A/N: Ransack = pre-Beast Wars Rattrap, just so everyone's clear.

Salvage

"Are you certain sending them out together is a good idea?" Optimus asks, glancing down at the woman by his side.

"They were assigned to one another," Lady Une says, crossing her arms over her chest as she watches the scene folding out in front of her: Ransack refusing to transform and Duo throwing his hands up in the air, threatening to walk off. Of course, Ransack tells him to go right ahead, it's no chrome off his dentals, and this leads to Duo suggesting that some alterations can, and should, be made.

"They'll have to get along eventually," the Preventer says.

Optimus makes an uneasy sound, because he isn't so sure these two can sort their troubles out. They're frighteningly similar and at the same time vastly different, and Optimus knows enough to know that walking contradictions rarely compliment each other.

"I hope you're right," the Autobot leaders mumbles, watching as Ransack finally transforms, but drives off before Duo can mount him. This leaves Duo fuming, cursing words the mech has never heard before but make Une clear her throat, all but scolding him.

"I know, I know," Duo snaps, though he doesn't mean to take it out on his superior. "But – but, come on, Lady! You can't seriously expect me to work with that hunk of junk!"

"I do," she confirms, a small smile tugging at her lips. There's just something amusing about the way this young man flails. "And do watch your language in the presence of our guests."

He clearly mutters something about all of them being wastes of metal, but ultimately sighs and rakes a hand through his bangs. "Whatever. If you want me out there scouting, you can get his ass back here."

Une and Optimus exchange glances. She nods, and he slowly radios in to the other mech. The argument that follows is one of the strangest Duo has ever witnessed. Until now, he thought only Trowa could argue in a way that was polite and biting all at once. Once all is said and done and the motorcycle is on his way back to Preventer headquarters, Duo is shaking his head, sighing.

"The chances only one of us comes back from this are pretty high, you know that, right?"

Optimus makes that uneasy sound again, but Une simply offers him an almost-coy smile. "Get to work, Mr. Maxwell."

Scouting goes as predicted: horribly. Duo hates the fact that he's being forced to rely on this machine, and he doesn't care how alive it is, it's still just a damn piece of mechanics to him. He, like Heero, hates the fact that these aliens were careless and destroyed the peace they had fought so hard to obtain. He hates everything about this mess.

Ransack has a general dislike of nearly everything, but he really doesn't care for the fact that he's being forced into a partnership, and with a human no less. Humans are weak and frail and can do nothing to help their cause, he doesn't care how street-smart or tough they're supposed to be. He'd like to see this braided loud-mouth try his hand against Megatron; he bets that'd turn out real good.

They argue a lot while on patrol, toss insults at one another carelessly and inevitably wind up returning to headquarters not on speaking terms.

This happens every time they're sent out together. They argue going out and they're silent coming back, but Lady Une doesn't see the problem with this despite the complaints.

She knows it's the silence that really counts, not the razor-blade words.

Weeks pass, and one of their routine arguments is coming to a slow halt.

"I could do wonders with all the parts you're wastin'," Duo says snidely, only half-kidding. He personally would love to get his hands on Ransack and see just what makes him tick.

"Try it," the motorcycle sneers back, taking a sharp turn, but isn't quite able to shake the man off. One day, he swears he will; that iron grip of Duo's will falter eventually.

"Don't tempt me," Duo retorts, and he means it.

"I'm shakin', pal. I'm shakin'."

Duo sighs out loud, a half-hearted grin on his lips. He's about to say something witty, perhaps cruel, when a good portion of the street in front of them is blown away. Concrete goes flying and cars skid and people scatter and this isn't good.

"You gotta be shitting me," Duo groans as he dismounts Ransack once the motorcycle's come to a stop.

"Wonderful," Ransack mutters, transforming, optics on the sky. "Seekers."

"Great," Duo huffs, more frustrated than anything. "If I had Deathscythe – "

"Yeah, well, ya don't, do ya?" Ransack is quit to state, taking out a pistol and aiming at one of the jets in the sky. "All ya got is me right now, so get outta the slaggin' way or you're gonna get scrapped."

For once, Duo has nothing to say. He stares and thinks as he watches the silver and gold robot fire at the approaching Decepticons, hitting his mark each time.

"Ya deaf or somethin'?" Ransack snaps. "Move!"

"Going soft, Ransack?" a red and white seeker goads from above. "Not only did you desert the Decepticons in favor of the Autobots, but now you protect the humans as well? How pathetic!"

Ransack mutters under his breath, red optics dimming for a moment, but he's quick to regain himself and fire repeatedly on the smart-mouthed antagonist. While there's a moment's peace, he turns quickly to Duo, who's still in the same place Ransack told him not to be just seconds ago.

"Look, I know we don't like each other or nothin', but whether we like or not, we got orders," Ransack says, and his tone is serious for the first time since they've met. "An' my orders are t'make sure ya don't get killed in this war. So when I say move, you move, got it?"

Duo gapes a second longer before nodding, a faint smirk on his lips. "Never woulda thought you had a loyal," he pauses, struggles to find the right word, "circuit in you. I'm impressed. Considering what that dolt you shot down said." It's a low blow, he knows, but one he couldn't resist taking.

"Yeah, well," Ransack does this thing with his optics, making it look as though the lights inside his cranium actually roll, "s'a long story."

Duo hums in thought for a few seconds, then looks around and notices the seekers are retreating, the other two are carting off the injured one. He turns his attention back to Ransack, shrugs with one shoulder and says, "I got time."

Ransack's optics widen, then he smirks at the human in front of him. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

Because orders are orders and he's not going to go wrong this time, and maybe working with this braided guy won't be so bad after all.

And, Duo thinks simultaneously, maybe he can learn to like Ransack, if he tries hard enough. Because even if he isn't Deathscythe, he deserves a chance – something he assumes no one else has ever given him before. Except maybe for Prime, but even then Duo has his doubts that the Autobot leader has complete trust in the turncoat.

They return to headquarters, silent, but Une doesn't fail to notice the different air around them.

"You should gave radioed for help," she scolds, never letting on she's inwardly pleased the tension between them is slowly being vanquished. "It was reckless of – "

"Eh," Ransack interrupts, a smug grin on his mandibles, "it was nothin' I – er, we couldn't handle."

"We?" Une presses on, intrigued.

"We," the pair confirms, and they like the sound of that.