Home ❀ Ironhide

- 3. will -

      I made my way out of the small meeting that I was forced to be in. Personally, meetings were the worst part of this job. Sitting around a room only to be told the same things every single time. This meeting was a little different, and it had to deal with our on-base teacher, Macey. I loved Macey like a sister; from what I heard about her teaching, she was amazing and was inspiring to each of the children.

      She recently had personally got a letter from her hometown. I've known Macey since before she became apart of NEST, the time when she thought she would never work within the government, let alone on a military base. I knew that she didn't like to talk about her hometown, from my knowledge it wasn't because it was bad, rather the man who she fell in love with in the town. He was the reason I knew Macey, because he used to be my best friend.

      Macey had been asked to speak at some kind of banquet in two weeks, but it was all the way back in New Jersey, literally on the other side of the country.

     My mind is telling me that I shouldn't let her go because so many things could go wrong. Maybe, just maybe, if one of the Autobots could go with her. Deception activity has been down and we did recently there have been newer additions to the team. I would just have to clear it with Optimus first, knowing him, it would be fine. Plus he would want his 'Autobots to become accustom to the world they not call home' or something like that.

      I left the meeting room, making my way towards the autobot's hanger. I spotted Optimus sitting in his alt-mode on the far side of the hanger all alone. Even when he was peacefully sitting there, there was a certain aura of power and respect that Optimus held. Not only from his fellow Cybertronians, but also their human partners.

      After nearly getting hit my a few newbies multiple times, I successfully made it over to the Prime. I gently gave his hood a few pats, in case he was in recharge or whatever they called sleeping on Cybertron. I could see his holoform activate in the drivers seat. He looked a lot like his true self, extremely tall, even taller than myself, blue jeans, a blue jacket with red flames, bright blue eyes, and brown hair that stuck up on the sides of his head.

       "Okay, Optimus, quick question. So our on-base teacher, Macey, who I've told you about a few times, has been asked to speak at a banquet back in her home state," his holoform, which was now leaning against his alt-mode, gave a nod and a hum, signaling for me to continue, "well, she is from New Jersey. A state that is on the complete opposite side of the country, and I know how much she would love to do this event. I was thinking, maybe one of the Autobots could go with her? The Deception activity is at an all time low and-"

       "Commander Lennox-"

       "I think that she and whoever autobot is chosen to go with her-"

       "Will-"

      "Will be positively affected with this trip-"

       "William Lennox! The answer is yes. I will allow for one of my Autobots to accompany this 'Macey' on her journey back home. They will be able to become accustom to the world they not call home if they are able to take this trip," Optimus had a small grin on his face. Wow. I did not think that he would be persuaded that easily.

     "Okay, well, that was easier than I expected. So now that you have given your permission for this to happen, the question is who," we both turned to survey the hanger. Different Authobots were all over, all in their alt-modes.

      "Okay, hmm, let's see who the candidates are. So I know Ratchet is out of question since he has so much work to do. Same with Mudflap and Skids, they probably would lose her before they made it out of Washington."

      "Agreed and fair point, Commander Lennox."

      "So we have Sidewipe, Jolt, Dino, Arcee and her sisters - actually no, scratch that. Macey is scared of motorcycles, and Ironhide. Those are basically our choices, Optimus, what do you think?"

      "Ironhide. Sidewipe, Jolt, and Dino would somehow cause a ruckus out in the middle of a city while on this mission. Ironhide will keep her the safest, even if that means possibly blowing his cover for her," whenever Optimus spoke, his voice laced with a certain level of wisdom.

      The conversation between up died after that, both of us consumed in thought. I don't know what Optimus was thinking about, but I knew what I was: every possible way this could go wrong. I wanted to keep Macey in the dark about the whole war between the Autobots and Decepticons for her own safety, and if, like Optimus said, Ironhide had to blow his cover to keep her safe, then all bets of Macey actually ever being safe were gone.

      I have no clue how to tell Macey about this trip. I know she's going to be ecstatic about being able to go back to her hometown, but when she finds out that she need to drive with a stranger, that is not going to come out good. I have no clue how to tell her without saying something along the lines of:

     "Oh hey, Macey, so you've been asked to speak at that banquet you always tell me about back in Jersey, but there's a catch. You're going to have to travel across the country, driving nevertheless, with a complete stranger who you may or may not find out is actually an alien robot. What do you think?"

     Yeah, probably won't end well.

•••

     I finished a few things that needed to be dealt with in the hanger, then I set off to find Ironhide and tell him about his upcoming assignment. He probably won't be particularly thrilled about it.

     I found him standing against a wall, using his holoform, outside of Macey's classroom ironically.

     "Hey 'Hide, I have a new assignment for you. You way want to come with me to Optimus for this."

     "What does Prime think I did now. I swear to Primus it was those fraggin' twins that painted all of Ratchet's tools pink, not me. Dumb afts." Well that's a new one - I didn't even know Mudflap and Skids did that.

     "Um, no. Not at all actually. You're most likely getting sent on sort of a solo mission in a few weeks, most likely. Like ninety nine percent chance of-"

     "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Sure. I guess lets go see Prime then."

      Well, someone is in a hurry. Which doesn't make sense since he had just been standing here against the wall before I arrived.

      Right before we walked off, I saw old 'Hide shoot a look into Macey's classroom and held his gaze there for a few moments. After that was over, he quickly walked away.

     "Woah, woah, Ironhide what was that? Are you and Macey a thing?" I asked him, genuinely confused, "damn I thought I would have been important enough to know something like that," I whispered to myself.

      "Primus, is that all you humans think about?! 'Getting together' with another human? No, we are not 'a thing'. I did not even know her name until you just told me. I was curious about her after I say her set your sorry aft in its place earlier today," Ironhide gave his signature grumble-talk-voice thing, but then had a sly grin on his face.

      "Never talk about that again, Ironhide,
you'll be sorry."

      "It's not a smart idea to insult a trigger happy weapons specialist who hasn't shot anything in a while, now is it? Ah, what did she call you...William?"