The Diego Diaries: Rabbit Hole (378) edited
It seemed to seep into him, an intelligence accompanying it. Then the room disappeared. He was standing on a plain that appeared to be empty in all directions. He had no gear and he had no mask. All he had was Prime standing in front of him.
-0-Ratchet
He felt it, a warmth that seeped slowly into him as it gathered in strength. Ratchet stood absorbing it, the invisible tendrils of warmth from the fragmented spark of Primus carried in the Matrix as it moved past him into the ether.
-0-At the airfield beyond
Xantium paused turning to gaze at the Fortress. Kappa and Swoop ever on her shoulder turned as well. Something was in the air around them, something soft and good. Beta who was in the hangar nearby stepped out and paused as well. The tableau before him was strange and silent, every mech and femme present stopping their work wherever they were to stand as if listening.
They were.
-0-Ironhide
He sat on the couch at Ratchet's office nearly drifting off with Prowler as the infant dozed on his chassis. Normally, he would have gone with Ratchet but there were younglings here, one of them playing hookey from school. Relaxing, he felt contentment enough to feel recharge coming over him, then not.
Nearby paused with her dust bunny basher firmly in both her servos, Hero was turned as well. Both of them were facing in the direction of the Fortress.
-0-Revet
He worked at the console programming processes for the Festival upcoming shortly as well as the football game and fireworks that would follow. He paused as something soothing came over him, loving energy that he had never felt before. He sat pondering it, then he turned toward the Fortress for some reason. Facing that way, he stopped and relaxed into it.
-0-Rampage and Bon
They sat in their apartment, the one they were putting together for their life after the bonding ceremony that Prime had been asked to officiate after the Festival. Optimus had agreed and all was being made ready for great parties and family goodness.
Rampage had never had that before but in the fold of Bon's family, he was finding peace. They sat together in an apartment filled with antiques and art from Bon's family who had given them to him in their joy at welcoming such an event in their midst. It was warm and Cybertronian, home at last for a mech who had never had one.
As they sat, they felt it and glanced at each other. Then they turned in the direction of the Fortress and paused.
-0-On a plain far away
"What is this?" he asked, his voice flat and strangely pitched, an effect of the thin atmosphere. He should have been struggling to breathe but he wasn't. He looked at his hands. They seemed bleached in the strange thin light. He looked at Prime who gazed down at him unchanged.
"You are in the Matrix," Prime said without speaking. He thought it and it was.
The alien looked at him, comprehending the bot's speech without the translation machine being anywhere to be seen. "Matrix? What is this? Tell me what is happening."
"You are in the Matrix with me. What it means? Your guess is as good as mine."
The alien looked around, then glared at Prime. "This is not an environment that is good for me. I require humidity and heat."
Prime nodded and glanced around himself. "You must have patience. The reason for our presence here will be made clear soon enough."
"And we just wait?" the alien asked with outrage.
"You may leave. There is nothing to make you stay here but patience," Prime said calmly.
The Hish stared at Prime, then turned slowly looking around himself, his mandibles clacking and clicking together noisily. Then he paused as in the distance he could see a dark shape coming their way. It shimmered in undulations like a vision on a hot day, the form wavering and changing continually. It had that effect but it wasn't hot. It wasn't cold either. It just was.
Prime turned and watched a moment remembering other times when he was here and someone came to tell him in usually cryptic words and gestures important things. He had the patience necessary to wait and listen. It was part of his design as the bearer. The Matrix was a good teacher. He was a willing student.
The figure came closer and began to assume a shape, one he had seen before. The figure was big like him, maybe even bigger. The figure was Cybertronian, silver and black, a flowing robe behind her, feminine and beautiful, befitting The Maker, Solus Prime. She paused before the two, her bright optics fixed firmly on Optimus.
Optimus looked at her, the crafts maker and genius of the original Thirteen Primes created by Primus to help defeat Unicron. She had been killed at one point or so the stories went but as an indestructible force of nature she continued onward in dimensions beyond Prime's ability to see without the Matrix's assistance. He knelt and bowed his helm. "Lady, you came to speak to us? I am honored by your presence."
The Hish looked at her, then Prime. He didn't kneel but he stared silently with an appraising optic. She looked at him as well, then nodded to Optimus. "Son of Primus, First Disciple of the Creator, rise."
Optimus did, considering her more formal manner curiously. She usually was more informal, more light in manner but not this time. She looked at the Hish. "You are among those who seek to harm my people."
The Hish glanced at Prime, then her. "I am of The People. I do that which I am. I don't fear you. You are prey to be hunted. We are the Hunters."
"You are a fool to think that you can prevail against our kind. Megatron would use you up." She looked at Optimus. "You have done well."
Optimus bowed his helm. "I am honored that you are pleased. We work to ensure a home for our people to come. Many have. More wait for us to find them."
"And Cybertron? I have many premonitions about the future and all of them come back to Cybertron," she said nodding.
"And I," Prime said.
"The path ahead is clouded. There are many who watch. You will find out more on the holy orn. For now, you must do what your instincts tell you. This one," she said nodding to the Hish, "must go and tell his people of the futility of following the path they are on. They will perish from the universe if they do. They and the others, the ones you call Killers."
Prime nodded. "You came with the warning?"
She nodded. "I also came to tell you that the oracles of the Festival will be several, all of them important. The meaning is yours to find. You will not be alone on your journey, Optimus Prime. We are well pleased with you."
He bowed his helm. "I am honored, Lady."
"The Lord sends his comfort to all. They who await you feel it too," Solus said. "He waits for liberation from bondage. He is sleeping his sleep but he is waiting, Optimus Prime. In the end, it all comes back to Cybertron."
Optimus nodded. "We know."
She looked at him, then smiled slightly. "You are The Chosen One. You have not disappointed me. Be wary and wise, Optimus. You are on the right path."
With that, the scene faded and they were in the cell, the Hish's hand resting on Prime's. He withdrew it and stepped back glancing around for a moment. Prime turned and dropped the bars stepping out with the remote and the translation device. Walking to the door, he didn't look back but paused outside with Ratchet who had been watching on a screen.
"You never completely left but you faded in and out a couple of times," Ratchet said as they turned to walk to the Brig Command Center. Handing the devices to Red Alert, they turned and walked to the stairs and the Ops Center above. Red and Inferno watched them go as the soft loving energy faded away at last.
"Ratchet, I think I would like the aliens to leave. A runabout with fuel and food should be prepared," Optimus said.
Ratchet nodded. "I am also thinking that Simmons and Mearing should live here. I don't trust them out of my sight, Mearing mostly and having them here will be a good idea. We can lodge a complaint with the State Department and ask that they stay here for consultations a while. Who knows what we can learn if they have to remain and the two might murder each other and do us all a big favor."
Prime grinned. "I agree. I will ask Prowl to make the case to the State Department."
"Good. Who came this time? If I may ask?" Ratchet asked as they began to climb the stairs.
"Solus did," Optimus said as they reached the Rec Room. The soldiers and civilians there watched as Ratchet and Prime entered the Rec Room, they too having experienced the loving regard of their creator. Walking to the conference room, they both entered and the door closed behind them.
Inside the room sitting on chairs in the middle of the big table, Will Lennox, Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons shared space with Twin Twist, Springer, Sandstorm, Prowl and Blackjack who had joined Alor earlier in the room. Prime looked at the humans. "I am asking the State Department to allow both you, Agent Simmons and you, Ms Mearing to live here on Mars for a while."
Both looked at him, then Mearing stood. "May I ask why?"
"Because you have lied to us from the beginning. You as well, Agent Simmons. I am not happy about it and we have filed a formal complaint with the United States State Department about it."
They stared at him without a word, then Mearing stood straighter. "I am being held against my will then?"
"No," Prowl said handing a datawafer to Prime. It had an acknowledgment from the State Departmant that their complaint would be expedited to the proper channels and the two humans had interim permission to stay on Mars for now. "Your government just gave us permission to hold you until our grievances are fully addressed."
Mearing looked at the faces arrayed before her. Some of them like the Wreckers on the back wall were smirking at her. Others like Prime and Prowl were cool in their regard of the pair while some like Alor and Blackjack were filled with angst and aggravation. Simmons alternated between happiness and WTF. She, herself felt cornered and put upon.
That seven billion other humans wouldn't have the chance that she had to be among aliens on another world didn't cross her mind. She was for the moment too pissed.
-0-TBC July 26, 2013