Megatron rubbed his optic ridge, already questioning his decision to join the Lost Light for the day - a new record, but what else would one expect when being "co-captain" with Rodimus?

"So, Megsy-"

"Don't call me that, Rodimus."

"- why's my least favorite ex-Decepticon warlord in such a rush?"

"I'm late for my lecture. So if you have another horrendous reward system - keep it to yourself. I have actual contributions to this crew I need to make."

"Well you're about to cheer for joy, because your favorite double-agent has something we both need to approve."

Megatron gave him a look that the red mech should know meant 'You're an insolent child' before putting a finger to his comm system. "Class will be delayed on account of Brainstorm. Have your assignments out and take this unexpected extra time to finish them, as I know many of you were hoping for."

He could practically hear the sigh of relief.

Megatron made his way to the lab without waiting for his co-captain clad in flames. "Did Brainstorm tell you what it was?"

"He told me a lot of complicated magic stuff that I'm pretty sure he made up."

And yet another withering look. "Must you be intentionally aggravating?"

"I have no idea what you mean, Megatron."

Another sigh was released before silence descended between the two.

Brainstorm was impatiently waiting for the co-captains, rubbing his hands together and grinning behind his mask. Once the two had walked into his lab, he spread his hands wide as he spoke, "And welcome to the reveal of quite possibly my greatest invention yet!"

"So it's better than time travel?"

"Way to kill the mood, Roddy. Okay, second best. Point is!" Brainstorm emphatically motioned to a device next to him, eyes beaming, "This is a brand new teleporter!"

After a pause, Rodimus was the one to cave, asking the mad scientist, "So your second greatest invention is something that exists."

"Except, dear co-captain, that there's no teleporter like this - it locks onto multiple targets. So you can deploy multiple groups to different locations - simultaneously! And it works in reverse, by bringing multiple separate groups back to the ship!"

Megatron's optics widened mildly at that. "This... Sounds quite impressive, Brainstorm. How many locations can you lock onto at once?"

"Six!"

"Then let's see it in action!" Rodimus ordered with a wave of his hand and a sly grin.

Brainstorm tinkered with a panel on the side of the device, still grinning behind his mask. "You got it, Rodimus. I'll be locking onto six randomized pieces of space debris in the solar system and bring them aboard."

Megatron folded his arms, waiting.

"Bringing debris aboard... Now!" Brainstorm flicked a switch, creating a flash of light. "Tada!"

Once their optics adjusted, they definitely saw six new objects... But they definitely weren't debris.

"..." Rodimus turned to Brainstorm, "Congratulations, you successfully kidnapped six stasis pods."

"That's odd... There weren't any planets near the coordinates I entered. And there definitely aren't any ships that could have jettisoned them."

"That's irrelevant now." Megatron sternly pointed at the scientist. "What matters is that you find out what's in them, and if it's safe to keep them on board."

"Sure thing, boss."

The former Decepticon leader brought a finger to his comm again, "Megatron to medbay, I need a medical expert in Brainstorm's lab pronto - they may be needed." Megatron changed the frequency before speaking again. "Ultra Magnus, I need you in Brainstorm's lab. No, he hasn't gone rogue again, there's just been a... Situation. ... Yes, I realize I just hesitated. ... Magnus, it doesn't mean anything. ... Thank you."

Rodimus groaned, slouching back. "Why'd you call Magnus?"

"Believe it or not, he's part of your chain of command. Therefore he needs to be involved in decisions concerning your ship."

"Oh, like how I was involved in the decision to call the medbay?"

"There might be injured mechs in those stasis pods that require immediate medical attention."

Rodimus shook his head, glaring at his co-captain as he jabbed a finger against his chest. "Or maybe you just want to get every chance to lead out while you still can."

Megatron frowned, "That has nothing to do with this, Rodimus."

"If you two are done - I am." Brainstorm leaned on one of the pods as he spoke. "They're completely, 100% safe. No radiation, no traceable diseases -" in a softer tone, almost as though he were only talking to himself, "- and I'm being very thorough -" before returning to normal volume again, "- and a positive readout on spark energies within each one. All that remains to be seen is just who these guys are."

First Aid entered the lab with his medical kit at the same time as Ultra Magnus, speaking in his usual calm demeanor, "You called for a medic?"

Ultra Magnus focused on the stasis pods. "... More stowaways." He turned on Rodimus. "I thought you said Overlord was the only one."

"And he was. Honest. Brainstorm just picked these guys up with his new teleporter. Anyways, Magnus, Megatron said you need to be involved in decisions like this -"

"Thank you, Megatron."

"- so. Do we open the pods or dump them in space again?"

"Open."

Everyone turned to Megatron.

"Oh yes, haha, look at me like I'm crazy when I voice what you all want."

Rodimus huffed, "Shut up."

"I agree with Megatron." Ultra Magnus glanced to a side. "A phrase I didn't think I would ever even mutter..."

"Well then, looks like it's agreed!" Rodimus clapped his hands together, turning to Brainstorm. "Go on and open the pods."

"Aye aye, captain." Brainstorm offered a mock salute before opening each of the pods.

Cryo gas slowly leaked out, the Cybertronian in each of them slowly stirring from their slumber.

A deep blue and ocean green mech glanced around in a daze as he climbed out. "This... Isn't my ship...?"

Another mech with a primarily blue paint job stretched out his limbs. "Not by a longshot." He scanned the four mechs that didn't arise from stasis pods. "Though I think we were found by other Cybertronians."

"Oh, goodie."

First Aid set down his kit, pulling a light out of it. "I am First Aid, the current chief medical officer for the Lost Light. I'm going to ask some questions and conduct some tests, to ensure everything is functioning properly. Okay?"

The second mech to emerge shrugged his shoulders, "Good with us."

"Excellent." First Aid tested the blue and green mech's optics with the flashlight as he spoke, "What's your full name?"

"Storm of Polyhex."

"Spark type?"

"Ferrum Negative."

"Alt Mode?"

"A boat."

"Primary function?"

"Communications and resource transportation in aquatic environments."

The medic stepped back, carefully analyzing his body.

Average height for most Cybertronians, though those shoulder pauldrons stuck out pretty far to the side - probably the front bow of the ship, if he had to guess. Windshield on his chest, and a propeller imbedded into his back, just between the shoulders. Primarily deep blue with touches of ocean green here and there.

No visible damage, and scans only confirmed it - so First Aid nodded to him, "You're clear, Storm." And with that, the medic moved on to the next one. "Name?"

"Pyre of Tagan Heights. Though everyone calls me Tinker."

"Spark type?"

"Vitreous Neutral."

"Alt Mode?"

Tinker rubbed his forearm. "... Jetpack. I turn into a jetpack."

"And your primary function?"

"I'm a blacksmith."

First Aid's optics widened slightly, "Never met a blacksmith before..." He cleared his voice, stepping back.

A tad shorter than Storm, rather scrawny. There's thrusters in his elbows - probably his only useful weapon. He's got a backpack permanently attached to his back a pair of goggles hanging around his neck, and he's a light blue in color - save for his small shoulder pauldrons and forearm plating, which seemed to be a deep pink.

Again, no visible damage - good signs so far, so he moved to the next one. "Name?"

The mech crossed his arms, "Werren of Protohex."

"Spark type?"

"Vitreous Negative."

"Alt Mode?"

"Dual-rotor helicopter."

"Primary function?"

"Warrior."

First Aid looked the mech over - he was tall. Not Magnus tall, granted, but still tall. Impressively sturdy wings with a helicopter rotor on each. Two thrusters built into his back. Primarily gray color scheme with undertones of white.

A few battle scars, but they were old and not causing any problems - no need to fix them. First Aid gave him the OK, then moved to the next one - and it seemed the last three were femmes. "Name?"

"Teplex of Rodion."

"Spark type?"

"Estriol Negative."

"Alt Mode?"

"Motorcycle, submarine, and jet - all in one vehicle."

"Impressive. Primary function?"

"Same as Werren - warrior."

First Aid gave her a mini checkup. Average height again, slender and aerodynamic build, disc-like wheels acting as shoulder pauldrons and hips guards, and a reinforced windshield in her back. She looked to be primarily gold and a deep, crimson red.

The medic finished his inspection and moved to the next femme for questioning. "Name?"

"Supplera of Iacon."

"Spark Type?"

"Estriol Positive."

"Alt Mode?"

"Heavyduty military-grade energon transport."

"Primary function?"

"Support and warrior."

And once more, he looked over his patient. This one actually was Magnus tall, and she was just as bulky. There were treads in her legs and two treads in her back, with a fairly large and imposing Anti-Aircraft gun connected to her back between said treads. Large and bulky shoulders, thick windshield on her chest with dual blasters connected to either side of said windshield, and proportionally thicker legs. While she was mostly baby blue, there were traces of black on her frame in intricate patterns.

After giving her the okay, he moved to the last of the new arrivals. "Name?"

"Pickup of Nova Cronum."

"Spark Type?"

"Estriol Neutral."

"Alt Mode?"

She glanced to the side, "Car with attached vacuums."

"Primary function?"

"Cleanup, sir."

First Aid looked over the last of her potential patients. Fairly short with a narrow build. There was a car windshield in her chest, doorwings, and a vacuum gun next to each shoulder. Disc-like wheels on each shoulder and on the outside of each fairly sturdy leg. She seemed to be a complete navy blue, and free of any injury.

First Aid picked up his kit, turning to the leadership. "They're all fine. I'll be going." And with that, he did - in fact - leave.

Rodimus clapped his hands together, walking towards the six. "I'm Rodimus Prime, captain of the Lost -"

"Sorry, don't mean to be rude, but did you just say Prime?" Tinker put on his goggles, inspecting the flame-colored captain closely. "I've never met a Prime before! ... Well, okay, that's not true - I saw Nova Prime before our departure, but he didn't actually talk to me! He actually stood in front of me for the picture of our crew."

"Did you just say Nova Prime personally sent you on your merry way?"

"He did!" He removed the goggles. "I mean, we were the last of the ships to leave for colonizing, after all."

Rodimus turned to Megatron and Ultra Magnus, and the giant mech stepped forward. "I'm sorry, but... The last colonization ship left Cybertron a little over six million years ago."

"Six-?!" Supplera grabbed him by the shoulders, optics wide. "You're saying we've been gone for six million years...?!"

Megatron gently grabbed her arms, but his voice was stern as he spoke, "We need to know what happened to you."

"I... I don't..." The giant femme grabbed her head. "... Six million...?"

Teplex patted her shoulder, turning to Megatron. "Our ship - the Dawnbreaker - was attacked. I assume it was organics, but we can't be certain. Point is, they had this... Weapon. Blew up two of our engines in one shot. Our captain ordered us to the escape pods, but after that... I don't know." She rubbed her own head, frowning. "That's all I can remember. Before waking up here." She waved a hand around aimlessly, still pressing the other to her head.

"Geez..." Rodimus dragged a hand down his face, supporting his elbow with his free hand.

Werren had a look of deep concentration in his optics. "... We need to reconnect with our ship." He turned to Rodimus. "Can you take us to our last coordinates?"

Rodimus rubbed his chin, about to explain that they were on a quest-

"Unlikely." Ultra Magnus folded his arms. "We're on a quest for Cyberutopia - and we've had far too many delays as it is."

- Until Magnus said that. Rodimus didn't even register Megatron's grimace as he grinned at the six newcomers, spreading his arms wide. "Nonsense! We'd be delighted to help out fellow Cybertronians reconnect with their old crew."

"Rodi -"

"Oh, thank you!" Tinker emphatically shook Rodimus's hand, beaming. When he finally registered his shocked expression, his own optics widened as he quickly released his hands. "O-Oh Primus! I'm so sorry, I didn't - I'm just a very touchy person, and -" He quickly held his hands over his spark.

The other five colonists were watching in silent horror - Storm had to force himself to look away as he squeezed his eyes shut.

Tinker stood there, waiting for Rodimus's response as his thoughts went rampant. 'Oh no oh no oh no I touched a Prime, I'm just a jetpack I shouldn't be touching him oh no what if he turns me into a cube or oh Primus what if they decide on empurata I CAN'T LOSE MY HANDS I CAN'T I -'

"Hey, it's fine." Rodimus patted his shoulder. "Just don't, y'know, startle me like that. 'Kay?"

The blacksmith blinked, glancing at his friends.

Storm looked relieved, as did the other four - Pickup almost looked like she was gonna pass out.

Tinker turned back to Rodimus. "I'm... Not in trouble?"

"Why would you -?"

Megatron stepped forward as he spoke, "Cybertron has changed in the time you were gone. Functionalism as you know it is dead."

All their optics widened at that.

"You need to be caught up on current events." Rodimus gave them all a grin. "Lucky for you, I know the perfect mech. Follow me, if you please." He turned on his heel, and lead the merry band out of the lab.

Edit: I realized I added Velocity too early, so I replaced her with First Aid. Also, I almost forgot my outtro!

So, remember to follow this story to be updated on new chapters, and please leave a review telling me your thoughts on it!

Til All Are One,

- Alpha