The Diego Diaries: Retraction 7 (358) edited
-0-Back home
Glenn Morshower walked through the crowd of photographers that stood in front of his home ignoring them as they tried to get a comment about the base. Barbara was in the window staring out, watching as he came to the door. She opened it and he entered, relaxing the moment the door closed. He hugged his wife, then walked to the kitchen where she began to put together a plate of food. They sat and talked together for hours.
-0-Back home
The dogs were on edge as she stood by the window staring outside at the cars parked here and there along the road. They were news crews that were seeking information on the events about Diego. They were here to get comments, talk to Will if he were home and get pictures. She couldn't and wouldn't tell them a thing. Will had kept the details minimal because of his position and their oath. She had nothing to tell them. A phone rang and she answered it. "Hi, Lonnie."
They chatted a while before Sarah hung up, plans in place to go to the Epps house for the weekend firmed up. Annabelle who was playing a video game looked up. "What do we do now, Mama?"
Sarah Lennox grinned. "We bug out," she said with a chuckle.
And they would.
-0-Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, Earth
They stood on the communication tower, the only place where they could speak eye-to-optic with the big mechs. Optimus Prime and Ironhide stood side-by-side answering questions of the forensic investigation teams as they were asked. The questions ranged from the enemy type … only the most general information was given … their tactics and style of combat as well as future possibilities for attack. They also asked for predictions for other bases to undergo the same destruction.
They gave what they could, information that had been agreed upon before the discussion with Morshower, Fulton and the N.E.S.T Global Command which Morshower commanded. Right now, there was no advantage to telling everything that the Insecticons represented nor their nominal commander, Arachnid. It was a long painful interview but eventually it ended. Prime and Ironhide turned to leave walking out to the tarmac beyond. Pausing, they watched as the basic platform was being laid for the new Embassy. The underground segments were debrided of their broken damaged portions to make way for new.
They watched as bots laid the perimeter structures that would allow slotting of the walls as they were lain down in segments. Curtain walls would form the basic structure, then transparent steel windows would be attached to them allowing the Embassy to have enormous sunlight inside. The walls at twelve feet high would be tall enough to disallow anyone from staring at the goings on inside. The glass like structures would form the ceiling of the building as well. Only satellites would have a chance to look inside including low flying planes but sensor disruptors would take care of that problem for them. The only images anyone would get from their snooping would be slashes of color and distortion.
The sensitive equipment inside as well as the rebuild of Teletraan II would be accomplished when the walls were firmly in place. That would happen the next orn. They watched a while, then turned walking back to Omega. They were quiet and pensive, aware that the forces of rage and revenge were gathering out in the world. The requests from Congress and other panels worldwide were piling up. Ratchet would be swamped Prime thought as they walked up the ramp toward the command center. He glanced at Ironhide. "Ratchet is going to be busy," he said.
Ironhide nodded. "Old mech will do the job."
They disappeared into the vessel.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Ratchet sat at a table in a sidewalk cafe watching as Hero ate her mid morning snack. It was a favorite among children on Cybertron, something he only got in the most sparing amounts, on the most special of occasions. He had no idea as a child that when his genitors got the small soft candies for him it usually meant that they were not going to be eating very well for a whil even if he did. When it became obvious to him that they did this, he told them he was not as fond of them anymore. He was actually but he could see on their faces the relief that they felt about providing them for him. They always provided for him no matter the cost to themselves. That was why they were so fragging awesome. "You like those, Hero?" he asked as he watched her, Prowler dozing quietly in his arms.
"I like them, Ada," she said as she sat on the table, a candy in her tiny servos as two more lay on the table between her legs. "Do you want one?" she asked holding one out to Ratchet.
Ratchet pretended to bite it, then sat back with a grin. Pretending to chew, he looked at his daughter who sat in her little fawn sweater and hat on the table before him. "Your old atar sure misses you."
"I miss him," she said pausing a moment from gnawing on the candie. "When will he come home, Ada?" she asked.
"Soon, I think," Ratchet said although he had no idea. It seemed like a good idea to make a guess. For infants, time was nothing.
"I will play with him then," she said gnawing on the candy once again.
Ratchet grinned.
:Ratchet:
:What?:
:What are you doing?:
:Eating candy with Hero at a sidewalk cafe:
:She's supposed to be in school:
:SINCE WHEN? I am talking to Ironhide, right?:
"Ha-ha, Ratchet. I want to play too:
:You know and I do that the next few orns are going to be awful. I will be working my aft off being diplomatic and slag. You would begrudge me having a moment with your little princess?:
:Yes:
Ratchet chuckled out loud. :Okay:
They bantered, then signed off. Ratchet sat with contentment as his daughter gnawed on sweeties, his son dozed lightly and the city around him went about the business of getting ready for the Festival of Primus that was coming up on the schedule. Given anything less than the complete invasion of the solar system, they would have their festival.
-0-At the Habitat
The scientists sat together at lunch, a rather subdued affair. They had been asked to do countless interviews and they declined. Since the attack, they had been uncertain how to approach the growing concerns on Earth. The news had been terrible and there were stacks of emails and calls piling up for them to speak their own point of view about it from their vantage point.
Michio Yamaha sighed. "I think it might be a good idea to have an idea what we think about this that is reasonably similar. I don't want anyone on Earth taking this and using us to make a point that is harmful to the already harmed situation."
The others agreed. It would be a strange and somber next few days. Michio and Antonio Lopez were elected to do the honors.
-0-Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, Earth
He sat in the newly remade administration office of N.E.S.T. He felt as forlorn as anyone could and his anxiety about his fate was heavy on his shoulders. He had been part of MECH, one of the active duty moles who had been recruited to be the eyes and ears of the enemy within the military. That he made it through striker training and had access to Diego Garcia made him phenomenally important to the underground movement. He was the one who would tell them what was happening and perhaps at some point plant a bomb on the base or some other blow.
Inside the office, Lennox, Epps and Graham sat with Fulton to discuss what to do about Trevor Smith. He had been forthcoming and his angst seemed to be real. They debated what to do as out in the universe a fleet of Seekers and two battle shuttles were just returning through a space bridge from their encounter with ships bound to the command of the Decepticon, Cyclonus.
-0-Earlier
They flashed out of the gate and formed up to find the enemy. The 'Cons were inside the sensor net of the system, something everyone was sure they were trying to gauge by provoking. Forty heavy class Seekers formed up on the shuttles as they headed toward the coordinates where the Proxima Centauri Deep Space Array told them the enemy could be found. Flint sat in the command deck of The City of Kaon and plotted his strategy as he watched the lights that indicated the enemy moving parallel to the system. They disappeared into the darkness almost immediately.
-0-The Trine
Sideswipe stood beside Bluestreak as they watched the Embassy begin to re-emerge slowly. It was a strange thing to think about. Kaon had been separated here. It was his first home. It was their first home as a trine and the place of many good times. "I hate this," Bluestreak said.
Sideswipe nodded. "I know," Sideswipe said as Sunstreaker rolled to a stop beside them. Sideswipe glanced at him. "They pulled the murals. The Museum wants them. You better tell them that you want to make new ones."
Sunstreaker nodded. "I will. This is fragged."
"Good thing that we have a lot of pictures and videos. What are you going to paint, Sunny?" Bluestreak asked.
"I don't know. I want Cybertron here again. The murals showed it. I think I'll look at the image files at the City Hall. They have a lot of good images from Cybertron including new stuff from the last few migrations," Sunstreaker said.
They moved back as boxes of parts for the rebuild of Teletraan II were carried inside the slowly rising structure heading down one of the inside roads to the stairs that led downward to the sub floors where the huge computer was kept. They had to get it back online. It would be part of the sensor boost that would allow them to do deep scans underground and analyze the information that they received.
The three stood silently watching as the sun began to wane in the distance and night crept forward over the glistening ocean nearby.
-0-Administration HQ, NEST, Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, Earth
Trevor Smith walked to his barracks, his relief enormous. They were letting him stay. They would curtail his access to outside phone lines until they were clear on a number of things. He pledged that he would help them in every way possible. They were going to take a chance. He would do his best to live up to the confidence.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
They stood in the Autobot City Museum staring at a number of relics from the Museum of Iacon that were being displayed. They were ancient implements of office that were held by the Governor-General as a sign of their authority. They were covered with glyphs from the Primal language that had according to legend been handed down from Primus himself.
Hero sat on Ratchet's servo staring at the letters. She looked at Ratchet. "Ada? What does it say?"
"It tells about the pantheon," Ratchet said. "Primus and the others."
She nodded. "Oh."
They continued onward looking and chatting as Prowler lay in Ratchet's hold babbling to himself as he rested in the warm darkness, the energy of his ada soothing his rattled little spark. As they turned the corner, they paused. In a group surrounding Terradive, Sunspot's class was gathered. They were listening to him explain a number of exhibits that had been placed there, exhibits that were artifacts from several city-states. He listened a moment, then slunk back heading for the door.
Hero who sat with a smile looked at Ratchet. "I saw Sunspot."
"I did too. He was in school, little Missy. You aren't. We better hide," Ratchet said with a chuckle.
Hero laughed, a small tinkling sound. "Run, Ada," she said as Ratchet nearly fell over with laughter.
They did.
-0-Omega Supreme, Temporary Ops Center, Diego Garcia, Indian Ocean, Earth
"You look like you need a lap to sit on."
"Ha-ha, Prowl." Ironhide looked at Prowl with a slight frown.
"What's up your vents?" Prowl asked already knowing the answer.
"Ratchet and Hero are playing hookey," Ironhide said. He sat down and slumped in his chair. "Ratchet has Hero and Prowler and they're running around the city. They just finished going to the Museum and they're going to have lunch."
"Where?" Prowl asked with a slight grin. Ironhide was especially amusing when he was pouting.
"The Pit Stop," Ironhide said mentioning the popular diner next to the Military Airfield. They took the infants there on the weekend to have their favorite dinner, the Cybertronian version of hot dogs. "Old mech is having too much fun. He needs to stop."
"Until you get there?" Prowl asked as he sat back in his chair to listening to the bitching.
"Least he can do, the slagger." He began to bitch and whine, something that tickled Prowl in the parts of himself that allowed it. Ironhide when he was like this was hilarious.
Ironhide didn't disappoint him.
-0-TBC July 8, 2013