The Diego Diaries: Talk 1 (411)

-0-At the throw down

Ratchet sat on his box comfortably as in the background the base went on its way. The buildings were gleaming, trees swayed gently in the breeze and no one could tell that anything bad had ever happened here. The monitors held the images of all the committee members, some of whom he'd already sparred with in the past.

"Ambassador, we're here to discuss the attack on the base at Diego Garcia and the resultant slaughter of the soldiers that occurred. We also want to understand the opponent that did this which appears to be a new incarnation of your species. We also want to discuss the inappropriate response your garrison made in relation to the destruction and murder of our soldiers," Senator Piccolo began as the newly made head of the committee due to assignment shuffles on the part of his party in the House. They were becoming more hard line and the lesser lights were being replaced by 'tough guys'.

"That's an interesting agenda. You appear to have politicized the death of the soldiers, all of whom we actually knew and loved. That's really unfortunate of you to exploit the dead like that. I'll be happy to dispel everything that you allege in your list, Congressman, and help allay fears with real information and not your purple prose," Ratchet said with a pleasant expression on his sweet face. "I was there and I can, unlike you, speak first hand about what happened and what followed."

"We shall see," Piccolo said. "We've been told that the enemy appeared out of the ocean without anyone knowing. Since you claim to have advanced technology and have said on numerous occasions that the system is buttoned down tightly, how did this occur?"

"First of all, this goes back to the eighty years that you held Megatron in captivity. Megatron crashed into the Earth ten thousand years ago when he came here following the trail of the AllSpark. He was thrown off by the magnetic activity of your northern pole or we wouldn't be here talking. He was coming here to find It and along with him was an Infiltration Protocol team of an unknown number of Decepticons.

"They were here to overrun and takeover this world. At the time you were as a species making a transition from hunter-gathering to settlements. You were defenseless against them. Because Megatron was overcome by the polar magnetism, you weren't destroyed then and this planet made an outpost of the Decepticon Empire. As for the others … they were part of a team that infiltrates, undermines and destroys entire planetary structures. They're ruthless, relentless and for centuries lay dormant underground waiting for the word to act. When they were through with their part, the Phase Sixers would come and destroy everything left down to the microbes in your soil. Its what they do."

It was silent a moment, then Piccolo continued. "Tell us about them. How many are there? What's being done about this? Where are they? How is it that you can't find them?"

Ratchet considered the questions with Prime internally, then answered them one at a time. "The protocol team number is indeterminate. They come in force usually with many, many individuals of all manner of specialties. This group appears to have arrived together since Earth at that time appeared to be an easy conquest. They're a species of Cybertronian that was developed by a rogue Decepticon scientist on an organic world. They took their format from organic lifeforms that I'd call insectoidal for your easy reference. We'll call them Insecticons for this discussion.

"Their leader is a femme called Arachnid. That's the closest translation of her designation I can make for you from our languages. They're shielded deep in the earth by its iron core and they can fly under water below detection by even your forces and ours. We're working on rectifying that problem now. As for where they are? Deep in the earth hiding. We cannot detect them because of the interference of your planetary core."

"So essentially, they could be right under this building and you wouldn't know about it," Piccolo said coldly.

"They were underfoot for ten thousand years, Congressman," Ratchet replied evenly. "I personally doubt that you have to worry about them coming out of the ground below you. They need space to congregate because they're a hive with a hive mind so they're most likely in a deep underground cavern in stasis awaiting their next command. As for us knowing … we're very good. Damned good. But what you seek is omnipotence. You can't even provide that yourselves. Why do you expect us to do that ourselves?"

"We aren't the space-going species. We don't have technology built into our bodies. You're the machines. You should be able to do this." Piccolo sat back with a cold expression on his face.

"You ask a great ask," Ratchet said with a grin. "Your insults mean nothing to me about who and what I am. Nothing you can say will diminish or belittle that, Congressman. I'm what I am in the imagination of infinite creation even as you are yourself. As for our advancements … they were earned. We thought them out and pursued them. We didn't wait to be saved.

'We believe in the right for every life force to be safe and free. We could've left when the fight in Egypt was over. You demanded it, you and your people. Imagine how your life would be right now if we had. The Insecticons were here then as well. Imagine fighting them off yourselves. Understand, destroying worlds like yours is what their specialty is. You'd be facing them alone right now."

The Congressman looked at him a moment with an unreadable expression. "None of you should be here. If you would leave, we'd be fine."

"If wishes were horses, beggars would ride," Ratchet said quoting a human expression of which he was fond. "They came ten thousand years ago following the AllSpark. They came with Megatron. We came six years ago following the same faint trail. We came in time to save you from Megatron and The Fallen. We did it with suffering and skill. Just wanting all of us to go is rather simple don't you think? I'm sure it'd be a good solution for you for everyone to leave but it won't happen just because you want it.

"The Empire is falling apart and Decepticon groups are leaving for their own sakes and goals. This system is currently repelling five different groups, four of which are digging in far out in the galaxy to maraud and whatever else they want to do. They're capable of reaching this system easily and given the great array of minerals that are here, they'd all come at once if they knew. How do you suppose to keep them out?"

The congressman looked at Ratchet a long time, then sat back. "We don't want you here."

"You and the 24% of the world's population that don't want us here. But the other people in every poll taken in the last two years understand that the universe has changed and things have become dangerous in the local cluster. For those of us who live here and accept that, plans have changed to meet the new facts. You've made a decision to live in the old reality which means that you're asking us to leave and make every single person on the Earth vulnerable to the new facts. That new reality, Congressman, is under your feet and out in space within decent traveling distance from here. How do you expect to survive a full on infiltration attack by experts?"

"We only have your word that any of this exists. How do we know that the system beyond our own is how you say it is? How do we know you aren't lying?" Piccolo asked.

Ratchet looked at him, then leaned closer. "You have my word. I don't give it easily and I always keep it. I'm also millions of years old. I've seen your type everywhere I go. I've been on worlds where the Prime agreed to leave because they asked him to go. We may have left but not far. We did our best to save them but too many of them died. Their worlds were destroyed because we left them to their delusions of either working out deals or driving off the Decepticons themselves. Those worlds are cinders floating in space now, their indigenous lifeforms long gone. Is that what you want? You want us to leave so you alone can be responsible for the annihilation of your own people?"

A congressman leaned toward Piccolo and they had an off speaker whisper fest. Then Piccolo leaned back. "Congressman Dexter of South Dakota, you have the floor."

Congressman Dexter of South Dakota was a more reasonable, less fearful man and the conversation between them reflected that.

"Ambassador, can you explain some of the steps that you've taken to secure the system from the outside forces that appear to be assembling? We're uncertain from this event at Diego and anything you can tell us about security would be gratefully accepted. I think when we all have good truthful information then it'll be better all around," he said.

Ratchet nodded. "I'd be delighted. We've set up a sensor system that actually rivals that of our own home world, Cybertron. It reaches out into the sector five hundred thirty light years in all directions as of now. This system is maintained through regular upgrades and all data is run through three super computer systems that can organize and identify anything anywhere. We maintain Seeker patrols around the clock throughout the system and our demarcated territory which extends well beyond the solar well of this system.

"We have forts that we've built our into and beyond the system to scan and maintain a rapid response for any problems that arise. We maintain Seeker flights in the garrisons as well. One of them is Fort Apache that is our farthest outpost. It's named after a western fortress that was in the same position in the old west. We just finished constructing Luna Base, our fortress on your moon that's scanning deep for the Insecticons on this planet using enhanced technology we developed to make this possible. Its called adapting to the new facts. We've mapped the entire area five hundred thousand and fifty light years out into space to the smallest dust particle so nothing can enter the system without us knowing well in advance. We're working to upgrade our deep space arrays everyday.

"We also have space bridge technology that can deposit a force anywhere we want to send it in the universe immediately and retrieve them as fast. Right now, Sciences is going through a review of local ground and space bridges that will allow us to come and go instantly from Earth, the moon and other forward bases we have on moons of the planets in the outer array of your system such as Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. That's part of what we field in defense of this planet and your people."

"That's impressive, Ambassador. What about your armed forces? I watch all of the programming sent from Mars about your people and especially the Platoon program which follows your soldiers. They're an impressive group," the South Dakota congressman said.

"They are," Ratchet said calling for several internally. The sound of motors roaring met them as they came including a solemn Springer and a mellow Drift. "I've called a few to come here now." He glanced up and smirked. "Springer and Drift along with a young Elite Guard mech, Smokescreen the Younger. If you'd like to talk to them, they'd be happy to speak to you," he said as Springer knelt beside Ratchet. "Happy, that's you."

Springer snorted, then looked at the monitors. "Hi," he said with a smirk.

Congressman Dexter smiled. "Hi. I remember you. You got punched in the face breaking up the mini-con riot in the game. Springer, right?"

Springer smirked at Ratchet "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Tell them what you do for a living, mech," Ratchet said as Smokescreen transformed behind them and walked over to stand with Drift.

Springer looked at the camera. "I'm head of security for all of Mars, this system and beyond. It's my job to protect everyone and everything including Earth. I'm chief of the Wreckers, the suicide special ops unit that goes to do impossible things all the time. I suppose that's why I'm here right now."

"How so, Springer?" Dexter asked curiously.

"From what I've been listening to so far half of you are delusional about the 'Cons. I've been fighting them for millions of years. So has Ratchet here. We have no illusions about them. They don't have any for us. Its a war of annihilation going on between us. We're sorry you got in the middle when you grabbed the AllSpark and Megatron unwittingly but that's the facts now.

"Things change. You live long enough like us and that's a fact that you come to get used to whether you like it or not. They were here before Prime came waiting to destroy this world. If we hadn't come behind them you'd already be dead. None of you, not the smallest child or the oldest femme would be alive now. Anyone who doesn't get that is delusional.

"I get up everyday to work for everyone in this system. We go out in our ships and battle these slaggers. Its brutal. They have monsters that drip acid from their mouths. It burns us. I have scars on my feet fighting them recently. I can't imagine what you could do about them if they ever made landfall. We fight for our people which includes you. You can accept that with ill humor or not but its the new reality. You've been included in the randomness of fate and timing. You can either adapt like we all have had to do or you can remain delusional and die. Its up to you. As for me? I'm going to stay and protect you and no, you don't have to thank me. I'm a soldier. I'll do my duty anyway." He glanced at Ratchet. "Anything else you need, Ratch?"

"No. You can stand behind me and be handsome for a while though," Ratchet said as everyone around him and half the panel on Earth chuckled.

Springer grinned, then looked at the monitors. "We're one. We're united in our resolve. The same concern I feel for babies in our colony I feel for yours. Get used to it," he said rising to move back behind Ratchet.

Ratchet grinned, then looked at Drift. "Come here, good looking. I want you to talk to the nice man, too."

Drift snorted, then moved forward to kneel beside Ratchet. He glanced at the monitors, then Ratchet. "What do you want to know?"

"I think it might be fun for you to tell them why you're not a mad dog Decepticon anymore," Ratchet said with a grin.

Drift grinned at Springer, then Ratchet. "Okay," he said before turning to fix his optics on the screens filled with fascinated and among some slightly fearful and repelled faces of human congressmen and women who were watching.

-0-Mars, Ops Center

Prowl rolled his optics. "That bot is incorrigible."

Prime and Ironhide snorted. Alor and Blackjack along with Flint in for the Festival laughed.

"That is why he's so slagging good at this," Flint said with a smirk. "That bot is so wily its scary."

"Tell me about it," Ironhide said proudly. "Old mech is a caution."

"Is that what loser is?" Prowl asked with a smirk. "It explains a lot." Abuse galore rained down on his helm along with two energon cubes.

-0-TBC August 27, 2013 12-03-2022

PS No matter what incarnation, Ratchet's face always looks sweet to me. :D:D:D edited 7-5-14