The Diego Diaries: Cameron, Cameron, ho! (dd8 77)
Part 26 of What Makes No Difference Is No Difference will go up tomorrow. :D:D:D
=0=Morning at the communal feed bag
"Hand over that infant."
Drift had barely sat down before the familiar assault by the Old People™ began. He grinned as he slid open his carry hold to gently pull the baby out. He held Tell out to Amma Turbine who was going to be heading for Cybertron shortly along with most of those sitting at the table who weren't police or essential equipment here on world. The nine big kids who were here with Ironhide and Ratchet would go with them including Sunspot and Spot. The babies were already with Ratchet's family.
Conferences.
Turbine took the baby gently, sliding him onto his arm. "Well, hello, my baby." He glanced at Drift and Springer. "Heavy emphasis on 'my baby'."
"Mech is delusional," Raptor said. "But we'll take him."
Huge laughter greeted that as food arrived. The baby would spend his entire breakfast interlude being passed around the table to be exclaimed over and held in the highest of grandparental esteem possible. Drift and Springer would feel the greatness and joy of their child being loved and acclaimed in a large family with many elders.
"What's the word for you today?" Ratchet asked.
"We're going to go home for a bit so Tell can have his nap, then take him to the Outpatient Clinic in Iacon for his baseline check up data gathering. You know. You ordered it," Springer said.
Ratchet smiled. "I did didn't I."
"How is he?" Alor asked as he waited his turn to fawn over a new grandson.
"He's doing well. His numbers yesterday were good, holding their own with a couple going upward." Drift glanced at Ratchet. "That's good. Right? Going upward?"
"Finest kind," Ratchet said.
"We have a game in less than a decaorn," Ironhide said. "You can't do duty and have him there."
"Tell is coming with us," Alor said. "Aren't you, darling?" He glanced at Drift and Springer. "Get him ready. You have a carry basket, right?"
They both nodded.
"Its a really good one, one that'll keep him warm and safe yet let us see him through the cover," Springer said to everyone's great amusement and pride. Both of the boys were doing good with the baby.
"Then problem solved." Alor grinned. "While Prowl appears to be delusional enough to believe Baby is his, he's actually mine. Never forget that."
They both grinned.
"Okay." -both of them
The chat went on before rounding onto Cameron Frazer.
"What's the word? I heard you have to go and chat them up again, the leadership and all," Hercy said.
"I do," Ratchet replied. "Because I'm a healer, because I'm essential equipment on a scale never before known, because I, Ratchet the-"
"FRAG IT, OLD MECH!" Ironhide said with a smirk. "You're delusional as well. Don't forget that."
"What sweet things to say to me around all of our friends and family. Its not like you set out to make me cry but you do," Ratchet said.
Ironhide stared at him, then sat back warily. "Don't cry. You know I can't stand it when you threaten that."
"You cry? You mean like 'ugly cry'?" Raptor asked flaunting once again that he could slag slang in dozens of dialects and modes.
"There's nothing about Ratchet that's ugly. When you dump him, dibs," Hercy said as a lot of the mechs around the table grinned and nodded. They all meant it. Ratchet was a hoot.
"WHAT THE FRAG!?" -Old Dependable™
"Where were we? Oh yeah. I, Ratchet the Merciful and Well Prepared must go among the slaggers and set them back on the Right Road.
"Do you think its going to work?" Kup asked.
"Hell if I know," Ratchet replied to huge laughter. "99% of the humans that live here do so with great effort to belong and obey the few rules that we insist upon. Its the 1% that frags things up. Stop me if you've heard this before."
"Some never learn. Some don't want to," Drift said. "Owen Harris is playing intel games with us. He's willing to lose people to find things out. Too bad we don't play him back harder than we do."
"Some of us have day jobs," Ratchet said with a chuckle.
"When do you have to be there and who has to come?" Sandstorm asked.
"I have to be there in a few minutes. Paragon and Prowl are coming and so is most of the N.E.S.T. garrison. I don't care who comes. All of you could as well but I can think of better things to do than sit through a meeting about rules since most of you don't follow any yourselves."
"We do. Wreck 'n rule is a good one," Sandstorm replied with a chuckle.
"Take film for us. Close ups on the slaggers," Hercy said as Ratchet slid out of his booth.
"Done deal," Ratchet said.
"You want us to come?" Springer asked.
"You can. Your call with infant there," Ratchet said as he grinned at Tell.
Tell smiled back from his great great great grand amma's arms.
Great Great Great Grand Amma Turbine smiled, too.
With a flippant remark or two, Ratchet left to go to Earth2. It was cold outside but very sunny. The town was awake and moving along. He walked to the Metro, went downstairs to enter a train headed toward the Basilica District Station. Entering a car, he stood by the door for the short ride, got off at the Basilica Station, caught a train that was dedicated solely to one of the many dead end lines, Habitat Line which was green on the map and toodled along toward Earth2. It was a mostly empty car going this direction when he stepped inside. When they reached Earth2's metro station, he got off and went to the elevator to go upward into the facility itself.
It would take seconds.
=0=Earlier
Prowl and Paragon arrived at Earth2 and took the elevator upward. Harris was waiting for them and escorted them after a tense but polite exchange to the auditorium at the other end of the building. They walked with him, nodding to those who waved. The entire place seemed tense and some of the locals looked shame faced to see them. Many were the locals who looked like they wanted to speak to the pair but didn't with Harris there.
Administrators, department heads, controlling committee members and the leadership of Earth 1, Earth2, Unidad Terra 1, Prima Station and The Consulate were there as requested. The Resort, Sciences and the Family Tower though they didn't have to come came as well. N.E.S.T. had been arriving and gathering there in big groups.
Prowl and Paragon were the first bots to arrive.
Behind them escorted by Jason Daniels of all people, Ratchet followed. Daniels had nothing to say but welcome and 'follow me'. It was an interesting first volley from Owen Harris of the orn.
=0=Inside the vast room
People were gathering, some of those who held the longest tenancy and those who were brand new to the game. Hundreds of individuals were here, some sitting, others standing alone or in groups as they waited. Everyone seemed tense, everyone was on edge. When Prowl and Paragon entered the room it fell silent, then a ripple of clapping turned into spontaneous applause.
Prowl paused, nodded his helm in respect, then continued to the stage. Paragon did the same, grinning slightly at the unexpected kindness before following Prowl. As they stepped onto the stage, Ratchet appeared in the doorway.
Ratchet entered the door, then paused to scan the crowd. He spread his arms wide, then smiled a dazzler. "HELLO, LITTLE PEOPLE!"
It broke the ice like he knew it would. People laughed, then genuine applause, whistles and shouts filled the room.
Ratchet grinned, then followed Daniels to the stage where he stood aside to let Ratchet climb up. Daniels walked to his own family, then sat with them as people began to take seats all over the room. It was a surprisingly full auditorium. Life among the human contingent was no longer the cozy small group of pioneers.
A moment of conversation by those on the stage was had, then Ratchet was on. He turned to the room, scanned them again, then grinned. "In case you didn't know, I'm Ratchet of Iacon and I'm a doctor. I just scanned you, a habit I have with organic individuals who matter to me. I have information that I'm going to send to you in private texts that will give you a full breakdown of your physical condition. Its a courtesy I extend, a habit I've developed and a point of caring and unity that I practice.
"You all know why we're here. We have a problem. We want to address it together, to give you another chance to understand not just your place and rights here but us as well. We're an informal group, the ruling Civilian Committee and Senior Autobot General Staff of the Prime. Its our chosen way of living. We could be very formal. Some of our Primes were but we choose to be happier than they were.
"Because we're informal, I think its harder to understand and think of us in a serious way as well as the vastness and seriousness of our responsibilities. I am the Chief Medical Officer not just for the Autobot Armed Forces, all of them, but for the colony, Cybertron and every place that Cybertronians exist. I am also the Prime's Chief Negotiator, Chief Diplomat and Secretary of State. Besides that, I'm also the Chief Controlling Officer of the Human Habitats of Mars for the Prime.
"Prowl is the second-in-command of everything. If something happens to Prime, Prowl defaults as the commander. He's also a highly decorated and immensely prestigious law enforcement officer and expert. Beside him is Paragon who graduated first in his class at the Autobot Military Academy, is a phenomenal strategist and military tactician, fourth in command of the army as a member of the Alpha Team behind Prime, Prowl and General Hard Drive of Praxus. He's also an extraordinary organizer and our most vulnerable elders are in better care than they would be without his expertise with transitional living spaces.
"There are many genuinely phenomenal individuals that serve the Prime of Cybertron I could tell you about individually but all of us serve him. Optimus Prime is the heart and soul of our operation and you've seen the veneration that our people hold for him, the depth of their gratitude and appreciation for what he's provided them after the terror and deprivation of their lives. Optimus would be the last person who would need such things. He's genuinely self composed, wise and old enough to know how stupid and counter productive holding a grudge can be.
"I tell you all these things because sometimes our informal manner gives off the wrong impression to those who might come to the wrong conclusions. We like our informal manner but we also know who each of us are and what we do in and for our society. I have a duty and responsibility to go over the rules of the road here, to tell you about what our society expects from you as resident aliens on our turf and what we're prepared to do and not do about things that happen.
"We have a problem with an individual who I won't name who provoked an incident with us by defying my express order to stay in the habitat due to an encounter with another human that most of you already know about. It was a deliberate act that has resulted in a term at the prison and a hearing in six months concerning his status here. It's highly likely that he'll be given a lifetime ban from every Primal territory and planet within the Prime's empire."
It was deeply silent in the room as everyone listened to Ratchet. He had a way of giving bad news without twisting the knife. It was evident that they knew most of the news but not all the details. They sat in their seats with serious expressions and tense emotions.
Will Lennox and every off duty soldier in the garrison was there sitting with the committee of ladies that ran the Resort. Around them sat scientists from Sciences and a lot of elders of everyone who lived here as well. Merlie and Harley Epps were here as well as the elder Lennoxes, both Witwickys as well as Judy Fulton, Olivia Boles and Barbara Morshower.
Ratchet continued.
"When you came we made a very big deal about the benefits of living here and what you could expect living in an open society once you passed the safety checks and demonstrated skill at navigating such a place as Mars. You've had access to most of our life, some of you to all of it and you won't find prouder people than us that you can. I can't put a finger on any other alien species that has lived among us so successfully and so well.
"All of you read and discussed the rules and by-laws. You read about your rights and their limitations here in this, a society operating under modified martial law in a zero mistake environment. You've seen those rules that we put in place because our culture is shattered, our people traumatized and our situation calling for eternal military vigilance. Still, there are few limitations for you in your daily lives.
"You work for us, nearly all of you. We are, Autobot Nation, your employers and we take that extremely seriously, providing the best working and living conditions possible and benefits that will carry you forward when you retire or leave to whatever heights you wish.
"Some of you are in partnerships with us to manage your own affairs with caveats. Earth 1 and Earth2 are independent operations with limitations that are clearly and specifically spelled out. Unidad and Prima Station are fully owned, operated and managed by us for the benefit of Autobot Nation and is creations for the Earth. The Consulate is embassy territory and has autonomy with very limited caveats as an entity short of embassy status. Sciences is a fifty-fifty operation. They choose their projects and we assist. The N.E.S.T. Headquarters and Family Tower are autonomous. The Resort is managed by the humans for humans and has nearly complete autonomy.
"It should be noticed that the longer you've been here and among us, the more control we concede. We trust the humans who live in the older habitations because we have mutual respect and familial regard for each other. We also have time, adventures and history. You newbies are getting there. Make no mistake about that," he said with a grin.
"Yet …" Ratchet began again.
=0=TBC 01-28-2021 01-28-2021