The Diego Diaries: Skills 3 (461) edited
-0-In a break room at the Industrial Park, Steel Mill #4
He sat sipping a cool energon and snacking on energon chips the like of which he had never had even on Cybertron during The Good Times. That was what the younger high caste set called their growing up and young adulthood. They had good times. They had the best of everything. How it could have come to this, they didn't know. They had been inculcated from separation with the simple ideals of their genitors: You are the best. You deserve the best. No one is better. Everyone has their place. Your place is first. End of discussion.
Now he worked in a steel mill albeit running some of the machinery that programmed the work being done. They smelted ores to make the Cybertronian steel that was the hardest known substance in all their journeys everywhere. The formula had been reconstituted by the Master of Metallurgy and was their glory.
He watched as other mechs came and went waiting for the one he wanted. That bot wasn't so lucky. He actually was part of a sanitation crew that cleaned things up. He actually was a garbage mech. Even now as he sat he couldn't understand why someone with a degree in business administration was working at sweeping and cleaning. That others were already in the positions he wanted and that he had been a complete aft head during the interview closing that avenue of employment to himself didn't enter the equation.
They were first. End of discussion.
He came in, got his snack and drink then walked over to sit. They would talk together off and on all shift until they were off, then join with the others to discuss the current action and plan more. The authorities would not find them. No one on Cybertron ever did. This wasn't their first rodeo. But this one was the most fun they ever had.
-0-At the scene of the crime
Ratchet watched as Ironhide pulled Hero's little belongings, her clothing and blankets, dollies, pictures, books, toys and other girl things out of shattered dressers, closets and her little book shelf. They fit into a rather large box which was carried out by Alor, himself grim faced with sorrow. Looking around at the little bed that she had graduated into, a white framed structure shaped like a seashell just 'like Ariel's seashells, Atar', he felt desolation overtake him.
"Ironhide?" Ratchet asked from the doorway. He had several dollies of Orion's in his servos almost as consolation.
Ironhide nodded, then bent rolling up her little blue rug. It would need cleaning, maybe even repaired but the Circle of Light Crafts Guild had called to tell them that they would repair all their damaged belongings if they could be mended.
Orion's box of toys and books went past in Flint's arms followed by Sideswipe and Sunstreaker carrying bulletin boards. The two watched him pass, then walked to the last room which was Orion's. Water had reached all the rooms making things a mess. Everything inside was tossed around, most of it broken. Books, his little school badges and certificates that were framed, clothes, bedding and his little big boy bed were scattered. Taking a box sitting nearby, Ironhide began to mournfully gather his son's belongings for storage at their basement locker unit. Much of it had rather miraculously escaped destruction with only pictures and round objects getting the full force of the jolt.
Ratchet turned to walk through the blasted apartment to the door nearby where builders were discussing with Jetta what to do. As he stood in the blast hole he saw his genitors coming down the hallway. Turning, walking briskly, he hugged them both.
"Ratchet … what happened?" Ravel asked with deep concern.
"A maintenance malfunction, Ada," Ratchet fibbed as he looked down at them. "We got leveled but no one was at home. I was asked to come to the Fortress just before it happened. Let's go to your house and check on things."
Ravel and Tie who looked at their son with stricken optics nodded. "Ratchet … I am glad you weren't there, son. What a terrible thing this is. How is Ironhide? He must be terribly upset."
"He is, but we're going to step up," Ratchet said. "We've faced worse things," he said. / … I can't remember when though …/ he thought as they stopped beside his genitors' apartment. The door opened, then Ratchet paused them. "Let me look first, okay?"
They nodded, then waited anxiously. Ratchet entered noting that every image on the walls had fallen off. A few knickknacks were scattered but not broken. The walls had done what properly built Cybertronian structures were supposed to do. They took the blast and repelled most of it. That was why his own home was so damaged. He was grateful as he walked through the house. His genitors were tender and gentle. They had had enough shit from high castes already. Turning, he called to them. "All clear, Ada … Atar."
They came around the corner staring with dismay at their immaculate home. When they opened their business and began to 'contribute' to their city and its life they only then began to decorate their home they way they always wanted to do. It was comfortable, beautiful, personal and quintessentially Cybertronian old school. No one who came into it wouldn't be comfortable. The tea kettle on the stove and the pastries they kept in the 'goodie' cupboard were always ready to make someone feel welcome.
"This isn't as bad as I feared, son," Tie Down said with relief. "I was worried that all your ada's pretty things would be ruined. He put so much thought into this house to make it homey and nice that I was so worried."
Ratchet nodded as they both watched Ravel straighten up the scattered things here and there. "This is a big relief, Atar. I was more worried about your house than mine oddly enough. I only want everything and the best for both of you. You have had enough hardship in your lives."
"You too, son," Ravel said pausing. The little bot looked up at his son and shook his helm. "I am so sorry for your home, Ratchet. I loved your home. It was always happy."
"It will be again, Ada. Let me help you both," Ratchet said picking up the empty tea pot from the floor.
"You have so much to do at your apartment, Ratchet. We should help you," Ravel said.
"Its alright," Ratchet said with spark felt emotion. "I will help you here, then go next door. I don't want you there, either of you. Its hard enough to clear up without worrying about both of you."
"We can help," Ravel countered.
"You already do," Ratchet said hugging his ada. He pulled Tie into the embrace and they stood together a moment. Then they turned to the task at servo.
-0-Next door
The box with the things of Praxus and Prowler followed Orion's out the door. There was storage for each family in the basement so they were going there for the time being. Ratchet had suggested that they store them until the house was repaired. Since it was given a priority after being signed off, they had an estimated three orn time line for the major repairs. Furnishings and equipment were totaled. They would have to get replacements at The Home Store or other outlets in the sprawling city and its satellites. Ratchet determined to make it fun for Ironhide. They would get another seashell bed for Hero. He had just been informed by the Circle Guild that it was totaled.
-0-Ops Center, Sub Command Center: Intelligence, Special Operations, The Fortress, Autobot City, Mars
Prime and Prowl sat around the command table in the sub floor center of the Fortress that was reserved for special operations, intelligence and the possibility that the ground level center was destroyed. Elita and her team which included all her 'girls' as well as Jazz, Mirage and Devcon sat with them listening. Barron and Blackstone along with Springer, Kup, Starscream, Rainmaker, Silverclaw and Drift sat with them.
"We have a bomb blast at Ratchet's house. It took out most of his apartment and did damage across the hallway and some in the corridor as well. The other apartments were contained with very minor damage due to the construction and its materials. We are very fortunate that they did call Ratchet to leave. If he had been there he could have been gravely injured. As it is, they have thrown down the gauntlet."
At that moment, Blackjack, Ultra Magnus and Jetta came in apologizing for their late entrance. Prime nodded. "Gentlemen."
"Sir, we are ready to do what you command," Magnus said formally.
Prime nodded back. "We are all veterans of war and subterfuge. We are in a war, my old friends, a war that could take time to win. What we must do is find out who this is, check the extent of their machinations and make sure that when we drop the net on them that we get them all."
"The ace in the hole is a Convocation of the Will, correct?" Jetta asked, something that all of them had on their processors as well.
"It will be a last resort. I want to know the extent of this problem before we do that. If the resultant ending of this situation is to stop it in its tracks we need to identify the participants in this game. We also have a responsibility to be responsible. We have Barron and Blackstone here to police that aspect of our operation. We will be covert but we will not be The Clampdown."
It was silent a moment, then Blackjack nodded. "We don't want that to happen again, Prime. But we shouldn't believe that they will use scruples when they almost blew up my son-in-law."
"No," Prime agreed. "We can't. But they didn't blow Ratchet up when they could have. They made the effort to clear the scene which means that something is resisting gratuitous destruction. We need to hold to the possibility it will continue. We need to locate them before we take any more actions. The less they feel the oppression of the state, the more likely they will stay on this path. That is subject to change of course. Understand me. I have no illusions either."
It was silent a moment, then Mirage spoke. "You know I am the best placed for surveillance. I would like to know if there are any focal points yet."
"We know that Fenix has the Iacon Order listed in the organizational directory as a sanctioned group. We will leave it at that. We have a number of bots infiltrated into that group besides you and Tracks, Mirage. Vin and Joon are on our side as well," Prowl said.
Mirage nodded. "They are part of the Circle and have reformed themselves. Who would have guessed?"
Images and memories of the former governor-general of Tyger Pax came to mind and were put aside as swiftly.
Prowl nodded. "He and Joon are. They are our inside to Fenix. Fenix apparently was a friend. We want you to continue your activities in the Order along with Tracks. I would expect to face more scrutiny for a while since this happened."
Mirage nodded. "I am also ready to scrutinize."
Prime nodded. "We are working out targets now. You will not be going with the mission. You are reassigned to this full time. Work with Elita and Jazz to analyze anything that we want tracked. Where is Wheeljack and Perceptor?"
"I'll call them again," Prowl said as he paused a moment. "They're coming. They wanted to do some work on the sensor data from Tower 2."
Prime nodded. "This group has the ability to cloud their appearance or change the data somehow. We are at the disadvantage here. Is there any listing of caste that we can scrutinize in the databanks, Springer?"
The big bot shook his helm. "Its hit and miss. Some of the intake teams didn't think to put caste down and others had refugees that were either unwilling or afraid to say truthfully what they were before. We could scan what we have for known troublemakers or those with the kind of skills they are using. I doubt that it will do much but we can do it. The troublemakers are not all known because short of the databases on Cybertron, we won't know and they don't volunteer."
Prime nodded. "I would like a work up of Sio and his set. We can use him as a starting point to figure out who might be involved. They are rather fearless in expressing their contempt. I want to talk to Mistermaster as well. I need to set him on another course regarding his behavior as well as find out what is what among those younglings. Some of them are his relations. I can do so in the guise of seeking information to help them. In the end, this is going to help all of us including them so I will not be lying. Much."
Elita grinned. "A few moments behind the Business Plaza could take care of that." She looked at Barron and Blackstone. "A joke."
They grinned. "You seem to think we would object," Blackstone quipped.
The tone relaxed the group as they sat discussing the problem before them. As they did, Wheeljack and Perceptor entered and took their place. Prime nodded. "What do we know, gentlemen?"
"No much, Prime, I am afraid. I am utterly flummoxed by this ability to do what they did," Perceptor said sadly. Wheeljack nodded.
The admission was startling. "You can't figure it out? What the frag, boys? You are supposed to be infallible," Chromia said with a smirk.
Perceptor who didn't get the gently mocking undertones looked flustered. "Well, Chromia … we are trying ..."
Wheeljack patted Perceptor's arm. "She's joking, Percy."
Perceptor looked at Wheeljack, then Chromia. "Oh. I see. Or I would have if there had been a joke in those remarks."
Everyone sat a moment staring at Perceptor, then Elita laughed. "Nice one, Percy," she said with fondness.
Perceptor pleased that someone got the subtleties grinned. "Thank you, Elita. I try." He looked at Optimus. "We have analyzed the set up at the building, gone over every inch of surveillance data and have nothing. What we are looking at is new technology. Either it manipulates the data or it camouflages the individuals from filmed or sensor scrutiny. Either way, we are perplexed how to figure this out or resolve it."
"Well, that's … disconcerting," Magnus said sitting back with a slight sense of foreboding. "If you two can't figure it out, what can we do?"
"Our jobs," Blackjack said grimly. "We have something on our side they don't. Fury."
They sat a moment mulling that, then sat forward to work out how to protect the city against an invisible enemy.
-0-TBC October 5, 2013