The Diego Diaries: Skills 5 (464) edited
-0-At an apartment in a tower in Crystal City, Mars
They gathered together, a small tight group that had been friends since separation. They were what humans might call nerds. Anything tech was the end all and be all of existence. They had used their tech ideas and contraptions to do whatever they wanted on Cybertron and in the Diaspora. It had saved their lives twice but had been the bane of many individual's existences who had lived in their proximity. They had masterminded a lot of tech that had no equal anywhere. That their masterminding including stealing and borrowing a number of other's ideas probably helped a great deal.
It had allowed them to go wherever they wanted, take what they wanted and destroy things. They had 'fun' doing so. Now they were using it here to do the same thing. They didn't feel any connection to the Prime of their people nor especially the Matrix. Even though their parents were religious, they didn't feel they had to be nor were they. The Matrix was that 'stupid relic' that their genitors always went on about, usually complaining that Optimus had it.
Gathering in the bachelor quarters of two of them, oddly enough a benefit for the unbonded individuals of the colony that they took as their due, they sat down to plan their next move. They called themselves The Guiding Hand after a creation saga about a group of ancient gods that were familiar to every Cybertronian everywhere.
They were four who were born directly of Primus set forward to help the Cybertronian race in His company. They ushered in the Golden Age and all was well until Mortilus the Death Bringer decided that Cybertron should rule the universe and they would be the 'fist' of that effort. It tore the Guiding Hand apart as well as the planet. Cybertron was even said to have lost a moon in orbit during the upheaval. Mortilus died in the battle with his siblings and the rest were harmed greatly, even mortally twelve million years prior to the present day.
Primus gave life and light, Solomus wisdom. Epistemus was considered knowledge personified and Adaptus could become any shape he wanted. Mortilus was death and nearly destroyed everyone. Primus became the heart and soul of Cybertron with Vector Sigma his direct interface. Solomus who was trapped in a crystal by Mortilus rearranged himself into the Matrix while Adaptus gave his format specifications to become the prototype for transformation cogs and Epistemus a prototype brain nodule. Because they were doomed in their forms, they gave them to the Cybertronians to help them face life without their support.
The first to benefit were the Knights of Cybertron. Others who have followed such as the Circle of Light, The Peace Mission of Primus … 'The Missionaries' and the Autobots inculcated their movements with the wisdom and spirit of these, the selfless first of their kind. It was said that with the doom of Mortilus death itself was defeated, thus Cybertronians live almost immortal lives.
It was a creation story that many believed. Remnants of the Guiding Hand were still to be seen on Cybertron. They were highly honored and considered incredibly important to the Cybertronian self view. Primus as ever had pride of place in this, the other dominant creation story of their people. It was viewed by most as following the defeat of Unicron so tucked into the other major story rather nicely. Or so the Priests would explain.
For the five individuals in the apartment it was a nice framework within which to run their operation here on this colony. They were the Guiding Hand made new. They were The Light and Life Giver, The Adept, The Solomic Wise Mech, The Thinker and The Death Bringer. They had technology that they had created both on their own and from their sojourn in the wilderness of the Diaspora. It had never failed them and they didn't believe it would fail here. They would use it to undermine the Prime and seek righteous vengeance against the ones who would deny them.
They were best. They were first. They were undefeated. They were the Guiding Hand.
-0-Flight Briefing, Flight Center, Fortress, Autobot City, Mars
Red Wing had outlined the plan, trouble shot it with the heavy gunner Seekers, then they broke for the orn. Fifteen of their most veteran heavy gunners would be flying air support for the mission. They would travel on board ships since Seekers were now anathema in the Empire. They would report the next orn to the Flight Center at the airfield to have the techs apply the dreaded and now much hated gray paint that would allow them to blend in for whatever benefit that it might give.
-0-Sciences
Wheeljack walked in with dinner and set it on the table beside Perceptor. That bot was earnestly in consultation with his own forward lobes as he ran numbers in his processor. He didn't notice the food and drink that Wheeljack had ordered from their favorite restaurant. Wheeljack sat and studied the calm logical partner of most of his life. He had not thought about Perceptor as a partner beyond the necessary collaborations needed to do what the Cause required and wanted from both of them.
That they had become more lay in the servos of one of the most perceptive and maddening bots he knew, Ratchet. He had found his spark mate in the slightly nerdy, slightly oblivious, always dignified professor of just about everything at the most prestigious institutions on Cybertron. He was ultra high caste which probably helped his slightly clueless manner in regards to the orn-to-orn dealings of life. He had never once in the historically long collaboration between them traded upon or invoked his caste. He felt the same way as Wheeljack … the caste system was an illogical detrimental fallacy of repugnant thinking and outmoded deficient personality traits that needed to die out.
Wheeljack smirked. "Do you know I am here?"
Perceptor paused, then glanced at Wheeljack. "I always do."
"Then let's eat, Percy. The fraggers will still be there when we finish," Wheeljack said with a grin.
So they did.
-0-Elsewhere
He walked into his genitors' apartment. They were watching The Hourly News which was discussing a number of news items of the orn. He walked to the couch and sat nodding to both of his parents. His atar was a statistician with the Hospital, a job relatively close to what he had done for the Bureau of Vital Statistics on Cybertron. His ada was a computer tech with the Energon Administration. "Where have you been, son?" his ada asked.
"I was with my friends," Kale said with a grin.
"There's food in the fridge. Heat it up and its still good," his ada said nodding to the kitchen.
He rose and got a beer after putting the covered dish waiting for him in the heating oven. He stood beside the counter watching the news.
"In other news today, a boiler explosion in the Mare Tranquilitatis damaged three apartments including gutting one entirely. No one was home fortunately since it was estimated that if anyone had been there could have been fatalities," Lim-Lee said as film illustrated the event. Ratchet and Prime, Prowl and other officials stood watching as policing officers and the fire department worked to bring things together.
He watched it avidly. :Default. Gravity. Commotion. Are you watching The Hourly News?:
:I saw it: Gravity replied as he sat in his room at his genitor's house working on their newest technical bludgeon against the system. :It went the way we wanted it. Sio would have blown up the building:
:Good thing he's in the loony bin: Kale said with a grin. :This weekend, lets do something big. Something that they can't bury so easily:
:I know. I'm working on it now: Gravity said.
:Good. Keep me informed: Kale replied.
:Don't worry. I will: Gravity said with a grin.
-0-At the Pax Hotel, Pax
"This is a nice berth, Ada."
"I agree, Sunny Bunny," Ratchet said with a grin.
"Will we go to school tomorrow?" he asked.
"You bet," Ratchet said tucking his blankets around him. Glancing to the side, he saw Orion smiling at him like a jack-o-lantern. Ratchet chuckled. "You two make me laugh."
"ADA! I LOVE YOU!"
Ratchet looked at him, the little center of his universe. "I love you too, spud." He grinned at Sunspot. "I love both of you. You make me happy. Go to recharge."
"We will." Sunspot looked at Orion, then chuckled. "This is going to be fun."
Ratchet snorted. "That makes me nervous," he said as he walked to the door and shut off the light. He looked back noting Orion and Sunspot with Spot laying between them. "Good night."
"GOOD NIGHT, ADA!" Sunspot said.
"ADA! BYE!" Orion said.
Ratchet grinned, then walked across the hallway. Entering the other bedroom, he paused. Ironhide was tucking Praxus and Hero into the big bed. "Go to recharge, infants," Ironhide said.
"Good night, Atar," Hero said. Then she glanced at Ratchet. "Good night, Ada."
"Good night, infants," Ratchet said.
"ADA! BYE!" Praxus said as Ironhide kissed him.
"Bye, Praxus," Ratchet said as he turned with Ironhide following him out. They walked to the living room and sat down. Prowler was in his bouncy chair dozing lightly. "That went better than I thought."
"I know," Ironhide said turning on the television. "Did you see the news?"
"No," Ratchet said. "Did they get my good side?"
"All of your sides are good, Ratchet," Ironhide said glancing at Ratchet.
Ratchet snorted, then grinned at him. "Thanks."
They sat companionably, then The Hourly News came on. "Good evening. This is The Hourly News at 2000 hours on the Terran Military Clock and I am Lim-Lee reporting from IntraComm studio 2 in Autobot City. Tonight, we have a number of items to get to including an update on a boiler mishap in the Mare Tranquilitatis. Right now, we are going to Jacx at the new habitation sites to get an update from The City Engineer for the colony, Jetta on the progress of the construction."
(Cut to construction site south of Autobot City)
"Jetta, what can you tell us about the construction of the three new cities being raised here?" Jacx asked.
"We are currently working on three new sites here south of Autobot City and Crystal City. They are linked to the all of our other satellite cities by highways which are being paved right now. We have constructed these new locations on a purely Cybertronian plan so that we can have habitations that match those on Cybertron. They are all interconnected above the ground as well as connected to all the other cities by highway.
"We are also following the Cybertronian example of having businesses and business areas located in the towers that can be reached by pedestrians as well as by vehicle mode. It is designed to enhance unity and neighborhood," Jetta said as paving equipment drove past to face more highway. Overhead, the construction continued.
"What is the population cap for these cities?" Jacx asked.
"We are looking at nearly three quarters of a million individuals. The construction can easily be adapted to expand the housing potential of this area because it was designed that way. We are working on a long term plan for major populations in future migrations. We have a large set of structures in a small footprint. We don't want urban sprawl. We want to keep the Cybertronian ideal of community intact," Jetta said.
"What sort of amenities can residents expect here and in the other two cities?" Jacx asked as the camera panned around the area.
"We have businesses that are going to provide all of the services the other cities provide short of the Sports Center for now. There will be restaurants, groceries, all manner of businesses and city offices. There will be a medical center in all three as well as governmental outlets. No one has to go to The City to do their business unless they wish because we are diversifying our locations to provide faster service and easier access. We are also building a lot of public entertainment options. There will be a theater in each city, clubs and other things as well."
"How long do you have before the next refugee wave comes?" Jacx asked.
"We have a huge migration on the sensors that is some time off. But we can also fetch them with bridges so it could be any time in any configuration if the need calls for it. Right now, we are going orn by orn. It could change at any time."
"There are rumors that another stadium will be built near here. Anything to that? Also another big airport for the military and housing for the major formats like the Supremes." Jacx asked.
"There are plans for it. As you may have heard, the adult football league is going to be expanded to twelve teams next year. We have two stadiums so that two games will be played on each game day as of now. That will allow for the season to be longer and the playoffs more varied as well. If we have another stadium here we can field three games and have six of the twelve teams play on game days. That would make for a longer schedule to reach the playoff teams.
"As for diversifying the air fields, that is on the long term plan. We want to remove the military from the city center of Autobot City and give them more space and facilities out here. Then we can also have better housing hangar wise for the huge formats. It will offer more privacy, space and amenities for them and their families."
"What about the Mausoleum being relocated between here and The City? I heard that there will be plans for a Basilica as they had in Iacon. Any information about that?" Jacx asked.
"It is in the plans. We moved the cemetery from the foothills of Mount Olympus due to the pressure of expansion from the Seeker enclave. We want it to have room and solidity which is why it was placed on a site along the highway to here. This is sacred space for families and we want the road from The City to pass the cemetery on the way to this place so that the area will be directly linked to the Temple. A basilica would resurrect a holy site from Cybertron and allow for traditional funerals and internments. We want our life back, Jacx. We want our children to understand who and what they are and see our life again. That is the point of this construction and to make the important buildings again."
Jacx nodded. "Thank you, Jetta. Lim-Lee, back to you."
Lim-Lee came back on screen. "We talked to Jazz, the Information and Intelligence Officer for the Army about the progress of the mission that is being prepared at the Military Air Field in The City. He had this to say to Gen-O earlier this evening."
(Cut to Fortress and Ops Center)
"Jazz, what is the progress of the mission being prepared for on the airfield?" Gen-O asked.
"The mission is just about ready to go. Right now, we are still fitting the ships that will go."
"Who is commanding the mission?" Gen-O asked.
"Right now, overall operational command will be give to General Blackjack. Field command will be Ironhide's responsibility with medical fallin' to Commander Ratchet."
"You are taking a flight of Seekers, right?"
"We are. We're takin' a flight of heavy gunners. We want overwhelmin' numbers and fire power to make things easy and fast if there is any resistance to our operation," Jazz said.
"Will you be going?"
"I will. I'm going to handle intel on the mission with Elita-1 taking care of things here," Jazz said.
"Thank you, Jazz. Back to you, Lim-Lee," Gen-O said.
Lim-Lee reappeared again. "We are going to be rolling the Community Bulletin Board activity page for tomorrow for a moment. Please note a change in the lunches for the Youngling Intermediate School for the rest of the week. When we come back we will have an interview with the captains of the Marauders and Comets teams of the Youngling Amateur Rugby League on their upcoming game this weekend."
The bulletin board began to roll.
"At least we aren't the first story on the broadcast now," Ratchet said with a grin. "A boiler blowing up isn't exactly a sexy story."
"I don't know," Ironhide said with a grin. "You're in it."
Ratchet grinned at the big smoldering center of his universe. "Ditto, Ironhide."
They sat together enjoying the evening chatting until the news rolled back on.
-0-N.E.S.T. Habitat
Charlotte Mearing sat watching The Hourly News and felt dejavu all over again. It felt like sitting at her house in the evening watching the local newscast. The information about the mission would never be given out there the way they did here. It was strange and familiar at the same time. They were very open and very united. The boiler thing stuck in her craw. She didn't believe it any more than Simmons did. She would have to check it out. Someone would slip and tell her. She sat back and sipped her tea.
Since she was stuck here, she had nothing but time.
-0-TBC October 7, 2013
NOTE: My tuxedo kitten is a female who is awesome. She is about two months old and just walked up to my door Sunday. Saturday night, I dreamed about kittens .. saving kittens. :D I am naming her Prowl because she is a black cat with a turtle neck of white that goes down her belly to her feet. Her front paws are white and she has flecks of white on her face. She also has golden eyes. Her behavior and personality remind me of a cat I had about 50 years ago. I wouldn't be surprise if my old kitteh came back to her old ma. HUGS tonight. :D