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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Sol System. Named after the Roman god of war, it is often referred to as the “Red Planet” because of the iron oxide prevalent on its surface, giving it a reddish appearance. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent of both the impact craters of the moon and the valleys, deserts and polar ice caps of nearby Earth. There is strong scientific evidence showing that Mars was once a thriving planet teeming with life eons ago, but is now a barren wasteland caused by an unknown catastrophe. While the Red Planet may presently be uninhabited, it will soon be visited by mechanical alien beings who will bring their war to its surface and ultimately engage in a fight for their very survival.

Outer Space Within Mars's Vicinity

The shuttle Starscream commandeered from the Thanatos was not in good shape. It was flying, but only moments after they left the Thanatos behind, one of the boosters shut down and speed was cut to almost half.

"This god-forsaken scrap pile is worthless!" Starscream screamed at the control console in the cockpit, and slammed his fists on it. "Come on, I need to get to Earth! Fast!"

He looked over to Feedback sitting next to him.

"Can't you do anything?! Don't you have any shuttle repair experience?!" he asked, almost not even expecting an answer. "What about the other 2? Can they do anything besides shoot their guns and mouths off?!"

He was frustrated. This should have gone smoother. He definitely had planned it differently. Then a thought hit him. Had Skywarp sabotaged the shuttle? he wondered. "Yes, he must have...but then why did this goof and his friends say the shuttle checked out before they left? he glanced sideways at Feedback. He knew he was being hard on the Seeker, but unfortunately for the black bird, there was no one else around to suffer Starscream's wrath. Not yet, anyway.

The Lollipop's cargo hold

The blinding flash illuminated the otherwise pitch black cargo hold. Then it flashed again, this time the duration was a few seconds longer, then it went out again. Then the 3rd flash became a steady source of light, turning the cargo hold from a dark hole into a bright sunny day. Suddenly, several figures materialized out of nowhere. They dropped onto the floor after fully appearing in mid air.

Ironhide, Pipes and Starfire all crashed down with a loud slam.

"Ahh!" Starfire exclaimed as she landed on her shoulder and head.

Ironhide just grunted as his back took the brunt of the impact.

"Whoa!" Pipes shouted as he landed on his feet, then lost his balance and went head-first into the nearest wall.

"Uhh...where..." Ironhide started. "Are we on...Earth?"

"No..." Starfire answered, rubbing the side of her head. "We...we seem to be in some enclosed space."

She used her headlights to light up the cargo hold.

"It's...empty." she said. "But...we're..."

"Movin'!" Pipes finished her sentence. "We're...we're on a ship! Or...somethin'."

"Did...did the chamber malfunction?" Ironhide said. "Did it send us to a different part of the Guardian?"

Pipes looked around.

"Starfire...try to find us a door." Ironhide said. "And be alert. We don't know where we are."

"Wait..." Pipes said. "Where's Arcee? If I remember right, she was in the chamber with us! Did she...get out before we left? I recall smoke filling up the chamber, like something went...wrong. I hope she's alright."

They all looked around for a way out, weapons at the ready.

Outer Space

Feedback sighed. "I'm an electronic warfare specialist." He grumbled to Starscream. "I cause glitches, not fix them."

--

"I'm already on it, Commander." Vertigo said as his fingers flew across the controls. The readings he got back gave him nothing conclusive. "I'm not sure what's going on. The shuttle doesn't seem to be very... healthy. Perhaps I could try to fix it if I get close to where the problem is."

--

"Look, shooting stuff is what I do." Lock On grumbled, a b it offended that his best skill was being mocked.

"What was that?" Starscream snapped his head around. "Did you hear that?"

He looked back at the others doing their various tasks.

"Nobody else heard...?"

He then started towards the door to the hall leading down to the cargo hold.

"Just keep this tub moving, is all I ask." he said. "I'm sure I heard something. I'm going to check it out. Message me if you get any readings."

Starscream then walked out of the cockpit and into the hall toward the cargo hold.

"I know I heard something." he muttered. "Am I losing it...?"

He activated his null rays nonetheless.

The cargo hold

"I found it!" Pipes said, as he put his hands and face up against the crack in the wall where the door was.

"Be careful!" Ironhide said. "We don' know what's on the other side!"

He walked up behind Pipes as Starfire followed him, her headlights pointed to the wall.

"There it is!" she said, pointing to the locks.

"Doesn' look like anythin' special." Ironhide said. "Let's see if..."

"Wait!" Pipes stopped him. "What if it's rigged?"

"It's empty in here." Starfire said. "Or, it was before we got here. I doubt they would..."

"We don' know anythin'." Ironhide said. "I'm not spendin' any more time in here tryin' to figure it out. There's the door, we need to get out to see what's goin' on. So be ready for anythin' 'cause I'm openin' this damn door in about 2 seconds!"

Before either of them could protest, Ironhide grabbed the handle on the door and pulled.

Shuttle Bridge

As Starscream headed out the door, Feedback was having the internal scanners activate to listen for any sounds.

Wordlessly he moved fingers across the controls pulling up a dizzying array of information.

---

Vertigo, though, was fretting. "Commander! We have drones for that!" He shouted after Starscream wiggling his shoulders to make his wings move to highlight the drones stowed under said wings. "Ugh! At least take Lock On with you! Lock On, go with the Commander."

--

Lock On had just put his feet up to enjoy the show when Vertigo had started yelling at him. "You go, Fanboy." He grumbled.

--

Vertigo's optics went to evil glare and set on Lock On. "You are the weapons crazed warrior, you go."

--

Lock On took his feet off the control panel. He knew when not to argue with Vertigo.

"Commander, I'll come with you!" He yelled as he chased after Starscream.

Corridor to the cargo hold

Starscream turned his head back towards Lock On.

"Finally." he said. "Someone."

He then started walking again, but stopped.

"You go first." he said to Lock On, and stepped to the side so the Seeker could go past him.

---

Ironhide pulled the door open and aimed his gun through the opening. Nothing. It was empty.

"Anything?" Starfire whispered, right behind him.

"No." Ironhide answered. "But we're on some kind of ship or shuttle, I can tell. And we're definitely movin'. I can feel it.

"But..." Pipes said. "The chamber...can it do that...?

"I have no idea." Ironhide said. "But that ain't our concern right now. Keep your optics open. We could be anywhere."

With that, he stepped out into the hallway, gun pointed straight ahead. Starfire followed, and Pipes behind her.

Shuttle Corridor To Cargo Bay

Lock On made a face. Oh he knew what was going on. As he walked past Starscream he made a soft, irritated sound. "Way to be brave, Commander." He muttered as he drew his rifle and walked down the corridor.

Corridor

"Hey!" Starscream answered his subordinate's snide remark. "You wanted to follow me! That means being my supporter, my back-up, and my...what's the word the humans are so fond of...oh! My minion! Ha! I love that word!"

With that, Starscream spread out his arms and pointed down the corridor toward the cargo bay, smiling at Lock On.

"After you." he said with the best mock of an obedient underling he could muster.

---

Ironhide stopped.

"You hear that?" he asked.

"What?" Starfire whispered back. "I don't hear anything."

"I'm like 10 million years older than you and I can hear it!" Ironhide whispered loudly.

"I don't hear..." Starfire protested, but then stopped. "Wait...yes...yes, I do. Sounds like someone's...arguing. A high, shrill voice...I can't make out the words..."

"Okay, so you can hear it." Ironhide said. "That means we're not alone 'round here, so we should be careful."

"Well, if we ever make it up there, if you 2 will quit yer yappin'." Pipes chimed in.

Both Ironhide and Starfire turned their heads and gave him a look. If Pipes had a mouth, he'd have smirked.

"Let's. Go." Ironhide stated deliberately.

With guns drawn, they proceeded down the corridor.

Shuttle Corridors To The Cargo Bay

"I'm not your fanboy, Starscream." Lock On said. "That's Vertigo. I just don't hate you, because you are far better a choice for leader, even more so than Megatron. But don't think I will be fawning all over you like he does... I can still think you are a coward."

He powered up his rifle. "What was that gesture you showed the Thanatos... the human one?" He asked. "I feel the need to use it."

Corridor of The Lollipop

Starscream couldn't help but smile. Even in an uncertain situation such as this he managed to get under the armor plating of a fellow 'Con. It was good to be reassured that he still had "it." After all, Megatron wasn't around to be annoyed, and the others weren't nearly as much fun.

"Alright, alright." he said to Lock On with an atoning gesture. "Let's check out this noise I am certain I heard and...wait!"

Starscream pointed forward down the corridor, where a small light became visible.

"See! I knew I heard something!" he said louder. "Vertigo! Get out here! NOW!"

---

Ironhide, Starfire and Pipes made their way down the corridor in silence. It was dark, except for the 5-10 yards Starfire's headlights illuminated in front of them.

"Do you hear it anymore?" Starfire asked Ironhide. "The voices?"

"No...they seem to have stopped." Ironhide answered.

"Maybe they heard us?" Pipes asked. "And they're getting ready for an ambush?"

"Anythin''s possible." Ironhide replied. "Keep yer optics open. Wide."

They proceeded down the corridor, until Ironhide suddenly stopped, and Starfire ran into him.

"OOF!" she exclaimed. "What is it? Why'd you stop?"

"Ya hear that?" Ironhide said. "It's comin' in loud and clear. That shrill voice..."

"Yeah...who could...?" she started to say.

"It's Starscream!" Pipes blurted out. "I can pick out that grating voice anywhere!"

"Yer right!" Ironhide answered. "Guns up! When he's 'round, nothin' ever turns out fine!"

"And now what?" Starfire asked.

"We keep movin'." Ironhide said. "Maybe we can take 'em by surprise. An' turn off yer headlights!"

Bridge of The Lollipop

"On the good ship, Lollipop, it's a sweet trip..." Feedback's soft singing was interrupted by an annoyed Vertigo.

---

"What are you singing?" Vertigo asked.

---

"Just a very annoying human song. It gets stuck in your processor." Feedback replied and looked up from the comms panel to Vertigo. "I know it's annoying. Sorry." He paused a moment. "Sooooo recon drones then?" He motioned to the drones stowed under Vertigo's wings?

----

"Reaper and Predator." Vertigo responded pointing to each respective drone as he named them. "I'm the best fragging recon specialist out there. Deployable in flight... a multitude of cameras... don't need monitors, I'm up linked to them."

---

"Nice. .." Feedback said. "Haha, we're polar opposites... I'm countermeasures, your recon.."

---

"INCANS?" Vertigo asked.

--
"Oh you bet your metal aft I do." Feedback replied with a smirk.

---

"Sweet...-" Vertigo said. "We'd make a killer team..." But Vertigo was interrupted by an incoming transmission.

Rodimus Prime wrote:"Vertigo! Get out here! NOW!"

He tapped a finger on the control panel. "Starscream is shrieking for me..." He mutteredid as he stood. "It's on auto piliot. You'll be fine."

---

Feedback gave Vertigo a look. "I know how to fly."

---

Vertigo just gave Feedback a dismissive wave and left the bridge.

He quietly navigated the corridors until he came to Starscream and Lock On. "Yes Commander?"

Corridor of The Lollipop

"We have intruders!" Starscream practically screamed into Vertigo's face, standing mere inches from the Seeker. "Follow Lock On and provide cover! I'm right behind you!"

He then pointed down the hallway where the light was...but then it went out!

"Wait...what?!" Starscream shouted. "But...they were right there! You saw it!"

He looked at Vertigo, then down the corridor, then back at Vertigo, then down the corridor, then at Vertigo again.

---

"I see them!" Starfire whispered. "Even in the dark."

"Yes, me too." Ironhide answered. "Pipes, yer ready?"

"Bring 'em on, boss bot. I got these pipes locked an' loaded!" the small blue bot answered, raising both arms with the pipe cannons on them. The lethal gas charges they fired would turn most Transformer's metal outer and inner frame into fragile glass.

"Just be careful not to shoot us!" Starfire whispered loudly.

"Here we go!" Ironhide said as they approached the 1st figure in the hallway, seemingly a large Decepticon Seeker.

Corridor of The Lollipop

Vertigo flinched a bit when Starscream got in his face. He wasn't exactly used to others doing that.

"Yes sir." He muttered though, optics following Starscream's pointing, Lock On was already inching his way down the corridor, gun held ready to shoot.

Just as he was about to start into motion, the light went out, and Starscream was shouting again. "You certainly are living up to the second half of your name..." he muttered, then spoke up in a louder tone. "Yes, Commander, I did see it." He confirmed.

----

"Definitely a light." Lock On said softly. He could swear he could sense someone getting closer to him.

Corridor of The Lollipop

Starscream didn't know what was happening to him. He was freaking out. But why? There were unknowns on the shuttle, after he had been told it was cleared right before takeoff. No one boarded (that he could tell) after they left the Thanatos, yet here were some strangers advancing on them and the cockpit. Did they want to overtake the shuttle? Did Razorclaw plant someone before takeoff? Did Skywarp lie to him? And how did Vertigo and Lock On miss these intruders? There were a lot of questions to be answered. But 1st things 1st. Right now he had to calm down and stop treating his Seekers like...like Megatron used to treat him. He wanted to be like Megatron, but not in that way. So Starscream decided to do something he should have done from the beginning. Lead.

"Vertigo, Lock On!" he commanded in a more even tone. "Your weapons at the ready, cover me."

He swiftly moved past his 2 underlings, his null rays pointed out towards the other end of the corridor. It was dark, but Starscream had built-in night vision, even if only at basic level. He could see clearly about 50 yards ahead. He could see clearly several dark figures approaching. Slowly. Cautiously. With what looked like weapons raised.

---

Ironhide put 1 foot in front of the other, slowly and cautiously. Ahead of him was dark, and he couldn't see very well. Were his optics failing him? Was he getting old? Please. Getting? He was old. But not too old to dent some Decepticon skidplate. If indeed that's who they were up ahead.

"Ya see anythin'?" Pipes asked.

"Not sure." Ironhide answered. "Too dark. Just be at the ready."

Bridge of The Lollipop

>>"This shuttle is crap."<< Feedback said over the comms. >>"I can't detect any lifesigns, even ours. Wait.<< He paused. >>"No. I thought I saw some life signs for a moment. It said there was Autobots for a moment. It thinks we're Autobots. Can we get a new shuttle, this one is crap."<<

---

Corridors

"Does Feedback ever stop talking, Starscream?" Lock On asked l as he moved behind the Air Commander to cover him.

Corridor of The Lollipop

"You wouldn't want him to." Starscream replied to Lock On. "Trust me. Feedback isn't 1 to play games. Anything he says is valuable information. If he says this shuttle is scrap, it's scrap. Which brings me to my next question. Didn't you and Vertigo check it out and say it was good to go?"


---

Ironhide kept his guns up, as he advanced down the corridor. The figures up ahead becmae more and more visible. Then he saw him. Rather, he recognized the outline. Starscream!

"Scrap." he muttered to himself, then stopped and turned to Starfire. "Time to find out what yer made of. Up ahead is Starscream, and what I assume are some o' his Seekers. Not a fun bunch, an' definitely not easy to fight. So follow my lead, an' when I start shootin', ya do the same. Got it?"

Starfire said nothing, just nodded and lifted her rifle scope up to her optic. She was a deadly sniper, which didn't go far in close quarters, but she still figured she could get a couple of quality shots off before they got into hand-to-hand combat.

Corridors of The Lollipop

"We did check it out." Vertigo interjected. "The best we could, we were a bit rushed. From the quick check it seemed operationa-" He stopped as he thought he detected some movement. "I think they're getting closer." His tone was hushed.

--

Lock On leveled his rifle towards where they suspected the Autobots were, not saying a word.

Corridor of The Lollipop

"Rushed?" Starscream asked Vertigo. "I told you to check it out. I waited until you were done. It's not like it was an emergency! When we deal with this...whatever this is, we're gonna have a little chat, just the 3 of us!"

Starscream then turned forward and stopped in the middle of the hallway.

"Whoever you are, show yourself!" he shouted. "We can detect you not far from us, and you have no chance in a fight! So reveal who you are and why you're here! Otherwise you'll be scrapped!"

---

The words stopped Ironhide in his tracks. The shrill voice confirmed that it indeed was Starscream who stood just a little further down from them.

"What do we do?" Starfire whispered. "I don't imagine they would like to have a chat and clear this up."

"Well, technically we're not at war right now." Pipes said.

"Are ya outta yer little blue mind?" Ironhide answered him. "Of course we're not givin' up!"

"But we should find out where we are at least, before all the shooting starts." Starfire added. "What if we're on a Decepticon cruiser and the shooting will just bring more 'Cons up here? You know Starscream! Maybe we can get someone else up here. Someone higher ranked, who would be willing to talk this out. We don't even know how many there are."

"I don' see this endin' but 1 way." Ironhide said. "Besides, I didn't hear no alarms. An' by the look of it, there's only 3 or 4 o' them. Right now. Maybe we can take 'em."

"Take them?" Pipes responded. "TAKE THEM?! THAT'S STARSCREAM! AND HIS..."

"Keep yer damn voice down, will ya!" Ironhide cut him off. "They started talkin', we didn't. We may still be able to surprise 'em!"

"Alright." Starfire said. "So what do we do?"

Corridor of The Lollipop

"Oh we are not going there." Lock On mumbled after Starscream spoke. He disagreed with the air commander'so statement... strongly.

--

"No, we're not, Lock. Not now." Vertigo hissed just as Starscream called out the Bots.

---

>>"Are there Bots there?"<< Feedback said over the comms. "So was the computer right? Who knew."

Corridor of The Lollipop

"I got a shot." Starfire said. "Starscream's big, fat, smug, smirking face right in my sights."

She had Starscream's face right in the crosshairs of her sniper rifle's scope. Kneeling down, she waited for Ironhide to give the word. Technically, he wasn't her commander, but she deferred to his judgment anyway, out of respect for his experience as a grizzled veteran.

"Take it." Ironhide said after a moment's hesitation.

Starfire squeezed the trigger, and the round exploded out of the rifle's silenced barrel.

...

Starscream stood in the middle of the corridor, we a slight smile on his face. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew he had the intruders cornered. Unless they had a surprise for him, or there were a lot more of them than he thought. As he turned toward Lock On to respond to the Seeker's snarky comment, a flash went off down the corridor and something impacted the side of Starscream's neck, blowing chucks out of it.

"AAAARRRGGGHHH!!!" he screamed and tumbled backward, landing flat on his back.

He writhed and squealed in pain, turning on his side and pulling up his legs in a sort-of fetal position, as much as his wings allowed, anyway. He was clutching his neck, and fluids were flowing out of the wound and through his fingers. If he hadn't turned his head, there wouldn't be much left of his face.

Corridors of The Lollipop

>>"Commander down. Feedback, get out here. Looks like they have a sniper."<< Lock On said strangely calm.

Which that calm didn't last long, he replaced his rifle with his shotgun. "Come on little Autobots!" He yelled out tauntingly. "Let's play!!!"

With that he opened fire, hitting the trigger as much as possible, sending sprays of shrapnel down the corridor with a maniacal laugh.

--

Vertigo dropped down to check on Starscream as Lock On let loose with gun fire. "Commander, how bad?" He asked.

---

At Lock On's order, Feedback double checked the automated flight controls. He wasn't confident they would get to their correct coordinates.

There wasn't much he could do though, except stop the shuttle, but that didn't seemail like the best idea under the circumstances.

>>"I'm coming!"<< He said running out of the cockpit.

He made it down the corridor as fast as he could, skidding to a stop when he reached the others, taking out his gun.

Corridor of The Lollipop

"Incoming!" Ironhide shouted as the sides of the corridor began exploding all around them.

"I can't get another shot!" Starfire said as a piece of metal flew across her face, slashing her above her right optic. "They're shooting blindly, but hitting us anyway!"

"It's not them!" Pipes answered. "It's the walls, they're gettin' torn up! The 'Cons are usin' some kinda blunt force weapon! No precision, but devastatin' damage anyway!"

Ironhide knelt down and next to the wall on his right. Starfire knelt down behind him, shielding herself with the hulking old bot's body. The shrapnel kept flying, as the Decepticons kept shooting. Or, rather, to Pipes, it seemed to be just one 'Con shooting like a maniac.

"We can take 'em!" he said, as he crouched down behind Starfire.

"Oh, listen to you!" Ironhide said. "Now you say we can take 'em!"

"Guys, no time for this!" Starfire cut them off. "We need to think of a response!"

"Here's the only response we need!" Pipes shouted, jumped up and started running towards the Decepticons, his cannons aimed directly ahead of him.

"No, you idiot!" Starfire shouted as she jumped up behind Pipes.

As Pipes was about to get a clear shot at the 1st 'Con, a round from what sounded like a large caliber shotgun tore into his right shoulder, spinning him around and knocking him off his feet. His momentum slammed him on his back, landing him a few feet in front of Lock On. His right shoulder was ruined, paralyzing his right arm, making the gas cannon attached to it useless. His left arm, however, was working fine, and he raised it straight up, pointing it directly at Lock On's chest. He activated the weapon, and the gas began spraying out towards the Seeker.

At the same moment, Starfire closed the distance between her and where Pipes was down, and put her rifle's scope to her optic. In close quarters the weapon's aim wasn't accurate, but it didn't matter. She was close enough to Lock On that she would hit some part of him regardless where she aimed. As long as he stayed in the same spot.

---

"Uhhhh..." Starscream groaned. "It...huuuuuuurts..."

Realizing just how whiny he sounded, he tried to set his jaw and sit up, even with the pain coursing through his neck and shoulder. But it hurt sooooo much.

"I...uhh...fine..." he mumbled. "Guh...get...the...ack...Autobuh...Autobots..." he managed to spit it out.

Corridors of The Lollipop

Lock On could see well enough in close range of Pipes that the Autobot had taken a hit and fallen. But the Bot was not down for the count. As Pipes raised his cannon, he dove out of the way, firing a burst from his shot gun... very randomly... and just managing to get out of the way of the gas.

However, Starfire's bullet tore into his shoulder. He cringed in pain, yelped a bit,but otherwise pressed on.

---

Vertigo and Feedback watched in horror as Starscream dropped to the deck in pain. Feedback twitched a bit. "Really, Commander? " he asked softly of Starscream, but didn't dwell on it any further. "We need to know how many Bots are here.... I'm turning on the radar."

---

Vertigo was on his knees trying to tend to Starscream. "Starscream, sir, we need to get you out of the line of fire. ... unless you can fire back, beca use otherwise your liability."