The Diego Diaries: Onward (dd6 35)
-0-Auditorium
"We aren't exactly welcome here in all corners are we, Ambassador?" a woman in the second row asked.
Ratchet considered that, then nodded. "No. We have a tight relationship with all the humans on-world including the consuls who are the newest group here. We protect the relationship, both sides, and the idea that you're so large a group predicts that something will happen eventually to test that. There's too many of you to make this as personal in the way it is with the humans already here. Most of them are family members who even put their kids into our schools. They attend the university and events with us. We are one. You are so many that its going to test that strength."
"We're here to be the best representation of Earth that we can be. We've been tested and understand the importance of the relationship," someone said.
"That makes me happy but our relationships in the past with humans have been spotty. Some of you on Earth would like us gone," Ratchet said as he watched Harris out of the corner of his optic. "Until time passes and trust grows, it might be a good thing for you to know that there isn't universal gladness among The People that you're here. Its rather up to you to change that."
It was silent a moment, then Prowl turned to Ratchet. "If you have this, I've been recalled."
Ratchet nodded, then all of them watched as the big elegant winger walked out of the room. Wheeljack turned to Ratchet. "What's the story? Do you need us more or what?"
"No. Leave me in the sinking ship, slaggers," Ratchet said as Wheeljack laughed, nodded to the humans, then walked out of the room with Perceptor. In seconds, everyone left but Ratchet and the human soldiers and civilians. He glanced at the Earth2 individuals. "Are there further questions?"
There were and they were answered, then Ratchet glanced down at the soldiers and civilians. "It's yours, tiny people." With a lot of slag and hoo-haw, Ratchet of Iacon swished out of the room and was gone.
"When will Optimus Prime visit this place and give us a chance to pay our respects, General?" someone asked Morshower as he stood up and walked to the front of the platform.
"I'm not sure. He has a few things to do," Morshower said in the understatement of the year. They would continue. Ron Witwicky would inform them of the benefits of the Resort, open to all. Lennox would lay down the hammer on the kinds and types of interactions all would have to obey and/or avoid. Graham would review the siren and bunker drills that happened once a month without warning. They were in-house and wouldn't affect anyone outside of the human habitats. They were informed that if they were anywhere else they would have to find the nearest shelter and stand by the doors until the all clear. Their helmets would highlight the nearest shelter to them and guide them there. If it was real, they would have to go inside. Epps explained the myriad events and clubs available to humans and said that if they had ideas they were welcome. There was a whole world of activity going on in the human sphere of influence, apparently.
Morshower told them of the legal stuff once more, the duty of the human community to conduct itself with honor and the hierarchy of command that existed here. Lennox was the alpha and the omega, what he said would be obeyed without question and if he exiled you to the habitat for infractions, there was no appeal process available. Nothing would trump safety and the relationship. By the time that he finished, they were dismissed to go about their business. They cleared the room almost as fast as Sunstreaker had.
The soldiers and humans watched them go. Warren Roberts glanced at Glenn Morshower. "What do you think?"
"99% will be fine. The other 1% keeps me up at night." He turned to Lennox, Epps, and Graham. "They're yours now."
The three nodded grimly.
-0-Med Bay, Earth2
Monica Hall, chief doctor of Earth2 and her nursing staff stood in the middle of a huge immaculate med bay marveling at the beauty, utility and appointments of this, their work station. They were speechless.
-0-Earth2 Elementary School, Earth2
Landon 'Landy' Crebbs walked from the two classrooms of Intermediate School to the two classrooms of Elementary School. His offices and that of the teachers were nearby and the library was the first feature you saw when you entered the huge facility. It was breathtaking in its arrangement and size. The shelves were stocked already in the Dewey Decimal System by someone who knew how to put things together. He stood a moment to stare around, then walked to a room where teaching supplies, materials, equipment, and books were kept. He opened the door, then stepped inside. He paused to look around himself in awe. The bulging shelves, ceiling to floor, seemed to go on forever.
-0-Central Food Production, Earth2
They stood in a state-of-the-art kitchen that defied every expectation they could imagine. The head chef, Rockwell 'Rocky' Rhodes turned to the head baker/cook/dietitian, Larry Larson. "I think we're going to need more cooks."
His partner nodded in astonishment. Nearby in another room, a pantry unlike a big grocery store held pallets of food and a row of freezers, walk-in and carefully organized lined one wall. They stared at them together. "They did this in three days."
His partner, still stunned nodded. Silently.
-0-Sciences Wing, Earth 2
They wandered in and stopped short, stunned by the size and luxury of the facility. It stretched into the distance as nearby along the wall offices beckoned. Light seemed to stream in from all directions and it felt like they were in a science lab that had no roof in the middle of a spring day. They would find that this was the way lighting had been designed everywhere. They would also find that it dimmed in the greater facility like a normal day on Earth to keep to their circadian cycle internally sound. They walked around silently for some time almost afraid to touch anything and spoil the greatness of the moment.
-0-At the Farm
They stood together, the chief agronomist, head botanist and head agricultural director before one of the several garden 'fields' set inside a huge low walled containment on a vast floor that disappeared around them it was so big. The light was bright from the overhead glassed in domes that lit up the space like a summer's day. Many were the fields and in the middle was a grove of trees, shrubs and flowers. They stared at the field knowing full well that the water system was built in. The ground was soft and ready for planting.
The agricultural director, Derek Bell, took off his shoes, rolled up his pant legs, then stepped into the dirt. He walked forward, then closed his eyes. "This feels so great."
The other two would join him. It did.
-0-In apartments all over the housing wing
They walked to the doors that bore their names, noting the piles of things that they had shipped here waiting in front of their apartments on pallets. Among them were crated dogs, cats, birds, small furry rodents, and fish. They were allowed to bring their pets and some had many. The apartments were big and spacious, had comfortable furnishings and a small kitchen. Most of them would eat in the communal dining room everyday but they had the option to cook for themselves too.
Washing facilities were here as well, a two-in-one washer/dryer designed to do the job. No one would have a 'maid' and Harris had the option of inspection. Even those who weren't known to be neat would apply themselves, at least for a while. They were on Mars after all.
-0-Administrative Offices
Cynthia Tomas sat in her big office lined with glass walls that showed the barest hints of Earth 1 in the distance. The office was amazing and fully plumbed to send and receive information swiftly. There would be no 4-20 minute delays of contact between Mars and Earth depending on where it was in its orbit of the sun. The bots would facilitate and expedite their communications.
She had a huge desk, use of one of the three secretaries out in the ante room who would help everyone until personal assistants would be chosen to help lighten their load. She would personalize her office and get in contact with Mikaela Banes and Carly Brooks-Spenser. They were the liaisons with Autobot Nation and the Consulate. Brandon Clark handled the two-way with Earth 1 and they were friends now. She felt almost light-headed as she considered her new life. She picked up the phone and pressed the correct sequence of numbers into it from her leather bound directory.
A voice sounded almost immediately. "Autobot City Communications. How may I help you?" a bot with a nice voice asked.
Cynthia smiled as she consulted her phone directory again. "I would like to place a call to Earth to my family, please."
"Please enter the number into your keypad and I will facilitate the call," the voice said. Sitting at the console at Autobot City Communications, the 'phone company' for the colony, a youngling mech ran the number against the 'special list', then put it through. It had no hold orders against it so it was cleared to go forward. If it had been tagged, it would have been recorded and the call traced to the callee. That/those individual(s) called would have been tracked electronically so threat could be assessed. If there was none, it would be filed and forgotten. If not, it would be forwarded to Special Operations where Mirage would get it. He would then personally investigate it for threat.
A moment passed, then someone spoke. "Hello?"
"Hi, Mama! This is Cynthia! I'm calling from Mars!" she said with great happiness.
"CINDY! YOU MADE IT! ARE YOU ALRIGHT!? TELL ME EVERYTHING!"
Cynthia Tomas would. Happily.
-0-Harris
He stood in the Great Mezzanine watching the outside elevator doors close. The bots and humans were gone, humans that weren't under his command. Standing with him was a number of the backers of the project. All of them claimed positions here when the plans were approved. Harris didn't mind. They were almost slavish in their loyalty to him, the one who had pushed this through to completion. He turned to them with a grin. "Shall we look around?"
They grinned, nodded, then followed him like puppy dogs as he walked through the entire facility. It would take hours and would be eerie given how gigantically massive the place was and how few humans were presently there. Their footfalls and voices would echo hollowly in the big emptiness. They wouldn't be allowed inside the command center when they reached it which rankled, but none of them made a fuss. They were too busy meeting the bot-human teams that would be everywhere for a while helping them settle in.
-0-On Earth
Groups all over the world gathered at the transport places to be ready to go to Mars. They would come in groups of 1,000 now. After the first group, it was clear that the intentions of nearly everyone was to come, do a good job and be a good neighbor. Ratchet had okayed larger groups with Prime who was busy with Cybertron and a hearing for Proteus. He left it to Rachet. Ratchet was good to go.
Then he got a call from the Pioneer School about Hero.
-0-After school in Metrotitan
Ratchet leaned back out of view, hidden to one side on the sidewalk nearby watching as an aide stood in the doorway of the Central Office which was now in a tower in Metrotitan along with her special school. The streets were busy with firemen, police, and a number of other emergency service personnel intersperced with civilians and businesses, their customers coming and going. A cafe across the street had guests eating and talking together on the sidewalk chairs and tables. It felt busy and easygoing all around. Standing with her aide, Hero with her little blue backpack firmly in place was listening as she got her marching orders.
Then with the aide watching, Hero walked to the cab stand to wait for one that had been called for her. She was small and shiny, a tiny mini-femme version of Ironhide waiting for a ride to her amma and appa's store. Some individuals walking by paused to ask if she was okay. She smiled up at them and nodded.
Then a cab drove up and paused at the stand. The door opened so Hero walked in. The door closed, then the cab pulled out. Transforming behind it, Ratchet pulled into traffic to follow discreetly. The cab drove through the cities and headed up Temple for the Polyhex Business Plaza where RTR Tools was. It pulled into a cab stand, then the door opened. A tiny femme with a blue backpack stepped out and walked down the sidewalk to her amma and appa's door. She reached it without incident. As she pondered how to open the door, a big red servo overhead pushed the button. Glancing up, Hero smiled. "ADA! I TOOK A CAB BY MYSELF TO AMMA AND APPA'S STORE! I HELPED THEM SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO COME GET ME!"
Ratchet grinned at his daughter. "You always do, baby. Tell us all about it. I think I need some Oreos."
They walked in and the door closed behind them.
-0-TBC 6-11-17 edited 6-12-17