The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 61
-0-In the Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"This has not been without casualties, Glenn but it went well," Prime said nodding to the General who had been a part of the viewing experience. Part of the other participants, the two Cabinet Secretaries and John Fulton were on other monitors in the vast Ops Center.
"I'm glad no one got killed among the Autobots," Morshower said nodding. "What can you tell us about the aliens that were liberated?"
"One of them is gone through release, an energy alien species that are called force elementals. They are very ancient, live in free space and go where they want. We believe they are multi-dimensional, perhaps existing in many at one time and live a neutral life as they travel experiencing the universe."
"Then they don't pose a threat," the Defense Secretary asked nodding.
"No," Prime replied. "Although I would say if they wanted to no one could oppose them. They are observers and explorers. They are gone and on their way."
"The other aliens?" Morshower asked. "We caught a glimpse of them in the fighting. They don't seem very afraid of you or the 'Cons."
"They are a very interesting species and I agree with you. They are strong and not easily intimidated. They are a telepathic species that were used by the Decepticons for that purpose, to run their mining operation. We have gathered them, slightly over 300 and will house and protect them until it is determined that their home world is free from Decepticon domination. Right now, it would appear that they are going to be here for the duration as it seems they have been overrun."
"They were neutral? Did they do anything to cause this or is this just Megatron's meglomania at work?" Morshower asked.
"They were a trading and entrepreneurial species that didn't mingle much with out worlders. Is is part of my experience that telepaths, which they are, seldom mingle with non-telepathic species in any significant way. The noise of your thoughts leaking from your mind as energy would feel and be chaotic so they merely traded and advised rather than interacting in a more direct manner. It didn't save them of course. The Decepticons took over their worlds and territorial space anyway," Prime answered.
"They look interesting," the Secretary of State replied. "Do you have a better image of them?"
A picture was shown on the screen of a large alien with a very strong physique and forceful charisma. This image was of Larc, who was over ten feet tall, heavily muscled in the arms and torso with a thick neck and a large head perched on it. She was proportionate in her body design, her musculature spread well over a strong body. She had a face that held bovine features without an extended snout. She was more bison than cow, more humanoid than bovine. Long horns emanated from the sides of her head, bending around like a bison. They were thick, pointed and wicked looking.
Her hair was long and thick, almost coarsely fur-like and was gathered into a braid that was plaited nearly to the end which was about the middle of her broad back. Her hair was a reddish-brown although the color spectrum appeared to range from blonde to a very dark black.
Her hands and feet were humanoid. Thick fingers with human-like nails looked strong enough to rend and tear. The brow of the alien was pronounced a bit giving them a stern expression. Larc's eyes were large and wholly brown, piercing but intelligent and appraising.
The part that was the most astonishing for the humans was the tail that began at the base of the spine and tapered down to a tuft of hair that matched that on the head. It was flexible but not prehensile and it seemed that one could detect the level of tension that the alien felt by watching it.
She was beautiful, strange and at the same time oddly familiar.
"This is Larc. She is the leader of the group," Optimus said.
"She?" Fulton asked.
"She," Optimus replied. "The sexual dimorphism that your species exhibits is reversed here. The physically bigger gender are the females with the males coming in at a smaller optimal size. They are a matriarchy."
They considered that a moment. Then the Secretary of State cleared his throat. "This is going to be an interesting development for our species, sir. Are you preparing to have them become known generally or are you going to keep their existence a secret?"
"I don't plan on exhibiting them," Prime said. "They are free to stay here and live the way they require and chose. On the other hand, I don't plan to hide their existence. The universe is filled with species that run the gamut of possibility. It might be good for your people to understand that."
"Then we are in agreement, Prime," the Secretary of State said nodding.
They chatted longer, discussed the mission and its goals, then signed off. Ratchet who was sitting beside Prowl considered the conversation. "They are buzzed about finding another life form that is more like them. This might be an interesting possibility when the moment comes for Earth to know they aren't alone and some of us don't look and act like them."
Prime nodded. "I know. The Hu An have the decision. We have the duty to give them privacy."
They nodded. "We are of one processor then," Ratchet said. "How do you feel about the remarks Larc made?"
Prime looked at him for a moment. "Disquieted. The mission to Cybertron by the femmes is on the docket. We need to proceed as planned. When they get to Dai Atlas, then we can see if there is stock in the comments or not."
"Do you believe them?" Ratchet asked.
Prime looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "I think I do."
-0-On the ground at the prison
They moved the Decepticons into the newly constructed holding pens. Three orns before the mission itself, a survey of the area near the prison was made and a temporary enclosure for pending 'Con captives was built. The former prison, the first one was now the staging area of refugee reclamations and triage. This was a tent city behind bars with room to move around and not much more.
If they wanted showers, they would have to share two buildings, the only permanent solid construction in the facility. It was only so because water boils instantly when exposed to the surface of Mars and would be pointless in an outside arrangement like this one. The 'tents' were of a nearly indestructible fabric and each one held 100 berths for inmates. There were 1200 'Cons so the tents were arranged in rows with clear space between them for the guards to monitor.
Fifteen Decepticons were in the hospital recovering from their wounds. There were seven dead to be taken care of. It had been executed to near perfection but there were always opportunity costs in any transaction. This was no exception.
Ultra Magnus walked into Ops Center and paused next to Prime. "The Hu An are happy with their quarters and are looking forward to a habitat of their own design. I am going to have them meet with the architects and designers tomorrow to go over the plans. They have given us data on the type of habitat that they would like to build and they want to be a part of its construction. They want to be useful is what one of them said." He looked at the computer and input the code, a habitat design appearing on the screen. It was a design specification that they had downloaded into Teletraan so that engineers could analyze it.
It was a very big habitat, a round enclosed area with a huge clear dome covering the inside. The housing appeared to be tall apartment-like towers, four of them with the rest of the space taken over by growing things."
"This greenery," Prime asked. "Is that an expectation or a flourish that is decorative for the purposes of this schematic?"
"Actually, that is the food that they grow. They also like greenery and their world apparently is very lush. They have an interesting device that I asked to show you and they were very happy to do that," Magnus said. "Larc is prepared to speak with you about it. They wish to join our effort because in the end, it may liberate their own world as well."
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," Ratchet said. "Human expression."
"I like that one too," Prime said. "Show me this device."
Magnus changed the view and a nondescript box-like device appeared. "This is their replicator. It makes their food and things that they need. What it does is change one form of energy to another. It is a very advanced, very high tech, very powerful machine. We have small energon making devices that all of us carry as soldiers. Those can generate energy for us from the usual materials albeit a lower grade than most of us like.
"With only a cursory conversation with Larc, she said that this device can make energon because it manipulates energy and if energon is energy, it can be replicated. It can make at least Class C+ grade energon out of just about anything that is at servo. Metals, solar and the like, it can be utilized for energon production."
Prime considered that. "This could make energon for the mechs and femmes stranded on Cybertron. If we can get a few of these there and get them to the resistance, they can feed our people and alleviate some of the suffering. I would like Sciences to have a shot at this, to see if they are able to do this for us and what if anything that has to be modified for the task at servo."
Magnus nodded. "I already gave them the schematics."
Prime nodded. "It would be a difficult thing smuggling this into Cybertron. We will have to make sure that Dai Atlas and the others are on the same page with us. I know that there were some generators like this still standing near Central City and Iacon when we left to find the AllSpark but I doubt that those are still online. And they were inadequate even before trouble began."
"We never could make enough food for everyone and Decimus made sure that no one but the usual suspects were taken care of, that and the industries," Ratchet said grimly.
Prime nodded. "This could be a good stop gap solution to the misery on Cybertron. We need to know what is possible. If bigger ones can do more, how can we smuggle them in? In parts for assembly elsewhere? How can we utilize the materials on Cybertron if at all to help produce enough food grade energon for our people? All of this has to be studied and soon. We have the mission to Cybertron scheduled."
Magnus nodded. "I will undertake to find those answers myself. I think that the sooner the Hu An have their own habitat and can live the way they need to the better. I think we have a very strong ally in these people, Optimus. There's more to them than meets the optic."
Prime smiled slightly. "I am finding that out myself."
-0-In an expanded barracks off Engineer Corridor
They sat together, the hierarchy that managed their group and listened to Larc as she explained their situation. They were the representatives of the cells that made up their traveling group. Each representative managed ten other individuals and there were 30 reps sitting and standing to listen to their leader.
:Optimus Prime intends for us to have our own habitat as soon as possible. I have designated you three to be our liaison for the building: Larc said nodding to three individuals, two female and one male. :I believe he means what he says and his word is reliable. We are to make our way here in an honorable and useful fashion: He looked at three males who sat on a couch next to him. :You read better than I do. I detected small things about some of them. You are better. If you detect useful things, tell me. I wish for us to be a good part of this colony and to earn our way. They will give us our privacy and our freedom. we will work our way to pay them back. When our habitat is built, we will make it home. Until we can go back to Hu An again and take back our systems, this is the only one we have. We must show them our character and determination:
:They are trustworthy then: Larc's lieutenant, Tao asked.
:I feel his link to the divine. There is something inside of him that I have not detected in any Cybertronian yet. There is something old and wise, rather like the force elementals. It lives in him somehow. That is enough for me:
They all nodded. The meeting would continue for an hour before breaking up, all of them going about the business of planning a permanent settlement on a strange world far from home.
-0-On the way home
"I like these new aliens. They have character," Alor said as he walked beside Ironhide, Flint and Blackjack.
"They seem tough enough. When the fighting was going on, they didn't run and hide. They stood and watched. Makes me wonder what more there is about them that we don't know," Ironhide said.
They crossed the street and walked to the path that would take them into the tower district. The lobby was traversed, the elevator taken and soon they split up to go home. Ravel and Tie Down were thanked, begging off dinner for home and left with smiles, hugs and kisses. Ironhide looked at the floor where three little mechs looked up at him with smiles. "WHERE'S ADA?" Orion asked.
"New word," Sunspot said with a smile.
"I think so. Ada will be here in a moment," Ironhide said leaning down to pet the little bots. Hero who was sitting on the couch tweeted and smiled. Ironhide grinned. "Tweet back at ya, little femme. Who is hungry?"
They all were. That included Ratchet who was wrapping up rounds at the hospital. He would grab dessert out of the case at the hospital snack bar and head for home lickety split. As he did, he didn't fail to notice that several Hu An femmes were walking along the street looking at the sights of their new city.
Right behind them on their segways filmmakers were following to catch it all for Platoon.
-0-TBC For Pip
2013 (3)
NOTE: There isn't a lot of commentary about silicon-based life forms. Since it is speculation and they use earth as their model, most of them say possible, needs massive heat and maybe it could evolve intelligence. Who knows? I chose silicon because it wasn't carbon-based like us and it was a homage to Star Trek: "I'M A DOCTOR, JIM, NOT A BRICKLAYER!"
:D It could have been any element but silicon is close to carbon on the periodic table and it sort of has a sentimental value to me vis-a-vis the Horta so here we are. :D
As for the Hu An's mental abilities, I see that as an extension of their telepathy. They have highly developed minds that can make things like ships and machines work and talk to each other mentally. I see them as catching bits and pieces of things, symbols and images that may or not tell something easily understood. Prime has a bit of that with the Matrix. Experiments with humans telling what card will come up next in decks or shapes on computers have been shown to anticipate a choice, which comes up true to a higher degree than chance. Scientists who do these tests actually state that participants were able to see 5 seconds into the future and know what suit or shape to say with great accuracy. :D I lurve science. :D