CHAPTER 14: DINOBOT ISLAND

Jeopardy woke up groggy, his systems sluggish as they booted back online. He was alive, which was honestly a surprise. Between Onslaught nearly crushing his skull, their subsequent brutal fight, and then somehow surviving the full force of a space shuttle explosion, he'd half-expected to wake up in the Well of Allsparks, not in his own room.

And then he noticed something even more unexpected.

Stormsurge.

Still asleep.

Right next to him.

For a long moment, his processor stalled.

…How the fuck did this happen?

His optics flicked around the room, quickly assessing the situation. They were both lying along the short side of the bed, which made zero sense. His memory was hazy, he barely recalled what happened after Stormsurge had helped him to his room.

Did something happen? Had almost dying flicked some weird switch in his subconscious, resulting in… this? His mind raced as he processed the situation.

For the first time in his life, a femme was sleeping beside him. And he was waking up next to one. That was definitely new.

Slowly, he tried to sit up and was immediately hit with the very real, very painful reminder that his back was still burned to hell and back. He managed to push himself up slightly before the agony became unbearable, a sharp hiss escaping through his teeth. He shuddered, and he flopped back down, defeated.

His optics flicked back to Stormsurge.

And finally, a faint memory surfaced.

Oh.

Oh, thank Primus.

They were just tired.

That was all it was.

Stormsurge stirred, her systems booting back online. At first, she felt well-rested, probably more rested than she had in years. But then her optics flicked open, landing directly on Jeopardy.

On the same bed.

She bolted upright.

Confusion hit first. Then startlement. And then, as the grogginess faded, understanding.

Right.

She exhaled a sigh, rubbing her head as she remembered why she was here in the first place.

Jeopardy, still half-sprawled out, turned his head slightly. "So… how'd this happen?"

Stormsurge vented out. "Well, you passed out, and I just sat here… Guess I passed out too."

Jeopardy turned to the clock by his bed. His optics widened. "Primus, we've been here for two days."

Stormsurge blinked. "I don't think I've ever slept that long."

Then her optics flicked down to Jeopardy's back. The plating was still scorched, the metal warped and damaged from the shuttle explosion. She winced. "Do you want me to get you something from the medical bay for your back?"

Jeopardy pushed himself upright, slowly sliding off the bed. The moment his feet hit the ground, he stretched, pressing his hands on his lower back as he straightened out, only to immediately regret it. Pain flared through his frame, the burnt plating stinging as his armor strained against the damage.

He sighed, his expression resigned.

There was no easy fix for this. The armor would have to heal on its own, slowly.

He exhaled sharply. "Yeah, this is gonna suck."

Stormsurge got off the bed as well, standing beside him. They both turned, looking at the bed, realizing how bizarre the situation actually was. And then, at the exact same time, they awkwardly chuckled.

Jeopardy scratched the back of his head. "I, uh… I should go help Slipstream with her wing." He moved toward the door, slower than usual thanks to his injuries.

Stormsurge tilted her head slightly. "You sure you don't still need help?"

Jeopardy shot her a tired, amused look. "Storm, I'm fine. If I need anything, I'll let you know."

He reached for the door handle, but before he could open it, Stormsurge spoke again.

"Hey."

He paused, glancing back. "Yeah?"

She hesitated, then vented softly. "You remember when me and Slip went to Mount Rushmore? And she helped me not have nightmares?"

Jeopardy nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Stormsurge met his optics. "Well… the same thing happened sleeping next to you."

He straightened slightly, attention fully on her now.

"No nightmares?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Yeah… I-I just thought you should know. Turns out it wasn't just a one-time thing."

Jeopardy held her gaze for a second, then gave a small nod. "…Good to know."

Turning back to the door, he reached for the handle—

And stopped.

Because someone had put a sock on it.

He stared at it for a long, long moment.

Then, without missing a beat, he muttered, "Impulse did this, didn't he?"

Deciding that dealing with that could wait for another time, he sighed and pulled the sock off, finally stepping out of the room.

Jeopardy found the medical bay, and inside, Slipstream was struggling to duct tape her severed wing back onto herself. It was upside down. And, because it was duct tape, the moment she let go, the tape snapped, and the wing clattered to the floor.

"Ugh, son of a bitch," she muttered, bending down to pick it up again.

Jeopardy sighed. "Need some help?"

Slipstream looked up at him, defeated. "Desperately. This sucks."

Jeopardy patted the examination table. "Just come up here, and we can begin."

Slipstream hopped up onto the table while Jeopardy went to grab a welder. When he returned, he took the damaged wing from Slipstream and stepped behind her, lining up the broken connections.

"Just let me know if it starts hurting, okay?"

"Alright."

With that, Jeopardy activated the welder and began the slow, methodical process of reattaching her wing.

There was a moment of comfortable silence before Slipstream spoke.

"Do you think I'm doing better?" she asked, her tone quieter, almost uncertain.

Jeopardy didn't hesitate. "You did wonderfully."

Slipstream scoffed. "It doesn't feel like it."

Jeopardy adjusted his grip, making sure the alignment was correct. "You shot Vortex out of the sky, gave Blast Off a run for his money, and survived Bruticus. Which is a hell of a lot better than just running from Blast Off."

Slipstream paused, then nodded. She remembered how, not long ago, Blast Off had knocked her out of the sky with ease. But now? Now she could hold her own. She was getting better.

After a few more seconds, she shifted. "Hey, how long is this going to take?"

Jeopardy glanced at the progress. "Oh, at least half an hour."

Slipstream groaned. "Aw man, I was gonna watch cartoons with Impulse."

Jeopardy smirked. "Didn't Simmons cancel all his subscriptions?"

"Yeah, but we still have cable."

Jeopardy blinked. "How?"

Slipstream shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't like the news channels. They're all so angry and sad. They also talk about you a lot."

Jeopardy sighed. "Great."

He remembered that disastrous press conference they'd basically forced him into. Those reporters were so grating. And half of them were asking about things he didn't understand at all.

"What were they saying?" he asked.

Slipstream hesitated. "Uh… What does 'woke' mean?"

Jeopardy froze with confusion.

Then he sighed again, this time much harder. "Ehh, some human nonsense. Best not worry about it."

"Cause this guy on FOX called you woke, and he said it like an insult. Then he started ranting about something. I didn't really understand it, but he sounded upset."

Jeopardy rolled his optics. "Oh, that's just melodrama. Ignore it."

Desperate to transition the conversation, he asked, "Anything good on?"

Slipstream perked up. "Mostly just a bunch of sitcoms and cartoons."

Jeopardy deadpanned. "Truly some high art."

Slipstream nodded seriously. "Exactly."

Jeopardy bit back a laugh. She hadn't picked up on the sarcasm at all.

Instead, she twisted slightly, trying to glance at her wing. "How far are we now?"

Jeopardy examined the repair. "About a third of the way."

Slipstream groaned. "Dang it."

"Do you know why there was a sock on my door?" Jeopardy asked, still mildly annoyed but also very curious.

Slipstream giggled. "Oh, you saw that? Yeah, that was Impulse's idea. I told him it didn't really make sense, but he insisted it was a very funny joke."

Jeopardy sighed. "Did he tell you the joke?"

"He said humans call it 'the devil's tango.' Whatever that means, the sock is supposed to signal that it's happening in the room."

Jeopardy blinked. "...The Devil's Tango?"

Slipstream nodded. "Yeah. You know what that is?"

Jeopardy paused. "No clue."

But he understood the sentiment.

Impulse very clearly still suspected that he and Stormsurge were romantically involved, and this was his way of broadcasting it to the entire base. Fantastic.

Deciding to just move on, he asked, "How has Hermit been?"

Slipstream rolled her optics. "He's been monitoring the Combaticons. Also, Simmons got a very angry call from some guy named Mr. Robinson."

Jeopardy furrowed his brow. "Who's that?"

"Apparently, the island we sent the Combaticons to is someone's property, and they want them to leave."

Jeopardy snorted. "Heh, like that's ever gonna happen."

"That's what Simmons said. And then they argued for an hour. I don't think anything was solved."

Jeopardy shook his head, mildly impressed. "I still don't get how one person can own an entire island. Like, not a government, just a single guy."

Slipstream shrugged. "No clue. But now I kind of wanna try to buy one."

Jeopardy chuckled. "But we have no money."

Slipstream waved a hand dismissively. "Maybe I have a bank account somewhere that got amnesiad out of my brain with the rest of my Decepticon memories. Impulse says I come from money."

"Right. You're from Crystal City."

"Fortress of Opulence," she boasted, dramatically.

Jeopardy smirked. "I really don't think you have any savings left. If the Decepticons thought you were dead, your assets probably got repossessed by the state."

Slipstream groaned. "DAMN. I was really looking forward to being rich!"

Jeopardy finished the final welds, making sure the seams were clean before double and triple checking the connection. He carefully ran his servos along the base of the wing, ensuring everything was aligned and secure.

"Alright, that should be it. Try it out."

Slipstream hopped off the examination table, immediately flapping the repaired wing with delight.

"Finally!" she beamed.

Jeopardy watched her carefully. "But still be careful, it needs time to fully set. Too much strain could snap it right off."

Slipstream nodded. "Got it. Slow flying and not too much roughhousing."

Jeopardy narrowed his optics. "No roughhousing."

Slipstream grinned. "Deal."

Jeopardy then went over to the command center, where Hermit was hunched over his terminal, analyzing something. The soundwaves of an audio file flickered across the screen.

"Anything happen while I was asleep?" Jeopardy asked.

Hermit barely glanced up. "Yeah. This just came in, it's a distress signal… from a Cybertronian craft."

Jeopardy crossed his arms. "Alright. Probably someone lost in space. But it's not like we can do anything about that."

Hermit finally turned to face him. "Jeopardy, it's coming from Earth."

That got his attention. Jeopardy stiffened slightly, a mix of surprise and unease creeping into his circuits. More Cybertronians could mean anything, new allies, new enemies, or new problems they didn't have the capacity to deal with.

"Where is it?" he asked cautiously.

"The Northeastern Pacific, near Costa Rica."

Jeopardy narrowed his optics. "Is there a message?"

Hermit shook his head. "No. Just the signal. Which is what concerns me. Wouldn't a distress signal come with a message?"

Jeopardy frowned. "Perhaps their microphone was damaged in the crash."

Hermit's optics darkened. "Or they're trying to hide who they really are. This could be a trap."

Jeopardy sighed, rubbing his temple. "Or we could be ignoring someone who genuinely needs our help."

He exhaled, already making his decision. "I'm gonna get the others. Prepare some coordinates for the ground bridge."

Minutes later, Jeopardy, Stormsurge, Slipstream, and Impulse emerged from the ground bridge, stepping onto the island where the distress signal had originated. The bridge swirled shut behind them, leaving them on a weathered wooden bridge overlooking the lush tropical landscape.

The moment they arrived, a wave of humid heat hit them, a stark contrast to the crisp September weather they had left behind in Chicago.

"Wow, isn't this the perfect vacation spot, Slip?" Impulse said, grinning as he gazed out at the picturesque coastline. The turquoise waters, the swaying palm trees, the distant calls of exotic birds, it was like something out of a travel brochure.

"Remember, we're still here to look for a distress signal," Jeopardy reminded him, his tone firm.

"Yeah, yeah. Doesn't mean we can't enjoy the view," Impulse shot back.

Jeopardy just sighed.

Hermit's voice crackled through the commlink. "Coordinates place the signal at the northern end of the island. Goi— —comen—"

The rest of the transmission dissolved into static.

Jeopardy frowned, tapping his earpiece. "Hermit? Hermit, come in."

Nothing. Just dead air.

Slipstream's wings twitched uneasily. "I think we just walked into a trap."

Jeopardy exhaled sharply. She had a point. If they couldn't reach Hermit, that meant they couldn't call for an extraction. They were cut off.

"Alright," Jeopardy said, thinking fast. "We know where the signal is coming from. If we find it, we may be able to figure out what's blocking our connection and deactivate it."

He pointed toward the coastline, stretching northward into dense tropical vegetation.

"We'll walk along the coast. Everyone stay close, we don't know what's out there."

As the Autobots made their way along the coastline, the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the silence. The air was thick with humidity, and the jungle beside them buzzed with the calls of unknown creatures.

Slipstream, clearly bored, decided to make conversation. "Hey, you guys know how the Combaticons can combine into Bruticus?"

"Yeah, why?" Stormsurge asked, glancing at her.

"Well… can we do that?"

Jeopardy blinked. "No. We're not a combiner team."

"Why not?"

Jeopardy hesitated. "I—I don't know. We just aren't."

Slipstream huffed. "But if we were, I bet we'd be AWESOME."

Impulse, perking up at the thought, grinned. "Oh, totally! What would our combined name be?"

Slipstream frowned. "Is that like a ship name?"

"No, combiner names are cooler," Impulse explained, getting into it. "I think it would be Epicus."

"Or Awesomus," Slipstream offered.

Impulse gasped dramatically. "Or Midwestus! You know, 'cause we're the Midwest Division!"

"That just makes us sound like an insurance firm." Slipstream snorted, "What about AutoTitan?" Slipstream suggested after a moment.

Impulse froze. Then his optics widened in pure excitement. "OH, THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!"

"I bet if we could combine, we could've kicked Bruticus's ass!" Slipstream cheered, fully committed to the idea now.

"Yeah! And I'd be the best combiner arm!" Impulse declared proudly.

Slipstream raised an optic ridge. "You think you'd be the arm?"

"Of course! I'm the strongest one here."

Slipstream smirked. "Then why wouldn't you be the leg?"

Impulse frowned. "Why would I be the leg?"

"To hold up the rest of the combiner."

Impulse crossed his arms. "But then who's gonna punch the crap out of Bruticus?"

"Well then who would be the legs?" Slipstream challenged.

"You?"

"I don't wanna be a leg."

"Well then Jeopardy."

"Jeopardy would be the chest cause he's our leader." Impulse countered.

Slipstream groaned. "But I wanted to be the chest! That way we'd get my wings and we could fly!"

"Oh that would be awesome!" Impulse exclaimed, his mind immediately changed.

"But Jeopardy's the leader, he deserves to be the chest," Stormsurge argued.

Slipstream huffed, crossing her arms. "Then he can be the leg."

"Okay, you know what? We're figuring this out."

Before anyone could stop him, Impulse ripped a branch off a tree and immediately started drawing in the sand. Slipstream, Stormsurge, and a very reluctant Jeopardy all gathered around him as he sketched out a rough stick figure.

Jeopardy sighed, already regretting this. "Guys, we shouldn't be getting distracted by—"

"Yeah, yeah, but we have to solve this," Impulse interrupted.

He jabbed the stick at the figure. "Okay, so we can all agree Hermit Crab becomes an arm."

Stormsurge raised a brow. "Elaborate."

Impulse shrugged. *"Because he's too small to be a leg or a chest. Anyways, I'd be an arm—"

"Leg," Slipstream corrected instantly.

Impulse glared at her. "ARM."

"LEG."

"ARM!"

"Just be a leg!" Slipstream snapped.

Impulse threw his arms up. "I will not be a power bottom!"

Jeopardy sighed deeply. "Impulse, you're a leg. Get on with it."

Impulse grumbled. "Fine! Jeopardy's a leg—"

"Chest," Stormsurge corrected.

Impulse scowled. "Storm, it's two against one."

Jeopardy smirked. "I'm honestly surprised you can do that kind of math."

Stormsurge exhaled. "Fine. Slipstream can be the chest."

Impulse, pleased, scribbled into the drawing. "Alright, and that leaves Stormsurge as an arm."

He finished the masterpiece by labeling the stick figure:

•"SL" on the chest.

•"J" and "I :(" on the legs.

•"ST" and "HC" on the arms.

He stood back proudly. "And that's the blueprint for AutoTitan."

Jeopardy rubbed his temple. "Wonderful. Now can we get back on track?"

He turned sharply and led the group away from the crude drawing in the sand.

Impulse, completely unbothered, followed with enthusiasm. "Yeah! And now that we have a plan, if we find the Enigma of Combination, we'll know how to tell it to combine us."

Jeopardy let out a dry chuckle. "That if is doing some major heavy lifting."

As they continued along the coast, the sandy beach eventually gave way to dense jungle. The towering trees formed a thick canopy, filtering the sunlight into patchy beams that illuminated the forest floor. The air smelled of earth and salt, the distant chirping of unseen creatures adding an eerie undertone to their trek.

Pushing through the undergrowth, they soon came across the mouth of a river.

The water was murky and slow-moving, reflecting the jungle around it like a sheet of glass. But what caught their attention wasn't the river itself, it was the trees.

Several trunks along the riverbank had deep gouges in them, their bark stripped away at eye level.

More importantly, strange carvings were sliced into the exposed wood.

Stormsurge stepped closer, optics narrowing as she traced the symbols with her fingers. "This is Cybex." The written system of Cybertron.

Jeopardy tensed. "What does it say?"

Stormsurge furrowed her brow, reading slowly. "Stay away, brothers. This Scorn River. Brother must most stay away Grimlock, Scorn not happy you."

Silence. It took a few seconds for the others to process the bizarre grammar.

"Whoever's here… they've clearly been here a long time," Jeopardy murmured, feeling a deep unease settle over him.

Slipstream, sensing the tension, decided to lighten the mood."Dang, can't believe there's someone out there with worse handwriting than you."

She turned to nudge Impulse, but there was no Impulse. Her spark dropped. Shit. Where's Impulse.

A crash in the undergrowth answered the question. Impulse had taken off into the jungle after… something.

Jeopardy swore. "Dammit! We're not losing him!"

Without hesitation, they raced after him, tearing through the jungle before it was too late.

They finally caught up to Impulse, who was elbow-deep in the jungle brush, digging for something.

Jeopardy, still catching his breath, glared. "Impulse, what the hell were you thinking? We're supposed to stick together."

Impulse, completely unbothered, waved a hand dismissively. "Okay, but I saw something I think you're gonna like."

Jeopardy shot his arms out in frustration. "And what was worth running off into Primus knows where?"

Impulse grinned. "One second and—AHA! BEHOLD!"

With dramatic flair, he lifted his prize from the undergrowth: A small parasaurolophus. Well, small compared to them.

The little dinosaur bellowed, letting out a call that sounded like a baby cow.

Stormsurge blinked. "What is that?"

Impulse beamed. "I have no idea, but look at the little guy!"

Slipstream stepped forward, completely mesmerized. "Impulse… that is the cutest thing I've ever seen."

Impulse gently set the dinosaur down, and it plopped into the grass, sniffing him curiously.

Slipstream crouched down, watching with wide optics. "It's so small." Her voice was soft, almost reverent. "I wanna touch it, but I'm worried I'll hurt it."

"I know!" Impulse whispered dramatically. "And it was out here all alone."

He cupped the dinosaur's face, grinning. "Did you lose your mommy and daddy?" He cooed, his voice going full baby talk.

Slipstream's expression melted. "Oh my gosh, it's like a baby."

"I think it is a baby," Impulse confirmed. He turned to Stormsurge. "Hey, Storm, wanna pet the baby?"

Stormsurge took a step back. "I'm good."

Impulse shrugged, then turned to Jeopardy. "Jeopardy, wanna touch it?"

Jeopardy cautiously stepped closer, examining the creature.

"It doesn't look like anything we've seen before."

Slipstream gasped. "Does that mean we get to name it?"

Impulse's optics lit up. He turned to the dinosaur, grinning ear to ear. "I'm gonna name you Tubehead 'cause you got a tube on your head!"

The dinosaur snorted at him. Then, without warning, leaned forward and licked his face. Impulse froze. Then his entire frame started vibrating with joy. "I THINK HE LIKES ME."

A loud roar suddenly pierced through the jungle, cutting through the humid air like a razor. It wasn't the earth-shaking bellow of a massive beast, it was sharper, shriller, a low-pitched, deafening shriek that sent Tubehead cowering under Impulse's legs, trembling in fear.

Then came the footsteps. Heavy. Deliberate. Getting closer. Impulse immediately stepped forward, positioning himself between the noise and Tubehead, his minigun spinning up with a sharp whirr.

Slipstream raised her null rays, shifting her stance as she tried to pinpoint the movement.

The footsteps were coming from the river.

Jeopardy's optics sharpened, scanning the jungle. Through the dense foliage, he caught a glimpse of the outline. A massive, bipedal predator, moving with unnerving precision. Long, serrated claws flexed at its sides, attached to muscular arms that swung with each step. A tall, semicircular fin extended from its spine, swaying slightly as it stalked forward.

Then the snout emerged, long and narrow, twitching as it sniffed the air. It stilled. Then turned its head, and locked eyes with them.

"Maybe if we stay still, it won't notice us," Impulse whispered.

The creature roared. Then charged. Through the trees, through the jungle, straight at them, and it was huge.

A Spinosaurus. Taller than Impulse by a few feet, moving with terrifying speed and intent.

"RUN!" Jeopardy barked.

The Autobots scattered, sprinting in the opposite direction. Slipstream, acting on instinct, grabbed Tubehead and took off, holding the shaking dinosaur tight against her chest. Everyone was moving…

Except Impulse.

He stood there, smirking, watching the Spinosaurus as it rushed him.

"IMPULSE!" Jeopardy roared.

Impulse grinned, then finally turned and ran.

But something was off.

As the Spinosaurus tore through the jungle, its body caught the light, and gleamed. Not like wet scales, like metal.

"HEY GUYS, CALL ME CRAZY, BUT I THINK THAT THING IS CYBERTRONIAN!" Impulse shouted, easily catching up with the others. "LIKE, WHAT IF THAT'S WHAT SENT THE DISTRESS SIGNAL!?"

"A METAL MONSTER SENT A DISTRESS SIGNAL?!" Stormsurge yell-asked, her vents working overtime as she sprinted.

"WELL, IT SURE AS HELL WASN'T ANY OF US, SO YOU KNOW—PROCESS OF ELIMINATION AND ALL THAT!"

"TAKE COVER!" Slipstream suddenly shouted as she ducked, narrowly avoiding a blast of molten magma that erupted from the Spinosaurus's mouth.

The liquid fire splashed onto the ground, instantly igniting the jungle floor in a wave of heat and destruction. Impulse skidded to a stop, staring in pure awe. "OH, THAT IS SICK!"

Instead of running, he pivoted, planting his feet and unleashing a barrage of minigun fire at the metallic beast. The Spinosaurus snarled, its charge faltering as it dug its claws into the dirt, skidding for a few feet before suddenly lunging at Impulse. Too close.

Impulse barely had time to duck under the snapping jaws, then smacked the Spinosaurus right on the snout with a heavy metallic clang. The dinosaur recoiled, but before Impulse could capitalize, its massive tail whipped around, SLAM.

The force sent Impulse flying, his frame crashing through the trees, snapping them like twigs. Groaning, he started to push himself up, but the Spinosaurus was already on him, its massive theropod foot slamming down on his chest, pinning him to the ground. Impulse gritted his teeth as the weight pressed into his frame, servos clawing at the dirt.

Then—whirr.

His hand transformed into a gatling gun, and he immediately fired point-blank into the Spinosaurus's head. The bullets tore into its armor, making the beast let out a pained screech as its grip loosened.

Impulse grinned. "OH, DID THAT HURT?! GOOD!"

The others hesitated for only a second before Impulse barked out:

"YOU GUYS KEEP GOING! I'LL HOLD IT OFF!"

Trusting Impulse's ability to handle himself, the others turned and ran, sprinting toward what they thought was north, but was actually east. Meanwhile, Impulse dug his feet into the ground, forcing the Spinosaurus back, ready to give it the fight of its life.

Jeopardy, Stormsurge, and Slipstream pushed through the dense jungle, branches snapping beneath their feet as they ran. Eventually, the thick trees gave way to a clearing along the river.

As soon as they stopped, Slipstream set Tubehead down, and the little dinosaur immediately scurried off to drink from the water.

Stormsurge exhaled, glancing back the way they came. "You think Impulse will be alright?"

Slipstream waved a hand dismissively. "He's dense. He'll be fine."

Before anyone could respond, a deep bellow echoed through the trees. Then the ground trembled. The rumbling felt like an earthquake, growing stronger by the second. Leaves shook loose from the canopy, rippling in the wake of something massive. Then, through the foliage, a herd of Titanosaurs emerged.

Enormous, long-necked dinosaurs pushed their way through the jungle, trumpeting softly to one another as they made their way to the river's edge. Some bent down to drink, their sheer size enough to dwarf even the Autobots.

Stormsurge stared in awe. "That is awesome." Her mind was already spinning with new ideas for art.

But Jeopardy's optics weren't on the herd. They were on the one Titanosaur that stood out from the rest. Because it was made of metal. Just like the Spinosaurus.

The Cybertronian Titanosaur noticed him, too. With surprising speed, it made its way to the riverbank, its massive head tilting curiously. Then, in a voice far too casual for the situation, it spoke.

"Woah! New Dinobots!"

The Autobots froze.

Slipstream blinked. "I am never eating Taco Bell again," she muttered, wondering if this was all some bizarre hallucination.

Before they could even respond, the Titanosaur suddenly shifted. Metal plating unfolded, gears whirred, and in an instant, the massive creature transformed into a towering Cybertronian, easily 40 feet tall. The mech stepped forward, wading through the waist-high river like it was nothing.

"When you wake up? Not see you before."

Slipstream, completely out of her depth, could only manage an eloquent: "Uh..."

The mech beamed. "Much glad to meet you! Me Sludge. You new Dinobot, right?"

Jeopardy, finally shaking off his initial shock, answered, "No, we're Autobots."

Sludge's optics widened. "Autobots?!" He blinked. "But... you have dino."

Jeopardy sighed. "Look, Sludge, did you have anything to do with the distress signal that came from this island?"

Sludge tilted his head. "Sludge not know what distress signal be."

Jeopardy frowned. "You don't know what I'm talking about? Or you don't know what a distress signal is?"

Sludge nodded. "Yes."

Jeopardy exhaled sharply. "...Alright, well—"

"OH!" Sludge suddenly perked up. "You come with me! Grimlock want will see you!"

Jeopardy blinked. "Who?"

"Mine big brother. He leader. And have sister, very smart! Slash may able to help!"

Jeopardy exchanged glances with the others. That... actually sounded useful. But… "Sludge, that sounds great, but we need to go back for our friend Impulse."

Sludge's expression fell slightly. "Oh, no. Not go way. That Scorn land."

Stormsurge furrowed her brow. "What's Scorn land?"

"Scorn angry. Grimlock beat him again. Go burn off temper. Not friendly."

Jeopardy stiffened. "But what about Impulse?"

Sludge waved a massive hand dismissively. "Scorn told not eat metal, so he most probably bring Impulse back home when temper gone."

Jeopardy narrowed his optics. "Most probably?"

Sludge nodded enthusiastically. "Yes!"

The Autobots exchanged another look.

This was… far from ideal. But Impulse could handle himself, and they had no reason to believe Sludge was lying.

After a moment, Jeopardy sighed. "Alright. Take us to your leader."

Sludge beamed. "Yay! This way!"

With a cheerful bounce in his step, the massive Dinobot turned and led them into the jungle. Assuming Impulse was fine.

Impulse was not fine.

Currently, he was wrestling with Scorn, who was still in his Spinosaurus form. The two thrashed through the water, sending waves crashing against the riverbanks as they fought. At one point, Impulse surfaced, now riding on Scorn's neck, gripping tightly like he was wrangling a wild beast.

"YEEEEHAAAW!" Impulse whooped, grinning ear to ear.

Scorn, not amused, suddenly reached up with his clawed hand, grabbed Impulse's leg, and hurled him straight back into the water. With a splash, Impulse was submerged again, but instead of retreating, he pushed upstream, sliding under Scorn's legs. Then, with a burst of speed, he jumped up and delivered a brutal punch straight into Scorn's pelvic plate. Scorn howled, his entire frame buckling from the impact. Impulse seized the moment, shoving himself against Scorn's leg and using every ounce of his strength to knock him off balance. With a thunderous crash, the massive Dinobot toppled over, sending water surging in all directions.

Before Scorn could recover, Impulse planted his foot on the Dinobot's head and struck a victorious pose.

"I JUST BEAT A DINOSAUR, THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER!"

Scorn, his muffled voice seething with rage, snarled, "AH, HATE LOSE!"

"Woah. Talking dinosaur."

Scorn growled, wriggling free and pushing himself up. "Scorn not dinosaur. Scorn Dinobot."

Impulse stepped back, watching as Scorn suddenly shifted, parts shifting and folding as he transformed into his robot mode.

Impulse grinned. "So you are Cybertronian!"

Scorn tilted his head. "What Cybertronian? Scorn Dinobot."

Impulse blinked. "Uh… that's what we are."

Scorn narrowed his optics. "…Scorn not understand."

Impulse sighed, waving a hand. "Let's start again. I'm Impulse, and you are an awesome fighter."

Scorn's expression softened, just a little. "Huh. Thank."

Impulse crossed his arms. "So what's got you in such a bad mood?"

At that, Scorn's rage reignited like a volcano.

"BECAUSE GRIMLOCK BEAT SCORN IN A FIGHT… AGAIN!"

With a furious roar, Scorn suddenly ripped a massive tree from the ground, roots and all, and hurled it high into the air. As it flew, he whipped out a massive weapon, a molten magma whip, heat rippling along its length. With a single, fluid motion, he slashed the tree clean in half mid-air. The two burnt halves tumbled to the ground, crashing with a heavy thud. Still seething, Scorn transformed back into his Spinosaurus form, stomping on the broken pieces. His jaws opened wide, and a fountain of magma erupted from his mouth, shooting into the sky like a geyser.

Impulse, watching all of this unfold, just said, "Wow. Someone's got anger issues."

Scorn huffed, transforming back into robot mode. "Ugh. Now Impulse beat Scorn. How small new thing beat Scorn?"

Impulse grinned. "Hit fast and hard."

Scorn rubbed his waist, scowling. "Hmm. And hit Scorn in waist."

Impulse shrugged. "Yeah, I know it's dirty, but I thought you were gonna eat me."

Scorn snorted. "Scorn not eat metal. Scorn eat dinosaur."

"Good to know. Wait, what about baby dinosaurs?"

Scorn looked offended. "What? Scorn not monster!"

Impulse exhaled dramatically. "Oh, what a relief, because I'm pretty sure I adopted a baby dinosaur a few minutes ago."

Scorn's optics narrowed. "Why?"

Impulse grinned. "Because it's adorable. Haven't you ever wanted to keep one as a pet?"

Scorn tilted his head. "Pet?"

Impulse stared. "Wow. What rock have you been living under?"

Scorn huffed. "Scorn not live under rock. Scorn live in lake camp with Dinobots."

Impulse's optics lit up. "Dinobots? As in plural? Like, more of you I could meet and fight?"

Scorn grumbled. "Yes. But Scorn not talk them. Scorn angry at Grimlock."

Impulse nodded, understanding. "Right, right. Well, where can I go to meet them?"

Scorn pointed north. "Go that way. Find big metal fence. If see Snarl, and he awake, just say Scorn sent."

Impulse gave him a two-finger salute. "K, thanks, Scorn."

As he started to walk off, Scorn shouted after him:

"And tell Grimlock Scorn say 'GO CHOKE ON GINKGO FRUIT!'"

Impulse cackled as he disappeared into the jungle. "Will do!"

Meanwhile, Sludge led Jeopardy, Stormsurge, Slipstream, and Tubehead through the dense jungle, their path winding toward the Dinobot base. Even before reaching the gate, they could see something massive through the gaps in the canopy, a ship. As they got closer, the jungle finally opened up into a clearing, revealing the fortified stronghold of the Dinobots. A massive wall of stone and scrap metal surrounded the camp, reinforced with whatever the Dinobots could salvage. But towering over it all was the ship itself. A Cybertronian vessel, long since abandoned, its frame slowly overtaken by nature. Faintly visible on the hull, barely legible through rust and grime, was its name: "Axalon."

Jeopardy and the others exchanged glances. They didn't need to guess anymore. This was where the distress signal had come from.

At the entrance to the camp, sprawled half-asleep in front of the open gate, was Snarl, resting in his Stegosaurus mode. Standing over him, wings flaring impatiently, was Swoop, and she was not happy.

"Come on, Snarl, you're supposed to be guarding the gate!" she complained, arms crossed.

Snarl let out a low, lazy growl.

Swoop glared. "Don't growl at me! It's your turn for guard duty. We all do it!"

Snarl just groaned, shifting slightly but not opening his optics.

Swoop threw up her hands. "If you're sleeping, who's gonna keep the dinosaurs out of the base? Remember when the Rexes got in and made that big mess?"

Snarl adjusted his position again, making it very clear that he was not moving.

Swoop huffed, beginning to push Snarl to get him to stand up. "Come on, Snarl, stop being a big baby!" She groaned as she tried to push his weight.

In protest, Snarl slammed his thagomizer against the ground, the impact shaking the earth slightly. Swoop rolled her optics, then suddenly transformed into her Pteranodon mode, her sharp claws gripping Snarl's back. Then, with a powerful thrust of her wings, she hauled him up from his nap. Snarl, now upright, let out an annoyed snarl, then transformed into his robot mode. With a sigh, he pulled out his glowing-hot halberd and sat in front of the gate, half-heartedly resuming his post. Swoop landed beside him, transforming back into her robot mode. She sighed, exasperated. "Ugh, don't say I didn't warn you when Grimlock gets mad."

Before Snarl could grumble further, Sludge called out: "HEY, SWOOP! LOOK WHAT SLUDGE FOUND!"

The Pteranodon Dinobot turned, her optics narrowing as she spotted the Autobots for the first time.

"Who are they?" Swoop asked, tilting her head. She'd never seen anything like them before.

"They Autobots! Come find distress signal!" Sludge explained proudly. Swoop's expression shifted.

"Weird… I don't remember sending a distress signal."

Sludge shrugged. "That what Sludge say. Wanna show Grimlock."

Swoop smirked. "Well, you're definitely not gonna have a problem getting past Snarl."

She gestured toward the gate, sassing: "Come on in."

Swoop and Sludge led the Autobots into the Dinobot camp, and the moment they stepped inside, it became very clear that this place was more "barbarian bachelor pad" than an organized settlement.

The important structures, things like an energon tap, a workshop, storage, and individual living spaces, were all built into the Axalon itself. The camp outside? That was a different story.

The centerpiece of the camp was a massive bonfire, its embers still glowing faintly from its last use. Nearby, a large corner of the camp was dedicated to some kind of kitchen area, though "kitchen" might've been a generous term for it. It mostly consisted of crude stone slabs, open flame pits, and large bones scattered around like decorations.

A massive tree grew out of one section of the wall, its thick branches stretching over the camp. It was clear that the wall had been built around it rather than the other way around, and there was even a platform high up in the tree, presumably for someone's personal space.

Weapons were lined up on makeshift weapon racks, and a side entrance led out to a nearby lake. There were bed-like arrangements scattered around, cushioned with various plant materials.

But the most comedic section? A wall labeled "The Scorn Wall." It was covered in hundreds of tallies, presumably marking every time Scorn had challenged Grimlock and been subsequently defeated.

"So, what do you think?" Swoop turned to the Autobots, wings resting comfortably at her back, "I know it's a little rough around the edges, but it's home."

Jeopardy exhaled, taking it all in. "I'm honestly at a loss for words." He turned to Swoop. "How long have you all been here?"

Swoop shrugged. "Not sure. We've been on this island as long as any of us can remember."

Slipstream, still keeping Tubehead close, pointed toward the treehouse platform in the massive tree.

"What's the treehouse for?"

Swoop grinned. "Oh, that's my space. Built it myself."

Slipstream's optics lit up. "Cool, can I climb up?"

Swoop's expression immediately flattened. "I'd rather you didn't."

Slipstream pouted.

Swoop waved a hand. "Anyway, now would be a good time to introduce you to my big brother."

Jeopardy and the others exchanged glances. If Swoop and Sludge were this much to handle… What was their leader like?

Swoop led the three Autobots toward the kitchen area, where Grimlock, currently in his Tyrannosaurus Rex mode, was roasting an entire Corythosaurus on a meathook using his fire breath.

Tubehead, seeing this display of raw power, immediately hid behind Slipstream, shaking slightly. Swoop called out casually, "Yo Grim, Sludge found these guys out by Scorn's River. They call themselves Autobots, said they're looking for a distress signal."

Grimlock turned his massive head, his red optics narrowing as he stared down Jeopardy. Then, with a loud clank, his body shifted and folded, transforming into his hulking 35-ft tall robot mode. The sheer weight of him hitting the ground shook the dirt beneath them. He bent down, lowering himself to get a better look at the Autobots. His optics briefly flicked to Tubehead, who was still cowering behind Slipstream. Then, his gaze returned to Jeopardy.

"You Autobots here for We Dinobots?"

Jeopardy shook his head. "Not specifically. We're pretty sure the signal we got is coming from that ship."

He pointed toward the Axalon, its hulking frame barely visible through the trees.

Grimlock's optics narrowed slightly. "Signal from mothership?"

"Yes? Do you know if it's been acting strange lately?" Jeopardy asked.

Grimlock tilted his head, thinking. "Ship not do anything since We Dinobots woke up in it long ago."

Jeopardy frowned. "And before then?"

Grimlock shrugged his massive shoulders. "Not know anything from before life start."

That answer was… concerning.

"Okay, well, is there anyone around who could help us figure out the ship and what it did?" Jeopardy asked.

Grimlock rubbed his chin. "Hmmm… Slash may know. She Slash very smart. You Autobot go to her."

Jeopardy nodded. "Okay, thank you."

Grimlock then turned his gaze to Stormsurge and Slipstream, his looming presence unmistakable.

Stormsurge stiffened. "…Please don't eat me."

For a long, tense moment, Grimlock didn't respond. Then—

"We Dinobots only eat who We Dinobots not like."

There was a noticeable pause.

Then, with a deep, rumbling laugh, Grimlock suddenly burst out: "HAHAHAHAHA! IS JOKE! You Autobots not have sense of humor?"

The trio laughed nervously.

On the other side of the wall, Impulse had finally found his way to the Dinobot camp, following Scorn's very specific instructions.

("Go that way, find big metal fence, if see Snarl, and he awake, just say Scorn sent.")

Standing at the entrance was Snarl, still sitting in front of the gate, his fiery halberd resting across his lap.

Impulse approached confidently. "You must be Snarl."

Snarl grunted in agreement. Impulse misunderstood immediately.

"Oh, I get'cha."

Believing Snarl was deaf, he began using sign language, which, given his very questionable knowledge of it, roughly translated to: "Acorn sended me, me reckless."

Snarl tilted his head in complete confusion.

He had no idea what Impulse was doing.

Impulse paused. "You don't do that?"

Snarl shook his head.

Impulse furrowed his brow. "You just don't talk?"

Snarl nodded.

Impulse squinted. "So you can hear everything I say?"

Snarl nodded again.

Impulse crossed his arms. "Man, you must hear so much dumb stuff from the others."

Snarl gave him a very slow, very tired nod.

Impulse chuckled. "Alright, well, Scorn sent me, and I'm trying to find my friends."

He began listing them off. "One is green and blue, about 25 feet. The cool Seeker has big triangle wings and awesome null rays. And there's a shorter pink and blue femme, about 22 feet. You seen them?"

Snarl, without a word, pointed into the camp.

Impulse grinned. "Thanks, dude."

Then, with zero hesitation, he strolled into the base. Impulse stumbled around the base, his optics darting around as he tried to spot someone, anyone, who could point him in the right direction. As he wandered, he came across the side exit leading to the lake. Curious, he decided to check it out. The lake was calm, reflecting the surrounding jungle, and for a second, Impulse thought it was just a dead end. No Autobots, no familiar faces, just water. Then, suddenly, the surface of the lake erupted. A large Cybertronian emerged, Paddles, his frame sleek and powerful, water cascading off his armor as he stepped onto dry land. In his hands, he held a massive harpoon gun, slung over his shoulder as he strode confidently into the base.

Impulse watched him go, eyes widening in admiration. "Man, I gotta get me one of those," he muttered, immediately following after the newcomer.

Eventually, Impulse spotted Stormsurge, who was standing a short distance away, scribbling something on a datapad while staring at Swoop's treehouse. Nearby, Slipstream was deep in conversation with Swoop. A wide grin spread across his face. "SLIP! SLIP! I'M NOT DEAD!"

Slipstream's head snapped toward him, her wings perking up. Then, without hesitation, she bolted toward him and wrapped him in the biggest bear hug she could manage. "Where the hell have you been?!" she demanded.

Impulse grinned. "I wrestled Scorn and just kinda… found this place."

Before Slipstream could reply, something small rubbed against Impulse's leg. Impulse looked down, and saw Tubehead. His entire frame lit up.

"TUBEHEAD, YOU LIVE!"

He immediately scooped up the little Parasaurolophus, holding him high like a prize. Tubehead let out a small, delighted bellow.

"So," Impulse said, still beaming, "what have you guys been doing since I was gone?"

Slipstream sighed, shaking her head. "Mostly trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Turns out these guys only know about the island. Earth is all they know."

Impulse tilted his head. "Hey, kinda like you. But instead of crashing in Chicago and losing your memory, they were just born here."

Slipstream deadpanned. "Well, you didn't have to spell it out like that, but yeah."

"Who's this?"

Swoop's voice came from behind Slipstream, and Impulse turned to see the Pteranodon Dinobot eyeing him curiously.

Slipstream grinned. "Oh, Swoop, this is Impulse, my best friend."

Impulse flashed a wide grin. "Hello, I think your wings look cool."

Swoop blinked, then smirked. "Thanks."

Impulse clapped his hands together. "Now, where's Grimlock?"

Swoop glanced toward the kitchen area. "He should be done with dinner any moment."

Right on cue, a booming voice erupted across the camp.

"FEAST READY FOR TONIGHT!"

The Autobots turned just in time to see Grimlock emerge from the kitchen, the perfectly roasted Corythosaurus hoisted over his shoulder.

"Ah, Grimlock! Just the bot I needed to see."

Impulse strode up to him confidently, completely unaware of the what he was about to unleash.

Grimlock narrowed his optics. "Who is You Stranger?"

"I am Impulse."

"You Autobot?"

"Yep! And I have a message for you from Scorn."

The second "Scorn" was mentioned, Grimlock's scowl deepened. Behind Impulse, Jeopardy had JUST noticed what was happening. His face immediately fell into an expression of pure, unfiltered dread.

"What He Scorn want tell Me Grimlock?"

Impulse grinned, completely oblivious to the tension.

"He says to go choke on a Gingko Fruit."

The entire base went silent. THE WHOLE BASE. The only sound was the crackling of the bonfire. Jeopardy froze in absolute horror. Slipstream's wings tensed. Stormsurge's datapad nearly slipped from her hands. Swoop and Sludge both stopped mid-motion, their optics snapping to Grimlock to see what would happen next. For a split second, Jeopardy genuinely believed they were about to die. He rushed forward, waving his hands frantically.

"SO SORRY ABOUT HIM, GRIMLOCK! HE'S AN IDIOT. I SWEAR HE DIDN'T MEAN IT."

But Grimlock… Didn't explode. Didn't attack. Instead, he just let out a long, exhausted sigh. "Ugh. He Scorn so immature." He shook his head, his massive shoulders sagging slightly, "When He Scorn learn that Me Grimlock strongest and bestest leader… and just come back to We Dinobots?"

Impulse tilted his head. "Wait, you actually want him to come back?"

Grimlock grunted. "Of course, Me Grimlock not want little brother live in jungle alone forever."

With that, Grimlock strode forward and placed the Corythosaurus on a large metal table. Then, in one swift motion, he transformed into his Tyrannosaurus mode, reared his head back, and let out a thunderous roar into the sky. The sound echoed across the jungle, shaking the trees and disturbing flocks of birds from their perches. It was, in essence, the dinner bell for any Dinobots not in camp. Then, with an easy fluidity, he transformed back into robot mode, drew a flaming greatsword, and began slicing portions off the roasted dinosaur.

"You Autobots come eat or not hungry?" Grimlock asked.

Impulse beamed. "OH, I AM STARVING!"

Without thinking twice, he walked up, ready to taste whatever Cybertronian barbecue had to offer, despite the fact that he absolutely did not need food.

Jeopardy walked over to the table, watching as Grimlock expertly sliced apart the roasted Corythosaurus. The moment he got close, Grimlock shoved a massive cut of thigh meat in his face.

"You Autobot want food?"

Jeopardy leaned back slightly, shaking his head. "No thanks, not hungry."

Grimlock grunted in understanding, tossing the cut onto the pile of food before shifting topics.

"So You Autobot leader?"

Jeopardy straightened. "Yes. And for future reference, my name is Jeopardy."

Grimlock tilted his head, optics narrowing slightly.

"Why? He Impulse bigger and stronger than You Jeopardy. He Impulse able to fight anything and win. He Impulse should be leader, right?"

Impulse, halfway through stuffing his mouth with roasted dino meat, perked up.

"OH, I LIKE WHERE THIS IS GOING."

Jeopardy sighed. "It's not about strength for us. Yeah, Impulse is a great soldier, but he doesn't have the… faculties to make the right decisions."

Impulse paused mid-chew. "Wait, what the hell does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like." Slipstream joked.

Grimlock grinned slightly, amused. "And You Jeopardy do?"

Jeopardy nodded. "Correct."

Grimlock crossed his arms, his massive frame looming over him. "Hmm… but if just smart, how You Jeopardy protect group?"

Jeopardy hesitated, then realized exactly what Grimlock was getting at.

He glanced at the massive Dinobot leader, then asked: "Is that why you're the leader and not Scorn?"

Grimlock grinned.

"Yes. Me Grimlock lead We Dinobots because Me Grimlock strong enough to protect Them Dinobots."

His optics darkened slightly, a rare moment of seriousness crossing his face.

"He Scorn too violent. Too focused on fight and win, and not see how affect family. Need to able to stand up to problem AND also do what keeps family safe and happy. To do that, need strength, need courage, need to care."

Jeopardy nodded slowly, surprised by the wisdom hidden within Grimlock's rough speech. The Dinobot leader pointed a claw at him.

"You Jeopardy understand, yes? Because like We Dinobots, They Autobots family too, yes?"

Jeopardy met his gaze without hesitation. "Without a doubt."

Grimlock leaned back, grinning again. "So You Jeopardy understands what saying?"

Jeopardy nodded. "Absolutely. I'd do anything for them."

On the other side of the table, Impulse and Slag both reached for the same roasted leg. Their optics met. Impulse grinned. "Heh, sorry dude, I got to it first."

Slag narrowed his optics. "It Slag's."

Impulse raised an optic ridge. "I put my hand on it first. It's mine."

He pulled the leg toward his mouth, only for Slag to grab it and yank it toward himself.

"Leg favorite piece for Slag."

Impulse rolled his optics. "Well, you snooze, you lose."

With a quick jerk, he ripped the leg away from Slag's grip, ready to take a big victorious bite. That was the last straw. Slag let out a frustrated snarl and swatted the leg out of Impulse's hands. The meat soared through the air, and smacked into Skar's shoulder. The osteoderm-covered Dinobot barely flinched. The leg hit the ground with a dull thud. Impulse glared at Slag.

"You got a problem with me?"

Slag's optics burned with a challenging fire.

"Slag NOW have problem."

Impulse's wings flared slightly. "Oh, you wanna do this here?!"

Slag grinned, cracking his knuckles. "VERY YES."

Before either of them could throw the first punch, Grimlock's booming voice cut through the tension.

"SLAG, NO FIGHT AT DINNER!"

Slag and Impulse both turned. Grimlock pointed toward the side exit, his tone firm but casual.

"Fight outside, then come back."

Slag and Impulse locked eyes again. Neither of them backed down. Without another word, they both turned and stalked toward the exit, muscles tensing, optics burning, neither breaking eye contact as they headed outside.

"So Grimlock, where is Slash? I'd really like to know where this distress signal came from." Jeopardy asked, hoping to figure out the last big question he had about this place.

Grimlock jerked a thumb toward the workshop. "She Slash over there,"

Jeopardy followed his gesture, only to find that Grimlock wasn't pointing at the actual workshop, but rather at a large human shipping crate next to it.

Jeopardy blinked. "…Where did you get a human shipping crate?"

Grimlock shrugged. "He Paddles like to go in ocean and find stuff."

"And he found that?"

"He Paddles finds lots of stuff. Like tiny black box make nice noise."

Jeopardy tilted his head. "You mean a radio?"

Grimlock nodded. "Yes." Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Oh! If you going to She Slash, bring this."

The Dinobot leader grabbed a sheet of metal, using it as a makeshift tray, and piled on a serving of Corythosaurus meat, fruits, and vegetables.

"She Slash always tinker. Not always remember or hear dinner." Grimlock said warmly and with some concern, always looking out for his youngest sibling.

Jeopardy smirked. "Yeah, I have someone like that." He immediately thought of Hermit Crab, who was constantly buried in his work.

Grimlock then furrowed his brow, thoughtful. "You Jeopardy know what weird? She only start eating plants few weeks ago."

Jeopardy raised an optic ridge. "Really?"

Grimlock nodded. "Usually, just like meat."

"Maybe she just wants to try new things."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Swoop chimed in. "You know, she used to sneak her fruit into Sludge's plate to get out of eating it."

Jeopardy chuckled. "Huh. Sounds like she's just growing out of some immature habits."

He took the plate of food and headed toward the shipping crate.

Jeopardy knocked on the door of the shipping crate, waiting for a response.

Immediately, a feminine voice called out from his right , "DON'T GO IN THERE!"

Jeopardy froze mid-motion, deciding not to question it.

Instead, he turned as a much smaller Cybertronian emerged from the adjacent workshop. She couldn't have been more than seven feet tall, wearing a homemade toolbelt and looking mildly annoyed at the interruption.

"Are you Slash?" Jeopardy asked.

Slash tilted her head. "Who wants to know?" She crossed her arms, clearly unfamiliar with Jeopardy and not immediately trusting him.

"Grimlock wanted me to give you this," Jeopardy said, motioning toward the tray of food he was sent with.

Slash's expression softened slightly as she took the tray. "Oh yeah, I forgot food today. Been very busy rewiring the energon tap." There was a brief moment of appreciation in her optics, her brothers clearly looked out for her, even when she got too caught up in her work.

As she took a seat nearby, Jeopardy asked: "Where do you get energon from?"

Slash took a sip from a small cup of energon before answering, "The Axalon has solar panels it deployed a while ago. Been making us energon ever since."

Jeopardy nodded, taking that in. Then, with a calm but direct tone, he asked: "And would you happen to know why it sent out a distress signal today?"

Slash abruptly stopped drinking. She stared at him, as if debating what to say. Finally, she shrugged. "I may have bumped into the button while fixing the solar panels. Why?"

Jeopardy blinked. "...You just bumped into it?"

"Yup."

"By accident?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"And you didn't think that would be a problem?"

Slash tilted her head. "Well I didn't know what it did and nothing blew up, so I just assumed it was broken."

Jeopardy sighed.

"Well, my team and I are here because we thought someone was in trouble."

Slash took another sip of energon, completely unbothered. "Nope. No trouble here."

There was a brief, awkward silence.

Finally, Jeopardy just exhaled sharply. "Alright..."

He decided to leave Slash to her business and glanced toward the horizon, noticing the sun was getting low. With no way to contact Hermit and the ground bridge inactive, they were stuck here for the night. He turned back toward Grimlock. "Grimlock, I hate to spring this on you, but we currently have no way back home. Would it be alright if we stayed the night?"

Grimlock thought for a moment, then turned and called out:

"You Swoop, watch They Autobots stay for night."

Swoop, who had just finished swallowing a whole fish, gave a lazy salute. "Yeah, yeah, I got it."

Jeopardy nodded. "Thank you."

That night, Stormsurge couldn't sleep. Despite the tranquil sounds of the jungle and the faint crackle of dying embers from the bonfire, she felt… exposed. Sleeping in the open, surrounded by larger bots she didn't really know, triggered something deep and uncomfortable within her. She was polite to the Dinobots, they had been welcoming, even generous, but trust was another matter.

The humidity, the ambient chirps and howls, the heavy air, It reminded her of Eukaris. Of a time before the War, when all that mattered was her art and the people she met along the way on those long trips to other worlds.

She rose quietly from her makeshift bedding and wandered through the camp, the dirt cool under her feet. Eventually, she spotted Jeopardy sitting near the edge of the lake, his reflection dancing in the moonlit ripples.

Without a word, she sat beside him, her feet dipping into the water.

"Can't sleep either?" Jeopardy asked.

"Yeah. Not sure if I want to." Stormsurge confessed.

"More nightmares?"

Stormsurge sighed. "More just… should we be trusting them?"

"I want to, but yeah something doesn't feel right," Jeopardy agreed.

Stormsurge nodded, grateful to hear him say it. "Exactly. I mean, Slash just bumped into a distress beacon? You see how odd that is, right?"

"I mean…" Jeopardy shrugged, "we got here because Impulse mashed buttons and found the transwarp drive. It's not entirely unlikely."

Stormsurge snorted, her rising tension deflating just a little. "Well when you put it like that…"

"My issue is where did they come from? How long have they been here? And, probably of most concern, how will humanity react to them?"

They sat in silence, letting the soft rustle of leaves and the lapping waves fill the void between them. Then a green and yellow swirl of energy erupted over the lake: The ground bridge. And from it, Hermit Crab stepped through… only to immediately realize it was over water and let out a shrill, "SCRAP!"

SPLOOSH!

Stormsurge and Jeopardy winced, watching as Hermit flailed briefly before dragging himself out of the water, completely soaked and unamused.

"Congratulations," he deadpanned, "you are being rescued."

Jeopardy smirked. "My hero. So what was the problem?"

Hermit sighed, pulling waterlogged moss off his arm. "...You were out of range."

Jeopardy blinked. "Seriously? That's it?"

"Yeah. Turns out our communications equipment didn't reach past the Gulf. I had to hijack a satellite to get the signal to transit."

"You hacked a satellite?"

"Well… satellite array. Better than paying a human oligarch for usage."

Hermit pulled out a small remote, its label reading: "STRLNK CNSL."

Jeopardy stood up, chuckling. "I'll go wake the others."

It might've been an anticlimactic expedition, but they had found new Cybertronians, ancient tech, and a makeshift alliance.

It wasn't the disaster they'd feared, but for them at this stage, it was probably the best thing they could have hoped for.

As for how the Dinobots will react to the world the Autobots had awaken them to, that would have to wait for another time.

50