TFP: Ballad of Dodger (Book 1)

Crisscross (Different perspective)

It's been a few days since the Autobots rescued Breakdown from MECH.  The Autobots now need to be on their guard incase MECH tries to obtain cybertronian biology.  One can only guess how much Silas and his followers have learned after abducting Breakdown.

Today, Dodger and Thomas were out in the desert testing out the T-Blaster.  They were in a remote part of the desert so that they didn't need to worry about being seen.  Thomas helped Dodger put up some practice targets for shooting the T-Blaster.  The targets consisted of five plywood panels with Decepticon symbols painted on them.  These targets would be for the T-Blasters assault rifle mode.  Soon the targets were all set.

Thomas: OK Dodge, (puts on shooting glasses) let's see what this relic can do!

Dodger: Way ahead of you partner!

Dodger took up a position behind a firing line they drew in the sand while Thomas stood behind a large rock for safety.  Dodger turned the selector knob on the T-Blaster to 'assault rifle' and took aim.  Lining up his sights, he pulled the trigger, the shot hit the target and knocked it off the mounting.  Switching to the next target, he let out a three-shot burst, splitting the target in half.  The other three targets were each taken down with repeated shots.  Putting the safety on, the Autobot and human looked at the handy work.

Thomas: Looks like you got em all Dodge.

Dodger: Yep, not bad.

Thomas: Alright, let's see what the shotgun does.

Dodger: Roger that partner.

They walked over to the next det of targets, which consisted of old 55-gallon drums pull of sand.  These would test out how much of a field of fire the 'shotgun' mode would offer.  Getting behind the firing line, Dodger aimed at one barrel with two others next to hit, he fired at the center barrel and the T-Blaster let out a shotgun spread of blaster shots, they hit the center barrel and opened it wide open, leaving a huge cloud of sand.  It also took out the two barrels next to it, leaving two more clouds of sand.  Switching targets, Dodger fired between two barrels and the scatter fire took them both out.  At the end, all that was left was a bunch of twisted and mangled barrels, with piles of sand next to them.

Dodger: Hoo wee.  This shotgun mode has some punch to it.

Thomas: It sure does, you turned those barrels into scarp.  Nice shoot'n Tex!

Dodger:(smiles) Thank ya kindly.

Next up was the targets for the 'machine gun' mode; three junk motorhomes, they were recovered from a junkyard by Agent Fowler when the Autobots needed gun range targets.  Now it was time to turn these rusting RVs into Swiss cheese.  Getting behind the firing line, Dodger took aim.  The T-Blaster let out a long burst of rapid-fire blaster shots.  The hail of shots ripped the old RVs to pieces.  One of them was riddled with holes and on fire.  The other two were reduced to piles of scarp.  Dodger and Thomas were amazed, if this thing could do that to large vehicles, imagine what it could do to a Con's face!

Thomas: Woah! I'd try to determine the damage Dodge, but there's nothing left to examine!

Dodger: Yeah! That hail of fire was so dense it cuts like a knife!  But it does have a negative effect on accuracy.

Thomas: Yeah, you can't really hold a tight grouping with that weapon, I guess it's best for keeping the enemy's heads down.

They moved on to the last set of targets which were a mile down range.  They consisted of five crates with watermelons on top of them.  A perfect test for the 'sniper' mode.  If the T-Blasters sniper mode is as accurate as a regular sniper, it should be able to hit a small target at long range.  Well, time for Dodger to find out.  He took up a firing position and laid on his chest to keep the T-Blaster stabilized.  Aiming through the scope, he pulled the trigger, and watched as the first melon turned into fruit juice.  He shot at the next melon, another squished melon.  Soon the wind picked up, forcing Dodger to adjust his aim.  After adjusting his aim, he fired, turning the third melon into fruity mush.  When he fired at the fourth melon, the wind picked up again, making him miss.  Adjusting aim, he fired again, destroying that melon.  One more target, the wind died down and then stopped, taking aim, Dodger hit the fifth melon dead center, all that was left was a puddle of watermelon juice.  Thomas, who was watching through a pair of binoculars marveled at his guardian's marksmanship.