I don't own anything Transfomers…I never will…I will always envy those who do
Also…I don't own any of the referenced songs, movies, etc.
All I own is my imagination.
Enjoy
Chapter 3 Be Patient
Jazz sat on her bed staring at her laptop, typing a physics paper for Perceptor; she wasn't getting anywhere fast.
"Argh…why does this guy insist on seven pages of straight equations, I'd rather do laps around the base"
But the essay wasn't the only thing bothering the young girl. Her scheduled meeting with Optimus was approaching faster than Jazz could anticipate. Although she trusted the gentle mech with her life, she feared that she would fail him again. Optimus was patient, but Jazz knew she didn't share this trait. It was always so much easier to let her emotions run on their own, not bottle them up.
The clock read 1:30. Five minutes until potential failure. She didn't know what to expect from these lessons.
Relieved to escape her essay and terrified of facing her demons, she closed the laptop and pulled on an oversized blue sweatshirt with a red autobot insignia stamped on the front. Her hair brought back into a bandana and ripped jeans snugly worn at her hips, Jazz reluctantly left her room and walked down the halls; the death knoll ringing in her mind.
Jazz passed Sideswipe and Sunstreaker (looking suspicious as usual, standing in front of 'Hide's door), Mirage, and Burr. As she passed them, each gave her a look of sympathy and tried to make her smile. Like that would help.
A foreboding doorway stood at the end of the hallway, Jazz began to feel the walls tighten around her as she got further. It was a foot away from her. Her arm felt like lead as she raised it to knock. A moment of hesitation. She could just run back to her room. Before this could be done, the door slide open; Jazz caught a glimpse of Red Alert sitting at a desk next to Optimus' massive desk (filled with data tables, more data tables and…you guessed it, data tables).
"Good day Ms. Jasmine, might I inquire why you are hear?" Red Alert said with a strange look on his face.
Jazz frowned, she hated when people called her 'Jasmine'. She preferred to be called 'Jazz' in honor of the autobot who died protecting this world. Jazz had been told the story a thousand times.
"I'm here to see Optimus, he was gonna give me some lessons" Jazz said folding her arms and sighing in frustration.
"I'm sorry, but I believe you have made a mistake, you have no scheduled meetings with Optimus until next month. You may go now"
"What?" Jazz asked in bewilderment "You were there when we made this appointment"
"No I wasn't"
"I'm sure you were"
"I'm not going to argue with you, young lady"
"Hey, don't blame me for your lack of memory skills"
"My memory core is functioning properly thanks, I wish I could say the same for yours"
"Watch it pal"
"Watch what? You're optics are malfunctioning, go see Ratchet"
"I'm not gonna see Hatchet! Now, I just wanna get this stupid lesson over with so get Optimus in here. I've got a paper to write, single spaced"
"Don't blame me for your lack of planning"
Jazz was about to blow a gasket. The hilarious thing she realized, though, was that the guy was a humongous armed robot that could squish her in an instant, yet she could look past that. Red Alert was really starting to irritate her. With a flash, her arms began to glow.
About ready to yell autobot profanity, Jazz was cut off before she could even make out the words.
"As the human phrase goes: I have my work cut out for me. Thank you Red Alert for your assistance"
Optimus appeared behind Jazz; Mirage could be seen walking down the hallway, away from Optimus's office. He seemed to be holding back laughter. Jazz just stared in amazement as Red Alert gave her a look halfway between pity and amusement. Once Red Alert had left the office, the doors swung shut immediately. They were alone. Any opportunity to turn back and run away had just vanished.
"What on earth Optimus? Why the pit were you hiding?" Jazz asked, her arms fizzling with bits of electricity sparking down them.
"To prove a point; look at yourself" Optimus sat at his desk, fingers folded with his chin rested on them. He didn't seem angry, almost indifferent to Jazz's glowing arms. She looked down at them, a pang of guilt erupted inside of her. It was embarrassing that she had slipped up, allowed her temper to take over. But that was just the way she was.
"What, I can't control my temper, big deal. Sunny and Sides don't end up in the Ratchet's pit o' doom with Ironhide controlling his temper? Why should I? Why have me learn from a mech who doesn't display any amount of control over his anger?"
Optimus stood up, his face more solemn than ever.
"Ironhide is the most composed mech that I have ever worked with. Yes he does tend to be over zealous when delivering revenge to the twins, but he is the only one they fear. He uses this fear to keep them in control, for the most part." A small chuckle escaped his voice box.
"Well, I don't think that I can control this, I don't even know what it is." Jazz said, staring at her arms as they began to cease their glowing. Her energy level began to drop…again.
"I have my theories, but the most logical would be that you posses some residue from the allspark."
"Run that by me again" Jazz asked taking a seat in a human sized chair. The strength in her legs gave way, causing her to tumble in the nearest seat.
"When your father destroyed Megatron, he used the allspark to overload Megatron's spark, thus offlining him. Very similar to a human heart attack. However, Samuel was in direct contact with the substance, fusing the energy within his body. As far I am aware, it became dormant inside of him; no tension to spark its activity."
"So where do I tie into this" Jazz asked as she picked absently at a loose thread on her sweater, her eyes never left Optimus'.
The mech continued,
"I believe that when you were born, your father passed this along to you, through your mother. A part of your genes was given the all spark energy. It too remained dormant, until the night you were attacked."
Jazz's heart skipped a beat; she tried to evade the onslaught of memories that were emerging from her memory, no such luck.
"When we arrived, your mother had strange burn marks, yet you had none. Bumblebee tried to lift you up, but he was 'stung' by your sparking arms. The adrenaline cascading through your system activated the all spark part of your genes as a mode of defense. At least, that is what I believe happened."
Jazz had to take a moment and absorb this. She possessed the powers that the all spark had. She could bring life to machine, theoretically. But all it was whenever she used it was as a shield. It was sporadic, dangerous, she could never control it. A sick thought occurred to her; if the decepticreeps got her, they would force the spark from her body to do what they came for: new machines. They could reawaken Megatron, just because she would get angry. No wonder the Autobots wouldn't let her go away from the base; she was too important for them to lose.
"Is that why you are afraid to let me out of the base? Is that why you don't want me to have a normal life?"
"I did not intend for you to be placed in this situation. However, the power of the all spark is too important to be left fending for itself. You must be protected at all times."
Protected. Safe. Guarded. Those words were so common in Jazz's mind. It didn't matter that she could fight, that Ironhide had spent countless hours teaching her how to defend herself. She was still a human, a squish-able object that could be hurt with the slightest squeeze of mech fingers.
"There is a line between protecting and smothering. I'm confident we crossed that line the moment you placed secret access codes on the doors to keep me in the base"
Last year, Jazz had attempted to go outside by herself. Let's just say that after her time being "grounded" she could tell the time of the day without looking out of a window or at a clock.
"Do you resent me for this?" Optimus asked curiously.
Jazz was taken aback. She didn't know what to think of his question. Sure she was mad that he always kept her under lock and key, but it was because he didn't want her to be put into danger. He cared about her; everyone on this base cared to the death about her. They would put an end to their own sparks to keep her alive.
"No…I don't think so…but if I didn't have the all spark in me, would you still have these security measures?"
"Yes" was all Optimus replied. There was an extended pause.
Jazz was about to speak again when Optimus interjected.
"Well" he started again "let's get started on controlling your anger. I would like you to clear your mind, just like when you prepare for combat practice. No one else exists in this room"
Jazz closed her eyes, slowing her breath to a relaxed state. The silence felt wonderful, even though she still had the inkling that she was being watched.
"Do not worry about me" he said, as if reading her thoughts "I am not here"
Jazz began to slip away from herself. She picked a gentle instrumental tune to listen to in her mind as she allowed the silence to consume her. Duh dum dud a dum duh dum dud a dum…
"WHERE DO YOU KEEP THE SOAP CARL? *car screech* *baby crying* LOOK AROUND YOU HELEN, WE'RE ON THE THRESHOLD OF HELL! *nails on a chalkboard* LUCILE, GET THE HOG OUT OF THE KITCHEN! *gun fire* *more gun fire*"
The most bizarre audios were emitting from Optimus' sound box, and they weren't helping Jazz concentrate.
"What on earth are you doing Optimus?" she asked opening her eyes. The mech didn't respond. He stood there with an almost blank expression on his face.
"LOUD NOISES! IT'S THE EYE OF THE TIGER IT'S THE THRILL OF THE FIGHT!* car horns* *monkies screeching*"
"SHUT UP OPTIMUS!" Jazz finally yelled after three minutes of straight random sound clips.
"You must be patient, Jasmine. In battle, you will be surrounded by strange sounds. It is important to not lose your focus, no matter how ridiculous they may seem."
"Sure, because I know that I'm gonna have to cater to screaming monkeys."
"You need to open yourself up to the possibility that you may have to face a threat without us. We won't always be there to watch over you."
"If you guys ever let me leave, maybe I might actually believe that is possible"
Optimus sighed. On the inside, he was resisting the urge to 'snap' at the insubordinate child; on the outside, he was shaking his head in frustration.
"How many times must we discuss this, until I believe it is the proper time for you to reenter the world, you are to remain here. When you can be patient, then you can go to the outside world. Until then, no more arguing, is that clear?"
Jazz sighed. She didn't want to be patient; she wanted to see the world before she died. But that wasn't her decision. Optimus had his reasons for her to stay on the base, no matter how annoying they were.
"Crystal clear sir" she said with a frown.
"You may go; we will continue this in three days, same time and place, understood"
Jazz nodded and left the room. As she walked by the rec-room, she could here Sideswipe doing impressions of the annoying sound pieces that Optimus had played. Jazz had to smile.
She continued down the hall; Bee was following her. He seemed not to be talking in case she wanted silence. Not wanting to keep the tension going, Jazz stopped and turned. Holding up her hands, Bee picked her up around the torso and they continued towards Jazz's room.
"I can see that your lesson didn't go well." He said trying to break the silence.
"Yeah…Optimus wants me to be patient, but I don't know how."
"This will take time…do not be discouraged. I know you will find the way"
Jazz nestled deeper into her guardian's hand, hugging his thumb. No matter what happened, she knew she could rely on his kind words.
"How long?"
Bee stared at her with sympathy.
"That all depends upon you my little one. Patience was something I also couldn't grasp when I was younger. But I wasn't given the time and attention you receive now…war is a time consuming thing. I had to learn patience for myself."
"How?"
"I didn't focus on the prize…I focused on the moment. What I needed to truly achieve a patient mind was to be patient myself. Wait to strike, never let your opponent take your guard down."
"You sound like Ironhide" Jazz said with a smile.
"That's good, considering he raised me. If I don't sound like him after all those years then I don't know what to think."
"'Hide was your nanny?" Jazz said stifling a giggle. Bee even gave a small smile.
"In several ways he could be seen as that. I was the last one to be born on Cybertron…as far as we know. The old mech had been there…too many blows to the cannon. I don't know, but we seemed to connect the moment I was online. I never knew my mother, or father. Ironhide was the closest thing to a parent."
Any attempt at giggling was over. Jazz had a new found respect for the old mech; dealing with Bee as kid must've done a number on poor Ironhide's mind. But if he could do it while fighting off decepticreeps, then she could too…hopefully.
"I'll try to be patient."
"Do…or do not. There is no try"
"Thank you for the comment Bee; it's been noted."
"I am your father"
"Alright Bee, now you're pushing it."
"Do not underestimate the power of the dark side"
"We need to stop having movie night"
Bee laughed deeply as they entered Jazz's room. It was moments like these that reminded him of his time with Sam. They would always watch movies together…even though Bee would often look them up online before they watched them. It was an intriguing experience to observe a human's reaction to moments in a film.
He gently dropped Jazz onto her bed and sat down on the floor next to her.
"I believe you have an essay to write"
"Hey…be patient wise-bot. I've got all day."
"Not according to Perceptor's schedule. It's due in an hour." Bee watched as Jazz went from pale, to deadly pale to sheet white; a very amusing sight.
"This is why patience needs to die!" Jazz screamed as she began to type furiously on her laptop.
End of Chapter—
Alright guys…let me know what you think…questions, concerns. Also, I am relatively knew to the Transformer world (been a fan for nearly six months) I want to get the right mindset down for the characters. The ones I have mentioned but not really used are waiting for character development and I was wondering if you could give me some insight into them.
Mirage, Blurr, Gears, BlueStreak, Inferno, Kup, Cliff Jumper, Hound…I know of them, but would really like to get inside of them better.
Thank you!
Oh…and if you wanted to request strange sound clips…they aren't ending anytime soon.
Review!!!!
BTF
