The Diego Diaries: Mark (dd7 47)
=0=There
Prime stared around himself. He was on the white sandy plain alone in the heat and incredibly bright sunlight of mid orn. He slowly turned in all directions looking for anyone or anything that would point him in the next direction. When he made full circle he startled. Standing before him was Sentinel Prime.
Sentinel stared at him without speaking. He looked like himself, though there was something about him that was subdued.
"Sentinel," Prime said.
Sentinel nodded. "Hello, Optimus."
It was silent between them, then Optimus stepped closer. "Are you really here or is this a facsimile of you?"
"I'm here," Sentinel said as he glanced around. "Wherever 'here' actually is."
"The Matrix often uses this template for Its own purposes," Prime replied.
Sentinel nodded. "I'm assuming that things are going well."
Prime nodded. "They are. Cybertron is rebuilding and Mars is thriving. There are now over 66,000,000 refugees there with more coming every orn."
"66,000,000. I wish I could have helped. I would have been useful," Sentinel said.
"There would have been no way for you to mingle, Sentinel. I would hope you would know that by now," Prime said.
"Perhaps." He stared at Prime a moment. "I have been sent here to make amends."
Prime nodded.
"I find it hard to do. Did you know that you can stand in paradise and still be yourself? I'm in the Matrix, Optimus, and still I don't feel changed. I still have the same thoughts and feelings as I had on Cybertron and Mars. How is that? I was under the impression, mistaken it would seem to be, that you became flawless when you transitioned there," Sentinel said.
"I think, given the number of times I've been there that if you cannot face yourself, you get the time to do it. I do believe at some point the delusion falls away and reality takes over," Prime said.
Sentinel mused on that, then nodded. "Perhaps." He glanced behind himself as a sound was heard.
Decimus appeared. He glanced around himself with surprise, then shock at seeing both Sentinel and Prime standing in front of him. "What are you doing here? Where is this?"
"You are in the Matrix, Decimus. This is a construct that the Matrix creates for our benefit," Prime said.
"Why are we here then? The three of us," Decimus said, then he frowned at Optimus. "Thanks to you I'm stuck in a place that's dark and gray."
Prime considered that. "You are the master of your fate. If you exist there, you created it. Uncreate it, Decimus."
"How?" Decimus asked with emotion and pent up fear and anxiety.
"Face your flaws which are many if you get my drift," Sentinel said.
Decimus turned to Sentinel. "HA! Sentinel Prime is criticizing someone about their flaws. That's rich, Sentinel. You were the worst Prime in the history of our people."
Sentinel stared at him. "That's amusing coming from you."
A flash appeared behind them and they turned toward it. It was a mech with a red tabbard covering his chassis. It indicated that he was either a priest, had been one at some point or was using the image for this event. He walked toward the three, then bowed low to Prime. "Optimus Prime, I am yours to command. I live to serve your will," he said in the old fashioned manner prevalent during the Golden Age.
Prime nodded his helm. "And I accept your service with a genuine spark," he replied in the same old fashioned manner. "Who are you?"
"I am Conduct. I was a priest at The Temple of Simfur during the Golden age. I am here to help with this moment so that its mutually beneficial to all involved."
"Great name for a priest, Conduct," Decimus said with his usual lack of tact.
The priest who had heard that a million times before grinned. "What is your will, Lord Optimus?"
"I am unclear. Why is Sentinel and Decimus here, if you know?" Prime asked.
"They are here to learn," Conduct said.
"And what would that be?" Decimus asked with irritation.
"Perhaps humility?" Conduct suggested. "Perhaps a clearer idea that actions have consequences."
"You're why we're here, Prime," Decimus said with a bitter tone. "You kept me locked up and now I'm here. You put me on trial and made this happen."
"You made things happen to yourself by your choices, Decimus. You had no respect for anything and anyone. It is because of you and Sentinel that someone like Megatron can exist," Prime countered. "You have no one to blame but yourself for being here."
A flash behind them drew everyone as Kudon appeared. He looked incredible and bowed to Prime. "Hello, Optimus Prime. I am honored to see you."
"And I you, Kudon," Prime replied.
"KUDON!" Decimus said.
Sentinel was surprised but kept it off his face. "Why are you here, Kudon?"
"I'm here to help you. You were recalled. You should be aware of yourself by now but it appears that isn't happening," Kudon said as he turned to both. "We're here to help you, Prime and me as well. I was like you, useless and entitled. I did terrible things but there's a path forward for you.
"Love is the only path that matters. Love, forgiveness and unity. You have to face what you were to become what you're truly supposed to be," Kudon said.
"And what's that?" Decimus said coldly.
"Selfish. Self centered. You're damaged, Decimus. Its incredible that you can't see it but then I couldn't see my own spark either. Now I'm the Herald of Prima Prime. I work every moment here to assist those who have the same world view as you and Sentinel. It's time to make progress. You're loved here. You're safe. Just think a moment about that and your lives out there," Kudon said gently. "If I can come to grips with myself and step forward into the light, anyone can. Let me help you."
"Well, its obvious that you've sold out," Decimus said before he disappeared.
Sentinel glanced sharply at Kudon. "Where did he go?"
"Back to the gray zone he created for himself," Kudon said with a softly vented sigh. "It's clear that he's not ready to progress." He turned to Sentinel. "What about you, old friend?" he asked with a faint grin.
Sentinel glanced at Prime who was silently watching. "I am unclear about a lot," he said.
"But you feel unsettled?" Kudon asked.
Sentinel nodded. "I don't know why."
"Good enough," Kudon said as Sentinel faded away from view.
Prime stared at the empty space, then turned toward Kudon. "What is happening to them?"
"Sentinel is ready. He feels a faint unsettled feeling. That's a sign that a spark is reaching the threshhold of perhaps self awareness. He's with others who will help him but Decimus needs to wander in the gray lands for a while longer. When he signals his awareness, no matter how small, we'll come for him." He grinned slightly. "It's a process, the retrieval of a spark from self created oblivion. They will make it in time. We have infinity before us here. Time is of no meaning."
"They will be cared for?" Prime asked as he knew tha answer already.
Kudon nodded. "They will, even as I was. Thank you, Optimus Prime. I am honored to know you. Farewell," he said before he faded.
As Kudon left, so did Prime.
=0=Temple of Simfur, Cybertron
A brazier with a lamp on it was sitting on a stone platform in the still unfinished Temple of Primus at Simfur. It was linked to the Matrix Flame on Mars. A priest there was watching the Flame on a remote camera to see when Prime returned to them from the Matrix. When the Flame re-lit itself on Mars, they would signal this one to relight here.
The crowds around were massive as all of those in the area who could come, did. They were silent as they were all over Cybertron where millions upon millions of pilgrims had gathered around massive projections of the events on Mars. The Simfur Flame was in a corner of the main screen sitting on a stone dais that was there to show it to those who were watching everywhere. As they stared at it, the Flame re-lit.
=0=Temple of Primus Restored, Mars
Optimus reappeared in the Temple, standing before the Matrix Flame. It was lit and the lighting was as low key now as it was before it went out when he left this dimension. The device was never lit when he was not in the dimension where it existed. It was a way to know what was happening to one. It flickered before him, then Prime walked to the door and the devices in the main room.
His footfalls echoed as he walked toward the Well and the slowly turning AllSpark. That worthy stopped then crackled with energy across its enigmatic surface. Prime stopped, then knelt. He bowed his helm to the relic, stood, then walked toward the stairs nearby. The Well was as blue as a summer sky as mist hovered over it.
When Prime reached the platform above them, he walked toward the door. Reaching it, he was still out of view so he took the moment to compose himself. The devices behind him were gathering to bless The People and so was the one in his chest. He then stepped forward heading for the platform outside, to the many and sundry groups of The People waiting and his destiny.
=0=Outside
A murmur went up when Optimus walked out onto the platform to stop before the first stair leading downward. The priests and Alpha bowed as he walked past, then stopped before the gathered millions here and billions beyond. All over the colony, Hu-An, Human and Cybertronian individuals sat with their hearts in their throats.
Prime was back.
=0=On the steps
Prime dialed into everyone's transponders, then gazed downward to the precious faces of his family, friends, colleagues and partners. A sensation of great love and gratitude came over him and he understood at that moment the strange nature of his spirit walk.
He was shown the life he had lived with the intention that he understand himself better because of it. The possibilities of those he loved having the same life without him were made very clear. This is what you bring to the table. This is the love you have inspired and get back from the individuals you know. Because of it, you are all together more than you would be without all of the pieces to your personal puzzle.
How many lives would be as good if he hadn't been among them? How might their people and home world have turned out without his tenacious and powerful presence? How many did he touch throughout a long and fabled life who were made better by the contact? How much good did he accrue to himself along the way because he knew these people and did these things?
This wasn't just a celebration of their great Warrior-God, Primus and His creator, The One. It was a celebration of Their First Disciple. It was a way to let Optimus Prime know how powerful his love and courage were to those who loved and followed him. No one else could have accomplished what was done for The People but him.
No one else would have died eighteen times and still come back to serve selflessly and with great love.
He stared at the crowd, then spoke. "The Solemnities are over."
It was then that he felt it, the groundswell of emotion that was delivered to him from them, his people and his charge. It came to him, a wall of energy that was soft and grateful, aiming its way to him from the sparks of the millions gathered here and the billions from other places. It said to him that his mere presence, his image before them was comfort, protection and hope.
That was when the Blessing of The One exploded out of the AllSpark inside and rose upward into the sky.
=0=TBC 7-26-19