Prelude to a home

[tillallareone]

1)
[With the events taking place after the latest engagement, Optimus has finally decided to act upon something he had been pondering for a while now.]

Commander Antov, if there is no trouble I would like to discuss something with you.

[Well whatever it is, he's taking it up with the commander... the results thereof...]

2)
[Are shown on a worldwide broadcast. Similar to Hetepheres announcing the Gebians, Optimus has revealed the presence of the Autobots to the world. A number of ESUN officials of course already knew but this time it was all out in the open. The reason for this wasn't just to have an alliance out in the open, but also a deeper reason than that.]

Arrangements have been made with the heads of the Earth Sphere United Nations to allow my people to build a settlement on Earth. In a show of good faith in the hope that our two species can work towards a future in which we stand together, we offer those who have been displaced by war or tragedy a place of safety to rebuild your lives.

We have felt the pain of such as that for many millenia. We will do our best to help those who have suffered the same.

[This was why. Not just to build a safe haven for Autobots or Cybertronians who want to flee from the war, but for people on Earth who have suffered.The talk carries on for a long while, many questions asked - some things people knew, some they didn't. Optimus deals with the questions with surprising patience despite how outright offensive some of them got.]

(OoC: While this is primarily a mingle/react prompt, you can also choose to speak to Optimus after the speech.)

3) [Frontdated to a few days later] [Keep to one thread]
[Optimus and a few of the Autobots have went to survey the site that would be the birthplace of Autobot City. Already construction crews are working, but that was not where the Autobot Leader was. Rather... he and a few people from the Unity Group who are with him are investigating some strange energy readings coming from a small cave network down below the construction site.]

Carefully now... it is quite difficult to maneuver here... Wheeljack... is this where the readings are originating from?

[The Autobot scientist's voice rings over the comms.]

"Positive Optimus. And from the looks of it its only getting stronger. What I don't get is the patterns... they look really familiar but I just can't place them..."

Comments

3

[tiger_ken]

[Ken came alongside the autobots on their exploration of the strange, soon to be underbelly of the new city. For the sake of saving space, the boy is travelling on foot, though wearing a hazard suit for obvious reasons. He shines a flashlight wherever he goes.]

Whatever it is, its gotta be pretty powerful if you're getting a reading from up there. Maybe you could use it to help fuel the city?

[tillallareone]

Possibly, between the habitation areas and the possibility of several under-fueled Autobots arriving, having another energy source would be beneficial.

[Optimus carefully moves along a few steps and navigates a downward passage - offering a hand to help Ken along. Moving with them is Bumblebee, who was small enough to navigate the passage. Cliffjumper was also the right size for such an excursion but declined due to the lack of excitement such a trip would bring.]

So far the energy levels are not dangerous to human life but if it looks like it may cause any harm Bumblebee will return you back to the surface. We cannot be sure if it may get through your suit.

I would rather not have to lose a friend here Ken.

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya is walking along in one of the armored exoskeletons.]

I don't believe that the energy signature reads anything that would be dangerous to us and the tunnel is too small to indicate any BETA activity. It was a long shot at best but after Yokohama they wanted us on the team anyways just to be safe.

[caressthedarkness]

[Seta is treading carefully on foot, occasionally scanning her surroundings. Thanks to what Yuuya just said though, her expression practically screams 'plsnoBETAplsnoBETA' now.]

[booty_chaser]

[Ashe is walking on the front, jumping obstacles confidently. Exploring caves and ruins is, after all, her job description when she's not off being a hero]

Well, energy signature that shouldn't be there usually means either mysterious artifact or illegal installation. So you guys might want to be a bit careful! [She doesn't seem to include herself, though]

[ugyuuya]

[Stella speaks up from her exoskeleton after seeing Seta's response.]

Don't worry, it's a narrow area and we would at worst see tank class in single file or a few soldier/warrior classes. Given the firepower we have available and the fact that we have Autobots and exoskeletons the danger is negligible at best.

[tiger_ken]

I was thinking more along the lines of a potential nuclear deposit...

[That or perhaps some super rare mineral. What to call it though? Japanium? Americanium? Hunterite?

...What would be the nationality of someone like Seta, he wondered...?]

I think we're getting close though...

[tillallareone]

"Ken... I'm really hoping you're right and that's what that glow up ahead is."

[Something flickers in the dark, a few wisps and flickers of light - almost reminiscent of cracks of electricity or lightning... except they made no sound and the energy readings they gave off were faint to the point it was nothing but harmless light... almost like a reaction to something.]



"Okay... this is getting kind of weird. Do we go on Optimus?"

[The Autobot leader doesn't reply... rather... it seems he is deep in thought about something.]

"...Optimus?"

[The Autobot leader raises his hands for a moment. One would think that he is calling for silence... then he opens his chest, pulling something from it. Suddenly the wisp like anomalies seemed to swirl and gather around the mysterious object in the Prime's hands.]

Impossible...

[There was something in the Autobot leader's voice, a great deal of shock and barely contained emotion.]

[caressthedarkness]

Ah...

[Seta watches as the anomalies converge upon the object; surprised and curious, especially because Optimus seems to know what's going on.]

Are those...the source of the readings...?

[a_louse]

Looks like it.

[Hey, Roger was there all along! He's interested in such expeditions after all. Potential enemies appearing don't seem to bother him, he can always summon Big O if things get hairy after all.]

Optimus? What are you detecting?

[It's obvious Roger is interested in knowing what that glowing thing is, too.]

[tillallareone]

[The object in question bathes the area in light, almost comforting in its shine. Bumblebee seemed to stiffen in shock... and awe at the sight of it. Optimus watched as the anomalies seemed to dance above the crystalline structure within it.]

There is a possibility but... it just cannot be...

[The Autobot leader looked up to the solid stone wall where the wisp-like anomalies seemed to phase out from. Those of you closer to it can hear something... it almost sounded like... a heartbeat? One that was echoed by the object in Optimus' hands. Slowly, shakily he moves one hand away from the Matrix to forestall any itchy trigger fingers.]

This reaction from the Matrix...

[He approaches the wall carefully. Do you all go with him?]

[tiger_ken]

...Optimus, you said that was sacred to your kind...

[Ken follows, remembering his conversation with the autobot leader.]

If its reacting like this... what does it mean...?

[tillallareone]

It has never reacted like this on Cybertron. Not ever since the earliest days of the war.

It only reacts like this...

[Optimus reaches out to the wall. There was a pulse that everyone in the cave would have felt more than heard before it cracked open, revealing something that shone brightly, as large as the Autobot leader. The heartbeat sounding louder than ever, reverberating through the cave. Optimus' next words were a reverent whisper, unable to believe what he was seeing]

In areas where Sparks come into existence... where Cybertronian life is born.

[There's a crackle over the comms.]

"Optimus! This is Wheeljack! You'll never believe what we just picked up from down there! Its a hotspot! There's a live spark down there! A big one!"

I know Wheeljack... We're looking at it.

[caressthedarkness]

Nn...?

[Having followed Optimus, and now probably standing closer to the object than she would have liked as a result, Seta shields her eyes from the light by raising an arm. The pulses nearly tip her off balance, but she manages to catch the Autobot leader's words.]

B...Born...? Then, is this...?

[ugyuuya]

[Yuuya is awed by the dynamic display but similarly shaken by Optimus' words.]

Then we've found a Cybertronian nursery of some sort? How can that be possible here and what would the sparks use as bodies?

[booty_chaser]

So we're looking at what's about to be a baby transformer?

Cool!

[tiger_ken]

Maybe it was lost... or... they pop up like springs...?

[And what Ken feels now he's so close is... incredible. Where he's felt ki - and its various equivalents in others - before, that was muffled by the physical form. But this is... raw.]

B-But Yuuya's right. What will it even use? It needs something to live in, right?

[a_louse]

Now this is unexpected. I didn't expect something like that to happen here...

I'm not sure what we're supposed to do here. Transformers come to life in a very different way than humans.

But there's someone who knows.

[Roger glances at Optimus questioningly.]

[tillallareone]

We need specialized equipment to extract the spark and safely move it to a medical facility above so it can be stabilized so it does not burn out before a body is constructed.

Bumblebee, I need you to go back up and lead Ratchet and the others here.

[The smaller Autobot replied with an affirmative, almost stumbling on his way out and hurrying back to the surface.]

As for how it came to be... hotspots are a natural phenomena, but as far as I have known they only occurred on Cybertron and its moons.

For such a thing to occur on Earth, especially after everything that has happened...

[Optimus looks at the Matrix once more.]

Perhaps it is a sign...

[booty_chaser]

It looks... warm. Can I touch it?

Are you crazy?! It's an alien artifact that does you don't even know what! What you do is get away, not touch it!

Well, it's going to be born. You have to be kind to newborns. Welcome to Earth and everything.

[It's hard to know how much is serious and how much is Ashe being Ashe, but she does want to touch it]

[tiger_ken]

A sign of what, Optimus?

...because to me, it looks like this place was meant to be your new home...

[tillallareone]

Please be careful how much pressure you put on it Ashe, it might feel some discomfort.

[That was all he was going to say?]

And... I feel it is more than that Ken. Its a sign that working with humanity had always been the correct decision.

[booty_chaser]

Don't worry Optimus, I'm good with kids.

That is not a kid, that's a ridiculously strong energy source! It's making my circuits tingle just being nearby!

Hush you.

[And Ashe jumps and sits nearby and basically pets the alien crystal like it was an egg about to hatch, with not a hint of fear or queasiness.]

You know, it's rather pretty from up close. Hey there little guy. You really didn't pick the best moment to come up, but don't worry, Earth's pretty cool.

...wait, do we know if it's going to be a guy or a girl?

[caressthedarkness]

Mmm...

That...is a good question...

[tillallareone]

Cybertronians do not really have a concept of Gender - it s more of a design aesthetic for my species.

I suppose it would be their decision once they have a body.

[Ashe, the feeling under your fingers is... odd to say the least considering the species its tied to. It was most definitely warm and without all the talk, just by touching the Spark you could feel the life within it.]