The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd5 36)

-0-On a desiccated plain on Tau Ceti e

"We are saving you, infants," the older femme said. She reached out to stroke the arm of Raider. He shrank back but she persisted. "We came to save you."

The two with him, mechs named Colius and Raver shrank back, their optics roving frantically around then. "Raider! What's happening?! What do we do?!" Colius shouted as the other femme reached for his servo. He stepped back with fright, then turned to the big group of youths behind them.

They were becoming agitated with fear and uncertainty as they watched and listened to the strange happenings before them. That was when a big Seeker stepped from the congregation and walked toward a smaller newcomer who shrank slightly away. The big Seeker reached him, then embraced the smaller mech tightly. It was as if a dam broke as all around the group of newcomers mechs and the odd femme stepped forward. Then embraced the newcomers who disappeared into the mass of those who pressed forward to give comfort and welcome.

Raider watched with almost a sense of hysteria, then turned toward Rainmaker and Prime. "DON'T DO THAT! WHAT ARE THEY DOING!? WE'RE GOING TO GO *NOW*!"

Colius began to shed actual tears as he jerked his arm free of the grip of the femme who held it. "Don't! I don't know what's happening! Raider! What do we do!?"

Raider stepped back, his fists coming up as the elder femme stepped closer. "Don't touch me! I'll fight!"

"No you won't, infant. You and the others are coming home with us and we're going to take care of you. You can come to my apartment to live. My mech and I want you to come."

Nearby, an older Seeker mech with lots of detailing of a long storied life as a warrior stepped out of the anxious crowd watching and walked toward the pair. "Come with us. My femme and I will take care of you. All three of you."

"NO!" Raider said as he turned to walk toward his group. Then he stopped as he watched the multitude surround them, holding and hugging them as they were enveloped. He spun. "LET THEM GO! I HAVE TO LEAD THEM! THEY BELONG TO ME AND I BELONG TO THEM! YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM! DO IT *NOW*!"

Rainmaker stepped closer to Raider as the two mechs with him huddled with the femmes. They were trembling with emotion and confusion, stranded at that very spot with an inability to do anything else. "Come with me. Come to us. We came for you. We will love and take care of you. You are our infants and we love you."

"YOU CAN'T! NO ONE DOES! WE TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER! WE'RE A FAMILY! ALL OF US!" Raider said, then he swung a big fist at Rainmaker.

Rainmaker leaned back and the punch missed. As he did, he tossed his staff to Warlord who caught it. The youngster threw himself at Rainmaker who dodged and moved away from his powerful swings. Some of the crowd paused to watch as others gathered around the newcomers talking to them and asking questions. The kid whirled, lifting off the ground without transforming but it wasn't enough. Rainmaker got him in a bear hug, dragging him back down to the ground. He pressed the youngster down until he was nearly flat. "Doctor! Do it now!" he yelled.

Ratchet hurried, then bent down slotting a cable into one of the youngster's neck ports. He paused a moment, then pulled free. Rising to digest the data, he looked at the kid who was struggling. "He's one of them. An infant in an adult frame. He's older than Sunspot … maybe just on the edge of sub adult but he's not grown."

Rainmaker let go of Raider who staggered to his peds. He swung several times on Rainmaker who parried the blows. Colius and Raver looked stricken. They stood side-by-side huddling together as Raider raged. Then he stopped, glancing around frantically. "Come on. We're going."

"No, you aren't," Rainmaker said.

"YOU CAN'T COMMAND US!" Raider said.

"I can," Harrier said walking closer to the distraught frantic youngster. "You are my clan. I am your elder. I can. You will come with us to our haven and let us care for you so you don't have to be afraid or burdened any longer. You will be protected and given every chance possible to be happy and safe. You will do this with us together."

Raver turned to Raider. "What do we do? Do we go with them? I'm scared, Raider."

"We go now and we don't go with them," Raider said turning to the pair who moved closer to him.

"What if we go with them? They said its nice there. You heard the elder. We can be safe," Colius said anxiously. "Everyone seems like they want to help us. You don't have to make the decisions all the time, Raider. Maybe this place is safe."

"We can't trust them," Raider said. "We can't trust anyone anymore. Remember?"

They looked at him, then Colius hesitantly turned to the group watching with expressions of grim despair. "You're the Prime."

Optimus nodded. "I am and I welcome you with the elders to safety."

"You're the Prime and we don't … we aren't supposed to believe you. You're an Autobot and no one can trust them," Colius said.

"You can trust the Prime, infant," Rainmaker said. "All of us do. See them?" he said nodding to the silent multitude gathered around them while a number surrounded the newcomers nearby. "We are nearly a million. We are part of a great experiment where we live the way we were intended. You can come with us and be safe. I will personally vouch for and care for the three of you myself."

"I am Starscream. Do you know who I am?" he asked gently. Thundercracker and Sky Warp joined him. "These are my bonds. This is my trine. I am here to bring you home. Our people are gathering together again, to live the life we deserve, not the one we had. Megatron had a death order on us. Many of us are still trapped on the other side of the Empire. All of us are precious. Come with us. Let us show you what can be possible. You and your group will be cared for as the precious individuals that you are. You have my word of honor."

Colius turned to a wavering Raider. "He's Starscream, Raider. He wouldn't lie." Colius looked at Starscream uncertainly. "You wouldn't, would you?"

Starscream stepped closer. "You have my word of honor on the sparks of my children that I tell you the truth. You are what we are searching for, all of you. Razorclaw will only abuse you and lead you to ruin. With us, with your people … you will become the greatness that you were meant to be."

"Maybe our ada will be there, Raider," Raver said hopefully. "Maybe our family's there." He looked at Starscream. "We want to find our genitors, our family. We know they aren't dead. They wouldn't go to the Matrix and leave us behind. If we go there we can see can't we?"

Starscream fought back his bile, then nodded. "We will help you. All of us have someone missing but they come in migrations called by the Prime. Millions come each time. You can stay with us until they come."

Raider looked desperate. He looked uncertain. He gripped Colius as he looked at the group nearby staring back at him from the midst of a circle of Seekers who were holding them and comforting many who clung like the frightened children they were to the first individuals outside of their group to show them kindness. "I don't know."

"You are their leader," Rainmaker said gently. "You led them through hardship and travail. Now you must lead them to safety to end your command with honor. You must do that for them because they love and trust you. Come with us and bring your group with you. Finish the great work that you have shouldered all this time."

"My brothers," he said drawing Raver and Colius closer. "We won't be separated will we? There's a lot of us who have brothers. Don't separate us," he asked with a hint of tearful anguish in his voice. "We have to be together, all of us. We always were and we have to stay that way."

"You won't be separated," Rainmaker said. "I, the Great Elder of Seekerkin command it. You are heroic, infant. Now come with us. Take your group the last step of the journey to peace and safety together."

For a moment he stared at Rainmaker and Warlord who stood with an expression of intense pain on his handsome face. Raider stared at them, then the others. Pulling his brothers close to him, he looked at Prime. "You are the enemy."

"No. I am your leader and your guardian. The Matrix makes it so through the love and Will of Primus. Do not fear me," Optimus said. "The war is over."

Raider looked at Starscream and Rainmaker who nodded. "Who won?" he asked with a trace of confusion. "Are my genitors there where you live?"

"We can find out, Raider," Prime said gently. "We have to go now, to home where it will be safe and comfortable for you and your band. You were a great warrior to come this far and now your reward will be peace."

He stared at Prime, then the others. "I have to tell them. I'm the leader. They need me to tell them. We're a family."

"I can see that. Tell them," Rainmaker said. He raised his staff and got the attention of the multitudes. Internally, he told them and they stepped back, the newcomers looking around with fright and confusion as they ended up alone again. "Tell your command that you are home and that all of you can stand down now, Raider."

He looked at Rainmaker, then with his brothers holding his arm, he walked toward the group who came toward him. 2,500 kids surrounded him, leaning in to listen. Rainmaker turned to Prime. "This is an abomination. It is a good thing that Shockwave is in a vault because I would kill him if I could."

"You would have to stand in line, Elder," Starscream said grimly.

For a moment they conversed, then all of them turned to face the elder, all of them waiting with anxiety, fear and emotional turmoil. Raider stood between them and Rainmaker, his arms around his brothers. Rainmaker walked to him and then conversed. Finally he turned to the gathered group. Raising his staff, he spoke to everyone present over their internal line. :This is a holy orn. That which is most beloved and sought after has been found. These youngsters are our pride. They are our future. They have come to us over oceans of time, finding us through all manner of travails. There are no words that can grant to them the honor that they've earned by their strength, cohesion and integrity. We are blessed, we, The People. All hail our lost brethren!:

A roar sent up as they raised a salute, then died down almost as quickly. Rainmaker looked at the group. "We will go home now. I will begin to send the congregation back. When it is underway, you will transform and follow my sons and Lord Breezy into space. Form up in a group. We shall surround you and escort you through the bridge. It will be then that we shall take you to your new home at Aerie Hill. Do not be frightened. We will die as one to protect you because you are the reason we live. You are our greatest treasure. We love you, infants."

They looked at him with varying degrees of comprehension. Then the sound of transformation began as hundreds of thousands of Seekers began the business of leaving to go back home. They leaped into the air, then flew upward as the newcomers watched in the company of those who waited. They were hugged, comforted and held by adults as the mass exodus happened all around them. As Prime stood with them he felt a sick feeling lighten slightly. 2,500 more children saved. Maybe Primus in the end would be merciful and some fine day their genitors would fly into their space and be saved as well.

The sky shimmered with Seekers heading into space and the short flight home. It would take a while.

-0-TBC 2-5-16 edited 2-11-16