Author's Note: And yes you all get your update early this week because I had sudden inspiration. Thanks to Riptide2 (no kidding!) and I am Blueberry for reviewing the last chapter! Enjoy and I own nothing but my OCs
What It Takes To Live-Politics
"A politician will do anything to keep his job-even become a patriot"-William Randolph
One thing none of the Cybertronians would ever understand was politics. With elections coming up in the next year Ale was busier than ever. She sat through hours of debates and was most likely found on her computer researching some person or other. The best way to get ahold of her was through Laura. That was when the news came that Keller was running for president. He and another man by the name Andrew Carson were the only ones who supported the Cybertronians remaining on Earth. That was when Optimus called a meeting. "What exactly is going on?" he asked Ale.
"Politics," she said with a heavy sigh. "You've been revealed to the world. Naturally the politicians are mostly opposed to the idea of you being here. That and the fact that they're angry they were deceived."
"So what exactly can we do?" Ratchet asked.
"Nothing," she said flatly. "I need to make a statement this week and the week after that is the next debate. What I need is quiet."
"Which means you four idiots need to stay out of trouble," Laura informed Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Mudflap, and Skids. All four of them instantly adopted "Who me?" expressions which fooled no one.
"We have a few more recruits coming to the island later this week," Major Lennox said, taking advantage of the temporary silence to speak. "So no pranks from anyone." His eyes fixed on Jetfire and both sets of twins who were the only trouble makers currently in the meeting.
"Sam returns to college in a week," Bumblebee said. "We'll be leave in two days so he can get everything settled. Mikaela's college doesn't restart until the week after."
"Would it perhaps be a good idea to assign Mikaela a guardian?" Ale piped up. "Just in case more enemies show up."
"I'm not sure," Optimus said. "She seems to be able to take care of herself."
"If I may put in my opinion I believe it would be a good idea," Starscream said. "Mikaela may be able to take care of herself but she's almost always around Sam and trouble seems to follow him everywhere."
"I'll speak to her about it," Optimus said after a moment's consideration.
"One more thing before we close this meeting," Starscream said. "We have a few more of ours coming soon. It may not be for a couple days but we'll have a couple new arrivals."
"Thanks for the warning in advance," Lennox said and the meeting dissolved, each group heading their own way. Nothing remarkable happened then until the political debate that night. Somehow they all ended up in front of the TV watching it, Ale and Laura taking close notes. It was a Democratic debate so Keller was not on but Andrew Carson was. The night ended with Ratchet annoyed at the TV and the twins randomly whispering phrases from the debate for the next day until the angry medic threatened them with being used for spare parts if they didn't stop.
That evening they were all watching TV but for a different reason. Ale was making her statement tonight on public television in a hope to maneuver the candidates into admitting they were wrong. "Good evening everyone," Ale said smoothly, looking sharp in a grey dress with a white flower bright in her dark hair. "Some people from their respective parties have expressed excess concern about the presence of Cybertronians on Diego Garcia and working with our troops. I am here tonight in an attempt to answer all the questions they have posed so far." She paused for a moment and her eyes drilled into the camera with a bright intensity. "I cannot reassure everyone because someone will always poke holes in what I say so I won't try."
"They are not here to take over and this is not the beginning of some massive invasion. Their war which has gone on for years has ruined their planet and they have taken refuge here. Like every other refugee that comes to our shores should we not offer them our hospitality? They want nothing more than a peaceful existence and in that way they are not that much different than us. Yes there is the obvious size difference but we all know about size problems. After all a woman from Indiana grew to be seven feet tall and would have been taller had she not had an operation to stop her growth. Abe Lincoln was considered amazingly tall for his time and there have been others. We have proven time and time again that we don't judge people on their height."
"They have friendships like we do and families. They hurt and love and care just like any one of us. I am asking you to put your judgments aside and just listen for a moment. There is no hostility towards us despite the incredibly stupid things we tend to do on a regular basis. For example my niece asked me just a week ago if she could jump off the roof of my sister's house with trash bags as parachutes. If we can consider doing something as foolish as that a twelve why can't we at thirty and forty give the Cybertronians a chance instead of following our judgments. Thank you and enjoy and the remainder of your evening." With that said the camera turned back to the news room and a temporarily stunned silent news anchor.
When Ale returned to Diego Garcia early the next morning she was surprised to be greeted by applause. "We thank you for everything you've done for us," Optimus said.
"My pleasure," she said with a smile. "I just hope it worked."
"If it didn't put doubts in every single person who listened then you were talking to a brick wall," Lennox told her with a grin and she laughed.
"Or one set of the twins," she quipped.
"Hey!" both Sideswipe and Sunstreaker said. It took Mudflap and Skids a moment longer to even realize they were being insulted.
"That's not nice!" Mudflap said finally.
"Yeah. We be plenty smarter than da brick wall," Skids added indignantly. Everyone was laughing too hard by then to respond to them.
"I have to thank you Ale," John Keller said. "You set me up wonderfully for the next debate. That's the subject they'll want to open with and it'll give me some things to remember to say. If I play it right I can add to the thinking of the American population."
"You're starting to sound like a politician," Epps said and Keller laughed.
"You can take the man from the capital but you can't take the capital from the man," the Secretary of Defense said before boarding the plane Ale had just abandoned to head back to the mainland.
As everyone headed off elsewhere Ale informed Optimus and Ratchet, "You don't have to understand Earth politics, or even American politics for that matter. That's my job." With that she head off to find Laura again and get an update on what was going on.