The Diego Diaries: Visitation (dd6 384)
-0-Earth2
They sat on couches along a window that looked out onto the desert and the sight of the tips of communication towers for the Consulate in the distance. The light was bright as it raced toward noon, the warmth generated through the windows welcome. Ratchet sat on the floor, then grinned. "Speak away."
"Did you get our proposals, Mr. Ambassador?" Kyle Davis asked as defacto fall back business agent.
"I did. They're on my agenda when I meet the Prime shortly," Ratchet replied.
"When will that be?" he asked.
"Lunch time in all likelihood. I have to meet the mob at The Diner On The Corner. I'll get with him there," Ratchet replied.
"That seems a rather informal place to discuss such serious measures," Hamilton Brown said.
"Not really," Ratchet said. "We aren't terribly formal nor hierarchical here. I would think you'd have noticed that by now."
"We do," Owen Harris replied. "We're just very interested in his considered opinion."
"Prime considers very heavily everything, gentlemen," Ratchet said. "He's the sole leader of a good dozen inhabited worlds including this one. Our empire encompasses a lot of territory and each have their own problems and needs. Your proposals will be given good consideration."
They chatted about this and that part of this and that idea, then the subject changed to collaborative possibilities. "We would like to affect exchanges between your schools and ours. We would like all of our kids to have the chance to know alien individuals of their own age and perhaps share part of what it means to be human with them. We would like educational, cultural and friendship exchanges in place," Cynthia Tomas suggested.
Ratchet nodded. "I agree. The more, the merrier. Our infant league football has humans already playing and would be a good point of convergence for the human children here. It's not touch or tackle. Its flag football."
"We would love that. Who do we write?" Cynthia asked as she drew out a small datapad and began to write down things.
"The school board. Send it to the Central Office where Herling will get it first. He'll add it to the agenda at the next meeting and will message you so you can be there. He really likes human kids and inclusion is a thing for him," Ratchet said. "I see no trouble, really, because some humans are already there."
"We would also like to use the facilities on Trypticon. We want to make documentaries about the colony and the different aspects of its features. Having adults and children using them would make that interesting. I don't think many know about Trypticon and what he means," Owen said.
"Trypticon is the result of a number of unethical people getting together to get their way at all costs and creating instead a open path to our doom," Ratchet said. "When you have no conscience and you don't care what the outcome of your progress to a problem, then the answers that spring out of that can be difficult. It's debatable if Trypticon is sentient in the manner that other titans are. He's a malevolent dangerous individual they made but could neither maintain nor defend. Trypticon is more healthy and put together now than he ever was during his rampages. He's in deep medical stasis and will stay that way if and until we ever figure out how he can live any other way. He's profoundly dangerous otherwise."
"Then he doesn't know he's being used as a platform for various functions?" Steve Jameson asked.
"No. He doesn't. Good thing for both sides. He would kill everyone there, then come here and repeat the process. He's not an individual that can be reasoned with," Ratchet replied. "I will put your request on the list."
"Ambassador … what do you really believe will happen to our request to expand and to do ventures beyond the walls of this place?" Hamilton asked. "Truthfully."
Ratchet considered his question, then shrugged. "We won't allow digging here for any number of reasons. This organic world is still unknown in many different ways. Organic material exists here, elements of organic material that indicate that life may have existed here long ago on its own. If you did up things that you aren't prepared for, you could die of viruses or unexpected compounds for which you have no exposure and thereby, no immunity. We also don't try to destroy places we live. This world could end up like Earth in no time. You don't seem to get the idea that poisoning your own bed is a bad idea. Everything that you need or could want we can supply from space and we do."
"You dig. You excavate," Kyle Davis countered.
"We test drill to figure out the composition of this place. We test drill for water sources. We dig in two places for energon, then cover them to pristine recreation when we decide its deep and big enough. We're interested in finding out the make up of this world without destroying it to do so. You tend to break things and ignore the consequences to the bigger picture. We don't do things for sport here, not on the big overriding issues."
They stared at each other, aware that neither side was going to give an inch. "Our requests and that of others for off world habitations … how are those going?" Owen Harris asked.
"They're being examined by Sciences and our Public Works and Building commissions. We're going over them with a fine toothed comb considering your probably improbable request to live in these habitations and places without our presence," Ratchet said. "But they're being weighed seriously. All of your requests are."
They discussed several more items, then Ratchet arose. "I must motor. I have lunch coming up and interviews with reporters here from Earth. I understand that they intend to live here and at the other places to get the big picture. How's that going?"
"Very well," Cynthia said. "We welcome the scrutiny."
Ratchet nodded. "Having information out there builds allegiances. Good luck. I'll inform you about your requests as soon as Prime gives his decisions." With that, he nodded, then walked down the concourse to the doors and the outside world.
They watched him go, then turned to each other. "He's going to continue to play hardball. They want to limit us to agriculture, minor science and industry. This is very frustrating." Pierre Beliveau said.
Owen nodded. "Then we put on the pressure via Earth. The first step, Operation Reporters." He grinned. "We must keep the pressure on and see what happens. This place is just the first relatively autonomous habitat we want to have on world or anywhere else. When will they be here?"
"This afternoon," Cynthia replied as they walked toward the administrative block of the facility.
Watching them go were several high power teenaged girls. Reporters were coming. They were elated.
Now was their time to make their mark. They followed at a distance, then ducked into their school for the remainder of the day's session.
-0-The Diner On The Corner
They entered, then sat, big mechs all, some of them bearing heavy arms attached to this and that part of their anatomy. Hercy and Kup pushed tables together and sat along with half a dozen other big mechs and Ratchet. He grinned at the medic. "How was the confab with Harris and his minions?"
"They want expansions here and on several moons. They want autonomy on any facility off world," Ratchet said. "They want to expand their resource base to expand their industry. It's a litany every time we meet up."
"You don't have to even go there, Old Mech. You do this to yourself," Ironhide said as he took his beer from the waiters. They had his number before he even looked at the menu.
They made their orders, took their drinks, then kicked back. "What's this about the big habitat that Prime's supposed to be building? Its supposed to have 60,000 humans there who work for him and make all kinds of slag. Or so some say," Springer said as he grinned at Ratchet.
"I heard it was 20,000 and grew pumpkins," Ratchet said.
"It's getting out of hand. Prime has to take a stand. Pro-pumpkin forces are demanding satisfaction. By the way, I like pumpkin pie," Springer replied.
"I'll make you one," Ratchet said.
"No rush," Springer replied before Ratchet crunched his ped under the table.
"OW."
"Serves you right. I give you the best decaorns of my life and this is how you treat me? Sad ungrateful wretch," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile.
"Sort of describes you, Springer," Kup said as food began to be placed before them.
"Suck up," Springer said.
They organized and began to eat their food. "I heard that they want a facility on Europa. Not a bad choice but they can't live there alone. I've been there. It's not a good place for organics to hang out." Drift glanced at Springer. "Pass the condiments if you would."
Springer did, then glanced at Ratchet. "I agree. What do you think Prime will do?"
"I don't know. I'll tell him what we discussed and let him mull it over," Ratchet said. "He has his own mind on this and wants to keep it under as much control as he can. The rumor is less far fetched than the idea that humans can live on system moons without us there, too."
The conversation continued.
"Have you seen Partition and Lancer?" Springer asked. "They seem to have fallen off the planet lately."
"You know … young love," Ratchet said with a snicker.
"Do we?" Drift asked with a smirk at Springer.
Springer who might not be that young but knew a lot more about love now than he ever did before glanced at Drift. "We do."
Huge laughter greeted that.
The door opened as Prime and Prowl walked in to join them. Pulling up chairs, they ordered, then sat back to watch the others eat.
"I see you waited for us," Prime said with a grin.
"Like one piggy waits for another," Ratchet said. "I have requests for you. Forward bases, drilling and digging, more expansive local facilities and individuals to live and work there, documentaries on and off world, trips to Trypticon for adults and children, cooperation between the schools … I think that's about that."
Prime nodded. "They are persistent. Meet with me and Jetta to discuss some of them orn after tomorrow. It is the celebration orn at the Shrine for Solus Prime tomorrow, so we are going to be there to pay respects. Between that and pressing issues on Cybertron, I will not be available before then."
"I'll let them know. Are you going to allow humans into the shrines on their celebration orns?" Ironhide asked.
"The locals. Maybe some of the certified from other habitats. I am still mulling it over," Prime said as he ate his sandwich.
A BLT was a BLT was a BLT.
"What's happening on Cybertron?" Smokescreen asked. "I haven't been back on rotation in a while. I'm commanding Diego now, after all." Huge laughter greeted that as Smokescreen grinned. "Slaggers. You're jealous of my mercurial rise in the ranks."
"That's us." -Everyone there.
"We're going to Iacon to see the building there, then Capital City. Housing is rising everywhere but there's still way too many who aren't sheltered decently," Prowl said. "No new word on the Omega Keys. Its going to be luck that finds them. There are no more on Cybertron. The rest are elsewhere."
"We've been lucky this far. We'll be lucky again, buzzkill," Ratchet said with a smirk. "We need a road trip, the two of us and the Squad to find them."
"We need to tie one on," Prowl said. "How are your genitors and grand genitors?"
"A lot better. I got the report on Amma Corr a joor ago from the techs who examined him this morning. He's showing great improvement. They want to keep all of them for two more orns, then send them home with Home Healthcare support," Ratchet said.
"Good," Prowl said with sparkfelt relief. "When do we pony up the Squad?" he asked with a smirk.
"Given that some are in the hospital and others aren't, how about we meet this halfway and tie one on tonight?" Ratchet asked.
"That's halfway?" Springer asked with a chuckle.
"In my book it is," Ratchet said with a grin. "Clear your decks, infant. We're going on the town tonight." Then he glanced at a highly amused Prime. "Right, Dad?"
"Only if I can go," Optimus said.
Before it was all said and done, all of the bonds of the major Squaddies and half the freeloading slaggers at the table would be going as well. It was going to be crowded at the bars in the old town tonight.
-0-TBC 6-14-18 edited 6-23-18
NOTES:
BLT: Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich. You toast three pieces of bread, put mayo on them, stack bacon, sliced tomatoes, lettuce, onions and the like between the double layers, then cut them diagonally to stack on a plate and stuff your face. I love BLTs. They're a cold sandwich otherwise and a hard one to mess up. Some put cheese on them, too. Yum.