Chapter 4: Intel
While a few days had passed on the Ark all the Autobots were now repaired and accounted for. Optimus Prime was pleased to see all his troops in one piece and functioning again, Optimus was waiting by Teletran-one eagerly awaiting the computer's analysis of Earth. He saw Sideswipe and Sunstreaker happily play-fighting with each other as brothers do obviously Sunstreaker was happy he was functioning again and Sideswipe even more so. Prime really saw himself and Ultra Magnus in the two rookie Autobot warriors before the war with the Decepticons. Suddenly T-1 flashed his monitor hinting he had important information coming through.
"T-1 report"
"Reconnaissance & Intelligence report finished Optimus Prime. All data downloaded and backed-up on all computers."
"Excellent T-1, begin briefing detail"
"Yes sir" said the super computer as it began to brief Optimus on the name of the planet & its inhabitants.
"The planet we are on is referred to as 'Earth' by its inhabitants"
"Can you give me more information on planet Earth's dominant life forms T-1?"
"Affirmative" and T-1 displayed holograms and images on its monitor of the Cars that inhabited Earth and explained how the cars were a unique mix of organic and mechanical body parts; Prime was taken back by this information.
"Amazing, you mean to tell me the dominant life forms of this planet are sentient vehicles that possess several organic body parts?"
"Affirmative, the dominant life forms of Earth are a unique mix of organic and mechanical body parts. While they run on fuel and wheels, they display intelligence, emotion, personality and have typical organic body parts like tongues & eyes."
"How technologically advanced are they T-1 and are they used to visitors from outer space?"
"While primitive compared to Cybertronian technology they have developed travel on land, sea and air, however this is only because of the vehicles that allow these types of transport. But they are beginning to develop space travel, despite this Earth is not used to visitors from other worlds, so it is recommended to avoid social contact and to keep our presence a secret to avoid interference from Earth based military forces."
"Of course, history has taught us all that inhabitants of planets not used to visitors from outer space have acted suspiciously and irrationally towards their visitors. We already have enough problems with our mission and the Decepticons never mind interference from Earthlings. Speaking of which were you able to detect any Decpeticon activity or their base of Operations?"
"Negative, while reconnaissance satellites performed a thorough & painstaking search on planet Earth's surface, it was unable to detect any Decepticon activity or their base of operations, it is likely they are either in stealth mode or are not on planet Earth at all" Prime sighed with frustration.
"Oh they're here alright. They must've figured out our mission to Earth by now and have probably already succeeded in their goal. Then again this planet is still flourishing with life & they need energy to live, so maybe we might've got lucky…."
Prime thought of his next course of action and tried to stop the thought of the Decepticons already victorious cloud his judgment.
"Then we will have to find Megatron and the Decepticons the hard way and that is to go out there and search for them and to do so we will have to assume Earth based alternative modes to prevent arousing suspicion among Earth's people, then find the 'regenesis' seeds before Megatron does."
Teletran-one replied;
"Optimus Prime if you wish to assume Earth based disguises this will require you and your troops to go through a 'bio-mechanical reanimation' procedure. Although on board stasis pods allow this procedure, it is extremely difficult and time consuming, however in turning your bodies' half mechanical/half organic it will allow the Autobots to navigate and withstand Earth's atmosphere and environment better than in Cybertronian mode."
"Do it T-1 and I trust you already found suitable alt-modes during your reconnaissance sweep?"
"Affirmative"
"Excellent, I will round up my forces and brief them on the situation. However I fear they might not like the sound of having to reformat into organic based alt-modes"
Once Prime had gathered the Autobots and briefed them on their mission, there was a lot of groaning and moaning from the troops.
"I don't want to look like an Earthling, I'm much happier with my Cybertron mode" moaned Huffer.
"This is a joke why would I want to grow flesh it would clash with my beautiful metallic structure" cried Sunstreaker.
"Don't worry Streak's you could always put a titanium container over your face to cover the eyes and mouth, then again you look like you need one now haha!" laughed Sideswipe, Sunstreaker was about to pounce 'Swipe when Prowl called for order.
"Quiet down Autobots, I know you may not like the idea but if we are going to operate on Earth we will have to look like the Earthling vehicles and act like we're one of them. Plus our Cybertronian modes will severely hamper our maneuverability in this planet's heavy gravitational pull" Prime continued for Prowl.
"While we would normally be able to scan vehicular modes and assume them almost instantly, this is not the same case. To gain organic body parts and functions our bodies will have to go through a complete reanimation stage in the on-board stasis pods. The process is a lengthy one so we will have to reformat a lot of you as soon as possible to save as much time as we can, but in the meantime I and Prowl will run things on the Ark while all of you are in the stasis pods. Hound, Mirage please step forward"
The two Autobots marched in front of Prime and saluted.
"I must ask that you two wait with me and Prowl while the others are being reformatted, I need you two with your special camouflage abilities guard the entrance of the base. When everyone else is finished, us four will enter the stasis pods while everyone else assumes duties around the Ark"
"Yes sir" replied Hound and Mirage.
"Very good now if everyone else would make their way to the stasis pods"
Prime spoke towards the ceiling.
"Teletran-one once all Autobots are in the stasis pods begin the reanimation procedure immediately."
"Affirmative Optimus Prime"
While the rest of the Autobots headed towards the Stasis Pods, Hound and Mirage went outside to assume their guard duties. Once outside they could really feel their weight combined with Earth's atmosphere weigh them down slightly.
"Hey Hound"
"Yeah Mirage?"
"How do you feel about being reformatted into a part organic creature?"
"Don't know really although I guess it would be nice to feel what an organic creature feels compared to a robot, how about you?"
"Uncomfortable really I wish we were still back on Cybertron. I miss home."
"I'm not sure about that myself Mirage. It seems quite nice out here I've never been to another planet before, plus there isn't the constant threat of the Decepticons like on Cybertron."
"Yeah I guess you're sorta right Hound, at least we'll have a bit peace and quiet but still there is no place like ho…."
Suddenly Hound silenced Mirage mid-sentence. His advanced tracker systems indicated that something was coming close.
"Quiet Mirage I can sense something approaching five o'clock of our position and closing to within seven-hundred feet."
"Could it be Decepticons?" said Mirage.
"No, my warning computer senses minimal threat, then again it could be a Decepticon trick"
"Let's check it out Hound" and the two Autobots took defensive positions in dense foliage next to a road.
They could hear the noise of engines getting closer and with every passing second they could also hear Earth based music.
"What is that terrible noise?" moaned Mirage holding his audio receptors.
"Judging by the rhythm and vocals I think it would be Earth based music."
Then as the source of the noise finally came into view Mirage & Hound could make out four unidentified vehicles.
"What are they?" asked Mirage.
"I think they must be Earthlings" replied Hound.
And Hound was right enough for they could see that the vehicles were talking to each other and that they had eyes and mouths. While unknown to Hound and Mirage these four vehicles were known as the D.R.H (Delinquent Road Hazards) or better known as Boost, DJ, Wingo and Snot Rod and as you might've guessed they had just been up to no good again, they were all laughing proudly of themselves.
"Hey Wingo that raid on the truck compound sure went like clockwork last night" said the DRH leader Boost, Wingo gave off his famous laugh (the same laugh you could hear in the movie (CARS).
"Yeah and we left those pigs in the dust, the Police couldn't catch a cold. Hey DJ like the merchandise we scrounged up for ya last night?"
"Yeah man, I got myself twenty of the latest hip hop albums last night and as for those boyband albums? They sure went to good use"
The entire DRH group laughed as they remembered how they broke all the boyband CD's and then used them to burst the tires of the Police cars in the getaway. DJ continued the conversation.
"Hey Boost were you nervous in the raid last night?"
"No way man, I was chillin' like a 'pillin"
Hound and Mirage looked at the cars with great confusion.
"Pigs, Chilling like a Pilling? What in the Universe are these guys talking about Hound?"
"I'm not sure Mirage but if I had to guess, I'd say it was native Earth slang. You know like how we say 'Slag' as a curse word on Cybertron?"
"Yeah I see where you're coming from now, maybe we should record this down so we can get an insight into Earth-based culture."
"I'm already doing just that Mirage" replied Hound as he filmed the DRH through his optics to his data storage banks.
Suddenly Snot Rod, the Orange American muscle car (and the least customized car out of the whole group) began to prepare for a sneeze.
"Aaahh……aaahhh…aaaaah…"
"Oh no Snot Rod is gonna blow!" cried Boost.
The other three Cars sped ahead and passed Hound and Mirage who they didn't notice. But as Snot Rod was right next to the two hidden Transformers:
"AAAAAAAAAAACHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and Snot Rod belted out a huge jet of flame in front of Mirage.
The blue Autobot was blinded for a moment and fell to the ground behind Hound.
"WAAAAHHHH!" he screamed and as he fell his body gave out a huge metallic 'thud'.
"What was that noise?" warned Boost. He turned to where Snot Rod was still recovering from the shellshock of his almighty sneeze.
Hound was tending to Mirage when he turned around. The flame from Snot Rod's exhaust had caused part of the foliage Hound was hiding behind to burn away and it partly revealed his face. Hound noticed but was too late; he was looking eye to eye with Boost.
Boost opened his mouth in awe as he could see two bright blue eyes staring at him through the bushes. Boost then got angry.
"Hey who's there?" he demanded, he feared it might've been police or a nosey car who found out about their raid and that they might go taddle on the DRH.
"Now you done it" Hound said to Mirage, while it was Hound that was seen, it was Mirage who caused all the noise.
"Let's burn rubber" ordered Mirage as the two Autobots Transformed and made a beeline for better cover in the forest. Boost was quick to give chase.
"After them Road Hazards, they're gonna taddle on us!" and the four yobs gave chase.
As the cars and Autobots twisted and turned through the forest trails the Autobots found themselves at two distinct disadvantages, their weight and dirt roads.
"How come we're going so slow? We should've outrun these primitive vehicles easily" cried Mirage, while Cybertronian vehicles could go MUCH faster than Earth Cars, their heavy metallic structures combined with Earth's gravity were slowing them both down considerably.
"It must be the gravity and this road Mirage. It feels like the ground is turning under my wheels!" obviously the two Autobots had never been on a dirt track before when they had been driving on the metal roads of Cybertron all their lives.
The Autobots could hear the cars telling them to stop and they'll let them go unhurt.
"They're gaining on us Hound!"
"Quick Mirage in here!" and Hound lead the way into some more dense forest.
"There they go DRH surround them that way is blocked off by a cliff" ordered Boost and he drove on forward while Wingo and DJ went left and Snot Rod right.
They drove through the forest to where the drop was expecting to catch the spies any moment. But as the tuners reached the edge of the cliff the would be spies were nowhere to be seen.
"Where'd they go?" asked DJ.
Boost looked around, they should've seen them but somehow they had evaded the DRH.
"Ah lets go tuners, we should be long gone by the time they get the chance to tell any Police force" and ordered the DRH to go back to the main road.
When they were at a safe distance Mirage and Hound revealed their hiding spots, Hound used his advanced holograms to cloak him so he would look like a tree while Mirage as his name implies can turn invisible at will.
"By Primus, when Optimus said we would need our special camouflage abilities he was right" sighed Mirage with relief.
"Yeah let's report back with our findings" and the two began to walk back to the base entrance, they hadn't drove far anyway so it only took two minutes to get back.
However when they reached the base entrance they could see the DRH again. This time they had noticed the cave which wasn't there before.
"Hey man that cave wasn't there before" said DJ.
"Let's check it out tuners" ordered Boost and they drove nearer and nearer to the cave which was in fact the entrance to the Autobots base of operations.
"Oh no they're going to find out our base" cried Mirage.
"Not if I can help it" replied Hound and sneaked quickly and near enough to the base entrance…
Boost drove into the cave mouth and turned on his headlights but as he saw into the cave all it revealed was a dead end.
"Ah there's nothing here tuners it's empty. C'mon let's bounce" and the cars finally drove away from the Autobots base.
Once they were gone the back of the cave disappeared to reveal a door with the Autobot symbol. Mirage walked up to Hound.
"That's the second time you're holograms have saved us today Hound, an astrosecond later and those earthlings would've compromised our secret base"
"Yeah I love my holograms really I do. They've saved my life and other Autobots lives countless times" the two Autobots chuckled a little.
"C'mon Hound let's report back to Prime" and the two 'Bots walked through the doors to report to Optimus Prime.