The Diego Diaries: Cloudy (dd7 369)
=0=The Fortress
They began to gather, a number of the military side of the community committee. By the time that everyone arrived, Prowl walked in with Prime and the door closed. Sitting down, Prowl glanced at Ratchet. "I think its a good idea to catch up on the problem."
Ratchet glanced at Percy and Wheeljack. "What do you know?"
"We're in the process of following the cloud entity which is very, very slow moving, fortunately. It moves in a liquid-like motion, oozing forward, backward and all directions though its not liquid. It's sentient as far as we can tell but very old. Its so ancient that we can find no reference for it. Its purpose is unknown as well. Its composition is sort of out of phase with us, meaning that it very well could be a multi-universal singularity. If it is then we're not clear how much of itself is in this dimension."
It was silent a moment, then Percy continued for Wheeljack. "We don't dare come close to it. It might be that its an automatic reaction, what it did, sort of defensive. It also could be that its so more highly evolved than us that it doesn't understand that we're sentient as well and its actions detrimental to us. It could be like a cyber fly and Primus, the difference in understanding between it and us.
"We're not clear that its one mental process or a group mind. Its chemical composition from the scans that we've made are incomplete because we don't wish to annoy or disturb it. This might be the biggest defensive move it makes or it could do worse if it feels threatened by another contact with us."
Orion listened as did Ironhide. It was out of his league and he felt inadequate. He glanced at Prowl who was frowning slightly.
"What about you, Turbine? Any luck?" Prowl asked.
"I've had no luck here," Turbine said. "I've done the prayers for contact but nothing answers." He sat back. "There's things that my clan was gifted from the beginning by the Powers and I've used them all here. I'm going to Simfur after this to try again. There's also a place only we know on Cybertron that's the last stop. If I get no answer there, then its something They want us to settle ourselves. One of the reason we know such things is for that very reason, when things are necessary for direct intervention or we have to work this out on our own."
It was silent, then Ironhide glanced at Turbine. "Amma … how can we know the difference? What if They just don't answer or They're busy somewhere? What if this is the way it goes?"
Everyone stared at Turbine who was thinking. Then he sat forward, leaning onto his elbows. "There's things I know that were told to us in the beginning, things that mattered and we were intended to remember. The Elder Clan is the intermediary sometimes for the Pantheon and The One.
"All of us are granted free will. It pertains to individuals but it also pertains to the collective, everyone who is Cybertronian. That part of ourselves that remains behind in the Matrix, our consciences and higher beings or selves understands that and helps us only when it doesn't take choices away from us. This could very well be a collective problem or one just between all of us here in this room. Or it could even be just a problem placed before just you, Ironhide and Orion.
"If They see it as something that we can change, They'll help us. If its something we chose to do and have to work out ourselves, then They won't help us at all. It's a universal rule across all cosmos up to and including The One that no one or no thing ever will come between a spark and their free will. The universe will be born, rise and die before that rule is ever broken." Turbine sat back. "It's also the hardest lesson that anyone can learn no matter who they are."
"That's still fragged, Amma," Ironhide said. "It could be that I might never be myself again."
Ratchet stared at the noticeably younger face of his old mech. "You still have me," he said, then flashed a mega watt smile at Ironhide.
Ironhide snorted, then leaned back in his chair. "There is that."
"It would be in the best interests of everyone concerned that we find a solution to this situation," Orion said. "I am supposed to be the leader of The People as you say. It would appear that a large skill set and wisdom are required to be so. I do not at this point have any of those things. This is a dangerous situation to work through."
Prowl nodded. "It is. Fortunately, its a bit calm at the moment."
"I wish I could give you more," Wheeljack said. "We're working on it orn and night but because we can't touch the slagger without provoking a reaction that's not predictable we have to move slowly. Safety is important here."
Prowl sat back. "This is bad. We have to work at the greatest speed we can. I've mulled over the idea of Teletraan trying to communicate with the entity. If the entity has this kind of energy pattern which sort of reminds me of Teletraan," he said as he studied the data Wheeljack and Percy had downloaded to him continually over time, "perhaps Auntie can make a link. The energy pattern as you mentioned, gentlemen, appears to be rather aligned with a processor."
"We've considered that and we're preparing a node to take to the site which will function as Teletraan's communications and higher thinking sectors do without placing Teletraan in danger. It'll be loaded onto a runabout and flown to the entity to attempt communication. We're not clear on how to best assert that process but we're going to try," Perceptor said. "Basic symbols, lower level concepts next with the build up to be paced to the reactions of the cloud is the general outline."
"What's the timeline on that process?" Prowl asked.
"Its taking time," Wheeljack said. "We've had to miniaturize a lot of the parts and a scaling down mapping of the devices to make things happen. We can let you know when we get ready to try it out. Auntie is going to help us but be completely out of the loop so that if anything goes poof it won't be Teletraan."
"That's relieving. Until then, we keep working on this. We have to find a workable solution to this and do it as fast as we can," Prowl said.
Everyone trouble shot the situation, working out ideas and plans. When they rose to leave it was Orion, Prowl, Ironhide and Ratchet watching them go as usual. Kestrel and Tagg had gone to an appointment and would be back later.
The door closed as Ratchet glanced at Orion. "How do you feel with the pretender gear?" he asked.
"I feel nothing out of the ordinary. The changes are and were surprising but I have worked out what it needs and how to maintain it. So far, that part is holding up," Orion said with Optimus's face and voice.
Ironhide nodded. "Right now, nothing feels out of place, at least for me it is. I'm less hampered by my younger appearance."
"Then hopefully, Turbine will have some hopeful news for us when he returns from Cybertron," Prowl said.
Ironhide nodded. "Amma once told me of this and the place only they know in the mountains. Maybe he can get lucky."
"In the main time, we hold on here," Ratchet said as he stood. "Time to move forward." He glanced at Ironhide. "Time to go. Let's ride the trains. Maybe something will jog a memory."
"It sounds intriguing," Orion said. "I have no clear idea beyond what I've been shown what this colony is like."
"Then come with us. We can ride the rails for a while," Ratchet said as Ironhide stood.
Orion glanced at Prowl who nodded.
"You can look around and see what this place is like," Prowl said. "I can join you in about a joor. I don't want him in any situation that will put him into jeopardy or trouble." he said as he glanced at Ratchet.
"We're on it," Ratchet said.
Orion stood to join them, then Ratchet led the way to the door and the great beyond with Ironhide and Orion behind him.
Prowl watched them go, then leaned back in his chair. "I hope so, Ratchet," he said softly to himself.
=0=On the road at Simfur, Cybertron
Turbine walked down the stairs to the Well of Allsparks which was as vivid and real as the one on Mars. It was possible for a multiversal singularity like Primus to commit more than one part of Himself to be in more than one place at the same time. It was a historical fact in his clash with his brother, Unicron and understood as such by the Cybertronian people as real and true. Higher level beings had that capability and He'd shown that to them Himself this way and during the Blessings of Festival. Pausing before the Well, he cleared his processor, then began to say the prayers that would lead to a conversation between him and The Powers, or not. It would take a while.
=0=On the road
They rode underground on a flatbed car attached to a munitions train that was chugging along the tracks heading for the Industrial Park City Munitions Depot and Experimental Research Facility that was built there to design weapons, weapons systems and all that such things needed more safely some time before. They'd caught one passing under The Fortress at its station and had made their way along passing passenger and commercial trains rolling along to their destinations.
Orion sat on a crate along with Ironhide and Ratchet. "I like trains. Apparently, I have collaborated on a train set with the children."
"You have," Ratchet agreed. "Its a growing hobby between all of you."
Orion nodded. "I never met you before now. Nor you," he said glancing at Ironhide. "I am under the impression that we are good collaborators."
"The finest kind," Ratchet replied. He stared at the two as they stared back at him. He grinned. "I do believe we'll find a way out of this. We always have."
"The idea of Cybertron being laid that low is very hard to take," Orion said. "I am unclear as to my own performance or if I were truly what Cybertron needed at the time. It does not appear that I was very successful as a Prime."
Ratchet stared at him a moment, then vented a sigh. "You're indispensable. You're probably the only one among us on either side who is. You're the best Prime since Guardian and I've seen them most of them. What happened to Cybertron was set on the path of inevitability long before any of us came to sentience. I've seen the last half dozen or so Primes. You're the greatest we ever had."
Orion considered that. "I remember several and only vaguely know much about Sentinel. He's only been Prime a short time."
"He was Prime during the downfall and when he had a big idea about doing something to save Cybertron, he pretended to be murdered and left. We were in the middle of a slagging extinction event and he bailed. You were handed a stacked deck and there were so few options left. That a good billion of us got away was testament to your abilities and character. Never doubt yourself. Put the blame where it belongs."
Orion watched a passenger train flash past as they made the junction that would send them out to the Industrial Park above ground. He glanced at Ratchet and Ironhide. "Megatronus is my friend … almost a brother to me."
=0=TBC 9-3-2020 edited