Transformers Prime: Line in the sand
Prolouge.
Alternate Earth.
"I don't get it; she just sits there, looking up. What does she expect to see?" The young Sargent said while scooping some of the chicken soup that served as tonight's dinner into his bowl.
"You're new to this command aren't you kid?" The glossy eye girl with the red hair smirked as she too served up two bowls for her and her leader. "We don't question the Colonel, we just fall in behind and follow her lead. The young sergeant shook his head and joined the rest of his squad members by the fire.
Colonel June Darby broke her gaze from the night sky to see one of her lieutenant's approach the pile of rubble on which she sat, keeping a silent vigil. Darby looked as she saw the lieutenant with her rifle slung on her shoulder attempt to climb the pile of rubble while balancing the two bowls of soup in her hand.
"Let me meet you halfway there lieutenant!" Colonel Darby said with a smile as she climbed down and took one of the bowls from her. "Thank you, Lieutenant Miller!"
"Do you mind if I sit with you Ma'am?" She asked
"Not at all Lieutenant, In fact, I've been wanting to talk with you. But please call me June." June said.
The lieutenant smiled"I'm Sierra."
The two women sat among the ruins of the Western Human command, the human resistance forces that had been stationed there had to leave in a hurry, and forge a new command stationed north in the area once known as Oregon. Still one lone squad led by Colonel June Darby stayed behind at the old command. The reason why they stayed behind and risk capture from Decepticon forces laid within the front pocket of Colonel Darby's outer jacket.
"I'm sorry I haven't had time to find out more about you Sierra." June apologized "We didn't have a lot of time on our hands when this beacon to the Autobots alerted the cons to our base. People had to clear out in a hurry. "
"It's ok June "Sierra said while tearing off a chunk of her bread and dipping it in her soup" As you may have forgotten, General Bishop appointed me not only as your second in command but as your bodyguard as well."
June rolled her eyes " HOW many battles and scrapes have I survived?" She moaned
"I know your track record Colonel Darby, In fact it was your raid on the Decepticon worker camps in the Rocky Mountains that I owe you my freedom." Sierra said solemnly.
"That was six years ago." June reminisced.
"I was 10 ma'am, too small and too weak to work, I was originally marked for extermination. But at the last second I was given over to their chief scientist for experimentation…." Sierra's voice then trailed off.
June could take the hint it was painful for her to talk about and sought to change the subject. "That sword on your back, they say you can use it." June commented.
Sierra pulled out the long sleek sword that had a tinge of blue to it. "Well it's not approved for battle yet. It was forged from pure energon. I took a chunk that was found with me when I was freed. I'm working on my close quarters fighting, but only on my off time, I use a rifle like everyone else" Sierra said pointing to the futuristic rifle that lay by her side.
June smiled at the girl, she knew only of her name and age which was was tall for her age and her thin frame made her look malnourished at first glance but it hid a tone body with ridged muscles. She had bushy dark red hair that she kept it tightly tied in a pulled back bun. She was a good soldier who was known for following commands to the T, but at the same time able make her own decisions. Which some of the time got her into more trouble than she counted on.
"Still nothing from your beacon?" Sierra asked.
June took out the cylinder device and held it before them "Not a peep, But I saw it Sierra. I saw the message, even if it was for a second. They know about us and I have to believe they are coming."
"The squad General Bishop left here to guard you are loyal, they won't leave your side. That's how much faith they have in you." Sierra said.
The two women sat in silence as they continued to eat; it wasn't until they finished their soup that June revealed her plan to her lieutenant. "Look, it's coming on a month, If nothing happens by next week." June paused as Sierra locked eyes with her with full attentiveness.
"I want you to take the squad and get out of here!" June ordered.
"But Colonel…" Sierra started.
"No Buts, I'm not going to risk the lives of these good troops, you can be doing a lot more good fighting with the others than staying here and guarding me!" June said sternly.
Before Sierra could tear into her commanding officer, a lone figure came racing to them, as fast as she was breathing they could tell the young girl ran from the other end of the base. Both knew the young Asian girl who wore her black hair flat and around her eyes. She dressed like everyone else in the compound, in green olive drab fatigues. 12 year old Miko Nakadai was a selective mute; she lost her voice in the Decepticon worker camps. She was originally comatose when brought in, traumatized from her time in the camps. But through living around the human resistance she slowly woke up to being a human again. Since the last year with the resistance she was taken under the wing by the Communications department and learned all she could about working and maintaining communications. What she lacked in a voice she more than made up for in ingenuity and tinkering.
She stood before her commanding officer and executive officer breathing fast, her two UFO catcher dolls she wore on her hip that June gave her on her return to base bouncing in rhythm with her breathing.
"What is it Miko?" June asked the mute girl.
Miko tapped her ear and pointed up; it was the sign for "You have an urgent call from high up!" Miko then took the radio and tossed it to June.
"This is Colonel Darby over." June called over the line.
"Colonel Darby , this is Oregon Command!, "The voice on the other line spoke " We have SATNAVS reporting that there is something big headed your way, It looks like it's a two pronged attack, One from the East and the other from above!"
"Above?, What do you mean by that?, Over." June asked
"Something is approaching you from orbit…" Oregon command reported. "General Leland Bishop is ordering you and your squad to get out now!"
Then one of the outlooks raced out of their watch nest and yelled from high on top of the compound walls. "Colonel Darby!, We have bogeys approaching our heading Mark two four niner!"
"Oregon Command we need to get back to you!" Colonel Darby said as she shouted "Get to the main batteries!, secure all headings!"
June looked to Sierra, "Cons…"
Everyone on the twelve man squad ran to their battle stations. They could see several lights in the sky approaching. Then five of the lights speed toward them and then over the base. By the roar of their engines everyone knew what they were.
"Seekers!'June shouted "Get to cover now and shoot at anything that moves on that field!"
The squad took their positions and laid down suppressive fire, the two laser cannons they had that still worked were now being used to try and shoot down the Seekers. They would have little chance seeing how these were actually the Decepticons and not one of the many basic drones they employed.
Colonel Darby and Sierra both climbed the ladder to the high wall overlooking the field leading up to the base's north wall. Sierra handed June her binoculars, and readied her clips and her rifle. June looked out at the battlefield and counted at least 12 large hulking tanks moving across the fields.
"Shit, they have Hunter Killer tanks!" June cursed "Sierra you get the squad and get out of here NOW!"
"Like hell I am!" Sierra argued "You wouldn't last 10 minutes alone and We wouldn't last 10 feet out there and you know it!"
"That's why you're going to use the underground tunnels!" June bit back while laying down suppressive fire on the approaching hunter drones.
"I'm not leaving you behind, I have my orders!" Sierra said firing back and taking down a drone.
"I gave you a direct command lieutenant!" June shouted.
Before Sierra could answer that the whole compound and battlefield suddenly lit up like daytime. From the night sky something was descending from the thick clouds that hung over the world. Bright lights cut through the darkness and illuminated everything. The brightness aided the Seekers as they circled back and began to carpet bomb the compound and surrounding area. The concussion of the blasts knocked June and Sierra against the fortified walls. Their bodies reacted to the bombs shockwaves as their ears rung. As the fog in June's eyes began to lift she looked upward and saw the source of the lights.
It was a huge spaceship.
It seemed to now have the attention of the Decepticon forces as they now ignored the humans and directed all fire towards it. The spaceship itself seemed to have sophisticated defenses and weaponry as the blaster bolts the Cons fired at it seem to have zero effect. Then from the front of the hull the ship opened up. June peered through her binoculars to get a better view of the opening. She could see five large robots the exact size and look of the Decepticons, She saw as they surveyed the battlefield and then leapt from the mouth of the ship. As soon as they hit air, these five robots transformed into five different types of fighter jets. They immediately made a beeline for the Seekers and soon a dogfight engaged. Everyone in the squad now struggled to get a better view of the fight in the skies above them.
They saw the jets take out two of the seeker jets; this was more than enough to ward off the other four Seekers as they took off for the horizon. June then gasped in amazement as she saw the five jets circle back and then transformed one by one in flawless succession. She saw as they merged into one giant being. The giant robot took out its huge rifle cannon and with ease took out each of the hunter tanks. Within moments the battlefield was cleared of all enemy combantants. June saw the giant robot hold a hand to its ear and look up at the spaceship that still hung in the air.
The ship then began to lower slowly; it chose the center of the base as its landing point. The ship was large; slightly gold in appearance it has the shape of an arrowhead. From the same opening the flying jets flew out of three large robots walked down the plank. June looked to see they were much different from any Decepticons they encountered. What stood out the most was the symbol on their chest. It was a dark purple symbol of the decepticons. It was a red symbol that was all too familiar to Colonel Darby.
"Are they cons!?" Sierra hissed.
"No," June whispered "I think they are friendlies."
The large robot in the middle was colored red and yellow, He stepped forward slowly and brought up a holographic display from his wrist. In the blue light the shape of the Beacon cylinder June Darby possessed.
He called out "We are looking for the owner of this beacon!, Please know that we come in peace!, We mean you humans no harm!"
June sucked in a deep breath and realized this was the moment that she and the human race had been waiting for in the past month. June stood up and made her way to the ladder, Sierra briefly grabbed her hand and shook her head as if to say "No!" . June looked at her with soft eyes that did their best to reassure her. June climbed down and made her way toward the three robots. She walked with her hands up, the left one holding the cylinder up high.
The three robots, looked at her and smiled, and then saw her hands up. Thinking it was a human custom they too raised their hands above their head. June could hear and feel the snickers from around her. She rolled her eyes and she dropped her arms.
"My name is Colonel June Darby." She finally said "Welcome to Earth, or what's left of it."
The three robots dropped their arms as the middle one knelt in front of her, "Hello my name is Rodimus Prime, Leader of the Autobots, behind me are my second in command, Jazz and my scientific advisor Perceptor, We understand you have a problem with Decepticons?" He smiled.
Oregon Command
History would mark the date and time the call came, It was in the early morning hours of June 1st 2019. The call came through as General Bishop was summoned as he ordered should Colonel June Darby call. He immediately ran to the communications hub of the compound and took the radio.
"This is General Bishop, over." He said thankful that June was alive.
"General Bishop this is Colonel Darby, Im happy to report that we survived last night's attack, and that I will be taking our squad to the Oregon command,"
Leland's mouth hung open at June's next words. "The Autobots have arrived, they have pledge their unconditional support in our war against the Decepticons!" June announced to cheers.
Prime Earth: present day.
June Darby quietly crept into her house in the wee hours of the morning; she didn't want to wake her son Jack as she returned home from her evening with William Fowler. She almost felt like a teenager again sneaking into the house. Still a tiny tinge of guilt sat in her mind; she had known him for the better part of a year. Ever since June found out about her son's involvement with the Autobots she's tried to keep an eye on him from afar. Far enough to let him become his own man but close enough to appease those twangs of motherhood she still felt. She literally had no one she could confide to; there was her sister in Miami. Who by the way was helping out her own team of Autobots. But between that and going through her first year of medical internship. June was not about to bother her with any of her anxieties.
That left only Fowler, and ever since the time at the museum where they were both captured by the Con known as Knock out. She and Folwer began seeing each other on a regular basis. There was a dinner here and there, the occasional outing to the local Farmer's market that had just reopened in Jasper. June found she could confine in the federal agent, it was something she realized she needed more than she admitted. He too confided his personal life to her as well, everything from his frustrations with his ex-wife to his hidden worry about the kids and their life with the Autobots and the secret war they waged against the Decepticons. Then in the past two weeks something happened neither expected. They began a sexual relationship, unexpected at first. A late night encounter in his office while the Autobots were away on a mission with the kids in tow, then the next encounter at June's home while she was waiting for Jack to come home. Finally this latest time was at Fowlers apartment on base. June didn't mean for this to happen, but before William she hadn't been with anyone for nearly a year. And even then they were mindless encounters with men she met online, Meant for nothing more than to fill carnal urges that she felt her body ache for.
With William she felt it was much more than sex, June felt it was her finally becoming one with another soul. She paid no attention to Fowler's performance in bed, she was happy to feel and be with someone that wanted to be with her for more than just senseless fuck. With Bill, she felt the major hole left by her husband beginning to fill again.
June barley made it to the center hallway of the house before Jack turned on the lights to the hallway. "Welcome home.." He said softly.
"Jack!" June said in a raised and surprised tone.
Jack quickly held a finger to his mouth shushing his mother quiet, He pointed to the living room where Raf and Miko were sleeping to a movie on the TV running.
"Sleepover, "Jack pointed out" We came across a Predacon that freaked out Raf and Miko too, even though she won't admit it. I offered to let them crash here. "
"That's my Jack" June smiled.
"So, good evening with Bill?" Jack asked quizzically.
"Bill and I had a nice dinner yes, "June said defensively "I fell asleep on his couch.."
"You don't need to do this mom, "Jack said "Did he use protection?"
June's cheeks slightly turned red before she really got defensive "Jackson Darby! I-I , ugh! What makes you think we did that!?"
Jack then pointed to the panties she was holding in her hand that poked out from under the smock she draped over her arm. June saw this and sighed knowing full well she was busted.
"Y-yeah, we are.." She admitted quietly.
A long pause of uncomfortable silence fell between them before June started to speak.
"Look Jack I-"She started as Jack cut her off.
"Mom! Mom it's ok, I-I understand. "He said "I just want you to be happy, If Bill does that, then so be it. "
June smiled and then hugged her son, the young boy who was fast becoming a man, A man who could very well change the face of the earth and the course of humankind.
"Jack no matter what happens, I will always love you, and nothing will ever change that!" June said as she kissed him on the forehead.
"I love you too mom, Sleep well…" Jack said as he retreated back into his room
June smiled as she went into her bedroom; the endorphins of sex were now starting to settle down in her body. Her body was now relaxed, and soon a hot shower would be just the thing to send her into a restful sleep. As she stepped out of her bath wrapped in her favorite robe, she opened the drawers to find some undergarments. She slipped the robe off and slipped on some fresh panties, she then reached for a night shirt and as she unfurled it, and put on the night shirts, something small and black flopped from it and hit the desk. She picked it up and saw it was her missing Digital Voice Recorder.
She had misplaced this DVR almost six months ago; she ended up buying a new one. Now it appeared she had two. She was thankful that it was here all along and not in the hands of some hacker who would post her recordings all over the internet. She held in her hand and took it to bed with her.
"It's been a while since I added a voice entry" She thought as she looked for the switch to turn it one. AS IT CAME ON June saw that there was a new entry on the recorder. And It was dated when she was away at the nursing conference in Seattle a few months back. She knew no one had access to this, not even Jack. What was a new recording doing on it?
She sat on her bed and clicked on the new entry, and what she heard chilled her blood. It was her voice all right but it sounded weary and haggard. And the opening message immediately had her attention.
"I'm not sure if Jack or the Autobots will tell you about this week. I'm not even sure if they should, what would it prove? But here I am sending you a message I'm not sure you will ever find. You're probably wondering when did I record this. , That's the kick in the butt, I'm you but I'm not you….."
Jack Darby's head hit the pillow and he barely fell asleep when he heard his mom's loud voice scream bellow from her bedroom.
"JACK!"
NEX TIME: The events of Tip of the Spear kick into full motion as Colonel Darby must lead a ragtag squad back into the Prime Universe, to recover a special object left behind during Colonel Darby's first visit to Jasper. Team Prime have their own troubles as they face a two prong attack from both Decepticons and Predacons!. How will Prime's human allies handle seeing alternate versions of people they use to know? Fowler will come face to face with a painful memory of his past while June Darby meets Colonel June Darby…