Chapter 2
As Soundwave disappeared into the vortex, Optimus stood his ground to make sure that Soundwave wouldn't attempt anything. "Ratchet we have secured the energon and now we require an immediate ground-bridge back to base" said Optimus. Arcee and Smokescreen brought over the hover cars filled with energon. "Smokescreen you choice to engage the Decepticons was irrational, but you have led us to a much needed energy source" said Optimus. Arcee simply sighed in minor frustration; apparently she was still angry at him for taking Jack with him to retrieve the Star Saber. Their own ground-bridge opened up and Smokescreen was the first to go through, then Arcee and finally Optimus. At the Autobot base, Ratchet was busy typing something into the main computer, two of the humans were sitting on a couch watching TV, Bulkhead and Bumblebee were lifting energon cubes in stacks. "Finally, look at all that energon now we should have enough for anything" said Bulkhead. Bumblebee beeped a response while Arcee just glared in anger at Smokescreen.
Later that same day, everyone went off do things by themselves or with one of the humans. Bumblebee went with Raf to go race remote controlled cars outside the base while Bulkhead and Miko were watching some kind of monster truck rally and Arcee wasn't anywhere to be seen. Jack was busy talking with Ratchet when special agent Fowler came out of the elevator looking angry. "Prime I thought you were told no collateral damage and wrecking the top side of the Grand Canyon doesn't help" yelled Fowler. "I'm sorry for any damage caused to the canyon but you know how unpredictable the Decepticons can be" said Optimus. Then Fowler turned and walked toward the open elevator. Ratchet turned away from the computer and looked over at Smokescreen, "I need you to take those empty energon containers to the back storage room" said Ratchet pointing to empty cube containers. Smokescreen grunted in annoyance, for some reason he was always being assigned the maintenance jobs. Smokescreen didn't voice his opinion and went about taking the containers to the back room.
By the time Smokescreen was done with the task Ratchet assigned to him, the sun was just about to go down below the horizon. "Hey Ratchet, why do you always give me the rookie tasks" asked Smokescreen. But before the medic could answer Arcee interrupted, "because you're still being punished for endangering Jack and you are the newest member of Team Prime". She finished what was on her mind; Smokescreen was starting to become frustrated with Arcee and always being treated like some boot camp grunt. "You know I didn't ask to be treated like a burden; if I wanted all of this I would've just stayed with Alpha Trion" yelled Smokescreen and then he transformed and drove out of the base to calm down. "You know Arcee that was a little harsh" said Bulkhead. "He needed to hear that, because if he's going to be a part of Team Prime he needs to abide by all of the rules" said Arcee. Everyone stared in the direction Smokescreen had left, hoping he wouldn't do anything brash.