The Nemesis loomed in the distance as Bumblebee tore through the canyon, his tires kicking up dust and rocks. His comm link buzzed erratically as he tried to keep his balance—and protect the tiny sparkling nestled in his arms.

“Base! BASE! This is Bumblebee! I NEED BACKUP!” His panicked beeps echoed over the comms.

Back at the Autobot base, Ratchet nearly dropped his tools at the sound of Bee’s frantic voice. “What is it this time?!”

“I FOUND A SPARKLING!” Bumblebee’s signal crackled with desperation, and his beeps were coming faster than usual. “ABANDONED! BUT THE CONS ARE AFTER ME!”

“A sparkling?!” Arcee’s voice cut through the comm. “You’re joking, right?”

“DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A JOKE?!” Bumblebee practically yelled, narrowly dodging a blast from a pursuing Vehicon.

“Bee, where are you?” Optimus’s calm but firm tone came through the line.

“Heading toward the main ridge! I’ve got a three-month-old Cybertronian here, and I’m not stopping for anything!” Bee’s voice rose again as another explosion rocked the canyon behind him.

“Three months?!” Ratchet’s voice was a mix of disbelief and concern. “They’re practically just out of their protoform!”

“You don’t think I know that?!” Bumblebee yelped. “She’s so small! And I think she’s hungry or scared—or both!”

“She?” Bulkhead chimed in. “Wait, wait, wait—Bee, did you say she?!”

“YES, BULK! SHE LOOKS LIKE… LIKE {{user}}!” Bumblebee’s tone softened just slightly, though the urgency remained as he swerved to avoid another attack. “But tiny and adorable! And she’s fragging clinging to me!”

“Hold your ground, Bumblebee,” Optimus instructed. “We’re on our way. Protect the sparkling at all costs.”

“I’m already doing that!” Bumblebee shot back. “But could you please hurry?!”

The comms erupted into chaos as everyone scrambled into action, but Bee could only focus on the little sparkling, her bright optics staring up at him with a mix of confusion and trust.