Nathan knew that transformation wasn't just about disguise. It was about tactical mobility.
A bipedal robot could only run so fast. A jet or a tank could cross a battlefield in seconds.
Usually, a Cybertronian could only scan one alt-mode. Switching from a tank to a jet required a total biological rewrite because the weapon modules would conflict. This was why most bots stuck to one form for eons. Megatron was always a jet (or a tank). Optimus was always a truck.
Triple Changers are the exception, Nathan mused. Shockwave's twisted experiments. Blitzwing, Astrotrain... freaks of nature who can be everything at once.
But Nathan wasn't a Triple Changer. He was a grunt with a limited budget.
"Lord Scalpel, I can't decide just by looking. What do these do?"
"Ugh..." Scalpel rubbed his faceplate. "Fine. Sending data now."
[ INCOMING TRANSMISSION ]
Nathan's HUD populated with specs:
Heavy Anti-Material Rifle (Arm-Mounted): High penetration. Single shot. Good against armor.Cons: Low fire rate. No splash damage.Heavy Ion Cannon (Arm-Mounted): High explosive damage. Area of effect.Cons: Slow projectile speed. Terrible accuracy.Multi-Pod Rocket Launcher (Shoulder-Mounted): Fires salvo of tracking micro-missiles.Cons: Low individual damage. Missiles can be intercepted.
Hmm. Choices.
Nathan analyzed his current loadout.
His right arm had a grenade launcher. It was powerful but inaccurate; he couldn't hit a moving car if his life depended on it.
His chest had a 12.6mm machine gun. Good for suppression, but fixed forward.
I need versatility.
Option 1 is good for sniping, but I'm not a sniper. Option 2 is basically my grenade launcher but bigger.
Option 3... Auto-aim.
In a chaotic firefight against fast targets (like Autobots or fighter jets), accuracy was king. Tracking missiles meant he didn't have to aim perfectly.
"I'll take the Rocket Launcher," Nathan decided.
"But," he added quickly, "I want to reconfigure my hardpoints."
"Reconfigure?" Scalpel groaned. "You are demanding."
"My grenade launcher is trash," Nathan said bluntly. "Remove it. Move my chest machine gun to my right arm. Then install the Rocket Launcher on my left shoulder."
This way, I have a flexible machine gun for close range and tracking missiles for long range.
"Fine, fine," Scalpel waved a claw. "Get on the table. Turn off your pain sensors."
...
[ SURGICAL PROCEDURE: INITIATED ]
Nathan disabled his tactile feedback. He felt nothing as Scalpel cut into his chassis, rerouting power conduits and welding new mounts.
The logic of Weapon Modules vs. Handheld Weapons was simple.
Handheld weapons (like Hound's arsenal) needed external ammo. Once you ran dry, you were just holding a metal club.
Weapon Modules (integrated weapons) used Energy-to-Matter Conversion. They drew directly from the bot's Core to fabricate ammo on the fly. As long as Nathan had energy, he had bullets.
My machine gun uses negligible energy. The rockets will cost more per shot, but they're infinite.
...
[ PROCEDURE COMPLETE ]
[ SYSTEM REBOOTING... ]
Nathan opened his eyes. He sat up and flexed his right arm. The panels shifted, revealing the triple-barrels of his rotary cannon, now integrated seamlessly into his forearm.
He checked his left shoulder. A pod housing six micro-missiles sat flush against his armor.
[ SYSTEM STATUS: T-22 ]
Class: Middle-Tier Warrior (Elite Config)Armor: Titanium AlloyWeapon 1: 12.6mm Rotary Cannon (Right Arm)Weapon 2: Tracking Missile Pod (Left Shoulder)Energy: 86%
Nathan clenched his fist. The servos whined with new power.
"Excellent."
He was still a Middle-Tier Warrior. His reactor output hadn't changed. But his combat efficiency had skyrocketed.
T-19 and the others were still using standard-issue blasters and manganese armor. In a 1v1, Nathan would scrap them in seconds.
I'm maxed out, he realized. This is the best I can get without a Spark.
Hardware upgrades are done. Now I need software.
I need the AllSpark.
The lab doors hissed open.
"Three days are up," Scalpel announced, looking at the door.
Heavy footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Starscream had returned.