TRANSFORMERS ALIENS IN DISQUISE
                            More Than Meets The Eye Part 9
 
    Suddenly another powerful explosion from beneath the earth shakes the ground and causes the mountainside to erupt in fire!  Debris fly in every direction as Commandos and terrans flee in terror.  Inside a collapsed chamber the Syndicate gaze up at a hole in the ceiling or roof of the cavern created by Archer's shoulder-wrist cannon (Similar to the one used by the Predator) as their escape exit.
 
FOXY ROXY
    It worked, we're free!
SHE LION
    We can get out!
ARCHER
    We are indestructible.  Power to the Empire forever! <His warriors echo the war-cry chant>
MEWTWO <Holds up cubes>
    Energon cubes still functional.
ARCHER
    Take them and follow me...scramble! <Once again he leads the retreat>
 
    Rourke and his soldiers watch in shock & disbelief at the sight of the mutants emerging from the mines and racing through the skies.
 
LYLE ROURKE
    The Syndicate, they're escaping!
T.J. COMBO
    After them, they're...
LYLE ROURKE
    Save it Combo.  They're too fast for us in the air.
T.J. COMBO <Angry>
    Well I'm tired of sucking up their vapor trails...I'll stop them.
 
    Taking to the sky himself he goes in hot pursuit.  Startled by this cowardly attempt of foolishness bravery Lyle is slow to react.
 
LYLE ROURKE
    T.J., come back!
ORCHID
    I'll get him. <She goes after the boxer>
HELGA SINCLAIR
    Orchid, no!
 
    Within seconds the secret agent catches up to the boxer-bodybuilder and tries convincing him he is doing the wrong thing by taking on the enemy himself.
 
ORCHID
    Call it off T.J. there's too many of them, they're out of reach.
T.J. COMBO
    Stop telling me what not to do lady, this is my fight.
ORCHID
    Yeah? <Sneers> Make it our fight.  Watch as an expert demostrates how to takedown the mutants the old-fashioned way.
T.J. COMBO
    Be my guest, after you my dear.  Ladies first. <Gestures>
ORCHID
    Ok!  9-ball in the pocket.
 
    And she lets loose a round from her pulse smart gun that explodes against one of the jets in formation which is Prince Leon who is suprised of being shot at from his blindspot and radios to his boss.
 
PRINCE LEON
    My lord!  Request permission to teleport.
ARCHER
    Permission granted.  Teleport and destroy.
 
    The mutant lion rock star dissapears as he banks into a tight turn and comes back around behind the Commandos who cannot see him until he reappears directly behind Orchid & Combo still undetected and locks onto his targets.
 
PRINCE LEON
    Now it's my turn, let's see how you like it.  Take that! <Opens fire>
 
    Suddenly T.J. and Orchid discover that now they are the ones being fired upon as missiles & laserbeams streak past on both sides.  Quickly they attempt evasive action to elude their attacker.
 
ORCHID
    It's like fighting your shadow.
T.J. COMBO
    Not when it's trying to kill you.
 
    Without warning the boxer is struck by a blast and cries in pain from the impact of the shots to his rear and goes tumbling out of control down-down-down to the ground as Orchid races after him.
 
ORCHID
    T.J.!!! <Screams in terror>
 
    Combo falls into a nearby lake dissapearing under the surface before bobbing back up, floating facedown & unconscious.  Alarmed & scared Orchid dives into the water and swims to the rescue.
 
ORCHID
    I'm coming T.J., hold on!
 
    Reaching him she cradles his head above water and turns to see the other Elite landing on the shore.  Yelling and waving frantically she gets their attentions.
 
ORCHID
    Throw me a line!
HELGA SINCLAIR
    You got it! <Shoots grappling hook & cable out to her>
ORCHID <Catches hook>
    Pull us in!
 
    Hauling on the line like reeling in the BIG CATCH the Commandos drag Orchid into shore still holding onto Combo who comes around as his friends gather around his body and stare down at him.
 
T.J. COMBO
    I can't move.
LYLE ROURKE
    At least you can still talk ole buddy.
JOSHUA SWEET
    Where did you get hit?
T.J. COMBO
    Back-end somewhere, think my linkage is busted.
JOSHUA SWEET
    I'll check him.  Get him inside! <Morphs to his monster truck mode>
LYLE ROURKE
    You gave us all a pretty bad scare.
T.J. COMBO <Cracks a bad sense of humor>
    It could be worse.  I remember the time on Alpha Prime.
LYLE ROURKE
    Save the war-stories hotshot.  Just remember there's a thin line between being a hero and being a zero.
LEI WULONG
    Maybe T.J.'s ready for some nice R%R.
T.J. COMBO
    No way man!  Soon as Doc fixes me up, I'll be right back in action.
LYLE ROURKE
    We'll see.  Let's get out of here.
 
    Morphing back to Big Rig form he leads his soldiers back to headquarters where days later Ash is dictating some more entrys into his diary notebook.
 
ASH KETCHUM
    Commander Rourke cares alot for his fellow Commandos and he dosen't want anything bad to happen to them.  I think he would make a neat president.
 
    At the same time outside the entrance to HQ are Lara Croft and Kip Killigan standing guard over Ravage held hostage inside a cage with electrified bars.  The archaeologist TombRaider dangles a keyring of keys in front of the angry Terminator wolf who tries snatching them but each time Croft yanks them away.
 
LARA CROFT
    Uh-uh Ravage these keys aren't for you. <Teases the T-800> Ha-ha, don't think he likes being a hostage or POW.
KIP KILLIGAN
    Can't say I blame him.  Ya know I'm suprised the Empire has not tried to rescue him.
LARA CROFT
    I'm not, they don't care about anything, not even their own. <Then gets a BIG idea> Hey Ravage, watch this!
 
    She conjures a 3D illusion of Archer to appear out of nowhere like magic to infuriate Ravage even more!  The T-800 wolf lunges against the glowing bars of his cage growling & snarling almost as though he wants to murder the TombRaider for her nasty-sneaky jokes.
 
KIP KILLIGAN
    Heh-heh, Croft.  When we get back to Alpha Prime will you make me a BIG house with a BIGGER garage?  Ho-ho, holograms look so real nobody would know the difference.
LARA CROFT
    Kip, you just gave me a great idea.
 
    And she heads away to discuss her plan with the boss.
 
LYLE ROURKE <Interested>
    A hologram?
LARA CROFT
    That's right sir but I mean a BIG one.
LEI WULONG
    What did you have in mind?
LARA CROFT
    A gigantic illusion that will trick the Syndicate into coming to us on our terms.
HELGA SINCLAIR
    It might just work.
BRICK BAZOOKA
    What's the hologram of?
LYLE ROURKE
    I got an idea, now listen up. <He outlines the gameplan>
 
    Later Croft returns to share the plans with Killigan who gets all excited!
 
LARA CROFT
    I just saw Rourke.  He told me Teletran 1 located a secret supply of rocketfuel.
KIP KILLIGAN
    Where?
LARA CROFT
    Not too far from here about 100 killometers due west.
 
    Ravage listens to the conversation with interest & curiousity as it shows in his red eye-sensors.  This could be good news for his master he thinks to himself if only he can escape and return to HQ.
 
KIP KILLIGAN
    Then we can still return to Alpha Prime?
LARA CROFT
    Why there's enough fuel at that base to make dozens of trips to and from Alpha Prime.  C'mon let's go tell T.J. make him feel better.
KIP KILLIGAN
    But what about Ravage?
LARA CROFT
    Him? <Smirks> Don't worry, he's not going anywhere.
 
    But she intentionally drops the keyring on the ground in front of Ravage's cage so the Terminator easily snares them and deactivates the energy-bars to his prison and the door swings open.  As he sprints away to freedom the shocked Elite respond to his escape.
 
KIP KILLIGAN
    It's Ravage!
LARA CROFT
    He's escaping.
KIP KILLIGAN
    After him!
 
    Alas however both are unable to recapture the T-800 who makes his break to freedom in time.  Both return to report the failure to their boss.
 
LYLE ROURKE
    What happened?
KIP KILLIGAN
    Ravage, he escaped.
LYLE ROURKE
    Perfect...just like I planned.  Now all we do is wait.
 
    Now simultanously at Empire headquarters Ravage playsback the information to Archer and the mutants who listen with glee.
 
RAVAGE
    The rocketbase is 100 killometers due west of the Elite camp.
ARCHER
    Excellent Ravage, excellent.  This rocketfuel is the last resource we need to defeat the Commandos and control Alpha Prime.
NINJARA
    Right on schedule aren't we?
ARCHER
    No thanks to you Ninjara.
NINJARA
    I've made my contributions.
ARCHER
    You've also made clear your desire to replace me as leader of the Syndicate.  Mistake #1.
 
    Ninjara feels her anger boiling up, ready to erupt at any second now as she tries persuading her master to let her show her loyalty & honor of leading the Empire to victory one of these days.
 
NINJARA
    Grrrrrr, <Snarls, angry stare, eyes narrowed, teeth bared> it's time for a change Lord Archer, it's time for action not words.  I am the leader of the future!
ARCHER
    You couldn't lead Cylons to a picnic.  How could you pretend to lead the Empire?
 
    He starts walking away when the lady fox retaliates!!!  Without warning she takes aim with her pulse laser rifle to shoot her master in the backside.
 
MEWTWO
    Lord Archer! <Cries a warning>
 
    Archer whirls around at the same time Ninjara fires her gun.  Quick in the blink of an eye the gorgonyte warrior deflects-blocks the laserbeams aimed at him with ease using the powers of his morpher.  Ninjara throws a temper tantrum like a spoiled brat or child.
 
NINJARA
    Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!  Nooooooooooo!
ARCHER <Scolds her>
    You failed to assassinate me when you had the chance madame fox.  Mistake #2, now it's my turn. <He aims his cannon>
NINJARA <Fear>
    Wait, don't fire.  I, I was wrong, I shouldn't have done it.  PLEASE DON'T SHOOT!
 
    But too late as Archer returns fire sending a powerful blast slamming into the vixen and knocking Ninjara flat on her backside in pain.  Grimacing from the effect of the stinging blast she crawls on hands & knees before her boss and holding hands up high pleads with him not to kill her.
 
NINJARA
    Archer, ARCHER!
ARCHER
    Oh, very well. <Glowers> You are spared the death penalty for now.  But don't let it happen again OR ELSE!
NINJARA
    I promise, I swear it will never happen again my lord. <Bows>
ARCHER
    As you wish. <Then addresses his goons> We attack the rocketbase at sunrise.
 
    At dawn the next morning a fascade (French word meaning FAKE) rocketbase is projected into focus.  Hiding behind the false buildings are the Elite ready for wargames as usual.  Just then the mutants and their machine allies rise up like ghosts or phantoms high atop plateaus overlooking the countryside.  Archer gives the orders to begin the assault.
 
ARCHER
    Attack! <Shoots several blasts with his cannon>
 
    Then screaming-yelling like the Confederate Rebels during the infamous Picket's Charge of Gettysburgh, 1st Manasses, Shiloh, Antietam, etc. the Cylons, Terminators and mutants rush the base firing their laser guns as the Elite pop up and shouting-yelling like the Union Yankees return fire and engage the enemy in close quarters.  Soon everybody is punching, kicking, flipping, ducking, headbutting and so forth until Lyle notices something is amiss, very strange.
 
LYLE ROURKE
    Hold it, stop fighting. <Looks around> What in the universe is going on here?
CHIP HAZARD
    Scrap.
BRICK BAZOOKA
    Springs.
BUTCH MEATHOOK
    Junk.
LYLE ROURKE
    We've been had.
ARCHER
    That's right Lyle, I was on your little scheme from the start.  Did you really think you could fool me by allowing Ravage to escape, did you?
LYLE ROURKE
    Go on Archer, you're in the driver's seat.
ARCHER
    While you and the Commandos have been fighting a bunch of crash-test dummies, <Points to fake enemy soldiers scattered about> the real Syndicate have been at the real rocket-site.  You've lost Rourke, the Empire has won! <Erupts into evil laughter> Hmhmhmahahahahaah!
LYLE ROURKE
    The race isn't over Archer.
ARCHER
    Oh it's over Commander, you just don't know it, heheheahahahahaah.
 
    Then he flies away leaving Rourke glaring after him defiantly as the fake rocketbase vanishes like a mirage.  Archer was right!  The mutants, Cylons and Terminators launched a suprise sneak-attack like Pearl Harbor 1941 on a nearby rocketbase to help themselves to the fuel reserves needed badly to power the engines to their starship.  Back at the enemy base with the starship finished and ready for departure Archer can't believe his good luck is about to come true.
 
MEWTWO
    Course back to Alpha Prime charted.  Starship fueled and ready for departure.  What are your orders my lord?
ARCHER
    Prepare for blastoff.
 
    Simultanously at Elite headquarters Rourke addresses his troops who stand at attention before him together with Ash, his mother, Tracy, Misty & Brock.
 
LYLE ROURKE
    We have come to a moment of truth.  The Empire are in position to return to Alpha Prime.  We have no choice but to attack them directly but this battle will be dangerous, there may or will be casualties so I ask for volunteers...Helga?
HELGA SINCLAIR
    Volunteers, step foreward!
 
    In fact everybody or everyone assists in this assault on the mutants stronghold and stop them from returning home to their planet and ruling the universe.
 
HELGA SINCLAIR
    Commandos, transform. <They converge to vehicular forms> Start your engines, <The motors rev up> ready sir!
LYLE ROURKE
    Let's roll! <He morphs to 18-Wheeler form> Move out!
 
                                        END OF PART IX