IDW - Lost Light #11

Title: The Plotter's Club Part 2: Filling in the Blanks

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Jack Lawrence & Alex Milne

Colours by: Joana LaFuente & Priscilla Tramontano

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: Carlos Guzman

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Not long ago, Getaway sees Froid, Rung's psychiatrist rival, and asks for his opinion on what has been happening on the ship for the past few months.

He explains that following their return to Cybertron for Dark Cybertron, he and Atomizer started interviewing the crew to see who they can trust in the case of a mutiny against Megatron and Rodimus, as they believe the quest is getting side-tracked by Megatron on purpose to delay his trial, they manage to get most of the crew on their side, but of course have Rodimus' allies and 25 undecided to contend with. They even manage to convince Thunderclash, who thinks it's a good plan, but admits that things went wrong quite rapidly.

Following his failed attempt to get Megatron to kill Tailgate, he was arrested, which the rest of the crew took as a cue to get Rodimus and the others off ship, release Getaway, and then abandon the "Rod Squad".

Getaway is taken to the bridge, where the ship receives it's call from Rodimus, and Getaway brags about how the crew is sick with them and have put him in charge, however it soon becomes apparent that the crew are not actually fully on his side, and were unaware that Getaway has involved the Galactic Council in this, and sent them after Megatron too, or that he was going to be captain of the ship. Getaway soon states that once they reach Cyberutopia he'll step down as captain, if the crew want him to, and also claims that he told the Galactic Council to leave the other Autobots alone, and to only go after Megatron.

Getaway soon makes his way to Rodimus' former office where he tries to contact the Galactic Council to change the terms of their deal, to indeed keep the other Autobots safe, but they aren't interested and cut him off. Atomizer suggests that he do something big in order to make the crew respect him after the situation on the bridge, and he knows exactly what to do...

A couple weeks later, Getaway visits Perceptor in his lab, where he has been studying something for him that he learned about on Luna-1. He has located a system of tunnels in space that Tyrest was originally planning to use to get to Cyberutopia.

Getaway assembles some of the crew to discuss the Warren and promises that they'll be in Cyberutopia within weeks, but they wonder why Tyrest ever gave up on the tunnels, which Geatway just ignores.

Blaster receives an SOS message from the planet Freyus, who are caught in the crossfire between the Galactic Council and the Black Block Consortia, but Getaway declines their request for help, as he doesn't want to get distracted, this angers the crew as they still want to help others, but the argument is cut short....the message sent three weeks earlier from Necroworld has reached the Lost Light and is automatically playing.

Rodimus uses his segment of the message to expose Getaway as having sold him and the others to the DJD, who are about to kill them. He asks for his innermost energon to be sold, as it is Matrix enriched and for the money to be used to hire a Bounty Hunter to kill Getaway using a gun made from his own body. Before the message can continue though Getaway cuts it off and claims that it is fake, and has the crew leave. Thunderclash stays behind and demands answers. Getaway tries to explain that he had to cut off the call, or the DJD would trace it to them, but Thunderclash points out the contradiction immediately. He states his plans to go back to Necroworld to save Rodimus and the others, and he's sure the rest of the crew will too.

Atomiser shoots him with an arrow, leading him to turn to attack, but he is shot by Getaway using his Nudge Gun, and even empties the cartridge into the "Greatest Autobot Ever", putting him into a coma. He notices that Riptide has been watching this scene from the door, he runs, but Getaway soon finds him, and shoots him too.

Back in the present, Geatway reveals that all of that has only just happened, and Riptide is under the bench he was laying on. He gets onto his real objective, he wants Sunder, Froid's patient, to use his long-range Mnemosurgery skills to convince the crew that Rodimus and his friends decided to leave the ship on their own terms, and make them forget about the message about the DJD, and also trap Thunderclash into a looped memory.

Sunder agrees to do this, in exchange for 25 crew member's brain modules with life-cords attached, so he can feed on their memories. Getaway isn't sure, but is manipulated by Froid into agreeing. Getaway does, much to Atomizer's ire, but decides to use the first 25 names on the list of undecided mutineers, as he considers them threats to his plans, but also suggests one amendment to their plan, the security team need to believe that the crew members they are set upon are Decepticon spies, so they wont question their orders...

Eventually the Protectobots return to the Lost Light, and learn what happened to Rodimus and the others, and are attacked by security as they try to escape to warn Optimus and the rest of Cybertron. Riptide reveals that he was never mind-wiped from the gun shot, since the gun had been drained from Thunderclash's shots. Riptide starts insulting Getaway for his stupid plan, so he decides to take him for a "swim".

On their way to the Oil Reservoir, Getaway hears from Powerflash that the Protectobots have been captured and placed in cells. Riptide is taken into the Reservoir, where he is shown it is filled with domesticated red Scraplets, which have been trained to eat a Cybertronian, leaving only the life cord and brain module behind. He shoots Riptide with the Nudge Gun again, commanding him to forget how to turn into his boat mode, and knocks him into the oil.....

Characters

Autobot

Getaway - Car

Atomizer - Car

Thunderclash - Truck Trapped in Looped Memory by Sunder

Riptide - Boat Knocked into Oil Reservoir filled with Red Scraplets by Getaway

Sunder

Mainframe

Perceptor - Tank

Hoist - Tow Truck

Blaster - Acoustic Tank

Crosscut - Van

Hound - Jeep

Xaaron

Megatron - Tank

Rodimus - Car

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport

Tailgate - Car

Swerve - Van

Skids - Van

Rewind - Data Slug

Grapple - Crane

Inferno - Fire Truck

Smokescreen - Car

Siren - Car

Bluestreak - Car

Dipstick - Car

Rollout - Bulldozer

Huffer - Truck

Gears - Van

Joyride - Buggy

Slapdash - F1 Race Car

Jackpot - Car

Hosehead - Fire Truck

Sprocket - Aircraft

Pointblank - Car

Boss - Car

Grotusque - Winged Cat Monster

Dogfight - Jet

Strafe - Jet

Rook - SWAT Personnel Carrier

Streetwise - Police Car

Powerflash - Jet (Voice Only)

Optimus Prime - Truck Cab (Mentioned)

Sentinel Prime - Truck/Jet (Mentioned)

Brainstorm - Jet (Mentioned)

Chromedome - Car (Mentioned)

Rung - Photonic Crystal Generator (Mentioned)

Nightbeat - Car

Ratchet - Ambulance (Mentioned)

Highbrow - Helicoper (Mentioned)

Fervor (Mentioned) Possibly Fed to Sunder

Turbine (Mentioned) Possibly Fed to Sunder

25 Undecided Mutineers (Mentioned) Fed to Sunder

Decepticon

Ravage - Cassette

Overlord - Tank and Jet (Mentioned)

Decepticon Justice Division (Mentioned)

Other Cybertronian

Froid - Jet

Cyclonus - Jet

Red Scraplet

Chief Justice Tyrest (Mentioned)

Necrobot (Mentioned)

The Knights of Cybertron (Mentioned)

Other

Galactic Council Agent (On Screen)

Death's Head (Mentioned)

General Neech (Mentioned)

Galactic Council (Mentioned)

Black Block Consortia (Mentioned)

The Fraynians (Mentioned)

Notes

• Alex Milne and Priscilla Tramontano's art credits in this issue are due to the reuse of the scenes from MTMTE #50
• Thunderclash being up and about whilst Getaway is creeping on Tailgate is technically a mistake since he should be in a coma until the climax of that plot-line. However when questioned about it on Twitter, James Roberts mentions that this happens during a brief relapse of Thunderclash's, which is going to be mentioned in a future "retcon".
• Froid and Sunder are shown to STILL be on the Lost Light, but in the brig until this issue.
• It is confirmed here that my theory that the crew was either mis-informed or brainwashed to be okay with Rodimus and the others being left on Necroworld were BOTH sort of correct. The crew were originally mis-led, but when they found out the truth they were "brainwashed" by Sunder's long-range Mnemosurgery. This also shows us that the strange behaviour last issue was due to the brainwashing, and not a forged dream for the Protectobots.
• In contrast to the assertions last issue, the crew actually do want to help other planets out, rather than ignoring them like Getaway does in order to get to Cyberutopia faster.
• We were shown during the "Dying of the Light" finale of MTMTE we saw Getaway trying to contact Neech to renegotiate the terms of their deal, so we know this part of the story wasn't fabricated at all.
• The Warren was briefly mentioned last issue, here we learn that it's basically a series of subspace tunnels that lead across the galaxy...Think of it sort of like the Borg subspace tunnels seen at the end of Star Trek Voyager.
• As mentioned in this issue, Getaway was held prisoner by Tyrest on Luna-1, which we learn here gave him insight into his theories and plans before ignoring him at some point.
• So...this issue brings up another issue I have with the continuity in IDW right now...we see that Rodimus DID mention in the video-will that Getaway sold them out to the DJD (he didn't know about the DJD being there, but whatever)...SO WHY HAS OPTIMUS NOT SENT A CREW AFTER THEM YET?!?!?!? WE KNOW HE GOT THE MESSAGE, ALONG WITH EVERYONE ON CYBERTRON!!!
• The Bounty Hunter that Rodimus is referring to in his will is Death's Head....I can't see him actually appearing in an IDW comic, but he has been referenced in other IDW material before.
• Sunder is still talking in his regular voice, rather than the Mortilus impression...we know this due to the speech bubble being white instead of black.
• The brain modules with teeth marks from last issue are revealed to be the payment for Sunder brainwashing the crew of the ship, who were chosen due to being undecided on whether to mutiny or not
• The security crew's attitude is also shown to be under the impression that anyone who disagrees with Getaway is a Decepticon spy...this explains their gun-happiness last issue.
• The Scraplets in this issue are designed after the Aligned continuity versions of the species, just coloured red.
• Despite his apparent collusion with him, we see throughout this issue that Atomizer is becoming less sure about this plan, and keeps glaring at Getaway...my guess is he will be in some way responsible for Getaway's inevitable all next issue.
• The Protectobots are mentioned as having been locked in separate cells, does Getaway and the crew know about Defensor yet or not?!?
• Last issue we saw Getaway lead First Aid to the Oil Reservoir before hearing what he had to say...we can assume that he was about to send him to the Scraplets too if he said something he didn't like. 
• Here's a question...just how many shots do the Nudge Guns have? When Brainstorm analysed Skids' one before, he said it had two canisters for two shots...we see Getaway shoot Thunderclash at least half a dozen times here...
• We can assume from this issue that the hidden thrusters on Luna-1 were built to enable the planetoid to travel through the Warren before Tyrest started his Space Bridge plan.
• It's explained that Getaway has an irrational desire to become a Prime, this actually explains a fair few things about his character and even design. He has a mouth plate and general helmet design of a traditional Prime. Also his massive ego and power grabbing personality make sense knowing this...maybe this is also why he hates Rodimus, he's jealous that he has natural Matrix-affinity and even held it for a while, along with Thunderclash who held the Matrix for Optimus for a short while.
• Since it took me a while to get to their issue, I have seen the profiles for issue 12, and see that Riptide does survive his "swim". My guess is that Getaway never recharged his Nudge Gun, and it is still empty when he uses it to make Riptide forget how to transform.

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #49

Title: Speak, Memory! (Part 2)

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Hayato Sakamoto

Coordination by: Phases

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long

Editor: John Barber

Publisher: Ted Adams

Plot

Sunder continues his attack on Skids' mind, and forces him to relive his time at Grindcore prison.

At the prison, Skids is revealed to have repaired the prison's transport generators, which will allow the prison to send it's prisoners to other locations for hard-labour. Skids is returned to his cell, where Quark moans at him for helping the Decepticons, but Skids justifies t by pointing out that because of him, fifty of the prisoners are to be shipped off soon, which means they're going to be off this horrible place. The two are stopped in their conversation when Tarn starts to play the Empyrean Suite over the intercom....

Back in the present, Rung blocks Sunder's gaze, and stops the memories, in the meanwhile, Froid opens Sunder's cell and unshackles the mad-man (for some reason he never really explains). The guards, Fervor and Kindle rush into the ship and order him to stand down and return to the cell, but Sunder simply uses his full Mnemosurgery kills to attack the duo, shocking both Skids and Rung in the process. Rung sends off a transmission to someone....

A little while later, Tailgate has woken up from his coma, and is exploring the Lost Light for any signs of people, finds all the lights turned off, and several orbs lining the corridors. He finds himself in the brig, where he tries to get Getaway to explain what happened, but he gets no response from the prisoner, and gets angry, not knowing that Getaway has been stripped of his limbs and mouth as part of his punishment.

Soon, Tailgate encounters Rung, Froid and Skids who explain about Sunder being on the loose, and his ability to trick a Transformer into thinking the best option to defend against him is to transform, but also makes them forget how to transform properly, forcing them into an orb shape. Rung explains that the crew have been locked in their rooms, and the lights were turned off to help slow down Sunder, but they're looking for Chromedome to help lock down the memories in Skids' head before he is mentally scarred. Sunder creeps up on the group and Skids begins to remember again...

Back in the past, Tarn thanks Skids for his help, and confirms that the prisoners were transported to the Manganese Mountains. Skids tries to bargain for more prisoners to be sent off-world again, but Tarn tells him that he doesn't need his help any more, since he had Snare learn how to make the repairs by watching Skids previously, but does plan to send Skids on the next transport tomorrow. Skids is interested, but asks if someone else can take his place....

Rung forces himself and Froid in front of Sunder to block the memories again, but in the process Froid is inverted into a sphere too. After his inversion Sunder is shot by the newly arrived Thunderclash. Thunderclash, along with Megatron give chase to Sunder, who is now heading to the shuttle bay again, whilst the similarly newly arrived Chromedome quickly seals up Skids' open memories. Rung and Tailgate head off to join the others whilst Chromedome works on Skids.

Sunder returns to his and Froid's shuttle, which Megatron recognizes are being his long dead brother, Sceptre. Sunder transforms the shuttle into a battle-suit for protect himself, and uses his powers on Thudnerclash, turning him into a sphere. Before he can do the same to Megatron however, Rung appears with his model ships and uses them to attack Sunder, taking out his eyes, and disabling his abilities.

Tailgate prompts Megatron to pick up Thunderclash's gun and shoot Sunder, but Megatron instead tries to talk down the mad-man. Tailgate however decides to not try to reason with him, picks up the Rodpod, and throws it t the battle-suit bound robot, knocking him out, much to everyone's shock.

Later, on the bridge, Rung hands in his resignation to Megatron, pointing out that despite him disagreeing with the tribunal's decision in the past, he was struck off, he will tell the crew, but won't allow them to change his decision.

Rodimus then comes to the bridge, having been returned to normal, and Rodimus shares Velocity's report on Tailgate's new abilities, saying that due to his agitated nature and stress, in combination with the radiation from their time travelling in the past caused Tailgate to become a new Outlier with increased strength, speed and invulnerability. Rodimus asks Megatron why he refused to shoot Sunder, which Megatron reveals is due to his new decision, that following recent events, he has decided to defy violence, and will never harm another living creature, ever again...

Back in the past at Grindcore, Skids and Quark are both led into the transport chamber, since Tarn was so "touched" by Skids' actions that he let him go too, along with his friend Quark. The entire group are led into the chamber, and the door is locked, and they find the entire room very...hot...

Skids soon notices that the floors are engraved with drainage ducts, which he quickly understands the purpose for.

Suddenly the room's temperature rises and the Empyrean Suite places extremely loud, causing everyone in the room pain. Skids is suddenly teleported out, and finds himself in Tarn's office again. Once there, Tarn reveals that Megatron needs the raw materials from the Autobots to make new MTO soldiers for the war, so he's been using the euphemism of a teleporter to get people to queue up for it. Tarn coaxes Skids to his window, where he tells Skids that he doesn't believe in heaven, but he does believe in a hell...as they watch over the melting and screaming bodies below them.....(and now I throw up!)

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Car

Megatron - Tank

Thunderclash - Truck

Tailgate - Car

Rung

Skids - Van

Chromedome - Car

Kindle

Fervor

Sunder - Car Captured or Killed by Tailgate

Sceptre - Space Shuttle/Battle Suit Dead

Getaway - Car Imprisoned in Brig

Quark - Electron Microscope (Flashback) Smelted in Grindcore

Grindcore Prisoners (Flashback) Smelted in Grindcore

Velocity - Race Car (Mentioned)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Mentioned)

Decepticon

"Tarn" - Tank (Flashback)

Talon - Jet (Flashback)

Snare - Jet (Flashback)

Cybertronian

Froid - Jet

Cyclonus - Jet (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

The Necrobot (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

Notes

• Tarn is never called "Tarn" in this story or the previous one, similarly to Chromedome's original name and Shockwave's identity in previous past-set comics. This somewhat adds to the idea that he is really Roller in disguise, and this is before he joined the DJD
• Tarn is shown having his transformation addiction even this early on in his career.
• From the tyres on his wrists, it's safe to assume that Sunder turns into a car or land vehicle of some sort.
• Either Sunder is taking the time to write down "Mortilus Saves" after inverting crew members, or someone else is following him. Either way it's kinda odd.
• Getaway's imprisonment is designed to be escape proof, due to him being a famed escapologist. His limbs are removed for obvious reasons, but his mouth and voice box are removed to stop him from manipulating people with his "silver tongue".
• Tarn is shown with several corpses displayed on his office walls...I'm afraid....
• Tarn is so obsessed with the Decepticons that his Engex bottle has a Decepticon insignia stopper.
• It's unclear if Froid survived his inversion, but let's hope he died for his black-mails etc.
• Based on Sceptre's ship-mode's insignia, it's very likely that he and Sunder are actually Autobots.
• It's revealed that Rung has outfitted his model ships with working engines and weaponry...wonder if the Lost Light model has a working miniature Quantum Engine?
• How on Cybertron did Tailgate get the idea to even TRY and pick up the Rodpod?!
• During their time travelling adventures, it was discovered that Sentinel Prime tried to use radiation to create artificial Outliers, it's revealed here that his theory was correct, but he was simply using the wrong type of radiation.
• Sunder's "Mortilus impression" is represented by a black text-box, his normal voice uses a regular white one.
• The horrible memory that Skids has repressed, his loss of faith in Primus, and his interest in music and the Empyrean Suite are all revealed to the audience, but not Skids himself here.
• I'm going to admit something here, originally I considered using the final panel for one of my screenshots here...but it has been giving me nightmares since I saw it D:

IDW - More Than Meets The Eye #48

Title: Speak, Memory: Part 1

Written by: James Roberts

Art by: Hayato Sakamoto

Coordination by: Phases

Colours by: Joana LaFuente

Letters by: Tom B. Long & Chris Mowry

Editor: John Barber

Plot

Skids is having another session with Rung, to try and uncover his repressed memories, whilst building one of his models. Skids recounts how he was captured by the Decepticons after the Simanzi Massacre and placed into a cell with an inhibiter device attached, however he starts to lose the details halfway through, so they call it quits

Skids prepares the leave when Ruing receives a visit from Froid, whom had be believed dead for some time now. The two reunite and Skids excuses himself, commenting on the new arrival's Primal Beads around his neck.

At the Medibay, Cyclonus sits next to an unconscious Tailgate, and Velocity marvels at how he wasn't killed by the multiple gun shot wounds he sustained. Megatron arrives and offers his apologies for striking out at Tailgate earlier, and insists that he'd never have actually killed the little Autobot (despite beginning to crush his neck). Rodimus explains that they discovered from Tailgate's mind (via Mnemosurgery) that Getaway and Atomizer set him up, and they've been arrested by Magnus in response. They also explain that Tailgate's energy wave actually managed to wake up Thunderclash as well, now all they need is for Tailgate to wake up too.

Back at Rung's office, Froid recounts how after he helped capture Sunder, a Mnemosurgeon who turned into a serial killer, he joined the prison transport ship that was taking him to Garrus-6, when Sunder escaped and took him hostage, they were believed to be killed when the shuttle they were in was destroyed. Unknown to the rest of the crew however, Sunder and Froid ended up on Scarvix, where Froid became a famous psychiatrist there, whilst helping Sunder get past the death of his accomplice and brother during the shuttle destruction. however, Sunder and Froid ended up on Scarvix, where Froid became a famous psychiatrist there, whilst helping Sunder get past the death of his accomplice and brother during the shuttle destruction.

After the story, Froid reveals the reason he tracked down Rung..he want's to look at his patient notes, which Rung vehemently refuses, due to both patient confidentiality, and of Froid's past of plagiarizing his work. However Froid threatens to reveal Rung's dark secret if he refuses...

Skids sits at the Oil Reservoir and continues to try and recall his memories again, where he recalls helping his new cell-mate Quark remove his inhibitor device, allowing him to transform between modes again. Skids explains that he learned how to do it whilst watching them construct one earlier due to his outlier skills. Quark suggests to keep his abilities a secret in case of being singled out by the Decepticons, when suddenly the commandant of the prison arrives at the door, and Skids recognizes the voice...before his memory starts to fail again.

Rung refuses the request of Froid's and he seems to take it well, but asks Rung to see him off the ship. Once they reach the shuttle bay, Rung is surprised to see some guards, until Froid shows him inside his ship...where Sunder is sitting in a cell, and has been writing words worshiping Mortilus on the walls. Rung claims this is wrong, and Froid is too close to Sunder to be objectional, but Froid throws that in his face by bringing up that Ruing got too close to a patient on a previous assignment, and was disbarred, however the ship was destroyed, so as the sole survivor Rung was able to pretrend it never happened.

Froid reveals that Sunder is able to feed on troubled memories and experiencing by using a rare Mnemosurgery technique where he can read minds just using his eyesight, so he had his eye's scooped out, and planned to use Rung's patients to feed him.

Suddenly, Froid is sent flying as Skids appears and shoots him away with his grappling hook. Rung tells Skids to leave, but Skids is confused as Rung himself called for him to come assist him, but that was before he knew about Sunder's skill. Froid takes this moment to reveal that his Primal Beads are actually Sunder's eyes, and gives them back. Sunder greets the two Autobots, and scans Rung's mind, shattering his spectacles in the process, then turns to Skids, unlocking his repressed memory...

Skids' cell opens up to the prison's commandant...the Decepticon now named Tarn!

Characters

Autobot

Rodimus - Sports Car

Megatron - Tank

Rung

Skids - Van

Velocity - Race Car

Tailgate - Car Unconscious

Kindle

Fervor

Riptide - Boat (Voice Only)

Quark - Electron Microscope (Flashback)

Ultra Magnus - Vehicle Transport (Flashback)

Getaway - Car (Flashback) Arrested

Atomizer - Car (Flashback) Arrested

Heavy Tread (Flashback) Detonated as a Landmine

Grindcore Prisoners (Flashback)

Optimus Prime/Orion Pax (Mentioned)

Thunderclash - Truck (Mentioned) He woke up!

Chromedome - Car (Mentioned)

Wheeljack - Race Car (Mentioned)

Decepticon

Tarn - Tank (Flashback)

Flywheels - Tank/Jet (Flashback)

Stalker - Personnel Carrier (Flashback)

Skyquake - Jet (Flashback)

Wingthing (Flashback)

Glit (Flashback)

Dreadwind - Stealth Bomber (Flashback)

Ruckus - Baja Buggy (Flashback)

Octus - Dalek (Flashback)

Take-Off (Flashback)

Charger (Flashback)

Grindcore Staff (Flashback)

Cybertronian

Cyclonus - Jet

Froid - Jet

Sunder

Sceptre (Mentioned) Killed in Ship Explosion

The Senate (Mentioned)

Primus (Mentioned)

Mortilus (Mentioned)

The Guiding Hand (Mentioned)

Notes

• It's hinted in this issue that Skids losing his "faith" is somehow related to what happened at Grindcore
• Given Glit's medical background in their profile, it's likely the "cross on their back is the Decepticon's version of the medical symbol.
• It's revealed that Rung only collects models of ships that he's served on. This also reveals that Rung was SUPPOSED to be on the Ark-1, but was recalled last minute
• Froid is shown in full in this issue, showing that his design is VERY much based on Prime Sondwave, just with a Seeker-looking chest.
• The effects of Tailgate's spark-wave is revealed to have woken up Thunderclash from his coma, it's also probable that he also revived Cyclonus as well, since he miraculously survived being blasted by the security crew.
• Sunder is normally an Autobot cassette-bird...guess he's a very different character now!
• Rung appears to have a habit of polishing his spectacles when he's nervous, the last time he was shown doing it was after his therapy session with Megatron.
• Since we know Quark died in Grindcore due to that being Brainstorm's motives behind making his time cases, it can be assumed that Tarn will kill him to torment Skids at some point.
• Skids appears to recognize Tarn's voice at Grindcore. Since there'd be no reason he'd know a Decepticon by code-name, just by voice alone, it can be assumed that he know's the voice of the guy under the mask, who is most likely Roller.
• Tarn appears to know about Skids' outlier abilities, which was known to Roller as well, further adding to the theory.
• From their names, I can probably assume that Kindle and Fervor are the previously mentioned Pyrobots