The Diego Diaries: Guard 4 (dd4 7)
-0-Ratchet
He walked back to the Embassy to go home for a while. The meet up had changed. The humans would need to come to Mars to discuss more fully what they were planning with the bots there. The construction bosses and architects, engineers, environmental experts and the rest would be there to hear the pitch and see the plans. It was evident to everyone that the inadequacy of the human blue prints were in need of expert advice. Their basic premise however was sound.
There was that.
The energy flared on the bridge pad as he entered, then he was home again, stepping off the platform in the Fortress. A short ride upward, a snarky remark or two in the rec room completed the journey. He entered, walked to the table, then sat. Grinning, he looked at Prowl as he finished a point on the data pad. "What's up, Granny?"
Prowl smirked. "Same old, same old. What's the word with the humans?"
"Good ideas, poor follow through. They will need us to keep them alive and to build the entire set up. I will warn you now that once we begin, the requests will never end."
Prowl sat back looking at Ratchet squarely. "Is that so? You did tell them that I am the gatekeeper."
Ratchet grinned. "I think they know. Where is the Messiah?"
"Out looking at the location they want to use for their habitation," Prowl replied.
"Fifty miles from us is risky," Ratchet said.
"They wish to have their own possibilities," Prowl said. "I also think they don't want us to expand their way too soon."
"They want their own rules and laws as well I am told," Ratchet said.
Prowl nodded. "It is going to be interesting."
"Is that another word for fragged?" Ratchet asked.
Prowl smirked. "Look it up."
Ratchet leaned forward looking into the box where two infants lay recharging. Sojourner lay with her tiny helm at one end as Prowler lay with his at the other. They were adorable. "I like that hat."
"I do too," Prowl said. "What was Orion wearing this morning?"
"Mech is still in his ballerina phase. It depends on what cartoons he likes the most at any given time. Cowboys, ballerinas … tomorrow, it might be something else," Ratchet said.
Prowl nodded. "On him it looks cute."
Ratchet chuckled. "It does."
They sat chatting for a while before Ratchet arose to go to the office to catch up.
-0-On the airwaves
They waited to go on the cable television show that had been their greatest booster for some time. In fact, the whole network was supporting their position that if the Autobots left, so would the threat. It was a minority opinion but one loudly and repeatedly shouted over the airwaves. A commercial break commenced so they walked out, were hooked up to the audio and waited. Their host, a blustery loudmouth with a small IQ waited with them.
"We're live in three … two … one. Live now," the show's producer said off camera. The image was back with the host and the two men who were beginning a new propaganda tour.
"Welcome back. We have some special guests today, former special forces soldiers who have gone out on a limb to tell us the truth about the alien threat that we face. Welcome back, gentlemen," he said as the camera focused on the pair. Underneath their images, words flashed identifying them.
Jim Johnson, former corporal, United States Army Special Forces and his partner, Sam Hedges, Sergent, same unit. They sat silently waiting for the questions to begin.
"We are glad to have you here. Thank you for your service to the country. I am glad to see you continue that service now when the country is in such dire need. Tell us what you have been doing lately, gentlemen," their host asked.
"Sam and I have been busy working on getting the truth out to the country and the world about these aliens," Jim Johnson began. "We have been preparing for the new push to get information out to the greater public. We are aware that a human habitation, a permanent one that is independent of the aliens is being planned. We think its about time."
Hedges nodded. "It is important to the control of Mars to have humans living there full time, humans that don't have to answer to the Prime."
"We have several there already," their host said. "One for scientists and one for the regular soldiers that go there to work and live. There is also a barracks in the N.E.S.T. habitat as well. Why a new one when there are any number already?"
"Because we have no habitation there that isn't controlled by the Autobots. We want to have one where we live by our own rules and laws as well as do what we want to do while there," Hedges said. He leaned forward on his arms. "We know that there are several million of them there. If they keep coming they will overrun the planet and there will be no place for us to live when we go there."
"We're not exactly equipped to go there and to live in a city without major assistance from them," their host said. "We can't do this without them."
"We could but it would take longer and cost more. What I want is a place for us to establish ourselves. This is after all our solar system," Hedges replied.
"Those bums came here and stole our future. When they settled on Mars they took away our right to live there," Johnson said. "Those outsiders use the resources and take whatever they want. Who gave them permission to live there?"
"I talked to Warren Roberts earlier about that and he reiterated that there are no laws in place to give ownership of anything beyond our planet's atmosphere to anyone. We made laws in the 1960's that made that possible," their host replied.
"We don't recognize those laws," Johnson said. "We are sovereign citizens and we don't recognize any foreign bodies or their laws that infringe on our sovereign rights."
-0-Autobot City
"What are they talking about, Tie?" Ravie asked uneasily as he stood by the monitor rubbing a long knife with a chamois cloth. "Do they really own this planet?"
"Ratchet told me that their laws prohibit it," Tie said. "These men are just hot helms."
"Oh," he replied barely mollified. They both listened together to the live broadcast on the MCA-IntraComm channel.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars
They sat watching, Ratchet and Prowl as the conversation on the show continued. It was simple and simplistic. Mars for humans. Aliens get out. Fuck everyone.
Prowl glanced at Ratchet, the expression on his face comical in the lack of understanding he had for these men and their point of view. He glanced at the screen, then Ratchet again. "They are certifiable."
Ratchet nodded. "I think so. At least they haven't decided to discuss our personal lives and their personal revulsion thereof."
Then they did.
-0-New York studio, Earth
"You have had experiences with the Autobots and over time we have seen more and more of their lives. What do you think now? Part of your dismissal from the military lay in your personal opinions of their lifestyles," their host said.
"It was. If you didn't toe the party line, you were sent packing. Sam and I were prepared and ready to join striker teams to defend this country. We worked hard and earned places. They can't take criticism or anyone's opinions that don't match theirs," Johnson said. "We've watched them on their programs. Nothing changes for me."
"We had the right to our opinion about them and their relationships. It wasn't as if we weren't going to do our jobs on the teams," Hedges said. "We're professionals and we did the job. They kicked us off because we wouldn't lower our standards and accept things that we couldn't. You had to be there."
"They're aliens," their host said. "We couldn't expect them to be like us can we? They after all aren't humans."
"They didn't have to flaunt their relationships and their behavior," Johnson said sourly. "They flaunted it and made things hard for a lot of us. We stood up against it and paid a price. The others didn't say a word but they were on our side, they believe the same things. But they want to stay in the military so they suck it up. Our opinions and views are the majority among the soldiers."
-0-N.E.S.T. HQ, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars
"What the hell is he talking about?" Jorge Figueroa asked. He was sitting at a dinner table in the rec room playing cards with other soldiers including Corporal Trevor Smith, the former mole turned stalwart soldier. "What the hell? He doesn't speak for me."
"He doesn't speak for any of us, the fucker," another soldier said. They watched the show bitching at the monitor as the interview continued onward.
-0-On a segway moving along
:Lennox:
:What, Fig?:
:Get to the N.E.S.T. habitat. Hedges and Johnson are giving interviews. You need to know about it:
Will Lennox slowed his segway, then turned it to buzz back to the city. The trip to see the big infant metro-former would have to wait. Someone was speaking for them and telling lies. That would have to be dealt with immediately.
-0-New York City, during a meeting of senior military officers
An aide paused beside Glenn Morshower passing him a note. He read it, then glanced at his adjutant. "I need to talk to Lennox," he said.
The aide nodded, then turned to step into another room. Connections would be made, then Morshower would take a moment to talk to N.E.S.T. on Mars. If nothing more came of it but a mutual bitching session with Will Lennox, it would be enough for now.
-0-Prime
He walked into Ops Center having listened to the conversation on the news channel on the way back to the Fortress. By the time he reached it he had talked to Morshower and Fulton who were livid. They were going to issue a joint statement denying the allegations of the two. Given the secrecy which the striker teams tried to maintain in spite of things, Lennox and the others weren't going to issue any challenge. It would be managed by the leadership. Lennox however had weighed in with Fulton and Morshower what he thought about Hedges and Johnson.
Optimus walked to the center table to sit with Prowl, Ironhide and Ratchet. It was quiet a moment, then Prime sat back. "I have talked to Glenn and John. They are furious. So is William Lennox."
"Who can believe that? The humans have watched the programming from here and have talked to the soldiers over the last few years. Our relationship is sound. These two are trying to sow distrust and drive a wedge into our unity, nothing more."
"That is the last thing we need, the population not trusting in our unity," Ratchet said. "They are insidious liars. Perhaps a statement from us is in order. What do Morshower and Fulton say?"
"They have left that to us," Optimus replied.
Ratchet nodded. "Perhaps I need to go on that program and speak to that fool."
They turned to look at the big wily bot. "You're not going on any show with any slagger, Ratchet." Ironhide glared at Ratchet who looked at him with amusement. "No one normal ever goes on that show."
"Well, then … that's right up my alley. In relation to the humans, I am as far from normal as can be found," Ratchet said with a grin. "If it would help, I volunteer to go on that show and strip that man's gears."
Optimus grinned. "It would be fun."
"For who?" Ironhide asked with alarm.
"All of us." -Prime, Prowl and Ratchet.
-0-TBC April 25, 2014 edited 7-12-14
