Digging Up Secrets

Log Title: Digging up Secrets

Characters: Buster, Spike, Megan Witwicky 

Location: About 140 miles Outside Autobot City

Date: March, 2013

TP: Recovered From History TP

'''Summary: Buster uncovers a bombshell that ties the Witwickys to the transformers ... about 100 years before Spike and Sparkplug stumbled upon them in 1984. '''

Northwest United States - North America

The top west of this region is formed by Washington, home of grunge band city Seattle. It is also an area of many forests, mostly conifers. The forests also extend into Oregon to the south, becoming thicker as the pines start to blend with other trees. To the east the trees start meshing with mountains as they move into Idaho and near the Rockies. Yet the people seem to find enough rooms to grow endless amounts of potatoes.

Spike is obviously concerned for his brother, but you'll forgive him if he stopped by a truck stop to get the blackest, most concentrated cup of coffee he could find. He also brought some speed metal CDs and some CDs that keep him engaged in from front-to-back to keep him awake. He reaches Buster just as a flicker of dawn can be seen on the horizon.

Buster sits in his car with the hood up, wrapped in his homemade emergency blanket finishing off the last of his cookies that were given to him by Aunt Judy.

Luckily, it's stayed above freezing, and Buster is embarrassed but alive. =)

Spike's Toyota Tacoma - with all of 230,000 miles on it - and running like the day it rolled off the assembly line thanks to meticulous tune-ups, oil changes, and mileage checks pulls up to Buster's...car. Spike rubs some tired from his eyes and knocks on Buster's window.

Buster jumps, looking up at Spike through the driver's side window, looking chagrinned.

Hours later, Buster's car still smells like burnt engine.

Buster cranks down the window. "Sorry, Spike! I was hoping to make it back to Autobot City before it died again. I tried starting it again a couple of times, but it stopped and won't start again, even after I let it cool for a couple of hours."

Buster grins sheepishly. "Thanks for coming. Is Carly mad?"

Spike is silent and looks under the hood. "Ohhhhhh....Jesus Christ..."

Buster gets out and goes to look. "It was making a noise and overheating, but it would always start again if I let it sit..."

Spike shakes his head. "It's cool... I mean - Carly. She had a late night at work, so she didn't really say anything - uh... your car - isn't going anywhere."

Spike lays down on the pavement and shines a small flashlight below Buster's car - and on the fresh oil spill.

"Yeah - your... I don't know the source, but you got a massive oil leak. It's too damn dark and there's too much goop to see where the source is - so we'll have to call a tow truck or get one of the Autobots to deliver it."

Spike gestures Buster "Get your gear and put it in the cab."

Spike isn't...technically mad at Buster. But he's kind of unfriendly at this hour.

Buster says, "Uh, sure, Spike. Thanks."

Buster gathers his stuff, getting his backpack from the trunk and putting it all in Spike's truck.

Buster says, "I'm really sorry about this. I'll pay for gas."

GAME: Buster FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Inside the truck, a small voice can be heard squalling in glee. "BUS! BUS! BUS!!"

Buster's blue eyes widen, and he peers in the cab.

Spike shakes his head, knowing Buster can be short on cash. "It's cool, I got it - "

Megan 's eyes widen - she's definitely up and awake and she extends her hands wildly to uncle Buster. "BUS! BUS! BUS!"

Buster's eyes widen even more. He turns to Spike. "You had to drag Megan out with you? I'm SO sorry!"

Buster climbs in to hug his niece, looking even more guilty than before.

Spike starts his car. The album 'Fear Fun' - from Father John Misty - a song about lost souls, dead womanizers, and drugged up burnouts is playing since Spike needed something happy to listen to at this hour.

Spike shakes his head. "No - she wanted to go - she was wide awake - and Carly definitely needed the sleep." He waves a hand. "It's cool - " He gives a sad look at Buster, getting more awake. "Uh... your car - it's really dark...but I'm not sure if it's coming back from this - just be forewarned. But I'm sure Roland can give us some sort of break on a different vehicle if I can't fix it."

Megan giggles and slaps Buster's hands with glee. Uncle Buster has arrived - all is good in the world!

Buster says, "Eh, I understand. It's probably my fault somehow... I have such bad luck with cars!"

Buster smiles slightly, unable to be truly miserable around such a cute niece.

Spike doesn't say anything for about 20 miles. But after a few sips of coffee, he asks "So...your trip - how was it?" Spike thinks o o o "Another Witwicky who was poor and worked with his hands"

Megan keeps her eyes on Buster, occasionally tugging Buster's shirt.

Buster perks up. "Oh! Yeah! You have no idea!"

Buster pulls out his bag, and his note-stuffed Moleskine -- the larger of the two he brought with.

Spike says idly "Huh..."

Buster says, "Our great-granddad was an Arctic explorer!"

Spike raises an eyebrow and grins wildly "No way!"

Buster says, "He's famous and everything! I can't believe we haven't heard of him before the article in Dad's shoebox -- it's not like Witwicky is such a common name in the US!"

Buster and Sparkplug's relationship continues to get closer as Sparkplug confessed his pained admission to burning his family's history - but opted not to tell Spike.

Suddenly, Spike seems to be wide awake. WOW - a non-white trash Witwicky! "That's awesome! - dad's grandfather?!"

Megan lets out an "AHH!" - not a cry - just a sign that she's here and Buster should be paying attention to HER not Spike.

Buster says, "Yeah... Dad said Grandpa hated him -- probably didn't love Jesus enough or something -- and burned a lot of his stuff. But Ron saved some stuff, and the university in Eugene has a ton of it!"

Buster turns to play with Megan while still talking excitedly to Spike.

Spike pauses and looks over at Buster briefly. "Wait, what? Dad burned his family history?! Why?!"

Buster says, "And I haven't told you the craziest part -- this might blow your mind!"

Spike gives a 'yeah yeah' gesture. "Yeah - wait...dad BURNED our history? He never said anything to me about that!"

"And wait, why would the university have a ton of shit on him?"

Buster frowns at the interruption to boring family drama. "Oh, more Grandpa evil -- the corrupting touch of science, or whatever -- it's pretty tragic, actually."

GAME: Spike PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.

Buster says, "I told you - famous explorer!"

Spike blinks in surprise, "Wait...grandpa MADE dad burn his history?"

Buster says, "Ok, maybe not famous, but notable. One of the also-rans to the pole."

Megan laughs at her dad. "SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!" Spike turns 3 shades of pale. "Oh no..."

Buster sighs, as Spike keeps focusing on the crazy-redneck details instead of the crazy-cool stuff. But, he's not freezing his ass off in a dead Cavalier, so...

Spike doesn't say anything to Megan since he read in some books that if you freak out, it makes the word more appealing to kids.

Buster smirks. "You're in trouble now!"

Spike rubs his temple, still trying to absorb this. "OK...so wait... he was in a UNIVERSITY?! Like... a professor?"

Buster says, "So, yeah... apparently Grandpa made Dad burn a bunch of great-Grandpas stuff. Cool explorer stuff... probably the remnants of years of sweat and toil."

Spike looks at Buster "Just...ignore - if you react, it'll encourage her to say it again."

Spike shakes his head and mutters "Grandpa just gets more and more mean the more I hear about him. ANYWAY - so... we DO have a Witwicky who graduated college before Ron?!"

Buster nods, familiar with the idea. "He didn't work AT the university, he worked with it -- as leader of a National Arctic Circle Expedition."

Spike shakes his head, forgetting the 'blow your mind' comment. "Wow..that's...that's amazing."

Buster flips open to a bookmarked page in his notes. "Well, he attended school, to become a doctor, but it looks like he dropped out before finishing his degree. He wanted to explore the world, be in it..."

Spike grins and laughs slightly. "Well... he shares Ron and your zeal for exploration."

Buster stops and looks at his brother. Smart, but too restless for academia -- would rather learn hands-on directly from the world itself... doesn't sound like any Witwicky HE knows, now that he thinks about it.

Buster smiles, as Spike sees something of Buster in their ancestor, and Buster sees something of Spike...

Spike shakes his head and grins. "That is a trip - dad is going to FREAK."

Buster says, "Funny -- I was just thinking he reminds me of you."

Spike blinks and looks at Buster. "How? I mean... he's obviously innovative and had this desire to explore. That's totally you."

Buster frowns. "Yeah. Well, Granddad was such a dick about it --" he grimaces, glancing at Megan, before continuing on, "-- that I think the whole thing is a sore subject with Dad."

Buster says, "Yeah, but he could have stayed in school and become a doctor like he promised his parents, but instead he wanted to get out and see the real world -- that's way more you than me."

Spike sighs and says "Guess that's why dad kept granddad away from us." He grins. "Wow...a Witwicky explorer!"

Buster says, "Yeah -- and the similarity doesn't end there!"

Buster starts getting excited again.

GAME: Spike PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty.

Oh? Was he able to fix...well, I guess cars weren't a staple at that time…", Spike says, thinking aloud.

Megan gives Buster a Dinosaur Train toy to Buster, hoping he'll like it.

Buster chuckles. "No, but he built a huge steampunk battlesuit from the technology of the day!"

Spike 's eyes widen. That's the big secret Buster had to say! "WOW! Like...an exo-suit!"

Buster tries to keep a straight face as he accepts the Dinosaur Train and choo-choos it over Megan's car seat.

Buster says, "Yep! -- No, I'm lying about that."

Buster busts up at his own joke. Well, he HAS been up all night...

Spike shakes his head and laughs, again, filter lost at 5:30 a.m. Then he frowns. "How was 'I' supposed to know about that?"

Megan's eyes widen as she claps and giggles at the funny noise Buster's making.

Spike sighs and laughs. "Oh my god, this is soooooooo cool! All my life, I thought the Witwickys were some folks out of a Faulkner novel." He adds "You know... dirt poor, little to no education" - as if he had to explain Faulkner to the comparative lit major.

Spike adds "You know... other than Dad and Ron."

Buster grins. "The truth is crazier than that, though."

Spike frowns. "Not another joke, please."

Megan remains transfixed at Buster's movement of Buddy the dinosaur.

Buster says, "No joke. Tho, you're not going to believe it."

Spike rolls his eyes slightly. "OK - "

Buster says, "Well, no one believed him at the time, but you'll never guess what he found frozen in the ice...."

Spike 's face turns pale and remembers the events in 'Fire in the Sky'. He pulls over to the shoulder and gives Buster a stern look.

GAME: Spike PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.

"Dude...don't even -"

Buster says, "Yep. He found what he called an iron giant, frozen in the ice. It HAD to have been Skyfire... unless there are more Decepticons literally chillin' up there."

Spike stops. He doesn't seem nearly as elated as Buster. Buster - he has his intelligence. His many, many, many degrees. Spike - has the Autobots. Now... apparently that's being removed. "Are...you sure?"

Spike says flatly "Buster...there's like... 10 billion people that have been on Earth SINCE great-grandad. Are you saying that ANOTHER effin' Witwicky discovered the Autobots? That's like a...one in TEN BILLION chance!"

Buster says, "Well, I can't be sure. He said he brought back proof, but it was lost in the ice that swallowed his ship, the Annabell Lee."

Spike seems to be getting defensive. "I mean...why...if this is true - WHY didn't we hear about this before?!"

Buster says, "Well, for obvious reasons they thought he was crazy. Maybe we Witwickys are just destined to cross paths with the Autobots?"

Spike looks positively stunned. Much like he did more than 20 years ago when Sparkplug was *pretty* sure he was going to send Spike away from the 'bots after 'Autobot Spike'.

"So they thought he was crazy? So what? Why didn't we hear about it earlier?""

Spike says in an almost childish tone "Dad and I ... we were the first...we..."

"The oil rig -"

Spike tries to regain his enthusiasm, but feels like a very, very cruel joke has just been played on him and his dad.

GAME: Spike PASSES a COURAGE roll of Immense difficulty.

Buster frowns, sensing Spike's reservations.

Buster says, "Spike, Archibald never made CONTACT with the ... I guess, Decepticon. He just found him sleeping."

Spike turns his hazards on. "Yeah, but why didn't we KNOW about this - I mean... I just -- "

Buster says, "We can clear his name, but that won't change the fact that Dad and you made the first contact. Not the first workers who encountered the Decepticons when they attacked places... not people who merely saw them."

Spike continues to pepper Buster with questions.

"Archibald - he HAD to go to the press after this - why didn't we hear about it?"

Buster frowns. "Again, this was generations before the Transformers woke on Earth. They locked him up. He died in an asylum.

Spike still has no idea about the institutionalization. "What do you mean clear his name? Was he arrested?!"

Wow. Spike's a bummer.

Spike nods, hearing the 'asylum' comment. Wow...heavy.

Buster says, "They thought he was a nutcase. A failure."

Buster says, "He lose his entire ship. A lot of the crew died. They even had to kill the cook's cat because there wasn't enough food. It was pretty horrible."

Spike nods slowly. Within a quick flash of thinking "What would Optimus Prime do?" He nods quickly. "Right...we...need to get all the data we can about Skyfire...and tie the locations...that should clear his name."

Spike thinks... wow... his lifetime accomplishment just got handed over to another person. But at the same time, he keeps thinking of Prime judging Spike's actions. "Wow..." He nods to Buster, "uh...great work in getting all this...by the way. This is...monuments."

Buster frowns. "If we really want to clinch it... Archie found something. Something that got lost. It could be nothing, or it could be something important that Skyfire lost."

Spike, though considered virtuous in hero-standards, can't help but selfishly think of all the Wiki/magazine/publication entries that will now be corrected to remove the claim that "Spike and Sparkplug were the first humans to encounter the Autobots".

Spike nods slowly, distracted in his own delusions of his accomplishments at the ripe old age of 14. He nods. "Yeah...we... we need to do this."

"Teletraan One will be able to pinpoint the location in a tenth of a second - and we'll get the word out...and that'll be it."

GAME: Spike FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Immense difficulty.

Though Spike is obviously immensely proud of his great-grandfather's accomplishments, his absolutely crushed disappointment at his lifetime accomplishment is written all over his face for Buster to notice.

GAME: Buster PASSES an INTELLIGENCE roll of Average difficulty.

Buster frowns. "Spike, what's wrong?"

Still, if this was Sean Berger, he'd be orchestrating a ruse to keep the cover up going.

GAME: Buster FAILS an INTELLIGENCE roll of Very High difficulty.

"Nothing... I'm... it's just... a lot to absorb - you know...it's like...one in ten billion that this happened," Spike says.

"We'll set this right…,"Spike says defiantly.

"We'll need to ...uh...get like - all the documentation...ready... then maybe pull in Crosscut - then... go to the media - and set the record straight. We just gotta make sure that the information can be readily available for the media since they'll be chomping at the bits to tear it apart.""

Spike starts the car up again and angles it to the still very vacant road.

Buster nods. "OK. It's late. Let's sleep on it when we get back, and we can talk on it when we're less dead tired."