The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 21 (Edited)
-0-On the way
:Ratchet:
:What?:
:What are you doing?:
:Preparing. What did you think I was doing?:
:Uh, just checking: (grin)
:Oh. Okay: (grin) :Are you watching the teevee from Earth?:
:Nope:
:You should, Ironhide. They're really covering this story out the wazoo:
:Okay:
-0-In wazoo land (The studios of MSNBC, one of three worldwide consortium groups who along with the British Broadcast Corporation World Service and a partnership of channels from South America transmitted Autobot content under the MTC agreement for viewing worldwide.)
"Welcome back," the moderator said as he sat with a panel facing a camera as the down feed from NASA of the Prime flight played on a huge monitor behind them. "We are watching a down feed of the flight bringing Ambassador Ratchet to Earth for the hearing in the U. S. House of Representatives this afternoon. The House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Subcommittee on Autobot Relations are holding a joint hearing on a number of issues that have come to the foreground since the last time the Ambassador was here.
"Our panel is going over a list of possible topics that might come up in the hearing. Keith? You were saying before the break," the moderator began.
"We were talking about the anti-alien movement that was making itself known through violence and public relations campaigns. They have also been lobbying Congress as well as enlisting super PACS to fund all manner of protests and other strategies to bring about a change in public opinion regarding the Autobots and their influence on Earth."
"The meetings of constituents with their representatives have been pretty scary in a few places and the impression is one of large disapproval of the aliens. However, a review of polls that have been taken over the last two months hold at majority support of the Autobots. People seem to understand that there are good aliens and bad," another panelist said.
"The problem for most of those people is the idea that our solar system is being settled by outsiders, that the planets that have always been ours in an emotional rather than practical sense are being taken away from us. It doesn't really matter that we don't have the level of technology to reach them or develop a colony of our own. It is the idea that someone else can and is. It also is part of their litany that the stream of aliens has become a torrent. There are estimations of nearly a million aliens on Mars right now with no end in sight."
The others nodded. "Ambassador Ratchet is a formidable force and not one that the opponents of the Autobots should underestimate. He speaks with the authority of their Prime and he is after all enormously older and more experienced than anyone on the panel at this sort of thing," a panelist commented.
The moderator nodded. "That's true. There are rumors that a number of others are coming as well, perhaps even the Prime. The fact that he's a shadowy figure doesn't allay fears in some. The strategy of being low key is understandable but the downside to me is that it leaves the field open for others to fill with their own impressions and ideas."
The woman panelist nodded. "That's true. There is also the idea that we are completely dependent on them for any and all activity beyond our own atmosphere. They have been more than generous with our requests and efforts but they haven't spoken about our request to make a permanent settlement and that raises eyebrows among the more paranoid among us."
"The topic of a permanent human settlement on Mars will be a big one and I expect that the committee members will grill the Ambassador very hard on that subject," another said.
The conversation went on for a while, then an up link to Mars was made with IntraComm. On the monitors, the smiling faces of Blaster and Jazz appeared.
-0-In the Family Habitat
All of the humans on Mars conglomerated in the tower habitat gathering in the gigantic common area to sit in front of the 209 inch monitor that they had moved around for everyone to see. The monitor was made on Mars just for them and was hooked into all the entertainment modes available. They arranged chairs, gathered food, drinks and sat down to watch the 'Autobot ipad' and the show going on next planet over. Jessie Landon had flown to Mars with Sam Witwicky and both sat on a couch with the others.
"This is going to be awesome," Jessie said dipping her nachos into homemade salsa. She sat back and ate it, moving her beer to the end table next to her.
"This is going to kick ass," Sam said nodding.
The room was filled with everyone who was human in the city of the Autobots and they listened and discussed things together in harmony. It would be in sharp contrast with the committee.
-0-!*THE JAZZ AND BLASTER SHOW SPECIAL*!
"Thank you for having us," Jazz said with a grin. He and Blaster were in the foreign and off world broadcast booth at IntraComm with the Emblem of the Primes hanging behind them.
"Jazz, can you give us any information about whether the Prime is among the delegation heading this way?"
"I can't," Jazz said with a grin. "The delegation will be arrivin' in Washington, D. C. shortly and they will go to the meeting area in good order or so I'm told."
"You and Blaster are the colony's information officers and public faces," the moderator said. "We are happy to have you here to make ongoing commentary and explain what we're going to be seeing and hearing. What can you tell us to look for and expect today?"
"Ambassador Ratchet is a very smart, agile debater and he is no one's fool. The committee had better have their questions ready and their facts at servo."
"Tell us about a Prime Flight. This is also on the screen if you notice. We are broadcasting their flight to Earth," the moderator pointed out.
"We know. We have the same feed among other things here," Blaster said with a grin. "The Prime of Cybertron is a leader in every possible area and level of life among our people. He bears the power and authority of our species in and on his person. The flight is an honor accorded to the Prime where he is taken to meetings or events regarding Cybertron or our people. Each part of the flight represents something important in our culture.
"If a Prime is present, he represents Cybertron, her people, history and aspirations. Wherever the Prime is, that is Cybertron. The three Guardians are representative of our three moons. The flight of Seekers represent the great cities of our world. The Prime is the personification of the will and spark of our people, the entire spectrum of our history and the future as well. It has been literally millions of years since the last Prime Flight took off from a Cybertronian city for a formal function."
"Then it means the Prime is with them?" someone asked.
"I can't say. There have been Prime flights organized for Ambassadors on important missions to give honor to the group they are coming to see," Blaster said.
The conversation continued.
-0-On the Xantium
Lennox stood by the door with his garment bag. He looked at the hold farther up where the soldiers sat in their chairs watching him with smirks. He considered that there wasn't a place to hide anywhere to be seen so he sucked it up. :Springer:
:What?: the big lanky bot asked as he turned to stare down at the human.
:Is this place fit for me to take off the habitat suit?:
:Yes: Springer replied as all of the soldiers turned to watch Lennox.
He paused, then grinned. :I'm going to change my clothes:
All of the soldiers present nodded. With practiced hands, Lennox took off the mask and tossed it in his bag. Looking around, he rubbed his face. "That's great to lose."
"Not if you're on Mars," a big Wrecker mech said. He grinned at Lennox. "What comes off next, Lennox?"
Will looked down at his suit and decided to bite the bullet. "Everything." That wasn't true but they didn't know and he wasn't about to let them. He began to unfasten the front of his suit. He then pulled the skin tight form fitting hand features that fit like a second skin and were worn all the time, even to bed. The next step was to shrug on the suit until the upper part of his costume was off.
The mechs sat silently watching him as he stripped off his 'skin' and stood half naked, his body pale around the chassis but tannish around the helm, arms and neck.
"You have a two tone paint scheme, Lennox," Topspin said as he looked at the human with fascination. "How is it that you can peel off your outer layer? Not that its much for protection."
"These are clothes. They cover my nakedness. Armor I have." Lennox pushed his suit downward unveiling his boxers and white legs. His ankles were tanned but the rest of him was white.
"What the frag is with this human?" a deep voice asked from the middle of nowhere. "What is he doing?"
"He's changing his skin, Xantium," Sunstreaker said glancing toward the cockpit. "Haven't you ever seen a human change their skin? They're like … snakes. They shed their skin every day and get a new one."
"What the frag?"
"Never mind Xantium, William. He's led a sheltered life," Kup said as he sat beside Drift with his stogie in his servo. "Mech didn't know about 'facing until last week."
Rude commentary and loud laughing broke out among the ranks and the air held the tinge of humor from the giant mechanism. "Yeah. That's me. A virgin. You must have me mixed up with Zeta."
They laughed, the soldiers sitting along the walls enjoying the moment, then all of them looked at Lennox. "Look at those legs. Those are legs aren't they?"
Lennox pulled on his uniform and brushed his hair with a grin on his face. He was used to the rough humor of men-at-arms and nothing was different here. He smirked and rode the wave.
"If you peel them, they have no color. Most of them," another mech said. "The color spectrum on Earth is sort of limited to the primary spectrum." He grinned. His own format was a beautiful blue and white. "I didn't know you had two tones too."
"We do. Its called a tan," Lennox said stuffing his gear bag. Turning, he looked at the ship filled with soldiers staring at him with grins. "Say it. You want to."
"What?" Sunstreaker asked taking the bait for everyone.
"You would love to be me."
Hoots and groans, laughter and commentary greeted that as Lennox walked to where Springer sat. The big mech leaned down and picked Lennox up placing him on a shelf with a chair. "Sit before you get stepped on, William."
"Don't mind if I do," Will said settling into a very comfortable chair. The bullshit continued all the way to Earth.
-0-On the way
Ratchet watched the passing of space as they came into the aerial control of Diego Garcia Flight Command. They were the ones who handled all Autobot traffic when it came into Earth's sphere even if they weren't stopping at the island. No one in the world had the right or duty to direct Autobot craft but them.
"Prime 1, you are cleared to go to Washington, D.C. They are expecting you."
Ratchet heard Rem reply in the affirmative and felt Kappa begin the descent into the planetary orbit that would allow them to come into the airport in the capital city of the United States of America. They would come in one at a time with Seeker escort, gleaming with all the glory of their alt formats. When they landed and taxied to that part of the airport set aside from them, the cameras would be trained upon the doors of all three Guardians. Everyone would stand in flight mode for a moment until the Guardians came to a halt.
Then the magic would begin.
-0-TBC
2013 (2)