The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 627)
=0=Bugging out
They fogged in, arriving at Unidad in buses with their hand carries and kids, pets in carriers and pallets of laptops, boxes of research and other professional items of those who were running their own stuff on the side. Family members often came with their own school obligations, personal research projects and books to work, write and make while living or visiting here. No one cared. Owen Harris had considered having them have to review their projects against the possibility of them revert to Earth2 ownership due to proprietary rules about ownership of locations and the like but the ill will that would have caused changed his mind.
They were met and taken to their temporary homes on the upper decks of the facility. The levels of habitation at Unidad were top down with the directors living on the penthouse level by virtue of being here first. They were escorted away and after a couple of hours, the last buses pulled out of the habitat entrance, the last pallet of animals were towed to the freight elevators for delivery and the crowds were thinning.
Ratchet who had kibitzed the whole time being the 'liaison' between the habitats and Prime was ready to leave when the leadership of Unidad gathered around him.
"Ratchet, what's the word on the new murder? When it is going to be public like the other one?" Sam asked.
"I don't know. Prime wants to have his ducks in a row before this really gets sent off. Given that this is a new and slightly different case, there won't be a large send off when we arrange to take him home. We're going to be there to watch but the reverie won't be repeated. No sense waving a red flag to the killer."
"I hate this. Earth is going to be very unhappy and those who stand against us will make it our fault," Carly said as the others nodded and murmured.
"Some will. They always will. Nothing will change that. Its in the alliances that are strong that we weather this," Ratchet said. "How is it with the zillionaires?"
"They want to make businesses here. They want to start small branches of their own businesses, sort of ports in the storm, almost like boutique pop up stores for public relations purposes. Imagine, small kiosks of fast food franchises," Sam said with a grin. "McDonalds, Pizza Hut. I hope they bring a Cinnabon."
"Or a French bakery," Carly said with a grin. "A good fish and chips place would be nice as well."
"If you say so," Ratchet said. "All of their ideas are on my desk and I'm going to go over them with Prime. I don't think any of you have to be involved. Right now, its do or die," Ratchet said.
=0=Up there
Rain Harris stood in the bedroom of the big apartment that would be home for a while. It was bigger than hers and the entire apartment was more spacious, beautifully furnished and brand new. She walked out to the living room where her mom was opening the cages for her two little dogs. "This is bigger than the one at Earth2. I want to live here."
Mariah glanced around. "I hear you. Unidad is just bigger all around. Earth2 is being overshadowed."
"The school … I don't want to sit in a conference room for school. Everyone else goes to a real school building. The downtown is great. I'm going to go look around," she said as she walked to the door.
"Stay in town and don't get into trouble. We don't want to wear out our welcome. Don't go out into the country, Rain. I want you home for dinner," Mariah said as she walked to the monitor to call Kyle.
"I will," Rain said as she walked out of the apartment. She stood in the wide corridor a moment watching others enter and leave their own apartments. It was noisy and crowded so she walked to the elevator to go down to the concourse. Calling her friends on their small non-smart flip phones, the only ones allowed on world among the kids, she met up with them on A Street.
=0=Prime and Prowl
"Ratchet said the transfer is going well. Everyone who needs to go is moved. Its about 3,900 give or take a few. It was a good exercise if nothing else," Prowl said as he sat down at the command table with Prime.
"I agree. Right now, we have to get our problem organized. What is the final disposition of the ringers?" Optimus asked.
Prowl leaned slightly closer. :The tech has been scanned and its being reversed engineered. Wheeljack said its very strange tech, perhaps something they worked out from aliens and its going to take a bit of time. We have them tagged. Jazz did that for both of them before they left for Charon. We can follow them unless the device makes a dampening effect when they cloak."
Prime nodded. "The mercenaries in jail?"
"Those clowns are unhappy but they have nothing to say for themselves. All of them were jealous of Lombardi because he was being groomed by Harris for bigger things. Lombardi was educated, had good social graces and was strategic. In short, he was nothing like the others," Prowl replied.
"I do remember meeting him once and he seemed different, more elevated than the others. I could be that someone did not want him making upward movements or … they could have a grudge against him from some other encounter," Prime said.
"That could be it. It also can be said that someone might have caught the killers doing something and was too hot to leave alive," Prowl said.
"Perhaps. I want to dismiss Lombardi when the visitors go. We have a couple of orns before that happens. I suppose I must speak to them," Prime said.
"That's up to you. Ratchet has their projects and proposals. There are a number of things that preclude you from seeing them, not the least being the battle shortly ago. By the way, you have to speak to the nation in a few," Prowl said.
Prime nodded. "I am waiting for Ironhide to get here."
"You need someone to hold your servo?" Prowl asked with a smirk.
Prime glanced at him with a smoky look. :Perhaps. Perhaps something else …:
Prowl shifted slightly. :Do tell:
A movement nearby cut that short as Ironhide and Sun walked into the huge room. Traversing the floor, they sat down with Prowl and Prime. "What's the word, Prime?"
"We have to tell the world the story," Prime said as he stood. He glanced at Prowl. "Hold that thought," he said, then with the two in tow, he walked out of the room into the big world outside.
Prowl watched him go, then grinned slightly. "Count on it," he whispered.
=0=IntraCom, the Primal set
Prime sat waiting for the light to turn amber which meant among them he was live on the air. When it did, Jazz nodded.
"Good afternoon. I am Optimus Prime," he said to Earth, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. "I am here to speak to you of two things. One of them was the interdiction by our forces against the phase six mechanism, Pulsar of Capital City and that of the murder of the human visa worker, Silvio Lombardi who was part of the security forces of Earth2 here on Mars.
"For those of you living on Cybertron and places in the Empire, the death of the human will not resonate very deeply with you. He is a member of the species that is our closest ally in the solar system where Mars belongs. The humans of Earth are the ones responsible for helping us kill Megatron, kill The Fallen, then chase Megatron away when he was revived by a shard of the AllSpark. They are small but powerful, loyal and decent. We are allies of the first order and we value them very greatly.
"To have one human die here is tragic but now another has as well, felled by an unknown killer. We are working very hard to find that individual and we have taken extraordinary steps to protect the human community here on our colony world of Mars. We are going to be sending the deceased home in two days to return him to his family. We send with him our deepest and most solemn condolences on behalf of the Primes and the people of Cybertron and the Empire.
"It is our greatest hope that this will not happen again. We promise great protection and security but not perfection. No one can guarantee that there will never be an event that happens to harm others. But given that we now exceed 59,000,000 individuals here in the colony of Autobot City and there has only been a handful of reckless deaths in all that time, you can be reassured that safety and protection of all who live here is our first priority. We do believe our record reflects that effort.
"A few orns ago, we also received soundings up the Orion arm that a big force was heading our way, making their progress toward the contained redoubts of two criminal organizations we tolerate in my sphere of influence, that led by the Decepticon commander, Razorclaw and the other by the criminal Decepticon commander, Ominous. The invading force was led by the phase six mechanism, Pulsar of Capital City.
"We launched a great force to meet him that included Supreme, Titan and Dreadnought mechanisms. When they refused to turn around or surrender, a battle broke out that was furious and intense. They fled into a nebula to evade our sensors and that made the battle extremely difficult.
"The enemy forces were vast, over 60 ships in all, most of them vessels of war. Due to the heroism of our forces, soldier and Seeker, as well as the exemplary heroism of Omega and Xantium Supreme, we prevailed. It was not without cost, however. Though we suffered 17 casualties, none of them fatal, the other side lost nearly 10,000.
"It is not the first choice of this Prime and government to fight. We asked them to turn around and we gave them chances to surrender both before and during the battle but they declined until the damage they sustained was too great to carry on. The prisoners of which number over 21,000 are being held in the prison at Kellus IV. That planet is in the local group near Cybertron. They will be given the same chance as anyone else to change and have a better life. If they do not do so, they will remain there.
"As of now, a dangerous force has been neutralized. Their leadership including Pulsar have been captured. The leader of the force from the Bootes Constellation prior to this, Shrike, was also taken into custody since he was in Pulsar's armada in a cage. The reason Pulsar's battle group was so large was that he had overtaken the remnants of Shrike's and combined the two groups.
"We have posted markers out along the arm to warn others of the lengths to which we will go to protect everyone, both here in this solar system, Cybertron, the local group and the Empire. The threat is gone now and we are back to square one. The fleet was brilliant, their courage and skill remarkable and I am deeply honored to lead such an army. You can be well proud of them and their efforts this foray.
"The tasks before us are great but the talent, brilliance and courage brought to bear against them makes the difference every time. You can be terribly proud of your army and air forces. They were admirable in their pursuit of your protection.
"As for the situation with the deceased humans, we are going to be working non stop to find the culprits. They will not walk away from their responsibilities. Until then, we have separated non-essential personnel from Earth2 to Unidad Terra 1. Until we find out who is responsible, those at Earth2 who are not essential to the work there will live in Unidad. We send our condolences to the family and pledge our sacred honor to catching his killer. Until all are one," Prime said, then the broadcast cut.
The commentary by those both pro and con Autobot on Earth would begin immediately.
The commentary on Cybertron and the local group would be different but no less intense. Another phase sixer had been neutralized. It was a blessing. That left perhaps only 43 or so more to go.
=0=TBC 4-1-19 edited 4-6-19