Trust Exercises

Strongarm and Sideswipe carry out trust exercises, however Sideswipe doesn't bother catching Strongarm, which results in her comm unit being damaged. Maybe because she let him fall three times in a row before. They start fighting and are reprimanded by Bumblebee, whose words are somewhat undermined by him being held in Grimlock's arms. They resume fighting until Fixit calls all four of them back to the scrapyard. As they head off, Steeljaw watches them go. Fixit reports he has detected some nearby fugitive signals and possibly intact stasis pods. They also receive a distress call from the oil tanker *Windward* near the coast, which is being attacked by a metal shark. Fixit notes that the *Alchemor* had a Sharkticon on board, and it's probably him. Bumblebee takes Grimlock and a boat to investigate the tanker, while Sideswipe and Strongarm head off to check out the fugitive signals.

Bee and Grimlock find the oil tanker deserted and climb on board. The tanker's soon struck by something which looks like a submarine. Meanwhile, Sideswipe and Strongarm, still squabbling, split up and with Strongarm's comms down, she's unable to keep in touch with Sideswipe. Grimlock jumps off the oil tanker and attacks the submarine. The Decepticon manages to shake Grimlock off and boards the oil tanker, quickly crushing Bumblebee's capture device.

Strongarm finds the stasis pods, and the Decepticon Steeljaw. Steeljaw tries to bluff her, claiming that he's a guard who was aboard the *Alchemor*, however when she points out he has Decepticon insignia, he instead renders her unconscious. When Sideswipe returns to the scrapyard alone, Russell and Fixit tell him they got a garbled message from Strongarm indicating she's in trouble and Sideswipe realizes he has to go deal with it or get in trouble with Bumblebee. Back on the boat, Hammerstrike and Bumblebee fight. Grimlock, now stuck at the bottom of the sea, is unable to lend a fist, but Bumblebee is able to get Hammerstrike down solo. The arrival of the coast guard distracts Bumblebee long enough for Hammerstrike to escape.

Bumblebee and Grimlock arrive back at the scrapyard to find everyone but Fixit gone. Fixit looks up information on Sharkticons, and Bumblebee reasons that Hammerstrike is trying to recreate his home environment by flooding the sea with oil. Bumblebee and Grimlock head to a nearby automated oil refinery on the assumption that that's where Hammerstrike will head next.

Meanwhile Russell and Sideswipe find an old ranger station with signs a Decepticon has been there recently. Sideswipe complains that Strongarm will continue treating him badly, and Russell suggests if he treats people with respect, he'll get respect. They find Steeljaw still trying to convince a chained-up Strongarm that he's changed and wants to live in peace. Russell quickly comes up with an idea.

At the oil refinery, Bumblebee and Grimlock break in and track down Hammerstrike, however the tricky Decepticon breaks a pipe, flooding the ground with oil and making it slippery, an environment that he is suited for.

Steeljaw almost gets Strongarm to tell him where the Autobots are based when Sideswipe reappears, disguised as the Decepticon "Grimbee". He engages Steeljaw in conversation unconvincingly, while Russell attempts to free Strongarm.

Bumblebee and Grimlock are still skidding around in the oil refinery while Hammerstrike runs rings around them. The pair resort to teamwork, and manage to trap the Decepticon in an oil barrel.

Meanwhile, Steeljaw spots Russell and realizes Sideswipe's an Autobot. After a brief pursuit, the Decepticon is kicked in the head by Strongarm, however she's forced to save Russell from a falling tree and Steeljaw escapes. The two Autobots return to the scrapyard, where they tell the others about Steeljaw and Bumblebee makes Steeljaw the first wanted Decepticon. Strongarm catches Sideswipe when he slips in some mud, and Russell observes that perhaps they would get along eventually. Emphasis on *perhaps*.

To be continued...