The Diego Diaries: Down Time 286 edited for boo boos
-0-In the conference room
"Well, that won't be over by a long shot, Optimus," Ratchet said. "They're going to organize so at least we'll have a good estimation of the opposition."
"They will have to meet the rules for legal association the same as any other group," Optimus said. "If they don't then that's it. I won't allow any associations that have a sole purpose of causing insurrection."
"Fenix is a problem. He's got skills and time," Alor said. "I am guessing that he hasn't found gainful employment yet?"
Ratchet turned and accessed the directory. "You must be psychic." He turned and grinned at his ada-in-law. "He lives in a tower in Terra. He has no employment. But the decaorn is young."
"Then he needs to step up. We don't need fit and able individuals to be lazy or not contribute to the common good," Prowl said.
"After the weekend, I want them to be involved in something or working at getting there," Prime said.
"How about having them in the Home Guard? Maybe having to help defend this world would teach them some humility," Blackjack suggested. That was met with grins.
"Plan Z," Optimus said with a smirk.
"I will look forward to it then," Ironhide said rising. "Its been a while since I kicked afts that entitled."
They walked back into Ops Center, then Ratchet and Ironhide turned to walk out. Dinner would be had at the apartment that night with the grand genitors from both sides over. For now, they would walk around the city and enjoy Ratchet's last orn off from separation leave.
The sky was clear overhead and the sun was warm. Traffic was brisk and the pedestrians moving about the city thick on the ground. Nearby to the north, the now enclosed habitat of the Hu An glistened in the sunshine. It was a huge dome with their living and working areas inside clear and visible to anyone outside. Their housing was multilevel and was linked up one to the others with stairs going up and down for foot traffic. Stacked up, it didn't take up a lot of ground space. Around the habitations there were balconies and platforms for gatherings and relaxation. Apparently they lived as much outside as inside.
They were inside now terraforming the terrain that they had enclosed. A great deal of their mental and emotional well-being was tied up in having lush green surroundings. Part of their effort included genetically re-engineering reasonably compatible plants and trees from Earth. Eventually there would be a jungle on Mars and it would be enclosed in a habitat that would encompass space equal to ten major league football fields.
"We'll have to go there one of these orns, Ironhide. It looks like its going to be a very interesting place, their habitat," Ratchet said as he slipped his servo through Ironhide's big arm. "Those are very interesting aliens."
Ironhide nodded. His energy was terrible, he was missing his little buddy and there would be no consolation for him from anyone today. Going to the meeting and listening to aft helms challenging Prime didn't help.
They walked up the highway from the Fortress heading for no place in particular. By the time they reached the road to their apartment, they turned down the cobblestone path and walked to their building. A short ride up got them home. The apartment was quiet, tidy and sunlit. Ratchet turned to Ironhide and paused. "I am so sorry. I hope you know how much."
Ironhide nodded, then reached into his hold. Prowler was sleeping as they both stared at him. "He's a keeper," Ratchet said.
"He's pretty wonderful," Ironhide said turning to put him on the couch with a pillow to keep him from falling off. He turned to Ratchet and pulled him into his arms. "I feel so terrible."
"I know."
"She cried when I left her. She called for me to come and get her. She wanted to go with me," Ironhide said with great emotion.
"I'd want to go with you too," Ratchet said. "She's a good little buddy."
"She's the best. She's my princess. We're companions." Ironhide hugged Ratchet tightly. "It was just like giving up Orion and Praxus. It crushed my spark with them too. I didn't give Praxus enough time with me to show him how things worked. We both had Orion a long time. Then Praxus got short changed."
"He's doing great guns in school so being with you was a great advantage for all of them. It was for her. Femme walked and talked early. And she's very smart about a lot of things," Ratchet said. "You are a good influence on sparklings, Ironhide."
"We waited so long to have a family, Ratchet. I didn't think I even wanted one. I was a warrior. I am a warrior. I was just joking around, pranking," Ironhide said. "I was making a joke and you made it a miracle. I love the kids, all of them. Thank you, Ratchet."
"You're welcome, Only One. I knew you would be an outstanding father," Ratchet said as they swayed together in each others arms. "You have been an inspiration."
They stood together quietly, companionably, then they turned and walked to the berth room together. Prowler continued to recharge on the couch.
-0-Elsewhere
They gathered in the living room of the apartment of Fenix and his bond, Tril. They sat together talking about the meeting and their deep disappointment regarding the Prime. No one expected different but hope always springs eternal. Tril walked to the kitchen and began to lay out the refreshments as the core group for the newly formed Iacon Order sat to plan their campaign to not only win recognition as a legitimate organization but to work toward their ultimate goal, a city of their own.
-0-On Charon
Sunstreaker sat at the console running the deep space linkup to monitor the migration trail. Two big groups were coming, one close enough to begin to appear on the sensors and the other still mere echoes. He was on duty for a decaorn, long enough to fulfill his work schedule but not too long that he missed the games that would conclude the professional season of Cybertronian Adult League Football.
Bluestreak was training his shooters and Sideswipe was off rotation. The kids would be his job. The news of the shooting had reached the station and the message by Optimus taped this morning before his meeting with Fenix was just broadcast on IntraComm. It had reached them on the entertainment relay all the outposts shared.
Two murders now. Both high caste slaggers.
He thought about Kudon, someone who seldom entered his processor and considered his little brother as well. Sunspot would no longer have to testify about what happened to him. That was the best part of all. He only regretted that he hadn't killed Retro himself. As for the one who did, he felt only sympathy.
-0-Earlier that morning at IntraComm
Optimus Prime sat in the studio that had been decorated to reflect his office and Cybertron. He sat waiting as the crew got ready and he then taped his short comments for The Hourly News and the morning news and entertainment programs. When he was finished, he headed for Ops Center and a meeting with a handful of irate high castes.
By the time that Sunstreaker had seen it, the entire colony had as well. It was short, to the point and final.
"Good morning, Autobot City, Terra and Aerie Hill. I am here this morning to talk to you about an incident that happened in the city recently. It involved two civilians that ended in one death and one arrest. Because our people have had much hardship and difficulty, they bring with them to this colony a lot of private anguish and grievances that we are unaware of when they arrive. Sometimes it passes and is dealt with. Sometimes it doesn't. Since this is an ongoing investigation, I cannot release very many details nor can the principles involved be identified.
"The matter is being handled by the relevant authorities and will be considered in a court according to Cybertronian law. I wish to convey to all of you, our people, that the matter is well in hand. If there are concerns then you may contact my office. For now, there can be nothing more said publicly to allow a fair and just outcome based on the evidence. Thank you."
It had been cut and broadcast. On the call-in shows like !*THE JAZZ AND BLASTER SHOW*!, sentiment was guarded but willing to allow the system to do an orderly assessment of the situation according to the law. There were a few callers that obviously had a lot of opinions to the contrary. Sunstreaker listened to them with a slow burn.
"This is Blaster. What's on your processor?" he had asked.
"I heard the message of the Prime this morning on 'Good Morning, Autobot City!' and I have to say I am not satisfied with his explanation. I heard that the victim is a high caste shot dead by a low. I also heard that this is the second murder of a high caste by a low in the city. I don't feel safe here."
"How long have you been here?" Blaster had asked. "This city has been going for a few years and no one has been hurt until now. We can't know what the refugees bring here. There was a lot of hurt and crimes committed out there and they bring it here. We work hard to make this place safe and given the size of the population we're doing just fine."
"You say that. You're not high caste."
"Frag that," Blaster said with uncharacteristic heat. "The system is dead. No one is high, middle or low caste anymore. That system is dead and if you don't know that then you better learn it." He hung up on the caller.
"You have steam risin' from your finials, Blaster," Jazz said with a grin.
"I know. I'm living up to my name," he said opening another line. "Hi. This is Blaster. What's on your slagging processor?"
-0-In the Mall of Metroplex
He stood in the bookstore looking for the sequel to a story that was being written in a serial format by a local author with a flair for dramatic stories with a strong romantic subplot. The big monitor by the door played the headlines for the city, Earth, the solar system and community events. Customers could have the Autobot City Daily News paper downloaded into their datapads. They could find a book they liked from their local writers, Earth and its vast spectrum of books and other species collected along the road to Mars.
The headlines spoke of the migration and its startling statistics. The news also told of the schools and universities expanding to meet the needs of increased population. There was business news, sports including the next playoff between Vos and Kaon who could clinch either a spot in the finals or jump start Iacon's redemption. The city was holding events at the Museum, Temple and several art galleries around the city showcasing important cultural artifacts from Cybertron.
The long term weather was available too, an important issue for some given that two camping areas were opened to the public and being used to great acclaim. New business openings, food ads for stories and cafes and the latest reports on the industrial parks were written in-depth in the business section. There were interviews with city committee members discussing their areas of expertise and the scheduled meeting outcomes.
Two mechs who were getting comics from Earth talked together quietly nearby next to a table filled with colorful graphic novels. A femme who was looking for a particular textbook for her business class passed by him. She was preoccupied in the quiet atmosphere of the bookstore. Nearby working in cubicles that they used daily for their work, authors wrote their articles, books and magazines that entertained, educated and informed the city every orn.
He found his book and walked to the counter to get it loaded on his datapad. As he did he listened to a couple of mechs sitting at a table nearby eating pastries and drinking the Cybertronian version of a cappuccino. "I don't believe Prime," one said. "I think there is a lot more that happened that is being held back. I think someone is killing high castes in this colony."
"You don't know that," the other said. "Prime is following the law. We have a million and a half mechs in this city and there is very little crime. Tell me that you've ever lived anywhere including Cybertron that was as safe as this place. Name a place with more opportunity too. You need to wait and see what Prime and the legal system does."
"I think that there's someone killing high castes. I heard that some are getting together and making an association to protect our interests," the first said.
"'Our'? Are you including yourself in that mix?" the other said.
"I don't know," he said. "I want to know what they have to say. Someone told me that they want to make a settlement away from here."
"I don't want to live anywhere else, especially not in a city where there the System exists. That ship has sailed," he said.
They sat chatting quietly as he stood getting his purchase made. When he turned to walk away he looked at both. They were civilians, newbies compared to him. But he remembered them anyway. Walking out of the bookstore, Perceptor made a point to discuss the situation with Wheeljack. Perceptor, a high caste highly educated mech who had lived a good life always would tell Wheeljack, his low caste bond. Wheeljack would pass it along to Jazz. Jazz would make sure that the news reached Prime.
It was in the servos of the high castes now how this would end.
-0-TBC
04-27-13 Sorry this took so long. I had to do stuff. HUGS! :D