The Diego Diaries: Cloudy (dd7 373)
=0=Earlier that orn
He walked down the path to the house which began to appear among the beautifully manicured landscape of trees, plants and grass. Cybertron was very much still organic and a lot of it was dirt, mountains, plains and growing things that depended on all of that and the energon swamps where some of those here were found. This place had become over the vorns a showcase of art and vegetation from everywhere around the planet.
He walked up the cobblestone path to the porch. Climbing the steps, he walked to the door to stare inside. It was bright with the light of day though the outdoors had a more muted metallic illumination. He walked inside, then halted to look around. No one was evidently present. "Great Ones, I'm Turbine of Praxus, a Maker of the Elder Clan and I come to petition you for wisdom and counsel. I do this on behalf of The People and the Prime of Cybertron, Lord Optimus of Iacon."
The sound of the ocean waves was restful to his audials as he waited. A sound of footsteps nearby drew his attention. An older Cybertronian walked in, one who looked familiar but wasn't. Turbine knew how to read divine energy and he knew the figure before him was of that type. He knelt on one knee, then bowed his helm. "I'm your servant."
The figure who was older and possessed an astonishing aura grinned. "You're my friend, Maker, and you may stand in my presence," Solomus Prime said.
As Turbine did Solomus shifted into the beautiful individual that He was. He was just a tad taller than Turbine for his convenience and had a sort of inner light that was obvious.
"I know why you're here, Turbine of the Elder Clan. I would, however, like to hear what you have to say. I do so enjoy talking to The People. We're not that remote, not as some are in other cultures."
"Thank you, Lord Solomus," Turbine said as he took a seat across from the big Prime in the living room after the Prime had sat down. "I'd like to ask you something that's always been a question for me, Lord Solomus."
He nodded. "Do. I know it already. But please … let us have a nice talk together."
Turbine bowed his helm slightly to this, a pantheonic member of the Guiding Hand point of view. "You said that some other cultures and species have remote gods, yet You aren't with us. I'd like to know if this world is the only one where You're considered a divine part of the inner life of The People? I'm curious if You're divine inspiration on just this world alone."
Solomus considered the question. "No. We're many things to many individuals all over the universe appearing to them as they require. Our beginning happened here on Cybertron since Cybertron and The People are among the oldest in the universe. It's Our favorite place and Our father, Lord Primus personally embodies this planet. But We just don't serve you. We serve many in many other places. It's the way of The Divine. The One is infinite and We are as well as His emissaries and guides to those who require inspiration and a connection to The Divine."
"Then if I asked you if you represented The Divine to Earth in perhaps some of their different manners and forms, You might say yes," Turbine asked.
Solomus nodded. "There's no separation, My wonderful Turbine. Not between you and The One nor with Me and My siblings. That includes all life as it exists everywhere. We were created and exist to serve the common good and that means everyone. There's no separation unless you believe it exists. It's the glory of our people that they can see Us and feel Us around without having to rely strictly on faith. It rather makes things nicer and neater."
Turbine smiled. "I agree."
Solomus grinned. "I'm glad that your clan is gathering again. Your prayers for the dead were gratefully received. Those who were lost hear them and consider them beautiful. They maintain contact with their families who live through dreams and small gestures. No one is ever apart unless you choose to make it so. Our connections don't end when We leave this space. They merely transform."
Turbine grinned. "I'm honored to serve You and the Guiding Hand. I serve all the different practices among our people, Lord Solomus. I know that those the Functionalist Council recalled are in states of grace and perfect safety with You and Your family."
"They are," Solomus said kindly. "It's My hope that the knowledge of that gives comfort."
"It does," Turbine said as he bowed his helm.
Solomus sat back making himself comfortable. "You came about the problem created by the energy cloud."
"Yes," Turbine said. "We have to find a way to make this right. It's affected not just my grandson but Optimus Prime himself."
Solomus nodded. "We're aware of it. You wish for this to reverse? Or perhaps you wish to know what the cloud is. Perhaps you wish to know the antidote."
"I'm here to ask, Lord Solomus. If it's possible, anything You can tell us or perhaps do, then our gratitude will only be greater than it is for You and the Powers already."
Solomus thought a moment. "You do know about free will and how you have a plan before you came to being to do certain things in certain ways for what they can teach you in wisdom."
"Yes," Turbine said. "I've already discussed the possibility that this might not be resolved easily."
Solomus nodded. "There are some things that happen that have a wealth of learning attached to them. They were entered into willingly and even if you don't understand them now, you did when you chose them. Free will is a gift that not all species are granted. You get to be sovereign and do what you choose. You do understand that one of the greatest immutable laws of the universe is that no one will interfere with your free will and choices. Not even The One. It is love and respect for you and your needs by even the Creator of All Things that this is so."
Turbine nodded. "I do, Lord."
"Then you understand that you are the architect of your life. You may not understand it fully or at all. How you face your life is up to you. You will learn a lot, some of them hard lessons in your life but you must always remember this. You're never a victim. You designed your path. You did so for knowledge and you live it because you're courageous. You're brave and good always. You're profoundly loved and you're never alone. Souls or sparks never come into The Game alone. If you feel so you have created it.
"Your processor will help you design your path if you understand these few things. If you believe you're unworthy, unloved, lost or afraid, you'll be so. Your processors are profoundly powerful and they can create or uncreate anything by how you think and feel. You can change the world with a single thought. Take Optimus for example. He was a 'lowly' working mech, a longshoreman. Yet, when the moment came he stood up and all the good that has come after that came because he was brave. He was brave because he loved and that love made him believe he could do what had to be done."
It was silent a moment.
"You want me to tell you about the cloud."
Turbine nodded. "Yes, Master."
Solomus thought a moment. "The cloud is many. The cloud came with the Creation of All Things. It's purpose is to gather information and return it to The One. Think of it as … brain cells, if you will. They're floating throughout the universe learning what exists to help The One because He was here a long time before others came into being to help Him. The One gathers information from this process and from lives when they come back to the Matrix.
"The One admires you, all of you everywhere. The One loves you so much. He watches over and is never disengaged from you. Without Him, all would cease to exist. If you were detached from Him, you would cease to exist so understand that all is connected no matter how lost you may feel. Because you're connected, you're helping The One understand All That Is by your actions and thoughts. He then can expand and create more with your input. Its a circle. His curiosity is insatiable, hence the clouds. With this He can create even more wonderful things for you to experience. His pride in His creations is monumental. Its a symbiotic relationship, all creation."
"Then the clouds are ancient manifestations of The One seeking to know."
Solomus nodded. "The One knows everything. If you pray to him, Turbine, and ask a question, He knows the question and prepares the answer before you ask. This is what love looks like."
Turbine stared at the beautiful face of perhaps his favorite Prime and felt emotions rise inside. "That's beautiful to know. I have many questions."
"Ask them. Talk to Him like you would a beloved friend. He will hear you and answer, perhaps in the most subtle manner. But understand, He will not interfere with your free will. If you want His help with this situation, I am here to tell you He cannot. Optimus and Ironhide have chosen this experience before they were born. When it not longer serves them, then things will change."
"What was the lesson for this choice, Lord?" Turbine asked.
Solomus grinned slightly. "I would tell you but I cannot because of their free will choice. Some things are best learned cold."
Turbine nodded. "We're never alone."
"Never," Solomus said. "We've been aware of everything since the Beginning. Understand that this is not limited to Cybertronians. All life everywhere from the smallest particle to the greatest feature of space and time have Our attention. The One created all of Us. Why ever would He not be aware of everything and be ready to love you perfectly whether you believe in Him or not, whether you are aware of His messages or not, no matter what you do for good or ill? That is The Divine compact between our Creator and all things everywhere."
"Then they have to go forward with this? There's no shortcut?" Turbine asked.
Solomus nodded. "They chose this to learn something. When the learning is complete, the problem will disappear. That's the way it all works. You learn your lesson, then the lesson is over." He grinned. "That anyone would think that We aren't aware and are ready to do what you allow Us to do without breaking your fee will choices is amusing to Me. Love is eternal. Love is unbreakable. Its the strongest force that exists. You must not forget that. Take back to everyone Our unshakable and timeless love for all of you. That's the bond and the covenant that holds all existence together. Focus on the good, the love and the bravery of everyone. It trumps everything else."
That was when Solomus faded and Turbine was back in the Temple of Simfur.
=0=Later that same night at the jail house
Turbine stood next to Raptor as the entire family of Ironhide gathered before the cell where he and Ratchet were sitting. He hadn't mentioned what Solomus had told him yet. He was thinking through and organizing what he would say when his little mech showed up at the door with a sad tale and a burning sense of embarrassment that was only overpowered by his lifelong tenacity to do what he was determined to do come hell or high water.
Ironhide looked at them with a slight defiance. "I'm stuck here because some slaggers got into a fight and I was swept up with the others."
"I'm sorry, grandson," Delphi said with a huge smile. "I was so hoping your evening might be more entertaining."
Ratchet snorted. "So was I."
Huge raucous laughter greeted that.
"So how was the spirit walk? Or did you have one?" Ratchet asked as he noted Turbine standing next to Raptor and Trooper.
"I had one. I'm still sorting it out but I'll let everyone know tomorrow. Prowl asked me to speak at a short meeting in The Fortress."
"Did you find anything that will fix this, Amma?" Ironhide asked hopefully.
Turbine and the others stared at the miracle grandson with the usual love and pride. Then Turbine nodded. "I think a cold shower should do it, little mech."
HUGE laughter and mockery greeted that.
They chatted a bit, then walked off toward home. Ratchet and Ironhide watched them go, then glanced at each other.
Ratchet smiled blindingly. "You still got me, fragger."
Ironhide grinned in spite of himself, then glanced at the still blazingly angry gangsters milling about in the cells all around them. "Yeah? Well, we still have them."
Ratchet glanced around, then looked at the cutely pouting face of his mech. "Since when was that ever a problem?" he asked with a big smile.
Ironhide guffawed in spite of himself.
=0=TBC 9-8-2020 edited