The Diego Diaries: Explain (dd8 316)
Family things. I'll try to write earlier to make sure this gets out on the one-a-day schedule. HUGS!
=0=Mars
They sat in the Ops Center listening to the news on the monitor as the MCA broadcast the little real information that they were told, though most of the humans gathered to talk considered what was said substantial. It would appear to the bots that most disasters, especially if not seen by anyone were spun. That wasn't Prime's style and it was startling the degree of disclosure to the humans discussing the situation on teevee.
Ironhide's elders, Starscream and Rainmaker along with four of his sons and a bond, Paragon with Arrow in attendance considering he was off duty but stayed to talk, Ratchet with Ironhide, Springer, Drift, Hercy and most of the boys along with Prowl and Miler who still looked shaken had gathered to help Prime plan things ahead. They were waiting for Jetta, Magnus and Fort Max. When those three finally arrived attention was turned to Prime and the feed was muted.
"I would like to know our situation and if there is a plan in place as of yet to repair what needs fixing," Optimus asked as Prowl, Turbine and Delphi prepared to take notes.
Once a strategist, always one.
"Well, we have the final assessments in now," Jetta said as he, Magnus and Fort Max pulled up chairs to sit. "Sparkling Day is closed until further notice. We have cracks running up to the third floor that need assessed and repaired first. The building is bearing weight evenly because cybertanium and the mortar we use for our stone work is damned near infallible.
"The transportation grid is item one on the list. The train tracks will need hand surveyed and realigned. About 25% will need replaced and the beds relayed. But we do that with machines that lay the beds, compress them, then another lays the tracks themselves. The tracks are hooked into the Energon Relay that powers the trains that glide over the tracks.
"It won't take much time once the debris is cleared. Give us about three to four orns and we'll have the overland commercial and public trains back. That will carry our people all over the colony and to the Industrial Parks right away, though we're bringing more trains online at the Parks. Three engines and a number of cars were destroyed though most of its just fine.
"As for the Metros, that's going to be reasonably easy to get going minus a number of stations that will be rerouted. Given that the damaged routes almost completely comprise the Circle line under The City and the Terra Hub Line under Terra, those stations will take a lot of time. They have the weight of the cities sitting on them so we need to take care.
"The others weren't affected other than the blow back of the ones who were crushed passing through some of them. We can fix tiles and the odd railing with ease. The City will be the one most affected since its a critical hub along with Terra. So we're rerouting the subways around The City and Terra allowing Pax and Crystal City to bear the load. Buses can take passengers from there to affected areas until the overland passenger trains are up.
"The airports are almost completely repaired though there's some wait for lights and antennas for Air Traffic Control to get back on line. We expect it to be up and running by tonight. The Commercial Hangar District here at the Military Airfield is being put back together. We lost a lot of goods that were waiting for shipment but we can replace them from stores to meet deadlines.
"The ships that were there, commercial all of them are being repaired but its mostly ricochet from bullets and blasters that caused problems. Some of its cosmetic and others moderate repair to guidance and the like. Aviation is taking care of that. Public Works is nearly finished with bussing up the area and putting it back to presentable order.
"The human habitats are secured and all of their damage repaired. The cosmetic reconstruction will be done by mech and femme staff who work there on shift. I was told that the inside vandalism is cleared up and that the chapel at Unidad is being deconstructed for glass and other dangerous damage by a sapper crew from the Marines. They're used to taking broken things apart and it should be debrided, cleared up and ready for repair when Specialty Fabrication-Glass is ready to pour the big sheets. It would take a train to move them to the habitat. I asked Victorious to see about perhaps transforming them into the chapel but its got so much artificial construction already it'd be very hard for them to do that."
"Then they should wait. I do not want to put anymore stress on them than they have had," Prime said.
"I'll let them know. The Consulate is nearly dug out. The footprint will be kept along with more expansion above and below ground. Their family population could use more room so we're going to double it. We're also going to do some changes to its look so its going to be a really beautiful building when finished. We're going to take more input from them for the redesign.
"The cruiser and the shuttles have been searched and there will be a strip down of the vessels tomorrow toward recycling. The tech is interesting, the databases which were salvaged are damaged but Sciences are working on them. Jhiaxus's name is actually on some of the documents noted in the preliminary scans. Lancer was his favorite protege it would appear so he has or had a lot of it.
"The bridging tech is ours but tweaked. Wheeljack and Perceptor are leading the project and will be going over everything with a fine toothed comb as the humans say.
"The damage to private places like the Resort and the Monastery has already been contracted out to private firms that will do the repairs. We're going to use private contractors for a number of projects to allow us to concentrate our crews on the pipelines, power stations and the train hub. Most of the damage to apartments has been repaired and private contractors are doing the finish work.
"The Triggers are being salvaged and we've started to lay out the plans to rebuild both of them at Saturn Shipyard. We already have the two which are on duty at different stars in anticipation of moving planets so we can't really rely on them yet.
"The Autobot City Space Bridge lost its control but we've always had a spare one in the crates that we took from Soundwave back in the day. We pulled the control of that one and we have deep space bridge capacity again. We can reach all our forts and Cybertron. The Triggers have more range and when that's straightened out I'll feel good about this."
"You and me both, Jetta. I will help you rebuild them," Miler said with a sad tone.
Prowl patted his servo. "We're going to rise up bigger and better. Two is good. Maybe more are better. We'll see."
Prime nodded. "I do not contemplate being hobbled by this adventure. I not only intend to come out of this stronger but will endeavor to find this group and remove them as a threat."
It was silent a moment, then Jetta continued. "You have a posse here. All you have to do is say when."
"I would like to tell you, Optimus, that Aerie Hill sustained only cosmetic damage through the valiant efforts of the Home Guard wings and Master Cyclonus and his mechs. You do not have to worry about that district. It was spared," Rainmaker said.
"That is good news to hear, Elder," Prime said. "I knew it would not be an easy district to harm."
"Aerie Hill would have been a hard fix given the terrain, to say nothing about the beauty of the district," Jetta agreed. "As for the downtown area here … The Pit Stop is on the list to rebuild and they've asked for expansion. The Courthouse and IntraCom are underway at the moment and broadcast should be restored by nightfall. The businesses that bore the brunt are priority repair/rebuilds.
"The energon pipeline to the Crater Districts is underway. We have specialized digging equipment and expertise to make that short work hopefully. The ground is very hard as you know and we have to go deep to allow maintenance to work on the pipes," Jetta said. "We have miles to lay from the substation down from the Earth habitats to the substation on the edge of Crater District 4. The substations have to be rebuilt and so will the pipes.
"The electrical grid is being repaired in stages to allow the least disruption to the system currently underway to service everyone four hours on continuous rotation. There were a lot of overloads and blow backs but we expect to restore power in two orns. Its going fast but its exacting work." Jetta sat back. "There's a complete rebuild of a couple of streets in Terra and the four floors of the tower here. We're going to be on that right away."
"I would like to have a chat with both you and Prowl, Prime, about your house. We want to restore it like it was if that's your wish. If you want changes we can make them easily. We want your input to make it as close to the way you wish it to be as possible," Fort Max said. "I will make a time with Prowl to facilitate this. We can overlook the plans and see what you need and want. Nothing is out of the range of possibility."
Prime nodded, then glanced at Prowl.
"I'll organize it," Prowl said.
"What more is underway, gentlemen?" Prime asked.
"We have a lot of smaller things that don't take much to make right. Its the infrastructure that's time consuming. The train hub was essential and so are the subways but we can release the Metro System tonight and list where there are closures, reroutes and the like," Jetta said.
"I would like that, though I will not release individuals to their freedom unless the work is not compromised by their presence out and about. Schools have been closed for now but if the situation is addressed then we can ease things back to normal," Prime said.
"Give us a couple of joors to do updates and we can let you know, Optimus," Max said.
"Very well," Prime said. "Thank you for all you have done. I am proud and grateful for you and your crews. Please let them know. I plan to give another address to the colony to update them tonight and to speak directly to Earth on the MCA tomorrow after a morning update." He glanced at Springer and Drift. "What is the security situation around the colony."
"It's quiet, Optimus," Springer said as Drift nodded.
"Very well," Optimus said as he stood. "I have to go to IntraCom to make the address."
They stood and watched as he walked out with Prowl and a number of his generals.
Max shook his helm. "We're going to get this going again if its the last thing I do."
"Optimus kicks his own aft no matter if he wins or loses," Ratchet said as he stood to go. "Its part of his nature. But I'll tell you. I've never seen him so mad at a group as he is with this Paladin. He means to take him down."
"He won't have to try hard to get up a posse," Max said with a cold tone.
Everyone there nodded in agreement.
=0=IntraCom a moment later
He waited, then the light came on. "Good evening. I am Optimus Prime and I am here to update you on the colony tonight."
Everywhere on world on on a station at Midway Array, everyone who heard his voice stopped and turned to him to listen.
=0=TBC 12-5-2021
In the old days crews of workers called gandy dancers would walk along the train tracks, several on each side and when they saw the track out of alignment they would slip long steel bars under the track and then shift it back. They did so with songs that were rhythmical and made their movements in unison. Their crew chief would sing the song, the men would move the tracks and sometimes sing back. It was a beautiful and really old time thing sung mostly by black men working on the railroad.
Google gandy dancers and see something incredibly old, beautiful and now extinct.
