Fuzzy: To all those who have read "The Gold Standard," here is my glorious sequel showing you the next chapter of Goldstreak's legendary tale. Where we last left off with our hero's, they had been informed of the team they are to be assigned to and have had their educations accelerated. Now we continue with the story of Goldstreak, Crossfire, and Fang. They now arrive at the planet Earth, where it is rumored for there to still be Decepticons in hiding. Under the command of Optimus Prime their mission is to determine the truthfulness of these rumors and help Optimus to purge the land of the Decepticons if necessary.

I do not own the rights to Transformers. That belongs to Hasbro and unless I can get enough money to buy it off of them, (which is highly unlikely if not impossible) it's going to stay that way. I also do not own the rights to Ford.

Now then I present to you, "Trial of the Cadets" the second chapter to the Goldstreak trilogy!

"Welcome to earth cadets, we'll be landing shortly. Upon landing you are to report straight to Optimus at the command center of Autobot City."

The booming voice of Omega Supreme wakes the three of them from stasis mode meanwhile Drogg is leaning on his cane standing next to his seat waiting for them to awaken, "Ah good, your awake. As I'm sure you heard, we are about to land so you should all fasten your seat belts and prepare for the atmospheric transition. I'll join you in just a second as soon as I find my cane…"

He seems a bit lost looking around the cabin, "Um, sir… correct me if I'm wrong. But isn't that it in your hand?"

The old mech laughs lifting his cane, "So it is, I must be malfunctioning in my old age there Crossfire!"

He laughs aloud as Goldstreak and the others make their way to the door of the shuttle. He looks at Crossfire and Fang, really the only two friends he had made at the academy and smiles to himself thinking about what awaits them on earth. He knew it was foolish, but he couldn't help but feel excited at the thought of working directly under Optimus, the greatest of the Primes.

As the great hulking Omega Supreme, lands on the soft soil of earth he slides open the door where his four passengers stand, "You may now exit. Optimus Prime is awaiting your arrival at the Ark. The coordinates had been given to you before the trip so you are no longer in need of my services."

The great mass transforms and walks away crushing any trees or boulders to be in his path. The four of them trek through the mountains until they reach a point with a large almost golden yellow colored ship compacted halfway into the mountain side. The mountain and ship are bound together practically having become one.

Outside the entrance to the Ark Drogg stops them, "I'll go in and let them know you're here to repor-"

"No need for that Drogg. Optimus already knows you've arrived and will be out shortly."

Drogg looks up to see Bumblebee sitting on a rock high up on the mountainside calling down to them before climbing down to great them, "Optimus had asked me to keep and eye out for you after we got word from Omega Supreme of your arrival, the names Bumblebee by the way. Goldstreak, Fang; it seems I'm going to be in charge of the two of you. Optimus sees as your going to be scouts it would be best if you were taught by another scout. Cliffjumper will be joining us too."

After some time Optimus, Ironhide, Jazz, Wheeljack, Preceptor, and Ratchet exit from the Autobot base stopping in front of the five of them. Soon Hound, Arcee, and Cliffjumper also arrive.

"Welcome to the Ark cadets, home of teletran one and my base of operation here on earth." Optimus greets them arms crossed behind his back as he approaches Goldstreak and Fang, "The two of you shall be mentored by some of my finest scouts and will learn the trade. For you Fang I have selected Hound and Arcee. For Goldstreak I have Hotrod and Cliffjumper. Bumblebee shall be of aid to both of you and over all will be in charge of what you do, so listen well to him."

Next he approaches Crossfire who looks him in the optics from Optimus's midsection, "You shall be mentored by Wheeljack and Preceptor in construction sciences, Ratchet and Preceptor will see over you education as a medic, and I have assigned Jazz to teach you Cyber ninja arts since you were unable to complete your training with Master Yokatron."

She nods in acknowledgement as Optimus now moves to Drogg, "You will be pared up with Ironhide to help make sure our weapons are always ready for use."

Drogg also nods as Optimus turns' walking away as Hotrod arriving late enters and Optimus calls in Kup to fill him in.

The old mech arrives waves a greeting to Drogg and fills in Hotrod of the current events who nods his response and joins the scouts to show the cadets where everything is and how to use the equipment.

That night when Goldstreak and Crossfire take their turn, as night guard, watching over the hill side for Decepticons he smiles keeping his hand transformed into a neutron assault rifle, "We're finally here huh Crossfire? We can do our part to help end his war, finally rid the universe of those scum Decepticons, the ones that killed my best friend."

She looks at him a worried look on her face, "What did they do to him?"

He just sighs transforming his other arm into and energon blade carving a doodle into the rock face, "I don't know, he went out to Kaon one day. I guess he thought he had something to prove… and a Decepticon patrol found him in their territory. They brought him straight to Megatron I was told. So I guess that means the Decepticon I'm really after so he can finally rest would be him. But you know me; it's unlikely I'd even survive long enough to dent that monster…"

She leans over hugging him and kisses his cheek, "Who knows what the future holds, after all now we are a part of Optimus's team, only the best of the best are here."

He smiles hugging her back, "That's true- Hey did you hear that?"

She nods bringing her battle pistol up and looking through the scope she takes sight of a Decepticon Terracon running through some dark bushes and kneels next to the entrance of the Ark placing a disk like object on the ground and she feels the energon drain from her face as she realizes what it is, "Thermo-mine… Goldstreak we have to-"

She turns to find the gold scout is already gone and a second later the Terracon who had placed the mine is tackled to the ground having the barrel of Goldstreak's Neutron Assault rifle aimed directly at the core of the Decepticon and is immediately blasted having its spark extinguished.

Not long after Goldstreak is tackled by an unseen foe that he tries to throw aside to no avail. After a moment the voice of Crossfire hisses in his ear, "Stop struggling I'm saving you life stupid!"

With that she throws him aside and throws a fragmentation grenade at the now glowing disk that was hovering toward them blasting it to oblivion.

She turns on him enraged, "Are you defective?! That was a thermo mine! It locks on your heat signature and tracks you down before blowing up in your face!"

He looks surprised as she continues, "What kind of scout are you anyways? Scouts see and report. Not go and engage the enemy and get themselves blown up!"

She glares at him helping him off the ground, "Now come on we need to report to Optimus. There may be more Decepticons around so I'll keep watch while you report."

He nods running inside able to find no one until he finds Hotrod in one of the corridors, "Hotrod sir! There was an attack by the Decepticons, Crossfire and I was able to stop them, but there may be more around so Crossfire is keeping watch while I report. Where is Optimus?"

Hotrod simply unholsters his battle pistol, "No time to look for him, lets go help out your girlfriend before the cons get to her."

Goldstreak nods following behind with his own weapon ready, "Yes sir."

They return finding her being carried off by a Terracon accompanied by four others into the dark woods. Enraged Goldstreak looks at Hotrod for advice who nods his approval at what Goldstreak is thinking. With that the young golden scout transforms following after them.

He follows for a long time but his hover vehicle mode is unable to keep up with the Decepticons and he nearly looses them. So as he travels through a human city in pursuit of the Decepticons he breaks off to one side scanning a gold painted Ford Mustang GT, "Alright, this ought to give me a little kick."

With that he continues the chase following them from about ten kilometers away. Soon the Decepticons he had chased all this way enter the Decepticon base. Now any one with half a brain would report back to Optimus and get a well thought out and successful rescue mission going, which Goldstreak had a brain… he just never used it. So here goes our ambitious young bot running headlong into the Decepticon home headquarters, alone, by himself, with only the weapons in his body design and the abilities he had programmed. Obviously not his best choice…

Thankfully back at Autobot head quarters Optimus noticing Goldstreak and Crossfire were missing questioned Hotrod.

"Hotrod, have you seen the cadets I placed on watch duty?"

He leans back not worried at all… typical of Hotrod, previously Rodimus Prime who had his title of Prime stripped from him, "Oh ya, there was some 'Con activity. Crossfire got bot napped. The Gold kid went after them to get her back, no problem."

Optimus just stares at him for awhile before finally saying, "…Hotrod, you DUMBASS. Did you ever think for even a second that, Hey these kids aren't trained and probably require some sort of help. Or even, Well they're probably taking the girl to the Decepticon head quarters; we would probably need quite a few 'Bots for a successful rescue mission."

"Well I… no…"

"That's what I thought; now I have to clean up ANOTHER one of your messes Hotrod."

Back with Goldstreak he stops outside of the hulking mass that the Decepticons use as a head quarters here on earth, "Oh Primus I just know I'm going to regret this…"

With that he activates his cloaking ability walking in trying to find Crossfire and get out of there before he is found.

Before long he runs into a Decepticon patrol, he presses hi back to the wall praying to Primus that they don't bump into him and find him. He hears a few of them mention Starscream ordering the fem brought to his quarters and continues his search finally having something to go off of.

Several earth hours later he nearly walks right into Soundwave who was patrolling the halls. He wasn't entirely sure if the faceless Decepticon had seen him but feels safe as the silent patroller walks on with out looking back the same statistics running over his screen face. Unfortunately for our golden rescuer, he didn't notice the distinct lack of Laserbeak in his chassis.

Finally he finds Starscreams quarters and sneaks inside as the lengthy 'Con exits, giving Goldstreak the chance to slip inside undetected. There he finds Crossfire with Stasis cuffs on her wrists and rolled up in a ball as her body is clenched up in pain.

He cuts his cloaking breathing heavy from the over expense of using his ability, "Scrap, to much longer and my spark would've over loaded…"

"GOLDSTREAK!" Crossfire says in a hushed shout, "Thank Primus you're here."

He smiles slightly gaining his composure and picks her up, "It'll be okay… I'm her now."

As they exit the room they are met by Soundwave and a group of about 20 of the Terracons right behind him as Laserbeak who had been following Goldstreak from the rafters' flies down attaching to Soundwave, "Well scrap, guess he did see me then. How in Primus did he see through my cloaking though?"

He turns around running the other direction of the hall, as Soundwave waves the Terracons to pursue them, the silent gladiator simply stands there as a diagram of the base comes up on his face and their grounded base begins to lift off to the sky, leaving Goldstreak and Crossfire stranded with no way to escape.

Goldstreak groans as he runs holding Crossfire as he realizes what's happening, "It's a ship? REALLY?! Well that's just prime…"

Back with the Autobots; Optimus, Wheeljack, Bumblebee, and Ironhide come through a ground bridge activated by Ratchet at the entrance of the ship just moments before lift-off, "Lets roll out Autobots, in and out without detection would be preferred."

The run in silently taking out guards as they continue and as they reach the main bridge the ship begins to move, "Decepticons are lifting off; Wheeljack see if you can find out why."

The Autobot scientist and wrecker nods and gets to work, "You got it boss-bot"

With the others keeping watch and taking out any Terracons that get too close Wheeljack finds Goldstreak and Crossfire under the pursuit of Soundwave, "Seems we've got a problem, our Cadets are under pursuit of Soundwave. Anyway we can lend him a hand?"

Optimus stands in thought as Bumblebee runs over with a look of panic over his face, "Starscream is coming…"

Optimus activates his battle mask hiding his smile, "Best thing we can do is give them a diversion as they make their way to the ground bridge you're going to have Ratchet give them. After that we will escape in a similar way."

At that Starscream busts in with Ironhide his slender foot planted firmly in the red Autobots face, "Fools, I was well aware you'd come to rescue your cadet. Now you will all die where you stand."

Wheeljack smiles having just finished reporting to ratchet, "Don't you mean cadets Screamer?" He points at the screen that shows the two cadets evading Soundwave and the Terracons.

He stares in shock then aims his missiles at them firing, "No matter Soundwave will dispose of them"

He of course forgot about Ironhide who kicks him in the face from below making him shoot the ceiling above, "He won't once he hears those alarms. If I know that 'Con… which I do. He will come straight here to find out why the ship is falling apart."

Staggering up from the floor he snarls in rage, "How dare you! I am Air commander Starscream! I am Megatron's second in command and am in charge in his absence. You will pay dearly for depriving me of my toy!"

He jumps forward striking Bumblebee in his vocal processor and throwing him to the ground where Wheeljack runs to him in an attempt to help him as Starscream retreats to escape any further embarrassment.

At that moment a ground bridge opens beside them, "Come on. We can get Bumblebee his medical attention back at base."

Optimus lifts the yellow scout from the ground and walks through the bridge followed by a sullen Wheeljack and Ironhide.

Back with the escape of the cadets they are relieved to find Soundwave is no longer among their pursuers as Goldstreak fires a few rounds at them and is ecstatic to see a ground bridge open a few meters down with Arcee and Hotrod running out guns blazing.

They keep the Terracons busy long enough for the cadets to get through then slide inside themselves as the portal closes behind them leaving the Decepticons in the dust.

Back at Autobot headquarters Goldstreak and Hotrod both get their audio receptors pounded by the (really degrading) scolding of Optimus, "Are you both defective?! Goldstreak I brought you among my team because I thought you had SOME amount of common sense! And Hotrod! Goldstreak is a cadet. What in the name of Primus is YOUR excuse?! I figured you'd have learned from your past mistakes. Perhaps the only thing you've ever done that's stupider then what you have done today is when you kept the Matrix for yourself when I specifically told you to give it to Ultra Magnus!"

This yelling continues on for most of the night as Crossfire remains in her own chambers in a dark corner shuddering from the horrors Starscream had put her through. In the medic bay Ratchet works to repair Bumblebees damaged vocal processor but to no avail, the yellow scout can now only muster mechanical beeps and buzzes.

Through all this the Autobots weren't the only ones with cadets, the Decepticon have Cannon-Drop in training as a Gladiator to create a dangerous weapon to use against the 'Bots. They also have Riptide and Electralize training in covert operations along with another new recruit by the name of Shift-stick. Although he never does cross paths with those two, at least not yet.

Fuzzy: WHOO! Nearly 3,000 word chapter. Even I'm impressed with this chapter. Of course my opinion doesn't matter. What matters is yours the viewers. SO READ AND REVIEW OR BE SUBJECT TO THE TERRORS STARSCREAM PUT CROSSFIRE THROUGH! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! But really you don't wanna know. XD

Until next time this is Fuzzy signing out!