The Diego Diaries: Elders (dd8 189)
=0=On the way
They finally boarded the vessel together as directed by the flight crew. Somewhere in the world another three ships were gathering passengers from a number of airports, their flight manifests ticking off one name at a time. Two of the vessels would fly into space to wait when they reached their full complement while two would go to Diego long enough to land on one of their farthest airfields to transfer passengers. Of the three only one ship was heading for Prima Station.
When they were ready they lifted off and flew into a swiftly darkening sky to hold in orbit as one came to join them. The other two flew down to Diego and as they did, the humans would marvel at the view below of their home world and all of her fragile beauty.
=0=Diego Garcia
They stood on the edge of the runway waiting for two ships to come in to land. Hot Rod and Smokey who were on 'probation' from Raptor, that is, they could work on Diego every tenth orn but were his for the rest of their work life, were going to be accompanying the ships to Mars so 'the slaggers can see a Cybertronian in the metal. He'd said, 'Given we haven't got anyone free at the moment to do that duty, you two slaggers will do. Don't get into any love spats on the ships or I'll pile drive ya'.
That Raptor.
They were stiff with discomfort and the stifled rage of youth about their elders as they watched two large passenger vessels come in for a landing. All around them off duty human men and women were hanging out on vehicles to see them as well. Both of the two were here for this alone, though they were going to do an orn here every ten until they were off Raptor's shit list.
It would take a while. Raptor was having a slagging good time with them even if they weren't with him.
The ships landed and the spray of rain from it flashed over everyone as they glided past. They halted, then the stairways lowered on one. A crew member, human, led some passengers down it toward the other vessel which was headed exclusively to Prima Station. They gawked at the two mechs, the only two there as they walked toward the other ship to board. When they were, the ramp sealed.
The steward walked toward his ship, then detoured to the pair. "I hear you're on General Raptor's shit list and you have to come with us to be our display." He laughed as he walked back toward the ship. Glancing over his shoulder, he grinned. "Don't be sad sacks. Come on. We're going home."
The two frowned at Byron Lord who they liked since he was one of the regular crew who flew both civilian and military ships. A former Army Ranger, he was funny, relatable and lived on Mars with his family.
The slagger.
"Everyone's a comedian," Hot Rod said between clenched denta. He trudged forward with his duty bag and rifle as Smokey with his followed with a grin. They boarded, the ships rose up to disappear and all went back to normal again at Diego.
=0=Later that evening
"And in other news, a number of humans will be joining their families at Prima Station and the human habitats on world for Elder Day celebrations. As guests of the Prime, they'll be here for a duration of ten orns and we welcome them into our midst," Lim-Lee said with a smile. "Jacx talked to the director of Unidad Habitat about festivities planned for their guests."
The camera cut to Jacx and Carly Brooks-Spencer in the Grand Concourse of Unidad Terra 1. "Carly, what sort of plans do you have about the visitors over the holiday and how many are you expecting here at Unidad?"
"We expect about 1,200 or so family from various countries of Earth for a ten day visit. We've contracted with Autobot City Touring Company to have tours of the colony for our visitors. Those will be daytime trips and will cover more places and territory than that usually provided by the Resort. We plan to have dinners and dances, a chance for families to see what their members do here with tours of the facilities and visits from a number of mechs and femmes to meet and greet them.
"We want them to see what we do and experience the life we have here that we love so much. Its a goodwill visit for Earth and our people to get more perspectives of life on Mars and feel the genuinely great hospitality of The People. We would like to thank Lord Optimus for extending the visas of our family members for a ten day period. We want to visit and renew our families as well. Not everyone is as fortunate as some of us to have their elders living here on world."
"After every visit it seems there's an uptick in immigration applications from visitors," Jacx said with a grin.
"There is. This place is so great and The People so wonderful that a lot of our own come here expecting one thing and finding another. What people are finding is a way of life that they want to have themselves. Its a great life living here and we're grateful for it every day."
"How will 4,500 people fit here?"
"We have big apartments and we've planned for everyone. Some may be sleeping on the floor but I assure you, no one is complaining," Carly said with a chuckle.
"Thank you, Director Brooks-Spencer of Unidad Terra 1," Jacx said. "Now back to the studio."
"When is that slagger going to marry her?" Ironhide asked as he sat in his chair eating fudge and drinking his nighty-night beer.
"I hear its a thing in progress. Carly wants to make it a double with Jessie and James. They both want Optimus to officiate and have it here. I suppose eventually it'll happen," Ratchet said. "Both their families live here so …"
"What's your plan for tomorrow?" Ironhide asked as he muted the news.
"I have to go to a meeting and hear the progress on the cure. They might have a plan for the disease," Ratchet said. "Since you're taking the little mechs and the femmes are coming for Hero and Halo we might want to meet up for lunch, maybe, then go about our separate ways."
"Sounds like a plan," Ironhide said.
=0=On board a ship heading home
They stood in the back like statues avoiding eye contact at all costs. That didn't stop the humans from asking questions of the stewards and taking pictures. One young girl asked the steward why the two bots were on board. "Are they here to help us or are they just part of the show?" she asked innocently.
:Frag: Hot Rod said to No One In Particular.
:Ditto: No One In Particular replied.
"Actually, they're heading back to Autobot City. I heard they were detailed to General of the Army Raptor of Praxus who's a really great mech. They were the two that got into that fight during the Iacon football game which the team lost. Apparently," he said as he grinned at the two uncomfortable stiff looking mechs standing by the back wall, "those two are not only on Raptor's shit list, they're on Prowl's. Of all the shit lists to get onto, Prowl's is the worst."
Huge laughter greeted that.
:Laugh, monkeys: No One In Particular said to Frag You Because Its All Your Fault.
F.Y.B.I.A.Y.F. nodded slightly.
Of course, neither of them could disagree about the content of the commentary.
=0=Morning at the start of The Plan™
The big kids walked out the door with gear bags and hugs.
It closed.
Then it opened.
Blackjack, Raptor, Flint, Steiner, Hardie and Partition walked in to grab little kids and Ironhide.
"Where's Maelstrom?" Ratchet asked.
"He's going with the femmes," Steiner said. "The mech is in love."
Huge laughter greeted that, then as fast as they came they went.
The door closed.
Then it opened.
"We're here for the femmes," Elita said as the squad came in behind her trailed by a mellow appearing Maelstrom.
"HI! YOU'RE HERE!" Hero said as she ran out of the hallway nearby with her tiny blue backpack on. Behind her with an identical one was Halo. They screeched to a stop, clasped servos, then smiled upward with huge wattage.
They were scooped up.
"We're out of here," Arcee said. "Lunch, swimming, the bumper cars at Play Land … we have a full orn. That doesn't count the spa and more tattoos."
Ratchet snorted, then laughed loudly. "Slaggers."
They walked out the door with grins.
It closed behind them.
Ratchet waited but the door didn't open again. Glancing around, he noted Cousin sitting on Robby's broad hairy back. "I have to go. You two okay?"
They stared at him with their inscrutable cat and cowy eyes.
"Well, I'll take that for a yes," he said before he walked out the door.
It closed behind him.
It didn't open again either.
=0=Prima Station a titch earlier
The vessels flew in formation, all of them in line-of-sight of each other. Cameras recorded, passengers chattered, stewards circulated and two bots stood like statues at Disney Land. A commentary from the ship flight deck of what was outside was given when something interesting showed but mostly it was a happy mellow group watching the universe pass by.
"May I have your attention."
The ship quieted instantly.
"We are parting company with one of our companions in about five minutes so they can dock at Prima Station which is located at the Midway Array. It's a massive space station as you know which is home to 10,000 plus humans who work at projects that benefit both The People and those of Earth. This station is owned by Autobot Nation and is part of the holdings of the Primes who function as a form of monarchy.
"The ship leaving our group holds the passengers for Prima Station which necessitated the switchover at Diego Garcia. All of the passengers on the three vessels that will continue onward toward Mars are those slated to arrive there in about 30 minutes on the TMC, the Military Clock which is the standard time model used between the human community and the Autobots as a courtesy to us. For those who wish to reset your watches and time pieces, switch to the 24 hour clock and you'll be fine.
"We'll be landing at the airport in exactly … 29 minutes. Please look to your left to watch the ship leave our formation and head onward. You'll be able to see the station and the Midway Array, a major solar system and outer defensive ring communications relay because we're taking a slight detour from our normal flight plan for you to get the best look possible. Prima Station has to be seen to be believed. Thank you." The intercom message ended just as one ship began to leave formation. It banked over just a bit, then flew toward a light that was approaching ahead.
It was silent as they watched the vessel which was snow white, blindingly so. It passed a huge installation on a platform that was covered in dishes and antennae which were pointed in all directions. It was a huge thing but a mere shadow of what the station was, a massive ball of lights that was growing ever larger the closer they got.
Prima Station was silver colored rather than black. It was a massive sphere of such size it was impossible to take it all in. The windows that surrounded each floor shown with light and were located at the top and middle sections. The bottom half of the station was relatively dark but for lights that seemed to be signals of some kind. A good half of the station was closed without occupation, something that was created to allow for future expansion. They were set at ten thousand inhabitants at the moment with the maximum for the next five years of twenty-five to forty-thousand.
Long dark towers occupied each pole of the sphere extending into the darkness for what seemed like miles. They blinked and were obviously communications devices. Ships were docked at what was obviously hangar decks with some showing activities like unloading while others were parked either on the deck inside or by umbilicals stretched out to affix to them.
Around the middle band of the entire station was a copper ring with writing, both Cybertronian and Terran. The Largest statement on the band shown in silver raised lettering was 'Prima Station of Cybertron' in English and NeoCybex. There were also inscribed on it in smaller lettering the same words in all of the languages of Earth with their flags affixed next to the inscription. Lights flashed, small runabouts flew from here to there, docking and undocking as they did whatever they were supposed to do.
Then a voice came over the intercom, the sort of voice you could hear for traffic control. "Attention please. This is Prima Station of Cybertron. We're extending our welcome to those who have come to stay and those passing by for Mars. For those coming to visit and those heading onward, we wish you a very happy Elders Day and look forward to seeing some of you here on the station in future. Go in a good way. Until all are one. Prima Station, out."
Clapping greeted that as the ship they were watching slowed to approach the station. It slid to a stop short of the hangar deck that looked big enough to take all four of the ships in their group. A jetway-type umbilical slid out to attach to the side of the ship at the hatch. After a moment, it slid open as a steward stepped out onto what was a clear enclosed walkway to the station.
Slowly, tentatively, the passengers began to come out to walk to the station and firmer appearing ground there. They were standing on a walkway that was completely clear above, below and all around. They were literally walking in space as they made their way forward. By the time they were doing so in numbers the three other ships were gone from their view heading for the red planet and the time of their lives.
=0=TBC 06-13-2021