The Diego Diaries: Hunt (dd8 667)
Oh crap. I think this was supposed to go out last night. :( HERE WE GO!
=0=At the staff meeting
"As for the temperature of the colony, I've been receiving complaints right and left since this began."
"Who from?" Prime asked knowing full well that Magnus as City Manager/Mayor would be the whipping boy of whatever was going on. It came with the job.
"The usual suspects," Magnus said grimly. "Former high castes with concerns. Some of the more aggressive ones like Callo and the like."
"Quelle surprise," Raptor said with a chuckle as he glanced at his grandson. Ironhide was fuming. "Tell him that Ironhide is your complaints officer."
Ironhide glanced at his grandfather. "Sounds like an idea."
"I'll get out my giant styptic pencil," Ratchet said with a brilliant smile.
Snickers rounded the room after swift internet searches.
"My appointment book is packed with them coming in to tell me of their woes. Mostly its about the odd insult someone made to them on the Metro. Some of them are fragged off about the tails on the gangsters. That sort of thing," Magnus said.
"You handle it well," Arcee said with a slight grin. "Your way or the hard way. Works every time."
"Direct them to me, Magnus, if you desire. I will help you with the paradigm shift," Prime said.
"I do believe they come to me to avoid coming to you, Optimus," Magnus said.
"I wouldn't come to either of you," Elita said. "I think I'd rather keep it to myself than come to you to whine." She glanced at Prime. "That ship has sailed. Give them time to get it straight."
Prime nodded. "It has. Some take longer to throw in the towel than others."
"Well, they need to start pitching," Magnus said with a hard edged tone.
"Are we anywhere near adult league baseball?" Ratchet asked to the amusement of everyone there.
They weren't.
"We're making great progress in the new developments," Magnus continued. "Having a stockpile of habitations on hand is very relieving. Jetta can tell more about that. Just know that we are ahead of the game so far. Short of a ten million migration coming, we're alright," Magnus said. "There are applications for companies on Earth to be a part of the rumored new habitation on world. How they know is beyond me but I have them stockpiled and will speak with Warren and Sam shortly about it."
"Earth Rise is a rumor and nothing more at the moment," Prime said. "We intend to tell the world what we have in mind when the final plans are drawn. For the record among those of us here, it will be another wholly owned habitat by Autobot Nation and will focus on environmental and energy issues for Earth exclusively. I want it to be located in the set aside area between Unidad and the Habitat Highway, making it in alignment with Earth2. Plans are still being considered and I will release more about my thinking on this as I go with Fortress Maximus and the other titans who are the general framework of our habitations for the most part going forward."
:If you need anything from us, Optimus, just say: Lennox said from his comfortable chair in the middle of highly attentive humans.
Optimus nodded to Lennox.
:What size will the population be, Optimus? Do you have a figure and how can we help you with this?: Carly asked.
Prime glanced at her, a true friend of The People. "I am considering a big facility, one comparable to Unidad with the focus on repairing the environment and creating alternative green energy. It will be at the highest capacity no more than 50,000 individuals. It will be created by titan combiners and will be designed to make and test all manner of technology and devices to help Earth with all of its problems."
:That would make about ten human habitations on world and nearby with Prima Station: Epps said. :Thanks, Optimus. I hope:
Laughter and agreement met that.
"Well, we're going to vet the group that comes. Count on it," Prowl said with a steely optic. He sat back. "Union and Guild reports."
They gave them, these big bruising mechs and it was all good. The Central Labor Council was active and cooperative collective effort was cutting a wide swath through the needs list of the colony. Labor Day was finalized and another orn off was had for The People. The unions and guilds sat back highly satisfied.
"Finance," Prowl began as everyone there with few exceptions mentally logged off. They would stay off until Venture sat and all was concluded.
Mayhem would break out was Ratchet suggested another scintillating game of '20 Questions Mostly About the Financials' was suggested and begun. Between Sam Witwicky who oddly enough was on his phone the whole time and a FURIOUS Raptor, the game staggered to an end with a tied score, '4-16'.
Laughter took care of that business, then it was time for Docker to present the Delegate Assembly report and Coros that, too, as well as the School Board.
"The Delegate Assembly is having a short hiatus at the end of the decaorn and in that interim they're focusing on constituent work … the things that the people of their districts need and want. Starting next decaorn, we plan to have a revision of the criminal code debated and voted. We want to strip even the shadows of the past out of our justice system. All manner of safeties for the people are going to be debated. Then we plan to revise the Land Use statutes as per the request of Beachcomber and the Interior Department.
"The updating will be built around the security zoning that you've revised given the new military base and the Crater Districts under construction north of the colony, Prowl. We plan to go over that. Expect to be called to speak to committees. We want all the information we can to do the best job possible. Coros will be co-chair of that committee and one of the Land Use Board members, Sil, will be there as an expert witness." Docker smiled. "ISN'T THAT GREAT!"
Everyone agreed emphatically.
"We have your regulations for the upgrading of the energon use permitting process, Jetta. Expect to be called to speak to it," Docker said as Jetta nodded. "We want to have an updating of the Special Education Rules and Regulations so the School Board should expect to meet with the Education Committee to help design them. We have so many different problems with our babies that we have to makes sure their needs are met." Docker checked her list. "There's more going on but that's the general outline for the rest of the session before break."
"Who is the Co-Director of Legislation in the Assembly, I might ask," Ratchet asked the little femme of his dreams.
She smiled at him with a brilliant smile. "That would be me."
Huge applause and amusement abounded.
:Then if something comes up we come to you, Docker?: Lennox asked.
"Yes. Any of you for anything," Docker replied.
:I heard that all of your beautiful things were retrieved from the wreckage of your family's store, Docker. I'm glad that is so: Owen Harris said.
Docker glanced at him, then grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Harris. You aren't the only one. We were blessed by Lady Solus Prime Herself and because of it She saved our wonderful things. My son and his bond are blessed by the Lady."
Chevron and Cyclonus as well as most of the rest of them nodded in agreement.
"It was a miracle, but then miracles are what this place is made of," Chevron said sweetly.
"That is so," Cyclonus replied with a serious expression. "Though I will say I keep my blaster close at servo anyway."
Snickers rounded the room along with agreements.
Prowl grinned. "School Board. Who will be giving the report?"
Ironhide glanced at Prowl. "My colleague. Its his turn."
HUGE guff greeted that.
Coros grinned as he picked up his data pad. "The biggest issue now is the damage to the two schools. We have all their data and its safe but a lot of things at Youngling Day and all of Circle Prep at the Polyhex building is damaged or gone. Its very sad to those involved but they're regrouping. The School Board has emergency back up plans and agreements with the Daycare Guild and other groups to help with children.
"Most of the kids are attending classes by video link for now. Their teachers are working at the experimental lab classrooms and the tech labs for remote delivery of services to have classes minus the arts and gym components. When we can figure out how to make it possible to bring more we will but for now its the best that can be accomplished. We're going to work over the emergency plans at the next meeting to see if there's anything new we can add or old that we can change for the better.
"We're working on the tech curriculums for the younger kids. The one for Intermediate is not up for review for another year. Until then, we're going along fine with it." He stared at his datapad. "We're going to be expanding the Pioneer School Program to give more possibilities to those infant kids who are excelling and need stimulation. That's under review for now. All in all, we're okay so far. The sooner the schools are back on line the better."
Coros sat back to praise. He was pumped to be here and it showed.
Prowl grinned at the kid, then glanced around the table. "Is there anything else before we hear from the humans and our Hu-An neighbors?"
There wasn't.
"The Hu-An please." Prowl sat back to listen.
Miso stood, then bowed toward Prime who nodded to her in mutual respect. "We would like to thank you on behalf of our people for the expansion of territory added to our habitat to allow more greenhouses. We have expanded our farming to include experimental greenhouses to allow us to work on plant diseases for Earth and to modify even more of the wonderful bounty and variety of plants that are shared to us by them," she said in her soft deep voice.
"We are highly interested in helping them find ways to prevent crop loss without using pesticides which kill birds and insects that are highly useful to ecosystems as well as crop and plant health overall. We are breaking ground and will assist the crews that have been assigned to do the major building." She glanced at Jetta, then bowed slightly. "It is always a great pleasure working with you, the unions and guilds. I hope you will accept our great appreciation, Jetta, for all that you do."
"Its a great pleasure for me and our people, Miso, to work with yours. I love the design of your homes. Its beautiful and I've never met an organic species that didn't enjoy living that close to plants and trees," Jetta replied.
Miso grinned. "The trees are the keepers of wisdom. It just feels better to be that close to them."
Jetta nodded. "I've heard that from a lot of organics. Most of them, of course, who aren't named human." He grinned at the humans who were listening. "Toothpicks. Case in point."
"How about toilet paper?" Ratchet answered with a radiant smile.
The groaning in the room could be heard by the kids working at the little table outside.
=0=TBC 3-20-2023
Men who shave manually know about styptic (stih-p-tik) pencils. They are used to end the flow of blood from razor cuts and other small bleeding things.
ESL: Guff/guff: slag, teasing, catcalling. Mocking is guff. "Don't give me any guff." is another way of saying don't give me any crap.