-Iacon City- Midday

"Another day, another rejection." Minimus said bitterly to herself as she walked the back alley to her shared apartment. This was her seventh rejection from the academy this joor alone. She wasn't rejected because of her lack of intelligence, nor was it for her lack of skill. She had plenty of skill when it boiled down to speed and hand-to-hand combat ... well, as hand-to-hand as a minicon could get. She always scored high marks on the written exams too. The med-bots at Iacon Medical Facility valued her for her ever present resourcefulness and creativity. It wasn't even the fact that she was a minicon that got her so many disappointing rejections, over and over again. No .. it wasn't because of her height, her intelligence, nor her lack of skill that was the bane of her existence .... it was her inability to transform. "It's not my fault I can't" She continued grumbling to nothing and no one in particular, "My body's structure is just too small to allot for a transformation cog, without putting too much strain on my spark..." she trailed off, with a quiet sob .. "Useless", that's what the proctor told her ... "Minicon's are valued solely for their speed and agility in their alt-mode .. without one their as good as dead .. especially couriers such as yourself, a courier with no alt mode is useless, and a liability. You would require extra back-up and an innumerable amount of time to complete your missions ... neither of which we can afford too spare." He began with a pointed look. "But sir!" Minimus replied despairingly " I'm perfectly capable of being a courier, even without an alt-mode! I have been delivering/retrieving data and supplies for Iacon Regional for six orns now! Chief Medical Officer Stronghammer has taken the liberty to recommend me to this academy! He has sent you numerous copies of my resume, and performance reports! He's even gone so far as to make me a junior apprentice ... but I can't be considered a proper apprentice until I complete the basic courses from the academy."

"Look, Minimus" sighed the insufferable proctor, " I'm not saying that you aren't a capable medic or courier, I'm saying you're too much of a risk and a liability to be considered for the academy." "I'm sorry, but we cant use a minicon that can't transform." He finished, with a final and a definite tone, then he just turned and walked away, leaving a stunned, and spark-broken minicon in his shadow.

"I'm not useless." Minimus sobbed again, " I could show them what kind of medic I could be, if only I had a chance .... Just one chance."

"What kind of medic would you be?" asked a deep, baritone voice, from out of nowhere.
"A slagging good one." She replied, -Wait a klik- she was alone a nano sec. ago wasn't she?? Slowly, ever so carefully she raised her head and looked around for the source of the voice, she could feel her fuel pump stop dead cold inside her chasis, for there sitting casually against the wall, with an amused smirk on his faceplates, was the most terrifying decepticon known to mech or Femme, the undisputed leader of the Decepticon's himself .... Lord Megatron E. ... -end flash back

-Decepticon Head Quarters- Corridor leading to med bay

"Last door on the right" he said, "cant miss it" he said, "just remember that and you'll be fine." Minimus repeated, "Fah, I'd be more fine if I wasn't stopped every five klik's to be poked and prodded." So far minimus wasn't off to a very good start. OKAY, ok, so the first mech she met wasn't so bad ... kronos(??) was his name, and he greeted her warmly enough ... albeit having a giant saber cat peer at you 4 inches from your face is a little disturbing, but it was better than some of the other mechs and femmes parading around the base. More than half of them almost stepped on her ... twice! One femme almost barreled her over with her running, mumbling something about being late. Another mech had made a grab for her while declaring loudly about how he was going to turn her into a ping-pong ball if he so much as heard her name again, for crossing HIS path.

The sound of muffled aggravated yelling to the right of her snapped her out of her musings. Nervousness began to build in her fuel tanks as she stood before the door of the med-bay, she wouldn't feel so bad if their wasn't someone yelling on the other side of the door. To late to leave now.... she was already branded and initiated ... nothing left to do except to "suck it up" and "guard her loins" ... Taking one final steadying breath she pushed the button to open the door and walked in ...

"ARE YOU SLAGGING LISTENING!!!??" growled an angry demolisher.

"NO! I MEAN YES! I MEAN ...ummm .. pass?" stuttered the multi blue mech, that stood before him

"GRAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" demolisher roared at the mech's reply, he was practically oozing anger vibes, if lightening struck with as much intensity as the crackling white circuitry emitting from his eyes, it would send a star to go supernova. Behind him, some med assists; a blue mech and femme stood sniggering over his shoulder at the other mech.

"Look here, you malfunctioning little .." Demolisher began, the anger vibes surrounding him increasing alarmingly in strength. 'Uh-oh, minimus thought, 'it's going to take hours for him to finish his tangent the way he's wound up, better do something while I can still be heard..'

"Demolisher, Sir!" minimus began, trying her best to project her voice with out yelling.
"WHAT!??!!" snapped demolisher irritably as he looked for the source of the interruption for his beautiful tirade.
"Down here sir!" Minimus called from her place at his feet, trying her best not to flinch away from his piercing gaze.
"And who are you??" Demolisher questioned, narrowing his optics slightly.
"I am Minicon Minimus sir!" she replied with a sharp salute "I was commanded by Lord Megatron himself to be a part of your squad. Sir!" she concluded.

"Is that so?" questioned demolisher with a raised optic ridge, "And what, pray tell am I supposed to do with a slagging mini-con, who can't transform? hmm???"

Minimus felt her fuel tanks clench, and her air intakes hitch, under his critical gaze, he knew?? how did he .....???

"Know?" demolisher finished her thought as he began to circle her form. "Lord Megatron sent me your background information, two solar cycles ago, I was expecting you." he concluded, stopping in front of her. Silently staring at her with an unreadable gaze, then silence settled more heavily than the weight of his scrutiny over her being.

Minimus couldn't take it, it was all too familiar, the test, the interviews, the silence that followed after her handicap was announced to the world. Silence, then rejection ... she couldn't do it again ... she just couldn't ...

"Well Minimus..." Demolisher started while he turned to walk away. " I expect you to be here at 0200 sharp tomorrow solar cycle to begin your training. Not a minute later or else I'll weld your aft to the ceiling. Dismissed, all of ya, OUT!"

Her pump beat twice, then she was so overcome by the relief that she swore her legs melted. "Yes Sir!" She answered, before giving one final salute, and marching out the door. "Welcome to the medsquad Minimus! " called the blue femme as she began to leave .. Minmus merely glanced and nodded before continuing on her way... She supposed today wasn't such a bad day after all.

-FIN-