Transformers: Robots in Disguise
“Skid-Z’s Choice” – Episode 10
Written by Tom Wyner
Transcription by Brandon Williams

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Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, what you’re witnessing here today is a truly history event in the annals of racing! Never before has an unknown driver had a chance of winning the Europa 400! Amazing! His car looks just like the one driven by the legendary Auggie Cahnay, one of the greatest drivers of all time! Look at him go! That car must be using jet fuel! Wow, what a race!

Prowl: Number 16, pull over! No unregistered vehicles are allowed to compete! Halt, evading arrest is a felony! Come back here!

X-Brawn: Prowl’s gonna have to use his afterburners to catch that hombre.

Kelly: This hat was expensive, but so what? I’m on vacation! A girl’s gotta live a little, right? This trip to Europe is just what I needed. Huh? My new hat! Thanks a lot, you just turned my hat into roadkill.

Male Spectator: Those two are incredibly fast but I’ve never seen them before. Whose team are they on?

Female Spectator: I don’t know.

Prowl: I can’t believe I let that law breaker get away from me. I’ve never been more embarrassed. Until now.

Announcer: And now number 16 has taken the lead!

Optimus: Do you think that’s Skid-Z?

Railspike: Could be. He just arrived from Cybertron and we don’t know what kind of vehicle he scanned.

Optimus: Only Autobots can go that fast. It’s Skid-Z, all right.

Railspike: Racing against human drivers, why would he do such a thing?

Koji: Hmmm…

T-AI: What is it, Koji? What’s up?

Koji: The driver of the original car was fatally injured.

T-AI: You mean Auggie Cahnay?

Koji: He used to say that he spent so much time in that car that it had taken on his personality. Almost like it had a life of its own. If he was right, maybe Skid-Z is haunted.

Midnight Express: Oh, you mean he may actually be possessed by Auggie Cahnay’s spirit?!

Koji: It sounds weird, but that’s the only thing that makes sense.

Midnight Express: If you’re correct then there’s no telling what he’ll do next. We’ve got to find him.

[Transition]

Skid-Z: I can’t believe I did it again! Skid-Z, transform! Whenever I hear a race starting I feel like I have to enter it. It started after I scanned that car in the automotive museum. That car must’ve belonged to the race driver in the photo. A race car like that would be the perfect disguise mode for me! And besides, it would be a shame to let a fine machine like that go to waste. Time to scan this baby! Yeah, this car’s configuration fits me to a “T” and my speed will be a big plus when it comes to helping the Autobots. Somehow, something must’ve gone wrong with that scan. But what? When a race starts, it feels like someone else takes control. It’s happening again, I can’t control myself! I’ve got to win! Skid-Z, vehicle mode! Oh no! Now I’m racing against children! This has gotta stop! I’m outta control! The Autobots are supposed to defend the Earth against the Predacons, our hostile cousins. How can I do that if I’m obsessed with running races night and day?!

Announcer: Runners, on your marks. Get set…

Skid-Z: This has gotta stop right now! I’ve gotta control myself!

Announcer: Ready! Set! Go!

Skid-Z: No use, I just can’t stop. Everytime I hear a race starting I’ve got to be in it! I win! Sorry tortoise. Great. Some victory. I came to Earth to help Optimus, but if I can’t control myself, I’m useless!

Sky-Byte: A bot with your power and speed? Why that’s nonsense!

Skid-Z: You must be the Predacon Sky-Byte.

Sky-Byte: Correct! My leader Megatron would find your abilities quite useful indeed. Why don’t you join those who appreciate your talents and wreak the rewards you deserve. Come over to our side, Skid-Z, and when we take control of this planet, you will have power beyond your wildest dreams.

Skid-Z: Forget it, Sky-Byte. I’m an Autobot. I’m here to protect the Earth against gearheads like you.

Sky-Byte: I thought that we could reach an understanding but I was wrong. How unfortunate. Unfortunate for you, that is, because now I’ll have to destroy you! Tsunami Blaster! Amazing, he dodged the Tsunami Blaster, no one can do that.

Announcer: Runners on your mark, get set…

Skid-Z: Later. There’s a race starting right now, gotta go.

Sky-Byte: Wait! Come back here! You can’t get away!

Skid-Z: Watch me!

Sky-Byte: I’ll smash you!

Skid-Z: In your dreams, Flea-Byte!

Sky-Byte: That does it. No more unleaded energon for me.

Announcer: Get set…

Skid-Z: Coming through! Sorry guys!

Runner: Now I’ve seen everything!

[Transition]

T-AI: Download is complete. Looks like you were right, Optimus. Skid-Z’s scanner log shows that his systems are contaminated with Cahnay’s psychotrophic energy.

Optimus: He must’ve forgotten to purge the vehicle with his high-frequency wave pulse before he scanned it.

T-AI: The longer this goes on, the worse it’ll get. We’ve gotta get him back to headquarters for decontamination.

Optimus: Yes, T-AI. But how?

Sideburn: Listen guys, we gotta think of something fast. It’s too dangerous letting him race around like that.

Prowl: Sideburn’s right.

X-Brawn: So what do we do?

Prowl: Apprehending him won’t be easy. Not even the bullet trains are as fast as he is on the open road.

Midnight Express: In order to catch up with him, we’ll have to figure out where he is going so we can get there first, right?

Rapid Run: We’ve gotta find him soon. If he keeps running at full speed like that he’ll burn out his circuits for sure.

Midnight Express: Since it’s Cahnay’s personality that’s affecting him, we should figure out where Cahnay would go.

Railspike: That would take an awful lot of research and there isn’t time for that.

Koji: I’ve already done it, Railspike, and I think I’ve found out exactly where Skid-Z is headed.

T-AI: Wow, how’d you do it, Koji? That’s amazing.

Koji: Not really. Not if you’ve followed Auggie’s career like I have. He won every major race in the world except for one. Look.

T-AI: Great Race?

Koji: That’s right. Take a look, guys!

Optimus: I see. So winning this race would’ve been important to a fierce competitor like Cahnay.

Koji: You got it. It’s called the International Grand Prix and it’s got all the greatest drivers and the fastest, toughest vehicles there are from SUVs, to dune buggies, to Formula-1 race cars.

Prowl: Now wait just a minute. Are you saying any kind of vehicle can enter?

Koji: Absolutely. That’s what makes it so exciting.

Midnight Express: And do you really think Skid-Z is going to be there?

Koji: Yep.

Optimus: It makes sense. That’s what Augie Cahnay would do.

Hot Shot: We’ll have to find him before the race starts. If we don’t, none of us are fast enough to catch up to him.

Sideburn: Hey, if I were in that race, I’d show you some real speed!

T-AI: Not a bad idea, Sideburn. We could choose all our fastest Autobots and enter them in the race.

[Bullet Trains disapprove.]

Koji: Any vehicles on wheels can enter.

Optimus: Hmmm… Very well then. We’re all going to be in that race, Team Bullet Train included.

T-AI: You think they’ll allow that?! No one’s ever heard of a race train!

Koji: Sure T-AI, they’ve got wheels, don’t they?

Announcer: The final countdown has begun. Drivers, please complete any final adjustments to your vehicles. The race will begin in precisely two minutes.

Sideburn: What’s the word? Has anybody spotted Skid-Z yet?

Optimus: Negative. But don’t worry, he’ll show up.

X-Brawn: Optimus is right. With Cahnay’s psychotrophic energy hot wiring his hard drive, I don’t think he’ll have much of a choice.

Hot Shot: What are we going to do if he shows up after the race starts? Should we try to stop him?

Optimus: No, Hot Shot. Trying to stop him in the middle of the rather would endanger the human drivers. Once the race is over, we’ll let him know what the problem is and take him back to headquarters.

Prowl: Where’s Sideburn? He was here a minute ago.

X-Brawn: Knowing him, there’s probably some little red sportscar getting an earful right now.

[Transition]

Sky-Byte (thinking): My plan is foolproof. Now Megatron will truly appreciate my brilliance.

Sky-Byte (flashback): Yes, oh great one. I’m certain that all the Autobots will be there looking for Skid-Z.

Megatron (flashback): Then this is the perfect opportunity to get rid of all the Autobots at the same time!

Sky-Byte (flashback): Exactly. Trust me, your magnificence, the Autobots will never reach the finish line.

Megatron (flashback): Good. Now go, Sky-Byte and do not fail me.

Sky-Byte: By the time this race is over, there will be nothing left of the Autobots but tiny pieces of scrap metal.

Sideburn: Hi there, cutie. Nice paintjob.

Sky-Byte: Huh?! Oh, thank you. How nice of you to notice!

Sideburn: I bet you get noticed all the time. I’ve been thinking that you look kind of familiar. Have we met before?

Sky-Byte: Hummina, hummina, hummina! Just who do you think you’re talking to? Do you think I’d fall for an old line like that? Not this car, now go away!

Sideburn: Whoa, the uppity type. Sorry, didn’t mean to offend you. Just trying to have a little friendly conversation. See ya.

Sky-Byte: Good, he’s gone. Phew, that was a close one.

Prowl: So there you are! Where’d you go, Sideburn?

Sideburn: Let’s just say I ran into an old friend.

X-Brawn: Most likely a red sportscar.

Sideburn: Well, sort of. But it turned out this one wasn’t my type. Imagine that!

Announcer: Drivers, the race will begin in twenty seconds. Good luck to all of you.

Sky-Byte: Out of the way! The Autobots are in for a big surprise!

X-Brawn: Hey, the red sportscar that just flew by was Sky-Byte!

Prowl: Way to go, Sideburn! How’d you know?

Sideburn: I’ve talked to a lot of red sportscars, but he was the first one to talk back!

Sky-Byte: I’ll get you for this! When this race is done, you’ll be too!

Prowl: Whoa, who’s that coming up behind us?!

X-Brawn: He’s coming up awful fast. Must be Skid-Z.

Optimus: Skid-Z, slow down! We need to talk!

Sideburn: He’s not responding.

Optimus: That’s because it’s not Skid-Z. It’s Megatron!

X-Brawn: What’s that gearhead up to now?

Megatron: My blinding ray will stop them cold.

Optimus: Hold up, Hot Shot! Don’t look at the light!

Hot Shot: Thanks for the warning, Optimus.

Ironhide: We’ll need a minute to re-calibrate our optic sensors. We’ll catch up to ya later.

Optimus: Be careful. If Megatron and Sky-Byte are here, then the other Predacons are probably here too.

Hot Shot: Don’t worry about it, Optimus, we can handle ’em. What about Skid-Z? Any sign of him yet?

Optimus: No. Keep your sensors on maximum. He’ll show up sooner or later.

X-Brawn: Watch out, Hot Shot. Looks like Megatrons headed your way.

Hot Shot: Hot Shot, transform!

Megatron: What?

WARS and REV: Transform!

Crosswise: Transform!

Megatron: I’m going to hit you fools with everything I’ve got.

Hot Shot: You can’t hit what you can’t see! Stealth Attack!

Megatron: Enough of your ridiculous games. Now I’ll show you what real power is all about. Ultra Traction Drive!

Hot Shot: His Ultra Traction Drive just gave me an ultra-headache.

Megatron: What’s this? Another Autobot? You’ll suffer the same fate as the others! Ultra Traction Drive!

Sky-Byte: Megatron, it’s me!

Megatron: That voice sounded somewhat familiar… How odd.

Prowl: Just look at that view. Those mountains are beautiful.

Sideburn: They’re also the toughest part of the race. That terrain up there is pretty rugged.

X-Brawn: Nothing better than rough and tumble crunching up a rocky mountain road!

Prowl: The snow’s pretty deep up there. It’ll be hard to stay on that road.

X-Brawn: Stay on it? What for? We’ll make our own! Yeehaw!

Prowl: That’s easy for you to say, you’ve got four wheel drive!

Sideburn: Oh, lighten up, Prowl. He’s an SUV, it’s only natural.

Optimus: Just be careful up there, X-Brawn.

Slapper: Get ready, guys. They’re almost here.

Dark Scream: Those stupid Autobots don’t have a prayer.

Gas Skunk: Got that right.

Slapper: Slapper, terrorize! Yeah!

Dark Scream: Dark Scream, terrorize!

Gas Skunk: Gas Skunk, terrorize!

Railspike: Watch out! It’s a rock slide!

Midnight Express: What are we going to do? We’re blocked in on all sides!

Rapid Run: Optimus, we’re too big to squeeze through these rocks. Go on without us.

Optimus: We’ll come back to get you just as soon as we find Skid-Z.

Railspike: Be careful, will ya? There might be more rock slides up ahead.

X-Brawn: Hey! Watch out, you guys! It’s raining rocks out here!

Sideburn: Weird. I wonder why. Whoa!

Optimus: Good question, Sideburn. I’ll go check it out.

Slapper: That’s not fair! He’s ignoring the laws of gravity! Come on guys, let’s get out of here!

Optimus: Well look who’s here. I shoulda known!

Slapper: Every Predacon for himself!

Optimus: That ambush was well planned. How did they know we were going to be here?

Prowl: Maybe they found out that Skid-Z is infected with the racing bug.

Sideburn: And figured we’d come here to look for him.

Optimus: That makes sense, but it looks like everybody came to the party except the guest of honour. Where’s Skid-Z?

X-Brawn: Heads up. Looks like Megatron’s back!

Skid-Z: Coming through!

Optimus: That’s not Megatron! Haha, it’s Skid-Z! Get ready, guys!

Sideburn: Skid-Z, slow down!

Skid-Z: Gotta win, gotta win, gotta win, gotta win!

Sideburn: Well, at least we know where he is… or where he was.

Prowl: We’ve got another problem. Here comes Sky-Byte.

Sky-Byte: In this narrow ravine there’s nowhere to run. I call this track the mouse trap.

Megatron: Aha!

Sky-Byte: Megatron?! It’s me! Sky-Byte! Don’t shoot!

Megatron: I can’t hear you, Autobot, but if you’re begging for mercy, request denied! Hahaha!

Sky-Byte: Waaaaaiiit! Ooof. The rocky path is sometimes unavoidable…

Megatron: Now for the rest of the Autobots.

Optimus: Spread out! We’ll have to catch that rock or it’ll crush us!

Megatron: Megatron, beast mode! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Sooner or later your strength will run out and you’ll be squashed like tin cans!

Sideburn: Optimus, he’s right. We can’t hold this rock up much longer!

Megatron: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! You’re finished, Autobots!

Optimus: Skid-Z, mayday! Mayday!

Skid-Z: Skid-Z, transform! The Autobots are in trouble. They need me. I’ve got to help them. But if I take the time to help them, I might not win the race! And I’ve got to win, I’ve got to! What am I saying, I’m an Autobot! I’ve got to fight this feeling. I’ve got to go back and help Optimus and the others. No, the only thing that matters is crossing the finish line first! I’ve got to help the Autobots! I feel like there’s a tug-o-war going on inside my head! Ahh, it’s driving me crazy!

Megatron: In just a few seconds you Auto-fools will be flatened!

Sideburn: My servos are about to overheat and my hydrolics are red lighting!

Prowl: We need Skid-Z! Where is he?!

X-Brawn: My guess is he’s crossing the finish line right about now!

Optimus: No! Skid-Z has the spark of an Autobot! He’ll be here!

Megatron: In your weakened state, one blast of my dual dragon fire will finish you!

Skid-Z: The only one that’s finished here is you, Megatron!

Optimus: You’re just in time, Skid-Z!

Skid-Z: Take a rest, guys.

Optimus: I knew you’d make it, Skid-Z. Welcome back.

Prowl: We understand, kid. It must’ve been tough fighting that stuff you’ve got in your system.

Skid-Z: I wanted to win! …But I realized the fight of getting back my Autobot identity was the greatest victory of all!

Optimus: And I was counting on that.

Megatron: Enough! All you’ve won is a one way ticket to oblivion!

Skid-Z: Now it’s my turn! Transform! Watch out, Megatron, you might sprain your necks!

Megatron: Keep still, you fool!

Skid-Z: C’mon, Maggot-tron! Try to keep up, will ya? Spin Drive!

Optimus: You know, I’ve had just about enough of Megatron as I can take for one day.

X-Brawn: I couldn’t agree more. Happy trails, Megatron!

Prowl: Take a hike!

Sideburn: Go on, get outta here!

Megatron: Megatron, mega-bat mode! We shall meet again, Autobots. This is far from over.

Sky-Byte: Wait, Megatron. Take me with you!

Koji: Look, there they are! Skid-Z is leading!

Announcer: They’re approaching the finish line, ladies and gentlemen, and the winner is… Skid-Z!

Optimus: You did it, Skid-Z! You won the International Grand Prix! Congratulations!

Skid-Z: I don’t think Auggie Cahnay is going to be a problem anymore! I’m finally back to normal again! Another race is about to start!

Koji: Uh oh. There isn’t any other race. Skid-Z heard my watch alarm go off.

Skid-Z: Wait for me!

Optimus: Oh well. He’ll be back. Sooner or later.

Skid-Z: I know there’s a race around here somewhere…

[End]