2012: I felt the right kneecap give, it was such a sudden and vicious slide sideways that it took a second for the pain to reach my brain. I screamed as my tormentors' optics glowed, the only sign the towering Trechercon gave at seeing my agony. I took a breath to scream again, my hands reached for my knee, but the attempt to move anything at all brought more pain. My leg spasmed, making my knee hurt in twinges.

"You should practice what you preach, Commander Elliot." came the dreaded voice of Electra, "Never cross a Trechercon." The sinister silver, red, purple and black female crouched and reached for my hurt knee, the slightest touch set pain shooting up my nerves.

I sucked in a breath and began to utter curses. I glared as malevolently as I could at Electra.

"Servabots!" came a cry. Electra stood up to her 57 foot height, "It is time to go. Remember your lesson well, next time I won't be so lenient on you, Commander Elliot." Electra sneered, making a motion that suggested breaking of a leg, or worse.

"Curl up and die, you bitch." I swore through gritted teeth. Electra rose optics alighted with mischief, then she turned to lead her group away from the scene. Within five minutes, the Servabots came upon me. The aquamarine, light blue, orange and light green Tetra Reris transformed and approached me, her face was worried and concerned. "Did Electra do this?" she asked softly.

"Y-yeah." I gasped, then sucked in a breath as pain racked my knee. Tetra looked skyward and spotted the distant dots of the retreating Trechercons, her face turned hard.

"It doesn't look too good." announced the red colored Wasp.

Soon enough they managed to get my knee stabilized and loaded me into Wasp. Within twenty minutes I reached the hospital. It took a total of three seconds to get the knee put back where it belonged. Four days later I had arthroscopic surgery on my knee. I spent the rest of the week mostly bed ridden. My command of Hydro-Base had delegated to Tacea automatically. Tracer, who was my transport to and from the base, elected to stand guard at my home. She was my best friend and I appreciated her being around. I hobbled on crutches when I needed to, getting practice in as I could in preparedness for going back to base. It was nice having a break, but every time a jet flew overhead, my knee would twinge. Finally I got permission to go back out into the world. When I hobbled out of the orange and black car mode Tracer, with difficulty, I was immediately surrounded by my concerned staffers.

"Allow me Commander." the red, blue and light blue form of Shark said, stooping to pick me up.

"I appreciate the offer Shark, but no thanks." I said gently, smiling broadly at him.

"How is it feeling?" the light blue Tacea asked.

"Better." I replied, "I'm a typical Elliot, strong and tough. So, what's been going on in my absence?" I hobbled toward the communications room at a ungainly rate, my staffers exchanged nervous looks as Tacea answered me.

"The Servabots followed the Trechercons to their base and Tetra Reris challenged Electra."

I stopped cold and asked calmly, "Because of my knee?"

"Yes, Commander." Tacea replied so softly that I instinctively thought the worst.

"And?" I asked turning to face her. Tacea looked uncomfortable under my gaze.

The burnt umber and raw umber form of Barracuda spoke up, "It was one hell of a battle, Commander, but both survived."

I looked at the floor and stated firmly, "I want a line opened to Servabot base when I reach the comm room."

"Yes, ma'am." Tracer nodded and hurried on ahead. I hobbled the rest of the way in silence, my staffers knew I was upset, perhaps angry, and it was best to leave me to my thoughts. Upon reaching the comm room, I hobbled over to a chair and I sat carefully in it before the screen of the main computer.

"I'm waiting for Wasp to hook me up to the medical ward, Commander." Tracer announced.

"Tetra is still there?" I asked.

"Yes, the battle happened three days after your injury." Tracer replied.

"She's been laid up a week?!" I yelled in askance.

"Yes." came Tetras' reply on the screen.

"Tetra Reris." I said in a motherly tone, "What in the name of God were you playing at?"

Her haggard face looked hurt, "I was.."

"Was getting revenge for me, Tetra Reris." I stated firmly, "I don't know what you were thinking. I will not have you dying over me, do we understand each other?"

Tetras replied softly, "Yes."

"I deserved what I got, I've learned my lesson. You should have let it be. I most certainly will not have your death hanging over me."

"Understood." Tetra replied softly.

I sighed deeply. "I'm sorry Tetra, I shouldn't have yelled at you. I know you were trying to defend me, I just.."

Tetra smiled in an understanding way. "I know, emotion is a typical reaction for you, as it is with me at times."

"So, how are you coming along?" I inquired.

"Turnpike can tell you." Tetra replied.

"She'll be up and around soon enough, Commander Elliot." the white and red Turnpike smiled.

"It'll take more than what Electra can dish out to put Tetra down for the count." came the copenhagen blue and light blue Forges' input.

"That's good to hear. Tetra, no hard feelings, just be careful next time, okay?" I stated.

"I'll do that, Tetra Reris out." the screen blanked out.

"Tacea, make sure you check up on her the next few days. I want to know when she's stable." I ordered.

"Yes, Commander." Tacea replied.

"Go about your duties everyone, I'll yell if I need help." I stated firmly, everyone but Shark left.

"Your shift?" I asked, turning the chair toward him.

"Yes, Commander" he replied sitting in a chair next to mine.

I nodded to myself and studied his face. Though he presented a tough, almost 'Con like front, I knew he was as gentle as a lamb under that steel skin. I was fond of him, maybe a little too much, being handsome didn't help any either. I sighed, he turned a puzzled face toward me.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing at all Shark." I smiled. He turned back to his work and I turned my thoughts to healing.

A lone shuttle headed toward Earth. It was a small, one-manned shuttle with no guidance or direction from its lone occupant. The pilot of the ship is slumped over the damaged controls, he's barely alive. The Earth's gravity tugged at the shuttle and drew it down to it, the heat rose to heights the shuttle just barely resisted. Its speed as it hit the Pudget Sound was nearly 10,000 mph.

"Did you see that?" I asked Shark.

"I did, Commander. It splashed down 1.7 miles south of us. Shall I send a patrol?" Shark queried.

"Send the Hydrobots and have them tow it here." I ordered.

The five female 'Bots quickly departed and reached the destination in three minutes. The shuttle was small and light enough to be placed on the back Hydrobot Commander Taceas' whale mode. The others secured it to her powerful form, then she carried her burden back to base. I was first to enter the main airlock. I was curious as to if this was of Transformer origin and looked for symbols with no luck. I approached the side door on the damaged side, no chance of opening that. There was a smaller door on the other side that seemed a likely prospect. Tacea yanked the door open, the air that greeted my nose was foul with the stench of smoke, singed wires, melted metal, and was obviously stale.

"PHEW! Sure is dark in there, got a light?"I asked. Shark got a small flashlight for me. I flicked it on and cast the light into the shuttle. The pilot looked like everything had hit him, in fact the shuttle looked in better shape than he did. "Get this sucker open, we got injured." The Hydrobots went to work and had the roof pried off in a minute, "Shark, radio HQ."

"Way ahead of you, Commander, she's on her way." Shark smiled.

I had to smile a bit, then turned a concerned face toward the defunct stranger, "Poor fellow."

Within five minutes Ratchet was there and proceeded to determine life signs. "I think I can save him." he announced, "But I need him carefully taken to your medical ward to do it."

The Hydrobots extricated him with the tenderness of a mother and carried him like a farmer carrying a too full basket of eggs. Ratchet hooked up all sorts of monitoring devices and fluid devices to him. It quickly reminded me of my brief stay at the hospital, I glanced at my hand where the bruise from the IV still remained and felt empathy. He did have life signs, but barely. What seemed to be the only things on line were his brain and the fuel feed to it. As he lay there, I had a chance to look him over. He was short, 25' approximately, a bit narrow of body and black in color from helmet to foot. His helmet and face reminded me of what a professional motorcyclist wore in races.

"How old do you think he is?" I asked.

"Fairly young. He's been shut down at least six million years I'd say. But I can pull him out of it." Ratchet smiled.

The hours rolled by as repair after repair was completed, Ratchet was thorough to say the least, even when the life signs threatened to go nil on him. Luckily he had adapted a special energon for such situations that acted as a stimulant to all systems. By the seventh hour, the first sign of consciousness sparked in his optics. Ratchet gave him some pure energon through an IV in his arm as he finished the last of his injures. He unhooked the equipment and was putting it away when the new fellow came to. I was sitting on a adjoining table as his optics flickered a moment, then steadied to a strong sky blue. He moved his fingers to clench his hand into a fist, then relaxed them. He turned his head toward my direction and locked his optics on me. His puzzlement was obvious.

"I am Commander Elliot of Hydro-Base. You are on the planet called Earth. The year is 2011, Earth time. Your shuttle crashed in the Pudget Sound where our base resides." He got up on his elbow, his gaze still fixed on me. I was finding it quite unnerving, "I am associated with the Autobots. By your physique, I'd say you are a Transformer, but have no allegiance." He sat up and swung his legs out so he sat with legs hanging, his gaze did not falter, "What am I to call you?" He got off the table and walked over to where I sat. He crouched so his face was even with mine.

"My name is Nighthawk." he said in a voice that did not belong in that body for it was a gruff, deep, and sensual tone, "I will swear my allegiance to your cause without hesitation, if you will have me."

"Nighthawk, come with me." I stated evenly. Before I could even begin to stand, he scooped me off the table with infinite skill and gentleness, crutches and all. A bit flustered, I pointed the way to my office. Upon entering, he closed the door.

"Nighthawk..." I began. He lifted me up to his face and studied me a moment.

"I can see why they took you on as Commander, you have an unusual quality about you to win loyalty with a mere glance."

"Really?" I blinked.

"I speak true and I'm sure your staffers would admit likewise. If you truly tried, you would have more warriors that are friends than you could possibly handle. Now then, can I join?" he asked.

"That is up to High Command, Nighthawk. But I'll put in a good word if you can prove your usefulness to our cause." I stated.

"I'm willing to do so." Nighthawk nodded.

"Shark, to my quarters." I said into a portable radio inside my wristwatch. Shark stepped into my office with a look of expectation, "Shark, it will fall on your shoulders to test Nighthawks' abilities.

You know the routine."

"Of course. It will be may pleasure to either humiliate him OR prove his pudding." Shark replied with a confidence I knew all too well.

"Good, go to it then gentlemen. I will watch from my screen here. Good luck, Nighthawk." I smiled, as they left I uttered, "You will most certainly need it."

A bit later.

"What's first?" Nighthawk asked as they approached an empty room. The door behind them clicked closed, Shark whirled on his heel with arm cannon readied.

"Combat." Shark said, a trace of a smirk curling his lips as he let forth a fusillade of the cannons' air compressed force. Nighthawk did a set of well executed acrobatics to avoid the barrage. "Very good." Shark remarked almost snidely. Nighthawks' optics narrowed to bright blue slits, a low rumble rose to a loud battle cry. From his back he produced a hilt and from it sprang a crackling energo-sword. Shark studied it a moment, smiled lopsidedly and remarked, "There is a warrior heart in the wimpy steel framework after all." He let loose several shots from his black light turret gun set in his upper arm, Nighthawk warded them off, then stepped close and sliced viciously at Sharks' midsection. Shark jumped above the blur, grabbed for the hilt as it passed under him and missed. As he landed, Nighthawk shifted his attack to his head, which he narrowly missed. As he came back to try again, Shark positioned his hand just so and knocked it out of his grip. Before Nighthawk could reach for his sawed off laser repeater, Shark was on him with a flurry of punches and kicks. Nighthawk blocked most and countered with his own, but it wasn't enough against the prepared Shark. Soon Nighthawk was pinned to the floor in Sharks' trademark hold that allowed no movement but lots of pain. Shark gave a sharp, disgusted "Pah!" and let him loose.

"By Iacons' spires, I've never fought a more fiercer fighter than you." Nighthawk stated.

Shark glanced at him studiously and remarked. "I was taught well, as you will be."

"Ah, but I let you beat me. In a real fight I could have killed you on my first strike." Nighthawk said evenly, picking up his sword hilt and placing in back.

"Care to try make that stick?" Shark sneered.

"Gentlemen." I warned over the intercom.

Shark softened a bit, "Come Nighthawk, let's see how smart you are."

And so it went, and each time Nighthawk professed to allow Shark to beat him. I studied the monitoring devices as each test ran and knew that, though he didn't look like much, he was a fellow to not trifle with.

"Nighthawk, I am impressed." I smiled.

"What?" Shark asked astonished, "I creamed him but good out there."

"And as he pointed out, and I can verify with data, he was letting you win." Shark huffed out in seeming frustration. I smiled and said, "I'll direct you to Metroplex. I think Optimus Prime will find my input most noteworthy. I hope to see a Autobot insignia on that steel skin when you report back to my base for duty." I smiled.

"I will not disappoint you. And I'll certainly join your staff if not otherwise assigned." Nighthawk bowed slightly and departed.

I watched him leave for Metroplex in a most unusual flying motorcycle mode. I had confidence he'd do just fine. I learned later that he was assigned to a base of highly trained warriors that was so secret that only Optimus knew their location, let alone their inner-Bot radio sub-frequency. He had become part of the new Wreckers, a group that put fear in all lesser 'Cons and wore an oppressors boot everywhere they tread. I had a feeling I'd rarely ever see Nighthawk again, but knew that I was sure to hear of the Wreckers successful raids very soon.