Chapter 42 dd1
The Diego Diaries: The Investigation
=0=Epps and Lennox
They gave their testimony explaining that they were walking between the hangars and had a clear view of the SUV as it careened around the corner, turning hard enough to throw a spray of dirt into the air. They had paused to watch as the three men inside hooted and hollered. Then they saw it accelerate and drive off at top speed careening around the corner again, back across the tarmac in front of the Autobot HQ. They ran quickly, hurrying to the corner with dread in their hearts for the challenge it obviously was to the Autobots themselves. They had almost reached the corner when the collision rang out, the sound echoing all over the area.
They were able to ascertain the following facts:
1. They did not see the actual collision but they did see Ironhide fall on his back, arms flung out with Springer sliding in to catch his helm. They heard his bellow of pain and rage and saw in the faces of everyone watching, bots and humans included, astonished surprise at what had happened.
2. They did not see the car spin in the air but saw it land in a bouncing heap, the mercs inside flying around due to the event. They had been battered to the point of death, some of them and there was glass everywhere.
3. They said they saw Ironhide raise up to sit, roaring with rage, then fall back again. They saw Springer holding him down with a servo as he flailed in pain. They said that everyone froze for a moment, then ran outside from every building around the area including more than 20 Autobots, arms drawn as they circled Ironhide. They made a defensive circle to protect a wounded comrade just as any human soldier would have done in a situation that was fluid, where not every possibility had been ascertained.
4. They saw the scene both during and after the wreckage and injured were pulled away. There were no skid marks, no indication in physical evidence that the driver tried to stop or swerve. None of them had seen them speed up but they had heard it necessitating them to run faster. It was as ominous sounding as it turned out to be. Ironhide had the right away at the moment to cross the tarmac in a posted area and the driver ignored a pedestrian crossing an open space with pedestrian regulations for drivers well posted and observed base wide.
5. It was their belief that the driver and passengers appeared to be impaired and that they were acting in an irresponsible manner behind the wheel of a vehicle that was unique in design and use, therefore making it even more imperative that care be taken operating it. None of them seemed to understand that there were humans around that could have been struck as well given the way they were driving around at the moment.
They gave separate depositions, then left. walking outside to stand in the mid-afternoon sun together, it was unsettling and disturbing. Graham who had not been in Diego at the time turned to stare at the flight line nearby. Parked in their usual spaces recharging, he thought about the Aerialbots. "Do you suppose the Aerialbots saw what happened?"
Lennox looked down the common area to the field beyond where jets were parked close to each other. "Silverbolt wasn't here but the other three had a straight-on shot of the whole thing."
They hesitated a moment because they weren't close to the Aerialbots, then started toward them. The sun was glinting off their alt forms. They were lethal and beautiful. They paused before them a moment with uncertainty, then Epps walked up to one of the two F-15 Strike Eagles and tapped on the gear strut. Nothing happened. Then he did it again. As they waited, a transformation sound occurred. They turned around to see a large Autobot kneeling down to stare at them. It was huge, black, red and white and stared at them curiously. "May I be of help?" it asked.
They looked at him, the jet they were trying to awaken, then back again. Lennox swallowed. "This jet is uh, just a jet isn't it."
The Aerialbot smiled. "Yes."
They stared at each other feeling slightly foolish, then they turned to the bot before him. "I'm Will Lennox and this is Bobby Epps and Niall Graham."
The bot nodded. "You're N.E.S.T soldiers," the big mech asked with his deep voice. He was huge, shiny and immensely powerful. His aura read speed and fearlessness like most of the flying bots they were beginning to come to know. Maybe it was the freedom of flying that created that. He didn't know. All of them nodded together.
"You're the ones that aren't idiots. Like those humans that drove into Ironhide," he said.
"You saw that?" Epps asked.
"We saw it. I saw it the best," the bot said. "I'm Sky Dive."
"Pleased to meet you, Sky Dive," Niall Graham said. "I was wondering if you could tell what you saw to the investigators," Graham asked. "We think the more individuals that can say what happened the less likely the company they work for will be able to make trouble here."
"If Prime wants me to, I will," Sky Dive said. He considered them. "Why did he do that?"
Epps shrugged. "Because he was a fool and had no respect."
Sky Dive nodded. "I will tell Prime that you asked."
They nodded, stepping back as the big bot rose to walk toward the Autobot complex.
"It never gets old," Epps said staring at the retreating figure. The others nodded.
=0=Med Bay
He stood holding up one leg. Ratchet squatted on his peds, his optics staring intently at Ironhide's rear locking clamp.
"Say when, Ratchet."
"I will."
"Now?" he asked hopefully.
"No."
=0=Jazz and Mirage
"Look at this," Jazz said pulling up a number of e-mails. "It appears that our mole is a soldier who works in the Administrative building."
Mirage nodded. "Should I go eavesdrop?"
"I think it would be a good idea," Jazz said scrolling through a long list of e-mails. Mirage was almost to the door when Jazz called out for him to come back. He did, sitting again to wait. "Look at this, Mirage."
He read the e-mail and smiled. "High-Flyer," he said shaking his head. "Our mole is corresponding with High-Flyer directly now."
=0=Med Bay
"Can I go now?"
"No."
=0=Mirage and Jazz
A screen showing the routing of electronic correspondence glowed with a red line tracing the path of the mole's emails through any number of servers ending up at the First-Strike-Warriors bulletin board at the HQ of Intel-Martin. It also showed an anonymous e-mailer who was using a web-based temp account with a disposable email. A search of that server showed that High-Flyer was using it as his primary account, sending emails to the bulletin board and now Jazz found directly to the mole by a convoluted but essentially untraceable ghost account at Intel-Martin.
"Screamer has changed his tactic. He isn't waiting for the mole to post on the bulletin board. He's using direct contact to get what he wants."
"Who would write to an anonymous e-mailer if you were a deep down mole in an organization with rules against such activity like the U.S. Military?" Mirage mused.
"An anonymous e-mailer who was using someone elses account and posing as them," Jazz replied grinning. "Check out who Starscream is posing as."
Mirage followed the line from Intel-Martin where it began and when it dead ended into the anonymous account, the name brought a smile. "William Kent, President and CEO of Intel-Martin."
"Screamer is accessing his account to ghost messages out through the Intel-Martin servers but he has an intercept on any incoming from the mole so that it reaches his anonymous account and never shows up in the Intel-Martin logins and databases," Jazz said. "With this system as high tech as they think it is it didn't take much for Starscream to re-route his own messages and the replies. Kent wouldn't know it was happening and there would be no traceable evidence left behind. At least as far as their level of technology will find anyway."
"Let's open his account and check it out," Mirage said. "Of course, you can hack it so Starscream won't know," he asked glancing at Jazz pointedly.
"Piece of cake," Jazz said with a chuckle.
=0=Med Bay
"Sit down."
"I have. For orns."
"A breem or two more won't hurt."
"It will."
"Big sparkling."
"Let me outa here, you slagger. I have to be free."
"Big femme."
"You can't keep me cooped up. I was born to be wild."
"You were born to be wild? Since when?"
Pause. "Well, I was before I bonded with you, you yellow aft slagger."
"Bonding with me was the best thing you ever did, you big heap of slag."
"Don't confuse the issue. You know you got the best of the deal when I agreed to bond with you, Ratchet."
"Oh really. How did that come to your addled processor? Who else would put up with you, you big aft?"
Pause.
"Well?"
"I'm thinking."
=0=Wheeljack and Perceptor
"There are no skid marks. There is no attempt to try and stop. They aimed at him and they hit him."
"I've been doing research, 'Jack, on collisions and it would appear impairment by artificial means is a big, if not the biggest factor in the greatest percentage of crashes and fatalities. They also weren't wearing seatbelts."
"They were drunk," Wheeljack said smiling at his more precise and scholarly friend. "Prime told me about a game called 'chicken'."
"I will look that up."
"Thank you, Perceptor. Now take a look at the construction of this vehicle. It has a steel shell that fits over the entire body of the vehicle. It has a 382 horsepower engine and can exceed 200 miles per hour. It was designed to protect the passengers so getaway speed is essential. Mercedes Benz builds fast acceleration and speed into their cars as a stock item. This car was boosted in all areas.
"It has firewalls and the capacity to defeat anti-personnel grenades and high powered rifle fire earning it a 'full metal jacket' rating, apparently the highest for armored cars. It is hardened both above and below, armored in the wheel wells, roof and floor. There are side bars which aid in protection but also add weight and brace the frame when it hits something. Everything is protected from fuel tanks, batteries and glass. Given its weight, it would pack more power in a collision because its heavier. Go at a top speed and hit a wall, it will demolish what it hits much better and more thoroughly than lesser vehicles with less weight and embellishments.
"All in all, it is a weapon used in the right manner. And it weighs nearly eight tons with its adapted features. Optimus doesn't weigh that much and he slammed into Motormaster that time, putting the slagger completely out of business."
"It was going at least 100 miles per hour and perhaps more," Perceptor said. "It is difficult to be precise because there were no road marks to use in calculations but I would say 100-110 miles per hour at collision. Megatron weighs nearly six tons. This truck weighed more than Megatron at nearly eight. It was a fortuitous set of circumstances that toppled Ironhide. Interesting."
"Indeed," Wheeljack said in agreement.
=0=Med Bay
"Well?"
"I'm still thinking."
Ratchet grinned looking at Ironhide as he so cutely grasped at straws. "You're the biggest sparkling I ever saw."
"You letting me out of here?" he asked grinning in spite of himself.
"I should leave you here for the entertainment value but I will let you out. However, you are off duty for a decaorn and I won't be swayed."
"Not even by The Sexy?" Ironhide asked as he rose. Grinning, he pulled Ratchet into his arms.
Ratchet smirked as he slipped his arms around Ironhide's shoulders. "You think you're a real Lothario."
pause. access. Lothario, noun. acquire. access terminated.
"Good enough term, if a little stupid sounding to me," he said leaning in to nibble on Ratchet's neck.
Ratchet let him, the attention long overdue, then pushed back a grin. "Negotiations are not complete. There's also the penalties to be exacted for getting paint all over me and breaking the rules of no 'facing during wartime. And I suppose I can think of a few other things if I try."
"Go ahead. You know I win in the end."
"Says you?"
"Says me," he said leaning in to kiss Ratchet hard on the mouth. "I'm going out there and cut a wide swath. See ya later." With that, he turned to swagger toward the door.
Ratchet watched him then called out. "Hey, Lothario."
"What?" he asked pausing in the doorway to look back, a grin of great triumph on his face.
"No one is allowed out of the building. Prime's orders."
"Slag."
=0=TBC 2010 (11) edited 1-1-17