That night, Smokescreen couldn't sleep one bit. He tossed and turned in his berth, trying to get comfy. He just couldn't lay still. He sat up and walked over to his desk which was made from a metal slab that was forged to the wall by Ratchet. The rookie set his servos on the platform and pushed himself up onto it, sitting down. He grabbed his other servo and began rubbing the surface of his digits nervously. He closed his eyes and laid back. That's when he felt something. Smokescreen shot open his eyes to be met with nothing but his own frame. He growls in annoyance and jumps off the desk, then going to lay back on his berth. He falls asleep once more.
The next day, he got up early and ran out to the front. No one else was awake. He was super tired though. He then saw Optimus making his way down the hall, mask on. He hid around the corner and heard Prime retract his mask and get to work. "Smokescreen—" "AAHH!!" The racer jumped at the male's voice. He turns to see Bulkhead "you good?" He asks. Smokescreen nods "yeah... just. Wasn't expecting you is all. Heh heh." Bulkhead shrugged it off and came out into the front room, Arcee following with. Later on, Bumblebee.
As they all stood there, Smokescreen says to himself "I'm gonna be a great warrior some day." Bulkhead adds "Well, train hard, gain some wisdom along the way and I'm sure it'll happen." Smokescreen's spirit was raised "Oh I will. It's my destiny!" "=<To be a good fighter?>=" Bee asks. "How so?" Arcee adds to him. Smokes replies "Well, one minute I'm on security detail at Iacon, the next I wake up on the other side of the galaxy to... to find myself under.... Optimus's command. I-I mean, what are the chances!? Things happen for a reason." The bots noticed how hard it was for him to say that yet they thought nothing of it. Except for Arcee. Bee chirped questionably. Arcee kept it quiet because she didn't think it was possible "We get it Smokescreen. You're special, we're lucky to have you." The rookie adds "All I'm saying is I've come a long way and this is one opportunity I don't plan on messing up."
When Optimus spoke, Smokescreen flipped. "Autobots, the next Iacon coordinates have been decoded. Ratchet, ready the groundbridge." Smokescreen kept quiet. He didn't want to go. Bumblebee cracked the joke for him "=<Last one to the Omega key has to scrub the energon tanks for a week!>=" He sets a hand on his friend's shoulder. Smokescreen vents "I'm good Bee. Why don't you take this one." Bee whirs sadly. "Next mission! I promise!" Smokes said to his friend. Bee chirps happily and jumps around. Smokescreen laughed seeing that his friend was happy. "Arcee, BumbleBee." Prime starts "Prepare to roll out."
The 2 got ready and Bulkhead asks "What do you have for us, chief?" "The 2 of you will remain here in the event I am able to decode a subsequent database entry before the others return; as I have said before." Optimus explains. Ratchet agrees "Optimus is right. Considering the very fate of Cybertron is at stake, response time is critical." He fires up the bridge and Arcee calls out "Keep your engines idling, kid. Come on bee, 'destiny' awaits." Despite her wondering why Smokescren was out of place, she still didn't like him. They go through and the bridge closes.
Bulkhead says "We call it a pit stop." He pats Smokescreen's back but the racer wasn't ready for it and nearly fell forward. Bulkhead adds to what he said "We'll get back in the race." Smokescren winces in pain and stands back up.