Science and Fiction JE 8

Journal entry; discoveries

Things were insane there for a while and I did end up in confinement for nearly three days with several charges against me while the Autobots were concerned with their fallen comrade.  I didn't think it out of line to tell you the truth, I mean I stole a truck and crashed through a high security gate.  Lots of damage.
Apparently Ironhide was livid when he found out they had detained me despite the fact that he had vouched for my actions and everyone heard about it.  So even though I was due for Gods know how long to remain in that little secluded room, I am out and about again three days later.  I generally avoid everyone at this point.  The humans hold me in contempt and the Autobots are busy getting their new friend up to date.
I was surprised when the new mech sought me out while I was wandering about the skirts of the base trying to avoid more evil glares.

~Aurian Fae

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Aurian was not a people person.  She had never pretended to even attempt to be one of those people that could simply make good of any situation.  As a matter of fact when things got tense she tended to just run away, so to speak.  Thus she found herself banished by her own desire to just avoid all of the intense looks to the far reaches of the least used area of the base.  It happened to be near the landing strip which was, as far as she knew, completely unused.
"You are Aurian?"  A loud voice rumbled as a shadow encompassed the unsuspecting woman.
Leaping to her feet, tripping over them in the process of spinning to see the mech that had snuck up on her and subsequently ending up on her duff sitting in the dirt looking up at said mech, Aurian wondered yet again how something that big could be that sneaky!  "I've been known to go by that name."  She grumbled, not even bothering with trying to get back up, half of it being the fact she saw little need and half that she was spending that energy studiously ignoring the throbbing pain in her hand.  "Yer the new guy, huh?"
"New guy?"  The mech snarled indignantly, "You don't know who I am?"
"Well, honestly, my knowledge is limited and I haven't exactly been introduced."
"You knew the others."
"That's because they were in the first movie.  You, my friend, were not."
"Movie?"  The mech knelt down to better glare at the woman seated before him, "I think if there'd been a movie, I would have been in it."
"That so?  Cause, well, you weren't.  No offense."  Aurian leaned back trying to get a better look at this new mech's features.  She was sure that if she studied him long enough she would figure out who he was.  'Why can't he just tell me?'  She grumbled silently to herself.
"There's no way some old rusted pile of slag like Ironhide would be in a movie and I wouldn't.  I'm so much cooler then him."
"Ah!"  Aurian leaned forward pointing a finger at the mech determinedly, "You're one of the twins!"
The mech shifted backward at the announcement, "I thought you didn't know who I was."
"I didn't.  But you're attitude is pretty easy to pick up.  Let's see..."  She looked over the mech with a frown, "You're silver."  She stated flatly.
"Of course!"  The mech preened his shiny exterior, wiping away imaginary dust.  "I think it suits me just fine."
"Hmmm."  Aurian studied the shiny surface of the mech before her, "I thought you would go with red, or yellow like in G1."
"G one?"
"But I guess that Ratchet wasn't yellow and Ironhide wasn't black in G1 so why should everyone else be held to the color scheme?  What's your alt?"  She asked completely ignoring the mech's own question.  "Did you go with the Lamborghini?"
"Stingray."
"Nice!  Not what I expected at all.  Where'd you find a Stingray out here?  Must be one of the head honcho's cars.  Bet he's real pleased to know there's a giant alien posing as his pride and joy."  She laughed a little wondering if the owner of said vehicle even knew.  "Now the question is, which one are you?"  Aurian finally stood and studied the mech's face intently.  "Oh..."  A thought dawned on her as she looked at him and remembered the conversation she had had with the previously gathered Autobots her first day.  "Sideswipe..."  She almost whispered, "Where's Sunstreaker?"
The mech reeled at this statement, returning to his full height and taking several steps away from the woman before him.  "How..."
"Don't make me go through it all again.  You won't believe me anyway."  Aurian shrugged and turned away from the obviously disturbed mech.  He was probably going to start accusing her of deceit just like the others had and honestly, she just didn't want to deal with it.
"You mean, you don't know what happened to him?"  The mech sounded crestfallen causing Aurian to rethink her retreat and turn back to him.
"How should I know?"  She spoke softly, it seemed that Sideswipe was not upset by her knowledge, but rather her lack of it.  "I only saw the first movie Sides, I only know that you were supposed to be in the second one but they never mentioned Sunny."
"Oh."  Sideswipe's gaze turned to the sky as if he were gaging something Aurian could not see.  "We were separated.  When the others told me about you, I guess I thought you'd know where he went."
"I'm sorry."  And truly she was.  If his expression was anything to go by Sideswipe was very upset by the fact he was unaware of his twins whereabouts or his condition.  "How?  I mean, what happened that you ended up here in such bad shape and he's nowhere to be found?"  Aurian cringed as the words left her mouth.  Not the most tactical moment in her life.
"Battle."  Sideswipe laughed, though distantly.  "Some slaggin' D'Con sucker punched me with a blade," he indicated the faint scarring where Ratchet had welded his wound shut, "then went after Sunny.  He drew the slagger away from me and that was the last I saw of him.  There was one transmission that he sent saying he was fine, tryin' to check on my status but I was too damaged to respond at the time.  Pit!  I barely got myself on track with Optimus's signal before..."  The bot hesitated looking curiously at Aurain.
"Stasis lock?"  She supplied, only half amused that he was testing to see if she knew the term.
"Yeah."  He sighed heavily which Aurian found interesting considering that Cybertronians didn't really breath.  She imagined it was kind of like when an air compressor released it's hold before building up more.  "I guess I owe you one."
"What?"  She was honestly confused and stunned to boot.  "Why?"
"Optimus said you're the one that found me."
"Well, you're wonderful decent upon the Earth was kinda hard to miss."  She didn't add the fact that everyone else was under cover at the time and only her odd love of bad weather had left her in a prime place to have witnessed it.
"Yeah," Sideswipe snorted disbelievingly, "And the guys didn't get me on radar because they weren't looking, not because of electrical interference from the storm."  He stated rather sarcastically.  "Because of you they got to me in time to save me...so...thanks."  He seemed almost shy to speak the appreciation.  "I owe you one."
"Don't worry about it."  Aurian waived off his commitment as no great consequence.  It was her curiosity that had led her to him after all and it had proved to get her into plenty of trouble for it so dwelling on favors wasn't really on her most desired list, she just wanted it done with.
"Worry about it?"  Sideswipe sounded almost angered by the words, "My life, human, is something worth worrying about thank you very much and I will return the favor weather you like it or not."
Aurian was stunned.  "Oh.  When you put it that way..."  She sighed heavily.  "I didn't really mean it like that Sides.  I just meant that anyone in my place would have done the same thing.  I didn't even think it through really.  You could have died because I made the wrong decision in going out there to follow my curiosity rather then just going to find the Autobots and sending them after you.  I mean, what if those few minutes had been all it took and you did die?  No one would be thanking me then.  I'd be lucky if I got to rot in prison for my actions.  Ironhide probably would have just blown me up."
"The way he went after your fellow humans when he found out they had you in the brig?  I doubt it."
"That's only because you lived."  Aurian clarified.  "Didn't you pick up on the part where he thinks I'm a spy?"
"Why would he think you're a spy?"
Again Aurian was just stunned.  "Knowing all this stuff I apparently shouldn't know because no one knows about Transformers but me and the few lucky bastards that were recruited for this project."
"Really?"  Sideswipe considered the womans flustered look for a minute.  "Yeah, I guess I was a little disbelieving when they told me you knew so much, but then again, I just got here so what do I know?"
"So you were just willing to accept that an alien knew intricate details about your race, your planet and your war without suspicion?"
Sideswipe shrugged, interestingly enough Aurian couldn't help but wonder if that was a human trait he had already picked up or if that was something that was universal...or would it be termed cosmic?  "Strange things happen all the time.  Can't get all wound up about everything.  Now, if I thought you were a threat I'd kill you, so I really don't see the problem."
"Kill..?"  Aurian swallowed hard.  "Okay.  Makes sense.  Do me a favor though, will you at least let me know if you think I'm a threat so I can close my eyes first?"
With this Sideswipe burst into laughter.  A sound Aurian found all at once strange and pleasing.  It was different then the deep rolling sound of Ironhide or the easy amusement of Ratchet and no where near Bumblebee's strange chortling.  It was more like smooth bursts of energy that just washed through the air.  "What is closing your eyes going to do for you if I decide to eliminate you?"  He asked once his laughter subsided into chuckles.
"Nothing.  I just don't want to see it coming."  Aurian admitted plainly.
"You aren't like the other humans are you?"  It was more of an observed statement then a question.
"Not around here, that's for sure."  She confirmed with a scowl around the decidedly empty grounds around her, "These guys are all military.  They've got a way about them.  Though I guess I'm not really like other people either, I do tend to stand out.  But what's life if not worth standing out a little?"
"Exactly!"  Sideswipe agreed loudly and the two shared a moment of understanding.  Aurian was amused.  Sure she had had ideas about all the Autobots, she read enough stories and participated in enough forum debates to have a pretty firm impression of who they were and how they acted but she still found herself amazed that despite light years of distance between them and an entirely different evolutionary plan that they were still so very similar to humans.  "So," Sideswipe started a few moments later, "Tell me more about this planet."
"Only if you tell me about yours."  Aurian challenged.
"Deal."
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Major William Lennox had seen many things in his service with the rangers and he liked to think himself mostly unshakable, especially after the events of the past several months.  Something about warring giant alien robots tended to make you jaded towards many things.  However he still found himself somewhat taken aback by the site he was now looking upon.  Granted, in the grand scheme of it all there was absolutely nothing abnormal or wrong about it, as long as you overlooked the fact that one of the two beings he was looking at was one of the giant alien robots and that the other, while human, was happily seated on the roof of a building that there was no way for her to have reached on her own.  Now add into that that the woman had been rather reclusive the past few days and that she tended to shy away from the aliens since having sent Ironhide on a rampage after what had started out as an innocent conversation and it got slightly stranger and then top that with the fact that the robot she was currently conversing with was the newest arrival and he, unlike his comrades, seemed to have no suspicion toward the woman who was privy to some of their greater secrets and it just went a little over the top.
He wasn't sure if he should interrupt the two as they seemed to be having a rather relaxed conversation and despite the fact the he himself was a little leery about the woman's acquisition of information she shouldn't have he was relieved to see her finally seeming comfortable, Aurian was a nice enough woman after all.  However, Will's decision was made for him when both parties lept to their feet swifter then he thought possible, or safe for the woman perched on the rooftop, and took stances he knew all too well to be designed and stylized for fighting.  His heart lept into his throat as his body took action before his brain fully processed the situation and he ran toward the apparently quarreling beings desperately wondering what the Hell Aurian was thinking?  She had no weapons!  And even if she did, the mech she was facing off against didn't need a weapon to destroy her.
Their movements startled him and he thought he was about to see the end of the woman that had caused so much commotion the past few days until it dawned on him...they weren't striking at each other but instead moving in tandem.  "Sparring?"  He questioned aloud, though still to far off to really be heard by either party.  'No,' he corrected himself silently, 'he's teaching her.'  The realization was astounding but unmistakable as the new mech abandoned his stance to nudge her slightly so that she stood correctly and then moved to the next position and waited for her to mimic him.
"You've got a knack for it, I'll give you that."  The new mech was saying as Will got within hearing range.
"Years of practice."
"So show me some of this style you called...what?"
Aurian laughed, "Not really a style I don't think.  Well, I guess it kind of is.  It's a weapons form called fencing.  It's done with blades, usually foil or epee and sometimes rapier but there are others such as saber, shlogger, dagger, some people are brave or dumb and bring the heavy weapons into it like broadsword or short swords.  Traditional fencing is only with the smaller blades though.  I do a variation we have lovingly dubbed Renaissance Style Fencing, where we don't do the Olympic form but more of a battle form."  She displayed the difference between the two stances as she explained.  Taking on the traditional Olympic fencing stance where one hand is held aloft and a minimal of mass is exposed to the opponent and then the other where, though still minimal mass is exposed, the free hand is used to either wield a second weapon, a shield, or used to parry if one was brave and the body is held in a slightly deeper crouch.  "Honestly I feel the Renaissance style affords for more flexibility and it definitely offers more defense options."  She shrugged as she let the stance go and faced the mech she was talking to, "But everyone has their own opinion."
"Hmm."  The mech considered the woman before seamlessly stepping back and withdrawing two rather large blades of his own, "I prefer the large blades myself."  He stated proudly.
"I knew it!"  Aurian squealed as she leaned dangerously over the edge of the rooftop trying to examine the weapons.  "Wow, those are some beautiful blades Sides.  How long did it take you to get them just right?"
"Eons."  The mech chuckled holding them closer to the woman so she could look them over without tempting gravity.
"Sides?"  Will questioned as he had finally come to the pair.  He leaned back to look up at both of them, first Aurian leaning over the edge of the roof and then the new mech that looked down at the new arrival.
"Oh, hi Will!"  Aurian called out waving, "Will, this is Sideswipe."  She indicated the mech before her, "Sides, this is Major William Lennox."  This time she waved her hand down toward the man on the ground.
"Good to finally meet you Sideswipe."  Will greeted with all the professionalism years of military training could instill.
"Lennox?  Optimus mentioned that you were involved in the last battle."
"Yeah, I was there."  Will nodded.
"Congratulations."  Sideswipe inclined his head slightly.  "You're a brave warrior and your victory was great."  He heaved a heavy sigh, "I wish I had been there."
"No you don't."  Aurian stated before she thought it through.
"What?"  Both Sideswipe and Will questioned at the same moment.
"Of course I do."  Sideswipe continued, "The defeat of Megatron?  Why would I want to have missed that?"
"Well, it's just that I know you and you're tendency to get a little...vengeful?"  She thought about the word for a moment before shrugging, "If you had been there and seen, um, well," Aurian caught herself.  She had sent Ironhide off the deep end because she hadn't thought about what she was saying and she did not want to repeat that again, especially not with a mech that had a much smaller regard for those who got in his way then Ironhide.  "I just think it wouldn't have ended well for you or those around you."
"Are you saying I'm careless?"  Sideswipe was angered, Aurian could not question that.
"Not so much careless as much as single minded."  Aurian snapped her mouth shut.  Damn, there she went again.  'I really need to fix my brain/mouth filter!'  She scolded herself angrily.
"What?!"  Aurian thought for sure that she would become deaf with the sheer volume of the mech's voice, Will was inclined to second the thought.  "Where do you get off, human?"  He snarled as he glared down at the woman before him.  No one knew for sure what he was about to do, not even Sideswipe himself, but Aurian knew it was not going to end well.
"Sides, think about it."  She took on her best motherly tone as she spoke to the enraged mech, hoping desperately that maternal tuning was also cosmic.  "Jazz died."  She stated as flatly as she could force her voice to be, only allowing the faintest tint of sorrow to lace the strict tone, "If you had seen that, what would you have done?"
"I would have destroyed the one who had done it!"  He stated without hesitation.
"Exactly.  Even if you couldn't have possibly of defeated that enemy you would have still gone after him?"
"Death is no cause for cowardice!"
"Of course it's not.  I would never say that.  But in your desire to exact your revenge for Jazz's demise you would have overlooked the fact that it was Megatron."  Sideswipe seemed struck by her words and he leaned away from her.  "You did know that, right?"
He paused before he answered.  "Yes."
"Okay, so now consider that, while even I would say you'd probably have given him a grand run for his money, he would have killed you too and then your comrades would have to of faced the death of two good friends instead of one."  Sideswipe didn't say anything but his expression clearly showed he was unsure.  He was still angered but the woman's words had rung true, at least to some degree.  "Sides, did they tell you how Jazz was killed?"
"Megatron destroyed him, you just said that."  He snapped.
"But how did he do it?"
"They didn't say."  He growled.  Sideswipe was beginning to understand how the others had been cautious of this woman.  She had a creepy insight that just sent jolts through his circuits.
"For good reason."  Aurian held her gaze steady on the mech.  Even if her insides were fighting to see who could find the lowest point in her body to quiver in she knew that if she showed any signs that she was nervous or afraid that Sideswipe would catch it and much as a predictor to prey he would latch onto it and use it.  To what extent, she didn't want to know.  "He..."  Was this a good idea?  She wondered.  "Megatron tore him in half."  She stated finally deciding that he needed to know.  Was it really her place to tell him?  Probably not.
Sideswipe didn't say a word.  He picked Aurian up and placed her gently on the ground and walked away.  Aurian couldn't even find the words to make him stop, she couldn't read his body language to know if he was about to do something dumb or if she had pushed the completely wrong 'big red button'.
"You did it again."  Will scolded.  He was watching the retreating mech with a mix of interest and concern.  He didn't know this mech at all and had no clue as to what he might do now, but if Aurian's label had been right he suspected that nothing good would come of this.
"Did what?"  Aurian spoke without thinking.
"Opened your mouth when you should have kept it shut."
"Yep."  She agreed whole heartedly.  "I just hope I didn't just launch the proverbial atom bomb."

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Journal entry continued; when to stand and when to run

Sometimes I regret that I speak my mind rather openly.  Granted, that's what had landed me my totally awesome job...that I'm not even sure if I still have at this point, but it sure gets me into a lot of places I'd rather not be.  Such as facing down three rather angry mechs and a whole ~colony~ of angry humans.  Okay, maybe colony isn't right, but it was more then a platoon but less then the entire base.
Apparently what I had said to Sideswipe had impacted the mech harder then I would have thought and he had vanished.  Gone!  He wouldn't answer communications from anyone, even Optimus and no one had been able to track him down.
Needless to say Ironhide was regretting forcing the humans to release me from containment.
Well, slag.

~Aurian Fae