16

ALL-NEW TEXT STORIES

“GROUNDED THEORY”“NO OFFENCE, PORTLAND”REVIEWS: “THE VOID” • “EDGE OF IMPACT”

IN THIS ISSUE:

JANUARY

ATOZ

IMPACTOR

TMUK

2

MARVELPIECE

“DINOBOT HUNT”

Decepticon Victory, illustrated by Barry Kitson, Marc Griffiths and Jeff Anderson (Marvel’s Transformers #48).

3

MARVELPIECE

“Dinobot Hunt” is, in many ways, a quintessential Transformers story. It’s about the Transformers. It isn’t about super-powered humans, or asteroids from space, or humans taking over Transformers, and other such external threats. “Dinobot Hunt” is about the Transformers as real, rounded characters, their decisions and, most importantly, the consequences of their decisions. It’s rich, layered storytelling, almost out of place in a licenced comic like Transformers.

The premise of “Dinobot Hunt” is simple... the Dinobots have gone rogue, driven to insanity by corrosion of their brain modules and their behaviour threatens the safety of much of the western side of America. But it’s the reaction of both the Autobots and the Decepticons that’s the driving force behind the story. The Autobots take responsibility and the Decepticons take advantage.

While many a Transformers tale shallowly showcases characters with only surface-level characterisations and much ado about their weapons and abilities, “Dinobot Hunt” deliberately gets under their skin, shows their personalities, their tenaciousness and offers a hundred and one reasons to love them. It’s Transformers stripped of it gimmicky nature, with drama and tension in its place.

Optimus Prime and his Autobots react to the rogue Dinobots with compassion and concern, keen to get them back home and rehabilitated. In actual fact, the closest comparison to a human story would be a caring family reacting to one of their own succumbing to a mental illness.

With the safety of the humans

a top priority, the Autobots are split into teams of three (one team each for Snarl, Slag, Sludge and Grimlock) to retrieve them. Spread over four issues, this split allows the story to focus on the characters. It’s intimate and epic all at once.

In the opening chapter, the first team: Mirage, Trailbreaker and Brawn track Snarl (via his “cyno-trace”) to a top secret military base. As an opening sequence, the story focuses more on action. Will Simpson’s art suits the chapter’s explosive nature and the desert setting. In the end, an experimental human-designed “disintegrator” weapon nullfies Snarl, saving the Autobots a job. The initial impression is that the Dinobot Hunt is going to be nothing more than a formality, lulling the reader into a false sense of confidence about the way the rest of the story is going to play out.

Chapter two really pushes “Dinobot Hunt” into a higher gear. For a start the artwork, by Barry Kitson and Marc Griffiths, is far superior (in this opinion) than Will Simpson’s. Sludge is next on the list, with Windcharger, Gears and Cliffjumper tasked with his retrieval. The three (mini) Autobots really get to shine in this installment; their banter and interactions are a joy to read, stirring genuine empathy for the characters. And when the real antagonists of the story reveal themselves at the end of chapter two (in a complete reversal of chapter one), the Autobots’ defeat is all the more heart-wrenching. The three Decepticons: Scavenger and Skywarp, led by Soundwave stand victorious over the deactivated bodies of the Autobots in one of the most iconic panels of all of Marvel’s Transformers history.

The third part of “Dinobot Hunt” returns to the desert, and Will Simpson’s artwork. This time, Slag is the target, with Jazz, Ironhide and Jetfire in pursuit. The whole, cliche-riddled Cowboys Vs Alien Robot Dinosaur segment is best ignored. The biggest asset of this part is the interplay between the three Autobots... or should that

be two Autobots and one ex-Decepticon. At this stage of the overall Transformers story, Jetfire still wears a Decepticon badge, and Ironhide just can’t see past it. Although only taking up a single page of the story, the complication of the bickering Autobots adds no small amount of depth and Jazz, in particular, breaks out of his somewhat shallow portrayal in previous stories.

And on the Decepticon side, Soundwave’s leadership continues to be the running highlight of the story. He has it all planned out, despite not capturing Slag, and isn’t afraid to show compassion towards the damaged Laserbeak. All this is nothing, however, to his sinister face to face promise to the captured Autobots (Windcharger, et al) that he plans to murder them in due course!

It’s rare, if not downright unheard of, for a lasting Decepticon victory. But in “Dinobot Hunt” that’s exactly what happens. While it’s fair to say that the Autobots, galvanised by both Prowl’s and Optimus Prime’s bravery and Bumblebee’s intelligence, retrieve the Dinobots in the climactic chapter, their accomplishments aren’t without costs. And it’s these costs that Soundwave was banking on. All he wanted was to take advantage of the Autobots’ crisis to wreak mayhem, destruction and, above all, Autobot and human casualties alike. And, into the bargain, they even got an unexpected fuel bonus. Considering that Soundwave just had Skywarp and Scavenger with him, it made their victory all the more bitter for the Autobots.

“Dinobot Hunt” combines action, character depth with an intelligent, gripping script to produce one of the best multi-part stories of the entire 300+ issue Transformers run. The action carries the tale along, but it’s the wonderful character moments that cement it as it goes, leaving behind a beautifully structured 44-page Transformers package for satisfied readers to cherish for decades (as it turns out) to come. ℗

“Dinobot-Hunt” originally published in Marvel UK’s Transformers #47-50 (February/March 1986). Writer: Simon Furman. Artwork: Will Simpson, Barry Kitson, Tim Perkins, and Marc Griffiths. Colours: Stuart Place, and Jeff Anderson. Letters: Annie Halfacree, and Mike Scott. Editor: Ian Rimmer.

(WRECKER)

FUNCTION: ASSASSINATION

“A victory without risk is a triumph without glory.”

First Appearance: Transformers 82

Profi le: Impactor always aims for the brain module. He leaves

nothing to chance and no margin for error. He grimly leads his

Wreckers on the riskiest of missions, striving for nothing less than

a 100% success rate. If there are any doubts in his mind, he

would prefer to scrub a mission than tempt failure. He exhibits

a tough, no nonsense demeanor, refusing to take pity from his

peers and offering none in return.

Abilities: Impactor wields a serrated harpoon that he fi res from

his right wrist socket with astonishing precision. It can retract

back into his arm within seconds, usually returning with an

impaled Decepticon forehead panel. Impactor is installed with a

high impact, rapid succession sonic cannon that either sits atop

his tank mode or his right shoulder. The cannon is equally suited

to “drilling” through solid Cybertronian rock or a battalion of

Decepticons. Impactor’s courage, loyalty and battlefi eld prowess

are his greatest assets.

Weaknesses: Impactor is fi rmly dedicated to his Wreckers but

not necessarily Autobot High Command. His abrasive behaviour

and attitude often cause friction with others, particularly with

Commander Xaaron.

IMPACTOR

5

IGNITION

Welcome, friends, to the new issue of the Polaris Magazine! As you should know very well by now, this publication has changed its name! After discussing things with a few people, I thought it best to continue with the numbering. So even though this is issue number 16, it’s the first issue of the Polaris Magazine! Clear? Hope so.

The essence and character of the magazine is exactly the same and, though we’ve had a little bit of a new look, nothing’s changed. It’s a lot like when Megatron turned into Galvatron or Thundercracker into Scourge. Of course, I’m not saying that Unicron is offering printing services now. Speaking of which, you may notice the introduction of a new, more environmentally responsible paper for the magazine.

“Timecode” makes it return this issue. Don’t worry if you aren’t all caught up. There’s a very handy Recap of events so far from previous chapters on page 14. After that the action and drama continues with “No Offence, Portland” on page 18. Also this issue, fiction-wise, is a one-shot tale set after the events of “End of the Road” from the last issue of Transformers. It’s called “Grounded Theory” and it’s on page 7. A huge thanks to artist Ed Pirrie who has illustrated the story (you saw that on the cover!).

Ed’s also illustrated the AtoZ entry on Impactor. There it is on the left.

A new feature starts this issue. It’s called Marvelpiece (a portmanteau of Marvel and Masterpiece). It’s essentially a showcase of what I think are the

very, very best Transformers stories that Marvel published. You might not always agree with my choices but I hope you appreciate my reasons. Be sure to send in any comments to the new email address: editor@polarismagazine.co.uk.

And if you do find yourself venturing online, be sure to check out our very own web site! As well as a comprehensive archive of older features and fiction, there’s an opportunity to buy collected editions of previous issues (we’re calling those Essential Polaris Magazine). To be fair, if you already own the first fifteen issues, then they aren’t really essential at all.

Make sure you sign up for the email newsletter as well. If you do, you’ll be kept up to date with all the exciting news on future editions.

While you’re there, be sure to treat yourself to a subscription. That way, you’ll be guaranteed to receive every issue through the post... and at special rates! It would be dreadful if you missed an issue. So, for the sake of your own sanity, please be sure to subscribe!

The web site address is: www.polarismagazine.co.uk and you can visit it any time using your favourite Internet browser.

I hope that you’ll continue to enjoy the magazine as we hurtle into the second decade of the 21st Century. And remember: your feedback is very important! If there’s anything on your mind, please do get in touch and let me know if there’s anything I can help with. Polaris Magazine related, I hasten to add. Until the dark of the moon,

—Graham

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Polaris Magazine 16January 2011

www.polarismagazine.co.uk

Editor: Graham ThomsonCover: Ed Pirrie

AtoZ (p. 4): Ed Pirrie

Contents

2 Marvelpiece “Dinobot Hunt”

4 AtoZ Impactor

6 Comic Book Review “The Void”

7 Fiction “Grounded Theory”

14 Fiction Timecode - Recap

18 Fiction “No Offence, Portland”

24 Comic Book Review “Edge of Impact”

25 AtoZ Commentary Bruticus Bugly Bumblebee

��

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JANUARY

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TMUK

Polaris Magazine is a work of critical review and analysis as described in article seventeen of the Tyrest Accord. No copyright infringement is intended. You can contact the editor via email:editor@polarismagazine.co.uk

Printed on FSC certified paper

When you have finished with this magazine, please recycle it

It has become something of a tradition, for the New Year, for The Transformers comic to publish a twenty-years-hence tale. This year the clock moves forward to 20101 and catches up with the “future” Autobots after their return from the “Time Wars”.

Following on from the storyline briefly touched upon in “Aspects of Evil” some twenty-plus issues ago, “The Void” sees Rodimus Prime’s Autobots in full retreat after Galvatron (alive, well and dangerous in this new “reset” post-”Time Wars” future) has conquered Cybertron, and killed scores of Autobots. Problem is, as the crew try to navigate through the Void, there’s a saboteur on board!

Filling just five pages of black and white comic, “The Void” packs in plenty of tension and paranoia. The script moves along quickly, carrying the reader through the mystery. Unfortunately with just five

pages, there’s little space to build up any mystique and before long the first plot twist/cliffhanger is already upon the reader.

While the main characters are familiar to long-time readers of the comic, much of the incidental cast are simply present because their toy versions are still readily available. Story-wise, their roles are generic and interchangeable.

Stewart “Staz” Johnson’s artwork is appropriately atmospheric, with some excellent use of heavier inking and grey tone to convey the tense mood of the story. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Stewart makes a black and white strip look like it’s supposed to be black and white.

“The Void”, admittedly, could use a few more pages but nevertheless pulls the reader into the shallows of a muddy Transformers thriller. ℗

“The Void” (5 pp) was originally published by Marvel UK in The Transformers #251 (January 1990)

Note 1: The strip itself incorrectly frames the story as being set on New Year’s Day 2009, but a later letter’s page corrects it to 2010, as “Time Wars” was actually set in 2009.

6

COMIC BOOK REVIEW

“THE VOID”

The Void, illustrated by Stewart Johnson (Marvel’s The Transformers #251).

7

FICTION

“I said I’ll do it!” Silverbolt called out, rising to his feet. His words hit the Autobot Council’s meeting chamber like lightning.

It had been ten minutes since the subject had been brought up by Wheeljack, an idea to flex his creative muscles and to help with the problem of an increasingly distant Optimus Prime.

As Silverbolt sat back down, he regarded Wheeljack with a smile. The Autobot engineer couldn’t return the gesture of course, but his eyes at least seemed grateful.

It was strange for Silverbolt to feel like an equal to Wheeljack, the one who had designed and built him.

But Cyberton was a brave new world now, and the Autobots had chosen a new Council to rule the planet. Silverbolt had never realised how popular he actually was. His grim, square-chinned outlook on the war had given security to the Autobots, and in return they’d given him their trust.

As expected, Prowl had tried to veto the idea. He was keen to move on and report the completion of Helex’s Nucleon storage facility. His choice of words hit Silverbolt where it hurt.

“The whole idea is unnecessary and irresponsible,” Prowl had lectured. “I’m not prepared to devote time and resources to the failure of yet another of Wheeljack’s little toys.”

Wheeljack’s shoulders had dropped, along with his idea.

Silverbolt had realised, even now having been voted onto the Council, to play a part in the running of Cybertron, that he still had something to prove.

“I’ll do it,” Silverbolt had replied to Prowl’s condescending question. His response had been summarily ignored.

“I said I’ll do it!”With the attention of the entire Council,

Prowl had no choice but to yield. “Vote?”The show of hands was unanimous. “Very well,” Prowl conceded. “Any

particular reason why this is so important to you, Silverbolt?”

“Because not all of Wheeljack’s ‘little toys’ are failures.”

“It’s magnificent!” said Optimus Prime.The conditions at the Ibex Spaceport

were perfect. The calm afternoon sunlight and gentle wind helped to relax Silverbolt as he gestured to Optimus Prime to board the shuttle.

Wheeljack and Prowl maintained their stiff posture as they watched.

“He seems impressed,” Wheeljack whispered.

Prowl shrugged. “If it runs on Nucleon, how did you get it to reconfigure from vehicle to shuttle?”

“No morphcore to poison,” replied Wheeljack.

With Optimus Prime on board, Silverbolt turned to his small audience and saluted. “Come on, Prowl,” he said. “Let’s see a smile on that face of yours. You know, as a change from its default setting.”

Optimus Prime was already sitting in the pilot’s chair when Silverbolt entered the cabin. “Just relax,” he said. “There are a few safety checks I need to run.”

“GROUNDED THEORY”

8

FICTION

Optimus did not reply, but instead smoothed his palms over the controls and instrument panels. Everything about the shuttle, like Cybertron itself, was new, unmarked and glossy. It was a landscape he wasn’t used to.

“Okay then,” Silverbolt said as he sat in the co-pilot’s chair. “Since this is your first lesson, and the shuttle’s maiden flight, I’m going take us up on a nice, easy launch. But I want you to follow my movements through your controls.”

Silverbolt amazed himself with how cool he felt, and how readily Optimus was following his instructions.

Silverbolt continued: “There are two ways to fly. One, you can interface directly with the craft and essentially control it as if it were your own alternate mode. Or, you can fly stick.”

“We’re flying stick today, aren’t we?”“We are indeed,” Silverbolt smiled.With the instincts of a seasoned pilot,

Silverbolt ran through his pre-flight checks, adjusting dials and flicking switches with smooth, controlled gestures. The shuttle hummed into life and, within moments, sped along Ibex’s main runway and gently into the sky.

“Nothing to it,” Silverbolt smiled. “Although it’s the landing that’s the tricky part.”

Optimus Prime obediently followed Silverbolt’s movements on the controls. He remained quiet. Prowl had warned Silverbolt he would be.

“I can’t remember the last time I learned something new,” Optimus admitted. “You know, before the war I trained as an athlete and a medic. That was before the Creation Matrix...”

Optimus’s words drifted away. Silverbolt was sure he heard regret in their tone.

“Are you ready to take control?” Silverbolt asked.

“Certainly.”

“Just take a firmer grip on the control column and keep us flying straight and steady.”

“Okay.” Optimus poised himself forwards in his chair and clasped his hands around the controls.

Silverbolt relaxed from his controls. “You have control,” he said.

“I have control,” Optimus replied.The shuttle maintained its course,

heading north past Ibex and over Iacon with Polyhex on the distant horizon. The surface shone like a jewel, its polished silver skin reflecting the early evening sunlight. The planet had never sparkled so much. The recent restoration by the Last Autobot had removed all traces of the war.

Silverbolt smiled as he took in the view. He hadn’t felt this calm in a long time. He was far away from the other Autobots, particularly Prowl and his judgments. If Silverbolt could teach Optimus Prime to fly, he could free himself from his reputation. The Autobot jet who refuses to show anyone that he’s afraid of heights.

“Can we go higher?” Optimus Prime asked.

“Sure,” said Silverbolt.Optimus pulled back on the controls and

the shuttle lifted into the air. The view of the surface disappeared. After a few moments, Optimus leveled the shuttle again.

“Look down there,” Optimus said, pointing. “The Great Dome.”

Silverbolt peered to the left. With his co-pilot distracted, Optimus reached down and silenced a flashing red alert on the control panel.

“They’re not responding,” said Wheeljack.“What?”“I tried to open a comm channel, but it’s

been blocked.”“Well, why would they do that?” Prowl

asked. “Silverbolt had better not be showing off.”

9

FICTION

“I just wanted to warn them not to go too high, is all.”

“Why?” Prowl’s face tightened. “What happens if they go too high?”

Optimus Prime didn’t see what Silverbolt did. Where Silverbolt saw a new Cybertron, a gleaming new world ripe with opportunity, Optimus saw a torn planet, covered with the scars or war. He wanted to get away.

“Higher, again?” he asked.Silverbolt felt a pang of vertigo as the

shuttle lifted higher into the sky. He refused to bow to it. “You go as high as you want,” he smiled.

Optimus pulled again on the controls, harder this time. The shuttle ascended much faster than before.

Silverbolt glanced down at the instruments. “Not too high, though,” he said. “Wheeljack only built this as a sub-orbital shuttle, so we don’t want to be pushing its limits too much.”

Optimus relaxed. “You’re right,” he said. “I just wanted a better view.”

Iacon was far behind them now, and Polyhex approached on the horizon. Optimus looked down at the province’s main landmark: Darkmount. He didn’t see the work the Last Autobot had done to restore it. All he could see were the Harvester Units pouring hundreds of Autobots into the Smelting Pools and smoke billowing out of them as the lives of thousands of innocents evaporated on the molten surface.

He pulled at the controls again, more aggressively this time. “Higher!” he shouted. He wanted to escape this wretched world.

“Woah!” said Silverbolt.“I have control,” said Optimus.Silverbolt gripped his own controls,

but in a single fluid movement Optimus reached across with his left arm and ripped Silverbolt’s control column from its housing. Sparks flew into Silverbolt’s face and he shielded his eyes with his arms.

Optimus swung his arm out again, this time connecting it with Silverbolt’s chest. The force of the blow knocked the Aerialbot from his chair and onto the floor.

“I have control!” Optimus growled.

Silverbolt began to panic. It was the same, sickening feeling that stripped his nerves whenever he took to the air.

The force of Optimus Prime’s punch had cracked Silverbolt’s chest plate. The red paint flaked onto his fingers as he nursed the wound.

“Listen to me, Prime,” Silverbolt begged, looking up at his commander.

Optimus Prime didn’t respond, didn’t even turn his head. He kept his gaze on the forward view screen and his grip on the controls.

Silverbolt rose to his feet, steadying himself on the back of his co-pilot’s chair. “Let me take control, I’ll take us back down.”

Optimus turned. “No!” His voice was sharp, full of authority. “We’re not going back down.”

“But we can’t keep climbing. This shuttle wasn’t built for—”

“We all have the capacity to perform further than our design specifications allow. You know that better than anyone.”

“Yes, but...” Silverbolt was at a loss for words. “Look, tell me what this is about. What are you hoping to achieve? Do you want to leave Cybertron?”

“If only it were that simple, Silverbolt.”Silverbolt sat back into the co-pilot’s

chair. He was unsure of where to put his hands, since the control column now lay shattered on the floor. “Then explain it to me. I’m listening, Prime.”

Optimus Prime kept his grip firm on the controls. The shuttle climbed ever higher. Outside, Cybertron’s atmosphere began to thin and Silverbolt could see the brighter stars of the planet’s galactic neighbourhood

10

FICTION

shine through the thinning haze.“I don’t belong any more,” Optimus

admitted. “I have no place on Cybertron.”“Of course you do!”“No, Silverbolt.”Silverbolt tried to reach across to

Optimus and clasp his shoulder. His leader shrugged him away.

“Do you know what I’ve been doing since the war ended?”

“No, sir.”“I’ve been reviewing the war tapes.”“Which ones?”“All of them. I had Blaster re-route

Iacon’s main data server into my personal chambers.”

Silverbolt slowly nodded.“I’ve been reviewing the entire war:

the early stages when the Council thought nothing of the threat of the Decepticons, the early attacks that nearly wiped out our race, our retaliatory strikes. I’ve reviewed the millions of years that I missed while deactivated on Earth. I saw everything the Decepticons did. And I saw everything the Autobots did.”

Silverbolt noticed the cool detatchment in Optimus Prime’s voice. It was all so matter of fact.

Prime continued: “You might see the repairs that the Last Autobot effected. But I don’t. All I see is a ruined planet.”

“I know it must be difficult.”“Difficult, Silverbolt?” Optimus said,

his voice suddenly emotional. “You’ve only been online a very short time. You have no idea how difficult.”

“But we won, Prime. We sent Bludgeon packing, his turret between his legs.”

“The Decepticons will be back.”“Then we should be fortifying ourselves,

preparing Cybertron. Not running away.”“Running away?”“Well that’s what you’re doing, isn’t

it?”Optimus turned to Silverbolt. “I can’t

run away.”

“I really need to know what’s going on, Wheeljack,” Prowl said. “They’re still climbing.”

“There’s nothing we can do. They’re still blocking all communication.”

“Can we send the other Aerialbots up to escort?”

“I’ll have Blaster send for them.”

“We changed,” said Optimus. “As a race, we changed.”

“I don’t follow.”“Millions of years of war and then,

suddenly, peace again.”“It’s what we always strived for.”“Yes but how many of us are actually

coping with the change?”“Are you saying you can’t cope with

it?”“Like I said, you’re young. It’s easier for

you. Millions of years...” Prime’s grip on the control column tightened. “It’s hard to let go.”

“Prime, I’m happy to listen, but this isn’t the best situation.”

“But being up here helps clear my mind.”

“If only you’d told us what you wanted.”

“Prowl is so sure, so convinced of what he thinks is best for me. Do you really think he’d let me?”

Silverbolt couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Point taken.” Then: “Just give me back the controls. I’ll keep us flying, and you can keep talking.”

“No,” said Prime. “I like flying.”“Then can you at least level out the

shuttle, stop us climbing.”“No.”Silverbolt settled deeper into his chair.

He remained quiet for a moment, pondering his next move. All he could see was Prowl’s smug face, gleefully telling him how he’d

11

FICTION

failed. Eventually he asked: “How did we change, as a race?”

“As I looked though the field reports, the mission logs and war commentaries, it became obvious. We toughened. We became numb. The news of the first casualties was shocking, horrifying. But as the war progressed, the reports lost their meaning. We changed from defenders to attackers. There was nothing left to defend, but all the more to attack.”

Silverbolt remained quiet, but made sure Optimus knew he was absorbing every word.

Prime continued: “We continually convinced ourselves of our noble intentions. We concluded that we were, indeed, a Warrior Race. With Primus on our side, it was as though we had a purpose, shrouding our misdeeds with a cloak of righteousness. Warrior Race... like it was something to be proud of.”

“But if we didn’t carry on, the Decepticons would have won.”

“The Decepticons did win. Megatron had an ideal.”

“Megatron wanted to conquer the Universe!”

“Yes, by forcing subjugated races into agreeing with his ideals. Peace through tyranny.”

“But we never agreed with his ideals.”“But we did, Silverbolt. We embraced

them. We became them.”“And now that Cybertron is back to the

way it was at the beginning, you feel that you aren’t compatible with it any more?”

“Exactly.”Silverbolt reached over and took

Prime’s hand from the control column. “I understand.”

Optimus snatched his hand away from Silverbolt and pulled on the control column. The shuttle’s nose lifted further, sharpening its ascent. “This is not my world any more.”

“Not at all, Prime. The world is what we make of it.”

Optimus bowed his head as he processed Silverbolt’s words and then let go of the control column. Seizing his chance, Silverbolt nudged Prime out of the pilot’s chair and took his place at the controls.

Blaster ’s voice crackled over Wheeljack’s radio. “Aerialbots have been dispatched. ETA two breems. Any luck contacting the shuttle?”

Prowl grabbed Wheeljack’s arm and snarled into the radio. “You’re supposed to be the communications expert!”

Wheeljack suddenly pulled away from Prowl and pointed up into the sky. “Look! Something’s happening.”

The Autobot shuttle dropped. Optimus Prime was thrown to the back

wall of the cabin, impacting into a thin-walled storage locker. “What’s happening?”

Silverbolt wrestled the control column, trying to stop the shuttle from falling into a spin. He looked down at the instrumentation. “Fuel line rupture!” he shouted. “We climbed too high, and the falling temperature cracked the pipes.”

Optimus removed himself from the wall and skidded across to the co-pilot’s chair. He composed himself. “Anything I can help with?”

“Just make sure you’re strapped in!”The surface of Cybertron spiralled

giddily in the view screen as the shuttle fell. Silverbolt felt his equilibrium circuits burning.

Wheeljack scanned the shuttle and calculated its trajectory. “Sweet Boltax!” he shrieked.

“What is it?” Prowl asked.“If they don’t regain control of the

shuttle, they’re going to crash right into Helex!”

“The Nucleon storage facility...”

12

FICTION

Wheeljack barked into his wrist-mounted communicator: “Blaster! We need to evacuate Helex!”

“Not just Helex,” Prowl said. “If the Nucleon goes, then whole planet will be destroyed!”

Wheeljack turned to Prowl: “Why is it only when something of mine malfunctions, the whole planet’s in dire trouble?”

“I don’t see humour as particularly efficacious to the current situation.”

“No,” Wheeljack said apologetically. “Of course not. What are our options?”

“Right now. Shooting that shuttle out of the sky is our only option.”

“But Prime and Silverbolt...”“... Wouldn’t want to be cause of the

destruction of Cybertron.”“But we don’t have time to warm up any

of the surface to air batteries.”“The Aerialbots!”

“Dammit, Prime! I can’t regain control!” Silverbolt pulled the control column sharply from left to right to knock the shuttle out of its spin.

There was a sudden crunching sound that caused the shuttle to lurch. The control column became loose and unresponsive.

“Aileron gone!” Silverbolt shouted. “Ripped right out of its housing.”

The Aerialbot leader turned to Optimus Prime. “This is it.”

Prowl was screaming into his communicator: “How dare you defy an order from a superior officer!”

The voice on the other end was an impassioned Skydive: “There’s no way we’re shooting down our team leader!”

“I’ll have you court-marshalled so fast—”

“Do it!” Air Raid’s voice this time. “We Aerialbots stick together.”

“There has to be another way,” Skydive urged.

Silverbolt unclipped his safety restraints and leapt from the pilot’s chair. He dashed across to the airlock.

“What are you doing?” Prime asked.“Don’t worry,” Silverbolt replied. “I’m

not about to abandon ship. I can’t take your weight, and letting the shuttle impact isn’t an option.” He jabbed at a button to the right of the door. “Stay there, and stay strapped in!”

“Helex is panicking,” Blaster reported. “We just don’t have the time to evacuate!”

Prowl looked up at the shuttle. As it streaked towards the ground, parts of its hull fractured and broke away from the fuselage. A plume of smoke trailed behind. He gave another order to the Aerialbots: “Fireflight... fog that debris!”

Optimus Prime froze in his seat. The city-state of Helex was in full view, swirling uncontrollably in front of his eyes. Hundreds of Autobots flooded the streets, either on foot or in a myriad of changeforms. Those with aerial modes took to flight, but those with vehicle modes managed only to block the roadways, doubling the panic.

Silverbolt kicked at the airlock door. It rattled on its hinges for a split second before being torn from the shuttle. A rush of air pushed Silverbolt onto his back as it was sucked into the shuttle’s cabin. Digging his fingers into the floor, he crawled back to the doorway.

Flying grit scratched at the crystal clear covers of his optic sensors, almost blinding him.

Grappling with the frame of the doorway, he pulled himself to his feet and leaned out of the shuttle.

He felt sick. His mind, like the shuttle, was in freefall. He choked on his fear of heights.

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He threw himself out of the shuttle.

Prowl watched the shuttle fall into the horizon.

He clenched his teeth and turned away, bracing himself for the Nucleon to ignite with the shuttle’s impact and obliterate the planet.

“Prowl!” Wheeljack shouted, grabbing his arm. “Look!”

The shuttle rose back into the sky, with Silverbolt in jet mode, underneath its belly.

Wheeljack threw his arms up in relief. “What is it the humans say? Every cloud has a silver lining.”

The other four Aerialbots joined their leader, wingtip to wingtip, and escorted the shuttle back to Ibex. As if coming in for a synchronised landing, they each peeled away from the shuttle, Silverbolt last, letting it land with a near perfect approach.

Inferno dashed over to the shuttle as it came to a stop. He reached for his back-mounted extinguisher pack and doused the small fires that had erupted across the rear thrusters. Roll-Out sprinted into the shuttle’s wrecked side door and emerged moments later with Optimus Prime draped

over his shoulder.The Aerialbots landed behind the shuttle

and unfolded into robot mode. Silverbolt relieved Roll-Out of Prime’s

weight. He looked deep into his leader ’s eyes. “This is where you belong,” he said with conviction.

“Thanks to you,” Prime replied.

“A word, Silverbolt,” Prowl said as the Council meeting came to a close and its members shuffled out of the chamber.

“Sure.”“For what it’s worth,” Prowl began, “I’m

so very proud of what you did. You’re one of the bravest Autobots I know.”

“Shame it took what it did for you to realise.”

“I deserve that,” Prowl admitted.“I know you want what’s best for us all,

especially for him. But do me a favour...”“What’s that?”“Make time for him. Listen to him. He

won’t always act in accordance with your grounded theory.”

The end

Written by Graham Thomson, 2010

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PRELUDE — THE ZODIAC DRIVETHE DISTANT PAST

Three members of The Original Race—Sarah, The Prince of Popocatepetl, and Primus—are charged with the creation of a warrior race that could be seeded onto different planets. But while Sarah and the Prince develop organic artificial life, Primus veers from the lifeprints and plans to create a race of beings made of ore. Realising that Primus is working to a hidden agenda, the Prince promises Sarah that he will ensure that a failsafe is installed into Primus’s creations.

2389, CYBERTRONThe Autobots are alerted to the arrival

of a shuttlecraft landing on autopilot on one of the Barricade Stations. Two Autobots—Towline and Brave Maximus—investigate.

They quickly learn that the ship is the Aurora, with a hull-mounted plaque telling of its launch in 2930, some 540 years in the future.

As Brave Maximus investigates a makeshift transwarp drive attached to the ship’s engines, he notices and appropriates a vial of Liquidchip.

Meanwhile, Towline discovers a dead crew, seemingly of Neogenic origin.

Before he can help, a mysterious tendril of energy lances out from the transwarp drive and sends Brave Maximus back through time and space to Earth, 1984.

Detecting Brave Maximus’s arrival into what she calls the “Second of Three”, Iztar—the Queen of Popocatepetl—alerts the Prince. He takes an Ethercruiser to Earth

to intercept and capture Brave Maximus.

1. FIRST ENCOUNTER1994, FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF TRANSFORMERS: GENERATION 2

The Autobot/Decepticon Alliance sends a contingent to San Francisco to help with the aftermath of Jhiaxus’s nuclear attack on the city.

Optimus and Megatron discuss guilt, responsibility and dissension in the ranks. Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp initially guard Megatron but are ordered to conduct aerial sweeps to locate possible survivors.

Ratchet, Wheeljack, Grapple and Hoist are at the ruins of a school, looking for survivors. Ratchet surprises the others with his negative attitude, questioning if the humans even deserve to be saved; to the point where Wheeljack suggests that Ratchet leaves.

Jetfire surveils the city from the air, joined by the three Strike Planes. Only Thundercracker seems to be interested in helping.

Hot Rod, Smokescreen and Bluestreak are elsewhere in the city. Hot Rod seems too keen to help, leading to comments from the others that he’s more interested in impressing Optimus than helping. Bluestreak is having problems adjusting to the alliance, brandishing his weapon when the Strike Planes fly overhead.

Megatron and Optimus continue their discussion, with Megatron doubting the strength of the Alliance. Optimus affirms that the Autobots will not crack. Jetfire

TIMECODE—RECAP

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reports of an unidentified object heading on a terminal velocity to their position. Megatron radioes Soundwave for additional support in the form of Quake, Spinister and Thrust.

The sixteen Transformers assemble at the crater caused by the impact of the object. Hot Rod climbs down and identifies it as an Autobot message beacon from three hundred years in the future with an encrypted message from an Autobot called Pitstop.

Before anyone can glean any further information a sudden explosion erupts, knocking everyone offline.

2. METAMORPHOSISSIXTEEN YEARS HAVE PASSED. IT IS NOW 2010.

In the time since the explosion in 1994, Ratchet has repaired the group of Transformers, upgrading their forms into more contemporary vehicles... including the Decepticons. Ratchet tells the others he was the first to recover just some months ago. Bluestreak is initially angry that the Decepticons have been restructured but his new flight mode (Wheeljack’s idea) appeases him temporarily.

Optimus Prime takes charge and assigns Wheeljack and Spinister to work on decoding the message while Jetfire and the Strike Planes search for fuel.

The others remain inside the new Allied base—an abandoned factory in the east side of New San Francisco.

Wheeljack makes some progress with decoding the message; it gives the name and location of a human in a town called Minot in North Dakota.

Despite initial reservations from Megatron, the Alliance agrees to track down the human.

3. BASEAs the Alliance heads to North Dakota, in the form of a convoy with Megatron and Quake

hidden inside Prime’s trailer, Bluestreak continues to voice his disgust with the Alliance, and questioning Ratchet’s reasons for giving Megatron such firepower.

The convoy arrives at its destination at dawn and prepares to approach the human in question. Hot Rod makes a move, transforming into robot mode. The sight of Hot Rod triggers a heart attack in the human, killing him.

The rest of the convoy members transform to robot mode and ponder the situation. Wheeljack and Hoist take another look at the beacon and Wheeljack suddenly discovers a deeper level of encryption, realising that the first message was a fake.

Just as Wheeljack discovers who the message was intended for, Megatron fires at him, severely wounding him.

The Alliance ends.

4. SOMNAMBULIST“Chip” Chase starts another day in his apartment in Washington, DC. His pre-work activities include checking his messages, writing song lyrics, and framing photographs of NASA vehicles.

A letter from NASA arrives with the morning post, it appears to be some kind of rejection to something Chip has already appealed against three times. A news report on the television reveals details of the Transformers reappearance on Earth, showing their battle in North Dakota. Upon seeing the news, Chip immediately telephones for a taxi.

5. FIGHT! SUPER ROBOT LIFEFORMThe Autobots and Decepticons battle violently. Ratchet tends to Wheeljack’s injuries, but is preoccupied with the battle, glaring at Optimus Prime with resentment.

Bluestreak relishes the battle, gunning down all Decepticons. Hidden from his view, Quake and Spinister wonder if he would still recognise them.

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Megatron is concerned more with the acquisition of the message, and chases Smokescreen. As Optimus Prime prepares to strike Megatron, Hot Rod distracts him and Megatron is able to take down Prime with a direct hit.

Smokescreen finds Ratchet and questions his plan. Considering the human casualties caused by the battle, Ratchet affirms that they are doing the right thing.

With Optimus Prime down, Hot Rod orders a retreat. In his new shuttle mode, Jetfire breaks away from the battle and ferries the Autobots away. Hoist suggests retreating to the Ark’s wreckage in Canada, but Ratchet disagrees. Instead, they retreat to their old Autobase in Nevada.

Megatron orders his Decepticons to retrieve the message at any cost.

6. DENIALWithin a mysterious realm known as the Third of Three, [Beast Wars] Megatron and Optimus Primal are transported to an unknown destination while Jennifer and David are transported to Earth, 2010.

Chip is late, again, for work. A work colleague, Brad, is surprised to see him, wondering where he’d been the last week.

Chip describes his recent journey to Mount St Hilary: Having spent eight years carving a route to the Ark’s initial resting place, he was shocked to discover his route had been blocked.

A woman, called Jennifer, approached Chip and warned him not to continue pursuing the Transformers. He also met Jennifer ’s friend, David.

The pair made cryptic comments about knowing who Chip was and his plans to become an astronaut with NASA. They also mentioned many alternates of everyone with variations throughout something she called the Honeycomb.

Jennifer warned Chip again, this time urging him that he would be killed if he

continued his quest.

7. THE WAR WITHOUTAs the Autobots, on board Jetfire, approach Autobase, Hot Rod insists on being the one to tend to the injured Optimus Prime.

The Decepticons have returned to their mountainside base. Megatron locks himself in the throne room to think things through, wondering what has happened to his army. He has sent his Decepticons to look for any of the missing army, one Decepticon in particular. Starscream waits on the other side of the door, assuming that it is Soundwave that Megatron needs.

Thundercracker, Skywarp and Thrust head towards the Decepticons’ old Earthforce base in Louisiana. Thrust breaks formation, preferring his own company, to search through the humans’ Internet for clues.

The Autobots find Autobase to be deserted. As per protocol, they reconnoitre the base to ensure no Decepticons are waiting to ambush.

Meanwhile, Jennifer instructs David to keep an eye on Chip.

Thundercracker reports that the Decepticons’ Earthforce base is, too, deserted.

Inside Autobase, Bluestreak is devastated to find the dead body of Bumblebee. Ratchet recognises the cause of death immediately, and quietly comments to Smokescreen that “it” has already started.

Thrust locates a Decepticon undersea storage unit off Portland’s coast, that seemingly contains the bodies of Octane and the Combaticons and Megatron reveals that it is Onslaught that he’s been searching for.

8. IN MY MEMORYRatchet and Smokescreen sequester Bumblebee’s body away from the rest of the Autobots and probe his memory circuits, looking for information.

Grapple finds other Autobots, a few

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Micromasters and Tailgate, in the same dead state.

As Ratchet and Smokescreen continue to retrieve Bumblebee’s memory files, they argue. Smokescreen wishes that he hadn’t agreed to help Ratchet when he revived him on the planet Ethos.

Bumblebee’s most recent memories reveal that the Autobot/Decepticon Alliance left Earth to launch an all-out attack on the second generation Decepticon’s “Hub” as soon as they learned of its existence. Only Bumblebee and a few others remained.

Ratchet realises that something related to the attack on The Hub must have been the Trigger Event that caused the deaths of Bumblebee and the others. Smokescreen wonders why the group of sixteen have survived. Ratchet comments that they shouldn’t wait to find out.

INTERLUDE 1 — THE GUARDThe Allied attack on The Hub has ended in disaster. What little survivors of the Alliance remain are in retreat. A small group—Prowl, Jazz, Silverbolt and Blaster—decide to

investigate an out of place world called Llosa Vargas.

They land on the planet and soon realise that it appears to be some kind of intergalactic sanctuary for lifeforms that had their worlds cyberformed by the Empire.

A group of six—known as The Guard—assume the forms of Autobots (including Bumblebee) and initiate a plan that leads Prowl and the others to their base. The Autobots realise that the planet houses the centre of The Hub and conclude that it must be destroyed.

With the destruction of The Hub, only five of The Guard and Prowl and Jazz escape alive. Jazz and Prowl are picked up by a shuttle piloted by the Aerialbots.

The Guard are congratulated on a successful mission; that is, the destruction of The Hub/Llosa Vargas by the hands of the Autobots. They proceed to their next objective: Brave Maximus.

To be continued

Compiled by Graham Thomson

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Skywarp and Thundercracker looked down upon the city of Portland.

From their vantage point on the east side of the city, they remained in robot mode, hidden in the trees that stretched across the embankment.

“Look at them,” Skywarp sneered. “Suburban sheep. It’s a ritual disgrace.”

Thundercracker raised an eyebrow. “Stupidity and philosophy don’t mix. We’re not here to pass judgment on the humans.”

“Fleshlings,” Skywarp corrected. “We don’t call them by their name, we call them by our name.”

“Can we just get on with our mission. I don’t think Megatron is going to be interested in your philosophy if we don’t do our jobs.”

“Tell you what,” Skywarp said, pointing to Portland’s tallest skyscraper on the horizon, the Wells Fargo Center, “Let me start things off.”

Thundercracker shrugged. “What are you planning?”

Skywarp smiled. “Something suitably sneaky!” He transformed into jet aircraft mode, and then suddenly glowed a bright purple and faded from view as he teleported away.

Charles “Chip” Chase wheeled himself across the smooth floored concourse of Portland’s Union Station. The cavernous hall was filled with commuters that politely parted to let him through to the main ticket offices.

“I need a ticket to DC,” he said to the girl behind the glass.

“We have a train leaving in just under an

hour,” she smiled. “Hundred fifty dollars.”“I just want a single.”“That’s the price for a single, sir.”Chip sighed heavily. “I’ll be right back,”

he said with a forced smile. He swung his wheelchair around and headed towards a row of unoccupied seats.

He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone. After dialing, he said: “Hi Mom. I need sixty dollars. Can you wire it to me?” Pause. “No, it’s for a train ticket. Portland. Look, I need to get back to work. I’m already on a warning.” Another pause, this time longer. “Yes, it would be a lesson worth learning. Okay. Thanks.”

“Single to DC, sir?” the girl behind the glass asked as Chip returned.

“Please,” he smiled. “And can I get extra room for my chair?”

“You’ll be on coach ‘F’ where we put the... people like... Coach ‘F’, sir.”

Chip rolled his eyes, but kept smiling. “Thanks,” he said. “You’ve been most politically correct.”

It was a usual Monday morning in the rented offices of The Intellige Corporation on the 29th floor of the Wells Fargo Center.

The entire floor had been separated by glass partitions, creating a maze of cubicles each as featureless as the next. Phones were ringing, and there was an ambience of office chatter mixed with the constant drone of the air conditioning system. The smell of fresh coffee flavoured the air.

A young woman stood up from her desk, phone tucked between her neck and shoulder, and gestured for a colleague to

“ NO OFFENCE, PORTLAND”

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come across. He obeyed, bringing along two cups of coffee.

Unnoticed at first, a bright purple orb hung in the centre of the office floor for a moment. A sudden drone thrummed through the room, shaking the partitions. At first, everyone thought the air conditioning was over heating. Not a second later, the air split open and Skywarp, in jet fighter mode, appeared.

Chaos erupted.The force of the teleportation, and

Skywarp’s split-second arrival, threw desks, partitions, photocopiers and people out of its way, violently catapulting everything that occupied the previously normal space to one side. Glass shattered, lights flashed and people screamed.

Unable to comprehend what had just happened, the employees of Intellige, their faces a bloody mess, started to panic. They rushed over to the emergency exits, jumping across over turned desks. Some grabbed their colleagues in a bid to help, others simply ran for their lives.

The jet aircraft shuddered, as if laughing. Then it started its engines. Before anyone could reach the exits, Skywarp fired his thrusters. The extreme heat that blasted from the Decepticon’s afterburners immolated anything and anyone in its path.

More screams, more panic.Skywarp thrust forwards and rolled out

of the window, crashing through the glass. Along with several tonnes of shattered window, Skywarp fell out of the city’s tallest building, nosediving towards the ground. He gained enough airspeed to avoid crashing just less than a metre from the ground.

The street below dissolved into a maelstrom of confusion and terror as shards of glass rained down on pedestrians and slow moving traffic.

The 29th floor of the Wells Fargo Center burned wildly, leaving no survivors. The fire spread to adjacent floors quickly killing

those that crowded the exits.Skywarp climbed high into the morning

Oregon sky before banking back down and firing his machine guns indiscriminately into the crowded streets.

He radioed Thundercracker. “Top that!” he laughed.

Chip had been rolling along the rail platform when the attack came. The main building rumbled and he could hear jet aircraft overhead. The glass windows of the buildings, and of the trains, shattered.

Everyone panicked. There were screams and shouts and people rushed past Chip. He grabbed the rims of his chair ’s wheels and tried to move out of the way. The roof of the main terminal building began to collapse, scattering the crowds. Dust and debris were thrown into the air and thick white clouds billowed through the terminal.

Chip was suddenly knocked out of his wheelchair. He hit his head on the concrete floor. His vision blurred for a moment before falling into black.

A red alert blared through Autobase. Jetfire’s voice echoed over the speaker systems. “Decepticons are attacking Portland!”

Within one of the medical bays, Ratchet looked up from Wheeljack’s inert form. “Portland? What for?”

Bluestreak burst into the room. “Come on, Doc. All hands.”

“I can’t leave Wheeljack mid-operation. And what about Prime?”

“Well considering Hot Rod won’t leave Prime’s side, he might as well stay.”

“Surely I’m better to stay behind. Hot Rod’s the better warrior.”

“You’re joking aren’t you?” Bluestreak said. “Which one of you has the track record of taking down Megatron?”

“I see your point,” Ratchet said. “But I’m staying here.”

“There’s no time for this!” Bluestreak

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said, cutting his losses and leaving the medbay as quickly as he entered.

In shuttle mode, Jetfire approached Portland. Plumes of black smoke rose from its skyscrapers and shrouded the city.

“Ready?” he asked his passengers.Bluestreak stroked his rifle while Hoist

and Grapple looked on with equal measures of disgust and trepidation.

Smokescreen marched across to the airlock door. “Looks like just Thundercracker and Skywarp. Blue and I will take them out, you two work search and rescue.”

Hoist and Grapple nodded.The four Autobots disembarked Jetfire

as the two Decepticon jets broke from their attacks and sped towards them.

Bluestreak whooped into the wind, firing his ion-charge disperser rifle at Thundercracker and a volley of warheads from his shoulder-mounted launchers at Skywarp. He hit his targets with uncanny accuracy.

Jetfire used the distraction to blast away from the city. Without Optimus Prime to command them, he took it upon himself to work out exactly what the Decepticons were up to. Skywarp’s and Thundercracker ’s actions were obviously a decoy of some kind. Where were Megatron and the others?

“Could really use the Seacons,” Starscream commented.

Megatron was not happy. “Exactly whose idea was it to build an undersea mausoleum? I instructed for the Combaticons to be hidden, not completely unreachable!”

“But why?” Starscream asked. “We don’t honour our dead, we recycle them!”

“Commander,” Thrust interrupted, “sensors indicate that the storage unit isn’t that far down and there’s bound to be an airlocked access hatch.”

“Very well,” Megatron smiled as he regarded Quake, Spinister, Thrust and

Starscream. “Who’s going first?”

Thundercracker and Skywarp flew circles around the Autobots.

“You blind them,” shouted Smokescreen. “All I’ll disrupt them.”

“Gotcha!” said Bluestreak. A stream of blue-light forked out from his rifle, hitting the Decepticons.

Smokescreen pumped the trigger of his disperser rifle, letting it shoot a web of electrical energy across the Decepticons’ fuselages.

The two Decepticons lost control and nosedived into the ground. Skywarp hit the street nosecone first. Thundercracker spiraled into a building, tail first. A shower of debris fell on the Autobots.

A moment’s silence.Smokescreen holstered his weapon.

“Let’s help with the evacuations.”“No!” countered Bluestreak. “I say we

finish ‘em off!”

Chip sat up, nursing his head. He groaned. His hair was matted with blood. His wheelchair was on its side. He crawled over, turned it over and pull himself up into it.

“What the hell happened?” he said to himself.

Union Station was silent. He wondered if he was the only survivor. He looked around. The way back through the concourse was completely blocked with large chunks of the station’s roof.

He was trapped. Utterly.

Ratchet quickly finished welding the last panel on Wheeljack’s stomach. His patient was still offline, but a monitor terminal with wires attached to various points on his body determined that Wheeljack was still alive.

Ratchet set the controls of another terminal, programming it to continue its automated energon infusions.

Ratchet placed his hand on Wheeljack’s

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forehead. “I’m afraid I won’t be here when you wake up, my friend,” he said.

In crane mode, Grapple had made good use of his ladder to reach up to the windows of burning buildings, helping survivors escape.

Hoist, meanwhile, cleared a path for Portland’s police and ambulances. The medics eyed the two Autobots with distrust, but their actions were obviously honourable.

Hoist kept quiet. He didn’t see the point in trying to explain himself, especially after what had happened in North Dakota.

With one building empty, Grapple drove forwards to the next one. “It’s all quiet,” he told Hoist via radio.

“Too quiet, if you ask me.”

Bluestreak approached Skywarp with caution. He kept his rifle trained on the Decepticon’s afterburners.

“Leave him!” Smokescreen shouted. “Help me with the humans!”

“Why bother?” Bluestreak replied. “They’re running away from us perfectly fine without our help!”

The Autobot nodded his head, smiling at himself. The force of Skywarp’s afterburners knocked him on his back, the intense heat burning his chest.

Skywarp flicked up into robot mode and marched over to Bluestreak. He pushed his heel into the Autobot’s chest. “And they call me stupid.”

Smokescreen aimed his rifle at Skywarp. It was knocked from his hand with a kick from Thundercracker. Smokescreen spun around to punch the Decepticon but found himself in a neck lock.

“Groundhog,” Thundercracker sneered.

“That’s the last of the office blocks,” Grapple said, as he rejoined his partner. “Everyone who could get out, got out.”

Hoist pointed down the street. “There’s a mass transit hub, we’ll tackle that next.”

Grapple accelerated past his friend and, arriving at Union Station, positioned his crane over the roof.

Still in robot mode, Hoist jogged towards the station. He climbed up the pile of rubble that had slumped against the side of the station and hooked Grapple’s crane around the largest of the roof joists. He jumped back out of the way, giving Grapple room to lift.

Inside the station, shafts of sunlight pointed through the roof. Chip shielded his eyes from the light and began to shout.

“Hear that?” Hoist said. “Survivors.”

Jetfire soared towards the Pacific Ocean. His sensor net had detected a handful of Decepticon energy signatures, one surely belonging to Megatron.

He dipped through the clouds, the coastline approaching fast on the horizon.

Smokescreen tried to wrestle out of Thundercracker ’s grip. He kicked the Decepticon’s legs away and, with barely enough space, transformed into car mode. He employed his twin exhausts, pushing thick, noxious black smoke into the air. His tyres screeched as he spun half circle before knocking Skywarp away from Bluestreak.

“Fall back!” he shouted.The black smoke filled the street, sticking

to every surface like soot. The two Autobots sped away, leaving the Decepticons behind, cursing like Terrorcons.

Smokescreen checked his mapping systems and headed for Grapple’s and Hoist’s position. Bluestreak followed.

Hoist pulled the last of the rubble from the entrance to Union Station. He strode into the station, kicking debris away to clear a path.

Fighting against a punctured left tyre, Chip wheeled himself towards the Autobot. “Thank God!” he said with relief.

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Hoist suddenly screamed. He fell forwards, just missing Chip, and hit the ground. Smoke billowed from the machine gun fire that had perforated his back.

Skywarp lowered his arms. “Pathetic,” he sneered.

Grapple reversed from the front of the building, and swung his crane assembly around. It connected with Skywarp’s abdomen, doubling him over.

Chip rolled past Hoist’s body and into the street. He couldn’t believe the devastation. The ruined streets were filled with dust. Debris and cars had piled up into rough peaks.

Thundercracker stepped forwards, keeping his arm-mounted weapons levelled at the Autobots.

Everything stopped for a moment.Thundercracker eyed Chip with curiosity.

He was contemptuous of all humans. They couldn’t fly. But this one couldn’t walk. And yet, as flawed as it was, it seemed to function at a nominal level.

Skywarp returned to his feet. Bluestreak kept his rifle trained on the Decepticon.

“Stay where you are,” Smokescreen told the Decepticons.

Chip stared at Thundercracker and Skywarp. Transformers. Flying Transformers. So close. He began to roll towards them.

“Stay back,” Bluestreak warned Chip. “Stay behind me.”

Skywarp clenched his fists, poised to attack. Megatron’s voice suddenly barked out of his communicator: “I need back up! Thundercracker, Skywarp, to me!”

The two Decepticons obediently jumped into the air, transforming into their jet fighter modes.

In a second they were gone.

Jetfire continued his strafing run on the Decepticons. His lasers tore into the water as Quake and Spinister submerged

themselves.Thrust and Starscream jumped up and

folded up into jet fighter modes. They flew up to meet Jetfire.

Megatron slipped into tank mode and provided covering fire.

Jetfire quickly realised how outmatched he was against the two Decepticons now that they were joined by Skywarp and Thundercracker.

Much less manoeuverable that in his previous body, Jetfire’s shuttle mode struggled to keep up with the dogfighting tactics of the Decepticons.

Sure that Portland was now safe with Skywarp and Thundercracker here, Jetfire made his retreat.

Grapple tended to Hoist’s injuries while Bluestreak and Smokescreen hailed an ambulance for Chip.

Looking over his shoulder and he was pushed into the back of the ambulance, Chip shouted: “You’ve saved my life, today!”

Bluestreak rubbed his head. “You’re the first human to thank us,” he said.

“Not now,” said Smokescreen. He turned to Grapple. “How’s Hoist?”

“Just a flesh wound,” Grapple replied. “But it’d be best to get him back to base.”

Smokescreen pointed into the sky. “Jetfire’s on his way back. Let’s load up and get out of here.”

Megatron stood at the water ’s edge with his arms folded across his chest. Next to him, the four Strike Planes tended to their injuries. Starscream sneered in revulsion at the oily film that covered Thundercracker and Skywarp.

The Decepticon leader activated his communicator. “Well?”

Spinister ’s voice replied. “Just checking the stasis pods now.” He ran through the names, one by one, as their pods were checked. “Octane’s there, deactivated.

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Severe trauma to the head.”The other Decepticons gathered around

Megatron.“Swindle,” Spinister reported.

“Deactivated too, the same way as Octane.”Megatron clenched his fists. “Yes, yes,”

he snarled impatiently. “Just tell me about Onslaught!”

Silence.“Commander,” said Spinister,

“Onslaught’s body is missing.”

Grapple carried Hoist into Autobase, followed by the others.

Smokescreen squeezed past the group and sprinted ahead towards the medical bays, eager to see Ratchet.

There was no sign of the Autobot medic.

“Ratchet?!”Hot Rod appeared in the corridor outside

one of the bays. “Keep it down! Optimus is resting.”

“Where’s Ratchet?”“How would I know? Wasn’t he in with

Wheeljack?”Bluestreak emerged from another of the

bays. “Wheeljack’s here, but on his own. Still offline as well.”

“I’ll check the security cameras,” said Smokescreen.

As he ran off to the security wing, Bluestreak and Grapple lifted Hoist onto a slab in the next available med bay.

“I’ve already checked the footage,” Jetfire said as Smokescreen entered the room.

“And?”Jetfire pointed to a monitor screen.

“There,” he said. “Ratchet left Autobase at 1400 hours local time.”

To be continued

Written by Graham Thomson, 2010

Racing on from the previous issue’s “The Void”, Kup is up against the clock to learn the identity of the Autobot ship’s saboteur.

Ironically, despite the claustrophobic nature of the story, five strip pages just doesn’t give “Edge of Impact” enough room to breathe.

A good mystery needs time and space to unravel, but Simon Furman’s taut script only shows flashes of the plot. It becomes apparent, very quickly, who the mysterious saboteur is, but that’s only the half of it.

Like the best well-cooked thrillers the real villain isn’t revealed quite so readily.

As last issue Stewart Johnson’s artwork suits the tone of the story and the visuals almost drown out the pacing problems.

All things being equal, the desire to tell such a story in such limited space is admirable.

With “Edge of Impact”, Simon Furman weaves a literary sleight of hand and the plot twist/cliffhanger, with its deserved splash page, certainly makes an impact. ℗

“Edge of Impact” (5 pp) was originally published by Marvel UK in The Transformers #252 (January 1990)

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COMIC BOOK REVIEW

“EDGE OF IMPACT”

Edge of Impact, illustrated by Stewart Johnson (Marvel’s The Transformers #252).

25

ATOZ COMMENTARY

Bruticus Vs Defensor, illustrated by Dan Reed and Robin Bouttell (Marvel’s Transformers #142).

BR–BUCOMMENTARY

BRUTICUSBruticus is the combined form of all five members of the Combaticon sub-group. Despite being an apparent Decepticon

superweapon, Bruticus himself made surprisingly few appearances in the Marvel comics. Aside from his gratuitous introduction (as part of Hasbro’s Special Teams advert that was transmitted directly into Buster Witwicky’s brain via the Creation Matrix) in Transformers 63’s “Second Generation”, Bruticus only made two other appearances.

During the harrowing events of “Afterdeath” in Transformers

105-106, Bruticus made his first real-world appearance. Basically Megatron was just showing off (as was Optimus Prime with the Protectobots/

Defensor). Bruticus didn’t really get to do anything and was

even denied the joy of crushing a human between his fingers.

Bruticus’s last appearance was in Transformers 141-142’s “Child’s Play”.

Again, he faced off against Defensor. This time, though, he actually got to partake in battle. Defensor thought he was really clever, what with his forcefield and all, but Bruticus soon took him down a peg or two by whipping him with a train. A whole train. Sadly, Bruticus literally came undone when Blaster (freed by a group of children) struck him with an electricity pylon.

Despite the Combaticons appearing numerous times, and in battle, they never again formed Bruticus. Surely that telling exactly what kind of strategist Onslaught must have been.

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BUGLYBugly was one of the seemingly endless volunteers available to step forward at a moment’s notice whenever any given Decepticon leader had a new idea. In Bugly’s case, it was the Pretender process that required volunteers. And so, Bugly became a Pretender, dressing up in a huge fly costume. It was bloody ugly, which, considering his name, was rather apt.

During the Decepticon’s “Cold War” in Transformers 206-207, Bugly, as part of Scorponok’s forces, found himself in battle against Ratbat’s troops. He engaged Skywarp one-on-one, and despite some initial arrogance soon bested the Strike Plane.

Bugly was soon back in action, and, along with Bomb-Burst and Iguanus helped with Scorponok’s plan to harvest the energy created by a lightning storm in Manhattan. The plan failed, of course, but Bugly survived and was happy to let Iguanus fall, literally, to pieces.

BUMBLEBEEBumblebee, a valued member of the original crew of the Autobots’ spacecraft, The Ark, was actually the first known Transformer to make contact with a human being. It was the cute name and VW “beetle” mode that broke down the barriers, facilitating his gift for transplanetary diplomacy.

Bumblebee became a staunch

friend of Buster Witwicky (not so much his father, though) after reversing into the human’s car. The Autobot was honestly going to transform and apologise but the Decepticons attacked, knocking him offline. Luckily Buster’s dad was the best mechanic this side of Hydrus 4 (or at least, South East Rhine Street), and was soon back up and about.

Despite his pivotal role in acquiring a fuel source for the Autobots, Bumblebee soon became yet another battle stat after Shockwave returned from the Savage Land to destroy the Autobots. After some weeks strung up in the Ark, Bumblebee was repaired by Ratchet.

With Buster carrying the Creation Matrix within his mind,

Bumblebee was charged with the boy’s safety. As Buster’s guardian, Bumblebee had to contend with the threat of the Decepticons and holding a conversation with Bluestreak. He needn’t have bothered, though, as Buster (aided by the powers of the Creation Matrix) could fend for himself, thank you very much.

Feeling rejected, Bumblebee slipped into a depressed state and began to take unnecessary risks to prove his worth. In Transformers 42-44’s “Crisis of Command”, Bumblebee left the Ark and ventured into the desert to look for Ravage (who had escaped, but as part of the Decepticons plan, which our hero knew nothing of!). Bumblebee found Ravage... and a squadron of Decepticons. The Decepticons brutilised the Autobot spy and went as far as to send Optimus Prime one of his dismembered arms in a bid to stir a rescue attempt. Bumblebee’s faith in his commander was rewarded when Prime fought all odds to rescue him.

Useful again, Bumblebee played a vital role in the “Dinobot Hunt” (Transformers 47-50). If not for Bumblebee’s smart thinking, the Autobots would have lost more than they did. Not only did he neutralise the Decepticon device that was driving Sludge mad, he also rescued three of his comrades from a booby-trapped shuttle! Whattaguy.

Bumblebee enjoyed a temporary promotion in the Autobot ranks. With his extensive knowledge of the humans and the local terrain, Bumblebee was chosen to lead a

Bugly Vs Skywarp, illustrated by José Delbo, Danny Bulanadi and Nelson Yomtov (Marvel’s Transformers #207).

Bumblebee, illustrated by Geoff Senior and Steve Whitaker (Marvel’s Transformers #42).

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ATOZ COMMENTARY

group of newly revived Autobots (Smokecreen and co) to acclimatise them to Earth. After some hi tech espionage and flicking through the radio presets, the Autobots realised that the Decepticons planned to suck all the energy from a local soft rock concert. After all that had recently happened, Bumblebee must have thought he’d wandered into the plot of a colouring book.

Bumblebee, possibly for the first time, disobeyed orders and took his own initiative to stop the Decepticons’ fiendish plan rather than wait for reinforcements. Just as most colouring books end, the bad guys were defeated and the maverick who disobeyed orders was rewarded.

Despite his role as a field commander and his recent successes, Bumblebee fell back into a depressed state for no

discernable reason. Lamenting some unknown battle, Bumblebee decided it would be best if he left the Autobots. As coincidence would have it, Bumblebee decided to leave the relative safety of the Ark just as Shockwave decided he wanted to take control of him with an Electro-Calcinator Module. Oh noes.

The Decepticons pursued Bumblebee into Portland. Although the Decepticons knew he was a bright yellow VW, once Bumblebee parked up at Big Dan’s Autorama he managed to evade them. Things went from bad to worse when Bumblebee was stolen by two humans! Luckily the rest of the Autobots were watching television at the time, and saw footage of Bumblebee under attack. Although they easily dealt with Jetfire, the Decepticons retreated when they saw a convoy of Autobots and a human squadron of F-16 jets. The Decepticons never targeted Bumblebee again and, presumably, Shockwave threw out that Electro-Calcinator Module along with that 3D magazine with glasses that came in the post.

Back on form again, Bumblebee was the key to the success of an Autobot mission to record Devastator’s combination sequence (Transformers 70-71’s “Command Performances”). The Aerialbots and Protectobots would

never had been finished without Bumblebee’s help.

As the months passed by, and as more of his friends and comrades were deactivated and replaced with newer Autobots, Bumblebee faded into the background. Particularly with the death of Optimus Prime he must have felt more alone than ever. Even Ratchet was too busy.

Bumblebee took to having therapy with the Autobot doctor, First Aid. They would take long walks away from the Ark so Bumblebee could talk and express his feelings of alternating usefulness/uselessness.

During one such walk, First Aid suddenly and mysteriously vanished into thin air, leaving Bumblebee alone. Trying not to take it personally, Bumblebee realised that someone must have just arrived from the future! That someone was Death’s Head. The alien bounty hunter interrogated Bumblebee, but the Autobot was having none of that. Death’s Head had little patience for Bumblebee’s attitude and obliterated the Autobot where he stood. ℗

[See also: ‘Goldbug’.]Bumblebee, illustrated by Graham Nolan, Tom Morgan and Nelson Yomtov (Marvel’s Transformers #57). Bumblebee, illustrated by

Will Simpson, Tim Perkins and Steve White (Marvel’s Transformers #114).

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