A/N - So I re-watched Revenge of the Fallen a while ago and I finally realized something: The Autobots are barely in this movie. Think about it. Sideswipe gets his badass moment during the Shanghai battle, and then he's just an extra for the remaining 140 minutes. Ratchet's on screen for two minutes and speaks four times, three times less than what he got in the first movie for both categories. Even Ironhide didn't get that much to say and do (Three minutes on screen, ten lines). Megatron and Starscream got plenty to say and do, how come we can't say the same about the Autobots? This story aims to give them a little more presence without drastically changing a lot.
A/N 2 - The opening battle in Shanghai goes unchanged, because it's a pretty good opening scene as is. This first scene is the one at NEST base in Diego Garcia where the team returns after the battle in Shanghai. And now, without further ado...
NEST CLASSIFIED OPERATIONS - DIEGO GARCIA
It was a mostly sunny day on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Several Jumbo Jets had landed, and NEST troops and several Autobots exited their cargo holds, back from taking two more Decepticons off the face of the Earth.
"Autobot twins, report to hangar 3." Said an announcer as Ironhide and Sideswipe drove out of one jumbo jet and went to a hangar next to the main one, (This moment happens immediately after Skids and Mudflap get new vehicle modes.) where the green Autobot medic Ratchet was waiting for them. They came to a stop and both transformed into robot mode.
"What's the damage this time?" Asked Ratchet.
"The cons didn't scratch my paint this time, Ratchet. I think this is what humans call a "flawless victory." Yeah, that's the term." Said Sideswipe.
"Sideswipe's right. Only minor wounds this time, nothing our self repair systems couldn't handle." Said Ironhide.
"Good. After that previous mission, I was worried I'd run out of equipment." Said Ratchet.
"No need to worry. Now that Sideways and Demolishor are gone, that's two fewer cons to worry about. In time, we'll find and get rid of the others." Said Ironhide as he transformed back into vehicle mode.
"Wait, what about the twins?" Asked Ratchet.
"Those two went off to get new vehicle modes. If they got scratched up a little, their upgrades will cancel it out." Said Sideswipe.
"You're right." Said Ratchet.
Sideswipe and Ratchet transformed into vehicle mode and drove after Ironhide, Sideswipe cutting in front. As they drove into the main hangar, they saw the Autobot twins Skids and Mudflap entering the area in new green and orange vehicle modes with their names written on the license plates. They came to rest in the back, remaining in vehicle mode as the Arcee sisters joined them. Optimus remained right outside the area the others came into as the humans mourned a few soldiers that died during the mission. While all that was happening, a helicopter landed in the base, and an uptight, arrogant, glasses-wearing man, Theodore Galloway, came into the hangar uninvited. Major Lennox attempted to calm his evident tension as he showed him around the base.
"All right, so this is where we communicate with the JCS, and this area serves as the Autobot's hangar."
The Autobots silently observed Galloway, remaining in vehicle mode. They could tell that he was not a huge fan of theirs, but didn't have the slightest idea as to why.
(Soundwave hacking the satellite to eavesdrop on the conversation between Optimus and the humans progresses unchanged.)
"And since no one can seem to tell me what the enemy is now after, well there, there's only one clear conclusion! You! The Autobots! They're here to hunt you! What's there to hunt for on Earth besides that? The Fallen shall rise again? Sounds to me like something's coming. So let me ask. If we ultimately conclude that our national security is best served by denying you further asylum on our planet, will you leave peacefully?"
"Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honor it. But, before your president decides, please ask him this: What if we leave, and you're wrong?"
Galloway walked away from the stern-sounding Optimus.
"That's a good question." Commented Lennox.
Ratchet transformed into robot mode.
"Optimus, I do not like that human."
"I agree that he is not the most pleasant of people to work with, but he has a point. This is not our world."
"What if we do end up having to leave but the Decepticons, however many are still out there, remain?"
"Then we will return and destroy them once and for all."
Ironhide transformed into robot mode.
"Prime, we've been coming at them for two years with everything we've got. And yet, it seems like every time we put one offline, another shows up. And the fact that our most recent missions have been across the world has me thinking what you're thinking. What is it they're searching for? And for what purpose?"
"I do not know. But if my earliest knowledge of Cybertronian history serves correctly, last night's warning of The Fallen rising again is a sign of bad news."
"So, could the Decepticons be looking for this Fallen, or a means of making him rise again?" Asked Ratchet.
"But it's impossible to bring back the dead. Even in Cybertron's glory days before the war, death was always an irreversible process." Said Ironhide.
"However true that may be, Ironhide, I do not believe that the Decepticons would be putting forth this much effort into finding a potential solution for their mission if it was not possible." Said Optimus.
"Let's assume that it is, what do we do if this Fallen rises again?" Asked Ratchet.
"Then we stop him, like we do with all Decepticon punks." Said Ironhide.
"That may not be so easy. What little I remember of The Fallen tells me that he is not the average Decepticon. Should last night's warning add up to something, we will need a plan that goes beyond what we usually do." Said Optimus.