The Diego Diaries: New Year 2 (585) edited
-0-At the Plaza
They stood silently, a multitude of bots and their alien allies. The humans watched the crowd, noting the solemn affect of all around them. For a moment, they were still. Then Optimus Prime nodded. "We are gathered here today to dedicate a memorial to our people and our allies, a memorial to commemorate them so that they continue to live here among us.
"There are so many lost to the Matrix among our people. No one standing here is free from the burden of the war and its consequences. When Autobot Scout Bumblebee found the location of the AllSpark, he signaled to us to come to this system, to the third planet from the sun. When we arrived, there was only five of us to find it and defend the humans, our greatest allies against Megatron and the Decepticons. The humans had no idea what was in their midst so when Megatron was freed from captivity it put them into grave peril.
"We joined forces and defeated him, then defeated him again when a shard of the AllSpark revived Megatron. In the middle of battle on the home world of the organics, many were hurt or killed. It was a terrible price to pay for a battle that landed on their shores through no fault of their own. But we learned together how to work for the common good. We fight together, patrol and police this system and the Decepticons pay a heavy price when they make moves against us.
"But even as we push them back, they harmed us here as they did on Cybertron and inside the Cybertronian Empire. Our people have been cast into the universe like grains of sand driven by the wind. They are scattered everywhere and we seek them constantly. You have come here and our lives have been blessed by your presence. But even as we recover you, we have lost many and more still wander.
"On the copper plates in the Garden of Remembrance in the Temple Precinct, names of the missing and the dead are inscribed. They remain with us remembered and honored. We will never forget them. They are one of the sources of inspiration that drive us forward to protect and defend this system as well as seek all our missing comrades and families.
"Today, the calendar combines with the humans as well as us. Memorial Day, the day of remembrance of all we love … Veteran's Day, the day we honor those comrades and citizens who have served our security and safety, both living and dead join the human's New Year on their calendar. It is fitting that it does. We have time to be thankful, to remember those who gave the fullest measure for all of us and to face a new year resolved to ensure that their sacrifices were not in vain. Today, we celebrate their lives, their bravery and effort. Today, we look back upon them with gratitude and respect even as we face a new day, a new year, a new future built on the bedrock of their sacrifice.
"We have built this monument to honor them, a monument that bears the names of our people and those humans who were killed in battle on Earth. Their names will be remembered. Their lives will not be forgotten. They will remain here in a place of honor lit by a light that will never go out. It burns for them, for their families and for the idea that we are free, we are one, we are united. It must be so. It must always be so."
Optimus turned taking a device from Jetta. He looked at the control, then pressed a button on its surface. A rumble beneath their peds could be felt a second, then it disappeared. The monument flared, then out of the seemingly endless tiny holes a flame burst forth. It roiled a moment, then went upward, each flame braiding itself as they did. Each jet was pointed just so to allow the flames to twist. The thin atmosphere didn't help but the intensity of the fire jets themself allowed it to burn. It was forced though the holes and swirled upward in an undulating mass, informing the structure like it was a lighted spear point.
Everyone stood a moment, then it began. "UNTIL ALL ARE ONE!"
The humans glanced around themselves as the sound of the chant swept over the crowd flowing outward to the hinterlands. It rose up, a swell of emotion lifting it skyward, almost as if being issued as a challenge to their enemies. It was vast, primal, a shout to the heavens, to Primus, the Pantheon, to The One. It was a roar of life pushing back the darkness of uncertainty. It was defiance to the unknown.
They chanted too, the humans, adding their small voices to the chorus that surrounded them, the sound beating against their environmental suits like sand in a storm. They chanted and roared themselves until almost as one it ended. It was unnaturally silent for a moment, then Armour stepped forward. He looked at the crowd, then smiled. Softly, with intensity, he chanted a poem from The Chronicles, one that was always said on Cybertron for the dead.
The crowd listened wherever they were, absorbing the words and their meaning. It had been a long long time since the ceremonies were held like this. They listened to the chant with a hunger that surprised many of them. They watched the High Priest of the Temple of Simfur make the prayers on their holy orn. His voice reached them, the softly spoken words touching them. Then he was done. Looking at them, he turned and bowed deeply to Prime. All of the priests did, then the crowd as well. Prime nodded his helm in return, the proper response of the First Disciple of Primus.
Prime looked at the memorial, beautiful and seemingly alive with energy, then turned to the crowd. "On this day, we remember who we are. On this day, we honor those that we love and those that served to protect and guide us. We thank our veterans who have paid a terrible price for a very long time to ensure all of us the possibility of life. We also remember the dead and the missing. It is my vow and my duty as Prime to honor the dead by saving the living. No one who is lost will not be sought out. Everyone who makes their way here will be saved. All of us have that duty. All of us must live for others too.
"We live two lives by the nature of our history, our own and one for the dead. Today, we honor them. Tomorrow, we work hard to make ourselves worthy of their sacrifices. I am honored to serve you as your Prime. Until all are one."
The crowds bowed their helms and murmured the words back. Then the moment was broken and everyone paused, chatting a moment, inspecting the monument, turning to go onward into their orn. The night would have fireworks. The orn would be involved with family, friends and a visit to the Temple. The next day, the colony would begin again, the work week commencing after the festivities and the solemnity. Schools would be open, work and businesses resuming once more. Today would be the last holiday for some time to come.
-0-On the way back
Ratchet walked with Ironhide, their holds filled with infants, the dog and Sunspot in the tender care of their genitors who had separated from them in the crowds. They were going home to have lunch with the family. It would be quiet all day. Memorial Day among their people was solemn and family oriented. Given that they had been deprived of nearly everything that mattered over eons, spending time together in a good way almost seemed obligatory. They disappeared into the crowds as they made their way through the short distance to the Mare Tranquilitatis and home once more.
-0-Humans
They followed Lennox and the soldiers, all of them weaving their way through the forest of legs that stood around them, some moving, others waiting to move. They were on their way to the Temple, the humans. Most of the crowd would make their observances in the evening. The next two or three joors would mean light crowds. It would be the best time to take the sports writers and the human scientists to the Temple to look around. Joining them were some of the other soldiers stationed at NEST HQ. They included Charlotte Mearing and Seymour Simmons as well. It was a stop and start journey to the Temple Precinct.
-0-Paragon and Arrow
They had made it to the gathering and stood on the steps of the Metroplex Administration Plaza nearby with a good view. They listened to Prime, watched the crowds and considered how familiar it had seemed even in such an exotic setting. On Cybertron, they had both celebrated Veteran's Day, Memorial Day and their own version of the New Year. It was rare when they coincided. Here they had and it was comforting and strange at the same time to both mechs.
When the ceremonies were over, they turned walking toward the city with no particular aim in mind. They would continue to explore the colony all that orn, then go to dinner at The Rookery so that Arrow could have the same experience that he, Paragon had with Prime. It would be a satisfying orn for both.
-0-At the house
"ADA!"
"WHAT!"
Orion paused a moment, then laughed, a fat chuckle that began in his peds and rose to the top of his helm. "YOU YELLED!"
"I did, Spud," Ratchet said as he sat in his chair. "You have some new words. You're using them rightly as well."
"I SPOKED! I CAN TALKING! YOU HEAR ME SAYING? I TALKING TO YOU!" He smiled like the sun.
Ratchet snorted. "I see you do that."
"I doing much. I doing some them. I go to them and doing. You doing?"
Ratchet considered that, then grinned. "Nope. I sitting."
Orion smiled brilliantly. "YOU SITTING! YOU SITTING AND NOT DOING!"
"That's right, bub," Ratchet said with a grin. "What are you doing?"
"I playing. I go come there and playing. I play with Ho-Ho, Pax … where Atar?" Orion asked as he paused.
"He and Other Atar are playing with their toys," Ratchet replied.
"THEY DOING? I COME THERE? I COME AND DOING TOO?" Orion asked with almost too much happiness.
Ratchet looked around the apartment, then nodded. "Okay." He rose and walked to the doorway, the tiny Ironhide doppelganger following. Stepping out into the hallway, he walked one apartment down, then opened the door. Inside sitting at the kitchen table, Ironhide and Blackjack sat tinkering with their helicopters, adding things and abilities from the upgrade kits they got at The Game Place in Kalis. Ratchet leaned in and grinned. "You have a fan." He stepped aside as Orion walked inside.
The little mech paused, then looked up at both. "I COME HERE TO PLAYING!" Then he grinned enormously.
Blackjack snorted, then chuckled. "Its so strange. I look down and there you are."
"Work on Prowl. That new femme they want would look beautiful with Ironhide's face," Ratchet said, then turned to walk out, the door closing behind him.
Both big mechs stared at the door, then each other. "That old mech is delusional," Ironhide said with a grin.
"Takes after your ada. Alie was the same way about your protoform."
The two grinned, then looked down at the tiny bot on the floor staring up at them with a giant smile. "Hi," he said in a soft breathy voice.
That laughter was long and loud.
-0-The Basilica
A big mech stood with Lauren in the center of the huge basilica. The building was long, rectangular in shape with soaring walls that culminated in a ceiling several hundred feet overhead. Enormous windows set at intervals in the stone walls let in light, windows that contained life sized stained glass images of the Pantheon and a stylized image of The One. Along the walls statuary of the Primes, famous Cybertronians and some of the Pantheon were once more standing in their niches. Incredibly beautiful statues of Primus and the Primes, metallic images bearing their colors stood staring out, most of them ranging as tall as 35-40 feet in height.
There were niches all around for sarcophagi, the honored burial places of the great, the fabled and all of the Primes in the history of Cybertron. It was a beautiful sacred space, the place where great and small events were held, most of them having to do with the journey to the Matrix that all of them eventually took in the end. Lauren and the big mech worked out the process of the formal funeral that would commence the next morning.
The bearers would arrive at the Hospital in the Metroplex District, then carry Commotion's body to the Basilica. It would be borne on a stretcher shouldered by relatives and friends, covered with the flag of Cybertron. Family and friends would accompany it, walking the entire way. They would follow the highway and all who met them along the way would stand aside, nod their helms in respect and greet the family with silence.
It was their way.
When they arrived at the Basilica, they would go inside and walk to the catafalque where he would be laid for viewing. For three orns, he would lay in state, then they would carry him to the Mausoleum nearby where he would be interred in a tomb that they had built for their family in preparation for this sad event.
The two walked about the place going over the process, then the big mech left to return to the apartment where Dar and Bar sat waiting for three of the saddest orns of their life to begin.
Optimus Prime would lead the procession.
-0-TBC January 13, 2014