"Recovery Equipment" 2/10 (Primeval/Transformers)
An image of Connor’s car: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/FpWUaevAsZI/Toyota+Launch+New+Compact+Car+iQ/xpmzpvqP1-d (this is what I thought he had, so I’d writ accordingly)
here is Part One
and now...part 2/10:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Night in the UK, still Day One in the US:
Southern California:
It was just the three of them here on this grassy hillside. Sam, Mikaela, and Bumblebee.
It was definitely a fun game, Sam felt. They’d name a star, and Bumblebee would point to it with one headlight; then Bumblebee would point to a star, and they’d have to name it. Venus had been pointed to already.
A momentary burst of static, to be sure they were paying attention, and then, “Got a letter in the mailbox,” Bumblebee said, quoting an Elvis Presley song, and, in another singing quote, “I thought you should know,” which Sam didn’t recognize at all. Bumblebee then used a panoply of sources to read the message to them.
“From the fleet?” Sam asked. “The Autobot fleet’s on its way, and they only want you there?”
“I’m not sure a fleet would stutter,” Mikaela said. “Bumblebee, is ‘fleet’ an Autobot?”
Bumblebee hesitated before finally conceding, “Name.”
“Cool,” Sam said. “What’s he like?” then mentally kicked himself for asking something that probably wouldn’t be easy for his buddy to answer.
Bumblebee’s radio belted out, “It ain’t the stove, it ain’t the heater.”
“She’s hotter and a whole lot sweeter,” Mikaela said, finishing the country song, smiling at the thought of Bumblebee with a girlfriend. “So you’re going now? To see her, I mean.”
Without hesitation, “You. Come.”
“Didn’t she say she only wanted you there?” Mikaela asked.
In answer, Bumblebee quoted Star Trek’s Q: “You are, after all, only human.”
Sam looked at Mikaela, who shrugged. “I suppose we can try English food while we chaperone Bumblebee’s date.”
Sam’s eyes widened, but then he saw her expression and the twinkle in her eyes, and he laughed too.
~~
Soon thereafter…
Location: foothills of Palomar, California:
“England?” Sitter asked. “Why’re you going to England?”
In answer, Bumblebee played the theme music to Green Acres.
“No words, eh?” Jazz asked. Unlike Sitter, he and Bumblebee were in bipedal robot mode.
Bumblebee nodded.
“I’ll let Prime know.”
“Muchas gracias, mi amigo,” Bumblebee said, quoting Speedy Gonzalez.
Sitter, as obvious as any radio observatory, said, “Quick trip? You’ll want to rocket over. I’ll keep the skies clear for you.”
Bumblebee repeated the cartoon quote, then stepped further away from the humans.
“What -?” Sam started to ask.
Bumblebee transformed from robot into something squat and shaped vaguely like a rocket’s nosecone. Transformation complete, he opened a door and let down a metal ladder.
“Have fun, kiddos,” Jazz told them. “Don’t stay up late.”
“We’ll keep out of trouble too,” Sam promised as they boarded.
Once the two humans were inside, Bumblebee took off, entering Low Earth Orbit long enough to shoot himself to a position over Great Britain… and up there, Sam couldn’t help but remember with horror something his grandpa used to tell him: ’if it can fly, it has to land.’
~~
Location: Indoor Loading Bay, Covert Anomaly Research Facility:
The jeep’s headlights cast their harsh glare on the Future Predator. Nobody moved, though everyone was on edge: Christine herself, soldiers ready with their guns in case the predator tried to get away, and, of course, Fleet, in jeep form.
No doubt you know I have instruments in this room, Christine thought to herself, thinking about Fleet, to see just what properties your scanning system has. And if a non-machine can harness those powers.
The scan was invisible to human eyes, but Christine could see that something about the process was driving the Future Predator clearly batty, pardon the expression. Then again, it could be the unfamiliarity of the process, a sentiment which Christine could understand, even sympathize with.
So far as she knew, she had never been scanned. But then, I wouldn’t be aware of it anyway. It could be an ace in the hole that that damnable machine Fleet was keeping hidden.
Fleet dimmed her headlights.
“Take it back indoors,” Christine told the handlers and soldiers. “Let’s see what we can get out of that predator.”
~~
Location: Welsh Marches:
It was a vacant field that they landed in. A lot fenced-off in preparation for the construction of a hotel. Bumblebee let the humans out of him once he was sure the terrain had settled after his landing.
Bumblebee transformed into his robot form, surveying the surrounding area. There was nobody around at this hour of night. There wasn’t even a message from Fleet…not that he expected one, as landing for most Transformers was not a precision operation.
Once Sam and Mikaela looked stable enough for travel - no impending vomits or weak-knees in sight - Bumblebee approached them. “Ya ready, pilgrim?” he asked, quoting John Wayne.
“Ready,” Sam said, and Mikaela nodded. Bumblebee transformed into his car default.
As they were getting in, “Shit!” Mikaela said. “I just thought of it.”
“What?” Sam asked, concerned and worried, placing one arm around her shoulders.
“We saw Bumblebee change from one kind of car to another, right?”
Sam nodded.
“Can all Autobots do that?”
“Yes,” Bumblebee said.
“So how are we going to find Fleet?” Mikaela asked.
“We ride at dawn,” quoting an old Western.
~~
Day Two:
Location: ARC primary security office:
“What’re they doing?” Connor asked. He’d learned by now not to run at things half-cocked…even if they were towing his car. I finally get a car of my own, and it gets towed this soon?
“Exactly what it looks like,” Becker said. “And not a clue as to why. Or why they’re doing that,” as a car identical to Connor’s pulled up into his parking space.
“Can we find out?”
“Stay behind me,” and the two of them headed out to the parking garage, and en route, Becker instructed the garage gate to not open for anyone, not even Her Majesty…which was a safe bet, he felt; because, really, what was Her Majesty be doing unannounced in the garage?
Once in the garage, Becker and Temple stood there and watched as the car’s drivers-side door opened. “Captain Becker, my name is Christine Johnson. I’m working alongside your boss, Mr. Lester, so I’d advise you to lower your weapon before something regrettable unfolds.”
“You’re the one trespassing,” Becker replied.
“I see you missed my informing you that -”
“I doubt your motives are legal, ma’am. You did, after all, just steal Mr. Temple’s car.”
“Nothing the ARC does is strictly legal, Captain,” Christine said, a bit of amusement in her voice. “And as to the matter of the car, I thought I would discuss that with Mr. Temple. Thank you for bringing him to me; it saves you a trip to go fetch him.”
“Why’d you take my car?” Connor asked her.
“Consider it a bonus.”
“But I like my car.”
“And that’s why we’re giving you an upgrade, an improved model,” which was at once the truth and a lie.
“It looks exactly the same,” Becker remarked.
“We felt there was a reason why Mr. Temple liked his car so much, so we left most of it the same.”
“And the upgrades?” Connor asked, curious almost in spite of himself.
“The engine, the communications system, internal features mostly.” Christine gave him a friendly smile. “What do you say, Mr. Temple? Do you accept the bonus?”
“I’ll have to get my stuff out of my old car,” Connor said.
She nodded. “Of course. Now, there is a small matter I need to discuss with you in private.”
“Whatever you’ve got to say,” Becker said, interposing himself, “you can say in front of me.”
“I think not. You’re nothing more than a relay station with a gun,” having a feeling that the machine would appreciate that analogy, at least more than Becker seemed to. “What I’m to say next, is for Mr. Temple, and Mr. Temple alone.”
“You don’t leave the parking garage,” Becker told Temple, who nodded.
“Such trust they have in you,” Christine told Connor once Becker had gone to deal with the front gate and the tow truck.
“They’re just looking out for me,” Connor said.
“Your trust of them is by far more honest than theirs is of you. Does you credit.”
“Uh… Thank you.”
“And that’s why I’m here. To offer you a chance to advance beyond the ARC. Our budget isn’t as constrained as theirs, and there is far less red tape.”
“Oversight?” Connor asked, knowing what happens in the movies in these sort of things.
“There is,” Christine admitted. “But you would have more resources and freedom to pursue the projects you want to work on. The government scrutiny all focuses on me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Politics creates enemies,” Christine said. “There are those who want to see me fail.”
“Like Lester?”
Christine smiled at that. “James Lester at present is neither cheering me on, nor is he planning my destruction.” Pulling a card from her pocket, Christine held it out to Connor, saying, “Think it over, Mr. Temple. And keep the car.”
“Thank you,” Connor said, accepting the card.
Christine walked away silently.
Connor stood a while, just looking at his new car…and then got in, feeling the driver’s seat adjusting to him as soon as he shut the door. Feeling the armrest, the steering wheel… “Hello,” Connor said.
“Hello,” the car replied through the radio, the car voice more echoing than wobbly.
Connor jumped back in his seat.
“Would you be more accepting if I possessed a band of red light moving from right to left to right?” the car asked.
“Uh, yeah, I mean…well…I just never thought I’d get an AI in my car.”
“Not in. I am the car.”
“Right,” Connor said. “Uh, I’m Connor. Do you have a name?”
“My designation is Fleet.”
“Not much of a name.”
“You do not at this time resemble a temple.”
“Okay, fair enough,” Connor conceded. “So, you know the way home?”
“I am at present bordering on passive mode. You are therefore to drive.”
“Not a problem, as I am a very good driver. You do anything?” and wished he hadn’t asked that.
“I destroy obstacles. I defend you.” //As I Defended And Utilized Christine Johnson//
“Wow. Cool. Thank you.”
“Do you accept the proposal?” Fleet asked.
“You mean Ms. Johnson’s?” and was about to ask ‘I dunno, should I?’ when -
“No. Mine.”
“Yours?” Connor asked, confused.
“Will you assist me so that I may recover Professor Nick Cutter?”
Connor sat there, mute.
“You want Nick Cutter back,” Fleet said through her radio. “He is the rightful leader of your team.”
“That’s right,” Connor said. “Where’d you come from, anyway?” and how’d I get lucky enough to get you?
“Unimportant. I can make possible the recovery of Nick Cutter. Do you accept my terms?”
You haven’t really laid out any terms, Connor thought to himself. “Professor Cutter’s dead. Ya’know, dead?”
“I am familiar with the causality of the concept, as well as have been witness to it on numerous occasion. Question - do not the Anomalies cut through time?”
“Well yeah, they do…” Connor said, trailing off, wondering why none of them had thought of it before. “All right, I’m in.”
“Excellent,” and opened the door. “Mention me to no one,” she advised Connor.
Connor nodded, heading back to work.
//Operations Proceeding In Line With Projections// Fleet thought to herself. //Continuing// and opened a line of communication with one of the other Decepticon survivors. ==Attention Blitzwing==
==Blitzwing Here== he replied.
==Relocate To The Nearest Airfield. Enter Passive Mode== Fleet instructed him. ==All Hail Megatron==
==I Obey. All Hail Megatron== the helicopter replied. //Blackout Fell In Battle. I Will Not Fall//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tbc
Episode 3.04 takes place here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
here is Part One
and now...part 2/10:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Night in the UK, still Day One in the US:
Southern California:
It was just the three of them here on this grassy hillside. Sam, Mikaela, and Bumblebee.
It was definitely a fun game, Sam felt. They’d name a star, and Bumblebee would point to it with one headlight; then Bumblebee would point to a star, and they’d have to name it. Venus had been pointed to already.
A momentary burst of static, to be sure they were paying attention, and then, “Got a letter in the mailbox,” Bumblebee said, quoting an Elvis Presley song, and, in another singing quote, “I thought you should know,” which Sam didn’t recognize at all. Bumblebee then used a panoply of sources to read the message to them.
“From the fleet?” Sam asked. “The Autobot fleet’s on its way, and they only want you there?”
“I’m not sure a fleet would stutter,” Mikaela said. “Bumblebee, is ‘fleet’ an Autobot?”
Bumblebee hesitated before finally conceding, “Name.”
“Cool,” Sam said. “What’s he like?” then mentally kicked himself for asking something that probably wouldn’t be easy for his buddy to answer.
Bumblebee’s radio belted out, “It ain’t the stove, it ain’t the heater.”
“She’s hotter and a whole lot sweeter,” Mikaela said, finishing the country song, smiling at the thought of Bumblebee with a girlfriend. “So you’re going now? To see her, I mean.”
Without hesitation, “You. Come.”
“Didn’t she say she only wanted you there?” Mikaela asked.
In answer, Bumblebee quoted Star Trek’s Q: “You are, after all, only human.”
Sam looked at Mikaela, who shrugged. “I suppose we can try English food while we chaperone Bumblebee’s date.”
Sam’s eyes widened, but then he saw her expression and the twinkle in her eyes, and he laughed too.
~~
Soon thereafter…
Location: foothills of Palomar, California:
“England?” Sitter asked. “Why’re you going to England?”
In answer, Bumblebee played the theme music to Green Acres.
“No words, eh?” Jazz asked. Unlike Sitter, he and Bumblebee were in bipedal robot mode.
Bumblebee nodded.
“I’ll let Prime know.”
“Muchas gracias, mi amigo,” Bumblebee said, quoting Speedy Gonzalez.
Sitter, as obvious as any radio observatory, said, “Quick trip? You’ll want to rocket over. I’ll keep the skies clear for you.”
Bumblebee repeated the cartoon quote, then stepped further away from the humans.
“What -?” Sam started to ask.
Bumblebee transformed from robot into something squat and shaped vaguely like a rocket’s nosecone. Transformation complete, he opened a door and let down a metal ladder.
“Have fun, kiddos,” Jazz told them. “Don’t stay up late.”
“We’ll keep out of trouble too,” Sam promised as they boarded.
Once the two humans were inside, Bumblebee took off, entering Low Earth Orbit long enough to shoot himself to a position over Great Britain… and up there, Sam couldn’t help but remember with horror something his grandpa used to tell him: ’if it can fly, it has to land.’
~~
Location: Indoor Loading Bay, Covert Anomaly Research Facility:
The jeep’s headlights cast their harsh glare on the Future Predator. Nobody moved, though everyone was on edge: Christine herself, soldiers ready with their guns in case the predator tried to get away, and, of course, Fleet, in jeep form.
No doubt you know I have instruments in this room, Christine thought to herself, thinking about Fleet, to see just what properties your scanning system has. And if a non-machine can harness those powers.
The scan was invisible to human eyes, but Christine could see that something about the process was driving the Future Predator clearly batty, pardon the expression. Then again, it could be the unfamiliarity of the process, a sentiment which Christine could understand, even sympathize with.
So far as she knew, she had never been scanned. But then, I wouldn’t be aware of it anyway. It could be an ace in the hole that that damnable machine Fleet was keeping hidden.
Fleet dimmed her headlights.
“Take it back indoors,” Christine told the handlers and soldiers. “Let’s see what we can get out of that predator.”
~~
Location: Welsh Marches:
It was a vacant field that they landed in. A lot fenced-off in preparation for the construction of a hotel. Bumblebee let the humans out of him once he was sure the terrain had settled after his landing.
Bumblebee transformed into his robot form, surveying the surrounding area. There was nobody around at this hour of night. There wasn’t even a message from Fleet…not that he expected one, as landing for most Transformers was not a precision operation.
Once Sam and Mikaela looked stable enough for travel - no impending vomits or weak-knees in sight - Bumblebee approached them. “Ya ready, pilgrim?” he asked, quoting John Wayne.
“Ready,” Sam said, and Mikaela nodded. Bumblebee transformed into his car default.
As they were getting in, “Shit!” Mikaela said. “I just thought of it.”
“What?” Sam asked, concerned and worried, placing one arm around her shoulders.
“We saw Bumblebee change from one kind of car to another, right?”
Sam nodded.
“Can all Autobots do that?”
“Yes,” Bumblebee said.
“So how are we going to find Fleet?” Mikaela asked.
“We ride at dawn,” quoting an old Western.
~~
Day Two:
Location: ARC primary security office:
“What’re they doing?” Connor asked. He’d learned by now not to run at things half-cocked…even if they were towing his car. I finally get a car of my own, and it gets towed this soon?
“Exactly what it looks like,” Becker said. “And not a clue as to why. Or why they’re doing that,” as a car identical to Connor’s pulled up into his parking space.
“Can we find out?”
“Stay behind me,” and the two of them headed out to the parking garage, and en route, Becker instructed the garage gate to not open for anyone, not even Her Majesty…which was a safe bet, he felt; because, really, what was Her Majesty be doing unannounced in the garage?
Once in the garage, Becker and Temple stood there and watched as the car’s drivers-side door opened. “Captain Becker, my name is Christine Johnson. I’m working alongside your boss, Mr. Lester, so I’d advise you to lower your weapon before something regrettable unfolds.”
“You’re the one trespassing,” Becker replied.
“I see you missed my informing you that -”
“I doubt your motives are legal, ma’am. You did, after all, just steal Mr. Temple’s car.”
“Nothing the ARC does is strictly legal, Captain,” Christine said, a bit of amusement in her voice. “And as to the matter of the car, I thought I would discuss that with Mr. Temple. Thank you for bringing him to me; it saves you a trip to go fetch him.”
“Why’d you take my car?” Connor asked her.
“Consider it a bonus.”
“But I like my car.”
“And that’s why we’re giving you an upgrade, an improved model,” which was at once the truth and a lie.
“It looks exactly the same,” Becker remarked.
“We felt there was a reason why Mr. Temple liked his car so much, so we left most of it the same.”
“And the upgrades?” Connor asked, curious almost in spite of himself.
“The engine, the communications system, internal features mostly.” Christine gave him a friendly smile. “What do you say, Mr. Temple? Do you accept the bonus?”
“I’ll have to get my stuff out of my old car,” Connor said.
She nodded. “Of course. Now, there is a small matter I need to discuss with you in private.”
“Whatever you’ve got to say,” Becker said, interposing himself, “you can say in front of me.”
“I think not. You’re nothing more than a relay station with a gun,” having a feeling that the machine would appreciate that analogy, at least more than Becker seemed to. “What I’m to say next, is for Mr. Temple, and Mr. Temple alone.”
“You don’t leave the parking garage,” Becker told Temple, who nodded.
“Such trust they have in you,” Christine told Connor once Becker had gone to deal with the front gate and the tow truck.
“They’re just looking out for me,” Connor said.
“Your trust of them is by far more honest than theirs is of you. Does you credit.”
“Uh… Thank you.”
“And that’s why I’m here. To offer you a chance to advance beyond the ARC. Our budget isn’t as constrained as theirs, and there is far less red tape.”
“Oversight?” Connor asked, knowing what happens in the movies in these sort of things.
“There is,” Christine admitted. “But you would have more resources and freedom to pursue the projects you want to work on. The government scrutiny all focuses on me.”
“Why’s that?”
“Politics creates enemies,” Christine said. “There are those who want to see me fail.”
“Like Lester?”
Christine smiled at that. “James Lester at present is neither cheering me on, nor is he planning my destruction.” Pulling a card from her pocket, Christine held it out to Connor, saying, “Think it over, Mr. Temple. And keep the car.”
“Thank you,” Connor said, accepting the card.
Christine walked away silently.
Connor stood a while, just looking at his new car…and then got in, feeling the driver’s seat adjusting to him as soon as he shut the door. Feeling the armrest, the steering wheel… “Hello,” Connor said.
“Hello,” the car replied through the radio, the car voice more echoing than wobbly.
Connor jumped back in his seat.
“Would you be more accepting if I possessed a band of red light moving from right to left to right?” the car asked.
“Uh, yeah, I mean…well…I just never thought I’d get an AI in my car.”
“Not in. I am the car.”
“Right,” Connor said. “Uh, I’m Connor. Do you have a name?”
“My designation is Fleet.”
“Not much of a name.”
“You do not at this time resemble a temple.”
“Okay, fair enough,” Connor conceded. “So, you know the way home?”
“I am at present bordering on passive mode. You are therefore to drive.”
“Not a problem, as I am a very good driver. You do anything?” and wished he hadn’t asked that.
“I destroy obstacles. I defend you.” //As I Defended And Utilized Christine Johnson//
“Wow. Cool. Thank you.”
“Do you accept the proposal?” Fleet asked.
“You mean Ms. Johnson’s?” and was about to ask ‘I dunno, should I?’ when -
“No. Mine.”
“Yours?” Connor asked, confused.
“Will you assist me so that I may recover Professor Nick Cutter?”
Connor sat there, mute.
“You want Nick Cutter back,” Fleet said through her radio. “He is the rightful leader of your team.”
“That’s right,” Connor said. “Where’d you come from, anyway?” and how’d I get lucky enough to get you?
“Unimportant. I can make possible the recovery of Nick Cutter. Do you accept my terms?”
You haven’t really laid out any terms, Connor thought to himself. “Professor Cutter’s dead. Ya’know, dead?”
“I am familiar with the causality of the concept, as well as have been witness to it on numerous occasion. Question - do not the Anomalies cut through time?”
“Well yeah, they do…” Connor said, trailing off, wondering why none of them had thought of it before. “All right, I’m in.”
“Excellent,” and opened the door. “Mention me to no one,” she advised Connor.
Connor nodded, heading back to work.
//Operations Proceeding In Line With Projections// Fleet thought to herself. //Continuing// and opened a line of communication with one of the other Decepticon survivors. ==Attention Blitzwing==
==Blitzwing Here== he replied.
==Relocate To The Nearest Airfield. Enter Passive Mode== Fleet instructed him. ==All Hail Megatron==
==I Obey. All Hail Megatron== the helicopter replied. //Blackout Fell In Battle. I Will Not Fall//
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tbc
Episode 3.04 takes place here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~