Author note: So, one thing these two specific series have in common for me is that the moment I finished them I immediately craved more. And since there wasn't anything left once I finished everything I could find I simply decided "Fine, I'll do it myself". So here you have it. It's written more in the style of a script due to comodity.
The downside to this story is that you need to do some homework in order to understand it. That homework being to read Idw Comic's Transformers More than meets the eye and it's sequel Transformers Lost Light, along with a few adjacent issues from another comic run, and Yoko Taro's NieR Music Concert: The Memories of Puppets, specifically the section titled Farewell which is an epilogue to Ending E of the game.
Have fun!
Part 1
Pod 153 (narration): Everything that lives is designed to end.
Pod 153 (narration): "We" are perpetually trapped ...
Pod 153 (narration): ... in a never-ending spiral of life and death.
(muffled) … stand in …..
Pod 153 (narration): Is this a curse?
(muffled) …. Nothing … way …..
Pod 153 (narration): Or some kind of punishment?
muffled) …. gonna stand… …..
Pod 153 (narration): Wait, what is that?
(muffled) …. Nothing … in our way …..
Pod 153 (narration): Where does this sound come from?
(muffled) …Nothing's gonna stand in our way …..
A large space ship races through the void. Loads of noise coming from inside.
At Swerve's.
Rodimus (singing):
Nothing's gonna stand in our way
Nothing's gonna stand in our way
Not tonight
Not tonight
Not tonight
Not toniiiiiiiiiiiight, Yeah!
Rodimus raises his the mic in the air in dramatic fashion as he finishes the song.
The crowd is cheering.
Rodimus: Thank you. Thank you everyone for having me here at this awesome karaoke night aboard the lost light. Who wants to sing next?.
Rodimus gets off stage and goes to one of the tables where Magnus and Drift sit.
Rodimus: Isnt't this great guys? An entirely new universe for us to explore. Who knows what we will find here!
Everyone is partying, singing, drinking making plans for where to go next …
Drift: Yeah. Hard to believe only a few weeks ago we were fighting a planet. Everyone seems to be in good spirits.
Rodimus: I know, right?
Swerve slowly approaches them to bring drinks at the table.
Ultra Magnus: Yes it is great but we must decide where is our first stop. All we did since we cross the warren was drift through space and drink.
Rodimus: Relax Mags, we'll get to it. We have all the time.
Drift: You have no ideea, don't you?
Rodimus: Absolutely none.
Swerve: umm… Sorry to barge in like this, captainn, but I was thinking… we could start with Earth.
Magnus: Why Earth?
Swerve: Yeah… you know? Start with something familiar and and go from there towards more foreign things.
Drift: That actually sounds like a good ideea. For all we know every planet we've seen in our uninverse could be entirely different here. Better start small.
Rodimus: Doing things small is not how I roll, Drift.
Swerve looking at Rodimus : Pleeeeeeeeeease?
Rodimus: I'll put it to vote.
Rodimus gets up : Alright people, your attention for a moment! We have decided that our first stop in this grand new journey will be planet Earth. Everyone is ok with that?
The crowd is either indifferent or agrees for the most part.
Rodimus: It's settled then. Our first destination: EARTH!
At another table.
Tailgate: Never been to earth before.
Rewind: Neither of us were. All we know is whatever records were sent back to cybertron during Optimus' and his crew's time on the planet.
Chromedome: That and all the movie nights. … And Swearth.
Tailgate: Oh yeah. Forgot that was a thing as well.
Cyclonus: The chances of it being just like Swerve's movies are extremely small. And we'll have to use disguises like the autobots used to do during their stay there.
Tailgate: That sounds so cool!
Medbay:
Ratchet is working to fix Crankcase's head.
Ratchet: Aaaaaand done. Your brain casing is good as new.
The rest of the scavengers barge in to see the freshly repaired head of Crankcase.
Misfire: Is it ready? Is it ready?
Krok: Misfire! you can't just barge in during an operation.
Ratchet: Well, lucky for him I just finshed, Go ahead Crankcase. Try to crack a smile.
Fulcrum: This is it! The moment we've been waiting! Spinister get the camera!
Spinister: I had to get a camera?
Misfire: Evevryone be silent! Come on, budy! You can do it. On 3. 1…2…3!
Crankcase forces the screeching pistons inside his mouth in un upwards position until the look on his face can arguably be decribed as a smile.
The scavengers react appropriately.
Spinister: You look like you just had a bad drink.
Krok: This is what happens when you refuse to get your head fixed for 2500 years.
Fulcrum: It looks…. Kinda… happy I guess….?
Crankcase: You guys suck at this!
Krok: eh… It happens.
Later on the bridge:
Pilots: Seting course of planet. Initianing quantum jump in 3…2…1…
Rodimus: Everyone hold on tight!
The Lost Light performs a quantum jump in the milky way, very close to Earth's solar system.
Rodimus: wow… that was smoother than I hoped. All right people we do a quick scan and we get ready too…
Rodimus receives a call from Blaster, ship's comunicatioins officer.
Blaster: Umm Captain, we need to talk.
At the communications center. Blaster, Rodimus, Megatron and Magnus are there.
Rodimus: What do you mean you don't receive anything?
Blaster: I mean it exactly as it sounds. The planet emits absolutely no radio signals. Not even one. Dead silent on any known or unknown frequency.
Perceptor enters the room: And that's not all.
Rodimus: (sigh) You know things are bad when Perceptor leaves his lab.
Perceptor opens a screen: These images were taken just now from the surface. Look at this.
Perceptor shows them images from across the surface of the entire planet. Entire cities ravaged by natural forces. Plants growing to imposible lengths, Icecap almost melted and so on.
Megatron: By Primus….
Megatron: What the hell happened to this planet? Did we do that? I mean us, the cybertronians form this universe, not us the crew.
Rodimus: pfft, no way…. Isn't it?
Perceptor: I'm not sure yet.
Megatron: Any life signs?
Perceptor: Dozens. That planet is indeed populated it's just that…
Megatron: That what?
Perceptor: While the local earth fauna seems to be fairly similar to what we know, what I find most strange is that there's NO SIGN OF HUMAN LIFE IN THE ENTIRE PLANET.
Everyone in the room is shocked and concerned.
Rodimus: Alright that's it! I'm gathering a team and going down there!
Magnus: Just like that?! We can't risk sending the crew into unkown danger already. Many still haven't recovered after our last battle.
Rodimus: If you have a better Ideea then please tell me!
Megatron: He's right. Siting here and looking at it solves nothing.
Magnus: (long sigh) Who do you plan to take with you?
Rodimus: The usual.
Magnus looking at the images presented by Perceptor notices an oddity.
Magnus: What are these thing? They look mechanical.
Perceptor: I don't know yet. And can't propeperly analise them from here sadly.
Megatron: Please excuse for a moment, we have captains stuff to discuss.
Megatron drags Rodimus on the hall to talk.
Megatron: Ok…. I don't how to say this but…. I think it's better if I don't come on this mission.
Rodimus: Ok.
Megatron: What? Just like that ?! You're ok with this?!
Rodimus: Last time you were on that planet you commited a comical amount of warcrimes like you did on so many others. I can see why you wouldn't like coming back to the crime scene.
Megatron: … all right then. I'm glad we're in agreement.
Rodimus: Besides, it wouldn't hurt to have at least one captain on the ship. Am I right?
Megatron frowns in agreement.
Later in the shuttle bay.
Rodimus: All right people, listen up! For unknown reasons Planet Earth got flipped-turned upside down. No outside communications, no cities and most disturbingly, no signs of human life.
In front of him stands Magnus, Ratchet, Drift, Whirl, Cyclonus, Tailgate, Chromedome, Rewind, Swerve and Grimlock. All of them concerned about the reason they're there. Far in the back stands the scavengers.
Rodmius: So, I have decided to gather a team of the most skilled members of our crew in order to go and invstigate. We'll be flying there in the Rod pod, as always. Already picked the location. You have 10 minutes to prepare for send off. Any questions?
Whirl: Yeah. If you gathered , and I quote: "the most skilled members of our crew" then why is Swerve here?
Rodimus: Bait.
Swerve looks offended at Rodimus.
Rodimus: kiddin'. Just kiddin'. Swerve is here because…
2 hours earlier.
Swerve: Please, Please, Please, Please, Please, Captain, let come with you on this mission! I've only seen Earth in movies, songs , sitcoms, video games I got from friends who were there. I never got to see it in person.
Rodimus: Swerve, we have no ideea what's down there, and I don't want to put any crewmate into unnecessary danger.
Swerve: I'll give you a full bottle of Trashmaster. Just for you.
Rodimus curious but cautious: Is that … is that the special kind of engex you got from Hedonia. The one that is said to have been brewed by Alchemist Prime himself 10 million years ago? That is so rare and hard to find you had to pay with Tarn's mask, which luckly for us, Megatron didn't mind getting rid of?
Swerve: The very same.
Rodimus trying to gain his composure: *cough* *cough* ,I'll... I'll take it into consideration.
Back to present.
Rodimus: We might need an expert in metallurgy on the fields, just in case.
Everyone is sceptical but agrees with Rodimus.
Rodimus: Any other questions?
There is a moment of silence.
Rodimus: Alright then. All aboard and get ready to for a swift ride.
The gang prepares to board the rod pod.
As Grimlock boards a few voices are heard from the far side if the hangar.
Krok: Be careful out there!
Fulcrum: Don't forget your sword.
Grimlock: Already got it.
Missfire: And be nice to anyone you meet!
Grimlock: ugh... right.
Crankcase: And don't eat anything weird.
Grimlock: growls... uh huh..
Spinister: and no matter what, don't...
Grimlock angrily replies: YEAH! I GOT IT! THANKS!
Then quickly enters the ship.
Missfire sheds a tear: they grow up so fast.
Nickel: You found him on an abandoned space ship.
Missfire: Details.
Meanwhile aboard the rod pod aproaching earth:
Perceptor via radio: Remember Rodimus, once you enter the earth atmophere you'll lose all contact with the lost light. You have 3 earth stellar cycles to figure out what's going and return here.
Rodimus: pfft, 3 days? We'll be done by the end of the first no problem.
Perceptor: we've located a convenient landing spot where can sa2ijfjrl ... and 28r8t8dj2 (signal is lost, only static can be heard.)
Magnus: We've lost all comunications with the Lost Light.
Rodimus: Alright... Show time. I'll look for a good landing spot.
As the ship breaks the clouds, the robots aboard look in awe at the planet which now has been reconquered by the nature.
Rodimus: Damn, everywhere you look is only ruins, and trees, i don't know where to land.
Magnus: There seems to be a barren plateau about 4.5 kilometers to the east.
Rodimus: Sweet, now we're talking!
Rodimus steers the ship towards an open area spot surounded by vegetation from all sides and lands.
Rodimus: And that's that, thank for flying with Rod Air!
The crew gears up and gets off the rod pod.
Ratchet: This is...
Drift: Beatiful...
Ratchet: I was gonna say weird but that works too I guess.
Rewind: A pararel earth entirely devoided by humans. This must be recorded.
Swerve: No way! There's gotta be some humans left here! In their stories humans always manage to survive even in the most harshest or dangerous of circumstances. There must be some humans left here somewhere!
Cyclonus: Danger can find us at every corner, stay on your guard.
Magnus: Enough chatter! Listen up! The ship has scanned our surround and found six points of interest. We'll split in teams of 2 and seek all of them at the same time. Since comunication is down, each pair will receive a flare to shoot in case of emergency. Shoot it and everyone will come to your position. Understood?!
Everyone: Yes Ultra Magnus, sir!
Magnus: Good, now grab a partner and get going.
Grimlock: I'll get the factory.
Magnus: You need a partner, Grimlock.
Grimlock: I'll manage alone.
Magnus: That's insubordonation!
Rodimus: Mags, just leave it.
Magnus: ugh. Everyone else choose a partner and location.
Rewind: Me and Chromedome will get this waterfront area.
Drift: We'll take the forest.
Ratchet: No way! The humidity will cause us to rust!
Drift: A little rust won't kill you, Ratchet.
Tailgate: Cyclonus, look! There's an amusement park! Let's go there!
Swerve: If you all picked then this leaves...
Swerve looks towards Whirl in dissapointment.
Whirl looks back: Hi. :)
Swerve: … sigh … it can't be worse than Killmaster. Looks like it's you and me, partner.
Whirl: Did I say i wanna be your partner!? Well anyway. Let's go here! Deserts are very nasty places, my kind of nasty.
Swerve: I changed my mind , i'll try to chase Grimlock!
Whirl: Too late, Swervy! We're off!
Rodimus: This leaves me and Magnus to take the this central zone.
Magnus: What about the rod pod?
Rodimus: Eh, no worries!
Rodimus engages the camouflage of the ship.
Rodimus: There's no way anyone will find it.
Without their knowledge , the cybertronians were being watched by 2 misteryous beings this entire time.
Machine 1: They... are not like us.
Machine 2: No. They are not.
Machine 1: However, their tehnolgy could help further into our mission. I propose we take their ship.
Machine 2: Yes
City Ruins:
Rodimus looks around: What the inferno happened to the this planet?
Magnus: Feels like some sort of cataclysmic event lead to the complete dissappearence of the human race.
Rodimus remembers Megatron's words: Did we do this?
Magnus: I don't know. But we'll find out . And stop whatever is jaming all means of comunication.
Rodimus: Damn right we will. Side note what's with all these small round headed mechs everywhere?
Magnus shrugs.
Flooded city,
Chromedome and Rewind are siting on the side of the see staring into the horizon captured by the beauty of the landscape.
Rewind: Wonder what happened to that guy? (As rewind points towards the behead body of Grun.)
Chromedome: Who knows. Maybe a massive battle took place here. That thing must've been firece in combat.
Rewind: And what's up with these small mechs? They keep showing up around this place.
Chromedome: Rewind, why do you keep asking me when you know there's no way I could answer these questions?
Rewind: I wasn't asking you, i was doing it more in general. You know?
Chromedome: ok
There's a long pause.
Rewind: sighs... I wish Rung was here.
Chromedome: Who's Rung?
Rewind: I already told you! He was our therapist. He saved all of us during the battle with the functionists by making all the matrixes.
Chromedome: Right, right. I don't know why I keep forgeting this.
Rewind: You can't help it. It was his curse. Everyone barely remembers him. Even I remember him only because I have his recording in my data banks.
Long pause.
Rewind: I won't allow Rung to be forgotten.
Forest Kingdom
Ratchet: Ugh, this humidity is doing horrors to my chasis. Drift, why did you choose this? Drift? Drift, where are you?!
Drift: I'm sorry to leave like this Ratchet, but i was truly enthraled by the knowledge of this respectable blacksmith in both making and wielding swords.
Masamune: I have spent centuries honing my craft.
Drift: I see. I too have spent millenia honing my swordsmanship.
Manasume: What form is your favourite ?
Drift and Masamune continue to ramble about swords and technique .
Ratchet puts his palm on his face: Oh, for spark's sake.
Amusement Park.
Tailgate having fun in the roller coaster.
Cyclonus is leaning on building, scouling while waiting for them.
Tailgate: Wooooo, yeah!
Tailgate: That was awesome. Wish you could've come with me.
Roller coaster mechanic: Sorry but your friend was too tall to ride.
Cyclonus: When did I say I even want to ride this absurdity!?
Tailgate: Ooh! A stage play. Surely they'll let Cyclonus there. Let's go see it!
2 hours later.
Machine actress weeping: it always... ends like this.
Tailgate from the tribune weeping as well: This... this is sad. She never got the chance to tell him how she feels.
Cyclonus is intrigued by the plot of this play and pays close attention.
Outside the theater.
Tailgate: Man , talk about roller coaster of emotions.
Cyclonus: The acting was stiff but it was salvaged by the fairly interesting intrigue.
Suddenly in the sky a green flare can be appears, signaling trouble.
Tailgate: Green means it's Swerve and Whirl.
Cyclonus: Let's move.
In the desert a fierce battle is already underway between Whirl and a Hegel machine.
The Hegel soars through the sky shooting lasers in every direction trying to shake off the former wrecker who has his claw stuck deep in Hegel's back.
Whirl: wooooooooooo hoo hoooooo! Who's your daddy!?
Swerve is desperately trying to find a place to hide.
Swerve: Whirl! Enough fooling around, just take it down already!
Whirl: ahh, i was just starting to have some fun here!
Swerve: you've had enough fun, take that thing down!
Whirl: ugh, FINE!
Whirl then pulls out a gun and shoots a hole straight through hegel's leading sphere which sends the machine plumeting into the ground. Whirl jumps off the crashing hegel with only seconds to spare.
Whirl: When did you become such a buzzkill ,Swerve? I was about to send this guy in the upper atmophere.
Hegel: ... please... please...
Whirl turns towards Hegel, raising his gun, ready to deal the finishing blow.
Hegel: ... don't...
Whirl: oh, so you actually can talk, huh?
Hegel: please... i don't... want to die...
Whirl: You don't what? You don't want to die? Well , though luck buddy.
Whirl points his gun towards Hegel's flickering eye.
Out of nowhere Ultra Magnus shows up and grabs Whirl's gun before he can shoot. Rodimus not far behind.
Magnus: That's enough, Whirl!
Whirl: but he's not dead yet!
Magnus: He's already out of fight and begging for his life. We are no executioners.
Whirl: Bunch of killjoys. All of you! Whatever.
Rodimus: Anyway. Swerve, give me a sit-rep.
Swerve: We were scouting the desert when all of a sudden this giant centipede mech shows up, chasing some humans then Whirl attacked and here we are.
Rodimus: wait, run that by me again. You found humans beings?! Where ?
Whirl: They stood hidden after that rock this entire time.
From behind a huge rock appears a man and a woman. Nothing particularly eye catching about their appearance except that they were dressed in combat gear and aiming their guns at the gang.
The transformers stay unmoved in awkward silence for a few seconds before Rodimus has the courage to say something.
Rodimus: uh…. Hi?
Female soldier: You're not... like them, aren't you?
Rodimus: You mean him? (Points towards Hegel) No, we are not. We come from another planet named Cybertron. You can call us the Crusadercons.
Male solider: Another planet!? Like the aliens!? (The soldier raises his gun)
In a panic Rodimus responds: Woah, Woah, woah, chill man! Chill!. We're not here to fight.
From behind a dune a small squad of similarly dressed soldiers lead by a woman with black hair covering her right eye: Hold your fire, idiot!
The male soldier lowers his weapon and strikes a salute pose: Captain Jackass, ma'am.
Swerve utters to himself: Her name is Jackass?
Jackass: If it wasn't for these guys both of you would be dead now.
Jackass turns towards the transformers.
Jackass: And you! What business you have here you supposed to be, tall, colourful and… blocky guys?
Rodimus: well we are just… uhh… (Rodimus looks at Magnus and shrugs)
Magnus : Tourists. We're just tourists. Or at least that was our initial plan. We were in the vicinity and noticed this sort of… planet-wide radio jammer so we decided to investigate. I assure you we mean you humans no harm.
Jackass: Humans!? Sorry to break to ya pall but there haven't been humans on this planet in thousands of years.
Rodimus, Magnus and Swerve are completely shocked by the news.
Swerve falls on his knees: Humanity… is gone?
Whirls: Why the long faces? Is it anything shocking there?
Rodimus on a cautious tone: Then… who exactly are we talking to right now? What are you if not humans?
Jackass: We're Androids. Mechanical beings created in their image.
Rodimus: So basically you're pretenders.
Jackass: I don't know what that means.
Rodimus: Never mind.
On the far side of the desert the rest of the crew is finally catching up.
Ratchet: We came as soon as we saw the flare. What happened.
Drift: Sweet! You found the humans. Which is…. kinda awkward since we weren't supposed to make direct contact with them if I recall correctly.
Rodimus: Yeah. About that. You might want to sit down for this one.
Later.
A sombre atmosphere can be felt in the air.
Ratchet trying to process what he just heard: I … can't believe it.
Swerve: I finally made it to earth… only to be too late. What could've cause this?
Rewind: Wars, natural disasters, a planet wide virus, digital intelligence rebellion like in that movie you showed us the other week seems likely given our current circumstances.
Swerve: You can stop now.
Cyclonus: For all we know it could've very well been the fault of the universe's cybertronians.
Rodimus: Don't say that…
Jackass: Are you guys done moping' about our dead rock of a planet!? You said you wanted to investigate that radio jamming signal.
Magnus: Jackass is right. We must focus on the task at hand. Now where do we start?
Rodimus: Any of you guys found anything?
Chromedome: Nothing.
Cyclonus: No.
Drift: Same
Swerve: You already know the answer to that, captain.
Rodimus: So we got nothing then. Fantastic.
Jackass: Lucky for you I know 2 guys who might be able to help. We gonna need a boat. And the only one I have ready is not really a cargo ship.
Rodimus: No problem. We'll take the rod pod. Just send us the coordinates.
Jackass: 'the hell's a Rod pod? That's a dumb na…
Tailgate gets close to Jackass: Shhhh, that's the name of his personal ship. He's a bit sensitive about it so please don't say anything.
Jackass: Fine, whatever. We'll meet at the flooded city in half an hour. See ya there.
Jackass and her crew leave to prepare for their journey.
Cyclonus to Magnus: I don't like this. We just landed on this planet, told them what we are and they're willing to help us this easily?
Rodimus barges in: You worry too much Cyclonus. A gesture of kindness , even an unintentional one (Rodimus looks at Whirl), can often head start a friendship. And if they try anything funny, it surely can't be worse than you know what. Now, TO THE ROD POD!
A few minutes later at the landing zone of the rodpod.
Everyone is awkwardly waving their arms in the air and touching trees and bushes.
Rewind: You sure you parked it here?
Rodimus: Sure I'm sure. It should be here somewhere.
Whirl: It's ok boss, I also have memory loss fairly often. I don't even remember what I did before dropping on this Primus forsaken rock.
Rodimus slightly irritated: I'm telling you guys. It should be right here!
The gang keeps looking the ship for several minutes, until they finally accept the situation.
Magnus: I'm telling you captain. The ship isn't here. Someone stole the rod pod.
Rodimus' face slowly contorts into a scowl worthy of Megatron: When I found out… who took my ship…. I'll turn them INTO FUCKING SCRAP UNDER MY WHEELS!
Swerve: Woah, Language Captain!
Rodimus: We're on earth, I thought it would fit to use local swear words!
Tailgate: Oh man, what are we gonna do now? Jackass said we have to cross a sea to get to where we need to.
Whirl: For the record I'm not carrying Ultra Magnus' fat backside over a large mass of h2o even if you try to kill me!
Magnus: We'll have to tell Jackass in person that our transport is gone. If we move now we can reach the rendez vous point AND maybe find an alternative. We'll take care of the rodpod later, maybe even easier once we take down the jamming signal. And what was that about my backside?
Whirl: Nothing.
A few minutes later at the flooded city.
Jackass and a few other soldiers are waiting near a small boat.
Jackass: Glad to see you tin cans are able to be punctual. Where's your ship?
Magnus ashamed: Yeah…. About that….
Rodimus: Some asshole stole our ship!
Magnus: well… yes, that is true but..
Jackass: Shit. Must've been those damned pirates.
Rodimus: There's pirates on this planet?
Jackass: Yeah. They keep pestering us and try to steal our stuff. I'll tell you on the way. If you manage to find way to get across or something.
Drift looks around and sees a rusty ship hull.
Drift: That could work.
Jackass: That piece of scrap metal?! I mean sure it floats but it that's about it. And there's no way to all of you will fit on it. Especially big blue and chunky over here.
Whirl in the background: HAH!
Cyclonus: Me and Whirl don't need a boat, we can just fly across to our destination .
Rodimus: Ok let me think.
Rodimus looks around at his crewmates when suddenly it hits him: Wait a minute, where's Grimlock!?
Drift: He didn't show up when Swerve used the flare either. Something happened to him.
Grimlock from behind: No it didn't..
Everyone looks back shocked as Grimlock appears out of nowhere.
Jackass: And I thought blue guy was big.
Grimlock: I see you found some humans.
Rewind: Not really. They're actually cybernetic autonomous organisms designed to look like humans.
Grimlock: What, like pretenders?
Rodimus: That's what I said too!
Magnus: Grimlock, where have you been?! Your crewmates were in trouble. All of us rushed in to help. Except you.
Grimlock: Green was for Whirl , right?
Magnus: Correct. And?
Grimlock: You actually think I care if Whirl lives or dies?
Swerve in the background: I was there as well, you know?
Whirl: Feeling's mutual, big guy.
Magnus: That's not the point, Grimlock!
Grimlock: Then what is?!
Rodimus: All right , both of you chill out! Let's focus on other things now. I figured it out how to do with transport.
Magnus: Ok. How?
Rodimus: We'll split up in 2 groups. One will go with Jackass, the other will keep searching for the rodpod in the ruins. Since they don't need the "boat", Cyclonus and Whirl will take Tailgate and Rewind and Fly ahead. Drift and Chromedome will take the boat. Right behind them. The rest of us will stay behind. I'm in charge of team A and Drift is in charge if team B.
Swerve: Sorry to intervene Captain but… uhh… surely Cylonus has room for a 3rd bot in his cockpit, shouldn't I go with them?
Tailagate: Sorry swerve, me and Rewind are already pretty cramed in here. You could with….
Whirl: Hi again. :))
Swerve: Fair point, Team A it is.
Rodimus: All right! You know what you have to do! Let's get moving!
Team A leaves the shore in search of their ship, Jackass and her crew board their boat and the flyers prepare to for take-off. Meanwhile Drift and Chromedome:
Chromedome: How exactly are even make this thing move?!
Drift pulls out 2 huge wood logs which quickly and skilfully carves into rowing paddles.
Drift: Better start rowing Chromedome.
Chromedome annoyed: ughhh…..
Later, middle of the see.
Jackass: Huh… that's actually pretty clever. Very old school.
Drift: So how far away is this place you're taking us to?
Jackass: About a day of sailing.
Cyclonus: At least you could give us the coordinates and let us get there ahead since we could do it faster. We could even scout the area before you arrive to make sure there's no threats.
Jackass: Hmmm, not a bad idea.
Drift: I'd rather not have us split up, Cyclonus. There's strength in numbers.
Whirl: Well then how about you stop going at snail's pace and hurry up! Hell, I could just pick up the human and…
Everyone: NO!
Jackass: Why not?
Chromedome: Trust us when we tell you, you don't want to fly with Whirl.
Jackass: Pfft...
Drift: What is this place anyway?
Jackass: Not much. Just 2 guys living alone there who have some advanced tech which might be able to help locate source of this jamming signal. Would've contacted them easier but … you know.
Drift: I understand. How long has this radio blackout been going.
Jackass: Only a few weeks.
Drit: hmm….
Drift turns to Chromedome: You've been awfully quiet. Something on your mind?
Chromedome: More or less. Drift, do you know anything about someone called Rung?
Drift: Doesn't sound familiar, sorry.
Chromedome: Rewind keeps talking about him. Apparently he was a crewmate of ours and the ship's psychiatrist but I can't remember a single thing about him.
Drift: If he was a psychiatrist then he surely would've gone mad trying to fix Whirl.
Chromedome: I think Rewind cared a lot about him. Ever since the battle with the functionists he insists on "not letting his memory disappear".
Whirl: …. Aaaggggh this is so boring I'm going insane! Come here human! We're going to that place right now!"
Whirl transforms, grabs jackass and then transforms back to helicopter mode and boosts ahead.
Drift: Whirl! Get back here! Damn it. We gotta catch 'em!
Chromedome: I got an idea. How fast can you turn those paddles into something you can grab something with? Some sort of hooks or something?
Drift: A few seconds. Why?
Drift turns the paddles into hooks then him and Chrome grab onto Cyclonus.
Cyclonus: Hold on tight!
Cyclonus boost in speed up trying to catch Whirl.
In the city ruins:
Rodimus, Grimlock and Magnus are caught in a fierce battle with machine goliaths asking for trouble. Either bipeds, tanks or flyers.
Rodimus is getting punched in the face by the Machine Goliath.
Rodimus: Ok…. I tried playing nice. Now we try my way.
Rodimus strikes back. Swiping the goliath off his fit then furiously punching him back in the face.
Rodimus: Where.(punch) Is.(punch) My.(punch) SHIP!?(punch)
Grimlock cuts a tank in half with one sword swing.
Ratchet shooting flyers..
Magnus is mowing down smaller machines with his hammer.
Swerve is siting sad on rusty car.
Ratchet leaves the fight and sits down next to Swerve.
Ratchet: Something bothering you, Swerve?
Swerve: Kinda…
Ratchet: Ok, I'm listening.
Swerve: It's about Earth, Ratchet. Ever since I heard about I wanted to see it. I studied all its culture. Movies, Video games, TV shows, books and so on. I wanted to see it's cities, it's culture , it's people, with my own eyes. Hell, the movie night at the bar was dedicated to earth movies!
First I couldn't because of the war with decepticons, then I couldn't because of the quest, then we finally get a chance to visit earth and all we find… is this. Ruins. Like so many other planets. I mean, I know it's not our earth but…
Ratchet: Yeah, I know what you're saying. I didn't expect such a drastic change either. Despite their design flaws, humans were surprisingly crafty and adaptable. I thought nothing would wipe them out.
Ratchet pauses for a moment.
Ratchet: (sigh) Not much we can do now sadly. We can still help the current indigenous of the planet. Perhaps they managed to preserve some of that human culture you love so much. After all, since we landed we've seen what? A city at most? Somewhere out there must be prettier looking things than this. We just have to look for them.
Swerve: Hehe. Drift's optimism is rubbing off on you, Ratchet.
Ratchet: Maybe. Maybe. Anyway, less talk, more scouting , Swerve.
Swerve: You got it, doc.
Not too far from them Rodimus and Grimlock are interrogating a machine life form.
Rodimus: I'm gonna myself as clear as I can. We heard there's pirates stealing stuff around. You are the ones who attacked us. One of you even screamed "Rob them blind" so it can't be more obvious. So now I ask you. Red spherical ship, taken only a few hours ago. Where are you hiding it?
Machine life form: I'll never talk.
Rodimus: Fine. Don't tell me. Tell my friend here. Because if you don't …
Grimlock turns into t-rex mode and roars into machine's face in extremely intimidating fashion.
Machine: I know nothing! I SWEAR! I was just recruited a few days ago. This was my first raid. I'd only receive orders from my captain, which your friend chomped to death.
A very angry Rodimus: Uggghhhh Goddamnit! Dead end! Again.
Tired Magnus: Hopefully the other guys have better luck than us.
Middle of the sea.
Cyclonus dragging Chromedome and Drift water ski style at full speed.
Cyclonus : We've been running like this for almost an hour! Where the hell did Whirl ran off with that human?!
Drift: He couldn't be that far ahead of us.
Cyclonus sarcastically: Extremely helpful, Drift.
Drift: Maybe at some point he changed course or…
Suddenly in the sky a green flare can be seen to their left.
Chromedome: I think we just found him.
Cyclonus: Brace yourselves. We're stirring.
Sooner than they planed they can see a shore and on it Whirl and Jackass waiting.
Whirl: Took you guys long.
Drift to Jackass: Are you ok? Did Whirl hurt in any way with his negligence?!
Jackass: What? No! It was awesome. This guy is an absolute mad man in the air. And I love it. We even made it in record time!
Confused Drift: …ooookaaay.
Jackass: Anyway, here we are. Just behind those bushes. Follow me.
Whirl: Ugh… I hate jungles. So weird and dirty and… green.
Cyclonus: Stop complaining Whirl.
Rewind: I don't know about that, Whirl. Looks at all this flora and fauna. I gotta record it. What do you think, Domey?
Chromedome hits his head on branch: ow…. Yeah… Lovely.
Drift: How much further Jackass? Some of us seem to be getting tired.
Whirl: I think … I'm getting bored again….
Everyone: No!
Jackass: And here we are.
The transformers remain in awe. In front of their eyes appears a large white apparently very advanced structure.
Drift: This is where those 2 friends of yours live!?
Jackass: Yep.
Cyclonus: It looks like some sort of base.
Whirl: Or what's left of it. It looks like the last quarter of a huge donut that was left uneaten! Oh well let's get going.
Jackass: No wait!
Whirl takes a step forward and all of a sudden a loud alarm starts ringing.
Feminine voice: Alert! Unknown life forms detected. Deploying defensive measures.
From every inch of the structure guns stick out, aimed at the crew.
Cyclonus: Blast it! I knew this was a trap!
The robots are all pulling out their weapons preparing for combat.
Whirl: Finally! Some action!
Jackass: woah, woah, woah, sit your asses down! All of you! Pod! These guys are with me!
Feminine voice: Scanning… Scanning… Scanning… Android resistance member known as Jackass, identified.
The guns of the base are retracted just as fast as they're were pulled out. Then from inside the structure a small , cubical, floating, 4 armed drone comes out.
Pod153: Apologies for the hostile reception. Yorha Pod Unit Number 153, at your service.
Jackass: Yeah, yeah, nice to see you too. Are they inside?
Pod153: Affirmative. Units 2B and 9S are currently in the control room. Please follow me.
Drift: Yeah… we might have an little issue there.
Jackass: Which is…?
Jackass looks back to see the transformers leaned down next to the entrance looking at them.
Jackass: Oh… right. You guys are too big to fit in.
Rewind: Except for me and tailgate. We could come and see…
Cyclonus and Chromedome: OUT OF THE QUESTION!
Chromedome: We don't know what's inside. They could be knocked out, tied to slabs and be experimented on!
Pod153: Impossible, the bunker does not poses such analysis tools anymore.
Rewind: We still might find something that could help us! Besides , I wanna see how this thing looks on the inside.
Tailgate: And I don't want to let Rewind inside alone. Drift?
Rewind: Please?
Cyclonus: You're the leader, Drift. But I refuse to risk to send Tailgate in unknown territory alone!
Jackass: Chill out dude. Nothing's going to happen to them inside.
Drift: If the owners of this base can help us further our mission, then we have no choice but to risk it.
Cyclonus: Or tear this base apart and get what we need by force.
Drift: Cyclonus.
Cyclonus: …. fine.
Chormedome to Rewind: Be very careful in there.
Rewind: When am I not?
Cyclonus to Tailgate: If there's anything inside that puts in an uncomfortable position just scream and I'll come as fast as possible.
Tailgate: You worry too much. It'll be ok.
Pod153: Shall we?
Inside the bunker.
Rewind and Tailgate barely manage to squeeze through, despite being the shortest members of the crew.
The corridors which were once tidy and immaculate, drenched in white light are now dark and filled with piles of metal objects and tools.
Tailgate: Whirl was right. This place is a mess. There's scrap gathered everywhere.
Rewind: This ain't random scrap, Tailgate. Look closer. Fuel reservoirs. Titanium plates, gears, screws various types of cables, even body parts from those small mechs. These are building materials. Someone is building something here.
Tailgate: And I guess that something is here.
Tailgate points towards a locked door with a written sign on it.
Rewind: "No peeking until it's ready". Hmm….
Rewind just detaches himself from the mysterious door and another point of interest already catches his eye.
Rewind: Tailgate, check out these weapons.
Tailgate: Yeah, very interesting. Very elaborate designs. But shouldn't they be kept in like… a weapons room or something? Kinda weird to have a weapon rack here in the middle of a corridor.
Rewind: I don't think they have a choice, Tailgate. This entire structure seems like only a small section of something larger. Wonder how it ended up here? And what happened to the rest of it?
Tailgate: Um… Rewind, what do you think about this thing?
Tailgate points Rewind towards a large highly decorated slab of metal leaned against the wall full of carvings.
Rewind: "In the memory of those who fought and died for the glory of mankind". Looks like a memorial.
Tailgate: To whom? These aren't names. Looks more like a code. It's just … letters and numbers.
Rewind: Not sure about that. In times of war many cultures tend to deny their soldiers identities, even strip them of their real names using serials instead and treat them as merely cogs in the machine.
Tailgate: That sounds somewhat familiar.
Rewind: These guys must have been soldiers who fought during , I assume , whatever cataclysmic event that wiped out humanity. Which means this base must be extremely old. A few numbers seem to be missing though. A2, 2B, 9S…
Tailgate: There are 2 normal names, right here at the end.
Rewind: "Devola & Popola". Maybe they were leaders or something….
Pod153: Please don't fall behind.
Rewind: Huh?! Oh, my bad. I apologise.
As rewind the 2 robots walk down the corridor , getting closer to their destination, they hear music.
Tailgate: You hear that?
Rewind: Yes. Sounds like waltz. An earthen genre of music which accompanied a dance of the same name which would be performed at important events, often hosted by the upper class.
Tailgate: Not just the music. Someone's talking.
Male voice: 1, 2, 1, 2 ow.
Female voice: Sorry.
Male voice: It's ok. Please be more careful though. Again. 1, 2 , 1, 2 ow
Female voice: Sorry. Again.
Male voice: No problem. One more time.
Rewind: I'll take a wild guess and assume those are the hosts.
The 2 robots are finally catching up to Pod 153 and Jackass, who were waiting in front of a large door. Behind it, a large room opens in front of their eyes. There are a few desks with computer screens on them and one giant screen in the back of the room. All of them appear to be shut down. The waltz is at full volume. The only functioning source of light is a spotlight following a couple dancing. A boy and a girl, Both have snow-white hair and pale blue eyes, dressed in fancy black clothes. Despite the noise outside, they seemed unbothered. Too enthralled by each other to notice anything else.
Pod 153: Pod 153 to units 2B and 9S, We have guests,
-To be continued