Not sure of a name or exact details. I thought I could put a basic character info down and update & detail it during the conversations in this thread.
some rough ideas:
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Name: ?
Association: civilian scientist, planotologist planet scientist, at the start, likely to join the Autobots.
Vehicle mode: <original: ? cybertron starship, and cybertron car>
earth modes: <fly: > <car type: >
Backstory: ? is from golden age of cybertron <or the first golden age>, before the war (or wars) during an era of exploration, discovery, ect, while most or all transformers got along, or did more or less. ? was a space scientist deep space explorer, with training in planetology (a multi discipline science that has some training in chemistry, astronomy, ecology, and other sciences, though less specific knowledge then a specialist who has training in 1 of the sciences, but broader knowledge.
He was a deep space explorer who would explore various worlds. Coming back to cybertron from time to time. & with a detailed information on his surveys. Till one day he just stopped sending back any transmissions and didn't respond and vanished. Some wondered what happened, but over time he was forgotten.
He crashed on earth and was buried, only to be found millions <or perhaps even billions> of years later . He is found by some archeologists who detected an usually large metal signature? Which agent Fowler takes over and angrily contacts the Autobots about. Maybe angry about the coverup he had to do and why they didn't bother to dig it up themselves.
The crash, maybe, was caused by an unexpected solar flare while he was in space recharging his energon levels. His skin having the ability to absorb light and generate energon, or maybe only in his starship form. Useful for deep space explorers. He is also a triple changer, a new development. His design was done by one who later became a friend of his, upgrade, who designed his triple t-cog and his special skin/paint/shell, ability to absorb and convert light into energon. Not a super fast thing but still gives him the ability to recharge, given enough time.
? smaller then modern transformers like Ratched, Optimus? More Arcee sized, since he wasn't made for war, but during a time before wars were known.
Hobbies: Likes to draw and do artwork. Also composing music and maybe doing some math. Not that he is a mathematical type, but one needs to have various things to do during the long space flights along & recharging times needed while recharging from a star.
Has some stuff in his storage area to keep himself entertained, as well as a data pad to enter data into to up/down load to cybertron on his return. An artists tool that can be used as either an electronic pen or can change the color of a small surface area. Some basic repair tools like one that can reknit together molecules <molecular mender>, in the case something breaks and you are in the field with no repair. works well enough for at least long term temporary repairs till you get get a replacement. Though a very skilled person at the use, given time, can make it almost good as new, a thing he's not that skilled at, though he can do the basic level, having basic training at the use. Basic sensors useful for his surveys and such of planets. Though those may be built in, microscopic vision, maybe telescopic, full spectrum (electromagnetic) instead of just visible light only <not always on>, ?