The Diego Diaries: Things (600) edited
-0-The next orn
Ratchet walked to Ops Center for a brief meeting before leaving for Diego for the two day conference with the humans. A lot of networking had been underway among the allies, experts of all stripes as well as commanders of various groups and departments working together on the changes. It would take a couple of months from now before things were finalized but the meeting with the Autobots was part of that process. The new military paradigm included them and they couldn't be excluded.
Entering the Fortress, pausing long enough to thank Ramcharger once more for being a sport about Ratchet's request for him to speak, he entered the Center and snarked his way to where Prowl sat. Pulling a scanner, he checked the data, then sat. "Hi. You're on point by the way."
"Thanks," Prowl said with a nod. "I feel good. You ready to go?"
"No but I will," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I put all the speakers on alert. If you could make sure they come that would help."
Prowl nodded. "I will," he said. "I will be there to close the show when you finish. Having Paragon on Alpha shift has given me freedom to do other things as well."
"He seems to be a find," Ratchet said glancing at the figure standing in front of Teletraan working on a problem.
Prowl nodded. "He is."
Prime came through the door from his office nearby, then paused beside them. "I figured you would be on Diego by now."
"I'm heading out. I was thinking about you speaking to them about all the good things … you know … freedom, honor ... integrity."
Prime grinned. "I'll think about it."
Ratchet nodded, then rose. "Wish me luck."
They both nodded, then watched the big white and red mech walk to the door and beyond. It would be a short hop on the Fortress bridge to Diego. They turned to the problems at servo together as Paragon tracked the bogies that had shown up on the overnight feed.
-0-Diego
Ratchet stepped onto the bridge pad, then grinned. "Good to be back," he said spreading his arms wide, a sappy smile on his face.
Blurr chuckled. "We can't miss ya if you don't go."
Ratchet laughed. "That's what my genitors say." With a swish of his rather shapely aft (according to Cybetronian standards) he whisked out of the room heading for Ops center. Entering, he sat putting his peds up on an empty chair at the table. Grinning, he looked around at the smirking bots and humans who turned to look at him. "Good to be home. Anyone got anything they want to confess to Mama?"
That got the love it deserved.
-0-Pentagon, Virginia, USA
They gathered together, several dozen individuals in charge of making crooked things straight, then walked to the vehicles that would take them to the nearby air base and a plane ride to Diego. Morshower wasn't among them. Diego had fired up a bridge taking him and his aides directly there. All over the world, civilians and military personnel were getting their things together to congregate at the strangest and probably coolest meeting any of them would ever attend.
They drove off in a convoy heading for the field and a 12+ hour flight to Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean.
-0-Ops Center, Diego Garcia, Earth
Ratchet looked down spotting the humans as their hummers careened around the corner. Morshower and his aides, all of whom Ratchet liked a great deal were speeding toward where he sat. He looked at them with a grin. "Hi. Slowpokes."
Morshower stood when the hummer stopped gripping the top of the wind shield. "We came with dispatch. Glad to see you here. Is there anything you need for the confab? Any conversation or what, Ratchet?"
"No," Ratchet said with a grin. "I have security to make sure that the speakers show up. I want you to know that I have a cross section of our people coming here to tell things that I think your people need to hear not only about this topic but about war, what it does to someone and how to be able to spot the signs. Your suicide rate is terrifying."
Morshower nodded. "I agree," he said grimly. "We appreciate this, Ratchet."
"Tell me you still feel that after the twins speak. They're first because of Sideswipe's intervention. By the way, how is Captain Field?"
"She's in therapy and doing well. She is diagnosed with post traumatic stress syndrome. She flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. This other situation didn't help," Morshower said.
"Will she have a career when the year is over? Inquiring minds," Ratchet asked pointedly. "We would have her with us without hesitation. Her record is flawless. I looked."
"So did I. She will if she wishes to continue," Morshower said nodding.
"Good. I think topic number one is removing the threat to careers if a soldier seeks therapeutic help. I think that is insane but that's me," Ratchet replied.
Morshower nodded. "Its on the change list."
"Good," Ratchet said with a smile. "So … is there a beer bust tonight or are we going to be good little mechs one and all?"
Morshower chuckled. "See ya on the beach at sundown."
"I'll be there." Ratchet grinned as he watched them turn and drive away lickety split. "That mech is putty in my servos."
Ops Center chuckled, then kicked back to hear the latest gossip from Autobot City as the afternoon slowly wound onward.
-0-Around town
Arrow walked to the subway station heading down to the platform. Paragon was on shift at Ops Center, something that pleased him no end. He himself was due to fly surveillance of the system in two orns. Until then, he made a point to look around, see who he knew and learn about the colony. Several friends lived at Aerie Hill. They would have dinner there tonight. What he wanted to do now was visit a Seeker specialty food store in Kalis where delicacies their format favored could be found in quantity. A nice bottle of something high grade would round out the Seeker custom of bringing something to a host when visiting.
The train came into the station, one heading to Kalis on the line. He stepped aboard, then the train headed out.
-0-On the construction site of the new cities
"You will be going to Earth to talk to the humans or so I have just found out," Elita-1 said.
Jetta nodded. "I heard you were too."
"This is going to be strange. What are we supposed to say?" Elita asked as she sat on a box next to the one Jetta used as a table for his datapads.
"The humans aren't keeping their soldiers safe. They don't take care of slag," Jetta said glancing at the big femme. "Apparently, the women get a lot of abuse and mechs in same gender arrangements are as well."
"That's stupid," Elita said looking at Jetta for a moment. "What is the matter with that?"
Jetta shrugged. "I don't know. He said he would tell me more when he called us to come. Right now, he's sort of feeling his way forward."
Elita nodded. "Oh oh. That can mean anything."
Jetta grinned. "I know."
-0-The night before
Ratchet sat on a couch with Sunspot in his arms. He held the little Seeker who looked up at him with a smile. "This is nice," Ratchet said.
He nodded, half sleepily. "I like it."
"What if I asked you to come to Earth with me?" Ratchet asked. "I have to go tomorrow."
He looked at Ratchet, his body tensing. "I don't like it."
Ratchet nodded. "I have to talk to a bunch of humans about bullies and bad behavior. I thought you would have good things to tell them about it and how it has to stop. You don't have to go."
Sunspot snuggled into Ratchet's arms and was silent a moment. "Bullies?"
"Um-hm," Ratchet replied.
It was silent a moment, then he looked up at Ratchet. "Can I think about it?"
"You can. Bullies are bad. You know about them. What a helper you could be for someone. But you don't have to go at all unless you can," Ratchet said.
"What does Atar say about it?" Sunspot asked.
"He said you can decide. He and I are both as proud of you as we can be if you go or if you don't," Ratchet replied.
"Will you be mad if I don't?" Sunspot asked.
"No." Ratchet grinned down at his son.
"Can I think about it?" Sunspot asked. "Can Atar come with me if I do?"
"Yep," Ratchet replied.
Sunspot relaxed a moment, then looked up. "My conference is going to come soon."
"I know. I hear you are that side of the awesome scale," Ratchet replied with a grin.
"I try," Sunspot said snuggling closer.
"We know. That's why you're such a great big brother for your siblings," Ratchet said. They would sit together quietly for a while.
-0-At the hangar at Diego Garcia
The soldiers slid in carts loaded with chairs. They pulled them off to make the rows where everyone would be sitting to listen. There would be about 400 individuals of all ranks and persuasions. Nearby, cameras and their crews worked to be able to film all that would transpire. The Autobots would have say over the video and audio going out to the greater world.
The sun was bright and hot in the big blue sky. The ocean twinkled like a field of diamonds nearby. The base was immaculate, the white stone roads shining almost impossibly brightly. Ships berthed nearby, soldiers and sailors walking about with marines, military of several nations, all of them on the lookout for Autobots. They filmed them, the braver coming to talk to them as the big formats went about their business.
Most of the talk was about cars and why they chose what they did. They were also interested in what formats they used on Cybertron finding out that most went about their business in their basic protoform. What that was, most didn't know since it was mostly taboo having to do with the body. But occasionally a mech or femme sporting their root mode could be seen in a broadcast. It wasn't new but it wasn't well known. It was however highly curious for the humans.
The breeze was light, its presence lowering the heat index. Sitting in a hangar with the giant doors open would be terrible without it. John Fulton drove past heading for the Embassy but he dropped Andrew Settles off to look things over and help with the sound system. As he did, attendees began to walk toward the site, making their way to the meetings that would last two days and change their world views forever.
-0-TBC
I have updated What makes no difference is no difference with part nine yesterday. Just in case you are following it and don't know. :D