Raf was scrolling through the usual internet conspiracy website where he looked for any signs of the Autobots. Jack and Miko hung close by occasionally peering over his shoulder, Raf rolled his eyes at the two of them, Miko was coloring and Jack was studying. Raf paused his scrolling, "Whoa." He whispered zooming his screen in for a closer look, "Uh Ratchet, think I found something." Ratchet waved his hand, "Probably Bumblebee I'll assume, just scrub it out like always." Raf shook his head, "This isn't Bee." He connected to the Autobots mainframe pulling up the image. Ratchet looked up from his work, slightly annoyed at the interruption. His eyes widen as he called Optimus over, "It appears to be an escape pod of some sort." Ratchet quizzically looked at the image, Optimus nodded, "Can you tell to what faction the pod belongs?" Ratchet shook his head, "Image is to fuzzy." Optimus stared at the screen, "Do you know where this craft landed?" Ratchet punched in a few keystrokes, "Got it." Arcee didn't hesitate, "Ground bridge ready and waiting." The Autobots made their way through the ground bridge coming out into a dense wooded area, the crash site was not far ahead of them. The pod was still smoking, Arcee wiped off the side of the ship to reveal the faction, "Its decepticon!" Just as the words left her mouth vehicon's appeared and began firing on them. "Take cover!" Optimus hollered to his team. Bulkhead looked confused, "All those cons came out of one pod?" Ratchet quipped back, "Humans refer to the phenomena as a clown car." Optimus aimed cutting down the decepticon troops, "We must fall back." A ricochet blast caught Optimus off balance, he fell backward onto the snow that covered the ground. A pair of bright blue eyes caught his attention, they stared at him from behind a groove of trees. Optimus looked around to his Autobots, "Autobots follow me!" Optimus made his way to the tree, the eyes disappeared, "Do not run." Optimus spoke softly. Bulkhead looked confused, "Who are you talking to?" Optimus pointed, "I saw a bot hiding here." The team weaved through the wooded area until they came upon a cave, the cave was small big enough for a bot to crawl through. Optimus hesitated, he did not know whether or not the bot they pursued was friendly or not. Arcee approached the cave, "Some advantages to being short." She smirked getting on her hands and knees to crawl in, Optimus held up his hand, "Arcee wait, we do not know this bots' intentions." Arcee just shrugged, "I'll be fine." Optimus went to grab her when she scurried inside of the cave.
It was dark as Arcee crawl through the narrow cavern though it seemed to widen as she went further, her eyes shone a little light in front of her but not a lot. She continued to crawl quietly through the cave, slowly she was able to rise to a standing position. The crawl space had turned into a huge cave, a noise like water dripping echoed through the cave. Arcee scanned the area, she still did not see anything. A pair of blue eyes peeped at her from behind a pile of rocks. Arcee kept her composure, "Who are you?" the bot didn't answer, it slowly crept out, standing about 1,000 yards away. Arcee noticed the Autobot symbol on his chest, the white, red, and blue mech looked frightened. "It's ok", Arcee softened her face. "I am a friend" The blue bot shook his head pointing to his ears, Arcee looked confused. "What's wrong?" The bot which Arcee had determine was a mech shook his head again, beckoning her closer as he wrote in the dirt. "I am deaf." Arcees eyes widened," Oh" she whispered. The mech smiled slightly at her, he was young not much older then Bee. Arcee gently grabbed his hand, motioning for him to follow her.
Optimus began to worry, they couldn't contact Arcee while she was underground. "Ratchet can you detect her life signal?" Ratchet shook his head, "She must be too far below ground." Optimus was just about to blast his way through the cave entrance when Arcee came crawling out, a white mech followed close behind. Arcee brushed herself off as she stood up, the white mech hid behind her. Arcee smiled letting him know it was ok. "Optimus, this is the mech you saw." Optimus smiled, "Hello" The mech looked at Arcee ducking behind her, Optimus looked confused. Arcees face shown with compassion, "He's deaf, can't hear a word we say." Optimus looked at the young mech, smiling at him, "Come" he motioned. The Autobots made their way back through the woods to the ground bridge location, "Storm we need a bridge." Ratchet commed.
SilverStorm watched as all of the Autobots came through the ground bridge surprised to see one more with them. "Who's this?" she asked, Optimus looked at the mech whom still hid behind Arcee, "We do not know, he is deaf." SilverStorm nodded in understanding, she walked over to the young mech. "Hello" she signed, "My name is SilverStorm and you are?" Everyone stood in amazement as the young mech sign back, "I am SmokeScreen." SilverStorm smiled, "Welcome SmokeScreen, you are safe here. No harm shall befall you here. You look tired, would you like to rest?" SmokeScreen nodded, SilverStorm turned to the team who stared at her bewildered. "I am going to take SmokeScreen back and show him a place where he can rest."
A few moments later SilverStorm returned, "The poor thing is resting." Optimus looked at her, "I was not aware you knew CSL?" SilverStorm smirked, "What you think I tell you everything?" Optimus watched as she walked over to sit near the children. Optimus felt slightly aggregated though he wouldn't show it, "His name is SmokeScreen?" SilverStorm nodded, "Don't know much else, ill talk to him more when he is rested." Rachet spoke, "Perhaps you could include us in on the conversation." SilverStorm tilted her head back to look at him, "Perhaps you could not but such a grouch." Optimus stepped in, "Ratchet is correct, we would all like to know more about him." SilverStorm twisted her face, "Fine, Ill tell you what I am signing." Arcee smirked, Stormy has an attitude and didn't care about showing it.
A few hours later SmokeScreen emerged, blinking his eyes. Bulkhead smiled, "Must have slept good." Catching himself at the last second, "right can't hear me." Optimus motioned for SilverStorm to follow, "Did you rest well?" SilverStorm sighed Optimus's words to him. SmokeScreen nodded, sighing back "Yes thank you."
"SmokeScreen, how did you end up in a decepticon escape pod?" Smokescreens eyes fell as he sighed his story.
"I worked in the hall of records with Alpha Trion." Optimus's eyes widened, "You knew Alpha Trion?" SmokeScreen nodded, "He was a close friend, in the end days of the war when the enemy drew closer, I was sent to guard him. I was part of the Elite Guard. One afternoon the enemy attacked the hall, I remember an explosion and a bright light. When I woke up I as on a decepticon prisoner transport. They wanted to know where Alpha Trion was, when I wouldn't tell them, then again I honestly didn't know, they…well…they did this." SmokeScreen pointed to his ears. "I was some sort of audio receptor overloader thing, they turned up the volume so high it destroyed my hearing. Knocked me out too. I managed to give a guard the slip and snag an escape pod. Brought me here." Optimus sighed sadly, "you have been through an ordeal." SmokeScreen shrugged, "Nothing that most every other Autobot hasn't been through. I'm just glad that you guys found me. I was so scared it was going to be the cons." Optimus smiled slightly, "And you do not know the fate of Alpha Trion?" SmokeScreen lowered his head, "No, wish I did." Optimus frowned sadly, in the depths of his spark he hoped that he would see his former mentor again. SmokeScreen smiled, "At least now I am here with all of you! Specially you Optimus sir!" SilverStorm chuckled, "Someone's got a fan" she murmured. SmokeScreen looked around, "Who is everyone else?" SilverStorm shook her head, "Oh pardon my manners. SmokeScreen this is…" she pointed to each bot to introduce themselves. Raf spoke up, "I hate to break this up, but I think I found something else." Raf threw the image up on the screen, Ratchet looked startled, "Red energon!" Bumblebee chirped, "Red Energon? Doesn't that stuff give you like really fact speed or something." Ratchet nodded, "In Decepticons hands it could be really dangerous." Optimus nodded, "We will investigate, SilverStorm inform SmokeScreen he will remain here." SilverStorm signed to him. Smokescreens' face fell, "But I know how to fight!" SilverStorm looked to Optimus, "On this planet we are robots in disguise you will need to acquire a vehicle mode, furthermore you require more training before going up against the Decepticons." SmokeScreen sighed sadly as the team left. He looked at Ratchet, whom just shrugged. SmokeScreen tapped on his shoulder, "What?" Ratchet moaned, SmokeScreen pretended to drive, trying to signal to Ratchet he want to pick an earth vehicle mode as Optimus had said. Ratchet shook his head, "I can't leave." He turned back to the screen as Jack leaned over the railed, "What's up Ratchet?" Ratchet sighed, "He, from what I am getting, wants to pick his vehicle form." Jack shrugged, "I could take him." Ratchet looked to the young mech, getting an idea he pulled out a data pad typing the information on it. "Jack is going to take you to choose a vehicle mode." SmokeScreen smiled, "Come on" he motioned.
SmokeScreen and Jack laid on top of a mesa, watching numerous cars go by. Ratchet had given Jack a data pad that would translate what he wrote in English to Cybertronian so the two could communicate. SmokeScreen sighed, "Isn't there any cool cars here?" he typed, Jack laughed, "There is a racetrack near here." SmokeScreen lite up, "Lets go!" he quickly typed.
Optimus stabilized himself on top of the crane, they had run into StarScream who was wearing the apex armor. "What are we going to do?" Arcee asked, "The apex armor is impenetrable." Optimus looked around he want sure what they were to do. The crane suddenly began to move as StarScream lifted it.
SmokeScreen admired the many artifacts, specially one he recognized very well. The phase shifter, when Jack was a bit ahead of him SmokeScreen opened the door, placing the artifact on his arm. "You there!" Ratchet smacked himself, "He can't hear me" he moaned. Ratchet tapped on his shoulder, startling the mech, Ratchet pointed to the artifact with an angry look. SmokeScreen smiled activating it. Ratchet shook his head and pointed for him to point it back. SmokeScreen looked confused, he pulled out the data pad him and Jack had used and began to type a message.
Optimus thought fast, they had to do something. StarScream laughed and bellowed insults from below. A ground bridge opened Optimus's spark sank, Megatron, when out came a red, white, and blue race car, the number 38 was printed on both doors. The bot transformed into SmokeScreen, a big smile plastered across his face. Optimus's eye widened in horror, "No." Is whispered as the young mech charged the apex armor protected bot. StarScream laughed, "So the Autobots have a new recruit? Cute!" SmokeScreen jumped using the phase shifter forced StarScream out of the apex armor. StarScream shook his head startled, "What?" SmokeScreen pumped his fists, StarScream just growled, "Stop this rookie!" he shot at the crane causing the red energon to explode, creating a cloud of dust. When the dust settled StarScream was gone, SmokeScreen looked up to see the Autobots, the Apex armor lay on the ground. He smiled to himself, he did good.
Back at the base everyone admired the armor, "Good job SmokeScreen" SilverStorm signed to him. SmokeScreen smiled with a childish grin, "Ratchet thought I was trying to steal your relics." SilverStorm chuckled as she interpreted, Rachet huffed, "Only until you explained! You can't just waltz around taking things off shelfs." SilverStorm licked her lips trying hold back a grin as she silent signed back to SmokeScreen who began to laugh. Arcee looked to Bulkhead I don't think she told him what Ratchet said. Bulkhead agreed, nudging Bumblebee. Optimus placed his hand on the mechs shoulder, "Thank you for your assistance today, though I still believe you need more training." SmokeScreen nodded, "Can SilverStorm teach me?" He asked Optimus watched is hands as SilverStorm spoke, his eyes were pleading. Optimus turned to SilverStorm, "That is your decision alone." SilverStorm smiled signing back to him, "Of course I would love to teach you."
3 weeks later…
"Remember keep your body moving, never take your eyes off your opponent." SmokeScreen nodded, SilverStorm had been training him for the past few weeks and now she had pitted him against Optimus. Optimus has reluctantly accepted; his sisters consistent nagging got the better of him and now here he was like a gladiator preparing to fight someone whom he knew was not as skilled or strong as him. SilverStorm looked over to Optimus, "Take it a little easy on him, just the basics nothing fancy." SilverStorm nodded to SmokeScreen, as the two mech faced off. Optimus looked into Smokescreens eyes, his face shone with excitement. SmokeScreen took a defensive stance shifting his weight ever so slightly back and forth, Optimus inwardly smiled, the kid was learning. Optimus lunged for him as SmokeScreen dove out of the way, turning to see SilverStorms reaction. SilverStorm shook her head as Optimus toppled him to the ground. SmokeScreen shook his head as SilverStorm ran over to him, "I told you, never take your eyes off your opponent, and stop smiling makes you look stupid. Optimus is your enemy for this exercise pretend he wants to kill you." SmokeScreen straighten his face as he got up, making an "I'm watching" you gesture to Optimus. Optimus nodded as the two lunged for each other Optimus punching slowly as SmokeScreen blocked them, SmokeScreen smirked playfully at Optimus before attempting a sweeping leg kick, though he did not see it coming Optimus jumped avoiding the attack, grabbing SmokeScreen arm and forcing him to the ground, SilverStorm waved her hands, "OK, that enough for today." Optimus nodded with a smile to SilverStorm helping the young mech up. "Are you ok?" she signed. SmokeScreen pumped his fists, "Lets do it again!" SilverStorm shook her head, "No, that's enough for…"
"I think I did it!" Rachet bursted into the training/simulation room. "Did what?" Bumblebee chirped, Ratchet held up a set of earphones, "I believe I found a way to restore SmokeScreens hearing. SilverStorm smiled quickly signing to SmokeScreen who look frighten, "The last time a set of those went on me I lost my hearing." SilverStorms smiled faded, "It is your decision." SmokeScreen looked to Ratchet then to Optimus, both of which nodded. SmokeScreen sighed deeply, "Lets do it."
His spark pounded hard within his chest at the headset was placed on him, his breathing was rapid, and his hands shook with fear. SilverStorm placed her hand on his shoulders, "Its ok" she signed. Ratchet nodded as he turned on the machine, SmokeScreen closed his eyes tight as a slight buzz rang in his head. The buzz grew louder and louder, he's head began to ache. He slightly opened his eyes grabbing SilverStorm hand and squeezing tight, a moan escaped him as he blacked out.
SilverStorm panicked, "is he ok?" Ratchet nodded, "I knew that would happen, it's a good sign its working." The Autobots waited for a few hours when the mech finally woke up, groaning he grabbed his head, he blinked to clear up his vision. "You ok Smokey?" Miko asked from the balcony. SmokeScreen's eyes widen, "I…I heard you!" his vice cracked, SilverStorm smiled, "You can hear!" SmokeScreen nodded, "I can!" He rubbed his head, "My head hurts though." Ratchet nodded, "it will for a bit." SmokeScreen looked around, "Everything is so loud" he almost whispered. SilverStorm laughed, "I imagine it would be after not hearing anything for decades." SmokeScreen stood up, "Whoa, I can even hear my footsteps." SilverStorms spark felt warm, it was like he was hearing for the first time. "Come on" she walked to his side, "Lets get some practice in." she signed teasingly. SmokeScreen smirked, "Ok back at ya." He signed back.
Optimus watched the two head back to the training room, "Good job Ratchet." Ratchet waved his hand, "Please no praise it's what I do."
