Autobot World Tour is a book that ties into Transformers: Robots in Disguise.
Synopsis
The away team pursue a Decepticon through a forest, and though Windblade urges caution, Sideswipe moves in, only for Shocksprocket to zap the entire team with an electric charge he swiftly builds up. They eventually corner the Con in a clearing, and Sideswipe realizes he can use a non-conductive branch to render Shocksprocket out cold. This done, they radio Fixit to report in and the Mini-Con announces their next destination is Mount Everest. Though the team has some trepidation about going into such a hostile area, Russell explains that he was watching Beyond the Mysterious Unknown with Loren Fortean and saw that the host had captured footage of what was believed to be a Yeti. Further investigation by Fixit has revealed that the "yeti" is actually Abominus, a Decepticon whom Windblade has had a previous encounter with. The away team begin preparations to go after their new prize.
Meanwhile, Bumblebee, Strongarm, and Grimlock are tracking down a Decepticon much closer to the scrapyard. Though they believe the Decepticon may be wounded, it turns out he's just incredibly lazy. They find Brakepad still snoozing in his damaged stasis pod, and he uses his hypnotic powers to incapacitate them before ambling off.
The away team emerge from their GroundBridge onto Mount Everest and begin making their way upwards. They soon encounter a laser turret left by the tricky Abominus, but manage to take it out. They realize that the various traps will pose a danger to Loren Fortean's crew, and they must disable them.
Russell finds Fortean's show broadcasting outside its usual time slot — Fortean and his crew have recorded some of the distant battle with the turret and are investigating. Russell alerts Fixit, but they're unable to get a signal through the poor weather to warn the away team.
Meanwhile, Fortean's team bickers as they head up the mountain. While Fortean is mostly concerned about his ratings, his guide Brigadier Wilson is skeptical that they'll find anything at all.
The Autobots are making good time up the mountain while defusing booby traps, until Sideswipe's cocky exclamations cause an avalanche. Windblade attempts to save Optimus, but both of them are swept from the side of the mountain. In the aftermath, everyone is fine, but Slipstream is missing in action.
Bumblebee's team stumbles back to base and the others are shocked at their lethargic state as a result of Brakepad's hypnotism. Before the team powers down, they manage to communicate the name of the Decepticon they found, and Fixit looks him up. Unfortunately the device they'll need to counteract Brakepad's power requires parts they don't have, but Russell has an alternate plan.
Though the away team have lost Slipstream and Optimus is reluctant to go on without looking, Drift is confident his pupil has the skills to survive. Indeed, Slipstream is fine, and encounters Loren Fortean's still-arguing group. Staying out of sight, he tails them.
Russell and Denny take Bumblebee, Strongarm and Grimlock out to find Brakepad, though all three are complaining about having to do work. Once they locate the Decepticon, the humans put glasses painted black on the Autobots so Brakepad can't affect them with his power, then goad the Autobots into fighting the Con. Brakepad is too lazy to fight back and is swiftly deposited in a stasis pod they've brought along.
Realizing that Fortean's group is heading up a booby-trapped path, Slipstream goes ahead of them and destroys the traps before sending them down a different track. The rest of the away team locates Abominus's lair and gain entry, however it's just as dangerous inside as out and Windblade triggers a trap which fires spikes at them. Though they escape that, they promptly fall through a trapdoor and land up in a cage. Abominus gloats and announces that, annoyed by the humans constantly scurrying up his hideout, he has planted Energon bombs and intends to create a massive avalanche. After Abominus heads off to plant more explosives, Slipstream arrives and releases the team. When Abominus returns, the Autobots use a looped surveillance video to lure him to a tunnel where they turn his own traps on him. Abominus ends up in the cage, and Windblade remotely disables all of his bombs. The Autobots don't have long to celebrate their victory, as unfortunately Fortean's group has reached the entrance to the lair.
Back in the scrapyard, Russell and the recovered Autobots are sitting down to watch TV when Fixit reports on the success of the away team. Fortean's show comes on with the "first audio recording of a yeti", a voice which Russell recognizes as belonging to Sideswipe.
Featured characters
Autobots
Decepticons
Humans
- Russell Clay
- Denny Clay
- Loren Fortean
- Ernie
- Brigadier Wilson
Quotes
"Look at this puny bot. He can't be any more dangerous than a bug zapper."
- —Sideswipe shortly before being taken down by Shocksprocket.
"Mount Everest? Fixit, you little bundle of loose screws, you better be kidding."
- —Windblade is unhappy about their next destination.
"Grim, kick that stasis pod over here! If you don't, Strongarm says she won't pull your trailer. You'll have to walk all the way back to the scrapyard."
- —Russell gives Grimlock some motivation.
"WOOOOOOOOO, LEAVE THIS PLACE! LEAVE MY MOUNTAIN AND NEVER RETURNNNNN! HI, RUSTYYYYYYYY!"
- —Sideswipe's Yeti impression.
Notes
Errors
Continuity notes
- The away team appears to have access to a GroundBridge.
- Chronologically, the story fits somewhere between "Overloaded, Part 2" and "Impounded".
Real-world references
- Russell's previous favorite TV show, My Miniature Mustang, is a reference to My Little Pony.
Trivia
- Despite the book focusing heavily on the away team, of them only Sideswipe and Windblade are represented in the profiles at the front.
- The book includes trading cards of Russell and Windblade, and a "sneak peek" of The Trials of Optimus Prime, already published.