Bring The World To Your Web Page

26

ACT TWO

FADE IN:

EXT. - WIDE ON RIVER BED

Spike and Bumblebee are surrounded by the Decepticons.

MEGATRON
Load the prisoners with the energon cubes!

Skywarp, lifts Spike up by his collar--like a kitten--and carries him O.S. as Soundwave grabs Bumblebee by the elbow and drags him O.S. in the same direction.

MEGATRON (CONT)
You should be justly proud.

ANGLE SHOOTING PAST TRANSPORT VEHICLE

Spike and Bumblebee are being positioned in the vehicle's top hatch. The space bridge iris-like "hole" remains open at the other end of the ramp. Once Spike and the robot are in position, the hatch slides shut--or almost shut-- trapping the two inside.

STARSCREAM
You will go down in Cybertron history!

MEGATRON
--Whether or not you successfully make it through the space bridge!

ON MEGATRON AND STARSCREAM

Megatron speaks into his transmitter.

MEGATRON
Megatron to Shockwave ... Come in, Cybertron...

ON SPIKE AND BUMBLEBEE

Spike and Bumblebee strain in their constricted position.

BUMBLEBEE
(SIGH!) How are we gonna get out of this?

SPIKE
By the skin of our teeth--if we're lucky..

27

Bumblebee looks at him oddly...

BUMBLEBEE
I didn't know human teeth had skin..

ANGLE ON MEGATRON

talking into his transmitter..

MEGATRON
Activating test run number two.

ANGLE ON SPIKE AND BUMBLEBEE

BUMBLEBEE
Sorry, Spike--it looks like we've run out of time.

Spike reacts to something ahead of him O.S. and points.

SPIKE
So did Megatron -- look!

ON SPACE BRIDGE OPENING

The opening irises closed -- and the waves of energy spin and disappear with a SFX: HISSS!

ON MEGATRON AND GROUP

All the Decepticons are clustered around him, angry and disgusted at what they see.

MEGATRON
(exploding) Test run number two aborted!

SHOCKWAVE
(tightly) The time limit is up.

CUT TO:

CYBERTRON - ON SHOCKWAVE NEAR BRIDGE

The space bridge closes on this end in the same manner.

MEGATRON (VO)
(over transmitter) Report and inform when bridge transversal will resume!

Shockwave consults a nearby monitor and speaks into a transmitter:

28

SHOCKWAVE
Report: one-eight-three minutes before opening is restored.

CUT TO:

EARTH - CLOSE ON MEGATRON

He reacts to this unpleasant news with a scowl.

MEGATRON
(disgustedly) Three hours of earth time?! This is intolerable!

ANGLE ON SPIKE AND BUMBLEBEE

SPIKE
I wish our luck would change!

BUMBLEBEE
(brightening) Change? That's a great idea!

Bumblebee makes a great effort to TRANSFORM to his VW mode. By altering his shape, he bursts open the hatch cover, popping out of the vehicle. Spike jumps out after him.

SPIKE (CONT)
We're free!!

WIDE ON DECEPTICONS

They turn and react to see:

STARSCREAM
(disgusted shriek) The captives are escaping!

Soundwave steps out in front of the group, pressing the eject button on his shoulder, releasing a mini-cassette. It flips out into the air...

SOUNDWAVE
Ravage! Stop them!!

... and TRANSFORMS into RAVAGE, the jaguar, as he hurtles O.S.

ON SPIKE AND BUMBLEBEE (PAN BG)

Running (and rolling) along the riverbed, Spike falls behind (OUT OF PAN). Bumblebee brakes to a stop and turns.

ANGLE ON SPIKE

As Spike regains his balance and starts to run off, Ravage leaps INTO SHOT, blocking his path.

29

RAVAGE
(AMPLIFIED, ELECTRONIC GROWL!)

pike rears back, trapped.

SPIKE
Don't worry about me, Bumblebee-- wheel out!!

ANGLE ON BUMBLEBEE

Bumblebee is about to go back to help Spike when a laser beam BURSTS THROUGH SCENE, barely missing him. Then he quickly ROARS O.S.

ANGLE ON SIDE OF RIVER BED

as Bumblebee tries to roll up the steep embankment, he falters, not-quite making it...

ANGLE ON MEGATRON, STARSCREAM

Megatron points O.S. as Starscream aims his weapon..

MEGATRON
Destroy the Autobot!!

Starscream fires a laser BLAST O.S.

BACK TO SHOT - BUMBLEBEE

As several laser BLASTS fire INTO SCENE around Bumblebee, he REVS UP and chugs his way up the bank and barely hops out to disappear behind the edge. One laser BLAST hits part of the bank, leaving some damage to the dirt.

ON SPIKE

Ravage continues to prevent his escape, but Spike cheers his Autobot pal on:

SPIKE
Go, Bumblebee! Go!!

ON SOUNDWAVE

He again presses his eject button, summoning Ravage.

SOUNDWAVE
Ravage ... return!

Ravage leaps INTO SHOT, TRANSFORMING back to his mini- cassette mode before landing in Soundwave's chest.

30

UPSHOT SHOOTING PAST SPIKE

to Starscream, who leans down INTO CAMERA to intimidate the young boy.

STARSCREAM
We only need one subject for the space bridge...

MEGATRON (VO)
Nevertheless, if that Autobot reports to his headquarters ...

CLOSE ON MEGATRON

MEGATRON (CONT)
... Prime will surely come to destroy the bridge!

ANGLE ON SPIKE AND STARSCREAM'S FOOT

STARSCREAM (VO)
Then we shall destroy the Autobot first!

Starscream. angrily stomps his huge foot on the ground, causing a CAMERA SHAKE, and barely missing Spike, who is almost knocked off his feet.

MEGATRON (VO)
No! I have a better plan.

WIPE TO:

EXT. - DESERTSCAPE

(SFX: VW MOTOR, INCREASING IN VOLUME) Bumblebee--in his auto trans-form--roars THROUGH SCENE along the top of a dune. A BEAT later, the two Decepticon jets appear from behind the dune, ROARING INTO CAMERA in pursuit.

CLOSER ON BUMBLEBEE (PAN BG)

If possible, he tilts up to see the jets overhead and zips forward O.S. at top speed.

BUMBLEBEE
Yipe! Decepticons!!

ON JETS (PAN BG)

overhead, they zoom in the same direction as the little Autobot, firing their CANNON LASER BLASTS down below O.S.

31

ON BUMBLEBEE (PAN BG)

as he darts around, trying to dodge the BLASTS as they hit-the sand around him.

DOWNSHOT (PAN BG)

The Decepticon jets GAIN INTO PAN and are right on top of Bumblebee as he zigs and zags around to avoid their fire.

ANGLE ON DUNE

Bumblebee sails off the edge of the dune into view and lands halfway down the slope, sending up a huge spray of sand. Here he pauses as the Starscream and Skywarp jets ROAR THROUGH THE SCENE. Bumblebee then changes direction and rolls O.S.

ON JETS

as they bank, circle back and head into a SCREAMING DIVE.

ANGLE ON ROCKY AREA

Bumblebee races into a cave opening in a rocky hillside, barely missing the LASER BLASTS that EXPLODE around him.

WIDER

as the Decepticon jets roar THROUGH SCENE past the cave entrance.

ANGLE ON ENTRANCE TO CAVE

Bumblebee peers out of the cave entrance. (SFX: JET NOISES OUT) He sighs and settles down, catching his breath.

BUMBLEBEE
Whew! Safe! Made it just in time! But they'll be back...

He turns into the cave.

INT. OF CAVE - ON BUMBLEBEE

The little Autobot TRANSFORMS into his humanoid robot mode and looks around.

BUMBLEBEE (CONT)
Maybe there's another way outta here..

ANOTHER ANGLE IN CAVE

As Bumblebee stumbles around the rocky cavern floor, searching for another exit.

32

BUMBLEBEE (CONT)
..Gotta hurry!

He spots something ahead O.S. and goes after it.

ANGLE ON ANOTHER EXIT

Just a hole in the wall (with daylight streaming through) but maybe big enough for him to slip through ... He moves INTO SCENE and crawls into the hole head first.

BUMBLEBEE (VO-CONT)
If I can just slip through this ...

EXT. - ON OTHER SIDE OF HOLE

Bumblebee crawls out so that only his upper torso is visible.

BUMBLEBEE (CONT)
(GRUNTS AND STRAINS)

Then he looks around him and reacts. The CAMERA PULLS BACK to show Starscream and Skywarp flanking him on either side. He struggles to free himself...

BUMBLEBEE (CONT)
Uh-oh... !

Starscream, grimly smiles and calmly brings his null ray up and BLASTS him, rendering him "unconscious."

STARSCREAM
A shot of my null ray will keep you motionless for awhile...

MEGATRON (VO)
Good work, Starscream...

The Decepticons spin around to see:

ANGLE ON MEGATRON

SKYWARP (VO)
Megatron!

Megatron moves in (CAMERA PANS with him) to join the other robots. Starscream glares at him.

STARSCREAM
Why are you here?! I told you we could deal with this Autobot ourselves!

33

CLOSER ON MEGATRON

Megatron presses a plate on his chest and a thin tube telescopes out, WHIRRING as it spins around, heading directly at Bumblebee O.S.

MEGATRON
I place no trust in you, Starscream. That is why I am leader!

CLOSE ON BUMBLEBEE'S CHEST

The tube ENTERS SHOT and CLAMPS onto an input connector on the Autobot's chest, followed by SFX: ENERGY PULSE.

MEGATRON (CONT-VO)
Once I complete alteration of his memory chips, he will lead the Autobots to their doom!

WIPE TO:

EXT. - AUTOBOT HEADQUARTERS

Sparkplug paces anxiously as he, alone with Optimus Prime and the Autobots, wait for Spike and Bumblebee to return.

SPARKPLUG
Somethin's happened to Spike and Bumblebee. We've gotta --

Sparkplug spins around as he's cut off by the sound of Bumblebee's VW MOTOR.

ANOTHER ANGLE

as Bumblebee rolls into the camp (in his auto mode) and brakes to a stop. Cliffjumper hurries over to him.

CLIFFJUMPER
Bumblebee! Where's Spike?!

Bumblebee TRANSFORMS to his robotic mode as he spills the news:

BUMBLEBEE
Spike was captured by the Decepticons They're gonna send him to Cybertron over some kind of space bridge!

Prime steps forward INTO SCENE.

OPTIMUS PRIME
A space bridge?! Is it operative?

34

ANOTHER ANGLE ON PRIME AND CLIFFJUMPER

Sparkplug moves into view from between the two Autobots, looking very anxious.

SPARKPLUG
(furious) Nobody's sending my kid anywhere!

UPSHOT PAST SPARKPLUG

to Optimus Prime, who looms over him.

OPTIMUS PRIME
Do not fear, Sparkplug. We shall rescue your son.

He turns back to Bumblebee O.S.

OPTIMUS PRIME (CONT)
What is the location of this bridge?

CLOSE ON BUMBLEBEE

BUMBLEBEE
The bridge --

(SFX: SOFT ENERGY PULSE) Bumblebee pauses, his eyes frozen.

OPTIMUS PRIME (VO)
Yes..?

Then Megatron's program "kicks in."

BUMBLEBEE
The bridge is located in a cavern, 96.4 miles from the highway.

WIDER ON SCENE

as Sparkplug moves toward Bumblebee to question the Autobot himself.

SPARKPLUG
And Spike? Is he there, too?!

The CAMERA begins to PAN SLOWLY away from this scene and up a jagged cliff nearby.

BUMBLEBEE (VO)
Yes. Spike is in the cave, too.

STOP PAN at the top of the cliff, where Laserbeak is perched, listening intently.

35

OPTIMUS PRIME (VO)
Then there's no time to lose...

CLOSER ON LASERBEAK

A metallic amplifier projecting from his head picks up the faint audio signals from below as he eavesdrops.

OPTIMUS PRIME (CONT-VO)
(amplified) We must go to the cave and destroy this space bridge immediately!

Laserbeak nods, his cold eyes sparkling. SFX: WHIRRR as the amplifier telescopes down into his head.

ON AUTOBOTS

The CAMERA PANS the Autobots as they begin TRANSFORMING into their vehicle modes, one after the other and...

OPTIMUS PRIME
Roll out!!

ON VEHICLE AUTOBOTS

as they roll INTO THE CAMERA. Sparkplug is seated in the cab of Ratchet's Lancia trans-form. They go past the CAMERA and O.S.

ANGLE SHOOTING DOWN PAST LASERBEAK

to the line of Autobot vehicles heading out, bearing to the left in a northwesterly direction. After a BEAT, Laserbeak takes off, rising up into the air, and banks to his right, flying O.S.

WIPE TO:

OCEAN

Laserbeak flies INTO SCENE and begins to circle high over the water.

LASERBEAK
(TRIUMPHANT SHRIEK!)

Suddenly the surface of the ocean is broken by a sleek, circular tower, with water pouring down from its head as it rises up from the depths of the ocean. (SFX: CRASHING DOWNPOUR)

36

CLOSER ON DOCKING TOWER

The water pours down and O.S., revealing a hatch entrance that opens near the top of the tower with SFX: ELECTRONIC WHIRR. Laserbeak flies INTO SHOT and into the entrance.

LASERBEAK
(CONDOR SHRIEK!)

The entrance closes with another ELECTRONIC WHIRR.

WIDER

as the docking tower lowers and sinks below the water's surface.

UNDERWATER - DECEPTICON HEADQUARTERS

The docking tower lowers to join the rest of the complex which has been constructed around the Decepticon cruiser.

INT. - CRUISER CONTROL ROOM

The hatch doors open, and Laserbeak flies out into the control room. The CAMERA PANS with him as he flies over to Soundwave, who presses his eject button to admit the Decepticon--who TRANSFORMS back to his mini-cassette mode-- into the cassette holder.

ANOTHER ANGLE

Soundwave turns to Megatron nearby, and punches a button to start the mini-cassette running.

SOUNDWAVE
Laserbeak ... report!

OPTIMUS PRIME'S VOICE (VO)
Then there's no time to lose...

CLOSER ON SOUNDWAVE'S TAPE PLAYER

as the mini-cassette turns...

OPTIMUS PRIME'S VOICE (CONT-VO)
We must go to the cave and destroy this space bridge immediately!

ANGLE ON MEGATRON

He leers evilly.

MEGATRON
And we'll have a surprise waiting for them when they get there!

He turns to the other Decepticons O.S.

37

ANOTHER ANGLE

to include the other Decepticons. Megatron holds up his fusion cannon triumphantly, leading the charge.

MEGATRON
Decepticons -- prepare for battle!

FLIP TO:

EXT. - OCEAN

Once again the docking tower rises up out of the water. The hatch entrance slides open, and the Decepticons emerge, standing on the edge before taking off, flying up and O.S.

ABOVE THE OCEAN - ON DECEPTICONS (PAN BG)

With Megatron in the lead, they head out for the cave. Starscream and Skywarp TRANSFORM into their jet plane modes and ROAR ahead, GAINING OUT OF PAN.

WIPE TO:

THE CAVERN ENTRANCE

(The same cave that Bumblebee hid in earlier.)

OPTIMUS PRIME (VO)
(sotto) Strange ... no guards!

WIDER

All of the Autobot vehicles are in a tight group flanking Prime's truck mode in front of the cave entrance.

OPTIMUS PRIME (CONT-VO)
Bumblebee, are you certain this is the right cave?

CLOSER ON BUMBLEBEE AND OTHERS

The little Autobot is between Optimus Prime and Ironhide.

BUMBLEBEE
Yes, I'm sure. The space bridge is inside.

IRONHIDE
Bumblebee's usually never wrong, Prime.

38

ANGLE ON AUTOBOTS

OPTIMUS PRIME (VO)
Very well ... Autobots, transform!

Again the Autobots TRANSFORM into their robotic modes as the CAMERA PANS down the line-up of a few of them. (NOTE: DO NOT INCLUDE RATCHET IN LINE-UP.) STOP PAN on Optimus Prime, who signals:

OPTIMUS PRIME (CONT)
--And move in!!

...with a gesture of his arm.

ANGLE ON CAVE ENTRANCE

The Autobots begin to go inside the cave.

INT. OF CAVE - AT ENTRANCE

The Autobots gather together once inside the cave, and look around, puzzled.

JAZZ
Is this some kind of joke?!

P.O.V. - CAVE INTERIOR

The CAMERA PANS the huge cave, studded with heavy stalactites and large stalagmites, to reveal that there are no Decepticons and...

RATCHET (VO)
No space bridge ... no nothing!

ANGLE ON BUMBLEBEE AND GEARS

Bumblebee looks very surprised, and Gears glares his way.

BUMBLEBEE
I don't understand it!

GEARS
I think your memory chips could use a few volts to shake 'em up!

ANOTHER ANGLE - WIDER

as Sparkplug runs ahead, calling out for his son.

SPARKPLUG
Spike! Are you --?!

39

He's cut off by SFX: LASER BLAST.

ANGLE ON CAVE ENTRANCE

The laser blast hits the cave ceiling above the entrance, shattering it into boulders that fall to the ground, sealing off any escape. (SFX: CRASHING BOULDERS ... and CAMERA SHAKES)

WIDER

to include the Autobots as they spin around to see that there is no way out.

IRONHIDE
(disgustedly) So, we were expected here after all.

MEGATRON (VO)
And we insist that you stay...

ANGLE ON MEGATRON

He is flanked by some of the Decepticons, and peers down at the Autobots O.S.

MEGATRON (CONT)
-- forever!!

The Decepticons begin firing laser BLASTS at the Autobots O.S. as we...

FADE OUT

END ACT TWO

ACT ONE

ACT TWO

ACT THREE