The Diego Diaries: Boo 4
=0=The next morning
Prowl walked to the Ops Center with Prime, the refugee infants and their own safely in the care of Venture, Miler and two child care experts from the School of Education in the University. The night before had been splendid and both enjoyed it a great deal. They had been heavily trick-or-treated and the joy of genitors and infants had been spark warming. It had been the first time in many of the infant's lives where they had been that open and that filled with pleasure.
"Did you read the overnight dump?" Optimus asked.
"I did. I have alerted the relevant individuals to come," Prowl said nodding.
"Good," Optimus said. "Last night was needed for our people. They had a lot of fun."
"They did. We have that holiday in the calendar now," Prowl said.
Optimus nodded. "Good," he said as they crossed the intersection heading toward the Fortress.
-0-At Quarry 10A
The Pit Boss watched as Copperton labored in a pit digging out the dirt on the side of a metal framework where stone blocks would be lowered into place. Sealing epoxy would then be poured to make them fast together. Ferrel was the boss of the crew which Copperton had worked since Metroplex had been harmed. He came everyday and worked incredibly hard, his attitude always good and his determination an inspiration.
It was perplexing.
Copperton's paint scheme was stellar and very ornate indicating a very high caste mech. He didn't ask for anything. He didn't slack. He did everything he was asked to do to a degree of precision that made Ferrel's optics water. Ferrel had never seen a mech like this who would work at any sort of manual labor let alone this well and with this much dependability. Walking to the edge of the pit, he knelt. "Copperton."
The big mech paused and looked up. "What do you need, Ferrel?"
"That is what I want to talk to you about. Can you come up here?"
Copperton nodded and stuck his shovel into a pile of gravel. Climbing out, he brushed dirt off his arm and turned to his site supervisor. "What can I do for you, Ferrel?"
"I was talking to Jetta and he wants someone who can inspect the constructions against the plans. I was thinking to ask you if you want to have that job?"
Copperton looked at him a moment. "I don't have that much expertise in this sort of thing, Ferrel. I've done different kinds of accounting inspections and the like but not much of anything related to this kind of work."
"Well, I want to give you first refusal. We need someone we can count on and you have been stellar. I wish I had ten more mechs like you," Ferrel said with spark felt intention.
Copperton looked at Ferrel and caught himself. His emotions surged and he felt a mix of things. "I wanted to work here, Ferrel, because I want to give something back to the colony and our people. I wanted to do something that made me work hard, that forced me to dig down inside. I have enjoyed this. I am proud of the opportunity to do something like this, something that actually counts."
Ferrel finding his suspicions confirmed nodded sympathetically. "I understand. You would stay with the construction crews and help them when the inspections are concluded with each stage of construction. They are painstaking and take a while but when they are finished, you can jump back into this," he said nodding to the slowly rising tower. "I appreciate what you bring to the job, Copperton."
The big mech looked at him and nodded. "I want to be able to come back to this," he said nodding at the hole. "I find it helps me more than I can say."
Ferrel nodded. "You can. You aren't going anywhere," he said with a grin. "I already turned down two other bosses who said they wanted to 'borrow' you."
For a moment, Copperton considered that. "Thank you, Ferrel. I am proud to be on your crew."
Ferrel nodded and slapped Copperton's arm. "Come with me and I'll show you what we need today," he said turning and walking toward the 'boss shack' nearby. Copperton followed.
-0-Conference Room, Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
The military and intelligence officers sat with Prime and Prowl as they waited for the meeting to begin. The room was relaxed and all talk was on Halloween the night before and the game that would begin in the afternoon. Only half the city's population would fit in the stadium so a massive projection of the game was going to be made in the Youngling Arena next door. It would be projected to fill the end zone where its clear and bold imagery would be as if a bot were at the actual game. The sound would be impeccable as well.
First come, first serve.
"We called you in to discuss a couple of problems that are coming up on Earth," Prime said sitting back. "we want this kept between those of us here."
Everyone nodded. Prowl pressed a computer button behind him and the giant monitor at the end of the room burst into life. A fire was burning in a building that was obviously on Earth. Firefighters were working hard to put it out. The sun was barely over the horizon so the light was only slowly growing brighter.
The scene was footage from a television broadcast, then it changed to something more intense. "The rest of the footage we see has been taken by forensics firemen and police officers. This burning building is located in San Francisco in California," Prowl said. "Watch the next few minutes closely."
The camera followed the flames as they began to die down, then it seemed to shoot footage down a long narrow alleyway of some sort. The view was not optimal but it was clear what was before them as the camera began to pan down the wall of a building next to the one burning. Words there were clear to read.
"Autobots, go home. Earth for Earthers!"
"Oh great," Ratchet said with a softly vented sigh. "This is all we need."
"The call from Washington is for you to come to Earth and discuss this with the congress. A member of the House of Representatives is from California and he's the sort who has hearings over minute things for personal and political gain. You will be discussing this with General Morshower and the Vice President later today?" Prowl asked Prime.
He nodded. "After the football game," he said with a grin.
"First things first, slaggers," Ironhide said grinning back.
"Any intell about the arsonists?" Wheeljack asked. "The device?"
"No. There were no security devices anywhere," Prowl said.
"Why this building?" Perceptor asked.
"This building was a store that sold memorabilia that included items for Cybertron. There were all manner of products including banners of the Primes and other artworks," Prowl said.
"They're targetin' us then," Jazz said. "This could be a new group or it could be part of the earlier slaggers. Remember the groups that tried to get weapons in Denver and elsewhere? The Family I think one of them was called."
Prime nodded. "We can't rule them out."
"What about the slagger in Sector 7?" Ratchet asked. "Has that loon Seymour Simmons found him yet?"
"He's looking," Prowl said rolling his optics. "He hasn't said much more."
"We need to talk to the humans about this. We need to preserve the relationship," Prime said nodding. "We need Ratchet to go to Earth to any meetings that are needed and necessary. They have to be determined that this is so. I am not prepared to send anyone to slagging matches."
"Frag yeah," Ironhide said. Hero was asleep in his arms. "Old mech doesn't need to be slagged by humans or anyone else."
Prime nodded. "I know," he said. "We will be delving into the Sector 7 business ourselves if Simmons doesn't come up with something soon. Have you spotted any technology that looks suspicious yet on on the market as human derived?" he asked Wheeljack.
"Not yet, Optimus. I'm having Caro do research on all the patent databases for anything that even pretends to look Cybertronian. He started this morning," Prowl said.
Prime nodded. "Alright," he said. He leaned back and considered the new element in the mix. "We will come back to this over the next orn or two. Right now, I need to speak to the Vice President and General Morshower to get a feel of what this is and means. This puts even more emphasis on the series the humans are making as a vehicle to show our true intent. We need to have a good long look at what we allow to be transmitted."
Jazz nodded. "We will."
Prime nodded. "Anything for the good of the order?"
"I put two energon cookies on Polyhex to win today," Ratchet said with a grin. "Gotta use up the left over treats from Halloween somehow."
"Altihex will win," Perceptor said.
Mayhem broke out.
-0-At the home of the trine
"That was hard."
"It was."
"We need different glue next Halloween if we put things on their wings again," Sideswipe said comforting a softly whimpering Iacon in his big arms. A softly weeping Uraya sat on Sunstreaker's arm clinging to his chassis.
"We will," Sunstreaker said kissing his daughter. She looked up at him with her tiny blue optics and her quivering chin. He sent her good energy and turned walking to the rocking chair by the window. Sitting, he cuddled her tucking the soft blanket that Sideswipe tossed to him around her tiny body. Settling her, he rocked gently.
"When does Blue get back?" Sideswipe asked.
"Shortly," Sunstreaker said. "He's helping Ravel and Tie Down get things done so they can be free for the game. He's also reserving space at Cafe Praxus for afterward."
"Good," Sideswipe said swaying gently. Sitting on the ground teething on a brick hard cookie, Kaon watched his sister as she relaxed into her atar's arms. He was content. Their energy was better now that the decorations were off their little bodies. He almost cried with them. Atar was coming again. He always did. There was little else he needed in the whole wide world. He was a little mech that had it all.
-0-At the home of the trine
They stood around Thundercracker looking up at their atar. He had taken their costumes and put them in the box they came in to be stored against the future. Their research into feathered fliers of Earth had paid off. With the help of an artist from the Guild, they had all helped to design the beautiful headpieces their infants had worn.
"Atar!"
Thundercracker paused reaching for the cookie jar in a cupboard and looked down. Dart was smiling. "Atar."
"Dart," he said kneeling down. He kissed the baby's cheek. "What a good mech you are."
Dart smiled and looked at his brothers. Flit and Pip smiled and clapped their servos together. "ATAR!" they said in unison.
Thundercracker chuckled and carefully scooped all three of them up. Turning, pausing to grin at Starscream, he looked down at their bounty. "Who gets who for the game?"
"Perhaps we can emulate Ironhide and take the sparkling that looks like each of us," Starscream purred.
"You don't think that will be too 'matchy-matchy' do you?" Sky Warp smirked.
"You have been reading Vanity Fair again," Starscream said with a grin.
"Only for the articles," Sky Warp said. "Come on. Let's get good seats."
They distributed the infants and turned walking for the door. They would take the elevator to the bottom floor and join the exodus of Seekers leisurely walking for the stadium. It would take a while but no one cared. Today was going to be epic.
-0-In a Sports Bar in California, ten miles from the Lennox Home
"The game starts in a minute. How about a drinking game?" -Man A
"Sounds good. What's the thing where we drink?" -Man B
"How about every time they say 'frag' or 'slag'?" -Man A
"Do they have defibrillators here?" -Man C
-0-In a pub in Glasgow
"The last time we were here, I ended up face down in the gutter."
"You were pissed."
"I was." Silence. "I wish I had seen the game."
"Me too. It was grand. Stay sober a while."
-0-In a nice house with a nice family
Pastor Bob and Mrs. Pastor Bob took their seats and put the snacks they had brought from the kitchen on the coffee table. The parents were sitting already, pampered by their children who had gathered for the big event. Mama Annie and Papa Leonard were in their chairs of honor while their daughters, daughters-in-law, sons and sons-in-law tended to them.
"Who do you want to win, Mama?" Pastor Bob asked.
"I think I like Altihex. I think their wings are much stronger although you cannot discount the defensive backs of Polyhex."
Every eye in the room stared over and down at Mama Annie in astonishment but for the bemused eyes of Papa Leonard. /... you kids will never learn …/
-0-Trenton, New Jersey
"You got the food out there?"
"I do, Cindy. Bring the beer and cokes. I have the ice in the chest."
Lola said getting things organized in the living room. Their giant screen was ready, the pre-game show already in progress. "Hurry up. Jazz and Blaster are giving background on the teams. Who do you want to win?"
"Altihex."
"I'll take Polyhex then," Cindy said sitting and pressing the control to up the sound. "Their center is way cute."
"Smokescreen," Lola said consulting the ipad that was turned into the website of the Autobots called 'Cybertronian Football Association'. Bios and other information was always made available before games were broadcast along with rules and historical background.
"He is. I like his face. He looks like a kid." Cindy grinned. "I would tap that." She turned the screen to her sister.
"You and me both."
It was silent a moment.
"We need help don't we."
"We do," Cindy said with a grin. "If this is wrong, I don't want to be right."
They laughed uproariously.
=0=TBC
2012 (11)