The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 474)
-0-After the meeting
Everyone went their way but for the usual suspects. Ironhide glanced at Prime. "Where are you going to be today, Prime?"
"I am going to Cybertron to visit the shrines and Temple District," Optimus said. "They prioritized the Temple first, the locals, and I have to see how things are going and what they need to make things better for housing."
"I'll go with you," Ironhide said. "Halo and me." He patted his hold as the two rose to walk to the door and beyond.
Prowl and Ratchet watched them go. "I almost forgot we had one of those."
Prowl snickered. "You can always give them to me. I have a couple around the house."
"Greedy," Ratchet said as he paused to listen to an internal communication. "Well, well, well. We have a stowaway. Again." He stood. "Gotta go take care of an interplanetary incident."
"Do tell later," Prowl said. "Of course, unless you want me along as well."
"Couldn't hurt. I thought you had slag to do," Ratchet said as Prowl stood.
"I do, slagger," Prowl replied as he walked with Ratchet to the door. "Some of us, however, can do more than one thing at a time."
"I can do that, too," Ratchet replied with a dazzling smile.
"You can't chew gum and walk at the same time, Loser," Prowl said as Ratchet's laughter trailed behind them as they left.
-0-Temple District, Cybertron
They stepped out of a bridge in the clear space that was part of the Temple District, one of the oldest places on Cybertron. In their zeal to honor Him, The People built the Temple here where the Well sprang from His body. It's typical of most cultures to have their own tales of how things began, to put order into a chaotic world and find answers to great questions … where did I come from? Am I alone? Who listens to me when I cry out?
Those places often have famous names … Delphi, Stonehenge, the Mahabodhi Tree, Mounts Pele, Sinai and Kalais, Uttar Pradesh, Mecca, and even Crater Lake in Oregon are considered sacred to people all over the world. Here, Simfur was the sacred center. Many are the cultures on Earth who consider such places the navel of the world. Stonehenge was considered to be that place once upon a time and so was this one.
It was beautiful once, a shining place of contemplation and repose. There were schools all around it where scholars worked, writers, and teachers with their students parsing the meanings inherent in all events and writings, family residences of priests and those who helped manage the enormous collections of materials and the buildings themselves. It was here that the relics of greatest reverence lived. The Matrix Flame which signaled whether a Prime was in residence in this dimension or not, the AllSpark, the enigmatic cube that was considered the oldest thing known, and It was, along with the Well of AllSparks, the direct route into the soul and innermost being of Primus himself, They were all here.
Then the war finally came hard and for this space along with the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea and the shrines, a truce and promise was made on all sides that they would be spared. But like everything else in the carnage of war, that promise wasn't kept. This place was cratered when it was clear that the AllSpark was gone. The Decepticons at Megatron's command obliterated the place as best they could for revenge. No one was spared and many died including religious and priests. It was a catastrophe.
That is, it was until it became known that the irreplaceable genius of their people had been carted off to sites and gathered during the run up to war. Shrines with their deep levels and vaults galore, archival posts and other places down deep into the body of Primus were packed with all manner of their greatness, from their thoughts to their crafts. Now, they were trying to find them and bring them up again, to be the light for The People.
Optimus walked along the Great Platform upon which the Temple sat in better times. It was cleared and the surface was now itself again, smooth, broad and open. It gleamed in the lights of the towers around the area. The Temple itself was now a skeleton of spires rising up into the dark sky as crews worked. They were following the old plan to make it the best possible copy. In the middle of the vast building was the empty hole of the Well that disappeared into the darkness, some said to the center of the planet. Gone was the gentle blue surface with mist rising. Gone was the vast greatness of the AllSpark turning slowly in the lights overhead. It was a cavernous work in progress now.
Both of them stopped before entering into the lighted area. They kept to he shadows to look around undisturbed. "This is hard to see," Prime said.
Ironhide nodded. "I loved this place. Amma would come here to do ceremonies or to build something and bring me along to watch and listen. There were a lot of Makers then. They'd give him more and more of what they knew each time so that no one would die and take it with them. Pretty soon, he had all of it. Good thing." He glanced around. "Did you ever come here? I never asked."
"No. I did as Prime but there was no time for the Festival. I regret that. I could not come before and after ascension, there was no time because things went sideways immediately. It is all so ..." Prime shook his helm. "We need to meet the people here. I would like you to find out how the building goes for housing. I do not want their piety to make more hardship for themselves. They mean as well as anyone here."
Ironhide nodded. "This place is special, Prime. They love it and we do, too. I'll check with the local housing authority officials."
Prime nodded. "Good. Let us go," he said, then walked forward. He was almost immediately swarmed by grateful civilians and soldiers.
-0-On the way
They drove on the highway heading toward Unidad Terra 1. John Fulton who was here for the quarterly review of the N.E.S.T. garrison and their Diego counterparts had called to say they had another stowaway. The stowaway was at Unidad with him, something that prompted a story Ratchet was sure. He was tuned up to hear it. Right now, he was bantering with Prowler. "Fragger. Then we have to go to school to get the word for conferences. You KNOW that'll be interrupted. Did I tell you that some of the human kids are sort of … not teasing but getting nosy about Fireball and Lumi?"
"No," Prowl replied as he turned off at the roundabout and sped up to go to the roads that led to Unidad. "What's going on?"
"They ask a lot of questions. You know how they hold servos all the time and hang out, right?" Ratchet grinned as he followed on Prowl's bumper. "Just cute sweet stuff but the humans are nosy, the slaggers."
"And you aren't?" Prowl asked with a grin.
"That's beside the point," Ratchet replied.
They headed down the left turnoff ramp to go to Unidad which loomed ahead of them like a giant looming thing. Reaching the huge paved parking lot, they drove into the habitat entrance as the doors began to close behind them again.
Earlier …
They climbed into the car and drove to Unidad, Bobby Epps and Michael Allen. The kid peppered him with questions as they sped along, driving in sentient and non-sentient traffic down the long eight lane highway that led to Unidad. They could see it in the distance, this behemoth place with the dome filled with mostly brown and tannish terrain broken here and there with patches of green. Behind them, driving with abandon to catch up, a vehicle with John Fulton, Will Lennox, Niall Graham, and Corey McFarlane sped along, too. When they reached the habitat, they joined Epps inside as the doors closed behind them.
Parking in the visitor's part of the motor pool, they climbed out and then into an electrical car pulling a trailer with seats for passengers. With Epps driving, everyone clambered in and he took off. Across the grand concourse they sped, then stopped at a light as they entered the road system painted on the floor and marked by traffic lights, sidewalks and the streets inside the city themselves. Michael Allen stared around as they drove inside the city, traveling several city sized blocks before turning left on Main Street. Driving down it, they pulled over in the loading zone of several businesses. Epps climbed out and so did the others. He turned to Allen. "We're going inside. When was the last time you had a decent meal?"
He looked at the men, then shrugged. "Two days ago."
"Come on in," Epps said as he led the way. "My grandmother owns this place. She'll feed you."
Allen followed as the others did, walking into the busy restaurant to sit in a table by the window. Tennessee, Epps's older sister walked over with a smile. "What brings you here? I figured you'd be fighting Decepticons for all mankind?"
The soldiers snickered, then Epps pulled her aside to whisper. She glanced at the youngster, then nodded. "Wait here. We have fried chicken and cornbread. Have you had lunch yet?"
John Fulton grinned. "Even if I already did? No," he said to laughter and snickering.
She walked off with a smile, then they all turned to look at the kid. He blanched slightly, but sat up straight and squared his shoulders. Fulton gave him his 'alright, recruit' face that worked on everyone but his wife and kids. "Spill. All of it, kid."
Michael Allen sagged a little. "I always wanted to be an astronomer. I took hard classes, got tutors and worked at conservatories every summer since I was a freshman in high school. My dad and mom liked that I did. I took all of them … chemistry, biology, math, hard math … physics. I wanted to learn and know things. The Autobots being here are like … magnets. You just want to be with them and learn things. Everyone I know wants to come here. Everyone.
"I finished high school at the International School in Dubai where my dad works on a three year project for his company. He works for an oil company doing deep planet geology, finding out where minerals are and all that. My mom likes to do what she wants … she wanted to be a teacher and trained to be one but she didn't like it. It's like she's in between figuring out what she wants so she does what she wants. She likes to make jewelry and has a business selling antique kinds on Instagram. She likes collecting art, African mostly and knitting and crocheting. She's artistic.
"They want me to go to college but I want to come here. I want to learn what they know. So … uh … my dad knows the expediter, the guy who gets stuff together from the Middle East to ship to Mars. He's a guy who manages shipping for a number of companies who do export to this place for the habitats. So … I peeked at his invoices, got the codes and numbers, then made my crate. Its filled with food and stuff," he said, hesitating to elaborate on his other functional aspects. "I had myself delivered and waited. I put myself into a shipment that was going to Mars the next day."
"How did you know?" McFarlane asked as he sipped the tea a waitress had brought to all of them, tea and coffee.
"Uh … I hacked their computer system," Michael said. The men smirked at him which for Allen was a lot better than throwing chairs or handcuffing him. He took that as a positive. "I made it here. I'm here. On Mars. Eating cornbread." He grinned at them. "And I'm only eighteen."
"You could be eighty-eight and still be in a world of hurt," Will said as big plates began to arrive.
It was the usual excellence, fried chicken, cornbread, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy with a small touch of homemade cranberry sauce for zest. More tea and coffee came, then so did Merlie. She beamed at them. "My, my, you haven't been in for a while, boys. Colonel, what a delight to see you again." They stood when she came and sat when she was given a chair by her grandson. "Why thank you, Robert." she said as she sat and took in the youngster who was looking at her warily. "Then this is our young explorer?"
"It is, Grandma," Epps said. "This is Michael Allen who mailed himself here. He wants to stay."
"Don't we all?" Merlie asked with a grin. "Well, young man. I can only imagine what your family is thinking right now."
"They don't know. I told them I was staying the weekend with friends," Michael replied.
"Well, that isn't right. William?" she asked Lennox who was stuffing his face. "Can you get them on the line, or better yet, go get them?"
Lennox froze, then sat back. "Do you really want them to come here, Mama?" he asked. "They might not be very happy or even willing to come to another planet to paddle their son."
Grins made it around the table minus Michael Allen.
"Well, I would come. If one of my children or grandchildren was so disrespectful as to go to another planet without telling me, I would find a way."
"Can I finish lunch, Mama?" William asked with a touch more of neediness than he wanted. Huge laughter greeted that.
Merlie smiled. "Of course. Eat up," she said. "You, too, young man. You'll need your strength when your mama and papa find out about this."
-0-An hour later
Knock, knock, knock.
A pretty woman answered the door wearing a long dress and nice jewelry. "Yes?" she asked, then noted the military uniforms of the men who were outside. "What's wrong? Is something wrong?" she asked.
"Uh, no, ma'am. Could we come in to talk?" Robert Epps said. "I'm Master Sargent Robert Epps of the United States Air Force and this is Major Lennox of the U.S. Army."
She stared at them, then stepped aside. "Come in." The door closed.
[Silence a moment in the hallway. Then the sound of a heated one-way exchange could be heard through the doors]
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT MY SON MAILED HIMSELF TO MARS!? WHO GAVE THAT BOY PERMISSION TO GO TO ANOTHER PLANET!? WHERE IS HIS FATHER!? JAMES! I HAVE TO CALL JAMES!"
She would.
-0-In the foyer of Unidad Terra 1
Two giant robots stood in the bright light of the concourse. Several humans had seen them and they had galloped over to chat. One sometimes saw Ratchet here but never Prowl. The two had gotten word that Lennox and Epps were gathering up the family to bridge into the foyer in moments. They hadn't been informed themselves nor granted permission for that to happen. Prowl had asked John Fulton who sat on a seat in a small electrical car with a grin on his face. He'd replied, "I don't know nothing about nothing."
Prowl had frowned.
Ratchet had laughed loudly.
Fulton and the boys with him looked contented and amused.
The tense infant with them appeared to be the stowaway.
Apparently, General Merlie was organizing an intervention.
Just like her grandson knew she would.
The moments passed pleasantly by until the sound of a space bridge bursting into life nearby drew everyone's attention. Stepping from it with a jolted expression, common the first time around, a tall good looking middle aged black man in a suit, his distressed wife in a long pretty dress carrying a white fluffy dog and three littler awestruck kids stepped out with Epps and Lennox. They glanced around in shock including the little dog, then the woman fixed her eyes upon the young kid who was trying to hide behind Corey McFarlane.
"MICHAEL JAMES ALLEN! WHO IN THE HELL GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO LEAVE THE PLANET!?" she cried out.
For Ratchet, it was love at first sight.
-0-TBC 9-18-19