The Return of The Thylacine

by Karrit

After experiencing the loss of a close friend, Tracks finds himself and Beachcomber intertwined with the fate the Earth's most valuable animal-the resurrected thylacine. Can he protect them and a new ally while coming to terms with his grief?

5. Chapter 5

The Return of the Thylacine

Disclaimer: Transformers are the copyright of Hasbro and Takara. This work of fiction is written solely for entertainment purposes and is not intended for profit.

Author's Note(s): This story is dedicated in memory of Benjamin, the last known living thylacine who died on September 7th, 1936 at the Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart, Tasmania.

This story follows Season 2 of the G1 Transformers, but should also be considered AU for several reasons:

1: The setting is modern day instead of the 1980s. Some liberties have been taken.

2: Some concepts from later renditions such as the All Spark and Primus will be acknowledged.

3: The elements and subject matter of the story will deal with mature themes that would not be found in a series targeted at children.

Chapter 5: Wurrawana Corinna

Prime stretched his arms. What a great night of stasis sleep he had. He felt so refreshed and ready to tackle a day of organizing and planning. He even felt great enough to take on Megatron for that matter. He ran himself a hot oil bath and submerged himself into the steaming dark liquid. It felt so wonderful against his living metal.

"What a good morning to be alive," mused the Autobot leader while relaxing.

"You sound chipper," Powerglide yawned. "Mind if I join ya?"

"Not at all," said Prime. Cybertronians like many cultures of Earth, past and present, were accustomed to both communal and private bathing. Communal bathing was seen as a means for socializing and relaxing. The Arc was equipped with tanks large enough to hold several cybertronians at once, as well as smaller tanks in individual rooms for those preferring privacy. The setup was not unsimilar to the famous bathhouses of Japan.

Powerglide stepped into the oil and chilled across from Optimus. "This is the life," he sighed contentedly. "I took a quick peek at the common area. It's spotless!"

"I hoped as much," said Prime. "It proves to me that Tracks is finally able to focus on other things. That's a very good sign."

"Oh yeah? Sleeping beauty's curled up beside Telatraan 1 with that girl resting inside. It must have taken 'em all night to make it look that good."

Chuckling, Optimus Prime reclined back with his arms resting behind his head. "I think I'll let them sleep for a while. They've earned it."

Bumblebee emerged from barracks, still robbing his optics. He looked overjoyed to see Optimus in much better spirits. He ran to the edge of the tank. "Good morning, guys!" He jumped in, causing the oil to splash the other Autobots.

"Good morning, Bee!" Prime greeted the young autobot.

Powerglide wiped oil from his optics. "Easy there, kid! Let's try to keep the oil in the tub."

Bumblebee rubbed his head. "Sorry about that. I'm just glad to see everyone in a better mood."

"That we are," replied Optimus as he rubbed the top of Bumblebee's head. "But there's still so much to do. We've got a rescue mission to plan and something to give is an edge."

Powerglide perked up. "I heard something about new armor?"

"Armor?" questioned Bumblebee with an adorable confused look.

Optimus closed his optics. "Yes, armor. I'll explain in more detail later. For now, I just want to finish relaxing in this hot oil bath."

A short time later, Optimis walked out into the common room with Bumblebee and Powerglide. He walked up to the resting corvette and gently patted his hood. "You came through," he whispered. "I'm proud of you."

He approached Teletraan 1 and asked, "Is there any news on the Thayer Research Institute or Decepticon activity?"

The computer scanned with its surveillance software. "Thayer is located approximately fifty miles NorthEast from our location. Decepticon activity unavailable at this time, but recent reports suggest Decepticons may be using the Kagayaku Motors engineers to build hydrogen-based renewable technology to harvest energon."

"That's what I feared," Prime pondered, scratching his faceplate. "I don't think the Decepticons will harm any of them until they are no longer vital to their plans. As for Thayer, activate all security systems and alert me should they head this way."

Powerglide approached. "Prime, do you want me to scope things out?"

"No, not yet. We're staying put until after I call a meeting later today."

"Prime," said Bumblebee. "Does this have anything to do with what you said earlier?"

The leader nodded. "Yes, Bumblebee. Our new human friends created an organic wax that saved Sunstreaker's life. I asked Kota to work with Wheeljack and Perceptor to enhance and replicate it."

Bee placed his hands behind his head. "So this is the armor you were talking about?"

"It is," replied Optimus. He patted you young Autobot on the head.

Sunstreaker emerged from the infirmary with Kota in tow. "I'm back in business!" he rejoiced, and more than happy to be officially discharged from Ratchet's care. He looked around at the gleaming common room and at the sleeping corvette and human girl. He snickered. "I always knew Tracks would make a good cleaning-bot. Dirt and polish stains really suit him."

Kota elbowed him. "Be nice, Bro. They served their time. The place looks great."

Prime found himself laughing. "Easy Sunstreaker, or you might find the shoe on the other foot if you're not careful."

"I'm kidding. Where's that no good brother of mine? If he's still sleeping, I'm going to wake his lazy aft."

"I want to see where you guys hang out and sleep," Kota said.

Sunstreaker grinned. "Sure!"

Optimus nodded with approval. "This is your chance to find out more about us, Kota, but I am holding a meeting this afternoon. I'll need your expertise."

The boy laughed moderly. "Don't make me blush. I trust Wheeljack and Percy with handling the new and improved formula."

Sunstreaker put Kota on his shoulders. "We'll be there. Catch you guys later."

The lamborghini took Kota to the living quarters of the Ark. The barracks where they took their stasis sleep. There were platforms that rose up from the floor, similar to those in the infirmary, although many Autubots preferred resting in their alt-modes. Sideswipe was no exception. He was snoozing away. Sunstreaker playfully lept on top of him.

"Wake up!" he shouted.

Shaken out of sleep, Sideswipe transformed and flipped Sunstreaker over, pinning him. Kota managed to jump off in time and pounced on Sideswipe. All three were laughing.

"How's your butt, bro?" asked Sideswipe, giving his older brother a hard slap on the skidplate.

With a smirk, Sunstreaker put him into a headlock. "Other than needing a new paint job, it's doing fine. Yours is gonna need one too if you try that again!"

Kota leapt onto Sunstreaker's back, trying to roughhouse and failing miserably. He slid down, landing on the floor.

The Lambros had a good laugh and said in unison. "Nice try!"

The boy laughed while rubbing his head. "You guys are awesome! I wish I had brothers.."

Sunstreaker took a seat on the floor, pulling Sideswipe down to join them. "Who says you don't? I haven't always been a fan of humans, but you're okay. Ain't that right, bro?"

"Yeah, anyone that can beat Big Bro at video games is aces with me," he replied, taking a playful jab at his twin.

Kota hugged them both and started to cry. The talk of family made him realize he was still worried about his father's safety.

Sunstreaker raised the boy's chin up. "What's wrong now?"

"I wonder if my dad's okay. How do I know that creepy guy hasn't killed him already?"

The golden lamborghini pulled the boy close. "He's gonna be okay. I don't think Megatron'll kill him. I'll rip his gears out before he tries. We're gonna rescue him soon. You got that?"

"We're badasses," added Sunstreaker. "and Prime's the ultimate badass. We're gonna stomp those Decepticons for trying to hurt our little brother!"

"I love you guys," said Kota, hugging the robots even tighter.

Tracks wandered long inside a void of darkness. It seemed to him that it continued on for quite some time until eight sparks of light were ahead. They shone dimly at first, but their luster grew brighter the closer he came. He recognized them as part of the constellation of Gemini. The stars swirled together and took the form of a massive creature resembling the thylacine. Its eyes and stripes looked as if they were set ablaze by fire. It approached Tracks, dwarfing him with its monstrous size. The autobot took a step back.

Looking down upon him, the creature spoke in Cybertronian. "I am Wurrawana Corinna, the Great Ghost. I have existed since long ago when mankind was young and your people lay sleeping inside this mountain."

The autobot shielded his optics from the intensity of the light. "Why are you haunting my dreams?" he asked with disbelief, "You look like something more up Beachcomber's alley. Shoo! Go away!"

Wurrawana Corinna circled Tracks, leaving trails of stardust behind it. "I am your spirit guide. I appear to those who have lost their way and are in need of finding themselves again."

"What makes you think I even want your help?"

The creature sat down in front of Tracks. "It is not a matter of what you desire, but what you need. Thousands of moons ago when Trowenna was still connected to the Great Land, I was a pup. I was chasing a possum up a tree when I heard the cries of a young boy named Palana. Palana was the son of Moinee, the great spirit who lives in the sky. On this fateful day, while hunting, the boy was attacked by the monster, Tarnar. So great were Palana's cries for help that I was moved to help him, despite my small size. Tarnar scratched me with his razor sharp claws and hurled me against stones. Unphased, I kept attacking until my jaws latched onto the monster's throat. Try as he might, Tarnar could not break my hold. He crashed to the ground, dead. Gravely wounded, I curled up beside the Palana until tribesmen discovered and carried us back to their camp. Moinee came down from the sky to congratulate his son for rising up through adversity to become a man. Palana stood up and gazed at me, weary and bleeding by the fire. Lifting me, the boy stared into my tired yellow eyes and said, 'Truly you are the bravest of the brave. Today you fought not as a pup but as Wurrawana Corinna, the Great Ghost.' Kneeling down, Palana took his blood and gathered ashes of the fire, and with his fingers, mixed the two together into a healing potion. He then took the potion and marked my back down to my tail with these stripes."

"So what? That's an Earth legend. I'm not ever from here," the corvette protests stubbornly.

Wurrawana Corinna placed its great paw on his chest. "And yet here we are. You are a child of Primus whose beginnings are as old as the universe itself. I serve the Moinee, who is also as old as the universe and is known on Earth by many names. You are a living entity and all life throughout the stars is connected."

"So you're saying regardless of being from Primus, Earth's creator, or anywhere else in the universe; we're all a part of something far greater? Sounds rather cliche."

"Cliche or not, that is the nature of life-robotic or organic. Not only am I your spirit guide, but I also serve as the link between you and those you love."

The thylacine ghost disappeared into ripples like water that is disturbed by a stone and transformed into a tan-skinned youth with long black hair in a ponytail. He wore a brown studded leather jacket, red tshirt, blue jeans, and brown leather boots. The vision caused the autobot to reach out.

"Raoul?" he stammered as he was overcome by many emotions.

"No, it's Lady Gaga," the youth said sarcastically, "Of course it's me, you idiot!"

Tracks embraced him and wept. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry I couldn't…"

Raoul looked sternly at him. "Car, you got to listen to me," he said. "Remember what I said about some guys got the juice, and some ain't? You gotta remember that you got it. These guys need you, man! You can't keep moping 'round here full of regret. You gotta get with it and focus on what ya got. Besides, like that cutie said, I'm in your spark. Besides, it ain't like we gonna say goodbye forever. Now get your act together, you hear me?"

"I hear you..." murmured Tracks. The vision disappeared as he started waking up.

Dyani opened an eye. "You dreaming?" she asked, still half asleep herself. She sat up in the passenger seat and stretched. She herself had just woken from another dream. Tracks yawned. "You could say that," he said. "Did you sleep okay?"

"I think so, but I'm a little sore," she confessed.

"You worked hard. You should be fine once you get moving," Tracks said, opening the door. "Allow me."

The girl exited the corvette. A slight smile formed on her face. It seemed like he was being much kinder towards her. She stepped back so he could transform back into his robot mode.

Now in robot form, Tracks became aware of how filthy he was and started feeling self-conscious around the other Autobots. The first thing on his mind was a good rinse and a hot oil bath.

"You both did a terrific job." said the voice of Prime from behind them. "Tracks, I have a surprise for you. Follow me."

The corvette turned to face his leader. "A surprise? Alright then. Dyani, shall we?"

She nodded affirmatively. Tracks was her bodyguard, so that meant she had to stay with him. She followed him and Optimus Prime into the barracks and to the very spot where she and Tracks had their first encounter yesterday. Mounted above the corvette's resting place hung his plaque.

"I asked Sparkplug to fix it up and mount it on the wall while you were sleeping," said Prime. "Is it to your liking?"

Tracks was taken back by the gesture. "It's perfect," he replied. To Dyani, be bent forward with both hands on her shoulders. "I regret how repulsive I was to you yesterday. It was because of you I won to begin with. I'm extremely grateful."

Dyani found herself blushing. There was something about his sincerity that made her feel tenderness towards him. "We're cool," she said.

Prime slapped Tracks on the back. "Glad to have you back, my friend. Take a little time for yourself and freshen up. We have a meeting later on."

Freshen up? What did Prime mean by that? She awkwardly followed Tracks as he motioned to her. They walked through a hallway attached to the sleeping and into a larger room with huge tanks of some kind. It became apparent they were inside an autobot-sized bathroom. Shooting a glance at the corvette, she said, "You're not serious!?"

Tracks folded his arms and replied, "I most certainly am. I need a scrub and a nice oil bath."

"B-b-but," stammered Dyani. "There's no way I'm taking a bath with you, and definitely not in oil!"

"Who said you were getting a bath?" he retorted sharply. "Oil isn't suitable for humans. You sit right there until I'm finished."

Dyani threw up her arms in protest. "Fine, but I'm keeping my back to you."

The corvette walked past her and stepped onto a round platform where he was showered with a liquid with a purple tint that scrubbed the stains and grime from his living metal. It gave off a pleasant scent. Once he was clean, he entered one of the smaller tanks now filled with steamy oil.

"Ah!," sighed Tracks in a pleasurable tone. "This feels so luxurious!"

Dyani rolled her eyes. It was bad enough having to be stuck in a giant bathroom, but having to listen to Tracks ramble on about his bath was too much information. She longed for when she would be able to get a bath; the robot would stay outside whether he liked it or not.

Finally, Tracks emerged from the tank, dripping with oil. He dried himself under hot air blowing down from the ceiling. The noise made Dyani think that they were inside a car wash. Once it stopped, Tracks approached her. "Thank you for waiting."

""Yeah, whatever," She stood firmly in front of him, her hands on her hips, and the sternest look on her face as if she were scolding a little kid. "See here!" she said. "I get it's your job to protect me, but it's now my turn to get a bath. You're going to wait outside. Do I make myself clear?"

"You're impossible!" Tracks countered while pointing an accusing finger at the girl.

She remained unphased. "Look who's talking. Let's go!"

Dyani headed to the human quarters with Tracks following. He sighed as he watched her disappear inside. What an infuriating creature she is. He thought, while pacing back and forth.

After a thorough shower, Dyani stepped into a warm bath of lavender-scented bubbles. She relished having a little moment to herself without having an extra pair of eyes on her. It felt so wonderful to be clean and having a little sense of normalcy-or as close to normal anyway. Dyani allowed herself to soak for almost an hour before climbing out of the tub. With a towel draped over her shoulders, sat down in front of a vanity, and started applying lotion to her skin.

Tracks' pacing had become frantic. It had been over an hour and still not a peep from her. He was beginning to worry. It was his directive to keep the human girl safe from waiting became too much for him to bear. He decided to take a quick peek inside. "Dyani? What's taking you so lon…OH!"

The corvette froze in place when he saw her. She was naked and applying something to her body. Poor Tracks was petrified. He had never seen a human female unclothed before. His optics widened and his mouth gaped open with shock. "O–o-o-organic…p-p-part-s-s-s…" he stammered.

Looking up, Dyani became fully aware of the unwanted intruder, and screamed at him. Seizing several bottles and anything else she could grab, she started throwing them at him. "Bad Robot!" she yelled. "Get out! Get out now!"

The robot ducked as a shampoo bottle came whizzing over his head. He bolted out of the room and ran blindly into Bumblebee, causing the smaller Autobot to fall backwards onto his skidplate. Tracks landed on his side, twitching nervously.

"Oww," said Bumblebee, rubbing his behind. "What the heck happened to you?"

"I saw….organic parts," was the only thing the twitching corvette could utter.

Bumblebee tilted his head with confusion. "Um…okay?"

"Oh good grief," said Dyani, standing in the doorway. She was now fully clothed, but her hair was wrapped in a towel. "You're Bumblebee, right? Are you strong enough to drag Tracks inside and prop him up against the wall?'

"I'll try," replied Bumblebee while going behind, and wrapping his arms around the larger Autobot's waist. Grunting, he slowly but surely managed to drag him. "Ugh….What the heck happened to him? He sure is heavy!"

"Let's just say he had a little bit of a shock," she replied. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else about this."

Bumblebee nodded. "Sure thing, but-eh, what are you going to do about him?"

"A calming exercise I learned years ago in therapy. It works for humans, so it might work on giant robots, right?"

The small autobot just shrugged. "I guess so? I'll come back in a few minutes with some energon for him."

"That'd be great," Dyani told him. Once Bumblebee had gone, she knelt down beside Tracks, who was hyperventilating steam. She spoke calmly to him, "Tracks, listen to me. I need you to focus on what I say. I'm going to guide you through something that helped me in the past. Step one: Focus on five things you see around us, okay?"

It took the autobot a few minutes to respond, but weakly, he said, "Mirror, ceiling fan, bed, flowers in vase, lamp…"

The girl nodded affirmatively. "Good. Now do the same as before, but this time with four things you can touch and tell me what they are."

With concentration, Tracks obeyed while feeling different things. "Living metal, floor, plastic bottle, hand…" His large hand was subconsciously touching the girl's own, causing her to blush slightly.

"You're doing great. There are three more steps to go. This time, name three things you can hear.

Tracks' hyperventilating began to ease, causing his core temperature to decline. "Clock ticking, water dripping from faucet, your breathing…"

Dyani placed her hand on top of his. "Now onto step 2," she said. "Tell me about two things you can smell."

"Lavender and roses," he replied.

The girl nodded and said gently, "The last step. Tell me one taste you like."

"Fine energon wine," Tracks responded in a much calmer voice. He was starting to snap out of his delirium. Upon the realization that he was in the human quarters alone with Dyani, his face turned a darker shade of red, signaling his embarrassment.

Dyani had long recovered from her shock over him walking in on her. "Take it easy for a few minutes and then we'll have a talk."

There was a knock at the door. Dyani pressed a button to open it. Bumblebee handed over a large blue cube that was surprisingly light for its size. She had no trouble carrying it. "Thanks again," she said. "He's okay now. I think he'll really appreciate this."

"I promise my lips are sealed," Bee said with a wave. "Seeya later."

Tracks watched as Dyani approached with the energon and gladly accepted the energy-dense liquid. He put the cube to his metallic lips and drank it eagerly until the very last drop. "Thank you," he said.

"No problem," answered Dyani as she took a seat beside him. "Feeling better?"

The corvette seemed unsure. Instead he asked, "That thing you had me do. Where did you learn that?"

"It's called the 54321 Grounding Technique. A therapist I had in San Francisco taught it to me." She touched the giant robot's arm and added, "Now let's get something straight. You didn't do anything wrong-not intentionally. You scared me half to death when you barged in like that. When I take a bath, I prefer a little privacy. It's hard to get a little 'me' time around here, if you catch my drift."

Me time. That brought back a memory to Tracks from two years passed.

It had been a couple of weeks after the destruction of the Decepticon's car-drone factory located in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey. The Autobots had recovered about five-hundred stolen cars scarred inside and outside of Sparkplug's NYC garage. Even with the help of several Aubots, their human ally had lamented it would take at least several weeks and would appreciate a few extra hands. Upon hearing this, Raoul tried to make his exit, only to be intercepted by Tracks, who offered to help him. During that time, both the teenager and robot started forming a stronger bond. One evening after the conversion of the last car had been completed, Sparkplug offered to the boy a job as a mechanic, only to have him split. Infuriated, Tracks scoured the city in flight mode in search of Raoul. He eventually found him all the way in Long Island, wandering through a wealthy suburb during the early morning hours.

The angered teenager turned around to face the Stingray. "What the hell are you following me for, man?"

"The real question is what are you doing all the way out here?"

"I don't owe you any explanations. You ain't my keeper!" the youth lashed. "Leave me alone!"

"Sorry, but I'm not going anywhere. I thought we were friends."

Raoul looked down. "Look, we are friends. I just wanna have fun. I need some me time. Just stay here and wait for me, okay?" He took off in the direction of a large colonial-style house.

"Drat!" cursed Tracks under his breath. "He's just asking for trouble."

He waited what felt like hours and still no Raoul. Keeping his headlights off, the corvette quietly pulled into an alley behind the house. He converted into robot mode and peaked over a high fence, and witnessed a Raoul nightswimming in a pool. His clothes were hanging off one of the deck chairs. Tracks was mortified to see Raoul trespassing on private property.

"What the hell are you doing, man? I told you to wait!" shouted Raoul as he climbed out of the pool. He was completely naked. Witnessing an unclothed human was quite the culture shock for the Autobot. He couldn't help but stare.

Raoul walked up to the fence. "What's your problem? Haven't you seen a naked person before?"

Before Tracks could answer, lights turned on inside the house. "Oh shit!" he heard Raoul whisper as the teenager hastily gathered his clothes and darted over the fence. This caused the robot to come to his senses and convert to alt-mode. The youth opened the driver's side door and threw his clothing inside of Tracks. He just about jumped in himself when the door suddenly closed and the corvette started driving off. Not too fast, but just enough to make Raoul chase after him and to get the young man further away from the property.

"Tracks, let me in!" the youth called out, struggling to keep his voice quiet.

"Not until you promise to stop committing crimes."

Raoul continued running with his hands covering his private area. "I was just skinny dipping. You know, havin a little fun."

Tracks was both flustered and angry. "You were also trespassing. What if you got caught and sent to jail? That doesn't sound like fun to me. Promise me you'll cool it and do something productive with your life and I'll let you in."

The boy resigned himself to his fate. "Okay! I promise! Now let me in!"

The corvette stopped and allowed Raoul to climb inside. "Good, now put your clothes on."

Tracks turned to Dyani. "I'm okay now-I think. Something triggered me. I blacked out."

Dyani snickered and teased. "I know what happened. So, am I your first?"

The corvette's face became redder. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, let's just say I definitely know you're a boy."

"You're absolutely the worst!" Tracks sulked, folding his arms. He got the gist of what she was implying, and it made him grateful he wasn't built like a human. Even so, he felt something in his spark that reminded him of how he felt that night when he made Raoul turn over a new leaf. He pushed it out of his mind for the time being.

The girl just shook her head. Seeing a giant robot blush was kind of cute.

Tracks sighed. "Just forget it. Come on, I need to swing by the infirmary to get this bandage taken off my leg."

"Okay," agreed Dyani. "But can you slow it down? I'm getting a cardio workout just trying to keep up with you."

"I'll do you one better," said Tracks, picking the human girl up and setting her on his right shoulder.

Dyani removed the towel from her head and threw it on the floor. She'd worry about it later. Her hair was still slightly damp, but the waveness had bounced back into it. She balanced on her perch and crossed one leg on top of the other. "If it makes you feel better, I'm glad to have you as my bodyguard," she said.

Tracks eyed her curiously. "Because I'm a corvette?"

"Well, yeah that might be a small part of it," she confessed. "But mostly it's 'cause you're a good guy. Sure you're a bit of a diva, but you also have a big heart-I mean spark.'

The corvette found himself laughing. "You're a major pain in the diode, but you've also been a good friend."

Ratchet was just about to close the infirmary when they came in. "It's about time you got here. The meeting's going to start soon. Let's check that leg." The medic removed the energon dressing. The leg was fully healed, but the new layer of living metal was discolored.

Tracks frowned at the sight of it. "My poor leg," he fretted.

"We'll get you touched up later. Let's head to the meeting," consoled Ratchet.

Dyani looked ahead at seeing all the Autobots gathering in the Common Room. There were some she recognized and others she had never seen before. The Whitwickys and Optimus Prime were standing up front by the large computer-Teletraan 1. Beside him was Wheeljack and Preceptor. A dune buggy drove up to them with Benni riding inside. The thylacine could almost pass as a dog going for a car ride. She hopped out and landed on two legs like a kangaroo. Beachcomber transformed and gently lifted her up onto a platform. The Lambros joined the group. Kota was sitting on Sunstreaker's shoulder just as Dyani was on Tracks'.

Kota was happy to see Dyani and Tracks were on better terms. Yesterday frightened him, for he came close to losing his best non-robot friend in such a stupid way. He had forgiven her, but also made it clear to never try to pull a stunt like that again. There were more important things to focus on.

Optimus Prime turned to face the others and spoke. "Fellow Autobots and organic friends, as you know, there was a Decepticon attack on the World Expo, as well as the abduction of several auto engineers and a geneticist. Unfortunately, we were unable to detect them until it was too late. The Decepticons have developed a new kind of espionage technology even our Cybertronian sensors cannot pick up. That puts us at a serious disadvantage. However, as of yesterday, we now have a secret weapon of our own. Sunstreaker, Tracks, come forward with our new human friends."

They obeyed their leader and stood beside him.

"These humans, Kota Shimizu and Dyani Switftwater, are interns from the Thayer Research Institute. Kota is also the son of Dr. Hayate Shimizu, the engineer who pioneered the renewable hydrogen engine at Kagayaku Motors. He has developed an organic auto wax that enhances the durability of Cynertronian living metal. It is thanks to him and the assistance of Wheeljack and Perceptor, we have increased its protective qualities. Each and every one of you is to be armored up. I have every reason to believe that Megatron intends to exploit that technology to create an endless supply of energon at his disposal. We will be planning a rescue mission. There is one other concern. The Thayer Research Institute has been searching relentlessly for this animal and our new friends. Based on recent information, I believe they intend to cause them harm. Our security is running at full capacity, but we will not attack the humans except in self-defense. This thylacine before you is the first of her kind to be resurrected and the key to freeing the others. Thanks to the work of Beachcomber, she now has the ability to tell the humans of the Earth of her plight."

Perceptor stepped forward. "Prime, the wax formula is now ready. We have enough for everyone, save for Omega Supreme. Unfortunately the matter duplicator is unable to accommodate for his immense size."

Optimus nodded. "Omega Supreme's services won't be necessary for the rescue. His directive will be to guard the entrance should Thayer or the Decepticons make a direct attack. The Dinobots will be in charge of protecting the rear tunnels."

A large mechanical t-rex growled, "Me Grimlock will kick butt. Dinobots help keep humans and strange dog-creature safe!"

The other dinobots chimed in, "We kick butt too."

"We're counting on you," acknowledged Prime. He then continued with his instructions, "Autobots, all of you will report in groups to the lab for wax application in both robot and alt-mode. Sunstreaker, Tracks, Beachcomber, and myself will go first. Spike, Sparkplug, and Carly have agreed to assist. Kota, Dyani, we would gladly welcome your help as well."

Both young adults nodded. They all had their work cut out for them, but with all hands on deck plus Wheeljack and Perceptor, it would take much less time than had it been just the two of them.

"Thank you, friends," said Optimus Prime. "With that, I draw this meeting to a close. Let's get started. The rest of you are to stay here until your names are called.

The first group met in the lab a short time later. Benni was busy exercising on her treadmill while humans and scientists were setting several stations where each robot would go through the procedure. Optimus and Beachcomber were undergoing the procedure, while Sunstreaker and Tracks were getting their bodies touched up first. The lamborghini made it clear he only trusted Kota for such a 'delicate procedure' as he put it.

Dyani provided her services to assist in the restoration of Track's leg. She applied the paint the way Wheeljack had explained it to her. it would need to set for about five minutes before they could start detailing. She patted Tracks on the arm and asked, "Soon you'll be good as new."

Tracks smiled. "It looks fantastic!"

Sunstreaker smirked. "Yeah, well my little bro's just as talented, if not more. I'm gorgeous!" he boasted as he admired the flawless paint job on his chassis. He high fived Kota.

"Hmph!" the scoffed Tracks. "Not gorgeous enough to win best in show."

"Put two of the most flamboyant Autobots together and they'll start comparing who looks the best," Sparkplug teased while working on Prime. He was standing on a stepladder.

Both Sunstreaker and Tracks shared a laugh. It was a welcoming sight to see both of them getting along after their recent fight. The laughter was contagious and soon they all were laughing, including Optimus Prime.

"I've come to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, but I didn't know what I was missing with a nice wax massage," said Beachcomber.

Thinking about the context of Beachcomber's comment made Dyani ponder the idea that it was the equivalent of massage therapy to a Cybertronian. The thought of three robots showing up as cars just to get pampered was kind of funny. She grabbed a rag and smirked. "Okay Tracks, I think the paint is dry. Let's get you waxed."

Kota was already detailing Sunstreaker. The golden Autobot looked quite content with himself. "Who'd have thought armor would make one look so good?" he boasted.

Prime shook his head. "Leave it to you to say something like that, Sunstreaker."

"You'll have to eat those words once I'm detailed," Tracks smugly replied.

Carly laughed as she and Spike started on Beachcomber's alt-mode. "You're both beautiful, we get it, but this is more about protection."

"That's what she said!" teased Spike. He couldn't resist after Carly walked into that one. She responded by throwing a microfiber towel at him.

Sparkplug cleared his throat. "Enough fooling around. We've got plenty of Autobots to work on and don't forget Wheeljack and Perceptor still have to get their turn."

The kids apologized and buckled down. Even Wheeljack and Perceptor lended a hand. Tracks and Sunstreaker stayed close by after they were finished. Groups of four-to-five Autobots were worked on at a time. The progress was slow, but through. Once every Autobot, excluding Omega Supreme, were armored, the humans finally got a chance to stretch their tired muscles and shared a meal of sandwiches. The only Autobots that remained were the scientists, Prime, and the two bodyguards.

Beachcomber attending to Benni's needs. Perceptor approached them. There was something about the thylacine that sparked his interest. He approached her from behind and converted into a microscope. He was focusing in on the pouch, which unlike most other marsupials, was rear-facing on the thylacine.

"My word," he mused thoughtfully. "It seems our friend has been hiding something from us. I am detecting two tiny lifeforms about two centimeters long inside here."

Sunstreaker shrugged. "Parasites?"

Dyani perked up. "No, joeys!"

"What's a joey?" asked Prime.

Kota snickered. "Babies."

"Joeys are what humans call baby marsupials," answered Beachcomber. He was proud of his knowledge of Earth creatures. "Marsupials are born underdeveloped for organic life and continue growing in the mother's pouch."

"Does this mean they're the first natural born Tasmanian tiger's in almost a century?" Spike asked.

"It seems that way," answered Dyani. "I know they were trying to mate her with one of the other specimens, but Dr. Patel never let us have access during the research. We were strictly in charge of feeding, cleaning, and exercising the animals."

Kota nodded in agreement. "Do you think he or Mr. Thayer knew about Benni being pregnant?"

Sparkplug looked thoughtful. "Hard to say, but that would give them more than one reason to recover such a valuable animal. Think about it, not only were they able to clone healthy animals, but now have an example of them successfully breeding in captivity."

"And more dollar signs," hissed Dyani. She clenched her fists as her anger rose. "I'm going to take a shower." She headed out.

Tracks took that as his cue to follow her. "Excuse me," he said.

"Wow, he's really taking this bodyguard business seriously. Guess you told me so," Sparkplug said to Optimus Prime.

The Autobot Leader watched as the corvette departed. "I thought he might. Tracks is proving that he is starting to see there is light at the end of the tunnel."

Kota seated himself by Sunstreaker. "Did something bad happen to him?"

Prime nodded. "Tracks lost a dear friend of his in New York City almost two weeks ago."

"That's awful. Did it have anything to do with that rec center that was on the news?," the boy said with a frown. He huddled closer to the golden lamborghini.

"Unfortunately," Sparkplug added. "Raoul was a good kid too. He worked for me at my Manhattan garage and taught breakdancing classes there on the side."

Sunstreaker glanced down at Kota. He was too proud to admit it openly, but befriending the Japanese boy had put things into perspective. The words he said to Tracks-Just get over it, it was just a human. What an asshole he had been. Sure, he still disliked many of them, but Spike was right. What if it had been his friends, or Kota? It wasn't always easy for him to admit when he was wrong or be empathetic to the feelings of others, except maybe to Sideswipe and those closest to him.

Kota noticed Sunstreaker looking down at him. "You okay, Bro?"

"Never better. I can't wait to give Megatron a taste of his own medicine!" he replied, setting the boy on his shoulder.

Spike winked as it to say, I told you so!. He was nobody's fool. He saw right through the lamborghini's facade. He thought he caught the tiniest hint of blush on Sunstreaker's silver face.

Dyani turned to see Tracks following close behind. She saw the corvette hold up his hands as he said, "Don't worry. I learned my lesson. I'll stay outside in the hall."

Pressing a button, she opened the door. "I'm just grabbing a quick shower. You can wait for me inside, but stay out of the bathroom."

Tracks agreed to those terms. He sat down on the floor cross-legged. "I promise I won't budge an inch."

The girl slipped inside the bathroom. Running water could be heard a minute or two later. Tracks steadfastly remained in his spot. He thought about Dyani. Something was troubling her about that institute. He realized how little he knew about what happened to her that night other than the brief rundown of the attack. He looked down at his gleaming chassis, which he thought looked even more stunning that it had at the car show. He smiled with pride-the kind of pride someone has when someone takes the time to bring out the best in someone. He reminded himself the new wax job wasn't just for show.

After several minutes had passed, Dyani emerged from the bathroom. She was wearing a long tank top and shorts. Her hair was wrapped in a towel like earlier. She said nothing to Tracks, but went to some of the items that had been brought for her and Kota. One of the things she had requested was a cheap sketchbook. She grabbed it and a pencil, and plopped down on a couch and started drawing.

Tracks stayed in place for a while, but wherever the girl was doing sparked his curiosity. He stood up and moved closer to get a better look. It became evident that she was drawing something. When Dyani became aware he was watching, she shyly covered up the paper with her arms. Tracks knelt down and apologized, "I'm sorry."

"This is how I deal with my feelings," said Dyani.

"You draw things? Like art?"

"Kind of…"

Rubbing his head, the corvette asked, "May I see?"

Dyani blushed. She remembered what he told her about his life on Cybertron. What if he scoffed at it? But what if he didn't? He seemed genuinely interested. Slowly, she handed the sketchbook over to him. The drawing was still a rough sketch, but it was apparent that it was a fashion illustration in the same vein as those seen in magazines.

Tracks carefully studied the drawing. "You just made this up?" he said with astonishment. "The way these lines flow together, and the overall composition…it's exquisite!"

The girl's honey-colored eyes looked up with surprise. "Do you really mean that?" she inquired, as someone questioning the sincerity of a compliment.

"If I didn't, I would have told you," replied the corvette as he returned the sketchbook. "Trust me when I say I've seen enough Earth fashions to make me ask, just why?"

She giggled. "True! I sometimes draw fashion ideas for fun. It'd be nice to design some green fashions."

Tracks reclined on his side beside the couch. "Maybe you can. You got something here, but you need to believe it yourself. Even though I value my opinion-it's still subjective. The key is to love what you do and own it!"

Somehow that made Dyani feel a little better. She got off the couch and sat down beside Tracks, leaning against the robot's chassis. "If I wanted to improve this here, what would you suggest?"

"Well, let's see," began Tracks, "Aesthetically, maybe make this necklace a little longer if you're going for the elegant approach? Is that what you meant?"

Dyani erased and applied his suggestion. "Yeah, something like that. This necklace is based on the Lakota star. I'm not exactly well-versed in it, but my grandma in the Black Hills told me that stars give us spirits at birth and that our spirits return to them when we die-or something like that."

"That sounds an awful lot like the legends we have on Cybertron." Tracks mused thoughtfully. He frowned a little. "You said you draw to manage with your feelings? Do you want to talk about it?"

The girl studied the giant robot. She thought about last night when she offered him friendship. It seemed like he was trying to return the favor. Although Dyani had gotten better about talking to others, Kota was the only person other than family she felt comfortable with sharing her deepest and darkest secrets with. She considered her interactions with him over the past day, especially after he had been appointed to protect her. The aggression during their first "official" encounter was out of a need to release the grief he internalized. It was during their punishment that his true colors started shining through. Dyani's eyes welled up with tears as she hugged the part of the chassis bearing the autobot symbol.

This was unexpected, but Tracks allowed her to cry against him. It seemed the proper thing to do since she gave him common courtesy last night. "Dyani?"

She wiped her eyes. "Is there any place we can talk in private?"

Tracks looked reluctant. "There is, but…it's how do I put this…uncouth."

"I've already seen the bathroom. It's not that bad-so long as I'm not watching you take a bath."

The corvette blushed. "No, not that…" he said.

Dyani tilted her head. "You mean…the other kind of bathroom?"

He nodded, looking sorry he even brought it up. It wasn't the first place he would recommend to have a heart-to-heart talk.

Dyani's face turned red.. "In school, it wasn't that weird for friends to have serious conversations in the restrooms, but you're a guy. Just to be clear, you don't have to go, do you? "

Tracks gave her an annoyed look. "Of course not!" he retorted. "Why would you even ask such a thing?"

"Oh, nevermind. Let's just go," she replied.

The corvette stood up and picked Dyani up by her waist. He opened the chest compartment of his chassis. "In you go," he said.

"What the?" she questioned as he deposited her inside.

"Discretion is the better part of valor," Tracks whispered. "Now please keep quiet until I tell you otherwise." He closed up his chassis and headed through the long corridor to reach one of the restrooms furthest away from where other autobots or humans were likely to be. He looked cautiously about before slipping inside and locking the door. He opened his chassis and set Dyani on the countertop of what might be some kind of sink. Tracks leaned against the wall facing her.

This restroom was small by cybertronian-standards and intended for single use. It was a remarkably clean facility with no undesirable markings or smells. It looked nicer than many public restrooms used by humans. Cybertronians took great care in matters of personal hygiene, and answering nature's call was no exception.

Dyani took a moment to recover from the awkwardness. She looked at Tracks in the optics. He nodded to her. She asked, "What do you know about Kota and me?"

"Mostly that you were working at the Thayer Institute and that Prime rescued the both of you and that animal-the thylacine. I witnessed Kota being seized by Megatron, but the rest is a blur." he replied, closing his eyes and looking ashamed. "I wasn't in the right frame of mind that night. Ratchet told me that Prime ordered him to sedate me."

"Thinking about it still scares me too," Dyani confessed. "We don't really work for the institute. We're interns from the University of Portland. I'm studying Environmental Science and Kota's studying Automotive Engineering. Both of our focus is on renewable energy. Kota's Father arranged for us to fulfill our internship requirement with Thayer. We were mostly put in charge of caring for the thylacines. Dr. Patel is the geneticist responsible for the cloning, but he never allowed us to see any of that kind of work. He's an arrogant prick, especially to Kota. He constantly makes derogatory remarks about him being transgender."

Tracks shook his head. "Sounds like a class act," he said with sarcasm in his voice.

"He's a piece of work. Mr. Thayer's not much better. He's a greedy bastard. Australia and New Guinea helped fund the thylacine project under the impression that the animals would be reintroduced to their original habitat, but Thayer decided to back out of the agreement in favor of selling the animals to private collectors. I don't know all of the details, but somehow that information got leaked out into the media, resulting in a lot of pissed off people. Dr. Patel almost accused us of being the culprits. I kinda wish it was, but he threatened us to not talk to any reporters or those ambassadors at the Expo."

"So that explains why the protesters were there, '' commented Tracks. He knelt down so he was facelevel with Dyani. He continued listening.

The girl started trembling a little. "Right. And then those evil robots showed up. Benni was on edge before everything went down. It was like she could sense something was wrong before the rest of us. She freaked out and ran to her crate. Patel became irate and ordered us to prepare the van for departure. Benni started howling in a way I've never heard before. I was ordered to keep her quiet. Patel ordered Kota to go find his father, Dr. Hiyate Shimizu. Kota tried calling and got no answer. Naturally, he was getting really worried. Then Patel physically assaulted Kota. I flipped out and started punching the doc from behind, threatening to kill him if he didn't stop hurting my best friend. I told Kota to run. Good 'ol Patel got control and threatened to kill me if Kota didn't get his dad and Kagayaku Motors to escort us to safety. He took off and the next thing I know is Patel is throwing me against the inside of the van and pulls out a gun on me and spouts more of his threats. I'm all scared shitless and huddled near Benni's crate. I opened it so I could pet and comfort her. The evil robots-Decepticons, right? They attacked us. The doc fired a few shots, but that didn't phase 'em. They seemed interested in taking the van's engine and the doc captive, but not Benni and myself. One of them was fooling around. Benni had all she could take and bolted out into the desert. Without thinking, I jumped up and started running after her. I don't know what happened to the others. I lost track of her and where I was. I was so freaked out and scared. I got caught in a bad thunderstorm when Sparkplug and Prime found me. I don't remember too much after that except I fainted and woke up off and on. I recall Sparkplug saying I was safe and Prime talked to me as a truck. I was pretty much afraid until I met Beachcomber and got reunited with Kota. I'm no longer scared of you Autobots, but I'm terrified of what's going to happen. What if Thayer tries to attack us? What if they're working with the Decepticons? And my family…they don't know that I'm okay."

She broke down and started crying. Two giant, metallic arms embraced her and pulled in close to Tracks' chassis. She heard his voice speak softly to her, "I promise I'll do everything I can to keep you safe."

Tracks lifted Dyani up. "How about we get out of here?"

"Sounds good to me," said Dyani. She realized he was still carrying her instead of having her walk beside or perching her on his shoulder. That was a bit unexpected, but it felt like he was being more protective than before. She decided not to protest. It made her feel much safer in a way.

Tracks carried her back to the common room where some Autobots were watching New Japan professional wrestling on Teletraan 1. The Lambros were part of the group. Kota was standing between them on each bro's shoulder, rooting in Japanese for the current wrestler to portray the famous manga and anime character, Tiger Mask. Tracks had little interest in the choreographed bouts. He'd rather watch that soap opera Grapple and Beachcomber were so invested in. He was glad to see the wrestling seemed to take Dyani's mind off of her troubles at least. He decided to tolerate the obnoxiousness and joined the others so she could have a better view of the action. The match continued on for about fifteen minutes until Tiger Mask unfortunately lost to the heel. Kota sighed and uttered, "Shikata ga nai", a common Japanese phrase that means, "It cannot be helped."

"At least he put up a good match," said Sideswipe.

Sunstreaker scoffed. "Maybe, but it sucks that he lost. He looked cooler than that other guy."

Kota shrugged with a grin. "There may be a reason. Pro wrestling's all staged anyway. These guys know who's going to win going in."

"Oh yeah? So it's bullshit?" Sunstreaker asked.

"Yes and no," Kota replied. "It's about entertainment. Wrestlers still need athleticism and the ability to be a convincing face or heel. I heard a rumor that Tiger Mask is planning to retire from playing the character so he can wrestle in Mexico."

Sideswipe moved to put his brother into a sleeper hold, forgetting Kota was standing halfway on his shoulder. The boy started falling until Sunstreaker leaped over and caught him.

"Be mindful of our little bro!" he shouted while decking his younger twin in the face.

The other Lambro rubbed his face and frowned. "Sorry. I got kind of carried away."

Kota smiled sadly. "Don't be angry, Sunstreaker. All that matters is that I'm okay."

Sunstreaker put his arm around Sideswipe. "It's cool. Just be more careful."

The boy grinned at the twins. He seemed more sure of himself. "You guys are the most dope robots I know." He noticed Tracks nearby holding Dyani in his arms, and made a cute face at them. "Awww! Dyani, you have a robot buddy. So cute!"

Tracks blushed a little. The girl patted him on the shoulder. "Relax. That's just Kota's way of saying he's happy to see that we're friends."

Sideswipe snickered a little. "Haha! Tracks has a girlfriend! I heard she called you a sexy corvette!"

"Oh yeah it's true!" confirmed Sunstreaker, joining in the fun.

Dyani noticed Tracks was getting angry. She touched his arm and started laughing with them. "It's kind of funny. I thought he was just a car. It's not so strange for humans to think certain kinds of cars are sexy. Why do you think those people ogled you and all those other autos at the car show? And if I remember correctly, didn't some young rich guy try to buy you, Sunstreaker?"

The lamborghini huffed in response, "Yeah and I would've told him hell no! Nobody owns this handsome face!"

Tracks relaxed and smiled a little. "Now that I can agree on. We're not the mindless playthings of those who have more money than they know what to do with."

"Maybe not, but you're both part of my family. That's what is most important to me," said a voice as both Tracks and Sunstreaker were pulled into a giant bear hug by Optimus Prime.

Both of them were caught off guard, but allowed their leader to have a moment. The Autobots were a close knit ragtag group of different shapes, sizes, and personalities. They might as well be like a family, even if not in the traditional sense-save for Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.

Prime released them from his embrace and said. "It's early, but I suggest we turn in. We have a big day tomorrow."

Dyani found Tracks was holding her close. She had a suspicion that he would insist she sleep inside his car-mode again. She guessed it would be in the barracks tonight. The cultural norms of the Cybertronians took some getting used to, but their sleeping quarters were reminiscent of that summer she spent two weeks at a sleepaway camp when she was in middle school. All the boys and girls slept communally in designated cabins. The main differences here were the giant robots and no segregation. Compared to the other culture shocks of the day, this weirded her out the least.

Kota was starting to nod off. Sunstreaker relocated the boy into the palm of his hand. The lamborghini supported him and joined the other autobots heading to the barracks. He handed Kota to Sideswipe and transformed into alt-mode. He opened his passenger-side door so his brother could lay the now sleeping young man down. Tracks had the right idea. It would be safer to have the humans rest inside.

Tracks set Dyani down and transformed into a corvette. He was facing his plaque and took a moment to admire it. The girl placed her hand on top of his hood and seemed to be looking down at him. Her demeanor seemed different from their first encounter where she fawned over him. There was a tenderness in her expression. Tracks opened a door. "You know the drill," he said. He leaned the seat back and closed the door behind Dyani.

He lay awake for a while, thinking about everything he had experienced that day. It felt good to have a human friend again. He felt very protective of her. It was his job, but there was something else on his brain module-the words of Raoul in his dream. You gotta get with it and focus on what ya got. He mused over those words. Did Raoul mean focus on what was going on-or did he mean something else? And that look Dyani gave him before turning in. It wasn't adulation, but genuine affection. He admitted that he had become rather fond of her as a friend, despite the hiccups. He decided that was enough thinking for one night and powered down.

Tracks fell into a deep sleep filled with dreams. Wurrawana Corinna was there waiting for him. The great ghost looked down upon him with kinder eyes. "Your journey has begun. How it ends is up to you."

The corvette paced in front of the creature. "Journey? What do you mean?"

"To find yourself again. Life is a journey and you have seen a thing or two since you fled Cybertron."

"That's true. It's not something I prefer to openly talk about, but ever since I encountered Prime, he's treated me with dignity-even when I didn't deserve it."

Wurrawana Corinna touched Tracks' chassis with a paw. "Don't deserve dignity? Cybertronian, you are worthy of dignity. Dignity has nothing to do with your upbringing. It is deserved by those who try to protect life. Optimus Prime believes this to be true. Do you think he would have accepted you as yourself if he didn't think you shared these qualities? So you once embraced vanity and grew up in the laps of luxury? So what? That doesn't mean you're not also kind and compassionate. Come. Let us walk under the stars and talk."

They walked together through what appeared to be clusters of stars in the Milky Way. Tracks reached out to touch the thylacine spirit's side. "So what am I supposed to do?"

"Supposed to do? The real question is, what do you think you should do?"

Tracks looked confused. "You mean it's up to me to decide?"

The spirit nodded. "My job is to provide guidance. It's up to you to make your own choices. I think you know the answer."

"I think I do," agreed Tracks. His face showed a look of determination.

Wurrawana Corinna turned to face him. It remained there as a human figure stepped through it as if walking through a veil. Raoul came forward into Tracks' welcoming arms.

"It's about damn time!" he said while resting his head against the corvette's chassis.

Smiling amidst glints, Tracks whispered, "Raoul! You're here…again?"

The young man laughed. "What the hell do you think? I ain't following this giant fur ball around just for kicks. I'm proud of you. You're finally getting a clue. You ain't alone. You got Prime and the Autobots and now you got new friends. I'll always be here too-even if it ain't physically."

Tracks pulled Raoul in closer. "I know…" He remained in the embrace throughout the remainder of his dream.