The Diego Diaries: Party (dd6 319)
When I don't show up, its because I can't get in. An email usually resolves it but if there isn't an update, that's almost always why. HERE WE GO!
-0-At the barbecue
The sun had settled with the coming of night. Lights here and there had come on and the area was warm with a soft illumination. The space was filled with people eating, standing together to talk or getting drinks at the bar tent. Some of them knew each other and most knew of each other. Shop was the main topic, the political, business, and media inside game making the rounds of the crowd. Joining them at the tables where they were sitting to eat, Harper James and Colin Brady made their way and the conversation though zeroed into the projects they were promoting had strayed to the cars. Apparently, they weren't the only humans at the party who were enamored about them.
"I've never seen so many great cars before." Brady glanced at Warren. "Apparently, working for the bots pays well."
Ironhide smirked. "Working for the bots makes everything right."
The conversation flowed as they talked cars, then Bay looked at Raptor. "What's your favorite model? I've probably blow up more cars that anyone you'll ever know."
Raptor considered that. "I like them all. By the way, not everyone is happy about your movies. You do know that there's real individuals for each of the characters you killed, some of them very well liked and respected."
Bay shrugged. "Its show business. I tell stories. People watch them. The bots make interesting heroes and villains and its not personal."
"To you, maybe. You killed Ironhide and Ratchet for no good reason. That doesn't even count Jazz and the others," Ironhide said.
"It's just a story, Ivor," Bay said to Ironhide aka 'Ivor Burnshard'.
"Not to the Cybertronians. They weren't amused. You want to come to make movies on Mars? What kind?" Ironhide asked.
"I want to make a science fiction movie and use the terrain and city for the film," Bay said.
"Then you have a script and plan already," Ratchet asked.
"No. I want to look around first. Getting ideas there would be the trick and I think relatively easy. The local media scene would be one I'd like to explore and work out collaborations," Bay said.
Everyone stared at him, then Prowl smirked. "Call Jack Melcher. He's the one to get the inside track for this request."
"Who do we have to talk to about our requests besides Prime?" Colin Brady asked. "And you, too. We could use advice and allies."
"You made them to Ratchet. He's going to bring them to the Prime and the senior Autobots will go through them. They're fair. Nothing is dismissed out of hand. If your ideas are good and have a point to them beyond exploitation and greed, then you might have a good chance to make headway. There are a lot of businesses and opportunities already for humans on world," Turbine said.
"The Resort is a big investment of the bots in the human community. The humans wanted to make a platform for humans to come and enjoy the colony and the bots. It was a way to promote understanding possible between both sides," Niall Graham said. "The relationship between the bots and the humans is very important and protected."
"That's a huge facility. Earth2 is as well. All of the habitats were built by the bots and we understand that we're asking a lot but we want to move forward. We want to be part of the bigger picture out there," Harper said.
"They aren't against building what habitations are needed. They are, after all, only leased to you for a century at a time. Autobot Nation owns them and can end their occupation should a breach of the contracts are made," Delphi said as Carly Brooks-Spencer nodded.
"They're very scrupulous and honorable about their agreements," Carly said. "The buildings and their maintenance are the province of the bots. We don't own but, rather, lease them. I'd think that practice would hold for any further habitations for humans on world."
"Even the big habitat that's being rumored?" Harper said with a grin.
"I would love to know more about that," Optimus said. "That rumor has been plaguing us for some time."
"What's the likelihood, in your opinion, that Prime would agree?" Colin Brady asked.
"He is open to good ideas and plans. There is no immediate refusal for good solid plans, but the greatest feature of the relationship is between the two camps. The relationship on world is protected and valued," Optimus replied. "No one would be allowed to stay who would jeopardize that."
"The two hot heads. Have you met them?" Harper asked. "What's the story on one of them getting arrested and ending up in bot jail?"
Blackjack shrugged. "He trespassed on Autobot territory during a Thanksgiving party and caused a fight. He threatened to hurt a bot who works on the floor. It was a mess and they fell under bot jurisdiction according to treaties and agreements. I think they need booted but Prime is merciful. More so than me," he said as the others nodded.
"Harvey and Lou Richardson want to send the Daniels and Galloway to Earth2 to work for them," Brady said. "What do you suppose Prime will say to that?"
The group glanced at each other, then shrugged. "Prime keeps his own council," Hard Drive said. "He never tells us anything." Hardie leaned forward slightly. "What do you know about them? The Richardsons? I heard that they dabble in the fringe groups … the Resistance and The Family."
"They're right wingers, really far right. Nothing would surprise me about them. I don't like them. They're provincial and dull. They have no point beyond securing what they want any way they can get it," Brady said.
"And you aren't?" Ratchet asked with a grin. The two grinned back.
"I don't think we're in their league," Harper said.
Grins met that remark. A phone rang, then Warren pulled one from his pocket. Reading the text that had arrived, he grinned, then rose. "I have a call to make. Excuse me a moment. Maureen?"
Maureen excused herself and walked with Warren. "What is it?"
"The bots asked me to step away a moment with you so they could talk frankly," Warren said with a grin. "Let's get dessert. They're going to ping me when its safe to come back." They entered the food tent and disappeared together.
Ironhide leaned closer. "What's really on your mind? Everyone has the story they tell and the one they don't. What about you?"
"You want allies, then you better level with us," Ratchet said as the others including Carly nodded. "You won't find better allies or worse enemies than us."
"What's your back story then?" Brady asked.
"We work on R and D. Our purpose is to find things to help Earth recover from stupid exploitation. We have the long game in mind. Of course, all the rest follows," Hardie said without elaborating. He would leave that to the humans to fill in themselves, in their own minds.
"There's a lot of money to be made if the right circumstances present themselves," Harper said.
"They run a cashless society. Its all about giving to get back. No one on Mars is going to pay you for what you do," Prowl said.
"They run businesses on Earth," Brady said.
"For their Foundation. The Prime Foundation gives all of its funding away to help humans and the planet. There's no influence peddling, no games, all of their investments are made ethically, all of the information is on public display, and no one suffers because of it. It's how they roll," Delphi said. "I actually prefer it."
"We want to be players in the game. We represent several trillion dollars worth of investment capital and we're prepared to spend it to have a place at the table," Brady said. "My group, Harper's, the tech nerds in New York … those are just some of the players ready to work for a piece of the pie."
"A space station between Mars and Earth, stations on moons … what else have you heard? Someone has to be floating the idea about the habitat because I don't hear it on Mars," Blackjack said as the others nodded.
"My money is on the tech nerds in New York," Harper sand as Brady agreed.
"That's just the beginning. What about interplanetary trade? What about exchanges of goods, services and technology? There's no end to the possibilities," Brady said as Harper nodded.
"True, that," Alor said. "But it hinges on the bots doing the heavy lifting. I'd suggest a respectful attitude, brutal honesty and no underhanded crap. They weren't born yesterday and they've met about any sort of person possible. They can't be fooled easily."
They sat back, then nodded. "Would you advocate for us?" Harper asked.
They stared at him, then each other, pretending to mull it over. "Send us your plans. We'll go over them. If they look viable or if we can give you advice, we will. I wouldn't mind more humans there. We come and go. It'd be nice to see more humans," Prowl said.
They would discuss things for a bit longer, exchange numbers and email, then Warren would come back.
-0-Three joors later
They drove through the space bridge at the end of the road, slipping from Mars to Earth. It had taken over an hour of car talk before they could make their way onward. When they did, they had the names and numbers, emails and basic information of over 37 humans with money and dreams that were interconnected through this push. They were also interconnected to a lot of big money slaggers who had no problem shivving the Autobots in the back.
Driving to The Fortress, taking a trip to the wash racks for the changeover, they gathered at last in the conference room. Kicking back, it was a pensive group arrayed around the big table. Prime glanced at Neo and Laret. "What did you discover, if anything, Neo? Laret?"
They glanced at each other, then Prime. "They were very much interested in coming here but I didn't get a good feeling from them, some of them anyway. There were some very nice people there who want to be a part of the colony in what I felt was an ethical manner but there were others, too, with dark auras and what felt like hidden agendas. I don't think I trust them," Neo said as Laret nodded. "Colin Brady and Harper James. They're too intense for my tastes. I've seen too many like their kind to trust them fully."
Prime nodded. "I agree. Sometimes, you have to have them close to keep them from being problematic. We will go over the plans and proposals after the weekend."
"Are you going to allow Bay to come here to work?" Ratchet asked with a smile. "He only cares for you."
"And Bee," Springer said with a smirk.
"That, too," Ratchet said. "I figured you'd lay him out on the ground a moment there."
"Me?" Springer asked with a smirk. "Not in front of witnesses."
"There are several who want to come and work in the industries here. Perhaps he can be one of many and we can control them better that way." Prime grinned. "Its mid afternoon here. Take the afternoon off if you have nothing to do."
"War games tomorrow," Turbine said as he stood. "Dinobots and raptors. I can't wait."
Huge laughter met that as they stood and began to wander out. Tomorrow would be a barn burner.
-0-Home again, jiggity jig
"What do you think? Trouble or manageable?"
Ironhide shrugged. "I think having your enemies close is good. As for the moon operations, I don't know. It'd be easier to gather the helium and take it to Earth. If we give it away, then no complaints."
"Unless you sell gas," Ratchet said with a grin. "I don't know. I wonder what Prime will do about all of it especially the Daniels and Galloway situation. Bay is small potatoes to me but those slaggers? Major problems. I'd bring them here to see what they do, who they do it with and how it all turns out. The news showed them getting out of prison today."
-0-Earlier in the day
They sat in the room where they were going over their departure. They were exonerated by their pardons so there were no halfway houses or other features of release to hold them back. Their families were waiting for them, Tom Jaspers included following the fix of his paperwork glitch, so they were ready to go. The Daniels were going to William's big estate in Virginia. Theodore Galloway was going back to his home in Chicago and Nast to his family in Houston. Jaspers who had family in Hawaii was going there for the duration. All of them had been contacted by the Richardsons and were going to lie low for a few days until things were ironed out.
The Warden of their prison, someone deeply unhappy about the pardons entered the room. Staring at them with unconcealed contempt, he nodded toward the door. "Your cars are waiting. I personally will be open for business if you ever decide to sell us out again. If you do, don't ever expect to get out of here again. At least, not alive."
They stood to gather their things, feeling the oppression of everyone's contempt. Staring at the warden and two guards with defiance and some concern, they followed them out, down the corridor, signed the release paperwork, then were turned them over to their own personal security, two lawyers representing all of them and a counselor.
"There's a lot of media out there. We're going in a straight line and get in the cars. You ready?" the counselor asked. "No comments whatsoever."
They nodded. Then the group of them walked out the door into a fusillade of cameras, shouting reporters and infuriated screaming protesters.
-0-TBC 4-6-18 edited 4-12-18