The Diego Diaries: Inter Face (dd6 465)
NOTE: Paradoxes are slaggers to read and write, though this one didn't leave me alone. These threads weave in and out of each other. I am going to tag this better so you can know who everyone is and where they are. :D
-0-On a dimensional plane far away
They watched the various timelines in the company of Vector the Time Master. It was perplexing and difficult to see but in the swirl of timelines and various possible outcomes to outcomes to outcomes, the calculations were being made. He turned to His brother, the leader of Their band. "What do You wish to do now? There are a number of possibilities."
Prima stared at the different groups facing different situations not of their own making and shook His helm. "Nothing at the moment. We would disturb things more if We intervene right now. They have hooked up, each individual involved, and the timelines are changed. We will when the moment comes. I want to deal with Him at once, He and His minions. He has no respect for The People. This is unacceptable."
Onyx nodded. "We can take the individuals on but the tears in time… they are difficult."
Prima nodded. "They are. He will find my wrath difficult as well," He said coldly. "Very difficult indeed."
-0-At a party
They walked into the apartment and the open arms of his family. The house was better than the one they had, though their home wasn't very bad in his own timeline. It was actually pretty good since he wasn't high caste but this one was planetary diameters better, great even. He stared at his ada who grinned at him, then he frowned. "Springer … what is this?" He looked at the mech's armor.
"Camo," Springer managed before his atar embraced him tightly.
-0-Kaon, same dimension (Shattered Glass Springer - SGSpringer)
The alternative Springer from the mirror universe found himself inside a strange town as he walked through the same neighborhoods that once were part of his plunder zone. Where there was despair and criminality brought about through the corruption of Optimus Prime, here was only beauty, a whirl of businesses and an urban vibe that was filled with hope and peace. It was sickening. He trudged around looking at clubs that were actual clubs, not the hangouts of criminals who were working their turf.
In his version of Kaon and the surrounding areas, there wasn't so much a destruction of property like that of the Martian Cybertronians but rather the destruction of spirits, souls and hopes. They extorted and robbed, went wherever they wanted and took whatever they saw that appealed. The area here was much more beautiful and vibrant than his own even before the ascension of his criminal Optimus to Prime. This place looked like theirs would if someone in charge had actually always fulfilled their charter.
He paused on a sidewalk, then headed for a kiosk. Finding the address of a mech he ran with, he walked down the street to the club he operated. Pausing before The Keyhole, he glanced around. There were nice looking civilian youngsters hanging in the clubs and walking about, those who looked like they never stole so much as a match stick along with others, those who lived in the towers around and those who worked or shopped here. It was a profound disconnect to him. He entered the bar, stepping into something that would make no sense at all where he lived.
Instead of criminals sitting around with pleasure bots, minor local crooks, crooked politicians who didn't feel the need to hide their associations, and danger junkies from around the area, there were what appeared to be normal citizens sitting in the bar or eating food in the lounge. There were games in a corner and soft music played. The smell of substances was missing, replaced by the smell of food that was actually enticing. The floors were clean and the walls had no holes in them. The furniture looked almost new though he doubted that it was. Youngling mechs and a sweet looking femme brought food and drinks, took orders and chatted happily with the customers. Behind a bar nearby, one of two that wrapped around the corner of the wall, the mech he was looking for was busy wiping the bar down.
That alone told him he was in the wrong place.
Walking to the bar, he leaned against it. The bartender, a mech named Battletrap grinned. "What can I get ya, Springer?"
"Whatever's good," Springer said as he watched the Duocon walk to the dispenser and pull a tall one. Walking back, he set it before him. "How's business? What's crime like around here?"
"Business is booming as usual," the duo changer said. He was a tall mech, big and tough looking who had two formats, both of which he had never used, though he was in the Peace Keepers, the nickname for the Autobot Armed Forces as a reservist. "You should know better than to ask. There's no crime around here. This is Kaon. Though, I would like to report taggers. They like to draw pictures on the walls in the alley. Some of them are good."
Springer sipped the beer, a Praxian Black Label of all things, then nodded. This mech could become an Apache-style helicopter and a heavy duty pickup truck. He had slagging tough weapons but this mech was no one he knew. This one talked about peace and taggers, not mayhem, extortion and war. "I'll get someone on it."
"Thanks," he said with a grin. "How's Ironhide? How's that nice kid of yours?"
"Both are good," Springer replied. "You know how it is."
"I do. My mech is due to separate in a decaorn. Kid number five," Battletrap said proudly. "Can I get you some food?"
"No, actually," Springer said as he stood. "I have to get to a meeting. I'm just checking out businesses to see if things are good. What do I owe you?"
Battletrap laughed, then shook his helm. "You're a kidder, Springer. Take care and come back again. Bring Ironhide and we'll beat you both at darts again."
Springer smirked at the implied flaw in his game, then nodded. "Thanks. Say hi to everyone for me."
"I will," Battletrap said with a grin and a wave. He took Springer's glass, then walked to the back of the big bar.
Springer slowed as he reached the door to stare at the rest of the place. He glanced around at the classy club, then walked out. He felt the first stirrings of real fear for the first time in ages.
-0-Later that night (Martian Springer - MSpringer)
Springer stood by the window staring into the night. Iacon was an immensely beautiful city any time of the orn but night was magical. Ships flew through the sky in approved lanes overhead while the lights of towers and buildings glittered. In the distance, Springer saw them disappear into the darkness of night, fading away in sight toward the city of Tarn.
They had a wonderful time at the dinner with Springer mostly watching and listening to his genitors, his grand genitors and uncles. There were adult children for all of them here, none of which he knew. When the war came, they had no children which was fortunate, only a sub adult Springer who had been separated while they were still in business. They were always talking about having them when 'things got better'. They would have had Galaxy Industries not taken their business away. It was hard sledding to keep everyone together and alive following that so dreams were deferred. They weren't here. ]
Nothing seemed deferred here.
His ada had held his servo, delighted that his only son was there. His father, his atar had told stories of the old orns, even some that Springer remembered. Others, he didn't. His grand genitors were as wonderful as he remembered and so were his uncles. Some of their bonds were new to him here but one wasn't. It was warm, beautiful, spark affirming, and over too soon. They walked out laughing and chatting as they made a date for a school break to go to the Beacons, whatever that was, then they flew back. It was a strange evening as they sat with Drift going over what they wanted him to do about his bullies and what they were planning to do themselves. Then it was bed time.
Bed time with a stranger.
"I have to do some work a moment, Ironhide," Springer had said. "You go on ahead."
"Don't stay up too late," Ironhide had said as he kissed Springer. With a grin, he walked into the berth room, did his business, then went to bed.
Springer stood rooted to the spot for a moment, then shook his helm. / … you're an idiot … as long as you don't face, this doesn't matter … / He walked into the home office and sat down, spending a couple of joors orienting himself to this paradigm and what/who/when/where everything/one was. It was not as complicated as he thought but there were a few players he didn't know and some he did were different. There were some missing. Like his ada. Others were strange.
Prowl and Jazz.
He thought about it and even though he knew how tight Prowl and Prime were he could see that pairing. Apparently, Ironhide and himself had the only younger child in their group since everyone elses had grown to adulthood or they were childless. He, himself was the ada of Drift.
He had a sparkling. He had had a sparkling himself.
His mind failed to process that, but he liked the kid a lot. No surprise there. He was sweet, smart, gentle, and kindly. Just the kind of kid he himself would want. That he looked like Drift pressed all his buttons. He was going to intervene on the slag himself, of that he was positive. He rose after a bit, then walked to the windows. Staring out, he wondered where the alt Springer and his own Prowl were. Then he walked to the office, sat down and put a call through to The Citadel.
"This is The Citadel. How may I help you?" a femme's voice answered.
"This is Commander Springer. I would like to speak to Commander Prowl. It's a bit of an emergency," he replied.
"Please wait, Commander while I check your voice pattern," the voice said. There was a pause, then she was back. "The Commander is at The Residence. I can put you through if you wish."
"I do," Springer said. He waited, shot through with anxiety, then a cautious sounding measured voice replied. "This is Prowl."
Springer nearly stood up in his anxiety. "Prowl. This is Springer."
"Yes," the voice asked with a trace of anxiety.
"Your Springer. The one from Mars."
It was deadly silent, then a venting sound could be heard. "Where are you?"
"I'm with Ironhide. I'm in his apartment. This is fragged to the nth degree. I have to have an excuse to get out of here before I punch him for patting my aft," Springer said.
"Give me a moment," Prowl said as he frantically thought. "Tell him I summoned you for a mission. Tell him I'll need you a couple of orns. Then get over here. I'll get you inside somehow."
"Does this Prime know you aren't his Prowl?" Springer asked in a soft voice.
"He does," Prowl said. "But I don't want to tell him you're coming. He's with Sentinel."
Springer felt revulsion go through his systems. "Sentinel."
"Get over here. I'll tell you later," Prowl said.
"Alright. Springer out," he said, then rose. Erasing his computer activity, he walked through the dark house to the berth room where Ironhide was recharging. Sitting down, he gently nudged Ironhide who awoke. "Prowl wants me at The Residence. Some sort of short mission. I might be gone a couple of orns."
"Frag Prowl," Ironhide said with a grin. "You're going to miss the staff meeting tomorrow."
Springer grinned in spite of himself. "Lucky me and I had so much stuff for the good of the order."
"Good of the order? That sounds like fun," Ironhide said. He pulled Springer down, then kissed him. "Let me know what's up. Check in."
Springer rose, then nodded. "I will." He turned to go, then paused. "Help Drift. Those fraggers better get it straight or I'll take care of it myself. I promise you, they won't like it."
Ironhide stared at Springer and the unaccustomed burst of implied violence. He nodded. "I'm on it."
Springer nodded then walked to the door. He paused. "Let me know." Then he walked out.
Ironhide stared at the doorway, then lay back down. He considered the strange sensation again, the one he only felt when he kissed Springer. It was odd but brief. Maybe he was working too long and hard. They could use that vacation in the Beacons. He shifted to his side and fell into recharge once more.
-0-Outside
Springer had taken a metro to the district in Iacon which was the 'Primal Core' or area where the Primes lived with their families and those most necessary to their day-to-day operation. It was a beautiful area of brilliantly old houses no more than 50 stories high, with ornate facings to the buildings which were accessed by old fashioned steps. Central to the entire area, The Residence of the Primes of the Cybertronian Empire sat. It was three stories high, highly ornamental and landscaped with a big double door leading inside. He walked to the gate, nodded to the guards on duty, then walked to the stairs that led inside. He had never been here but the air of it with all its imposing history was nearly overwhelming to him, a Cybertronian home boy.
The doors weren't locked but before he could open one, it opened on its own. Prowl stood inside, pensive and oddly tattooed. Springer walked in as Prowl closed the door silently, putting a digit up to his lips. "Off line," he whispered. :Come with me: With that, Prowl walked back stealthfully toward the grand staircase, an old fashioned affectation that The Residence had. Upward they went, then on the residence level he led the way to his suite. They entered, then stood silently listening for anyone who might be out and about.
Prowl nearly sagged with relief. "I never though I'd be so glad to see you, slagger."
"What? The first Mrs. Optimus Prime isn't welcome here? Wherever this is?" Springer said in spite of things.
"Slagger," Prowl said as he walked through the rooms to the balcony. He opened the glass doors, then stepped out with Springer following. They stood a moment to listen, then Prowl gripped his arm. "How did you get here?"
"Same as you. Ratchet said something about this dimension being farther away than our own and that of the alternative Megatron's. Something about us not being able to stay in the same dimension together, filling the same space. There's something weird about them as compared to us and Megatron's people's energetic signature. It made my processor hurt and here I am."
"If you're here, then this universe's Springer is either here or with Megatron."
"That could be so and it could be that both Megatron's Springer and me are here as well. He doesn't seem to be on Mars or the Empire and Megatron messaged Prime that no one had seem him there just before I popped out. It could be that that maniac is here."
"Oh frag," Prowl said with emotion.
"I would say so as well," a voice said as the two of them spun around to face it. Standing in the doorway, listening to the two of them, Optimus Prime had stealthed in himself. He wasn't alone when he did. Standing behind him was Sentinel.
-0-TBC 9-9-18
Notes to come tomorrow. Had slag to do. I will go back and try to annotate the preceding parts to make them easier to read. Hugs.