Chapter One
Location: Oahu, Hawaii, United States
Timedate: 2nd June 2006
The sun was closing to setting, bringing with it a Friday night to beholden while the weekend was just around the corner. Walking on their way along a street, two young women held hands tightly with fingers intertwined, a sign of close companionship, or perhaps something deeper and more intimate. One was Samantha "Sam" Shane, a fair-skinned woman, nineteen years of old, with long blonde hair with dark roots and eyes of greyish-blue, and wearing a black short-sleeved top and light-blue denim shorts. The other was Cora Raikes, a slightly-tanned woman, eighteen years of age, with long brunette hair and hazel eyes, wearing a top and skirt of matching white.
"You sure we're both ready to come out like this?" Cora questioned with doubt. "I mean, I know we first met three years ago, but we only started dating like a year or two ago. Do you really think this is the best time now?"
"I believe it so", Sam responded. "Better to be honest with the truth sooner at a good time and the best time, instead of letting it spill out later at a bad time and the worst time".
"It's just I don't know if my parents will accept you", Cora lamented. "Or even me if they find out".
"I'll make absolute sure they will", Sam assured. "Once they know how much I take good care of you".
"And what about your parents?" Cora brought up.
"Oh trust me, as long as you get to my father's good side at least, you'll be getting along just fine", Sam continued. "Besides, he's about to become Admiral of the US Pacific Fleet. Maybe he'll get us both assigned to be part of the Navy".
"Yeah, as long as no one asks or tells", Cora commented, alluding to that old rule she was vaguely familiar with.
"And even if someone asks either of us, neither of us will tell", Sam guaranteed while continually smiling. "Only when off-duty and outside of work may we have some little time to ourselves".
Cora nodded with certainty while she and Sam kept tight their twined fingers and hands, and carried on walking home, or rather the latter's home, as the two eventually spotted the familiar house just up ahead and to the side. Taking a left turn, they walked past the open gates and up the steps into the wide front porch. In the windows of the house, both downstairs and upstairs, either showed complete darkness or at least a faint view into a dimly lit room.
Making the first move, Sam went ahead and carefully tapped on the front door's brass knocker, expecting one of her parents to come down and open the door for them. And yet, after a minute or two and even a few more knocks, no response had come. Overtaken by curiosity, Cora went forth and pulled the door handle, slightly startled when the door actually unlocked and shifted open.
"You think they're even still at home?" Cora pondered, as if Sam's parents left it unlocked in case she would return this late.
"If they aren't, then we might have the whole place to ourselves", Sam commented, looking at Sam with that gaze and smile again.
As Cora smiled back, knowing exactly what Sam was thinking, the two girls embraced each other kissing deeply and intimately yet softly and gently, with Cora wrapping her arms around Sam's waist, while Sam herself placed her hands around Cora's neck. The two then stepped way inside together and closed the door behind them, all the while still kissing one another.
Location: Unit:E/N.E.S.T. Base, Diego Garcia, The Indian Ocean
Timedate: 3rd April 2012, Six Years Later
The sun had already begun rising from the eastern horizon, bringing with it a warm radiant glow of golden-orange as the dawn had broken free. Regardless of whenever the time of day would be, this base remained operational in one way or another. Exiting one of the many hangars and making their way out into the middle of a vast aerodrome, a large dark-steel-grey biomechanical gorilla and a red, blue, and grey Freightliner cab-over lorry with a steel-silver bulbar and sun visors found themselves surrounded by a scattered array of various cars, lorries, planes, and even technorganic animals just as big as the vehicles. Almost instantly, the red-and-blue lorry and the grey gorilla transformed into their true robotic forms, Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal respectively.
"All Autobots..." Optimus Prime began.
"...And Maximals present", Optimus Primal continued.
"Time for roll call", Prime finished clearly and proudly.
"Nightscream here", a brown-and-blue bat responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Airazor here", a dull-golden falcon responded before she transformed into robot mode.
"Arcee here", a red Ducati 996 motorbike responded before she transformed into robot mode.
"Brawn here", a dark-green-and-orange military hummer responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Breakaway here", a tan-coloured F-35 Lightning II jet fighter responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Bumblebee here", a yellow-and-black-striped third-gen Chevrolet Camaro car responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Cheetor here", a dull-yellow cheetah responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Chromia", a blue Nissan Violet car responded before she transformed into robot mode.
"Cliffjumper here", a red Porsche 928 car responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Powerglide here", a maroon A-10 Thunderbolt II jet fighter responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Prowl", a Nissan 300ZX police car responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Depth Charge", a blueish-silver manta ray responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Dinocon here", a light-brown velociraptor responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Ratchet here", a white Nissan Vanette ambulance responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Rattrap here", a greyish-brown rat responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Rhinox here", a chrome-brown rhinoceros responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Elita-One here", a magenta pickup lorry responded before she transformed into robot mode.
"Evac here", a bluish-grey V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor helicopter responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Stratosphere here", a green cargo plane responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Tigatron here", a white-and-black-stripped tiger responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Ironhide here", a red second-gen Nissan Vanette coach responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Jazz here", a Porsche 936 race-car responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Jetfire here", a white-and-red F-14 Tomcat jet fighter responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Wheeljack here", a Lancia Rally 037 race-car responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Whirl here", a light-blue Bell AH-1 Cobra helicopter responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Mirage here", a Ligier JS17 F1 race-car responded before he transformed into robot mode.
"Moonracer here", a cyan Harrier jump jet responded before she transformed into robot mode.
All the Autobots and Maximals gathered together in rough lines, even the much larger bots such as Breakaway, Powerglide, Evac, Stratosphere, Jetfire, Whirl, and Moonracer standing closely behind. Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal looked at each other and nodded before looking at their united teams in front of them as Prime took a few steps forth with hands behind his back.
"Today, you're assembled here for an important announcement in advance", Prime continued. "In a few months, several human navies of Earth will be coming together in the island of Hawaii for RIMPAC, the largest maritime exercise on Earth, many nations and thousands of sailors and other personnel are attending and they may expect us Cybertronians to join in and participate as a shared gratitude".
"Cooperation and collaboration with humanity is our goal, and relationship-building is the key", Primal stepped forth as well and added. "So it's vital that we prove our and they can trust us".
"Any questions?" Prime asked.
Almost immediately, Bumblebee raised his arm and questioned, "You think any Decepticons or Predacons or whatever might learn of this event and try to disrupt it?"
"Even if they do, we would be ready for them", Prime assured. "The humans are well aware of their potential presence, which is why they had come to us for extra safeguard. Broadside, Drydock, and Seawave will be our representative vessels for the navies at hand, so they too have taken absolute precaution and preparation for this". Prime concluded. "Autobots..."
"...And Maximals", Primal included.
"You're dismissed, for now", Prime bowed his head. "Roll out!"
To be continued...
