The Diego Diaries: Visitin' (dd8 171)
=0=About the same time elsewhere
He sat in the conference room waiting with Prowl, Sun and Hardie. It was quiet as the moments ticked by. Then the door opened and they walked in, Reset and Dok, both of them halting at the table to stare stonily at Prime and his party.
It was silent a moment, then Prowl rose. "Take a seat," he said with his cop voice.
They stared at him, then sat down.
Prime who was staring at the two noted that Ratchet appeared behind them, walked around the table, then leaned against the wall nearby. It was quiet again.
"What do you want, Prime? I was about to enjoy my dinner," Dok said dryly.
"Are you aware of the crisis for your refugee group?" Prime asked.
"That they're barricaded in? I'm aware of it," he replied.
"No. Are you aware of the newest information? This is about the health crisis that was discovered," Prime asked again.
They stared at him, each other, then him again.
"I suppose you'll tell us then," Reset said.
Both he and Dok stared at Optimus coldly.
"Ratchet," Prime said softly.
Ratchet turned to the pair. "We ran scans on your group when they left the colony, a precaution we take with everyone who comes here, especially those who haven't had contact to all the tech we can provide to take care of things. It was discovered when the data was run that your group has a form of protoform wasting that we've never seen before. We believe that it's become a problem for your colony due to the decreasing quality of materials that you used for energon production.
"The depth of your quarry indicates that the types of materials you were using to produce food and medicine was declining. Because it did you had physical problems as a result of the drop in quality until you ended up with this disease. Its a disease tied to malnutrition.
"What happens is very progressive. When the disease takes hold it destroyed the protoform and in the end attacks the skeletal structure of the body like a cancer, eating away at it to make it weak and vulnerable. It also makes it possible to sit down and break every strut that you have, they become so thin and wasted. Given enough time they begin to disappear. By then, you'll be glad to be dead."
The two stared at him. They said nothing.
"I've asked the doctor who you have if there's been any infants making it to separation in the last, say, three hundred years. He said there were none. This is a disease that has to be treated. Everyone has it," Ratchet said as he hit the two with his scanners. He studied the small screen. "Even you."
Reset considered that. "To what degree? That is … if you'll tell the truth about this and it isn't a ruse to make us step down."
Ratchet grinned. "You want truth do you? I'll put it on screen and have Teletraan run the data in language even you can understand." He walked to the corner of the room where a computer station and input port was located for consultations with prisoners between themselves and their representation. He jacked in, downloaded the information, then keyed in Auntie to review and report, short and layman's terms. He stood back, then turned on the monitor.
The screen flashed with analysis, then froze into a report form with all manner of data spread out to be read and understood. Auntie's voice began. "This is the data for the mech Reset. He's of mid range in age, possesses a very good protoform of quality with no indication of damage to it by either conflict or accident over the majority of his lifespan. As of present, that standard has changed.
"The protoform quality appears to be low cusp moderate. The skeletal integrity appears to be low cusp moderate. There's evidence of protoform wasting in this mech's body which indicates a long term deficient diet. Missing are the metals and minerals that are necessary to provide structural integrity to ensure good health. The culprit appears to be a form of protoform wasting that's not presently present in any database that I have access and should be considered a new variant.
"Given the degree of impairment that this mech has evolved, it's projected that he's in the beginnings of decline of his protoform and if left untreated, death will occur at a point yet undetermined. It would appear that his form of this new variant is slow replicating."
"Thank you, Teletraan," Ratchet said as he keyed off the computer. He turned to Reset and Dok. "Teletraan just gave me a clue. Your protoform wasting is slow and yours, Dok," he said as he checked the screen on his arm, "isn't."
"How is that possible?" Dok asked.
"Well, it indicates that an individual's constitution plays a part in how fast this acts," Ratchet said. "I'll send this to Wheeljack," he said as he tapped in the codes to transmit the data. He turned to the two mechs. "Both of you are sick from a new strain of this disease and so are your people. We need all of them to come out and get this going. Who knows how sick all of them are but from what I've seen just now at the Medical Center a lot of damaged individuals, especially the children and babies are pretty poorly." He stared at the two. "I wondered why we never saw any children outside of their homes at Meadow Lands or elders. They're sick to the point of death."
"You consider yourself a leader," Prime said. "Leaders put their people ahead of themselves and their personal peculiarities. You would be derelict in your duty not to tell your people to put down their weapons and come out. How many of their deaths will you be personally responsible for by doing nothing about this catastrophe?"
They stared at Prime, then Reset said, "What guarantees will you give that no one is going to be standing in a courtroom over this? You have to give something to us to get what you want. I don't want any of our people in jail over this misunderstanding. We are, after all, newcomers to this, the new … paradigm."
"I can guarantee that your people will be given absolutely every possibility to be treated for their hurts and this disease. They have to come out unarmed. I cannot give you any other assurances. We are a people of laws. What comes out of this situation has to be addressed later. What we must be doing now is to help the people," Prime replied.
"What would you suggest then?" Dok asked.
"Call them to lay down their arms, come out to be transported to the hospitals helping the others and cooperate. They can't have weapons and anyone who causes difficulties will be arrested. Its the usual protocol as you both know," Prowl said. "The priority here is the people and their well being. Whatever follows is for later on. Mech up. Be the leaders you seem to think that you are and do right by these people."
It was silent a moment, then Reset stood. "If you can't guarantee what we need then take me back."
Prowl glanced at the guard at the door. "Do it."
Reset walked to the door, then out. It closed behind him.
"I suppose that you're going to be a fragger about this, too? It's obvious that Reset doesn't give a frag about the rest of these people. What about you? Are you going to be responsible for them dying? They have a choice now. The disease or in some futile idiotic shoot out with us. Its up to you now. Are you a leader or not?"
Dok stared at him, then glanced at Prime. "How do you suppose to reach them?"
"Prepare a message. We shall play it. Then we go from there," Prime said.
Dok considered that, then nodded. "Alright."
It took a moment to get the message recorded, then Dok went back to his cell, albeit one where he was placed alone.
Moments later over the internal transponder link that connected a Prime to his people ...
:I would like your attention. This is Dok. I've just been informed about the serious situation involving a disease called protoform wasting. I've reviewed the evidence and have decided that we need to cease this action to ensure that all of our colony gets to go to the hospitals and be treated for it. The disease if left untreated is fatal. The colony has a lot of experience treating this disease and all its variants.
:I'm giving the order as a leader of the ruling council that you lay down your arms, gather up everyone and present yourself at the plaza outside your buildings. Your safety has been guaranteed and I believe it. The situation is not so dire that it cannot be resolved later. The important measure now is to do this for your health and that of everyone. We are one. We are solid and we will prevail. For now, obey me. Dok out:
At that moment of broadcast ...
Standing outside the towers on 14th and Blackstone, Prime and all of the individuals of his staff including Ratchet watched to see if there would be compliance. 534 of the colonials had departed earlier, taking to the buses to get treatment for their conditions. Now they had to get 398 to do the same and all of them would have to be accounted for.
Nearby in a line on the street, buses waited. They were driven by Autobots, guarded by Autobots stationed nearby and held techs and medics to help those involved to their destination. Autobot City Medical Center, the Children's Treatment Center in Pax as well as the Medical Centers in Crystal City and Terra were on the list for receiving them.
The faint sound of traffic could be heard in the distance as rerouted traffic continued onward though it was night still. Drones hovered overhead, unheard and unseen, taking in the scene below for the Watch techs who were seeking information about compliance.
It was cold, dark and tense as the doors down the way began to open.
Lines of mechs, a few femmes and some remaining children and babies began to walk toward the buses from the Esco Tower. Elders including two being carried also joined the lines. The expressions on their faces flew the gamut of emotions as they slowed as they approached.
Prime stepped forward, then pointed to the buses.
The refugees stared at him, then began to head that way. That was when a shot rang out and everyone froze.
"Oh frag," Ratchet said as he ran forward. "Down! DOWN ON THE GROUND!" he shouted as he began to pull startled refugees to the pavement. Down the line he ran with Prowl and Prime, their optics focused on the tower, Tomsa as they helped refugees fall down to the hard concrete. Ratchet glanced at the buses, then spun as a shot hit him and he fell.
"RATCHET!" Prowl cried as he sighted in on the window where he felt the shot had come. He held the shot in the confusion of the moment, then ran to Ratchet. "You okay?"
Ratchet sat up. "Frag yeah. I have another hole in my arm, the fraggers."
Prowl snorted, then watched as the door opened to a mob of soldiers who had made it across, running inside with Prime. "Can you stand?"
"Not on my hands," Ratchet said as he rose. "UP! TO THE BUSES!" he said with his optic and gun pointed toward the Tomsa Tower.
They would clear the area, then run toward other towers to stand by the doors crowded with frightened refugees to await the all clear to get them out of their buildings.
Inside …
They ran upward calculating the floor as drones fed to Prime what information they could. On the fourteenth floor, Prime peered out of the window on the door to the stairwell and glanced at the others. :Stay here. I can see the shooter:
The others nodded, then watched as Prime stepped quietly out, then began to stalk the shooter. When he reached the window where he was crouched, Prime tapped the wall with his gun. "Do not move."
The shooter froze in place.
"Drop the gun, then stand very slowly," Prime said.
The shooter did.
"Turn to face me," Prime said.
The shooter did.
He was a kid.
=0=TBC 05-23-2021