The Diego Diaries: Boom (dd6 616)

=0=Earth2, early evening

The light outside was fading as the curve of Olympus Mons made short work of the weak light of a winterish-springish afternoon. Lights outside and in began to sensor themselves into duty as in the distance the faint light of the Tri-Cities could be seen flickering. The facility was subdued as the entire population gathered around the vast foyer watching the bots who stood near the doorway with their monster sized guns and their watchful eyes.

:This is going to be slag duty, I think: Sideswipe said. :We have a game shortly and frankly, I'm glad:

:This place has some nice people. The kids are good. Mostly: Sunstreaker said as he leaned against the wall, his swords slipping in and out of his wrist gauntlets in imitation of his brother. Both of them were watching nervously with Roadbuster and Kup. Hercy had gone with the forensics and Watch teams to shake down the apartments of not only the victim but the remaining mercenaries who were residing at the moment in the carry holds of several of the bots.

Prime was nearby with Prowl in conversation with an animated Hamilton Brown, a pensive Kyle Davis and a silent Owen Harris. The 100 or so visitors were standing around them listening and watching the conversation. Barron was with them answering questions that Brown was bringing up.

:That little twerp is the one that got Autobot City syndrome, right?: Kup asked.

Sunstreaker nodded. :Some slagger named Brown. He told Prime that Harris was out to get him. He said that he wanted to help defend us against Harris. It's really pretty hysterical when they go off like that:

Everyone nodded, then Roadbuster elbowed Kup. Nodding toward the windows nearby, they watched as several girls came toward them. They were the daughters of the leadership, Rain Harris, Camilla Brown and three others that were new with the Daniels and Galloway group. They were walking over to have a chat with the big mechs when a woman stepped forward from a group of them nearby.

"Girls. Come over here," she said. She was the wife of Lyle Cutter, Cassie Cutter. "You were told to stay out of the way."

The girls slowed, then reluctantly walked to her and a group of others that included the recently arrived Emma Richardson, wife of Louis Richardson, Jr. He was the son of Harvey Richardson who had finagled the pardons for Daniels, Galloway and the others. He and his father were major investors in the Mars project and Earth2. Louis had apparently decided to run away with the circus, too.

The mechs watched them go to the group of kids that were lounging nearby watching them and everything else going on. Prime had come by at Christmas but had not been inside since it was opened. It was astonishing to everyone sitting in the group how big the mech was. They were also impressed with the others including the twins who they knew from Platoon and football.

And basketball.

Kids loved jocks.

It was an amusing conversation among the children as they waited with everyone else to see where this would go.

=0=Conversing nearby

"We have deadlines on research, on shipping and some of us run our Earth based businesses from here. Its all timely, Prime. Having no communications with Earth is going to be a huge problem," Kyle said as he contemplated the chaos that could occur to his businesses without his direction.

Louis Richardson watched him, then the bots. He studied them, this silent intense man and took notes. He was here to be his father's eyes and ears, to see what was going on, to attend the meetings and live in the facility so that they could both determine their plans for themselves and the Resistance which they belonged to on what they thought was the down low.

Unfortunately for the movements on Earth that wanted all bots gone, Smoke and Ghost Hunt were making big inroads into their underground organization with all its many tentacles in business and governments. The network was being discovered and plotted between the group on Mars and that on Earth which worked in tandem for Autobot Nation and Prime.

Everyone in the Senior Autobots knew who Louis and Harvey Richardson were and a lot of their most private and personal business.

"The charters stand. Someone is killing the mercenaries here and I will not allow it. The charter is invoked. Your arguments have no merit or standing," Prime said as he arose.

Across the concourse, Springer and Drift were walking toward them. They paused beside Prowl and all had an off line conversation, more because they could than because they needed to. It was amusing to Springer and Prowl to do so in front of individuals who expected to get their way.

Prime was too angry to be amused. He would be later.

:We have the apartments boxed up. All of their stuff. None of it was hidden and nothing so far indicates that they have the tech to sneak around and not be seen or sensed. This is fragged: Springer said.

Prime nodded. :When will this wrap up?:

:Sky is getting the evidence bagged and boxed, then we can go. We can take the mercs to the new lock up in the Prison Control Center and stash them. Sky and Hauser have the chain of custody on the evidence gathered. They're going to take it to Forensics now and have the night crew get on it under their command. We're pretty much wrapped up but for interviews. We have a few more, then we can leave: Springer said as Drift nodded.

Down below, the gathering of humans watched the bots as they glanced from one to the other as if in some kind of silent conversation. They were, of course, but it was maddening.

Finally, Prime turned to them. "We are nearly finished with our preliminary investigation. We are going to be back if necessary and we expect the fullest form of cooperation from you. It is highly likely that there is a killer here or one who accesses this place. Until we find out who that is, no one is safe. I would suggest that you obey the security forces that are here to protect you."

Harris nodded. "Very well. I hope you understand the severity of our need to remain in communications with Earth and that the shorter the period that means, the better."

Ratchet stared at him. "I hope you understand the severity of the pain that the Lombardi family is going to be experiencing when their son comes home in a body bag. Let's all just try and hope its the last one."

It was strained a moment, then mechs began to come through the concourse, some of them holding metal cases that contained evidence, the contents of the merc's individual apartments and other things of forensic value to Sky and his team. They gathered with Prime.

"We're finished for now, Optimus," Sky said.

Prime nodded. "Thank you. I will expect to hear from you as soon as you can."

"You will," he said, then led his team to the habitat doors. Entering the great room outside the facility, they waited for the atmosphere to clear and the doors to open to let them out. They walked out stuffing their chassis with their cases, then leaped up to transform and blast off for Metrotitan. They disappeared almost immediately.

Everyone watched, then turned toward Prime. "What now, Lord Optimus?" Harris asked.

"We allow the evidence and the experts to tell us what this means," Prime said. "You are confined to the facility. I have arranged for Pastor Millie of Unidad, Rabbi Leroy of N.E.S.T. and Father Bob who is visiting to come here to offer such consolation as you require. If you wish, those of you who are studying with the Monastery or Circle, I can arrange for their counselors to come and provide what comfort they may," Prime said.

"That would be a good idea," Olivia Bowers said as she stepped out of the crowd. "I'd like that. I'm also here as well. May I have permission to leave the facility, Lord Optimus, when I need to go?"

Prime nodded. "You may, Olivia Bowers." He glanced at Prowl. "Anything more you need to do?"

Prowl shook his helm. "We have all the communications as well. We're clear here for now. Understand, we may be back. If you have anything you wish to tell us that you can't tell us directly, we are going to provide a link for you to use on the Earth2 open community page. It's going to be run through our military grade anonymizers so that anyone who sends us information cannot be discovered. It insures absolute anonymity for whoever does. You will not be traced and you won't be held to testify. Use it to help us and this will be over faster."

With that, Prime glanced at the mechs by the door. "Roadbuster and Sunstreaker, you have first shift. Make sure this place is safe inside."

They nodded, then watched at the big mechs turned without another word to file out to leave. When they were gone and the hatches were back to normal, Olivia Bowers walked to the big mechs. "This is really messed up isn't it."

Sunstreaker knelt. "I think so. What do you know, Olivia?" he asked.

She considered the groups still gathered, some of whom were staring at them. "I think there's a lot of enemies here, Sunny," she said.

"I think you're right," Sunny said as outside a truck from N.E.S.T. delivering the (now) permanently assigned human moral and spiritual advisers to the colony began to arrive. With them would be the rest of the 'touch stones' for the various religious and philosophical practices that made up the population inside. It would be a somber evening for all.

=0=Autobot City Medical Center

They stood in the corridor as Ratchet did another non invasive autopsy of the human who was now thawed out. He was stabbed once, a strike to the heart that puzzled Ratchet. How could someone who was once French Foreign Legion and a mercenary of his reputation take one in the ticker like this? He then scanned for substances. He found the usual alcohol but he also found something else.

Midazolam.

It was a fast acting sedative which if given in a high enough dose would knock a fighter for a loop long enough for a blade to do the job. Given the lack of blood, death was instantaneous. He felt oddly better at the thought. He hated suffering with all his spark.

This man was peak condition, muscular and well made. He was well nourished, had at least two beers in his system, had old wounds and no outward marks beyond some post mortem bruising of his wrists. Someone had grabbed him to get him away. But where away was the question. He had no gear on. Maybe he did and it was removed to muddy the picture.

It had.

Ratchet frowned. He hated mysteries.

Scenario one: The victim and killer were elsewhere and had a couple of beers, one of which was spiked. Then the killer killed him, took the gear off to mess with everyone, then disappeared after dumping him. The other scenario, Scenario two was that he was killed at Earth2 somehow, then carted off as is. How this wasn't on the films or sensors was the conundrum of the other case. No one had seen that one either.

Frag.

Someone had their tech and was using it.

He scanned the man again, then put him back into the stasis chamber that would preserve him. Walking out, he paused before the group. "He's still dead," Ratchet said with a straight face.

Ironhide slapped his helm. Prowl frowned. Prime chuckled in spite of himself, then felt terrible for doing so. Springer and the other heathens laughed, then everyone stared at Ratchet again.

"Well, Loon? What more do we know now than before other than you're certifiable?" Prowl asked with a smirk.

Ratchet smirked back. "He was drugged. He had at least two beers somewhere, one of which was drugged. He was then stabbed. Whether he was geared up or not is still unknown. I'm leaning toward the idea that he was killed elsewhere. Of course, given that they HAVE OUR TECH, he could have been killed at Earth2 and taken to the dump site."

Prime nodded. "I am beginning to be annoyed."

It would be unanimous.

=0=TBC 3-18-19 edited 4-6-19 (happy birthday, my Bobbie Jeanne)

NOTES will be replied to tomorrow. HUGGIES! :D

TMD4EVR!