Ten Situations

1: Code Blue, an Autobot paramedic: A ripple of laser fire tore into the metal ground in front of Code Blue. The Autobot paramedic transformed into robot mode, just missing the fresh crater. His left hand retracted into his arm and was swiftly replaced by a plasma cannon. Scanning through the plumes of smoke caused by the explosion, he fired skywards at the attacking Decepticons.

“Where are you, for Primus’s sake?” a distressed voice called through his communicator.

Rolling forwards on the ground and dodging another barrage of enemy fire, Code Blue replied: “I’m on my way, Treadbolt. And you know I don’t believe in Primus!”

Code Blue fired again and reverted to vehicle mode. The three airborne Decepticons gave chase as he sped East of Kalis. His engines groaned as he pushed himself to his limits. He had to get away from the Decepticons and get to his injured comrade as soon as he could.

His onboard computer blipped. “Environmental anomaly detected ahead.”

Code Blue switched to his retro thrusters and stopped suddenly. He felt a lurching sensation as he did so. His internal sensors had detected a field of dense magnetic force just half a mile in front of him.

Too slow to realise what Code Blue had discovered, the three airborne Decepticons carried on course. Without warning they dropped to the ground-the force of the magnetic field and impact crushed them to death instantly.

As the echo of their impact subsided, Code Blue transformed to robot mode and scanned the area. He measured the magnetic field to be five miles across. He considered the information for a split second and then dashed off in Treadbolt’s direction.

“Bad day?” Blazemaster asked Code Blue as he returned to his labs at the research complex.

“Had its ups and downs.”

Brushing past his fellow Autobot, Code Blue entered his private lab and shut the door behind him. He sat at his terminal and downloaded topological maps of Kalis and the surrounding area. He then uploaded his own information on the magnetic field.

The idea struck him: “If we could lure the Decepticons to the area, we could wipe out an entire armada of them in less than a breem!”

2: Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, Autobot warriors: Sunstreaker launched a flare into the Cybertronian night sky. The phosphorus glow bleached the ground and the walls of Kalis’ buildings, casting harsh shadows behind them.

“He’s down!” Sideswipe announced, tapping his optical casing. “Over there!”

The two Autobots jumped down and folded into vehicle mode. They raced along the north side of the Baird Transmitter, the sound of their engines echoing up the walls. Their headlamps were switched to full power.

Ahead, Starscream lay on the ground, shielding his optics from the enemy light. A gaping wound in his left knee was pumping oil onto the ground. He winced in pain and tried to lift his arm to fire at the oncoming traffic.

Photon bullets bounced across Sideswipe’s windscreen, peppering the reinforced plexiglass with burns. He swerved to the left to avoid Starscream’s fire. Sunstreaker decelerated and pulled back. He didn’t want his paintwork scratched.

Starscream tried transforming but his injuries were too severe. He was glad he was alone-he didn’t want his fellow Decepticons seeing him so helpless.

The two Autobots ramped off the ground, transformed into robot mode and brandished their weapons in one fluid move. Starscream twitched as Sideswipe drilled the barrel of his laser rifle into his neck.

Sideswipe’s words were burning with anger. “You just killed a very good friend of ours, so give me one reason why I shouldn’t incinerate your cerebral circuits right here, right now.”

3: Powerglide, an Autobot air warrior: Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet spiralled around the Aerialbot team, strafing their enemies out of the bright blue sky.

From a distance, Powerglide watched Fireflight bank sharply to the left in an attempt to outmanoeuvre the enemy fire whilst blindly launching a volley of fire-fog missiles.

The missiles connected with Slingshot’s undercarriage and exploded, engulfing the Aerialbot in white fire. Out of control, he plummeted towards the ground.

Powerglide laughed out loud. He had always prided himself on being the Autobots only flier... the one they all relied upon in times of emergency or when rapid air support was needed. But then the Aerialbots arrived on the scene to rob Powerglide of his glory.

Slingshot’s fiery vapour trail dirtied the blue skies and Powerglide considered whether to save him or join the other Aerialbots and regain his former glory.

4: Emirate Xaaron, an Autobot resistance leader: Deep underground and in a darkened, disused utility duct Xaaron was handed the plans to Operation: Volcano. He nervously thumbed around the canister, looking for the catch. He opened it and pulled out the conduit, connecting it to one of his many receiver ports.

“Impactor is still not happy,” Roadbuster whispered.

“Sacrifices must be made,” said Xaaron. “This is war, after all.”

“Yes, but-”

“You may go now, Roadbuster,” Xaaron ordered coldly.

As the details of the plans saturated his mind, Xaaron thought about what he was asking of his troops. The plan was for Xaaron to address his resistance troops in a meeting that would hopefully lure the Decepticons into attacking. It would be a bloody battle for sure, but Xaaron was sure it was the only way to ensure victory.

Impactor wanted the meeting to be full of facsimile constructs, but as Xaaron looked at it, what were a few casualties in the face of the larger plan?

5: Broadside, an Autobot assault trooper: +++Priority emergency beacon+++

For the second time, Broadside ignored the emergency signal. He was where he most comfortable: with his feet planted squarely on dry land.

+++Priority emergency beacon+++

Seaspray, an Autobot that Broadside wasn’t particularly keen on was in trouble some two hundred miles east off the coast of California. Broadside didn’t like Seaspray on account of his apparently unending enthusiasm for the oceans of the Earth. The buoyancy, the depths, the tides, the waves, the fish, the surf, and the currents... he would never shut up.

Maybe it was because Broadside hated water, or that Seaspray’s attitude showed him up to be quite the coward.

And now Broadside was in the position of being the only one able to cross the currents of the Pacific Ocean and save him. But come on, who would miss him? It’s not like he’s any good as a warrior on dry land. No one would care.

6: Cosmos, an Autobot communications specialist: Beachcomber slipped through the tunnel with ease. Which was a very good thing, what with a pack of oilthirsty Demons drooling and growling behind him.

“Help me, Beachcomber!”

Cosmos, suited more to space exploration and communications relaying was slowing the pair down with his cumbersome robot mode.

“Hurry up!” urged Beachcomber with uncharacteristic panic. “I am very close to losing my cool.”

“I think I’m stuck,” Cosmos admitted from further down the tunnel. “It’s really quite compact down here.”

Beachcomber grabbed his head in frustration. “I don’t know why I even agreed to go down here... it’s just been another of Scrounge’s mystery chases!”

As the Demons’ unworldly growls filled the tunnel, Beachcomber rapidly weighed up his options. If he stayed to help Cosmos, they would surely both be killed. But if he left Cosmos, at least one of them would survive.

7: Ratchet, an Autobot medic: “I’m a burden to the cause,” Kup lamented. “My reactions are too slow, I’m endangering the others. It’s only a matter of time before I get someone killed.”

“Nonsense,” replied Ratchet, administering a fresh infusion of energon.

Hot Rod marched into the repair bay, carrying Kup’s left arm. “Hey doc, where do you want this?”

“Just on the table there, please,” Ratchet said without looking up.

“Is Kup going to be okay?”

“Yes, he’ll be fine,” Ratchet grunted. “Can you give us some privacy please?”

Hot Rod, offended, left the repair bay.

“Don’t bother reattaching that arm.”

“What?”

“You’re wasting your time repairing me, I’m just going to get smashed up again. You’re wasting valuable resources. There are other Autobots more deserving than me.”

“You’re all heroes, and all as deserving as each other as far as I’m concerned,” reassured Ratchet.

“That’s nice of you to say, lad, but we both know I’m past my prime. There’s only one thing you can do... you have to let me die!”

8: Prowl, an Autobot commander: Tarpit laughed maniacally. “You’ll never find them all in time!”

Prowl pushed his face into the Decepticon’s and spoke clearly and sternly. “Where are they?”

“I told you already,” laughed Tarpit. “I won’t talk!”

Prowl stepped away from the terrorist and raised his hand to his chin. According to Intel, the city-state of Iacon had been laced with over thirty proton bombs. Tarpit had overseen the whole operation. And the Wreckers had captured him and brought him to Prowl.

“Are you gonna torture me?” taunted Tarpit. “You gonna gut me till I squeal?”

“I ought to!” spat Prowl. “Thousands of Autobots in Iacon will be killed, and I need that information.”

“Ooh, dilemma, how’s an Autobot gonna stay true to his code if a Decepticon won’t talk?”

9: Ironhide, an Autobot security director: “As if we’re not under-resourced enough as it is,” Ironhide complained.

“All I’m saying is that we’ve been asked to grant asylum to the refugees of Vos and Tarn,” repeated Red Alert. “You’re the one with all the numbers, the decision lies with you.”

“But we’re under too much pressure as it is! And why Iacon? And why should we care anyway? We don’t even know any of them!”

10: Bluestreak, an Autobot gunner: Megatron towered menacingly over the group of humans. They stood, panicked, in a huddle on the bridge over Sherman Damn. With his troops preparing to head back to base, fully laden with stolen energy, Megatron had one last item to check off his to-do list for the day:

“Die!” he screamed, firing his fusion cannon at the bridge.

Bluestreak watched the Decepticons launch as the bridge suspensions began to give way. He aimed his missile launchers at the fleeing enemy.

“Bluestreak!” shouted Cliffjumper. “Never mind the ‘Cons... save the humans!”

“But the Decepticons keep getting away with the energy all the time,” Bluestreak protested. “Gotta keep everything in perspective. They’re still in range, I can take ‘em out!”

Megatron switched off the monitors and turned to his student. “His influence over the Autobots was unquenchable,” he said.

“I understand now.”

“I am glad,” Megatron replied. “Yes.

“For you see my dear Shokaract, Optimus Prime must be eliminated.”