The Diego Diaries: After The Ball Is Over (dd6 378)
Here's the thing … we're motoring toward summer solstice and because of it we have almost no darkness up here. On June 21st, there will be none at all. You think its 3 or 4 in the afternoon and its midnight. Happened last night. SIGH! HERE WE GO! PS! I wasn't able to get on until now. HIDEY-HO!
-0-Ops Center, The Fortress
They came into the conference room in twos or threes, settling down with cup and plate, their good humor, most of them, still lingering from the night before. Ratchet and Ironhide sat together, Ironhide with a sprinkle covered donut in each servo. Ratchet was feeling no pain either. When Prowl and Prime cruised in, everyone was there including a selection of humans from all habitats, a new innovation, and the door closed behind them. Sitting, Prowl shot the agenda around, then glanced at Ratchet with a smirk. "I see you found your way home."
"Don't ask me how," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
"You were riding Ironhide piggyback to your building. I have a work order to fix a dent in the light pole just outside of the service entrance to the Central Labor Hall," Jetta said to great applause and laughter.
"Well, aren't we a pair?" Ratchet asked as he glanced at Ironhide.
"A pair a what?" Ironhide asked as he downed the second donut. He loved sprinkles.
"Well …," Prowl said, then he glanced at his datapad. "Yes. Let's begin. A debrief of the battle and department reports related."
Hard Drive grinned, then glanced at the humans. :Does that go first given who's here?:
:I think it might be instructive: Prime said.
"Very well. We had a close quarters shoot out with a massed enemy battle group, one directed by the maniac criminal, Shrike. He was a career criminal on Cybertron who had been an ally to unscrupulous corporate and political interests which allowed him to get away with just about anything he wanted to do. There were rumors that Sentinel Prime made it clear that he wasn't to be picked up. He robbed and raided everyone and everything, being smart enough to keep the bribes large and frequent.
"At the start of the battle, the chaos prevented us from locating his ship right away. As it was, a good third to nearly half of his fleet fled before they became disabled or boxed in. It would appear that he was among them or he bridged right about the same time. Those ships who couldn't escape were built to contain thousands of troops. We were only able to bag less than 500 due to escapes made through bridge tech on their vessels. As it was, nearly all of them were destroyed or so damaged that they're going to be deconstructed for tech, any modifications that might need assessing, then smelted. Roadie has the few that could be salvaged at the shipyard north of us. He will fill us in on any innovations or tech that's worth considering for ourselves.
"All of the databases are pulled and turned over to Special Operations for examination. Elita and Jazz have them," Hardie said. "Many were the dead on site, about 1,200 or so. We have placed the wounded in the prison hospital and security wards of Medical. The site is going to be left to some degree with a beacon signaling what happens if you enter Autobot territory with malice in mind. All in all, it was a hard mission but met all the set goals."
"Thank you, General," Prime said. "Is the prison sufficient for this and perhaps other roundups?"
Jetta nodded. "Yes. It has a lot of room yet. Combined with Gee-Gee's ability to rehab inmates, we'd have to take a very, very large number before we'd have to expand."
"Very well," Prime said as he glanced at Lennox. "You were retrieved before Omega went through the bridge, correct?"
:We were. Thanks, Optimus. That would have been a rough ride in: Lennox said as the others nodded.
"You would have survived without harm unless vomiting is considered that among your kind," Ratchet said. "The box has a system that reacts in emergencies like this to buffet the blows."
:Good to know: Lennox said. :I personally consider vomiting lethal but that's just me:
Every human there nodded and agreed.
Prowl who was smirking at them shook his helm. "Wimps."
Laughter loud and long along with insults supported that point of view, then the meeting continued. "Tell me about the damage here, Jetta," Optimus asked.
"We took a big hit. Omega is on the mend by the way." Everyone was highly relieved. "What we're doing now is sounding the buildings for structural integrity, taking out the wreckage and setting them up to be repaired. As of the report this morning, they can be repaired. The Museum is collecting the relics for restoration. I don't know how that's going but all but two things have been recovered to varying degrees. An ancient tiny miniature of Solus Prime and a crystal jewel seeing stone credited to Onyx Prime are still being sought." He showed a holographic image of them from the device on the table. They were extremely beautiful and delicate. "We've asked the Stanix community committee to send a seer over to help look. They sent word to Cybertron for one and he's going to be here this afternoon."
"Good," Prime said.
:May I ask a question?:
Everyone glanced down at Owen Harris who was sitting on a chair with the other humans who were here for the meeting. "What question?" Jetta asked.
:What is a seer and what do they do?: Owen asked.
Everyone stared at him, then Jetta, then Prime. Prime nodded to Jetta. He looked at the humans, then leaned closer. "A seer can read energy, predict things, know things without being told, see spirits and ghosts, has insight into the afterlife, takes messages from the Pantheon, assists people in their lives, can find lost things and people, heal those with sickness both in body and spirit, knows when someone lies, has precognition, and can tell you about yourself in ways no one else could know. They're holy among our people. They aren't made, they're born."
The humans stared at Jetta, then Lennox nodded. :We have those kinds of people on Earth. Psychics, mediums and stuff like that:
The bots searched online, then looked at them. "Sort of like that. This is more solid, more dependable and accurate. I'm not saying I don't believe your own practitioners. I'm just saying the accuracy of our own is off the charts." He looked at Prime. "I'll let you know what he says about the missing articles and I'm having him assess the damage as well."
Prime nodded. "Thank you. The sooner the better. I worry about the loss."
Jetta nodded. "We know."
The conversation continued with updates about city services … they were building a hall for basketball due to overarching demand … more halfway houses for disabled individuals, more cooperation with the medical and service communities on Cybertron, more refugees coming, more requests from Earth for access to the planet to make films. There was a standing request to make films in cooperation with Galaxy Films, a request given to Jazz to research.
The Temple and Monastery weighed in. The families of the Functionalists were making some progress though it was considered too soon for the children to mingle with others. Their families were working at the jobs set up by the Monastery but they were lacking in spontaneity, curiosity and friendliness.
"They're very button down, Prime. They don't interact very much with others including the adults. The children play if you suggest it but they don't otherwise. It's very perplexing. I'm considering giving them to foster families in the colony rather than allow them to be under the influence of their genitors to see if we can break through the walls. They're not making enough progress to make this feel like there will be potential at some point for them to become who we hope they will be. I have contacted Functionalist families in the colony for a meeting. The processor health workers will be there as well. Perhaps something this abrupt will prompt some sort of response other than nods and silent compliance," Cyclonus said.
Prime nodded. "It is perplexing," he said as he glanced at Jarro who was sitting with Rung along the wall. "What do you notice, gentlemen, that we can work with to assist them? Perhaps having the Seer go there as well?"
"This is a process, Prime. These children were trained from separation to comply. Allow me to pose a similar situation. There was a polygamist group on Earth, one that was secretive and for good reason. They were raided for child abuse of all kinds. It would appear that when their babies were born, they were punished until they learned even then not to cry. Complete and utter compliance was the ultimate goal and it would appear that this happened here. It might take forever or it might take until a momentary threshold is reached where a breakthrough will happen. We will ask the Seer to come and give his impressions. We will not give up," Jarro said.
Prime nodded. "Thank you. We have all absorbed too much trauma. We hope that we can all find our way back to the light."
Jarro nodded. "We're all in this for that outcome, Optimus."
The meeting went onward, then 'for the good of the order' mercifully arrived. Out came the cows. Two tiny cows stood on the table staring at humans in chairs. Then Flipper walked over to park his tiny butt on Will Lennox's lap. Bellowing at the weight, Lennox shoved. He couldn't budge the imp so Jetta moved him, putting him and Pudding down the table. :Thanks, Jetta. That cow may be small but he weighs a ton:
A scanner hit him as Ratchet checked, then grinned. "Wimp."
Huge laughter. Then Lennox grinned. :How does it feel to have another son-in-law?:
Ironhide grinned. "Good. More help moving furniture."
"Don't bring that up. Remember?" Ratchet asked with a smile.
"I CAN'T FORGET! I AM IRONHIDE! I WAS ABUSED! CASTE COURT! CASTE COURT!" Ironhide bellowed to huge laughter and ridicule from everyone.
:Are there any caste courts coming?: Brandon Clark asked.
"Oh frag no," Ironhide said. "Slaggers. Need to toe the line. I, IRONHIDE, CHAOS BRINGER OF THE AUTOBOTS SAY SO!"
"Pass me a donut, infant," Turbine asked with a grin.
"Okay, Amma," Ironhide said as he slid a plate closer to his amma. HUGE ridiculing laughter greeted that. Ironhide grinned. "I want a cow. Just saying. I'm going to say so until I get one. Every meeting from now until the end of time. I, IRONHIDE, HAVE SPOKEN!"
"Shut up, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
"Okay," Ironhide said to a tidal wave of ridicule.
Mirage who was lounging against the wall turned toward Springer and Drift who were snickering behind Ironhide's back. Literally. "I heard the Squad is doing the town. I suppose you're going for backup and clean up."
HUGE snickering erupted. "So I'm told. Standing order and you know me … I'm all about obedience."
"Is that true, Drift?" Jazz asked through the laughter and insults.
Drift glanced at Springer who was smirking at Jazz. "Is it?"
Springer nodded. "Yep."
Drift glanced at Jazz. "Yep."
"Ah. You got him house trained. Nothing like losing your edge," Warlord said with a chuckle.
"Neutered," Jazz replied.
"Neutered?" Drift asked, then everyone in the room downloaded the meaning. Everyone in the room sat up straighter, then glanced at each other.
"WTF?!" -everyone in the room
Then everyone stared at the humans sitting on the chairs. They stared back, then Epps looked at Jazz. :What?:
"Neutered. Do they really do … you know … cut things off … down there?" Jazz asked with aching and agonized loathing. Everyone watched Epps the same way.
:Snip stuff?: Epps asked. :You mean your bearings? Your balls? That stuff?: he asked because he was Epps.
"OH PRIMUS!"
"OH GOD! DON'T TELL ME!"
"TELL ME! TELL ME!" (Ratchet, of course)
"ARGH!" -everyone including all the human males there
:Whiners: Epps said. :It's not so bad. What do you think they cut off?:
Several mechs stood, then sat as the rest of the room Prime included curdled to varying degrees.
Ratchet who was laughing looked at the humans. "Do you mean this?" he said before he projected a short video of someone getting a vasectomy.
"ARGH!"
STAMPEDE!
Flinging oneself against others in the rush to leave!
Prime trying to duck under the table in a surprised automatic reaction.
Prowl staring with PROFOUND ROOTED SURPRISE at the images showing.
Humans climbing over each other to 'fight or flight'.
Then it flickered off. Ratchet looked at everyone who paused in their mania, then smiled. "Wimps."
It would take a while to pull himself out of the garbage can in the hallway where he was stuffed by half the room. It would still be funny to him.
And worth it.
-0-TBC 6-8-18
The polygamy colony in question was run by an industrial scale pedophile named Jeffers. When the media went there to talk to the women, they were stunned by the lack of affect, emotions, understanding and the like they exhibited. When the boys born there got about 16, they were chased off. They had to run for it from the colonies because they were competition for the adult men. There is a set of grandparents who were driven off from the colony and despair of ever seeing their grandchildren again.
All 100 of them.