Through a Celluloid Eye

Copyright 1996, Robert A. Jung
Originally published October 29, 1996

All characters depicted or mentioned in this story are the trademarks and/or copyrights of their respective holders, except for those that aren't. Any resemblance to actual people, alive or deceased, is coincidental, etc., etc. Geez, it's just a story, guys. Don't get too uptight over it...

INT. - THE ARK, CONTROL CENTER

Things are relatively quiet inside the Ark. For several seconds, there is nothing but signs of general computer activity: blinking lights, flashing screens.

ZOOM IN AS:

A SIREN begins to sound, and the word ALERT flash on the screens in large red letters.

REVERSE ANGLE AS BUMBLEBEE, SPIKE, AND OPTIMUS PRIME rush into the room

OPTIMUS PRIME

ANGLE ON Bumblebee and Spike. Bumblebee starts typing at a keyboard.

BUMBLEBEE

SPIKE

ANOTHER ANGLE - OPTIMUS PRIME AND COMPUTER

OPTIMUS PRIME

COMPUTER

(pause; var. beeping sounds)

CLOSE UP on Spike.

SPIKE

PREVIOUS ANGLE - OPTIMUS PRIME AND COMPUTER

COMPUTER

OPTIMUS PRIME

FOLLOW Optimus as he turns, standing tall, his back to the computer.

OPTIMUS PRIME

WIDEN SHOT - OPTIMUS PRIME AND BUMBLEBEE.

The Autobots transform. Spike jumps into Bumblebee's front seat, and then they drive off screen.

Cliffjumper abruptly snapped off the display. "That's not how it happened," he growled quietly.

From the back of the room, Doubletake flashed a smile. "Since when did you became a stickler for detail?" the black-and-white mechanoid teased.

Turning suddenly, Cliffjumper roared, "Since I know the truth!"

Hound, sitting next to Doubletake, leaped to his feet. "Easy, Cliffjumper. He didn't mean anything by that."

The small red robot deflated slightly. "Yeah, I know ... But it's still frustrating."

"I understand," Hound smoothly replied. "But the cartoon was never meant to be completely accurate, you know that."

"Right," added Doubletake, who remained unfazed by the outburst. "It's for the humans, after all. Just a little goodwill propaganda to get them used to the idea of having us giant robots around."

"Why couldn't they just report the facts?"

"Reality is boring!" Doubletake's grin grew again as he leaned back and pantomimed removing a pair of sunglasses. "Gotta go for the box office, baby! Sex and violence! Muscle-bound heroes! Dastardly villians! Gimme something I can take to Paramount, have your people call my people!"

Hound chuckled for a moment, then turned back to Cliffjumper. "He does have a point," the green Autobot said. "You've never cared about errors in the show before."

Cliffjumper sighed. "You know it's not that."

Hound nodded soberly. "I know. But going around on a hair trigger isn't going to help. Look, why don't we talk--"

"No!" Cliffjumper yelled, then dashed out of the lounge.

For a moment, Hound watched his retreating back in silence. He then looked over his shoulder, where Doubletake shrugged in response, a sober look on his silver face. "Don't take it personally."

"I won't," Hound replied. "I just wish..."

"Yeah."

"Still ... it didn't help that the new show came out so fast."

Doubletake nodded, and this time his smile was a lopsided mix of amusement and regret. "Amazing what they can do with computers these days, isn't it?"

INT. - GEOTHERMAL PLANT CORE

The center of the geothermal plant is a large DOMED ROOM. Various machines and computers line the walls, and the room is lit by a LARGE GLOWING TUBE running through the center. Hissing sounds and wisps of steam are everywhere.

DOLLY AROUND the room to show the energon processing line. Empty energon cubes roll down a conveyor belt and stop under a set of probes. The probes CRACKLE WITH ELECTRICITY, filling the cube.

The cube then rolls off screen, and another empty cube rolls in to view. The process repeats for three or four cubes.

CAMERA PANS to follow a filled cube to the energon storage area. Various Decepticons take the cubes off the conveyor belt and pack them into storage bins.

RUMBLE AND FRENZY run around doing misc. work.

ANGLE ON MEGATRON AND STARSCREAM, standing in the middle of the room. Megatron is smiling.

MEGATRON

STARSCREAM

CLOSE UP on Megatron.

MEGATRON

PREVIOUS ANGLE - MEGATRON AND STARSCREAM

STARSCREAM

MEGATRON

Grapple paced once more around the rig. "You have to give them credit. Even for a prototype, it's an efficient little package."

The subject of his attention was a metal tripod. Clawed steel legs, each five feet long, supported a thin rod thirty feet tall. A thick, shielded cable ran from the top of the pole to a mechanical box that rested near one leg. The box was six feet in all directions, with a cavity carved into one of the sides and a small control panel on the top.

"Very efficient," Wheeljack added, as two flashing panels on the side of his head punctuated each word. "Just drop the shaft into the ground and turn it on. Then all you need is someone to collect the cubes."

"As the humans would say, 'keep it simple.'"

"Can you two stop admiring that already?" Cliffjumper snapped.

"Sorry," said Wheeljack. "I'm just surprised the Decepticons could build something like this."

"Don't underestimate the Decepticons," Grapple chided. "They're not all idiots -- some of them are quite capable engineers in their own right."

"Whatever!" Cliffjumper interrupted, then turned to Wheeljack. "What I want to know is, can we detect those things? Or are we going to have to start going on patrol to make sure they don't pop up like weeds?"

Wheeljack stroked his chin for a few seconds. "I think it's possible. The bad thing about automating the cube-maker in such a small package is that it's not shielded well. I think it's going to leak antiprotons like crazy, and we can detect those."

"A sound idea," agreed Grapple. "We'll have to test the tap ourselves to be absolutely sure, but I believe we can soon put a stop to Megatron's new geothermal toy."

Cliffjumper nodded slowly. "All right ... let me know as soon as Teletran-One is programmed to look for these things. I'll feel better once we've stopped them from using that ... thing."

"No problem," Wheeljack replied.

With a satisfied grunt, Cliffjumper headed for the door. As soon as the lab doors slid shut, Grapple turned to Wheeljack. "What's bothering him?"

Wheeljack turned to the tall orange robot in mild surprise. "You mean you don't know?"

[COMMERCIAL]

FADE UP TO:

ANGLE ON MEGATRON

as he fires the thermal heat ray, as before. A BRIGHT RED BEAM shoots into the camera.

ANGLE - FACING OPTIMUS AND AUTOBOTS

as they dive for cover behind nearby rocks, dodging the ray. They re-appear a second later and start firing on the Decepticons.

THE BATTLE - QUICK CUTS

A series of combat scenes here, alternating between the Autobots and the Decepticons. We see...

...various Decepticons firing off-screen, and...

...the Autobots shoot back, occasionally diving for cover. Snap to...

...Megatron firing the heat ray. He swings the cannon around quickly, clearly enjoying himself. With each blast, a beam of bright red energy shoots forth. Pan with one of the blasts to show...

...the Autobots jumping away from the beam. Things in the background (trees, rocks, etc.) explode, melt, and catch fire.

...Cut back to the Decepticons attacking some more.

Alternate with scenes with the Autobots as required.

Finally...

ANGLE ON - OPTIMUS PRIME, CLIFFJUMPER, AND MIRAGE

The three Autobots are hiding behind a large rock. The sounds of the battle are around them.

CLIFFJUMPER
(frustrated)

OPTIMUS PRIME

(to Mirage)

MIRAGE

CLOSE UP on Mirage

...as he quickly fades out and becomes invisible.

The camera lowers slightly, and suddenly a PAIR OF FOOTPRINTS appear out of nowhere. Pan to follow as more footprints suddenly appear, leading away from the rock and towards the geothermal plant.

Cliffjumper slowly shook his head, then looked up. "I just can't figure out where I went wrong."

"I don't think you did," Prowl said. "Your decisions were sound, given the circumstances."

"Yeah, well, that's not helping me any."

The Autobot security chief ignored the sarcasm in the reply. "Not every situation has a perfect solution," he calmly continued. "Random chance is always a factor; all we can do is try to account for it as soon as possible."

"So maybe I wasn't fast enough?"

"No." Prowl shifted in his chair, and frowned for a moment as he organized his thoughts. "Look, Cliffjumper ... you can't become obsessed about what happened ... you and Slingshot did your best, and that's all anyone can expect."

"I suppose..." Cliffjumper sighed. "But that's no use to Mirage--"

Prowl watched impassively as Cliffjumper fell silent again. Though he was a brilliant tactician, Prowl was never good with "psychology," and preferred to leave encouragement or morale-boosting to Jazz, Optimus or one of the more sociable Autobots. But Cliffjumper had insisted on seeing him, and even Prowl knew that to dismiss him now would be damaging to his psyche.

Finally, with another sigh, Cliffjumper looked up once again. "What about the energon?" he asked. "Did they at least intercept the shipment?"

Prowl reluctantly shook his head. "Ultra Magnus' team failed to stop it -- Decepticon security is tighter these days. They were lucky to get out with only minor injuries. By now, the energon is probably scattered halfway around Cybertron."

"Where it's going to be used to help the Decepticons against our guys," Cliffjumper muttered. "As if they weren't squeezed tight enough already."

"They have to do the best they can," Prowl flatly stated.

"And what happens if it's not good enough?" he demanded.

Prowl spread his hands in reluctant acquiescence. "What happens, happens..."

INT. - GEOTHERMAL PLANT CORE

Megatron, Starscream, Dirge, etc. run into the room.

ANGLE - MEGATRON'S POV

Mirage is typing away at a computer keyboard. Lights on the computer are FLASHING ERRATICALLY as the system starts to malfunction.

STARSCREAM (O.S.)

Mirage turns to face the camera and smiles.

MIRAGE

ANGLE ON MEGATRON

MEGATRON

ZOOM OUT as Megatron raises his arm and fires his cannon.

PREVIOUS ANGLE - MEGATRON'S POV

Mirage FADES OUT, turning invisible just before Megatron's blast would hit him. The blast strikes the computer instead, destroying it in a SHOWER OF SPARKS.

ANGLE ON STARSCREAM, panicked. The camera begins to shake.

STARSCREAM

MIRAGE (O.S.)

ANOTHER ANGLE - MEGATRON AND DECEPTICONS

MEGATRON

CUT TO:

EXT. - OUTSIDE VIEW OF GEOTHERMAL PLANT

View is high over the area. Lines of LASER FIRE show the fight between the Autobots and the Decepticons.

ANGLE ON MEGATRON, STARSCREAM, ETC.

They run out of the plant, clearly panicked, then jump into the air and fly away.

SIDE VIEW OF OTHER DECEPTICONS - SOUNDWAVE, CONSTRUCTICONS, ETC.

They stop firing and turn to look O.S. After a second, they also jump into the air and fly off.

ANGLE - OPTIMUS PRIME AND CLIFFJUMPER

CLIFFJUMPER
(puzzled)

OPTIMUS PRIME

(shouts O.S.)

REVERSE ANGLE - OPTIMUS, CLIFFJUMPER, AUTOBOTS

The Autobots run toward the camera, with the geothermal plant visible in the background. As soon as they run off screen, the plant explodes with a BLINDING FIREBALL that fills the screen!

ANGLE ON OPTIMUS PRIME, CLIFFJUMPER

They are looking O.S., the light of the explosion shining in their faces. After a few seconds, the light fades away.

OPTIMUS PRIME

CLIFFJUMPER
(worried)

CAMERA PANS behind the Autobots. Mirage suddenly FADES IN and appears.

MIRAGE

ANOTHER ANGLE - CLOSE ON MIRAGE, surrounded by the Autobots.

Cliffjumper steps forward and puts a hand on his shoulder.

CLIFFJUMPER
(relieved)

MIRAGE
(happy)

ZOOM IN - OPTIMUS PRIME

OPTIMUS PRIME

ZOOM OUT on Autobots as they laugh.

"Cliffjumper!"

He turned immediately. Down the corridor was Ratchet, who slumped to lean wearily against the wall. Cliffjumper dashed forward even as he blurted, "How's--?"

"He's fine," Ratchet wheezed. "Or, at least, as fine as anyone could be after nineteen hours of microneuro surgery. I, on the other hand, could use a week in an oil bath..."

Oblivious, Cliffjumper pressed on. "Is he awake?"

"Awake?!" A look of incredulous disbelief instantly crossed the medic's grey face, then vanished a moment later. "Oh, no! Mirage is going to need a few months, at least, before he can even--"

"But you said--!"

"I said he's fine, considering what he's been through." Ratchet was in lecture mode now, calmly explaining his work in layman's terms. "I've only rebuilt his gross neural pathways and directed the primary connections. Now we have to wait for his repair systems to finish reconstructing the low-level links. That's going to take seven weeks, at least. And then we've got to probe his memory and look for gaps, and do some reconstruction for whatever we find. Luckily, his last backup was in September, so we won't lose too much."

With a sigh, Cliffjumper nodded. "But he'll be okay?"

"Sure. After I'm done, he'll be as good as new." Ratchet squeezed out a light smile. "Considering how close Megatron was when he fired, it's a small miracle he wasn't completely vaporized."

"Yeah," said Cliffjumper, bowing his head. "Lucky him. But he wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't ordered him to sneak behind their lines."

Ratchet lightly gripped the red robot's shoulder. "I told you before, stop blaming yourself! You're going to blow out your stress modulators if you keep this up." With a chuckle, he added, "Try and relax, will you? Go watch some television or something."

Cliffjumper's head snapped up suddenly. Then, with barely-held restraint, he shamefully looked away. "That's the last thing I need now..."