Priss Morgan watched while Megatron directed the opening moves,
then collapsed her electrobinoculars and tucked them into one of her
belt pouches.  She was in the middle of a simulated warzone without
authorization, after all.  It wouldn't do to get so focused on her
distant target that she lost awareness of her immediate surroundings.
        She was on the upper level of a ruined building whose original
purpose she could no longer discern; it offered an excellent vantage
point from which to observe the Blue command post, and also a good,
quick and discreet exit, should a Red scout have the same idea.  Priss
had no intention of interfering with the game.  She just wanted to
watch.
        As she watched the Blue-team Decepticons at work below, her ear
caught the sound of someone entering the structure from below.  Whoever
it was was moving very quietly indeed - astonishingly quietly, if the
new arrival was a Transformer - and she had only seconds to decide
whether to try for concealment or make her escape.  She opted for the
former, curious as to who it was, since it was unlikely that anyone from
the Red side had reached this area yet.
        A moment later, an indistinct figure emerged from the empty lift
shaft at the back of the room and crept forward, keeping low.  For a
second Priss thought he was using thermoptic camouflage, until she took
a closer look and saw that he was just making very effective use of a
conventional urban-camo overspray - and once she knew that, she
recognized the silhouette immediately.
        "Bumblebee," she whispered, easing out from her cover.
        The Autobot intelligence chief turned his head and spotted her,
but didn't look particularly surprised; he eased closer, moving almost
silently, and settled down at the edge of the broken wall, about where
she had been, to begin his own observations.  With a small gesture, he
indicated that she should move up beside him, then offered her a comlink
cable so they could converse silently through her neuroprocessor.
        "I see I'm not the only one who had the idea of a little
unauthorized close-up observation," he said cheerfully.
        "Aren't the 'Cons going to be suspicious if you're not with
Prime's party at the official observation point?" Priss replied.
        Bumblebee smirked slightly.  "Nah, nobody ever notices if I'm
not there.  It's part of my job.  I'm like the wind!  Or as much like
the wind as a bright yellow '69 Dodge can be, anyway."
        They watched the Decepticons at work for several minutes in
silence; then Priss said, "Now that you mention it, there's something
I've been wondering."
        "Shoot."
        "I've seen file holos of you.  You used to be a classic Beetle."
        Bumblebee nodded.  "Yep.  I liked that alt.  It was nice and
unobtrusive, which was a very good thing at the time."
        "Why'd you change?"
        "I got sued by Volkswagen for trademark infringement."
        Priss blinked.  "... Seriously."
        "Uh-huh."
        "Doesn't Volkswagen own Lamborghini?  Why isn't Sideswipe in the
same boat?"
        Bumblebee shrugged.  "Scrapped if I know.  Probably because he
looks good on the posters."  The Autobot scanned the Blue camp one more
time, then shifted his weight and started getting up.  "Welp, nothing
much going on here right now.  I'm gonna head over and see if I can get
an optic on what the Reds are up to.  You want a lift?"
        "Nah, I'm gonna stay on Megatron for a while."
        "Okay, suit yourself.  Just keep your head down, yeah?  Human
armor's not too tough."
        "I bet you say that to all the girls," said Priss with a smile.
She disconnected the cable, gave him a wave as he left, and then settled
down to keep watching.

OK, that's as hilarious a combination of fiction and true events as I could ask for. :)

Nice touch, using a simple, passive (but good-enough-for-the-situation) method rather than a fancy active one.

>the wind as a bright yellow '69 Dodge can be, anyway."

Let me guess.

Super Bee?

>>the wind as a bright yellow '69 Dodge can be, anyway."
>
>Let me guess.
>
>Super Bee?

Well, yeah, I mean, it's the logical thing. When word reached me that they'd made him a full-size car in the IDW comics, my instant thought was "They're idiots if they don't do that." Of course, they didn't, and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they just weren't allowed to, not that they're actual idiots. But hey! I'm not GM's licensing bitch.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Admin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

>>Super Bee?
>
>Well, yeah, I mean, it's the logical thing. When word reached me that
>they'd made him a full-size car in the IDW comics, my instant thought
>was "They're idiots if they don't do that." Of course, they didn't,
>and I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they just
>weren't allowed to, not that they're actual idiots. But hey!
>I'm not GM's licensing bitch.

Oddly, I'm not sure if they've shown 'Bee's new vehicle mode in the IDW comics -- or if they have, I've missed it. All I've seen is him looking boxier in robot mode, symptoms of the armor shape change. I'll have to double check to make sure.

-- Philip

	Philip J. Moyer Contributing Writer, Editor and Artist (and Moderator) -- Eyrie Productions, Unlimited CEO of MTS, High Poobah Of Artwork, and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios "Insert Pithy Comment Here"