The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 637)

=0=On the beat

"What's been going on the past few?" Springer asked as he rode side-by-side with Drift from the stables toward the Basilica. They were going out to reconnoiter the Consulate and the two Earth habitats.

"I gave you the reports. You didn't read them?" Drift asked with a smirk.

"Nope," Springer said. "I'm a mech of action. Reading just isn't part of the legend."

"I thought you could read. My mistake, then," Drift said as they slowed to watch a truck heavily laden pass through an intersection heading from the direction of the Industrial Cities toward who knew where.

"I can. Really well. I just don't want to. It might detract," Springer said.

"From what? Your overall hotness?" Drift asked as they moved onward again.

Springer laughed. He glanced at Drift with a fond expression. "You read my mind."

"Well," Drift began with a chuckle. "I can read myself. Good thing given I do most of the paperwork."

"Good thing," Springer said as he tapped his horse's sides with his heels. They both cantered away in the darkness.

=0=At Galaxy Productions Studios located in their main location in the Tri-Cities … Tyger Pax in particular

Max Butler watched as Leonora Huttle and her husband, the noted cinematographer and photographer, 'Camera Man Jim' worked out a sequence for a documentary about the forward bases. They were on world royalty here and all the bots liked both of them. The bots were also very happy that they were 'bonded'. Finally, Leonora and Jim turned to Max. "What was it again, Max, that you wanted to know?" Jim asked.

"I'm being bugged by my employer to do a cover story on Prowl. You know, the usual … what is he like? What does he like to do? His opinions and past. That sort of thing. I was hoping you could advise me on this and maybe tell me about him. I think even though he's very prominent and well known that he's about as mysterious as Prime," Max Butler, stringer journalist and member of the consortium news gaggle on world asked.

He was well liked, mid fifties, ambitious but not obnoxious and genuinely liked being on world doing what he was doing. He had even asked to go out on missions when the soldiers did. The holy grail for their entire group was going to Cybertron some fine day.

"Prowl is hard to know," Jim said. "He's mannerly to a fault but reserved. He's not unsociable. He just has a reserved manner about him. His home life and that part of things is sacrosanct. Good luck with that."

Leonora nodded. "Prowl is funny, straight laced and private. But he's also devoted to everything he takes on."

"Would he be willing to talk to me? To give me an interview and perhaps follow him around for a while?" Max asked.

"I doubt it but if you want to ask you can. I'd talk to Ratchet if I was you," Jim said as Leonora nodded.

"Remember … we're a community within a community here. If you want to fit in you have to be trustworthy. We are. Don't mess that up," Leonora said pointedly.

Max laughed, then walked to his segway. "Got it, Boss." With that, he buzzed out and the two returned to their editing.

=0=Max on the way

He buzzed along the sidewalk to the cab stand down the way. A cab was there so he signaled it to take him to the Medical Center in Autobot City. The hatch closed, the environment equalized and away they went. He gave the address but he kept his gear on. Even though the cab could not support him, he was advised and trained to never take it off unless he was safely inside a human habitat.

The traffic was getting heavy as the evening wore onward bringing with it shift change from day to graveyard. He stared outside watching the whirl in the roundabout, then the expert manner in which the cab threaded its way toward town.

They passed the Temple, itself still busy and headed toward Metroplex down the way. Fort Max sat next to him and the foot traffic was getting underway with the clubs and restaurants gearing up for the evening rush. Hitting the lights just right, the cab slid into the cab stand in front of the Medical Center and announced arrival.

Max signaled his desire to leave and the hatch popped up. He rolled down, then headed for the doors nearby to the building that gave humans vertigo looking up at its height. Inside he went, then toward an elevator that would go up 49 floors before letting him out.

He rolled along noting the offices and worker bees everywhere. None of them noticed him so used to humans rolling around were most of them. He paused beside Ratchet's door, then rolled in.

Ratchet was sitting at his desk 'shuffling paperwork' like any bureaucrat anywhere. After a moment he glanced at Max. "Well, well … look what the cat dragged in," he said using a saying he really liked from Earth. Ratchet sat back then grinned. "Do you have a boo-boo you want fixed?" he asked with a dazzling smile.

The smile might have been less dazzling to human sensibilities but the familiar easy humor of the big mech speaking to him wasn't. He chuckled. :I came here for advise, Ambassador:

"Ah … your mama is too far away so you came to me," Ratchet said with a grin. "Speak and I shall lay healing servos on."

Max grinned at Ratchet, a favorite of his and most others among the 'knowables' as they were called. All of the mechs who chatted or seemed as comfortable and relaxed around humans as Ratchet was were called the 'knowables' among the press group.

Prowl wasn't in that group and thus, hence …

:I was hoping to have a chance to interview Prowl for a cover story for my magazine, Time. He's such an enigma but he's also incredibly popular among the folks back home. I was hoping to interview him, his friends, get a bit of background about him as a private as well as public person. It's my great hope that you can help me here and maybe point me to people to talk to as well," Max concluded.

"You want to interview him," Ratchet mused. "Hmm … interview Prowler ..." Ratchet grinned. "Why not ask him yourself?" He nodded to the door.

Prowl was standing there with a data pad for Ratchet. He was also here to get the reports that were due because he was that type. Multitasking was his thing. He frowned slightly as he heard his name mentioned by both. "I require your report for the staff meeting and since I'm here already cough it up, miscreant."

Ratchet snickered, then frisbeed him a data wafer. "There. Max, here, wants to ask you something."

Max glanced from one to the other, then turned to Prowl. :Commander, my editor has asked me to see if you would be available for an interview. We want to do a cover story of you, your life and job for Time Magazine. I would like to interview others to find out a bit about you for the readership back home:

Prowl stared at him, then Ratchet. {Did you put him up to this, Loon?}

"Nope," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Prowl stared at Max a moment, then shifted slightly. "I am not in the habit of personal disclosure. Given the status of my bond and the work that we do here and elsewhere, the issue of privacy for our home and children is very important."

"Don't you want to be a cover girl, Prowler?" Ratchet asked as he sat back to enjoy himself. "Don't you want your many fans to love you as much as I do?"

Prowl stared at Ratchet with The Look, then down at the human who was clearly enjoying the conversation. "You will have to put in writing what you want to do and I will consider it. Right now, I don't believe I am interested. You might interview him, though," he said nodding to Ratchet who preened in his chair like a debutante. "He's into gross public exhibitionism." With that, Prowl nodded and walked out.

They watched him go, then Max glanced upward at Ratchet with a hopeful expression.

Ratchet grinned. "You need to speak to Optimus. If you get past him, then Prowl has no argument left."

Max grinned. :Thank you, Ambassador. I may take Prowl up on that remark about you and your family:

Ratchet chuckled. "We're ready for our close up. Maybe." He watched as Max left with a wave. He disappeared right away. "Well, Prowler … it would appear that you're coming up on your turn on the cat walk."

=0=Ops Center a bit later

Prowl entered to deliver information to Optimus who was clearing up some things for Cybertron and reviewing the status of the newest prisoners on Kellus IV. "A reporter, a human named Max Butler wants to interview us, snoop in our lives, snoop around those who know us and give it to the humans in his magazine."

"Time Magazine," Prime said. "He has already been by."

"You told him no," Prowl said confidently.

"No."

Prowl stared at Prime. "No as in no or no as in he didn't come by? What?"

"I told him I would consider his request over night and tell him tomorrow. He had me cornered in the rec room," Optimus said.

Prowl stared at him. "Cornered. That pipsqueak? Even Predaking can't corner you."

"He did that one time on Furi 6. Remember that?" Prime asked as he sat back to enjoy the discomfort forming in Prowl's aura.

"That ONE time," Prowl said loyally. "You would entertain a snoop in our lives?"

"A controlled snoop. I am not going to countenance unfettered access. However, it might not hurt to see you get some of the applause you deserve."

"Applause. No. I don't need it. I get all the attention I need from you. Humans don't … they can't," Prowl sputtered prettily and as he did Optimus made up his mind about the request.

Yes.

With caveats.

=0=Jail-Prisoner Receiving

Horst Mueller and Colin Anderson sat on their transparent couches and watched the show outside their habitat cells. It was fascinating. Bot after bot was brought in, some questioned and a couple released. There were genitors and other family showing up when they received the news, seeking information on what to do about the arrest of their loved one.

A few were brought in swinging and heavily trussed. They were a sight to behold, their power and relentless fury entertaining as well as faintly terrifying. Down the way, the jail cells held all manner of bot and for the two of them, this could be Saturday night, early morning back home.

Horst glanced to the right and watched as several arguing mini-cons were marched from the holding cells nearby into the back where more secured arrangements were to be found. Everyone was mad and even the two humans could feel the badness on their skin. It was going to be a long, long night.

=0=Cybertron

They trekked everywhere now, flying into this and that area, walking through rising habitation or camp cities where the people were safe and sound from predators, the threats all around them and lies. There was never a shortage of that in the past but the future was much more comfortable, repelled rain better and the food? High caste all the way. The locals wherever they went were grateful for the first time in eons.

=0=TBC 4-13-19 edited 4-15-19

Just slightly shorter tonight due to cats roaming around and over me. More tomorrow. Not edited yet. (Catz)