( thunder )
( gasps )
Another abandoned mine?
Come, Starscream.
( thunder )
STARSCREAM: My liege, who could have foreseen
that my alternative supersoldier experiment
would encounter technical difficulties?
Resulting in the loss of the Insecticon hive
and over half our remaining troops.
Forgive me, Master.
My intentions were true.
Please, please reconsider my termination!
( groans )
( dramatic theme playing )
Oh. Shockwave's off-site laboratory.
Most impressive.
( dramatic theme playing )
SHOCKWAVE: The Predacon clones have almost fully evolved
and will be combat-ready within three solar cycles.
Well done, Shockwave.
Knock Out, I'm waiting.
KNOCK OUT: On my way, Lord Megatron.
Synthetic energon.
Troops will be delivering my remaining supply to you.
I will determine its value
after Lord Megatron's Predacon army
is ready for deployment.
( Predaking growling )
( ominous theme playing )
( roaring )
Unruly beast.
You dare to roam freely without permission?
( shrieks )
( screaming )
What?
Strike me again,
and I will bury that rod in your spark.
( dramatic theme playing )
( shrieks )
I--I did not realize
that the beast was capable of transformation.
Nor did I.
I am no beast.
( yelps )
The ability to transform is a fundamental part
of Cybertronian biology.
We simply possessed no evidence
that the Predacon species ever reached
that evolutionary stage,
since they became extinct in the great cataclysm.
And now we know.
So the rumors are true.
I will no longer be alone.
And I see you've been keeping secrets.
It was not my intention to deceive you, Lord Megatron.
I only recently became aware of my abilities.
All I remember of my beginning is hunting...
( roaring )
and battle...
and the wounding of my pride.
Thus I began to burn with questions.
Who am I? Where did I come from?
The Warship's databanks provided historical fact,
but still I possessed no memory of my own past.
So I began to reconsider my place in the present
and wondered, could I be like the others?
And now I know.
Yet you are unique, a miracle of science
cloned by Shockwave from Cyber-Nucleic Acid
recovered from the remains of your mighty ancestors.
Doctor, what is the current status
of your synthetic energon experiments?
Doing the best I can, Commander,
given the lack of functional equipment at my disposal.
You do realize that an alternative energy source
may be essential to our survival?
( sighs )
Believe me, Ultra Magnus,
no one is more acutely aware of the stakes than I am.
( grunts )
Of course.
Beast Hunters, may I ask why you are not currently scouting
grid 305 for Predacon bones?
Because we just returned from surveying grids 301 to 304.
Ahem, to log our field reports,
per your protocol, Commander Magnus, sir.
Soldier, I don't recall giving you permission
to leave the base.
Because you didn't, sir.
Why are your hands smeared with coolant?
I recalibrated your ship's engines.
You can expect a 10% increase in vectored thrust.
Welcome back. Optimus, good to see you.
It's good to have you back, Optimus.
Decepticon activity is at a lull.
I fear that Megatron may have collected
the specimens he requires to...
clone his army.
PREDAKING: It is with deepest gratitude for my creation
that I pledge undying obedience to you,
my one true master.
But with more of my species soon to stride among us,
I beg your permission to, in turn, lead them...
as Predaking.
Your vision is boundless.
MEGATRON: Our former beast may fully believe himself
to be a loyal servant today,
but trust me...
the moment our royal highness realizes
that his army possesses greater might
than what currently remains of the Decepticons--
Evolution will give way to revolution.
I am left with no choice
but to eradicate the Predacon clones,
before they are provided the opportunity to eradicate us.
Lord Megatron,
you're not saying you intend to pull the plug
on Shockwave's beloved Project Predacon?
Your conclusion is most logical, my liege.
But what happens if that fire-breathing brute
discovers our treachery?
Ahem. Why assume that we will be the ones to perform the deed?
After all, if the Predaking were to discover that, say,
the Autobots were responsible for wiping out his comrades,
our resident beast might, in turn,
destroy our hated enemies for us...
or, they, him.
OPTIMUS: Ultra Magnus.
Something has been troubling you.
I fear that my command style may be having
a negative effect on unit morale.
Your service is most welcome, old friend.
But this is not the Elite Guard.
Things have changed since the War for Cybertron.
And we must adapt to that change.
The members of Team Prime are not cogs in a machine.
They have grown into something greater than an army.
They have become--
( alarm sounding ) RATCHET: Optimus.
Our scanners have detected exposed energon.
With our reserves at a critical low,
we cannot afford not to investigate.
( dramatic theme playing )
OPTIMUS: Decepticons,
step away from the energon and surrender.
( dramatic theme playing )
( grunts )
Look at all that sweet fuel.
Stealth Team,
transport our cargo back to base.
Wreckers, reconnoiter the mine.
I've always wanted to roll with the Wreckers.
Uh, sir.
( dramatic theme playing )
No energon signals.
And no additional security.
Something doesn't smell right.
Pair off.
( dramatic theme playing )
Well, this is one whole lot of ugly.
Megatron's cloning operation
seems further along than we anticipated.
( beeping )
Starscream, the Autobots have arrived.
You did not inform me your plan was already in motion.
Only so the whole affair would appear less staged.
I have yet to purge my lab of sensitive materials.
Then do not let me keep you, Shockwave.
Over and out.
( beeping )
You scrapped him on purpose, didn't you?
( dramatic theme playing )
Soundwave, I require an immediate GroundBridge.
Lord Megatron,
It seems Project Predacon
has fallen into Autobot hands.
How is this possible?
Starscream, scramble your Seeker Armada.
At once, my liege.
PREDAKING: No!
If my brethren are imperiled, I will confront the enemy.
( dramatic theme playing )
( Predacon shrieking )
( growling )
( groans )
Permission to employ a grenade in a confined space, sir?
If you and I are all that stand between these monsters
and the natives of this planet,
then by all means,
blow these beasts back to the Rust Age.
( grenade beeping )
( suspenseful theme playing )
( Predacon screaming )
Who's this guy?
The very same who has previously allowed you to live,
but will not today.
He's the Predacon.
( explosion )
Whoa, what was that?
( dramatic theme playing )
What have you done to my brethren?
What have you done?
( screaming )
( dramatic theme playing )
( grunts )
( groans )
Well, then, let's dance.
( dramatic theme playing )
( grunting )
( crackling )
( grunts )
( tense theme playing )
( loud thud )
( rumbling )
( dramatic theme playing )
( grunts )
Ahh!
( panting )
( groaning )
( electricity crackling )
( groaning )
( groans )
And here I was just beginning to tolerate you.
It's been an honor serving beside you, soldier.
( grunting )
Prepare to perish.
( grunting )
( dramatic theme playing )
What? No!
( roars )
( electricity crackling )
( sighs )
Ratchet will take good care of you.
Magnus fought like a Wrecker.
Optimus, when we spoke earlier
what could be greater than an army?
A human concept,
one I have learned since coming to Earth...
family.
MEGATRON: Do not despair, my Predaking...
( growling )
for I vow to you
that the Autobots will pay dearly
for the outrage against your kind.
Shockwave, report.
SHOCKWAVE ( over comm ): It is true, my liege.
Project Predacon has been rendered null and void.
At least, I have been unable to recover any beast forms.
However, there is something you must behold for yourself.
What is this?
SHOCKWAVE: Pure Cybertronian cyber-matter,
not unlike that which once existed
upon our primeval home world.
Or that which engendered my Citadel here on Earth.
The result of the explosion?
Indeed, yet the Cyber-Nucleic Acid alone
cannot account for these cyberforms.
All possible logic points to the presence
of one unexpected variable:
synthetic energon.
( dramatic theme playing )