The Diego Diaries: Processional (dd6 528)
-0-Ramstein Air Base, Germany
Silverbolt touched down and rolled forward heading toward a spot where a greeting party and ambulance waited before a massed crowd and a zillion reporters and their cameras, flashing and otherwise. He was incredibly beautiful, a glossy white with the big orange-red Autobrand prominently displayed.
It was silent for such a crowd as everyone watched with expectation for the ship to come to a halt. It did, then after a second the hatch slid back and a ramp came down. A big lanky figure appeared, Ambassador Ratchet of Iacon, then he walked down heading to the reception committee who walked up to meet him. He knelt and they began to talk together, none of which was broadcast.
A group of Khaki-clad soldiers stood nearby to get the coffin and an ambulance with its drivers and crew waited by them. It was eerily silent as they did.
-0-C.N.T. Broadcast over the M.C.A.
"That is Ambassador Ratchet meeting with officials from the base including one from Diego Garcia as a representative of General Glenn Morshower, Global N.E.S.T commanding. He is Major Andrew Settle, Brigadier General John Fulton's aide and adjutant who was married at Diego Garcia to Major Lilly Bolger-Settle by Optimus Prime himself not that long ago.
"There is also a representative of the consulate for the US government, a representative of Sector 7 who has the brief of alien activity in the solar system," Mark said, then grinned slightly. "That's not something I expected to ever say until now."
Tim grinned. "I hear ya. Here we go."
Ratchet stood then stepped toward the ramp where he waited as the troop of soldiers walked to it and was met by Will Lennox who was coming to help them carry Dobbs down. They reached him and he turned back to lead them inside.
Entering the ship, the group with Will glanced around. The inside of Silverbolt was geared to carrying individuals to important occasions. He was on the rolls as a soldier but his emerging function was to show the flag to newbies by showing his immaculate quality. They walked into a vast lounge where the casket was lying on a table. Lennox turned to them. "You get him, I'll follow you down. Or do you want me in front?"
"In front," the captain in charge said. "We'll follow you."
Will nodded and watched as the walked to the sides of the casket, hoisted it up on their shoulders, then lined up to go with their captain following. Will then walked to the door where he paused. "It's not steep but it slopes pretty good. Go slow, boys," he said. Then he stepped out.
-0-The Hourly News, LATEST BREAKING NEWS!
"That is our Major Lennox leading the group that is taking Mr. Dobbs out of Silverbolt. They will place him in the ambulance and when they do the hand off will be completed. It's a very sad orn when this has to happen but considering this is the first serious incident with a human on world in all the years they've lived here we are perhaps living mercifully," Jacx said.
Aleph nodded. Lim-Lee, Gen-O and a number of others were sitting as a panel with Jazz and Blaster giving the news report about the incident. Aleph looked at Jazz. "Jazz, how much damage has been done to the alliance between Earth and us by this sad event do you think?"
"It's hard to say, Aleph. I would hope very little. We never promised that this would be a risk free environment and we can't be responsible for the actions of some against others," Jazz replied.
"Then its clear that a human did this to Mr. Dobbs?" Lim-Lee asked.
"We're pretty clear that this is human on human violence, Lim-Lee. We're fully prepared to be wrong but we don't think so. This is a very strange circumstance and we're pursuing it with a vengeance. We're as invested in the truth as anyone else. This is a … an affront to all of us. Prime especially feels the burn."
-0-Ramstein
They walked down the ramp to the ground then slowly walked to the ambulance past a pensive Ratchet and a solemn greeting group. They reached the ambulance where Will stepped aside to allow them to slide the coffin directly in. When it was in, they closed the doors and it began to drive toward the base.
The cameras followed it a moment then turned back to the scene. Will was talking to the soldiers then shook their hands. He walked back to the group and paused to stand beside Ratchet who was kneeling again. Heads were nodding and conversation had before Ratchet stood, picked up Lennox and walked up the ramp.
He put Lennox down at the top then turned to look out. He waved a solemn wave then stepped inside. It would take only seconds for Silverbolt to lift up and gently, carefully gain elevation until he could turn on the gas and disappear. The Autobots obligation was completed.
-0-Airborne
They relaxed on a couch in the lounge, Lennox sitting next to Ratchet. "What do you think, Ratchet? What's the word on this by the way?"
"I think we got a black eye today with this. I also think they understand a bit better that this isn't an easy gig, living and working on another planet. As for this … we know it was a human. The evidence, what there is of it points to that. We also feel there's special tech involved. It would appear that someone has decoded our missing data from Sentinel's ship. Frag them by the way. I feel like someone read my diary."
"You keep a diary?" Lennox asked with a slight grin. "I want to read it."
"You would, you little voyeur, you," Ratchet said with a grin. "It's pretty steamy."
"Steamy, sexy? Or steamy, you sprung a leak somewhere?" Lennox asked.
"Fragger," Ratchet said with a grin. The warmth he felt for humans suffused him. "I love your people, you little fragger. This is a big wound for all of us."
"We know, Ratchet. We love you back," Lennox said as Silverbolt announced their landing at Mars. He slapped on his helmet and slid down to the floor to walk with Ratchet to the hatch.
Down they went to the ground where Optimus and a bunch of the send off committee waited for them. The crowds were gone and the activity was going again but they weren't off the cameras. Ratchet picked up Lennox, then they huddled to talk.
-0-C.N.T.
"They've arrived and now they're debriefing with Optimus Prime, his senior officers and Major Lennox. By the way, Lennox will be promoted to Colonel shortly as commanding of the garrison," Tim said.
"I was told he and the other two, Niall Graham and Robert Epps have turned down promotions and other assignments to stay with this program," Mark said as Tim nodded. "John Fulton was just promoted to brigadier general himself. All of them are heavily invested in all of this."
"Some say too much invested," Tim replied. "We will have a panel in a few moments to discuss this and some of those we invited have that as their determining point of view."
"The group is breaking up," Mark said as he nodded to Tim. "Colonel … soon-to-be Colonel Lennox is walking to a vehicle and there he goes. The others are heading for their Operational Center in The Fortress. Whether there will be a statement from Prime or issued through the Secretariat of State is still to be determined."
-0-On the ground at Autobot City
They walked together to The Fortress, entering to go to the conference room of the Ops Center. Others were there waiting, most of the team who was doing the investigation, scientists and Springer with Drift. They entered, Ratchet was applauded for his turn and all sat. It was silent a moment.
"Well, that's over. I think its time to get back into the whirl," Ratchet said. "You do know that Thanksgiving and the candy contest is tomorrow?"
"We do. We expect to win," Prowl said as he smirked at Ratchet. "What did you talk about with the humans, Loon?"
Ratchet grinned and the temperature of the room fell back into a normal zone. "We discussed how we hoped this would be solved soon, that the governments of most of the alliance were still solid with us, that shit happens, my words paraphrased and like that."
"Then you feel that we are still on solid ground with the humans for the most part," Optimus asked.
"I do believe so," Ratchet said. "This is a glitch in the matrix, Optimus. They understand that things will happen in this environment and we have a rebuttal to the 80,000 people living here with their own laws argument. By the way, I saw that you have two more human habitats on the drawing board with three others on the back burner."
"I do but they will not be soon. I do like having the humans here. They are a good people, the humans and they want to be here. Those that are maintain as good citizens. I want them here but this must be resolved and it must not happen again. I know it will. We ourselves are as lucky as it gets that it has not happened among our own given our people's travails," Optimus said as most in the room nodded.
"We're going to be pursuing this until we figure out what the frag is happening. Right now, we think its tech of ours that was decoded and made, brought here somehow and is in the possession of those who are here who work for the Resistance," Springer said. "We scanned the habitats for our tech in close proximity to humans but found nothing. I'm of the opinion that they figured out how to make it with human materials. It might not function as fully as our tech but it functions enough that they can do what they did and get away with it. For now anyway."
Wheeljack nodded. "I agree. Somehow, I think they created something and use it. It might be as effective as our versions or it might not. That means their technical proficiency is rising and that isn't good for anyone."
"No, it is not," Prime said grimly. "What about the two spies? I have talked to Lennox and Morshower about it and have asked them to be transferred to Earth2 for permanent duty. They have agreed. That puts them on the grid with Paribolus who is working to cover them full time. Given that everyone is in the habitats until further notice we can listen and watch them more closely."
"Good idea," Raptor said. "They appear to be the best suspects thus far unless we missed someone."
"I'm having the Ghost team on Earth and our Smoke group here do background on every human here minus the usual suspects to find out what if any links they might have to the Family or the Resistance. I would also like to find any links to M.E.C.H. anyone might have. It would appear that they've risen from the dead. Until we know where Silas is we can't discount them."
"Dibs," Springer said grimly.
"Done deal," Prowl said. He glanced at Ratchet. "So, Loon … what is this I hear about a candy contest?"
Everyone turned to Ratchet with amusement. He smiled brilliantly. "You mean the one I've already won with my genius?"
HUGE catcalls and laughter. Thank goodness.
-0-On the street shortly later
"Come to the store with me. I have to get my stuff for candy making, slagger. You have to help me," Ratchet said as he ambled along with Ironhide.
"Frag. Do I get to be taste tester?" he asked with a hopeful little grin just like Orion and a handful of other little Ironhide faces grinned when they grinned, the cuties.
Ratchet grinned. "You can be the guinea pig. I promise not to poison you with my genius."
"Frag me," Ironhide said with a grin. "Sounds like a deal."
They disappeared into the mid morning crowd on the way to the Mall of Metroplex and destiny.
-0-TBC 11-24-18 edited 11-25-18
ESL
voyeur (voy-yur) someone who likes to watch, invited or not
For those of you going to the Bumblebee movie early, good on you. :D I can't go to shows when they come out because deaths and the like mess with my muse. HUGS and have a great time.