Chapter 1: Hot Shot In The Hot Seat
A.N. Well, here's something you've never seen before, a story for Transformers, particularly Rescue Bots Academy. I've been wanting to get into this franchise for quite some time, but just haven't found the right moment, but after watching Cyberverse (with encouragement from BigMoose01, so kudos to him for that), I decided to make that step and start writing Transformers stories alongside him on this site, starting with this one. So sit back, relax, and let our story begin.
One day at Rescue Bots Academy, Heatwave, the leader of the Rescue Bots, was briefing the Rescue Bot Trainees, Hot Shot, Whirl, Hoist, Wedge, and Medix, on a mission.
"Listen up, recruits." he was saying. "There's a forest fire near a town called Yellow River that's north of Milford."
Whirl couldn't believe it.
"That's where the Summit Meadows National Park is!" she gasped.
"That's right, Whirl." Heatwave nodded. "The local fire department is doing all they can, but the fire is becoming more dangerous by the minute. That's why they called us to help. Whirl, I need you to help Blades with tackling the fire from above. Wedge and Hoist, I'd like you two to help Boulder create a firebreak. Hot Shot, you and I will help tackle the blaze itself. Medix, I'd like you to help Chase with the evacuation of the town."
"Alright!" cheered Hot Shot. "We'll get right in there and show that fire who's boss!"
"Hot Shot, I appreciate your enthusiasm." said Heatwave. "However, it's not that simple. Strong gusts of wind are pushing the fires closer and closer together. If they get too close, they'll create what's called a firestorm."
Hoist raised his hand.
"Yes, Hoist?" called Heatwave.
"What's a firestorm?" asked Hoist.
"A firestorm is a blaze that is so massive and dangerous and fast that it's capable of destroying anything in its path." explained Medix. "It's almost impossible to put out."
"Correct, Medix." Heatwave nodded. "And that is why our best hope is that the wind doesn't pick up. Are there any other questions?"
Nobody responded.
"Good." said Heatwave. "Then let's roll to the rescue!"
With that, Heatwave activated the Ground Bridge and once the team went through the portal, they transformed into their vehicle modes, with Hot Shot transforming into his ATV mode, and zoomed off to the fire. When they arrived, a horrifying sight met their eyes. Smoke and flames were practically everywhere.
"Look at the size of that thing!" gasped Wedge.
"Cut the chatter, Wedge." said Heatwave. "We've wasted enough time already."
Wedge nodded, and so the Recruits went to their respective tasks. Heatwave and Hot Shot began spraying water on the fire while Hoist and Wedge knocked down trees with Boulder to make a firebreak and while Whirl and Blades took to the sky and Medix headed for the town to assist Chase with the evacuation. At first, things went relatively easily, but then, Hot Shot saw a glowing red dot shoot up into the sky.
"Heatwave, look!" he said. "A flare!"
Heatwave directed his attention to the flare.
"Good eye, Hot Shot." he complimented. "I'll let Blades know so he can do an airlift."
"There's no time." Hot Shot disagreed. "I'm going in!"
Heatwave couldn't believe his audio sensors.
"Wait, Hot Shot!" he commanded. "It's too dangerous to do a ground rescue! An air rescue is our best bet!"
"But Blades is probably miles away!" Hot Shot argued. "Besides, I know what I'm doing!"
"Hot Shot, you are to stay right where you are." Heatwave said. "That is an order."
But Hot Shot had already transformed into his ATV mode and was making his way towards the fire.
"Primus, help me." Heatwave groaned.
Meanwhile, a hiker who was trapped in the inferno was trying desperately to get out of there before the flames consumed him.
"Help!" he cried. "Help!"
Just then, Hot Shot appeared through the flames and pulled up.
"Need a lift?" he asked.
"Like you can't believe." the hiker replied.
The hiker grabbed his pack and climbed into Hot Shot and he sped off. Fortunately, Hot Shot was able to get the man to safety.
"Thank you." the hiker sighed.
"No problem." replied Hot Shot.
The hiker went on his way, and Hot Shot transformed back into robot mode, only to be met by Heatwave, who looked very angry.
"Hot Shot, return to the Academy and wait for me in my office." he ordered.
Hot Shot was shocked.
"But, sir..." he began.
"Hot Shot, go." Heatwave finished. "Now."
Hot Shot, knowing what was to come, then transformed back into ATV mode and drove back to the Academy.
"Boy, am I busted." he gulped.
I'm sorry to say that he was right. However, I am also pleased to say that fortunately, after the evacuation of the town, Chase and Medix assisted the others with putting out the fire, and they were able to get the fire under control and subsequently extinguished. Once the mission was completed, everyone returned to the Academy, and Heatwave went to his office. Sure enough, there was Hot Shot waiting for him, sitting in the chair behind his desk, which he had propped his feet on.
"Out of the chair, please." said Heatwave.
Hot Shot complied and Heatwave sat down.
"I am not happy with you, Hot Shot." he told his mentee. "Not. Happy. Ask me why."
"Why?" asked Hot Shot.
" "Why" what?" continued Heatwave. "Please be specific."
"Why are you unhappy?" Hot Shot groaned with a roll of his eyes.
"You know exactly why I'm unhappy." Heatwave replied in a stern voice. "It's because of your actions earlier."
"You mean when I saved that hiker?" Hot Shot asked.
Heatwave nodded.
"Sir, with all due respect, I did save that man's life." Hot Shot pointed out. "Isn't that what being a Rescue Bot is all about?"
Heatwave couldn't help but agree with him.
"Yes, saving lives is the ultimate goal of a Rescue Bot, so I'll give you that." he said. "But that's not the point. The point I'm making here is that although you did save that hiker's life successfully, in doing so, you disobeyed a direct order not to do so. I clearly told you that it was too dangerous to rescue that hiker from the fire from the ground and that an air rescue would be safer, but you went right ahead and did it anyway. And for that, I never thought I would see myself doing this, but you have disobeyed me many times before, so I have no other choice than to do this."
"No other choice than to do what?" asked Hot Shot.
Heatwave sighed, then stood up.
"Rescue Bot Trainee Hot Shot, as penalty for insubordination, you will not leave the Academy for whatever reason for three months." Heatwave announced. "Not only that, but you are hereby barred from participating in missions for the rest of the year."
It should go without saying that Hot Shot was petrified at this news.
"What?!" he gasped. "How can you do this?! It's outrageous! It's not fair!"
"I'm sorry, but that is my decision and it is final." Heatwave finished. "If you don't have any more comments, you are free to go."
Hot Shot turned away and left Heatwave's office. Oily tears started forming in his eyes, and when he entered his quarters, he sat down on his stasis pod and let them flow.
"It's just not fair!" he cried.
Unknown to Hot Shot, Bumblebee had heard the exchange between Hot Shot and Heatwave, and had gone into Heatwave's office.
"Hey, Heatwave, don't you think you were a little too hard on Hot Shot?" asked Bumblebee.
"Maybe I was." said Heatwave. "But, in my defense, he kind of deserved it. I mean, he did disobey a direct order, did he not?"
"Wedge told me everything that happened." Bumblebee said. "And I do agree that what Hot Shot did was kind of crazy if you ask me. Although, I do think you could've handled it in a different way than how you did. I strongly recommend you apologize to him and maybe reduce his grounding to at least one month or even a few weeks, same with his restriction from missions."
Heatwave knew Bumblebee had some very good points.
"Since you put it that way, I guess I can try and talk with him." he shrugged. "But I don't think he'd want to listen to me at the moment."
"Give him time." suggested Bumblebee. "I've heard that these kinds of things happen with humans, too."
"Okay, I will." nodded Heatwave.
However, I'm sorry to say that this would not be the way things turn out. Inside his quarters, Hot Shot had calmed down and was now sitting in silence, a photograph of himself and Heatwave in his hand. The picture had some oil droplets on it (I think it's obvious where those came from).
"Why did he have to go and say that to me?" Hot Shot lamented. "Why? Sure, I've disobeyed him before, but it was never on purpose. At least, not in the way I did today."
But then, his expression changed from sadness to anger.
"I'll show him." he growled. "I'll leave the Academy and go somewhere far away. Then he'll be sorry."
But then, a thought came into his head.
"I'm going to have to do it at night, when everyone is in stasis." he decided. "That way, I can leave without being spotted."
Hot Shot then chuckled a mischevious chuckle.
"Delightfully devilish, Hot Shot!" he told himself.
Another thought struck him at that moment.
"Maybe I better go into stasis for now to preserve my energy." he said.
With that, Hot Shot turned out the lights, opened his stasis pod, climbed in, and activated it, all the while thinking about the events about to unfold.
End of Chapter 1