Returning from the space bridge so soon had confused his loyal soldiers. Returning with a glowing 'human' had only increased the intrigue. Megatron could feel the silent stares, the question floating unspoken. He ignored that all. He had better things to complete. One of those happened to be taking this...creature to Knockout. Looking down at his closed servos he examined the...boy. The Energon glow had lessened, pulsing slowly like a wave centered around where a spark would reside. Even with the flimsy organic coverings, the light showed through. The human optics, they called them eyes...right?, were shut. Energon spilled down his face, the liquid softly glowing. The human body is compressed at an unnatural angle.
Megatron knew very little about the native species of this planet. One thing he knew was they were often similar to their core design, even though he was loath to admit any connection to an organic. When he had crushed the human he expected it to die. It had not. What he gained was a sharp shattering sound originating from said insect. What preceded that sound was a tormented scream filled with searing agony. The human was no longer a human in the warlord's optics. He was curious. Those golden-blue optics had greeted him once more.
'Such an interesting creature...'
Once he entered the medical lab he was greeted with Knockout. The vain red mech was polishing himself.
"Knockout, I require you to examine my new...pet."
The medic startled, turned around, and gazed upon what Megatron held. Megatron could see the interest enter his optics, servos gripping the buffer he still held. The human had yet to regain consciousness making him the perfect subject. Knockout reached out and took the offered human, a gleam in his optics each time the creature glowed.
"As you wish, master." The response sounded positively giddy. "I will get you results."
Megatron had already turned to exit the room. The grin had yet to leave him since discovering the oddity. Shark teeth gleam while his optics glowed with the new knowledge. New and potentially useful.
The drive home was numbing. Entering the house, hearing quiet and smelling the lack of that night's dinner in the air. It was stale, almost normal. Expect that it wasn't. Her son was captured. June hadn't known what to expect from Jack going to Cybertron. It was dangerous but he was so...determined. She hadn't had the heart to push more. She had pushed her will over him since he was ten. They moved when she said and went where she chose. Jack compiled without a fight. He was far too good of a child.
When he had stood his ground more with the bots, she realized he was growing up. Jack was allowed to make his own choices. She let him, but never without worry overtaking her. Mothers always worry, they have a right to. Now June was alone.
Biting her trembling lip, she hugged her shaking body. June knew what shock was. Being a nurse she often saw the effects on others. This was her second time experiencing the strange state of mind. Breathing in a ragged breath she held it in and waited. She needed to center herself, relax. The sound came out more like a choked sob than she would like to admit.
She hadn't fully cried yet. When learning that Megatron had Jack she was more furious. The rage overshadowed the sorrow of losing him. It was a lifeline in the darkness of reality. With that anger, she rang the bots a new one. No one was spared from the scornful words. Only once leaving, driving on the road home, did she realize they hadn't argued. All the Autobots stood, with helms hung, accepting the illogical ramblings. That has only made her feel worse now.
Trembling increases, affecting her balance. Leaning on the counter in the kitchen she notices dishes stacked in the drainer, clean and ready to put away. It was such a mundane image. One thought bubbled up. 'Jack did those dishes.'
That was the image that burst the dam. Tears flooded and cracking sobs echoed in the empty kitchen. June's legs gave out, harshly slamming into the wood floor below. She didn't feel the pain. Curling up, she wailed into her knees. Her baby boy was gone. They had no clue whether alive or dead, but he wasn't here.
Her foolish, sweet, and caring son had been the hero of the day. Jack had brought back Optimus, saving the day. He truly was her hero. Had been since very small.
Being young, having children was always a far-off dream. It seemed almost unreachable when her ex boyfriend dumped her long ago. He hadn't wanted to wait till she graduated school to start their family. He loved her, but they wanted different things to happen. Separating was very hard. He was the bastard that left one day. All that was left was a paper explaining. Her dreams of a family were pushed farther and farther as work increased. Dates were few and far between, many ending miserably. June had resigned herself for being alone. That had changed on November 7th. She allowed that memory to wash over her. Thinking of her first time meeting Jack.
"Jackass!"
The exclamation echoed in the moving vehicle, being emphasized by the punch to the steering wheel.
June breathed harshly, the righteous anger causing her grip on the wheel to increase. Her night had been less than stellar. It was only a few months since her ex left. The slim paper stating that he couldn't wait, 'and he had the gall to say he loved me!?' Though the anger of that night was still stirring within her, other problems were at the forefront this night.
Trees passed by outside, the hilly landscape around her eerie in the dusk light. She had more than an hour's drive till she reached her home. That night she foolishly decided to agree to a blind date. Agreeing was more to get her fellow nursing students to cease fussing. They cared but June just wanted to move on.
Hours before June was hopeful. She had thought that this date would be a change of pace. Meet someone new, may or may not like them but still have an enjoyable night. One problem. June hadn't ever been on a blind date before. That was the reason for her flowery outlook at the beginning.
Driving over an hour to another town wasn't that bad, the restaurant was a middle-class place, good reviews, and food. Her date, Tom, was pleasant to the eyes. His personality to her at first was respectful.
That changed when wine was introduced. The man became less friendly and pushier. Pushy became a jackass in no time. He criticized everything, from the food to June herself, were all inspected. The date had lasted for only thirty minutes. June had simply left when one of his comments discussed her ex being right.
That night was meant to be a breather from her normal life, not an analysis of her faults. She already got those from school.
"I shouldn't have even bothered." Her resigned voice shattered the silence. Huffing she slowed down to make a turn, only for a rumbling sound to fill her ears. Halting at the stop sign, she listened. The rumble had become a roar.
Her car vibrated to the sound, trees swaying. So focused on the towering spruce trees dancing around her, she missed the rock falling off the cliff to her left. A sharp metal ping to her left caught her attention. Turning she could only watch in dawning horror. The whole cliff right next to her gave way. The road her car rested on giving at the same time.
One second she was on the road, the next she was rolling down the cliff, an avalanche carrying her down to the wooded valley below. It happened in a flash. Her body flew about as rock, dirt, and trees slid with the car encasing her. She had lost track of up and down. June's death grip on her seat was the only solid thing to her.
It could have been years, days, or seconds, June couldn't tell when everything seemed too slow. Numb fingers loosened from the seat, dazed eyes pried open to see the damage.
The darkness of night filtered in minuscule light. The moonlight was faint, but enough for her to see outlines. Her car was surprisingly unchanged inside from what little she could see. The few belongings not strapped down were flung about. The roof dented inward from the roll down. Breathing in, June coughed as dirt entered her lungs. A few of her windows were shattered leaving the dirt clouds from outside to infiltrate the interior.
Moaning, June sifted in her seat. Her numb fingers slowly explored her body, categorizing any wounds she might have. Soreness rocked her whole body. Gently testing her legs, she was relieved to find them no worse than the rest of herself. She was lucky.
'I need to get out of here, there might be a second avalanche. I sure don't want to be trapped under it.' She thought scornfully. 'Wouldn't that be the icing on top of this horrible day?'
Determination flooded her. Luckily without much struggle, the seatbelt released her. Looking around she spied her bag resting in the mangled backseat. Preoccupied with finding her phone, all soreness was discarded. She could be sore once she was in a hospital. The canvas bag revealed the phone. Flipping it open she was thankful that the screen lit up. What was heartbreaking was the lack of signal. 'Of course, there's no signal, I am in the woods.' Her sardonic thoughts weren't lifting the new gloomy mode much. She clicked the phone shut and shoved it back into the bag. Looking around she started to gather anything useful.
Being a nursing student had taught her to prepare for anything. That was especially true with what to keep in cars. You never know what accident you may end up in or when you need to help another. Grabbing her survival kit from the center console she received the flashlight inside. The rest was placed with her phone. Energy bars and her water bottle join the collection. Finally, a fluffy blanket was stacked on top, overflowing. The nights were cold and June was thankful that she often slept in her car when too tired to drive home. Her unhealthy habits were working in her favor.
Doing another once-through, June concluded that was all she had. The click of the flashlight signaled the blinding light. With the new light, she couldn't continue fooling herself into thinking her car wasn't that damaged. The interior was crushed and mangled in places. Plastic broken and wiring underneath exposed. The glass from windows strewn about. Dirt and rocks covered the floor in some areas.
Breathing in another calming breath, she started her climb out. Her car was buried halfway up. If she attempted to open the doors nothing would happen. Eyeing the front windshield she shifted around till her feet faced it.
'One...two...three...' Her legs coiled back and struck the glass surface. The windshield gave way, sent flying into the darkness in front of her. Shuffling out on her hands and knees, June was never more grateful she had worn a business casual outfit instead of the black dress and heels in her closet. The idea of doing this in heels was too ridiculous to comprehend.
Finally, she was out. Shining her flashlight around her heart sank further. Dirt walls surrounded her. Looking up, the flashlight hanging limply at her side, she eyed the moon's light above. The light was trickling down into the cavern. The cavern that the avalanche had disposed her at the bottom of the valley.
It wasn't a deep cavern, the walls were maybe ten feet tall. The dread that filled June was thanks to its shape. The walls curved inward as they reached the top. It created the illusion that the cave was small if looked from the surface. To June it meant she had little chance of climbing out without injuring herself.
Rummaging in her bag, she plucked her phone out and found the same depressing no bar symbol. Growling she slammed it back into the overstuffed bag.
Pushing her short hair from her eyes, June raised her flashlight and looked around. That started the hour or so of aimless wandering in the caves. Finding dead ends had become normal, she backtracked and marked the dirt below with a large X before moving on.
In two hours June was bundled in the fluffy blanket and munching on an energy bar. Her flashlight illuminated her breaths along with the dark cave. Periodically she pulled her phone out only to be disappointed.
Marching down this new tunnel, she would have missed it if the flashlight wasn't pointed that way.
The side tunnel on her right glowed softly. The blue light fades in and out in a calming image. Hope blossomed. June scrambled forward to the light, wishing she could run but knowing a sprained ankle wasn't needed now. Her calculated steps followed the light.
Entering a larger cave her eyes fell on something. It had blue lights lining the seams of a dirtied metal.
Some parts were exposed while other metal plates were blended into the rock wall around it. The metal structure filled the cavern, merged with the walls on both sides almost like it was a wall itself.
It was a UFO. June couldn't believe her eyes. 'I got to be dead, or dreaming.' Pinching herself just denied both of those concepts.
Hesitantly, she walked closer until she was a foot away. The blue seams still glowed, brightening the room. Clicking off her light, she returned it to her bag.
Licking her dry lips, she could taste the dirt crusted on them. Reaching out, dirty hands contacted the alien metal.
That's when things got worse. As soon as the contact occurred a series of high-pitched chirps and humming echoed around. Junes' hands cover her ears instinctively. The sound continued to reverberate and the light produced increased. June stumbled back, eyes closing to protect herself from the blinding blue.
The chirps and light only increased. They were followed by a tingly and mild pain sensation sweeping over her body. Yelping she retreated from the feeling, tripping over rocks in her blind flee backward. Huddling on her butt, she hoped if she made herself small nothing more would happen.
Someone above must have heard because not moments later everything ceased. The cavern was a vacuum. No sound or light-filled it. Breathing harshly, June uncurled from her graceless position. Looking around at the endless dark was unnerving. Scrambling in her bag, she clicks on the flashlight. The cavern looked the same. The metal UFO is still at the back but now not glowing. It was lifeless.
June's hands were still shaken by the unexpected events moments ago. Her heartbeat was erratic, adrenaline flooding her system. Feeling the urge to leave she made her way to the exit.
A soft whine stopped her progress. Those whines turned into wailing.
Wailing from a baby.
Turning around so suddenly June almost fell again, she saw a baby. The child was resting a foot away from the metal where she once stood. In the limited light, she couldn't make out many details. Frowning, June hesitated.
The next keening wail took that hesitation away. She had the infant in her arms not seconds later. Gentle rocking and whispers encouraged the child to calm down. Soon the wailing turns to whimpers and soft hiccups.
That was the first time those identical blue eyes had peered into Junes. The curiosity and love in the infant's eyes captured her heart at that very moment. June became a mother then. On that November night in a cavern.
