The Diego Diaries: Incident: Continue On (dd8 251)
=0=Home front (Courthouse meeting room)
Will Lennox sat in the corner of the meeting room watching through a window as the lawyers met with the two men held for treason and murder. He could watch but he wasn't allowed to hear. He was aware that the trials for the wrongful death suits regarding Lawrence Dobbs and Silvio Lombardi by their families were at the deposition stage. He'd received his summons to give one some time back and would be on the griddle this afternoon over an encrypted Zoom channel with lawyers from both plaintiffs.
The situation as it stood was going to take a long time. Prime wasn't interested in stalling and had allowed a lot of things. The hold up was the different court systems and the lawyers organizing their cases finally deciding to do some things together.
He personally would be glad when it was over and the trials had been allowed to happen. The longer this dragged onward the more fodder for the anti-alien fronts to use. Prime had even made his relevant officers available to depose including Sky and his team. They would also Zoom meet the groups.
The two accused were sitting in a room that had been conditioned for atmosphere and pressure so that both groups could speak together face-to-face. It was an improvement over the clear steel boxes that had been their home since the murders happened. Given that he had to come here once a week to check on them and ask what they needed, he would be glad when they were gone.
A hearing with Prime would determine whether anyone would be going to Earth for the trials or whether it would be done this way over Zoom. Other things had to be determined as well but that was Prime's headache. His was sitting nearby listening to a group of youngling mechs and a femme who were aces at what they did talk the two through a bewildering process. He hoped they'd be smart enough to listen to them.
Or not.
Given how long this had taken and the ten thousand other things he had to do, he'd lost interest some time back. It would be a quiet few hours, then he'd get to talk to them himself.
=0=Day and Night Watch Tower, Metrotitan, Metro District #3
"Did you remember the summons?"
Springer glanced up at Drift. "What summons? We don't have morning court do we? We haven't been on patrol in orns."
"For the trial of Dobbs and Lombardi," Drift replied. "I'm trying to remember the case. It's been a while since I thought about it. Lennox takes care of that business."
"Oh that. We have to give a deposition?"
Drift nodded. "We do. Try and review. Don't volunteer and don't give more than a cursory answer. Works for me."
Springer grinned. "I suppose it does."
A tiny sound drew their attention as they glanced toward the playpen in the corner of their giant office. A baby was playing with his servos as he lay on his back staring at a rainbow of colors that had found their way against the far wall. Apparently something outside was splitting the light spectrum. Both approved.
"I'm glad he might skip a treatment. The sooner, the better," Springer said as he gazed at the stack of police reports before him. He glanced at Drift's. It was bigger.
"Me, too. Sounds like when he hears again it just starts out of nowhere. There won't be a thing we have to do."
"I like that part. I just wonder … what would it be like to suddenly hear sound?" Springer mused.
They would find out.
=0=Sciences
"We don't have good maps out that way," a cartographer said as he scanned what they had. "We never had reason nor permission to go that way and the more I hear about it the better."
Wheeljack nodded as he looked at the huge blotches of nothingness that formed the mapping that was done in the area in the past and from what they could glean from those brave enough to travel there. "We're never going to know. Every time a jet sprays out or a floe surges the area is remade. Its a death trap to be there."
The cartographer nodded. "I know. I'd love to know more but honestly, Wheeljack, I don't see a safe way to bridge anything there even in the nebula. Look at where the shimmer is, the one blocking the armada," he said pointing to the narrow strait where most of the known traffic occurred, small number that this was. "The unpredictability of the floes could mean a flash could reach out anywhere. They'd have to travel a very long way into the Delta Quadrant away from this to find a safer spot to try. We can't bridge in until we have more data. They can't send us data until they get far enough away that the radioactive noise diminishes. Its a vicious circle, Wheeljack.
"I don't have much to tell you given the data. I'd wait and try to see if they figure it out. Maybe we can send drones into the area distant from them to test the feasibility of bridging in such a dangerous place."
"That might be a good first step," Wheeljack agreed.
=0=Prowl and Prime, Ops Center
"Then make it so, Wheeljack. I want to know how far they have to travel to get to a safe point of departure," Optimus said.
"Take Tennyson to this point," Prowl said as he pointed to a safe spot outside of the range of all known floe activity. "Try every possible angle of launch, then go with the launches on the other side of the Delta. One of them will show us a path."
"I agree," Wheeljack said. With that, he walked out to get the survey department to make a drone package that would penetrate even heavy bands of interference and be strong enough to withstand the area's deadly radiation.
It would take a while.
=0=At a meeting with the boys
Metroplex considered the situation thus outlined. It wasn't the worst thing they'd faced but it was a very touchy situation with the area. There was also the problem of the armada. He thought about it, then conferred with Hammer of Primus and Selucid who was a genius at deep space communication.
They sat quietly watching him think things through. Then Metroplex sat forward resting his big arms on the table. It was in the lounge at Fort Max. "I've thought about the situation as it stands and I wanted your expertise, Selucid. You're the best deep space communications expert I know," he said.
Selucid who was a tech genius, nerdy in a lovable sort of way and totally unaware of how that combined to send tingles up the spinal struts of most who met him waited. Metroplex was an old friend and someone he loved like a brother. The word integrity was coined for such a mech as Metroplex.
"What about sending a small signal through the system coded to seek the shuttles. What about a dart signal, one that's able to withstand obstacles and pierce them?" he asked.
Selucid who'd been thinking about that himself considered the possibilities. "I don't have a problem with it. Sometimes if the frequency is right it can drill through anything. If I had the frequency of the ambient radiation and all of the factors that control what's going on out there I could devise something. Nothing that's sent as a signal will trigger anything nor disturb what's there. All it can do, ultimately we hope, is pierce the wall and let everyone know we are aware of them."
"Can they send one back?" Hammer asked.
"No. They don't have equipment that powerful. I would have to have the power of the dish system out by Proxima Centuri and use the geosynchronous power station to do it," Selucid replied. "It would take a lot of calculations and a bit of time. I would have to scatter shot it around so that it can be seen and picked up by the shuttles."
"It'll be picked up by the Decepticons as well. Correct?" Metroplex asked.
"That's correct. I would conjecture that it won't matter. Everyone knows everyone's stuck and therefore there's no edge of surprise for anyone," Selucid replied.
Metroplex considered that, then leaned closer. "What about this once we figure out what's what?" he said as the others leaned in closer to hear.
=0=Prime and Prowl, Ops Center
They gave their ideas to both and watched as Prime did the math.
"That would give them a bead that we are working on their behalf. There is no way to return the signal?" Prime asked.
Selucid shook his helm. "No, Optimus. They don't have the power even if they combined their vessels. Even if the Decepticons did the same."
Prime considered that. "Very well. Let me know when you plan to send. I will attach a message myself. Thank you, gentlemen."
The big mechs nodded.
"We serve you, Prime," Selucid said as he nodded his helm respectfully. Then they walked out together. It would take a bit of time.
=0=The Hourly News
"The situation with Earth continues to be of concern. The number of demonstrations against the Cybertronian presence in the system have risen though they are not as many as they were during earlier times such as when the Insecticons and Arachnid were found to be present there. Though the number is small its still concerning.
"Commerce between worlds continues though there have been protests in some ports of call for Autobot ships. Tourism is still holding steady with Mars and Prima Station much sought destinations for vacation. The diplomatic situation is one of expressed unity. The Office of the Primes has stated that the situation is being tracked and when information is available it will be shared as usual between organizations.
"The scouting group chasing the five invading vessels is in that part of the Benzuli Expansion called The Ruins. They chased the vessels into an ancient nebula where both groups are trapped by a floe of energy which is a danger in that region of space. The armada from whence the ships come is also blocked from progressing further until the radiation level drops.
"All efforts are being made to study the situation and bring back our people. Six battle shuttles with some of our most experienced and capable warriors and commanders are on those ships. Given the situation out there communications are out of the question. More will be made available when information is released.
"In other news, the University is ready to graduate a large number of individuals into several professions. They include engineering, finance, law and retail business management. They also wish to relay the news that their banking program is being finalized and will be available for students by the next term," Lim-Lee said.
Owen Harris who was listening with one ear while working with all the rest of his faculties glanced up to stare at the screen. "Banking. Interesting. Maybe a stock exchange is next."
Kyle Davis who was lounging on the couch by the window in Owen's office while he worked on his computer glanced at Harris. "Fancy that. They don't believe in money."
"They do on Earth," Harris replied.
"For that charitable foundation," Kyle replied.
"And they manage the money and retirement of their thousands and thousands of employees," Harris said. "I think I might check the syllabus of that course to see where they're going with it. Nothing about this place is less than innovative, Kyle. Its a lazy ass who doesn't pay attention."
"Remember that when we have to give our depositions tomorrow," Kyle said grumpily. "I'm not looking forward to that."
Harris sat back in his chair. "On that, you and I have perfect agreement."
The sun would stream in through the windows as the day wore on. It would be a very productive day for Kyle Harris, venture capitalist and ruthless stock market player.
=0=TBC 9-13-2021
ESL
cartographer: (car-tah-grah-fer) a map maker
Selucid: (sell-lou-sid)