Ch. 2: Discovery
I first thought it sounded kind of cheesy to have the Autobots reside on Mars for a while. But I think it'll work for this story.
With Cybertron destroyed, neither Autobts nor Deceptecons could remain on their home planet. This was only one of the many prices of war Optimus Prime mused as he patrolled the red sands of Mars, the small crimson planet close to the planet called Earth, the home of the human race. It was the humans who held the key to the Transformers' survival and Optimus and his team, as well as the many Autobots who had taken up temporary residence on Mars had done all they could to learn about the peculiar race. Being so close to Earth and their satellites allowed the Autobots to access their vast stores of information quite readily.
Optimus sighed to himself; more than anything, he hoped that the human race would be spared the horrific fate that had befallen his race and continue to thrive. But if the Deceptecons had their way, it would not be so. The Autobot leader shook his head; at the very least, he could enjoy the quiet atmosphere of Mars for tonight and try to focus on the good luck fate had bestowed upon him.
Then, all at once, the silence of the night was pierced by a loud cry that shocked Optimus to the very spark; he recognized the sound all to well from studying humans. It was the cry of a human infant.
Optimus raced towards the sound, but saw nothing. No signs of humans, no crude spacecraft, nothing. And yet, it sounded as though the wailing was right on top of him. Or rather… right below him.
Optimus glanced down and his blue optics widened at the sight. Next to one silver foot was a tiny wriggling bundle of cloth. The crying was emitting from the bundle and even as he watched, a tiny pale hand poked out of the cloth folds. Kneeling down, Optimus flipped a piece of the cloth aside with one huge finger, revealing a tiny face which was contorted in misery. Startled anew, Optimus studied the little creature closely. It was definitely an organic creature, but he wasn't sure if it was human. The tiny creature's hearing nodes (ears, they were called ears) were not rounded, but instead pointed and twitching. Scanning the bundle, Optimus noted a long, thin extension of the creature's spine; something he had seen on Earth's animals and was referred to as a tail. But what seemed to confirm the fact that the infant was not a human were her (why did he think of the baby as a female?) eyes. Human babies had eyes, very much like a Transformer's optics, that could develop into different colors, but started out blue. This little creature's eyes were a bright gold.
Scanning the babe once more (Optimus noted that it was indeed a female), the Autobot also detected powerful sharpened nails on the fingers and toes and well-developed fangs in her mouth.
"What are you, little one?" he whispered. He noted something thin sticking out of the cloth and grasped it gently. It was a folded piece of paper; Optimus opened it and studied the contents, which was written in the human language of English.
To Whoever Finds This Letter
If you are reading these words, than I am dead. My name was Kashi Sandstorm and I was a Japanese jackal demon when I was alive. I married a human woman named Sarah Winston and together we had a daughter, whom we named Miarra. She was born exactly three months and two weeks ago.
On the night of July 28th, 1990, we were attacked some of the last few demons on earth who disapproved of me marrying a human. My wife and I were killed and I used the last of my power to transport Miarra to a safe place. That place is with you.
I beg you; please care for my daughter as though she were your own. Sarah and I cannot do so anymore. Miarra, my darling child, please forgive me for not being able to protect you and your mother when you needed me must. Know that we love you always.
Kashi Sandstorm
Optimus glanced down at the baby- a child he now understood was a half-demon- and sighed. He had no idea how to care for an organic infant, but he couldn't abandon an orphaned child. The child in question started to wail again as Optimus glanced down at her again.
"It's alright, Miarra," he said as soothingly as he could, laying a finger lightly on the infant's cheek. The Autobot leader wasn't sure if it was his touch or the reassuring sound of her own name that did the trick, but Miarra immediately ceased crying.
Gently cradling the baby in one hand, Optimus contacted his medic Ratchet.
"What is it, Prime?" the medic asked, slightly concerned.
"I'll need you to examine someone, but you'll need to se her in person first. I'm on my way." With that, Optimus carried the infant Miarra back to his team's base.
