TRANSFORMERS: Robots in Disguise
Episode 3.

BULLET TRAIN TO THE RESCUE

The show opens with Gas Skunk chasing down a train loaded with logs. He is trying to prove to Sky-Bite that he is ready for his mission. He jumps and transforms then attacks the train; stopping it and then throwing it off the tracks. He looks on the chaos he has created and laughs. Sky-Bite flies overhead and ridicules Gas Skunk, saying that he and his team are useless and that attacking a freight train takes no brains. Gas Skunk retorts by asking Sky-Bite if he should be in an aquarium somewhere as the Shark flies off. 

Slapper emerges from the water beside another rail line and is glad of his luck at having a moving target to practice on. He jumps from the water and transforms, then attacks the train with his Right Laser, the train explodes and is derailed. Sky-Bite flies overhead and asks why he wastes time attacking unmanned trains when he should be searching for energy. He flies off muttering that he will have to conceive and launch an attack himself. 

The scene changes to a celebration over the launch of a new bullet train; the linear RFG; A television reporter is covering the event and explaining that the train is controlled electronically from a command centre and that pilots have been replaced in the cockpit of the train by a supercomputer. Koji is at the event and Optimus Prime is watching from a viewer in Autobot headquarters. Prime points out his concern that some trains have been sabotaged recently but Koji tells him he worries too much and that he is sure the train is as safe as riding with Prime himself. Prime thanks him for the compliment but warns him to keep his eyes open for trouble. Koji excitedly tells prime that he’ll be going to fast to follow anything with his eyes. Prime urges him to be careful and Koji assures him that he will. T-A.I. interrupts and tells Prime that the Autobot brothers have arrived; they walk in and ask why they had been called. Prime asks T-A.I. to show them and she activates her monitors, showing images of several train wrecks, she says that she suspects the Predacons are behind the wrecks. X-Brawn asks why they would bother with unmanned trains; Prime says that they’re probably building up to something bigger and that the Linear RFG’s inaugural run is that day. Prowl informs his leader that if the Predacons intend to hit the train than he will be watching. Prime informs them that Koji is aboard the train; T-A.I. adds that the train must be defended, so Prime initiates Battle Protocol and they prepare to leave.

Back at the central train station the RFG is preparing to depart on it’s first run. Koji is sitting near a window and looks out in awe at the countryside as it blazes past him. The Autobots are watching from the large viewscreen on the control building when Prime says that he will follow along side the train, he tells the others to explore the track ahead for a Predacon attack.

Sideburn is following the track beside some cow grazing paddocks, he says that he sees no sign of Predacons and asks Prowl what specifically he’s looking for. Prowl replies that he doesn’t know but knowing the Predacons he is sure that it will be lethal, he reminds Sideburn that Koji is aboard the train and he could be in danger.

The RFG continues uninhibited on its journey, however Sky-Bite flies overhead, he plans to attack the train and steal its energy, saying that if he is successful Megatron will grant him the respect he deserves.

Prime is following alongside the train and notices nothing out of the ordinary, he resolves that he had better get back to base and make sure that everything else is alright. He operates the spacebridge and warps away.

Gas Skunk and Slapper are on a section of the track that passes over a chasm, they are setting an explosive device and joking about it when Prowl and Sideburn locate them. Prowl asks what they are up to and Slapper tries to play down their presence, saying that they are fixing some loose track. Gas Skunk adds that there is nothing going on that concerns them. Prowl makes it his concern and he and Sideburn transform. Gas Skunk attacks with his left laser and Slapper with his right laser. The two Autobots jump out of the way of the attack. Sideburn reports the fight to Prime.

In the train’s command centre the entire system has shut down. The humans inside try to shut down the train but cannot get access to its onboard computer. Optimus appears on the main viewscreen and apologises for intruding. One human asks who it is and another tells him that it is Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots. Prime tells the assemblage that he believes the Predacons are trying to destroy the train and asks them to shut it down. One of the technicians tells him that they’ve lost complete control of the train and can’t shut it down; he asks if Prime can help them. Prime tells them that the Autobots are dealing with the problem and tells them that he’ll get back to them.

Above the command centre Dark Scream glides away celebrating his success in disabling the control tower.

Prime contacts T-A.I. and asks her to activate the Member Select Board. She tells him that Team Bullet Train is best suited for the job. She notices that they are all on assignment so he will have to contact them individually and send them right to the field.

Railspike is stopped at a station when he is contacted, T-A.I. tells him that they have an emergency situation and orders him to report to Optimus Prime. He tells her he is on his way. He contacts the rail company’s headquarters and tells them that he has been called off on an emergency and they need a replacement engine. He disconnects from his carriages and speeds away. A conductor on the platform can’t believe his eyes when the train disappears into the distance.

T-A.I. contacts Rapid Run and orders him to report for duty. He tells her that he is on a commuter line and asks her if she has ever seen a mob of angry commuters. A woman in one of Rapid Run’s carriages is revelling in the fact that she doesn’t have to fight through all the commuter traffic like she would if he had driven, and she has the bonus of being able to eat her breakfast on the way in to work. T-A.I. insists that they have an emergency; Rapid Run agrees, telling her that once he drops fifty thousand pounds he will be on his way. He enters a tunnel and when he comes out the other side he is sans his carriages. He tells her that he will now report for duty. The carriages slide to a halt just outside the mouth of the tunnel. The lady is furiously asking how she is supposed to get to work and complains that her boss will never believe her.

T-A.I. explains to Midnight Express that there is an emergency and that he must report to Optimus immediately; he has just stopped at a station and jettisoned his carriages. She asks what his ETA is, he replies that if the track is clear he can be there in 8 hours, but if he uses the spacebridge he can be there in 30 seconds.

Prime welcomes the Bullet Train Team as they arrive, they pull up beside him and Rapid Run complains that he doesn’t know why they had to drop everything since there is no sign of the Predacons yet. Railspike interjects that it is not their place to question orders and that he believes T-A.I. when she says there is an emergency and is confident that Prime will explain when they are all there. Rapid Run explains that he was just making a passing comment, and that he left a load of angry passengers in a tunnel. Midnight Express comes out of the Spacebridge and asks what the problem is; Rapid Run asks if he’s all right. Midnight Express says that he’s fine but Rapid Run is unconvinced. Railspike tells them to cool it and pay attention then asks Prime what their assignment is. Prime explains that the train their following is the fastest in the world; Rapid Run interjects saying that he’d like to test that assumption sometime, Prime tells him he hopes it’s still around for him to find out since the Predacons are up to something, He says that they’ve already stopped one attempt at sabotage and he expects them to try again. Rapid Run asks why they don’t just cancel the journey, to which Railspike replies that it’s too late to do that, explaining that the command centre was attacked and they have lost control of the train. Rapid Run concludes that they have to find a way to stop it. Optimus tells them to contact Koji if they need any help with the passengers, then activates the spacebridge and meets up with the others.

X-Brawn and Sky-Bite are locked in battle. The Autobot is struck down by his shark aggressor’s T-A.I.l. The Autobot brothers regroup just as Prime arrives. He transforms and joins them, Prowl asks if the train is secure and Prime tells him that the bullet train team are taking care of it. Sky-Bite transforms to robot mode and takes position in front of the vermin. He tells Prime that he is too late to save the train

Midnight Express asks Railspike what their plan is, he replies that they don’t want to alert the passengers that there’s a problem. Rapid Run suggests getting in contact with the drivers, then suggests that they get Koji to do so.

Koji is looking outside the window and wondering what the other trains are doing there when Railspike contacts him. He introduces them and asks him if he can get the Driver to engage the manual override. Koji rushes off to the front of the train, as he enters the cockpit one of the crewmen rushes out, Koji idly wonders what his problem is and looks into the cabin. The driver and co-driver are wondering what happened to their failsafe, the breaks aren’t responding to the manual override and they’re gaining speed, one of them says that the train is out of control. Koji relays the information to the bullet train team, Railspike instructs the boy to stay calm and tells him that they’ll take care of it. Rapid Run suggests they get in front of it just as it starts to speed up again. Railspike tells him that the train is moving at over 150mph. Midnight Express asks where it has to get to in such a hurry; to which Rapid Run says it doesn’t matter as long as it gets there in one piece. Railspike takes that as a challenge, asking if any of them know how to accomplish it Midnight Express suggests coating the track with glue; rapid run replies that he is going to pretend Midnight didn’t say that.

Inside the passengers are becoming afraid because of the seeming uncontrollable speed of the train. Koji is becoming afraid, too.

Slapper attacks X-Brawn with his laser, but the Autobot jumps away from the blast. Sideburn retaliates with his laser pistol, Prowl with his missile launchers and Prime with his pistol. Slapper and Gas Skunk are knocked over by the blasts. Sky-Bite attacks with his chest laser, which hits Prowl. Prime tells him to hold on, he then orders the other two car brothers to get to the other side of the track and head off the train. Prime asks how Prowl is and tells him that they have to get moving. They turn as they hear the train approaching. Sky-Bite is celebrating his imminent success.

Railspike decides that they will link up with the RFG and use their own breaks to slow it down, Rapid Run agrees but Midnight Express warns that if they overuse their breaks they could give out. Railspike acknowledges his concern but goes ahead with the plan, the train’s combine on the one track and race past the RFG, they launch into the air and land in front of and behind. Railspike orders them to start breaking.

X-Brawn is arriving over the other side of the bridge with Sideburn; the two transform and run to the track. Prime and Prowl try to move closer to the track but are blocked by Sky-Bite and Dark Scream. The latter activates the detonator on Sky-Bite’s command and then jumps from the bridge and glides away. Sky-Bite jumps over the approaching Prime’s head and transforms, he then flies away, telling prime to enjoy the show. The bridge collapses under the explosion and the four Autobots duck to escape the debris.

Sky-Bite and the vermin are standing on a cliff top awaiting the train’s arrival while the bullet train team are still trying to stop it they start breaking hard but it seems to be having little effect and the passengers inside are still afraid. Rapid Run – who is in front – notices that the bridge has been blown. Sky-Bite laughs that they will go over the edge with the RFG. Rapid Run doesn’t think they’re slowing down enough to stop the train in time; Prime seems to agree and he converts to battle mode. He stands on the track and adds his weight to the train team’s breaks to try and stop it; they manage to stop it just in time before it and them plunge off the edge over the crevice. Sky-Bite curses them for their interference. Prime congratulates them on a job well done before Rapid Run suggests backing the train away from the ledge.

Sky-Bite is about to hit the train with a laser blast but Sideburn beats him to it and collapses the ledge they’re standing on. They fall to the ground below and are confronted by Prime – who is still in his battle armour. He tells them to leave immediately.

The Bullet Train Team have backed the RFG up a good distance and they leave to rejoin the fighting. Koji thanks them for their help as they leave.

Sky-Bite refuses to leave, saying that he hasn’t even begun to fight. Megatron sarcastically agrees as he arrives in Jet mode and asks what they are doing there without orders from him. Sky-Bite insists that it was not his fault, Megatron doesn’t believe him, however, and he transforms to robot mode, he fires a blast at Optimus who shrugs it off and pines that Megatron doesn’t even say hello anymore. Team Bullet Train return and transform to join the fray, Megatron is not pleased to see them and they greet the Predacon leader with various attacks. Megatron avoids them all and converts to Dragon mode then blasts them with fireblasts from his mouths. The Railbots realise they’re outnumbered and combine into Rail Racer.

Sideburn is amazed at the show and asks why he and his brothers can’t do that. Prowl suggests that they’re double jointed. Sideburn thinks the trains might be able to tech them but X-Brawn comments that he was never a good student. Sideburn changes his mind resolving that he wouldn’t want to fuse with his brothers anyway.

Megatron attacks Rail Racer with his fire breath again but the gestalt easily avoids it, he responds by punching the dragon, knocking him over, and then firing a massive blast from his combination weapon. Megatron and Sky-Bite manage to get out of the way of the blast but the vermin bare its brunt and are blasted away. Megatron and Sky-Bite retreat from the scene. Optimus thanks Rail Racer for his help and they reply that they don’t tolerate life forms that destroy railroad tracks.

Railspike suggests that the trains get back to work, Rapid Run agrees, adding that he was in the middle of a commuter journey and they didn’t seem pleased at the interruption, and he wonders if he can make up for the lost time. Railspike cautions that safety should come first. Midnight Express says that he was about to host a private wedding party and wonders if they’ve taken their vows yet. The team speeds off together over the horizon, Prime comments to the others that the trains really came through for them today.

The stewardess aboard the linear RFG apologises for the delay and says that thanks to the help of the Autobots they can now complete their journey, Koji is still looking out the window at the scenery as it passes; Prime is watching over and vowing that they will always be there to protect the Earth no matter what the threat.