-0-And now, back to the show
The Diego Diaries: Newbies 6 (328)
-0-The Staff Meeting, Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
They gathered, the entire committee and sat waiting for the word. Over the night, the city had begun to prepare. Extra attention was given to medical and housing. The finish teams were going upwards in the towers adding the amenities and finishing touches that the builders ignored in the rush to have adequate housing created. Inspections had been done for most and were still underway, Jetta asking to report last so that he could personally give the latest on the situation. His brother Mack sat in on the meeting for him.
"Well, we need to go over the plans for this migration which is by the preliminary intell over 620,000 individuals plus or minus 10,000," Prime began. He sat a moment letting that sink in. "I am sure we will manage this the way we did the others. We have more than one doctor now."
Ratchet snorted. "I remember when I was it for a 1,000 bot migration. I was hallucinating at the end."
"You mean you aren't now?" Magnus asked innocently.
Ratchet snorted even as Ironhide frowned. "Why, Magnus. Humor. Arcee is agreeing with you," he said winking at the femme who sat smirking between Chromia and Firestar. She winked back.
Ironhide didn't wink at anyone.
Prowl looked at his datapad, then his doppelganger who he had frisked Ironhide for at the door. The baby looked at him and smiled. Prowl took 1.00005 nanoseconds to roll in the bliss of enchantment before returning to the moment. "I agree, sir," he said regarding Optimus's remark.
Everyone grinned at his obliviousness including Prime who winked at Ratchet.
"I would like to troubleshoot any of your plans which I have already reviewed and approved. If there are questions or other remarks that address this effort, please speak now," Optimus said leaning back in his chair.
"We are going to be keeping the children of those involved in the work. We have a lot of volunteers and we have planned activities as well. Don't worry about the younglings. I am assuming you found alternate shelter for Prowler?" Herling asked Ironhide with a smirk.
Ironhide blanched, then nodded. "Ravel and Tie Down will be taking care of him for now, Herling. Thanks anyway."
General snickering met that comment and they pressed onward. All of the departments discussed their issues, then it was done. Prime leaned forward on his elbows. "Thank you for your great efforts. I am proud of the city and everyone in it stepping forward to assist our people to come home. I would like the military to stay but the rest of you can go now. Thank you."
Everyone who wasn't military and they were many arose and left bantering with those staying. When they were gone, Optimus leaned back again nodding to Prowl. That bot turned to those left and consulted a datapad. "We have begun a grid search of the Earth and found three cells that are dug into their positions. One of them is in Australia, another in Scotland and the other in New Mexico. We have tracers out looking for others but the initial search has borne fruit. What is disturbing is the fact that the signals we are searching for are heavily shielded. Cybertronian-style shielded."
It was silent a moment, then Wheeljack leaned forward. "That isn't good. Do you think they have our tech or maybe even one of us that wasn't accounted for?"
"We haven't information sufficient to make a deduction, Wheeljack," Prowl said with a slight shrug. Prowler mewled softly, then settled in Prowl's arm. He took 1.0000000005 nanoseconds to smile, then returned to the task at servo. "We can assume that they must have. Nothing in the tech that we've seen so far indicates that these humans have come that far."
"So far as we know," Ratchet said. "Have we asked the humans to check? Maybe they have stolen tech from their own governments or the traitors in their midst have funneled it to the enemy. It could be that some governments are the enemy."
"Perhaps," Optimus said. "I just think this has become exponentially more difficult. I think we should approach this problem with the assumption that they have our tech. If they have something less or perhaps we're reading this problem wrong, then that's a bonus. I don't want to underestimate them or their dangerous possibilities."
Blackjack nodded. "When this migration is reclaimed, perhaps intel is in order. Intel on the ground."
Prime nodded. "That is problem number one after the migration. I would like you and Flint to head up the effort."
Blackjack nodded. "Of course."
-0-Out there
Heatout stood on the deck of his ship chatting with the managers of each part of the massive ship migration. They had been on the trail for a while and between all their vessels had managed their resources and expertise to the greatest benefit. There were some who were sick or hurt but no one so far was dying. Everyone was hungry. There was never enough food to make everyone happy but no one was starving to death.
Yet.
Infants, sparked individuals, the elderly and the ill were given priority and most of the group agreed. That there were Autobot and Decepticon soldiers available to enforce that point of view was a bonus. Mixed among them were Decepticon and Autobot ships whose presence was invaluable. It had taken a great deal of effort and persuasion to keep everyone together. It was a good thing too. Nearby, even now scanning them was the fortress of Soundwave and the Decepticon Armed Forces he commanded under Megatron.
"There is a message for you, Heatout," an aide said from the communications station.
"Put it through, Vortex," he said quietly.
:This is Red Wing. I am seeking Heatout:
"Heatout here."
:Sir, we are here to bring about the repatriation of the migration which you lead to Mars where the Prime of Cybertron has established a colony and armed installation:
"We are ready to come," Heatout said with relief. "Tell us what you need us to do, Red Wing."
:We need data. We need to rescue the most needy before anyone else. We take the neediest then the rest in descending order: Red Wing told him as he magnetized on the hull of Heatout's ship.
"Prepare for a data transfer. We assumed you would have a plan and we have compiled data for some time now in anticipation. Stand by," Heatout said as he turned to the communications officer of his ship. "Send the data, Vortex. They 're going to get us out of here."
The comm officer nodded and made it so. Before it was fully downloaded a message was on its way to Prime that contact was established and information already being collected. A message for the migration wound its way to Red Wing. He looked through the forward windows of the command deck. :I have a message for your migration from Starscream and Optimus Prime. They are one, Heatout. Everyone needs to hear it:
"Send it, Red Wing. I will broadcast it on the open channel to the ships in this migration," Heatout replied. He stood quietly, then Vortex spoke up. "We have it. Shall I transmit?"
"Do so, Vortex," Heatout said nodding.
The communications officer opened the channel with the usual greeting. "This is Command One, Heatout speaking. We need your attention."
Heatout tapped a link and spoke. "We have established contact with Optimus Prime and his colony. They are here to take us there. There is a message that I will play for everyone. It is from Optimus Prime and Starscream who are allies in this colony. Please listen." He nodded and the message went out.
A deep rich voice sounded over intercoms and comm links all over the migration as tens of thousands of individuals on thousands of ships paused to listen to a voice they never dared to believe they would hear again.
"My name is Optimus Prime and I am waiting for you. We have established a colony in a secured system that is impenetrable to enemy forces. I have sent specialist troops and Seekers to help you reach us and we will be utilizing space bridges to expedite that transfer. All you have to do is have a bit more patience. We will be taking the most endangered members of the migration first. We have sent food and medical personnel to help you with your immediate needs. The Decepticons among you who come in peace are welcome. Those who come any other way will be obliterated. Seekers are welcome under the same circumstances. Have patience. We see and hear you. We are coming to get you."
A pause in the message was minimal before Starscream's voice was heard. "This is Starscream. You know who I am and what I was in the Decepticons. Megatron put a death order out on Seekerkin. We have fled and gathered to the Prime in great numbers. That includes the Great Elder and most of the Clan Chieftains. We are asking you to stow your weapons in storage and fuse the locks. You will be required to give your professional and personal oaths to the Prime and swear them on the Matrix. You know what it means to break an oath to a Matrix of Primus. Once that is accomplished, you are ours. We are one. You will be given a home to live in, a chance to choose your occupation and respect. You have my word on that. Come to us. Come to our new world and settle into our new home. Be an asset. You are welcome. Starscream out."
Heatout listened to the messages, his shoulders sagging just a little. "Thank you, Primus," he whispered softly. The rest of the migration made their thoughts known with the shouting and cheers echoing over the intercom systems all across the vast group.
-0-On the ground at Autobot City, Mars
Ratchet stood at the triage center looking at the ragged tide of injured, sick and worn out beginning to come to the city on the ships that were coming through the bridges already. Some of them were wounded but not many. They had been lucky that way. The Decepticons apparently were just allowing groups to leave. Apparently it meant an easier demand to meet for supplies and food. They had been a flood as groups gathered to go, some of them meeting others, some finding more in space as directed by signals from Prime, Starscream and now Soundwave apparently.
The ships began to land as they came through the aperture above them, the flame of its energy and that of the other smaller one becoming more visible as the orn wore on. Doctors were doing the dance of medicine directing here and there the endless stretchers, limping and/or half carried individuals and their strained exhausted family and friends. They were grateful. Some of them were delirious with gratitude, confusion, fear and dread. Some of them were delirious from hunger though not at death's door. No one was dying from starvation. They were merely starving slower due to the sharing of energon and other food staples among the masses. It had been done at gunpoint in a few cases but they had done what they could to make sure everyone made it.
Autobot ships, dozens of them were among the mass, flying alongside dozens of Decepticon vessels, all of them weary, longing for journey's end as they worked together, the past laying between them as ashes. These were older mechs and the occasional femme, all of them looking for an end to chaos, for a home and safety for their families, for a leader that could lead without cryptic absences and other variables that usually ended in their death or harm.
A number of the ships among the mass had been slated for decimation … that is, Galvatron's erratic behavior necessitating a wholesale slaughter of some troops to ensure the continued adherence of the survivors and everyone else to the Cause. What it had done instead is cause them to band together and leave taking with them expertise and ships that Megatron could ill afford to lose. They flew with the Autobots making peace for the journey under the direction of Heatout. They had worked in the mass of ships side-by-side ensuring that everyone could make it.
They had.
-0-Day Care
She stood holding her baby doll, a little dollie with long braids and a white dress. Her shoes and other clothing was in a toy box at home somewhere, falling off in the throes of play. She looked up at her aide with a smile. Laret smiled back, kneeling. "Hero, how is my darling this orn?" she asked pulling Hero's little hat and coat off preparatory to storage in her little locker.
Hero smiled. "Hi. I will go with you."
Laret blinked and looked at her, the tiny femme looking back with a smile and her usual happiness.
"Hero," Laret asked with stunned surprise.
Hero stepped forward patting Laret's servo. "I am Hero. You are Et."
Laret stared at Hero, then picked her up. Walking toward the big open room that Group C would occupy for the next two joors, she looked for Roto. Spotting him with three other teachers and two aides, she walked over and paused. "Guess what?" Laret asked with a smile. She looked at Hero. "What did you say, my darling?"
Hero looked at her, then Roto with a big smile. "I will go with you, Et. I am Hero."
Roto nearly pitched over backwards onto the floor.
-0-Moments later
He sat at a table, Hero sitting on the surface before him, her tiny legs dangling. He smiled and played 'The Game' with the tiny femme. He would say a word, she would reply.
"Duck."
"Duck."
"Dog."
"Dog."
"Play."
"Play." She smiled a dazzling smile and held up her dollie.
Roto snorted and grinned kissing her dollie. "You like to share your dollies too?" he asked to no one in particular.
She nodded. "I do. Do you want to play?" she asked.
His optics fritzed for a moment, then he grinned. "You are such a bundle of surprises, you Ratchet and Ironhide sparklings. You can talk so well. I am surprised but I know it happens. I just never saw it before."
She smiled at him, hugging her dollie tightly. "I love my atar."
"You do, do you?"
She nodded. "I love my ada. I love you, Toto."
He snorted. "I love you too, Hero."
"You play with me?" she asked with an animated expression.
"I guess I will," he said as he set her down on the floor with great care. She turned and walked to the door pausing to wait for him with a giant smile. When he stood and walked toward her, she turned and went out heading for the row of boxes filled with dollies and toys. They would sit together playing and by the time she was ready for her dance class he would find out that she had a huge vocabulary and was finally ready to use it.
-0-TBC June 8, 2013