EPISODE 5: THE CRISIS ON EARTH
Ultra Magnus settled down into the command chair in Autobot City. Rodimus had
entrusted him with the safety of the Earth and Ultra Magnus was adamant in being
successful.
Pipes entered the command center and saluted Ultra Magnus. "Status?" asked
Ultra Magnus.
"The Predacons did a lot of damage and a few of the guys are in the repair
bay. We... lost Huffer."
"I know." Said Ultra Magnus, sadness laced his voice.
"The Predacons also managed to escape but we managed to damage them good as
well as Trypticon."
"How's Metroplex?"
"He'll be okay. First Aid is working on him right now." Replied Pipes.
"Good, keep me informed." Said Ultra Magnus as he turned back to the console.
Pipes saluted and left the chamber.
Counterpunch knew that the Decepticon base was on Earth but no matter how he
rechecked very bit of data in the files, he could not find its location.
"Counterpunch, what are you doing?" asked Cyclonus as he spotted the blue,
orange and black Decepticon at the main computer.
Counterpunch turned his head and gave a smile. "Diagnostics." He replied and
shut off the screen. "All clear. Better check on the big cheese." With that,
he walked out of the room and left Cyclonus on his own.
Shockwave continued to stare at the screen in front of him. It showed Rodimus's
face. "I hate that Autobot! The Autobots would have fallen if not for him!"
shouted Shockwave as he banged his fist against his 'throne'.
Sixshot walked towards Shockwave and nodded. "True, if it wasn't for him,
the Autobots would have fallen."
Shockwave got off his golden throne and snarled. "I will destroy him and then,
the Autobots will fall easily. Even now, my minions prepare to take over Earth."
Sixshot looked on and thought, 'Just keep thinking that.'
Counterpunch ran to the exit. 'If Shockwave is preparing to take over the
planet Earth, Ultra Magnus must be informed.' Thought the Autobot spy.
Upon reaching the exit, he flew off in the direction of the Autobase, the
secret Autobot communication center.
Rodimus stood in front of the assembly of Autobots. After getting the signal
from Kup that all the Autobots were present, Rodimus began his speech.
"Fellow Autobots! You all know that the Decepticons have begun their bid to
take over the Universe again. Their main target is Earth but only a small force
protects that planet. The only thing we can do is create a better means of
transport to our second home."
The Autobots began to discuss the matter among themselves. Xaaron, one of the
few remaining elder Autobots, took the podium and began his speech.
"Grapple and Hoist have decided that the Space Bridge would be the best means
of transport to Earth and so, Hoist will arrive on Cybertron to design the
Space Bridge here while Grapple constructs the Space Bridge unit on Earth."
The Autobots nodded their approval. Rodimus then stood up and said, "Help
them complete the Space Bridge as quickly as possible and ensure the safety of
Earth!"
With that, the Autobots roared their approval and the crowd disperse.
Ultra Magnus listened to Punch's information with worry. "Although I don't
know where the Decepticon base is, I can confirm that it is on the planet Earth."
Ultra Magnus keyed something into the computer and waited for an answer.
Punch's communication screen shrunk and was placed at the far-left bottom corner
of the screen.
"There have been no Decepticon activity and all energon activity have been
limited to Autobot City." Said Ultra Magnus.
"They could be masking it. Come on Ultra Magnus, send scouts out. You have
to find out where the Decepticon base is."
"And I will. Keep up the good work Punch and inform Rodimus about these
recent events. Magnus out." Said Ultra Magnus as the screen blanked out.
"Jazz, I need you to group the Autobots and make a wide sweep of the planet.
Keep this as discreet as possible." Said Ultra Magnus into the inter-comm.
"The whole of Earth?" asked Jazz incredulously.
"Yup, we may have a critical situation." Replied Ultra Magnus.
"Understood I'll contact the other Autobases." Replied Jazz as he logged out.
The Autobot shuttle entered the Earth's atmosphere and slowly descended onto
the Autobot City.
"Well, there's Earth." Said the giant clad in red armour.
"Err... you mean Autobot City right?" asked the giant in yellow.
"Yes." Answered the red giant as he keyed in something into the computer.
"Autobot cruiser in vicinity." Said Teletran Three in its usual electronic
voice.
"Understood, let it in Teletran." Said Ultra Magnus as he got off his chair
and walked off to the hangar.
"Has Ultra Magnus flipped?" asked Sideswipe as he drove side-by-side with
Jazz.
"Can't tell Sideswipe but you have to know that defending Earth is not an
easy job." Replied Jazz as his scanners continued to scan the area for Decepticon
activity.
"Does the big 'bot know how big this planet is? Even all the Autobots in the
Universe couldn't scan this place in time if the Decepticons wanted to take
over the planet." The red car then accelerated and shot pass the white racecar.
"Hey! Come back here!" shouted Jazz as he accelerated too.
"All is going as planned. Only Magnus and Metroplex guard the Autobot City
Lord Shockwave." Said the shadowy Transformer into his communication band.
"Good. Continue with the good job my spy." Replied Shockwave as the communication
broke.
"Yes, and you will have to pay me dearly in energon." Said the spy to no one
in particular. He then walked off to join the other Autobots.
"It's good to have you here Cloudburst, Landmine and Waverider." Said Ultra
Magnus as he greeted the three human giants.
"It's good to be here." Replied Cloudburst as he walked up to shake Ultra
Magnus's hand.
"Where are the other Autobots?" asked Landmine.
"They are out on a mission." Replied Ultra Magnus.
"All of them?" asked Waverider.
"Let's go in. I'll explain then." Said Ultra Magnus.
Shockwave looked at three creatures through his monitor screen. Known to only
a few Decepticons, these three creatures were in fact, the strongest Decepticons
around. They were not only Decepticons, they were Pretenders.
"Are you prepared to destroy Autobot City?" asked Shockwave as he waved his
only hand at the trio.
"Anytime you wish us to do so boss." Said Skullgrin as he polished his grey-
coloured blaster.
"Go, the city is only defended by Metroplex and Ultra Magnus. The three of
you can handle that idiot of an Autobot Commander, it is only logical. Trypticon
will deal with Metroplex. Your victory has already been calculated and it would
be illogical if you lose." Said Shockwave as Trypticon transformed from city
mode to tyrannosaurus mode and flew off in the direction of Autobot City.
"Only the three of us?" asked Submarauder.
"Yes... or are you afraid?" said the shadow behind Shockwave.
"Who's there?" demanded Bomb-burst.
"It is I." Said Sixshot as he stepped out into the light.
"We are never afraid, as long as we get to scrap some Autobots at the same
time." Said Skullgrin as he knocked Bomb-Burst to one side.
"You idiot! What are you doing?" demanded Bomb-Burst as he gave Skullgrin a
knock on the head.
"Stop joking and get to work." Ordered Shockwave and the three Decepticons
left the hidden Decepticon base for the Autobot City.
"Do you think it is wise to have a base on Earth where the Autobots could
easily find it?" asked Sixshot once the Pretenders were out of earshot.
"The chances of the Autobots finding this base is 1/100,000,000. It would be
illogical for them to even be close." Replied Shockwave as he left the command
room.
"It is only a computer on legs, how can you expect him to lead the Decepticons?"
asked Lord Zarak once Shockwave was out of sight.
"He will, oh, he will." Replied Sixshot and his face contorted into what seemed
like a smile.
"Alert! Alert! Decepticon, name, Trypticon has entered vicinity of Autobot
City!" screamed the digital voice of Teletran three.
"By Primus, what is going on?" exclaimed Landmine.
"I don't know but I'll check." Replied Ultra Magnus as he ran out of the room.
"Wait! Magnus! It could be... a trap." Said Cloudburst as the Earth Commander
ran out of earshot.
"You think it is a trap?" asked Waverider as he turned to face his Pretender
leader.
"It could be. Let's wait here and see what happens." Said Cloudburst as the
he sat down slowly.
Ultra Magnus ran up to the Command Center and was greeted with multiple laser
blast on the laser-proof glass.
"Trypticon!" shouted Ultra Magnus as the enormous purple robotic Tyrannosaurus
attacked the extension of the Autobot City, Metroplex. Immediately, the white
base transformed into its towering humanoid mode and gave Trypticon a punch to
the jaw.
"Crush Metroplex!" boomed Trypticon as purple bolts of laser energy launched
from his mouth at the white giant.
"You and what army?!" retorted Metroplex as the lasers exploded harmlessly
on him.
"Metroplex! We're too close to the city. Keep the battle to the mountainous
area or humans will be hurt!" ordered Ultra Magnus. With that, he activated the
automated defenses of the orange city.
"I understand and will comply." Replied the gigantic white Autobot. He then
ran towards Trypticon as the laser turrets of the Autobot City started to target
the Decepticon.
Metroplex then lifted the gigantic Decepticon into the air and threw him
towards the mountains. All the time, the laser turrets of the Autobot City continuously blasted at the creature.
Meanwhile, the three Decepticon Pretenders landed on the Autobot City undetected.
Bomb-Burst then used his laser rifle to blow a robot-sized hole at the side of
the city.
"Let's move before Ultra Magnus gets suspicious." Said Bomb-Burst as the
remaining Decepticons followed him in.
Cloudburst stood up as he heard the explosion. "Someone's breached the defenses."
"Should we check it out?" asked Waverider as he too got up from his seat.
"Yes, I think we should." Replied Cloudburst as the three giant humans ran
out of the waiting room.
Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus was monitoring the battle in the command center.
Metroplex had managed to get Trypticon to the mountainous area and the defenses
were slowing the massive purple dinosaur at bay.
Suddenly, the door behind him exploded and the three Decepticon Pretenders
entered the room, lasers blazing.
Ultra Magnus ducked behind his chair and pulled him rifle out of sub-space.
'It was a trap.' Thought Ultra Magnus. He then started to return fire.
Outside the Autobot City, a lone figure stood in the shadows of the shade
provided by the nearby rocks.
The figure then dashed towards the city and blasted down the door there. It
then entered the city to do its unknown mission.
"Decepticon Pretenders!" shouted Landmine as his laser rifle appeared from
sub-space in his hand. He then took aim and squeezed off a few shots at the
Decepticons.
The lasers bounced off the Pretender shells and the Decepticons returned fire
on the trio of Autobot Pretenders.
"So, the Autobot Pretenders are on Earth eh." Said Bomb-burst as he separated
from his pretender shell and raised his two arm lasers and added his firepower
to his pretender shells.
"Yeah, and we're going to kick your metallic ass back to the Decepticon base."
Mocked Landmine as his robot body separated from his pretender shell and he
then transformed into his vehicle mode and raced towards the Decepticons, lasers
raking the entire area.
Ultra Magnus then chose this time to fire both his shoulder missiles at the
Decepticons. The explosive powers of the missiles were too much for even the
Decepticon Pretenders and they were knocked into the wall behind them.
Immediately, the Autobot Pretenders charged at the three Decepticons with
their weapons. Landmine then ran towards Ultra Magnus while his Pretender shell
battled against the Decepticons.
"You okay?" asked Landmine as he kneeled beside the larger Autobot.
"Fine, we have to get the Decepticons out of here before they do any real
damage." Said Ultra Magnus as he covered his left shoulder with his right hand.
Landmine nodded and raised his laser rifle. "Let's slag 'em."
Metroplex was thrown backwards as Trypticon's claw struck him. "Give up?"
asked the massive robot dinosaur.
"In your dreams." Replied the white giant as his blaster appeared from sub-
space. He then let loose a volley of 'photonic' energy at the enemy.
Trypticon was pushed back by the energy beams that struck him. With a roar
of pain, Trypticon released a volley of laser fire from his mouth at Metroplex.
Metroplex rolled away from the laser fire and then continued his attack on
Trypticon.
Inside the Autobot City, the Decepticon Pretenders were no match for the
Autobot Pretenders and Ultra Magnus. Also, the other Autobots were on their
way back to the base. The Decepticons had to escape.
"We will be back!" shouted Bomb-burst as he merged back with his Pretender
shell and the trio blasted a hole through the roof. Bomb-burst then lifted the
other two Pretenders out of the base.
"Hey! Don't run away!" shouted Landmine as he continued to fire on them.
"Forget it Landmine, they're gone." Said Ultra Magnus and Landmine ceased
firing.
After the other Autobots returned to the Autobot City, Ultra Magnus gathered
them in the assembly hall.
"Today, I made a decision that almost destroyed Autobot City. I was foolhardy
and was not using my mind when I sent you all to scout for the Decepticon base.
I plan to step down as Autobot Commander and get someone to replace me."
The entire assembly murmured among themselves until Pipes spoke up. "I believe
that is a mistake Ultra Magnus. There is no one here more qualified to lead us."
The other Autobots roared their support for what Pipes said.
"But... I made a great error."
"Who doesn't? We all make mistakes Magnus. You have a great burden that no
one else here has. You did what you thought was right. It may have been a
mistake, but your diodes were in the right place." Said Pipes.
Cloudburst nodded and Ultra Magnus smiled. "Thank you Pipes." Muttered the
giant Autobot.
Meanwhile, the figure that entered the base earlier continued to lurk the
corridors of the Autobot City. It is not known who or what the figure is, but
only time will tell...
END OF EPISODE 5