The Diego Diaries: Function Over Form (dd6 17)
-0-At IntraComm, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire
They gathered in a large studio where the Primal set was moved. Standing behind Prime in two rows, the Senior Autobot and Civilian Community Committee waited with grim and drawn expressions. Rolling into the room, then moving to a corner to be inobtrusive, the human contingent of soldiers pulled up to watch. Shifting channels to the one that translated bot languages, they made themselves as inoffensive as possible.
Prime stood to one side talking to Jazz and Prowl. The others lined up as directed by Blaster who was running the audio while another mech was filming. Jazz would direct as ever. Then Prime walked to the set to sit on a stool behind a podium-like desk. The Emblems and flags were where they were supposed to be and all was ready. Jazz walked to the cameras, checked the screens at the command console, then nodded to Prime. "You will be on in three, Optimus."
Prime nodded as the mechs and femmes behind him stood straighter. Jazz counting in his helm signaled all was go to the master control room after the program interruption promo ran on screen to tell everyone watching a Primal message was coming, then looked at Optimus. "Three … two … you're live."
The screens changed to a view of the Primal Emblem, then Prime's solemn face. Behind him standing in rows, the leadership of the colony and Empire stood with their leader.
-0-Around the colony
"Look, Chan," Docker said as she paused by the monitor screen that was running silently so that the community bulletin board with its updating messages and The Hourly News Breaking News! could be seen as they updated. Everyone at RTR Tools either working or studying paused, then watched as Chan turned up the sound.
"This is Optimus Prime ..."
-0-At a boss shack in the big new housing complex, The Great Crater District south of Autobot City
Tyro turned toward the screen with his servos filled with blueprints for the plumbing of a set of towers that were among the last to be finished. Optimus was on the screen and everyone looked solemn. He felt his tanks turnover as he raised the sound.
"This is Optimus Prime ..."
-0-At the Central Office of the Unified School District of Autobot City, Autobot City
Roto paused in his documentation of the mountain of suggestions sent to the Central Office that dealt with children whose genitors were in the armada. Several others were with him working on the stack in preparation for a school board presentation so that the district manual would have policies and procedures to handle disruptions in future. The news had told them that the armada returned shortly ago. Roto stared at the screen. "Oh-oh," he said as everyone turned to watch.
"This is Optimus Prime ..."
-0-At a major grocery store in the Tri-Cities
He was stocking shelves for his work project for Intermediate School Diversified Occupations class. Real-world work experiences helped kids find out what they wanted to do. He liked retail, thus, he was busy filling empty spaces on the shelves as he listened to music through his player device. Then a message cut into the programming.
"This is Optimus Prime ..."
-0-In a commissary at the University of Autobot City, Autobot City
They sat with friends of all ages, those who were in school as well to eat a snack and talk. Kestrel and Tagg who were full-time students were part of a group that met to study, discuss issues and philosophy as well as to enjoy each others company. They were in similar classes, had similar hobbies and pastimes as well as points of view on various subjects. If they were a group in a college on Earth, they might be a young environmentalist committee. They were filled with ideas about the colony and how to achieve them.
Kes and Tagg had come a long way and in the company of others who had as much curiosity and interest in the world and how it worked, they had found a wonderfully fulfilling niche. One of their group, an elder amma paused her drink halfway to her mouth. "Look, Kes, Tagg. On the monitor over there."
Everyone turned toward it as a mech sitting beside it raised the volume. It was Optimus and his general staff. They all looked serious. Kes felt his tanks turnover as he watched his son. Then Optimus spoke to everyone. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-Resort
The concourse was humming as the humans went about their business. The big monitors that were placed about the main lobby were dialed into canned programming showing scenery, features of the resort, the intriguing imagery of the colony and its alien residents as well as the Community Bulletin Board when it rolled up during the news cycle. It would not report Prime's message.
-0-Main lounge of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea
They gathered, residents and other members who were worried about the situation. Some of them knew all of it while others were only worried because their elders were. They sat in the lounge to watch the news after being given the heads up by the Master of the Monastery, Cyclonus. The screen changed to their leader and he said, "My name is Optimus Prime ..."
-0-In a bookstore in the Mall of Metroplex, Autobot City
Olivia Bowers walked along the shelves that held human-sized books for the locals to purchase. She was looking for a codex that would tell something about the god, Adaptus. The Circle utilized the creation pathway that the Guiding Hand presented, thus, their stories and legends, teachings and other important information was slightly different than that of the dominant form, Primus, Unicron and the Thirteen Primes by the Temple.
The monitor playing overhead with the news was what she heard through her translator in her helmet. She was tuned into the bots full-time and even though she was it didn't interfere with her ability to talk to any human, such was the tech level of her gear. She was looking for a text for her classes of which she taught two. The first was a beginner's introduction to the philosophy of the Circle of Light. The other was for her students who were progressing further along. She had as her mentor Heatout himself who was proud of her efforts to find truth and comfort in a worldview that touched who she was and what she wanted out of life.
"The weather will be ..." The news reader paused, then began again. "I am told that Optimus Prime would like to address Mars, Cybertron and the Empire with a message about the Armada and its mission. Right now, I turn you over to the studio for that message."
Olivia turned to the monitor to listen. She heard a mech she admired tremendously speak. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison, Autobot City
Gee-Gee and her two assistant wardens along with several of her guards and all of the office staff sat in the lounge at the Prison Command Center watching the screen. They had been contacted about the Functionalist prisoners by Prowl regarding their placement, the majority of which were the families of the leadership and their staff. Everyone was in confinement, secured confinement that would be sequestered against prying optics. She had assured Prowl that all was well, then was told a message about the catastrophe would be given. She had gathered her people into the lounge where they waited until Prime appeared and began to speak. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-In a crowded apartment
Alise and Topper watched as their children and friends came into their apartment. Prime was going to speak about the problem that was swirling around the colony. They were nervous and even afraid as they gathered. Sitting together, watching the monitor, the face of Prime and his general staff appeared. It was extremely tense and silent as he spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-In an apartment in a tower in Bern
They sat together holding their baby, a doctor in the Home Guard and his bond. He had been part of the group that left, going with Ratchet into the situation which was still developing when he did. He had gone on a battleship, Phobos he thought it was, and was afraid the whole time, returning home with tremendous relief. He ran all the way home to his little family. He wanted to serve but at no moment away was he not aware that his bond and new baby were alone.
Now they sat together in their beautiful apartment watching the screen as the sun began to throw long shadows across the floor. Their cat curled up in the light to draw energy into its sensors as the screen changed to the image of their leader. He spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-In a bar in Stanix
Barricade and Scorponok sat together sipping their near beer as the screens around the room changed images from the news to the Primal Emblem. Scorponok glanced at Barricade who sat back to watch. "What's happening now?" he asked himself. Barricade seldom answered.
"Prime got us into something. Maybe Megatron is back," Barricade said. Behind him, a Seeker guard snorted with amusement. Barricade glanced back to him with a sneer. "When he comes I'm coming for you, Dynamo."
Dynamo smirked at both the criminals. "I'll tell you what, Barricade. If the colony is being overrun without hope for any of us and there's only one bullet in my gun … I'll save it for you."
The guards with him laughed loudly as Barricade grimaced. Scorponok who chuckled himself turned to the screen as a face appeared. It spoke. "My name is Optimus Prime ..."
-0-Hobbes and Edict, their kids and Bron-E's 'good friend'
They sat together eating a nice dinner. Hobbes was cleared to have overnight stays with the family in his apartment as long as he wore a tracking device and stayed within the rules. He was part of an experimental program for the 'not totally hopeless, maybes' of partial or full release with caveats. He had to attend counseling, then deprogramming through Vinn's private practice where high castes learn to live in reality as well as attend training for different professions.
He did. Grumpily.
Edict who was thrilled to have him home about 45% of the time had laid down the law about him attending to his requirements for release. Stunned at Edict's newly sprouted chutzpah but loving him madly, Hobbes did. He was not to have contact with Traachon or any of the others but to keep his nose assemblies in good order or else.
Having dinner with the fam was exulting but the new kid, the 'good friend' of Bron-E was strange. He, however, did something he never did before just for Edict. He tried.
The news changed nearby on the monitor. Everyone turned to the silent screen running with the news about the fleet's return. Riff rose to raise the sound as everyone turned in their seats. The face of someone once loathed but now revered by everyone in the room but one appeared. He spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-At Aerie Hill
Red Wing walked into his home and greeted his bond. Being a Seeker with only one bond, he was sort of an anomaly to start with. That he was among the most honored and well-liked individuals was another key to his personality. He was genuinely good and decent. He had his own children and he had his ward. Aurora. A small femme hugged him, then walked to the living room to sit. Red Wing grinned at her as he hefted his son into his lap. "Well, it's good to be home."
"Look, Atar," his son said as he pointed to the monitor nearby. "There he is."
The sound was turned up as they turned to watch. A figure was speaking. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
-0-In an apartment in a bachelor tower
He was tackled when he entered the apartment. Hot Rod was slammed against the door by Smokey as he tackled his lover. Grinning as the youngster ground himself hard against Hot Rod's chassis, he found himself giving into the sensations when a voice sounded on the monitor nearby spoke. "I am Optimus Prime ..."
Both of them paused to listen.
-0-TBC 5-25-17 edited 5-26-17
ESL
sequester(ed) (see-quest-erd) To be removed from everyone else and held in isolation. Sometimes petit juries are held this way to prevent contamination of information during a trial.