The Diego Diaries: Three Days Later (dd6 30)
-0-In a conference room in the administrative wing of Earth 1
Owen Harris paced along the window that made up the outside wall of the room. Beyond, glistening in the distance, Earth2 sat maddeningly out of reach. It was massive, spectacular in design with windows from floor to ceiling all around its multi-story greatness. The bots had decided that given human suseptibility to weather-related light deprivation syndromes they would add as much brightness as possible from the outside.
Apparently, a jet could fly into the glistening windows and they wouldn't break, a consolation to the slight fear he had standing next to one that it might implode and he would die squirming on the floor. He had been told by the scientists living here that scenario would fade as they got experience living in such an uncompromising environment. He turned to his main staff who were sitting at the big conference table hashing out business. More had arrived, allowed to come and work with him for the great unveiling two days from now.
Soldiers on segways would be coming shortly to take them around the facility to see it from the outside, then head into The City to acclimitize to the differences from a grounder level. All of them had been visitors through the Resort and Harris himself had been here multiple times before with the bots. They were here to go over the move in and adjustment period.
"Then we'll have the families come a few at a time, 200 in a group until everyone is here. What's the schedule for the orientation, Owen?" Sam Conrad, director for Agriculture and Botany asked.
Owen paused, then picked up his ipad. "First, each group will arrive at the facility, then go to the auditorium to wait for Ambassador Ratchet and some of the bots who are going to speak to us to come. Lennox and Morshower will do the introductions and Morshower will lay down the hammer. All the 'you're banned for life' shit. Then Ratchet speaks about safety and what happens if you screw up. Barron, the Attorney General and Director of the Prime's Brief for here, Cybertron and the Empire speaks about our legal rights and obligations. He will also speak to the legal process if we fuck up and how nothing we can do will derail that. We have no diplomatic immunity.
"Sciences will speak, probably Wheeljack and Perceptor, then Ratchet will tell about the local human community. That's when Judy Witwicky, Judy Fulton, Lonnie Epps, Sarah Lennox and Ron Witwicky will talk about the community life for humans on-world. I was told that there would be a representative of the school board coming to discuss their decisions about integrating our school into their system. Earth 1 uses them and is an allied entity. That is, they used their experts, have their experts make things our size for the school, allow us to visit around the planet at educational sites as well as the science and educational platform called Trypticon who is in orbit around Saturn and other related topics, opportunities and sports. Members of the human community will speak including consuls from the Consulate who'll be helping anyone who fucks up. Understand, if they ban you, they will never let you back including to visit the Resort. It's a lifetime thing.
"Bot staff will be introduced along with those remotely monitoring the plant from different locations around. The visiting of The City that we're finally going to get to do will be to see the sites that maintain the plant and who come if there are emergencies. The presentation is still being ironed out and the final syllabus will be sent to me for distribution by dinner tonight. All in all, I'm ready to go to work. This event has put us behind schedule."
"I'm sure that they would have it otherwise if they could," Ron Simpson, the American Consul said with an edge to his voice.
Owen glanced at him. "I don't mean that poorly."
"Then you better consider what you say a bit more, Owen," Ron said coldly. "It sounded bad. Remember this … these are individuals. They are sentient and smart as fuck. They also have feelings and emotions. Half a million of their people were murdered. Who knows how many here are wondering if someone they loved wasn't among them? If that's the kind of thing you're willing to say out loud, then welcome to hell."
"How about we take a break and think about things?" Cynthia Tomas asked as she rose from her chair. "I have to take a call from Los Angeles." She walked to the door and left as everyone rose to walk to the refreshment table nearby, everyone but Ron Simpson and Owen Harris who stared at each other coldly.
Owen pulled a chair, then sat. Leaning on his elbows, he considered Simpson who met his gaze levelly. "My respect for the bots is huge. I have nothing but respect for them, but I'm anxious to start. This is the beginning of a new Earth for all of us. I'm very anxious to begin."
"The bots have redesigned the facility to make it bigger, better and safer. They did it in a matter of days. They're troubleshooting and will continue until it's completely safe. Nothing you do will make that faster. But everything you say matters. These people are in deep mourning and will be for the rest of the month. There are going to be funerals and suffering for a long time. You would do well to self censure your remarks because we have a good reputation here, the human community. We love them and they love us. By the way, the school board representative coming will be the Autobot Sunstreaker." Ron grinned, then leaned closer to Harris. "That's how serious these people are. They have the most dangerous Autobot of them all on their school board." He rose with a grin, then walked to the others to get a snack and a cold drink. Owen harris watched him thoughtfully.
-0-At the facility
A micro-mini-con walked with his mini-con supervisor to the 'Farm' on the top deck, Level 3. They walked through the huge garden plots toward the trees that formed a large grove interspersed with flowers, ferns and bushes. They walked to the water system control and programmed it to release measured liquid to the plants at regular intervals underground.
Beyond them, the place was bustling as pallets of things, personal baggage and other items were carried here and there on anti-gravity devices. The floor with habitations was piling up. The baggage that the inhabitants were bringing was placed in front of their particular doors with space to pass. Most of the things needed for comfortable living had been provided. The kitchens were fully stocked with cookery items, the berth rooms with beds, dressers and mirrors for self-admiration and the bathrooms … odd washracks to the bots were plumbed and ready for their occupants. They would use about a fourth of the water used in similar systems on Earth but the occupants wouldn't feel it. The shower nozzles compressed the spray making it feel like it was intense when it wasn't otherwise.
The entire place had the bot's trademark environmental flourishes. Recycling was mandatory and even though convervation of some resources wasn't mandatory, it was heavily encouraged. The humans knew about solar powering everything. Unlimited electicity without guilt was the order of the day. Water was also unlimited as it was synthesized from the air around them combined with other 'magical' twists that the humans weren't going to be allowed to know. They didn't need to believe it wasn't difficult. It didn't hurt anyone to conserve.
A femme worked stocking shelves in the Commissary of Earth2, which was the 'store' where everyone could get groceries, baked goods and other necessaries like they would in their life on Earth. It recreated a normal moment in an abnormal place for the 'locals'. However, the big difference between here and Earth was payment wasn't required. If you lived here, you could 'shop' here. Sam and Mikaela had explained the system on-world and how the bots observed a cashless society. It had taken a lot of back and forth before the store and restaurants would fall under the same system.
As businesses grew up in the facility they would hold to the same practice though everything in the billionaires that fronted a good 40% of the operation including Owen Harris despised the idea. Their little restaurant, The Candy Store, was going to be selling its products and serving diner-style meals for 'free'. It rankled but they finally gave in.
The theater was being finished with the installation of the last bit of this and that. Paribolus had created everything and even now when he was settled and formatted, when a thing was needed he would reshape for it. He glistened. His systems for self-cleaning would continue. His command center would be staffed by bots carefully chosen and led by three shift commanders who were hardcore about protocol and not afraid to enforce it. It would be there that all of the environmental and communications controls would be housed.
It would be there that the integrity of the building would be maintained. It couldn't be left to the humans to run this tech and it would violate the Tyrest Treaties if they allowed it. The humans wouldn't like it one bit, especially the part where it was off limits. They would argue the point but be overridden if for nothing else than this was a much more sophisticated facility than the others, housing more people and therefore was a much more dangerous place to maintain without precision driven crews.
The humans would lose that argument.
The hustle and bustle continued onward around the clock. They had two more orns to make the place ready.
-0-At the New York Office of Autobot Nation, Incorporated, Earth
Warren Roberts finished his last interview, then walked to his office where his wife was waiting. They were going to be there for the 'grand opening' and dedication of Earth2. He entered, then made his last phone call from Earth. Turning to his wife, he glanced around the room. "Do we have everything?"
She nodded. "We do. Call a bridge." She grinned at him, this daredevil older woman who often was at Autobot City when he was here. They were citizens, part of the original group of Friends of Cybertron as they liked to joke about among themselves.
Warren opened his phone and made the call. Picking up their gear, they waited until one burst into sight in the area near the window. Walking forward, they entered it to reappear 194,000,000 miles away in the lounge area of the Family Habitat in Tower 4. They would be greeted happily by friends.
-0-In an apartment in the next subdivision over from Tower 4
"What do you think, Ada?" Silverbow asked as she stared at her project.
Hound who was off duty glanced her way. The project was a carefully constructed image of Autobot City Raceway. The kids in her class were working on a project about their colony with each student choosing a landmark or business to showcase in both model and report form. She had gone to the raceway to interview racers, mechanics and those who worked there. She had also gone to IntraCom to interview reporters about their job because it was part of the raceway too. "That's a very good likeness, Princess. You did a good job. I can see the whole thing and it looks just like it."
"I worked hard on it," Silverbow said with a smile. "Now I just have to finish my report. Mr. Terradive wants us to start presenting our choices soon."
"Do you need help with that or have you got it?" Trailbreaker asked as he sat on the floor playing with the local variant of legos with Rebel. Rebel liked to build things when he wasn't being part of whatever thing Silverbow was doing. They were inseparable.
"I got it, Atar. I'm going to finish writing it on my datapad. If you and Ada could read it for me amd tell me what you think when I'm done I would be glad."
"Whatever you want, baby," Trailbreaker said as he handed a lego to his son. The baby put it on the tower and smiled. It held.
The afternoon would pass quietly for all of them.
-0-At Metroplex Kid Park, Autobot City
Cardinal, Farrell, Sunspot, Turbo, and Comet sat on the swings. They were waiting for their families to collect them. Sunspot, Turbo and Comet had family coming from the hospitals. Cradinal and Farrell were waiting for their mentor adult to come from their fireman meeting. It was getting onward in the evening and the temperature was dropping.
"What do you think will happen with all this, Sunspot?" Turbo asked as they watched lines still going down the street to the Temple. They were so long they reached the intersection nearby.
"I don't know. Ada told me there will be a funeral for everyone. We have to say goodbye to them and let them know we love them still. Then we go back to school. Two more orns and we go back," Sunspot said.
"Do you have your report and model done?" Turbo asked.
"I do," Cardinel said as Farrell nodded.
"What did you choose, Cardinel?" Comet asked.
"The Flight Center. I made a model of it," Cardinel replied.
"I have the Airport in Aerie Hill," Farrell said. "The big one."
Sunspot nodded. "I did the stables. My horses live there and I wanted to do their house."
"I love your horses. We can ride again when this is over," Farrell said. "I don't like this. It's awful how everyone is."
Sunspot and Turbo nodded. It was silent a moment. "We will be safe, Cardinel," Sunny said. "You don't have to worry. My atar and appas … my ammas and Uncle Optimus will keep us all safe. They have, you know."
Cardinel looked at Sunspot, then nodded. "They beat Black Shadow. I remember seeing Sixshot once. He scared me."
Farrell nodded. "I told you to stay with me and we were alright. Remember?" He glanced at Sunspot. "Did you ever see him or any of the others?"
Sunspot shook his head. "No, but I saw Megatron once in a while. I saw Shockwave. I saw Soundwave. I hid from them. They were awful and I know this for true," he said looking at the others. "My family will protect all of us. I will help them."
Cardinel and Farrell got a cold expression on their faces. "We will too," Farrell said. "We know how to fight. We have."
Sunspot nodded. "So do I." He glanced at a solemn-looking Comet and Turbo. "We will protect you and everyone."
"I'll help you, Sunny. You, Cardinel and Farrell. No one is going to do this to us. We can help. Right, Comet?" Turbo asked.
Comet nodded solemnly. "No one," he said in agreement.
At that moment, two big Seekers landed to look around. They would find their children on the swings with friends. Gypsy would join them and all would go home to safety and love as the ghost of Megatron and other terrible times would fade back into the shadows once more.
-0-Elsewhere
"WHAT THIS!?"
Amma Corr glanced down at a little mech staring up at him with a donut hole in his little servo. "It's a treat, infant. Eat it."
Orion stared at it, then popped it into his mouth. He chewed it, then smiled. "AMMA! I, ORION, LIKE THIS!"
Corr grinned. "You're supposed to, infant. Who else wants a donut hole?"
Everyone did. Corr fed them one-by-one like a farmer feeding chickens. Then the door opened as Ratchet walked in with Hero.
Bedlam.
-0-TBC 6-8-17 edited 6-12-17
ESL: A donut hole is the dough in the middle of a donut that's cut out. A lot of people knead them back in to make more donuts but some fry them too. They are perfection. (I love donuts) :D:D:D