#Shuriken Striper and Cryo are a helicopter and two planes

[radioactivepeasant]

Fic Prompts: Transformers Tuesday

Cybertron was massive. Covered in sprawling cities and home to sentient technological lifeforms, one could be forgiven for assuming it was all function and noise. But Cybertron actually hosted a diverse ecosystem -- all mechanical, of course, but similar enough in concept that someone from an organic world could see the wildlife for what it was.

What it was at the moment, Shrift decided, was an utter nuisance.

"Shuriken, the spider-bots got into the supplies!" the small neutral complained.

The large Decepticon looked over from the shelter he and his brothers were trying to put together and cursed under his breath. "Ah no, they've wrecked the signal booster! So much for long-range comms."

"I guess we just...wait until the next cycle and hope another patrol notices us?" Striper suggested when Shrift and Shuriken returned to the shelter.

Shuriken shook his head. "This far out on the bluffs? Only sentients we're liable to meet are Autobots. And I don't think anybody here wants that."

"Nope," Shrift agreed, wincing.

"Not really, no," Cryo muttered.

"Hard pass," Striper shuddered, rattling his wings. "But, uh...should we be worried about anything else?"

The other members of his gestalt looked at him suspiciously. "How so?" Cryo asked.

Striper shrugged. "We never get sent on important missions. We're bait for Combiner hunters. So why would Starscream send us out to the bluffs?"

They'd all considered this, of course, but saying it out loud seemed to be tempting fate. As if on cue, the ground began to rumble and shake.

"You just had to say it," Cryo hissed.

And then the Driller erupted from the ground.