The Diego Diaries: Briefs (dd6 32)
-0-On their way
The bus pulled out and drove to the intersection by The Fortress. Their guide, a human with the touring company gave them a commentary. "This building is the oldest one here, the first one built by The People when they came to hold criminals away from humans. It was here that they first lived and worked, helping refugees who came in trickles of a couple dozen to several million at a time. This is the operational center of the colony and by extension, the entire Cybertronian empire including Cybertron itself. Prime and his senior Autobots work from there and it's the nerve center of everything. You're not given permission to enter some of the areas but you can visit it. Your cameras won't work within its confines. They dampen things there for security and other purposes and there are other places as well that do the same for human technology."
They crossed the intersection turning left to head down Metroplex Highway 1 until it turned into Temple District Highway or Temple as the locals called it. Traffic was moderate and sidewalks brimmed with those going about their business. The Temple loomed ahead. "You'll notice that there are a lot of different types and sizes of bots in the Cybertronian species. Some of them are gigantic such as Metroplex which we just passed in city format and others that are very small. All of them are autonomous beings and therefore, you must observe respect and good manners with them as you would anyone. Part of the compact of being here is to see them as they are and not as glorified computers or piles of technology. Ambassador Ratchet will explain more when you get to the habitat.
"The Temple to the right is one of the holiest places anywhere for the Cybertronian people. It's absolutely and completely off limits for you and even if someone invited you, decline. I cannot stress that enough. Unless you're given express permission by an authority who clears it with Prime and the priests, you will not be allowed even on the grounds. You'll recognize the priests and priestesses. They wear coverings, sort of armless cloaks and the colors tell you about their level of seniority and expertise. The beginners who are called acolytes wear blue ones. Full fledged priests wear red and the leadership including the senior priests wear gold.
"We're heading down Temple Highway toward Basilica Highway which leads out to the human habitats. We'll pass several metro-districts which are sentient ships in city form, then the Mausoleum, the place where burials of the dead occur. You can visit there if you observe respect and don't touch anything. Everything you will see there has meaning and was placed there for that purpose. Next will be the Basilica where Primes and other important figures are buried. It's an exact copy of the one on Cybertron with 200 foot tall ceilings and lifesize statues of important living and mythical figures. You're allowed inside the Basilica following the same behavior." They continued onward.
-0-At Earth2
Owen Harris stood in his office, a large well-lit space with views to die for. He had wandered the facility getting a better overview alone before pausing in his apartment to look around. His things were on a pallet in the corridor outside. All of the habitations were stacked on top each other reaching to the roof of the facility three stories above the floor. They were back to back, these stand alone towers with open space between them. They stretched across the floor where they would live resembling in design the long rows of prison cells of big penitentiaries, stacks of habitation for the people to live. It was ingenius, really. It made the greatest number of homes in the smallest of space possible.
The views were of other habitation spans, the inside of the facility or depending where yours was, an outside view. His apartment was comfortable and more than adequate. The bots had made them less utilitarian and more potentially homey and comfortable. That surprised him. There was a room for his son and one for his daughter who he expected to come here when she could. She already told him so.
He walked out heading for the lobby where the elevator would deposit the first group of inhabitants. By the time he reached it they were already stepping out.
-0-Fifteen minutes later
They walked from the elevator through the building to the large conference/ampitheater room where large gatherings and/or presentations could be made to 5,000 individuals at a time. They walked to the front to take their places, their awestruck optics fixed upon a number of aliens along with several soldiers and civilians everyone knew from the news. Harris shepherded them in, then turned to Ratchet when they were all seated. "Ambassador, thank you. I would like the honor of introducing you to my crew and my crew to you."
Ratchet nodded. "Sure."
Harris turned toward his people. "This is Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon, the chief medical officer for this planet, every other planet in the Cybertronian Empire as well as the armed forces. He is Prime's chief ambassador as well. The gentlemen with him are Wheeljack and Perceptor, top scientists of Empire who run the tech show here. The other mechs are Cliffjumper who is here to fill in for a nurse who will work rescue here and get whatever information they need back to them as well as Commander Ultra Magnus who is not only manager and mayor of this colony but manager of the Empire for Optimus Prime. Commander Prowl of Praxus holds pride of place in the chain of command of the Autobot Armed Forces. He is second only to Optimus Prime in authority.
"With them is Jetta of Iacon, the chief engineer and Master of Development for the Empire and the one who built this facility along with the chief architect, Fortress Maximus. With him is his brother, Mack of Iacon who is director of Public Works. He is instrumental to keeping this place safe and running. Commanders Hercy and Kup are here for Security. We all know Major William Lennox, Captain Niall Graham of the UK, and Master Sargent Robert Epps of the N.E.S.T. garrison. The other gentleman is Ron Witwicky who is here to represent the Resort at Autobot City." He finished by introducing General Morshower, a number of humans from Earth 1 and the Consulate and finally, Angus Optimus who was there in the arms of his father, Jarrod Wilkerson. Hildie was running a camera for a blog that she kept of their adventures. He turned to Ratchet. "Ambassador, I yield the floor to you."
Everyone clapped madly, then sat happily expectant for one of the most mysterious yet accessible and famous individuals ever to speak. Ratchet grinned. "Welcome to Mars, little people." Huge laughter, clapping and whistles greeted that. Ratchet moved to the front of the group easily. Room was there to be comfortable without being a problem since the facility was designed to allow the bots access to every square inch of the plant. "I am Ratchet of Iacon, a doctor and the Prime's Ambassador. It's my duty to tell you things you need to know.
"I and everyone else here live with our proximity sensors on. Even the children. That means we know where you are and act accordingly. When the first humans came sometimes we would tell them to freeze. If you ever get a direction from a bot about where you are or to move, do it without hesitation. You live in the world of giants. No one has been stepped on yet so we want to keep our record going. That means that our bars and clubs are probably going to be off limits as well.
"You've gotten the word about safety in this, a zero-excuse, zero-tolerance environment. It doesn't forgive. It doesn't care. It's neutral out there. It has no side to take. It just exists. That means you have the duty to be smarter and aware. You would live about a minute and a half if an accident or stupid move happened. Your lungs would boil. Your skin would immediately freeze as its irradiated with gamma rays, including your eyes. It would be a terrible, terrible, TRULY terrible death. Only a couple of humans have died here when a prison riot took out a couple being held there for transferral to Earth. Don't make it more.
"We have a lot of time to watch out for you and everything you wear outside is wired for rescue. If you tamper with it, you will never leave this place. Scanners will detect it and failsafes will prevent you going out because the doors will lock tight. The gear you wear is coded to stop at the entry for any number of reasons, all designed to keep you safe going out and out of trouble coming in. You will have lockers at the entrance with your name on them. You have to take all of your gear off and put it inside before you can enter the facility. You won't be able to do that if you try to wear your gear inside. The lockers are small and have scanners built in that check your gear to see that its all there as well as for problems that will be reported to the command center. That gear will be repaired. We do this to help maintain it for ultimate safety as well as to remove the temptation to find out about how it works. Tampering is a lifetime ban and there are no appeals.
"You will be shown your areas shortly. You will be helped and assisted by human and Cybertronian crews. The humans are employees of Autobot Nation who are trained to be facilitators and troubleshooters. They also can liaison between you and us to get things done. They're part of the charter agreement between us and work in pairs with your Cybertronian crew.
"I would hope that you understand we aren't simply sophisticated computers or that we aren't someone who doesn't deserve manners or consideration. We're a species of being that is metallic in design. We feel, appreciate, love, and fuss just like anyone else. I have about 27 children and a dozen grandchildren-" Ratchet said with a giant smile.
"Exaggerator," Prowl interjected, then turned to gaze sharply at Ratchet. "You haven't been holding out on me have you?"
Laughter greeted that. Everyone was told about the bantering bestie friendship of Ratchet and Prowl as well as their relations to each other through children and grandchildren.
"I have about 22 or 27 kids … maybe, and how many grandchildren?" Ratchet grinned. "Let me see ..."
"They're all mine," Prowl said with a smirk.
"Where was I? Oh yes. Ironhide," Ratchet said with a grin.
Laughter greeted that.
"We get up and go to work, eat with our friends, family or ourselves, go to the movies, dance and drink, have our hobbies, our philosophies and other passtimes. We have a lot in common and you will learn that. We also are different and you will learn that too. Compare them and you will find more same than different. What I want you to do is figure it out and act accordingly. We are very tolerant and forgiving all things being equal so you have time. But frag around, tamper with stuff, go where you aren't supposed to be, be insulting and bigoted, act stupid and foolish all the time, or take chances with your safety and our piece of mind and you will be banned forever," Ratchet said.
"We are a multi-world enterprise. We have ships coming and going all the time. Some of the cities here are actually ships themselves who have remade themselves to fulfill one of their several main functions. The first and always the greatest is service to the Prime. They serve him selflessly and they protect us without fear. To say that they are beloved amongst us is inadequate to express true meaning. I asked one to come here, a titan who is using pretender tech to be able to be small enough to be here among us. This," he said turning to a huge mech standing with Jetta, "is the greatness we call Paribolus."
Huge clapping and whistling was had from the group.
"Paribolus is a metrotitan, one of many who were guardians of our worlds and people, who are selfless individuals who serve with all they got. These are the greatest amongst us and we treasure them."
Paribolus grinned at Ratchet, then looked at the humans. He nodded. "I am Paribolus and all the titanic frames are my siblings including the Supremes. We live to serve and I am glad to meet you."
He received thanks from the crowd as individuals expressed their appreciation. Ratchet watched Owen and the other senior staff. Several of them were watching without emotion but most of the others were. "They protect us here and everywhere else. There are over 1,500 of them on Cybertron right now and many of those designated warrior class are protecting other places around the Empire that are still open to Decepticon attacks." He turned to Paribolus. "Thank you, Pari."
He nodded. "I have an appointment. I bid you farewell."
Ratchet grinned as he derezzed. Everyone in the room murmured as he turned back to them. "He's got a poker game at the Club," Ratchet said to great laughter. He actually did. He was becoming a real shark, Our Paribolus. "Well, right now, let's go over a number of items that you need to carve into your brain about safety and procedure."
-0-Ironhide
He stood on a crater staring into the distance. They were opening a small energon deposit to check it for purity. They were labeling and cataloging the planet to make sure that all of the most delicate places were marked as they formulated a way to bring Gliese 581 g into a better orbit in a better place. This planet was basically a time bomb waiting to explode in their faces if they didn't do something. Odd alien and Decepticon activity was being clocked in the local area.
Prime listened as Beachcomber discussed how they would do this and how it would determine the intensity of the containment fields that would carry this planet to safety. The sun was actually warm here in the moderate zone of the tidal locked world. The hospitals were working at a good clip but the desperate masses that once thronged here were a thing of the past. This was a rehab-restoration-mental health hub now.
He was listening in to Ratchet as he charmed the n00bie humans with his patter and pointed commentary. It was good to be busy again even if it meant not being home as much as he wanted. He remembered he had kids somewhere. He grinned at the thought.
Prime with Beachcomber was climbing back and noted the expression. "What is the joke?" he asked with a slight grin of his own.
"I was remembering I had kids somewhere. Maybe," Ironhide said as both mechs joined him.
Beachcomber grinned. "Buffer isn't here. He's running the show at the office. He's sparked."
It was amazing how happy Ironhide and Prime were for Beachcomber and how happy he was back. Even in the midst of awful disappointments and sorrows, life went onward.
-0-TBC 6-9-17 edited 6-10-17