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Four Rescue Bots, then, possibly some more humans not being mentioned, and no one else. Small rescue teams were usual, so the number didn't come as a shock. That one was an aerial bot was surprising, though, and added a complication to things, and Thunderhoof filed all this away.

'If you choose to stay on this island'. He assumed that meant they'd offer to send him back if he insisted on it, and he had no intention of doing so, not after playing along so far.

"At least six hundred years," Thunderhoof agreed. He'd been brought up to date by Steeljaw, had realized that maybe it was a good thing that he hadn't made it back to Cybertron when he had -- things must have changed drastically, and he'd need to figure out how to maneuver the new landscapes. "Strictly speaking, I think I've served my time." Even if he hadn't actually ever gone to trial. Good that the human wasn't going to try to judge him, though, if they actually meant it; there was no way he had enough information, he'd be completely out of his depth, it would honestly be insulting. It was insulting enough when the Autobots did it.

But that 'or' didn't go in the direction he was expecting it to, and his brows rose; he looked more intently at the human. "A part of the team," he repeated. "Are you trying to tell me this rescue team is inviting me to join, in an effort at rehabilitation." Kind of a faulty effort, too, since he could always just agree and then leave. He wasn't going to point that out to them, though, and he wasn't saying no.

"I've already had a discussion about Autobot justice systems... but I agree with you. And I don't think what you had to deal with was fair. I don't expect you to be happy with it." Charlie was frank, particularly for someone who was an officer of the law, and he was also trying - even if he wasn't succeeding - to make it apparent that he'd been thinking of potential problems before they happened.

"And, yes. That is exactly what I'm telling you. If you say yes, there are a few things out of the norm that you'll be expected to do - one of them is, unfortunately, acting like a robot around the local populace. You can be yourself up at Doc Greene's laboratory," not even subtly trying to work that in, there, "And at the firehouse, which is where my family - humans and bots - all live. I've had a look at your rap sheet, and I'll be honest. I wouldn't consider this "rehabilitation" to anyone unless I had to explain it in terms that Autobot military brass would understand. I don't think you've done enough wrong to need a second chance, Thunderhoof. I think you've just reacted understandably to environmental stress, and what you need is a better environment. Somewhere you can feel less in danger."

He could be wrong, it was possible that Thunderhoof really liked hurting people, that he'd gravitated toward organized crime for that opportunity. Anything was possible. But he didn't expect Optimus Prime, despite how highly he valued the bot, to give him an unbiased accounting of their ancient enemies. He wouldn't be a very good cop if he assumed there was one side to any story.

"I can also give you some time to think on it, you don't have to decide right now."

"Then we both know what an imperfect situation this is." Thunderhoof was dubious, but he couldn't think of any good reason the human would be messing with him. What would he gain from lying about this and asking for Thunderhoof's help? "Without being free to leave, you're offering me community service, not a job."

That said, he was considering it -- though his initial instinct was to say that unlike the Dinobot, he didn't have any intention of being leashed to Autobots. Having to 'act like a robot' was definitely a further sticking point (what a ridiculous idea), but he had to admit, the unsubtle mention of that lab... This little arrangement could be a very temporary thing.

"Cybertron wasn't a good environment for anyone," he said, instead. "I did what I could." To improve it, was the implication, though he didn't bother stating it; still, he certainly didn't dream of organized crime straight of the well, he didn't enjoy hurting people, though he was satisfied with a job well done and an irritant out of the way. "I can't say pretending to be non-sentient is particularly appealing. But I do realize that this is a generous offer. Give me a day or so; the next time you stop by, I'll have an answer for you."

Speaking of. "What's your name?"

"And I am sorry that it's currently the best I can do." He added, "I will keep tabs on your behavior in the hopes that I can release you from custody at the earliest available time, but you're right, this isn't a situation where you're free to make any choice. It's something that I wish I could do better with."

He hesitated at the mention of Cybertron. "Sometime, if you'd like, I wouldn't mind hearing your accounts. I haven't had an opportunity to talk to any Decepticons about the war, or before the war, or anything else."

The Chief nodded to the request - 24 hours was easy to do. "You can call me Chief Burns, or Charlie. Oh!" He touched his own chest, adding, "Do you want me to bring you paint, to fix your-... badge?" He didn't know the symbolism of the scratchthrough, but he also didn't sound like he was too worried about it either way, just. One of those casual courtesies.

"Hm. Just making sure we're on the same page. I don't have as much freedom as I'd like, and neither do you." Fair was fair; Thunderhoof could hardly say that any of this was the human's fault. It wasn't even the Rescue Bots' fault, even if they were his new pseudo-jailers and 'in charge' of him for now, seeing as they'd come into this late and with no real power in the grand scheme of things.

Thunderhoof was good at keeping track of who had the power in a situation.

The request was a mild surprise, although it honestly wasn't a surprise that the Autobots' 'human partners' had been left in the dark -- and of course hadn't had an opportunity to ask any Decepticons for their side of things. Most Autobots hadn't actually been allowed to hear the Decepticons' side of things -- or at least that was the case before Thunderhoof had been arrested, and he didn't see why it would have changed after. "...I don't see why not. I was in stasis through most of the war, but I could tell you about Cybertron, and why it all started." Like it was yesterday, and for good reason.

"That isn't necessary." He gave his badge a light tap. "I'm not a Decepticon any longer. It doesn't need any fixing; it shows my current loyalties." Even if he hadn't chosen it himself, he didn't regret it, and he wasn't about to take it back. Once he got away from here, he was going to track down Steeljaw again.

"I appreciate your awareness of that." Chief Burns said, pretty fully intending to leave Thunderhoof to his potential new island and confident that he'd explore every inch with a mind to escaping, discover the tunnels under the island leading to the other island - where Boulder was taking the night off, just in case Thunderhoof wanted to let himself out early.

"Thank you." This in reference to Thunderhoof's offer to talk about the prewar situation, about the war's beginning. "I didn't expect Optimus to have all the facts." Just putting it out there, that he wasn't completely sold on one narrative even if he had been working with the Autobots for fifteen years or so.

He wasn't sure what to make about Thunderhoof's disavowal of his faction, but he nodded again anyway. "I'll come back to check up on you tomorrow. If you want to meet back here." Still working under the assumption that he wasn't going to try - or rather, wasn't going to succeed - escaping.

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