Rovers and Robots in Disguise
Story by: Phoenix710
Summary:The Rovers and their Autobot allies journey to Road Rover HQ to bring The Master up to speed on Parvo's alliance with the Decepticons, and what the villains plan to do. While Optimus Prime and Professor Shepherd exchange information on their enemies, Hunter and Colleen head to their room for a brief respite. A few hours later, The Master calls the Rovers into action again, when he spots a joint Cano-Mutant/Decepticon attack on a nearby powerplant. The Rovers gear up, and head out with the Autobots to stop the attack.
Disclaimer: I do not claim any rights whatsoever to either Road Rovers or Transformers, or to any of the characters from either series. Road Rovers, and all associated characters, are properties of Warner Brothers. Transformers and all associated characters, are properties of Hasbro. All original characters are products of my imagination.
Hunter and Colleen's duet: 'Suddenly Love'-Lea Salonga and Ariel Rivera
Fight theme: 'Rise'-Origa
Chapter Three: A Heroic Alliance
While the Autobots drove towards Road Rover HQ, Bumblebee clicked his communications frequency over to Hound. Bumblebee's vehicle mode was a yellow 1980's Volkswagen Beetle, and he specialized in spy work. Hound's vehicle mode was a green US Army jeep, and he was a recon specialist. Hound could project holograms at will, which made him a valuable asset against the Decepticons. Bumblebee said, "Hound, did you dig up any info on the Road Rovers before we left the base, or anything regarding their enemy, Parvo?" Hound replied, "Yeah, I did some reading, Bumblebee. The Rovers were created by Professor William Shepherd to combat international terrorism, and each one was hand-picked for a specific skill. Hunter is incredibly fast, and he's a born leader. Colleen, Hunter's wife…she's the second-in-command. She's also a highly-skilled martial artist in the Earth fighting style known as Karate, and she's a skilled medic and tactician. Blitz was chosen for his super claws and teeth. Exile was picked for his strength and vision, along with his mechanical skills. Shag was picked for strength as well, and from what I've heard, he can pull a bunch of stuff out of his fur. The other two females, Samantha and Kasha, they were added to the team a few years ago. As for Muzzle, he's actually the pet of Professor Shepherd…and his real name is Scout. Parvo and his then-accomplice Jeffrey Otitus messed him up really bad with a failed Cano-Mutator, and Hunter saved him from a dog that tried to attack him when they met. They've been best friends since, and Colleen is the only other member of the team that's closer to Hunter than Muzzle. As for Parvo, he blew up Shepherd's lab with a bomb and stole the plans for Shepherd's TransDogmafier, which he used to make the Cano-Mutator, a machine that turns normal dogs into slobbering, mindless beasts." Bumblebee replied, "Wow…you really got a lot of info out of Teletraan-1. Thanks, Hound."
Teletraan-1 was the supercomputer built into the Autobots' ship, The Ark, which was now used as their Headquarters on Earth. It had crashed into the side of a volcanic mountain millions of years ago, and when the volcano erupted, it awoke the Transformers inside, after Teletraan-1 repaired them. Hunter called in, "We're here, everybody. Make sure to wipe off your tires before heading in. We've got permission to park." Hunter parked the Street Rover in the vehicle bay, and the Autobots rolled in seconds later. When the kids came out, Kayla asked, "Mom, why are those cars and trucks here?" Colleen replied, "They're actually a race of alien robots called the Autobots, honey. General Parvo's linked up with their enemies, the Decepticons, so we have to stop them. Don't worry though, they won't hurt you." Optimus Prime and the other Autobots transformed into their robot modes, and Kayla hid behind her mother, along with her brother and sister. Optimus looked down, and he said in his most reassuring tone, "Don't be afraid…I haven't come to harm you. We Autobots are sworn to protect all life on Earth." Colleen said, "It's okay, sweetie. Optimus is on our side. He and the other Autobots are here to help us fight Parvo and the Decepticons." Kayla emerged from behind her mother, and she said, "My name's Kayla…Colleen's younger daughter. The other two here are my brother Alex, and my older sister Cassie." Exile's son Alek introduced himself, and so did Blitz and Sam's daughter Karina. Optimus replied, "It's my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots." Bumblebee stepped up next, followed by Prowl, Jazz, Ironhide, Ratchet, Mirage, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Hound, and Trailbreaker.
Optimus was the largest of the Autobots, standing at thirty feet tall. His head was a dark indigo blue, with sky-blue eyes and a silver faceplate where his mouth would be if he were human. His upper body was red, and his legs were the same dark blue as his head and hands. Bumblebee was the smallest Autobot, standing at ten feet tall. He was small, but certainly had no lack of courage. Mirage was able to make himself invisible at will, and he was armed with a shoulder-mounted missile, along with an electro-magnetic disruptor rifle. Ironhide carried twin pulse pistols, while Ratchet was equipped with a laser pistol. Wheeljack had a pair of panels on the sides of his head that lit up blue when he spoke, and he had a powerful multi-purpose cannon mounted on each shoulder. They could fire electro-magnetic shells, incendiary rockets, or plasma sabot rounds. Wheeljack was also armed with a plasma rifle. Trailbreaker carried a particle beam rifle, and could project a forcefield. Hound had a beam sniper rifle, and a shoulder-mounted missile. He could project holograms, and he demonstrated this ability for the children, as he showed them some of Earth's most beautiful sights, like the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, and many others. Ratchet, Wheeljack, and Exile were soon having a fascinating talk about the differences between Earth technology and the technology of the Autobots' homeworld, Cybertron. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were twin brothers. Sunstreaker was a bright yellow, while Sideswipe was red. Optimus said, "Hunter, Colleen…if it's alright with you, I'd like to take your children out for a ride, as my way of showing them that I can be trusted. I assure you, no harm will come to them." Colleen replied, "I think that's a bloomin' wonderful idea, don't you, Huntie?" The Retriever-mix replied, "Sure, I don't see why not." Together, Hunter and Colleen helped the kids up, and once they'd all buckled themselves in, Optimus asked, "So, where would you like to go?" The kids all answered "ICE CREAM!!"
Optimus drove slowly up the exit ramp, got on the highway, and drove off into the city. When they arrived at the ice cream stand, Alex and Cassie both ordered vanilla, while Kayla ordered peanut butter. Karina ordered strawberry, and Alek ordered a root beer float. They all received weekly allowances from their parents, which they used a small portion of to purchase their ice cream. They all got their goodies, and then they sat down on the nearest table to eat their treats, while Optimus kept a watchful eye on them. When they'd finished eating, Optimus lowered a set of steps on both sides of his semi-truck cab, and the kids climbed in and buckled up. Alex said, "Thanks, Prime. You're really cool, and I wish I could be there to see Parvo's face when you show up." Optimus replied, "I appreciate the compliment, Alex…but Autobots cannot harm humans, not even Parvo. I can scare him, but that's about it. The rest is up to your mother and father…and the other Rovers. What would you like to do now?" Alex replied, "Do you know how to play basketball?" Optimus replied, "In fact, yes. I've watched Earth sports broadcasts, so I've seen how the game is played." Alex replied, "Great! How about if you, Bumblebee, Jazz, Hound, and Trailbreaker play against us kids?" Prime replied, "Sounds like fun. Optimus called ahead to inform the others, and they were outside waiting for him when he pulled up. Jazz was spinning a basketball on his finger, while the other three Autobots that Prime had picked waited.
The kids hopped out and went inside to talk to their parents. Colleen hugged her kids, and she asked, "How was your little outing?" Kayla replied, "It was great, mom! Optimus even agreed to play basketball with us!" Colleen smiled, and she replied, "I told you he wasn't scary. Now go run along and have fun." The kids dashed off, and when they came out, Prime said, "Well then…let's get this game started." The Autobots and the young Cano-Sapiens played a full game, with the final score being 100-99, in favor of the kids. Alex had ducked in between Hound's legs, passed the ball to his sister Cassie, who had then proceeded to dunk it for the win. Prime said, "That was a great game, and I really enjoyed actually being able to have some fun between battles. Speaking of which, I need to head inside and speak with Professor Shepherd. Hound and Bumblebee, watch the kids while I'm gone." The two Autobots nodded, and while Bumblebee began telling a story, Hound provided holograms to make it look like they were really there. It was the story of the rainbow crystal caves on the planet Darexus, which the Autobots had discovered long before coming to Earth.
Optimus walked up to where Hunter and Colleen were waiting for him, and Hunter said, "Excuse me, Optimus…our Master would like to speak to you in the Mission Control Room. I'll guide you up there, and then I'm gonna go and take a rest with Colleen, until our recon satellites find out where Parvo and the Decepticons are." Optimus patched a call to the rest of his troops. He said, "Autobots, wait there for me. I'll call you when it's time to roll." The other Autobots acknowledged their leader's orders, and then they went back to their previous activities and conversations.
Hunter and Colleen guided Prime up to the Mission Control Room, and Colleen said, "Optimus Prime's 'ere to see you, Master. Huntie and I are gonna go have a little quiet time in our room, until you find out where those Decepticon blighters are." Professor Shepherd replied, "Very well, Colleen. I'll see you later." Colleen and Hunter left, and Professor Shepherd said, "Welcome to Road Rover Headquarters, Optimus Prime. My name is Professor William Shepherd, the creator of the Road Rovers." Prime replied, "I've heard of your work, and the exploits of your team, Professor. It's an incredible feat of science…and it truly is an honor to meet you. Your Rovers truly are a credit to this planet. They're loyal, heroic, and honorable..and I look forward to working with them in stopping Megatron and Parvo. Speaking of which, I'll display the data on Megatron here." Prime punched in some commands, and then he fed data from his memory into the base's computer. A picture of Megatron came up, along with his powers, and the abilities of the other Decepticons. Professor Shepherd looked over the information, and then he said, "Megatron…he certainly looks and sounds like a formidable enemy. I'll have the Rovers use extreme caution." Prime replied, "That's an excellent idea. There are smaller Decepticons, namely Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, and Laserbeak, that your Rovers would have a decent chance to defeat. Rumble and Frenzy are roughly human-sized, Ravage is a robotic jaguar, and Laserbeak is a robot condor. They're the minions of Soundwave, housed inside the compartment in his chest. Now then, this Parvo…I've heard from Hunter that he kidnapped your dog Scout, years ago. What exactly happened?"
Professor Shepherd replied, "It all started when I found a stray cat in my yard. That cat would eventually become Parvo." Optimus replied, "How is that possible…a cat becoming a human?" Professor Shepherd replied, "He's actually still part cat. He coughs up hairballs, and he's also got feline ears under his helmet. Anyway…my former lab assistant Jeffrey Otitus ran 'Boots' the cat through the Transdogmafier…or a badly copied one. He became Parvo, and then they kidnapped my dog, Scout. He was put through the machine, and became a straightjacketed mess. Some day…I intend to see Parvo put PERMANENTLY behind bars for his crimes." Prime replied, "I also intend to end Megatron's threat to this planet and every other world forever. He's destroyed numerous planets, draining their energy resources, and destroying their entire populations. Megatron must be stopped…no matter the cost." Professor Shepherd and Optimus Prime shook hands, or rather, Professor Shepherd shook Prime's index finger, since Prime's hands were big enough to crush a car. While the two of them continued their discussion, and their experiences against their enemies, Hunter and Colleen were enjoying some much-needed quality time.
Hunter and Colleen's room…
As he made his way into the bedroom that he and Colleen shared, Hunter saw his mother follow them inside. Starlight said, "Hello, son. When are you going to be heading out?" Hunter replied, "Not until we figure out where Parvo and Megatron are gonna attack next, mom. Prime's still down in the Mission Control Room speaking with The Master. When we get a firm fix on where Parvo and the Decepticons are, we'll head out and stop them. In the meantime, Colleen and I need a little bit of rest." Colleen smiled at him at the mention of the word 'rest', and he returned her smile. Starlight laughed, and she replied, "I'll see you two later…have fun!"
Once the door closed, Hunter locked it, and then he pulled Colleen close, kissing her deeply. Her hands began to gently rub up and down his chest and stomach, while Hunter ran one hand through her hair, and the other one was making its way up and down her back. Hunter said, "Colleen…my sweet English Rose…I never, ever want to be without you. I love you with every last fiber of my soul itself, and I will never stop loving you, Colleen." The beautiful blue-eyed Collie replied, "I love you too, Huntie…and I promise that nothing will ever take me away from you. You're my first love, and my only love…and I promise you from the bottom of my heart, that our love will last for all eternity."
Hunter kissed Colleen again, and then he said, "Colleen, I'd like to sing a duet with you, to 'Suddenly Love'. Colleen smiled, and she replied, "Oh Huntie…I love that song!" Hunter took Colleen's hands in his, and their eyes met, as they began to sing.
Colleen:
'Ohh...
Hunter:
For much of my life
I have been all alone
Too strong to need someone else
Colleen:
For much of my life
Gentle breezes have blown me away
For somebody else
Both:
Suddenly, love comes calling
Love comes falling
Hunter:
And I'm transported to heavens above
Both:
Suddenly, love comes yearning
Love comes burning
Hunter:
And I found myself
Suddenly, me
Colleen:
When I turn around
And suddenly, you
Both:
Took me by surprise
Suddenly, love
Hunter:
For much of my life
I have gone my own way
Too far to feel any need
Colleen:
For much of my life
I've been happy to stay
Alone in my heart and indeed
Both:
Suddenly, love comes calling
Love comes falling
Hunter:
And I'm transported to heavens above
Both:
Suddenly, love comes hoping
Love comes coping
Hunter:
And I found myself
Suddenly, me
Colleen:
Out of the blue
You appear
Both:
And I look into your eyes
Suddenly, love
(Instrumental)
Hunter:
Never again will I say ever more
Heaven has plans of its own
Colleen:
Never again will I say ever more
Heaven has made sure that I'm not alone
Colleen:
For much of my life
Hunter:
For much of my life
With so much still to go
So much still to go
I know that I'll not see them through
Ohh...
For much of my life
For much of my life I have nowhere to go
As long as I go there with you
Both:
Suddenly, love comes calling
Love comes falling
Hunter:
And I'm transported to heavens above
Both:
Suddenly, love comes yearning
Love comes burning
Hunter:
And I found myself
Suddenly, me
Colleen:
When I turn around
And suddenly, you
Both:
Took me by surprise
Hunter: Ohh...
Colleen:
When I look into your eyes
Both:
Suddenly, love'
After the song was finished, Colleen and Hunter kissed again, before they slowly began making their way over to their bed. Colleen sank down onto the mattress, with Hunter following close behind. He said, "Colleen…you are so incredibly beautiful, and I'm so glad that fate allowed us to be together. I could never find happiness like this with anyone other than you, my angel." Colleen replied, "My heart would be an empty void if I ever lost you, Huntie..there's no other male dog on Earth that I could ever love, as much as I love you." Hunter kissed her one more time, and the two of them soon lost themselves in the fiery heat of their passion. Once they were finished, Hunter and Colleen went in to take a shower, and then they changed the bed, put on fresh sheets, and climbed in to take a nap. They spent the next few hours happily curled up in each others' arms.
Road Rover Mission Control…
On the main satellite monitor, Professor Shepherd and Optimus Prime both noticed a flashing red icon…and that meant trouble. Professor Shepherd zoomed in, and before long, he spotted what looked like a scene out of a war movie. He said, "This looks bad…that's the Bayshore Power Plant." Optimus spotted Megatron on the monitor, alongside Parvo, Groomer, and Soundwave. He said, "Decepticons. In that case, it's time to get ready." He activated his communicator, and then he said, "Autobots, meet me here in the Mission Control Room." Professor Shepherd summoned the Rovers, and they arrived right alongside the Autobots. Professor Shepherd said, "Here's our situation, Rovers…Parvo and Megatron are attacking the Bayshore Power Plant, which supplies most of the energy for this region. You must stop them, or the entire region will be paralyzed. Be careful, and leave the Decepticons to Optimus Prime and his troops. Good luck, and come home safely!" Hunter gave his rallying call of "LET'S HIT THE ROAD, ROVERS!!"Optimus said, "AUTOBOTS, TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT!!"
Right before Optimus left, Kayla said, "Optimus, when you see that big bully Megatron, could you turn him into a Jungle Gym for me?" Prime replied, "I'll do my best, Kayla. Take care of yourself, and I'll see you soon." The kids all hugged their parents, and then the Autobots took off.
Bayshore Power Plant…
Starscream was keeping an eye on the humans that they'd captured, while Soundwave supervised the work of Rumble and Frenzy, as they used the energy stored in the plant's generators to make Energon cubes. Energon was the substance that powered the Transformers, and the Decepticons intended to drain Earth completely dry of all the energy that it possessed. The Insecticons Kickback, Shrapnel, and Bombshell, were milling around near the front gate. Kickback transformed into a robotic grasshopper, Shrapnel's alternate form was a beetle of some sort, and Bombshell's was a stag beetle.
Parvo turned to face Megatron. He asked, "Tell me why we're wasting our time stealing energy, when we could be studying the crystal back at my…OUR base…or planning an attack against those miserable Road Rovers. Or do just enjoy bullying humans and wasting precious time?" Megatron replied, "Do NOT test me, fleshling…I can easily destroy you and your 'charming' assistant with less effort than it would require for me to stomp one of these pathetic humans into the ground. As for these Road Rovers, I shall destroy them all, AFTER I rip off Optimus Prime's head." Parvo replied, "I will destroy the Road Rovers, Megatron…that was part of our agreement. The Rovers are mine, and you get the Autobots. DON'T try and make changes, or the deal is OFF!!" Megatron picked Parvo up, and lifted him up to eye level…thirty feet off the ground. Groomer aimed her gun at Megatron, and the Decepticon leader said, "Put it down, human…or your precious General gets to play Humpty-Dumpty!! HAHAHA!!"
Starscream said, "Megatron, that joke was as horrible as your plans…why don't you stick to what you specialize in…being a swaggering, overbearing tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood…not to mention the fact that you're a few transistors short of a motherboard…AAAHHH!!"Starscream was blasted by Megatron, and it sent him flying right into a water tower. Thundercracker flew over, and he started repairing his loud-mouthed partner.
Groomer lowered her gun, and the Cano-Mutants did the same. Megatron then hurled Parvo at Groomer, and when his body slammed into her, she fell on her rear, right into a mud puddle. Megatron was about to say something else, when Rumble shouted, "AUTOBOTS!!"
Megatron looked up, and sure enough, Optimus Prime was charging straight at them, along with several other Autobots. He shouted, "DECEPTICONS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!!" Optimus slammed through the gate, crushing the Insecticons in the process. Colleen leaned out the passenger side window, and she said, "Comin' through!!"
Hunter jumped out with his assault rifle ready, and the other Rovers did the same. Hunter said, "Colleen, Blitz, Sam, you're with me. We'll deal with the Cano-Mutants on the right. Exile, Kasha, Shag, take out the goons on the left…and DO NOT engage the Decepticons, unless you somehow find one that's small enough." The other Rovers flashed Hunter the thumbs-up, and then they split into their assigned attack teams. Optimus Prime and the other Autobots transformed, and the battle was on.
'I'm a soldier, meaning that I'm
Both the defendent and the judge
I'm standing on both sides of the fire
Going around turns, overtaking death and life
I'm running to fight with the shadow of a lie
No matter how many threads deception would weave
Truth will show its face of light
Save your tears
for the day
when our pain is far behind
on your feet
come with me
we are soldiers stand or die
Save your fears
take your place
save them for the judgement day
fast and free
follow me
time to make the sacrifice
we rise or fall
I'm a soldier, born to stand
in this waking hell I am
witnessing more than I can compute
pray myself we don't forget
lies, betrayed and the oppressed
please give me the strength to be the truth
people facing the fire together
if we don't, we'll lose all we have found
Save your tears
for the day
when our pain is far behind
on your feet
come with me
we are soldiers stand or die
After a dream to the edge of a chasm
Only that way can the world be saved
Don't you cry,
Hide the tears,
Because a new day will start
Your fire
Will be heated
By thousands of hearts
But now get up
Hide the pain and fear far
The one who's right will win
Know that everything is in your hands
Save your tears
for the day
when our pain is far behind
on your feet
come with me
we are soldiers stand or die
Save your fears
take your place
save them for the judgement day
fast and free
follow me
time to make the sacrifice
we rise or fall!'
Megatron called out, "CONSTRUCTICONS, MERGE INTO DEVASTATOR!!"The six Constructicons got set to merge. They were a deadly group. Hook, the team's second-in-command, transformed into a crane. He formed Devastator's upper torso. Long Haul transformed into a dump truck, and formed into the lower torso of Devastator. Mixmaster's vehicle mode was a cement mixer, and he formed Devastator's left leg. Scavenger changed into an excavator, and he formed the right arm of Devastator. Bonecrusher's vehicle mode was a bulldozer, and he formed Devastator's left arm. The final member of the team was Scrapper, the leader. HE transformed into a backhoe, and changed into Devastator's right leg. The massive eighty foot tall behemoth towered over the battlefield, and he fired his solar rifle in the direction of Exile and Kasha, causing both Huskies to dodge wildly. Prime called in over his wrist-mounted communicator, "Optimus Prime calling the Aerialbots, we have a situation here at the Bayshore Power Plant. The Constructicons have formed into Devastator, and we need your assistance." Silverbolt, the Aerialbot leader, replied, "I hear you, Optimus. We'll be there in one minute." True to his word, Silverbolt and the other Aerialbots roared overhead. Silverbolt's alternate mode was that of a Concorde supersonic jet. He formed the torso of Superion. The other team members were Air Raid, a twenty-four foot tall robot who transformed into a black-and-white F-15 Eagle. He formed the left leg of Superion. There was also Fireflight, a red-and-white robot who transformed into an F-4 PhantomII. He formed Superion's right arm. There was also Skydive, a red, black, and gray robot with the alternate mode of an F-16 Fighting Falcon. He formed Superion's right leg. Finally, there was Slingshot, a red, white, and black robot who transformed into an AV-8B Harrier. He formed Superion's left leg. They combined into Superion, and the massive Autobot warrior tackled Devastator, plowing him into the ground. The two of them exchanged punches and kicks. Superion's left fist slammed into Devastator's gut, knocking the green-armored giant off balance. The Decepticon behemoth retaliated with a powerful uppercut, and Superion countered with a pair of optical laser blasts from his eyes, which blinded the enormous beast. Intent on putting his foe out of commission quickly, Superion fired a blast from his Electro-Pulse Rifle. The blast hit Devastator in the head, shorting his systems out, and Superion then hurled him over the fence.
Frenzy, a six-foot tall black and red robot, aimed his blaster at Colleen. He said, "So long, little furbag!! Earth's gonna be a lot better of without ya!" Hunter tackled the small Decepticon, and he said, "DON'T YOU DARE AIM AT MY WIFE, YOU LITTLE PSYCHOPATHIC TOASTER OVEN!! I'M GONNA RIP YOU APART AND MAKE A CAN OPENER OUT OF YOU!!"Hunter stuffed one of his grenades into Frenzy's mouth, and he said, "So long, ugly!!" The grenade exploded, taking Frenzy with it. Rumble tackled Hunter, and he transformed his arms into piledrivers. He said, "Nobody messes with my friend, fleshling. My condolences to the widow.." He said to Colleen, which incensed her. She charged at Rumble, and she called out "HIYA…GEORGE WASHINGTON!! ABRAHAM LINCOLN!! JOHN QUINCY ADAMS!!"Colleen's attack inflicted massive damage on Rumble, and she even blew off one of his arms with an anti-tank grenade. She pulled Hunter close to her, and said, "Huntie, are you alright, 'luv?" Hunter replied, "I'm fine, Colleen…thank you." The pretty Collie replied, "Huntie, I love you, and I'm not gonna let anyone take you away from me." Hunter pulled his wife close, and he replied, "I won't let anybody hurt you either, my English Rose..I taught Frenzy that particular lesson the HARD way." Colleen kissed Hunter, and then the two of them headed back into battle.
Blitz punched a Cano-Mutant in the head while it tried to fire an M-60 assault rifle at Samantha. The beast turned around and tried to bring the gun up to aim at Blitz, but the Doberman's claws quickly shredded the weapon. He said, "Nobody aims guns at my wife, you slobbering girly-boy drool factory. Now I'm going to have to bite you!!" Blitz's fangs connected with the Cano-Mutant's rear end, and the monster howled in pain. Blitz kicked the beast into the lake, and one more Cano-Mutant was out of the picture. Samantha spotted another pair setting up a 12.7mm M2 machine gun, and she called out "BLITZ, GET DOWN!!"Taking his wife's advice, Blitz dropped onto his belly, and not a moment too soon. A barrage of 12.7mm bullets tore through the air right over his head, and Blitz knew that his armor would have been badly damaged by the high-velocity armor piercing rounds. Sam backflipped over the gun emplacement, and when she landed, she sent the first Cano-Mutant flying with a rising knee to the chin, and the other one got her fist to the face. Sam tossed a grenade at the gun, and it blew up. She helped her husband up, and she said, "Are you alright, Blitz?" Smiling, the Doberman replied, "Ja…thanks to you, Sam." The pretty German Shepherd said, "Thank heaven…I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. Blitz…you mean the world to me, and I love you with all my heart." Blitz hugged Sam, and he replied, "I love you too, Sam." The two of them kissed deeply, before heading off to take out more Cano-Mutants.
Exile and Kasha were taking cover inside one of the storage buildings, while Skywarp hunted around for them. The Decepticon said, "Come out, come out…wherever you are…I've got a nice T-Bone steak for ya!" That last part was accompanied by evil laughter, and Kasha said, "Exile, what should we do…run and try to meet others, or stay hereski?" Exile replied, "Running is too risky, my little snowflower. If we stay here, there may be chance for one of the Autobots to come and help us." Exile soon heard Skywarp coming back, but then he heard a loud crash. Peeking outside, he spotted Skywarp getting pounded on by both Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Within minutes, the two of them forced Skywarp to retreat, and then Exile came out into the open, along with Kasha. Exile said, "Many thanks, Comrades. You saved our tailski's!" Sunstreaker replied, "Hey, no prob. We're Autobots, and that's what we do." Sideswipe said, "Got that right, bro." With a wave, the two Autobots took off, and Exile spotted a trio of Cano-Mutants nearby. He said, "Kasha, look…more of evil Parvo-man's monsters. Come, let us be teaching them lesson in manners!" Kasha took off alongside her husband, and before long, they began brawling with the evil monsters. The first one charged at Exile and swung a crowbar at him, only to have the quick-thinking Husky duck. The beast quickly got a bad case of hotfoot, courtesy of Kasha, and then she kicked him into a wall. Exile bashed the second one with the buttstock of his rifle, and he froze the last one. Shag took down twelve with a gas grenade.
Hound fired a precisely-aimed blast from his sniper rifle, and the shot hit home, blowing off Thundercracker's right arm. The wounded Decepticon retreated, leaving his comerades to fend for themselves. Soundwave attempted to deploy Ravage and Laserbeak, only to have Bumbleebee knock him on his rear with a photon grenade. Ramjet took a blast in the right wing from Jazz, and Wheeljack finished the job with a pair of incendiary shells, which blew Ramjet's right engine out. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe fired on Astrotrain at the same time, and the pesky Decepticon transformed into his space shuttle mode and flew away, smoke and sparks trailing from his damaged engines. Blitzwing transformed into his tank mode, and aimed his cannon at Hunter. He said, "Say goodnight, furball!!" Colleen jumped on Blitzwing's turret, and she called out "DON'T YOU DARE AIM AT MY HUNTIE, YOU BLOODY OBNOXIOUS HEAP OF NUTS AND BOLTS!! I'M GONNA RIP OUT YOUR BLOOMIN' MOTHERBOARD!!"Thinking quickly, Colleen tossed a pair of her grenades into Blitzwing's cannon barrel, and the resulting explosion blinded him. Superion lifted him up, and tossed him into the air. Mirage, Prowl, and Ironhide all shot him at the same time, and he exploded. Ironhide said, "Alright!! One less Decepti-clown!!" Jazz's photon rifle made quick work of Dirge, and he then incinerated Thrust's right wing. Both of the badly damaged Decepticons pulled out, and Starscream, still badly damaged, watched as Megatron and Optimus prepared to do battle.
Megatron said, "You'll never stop me, Prime. This planet, and all of the energy on it…they all belong to me now. Prepare to die, Autobot!!" Optimus squared off, and he replied, "No chance, Megatron. when I'm done with you, I'm gonna turn you into a set of playground equipment. I made a promise to a friend, and I NEVER break my promises. Your reign of tyranny ends here and now, Megatron!"
Megatron replied, "We'll see who ends up as scrap metal, Prime…if there's enough left of you, that is!!" The Decepticon leader charged at Prime, and promptly received a powerful punch to the face. Megatron staggered back, and Prime engaged his Energon axe. The powerful blade of pure energy sliced a deep gash in Megatron's right side, and he retaliated by kicking Optimus into a building. As he walked over to gloat, Prime smashed him in the head with a metal girder, and then he threw him into a generator, causing the tyrant to short out. Megatron fell to the ground, smoking and unconscious. Starscream struggled to his feet, and he lifted Megatron up onto his back. He called out "DECEPTICONS..RETREAT!!"
After the Decepticons made tracks, Hunter said, "Your pals seem to have run away with their tails between their legs, Parvo. Maybe you better do the same, before I decide to knock you around like Prime did with Mega-twerp."
Groomer smirked, and she said, "I don't think so, ya lousy mongrel. Prepare to die!!" Groomer aimed her pistol at Hunter, and then Colleen said, "NOBODY AIMS A GUN AT MY HUSBAND, YOU BLOODY WITCH!! I'M GONNA KICK YOUR LOUSY BLOOMIN' BUTT!!" Groomer smirked, and she said, "Oh really…come get me, ya prissy little girl scout!" Colleen charged at Groomer, and she called out "HIYA…LASSIE!! BENJI!! RIN TIN TIN!!"Groomer got hammered with a spinning hook kick, and it sent her flying right into Parvo. He scooped her up, and he shouted, "ENJOY YOUR VICTORY FOR NOW, YOU LOUSY MUTTS!! WE'LL BE BACK, AND NEXT TIME, YOU'RE FINISHED!!" Parvo got into his stolen truck, and drove away. Jazz was about to chase after them, when Prime said, "Let them go, Jazz. We've done enough for tonight. We'll get them next time, but for now, let's head back to Road Rover HQ." Jazz nodded, and then the Autobots transformed. Superion split into his component robots, and the Aerialbots transformed into their jet modes, and took off.
Back at Road Rover HQ…
Alex and Cassie were out on the balcony, when they both heard the roar of the Aerialbots' engines, and then they spotted Prime and the others. Cassie activated the intercom, and she said, "Grandma, the Autobots are back..and so are mom and dad!!" Starlight joined her two older grandchildren a few minutes later, along with Kayla, Alek, and Karina. The Master joined them, and when Optimus reached their position, he let the Rovers out, before transforming. Kayla said, "Did you get Megatron, Optimus?" Prime knelt down, and he replied, "I damaged him badly, but he escaped. I'll destroy him for you, Kayla…and you WILL have that Jungle Gym I promised you." Kayla smiled, and Jazz said, "Hey Optimus…I got an idea. How about we let the kids take a ride with us before dinner?" Prime replied, "I have no problems with that." Cassie turned to her mother, and she said, "Mom, can we please take a ride before dinner?" Colleen replied, "Of course, my little darling. I trust the Autobots, so I know that you'll be in good hands."
Cassie climbed into Sunstreaker, while Alex hopped into Jazz. Alek got into Mirage, and Kayla took a ride in Bumblebee. Karina got into Wheeljack. When they had all taken their turns with the various Autobots, the kids each climbed into one of the Aerialbots. Alex chose Silverbolt, Cassie went with Fireflight, and Kayla climbed into Skydive's cockpit with the help of Optimus. Karina chose Slingshot, and Alek went with Air Raid. The Aerialbots went through gentle maneuvers, nothing too fancy. They stayed up for about an hour, before coming back in for a landing.
When they'd climbed down out of the Aerialbots' cockpits, the kids hugged their parents. Cassie said, "Mom, that was so much fun!! Thanks, Fireflight!" The red-and-white robot flashed her the thumbs-up, and Starlight walked up to Optimus Prime. She said, "Thank you, Optimus…both for keeping this planet safe, and especially for making sure to keep my son and daughter alive. If anything happened to either of them, it'd break my heart." Prime replied, "Don't worry, Starlight. You have my word that I shall not allow ANY harm to come to either Hunter or Colleen, nor will I allow any harm to any of the other Rovers. I promised their children that I would keep them safe, and I intend to, no matter what. Also, as I told Kayla…when Megatron and I next meet…he's coming back here as a Jungle Gym, and I intend to turn the other Decepticons into playground equipment as well." Starlight smiled, and then Ratchet walked up. The Autobot medic said, "Everyone's all checked out, Prime. Nobody sustained any damage…which is a LOT more than I can say for the Decepticons. They lost several of their members…and I'm sure Megatron's gonna want revenge." Prime replied, "If he wants a piece of me, I'll be glad to tear him INTO pieces."
Hunter said, "Hey mom…Colleen and I were planning to have a family dinner out here on the beach. Just you, me, Colleen, and our three kids. Let's go and debrief first, and then we'll get dinner cooked up." Starlight replied, "That's a wonderful idea, son. I can tell why Colleen loves you so much…you've got a wonderful, golden heart, and a charming personality…not to mention you've got my eyes." Hunter chuckled, and he replied, "I love her too, Mom…just like I love you." Starlight hugged her son, and Colleen snapped a photo. She said, "I love Kodak moments, Huntie…especially when they're with you." The Retriever-mix smiled, and then he kissed Colleen, long and deep. When they finally pulled apart, they headed up into the briefing room, after stopping at the armory to put away their gear.
Road Rover Mission Control…
The Master turned around when he heard the doors open, and he smiled as the Rovers came in, followed closely by the Autobots. Professor Shepherd said, "Well done, Rovers. Not only did you and the Autobots prevent Parvo and Megatron from destroying or draining the energy from the power facility, you also managed to destroy several of the Decepticons, and you inflicted heavy damage on the others. Optimus, I'm especially proud of your prowess against Megatron. I'm sure they'll need some serious downtime before they try anything else. Rovers, as usual, you've sent Parvo back to his rathole in disgrace, and all of his Cano-Mutants are now back with their families. You're good dogs, Rovers…good, good dogs." Hunter turned to face the other Rovers, and he said, "TO THE POWER OF THE PACK!!" In unison, the other Rovers chorused, "AAAHHHRRROOO!!"
Hunter and Colleen headed into the kitchen, while Starlight took her grandchildren out to the beach. Colleen turned to face her husband, and she asked, "So Huntie…what's on the menu tonight?" With a smile on his face, Hunter replied, "Let me see…I was thinking about making something nice and special…Spaghetti and Meatballs, some dinner rolls, and for dessert, some Cherry-Limeade ice cream." Colleen smiled, and she replied, "Oh Huntie…you truly are a wonderful dog, and I'm so glad I met you." Hunter kissed her, and then he replied, "I'm glad that we met too, my angel…because there's no other female dog on Earth that could ever take your place in my heart. I love you, Colleen…forever and with all my heart." Colleen kissed Hunter, and she replied, "I love you too, Huntie-Wuntie." The two of them cooked up dinner, and headed outside.
Colleen set the bowl of meatballs and sausages down on the picnic table, while Hunter placed the pot full of Spaghetti down. Starlight said, "Oh my..that smells great, you two!!" Colleen replied, "Thanks, mom. Huntie and I really want this to be a special dinner, since we don't know when we'll have to face Parvo and Megatron again." Kayla replied, "I know you can beat that rotten Parvo creep, mommy. You and daddy, and all the others can't lose to him. Optimus said that he's gonna turn Megatron into a Jungle Gym, and the rest of the Decepticons are gonna get turned into more playground equipment." Colleen smiled at her younger daughter, and then she said, "That's right, Kayla. Daddy and I…we'll beat Parvo, just like we always have. It doesn't matter if he's got the Decepticons, because unlike them, we're united by courage, honor, loyalty…" Colleen looked around the table at her mother, her three beloved children, and then into the warm, brown eyes of her husband, Hunter. She said, "Most of all…we're united by love." Starlight raised her glass of soda, and she said, "A TOAST..TO LOVE..AND TO FAMILY!!" Hunter, Colleen, and the rest of them clinked their glasses together, and then they began eating. Once dinner was finished, Hunter brought out the ice cream, and then they headed inside for the night.
It had been a long day, and both Hunter and Colleen were exhausted. The two of them curled up in bed, after taking a long, warm bath to soothe their tired muscles and get the sweat out of their fur. Colleen pillowed her head on Hunter's chest, and she said, "Goodnight, Huntie-Wuntie. Sweet dreams." Hunter kissed Colleen, and he replied, "Goodnight, my English Rose." Before long, they were both fast asleep, safe and warm in each others' loving embrace.
Next Chapter: Professor Shepherd gets a GPS signal that indicates the exact location of Parvo and Megatron's base. The Rovers and Autobots head out to take them down, but a brigade of Decepticons meets them, including two of the other Decepticon combiners, Bruticus and Menasor. Optimus calls in the Protectobots, and they form into Defensor, while the Aerialbots once again merge into the mighty Superion. Can the heroes fight their way past the Cano-Mutants and Decepticons? Find out next time in Chapter Four: Time To Roll Out.