt him… he knew it! Oh he would pay for this! Somehow…Eventually… However that gave him a thought.

Of course! Knockout sat forward and rubbed his chin guard a smirk forming on his porcelain face. “Now THAT is an idea!~” He cooed with a sly lilt in his tone. The perfect means to test out his little trick AND get his justified disserts! As the saying went He could have his Energon Cake and eat it too! Knockout checked the monitors and signal beacons once more as he devised his personal mission. “hummm Bulkheads in the Training bay… So is Wheeljack. Typical, they probably will need repairs tomorrow, oh goodie.” Knockout mumbled aloud to himself without fear of the security feed he had just set to loop above him.  Its protocols making it appear as if he was still leaning back in his chair unmoving as he was just moments before. “Signals indicate Arcee is in the recreational room talking to Ratchet and Bumblebee is in recharge. Meh… Ultra Magnus is in his office… Big surprise!” Knockout pretended to pinch the mechs helm between his pointer and thumb repeatedly before his optics caught the dreaded sight of that blue and yellow glint on another feed once more. “Now what is that kid doing… uhhhgg of course NOW Smokescreen is going to join the two Thick Helms in training! Doesn’t he know you are supposed to buff AFTER training NOT BEFORE! THAT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE YOU DOLT!” Knockout yelled at the tiny image of smokescreen and flicked the screen where the guard mech’s face resided.

Plink! He paused however when he noticed curiously that Wheeljack and Bulkhead were shaking their heads and pointing to Smokescreens arm, undoubtedly at the phase shifter.   “Hello… what is this? Only willing to play fair with buddy bruisers I see.” Knockout hummed intrigued as Smokescreen did the unthinkable and complied to his friends requests by taking off his “Signature weapon” and placing it within the nearby weapons locker in favor of sparing with Wheeljack.

“Well that’s interesting… never thought you took it off~ Primus knows you even bathed with it.” Knockout sneered but all the same storing that knowledge for a later time. He flicked the screen three more times for good measure, one for each Bolt Brained Bruiser.  

Plink, Plink, Plink!

With one last data sweep and every mech and fem accounted for on base Knockout finally activated his cryptic signal and began to input his subtle commands.

The security feeds leading directly to his personal quarters began to loop footage just as he had made the monitor rooms do. The footage being taken from the previous nights displayed nothing but empty halls all while his signal remained stationary in the monitor room. He shifted getting up from his seat Starscreams left over coolant stains dribbling down the back of the chair and mixing with the caked on dust falling off with each movement.

“Well, well it would seem there has been an unforeseen shift change for this evening Ultra Magnus” Knockout chuckled mockingly at the image of the unsuspecting Commander diligently logging reports from the confines of his office. Setting the monitor chair spinning casually Knockout sashayed to the exit. Before the door could close behind him he turned to giving one final mock salute, “See you Bright and SHINEY in the morning Sir~ HAH! HAHAHAH!” Oh he was going to savor this! His footfalls echoed unnoticed in the abandoned halls just as he had planned.

Operation OilBath was a go.