Qui Vive
by: Lily d'Jerusalem
Summary: Ever wonder just why Red Alert is so paranoid? Its because he doesn't want history to repeat itself. G1
Full Summary: Inspired by CSI episode "Formalities". Ever wonder just why Red Alert is so paranoid? Its because he doesn't want history to repeat itself, and that maybe if he acts at the first sign of danger, he won't lose another friend.
A/N: I should be writing a Japanese History paper, I REALLY should, but this attacked and it wouldn't let me focus until I wrote it. And its just friends, seriously, just friends.
Red, please help me! A squad of Decepticons have me blocked in, I'm not sure how long I can hold out.
He stared at the screen in front of him. Everything was calm, there wasn't a bit of activity, Decepticon or otherwise just as one would expect at 3am.
I don't know where I am, I can hear water, I think I'm near the purification plant. Please... save me Red.
He had heard that message too many times to count, hers was a voice that would often be in his head when he was alone, she had been his best friend. He had failed her, she had always been able to help him but when she really counted on him, he had been reading over something and hadn't wanted to stop so he had ignored her message. He hadn't thought she could be in trouble, there was no reason to react quickly so he hadn't.
He would never let that happen again.
He checked over the security systems once again, not leaving one iota of code untouched. If there were even one hint of trouble, he was going to be the first to know, he had learned from that incident early on in the war his most serious lesson.
Before the war he was an investigator, his heightened senses made that the perfect job and he really did like solving mysteries. He and his small group of coworkers were quite happy. Ever since he had started he had been rather fond of his clerical assistant, she was quick as lightning at data retrieval and entry and would always come quickly when he needed her. She was dependable and pleasant in a business kind of way, he liked that.
She was always dependable, and no matter the time or what she was doing she would come instantly when he called for her. And he didn't answer her, the one time she needed him to answer he didn't. It was all his fault.
He would never let that happen again.
The first case he had worked had been a problem at the water purification plant, it had been easy enough, a run off problem from a steel plant close by. She had come along in order to search through the data logs and arrange it so he would be able to use it more efficiently. After that she spent a good part of her free time at the purification plant.
I like the sound of the water passing through the vents and filters, it reminds me of the datastream but constant, without flaws. Don't look at me like that Red, please!
Red, please help me!
Towards the end of the Golden Age, the investigations began to involve more and more violent crimes. She never liked working those cases, she liked helping solve problems, she didn't like having to piece back together the shattered bits of something that couldn't be corrected, as murder victims stayed murdered, rape victims were always scared of what the mech next to them could do, and beatings left bots with things that even the most skilled doctors couldn't fix all the way. He didn't mind, he liked puzzles, he liked small clues that when alone were insignificant but together gave rise to the answer. As the Golden Age drew to a close, the puzzles became more complex and fascinated him further. But she drew into herself and no longer talked to anyone unless it was for business, so he went to work on the puzzle that sat in all her off hours at the purification plant.
I like the sound of the water, its perfect, but this world... I'm not sure...
I'm not sure how long I can hold out.
Right when the war started Red Alert read everything he could about what was going on, he wanted to know what had happened to their Golden Age, and so he shut himself away so he could solve this absolutely vexing mystery. But if he had kept his senses sharp and been watching everything that was going on then instead of the past he would have answered her call in a heartbeat. It was after the fact that he figured out what happened, the worst case he had ever been assigned. She had been downtown, presumably on her way to the purification plant again when a decepticon crew attacked the area intending to raid supplies from it. She ran, she never was equipped to fight, which caught their attention since they didn't want anyone to get in the way. She was forced into the pipework of the south end of the purification plant. When he assessed the data, he realized that if he answered the call instead of letting it go to record to listen to a few hours later that he would have saved her. As it was all he had found when he went to aid her was a pile of pipework and what was left of her broken frame. But her spark hadn't been extinguished when he found her. The medics eventually quelled it, her injuries were too severe, and they didn't have the supplies available because it was needed for front line soldiers. It was his fault. It was the war. It was his fault.
Sa-Sa-Save-ve m-m-m-meeeeee, Re-e-e-d...
Please... Save me Red.
He would never let it happen again.
He would never let one of his friends be hurt again because he wasn't alert, he had to be wary of anything, everything.
He could never let it happen again.