The Diego Diaries: Here we go. (5) (edited)
-0-At the airfield
Then he turned toward Prime.
Optimus Prime, leader and student of his people fully understood that the salute going on was a good sign. The mech before him, a huge bot with his history etched in his armor was significant to their history. He had been the youngest mech selected to be the Great Elder of their people in the history of Cybertron. He was wise, proud and loyal. He was decent and had been an ally early on in their mutual quest to improve the lives of all their people, especially those on the lowest rungs. Seekers were the lowest rung of all.
They knew each other and both admired the other. What it would mean now, who knew but Prime had hopes. But first they would have to acknowledge the proprieties. Starscream turned to Silverclaw and bowed. That worthy stepped forward pausing before Rainmaker. He bowed and knelt down on one knee. As he did, every Seeker in the area including the other Elders did that same. Half of the crowd seemed to melt down at they acknowledged the primacy of the figure before them. All of his own party did the same until of all the Seekers, he was the only one standing.
Then Prime knelt down, bowing his helm, acknowledging the figure before him in the proper but seldom used manner by Primes in the past. It didn't mean that he was deferring his power to another. It meant that he respected the figure before him enough to surrender his ego to him for a moment.
All around him, the crowd did the same until Rainmaker was the only one standing. Even the humans on the boxes and around the field found themselves drawn downward in their astonishment of Prime. Rainmaker stood a moment accepting the tribute, then raised his staff overhead.
The crowd stood, then broke into a soul shattering roar of happiness, pride and solidarity. Seeker songs went up into the air, small tunes of glory, clan might and identity. Infants were raised into the air by their ecstatic genitors as they celebrated the return of their greatest leader. Starscream shouted and sang, the others joining him as the gave their ovation to the Great Elder.
Then it died down until it was silent again. Rainmaker stood like a god, his optics meeting Prime's levelly. Then he did something unprecedented, something that had never been done before. He walked closer to Prime, then he knelt on one knee bowing his helm.
There was dead silence as shock spread throughout the massive crowd. No one had ever seen this figure or any other who had held the title do this before. It was unthinkable and unheard of. Then Starscream turned to Prime and knelt. The Elders throwing off their shock did the same thing. For a moment, there was silence. Then the crowd began to kneel. Everyone did, human, Hu An, Cybertronian.
Optimus Prime looked around in pure astonishment. Everyone was kneeling acknowledging his primacy. Even the Great Elder who bowed to no one ever had knelt to acknowledge his primacy. The Seekers would accept this as he knew well and there would be no argument about who Seekers would serve. Even he, Rainmaker acknowledged his rank before Prime.
Then the big mech stood, the others rising with him. The sound of triumph, of celebration, of solidarity would be remembered in legend forever as all of the voices present including the throngs that lined roof tops and all of the streets and roads of the city in their zeal to be there raised their voices together.
Until all were one.
-0-A joor later
They entered at last the Ops Center, Rainmaker and his six sons, the other Elders, the Command staff and several key members of the Community Council along with the priests heading for the big conference room to talk. The walls had been slid back to allow the use of two others rooms, the group was so large. They settled, Prime and Rainmaker last. It was silent a moment, then Prime began the formalities.
"I am honored to have the Great Elder of the People as my guest and colleague. We are the greater for your presence and that of your House."
Rainmaker once again impressed with Prime for observing the formalities nodded. "I am honored to be here, in this place with the Prime of Cybertron. You honor me and my House with your gracious welcome."
Optimus Prime grinned and extended his servo. Rainmaker gripped it and the atmosphere lightened. Rainmaker sat back and smiled slightly. "You have never failed to impress, Optimus. Your observance of the formalities is only one example."
"Thank you. You threw me for a loop out there. I am speechless to express my gratitude," Optimus replied.
Rainmaker snorted and grinned. "I see my people, thousands of them. They wear their colors proudly. They hold up infants, hundreds of them. I have not seen this many babies and children in vorns. I know that means comfort and acceptance or they would not make families. I see them part of the whole, part of the city in a way that is equal, not separate. I knew in any colony run by you, my people would have the same opportunity that anyone else had. They are happy. Their Elders were there in their pride. This city reflects cooperation. A city for Seekers connected to the whole. I am here in the place that should always have been, Prime. Only you could have made this happen. It was my honor to honor you."
Prime nodded. "We are one here."
"Until all are one," Rainmaker said nodding his helm. "We are here to add pages to the legend. Our flight has many civilians. They were caught in the middle of trouble but we solved that problem." He expression was cold and harsh, then lightened. "We bring troops and skills."
"Our people are encouraged to gather more skills, Elder," Starscream said nodding his helm in respect. "We have a university here that it open to all. Our infants go to school side-by-side with grounders. We are all united in our outlook here. We also have football," he said to the Vos fanatic that listened so carefully.
Rainmaker blinked and his party shifted in surprise. "Football."
Starscream chuckled. "Yes. In a few orns, Vos will face off with Kaon for a chance to play in the championship game for the football primacy of this world."
Rainmaker smiled and glanced at Prime. "Football? Then what you are saying to me ... this place is the Matrix?"
Optimus chuckled and nodded. "Not if Praxus loses," he said nodding toward a grinning Prowl. "I personally have taken no position on a team given that my bond is a Praxus fanatic."
Rainmaker looked at Prowl and nodded. "And I am a Vos fanatic." He looked at Prime. "I have not seen a game in vorns. I saw the stadiums. It is impressive that a city should exist at all, an authentic appearing Cybertronian city but to have amenities such as this?"
Prime nodded. "You can thank Ratchet for quality of life around here."
All optics turned toward the red and white medic with the fake chevron. Ratchet smiled. "I'm compulsive. I'm also Iacon United to the core."
They chuckled, the atmosphere lightening greatly. Rainmaker relaxed a bit and the others did too. "Then I am going to forgive you your delusions," he said to Ratchet.
Ironhide snorted. "You will be forgiving all orn long if you do," he said to general chuckles.
Rainmaker looked around the group, then settled his optics on the kind smiling faces of the priests. "I saw the Temple. I am overcome with the idea that it still exists even as a replication."
"The Temple is restored," Chevron said. "But so are the relics. The AllSpark, the Matrix Flame and the Well of All Sparks was restored to us by Primus at the last Festival through the grace and acceptance of the leadership of our Prime, Optimus," he said bowing his helm respectfully to Optimus.
Rainmaker stared at him a moment, then sat up straighter. He glanced sharply at Prime. "Is this true?" he asked in astonishment.
Prime nodded. "It is."
Rainmaker relaxed slowly. Then he nodded. "Then this venture is holy and blessed, First Disciple of Primus."
Optimus nodded. "I think so."
Rainmaker nodded, distracted for a moment. "I will have to go and give thanks then. It has been too long." It was silent a moment, then he glanced up spotting Neo standing against the wall with Thundercracker. His affect changed. "Neo."
Neo flinched, then stood straighter. Before she could reply Starscream interjected. "Neo is with us. She is reformed. She is repentant. She cares for our infants like an elder. What you might feel from the past, my Lord, is not relevant now."
Rainmaker glanced at Starscream, then relaxed. Neo herself tense bowed her helm. "I am on a path, Lord Rainmaker, of personal redemption. Everyday I go to the schools and serve our people. Everyday I come to meetings of the Community Council and Senior Autobots to find ways to improve our lives. I was destitute of love and hope in the past but this place and her people … Optimus Prime … it has saved me. I live to serve."
"Neo is the strongest ally against the past that we have," Optimus said nodding. "She is my great friend and ally. We can live in the past and repeat it or we can build a future ourselves where we can all be one."
Rainmaker considered that and nodded. "I agree." He looked at Neo and bowed his helm in greeting and respect. "I agree," he said looking at her.
She bowed her helm back, her expression near to tears. "I do too," she said quietly.
It was quiet a moment, then Rainmaker leaned forward. "Let me tell you about the galaxy beyond," he began.
Everyone listened intently.
-0-On Earth
They finished the last meeting, a business venture with an energy company. They were due to leave in a few joors so Fenix begged off in favor of a walk around the edge of the ocean nearby. Caro who wanted to finish his work before going home to free up the rest of the weekend cheerfully nodded as he sat in the rec room and commenced.
Fenix walked out heading toward the beach and the nearly hypnotic sparkling ocean. He stepped over the fence eerily imitating bots in the past. Then walked to the beach. He stood a while looking at the glistening waters, then pulled a device from subspace. It was a small box that could find signals without detection. He stood and began to scan the millions of signals that plied the Earth with invisible electronic cords.
It would take a long time but he would find one among the zillions that showed promise. When he filed the frequency, he would continue along the beach sitting at last upon the rocks that had hosted festivals by the first bots who had lived here. He would watch the ocean roll in and out and Mirage would watch him.
-0-TBC
04-05-13