The Diego Diaries: Callow Debate (dd8 422)
=0=There
Simby glared at Coros. "I realize that some of us have a history that needs examination but I'm not going to be ashamed of my family because of it. I can hate the System without hating my family," she said coldly.
Coros turned toward her. "Tell me in anything I said that says that."
"It's implied. You don't seem to care what happens to families that might have legitimate concerns about their safety."
"I do. But consider this. If we'd been what Primus wanted this wouldn't have happened and it wouldn't be before us. You can make this personal, Simby, as personal as you dare. But there's others who have more and legitimate feelings about this than you and me. This is about the truth and accountability. Its a process and you should try it. It appears to me that you aren't on board with that."
"Then you're good with anything that might happen to some of us if the bias is too strong in the narrative?" "Simby asked.
A murmur emerged, then faded.
"I believe in our people. I believe that the truth sets you free. Unless we face it as it was and not some sanitized version of it, then we never will be," Coros said equally as passionately. "I get to be with all manner of mechs and femmes. I never felt anything but welcome. I think you get back what you invite."
Applause met that.
"We'll have to agree to disagree. When trouble comes I hope you remember this moment," she said coldly.
"I will remember that I believed in our people," Coros replied.
Applause rounded the room.
The questions continued, those that applied to children, then they walked off to applause.
Coming forward was Carmella and Timbre. It would be a brutal debate but given what she already knew about the schools, Carmella acquitted herself admirably. It was as if something had been uncorked by Simby the way Timbre deported himself. The applause was distinctly given to her.
=0=In the crowd
:Here we go: Will said to the huge group of humans attending including every Cybertronian among them.
A young mech, a stage hand at the Center walked out with Ron Witwicky on his servo to thunderous applause. Sterno followed to equal applause. He was a really well liked mech and dedicated to his position of being a voice for anyone in the district who needed him. His Stanix ethic was part of who he was. All for one and one for all.
Ron was set on his podium with an adjusted sound system.
"Welcome, Sterno of Stanix and Ron Witwicky of Los Angeles, California on Earth."
Huge applause and a buzz over the uniqueness of the moment.
"This is unusual in and over itself but I was asked by Sterno to have a moment to say something," Conn said.
Sterno glanced at Conn, then the audience. "I would like to tell you that my entire family on both sides was recovered two decaorns ago," he said before he got buried in applause. He waited, then continued. "As a Stanix family, they left together and it was brutal. They were returned but in tough shape.
"I've taken a leave of absence from my job to help their recovery and I would like to tell you reluctantly that I'm withdrawing my name for this election because of the need to assist them back to health which is going to take effort and time from all of my family already here including me," Sterno said.
A groan rounded the room followed by sustained applause. It died down and was silent again.
"I wouldn't do it if I didn't have confidence in my opponent to do a good job. That being said, I'm going to run at the next term of elections for this seat because I love it and owe it to the colony to serve it in some capacity," he said. "This is the capacity that I choose."
Thunderous applause greeted that, then it was silent.
He glanced at a shocked and surprised Ron. "I believe you have a good heart and will do right by my people. Our people. I believe you love Cybertron and will serve well on this Board. However," he said with a slight grin, "don't get too comfortable. I give my word of honor that I will run in the next election for this seat." He looked at Conn. "Thank you, Conny." With that, he bowed to the crowd, nodded to Ron, then walked off the stage.
He did so to a standing ovation.
Ron watched him go, then glanced at the crowd which were applauding. They finally sat as he listened to the barrage of commentary from the humans there coming at him through their comm channels. He turned toward Conn who was talking to Commissioner Polax who was head of the Election Commission.
Conn walked back to the podium, then grinned at Ron. "It would appear that the election for Seat 2 of the Autobot City Unified School District is settled unless someone receives enough write-ins to win. Ron Witwicky of Los Angeles, California on Earth has been declared the tentative winner pending final election results."
Bedlam.
=0=Several hours later in the Family Tower
Ron sat on a chair still quivering over the events of the debate. The place had exploded into applause, laughter and some consternation. He had bantered with Conn answering questions through his time period, then the debate was over. He'd managed to get home and now he was digesting the turn of affairs.
Judy who was sipping a beer grinned at him. "What sort of tiara do I get to wear now that you're probably on the School Board?" she asked to great laughter.
=0=At the same time at the airport
A vessel was coming, a passenger ship from the Prime's Flight. It came in on approach, then landed and pulled up to a space on the temporary parking strip for ships doing big turnarounds. It rolled, then stopped as ground crew ran to it to prepare it to return to the Ceres Shipyard and Depot shortly.
The ramp came down as the ship settled into sleep mode. It hit the ground, then movement at the door could be seen. A man appeared in gear, then walked down the ramp to those waiting at the bottom. Among them were Andrew Settles, now a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army and the 'Big Three' as the newbies had been briefed about, Will Lennox, Niall Graham and Robert Epps.
He shook hands with all of them, then the group looked up the ramp to see a number of humans in gear begin to walk down to the tarmac. They did so, taking a moment to marvel at the place and being on another planet, then began to form up on lines with their hand gear.
Will Lennox watched them, these new soldiers who wouldn't be under his daily command though he would have ultimate authority as the commanding human on world anyway. They were a multi-national group who were here to be another human presence, to learn how to live in zero-tolerance environments and to show the flag of whatever country they were from and the United Nations. The contingent would number 200 men and women with several officers in the hierarchy of command led by the man who standing with them, Colonel Jackson Davis of the United States.
The commander was drawn from a hat where the names of possible commanders from several countries were placed. He won and the others fell into the lesser roles of the unit as all of them were assigned to this new project. They gathered the best and brightest for every administrative and technical position both civilian and military from the Global N.E.S.T. Alliance while the United Nations supplied handpicked multi-national soldiers for the company.
Around them, the business of business and military whirled onward. The lights of the cities beyond were astonishing as were the sizes of the towers and other features. It was like being a miniature horse in a herd of Clydesdales, the difference in the sizes of things here on world. Even with months of briefings and training to build a cohesive unit, it hadn't prepared them for actually being here in this situation.
A heavy tread caught their attention as they glanced to the right. Xantium Supreme and Kappa were walking from the desert to the hangars at the far edge of the field that towered so high they disappeared into the night. Lights signaled their location to pilots and tall antennas were placed on the roof. They signaled as well but it was far upward and nearly out of sight.
Walking with the giants were three Dinobots.
=0=Home
"What do you know and when did you know it?" Ratchet asked.
"I knew Sterno had a tough road ahead and I sort of suspected it but he didn't say anything until tonight," Ironhide said as they got ready to go to bed.
The kids were asleep including the big ones and it was getting onward.
"By the way, the human soldiers are arriving. I was thinking about going there and flexing my chassis. What do you think?"
"I think its a great idea," Ratchet said. "Just don't do it around a Teasdale."
Ironhide snickered as he walked down the hallway to the door. "Be right back."
"Call me if something happens. I want video, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he lay back on the berth. It wouldn't take time for sleep to come.
=0=On the ground
Ironhide walked past Club Cybertron toward the airfield. Cutting across the tarmac, he saw the group gathering with the local soldiers. In the background he saw Kappa and Xi heading for the barn so to speak. They liked to walk together in the desert when they could, enjoying their own company. They were really sweet on each other, those two.
He walked toward the soldiers who were watching something so he glanced that way. Grimlock, Slag and Swoop were walking toward their apartment in the big hangars. He watched them pass the soldiers who they ignored as they headed for home. When they were safely past and on their way, Ironhide continued toward the group.
=0=Moments before
They watched the huge mechanisms walk past, their treads heavy enough to feel in the ground. Three of them, all of them well known to all the noobs continued onward ignoring the humans gathered. They kept to themselves mostly, these violent soldiers. The humans were barely tolerated by everyone in the squad but Grimlock. He had a slightly better attitude toward them because they were soldiers and he was smart enough now to know that they feared his squad. That was pleasant to his respect starved spark.
:Look at them: someone whispered in the group.
:That's the Dinobots: another replied. :Grimlock. He's huge:
:I'd hate to meet them in the dark: another said.
Grimlock heard them and felt himself smirk. / … yeah, you better hope that never happens …/ He continued onward, reached their home and the three disappeared inside as Kappa and Xantium vanished into their own hangars to turn in themselves.
It was silent among the soldiers, then they relaxed, glancing at each other with amazement. They waited in ranks for their next stop, the habitat that had been signed off days before and was occupied by a skeleton staff waiting for them to arrive this night.
Then they saw Ironhide.
=0=Seconds earlier
He paused nearby watching the Dinobots, hoping they would make it to their apartment without problems. When they did he relaxed. Then he took in the new soldiers. They were youngish, big, well made in a human fashion, smart looking, multi-racial, bore different flashes on their gear that signaled their countries along with the United Nations patch that was their control base for actions and needs other than military.
He glanced at the locals, noted a new guy, probably the command officer, then drew himself up to be a menacing hulk as he waited for them to see him. He didn't wait long.
A soldier at the end of a line glanced his way, froze with surprise, then nudged the one beside him. :Look. That's Ironhide, right?:
Everyone glanced at him, then looked around for Ironhide. They saw him, felt surprise, then turned to stare at the huge black hulk that was looking at them with a fierce expression. His weapons were powered down but they were huge. His face was unknowable and the scar over his right optic was bad ass.
He was bad ass.
Epps glanced their way, then grinned. :Dad's here:
Lennox glanced over, then grinned. He waved his arm. :Ironhide. Come and meet the newbies:
Ironhide stared at the group, then walked toward them, sending a menacing vibe because he was a big toddler and liked to prank. No matter what planet, galaxy and dimensional plane you came from, soldiers pranked soldiers. It was in the union rules or something. He halted before them towering into the sky as he stared down with his deeply blue optics and his pugnacious face.
"Ironhide, I'd like you to meet Colonel Jackson Davis who is commanding this unit. Colonel, this is Senior Commander Ironhide of Praxus, Master of the Armories of the Empire, Master of the Armies of the Empire and the personally chosen bodyguard of the Prime of Cybertron, bearer of the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of Cybertron." Lennox grinned. He loved, loved, LOVED to do this to newbies.
Ironhide loved for the soldiers to do this to newbies, too.
Soldiers.
=0=TBC 4-30-2022
Happy May Day tomorrow. :D
