Transformers vs G.I. Joe: War of the Worlds
Posted: 2005-05-23 09:51pm
This is a rewrite of Dreamwave Productions' 'Transformers vs G.I. Joe', which I didn't like because the Autobots were so pathetic in the series, and the only reason they won in the end was because the Decepticons were more pathetic. I've submitted myself to the same limitation that Dreamwave had, that Hasbro didn't want them to mention historical figures (e.g., Hitler) or political organizations (e.g., Nazis).
If any of you have read Dreamwave Productions' version, please compare and tell me which version is better.
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Transformers Vs G.I. Joe: War of the Worlds
Written by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2004-2005. Original story by Dreamwave Productions. Characters created and owned by Hasbro and Takara.
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FLAK: Fliegerabwehr Kanone (aircraft defense cannon)
PzKpfw: Panzerkampfwagen (armored combat vehicle)
RN: Royal Navy
SdKfz: Sonderkraftfahrzeug (special-purpose vehicle)
SMG: submachine gun
StG: Sturmgewehr (assault rifle)
USAAC: US Army Air Corps
USN: US Navy
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TEXT: Spring, 1939. The Fera Islands in the North Atlantic.
Twilight. Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters and Junkers Ju-87 dive-bombers fly over a fishing village. A stormtrooper marches down a cobblestone street, bearing Cobra's standard-- a red flag with a black cobra above a swastika. PzKpfw III medium tanks, flanked by stormtroopers, follow the standard bearer.
TEXT: Temple of Odin.
The Vikings built this stone temple when they conquered these volcanic islands a millennium ago. Although there are cracks on the walls, the temple is in good condition because of the villagers' piety to Odin.
Stormtroopers surround the temple. Four of them guard the village elder kneeling before the doorway. Cobra Commander, whose collar is decorated with two silver cobras, approaches the elder.
TEXT: Cobra Commander-- real name unknown. Colonel (O6), Imperial German Army (retired). Commander, Special Antiterrorist Group Cobra.
The four stormtroopers turn away from the doorway to salute Cobra Commander, who returns the salute before approaching the elder.
ELDER: You walk upon holy ground! You must leave, or we will all suffer the gods' wrath!
Cobra Commander draws a Walther P38 9 mm pistol and shoots the elder's head, killing him. He turns to Major Bludd.
TEXT: Bludd, Sebastian. Major (O4), Special Antiterrorist Group Cobra.
COBRA CMDR: Now, what was it that you wanted me to see?
BLUDD: I thought the villagers were using the temple to hide munitions, so I ordered my men to search it.
He leads Cobra Commander into the temple, where Odin's statue holds the Matrix-- a diamond in a golden frame, representing the eye Odin sacrificed for knowledge. The floor was excavated to reveal a cavern-- the boarding tube the Decepticons used to board the Ark when they tried to capture it 4,000,000 years ago.
BLUDD: The floor sounded hollow, so I ordered my men to excavate it. This is what I found.
A rope ladder, tied to the statue, reaches into the cavern. Bludd climbs down, followed by Cobra Commander and two stormtroopers. Their feet touch the cavern's metal floor; then Bludd turns on a flashlight.
COBRA CMDR: God in heaven!
The light reveals Megatron, a sleeping giant.
BLUDD: Do you think the Yankees were using this island as a secret base?
COBRA CMDR: No. The Americans don't...
Megatron's eyes glow red-- his emergency generators startup. He raises his right arm.
TEXT: Megatron-- Decepticon Commander (Rank: 10).
MEGATRON: Argh! I still function!
BLUDD: Bloody hell!
He draws a Luger P08 9 mm pistol inlaid with gold serpents-- a trophy from the Great War-- and targets Megatron's head. Cobra Commander puts his hand over Bludd's.
COBRA CMDR: No, you fool!
Megatron turns his head, sees the men, and reaches for them. The stormtroopers scream as they fire their MP38 9 mm SMGs; the bullets bounce harmlessly off the Transformer's armor. Megatron's hand closes upon a stormtrooper, crushing him.
MEGATRON: Such fragile weapons.
He turns to the survivors. Cobra Commander and Bludd walk backwards towards the ladder, keeping their eyes on the Transformer. Megatron ignores them; he watches the second stormtrooper climb up the rope ladder.
MEGATRON: Where do you think you're going?
He pulls the rope ladder.
STORMTROOPER: Ahhhh!
He falls to his death. Odin's statue falls into the cavern, shattering upon the metal floor. Megatron reaches for Cobra Commander, who crawls on his back, away from the Transformer.
Cobra Commander's hand touches the Matrix, which fell out of the statue's hand. He raises the Matrix above his head, using the golden frame as a shield. Light fills the cavern.
MEGATRON: Ahhhh!
He kneels in pain. The Matrix's light reveals a dozen Decepticon warriors in stasis lock.
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TEXT: Summer, 1940. Fort Myer, Virginia. United States of America.
A dozen soldiers sit in a classroom, in front of a slide projector. Two soldiers in front are facing each other.
TEXT: Leatherneck-- Metzger, Wendell A. Gunnery Sergeant (E7), US Marine Corp.
LEATHERNECK: I tell you, flyboy, when the bullets start flying, there's nothing more comforting than the knowledge that a couple of battlewagons are right off the coast, ready to rain fire on anyone who's not under the stars and stripes. When the big guns go off...
TEXT: Flint-- Faireborne, Dashiell R. Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2), US Army Air Corps.
FLINT: That's nice when you're storming the beachhead, but when you're in the woods, you need us flyboys. With the new Norden bombsight, we can drop a bomb in a pickle barrel from any altitude.
Two soldiers in the middle watch Flint and Leatherneck talk.
TEXT: Breaker-- Kibbey, Alvin R. Specialist Four (E4), US Army.
BREAKER: They put us up with some sailors and marines, took away our names and our ranks, sent us running through a swamp to get snakes for breakfast, and strapped a parachute to our back before they kicked us out of an airplane. What else are they gonna do to us?
TEXT: Roadblock-- Hinton, Marvin F. Corporal (E4), US Army.
ROADBLOCK: Maybe the new guy knows.
He glances at the back, where a masked soldier-- Snake Eyes-- is sharpening a bayonet.
TEXT: Snake Eyes-- real name unknown. Sergeant (E5), US Army.
BREAKER: Him? He's too quiet... like a snake in the grass, ready to strike.
Duke enters the classroom and turns to the soldiers.
TEXT: Duke-- Hauser, Conrad S. First Sergeant (E8), US Army.
DUKE: Group, attention!
The soldiers rise from their chairs to stand at attention. Hawk enters the classroom.
TEXT: Hawk-- Abernathy, Clayton M. Brigadier General (O7), US Army.
HAWK: Take seat.
The soldiers sit down. Jaye loads slides into the projector behind them.
HAWK: As you know, the Europeans have been threatening to start another war for years. During this time, we've been preparing for this war-- adopting a peacetime draft, increasing military spending, researching and developing new weapons, etc. You men are part of the preparations-- a special operations force with the mission of protecting America from threats to freedom, which the regular military forces are unable to handle. Unfortunately, it seems we've been preparing for the wrong kind of war.
Scarlett and Jaye appear beside him.
TEXT: Lady Jaye-- Hart-Burnett, Alison R. Second Lieutenant (O1), US Army Signals Intelligence Service.
TEXT: Scarlett-- O'Hara, Shana M. Lieutenant Junior Grade (O2), US Navy Office of Naval Intelligence.
HAWK: Seven months ago, the OSS-- the Office of Strategic Services-- sent twelve agents on a fact-finding mission to Europe. One month ago, the German government was overthrown; only two agents survived the resulting chaos and escaped back to Britain. These are the two survivors. I strongly advise you to give them your full attention.
A soldier turns on the projector; a photo of Cobra Commander, shaking the Führer's hand, is projected onto the wall. Scarlett points at the standard above them.
SCARLETT: Our enemy is Cobra, a special antiterrorist unit formed in 1938, under the German Führer's direct command. In 1939, MI6-- the British Secret Intelligence Service-- uncovered a plan to invade Belgium, which would let them to outflank the Maginot Line's defenses and drive straight to Paris.
A map of the North Atlantic is projected.
JAYE: The Führer ordered Cobra to occupy the Fera Islands and stop the Brits from sending supplies and reinforcements to the Belgians. After accomplishing this task, Cobra Commander convinced the Führer to delay the invasion for a year. The Brits agreed not to challenge the occupation of the Fera Islands in exchange for some diplomatic concessions-- their then Prime Minister was bribed-- while the German Army and Air Force spent an astronomical amount developing next-generation weaponry. One month ago, we saw the results of this research. This is what happened in Berlin.
A photo of the Führer's head, impaled upon a pike in front of the Reichstag's burning ruins, is projected. Scarlett points at a flag behind the heads. The swastika has been removed from the Cobra standard, now a black flag with a red cobra.
SCARLETT: We saw the same scene in the capitals of Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Cobra successfully conquered most of Western Europe... in one month.
JAYE: We know very little about the Cobra leadership. As a security measure, the Germans destroyed most of their records on Cobra Commander, including his real name. We managed to recover a medical record, which describes the injuries a grenade caused in the Battle of Cambrai; he has shrapnel embedded in his face and throat, and wears a mask to cover the scars.
A photo of Bludd, standing behind Cobra Commander as he inspects the troops, is projected.
JAYE: Major Sebastian Bludd is Cobra's deputy commander, despite the fact he fought for the Allies during the Great War. He was dishonorably discharged from the Royal Australian Army in 1930, after 20 of his men died in a "training accident". He worked as a mercenary in Southeast Asia before Cobra recruited him.
Roadblock raises his hand.
SCARLETT: Yes, Soldier?
ROADBLOCK: You say the Germans spent a lot of money making next-generation weapons. What kind of weapons do they got?
A photo of a Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet rocket fighter, with a weasel painted beneath the cockpit, is projected. The Komet is firing its 30 mm cannons at the thin armor on a Charron B1 bis heavy tank's roof, destroying the tank.
SCARLETT: This rocket plane is one example.
A photo of Megatron, crushing a French soldier beneath his boot, is projected.
JAYE: This... tank... is another.
HAWK: America is not ready to fight another World War, especially against an enemy whose weapons are a generation ahead of ours. Our mission is to...
Snake Eyes looks at the ceiling.
SCARLETT: Snake Eyes?
Snake Eyes throws his bayonet through the ceiling, towards the spy on the roof.
LASERBEAK: Shrieeeek!
A laser beam pierces the roof; Snake Eyes somersaults out of the beam's destructive path.
A soldier draws his M1911A1 .45 caliber (11.43 mm) pistol to shoot at the ceiling.
SOLDIER: A spy!
A laser beam cuts him in half.
SOLDIER: Ahhhh!
The soldiers see Laserbeak through the hole he burned in the roof.
FLINT: What on Earth is it?!
Laserbeak flies out of sight.
DUKE: It... it's alive!
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TEXT: RAF Sumburgh, Scotland. United Kingdom.
Duke and Scarlett are in the hangar, examining a metal plate marked "USS HAMA". A map of the Fera Islands is etched into it; the Cobra insignia is in the largest island. Scarlett stands beside him.
DUKE: How many men did we lose when this destroyer sank?
SCARLETT: All hands. The Royal Navy was able to recover this from the wreckage...
DUKE: With this map conveniently burned into it. It smells like a trap.
SCARLETT: But it's the best lead we have.
Nighttime. Three Douglas C-47 Skytrain cargo planes, their engines running, are lined up on the runway. The soldiers board a plane. They wear sterile uniforms-- without name, rank, or service markings-- with their blood types stenciled on the shoulders and knees. Breaker and Roadblock face each other as they board the C-47.
BREAKER: What kind of a name is G.I. Joe?
ROADBLOCK: Yeah, we deserve a name that makes the enemy pee in their pants every time they hear it, like... the Wreckers.
BREAKER: Yeah, I won't mind being a Wrecker.
The planes take off. Hawk sits in a C-47 cockpit. As it flies over the island, he turns around to face the soldiers.
HAWK: Although the cost of failure is high, I am confident you'll succeed. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day... 1000 may fall at your sides, and 10,000 at your right hands, but it will not come near you... You are G.I. Joe, real American heroes. Godspeed.
The first C-47 drops decoys-- a dozen parachutes, each weighted with an ice block-- on the island's west side. The second C-47 flies over the east side; the soldiers jump out of the plane. After their parachutes open, the third C-47 delivers three crates-- containing heavy weapons, motorcycles, and other equipment-- by parachute.
Starscream stands beside a radar antenna on the Terrordome roof, holding a cable. He turns to the C-47s as they fly away.
TEXT: Starscream-- Acting Decepticon Subcommander (Rank: 7), Air Commander.
STARSCREAM: Finally.
He smiles.
TEXT: The Terrordome-- Cobra Headquarters.
Cobra Commander and Megatron stand in the command center, studying a map of the UK; Starscream has prevented them from learning of the assault. Cobra Commander wears armor-- like the Sappenpanzer (trench armor) he wore in the Great War-- with an armored box fixed to the breastplate.
MEGATRON: My warriors can take England, but can your warriors keep it?
Destro appears behind them. He wears tilting armor with a mask of rage in honor of his ancestors, but carries a Mauser C96 7.63 mm pistol instead of a claymore (great sword).
TEXT: Destro, James McCullen, XXIII. Director, Military Armaments Research Systems.
DESTRO: Megatron has a valid point, Commander. The Americans are already aware of Cobra's existence; it's only a matter of time before they strike. Perhaps we should withdraw... 30% of our forces from Europe to strengthen the island's defenses?
Cobra Commander opens the armored box-- the Matrix casing. He glides like an ice skater to punch Destro's breastplate, breaking it. Destro flies 10 meters through the air; then he slams against a wall.
DESTRO: Ahhhh!
Cobra Commander looks down upon Destro; he looks like a fiery demon in the Matrix's light.
COBRA CMDR: My destiny is to have absolute power, to have total control of the world! Never question my destiny, or my decision to face it!
DESTRO: Y-y-yes, C-Commander!
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SETTING: The airbase.
Bludd is escorting Storm Shadow, who examines the Komets parked along the runway.
BLUDD: Cobra honors the Anti-Comintern Pact, recognizes Japan's claim over Manchuria, and will aid the Emperor in His Majesty's war efforts... after we accomplish our goals in Europe.
STORM SHADOW: I will inform His Majesty of your... generosity.
TEXT: Storm Shadow-- Arashikage Makoto. Leader, Arashikage Ninja Clan. Lieutenant Commander (O4), Imperial Japanese Navy.
Storm Shadow looks into a hangar full of planes with folded wings. Mechanics are working on Rattlers-- Junkers Ju-87C carrier-borne dive-bombers armed with 37 mm cannons.
STORM SHADOW: I notice you still maintain some piston engine aircraft.
BLUDD: The Komet flies too quickly to be an effective attack plane.
STORM SHADOW: As a warrior, I must maintain my proficiency in all forms of combat, including air combat. May I have some fuel for my Zero?
He points at the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter parked behind a Komet.
BLUDD: Yes... Commander.
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SETTING: The ruins of a medieval village.
The Joes form a defensive position, weapons aimed outwards. Leatherneck's M1 .30-06 (7.62 mm) rifle butt strokes a crate, opening it; Roadblock holsters his pistol to grab the M2HB .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun inside.
ROADBLOCK: Come to Papa.
Duke holds a poncho over Scarlett's head as the OSS agent examines a map; the poncho hides the flashlight beam.
DUKE: Welcome to the Fera Islands. Prepared by the Office of Tourism and Trade.
SCARLETT: It's the most accurate map we have. Now, Cobra HQ should be right here. What do you think is the optimum path to it?
DUKE: The forest looks...
Snake Eyes runs towards Duke and Scarlett, grabs the backs of their coats, and pulls them away.
DUKE: Hey!
SCARLETT: Snake Eyes?
The Zero appears above them, firing its 20 mm cannons and 7.7 mm machine guns.
FLINT: Take cover!
The Joes dive behind the nearest cover and concealment. One Joe is too slow; the Zero blasts him to pieces.
ROADBLOCK: You bastard!
He shoots at the Zero, which rolls to dodge the bullets, turns around, and shoots back.
ROADBLOCK: Whoa!
He dives behind a stone wall. Sparks and rock chips fly over Roadblock as 7.7 mm bullets ricochet off the wall, and 20 mm shells shatter the stone.
Snake Eyes draws his katana (long sword) and jumps into the open.
ROADBLOCK: You dummy! Get back under cover!
The Zero turns around to attack Snake Eyes. The ninja stands firm; his sword parries the bullets and shells as the fighter approaches.
When the Zero is above Snake Eyes' head, he jumps into the air to sever the left wing. The fighter spins towards the ground, out of control.
ROADBLOCK: Jesus!
Storm Shadow uses a tanto (knife) to cut his restraints; he opens the cockpit and jumps out. The ninja lands on his feet, facing the Joes; his left hand grips the scabbard of his katana. The Zero crashes behind him, transforming into a fireball.
JOE: Get him!
Three Joes run towards Storm Shadow, determined to capture him. Snake Eyes reaches for them, trying to warn them not to engage, but he can't.
The Joes stop 10 meters from Storm Shadow, targeting him.
JOE: Freeze!
Storm Shadow draws his sword, slashes horizontally, and projects kenki (sword's breath)-- psychokinetic energy conducted through the sword-- to blast the three Joes in half.
Storm Shadow turns to Snake Eyes.
STORM SHADOW: Good evening, Sword Brother... Or shall I call you "traitor"?
He aims the sword point at Scarlett.
STORM SHADOW: Have you already sold your sword and your honor to the Americans? What was your price?
The Joes target Storm Shadow, but Snake Eyes is the only one brave enough to face him. Snake Eyes moves in front of Scarlett, shielding her from Storm Shadow.
STORM SHADOW: I see. As the Arashikage Buo-- the Clan's Martial King-- it is my responsibility to deliver an honorable death, even though the recipient failed to live an honorable life. Come!
He uses his lightfoot technique to glide away from the Joes, towards a medieval castle. Snake Eyes glides after Storm Shadow. Scarlett reaches for Snake Eyes, wishing she could keep him out of harm's way.
SCARLETT: Snake Eyes!
Flint points down the road. Dreadnoks-- mercenaries who serve as scouts in the Cobra Army-- are riding BMW R75 motorcycles towards the ruins.
FLINT: We better take cover; a welcoming party is on its way!
Duke turns his head, seeking a defensible position. He sees the ruins of a temple.
DUKE: There! Follow me!
He runs towards the temple, followed by most of the survivors.
Scarlett stands firm, staring at the castle where Snake Eyes will duel Storm Shadow. Roadblock grabs her shoulder.
ROADBLOCK: He's a real fighter; he'll survive, but we won't if we don't take cover.
Scarlett sighs, turns around, and follows Duke. Roadblock aims his M2HB down the road, serving as a rear guard; then he turns around to join his comrades.
TEXT: Temple of Thor.
The Vikings abandoned the temple, and the village Thor once protected, after an earthquake ravaged them a century ago. The stone floor is cratered and bulged; the Joes watch their feet as they enter.
ROADBLOCK: Jesus!
He targets a robot tyrannosaur-- Grimlock, who lies on the floor. Duke puts his hand on Roadblock's shoulder.
DUKE: At ease. This rusty old machine hasn't moved since Adam and Eve were in Eden.
Four Joes push stones from a fallen pillar in front of the gates, barricading them; then they assume fighting positions. The others stare at the deactivated Autobots, marveling at their alien sizes and shapes.
BREAKER: I feel like I'm in an old 'Star Brigade' serial.
LEATHERNECK: For all we know, we might be in an old 'Star Brigade' serial.
Flint and Jaye stare at a probe, fixed to its launcher.
JAYE: What is it?
FLINT: I think...
The probe's optical, infrared, and electrostatic lenses light up; Teletran-1 has activated it.
FLINT: It's a bomb!
He pushes Jaye onto the floor as the probe rockets into Earth's orbit.
JAYE: Please get off of me. Your weight will kill me before the blast will.
Flint blushes.
FLINT: Sorry.
He gets off of Jaye, who raises her head, towards the probe.
JAYE: Do you think it's a rocket?
TELETRAN-1: Explore, explore!
The probe scans a British harbor, where American combat vehicles-- military aid to the UK-- are unloaded from a transport ship.
PROBE: Scanning local life forms for technological adaptation to present environmental.
The Autobots seem to burn as their repair programs are activated, lighting up their frames.
TELETRAN-1: Repair, repair!
Optimus Prime's chest is reformatted into a M4A1(76)W Sherman medium tank's turret, with a hatch where the 76 mm cannon and coaxial .30 caliber (7.62 mm) machine gun are mounted. His right hand grips the cannon-- a disguised laser rifle with the machine gun mounted beside the barrel, in case the laser misfires. A missile launcher-- like a T34 rocket launcher, it can use US Army 4.5 inch (114 mm) rockets, taking advantage of the ammunition available on Earth-- is fixed to his collarbones, the tubes mounted over his head.
Duke aims his M1 .45 caliber SMG at Optimus.
DUKE: Get back! Get back!
Grimlock's head is reformatted into an Achilles Mark II C tank destroyer's bow. The headlights-- the tyrannosaur's optics-- burn blue. Grimlock opens his jaws to reveal metal-cutting teeth.
TEXT: Grimlock-- Autobot warrior.
GRIMLOCK: Roarrrr!
Roadblock shoots him; the bullets bounce harmlessly off Grimlock's armor as he turns to the Joe.
GRIMLOCK: Decepticon! Grimlock crush you!
He charges. Roadblock raises the M2HB above his head, using the gun as a shield.
ROADBLOCK: Mamaaaa!
Grimlock opens his mouth to bite Roadblock. Optimus moves in front of the tyrannosaur to stop him.
TEXT: Optimus Prime-- Autobot Commander (Rank: 10).
OPTIMUS: Stand down, Grimlock. I doubt they're Decepticons.
GRIMLOCK: He attack Grimlock! Grimlock tear him to pieces!
Ironhide approaches his comrades.
TEXT: Ironhide-- Acting Autobot Subcommander (Rank: 7), security guard.
IRONHIDE: That's understandable. I know I won't be happy if the first thing I see when I'm reactivated is your ugly mug.
Grimlock's head, and the turret on his back, turn to Ironhide.
GRIMLOCK: Grrrr!
OPTIMUS: That's enough!
He faces Duke.
OPTIMUS: I am Optimus Prime, Autobot Commander. Please identify yourselves.
DUKE: I'm an American soldier...
TEXT: Dreadnoks-- mercenaries in Cobra's service.
The Dreadnoks wear load-bearing vests over mismatched leather riding suits, not military uniforms. They park their R75s parallel to the temple walls, using the bikes as cover. Zandar watches two Dreadnoks aim Panzerfaust antitank rockets at the temple gates.
TEXT: Zandar-- real name unknown. Dreadnok Subcommander.
ZANDAR: Send them to hell!
The Dreadnoks fire the rockets at the gates; the resulting explosion throws Duke off his feet.
DUKE: Whoa!
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TEXT: Viper's Nest Castle-- Cobra Auxiliary Headquarters.
Flakvierling 38 20 mm cannons are mounted on the castle's four towers; radio antennas are mounted on the keep. The dry moat-- now a defensive trench-- hides MG42 7.92 mm machine guns under camouflage netting, behind razor wire. Cobra rebuilt the medieval castle, using it as their HQ while the Terrordome was being built.
Storm Shadow stands in front of a stormtrooper company-- the castle guards.
STORM SHADOW: I am being followed. Kill the follower.
STORMTROOPER CAPT: Why should we help...?
Storm Shadow's palm strikes the captain's forehead; the man's brain explodes, throwing his helmet into the air.
STORMTROOPER LT: Captain!
He reaches for his P38, but is too slow; Storm Shadow's palm is now a centimeter from his forehead.
STORM SHADOW: Kill or be killed.
Snake Eyes glides through the forest. He sees two MG42s in front of the castle gates. The ninja extends his hand, trying to psychokinetically arm a grenade on a gunner's belt. Nothing happens. Snake Eyes crawls to the forest's edge, and tries again.
The grenade shakes, alerting the gunner. He sees the moonlight reflecting upon the ninja's goggles.
GUNNER 1: Ah!
He shoots at Snake Eyes.
The second gunner targets the ninja's position; he sees nothing.
GUNNER 2: What was that?
GUNNER 1: I thought I saw a...
The grenade explodes, killing him and destroying his MG42.
The second gunner opens his mouth to scream; then Snake Eyes runs out of the forest. The ninja projects kenki, kills the gunner and destroys his MG42, and dashes behind him.
STORMTROOPER LT: Fighting positions!
He leads his stormtroopers to the gate. Snake Eyes appears in front of them. The lieutenant fires his StG44 7.92 mm assault rifle. Snake Eyes slashes vertically, projecting kenki 10 meters towards the lieutenant. The bullets are blown off course, flying harmlessly past Snake Eyes; the lieutenant is blasted in half.
STORMTROOPERS: Ahhhh!
Snake Eyes uses his lightfoot technique to glide around the stormtroopers. There seems to be ten ninjas, each one stabbing and slashing, painting the courtyard red.
The last stormtrooper drops his StG44 and backs away from Snake Eyes.
STORMTROOPER: I don't want to die, I don't want to die...
Snake Eyes reaches for the stormtrooper's neck, grabs the man's scarf, and uses it to wipe blood off his sword. The stormtrooper watches the ninja walk to the keep; then he flees.
STORM SHADOW: You're too merciful towards your enemies.
Snake Eyes raises his head, towards the top of the keep. Storm Shadow looks down upon him.
STORM SHADOW: Hard Master identified this as a weakness when he was considering whom to name as the next Arashikage Buo. I don't have your weaknesses. I accomplish my missions mercilessly, effectively...
Snake Eyes runs up the keep wall, towards Storm Shadow. He communicates telepathically with his sword brother.
SNAKE EYES: (And recklessly!)
Storm Shadow throws six shuriken (throwing blades) at him. Snake Eyes parries the shuriken as he charges; Storm Shadow is forced to step back, blocking a slash as Snake Eyes steps onto the roof.
SNAKE EYES: (Did you hope those men would kill me?)
STORM SHADOW: No, I hoped you would kill those men... to taste blood and to thirst for it, so we can duel with pure hearts.
SNAKE EYES: (How we can claim to have pure hearts after the General's ambitions perverted our minds? After the Doctor's 'Evilution' perverted our bodies?!)
He pushes Storm Shadow backwards, off the roof. Storm Shadow somersaults to land on the walkway of a wall. A gunner aims his Flakvierling 38 at Snake Eyes.
GUNNER: I have him now!
The Flakvierling 38 shoots at Snake Eyes, who parries the shells. A shell grazes the side of the ninja's mask, tearing it.
STORM SHADOW: Do not interfere with our duel!
The ninjas project kenki at the gun. The gunner watches the Flakvierling 38's four cannons fall apart, cut by Snake Eyes' kenki.
GUNNER: God...!
His head and shoulders fall from his torso, cut by Storm Shadow's kenki.
Snake Eyes feels blood drip from the tear in his mask. He takes off his mask and goggles to reveal a reptilian face-- a side effect of Evilution, Doctor Mindbender's program to create super soldiers by recombining human and animal DNA. He opens his mouth to reveal sharp teeth and a forked tongue.
SNAKE EYES: Hiss!
Storm Shadow faces Snake Eyes; he's unsurprised.
STORM SHADOW: Mindbender promised to restore to your human form. If you had not deserted the Clan...
SNAKE EYES: (Mindbender's promises are as hollow as his heart!)
He jumps off the roof, slashing at his sword brother. Storm Shadow glides sideways, dodging the attack; the kenki shatters the stone.
-----
TEXT: Dreadnoks-- fodder for Grimlock's cannon.
Two Dreadnoks fire Panzerfaust antitank rockets at Grimlock; the explosions cover the tyrannosaur with fire and smoke.
DREADNOKS: Ha ha ha!
An undamaged Grimlock charges through the smoke. The tyrannosaur's claws knock a Dreadnok out of his way; human blood spills on the ground as the man flies through the air.
DREADNOKS: Ahhhh!
The second Dreadnok crosses his arms over his head. Grimlock bites him and his bike, crushing them both.
ZANDAR: Let's peel!
The surviving Dreadnoks mount their bikes and turn away. Grimlock fires his 17-pounder (77 mm) cannon-- a disguised plasma cannon-- at the road, throwing four bikes into the air. Zandar slams against the road.
ZANDAR: Argh!
DREADNOK: Zandar!
Zandar lies unconscious beside a bike's burning wreckage. A Dreadnok lifts Zandar onto his own bike; then he rides after his comrades.
Leatherneck targets the fleeing Dreadnok. He lowers his rifle, respecting the man's courage.
Ironhide stands beside Grimlock, examining the Dreadnoks' bodies and the bikes' wreckages.
GRIMLOCK: Decepticons pick weak allies. Hope Optimus' allies not so weak.
IRONHIDE: That reminds me; why didn't the Decepticons attack our flanks while their cannon fodder distracted us? What are they doing now?
-----
TEXT: The North Atlantic.
A RN fleet-- including two Illustrious class carriers, three King George V class battleships, and a Hood class battlecruiser-- escorts transports and landing crafts to support an amphibious assault. An USN fleet-- including two Essex class carriers and two North Carolina class battleships-- follows the RN fleet.
Megatron, Soundwave, and Starscream-- a red Messerschmitt Me-263 rocket fighter with silver thunderbolts painted on the wings-- rocket towards the RN fleet. A carrier launches a squadron of Supermarine Seafire fighters, which climb to engage the Decepticons.
MEGATRON: Starscream, destroy the fighters. Soundwave, capture the carrier and its fuel. I'll destroy the flagship.
Starscream transforms and detaches the leading edges of his wings-- power sabers that burn red when their cutting mechanisms are activated. He chooses not to use his laser cannons and mini-missiles-- the launchers can use Cobra R4M 55 mm rocket rockets.
STARSCREAM: I am Starscream, Master of the Terror Soaring Saber! Fight me if you seek an honorable death!
A Seafire pilot taps his radio headset.
PILOT: What is this rubbish?
SQUADRON LEADER: Never mind. Shoot the flying swordsman.
The Seafires fire their 20 mm cannons and .303 caliber (7.7 mm) machine guns at Starscream, who parries the shells and bullets. When the Seafires are 700 to 800 meters away, Starscream slashes to project kenki; the resulting explosions kill the squadron leader and his wingman.
PILOT: Bloody hell!
Kenki blasts off a Seafire's wing. The pilot unfastens his restraints, opens the cockpit, jumps out, and deploys his parachute. Starscream ignores the pilot; he's no longer a threat.
Wild Weasel's fighter-- a red Komet with a black weasel painted beneath the cockpit-- appears in front of the Seafire pilot.
TEXT: Wild Weasel-- real name unknown. Captain (O3), Cobra Air Force.
Wild Weasel shoots the Seafire pilot, killing him.
PILOT: Argh!
Soundwave approaches the carrier, opening his chest compartment to reveal missile launchers.
TEXT: Soundwave-- Decepticon signals intelligence officer (Rank:
.
SOUNDWAVE: Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, eject. Attack the bridge.
He fires two Ruhrstahl X-4 air-to-air missiles, which transform into robot condors-- Laserbeak and Buzzsaw-- and attack the carrier bridge.
CARRIER CAPT: Ahhhh!
The bridge explodes. After the condors are out of his line of fire, Soundwave fires six missiles armed with chemical warheads. The missiles detonate above the carrier to release sarin nerve gas.
CARRIER CREWMAN 1: Gas!
He dives into the sea to escape.
CARRIER CREWMAN 2: Argh!
The other carrier crewmen collapse onto the decks, dying.
Soundwave lands on the flight deck. The carrier, and the fuel it carries, now belongs to the Decepticons.
Keelhaul stands in the bridge of the USS Flagg-- an Essex class carrier. He watches Megatron sink two destroyers-- the battlecruiser's escorts.
TEXT: Keelhaul-- Colby, Everett P. Vice Admiral (O9), US Navy.
Shipwreck sits in front of a radio. He turns to Keelhaul.
TEXT: Shipwreck-- Delgado, Hector X. Chief Petty Officer (E7), US Navy.
SHIPWRECK: Sir, the British flagship is under attack. Admiral Parker is requesting...
Megatron's 38 cm rocket launcher/mortar-- a disguised fusion cannon-- shoots the battlecruiser, destroying it.
SHIPWRECK: Oh my God!
KEELHAUL: I hope He's on our side.
He faces Shipwreck.
KEELHAUL: Where's the enemy fleet?
An Arado Ar-196 seaplane, launched from a Bismarck class battleship, flies over the USN fleet.
SEAPLANE PILOT: Enemy ships sighted! Fire upon these coordinates...
He pilot radios the ships' locations to the Cobra fleet-- including two Graf Zeppelin class carriers and two Bismarck class battleships. The battleships' seaplane catapults launch V-1 buzz bombs at the USN ships, sinking two destroyers and damaging a third.
Keelhaul sees two fireballs fly toward a New Orleans class heavy cruiser.
KEELHAUL: What the hell...?
He raises his binoculars to his eyes. The fireballs-- buzz bombs-- hit the cruiser, causing severe damage.
KEELHAUL: Flying bombs?!
A Graf Zeppelin class carrier launches a Komet squadron, which joins Wild Weasel above the Cobra fleet.
WILD WEASEL: Flight Berta, cover the fleet. Flight Anton, cover the Rattlers.
PILOTS: Yes, Sir!
Wild Weasel leads Flight A towards the USN fleet. The carriers launch squadrons of Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters, which climb to engage the Rattlers before the dive-bombers can attack the ships. The Komets dive, using their superior speed to destroy and damage dozens of Hellcats; the Rattlers attack the damaged ships, finishing them.
SHIPWRECK: If God's on our side, I hope He sends us an angel!
Skyfire-- a white Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress bomber with red flames painted on the nose and wings-- dives towards the Komets. He fires his .50 caliber machine guns-- disguised lasers-- and destroys six Komets.
WILD WEASEL: What the devil?!
Starscream lunges at the B-17G cockpit. Skyfire rolls to dodge the attack, transforms, and punches. Starscream blocks the fist, but its momentum throws him backwards; he somersaults, stops, and aims his swords at Skyfire.
STARSCREAM: Skyfire!
Skyfire draws his bomb launcher-- a giant M1911A1 that can use USAAC 2000 lb (907 kg) bombs-- to shoot at Megatron. The Decepticon Commander's cannon intercepts the bomb, but the blast throws him backwards; he somersaults to stop.
MEGATRON: Decepticons, retreat!
He turns around to escape. Soundwave reconfigures the carrier's controls; Laserbeak and Buzzsaw fly above it as the carrier joins the Cobra fleet. Starscream crosses his swords in front of his chest, serving as a rear guard; then he transforms and rockets away.
KOMET PILOT: The machine men have abandoned us!
WILD WEASEL: All flights, return to the carriers!
The Komets use their superior rate of climb to escape; the slower Rattlers are left behind.
HELLCAT PILOT: They're getting away!
HELLCAT SQUADRON LEADER: Forget the rockets! Get the dive-bombers!
The surviving Hellcats attack the Rattlers, destroying them all.
A Rattler crashes into the sea, which extinguishes the fire in its rear fuel tank. The pilot tries to unfasten his restraints as the dive-bomber sinks. He's trapped; bubbles rise from the doomed man's mouth as he tries to scream, his fists hammering the canopy.
Skyfire hovers above the Flagg. The carrier's antiaircraft gunners target the Autobot, but are too surprised to shoot. Skyfire salutes the bridge.
TEXT: Skyfire-- Autobot air guardian.
SKYFIRE: Greetings, Admiral. I bring a message from Leatherneck.
KEELHAUL: He's still alive?!
-----
TEXT: Zartan-- real name unknown. Dreadnok Commander.
Zartan kneels in front of Zandar's body, which lies on an operating table. Cobra Commander, and the Dreadnok who tried to save Zandar, stand behind him.
ZARTAN: Who killed my brother?
DREADNOK: A mechanical dragon.
ZARTAN: A Decepticon?
COBRA CMDR: No. Just as the enemy of our enemy is our ally, the ally of our enemy is our enemy. The American are allies of a rival machine men faction; we now share a common enemy with the Decepticons.
Zartan stands up.
ZARTAN: Where are they?
-----
SETTING: The forest.
Optimus-- a red Sherman-- is parked on a hill overlooking the village; the Terrordome is visible atop a dormant volcano on the opposite side. Joes covered the Autobot with camouflage netting they took from Dreadnok saddlebags. Duke sits in the turret.
DUKE: Your war began 10,000,000 years ago?!
OPTIMUS: Yes. We left Cybertron 4,000,000 years ago, seeking resources for our war effort. The Decepticons attacked our ship as it entered this star system; the damage probably caused it to crash on this planet, forcing us into stasis lock. I hope peace came to Cybertron during this time.
DUKE: After 6,000,000 years of war? I hope so too.
Flint stands beside Ironhide-- a red M21 mortar carrier, a halftrack armed with an 81 mm mortar. He holds a radio.
FLINT: That's good news, Sir... Wilco, over...
He runs to Duke and Optimus.
FLINT: The fleet's taken a beating, but they can still kick Cobra's tail, thanks to your friend. An Iron Fist will strike at dawn; big guns, bombs, and marines are coming to stop Cobra before they send their big guns, bombs, and stormtroopers to America.
DUKE: We'll be ready for them once the scout team gets back.
Prowl-- an olive drab Cadillac Series 60 sedan with a white star painted on the doors, like a US Army officer's staff car-- is parked beside Optimus. He uses his lasercom-- a secure short-range communications system-- to prevent others from eavesdropping.
TEXT: Prowl-- Autobot strategist (Rank:.
PROWL: (Optimus, I'm concerned about the wisdom of allying with G.I. Joe. We lack sufficient information on their conflict to take sides. For all we know, they might be as evil as the Decepticons.)
OPTIMUS: (Your concerns are noted. However, the circumstances don't allow us to choose allies. For now, the fact that G.I. Joe fights Decepticon allies is good enough for me.)
Scarlett rides Bumblebee-- a Harley Davidson WLA motorcycle in desert camouflage-- through the forest. Breaker, carrying a BC-1306 backpack radio, follows in a WLA in forest camouflage. Bumblebee suddenly stops. Breaker stops behind them, curious.
SCARLETT: Bumblebee, what's wrong?
TEXT: Bumblebee-- Autobot espionage specialist.
BUMBLEBEE: Listen!
They hear mechanical noises. Scarlett raises a hand, ordering Breaker to stand firm, before she creeps away. Bumblebee stealthily transforms to follow her.
Scarlett uses her binoculars to see the road from her position. Bumblebee crouches beside her.
Ravage runs down the road, followed by Hanomag SdKfz 251 halftracks.
SCARLETT: Where are they going?
BUMBLEBEE: Hush!
His warning comes too late; Ravage hears Scarlett's voice.
TEXT: Ravage-- Decepticon saboteur.
RAVAGE: Enemy detected!
He runs into the forest, towards Scarlett. Stormtroopers dismount from the halftracks to follow the robot panther.
Bumblebee grabs the back of Scarlett's coat, puts her on his back, and transforms; Scarlett lands in his seat. The WLA drives through the forest, trying to escape from Ravage.
Breaker hears the noise, but he stands firm; the inexperienced Joe doesn't know what to do. Gloved hands reach from a shadow behind him, towards his neck.
-----
SETTING: The command center.
Megatron defiantly faces Cobra Commander.
COBRA CMDR: While you were celebrating over the English carrier you captured, enemy submarines sank one of our battleships and severely damaged the second. Do you have an excuse for such irresponsibility?
MEGATRON: I need no excuse; the battleship sank because of your stupidity. If...
Cobra Commander reveals the Matrix. Megatron kneels in pain, burning.
MEGATRON: Ahhhh!
COBRA CMDR: How dare you challenge my authority? I have the Matrix; I have power over you! I can...!
Destro runs into the command center, feigning distress. He replaced the broken armor with a business suit, but still wears the helmet and the C96.
DESTRO: Sir, the Viper's Nest relief force is engaging an enemy scout in Sector Caesar 03!
COBRA CMDR: I will give you one last chance to prove your worth, Megatron. Destroy the enemy, or I will destroy you.
MEGATRON: Yes... Commander.
-----
SETTING: Viper's Nest Castle.
The castle was ravaged during the duel; kenki destroyed a tower and a wall.
Storm Shadow runs along the castle wall, holding his sword sideways; the blade cuts into the stone. He stops in front of the keep; the wall falls behind him, towards his sword brother.
Snake Eyes slashes upwards, cutting the wall in half; the stones fall harmlessly beside him. Storm Shadow lunges, forcing Snake Eyes to retreat. The blade doesn't touch him, but the kenki does; blood flows from the cut in Snake Eyes' flak jacket.
Storm Shadow watches his sword brother assume a combat stance, ready to continue the duel. He smiles; he has a plan to defeat Snake Eyes.
STORM SHADOW: Your swordsmanship has deteriorated since we last crossed swords. Nightbird would be ashamed if she saw you now.
SNAKE EYES: (What have you done to Nightbird?!)
STORM SHADOW: I gave her aid and comfort... things you took away from Nightbird when you deserted the Clan. The love she once gave to you, she now gives to me.
SNAKE EYES: (Liar!)
He slashes, but is too distracted to focus his psychokinetic energy; the kenki fades away before it can reach its target.
Storm Shadow lunges. Snake Eyes glides sideways, trying to dodge the attack.
SNAKE EYES: Hiss!
His left hand catches the blade and stops the sword point a millimeter from his chest. Blood drips from the cut in his left palm as he slashes at Storm Shadow.
Storm Shadow punches Snake Eyes before the blade reaches his neck. Snake Eyes is thrown against a wall; he coughs blood as the stone shatters.
STORM SHADOW: Farewell, Snake Eyes.
He raises his sword, ready to project kenki and kill Snake Eyes. A laser beam hits the back of his knee, severing the lower leg.
STORM SHADOW: Ahhhh!
A shadow reaches for the falling ninja; Ravage now stands on Storm Shadow's back.
RAVAGE: So this is the one that made so much noise.
He lowers his head to see Storm Shadow's face; the ninja's eyes are glazed by pain.
RAVAGE: He's a Cobra ally, yes? No matter... the Decepticons will enslave all humans once we conquer this planet.
Snake Eyes defiantly raises his sword. Ravage faces him.
RAVAGE: Foolish human. Do you really think you can fight me?
He lunges.
Snake Eyes falls backwards; when Ravage is above him, he kicks, throwing the panther against the wall.
RAVAGE: Roarrrr!
The wall falls, burying him. Snake Eyes stands up. Stones fly into the air as Ravage tries to free himself. Snake Eyes lunges, slashing the panther's shoulder.
Ravage slashes Snake Eyes' shoulder; the metal claws cut deeply, throwing the ninja backwards.
SNAKE EYES: Hiss!
Ravage frees himself from the stones.
RAVAGE: Do you really think you can...?
He smells the burning fuse of a grenade, stuck in the cut in his armor.
RAVAGE: What?!
The grenade explodes, blasting off his right front leg; Ravage is blown on his side.
RAVAGE: Roarrrr!
He pushes against the ground, trying to stand on three legs.
Snake Eyes jumps, throws his sword into the hole in Ravage's armor, and pierces the panther's reactor.
RAVAGE: Soundwave!
His reactor meltdowns, destroying him.
A stormtrooper captain leads the relief force through the forest, towards the castle. He rides Soundwave-- a gray Schwerer Panzerspähwagen SdKfz 232 (Fu) (8 rad) radio reconnaissance vehicle. The Decepticon's telepathic link with his creation lets him to feel Ravage's death; his engine seizes.
SOUNDWAVE: Ahhhh!
The stormtrooper captain looks down in surprise.
STORMTROOPER CAPT: Soundwave?
Soundwave starts transforming, closing his hand upon the captain; he crushes the man when he finishes.
STORMTROOPER CAPT: Argh!
STORMTROOPER 1: Ahhhh!
STORMTROOPER 2: He's gone insane!
The stormtroopers run away, abandoning Soundwave.
SOUNDWAVE: Ravage, we will avenge you...
RUMBLE, FRENZY: We'll make all humans pay for your destruction!
In the castle, Snake Eyes' sword is embedded in Ravage's burning wreckage; the heat softens the blade, bending it.
Snake Eyes runs to his sword brother, whose back is broken. He hits pressure points to stop the bleeding, and reaches for a field dressing. Storm Shadow puts his hand over Snake Eyes'.
STORM SHADOW: No... Save it for yourself.
SNAKE EYES: (Hush, Sword Brother. Save your breath.)
STORM SHADOW: You were right; the Arashikage will be destroyed if we serve the General's ambitions. I beg of you, return to the Arashikage... return to Nightbird... she's...
He breathes his last breath.
Snake Eyes lowers his head in grief; then he puts field dressings on his wounds. The US Army ninja psychokinetically lifts Storm Shadow's sword off the ground, into his hand.
SNAKE EYES: (I will save the Clan, Sword Brother.)
He enters the keep, finds a suit of armor, and covers his face with its helmet. Snake Eyes glides into the forest, searching for the other Joes.
-----
TEXT: The Python Railroad Yard-- future axis for the transportation of Cobra personnel, equipment, and supplies between the Fera Islands and Continental European.
Megatron stands in a shadow, staring at the monitor on his left forearm; he's communicating with Soundwave.
MEGATRON: I'm sorry for your loss, but the mission comes first. Control your grief and rage, and aid the Cobra agent.
SOUNDWAVE: Yes, Sir.
The monitor folds into a panel on Megatron's forearm. The Decepticon turns to the Baroness.
TEXT: Baroness-- real name unknown. Colonel (O6), Cobra Intelligence Service.
MEGATRON: What are we facing?
The Baroness examines a photo of the USN and RN fleets, taken by a reconnaissance plane.
BARONESS: Three carriers, five battleships, 20 cruisers, 60 destroyers, and an unknown number of transports and landing crafts. They'll be within striking distance by dawn.
MEGATRON: They're no threat to Sentinel.
They stand in a Schwerer Gustav 80 cm railroad gun's shadow.
-----
SETTING: The road.
Scarlett and Bumblebee lead the Autobots and the Joes, minus Grimlock and Roadblock, down a road. A man steps out of the bushes beside the road; the Joes instinctively target him.
BREAKER: Don't shoot!
SCARLETT: Breaker?
Breaker approaches the Joes, who lower their weapons.
SCARLETT: Thank God you're all right!
She dismounts the WLA to hug Breaker, who blushes.
SCARLETT: I'm sorry I had to leave you behind. We were spotted; I tried to draw away the enemy soldiers, so you could escape.
BREAKER: It's okay, Scarlett. Um, where's Roadblock?
Grimlock-- a gray Achilles Mark II C-- drives towards the Tiger heavy tanks and halftracks chasing the Autobots. Roadblock sits in the turret, his M2HB mounted on top of it. The soldier is still afraid of Grimlock.
ROADBLOCK: I'm really sorry that I shot you.
GRIMLOCK: Then shoot enemy, or you become enemy. You not want to be my enemy.
ROADBLOCK: Gotcha.
Grimlock shoots a Tiger; the plasma beam penetrates the turret and hits a Tiger behind it, destroying both tanks. Stormtroopers charge at the Achilles. Roadblock shoots at the stormtroopers, killing two and forcing the others to take cover.
ROADBLOCK: You ain't getting past me!
A stormtrooper throws an antitank grenade at Grimlock's turret. The Achilles transforms; the tyrannosaur's claws knock the grenade away. Grimlock he raises his foot as the grenade explodes harmlessly beside him.
STORMTROOPER: Ahhhh!
Grimlock stomps on the stormtrooper, killing him.
A Tiger fires its 88 mm cannon at the tyrannosaur, who dodges the shot. Grimlock charges at the tank; his claws parry a second 88 mm shell. The tyrannosaur stomps on the Tiger's hull, immobilizing it. Grimlock lowers his head.
GRIMLOCK: Roarrrr!
TANK CMDR: Ahhhh!
Roadblock watches Grimlock's teeth crush the Tiger's turret and the crewmen inside.
ROADBLOCK: Jesus!
He holds left hand over his mouth, trying not to puke; his right hand still grips the M2HB.
GRIMLOCK: You functional?
ROADBLOCK: I... I'm fine. How are my buddies?
Flint leans out of the M21 halftrack, extending his right hand.
FLINT: All aboard, Joe.
Breaker takes the hand and lets Flint help him into Ironhide. Suddenly, Flint uses his left hand to punch the specialist's nose. Breaker falls out of the M21 halftrack, holding his broken nose.
BREAKER: Ah!
JAYE: What the hell was that for?!
Flint dismounts Ironhide, aiming his pistol at Breaker.
FLINT: You're not Breaker!
BREAKER: What are you talking about?
Flint points at the Feldfu backpack radio that slipped off of Breaker's back.
FLINT: That's not Breaker's radio!
Breaker's face changes into Zartan's.
SCARLETT: Gasp!
ZARTAN: Smart boy.
SCARLETT: But... How?!
ZARTAN: I ate his brain; it was rich in technical information, but poor in tactical information. Your second mistake was recruiting such an inexperienced soldier for this mission.
The Feldfu seems to explode as it transforms into a circular frame-- a short-range spacebridge. Soundwave flies out of the spacebridge to grab Flint, who aims his pistol at the Decepticon's face. Soundwave squeezes, forcing Flint drop the pistol.
FLINT: Ahhhh!
ZARTAN: Your first mistake was thinking you could resist us.
He stands beside Soundwave. Optimus, Ironhide, Prowl, and Bumblebee transform, targeting the Decepticon.
SOUNDWAVE: Your chances of successfully rescuing my hostage are only 5.56%. Lower your weapons, or I will crush him.
FLINT: Shoot, you fools! If he...!
Zartan throws a white phosphorus smoke grenade at his enemies, hiding him from the Autobots' infrared vision and forcing the Joes to retreat from the toxic particles. When the smoke clears, the spacebridge has self-destructed; Soundwave, Zartan, and their hostage are gone.
JAYE: Fliiiint!
In the forest, Snake Eyes is seeking the other Joes. He sees light beam into the sky-- a spacebridge is activated-- and runs towards it. The ninja sees the spacebridge in a clearing; he hides behind a tree as the spacebridge opens.
Dreadnoks, the spacebridge guards, are playing poker. Soundwave, Zartan, and Flint appear. The guards stand at attention, accidentally scattering the cards.
DREADNOKS: Colonel Soundwave!
Soundwave carries Flint out of the spacebridge; Zartan follows.
SOUNDWAVE: Logically, the Autobots will attempt to capture the airbase so their allies can send supplies and reinforcements. I will defend the airbase. You will defend the road leading to it.
He opens his chest compartment to reveal a cage.
ZARTAN: And the Yankee?
Soundwave locks the struggling Flint in the cage.
SOUNDWAVE: I have questions; he has answers.
He closes chest compartment, transforms, and drives towards the airbase.
Snake Eyes watches Zartan lead the Dreadnoks towards the village; then he glides after Soundwave.
If any of you have read Dreamwave Productions' version, please compare and tell me which version is better.
-----
Transformers Vs G.I. Joe: War of the Worlds
Written by Sidewinder (aim9snake@hotmail.com), 2004-2005. Original story by Dreamwave Productions. Characters created and owned by Hasbro and Takara.
-----
FLAK: Fliegerabwehr Kanone (aircraft defense cannon)
PzKpfw: Panzerkampfwagen (armored combat vehicle)
RN: Royal Navy
SdKfz: Sonderkraftfahrzeug (special-purpose vehicle)
SMG: submachine gun
StG: Sturmgewehr (assault rifle)
USAAC: US Army Air Corps
USN: US Navy
-----
TEXT: Spring, 1939. The Fera Islands in the North Atlantic.
Twilight. Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters and Junkers Ju-87 dive-bombers fly over a fishing village. A stormtrooper marches down a cobblestone street, bearing Cobra's standard-- a red flag with a black cobra above a swastika. PzKpfw III medium tanks, flanked by stormtroopers, follow the standard bearer.
TEXT: Temple of Odin.
The Vikings built this stone temple when they conquered these volcanic islands a millennium ago. Although there are cracks on the walls, the temple is in good condition because of the villagers' piety to Odin.
Stormtroopers surround the temple. Four of them guard the village elder kneeling before the doorway. Cobra Commander, whose collar is decorated with two silver cobras, approaches the elder.
TEXT: Cobra Commander-- real name unknown. Colonel (O6), Imperial German Army (retired). Commander, Special Antiterrorist Group Cobra.
The four stormtroopers turn away from the doorway to salute Cobra Commander, who returns the salute before approaching the elder.
ELDER: You walk upon holy ground! You must leave, or we will all suffer the gods' wrath!
Cobra Commander draws a Walther P38 9 mm pistol and shoots the elder's head, killing him. He turns to Major Bludd.
TEXT: Bludd, Sebastian. Major (O4), Special Antiterrorist Group Cobra.
COBRA CMDR: Now, what was it that you wanted me to see?
BLUDD: I thought the villagers were using the temple to hide munitions, so I ordered my men to search it.
He leads Cobra Commander into the temple, where Odin's statue holds the Matrix-- a diamond in a golden frame, representing the eye Odin sacrificed for knowledge. The floor was excavated to reveal a cavern-- the boarding tube the Decepticons used to board the Ark when they tried to capture it 4,000,000 years ago.
BLUDD: The floor sounded hollow, so I ordered my men to excavate it. This is what I found.
A rope ladder, tied to the statue, reaches into the cavern. Bludd climbs down, followed by Cobra Commander and two stormtroopers. Their feet touch the cavern's metal floor; then Bludd turns on a flashlight.
COBRA CMDR: God in heaven!
The light reveals Megatron, a sleeping giant.
BLUDD: Do you think the Yankees were using this island as a secret base?
COBRA CMDR: No. The Americans don't...
Megatron's eyes glow red-- his emergency generators startup. He raises his right arm.
TEXT: Megatron-- Decepticon Commander (Rank: 10).
MEGATRON: Argh! I still function!
BLUDD: Bloody hell!
He draws a Luger P08 9 mm pistol inlaid with gold serpents-- a trophy from the Great War-- and targets Megatron's head. Cobra Commander puts his hand over Bludd's.
COBRA CMDR: No, you fool!
Megatron turns his head, sees the men, and reaches for them. The stormtroopers scream as they fire their MP38 9 mm SMGs; the bullets bounce harmlessly off the Transformer's armor. Megatron's hand closes upon a stormtrooper, crushing him.
MEGATRON: Such fragile weapons.
He turns to the survivors. Cobra Commander and Bludd walk backwards towards the ladder, keeping their eyes on the Transformer. Megatron ignores them; he watches the second stormtrooper climb up the rope ladder.
MEGATRON: Where do you think you're going?
He pulls the rope ladder.
STORMTROOPER: Ahhhh!
He falls to his death. Odin's statue falls into the cavern, shattering upon the metal floor. Megatron reaches for Cobra Commander, who crawls on his back, away from the Transformer.
Cobra Commander's hand touches the Matrix, which fell out of the statue's hand. He raises the Matrix above his head, using the golden frame as a shield. Light fills the cavern.
MEGATRON: Ahhhh!
He kneels in pain. The Matrix's light reveals a dozen Decepticon warriors in stasis lock.
-----
TEXT: Summer, 1940. Fort Myer, Virginia. United States of America.
A dozen soldiers sit in a classroom, in front of a slide projector. Two soldiers in front are facing each other.
TEXT: Leatherneck-- Metzger, Wendell A. Gunnery Sergeant (E7), US Marine Corp.
LEATHERNECK: I tell you, flyboy, when the bullets start flying, there's nothing more comforting than the knowledge that a couple of battlewagons are right off the coast, ready to rain fire on anyone who's not under the stars and stripes. When the big guns go off...
TEXT: Flint-- Faireborne, Dashiell R. Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2), US Army Air Corps.
FLINT: That's nice when you're storming the beachhead, but when you're in the woods, you need us flyboys. With the new Norden bombsight, we can drop a bomb in a pickle barrel from any altitude.
Two soldiers in the middle watch Flint and Leatherneck talk.
TEXT: Breaker-- Kibbey, Alvin R. Specialist Four (E4), US Army.
BREAKER: They put us up with some sailors and marines, took away our names and our ranks, sent us running through a swamp to get snakes for breakfast, and strapped a parachute to our back before they kicked us out of an airplane. What else are they gonna do to us?
TEXT: Roadblock-- Hinton, Marvin F. Corporal (E4), US Army.
ROADBLOCK: Maybe the new guy knows.
He glances at the back, where a masked soldier-- Snake Eyes-- is sharpening a bayonet.
TEXT: Snake Eyes-- real name unknown. Sergeant (E5), US Army.
BREAKER: Him? He's too quiet... like a snake in the grass, ready to strike.
Duke enters the classroom and turns to the soldiers.
TEXT: Duke-- Hauser, Conrad S. First Sergeant (E8), US Army.
DUKE: Group, attention!
The soldiers rise from their chairs to stand at attention. Hawk enters the classroom.
TEXT: Hawk-- Abernathy, Clayton M. Brigadier General (O7), US Army.
HAWK: Take seat.
The soldiers sit down. Jaye loads slides into the projector behind them.
HAWK: As you know, the Europeans have been threatening to start another war for years. During this time, we've been preparing for this war-- adopting a peacetime draft, increasing military spending, researching and developing new weapons, etc. You men are part of the preparations-- a special operations force with the mission of protecting America from threats to freedom, which the regular military forces are unable to handle. Unfortunately, it seems we've been preparing for the wrong kind of war.
Scarlett and Jaye appear beside him.
TEXT: Lady Jaye-- Hart-Burnett, Alison R. Second Lieutenant (O1), US Army Signals Intelligence Service.
TEXT: Scarlett-- O'Hara, Shana M. Lieutenant Junior Grade (O2), US Navy Office of Naval Intelligence.
HAWK: Seven months ago, the OSS-- the Office of Strategic Services-- sent twelve agents on a fact-finding mission to Europe. One month ago, the German government was overthrown; only two agents survived the resulting chaos and escaped back to Britain. These are the two survivors. I strongly advise you to give them your full attention.
A soldier turns on the projector; a photo of Cobra Commander, shaking the Führer's hand, is projected onto the wall. Scarlett points at the standard above them.
SCARLETT: Our enemy is Cobra, a special antiterrorist unit formed in 1938, under the German Führer's direct command. In 1939, MI6-- the British Secret Intelligence Service-- uncovered a plan to invade Belgium, which would let them to outflank the Maginot Line's defenses and drive straight to Paris.
A map of the North Atlantic is projected.
JAYE: The Führer ordered Cobra to occupy the Fera Islands and stop the Brits from sending supplies and reinforcements to the Belgians. After accomplishing this task, Cobra Commander convinced the Führer to delay the invasion for a year. The Brits agreed not to challenge the occupation of the Fera Islands in exchange for some diplomatic concessions-- their then Prime Minister was bribed-- while the German Army and Air Force spent an astronomical amount developing next-generation weaponry. One month ago, we saw the results of this research. This is what happened in Berlin.
A photo of the Führer's head, impaled upon a pike in front of the Reichstag's burning ruins, is projected. Scarlett points at a flag behind the heads. The swastika has been removed from the Cobra standard, now a black flag with a red cobra.
SCARLETT: We saw the same scene in the capitals of Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Cobra successfully conquered most of Western Europe... in one month.
JAYE: We know very little about the Cobra leadership. As a security measure, the Germans destroyed most of their records on Cobra Commander, including his real name. We managed to recover a medical record, which describes the injuries a grenade caused in the Battle of Cambrai; he has shrapnel embedded in his face and throat, and wears a mask to cover the scars.
A photo of Bludd, standing behind Cobra Commander as he inspects the troops, is projected.
JAYE: Major Sebastian Bludd is Cobra's deputy commander, despite the fact he fought for the Allies during the Great War. He was dishonorably discharged from the Royal Australian Army in 1930, after 20 of his men died in a "training accident". He worked as a mercenary in Southeast Asia before Cobra recruited him.
Roadblock raises his hand.
SCARLETT: Yes, Soldier?
ROADBLOCK: You say the Germans spent a lot of money making next-generation weapons. What kind of weapons do they got?
A photo of a Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet rocket fighter, with a weasel painted beneath the cockpit, is projected. The Komet is firing its 30 mm cannons at the thin armor on a Charron B1 bis heavy tank's roof, destroying the tank.
SCARLETT: This rocket plane is one example.
A photo of Megatron, crushing a French soldier beneath his boot, is projected.
JAYE: This... tank... is another.
HAWK: America is not ready to fight another World War, especially against an enemy whose weapons are a generation ahead of ours. Our mission is to...
Snake Eyes looks at the ceiling.
SCARLETT: Snake Eyes?
Snake Eyes throws his bayonet through the ceiling, towards the spy on the roof.
LASERBEAK: Shrieeeek!
A laser beam pierces the roof; Snake Eyes somersaults out of the beam's destructive path.
A soldier draws his M1911A1 .45 caliber (11.43 mm) pistol to shoot at the ceiling.
SOLDIER: A spy!
A laser beam cuts him in half.
SOLDIER: Ahhhh!
The soldiers see Laserbeak through the hole he burned in the roof.
FLINT: What on Earth is it?!
Laserbeak flies out of sight.
DUKE: It... it's alive!
-----
TEXT: RAF Sumburgh, Scotland. United Kingdom.
Duke and Scarlett are in the hangar, examining a metal plate marked "USS HAMA". A map of the Fera Islands is etched into it; the Cobra insignia is in the largest island. Scarlett stands beside him.
DUKE: How many men did we lose when this destroyer sank?
SCARLETT: All hands. The Royal Navy was able to recover this from the wreckage...
DUKE: With this map conveniently burned into it. It smells like a trap.
SCARLETT: But it's the best lead we have.
Nighttime. Three Douglas C-47 Skytrain cargo planes, their engines running, are lined up on the runway. The soldiers board a plane. They wear sterile uniforms-- without name, rank, or service markings-- with their blood types stenciled on the shoulders and knees. Breaker and Roadblock face each other as they board the C-47.
BREAKER: What kind of a name is G.I. Joe?
ROADBLOCK: Yeah, we deserve a name that makes the enemy pee in their pants every time they hear it, like... the Wreckers.
BREAKER: Yeah, I won't mind being a Wrecker.
The planes take off. Hawk sits in a C-47 cockpit. As it flies over the island, he turns around to face the soldiers.
HAWK: Although the cost of failure is high, I am confident you'll succeed. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day... 1000 may fall at your sides, and 10,000 at your right hands, but it will not come near you... You are G.I. Joe, real American heroes. Godspeed.
The first C-47 drops decoys-- a dozen parachutes, each weighted with an ice block-- on the island's west side. The second C-47 flies over the east side; the soldiers jump out of the plane. After their parachutes open, the third C-47 delivers three crates-- containing heavy weapons, motorcycles, and other equipment-- by parachute.
Starscream stands beside a radar antenna on the Terrordome roof, holding a cable. He turns to the C-47s as they fly away.
TEXT: Starscream-- Acting Decepticon Subcommander (Rank: 7), Air Commander.
STARSCREAM: Finally.
He smiles.
TEXT: The Terrordome-- Cobra Headquarters.
Cobra Commander and Megatron stand in the command center, studying a map of the UK; Starscream has prevented them from learning of the assault. Cobra Commander wears armor-- like the Sappenpanzer (trench armor) he wore in the Great War-- with an armored box fixed to the breastplate.
MEGATRON: My warriors can take England, but can your warriors keep it?
Destro appears behind them. He wears tilting armor with a mask of rage in honor of his ancestors, but carries a Mauser C96 7.63 mm pistol instead of a claymore (great sword).
TEXT: Destro, James McCullen, XXIII. Director, Military Armaments Research Systems.
DESTRO: Megatron has a valid point, Commander. The Americans are already aware of Cobra's existence; it's only a matter of time before they strike. Perhaps we should withdraw... 30% of our forces from Europe to strengthen the island's defenses?
Cobra Commander opens the armored box-- the Matrix casing. He glides like an ice skater to punch Destro's breastplate, breaking it. Destro flies 10 meters through the air; then he slams against a wall.
DESTRO: Ahhhh!
Cobra Commander looks down upon Destro; he looks like a fiery demon in the Matrix's light.
COBRA CMDR: My destiny is to have absolute power, to have total control of the world! Never question my destiny, or my decision to face it!
DESTRO: Y-y-yes, C-Commander!
-----
SETTING: The airbase.
Bludd is escorting Storm Shadow, who examines the Komets parked along the runway.
BLUDD: Cobra honors the Anti-Comintern Pact, recognizes Japan's claim over Manchuria, and will aid the Emperor in His Majesty's war efforts... after we accomplish our goals in Europe.
STORM SHADOW: I will inform His Majesty of your... generosity.
TEXT: Storm Shadow-- Arashikage Makoto. Leader, Arashikage Ninja Clan. Lieutenant Commander (O4), Imperial Japanese Navy.
Storm Shadow looks into a hangar full of planes with folded wings. Mechanics are working on Rattlers-- Junkers Ju-87C carrier-borne dive-bombers armed with 37 mm cannons.
STORM SHADOW: I notice you still maintain some piston engine aircraft.
BLUDD: The Komet flies too quickly to be an effective attack plane.
STORM SHADOW: As a warrior, I must maintain my proficiency in all forms of combat, including air combat. May I have some fuel for my Zero?
He points at the Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter parked behind a Komet.
BLUDD: Yes... Commander.
-----
SETTING: The ruins of a medieval village.
The Joes form a defensive position, weapons aimed outwards. Leatherneck's M1 .30-06 (7.62 mm) rifle butt strokes a crate, opening it; Roadblock holsters his pistol to grab the M2HB .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun inside.
ROADBLOCK: Come to Papa.
Duke holds a poncho over Scarlett's head as the OSS agent examines a map; the poncho hides the flashlight beam.
DUKE: Welcome to the Fera Islands. Prepared by the Office of Tourism and Trade.
SCARLETT: It's the most accurate map we have. Now, Cobra HQ should be right here. What do you think is the optimum path to it?
DUKE: The forest looks...
Snake Eyes runs towards Duke and Scarlett, grabs the backs of their coats, and pulls them away.
DUKE: Hey!
SCARLETT: Snake Eyes?
The Zero appears above them, firing its 20 mm cannons and 7.7 mm machine guns.
FLINT: Take cover!
The Joes dive behind the nearest cover and concealment. One Joe is too slow; the Zero blasts him to pieces.
ROADBLOCK: You bastard!
He shoots at the Zero, which rolls to dodge the bullets, turns around, and shoots back.
ROADBLOCK: Whoa!
He dives behind a stone wall. Sparks and rock chips fly over Roadblock as 7.7 mm bullets ricochet off the wall, and 20 mm shells shatter the stone.
Snake Eyes draws his katana (long sword) and jumps into the open.
ROADBLOCK: You dummy! Get back under cover!
The Zero turns around to attack Snake Eyes. The ninja stands firm; his sword parries the bullets and shells as the fighter approaches.
When the Zero is above Snake Eyes' head, he jumps into the air to sever the left wing. The fighter spins towards the ground, out of control.
ROADBLOCK: Jesus!
Storm Shadow uses a tanto (knife) to cut his restraints; he opens the cockpit and jumps out. The ninja lands on his feet, facing the Joes; his left hand grips the scabbard of his katana. The Zero crashes behind him, transforming into a fireball.
JOE: Get him!
Three Joes run towards Storm Shadow, determined to capture him. Snake Eyes reaches for them, trying to warn them not to engage, but he can't.
The Joes stop 10 meters from Storm Shadow, targeting him.
JOE: Freeze!
Storm Shadow draws his sword, slashes horizontally, and projects kenki (sword's breath)-- psychokinetic energy conducted through the sword-- to blast the three Joes in half.
Storm Shadow turns to Snake Eyes.
STORM SHADOW: Good evening, Sword Brother... Or shall I call you "traitor"?
He aims the sword point at Scarlett.
STORM SHADOW: Have you already sold your sword and your honor to the Americans? What was your price?
The Joes target Storm Shadow, but Snake Eyes is the only one brave enough to face him. Snake Eyes moves in front of Scarlett, shielding her from Storm Shadow.
STORM SHADOW: I see. As the Arashikage Buo-- the Clan's Martial King-- it is my responsibility to deliver an honorable death, even though the recipient failed to live an honorable life. Come!
He uses his lightfoot technique to glide away from the Joes, towards a medieval castle. Snake Eyes glides after Storm Shadow. Scarlett reaches for Snake Eyes, wishing she could keep him out of harm's way.
SCARLETT: Snake Eyes!
Flint points down the road. Dreadnoks-- mercenaries who serve as scouts in the Cobra Army-- are riding BMW R75 motorcycles towards the ruins.
FLINT: We better take cover; a welcoming party is on its way!
Duke turns his head, seeking a defensible position. He sees the ruins of a temple.
DUKE: There! Follow me!
He runs towards the temple, followed by most of the survivors.
Scarlett stands firm, staring at the castle where Snake Eyes will duel Storm Shadow. Roadblock grabs her shoulder.
ROADBLOCK: He's a real fighter; he'll survive, but we won't if we don't take cover.
Scarlett sighs, turns around, and follows Duke. Roadblock aims his M2HB down the road, serving as a rear guard; then he turns around to join his comrades.
TEXT: Temple of Thor.
The Vikings abandoned the temple, and the village Thor once protected, after an earthquake ravaged them a century ago. The stone floor is cratered and bulged; the Joes watch their feet as they enter.
ROADBLOCK: Jesus!
He targets a robot tyrannosaur-- Grimlock, who lies on the floor. Duke puts his hand on Roadblock's shoulder.
DUKE: At ease. This rusty old machine hasn't moved since Adam and Eve were in Eden.
Four Joes push stones from a fallen pillar in front of the gates, barricading them; then they assume fighting positions. The others stare at the deactivated Autobots, marveling at their alien sizes and shapes.
BREAKER: I feel like I'm in an old 'Star Brigade' serial.
LEATHERNECK: For all we know, we might be in an old 'Star Brigade' serial.
Flint and Jaye stare at a probe, fixed to its launcher.
JAYE: What is it?
FLINT: I think...
The probe's optical, infrared, and electrostatic lenses light up; Teletran-1 has activated it.
FLINT: It's a bomb!
He pushes Jaye onto the floor as the probe rockets into Earth's orbit.
JAYE: Please get off of me. Your weight will kill me before the blast will.
Flint blushes.
FLINT: Sorry.
He gets off of Jaye, who raises her head, towards the probe.
JAYE: Do you think it's a rocket?
TELETRAN-1: Explore, explore!
The probe scans a British harbor, where American combat vehicles-- military aid to the UK-- are unloaded from a transport ship.
PROBE: Scanning local life forms for technological adaptation to present environmental.
The Autobots seem to burn as their repair programs are activated, lighting up their frames.
TELETRAN-1: Repair, repair!
Optimus Prime's chest is reformatted into a M4A1(76)W Sherman medium tank's turret, with a hatch where the 76 mm cannon and coaxial .30 caliber (7.62 mm) machine gun are mounted. His right hand grips the cannon-- a disguised laser rifle with the machine gun mounted beside the barrel, in case the laser misfires. A missile launcher-- like a T34 rocket launcher, it can use US Army 4.5 inch (114 mm) rockets, taking advantage of the ammunition available on Earth-- is fixed to his collarbones, the tubes mounted over his head.
Duke aims his M1 .45 caliber SMG at Optimus.
DUKE: Get back! Get back!
Grimlock's head is reformatted into an Achilles Mark II C tank destroyer's bow. The headlights-- the tyrannosaur's optics-- burn blue. Grimlock opens his jaws to reveal metal-cutting teeth.
TEXT: Grimlock-- Autobot warrior.
GRIMLOCK: Roarrrr!
Roadblock shoots him; the bullets bounce harmlessly off Grimlock's armor as he turns to the Joe.
GRIMLOCK: Decepticon! Grimlock crush you!
He charges. Roadblock raises the M2HB above his head, using the gun as a shield.
ROADBLOCK: Mamaaaa!
Grimlock opens his mouth to bite Roadblock. Optimus moves in front of the tyrannosaur to stop him.
TEXT: Optimus Prime-- Autobot Commander (Rank: 10).
OPTIMUS: Stand down, Grimlock. I doubt they're Decepticons.
GRIMLOCK: He attack Grimlock! Grimlock tear him to pieces!
Ironhide approaches his comrades.
TEXT: Ironhide-- Acting Autobot Subcommander (Rank: 7), security guard.
IRONHIDE: That's understandable. I know I won't be happy if the first thing I see when I'm reactivated is your ugly mug.
Grimlock's head, and the turret on his back, turn to Ironhide.
GRIMLOCK: Grrrr!
OPTIMUS: That's enough!
He faces Duke.
OPTIMUS: I am Optimus Prime, Autobot Commander. Please identify yourselves.
DUKE: I'm an American soldier...
TEXT: Dreadnoks-- mercenaries in Cobra's service.
The Dreadnoks wear load-bearing vests over mismatched leather riding suits, not military uniforms. They park their R75s parallel to the temple walls, using the bikes as cover. Zandar watches two Dreadnoks aim Panzerfaust antitank rockets at the temple gates.
TEXT: Zandar-- real name unknown. Dreadnok Subcommander.
ZANDAR: Send them to hell!
The Dreadnoks fire the rockets at the gates; the resulting explosion throws Duke off his feet.
DUKE: Whoa!
-----
TEXT: Viper's Nest Castle-- Cobra Auxiliary Headquarters.
Flakvierling 38 20 mm cannons are mounted on the castle's four towers; radio antennas are mounted on the keep. The dry moat-- now a defensive trench-- hides MG42 7.92 mm machine guns under camouflage netting, behind razor wire. Cobra rebuilt the medieval castle, using it as their HQ while the Terrordome was being built.
Storm Shadow stands in front of a stormtrooper company-- the castle guards.
STORM SHADOW: I am being followed. Kill the follower.
STORMTROOPER CAPT: Why should we help...?
Storm Shadow's palm strikes the captain's forehead; the man's brain explodes, throwing his helmet into the air.
STORMTROOPER LT: Captain!
He reaches for his P38, but is too slow; Storm Shadow's palm is now a centimeter from his forehead.
STORM SHADOW: Kill or be killed.
Snake Eyes glides through the forest. He sees two MG42s in front of the castle gates. The ninja extends his hand, trying to psychokinetically arm a grenade on a gunner's belt. Nothing happens. Snake Eyes crawls to the forest's edge, and tries again.
The grenade shakes, alerting the gunner. He sees the moonlight reflecting upon the ninja's goggles.
GUNNER 1: Ah!
He shoots at Snake Eyes.
The second gunner targets the ninja's position; he sees nothing.
GUNNER 2: What was that?
GUNNER 1: I thought I saw a...
The grenade explodes, killing him and destroying his MG42.
The second gunner opens his mouth to scream; then Snake Eyes runs out of the forest. The ninja projects kenki, kills the gunner and destroys his MG42, and dashes behind him.
STORMTROOPER LT: Fighting positions!
He leads his stormtroopers to the gate. Snake Eyes appears in front of them. The lieutenant fires his StG44 7.92 mm assault rifle. Snake Eyes slashes vertically, projecting kenki 10 meters towards the lieutenant. The bullets are blown off course, flying harmlessly past Snake Eyes; the lieutenant is blasted in half.
STORMTROOPERS: Ahhhh!
Snake Eyes uses his lightfoot technique to glide around the stormtroopers. There seems to be ten ninjas, each one stabbing and slashing, painting the courtyard red.
The last stormtrooper drops his StG44 and backs away from Snake Eyes.
STORMTROOPER: I don't want to die, I don't want to die...
Snake Eyes reaches for the stormtrooper's neck, grabs the man's scarf, and uses it to wipe blood off his sword. The stormtrooper watches the ninja walk to the keep; then he flees.
STORM SHADOW: You're too merciful towards your enemies.
Snake Eyes raises his head, towards the top of the keep. Storm Shadow looks down upon him.
STORM SHADOW: Hard Master identified this as a weakness when he was considering whom to name as the next Arashikage Buo. I don't have your weaknesses. I accomplish my missions mercilessly, effectively...
Snake Eyes runs up the keep wall, towards Storm Shadow. He communicates telepathically with his sword brother.
SNAKE EYES: (And recklessly!)
Storm Shadow throws six shuriken (throwing blades) at him. Snake Eyes parries the shuriken as he charges; Storm Shadow is forced to step back, blocking a slash as Snake Eyes steps onto the roof.
SNAKE EYES: (Did you hope those men would kill me?)
STORM SHADOW: No, I hoped you would kill those men... to taste blood and to thirst for it, so we can duel with pure hearts.
SNAKE EYES: (How we can claim to have pure hearts after the General's ambitions perverted our minds? After the Doctor's 'Evilution' perverted our bodies?!)
He pushes Storm Shadow backwards, off the roof. Storm Shadow somersaults to land on the walkway of a wall. A gunner aims his Flakvierling 38 at Snake Eyes.
GUNNER: I have him now!
The Flakvierling 38 shoots at Snake Eyes, who parries the shells. A shell grazes the side of the ninja's mask, tearing it.
STORM SHADOW: Do not interfere with our duel!
The ninjas project kenki at the gun. The gunner watches the Flakvierling 38's four cannons fall apart, cut by Snake Eyes' kenki.
GUNNER: God...!
His head and shoulders fall from his torso, cut by Storm Shadow's kenki.
Snake Eyes feels blood drip from the tear in his mask. He takes off his mask and goggles to reveal a reptilian face-- a side effect of Evilution, Doctor Mindbender's program to create super soldiers by recombining human and animal DNA. He opens his mouth to reveal sharp teeth and a forked tongue.
SNAKE EYES: Hiss!
Storm Shadow faces Snake Eyes; he's unsurprised.
STORM SHADOW: Mindbender promised to restore to your human form. If you had not deserted the Clan...
SNAKE EYES: (Mindbender's promises are as hollow as his heart!)
He jumps off the roof, slashing at his sword brother. Storm Shadow glides sideways, dodging the attack; the kenki shatters the stone.
-----
TEXT: Dreadnoks-- fodder for Grimlock's cannon.
Two Dreadnoks fire Panzerfaust antitank rockets at Grimlock; the explosions cover the tyrannosaur with fire and smoke.
DREADNOKS: Ha ha ha!
An undamaged Grimlock charges through the smoke. The tyrannosaur's claws knock a Dreadnok out of his way; human blood spills on the ground as the man flies through the air.
DREADNOKS: Ahhhh!
The second Dreadnok crosses his arms over his head. Grimlock bites him and his bike, crushing them both.
ZANDAR: Let's peel!
The surviving Dreadnoks mount their bikes and turn away. Grimlock fires his 17-pounder (77 mm) cannon-- a disguised plasma cannon-- at the road, throwing four bikes into the air. Zandar slams against the road.
ZANDAR: Argh!
DREADNOK: Zandar!
Zandar lies unconscious beside a bike's burning wreckage. A Dreadnok lifts Zandar onto his own bike; then he rides after his comrades.
Leatherneck targets the fleeing Dreadnok. He lowers his rifle, respecting the man's courage.
Ironhide stands beside Grimlock, examining the Dreadnoks' bodies and the bikes' wreckages.
GRIMLOCK: Decepticons pick weak allies. Hope Optimus' allies not so weak.
IRONHIDE: That reminds me; why didn't the Decepticons attack our flanks while their cannon fodder distracted us? What are they doing now?
-----
TEXT: The North Atlantic.
A RN fleet-- including two Illustrious class carriers, three King George V class battleships, and a Hood class battlecruiser-- escorts transports and landing crafts to support an amphibious assault. An USN fleet-- including two Essex class carriers and two North Carolina class battleships-- follows the RN fleet.
Megatron, Soundwave, and Starscream-- a red Messerschmitt Me-263 rocket fighter with silver thunderbolts painted on the wings-- rocket towards the RN fleet. A carrier launches a squadron of Supermarine Seafire fighters, which climb to engage the Decepticons.
MEGATRON: Starscream, destroy the fighters. Soundwave, capture the carrier and its fuel. I'll destroy the flagship.
Starscream transforms and detaches the leading edges of his wings-- power sabers that burn red when their cutting mechanisms are activated. He chooses not to use his laser cannons and mini-missiles-- the launchers can use Cobra R4M 55 mm rocket rockets.
STARSCREAM: I am Starscream, Master of the Terror Soaring Saber! Fight me if you seek an honorable death!
A Seafire pilot taps his radio headset.
PILOT: What is this rubbish?
SQUADRON LEADER: Never mind. Shoot the flying swordsman.
The Seafires fire their 20 mm cannons and .303 caliber (7.7 mm) machine guns at Starscream, who parries the shells and bullets. When the Seafires are 700 to 800 meters away, Starscream slashes to project kenki; the resulting explosions kill the squadron leader and his wingman.
PILOT: Bloody hell!
Kenki blasts off a Seafire's wing. The pilot unfastens his restraints, opens the cockpit, jumps out, and deploys his parachute. Starscream ignores the pilot; he's no longer a threat.
Wild Weasel's fighter-- a red Komet with a black weasel painted beneath the cockpit-- appears in front of the Seafire pilot.
TEXT: Wild Weasel-- real name unknown. Captain (O3), Cobra Air Force.
Wild Weasel shoots the Seafire pilot, killing him.
PILOT: Argh!
Soundwave approaches the carrier, opening his chest compartment to reveal missile launchers.
TEXT: Soundwave-- Decepticon signals intelligence officer (Rank:
.SOUNDWAVE: Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, eject. Attack the bridge.
He fires two Ruhrstahl X-4 air-to-air missiles, which transform into robot condors-- Laserbeak and Buzzsaw-- and attack the carrier bridge.
CARRIER CAPT: Ahhhh!
The bridge explodes. After the condors are out of his line of fire, Soundwave fires six missiles armed with chemical warheads. The missiles detonate above the carrier to release sarin nerve gas.
CARRIER CREWMAN 1: Gas!
He dives into the sea to escape.
CARRIER CREWMAN 2: Argh!
The other carrier crewmen collapse onto the decks, dying.
Soundwave lands on the flight deck. The carrier, and the fuel it carries, now belongs to the Decepticons.
Keelhaul stands in the bridge of the USS Flagg-- an Essex class carrier. He watches Megatron sink two destroyers-- the battlecruiser's escorts.
TEXT: Keelhaul-- Colby, Everett P. Vice Admiral (O9), US Navy.
Shipwreck sits in front of a radio. He turns to Keelhaul.
TEXT: Shipwreck-- Delgado, Hector X. Chief Petty Officer (E7), US Navy.
SHIPWRECK: Sir, the British flagship is under attack. Admiral Parker is requesting...
Megatron's 38 cm rocket launcher/mortar-- a disguised fusion cannon-- shoots the battlecruiser, destroying it.
SHIPWRECK: Oh my God!
KEELHAUL: I hope He's on our side.
He faces Shipwreck.
KEELHAUL: Where's the enemy fleet?
An Arado Ar-196 seaplane, launched from a Bismarck class battleship, flies over the USN fleet.
SEAPLANE PILOT: Enemy ships sighted! Fire upon these coordinates...
He pilot radios the ships' locations to the Cobra fleet-- including two Graf Zeppelin class carriers and two Bismarck class battleships. The battleships' seaplane catapults launch V-1 buzz bombs at the USN ships, sinking two destroyers and damaging a third.
Keelhaul sees two fireballs fly toward a New Orleans class heavy cruiser.
KEELHAUL: What the hell...?
He raises his binoculars to his eyes. The fireballs-- buzz bombs-- hit the cruiser, causing severe damage.
KEELHAUL: Flying bombs?!
A Graf Zeppelin class carrier launches a Komet squadron, which joins Wild Weasel above the Cobra fleet.
WILD WEASEL: Flight Berta, cover the fleet. Flight Anton, cover the Rattlers.
PILOTS: Yes, Sir!
Wild Weasel leads Flight A towards the USN fleet. The carriers launch squadrons of Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters, which climb to engage the Rattlers before the dive-bombers can attack the ships. The Komets dive, using their superior speed to destroy and damage dozens of Hellcats; the Rattlers attack the damaged ships, finishing them.
SHIPWRECK: If God's on our side, I hope He sends us an angel!
Skyfire-- a white Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress bomber with red flames painted on the nose and wings-- dives towards the Komets. He fires his .50 caliber machine guns-- disguised lasers-- and destroys six Komets.
WILD WEASEL: What the devil?!
Starscream lunges at the B-17G cockpit. Skyfire rolls to dodge the attack, transforms, and punches. Starscream blocks the fist, but its momentum throws him backwards; he somersaults, stops, and aims his swords at Skyfire.
STARSCREAM: Skyfire!
Skyfire draws his bomb launcher-- a giant M1911A1 that can use USAAC 2000 lb (907 kg) bombs-- to shoot at Megatron. The Decepticon Commander's cannon intercepts the bomb, but the blast throws him backwards; he somersaults to stop.
MEGATRON: Decepticons, retreat!
He turns around to escape. Soundwave reconfigures the carrier's controls; Laserbeak and Buzzsaw fly above it as the carrier joins the Cobra fleet. Starscream crosses his swords in front of his chest, serving as a rear guard; then he transforms and rockets away.
KOMET PILOT: The machine men have abandoned us!
WILD WEASEL: All flights, return to the carriers!
The Komets use their superior rate of climb to escape; the slower Rattlers are left behind.
HELLCAT PILOT: They're getting away!
HELLCAT SQUADRON LEADER: Forget the rockets! Get the dive-bombers!
The surviving Hellcats attack the Rattlers, destroying them all.
A Rattler crashes into the sea, which extinguishes the fire in its rear fuel tank. The pilot tries to unfasten his restraints as the dive-bomber sinks. He's trapped; bubbles rise from the doomed man's mouth as he tries to scream, his fists hammering the canopy.
Skyfire hovers above the Flagg. The carrier's antiaircraft gunners target the Autobot, but are too surprised to shoot. Skyfire salutes the bridge.
TEXT: Skyfire-- Autobot air guardian.
SKYFIRE: Greetings, Admiral. I bring a message from Leatherneck.
KEELHAUL: He's still alive?!
-----
TEXT: Zartan-- real name unknown. Dreadnok Commander.
Zartan kneels in front of Zandar's body, which lies on an operating table. Cobra Commander, and the Dreadnok who tried to save Zandar, stand behind him.
ZARTAN: Who killed my brother?
DREADNOK: A mechanical dragon.
ZARTAN: A Decepticon?
COBRA CMDR: No. Just as the enemy of our enemy is our ally, the ally of our enemy is our enemy. The American are allies of a rival machine men faction; we now share a common enemy with the Decepticons.
Zartan stands up.
ZARTAN: Where are they?
-----
SETTING: The forest.
Optimus-- a red Sherman-- is parked on a hill overlooking the village; the Terrordome is visible atop a dormant volcano on the opposite side. Joes covered the Autobot with camouflage netting they took from Dreadnok saddlebags. Duke sits in the turret.
DUKE: Your war began 10,000,000 years ago?!
OPTIMUS: Yes. We left Cybertron 4,000,000 years ago, seeking resources for our war effort. The Decepticons attacked our ship as it entered this star system; the damage probably caused it to crash on this planet, forcing us into stasis lock. I hope peace came to Cybertron during this time.
DUKE: After 6,000,000 years of war? I hope so too.
Flint stands beside Ironhide-- a red M21 mortar carrier, a halftrack armed with an 81 mm mortar. He holds a radio.
FLINT: That's good news, Sir... Wilco, over...
He runs to Duke and Optimus.
FLINT: The fleet's taken a beating, but they can still kick Cobra's tail, thanks to your friend. An Iron Fist will strike at dawn; big guns, bombs, and marines are coming to stop Cobra before they send their big guns, bombs, and stormtroopers to America.
DUKE: We'll be ready for them once the scout team gets back.
Prowl-- an olive drab Cadillac Series 60 sedan with a white star painted on the doors, like a US Army officer's staff car-- is parked beside Optimus. He uses his lasercom-- a secure short-range communications system-- to prevent others from eavesdropping.
TEXT: Prowl-- Autobot strategist (Rank:
.PROWL: (Optimus, I'm concerned about the wisdom of allying with G.I. Joe. We lack sufficient information on their conflict to take sides. For all we know, they might be as evil as the Decepticons.)
OPTIMUS: (Your concerns are noted. However, the circumstances don't allow us to choose allies. For now, the fact that G.I. Joe fights Decepticon allies is good enough for me.)
Scarlett rides Bumblebee-- a Harley Davidson WLA motorcycle in desert camouflage-- through the forest. Breaker, carrying a BC-1306 backpack radio, follows in a WLA in forest camouflage. Bumblebee suddenly stops. Breaker stops behind them, curious.
SCARLETT: Bumblebee, what's wrong?
TEXT: Bumblebee-- Autobot espionage specialist.
BUMBLEBEE: Listen!
They hear mechanical noises. Scarlett raises a hand, ordering Breaker to stand firm, before she creeps away. Bumblebee stealthily transforms to follow her.
Scarlett uses her binoculars to see the road from her position. Bumblebee crouches beside her.
Ravage runs down the road, followed by Hanomag SdKfz 251 halftracks.
SCARLETT: Where are they going?
BUMBLEBEE: Hush!
His warning comes too late; Ravage hears Scarlett's voice.
TEXT: Ravage-- Decepticon saboteur.
RAVAGE: Enemy detected!
He runs into the forest, towards Scarlett. Stormtroopers dismount from the halftracks to follow the robot panther.
Bumblebee grabs the back of Scarlett's coat, puts her on his back, and transforms; Scarlett lands in his seat. The WLA drives through the forest, trying to escape from Ravage.
Breaker hears the noise, but he stands firm; the inexperienced Joe doesn't know what to do. Gloved hands reach from a shadow behind him, towards his neck.
-----
SETTING: The command center.
Megatron defiantly faces Cobra Commander.
COBRA CMDR: While you were celebrating over the English carrier you captured, enemy submarines sank one of our battleships and severely damaged the second. Do you have an excuse for such irresponsibility?
MEGATRON: I need no excuse; the battleship sank because of your stupidity. If...
Cobra Commander reveals the Matrix. Megatron kneels in pain, burning.
MEGATRON: Ahhhh!
COBRA CMDR: How dare you challenge my authority? I have the Matrix; I have power over you! I can...!
Destro runs into the command center, feigning distress. He replaced the broken armor with a business suit, but still wears the helmet and the C96.
DESTRO: Sir, the Viper's Nest relief force is engaging an enemy scout in Sector Caesar 03!
COBRA CMDR: I will give you one last chance to prove your worth, Megatron. Destroy the enemy, or I will destroy you.
MEGATRON: Yes... Commander.
-----
SETTING: Viper's Nest Castle.
The castle was ravaged during the duel; kenki destroyed a tower and a wall.
Storm Shadow runs along the castle wall, holding his sword sideways; the blade cuts into the stone. He stops in front of the keep; the wall falls behind him, towards his sword brother.
Snake Eyes slashes upwards, cutting the wall in half; the stones fall harmlessly beside him. Storm Shadow lunges, forcing Snake Eyes to retreat. The blade doesn't touch him, but the kenki does; blood flows from the cut in Snake Eyes' flak jacket.
Storm Shadow watches his sword brother assume a combat stance, ready to continue the duel. He smiles; he has a plan to defeat Snake Eyes.
STORM SHADOW: Your swordsmanship has deteriorated since we last crossed swords. Nightbird would be ashamed if she saw you now.
SNAKE EYES: (What have you done to Nightbird?!)
STORM SHADOW: I gave her aid and comfort... things you took away from Nightbird when you deserted the Clan. The love she once gave to you, she now gives to me.
SNAKE EYES: (Liar!)
He slashes, but is too distracted to focus his psychokinetic energy; the kenki fades away before it can reach its target.
Storm Shadow lunges. Snake Eyes glides sideways, trying to dodge the attack.
SNAKE EYES: Hiss!
His left hand catches the blade and stops the sword point a millimeter from his chest. Blood drips from the cut in his left palm as he slashes at Storm Shadow.
Storm Shadow punches Snake Eyes before the blade reaches his neck. Snake Eyes is thrown against a wall; he coughs blood as the stone shatters.
STORM SHADOW: Farewell, Snake Eyes.
He raises his sword, ready to project kenki and kill Snake Eyes. A laser beam hits the back of his knee, severing the lower leg.
STORM SHADOW: Ahhhh!
A shadow reaches for the falling ninja; Ravage now stands on Storm Shadow's back.
RAVAGE: So this is the one that made so much noise.
He lowers his head to see Storm Shadow's face; the ninja's eyes are glazed by pain.
RAVAGE: He's a Cobra ally, yes? No matter... the Decepticons will enslave all humans once we conquer this planet.
Snake Eyes defiantly raises his sword. Ravage faces him.
RAVAGE: Foolish human. Do you really think you can fight me?
He lunges.
Snake Eyes falls backwards; when Ravage is above him, he kicks, throwing the panther against the wall.
RAVAGE: Roarrrr!
The wall falls, burying him. Snake Eyes stands up. Stones fly into the air as Ravage tries to free himself. Snake Eyes lunges, slashing the panther's shoulder.
Ravage slashes Snake Eyes' shoulder; the metal claws cut deeply, throwing the ninja backwards.
SNAKE EYES: Hiss!
Ravage frees himself from the stones.
RAVAGE: Do you really think you can...?
He smells the burning fuse of a grenade, stuck in the cut in his armor.
RAVAGE: What?!
The grenade explodes, blasting off his right front leg; Ravage is blown on his side.
RAVAGE: Roarrrr!
He pushes against the ground, trying to stand on three legs.
Snake Eyes jumps, throws his sword into the hole in Ravage's armor, and pierces the panther's reactor.
RAVAGE: Soundwave!
His reactor meltdowns, destroying him.
A stormtrooper captain leads the relief force through the forest, towards the castle. He rides Soundwave-- a gray Schwerer Panzerspähwagen SdKfz 232 (Fu) (8 rad) radio reconnaissance vehicle. The Decepticon's telepathic link with his creation lets him to feel Ravage's death; his engine seizes.
SOUNDWAVE: Ahhhh!
The stormtrooper captain looks down in surprise.
STORMTROOPER CAPT: Soundwave?
Soundwave starts transforming, closing his hand upon the captain; he crushes the man when he finishes.
STORMTROOPER CAPT: Argh!
STORMTROOPER 1: Ahhhh!
STORMTROOPER 2: He's gone insane!
The stormtroopers run away, abandoning Soundwave.
SOUNDWAVE: Ravage, we will avenge you...
RUMBLE, FRENZY: We'll make all humans pay for your destruction!
In the castle, Snake Eyes' sword is embedded in Ravage's burning wreckage; the heat softens the blade, bending it.
Snake Eyes runs to his sword brother, whose back is broken. He hits pressure points to stop the bleeding, and reaches for a field dressing. Storm Shadow puts his hand over Snake Eyes'.
STORM SHADOW: No... Save it for yourself.
SNAKE EYES: (Hush, Sword Brother. Save your breath.)
STORM SHADOW: You were right; the Arashikage will be destroyed if we serve the General's ambitions. I beg of you, return to the Arashikage... return to Nightbird... she's...
He breathes his last breath.
Snake Eyes lowers his head in grief; then he puts field dressings on his wounds. The US Army ninja psychokinetically lifts Storm Shadow's sword off the ground, into his hand.
SNAKE EYES: (I will save the Clan, Sword Brother.)
He enters the keep, finds a suit of armor, and covers his face with its helmet. Snake Eyes glides into the forest, searching for the other Joes.
-----
TEXT: The Python Railroad Yard-- future axis for the transportation of Cobra personnel, equipment, and supplies between the Fera Islands and Continental European.
Megatron stands in a shadow, staring at the monitor on his left forearm; he's communicating with Soundwave.
MEGATRON: I'm sorry for your loss, but the mission comes first. Control your grief and rage, and aid the Cobra agent.
SOUNDWAVE: Yes, Sir.
The monitor folds into a panel on Megatron's forearm. The Decepticon turns to the Baroness.
TEXT: Baroness-- real name unknown. Colonel (O6), Cobra Intelligence Service.
MEGATRON: What are we facing?
The Baroness examines a photo of the USN and RN fleets, taken by a reconnaissance plane.
BARONESS: Three carriers, five battleships, 20 cruisers, 60 destroyers, and an unknown number of transports and landing crafts. They'll be within striking distance by dawn.
MEGATRON: They're no threat to Sentinel.
They stand in a Schwerer Gustav 80 cm railroad gun's shadow.
-----
SETTING: The road.
Scarlett and Bumblebee lead the Autobots and the Joes, minus Grimlock and Roadblock, down a road. A man steps out of the bushes beside the road; the Joes instinctively target him.
BREAKER: Don't shoot!
SCARLETT: Breaker?
Breaker approaches the Joes, who lower their weapons.
SCARLETT: Thank God you're all right!
She dismounts the WLA to hug Breaker, who blushes.
SCARLETT: I'm sorry I had to leave you behind. We were spotted; I tried to draw away the enemy soldiers, so you could escape.
BREAKER: It's okay, Scarlett. Um, where's Roadblock?
Grimlock-- a gray Achilles Mark II C-- drives towards the Tiger heavy tanks and halftracks chasing the Autobots. Roadblock sits in the turret, his M2HB mounted on top of it. The soldier is still afraid of Grimlock.
ROADBLOCK: I'm really sorry that I shot you.
GRIMLOCK: Then shoot enemy, or you become enemy. You not want to be my enemy.
ROADBLOCK: Gotcha.
Grimlock shoots a Tiger; the plasma beam penetrates the turret and hits a Tiger behind it, destroying both tanks. Stormtroopers charge at the Achilles. Roadblock shoots at the stormtroopers, killing two and forcing the others to take cover.
ROADBLOCK: You ain't getting past me!
A stormtrooper throws an antitank grenade at Grimlock's turret. The Achilles transforms; the tyrannosaur's claws knock the grenade away. Grimlock he raises his foot as the grenade explodes harmlessly beside him.
STORMTROOPER: Ahhhh!
Grimlock stomps on the stormtrooper, killing him.
A Tiger fires its 88 mm cannon at the tyrannosaur, who dodges the shot. Grimlock charges at the tank; his claws parry a second 88 mm shell. The tyrannosaur stomps on the Tiger's hull, immobilizing it. Grimlock lowers his head.
GRIMLOCK: Roarrrr!
TANK CMDR: Ahhhh!
Roadblock watches Grimlock's teeth crush the Tiger's turret and the crewmen inside.
ROADBLOCK: Jesus!
He holds left hand over his mouth, trying not to puke; his right hand still grips the M2HB.
GRIMLOCK: You functional?
ROADBLOCK: I... I'm fine. How are my buddies?
Flint leans out of the M21 halftrack, extending his right hand.
FLINT: All aboard, Joe.
Breaker takes the hand and lets Flint help him into Ironhide. Suddenly, Flint uses his left hand to punch the specialist's nose. Breaker falls out of the M21 halftrack, holding his broken nose.
BREAKER: Ah!
JAYE: What the hell was that for?!
Flint dismounts Ironhide, aiming his pistol at Breaker.
FLINT: You're not Breaker!
BREAKER: What are you talking about?
Flint points at the Feldfu backpack radio that slipped off of Breaker's back.
FLINT: That's not Breaker's radio!
Breaker's face changes into Zartan's.
SCARLETT: Gasp!
ZARTAN: Smart boy.
SCARLETT: But... How?!
ZARTAN: I ate his brain; it was rich in technical information, but poor in tactical information. Your second mistake was recruiting such an inexperienced soldier for this mission.
The Feldfu seems to explode as it transforms into a circular frame-- a short-range spacebridge. Soundwave flies out of the spacebridge to grab Flint, who aims his pistol at the Decepticon's face. Soundwave squeezes, forcing Flint drop the pistol.
FLINT: Ahhhh!
ZARTAN: Your first mistake was thinking you could resist us.
He stands beside Soundwave. Optimus, Ironhide, Prowl, and Bumblebee transform, targeting the Decepticon.
SOUNDWAVE: Your chances of successfully rescuing my hostage are only 5.56%. Lower your weapons, or I will crush him.
FLINT: Shoot, you fools! If he...!
Zartan throws a white phosphorus smoke grenade at his enemies, hiding him from the Autobots' infrared vision and forcing the Joes to retreat from the toxic particles. When the smoke clears, the spacebridge has self-destructed; Soundwave, Zartan, and their hostage are gone.
JAYE: Fliiiint!
In the forest, Snake Eyes is seeking the other Joes. He sees light beam into the sky-- a spacebridge is activated-- and runs towards it. The ninja sees the spacebridge in a clearing; he hides behind a tree as the spacebridge opens.
Dreadnoks, the spacebridge guards, are playing poker. Soundwave, Zartan, and Flint appear. The guards stand at attention, accidentally scattering the cards.
DREADNOKS: Colonel Soundwave!
Soundwave carries Flint out of the spacebridge; Zartan follows.
SOUNDWAVE: Logically, the Autobots will attempt to capture the airbase so their allies can send supplies and reinforcements. I will defend the airbase. You will defend the road leading to it.
He opens his chest compartment to reveal a cage.
ZARTAN: And the Yankee?
Soundwave locks the struggling Flint in the cage.
SOUNDWAVE: I have questions; he has answers.
He closes chest compartment, transforms, and drives towards the airbase.
Snake Eyes watches Zartan lead the Dreadnoks towards the village; then he glides after Soundwave.