Chapter 85
-0-Senior Autobot-N.E.S.T. weekly meeting, Diego Garcia
"What are you doing here, Daniels?" Lennox asked none too politely.
"I'm here for the meeting. I've been given permission to attend these weekly meetings." He looked at Prime. "I appreciate you telling your guards to let me come in. I would've hated to call General Morshower."
Prime who looked at him with an expression somewhere between indifference and disgust shrugged. "You are late."
"My apologies," he said as he looked around for a seat on the table top
The exchange between Prime and Daniels was short and sharp as the human settled. He looked at Prime with his usual unreadable blank expression. The others in the room stirred but finally settled to begin. There was tension rising in a meeting that was usually free of such.
They began then, discussing the progress of the contracts that they had made with green companies to produce batteries and other energy efficient items that would pay their expenses and leave them less open to criticism from right winged agenda driven people.
Like Daniels, Ratchet thought as he stared at the human like he was a specimen.
Daniels for his part listened closely as Lennox and the soldiers discussed personnel, training schedules and faint glitches on the intel regarding the bad guys. It was clear that Lennox was being extremely careful with what he was disclosing due to Daniels' proximity and Prime made a mental note to talk to the soldiers later in the day.
The rest of the agenda went well, Autobots leaving and arriving depending on the discussion items. By the time they were nearing the end, Prime opened the floor to discussion as usual and Daniels began.
"I don't know if you saw the news this morning," he said glancing at Prime and Prowl. "There appears to be evidence that there are children on this base, Autobot children."
The temperature in the room, never warm since he came through the door dropped to frigid. Everyone turned their optics to Prime, soldiers included. Prime stared coldly at Daniels as he considered his response. He found himself loathing with an intensity he usually didn't reserve for anyone but senior Decepticons the human sitting on the table staring at him impassively. "I have not heard today's news," Prime said equally impassively.
"There are photos of Autobots including you," he said, nodding toward Prowl, "walking off of jets carrying very small child-like Autobots."
"Prowl."
He glanced at the S.I.C. who was looking at Daniels coldly. "My designation is Prowl."
Daniels nodded. "Whatever. My question still stands."
A shift among those present didn't phase Daniels and Prime wondered if anything really did. He leaned forward. "And why do you ask?"
"Our treaty agreements allow for your garrison but children are not included."
"Our treaties call for sanctuary for any Autobot that hears the call I made for them to come," Prime said quietly, He leaned forward slightly. "Since that does not hold caveats about which Autobots come, that would include any children or infants that can get here."
"Then there are children," Daniels persisted, pausing from his writing to look up at Prime.
Prime leaned back, considering how much to disclose. "Two days ago we received a distress signal from three of our Aerialbots who were coming to Earth guided by my call. They were carrying refugees that they had found fleeing Decepticon pursuit and requested assistance. We rendered it."
"And the refugees? And the three Aerialbots? Where are they? I would like to see them," Daniels said, making more notes.
"Nothing in our agreements requires us to allow you to see anyone who comes to us," Prime said. "The language allows us leeway to handle our personnel situations independent of your scrutiny. As for the Aerialbots, they will be coming here shortly."
"I think its well within the rights of the United States government to be able to verify the presence of more Autobots on Diego Garcia. The cost of allowing-"
Prime who leaned forward cut Daniels off. "Our treaties and agreements are very explicit in our autonomy and the right to privacy. We are allowed to repatriate our people without undue scrutiny. We are also paying our own way now so your comments about costs are irrelevant."
Daniels scrutinized Prime levelly. "What are you hiding, Prime?"
Prime looked at him with disdain on his handsome face. "What are you hiding, Mr. Daniels?"
It was silent a moment in a room saturated with tension and the unspoken. No one spoke or moved as Daniels sat back to regard his opponent with cold calculation. "I'm the authorized representative of the United States State Department to Diego Garcia carrying the brief for the Autobot garrison and the N.E.S.T. program."
"And I am the Prime of Cybertron, the guardian not only of the Creation Matrix but the well-being and safety of all my people everywhere. I am commander of an army that was old when your people were still sitting in trees. Why someone on this base took pictures and released them, I do not know. I will find them and there will be consequences."
"Are you making threats?" Daniels asked.
"I do not make threats. I make promises and I keep them. You might tell that to your superiors."
"I will," Daniels said. "The Secretary of State-"
"I wasn't referring to her," Prime said. "I was referring to Nast."
It was silent a moment, then Daniels sat back himself, regarding Prime levelly. "You have proof of your accusation?"
"I am not given to making unfounded accusations," Prime replied.
"Is that so," Daniels said as he glanced at his notes. "I'd appreciate a time in which I can see the children, to ascertain their existence on base. We're not in the habit of keeping children on a forward military base."
Prime leaned forward. "You will not be seeing anyone. This is an embassy and sovereign soil for Cybertron. Our treaties allow us to refuse requests from anyone including your President."
"Then my report to the State Department will note that you refused a reasonable request. And I might add, something that might defuse some of the rumors in the media about what's actually going on here with the revelation about the children." He stared at Prime coldly. "I'm not your enemy. There's a groundswell of discontent about your presence on our world and a number of other issues about your activity in this solar system. You'd do well to cultivate those of us in government and media who have influence. This report won't view your activities kindly, Prime."
"I will file that one with the others," Prime said.
Daniels glanced up, looking at him sharply. "What?"
"I get a copy of your reports every week from the State Department as a courtesy. I thought you would know that given your self admitted importance to the way things work," Prime said as amusement crept into his voice.
"No, I wasn't aware of that," Daniels replied as Lennox smirked then shook his head. "I'll bear it in mind," he said, shooting a harsh glance at the soldier. He looked back at Prime. "The public has a right to know about any changes here including the inclusion of children. They also have a right to know about the refugees. We were here first, Prime and a lot of our people resent your presence and consider you troublemakers and interlopers. It would do you a great deal of good to be forthcoming and truthful about things as they stand."
"And we have a treaty-granted right to privacy," Prowl replied coldly. "Our people don't have to be paraded around for the public. They've suffered enough. Considering that you never felt the effects of war and other catastrophes, I'm not surprised at your indifference to their hurts and traumas, Daniels."
"Then you'll have to bear the consequences of public opinion without having a hand in the formulation of the facts. I can help you but you consider me the enemy. I'm not the enemy. You could have a much softer landing than this if you cooperate with me," Daniels replied hotly.
"Why do you care?" Ironhide interjected. "You're the one marshaling public opinion against us, you and your owner, Nast."
It was silent a moment then Daniels closed his notebook. "I'm assuming that this meeting is over?"
"You can assume whatever you wish, Mr. Daniels," Prime said.
The room was silent a moment, then Daniels arose, walked to the ladder and climbed downward. He walked to the door and left, the atmosphere lifting as he did.
Lennox, Graham and Epps watched him go, then glanced at Prime who for a contained and disciplined individual was white hot with fury. Lennox leaned forward. "I have a few questions if you don't mind."
Prime smirked slightly. "Ask them, William. I can always refuse."
Lennox grinned. "I saw the images, some of them rather blurred. There's children here, right?"
Prime nodded. "Orphans we have undertaken to raise as our own."
"I've always wondered how small you were as children," Epps said with a grin. "I can hardly get my brain around how small they seemed compared to you."
Prowl smirked. "Dynamite comes in small packages," he said.
It broke the tension completely.
Ratchet grinned at Prowl. "Then it's true."
Prowl looked at Ratchet with a cool optic. "What's true, loon?"
"You actually have the beginnings of a sense of humor," Ratchet said.
Prowl stared at Ratchet almost too long with The Look, then sat back with a smug expression. "I'm a mech of many skills and abilities, loon. Look upon me and weep."
HUGE laughter greeted that.
"What you said, Prowler," Jazz said with a smile.
-0-Several minutes later
They stood in the doorway watching the children play. All four were kneeling on the floor, heads bent together to build with blocks under the watchful eyes of four Autobots, Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Hound and Trailbreaker. The mechs were handing them requested blocks, answering design questions as they played sweetly together. The looks of satisfaction and amusement on their faces were spark warming to see.
Lennox looked up, got a nod from Prime, then stepped inside. He walked to where the group was sitting on the floor. The kids noticed almost as one, then stared at him with surprise, this strange short alien. They glanced at Prime and the others.
Spirit moved toward T-Bar, leaning against him with fear clearly on his face. He stared at the human who was only just a bit taller than he was. He looked at Prime, saw his smile, then relaxed. Spirit stared at Lennox with unblinking optics. Looking at his brother, T-Bar, he turned back to Lennox then held out a block with hesitation.
Lennox who smiled took the block in hand, then looked at the building they were designing. He walked up and hefted it into place, looking at the children who smiled at him. He smiled back, unaware that he'd just finished a gun turret on a corner of The Fortress of Autobot City on Mars.
As the soldiers met the children, Autobots were already tracking the photos of the children back to the source.