Two years ago...

The room was dark and dim, the only light was glowing from the swirling blue and green lights in one big circle that faded out like a cone. Optimus Prime stood just outside of it, next to a smaller white bot.

"Is this safe?" The prime asked seriously as his attention left the glowing circle to the smaller mech.

"Yes, Optimus. It cannot take us out more than 500 miles out yet." The mech explained calmly then rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Well, it can but that would not be safe."

Optimus released a heavy sigh. "Has this been tested?" He asked, looking a bit wary still. "Wheeljack, I do not want to send any Autobots through unless it is truly safe." He frowned.

Wheeljack didn't seem offended by the nervousness of the Prime. "Yes, I managed to grab an organic-." Wheeljack noticed Optimus look darken at the thought of using an organic as a test subject but Wheeljack quickly finished his sentence. "-an animal of a rabbit. Don't worry, I used machinery first with a GPS implanted but once I knew it made it across, I used rabbits to monitor their vitals." He said gently, almost proudly. Optimus still wasn't sure if he wanted to know how Wheeljack deemed it unsafe past 500 miles but didn't ask.

"Alright. 500 miles is a good start, Wheeljack. For now, we need to keep this technology a secret from the humans. They do not need know about this technology yet." Optimus frowned and set a servo on the scientists soldier. Wheeljack nodded.

"Don't worry Prime." Wheeljack smiled.

...

One year ago...

"And what is this again?" Lennox frowned as he stared at the gaint circular vortex. Optimus shifted and glanced at his Cheif medic and scientist.

"A Groundbridge. In simpler terms, it is a transportation device that can take you from point A to point B instantly." Wheeljack shrugged lightly, standing next to what looked like the controls.

"Is it safe for humans?" Lennox frowned. "And what do you mean? I could go to The Caribbean and take a vacay if I wanted?" The man asked with furrowed eyebrows.

Optimus looked a bit confused as Ratchet merely ignored the odd stated question. "No, it is not for humans yet. It will simply squish your insides and melt your flesh and squashed organs. The gravity and radiation is not suited for you," Ratchet began making the man cringe. "But yes, anywhere in the world. For at the moment, it is not powered enough to travel to planets so for now it remains a Groundbridge. Not that you humans should need a Spacebridge." Ratchet grunted and crossed his arms.

Lennox blinked at the thought of traveling to Moon, or even Mars with a Spacebridge but shook his head. "Well, if humans can't use it then I'm sure you all can. It will be useful for reaching Decepticons around the world, but we just finished fighting for the Allspark. Megatron is dead. What would we use it for?" Lennox frowned.

Wheeljack smirked and turned to the controls, typing in something then starting the groundbridge. Lennox stepped back a bit, awed but a bit frightened to see the large machinery work. Lights flickered then began growing into a circular motion, almost blinding the man. He blinked a few times then watched it, as it was memsormizing really.

Wheeljack laughed a bit as Ratchet smirked a bit at his reaction. "Well, Major. We have new arrivals, why don't we give our newcomer Autobots an easier way to get to us?" Wheeljack asked then looked at Optimus. "First stop; Rome, Italy. Mirage is just on the otherside." He grinned, his optics brightening.

Optimus looked to him and nodded, transforming. He started his engine and drove through to fetch the young Autobot.

...

Mirage slowly woke as he exited his escape pod, blinking open his optics from stasis. He rubbed his optics as his systems online. He shook rubble and his broken pod off him. He noticed he was inside a large oval type rumbling building as people crowded the inside, gasping and pointing. Mirage frowned at the odd looking humans, unfamiliar at the sight of them. He could hear them speaking an odd language and began analyzing it as he stood fully.

Searching the internet of Earth, provided by Jazzs insight 2 years ago in his travel from Cybertron to Earth, he realized he landed in the direct center of something called 'The Coliseum'.

Mirage blinked his optics as he searched the many organics around him, his universal translator detecting a language named 'Italain' for being in a place called 'Rome, Italy'.

Mirage sighed, feeling organic dirt in his pedes already, growing annoyed. He looked for a way to get out of the building and ran to an opening, jumping and leaping over it. Not far he heard the sound of engines and he went to it, scanning. He saw a slick red Ferrari getting a test drive and he scanned it immediately.

He transformed and his engine roared to life. Mirage grinned inwardly, liking the sound already. He drove down the streets, taking in the culture around him, curious.

Mirage was only around from noon to late afternoon before he was given a comm by Optimus Prime to meet him, receiving a set of coordinates. The ferrari turned away from the parking space outside a restaurant where a race was playing on TV, going to the coordinates.

Optimus Primes truck was barely fitting in between an alleyway, facing a street which Mirage was on. The red sports car turned into the alleyway and the headlights turned off from both cars.

::Mirage,:: Optimus greeted calmly. ::I am pleased to know you made it to Earth safely.::

The deep voice still managed to carry over their language of strange robotic noises.

::Sir, it is an honor to reunite with you.::

::Status of Ultra Magnus and his wreckers?:: Optimus asked quietly. They had seperated into different groups when leaving Cybertron.  Ultra Magnus left early with wreckers and what sparklings and citizens they could take.

::Ultra Magnus found a planet and is determining if it is safe enough for the sparklings and femmes before coming here. He sent some wreckers this way in a deployable ship.:: Mirage then sighed heavily, sinking on his tires. ::I am unsure how he is still though. I left him once I got Jazzs comm.:: He explained, his tone lightening as he spoke about Jazz. ::How is he? Where is he?::

There was a long moment of silence for a moment.

::Mirage, there is something I must tell you before I bring you to base. It is about Jazz...::

Mirage knew what that meant instantly.

Mirage stayed in Italy by himself to recoup before joining the Autobots a week later. He wasn't the same bot that had landed before. Optimus hoped he would be with time.

A/N: This is mostly an informational and filler chapter for the story. It will help you understand Mirage a bit more and the situation of all Autobots as this story is derailing off of the first movie :)