Ch 2- Talking to myself

May 27, 2009

So far Jayson has only given me the job of making the quadrants that we'll be working in and the busy work like getting things set up. The digging has begun and so far we haven't hit anything but sand. Apparently whatever it is we're out here looking for is old, and probably buried deep. The unit that is assigned to us, lead by Lennox, has so far had very little to do.

Lennox and Epps are nice, though I don't get to chat with them nearly as much as some of the others. Like Figs; he's very social. Jayson seems to be keeping busy considering he's usually either digging or speaking to Lennox, or looking over notes and pictures that I'm not allowed to see.

The Topkick and Solstice seem to be left alone for the most part, though once in a while they seem to vanish for a few hours. I've noticed it especially early in the morning when I'm getting a quick run around camp done, before the sun is truly up so I don't fry in the early morning heat, but late enough that who ever has the car hasn't come back yet. Strangest is that they'll show back up with out me noticing when they got back and who got out from them.

Despite that! My absolute, dire want to drive that little sports car is there bubbling under the surface, but I know better. It's a military vehicle here to do…I don't know what but something.

Any who, on to the facts that need to be written down for me. We are looking for artifacts that hold symbols that have been found on ancient buildings and artifacts all over the world. They are a part of no known language and for the most part been dismissed over time. Apparently most people don't make the connection when they see they symbol but I've recently seen the photos of a building in Egypt that archaeologists found some 60 years ago and a tomb from ancient China. Both of them have similar symbols written on the doors; two very different civilizations with very similar symbols from very different times. I think I can understand why Jayson is so fascinated with this work. Considering we're looking out here in the Middle East for a building that may have the same symbol as the two before, it's caught my interest as well. It's like a conspiracy.

My language skills have improved, since I can finally start to speak the local language with some sort of ease, and I've reviewed my studies on ancient languages. Thank goodness my high school offered Latin. It was just one more language I didn't have to worry about for college. I'll be the first to say I'm no expert but I can get by with some paper, pen and a dictionary.

So besides the project I have noticed something else that's a bit strange. I'm keeping them noted down so that I can keep track, though I doubt I'll ever bother to really ask.

Anyway, I've noticed how the soldiers treat the cars. Lennox and Epps have a habit of speaking to the Topkick and patting it's hood. I can never hear what is said, but it seems like they think it responds. I suppose I can't judge them too harshly since I know my own Jeep has some serious character and it deffinitly seems like it has an attitude to some things I say or do, but this is often. The Solstice is spoken to as well, and I think its radio might be a bit buggy cuz I could have sworn I heard it go off a time or two with no one inside it.

Much like last night, I couldn't sleep very well, still adapting to the new environment, and took a walk. A weird thing about me, I tend to talk to myself and gesture a lot with I'm alone. I trust my own council better than others. I started out like I would on my running circuit from my own tent and to the other side of camp. From there I moved a bit farther away, so that what I say stays to myself and no one wakes up.

Nothing of any real importance was said at first, just anything that came to mind that I could talk about. Any little issues I needed to think about and hearing it out loud would help. About half way around the circuit I was getting closer to the cars and the past year came up. It had not been an easy year for me in any sense of the word.

"I wonder if that asshole Chad is still pulling that dumb prank. I swear if he is I'm gonna knock him around." I started out muttering to myself. "He's the reason the first fight was so bad with me and Alex. God, how does he think that's funny." I stopped by the Solstice and put my hand on the hood. It was still warm under my touch, most likely from the sun. I started to speak more towards the cars than to myself, though I didn't expect much of a response.

"While I'm still kinda upset with Chad, Alex can seriously go ahead and jump off a cliff. Cuz I might have gotten back at him, but seriously, the way he broke it off was just wrong. Hope that whore he was with gives him something nasty." I leaned back on the hood of the Topkick and looked up. "Jeez. I can't remember the last time I could see so many stars. Maybe I'll finally see a shooting star."

For the next 15 minutes or so I just stood there, looking up at the stars and moon and not a single shooting star went by. Just my luck, I just know I'll be an old lady on my deathbed before I see one. Finally I pushed away from the truck and started back for my bed, my hand running along the Solstice's hood. I could have sworn I felt a shiver from that car and heard somebody say "Good night." But I can't be too sure; I might have just heard things in my sleepy state. However, whether I did or not, I made sure to say it back to 'em.

Guess that's all I have left to say. Gaby signing out.

Gabrielle put down her pen and stood up to stretch. It wasn't a good idea for them to work during the hottest part of the day so lunch was a long affair. She had thought to catch up on some of her notes and translations while she could. Earlier that morning Epps had gone on a run with her and offered to bring her with him on the way for supplies. She was more than happy to head into town for them. Now is about the time they agreed to meet up.

Pushing herself up she walked into the blazing sun and jogged to where the cars were typically parked. There, Epps stood waiting next to one of the military jeeps and the Solstice. "Hey Wild." He'd started calling her that after finding out how her name was pronounced.

"Hey Epps. Ready to go?" At this he grinned at her before tossing her something that gleamed in the noon sun. "Yeah I'm ready to go. And so are you!"

Gaby caught whatever it is and found out it was a key. A key that looked like it went to the silver car next to her. "You serious?" Epps laughed. "Hell yeah! I see how you look at him. Take him for a spin. You seem comfortable enough talking to him." Gaby blushed at that. "I wasn't exactly talking to him, more like I was talking to my self and he happened to be there."

Epps raised an eyebrow and asked, "Soooo…you don't want to drive him?"

"No! That's not what I said…I've been dying to give him a whirl." At this Epps laughed, though for some reason she got the feeling it wasn't for what she thought it was. "Alright then. You know the way. Get going. I'll follow behind," she squealed and bounced around to the front of the car.

The car started smoothly with no stuttering or anything. "Alright babe, I'm going to go ahead and apologize for any rough handling. I have a Jeep back home and he needs a bit more force than I bet you do, so bear with me." She shifted into first gear and started off, gaining speed quickly.

JAZZ'S POV

The young femme was right, she did push the stick around with a bit more force than was necessary but I couldn't really find it in me to care. She was grinning like a fool as my speed reached closer to 100.

"So how's she handling ya Jazz?" –Ironhide

"Nah bad fer a little femme like her. She lahks speed Hide, and I'm te right bot ta give it ta her." –Jazz

"Yeah, yeah. At least with her gone I can stretch my slaggin legs without worry. When's that blasted fleshy gonna tell her? Ain't he training her or something?" –Ironhide

"Hey Hide, chill. He'll tell 'er when e's ready. She still young an' in school. They got time."-Jazz.

"Bah. Just get this done. Ironhide out." –Ironhide.

The comlink was ended just in time to hear her.

"Lennox said they call you Jazz. What a strange name for a car but it suits ya." I could tell she was just talking to talk, though to answer her was tempting. "Jeez, you are a beast aren't ya. I've always felt more comfortable in larger cars but something fast and small is always gonna call to me." She picked up the pace once more and I had to admit, of all the femmes I've let ride in my alt mode, she's the only one really alright with the speed. Even Mikeala wouldn't let Bee let loose like this. It was in a matter of a quick 30 miinutes we're reached the supply point. Epps and his men would be loading into the car they brought, both human and the energon supplies for us all.

She was much the same on our way back, quiet with some random conversation. I was relaxed right up until I heard this.

"Jazz! Frag! Get back to camp! We have decepticons in coming!" –Ironhide.

"On mah way!" –Jazz

I was about to wrest control from the femme when she suddenly poured on the speed. "Shit. Did someone set fire to a tent or something?" Apparently she could see the smoke and damage already building up. I added my own burst of speed.

GABY'S POV

The car seemed to get we needed to hurry and a burst of speed that I didn't know it oculd do brought it flying over the last ridge. What I saw before me was not what I was expecting. It looked like some giant bot was using our camp and the dig site as it's stomping grounds! "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit…" The car came to an abrupt stop and I took off from it.

"Professor! Jayson!?" I screamed hoping to find him in the chaos that this area was becoming.

I picked up a gun off of a fallen soldier, someone I hadn't spoken to yet in the few days we'd been here. I prayed that Lennox and Epps would be ok, and wished to all that was good that I had been allowed to bring my own gun with me. I hadn't gotten very far when I was grabbed and spun around.

"Shit!" I swung the gun around, hoping that I could at least hit whatever had grabbed me. The robot thing seemed to be preoccupied with soldiers and another one of it's kind.

"Gabrielle! Wild! Calm down!" Lennox was there, in my face, trying to get me to focus. "What the hell are you doing down here. Come on." He dragged me away from the battle as it came our way.

In the next few seconds several things happened that made my heart just stop. I was snatched away from Lennox who turned to look at me, the horror apparent in his eyes.

In the seconds I was held, I could tell a few things; whatever it was, was metal and huge. It was speaking in some strange language and that it was slowly squeezing the life from me. It's grip was suddenly slack as an explosion rocketed it from the back, sending oil, and metal bits into the air, some of which burnt my exposed arms and nicked my ear. I wasn't too concerned with the pain since I had pure adrenaline and fear pumping through my veins, my stomach in my throat as I was dropped to the sand below.

I scrambled back as best I could winded and petrified. Lennox helped grabbing my arm and dragging me with him out of the way as the monster fell down, dead as far as I could tell. The battle was far from over from what I could hear. My heart finally started to beat, it was thundering in my ears, making it difficult to hear Lennox. Before I could turn around though, I was looking into the dying, menacing red eyes of the robot. It growled something at me and reached, as if it could stretch just far enough to end me. Before it got too far it had died, but holy hell, those eyes will never fade in my mind like they had in life.

Hey guys! Second chapter! Whoo! sorry for the slow start, but it's picking up. and yes...I just pulled a cliffhanger. I hate them and yet I just did one. I'm such a silly hypocrite. Hope ya'll enjoyed!

Peace out!