Transformers: On Our Own

Episode 3, Part One

Drift skidded to a halt as the two meteorites crashed into the ground and slid almost a hundred yards. Tony climbed out of the orange-and-white race car stared in awe.

"Sweet mother of God," he whispered unbelievingly. "What are those?"

The car's body shifted and rose up on its tires. The front end split down the middle and folded down over the bottom of the vehicle as the back end broke apart and both parts extended and changed shape, to resemble feet. Drift's head formed from the engine and settled between the front wheel wells, which had become the Autobot's shoulders. Drift cracked his neck and observed the scene.

"That's how we land on alien planets," Drift explained. We have to disguise ourselves or we draw attention to wherever we land."

"And this doesn't draw attention?" Tony asked incredulously. "I find that hard to believe."

Drift was about to respond, but a flash of green caught his eye, and his arm transformed into a canon, now trained on the newcomer: a brand new, electric green motorcycle. The bike zoomed toward them, hit a small hill of dirt, and jumped it. In midair, the bike fractured in four places, twisted apart, and landed, sliding across the ground to stop about ten yards in front of Drift. The strange robot clenched his fist, and katana-like blade almost twice the length of Tony shot out of the back of its wrist.

"Name, or I'll cut you to pieces," Shinobi warned.

"Drift," Tony's car replied calmly, "senior medical advisor and direct line between Earth and Cybertron for Optimus Prime."

Shinobi relaxed and retracted his blade. "My name is Shinobi. I'm a stealth operative for Optimus."

Drift cocked his head. "He never told me about a stealth operative on Earth."

"That's because it was between me and him. Ask him about it if you must, but if you're an Autobot, too, then you must've gotten the distress signal one of these Autobots sent out."

Tony was only half-listening to their conversation. He was more interested in the third meteorite that was rocketing over their heads. Drift and Shinobi also looked up.

"It has to be a Decepticon," Shinobi deduced. "That's the only reason the distress signal might've been disrupted to you."

Drift rounded on Shinobi. "And why didn't it affect you?"

"Because Optimus equipped me to be able to deflect any hostile signals in the presence of an allied frequency." Shinobi put his hand to the side of his head. "Optimus, we've got two Autobots and a Decepticon that just arrived. Identities and conditions unknown."

"I didn't clear and Autobots to land on Earth," Tony heard Optimus say. "Unless..."

Drift's eyes narrowed. "Unless what?"

"Unless it's U-Turn."

Shinobi's shoulders sank. "U-Turn?"

Drift groaned. "Why is he here?"

"It must be the other Autobot, the one he has with him," Optimus mused. "Do not open fire, but be aware that U-Turn was expelled from the Autobots. He shouldn't be there."

"Got it," Shinobi said. He drew his sword again, which extracted a sharp inhale from Drift.

"He said don't attack--" Drift began, but Shinobi interrupted.

"Don't attack them," he said, pointing at the two meteorites. "What about him?"

At exactly that time, Starscream could be seen rising quickly into the air. As he ascended, his shape changed, and he became an F-15 fighter jet and began to circle them.

Drift aimed his canon, but Shinobi motioned for him to hold. When Drift looked at him sideways, Shinobi said simply, "I got him."

Starscream dove, and opened fire. Drift went down on one knee and blocked Tony, who hit the ground. Shinobi jumped up on Drift's back and kicked off, grabbing onto Starscream's wing with one hand. Starscream barrel-rolled, and Shinobi slammed his blade through the wing he had a hold of. He used the momentum from the Decepticon's maneuver and swung around and over his wing, slicing it clean off. As a result, however, Shinobi had no handhold, and he plummeted to Earth. Just as he though he was going to hit the ground, a large, robotic hand grabbed his leg.

"Fifth Wheel?" Drift remarked, disbelievingly.

"Who else?" the old Autobot laughed, dropping Drift on the ground.