The Diego Diaries: Antenna (dd8 139)
=0=Temple earlier, on Mars
He glanced around, then saw it, a tall butterfly shaped being made of light and color. He was tall and slim, seemingly a 'he', though that could be his own inference. Prime stared at it, noting the face had no features but light streaming from it. He bowed slightly. "I am Optimus Prime. Some of my people are on your world. I wish to speak to you about this matter and resolving it peacefully."
The being stared at him, then stepped forward. It began to uncurl a long antenna.
=0=There
Raptor sat in the shuttle staring at the screen with a sense of impending futility. The conversation with Reset had gone as good as he expected. That is, not at all.
"This is not a multiple choice situation, Reset. You can't stay here. We've determined that this is a Level Six protected world and that means we marker buoy it and leave. That means all of you have to go. We're giving you time to gather your gear. We'll take everything you got including the dead. We leave nothing behind and you know it. All that can be arranged will be. Its time for you to exert some leadership and do this."
"We're not going, Raptor. You can come here and try to take us but we'll fight you," Reset had replied.
"What's the hold up? What's keeping you here, slagger?" Raptor had asked.
"We've been here for eons," Reset replied. "We like it here. Its home. We're not going to a bombed out planet or some fragging army base because you say so."
"Then maybe you need to review this," Raptor said as he sent the videos of the colony, Cybertron and the Empire that all refugees were given to inspect before arriving on world. "Review this slag and get back to me." With that, he cut the channel. "Fragger. We'll see about that." He glanced at Ratchet and Perceptor. "Figure out what's keeping him here. I don't trust him. He has an angle."
"They always do, Raptor," Ratchet said as he rose to go with Perceptor to the back of the shuttle to go over the scans and data again. This time, they would use all the spectrums of their instrumentation for information.
=0=Temple, or a construct somewhere
The antenna gently touched Optimus on the chassis where the Matrix resided. It didn't hurt. It felt gentle but when the alien did an explosion of information appeared in Prime's processor. It filled him with light, alien commentary, the birth of a world, the intermediate stages of development such went through before life could appear, then The Builders.
Optimus had seen them in visions before but they never spoke nor interacted with him. They watched him sometimes, their soft energy reaching him in an encouraging loving way. He saw them, enormous blue humanoid beings bending over tidal pools pouring things into them and taking measurements. He didn't know what they were doing but it looked like a kind of magical science effort to him.
The scenes flooded him, the rising of life on the planet, the symbiosis that was the dominant structure of interaction between all of the species here and the incredible peacefulness and love inherent in such a life pathway.
He also saw tiny orbs of light floating everywhere like tiny bubbles.
=0=Reset and Company, two joors later
They sat in their office conference room in silence after watching the several videos that were sent to them by Raptor. They were as surprising as anything they could have guessed. The colony on Mars wasn't a dusty military base with bare amenities but a magnificent vibrant urban landscape that housed according to the updated count of population over 250,000,000 Cybertronians. It also stated that Prime and his Autobots were feeding and housing nearly 1.5 billion Cybertronians on Cybertron itself. What the count was in the empire was unknown and unspoken in the films but it was expected to be enormous as well.
The rebuilding images were stark but uplifting. A massive effort of construction, repairs, reclaiming and housing was a sight to behold. That there were Decepticons and Autobots working together in all areas of the new empire was amazing. It seemed that such a thing was an impossibility beyond reason, but here it was.
There were councils where everyone could get their grievances heard. The legal system had been revamped and the economic model was cashless. There was equal opportunity for everyone and it was emphasized over and over the The System of Exception was over. It was a Primal Decree for here until eternity. That it might have favor with The Pantheon was underscored by the restoration of the relics, Allspark and Well not just to Prime's colony but back at Simfur itself. The Pantheon and Primus had gifted both places, both Temples to comfort and support His children.
It was unheard of.
Children were going to school in massive camps. Those with the greatest need were housed in massive towers with extraordinary quality apartments for everyone as more and more were built for everyone. Medical treated everyone regardless of status. Businesses were blossoming everywhere undertaken by anyone who wanted to do so. The detoxing of the world, the removal of massive damage and destruction by Primus Himself was something none of them expected. The world was being saved. Towns were completed, villages as well. Cities were expanding at a shocking rate of restoration. The transportation system was not only restored but upgraded.
It was a breathtaking sight to see.
"Prime has been busy," one of the elders said.
The mood was heavy and surprised as they sat in the big room silently together.
"Video can be faked. I know. I did it for a living," another said.
No one spoke a moment.
"Prime wouldn't be so crass. If this is what's there, then this is the truth," Reset said. "We have a formidable enemy in this Prime. He also had the assistance of Primus. Primus made the debris and infrastructural faults disappear. This Prime has the support of the Pantheon."
As they mused over the situation, they didn't notice that Raptor had removed all mention of the Prime's name from the videos. They would continue to believe that Ultra Magnus was the Prime of Cybertron.
For now.
=0=Temple on Mars or there abouts
The deluge was extreme, then the antenna was withdrawn. The being stared at Prime as he sorted the information into something that would allow him to emerge from the fog that the download had created. It was vast and visual, mostly, with conversations that he would have to take time to sort out. What was apparent to him as he shook his helm to clear it was that he now understood the entire history of this beautiful special world. "Thank you. I would like to leave your world with gratitude that you helped my lost people until we could come. Anything that might have been harmful to you and your planet was not done on purpose, but rather out of ignorance. I ask your forgiveness and apologize for that. We will take them away but it might take force to make it happen. I would like your permission to do this for you."
The being pulsed warmth to Optimus.
He returned it.
The being seemed to smile but there was no face to show it, just a stream of brilliant light where it would have been otherwise. He seemed to rise, his wings undulating in the air, then disappeared in a burst of sparkling crystal light.
Prime was back in the Temple again.
=0=A joor later
Prime walked to the shuttle that would take him to the planet, one they called Meadow Lands after the colony started by Reset. Climbing in with a good dozen soldiers, he walked to the engineer seat and sat. Around him, three other battle shuttles, a number of transport vessels that would carry the refugees and their stuff as well as a shuttle to shelter the 20 Seekers who would also come were getting ready to go. They were going to the planet to begin the evacuation that would bring the long lost party into the fold again.
He was going locked and loaded.
=0=Raptor
He walked to the camp site where everyone was drowsing around, then sat on a chair. Picking up a pot, he banged it on the fire pit. When everyone turned to him, he grinned. Ultra Magnus who had come back with him sat across from Raptor along with several others and Onyx. "Just got off the phone from Prime and he's coming. He contacted the entity at the Temple and they made an agreement. We take the slaggers off and if it takes a dust up then we have permission, though they'd prefer a better more peaceful solution."
"That's because they're slagging perfect," Smokey said.
"You got that right, infant. Enjoy this for now. We're bugging out when Optimus says the word. I, for one am going to miss this place. It feels more peaceful than any place I've been in a long time," Raptor said as he settled back.
"We can stay," Niall Graham said.
Raptor glanced at him. "Don't count on it."
Niall stared at him. "No, really. We can stay."
The other humans watching both of them glanced at Raptor, then nodded as one.
Raptor stared at them, then glanced at Onyx. "Oh, frag."
=0=Getting there
They came out of the bridge, then found themselves in orbit around the planet so quickly that it was wrenching.
Prime glanced at the others, then stood to leave. He toggled the comm system. "Get ready for a call. Stay in orbit until the ground situation is assessed. Prime out." He glanced at Revo. "Take us down, Revo. Follow the beam."
They flew downward, crossed Meadow Lands Colony, then landed in a rather crowded rocky field next to a number of shuttles.
Prime stepped out to meet Raptor, Onyx, Devcon, Magnus and most of the other mechs. Sitting on the servos of Magnus, Devcon and Raptor, Will Lennox, Niall Graham and Rick Harris watched. "I see everyone is well?"
Ratchet nodded. "Maybe. Please tell Prime what you think we should do, tiny people. He needs all the information he can get."
Niall and Will glanced at Ratchet, then Prime. Rick stared around, then turned his rapt attention to Prime.
"We need to stay here, Optimus. This is a great place. I don't think I've ever been any place so great in my life and my farm is heaven to me," Lennox said.
The other two nodded.
Prime stared at them, the other mechs with them who grinned, Ratchet and Perceptor, then the humans again. "What?" he asked.
=0=Moments later
"And frankly, I'm not sure what's causing it but something is. Maybe this place has a hypnotic effect that over a period of time makes you want to stay here. It would explain Reset and his crew. They've been here a long time and want to stay really badly. The newer refugees like it but want to go. These little slaggers are as bound to stay as Reset which means whatevers causing this takes less time with tiny brains than big processors." He grinned at the offended humans. "Offense intended."
"Your families are waiting to see you," Prime said.
"We can bring them here," Rick said. "We can build a colony here and it'll be great. Who doesn't love butterflies?"
The two soldiers nodded in agreement.
Prime glanced at Ratchet. "What if we take them from here? Will it harm them or will they get over it when they leave? Are all of them affected?"
"All of them," Ratchet said. "I think whatever it is will fade. I don't see or feel anything about this place as dangerous or problematic. It could be a residual effect of a hive mind, all that brain energy working between everyone here. They have symbiotic relationships and communicate through smells, touches and brain energy. It might just be naturally including anyone else here into the pool as it were. Taking everyone out might do the trick."
"Very well," Prime said. "Get them together and take them to Mars."
"We can't go, Optimus. We have to stay here," Will said.
"I am sorry to disappoint you, William. You will go with the others to Mars where you will be observed at the Medical Center by Jarro and his experts. I do believe in time you will return to your senses. General?"
Raptor nodded. "Lets get them out of here." He walked off with the others and three yelling soldiers.
Everyone watched them go.
"Humans. Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Okay, Prime. What do we do now?"
"I think I need to speak to Reset," Optimus said.
Ratchet grinned. "I wasn't talking to you."
Magnus rolled his optics.
Prime grinned. "Oh, that is right." He glanced at Magnus. "Lead on, Ultramus Prime."
He would with a barrage of snickers and smirks behind him.
=0=TBC 4-15-2021