Kevin leaned back in his pilot seat, his eyes scanning the star-filled void as he steered the Rustbucket 3 through uncharted territory. Beside him, Revamp, his car-turned-robot, displayed a steady stream of data on its holographic interface. Across the cockpit, Boltstrike, Ben's car was looking excitedly around the planet for the view. Nightshade, Gwen's car was meanwhile trying to learn everything about the strange signal.
The Rustbucket 3 or more like Skysurge now, hummed quietly as it navigated through the stars. "We're nearing the small planet," Skysurge said, his voice calm and composed like always. "Scanners are picking up some life signs, but it's hard to tell what kind of life forms we're dealing with."
Beside Skysurge, Ship was beeping excitedly to greet the life signals. The little Galvanic Mechamorph was beeping excitedly to get out of the spaceship. It had been so long since it had played to his heart's content.
"Alright, here's the plan. We land, I scout the area, and you three and Skysurge stay on standby. No engaging unless I give the signal. Got it?"
Revamp nodded. "Understood, Kevin. We'll monitor your progress and provide intel as needed."
Boltstrike looked reluctant but nodded at the instruction. "We'll be ready to back you up at a moment's notice."
Nightshade meanwhile simply nodded her head in approval.
Kevin appreciated their readiness but knew the importance of caution. He turned back to Skysurge. "What's our ETA?"
"About five minutes until we enter the planet's atmosphere," Skysurge reported calmly with the scanner showing the distance.
Kevin leaned forward, glancing at the scanners for a moment. "Good. Let's keep it smooth and silent. We don't want to attract unnecessary attention."
As they neared the planet, the ship's scanners began to pick up more detailed readings. The planet was small, covered in a mix of rocky terrain and sparse vegetation. There were gases swirling around the atmosphere. The visibility was low considering the atmosphere and the air seemed to be misty green. The winds were fast. Fast enough that visibility was hampered with the swirling green colour of the airy mist. It looked desolate, but the life signs were unmistakable.
"Alright, everyone," Kevin said, his voice steady. "Here's the plan. We land, I scout the area, and you three stay on standby. No engaging unless I give the signal. Got it?"
The three robots nodded in unison, their expressions serious.
Kevin stood up, stretching his body a little. "Alright, I'm heading out. Keep the comms open."
Ship transformed himself into an armour and wrapped itself around Kevin. As they stepped out of Skysurge, the vast, barren landscape stretched out before him.
He slowly moved through the rocky terrain, his eyes scanning the horizon. He felt a mix of hope and trepidation. If there were answers to be found, he was determined to find them. He needed to find them at any cost. Gwen was nowhere to be found. His heart dropped thinking of her. She should have been easily able to teleport back to ship with her magic. However, she hadn't arrived yet. He didn't want to reach to any conclusions. Already, he had enough on his plate, he didn't want bad news. Hope was the only thing in his mind. An emotion which was motivating him to go on.
As he reached a small ridge, he spotted a huge tower in the distance. His heart raced as he raised his communicator. "I've got visual on something. Stay sharp, everyone."
Kevin activated his thrusters, flying towards the towering structure that loomed in the distance. The tower was immense, far bigger than anything he had ever seen on Earth. Its sheer size and mysterious purpose added to the countless questions already swirling in his mind—his cars turning into robots, the Rustbucket 3 now named Skysurge, and the strange, sentient energy that had brought them to life.
He landed gently on the tower's surface, taking a moment to survey his surroundings. The structure was made of a silvery, metallic material that shimmered slightly under the weak sunlight. Kevin took a deep breath and activated his scanner, searching for the life signals that had led him here.
Walking cautiously towards the tower's entrance, he was keenly aware of Ship's armor providing him with enhanced senses and protection. The armor hummed softly, ready to react at a moment's notice. The air inside the tower was still and cool, with an eerie silence that made every step echo.
"Stay sharp, Ship," Kevin muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Ship responded with a series of reassuring beeps.
The interior of the tower was just as imposing as its exterior. High ceilings and wide hallways stretched out in all directions, adorned with strange, intricate patterns that Kevin couldn't decipher. The architecture was odd and something he had never encountered before.
He moved slowly, his eyes darting around, searching for any signs of life. The scanner showed faint, scattered signals, but nothing definitive. Kevin's curiosity was already piqued. What could this place have been used for? And who—or what—had built it?
As he ventured deeper into the tower, he noticed subtle signs of recent activity. Scratches on the walls, discarded pieces of machinery, and faint footprints in the dust. Someone—or something—had been here not too long ago. The footprints were large. Very large too.
Turning a corner, Kevin found himself in a large, open chamber. The room was dominated by a massive, glowing console in the center.
"This looks like a control room," Kevin said, mostly to himself. Ship beeped in agreement.
Kevin examined the console closely. It was covered in alien symbols and controls, none of which he could understand. But the life signals were definitely coming from here. He reached out, hesitating for a moment before touching one of the controls. The console reacted instantly, its glow intensifying.
"I found something. Looks like a control room," Kevin reported over the comms.
"Understood. Should we come?" Revamp voice replied through his communicator.
Suddenly, the console emitted a low hum, and a holographic display flickered to life above it. Strange symbols flashed to the screen.
Before he could dwelve deeper, Kevin suddenly heard the sound of huge metallic footsteps approaching, similar to those of his newly transformed cars. He quickly climbed to the ceiling, pressing himself flat against the support beams, ready to attack if necessary.
A massive, 30-foot robot entered the room, painted blue, white, and red with a cross mark on one of its door-like components. The robot spoke into its comms, its voice deep and authoritative. "Five new signals on the planet, First Aid. Get ready for Decepticons."
Kevin tensed as the robot paused for a moment. Its gaze lingered on the screen. In the next second, it turned with an astonishing speed towards him suddenly It stopped, eyes locking onto his position. His hand was replaced by a mini blade though. "Decepticon or Autobot?" the robot demanded.
Kevin's armored hand shifted into a blaster. He wasn't going to be outdone. If the man wanted knife, he was going to bring gun. "Neither," he responded, his voice firm.
The robot's stance remained defensive. "Then what are you?"
Kevin hovered slightly, keeping his blaster aimed. "I just want to talk. I'm looking for answers, and you seem like someone who might have them. Can we talk without blasting each other?"
Pharma's optics narrowed, but he lowered his blade slightly. "Talk, then. But any sudden moves, and you'll regret it."
Kevin slowly descended from the ceiling, keeping his blaster ready but not aimed directly at Pharma. "I'm Kevin. I ended up here after some... strange changes. My vehicles turned into robots like you, and my ship, Rustbucket 3, gained sentience. I don't know anything about these Autobots or Decepticons, you speak of."
Pharma's optics widened slightly in surprise. It's hands dropped a little as the robot processed the information. "Your ship gained sentience? Highly unusual. What's its name?"
"Skysurge," Kevin replied. "I'm just trying to find my friends and figure out what's happening."
The robot considered this, his posture relaxing a bit. "My name is Pharma, one of the medical officers of Autobots. You've stumbled into a war between Autobots, who fight for freedom, and Decepticons, who seek domination. From your details, you're not the enemy, then."
Kevin nodded. So this was it. There was a war going on between the robots. "All I want is to understand what's happening and find my friends. We're not here to join any war."
Pharma finally lowered his hand completely. "If you're seeking answers, you've found the right side. But be warned, the Decepticons will exploit your ignorance. Tell me more about your situation. Perhaps we might help each other." The medical officer proposed with a frown.
Kevin didn't know but he could sense a great sense of self preservation from the robot infront of him.