The Diego Diaries: Visitation Rites 4 (555) edited
-0-That evening
They gathered in the Prime Residence, the senior staff who were coming to the dinner. Blackjack, Alor and Ironhide came with Ratchet. Springer and Drift were there along with Wheeljack, Perceptor, Neo, Chevron, Lauren and Nitro. Scar, Alpha Trion, Starscream, Rainmaker and Silverclaw came as well just before they were ready to send for their 'guests'. The last to make it were Elita, Jazz, Jetta, Ultra Magnus and Arcee. When they had decided on their general overall goal of impressing the slaggers out of anything they might even think they will do against them, the call went to the Guard to bring the three over. Prowl and Prime sat on chairs as the others stood or sat waiting around the great room. In the kitchen, miracles of culinary mastery were being readied.
-0-Nearby in Tower 4
A rap on the door alerted those inside, then it opened as Paragon peered out. An Elite Household Guard stared at him a moment, then nodded. "We are here to escort you to the Prime Residence for dinner."
Paragon nodded, then glanced at the other two who rose. "Time to go."
He stepped out and the other two followed. They walked surrounded by guards to the elevator and disappeared.
-0-Rampage
He stood by his warming units which were filled with incredible facsimile creations of all manner of Cybertronized Asian foods. The aromas were tantalizing. The food beautiful and artistic. It was an inspired choice. Dinner would be Asian, dessert Cybertronian. The assortment of 'wines' and beers, among the best labels their people ever produced would be served as well. Rampage planned their dinner and all of the required food and beverage items. Their preparation was intense and he was like a general going to war. In his processor, he felt that was true.
He had personally trained the waiters who would serve, the crew cooking and preparing were the best of his students, many of them chefs of their own businesses and all were as determined as him to make the slaggers sorry. Rampage looked around the room checking off items on his list, reviewed the order of service, then nodded. "Well done," he said quietly. Then they all stood together waiting.
-0-At the door
The head of the Guard paused the group, then turned to the door. Opening it, he stepped inside blocking the view. A short conversation could faintly be heard, then he stepped back opening the door widely. Inside the vast spectacular apartment the three could see everyone standing silently waiting. The guards stepped back signaling their entrance so the three walked into the apartment. The guard inside stepped out closing the door behind him.
Paragon glanced around the room, a magnificent vast space. Walking from the obviously private elevator through the foyer, he had read the glyphs impressed on the copper panels that met them on the walls before the huge doors. It was beautiful, as beautiful as the apartment itself.
He could look in most directions and see windows that gave a panoramic view of the city beyond. The furnishings were elegant, the fireplace enormous and the aromas of the food surely to be served tantalized. Prime had really put out effort to impress.
He was. Impressed.
Cyclonus was more buttoned down but his optics took in the display of power and surplus that Prime had laid out for their benefit. Even Slacker was silent. They stood looking at Prime for a moment, then Paragon broke the silence. "Thank you for the invitation."
Prime nodded. "Welcome to the Prime Residence," he said. Glancing around, he considered the group with him, all of them silently watching. "Is there anyone here that you haven't met yet?"
They glanced at everyone, then shrugged. "I am aware of all by reputation," Cyclonus said nodding.
"This is Jetta, Elita and Arcee. I am assuming you know Ultra Magnus from other times and places," Prime said nodding to others in the room.
"By name and reputation," Cyclonus said nodding.
"May I offer you a drink?" Prowl asked calmly.
"That would be nice," Slacker said glancing at the bar nearby where a bartender stood waiting.
Prowl nodded, then gestured with his servo. Slacker turned, then walked forward pausing by the bar. Labels he had only heard rumor of stood on the shelf behind the bartender. He gave his request and it was filled immediately. The others turned along with him and got their drinks as well. Moving to chairs, Starscream, Rainmaker and Neo sat drinks in servo.
Ironhide waited, watching the three as they took their own in servo. The room was tense and quiet as everyone worked through this first moment of interaction. That was when servers came out holding trays of delicate appetizers. They circulated among the group for a few moments, then disappeared again.
"This is an amazing drink, Prime. My compliments to your sommelier* as the humans call them," Slacker said.
"Where did you hear that word?" Arcee asked.
"I read a lot," Slacker said with a grin.
Some of the Autobots smirked in spite of themselves. Starscream grinned. "Tell me, Slacker … what exactly do you prey upon in the outer regions?"
He turned staring at the big Seeker with a measuring gaze. "This and that. Cybertron is a bit on the slack side right now, Cybertron and the Empire. But then I'm sure you know that."
"Why don't you tell us?" Blackjack asked. "It has been a while for some of us."
Slacker shrugged. "Its a wasteland but Soundwave is trying to glue it back together. He gets energon from the two of you doesn't he?" Slacker asked turning to Cyclonus and Paragon. "At least, that's what I have heard, right?"
"You listen to gossip," Paragon said with studied indifference. He glanced at Cyclonus whose expression didn't change.
"You get energon in the Oort Cloud," Jetta asked. "Bits and pieces free floating, correct?"
"You're Jetta, the saboteur. I remember you," Paragon replied.
"Nice," Alor said.
They glanced at him, a legendary individual who sat looking at the three. "What do you mean, Maestro?" Paragon asked.
"Your deflection. You didn't answer the question," Alor said with a slight grin. "You are providing energon to Soundwave."
"Hypothetically, what if we are? We are after all talking about our home world and her population. If Soundwave alleviates suffering and rebuilds, its a win-win for all of us," Paragon replied.
"If he is," Alor replied. "If he is helping those who are innocent, who are trapped, that is one thing. If he is rebuilding his war machine, that is another."
"The question," Jetta asked.
Paragon looked at him. "I would be a great fool to tell you things that would put me at a disadvantage."
"You already are, Paragon. All three of you," Jazz said with a grin. "That's why you're here, right?"
The three considered that, then looked at Prime. "I thought interrogations were poor form for dinner parties," Paragon asked.
Prime shrugged slightly. "There is nothing like small talk over drinks before dinner. Or have you forgotten the niceties after all this time?"
Paragon smirked slightly. "No. But you have us at a disadvantage."
"Good," Blackjack said as Ironhide nodded. "It wouldn't hurt to hear why you are here other than to have a dinner fit for Primus."
"That's always a good idea for a visit," Slacker said with a slight grin. "I would like to know just between you and me what it would take to live in peace in this sector and beyond."
Prime considered that. "Your surrender would be nice. A vow to the Matrix."
"That would be fatal if you broke it," Paragon said. Cyclonus nodded. "Only a fool would break a vow to the Matrix."
"If you believe that sort of thing," Slacker said, then glanced at Chevron and Lauren who were standing nearby. "No offense."
"None taken," Lauren replied. "We as priests serve The One and the Pantheon. Our offense is not what you should fear."
"I don't believe in that stuff. If Primus really did give a frag he wouldn't have allowed the System," Slacker said, his voice becoming cold and hard. "He would have fragged the high castes and we would all be back on Cybertron."
No one in the room actually had an argument for the gist of his assertions but the blasphemy wasn't settling well with a few of the crowd.
"Your belief isn't required. And there is the quaint notion of free will," Alor said quietly.
"Maybe," Slacker said glancing his way. "I don't really care about the nuances. I just know that all of us are scattered to the winds, our planet is in pieces and no one stepped out of the ether to save or help us. Tell me once when they did. Maybe I missed it."
No one spoke a moment, then a waiter appeared at the doorway to the kitchen. "Sir, dinner is ready when you are."
Prime glanced at the waiter, then nodded. "Thank you. I believe that we are."
The waiter nodded, then walked back to the kitchen. Prime turned to the group. "If you would join us for dinner."
The group rose, then moved to the dining room nearby. The table was beautiful, set with artisan made dishes, glassware and cutlery that bore the Emblem of the Primes. Crystal sculptures were centerpieces. Name cards identified where everyone would sit, so they did. As they sat, waiters came out and began to serve the first course. Having served snacks, the main courses were brought out by impeccably trained waiters.
Slacker sat watching them, his off hand manner hiding a very perceptive, deceptively smart processor. Cyclonus sat quietly as Paragon watched attentively. The dishes being placed held foods he had never seen before but they were energon based and therefore edible. "Unusual food. I am curious about what it all is."
"This food is based on certain cuisines from allies," Prowl replied sipping his 'tea' which was being poured into beautiful cups that sported the emblem in the bottom of the bowl. "If you would like, I can ask the chef to explain the dishes to you."
"That might be nice," Slacker said as he sat back enjoying himself.
Prowl looked at him, then smirked himself. Glancing at a server, he nodded. The server turned and walked to the kitchen. After a moment, the chef stepped out, his gaze meeting the three guests levelly. "Chef, our guests would like to know more about the dishes you have created so masterfully." Prowl glanced at the three surprised visitors. Even Cyclonus showed surprise. "Our chef is Rampage."
It was silent as Rampage explained his menu, the intricacies of the dishes, the beauty of their presentation and how they were created. He did so with a quiet confidence that was so improbable that the cognitive dissonance was obvious on the face of the three. When he had explained how the dishes and drinks were complimentary and how they were made by former refugee artisans who had brewed them on Cybertron, he nodded to Prime and Prowl, then left for the kitchen again.
It was silent a moment.
Slacker sat forward looking at the incredible array of beautiful foods on his plate. "You think you've seen it all, then this place happens." He grinned.
Paragon nodded. "Rampage is your colony's premier chef. Who would have guessed?"
Ratchet grinned. "Truer words never spoken."
They began to eat.
-0-TBC December 18, 2013
NOTE: I watched Transformers: Return of the Fallen for the umpteenth time and the formats of the bots seem slightly unreasonable. I love some of them and others not so much. They don't seem to have a lot of substance or essence if you know what I mean. They seem to be a pile of this and that which doesn't seem able to really hold together. They also clank. Imagine what it would be like to be around them on Cybertron. The noise would be colossal. They are incredibly dirty and oil covered in robotic mode, then awesome in automobile mode. Its intriguing but sort of impossible in some ways, at least for me and my sense of them stemming from G1 forward. They are handsome, well made and shaped to be reasonable. I guess IDW, G1 and the like have spoiled me. However, I love some of the Bay stuff. Ironhide is adorable. Ratchet put his face on all their runts. :D:D:D
PS. That little bug scout apparently is an Insecticon, the one that has his head pulled off by Sam. Cute little thing, that bug.
PSS Also, Rampage's format doesn't make sense to me. Two arms and a torso that tapers to a point. He bounces. Interesting look but WFT?
PSSS Did anyone but me notice that the Fallen can teleport or bridge by himself? Semi awesome. :D
PSSSS I do love the Superman poses that some of the Autobots do. Optimus at the end of the movie on the ship, Bee when he first talks to Sam and Optimus at the end of the first movie. Cute. :D:D:D
PSSSSS Sommelier: Wine expert. Or Prowl. ;)