So someone from the Russian Federation read three chapters of this story. I got really excited when I saw that but at the same time I'm like "COME BACK!" because Russia is a big thing in later chapters (and yes, that was a spoiler). I think I hint at plot things when I respond to reviews too.
And I felt like I was pulling teeth the entire time I was writing this, that's why it took me so long to finish writing/upload. Hope you all enjoy this!
-…
Transformers: The Eye of Icarus
Chapter Eleven: The Terminal Golden Goose
-…
Why is it so easy to promise the impossible?
Donovan kept his cool at the new voice, but he seemed a bit pale at their arrival (wherever he was). He tugged on the bottom of his suit before addressing the voice. "You know as well as I do the Alien/Autobot Cooperation Act and the policy of civilian involvement."
"Unfortunately Donovan, I believe that this may be the exception to the law. She may hold relevant information to your plight."
Before anything else could be discussed, there was a low sound of hydraulics from below the catwalk. Gloria walked over to the railing and looked down, seeing a flurry of mechanic pieces building them up. She failed to understand what was happening until the last hiss of hydraulics and metal plating adjusting to its final position allowed her to make eye contact with what was right in front of her. From her right, she could hear Donovan mumbling something.
"My name is Optimus Prime." He introduced himself, looking right at her. "There is no need to be frightened by me, Gloria Sullivan." It was always surprising how such a small species could express their feelings so clearly.
"What are you and what do you want with me?" She asked, voice edging on aggression (not the tone she wanted to express with a huge robot that was still taller than her even on the catwalk). He seemed not to take notice, expression calm, neutral. He blinked.
"I am an autonomous robotic organism, better known as an Autobot. I, and others like myself, hail from a distant planet called Cybertron. A civil war on our home planet left out planet uninhabitable, and through time we have made our way to your planet. The last chance to rebuild our planet had been destroyed nearly eight years ago. We now call Earth our home. I appear before you now because of what you possess."
"The eye?" She had to applaud herself for not having a panic attack.
"That is correct. The optic hails from our home world, and though it is made in a similar manner of my own, is remarkably different. It has it's own energon, giving it the power to be aware and move. Not just a small amount, but significant enough for myself to run on. This is unheard of. Upon further examination, we have found that the optic contains several memory chips."
"Why would an eye have a memory chip?" She asked.
"The optic in your possession has been modified as a distress beacon, Autobot in origin."
"If you need the eye to figure out where the Autobot is, then by all means you can keep it for as long as you need."
"That is the problem, Gloria. It has become a distress beacon, intended for either an Autobot or a neutral figure to find it before it would reveal the location of its sender. For safety, whoever sent out the beacon created it so his location would be revealed to only one mech. Somehow, the eye identified you as a neutral figure and decided to reveal the location of the Autobot. You are the only one who knows his whereabouts."
"So do you need me to help you find where the optic came from?" It was strangely hypnotic to see him blink with those windshield wipers.
"I believe that it would be the best for you and my forces." He nodded.
"For me?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Energon, the fuel we run on, was never meant for an organic life form. The optic is storing its energon within your body as a storage tank. If you remove the eye, then the energon with poison your system, but it will kill you even if you keep the optic in you for too long. I'm afraid that finding whoever dispatched the distress beacon is the only way to save your life Gloria."
"Is that why I'm radioactive?" Her words sounded louder than they should, knees feeling a little weak. She was going to die because of this eye?
"Radioactivity could be an indicator that your body is trying to burn off the energon from your system. Your body's attempt to help you is hurting you. Energon is far too potent for non- Cybertronian life to try and run off of."
"Then how do I figure out where the location of the Autobot in distress?" She asked, desperately grabbing at what was now her lifesaver.
"Normally coordinates are sent directly to the Autobot within their navigation system. Since you are human, I don't know how it would come to you. The memory chip is directly connected to the fibers that attach to your optic nerve, allowing you to see with the eye. Perhaps you'll experience visual stimulations of some form."
She thought that a small amount of sympathy had mixed into the giant mech's calm expression. "So I'll be killed by this… thing? No matter what happens?" She said out loud, gently touching her eyelid in disbelief.
"You are the only one who can save the Autobot and yourself, Gloria Sullivan. Help us find him." Optimus Prime proclaimed. She looked up at him and nodded.
"I'll tell you everything I know. After all, it sounds like I have nothing to lose with this." She had no courage to ask another question: what if finding this Autobot didn't save her?
…..
She told everything to the Autobot leader about the eye from the beginning (minus Alexei and her uncle's office). He quietly listened to her, occasionally nodding at what she said. He seemed particularly interested in the symbols she had written down the past two days.
"I left the bag in the interrogation room, but I have my arm. It's the only thing I've been writing. Can you read it?" She pulled the bandage off for the second time that day (should she worry about infection?), showing the wound to the Autobot leader. He narrowed his eyes, carefully regarding the symbols.
"Yes. The symbols you have been seeing and have written are the Autobot language. On your arm it is written the word 'Icarus'. I'm not sure what they would mean though." Her mind immediately flashed to the files in her uncle's office.
"Tunguska." Gloria blurted out, mildly startling them. "I think there might be something in Tunguska. Are you familiar with the impact of 1908? I saw that huge ship," she motioned with her hands, "and it fell out of orbit. From the topography I saw from space, it definitely fell in Russia, I saw Lake Baikal some distance below where it hit. He might be there. Or at least the ship would be there."
"Are you sure?" Donovan finally brought himself into the discussion.
"Yes. My uncle was born in Irkutsk, 45 miles from Lake Baikal. He used to show me on a map of Russia, so I am familiar with its topography." For once, she didn't snap or at one of his probing questions.
"That's a start. I'll get someone get Russia on the line to see what they might be hiding. For now, you will escorted back to your home."
"Just like that? I'm going home? I thought I was going to be tested. Seems rather finicky of you to change your mind." Donovan gave a dismissive motion with his hand.
"You're being cooperative and giving information to us. We'll be keeping the evidence you brought to us, but we'll give back the camera. If you follow me, you have other places to be Miss Sullivan." A little confused at the complete 180 of his original intentions, she figured that she should be glad that she was suddenly heading home but she had one more question to ask before she wanted to leave.
"Optimus." She seemed a bit uncomfortable at what she was going to ask. "I'm glad that you think I can help you, but why are you so determined to find him? The Autobot, I mean." There was silence in the hanger; he gathered the words slowly, soft sigh of air from his air intakes added weight.
"Look around you Gloria. The vehicles you see in this hanger are the last of the Autobots. If we can find another one of our kind, not only does that help ensure our survival, but helps in our fight against our foes, the Decepticons. If there is a chance that we will find another of our kind that could turn the tide in our war, then I am willing to risk my life to save them."
"I see." Her voice was quiet. She said her goodbyes and left with Donovan out of the hanger, seeming a bit stronger than before.
…..
"You can not walk into this base on your own terms Miss Sullivan," Donovan had reverted to his sour personality, "not without severe consequences. Consider yourself fortunate that your willingness to provide information to us is the reason why you're being let go with only a warning. The next time I want to see you is when we contact you on our own time, not you barging in like you're visiting. You have wasted valuable time and government resources." He punched the card into the door, buzzing loudly as it popped open. She followed him, squinting against the outside light as gravel crunched under her feet. Her car was parked before them. "And I hope you realize how lucky you are that we didn't take back the car." She crossed her arms, wind seeping through thin t-shirt that hadn't been cut or soaked in blood. The tone of his voice wasn't helping her mood either.
"You need to keep a record of whatever you experience until we contact you again, is that understood?" She mumbled a 'yes' to his question, seeing there was no place to really argue.
"As before, you will be escorted out."
"What about my stuff? And why are you letting me walk off with the eye? I thought you were hell-bent on keeping it out of my hands."
"The eye might help you figure out more about these ships. Besides, we don't want the goose that lays our golden eggs to keel over before we figure out what is happening. And anything of yours is in the car already."
She could have snapped at that comment, but she found herself holding her tongue. Instead, she was more than willing to get in the car and leave. When the military vehicles turned the corner, he went back inside and was greeted by a thin, gangly man with thick glasses that were constantly being pushed up with an ugly tie that was too big for his figure.
"Sneed, tell me something good." Donovan growled, storming through the hall.
"General Morshower is waiting to talk to you in the central room." Donovan snapped his head to glare at Sneed.
"I said good news, not another thing to ruin my day."
"The blood samples have come back from testing, sir. High WBC count, possible indications of illness. It seems that the immune system hasn't been affected by the radiation yet. The majority of the other tests appear normal."
"I could care less, what about the EBL?" Sneed pushed his glasses up, eyes scanning the page. "High, just like Optimus predicted. This goes way above even the 'high' levels that we published for NEST personnel safety regulations."
"What did that medic of his report about the girl?"
"Ratchet? Says that the optic somehow used the scar tissue from the operation as a bridge to connect to organic tissue, but he would need more testing. Scans of the eye were a bit erratic, but he says that it's within acceptable levels for a Transformer. Of course, there's no way to know what it could do to a human. He did raise some concerns with how she reacted when she was hit by Mirage's electro-disrupter..."
"Then she should learn to avoid it when she's brought back into this." They entered the main command area of the NEST base, the heart of operations for this base. Humming with activity, Donovan made his way to the screen where the General was waiting. The aging Chairman sternly looked at Donovan when he entered the video camera's sight. He was as far from happy as Donovan was. "Donovan, do you want to explain just why the hell your base is contacting the Lieutenant-General of the Volga-Ural Military District without asking for clearance from the President, let alone me?"
"We have a lead on just what those Decepticons have been squawking about the past three confrontations." Donovan declared with confidence. The General leaned forward in his chair at the office he was at.
"Really?," he remarked, "tell me more."
Isn't everyone excited that 'bots finally showed up? I know I am. I just want to get to the first real taste of action in this story!
Wait: did I ever clarify in the story that Sideswipe's altmode isn't the convertible Stingray? I think it would be too cold in D.C. to be driving around in a convertible. So he has a hood again. Bam.