The Diego Diaries: Forward Ho (dd6 24)
-0-Walking around Titan's fabulousness
Springer and Drift were met at the door by Tyke in pretender tech. He was leaning against the doorjamb with a grin. "Took you long enough. Care to tell me the back story?" he asked.
Springer grinned. "You think I had something to do with this?"
"Yes." -Drift and Tyke
"Slaggers. I just missed you." Springer gave Titan a huge smile.
Laughing loudly, Titan grinned at the pair. "Do you need me or can I go see family and friends?"
"No. Everything is the same, right?" Springer asked.
Titan nodded. "It is. See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya." With that, he stepped out and transformed into a vehicle. He drove off with a burst of speed toward the city.
Springer watched him, then glanced at Drift. "I didn't know those slaggers could transform into vehicles in pretender mode."
Drift shrugged. "Me neither."
With that, the two entered the shining lobby of the Autobot City Day and Night Watch Headquarters Building which Springer as chief would rule. Down the street, other groups who had protective duties were heading back to their own buildings in the vast cityscape. The Fire Department, Emergency Services and First Response, Autobot City Civilian Aviation Department, various utility groups along with Public Works and Land Planning were part of the design accommodation for Titan before he had to go. They would be moving in along with the entire Autobot City Unified School District Central Office.
Joining them also would be storage and supply staging areas for all of the different departments, museums, off world requisition functions, libraries, and agencies in the colony. Some of the towers would be dedicated specifically to a particular department or operation, centralizing everything for everyone and making dispatches easier.
Also part of the new layout would be business-related businesses, some restaurants and cafes for the locals and an assortment of legal services for the colonists. The Legal Guild had applied for a tower to put their membership together for client convenience. It along with a lot of other things had been put off due to Titan's deployment. Now that he was here for good, so sayeth The Prowl, all of the different organizations and agencies, departments and guilds could move in and make this the hub of official and rescue activity for the colony. It would free up a lot of space in the cities which could be put to other uses including housing.
There would be barracks here for those who worked shifts on the rescue end of the equation along with bachelor towers specifically for soldiers and pilots. It was expected to be a brisk hearty place to work or live with linkups in the metro system with every place else. It would also be the closest city space to Earth2, the Consulate, and Earth 1. Special teams that ran infrastructure for all three places along with the security center that monitored for danger and provided instantaneous support through their land bridges would relocate to the zone to allow them to handle their duties at the human habitats more swiftly.
A quick trip upward to the 45th floor, the 'penthouse' level of this particular tower dedicated to the Watch was completed, then both stepped off. The floor was well lit with windows at the end of the corridor allowing great light and spectacular views. His office door beckoned with its dark lettering. They paused to read it.
"Commander Springer, Day and Night Watch of Mars, Chief of Security for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Commanding."
Springer grinned. "They spelling my name right."
"I can see that," Drift said with a grin as he opened the door. They entered into the state-of-the-art office of Maxi, one with amazing tech and amenities. Footfalls behind them caught their attention.
Maxi stood behind them with a basket of crystal flowers and her work backpack. She smiled. "Good to be home," she said as she walked past them to her big desk. Setting the crystal flowers on the corner, she turned to them. "Autobot City Moving Company and Speedy Delivery are going to be bringing the operation over here. I already designated to everyone where their areas are. We have great space to grow. Getting the whole tower was a win-win. The Detective Department is already packed up and on its way. Hauser gets the big office on their floor. Everyone is already aware of their places. They're moving out of the substations to give them back to the beat cops. The horse patrol is going to be headquartered in Substation 11 because its closest to the stables."
Springer grinned. "Uh, is there anything else you need, boss?"
She grinned at both. "Nope." She walked to the big door nearby and opened it. "Your office and the reports for the past decaorn, you know them … I've only asked for them for a week, await you."
Springer and Drift grinned, then walked into the giant office with windows for walls and spectacular views all around. Springer walked to his big desk, then sat. A very comfortable chair sat in front of it with a low table before it. They looked expectantly at Maxi who grinned. "The chair and table for your peds is yours, Drift. Given you do 99% of the work I thought you might want to be comfy."
Drift smirked at Springer who stood up to walk to check out the chair, then turned to Maxi. "Thanks."
She grinned at both. "Don't mention it. Prowl gave me the heads up. I'm going to get the rest of the operation moved in and set up. We have full labs now and the data transfer is state-of-the-art. I think we have everything I asked for. Titan is a champ." She stared at both for a moment. "Is there something you aren't telling me about this? Prowl sounded like he knew something. You know?"
Springer and Drift glanced at each other, then Maxi. They shrugged at the same time. "No." -Both
"You're terrible liars," she said as she steered Springer back to his desk chair. "Sit. Both of you. I have work for you to do." She hustled out the door.
Springer who was sitting leaned back in comfort. "Have a seat."
"Don't mind if I do," Drift said as he settled into his comfy chair. He put his peds up just in time to get a lapful of datapads. The rest went to Springer.
"Get this done and I'll bring the rest," she said heading back to the door.
"MORE!?" Springer asked with surprise and a number of other feelings.
She grinned. "It stacked up. If you'd come in and do it a bit at a time, this wouldn't happen. Hop to it, boys." She walked out to her office to get the entire building in order.
Drift glanced at Springer who was looking at the stack on his desk in dismay. "Tell me something … you're in charge, right? Of what?"
Springer glanced at Drift, then smirked. "I'll ask Maxi and get back to you."
They both laughed loudly, then began. Some of it was interesting reading. There was a sighting of Momus and Sherma in the colony. Someone was sure it was them. They would have to check on it pronto.
-0-Later that evening
The sun was setting over the great dome of the volcanic wonder, Mount Olympus. The air was jarringly cold and dry. The little water that had come to the surface had been struck down by the cold frigid temperatures of evening. The colony was lit up by lights that pushed back the astonishing darkness of the world.
Everyone was busy with their own affairs as Prime sat in Ops Center watching Glenn Morshower break the news to Earth that a terrible catastrophe had happened and the normal ebb and flow of life between worlds was on hold for eight more days. Prowl and some of the other senior Autobots sat with him to listen.
-0-Lim-Lee
"In moments, General Morshower who is commandant of the N.E.S.T. Global Command will be speaking on a consortium broadcast to the people of Earth to explain the disruption that exists between them and our colony for the short term. He has been tasked with the mission ..." She paused. "I have just been told that the broadcast is going to go live in seconds. We will cut to the MCA studios in New York for commentary and the broadcast."
Cut to New York, Earth
A news reader sat at a desk with three others who were going to be 'breaking down' the announcement soon to be broadcast from the Pentagon studios in Arlington, Virginia. "Apparently, there is a situation that has happened concerning the Cybertronians and after discussion with Optimus Prime he has been tasked to make an announcement. Here he is. Let's listen in."
A grim faced Glenn Morshower walked to a podium and took in the reporter pool who were waiting for him. He glanced at his notes, then began. "Good evening. I am General Glenn Morshower of the N.E.S.T. Global Command here today to inform Earth of a situation that has arisen that has curtailed activity and contact between us here on Earth and the Cybertronian government. After consulting and conversing with Optimus Prime, this is the announcement that I am here to give.
"In the distant past, Cybertron was ruled by a group of individuals who were called the Functionalist Council. They believed and enforced a system that declared that your form dictated your function. What your body type and appearance declared, that was what you became. It didn't matter if you wanted to become the thing you were told to become or not. The system was inflexible and self protecting. A lot of individuals never got their dreams and if they tried they were punished and even killed. They were eventually overthrown in civil war and vanished to who knew where.
"A migration a few days ago was sighted and rescued before they could cross the territory held by Razorclaw and his mob. They were assisted and in the effort discovered to be the missing Functionalist council. Though they and their migration numbered only 4,500 individuals, records indicated that they were half a million in number when they left their settlement area. Reverse plotting their course, the Autobots discovered their location and set out to find them.
"When they arrived in the system, they found two things. One was a big confederation of species that worked together in an alliance. The other was that all of the half million left behind were dead. They explored the world but they were too late. Elders, mechs, femmes, children, babies … they were all dead.
"The Functionalist Council believes that when you are no longer useful to their purposes, you were disposable. Microchips in the heads of all the affected bots were detonated. They all died at once. Then the group deemed worthy of living left on ships that ended up here. I would like to interject that these chips are found in the processors of the oldest members of their species have since then been screened. Those who bore them on Mars and there were several hundred, have been declared free of them. There are more to scan on Cybertron but it would appear that the program is successful and ongoing.
"Given that the group who fled had traded technology, a forbidden act by treaty agreement, the confederation had a highly advanced ship format and would have caused a great deal of casualties if a fight had erupted. Prime, therefore, made a decision. If he fought for a good ending for the dead, there would be a lot of deaths. If he left them, they would have been plundered, all of the dead. He made a decision that was difficult in the face of all the factors involved. He pulled back his people and blew up both worlds. No one would get the tech abandoned there nor would the alien confederation desiccrate the dead.
"They fell back here and arrested the Functionalist Council. As for the situation as it stands, the confederation operates in a sector of space that is closer to Cybertron than here. It is considered highly unlikely, indeed, impossible for them to come here. They have no space bridge tech nor did they seem as advanced as the Cybertronians here.
"Prime has announced a period of ten days of state mourning in which every function of their society is offline for the duration but for emergency and medical services. All the schools and businesses are closed. The People are dealing with a terrible blow, one of many that they have had to absorb and the armed services that I lead stand with them at this, an hour of terrible sorrow.
"For the next thirty days the colony will mourn, then follow that with services of remembrance for the dead both there and on Cybertron. Until then, the usual interactions between Earth and Mars are suspended for the first ten days designated state mourning. My government and that of the 182 signatory nations of the Autobot-Earth Treaties wish to tell the Cybertronian people that we love and support you, that we stand beside you in solidarity. Our governments send you our deepest condolences. We are with you in your suffering and recovery. We share the same creed that animates you. Until all are one," Morshower said, then the screen changed to Lim-Lee.
"That was General Glenn Morshower of the N.E.S.T. Global Command telling the Earth about the tragedy that has befallen the Cybertronian people. With me to discuss the situation on Earth is William Lennox, commandering N.E.S.T. here on Mars."
Will Lennox who sat on a chair on the top of Lim-Lee's desk nodded to her. He was tasked to answer questions here on Mars about the announcement on Earth. Morshower was handling questions on Earth at the same time. The conference would be played after the chat with Lennox. His chat would be broadcast later on the MCA to Earth.
"Commandant Lennox," Lim-Lee asked. "You didn't go on this mission with the fleet. What are your impressions about it and how do you think this news will be received among your people on Earth?"
Will considered that. :I know Optimus Prime well enough to believe that if there was any other way to resolve this he would have taken it. He's an honorable mech and I'm sure he feels what he had to do deeply. I know that there has been some troubles in the past between Earth and Mars but I believe that there will be understanding and great sympathy for the Cybertronian people because of what happened:
-0-Ops Center, Mars
"Lennox is doing well," Raptor said. "He hates this, having to talk to the media. Goes against his special ops nature."
"As long as it doesn't hamper the relationship," Prowl said as they watched the interview. "We have to maintain the partnership."
Prime nodded. "We will," he said quietly.
-0-On a tarmac at the Military Airfield about the same time
A rag tag group of ships landed, all of them filled with civilians and others unlucky enough to cross paths with Decepticons. They descended from their ships, some of them weary and others fightened. They would be taken to the hospital in runabouts where Ratchet and his teams would receive them. Some of them would have family here, desperate family worried about them. Some wouldn't. All of them would be made welcome.
Razorclaw had apparently kept his word.
-0-TBC 6-1-17 edited 6-2-17