The Diego Diaries: Another Orn 1 (527)
-0-National Press Club, Washington, D.C., USA, Earth
They stood side-by-side having arrived together in the same car. They had spent a few hours earlier locked alone in a conference room going over each others impressions. The Senate Majority leader, the one who ran the party that held the majority in the Senate was a staunch Autobot supporter. The Speaker of the House who ran the party that held the majority in the House of Representatives wasn't. They walked to the podium and stood together as the overflowing room full of reporters and cameras took their fill of shots and first impressions. Then it settled.
"Thank you for coming," Majority Leader Albert Jung said. Speaker of the House, Morris Quill nodded as well. "Good morning," he said, his expression tight, his complexion pale.
-0-Autobot City Ops Center, Mars
"He looks uptight and tense." -Mirage
"Is that good or bad?" -Jazz
"?" -collective shrug of uncertainty among all in attendance
-0-Earth
"For the past day or so, my colleague and I have been on Mars with the aliens. We went on a detailed tour of the city, met many of the aliens and even went out to meet the newest incoming migration which numbered over one million. It was an extraordinary experience to see this problem and watch it being carefully and skillfully dismantled into a solution," Morris Quill said. "Imagine facing one million individuals at your doorstep, then producing all the things that are needed for that mass. Imagine doing it with only the resources of your block or neighborhood. It was an amazing spectacle."
Albert Jung nodded. "It was. In the midst of that great migration were bad guys, criminals and others who came with bad intentions. We were sitting in chairs on a console of the command deck next to an Autobot named Jazz. He was intelligence officer for the entire operation and explained things to us as it went."
-0-Autobot City Ops Center, Mars
"There will be no living with you now," Mirage said with a grin.
Jazz grinned, then glanced at Mirage. "You can't deny talent."
That got the love it deserved, then all returned to the monitor.
-0-National Press Club, Washington, DC, USA, Earth
"They were prepared for the possibilities, all of them. The ship we were on was called the Phobos after one of the moons of Mars," Quill continued. "It was a massive former Decepticon warship refitted for Autobot service. It was gigantic and powerful. Thank god. Because the enemy didn't give in a couple of times. They needed to be boarded and the Autobots did. The first group … I don't even know how to describe them."
Jung glanced at him, then turned to the silent group before them with their cameras and tape recorders. "We won't do this justice but I actually wrote down things." He pulled a notepad from his pocket. Consulting it, he began. "The first group was called the Decepticon Justice Division. They were a band of modified psychotics who enforced discipline in the Decepticon ranks. If you stepped out of line or they thought you did they hunted you. I was told no one could ever defeat them. The armada with Prime did.
"One of them had the ability to remove his face coverings and put it on the face of his enemies. The inside mask of his face was covered in nails, drills and blades of all kinds. I saw it. I can't imagine what that could be like for someone, anyone." He paused a moment, then began again. "Another one could enclose someone in their chest and turn on heat so hot that the one inside melted slowly, painfully. Another one had blades in their chest that could chew up anyone and anything. There were two others but I have to tell you … I lost track after these three.
"The challenge was met and the enemy defeated. Their ship was destroyed and they nearly with it. Right now, they are imprisoned at Autobot City permanently. The second group was a Decepticon special ops crew, the Decepticon counterpart of the Autobot Wreckers who refused to surrender. They were boarded by the Autobot's special ops team, the Wreckers and taken down. We watched it unfold in real time on the forward monitors of the Phobos. It was incredibly ferocious and terrifying. I cannot imagine what would happen here should any or all of them have arrived on Earth and that is where they were heading.
"Optimus Prime and his people consider the first group Phase Sixers. Those are the individuals who are strong enough to destroy entire worlds on their own. Consider that. They have the ability to blow up entire planets into dust. They have more than once and there are Phase Six teams out there in the universe that serve at Megatron's beck and call," Jung said.
"We found their military to be incredibly impressive and brave. To go into these kind of situations scares me and I served in the military myself," Jung said. "Ambassador Ratchet ran the medical part of the rescue from another former Decepticon ship called Moonbase after one of Cybertron's three moons. He had to go into the wreckage of the ship that carried the Decepticon Justice Division and pull out bodies. He went there with armed soldiers. I watched. He floated in, then turned and pulled everyone out."
Quill nodded. "Apparently, this nightmare isn't complete without a sparkeater. That is a creature that can assume bodies of hosts or format himself into something benign, then suck your spark or soul out of your body for dinner. They eat your soul. Slowly. There was one on the Justice Division's ship. That should tell you how awful they were. Even a sparkeater didn't eat theirs. Ratchet saw it and pulled everyone back."
"How did they get rid of it, Senator?" someone asked from the front row as the two men paused to gather themselves.
Jung looked at him. "We used space bridges to come and go from the migration. Tunnels into time and space … controlled wormholes. They focused a bridge on the monster, then sent him into the center of a nearby star."
It was quiet a moment.
"Oh," the reporter replied.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"This may be going good. Even if ol' Quill doesn't change, he will scare everyone our way with his story," Jazz said with a grin.
Prowl nodded. "I think you're right," he said softly.
-0-National Press Club, Washington, DC, USA, Earth
"We spent time out there wherever 'there' was watching the rescue, then returned to Earth to refresh and watch the ground game," Quill said. "The system is remarkable. They have all of the refugees sorted out there, medically assisted out there if necessary while those who need treatment or support right away are brought through ahead of time by priority. They go through an intake process when they land where their data is taken, then a civilian volunteer takes them to their newly allotted homes. They have three days to look around the city and settle in before going to work. Or if they need it, they can take longer. The city supports the newcomers through a transition period."
Jung nodded. "There is a lot of trauma and some need to recover. All of the city's services and medical are provided to everyone regardless. All you need to do is express the need. The ships they bring are taken out by the big formats as they call them, the Supreme vessels and the Aerialbots. They pick up most of them and carry them to other places. Until you have watched half a dozen robots that stand over 800 feet tall picking up ships you can't know what insignificant feels like.
"We gathered on a vantage point that the humans use that live there. We were there with N.E.S.T. soldiers including General Morshower and Colonel Fulton, the commanding officer of American forces at Diego Garcia. A number of our soldiers spend time on Mars beyond their duties and often their families come too. They show the flag among our allies and are dearly loved, a number of them having been granted Cybertronian citizenship as a show of support and solidarity from Prime himself.
"We were watching as the last few ships began to land. Two of them did and apparently there was gang sign on their vessels that allowed the Autobots to prepare for them. Optimus Prime and his committee were still there greeting the arrivals when a gunfight broke out."
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"Alright … here we go," Jazz said grimly.
-0-National Press Club, Washington, DC, USA, Earth
"The gunfight erupted when the two ships emptied to come forward. They composed two former street gangs from Cybertron who had made their way to Mars. Apparently, the possibility that criminals can come as well as legitimate refugees is something they have been aware of and plan for all along," Jung said. "They hide in migrations and try to get past security but they never do. This group didn't even try. There was an argument, then everyone began shooting. It was extraordinary and I don't think I can do it justice." Quill nodded in agreement.
"The Autobots had the field surrounded but the gunfight began to blaze," Jung said. "I stood on the shipping crate with everyone else and there was no way to hide. Shots were falling all around us. We saw Ironhide, the Master of the Army and Ambassador Ratchet pull guns, then turn to run our way. They were bearing down on us when Ambassador Ratchet got shot. He spun in the air, then fell down. He rolled and got up running for us again. He took another shot, then spun but kept coming. Ironhide reached us, putting us on the ground behind the boxes. He told us to stay down, then turned to go toward the shooting firing as he did. He RAN toward the firefight which was incredibly intense." It was silent a moment, then Jung continued. "A young mech, a kid came running toward us. I think he was trying to save us." Jung paused a moment, his emotion overtaking him, then he continued, a grim Quill standing silently beside him. "We watched him come, then a shot hit him in the chest. He fell down dead."
"He was dead, this kid that tried to save us. Then Ambassador Ratchet was there to try and save him but he wasn't going to be. They turned, both Ratchet and Ironhide back to the fight and joined it. It was an amazing thing. I was hiding behind a box praying and they were heading back to the fighting. There was no cover for them but they did it. They protected us and the city. The fight was toe-to-toe with the enemy and no cover," Quill said shaking his helm. "There was carnage at the field. 24 of the enemy were killed, 18 injured. They were killed and so was that kid who tried to save us." His distress was intense as the crowd waited for the two to collect themselves.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
It was intensely silent. Prowl looked at Prime. "That is a nice memorial to this kid. Are you going to disabuse them of their perception?"
Prime shook his helm. "No. It might give Commotion's genitors some comfort to believe this too."
Prowl nodded, then they turned back to the news conference.
-0-National Press Club, Washington, DC, USA, Earth
"We came to learn something of the Cybertronians, to see their life and habitations first hand. We met the Hu-An, a species rescued by the Autobots earlier who have created a garden in their domed habitat and are part of the daily lives of the colony. We met civilian, soldier, Neutral, Circle, Knight and Missionary there. The cities are difficult to explain in their complexity but utterly familiar. We had time to see families, schools, work places as well as watch the military defend and protect. We experienced technology that we don't understand. We took a bridge from Diego Garcia to Luna Base, then to Autobot City. It took us under a minute to arrive at Mars from Earth. One minute to go 140,000,000 miles. We walked to Mars through time and space. I am so honored, I wish I was a poet," Jung said. "Only poetry will do justice to this experience."
Quill nodded. "I have seen things that are extraordinary and I am honored to be the one who did. The universe is so vast I can't explain how small I feel just being on Mars let along halfway to Gliese 667, a star that was found by telescope with the possibility to support life. I was that close to another world with the possibility of life. It was life changing and affirming for me. To see them act with such bravery ... I could never have gone into the wreckage of that 'Con ship to retrieve anything let alone the weird bodies of the Justice Division. I watched Ambassador Ratchet neutralize their threat while binding their wounds afterward. I watched and listened to the care and dignity they gave exhausted weary refugees. I have seen how they live and it startles me how much like us they seem to be. I came to Mars ready to find evidence to support my opposition to them but I didn't. They are the only thing standing between us and an alien invasion. We don't have the ability to fend off some of the terrors that exist out there. And I have found, they aren't all Cybertronian. There are hunters out there, an alien species that lives to hunt other beings. They use monsters that spew acid on their prey. How the hell are we supposed to defend against that?"
Jung nodded. "We can't. We need this alliance and the support and protection of our allies. This alliance is beyond important. Without it, we will be destroyed. You will be told otherwise by a lot of people who have nothing but scare tactics to offer. We saw what we are up against. No one expected either group in the migration but they were there. Without the Autobots standing between us and them, they would be here."
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"Well, one down and how many more to go?" Prowl asked no one in particular.
"One ally at a time, Prowl," Optimus Prime replied with more relief than he could believe was possible.
-0-Nearby at the inquest
"The 24 soldiers that fell were shot through and through in the cross fire. That anyone survived the shoot out is a miracle. The 18 who did are in intensive care in the Security Ward in the Elder, Femme, Youngling and Sparkling Hospital in Metroplex District and will be taken to the prison when they are released," Ratchet said as he sat answering questions with Perceptor, Wheeljack and two of their forensic pathology students in the inquest at the Courthouse in Courtroom 2.
"Very well. I rule that those unfortunate deaths were justifiable given the circumstances and that video and eyewitness testimony indicated that they fired the first shot. I wish it wasn't so but it is," Semi said moving those datapads to one side. He looked up and glanced around the room. "We come now to the disposition of the youngling, Commotion. I would caution the audience to be still. Anyone who disrupts these proceedings will be removed with the possibility of being jailed if they do so. Understood?"
No one spoke and many nodded.
Semi turned to Ratchet. "Doctor, please give testimony to the incident in which the death of Commotion, a citizen of Autobot City occurred."
Ratchet sat back, then nodded. "Alright," he said quietly.
-0-TBC November 24, 2013
NOTE: FACTS ON MARS
Second smallest planet in system ahead of Mercury. (Pluto isn't considered a planet but a planetoid now) *WEEP*
"Be stationed there and you would HATE IT!"
"Now, now, Suntreaker ..."
Mars is 53% the size of Earth. Because it is desert, there is equal amounts of dry land on Earth and Mars
It isn't a sphere, rather its an oblate spheroid. It bulges at the equator.
It rotates 24.6 hours a day. When its day here, it could be early evening there. The days and nights aren't equal on both thus watches and conversations would have to be synched to match up.
Diameter: Pole to pole: 4222 miles (6752 km)
Circumference at equator: 13,200 miles (21,244 km)
It has 10 times less mass than Earth and 38% of its gravity. If you weighted 100 pounds on Earth, you would weigh 38 pounds on Mars.
Because there are no plate tectonics, the crust of Mars being solid, the crust never moved and took volcanoes with it. (Because of plate tectonics, the Hawaiian Islands were formed as the plates slowly drifted over a seeping hot spot in the mantle. You can trace the direction of that plate system by the islands' formation. The newest Hawaiian island is still under water being formed from the hot spot seepage but it too in time will drift away and a new one will be born.) They stayed in one place and grew upward. Olympus Mons (Mount Olympus) is 17 miles high and three times taller than Everest. It has a 370 mile base diameter that would cover the entire state of New Mexico in the USA.
The Valles Marineris is the greatest rift in the system. It is 6 miles (10 km) deep and runs east to west 2500 miles (4000 km), one fifth the distance around Mars. It is close to the width of Australia at its widest or the distance from Philadelphia to San Diego on Earth.
The crust of Mars is about 30 miles or 50 km deep compared to earth with its broken crust (due to internal core heat keeping things melty and tectonic-y … nothing like science to make you be uber precise. :D:D:D) of about 18 miles at its deepest. It is only about 3-5 miles where it is thin, such as around Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. (Which is a vast volcano. Woe be to the earth if it ever blasts off. It will do us all in) (Uh, don't worry. Okay? We're going to kill ourselves before that EVER happens. Trust me. :D:D:D)
The mantle is dormant with a solid core that keeps the interior soft, like rocky rock paste. There is no movement in the solid planetary core so there is no magnetic field like earth. Mars is bombarded by radiation because of this and is inhospitable to human life.
Average temperatures: daily temperature is -80 F or -60 C
It can vary. At poles it can be -195 F or -125
It can reach +70 F or +20 C in summer.
Snow can fall but it is carbon dioxide in flake form the size of blood cells in humans.
The atmosphere is 100 times thinner than earth and is 95% carbon dioxide with oxygen supplying only 00.13 % of its composition. It has the greatest dust storms in the system that produce dust devils all over the place. If they are big enough they can link up making massive storms over 250 miles high that can shroud the planet in darkness for months on end. It is a talc like dust that can take forever to settle. It covers a volcanic basalt subsurface.
Mars has no thermal blanket like earth so it cannot hold heat. The summer at the equator can range from +70F/+20C during the day to -100F/-73 during the night. Frost at night can form, but melts as the day warms to become mist. It is 100% humidity until it evaporates.
There are four seasons like earth but they are effected by the planet. Mars does tilt on its axis for this to happen. Spring is longest and can last 7 months in the northern regions. Summer and Fall are 6 months each with winter at 4 months, the shortest season.
Polar ice caps shrink and grow by the seasons and there is ample water frozen underground. There are speculations about deep underground water reservoirs as well.
Mars formed 4.6 billion years ago like earth.
Mars rules.
Thus endth the lesson. ;) (The teacher in me dies hard). (Unfortunately, my tense and misspell word thingo is flourishing too) :D:D:D I edit asap everyday.