TRANSFORMERS THE NEXT GENERATION CHAPTER 2 Things were, as usual, very quiet in the StarFox headquarters. The magic alien warriors from Corneria never stopped in the improving and overhauling of their defense systems with help from Nicole the super computer too. It was some time since StarWolf terrorists had been reported in the vicinity. But the new Autobot commander Buzz Lightyear of Star Command issued orders that a constant watch be kept. A ring of observation posts would give early warning of a Decepticon attack. However, not every Autobot was at work. In her private chambers was Sonia Hedgehog a musician and martial artist who was with William DuWitt browsing through a magazine. SONIA: Now that's what I want. Gold chrome wheel trims. A touch of real class. WILLY: Oh, I guess it's your favorite color. I bet Dead-Eye or Bruiser could create a pair if you ask nicely. SONIA: Dead-Eye! That ex-pirate space smuggler...what does he know about conjuring forth something like chrome wheel trims. WILLY: Well, I uh... Suddenly an alarm sounded within the base as Nicole sounded off. NICOLE: Red alert! StarWolf terrorists sighted, all hands to battle stations. However the force was small, and quickly repelled in seconds. Yet Buzz called his warriors together. BUZZ: We had no warning whatsoever of the Decepticons. How could they have come so close to HQ without being detected? JENNY: Perhaps they are already close at hand. They could have sneaked past out outposts thanks to the dark-magic rendering them invisible even though Nicole still sensed them coming. BRUISER: Banana-oil! They must be building up their force for a large scale assault. We must find their base before it is too late! Then the voice of Captain Miriam LeFleur came over the intercom system. MIRIAM: Sir! StarWolf activity, non-hostile at the moment. Heading away at this very moment. BUZZ: Here is our chance! Bucky, locate the enemy and shadow them. They will show us where their new base is. BUCKY: You can count on me sir! To infinity and beyond. Seconds later the hero of the Toad Wars was about to drive away from HQ in his vehicle form of Chevy Camaro when he saw his friend Willy hurrying after him. He was accompanied by Marty McFly the graduated student from Hill Valley High riding his flying skateboard alias the hover-board. MARTY: Yo! Where are you headed? BUCKY: Off to see what our not-so-friendly neighbors are up to. WILLY: Can we go too? You may need more pairs of eyes. MARTY: Sounds like a good plan to me. Count me in too. BUCKY: Hop in! The StarWolf mutants traveled in single file alias the MonStars (WB Space Jam Movie) disguised as construction vehicles as a Bulldozer, Dump Truck, Crane, Cement Mixer and Steam Shovel. Bucky kept on the trail of the MonStars, who looked like any ordinary construction vehicles yet they were evil magic beings in disguise. On the outskirts of Saucilito a charming community town on the ocean, the MonStars swung off the main road. A few moments later, Bucky reached the turnoff too. There was a branch road, and a sign that read "Industrial Estate" WILLY: I wonder why the Decepticons are going there? This does not make sense. BUCKY: What can you see? WILLY: There are large buildings, tall chimneys, cooling towers. Cranes busily working on a new building of sorts next to an old one in the process of being demolished. BUCKY: Anything else? MARTY: Well from what I can see lots of vehicles coming and going on the roads inside the estate. BUCKY: A perfect hiding place for StarWolf and no one is the wiser. Better get in again. WILLY: Aye-aye! Within seconds the Camaro drove into the estate and along the road between yards, workshops and offices. Close by the new factory was a tall brick workshop. BUCKY: I'll let you kids off here while I scope the place out. MARTY: Okay, you're the boss. WILLY: Go see what the Decepticons are cooking up. Bucky transformed back to mutant self and made his way carefully towards the brick building. The tall doors stood slightly ajar. He peered round them to find that the inside of the building was brightly illuminated. Large pieces of machinery covered most of the floor and from the far end came the sounds of movement and voices. BUCKY: Better take a closer look since I can't see anything from here. What am I thinking? I can use my ring to zoom in for a closeup. Instructing his light-magic ring to obey his willpower he was able to see directly into the interior of the building itself. What he saw shocked him like being splashed with cold water or slapped in the face so to speak. BUCKY: No way...who is that body armored helmeted person? That can't be Wolf O'Donnell, can it? He was looking directly at Emperor Zurg the new StarWolf leader who was the reincarnated Wolf O'Donnell brought back to life by Belladonna when she saved him from certain death. Beside him stood his new bodyguard Anubis the Jackal a menacing figure of sorts who was speaking to the MonStars as they listened to his speech. BUCKY: Okay, I've seen enough. Time for me to vacate the premesis. As he began to make his way back to rejoin his friends his presence was suddenly detected by Anubis whose yellow eyes narrowed. ANUBIS: I sense we are not alone, there is a spy among us listening into our conversation. Wait here while I investigate. ZURG: Good luck in dealing with the intruder. It was then that Bucky Hare realized he had been discovered! With no time to waste he took off running with Anubis hot on his heels hurling green orbs of magic from his palms and beams of lasers from his eyes. Quickly changing into Camaro form he accelerated top speed as he tried eluding his pursuer chasing him. At last he spotted a yard with cars and trucks parked among buildings and machinery. BUCKY: Hope I can lose him here. Here goes nothing. He slipped in between a rusty Ford and battered Citoern shutting off his engine just as Anubis reached the yard and paused momentarily scanning the entire area frowning suspiciously. ANUBIS: Hmmm...where is that spy? Maybe he ran away before I could catch him, oh well. Better return to the others and report to Lord Zurg. BUCKY: Whew, saved by the bell. In the meantime Marty and Willy sat around wondering what was taking Bucky Hare so long to get back to them. MARTY: Who knows where he could be? WILLY: He'll get back to us in no time. Then William remembered Sonia wanting gold chrome wheel trims. WILLY: Maybe I can find something for Sonia Hedgehog. MARTY: You buying her a gift? WILLY: Something like that. Together the boys made their way towards a sign beside a gate reading "Auto-Wreckers - Scrap & Spare Parts" then entered the yard as they approached an office building. The noise was deafening as a giant crushing plant took old car & truck bodies, squeezed them into fragments, and slid them out as solid blocks of scrap metal. The office was a wooden building with a single door. Willy knocked then entered with McFly Junior in tow. A man behind a front desk looked up, it was Captain Charlie Baker. CHARLIE: Yes, what can I help you with? WILLY: I'm looking for a set of gold chrome wheel trims. CHARLIE: What size do you require? WILLY: I'm afraid I do not know. Actually I'm buying them for a special friend. Charlie nodded then led Willy and Marty through a rear door into a large shed in back. It was piled high with car lamps, door handles, windscreens and wheel trims. After a spot of rummaging, the former NASA space explorer said. CHARLIE: I thought I had a set of gold chrome right here. He began to pull at a large box at the foot of a pile of bits and pieces that reached to the ceiling. Suddenly Marty noticed the stack was about to fall. MARTY: Mr Baker! Look out, above you! CHARLIE: Huh? MARTY: Get out of the way! WILLY: Incoming! Both boys threw themselves against Charlie knocking him out of the way at the last possible second...they collapsed in a heap on the floor as the stack of car & truck parts crashed down mere inches or feet from where they had been standing. CHARLIE: Good grief! That was a close shave the man said to the barber. MARTY: Are you okay? CHARLIE: I think so, thanks to you two for saving my life. WILLY: Whoa, what a mess. CHARLIE: No problem, my assistant outside can help me clean it up. Once there he handed DuWitt Junior a brand new set of gold chrome wheel trims. CHARLIE: Here you go, no charge. If they don't fit, your friend can bring them back for a replacement or cash refund. Thanks again for saving my life, bye now! Once outside both boys examined the trims. MARTY: So these are for Sonia, huh? I wonder what kind of vehicle disguise she takes on. WILLY: I believe it is a NASCAR Plymouth alias King Richard Petty #43 STP. MARTY: Cool...I like the Intimidator alias Dale Earnhardt #3. Marty and Willy went back into the yard carrying the wheel trims for Sonia Hedgehog. Now where was Bucky Hare? The Camaro was well hidden that it was quite a long time before the teenagers found him. He was parked behind some other cars at the far end of the yard. And even though he was dusty from being chased by Anubis, he still looked pretty new. WILLY: There he is. MARTY: So that's where he went to do some spying on the enemy. Oops, not good. WILLY: What? McFly Junior pointed as the car next to Bucky began to rise into the air. It had been picked up by an electro-magnet suspended from a crane above. The crane rotated, paused, and the car dropped into the mechanical jaws of the crushing plant. WILLY: Huuuuuuh! Bucky's in trouble! MARTY: And doesn't even know it either! They ran towards the Camaro yelling for Bucky to get the hell out of there but their voices were drowned out from the noise of the machinery. The magnet was already poised over Bucky Hare when the teenagers reached the crane. Acting quickly, DuWitt Junior jumped into the cab startling the driver of the machine who gave a surprised look. Before he could angrily protest however... WILLY: The phone! You're wanted on the phone, in the office! Mr Baker sent me to tell you. The operator frowned at first. Then shrugged, switched off the controls to the crane, climbed down out of the cab and headed for the office. MARTY: Whew, that was close. Bucky... BUCKY: Wha-who? Oh, Marty...it's you. WILLY: We saved your life from being killed. BUCKY: I beg your pardon? Both boys explained everything then together the three were speeding back to StarFox HQ. On the way back, Bucky dropped off Marty at his house in Lion's Estate then deposited Willy at his parent's apartment flat in San Francisco then returned to base and reported to Buzz. BUZZ: StarWolf is very cunning. They must have managed to sneak through Nicole's spy screen one or two at a time over many weeks. And they have been able to work un-noticed to build a new HQ within striking range of us without being detected. That base must be destroyed. BUCKY: Yet there are terran people working in the industrial estate where StarWolf has set up shop. BUZZ: Yes, we may need advice and I know how to get it. Send for Dr Emmett Brown at once. In minutes the founder of the Institute of Future Technology and discoverer of time travel was speaking with Lightyear. DOC: Your strike force must be as large as possible. It must get close enough to the Decepticons before attacking. And it must interfere as little as possible, Great Scott! I suggest the Autobots copy the Decepticons and go in undercover. They can set up a shop so to speak in one of the derelict buildings. The complex will be closed for holidays soon. Attack then, and there will be no people around either. TO BE CONTINUED...