Message of Loss (Jazz, Ironhide)

[Red Alert]

((Cybertron, Main Autobot Base, 7 August 2007))

Red Alert had been keeping himself very busy in the time after Jazz had left with Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, and Bumblebee in pursuit of Megatron and the AllSpark. The base he had been originally stationed on was still standing, and he was still stationed in it. He hadn't wanted to change bases, having finally gotten this one up to a level that he could relax a bit, or help out the other security bots that would ask him how to beef-up their base's security. He'd been the Autobots Chief of Security for a while, he'd been promoted some time before the group had left, and it was a whole new job to keep him busy.

His thoughts drifted back to not long before the group had left. Jazz had spoken with him, trying one last time to get him to come with. Red Alert's reply had been a question, asking Jazz who could make sure that there were still Autobots on Cybertron for them to come back to if Red Alert left, plus Red Alert knew he wasn't too much of a fighter. His spot was in a base.

Then, about three Mega-Cycles ago, Red Alert had been jolted abruptly out of recharge by a strange noise. There hadn't been anything in the security logs to show that anything would have happened to prompt the noise. In addition to that, Red Alert had a sinking feeling that the noise had only been in his processor. After all, how could he have heard Jazz screaming in pain when Jazz was somewhere out among the stars?

This Cycle, a message had been received from Optimus, one stating that the Autobots who had gone out had landed on a planet called Earth. There was no mention of any casualties, but Red Alert felt that any they had taken would have been omitted for the sake of morale, so he had to seek out the answer to his question, sending a message in response, asking about Jazz.

<~"Earth-based Autobot command, this is Security Chief Red Alert. Did you sustain any casualties in the battle?"~> The wait for the response was going to be an agonizing one.

[Ironhide]

The Autobots picked up the closed frequency transmission from Cybertron and thought it best to respond. Ironhide was the one unlucky enough to be charged with such a task, remembering how close Red Alert and Jazz had gotten since Red’s appointment as Security Officer. With his Spark heavy with regret, Ironhide formulated a reply, hoping the news would not cause too much stress and pain for the panicky mech. <~“If ya got Prime’s message, then ya know Megatron’s dead n the Allspark’s destroyed. May as well leave Cybertron, ain’t no way we can rebuild it now.”~> The sound of a heavy sigh could be heard in the audio before he continued. <~“As fer casualties; besides the Allspark… we lost Jazz… I’m sorry Red…”~> Ironhide’s voice grew soft as he spoke, a tone of deep sorrow echoing over the link. He waited quietly for a reply, wondering if Red would even be able to after such terrible news.

[Red Alert]

Red Alert's Spark stilled for so long that he had to think for a moment to figure out if it was still there or not. ~"No...Jazz..."~ He slumped against his chair, still completely processing the news he'd been given. The loss of the AllSpark was something that he could deal with; they could live without it. Jazz, on the other hand, had been Red Alert's closest friend. Sure, he'd managed to make a few other friends, but none of them were as close to him as Jazz was. {"Had been."} He had to remind himself, not wanting to accept that Jazz was gone.

<~"Al....Alright, Ironhide..."~> He finally managed to send. <~"I'll...I'll let the others know...Thank you..."~> He cut the comm. abruptly, feeling the pain in his helm as the sparks that were so much a part of his attacks began arching violently. The pain was even worse this time, and it wasn't because this attack wasn't the largest. It was because he knew that there would be no Jazz to come running in when Red Alert commed him, no Jazz to help make it go away, and comfort him, and simply be there, but he still tried, calling for him, through the comms and yelling for him. He didn't want to accept that his friend...no, his brother, was gone. Forever. Red Alert could do nothing but scream his grief until the pain finally forced his systems to shut down, and he slipped blissfully into stasis, his thoughts wandering back to the time before Jazz had left, when they were still together, laughing and having fun amidst the sadness of the war that had ravaged their planet and race.

[Ironhide]

Ironhide lowered his head at Red Alert’s response, able to hear the shock and horror in the mech’s voice right before the comms were abruptly cut off. With a heavy sigh, Ironhide could only shake his head, knowing Jazz would be deeply missed by a lot of Autobots, and that such a loss would be felt across the stars. All the Weapons Specialist could do was hope that somewhere out there Jazz’ Spark had found his way to the Great Spark itself, and that the smaller happy-go-lucky mech had finally found a measure of peace.

[Jazz]

As Red Alert dreamed, he began to feel a familiar presence close to him, reaching for him. It took a few moments and in his dream, Jazz turned and looked at him, his optics shining brightly. ~“Red, it’s okay. I know you miss me, n I’ve missed you too.”~ Jazz reached out to Red then, pulling his dear friend to him, touching his forehead to Red’s in a gesture of affection. Jazz had always been gentle with Red, always careful to help the Security mech be calm, always there to draw away the painful sparks whenever the glitch attacks hit, and Jazz never once complained or denied Red even the smallest gesture of friendship between them. As far as Jazz was concerned, there was nothing Red could ask of him that Jazz would deny him if it meant giving Red Alert some measure of peace. Every time Red Alert called out, Jazz responded.

[Red Alert]

Red Alerts frame relaxed slowly as he dreamed, feeling Jazz's familiar and reassuring presence around him, the sparks dissipating before ceasing completely, the attack passing.

~"Why did you have to go, Jazz?"~ He asked softly, holding onto Jazz within his dream, not wanting to let go. ~"Nothing's going to be the same without you..."~ With a slight sob, he buried his face into Jazz's chest plates. ~"It'll be too quiet, and there won't be enough laughter to fill it up..."~ Slowly, he looked up. ~"We'll all miss you, Jazz. Your laughter, and your joking, and your smiles..."~

Red Alert's frame shifted slightly in stasis, curling up on his side as he laid on the floor, the tension that had once been there completely gone.

[Jazz]

Jazz hugged Red Alert tightly to him as he had done so many times before. ~“You know I’d never abandon you, Red. I’ll always be here.”~ he told his brother-at-arms, laying one hand on the side of Red Alert’s head. ~“The memories, the laughs, the moments of quiet peace we shared; you can relive them all, right here.”~ He then brought his hand down and laid it over Red’s chest, directly over his Spark. ~“Part of me will always be here with you, Red. We’re brothers because we chose to be and it’s something I have always cherished between us. You’re one of the very few I was ever closest to and I choose to leave part of myself with you, Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet. I only hope that I can somehow still give you peace even as I go to be one with the Great Spark.”~ he told Red Alert, hoping to comfort his friend.

[Red Alert]

Red Alert placed his hand over Jazz's, looking down and nodding, then looking back up at Jazz. ~"Just....Just so long as you're not being kept from your own peace..."~ He replied. He hugged Jazz back tightly, remaining that way for a little bit before releasing it a bit to look at Jazz once more. ~"Does this mean you're saying good bye? Or, have you already left?"~ He was a little confused, but that wasn't at the front of his thoughts. He didn't want to see Jazz go, but he also knew that he couldn't be so selfish as to ask Jazz to stay like this. He had to return to the Great Spark.

[Jazz]

~“My Spark has long since left my chassis, but I had to see you, I had to make sure you were okay.”~ Jazz smiled then as his silver chassis seemed to grow somewhat luminous and transparent, his Spark pulsing warmly. ~“No, this isn’t good bye forever, Red; we’ll see each other again. When your time comes, I’ll be here to welcome you home. Until then, I’ll always be here with you whenever you need me, brother. Always…”~ his voice seemed to echo all around Red as he faded from view, leaving only his Spark glowing brightly in front of the red and white mech. As the image started to fade, Red could feel a sense of deep quiet peace and warmth wash over him, not unlike it did when he and Jazz connected to each other through a mutual interface to share a moment of soothing calm and ease the stress and tension they both suffered from the unending war. It was Jazz’ gift to his long time friend, the only gift he could give.

[Red Alert]

Red Alert nodded, letting his arms drop slowly to his sides as Jazz began to fade. ~"Always..."~ Red Alert repeated, letting most of the grief fade away as the peace and warmth wash over him. ~"'Till all are one..."~

Red Alert let out a soft groan, his optics struggling to focus as his processor booted up sluggishly, forcing his systems back online after the induced stasis. The warmth was still there, he placed his hand on his chest plates for a moment to feel it, and smiled sadly, then pushed himself up. He needed to get moving, instead of moping around. After all, he had to inform the others of the death of a comrade, as well as the new home they would be journeying to.

[Jazz]

~“Til all are one…”~ Red could hear Jazz whisper as he woke from stasis, and for a moment, Red could see a softly pulsing blue Spark floating just above him where he laid on the floor. The Spark seemed more transparent than one would normally be, the soft hum sounding more ethereal to Red Alert’s audio receptors. The floating ball of energy gently drifted away as it faded and vanished mere inches from the ceiling, yet Red could still feel the warmth of Jazz’ presence as if his dear friend were still there, holding onto him and offering comfort.

[Red Alert]

Red Alert watched the faint Spark float away and disappear, then pushed himself up to stand, opening up his comm. link. <~"Elita-1, following up with Optimus's message, I made contact with Ironhide. The AllSpark is gone, so there's no way to rebuild Cybertron, and he suggests we leave and head for Earth."~> He paused for a moment, wondering if he really should say anything, then figured it would be better if they found out now as opposed to later. <~"Also, we lost Jazz in the fighting..."~>

He moved about the security room for a while after that, deciding to stay for a while to do his best to ensure the safety of the others. There was one raid, which cost them Elita-1 and a few others, though they had been taken alive. Some Autobots stepped up to lead a rescue mission, but Red Alert remained at the base still, keeping it going until the lack of occupants and the disrepair forced him to leave, and begin his journey to Earth.

[Leathurkatt]

Thread Complete

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