The Diego Dairies: Processional (dd7 330)
=0=Heading there
He walked further passing hundreds and thousands of his people. They filled all of the streets that led off from the highway on both sides of the road. The lines of groups stretched as far as he could see. This was the largest gathering to ever come to this event and when the estimate of 17,000,000 plus millions were counted by Teletraan's satellites it would finalize at 22,000,410. They walked here, would stand until it was completed, then walk back to their lives elevated for another year.
The Temple dome was in sight as he walked along, his massive peds sounding clearly in the silence. Shuffling and the odd comment, a child's call or someone stepping out to touch him, that was what the scene was like as the electric emotions seemed to hang in the air. Every spirit walk was a crap shoot. A Prime could have ideas about what they wanted to know but The Powers told what They felt was needed. They were never wrong either. Prime could attest to that. What They would say today was anyone's guess.
He could see the place where everyone in his group would stand filled with friends and prominent soldiers and civilians. Around them were the masses, all of them waiting expectantly, reverently for the heroic figure walking toward them to do his best duty for The People. The sun glinted off his body as Optimus reached them, then paused. He would wait for the cameras to show him to his people. It was part and parcel of his duty as Prime, to appear before them at public events and give them confidence and hope.
The group with him continued to their places as the Elite Guard waited arrayed around Optimus. It was clear to everyone that Prime had started the journey to the Matrix. He seemed to glow with a soft light that suffused his aura. He glanced around the crowd and family meeting Prowl's gaze. Much passed between them without words, then Optimus turned to climb the steps. Filling the courtyard and the street beyond, the masses of The People here, their allies and friends watched with the same expectation as the hundreds of millions on Cybertron and throughout the Empire.
The enemy bases wouldn't. This would be beamed at them when they had signals again. Right now, they were digging out of a very deep hole, all of them but Polity. He would receive the broadcast when Razorclaw and Ominous did.
The Mistress of Fire who was standing in the Temple of Solus Prime on Caminus watched with her parliament and her people as the greatest Prime of them all entered the Temple of Primus far away. She wouldn't attend that meet up, spending time here with her people. She would go with Optimus to Cybertron, however. That was her duty to serve as a representative of her own sect. Right now, she was riveted with a sense of awe as the First Disciple of Primus vanished with the priests and Alpha Trion who waited for him into the building.
The Solemnities had just begun.
=0=At the balcony
He thanked the priests and Alpha, then walked onward to the balcony to stare at the Allspark and Well. They were heightened as usual, the mist of the Well and the sparkling energy of the Allspark greeting him. It felt peaceful here with Them as he felt the Matrix reaching out for him.
He walked to the stairs, then went down, disappearing from view of Alpha and the priests. They watched him go, then glanced at each other. "Shall we, brothers?" Alpha asked as he nodded to the doorway and the platform outside.
"After you, brother," Lauren said with a smile.
They walked out together to take their places to wait. The Temple was silent but for the footfalls of Prime walking to the Well.
=0=Around
"Uncle Optimus is inside," Annabelle Lennox said.
"I wonder what he does?" Deandra Epps said as she sat next to her son, Bobby.
"He communes with the Matrix and the relics," Sandy said. She looked at her parents. "He's talking to The Pantheon."
"I'd love to do that. I wonder if we can go next time Uncle Optimus has to visit," James said. He glanced at Will. "Do you think he can let us go, too, Uncle Will?"
Everyone glanced at Will who looked doubtful.
Then Judy Witwicky spoke for everyone. "If they go, so do we."
=0=The Temple
He walked down the stairs, then to the Well. The Allspark was ceased turning but the electrical activity began to build. It flashed bolts now as the light grew in the room. It was more so than before as Prime stared at it. When he did, the mist of the Well rose up to envelope him. He disappeared from this dimensional plane as the Matrix Flame nearby went out.
=0=Earth2
They sat in a lounge together, the management of Earth2, the billionaires that lived there who had financed the project to completion at their end, their families and the oddballs that Owen had brought here, the Daniels, the Weavers and the Galloways. Nast was elsewhere with his own children and some friends he'd made among the company.
"He's gone inside. Now what?" Mariah asked as she glanced at Owen.
"Now we wait. He has to meet with their gods on another dimensional plane of existence, or so I overheard someone say," Owen said.
"This is bizarre," Ted Galloway said as he sat with his wife on a couch near Jason Daniels and his mother. "They never talked about it. What sort of god would create them?"
Rick Harris who was sitting on a couch with Cameron Frazer frowned slightly. "Good ones. Great ones if you ask me. They take care of The People and They're nothing to trifle with. Some of the humans in the Family Tower have met Them. They're tremendous and powerful beyond anything you can imagine. Be glad They're friendly toward us, too."
It was silent a moment as they digested that, then Kyle glanced at Rick. "You've gone native. You've been here too long, Rick. You need to get home more."
"I love it here. I asked Ratchet for the path for permanent residency. I don't know if they'd allow citizenship but if they did I would apply for dual here," Rick said. "This place is home to me."
"You gave up on Earth?" Beau Weaver asked.
"No. I love both but I live here. This place feels like home to me now," Rick said. "It creeps in and grabs you."
"If you say so," Cam Frazer said doubtfully.
=0=There
He felt himself fall away into the euphoria and lightness that being in the Matrix gave him when he first arrived. He glanced around and saw that he was on a silvery beach. It sparkled, the sand, and stretched so far ahead he could see the curvature of the world. What world it was he didn't know. He'd seen literally endless numbers but this one was new to his experience. It had a silvery sky, one filled with the images of far away planets and other heavenly bodies.
In the distance he could see another planet with a moon that filled the sky. It was close, too close for normal physics to allow so he knew he was in a dream land. The light was soft and enough, illuminating the stretch before, around and behind him. There were others here, some far away but they looked odd like the images of impressionists artists, distorted by the rain on a window. They didn't notice him and he knew they probably wouldn't somehow. This was a meeting place for different individuals so everyone was occupied by something important.
He glanced around, turning slowly in a circle before he felt someone holding his servo. Glancing down, he saw the smiling face of the spirit that inhabited Mars. She was taller now, reaching nearly to his elbow. She held his servo as she looked up at him. "Hello, Optimus."
"Hello, Lady," Optimus replied.
She tugged his hand so he followed her. They walked alongside each other heading down the beach. It didn't seem that she was going to any particular place. "I am glad you are here. This place is beautiful. Its the first planet to develop into anything that could sustain life in the universe after Cybertron. You can see it still maintains metallic-type features even though its fully organic. The oldest souls began to live here and Cybertron. This is my beginning place for my first life lived."
"It is beautiful, Lady Shan."
"You're probably wondering what you're going to find out today. Correct?" she asked.
"I am. I am here for my people. I am also here for you and the other planets that form our living space."
She nodded. "They have much to tell you. They're very proud of you and The People. I tell them of my own happiness and pride in your achievement. You're respectful of my body and sovereignty. Many aren't, many are. We planets have a strange life," she said with a chuckle. "They have surprises for you. Just keep walking, Optimus. They will find you." She let go of his servo. "You are a great leader, Optimus. You lead with love and respect. Do not doubt yourself too much. I am always near." With that, she vanished.
So did everyone on the beach. He was alone.
=0=Temple
Styre and Stealth stood side-by-side in the family group and the processional individuals. They had attended Festivals at Simfur until they were curtailed. Never had they felt the energy like this in the few times they did. This was how it was supposed to be. Even in the Diaspora toward the last, they had felt the blessings. It had told them that Prime still lived. That had given them confidence and hope even as it gave their opponents disquiet. Now they were here with long lost family and friends.
All was well in their world.
For Zenith and Shadow, the moment had power and meaning, too. They were quietly reciting a long prayer that the most devoted made when they were in the midst of such an experience. They would be preoccupied together for a long time.
Standing nearby reciting the same prayer cycle, Turbine of Praxus would be preoccupied as well.
=0=There
He walked along waiting with his usual good patience for someone or something to assert himself. That was when he nearly stumbled over them. Glancing down as he instinctively stepped away from squishing something on the ground, he saw them. \
They saw him as well. Beaming giant smiles upward, Orion and Halo stared at him as they stood side-by-side holding servos.
He stared at them, then knelt. "Hello."
"Otis, I, Orion sayed hi to lou." Orion smiled brilliantly.
Halo smiled as well. "Otis. My she."
Optimus laughed in spite of himself. "You are my shes as well. What are you both doing here?"
"We came to take you to The One," Orion said.
Halo smiled, then nodded.
"The One?" Optimus asked with surprise.
"Yes. Follow us," Orion said as he managed to turn himself and Halo around to walk onward. They held their tiny servos and took tiny steps as Optimus followed slowly, very slowly behind. "Lou comed to I, Orion. Hay-Ho and I comed to the She. The She loved I, Orion and Hay-Ho. Lou loved She, Otis?" he asked with his usual curious manner.
Optimus grinned. "I love all the shes, Orion."
It would be a very merry and slow walk to the door that appeared out of nowhere a short distance down the beach.
=0=Temple
They stood on the steps, the Elite Guard. They had taken position on either side of the door on descending stairs from the platform. They stood at parade rest, unmoving and impressive in their silent stillness. They would stay that way until Optimus returned and would be much commented upon by viewers on Earth.
The crowd was patient.
Springer and Drift sat on their horses nearby watching as Watch groups sent them sit-reps and updates. All was holding well as more than 110,000,000 on world watched on television at home and nearly 1.1 billion on other worlds throughout the empire.
The colony was waiting for the word. They would have to wait a while. When they got it, then Prime and his company would bridge to Simfur to bless and honor The People by their presence. It would be a long and happy orn for everyone.
=0=TBC 7-17-2020