The next day is a big day indeed.
The end of a journey, and the beginning of something new.
With their ship fixed and all operations once again fully functioning, the main crew disembark and remain on the planet.
Assistance no longer required, the Daytrader and its members are ready to head off.
Bumblebee shakes servos with Wreck-Gar and thanks him for all his help.
Knockout and Moonracer exchange numbers with Dead End, hoping to keep in contact and retain some sort of familial connection.
Slipstream passive-aggressively bids adieu to Starscream, and Sunstorm is showering him with love; Starscream, for his part, decides to be genuinely nice to his siblings when saying farewell.
Shockwave makes the unexpected decision to stay behind, leaving his work on the Daytrader to Fodder, Acid Storm, Ion Storm, and Nova Storm.
Sandstorm and Octane also make an unexpected decision of their own, to live on the Tidal Wave – now that it's grounded and Captain-less – and renovate it for their new life together.
Starquest, Brimstone, and Cannonball are placed in the stasis pods that the Ex-Cons were brought in while the others figure out what to do about them.
Thunderhoof, Underbite, Fracture and his mini-cons, and Saberhorn are just relieved that they don't have to go back to Cybertron, but they'd be lying if they said they weren't anxious about what's to come next for them, their new home, and the political nightmare it will cause.
Steeljaw tries his best to reassure his packmates, knowing that they don't trust him and yet still putting in the effort to – hopefully – make life better for all of them.
Ramulus returns to his mate's side as his most trusted advisor and confidante, and Phantomjaw has found someone new to annoy.
Now all the Autobots, Neutrals, and Ex-Cons have to do is wait.
.
.
.
.
.
The hangar door of the ship opens and Bumblebee walks out. As he descends the ramp, he looks at the gathering before him.
Knockout is pacing in front of Moonracer, who is lying down.
Octane and Sandstorm are nowhere to be found, having taken their leave early.
Starscream is half asleep and leaning against Shockwave.
Steeljaw is sitting in a semicircle among his packmates and Phantomjaw, tail twitching.
The moment Bumblebee touches flat earth, everyones' attention is on him. Nobody moves, except for Steeljaw. The blue/gray Lupicon rises and walks over to Bumblebee, but stops just short. While this whole journey has been a part of his ultimate goal, the mission itself was not his idea. He gestures for Knockout to join him, and the red medic complies.
"So…" Knockout began, just as anxious as everyone else to hear the one answer they've all been waiting hours for.
"What did the Council say?" Steeljaw asked, vocalizer congested with worry.
Bumblebee looked around at the gathered bots, mouth opening slightly. Then, he smiled, and shook his helm, a light chuckle escaping him. Nobody was certain of how to take his reaction.
"Bee, what's so funny?" Knockout asks.
"Oh, nothing! I just…" Bumblebee stopped talking to clear his vocalizer. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me! Maybe it's the way your faces look, plus the news I got…"
"Which is?" Steeljaw interrupted, growing impatient. Just give him an answer already, dammit!
"I can't repeat all that they said, but what I gathered is this: Optimus Prime and the others are impressed with how far you've come and all that you have accomplished and what you have proven during this mission-journey-thing, and they are willing to take the next step."
Everyone's sparks skipped a beat. Was this really happening?
"Are… Are you saying…" Steeljaw stammered, barely able to get the words out, fearing that it wouldn't be true, but Bumblebee's smile is genuine, and his optics gleam with honesty.
"Aside from a few things that need to be addressed during a face-to-face meeting in the near future, yes, you finally have your Decepticon Island."
Once the meaning behind the words sank in, the Cons and Knockout were overjoyed, filled with relief that they didn't have to worry anymore. That they had a home. That they were finally safe. They're all in such a good mood that they are even willing to take the whole freedom with restrictions thing with a grain of salt.
"I'm so happy for them!" Moonracer happily expressed, joining Bumblebee as the two watched Knockout and the Cons – minus Shockwave – chatter excitedly among themselves.
Bumblebee, despite his past with most of these mechs, had to agree.
"Sounds like we're celebrating!" Ramulus chimed in, carefully making his way down the ramp with arms full of Energon cubes, plus two other containers filled with something else. "Drinks all around!"
Steeljaw's mate passed out the blocks of blue, giving a couple small ones to Fracture's mini-cons and the biggest one to Underbite. How he was able to carry all of that by himself, nobody knows.
"Ey, what's that yous got there?" Thunderhoof asked, taking note of the strange, rustic containers filled to the brim with a dark liquid that Ramulus only grabbed for himself and Steeljaw.
"Biofuel, one of my many special blends," Ramulus preened, standing tall and proud beside his mate.
"You wouldn't like it, trust me," Steeljaw said. He took a sip, grimaced, and forced himself to swallow. "Scrap, I forgot how bad this tastes!"
"Reminds you of the good old days, ey, Steel?"
"Oh yeah."
The pair continue to drink, aware of and ignoring the looks they are receiving from everyone around them. The others decide not to question it, instead leaving their curiosity for another day and enjoying a well-deserved, greatly needed, moment of peace.