The Diego Diaries: Sun Dance (dd7 153)
=0=There, Sun Base
They were gathered up according to lists made from the master programs of the colony which were now being controlled by Prime. Metroplex, Hammer of Primus and Solar Flare were there in pretender gear working out who might need be detained and who would be allowed to have provisional status on Mars pending deeper investigation. There were about ten thousand high castes here running a colony with about two and a half million individuals doing all the work.
It was a task that required higher processing than a few mechs running names against a list.
They were brought in, the worst cases and placed in the rather large detention center nearby whose prior inmates were screened, vouched for and released. One could get jailed for anything around here if your tattoos weren't up to a certain level of acceptable.
There were a number gathered who were the ruling council with Faber and his family. They were brought in by Watchmen and soldiers, then held in a conference room nearby for Prime to see to when he sorted out his family problems. Until then, Hard Drive and Delphi ran the operation smoothly, adding this and that there, subtracting this and that there.
=0=Mars
Prowl left after everyone was settled leaving Kestrel and Tagg to handle the home situation. They were all going to come back in the morning to see to Stealth and have Miler and Venture meet them. Those two along with Prima were staying in a suite nearby after agreeing with Ratchet that Stealth needed this rest time before anything more could be added to his already wrenched nerves.
Kes and Tagg assisted Miler and Venture, making the situation as calm and gentle as they could. Given their own natures, they were perfect managers of the three. When they were settled, everyone turned in, tuning in to Stealth's signature. The others would return at 0800 hours on the TMC the following morning to attend to the next step with Stealth.
For now, it was quiet in The Residence.
=0=Floors below
"What now, Amma?" Spirit asked as he helped with Possibility, himself a smiling little wobbler with a dollie in his servos.
Everyone had just been bathed, hugged and were ready for bed. They were gathered in the huge apartment of Ratchet and Ironhide, ready to stuff children into their own berths to keep some kind of continuity. Tonight, Tie and Ravel were going to be straw bosses.
"We have to go to sleep, infants. Tomorrow comes and where would we be if we're tired?" Ravel asked sweetly. He was herding infants along toward the hallway after they had their turn in the tub. "Come along, infants. We have to go to sleepy beds."
Rambler grinned as he watched Ravel and Tagg herd all of the littlest kids toward the hallway. They followed, an entire herd of them toward the many berth rooms of the many children who lived here.
The first stop was Hero's room where Iacon, Hero and Uraya were tucked in at the top of the berth and Solus and Sojourner at the foot. Halo's crib was next to the bed so that 'all the little femmes can sweet dream together' Ravel had said.
The little femmes were delighted.
Tie herded the little mechs down to Orion's room where he tucked Orion and Miracle into bed together. It was hilarious to see them side-by-side in the berth smiling big smiles up at their doting elders.
Next came Prowler and Praxus in Prowl's room because he wanted a berth buddy, too. That took care of the little bits when Kaon was tucked in with them as well. They walked out to spy a gaggle of big and not so little, little kids looking at them with grins.
"Well, this is delightful. We never seem to run out of infants, Tie," Ravel said with a smile.
"I was thinking the same thing, Ravel," Tie said with a chuckle.
They walked to the other end of the building, then tucked Sunspot, Spirit, Rambler and T-Bar into the bunk beds. Hugs and kisses were given, then the two elders tiptoed out to see to the big kids. They were easy. When all was done they walked back out, checked on everyone, then headed for Ratchet's berth and a well earned rest. Tomorrow would come and they would have to send everyone to school.
After that, it would probably require a sit down strategy session to cover everyone short of The Military Daycare Center and On-Site Temporary Mission Residence at The Fortress. They'd been berthed there before but it was hoped that it wouldn't be needed this time.
Ravel and Tie Down hoped, that is.
=0=Conference Room, Sun Base
They sat or stood against the wall as they waited for Prime. Armed guards had found, arrested and brought them here. Everyone was either scared, furious or uncertain. They didn't look like the masters of the universe to any of the mechs standing around the room with stony faced expressions and big, big guns.
The door opened then Optimus Prime walked in. Most of them stood but for one mech who had a cast on his ped. Prime walked to the head of the table then sat. "Sit down," he said in a calm neutral voice.
They did, most of them that could. Then it was completely silent again.
"I am Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron, the bearer of the Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of the Autobots. I am the only legal and proper political and cultural official of Cybertron and the Cybertronian people still living. Even though some of you may feel that my authority and responsibility for all Cybertronians does not remain after The Fall or extend into the Diaspora, I assure you that it does.
"Right now, we have to decide what to do with you. You have been searched out and your identity established and verified. All of you are here because you either have flagged warrants for your arrest on serious charges from before The Fall or because you are partner to and responsible for the situation that exists here. You are also responsible as the decision making body of this colony for all of the actions and events that transpired here, against refugee migrants or the other colony, Homeland.
"I would like you to know that we are exercising those warrants and placing all of you under arrest pending trial for your crimes and behaviors as alleged in the warrants. Your families will be transported to the colony that I maintain while we rebuild Cybertron and there we will determine their status in relation to this place and all actions and behaviors undertaken here.
"You at this moment are going to be transported ahead of the rest to a prison on a planet called Mars where we maintain a colony of over 100,000,000 of our people who we have gathered over the course of the past decade. You will be placed there, given counsel and have a hearing of the charges against you where you can defend yourself, access the evidence and hear your accusers. You will remain in jail until the trials. I do not as Prime grant bail. Given that your offenses fall into the category of federal crimes and given that this rises to the level of a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances, I am not going to be lenient and waive your incarceration. I have one hundred million lives to protect."
It was leaden in the room as Prime spoke. None of those listening had a word to say. Prime sat back to stare at them but no one spoke until a small femme stood. "Lord Optimus," she said formally. "You're stating that the Pantheon will be party to any review of the charges. Is that correct?"
"It is. We have had two of these types of hearings in the community already," Prime replied levelly.
"The outcomes … did the Pantheon weigh in?" a tense mech said who was standing against the wall.
Prime stared at him, then nodded. "They did."
The energy was ghastly in the room, then a mech stood. "You say that you have authority over us. I dispute that," he said. "The war severed things and there is no central authority anymore."
"There is," Hard Drive said as he stood by the door with Springer and Drift listening to Prime as his primary witness. "We have already settled this and the Pantheon cleared any doubts about Prime's authority during the trials."
"So you say," the mech said to Hard Drive. "I suppose we have to take your word for it?"
"No," Prime said, "but you can go to jail." He glanced at Springer and Drift then he nodded.
Springer stepped forward. "We have to go now. If you want to make this difficult I can help you realize your dream."
The group stared at him, then Prime. Some of them rose to go but were halted long enough for cuffs, then sent onward.
The big mech turned to Prime. "Is that necessary?"
"I believe so unless you want us to consult with some of your slaves here for their opinion," Drift said quietly. "I'm not sure myself."
The mech stared at Drift then began to move to the door where he was cuffed like the others and led away. It was quiet in the room for a moment then Prime rose. "General, will you accompany them to Mars and see that they are incarcerated without incident?"
"My honor," Hardie said as he walked out to follow the others to a ship and bridge jump to Mars.
Prime walked to the door then exited to join Prowl at the table nearby where the plans were being developed. When they were worked out they would then be sent to be executed to retrieve everyone here. It would take a bunch of time and effort.
=0=The long lines of refugees here and there
Ratchet flew here and there checking, rechecking and re-inventing the process to help the people who were affected by the callous implantation of explosive devices so that they would be easy to manage in the harsh reality of life on Sun Base. He went through the towns of the worker bees, checked out their simple but mostly adequate housing and the few amenities that they were allowed to have for themselves and their families.
It was depressing.
The worker bees had developed underground schools where children were taught which would help them on Mars. They had hedge doctors, elders teaching skills and young mechs working with older mechs to develop martial skills, communications devices and options against the future hope that some fine orn this nightmare would end. It finally had and after an orgy of dancing and joy they settled down to get things going.
Prime was here and he brought his people, technicians, doctors, ships and protection. Food was being distributed of a class of luxury and type they had never known before. They were being informed of their new home and told they could take what they wanted with them. Not having to leave their heirlooms and few possessions behind had been nearly an overwhelming delight to those who feared a forced move again.
The lines snaked as everyone came to be made free. The guards who had been everywhere were gone, word was their oppressors were arrested and the resistance they had built helped separate individuals from everyone else to protect the inevitable turncoat who might be shredded otherwise. It was furious the pace and tempo of the last jaunt most of those here would ever have to undertake again. They did so with the support of Prime's people and experts on such things from Mars. It would be smoother than anyone ever expected it to be.
=0=Early morning on Mars
Venture sat in the kitchen dining area of The Residence nursing a cup of what passed for coffee among the bots. He had a fitful sleep waiting for morning to come. He wanted to hug his ada. He wanted to tell him the contents of his spark which he could never do in the past. Even though his genitors were more open and decent than most, they still lived in the gilded cage of their caste. Now, all that was in the trashcan of history.
Pedfalls alerted him as he glanced over his shoulder. Standing in the doorway was his atar. He rose, then walked to embrace him as he was embraced. For a moment they held each other, then Venture showed him to the table. "Sit. I'll make you something."
Styre sat then watched his son. "You don't have to, son. I'm … I can wait."
"You can but I can't," Venture said. "Let's have breakfast together. Its been so long. I have so much to tell you, so much to say that I never did." He paused fixing another cup then looked at his father. "You know … there's nothing but love in the world. Nothing else matters. When you take stock, there's only love and those who give it to you and who you give it back. I never told you much about me, what I wanted and dreamed. I want to tell you. I need to tell you how much you and Ada mean to me, how much I love you.
"There's only you and me and the others. Nothing else matters. I never told you how proud I was to be your son, how much I loved Ada." He turned to his father. "I didn't do right by Prowl. Prima is our love letter to him, to you and Ada and the universe. I love you, Atar. I'm proud to be your son and I wanted to see your eyes when I said so. Then I know that you've heard me and will understand."
Stealth stared at him, then sat back. He nodded. "I do, son."
=0=TBC 12-9-19