The Diego Diaries: Impasse (581) edited
-0-Sideswipe
He rolled along the beach unsettled. It was in his thinking that the guilty paid, not the innocent. He also began to understand that humans were still water. Most of the stuff he thought he knew only floated on the surface. It was disconcerting. The sound of his brother approaching drew his attention. Sunstreaker slowed, then stopped. "What are you doing out here?"
"Thinking."
"The femme..."
Sideswipe nodded. "I don't get it. Why did she have to go and he gets to stay?"
"They're going to investigate." Sunstreaker glanced at the ocean, a soothing sight for him. He looked at his brother. "Let it go. Humans do what they do."
"Where's Bluestreak?"
"He went back. School will be out soon," Sunstreaker said. "Come on. There's a poker game at the Embassy."
Sideswipe nodded, then turned. They rolled up the hillside past sailors and soldiers who had gathered to watch them. They could not go anywhere on Diego without attracting a crowd, most of them friendlies. Most wanted videos for their families or to post on youtube. There were entire channels devoted to them. They rolled past slowly, nodding to this and that human who waved.
Their celebrity was a strange but completely acceptable part of their lives here. It fed their emotions and gave them even more resolve. The more they observed these strange vulnerable aliens, the more they were determined to protect them. It didn't matter that Sunstreaker wasn't even that interested in them, the annoying slaggers. They were however the mission and some were friends. That was enough for Sideswipe and Sunstreaker to expend their considerable abilities to protect and defend.
The base was busy as they rolled along. They passed the barracks where Daniels had lived seemingly eons before, the hangars and barracks rebuilt, then they came to the base officer's club. There were several naval and air force officers standing outside talking. They paused to watch the twins heading their way. When they came even with the group one of them called out. "Hey!"
The pair paused, then turned to face the group. Most of the sailors were new to the pair. They were not that hooked into the navies. They could see British sailors among them, but most were Americans. They stood towering over the group, their lethal abilities clear even when they didn't conjure it for the moment. Sideswipe knelt down. "What?" he asked in his deeply masculine, even guttural voice.
They paused a moment, then an American stepped forward. "I just wanted to say hello."
Sideswipe considered that, then nodded. "Hello."
The officer grinned. He held out his hand. "Jon Michaelson, Captain of the USS Long Beach."
"Sideswipe, Autobot, Wrecker and front-liner." He glanced up. "That's my brother, Sunstreaker. He's the same."
"We saw the game. It was amazing. I can't imagine how you live through some of the punches and tackles you faced. It takes balls to play that game," Michaelson said with a chuckle.
Sideswipe snorted, then grinned. "If you say so. I wouldn't personally know."
The group laughed, then came closer. They would talk together for a while, then the twins would go off heading for a card game and a high grade. The humans watched them go.
"Frazer is a jackass. What a total tool he is," Michaelson said watching the pair leave with the usual unconscious grace both possessed in spades. "What a complete tool."
The others nodded. "I can't agree with you more," a British officer said before they turned to walk inside for lunch.
-0-At the Embassy
They sat together playing cards, snacking and drinking beer as they passed the time. Shift would be night time. They would have the duty of guarding the Embassy and the grounds. The security measures taken would alert on Insecticon intrusion but having 'boots on the ground' at the same time was now considered essential. It had taken the humans a bit of time getting used to seeing more bots out and about day and night but it also gave them more opportunity to film them and to talk.
No one had forgotten that their species had attacked and annihilated the base. But neither did they forget that their species had saved all of them from said annihilation.
It would be a long afternoon until nightfall when they would go on duty. Sideswipe would win at the card games. He was a better cheater than the others.
-0-Prowl
He walked from the bridge with Ratchet toward the N.E.S.T. Habitat. He glanced at Ratchet. "You worried about Sideswipe?"
Ratchet nodded. "He's a determined mech when it comes to things like this. When he is a friend, he is in. Morshower and Fulton need to make slag like this go away. How they haven't is beyond me."
Prowl nodded, then paused. "I have to go to the Ops Center. There's new data coming in about the other migration route."
Ratchet nodded. "I'll fill you in." They then parted going on their respective missions of mercy.
-0-Bluestreak
He walked to the underground on his way to the school. In moments, the infants would be let out. Today was a part time day, freeing up teachers to prepare for conferences which would start in a matter of orns. The sunlight was high overhead as he walked down the steps to the platform below. He would enter an orange train with dozens of other genitors and have a nice chatty ride to Terra.
-0-Night time on Earth
They rolled along the beach talking about this and that, then parted. Sunstreaker would go back the other way and meet Sideswipe at the far end of the island. Then they would reverse their route. Sideswipe watched Sunstreaker disappear into the night, then turned to roll along. The sky overhead was clear, the temperature about 83 degrees. The humidity, both a blessing and a curse to their mecho-biology was closer to 90 degrees.
He rolled up an embankment to avoid a pile of drift wood. Back on the road system, he moved along heading toward the naval station and the docks. It was part of their purview and he would see to it. Nearing the habitation spaces for human sailors, he slowed down. There was only light duty that night, most of the sailors were inside their barracks or ships. Some walked around, others sat on boxes or vehicle hoods to talk or play cards.
It was like a million places he had spent the days of his life, hanging around waiting for violence to overtake them. He had often been injured or hungry, alone, worried, carefree, determined or rage filled. All of those moments rose in him, then he pushed them back.
He was here now and that was then. Even in the midst of aliens of which he was learning he really didn't know, he was in a better place.
Sailors paused to watch him, an unspeakably big mechanism with unbelievable skills, speed and beauty. They had seen the Lamborghinis dragging around. Everyone saw them when they came and all had seen the game. They were among the most famous Autobots in the world. Some of the humans came out to sit and watch them go by on their duty, these fearsome inaccessible beings. Some of them even talked smack when they passed by unaware that their words were heard. Most of the time he didn't care. Tonight was not one of those nights for Sideswipe.
-0-At the school
The usual crush was on, genitors and their designated surrogates arriving to pick up the infants. Bluestreak held Kaon and was waiting for the twinnies. "Where, Ada?" Kaon asked as he sat on his atar's arm.
"On Earth."
"He workin'?"
"He is," Bluestreak said with a grin. He stepped out of the way for a family to pass, then saw the twins coming. "You're with me, baby."
"Okay," Kaon said as he watched Laret place the twinnies inside Blue's carry hold with infinite care.
"Thank you, Laret," Blue said with a smile.
"You're welcome. Are the twins on duty?" she asked.
"They are but they have permission to attend the conferences," Blue said. They chatted a while, then Blue turned walking for the elevator and the street beyond. The ride to The City would be filled with details of the orn from Kaon who was happy to share them. They would walk to Ops Center and a few joors with Granny. Granny would be delighted.
-0-Diego
Sideswipe rolled along slowly, his optics scanning the crowds and ships for Frazer. He was filled with aggravation for a moment, then he quashed it. Emotions wrongly placed caused mistakes. He was too much the artist of his craft to be that stupid. This wasn't a melee. It was the docks of an ally. He moved along ignoring the humans who stared at him as he passed. As he continued along, he could hear their comments, most of them deeply complimentary. Then he heard a couple that weren't. Most of the time he was assured enough to not give a frag. Not tonight. He turned and began to roll toward a group of sailors sitting on boxes nearby.
-0-Sunstreaker
He felt it, a cold fury rising in Sideswipe. Turning, putting on the speed, he began to make his way to the other half of himself, his brother.
-0-Sideswipe
He rolled to the group, then paused. Leaning in closer, he looked at the two men who had made the whispered comments. "You do understand that I can hear bullshit spoken on the moon," he lied.
The group of humans froze. They stared at him with ashen faces, their terror evident. Three of them raised their hands in supplication. "We didn't say a thing." They began to move away from the two that sat silently on boxes.
Sideswipe watched them as they stepped away, then turned his gaze back on the two men who were frozen in place before him. "You do realize that don't you? I can hear you miles away."
One of them attempted to speak, then just merely nodded. Words had failed him in his terror.
"I don't like bullshit from slaggers like you. Who the hell are you to talk about me like you just did? Who the frag are any of you to do that?" He stood back up. "I am a warrior. I could wipe out this entire dock by myself. Who the frag are you to slag me and my kind?"
No one spoke. No one could. The sound of a vehicle coming toward them, a high octane engine signalling their approach turned attention away from the two men for a moment. Sunstreaker rolled up, then skid to a stop. "Sideswipe … what's going on?" he asked.
"These fraggers slagged our bond. They called me a fag." Sideswipe said with no small amount of anger.
Sunstreaker looked at them, the same molten reaction rising in himself. "Who the frag are you to insult us, you little meat sacks?"
As he made his remarks, an officer stepped out of the shadows and walked forward, his own fear held in check by his sense of duty. "Can I help you gentlemen?" he asked with more calmness than he felt.
Both Autobots turned to him. "No," Sideswipe said. "You're all alike."
The officer considered that, glancing at the men standing nearby and the two sitting on the boxes. "What happened?"
One of the sailors cleared his throat. "Derek and Neil made insults about the Autobot, the red one. He heard it and came back to talk."
The officer looked at the two. "Is that a correct assessment?"
The one called Derek looked at him. "I didn't mean anything by it."
"WHAT THE FRAG DID YOU MEAN THEN? WHAT THE FRAG OTHER MEANING IS THERE FOR THAT WORD?" Sideswipe asked with anger. Sunstreaker was silent but his expression told the story.
"There is no other meaning for that word," the officer said. "Both of you, inside."
The two sailors sat a moment, then jolted into activity. They both hopped down, then hurried into the building. The officer nodded so the others left too. He turned to the two Autobots and gathered himself a moment. "I apologize for the insult. I assure you that it will be taken care of and won't happen again."
"It happens a lot," Sideswipe said. "It happens every time I come here. I don't expect you to understand us. Frag, I give up trying to understand you lot. But I expect respect. I have bled for you and your world. I expect respect."
The officer nodded. "I understand and agree. I am sorry for this and I promise you, it won't happen again."
"I will believe it when I see it," Sideswipe said. He turned and rolled forward down the docks.
Sunstreaker watched him, then stared down at the officer. "We have already been through this slag. You meat sacks better get it straight. We are the only thing keeping Megatron from coming here to burn you to the ground. Without us, you lose. I'll believe it when I see it too." He turned and skated off to catch up with his brother.
The officer watched them go, then walked to the barracks. The sailors stood up at attention. The officer looked at them, then shook his helm. "Dismissed," he said, then turned to walk out again. They watched him, then relaxed.
"Derek, you are an asshole. It should be carved on your tombstone," one of the sailors said.
"It will be if he opens his fucking yap again," another said. "That fucker can kill you in a million ways and not dirty his hands."
"Fuck him," Neil said defiantly. "He's still a fag."
"He's the fucker who will kill you if you keep saying that. All I hope for is not to be in the range of his fist when he does," another said with disgust.
-0-Officer's Club
He sat down at the table with his friends. "We almost had a real incident just now. Some sailors were watching one of those twins go past and two of them called him a fag. They didn't think he heard. He did."
The other officers looked alarmed. One of them leaned closer. "What happened?"
"He looked like he was going to mash them so I stepped out and defused the situation. Good thing, too. The other one showed up. Both of them are pissed off. Truly."
"What are you going to do about it? Report it?" another asked.
"Hell no!" he whispered. "No way." Then he grinned. "Besides, there was nothing he said that wasn't true."
As they sat, through the windows they could see two giant Autobot formats roll past, one red and black, the other yellow and black. They watched them, admiring their beauty and lethal ability. What they didn't know was that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had heard every word they had said too.
-0-TBC January 18, 2014
NOTE: Pan and Knotinbelly: your notes were wonderful. Thank you for adding to the conversation and my thinking with your remarks. I agree with them. I added the note about Sideswipe to the last part because I think it sort of explains his behavior. He is going to be more forthcoming in the next few. He came from a powerless position. It affects his thinking and reactions. And I have to say … the remark in TF WIKI, this one: "The only thing more important to Sideswipe than looking good while being awesome... is God." (CITATION: When Megatron mocks art of Primus, Sideswipe objects: "YOU CANNOT LAUGH AT YOUR OWN CREATOR-GOD, YOU STUPID METAL LUMP!" in Transformers Comics Issue 3.
This is an excerpt to Sideswipe from TF WIKI as well: "Sideswipe is not nearly as much of a sociopath as his brother, Sunstreaker, but he is every bit as skillful. He's more into battle for the sport of it. A bit of a jock, Sideswipe most craves a glorious fight to the finish as a test of his mettle.
There is a reckless edge to Sideswipe's tactics. He makes rash decisions that may endanger him, all in the name of possible victory. Cheating is also not out of the question. When everything is on the line for Sideswipe, nothing is out of the question. Over time, his reckless attitude has not changed. However, his cause has; once in it solely for the glory, now he's driven by the desire to defend freedom and the innocent."
SNIFFLE! OUR LITTLE BOY IS GROWING UP! SNIFFLE! :D:D:D
Just because I love the twins, here's some more twinnie goodness: (Movie Sideswipe) Sideswipe is true to his function of Warrior. Though proficient with guns, he prefers melee combat to ranged weapons and will employ any maneuver it takes to get close enough to the enemy to use his arm-mounted Cybertanium swords. His agile wheel-legged form more than allows for this. His tactics are merciless and he's utterly unapologetic about this—war after all is messy.
Oh, and he's also not vain at all: those alt modes of his are chosen for speed only. It's a total coincidence that the fastest one just happens to be a sleek, sexy, concept model that's better than your car, honest!
"Damn, I'm good!", Revenge of the Fallen
Here is a thing called Toy Bios. I am assuming they come off the boxes of various formats and universes of our boy:
Toy bios: Before the war, Sideswipe was a major competitor in the gladiatorial games. Years of training made him a master at fencing, something he viewed as an art to be celebrated through battle. When war broke out, he was sickened by the Decepticon's slaughter and vowed to use his fencing skills to defend the innocent. Before he enlisted with the Autobots, Sideswipe traveled the galaxy in search of the most proficient warriors and devastating martial arts he could find, leading to him becoming an Autobot combat instructor. He also teaches Mudflap everything he needs to know about defensive driving. He's such a hardcore master of Metallikato (which is so scary its banned on Cybertron … Prowl is also a master, perhaps THE master of it in canon), he dismisses Bludgeon as a master because of his reliance on guns.
*He's also a raw, untrained guy! Used to battling alone, he was given over to Robert Epps to be trained as a team player. The two have become good friends, and Sideswipe is now more dangerous than ever.
*When the hooligan, Fearswoop gained new powers and threatened Earth, Sideswipe was dispatched with Mudflap to take the giant Decepticon down.
*Ironhide has recently convinced him to use guns again. As it turns out, they'll be perfect against his enemy Axor. (Gonna apologize to Bludgeon now, Sideswipe?)
*He also prides himself as a good driver, but he admits that he's not as good as Mikaela. Her instinctive driving ability is so silky smooth that it allows Sideswipe to focus purely on his blades. TF WIKI
(All of these are interpretations of him from many universes. As usual, I take all the goodness and make it part of him in mine. :D:D