The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 25 (Edited)
-0-At the hearings
"Thank you, Ambassador for your information. I appreciate it and so does most of America," Congressman Steiner said in conclusion of his time allotment.
"Thank you, Mr. Steiner. I appreciate talking with you," Ratchet replied smoothly.
The Chairman looked at his list, then down the dais. "Mr. Ducker from North Dakota, you have the floor." He sat back to listen.
James Ducker was a youngish man with dark brown hair and a smooth style. He had just enough folksiness for a state that had a rich history of self reliance but enough polish to appeal to the urban set who determined national elections for higher office. He sat a moment, then began. "Mr. Ambassador, tell us about the Prime. You mention him a lot. We see his emblems and hear about him but we have never seen him. Why is that and will that change?"
Ratchet pinged Prime who pinged him back. :Up to you, Ratchet:
:Okay: Ratchet replied. "The Prime of Cybertron is our moral, spiritual, political, military and cultural center. He is chosen for a lifetime and leads us in all areas of our life and culture. Optimus Prime is the greatest Prime in the history of our people and the only duly appointed legal leader left after the Fall. Optimus Prime keeps a low profile because it serves our purposes to keep the enemy off guard and prevent exploitation and diminishment of his person by general knowledge of who he is.
"He leads us and we follow including former enemy soldiers. The Decepticons who are with us are some of the most senior in their ranks, some of the most autonomous and dangerous Decepticons ever known. But they came to us and gave up their autonomy to follow him. They did it for their families, for Cybertron, for themselves. Prime is that much of a figure that even the most ruthless intractable enemy can lay down their arms and follow him."
"He should show himself to us," Ducker replied. "We are allies aren't we? He should show himself to us so we can have a better understanding of who and what he is. It would be morale building and ease fears among many of us."
"That could be possible. Maybe at the end of the questioning period I can put that proposal to him," Ratchet said.
"Not now?" Ducker asked.
"You aren't the only one with questions. I am here to supply information. If the Prime decides to come here, it will prevent some of your colleagues from getting to ask what they wish to ask. I am here because you have questions. Otherwise, I would be working at home on a lot of slag that needs done. I also have a family and obligations."
"Tell us about families. You mention it and we've seen the children on teevee broadcasts. We have a lot of interest in your family life," Ducker suggested.
"I can give you general information but no specifics. We have infants in our city ranging from new to sub adults. You would call sub adults teenagers. They attend school which is mandatory. School wasn't allowed for great numbers of our population on Cybertron before the Fall. Even as Prime, Optimus had little luck in changing unfair and destructive systems. On Mars, we have changed everything.
"The schools are among the first buildings built and they are the center of the family life of our city. We had our Christmas Surprise program recently and it was attended at the air field because of the crowds. Our children performed their programs and it was witnessed by over 422,000 individuals. Nearly everyone in the city was there to support them.
"Less of us knew about children than I like to state but that is changing. We have a city now. One that is like home. Families are being made and supported. Infants are common though not as common as I would like. But we are recovering and the babies are the linch pin for our progress. We have a focal point in our redemption."
"You have many taboos," Ducker said. "I am no expert on Cybertronian life but it would seem that they are convenient. I don't see the problem with telling us about some of the things that interest us."
"How about you showing pictures of your personal reproduction. You have children. Perhaps you can show me a sex video. I hear that's a pretty common thing to do here among some types of humans. If you find that request ridiculous or unreasonable, then you feel what we feel about such a request from you." Ratchet looked at him, Ducker holding his gaze levelly. "Some things are taboo. Onions and chives are taboo in some forms of Buddhism. Touching someone's head or pointing with your feet is taboo in Thailand. I could go on. Would you require others to break taboos if they were here too knowing full well that they are off limits or do you have exceptions for humans and not us?"
"Those are trivial items, Mr. Ambassador. Surely you cannot compare what you have held back from us to that?" Ducker asked. "We are asking for basic information by which we can then develop an opinion about you and your people based on fact and not speculation."
"You have been pretty handy with the speculation, you and your friends, Congressman. You have made a spectacle of our smallest, most vulnevable people without a thought to what it might mean to me as a parent and doctor. We value our children as greatly as you do. Perhaps even more. We feed, house and educate all of our children no matter their status. They are loved and defended. I am a parent and a grandparent. All of my babies are precious to me and I would die willingly to protect them."
"That is something we can understand but we don't have facts to help shape public and private opinion."
As Ducker drabbled on Ratchet put in the call. By the time the next question was over, his wish would be granted.
-0-On the Gamma
Gypsy gathered up her sparkling and turned looking at the others. She walked to the door and down the ramp. Sky Warp transformed and Gypsy entered his cockpit, the baby safe in her hold. When she was secure, he flew upward and away. The others transformed and drove off heading toward the center with precious cargo. Prime watched them on the monitor which had diverted to the airport to broadcast the activity.
-0-In an apartment in Texas
Cindy and Lola Teasdale sat in their apartment in Texas watching the show as they continued their internship with NASA at the Johnson Space Center. "There's Gypsy," Lola said pointing out the petite femme as she climbed into Sky Warp's cockpit. She fit snugly and when he was ready, Sky Warp lifted off and flew away.
"I wonder what's up?"
"I don't know but I am thinking shoving sparklings into Ducker's face would be justice," Cindy said with a cold tone.
Lola nodded. "I agree."
-0-At the Center
The sound of vehicles arriving drifted into the room and some of the audience turned to look out the door. Several vehicles had pulled up and right behind them the tall Seeker, Sky Warp was hovering. His hatch popped and a small feminine appearing figure climbed out and down. When she was clear, he transformed and stood on the ground staring at the big doors with the others.
Ratchet who was watching with everyone else stood. "Excuse me a moment," he said to Ducker. Turning, he walked out and looked at the arrivals. "Good. They're all here?"
Ironhide nodded. "They are. What do you want us to do?"
"I want you to bring yours in, Ironhide. I will call for each of you in turn." Ratchet grinned and turned, Ironhide following. He moved to sit at the bench again as Prowl watched the doorway that held the imposing figures of a number of individuals. "You wanted to know about our families and in particularly our infants. We have brought some for you to see." He glanced at Ironhide. "You know that Ironhide is my bond. We have our infants here for you to see. Ironhide?" Ratchet asked.
Ironhide stepped closer, the door to his carry hold sliding back. Inside could be seen two bright sets of blue optics. Reaching in gently, he pulled out Praxus and Orion. Putting them on one servo, he reached in again and got the remaining sprite, a tiny bundle of infant which he held in the other.
Prowl arose and walked to Ironhide taking Orion and Praxus. Turning, he handed them to Ratchet before taking Hero into servo. As he did that, Bumblebee walked inside and pulled Miracle from his hold. Holding him out, Ironhide took him into servo. Then Bumblebee walked out and came in with Rambler in his arms. Behind him, Gypsy came into the room holding Kaon. She paused by the door and made room for Sky Warp to remove the twinnie femmes from his hold. At that moment, Sunstreaker transformed and reached for them, taking them into servo. Sky Warp stepped out and returned with Dart who he retrieved from another mech outside. They stood silently, the infants looking around equally silently. Then Ratchet grinned and stood. "You said you wanted to know about our babies? Here they are. Let me introduce them."
Ratchet turned and looked at the audience. Holding up Orion and Praxus, he began. "This is the first infant born on Mars, Orion. This is his brother, Praxus. His sister is that tiny bit of fluff. Her name is Hero. Her older brother, Sunspot named her that because she is that to him. These little ones are twin femmes. They are the only twin femmes in our specie's existence and they are called Uraya and Iacon after cities on Cybertron. That little mech," he said pointing to Gypsy, "is Kaon, their brother who is named after his fathers' home town. The mechanism holding the girls is one of their parents, Sunstreaker. Sunstreaker is also my son which makes the little femmes and that baby, Kaon, my grandchildren. The three of them are also the grandchildren of Commander Prowl and Optimus Prime because Prowl's son is the bond of Sunstreaker. That little Seeker over there is Dart and he is a wonder. There are two more hatchlings in his family, Pip and Flit who couldn't be here because that much beauty in one place can be detrimental to your health," he said with a grin.
-0-Mars
"That's absolutely correct," Starscream said bursting with pride. "That doctor may be partly psychotic but he's spot on about hatchlings."
Thundercracker merely smirked as he nodded.
-0-Hearing
"The youngling with Bumblebee is called Rambler, who is a talented musician and all around wonderful little mech. He is the oldest youngling of Prowl and Prime. There are two other little mechs too, T-Bar and Spirit."
Rambler grinned and looked around the room curiously.
"That little baby," Ratchet said pointing to Miracle, "is the son of Prowl and Optimus Prime, the first ever Prime sparkling in our species history. All of these babies are loved. They are all spectacularly important because they are the future." Ratchet turned and knelt before the committee. Putting Praxus on his peds on the table in front of Ducker, he grinned. "You wanted to see a sparkling. Here's a rather wonderful one. His name is Praxus after my bond's home town."
Praxus looked up at Ratchet, then Ducker who looked at him with surprise. Pointing at the human, he looked up at Ratchet. "Ada, who?"
Ratchet grinned. "Bad men."
They were discussing the situation in Standard speech, the most commmon dialect of Cybertronian utilized by the population. English and the rest of the human languages would come when they were older but for now, the Sparkling and Youngling schools taught in Standard, the lingua franca of Cybertron. Praxus looked at Ducker. Turning, he stepped closer as the cameras clicked. The take away photo this day would be Praxus extending his arms to Ducker like the sweet trusting baby he was and Ducker leaning as far back in his chair as possible, the look of fear on his face unmistakable.
It would be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for 2013.
Ironhide grinned slightly as he stood holding Miracle on his servo. He leaned down and set the baby on his tiny peds. Gypsy put Kaon down and he ran to Miracle hugging him tightly. It would be another Pulitzer nomination as well. Prowl put Orion down and he sauntered over to the two with a giant smile on his little face. Hugging the two of them, they tipped over. The laughter was loud and joyful as the audience began to stand up to watch.
Prowl pulled the babies back up, a smile on his own face evident to all. Dart ran over and looked up at Prowl. Prowl knelt and all four of the infants came to him with their arms out. He gathered them for a hug, then stood up, the four staring up at him with smiles. Then they noticed the audience. Orion who had the biggest bearings of the group smiled and walked to where the two young men were sitting who had spoken to Sunstreaker earlier. He paused and looked at them, then held up his dollie.
They stared at him, then looked up at Sunstreaker who was looking at them with a big smirk. "You have to kiss it. Its his thing."
The young man who had touched Sunstreaker grinned. Then he leaned forward and kissed Orion's dollie. Orion overcome with joy hugged himself as he looked up at the smiling man. That would make the third Pulitizer picture of the day. Orion looked at all of the people in the row and grinned. He held his dollie up for each of them as he ambled down the row and everyone there kissed the Wheeljack dollie while some stroked his cheek and little arm with utter enchantment.
The babies wandered who could and the ones who couldn't were held in such a way that the audience could see them. The femmes were exclaimed over, some of the audience standing to look at them more closely. Dart was described to the audience and shown to his best advantages, something that brought Starscream to near nirvana back in Ops Center on Mars.
By the time Ratchet began to gather up the infants to go everyone had seen every baby and then some. Outgoing little mechs like Rambler and Orion had wandered the room checking out everyone. Rambler had been his companion pulling him out of aisles and keeping him in line. Praxus and Miracle had made time with the committee some of whom were enraptured by the babies. The femmes were still sitting on the committee table, all three of them smiling and patting each other sweetly.
All of it was broadcast to a worldwide audience.
All of it was awesome.
-0-TBC
2013 (2)