The Diego Diaries: Roamin in the Gloamin (dd6 339)

-0-The next morning in New York

They gathered in the VIP lounge, something they were used to doing. They never flew public transport and now was no exception. The kids were sitting together or standing alone depending on how well they knew each other. They were several. Lyle Cutter and his wife, Anna were talking to the Daniels and a lawyer who was here to help them get going. Their two daughters and son sat on a couch nearby fiddling with their phones. Cora was 16 and very pretty. Terri was 14 and already was showing vivacious good looks with long blond hair and blue eyes. Their only son, 'the heir' was named Clay and would if he grew into his rangy gangling youth be a big tall man some day. He was 15.

Nearby, taking selfies for Instagram and making a lot of noise, the Walters kids were waiting. Barrett was 16, quieter appearing, cute, and had eyes that took in everything. Gina was a tall 14 and very pretty but Tinsley was the one who would be the acknowledged beauty of the three. She was tall as well, thin and outgoing. They lived in Los Angeles full time near the Walters and were denizens of the same private schools. All of them were anxious to go to Mars. No one in their group would be able to claim the first Instagram fame on another world but them. Time was a wasting.

Standing by a window staring out onto the busy airport, Tim and Amber Nast watched the show. They were Bill Nast's children and had begged to come along. They didn't want to be separated from him and he, them. He also knew he needed to do something besides hide in his house from the MASSIVE condemnation of his former friends and neighbors. Maybe they could find their footing on Mars he thought as he accepted Harvey's invitation. The only way he would go was if his kids truly wanted to do it.

They did.

Anything was better than this.

A door opened nearby and Will Lennox appeared. Behind him carrying a box were several soldiers and a couple of women that everyone knew from television. They all turned to him and quieted. He walked to the table and sat down a small box filled with helmets folded down into card deck size. He glanced around, then got to the point. "I'm Major Will Lennox. I'm senior human on Earth and I have the duty to protect and serve the community and ensure that the relationship is preserved. You will hear that a lot, The Relationship. Understand it perfectly. It's more important than any single human's presence on world. It was born in war and nurtured in the peace. Anyone who jeopardizes it will be tossed. No one puts a dent in that relationship. No one.

"This is Staff Sargent Bobby Epps and Captain Niall Graham from the UK. We're a multi-national group, the human community, with all manner of beliefs, religions and ethnic groups. If you bring your prejudices with you, button them down. Anyone who acts on them is bounced. Anyone who thinks the rules don't apply to you, good bye. I'm the alpha and the omega on world. If I decide you go, you go. I don't even have to tell you why. There are no mechanisms of appeal, that is the breadth of my authority. That applies to kids as well. Understand and remember it. There is no court of appeal. The charter gives me complete and full authority. I can kick off presidents and kings without giving a reason.

"Behind him is Staff Sargent Jessie Landon who'll be the liaison for Earth2 as appointed by me. If there's anything on your mind or if you want to check things before you do it, contact her. She's a Cybertronian citizen along with the rest of us as well and we are as knowledgeable about Mars, the Cybertronians, their law, and the way things are done as anyone you will ever meet. The other person with her is Judy Witwicky who is a director of The Resort at Autobot City and among the first three humans to have a relationship with the bots. She's probably the leader of the human colony on world with my wife, Sarah Lennox, Barbara Morshower, wife of General Morshower who leads Global N.E.S.T. Alliance and Lonnie Epps, Sargent Epps's wife.

"We're going to put you through your paces so you can go with us through the bridge to the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport where Optimus Prime and a team will meet you to discuss the limitations and liabilities of your presence. I'll be honest with you. I wouldn't allow any of you on world myself. Given your actions in the past and how you treated all of us, the bots, their kids and us soldiers? I wouldn't allow it. Optimus Prime is more merciful and forgiving, probably, than I am.

"We're going to put you through your paces and read you the rules of the road. You kids listen up as well. The reason we run a tight hard nosed ship is because if you make one mistake, you die. There will be no rescue in time. They try. They might even get you before you die in agony but what's left when they do isn't worth living. Understood?" Will asked in his direct manner.

Everyone there nodded. Then a girl clicked an image. Epps turned to her and held out his hand. "All phones. All of them. Now."

Tinsley glanced at her father. "We can't have phones?"

"You're going 194 million miles from Earth. They won't work. We bag them and you get them back when you come back. They'll be locked in the safe at N.E.S.T. Headquarters on world. All phones now." Epps took the phone from Tinsley, then everyone else gave up their phones rather meekly. He put them in the box, then nodded to Lennox.

"Right. Now we learn about environmental suits, helmets and the penalties of not using them right or tampering with them," Lennox began.

They were handed their suits made to specs for each of them. Cora glanced up at Lennox as she saw herself in the window's reflection. "These are ugly. Why one color?"

"They're designed for protection. Without them, you die in less than two minutes. You die in excruciating agony when your lungs turn to dust. As for the color … you're from Earth2 so that's their local identifying color. In the facility, you can wear what you want though most keep their gear on because its safe and precautionary. Each facility with humans has their own color to identify them. You don't have permission to change it and you aren't allowed to pin anything to it or modify it in any manner or way. Understand … any holes in that suit and you die. Besides, the material is so tough it won't allow puncture. You should thank god that it doesn't," Lennox said. "It's an exile offense to tamper with anything there or this gear."

Graham reached into a box and pulled out a flat metal device that was the size of a cell phone. He looked at Bill Nast. "Come here."

Bill Nast stared at him, then walked forward.

"This is made specifically for you. Put your thumb there," Niall said as the human touched a circle with his finger. A light flashed. "This is now keyed to your bio signature. No one else can use it. It won't work for anyone but you." He glanced around. "Understand completely. You can't take anyone elses helmet and use it. You will die. Don't hide them. Don't play around with them. Death is damned near instantaneous if you mess up. If its determined that someone died because you wanted to be funny, you face their laws, courts and prison." He then handed it to Nast. "Touch it with your thumb again."

He did, then dropped it as it sprang into life. He picked it up as Graham secured the others. "Now, put it on your head and relax." They did and as they did, the helmets sealed to the hood that covered their head. They glanced at each other in the upgraded helmets everyone now wore. Lyle Cutter turned toward Lennox. "How can we breathe in these things? Where are the tanks?"

"There aren't any," Lennox said. "Its proprietary information anyway. Let's work out the comm channels." They did and soon they were talking to each other, working out the exercises the soldiers showed them.

"All habitats and vehicles are designed to scan you and not let you out if you have a problem. It'll save your life. Don't count on going out very often. You have to earn your trust and frankly, I wouldn't count on it, some of you," Epps said bluntly.

"There's a lot of activities that can be had on world but you have to work your way forward. The population of Earth2 can attend conferences and the like among the habitats but that requires certified drivers or the hire of a bus. There are only 200 people at Earth2 right now who have the right to come and go relatively freely. We certify 50 a week now to do that. It's slow because its a lot of training. You have to know how to live in this environment and drive around in the colony without problems. You can hitch a ride with any of them if they agree but you can't command one. If they don't want to take you, don't pull rank. That'll get you kicked off world immediately. There's no caste or 1% bullshit allowed on world. If you come with a sense of entitlement or an attitude, you'll be going home with it," Epps continued. Everyone with him nodded.

Jessie stepped closer. "The human women on world are very social and do a lot of things. Book clubs, the Ladies Auxiliary, some are getting into the philosophies, and others the religions. We're a close knit community, filled with friendships and fun. We look out for each other, plan each others weddings, volunteer all over the place, welcome new babies and help raise the older ones, have parties, luncheons and get togethers, and do our duty with the idea that we're representing our species. We want that to be cherished and preserved. You can contact me at N.E.S.T. HQ or Judy at the Resort if you need advice or help. We'll do that. We won't break the rules for you or enable you. Some of us, all of us have been with the bots since Diego Garcia and Judy from day one. We love them. We LOVE them. We also are Cybertronians ourselves by Primal Decree so we work hard to preserve and extend the relationship and trust. We do it for Earth and humanity. We want them to love us as much as we love and respect them."

"Questions?" Lennox asked. There were none. He turned to the others, then Judy Witwicky. "Judy?"

She looked at the humans, then put her hands on her hips. "My son brought home a psychotic robot car once upon a time and it all changed. We're family, all of us and some of us have ended up in the middle of battlefields with these people through no fault of their own I might add. Don't fuck that up," she said.

Lennox grinned. "Good advice. Gear up."

Everyone checked their gear and had it checked by one of the party, then Lennox grinned. :Grab your gear. Both hands. What's left over will be brought over on a cart:

Everyone stared at him, then the mountain of luggage in the corner. They picked some, those choosing small bags corrected to bigger ones, then all turned to Lennox. "Follow me," he said as he turned with a couple of cases toward the door. They walked out into the concourse where those traveling to Mars were waiting as those who were coming back were leaving. A transparent barrier separated the usual concourse to the ships from that which facilitated the space bridges. Calling one up, everyone in the area froze to watch it come into life with all its violent energy. "Come on. Let's go," Lennox said as he led them forward.

Everyone followed, some with obvious fear, into the storm along with three cart loads of stuff pushed by soldiers. They entered, then it pipped out of existence. The cameras of the tourists would flash for a moment later.

Inside the whirlwind of color they walked, stepping up onto a hard surface that should have been just light. They should have fallen through but they didn't. They held their urge to vomit and as quickly reached the other side. They stepped out into a terminal with marble floors and wall to ceiling windows. They turned toward them to stare with amazement. Outside, the airfield was ever busy as two Dinobots walked past, Slag and Snarl. They continued into the hangar nearby and disappeared from view.

:You can remove your helmets. Put them in the pocket for them. We can trace every piece of equipment and apparel that you have that's bot made. If you lose it we can find it. You DON'T leave where you are if you do: Lennox said as he took off his helmet.

All did, then stared at him for more information. He glanced down the concourse, then the others with him. "Wait here. I'll see what's up." With that, he began to jog down the concourse to the gigantic open space that filled most of the building where bots came and went. It was around the corner from the set aside for the humans.

"We're on Mars and I don't have a camera," Cora said to Tinsley. All of the Cutter and Walters kids knew each other from school and some were friends while the others were friendly. The Nast kids were new to them so they stood with their father as all three stared around.

"I know. I had all kinds of plans for this moment," Tinsley replied. It was then that they all felt it, the reverberation of heavy weight under foot. The bots were coming.

-0-Daniels

They stood together, William, James and Cassie along with their only child, their son, Jason. They were feeling the strangeness and the uncertainty of their reception. The others appeared to know each other. None of them had met the other two, though they were aware of each other from the trials. All four had served time in the same maximum security prison in Colorado. William 'Bill' Daniels was a widower. James and Cassie had been high school sweethearts. Their only son, Jason was never married though he was linked to famous women now and again. He was focused to the exclusion of everything else on his career so his relationships were never long or deep.

They watched as they felt the tremors. Jason knew they were coming. He turned to his family, then leaned closer. "The bots are coming."

His family nodded, then stood closer. It was a strange feeling, the sense of vulnerability that they felt. Usually, it was the other way around. The world was upside down. Jason steeled himself to face his enemies, the sheer terror and humiliation of the last time coming completely to mind. His hands felt numb as he schooled his face. He might feel terror but Prime would never see it. It was his special power.

The kids walked toward their parents, stepping closer to them as the sight of big figures began to emerge. The first was black with huge weapons. It had to be Ironhide. Next came another that looked like him, then another, then a more slender version of him. It was intimidating to see. Behind him came a tall mech that they knew was Springer and with him, the one who was his bond, Drift. Drift looked calm and even amused as he followed the first. Somehow though, he couldn't quite dampen his intimidating affect completely. Or was it confidence? None of them could discern.

Still more came … Ultra Magnus as the official senior interface with the human habitats, Kup and Hercy for intimidating affect, Prowl because he was Prowl, then Ratchet with a grin. They walked side by side, then gathered in the open area as the human soldiers walked to them to greet each. It was then that the enormous figure of Optimus Prime appeared.

-0-TBC 4-26-18