[wind howling softly]
[slow sinister music plays]
[Seeker 1] You!
You've got enough spark in you left to walk.
-On your feet. -[Decepticon] No. [groans]
I'm not supposed be here. There's a mistake. It's a mistake!
[Seeker 1] You're the only mistake I see here.
[Seeker 2] Time for the arena.
No. No one ever comes back from there.
I… I shouldn't be here.
I'm a loyal Decep--
[grunts]
-[weapons cock] -[Seeker 1] Move!
[Decepticon groans]
[music crescendos]
-[Seeker 1 grunts] -[Seeker 2 grunts]
[Decepticon gasps]
Auto…
Autobots?
Decepticons?
[Red Alert] Imprisoning their own?
Open it.
I said, open it.
[dramatic music playing]
[Elita] You're free.
All of you, go.
[sighs] Go!
[dramatic music continues]
[theme music plays]
[Megatron] Since my days working in the mines,
to my rise from the arena,
to my revolution I have fought…
I fought for Cybertron.
I have pushed us forward.
And now I ask myself…
"For what?"
[slams fist]
[growls] Because of Prime,
we are marooned on a dying world,
waiting as death slowly surrounds us.
[growls]
And now I am forced to do the unimaginable.
The arrogant fool destroyed himself,
the Autobots,
and, tragically, the Allspark.
His stubbornness has condemned us all.
But you understand more than anyone.
[comm trills]
What?
Lord Megatron, Shockwave requests your presence.
I'll be right there.
You'll have to excuse me, Magnus.
As you know,
duty waits for no one.
[sinister music intensifying]
-[music fades out] -[console trilling]
[Megatron] What is it, Shockwave?
Lord Megatron,
Section 12 has fallen below satisfactory output.
What section hasn't?
[Shockwave] Need I remind you?
At our current rate of power consumption,
we approach dire--
Yes, yes.
Grave.
I suggest we take Section 12 offline
and recycle their resources for Project Nemesis.
Another sector already?
They are no longer manufacturing at a satisfactory rate.
[Megatron] And you feel Sector 12 will prove more useful to us
in other capacities?
It is logical.
Although, time is of the essence.
I'll let you know what I decide.
Until then, do not take Sector 12 offline.
As you wish, Lord Megatron.
[Jetfire] Elita…
can we speak for a moment?
I didn't want to question you in front of the others,
but earlier, the prison camp…
Are you sure we should be freeing Decepticons?
[sighs] I'm not entirely sure of that answer myself.
[sighs]
But I have an even better question for you.
Why are the Decepticons imprisoning their own kind?
The Decepticons have never taken very good care of their own.
True… but something's changed.
[Jetfire] Since the Battle of the Spacebridge,
everything's changed,
including Megatron.
He would never have allowed that before.
The Decepticons thrive on war.
For Megatron to survive, he needs an enemy.
The Autobots are all but killed off now, so he's turned on his own.
If Megatron's locking up Decepticons,
let him!
We should be focused on freeing only Autobots.
They're citizens and they're Cybertronian!
We can't lose sight of that!
I'm not saying we have to murder them.
We just shouldn't risk our sparks
and what little resources we have to help them.
[Elita sighs]
Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.
Normally, I'd agree,
but every single Decepticon we free
is just another Decepticon on the battlefield aiming to take us out.
[Elita] We have to show them a better way, Jetfire.
[Jetfire groans] The planet's almost dead.
This entire sector's been powered down.
We're outnumbered one hundred to one!
The odds are against us as it is.
[Elita] And yet, we'll continue to liberate the prison camps
and free anyone we find,
because we're Autobots
and that's what we do.
I've voiced my concern.
Elita…
I… just received intel from Steeljaw.
Mm…
If this is correct,
he's infiltrated one of the largest prison camps we've seen.
Jetfire's not wrong.
We take a huge risk
every time we blast into one of these places.
If any of us were locked up…
There would be no one left to free us.
[sighs]
Chromia, the camp is deep in Kaon,
so plan accordingly.
Red Alert…
Prep for survivors.
I'm on it.
[dramatic music plays]
[wind howling]
-[Starscream] Thundercracker, report! -[zapping]
We've hacked into what's left of Steeljaw
and transmitted the bait.
-Excellent. -[Thundercracker] We'll be ready for them.
Soon, thanks to me,
the Autobot raids on our detention centers
will come to a swift end.
Or should I say,
a swift and brutal end?
[wind whistling]
[gasps]
You two see that?
-Is that…? -It couldn't be.
He… he came to see us?
[engine roars]
[tires screech]
[panting] Lord Megatron! Here! We… We can't believe it.
[chuckling]
Welcome! We're so lucky to have you here.
[sighs] The mighty Megatron, here in Sector 12.
I'm always here for all my…
-[Decepticon] I can't believe it. -…loyal Decepticons.
Uh, let me give you a tour.
I'll show you around, Lord Megatron.
[grunting softly]
Very few guards for such a large camp.
I don't like it.
[Red Alert] I can't remember a time
when you came upon a Decepticon base you did like--
-Shh! -[Red Alert] Sorry.
-I agree with Chromia. -[wind whistles]
It seems too quiet down there.
[Red Alert] Hmm. Could be a trap.
-Should we continue? -[Elita] Chromia?
Your job is to make the tough choices.
My job is to shoot when you say shoot.
OK then…
-Shoot! -[weapon fires]
[engine revs]
[clatter]
[tires screeching]
[engine revving]
[Red Alert grunts]
-[tires screech] -[engine revs]
[Elita grunts]
[Shamble] Shortly after the Battle of the Spacebridge,
we shut down production on quagma cannons
and put our efforts into recycling munitions for blasters.
And what is the output?
We're at 22 percent,
but as soon as a troop rotation goes through
and supply flow is worked out,
we… we'll be operating at twice the capacity.
Uh… Megatron…
can I just tell you?
I remember when you were a champion in the arena.
[chuckles softly] Those fights were so exciting.
Even back then, I knew you were the one to follow.
[chuckles softly]
No matter what, you can count on us, Lord Megatron.
Spoken…
like a true Decepticon.
Tell me, how many are stationed here now?
Hmm. [muttering] Twenty and… Uh, fifty-seven, sir!
-[comm trills] -Excuse me.
Uh, yes, sir. Uh, yes, Lord Megatron.
I'm curious, Lord Megatron.
Your signal indicates that you are in Sector 12--
I haven't made my decision yet.
Need I remind you?
We require the resources of Sector 12
to keep Project Nemesis on schedule.
You'll have an answer on Sector 12 when I'm ready to give it!
And need I remind you, Shockwave,
just who is in charge?
Yes, Lord Mega--
[footsteps approaching]
Sh-- Should we continue your tour, Lord Megatron?
Proceed.
[Shamble] With just a few upgrades,
we could be one of the top munitions producers for the Decepticon war effort!
What's down there in that section?
Oh, uh…
Uh, not much to see. [chuckles] Uh, just the infirmary.
Show me.
[Shamble] Yes, sir. Right away.
[Red Alert grunts]
Over there!
[Decepticon 1 grunts]
[Elita grunting]
[Red Alert grunts]
[both grunting]
[Red Alert groans]
[Decepticon 2 grunts]
[Elita grunting]
[Decepticon 1 grunts]
-[Decepticon 1 grunts] -[clattering]
[panting] You OK?
Yeah.
-[Red Alert sighs] -You?
[Red Alert] Yeah.
-Let's get inside before-- -[jet engines whirring]
-[rapid firing] -[Chromia grunts]
[dramatic music plays]
[Megatron] How much of your workforce is debilitated?
Uh, 92 percent.
But those of us on our feet gladly make up for it.
[Megatron growls] I've seen enough.
[Elita murmurs nervously]
[Jetfire grunting]
[grunts]
[Jetfire transforms]
I'm so glad someone on our team can fly!
[Jetfire transforms]
[grunts]
[Elita sighs] Happy you could make it, Jetfire.
[pants] Like, super happy. You have no idea.
Good call having me wait up there for the Seekers.
[chuckles] See, Jetfire? I have my moments.
There's bound to be more inside.
Autobots, stay alert.
I'm always alert.
[pants] Keep moving.
We want to be in and out before more guards show up.
[grunts] What's with all the empty cells?
I was wondering the same thing.
[Red Alert] I'm getting a faint Autobot signal.
-[tracker beeping] -It looks to be… this way.
-[Red Alert grunts] -[Elita grunts]
Time is of the essence.
Red Alert, see if there's another way around.
I'm on it!
[tires screeching]
[wind whistling]
Shockwave.
[Shockwave over comm] Yes, Lord Megatron?
Take Sector 12 offline.
[Shockwave] Affirmative.
[Decepticons yelling, groaning]
[electricity crackling]
[Red Alert] Hmm.
[tracker beeping]
[Elita sighs] This is it.
[weapons cock]
So noble…
and predictable.
[Elita gasps]
[dramatic music playing]
[footsteps approaching]
[Megatron] What's the status of Project Nemesis?
The harvest is on schedule.
Thanks to our forces from Sector 12,
Project Nemesis will be a success.
There are times I envy your lack of emotion.
Deletion of my emotions was the most logical choice
to increase my efficiency.
Just as harvesting ineffective Decepticons
and turning their sparks into energy
is the most logical choice for our survival.
There was a time
when this arena was a symbol of Decepticon greatness.
[Shockwave] Now it is a symbol of Decepticon ingenuity
in the face of extinction.
That may be so.
[Starscream] Lord Megatron!
Your preeminent warrior has returned with quite the prize.
[Shockwave] Autobots?
[Megatron] Elita-1…
and all that remains of Prime's Autobots.
Starscream, for once, I am impressed.
[pleased gasp]
[sighs]
You've caused much trouble since the Battle of the Spacebridge.
Perhaps you should have been the leader of the Autobots.
I might have been inspired enough to follow you myself.
You wouldn't have made the team.
[snarls] Instead,
you surround yourself with traitors
like your valiant leader who destroyed our world.
Your war is what destroyed Cybertron.
Hmm. Keep telling yourself that.
And you!
A traitor not even worthy of my acknowledgment.
Let me dispose of him, Lord Megatron.
-No. -But I can kill--
I said no!
Jetfire will still prove useful to us.
-Shockwave, proceed. -[console beeps]
[clanging]
What… is this?
This is what is necessary
for Cybertron's survival.
[Shamble] No!
I am loyal!
I'm a loyal Decepticon!
-[Barricade grunts] -[groans]
[gasps]
Do it.
[console trilling]
[electricity crackling]
[Decepticons yelling, groaning]
How…
How can you do this?
[growls] I'm not the one doing this!
This is the horror forced upon me
by your noble leader!
This is the reality Prime left for all of us!
Murdering your own kind… for energon?
[snarling] Your concern for my people is needless.
The next harvest will be powered
by four Autobot sparks.
-Take them away. -Yes, Lord Megatron.
[crackling]
Hmm…
What, or should I say,
who do we have here?
[theme music plays]