Astrosecond~ .498 seconds, milli-cycle~1 sec, cycle~1 min, breem~ 8.3 minutes, mega-cycle~1 hour, meta-cycle~1\2 hours, solar cycle~1 day, day~ 20 hours, orbital cycle~ 1 month, gigacycle~ 1 year, deca-cycle~10 years, vorn~ 83 years, stellar cycle~400 year, mechanometer~ 1 meter, vun~ hectometer, hic~ 1 kilometer

Thoughts, 'binary code', (alien language), "talking"

After twenty minutes of working on the Hammerhead, Shepard radioed to the Normandy's pilot, "Joker, this is Shepard. We're coming in with the Hammerhead, but she'll be out of commission for some time. Have the repair team on standby."

"What about our new broke toys? Do you want anyone patching them up?"

"No, not yet. Assemble the crew in the hangar, and tell them no weapons."

Zaeed was leaning against the wall next to the elevator complaining, "I hope this is important. I was…"

The Hammerhead glided into the hangar with everyone waiting near the elevator. The sandstorm started to die down greatly. Garrus commented after seeing the Hammerhead, "Glad I'm not in charge of fixing that."

Grunt pounded his fist in excitement, "Ha! It looks like Shepard had found himself another good fight."

Mordin gave his best judgment and speaking in hyper speed as usual, "Hmmm…No carbon scoring couldn't have been another tank. Bouncing mine…No, to clean cut. Thresher Maw attack, no, no acidic burns damage to cockpit and cannon, damage too precise. Interesting…plasma burns. Suggests energy based weaponry, doesn't explain cannon or cockpit."

As Tali and Shepard climbed out of the Hammerhead, Miranda demanded some answer, "Shepard why have you assembled us here? You need a repair team not the entire crew! What's going on?"

Shepard looked at Tali, "Well who should tell them what we found?"

Toying Tali pushed Shepard in front saying, "Remember it was your idea, even Legion didn't suggest this!"

Jacob was puzzled, "What's she talking about, Shepard? Does it have something to do with those two and their trophy…" looking back towards the mech and two vehicles. The damaged truck roared loudly and violently after Jacob said that.

Shepard looked at the truck, "Relax Dropshot, he doesn't know yet." The rest of the crew was starting to get a little concerned now.

Garrus spoke up again, "Damn it Shepard, could you stop messing with us and just tell us what the hell's going on here."

"Alright, I'm sure EDI has noticed the moment they came aboard anyway." Shepard looked at a holo panel.

A blue round display popped up in the hangar, "We have two energy signals that match the initial scans of the planet."

Garrus tried to put all of this into perspective, "Wait, so whatever was giving off those strange reading are in those strange vehicles?"

Tali giggled, "You're closer than you think, Garrus."

Shepard looked at the vehicles and said, "Alright I think it's time to show yourselves guys." After that Legion ran to where the others were standing. The rest of the crew was in shock even Zaeed and Samara who have seen a lot of this galaxy. The two cars were changing into humanoid forms.

As Samara looked all she could utter was, "By the Goddess…"

Thane hid his words as he mouthed, My Gods.

All the biotic users began to glow and anyone with an omni-tool activated them waiting for something.

Vibes had to stand on the ramp because her shoulder guards would be hitting the ceiling and her right side was still hurting. Dropshot was leaning against a turbine trying to knock the sand out of his motivators. Vibes bowed to be courteous, "Hello organics. My name is Vibes, and this is my comrade and friend Dropshot. Your Commander has offered to help us and we will be helping him. We are honored to be part of your team and hopefully be excellent representatives of the Autobots."

Dropshot simply uttered the universal greeting to all of them, "Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong."

Zaeed gave one big laugh and said, "I see why you asked everyone not to bring their goddamn weapons."

Garrus was the first to get back his senses to yell at Shepard, "I'm sorry to say this Shepard, but what the hell are they and why are we working with more A.I.! I thought we had enough with EDI and Legion on board, but now these things?"

Shepard defended his actions, "They're different. When Legion talked to Vibes she doesn't see herself as an A.I. just an individual. Besides if Cerberus got to them they would have been dismantled and eventually used against use. I'd rather work with them then fight armies with their tech."

Grunt just laughed, "If Shepard accepts them then they must be great warriors. But why'd you bring the scrap pile?"

Dropshot got mad at that pointing his blaster at Grunt, "You listen to me lizard face, Clocker didn't deserve this! If anything I should have been the one to take those hits, not him!" Everyone moved far away from Grunt as the krogan just stared right back at the machine. "He died a slaggin' hero, you hear me! He died trying to help us and if you ever talk about him like that again, there's going to be a new hole in this ship where you stand!"

"That's enough Dropshot, now stand down!" Dropshot didn't pay any attention until Vibes forced him by grabbing his elbow twisting and squeezing it, "I said stand down or I'll rip that blaster out, along with your arm!" Dropshot yelled in pain as he dropped the rifle, "Listen, my gears are just as grinded at the…" she went through the new data from Legion, "krogan…as you are but we'd be going against one of the biggest reasons why we're Autobot and not Decepticons."

"I know ma'am, it just…I should have been the one taken offline not the young bot and…"

"I understand, Dropshot. Now before we can do anything, let's make you a new pair of legs, and fix your arm." Vibes walked to Clocker's chassis. She scanned it then proceeded to ripping both legs off. She placed them next to Dropshot then went back to grab more parts. Still looking for parts Vibes asked, "Legion, I could use your help and anyone you think could help with this."

Legion's head nodded and turned to the rest of the crew, "Creator-Tali'Zorah. Propulsion Engineer Gabriella Daniels. Power Engineer Kenneth Donnelly. Please assist this platform in repairs on Unit-Dropshot."

Miranda was still uncertain of this, "Commander, are you sure about this? I mean look at them. They almost blow a hole in the ship!"

"Grunt provoked him. What would you do if he said something about Oriana?" Miranda couldn't argue about that. "Besides, the other side showed their colors long before them. Vibes here saved our lives, we owe her that much."

"You don't owe us anything Commander. It is we who owe you truthfully." Everyone, even Shepard, didn't understand Vibes' comment. "If you hadn't shown up in that tank, the Decepticons would have eventually destroyed the two of us. We had three Autobots and twelve drones when we started; we lost all the drones before we could get to this planet."

Grunt talked to one of the crew, "So Kasumi, do you think you could steal something from these things?"

Entertaining the idea, Kasumi assessed the two giants, "Well, I might be able to take something, given the right team but personally I don't see anything I would want. So to answer the question; I could, given enough time but I won't because I don't want to." Being a justicar Samara was giving Kasumi an ugly look after hearing that.

Shepard explained what Vibes and Dropshot had told him about their people, the Decepticons and why they were here to the rest of the crew. "So, that's pretty much sums up what I know anyway."

Dropshot then added, "You could say, we rage our battles to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons."

Thane spoke first this time, "So in other words, they fight to keep a great evil from leaving their world and spreading to the rest of their galaxy. Noble, but they fight an uphill battle…"

"Best kind of battle there is!" Grunt shouted as he was getting excited.

"Their goddamn stupid if you ask me. They have the power to conquer the galaxy yet they stop the ones that want to, what a waste." Zaeed saw the potential they could have if the species did want the same thing.

Vibes got mad at the notion, "I'd rather be melted down in the Smelting Pool before I ever work with a Decepticon."

"Truth be told ma'am you almost were one." Vibes was shock to hear that from Dropshot.

Her face almost turned pale, if her face could change color. She had to make certain he wasn't just trying to make a bad joke. "Wh-when did this happen?"

Dropshot answered her, "It was about a stellar cycle and a half, give or take a few orbital cycles." Deep down in her processors, Vibes was really hoping it was just a coincidence. Dropshot explained, "Swindle led a raid on a protoform facility. I assume he was going to sell them to Megatron or someone; maybe create a private army for hire. He-he...Swindle was always a con-man first, and a Decepticon second; he'd even sell his own motherboard at the right price."

Zaeed butted in, "Sounds just like Vido when I first met him."

Dropshot continued, "By the time we scared him off, one of the protoforms was in the process of becoming a Decepticon. So, the team decided to use that to our advantage; we let it proceed, only as a subprogram, with the dominate program being an Autobot; that's how our spy Punch and his counterpart Counterpunch were formatted. Swindle had also started up another protoform but didn't have time to run the Decepticon programs. That was you, ma'am. I wasn't there when they named you but I was around when we activated you and brought you back to Iacon."

Vibes was disheartened hearing the sudden revelation. Vibes tried to change topics, "D-do you think Soundwave reported back to Megatron about us?"

Dropshot could only laugh at the question, "It's Soundwave, of course he reported to his master. Punch, or Counterpunch when he's a Con, should be at the main base doing something for Prime. If we're lucky he'll send a message to Optimus from Kaon when he can. But Punch won't risk blowing his cover unless it's really important."

Thane was simply curious, "If you use spies, then don't these Decepticons do so as well?"

Dropshot replied to the green reptilian, "Soundwave, the Con's comm. officer, and his Recordicons do recon and radio monitoring but I'm sure there are a few sleeper agents within the Autobots we don't know about."

Grunt wasn't pleased, "If you know where your enemy is you should take the fight to them and get it over with."

Zaeed was amused by the krogan's love for a fight but he disagreed, "Because it's nothing but a death march. A base is usually meant to last indefinitely against invading forces. Plus all the traps and god knows what else one could hide."

Now Dropshot was looking through the data, "The uh…human, is right. Punch has sent some layout data on the base and it would take an army of Guardian robots to do any real damage. Personally, I don't see Omega Supreme helping out with that suicidal plan."

Ignoring both, Vibes finished her last repairs on Dropshot's elbow, "There. How do the parts feel, anything need tweaking?"

Dropshot rotated his right elbow and new legs, "Well the weight distribution might be a problem on a high gravity world, and the plating around my elbow feels lighter than what I'm used to. Otherwise you guys got rid of an annoying creek I had with my left pelvic joint and overall reaction times are about two astroseconds faster and my optics are better than ever too. If I ever fall to pieces like on Deneb IV, I know I won't have to worry too much as long as this stubborn spark of mine still burns," pounding his chest area.

Vibes laughed about it, "Well next time I might not bee tthherrree..." Her visor grayed out, lights turned off and she started to fall.

Dropshot knew what just happened; her systems forced her into stasis lock. He caught her and gently placed her back on the hangar floor. He rushed towards Clocker's remains, "Move it squishes!" He ripped both arms and shoulders out tossing them next to Vibes. Dropshot looked through the data Vibes gave him and found the 'biotic' powers interesting. It just might be what I needed. "I need force fields…I mean this…'biotic' stuff."

Shepard nodded to Samara. Samara asked, "What do you need?"

"Project it around her chassis, holder her up about four mechanometers," placing his hand about his chest level to show where, "and stop anything that she will leak out. Do you think it can hold back energon...I mean uh...plasma!"

Samara thought for a moment, "I am uncertain. Biotics are not normally used to contain such material, but I will try."

Shepard waved his hand, "Thane, Jack, Jacob, Miranda help Samara out here."

The five man crew projected their Biotics lifting Vibes' motionless body. Dropshot moved to her right side, "Good, now I need a separate bubble around her shoulder here," pointing at her right shoulder and her patch job. Dropshot pushed his hands into the spheres as he touched the patch the initial burning sensation overwhelmed him causing him to pull his hands back shouting in pain. He shook it off and forced himself to deal with it as he tore the patch off. A flood of yellow liquid spilled out of the hole as Dropshot took the wires and tubing he had removed from Clocker's parts and started to fit them inside. His only concern was getting the wires and tubes into place to stop more energon from spilling out.

The exposure to the liquid was corroding Dropshot's hands. Everyone could easily see the damage. Legion, uncharacteristically, offered his aid without being asked first. "Unit-Dropshot, we can provide assistance if necessary."

Dropshot continued his work, "No need. See, there's a reason Cybertronian armor is so tough. Not to sound rude or anything, but you'd probably melt just by touching this stuff." When the liquid finally stopped, the sphere was almost half way full. "Good, now move her chassis back to the ground, away from the energon, but keep the energon where it is." Making sure his hands would not drip any of the liquid, he pulled a small remote looking device from his waist. He pressed a button on the device and it started to project small, holographic-like cubes. Garbing one of the cubes he put it into the energon as it flowed into the cube. Dropshot did this until all the energon was gone. "At least the Decepticons were good for something." He pulled a tube from Vibes frame and shoved it into an energon filled cube. As the cube emptied Dropshot was talking to Vibes, "Come on ma'am, pull through. I don't want to be the cause of another Commander's permanent shut down."

He laid his head on the hand he was holding and then the other hand touched his head. "I would have gladly gone offline to save a friend..." Overjoyed Dropshot just embraced her in his arms. Afterwards he proceeded to feed her the rest of the energon cubes.

Dropshot waved to the volunteer repair team to help. "The damage looked bad but with all these parts we can have it look like your shoulder just came off the production line." Donnelly was having fun talking like they had been.

"Thanks…human…" Vibes sounded exhausted as she laid her head back down.

"The names Ken and my minion here is Gabby."

"Hey, that's Engineer Gabriella Daniels, and you're more of a minion than me!"

With a smile Kenneth said, "From what we hear if you weren't there Tali and Shepard wouldn't be here now. We owe you that much. So the least we could do, is fix you to the best we can."

"Most of the damage is from energon corrosion. Frag it ma'am, was this where you got shot?" Dropshot sounded both mad and concerned.

"I was hoping the damage wasn't that bad…" as she tried to hide her pain when she talked.

"You know that our shoulders house vital tubes and wires that can kill us if we lose one of them." This was a Cybertronians' Achilles heel. Significant damage could cause a spark overload or rapid power loss resulting in the loss of their spark. Even if the Cybertronian survived it was still possible for it to die from internal energon bleeding if not attended to in time.

The repairs took a fraction of time it took to repair Dropshot. Vibes felt the ranger her new shoulder gave her. "Wow! I've never been able to move it this far and fast, this is great."

The switch for Dropshot's hands went relatively quick now that the engineers were getting an understanding of a Cybertronians' architecture.

Before much more could happen Vibes heard something. It was her communicator, "Vibes, Dropshot, Clocker. This is Optimus Prime do you read over."

Vibes was shocked to hear his voice, "Prime is that you? How did you find us? We don't even know where we are."

Optimus continued, "We can discuss the specifics later, right now I want to know if you and your team are alright."

Vibes didn't have the spark to say anything so Dropshot dropped in, "Prime, this is Dropshot. We lost all the drones and…" Dropshot needed a second before he could continue, "...and Clocker died saving us both."

"I'm sorry." There was only silence for about a cycle then, "Do you two need pick up or reinforcements?"

Dropshot knew Vibes didn't want to involve anyone else in this. "Just send us plenty of energon cubes and an extra blaster or three and we'll be fine." He turned to Vibes and gave her a thumbs up.

Optimus positively responded, "Understood Dropshot. Supplies will be sent within a mega-cycle, good luck you two."

Saluting to nothing in particular Dropshot's final transmission was, "Thank you sir!" Vibes had also joined him in the salute facing the same direction. "Come on Vibes let's give Clocker a proper sendoff."

The two of them gathered what was left of the body and the replaced parts that were replaced and exited the ship. The wind was still blowing but it wouldn't bother them. Vibes placed a small disc on the desert floor placing Clocker right on it. "Here", tossing one of the Decepticon weapons to Dropshot, "figured you didn't want to waste the energon."

"I hate that I have a recording of this, just another thing to remind me how many friends I've lost." Music started playing from Dropshot.

"Present arms." A rough voice roared as Dropshot stood with the blaster across his chest motionless waiting for the next order. Vibes stood at attention.

Then Optimus Prime started to speak, "We have lost yet another friend and valued comrade in our struggle against the Decepticons. Our friend died believing in our great cause, to defeat an even greater evil." Prime doesn't attempt to hide either his sadness or anger. "We must never forget the sacrifice he and so many others have made throughout the millennia we have fought in this war. If we lose, their sacrifices will mean nothing. We must continue to move forward, even if they are not among us. We honor his memories and so that others may know the significant roles he had contributed. We fight so that other races do not have to suffer for our people's mistakes. May his spark find its way back to the Matrix. 'Till all are one!"

Dropshot, Vibes and a chorus of voices rang out, "'Till all are one!"

The same rough voice from before started shouting again, "Ready. Aim." Dropshot aimed into the sky. "Fire." He shot into the sky but other blasters could be heard at the same time. Vibes processed to push a series of buttons on her arm. "Fire." Vibes saluted as Clocker's remains begin to lift into the air and it began to disintegrate into particles. "Fire." With the last shot Dropshot tossed the rifle onto Clocker's arms as he slowly disappeared and processed to saluting as well. The roar of jets could be heard from Dropshot.

After that Vibes whispered, "May Primus watch over your spark." The two of them came to ease. Then Vibes placed a hand to the side of her head. "He's gone."

Optimus responded, "I'm sorry Vibes, Clocker was young but he was very helpful. I wish we could do more."

"No Prime, what you're sending will help us out a lot. We have made contact with a number of organic life forms here and I think we have made an alliance with this group. I can't say anything about their species as a whole though."

"As long as you can come home intact, that's all I need."

Saluting, Vibes said, "Yes sir."