"Our ship is right up ahead," Optimus pointed to the caldera, "But try to keep quiet."
"Ooo afraid there might be some big bad Decepticons lurking in the bushes?" Sentinel mocked.
"Not Decepticons. Dinobots." Just as Optimus warned the others, the Dinobots jumped out of the trees and blocked their path. "They'll leave you alone, as long as you don't provoke them."
"I don't need some Elite Guard washout telling me how to handle a bunch of primitives. I mean just look at em. They look even more primitive than everyone else on this backwash planet." Grimlock growled at Sentinel's comment.
"They aren't as primitive as they look."
"I don't recall asking you." Sentinel shoved Optimus out of the way and stepped towards the Dinobots. "Go on! Shoo!"
"DINOBOTS! DESTROY!" Grimlock's bonesword burst out of his hand and ignited. Sentinel put up his shield, but Grimlock slashed and knocked him down. The rest of the Dinobots then pulled out their weapons and ignited them. They approached Sentinel. Ultra Magnus lifted up his hammer and slammed it into the ground. Lightning bolts fell from the sky and struck the surrounding area. The Dinobots backed away into the forest and disappeared.
"What kind of screw loose planet is this?!" Sentinel brushed the dust off his jacket and pants.
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"Man that was some funky blinkin color lightshow!" Jazz chuckled, "What you call those things again?"
"Traffic lights?" Bulkhead responded.
"Traffic lights. Solid." The cycles all pulled to a stop at the plant. Sari, Bumblebee, and Bulkhead stepped out of their respective sidecars while the others stepped off the cycles. Sari's key glowed hot and shot a beam of light towards the plant.
"That can't be good," she squeaked.
"Everyone get down!" Prowl shouted. The Autobots took cover behind some crates. The wall blew apart sending shrapnel through the air and shredding some of the surrounding area. An army of police drones rolled out of the factory and onto the docks. They all started firing at the Autobots.
"I've changed my mind!" Sari exclaimed, "I don't wanna run my dad's company anymore!" Bulkhead swung at the drones with his wrecking ball.
"It's no good!" he shouted, "These things are rollin off the assembly line faster than I can smash em!"
"Is it always like this on this crazy planet?!" Jazz shouted.
"Pretty much," Prowl replied.
"Prime! We've got trouble at the Sumdac Systems robot plant! And we're gonna need backup!" Ratchet alerted over the comlink.
"Copy that Ratchet! I'm on my way!" Optimus responded. Ratchet clicked off the comlink and activated his magnetizers. He then crushed two drones in a magnetic field. Then he was gunned down by a drone which was then smashed by Bulkhead. Bumblebee sped through the drones and shot them with his stingers. Prowl jumped over Bulkhead and slashed two drones to pieces in a spinning maneuver.
"Oh, the classic Metallikato Five Servos of Doom attack," Jazz admired, "But have you seen this one?" He pulled out two energy nunchacku from pockets on his pant legs. He spun them and slashed through drones in a fantastic acrobatic display.
"Impressive," Prowl smirked.
"Guess you never got that far in you ninja trainin." Jazz then repeated the move and took out several more drones. Two drones came on either of Prowl's sides. He jumped out of the way just as they fired and blasted each other. But then, one more drone shot Prowl in the back. Prowl fell to the ground and was surrounded by drones. They charged their guns. Prowl waited for his imminent doom. But it never came. An ion axe slashed through the surrounding drones like a boomerang.
"Mind if I cut in?" Optimus caught his axe then helped Prowl up.
"Optimus Prime! Behind you!" Ultra Magnus smashed the two drones with his hammer.
"We should return to the ship sir!" Sentinel suggested as Sari ran to him and away from the drones that were chasing her. Sentinel surrounded himself and Magnus in an energy field. "Every moment we're out here we risk contaminating ourselves!" Sari ran to his shield and banged on it then ran off.
"It's no use! No matter how many we destroy they just keep coming!" Ratchet exclaimed.
"Then we need to shut down that assembly line!" Optimus shouted.
"I'll do it with my key!" Sari volunteered, "As long as this company's name is Sumdac it's my responsibility.
"Okay, Bulkhead; Ratchet; Bumblebee! You keep the drones busy out here! Prowl and I will sneak Sari onto the loading dock!"
"Mind if I join ya?" Jazz followed Optimus, Prowl, and Sari into the facility.
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The three ran through the hallways and eventually came to the assembly line. Then they were surrounded by drones.
"Go!" Jazz told Optimus and Sari, "We'll hold em off!" He used his energy nunchucks to deflect the blaster bolts. Prowl used his shuriken to slice down several drones.
"Use your key! Hurry!" Optimus rushed Sari. She nodded and ran to the control panel. She pushed her key into the panel. The assembly line powered down to a stop.
"And that is why the company name is Sumdac!" Sari cheered.
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Outside, the Autobots were holding off the droids as best they could. Then Ultra Magnus raised his hammer.
"Autobots! Disengage and retreat!" Ultra Magnus slammed the hammer down on the ground in a thunderous boom. Lightning bolts struck the surrounding area and destroyed each and every police droid.
"Woah. Now I get why the call you 'Ultra' Magnus," Bumblebee stared at the charred remains of the droids.
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"Ungh! Hey! My key's stuck! I can't get it out!" Sari tugged at her key with all her might but to no avail.
"That panel's gonna overload!" Optimus tried to help Sari pull.
"I think you've done enough Optimus!" Sentinel Prime shoved Optimus out of the way, "I'll make sure you're tried for high treason destroying the AllSpark! Now come with me." Sentinel grabbed Optimus's wrist.
"No!"
"That wasn't a request! That was a direct order Optimus!"
"It's Optimus Prime! I may be an 'Elite Guard washout' and a 'worthless repair flunky', but the last time I checked, you and I still have equal rank! So Sentinel Prime, take your order and you condescending attitude and shove it! You're on my turf now!" Optimus shoved Sentinel away and pulled out his axe. He slashed the control panel to pieces. Sari fell backwards and landed on her butt.
"A little warning next time?" Sari rubbed her bottom. She looked to her right. A glowing blue shard lay next to her.
"What is that?" Sentinel eyed the AllSpark fragment. Optimus picked it up and looked at it closely.
"Your proof," Optimus said.
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"Definitely a fragment of the AllSpark," Ultra Magnus felt the AllSpark shard in his hand, "Apparently your story of dispersing the AllSpark might not be so farfetched after all."
"But sir! You can't possibly believe him! He's a lying insubordinate moron!" Sentinel cried.
"He may be a little rough around the edges. But in the heat of battle, Optimus Prime exhibited the qualities of a true leader: strategic thinking, determination, and above all loyalty. Something you could stand to learn about Sentinel Prime." Ultra Magnus then walked to his Auto-Rover. Sentinel displayed a very taken aback expression then slumped to the rover.
"How am I supposed to explain this to Powell?" Sari put her head in her hands after seeing the remains of the police droids.
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Sari typed her ID number into the door panel but was denied.
"Hey! Why's my office locked?!" she banged on the door.
"Ms. Sumdac," Powell's face appeared on the panel's screen, "I regret to inform you that your services will no longer be required. The board has unanimously elected me to take over as CEO of Sumdac Systems."
"You can't do that! It's still my family's company!"
"Is it? I took the liberty of doing some research into your claim. It might interest you to know that there is no will, no birth certificate, no adoption papers, social security number, or any kind of record whatsoever for a 'Sari Sumdac'."
"Are you saying I can't prove I'm Isaac Sumdac's daughter?"
"I'm saying you can't even prove you exist. Enjoy that bit of info." Powell sneered then turned in Sari's chair and clicked off the vid-chat. A cold shiver ran down Sari's spine. Suddenly, the world made no sense. Everything had turned upside-down.
