After the fight in Shanghai, all soldiers and Autobots had returned to the operations base of Diego Garcia, some of them having lost comrades and allies, whilst the 'Bots felt good after the defeat of the Decepticon, who of which was designated as Demolisher. In the battle with the Decepticon, Optimus received rather alarming information that he, and his human NEST partners, have all decided would it need to be informed to the government, the people that supervised NEST.
After disembarking the planes they were on back to the USA, Ken and Jennifer go off to meet up with Ironhide and the other Autobots. Piledriver, the four-armed Autobot, waved over to the arriving Autobots, while he's handling the heavy lifting around the base, keeping the place rather arranged, clean and tidy.
"Autobot Twins, report to Hangar Three." A male voice spoke out on the P.A, and both Mudflap and Skids drove off to the hangar, whilst Sideswipe drove alongside Ironhide to the main hangar with Optimus. "Elita-One, Chromia, report to Hangar Three."
"Bad-ass ice-cream truck coming through." Skids now spoke out on the speaker, as he and Mudflap drove up to Hangar Three, whilst there were some vehicles parked around them. "Excuse me! Excuse me!"
"Oh, those look nice!" Mudflap added, then noticed two vehicles parked nearby some sheets. These two vehicles are Chevrolet Tracks concept vehicles; small hatchbacks - one in green and another in red.
"Yeah, Baby, it's upgrade time." Skids called, as the circle the two cars.
"Yes, Sir. Yeah! Look here, it's my booty call right here!" Mudflap added, then both he and his twin split apart, and transformed into their robot modes. "Time to get my sexy on with the green." He then began to beatbox and rap.
"Green?" Skids snapped at his twin. "No, green is mine! I call green!" He tackled Mudflap, giving him some slugging punches, then he threw him over to the red hatchback. "I got the green." He told him as he walked over to the green Chevy Tracks.
"That hurt, man." Mudflap groaned as he stood up.
"It's supposed to hurt. It's an ass-kicking." Skids interjected. Then, he and Mudflap scanned the two vehicles, and transformed into them. Once the two had changed form into their new alternate modes, they both drove off to the main hangar, meeting up with the other Autobots.
"Morons." Jennifer muttered to herself as she saw this exchange happen.
At the same time, Elita-One and Chromia drove up into the hangar. As the two motorcycle robots rode in, they both saw a sportscar and supercar parked ahead, a Lotus Exige and McLaren F1. The two femmes shift out of cycle mode into robot mode, and they both looked at the two vehicles.
"These look very nice." Chromia nods with admiration at the earth vehicles. "Fast and sleek, I'll take the blue one." She began to scan the car, her body rearranging the vehicle components around her form.
"Seems fair." Elita-One shrugged back. "I'll take the Lotus, then." She now began to scan the vehicle, her body now rearranging the vehicle components around her form, even adding and removing other parts as she and Chromia undergo their new transformation.
Elita-One now has a familiar slender frame like Arcee, standing 20ft tall, but possessing a good firm armour body. She has a bright pink paint scheme with some silver and black highlights across her body, with a set of headlights under the breastplate, whilst her hands are painted black, and her feet are shaped like Arcee's. A set of wheels rest on her shoulders, along with two sleek doors like wings protruding out of her back, while her other two wheels are built into her lower legs and feet like Bumblebee's. Her helm has also undergone a change: the pink sections are in the shape of a three-point prong like a crown, while having silver points sticking out around the pink. Also, in the centre of the helm is a black diamond shape with a small gold piece in the centre, while she has a grey facial plate and a more feminine look. Finally, a pink Autobot insignia sits just above her breastplate, almost around her collar.
Chromia too has a slender body frame, standing 20ft tall, albeit with more armour plating around the legs and lower abdomen. Her colour scheme is mostly blue with some white highlights on her shoulder plates, knee joints, and sides of her lower legs and ankles. Her breastplate has the headlights of her alt-mode on both sides of her chestplate, the first set of wheels on the back of her shoulders, with the second set of wheels as part of her ankles. The doors of her alt-mode are hidden from view, the front fenders as her shoulder plates, her feet sporting two-toes rather than a single big toe, a set of vents on the back of her lower legs, and her abdomen and lower chest being slim and slender. Her helm seems to be like that of a futuristic Russian Cossack, in blue with a single white horn in the middle, while her facial plate is in grey with blue optics, with the lining around her optics being tribal in design.
"Wow. You look great, Chromia." Elita-One commented to her fellow femme.
"Same can be said to you." Chromia nodded, before she and Elita transform into their new alt-modes, and they head off to rendezvous with the other Autobots. "Come on, now. Race you."
Inside the main hangar, Optimus pulled to a stop nearby a large gantry walkway, so he could talk to the humans without having to kneel down. Ken walked up alongside the red/blue Peterbilt, and he patted the side of his grille.
"Well, it's time." Ken noted. His response was a 'blink' from Optimus' left headlights, and the brunette chucked a little. "Let's hope General Morshower is happy today." He then looked over to see Jennifer now standing by the other 'Bots. He waved over to her, and Jennifer waved back.
Outside, Lennox, Epps, along with other fellow soldiers, were all giving their respects and saluting to their fallen comrades during their skirmish back in Shanghai. Lennox then saw a Black Hawk helicopter fly by and land outside the perimeter gates. He headed up over to the gates, as a stern bald man in glasses and a black suit and tie walked past the entry gate, holding a piece of paper up, then walked past, as the copter flew away.
"Director Galloway, what an honour." Lennox acknowledged to him, though feigning sarcasm. "I'd love to show you around, but you gotta be on the Classified Access list." He advised.
"I am now." Galloway now shoved the piece of paper at Lennox's chest, and he saw the print, as they all made their way to the hangar. "Presidential order, Major. I got a message for your Classified space buddies! You guys made a real mess of Shanghai."
Soon, Galloway and Lennox entered the main hangar, whilst Optimus got ready for the report. The others had been advised to leave the building for the time being, and this is important business. Plus, it wouldn't be a good time for them to be around Galloway in case he does something.
"All right, so this is where we communicate with the JCS, and this area serves as the Autobots' hangar." Lennox explained to Galloway, then he made his way up to the top of the walkway.
"Secure link to JCS is up, Major." One solider now reports to Lennox, as he stood in front of a computer screen, which had a live feed to General Morshower.
In outer space, the military satellite orbits around Earth, taking up transmissions and establishing communication connections, no matter where they are.
A Cybertronian satellite, known as Soundwave, approaches the military satellite as he opens his front panels. A swarm of snake like cables sprawl out from Soundwave and squiggle around the satellite.
The cables remove a protective panel and wriggle themselves into the satellite's internal wiring. Soundwave's intercepts a transmission coming from the NEST base in Diego Garcia.
"Secure line to the Pentagon is now open." A technician reported next to Lennox.
"General?" Lennox saluted to General Morshower.
"Will, I saw the Shanghai op." Morshower began. "We had a rough day out there."
"Yes sir. We have Intel that I believe warrants an immediate debrief." Major Lennox explained to his leader on the computer screen, General Morshower. Optimus Prime had parked in the open cube, where his NEST human partners were communicating with Pentagon. "Now, with your permission, I can't let you see them, but I would like you to hear from the leader of the Autobots."
"Proceed." General Morshower declared, and Major Lennox nodded his head in confirmation. He turned to Optimus, and nodded to the Peterbilt.
Optimus Prime now started his transformation from truck to Autobot, and he stood tall, now towering over the humans that stood upon the metal walkway. Optimus Prime moved his body, observing the humans behind him, and his fellow Autobots to the side, in the hangar. That was perhaps the only thing that Optimus found that he wasn't satisfied with. His Autobots were offered no activities other then helping the humans. They were participating in war, or they were stuffed inside their hangar. It seemed that other than their fighting ability, the human government wanted nothing else of the Autobots, except their advancements in weaponry.
"You got to wonder, if God had made us in his image, who made them?" Optimus' advanced hearing allowed them the ability to hear their human friend Sargent Epps comment, and pondered the thought for a few moments. The only living Cybertronian that could possible have the answer to that question was the one that had breathed life to them eons ago.
"General, our alliance has countermanded fourteen Decepticon incursions this year, each on a different continent." Optimus started, his words loud and clear, making the humans around him feel the electrical current that was his power. "They're clearly searching around the world for something. But last night's encounter in Shanghai came with a dreaded warning." He ceased his information momentarily in order to play back the last words of Demolisher.
"'The Fallen shall rise again'."
"'The Fallen'. Meaning what, exactly?" General Morshower asked, concern and fear laced in his words.
"The origin of such has unfortunately been lost to the ravages of time." Optimus answered. "The only recorded history of such a being was contained within the Hall of Records on Cybertron, as well as within the AllSpark, both lost with their destruction-"
"Excuse me!" Optimus' explanation was interrupted by a shout of someone. The newly appointed Galloway, desperate to turn the tides and turn the anxiety in the direction of the Autobots. He was clearly no friend. "So, with this so-called AllSpark now destroyed, why hasn't the enemy left the planet, like you thought they would?" Galloway inquired, as he made his way up the metal walkway.
"And who might you be, Sir?" Ken questioned.
"Director Galloway, our National Security Advisor. The President just appointed him liaison." Major Lennox explained, distaste being clear within his tone.
"Well, I guess I didn't get that memo." General Morshower said sarcastically, obviously sharing in Major Lennox's distaste.
"Forgive the interruption, General. Excuse me. Coming through. Excuse me. Excuse me, soldier." Galloway said, as he made his way towards the camera, now standing besides Major Lennox. "Um, after all the damage in Shanghai, the President is, um, hard-pressed to say the job's getting done." He declared, and turned his body and attention towards Optimus. "Now, under the classified Alien-Autobot Cooperation Act, you agreed to share your Intel with us, but not your advancements in weaponry." He said, his voice laced with venom and attitude. Everyone knew what he really wanted to say. 'Share your advancements in weaponry! You pathetic alien scum!'
"We've witnessed your human capacity for war." Optimus explained, pointing a metal finger directly at Galloway, making him rock backwards slightly. Regardless of how he acted superior, and thought himself better, he was still fearful of the intimidating Autobot leader. "It would absolutely bring more harm than good." He added, and he pulled his hand back.
"But who are you, to judge what's best for us?" Galloway said, attempting to make Optimus look bad. He was trying to plant doubt.
"With all due respect, we've been fighting side by side out in the field for the last two years." Major Lennox argued.
"We've shed blood, sweat and precious metal together." Epps declared, gesturing towards Optimus.
"Soldier, you're paid to shoot, not talk." Galloway rudely replied.
"Don't tempt me." Epps growled, and he gripped his gun slightly.
"Easy." Optimus soothed Epps, not wanting a fight to break out.
"And the, ah, newest members of your team. I understand they arrived here after you sent a message into space. An open invitation to come to Earth, vetted by no one at the White House." Galloway stated, his emotions being smug, thinking that he had turned the tides against the Autobots. But he chose the wrong argument.
"Let me stop you right there, Mister Galloway. It was vetted right here. And in my experience, the judgment of both Major Lennox and his team has always been above reproach." General Morshower now growled, so Galloway decided on something else to base his argument on.
"Well, be that as it may, General, it is the position of the President that when our national security is at stake... No one is above reproach." Galloway said... threateningly.
"Now, what do we know so far?" Galloway ranted on, deciding to list the facts. "We know that the enemy leader, classified NBE-One AKA Megatron, is rusting in peace at the bottom of the Laurentian Abyss, surrounded by SOSUS detection nets and a full-time submarine surveillance. We also know that the only remaining piece of your alien AllSpark is locked in an electromagnetic vault, here on one of the most secure naval bases in the world." He continued.
"And since no one can seem to tell me what the enemy is now after... Well, there's only one clear conclusion! You! The Autobots!" Galloway ranted, acting as if he knew more about the situation than Optimus Prime. "They're here to hunt you! What's there to hunt for on Earth besides that? "The Fallen shall rise again?" It sounds to me like something's coming." He eyed the two of them. "So, let me ask; if we ultimately conclude that our national security is best served by denying you further asylum on our planet, will you ALL leave? Peacefully?" He asked, acting as if he knew more about the situation than Optimus Prime.
"What do you inquire by 'all' of us?" Optimus asked, and Galloway smirked.
"The government is aware of two Autobots that are not participating in your NEST team." Galloway stated. Optimus felt his fans turn on in order to cool his anger. "The Autobot, Bumblebee, and the techno-organic Autobot Braedey Witwicky Martin." Galloway stated, and Major Lennox tensed.
"And what of them?" Optimus growled, his optics glaring at the man before him.
"They are running freely in the human world! Bumblebee drives the techno-organic boy around! He drives in a populated area! What if he was seen? What if he decided to harm someone!" Galloway stated, not giving Optimus time to answer, he continued. "And, he isn't even the worse of it! Braedey Witwicky Martin, he possesses the ability to appear human and become a weapon! He walks around with humans, and is participating in college! He has access to some of our most influential places. He is a huge danger to our world! Yet, you gave him and Bumblebee the ability to co-exist with the humans!" Galloway argued.
"Braedey has been under the guidance of both Bumblebee and myself for the last two years. Bumblebee watches over Braedey, and we have been teaching him everything regarding his techno-organic abilities and what he is capable of." Optimus declared firmly.
"Does that really matter!? Two Autobots are out there, one of them playing human! Does anyone else see the danger there!?" Galloway asked/yelled out.
"Braedey would never harm anyone! And aren't you forgetting the fact that up until two years ago, he never even knew of being a techno-organic Autobot himself!" Optimus countered. "If we never pursued him, he never would have known, and your government never would have known about his existence. You didn't know about him! He has existed in the human world, and never harmed or caused damage. Why would he now?" He now asked.
"Because now he knows." Galloway stated back.
A silence soon came in, a silence so dense, one could cut it with a blade. Nobody dared to breathe a word, as they looked to Optimus, awaiting his answer.
"Freedom is your right. If you make that request, we will honour it." Optimus sighed. "But... before your President decides, please ask him this: What if we leave... and you're wrong?" Optimus finished, making a fool out of Galloway, as he made his way down.
"That's a good question." Major Lennox whispered to them, and nodded to them.
"A really good question." Ken agreed.
Elita now drove up and transformed into robot mode, standing before Galloway, her facial plate now with anger in her optics. "You ever threaten Optimus Prime or even Braedey like that again... we will make an example out of you." She threatened, clenching her fist for emphasis, shifting it into a four-barrel cannon.
"Threaten me again, and I'll have you sold for scrap." Galloway stated back, and he walked off, not seeing the darkened glare Elita was throwing him.
"Elita, he's not worth it." Jennifer spoke up, Elita looking to her, then she retracted her cannon. "He'll get what's coming to him soon."
"Hope so." Elita sighed, then turned to Optimus. "Any word from Bumblebee?" She asked.
"Bumblebee has informed he's taking Braedey to the college he's going to." Optimus informed to Elita.
"It won't be the same without him around." Hound commented as he walked over, holding up his triple-barrel mini-gun.
"Maybe, but we should be lucky that he helped us two years ago." Piledriver added in as he walked over.
"Best we be ready for anything." Ken now announced.