#mtmte cargo

“…”

“Umm—”

“Shush!” The minibot shoved their digit at the Prime to silence him. There was a strange flicker in their vizor.

“You mind repeating what you just so happened to tell me just now Co-Captain.” Their voice was small yet razor sharp.

The kind of voice that almost screams ‘This is a trap! Approach with caution!’

But since when did the red Prime heed such cautions?

Rodimus narrowed his optics a bit. “Its Captain—”

“Co-Captain. Megatron is your partner now sir.” The minibot interrupted him again.

Rodimus noticed the slight flicker Megatron gave to the smaller bot.

Great, not even 5 minutes on this ship and the ex-Con was already making things difficult. He bet that Megatron put them up to this.

“You mean to tell me that there is a minibot, who looks exactly like me, has the same model, same color scheme, bursts at the seams when he panics and is named Tailgate?”

Magnus spoke up. “I believe he calls it his panic?”

Rodimus shook his helm. “No, I think its ‘getting his panic on’.”

The minibot went silent again before turning to Megatron.

“Co-Captain, I need to… take care of some business. I’ll be present for the meeting in the next 2 cycles.”

Megatron blinked in surprise as Rodimus started fuming a bit.

“I think you need to be telling that to me—HEY!”

“Cargo!” Megatron yelped as the minibot suddenly transformed and raced out into the corridor.

“This can’t be good.” Magnus grumbled already typing out a ship wide memo and warning to Tailgate about his look a like currently searching for him.

“Maybe telling them right away wasn’t the best idea.” Rodimus said.

Magnus side eyed the younger Co-Captain. “You don’t say?”

“Shut it Megatron!”

“I haven’t spoken?”

“You’re already causing the ship problems!”

Megatron sighed while he was internally bashing his helm against a wall.

Magnus grunted a bit, drawing attention back to the subject. “Perhaps we should go find… erm…”

“Their name is Cargo.” Megatron stated.

“Cargo, then.” Magnus typed into his datapad.

Rodimus gave the grey mech a side eye. “How do you know?”

Megatron gave him an exasperated look. “Because they told me?”

“I think you’re lying.”

“Why would I lie about that?!”

…

…

…

Cargo really shouldn’t have gone out like that. Not exactly the best first impression to give to two of the most important mechs on the ship. But who could blame them? They just found out their long-lost twin, a twin they believed for centuries was dead, was alive and on this ship. Of course that was going to be their new priority!

Though, they should have stuck around to see about the ship’s layout. This entire place was a giant maze! Too many rooms and random bots! At least it was a concentrated area, and they didn’t have to search an entire planet, so there was a silver lining.

“Hey watch it!”

“Hey!”

“Slow down or you’re going to end up in the medbay again!”

Cargo paid no attention to the dozens of bots they passed through the halls. Though the occasional comment would linger in their processor.

‘What did they mean by ending up in the medbay again? What happened to Tailgate before to warrant the warning?’

It was both a blessing and a curse that they had chosen to go back to their original frame. Blessing because not many bots bothered to stop them, probably thinking that they were Tailgate. Curse because they were referred to as Tailgate.

They had done it not too long ago when the shop was doing much better. Blurr had managed to finally convince the minibot to get rid of their war frame and try something new, something less intimidating.

Or as intimidating as you can get being a minibot.

Cargo had their new frame resemble much of what they had before the war started.

Before Tailgate had gone missing.

All they wanted to do was get a bit ‘closer’ to their deceased twin.

Verity had mentioned once about how humans would dress or do things their past loved ones once did in order to feel like they were never truly gone. And with the eve of Tailgate’s official disappearance looming over, Cargo decided to do the practice.

They even managed to get in his similar colors and slight kibble modification before the summoning. There wasn’t much time to change back into their war frame for the journey, so they ended up joining the ship looking like a ghost of their past.

Well, former ghost now.

The sound of music and laughter made them stop. Transforming, the minibot looked at the room where the noise was coming from.

A bar.

Good place to start!

Walking into the bar, the first thing Cargo realized was the music wasn’t Cybertronian. There were no sounds of the familiar clashes of metal and brass wire sounds the modern take had. No, this wasn’t Cybertronian music, rather these were songs they recognized from their stay on Earth. It was a bit strange to hear the familiar melodies once again.

On Cybertron many bots were trying to reconstruct old music and it was becoming more common to hear. Of course, there was still a small group that managed to obtain Earth music, but it wasn’t commonly heard. Blurr sometimes played a few of those songs in his bar, but it was usually late at night and amongst those he considered close friends and family.

Cargo was considered one of those bots.

But why play those songs hear?

They were sure that roughly half of the bots on this ship hadn’t spent much time on Earth enough to appreciate the music.

Maybe the bartender or the Captain was a fan?

The second thing they realized was that they had no idea on what to do when they did see Tailgate.

If you had asked this question to Cargo during the first few months Tailgate was missing, they would have given you a long list of what to do.

But now? They didn’t have the slightest clue.

Maybe hug him?

Maybe pick him up and twirl?

Maybe hit his helm and shake him for not bothering to let them know he was alive?

Maybe cry?

Maybe scream at him for having the nerve to go missing for millions of years?

Maybe ask if he felt as alone as they did when they finally accepted that he wasn’t coming back to them?

Would he even recognize them as his twin?

So many things had changed since he had gone missing, a war happened for Primus sakes!

… Would he still want them around?

A pair of sharp claws snatched them out of their racing thoughts. Literally.

“GAH!”

They gasped as they were dropped into a high seat at the bar counter. The ‘attack’ had come from their blind side and the minibot was less than happy about it.

Cargo was a bit ‘touchy’ about things hitting them from that side of their frame. It was already hard enough to adapt to having just one functioning optic and phantom pains flaring up on that side of the helm. Having some unknown object or unwanted touch wasn’t exactly ‘good’.

“Lost there, Panic Button?”

The minibot froze as they turned to look at the offending bot more closely. Something about him seemed too familiar…

The bot was clearly a victim of Empurata procedure, poor thing had his face, hands and pedes replaced. Yet, he showed no signs of being bothered or upset. In fact, if the teal copter bot had a face, Cargo could almost say he was smug.

A clawed servo was on the bar counter as the bot leaned his helm on it, lazily drinking his energon cube with a curly straw.

The single bright yellow optic bore into their visor so hard that they were sure he could see their single working optic.

“…ey. Hey! HEY! ANYBOT HOME? Lost Light to Panic Button!” The bot yelled while knocking the blind side of their helm.

Cargo immediately swatted his clawed servo away and glared at him.

The bot chuckled and dramatically gasped.

“You’re glaring at little ol’ me? My, my, my. I’ve taught you well!”

Cargo wasn’t entirely sure whether this bot was joking or not.

“What are you doing to him?” A voice from behind asked making the minibot jump.

Cargo turned around and nearly had a spark attack.

It was their old friend Chromedome! Oh Primus it had been ages since they had seen the mech! He always came down to the shop with Prowl and Rewind before the war had started. They had always wondered where he might have ended up.

Wait, where was Rewind?

If Prowl was back on Cybertron, surely Rewind had to be close by.

The copter bot rolled his optic at Chromedome.

“Looky here! Finally decided to join the bots in the land of the living I see.”

What did Copter bot mean by that?

 “Panic Button finally gave a good glare for once.”

Chromedome huffed. “That’s not possible.”

“Totally is possible!”

Wait, who was the ‘he’ the two were referring to too?

Maybe it was Tailgate?

Chromedome crossed his arms tighter.

“Just… take things easy on him. You know that he is still recovering from—”

“The whole cybercrosis. Yeah, yeah. But Ratchet and First aid already gave him the clean bill of health already. I mean look at him!”

CYBERCROSIS?!

WHAT IN PRIMUS’S NAME HAPPENED TO THEIR TWIN ON THIS SHIP!?

Chromedome and the other bot noticed how quiet the minibot was being.

“Maybe you were right about Panic Button not being alright. He looks a bit spacy.”

The copter bot poked their helm again.

“Yo Panic Button. You’re being extra quiet today. Taking sulking lessons from Cyclonus?”

“Whirl stop poking him.”

The rest of the conversation fell on deaf audials.

Whirl.

The Empurata victim sitting right next to them… was Whirl.

Their sweet neighbor watchmaker.

The one bot that made them feel like things weren’t so bleak after accepting tailgate was gone.

The bot who they shared many late-night talks and shared dinners.

The bot they were going to ask out on dates in the future.

The bot they helped house when his whole world was literally burning to the ground.

The bot who disappeared the next morning without a trace.

The next bot they had to mourn for.

… Was sitting right next to them.

Whirl poked their helm again, this time a bit worried that he had somehow broken the minibot.

“Hey Tailgate—”

“WHIRL!”

The copter bot let out a yelp as the white and light blue minibot launched themselves at him. Effectively toppling them both to the ground.

The mini had their arms wrapped tightly around his neckcables, their faceplate smushed between said cables and chassis.

“YOU’RE ALIVE! YOU’RE ALIVE!”

A chocked sob escaped from the minibot as their frame began to rack up an ugly sob.

Whirl was now convinced of two things.

That one, Tailgate had officially lost it.

And two, he was going to be blamed for this.

By now a small crowd had started forming. Little whispers and muttering of bots not quite sure on what to do.

Do they remove Tailgate from Whirl?

Or do they wait for him to calm down and get Whirl?

Whirl tried to get the minibot off him but was surprised to hear more sobs and tiny servos tightening their grip. What scared him more was the sob the smaller bot was making. He had heard many sobs in his lifetime, but this one?

This sounded mournful… and relieved?

This was nothing like Tailgate’s usual panicked sobs.

Something was wrong.

“I THOUGHT YOU DIED! YOU—YOU—”

Yep, something was Definity wrong with Tailgate.

“Umm, why is your voice kinda weird?”

“YOU LEFT ME! YOU LEFT AND YOU DIDN’T COME BACK!”

Whirl was really uncomfortable at this point.

Not just because of the physical touch he was not used to receiving, but the fact that Tailgate sounded a bit off… yet familiar. It was an itch his processor was trying to make sense.

Everyone at the bar was beyond confused.

Chromedome was the first to try and get them off of Whirl... with little success.

“Hey now, let’s get off of Whirl and—and you’re crying harder… Does anyone have optics on Cyclonus?”

The bar grew silent, well, except for the still sobbing minibot clutching the ex-wrecker like a lifeline.

It was at that moment when Cyclonus and Tailgate entered the bar.

It was also at this exact moment where you could hear processor gears simultaneously going into overdrive and stopping.

There were two Tailgate’s?!

Chromedome turned to Brainstorm with an accusing look.

“What did you do?”

“I am responsible for many things on this ship. This is not one of them.”

“Then explain why there are two—"

“CARGO!?” Tailgate yelled.

The minibot who had been sobbing on Whirl suddenly stopped, jerked their helm up and looked around. Their visor landing straight on Tailgate.

“TAILGATE!” They screamed, harshly letting go of the copter bot and racing to the other white minibot.

Tailgate was already halfway there.

Both mini’s sprinted for each other, crashing to the ground in a mess of hugs, cracking armor and one cracked visor.

Not that Cargo cared.

Nothing else mattered in that moment.

Tailgate, their beloved twin they thought had been lost amongst the stars, was in their arms.

“I THOUGHT I’D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!” Cargo managed to say, not even trying to stifle their sobs.

“YOUR’E HERE! YOU’RE REALLY HERE!” Tailgate yelled as he pulled away slightly to get a better look at his twin’s face.

He gasped a bit seeing the cracked visor.

“Oh Primus I’m so sorry! First time I see you again and I’m already making a mess! Here let me get that.”

“Tailgate wait—”

Tailgate was not prepared to see one working optic in his twin’s helm.

“Wh-What—”

“Old war injury. Nothing big.”

“Nothing big!? Wait you went to war?!”

Cargo raised their optic at their twin. “You do realize there was a war, right?”

“I was trapped in the Mitteous Plateau for the past 6 million years; I didn’t know what time of day it was.”

“Excuse me you were WHERE!?”

The twins, sucked into their own little world, failed to notice the Co-Captains enter the bar and filling in the others of the sibling reunion. It certainly helped fill in the context. Brainstorm made sure that Chromedome apologized for his assumptions… even though making duplicates of bots he knows is not out of Brainstorm’s science ways.

Maybe he could do it later when things cool down?

Unbeknownst to everyone, a certain Ex-Wrecker was getting hit with some ‘lovely’ flashbacks of his time with Cargo.

And by lovely, he meant by being attacked by the feeling again.

He had long since made peace with the fact that Cargo must have gone offline during the beginning of the war and buried the feeling along with their memory.

But seeing them, knowing that they were right here? The feeling had come rushing back with full force.

Whirl needed to burry that thing before it caused anymore issues. There were other things to think about.

Just going to put this out there.

For the best results, let Tailgate find out because Cargo told him.

Not because he is going to panic otherwise.

No, No, No.

Its for everyone's protection.

Whirl is going to want vengeance of course.

Cyclonus calls it justice.

Tailgate is going to rip someone's helm off.

You mean to tell him the reason that Cargo has been jumpy and tense as a steel rod was because the bot who hurt them was roaming freely on the ship?!

His dear twin who was so brave and strong was put through more challenges because of HIM!?

It took weeks for Cargo to finally fix this watch.

Thank Primus for YouTube!

Tailgate, after going through a bit of an emotional rollercoaster after hearing that his twin has a thing for Whirl, recruits the other minis to help.

Whirl is very surprised to open his door to see Cargo on Tailgate's shoulders (wobbling) presenting a watch while rambling about taking him out.

Swerve and Rewind are recording this and the designated moral support.

Cargo KNOWS who this bot is.

Do they want to say who it is?

Nope.

Are they going to do everything they can to not talk to this horrible flirter?

Yes!

In conclusion, you have scenarios like this happening in Swerves:

Anyone order an internal panic attack?

Much like their twin, Cargo gets panic attacks... a lot.

Difference?

Tailgate's are external, Cargo has them internally.

From an outside POV it looks like Cargo is just spacing out.

Inside? The poor minibot is having a meltdown.