The Diego Diaries: Habitat 2 (685)
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars
"And he also asked me to allow a lock down feature, a 'one off' as he said."
"What is that?" Optimus asked as he paused by the command table to catch up on tasks and play with the babies.
"He wants to film the penal system and the courts. He'd follow a few through the process," Prowl said with a slight smirk.
Prime who was gently stroking Sojourner's cheek as she lay smiling up at him glanced at Prowl. "Sounds promising. It might be a worthwhile project. Go ahead." He patted his daughter's little belly, then walked to his office.
Prowl looked at him as he left, then glanced at Prowler who was teething on a handheld. Prowl took it and handed him a baby cookie. "I think your Uncle Optimus didn't hear what I just said." He looked to the console nearby. "Topspin, come here."
The big mech stood and walked to the table. "Yes?"
"Watch these two," Prowl said as he stood. "I'll be right back." He followed Optimus out of the room.
Topspin watched him go, then looked at the two babies. They both looked back, then smiled. He glanced around, then looked at them again. "Oh frag," he said quietly.
-0-In another room
"I have to ask. I think I didn't hear you correctly," Prowl said as he entered Prime's office, pausing in front of the huge desk behind which Optimus sat. "You said they could make an episode about the prison and the criminal system. Did I hear you correctly?"
"You did," Prime said leaning back in his chair, taking in the confusion on Prowl's handsome face. It was adorable.
"Why? Do you think that's wise?" Prowl asked.
"Think about the kind of prisoner that we have in our custody. They are Decepticon incorrigibles. If anyone wishes to know what Megatron and his army are like they should only look there. It would do a service to the general understanding of what we all face if the humans had a chance to see them outside of captivity and the terrible consequences of that."
"That makes sense even as it gives me pause," Prowl said with a grin.
"You and me both. Let them have a look-see with the usual caveats and precautions. I would think that Elita and Jazz would be up to the challenge," Prime said with a grin.
Prowl nodded, then turned to leave.
"Prowl?"
He paused in the doorway.
Prime grinned, then held up his empty servos.
Prowl chuckled, then left. He returned moments later with a baby lying in a box bed. Putting it on the desk next to a stack of work that Optimus has already begun, Prowl left the room and his daughter to the care of her father. He would console himself with his own little poltergeist.
Prowler would be delighted.
-0-Earth
Ratchet stood in the doorway waiting as the science nerds worked through data from the humans. It was a good first step toward the possibility of having a human habitat but it was obvious that without the bot's help no one would accomplish that. Humanity just had no delivery system for what they wanted to do.
Their ability to protect themselves in the harsh environment of Mars was also spotty. It would take a lot of Cybertronian muscle and know how to get them there and make it safe.
Then what?
It would be a 'scientific venture' at first. They wanted to be commercially viable at some point 'down the road'. That had led to a number of exchanges, though civil, that hinted at strains to come.
"We would be interested in using resources there to help our own world and make the colony economically viable."
"Please explain what that would mean, Mr. Clark," Ratchet asked evenly.
"We'd be interested in cataloging minerals and other useful resources. Our interests lie in mining at first. We would also be doing research in electronics, pharmaceuticals and other high tech, high end ventures."
"We live on Mars and with the exception of energon mines and our city state itself, there's no indication that anyone lives there, Mr. Clark. We've made enormous effort not to utilize the planet itself beyond that in order to preserve it against waste and wanton destruction. We wouldn't be amenable to mining for commercial ventures. We bring from space all that we require in that area and we've done that for Earth all along as well. You won't get a good reception for those proposals from the Prime," Ratchet said.
"We believe that we have the right to be allowed to utilize Martian resources, too, Ambassador. We'd be an autonomous entity with the right to venture, observe, catalog and entertain the utilization of the resources of that world for our own benefit," Clark said as gently as he could manage.
"We have possession of the planet itself. You're asking us to be a partner in your increased presence on world. Given that a good ninety percent of your accommodation and security would require our tech and assistance, it would seem that you wish for more than you've earned."
Clark considered that. "We're aware of the care you've taken there. It's admirable. But we have needs and desires for our own world that have to be taken into account. It would be viewed very negatively worldwide if we weren't allowed to exploit Mars for the benefit of our people."
"If it were for the benefit of your people we might be more amenable. However, we're well versed in the group of men and women that've made this investment with the expectation of a huge monetary return. Your billionaire benefactors have no hold over us nor are we concerned about them whining. They do it anyway no matter what we do.
"You won't find friends among the Council for any effort on your part to exploit this planet like you have the Earth." Ratchet sat back considering the men and women before him. "Make no mistake, we're not here to service the pocketbooks of your investors. You might mention that to them. You can't bite the hand of someone who is going to be your benefactor and not find resentment at the other end. We've had a lot of slag from them and we don't forget."
It hadn't gone over well.
The sunlight streamed in as they stood in the doorway chatting. Drift glanced at the table filled with individuals talking with Perceptor and Wheeljack. It looked intense and collegial. "What do you think?"
Ratchet shrugged. "They want to mine and dig. Their venture capitalist masters want return on the shanix. Little will that matter to Prime."
"Earth will have a fit," Springer said with a slight grin. "They haven't gotten over the idea of this planet not being theirs alone. We're a stone in the bottom of their tanks."
"We are," Ratchet said with a nod. "But it can't be helped. If they're not given the ground rules now we'll pay for it later. I have no problem with humans living there. We host different groups all the time. I just don't want to spar with them over things. I'm used to a quiet life."
Springer snorted. "Please. You're talking to us."
Ratchet chuckled. "That's true. When can I expect a grand sparkling?"
Both mechs shrank back, then glanced at each other. A deed done long before filled their processors at the same time …
Skulking in a hallway heading into a forbidden territory some time in the past...
:Sh:
:I'm not making a sound:
Springer (SP): :Make sure you don't:
Drift (DR) :Fragger, get moving:
They stood in an open door to some place they didn't want to go, waiting and watching for a chance to go where they wanted. No one seemed to be about. It was safe to advance. They did, slipping into another doorway. As they did, Drift who was following slid his servo down Springer's hip. He grinned. :You should see yourself:
:You need to concentrate: -SP
:I am. You have a nice aft: -DR
(Grin) :I could so punch your face: -SP
:You know I'd like it: -DR grinning
They moved forward stealthing themselves into Med bay. No one was about so they looked around the room, pausing to stand in the middle in case they were caught.
:Where do we look?: -DR
:HOW SHOULD I KNOW!?: -SP
:So, you don't know everything?: -Drift going through drawers on the cupboard side of the big room
:I know enough for you, ba-bee: -Springer going through cabinets
:Look at this. Is this it?: Drift holds up meter
Springer shrugs. :I don't know. Run it over me:
Drift points it, presses a button to begin and a loud beeping starts. Both freeze, then jump together grabbing at the meter to shut it off. They fumble a moment, then it quits. Both freeze to listen but no one comes. Putting it back, they look again spotting three more different kinds of weird handhelds.
:FRAG! WHICH ONE IS IT!?: -SP
:YOU'RE ASKING ME!? I BREAK STUFF! I DON'T FIX THEM!: -DR
Both turn around in a frenzied circle, then walk to more cabinets. Opening them, they fumble around finding odds and ends. Then they open one marked 'Infants-Support Gear'.
:I THINK I FOUND SOMETHING!: -DR
:I think you did: -SP
:HERE!: -DR handing SP a meter
:Why are you shouting?: -SP
:BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF RATCHET!: -DR
:Me, too: -SP
Both grin.
Both look at meter.
SP scans himself, both look at meter, then each other, then the meter. Both relax.
:Frag: -Both
They stash the meter, slip out and are gone. Of course, security cameras caught the whole scene. Springer in his capacity as Head of Martian and Colonial Security would wipe the database of the whole fiasco later that night. He would forget the copy that ran into the medical partition of Teletraan III.
Ratchet wouldn't.
-0-In the here and now …
"Uh." -SP and DR
-0-Later that same night long ago when they were walking a beat and beating down their heeby jeebies …
"That was close."
Springer glanced at Drift with a grin. "For who? You weren't the one we thought was sparked. Fragger."
"Can't help it if I'm the mech, slagger," Drift said as they crossed the intersection toward the Mare Tranquilitatis excavation. "You need to be more careful."
"Me! What about you, fragger. It takes two to tango," Springer replied with a grin. "Next time its your turn."
"There better be no next time." Drift paused to peer into Club Cybertron as they'd turned back to go toward the airfield and then the prison.
"You don't want sparklings?" Springer asked.
Drift glanced at him. "Do you?"
"Maybe. Eventually. Some orn far into the future." Springer grinned. "I'll be happy to be the atar."
"Slagger. You were nearly the ada. It was a good look on you by the way," Drift said as they cut toward the airfield to shorten the walk to the prison.
"Frag you," Springer said with a grin.
-0-Here and now redux
"Well?" -Snoopy medic enjoying their discomfort
"Someday. Eventually." -both
Behind them there was laughter as Wheeljack sat back. "You slaggers are so dead with this vision. You'd better come to Mars and go over this with the environmental engineers and Jetta. You'll be sorry if you don't."
Jerry Skura and Lowell Marks nodded. "Done deal."
"Frag." -Ratchet, Springer and Drift
-0-Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars
They sat on their segways staring into the no-man's land of the prison sector of the colony. There were some of the most vicious looking maniacs standing by the bars staring back that anyone had ever seen. All of them looked certifiable and all of them looked like they'd rend their party to confetti without a problem.
:What do you think?: -Leonora Huttle not feeling it
:IT WILL BE FUCKING AWESOME!: -Aaron Belcher and Jack Mellar feeling it.
"Who the frag on those insects?" Decimus asked with a look of contempt and wariness on his face.
"Those fraggers killed Megatron," Sentinel Prime said rather blandly.
He couldn't believe it either.
-0-TBC April 16, 2014 7-25-19
NOTES:
*Poltergeist: Ratchet's word for them. :D poltergeist is a phenomenon that is generated out of the brain's psychic energy that gathered and can do things to a place, like toss things around, open cabinets, slam people around. The usual generators of such phenomenon are pre-pubescent girls or those just into puberty. The energy can hang out and wreck a place. It tends to center on the one who generated it.