The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 22 (Edited)
-0-Getting there
Ratchet watched the tone of the view out the window lighten as they began to descend through the clouds to land at an airport within five miles of the convention center that had held their first appearance before a congressional panel. During that memorable event, the 'Cons still on Earth blew up a bunch of the area.
Kappa leveled out so Ratchet walked to the window to view an impressive sight by any measure. Three Guardians gleaming in the sun were making a joint landing on the cleared air field. They touched down together rolling forward and slowing nearly immediately. Overhead, the Seekers flashed past pulling up at nearly a 90 degree angle to disappear overhead into space.
Cameras were everywhere and some of them would remain focused on the giants for the duration of their stay. Commentators and reporters, camera people and curiosity seekers would watch them and anything else that would be in the cordoned off area for diplomatic delegations reserved for the Prime Flight.
When the giants stopped, the hatches slid open and ramps came down. Xantium was the farthest away from Prime, all of the Guardians lined up with their hatch side facing the airport. Security was huge and a delegation was waiting for the party to come down and organize the quick drive to the Center, a mere five mile journey.
Prowl moved to stand next to Ratchet. "Looks good so far."
Ratchet nodded. "I think so. I'm impressed and I've been on three of these things in my orn."
"I've been on five," Prowl said glancing at Ratchet with a slight smirk. "Loser."
Ratchet snorted. "Should there be questions about football, I intend to tell them that any ability Praxus Science has was brought about through cheating by you."
"You would," Prowl said with a grin. "I think I'll let you. This is a new world. Maybe its time I got a new reputation, something with a little bit of flair."
"That's you. Flair," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Stick to what you know, winger. You are the best Prowler there is. Why fix what isn't broken?"
Prowl glanced at Ratchet, at the most unlikely best friend he had ever had in his life. Ratchet meant what he said. He had learned to read Ratchet and knew when he was slagging and when he was serious. He squeezed Ratchet's arm. "If you say so."
"I do," Ratchet said as they turned to see the hatch slide. "Kappa, is it time to rock and roll?"
"I don't know, Ratchet. But I think its time for you to go," Kappa said in her lovely lilting voice.
Ratchet snorted and glanced at Prowl. "Show time." With that, he turned and swished to the door pausing in the hatch to scan the area.
Prowl followed with a grin and together they began to walk down the ramp to the tarmac beyond. "I feel like a diva," Ratchet jested to Prowl as he stepped onto the ground.
Cameras flashed like solar flares and televisions crews focused on the two as they walked toward the group of humans that were greeting them. Kneeling down, Ratchet spoke with the officials who would be part of their journey up and back to their meeting. Prowl stood watching and counting the seconds before the Seekers would be back.
Three, two, one … bingo.
Ten Seekers streaked over barrel rolling as they screamed by. Flying straight upward, they hung in the air, then fell transforming into root mode. They slammed down, the shudder rolling under everyone's peds as the big mechanisms stood up, staring at the humans gathered in startled groups at the terminal. Behind them, ten more came echoing their entrance. By the time all fifty had landed the sight of them altogether was astonishing.
They stood silently, their Autobrands evident, then moved out taking positions around the group. They would stand silently in place until it was time to go and everyone was in the air again.
The group that was meeting with Prowl and Ratchet stood wide opticed as the amazing tableau arranged itself, then looked back up at the two mechanisms again. "They're on our side," Ratchet said with a grin.
The humans glanced at each other, then Ratchet. "Good," one of them said with relief.
Prime sat at a window watching the scene outside. He would wait on the ship until called. Ratchet would call him when he felt the Prime needed to show up. Prime had the call as well. He would monitor the proceedings from Gamma, leaving if the moment arose. He would not do that alone. Glancing down, Prime grinned. "Hello," he said.
The sparkling looking up at him smiled broadly, holding up his dollies. He was scooped up to sit on the servos of the Matrix Bearer of Cybertron as they settled in to watch the monitors and share cookies.
It was a great way to start he considered with a grin.
-0-At the Center
They sat in their conference room near the hearing area gathering their plans together as they waited for the Autobot delegation to arrive. The ipad in the chairman's hand played the scene at the airport. The aliens were talking to the officials that were there to assist the journey to the Center. The Ambassador was chatting, then stood and turned to the other, the one called Prowl. They spoke a moment, then moved away and began to transform.
It was astonishing.
When they finished a white and red Hummer search and rescue vehicle and a black and white police patrol cruiser stood on the tarmac. Another big vessel had activity at the hatch as a progression of incredibly beautiful cars began to drive down the ramp. They moved slowly to the Ambassador and formed up around the two. Some of the humans walked forward and entered them, settling in as they began to move forward. Outside the VIP fence, security forces were waiting. They would go to the Center under police escort complete with helicopters overhead.
Ratchet moved toward the gate, his passengers sitting comfortably on the front seat. One of them was Warren Roberts, their agent on Earth and the other was the Secret Service official, Len Steward that was assigned to the visit. Ratchet pulled out onto the street and the security outside the fence gathered in, their lights spinning as they took the show on the road.
"I can't believe we're riding in a car and not steering," Len said with a grin.
"I'm pretty good at that," Ratchet said, his voice emanating out of the radio.
Len blinked. "This is new to me, Ambassador. I am honored to meet you. I am here to facilitate your stay. All you have to do is tell me what you need and I will do what I can to help you."
"That's mighty nice of you, youngling," Ratchet said. "Mostly, I am fine. Hopefully, we can get there in one piece."
"We have that covered," Len said nodding.
"We have brought some of our own along for the ride. The vehicles you see around us and following are some of our best soldiers."
Len looked in the side view mirror and noted that a string of concept cars the like of which he had never seen in one place were following them. It was astonishing. People who had lined the route were equally impressed and expressing it as they drove past. Ratchet let a whoop of his siren fly and the waving smiling crowds went nuts.
"I think they liked that," Ratchet said chuckling. "Warren, how have you been?"
"Good, Ratchet. I hear there's a game coming up, a play off game between Iacon and Altihex."
"There is. We're going to kick tail pipe. You coming?" Ratchet asked.
"I am," Warren replied as Ratchet took the 12th Street exit toward L'Enfant Promenade.
"Bring your wife too. I like her."
"I will," Warren said with a grin. "She thinks the world of you. She says football was never as entertaining as watching you and Prowl beat each other over the head."
Ratchet chuckled. "Poor Prowl. He's so going down."
They laughed and talked football all the way to the Center.
-0-In the parade
Will sat in Sunstreaker chatting about the upcoming game. Everyone was going to come to Mars to watch it. Among their group, being there was the only acceptable thing. Even with the amazing coverage IntraComm gave of the play nothing was better than actual attendance.
"Ratchet will be pulling for Iacon. Who are you going to root for?" Will asked.
"Altihex. I want them to defeat Iacon so that they can play against Polyhex. That leaves us with Vos. I think we can take Vos out and that would mean Altihex would be the last obstacle to the finals."
"Do you think Praxus can go the distance?" Lennox asked as he watched the crowds along the route.
"I think it will be us and Praxus. We have our line up back on their feet and Praxus has a problem with their goalie."
"Blurr is solid."
"I know. But he has to get past Polyhex and they have a big grudge against him from the last game," Sunstreaker said as they turned up Constitution Avenue, N. W. for the final stage to Mt. Vernon Place, N. W.
"Are they going to take him out?" Will asked considering that news for his future betting plans.
"I won't say they will but I won't say they won't." His grin could be felt through the radio.
They turned onto Mt. Vernon Place and drove through the side streets to the back of the Center. The entire group drove out of view heading for the parking lot and service area behind the Center where they could gather to wait for Ratchet and Prowl to come back out.
Ratchet rolled to a stop, his doors opening. "Time to get out, boys," he said. Both men stepped out and watched as Ratchet and Prowl began to transform. Len Steward stood gazing upward in awe at the most unlikely alien he could ever have imagined. Ratchet stared down at him and grinned. "It is rather on the awesome side isn't it?" he said.
"Won't get an argument from me." Len grinned. "I will go in and tell them you are here and to get ready. The big doors are open, Ambassador so when you're ready, we are too." He turned and walked toward a pair of huge doors that had been built into the walls when the first meeting had been held. Glancing at Prowl, he looked at the others. "Sunstreaker, Springer, Drift, I want you with us. Stay in vehicle mode and find a place inside. Go in first and dazzle them with your beauty," Ratchet said.
They grinned over the link and pulled forward driving into the doors to disappear inside one by one. The drive to the huge open room would be negligible, the open space emerging before them almost instantly. The mass of cameras and people inside turned toward them, everyone becoming still as Drift drove in, his racing format a clean white and red. He rolled past the panel and pulled up covering as he did one third of the huge room. People sitting in the audience were close enough to touch them. One of them did, drawing his hand back quickly.
:GET YOUR MITTS OFF OF MY MECH!: Springer said over the link in jest as he rolled to a stop behind the platform where Ratchet and Prowl will sit. :You have a magnetic personality, ba-bee:
Drift's chuckle whispered over the bond. :I do don't I:
They sat together quipping and discussing Drift's new 'boy friend' as Sunstreaker rolled his hotness into the room. He revved his engine, then settled, the aura of his menace deferring any pats from the goggled audience sitting near him.
Ratchet at that point appeared in the doorway and grinned. Warren standing with him led the way and the giant Autobot followed, Prowl bringing up the rear. In the courtyard behind them, the rest gathered waiting for the moment when they might be needed. Around them, dozens of security stood admiring their design and deep rich colors. No one on the Earth could match the depth and intensity of the soldier's pigments. But it was a discussion point on most car forums and discussion boards around the world how it might be achieved.
It couldn't.
-0-The panel
They gathered at the committee tables and watched as the cars rolled into the room. A beautiful white and red Ferrari, a big green and yellow Top Kick truck and an incredibly beautiful Lamborghini Countach settled into place silently. They entered and parked rather pointedly, almost as if they were covering the room in surveillance. Of course, that couldn't be the truth most thought. It might be possible to believe so after watching the aliens on television but the real thing happening before them required belief that they hadn't altogether mustered yet. It was a work in progress.
The big figure of Ambassador Ratchet appeared in the doorway with the enigmatic Prowl behind him. They paused chatting with someone there, then stepped forward. They towered over the humans as they walked to the area where they would sit, an area that was directly in front of the panel's long tables. Cameras flashed and that sound filled the otherwise silent room as everyone took in the giants.
Ratchet paused and looked at them. They looked back unaware that they were being scanned and their physicality compared against the vast medical and psychological database that Ratchet carried. When the meeting was over discrete messages would be sent alerting two members of the panel that they had the beginnings of two types of cancer and one had untreated diabetes. They would act on the tips. It would save their lives.
It would change nothing for them whatsoever.
-0-TBC
2013 (2)