Izzy Randal sat at a back table at the remote little dive, a bottle of scotch open on the table in front of her, her glass full. She wore a battered bomber jacket, various patches sewed on, a T-shirt underneath and worn jeans. The red haired woman took a drink, pausing to savor the burn, then set the glass down with a soft thump. "This a private party, or can I join you?" the young man asked, his brown hair falling into his eyes in a messy mop. "Jack," Izzy smiled in recognition, "just in time." Jack Archer pulled out a chair, sitting down by his fellow pilot and old friend. "I'd never miss the anniversary," he said gently, taking the glass she had left for him and filling it. "Any of the others coming?" he asked, taking his own jacket off and hanging it on his chair. "Max Sterling sends his regrets," Izzy said with a half smile, "he's off planet on one of the new space defense platforms along with his usual partner in crime, Ben Dixon. They're hoping to intercept Decepticon reinforcements from orbit." "Think they have a chance?" Jack asked, his casual air gone, replaced by the look of a professional soldier. Izzy made a uncertain gesture. "Maybe," she said, "our Battloids are good, but we still can't quite mach a Decepticon one-on-one, we have to hit them in packs. If we have a strong enough force up there we can win, but it's going to be bloody." "About what I figured," Jack sighed, "what the hell is command thinking?" "Remember what Helena used to say?" Izzy smiled slightly. "Don't try to second guess command," Jack quoted, "you can't second guess stupidity." They both shared a comfortable laugh, sitting together in the shadows of the bar. They, along with a few others, had been survivors of the attack on the base that had killed their friend Helena Chase and others, and every year they got back together at this bar near the rebuilt base to share memories and catch up on the anniversary of that day. "You got promoted again?" Izzy asked. "Lieutenant, after being busted down a few times," Jack grinned, "I bet Helena'd have been surprised I made it." "Not really," Izzy surprised him, "we talked about you once or twice." "Oh?" Jack raised his eyebrow curiously. "She always thought well of you," Izzy grinned at him, "even when your latest stunt was driving her nuts. Helena once said you'd be a great success or get killed by a superior officer, one of the two." "I can almost imagine her saying that," Jack shook his head ruefully. He took a drink, "I always wished I could find someone who suited me the same way you and Helena had. You never seemed to have any troubles..." "It wasn't perfect," Izzy said, "we had problems with work keeping us apart, the usual couples stuff. We just found ways to deal with it." "Still, you two were pretty cool," Jack said then he smiled suddenly, almost as if a random memory amused him. "What?" Izzy asked. "It was just before your six month anniversary together, and Chase was running around trying to figure out what to get you," Jack chuckled, "I don't think I ever saw our usually cool and collected Commander so frantic before. It was pretty funny." "I still have the bracelet she gave me," Izzy smiled warmly, thinking of the silver band that rested in a box in her desk. Jack picked up his glass, the light shining through it as he offered the toast, "To absent friends." "Absent friends," Izzy agreed as they tapped their glasses together. Meanwhile, aboard the carrier Fortress One Commander Lisa Hayes frowned at her station on the busy bridge, studying her fighter and mecha command station. The brown haired woman was crisp and neat, military through and through, and seemed to project a aura of solitude around her amid the usual chaos. "Don't worry so much," Captain Claudia Grant said gently from her seat nearby, "she'll be fine." "I'm not worried about Izzy," Lisa answered a bit defensively. Claudia looked amused, her dark skin nearly matching her brown hair. "You've been fretting about it all day, you know," she pointed out. Lisa frowned at her, then sighed. "Today is the anniversary of the death of her lover," she said, "I doubt she's going to be all right." "It's something she has to face," Claudia said. A faint smile tugged at her lips, "I was glad to see she arranged a ride out there and home, too." "I don't want to imagine the damage she could do while piloting a veritech while drunk," Lisa shook her head. "She's not that dumb," Claudia smiled. She looked at Lisa curiously, "Have you told her about the request the Autobots made?" "For her to part-time as their RDF liaison?" Lisa grimaced. "She's going to turn them down flat," she said, "and without a care to the consequences to her career." "Most officers would consider it a honor," Claudia said wryly. "Izzy wouldn't," Lisa sighed. "Even if she's softened her stance a bit, she still loathes the Autobots almost as much as the Decepticons." "Yet she can still work with them," Claudia said thoughtfully, "her self control is really pretty impressive." "True," Lisa said, deciding not to mention the time Izzy nearly blew Optimus Prime away a few weeks ago. Idily she ran through her pilot status reports then blinked, "No wonder you're not worried." "Roy's going out to pick her up," Claudia confirmed. Her expression was faintly sad, "He knew Chase a while back, wanted to pay his respects." "Gloval did, too," Lisa nodded, referring to their previous commander, now the head of the RDF and overall military commander of Earth's defense. "I occassionally find it surprising how close knit the RDF is," Claudia admitted. "The best pilots always seem to know one another," Lisa conceded, "so I suppose it only makes sense." "Well, Izzy'll be home for you to check on soon," Claudia smirked. Lisa rolled her eyes. Out at the bar Izzy rose with a sigh, stretching out a bit. "Hope I get to see you a bit more often, Jack," she said as they weaved through the busy bar. "Do my best," Jack wobbled a bit and recovered. The cold night air hit them both, reviving them a bit as he added, "And don't hide out in your plane too much. Helena wouldn't have wanted that." "I'll try," Izzy conceded as they stood out under the starry sky. Off in the distance a rumble slowly grew, then twin figures soared out from the night in a flash of silver. Both fighters slowed then almost as one converted to Guardian mode, skimming along the ground until they reached the bar and came to a halt. "Did somebody call for a taxi?" Roy called, his blond mop of hair visible even under his flight helmet. "Bunch of comedians," Izzy sighed. "Hey Roy," Jack waved, "you and Claudia still dating?" "Yep," Roy nodded. He looked over at the other veritech, "Little brother, you handing out with is guy?" Rick Hunter grinned, "He's decent.. for a wingman." "You'll pay for that later," Jack warned good naturedly as he climbed aboard. "You'd better not be sick while in the back seat," Roy warned as Izzy climbed in. "Unlike some people I can hold my booze," Izzy said defensively. "Yeah, right," Roy snorted as they took off.
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