The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 6 (dd3 170)
-0-Conference Room, Committee Council-Senior Autobot Meeting, Autobot City, Mars
"We welcome you to Autobot City, Mack. I remember when you were a small child but its been a long time. I am sure that Jetta will settle you in," Optimus said with a smile.
"He is, thank you, sir," Mack said.
"I am. He's my personal assistant," Jetta said.
"About time you got one," Elita said with a grin.
Everyone nodded in agreement. Jetta worked too hard all the time.
"Now that we have our newest member of the City Hall staff, I think its time to hear from you, Magnus," Optimus said leading back in his chair with a greater sense of comfort than he had felt in a while.
Prowl who was looking at the agenda noted that Magnus was really fourth on the list. Ordinarily, that would've twirled his gyros for a week but not anymore. He merely repressed the feeble rise of his reflexive angst tide and let the good times roll.
For him.
"We have absorbed over 449,000 new individuals, Optimus. That makes our total population over 871,000 total," Magnus said as he perused his data pad, the one Blondi made for the meeting.
She sat behind him taking notes and carrying on a sassy conversation with Ratchet on the internal comm line.
Everyone sat a moment to consider that.
Jazz glanced at Optimus. "We probably have the largest population of any place outside of Cybertron in the universe."
Prime nodded. "This would have been impossible without the energon finds," he said.
Jetta glanced at his brother. "This planet is about 45% energon tops and all of it Class A and A-."
Mack nodded with surprise. "That's a miracle."
"The report for the system and beyond I've forwarded to you, Optimus," Beachcomber said looking around Arcee and Magnus at Prime.
"I saw it but I have to confess I did not have time to read it. I am sorry. Can you give the highlights?" Optimus said. "Things have been hectic."
Beachcomber nodded. "I know. We have nearly 45% energon of the highest quality here in the interior mass of Mars. We use it for all manner of things. I would like you to know that we've found Class B, B- and C on the moons of the other planets in the solar system and on Mercury. Venus had Class A and A- with caveats.
"The heat of Venus's surface is about 900 degrees so the concentration of the energon there is of greater intensity than it is here because Mars is for all intents and purposes a dead or inert planet. There is geothermal activity down near the core but little elsewhere which is good since we're camping on the foothills of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the system which itself is the source of the Tharsis Plain, a feature that covers nearly 30% of Mars' surface.
"The Venetian energon is so highly concentrated that if we mined it we could use way less than 1% of what we use now with Martian energon to make the same quantities. We use 10 tons of raw energon ratio to production output of 2,000,000 tons of energon base to create our goal of fulfilling the needs for the city's aviation and industrial needs, the strategic reserves and our food industries every six decaorns. That is why we mine only every sixty orns for two orns to fill the quota. If we mine Venetian energon we could create the same quantity of energon base using 0.0005% of raw energon."
For a moment they all did the calculations. Then Ratchet leaned forward. "You're telling us that the sun will burn out in four or five billion years before we run dry?"
Beachcomber nodded. "Pretty much."
"That's good because if they sandbag us in here we can still function," Ratchet said sitting back. "What about the other planets?"
"Mercury has unstable energon on the solar side of the planet. The sun sort of tidal locks it so it doesn't rotate very much on its axis. One side gets burned to a crisp all orn, every orn. It does rotate, about one and a half times during its orbital year which is about 87 days. That means that the energon on Mercury is pelted with radiation and extremes of heat, therefore making it unsuitable unless we want to blow something up way big."
Buffer, his bond was sitting behind him taking notes and nodding. The side that was facing Beachcomber and the youngling geologist grinned each time he did.
"Venus is a great resource. Earth has traces of energon concentrated deep in the soil at the roots of the larger volcanoes. There are rings of volcanoes everywhere on Earth but it takes big volcanoes and lots of sustained heat to make the crystals grow. If we had to mine it there, we would have to use strainers to catch the small grains in most places.
"Only if things were dire would that be a good idea. It's also so deep that the humans are unaware of it. Mostly. There are two sites where good sized crystals are in reach of digging. Etna in Naples, Italy and Kilauea in Hawaii. Kilauea is a very holy site and would be totally off limits unless we were at death's door. Even then, I wouldn't advise it.
"Mars, of course, you know. The Van Allen Belt has many chunks in orbit around our planet that can be taken into servo at any time. We are focusing our retrieval out in the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Field. Saturn and Jupiter are gas giants and have trace elements of energon in their core make up. It didn't develop but the gas is useful. It has the properties in that state similar to neon and would be useful in decorative lighting or other esoteric uses. It would take a lot of skill to extract especially on Jupiter with its winds and storms. The moons of both worlds have energon to a large degree, especially Io with its volcanic action brought about by Jupiter's gravitational pull. Those forces grew the stuff there like weeds.
"Neptune and Uranus have energon, gaseous in form and doable. Pluto doesn't. It had no geothermic activity to any calculable measure. In the Kuiper Belt from Neptune outward, we're harvesting that and other minerals and ores. Some are for the humans, most are for us. We can make Cybertronian steel and other items from this stuff.
"Farther into the Cloud, we see it in tiny grain sized pieces up to planetary fragments. We're blowing up the manageable fragments and bringing them to storage on the moons of the gas giants and fragments in the system like Ceres. We're good to go to infinity and beyond," Beachcomber concluded.
"You saw 'Toy Story', too?" Jazz asked with a grin.
"I did. What a cute story," Beachcomber replied.
Buffer nodded. Half the table grinned.
"That relieves my processor," Optimus said. "We are going to try and get everyone we can and I am going to resend a message as are you, Starscream, for the Seekerkin as we discussed earlier. We want to connect with the Seekers that still think the Decepticons are viable."
Starscream nodded. "Very good."
"What is the situation with housing our newcomers, Magnus?" Prime asked. "Include the new Seekers from the big migration."
"We have everyone covered. The construction element is being done brilliantly. The third phase of construction at Aerie Hill is going to begin in three orns. We've begun the two new districts of Terra that will be the foundation of the housing for all non-flight specific newcomers. The central plaza fronts ten towers, all of them facing into the park that anchors the city. Grid patterns will hold the new construction, all of it on large rectangular sites that are going to hold thirteen rows of ten towers. They'll be close enough together to feel like Cybertron.
"It'll be similar to that experienced by living in the Metroplex District, a site with a back up waiting list for vacancies I might add. All of them will have good views including the one in the center of this configuration. We have 24% occupancy of the business footage there already with applications that are being processed for double that in the short term future. The new businesses are preserving some of the oldest skills our people possess.
"We have a design schedule for the city that expands out into the plain for three miles. It's surveyed and ready to go when the need arises. We also have dedicated spaces for more school towers and community centers. The quality of life figures high in the design formula."
Jetta nodded. "We want the city to have the neighborhood feel that Cybertron had. Its the one that makes our population feel the most happy according to our surveys for the planning commission. They want as much Cybertron as we can manage here so we've factored that into our designs. We may have been urban and built up but the feeling was of neighborhoods and close contact with others while still preserving privacy."
"That's wonderful. I grew up in a moderate range tower in Iacon. I remember that," Prime said. "What about the schools, Herling?" Prime asked.
Prowl looked at the data pad agenda. They had started at four, skipped to one and were now on ten. Typical meeting he thought. He didn't see Ratchet grinning as he read the winger's processor from experience.
"We're halfway through our move to the new tower facility in Terra for the Sparkling Day School. We're finding the subway system that is now open throughout the city to be perfect for us and our clientele. We can't thank you all enough for taking our needs into consideration with that newest development to our transportation system."
Everyone beamed especially the three behemoths representing guilds, unions and industries, Bulkhead, Scar and Payload.
"We've been moving all the room contents for each teacher and specialist to place them in the classrooms ahead of time. Our staff have worked overtime getting things put away and online. We want the remodel for the Youngling Day School expansion to have all the time they can get. We're now moving the heavy duty things and because of the enormous interest and assistance of the genitors and others who are supportive of our schools, I can keep the schools open. We should be done by end of the orn tomorrow.
"All who can are welcome to come visit and/or help us over the next two orns. The more the merrier. I would also like to thank the individual whoever they are for suggesting the swimming center. We're going to offer swimming lessons for our students when we get settled. We're also going to use it for expanded therapy for those who need it. We have damaged infants and younglings that benefit from low impact exercise.
"We also have 2,333 new students, the majority of which are sparklings. That makes the entire city population of sparked, sparkling, youngling and intermediate younglings at 5,333. The way this usually works is, one quarter are younglings of Youngling Day and Youngling Intermediate School age. One quarter are too young to attend the Sparking Day School or are known but not separated yet. The rest are sparklings. Our largest school population are sparklings. As they grow up, the population will expand in the other schools and we will have to look at the needs of everyone at that time. The Genitor-School Committee is working on a future projection of needs assessment and recommendations that we'll give to you when we finish."
"Thank you, Herling. I will try and come this afternoon if things permit," Optimus said nodding. "I know Prowl wants to go as well."
The winger nodded. "I do."
"Thank you," Herling said sitting back with a grin.
"How about security?" Optimus asked.
It was seventh on the list Prowl noted absently.
Ratchet grinned.
"We've had few major disruptions. Several mechs tied one on and got jailed. Some got lost. We fixed that. Adding small signage on the transportation grid will help prevent this. A few fights broke out when mechs with grudges from back in the orn spotted each other. There were also a few high cast younglings acting up. They got jailed.
"I'm sure Magistrate's Court is going to be interesting this afternoon. We'll have the relevant Watch officers there to testify about the cases, Barron," Springer said with a grin.
Kup nodded. "Half wit younglings. Need a thumping. I volunteer."
Wit and witticisms flowed as Kup sat stoically, his stogie in his servo.
"I will take that under advisement, Kup," Optimus said with a grin.
"Best advice you'll get all orn," Kup said sticking the stogie back in his mouth.
"We have word, Optimus, that there's two rival groups of younglings from the same city that have been exchanging words," Springer resumed. "They apparently have a school sports grudge going. High caste, of course. We're watching them. There's a few mechs fighting over another one, a very good looking youngling mech with a great paint scheme. I think he's high caste and egging them on because it feels like fun. I'm watching that slagger myself. We're still having trouble with younglings asking soft sparked elders to buy them beer at the Business Plaza. Blurr had some underage younglings bounced from Macadam's the other night as well. Same old slag, different orn."
"I may have to sign up for the Night Watch," Ratchet said. "Sounds like all the action happens there."
"Like you need to find it," Magnus said sourly as he glanced up at Ratchet. "With your rather extensive criminal record, I doubt that they'd take you on as a recruit."
It was silent a moment then Ratchet grinned. "Got up on the wrong side of the berth, Magnus?" He glanced at Arcee. "You need to get on that, Arcee."
She snorted and grinned at Ratchet, one of her oldest and closest friends. "Like flies on shit, Ratchet," she said.
After access was made and meaning gleaned, raucous laughter ensued.
Magnus looked at Arcee with a slight frown.
She patted his servo. "Roll with it, Magnus," she said.
"What the frag is the subtext here?" Blackjack said from a monitor overhead.
Alor nodded with a huge grin on his handsome face. Venture and Miler sat next to a smirking Wheeljack and a clueless but getting there Perceptor.
Prowl's genitors listened with all audials even as they smirked at their son who avoided their gaze with an intense scrutiny of the data pad in his servos.
"The prison riot," Jazz said to be ornery. "Ratchet had the starring role and like everything else, the rest of us were bit players in his awesomeness."
"I do not know," Optimus said casting a gimlet optic at Ratchet. "I did fall down and squash Prowl. That was more than just a walk-on part."
"What?!" Alor asked, his grin enormous and his sense of wonderment at his unpredictable son-in-law growing by the nanosecond. "Why the frag does this happen when I'm not here? What happened?"
"Optimus got hit in the face with a barrel. He fell like a water balloon dropped from an orbital platform onto Prowl. Prowl got a sad," Jazz said with a chuckle.
"I'm glad you find that funny," Magnus said hotly as he glared at Jazz.
"Oh, Magnus, I'm still laughing," Jazz said.
"You were stuck in the studio," Blaster said with a grin. "I was on the scene doing live reporting in the middle of the Pit."
"You and Revet had a great romantic interlude in the middle if memory serves me," Mirage said glancing over his shoulder at Blaster. "Some of the city folks wanted a program made around your great love."
"What the frag? Where were we, 'Jack?" Alor asked with a chuckle.
"Fragging around in the Expansion. Slag that. Continue, Jazz," Blackjack asked with a big shit eating grin of his own.
"Don't, Jazz," Magnus said hotly. "You know it'll only encourage him."
"There were elderly mechs shaking their canes at the inmates, mini-cons climbing on top of each other trying to throw Cliffjumper over the fence and all around awesomeness everywhere," Ratchet said fondly. "Even the forward bases came back to Mars to save me. I was so touched."
"You are, Ratchet," Magnus said hotly.
Ironhide glared at him even as Ratchet put a ped on Ironhide's own.
"Everyone in the Industrial Park that had a shovel or a pick came to the prison to help," Jetta said glancing with a big smile at his brother. "We came, too, because we wanted front row seats. It was the damnedest thing I ever saw. The 'Cons were sort of standing there looking at all of it with loathing. That is, the ones who weren't standing behind you, Blaster, making faces and giving the camera the finger."
"I know. I didn't know that was happening until I saw the repeat later. Revet and I were having a discussion," Blaster said with a chuckle.
"You were discussing his past love life if I remember," Jazz needled just to be ornery. He got a slap on his helm for his trouble.
Optimus listened to the commentary with an intense sense of well being. It was hilarious.
To him.
"You were laughing your aft off, Starscream," Ironhide said with a grin. "The entire city walked out to help and you were part of the herd laughing your aft off. I'll never forget it."
"I remember it from the other side of the fence," Scar said with a chuckle. "I remember trying to organize a resistance but no one would join. Everyone was so damned overcome with the floor show."
"I still laugh. That was the funniest thing I think I have ever seen in my life," Starscream said with a chuckle.
"I'm glad you thought it was funny," Magnus said. "I got punched in the face for being the only one on this planet who could see the long term effects of the whole slagging thing."
Everyone looked at him. Then everyone went, "awww".
Even Arcee.
He tossed his stylus on the table and shook his helm. "Fraggers. Everyone of you. Especially you, Ironhide, you slagger."
"Magnus, you need a time out? I'm sure we have a corner big enough for you. As for punching you in the face, don't slag my old mech. That's my job," Ironhide said with a grin.
"Then do it some time and give the rest of us a break," Magnus said hotly. "And you sucker punched me, you slagger."
"I punched a sucker," Ironhide said. "We got brig time. I don't understand your complaint."
Magnus rolled his optics.
Then they heard it. Looking toward Optimus they all paused. That big mech was laughing, his helm thrown back, his mirth coming from somewhere down deep in his peds. They grinned and waited until he sat back up and looked at them with a terrible fondness. "Did I ever tell you that staff meetings are the highlight of my orn?"
-0-TBC 2013 (1) edited 8-20-15 5-4-19