01x13 - Out of Focus

[bunniefuu]

I think I've earned the right to make more of my own decisions in the field.

SIDESWIPE: If that means Strongarm can decide to tell me what to do, I officially request a transfer.

GRIMLOCK: I'm tired of staying behind when we have missions near humans.

The center of the storm is always still, and it's easiest to find the solution from there.

Beg pardon?



( sighs ) Optimus used to say it.

When you're feeling overwhelmed, you need to find your focus.

So true, so true.

But how does that get Strongarm off my bumper?



( alarm blares ) Lieutenant Bumblebee, I have four Decepticon signals a few miles from here.

Just look at all this flashing.



( sighs ) Looks like the team meeting will have to wait.

Too bad, so sad.

Okay, Autobots, let's hit the trail.

'Cause Bee wants to bail.

Hey, I do the rallying cries.



( dramatic theme playing ) Sideswipe, stay in formation.

Afraid I'll get there first?

Afraid you might blow a strut trying to keep up.

Hey! Throttle back, you two.

It's a mission, not a race.

Each pod appears to have been opened from the inside violently.

MICRONUS: Check out Mr.

Tough

-Bot, ready for anything.

But are you ready for anything, Optimus Prime?

I am, Micronus.

I have overcome all the challenges you and the other Primes have presented me with.

Trust me, the tests we've used to train you here in our realm are nothing compared to what you'll face once you're on Earth.

So you keep saying.

Yet you will provide few details regarding my mission or anything else.

This new sword, for example The Prime Decepticon Hunter is much more than just a sword.

But since you're so impatient Your test is to climb this hill.

OPTIMUS PRIME: Surely it cannot be that simple.



( all gasp ) You brought defenseless humans to the realm of the Primes?

An Intellectibot, you're definitely not.

They're not defenseless, Optimus.

They have you.

Transformers Robots in disguise Robots in disguise

( roars ) Robots in disguise Robots in disguise Fixit, I have a hunch.

Run a check on the Alchemor's prisoner manifest.

See if any four

-Bot criminal organizations were imprisoned together on the ship.

Right away, Lieutenant.

Skunk

-ticons, sir, led by Malodor.

They spray liquid from their tails that temporarily disorients a bot's sensory receptors.

And they use this ability to keep officers at bay while the rest of the g*ng burrowed into businesses and robbed them.

Those stinkers.

Good one, huh?

I've got a million of them.

Stay on point, everyone.



( sighs ) A print.

Pointing north.

Isn't that automated dam where Steeljaw and his pack set up shop north of here?

Steeljaw letting four more Cons into his club?

That's a party that definitely needs crashing.

Wait, we should go back for gear to protect us from the skunks' toxin.

Bee, do I look like a go

-back

-for

-protective

-gear wearer?

Or a punch

-happy Dino

-Demolisher?

Grimlock, you're violating team protocol! Keep going, Grim.

She's just mad you're ahead of her.

Ugh.

It's like herding domesticated Earth felines.

Bringing innocents to this realm is insane, Micronus.

You think you'll never find yourself in an insane situation?

Better check your expectation meters.



( dramatic theme playing )

( grunting )

( groaning ) On my mark.

Go.



( electricity crackling ) Fixit, we're at the dam.

Are you reading any Decepticon activity in our immediate area?

FIXIT: Negative, sir, but I remind you that Steeljaw and his pack disabled their signals.

And even if they're near you, the Skunkticons' signals might be masked by the electricity generated by the dam.

It looks like Steeljaw's crew might have abandoned this place after the last time we fought.

I stuck my hand in there once.

And you know what happened?

This.



( shrieks ) Ow! Hey! Will all of you knock it off?

We should be using this time to make a plan.

We're still on a mission.

We've been on a bunch of them already, Bee, and we've done okay.

You can loosen our leashes a little.

We got here faster than the skunks?

We may not be built for speed, primitive one, but we are built for the dismantling of Autobots.

Scrap.

No! Where'd everybody go?

Strongarm?

Sideswipe?



( screams )

( groans ) Bumblebee!

( grunts ) Am I walking?

Am I Am I running?

Anyone?

Bring him.

The bigger the hostage, the more his friends will think twice before interfering with our plans.

I don't I don't know what's going on.



( all grunt ) Push, you fools.

Whoa!

( grunts )

( distant shouting )

( grunting ) Micronus, I cannot pass this test by employing this w*apon merely as a sword.

Tell me what else it can do.

Learning to handle a new w*apon, protecting human lives, facing off against a powerful thr*at.

It sure is a lot to deal with, isn't it, Optimus?



( grunts ) No.



( straining )

( howls )

( grunts ) Where's Grimlock?

Did the Decepticons take him?

Go that way.

Maybe I want to go that way.

Stop! You're fighting about things that don't matter.

And being distracted is what got us into this mess in the first place.

Now, instead of running everywhere and hoping we get lucky, let's see if we can find any clues as to where the Skunkticons might be headed.

Grimlock left us a trail.

Allow me.

Whoa!

( expl*si*n )

( grunting ) BUMBLEBEE: Somebots didn't want us following them.

But there's only one floor above this.

Come on.



( straining ) Grab on and start pulling.



( all grunting )

( elevator dings ) Stay alert.

We know the Skunkticons are on this level somewhere.

Sideswipe, I want you over here Sideswipe, flank the stairwell door.

You flank it, Flankenstein.

Seriously, she's a monster, and you need to do something about it.

Didn't you hear what I said downstairs?

We can't let anything distract

- us from capturing the

- MALODOR: Skunkticions?

Keep moving back.

You do not want to find out how many blasts it takes to permanently damage your massive friend.

No, we don't.

We can figure this out, Malodor.

No Bot has to get hurt.

Bee?

Bee, can you hear me?

I am over here! Bee?

My voice! Come! Come to my voice!

- What's the plan?



- There is no plan.



( suspenseful theme playing ) Bumblebee, am I walking toward you?

I I cannot hear you.

Whoa! Sideswipe, Strongarm, help a dino out, would you?



( grunts ) COMPUTER: Emergency flood release activated.

Dam lock opening initiated.

Please ensure that all downstream residents are safely evacuated.

No.



( grunts )

( all yelp and cough ) We must depart.

Others may have heard the alarm.



( groaning ) Still can't see.

Still can't hear.

Anyone?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Alert.

Alert.

Alert.



( suspenseful theme playing ) Curse you, Micronus.

You must help me.

How do I unlock the sword's full potential?

No test is worth the loss of human life, Micronus.

Humans are our friends, not our playthings.



( footsteps approaching ) Go.

No!

( echoing )

( yells )

( suspenseful theme playing )

- Come to my voice!

- Bumblebee!

- But slowly.



- Bumblebee, are you there?



- Where are you?



- I don't Just

( laughs ) COMPUTER: Dam locks opening.

Complete the evacuation of downstream residents immediately.

BUMBLEBEE: The center of the storm is always still, and it's easiest to find a solution from there.

The Skunkticons aren't fast.

Chasing them can wait.

The dam controls are on a countdown, so there is time to intervene.

But Sideswipe, Grimlock and Strongarm could fall any moment.

That has to be first priority.

Whoa Whoa Whoa! GRIMLOCK: My bad.

Fixit, I'm at the dam's control console.

I need instructions for shutting down the dam's lock release.

FIXIT: Understood, Lieutenant.

COMPUTER: Countdown complete.

Locks opening.



- Now, Fixit!

- FIXIT: Oh, well, you might have mentioned.

Transmitting to your terminal's screen.

COMPUTER: Locks closing.



( sighs ) Everybot back to normal?



- Yup.



- Yes, sir.

Yeah.

The skunks took this tube.

So we'll take this one.

Why?

Because I remember the schematic for this facility, and this tube runs parallel to that one.

So?

Focus.

Right.

Sorry.

Micronus, I will not reach the human.

Please, help me.

Before this test began, you were focused on your mission on Earth.

After the test began, you were focused on battling the enemy.

But, Optimus, What was the test?



( dramatic theme playing )

( electricity crackling ) The humans none of them were real.

But why?

You needed to believe they were real, so the test could deliver the proper lesson.

Focus will mean everything amidst the storm to come, Optimus.

You're going to be faced with all manner of distractions, from trivial, to personal, to life

-threatening.

The center of the storm is always still, and it's easiest to find a solution from there.

Shall we get back to your training?

I can hear the Skunkticons coming.

We can trap them if we time it right and focus.

Grimlock, when I give the order, smash through the part of the wall right beside you.

I don't like small, dark places.

You don't think they have any of those Earth cats in here, do you?

Grimlock.

Sorry.

Focused and ready to rip.

( tapping sounds ) Now.

( yells )

( all yell ) Grimlock, now.

( panting )

( roars )

( coughs ) Oh, not again!

( dramatic theme playing ) That's how we do it, team.

If we just maintain our focus, we can accomplish anything we set our minds to.

GRIMLOCK: Mayday! Mayday! Dinobot down! Help! I'll say it again for Grimlock when the toxin wears off.