CHAPTER 4: STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND
As the transwarp jump ended, the crew found themselves face-to-face with a massive Decepticon fleet. Stormsurge frantically tried to steer them away, hoping they weren't noticed.
"SCRAP! SCRAP! SCRAP!" she yelled, her fingers flying over the controls, trying to re-engage the transwarp drive. But the ship refused to respond.
"Storm, what's going on?" Jeopardy demanded, his eyes darting between the looming fleet outside and the malfunctioning control panel.
"I don't know! I'm not a ship expert!" Stormsurge snapped back.
Hermit quickly assessed the situation. "We must have worn out the transwarp drive."
"That can happen?" Jeopardy asked, incredulously.
"Apparently," Hermit grumbled. "Just keep us moving. I'll go try to repair the drive." Without another word, he rushed toward the engine room, tools clattering as he sprinted.
As Stormsurge moved the ship away from the looming Decepticon fleet, she couldn't help but notice something odd. "Why aren't they shooting at us yet?"
Jeopardy glanced out the viewport. "They must think we're Decepticons."
At that moment, the commlink crackled to life. "Unknown Cybertronian ship, this is Blast-Off. Identify yourselves," a stern voice demanded.
"Ooh, it's a Combaticon, I've always wanted to fight these guys." Impulse whispered, sounding almost too excited for the situation they were in.
"What do we do?" Stormsurge asked, very nervous.
"Would they recognize your voice?" Jeopardy asked, eyeing the comm nervously.
"I don't know!" Stormsurge admitted, her hands gripping the controls tightly.
The commlink buzzed again, more impatiently this time. "Unknown ship, identify yourself," Blast-Off repeated.
Impulse leaned in, finally answering the call with his usual bravado. "Uh... we are a Kalisian ship coming back from a trading expedition to Gorlam Prime."
There was a pause as Blast-Off seemed to type something into his console. Then he responded, "Kalis? There hasn't been a ship from there since the Autobots evacuated four thousand stellar cycles ago."
The crew stared at each other, startled by the revelation. Had it really been that long since they left Cybertron?
Impulse didn't miss a beat, though. "Uh, yeah, we did find the ship in the possession of Autobots, but we killed them and took it for ourselves. So, everything's fine now." But couldn't resist dropping this little question, "How are you?"
There was another long pause. "Uh, I'm good. Who is this, anyway?"
Impulse, clearly improvising, stammered, "Uh, uh, uh, uh... I am... Treadshot."
A moment of silence passed. Then Blast-Off's voice came back, skeptical. "Treadshot? Weren't you supposed to be stationed on Caminus?"
"Uh... I took the day off?" Impulse fibbed, his optics wide with surprise that 'Treadshot' was an actual Decepticon.
Suddenly, a deeper, more authoritative voice cut in over the comm. "Blast-Off, you idiot. Isn't it obvious you're being tricked?" The new voice growled, sending a chill through the crew.
Impulse swallowed hard as the voice continued. "This is Onslaught. Who in the name of Primus is this?"
Without hesitation, Impulse reached out and abruptly shut off the commlink. "Boring conversation anyway," he muttered quickly before turning to the others. "HERMIT, WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING COMPANY SOON!"
From the engine room, Hermit's voice shouted back, "I'M ALMOST DONE!"
Stormsurge continued to move the ship sharply away from the fleet as Decepticon fighters began pouring out of the Combaticon vessel, getting closer and closer.
"Come on, Hermit!" Jeopardy muttered under his breath, watching the enemy ships approach through the viewport.
Finally, Hermit came running out of the engine room, covered in energon and lubricator fluid. "It's ready! PUNCH IT!"
Without hesitation, Stormsurge slammed her hand onto the control panel, engaging the newly repaired transwarp drive. The ship jolted, and the stars outside streaked into lines as the vessel zoomed into the safety of transwarp space, narrowly avoiding the Decepticon fleet.
The ship emerged from the transwarp jump, but instead of safety, the crew found themselves in low Earth orbit, plummeting rapidly toward the planet below.
"OH SCRAP, HOLD ONTO SOMETHING!" Stormsurge screamed, frantically pulling at the controls in a desperate attempt to decelerate the ship and pull up. The nose of the ship lifted slightly as the brake flaps engaged, slowing their descent just enough to prevent a catastrophic crash.
However, the intense maneuver heavily damaged the thrusters. The ship, now barely gliding, descended quickly over a vast lake surrounded by dense forest. They skipped across the surface of the water with a jarring impact before plowing through trees and deep into the forest. Finally, the ship skidded to a halt, leaving a long path of disturbed earth and destroyed trees behind it.
For a few tense moments, silence settled in as the group sat still in their seats, stunned by the violence of the crash.
"Are we dead?" Hermit asked weakly, his voice breaking the silence.
"Is anyone injured?" Jeopardy asked, unbuckling himself and turning to check on the others.
"Just a bit shaken up," Stormsurge replied, sitting low in her pilot's seat, petrified but unhurt, narrowly avoiding being skewered by a tree trunk that had crashed through the viewport, it's top having stopped just before her head.
Impulse, unbothered, immediately ran to the back of the ship, yanking the exit hatch open and stepping out into the long crater they'd carved through the forest. "Hey," he said, almost disappointed, "this isn't the Well of Allsparks."
"Alright, everyone out," Jeopardy instructed, helping Hermit out of his seat, which had been jammed in place by debris. "We don't know if this ship's about to blow."
Jeopardy then moved to Stormsurge, shoving the tree trunk out of the front viewport and offering her a hand. "You hurt?"
"N-no, I'm fine," she stammered, still rattled. "Sorry about the crash."
"What matters is you're alive. Come on, let's see what we've gotten ourselves into." He helped her out of her seat and guided her outside.
Once the entire crew exited the ship, they found themselves in the middle of a dense woodland area, still and quiet except for the crackling of disturbed trees and scorched earth behind them. Surrounding them were the thick woods of Wisconsin's Northern Highland, and the long crater they'd carved out during the crash landing.
"You think someone saw that?" Jeopardy wondered aloud, staring at the destruction they had caused.
"If there's sentient life here, big if, no doubt they're coming to investigate," Hermit theorized. "And if they are coming here, we don't benefit from sticking around to see their reaction."
"Alright," Jeopardy said, organizing a plan. "Hermit, you and I will grab whatever supplies we can from the ship. Impulse, head into the storage and grab as much energon as you can, not eat, grab."
Impulse nodded, a wide grin on his face as he saluted and headed back inside. Jeopardy turned to Stormsurge. "You think you'll be alright out here?"
"Yeah, I think so," she replied, her voice steadier now as she surveyed the forest around them. She watched as the other three headed back into the ship to gather supplies, her optics scanning the tree line.
As Stormsurge stood at the edge of the crash site, she took a deep breath, drawing in the air of this strange, untouched world. The crisp, cool atmosphere filled her systems, and she felt an unexpected wave of calm wash over her, as if the weight of her anxieties and traumas were slowly anesthetized by the purity of this new environment. Her spark, which had been restless for so long, began to settle, soothed by the unfamiliar yet peaceful surroundings.
Moving quietly away from the wreckage, Stormsurge wandered through the trees, her optics wide as she absorbed the alien beauty around her. The colors of the leaves, the sounds of the wind rustling through the branches, the soft crunch of the forest floor beneath her feet, it was all new, utterly unlike anything she'd experienced on Cybertron. There was a richness to the world, an overwhelming sensation of life, yet it was peaceful, serene, far removed from the chaos and destruction of the War.
This place, so far from Cybertron, so far from the struggle that had defined her existence, offered a stark contrast. Here, in this quiet corner of the galaxy, where Cybertronian influence was next to nothing, a region considered by their society to be a frontier, they were anonymous, no longer Autobots, no longer fugitives or soldiers. Just beings, strangers in a world as new to them as they were to it. For the first time in a long while, Stormsurge felt as though she could truly breathe.
She thought about the others, about Impulse's carefree attitude, Hermit's cautious nature, and Jeopardy's constant efforts to keep them together. Here, among the trees and the untouched wilderness, she saw a glimmer of hope for all of them. Perhaps, in this isolated region of space, where Cybertronian influence had never reached, they could find something different. A new beginning, where the War was nothing more than a distant memory.
Here, her trauma, her terror, the weight of everything she had endured, felt like it could finally melt away. For the first time since she had left Cybertron, she felt at peace. The haunting memories of the War, the endless running and re-traumatization, the fear of her past, it all seemed to fade into the background for once. This planet, with its unfamiliar skies and uncharted wilderness, felt like a place where she could start again.
She smiled softly to herself, feeling that rare and elusive sensation: serenity.
A new life with her newfound friends, far from the horrors of Cybertron. Whatever lay ahead on this planet, it no longer felt daunting, but instead, filled with possibility. Here, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she could finally be herself again, she could be free.
Stormsurge's wandering eventually led her to the edge of the lake they had skipped along during their crash. She gazed out over the blue waters, watching the trees stretch along the coastlines, some patches leading to sandy beaches while others reached out to smaller islands scattered within the lake. The serene beauty of the area was breathtaking, an unspoiled sanctuary. Her optics scanned the shorelines and, to her surprise, she noticed large wooden structures, evidence of life. Sentient life. There were metal boats skimming across the water, some moving quickly, others leisurely drifting, with no apparent rush.
She knelt down, her optics following the fish swimming in hypnotic patterns just below the surface. Without thinking, she reached down, dipping her hand into the cool water. The fish scattered instantly at the intrusion. Stormsurge cupped the water in her hands, feeling its crisp coolness running down her arm to her elbow. Curious, she lifted it to her mouth and drank. The refreshing sensation filled her, more calming than any energon she'd ever processed. She sat by the lake's edge, her legs now dipped into the water, and let out another deep breath, taking in the crisp, fresh Wisconsin air.
For a while, she just watched the lake, lost in thought. She could feel the weight of her past starting to ease from her frame, leaving her lighter. She was so immersed in the moment that she almost didn't hear Jeopardy approaching from behind.
"Hey, we've got everything we needed to grab. You ready to go?" Jeopardy's voice broke her trance.
"Not yet," she replied, not looking back.
"What'd you find?" Jeopardy asked, curious but respectful of her space.
"Just... sit," she said, patting the spot beside her.
Jeopardy hesitated for a second, then sat down beside her, careful to keep a respectful distance. They both gazed out at the peaceful waters, the quiet atmosphere settling between them.
"Isn't it gorgeous?" she asked after a while, her voice filled with wonder.
Jeopardy looked around. "It's certainly a lot of green and blue."
Stormsurge smiled softly. "All this life, and to think we may be the first bots to ever see it."
Jeopardy nodded, her words making him reconsider the beauty of the place. "Well, when you put it like that… yeah, this is nice," he admitted, his tone softening. After a pause, he added, "Seems you're feeling a lot better."
"I am..." Stormsurge said quietly, her gaze distant, still focused on the lake. "I think this could be a good place to stay."
Jeopardy raised an optic ridge. "You think the locals will allow that?"
Stormsurge thought about it, then said, "They'll get used to it, like how I'm getting used to you guys."
Jeopardy blinked, surprised by the response. There was something different in her now, something that had shifted since they had landed on Earth. Until now, Stormsurge had been guarded, fearful, and closed off, always carrying the weight of her trauma. But here, in this place they'd only been a few minutes, she seemed to be able to blossom into someone new, curious, expressive, calm. Optimistic, even.
Jeopardy didn't know what had triggered this change, but he liked it. Seeing this side of her finally, the side that wasn't chained down by fear, made him realize how much potential she had, how much growth had been waiting to bloom underneath the surface.
As they stood up together, ready to rejoin Hermit Crab and Impulse, Jeopardy found himself feeling lighter too. Maybe this world had something to offer them after all. Maybe, just maybe, Earth could be a place for them to heal, to start fresh. And as he watched Stormsurge take one last look at the lake before moving forward, he realized he wanted nothing more than to be part of that journey, to watch and help her continue to grow, and perhaps, to find that sense of serenity for himself.
The group of Autobots walked through the forest, eventually stumbling upon a small paved road. They followed it for a while before spotting a large wooden cabin up ahead. Several cars were parked nearby, and a bonfire burned warmly in the clearing.
"This must be an indigenous settlement," Hermit deduced, scanning the scene. "And judging by these machines, they seem pretty advanced for an organic race."
Impulse's optics lit up as he eyed the cars with excitement. "I wouldn't mind taking one of these for a new alt-mode," he said, already pacing around the parked vehicles, deciding which one he liked best.
"Hey, guys," Jeopardy interrupted, pointing ahead. "I think those are the natives."
Emerging from the cabin was a small group of humans, adults of varying sizes and ages. Two of them held metal baseball bats, and another kept a hand on a holster, their eyes wide with shock and wariness.
Realizing the gravity of this first-contact situation, and sensing that Impulse was about to do something... stupid, Jeopardy quickly knelt down to appear less intimidating and spoke calmly. "Hello, we mean you no harm. I am Jeopardy. May we scan your vehicles for alt-modes?"
The humans stared at them, their expressions shifting between confusion, fear, and anger.
Stormsurge, in an awkward but genuine attempt to help, stepped forward. "Uh, Bah-weep-graaaaagnah-nah-weep-ni-ni-bong," she said.
Impulse blinked and gave her a sideways glance. "What the hell was that?" he asked while still trying to pick out which car he liked.
"Universal greeting, thought it would work," Stormsurge replied matter-of-factly.
Before anyone could react, a group of children came running up from the lake, carrying fishing equipment. The smallest one stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the Autobots. "Woah, giant robots!" he yelled in awe. Another kid, slightly older, muttered, "Holy shit."
The smallest kid, apparently less fazed than the adults, ran right up to Impulse, who was currently inspecting a car with a trailer. "Hi, I'm Ben!"
Impulse grinned down at the kid, kneeling to be at eye level. "Well hey there, little dude. I'm Impulse."
"Did you come in that big thing that fell from the sky?"
Impulse chuckled. "Oh, you saw that? Yeah, we came from space."
"Cool."
Suddenly, one of the men from the group by the cabin yelled out in alarm, "HEY, HEY! YOU GET AWAY FROM MY SON!" He drew a pistol from his holster, his face pale but determined. "Ben, get behind me."
"But—"
"I said get behind me!" the man ordered, and Ben reluctantly obeyed, stepping back toward his father.
"Honey, call the cops! Or the news!" the man shouted to someone inside the cabin.
Impulse, clearly unfazed by the gun, smirked. "Ooo, cute gun," he said, summoning his massive minigun. "But mine's bigger."
Jeopardy immediately intervened. "Impulse, put that thing away. You're gonna scare the locals."
"Oh, don't worry. I've got the situation under control," Impulse said confidently, though he was clearly making things worse.
"Impulse," Jeopardy warned, his tone sharp, "I mean it."
"Fine, fine. You're no fun," Impulse sighed, reluctantly retracting the minigun.
Meanwhile, Hermit Crab had been quietly scanning one of the cars. He straightened up and turned to the others. "I'm good to go if you guys are ready."
Jeopardy nodded, about to agree, but his optics landed on an SUV parked next to the cabin. "That looks like it would fit," he said, scanning it for his own alt-mode. After a few seconds, he confirmed, "Alright, we should be good to go."
As Impulse stood up to join the group, he suddenly felt something crunch beneath his foot. He turned and saw that he had stepped on a minivan, crushing it into a flattened mess of metal. "Oops, sorry about that," he said, wincing. In a bizarre attempt to make up for the damage, he dropped an energon cube beside the humans, its size towering over them. "Here's something to cover that."
The humans, still stunned and motionless, just gawked at the glowing cube.
Jeopardy groaned, turning to the humans with an apologetic look. "Sorry about that. He's an idiot." With that, he ushered the group to follow the paved road, leaving the bewildered humans behind.
The Autobots followed the road until it connected to a larger highway, where cars zoomed by at high speeds. Across the road stood a large gas station, its bright neon signs standing out against the afternoon sky. Impulse watched the cars speeding past with a furrowed brow, clearly dissatisfied with the options.
"None of these cars really speak to me," he said with a hint of disappointment.
"They're inanimate objects, none of them speak," Hermit quipped dryly.
"You know what I meant," Impulse grumbled.
Before they could dwell on the conversation, the sound of helicopters filled the air. They all looked up to see several helicopters flying in the direction of their crash site.
"Those must be going to investigate our ship," Hermit noted, his tone more curious than concerned.
However, Stormsurge's attention was on the helicopters themselves. Something about their flight intrigued her, and in a split-second decision, she scanned one of the helicopters, adopting it as her new alt-mode. As she did, more cars began pulling over to the side of the highway. People started getting out, some pointing, others pulling out their phones to capture video footage of the four giant robots standing on the side of the road.
Some onlookers stood in stunned silence, while others shouted in disbelief. A few had already begun calling local law enforcement, their eyes glued to the massive figures.
"Impulse," Jeopardy urged, "please scan something so we can go somewhere else. I really don't like them staring at us."
"But I don't like these options," Impulse whined, clearly taking this decision too seriously.
"Just pick one. We can change it later," Jeopardy said, trying to get them out of the growing attention.
Impulse sighed dramatically. "Oh, alright." He reluctantly scanned a large pickup truck parked on the side of the road. "This'll do for now," he muttered, transforming into his new alt-mode.
With that settled, the quartet moved away from the gathering crowd, transforming into their new forms. Jeopardy became a sleek SUV, Hermit transformed into a compact car, Impulse into the pickup truck he'd just scanned, and Stormsurge soared above them in her new helicopter form, tailing the convoy from the sky.
As they drove down the road, leaving the attention of the locals and the crash site behind, Jeopardy kept his optics on the horizon, making sure they were heading away from any potential problems. "Let's hope we can stay under the radar for a bit longer this time," he muttered to himself, though he had a sinking feeling this planet might throw more surprises their way.
The group arrived just outside Green Bay as dusk settled over the city, casting long shadows and dimming the landscape. They parked near an empty warehouse on the outskirts, and Impulse forced the rusted door open, letting the others inside before pulling it shut behind them.
"I don't know about you guys, but this place looks pretty good so far," Impulse said optimistically, looking around the warehouse. As the tallest of the group, he had to crouch slightly to avoid bumping his head on the ceiling beams.
"We've only seen the rural sectors," Hermit said cautiously. "I'm holding my breath over their cities. We're far larger than them, and navigating their settlements might be a nightmare."
"Try to keep an open mind, Hermit," Stormsurge chimed in, her tone more hopeful. "I think this place could be a good spot for us to lay low for a while."
"Exactly! Plus, these new alt-modes are AWESOME!" Impulse added, glancing down at his form. "Look at this, rubber tires! But, yeah, I still want a different alt-mode."
"I do enjoy the inconspicuousness mine provides," Hermit admitted, though his voice lacked enthusiasm.
"So, what's our next move?" Impulse asked, already getting restless.
"I say we stay hidden for now," Hermit suggested. "If these natives find us, word could spread. If there are any Decepticons nearby, that could become a problem. Plus, we'd be all over their news broadcasts, and I really don't like that kind of attention."
Jeopardy leaned back against the warehouse wall, considering their options. "I'm more with Stormsurge on this. It might be rough at first, but they'll get used to us eventually. From what we've seen so far, I doubt they have any contact with other Cybertronians."
Hermit still looked uncertain. "I don't know... I just feel like this will backfire."
"Well," Impulse interrupted, already walking toward the door, "if you guys don't mind, I'm gonna go drive around and check out the city."
Jeopardy stepped in quickly, his voice firm. "Actually, I do mind. Let's keep a low profile tonight. The last thing we need is you drawing attention."
"Fine, fine," Impulse grumbled, moving back into the warehouse. "Guess I'll mess with my alt-mode's radio then."
As he started fiddling with the controls, the radio suddenly blared a loud rock station into the warehouse, the walls vibrating from the sound. Impulse, surprised, scrambled to lower the volume but seemed to only make it worse.
"IMPULSE, TURN THAT DOWN!" Stormsurge yelled, clutching her head as the noise echoed painfully.
"ONCE I FIGURE OUT HOW, I WILL!" Impulse shouted back, gritting his teeth in frustration. After a few moments of frantic button-pushing, he lost patience and simply yanked the radio right out of his abdomen with a loud crunch. The noise cut off instantly, leaving the warehouse in blissful silence.
Impulse looked down at the broken radio in his hands and shrugged. "That probably wasn't important," he said nonchalantly, tossing it aside.
The group settled down in the warehouse, the night air growing cooler outside as the city lights of Green Bay flickered in the distance. For now, they were safe, but they all knew that hiding forever wasn't a realistic plan. Still, the question of how to engage with this world, and when, remained up in the air, much like the helicopters that had likely already begun investigating their crash site.
Waking up in the morning, Jeopardy and Stormsurge found Hermit already hard at work on the radio that Impulse had ripped out the night before. Hermit's frustration was evident as he slapped the side of the radio, grumbling under his breath. But after a few more hits, the radio crackled to life, bringing a local news broadcast mid-report.
"…So far, no substantial revelations about the devastating impact that ripped through Northern Wisconsin, but what we do know is both confusing and terrifying. The kilometer-long crater began when an unidentified object fell out of the sky and flew over Crawling Stone Lake and through the nearby forest. The impact could be felt for miles, and according to some residents, the object suddenly changed trajectory mid-flight to avoid hitting the town of Lac du Flambeau."
Jeopardy and Stormsurge exchanged uneasy glances as they continued listening.
"In a miraculous turn of events, no one was killed. Official reports from agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the CIA, and NASA claim the event was a meteor strike. However, eyewitnesses tell a different story. Residents who were out fishing on pontoon boats at the time of the crash report seeing large, metallic creatures approaching the lake after the impact. Some witnesses claimed the creatures were as tall as the trees."
The Autobots' attention sharpened.
"In another bizarre encounter, a local man, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that he and his family were approached by four giant robots after the crash. According to the man, these robots openly admitted to being extraterrestrial visitors. One of them allegedly pulled a gun on his 9-year-old son and crushed the family's minivan. The man reported that the robots left behind a large luminescent blue cube in their driveway, which has since baffled local authorities and geologists alike."
Stormsurge groaned, realizing how bad this was starting to sound.
"Following this supposed visit by extraterrestrials, videos have surfaced on social media showing these robots by the freeway, where they reportedly transformed into ordinary vehicles before fleeing the scene. Are these the first proof of alien life, blending into our society to attack us from within? Or is the government's claim of a meteor strike just a cover-up for something much more dangerous, such as a top-secret project gone rogue?"
The broadcast ended, and an uncomfortable silence filled the warehouse.
"I'm not sure how to feel about that," Stormsurge finally said, her voice full of concern.
"Where's Impulse?" Jeopardy asked with equal concern.
Hermit looked up from the radio with a wide-eyed expression. "Scrap."
"How did you not see him leave?" Jeopardy asked, irritation creeping into his tone.
"I don't know! I was busy working on the radio!" Hermit defended himself.
Jeopardy rushed to the door and peered outside the warehouse, scanning for any sign of Impulse. Nothing. He sighed, rubbing his temples. "Storm, do a flyover of the city. See if you can spot him before he causes any more trouble."
Stormsurge nodded, knowing full well how much damage Impulse could do if left unchecked. She quickly transformed into her helicopter alt-mode, the powerful blades slicing through the air as she took off, heading toward Green Bay to find Impulse before he could ruin any chance they had of establishing a positive relationship with the humans.
As she soared above the city, her scanners picked up various signals and movement patterns, but her priority was finding Impulse. Her optics scanned every street, every block, praying that she'd spot him before he did something reckless.
Meanwhile, Impulse was currently doing something reckless.
Blissfully unaware of the chaos he was causing, Impulse was tearing through the streets of Green Bay, weaving between traffic, ignoring speed limits, and giving countless human drivers near heart attacks as he swerved dangerously across lanes. He barely understood the concept of driving on the right side of the road and certainly had no regard for local laws.
Around 11 a.m., after cruising the highways and freeways well above the speed limit, he spotted something that caught his attention, a nearby army base. Curiosity piqued, he transformed from his pickup truck form into his towering robot mode, completely disregarding the commotion it caused.
From behind the base's fence, soldiers were shouting in panic, scrambling as they saw the massive robot suddenly appear out of nowhere.
"Don't worry, guys," Impulse said, completely oblivious to the fear he was causing. "I'm just browsing."
He looked over the array of military vehicles, his optics landing on a sturdy OSHKOSH M-ATV. "Ooo, that'll work," he said with satisfaction, scanning the military vehicle and adopting it as his new alt-mode. Once the scan was complete, he transformed into the M-ATV and sped off from the base without another thought.
Stormsurge, who had been flying overhead searching for him, immediately picked up on his trail. She spotted him leaving the army base and opened up her commlink. "Impulse, what the hell are you doing?" she demanded, her frustration boiling over.
"I was bored," Impulse responded cheerfully, completely unaware of the trouble he was stirring. "Needed a new alt-mode. Plus, you guys said we'd be going public today, so I figured it's no big deal."
"Going public doesn't mean causing mass panic!" Stormsurge replied, trying to hold back her exasperation.
Suddenly, Jeopardy's voice cut in over the commlink. "Hey, guys, you're gonna want to come back to the warehouse. Now."
There was a brief moment of silence before Stormsurge asked, "What's going on?"
In response, they heard a loud voice in the background through Jeopardy's commlink: "WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE, COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP!"
"Scrap," Impulse muttered.
Stormsurge soared through the skies, her helicopter blades cutting through the wind as she trailed behind Impulse. Below, she could see flashing lights and hear the sirens of law enforcement vehicles as they moved toward the warehouse's location.
They had stirred up far more attention than they intended. This wasn't just going public, this was turning into a full-scale confrontation, and they needed to figure out how to defuse the situation before things spiraled completely out of control.
As Impulse and Stormsurge arrived at the warehouse, they found Jeopardy and Hermit Crab already outside, standing with their hands up in front of a heavily armed military force. Army vehicles, personnel, and even tanks were pointed directly at them. The tension in the air was palpable.
Jeopardy whispered into his commlink, "I'd recommend a slow descent and approach."
Stormsurge took the advice, descending carefully from her helicopter alt-mode. She transformed and landed, though her footing was a bit shaky. "Sorry, still getting used to the new alt-mode," she said awkwardly, leaning against a nearby building to steady herself.
Impulse, meanwhile, pulled up in his newly acquired military vehicle alt-mode, with five squad cars tailing him, lights flashing and sirens wailing. Completely unfazed, he transformed, standing tall next to the group. "So, what do you guys think of my new alt-mode?" Impulse asked, as though the massive military presence around them didn't exist. "I think it fits me a lot better."
Hermit Crab, his nerves clearly shot, shouted, "WILL YOU GROW A PROCESSOR AND PAY ATTENTION?!"
Jeopardy, still trying to de-escalate the situation, addressed the soldiers. "Look, whatever problems you have with us, I'm sure we can figure this out diplomatically. It's in everyone's best interests to de-escalate."
One of the officers on the ground barked orders through a megaphone. "If any of them try to run, open fire!" Helicopters buzzed overhead, their rotors chopping through the air like a warning.
Stormsurge raised her hands in a placating gesture. "Just listen to us, we're not your enemy!"
"If we're gonna fight, then I might as well—" Impulse began, raising his arms as though ready to jump into battle mode.
"IMPULSE, SHUT UP!" Hermit yelled, cutting him off before he could make things worse.
Jeopardy, desperate to calm the growing tension, shouted, "Can we all just take a moment to calm down?! Soldiers, please put down your weapons. We do not want to fight you."
One of the younger soldiers, clearly rattled by the towering presence of the Autobots, screamed, "It's trying to use its alien mind control!"
"Mind control?!" Hermit muttered, incredulous. "Primus, these people are more primitive than I thought."
The commanding officer took out his radio, speaking into it briefly before addressing the Autobots. "My superior says you will surrender to the United States Armed Forces. Refusal to comply will be interpreted as hostile intent."
"Hah, like we'd ever—" Impulse started, his usual defiant bravado coming through, but this time Jeopardy cut him off.
"We will surrender to you at this moment," Jeopardy said firmly, stepping forward. "I hope we can come to an amicable agreement."
Impulse, taken aback, threw up his hands. "What? Dude, uncool."
Jeopardy didn't waver. "If we really are going to stay on this planet, I do not want to be fugitives."
Impulse, watching the military tighten their perimeter, sighed deeply. "Scrap."
Slowly, they all lowered themselves to their knees, showing their compliance. The soldiers moved cautiously, but it was clear they weren't about to lower their weapons just yet. The air was thick with anticipation, and while the Autobots had made the first step toward peaceful negotiation, they knew the road ahead was going to be anything but easy.
The military convoy escorted the four Autobots south to a secure base, where they were now encircled by trucks, ATVs, and tanks in a large parking lot. Armed soldiers kept their distance, but the artillery and weapons were pointed directly at them.
"You four are staying here until we can determine you aren't a threat to national security," the officer in charge announced sternly.
Jeopardy replied, "I could just tell you that, we're obviously not a threat."
The officer wasn't having it. "Nice try, but you aren't pulling a fast one on us." With that, he turned and left the lot, leaving the Autobots surrounded and under guard.
For a few moments, they sat in awkward silence. Then, predictably, Impulse broke it.
"Well, I think that went well. What do you guys think?"
Hermit gave him a hard look. "I'm not talking to you."
Unfazed, Impulse turned to the others. "Jeopardy? Storm? How you doing?"
Stormsurge sighed. "This isn't exactly how I wanted to start our new lives on Earth."
"New lives?" Hermit cut in. "No, we need to keep moving. The longer we stay here, the more likely it is that the Decepticons find us."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Impulse responded casually.
Hermit glared. "It is! You're the only one here who really knows how to fight. If they find us, we're dead."
"Thought you weren't talking to me," Impulse quipped, grinning.
"I… did that crash fry your processor more than it already is?"
Impulse shrugged. "I'm just staying positive."
Jeopardy, ever the mediator, stepped in. "Impulse, I think what Hermit's trying to say is that you're not really taking this seriously, and it's, well, it's very grating. Right now, we have to be smart about how we engage with this new world. We can't just go on joyrides through populated areas."
"And what are these people gonna do?" Impulse countered, gesturing to the humans. "I mean, look at them, they're mini."
Stormsurge pointing at a nearby tank with its gun aimed directly at Impulse. "Do you not see the artillery piece pointed at your head?"
Impulse looked over at the tank and shrugged. "Eh, I could walk it off."
"No, you couldn't," Stormsurge shot back. "This isn't a game, Impulse. This is real."
"I know it's real! I'm just pretty sure I could take that thing in a fight," Impulse said, as nonchalant as ever.
"This is going nowhere," Jeopardy sighed, realizing they were just going in circles. He decided to pivot the conversation. "Let's talk about something else. If and when we're released by the United States, what do you all want to do here?"
"I want to leave," Hermit stated flatly.
"Oh, come on, Hermit, look around! No Decepticons, no responsibilities, organic life as far as the optic can see, this place is paradise," Impulse insisted, throwing his arms wide.
"For now. A paradise for now. Am I the only one who's noticed that trouble follows us everywhere?"
"That's an exaggeration," Stormsurge reasoned. "Sure, we've had problems, but we usually run into problems more than problems find us. I say we take advantage of this peace and try to settle down."
"Yeah, what she said," Impulse added, pointing to Stormsurge. "Settle down."
"Hermit," Jeopardy continued, "we don't have a way off this planet. The ship's totaled, and I seriously doubt the humans have a replacement lying around."
Hermit gave him a skeptical look. "Your point?"
"My point is to give it a chance," Jeopardy said firmly. "If we're going to be stuck here, we might as well try to make the best of it and get comfortable."
Hermit sat in contemplative silence for a moment, clearly weighing his options. Finally, he sighed. "Alright, Jeopardy. I trust you. I'll try to like this planet, but don't expect me to get dragged into any of your antics. I'm doing this on my own terms."
Jeopardy gave him an appreciative smile. "Good enough for me."
The uneasy calm settled over the group once more as they waited, surrounded by soldiers and artillery. Despite the tension of their captivity, Jeopardy couldn't help but feel a small sense of hope, maybe, just maybe, they could make this work.
As the hours passed, the tension at the army base didn't fade. The arrival of several blacked-out SUVs brought even more weight to the situation. A high-ranking officer approached the Autobots, standing tall and serious.
"Our superiors want your commander in the hangar," the officer said. "We're beginning our evaluation."
"What evaluation?" Hermit immediately asked, suspicion clear in his voice.
"That's all they have said to me," the officer replied curtly.
The Autobots exchanged looks, each of them realizing they'd never officially designated a leader. They'd always operated as a collective, each contributing their strengths in different situations. But now, the military wanted one voice to represent them.
Hermit chimed in without hesitation. "If they want a leader, I just know it shouldn't be Impulse."
Impulse threw his hands up dramatically. "Hey! What's wrong with me being in charge?"
"Where do I even begin?" Hermit deadpanned.
The officer raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Wait, are you seriously figuring this out now?"
"How about Hermit Crab?" Impulse suggested cheekily. "He's the smartest one of us."
Hermit puffed his chest a bit. "That is objectively true."
Jeopardy, however, wasn't convinced. "How about you, Storm? We would've never gotten off of Cybertron without you. You can take the lead on this one."
Stormsurge shook her head gently, a small smile forming on her face. "I really think it should be you, Jeopardy. I can't think of anyone else more suited for the role." She held his gaze for a moment, her expression filled with quiet confidence.
Jeopardy paused, appreciating her faith in him. "Well... thank you," he said, returning her smile. He turned to the waiting officer and nodded. "Yeah, I'm this team's leader."
The officer gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "Alright then, follow me."
With a final glance at the others, Jeopardy stepped forward, following the officer toward the hangar, his thoughts racing. He didn't feel like a leader, but for now, he had to act like one.
Jeopardy awkwardly squeezed through the hangar door, bumping his forehead on the frame. "Sorry, still adjusting to the height difference. Everything here is so small," he apologized, crouching slightly to accommodate the lower ceiling. He sat down in front of a trio of officials: a stern-faced general, a man in a suit and sunglasses, and a stenographer.
"Thank you for listening to us and letting this proceed diplomatically," Jeopardy began, trying to ease the tension in the room. "I don't like to fight, so this works out for all of us."
The man in the suit, a middle-aged man with a measured tone, nodded. "That's certainly a nice change of pace."
"You get many aliens around here?" Jeopardy asked, half-joking.
"No," the general, a broad, no-nonsense man in uniform, replied. "But media has colored our perception of you." He leaned forward slightly, voice commanding. "I'm General Brice, here on behalf of the United States Armed Forces."
"And I am Jeopardy," Jeopardy replied.
"Like the game show?" General Brice raised an eyebrow.
"The what?"
"Ignore that," Brice waved it off. "Why are you here?"
Jeopardy paused for a moment, wanting to get it right. "Well, to make a very long story short, we're here because we can't go home. Our home planet went through 6,000 stellar cycles of civil war, which ended with the side I was on having to go into exodus."
The man in the suit exchanged a glance with Brice before speaking. "And what were you fighting for?"
"Nominally, I'm on the side of life, freedom, and justice," Jeopardy replied honestly. His tone softened as he reflected. "Though I will admit, the area I served in didn't always live up to those ideals," he added, thinking of Kalis and its harsh warrior caste.
"So you're refugees?" General Brice asked.
"You could say that," Jeopardy nodded.
"And the people you fought against," General Brice interjected, "will they be coming here?"
"I'm pretty sure we got them off our trail, so it's unlikely," Jeopardy said, though he knew there were never guarantees when it came to the Decepticons.
The general's expression remained firm. "And what exactly do you want?"
"We just want somewhere we can live," Jeopardy answered earnestly. "I looked over your maps, and I'm curious about the major metropolis to your south."
The man in the suit raised an eyebrow. "You want to live in Chicago?"
"If you'll let us," Jeopardy replied. "It seems like a place we could blend in, maybe even help out in some way."
General Brice leaned back in his chair, skeptical. "And what can you give us in return?"
Jeopardy hesitated for a moment. "... We promise not to cause trouble... intentionally."
"Intentionally?" The man in the suit perked up.
Jeopardy winced slightly. "Impulse is admittedly a bit of a wild card, but he means well."
The general and the others exchanged looks, clearly not fully convinced but also not dismissing the idea.
General Brice spoke for the group. "We'll think about it. In the meantime, send in this 'Impulse.'"
Jeopardy nodded. "Got it. Fair warning, he's a handful." He gave a polite nod before heading for the door, his mind buzzing with everything that had just happened. They hadn't been rejected outright, but the hard part was just beginning. Convincing them that the Autobots could coexist peacefully on Earth would take more than a promise.
Impulse casually sauntered into the room, his attitude worlds apart from Jeopardy's more cautious approach. He gave the officials a nod, clearly unbothered by the military presence. "Alright, so what is it you guys wanna know? 'Cause I've got a couple questions for you guys. First off, what's an Oceangate, and what does it go to?"
The general and the others exchanged confused looks, brushing off the question. The man in the suit cleared his throat and began, "We were hoping you could provide some more insight into the war that brought you here to Earth."
"That's the planet's name?" Impulse asked, seeming genuinely curious for a moment before quickly shifting gears. "Anyway, yeah, I think I got the general timeline down."
"Then please, start when you're ready," the general instructed.
Impulse jumped right into it. "So, we had this Prime in charge, Sentinel. I'd give him, like, a solid 5/10. He was alright, but he started sliding into autocrat territory after opening up that prison colony in the Carcer System. So, everyone's getting mad at him because he's letting the rich bots do whatever they want with all the energon. Then Megatron shows up like, 'Man, frag the aristocracy, frag Sentinel Prime! We're gonna make Cybertron great again and tear down the oligarchy!' And, you know, people are hyped, like, 'YEAH MEGATRON!' But me and my crew are like, 'Uh, no, Megatron, this is giving future dictator vibes.'"
The officials watched, a mix of bewilderment and intrigue on their faces as Impulse animatedly recounted the war's origins.
"So, there's all this fighting and arguing, and Sentinel's scrambling for a solution. He finds a successor and goes on vacation or whatever. But then BOOM! SCRAP GOES FROM TWO TO ELEVEN SO FRAGGING QUICK! Megatron storms Iacon, finds Sentinel, and RIPS HIM APART. He comes out of the Citadel, covered in Sentinel's energon, all gory and messy, and he's like, 'DECEPTICONS, THE AGE OF PRIMES IS DEAD, RISE WITH ME, BURN IT ALL!' And we're all like, 'Oh, scrap, this isn't good.'
"Then this pipsqueak, Orion, tries to stop him, and Megatron literally punts him into the Core. But then, get this, Orion shoots right back out as FRAGGING OPTIMUS, and we're like, 'WHAT?!' So yeah, Optimus and Megatron fight, Megatron loses, runs back to Kaon like a little glitch."
Impulse paused for dramatic effect, clearly enjoying the storytelling.
"After that, Optimus is all, 'Autobots, we must stand up to tyranny for a brighter future! Transform and roll out!' So, we roll out... and get our afts handed to us over 6,000 stellar cycles. Then we had to leave Cybertron. Bing bang boom, I find Jeopardy and the others, bing bang boom, we crash land here. And yeah, that's pretty much what's happened in the last 10,000 stellar cycles. Anything else?"
The general, who had been listening intently, cut in. "Yes, Jeopardy mentioned you were a 'handful.' What does that entail?"
"I prefer the term enthusiastic," Impulse corrected. "I like action and fun, and it seems like Earth has tons of it."
"So, you will not intentionally cause widespread destruction to any major city you go to?"
Impulse waved the concern off. "Well, yeah. What do I look like, Devastator? You don't have to worry about me."
The officials shared a brief glance before the man in the suit nodded. "That should be all. Thank you for your time."
"You got it, chief!" Impulse grinned, giving a casual salute before sauntering out of the hangar. As he left, the room fell silent for a moment, the officials processing the whirlwind of information, and personality, they had just experienced.
As Impulse returned to the team, he beamed with his usual confidence. "I think they liked me."
Jeopardy raised an eyebrow, but played along. "I bet they did."
Hermit, still skeptical, looked at Jeopardy. "You think we convinced them?"
Jeopardy shrugged, a bit more realistic in his outlook. "One can hope."
Impulse chimed in enthusiastically. "Well, whatever they decide, I know we'll face it together. Because friends together can face anything!"
Hermit raised an eyebrow, clearly not as keen on the idea of instant camaraderie. "Let's start with acquaintances."
"Oh, come on, Hermit. We've gone through three near-death experiences together, that's gotta count for something," Impulse pressed.
Hermit thought for a moment before giving a small, begrudging nod. "Hmm… Alright, buddies."
Impulse grinned widely. "Good enough for me! What about you, Storm?"
Stormsurge shot him a teasing glance. "Jeopardy, yes. You… yeah, I'll stick with 'buddy.'"
"Awesome!" Impulse cheered, seemingly satisfied with the compromise.
As they chatted, General Brice emerged from the hangar, holding a clipboard. "I just got off the phone with the President," he began, his voice steady but neutral. "He said you're free to stay in Chicago. There's a federal property on Goose Island where you can set up for now. Simply follow those black SUVs, and they'll take you to the location."
The team exchanged glances, the news finally starting to feel like a step toward something better. Chicago seemed like a decent enough start.
As the SUVs began moving out, General Brice called out again. "Jeopardy, I'd like a word with you in the hangar."
Jeopardy paused, looking toward the others. "I'll catch up with you guys after this," he said, his voice calm but curious. Stormsurge gave him a small nod of encouragement as she transformed into her alt-mode and followed the others out of the base.
Jeopardy turned and followed General Brice back into the hangar, his mind already turning over the possibilities of what this conversation might entail. As the doors closed behind them, he prepared himself for whatever the general had to say, knowing that this discussion could hold the key to how they'd fit into this strange new world.
Jeopardy stood firm as General Brice began his questioning. "So, Jeopardy, you're certain these 'Decepticons' won't be coming to Earth?"
Jeopardy tried to maintain a calm tone. "I can't make any guarantees, but I feel confident it's unlikely for them to show up."
Brice's expression didn't shift. "And if they did?"
Jeopardy straightened up. "Then we would do everything we could to minimize harm to your planet. It's the least we could do after you've been so merciful."
Brice leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering. "Well, let's hope you can keep that promise. It would be a shame if this arrangement didn't go in your favor."
"Excuse me?" Jeopardy asked, catching the shift in tone.
The general didn't miss a beat. "Allow me to enlighten you now." He motioned for the man in the suit to come closer. "This is Special Agent Seymour Simmons, a field agent for a special branch of the CIA that handles extraterrestrial affairs: Sector 7. I'll let him explain further."
Simmons stepped forward with a smirk that seemed far too practiced. "According to what's been told to the public, your arrival was a meteor impact. Tomorrow, the President will be hosting a press conference acknowledging your existence and your residence in Chicago. I will be taking your case and monitoring you until further notice."
Jeopardy felt a knot tighten in his core. "Monitoring?"
"Meaning every motion, every act, every word, all documented and evaluated," Simmons said matter-of-factly.
"Why?" Jeopardy asked, keeping his tone neutral but defensive. "We've been nothing but cordial. We're committed to protecting this planet."
Simmons didn't seem phased. "Empty words need action to fill them with meaning, and so far, I have not seen any."
Jeopardy frowned, feeling the weight of this supposed diplomatic move crushing him. "Why are you really letting us go to Chicago?"
"Easier to keep an eye on you when an entire city is watching you, filming you, posting you," Simmons explained, his smirk widening. "And if you do screw up, all the more justification for intervention."
Brice, who had been watching, spoke up again, his voice like gravel. "What Simmons is trying to insinuate is that if we determine you are a threat, or that all this was the start of an invasion you're spearheading, you'll have a tank shell in the back of your head by the end of the day."
Jeopardy's jaw tightened. "We just want somewhere to stop running. Why does this have to be so difficult?"
Simmons stepped closer, his voice soft but cutting. "I agree, Jeopardy. Why are you making this difficult?"
"I'm not," Jeopardy shot back, keeping his composure. "You're the one with a metaphorical gun to my head. We are not your enemy."
Simmons chuckled darkly. "Then prove it. Show us you're not our enemy. Because if I find you are, so help me God, we will strip you down and learn all we can before recycling you into that car you drive around as. Understood?"
Jeopardy's fists clenched slightly, but he met Simmons' gaze unflinchingly. "Yeah, understood, General."
"Good," Brice replied, his voice firm as steel. "Simmons will meet you in Chicago."
Without another word, Jeopardy turned and left the hangar, rejoining his team. He walked a little slower, feeling the weight of the conversation on his shoulders. As much as they had been given a place to stay, it was clear that Earth had its suspicions, and they'd have to prove themselves every step of the way.