The Diego Diaries: HO-HO-HO, SHES! (dd8 50)
=0=At the house in the bag
"Who wants to bet that tonight is going to be a good night. Tonight is going to be a real good night?"
Everyone turned to Ratchet who gave them a dazzler. "Anyone?"
=0=E2
He rose from his chair and followed her as she cut across the dance floor for her table on the other side. Laughing, bumping and being bumped, Lisa Kimberly, a scientist for Earth2 for three more days before leaving to move to Unidad made her way toward friends. Behind her with a growing fury, Jim Johnson shouldered his way forward.
=0=Home
"I don't know," Springer said as he sat on the floor leaning into Drift. He was halfway to the gutter. "I hope not. I can't feel my peds."
Huge laughter and agreement.
=0=E2
She felt a hand grab her arm and spin her around. Startled, she looked up into the angry face of Jim Johnson. Shrinking back, she jerked on her arm. "Let go."
"I want to talk to you."
"LET GO!"
The group around her startled, then stopped to stare at the two as the ripple spread out.
Lisa jerked free, then hurried into the crowd. Johnson tried to follow her but some of the men who were dancing blocked his path. That was when he punched one of them in the face.
At that moment, it was a free for all.
=0=House
Drift listened a moment to something off line, then glanced at Springer. "There's a brawl at Earth2. Wanna go?"
Springer who was nearly laying on the floor glanced up. "Sounds like fun. Help me find my legs and you're on."
At that moment, a tipsy Ratchet appeared overhead like a red and white balloon. "You rang?" He WIFI-ed the cure to himself and the two of them. His helm rang like a bell, then it cleared. "I'm coming."
"Why?" Prowl asked as he half reclined in a tipsy happy Prime's lap. "FOR GOSSIP! That's why." Prowl grinned as he answered his own question. "Bring me some. Film, too."
Ratchet snickered as he jerked both Springer and Drift to their peds. "Keep drinking, Prowler. Consider it practice for orn after tomorrow."
"Does that still include me, too?" Optimus asked as his genitors snickered.
"Absolutely, infant," Ratchet said as he stepped over individuals on the way to the door.
Springer and Drift followed. It would be a loud (sirens) and bright (lights) drive to E2.
=0=E2
It took a few moments for the security on duty to reach the altercation which was going hot and heavy between Johnson and two big men. Grabbing, then subduing the big man, the guards had him in cuffs and were dragging him away toward the elevator and a ride to the sub level jail that the facility held.
The shocked silence of the crowd burst into shocked conversations and finally a resumption of the music as Johnson and his guards disappeared into the crowd.
Lisa was no where to be seen.
=0=Outside E2
They stood side-by-side, the three, as they watched the environmental entrance prepare to receive them. The doors finally slid open as the big mechs walked inside, then immediately closed. The airlock was immediately ready for human occupation. The doors inside opened and out walked Owen Harris, Andre Baudin, a tense Cynthia Tomas, an even tenser Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons, Kyle Davis and Cam Frazer, of all people.
"Commanders, Ambassador. What brings you here?" Owen asked.
"A brawl," Springer said. He glanced at Drift. "You'd call it a brawl, right?"
Drift nodded. "Sure."
"We had a difference of opinion and its resolved," Kyle Davis said.
"Then you won't mind if we speak to the young lady involved? We've made it very clear our feelings about the abuse of anyone, let alone females here. We're not going backward again," Ratchet said.
Captain Ayan Ahmed walked out at that moment to stand before the group. "Commander, what brings both of you and the Ambassador here?"
"The brawl," Springer said with a grin. "We want to see the victim. We already met Big Jim."
"I'll get her. She's pretty embarrassed. We're aware that she was being hassled by him but she wouldn't file a complaint. She just angled for a transfer," Ahmed said.
"Well, more the need to speak to her then," Ratchet said. "Fetch," he said with a giant smile.
Ahmed grinned, then pulled a communicator. "Tracy, bring Lisa to the entrance please."
:On it, boss:
He glanced at the others. "She's coming."
"So, Mr. Harris, how long have you known this young lady was being hassled by Johnson?" Springer asked.
"I am not aware of it," Harris replied.
"You're the boss. The buck stops with you, Harris. You should've known and better yet. This girl should've felt better about reporting. If this keeps up this is going to turn into an all boys school," Seymour said as Charlotte appraised Harris with a cold stare.
Before Harris could reply a vehicle drove up with the girl and Officer Miles Tracy. They got out and walked to the group, pausing by the bots.
Ratchet knelt down. "I'm Ratchet. I'm the overall liaison and supervising officer for the Prime regarding this and the other human habitations," he said.
"I didn't know that," Springer replied. "I thought it was only this one."
Ratchet smirked. "Slagger. I got the entire thing dumped on me. Apparently, someone thought I had a moment to spare." He looked at the pale, obviously shaken and embarrassed young woman. "I want to know what happened. I want to know how long this has been going on, who's involved and if you felt you couldn't report this to the higher ups."
"Our policies are stringent, Ambassador," Harris said.
"But obviously not compelling," Ratchet replied.
Lisa Kimberly looked wretched but she stiffened, then looked at Ratchet. "Jim Johnson has been hanging around about six months. I don't have anything in common with him and I don't like him very much. I was nice at first because … I was raised with manners but he kept wanting a relationship. I made it clear from the start that I wasn't interested. He just wouldn't take no for an answer."
"What then? What led to this and tell me about the incident," Ratchet said. "Understand, this is a serious breech of rules so please be scientific and complete."
She glanced nervously at Harris and the others, then turned more fully to Ratchet. "He followed me around off and on but lately, the last few days, he was everywhere I was. It was scary. I locked my apartment door and I sort of didn't go out at night. I decided to see what Unidad offered and applied for a good position in their agricultural program. They accepted me and I planned to leave tomorrow for the habitat, changing over to there while working the last three days on my contract here.
"I guess he found out. Or maybe not. I don't know. I was with friends at the party, then walked from the ladies room to them. I had to cross the dance floor. I didn't see him until it was too late, so I cut through to go to my table. I was halfway there when he grabbed my arm. He wouldn't let go so I yelled. I … I hate this." She looked near to tears. "I love Earth2 and but for him I'd stay but not now. Unidad gave me a good job and I'm taking it. I don't want to be here around him or those other guys he hangs out with."
Ratchet nodded. "Is this the first time he laid hands on?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"And the policies? Did you feel free to do anything about it? Through channels? What about our security here?" Ratchet asked.
"I didn't want to make trouble. I thought if I ignored him he'd go away. But he didn't. I …" She stopped, glancing awkwardly at Harris, then turned more to Ratchet. "I didn't report it because I didn't think Mr. Harris would do anythingt. He's not a friendly person and after Monica and her husband, there's not a lot of confidence in him doing the right thing. He really lit into them for just making friends in other habitats or among the bots. Captain Ahmed knew and he looked out for me, he and the others. But I didn't make a complaint so they shouldn't be blamed. They aren't are they? Going to be in trouble?" she asked anxiously. "I just didn't think anything would come of it."
"No, They aren't in trouble. They can't act if there's no complaint but they did good looking after you anyway," Ratchet said as he glanced at a solemn faced Ahmed. "What do you want to add, Ayan?"
He sighed. "We looked after her. She was on the daily list. She was afraid to make a complaint, worried that it might be her that's sent home or something so we made her part of the daily routine. He hung around, sometimes following her. I had a chat with him about it that was … inconclusive. He seemed to have your ear, Mr. Harris," Ahmed said as he glanced at Harris coldly.
Pierre Beliveau and Mariah Harris-Davis walked from the concourse to the group gathered around the bots. Pierre glanced at Harris. "Is everything okay here?"
"No," Ratchet said as he rose to his fullest height. "I have the ultimate responsibility for the habitats on world and it appears that your goon harassed a young lady to the point where the Watch officers had to maintain surveillance and the young lady requested a transfer to another habitat. She also didn't feel confident filing a complaint. That isn't okay."
It was silent a moment, then Harris stepped forward. "This isn't what we want. We want the habitat to be safe and our population comfortable. Johnson is going to pay consequences for this and we'd like you to stay on, Lisa. I'm sorry that this happened and we want to make it right."
"I don't think I can. I'm going to Unidad tonight. A friend can put me up until my apartment is ready tomorrow. I just don't like the atmosphere, Mr. Harris. Not since Monica. Your goons don't belong here." She stepped closer to Captain Ahmed. "Captain, would you be able to get me out of here? My stuff is all packed and I can send for it tomorrow. I have a bag and I'd like to go."
He nodded. "No problem. Tracy?"
"Come on, Lisa," Officer Tracy said as he walked her back to the electric car.
"Ms. Kimberly, think about filing a complaint. This slag never ends until its made to end," Ratchet said.
She glanced at him, then nodded. Both boarded the vehicle and Tracy drove it back into the building.
It was silent a moment.
"Well, isn't this just dandy," Ratchet said. "Its been rather comfortable a while, Harris and I applaud everyone for that. Mostly. I actually thought things were going well and then this happens."
"It's not what we foster or want, Ambassador," Harris said.
"But its what you have. Tell me about why you need the goons besides to provoke us," Ratchet said.
"They work here for real reasons. You're paranoid if you think otherwise," Cam Frazer snapped.
"Cameron," his father said sharply.
"No. Let him speak. I don't bear grudges, much, and I give you full leave to say whatever you want," Ratchet said.
Frazer glanced at the group with him, then turned toward the bots, staring upward at Ratchet. "I don't like you. You're smug, arrogant and disgusting. You came here without an invite, you're squatting here on our planet in our solar system and you're as fucking stupid a species as I've ever heard of."
Cindy Tomas sucked in a breath, then tensed as she stared at Cameron. "You don't speak for me."
"No, but I speak for more than you know," Cameron said. "You act all high and mighty but you're at best, AT BEST nothing more than a pile of tin. You dare to judge us. Who are you to do that? Who are you to come here and judge us. There's nothing about you that's even real. You're a fucking car, nothing more, nothing less.
"You're squatting on our planet because you couldn't be smart enough to save your own. You're no better than the Decepticons. You came here and fooled everyone because they don't know you. You think you're better than us. You have your tech and you think you're automatically better."
"Is that what it is?" Springer asked with a slight smirk.
"I thought it was because we're better looking than him," Drift replied with a slight tense grin.
"In what universe, tin can? You fucking brother came to my ship and fucked up my job with lies about my girlfriend. You ended my career because you're a bastard, you and that maniac, Sunstreaker. Then you come here and mess with us? Fuck you, Ratchet. Fuck you and your people. Maybe you should have killed each other off. It would've saved us the fucking ordeal of you being here."
"Yeah. We kept you from making your own city here," Springer said with a tense but amused appearing tone.
"There goes the neighborhood. Oh wait. They can't even reach their own moon," Drift said as he glanced at Springer. He stared down at Frazer. "Continue. This is enlightening."
"It's over," Cindy said with fury.
"Let him talk. Let him get it all out," Ratchet said calmly as he stared at the fuming human. His father was nearly beside himself, Ratchet could see, but Harris was almost preternaturally calm.
Intel.
"This is our solar system. This is our planet, too. You fuckers had one and you blew it up. Too bad for you. Now you bring your people here and squat on Mars like you own it," Frazer fumed.
"Well … we do, so ..." Springer said as Drift nodded. "Something about possession, something or other …"
"You think you're funny," Frazer said as he stepped closer to Springer. He was too mad to be afraid. "You're a fucking pile of spare parts and you're fucking overrated."
"In what way, shortie?" Springer asked.
"I don't agree but keep talking, Tiny," Drift said.
"You two are disgusting to me. All of you are. Your bonds are bullshit," Frazer began. "Fucking alien bullshit."
"That's what I said when you wanted to bond. Fucking alien bullshit," Drift said casually to Springer.
Laughter sprung up as everyone glanced at Simmons who was chuckling, then the train wreck before them.
"You laugh but no one on Earth can stand you. This bond shit is sickening," Frazer hissed. "You think you're so funny and tough. You aren't. You're disgusting and perverted. An RPG would flatten you."
"No. I'm disgusting. He's perverted," Springer said as he nodded to Drift.
"I'm enlightened. You're both disgusting and perverted, two of my favorite things about you," Drift said as Springer grinned. He looked down at a nearly apoplectic Frazer. "Keep going. You seem to have deep insight into us."
"You pretend to be so smooth, so enlightened. You have your fucking festival. But you're nothing but a heap of spare parts from a junkyard and whatever the fuck you're trying to sell is bullshit," Frazer said.
"Smooth. That's you," Springer said with a chuckle. "More bullshit. Apparently, Cameron Frazer is into feces."
"Well, its been a shit show since he opened his mouth," Drift said.
Ratchet listened and watched all of them. Cynthia and Mariah looked shell shocked. Baudin and Beliveau looked distraught. All of them registered emotions in the extreme but for Harris. He was watching as silently and intensely as Ratchet.
More good intel.
"Fuck you, Springer. You and your tin can butt body can't come in here and throw your weight around," Frazer said.
"We can. Come in. Throwing the weight around won't happen. We might accidentally crush you and that would be a deeply sorrowful affair. Among some. Not us, of course," Springer said.
"Besides," Drift said. "Mom owns this place. Right?" he asked glancing at Ratchet who grinned at him.
"FUCK YOU, SPRINGER! YOU, TOO, DRIFT!" Frazer shouted before his father caught his arm and spun him around.
"ENOUGH!" Pierre Beliveau said, then he spoke tensely and softly to his son in French.
Fortunately, everyone of the bots spoke French.
Intel, once more.
=0=TBC 12-26-2020 01-07-2021