The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 42)
-0-Meeting
Laughter.
"Where were we?" Prowl asked with a smirk.
"My turn," Ironhide said as he entered the room. He walked to the table, then sat. "We're good. Thanks for asking."
Huge laughter greeted that. Prowl frowned. "Details?"
"We have it," Ironhide said.
Prowl stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. Next?"
Neo smiled. "I can tell you about the seniors, Prowl."
Grins filled the room as Prowl nodded. "I would love to hear a real report." He leveled a gaze at Ironhide who was eating Ratchet's last donut. He smiled with a mouthful, a mirror image of a smaller mech of similar design and temperament. Groans filled the room as Ratchet grinned proudly. The acorn didn't fall far from the tree with these two.
Neo who laughed began. "We have organized groups to visit shut-ins, some of which are due to infirmity and others because of emotional problems. We also take elders to their appointments and we have organized visits to their homes by different groups including clubs and others who sit and chat or help them with chores. Many of our elders are alone while their family works so we look after them.
"We are having a crafts exhibition in the senior centers with some of the crafts on display of great antiquity and rarity. We invite all of you to come. They will be on display for a decaorn with some being sent to or returned to the museums afterward. Some of our elders are the last practitioners of their different skills. The Elder Project by the Museum and University are recording them and having the elders tell about them and their lives. Some of them have agreed to take on apprentices and work in the common rooms of their local senior center. It's a good way to get out and socialize.
"We have organized the femmes in the colony. Our president is Docker of Uraya," Neo said glancing at Ratchet. Ratchet grinned. His little amma was a fireball. "What we want to do is mentor our little infant femmes and help new adas. Having babies is a lot of work and commitment for some of these young femmes so we have that group starting to help them. Our professional femme group is always open to femmes to join. We want to make sure that femmes have a voice in the community.
"We also are starting a program about femme issues and events on community access channel 15 which will be broadcast twice a decaorn and will feature our local femme population and that on Cybertron. We are allied with Nautilass, a femme producer and director from the old orns who wants to make programs about femmes and children both here and on Cybertron. She has formed a company, Femme Voices, that will take on the production end. She will be working both here and on Cybertron to create programming and will handle the production side of the community broadcast program. All in all, we are doing just fine," Neo said with a big smile. She got applause and smiles.
Sciences and City Hall gave their reports as Wheeljack and Magnus said their pieces. Wheeljack held back some of his report due to Owen Harris being present but Magnus didn't. "We have the Mausoleum and the Basilica ready for the state funeral for the deceased, Optimus. We will be posting the order of the funeral on the Community Bulletin Board. The last time we had a real one was for Nominus. The hurried mess for Sentinel doesn't qualify.
"There will be adequate security. I have worked out plans with Springer for the Watch and Inferno for emergency services. We expect everyone in the colony that doesn't have a job that is essential to be there. I would suggest to the humans that they don't come. We are expecting all 20,000,000 of our locals to show up," Magnus said to the humans who nodded. "As for the colony itself, we're building the road to Earth2 and extending it beyond. It will take a few decaorns to get it up to our standards because the terrain beyond there is rocky.
"Festival is coming up July 16th on the Terran calendar. We have been working out the process of the processional from the Tower and the solemnities. We had a few bots get sick last time and it was difficult to get to them during the waiting period. We have made a plan with emergency services to improve that difficulty. Other than that, the Temple and Pavilion will be ready. Lord Lauren can speak to that himself but for The City itself, we are ready to go."
Lauren nodded. "We are. We are in the process of getting the Temple in first class shape and for the display this year, we are going to be putting out icons, venerations and other important relics from the shrines. There will be detailed descriptions for those who come to see the articles so they can know what they are, why they are special and where they came from. We expect several millions over the ten orn period of display.
"As for the shrines themselves … we have them under construction, small replica sites of the originals. Those that can be are part of the city-state that they were originally found. We are putting them into the cities here of the same name and some six have been placed in other cities because their own is not among our named habitations. I have been informed that there is a lot of interest in having them back. I am delighted to know that. My staff and volunteers, members of the Museum and University have been helping sort through our stores to find those items that belong to each. I am so happy that they will be there once more giving comfort and continuity to our people."
:Lord Lauren … some of the things you put there will be very valuable, right: Bobby Epps asked.
Lauren nodded. "Some of them are of the most important historical and spiritual value to us."
:What about security? I ask out of curiosity. Will there be security at these places for these things?: he asked.
It was quiet a moment as everyone stared at Epps. Then Lauren spoke. "I have faith that nothing will happen to them. These are our shrines after all," Lauren said as if that was enough.
Epps nodded with a grin. :That's good to know:
"It would be a very bad thing to rob a shrine," Prowl said. "We hold some places in veneration and outside of base urges."
"Some of us do," Ratchet said. "All of the shrines were flattened on Cybertron. I'm surprised they weren't pillaged."
Everyone nodded, then turned back to Lauren and his group. He nodded to Prime. "That is all for now, Lord Optimus."
Prowl turned to Cyclonus. He was with the chief scribe and two others who were leaders of their community. "We are prepared to open the Monastery to visitors during the festival. We will have a display in the building that will showcase some of the oldest books recovered from Cybertron, all of them relating to the Monastery. We are prepared to meet and greet visitors through the decaorn following the festival.
"As for the situation involving the Functionalists, we have had some problems here and there but nothing major. We will hope that it stays that way. We will protect the Monastery and our people."
"Have you notified Springer? We would like to have that be the first step," Prowl said as Prime nodded.
"I would like to track the reported individuals, Cyclonus. If they're lone wolves, then fine but if they aren't then we need to know more," Springer said.
Cyclonus glanced at him, then Prime. "I reserve the right to defend the Monastery. As for the rest, it will be reported."
"What have you heard, Springer? Is there a problem stemming from this event?" Prime asked.
Springer glanced at Drift. "Just a few bar fights so far. I'm not aware of anything from the Monastery or from the community. I would expect to be informed," Springer said glancing at Cyclonus.
"I expect that everyone will. We are not Cybertron under Sentinel. We are what we are supposed to be now and I will not tolerate lone wolf reprisals. Let everyone do their jobs," Prime said.
Prowl nodded. "It will be easier to deal with them judicially if this is done right. Speaking of which … Barron?"
Barron reported on the caseload of the courts and the speediness that was available now for the accused. He talked about the cases of the political prisoners, about Karyll Wheelus and his minions, some cases that were coming due on Cybertron along with a sealed report sent to Prowl for Prime about the status of the alternative 'bad' Autobots who had been brought here to give Alternate Megatron a shot at saving his Cybertron, and a number of other things pending. It was generic enough that the humans didn't get it but detailed enough for everyone else to follow.
By the time they reached the end having gone through a lot of departments to fill in Prime and each other, Prowl signaled for everyone civilian to leave. The military side of the meeting was to roll out and the civilians took their leave with grins and jokes. Will Lennox walked toward Prowl and communicated off line. Then Prowl sent a message to Wheeljack. He leaned in toward Harris. :You're going to be allowed to stay through the rest of this meeting because the soldiers stay for them. Usually. However, because you aren't military and because you're new here, all of you will lose your audio:
Wheeljack pulled a device, then tuned out Harris, Burnell and Brandon Clark. Clark was trusted and without Harris here would have been allowed to listen in but it was easier to make this about civilian v military rather than trusted v asshole. Harris had no time to speak before the silence enveloped him. He glanced at the other humans who were lounging. They grinned and shrugged. Clark did as well as the conversation went onward without them.
"We need a report on the Home Guard, the DMZ status update, the Cybertronian local cluster report, Home Guard recruitment and training on Cybertron, the status of de-Decepticoning the former troops to become Autobots, the ..." Prowl would continue to list the items needing update. It would take a bit of time for him to finish. It would take longer for those reporting to do so too.
-0-A couple of joors later …
"So ..." Prime grinned.
Harris, Burnell and Clark had their hearing back for this, the Good of the Order. It was a 'thing' Harris would find out.
"So anyway, Hero is taking cabs. I could snivel about them growing up too fast but Ironhide has that," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
"My baby is growing up," Raptor said on a monitor nearby. "So is Scout. He's in school now. How you doing, son?" he asked Blackjack who was on another monitor in another district on Cybertron.
Blackjack frowned. "Don't talk to me. YOU DIDN'T HELP ME KEEP HIM OUT! TRAITOR!"
"Cry baby," Turbine said from another monitor. "Did I ever tell you how cute you look when you whine?"
"DON'T TRY TO SWEET TALK ME OUT OF THIS, ADA!" Blackjack said.
"How about I make your favorite cookies and send them over," Turbine said with a grin.
"That kind you used to make me when we came to the beach house?" Blackjack asked. Turbine nodded. "I THINK IT'S THE LEAST YOU CAN DO! I'll have someone watch for them."
Huge laughter.
"You remind me of my grandson," Devcon said with a grin.
"Your grandson is adorable," Ratchet said. He glanced at Prowl. "Does he belong to you too, slagger?"
Prowl grinned. "Maybe."
"What about Prima and Resolve?" Ratchet asked. "What's their status?"
"Prima is in the Academy. So is Resolve," Venture said as Perceptor nodded. "That makes Prowler, Resolve, Sojourner, Solus, Scout, and Prima in that school."
"It's a very fine school," Perceptor said. "They have a very fine curriculum and their social programs are stellar. We both want Resolve to have the best of both worlds."
"Percy was accelerated and it was hard to be so young among older kids," Wheeljack said. "We don't want that for Resolve."
"He needs a good coterie of friends and fellows," Perceptor said in his elegant voice.
Everyone grinned and nodded. Raptor especially. "You accelerated Ironhide, 'Jack. That wasn't a lot of fun if I remember."
"You were accelerated in school? In what parallel universe?" -most of the room and I paraphrase
Ironhide turned a cute little frown on the others. "Slaggers. I'll have you know, I was jumped up levels in school."
"You hide it very well." -everyone and I paraphrase again
"HA-HA!" Ironhide said with a grin. "Very funny."
"Where you, Raptor?" Ratchet asked.
"No," Hard Drive said. "He was too busy getting into trouble. Little slagger sat in the corner half his educational experience."
"Then it runs in the family?" Springer asked. "I do believe Orion takes after you then."
"He does," Raptor said with enormous pride. "That little mech is mine. Dibs."
"In your dreams, slagger," Prowl said to everyone's delight.
Owen Harris listened with fascination. This wasn't like any meeting he had ever attended and probably never would. For the rest of them it was normal.
-0-TBC 6-19-17 edited 6-26-17
paraphrase: (para-fraze) To take someone's statement and give the meaning without making it word for word what they said. To give the basic meaning of what they said.