04x05 - Sphere of Influence

[bunniefuu]

( engine roaring )

( action theme playing )
STRONGARM: This will be my fourth collar this month!
- That's a personal best!
- Hold up, Strongarm.

How about we let my intern take this one? Works for me.

I'm on this 'Con like grease on gears.

Back off, Bumper Brains! I tracked this one, and he's going on my stats! Strongarm, Blurr, don't be greedy.

This is about
- getting the job done, period!
- FIXIT: Commander Bumblebee, I found your quarry in the Alchemor's logs.

He's a Skunkticon named Zorillor.

If he was on the Alchemor, why didn't he go to Decepticon Island with all the other crooks? FIXIT: Apparently he's somewhat of a loner.

Oh, and remember: Skunkticons can spray a powerful sensor
-disabling cybertoxin.

Oh, we remember.

Thanks Fixit.

We'll be careful.


( engines revving )

( gears whirring )
Leave me and my pal in peace!
( g*nshots )
Pal? Did he just call his blaster Pal? Perhaps.

Criminals are often eccentric in their speech patterns.

Yeah, and they talk funny too.

Or maybe he's got another Decepticon in there with him.

Drift, you and Strongarm scan the area to make sure this cave doesn't have a back door.

Sideswipe and Blurr, you're with me.


( tense theme playing )
Keep your optics open, intern, and, uh, be ready for anything.

Dude, I'm not a total noob.

Park it!
( mysterious theme playing )
You see, Blurr, razor
-sharp sensors are critical in this job.

The slightest detail could mean the difference between life and
( cracking )
What?
( gasps )

( rumbling )
Earthquake! With spikes? Autobots, rev up and run for it! Transformers Robots in disguise Robots in disguise
( roars )
Robots in disguise Robots in disguise
( rumbling )

( all grunting )
Ugh Any damage? No Just to our way in.

Ah.

We've been made, pal! But I'll never let them take you! Naw! It'll take more than a handful of coppers to split us up! Better pack some Energon for the road.

I'll be right back, pal.

Don't go any
- Aah!
- Freeze, Stink
-bot! Aah! I was even ready for it! Ugh!
( growls )
A true warrior does not need to see or hear.

I have seen our battle within my mind, Decepticon and you have already lost.

Aah! You're not gonna take my pal! Argh!
( metallic slicing noise )
Huh? Students, subdue the Skunkticon.


( action theme playing )
You won't take my pal! You'll have to take my spark first! Empty! Scrud! Argh! Ugh!
( grunts )

( clanging )
Aah!
( yells then groans )

( clatters )

( triumphant theme playing )
BOTH: Woo
-hoo
-hoo! Zorillor's got weird taste in pals.

He was prepared to defend this orb with his very spark.

I can see why.

It's pretty incredibly awesomely amazing.

Looks like a Swedish desk lamp.

Yes, it's clearly very valuable.

I can't find any record of this artifact in the Alchemor's manifest.

I
-I'll run a few scans.

Maybe that will tell us something.

Maybe it's some kind of booster that lets you stick to walls.

Or a gravity nullifier, for flight! It is more likely an aid to meditation and focus.

Or a bashing thing for bashing! Whatever it is, apart from some low
-level energy emissions, it's completely inert.

No moving parts or circuitry of any kind.


- So it's nothing.


- Yes.

A scintillating, beautiful, fascinating ball of nothing.

This is a really important find.

I mean, it has to be, right? Something about it is really familiar, but I can't quite Maybe Optimus will recognize it.

Fixit, see if you can contact him.

Fixit? Oh, uh, off the bus Tops of us Optimus! Heh! Yes, right away! OPTIMUS: The artifact you describe sounds like the Sphere of Doradus, but, of course, that's impossible, because it is a legend, like the Lost City of Doradus and its Fountain of Energon.

In the tales, wars have been fought to possess the Sphere.

Bot battling brother Bot to destruction.

Pff.

I remember those stories now.

Supposedly, inside the Sphere is a map to Doradus and the Fountain, but if the Sphere isn't opened exactly right, there's enough energy inside to wipe out a city.

Yeah, right.

Yikes.

But how do we know this sphere isn't that Sphere? Fortunately, the Sphere is only a myth, Russell, a metaphor for the destructive power of greed.

The artifact should be returned to Cybertron for study.


- Ugh!
- We'll arrange its transport, Optimus uh, in the morning.

Out.


( beeps )
In the meantime, since things have been disappearing around here lately Namely my Decepticon Hunter.

we'll post a guard on the Sphere until tomorrow.

Ooh, pick me! Pick me! You can count on me, Lieutenant! I call first watch! Dibs! Dibs! I shall take the responsibility.

I will guard the Sphere.

Is that understood?
- Dismissed.


- Very well.


- Yes, sir.


- Okay, okay.

Who's there? Step away from the Sphere, or I'll turn you to scrap! Don't! I have enough scrap! Ugh.

Sorry, Denny.

I guess I'm a little on edge.

I'm not sure returning the Sphere to Cybertron is the right thing to do.

How do you mean? They'll lock it up in some dusty vault.

It should be in a museum, so everyone can see it.

Heck, maybe I could start the museum myself.

That sounds like fun.

Can I help? Uh, Bee and Denny's Museum of Technological Oddities.

Ha.

You want to horn in on my idea for a museum? You're trying to get your hands on the Sphere, aren't you? Huh? N
-No, I
-I
-I thought we were just kidding around.

Relax.

Look, it's right here, safe and s Uh
-oh.


( gasps )
Scrud! Where? Where did?
( quiet footsteps )

( Bumblebee grunting )

( Strongarm grunts )

- Explain yourself, cadet.


- I heard you say you weren't going to return the Sphere to Cybertron, in direct violation of Optimus Prime's orders.

So I decided to return the Sphere myself.

I'd be a hero.

Maybe they'd promote me to Lieutenant.

Or even Captain.

DENNY: Sideswipe? What? I was just gonna make sure nothing happened to the Sphere.


- Like zotz you were!
- Huh? Don't try to scam a scammer, scammer! Guys! Let's all just throttle back a little.

Right, Bee? I think everyone's forgotten, I'm the team leader here and I'll decide what's best for the Sphere!
( both grunting )

( gears whirring )
No.

Only I can properly appreciate the spiritual transcendence of this exquisite artifact.

Ugh, you guys.

What's going on out here? Get away from the Sphere, bounty hunter.

Bot against brother Bot! Just like the legend says!
( both grunting )
I'll get it out of here before
- Hey!
- I cannot allow that, Russell Clay! I need the Sphere because because Science! Oh, no you don't!
( both grunting )

( action theme playing )

( clanging, grunting )
Fumble recovery by Grimlock! Come back with my Sphere, you overgrown iguana!
( gears whirring )
In your involuntary visions during shutdowns it's yours!
( gears whirring )
They'll destroy each other! Come on! But science! Science!
( clangs )
Ow! Oh.

What was that all about? Something very peculiar is going on.


( funky theme playing )
Grimlock's got the Sphere Ugh Grimlock's got the Sphere Ugh Don't know where he's goin' But he has got the Sphere Aah!
( grunts )

( gears whirring )
Now the Sphere is mine Ugh I'm not much of a Lyric maker
-upper though Give me my Sphere! That's an order!
( grunts )
Huh?
( action theme playing )

( gears whirring )

( clanging, tires screeching )

( metallic thud )
Whoa!
( brakes squealing )
Finally! Justice prevails! Yes! Gimme, gimme, gimme!
( gears whirring )

( brakes squealing )
Ugh!
( grunting )

( gears whirring )
I think we can all agree there's only one way to settle this.

ALL: Let me take it!
( all grunt )
You said you knew nothing of Doradus! You lied to me! Lied! But my persistence has been rewarded! Doradus shall be mine!
( laughing )
Nice going! You lost the Sphere! I was following Optimus' orders! I shouldn't have let either of Ugh.

Wait.

Why are we arguing about this? Ahh.

Good.

You guys have stopped fighting.

We don't know why we were fighting in the first place.

Because the legend of the Sphere is real! I'm not willing to go that far.

There's a logical answer to this, but we need to find it.

Fast.

Fixit! Fixit, are you there? FIXIT: Thank goodness.

I've been trying to contact you, but you shut off your comm link! I believe the Sphere's energy emissions, though slight, are affecting your minds.

Energy emissions.

Nothing mystical.

I doubt it, sir.

Are you still near the Sphere? Springload just ran off with it.

What Wait Springload? That's terrible! If he tries to activate the map, he could annihilate all of Crown City! That's just another part of the legend, Fixit.

You wanna take the chance that part of the legend isn't true? All right, but only because we don't know everything about that Sphere's capabilities.


- Okay, team, let's rev up
- DENNY: Wait! You can't get anywhere near that thing again! You'll tear each other limb from limb! How do we keep its energy from affecting us? FIXIT: Well, if it's an energy shielding problem, some sort of metallic reflector might work.

What, like tinfoil hats? Hm No.

I have something different in mind.

BLURR: Why are you so sure Springload's here? BUMBLEBEE: It's the only place in Crown City where he can expose the Sphere to a neutronic beam.

SIDESWIPE: And 'cause he used his acid coated skin to burn his way in!
( engines roaring )

( gears whirring )
Weapons only, don't grab him with your bare hands.

Were you able to find a large quantity of reflective metal? Yeah, but I thought you said no tinfoil hats.

Okay, when we find Springload, ignore the Sphere, no matter how hard it is to do so.

Focus on stopping the 'Con.

Denny, Russell, you'll help keep us on track.

Right.

If you start to lose it, remember the mantra: Ignore the Sphere.

Yes, Spirits, this machine should prove more than adequate! There it is That amazing Sphere.

BOTH: Ignore the Sphere! Ugh! Mine! The Spirits have chosen me to unlock the secrets of the Sphere!
( action theme playing )

( clanging )
Oof!
( gears whirring )
BUMBLEBEE: Don't lose him!
( clattering )
Ugh! Spirits! My Sphere! Ugh! Huh.

I think it's working!
( all groan )

( strange humming )
Or maybe not! Who cares when the Sphere is sitting right there waiting to be taken?
( dramatic theme playing )
You'll make this much easier if you just surrender
- and let me take the Sphere.


- ALL: You? Perhaps you do not realize the Sphere clearly belongs to me! No, me! It's mine!
- It's mine!
- Let go.


( both grunting )
BOTH: Ignore the Sphere!
( both grunting )
Insolent youths! Deliver the Sphere to your teacher!
- It's mine!
- It's mine!
- It's mine!
- It's mine!
( yells )

( loud crash )

( all groaning )
Thank you, merciful Spirits!
( gears whirring )
Guys! Springload is getting away!
( alarm blaring )
He's switched on the accelerator! It's warming up to be fired!
( all grunt )

( all groaning in pain )
The Sphere didn't have that effect before.

What's happening to them? Must be something on a frequency only the bots can hear.

Guys, fight it! Springload could shatter the Sphere! Argh! Who cares? My head's about to shatter! Ugh! The Sphere! We don't care about the Sphere anymore! Maybe it's the accelerator's power coils.

Ugh! When the energy from the Sphere passes through the charged coils, could it change the effect from stimulating greed to this horrible sound?
( pained grunts )

( screaming in pain )

( console beeps )
A little pain Aah! is worth the secrets that will soon be mine!
( beeps )

( electricity crackles )
Ugh! That's better.


( groaning )
Springload must have taken the Sphere out of range
- Good!
- RUSSELL: No! Bad! Springload is about to hit the Sphere with the neutronic beam! If the Sphere breaks That's a myth, Russell, but just in case Drift, you and Blurr look for a battery and lots of wire.

We might neutralize the Sphere's effects when near it.

Okay, team.

We're going to be feeling the Sphere's energy full force.

So, what are we gonna do? BOTH: Ignore the Sphere! Right!
( gears whirring )
Rev up and roll out!
( engines roaring )

( electricity crackling )
Yes.

No more pain.

And now, Spirits, reveal unto your Chosen One the location of Doradus! Aah!
( grunting )
Help me! Ugh! And ignore the Sphere! Okay, I'll ignore the Sphere! This Sphere Right here Come on.

Grim! I know it's hard, but concentrate on something that takes your mind away from it, like Aah! punching! Punching Punching Punching! I love punching!
( all grunt )

( Grimlock grunting )

( metallic thuds )
Ugh
( mysterious energy humming )
Jetstorm, Slipstream, quickly!
( pained grunts )

( crackling )

( humming diminishes )

( high
-pitched noise )

( all screaming in pain )
Get it out of here!
( action theme playing )

( both groaning )
Mine!
( whipping noise )

( both gasp )
Ugh It was a myth.

Just like you said.

No.

Doradus is real, and I will find it someday
( Springload groans )
Man, being an intern for your team is not boring, that's for sure.

I can't believe we lost it over a worthless hunk of glass.

We all have a very fragile hold on some of our darkest impulses.

But when we fight hard and we fight together we can help each other keep our grip.

Besides, if you were truly driven by the desire to possess something spectacular, you'd fight over me every day.


( compactor whirring )

( hologram crackling )