These Paths We Tread (Autobot x OC)

IX. The Touch

“On what? Are the Autobots supposed to fight our wars or something?” Mikeala inquired, frowning slightly.

“It’s possible. While you guys see them as people, the government will probably see them as potential weapons, and the Autobots are going to need some place to stay so that kind of puts them at the bad end of the deal,” he replied, and it started a surge of uneasy looks around the room. “And then we don’t know if those were all the bad guys out there. I, for one, didn’t see that smaller one from the desert, and we all know it’s not dead. If that one is still out there then maybe there’s more. We’re going to need these guys to help fight them, and I wouldn’t mind getting more payback on that damned small one.”

There was a hum of agreement from the other soldiers, a flicker of some unknown happening only they knew. Whatever it was, though, it was enough for none of the soldiers to disagree.

“I have to wonder what the other countries will think, though. There will be a lot of trouble if the Autobots are only sided with the United States if you think about it—the other countries will feel threatened and history shows us what happens then,” Maggie stated grimly.

Glenn balked beside her, “You talkin’ like World War Three trouble?”

“Well, not that extreme, but the others might begin riots against the aliens and who knows what that could do for them!”

“But wait—isn’t Sector Seven going to cover all this up?” Sam asked.

“I don’t doubt it,” the Aussie nodded.

“But there’s only so much you can do,” the large black man added. “There’s bound to be somebody who got some kind of video, and you can bet it’s gonna be up on the Internet in no time. And, sure, they can track it down eventually, but places like YouTube have millions of users, so it’d be safe to say a large number are gonna see that video and stream it to other people. It’s basically impossible for people not to find out.”

“Then the best thing to do would be create a world-wide alliance, right? One that has the Autobots work for everybody essentially? That’s not really fair to them, but it’s like you said Lennox: they’re at a big disadvantage,” Catherine spoke next. “But then, at the least, the countries can’t complain about having aliens used against them, and then they won’t want to starts riots to keep their ‘secret weapon’ secret, right?”

“But then the Autobots are just being used all around—that’s not right,” Mikeala frowned.

“No, it's not right at all. But an alliance like that would be good, though,” Lennox mused. “If anymore of the bad guys come and land in different countries, then it would be easier to deploy troops and Autobots to their location without having to keep it low key. In that way the Autobots wouldn’t be ‘used’ so much, since we kind of need them to fight those things.”

“Man, can we cut it with all this political bull crap? I didn’t come out alive from a fight hours ago to discuss politics!” Epps groaned, leaning his head back against the coach, and received similar sentiments.

“Not like our opinions will matter anyways,” Sam grumbled unhappily. “All I gotta say, though, is that Bumblebee better be able to come home with me.”

"Don’t be surprised if it takes a while or never happens, kid,” an unknown soldier snorted. “Politicians take forever on normal things, so just imagine how long it’ll take for alien ones!”

“He could probably sneak out,” Mikeala grinned. “And he did help save the world—it’s the least they could do.”

“Well, whatever happens, we’re going to have to wait for it,” Catherine frowned and then smiled a little. “Call it being optimistic, but I think things are gonna work out okay. We just gotta wait.”