The Diego Diaries: Searching (dd8 131)
=0=After a moment's pause
"How would you go about such a search?" Prowl finally asked.
:We would need a Seer from the Guild, perhaps Onyx. He's the oldest known yet and has most pure aura I ever saw: Ratchet said as Perceptor nodded.
:I concur: Perceptor said.
"Alright. Then we send them to your location. They would be stuck there as well," Prime said.
:They'd have to agree to it. I don't hold anything against them if they don't: Ratchet replied. :I want them to go over the area and see what they can pick up. Tell them that we're maybe looking at a global collective consciousness, like a hive mind where everyone is connected mentally. I think its a good possibility for this problem and maybe we can wrap this up and go:
"What if you're wrong? What theory is next?" Prowl asked.
Both of them stared at Prowl, each other, then Prowl again.
:We got them. Theories: Ratchet said.
Perceptor nodded.
"Very well," Optimus said. "I will have someone ask to see if we can get a Seer, hopefully a very senior and experienced one. We will send you a message when they are ready to go. When they get there you might message them to follow a signal to your site and miss the colony altogether. I do not like their attitude and I do not want anyone hurt out of this."
:You read our minds, Prime: Perceptor said. :We're out:
The screen went back to normal, then Ratchet glanced at Perceptor. "You have anymore theories?"
He shook his helm, then glanced at Ratchet. "No. Do you?"
"Not at the moment," Ratchet said with a sigh.
=0=Three joors later on the airfield at Nova Cronum, Cybertron
A small party of intriguing individuals with tattoos, symbols and writings inscribed on their armor stood by a shuttle with Turbine and Hard Drive. They were going over the mission and the dangers, giving the three Seers present an honorable stand down.
"We understand and will take on the problem before us, General," Onyx said. "We are honored to help if we can."
"No matter what happens over there, Onyx, we will come get you," Hardie said.
They shook servos, then all boarded the ship but Hardie and Turbine. They watched it rise to go, then walked back to the Command Center of the Eighth District of the Central Command of the Prime of Cybertron nearby.
=0=On board
The three Seers, Onyx, an elder named Totem and Gypsum, the eldest son of Onyx sat together calmly as they watched the crew work to fly them toward a bridge nearby. It was quiet on the spiritual front, though there were ghosts sitting on the ship smiling at them. It was a family that had died on Cybertron during the war and were just happy that someone could see them, so they followed Onyx and Totem around. They weren't bound to stay on Cybertron but did because they wanted to watch 'what happened next'.
Onyx grinned, then nodded to them.
They dazzled him back smiles.
"We're coming up on the bridge, gentlemen," Parker said. He was a very veteran Autobot who was here to fly. Several other mechs sat around the ship as part of the party. "We'll be through in seconds." Parker flew them in and they came out on the other side. "They say it might take only seconds-"
They were gone almost immediately.
The effect now reached out to the first solar system.
=0=Moments later
They came to their own awareness of something happening, then Parker noted a buzzing on the console. He tapped it. "Parker of the City of Steel."
:This is Raptor of the Camp of No Hope. Follow the signal, slaggers and we'll meet you at the landing field. Don't go to the colony or they're going to jail you. The slaggers aren't happy that we're here:
Parker who knew Raptor from way back laughed. "On it, General," he said as he homed in on the signal coming from a clearing in the distance. He flew onward swiftly well aware that the colony was following him on sensors as he did.
=0=More moments later
They stood by the shuttle listening as Percy and Ratchet filled everyone in. Nearby watching were most of the humans here and a number of the bots. Among them was a smart aft Hot Rod and an intensely interested Smokey.
Behind them with his arms crossed over his chassis, Devcon watched with great amusement at the conversation the two were having on the down low.
Or so they both thought.
"I never believed in this Seer stuff," Hot Rod was saying. "Superstitions are slag and its all a con."
"I don't think so," Smokey said. "My appa believes in them a lot and so does my amma. I do. They know things no one is supposed to know. They help a lot of people."
Devcon felt a surge of warmth for the kid as he watched the group walk toward them. All of the humans gathered closer to Dev, unwilling to be stepped on though the likelihood was small. Even the on world Cybertronians lived with their proximity sensors on just in case humans ever were around. The group gathered.
"This is Onyx, his son, Gypsum and an elder of their guild, Totem," Ratchet said as he introduced everyone. "Those little slaggers are humans, the rest are Autobots. Introductions done. What now, Elder?"
Onyx grinned slightly. "I think helping this one," he said nodding toward Hot Rod, "is the first order of business."
"Help me?" Hot Rod asked slightly uneasily. "From what?"
"Your disbelief," Totem said. "You do not believe in Seers and believe what we do to be superstitious nonsense."
"
"SEE! THEY CAN DO INCREDIBLE THINGS, *NOT ROD*, Smokey said with heat. He grinned at the elders. "I believe. So does my amma and appa." He glanced back at Devcon. "Right?"
Dev nodded. "Very true, infant. Welcome, Elders. We are honored to have you here with our problem before us."
Onyx and Totem nodded in return.
"You don't really believe this do you, Devcon?" Hot Rod asked with surprise.
"Why not? They're real and were part of the Quintessan Revolution, getting things done and predicting well into the war." Dev looked at the group. Two Immortals and a doting son. They were sacred among the people. He glanced at Hot Rod. "They carry weight in our culture, Hot Rod and it would do you well to remember that."
"He's young and hasn't had a lot of testing," Onyx said to Roddy's startled glance. "Right now, he isn't aware that the auto part for his remote helicopter was left at Ironhide's man cave the last time he was there. Isn't that true, infant?" he asked Roddy.
Hot Rod stared at him, then noted Smokey's smirk. "I wouldn't know."
Onyx grinned. "You will when you go home. Also, you need to quit leaving early from your shifts on duty and put your shoulder to the wheel as the humans say or you will never get off what is fondly called 'Prowl's Shit List'. General Raptor is more mellow but no less in his expectations. Am I right, Raptor?"
"Always. Ever and always," Raptor said. "I don't believe in all the times I've consulted you or the Guild that you were ever wrong." He glanced at Roddy. "You would do well to have a consultation. It'll make a believer out of you."
"You can have your horoscope read," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile. "Amirite?"
Huge laughter greeted that, then they got down to business. The fire pit would be busy for a while as the three used it to focus on the problem at hand. That the sun was going down would make it better when the flames were going good.
=0=A short time later …
They sat or stood around the pit watching as the three Seers sat on chairs to stare into the fire. It played weird shadows around the area, throwing demonic flickering light on the mechs' faces. The humans sat together near Raptor and Lissie. It was uncommonly silent as the three focused on whatever they did to do this. The humans were also going to town off line together.
:This is fascinating. I once had my horoscope read. You have to know the exact minute on the day you were born or you're shit out of luck for real accuracy: Jessie said.
:My mama is great at that and tarot. She sees and knows things that no one else can see or know: Fig Figueroa said.
:I remember. She knew about Stormy and Denita: Gavin Pritchard said.
Everyone nodded. If truth were be told, Hot Rod was probably alone in his opinion of the events unfolding and the skill of the Seers working on their problem.
=0=Mid morning at Ops Center, Secondary Command Center (the same time as the planet)
Halo sat on the table eating a cookie as her big old pa worked on his part of the puzzle. She had just survived four orns of school and was now free for three before starting again. The staff had a lot of things to do so the schedule was arranged to be longer (daily) and shorter (weekly) so that they could fulfill their commitments both on Mars and Cybertron. They were creating three Temple daycare pre-schools on Cybertron as well.
It was quiet in the room as everyone waited essentially for good news. The Seers had made it. Now they hoped they could find the problem that was eluding straight up science.
=0=At the 'drum circle'
They watched the mechs stare at the fire for what seemed like forever, then Gypsum glanced at Percy. "Do you have anything to drink, Doctor? I feel rather dry."
Everyone who had startled when he glanced up sat back 'drawing in their horns' so to speak. A drink was had, Gypsum took it, then they were back to square one again. The crackle of the fire was the loudest sound heard around them.
=0=At the colony
They watched a new ship fly over helpless to do anything about it.
"What now?" someone asked Reset.
"I don't know. Maybe they brought more scientists here," Reset said.
"What if they make it possible to go. What then?" yet another replied.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. Right now, I see no reason to leave this place and go to a colony or Cybertron where our way of life isn't going to be granted," Reset said grimly.
"They might order us to go," the first said.
"Then we will disabuse them of that effort," Reset replied as he walked toward the administration building nearby.
The others followed with worried expressions.
=0=Camp Over There …
It was getting very dark when Hot Rod thought he caught something out of the corner of his optic. His sensors didn't read anything. No one else seemed to be aware of it so he sat back and relaxed even more.
"Did you see that?" Clarice wispered.
Everyone nodded.
"What the fuck was that?" Clarice said softly as she moved her chair closer to Gavin Pritchard.
"I think they call them shadow people," Fig replied equally softly. "My mama sees them. They're not really very good to be around."
"I saw three of them standing behind Hot Rod," Clarice whispered.
They all nodded.
"What the fuck?" Clarice hissed as she leaned against Gavin Pritchard.
If truth could be told Gavin Pritchard was prepared to lean against her. The shadow people were still there.
/… fuck! .../ Gavin Pritchard
If truth were told, you could have included every single human sitting there.
And Hot Rod.
=0=TBC 04-05-2021
ESL:
To concur is to agree. (I'm not taking it for granted that every word that I write is understood by people for whom English is a second language)
From the last story: bucolic: (B-you-call-ik) something that is peaceful and quiet, nicely comforting, like hanging out in the country on a summer's day
drawing in your horns: a cowboy term for calming down or stepping away or both