The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd5 38)
-0-Iacon, Cybertron
Optimus Prime stood at the foot of a giant skyscraper of the Cybertronian style that disappeared into the darkness overhead. It gleamed and loomed over the crowd that gathered, those who were half chosen by need and half by lottery to live there. They had already settled in their homes and likewise, sixteen other finished high rise towers in the general vicinity but they were waiting for Prime to consecrate them with his presence. He looked around at the faces of the crowd around him, then nodded. "This is wonderful," he said.
A roar went up by both those who would live there and those still waiting. Thousands would be accommodated here but hundreds of millions waited. The camps vacated would be filled with newcomers, all of them anxious to help and rebuild the glory of their world again. This time they worked for themselves and the spoils would be theirs too.
Optimus turned to Jetta, then both entered followed by the residents. The lobby was Cybertronian, the décor as well. They entered the elevator and went up to the penthouse which was now a common area for the building and not the second or third home of some wealthy industrialist. Exiting, he saw lounges and game areas, play spaces for children and a 360 degree panoramic view of the world beyond the vast open space. "This is wonderful. I wish it could be faster so everyone can find comfort."
"We're ahead of schedule. They put their backs into it, Optimus," Jetta said. "Wait until you see the villages and the small towns in the rural areas. Those are going up so fast that they're actually empty for a while until we truck back the residents from the outlying camps."
"I'm proud and grateful, Jetta, for what you and everyone does with this project. It haunts my recharge, the worry of it," Optimus said turning to gaze at one of his oldest childhood friends. "Thank you."
Jetta nodded. "We will make this happen, Orion. We will."
Optimus squeezed his arm, then nodded. "I know. What other miracles have you wrought?"
Together they turned, touring the other buildings, stopping outside of apartments in beautiful corridors to chat with overwhelmed and grateful mechs and femmes who lived there, some of them debilitated before leaving to tour other places. Entire mini-con villages were recreated and those who lived there did so in great comfort and style given new infrastructure and design. Leader-1 from Mars had organized the villages so that they could assist as he also allayed their fears about Prime and the big bots that always seemed so indifferent before.
The villages were pristine, shiny and filled with residents that worked hard at their part of the puzzle of rebuild. They made electronics in brand new state of the art plants that sat on land once occupied with shanty shops and warehouses. Any number of products were being refined or created to be trucked to where it was needed. Now it was different, infinitely better and they were working for their own as well as everyone elses common good.
When Prime arrived he walked through the streets with Leader-1 who showed housing, amenities and work spaces that would be home for 35,000 individuals and families who had lived here in squalor for generations in the past. The streets were broad and immaculate although the village had been occupied for a while. Tall towers of habitation skewed to their stature rose up everywhere, shining and brand new.
Warehouses were nearby for commerce and work as nearby a big factory and industrial area was going full bore making things that were needed everywhere. The sounds were normal to Prime as he listened to commerce, construction and the noises of those living here going about their business. They walked through the village, D-4, ironically the home town of Bumblebee, then continued onward to the other seven nearby that were either completely rebuilt or on their way to near completion.
-0-Kup
He sat in the Ops Center with Genesis working together on a number of reports that showed the sensor readouts. He was teaching the kid a number of basic things and the youngster was listening with incredible intensity. Genesis had an amazing mentor and Kup had his biggest and perhaps youngest student.
Several decks below, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and several others were sitting in a 'club' next to the huge restaurant that was the mess hall for the garrison. Farther down the concourse was a movie theater where films and television programming were playing around the clock. A recreation cum gym was next to it with all the various things that were needed to keep mechanical beings in trim including a virtual shooting range.
"Deal me two," Sunstreaker said tossing in the cards. He took two more, considered his hand, then folded. "What are the odds we fight with Razorclaw?"
"Even, I think," Smokescreen said as he dealt three cards to Devcon and two to Sideswipe.
"They're going to start broadcasting the propaganda tomorrow," Devcon said as he tossed in his ante.
"I wonder if Rampage made a video for Razorclaw. I wonder if he knows about the family," Sideswipe replied as he anted up. 'I don't think it makes a difference but you never know."
"He does," Devcon said arranging his cards in his servos. "Razorclaw met up with him when he first came this way. Prime brought him to Mars for the meeting. I think he knows about Rampage's family too."
"How long is this tour?" Smokescreen asked.
"Open ended. But if something comes up we can go," Dev said.
They played together passing time as regular patrols of Seekers flew off to do their routes through the endless expanse of space between themselves and the enemy. There were signals of ships sent out to watch them back by Razorclaw but nothing sighted too close to the stations. It was stand off now, both sides taking the measure of the other with the balance of power firmly in the hands of Optimus Prime.
Just like Optimus planned.
-0-Earth
He pulled into the garage where Owen Harris lived, slipping into the two spaces that were Owen's alone. His holographic driver left the vehicle and opened the door letting Owen Harris and two of his advisers out. They walked onward to the elevator that would take him up to the penthouse where he lived. Fury watched him through the eyes of his holographic driver until they disappeared. Then the image derezzed.
:Fury to Diego Ops Center:
:Diego here:
:He's in his apartment in Manhattan. I expect him to stay there:
:Affirmative. How are you doing?:
:I'm bored. When do I get relief?: Fury asked.
:When Tracks flies to London with him. He's supposed to go tomorrow. Expect a trip to the airport in the morning. We have the flight plan for his trip. Ops Center out:
"Frag," Fury whispered to himself as he hunkered down to wait.
-0-In the prison
Rockwell stood by the bars staring out into the rest of the prison as he waited for the attorneys appointed for him and the others to arrive. They were going to be having a preliminary hearing about their conduct during the recovery of refugees that would outline the process to a Primal hearing. Their conduct was egregious enough to warrant such a hearing.
"What do you think is going to come of this, Rockie?" a voice said behind him. His bond, Periodic, had walked to the bars to stand beside him.
"Nothing good," Rockwell said. "We need to speak to the family here. I cannot understand how they can prohibit that."
"This is martial law," Periodic said. "He can do what he wants."
"When counsel comes we ask for visitation," Rockwell said.
"I intend to see the others that are free. Gravitas and the others will see to it that we have a fair hearing. That's all we can hope for."
They stood together talking together as another interminable orn slowly passed by.
-0-On the decks of Trypticon
They had come in large ships with tons of parts, supplies and equipment. He was in stable orbit of Saturn and now was the time to repair him. Several enormous tankers were already here, umbilical lines fixed to his tanks to fill him with energon. When the baseline reached optimal, he would then be restarted so that his energy systems would be able to take over and supply his body with the energy it needed.
Several techs followed Ratchet as they walked through the silent figure working out the refit, repair and restoration of the long dormant figure. He was in dire condition. His remaining reserves which could last enormous amounts of time were in the danger zone. Ratchet walked through the engine room and control center with a number of energon and flight engineers with him. He paused to look around, then plugged in for a second. "This entire engine and energon conversion structure has to be replaced. He's working on a very inefficient system, one that doesn't allow him to digest his fuel properly. No wonder he was such a guzzler. Slagging Decepticon fraggers! They never built anything worth a damn. Frag this mech's health and the rest. Just fight and try not to break down. I doubt he ever had a truly comfortable moment inside his own frame."
They worked out on a datapad what would have to be done and how, a tough assignment given they were dealing with the mechanism's ability to feed himself. By the time the specifics were drawn, Trypticon would become as efficient and energy savvy as anyone else in his class. It would probably create a situation where he would finally feel better and more settled than ever in his life. They continued onward going through his electronics, processor system and general soundness. It would be decided that he would need a complete and total rebuild.
-0-Aerie Hill, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars
They were parceled out among the residents, many of them with grown children of their own. The youngsters were assured that they would not be broken up, but would find a life together here that was filled with opportunity and protection. It was disturbing to see them in such a state of fright and confusion given their size and condition.
Starscream watched with Rainmaker as they walked away with families, most of them clinging to their servos and those that also went with them. Rainmaker and his bonds were taking in Raider, Colius and Raver. They stood surrounded by Rainmaker's family waiting for whatever would come next. The schedule of medical examinations was going to be set by Gullwing who was given the brief of their care.
The whirl of activity was brisk and cheerful to allay the anxiety of the youngsters. 2,500 youngsters walked into the medical center and then back out heading for their new homes and the next few orns of tests and conversations that would give them enough information to help them the way they desperately needed.
"Jarro has been organizing processor health to come tomorrow and test them," Warlord said turning to his father and Starscream. "They will set up the schedule. I think if they get a chance to recharge in a nice berth and eat something that's good for them, it will help them along the way toward allaying their anxiety."
Rainmaker nodded. "We must be very vigilant and I must make another call on the secret lines. All of our children must be found. I am agitated to think that anyone is out there who has this much need of our protection."
Starscream nodded. "I will help you," he said as they watched a family walk out with two of the big Seeker infants.
-0-Cybertron
They reached the rural areas of the northern hemisphere of Cybertron, rolling through damaged areas until they began to change. Going from destruction to clearings to rising towns was startling. They followed the roads that had always been there, roads that had been rebuilt and now were the thread that wove all the areas together. Prime would spend the rest of the orn going through restored towns buzzing with activity and security. It would be incredibly heartening to everyone to see him and talk. It would be incredibly heartening to him as well.
-0-TBC 2-7-16 edited 2-7-16