Transformers Prime Memory is the key

Chapter 14:: Down the Rabbit Hole

Taking a closer look I saw a group of five young children ranging from the ages of five to six. They appeared to be arranged by age, the eldest in the back and the youngest in the front. And at the very front stood a younger girl with a scar over her left eye not unlike my own ….

She appeared out of breath wearing a strange black and gray uniform with the numbers 1-1-6 on the back and on the left side chest piece of  the uniform was the same insignia as the one on the flag. Looking around I noticed that all the children were clad in these uniforms all with their own numbers and team insignia on their chests. All trying to catch their breath as a man in a very ornate uniform strode onto the floor.

Looking to be around the age of thirty five, his hair was a dark brown with gray beginning to show on the sides and some very evident 5 o’clock shadow present on his face. The only skin visible was that on his right cheek due to a long scar that began at the bottom of his cheek and went all the way to just before his ear. As he walked he seemed to be observing them in a calculating almost judge manner. Giving a slight nod he began to speak. “Hello, As you all know my name is Commander_____, but from here on you will refer to me as Commander Sir! Is that understood?!”

“Sir Yes sir!” boomed the children. 

It took me a moment to get over the initial shock of the sudden change in silence but once I regained my senses I recognized the voice almost instantly.  It was the same voice that had spoken to me earlier before my encounter with Rafael, but this time it sounded kinder almost caring. A complete fabrication.

As he began his next sentence I heard a soft snicker and watched as the man stopped almost instantly and  strode over to one of the younger boys appearing only about six or seven with brown hair and green eyes and a baby face that only a young child could possess. “Is something funny soldier?!”

            “N-no Sir!” he replied saluting terror clearly displayed on his face. 

            “No what?!” asked the Commander with a snarl.

            “N-no Sir Commander Sir sir!!!” shouted the boy his eyes squeezed shut.

“That’s what I thought” stated the commander walking away from the boy and standing before the small groups once again.  “Now as I was saying. As the highest ranking recruits in our program from each of your houses. You teams of five will be the first to be introduced to this part of the program. We’ll start off with the basics. A good soldier speaks only when spoken to.” he said looking at the boy “They are Patient, and calm under pressure which is why our first session will be focused on silence, teamwork, and patience. For the next five weeks all of you will be forced to survive each other in the forest of shadows. It will be a battle simulation. This being the case everyone will be issued a pistol and a ration of paint balls. Use them wisely and anyone who is tagged by any of the paint has 2 minutes to remove the paint before they will be removed from the exercise. And we all know what happens to those that fail.  Finally if any of you who  chicken out you will be going with out food until your comrades return. Am I understood?…..”

“I have a question sir.” Stated 116

“What is it one sixteen?” he asked

“How will we be getting to the forest?”

“You will be dropped in as though the ship were crashing or if you were being dropped into a combat zone.” He replied

“W-wait y-you mean drop ships?!” exclaimed a young boy with blonde hair and blue eyes the number 115 on his back and chest.

“Yes, one fifteen Drop ships. Does anyone have a problem with that?” he asked but it clearly wasn’t a question.

“No sir Commander Sir!” replied the children saluting as the man nodded and walked off the deck saying a quiet “Good luck” as the doors closed behind him.