Chapter 3: More Than Meets The Eye, Part 3 of 3

Teletraan I scans Seibertron for Energon signals.

Teletraan I: "Beep!"

Vector Prime is the only one awake at this hour.

Vector Prime: "Teletraan I has finally detected an Energon signal!"

There's a big hint in this picture.

Vector Prime: "Autobots, gather around Teletraan I!"

The sleepy Autobots drag themselves to Teletraan I.

Convoy: "Yawn. Is this important?"

Vector Prime: "I am surprised you would ask me that. Of course it is important!"

Backstop is the slowest, as usual.

Convoy: "Sigh, we need some kind of signal, like Defcon 1 or Battle Protocol. So what did it detect?"

Vector Prime: "It's too far away to detect the nature of the source, but we have the location."

From left to right: Jetfire, Backstop, Convoy, Millennium, Crosswise, Vector Prime

Backstop: "This newfangled technology actually works?"

Vector Prime: "It is far too complex for your olfactory-challenged processors to comprehend, I am sure."

Let's hope Convoy doesn't blow it up.

Convoy: "Let me see. So what do we know of the signal?"

Vector Prime: "Teletraan I has confirmed that it's a Transformer."

Smelly old geezer.

Backstop: "Snort! Haha! You need that big heap of metal to find a Transformer? Back in the old days, we hunted 'em Transformers down!"

Convoy comes close to blowing up Teletraan I.

Jetfire: "Imagine the tactical possibilities! A new Autobot on the team! At least 4, 234 new permutations for a five-man formation!"

Millennium is the devil's advocate.

Millennium: "How sure are we that it is an Autobot?"

Yet another hint in this picture.

Vector Prime: "I can only confirm the location of the Transformer. It is currently at the Manganese Mountains."

Jetfire is eager to spread his wings and fly.

Jetfire: "The Manganese Mountains!? We've got to start heading there now, before the target relocates!"

Crosswise finally speaks up.

Crosswise: "The Manganese Mountains are treacherous territory. All it takes is one misstep to fall into its many crevices. Even fliers find it hard to navigate there."

The big three think it out.

Vector Prime: "Shall we be off then?"

Jetfire: "I'll plot a course through the area with Crosswise!"

Convoy still hasn't really woken up.

Convoy: "Let's just hope the Decepticons don't get there first."

The Autobot team!

Convoy: "Autobots! Transform! "

Alternate mode!

Convoy: "And roll out!"

If you've been attentive, it has paid off.

Something stirs...

A familiar Minicon.

Laserbeak!

Laserbeak flies back to the Decepticons.

Laserbeak: "Cheep cheep! (Translation: My master Soundwave will want to know about this!)"

Laserbeak rises to the occasion.

Laserbeak: "Cheep! (Translation: The Decepticons will ravage the Autobots when they reach!)"

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The Decepticons' new headquarters.

Starscream: "So can we finally rest now, Soundwave?"

Soundwave: "Our journey took more time because of your complaining."

Beware of the bimbot.

Chromia: "Uh, I'm soooo glad we're recharging here tonight instead of that nasty Toxic Sludge Swamp! The humidity was so bad for my nails, see! Almost rusty!"

The odd couple.

Thundercracker: "Wait... Chromia! Where's the ring I gave you?"

Chromia: "Don't worry darling, it's in my pocket! It's too big to wear!"

Thundercracker's lustful smile.

Thundercracker: "Oh. Big... pockets, hur hur! Pockets. Pockets? Two pockets?"

Left to right: Chromia, Thundercracker, Scrapmetal, Soundwave, Falcon, Starscream

Starscream: "Shut up, the two of you! You're giving me a headache!"

Soundwave: "The pot calling the kettle fuel inefficient. Falcon, why did you lead us here?"

Falcon & Starscream

Falcon: "This is a suitable place for the Decepticon base. Protihex is a suitable vantage point for reaching the rest of Seibertron. It is well defended on many sides, and the effort required to build the base isn't much - "

Starscream: "So you're saying we're lazy!"

Falcon: "No. It's just that in my time, Decepticons were a loyal and obedient army. Not the quarrelsome, bickering ragtag band that you have now become."

Starscream's mug shot.

Starscream: "WHAT?! I'll have you know that we - "

The great Decepticon leaders.

Soundwave: "That is enough, Starscream. Falcon, you were dead. How did you come back online?"

Falcon, once the Emperor of Destruction, Master Liege.

Falcon: "My data track are fragmented. I was in stasis lock... and my Spark was almost extinguished. But somehow, the return of the Decepticons to Seibertron... it was your return that triggered my revival. I was reformatted, and when I came online this was the form you now see."

So loving.

Chromia: "What about that other Autobot guy... what was his name again?"

Thundercracker: "I know I know! Century! Right? Hur hur hur!"

Falcon is exasperated.

Falcon: "Millennium... The Autobots' return also reformatted him and brought him online, for some strange reason."

Soundwave: "It is strange that our return... could have triggered your activation."

The Decepticon doggy.

Scrapmetal: "Arf arf! (Translation: Birdy is back!)"

Soundwave: "What is it, Scrapmetal?"

They're like some sort of... Neopets.

Laserbeak: "Cheep cheep cheep cheep! (Translation: My name is Laserbeak, stupid mongrel!)"

Laserbeak, the loyal lackey.

Laserbeak: "Cheep!"

Soundwave: "Laserbeak has discovered the Autobot base."

Three little Decepticons.

Soundwave: "Furthermore, the Autobots have discovered a new Transformer, and are heading toward it now."

Such tact and diplomacy among the villains.

Starscream :"What are we waiting for? Attack the Autobot base while they are gone!"

Soundwave: "No. The new Transformer is at the Manganese Mountains. We can reach there before they do, and bolster our ranks... or destroy their ally."

The Decepticons prepare themselves...

Soundwave: "Decepticons! Transform!"

It's time to get going!

Soundwave: "And scramble!"

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The Decepticon Empire (all 6 of them).

Starscream: "We're here! But I don't see any Transformer!"

How did Chromia manage to get here in boat mode?

Chromia: "Don't you get the feeling that Seibertron is like, actually one big house?"

Thundercracker: "Didn't Xataxxis give you that feeling too?"

Mysterious figure in the distance.

PPP: "You have arrived, my fellow Decepticons."

Certainly looks like a horny fellow.

PPP: "Praise be to Unicron that you found me first. We must give thanks."

The Decepticons are too nervous to even transform.

Soundwave: "It is good to see you survived the Space Bridge here as well."

A new Decepticon ally?

PPP: "Of course. My faith in Unicron is strong, and it is through his will that I survived... and that you all did, too."

Gossip in the back.

Thundercracker: "You survived too! Hur hur! That means maybe my other friends survived too!"

Chromia: "Oh no... he's going to start preaching again. Bless Unicorn this, praise Unicron that, argh!"

He faces the Decepticons.

PPP: "Decepticons! We must find Unicron."

Primacron

Primacron: "As the Prophet of Unicron, I, Primacron, will lead the crusade to find our deity! He may have opened the way back to Seibertron for us, but even Unicron would be weakened after such a tremendous feat! We are his children, and we must find him!

Soundwave is apprehensive.

Soundwave: "Of course, Prophet Primacron. Master Megatron is missing as well. Can you divine his location?"

The tension is thick.

Primacron: "Master Megatron was a faithful one. You shall find him too, if you have faith."

Soundwave: "Thank you, Prophet."

Ambush!

Chromia: "Um, guys, don't mean to interrupt, but the AUTOBOTS ARE HERE!!!"

How does Millennium fly without engines?

Millennium: "How did the Decepticons reach here before us? How did they even know?"

Convoy: "Maybe they were spying on us? Maybe because they have more fliers?"

The Autobots screech to a halt.

Convoy: "It doesn't matter now. Autobots!"

Ready for battle!

Autobots: "Transform!"

Transformer of faith, Transformer of science.

Primacron: "Decepticons! Cast all your troubles on Unicron, and attack with no fear! For he will protect us and keep us safe!"

Soundwave: "Spread out more this time, Decepticons."

Autobots vs Decepticons

Jetfire: "Take a perimeter star formation, Autobots!"

Wiry background. Pretend they are vines, okay?

Vector Prime: "They outnumber us."

Convoy: "But we're the good guys!"

Decepticons vs Autobots

Starscream: "Leave no survivors!"

Mass battle!

Convoy/Soundwave: "Attack!"

Bull rush, literally.

Chromia: "Ooof!"

Backstop is pretty gutsy for an old dude.

Backstop: "Take that, you young punk!"

Starscream & Scrapmetal tag team against Jetfire.

Jetfire: "Get that stupid dog off me!"

Duel of the fliers.

Vector Prime: "En garde!"

Convoy takes on Soundwave & Laserbeak.

Soundwave: "Would you like your other ear severed as well?"

Mad evangelist takes on worldly ranger.

Primacron: "In the name of Unicron... die!"

Ignore the bolster behind please.

Millennium: "There's a giant bolster behind you!"

Falcon: "I'm not falling for that!"

Falcon is left-handed, by the way.

Falcon: "Perhaps you've forgotten my righteous fury!"

He holds his weapon in his left hand.

Millennium: "Unnngh!"

Where is that bowcaster actually pointing?

Millennium: "I didn't think you be any less aesthetically appealing... but after seeing your reformat, maybe not."

Falcon just uses his hands and gives up on the weapon.

Falcon: "I would give you the chance to surrender... but that would be out of character."

Splat!

Millennium: "You have the character of a cybersnail."

Falcon: "At least a cybersnail will still be online."

Ouch.

Millennium: ".... I'm still... online..."

Falcon looks at his handiwork proudly.

Falcon: "Not for much longer."

Bang!

Chromia: "Oh you saved me! You're my hero! Falcon!"

Two missiles in Jetfire's face.

Starscream: "Like it when your own weapons are used against you? Hahaha!"

There's no way Vector Prime could lose this fight.

Thundercracker: "No fair! Your sword's longer!"

Thundercracker never wins a fight.

Vector Prime: "And superior skill as well."

You know what they say about big hands... something primal about them.

Convoy: "How about you shut your trap!"

Crosswise is streetwise.

Crosswise: "If Unicron can do anything... can he make a rock so heavy that he cannot lift it?"

Autobots aren't faring so well.

Starscream: "How would you like to die, Autobots! Dismemberment? Fragmentation? Smelting?"

Convoy: "At the rate you're going... by audio concussion!"

Scrapmetal dines on Safeguard

Vector Prime: "Release Safeguard!"

Scrapmetal: "Woof woof! (Translation: He's yummy!)"

Pinned down by the Decepticons.

Primacron: "You shall be sacrificed to mighty Unicron!"

The Autobots are utterly thrashed.

Vector Prime: "I thought you said... we would win because we are the good guys..."

Convoy: "I guess superior numbers win after all... at least it wasn't a trap..."

How will the Autobots get out of this situation?

Falcon: "Now to eradicate the Autobots from the face of Seibertron!"

Thundercracker: "I love this part! Hur hur! Who do I get to slag?"

Backstop: "Be... behind you..."

From out of nowhere!

Millennium: "... thank you... stranger..."

Almost as if he had rotors behind him...

Backstop: "Behind... you..."

Chromia: "Oh please! That line was so last season!"

At least the Autobots are in one pile now.

Scrapmetal: "Bark!"

Chromia: "Aieeee!"

The mysterious Transformer... transforms.

Soundwave: "Who are you?"

Backstop: "The ancient Autobot hero..."

Bumblebee

Backstop: "Bumblebee!"

Bumblebee swiftly begins dispatching Decepticons.

Falcon: "His speed!"

PWNAGE!

Starscream: "He's too fast for me!"

Mad skillz!

Primacron: "He must be Unicron-touched for such swiftness!"

Convoy and Vector Prime, the laggards.

Crosswise: "He seems to be making some sort of symbol."

Vector Prime: "I think he wants us to follow him."

Autobots rolling away.

Jetfire: "Back guard formation with Millennium on Convoy! I'll take up the rear!"

Convoy: "This better not be a trap. Autobots, roll out!"

Dazed Decepticons.

Scrapmetal: "Rarf...."

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Back to the Autobot base of operations...

Backstop: "Puff puff! Back in our day, Autobots never retreated!"

Autobots: "Shut up!"

Why would they have Chevrolet Camaros on Seibertron, anyway?

Bumblebee screeches to a halt...

Aww.... so cute.

... and transforms!

The Autobots also put on the brakes.

Convoy: "At least it's not a trap."

Vector Prime: "Do not be so rude! We managed to reach the Sonic Canyons safely, that is what matters!"

Autobots in domestic mode.

Autobots: "Transform!"

Crosswise: "So who are you, Bumblebee?"

Bumblebee backs away in fear.

Backstop: "He... Millennium, don't you recognise him?"

Millennium: "Indeed, but I did not know he survived. He fought alongside me during the Legend War."

Bumblebee on the defensive.

Bumblebee slowly moves back...

The Autobots try to catch up with the 'Bee.

Backstop: "Yeah! He was one of the great heroes of the Legend War... remember, Galaxy Convoy? He was one of the most trusted lieutenants, serving your father loyally! Unlike you youngsters these days, he's got obedience!"

Convoy: "Backstop, for the last time, it's Convoy, not Galaxy Convoy. Yes, I remember Bumblebee when I was a child... he saved my father's life many times during the war."

Jetfire: "Wait! Bumblebee, wait!"

A desperate scramble up the Sonic Canyons.

Crosswise: "I'll catch up."

Even Crosswise can't keep up with Bumblebee.

Bumblebee looks sadly at the Autobots as he makes his escape.

Whoosh!

Crosswise: "He's like a ninja. Bumblebee, wait!"

Disappearing act.

But Bumblebee is gone.

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The darkness engulfing.

Somewhere else in Seibertron...

Falcon?

Falcon: "My lord, your humble servant has arrived."

Stranger and stranger!

???: "You have been slow in accomplishing your tasks."

Falcon prostrates himself before his mysterious master.

Falcon: "My lord, my sincerest apologies. The Decepticons are a bickering lot... but it is done. They shall be able to find the Microns, as well as their missing deity."

The beginning... or the end?

???: "Excellent. Then let the Legacy Wars begin!"