an AU nobody asked but i want to share so i can sleep peacefully
writing this down (and publishing ho ho hoo, pay attentio to meee) so i can take this out of my mind and sleep
ok ok ok so an AU where things go a bit differently than they do in SotW. all a lot. ... definetly a lot. this is a long one, let's put a read more.
Wreckers get down to Nosemaze and everything is going smoothly but a stray lazer hits Prowl. was it friendly fire or one of Tarantulas chimeracons? who knows but it sure found its mark. Prowl goes down. like some one got really lucky there (or unlucky, i like to think Impactor isn't that good at aiming or more like he doesnt care to aim).
Tarantulas doesn't take this well at all, goes ballistics (or the more he already was in this point) and swoops to craddle deadly wounded Prowl who dies in his arms. no last words from only pained gasp and that's how the most horrible autobot's life ends. (probably his last thoughst were 'so it ended like this :/'). Tarantulas ... is ... livid? not only his plan has failed but now his muse is dead thanks to these hooligans. so he escapes with Prowl's frame and Wreckers are left there with the still kicking chimeracons with "okay what now? pros are the intelligence that Prowl holds can't be leaked but we did kinda lost the mark but... eh, let's blow this place up and ... regroup somewhere."
Then Overlord comes and he is taken down by Impactor's and Springer's teamwork, Unicron happens and new Cybertron is found, life goes forward and society prospers.
Springer doesn't really know how to adabt to life in a peaceful society so he travels through space with his crew of other misfits exploring unhabited planets and taking back geology samples for mining companies and other interested parties. they are hired muscle basicly.
the planet he lands is as drab as the other four he has landed. they find some promising looking rocks to their client to take back. but on his way back to the ship Springer falls down to a ravine that is just big enough for him to fit through in his root mode but so narrow he can't transformer to a helicopter and fly out. to insult the injury his com unit can't reach his crew nor his ship so he is stuck on the bottom of the ravine. before he starts to try to climb out from his trap he hears a noise behind him.
it's Prowl. or someone who looks very much like Prowl. but who doesn't behave like the cold second in command he got used to know. no this door wing framed person waves at him and starts asking questions. like who Springer is and how he got here and does he transform in to a vehicle or an animal. Springer thinks he has hit his head and this is some sort of processor malfuction but the not-Prowl asks him to follow after learning Springer can't get out. so he follows not-Prowl who has said his designation is Esperos to deeper into the ravine and into a tunnel that leads to a cave.
where there is Tarantulas. who doesn't look happy at all seeing Springer with Esperos who runs to meet Tarantulas and starts talking how he found Springer from that one ravine and how he can stay please please please. Tarantulas agrees, if reluctantly but Springer can stay not be shot for finding his new secret lair.
so starts Springer's weirdest days of his life. Esperos who still looks very much like Prowl to him pester Springer with questions and want his attention all the time. Springer learns every little nook of the laboratory wanted he or not and he hears all the theories young Esperos has about outside world. it would be cute if Esperos just wasn't a carbon copy of Prowl.
But after Tarantulas gets used to Springer and accepts he won't be a threat to him or Esperos Springer learns why Esperos looks like Prowl. because he is Prowl. in a way. Esperos frame is constructed from Prowl's part. his OS straight copy and his spark pulses same frequence as Prowl's did. and then Springer learns Tarantulas tried to resurect Prowl but failed dozen time because every time the frame woke up it wasn't Prowl even when it had Prowl's memories. After fifteen tries Tarantulas accepted he couldn't have Prowl and decided then to make the perfect successor.
if that wasn't disturbing at all then next part is. because Tarantulas is grooming Esperos to be the next top warlord of the galaxy. and he has already troops. there's rows after rows battle drones in a storage that answer only to Esperos (and Tarantulas but they are ment for Esperos). and Esperos is kinda okay with this plan. now he's a bit indifferent about the galaxy and ruling over it but if "that's what Ma always wanted Pa always says so" then sure he is looking forward for that. he just isn't in a rush to fulfil his destiny.
Springer is having a panic attack. here he is, a guest in a mad scientist lab who has a plan to start a new war and the drone army's leader is an adolescent. Springer considers his options. option one would be "blow the base up and be done with that" and it really sounds like something Impactor would tell. option number two is "talk to Tarantulas and make him see errors in his way" but that didn't work well last time or so it seemed to Springer. option three is "get the kid out of here so he can't conquer anything".
That evening Springer starts to talk to Esperos more about galaxy wide war and turns out Esperos has only seen this planet. Springer will admit he isn't the cleverest person (he has shared room with Perceptor) but cogs start to turn. "So, Esperos, do you want to see what other things there are in the universum?" "Yeah?" "So how about we go to an adventure." "Okay! I'll tell Pa first!" "No no no. No. It wouldn't be an adventure if he knew. Let's just keep this thing quiet between you and me." "Okay!"
So when night falls Esperos leads Springer to planet's surface leaving Tarantulas to recharge. On the surface Springer takes lead and takes them to his ship and the crew. After a quick introduction "this here is Esperos he's coming with us" the ship takes of the planet and speeds out. While piloting the ship Springer starts to have this nagging feeling about his plan. Like this could have gone better. Like this isn't... wasn't morally sound plan. Like he might have screwd something up.