Disclaimer:  I DO NOT own the Transformers, blah, blah, blah.  See "Cause of Madness: Part 1 for my full disclaimer.

Author's Note:  This is Episode 5 in my series that continues the original Transformers cartoon.  I will be the first to admit that this is not a great episode.  However, I feel that it is necessary for some of the new characters to get to show off.  So, here it is.

THE WAR BEGINS ANEW

(WE BEGIN THE EPISODE WITH AN OUTSIDE VIEW OF A MEETING HALL ON CYBERTRON.  WE THEN SWITCH TO INSIDE WHERE OPTIMUS PRIME IS ADDRESSING HIS FELLOW AUTOBOTS.)

OPTIMUS PRIME:  AUTOBOTS, EVER SINCE OUR CONFRONTATION WITH PRIMUS, ALL OF US, MYSELF INCLUDED, HAVE BEEN OCCUPIED WITH TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS WORDS.  BUT LET'S NOT FORGET THAT MEGATRON IS ALIVE AND WELL.  AND IF I KNOW HIM, HE'S PROBABLY STILL TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO RESTORE HIS ARMY.  THAT IS WHY I HAVE CALLED YOU HERE TODAY:  TO DISCUSS A WAY TO SPY ON THE DECEPTICONS.

ARCEE:  OPTIMUS, I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR SINCE YOUR "REBIRTH," BUT YOU KNOW JUST AS WELL AS ALL OF US THAT WE HAVE NO WAY TO DIRECTLY SPY ON CHARR.

SPRINGER:  SHE'S RIGHT PRIME.  IF ANY OF US WERE TO TRAVEL TO CHARR, THE DECEPTICONS WOULD DETECT US IN NO TIME AND MELT US ALL INTO SCRAP.  WE'RE HELPLESS IN THIS SITUATION.

BLASTER:  (VOICE) MAYBE NOT.

(THE AUTOBOTS TURN TO HIM.)

OPTIMUS:  YOU HAVE AN IDEA, BLASTER?

BLASTER:  I THINK SO.  ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MY NEWEST CREATION:  (HE PRESSES A BUTTON ON HIS CHEST.  A CASSETTE SHOOTS OUT AND TRANSFORMS INTO A BLACK, WHITE, AND RED BIRD AND PERCHES HIMSELF ON BLASTER'S ARM.) BLACKHAWK!  I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO TEST HIM OUT YET, BUT I FIGURE NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO DO SO.

(OPTIMUS PONDERS)

OPTIMUS:  PERHAPS IT'S WORTH A TRY.  SKY LYNX, I WANT YOU AND BLASTER TO SET A COURSE FOR CHARR.  YOU NEED TO GET CLOSE ENOUGH SO THAT BLACKHAWK CAN REACH ITS SURFACE, BUT FAR ENOUGH AWAY SO THAT THE DECEPTICONS WON'T DETECT YOU.

SKY LYNX:  UNDERSTOOD.  (TRANSFORMS TO SHUTTLE MODE.) YOU READY, BLASTER?

BLASTER:  AS READY AS I'LL EVER BE.  LET'S GO! 

(HE HEADS TO BOARD SKY LYNX.)

A/A

(SKY LYNX IS SEEN FLYING THROUGH SPACE.  WE SWITCH TO THE INSIDE.)

BLASTER:  ALL RIGHT, BLACKHAWK, THIS IS WHERE YOU GET OFF.  HAPPY HUNTING!

(BLACKHAWK SQUAWKS AND FLYS OUT OF THE DOOR.  HE HEADS FOR CHARR.)

(COMMERCIAL)

(SKY LYNX IS RETURNING.  DANIEL AND SOME OF THE OTHER AUTOBOTS SEE HIM.)

DANIEL:  HEY LOOK, IT'S SKY LYNX!

(SKY LYNX LANDS)

OPTIMUS:  SKY LYNX, IS BLASTER WITH YOU?

BLASTER:  HERE I AM, PRIME.  (HE STEPS OUT) I GOT SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS.  THE GOOD NEWS IS WE MADE IT BACK ALIVE.

OPTIMUS:  AND THE BAD NEWS?

BLASTER:  JUST WATCH AS I PLAY BACK BLACKHAWK'S FINDINGS.

(BLASTER TRANSFORMS TO RADIO MODE AND PLUGS INTO A MONITOR.)

MEGATRON:  (ONSCREEN) WHAT'S THE PROGRESS OF MY NEW ARMY, JUSTICE?

JUSTICE:  (ONSCREEN) EVERYTHING'S GOING SMOOTHLY SO FAR.  BY THE END OF THE MONTH, YOUR FORCES WILL BE INCREASED BY MORE THAN 5000 WARRIORS.

MEGATRON:  (ONSCREEN) EXCELLENT!  SOON, I WILL HAVE ENOUGH WARRIORS TO DEFEAT THE AUTOBOTS, CONQUER CYBERTRON, AND RULE THE UNIVERSE!

(MEGATRON LAUGHS MANIACALLY.  THE PLAYBACK ENDS.)

OPTIMUS:  OH, NO.  MY DEEPEST FEARS HAVE COME TRUE.  MEGATRON HAS WASTED NO TIME IN RESTORING HIS ARMY!

ULTRA MAGNUS:  BUT HOW IS HE GIVING THEM LIFE WITHOUT VECTOR SIGMA?

BLASTER:  IT'S SIMPLE:  (CHANGES BACK TO ROBOT MODE) THE QUINTESSONS BUILD THE BODIES, AND ALL HE HAS TO DO IS TOUCH THEM.  BUT ONCE FOUR HAVE BEEN GIVEN LIFE, THE POWER WILL BE GONE AND YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT BEFORE YOU CAN CREATE AGAIN.

SPIKE:  OF COURSE!  REMEMBER, PRIME, PRIMUS GAVE YOU AND MEGATRON THE GIFT OF CREATION!

OPTIMUS:  (LOOKING AT HIS HAND) I DO NOT WISH TO ABUSE THAT POWER THIS WAY.  BUT IT WOULD SEEM I HAVE NO CHOICE.  WRECK-GAR, CAN YOU AND THE JUNKIONS BUILD NEW AUTOBOT BODIES?

WRECK-GAR:  SURVEY SAYS, YES!

OPTIMUS:  THEN DO IT.  SPIKE, FIRST AID, PERCEPTOR, YOU THREE START BUILDING BODIES AS WELL.  WE'RE ALREADY BEHIND SCHEDULE AS IT IS.

(SPIKE NODS, AND HE AND THE THREE AUTOBOTS TURN TO LEAVE.)

A/A

(OPTIMUS IS WALKING THROUGH A FACTORY.  HE SEES SEVERAL NEW BODIES LYING DEACTIVATED.  HE PONDERS WHO HE'LL AWAKEN FIRST.)

PERCEPTOR:  WELL, PRIME, HAVE YOU DECIDED?

OPTIMUS:  NOT YET, PERCEPTOR.

(OPTIMUS SEES THE BODY OF A FEMALE.  WE SEE AN IMAGE OF ELITA-1.)

OPTIMUS:  (WHISPERING) ELITA.

PERCEPTOR:  EXCUSE ME, PRIME.

(PRIME SNAPS OUT OF HIS TRANCE)

OPTIMUS:  OH.  I'VE MADE MY DECISION, PERCEPTOR.  THIS ONE SHALL BE THE FIRST.  ARISE, ARIEL!

(HE TOUCHES THE BODY AND ENERGY FLOWS THROUGH HER.  SOON, HER OPTICS LIGHT UP AND SHE SITS UP MOANING.)

ARIEL:  WHERE AM I?

OPTIMUS:  YOU'RE IN THE IACON MANUFACTURING PLANT.  YOU HAVE JUST BEEN "BORN," SO TO SPEAK.  I AM OPTIMUS PRIME.  YOUR NAME IS ARIEL.

ARIEL:  SO BE IT.  I'M A NEW AUTOBOT, HUH?

PERCEPTOR:  THAT'S RIGHT.  WE AUTOBOTS HAVE WAGED A BRUTAL CIVIL WAR WITH OUR RIVALS, THE DECEPTICONS, FOR THE LONGEST TIME.

OPTIMUS:  THE ONLY THING THEY WANT IS  CONQUEST.  AS AUTOBOT LEADER, I HAVE SWORN TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

ARIEL:  SO, WHEN WILL I GET MY FIRST TASTE OF ACTION AGAINST THESE DECEPTICONS?

OPTIMUS:  I'M NOT CERTAIN.  BUT UNTIL THEN, I WANT YOU TO GO WITH SPRINGER TO THE TRAINING FACILITY AND BEGIN YOUR TRAINING.  BECAUSE I HAVE A FEELING YOU MAY FACE THEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

(COMMERCIAL)

(THE SCREEN SAYS "FIVE MONTHS LATER."  WE SEE A BUILDING ON CHARR.  MEGATRON IS MAKING A SPEECH TO HIS NEWLY RESTORED ARMY.)

MEGATRON:  DECEPTICONS, THE TIME HAS COME.  FOR CENTURIES, WE HAVE FOUGHT AGAINST THE AUTOBOTS.  WE HAVE WON MANY BATTLES, WE HAVE LOST MANY BATTLES.  WE HAVE LOST MANY LIVES, WE HAVE TAKEN MANY LIVES.  BUT ONE THING WE HAVE NEVER LOST IS OUR PRIDE.  WE HAVE FACED THE GREATEST ENEMIES AND SURVIVED.  WE HAVE BEEN ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION AND SURVIVED.  AND NOW THE TIME HAS COME TO TAKE BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OURS:  CYBERTRON.  AND ONCE WE HAVE TAKEN BACK OUR HOMEWORLD, WE SPREAD OUR EMPIRE TO THE FAR REACHES OF THE UNIVERSE.  AND FINALLY, WE WILL REIGN SUPREME!  EVEN IF IT TAKES US UNTIL THE END OF TIME, WE WILL RULE!  ARE YOU WITH ME?

DECEPTICONS:  YEAH! (VARIOUS FORMS OF CHEERING.)

MEGATRON:  NOW, LET US GO!  DECEPTICONS FOREVER!

DECEPTICONS:  DECEPTICONS FOREVER!

(WE SEE THE DECEPTICONS BEGIN BOARDING NUMEROUS STARSHIPS.)

D/A

(CARLY, BLASTER, AND OTHER AUTOBOTS ARE MONITORING FOR DECEPTICON ATTACKS.  A RADAR SCREEN BEGINS TO BLIP FURIOUSLY.)

CARLY:  OPTIMUS PRIME, COME QUICKLY!

OPTIMUS:  WHAT IS IT, CARLY?

CARLY:  IT LOOKS LIKE EVERY DECEPTICON IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE IS HEADED STRAIGHT FOR CYBERTRON.  AND THEN SOME.

OPTIMUS:  (PRESSES A COMM LINK.) AUTOBOTS, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!

(WE SWITCH OUTSIDE.  THE DECEPTICONS ARE FLYING THROUGH THE AIR.)

MEGATRON:  ATTACK! 

(HE FIRES HIS FUSION CANNON.  A BUILDING IS DESTROYED.)

OPTIMUS:  AUTOBOTS, ROLL OUT!

(SEVERAL OLD AND NEW AUTOBOTS ARE SEEN HEADED TOWARD THE BATTLEFIELD.  MEGATRON SEES THIS AND BEGINS SEETHING.  PRIME TRANSFORMS, MEGATRON LANDS, AND THE TWO LEADERS ARE FACE TO FACE.)

MEGATRON:  SO, PRIME, YOU TOO HAVE BUILT UP YOUR ARMY.  NO MATTER, CYBERTRON WILL STILL BE MINE! 

(HE FIRES FUSION CANNON.  PRIME DODGES.)

OPTIMUS:  AS LONG AS WE AUTOBOTS EXIST, YOU WILL NEVER WIN! 

(HE FIRES HIS LASER PISTOL.  MEGATRON DODGES.)

MEGATRON:  WE'LL FIND A WAY.  WE ALWAYS FIND A WAY!

(MEGATRON CHANGES HIS ARM INTO AN ENERGY MACE AND BEGINS TWIRLING IT.  OPTIMUS CHANGES HIS ARM INTO AN ENERGY AX.  THEY CHARGE EACH OTHER, WEAPONS CLASHING.  WE THEN SWITCH TO SEE TWO NEW TRANSFORMERS DUKING IT OUT.)

EAGLE EYE:  EAGLE EYE WILL CRUSH THE AUTOBOTS INTO OBLIVION!

(HE FIRES AWAY IN HIS JET MODE.)

MOTORMOUTH:  NOT IF MOTORMOUTH HAS ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!

(HE DODGES THE BLASTS IN HIS PICK-UP TRUCK MODE, TRANSFORMS AND FIRES AWAY.)

NIGHTRACER:  NIGHTRACER IS NOT ONLY THE BEST SHARPSHOOTER IN TOWN, SHE'S ALSO THE FASTEST DRIVER!

(SHE FIRES HER PISTOL, CAUSING ARIEL, WHO IS IN LAMBORGINI MODE, TO FLIP OVER.  SHE CHANGES TO ROBOT MODE AND STARTS TO SLOWLY GET UP.  NIGHTRACER CHANGES TO RACE CAR MODE.  SHE CHARGES AND RUNS ARIEL OVER.  ARIEL GETS TO ONE KNEE.)

ARIEL:  IF SPEED IS WHAT YOU DIG, ARIEL WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO OBLIGE!

(SHE CHANGES TO LAMBORGINI MODE.  SHE CHARGES AND RAMS NIGHTRACER IN THE SIDE.  SHE DOESN'T STOP UNTIL THEY HIT A WALL.)

TERRADIVE:  TERRADIVE, DESTROY!

(HE FIRES AWAY IN JET MODE.  COPYCAT, IN CONVERTIBLE MODE, IS FLIPPED OVER BY THE BLASTS.  SHE CHANGES TO ROBOT MODE AND STANDS.)

COPYCAT:  COPYCAT, COPY!

(SHE TRANSFORMS INTO AN EXACT COPY OF TERRADIVE'S ROBOT MODE.)

COPYCAT:  (WITH TERRADIVE'S VOICE) LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE.

(SHE FIRES THE COPY OF TERRADIVE'S WEAPON.  HE'S HIT AND STARTS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL.  COPYCAT TRANSFORMS BACK TO HER REGULAR ROBOT MODE AND WATCHES.)

COPYCAT:  (WAVING) BYE-BYE.

WINDRAZOR:  WINDRAZOR'S THE NAME, AND KILLIN'S THE GAME!

JOLT:  MY NAME IS JOLT AND MY GAME IS FREEDOM FIGHTER!

(THEY BOTH FIRE AWAY IN THEIR JET MODES.  THEY ARE BOTH HIT AT THE SAME TIME AND BEGIN TO GO DOWN.  AS THEY NEAR THE GROUND, THEY BOTH TRANSFORM.  THEY THEN CHARGE EACH OTHER AND BEGIN EXCHANGING BLOWS.  MEANWHILE, MEGATRON CRASHES INTO A WALL.  HE'S BURIED UNDER DEBRIS.  HE EXPLODES OUT, MACE TWIRLING.  WE SEE HIM HEAVILY DAMAGED, BUT STILL FULLY FUNCTIONAL.  WE THEN SEE PRIME, AX STILL OUT, IN THE SAME CONDITION.)

OPTIMUS:  GIVE IT UP, MEGATRON.  AS LONG AS WE'RE AROUND, YOU WILL NEVER TRIUMPH OVER FREEDOM AND PEACE.

MEGATRON:  ALL RIGHT, PRIME.  YOU WIN THIS ONE.  BUT ONE OF THESE DAYS, I WILL WIN THIS WAR!  IT IS MY DESTINY!  YOU CANNOT DENY ME OF THAT!  DECEPTICONS, RETREAT!

(THE DECEPTICONS FLY OFF.  THE AUTOBOTS WATCH AS THEY FLY AWAY.)

MAGNUS:  WELL, WE WON THIS ONE.

OPTIMUS:  YES, BUT IT'S NOT OVER.  NOT BY A LONG SHOT.  AS LONG AS MEGATRON EXISTS, THERE CAN NEVER TRULY BE PEACE.  THE DECEPTICONS ARE BACK AND MORE DANGEROUS THAN EVER.  OUR WAR HAS BEGUN ANEW, AND ONLY TIME WILL TELL WHICH ONE OF OUR FACTIONS WILL WIN.

THE END