Author's Note: I need to announce that within this chapter there is a brief summary of the new Autobots. This Summary is to let everyone know that I may be using characters found in the movies (later bringing in some that aren't) and they will have the personalities of their original debut in the Transformers franchise. I've done the same with the other characters, but this is the first time there is a major difference between my story and the Michael Bay movies.

Disclaimer: I own none of the Transformers characters. I do own my OCs so if you use them you need to ask me first, please and thank you.

Chapter 25

Leaving Shield in charge Jade huffed and stomped her way to the main hanger. She really didn't want to go to the briefing where she would see that silver mech again, but Bee was insistent that she need to meet the other new arrivals. Personally she didn't feel up to it, but for Bee she would try; besides she could get to know the females. From what she remembered of Ratchet's lectures those three were probably the only female Cybertronians she'd ever meet. Absently she wondered if they would like her or be cruel to her like the girls from high school.

Bee ran into the meeting room with Jade trudging right behind him gently shutting the door. As she walked towards the group Bee was excitedly talking to each member gaining hugs, handshakes, and back slaps. There was a family-like love and the love of a fellow soldier in those actions that made Jade's heart ache at how close the group was. It served to show her how different she was from them. While the Autobots, and even the two Decepticons, preferred to be in the company of each other, Jade preferred to be alone or with the children. She was truly different ever though she looked like them.

"I didn't think you'd show," Ratchet drawled when she stood next to him.

"Bee wanted to make me social. Can you imagine it? Me of all people being social." The two of them snorted at the thought. Both were very aware of how the woman preferred solitude. "So who joined this merry band of warriors?" Jade chuckled.

"Well, the brooding silver mech over there is Sideswipe. Don't mind him, his twin brother and he have been separated for a long time so he's bound to be a miserable slagger. The blue mech is Jolt, he's quiet most of the time, but get to know him and he'll talk your audio receptors off. The short mechs are Skids and Mudflap, they're close, but thankfully not twins even though everyone thinks they are. Both like to pretend they're thugs, but Skids is a theoretician and Mudflap is a boxer with a temper so try not to rile him up. The small pink femme is Arcee, she's hyper though she does think things through before acting. The blue femme is Chromia, she's second in command of the femmes and all around soldier. She's Ironhide's Starkmate. The taller pink femme is Elita One, she is the femme commander. She's a soldier all right, but she's got a soft spark for the defenseless."

"Let me guess," Jade smirked. "There's a betting pool on her and Optimus getting together and you are on the side of them being a couple."

"How did you know about that?"

"Who else do I interact with the most other than you?" Ratchet groaned and she smiled. "Yep, I know the ringmaster of bets."

Optimus cleared his throat, of whatever the Cybertronian equivalent was, calling everyone's attention to him. The briefing got under way with reports from each new Autobot, from the time they lost contact till they arrived on Earth as a group. Jade listened to their tales thinking how hard it must have been for them even though they all had a vast amount of experience with war. Honestly she was bored and wanted to paint again, but she needed to appear like she wasn't angry with Sideswipe for nearly taking out her knee. Just when she thought the meeting was over, Optimus called her attention.

"How are the sparklings, Jade?"

"Hmm? They're good. Shieldstriker has taken to roughhousing more with Barricade, must be getting used to his size and just who he can be rough with. Cheatcode has been diving into any datapads she's given and has taken to knowing everything she can. Dial, Screenshot, and Chatter have attached themselves to the human barracks being quite the gossips. Carbonation and Trapmaster are turning into the right little pranksters, mostly going after humans for now. Healingblade and Labtech have been shadowing Ratchet and Skymaze has been shadowing you, Optimus." At his stunned look Jade simple shrugged. "The flying lessons seem to be going well, Starscream is a good teacher. Also, they seem to have bounced back since the Project M attack."

"And you?"

"Over the attack, yes. Over my fear, not by a long shot," Jade sighed. They needed to understand they she could never get over what had happened to her.

A few more reports later and the meeting was finally over. Jade was about to leave when she suddenly found herself surrounded by the other three women. She blinked in surprise as all three started talking at once. It took the them a few minutes to realize that Jade couldn't understand what they were trying to say.

"So you were really human before?" Arcee fired off and received a nod.

"Has it been overly difficult to take care of the sparklings? Should you need help any of us would be happy to help," Elita One cut in.

"It's actually not that hard, but there are a lot of the rascals and therein lies the challenge," Jade supplied. "And If you want to help out you can, I'm sure Starscream and Barricade could use breaks every so often."

"How's your shooting?" Chromia asked.

"I, uh, I don't know. Normally a program Ratchet calls "Sparkling Protection Protocol" or something like that activates and then I'm fighting."

"You've never fought out of the protocol?" Acree questioned.

"Actual battle, never. But random shooting and trying to maim Ironhide, definitely." Jade sheepishly rubbed her neck remembering the blue female was in a relationship with the back mech. Surprisingly the woman laughed and slapped her on the back nearly making her tumble to the ground. The other women started to laugh and it became infectious causing Jade to laugh with them. She felt like she was one of the girls.

Suddenly Sideswipe walked past them with a huff. Arcee scowled at him and demanded to know what his problem was.

"Don't see why you're trying to include her." Elita One gave him a warning look which he ignored. "She's nothing but a useless glitch with a horrible paint job."

Jade stared at him before firing off a cannon hitting him in the back. He yelled and swore at her which she responded with the universal middle finger. Chromia cheered at her great shooting and Arcee said he deserved it. Elita spoke of talking to Optimus about his behavior. Yet all Jade could think about was his insult and how much she felt like he was right.