Other Voices Part

1 BEAST WARS "OTHER VOICES, Part One: ARRIVAL" ACT ONE FADE IN: EXT. SPACE - DOWNSHOT ON THE BEAST WARS PLANET PAN UP and AWAY from it, past the TWO MOONS and out towards the dark vastness of space. For a moment, there is nothing. Then, with an eerie Spielbergian ALIEN CHOIR VOICE, a WORMHOLE begins to appear there, growing larger and larger. In the center of the wormhole is a bright spark, as though of a distant star, rushing at us. The light gets brighter and brighter, larger and larger -- then abruptly FILLS SCREEN with a FLASH as we: CUT TO: INT. MAXIMAL BASE, COMMAND CENTER - DUSK Suddenly a light flashes on the console and we hear: MAXIMAL COMPUTER (VO) Alert. Power anomaly in Grid Trion. RHINOX(R) Display coordinates and cross reference energy signature with Datatrax Tau-7. TIGHT on the display as the view switches to a grid map with a Maximal base icon in the center. There is MUCH STATIC, but visible, far from the base is a pulsating BLIP. MAXIMAL COMPUTER(VO) Energy signature identical with previous alien contacts. *** WIDE as Rhinox(R) reacts with interest and Optimus(R) studies the display. RHINOX(R) Looks like our unknown "friends" have finally arrived. OPTIMUS (R) Just what we need. A visit from the landlord. 2 Optimus(R) crosses to the image projector. He hits a button and calls up a holographic map. The location of the power anomaly is shown by an icon, pulsating amidst some low dunes. Other icons show the position of the Maximals in the field. Two such icons are closest to the power surge. OPTIMUS PRIMAL(R) Rattrap and Air Razor are closest. Send them a message to check it out and have all our other units converge on those coordinates. I'll meet them there. Rhinox(R) replies from, his chair, as he hits com buttons. RHINOX(R) The Preds will have picked up this signal. Optimus(R) looks grim as he strides through an exit. OPTIMUS PRIMAL(R) We still have a truce. I hope ** As he goes, Rhinox(R) shakes his head, disturbed. CUT TO: EST. - EXT. PREDACON BASE - DUSK We see a brief glimpse as we hear: MEGATRON(R,VO) So. Back on line, are we? Yess. INT. - PREDACON COMMAND CENTER MEGATRON(R) is in his command chair, looking at Waspinator, who is rising from the Pred restoration chamber with his head on backward. Waspinator grabs his head and twists it into proper position. WASPINATOR (R) No thanks to Tarantulas! Waspinator find spiderbot and tear him new waste disposal unit! MEGATRON (R) I have no time for these petty squabbles now! No. Larger goals are at stake. Proceed at once to coordinates 6-5-9 and secure the area. I will follow shortly. 3 WASPINATOR (R) Not fair! Waspinator always gets slag assignments! Megatron stands, his blast-head-hand swinging around to the fore. MEGATRON (R) May I remind Waspinator that the current cease-fire applies only in reference to Maximals? Waspinator gulps. WASPINATOR (R) (gulp) Waspinator go. He TRANSFORMS to Beast Mode and flies off. Megatron watches him go with satisfaction. MEGATRON (R) That’s better. He turns to look at the alien golden disk, still suspended in the tractor beams nearby. MEGATRON (R) From now on, I must play this carefully. Very carefully indeed. DISSOLVE TO: INT. - TARANTULAS'S LAIR - TIGHT ON COMPUTER DISPLAY On the display, we see an icon representing the power anomaly, as we hear: TARANTULAS(R, VO) They are here -- ANOTHER ANGLE... TARANTULAS(R) stands before the screen, manipulating control pads on a console. TARANTULAS(R, con't.) As I anticipated, given the data I hacked from Megatron’s private files. Computer! Calculate next stasis pod landing. PRED COMPUTER(VO) Stasis pod will achieve planetfall in 30.6 mega-cycles. TARANTULAS(R) . 4 Slag, not soon enough. I must find another means of escaping this dirt ball. BLACKARACHNIA(R, OS) And why would you want to do that? Tarantulas(R) whirls, drawing his blaster, even as: Blackarachnia(R) steps out of shadows. BLACKARACHNIA(R, con't) Partner. Tarantulas(R) makes a DISGUSTED NOISE, but puts away his blaster as Blackarachnia joins him. TARANTULAS(R) I'm not your "partner". Now go away! BLACKARACHNIA(R) Oh, you don’t have a choice, legs. She indicates the transwarp cell (ref #24) in its mount nearby. BLACKARACHNIA (R) You don’t want me telling Megatron about that Transwarp cell you stole, do you? TARANTULAS (R) (irritable noise) BLACKARACHNIA (R) Besides. You need me to get past the Maximal's defense shield. TARANTULAS(R) (mocking laugh, then) To what end? The Axalon will never fly again. BLACKARACHNIA(R) Granted. But the Maximals have intact stasis pods. A clever spider -- one with a transwarp cell -- might use such a stasis pod to create an escape ship. TARANTULAS(R) Hmm. BLACKARACHNIA(R) . 5 Most of the Maximals are off chasing that power anomaly. We could have that pod in just under two mega-cycles. NEW ANGLE -- ON A MONITOR SCREEN We SEE Blackarachnia and Tarantulas on it. Megatron is watching them. We HEAR: BLACKARACHNIA(R, IMAGE) So what do you say..? -- Partner. Megatron CLICKS OFF and chuckles. MEGATRON (R) (chuckle) Ahh. Most excellent treachery, yes. Properly guided, it should serve me well. CUT TO: EXT. DESERT TERRAIN - STONE SQUARE -- DUSK We see 4 large stone pillars set into the ground in a square configuration. In the center of the square is a round pedestal from which the tip of an ENERGON CRYSTAL protrudes. AIR RAZOR(B, OS) Looks like we found the source of the anomaly -- REVERSE ANGLE - Against a BG of sand dunes, RATTRAP(B) looks toward the Stone Square. AIR RAZOR(B) is beside him. RATTRAP(B) Lucky us. Now we can be the first to get vaped. AIR RAZOR(B) Do you ever think positively? They start moving into the stone square as Rattrap replies. RATTRAP(B) That WAS positive, sister. I coulda said: “Now we can be the first t’get tortured and then vaped.” AIR RAZOR (B) You’re a real fun bot, you know that? TIGHT on the pedestal. The energon crystal embedded in it PULSES with power, growing brighter by the minute, BUT unlike the usual random pattern this crystal is sending out . 6 regular, concentric waves of energy that play across the top of the pedestal (like ripples extending out from a stone thrown into water). Rattrap(B) and Air Razor(B) move into frame and Rattrap reacts: RATTRAP(B) Whoa! Strip my circuits and call me a toaster, this crystal's stable! AIR RAZOR(B) Then I should be able to scan it safely. Air Razor(B) TRANSFORMS to ROBOT MODE and looks down at the Pedestal. ROBOTIC POV - THE PEDESTAL... Through Air Razor's(R) eyes we see the pedestal and the crystal in flashing schematics. Readouts of Cybertronix letters flash alongside the view. AIR RAZOR(R,VO) It's a field generator -- TIGHT ON ONE OF THE PILLARS As a panel in it slides open, revealing another energon crystal. It GLOWS as it builds power. WIDE - ON AIR RAZOR(R), RATTRAP(B) Air Razor(R) is still scanning the pedestal. AIR RAZOR(R, con't.) And it's building up tremendous -- Suddenly, a beam FIRES from one of the pillars and blasts Air Razor, sending her flying. AIR RAZOR(R) Ahhhhh! She lands at one end of the Stone Square and lies still. Rattrap(B) reacts: RATTRAP(B) Air Razor! But before he can rush to her side, the pedestal suddenly WHINES and SINKS into the ground. It's ripples of energy become huge pulsing circles, spreading across the bottom of . 7 the square to the pillars. The whole structure becomes a whirlpool of energy which LIFTS Rattrap(B) like a rag doll and HURLS him out of the Square. EXT. DESERT AREA - OUTSIDE THE SQUARE As Rattrap(B) lands hard. RATTRAP(B) Oooof! He shakes it off; gets to his feet. HE looks OS, reacts! RATTRAP(B) Oh my aching coils! POV - RATTRAP - THE STONE SQUARE A maelstrom of pulsating energy envelops the square. Something starts to form there, something massive... WE: FADE OUT: End Act One . 8 ACT TWO FADE IN: EXT. THE STONE SQUARE - (CONTINUOUS) -- DUSK With a brilliant FLASH, the whirlpool effect ceases and a BIO-DOME (See Set List for full description) is left where the square was. There is no visible entrance. Rattrap(B) looks at the Bio-Dome, astonished. RATTRAP(B) This is not good! Rattrap(B) TRANSFORMS to ROBOT MODE, activates com mode. RATTRAP(R) Rattrap to Optimus... EXT. SKY - OPTIMUS PRIMAL(R) Optimus(R) soars thru the skies at top speed, as he hears: RATTRAP(R, VO, con't.) Come in Fearless Leader! OPTIMUS PRIMAL(R) Optimus here. Have you reached the anomaly? EXT. BIO-DOME - ON RATTRAP(R) Rattrap(R) replies, agitated: RATTRAP(R) Have I ever! It's some kinda nutty alien bungalow. And it swallowed Air Razor. You better get your monkey butt over here before -- Rattrap(R) is "interrupted" by Waspinator, who ZOOMS IN unexpectedly and SLAMS him OS! RATTRAP(R) Yowwwwww!!!! EXT. SKY - OPTIMUS PRIMAL(R) Optimus reacts: . 9 OPTIMUS PRIMAL(R) Rattrap! Rattrap! Optimus increases his speed, as we: CUT TO: INT. INTERROGATION CHAMBER OF THE BIO-DOME Inside the Bio-Dome, we see a round chamber, composed of huge computer banks, flashing screens and mechanical SOUNDS. Air Razor(R) lies on the floor, starts to stir, ALIEN VOICES are heard, coming out of thin air. ALIEN VOICE ONE(VO) Shi tok, alokra tey fa.

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