Transformers One Page #5

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Orion Pax:
Uh, yeah, I would love to…

B-127:
(splutters) Where are my manners? Come on, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the crew. Hey, guys, we’ve got company!

(B-127 opens a sliding door, revealing a table with three inanimate contraptions made of scrap metal.)

B-127:
This is EP-508, this is A-A-Tron, and this fella here is Steve.

Orion Pax:
“Steve”?

B-127:
Yeah, he’s foreign.

D-16:
Question: Do they talk back to you?

B-127:
Um, they’re not real. (laughs) Jeez, you think I’m that crazy?

Orion Pax:
It’s just you’ve been down here a…

B-127:
No, I was talking to Steve.

(B touches "Steve"'s head, a blue glow and garbled communication emanating from it.)

B-127:
(laughs) Classic Steve.

Orion Pax:
What is that?

B-127:
Look at this guy.

Orion Pax:
It’s coming from inside.

(Orion tries to investigate but accidentally breaks Steve's head.)

B-127:
Oh! Steve! NO!

Orion Pax:
I am so sorry.

B-127:
(dramatically) STE-E-EVE, NO!!!

Orion Pax:
We can fix it, don’t worry.

B-127:
My Steve!

(In his attempt to fix the contraption, Orion touches a small chip, activating a transmission.)

Robot:
(voice over transmission) Quintesson ambush! Calling the High Guard for immediate support. Immediate support!

Orion Pax:
That’s Alpha Trion.

D-16:
One of the Primes?

Alpha Trion:
(over transmission) Repeat, Zeta Prime has fallen!

Orion Pax:
It’s an SOS message.

Alpha Trion:
(over transmission) Protect the Matrix! Sending location coordinates. Sending location coordinates.

(The transmission ends, depicting the source of the distress call.)

B-127:
Holy Primus!

Orion Pax:
Those are coordinates to a location on the surface. This could be where the Primes died in the Quintesson war. Which means...this is where we could find the Matrix of Leadership.

D-16:
What are you talking about? It’s an old beacon inside a statue made of garbage.

Orion Pax:
Or it’s a clue of how we could find the Matrix of Leadership.

D-16:
No. No way. Absolutely not!

Orion Pax:
Hey, D, come on, this could be our chance to show everyone we’re not…

D-16:
You already tried to “show everyone” in the race you tricked me into running, which got us stuck down here in this waste hole with this, uh… (notices B-127's sad expression) really cool guy.

B-127:
Oh, thank you.

Orion Pax:
I’m just saying…

D-16:
There’s a reason no one goes to the surface. It’s dangerous! I’m waiting right here until Sentinel Prime finds us.

Orion Pax:
Oh, okay. Yeah. Hmm. Well, we’ll just stay here forever. That cool with you, B?

B-127:
Forever? This is great! I have new coworkers and roommates. There’s plenty of room now that Steve is dead. I usually sleep on the conveyor belt, but you can totally have it. I’ll sleep in the corner next to A-A-Tron. Plenty of room for you to stretch out, too, ’cause you’re taller than I am. Know what I mean?

(Orion gets an idea before approaching D.)

Orion Pax:
Hey, D, what do you think Sentinel’s reaction would be if you personally handed him the Matrix of Leadership that you found?

D-16:
Okay, stop. I know what you’re trying to do...

[beat]

D-16:
...and it’s definitely working. I’m in.

Orion Pax:
Hah, ha! Yeah, buddy.

D-16:
How do we get to the surface?

B-127:
Pfft! You kidding me? The surface? Easy. I know a way. But it won’t be easy.

(Soon, the three climb up the garbage chute.)

D-16:
Why is there so much trash? Ah!

Orion Pax:
Warn me next time, please. My mouth was open.

B-127:
Only 49 sublevels to go!

(Later, they arrive at a loading station for waste-disposal trains.)

B-127:
Waste-disposal trains are the only vehicles that go all the way to the surface.

D-16:
Yeah, but they don’t allow passengers. The trains are autonomous.

B-127:
Yeah, that’s the “won’t be easy” part.

Orion Pax:
It’s perfect. We’ll be safe inside the train.

(Sneaking in through a hatch, Orion, D and B hide behind to containers, just as the workers finish up.)

Worker:
That’s the last one. Send ‘er up!

Elita-1:
Hold up! One more. I’ll lock it down.

(Elita places the last box and locks it, but before she exits the train, she spots the open hatch.)

Elita-1:
(laughs) Thanks for being an idiot, whoever you are. Turning you in will definitely get me promoted back up a rank or two.

(D-16 grabs Elita.)

D-16:
Got her!

(She escapes D's grip and sees B.)

B-127:
No, wait, I…

(She knees B in the face before Orion stops her.)

Orion Pax:
Elita! Stop!

Elita-1:
Orion?

Orion Pax:
Hold on, let me…

(Elita punches him.)

Elita-1:
Security! Sound the ala…

(The train's door closes before Elita could alert security. The train departs as Elita runs away from them.)

B-127:
She’s headed to the engine!

Orion Pax:
Don’t worry, I got this.

(The three chase after Elita as she escapes.)

Orion Pax:
Hold on, let me explain! We’re on a mission!

Elita-1:
So am I - to ruin your life!

(The train rises on an incline, and while Elita sits onto a locked-in box, the others fall toward the door.)

Orion Pax:
Elita, wait. We found a message. We know where…

(Refusing to listen, Elita unlocks the box and sends it at them; they luckily dodge it as she continues toward the engine.)

B-127:
This bot is crazy! Who is she?

Orion Pax:
Dead end, Elita. There’s no way… (Elita jumps out of an open hatch) Well, she’s gone.

(Orion, D and B follow after Elita on top of the train, climbing up as the train continues rising up to the surface.)

B-127:
Whoa! Why? Why am I doing this? Why am I doing this?

D-16:
Climb faster!

(The three climb after Elita, and Orion reaches her.)

Orion Pax:
Gotcha!

(As Orion grabs Elita's arm, she prepares to punch him, getting distracted as they reach the surface, the four becoming mesmerized by its beauty.)

D-16:
Ah, the surface.

Elita-1:
It’s beautiful.

B-127:
I am speechless.

(They continue to look on before Orion turns to Elita.)

Orion Pax:
Elita, listen to me. We know where the Matrix of Leadership is.

Elita-1:
Oh, sure. And I’m really a Prime. I just prefer loading crates of toxic waste.

(Orion shows her the map as proof.)

Elita-1:
Whoa. Where did you get this?

B-127:
From my friend Steve. Orion killed him.

Orion Pax:
I did not kill Steve.

D-16:
He was never alive.

Elita-1:
What?

Orion Pax:
Look. Sentinel told us he was going to the surface, and then we found this message. We figured that we could hand-deliver it to him or scout the locations ourselves, whichever comes first. This was too important to wait. It will change all of our lives.

Elita-1:
(inhales sharply) No, no, no, no. I’m not going to get demoted again because of you. I’m turning this rig around and I’m notifying the…

D-16:
Hey, guys? Guys? What is that?

(They look to see rapidly forming terrain coming toward the train.)

D-16:
Is it getting bigger?

Elita-1:
Or closer?

(Shortly, B runs. The others follow toward a closing hatch. Sadly, it closes on them.)

B-127:
No, no, no, no, no, no! Are you closing? Don’t close. Stop closing. It’s closed!

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