Prime Blood: Red Star Chapter 1
The sirens of the law enforcement chasing her down the road were the least of fighter pilot Lieutenant Alexis Grace Paxton's worries. What awaits her through the chain link fence is her worry now. Alexis wills the Honda street racing bike to go faster. At this point is was a good thing she had traded in her parents graduation gift. Okay so she only owned the ancient Rabbit for two days before she sold it to a friend and all the graduation money from her grand parents for the tricked out bike. But the car moved like it says and Alexis needed something that went faster. Her parents were sure the car would slow her down and make her think about college. No, it just egged her on to get something that would go faster and had more risk.
Her mother knew from the moment Alexis was born, four weeks early but ready to go, her daughter was going to be a handful. She never wanted to be held. Had to do everything for herself. Walked before she crawled. Rode the family dog before she was two. The kid was always bucking the rules and challenging the laws of gravity and common sense. It thoroughly amazed her father that Alexis was still in the Marines and not killed by her own squadron. The stories she came back with (on the rare times she did come home) made her father shutter.
Why should today be any different, Alexis wondered? She was sure she would be able to race those dudes and make it back on base on time. Well, with another glance at her military grade flight watch, she was just going to squeak it if she can get on base and into the commandants office in the next two minutes. Doing the math in her head with distance, cornering and such. At least she still had on her leather bike jacket, combat boots, and uniform shirt and somewhere inside the jacket was her hat. She should be able to make it. Well, if she can get through the guard gate and avoid the local law enforcement on her tail. They were getting closer. Damn!
Alexis held up her id badge as she whizzed around the wooden guard gate, bent to the right almost dragging her knee on the ground (didn't dare tear a hole in these pants), around the next corner, barely missing the garbage truck and cut the engine right out side her CO's office window. Quickly she dismounted and stripped off the jacket. But then remembered her hat and had to go digging through the pockets of the jacket. Finally she found it and with a proud smile, a quick finger comb through her thick red short military hair cut, jaunt the hat on and knock on the door of his office. His secretary, at her desk right beside Alexis just shook her head in silent warning. Alexis was late. Again.
"Paxton! You're late. AGAIN!"
Alexis opened the door and stepped in, "But sir-"
"Silence, Paxton. I believe I told you that if you were late again, there would be no place left on Earth safe for you. True?" Alexis just nodded silently. "Crap, I'm being discharged or stripped from the flight line," she internally chastised herself.
The Commander picks up a file off his desk and hands it to her, "In one hour you and that vehicle will be off my base for good!"
Alexis looks down at the file. It didn't say DISCHARGED. That confused her greatly. Instead it was stamped: TOP SECRET She looks back up at him, "Sir?" He nods that the file is accurate. So she opens it. She's supposed to report to the Kennedy Space Center. She had been reassigned to the Earth Marine Corps? She looks back up at him again confused. "Who?"
He smiles broadly, "Let's put it this way. No one on Earth can handle you. And may God help us all if you and your new team fail. Now get out of here. There are airline tickets in that file, and you can't be late. Dismissed." The file may say Top Secret, but it didn't say anything else. I guess the rest will have to wait until she gets to Florida. But his warning rang in her head all the way on that plane ride. What on Earth was going on?
~~The military green H1 picked up four others at the airport in Florida. Everyone threw their flight bags into the back of the Hummer. Visually, they were sizing each other up, but no one said a word. The red letters across the files said it all. The trip was uneventful, until they pulled in front of a shuttle that shouldn't exist. It looked like something from a sci-fi movie. Three times larger than orbiter ever seen launched. And the strange insignia was like nothing Alexis had ever see, and she studied languages for fun. The engines boosters are twice a large as any other shuttle mission. And blue as the sky. There was a strange red mask-like logo on the wing tips. No flag marking of any country. No name emblazoned along the fuselage. But she couldn't observe it long. The gate commander motioned towards three other SUV's parked near the regular shuttle hangar. Everyone got out and grabbed their gear. Silently they were ushered inside and in formation before a red and blue Peterbuilt truck with gleaming polished silver trailer with the same strange mask-like logo on the side, the shuttle bay doors were closed. Somebody was pulling a huge prank by making her work as an extra for a movie. Alexis smirks, Wait until I find out who's behind this. They'll pay big time.
And the truck came to life disengaging from the trailer. Unfolding into a fifty foot robot with electric aqua-blue eyes, a smile and a squadron of human men beside his right foot. "Hello, My name is Optimus Prime and I need your assistance," the robot said. Three of the new recruits fainted instantly. The smirk on the robot's face fell some where between amusement and concern, Alexis knew exactly what her commander's warning meant now. Nothing on Earth….. Alexis also knew her life would never be the same again. If only she knew how much her life would change from this moment on.
In less than twenty four hours, Alexis was on that huge shuttle along with fighter pilots from all over Earth headed towards a moon surrounding a planet called Cybertron. Apparently there was a war going on out across the universe that now Earth was in danger of being in the crossfire. The shuttle trip was almost instantaneous due to a warp gate. But only this shuttle could successful transport humans through the gate. And it wasn't just a shuttle. Apparently, Skyfire was also another robot.
So between the human fighter pilots who could zip under the enemy's (Decepticons) radar in smaller vehicles bringing on the strike force and the unique battle strategies. The Autobots hoped to finally turn the tide of the war.
Alexis and the others learned that Optimus Prime and his command team were in charge out here. But his counter parts were to be feared and respected. Optimus made it perfectly clear: Respect the strength of your enemies. Especially Galvatron and Starscream. They were cunning, determined, skilled… hardened warriors to the core.
Optimus turned to Alexis. He had watched her daring, rule breaking, engine pushing, gravity defying, dare devil flying on Earth. He locked eyes with her to get his point across, "They are no fools. If you see them, stay clear of them. They will kill you without a first thought."
Alexis did not respond with a smirk. He did not break his lock with her until she acknowledged his warning with respect, "Yes, sir." Then he straightened up and returned to the briefing. Just after that, Jetfire took the Earth Marine Corps fighter squadron for a test run in their vehicles to get adjusted to spaceflight.
After the test run, Jetfire reported to Optimus, "Paxton is the best, but don't let her lead. Cockiness won't get her killed, but if anyone tries to follow her, they sure will."
"Do you think she will fit in?"
Jetfire scratches his brow, "We need her. I would trade three of them of one of her. She is going to be the one we need to run needle. The rest can thread."
Optimus nods. "Alright, first strike tomorrow. Get them into recharge."
Jetfire nods, "Alright." Then he sees something else across his face, "What is it, Prime?"
Optimus can't help but begin to chuckle, "Does she remind you of anyone?"
Jetfire's brow wrinkles, "Not me, surely."
Optimus shakes his head laughing more. "No think much smaller. Yellow, faster than anything, brave to the point of crazy, and devoted wholly to the cause?"
"Bumblebee?" Jetfire looks out to the human rec-room where Alexis is letting them spin her and other pilot around in a circle with darts in their hand. On the tenth spin, the blindfolds are yanked and the darts are tossed. Alexis makes a perfect bull's eye. The other guy manages to hit Alexis in the arm. She yanks the dart out of her arm and tosses it nailing the dart right next to hers. The cheer goes out from the crowd.
"Her aim is better," Jetfire retorts. Optimus laughs out loud at that one in agreement.
~~ But the next morning, everyone one finds out quickly, Optimus wasn't joking when he talked about the Decepticons. They came strafing in trying to hit the Energon refinery down on an Autobot held asteroid. Jetfire, Powerglide and four of the EMC pilots headed out. The 'Cons managed to hit part of the depot of finished product. Racing in, Jetfire and Powerglide took stances to hold them off the refinery itself, Jones led the humans to target the Seekers by zipping through the refinery and out the other side coming in under the jets. When a purple one came un Jones' tail, Alexis quickly came in behind him firing across his back. It distracted the purple one long enough for Jones to break away. But Alexis didn't break off. She stayed with him.
"Red Star, break off!" Jones ordered.
"I've got him." She matched his moves continuing to hit him. The retorts the purple one was making gave Alexis the answer: She was hitting him where it counts.
"Break off Red Star! That's an order." Alexis didn't but then the purple one started flying erratically, definitely damaged. "Starscream incoming!"
Alexis only took a moment to look back. So this was the one she was ordered not to engage. She smirks, she didn't, he did! And so with a few banks and turns, she keeps him interested. Then she sees Jetfire being lined up by a royal blue Seeker. Opening the throttle to full she snaps, "Let's see what you've got, Starscream." She aims straight for Jetfire bringing Starscream with her.
"What are you doing!" Captain Jones bellows.
"Jetfire, incoming!" Alexis retorts. Jetfire looks up just in time to see Alexis streak right over his head, between the wreckage of the depot bringing Starscream with her straight at Thundercracker. The Seekers swear at each other and swap paint passing each other. Jetfire and Powerglide target the two Seekers hitting them in the exhaust ports. The Seekers swear some more and with a couple more rounds at the refinery, cover their retreat.
Powerglide turns to Jetfire, "She just saved your armor a few dents."
Jetfire sighs heavily, "Yeah." The watch Alexis pull an aerobatic stunt in her jet and the Captain orders them back to base.
Jetfire waits until Skyfire comes to relieve him. By the time he returns, Optimus is silently watching the Captain continue to debrief his team. Jetfire uses his internal com to Optimus, "He's still going at it?"
Optimus face may have been stoic, but his tone was grumbling, "Please tell me it isn't true." Jetfire tips his head in confusion. Optimus lifts one finger in Alexis' direction. "She didn't really bait Starscream into your line of fire and a collision with Thundercracker."
Jetfire quickly hides his smile behind his face shield, "Okay, I won't tell you that was the coolest thing I've seen since Bee baited Motormaster directly into Megatron."
Optimus snorts, but turns away with a commander's straight back when he sees he broke the moment for the Captain. Jetfire on the other hand, can no longer keep his laughter contained. Optimus glowers at him.
"Do you have something to add, Prime?"
Optimus considers his words for a moment and then turns back locking his gaze with one particular pilot, "This was an easy run today. Now they know your abilities. He won't fall for it a second time."
"Wanna bet?" It slips out faster than she meant. All the pilots take a step back as Prime takes one small step forward and lowers himself face to face with her. He wants her to see directly into his optics.
"No, I don't want to bet your life on it. You are good, but trust me, he's better than you. He's been flying this space for nearly four million years. He is no fool."
Alexis leans in, "Then why the hell am I here if not to thwart their plans?" She waits for his answer.
"Slag, I sure hope you will be a bigger pain in their aft than you are to mine!"
Alexis smirks, "I aim to please, sir."
Jetfire coms Prime, "Are you sure she isn't related to Bee?"
Prime drops his head and coms him back, "Frag you Jetfire." Jetfire chuckles again leaving the room. Then Optimus regains his composure and taps Alexis in the head, "You are grounded tomorrow. If need be, I'll have Jetfire personally see you home if you keep this up." He gets up and turns to leave.
"Prime, I meant no disrespect. I just want you to have the peace we do."
Optimus stops and nods, "You're still grounded." Now it's Alexis turn to laugh.
Red Star Chapter 2
Boy howdy, she is a saucy one., Starscream smirks dodging her fire but returning none.
Alexis takes careful aim and fires up at him laughing, "Is that all you've got!" Who knew that one little shot could clip something so important and send him spiraling to the ground. Impact was hard, especially on the face. The dirt tasted worse. The bruised ego was like feed-back. She comes over to him as he tries to access the damage. She enjoys giving him a kick in the nose. "Problem flying, flyboy?"
He turns his head ever so slightly, "Maybe you should try it."
She leans in and laughs, "But you are always bragging about your flight abilities."
He rolls completely and collapses on his back, wings askew. "Primus, please kill me, now," he sighs.
Prime comes over swiftly and agitated. When he sees Starscream laid out on the ground and Alexis holding a weapon over the Seeker's temple he gasps, "You shot him down?"
She holsters her gun and cocks a hip, "Yeah. Isn't that what we do to 'Cons?"
He growls, "Not when they are bringing us information for a combined foe." He reaches a hand out and helps Starscream to his feet.
"Oops, missed that memo," Alexis cringes up to Optimus. One look from him, she hands over her gun and she places herself on KP duty.
Starscream laughs to Prime, "Quite the firecracker you've got there."
Prime grumbles, "You have no idea."
Starscream turns his head to watch the cocky little red spitfire stride across the compound and disappear inside the mess hall. "Spirited, I like that." Prime shoots him a warning look as they head for the command post.
Alexis head into the kitchen and begins scrubbing the cooking pots without being asked. She's been here too many times and knows the drill. Billy the chef comes over to her, "What did you do now?"
Alexis slams the pot down into the sanitizer, "How was I supposed to know that the deadliest Seeker was a messenger? When did we decide to team up with the 'Cons?"
The chef shakes his head, "Welcome to the world of command structure, or hadn't you figured that out yet?"
Alexis turns to him waving a sponge, "Do you know how many teams I have been on?" He shakes his head. "Do you know how many times I was the last member of my team to survive because I didn't follow orders?"
The chef poke her back, "This isn't an Earth war."
She smiles, "No, it isn't. Can anyone explain to me why it has gone on for millions of years? What's the point?"
"Now that sounds like a question I over heard Skyfire asking. Maybe you should talk to him."
"I would like to, but as I was passing to here, I got orders to stay away from all the 'Bots and 'Cons. Something about being half cocked." The chef chuckles.
~~ A few days later, Starscream is wandering across the complex, under guard. Alexis is out there too with her friends. He casts a smirk over to her. She returns the smirk. Her friends head back inside at their commander's orders. Alexis defies them, again. Starscream's guards are chatting at a distance. Alexis slides over to him while he takes a seat. "So, what brings you out here?" She asks.
He looks down on her in many ways. "Look it, puny human…"
"Who shot your aft out of the sky," she finishes.
Now he points a finger at her, "I would love to see you fly and see where that saucy attitude of yours gets you."
Alexis buffs her nails on her flight jacket, "I do fly."
He chuckles, "No, not that thing. I mean yourself."
She cocks her head up at him, "Well that ain't happen' until I become an Autobot."
"Or 'Con." he buffs his own fingers against his chest.
"In your dreams, Crazy 'Con." She tosses over her shoulder. He chuckles as she heads back inside. He likes a challenge. Now if he just had a few items…
A few weeks later, Alexis is on the roof of the building looking out at the scenery. She sees a streak go by. It lands on a hilltop not too far away. Then it flashes a light at her. She translates it pretty quick, Time to earn your wings.
She finds her own flashlight and flashes back, Crazy 'con.
Chicken comes back. The shape takes a seat. Waiting for her.
She wrestles with herself. She shouldn't trust him. But he did put a challenge to her and she does like a good challenge. As he said, lowly human. She has no information to betray the base. What's he up to? She flashes back, Scrap Iron. Got better things to do." She turns her back and heads back inside. She can hear the engines fire off. They seemed extra revved up. Did she make him mad? If so, was that a bad thing to do?
A few nights later, Alexis is back on the dormitory roof star gazing. By the time she heard the engines it was too late. She was lifted off the roof and found herself flying at the speed of sound to a more distant plateau. Then she is dumped on the ground and she hears someone proto-form beside her.
It was a rough landing and Alexis knows she will feel it tomorrow. If she lives from this kidnapping. Carefully she stands up and brushes the dirt from her face. The dust clears and she finds herself face to face with him. Beaming a broad smile he retorts, "Scrape iron, eh?"
Alexis steps back to access him. His body posture says more than enough. One knee dropped to the ground with the other bent in a crouch and his chest leans on it so he can be right in her face. He is here to tease her. She hopes.
So Alexis returns the challenging body language. She tilts her head forward and shakes the dust out of her hair into his face. He sneezes and she turns her back on him with a definite swing to her feminine hips. Chuckling, he pulls himself upright.
Alexis spreads her hands out wide to the expanse, "So, it this how you pick your conversationalists? No one else wants to spend time with you, so you have to kidnap them? Eh?"
This time he really starts laughing. Alexis turns around at him with a smirk. She can see now, he means no malice. Crossing her arms over her chest, she waits for an answer. "Ready to put those words into action?" He challenges her.
Her face says more than her words, "Are you cracked? What are you talking about?"
He tosses a large black disk from his hip and it lands directly in front of her. "Put up or shut up, human. Oh, wait, once you step on that, you will be one of us."
She warily points to the disk, "What do you mean us?"
Shrugging, "Autobot, Decepticon it's all the same at this point."
She kicks the disk back to him, "I don't trust you, Starscream. No one does. Not even Galvatron."
He raises his hand, "True. Very true." But he leans in, "The reason I offer it to you, I see sass. I see adventure. I don't see fear." Then cocks an eye, "Or did I?"
Alexis stares at the disk again. He crosses his arms over his chest waiting for her answer. Now she drops her defenses, "Will I come back to myself?"
He nods, "Yes, it doesn't last that long. About eight to twelve hours depending on the energy used. The best I can figure." She shoots him a curious look. He sighs and lets of a secret. "I wasn't always a commander. I was a scientist before the war. Organics was one of my specialties." He raises his hands in a giving gesture.
"Would you be willing to come down to my level?" He lowers himself to be face to face with her again. She chuckles and shakes her head, "No, I mean be a human?"
He cocks an eyebrow at her shocked at the human research, "You can do that?"
"I may have over heard some experimental stuff."
"And…" now he is more than curious.
"Let me make this perfectly clear, I will not betray my people."
"And I will kill you in an instant if you turn on me."
Alexis sticks out her hand and takes his in a shake. "I can't believe I just made a deal with a 'Con."
He smirks back, "Yeah, well I can't believe I am touching a human and not retching." They both laugh. He straightens up and pushes the disk towards her again.
"Just step on the plate. I'll do the rest." Alexis nods.