Crossing the River
Of Base and 'Bots
"Whisper wake up, we're here," Will said. I woke up with a start and looked around.
"Where is everyone?" the main part of the plane was completely empty, not a person or bot in sight except for Will.
"The others went to explore the new base, and left me with wake up duty," he said.
"So what now?"
"Well we figure out where everything is and then go from there I guess,"
"Let's go then," I said, grabbing my stuff.
"Where the hell are we?" I asked as we stepped out of the plane into the blazing heat of the tarmac.
"Diego Garcia Air Force Base. Basically a 17-square-mile island of coral and sand in the middle of the Indian Ocean,"
"…Wow that's far," I said, swallowing thickly.
"I'm guessing you haven't been out of the US before?" Will said with a knowing smile.
"No, I haven't. Now come on, I want to see this base!" I said as we entered what appeared to be a large warehouse.
Half an hour later we gathered in what was designated the rec room to talk about what was going to happen next.
"What now?" I asked, settling myself down on the couch. Every one- the Autobots and soldiers both- were there.
"Well, Epps, Fig, and I, will be heading home on leave after we get the 'Bots settled in, and what you want to do is up to you," Will said. I thought for a second, looking at the soldiers then the 'Bots. Who did I trust more? I turned to Optimus.
"Am I welcome?" I asked.
"Yes, you may stay if you like young one," the giant Autobot leader told me.
"I'm going to stay," I said.
That night I walked to my room and sat down on my bed. The men had been sent home on leave earlier that day, and surprisingly it was a tiring ordeal for me, and reminded me of other good byes I'd rather not remember.
Holy shit, I trust them...how the hell do I trust them? How could I let myself trust them? They'll only betray me, hand me over to Social Services like M-no! They wouldn't do that to me! They're my friends! But it's happened before and will probably happen again, in the end all the human race is is a giant mass of betrayal and hate… But I can probably trust the 'Bots, they're not human… man I miss the ranch… I miss the whole damn Burns Unit… I want to go home…
Home for me was a ranch in south eastern Colorado, the Burns Unit ranch, the entire unit and their families lived there, and you were never alone. The past day had reminded me of home… a lot.
I lay down under the covers and turned off the light.
If only Dad could see me now… I thought as I went to sleep.