Today was going to be a long day, Ratchet could tell from the instant he awoke from recharge. Agent Fowler was already pounding on the base's cat walks with furious foot steps. The medic concluded that the dark skin human had gotten disturbed from his sleep as well; the special agent lacked his standard clean cut look, shirt tail out and small whiskers sprouting around his jaw line.

Optimus stood before him eying the human, "This is earlier then usual for you, Agent Fowler, to be gracing us with your presence."

"It's not by choice I assure you, Prime!" William Fowler spits in agitation as the rest of the Team Prime join their leader around the console. Bulkhead let out a loud yawn receiving an elbow to the side from Arcee, Bumblebee remained silent, Ratchet moving to check their remote scanners. Fowler clears his throat and quickly tucking in his shirt tail, "Not ten minutes ago did we receive a signal of Cybertron origin captured by a Russian satellite. Care to explain that!?"

Optimus, despite being under verbal fire from the much smaller organic, kept up his stoic look, "Agent Fowler. This signal could have been anything from a radio transmission to one of our own satellite signals. It may have even been a leftover surge of energon radiation doomed to travel the cosmos until the end of time. Without much more information we cannot be certain as to what it is."

Suddenly various alarms sound, Ratchet jumping into his work, fingers dancing over the console, the sun had not even risen and already their was action, "A large surge of energon! It's coming from the rebuilt Decepticon space bridge!" the old medic reports, his optics quickly flashing from screen to screen as they popped up and quickly clicked away. He pauses and goes wide-eyed, "By the Allspark! Something is coming through! At a great velocity! It's going to crash, here!" He pulls up a map showing the taiga region of Siberia.

"Bumblebee! Bulkhead!" Optimus orders, "Go and investigate it. It may be of Decepticon origin."

"Yes, sir!" Bulkhead replies pulling out his wrecking ball, Bumblebee giving a short whirr arming his blaster.

Ratchet types in to coordinates then grabs a small lever, "Ground bridge, activate!" A swirling mass appears at the far side of the base, ethereal colors swirling together linking to two very distance places into a short trip, "And be careful!" Ratchet calls after them as they charge through.

Bulkhead emerges first into the chilly air of the pine and spruce forest, cloaked in the morning twilight and shrouded in morning mist and dew, Bumblebee close behind peering through the moist air. They expected silence, but got a nightmarish scene. The ground was scorched, several trees where down following a line, branches and needles littering the ground. Early morning dew hung heavy in the air carrying the sent of burnt metal and leaking energon. The young scout quickly picks up on several pieces of either broken, shattered, or melted pieces of tools, all Cybertron in origin. Many of them a mix of the three.

"Help! Please!"

The duo snaps their optics forward, a youth, more correctly a female Cybertroian youth, most her body encased in a large burn, right shoulder hanging in place solely by a few wires, her torso sparking violently, her left leg armor was mangled from heavy damage, barely able to hold her up. Pink lubricant tears flow from the terror filled blue optics of this strange burnt blue and green youngling, she sat on all fours looking at them fearfully.

Her voice raspy, she calls to them again, "Please! He's dying! My brother is dying! You, you have to save him!" She turns and does a leaping crawl motion back through the mist, smoke and the smell of burning metal and leaking energon emitting from a crater a few yards away

Bumblebee beeps in shock running pass her, Bulkhead pressing one finger to his helm, "Ratchet! Get med bay ready, now!" The larger green mech runs after the small yellow scout both of them disarming themselves. Though she did not have a faction symbol they had to help her, she appeared to be barely old enough to fight, Bulkhead guessing she had not earned the symbol yet.

Bee had already reached the crater, and had to resist the urge to purge. A second Cybertroian youngling, this one male, lays in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the crater, energon slowly pooling around him, his wings broken, most of his frame appeared to have broken on impact, he two had bad burns over most of his body. The youngling's optics had already grown dim, thanks to his chest plate being beaten open, Bumblebee could hear the faint beat of a spark struggling to stay online.

"Please! Help him!" the female called to the yellow bot.

Bee gave her a reassuring whir and nod, reaching down to scoop up the dying youth, and carrying him back through the ground bridge. Bulkhead picks up the female and darting after his friend and back to their base.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"By the All spark!" Arcee and Ratchet call out seeing Bumblebee carrying the dying mech.

"Oh dear God!" Fowler shouts having never seen the seemingly immortal Autobots in such a horrid shape

Optimus goes wide-eyed looking over the boy in shock, he knew that stance, the boy was knocking on death's door.

Ratchet instantly jumped into action, "Over here! Now!" Eons of experience and wisdom went to work sending to medic into automatic drive, he darts into the prepped med bay ordering Bee to lay his critical patient on a berth surrounded by various machines, the scout then quickly retreating from the med bay. Ratchet turns, running a red light from his forearm over the youngling then snarls at the readings hating them. A swift move of one hand across the screen and the information was moved to a larger screen. Following his haste, Ratchet grabs a vial of energon, hanging it from a high hold, he punctures one end with a white wire, then feeds the other end into a large cross hare contraption and places it over a large would. Now with energon being replaced, the medic moves opening the bent chest plates pushing from his mind how limp the boy looked on the operating table. One so young, his life was now in Ratchet's experienced hands, and he would not let him die!  The young spark was beating faintly, "Hang on, lad. You are going to make it! I swear on my spark!" Tools flying to the ready, with and expertise that comes with experience Ratchet works on the major internal damage, currently deaf to everything outside of his current task, including the second youngling.

Bulkhead carries the young female into the base, she still struggling against him, "Please! Ignore me! Save my brother! Don't die! Don't let him die!" But at last her strength escapes, unable to push herself out of the large wrecker's strong hold

"Calm down kid!" Bulkhead orders, placing laying her on a berth further away from were Ratchet was operating, "You want him to live? Tell us what happened."

The young girl whimpers and stutters her vocal processor failing to make complete sentences, "Energon mine. Explosion. All my fault. Killed them... killed them all. My fault. I should die. Not him. Not my brother."

Arcee clamps one hand gently around the terrified youth's unharmed shoulder, "Calm down. Now slowly, what in the Pit happened?"

The youngling swallows, tears still falling and carving deeper trails into her burnt face, "Mining, energon. Five of us." she shook her head at the horrid memory, "I... I was first to find. Decepticons... had to be quick. Before they came. Something, surrounding... the energon," her optics clench shut, "Should have left. Tried to mine it. Caused the whole mountain to blow up. Lost contact with others. Only saw my brother. Other brothers... teacher.... gone." She sniffles and cries in grief again, "My fault... all my fault.... I killed them...." She then cried out in anguish at the idea arching her back before resettling on the berth, "Primus forgive me...."

Suddenly, an alarm sounds from one of the machines hooked up to the boy, causing Ratchet to spit a curse, "Not today!" He picks up an orb, rotating it in his hands to build up a charge then pushes it down against the dead youth's body. A spectacular but gruesome light show emitted from the med bay, the   boy's body arched into the over charged orb as it tried to reignite his spark. Twisting bolts of blue light flare out from the orb as its power is released, causing Ratchet to shutter his optics part way

The young girl sits up sharply, reaching out to her brother before Arcee and Bulkhead force her back down, "Lunar! No!"

Lunar's body hit the berth with a thud, the alarm still sounding. Ratchet growls repeating the rotation building up a larger charge and pushes it against the youngling's spark chamber again. The light show repeated far brighter this time. The alarm ceased and the boy, now known as 'Lunar' lived once more, but still his spark beat was faint.

Arcee stood over the female youngling, placing one gentle servo to the right, unburnt side of her face, "Easy. Ratchet got him back. What is your name?"

Her vocals continue to shake, as she looks into Arcee's calm reassuring optics, "E... Earthshock...."

"And your brother," Arcee continues, "Lunar?"

Earthshock nods, "Lunarstrike...."

With a soft smile, the second in command nods, "The name is Arcee. This is Bulkhead." he gestures to the large green bot keeping a firm grip on Earthshock, preventing her from sitting up again, "And the yellow scout is Bumblebee."

"Th... the medic... is Ratchet?" Earthshock asks beginning to calm down some.

Arcee gives a gentle nod, "Yes. You are safe. Both of you. Ratchet will save your brother. Then get you patched up. Where are you from?"

"E-echo," Earthshock mutters, "Colony Echo 153...." The panic induced surge of strength was beginning to wear off, her flickering optics showing this. Battered and exhausted, she fought of the desire to rest and recharge. She had to know that Lunarstrike was going to be alright.

Quick paced steps approached them, "Both of you! Move!" Ratchet bellows running a quick scan over Earthshock.

"W-wait..." Earthshock began to panic, her voice growing horse, "Lunar-"

"Is going to live," Ratchet finishes for her, "But will need a lot of time to recover. As will you. He is in stasis lock. And you are going to need a lot of recharge." Unceremoniously, Ratchet inserts a wire into her neck, sending a code to Earthshock's systems, causing her to fall into recharge. Not taking time to admire his work, Ratchet goes about reattaching her left arm and tending to the large burns.

During the commotion, Optimus had stood to the rear, knowing that Ratchet could keep this under full control. We watched sadden by the state of the two sibling youths, both laying in the med bay, one in a deep recharge, the other in stasis lock.

It takes quite some time for Fowler to absorb all that had just occurred, "Sweet scrap! That explains that odd signal. Two more autobots come to crash here."

"They are Autobot children, Agent Fowler,"Optimus corrects the human, "Judging, just barely old enough to fight. Green, I believe is the earth term for new warriors. And already the war has taken a toil on them. This war is not theirs to fight. They surely have their reasons for doing so."

"Whoa, whoa," Fowler speaks looking at the Prime in shock, "Did you just say those two are kids?"

"Youngling, is our term, Agent Fowler," Optimus replies, "But yes, they are mere children."

"In Earth years, a little older then Jack or Miko," Ratchet comments. They day had only just started and already did the medic look weary, "Optimus. We now have more then just two severely injured younglings to worry about. I used near all that was left in our energon stores to repair both of them." He held his tongue, about most of it going to relight Lunarstrike's spark. From one view point, it was foolish to waste what they had left, but from the stand point of a medic, he could not allow one so young to die, "We simply must find some energon today. Or everything I did will be in vain."

"Understood," Optimus replies turning to the rest of his team, "Retrieve the humans from their dwellings. Alert them to what has happened and request their silence in the base for the sake of healing. Then we hunt for energon. Leave no stone unturned. Our survival depends on it."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Oh come on Bulk! You can tell me!" Miko chirps from inside Bulkhead.

Bulkhead groans as he follows Bumblebee and Arcee, each carrying their own human charges, back into the hidden base, "No, I can't. From what it sounds like. Optimus does not want us talking. Even to you three."

In frustration, the young Asian girl dressed in scene attire with black and pink hair growls and falls back dramatically against the seat crossing her arms, "I betcha Fowler knows."

"He does," Bulkhead replies, "He knows all of the happening with us."

Arcee leads them inside, pausing to let her human passenger, a teenaged dark haired boy wearing a loose t shirt and baggy jeans, "Remember Jack. Not a peep." the sleek blue motorcycle reminds him in a whisper before shifting back into her biped mode.

Jack was more willing to the idea of, 'something went down and no we cannot tell you just please be silent'. Looking at at his guardian, concern still crossing his face he nods and pulls two fingers across his lips in a zipping motion then whispers slightly louder, "If you say so, Arcee."

"Oof!" the youngest of the humans, a boy with dark blonde spiky hair jumps out of Bumblebee before the scout changes back, "Bee, please? What's wrong?"

The large yellow bot kneels down close to his friend, holding one finger to his mouth plate. All the mute Autobot gives him is an apologetic whine followed by a buzzing noise. Rafael considered it the Cyberton equal of 'shush'.

Miko hops out of Bulkhead, guitar case in one hand, the other hand on her hip, continuing to sneer at the much larger green bot waiting for an answer. Bulkhead stands firm shaking his head silently surprised thus far Miko was obeying the new 'Silence in the Base' rule.

Optimus Prime turns to his team speaking in a whisper, "Arcee. Bulkhead. You two will return to the site. Collect any trace of Cybertron technology left and bring it here. Fowler will be sending a 'clean up crew' to assist you. Leave nothing behind. Take these vials and collect any and all energon you can. We are in desperate need for every last drop."

The last line caught the humans attention. They had long known their alien friends where low on energon. Now it sounded like they had ran out, the trio paused on the staircase leading to a platform to listen intently to the conversation.

Arcee nods, "Yes, Optimus, sir." Bulkhead nods watching as Arcee walks over to and picks up the three empty glass vials.

The Prime's attention moved to the scout, "Bumblebee. You and I will go investigate an energon deposit. It is quite small, but in these times, we need to get it before Megatron has chance." With a silent salute, followed by clenching his fist, Bee nods at his leader.

"What do you think happened?" Miko asks looking between Jack and Raf, both of them giving her a shrug.

"You three."

The humans jump slightly looking up at Optimus as the Prime kneels slightly to their level, "Remain silent. The only sounds Ratchet should here from any of you are the sounds of your studies."

Miko looks him over for a joke then opens her mouth to protest. She quickly closes it as Jack elbows her in the side.

"That's an order," Optimus reiterates looking at each of them with a stern unarguable gaze. Whatever had happen, he was not going to discuss it with them at the current time, "Understood?"

Jack nods then whispers, "Yes, Optimus."

Raf silently chirps, "Yes, sir."

Miko lets out a soft sigh then whispers, "Fine...."

Optimus stands back up looking at his team then glances briefly over to the med bay, hidden around the corner with a worried look, before quickly changing back into his stoic unemotional stare, "Autobots. Roll out."

"And do not come back injured," Ratchet emerges from the med bay looking exhausted already, "You all know what is at risk."

The group of metal beings nod at their commanding medical officer then transform back into their vehicle modes as he pulls a lever. The ground bridge whirrs to life, Optimus and Bumblebee heading through first. The swirling vortex cuts out for a moment before coming to life again, Arcee and Bulkhead race through, and Ratchet quickly closes the bridge.

With an exasperated sigh, Ratchet looks over at the three human children. They quickly note his usual grumpy self was more defined today, "I swear to Primus. If any of you make a peep I will toss you through the bridge and into Jack's garage. Do you understand me?" His voice was that of a growl, already he on edge. And the humans had yet to do anything to upset him.

Miko holds her hands up by her head, the tightly grabs the rail, being the only one bold enough to question a bot 20 tons heavier then them, maybe more, "Doc bot," she speaks straining to keep her normally chipper high energy voice at a low level, "Can you tell us what the frag is going on? Why the sudden silent rule?"

"Not your concern, Miko," Ratchet replies. To further instate his point, he reaches over and pulls her up by her shirt and sits her on one of the chairs, "Now stay."

"R-Ratchet?" Rafael tried in a timid voice, "You guys are out of energon. Something very bad has happened. Hasn't it?"

Ratchet points at the table, "Studies. Not questions. This doesn't involve you."

"Just like this war," Jack points out, "Or the fact we got pulled into it. By choice." He sighs and grabs the rail, "Look, Ratchet. We keep secrets. We have, about all of this. If there is something wrong with you guys. Tell us. You can trust us. We can help."

The medic's annoyance only began to grow, as he rubs the area between his optics, "Jack... when did you become good at making well made points?" Shaking his head Ratchet gives up, "If it will keep you three silent. I will show you. And after that. No more questions until what I am about to show you is done? Alright?"

The humans eagerly nod. Ratchet points towards the med bay and walks around the large console towards it. Following the catwalks, Miko darts ahead of the slower boys eager to see, Jack and Raf matching pace with each other as they follow. At the med bay, Ratchet places one hand on the cat walk stopping them, "Are you sure you wish to see? It is, a rather horrid sight."

Miko nods again, she didn't care how bad it was. Jack gave a quick short nod, it couldn't be much worse then some stories of the ER his mom had told him. Raf swallows and nods, calling up courage, this was for his friends. Ratchet blinks, looking over his shoulder then moves his hand away.

"Holy-MPTH!" Jack quickly clasps one hand around Miko's mouth stopping her yell.

On twin berths they saw Lunarstrike and Earthshock, both deep in recharge and connected to several monitors. Lunarstrike's chest plate now bore a dark ring just over his spark from where Ratchet pulled him back from the dead. An energon line feeds into his right side. Several what look like cushions supported his back, they could see his wings, battered and burnt. In fact, most of the young orange and red bot accented with silver was brunt. His armor horridly damaged, chest plate still propped open, it seems Ratchet had to pause in his work to preform the ground bridge operations.

Earthshock had the worse of the burn damage, the most sever being on her left side. Mostly her left hand and arm green and blue armor with black accents, it was equally covered in the deep crater like dents. One feature on her was very noticeable without the chaos, her lower legs seemed disproportionately heavy to the rest of her. They were encased in thick shock proof metal, an odd disk near her knee looked to able to to spin. Her feet were unusually broad for a femme, during his observation, Ratchet wondered if she was given the wrong parts. Unlike her brother, she was deprive of wings and an energon feeding line, instead strong clamps held down her limbs.

Rafael looks in shock as well as Miko, Jack wondering if this was a sight his mother saw constantly. The oldest teen breaks the silence, "Wh-who are they?"

"Autobot children," Ratchet answers, "Younger then Bumblebee. Just old enough to fight. If I am guessing their age correctly, they would have been born during this war. Such foolish unneeded bloodshed is most likely all they know."

Raf adjusts his glasses looking at Lunarstrike's wings "I thought you said, Autobot's don't fly."

The medic nods, "I did. It appears I was wrong. Why the boy chose flight, I do not know. But, if... when he recovers, it will be of great help for scouting missions."

"They look pretty tall for kids," Miko notes.

"They are at their full height," Ratchet replies then turns, using one hand to herd the humans back to the main room, "We do not 'grow' like humans. Now, do you three understand why I need silence?"

Jack answers, "So they can recover fully."

"Exactly," Ratchet replies, "Now, please, keep silent. I have much work to do."

"Cliffjumper... Awaken! Show thyself  before he who's spark gave you life!"

The wounded, battered, and exhausted red autobot awoke in a fog surrounded by a brilliant light, "What...? Where am I?" Only his echoed answered as he looks around seeing a glowing gate standing high before him

"At the gate to the plains of the All spark as you call it." I mighty voice answered. Cliff look up towards the top of the gates unable to see who it was speaking to him hidden by the sheen of light.

Cliffjumper holds one hand over his optics, "Am I dead? Are you Primus?

"I am," the regal voice calls, "Cliffjumper, loyal warrior of Optimus Prime. Tainted by  Dark Energon taken from the blood of my brother, Unicron. You have been killed as a prisoner of the Decepticons."

"Such is the way of war, Sir," Cliffjumper replies shrugging off. He would have rather fallen in the heat of battle but chose not to voice this.

Primus's voice maintains its calm yet powerful regal tone, bringing a feeling of peace with it to the autobot who stood before him, "Have you no unfinished business in the realm of mortals? Speak now err I judge your spark.

"Wait," Cliff's voice echoed across the plain, "Arcee and everyone on Earth. I... I did something terrible didn't I?"

"Under the influence of Dark Energon implanted in your spark by Megatron, you attacked in a hypnotic rage." the deity answers, "Only your actions made outside of mind control will I judge. Now, Cliffjumper, brave but rash and reckless. I pass my judgment of you. You fought bravely even with fear. The one called Starscream took the life from your spark. Not all of your actions ring pure. Some deem you fit for the pit and a tool of Unicron."

Cliffjumper swallows nervously casting his gaze to the ground, able to feel the heat of the pit lick his heels.

Primus let's out a hum, "I have made my judgment Answer this question and choose your rest or pain. Tell me, what does it mean, to be an Autobot? And a Cybertronian? Why do you continue to fight? Why did you choose the path you took in life. Think carefully but do not be lazy"

The red bot does not answer at first, resting his chin on one hand as he thinks. His mind refused to concentrate on the problem of hand and drifted back to the last vision in his optics, a mindless attack on Arcee, his partner.

"Your mind drifts young Autobot," Primus notes, "Unfinished business sits deeply in your mind. Can you not answer?"

Cliff looks up unsure of what to say. Before him stood the plains of the Allspark and ever lasting peace, away from war. How things once were so many many eons ago. Behind the bowels of the Pit gurgles eager to trap him in torture forever. If he answers wrong, then one shove and pain would be all he would know, "Primus. Before I answer. Is it possible for me to have some time dwell on my answer? I can't help but feel I am here before I should be."

"Indeed," Primus replies, "You like many others in this war arrived to soon." the large being then nods and places one mighty hand on Cliffjumper's shoulder, "I shall grant you time to think of the answer. When you know it, call to me that you have the answer. Be swift and finish anything you need."

The ground around Cliff's feet cracks and gives away causing the autobot to plunge back towards the realm of the living, the brilliant light fading as all around him goes black."

"Take caution!" Primus calls as the Autobot falls, "Next we meet I will want your answer! The Pit has wider gates then the Plains!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Cliffjumper wakes up in a fog, his mind and eyesight fuzzy, he lay on a very warm surface, it felt quite dry against his flesh. Blue optics refocus, he was surrounded by golden grass, "Wait... grass? Am I back on earth then?" With a groan he pushes himself up shaking his head and standing. The grass still stood taller then he, "What the slag?" He looks up and around, "Have I shrunk?" A crisp wind blows by  blowing his hair around his face.

Wait... hair? Cliff's hand snap to his head, meeting with something soft and organic, his optics dilated in fear and shift to his feet. He was a human! He looked like an earthling. A loud yell in terror and panic erupted from his intakes as he falls backwards landing on his aft. He runs his hands over his fleshy pink self, it sported a slight tan, his muscles flexing underneath. Whatever power tossed him back to earth left him exposed to the elements, leaving him with only a pair of boxer briefs to cover himself.

"This can't be happening!" Cliff yells in panic looking at his new body, placing his hands back on his head, the left hitting a metal horn that grew out of his skull, parting his red hair as it sat much like a crown. He sighs in slight relief, if nothing else at least his horns where still metal. Using his right hand he searched for his right horn, finding only the broken stub hidden under his hair, "Ah, That's right. The explosion. One of those no good cons knocked my horn off! Well! At least I still have one of them. And whoever messes with me will get that one!" He shouts in triumph standing back up, "So, I have to answer his question and six months to decide my answer. But I'm stuck as a human. Hmm, the Decepticons can just crush me underfoot or with their bare hands. No," Cliff shakes his head, "If I come across a 'Con like this, I'll need backup. I need to find the others. And I have to apologize to Arcee."

He starts walking through the golden grass trying to find his way out of the field, "Next question, where is base? Where am I for that matter? Ow!" He jumps back hopping on one foot holding his other, optics scanning the ground for what he stepped on, "A human communicator device! Cellphones, I think they called them." He reaches down and grabs the cellphone, the back cover had the autobot symbol engraved on it. Curious, Cliffjumper opens the phone, the device thankfully has a full charge, he looks through the various functions of it then opens the contacts menu.

It was blank.

"Slag..." he groans closing the phone and carries it with him, so much for calling for backup. Then again, the others probably thought him long dead by now.

Several miles it feels he walks, wishing he had some sort of cover for his bare feet against the rocks and heat of the ground. At long last he steps out of the field and sees a weathered barn ahead. Hey it wasn't much but it was some form of civilization! He darts into the barn finding it most bare save for some rusted tools and hay. However, off to one side was a table holding a set of clothes, a mirror hung on the post behind it, a cowboy hat hung from a nail. On top of the clothes a note sits pinned by a small stone. Intrigued, Cliffjumper walks over to and reads the note, it was written in a Cybertronian language.

'Lost soul trapped in flesh of the planet natives. Your spark beats once more. Discover to answer to being a true Autobot and gain eternal peace. A robot in disguise fit perfectly for this planet. Seek your  answer. Be warned, time waits for no one. You have half a Earth year to do so. Use the chance well, next time your life leaves, we will meet again.'

"Half a earth year," Cliff whispers to himself, "That is only six months. If I fail, I'll be cast into the pit! Frag, could this thing have at least given me directions to Jasper, Nevada." He soon realizes there is little time to complain, right now he had to complete his disguise, as the note called it. Taking the clothes, he dresses himself in a red and blue plaid short sleeve shirt, long jeans, a pair of work boots, Cliff takes a moment looking over himself in the mirror cringing slightly at his reflection. He looked that of a young human male, in his late twenties to early thirties, red hair at chin length trimmed to fit army standards. Facial features were that of a strong fighter, his bright blue eyes carrying a look of disgust at his reflection having only his horns remain metal, he did not like the idea of being a human, still, he had to do what he must. Picking up the hat he places it over his horn, hiding it from prying eyes, then nods to himself, looking like a true cowboy from the Westerns he had grown to like, "Time to find the missile silo. No matter what it takes."

He checks the barn for any sort of map of where he is, finding nothing he turns to leave, armed only with his fist, and a cellphone in his pocket, "Six months, it could take me that long just to find Arcee again. How long have I been dead anyway? Is the war over? Has she forgotten about me?" he shook his head, best not to think like that, surely his partner had not forgotten about him, "Focus, man focus! Find whatever Autobot you can. Go from there."

Rustle, rustle!

Cliff jumps turning to the rustling noise, "Who is there!" he shouts.

The grass rustles a few more times, and out hops a jack rabbit. It stands on its hind legs testing the air and cleaning its ears. It pauses looking at autobot turned human then bounds away.

"Hey!" he calls out chasing the rabbit, "Come back here buddy! I won't hurt you." he gives chase after the rabbit following it to a road. The rabbit pauses looking to its right down the road. Cliff quickly catches up and looks up and down the street, weeds grew like wild fire out of the cracks and over most of the abandoned road, "No offense little guy, but this doesn't help me much."

The rabbit turns and hops down along side the road to a rusted green sign, raising to its hide legs, looking up at the sign. With no other lead, Cliffjumper follows suit and looks at the sign pulling some of the wild fauna off, "Let's see.... Jasper... 18 miles!" He lets out a short chuckle and looks down at the jackrabbit, "Thanks little buddy. Looks like I have a long walk ahead of me." He gives the rabbit a smile as it jumps away back into the grass, Cliffjumper takes a deep breathe and begins the long walk down the deserted road.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Arcee? Hey! Arcee!"

"Hmm!"

A young teenage male human looks at the sleek blue motorcycle before him, "Are you feeling okay?" he questions walking to its side and straddling the bike before placing a helmet over his head.

"Sorry," the motorcycle replies carrying him out of the garage and to the main road, "My mind was elsewhere. I'm awake, Jack."

Stopping at a red light, Jack takes a minute to pat her side, "Were you thinking about Cliffjumper again?"

"What makes you think back?" she asks talking through their closed communications in his helmet.

"You were sleep talking," the human replies kicking off the pavement as the light turns green, "You keep apologizing to Cliffjumper, saying you should have come when he called. You shouldn't have side tracked."

Arcee fell silent, she did not like talking about that. The second in command felt personally responsible for the death of Cliffjumper, having not answered his back up quick enough. He was another partner that she had lost to the decepticons. But no, more then a partner, she had grown to love him. Coming to terms with his death caused her much anguish and grief, she would rather not think on it.

Jack sighs, "Okay, I get it. You don't want to talk about it. Don't want to talk about your last partner with your new partner."

"Junior partner," she reminds him returning to her old self that Jack had come to know, "Don't you forget that."

The duo left town heading for the far outskirts across the baked desert plain of Nevada eager to reach base, they were already running late. Things were starting to seem as a normal Saturday, the Autobots would go on patrols while the human children, Jack, Miko, and Rafael, stayed in the protective confines of the hidden missile silo playing video games and doing homework.

Without warning, a yellow and black muscle car comes shooting down the highway screeching to a halt at the sight of Acree and Jack. The mute autobot known as Bumblebee faces his superior and lets out a long string of bleeps and whistles. Arcee listens intently able to decipher the makeshift language, "A strong energy pattern? Is it Decepticon?" Bumblebee let out a negative tone. "What about M.E.C.H.?" Arcee inquires. Again Bee plays the same note followed by several long line of the beeps and whirs.

"Translation?" Jack asks looking at the motorcycle he was still perched on.

"Ratchet picked up an odd signal not of Cybertronian or Earth origin. It originated from about twenty miles southwest of here," she explains to her human friend, "Whatever it is, its on the move but at a slow pace, no faster then a quick human walk. The signal is weaker like that of a cellphone. Optimus wants all three of us to investigate."

Jack sputters slightly, "W-wait? Me? It sounds like a human with an odd cellphone signal. Do we really need to investigate this?"

Arcee revs her engine following after Bumblebee as they speed off down the highway towards the disturbance, "Better safe then sorry. Time is of the essence as it is moving, this is what we get for being late, Jack."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Meanwhile several miles down the road, Cliffjumper continues his walk, finding a bleak sign of civilization, a gas station sitting alone on the corner of a four way stop. He curses his human body and the sun above. His legs felt weak, mouth aching with thirst, sweat soaking his new found clothes, and not a penny to spare in his pocket, much less a dollar he would at least need to purchase some water, "How... do these.... humans... survive!" He pants, dragging his tired body to the building finding a water spigot on the side. Victory!

Finding new strength, Cliffjumper dashes to the spigot, kneeling before it and twisting the rusty valve open, precious water splashing the black pavement. Removing his hat, he drinks heavily as the crystal clear liquid flows, soaking the lower front part of his jeans. After having his fill, he turns off the spigot and sits in the shade to catch his breathe, "It cannot be too much further to Jasper now," he speaks to no one, keeping one hand on his hat as he leans his head against the building, the horn clicking as it hits concrete, a short break was in order.

Vrrroooom!

Cliff snaps from his trance standing up and replacing his hat, that engine, he knew that exact sound! Peering through the heat, he spies a sleek blue motorcycle what some of the humans refereed to as a crotch rocket, being ridden by a young human. Cliff guessed the human was in his late teens. Behind them was a somewhat noisy yellow muscle car with black stripes, "No... It can't be. Arcee? Bumblebee?" It had to be, he thought, it had to be his friends. No, his family. The small group of Autobots had grown close during their time of being outcast to this world. Family would be a more correct term. Not wanting to be seen just yet, weary of the young human, the reborn autobot turn organic remains behind the building, watching and listening intensely.

Jack removes his helmet to get a better look at the flashing radar on Arcee's panel, "Look like we're right on top of it." He looks up and towards the convenience store, Cliffjumper quickly pulling himself out of sight. The teen hums, "Maybe whoever it is, they are inside?" He suggests, "I'll go look real quick.

"We'll be here," Arcee remarks back. There was not much else her and Bumblebee could do this close to humans.

Cliffjumper watches as Jack enters the building then quickly darts out from behind the building over to the Autobots, "Arcee! Bumblebee!" He speaks in a loud, hasty, whisper cautious that someone would overhear him talking to them, "Thank the All spark I found you. It's me! Cliffjumper!" They gave no reply, "Yeah I know, got to keep cover. Probably don't believe me. I can't blame you. But-" He cuts off looking towards the store then kneels down in front of Arcee, "I can prove it! Look." He takes off the hat showing the single horn, "See? It is me, Arcee, Bumblebee. I can't explain here. Can you take me back to base? I'll tell everyone there. Okay?" He replaces the hat then walks over and gives a tug on Bumblebee's door handle but it remains locked, "H-hey! Bee! It's me. Honest. Come on. Let me in! Before that kid get's back. Who is he anyway?" Cliff continues to grunt and strain on the door, "Guys, come on. I know who you are. I can prove it as well. Do you want me to repeat the code? Can you at least acknowledge that you are listening to me?" He then turns to Arcee, dusting off the seat and straddles her looking at the console, "Come on partner it's me!"

"What are you doing with my bike?" Jack returned carrying a water bottle and wearing a scowl, glaring at the cowboy, "Get off of her!" The teen walks over to and harshly shoves and elbows Cliff in the rib cage forcing him to stumble back and off Arcee, Jack taking his rightful place on her seat, "Can I help you, buddy?"

"Kid what are you doing out here?" Cliff asks rather roughly not knowing about any of the humans that had befriended the Autobots in his abstinence.

Jack merely continues his glare taking a swig from the water bottle, "Going for a ride. Now why don't you go find your horse and get on out of here, 'partner'."

The easily enraged autobot wasn't about to take that from him, "You looking to get roughed up? I'll gladly bring the horns," he puts up his fist, "You want them?" He never wanted to fight a human but if needed, he would do so to put this one in his place.

"How about you slag off!" Jack retorts giving a snort then looking at the control panel. Whatever was giving off that weird signal was coming from this cowboy, "Hey buddy, you got a cell phone?"

"First you look for a fight, then you expect me to call someone for ya?" Cliffjumper asks insulted but dropping his stance, "What's it to you?"

The teen shrugs, "Just a simple question is all." He then pulls out his own cellphone, "Seems mine is out of juice," he lies eying the cowboy, "I was merely wanting to call my friend and see where he is."

Cliff huffs crossing his arms, "Really? Well, you're out of luck, 'partner'." he pulls out his own, the three beings watching this rash organic each get a glimpse at the Autobot symbol on its back, "Mine's dead as well."

Jack feigned interest in the design, "Hey, that's pretty neat." He points at the symbol on the back of the cellphone, "You have the same symbol on your phone as the one my friend uses on everything he builds. I didn't know he did cellphones."

"Your 'friend'? Really now kid?" Cliff inquires not buying it.

"Hey just saying," Jack replies putting on his helmet, "Small world."

Arcee sends a silent message to Bumblebee, both agree that whoever this guy was, he was important. Humans don't have metal horns growing out of their heads, nor cellphones with their symbol. He knew who they were even in their alternate mode. They agreed on what had to be done, they had to take this human, who claimed himself to be their fallen brother in arms, back to base, "Jack," Arcee spoke on the communicator, "I hate to ask you this, but we have to take him prisoner. Get it so he'll follow us away from here."

"On it," Jack looks at the cowboy and reeves Arcee engine, gently kicking Bumblebee so he follows suit. Cliffjumper stood there looking at them worried, if they left he would have to finish walking. In one swift moment, Jack grabs the cellphone and takes off towards the road, "You want it back!? Come get it!"

"H-hey!" Cliffjumper snarls chasing after the human, "That's mine! Return it at once!"

Going slow enough so he could keep up, Arcee and Bumblebee take off down the road. Not to be outwitted by this human child, Cliff makes a leap and grabs onto Bumblebee's trunk and pulls himself onto the muscle car, "Associating with thieves now Bumblebee?"

Once out of sight of the lone gas station they turned off the road and into the rocky desert terrain, Bumblebee leaps out of his vehicle mode, catapulting the human off his trunk and through the air before swiftly snatching him from mid flight and holding him in a tight grip, slides into the ravine as Jack and Arcee wind their way down the path meeting them at the bottom. Allowing her passenger to get off, the sole female flips into her true form and glares down at the human who claimed himself to be an Autobot, "Spit it out, how do you know about us, and what nerve have you to claim you are one of us? You are nothing more then a squishy human native of this planet."

"Darn it woman!" Cliffjumper cries out straining against Bumblebee's grip, "I know its hard to take in but I swear its me! Its Cliffjumper! I'm alive! Not as I once was, but alive none the less!"

"Impossible!" she snarls as if spitting venom, "Cliffjumper died. What I would give to smack you right now for saying such a thing."

Jack smirks getting and idea and climbs up to Bumblebee, "Hey, cowboy!"

"What?!" Cliff snaps at the annoying human.

Crack!

Jack's fist connected with Cliff's jaw, "Now, how about you stop lying to the lovely lady."

Arcee smirks nodding a silent thanks to Jack, "Let's try again. Who are you? Where are you from? And how do you know about us?"

Hurt and losing patience, Cliffjumper practically yells at the trio, "My name is Cliffjumper! I am a warrior from Cybertron! I know about you because I am, or was once one of you! I died and was returned here by Primus himself to seek something!"

Bumblebee let out a questioning tone, if it really was Cliffjumper, he would understand the mute Autobot.

"And answer! That's what, Bee," Cliff answer, "Look I can't tell you the question because I don't know the answer. If I say the question I'll get called back to the gates. If I can't answer I'm in the Pit, when I do answer correctly I am allowed to the Plains!"

"You understand him?" Jack asks impressed.

"Course I do!" Cliff replies puffing up, "Now shut yer yap, kid!"

"Then answer this instead," Arcee glares knowing of only one event that she and Cliffjumper shared and was certain no one else knew of it, "When Cliffjumper and I arrived on the planet three Earth years ago. Where and what was our first contact with the beings of this world?"

Cliff stopped squirming, momentarily cursing his weak fleshy form as he caught his breathe, "That's easy, partner. Fifty miles from the missile silo in which the Autobot base hides, our first interaction with a creature of this world, was a small jackrabbit. I remember you called it an adorable organic creature. Looks kinda like that rabbit right over there." He nods at a jack rabbit nibbling on some desert brush.

Arcee's jaw dropped, it wasn't possible, she motioned for Bumblebee to release his grip and place the human in her palm. She looks at him with shock filled optics, "C-Cliffjumper? It... it's really you... but how?"

Cliffjumper smiles and removes his hat holding it in one hand, the single horn gleams against the sun light, "Howdy, partner. It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"

Time Remaining: 5 months; 29 days; 22 hours.