"We've received a signal from Solon," announced Starscream. "He's inside the dam, and has located the power generators."

"Beater, you go secure the generators to produce Energon," ordered Megatron. "Starscream and I shall defend the top of the dam from anyone attempting to retake it."

"What about me, sir?" asked Chopblock.

"I want you to stay here. You'll be taking me to your ship when we're done." Megatron stepped forward, turning to face his troops. "Now, while recovering the pods from the Exodus is our priority, we must also prepare to return to Cybertron. I want any Cybertronian with ideas above their station to know that that world belongs to Megatron! Decepticons, attack!"

The leader and his second in command flew off, Beater driving after them, leaving Chopblock behind to man the base.

Chapter 4: Recovery, Part 4

As Matt finished brushing his teeth, he heard his cell phone ring. Looking at it, he was glad to see it came from his father.

"Hi, dad," he greeted, right after spitting the water from his mouth. "Get to work okay?"

"Yeah, nothing too bad," replied Alexander. "I thought some kid was loitering outside, but turns out he was just an intern."

This made the young man stiffen, curious. "What did he look like?"

"Like he shouldn't be there," his father laughed. "Hair going down to his shoulders like some hippy, a tank top, staring at his phone-"

"Dad, you gotta get outta there, now."

"Get out? But I ju-t here."

"Are you there? You're breaking up."

"Ma-ou hear me? I-" The call abruptly ended.

"Dad!" Realizing something was up, Matt texted Anna and ran out to his car. The Decepticon's teen was at the dam, which meant the rest of them may not be far behind.

The Autobots had finished setting up the Exodus to become a base of operations. As Speedstar cleared space for a solar Energon collector and Hot Rod cleared out the cavern, Optimus and Evac connected the stasis pod to the ship's computer.

"This should give us a chance to scan for additional stasis pods," the medic stated, "and prevent the Decepticons from finding the ship."

"Is the ship's AI online?" the Autobot leader asked.

"Yes, Optimus Prime," the computer responded. "Tactical Artificial Interface is operating at one-hundred percent efficiency."

Optimus smiled. "It is good to hear your voice, T-AI."

"Likewise, sir. It has been almost two-million stellar cycles since this vessel crashed." She stopped as a red light started pinging. "Proximity alert along the main road. An Earth vehicle with two occupants heading this way."

The two Autobots seemed puzzled, but as Optimus didn't react when the car barreled in, the others let it through. Matt and Anna emerged, both looking very relieved.

"Optimus, it's the Decepticons!" the brunette panted. "Their human was at the dam my dad works at, and when I spoke with him the call suddenly went out. I think they're planning something!"

"Blacking out communications before an attack sounds like a Decepticon strategy," pondered Evac.

"And my scan of the area reports a hydroelectric dam nine meters from here," added T-AI. "The Decepticons may plunder the facility to produce Energon."

"We cannot allow the Decepticons to get away with this," said Optimus. "The humans should not be involved in our war."

"What's that? We're gonna fight the Decepticons?" They looked back to see Speedstar and Hot Rod enter, the former crossing their arms. "Well, we're all gonna die."

"For once, I agree with Speedstar. There's only four of us, and even if numbers are on our side, the Decepticons are much better fighters," the medic agreed.

"But if we stand by, we condemn not just the refugees of the Exodus, but the humans of Earth, to Decepticon tyranny," objected Optimus, clenching his fists. "I will not allow that to happen, not while a spark beats in my chest." A faceplate closed over his mouth. "Matt and Anna, oversee the battle with T-AI. Autobots, roll out!"

As the Autobots transformed and went out to the dam, the two humans were impressed. Optimus had a way with words.

At the dam, Solon stood next to the generators, waiting until he saw Beater drive into view. The van unfolded into robot mode, scaring off any workers nearby. He stomped up to the first generator, pulling some tools from his back.

"With a few modifications, this power can be used to create Energon cubes," he told the human. "Make sure my work is uninterrupted."

Solon nodded, removing his hand and extending his stunner once more. As workers tried stopping their theft, the teenager would fire at them, watching as-through a complicated means he didn't fully understand-the electricity from the generators was brought into transparent cubes, which quickly became a pinkish-purple as though filled up with liquid.

"That's cool," he remarked, watching the process until the cube was full and Beater got to work on the next one.

"Hey, focus on your job so I can do mine."

Atop the dam, Megatron and Starscream transformed to robot mode and landed on top of it. The leader saw humans running out to their vehicles and so fired on them with his fusion cannon. With their transportation blasted into balls of flame, the humans had no choice but to watch as the two robots stood above them.

"We've cut off their escape routes, now what, o glorious leader?" asked the Seeker, sarcasm evident at the end of his sentence.

"I'm detecting two stasis pods nearby," announced Megatron. "They're in the reservoir behind us. Find them."

"Seriously, you're asking me to do that? I'm a flyer, water doesn't agree with me."

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. Find. Those. Pods."

Starscream didn't need any further prompting, diving into the reservoir. Spotting two shapes at the bottom of the water, he scanned them both.

"Hmm… two pods, both voyager class. One is from the Exodus, but the other one… hmm, information redacted." Starscream swam closer, scanning the other pod with interest, before grinning. "Oh, this shall be good." Switching on his comm, he called "Chopblock, this is Starscream. I've found two stasis pods."

"Seriously? Well, that's great."

"I know. Open a ground bridge at my coordinates, I'll send the pods your way."

A glowing green portal opened up, the Decepticon Seeker sending the pods through. He was almost tempted to go through the portal with them, but he knew Megatron would have his tail fins if he did. So, with great difficulty, he began swimming back to the top.

The Autobots tore down the road to the dam, keeping contact with the base.

"I've managed to access local security," informed T-AI. "Megatron is at the top of the dam, and one of the Decepticons is inside."

"Hang on, Megatron is leading the attack?" asked Speedstar, who would have turned around if Hot Rod hadn't been directly behind them.

"I'm detecting power fluctuations in the area. The Decepticons may have already begun their harvest."

"See if you can find my dad," blurted Matt. "He works at the dam."

"Don't worry, Matt, we'll find 'Midad' for you," responded Evac.

The towering sight of Megatron was the first sign the dam was in view, so the Autobots transformed and ran the rest of the way.

"Evac, get the humans out of here," ordered Optimus. "Speedstar and Hot Rod, you go for the Energon harvester. I'll deal with Megatron."

As the other three went to carry out their duties, Optimus drove up the road to the top of the dam. Once he reached it, he turned back to robot mode and marched towards the tyrant.

"Megatron."

"Optimus Prime," Megatron growled, holding his arms out dramatically. "It feels like two million stellar cycles since we last met."

"Stand down," demanded Optimus. "This energy is not yours to take."

"Taking is the only way to acquire energy now. Ever since your foolish actions burned through our world's supply of Energon." The tyrant's right hand retracted, a purple energy flail emerging from his wrist. "When I've finished with you, I'll take the pods of the Exodus, and obliterate the Autobots once and for all!"

The Autobot leader didn't say anything else, retracting his own hand to produce an orange energy axe. With loud cries from both combatants, they charged forward to engage the other.

Inside the dam, Beater had formed six cubes, and was in the process of forming a seventh when two cars emerged, transforming into Autobots.

"Halt, invaders!" he yelled, a blade protruding from his right wrist.

"Invaders? That's rich," said the green one, their left hand being replaced with a blaster. "That energy isn't exactly yours to take, Con."

"What they said," agreed the red one, as they both started fighting the beat-up Decepticon.

Solon watched, taking a step back. He could hold himself against most humans, but massive Transformers was another story. He did his best to recall Starscream's advice about fighting other Cybertronians.

Step one: aim for the joints.

Step two: set weapons to automatic.

Step three: keep out of their range.

The teenager fired on the first one, the green one, but they were a little too far away for the shots to do much damage. And he didn't want the red one to barbecue him with those flames. So, the best he could do was continue keeping out humans.

Meanwhile, Beater was doing his best to fend off the two Autobots, watching the seventh cube nearly finish filling. As it did, he quickly radioed Megatron. "Lord Megatron, I have been intercepted by Autobots. I have seven filled cubes ready for transit. Requesting permission to withdraw."

"Denied. Make it ten cubes before you think about running away."

"Rrrgh… as you wish."

Beater managed to nick the green one across their abdomen, pushing them down and quickly beginning work on the eighth cube.

Starscream gasped as he emerged from the reservoir, water dripping out of his exhaust vents. Starting his engines to push further water out, he shot into the air, transforming to jet mode as he watched his leader battling Optimus Prime. Off to the side, he watched a group of humans crowding around a helicopter. Scanning the vehicle, he could spot a familiar red insignia on the side.

"So, the Autobot is evacuating the humans, hmm?" he remarked. "Well, I can do something about that."

Meanwhile, Evac was waiting for the rest of the humans to climb aboard, his rotors already spinning. "Midad" was among the passengers, although he insisted that his name was "Alexander Summers," which Matt was pleased to hear about.

"If everyone is aboard, then I shall evacuate," the medic called, lifting off the ground.

Unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough to avoid a shot from Starscream, and he spiraled back down to earth. Luckily, the humans were unharmed, but airlifting them out of harm's way was no longer an option. As he transformed into robot mode, Evac eyed the Decepticon.

"That was very reckless, you could have killed those civilians."

"Oh, it's all about civilians for you, isn't it?" remarked Starscream, stepping closer to the humans. "In my opinion, civilians are either conscripts yet to be claimed, or obstacles to be eradicated. And you-"

He never finished his statement, as Evac punched him in the face. "Your speeches could use some work, they sound like something from a cheesy pulp flick."

In the next move, the medic shot out his winch, wrapping up Starscream's wrists before flying upwards, dropping the Seeker back into the reservoir. However, damage from the previous attack caused his engine to blow out, sending him collapsing once more on the shoreline. Evac groaned and rubbed his head, before noticing that he was on the opposite side of the dam that the humans were on. And with the state he was in, there was no way he could get to them in time.

Solon let out a cry of delight as one of his shots hit the red one-Hot Rod-on the right knee, causing him to drop down and send his comrade to check on him. This gave Beater all the time he needed to set up production for the last two cubes, the lights inside flickering as more power was being drained away.

"Inform Megatron, we've nearly reached his quota," the Decepticon ordered, the human nodding as he did so.

"Leaving so soon?" taunted Hot Rod, still confident even as he stood on shaking legs. "Why don't you invite old buckethead down here, then I can kick his skidplate too!"

"I've got the word, we're leaving once the cubes are filled," called Solon.

As if on cue, a glowing portal opened up and Beater began kicking cubes into it. Solon fired more stun blasts, some of them actually hitting their mark before he too followed the larger Decepticon into the portal.

Atop the dam, Optimus and Megatron continued their brawl, the Autobot leader wrapping his axe through the flail's chain and yanking hard, making the weapon glitch out and disappear.

"You've lost your paddleball, Megatron."

"No matter, I don't need it for what I plan to do." The tyrant raised his right arm, fusion cannon glowing with purple energy as he aimed it right at Optimus.

"I shan't let you escape," he declared, projecting a shield from his left arm and marching towards Megatron.

Megatron's optics glanced down to the assembled humans gathered below. "It's a shame, old friend. Your devotion to lesser beings blinds you." Without warning, he pointed his still-charging cannon their way. "Allow me to correct your vision."

The Autobot leader quickly realized his plan, jumping down the dam toward the humans. Before he reached the bottom, Megatron had fired, forcing him to leap into the path of the blast. The shot impacted on his shoulder, knocking him backwards. Optimus slid across asphalt for a moment, but none of the humans were injured.

"Disappointing," muttered Megatron, not sparing his foe a second glance as he transformed to jet mode and flew off.

Optimus groaned as he got to his feet, the humans staring up at him with mixed reactions. At that moment, the rest of his team came down to join him, each concerned with his condition.

"Sir, are you alright?" asked Evac.

"You took a pretty mean hit to the shoulder," remarked Speedstar. "I'm surprised you've still got an arm at all."

"You could have stopped that big guy," said one of the humans. "Now he can come back and attack us again."

"But he saved us from 'that big guy,'" added another.

"What she said," agreed Alexander. "We'll probably have blackouts across the county, but I gotta thank you, uh…"

"It's Optimus Prime, dad," came Matt's voice through the radio.

"So you guys know my son?"

"These humans have weird naming conventions," blurted Evac. "'Midad' insists on being called Alexander and now Matt is being called 'Mison.'"

"Regardless, Alexander Summers, we will protect your son, and all peoples of this world, with our lives," declared Optimus, standing proud above the humans.

I journeyed with the Exodus to protect the civilians inside from the Decepticons. Unfortunately, it would seem that mission is in jeopardy.

Inside the Decepticon's base, Chopblock examined the two stasis pods, a smug grin on his face as he eyed the green Exodus pod.

Further complicating matters is the presence of another Cybertronian ship with its own stasis pods to track down.

In the Antarctic, two Autobots, covered in ice, sat unmoving on the bridge of a crashed ship.

And yet, from this failure, we have found new allies, and a new mission to fulfill.

Inside the Exodus, Matt and his father shared a long hug, before launching into conversation about the former's new friends.

I am Optimus Prime, and to anyone who can hear me, we will defend the Earth and its people.

In the woods, a red stasis pod had been cracked open, the occupant's optics occasionally flashing dimly.

They are a curious species but, like us, they are more than meets the eye.

Outside of the Exodus, Mountrek transformed to robot mode, staring at the entrance before stepping inside.

And so we reach the end of the first part of the story. We also have our primary conflict: finding stasis pods from both the Exodus and the Second Chance before the Decepticons can get them first. Not exactly breaking new ground, but I'm sure it'll be an interesting tale, at least. Still, let me know what you guys think, and I'll see you next time!

Next time: The Decepticons awaken their newest members, while Mountrek ponders whether to join to the Autobots or stay neutral.