Chapter Three:

As Sam relaxed in Bee's driver's seat, he thought about his decision to take Professor Colan up on his offer. He hadn't much liked the man when he had been in class that first time - how the man flirted shamelessly with the girls in the front row and how he made Astronomy out to be the best thing since sliced bread.

But now that he had talked to the professor in a solitary setting, he wondered if all that wasn't an act to keep the students who had to sit through the class for one reason or another occupied and interested. For those who were serious astrophysical sciences students, they would listen no matter how he spoke - but the others?

As Bumblebee zipped along the streets around campus, and then farther and farther out where there was less congestion and more open space, Sam found himself nearly drifting off again. Blast this fatigue! I can barely go a day without taking a nap. When is this going to end?

Sighing, he sat up to try and wake himself up. No go. "Bee? Can you open the window? I'm falling asleep here."

The response was immediate and the window slid down, breeze whipping in and hitting Sam in the face. It was refreshing and it did perk him up. He found he had to slip a pair of sunglasses on his face otherwise he was forced to close his eyes.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Came chirping over the radio all of a sudden and Sam nearly jumped.

Shaking his head wryly, he blew out a breath. "I'm not really thinking of anything in particular, Bee," he finally said. "I'm just tired. I guess I'm wondering when that will stop. I'm sick of being tired all the time. And I'm kind of wondering what to expect when I see Professor Colan tonight. I mean, I've worked with the government and with Major Lennox and NEST, but never with just an ordinary group of people who are aware of you guys."

Shifting, he tapped his fingers along Bee's steering wheel. "I mean, have they ever seen an Autobot? Or are they just aware you guys exist? I've been in more than one of you, shot at, blown up, been ... well ... I don't want to get into that incident, but you know what I mean. Are they going to be all questions too? Am I just setting myself up for worse pestering?"

There was no immediate response from Bee. When he did respond, it was with the crackling, breaking sound of his own vocal processor. "Want me to come?"

Sam cocked his head to the side. "You know ... if they haven't seen you guys for real that might not be such a bad idea. But we might want to clear it with the authorities." He was cut off when Bee's radio blared, "Damn the rules!" Shaking his head, Sam chuckled. "I damn the rules and I'm liable to disappear into a top secret government building to get chewed out, Bee. But ... I'll see what they know and maybe take you up on your offer. God knows I'd rather you answer the questions than me!"

The rest of the ride was silent, two friends cruising down clear streets under sunny skies.

That night...

The telescope was a new addition to the astrophysical science building. Funded by the government for the sole purpose of monitoring the skies for incoming Autobots and Decepticons, few had seen the new-fangled piece of astronomy equipment. And of those few, only a handful could enter the laboratory or work the telescope.

Professor Colan's team was a hand-picked group of astrophysical science experts. Bringing Sam Witwicky on was a risk. The professor wasn't sure the government was going to be thrilled with his bold move, but something about that boy told him this was the right thing to do. That Witwicky would be able to bring to the table something none of the others could bring - a knowledge of the Autobots and Decepticons, and the knowledge contained in their Cube - whatever that meant.

Heads popped up as a sharp rap sounded on the door to the professor's office. Through that office was the only way into the lab and the only way to access the telescope and monitors. It was added insurance. The office had state of the art locks, and there was a bioscanner that led from the office into the lab.

Colan put down the pad he was looking at and hurried to the office. He opened the outer door to reveal a wind-blown Sam Witwicky. The scars on his neck and arm stood out in the flourescent lighting of the hallway. "Ah, Mr. Witwicky, glad you could join us. Please, come in." He moved aside to let the boy into the office.

Sam took in the interior, filled with wall-to-wall book cases and a door with a touch-screen panel. The door looked - strangely high-tech. "Hello Professor," Sam said, shaking the man's outstretched hand. "Thanks for this opportunity. I hope it's what I need."

Gesturing for Sam to have a seat, the Professor took his own chair behind his paper-filled desk. "Before I get into the details of this project, I have to come clean about one thing," the professor said, folding his arms in front of him. "My persona. I'm sure you've wondered about my antics in class. Everyone does. That's my objective. I've been working in the field of space exploration for a long time and being ... eccentric ... has been a part of my cover. The crazier the people think I am, the less likely they are going to pay attention to me. And now, with these NBEs, it's a perfect cover to continue."

Sam's senses perked at the acronym. "You ... call them NBEs?"

Colan nodded. "This monitoring post was commissioned more recently than most, but we were created by the former Sector Seven. I believe you have come into close contact with that government body?" At Sam's eye roll, Colan chuckled. "That's a yes then. Despite the agency being shut down, the monitoring stations have remained and are now under the auspices of the Department of Defense."

Leaning forward, Colan pinned Sam with an intense look. "Understand this, Mr. Witwicky. If you join my team, you will be involved in 'all this alien stuff'. You will not be going the normal route you were lamenting. I want to be very clear with you. If you join this monitoring station, you will have to be quiet about it. But while in here, you will not be treated as a pariah."

Sam took a deep breath and didn't answer for a few long moments. Was this what he wanted? He was getting involved - again - and that was not what he wanted, per se, but the thought of having a place he could go and a group he could interact with that wouldn't question him about the Autobots and Decepticons was alluring. And he did like astronomy. And the sciences. It was fascinating. He could see himself majoring in this subject. And if he did, what better way to combine his odd friendship with Optimus and the others with his eventual career?

Drawing himself up, Sam reached forward. "I want in, Professor."

With a hand shake, Sam sealed his involvement in the ongoing battle between Autobots, Decepticons, and the human race. Not that he hadn't already been involved, but this official. He was no longer an innocent bystander drawn into the middle of it - he was volunterally getting himself into this.

Please don't backfire on me, he thought as the professor smiled and shook his hand.

A/N: Another shorty chapter. I'm not entirely sure where this is going, i'm just writing it as it comes. But I'm thinking it might easily go the route of a sequel to ROTF. We'll see. Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know!