The Diego Diaries: Soldier Boy (dd8 423)
=0=That night on the airfields
Colonel Jackson Davis stared upward at Ironhide and for a second felt a waver in his confidence. They were here to learn how to live in this kind of environment but also to fight these sort of beings. This one was so dangerous appearing that he could feel it in his toes. Nothing about films, articles, news stories and broadcasts prepared anyone to meet Ironhide in person. He felt he could fit his head into the barrel of the big mech's cannons. :Its an honor to meet you, Commander: he said as he offered his hand.
Ironhide tapped it with his giant servo, then was silent again. He considered Davis, then glanced at Lennox. "They moving in?"
:Yep. We're going to meet Optimus tomorrow and the others. I don't know if you got the memo: Lennox said with a slight smirk.
Ironhide smirked back though the newbies would take a bit of time to read expressions on the faces of the bot population. Some of them were subtle and some weren't. "I've been busy."
:What's the chance you get re-elected?: Lennox asked as Epps and Graham snickered. Lennox glanced at Davis. :Ironhide is secretary of the local colonial School Board:
Davis glanced upward at Ironhide, at the most unlikely individual for such a thing he'd ever met. :I hadn't heard. I guess I've been busy, too:
Ironhide notched the slagger up a degree or two for cute snarkiness. "I think we'll all win. Witwicky won tonight unless there's a huge write-in challenge."
:Ron's still trying to absorb that: Graham said.
Ironhide nodded. "Where are you going now? To the habitat?"
Lennox nodded. :We are. Wanna come?:
Ironhide considered that, then stared at the group waiting in rows to go. They stared back and he could see that they were slightly intimidated. Good, he thought. He glanced at Lennox, then nodded. "Might do some good. I AM IRONHIDE! I CAN COME!"
Huge laughter greeted that including the newbies.
Notch them up further, he did.
Lennox grinned, then glanced at Davis, pointing to a bus sitting nearby. :If you go there with the men, we can leave. The rest of the gear and baggage will be brought over by the delivery service here:
Davis nodded, then glanced upward at Ironhide. :At the Habitat then: He turned to his men. :Load up on the bus. We're leaving pronto:
The men and women in the group picked up their stuff, then began to walk toward and board the bus. Davis watched them go, then nodded to Lennox, Graham and Epps, then Ironhide. He joined them, the door closed, sealed, then it drove onward.
Ironhide transformed as they drove past. The new soldiers watched with amazement as they headed onward. The N.E.S.T. soldiers entered Ironhide, then he drove off after them. They would disappear in moments into the night time traffic.
=0=Up there
He slept soundly, exhausted from the slag everywhere. The following orn would be a meet and greet at the Pioneer School for the kids including Orion and Praxus. They had to be on their peds for that one.
=0=Driving there
They sat on the bus watching out the windows as The City began to show its greatness. Everything was astonishingly tall and the lights were beautiful at this time, 2345 joors on the TMC.
"This is a beautiful place," a female soldier from Egypt said. "The towers go upward forever."
The soldiers nodded.
"Ironhide is bad ass," a male soldier from Canada said. "He's huge. How are we able to take them on? I think I want to hang out with the N.E.S.T. guys and watch them."
"We have to be better," a male soldier from Denmark said. "We can't be behind."
"They've been here a long time and frankly, that's asking a lot I think," a male soldier from Minnesota in the USA said. "I want to meet as many of them as I can. I want to meet Hercy and Kup."
"The twins," another soldier from Spain said.
Everyone nodded.
They passed the Temple with its confines and dome lit up. There were mechs standing inside the grounds staring at sheets of copper that hung here and there. They bore the names of the known dead. They didn't know that. Beyond that, they drove out toward lighted cities that dotted the map, the Metro Districts, which were the home of two giant titan infants.
It was almost overwhelming to all of them.
Following along, Ironhide drove with the three sitting slightly smushed in the front seat of his cab. They were discussing the situation as it stood.
"They don't really have a lot of crossover events planned with us for now," Niall was saying. "Then its early. I know they want to prove themselves."
"Davis is a solid man," Lennox said. "The others in the command structure appear to be the same. Its going to be interesting to see how this works out. They do want us to show them around, introduce them to the right individuals and show them the N.E.S.T. courses and trails, all the rest. We'll see."
Epps nodded. "As long as they aren't assholes then its okay with me. I think it might due to keep our our toes. I don't want them to make us look bad."
"How about a war game?" Graham said. He smirked at Lennox. "Nothing like a nice competition of 'find the flag'."
"You do that, too?" Ironhide asked through his radio. "We'd whip all of ya."
"No contest, Ironhide," Lennox said as he patted the dash.
They continued onward past the Mausoleum and the Basilica toward the bright lights of a new habitat that was just off the road past the roundabout.
=0=On the bus
"That's their graveyard," the female soldier said.
"The Basilica and a shrine are next. The local humans can go to one but not the other, most of them. The shrines, Temple and a few other places are off limits," the Canadian said.
"Its going to be good to go around," a male soldier from Japan said. "I want to go to the habitats, especially Unidad."
They reached the roundabout, then passed it heading toward a giant structure with floor to ceiling windows with a big parking lot. It was off the road which was a paved turnoff of four lanes that led through the parking lot to the door of the structure. The bus took it, then drove toward the facility.
Davis stood. "We're going inside the environmental entrance way. Stay on the bus until we get the go. Get used to looking at these," he said pointing to lights near the door of the bus. They were red now and would be green when everyone was cleared to go. "We have to see green to go." He sat again as the bus drove into a sheltered entrance common to all the habitats.
Behind them came Ironhide and the N.E.S.T. soldiers.
=0=Elsewhere
They rode through the night and came down the slope toward the United Nations Multi-National Military Habitat of Mars. Riding toward the doors that led inside, they just made it as they began to close. Slowing to a stop, Springer, Drift and the boys sat their horses to watch as more soldiers, those with less oversight than N.E.S.T. arrived.
The atmosphere was created and lights shown green. The bus door opened and when it did Epps, Graham and Lennox climbed out of Ironhide nearby. That mech waited until the soldiers were off the bus before transforming back to root mode.
The soldiers watched it, startling again over the speed by which a truck became a mech. They stared at the posse nearby of metallic men riding metallic horses, then turned to Lennox, Graham and Epps.
Will Lennox stepped forward to begin the introduction and orientation of the facility, those mechs present and the limits and delights of being new on Mars.
"I'm Lieutenant Colonel Will Lennox of Global N.E.S.T and I'm commandant of the N.E.S.T. Garrison on world," he said as those inside the facility who were waiting for these arrivals filtered out to listen and watch. The place hummed and blazed with excitement. "I'm also the Commandant of the human community on Mars and the one given absolute authority over every human here. The three of us," he said glancing at the other two, "Niall Graham of the UK and Bobby Epps of the USA are the longest residential humans here.
"We've fought in combat with the mechs from the first days they were here. I have the right and authority to make things happen or end depending on you. If I say you have to leave Mars and never come back I can and I don't ever have to give a reason. That's the power that's mine."
He stepped closer to the new soldiers. "This is a great place. These mechs here," he said nodding to Ironhide and the posse, "are our brothers. That's Springer, Chieftain of the Wreckers Special Ops and Chief of Security for Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. The mech with the swords is Drift who is his second in command and bond. The others are Hercy who's an Immortal and an exempt mech, someone who's been a soldier since forever, Kup who's also a Wrecker and incredible, Lon of Capital City and his bond, Bezel of the same place who split duties as Watchmen and soldiers, Sandstorm who's a Wrecker, Splice who's Circle and a Knight of Cybertron, Twin Twist who's just bad ass and that little femme is Sil who's a founding member and recording secretary of the Autobot City Night/Day Watch and Medical Center Children's Auxiliary."
Everyone nodded as they stared at the newbies.
Lennox grinned. "Its your turn to ride tonight, Sil?"
"It is, Colonel," Sil said with a smile as bright as the sun. "We're doing the rounds and the team thought it might be educational for me to see this new team of human soldiers. Welcome to Mars," she said sweetly.
The group who was transfixed by her nodded and murmured in return.
"This is the heart and soul of the Army and Watch. They're horse guard patrolmen and femmes." Lennox grinned at Sil who smiled and waved as him from the back of Molly, a smaller and very smart sweet mare.
He turned to the group. "We're going inside to see the habitat and learn where everything is. Your routine will be arranged around safety and given an order or being safe, you chose safety. I'm giving you that order and permission now. You have PERMISSION to choose safety over an order given by anyone here. I have that much authority. Anyone who plays with the safety of themselves or others, anyone too macho or cowboy to obey that gets the boot, rank or no rank over me.
"Ironhide and the others will be coming around. You're going to see that this is a society that packs all the time. Nearly everyone you're going to see is armed. This is what they call a heroic society and they know how to use them. You'll find out where to go when you go out eventually and where not to," Lennox said. "You're going to find out what a great place this is, how hospitable and forgiving, patient and funny the people here are. This is a great place and we have a great reputation. Don't fuck it up," Lennox said.
He turned to the posse and Ironhide. "Anything you want to say? Any pearls of wisdom?" Lennox asked.
The posse stared at him, then each other.
Springer shrugged. "Bars are off limits. Even N.E.S.T. isn't stupid enough to go into them without an armed escort."
Lennox laughed. "I remember a few brawls."
Drift grinned. "You were no slagging help at all, slaggers, if I remember."
"We try," Graham said as the group chuckled.
"We're heading out, Ironhide. You staying or coming?" Hercy asked.
"I'm heading for home," Ironhide said. He turned his stern gaze upon the newbies. "Welcome to the real world. See ya around," he said, then transformed into his mega truck mode.
Springer glanced at the others, then waved. "See ya. Wouldn't want to be ya," he said as they moved toward the door behind Ironhide to wait. It wouldn't open until the humans were inside the facility.
"WHO WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ME?!" Lennox shouted as the group chuckled.
They walked inside, then watched through the clear steel walls as the doors opened and everyone left. They closed again when all were clear and the atmosphere returned.
"Wow. I love this place," a soldier from France said in heavily accented English.
Everyone nodded.
"Shall we take a tour?" Lennox asked.
Everyone including Davis and the staff waiting for them to arrive followed Lennox, Graham and Epps into the facility to spend three hours checking out every square inch of it and hearing for the seventieth time the rules of the road.
It would all be awesome.
=0=TBC 5-1-2022
