The Diego Diaries: Beach Head (587)
-0-Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, Earth
He stood silently watching Sunstreaker gathering shells for the babies in the shallow waters of the beach where they had spent a joor racing and playing around. It felt good to be away from the loss of their game, to hang out without a care. The sun was warm, another relief from Mars. Spring was well underway there and the temperatures were very low at night.
He turned rolling forward, then paused. Down the beach around a bend created by a copse of palm trees and sand, a lone human femme stood on the sand staring out to sea. She was a military femme he could tell, her uniform matching the Navy types that they saw around the base. This was a major port for the Americans and there were always ships coming and going. The attention and interest from the Navy was as strong among the humans here as the Army, Navy and Marines.
He watched her, then read her signs with his sensors. Her aura, the energy field that he could see but humans seldom did was poorly, darkened. Dampened. This human to his understanding was troubled. He glanced over his shoulder toward the tidal pools nearby. Sunstreaker was still busy. Turning back to the woman, he considered her. Dozens of humans were sitting or standing on the rise nearby watching the two of them. This woman was alone.
He considered that a moment, then moved toward her rolling around a number of rocks to the beach on the other side where she stood. He rolled slowly, suddenly uncertain about what he was doing. She turned to look at him, an alarmed expression on her pretty face. He stopped, aware of his affect and the fear some humans had being close to him and his comrades.
She looked at him, then her expression changed. It became neutral, like she had shifted gears internally. He moved closer, then stopped as he stared down at her silently. She turned to face him, this tallish willowy human woman. "Hi," she said with a tension filled voice.
"Hi," Sideswipe said. He looked at the ocean, then her. "You look upset."
She looked at him a moment. "How do you know?"
"I can read energy," Sideswipe said. He moved closer. "You have an energy halo around you, an aura. That's what you humans call it."
She swallowed hard. "Yeah? What color is it? I hear that auras have colors."
He scanned her again, then nodded. "It's dark and filled with static energy."
She considered that. "I'm not surprised."
Sideswipe came closer, then knelt. "What's up? Sometimes talking about things makes it better. Or so my ada tells me." He grinned, his handsome expression oddly calming to her.
She grinned at him slightly. "Relationship trouble."
Sideswipe nodded. "You bonded?"
She looked at him a moment. "Bonded? You mean married?"
Sideswipe nodded. "Whatever."
She grinned in spite of herself. "No. I'm not."
"Rough boyfriend?" Sideswipe's expression lost some of his humor as he considered the woman before him. He thought about the femmes that he liked in his circle and the idea of one being hurt made him angry.
"Uh, no," she lied. "I'm Carrie. Captain Carrie Field."
"Sideswipe," he replied. "You Navy?"
She nodded. "Yes. I'm a pilot. Choppers."
Sideswipe nodded. "I can fly too. I have jet packs. My brother, Sunstreaker and I used to grab Seekers and beat the slag out of them in mid air. Jet Judo."
She grinned. "I would have loved to see that."
"I haven't in a while. Sunny and I still like to frag around. Combat can get stale if you don't mix it up a little." Sideswipe looked at her. "What the frag would he do that makes you sad?"
She looked at him, then turned to the sea. "Nothing."
"You are a terrible liar," Sideswipe said rising to his peds. "How about a ride around the island?"
She looked at him, upward twenty-five feet, then nodded. "I would love it."
Sideswipe turned. "Go up on the ridge and wait at the street. I'll be there."
She nodded, then turned walking up the beach to the trail that led to the ridge top. She clambered through the sand and beach grass, passing others who were there to watch the twins. She didn't know anyone but they turned to look at her as she walked past them. When she got to the roadway, she paused.
A figure was rolling up the bank leaping over a pile of drift wood to land on his wheel skates. He rolled past the punters who looked at him with intense interest and no small amount of admiration. Behind him came another, the black and yellow twin. They rolled to where Carrie stood, then paused.
"This the femme?" Sunstreaker asked as he stared at the woman who stood before them nervously.
Sideswipe nodded. "I think we need to tear up the island. It's been a while."
Sunstreaker nodded, then moved forward. He transformed, the strange sound of metal reshaping and bending filling the air as root mode turned into a spectacular high gloss vehicle. Sideswipe who watched his brother grinned at Carrie. "Ride with me." He then transformed, a beautiful glossy red and black Lamborghini appearing on the spot. The door opened, a gull wing rising as the interior beckoned.
Carrie hesitated, then moved forward sliding inside. The door came down and two incredibly powerful engines roared into life. Sunstreaker was first off the mark but Sideswipe followed, his tires screaming as he pulled out. They were gone in split seconds. Those who watched blinked.
-0-On the way to the funeral
Prime led the procession down Metroplex 1, then turned west onto Fortress which would lead into Temple. That highway would take them in the right direction, the road leading past the Mausoleum and Basilca toward the Tri-Cities.
Behind him followed Chevron holding the image of Commotion along with the family, friends and interested individuals. Nearly 2,000 members of the Iacon Order were following the silent procession and among them were Prowl, Blackjack, Alor, Wheeljack, Jetta and Ultra Magnus. All of the former members of the Council of Ancients who were now priests were waiting at the Basilica with Armor and Lauren. They would be there to comfort all who would come.
Neo walked with Prowl, her expression mournful as the sad procession turned the corner at Fortress. It would take a while to reach the highway but they would continue onward, walking along the sidewalk as they made their way to the Basilica several miles away. All who would pass would pause and bow their helm in respect.
-0-On the island far away
They tore up the roads barreling around, driving all around the island in jig time. Humans watched them, some of them new to the experience and others not. All of them were amused but for officers and other uptight officials among the civilian population. A number of complaints would land on the desk of Colonel Fulton and Colonel Baylor, the British Commander on the base. All of them would be placed in the round file aka dust bin by both.
If they policed the twins every time they came on duty here along with the other more 'vibrant' members of the garrison, they would have time for nothing else.
The sound of roaring engines split the air as the two raced down the center of the base heading for the Embassy. When they got there, they screeched to a halt, Sunstreaker transforming as he did. A gull wing rising invited Carrie Field to disembark and she did, laughing and staggering. "THAT WAS AMAZING!"
Sideswipe transformed, then looked down at her. "Of course it was." He grinned. "You're smiling. Your aura is lighter."
"It is?" she asked.
He nodded. "Yeah."
She grinned at him. "Thanks. That was the most fun I've had in ages."
As she spoke a hummer came their way pulling up before them. Sitting on the seat, an officer looked over the top of the windshield. "Carrie."
She turned, her smile falling into a solemn expression. "Cameron."
"Climb in," the man said looking at the two Autobots who turned to stare at him. "We have to go."
She stared at him, then turned to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. "Thank you, Sideswipe. Thanks, Sunstreaker. I had fun."
Sideswipe nodded, then turned his slightly frowning gaze onto the man, Cameron. "Don't mention it. Same time tomorrow," he said, his piercing gaze square on the humorless face of the man.
She looked at him, then nodded. "We'll see," she said. "I ..." Then she turned moving to the hummer, climbing inside. Without another word, the hummer turned and drove off.
The two stood staring, then Sideswipe looked at Sunstreaker. "I don't like him."
Sunstreaker nodded. "I don't either." He turned and walked into the Embassy. Sideswipe stood outside watching the hummer disappear. Then he turned into the Embassy and entered.
Reluctantly.
-0-On the way
They walked along side the highway, the procession passing the Mausoleum. Inside the long stone walled enclosure, there were several personal tombs with family names carved into the lintels. Elsewhere there were graves with the usual headstones and data carved on them. The usual method of burial for Cybertronians was standing up. There was a premium on space in the cities of that vast yet heavily developed planet so the habit of making a casing, putting the body inside, then sliding it into a long deep hole was common place. Instead of several dozen feet of space taking up a last resting place that was built for lying down, it was a smaller square dug the requisite number of feet down. The grave markers usually held the image of the occupant, their data, family information and poems commemorating them.
The few who were buried lying down were Primes.
Commotion's family commissioned to have one of the personal tombs for their son.
The sun was rising slowly over the curve of the horizon as they made their way. The Basilica stood nearby, towering into the sky, its immaculate construction and familiarity comforting. Prime turned down the road to the Basilica, the procession following. It would be soon that they would reach the steps and the enormous doors which stood open for them.
-0-Embassy, Earth
Sideswipe sat playing cards with Smokey, Blurr and Speedy. Sunstreaker was lounging on a chair, sitting with them as he drew on a pad sketching everyone at the table. "What's with the femme, Sideswipe?" he asked his brother.
The others looked at him with surprise. "What femme?" Blurr asked.
"There was a femme standing on the beach. She looked sad and upset."
"What kind of femme?" Blurr asked as he made his bid.
"A military femme. I think she's Navy, American Navy," Sideswipe said making his own. Smokey and Speedy placed their own bids, then perused their cards again. "She's upset about some fragger."
"Some fragger giving her slag?" Sunstreaker asked looking up. "What the frag. Give me a minute," he said rising. Then he paused. "What's her designation?"
"Carrie Field. She is a captain and a pilot in the American Navy," Sideswipe said.
Sunstreaker nodded, then turned to walk into the Ops Center. By the time he came back, Sideswipe was wiping the floor up with the playahs. He sat, then glanced at Sideswipe. "None of the femmes on Mars know her. Jessie said she would find out what's going on with her."
Sideswipe glanced at his brother, then nodded. "That Cameron guy? Did they say who he was?"
"There's a Cameron Frazer who is a Navy port officer here," Sunstreaker said. "They have to liaison with him sometimes. He's an uptight fragger. I don't know if he's this one."
Sideswipe nodded. "I'll find out," he said grimly, then dealt the cards.
-0-Basilica
They met the priests at the Basilica climbing the broad wide steps together. Prime led the way inside, the well lit room, vast and enormously high was as familiar here as it was on Cybertron. Statuary of the greats stood in their niches. Stained glass images of others threw light on the vast floor. Their ped falls echoed all around them as they made their way to the catafalque in the far end of the room.
As the room filled, they moved to the sides to allow others in. The room easily held the entire entourage as they spread out to watch. Prime continued forward, then moved past the catafalque. He reached the other side, then turned to watch. The stretcher continued forward until its was laid down on the stone surface gently.
His family continued pausing beside Chevron. He knelt and put the image on a stand for that purpose in front of the platform. They gathered, the priests and began the prayers. The chanting rose to the ceiling, seemingly reaching out to Primus. When the prayers were finished, Prime turned and walked forward. When he reached the foot of the platform, he turned and bowed to the body. He turned to bow to the family and priests as well. They bowed back, then he turned to leave.
He walked out, a majestic dignified individual followed by his solemn senior officers. They exited together, then began the journey back to the city.
They would walk all the way.
-0-Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, Earth
"What was that all about?"
She looked at him, then shrugged. "I was standing on the beach and he came up. He offered a ride and I took it. Nothing more."
He looked at her, then nodded. "Don't do it again."
She didn't look at him. She didn't dare.
-0-TBC January 15, 2014 edied 3-10-14