The Diego Diaries: The Tour (dd7 14)
=0=The Golden Mile
They walked down the long twisting boulevard of Polyhex which was called The Golden Mile. The greatest wealth of empire and business was had here. The monetary system was headquartered here. Banks, capital investment firms, all of the headquarters of the major corporations and their legal arms were here. This was where wealth was created and it dwarfed that of Earth in every conceivable manner and aspect.
The streets were filled with mechs and the odd femme walking with purpose as they walked toward or left work from building their city again. There were food trucks dispersed all over the place, an innovation from Mars via Earth. The lines were long, cheerful mostly and filled with conviction and purpose.
It was only a matter of a year or two since they were slaves living in despair of the deepest kind. Now they were in charge of their own destiny and they had places to go to speak, their unions, guilds and now local elected officials for the district and city-state councils that were their first step for their needs to be met and heard.
It was also dark, broken and alien as hell.
The Walters stood beside each other, the parents holding their son who watched without comment. He looked shaken and pale along with them but other than that it was hard to know what he was thinking. The others were easier to read. They were stunned and shaken as well by the sights around them.
Even Owen Harris.
They paused in a large square that had roads, broad highways leading out like spires on a wagon wheel in seven different directions. All roads led from Victory Square, a historical set aside spot from the Quintessan War of Liberation. Monuments to the Immortals and the dead used to populate this space but a newer war and the Decepticons had not even spared this place.
Hardie knelt. "This is where you worked if you had wealth and wanted to grow it. You and your family would probably live here if you were bots and here you would have died. This place was paved by money.
"But if you look down those two highways," he said pointing to two of the seven wide roads leading away into the darkness beyond, "you would find the deepest and worst forms of poverty that you could imagine. The difference between that destination and this one is of no consequence in the end. Money means nothing as you can see now," he said sweeping his arm around the site.
He stood, then called for a bridge. It bloomed nearby so he started for it with the others following. Into it he went and so did they. When they were gone so was it, chasing them to their destination to let them out then end almost as swiftly.
They stood on another square, one that held a rising building with a familiar shape and design. Lights illuminated the area nearly to the point of daylight as workers worked, trucks and heavy material haulers hauled and the priest who was always on duty here watched and comforted anyone and everyone who came to him.
"This is Simfur," Hardie said as he knelt again. "This is the sacred heart of Cybertron. This is sacred space and here is where the Great Ones come. That was the Temple before the barrage took it down. This is our culture and history in one place. Given the courage of any number of individuals, the best parts of it were saved. I won't tell you how Primus helped. You wouldn't understand. But suffice it to say, this is the hardest and most terrible blow to us as a people that I can show you."
He stood, then stared at the rising building again. "This is the lowest nadir for us as a people." He looked at them. "This is what happens when you can't look at another and find it in yourself to love and respect them. No one is better than anyone else. Your money and entitlement don't mean a thing. If you were here you would have died just as fast and surely as everyone else. A lot of very rich people who had their sway always are lying in mass graves beside paupers, united as one in death. Who was right? Who was better? Both are dead. Do you think the dead still care?"
Barrett stared at Hardie, then dropped his eyes. He shook his helm.
Hardie looked at him, then his parents. "You've failed your children. It means a lot to us as a species to raise our children well. We work at it as clans and families, as subcultures. You've failed to teach empathy, respect and unconditional love to your children. You failed to have it be important for others and you failed yourself.
"There is only unity, oneness and love. If you fail to understand anything from this place, I hope you understand that. Nothing you own, no idea you have about yourself, nothing that you hold to yourself that makes you feel better than anyone else will save you when the bombs begin to fall."
He leaned in slightly. "Death is very democratic. It comes for everyone. That's one bribe you can't give," he said as he glanced at the other humans. He stood, then called a bridge. Walking toward it, the others followed him through it into the big conference room at The Fortress on Mars. The bridge pipped out almost immediately.
Sitting in the room was Optimus working on a data pad. He sat back when everyone came in, the humans were placed on the table and all of them turned to Hardie who was sitting down with Ratchet.
It was silent.
"A long time ago aliens enslaved us. They hurt us a lot, maybe more than we could know. We were a very old species even then but had little contact with aliens at the time so they played us and got the upper hand for a little while," Hardie said. "We fought them, then the Functionalists, then finally those who instituted The System. We never got a chance to find another way before the chains were brought out again.
"It happens so on Earth. You came here not because you deserve to be here. Nothing your father and mother does is necessary and needed by Earth2. You came here because you have money and entitlement. You have no respect for those who work to make life bearable and livable. You have no idea that work, any work, is honorable. You were rude, condescending and late for your duties with the workers I assigned you to assist.
"You were rude, disrespectful and cruel to those girls who didn't want your company. You look around, see things and expect them handed over. That included even people. That's the fault of your parents. They didn't do right by you and your siblings. They don't get it even now." He glanced at both of them who stared back nearly ill with uncertainty and fear.
Clark Walters didn't like what Hardie was saying but he was pale and silent like his wife as he listened.
"You didn't do right by your children and people have been hurt because of it," Hardie said. "I'm not happy with nor am I convinced that your performance with the workers met the standard I was searching for. You will do it again. Three hours a day for ten days, then I will get the report. I am also telling you that you will put in the time at Youngling Day or you'll be returned to Earth2. You do not have the right nor permission to decide what you will do or not in school. School is your job. You will discharge it properly. You are not old enough to argue nor demand about it. Do I make myself clear?" he asked in a calm and gentle tone.
Barrett looked up, then nodded.
Hardie looked at his parents. "You're privileged to be here. You're lucky to have enough clout that you can come when you offer nothing back. Seven and a half billion people don't have that advantage. You're to parent your children and help them find the path in life that helps them be an asset to others and to themselves.
"In ten days I will get reports from school and the workers. We will decide then whether this young man goes into the child custody system or if he's learned something from this. You may not bail him out nor may you approach anyone who is assigned to do this duty with him. I would find that unacceptable if I heard it as otherwise. Are there any questions?"
No one had any. It was very silent.
Hardie glanced at Optimus who was watching solemnly. "Lord Optimus, the court has made a correction to assist the well being of this child. I have spoken."
Prime nodded. "So noted, General."
Hardie looked at them. "You have your assignments. There are no avenues of appeal. Come back in ten days and we will discuss this further. You may go."
The humans standing with the Walters glanced at each other, then the soldiers.
Lennox looked at Hard Drive. :Thank you, General. It was a privilege to go to Cybertron and see the cities:
Hardie nodded, then all of them watched as the humans walked to the edge of the table, climbed down, boarded their vehicles, then drive out. It was silent a moment, then Hardie looked at Ratchet. "I hated to go home but this infant needs a paradigm shift."
Ratchet nodded. "I agree. The neighborhood was a punch in the gut."
Hardie nodded. "It was. I should have taken them to The Jumble and let them gander at your old homes but that's under construction. Everything is being gutted and replaced."
Prime grinned faintly. "That will be an improvement."
"They took miles of images and measurements," Ratchet said. "Its going to be made to look the same with artists applying the aging and worn aspects to new materials. I think we're not going to notice the difference when its dedicated."
"Dedicated?" Prime asked with surprise.
"That entire area is a historical site on the Historical Places Registry and Database. Its going to be recreated to show how much status and opportunity are irrelevant if you're raised with care," Prowl said.
"You can thank Prowl, Optimus, for that," Ratchet said.
"Its a good thing. The cancer of entitlement has to be rooted out and this will help," Hardie said.
"All of The Jumble is being restored as a historical district. Even your house and the others, Ratchet," Prowl said.
"Are we going to save the Dead End and Wasteland? Any of the other dumping sites?" Ratchet asked.
Prowl glanced at Prime, then Ratchet. "We are going to make their preservation part of the educational aspect of our recovery. If you don't learn it, you do it all over again."
=0=Earth2
Everyone sat in Harris's office including Barrett and his parents. It was silent a moment as Harris poured drinks and gave them to the adults. He sat, took a drink of his scotch, then looked at the others. "I've already seen some of that but its still mind boggling."
Andre Baudin who looked stunned even still glanced at him as he held his glass in hand. "That is what the End of All Things looks like."
"Barrett? Are you alright?" his mother asked as she sat beside him holding his hand.
He nodded as he stared at the floor. "I'm alright."
It was obvious that he wasn't but then most of them weren't either. They would sit and talk for about an hour before breaking up to go home to dinner. Things were getting late and there was school the next day. There was also the first of ten jobs to do at the waste treatment center.
It was a solemn faced group that walked out of the administration center for home.
=0=Home
The kids were wailing around playing a chase game. Prowler was walking along behind them clutching his teddy bear with a great smile. Halo who was getting pretty good at running hoofed it after them as Hero followed with a giant smile of delight at her sister's prowess at chase.
Ratchet and Ironhide who were sprawling in their chairs grinned as they headed past.
The big kids and Sunspot were watching a movie at the other end of the apartment as Spot and Robby the Bruce bounced past heading that way. Chasing them was Cousin who disappeared with them down the hallway.
"What do you think that kid will do? Change?" Ironhide asked.
"I hope so," Ratchet replied as Orion came back out howling like a dog. He flashed past, then ran back down the hallway to Hero's berth room once more.
They watched him, then glanced at each other.
"Little mech is a caution," Ironhide said with a grin. "I like our kids, Ratchet."
Ratchet grinned. "I do, too. I like human kids, too. I just hope this one gets it. The Earth needs every 'woke' person it can get."
Praxus ran out shrieking, then ran back in. It would go on like that for a while.
=0=TBC 6-13-19