Even Heroes Know Pt.8

The shadows whispered.

Samantha’s mind wandered in the darkness that had drowned her soon after she was abducted--reasons for the unconsciousness was still unknown to her as she found her way back.

The thin, incoherent voices in the darkness morphed into the sound of a crackling fire echoing off cave walls unseen. When she finally did open her eyes she still couldn’t grasp what she was seeing. She was laying on the moist floor of a hollowed out cave in front of a meager fire. The warmth was a blessing as Samantha found her whole body sore and her head aching from the distress.

She slowly rolled over onto her back confronted with a high ceiling that the light of the fire couldn’t reach, giving it the illusion that it went on into a reserved abyss. All was quiet except for the popping of fire-chewed wood and the occasional dripping of water somewhere. The tail end of the night’s adrenaline remained and Samantha pushed herself up to sit, supporting her weight with her arms. Her eyes went to the flames that were already shrinking but small movement behind and above the fire in the darkness caught her attention. A pair of red beams were glaring at her from on high, peering down from the colossal, blockular shape they were a part.

Samantha’s muscles contracted and froze as terror clenched her body. But as she struggled to breathe through the fear the cybertronian spoke, “You’re safe here, human. If it weren’t for me you’d be dead.”

Samantha felt more confused now than afraid. She remembered the attack. This was what saved her? She eased enough to speak, “Wh—where have you brought me? Why did you kidnap me?”

The robot leaned forward to get a better look and Samantha saw that it didn’t look like the one that picked her up. She thought she remembered her “rescuer” having a gray-silver palate, but this cybertronian had primarily black coloring covering its body with red highlights. She looked to its chest and saw there was no faction insignia. The cybertronian said, “I did not kidnap you. I'm keeping you hidden for your safety. That Decepticon that destroyed your residence was under orders from Megatron.”

Samantha didn't understand, “Megatron? The Decepticon leader?”

“He is here on Earth and is trying to build a...collection of humans.” The bot pointed at the fire with an arm-mounted cannon and fired a purple concentrated laser beam. Samantha flinched as flames roared to life, lighting a wider radius of the cave. “He is after you.”

“That...that doesn't make sense. Why would he want me?” Something obvious occurred to her that she hadn't thought of before. “Wait a second. How did you know where I lived? Were you watching me?”

The bot stared at the fire through a moment of hesitation. He finally answered, “I have been watching you for a few days. I...just recently left the Decepticon cause. There are still many who are loyal Megatron. I was loyal to him during the war but...Megatron's age of terror is unrealistic. I want to follow the Autobot cause, it is the only way to live now, but I am a wanted fugitive on their side.” His eyes averted from the fire and onto Samatha, finishing, “I was hoping you could help me.”

The human was finally at a point where she felt like she could move and she folded her legs under her. Talk had eased past fears to a slight decrease. This was the first cybertronian she had ever spoken to face to face--which was a spontaneous revelation since she had dedicated her whole life to stopping their activity on Earth. “Help you with what?”

“You have access to government locations and I am in need of military devices that can help me get off-planet.”

“Why don’t you just turn yourself in? It would be the right thing to do, wouldn’t it?”

The bot’s ruby optics narrowed. “I may want to be on the Autobot side, but there are some there that...I disagree with. Their leader, Optimus Prime, destroyed my comrades without a thought to spare them. Comrades I deeply cared about.” Giant, metal hands creaked as they were clenched into fists. When he fights he does not show mercy. I understand...you’re against my kind for similar reasons.”

Suddenly Samantha felt exposed--naked under the bloody beams of the metal goliath’s gaze. “H--how did you know about…”

The robot casually interrupted, “Your point of view on the cybertronian species is common knowledge for anyone seeking you out. As you probably know, cybertronians can access your planet’s cyberspace.”

“Oh,” Samantha found herself slightly at ease but far from relaxed.

A minute of silence passed between them before the larger of the two quietly asked, “Why do you hate my kind?”

“What?” Samantha questioned, brought out of a trance.

“In the works you wrote during your education, you dedicate your research to banning all cybertronians from Earth due to our ‘destructive nature’ and ‘untrustworthy indifferences’ among other articles. But you make no mention of why you feel this way.” The alien’s expression softened and Samantha saw what seemed like empathy in his face--she had come to decide the machine was male by nature judging by its voice and semblance. He finished sensitively, “Nor is there any background information in your request letters or resumes.”  

Samantha was immediately offended. Who was this...alien--that she’d worked her whole life to export from Earth--to sneak into her filtered past that she’d only told two people in the whole world? Whether he was an ex-Decepticon or an Autobot it didn’t matter. He was capable of, and possibly committed, harm to humans at some point in his life. And yet he had also lost someone at the hands of Optimus Prime. Was that the very reason there were Decepticons? Was Optimus the true tyrant of the ended war? She did recall a detailed psych analysis on Optimus Prime written by a doctor in Cambridge right around the time people started recognizing the Autobot as a hero and protector. The doctor’s theoretical article highlighted the Prime’s compassionate nature and ruled that humans (and apparently cybertronians as well) are naturally attracted to this characterization in others, but he also signified the part of Optimus that made him survive on the battlefield for several millennia. The doctor mentioned that witnesses described Optimus’ combat abilities as a high speed freight train: You couldn’t stop him once he started. Perhaps there was a dark side to the Autobot leader that no one else saw—or wanted to see.

She had lost her parents to him, and this ex-Decepticon in front of her had lost his friends.

She didn’t know how long she had been silent, but when she looked up at her rescuer he was patiently waiting, undetermined if he would get an answer to the exploration of his curiosity. Samantha was going to close her eyes, but decided not to, facing the fire. Fires were meant for telling stories, right?

“I was four years old. My family was driving to Charleston when a fight broke out on the freeway between two Autobots and three Decepticons. Optimus was one of the Autobots and got caught clashing with one of the Decepticons. Their fight…crashed onto our car and flipped it into a multi-rollover. My grandmother was thrown out while my parents and I remained inside.” Salt blurred the arms of the fire but she didn’t bother blinking the tears away. “It…it was so ironic how my grandmother and I had survived while my parents were crushed in the accident.” She forced herself to breathe, still unblinking into the heat of the fire. The flames mirroring the anger that had been called up to the surface with potency; the only pet she wanted to feed and care for her whole life. “Their deaths have meant everything. My grandmother was forced to raise me as she ailed and died in my teen years. I grew up an orphan, letting the loss of my entire family push me into purpose—the kind of purpose that drives you to change the future.” She faced the cybertronian, not realizing her face was scrunched with fury. “And that is exactly what I am doing! I am going to make sure that the world realizes just how blind it is and get humanity to see that there is no Autobot or Decepticon: There is only alien and they don’t belong on Earth.”

The cybertronian’s brow slowly rose in a term of amusement and satisfaction. He gave a hum of sympathy. “Well now,” he whispered. “It seems like we do, in fact, share a similar goal.” Realization drew Samantha her own version of satisfaction, understanding that maybe this was meant to be. Now that she was suspended, she had no way of continuing her career until further notice. Perhaps this bot could help her as much as she could help him. “I want off this planet,” he continued. “But, maybe there is a way to do that while simultaneously giving Optimus Prime what he deserves.”

“How?” Samantha asked, breathless with opportunity. “How could we do that?”

“The devices I require. One is a transformation lock lens. Any cybertronian who is stunned by it is forced to be stuck in their alt mode for a short period of time. I can use it to paralyze Optimus and any other Autobot that tries to keep me from escaping. Once Optimus is paralyzed we may be able to…end him.”

Samantha was brought to a light she never thought of before. “Kill Optimus Prime? But…he’s the leader of Cybertron. That would be an act of galactic assassination. You would be on the run for the rest of your life—and if I was ever discovered aiding you…”

“I have the ability to rescan and change form. I could accomplish the task and stay in hiding just until the news calms down. As for you, all I need you to do it get me that device. I can make it so you are not noticed by human or Autobot.”

This was insane. Then again, she wouldn’t be the one committing the crime. If this bot wanted to remain a fugitive for the rest of his life that was fine with her. He repositioned his body to lean around the fire and closer to her, making their eyes even. He spoke, completely focused on the human, “Please, Samantha. Doesn’t it make sense that once Optimus Prime is gone cybertronians would leave Earth? It would be the single most effective act in the history of the species. They’d revert back to their planet and I would be off this one.”

The way he explained it did make sense. Why would they stay? No more humans would get hurt. Safety would assuredly replace destruction. Still, hesitation prompted her to hold back, “What about Megatron? What if he’s still looking for me?”

The cybertronian’s mouth became a line. “Yes. I’ve worked with Megatron for thousands of years. Taking you out of hiding would attract his attention. However, the lock lens is a powerful weapon. If I have it I can also use it on the Decepticon leader as well as Prime. We’d be, how you say, killing two birds with one stone.”

It solved all her problems and the problems of the world. The human race would continue without the cybertronians. She summoned the tragic memories that pushed her forward her whole life and gave the robot a firm nod. “Alright. As long as you are confident this will work. I will help you.” She extended a hand and the large bot gave her his index finger to shake on it. Something occurred to Samantha that she suddenly realized, “You never said your name.”

The alien smiled. “You can call me Kaon. It was where I was born.” Samantha actually found that motivating. He released her hand, “Samantha, I’m glad we found each other.”