(A/N: Sorry for the delay, everyone. Here's a short chapter to keep everyone interested and the story going. Edit:A reason why I haven't been writing as much is that I have been working full-time as an employee at a hospital here in the United States, in addition to helping take care of my now late-grandfather. He passed away the day after St. Patrick's Day this year. We cremated him a week later. He won't be interred unless this crisis was over. No, it wasn't COVID-19, but I would be pissed if it was. It was COPD and old age. That means that 'his smoking days caught up with him' to quote my Uncle. He was a former Navy Sailor and a plant worker for General Motors. He is sorely missed. Any and all prayers for him along with ourselves and our family are greatly appreciated.

One last note: Unless you are essential, you need to get food, groceries, meds, exercise, walk your pet: STAY INSIDE! Especially this week. I know, that there have been some folks wanting everything opening by Easter Sunday. However, there's a huge problem. Let me explain via a history lesson:

During the Spanish Flu Epidemic, the city of Philadelphia decided to throw a parade... while people were getting sick and dying. They figured 'screw it' what's the worse that could happen? Well: the worst happened. It was, and I quote from Reddit 'a massacre'. So, until this epidemic is considered over by all authorities: STAY INSIDE AT HOME! I mean: you can read a book, play video games, etc. You can go outside to get food, medicine, and groceries, exercise yourself and your pets, but stay in your home! As for those who have none: please help the homeless find a suitable shelter for the duration of this crisis.

This Public Service Announcement was brought to you by the Author for no money at all! Stay safe and indoors, folks! Also: if you're Christian: happy Holy Week! If not, have a good week, all of you!)

Colonel Raguel Marin stared at what was in front of her and then back to Jackson Darby, her MR Overlay image's jaw dropping to the floor... proverbially speaking. The area around her looked like some kind of command center. Some kind of portal-looking thing between two terminals of vastly different sizes... and was that a Vanguard tech manning one of those stations?! Hell, there were Vanguard personnel walking around the place! Technicians checking the pipes and the subsystems, MPs guarding and patrolling the hallways not to mention that huge driveway behind her... what would need a driveway that big?

"Yeah, I have a lot to explain." Darby guiltily sighed, looking away. He shifted his feet as he rubbed his neck.

She resisted the urge to say 'No mierda' at this. There was a squad's worth of giant robots that she swore looked like Holons only... they had mouths... and had facial expressions... and for some reason they looked like they had automotive parts attached to their bodies and a red-.. She looked at the shoulder of the lead robot in front of her: a tall blue and red figure with the front of a Peterbilt truck as its chasis. She recognized that mark... from the simulation that the children were in yesterday!

"You are Colonel Raguel Marin, correct?" The apparent leader of the group asked after leaning down to her eye level, his volume muted to a 'comfortable' level, for lack of a better term. "Commanding Officer of the Vanguard 101st Tactical Combined Arms Operations Group as well as the installation known as 'Anvil Operations Base'?" It asked with a straight face.

"That... would be correct, yes." Raguel said, crossing her arms nodding, while curious as to whom this was and if her suspicions were correct.

"My designation is Optimus Prime," The leader introduced itself with a calm tone. "I am the overall leader and commander of the Autobot Resistance." Prime began. Marin blinked. 'Overall leader and commander' that meant he led the whole damn 'Resistance'. Vector and Darby had mentioned they had been fighting a civil war back on their home world (with the ridiculous name) Cybertron.

"These are the current members of my detachment on your planet," Prime said, introducing them all. "My second-in-command and medical officer: Ratchet."

Ratchet crossed his arms in response as he looked at Marin with a serious glare that she swore would cut through beams of grade-A Titanium. "You better not send any more of our kids on combat missions," He threatened. His comrades looked at him with a shocked wide-eyed look. "Yeah," Another robot, this one sounding young and eager spoke. Strangely it reminded her of the long-dead Nolan North. "I'm with him on this one."

"I'm Smokescreen, by the way, ma'am. I used to be with the original Pretenders we had-before-uh," He paused and sighed. "Yeah," His shoulders slumped.

"So, you knew... the others?" Marin asked, looking around at the other bots. Her tone emphasized 'others'.

"Of course, we did!" Another robot exclaimed, this one much larger, bulkier even, stepped forward. He towered over almost everyone. His voice was deep while also having that same electronic-metallic accent to it. "This is Bulkhead, our resident Heavy Weapons expert." Optimus interjected.

"Only reason I'm here is because Ironhide nearly got snuffed out back on New Home. He should be fine now..." Bulkhead scoffed and turned away muttering something low under his breath that sounded like 'I hope,'. Marin frowned at this.

'Ironhide... I swear, that sounds almost familiar.' She thought to herself.

"Mind Bulkhead, Colonel." Yet another robot said, putting a reassuring hand on his comrae's shoulder. "His kid hasn't shown up yet, even though mine did." The robot said, shrugging with an almost guilty look. "I'm Wheeljack, the technical expert around here." Wheeljack said, gesturing to himself. "And inventor of scrap that explodes too often." Smokescreen snickered. Wheeljack shot him a glare. "I thought a few decades of sleep would at least mellow you out." Smoke grinned back a devilish grin. "Says the guy that nearly blew someone's gasket,"

"Okay, that's not funny!" The yellow robot said, pointing at her. His voice sounded tough, but also young and experienced while he glared at his friends. "I nearly crashed into a tanker and a freeway 'cause of you: jackaft." The yellow one said.

"Bumblebee," Optimus warned in a calm manner. 'Bumblebee' straightened his slender form upright and sighed.

"Right, right: 'professional'." Bumblebee said in a tired manner and turned to Marin."I'm one of the team's scouts, but I also function as its marksman and rifleman if need be." Bumblebee announced, nodding in respect to her. "Arcee," He gestured to the much smaller and feminine looking automaton next to him with a thumb. "is also a scout. Can't have just one around, it gets boring."

Arcee scoffed, putting a hand on her hip. Yep, definitely a girl. Marin wondered how could alien robots even have genders? Could they be changed at will or not? More questions that needed answering... although not now. "Now, that we have introductions out of the way: when can we go to Anvil?" Arcee asked. Marin shot Darby a glare that spoke 'Oh hell no. We had too much happen already'.

"I'm afraid that's not likely. The children have had a very..." Marin paused to find the right words before Optimus interrupted her. "Colonel, we understand. What my scout is asking: is when would be an appropriate time and day for us to schedule a meeting between us and those that have our CNA?" Optimus reworded Arcee's question. Arcee nodded at this. Marin blinked as her digital self licked her lips.

"I'm not even sure when that would be possible. We have a very full plate ourselves, right now."

"Yeah, that 'Genlock' thing Jack told us about." Smokescreen said aloud with a smile that soon quickly fell. Every last Autobot and human in the room looked at him in a mixture of shock and anger. Marin's MR Overlay image started to have her left eye twitch as her face went pale.

"GODDAMMIT, SMOKE! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT!" Jack Darby's MR image roared, pointing at him.

XXX

Doctor Rufus Weller looked up as he watched a livestream of Chase and Yaz doing a training exercise. He frowned... it was almost like he felt a disturbance in the Force. He grabbed a cup of English tea and sipped it. "If it turns out that someone leaked information on my project," He announced to no one in particular as Caliban stood next to him, recording his notes. "I'm going to be very, very cross." He then put his cup back down.

"Ah! That reminds me." Weller exclaimed, thinking. "Wonder what use I can have for a certain ball-bot?" He wondered aloud, thinking of various twisted plots and designs that would make any non-Doctor scream in fear... or laugh with warped joy.

XXX

In the Anvil's stockade, in one-man cell rooms, the Vector Minors sat in their cells with a very downcast look. All of a sudden, their heads shot upright with their optics widening and a very panicked look. A sort-of bullet-resistant glass shield in front of them prevented their escape... potentially. However, that wasn't the issue. Another one, or two, was rising.

::Oh, slag.:: Vector Minor 1/A announced in shock to its brothers in a private chatroom amongst themselves. ::I think we really fragged up this time.::

::Anybody else feel a so-called 'disturbance' in something? I keep getting a bad feeling about this whole thing more and more:: Vector Minor 3/C announced.

::C: SHUT THE FRAG UP!:: All yelled at their brother in the chatroom, making said Minor wince.