action_rad | Entries tagged with earth

"You're tuned to KGW-NBC! Portland's first choice in news!" said the voice-over.

Rad was still spending time at the Witwickys, enjoying some post-Christmas peace and quiet, now that the family was fully informed about the upcoming inception.

Relative peace and quiet. Daniel couldn't stop talking about it, and Carly couldn't stop trying to figure out what to wear, even though everyone human would be wearing exo suits to the event, rendering the debate over "the pink one or the blue one?" quite moot.

"Welcome to KGW At Six. Our top story tonight for Thursday, December twenty-eighth, 2006," the anchorwoman begain, "Mysterious abductions have been reported from across the globe."

Rad's attention, previously focused on events-to-come on Cybertron, was now fixed onto the anchorwoman.

"Dennis?"

"Thank you Sandy. Reports have come in from across the world tonight reporting a rash of mysterious abductions."

"Abductions?" repeated Carly.

"Shush. I want to hear this," said Spike. "Sounds pretty serious to be the lead story."

"Currently there have been no less than thirty-eight reported incidents of individuals going missing over the past three days. Authorities are at a loss to explain what's going on, though several terrorist groups in the Middle East are claiming responsibility."

"Figures. I'll bet it's the Carbombians," muttered Sparkplug.

"Dad, shush!"

"Meanwhile, back home in the United States, we have reports of about seven individuals on the list of the abductees. Two of them from Oregon state."

Everyone was sitting upright, now.

"Parents of one of the abductees, Mr and Mrs White, have been spending the last three days plastering missing person posters of their son Benjamin all over Portland, asking for his safe return."

"Benjamin? That's one of Buster's friends!" Carly exclaimed.

Now things were getting personal.

The scene cut to a video tape of Benjamin's parents in their living room, with Elizabeth crying and her husband Theodore pleading to individuals beyond the camera to help them bring their son home safely.

"Benny?" said Elizabeth in-between sobs, "If you're out there, please come home!"

The scene cut back to the news studio.

"Portland police have been called out to do a search of the county to locate Benjamin White, but so far without success. If anyone has any tips on his whereabouts, we ask you to please call our hotline. As always, our prayers and sympathy go out to—"

Dennis' voice cut short for a moment, then resumed.

"We've just received reports from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Argentina that five more people have been abducted, bringing the count of missing persons to forty-three. The situation appears to be getting more and more serious. We here at KGW-NBC will be keeping you posted throughout the broadcast as more news becomes available..."

Whatever else the anchorman said was drowned out by the voices of Rad and the Witwickys discussing everything they'd just heard, which included several hypotheses as to who or what was responsible for all the disappearances.

Sparkplug was in the middle of blaming the Carbombians with Carly saying that it had to be the Decepticons when the intercomm rang.

It had to be Rodimus Prime.

And since no one else seemed to be in a hurry to answer it [the discussion was devolving into an argument, now], Rad took it upon himself to take the call.

"I want you to return to Cybertron immediately. We've been monitoring Earth's broadcasts over the last three days, and we need everyone here to discuss it. It may be Decepticon activity behind all this."

Rodimus' expression was an "I expect full compliance here", and any protest Rad might've had died quickly.

"Yes chief."

"Rodimus out."

"Guys? I have to return to Cybertron. Right away."

The Witwickys didn't appear to have heard him.

"Guys? Guys? Oh Primus."

He decided to leave them a note. One way or the other, they'd get the message.

Meanwhile, he prepared himself for transit back to his home planet.

If the Prime himself wanted everyone home, the situation must be serious indeed.

And he'd be in for a very long meeting, if one was held.

Current Mood: shocked

Christmas day at the Witwickys meant a lot of chaos and confusion. Though he'd done this several times before, especially after the birth of Daniel, he still found it to be a rather hectic event. There was Mass in the morning before presents [Sparkplug had insisted that they wait this year], relatives to visit, gifts to drop off, and last minute preparations of the turkey-and-tofu dinner to be prepared [some of Kelly's friends were vegetarians, and she herself was dabbling in the lifestyle], much of the preparations involving ways on how not to burn the tofu.

But by four o'clock, everyone was gathered about the tree in the livingroom, eagerly inspecting their presents, exchanging words of gratitude, and in general enjoying themselves.

In short? A perfect afternoon, if Rad would say so himself. Even if Daniel was responsible for about a third of the racket being made, and Sparkplug's old record player accounting for another third, just to ensure it was heard over the excited chatter.

Rad suspected he and Lionizer would go back to Cybertron slightly harder of hearing, if things continued as they were.

First Aid at least would take care of his audio circuitry, a perk humans didn't get to share in.

"More eggnog?" asked Buster. He'd come home three days ago, after spending the first half of the week with his college pals. "Plenty to go around." Then, in a lower voice, "As well as Granny Rose's fruitcake. Yuck."

"No thanks, I've had plenty."

More than plenty; they were making his fuel cells feel oddly sticky after being rendered in what had to be one of the most uncomfortable conversions he'd performed so far.

First Aid would have to look at that, too, and then mutter something about Rad cutting down on his sampling of human food items.

"Suit yourself," he said, looking a little crestfallen, then proceeded to make the rounds about the room, offering said drink to the others.

At that moment, a certain intercomm chose to ring, announcing there was a direct call from Cybertron. All the Witwickys had one, to keep in touch with events on Cybertron.

"I'll get it," said Spike, elbowing his younger brother. Even after all this time, they still found ways to bicker over who took the call.

"Rad? Rodimus just called. He's got a message for you."

As quickly as he could, Rad made his way over to the intercomm room without crushing anything more valuable than discarded wrapping paper [that Kelly was busy collecting for recycling or scrapbooking].

"Yes? What did he say?"

In a lowered voice [that wasn't really all that lowered, given the din], Spike delivered the message. "The incept is to be brought out of stasis lock on January fifth. And he wants the Witwicky family as well as you to be there to witness it."

"It is? He does?"

"Yes. I know it's sudden and my boss won't like it, but it's an invitation from the Prime himself. I just hope MacCabe will accept whatever I tell him when I tell him. You guys aren't exactly high on his opinion poll."

"Rodimus will explain it all to him if he gives you trouble," Rad said, trying to ease Spike's mind. When it came to MacCabe, the feeling of general dislike was mutual, and not through any fault of Rad's. MacCabe just didn't care for new fangled things like computers, cell phones and intergalactic robots. And Rad was certainly an intergalactic robot.

"That's what I'm worried about," he said as Buster headed his way, still bearing eggnog. He was quickly sent away with a "No thank you".

"I thought you liked that stuff," Rad said, puzzled.

"Not when Granny Rose makes it. Why do you think I stock up on antacids before Christmas comes?"

"Thought it was the daily dose of calcium that motivated you," Rad joked back. "Back to the family, and then dinner, if Kelly hasn't burnt the latest batch of tofu."

Laughter, both theirs and their family's, greeted them when they got back to the others. Happy laughter from all those gathered, before Kelly's head popped out from the kitchen.

"Dinner time, Witwickys!"

"All right!"

A mad scrum ensued as everyone tried to find a place at the table, still laughing and chatting away happily.

It was Christmas time after all, even with slightly scorched tofu.

A time to be with friends and family both old and new.

Tomorrow, once they were all told about it, they could worry about getting ready for the inception.

Current Mood: cheerful

It had been an eventful few weeks. After being shown the pictures of Spike, Sparkplug and Daniel Witwicky in lederhosen [and laughing at them, which was followed by a threat from Spike that he'd never speak to Rad again - a promise that was thankfully not kept], and attending a rather tumultuous Thanksgiving with Carly's parents, Rad was spending time with the Witwickys as they made their way down downtown Portland, with Daniel taking the lead.

It was now the middle of December—almost time for Christmas, and Daniel was quite excited despite the cold, dreary rain that fell down from an equally dreary-and-stone-grey sky. He simply had to stop and look into every toy store window he came across, and it took no small amount of effort to get him to "hurry along now".

Fortunately, Rad had Sparkplug for company, thus leaving the job of keeping Daniel's attention focused to his parents.

"How long now has it been?" asked Sparkplug.

"'How long has it been' since when?" Rad didn't have any idea what Sparkplug was talking about, especially since up until that moment the senior Witwicky was discussing with the Action Master the "over-commercialisation of the Christmas holidays" and "Spike had better not buy Daniel too many toys this year—the boy's got enough of them already".

"Since the incept was incepted. How long has it been now? Has he been given his name and alt mode yet?"

"Huh? Oh. That. Several months, by your planet's time measurements. And no, he hasn't. He's still in stasis."

"Several months? Why not? How come? Shouldn't he be online and being an Autobot by now? I thought you guys wanted to get him up and running as soon as possible."

To say this divergence in the conversation was out of the blue was putting it mildly. Rad had no idea what had brought this on, or why he was discussing this at all. He'd only given Sparkplug a very brief summary of how the incept had come to be, and declared the rest classified.

"We do, Sparkplug, we do. But, well, the other Autobots are busy with their universe's business, and I had work to do in the Axon Quadrant."

"Trouble with the Decepticons, as usual," Sparkplug agreed. "Trying to get their hands on yet another mining operation."

"Which I just got back from, and now I'm discussing classified information with you."

Rad really didn't mean to make it sound as terse as it did, and he tried to apologise when Sparkplug took offence.

"I just wanted to know when I'd get to meet him, that's all," Sparkplug explained hastily. "Especially now that the holiday season is upon us, and everyone is thinking of their families. Thought that you might be thinking the same thing."

Sparkplug's voice trailed off, and he mumbled the last five words, causing Rad to try to figure out what the man had just said.

"Sparkplug Witwicky," Rad began, "We don't have holidays like humans have, and we don't exactly have 'families', either, despite the ''till all are one' prophesy of Optimus Prime. We have some special days, like the Day of Primes, but nothing like Christmas."

Sparkplug nodded, either in agreement or in indication that he was listening to what Rad had said.

"I promised the other Autobots that they would be the first to meet the incept and receive the honour of giving him a name, since he is a product of two universes, and quite possibly a sign assuring them that though their Cybertron is gone, hope remains."

Rad paused, briefly.

"After that, he will be presented to the other Autobots, and I will try to get your name down as a guest of honour, along with the rest of your family. The Witwickys have been some of our staunchest allies, and it would be fitting to invite you to something like that."

Sparkplug looked as though Rad had given him a great honour, which was exactly what Rad had just done.

"But I need to clear this with Rodimus. He'll be inviting a few human dignitaries, and I'm sure he'd understand the reasons why you should be amongst the attendees. A small gesture of thanks for all you've done for us, as a start."

Sparkplug smiled even more than he did momentarily before. "Thanks, Rad. I appreciate that," he said, then, before he could speak again, Spike was calling behind him.

"Hurry up you two; I'm not dragging three children along today!"

Current Mood: mellow

"You're kidding, right?"

After having been informed of his "volunteering" to make Daniel Witwicky a costume—and not just any costume; a costume designed to look like Autobot leader Rodimus Prime—this was all Grapple could muster up and say.

"C'mon; it's for Daniel," Rad said, trying to head off at the pass any objections the architect could use. "Besides, you do need a project."

"Costumes are not exactly my first choice for a project..," Grapple said, looking to return to his work. Rodimus wanted Grapple to resume work on the energon mining project, since several of their outposts were running low in said fuel.

"And that makes it a challenge. Surely someone of your talent could come up with a child's costume?"

"They could, providing they don't mind wasting such talents."

Rad wanted to sigh, but he really wanted his fellow Autobot to say "yes".

"Making something to look like Rodimus might be what you need, Grapple. I mean, there's got to be something of use in it. Besides, it's practise in small detail work. We all need it."

"You're just oiling my gears, aren't you?"

"Yes."

There was a long pause. Daniel had rubbed off on Rad, and it was showing now. Rad had a look on his face that he hoped would get Grapple to agree. Sometimes Rad really showed his age.

"Oh, very well. For small, intricate detail work and needed practise I'll do it."

"Thanks. Daniel will be ecstatic."

Rad was pleased. Grapple, on the other hand...

"And I'll never live it down."

"You're kidding, right?"

Spike looked from Carly to Daniel to Sparkplug.

"We're going to Oktoberfest, and we're going in the spirit of the festivities," Carly said with artificial cheer. Spike did not look at all happy to be dressed as he was.

"Lederhosen... I can't believe I have to be dressed in lederhosen..."

Sparkplug exchanged a pained look with his son. He too was wearing his own outfit, complete with said garment. "If it makes you feel better Spike, I had to wear it, too. Carly can be damn persuasive—"

"Dad! Not in front of Daniel!"

"'Damn' is hardly the worst—" Sparkplug started, but was cut off.

"I'm the mother and I'll decide what's a swear word," Carly said heatedly while Daniel giggled. "And you'll not be using it, young man. I have a hard enough time weaning you off of using 'slag' as it is."

The Autobots and their own vernaculum had had an effect on the humans they interracted with on a frequent basis, including their off-colour remarks.

Though, given that their choicer terms were spoken in their native tongue, Carly could be contented with the knowledge that 'slag' was hardly the worst of the lot, and, until humans learned Cybertronian, unlikely to be added to.

Then again, considering her attitude towards 'damn'...

"Why did it have to be lederhosen, Carly?" Spike asked, to break up the tension surrounding them. "Couldn't it have been something else? I look ridiculous in these! And if Buster were to see me like this..."

"Oh, I'm sure I can send him a picture of you in them if you're so worried about Buster missing out..."

More giggling from Daniel.

"Carly!" Spike sputtered, which caused another round of dialogue-choking tension. Tension that lasted what felt like several minutes and was finally broken by Daniel tugging at Spike's shirt.

"C'mon dad! Let's go! We're going to miss the parade! And the schnitzel!"

"Oh, God, why did it have to be lederhosen?"

Current Mood: productive

"Rad! Think you can convince mom to let me go as Rodimus Prime for Halloween?"

Daniel didn't even wait until the Autobot was on the doorstep before he came careening into the hallway sounding as though Halloween had come and gone and he was now overloaded on sugar.

"That's a rather complicated costume, don't you think?" came Carly's voice from the kitchen. From the sounds of it, Kelly was there as well, laughing at something alongside Spike from the vicinity of the living room. "It's two weeks away; I'd never get it done in time. Why don't you go as something else? Something I can put together quickly enough?"

There was a pause.

Then,

"Aren't you going to let him in?"

Daniel didn't give a reply; he just pouted as he stepped aside and allowed Rad into the house, followed by Lionizer.

"Hey. I'm sure I could get Grapple to make you a costume—if I can convince him not to make it too elaborate."

It only took Daniel a half-second to go from "aw man" to "all right!" as he let out a whoop and tore off into the kitchen, the living room and up to his room, creating quite the racket as he did so.

Daniel was easy to please, and this would cheer up Grapple, given that his latest project was more "bust" than "success".

"I don't know whether I should say 'you shouldn't encourage him' or 'thanks; that'll make things easier', Rad," Carly said, her face reflecting her conflicting moods.

"Hey, it's Halloween, and he's still a kid. Let him have his fun. I'm sure both Daniel and Grapple will appreciate this."

"How is Grapple, anyways?" Carly asked. "He hasn't been this disappointed with a project since the Solar Tower."

Rad winced inwardly. The Constructicons sure didn't help matters at all that day.

"Better, I think. He was really hoping that his invention would minimise the dangers posed to non-Pretenders when mining energon. And, really, it was a brilliant invention. It just hit a few snags because of a couple of bugs in the programming. Mostly it's just convincing him to try again. Just, not right now. A simpler project—like a child's costume—will give him something to do in the meantime."

Speaking of children, in came Daniel, still whooping it up when he was not going "Thanks mom! Thanks Rad!" at the pair of them.

"All right, that's enough. Now, why don't you go upstairs and get ready for bed? It's a school night, remember?"

"Aw mom..," he protested.

"No 'aw moms', young man; it's bedtime now."

Subdued, Daniel headed back up the stairs as though going slower would delay going to sleep.

"You think it'll work?"

"Don't know, but it's worth a try. Might even help him think of how to fix the problems he encountered. Doing something else kind of does that for me. The solution comes to me when I'm not thinking about the problem."

Rad paused.

"And if he doesn't? Well, I'm sure doing something creative for Daniel will make him easier to bear."

Carly nodded.

"So. How about joining us for a movie? It's just about to start."

"Sure. What's playing?"

Current Mood: calm

"You betcha!" was the response. As promised, Rad had stopped by the house belonging to Kelly Rose, Carly's sister.

Also, as predicted, she had an armload of small parcels full of seeds.

Kelly. Enthusiastic gardener. Naturally, being one of those organic, vegetarian health food freaks that everyone thinks about when they think about the kind of person who shops at Whole Foods exclusively.

"Here's the instructions for their care Rad, and..."

Kelly bustled off somewhere momentarily, then came back with what had to be a small novella devoted to organic gardening.

"Um, where they're going, I don't think that'll be necessary..," he said, eying the manual.

"Nonsense. Anyone new to gardening needs to know these things. You want to grow a garden the right way—" Here, of course, she meant in the eco-friendly way. "—you need 'The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener'."

And deposited said book onto the small pile of boxes Rad was trying to arrange to make them easier to carry.

"Kelly, I don't think you understand. Where these seeds are going, is not an organic world."

Kelly looked shocked. "Then how do they plan to grow them?"

"Honestly? I don't know. But they're going to a world that's nothing like Earth."

"Where then?" Kelly had a dangerous look in her eyes. Non-organic worlds? That's an affront to nature, isn't it?

"A computer world. They're for a newly-bonded pair of sprites named Bob and Dot. Dot wants them to grow a digital garden in her world because she wants salads."

"Really..." Kelly's tone was skeptical. In addition to being your stereotypical organic-only foodie, she was something of a "deep environmentalist" too. "And I suppose they plan to use 'computer-based' pesticides too?"

Kelly was looking like she was about to take everything back, and refuse to give Rad even a single seed.

"Just for whatever viruses affect digital plants." Oh no. Say something! "The programs are repellants only, I assure you. They're not designed to delete anything. Bob's a guardian. 'Mend and defend'. I don't think deletion's in his programming."

Something of lie, but he was hoping she'd buy it.

What felt like fifteen minutes was in reality fifteen seconds.

"Okay. But. You'd better make sure that the anti-virus ... program thingies ... really are 'repellants' and don't harm whatever passes for an environment in their world..."

Oh thank Primus...

"...or I'll be using your head for a scarecrow..."

She b— What?!

He looked surprised.

"I'm totally serious, you know. I'll not abide by anything I own hurting nature."

Yeah. Deep ecology nut, she was. But she meant well. Kelly was a first-class gardener. And her cooking was the talk of everyone in her neighbourhood, according to Carly.

So he wasn't about to fault her for anything save being a little too enthusiastic about something he himself could fundamentally agree with.

"Right. Understood. And thanks Kelly."

Kelly gave Rad one of her winning smiles.

"Don't mention it. Oh. And tell Bob and Dot I said 'hi'?"

Current Mood: busy

"Would you please do this for us? School starts in two weeks and we've been so busy we haven't had time for shopping."

Rad looked rather displaced emotionally.

"Carly I have work on Cybertron. I only stopped here to check in on you all before—"

"Rodimus told us about your work on Cybertron and he says everything's perfectly stable regarding the new incept, so you don't really need to go home just yet. And Sparkplug needs us over at the garage and, well, usually Sparkplug doesn't like taking 'no' as an answer."

Great. I spend the day shopping with Daniel. And I remember what he was like the last time I played parcel boy to the Witwickys. Daniel insisted on getting that one toy that broke down three weeks later. Likely this time he'll want NHL '06 to play on that X-Box he wants.

"Here's the credit cards, and you should have no problem using them, since we just made you a joint user on the accounts. And money for transportation since no one with a vehicular alt mode is in town today to take you to the mall—"

Carly was busy fishing said cards and money out of her purse.

"—and here's the list of school supplies, and the list of sizes Daniel wears, but make sure they fit regardless. And if he demands you buy him that Batman action figure, tell him he had his birthday two months ago and he can wait until Christmas to get it."

This day is going to be slotted into "Days I'd Rather Be Doing Something Else".

"Carly are you coming? Dad likes it when we're mostly on-time!"

"Oh dear. Daniel! Come down here! Rad's taking you to the mall for back-to-school, and I want you to be on your best behaviour with him!"

"Aw mom! Why do we have to shop for school? School's boring! And not as much fun as playing basketball with Eject is either!"

"You want to grow up and get a job and earn a living you'll need to be ready for school. Now put your coat and shoes on your dad and I have to visit grandpa at the garage."

More complaints followed, and, five minutes later, Daniel was at the bottom of the stairs wearing his jacket for his little league team, the Portland Planeteers.

"Thanks Rad. There'll be something for you when we get back. Bye now!"

Nothing was said for the next five minutes, giving Spike and Carly time to drive off to visit Sparkplug.

"Better get moving kiddo. We've both got somewhere else we'd rather be..."