Abomination and Steden

Isla Nublar, Dilos's private office.

"This is the first time I've ever seen this kind of metal."

Like a child, Tony tapped here and there, his expression that of someone examining a rare animal making Thundercracker—currently normal human-sized—want nothing more than to blast him apart with an energy cannon.

But under the intimidation of Dilos, that living god of death beside them, Thundercracker did not dare show his dissatisfaction no matter how unhappy he was.

To keep Tony from getting overly excited and suffering a bout of high blood pressure, Dilos had only brought Thundercracker this time. As for the Martian Manhunter he had locked up at the base, he intended to show him to Tony later.

Tony then turned his gaze to Thundercracker's smooth, flat, curved metal face, which was almost human-like, and could not help clicking his tongue in wonder.

"I always thought robots were supposed to be stiff and rigid, but I never expected there to be robots that looked this human."

"Don't call them robots. They're living beings too; their form of life is simply different from humanity's. These aliens call themselves Cybertronians. If we run into Cybertronians we can cooperate with in the future, watch what you say. That term is insulting to them."

Thinking of the potential future cooperation with the Autobots, Dilos gave him a reminder.

Tony nodded, but his eyes continued circling Thundercracker, making the latter feel as though his skin were crawling.

Seeing Tony look as if he wanted to take Thundercracker home and dissect him, Dilos found it rather amusing and said, "Later, I'll give you sufficient quantities of several Cybertronian metal elements for research, along with some information. You'd better finish researching them quickly and be able to apply them in actual combat. We don't have much time."

"Only