Author's Notes: This idea came to me last night, and I just had to start writing it! I love it when I have time to actually write an idea out shortly after thinking about it. Anyway, I like how this oneshot turned out, and I hope you guys like it too. Please favorite and review :)
Window To The World
So many things happened aboard the Ark simultaneously. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker snuck around to Prowl's office believing they were undetected. Prowl followed behind Sideswipe and Sunstreaker to catch them by surprise. Bumblebee passed out invitations to a party he was throwing to celebrate two years awake on earth. Ratchet repaired several Autobots. Brawn and Warpath guarded the front door. Bluestreak and Trailbreaker patrolled. So many things happened, but one Autobot was aware of everything. Red Alert.
Yes, Red Alert had so many security cameras installed that he could see almost everything that happened aboard the Ark. He had so many weapons installed with Prowl's approval that the Decepticons would be lucky to get within 100 mechano-meters of the ship. He and Inferno were the silent watchmen, the sentries overlooking the infrastructure of this once mighty vessel.
The main difference between the two however was that Inferno liked to do more than watch the monitors. He liked to fight Decepticons, rescue innocents, and socialize with the other Autobots. Red Alert had no time for such nonsense. The war might be on a new world but he knew that his job, while not glamorous, was the difference between life and death.
The outer perimeter looked secure on this day, and most of the Autobots were too busy talking about Bumblebee's party to worry too much about anything else. Red Alert was somewhat pleased by this, since that meant there weren't as many mischief makers today. Well, the twins were being forced to paint over some graffiti on Prowl's door, but other than that all was well.
On this shift Red Alert was working alone. Inferno asked Prime for the day off so he could go to the party. Most of the Autobots took time off for it, but Red Alert had too much to do to even consider leaving, especially with a mere skeleton crew remaining on duty. He didn't mind that Inferno left though. Inferno was his best friend and Red Alert didn't want to stand in the way of the boisterous fire engine having fun for a change.
He saw on monitor 56 that Cliffjumper was walking around with a large cannon strapped to his back, so Red Alert decided to follow his movements with the security cameras and turn the audio on to sync with Cliffjumper's movements. If that angry little minibot was up to something Red Alert would be the first to know.
Cliffjumper walked down the halls; oblivious to being watched by the security chief. After a moment he ran into Bumblebee, who stopped him as he was about to pass.
"Hi, Cliffjumper!" Bumblebee greeted him excitedly, "I'm glad I found you. I have an invitation to tonight's two year anniversary party for you."
Bumblebee then handed Cliffjumper a thin strip of glittery white cardboard that was hand painted with the invitation on the front and the time and place on the back.
"Did you paint this?" Cliffjumper asked as he turned a quizzical optic toward the gaudy card.
"Yep! I made these so everyone could feel special," Bumblebee replied cheerfully, "I was telling Spike and Carly about my party, and they said on earth people give out special invites so that their guests know they're welcome to come. I made one for every guest. Now that you have your invitation I only have to find Smokescreen, Gears, Hound, Sludge, and Hoist to give them theirs."
Despite his disinterest in Bumblebee's insipid plans, Red Alert couldn't help but scowl. He didn't have one of those stupid cards, and if what Bumblebee said was true then he wasn't getting one. That little yellow twerp didn't even think to invite him! Red Alert continued to listen in case Cliffjumper divulged plans to take over the Ark or took Bumblebee hostage. After all, he nearly killed Mirage once. No way could that devil of a minibot be trusted.
"So Cliff, where are you headed?" Bumblebee asked after a slight pause in the conversation.
"Target range," Cliffjumper announced proudly as he hefted his weapon to display it, "It's been some time since ol' Shimmer and I got to work together."
"You named your cannon Shimmer?" Bumblebee snickered, "What, is it your girlfriend or something?"
"Laugh all you want, but this baby has gotten me outta some pretty tight scrapes," Cliffjumper replied unapologetically, "Pit, one time I used this gun to carve a hole into Starscream the size of Cosmos!"
"You lie!" Bumblebee scoffed, "That would've killed Starscream."
"Hey, don't ask me to explain that aft's dumb luck," Cliffjumper shrugged, "Come on, you can shoot stuff with me. Ironhide's gonna be there too."
Red Alert watched as the two minibots walked away. It seemed safe enough to stop trailing them with his cameras, so Red Alert turned off the audio and checked the perimeter again. Still safe, and it would remain that way as long as Red Alert was there to remain vigilant and protect his fellow Autobots.
The night of the party Red Alert was safely locked away in his monitor room. He watched the partygoers to make sure everyone was safe, and he also kept watch over the outer perimeter in case of a late night sneak attack from the Decepticons. He knew if word of this celebration leaked that the 'Cons would waste no time laying siege to all they held dear. He had to stay on alert, because no one else would.
The rec room had been cleared of most of its furniture to turn it into a dance floor with a buffet table and the adjacent training room was used for tables and chairs so some of the Autobots could sit and socialize.
Blaster was the DJ for the party, to which Jazz was at first slightly offended, but then Jazz happily accepted this because he realized that with Blaster doing all the work he could just dance and enjoy himself. Blaster had chosen a combination of music from earth and Cybertron so their humans guests would also feel included.
Tracks had invited Raoul and in turn Raoul invited his two best friends and a girl he was dating. Chip had come at Wheeljack's request and the two of them were discussing computers in front of the energon bowl. Spike and Carly were also there, and even Sparkplug had managed to break away from his busy schedule to be there. Yes, it seemed like Bumblebee's party thus far was a rousing success.
Red Alert turned from the rec room monitors (of which he had several) and checked on the outer perimeter. His optics widened as he saw Laserbeak silently flying through the night sky and straight toward the Ark. He remembered which secret entrance Laserbeak had used last time, and he was ready for that overgrown buzzard this time.
As Laserbeak dove down to land, Red Alert activated the sentry turrets and shot the red and black robo-bird's right wing! Laserbeak squawked in pain and turned around to fly back the way he came. Red Alert knew there could be more of Soundwave's little minions hiding around the Ark, so he checked every outdoor camera as well as every camera he had installed in the air vents. Jazz had said he was crazy for installing vent cams, but who was crazy now?
After 20 minutes of constant vigilance Red Alert was satisfied that there were no more cassette brats hanging around the Ark. He had saved the Ark from a spy and didn't even have to interrupt the other Autobots' good time. He allowed himself to smirk in triumph at being able to save the ship by himself without even leaving the safety of his office.
With that task completed, Red Alert turned back to the party to make sure no one was hurt or plotting against their comrades. So far everything seemed to be fine. His nearest audio recorder was near a gathered group that included Sideswipe, Inferno, Cliffjumper, and Brawn. He decided he would listen in just to make sure Cliffjumper and Sideswipe weren't doing anything suspicious.
"...and then Prowl stuck me with gun cleaning duty! It was so unfair!" Sideswipe complained to his friends, "Sunny and I didn't tell anyone about that prank! How did he know?"
"Oh I can tell ya that one," Inferno replied in amusement, "I was on duty when Red spotted you two spikin' Prowl's energon. He thought you were tryin' to poison Prowl so one of you could take his job. I tried to tell him it was harmless fun, but he wouldn't hear it."
"Ugh! I don't know how you can stand working with that nutcase!" Sideswipe groused, "He'd arrest Optimus Prime if he thought he could get away with it!"
"Probably," Inferno nodded; unconcerned with Sideswipe's dramatics.
"Yeah, I still remember the 'surprise safety drills'," Brawn growled, "He woke everybody up out of a dead recharge because he thought we were going soft. Nobody calls me soft!"
"Yeah, doesn't he have a life of his own without ruining ours?" Cliffjumper added.
Inferno shrugged, but didn't seem too bothered by their comments. None were aware that Red Alert was listening in on their conversation at that very moment.
"Hey everybody, I'm Red Alert!" Sideswipe mimicked in a derpy voice, "How many Autobots does it take to change the blinky lights in my head? Oh wait, none! Because I'm too paranoid to let anyone touch me! Hah!"
"Oh for frag's sake," Inferno rolled his optics at the red Lambourghini twin and crossed his arms over his chassis, "Red ain't afraid of medics. Well, except Wheeljack, but I don't exactly blame him for that. Well, and he sometimes suspects Ratchet of sellin' our parts on the black market. And he thinks Hoist and Grapple will sell us all out to the Decepticons one day. And he thinks Perceptor- okay, I get your point."
"You stole my point? It's a conspiracy!" Sideswipe yelled in his derpy Red Alert voice as he shielded his optics with his arm in a flamboyant manner.
That made everyone else laugh, including Inferno. They were all mocking Red Alert, and even Inferno was laughing along. Red Alert watched the screen intently, but it was no longer strictly business.
So, this is truly what they all think of me... Red Alert thought bitterly. ...Yet they wonder why I suspect them all of being capable of turning on me. Inferno is just jealous that I am chief of security and not him! He wants my job so badly, yet he cannot even admit it to himself. Well, he should thank the matrix that he doesn't have this job. He has no idea of all that it entails...and of the secrets I know about each and every member of the Ark. I could ruin them all if I so chose. If only they knew...
The next day Inferno reported in for his shift at security detail. Red Alert was already at his terminal and checking the monitors for any signs of Decepticon activity. Red Alert had stayed up late that night, and yet was up bright and early. Inferno was almost surprised to see him.
"Hey Red, how's it goin'?" Inferno greeted him warmly, "You should've taken the night off last night. Bumblebee threw the party of the millennium!"
"I had work to do," Red Alert replied shortly, "So, did you have fun?"
"Oh, you bet!" Inferno replied excitedly, "Trailbreaker chugged high grade faster than anythin' I've ever seen, and Bluestreak won four rounds of Twister! I had no idea that guy was so flexible. I hope you weren't too lonely here by yourself, Red."
"No, I wasn't," Red Alert said while facing Inferno, and then he turned back to the monitors and in a quieter voice added, "I don't need anyone."
The End