The Diego Diaries: Chat (dd2 11)
-0-Later that day
They walked together, Ironhide and Ratchet making their way to the communications hangar with the built-in tower for the humans to utilize in conversation with the Autobots. It was sunny and balmy. People came and went around the base waving and calling out to them as they passed. They waved back calling out to soldiers and civilians alike as cameras followed them. They reached the door to the hangar, then paused.
"You ready for this?" Ironhide asked.
"No. But I'll do it anyway," Ratchet said with a grin.
Ironhide patted his aft as Ratchet walked inside with a smirk, the dark hulk of Ironhide following. He paused halfway to the stand watching as Ratchet came to the cross tower and paused. Even before they came inside cameras were rolling. The exchange between the two had been caught but not the pat. That was hidden by Ironhide's bulk. Pausing before the tower, Ratchet smiled and waited. There were the usual soldiers who grinned and nodded at him. He nodded back. There were new people, the producer from earlier, camera and sound people and the reporter who was going to interview Ratchet, Steve Croft. Colonel Fulton, himself standing with Croft turned to Ratchet. "Hi, Ratchet."
"Hi, Colonel."
"This is Steve Croft. He will be interviewing you."
Ratchet nodded. "Mr. Croft, nice to meet you."
"It is my honor, Ambassador," Croft replied. He had a nice smile and a pleasant manner. Ratchet liked him immediately. Ironhide who was moving closer had other feelings, his angst over the producer bleeding into his feelings for Croft. It was quiet a moment. then Croft shook his head. "I am rather overwhelmed to see you, Ambassador. I know you were tall and intriguingly exotic but in person its hard to take in."
"Intriguingly exotic. I must remember that one," Ratchet said with a grin. "Take a moment. I can wait."
Croft laughed, then they began.
Q: "Your appearances before the Senate committee, they were well received by the public and a lot of the fear about aliens among us have been dissipated."
A: "It is not our position that you should be afraid. We are allies. We came here for a reason that no longer exists but we stay to protect you. The Decepticons would not be willing to take a defeat here and move on. Their empire hangs on the fallacy that they are invincible. Their experiences on Earth have proven that false."
Q: "Can you explain the Decepticon and Autobot factions more completely for us? What happened to make them form and why have you not found a way to find peace after all these eons of war?"
A: "You ask the hard questions first, I see. The Cybertronian people were once one but inequities in our society gave rise to discontent. That discontent was harnessed by Megatron, who spoke first of equality along with social and economic justice for all. He became very powerful and intriguing for a lot of our citizens, including those who would no more join a movement like that than you would.
"Then Megatron became obsessed with power and coveted the AllSpark, one of the most commanding symbols of our culture and society that we possessed. Our Prime, Optimus Prime had to defend against this army in our midst and in doing so launched the AllSpark into space. It found its way to Earth some how and so did Megatron. It was destroyed in California and we are now in the midst of conflict here.
"The Decepticons never leave loose ends. They will continue to pursue domination of this world because they have to. Their rule is based on fear and the idea of complete domination. If they don't show that they have defeated your planet it will light a fire in the hearts of the oppressed everywhere. It already has we are told. Peace cannot come when one side finds it irrelevant."
Q: "Your people, the Autobots, they are scattered then? Is your world still in existence? What about Prime's call to your people to come here?"
A: "Cybertron is in existence but it is pretty battered and damaged. There is word to us that the Decepticons are attempting to rebuild it and there are many of our people still there. It is a disaster of almost extinction-making proportions what has happened to us. Megatron would go down taking everything rather than live in peace with honor. It is the way he's made. I'm not even sure as a physician that he is mentally optimal.
"Our people are scattered all over, colonies both free and enslaved while many are fleeing here and there. Our Prime called to them and it was approved for him to do so. Our soldiers are arriving as they hear and that is many more arms available for the protection of this planet."
Q: "You feel the need to protect Earth. Why?"
A: "It is the philosophy of our Prime that all life everywhere deserves protection. Every sentient being deserves to be free. All of them, everyone of them deserves protection so they may live the life they choose. The AllSpark fell to Earth ten thousand years ago. Megatron found it in the 1930's and fortunately was frozen in the north when his telemetry was affected. Your world would have been decimated and enslaved eighty years ago if that had not happened in the manner it did.
"You see us. You have heard of our weaponry and our skills. They are our match and our equal in skill and weaponry. You aren't. You could not protect yourself against them on your own. It would be a blood bath. We have seen planets try and fail miserably, species more able in design and technological advancement than you. It would be inevitable and they would spare nothing and no one. If they had to level this entire planet to rubble to achieve victory they would. That is why we are here."
Q: "Tell us more about your Prime."
A: "Our people have many layers of government but they are led by a Prime. It is a position that is earned and the Prime is chosen by an artifact called the Matrix. It is something with great power and reverence among our people and when it chooses a candidate, they become the political and moral leader of our people. Optimus was chosen Prime when Megatron was still just a growing menace. He was chosen and elevated because he is wonderful and wise, a just and spiritually elevated individual."
Q: "He rules the entire world of Cybertron?"
A: "He is the acknowledged leader of our entire world and all our colonies beyond Cybertron. Now that this is in disarray, he is the only truly chosen legal leader of our people in existence. The elected bodies, the Councils and Senate, they're gone. That leaves Optimus Prime alone the authoritative legal voice of our world."
Q: "You have children with you. We have seen them, babies and youngsters. A lot of interest has been generated among us about them and about your personal lives. I know you have said that some things are taboo. I was hoping you could shed a little bit more light on this. We are all very interested in you and your people because you are the first aliens we have met. It puts into some disarray what we seem to know and believe about how the universe works."
Ratchet nodded and thought a moment. "We are a species that propagates itself. The methods may be different but the goal is the same. Those who want children can have them. How we do it doesn't matter. I can assure you that it isn't something we do in shop class. We don't manufacture each other. There are processes that happen, elegant processes and we have the end product of children the same as you do. How it happens doesn't matter. It shouldn't matter. We are talking about the youth of our own species, you and I. The future of our species, you and I.
"Our children … sparklings are babies and younglings are our older children … they are as loved and treasured as any of your own. Look at your own children, feel the love you have for them. We feel it too. We are equal, your species and ours at that moment, that meeting of feelings. We have been at war so long that most of our soldiers have never seen a sparkling and almost none of them have seen younglings. Almost none of them can even remember being young or being around them in any meaningful way. Having infants and children here among us is a very deeply healing thing. Our soldiers give their spare time up to volunteer to take care of our young. It is a beautiful thing, battle hardened veterans playing with children. It helps them greatly.
"As for relationships among us, we don't discuss such outside of our own kind. Suffice it to say, there are relationships that bring love into our lives and give us structure. There are relationships of great love and affection that are older than you are as a species. We are as needful of emotional contact as you are and we have it. To say more, I don't think is necessary. People who are offended by what that might mean will be offended. People who aren't will be gratified. We don't judge you and your arrangements. I would hope the same courtesy would be extended to us. If not that much, then the good manners society demands will be enough."
Q: "Your males are called mechs. Your females are called femmes. I don't think I've heard reports of a single femme in all the material that has been reported about your people. Do femmes or females exist?"
A: "They do. I could explain it more but I don't think I could do it justice in this setting. We don't rely on genders in our species. We are what we are. We only acknowledge gender for the comfort of species that have and utilize them. Otherwise, we don't. There are very few femmes and very many mechs. That is what we are designed to be and that is fine with us."
Q: "But in relationships … how do you have them without femmes and mechs in equal proportions?"
Ratchet chuckled. "Your question is based on what you know for yourself. You are relatively balanced between your genders. We don't have that numerical balance. Relationships don't require gender distinctions among our kind and I am speaking generally. If you wish to get specific, I will have to decline to answer."
Q: "Then you are basically a same sex or same gender society."
Ratchet thought about it a moment, buzzing Prime who was listening. Prime thinking about it commed back his answer. Ratchet smiled. "We are a society for whom gender distinctions and their limitations are not fixed. We are what we are. Our relationships do not require genders. That is a good thing since femmes are so very rare. You are a gendered species. You have your ways based on what you have within your society and even then, some of your femmes and mechs seek relationships with those of their own gender. We don't care."
Q: "There are those among us that care very much."
A: "That is their problem. We're happy with how we've been made, how we live within the dictates of our physicality, our society. We don't care to judge others. We are who we are and we live accordingly. We would hope others would grant us the same courtesy. I suppose if it mattered, we would find it strange that male and femme bond in your society but we don't. We know it is the way you were made and most of you are following how you are supposed to be. We are doing the same. Its one of the hardest things you can do, accepting aliens and their ways as the way its supposed to be and not try to project or enforce your own ways and mores upon them."
Q: "You said that the little black sparkling was yours when the senators visited. Can you tell me about him?"
Ratchet smiled. "You don't have enough days ahead of you to hear it all. That sparkling is a genius sparkling if I say so myself. He's the first sparkling among us in literally eons. He is called Orion and he's named after our Prime."
Q: "Prime is called Orion?"
A: "Optimus was once named Orion Pax. When he was chosen Prime he was a dock worker and was injured in an attack at the warehouse where he worked by the forces of Megatron. He was repaired and made Prime after that."
Q: "A dock worker became the leader of your world?"
A: "Yes. Orion Pax, longshoreman became the Prime of Cybertron. He was chosen by the Matrix who sensed his greatness and chose him. He has been the greatest Prime in our history and the greatest fighting Prime Cybertron has ever known. Without him, we would be lost and lost long ago."
Croft paused seemingly shocked that a blue collar guy could become the leader of an entire planet in a mere blink of the eye. Ratchet watched him patiently, a short buzz of approval reaching him over the link from Prime.
Q: "That's amazing. Will we ever see Prime at any point?"
A: "I don't know. It is a good thing that he is a mysterious figure. It bothers the Decepticons to wonder where he is and if he's up to the task before him. Anything that bothers the Decepticons is okay with me."
They chuckled together. The conversation continued, then Croft looked over Ratchet's shoulder. "Who is the Autobot behind you?"
Ratchet turned to grin at Ironhide who stood brooding and intractable behind him. "That is Ironhide, our Weapon's Specialist and the personal bodyguard of our Prime."
"Would he be willing to talk to us?" Croft asked.
Ratchet shrugged. :Come on over, big boy. Show them your manliness up close:
Ironhide snorted and moved to stand beside Ratchet, the five foot difference between their heights making both of them even more remarkable to see.
"What does a weapons specialist do?" Croft asked.
Ironhide looked at him. "A weapons specialist is versed in all manner of fire arms and munitions, knows how to use them optimally and can teach others. A weapons specialist understands how to make and use explosives, meet force with equal or greater force and procure weapons and munitions when necessary by both covert and overt means."
"He is a master at making things go boom. No one in the army on either side is his equal," Ratchet added with pride. "Mech loves a good munition."
Even Ironhide had to snort as everyone laughed.
"You are a very big mech," Croft said. "Maybe you can explain to us some of the differences in body design, height and so on."
Ironhide shrugged. "I'm twenty-five feet tall. Prime is twenty-eight plus, Megatron thirty-five. The tallest among us are front-liners … that is, when the fighting begins we go to the front and stay there. Most of the warrior class Autobots are my height. Ratchet is about twenty-one feet tall because he's a medic and needs his height and size to manufacture medical parts internally and to carry medical equipment into battle. Most medical bots are his size and stature. There are some that are more informational such as Prowl. He's high end for his size and type, almost twenty feet tall and he is a door wing bot, his wings an information gathering tool for his type. There are smaller bots, some of them human sized. They are mini-cons or mini-bots. They are good at a lot of thing including spying, demolitions and special ops. Aerialbots are designed for flying and there are bots that are designed for water and for hauling and building. Some combine into one big bot and most don't."
"You make it seem that you were designed to be what you are rather than it coming out naturally. Is that the way this works for you?" Croft asked.
"Not really," Ironhide said looking at Ratchet.
"We are who we are and we turned out the way our parents or creators chose. We might seem to be designed to a degree and in the beginning our species was just that. Designed to meet functions. But now we are who we are supposed to be. We have functional designs that favor some types of work over others. Prowl couldn't be an Aerialbot. He's more along the lines of an informational bot but he still can beat the backside off of just about anyone who comes at him short of Megatron. Its more complicated than this explanation allows but we aren't locked into something because of our body shape and design. One of our fiercest front-liners is an artist and a brilliant one."
"Amazing," Croft said with a smile. "You are a very fierce looking Autobot, Mr. Ironhide. That little sparkling looks identical to you."
"That's because he's mine," Ironhide said proudly. "Takes after his old dad or so I'm told."
Ratchet snorted and grinned proudly. "A little cyberbunny told him."
TBC December 2011 edited 08-17-2015
The Diego Diaries: Chat Too (dd2 13)
-0-Later that evening
Ironhide tucked Orion into his little bed then turned to look at Ratchet sitting on the couch, his peds on the table in front of him. Walking over, he sat and took one massaging it gently. Ratchet lay his helm back and vented a soft sigh. "Feels good, mech."
"Good, mech," Ironhide replied. "You done good."
"Tried. I think they got what they wanted."
It was quiet a moment.
"Another roadblock down and two more to go," Ironhide said.
"Sunny separates in about three days or maybe four. I'll have to recalculate again tomorrow when he comes in. Can't come too soon."
"That sparkling protoform is cute," Ironhide said. "Colorful. Those little wings are the cutest thing."
"Aren't they? I think Prowl is going to explode with happiness. That sparkling will never learn how to walk," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "For that matter, neither will ours."
Ironhide smirked. "That one is going to be a big tall mech, brawny and strong. He's going to break sparks all over the place."
"I agree," Ratchet said. "The humans sure liked meeting the little ones."
-0-Earlier that day
They walked inside the embassy heading for the room where the sparkling and the younglings were. Passing mechs that towered over them, filming from the perspective of a hamster in a roll ball, they followed Ratchet and the soldiers as he led them inside. Ironhide had gone ahead and retrieved the sparkling, taking it to the playroom and the others.
They paused at the door as Ratchet stepped inside drawing the attention of the younglings. They looked up at him and smiled, rising from their construction site in the middle of the room. Bumblebee and Sunstreaker were holding blocks, handing them to the youngsters as they asked for them. They looked up too. Sitting nearby, Orion in his lap, Sideswipe watched as the humans materialized from behind Ratchet.
The younglings saw them and their demeanor changed immediately. Silverbow rising to smile at Ratchet froze in place then turned moving to stand behind Bumblebee, her arms around him. T-Bar and Spirit moved closer to Rambler who stood and smiled, looking at the new humans curiously. Lennox and Epps followed by Graham walked in and smiled at the babies who knew all of the N.E.S.T. soldiers well. Rambler walked over to hug Epps.
"Our little ones have had hard lives and they don't take to strangers quickly. But if you sit down near them and smile they will warm up. These little mechs," Ratchet said pointing to the three boys, "are called Rambler, T-Bar and Spirit. They are brothers. The little sweet heart peeping from behind Bumblebee is Silverbow." Then he turned to nod toward Sideswipe. "That is Orion."
Smiling with delight, Craft and his group moved closer. Craft sat down beside the building the younglings were making, near to Spirit who leaned away from him toward T-Bar. Craft picked up a block and held it out smiling at Spirit. The youngling looked at Bumblebee who buzzed him reassurance. He reached out tentatively and took it, holding it against his chest as he stared at the human.
Ratchet moved to the wall and knelt down with a grin. "That was fast for Spirit. He's very very shy."
Craft smiled. "These little guys are tall for young children. How would they compare age-wise with humans?"
"I would estimate that Rambler is about eight, T-Bar about five and Spirit about three. Silverbow, the one hiding behind Bumblebee is about nine. The sparkling is just an infant."
The sparkling looked at Craft, his unblinking blue optics fastened upon him. Sideswipe smirked at Craft, watching as he rose up to walk over and kneel before Orion. The sparkling looked up at Sideswipe, then the human. Then he raised his arms to Craft. Craft looked at Ratchet and Sideswipe for what seemed like permission or direction. Then he smiled. Leaning down, he picked Orion up, grunting a bit as he did. "He's a healthy boy."
Ratchet chuckled. "I wondered if you would be surprised. He's a growing boy."
Craft held Orion and Orion looked at him reaching for his hair. He grabbed it and tugged, Sideswipe leaning forward and rescuing him. Orion looked at Sideswipe and frowned. Chirping loudly, he patted Craft on the face, the human leaning back, blinking at the baby's strength. "He's one strong little baby."
Ratchet chuckled. "He is."
The camera recorded him interacting with the children, Silverbow working around, not being too close to him. She finally ended up in Sideswipe's lap looking at Craft with a frightened expression. He turned to Ratchet. "You mentioned that the little ones were afraid but progressing a bit at the hearings."
"They are but its hard on someone like Silverbow. She has seen terrible things and has had hardship and deprivation. She's getting better but new things still frighten her. I think she will eventually become stronger but it's baby steps now."
They stayed with the children then finally left, walking through the building looking here and there. Ops Center was the last stop. When they had filmed and talked in just about every conceivable place they walked outside. The Aerialbots were back, two of them parked in their usual spots between journeys.
"We were told that there were Aerial Autobots, fliers. I was wondering if you could point them out," Craft said.
Ratchet knelt and grinned at him. "They bear the Autobot brand. Can you tell which ones they are?"
He spotted them and pointed them out.
"Three of them and our space shuttle, Cosmos aren't here right now. The largest of them is Silverbolt who is 204 feet long in his flight mode. He is the commander of the aerial Autobots and a really fine friendly mech. I will ask the two who are here to transform." Ratchet stood up and turned, comming the Aerialbots. The sound of transformation filled the air as two gigantic Autobots materialized in front of them. They stood staring down, smiling at the group before them. Ratchet introduced them and they had a segment filmed with conversation and questions. When that was over, the two transformed back getting ready to fly on their next mission. The humans watched speechless.
All in all, it was a great day to be an Autobot.
-0-Ironhide and Ratchet
"In about four orns you will be separating Sunstreaker and your grand sparkling."
"I know. I'm getting rather excited myself," Ratchet said smiling. "I hope you don't get too comfortable. We're still at war."
"But we've already broken the rules. Fragging during war time. Holding fire during the visit," Ironhide said glancing at Ratchet with a smug expression. "Not very good technique, General Ratchet."
"Getting soft in my old age," Ratchet agreed luxuriating in the ped rub. "Have a soft spot for old derelicts I guess."
Ironhide snorted. "Didn't think I was so derelict a short time ago. 'Facing in the middle of the day is kinda nice. Reminds me of the old days."
"I remember," Ratchet said grinning. "You were a mech's mech once. You would have fragged on the Prime's desk then."
"Sentinel Prime would have deserved the disrespect."
"So its respect for Optimus that keeps you from helping me chalk one off my bucket list?"
Ironhide hit the appropriate references and snorted. "That's my story and I'm sticking to it."
"Woos."
"Daredevil old mech."
"Big simpering sparkling."
"Wild aft psycho."
"Big shimmering femme."
They both looked at each other and grinned. "Are you as turned on as I am?" Ratchet asked.
"If you mean I have a sudden urge to frag your peds off, yeah," Ironhide said.
The sparkling shifted, squeaking out a soft sigh. Then he settled.
"Well, that takes care of that," Ratchet said with a chuckle.
"You want another one?" Ironhide asked sitting back and putting up his peds. "Probably be the last time you frag if you do."
"Sacrifices, Ironhide. Life can't be waged without sacrifices."
"No fragging because of sparklings. I don't know. Seems kind of severe."
"There's always Prime's desk," Ratchet suggested slipping a servo onto Ironhide's arm and squeezing gently.
"You almost have me convinced," Ironhide said with a grin.
-0-Bluestreak, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe
Sunstreaker lay on the bunk tumultuous joie de vivre going on around his spark. He had noted more activity and on his every other day check ins with Ratchet had reported it. But tonight it was different. The sparkling was going to town, running around and around his spark with abandon.
Bluestreak curling up in his arms was sound asleep but Sunstreaker knew that Sideswipe wasn't. He peered over Blue's shoulder and saw his optics glowing in the dark. "Are you going to see Ratchet or do I have to call him, Sunny?" Sideswipe asked.
"What do I tell him? The sparkling is busy tonight?" Sunny asked.
Blue stirred and opened his optics, the turmoil reaching him as well over the bond. He sat up and looked down at Sunstreaker. "Are you all right, Sunny? You don't feel like you feel well."
"I'm fine," Sunstreaker said pulling Bluestreak into his arms again.
Sideswipe sat up and turned on the lights looking at the two. "Sunny, I think you better call Ratchet. If you don't I will."
Sunstreaker looked at him and then Bluestreak who had raised up on an elbow again. They were both worried and it showed. He vented a sigh. :Sunstreaker to Ratchet:
:Ratchet here:
:Ratchet, can I come and see you in Medbay?:
:On my way:
Ratchet beat him there and they entered spotting Ironhide who was sitting on a med berth with Orion. Ratchet checking data from a monitoring device he had installed next to Sunstreaker's spark chamber looked at him with a frown. "How long has this been going on?"
"Right after the last visit," Sunstreaker said with a frown. "It's nothing."
"The frag it is. The sparkling is commencing to separate."
They looked at Ratchet, then each other. Sideswipe and Bluestreak felt and looked genuinely afraid. At that moment the door burst open as Prowl entered followed by Prime. "What's up, Ratchet?" Prowl asked anxiously. At least, anxiously for Prowl.
"I think Sunstreaker is starting to separate."
"What? Its orns early," Prime said glancing at Sunstreaker who was glowering under all the unwanted attention.
"What do we do?" Sideswipe asked.
"We all calm down and Sunstreaker, you come and sit on my couch. I want to monitor this process. The first sparkling is always unpredictable according to the records and this could take either a short time or a long time depending upon a lot of factors."
"Frag," Sunstreaker said moving to Ratchet's office. Bluestreak followed him and sat beside him holding his servo. Sunstreaker moved his helm as Ratchet plugged him into a small device that he sat on a small shelf above them.
"Don't get up without telling me. I want to monitor this and this little device is the one that will tell me if you are really getting ready now or if this will take a while."
"Why should it? You only took a short time," Sunstreaker snapped, his optics showing what his gruffness hid.
"Because I was ready at that moment. It could be that you are or you aren't. Orion didn't do this before he separated. He was quiet. This sparkling is flying. Could mean its going to be faster. We just have to see." Ratchet cupped his cheek and squeezed gently. "You will do us all proud no matter what, Sunstreaker. This we all know."
Sunstreaker's expression broke for a moment, the fear and anxiety that he felt showed and then it was gone. He nodded slightly and sat back, leaning his helm against the wall, shuttering his optics as the moments ticked by.
Outside watching with concern Prowl and Prime waited. Word spread and the corridor filled up, Wheeljack and Perceptor bringing the protoform with them when they arrived. Together with Ratchet, they began to arrange things, putting the correct instruments and the transfer gloves out on a tray next to the med berth that Sunny would use.
It was all ready to go. Now they just had to wait.
-0-TBC c2011 (1) edited 2-4-15
The Diego Diaries: Wait (dd2 14)
-0-Medbay
The lights were turned down and the room was quiet. Noises in the hallway were muffled. Sunstreaker half lounged on Ratchet's couch, Bluestreak holding him and Sideswipe sitting next to him rubbing his servo. The door to the office was open and the sound of the machines attached to Sunstreaker could be heard softly beeping. Beyond it, Prowl paced nervously as Prime sat on a chair near the door. Ratchet walked in and out checking on him, setting levels and recording information from various devices. Ironhide sat on a med berth, Orion sleeping in a little bundle of blankets next to him. He looked at Prowl. "This could take a while, Prowl. You might want to try and relax."
Prowl paused to glance his way. "I feel better moving."
Ironhide nodded. "Ratchet is going to take care of him. That sparkling is going to be all right too."
"I know," Prowl replied. He stood quietly a moment. "I just can't get over how momentous this is for us, for our people. This is more than just us. This is for the future."
Ironhide nodded. "I know."
Prime reached out and tugged at Prowl, pulling him into his lap, wrapping him in his arms. "Ratchet is the best. No one ever came from Cybertron who knows and can do what he does. He's also had one. This will be fine."
"I know," Prowl said nodding as he leaned into Prime. "It's been so long that we have had a peaceful time for such a success, such an opportunity. That is what Orion and this sparkling represent. They are historical events."
Prime nodded. "They are."
They sat together, silent and intense as the minutes ticked by. Ratchet went in to talk to Sunstreaker, coming out with a small hand held computer. They looked at him as he paused to make calculations. Then he looked up at them. "This is going to take a while. The sparkling is fine but the process is being inhibited."
"What do you mean?" Prime asked, a slight tinge of fear in his voice.
"Sunstreaker is a split spark twin. The sparkling is having a harder time preparing for separation. And this is a trine sparkling. We're dealing with the usual two sets of spark code but in an unusual configuration. One of the codes is divided into two parts because of the twins but we are actually still dealing with three individuals. This makes the sparkling unique and gives us different expectations for the process than normally."
It was silent a moment, then Prowl stood shifting nervously from ped to ped. "What is the risk? For both of them?"
Ratchet looked at him considering the question. "There is always a higher risk with trines and with twins. Understand, there are two kinds of twins. Those with a split spark are twins. Those that aren't split spark are clones. We are dealing with split spark and Bluestreak as well. Given that they are split spark twins makes this difficult and there is very little information on twins themselves let alone their reproductive processes. We are actually making history here."
Prowl nodded and walked to the door, entering to kneel beside Sideswipe. Prime watched him then stretched, rolling his neck to alleviate tension. "Then this could take a while?"
"It could take a couple of orns or it could take a few minutes."
Prime nodded. "That's going to be tough."
Ratchet nodded. "We will know when he gets the first pain. The count between them will give us a hint of what we're facing."
"He's had no pain?" Prime asked, watching as Prowl rose and walked back out.
"None so far," Ratchet said. "All we have is a little bit of chaos from the sparkling."
Prowl nodded. "He feels like he wants to purge his tanks. Is that bad? I don't know what to think, Ratchet. What is the danger to him? To the sparkling?"
"Right now, nothing. He might feel a bit nauseated. That's to be expected. The sparkling is tearing around and around. But right now, there is no danger to either."
Prowl looked relieved and walked back to the room, kneeling again with Sunstreaker. Ratchet looked at them and turned to Prime. "If you see fear on my face, feel fear. Until then, relax. Okay?"
Prime nodded. "Okay."
Ratchet walked to Perceptor and Wheeljack who were sitting nearby talking quietly together. They sat together, the three of them working out the plan for separation that Ratchet could only remember in the vaguest of terms.
-0-In Ratchet's office
Prowl patted Sunstreaker's servo and stood, leaving the room again. Sideswipe watched him go noting the tension in his wings. "Prowl is really stressing."
Bluestreak nodded. "This has been hard on everyone." He looked at Sunstreaker who was lounging against the couch, resting his helm on Bluestreak's shoulder. "Can I get you anything, Sunny?" he asked, kissing Sunstreaker's helm.
He shook his head. "Stay here. Both of you."
"We aren't going anywhere, Sunny," Sideswipe said. He looked at Bluestreak, smiling slightly. "Won't be long now. We'll have a sparkling."
"A pretty little one. That protoform is so cute. I can't wait, Sunny," Bluestreak said kissing Sunstreaker softly.
He was quiet a moment, then the first pain hit. It was sharp like a knife cutting its way into his spark. He groaned and folded up, curling in on himself as it rolled through him. Groaning louder, he gripped his torso with his arms, holding tightly.
Ratchet rose and walked to the room, looking at the meters and dials of the various gadgets that were feeding him information. The pain continued then died down leaving Sunstreaker slightly dizzy and even more nauseated. He sat with his helm hanging, Bluestreak rubbing his back as Sideswipe looked tearful.
"Well, first pain. Now, Sideswipe, I want you to time the next one. It will tell us what we have going on here. Can you do that?"
Sideswipe nodded, glancing anxiously at Sunstreaker and Blue, then back at Ratchet. "I will. Do I call you when it happens?"
"I think Sunstreaker will let me know," Ratchet said with a grin. "You let me know how long it is between this pain and the next one. That is going to be really helpful, Sideswipe."
He nodded and straightened up, watching his brother's misery. Ratchet walked out to pause by Prowl who was watching near the door. He grinned. "That should occupy poor Sideswipe."
Prowl grinned and nodded. "Good call."
They all went back to waiting.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
He had been out of the brig for just a few orns and was joined in the rec room by his mini-con compatriot, Gears, also freshly out of stir. They sat together talking, nursing energon and feeling the cool air of freedom together. Then the word reached them. Sunstreaker was separating at the garrison on Earth.
Touchy subject that Sunstreaker was, Cliffjumper sniffed. "That slagger needs a beating."
"You could never give him one unless you reformat yourself about twenty more feet," Mirage said turning to look at the small mini-con. "You're lucky that Sunny didn't put you into stasis lock."
"That slagger is overrated. Some day he will push me and regret it."
Mirage snorted. Considering he would be ending his tour and going home the next day, he leaned forward. "In your fondest dreams, Cliff. In your fondest dreams."
That is when Cliffjumper punched him in the face.
-0-Medbay, Diego Garcia, Earth
The next pain was two joors later. It was piercing and deep, lingering between Sunstreaker's optics like a flash of fire. When it passed Sunstreaker purged his tanks, the wastebasket barely reaching him before he retched. Bluestreak patting his back looked near to tears. "That has to help, Sunny. It has to help."
Sunstreaker sat up dizzy and sickened. "A little," he whispered. Then he retched again. He did until there was nothing left and then he retched some more.
Ratchet standing in the doorway waited, then moved in, taking Sunstreaker's arm. Nodding to the others to pick up the two devices plugged into him, he helped an unsteady Sunstreaker to a med berth in the main room. Lying back, settling himself, he shuttered his optics and vented a sigh.
Bluestreak leaned over him, stroking his face, kissing him on the forehead. "Sideswipe and I are here, Sunny. Don't worry. Just try to recharge if you can. We'll be right here."
Sunny nodded as the two moved to stand on both sides of the berth, Sideswipe and Bluestreak each taking Sunny's servos. Ratchet checked the data and considered the expanse of time. It was possible that it would take not joors but orns for this sparkling to come. He hoped not. This would be horrendous for Sunstreaker if it turned out to be a long drawn out process.
"What's going on, Ratchet?" Prowl asked.
"He's cleared his tanks. That'll help. Right now, he just needs to rest and we need to monitor the pains. Poor Sunny. This isn't going to be quick. Right now, I am thinking that he won't separate today. It might be tomorrow."
"Oh Primus," Prowl whispered. "This is going to be hard to take for him. He feels so ill right now."
"I know and there's little I can do. Keeping his tanks empty is okay for now but he needs the energy. I may have to transfuse him at some point. For now, just resting between pains will be all that we can do at the moment."
It was quiet in Medbay as they took their places and waited. The pains were slow coming, two to three hours apart. They were strong and piercing. The sparkling was in good condition, the process slow and tedious. Both carrier and sparkling were going to be a long time before meeting each other face-to-face.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Cliffjumper flew through the air landing on his back against the wall. Gears, his confederate jumped upward onto Mirage. Then he too flew through the air crashing into Cliffjumper as he rose from the ground.
Mirage moving into a fighting stance waited. Mini-cons from other parts of the city came running and stood nearby watching, the lessons of the other brouhaha clearly learned. Bots Mirage's size watched and commented but didn't move in. Magnus had made his point with them too.
Gears and Cliffjumper pulled each other up, running at Mirage, jumping him together. The three fell into a heap, the mini-cons slugging him with their fists as Mirage struggled to shrug them off. Mirage rolled, then stood up, shucking them off. Then he disappeared. The two stood looking around, calling out to him to show himself. As they did Cliffjumper rose up into the air. He spun twice, then flew through the air landing on his aft on a table at the other end of the room. Gears watching with fury jumped at the spot where he figured Mirage to be. It was empty. Mirage however booted him in the aft.
Gears turned swinging wherever he could and missed each time. Mirage could be heard laughing and taunting him, moving among the tables and mechs swiftly and quietly. By the time Gears was throwing chairs around, the officer of the day and a few mechs came in to pounce upon him. Cliffjumper shaking off his grogginess came to Gears aid and both of them ended up being dragged off to the brig.
For a moment it was quiet, then Mirage re-materialized. He stood grinning in the wreckage of the rec room, then began to help the others put things back together. When Magnus arrived, the room was restored and everyone was sitting and relaxing once again. He walked to Mirage sitting down at his table. "You ready for the brig?"
Mirage smiled as he leaned back in his chair. "Not really."
"Don't make me carry you, Mirage."
"I'll go quietly if you put me in the same cell as those two slaggers."
Magnus smirked, then rose looking down at the spy. "I am almost tempted to do that."
Mirage downed his energon and rose, tossing it neatly into a nearby bin. "Jazz is going to hold this against you."
"I'll live," Magnus said turning to walk out with Mirage. "Besides, he's not due for rotation here for a decaorn. That will be about the time you get out of the slammer."
Mirage snorted and chuckled. "Well, that's mighty neighborly of you, Magnus."
They walked out into the corridor heading toward the brig. Magnus glanced at Mirage, a faint smile on his lips. "I aim to please, Mirage."
Mirage just chuckled.
-0-TBC c2011 (1) edited January 15, 2015
The Diego Diaries: Orion, sparkling of Ironhide and Ratchet
-0-An image of Orion that is nearly pretty close :D:D:D
There is an artist on Deviant Art whose work I love. I asked her to do a commissioned portrait of Orion, Ironhide and Ratchet's sparkling. Doing movie verse transformers is tough and she did a great job.
Go to this space and see the 'genius sparkling' of Ironhide and Ratchet. :)
MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE OUT THE SPACES OR YOU WON'T GET THE IMAGE.
autobotprowl .deviantart art /Diego -Diaries -Orion -195837207
(There are spaces in this addie. Delete them and it will take you there.)
Thank you, ammotu, for your talent and effort. I love this picture.
arctapus
NOTE: My ISP went down last night and the dorks don't even have support past nine o'clock. Not even a recorded message about service outages. Stone age. Right now the replacement modem is not working either. Technology hates me. :( Update: I am back online and my modem is fixed. I ALSO HAVE WIFI AT LAST! -me
-0-And now, back to the story in progress
The Diego Diaries: Dizzy (dd2 15)
-0-Medbay
He lay on his side, nausea his companion as the sparkling rounded his spark over and over. Just before a pain, it would stop and seem to rest, waiting until the pain subsided before moving again. Sunstreaker lay still between pains but they were shockingly strong and felt like a stab in the spark by a sharp knife.
Bluestreak and Sideswipe sat with him holding his servos, giving him comfort and company. The night passed slowly, Ratchet keeping watch as they inched toward sunrise. It was quiet and the lights were dimmed, the participants nearly as weary as Sunstreaker.
-0-Ops Center that early morning
Prime sat at the comm station involved in a conference call with Ultra Magnus and Springer. The flotilla was nearing the solar well and would be arriving at Autobot City in a few orns. The city was ready for them, having completed adequate housing and expanding their community facilities just in time.
They also discussed the logistics of making time to send a message for the Seekers and the wisdom of doing so. After listening to all sides of the argument, Prime requested Magnus tell Starscream that he would be coming to Mars shortly and they would do the signal message together.
The fracas with Mirage and the mini-cons was discussed. Given that an entire village of mini-cons were on their way and would live on Mars as part of the colony and operate under the rules, laws and commands of Prime and Cybertron made it imperative that Magnus sort out the resident mini-cons before the new ones arrived. The natural belligerency of that model of Cybertronian was well known and would not be helpful to the peace of the community if they acted the same way. It was up to Magnus to figure out a plan and make it stick.
When Prime finished he stretched, walking around the corner and down the corridor to Medbay. He entered and walked to Prowl, himself standing next to Sunstreaker while Sideswipe and Bluestreak get dinner. He squeezed Prowl's shoulders and dropped a kiss on his helm. "How is it going?"
"Its speeding up. Pains are at one every ten minutes. This is good," Prowl said.
Sunstreaker lay on his side with his optics shuttered, his yellow paint scheme probably indicative of how he felt. It had been a long night, loud groans accompanying most of the pains and by now he was tired out. The sound of footsteps behind them signaled Bluestreak and Sideswipe's return. Moving to stand with Prowl, Bluestreak hugged the older winger. "You need to go and get something. We'll call you if something happens. Ratchet says it will be all right."
Prime tugged on Prowl's arm and he turned following Prime out. Pausing at the door, he looked at Sunstreaker. "Poor Sunny. Hold his servo, Bluestreak."
Bluestreak nodded and took Sunstreaker's servo, patting it as he leaned against the berth. A pain flashed through Sunny and he groaned, pressing his face against the berth. It lingered along with his moan and then passed, Sunny relaxing limply on the berth. Prowl shook his head and turned, following Prime out.
Sideswipe, looking a bit yellow himself looked at Bluestreak. "Do you want to lie down a while?"
Bluestreak shook his head. "No. I'm okay. Do you?"
"No," Sideswipe said softly. "It can't be much longer can it?"
"I don't know. I'll go ask Ratchet." Bluestreak lay Sunny's servo on the berth and turned, walking to Ratchet's office. Ratchet, sitting and feeding Orion looked up and smiled. "You look like slag," he said.
"I feel like slag," Bluestreak said with a grin. "I was wondering if you can make any deductions about where we are here?"
"Down to ten minutes. That's a good sign. When it gets to two we can separate. The sparkling will know enough that it has to leave and it will come to the energy of the glove nets."
"This has been so hard on Sunny that I think this will be the one and only sparkling he has."
"I think so," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "That will teach him to not do what he's supposed to do."
Bluestreak nodded. "I hear you want another one. I hear you and Ironhide are at war over it."
"Ah, good news gets around I see," Ratchet said grinning.
"You know he'll never carry. Sunny wouldn't have if he hadn't been a slacker. What do you expect from your war?" Bluestreak reached over and took Orion, settling him in his lap, the sparkling leaning into Bluestreak in his contentment.
Ratchet tucked the feeding tube away and considered the question. "I want to know he is in full agreement that another sparkling is a good thing. I don't want him to have any second thoughts or buyer's remorse."
"He's so crazy about this sparkling, I can't imagine him not wanting another just as much," Blue said kissing Orion on the cheeks. The sparkling, looking at Blue with his dead pan face grinned broadly.
"He didn't want this one at first," Ratchet said. "Something about the war and things not being settled and all that. He only changed his mind when he saw Orion. I wanted him to be the first one to hold him because I wanted him to know what he had gotten. Orion is the best thing ever."
"He would accept any sparkling you two had."
"He would. But I want him to be glad. I have to know he would be glad."
"He is," Bluestreak said grinning. Then a loud cry from the other room erupted and they both were on their feet moving together to the med berth Sunstreaker was curled in on himself, the dials and data pouring on the monitors above him signaling a change in his condition.
Ratchet looked at all the readouts and turned to Bluestreak. "You might want to take Orion to Ironhide and get Prime and Prowl. This sparkling is tired of waiting."
Bluestreak stood a moment, Orion looking from him to Ratchet and back and then the two turned and ran out of the room. Sideswipe, watching Blue and Orion leave looked at Ratchet with genuine fear. "What do I do?" he asked.
"Nothing, Sideswipe. Just hold his servo until Wheeljack and Perceptor get here and then go and stand back with everyone else."
Sideswipe nodded, looking from Sunny to Ratchet and back again. Sunny had relaxed finally and was silent, his spare servo pressing against his spark chamber while Sideswipe clung to the other one. Ratchet commed Wheeljack and Perceptor and they reached Medbay about the time Blue, Orion, Ironhide, Prowl and Prime did. Jazz came in, moving to sit with Sideswipe who had turned and walked to where everyone else was waiting. He grabbed Blue and hugged him closely as they all watched tensely.
Ratchet, Wheeljack and Perceptor stood together talking quietly and then the two scientists turned and moved behind the table that held the tiny gray protoform. It was so small and dull it was hard to reconcile with the colorful and elegant design they had crafted for the sparkling.
Ratchet turned and glanced at everyone, noting that Smokescreen had arrived along with a couple of other Autobots. The corridor was filling up and Autobots stood, leaned and sat waiting silently for the newest member of their endangered community to arrive. Then Ratchet turned and leaned down to Sunstreaker. "Sunny, I think we're ready to go. I want you to lie on your back and let me take a look at your sparkling."
For a moment Sunstreaker didn't move and then slowly he did, rolling painfully over onto his back. His exhaustion was evident, almost a full day of intense separation pains dulling his usual robust and impossibly tough exterior manner. He shuttered his optics, laying as still as possible considering the turmoil in his chest.
Ratchet leaned over and spoke to him. "Sunstreaker, the sparkling is signaling it's ready to come out. What I am going to do is look at the sparkling and see if the tendrils that hold it to your spark are getting ready to separate."
Sunny nodded slightly, his optics still offline. Ratchet turned and pulled the silvery glove shaped nets onto his servos. Carefully positioned on his digits, he activated them. They glowed slightly, warming up with a gentle energy designed to attract sparklings away from the sparks of their creators. He turned and tapped the latch on Sunstreaker's spark chamber, the metallic plates folding back simply and exposing a brightly lit interior.
Leaning in, looking carefully, he saw the sparkling, a tiny bright flare of silver light. It was circling Sunny's spark, then it paused as if it had caught sight of Ratchet. Ratchet looked back, struck through and through with awe for the tiny speck of life, a life that would help them survive into the future as a people, a life that would call his own sparkling friend. Something once thought mythical, something once thought an impossibility for the times they lived, it now paused as if to see what Ratchet wanted to do.
Ratchet smiled, looking at Sunstreaker. "What a beautiful sparkling," he said quietly. He looked at his hands and the overhead monitor and noted that they were ready for the little spark. "I'm going to attract the sparkling, Sunny. He's going to separate his tendrils and it will hurt. But it will be over quickly. Are you ready?"
For a moment he didn't answer and then he nodded. Ratchet glanced at the protoform, Wheeljack and Perceptor. "Here we go."
Ratchet turned and moved closer, leaning over. As he did Blue and Sideswipe shifted position to watch. He moved his servos to the edge of Sunny's spark chamber and waited. The sparkling didn't move but merely pulsed and then tentatively one tiny tendril broke free with a tiny snapping sound. Sunny groaned loudly and then relaxed as best he could as the tendril flickered over the soft warm light of Ratchet's servos. For a moment it merely touched the light gently and then it fastened onto it, the electrical tingling reaching through to Ratchet as well.
The room was silent, the corridor as well as everyone waited. A call had been made to Autobot City and there as well everyone waited. It was an enormous and emotional moment for everyone. It was a moment when they all felt something that had eluded them for a long, long time. They all felt normal once again.
"You are doing a good job, Sunstreaker," Ratchet said softly, watching as the sparkling moved closer breaking another tendril loose as it did. Sunny's cry was sharp and short, his body tensing and then relaxing as the sparkling fastened that tendril onto Ratchet's servos as well.
Prowl stood with Prime, a grim and tired expression on his face. They stood with a clear view and as the light intensified signaling the sparkling's separation the suspense intensified as well. Another tendril snapped, another cry from Sunstreaker and then there was one left. The sparkling rested on Ratchet's servos, softly pulsing with the effort it was making. It was so tiny Ratchet thought that if he closed his servos, the tiny light would be blocked from view.
For a moment they stood quietly, no one moving and no one speaking. Then the last tendril snapped, the last cry erupted from Sunstreaker and the sparkling was free resting fully in the warmth of Ratchet's servos. Ratchet stood a moment, almost afraid to move as he studied the tiny flicker of the newest member of their Autobot family. It was so beautiful he hated to finish what he knew he had to do. But he turned anyway, the tiny light glowing for all to see.
Wheeljack had turned the small table where the protoform lay and Perceptor opened the tiny spark chamber. Ratchet looked at it and then lowered his servos, the shining light moving with him. He held it over the spark core, the sparkling sensing something. It reached out a tiny tendril and stroked the core, almost as if sensing that his final destination was there.
Nothing happened for a moment. Then one tendril, then another reached out. One by one, all four of them reached out and by the time they did the spark ignited within the chamber. A tiny flash was seen and then a soft cry as the protoform flashed into vibrant colors. Red and yellow, black and white, all the colors of its genitors could be seen to explode into existence.
Ratchet watched the spark, Perceptor measured it and then they all stepped back smiling. Tiny blue optics opened and a tiny arm raised, a small balled fist waving in the air. The sparkling cried. Loudly.
It was as if a spell had been broken. Smiles and hugs, congratulations and cries of joy filled the room and the corridor. On Mars, there was celebration too. Ratchet, wrapping the little sparkling into a warm blanket picked it up and turned looking at Bluestreak and Sideswipe who were grinning and hugging each other with joy and relief. "Who gets to hold him first?"
Blue looked at Sideswipe and then Ratchet. "Sunny. Then Prowl."
Prowl looked at them, surprise on his face and then he smiled. Prime smiled, everyone smiled. It was one of those moments. Ratchet turned and looked at Sunstreaker. "Sunny?"
Sunny turned his helm and looked at Ratchet, his exhaustion evident. With effort he sat up, pausing a moment to get his bearings. Then he looked at the sparkling.
-0-TBC
2011 (2)
The Diego Diaries: Sparkling
-0-Medbay
Sunny turned his helm and looked at Ratchet, his exhaustion evident. With effort he sat up, pausing a moment to get his bearings. Then he looked at the sparkling.
Sunstreaker, universally acknowledged beauty, fearless front-liner, vainglorious and lonely egotist looked at the newest creative act of his life and felt something fall apart inside. He had never wanted this. He had never sought it. No one could have ever convinced him in any way that he would ever do something like this. But he had. And what he had created with Blue and Sideswipe was so luminously beautiful that he stared silently for a long time before moving.
The sparkling was looking at him with tiny blue optics. The little conversational thread they had developed was still there but it was farther from him, residing now in the lovely life form before him. He had been deeply embarrassed, the carefully crafted, painfully maintained self image he had of himself challenged by this little spark.
Now it was here made real and beautiful and it was his. He would be the caretaker and caregiver of this little spark. This little life had three parents and opportunities that none of them ever had. It would be loved and protected, cared for and educated. It would have choices and friends. It would not end up like him, battered, mercurial from uncertainty and a lack of confidence that under laid his memorable arrogance. This tiny infant would be more.
It was beautiful like him, very beautiful he could see. That part of him his sparkling got. It was sweet like Blue and some inexpressible essence of Sideswipe he could clearly detect. It was a spectacular sparkling and from his first sight of it Sunstreaker felt a love so powerful that it made him ache. Reaching out, he took it gently into his servos and looked at it, memorizing all its features, its beauty, its smell. This sparkling was his. He had new purpose and he had a hostage to fortune. Life would never be the same again.
Bluestreak sat beside him on the med berth, looking at his sparkling with an emotional expression. Sideswipe moved to the other side and looked as well, smiling as he slipped his arm around his brother. He squeezed Sunny's shoulders and shook his head. "What a cute little sparkling."
"No," Sunstreaker said quietly, his eyes never leaving the baby. "Its fraggin' beautiful."
The tension in the room dropped precipitously as everyone relaxed. Then Sunstreaker looked up, glancing at Prowl who stood leaning on Prime with relief. He stared at Prowl, then Prowl getting the silent invitation stepped forward taking the sparkling as Sunstreaker handed him across. Prowl looked at it, at his tiny servos, his sweet little face and fabulous tiny wings. He felt tears in his eyes, the long hard road from the ruins and massacre of his home city, the injured frightened youngster he had nurtured and the life they had led together as a family finally culminating in the small bundle in his servos.
"This sparkling is wonderful," he whispered, turning to show him to Prime.
Prime looked at something he thought he would never see, a grand sparkling of his own. "He's wonderful," Prime replied smiling with genuine delight.
The infant was shown around, then Ironhide cleared his throat, a wholly unnecessary act. "Naming ceremony. No one can see this sparkling for three days. Remember?"
Everyone moaned and groaned as Prime turned, the sparkling looking up at his grand genitor with an unwavering gaze. "That doesn't include us does it?"
"I'm afraid it does," Prowl said regretfully, a frown on his handsome face. "You three are going to have to take care of him on your own for the next three days. Once the ceremony is completed then he's mine."
Everyone laughed including Sunstreaker as he took the sparkling back, handing him to Blue. Blue thrilled out of his peds smiled and held him, moving to lean against Sideswipe. Ironhide holding his own sparkling smiled. "Everyone out," he said cheerfully. "Rules is rules."
They all walked out laughing and chattering together, the excitement finally ebbing as the room quieted. Ratchet standing nearby with Perceptor and Wheeljack walked to them and took the sparkling. "We have to run a few tests to establish a baseline. Then we'll decide if he stays or goes with you." He took the sparkling and put it on a berth, tucking his blanket around him.
"Can Sunny leave here?" Blue asked following Ratchet to the med berth where the infant was laid down.
"If he's up to it," Ratchet said glancing at Sunstreaker who got up from the berth gingerly. "I can stay here with you, Sunny, if you need to stay for a while."
Sunstreaker shook his head. "I think I'm fine, Ratchet."
"You aren't. You just separated. What I want you to do if you go to your quarters is rest. No getting up. Recharge. Sideswipe and Blue can take care of the sparkling. I also want you to energize," he said turning to walk to a cabinet. He opened it and pulled out a couple of cubes of energon handing them to Sideswipe. "Give these to Sunny. I want to see him down them before he goes anywhere."
Sideswipe gave one to Sunstreaker who sipped it, his internals still churning slightly. They watched as Ratchet checked the infant, Perceptor and Wheeljack helping him move tiny body parts and scan him internally. He was silent but for when they made him sit up. He squeaked softly, his little head bobbing until Ratchet propped him.
Blue looked at Sideswipe with a worried expression as Sideswipe shifted on his peds. Sunstreaker cube poised at his mouth watched them intensely. "What's happening? Why did he cry?"
"He cried, Sunny, because he's irritated. He's tired and wants to sleep," Ratchet said. They finished the examination and pronounced him fit and fabulous. Then Wheeljack and Perceptor left, hugging Blue and congratulating the twins. It was quiet once more.
"He's really wonderful," Blue said stroking the infant's face with a digit. "I love him, Ratchet. Thank you for helping us. You are just the best mech ever."
Ratchet chuckled. "I'm a grandgenitor. This is my grand sparkling. Ironhide and I are so happy about this. We're not in Prime and Prowl's level of happiness but we are orbiting close by."
Blue smirked, nodding in agreement. "Prowl is pretty happy. So is Optimus. Prowl and I … we never expected to have normal things in our lives. We were a family through all the hard times but we were alone. Without Prowl I would be dead."
"How so, Bluestreak?" Ratchet asked as Sideswipe moved behind him and hugged him tightly.
"He could have put me in an orphan's center. He didn't. He kept me with him. I was so bad off, Ratchet. I was injured and sort of off my processor for a long time. Rung took care of me and helped me screw my helm back on straighter. He found Rung and had him come to where we were. It was awful but Prowl was patient and loving and I made it. He kept me with him and gave me everything including a good education. I am here because Prowl is at heart a very kind mech. He's not very emotional on the outside but he has a huge spark. I'm living proof of it." It was silent a moment. "Look at us now. I'm bonded to the two best mechs I know. I have a sparkling. We have one, the prettiest sweetest sparkling ever. We have work that matters, saving our people and our friends. The Autobot Cause is a great thing, Ratchet. Its going to bring our people and our culture back together. We have a planet where we can gather and rebuild. My sparkling is going to grow up there along with yours and the others. He'll have friends and be safe. He will never know the things we know, all of us. He will have three parents who will always put him first and two sets of the best possible grand genitors. He will be loved and never know a lonely day. That is remarkable. It all happened because Prowl loved me."
Ratchet felt his optics fill with tears as he looked at Bluestreak, the youngster looking at his sparkling with deep love and awe. "I love you too, Bluestreak. You, Sunny and Sideswipe. The world is a strange place, that we can make it to this point. Two new sparklings. How lucky can one group of mechs be?"
Bluestreak nodded. "I know."
-0-Ops Center
Prowl stood at Teletraan II catching up on the intel pouring in. The refugees had reached the solar well and would be nearing the Oort Field shortly. It would be a four joor journey to Autobot City and the safety of the garrison there. It was going well. Now that the sparkling was born Prime would be free to go there and see things first hand. It would be necessary since a mini-con village was right behind them and he wanted to see what Magnus had done about the mini-cons at the garrison. The last thing they needed was trouble especially since six Seekers and three hatchlings were now part of their community. There was also the matter of the signal for Starscream calling home any wandering Seekers that might be out there to resolve.
Prime walked in and headed toward Prowl, pausing to look down with a grin on his face. "How does it finally feel?"
"I'm numb I think," Prowl said grinning up at him. "Ask me tomorrow."
Prime snorted and nodded. "I know. I told the younglings. They want to see the sparkling but I told them they had to wait. They aren't happy right now."
"Neither am I," Prowl said.
"Your custom, Prowl," Prime said smirking. He pulled out a chair to sit. "I will be going to Autobot City shortly. Starscream is expecting me."
"I think that will be a good thing," Prowl said. "We could use more Seekers. If Shockwave or Megatron decide to take us on or harass any convoys of refugees it will be nice to have a broader air capability. It is in their best interest living on Mars to help us protect it."
"I am going to be making that point with Starscream," Prime said nodding. "I believe he already gets it."
Prowl nodded. "You have three orns, Optimus. Then we have to have a naming ceremony. Wouldn't look good for the grand genitors to not be there."
Prime grinned. "You can't keep me away."
-0-Medbay
Sunstreaker finished his energon and rose, watching as Ratchet showed Bluestreak and Sideswipe how to wrap the infant in a blanket. He turned handed him toward Sideswipe but the front-liner moved back, deferring to Bluestreak who took him carefully. The three listened to a few simple instructions then walked out the door together.
Passing mechs in the corridor, getting congratulations, they reached their quarters and entered, the door closing on the world beyond. Bluestreak walked to the chair and sat, laying the baby on his lap as he opened the blanket. The infant lay on his back, his tiny wings carefully tucked underneath his tiny body, his arms splayed out. He was sleeping, his face calm and sweet. His parents sat looking at him, the twins sitting on the couch across from Bluestreak, leaning forward to stare at him in awe.
"He's so small," Blue said lifting an arm to hold it gently. "He's so tiny, Sunny."
"We have to be careful of him. We could break him," Sideswipe said nervously. Sunstreaker nodded too.
"We'll be careful," Blue said. "He's ours."
"What do we do now?" Sideswipe asked glancing at Sunstreaker. He looked back, glancing at Bluestreak. "I don't know."
"We need to do some things. I think he needs a bath, then he needs to eat something," Bluestreak said.
"How do we bathe him?" Sideswipe asked.
They sat a moment. "We need a basin of some kind, then warm water, not hot. We will need soft towels and then a bed."
They looked at the little box that had been set in the corner forgotten as Sunstreaker studiously ignored reality for the entirety of his sparking. No one had the desire to broach the subject but now they had arrived at the moment of truth and the bed was clearly inadequate for such a small delicate little infant.
"We don't have the stuff to do this," Sunstreaker said shaking his head. :Ratchet?:
:Ratchet here:
:We aren't prepared for this: Sunstreaker commed.
:Open your door:
Sideswipe and Bluestreak listening in turned to look at the door as Sunny rose slowly and walked toward it. Opening it, Ratchet stepped in, a box in his arms.
"I figured you would need a few things," Ratchet said with a smile.
Sunstreaker looked sick with relief as he closed the door, watching as Ratchet walked to the table to set the box down. He pulled out a silver metallic basin and turned, sitting it on the table. "This is a good wash basin for him now." Pulling out a foam pad, he held it up. "You put this in the basin and fill the water level up until it just rises to the surface of the pad. Then you put the sparkling on it and wash with this." He pulled out a couple of tiny soft sponges and rubbed them against Sideswipe's arm. "That is how soft you rub."
They nodded, transfixed as Ratchet continued. "This is a liner for his bed," he said holding up a soft thick blanket with soft bendable edges that would protect him from the bed's sides. It would fit the box exactly. "Lay him on his back for now. Cover him lightly with this blanket," he said pulling out a small white blanket. "Then when he's washed, you feed him. All of you including Prowl and Prime can do this. So can Ironhide and I. All of us should do it so he can bond with all of his family."
They all nodded again, the pile in Sideswipe's arms growing. "Can you help us with his bath, Ratchet?" Sunstreaker asked nervously.
"Of course. I'll show you the correct temperature of the water and how to bathe him."
They looked relieved. Ratchet turned to the box and pulled out a rattle and a set of small blocks. "These are from Orion. He insisted."
Bluestreak snorted and grinned. "Uncle Orion is a sweet spark."
Ratchet grinned back. "You won't get an argument from me."
-0-TBC 2011 (2) edited January 15, 2015
Chapter 17: Chapter 17
Chapter 17: Chapter 17
The Diego Diaries: New (dd2 17)
-0-In the quarters
Bluestreak stood by the table as Ratchet bathed the sparkling. He lay on the foam pad, Ratchet's servo under his tiny helm. The sparkling was relaxed and dozing, his little face calm and sweet. Bluestreak moved next to Ratchet, towel in servo, watching with intensity all that the older mech did. "Ironhide likes to heat the towels for Orion," Ratchet said. "You don't have to do that. He's just fussy that way."
"Good idea having a warm towel," Sideswipe said. He was sitting on the couch next to a tired looking Sunstreaker. They watched silently as Ratchet lifted the sparkling up, laying him gently on the towel open in Blue's servos. Blue wrapped the baby in the towel and hugged him.
Blue moved to the couch and leaned down, handing the bundle to Sunstreaker who sat back surprised. He held the infant awkwardly but turned it slightly and settled it in his arm. Looking down, he smiled. The infant was already asleep. Ratchet moved to stand in front of them. "He needs energy. Sunstreaker, you need to do it now."
Sunstreaker glanced up sharply, staring at Ratchet. "Blue can do it."
"No," Ratchet insisted. "You will do it. That sparkling will need to eat about every two hours for a while. You will have to set an internal timer to make this work and all of you will have to take a shift. I want Sunny to stay out of the rotation for a couple of orns so I want you to do this now and the rest of you can watch."
Sunny looked at him and sat back looking down at the infant. "I don't know what to do."
Ratchet grinned then looked at Sideswipe who was sitting next to him. "Sideswipe, help him."
Sideswipe looked at Ratchet like he had suddenly grown a horn in the middle of his forehead. He looked at Sunstreaker. "Sunny … let me have your arm."
Sunstreaker looked at him, then Ratchet, then Sideswipe again. He held out his arm, looking at the infant who was oblivious to everything. Sideswipe slid the panel and tugged out the feeding line, glancing at Ratchet.
"Sunstreaker, take the line and tap the sparkling's mouth with it. Gently," Ratchet said.
Sunstreaker looked at Ratchet with a sour expression, then took the line tapping the infant. Blue optics opened with a startled expression, looking up at Yellow Face with surprise. Another tap got his mouth open as Sunstreaker gently inserted the tip. He held it in his mouth, looking confused, then spit it out.
"He won't do it," Sunstreaker said.
"He's a sparkling. He's only a couple of joors old. What would he know about what he wants to do or not? Try it again," Ratchet said with a smirk.
Sunny tapped the infant again and it opened its mouth reflexively. He inserted the tip of the tube and the infant grasped it, chewing for a moment. then began to feed. Its optics opened a second, then closed as it fed and relaxed against his creator. Sunny relaxed and sat back, leaning into his brother's arm wearily.
"When he is finished, Sunny will go into recharge for the rest of the day and maybe even into the next. You two will take care of him. All I want you to do tonight is feed him every two hours and let him sleep. In the morning, bring him to Medbay and I'll show you how to empty his little tank and a couple of other things that will help you maintain him with a little bit of ease."
Bluestreak nodded, looking away from Sunny for a moment. Sideswipe just stared at the little infant, marveling at its tiny shape and size. Ratchet looked at the little bed and walked to it, making it up with the bedding. He moved it to the table and sat it safely in the middle. "You can keep him here for a while. It takes a while before you need to put him in a safer place. They aren't exactly steady on their feet right now."
Sideswipe nodded. "Thank you, Ratchet. For everything."
Ratchet grinned. "You are ours now. We're a family. Families take care of each other."
Sideswipe smiled and nodded, inordinately pleased and open in his expression. Sunstreaker looked up and nodded. "Until all are one."
"Fits a lot of things, that," Ratchet said. He grinned. "You three going to be all right?"
They looked at each other as Bluestreak nodded. "If we call you will you be mad?"
"No," Ratchet said grinning. "Call me if you need me."
Bluestreak hugged Ratchet and Sideswipe rose, doing the same. They chatted a moment longer, then Ratchet turned and left. Sideswipe picked up a rattle. He walked over and sat down, making room for Blue. They sat and watched the sparkling together for a long time.
-0-Ironhide and Ratchet
"You look tired."
"I am," Ratchet replied sitting next to Ironhide on the couch. Orion was recharging in Ironhide's arms. "Takes a lot out of you doing this kind of thing."
"That is one fine-looking cute little sparkling."
"He is," Ratchet agreed. "Almost as cute as ours."
They snorted and chuckled. "How are the three doing?"
"Scared of doing wrong, of hurting the sparkling. You might spend some time with them and help them get over that. Especially the twins. Bluestreak has a good level head. The twins are a bit high strung about this."
"I will. They have two more days before the ceremony. I was thinking about inviting Lennox, Epps and Graham."
"I like that. They can keep their mouths shut about things."
"Good. I agree. I will invite them tomorrow," Ironhide said.
"I think recharge might be a good idea," Ratchet said laying his helm on Ironhide's broad shoulder.
"I have to go and help sort out security on the meet up with Shockwave. Prime wants to have us gather to sort through some probable scenarios ahead of time."
"Do we know where Shockwave is meeting?" Ratchet asked.
"Not yet," Ironhide said.
"He's slow on the emails lately. I wonder if he is skittish because he's a paranoid psychotic or if he suspects something?"
Ironhide shrugged. "He's what he is."
Ratchet nodded leaning in to kiss Orion. "He is." He rose up and stretched, walking to the berth. Stretching out, he felt the twinges and pains go slowly away. Ironhide watching him rose and walked to the door, shifting Orion into one arm. The infant squeaked and settled down again, falling into recharge. Ironhide smiled down at his son, then grinned at Ratchet. "Need anything, comm me."
"I will, Only One," Ratchet said watching as the two handsomest mechs in his life walked out the door. He fell into recharge almost immediately.
-0-Nearby
They stood over the crib looking at their sparkling. The tiny figure was lying on his back, his arms flung out wide, his tiny wings tucked under carefully. The little chevron on his forehead was so small a single digit from Sideswipe could cover it up.
He was beautiful, a little yellow mech with red servos and a red stripe around each arm. His little wings were black and white and there was a tiny gray chevron on his forehead. Shiny and colorful, he was the bearer of all his genitors' colors. "He's so cute," Sideswipe said whispering. He slipped his arms around Bluestreak's shoulders and squeezed.
"He is," Bluestreak said nodding. "He's ours. We have to take care of him, Sideswipe. He has to come first."
"He will," Sideswipe said. They stared at him quietly, then Sideswipe picked up a tiny soft blanket. He held it out to Blue and the winger put it over the infant, tucking it in around him. They stared some more. "Do you think he'll be all right?"
"We just fed him. He's sleeping. I don't know. I think so," Blue whispered back.
It was silent a moment. "Should we watch him? He might need us or something," Sideswipe whispered.
"I … should we? I don't know," Blue whispered back.
They stood some more.
-0-Chief Medical Officer
He slept on, recharging from a long hard tour in the Medbay. It felt good.
-0-Ironhide and Orion
They walked around the base after spending time with Prime working out the details of a number of possible scenarios. Prime was heading to Mars and would be back later that day or early the next one. The naming ceremony was two days off and he wanted to be there. The refugees were coming along with more soldiers and Starscream had been informed about the decision to send the message. All in all, he was booked solid.
Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl and Prime as grand genitors had to be there. The trine would be there with the sparkling. It would be important to show that the family that the infant had joined was standing in solidarity as they presented him to the community that he was joining. It was the way of the culture in which he was going to be raised.
The sun was warm as the two stepped out, marching along the front of the building toward the Aerialbots. They were resting on the flight line waiting for orders, so the two mechs walked around them exchanging news. The jets were also pleased about the trine's new sparkling.
-0-Nearby
They stood uncertainly, the infant flapping his tiny arms as he made squeaking sounds. Bluestreak looked at Sideswipe. "It's your turn, Sideswipe."
Sideswipe looked at Bluestreak uneasily, walking to sit on the couch. Bluestreak picked up the sparkling, blanket and all and joined Sideswipe. They glanced at Sunstreaker who was deep in recharge.
"We better get good at this before Sunstreaker comes up out of recharge. I don't know how good he will be for a while," Bluestreak said. He lay the sparkling in Sideswipe's lap and glanced at the front-liner. He was nervous and fumbled getting his feeding tube free of the interface chamber. Bluestreak smiled. "You'll be great at this, Only One. Ironhide is a pro. You will be too."
"I hope so," Sideswipe said reaching down to tap the sparkling. The little one opened up and began to suck. Sideswipe grinned. "Took it the first time."
"You are getting the hang of it, Sideswipe." Blue grinned as he leaned against Sideswipe, looking at the sparkling that was theirs to take care of forever. Daunting would be a small word for how it felt.
"Prowl is going to be hard to shake once the naming ceremony is over. Better get your fill while you can," Sideswipe said with a grin.
Bluestreak snorted. "He will have to share."
"That's our story and we're sticking to it," Sideswipe said smirking.
The infant paused, looking at the two of them for a moment. Then he began again.
"I wonder what he's thinking?" Blue asked, taking a tiny servo into his own, squeezing it gently.
"I don't know," Sideswipe said. "I can't wait until he can talk to us."
"Orion has sparkling speech. It took a while for him and it will take a while for our sparkling." Bluestreak paused a moment with a smile. "Our sparkling. That sounds so nice."
Sideswipe smiled. "It does."
-0-Autobot City, Mars
They finally arrived, shuttles and Aerialbots setting down among the ships already there. Dozens of mechs and a small number of femmes and younglings stepped off, weary and exhilarated at the same time. They were met by groups of mechs from the garrison who took them inside. There were several younglings and a couple of sparklings born before they gathered to run from a neutral colony that had fallen to the Decepticons.
Two Wrecker crews deplaned and were greeted by Kup with shouts and cursing. He took them under his wing and led them in to have their shot at the medical crews who were waiting to run them all through a series of examinations to ensure their well being.
As each group left their particular shuttle or Aerialbot, they were greeted by their long lost leader, Optimus Prime. He stood on the flight line meeting each as they walked past, hugging and shaking servos, listening to each as they exclaimed their relief and delight.
They continued to the garrison, entering the city to be integrated into the population. By the time the last ship had emptied its precious cargo Prime had a clearer picture of the galaxy beyond. The mini-con village was coming and they were being brought to Autobot City by Fortress Maximus and Omega Supreme, the only ones powerful enough to fight off the continuous attacks by Decepticon Seekers that were menacing them along the way.
When the last group had entered the city, Optimus Prime walked to the Seeker barracks to fulfill a promise to Starscream. He was going to send the signal to call Decepticon Seekers to Mars.
-0-TBC 2011 (2) edited January 16, 2015
Chapter 18: Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Chapter 18
The Diego Diaries: Seeker Call (dd2 18)
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Prime walked into the fortress addressing mechs and soldiers as they made their way through the processing system that greeted all refugees when they came. Intel had to be collected, medical/psychological examinations completed, skill/occupational assessments gathered, all of it done with precision from the locals who were getting rather good at assimilating groups from beyond the solar well.
Kup and the Wreckers were walking toward the transient mech barracks to settle their gear and weapons. Prime didn't think anything of it as he paused by Ops Center to check on the latest message pings they sent to the group escorting the mini-cons. Now they knew who was coming. Now they knew what frequencies to use. It was exciting to know that two of the biggest, most feared Autobots had found their way toward Mars.
As he stood talking to Springer who had joined him and the officer of the day shouting broke out in the courtyard beyond. Pausing a moment, Prime turned and broke through the crowd that had massed around the door. In the courtyard standing with their ferocity and bare servos for weapons, six adult Seekers were facing off with two Wrecker crews. Kup standing between the Seekers and the Wreckers was trying to be heard over the shouting.
Prime stepped out and moved forward, his own booming voice cutting over the top of the chaos. They all paused, stepping back a step or two as Prime moved closer. He stopped to look at the Wreckers, his expression alone moving them back. Kup stepping toward Prime glared at the Autobots as they stood waiting tensely.
The Seekers who were enraged and ready for war turned to Prime, Starscream stepping forward. "These creatures were going to kill us. We have hatchlings, Prime."
"I know," he said moving to stand in front of the Seekers. He turned to the Autobots and glared at them. "These Seekers are part of this community. They have refugee status here and if they are bothered or molested in any way you will violating a Prime directive."
"You have Seekers here?" a tall red Autobot said incredulously. "How can we live with Seekers here?"
"We live with Seekers very well. They are part of us now. They have given their personal and Seeker oaths to live here in peace. I gave my personal and Autobot oath to allow it. They have hatchlings as well. If anyone disturbs them they are attacking my honor directly and that individual will be seeing me personally about it. Do I make myself clear?"
It was silent and sullen as the Autobots nodded. Kup himself enraged stepped forward. "I have been given the responsibility of taking care to make sure you fit in here, that you learn the rules and laws and that you stay out of trouble. If anyone of you do anything that violates that I will personally kick your aft into orbit. Is that perfectly clear?"
They nodded and stared, alternating between the Seekers, their Prime and the enraged and intense figure of their legend, Kup. He turned and nodded to Prime. "I will personally take care that nothing is done to make any one of us ashamed of the Wreckers, Prime."
Prime nodded watching as the group turned to follow Kup toward the barracks around the corner from the Seeker's home base, the old mech blistering the audials of the Autobots following all the way. Turning, looking at the silent figures before him, Prime shook his head. "I am here to make that call, Starscream."
"Do you still want to do it?" Starscream asked watching as the last Wrecker moved out of view.
"I gave you my word. I will tell you though that more refugees are coming and they are being harassed by Seekers. Apparently there are some that are not aware of Megatron's orders regarding your annihilation."
Starscream considered this and nodded. "It is possible. We have operated at times in cells, autonomous in action and deed. I will accommodate my message to include that." He regarded Prime. "Who is coming and who are they attacking?"
"Omega Supreme and Fortress Maximus," Prime said watching as they took in that startling bit of news.
"I had not heard of their whereabouts in a long time," Starscream said musing on the information. "That would mean a lot of Seekers are still flying in squadrons. It will be interesting who responds and what Shockwave will do about it."
"You remember Shockwave?" Prime asked.
"I heard him mentioned in the rec room. It made me think. Shockwave would be the one to step in considering Megatron is in hiding."
"You believe Megatron is hiding?" Prime asked.
"He must be or he would come here and kill me," Starscream said. "He would not be able to allow me to live. We are drawn together in a dance of doom, Prime. He will not rest until I'm dead."
The others sagged slightly, the burden of Starscream's obsession weighing on them. Prime noticed and stepped forward, placing a servo on Starscream's shoulder. "I know you fear that. I know you believe that. But I give you my word, Starscream … Megatron will not be allowed to come within harm's distance of you and your infants. You have my word as Prime."
Starscream looked at him, his expression unreadable. "I will consider that, Prime."
Prime nodded. "Where do you want to send the signal?"
"Here, beyond the walls. I think it would be a good place."
Prime nodded and they turned, walking to the front gate and stepping out. The plain was flat and flew away from them toward the great mountains beyond. The sun was overhead and the day was still, the orange of the surrounding land and the tint of dusty orange in the sky was calming, becoming homey and familiar. They walked several yards from the walls and stopped, turning to each other.
"I would like my signal to mingle with yours. I have composed a message and would like to download it to you. If you could embed it into your message they can go out together," Starscream said.
Prime nodded and the download commenced. It was a simple message of hope, longing and command. He told them of a home where they could fly freely, live freely and have a life beyond that of slaving for a tyrant. They were told that their commander, Starscream of Cybertron had found a home for them and they must come. There were hatchlings here, there was peace and they had found refuge among an enemy that had become an ally. There was nothing embedded in the message. It was clean and complete.
So Prime turned, opening his chest and from it burst the light of the Matrix. It shot into the sky sending a message into the heavens, a message of peace and entreaty. "Come," he said. "Come to me. There is sanctuary here. There is community here." Mingled in it was the word of a Seeker, a single mech who was gathering his kind to himself. A single mech who wanted to fill the skies of his new refuge with his own kind, to see younglings among them, to feel that hope, peace and home were possible. The message went out and then the light stopped, Prime's chest panels closing once again. They stood together savoring the moment, then Starscream turned to Prime. "Would you like to see your newest subjects?"
Prime smiled. "No. But I would love to see our newest citizens."
Starscream smiled for a moment, a genuine thing. Then he smirked. "More do-goodism. You are a marvel, Prime. I'm glad I never killed you."
Optimus snorted then chuckled. "I'm glad you never did too, Starscream."
They turned to walk back inside, back to the Seeker barracks and the three tiny infants including one with red, white and blue markings.
-0-Inside
Springer walked into the Ops Center leaving the crowd behind him to talk about the encounter. He was tired and still keyed up but ready to return to the business of helping to run the city. Magnus was supervising the refugee repatriation so he sat in front of Teletraan III to sort through orns of data that was collected in his absence. The idea of the two super Autobots returning was electrifying and so was the idea that Seeker squadrons had been detailed to attack them. Who had sent them? That was the most important question of all.
-0-Mole
The mole was more low key than before staying farther away from the Embassy than usual. The death of Nast had been a shocker and he had no idea who had done it. The message board was burning up as the small circle of intimates tried to sort out what had happened. He had watched it on the television wondering who would be paying his way and how secure his identity was but when the checks kept coming and his sense of endangerment diminished he had fallen back into the moment.
No one had come sniffing around and no one had told him to step back. Intel-Martin was being run by the corporation's top management team and the word from Weaver was that things were still under control. All they had to do was continue and it would be sorted out. Word was floating that Onda de Choque was considering buying a larger portion of the business and assuming more control once probate and the investigations were finished. The children of Nast were too young and too disinterested to take a stand one way or the other about the company itself. So he felt safe.
The rumors on base were rampant. The children were known already and there was a lot of interest in them. But there was also word of a trine, a trio marriage and that the trine had either had a sparkling or was going to have one soon. That would be news.
He had spent time sunning himself near the hangars by the Embassy and at the beach. He had seen Autobots especially on the firing range but they seemed to be here a while and then disappear for a while. Their security had become higher when the children were almost killed. The mercs who were rumored to be involved had disappeared. Some said they were flown out in the night and some said that they were killed by the Autobots.
That had given him pause. Though no one could definitively say what had actually happened, the idea of the Autobots killing their enemies had given him pause. He would definitely be considered the enemy so he was much more careful. When the mercs, some of whom had taken to hanging out with him when he was lounging to surreptitiously watch the Embassy would talk smack he would listen and not comment. Some of them were actually talking about taking out a mech, preferably target number one, Ratchet, their ambassador.
That rumor was floating around in some circles and he listened but didn't act upon it or comment. He had posted it on the listserv and gotten interest from the others. Most of it was speculation on how you could kill an Autobot that big, that protected, that important and live to tell the tale. He didn't believe it could be done short of divine intervention. Some of the mercs did though. He would have to be careful not to be seen with them in public.
Walking past the hangars heading for the beach he caught a flash of colors, the sound of something like laughter in the recesses of the embassy and once again wished he could walk inside to see what it was like to be around such incredible creatures. He continued on and walked through the gate, down the sloping hillside and out onto the flat sandy beach beyond.
-0-Medbay, later in the day
They walked in, pausing by the door to accept congratulations and to beg off showing the bundle they carried to their colleagues. Continuing in, Sideswipe and Bluestreak walked to Ratchet's office where the gangling medico was sitting going through data pads and the ubiquitous report mire that was the lot of department heads in all galaxies all of the time. He looked up, relaxing. "Hi. I see you survived so far."
Bluestreak grinned, sitting to relax. "So far."
"Sunny still recharging?"
Sideswipe nodded. "He is. You wanted us to bring him by to show us some things we need to know?"
Ratchet grinned. "Yes. What goes in must come out. Understand?"
They glanced at each other and smirked. "Unfortunately," Bluestreak said with a chuckle.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Gears, Cliffjumper and Mirage sat in the brig hearing above them the sound of increased activity. "The refugees got here," Gears said.
"Genius. You're a genius," Mirage said lounging nearby in his own cell.
"You are such a slag filled sack of crap, Mirage," Gears said. "So good. Too good. But here you are in the brig."
"I don't mind being in the brig, Gears. It was worth it tossing you two idiots into the walls. You never learn."
"Is that so," Gears said walking to the bars of his cell. Cliffjumper too bored to argue sat back to watch. Gears never did know when to ignore. Gears was even worse about it than he was. "When that mini-con village gets here you will be sorry. We won't have to put up with your slag."
"Do you think Prime is going to let you act however you want? Do you think you and your tiny little friends can go any which way you want?"
"We are autonomous," Gears said.
"No you aren't. Optimus is the Prime. The laws of Cybertron apply here and you little slaggers will be subject to them like the rest of us. You are not going to be allowed to be stupid and frag around."
"If you weren't in that cage ..."
"I would kick your aft into orbit," Mirage interrupted. "Get over yourself, tiny mech. You are as bound by the rules as I am. How many times you want to end up in the brig is up to you because Magnus, Prime and Springer are going to be enforcing the rules."
Gears turned to glower at Cliffjumper. "Why aren't you talking?"
"Because I'm sick of the brig. I want out of here and I want to see who came and find out if its true that Omega Supreme and Fortress Maximus are guarding the village that's coming."
"Fortress Maximus?" Mirage asked. "Nice addition to the city. I think Omega would like it here too."
Gears shrugged. "Maybe."
Mirage smirked. "Why wouldn't they? It would be a relief getting rid of you mini-cons after all."
Gears sneered at him. "Dilettante."
"Shrimp."
"Douche bag."
They all paused on that one. Cliffjumper chuckled. "That one is low even for you, Gears."
Gears grinned. "Good."
Mirage just rolled his optics.
-0-TBC 2011 (2) edited 1-21-15
Chapter 19: Chapter 19
Chapter 19: Chapter 19
The Diego Diaries: Naming Redux (dd2 19)
-0-Ops Center
They came into Ops Center and found a seat against the wall or around the table. Sunstreaker had rested over two orns and felt almost himself again. Bluestreak held the infant, smiling at Prowl as he worked at the comm center, his optics straying toward the bundle in Blue's arms almost on their own volition. Sideswipe,leaning over Teletraan II deep in conversation with Smokescreen was impatiently patient for the ceremony to be over. The night before had been epic.
-0-In the bosom of love times three
"Frag no! I'm not doing it. I did all the hard slag. It's up to you two." Sunstreaker sat on the couch, the infant in his arms recharging. They had spent about three orns washing, polishing, buffing and otherwise detailing the tiny figure and he glistened like a shiny dime.
Sideswipe looked at Blue pausing long enough in polishing a gun barrel to shrug. "I'm not doing it. If I have to hitch a ride to Autobot City I will."
"What a bunch of cry babies. What a bunch of big cowards," Bluestreak said standing in the middle of their living room quarters, servos on hips and wings quivering. "I never saw a bigger bunch of babies."
"You can't insult us, babe," Sunstreaker said yawning. "We won't be budged. It's how we are. Take it or leave it."
Bluestreak suppressed a smirk. "Babe?"
"A term of endearment," Sunstreaker said grinning wolfishly. "Get used to it. It's cute. Like you."
"So I'm cute am I?" Bluestreak asked folding his arms to smirk at the two.
"You are. You can't help it. You were born that way," Sideswipe said sighting down the barrel of a rifle scope.
Bluestreak shook his helm and walked to Sunny, sitting beside him, sliding his arm across the big mech's shoulders. Leaning his chin on Sunny's shoulder, he considered their predicament. "What am I supposed to say, you big femme?"
Sunny grinned and thought a moment. "Tell them that this is the best looking sparkling ever. Tell them that this sparkling will get whatever it needs. Tell them what they're missing, Blue. Tell them to not wait."
Bluestreak looked at him with surprise. "You think they should bond and spark?"
"Sure," Sunstreaker replied with a trace of a smirk. "Why should we be the only ones in hell?"
Bluestreak smacked his shoulder and took the infant, cuddling it gently against his shoulder. "Your carrier is a fragging idiot."
Sunstreaker slid his arm around Blue and pulled the two closer. He glanced at Sideswipe and grinned. Sideswipe grinned back.
-0-Ten minutes before the big moment
Epps, Lennox and Graham, all of them dressed crisply and looking sharp walked to the hummer and climbed in. They drove to the admin building to pick up Fulton. Driving off, aides and civilians watched them go.
"Where are they going looking so handsome?" an woman asked walking to look out as she paused on her way to the copy room.
"There's some kind of ceremony going on at the Autobot Embassy. They were invited."
The woman nodded.
-0-Around the base
"The Autobots are having a ceremony."
"What kind?"
"I don't know. Epps, Lennox and Graham went with Fulton and they looked real nice."
"I hear that Fulton had on his dress uniform and was heading for the Embassy. Don't know what's happening."
"I hear that the President is visiting the Autobot Embassy and that our guys got their dress uniforms on and went too."
"The President?"
"Sure. And his nice wife. I wonder if the kids are coming?"
"There's a ceremony at the Embassy with the Autobots. I hear that Prime is stepping down."
"NO!"
"YES!"
"WHAT? THAT'S INSANE!"
"Yeah. Someone who knows told me that he's ill. Got some sort of rust disease."
"Rust disease? That sounds terrible. I really like Optimus. This is terrible. Do you think CNN knows?"
"Let's go look. I hear they have a tips line to call if anyone hears breaking news. This surely qualifies."
"Oh no. Prowl is missing? Are you kidding me?"
"Yes."
"YOU ASSHOLE!"
"We better go. If someone is going to die or get promoted or whatever I want to be there. I want SOMETHING to tell the grand kids someday."
"Working on a base with twenty-five foot living robots isn't enough?"
"Now that you mention it … I'm going anyway. You coming?"
"Can you keep me away?"
-0-Ops Center
The family gathered and so did the mechs, filling the corridor and the rec room, spilling out into the front of the Embassy. Everyone was happy and expectant. Everyone wanted to see the new infant and hold him, pledging by doing so that the little baby would have protection, love and community all their life.
Prowl looking shiny as he quivered with excitement walked to Blue and looked at everyone around him. "Are we ready?"
Jazz stepped up and smiled. "Half the base is here."
"What?" Sunstreaker asked rising with concern.
"Grapevine again," Prime said venting a soft sigh. "I wonder what they have me doing this time?"
"Probably have you sparked, Prime," Jazz said with a chuckle.
"Then we better do this in front of the Embassy so they can see it as well. Cat is already out of the bag," Prowl said shrugging.
They all looked at him wonderingly. "What a strange expression," Prime said grinning. "I concur. Let us light our moment across the skies."
Smiles and chuckles abounded as they all turned to walk toward the corridor, the rec room and the tarmac beyond. The twins and Bluestreak hung back behind the family as expected as Ironhide, Ratchet, Prime and Prowl stepped into the sunshine and good will of what appeared to be nearly the whole base.
Prime had personally invited the femmes, the chaplains, and Fulton. Ironhide had invited the soldiers and a number of really sweet civilians that loved him and Ratchet, enjoying their banter and good companionship. Sam and his family were standing in front of Bumblebee and everyone looked at him with expectation. He looked back, smiled, then turned, considering his words carefully.
"Welcome. There are more of you than we expected. But we are glad you are here, our human family for this most momentous occasion. We are here to celebrate the birth of a new sparkling."
A murmur of appreciation spread through the crowd and Jessie, standing among their most beloved cheerful femmes shouted out: "DIBS!"
A roar of laughter rose up and the Autobots joined them. "You will have to coordinate with Prowl."
Another roar went up as Prowl grinned broadly, nodding his head. Then Prime continued. "This sparkling was unexpected. But this sparkling is very welcomed. It was born into a Praxian family and one of the customs is waiting three days before showing it and telling its name. All of the community it will belong to gather with all its family and it is presented. The family it belongs to is Bluestreak, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. The grand genitors … its grandparents are Ironhide, Ratchet, Prowl and myself."
Huge cheers and claps went up.
"Since it is Praxian customs that we are honoring, we are here, the grand genitors to stand with our younglings as they present their infant to the community that will be a part of their lives, who will help nurture and raise them." He turned to the three and the twins stepped back leaving Bluestreak standing by himself. He turned and glared at them but they merely smiled.
Amid great laughter Bluestreak nervously turned and stepped forward, hugging Prime as he did. Turning to the now silent crowd he began haltingly. "I am so glad you are here. We didn't plan a sparkling but we have one and its so beautiful and wonderful. I am so happy. We are so happy." He paused to gather himself. "I am Praxian. So is Prowl and Ironhide. Our city was destroyed and nearly two million of our people were killed. I am the only survivor of that attack." He paused as they looked at him, taking it in. "Because of Prowl finding and keeping me I have a life. I have a bond that I cherish and a sparkling that is mine to help raise. I have grand genitors that I adore who will always help me. They always have before and they always will. So will you, our community.
"We keep the sparkling to ourselves for three days, three days to learn to take care of them and to talk together about what matters. You matter to us. This world matters to us. Our family, our friends, our culture and our ways matter to us.
"We took very little time to come to a name that we wanted for our sparkling. So much of our life is bound by my culture. I wanted Sunny and Sideswipe to add their own. We decided to commemorate their life and their beginnings with our sparkling's name. No one knows it but us. Actually," he amended, turning to glare at Sideswipe for a moment, "only one other knows it." Bluestreak turned to look at Ratchet with a smirk.
"You can't make me feel badly, Blue," Ratchet said to general laughter.
Blue smiled then turned back to the crowd. "Our sparkling's name is Kaon. That is where Sunny and Sideswipe came from. It doesn't exist anymore either. Our sparkling may never see Cybertron again. It may never know all the wonderful places we have been and seen. But it will carry some of our culture with him and he will proudly wear the name of his genitor's city." Blue turned to walk to Sunny, taking the sparkling out of his little blanket. Turning, he held him up and the crowd melted. The surge of love and awe that hit the family was an almost physical thing. "We are supposed to pass him around now so that everyone who is here can hold him. That act binds you to him. But there are so many, I think I will walk him around so you can see him. Touch him and it will mean the same to us. We love you and want you to see him."
With that, Bluestreak stepped forward, kneeling, holding the sparkling out on his hands. People lined up moving past him, touching his servos, his peds and stroking his fat little belly. They offered their congratulations and their love, their admiration for the little sparkling and the femmes put dibs on him again. Date night had a new set of babysitters.
By the time the last human passed by, Blue turned to hand him to the Autobots. The infant went round the community and by the time he reached Prowl the tour had ended. Holding the infant, looking at him with an almost impossible expression of love, the perfect moment came to a perfect ending.
At that point, they all, human and Autobot entered the rec room and the celebrations began. Entering as well, the Mole got his wish, moving inside, finding at the human's roped off area a vantage point by which to watch the elegant alien creatures that had so captured him. As he watched, so also was he watched. There was not a moment when he would have a chance to wander or offer up mischief.
-0-TBC 2011 (2) edited 1-21-15
Chapter 20: Chapter 20
The Diego Diaries: Game Changer (dd2 20)
-0-Autobot City, Mars
And that is when the night turned into fire.
Prime felt it through the floor and turned to spot across the transparent windows of the penthouse a fireball rise into the sky on the other side of town. A rumble and sound of a torrent rather like a massive explosion could be heard. Then sirens went off all over the city.
He was moving before he could intellectually understand that, his instincts honed over millennia kicking in and making him move toward the danger. Prowl had arise and turned to look at his father who stood shaken. "Take care of the sparklings. We have to go." He then made for the door right behind Optimus.
Venture stood rooted to the floor watching them, then turned to the infants. They were frozen, fear and surprise on their faces. Miracle burst into tears standing with his dolly and the others then rushed to cling to their grand atar. He knelt and gathered them into his chassis, his processor finally kicking in. :MILER! WHERE ARE YOU!?:
-0-On the street
They ran out of the lobby, halting in the chaos as the flickering light of the fire cast jittery shadows on the walls. Running across the hallway, asking the young couple inside to watch the infants, Flint and Ironhide ran for the elevator. They reached the ground and paused long enough to get a bead on the problem. Drawing their weapons, they ran toward the inferno on the other side of Metroplex.
-0-At the same time
"Metroplex to Ops Center."
"Ops Center here."
"I am endangered. The fireball is intensely hot and it is dangerously close to my main energon lines. It is imperative that this area be secured. If they rupture I will have to move and it will endanger everyone in my superstructure. I will be forced to signal an evacuation in two breems if this isn't secured."
"Roger, Metroplex. Stand by." The duty officer turned as Prowl ran into the room. "Sir, Metroplex is about to rupture his main energon line. He expects to lift off in less than two breems if the fire isn't cut off in his sector."
Prowl nodded. He moved to Communications and pressed a button. "Fire Services, this is Prowl."
"Fire Services, here."
"We have a code red at Metroplex Control Center. Get there and secure the energon line before it explodes. He will have to move if it isn't secured."
"On it," the mech said. Prowl walked to Teletraan III to begin evacuation of the district. The reports were coming in and he began to read them formulating a defense for the city.
-0-On the street
Ironhide and Flint ran toward the Plaza, other Autobots joining them in the stampede. The back of the Plaza was ablaze. The majority of the building was intact but it was evident that some of the things inside had been blown against the wall in the explosion. The structure itself was not damaged on first glance. The forensic engineers would have to figure out what needed work. Right now, that was the last thing on their mind.
The doors to the building had been blown open and they stood wrenched outward. Rushing inside followed by Flint, Hot Rod, Blur and Jolt, Ironhide ran for RTR Tools. There was smoke everywhere so they switched to infrared. Pausing beside The Energon Basket, Ironhide directed aid for Rampage and his apprentices. Running forward, he reached RTR Tools.
The door was open and the place filled with smoke. Subbing his guns, he ran inside and around the counter. Ducking under the cloud of smoke that was everywhere, Ironhide could see Ratchet. He was kneeling beside his atar, Ravel sitting dazed nearby. "Ratchet!"
"Ironhide, help me!" Ratchet said. "GET MY ADA!"
Ironhide rushed to Ravel and picked him up. Turning, he handed the little bot off to Flint. "Take him. I'm going to help Ratchet." Flint took Ravel and headed back through the smoke and sirens.
Reaching them at last, bending down, Ironhide looked at Tie Down. He was awake and dazed. "Is he alright?" Ironhide asked, his voice sounding like someone elses in the weird chaos.
Ratchet glanced at him and nodded. "We have to get him out of here. His arm is injured and he got a blow to the helm from flying tools."
Ironhide nodded then slipped his arms under the smaller mech. He groaned and settled into a dazed silence as Ironhide arose. Turning, following Ratchet, Ironhide carried Tie Down out of their shop.
In the mall, Autobots and medics swarmed. Rampage looked bloodied, energon coating his arm. Ironhide would later find out it was an apprentice's. Rampage had acquired it pulling the youngling out from under a heavy piece of equipment.
Prime was standing in the middle of the chaos listening to and giving orders. A family that ran the hardware was being led out of their shop, their limps and dazed expressions comforting even if infuriating. They were at least alive.
Heading outside, Ironhide walked to a stretcher and lay Tie Down on it. Ratchet moved to stabilize his atar even as Flint stood holding a rattled Ravel in his arms. "Ratchet?"
Ratchet looked at Ironhide. "Comfort him, Ironhide. I have to help my atar."
Ironhide nodded then walked to Ravel. Taking his servo, he leaned in. "Ravie, just relax. You and Tie Down are okay. There was an explosion in the building."
"Oh," Ravie said looking at him with bleary optics. "What about the smelter and the machines in the store? They have to be shut down, Ironhide. I don't want them to blow up and hurt anyone."
"I'll do it, Ravie. You just don't worry. We have it covered," Ironhide said. He caught Inferno's attention. That big bot was supervising a fire team. "Inferno, there are machines running in RTR Tools that should be shut off or they will explode."
Inferno nodded then directed a mech who raced inside the building post haste. At the same time, Rampage came limping out beside a stretcher carrying an apprentice. He looked horrible and so did the other two younglings with him, all of them students in the tech program for food services. They passed by then Prime came out, a grim expression on his face. "Ironhide, make sure the building is cleared. We have a potential explosion on the lines that lead to Metroplex. If we do not lock it down, he will have to move. I have to evacuate all his districts."
Ironhide nodded as he watched Prime hurry off. Turning to Flint, the two entered the building and began an exhaustive search. When they were finished, everyone had been removed.
-0-The Habitat
They had sat around the table discussing the day's adventures both here and on the way to far flung places when the sky erupted in flame. Startled and jolted by the rolling convulsion beneath them, they all rushed to the window to watch as the fireball that had just announced itself rose into the air in a violent malevolent blossom.
"What the fuck?!" Lennox said rising from his chair. "What the hell is going on?"
"I don't know. Come on," Epps said turning to go.
Lennox nodded then turned to the table of people staring at him with traumatized expressions. "Stay inside and don't go out unless we come for you or an Autobot order comes to leave. Get your gear in reach. It's code yellow as of now. Do not and I repeat do not try and contact Earth until we know what's happening. A total news blackout until we say otherwise. Do you understand?" Lennox said looking at the twenty scientists that stared at him pale and shaken. They nodded.
The three officers headed for the exit and the chaos beyond. They watched them go, then Lauren Taylor, a biologist from Australia said out loud what they all feared. "Do you think we're under attack?"
-0-Around the city
The sirens going off were the signal for everyone in the city to reach for their monitors and stay tuned. An emergency message tuned to the internal call frequencies of every adult in the city was penned and sent by Prowl: "This is an emergency. A pipeline rupture has occurred near the Business Plaza. We are asking that you stay inside as your presence would hold back the emergency teams working to lock down the problem. If you are at work, stay there. If you are at home, stay there. If you need to move, an Autobot team will be there to help you. If you are moved go to the Sports Arena and stay there. We will have teams there to assist you. Keep the lines clear. IntraCom will be following and updating the situation. If you haven't reported to work yet stay home. Anyone causing a disturbance will be brigged. Thank you for your cooperation."
-0-Aerie Hill
Starscream, Red Wing, Cloud Burst, and Thundercracker lifted off and flew swiftly to the airfield. Transforming in air to land, they walked to the Officer of the Day who had just come on duty. "What is the situation and how can we help?"
"Sir, the situation is FUBAR and Prime is at the site."
Starscream nodded and the four hurried down the highway toward the furiously burning site across town.
-0-Jetta and the boys
They stood at the edge of the disaster, the heat of the fire uncomfortable on their armor. The Disaster Response Team was gathered around.
"We have to kill the flames or Metroplex will have to get up and move. They're evacuating the District right now but we want to prevent a real disaster. Payload, organize a crew to bulldoze the area to kill the tendril fires over that way." He pointed to the rivers of fire that were burning furiously from the continuous feed of energon from the big main that had ruptured. The sound of it burning was astonishing. It was as if ten thousand freight trains were gunning their engines all at once. Jetta turned to the Fire Control Team. "We need to extinguish the fires. Have you gotten to the shut off valves?"
"They're melted, Jetta. We cut off the flow from the Central Main at the plant and eventually it'll die down when it burns off but not before it causes damage to Metroplex," inferno said.
"Frag," Jetta said looking up at Metroplex. "We need to smother the fire. What do we have that kills energon fires?"
"Not much. We have to smother it with everything. Dirt. Suppressant. All of it," Inferno said.
"Do it," Jetta said. "Now. Deliver it with Seekers if you have to. But do it swiftly."
Inferno nodded then rushed off into the flickering eerie darkness beyond. Jetta turned to the rest and they began to plan a defense of Metroplex.
-0-Nearby
They came out of the darkness moving around the arena as they ran toward Metroplex. They saw the flow of citizenry heading toward the arena as the towers and businesses of Metroplex began to be evacuated.
Jolt and Hot Rod stood in the street watching as hundreds of bots and infants flowed out of buildings. All of the dozens of high rise towers of the Metroplex District were being emptied. Nothing but lives were being evacuated. They streamed out, some carried, some being helped to walk along. The soldiers were posted at each building, numbers of them going up to help the residents leave.
Light from the fire threw long shadows and the residents showed the strain of terror that they had thought they had left behind. The crying of babies, the sobbing of adults regressing to other more terrible times could be heard over the tumult and the amplified commentary of the soldiers who were directing individuals toward the arena.
As each building was inspected and emptied a large red X was drawn on the door and it was locked. The press of bodies in the street, one side of which was kept clear for flatbed trucks evacuating those who were too small or infirm to leave on their own was tremendous. But the crowds moved as orderly as they could.
Overhead, they began to hear ships flying in. The Seekers came in low and dropped suppressant onto the fire coming as close to it as they could. They flew in one after the other and barely made a dent. On the ground, all of the mechs who could manage dozer and heavy equipment alt formats were hard at work pushing sand and rock toward the fire. They were building a fire break between the raging inferno and the footprint of Metroplex.
That worthy was in constant contact with Prime who was nearby directing the rescue and the embattled rescuers who were laboring en mass to save their comrade. Hundreds of bots moved through the eerie terrifying shadows and twisting pulsating tendrils of light thrown out by the fires.
Bulkhead and Payload shoveled dozens of yards of dirt and sand into the buckets of mechs who were transformed into dump trucks and haulers. They filled them along with dozens of other enormous heavy duty bots, the endless lines behind them waiting for their turn.
Nearby digging in the ground with their bare servos, the Guardian bots loosed soil and crumbled it frantically in their effort to save their brother. They were too big to scoop it into the trucks and the suggestion to drop the dirt directly on the fire was denied because the ground they would have to cross was compromised. If their weight stood upon it, more underground infrastructure would break and the fire would escalate.
They worked diligently as they listened to Metroplex and the increasingly strained tone in his voice. The heat was having consequences now and it was problematic how long he would be able to stay where he was. The Seekers screamed in dumping fire suppressant upon one of the most combustible liquids yet found, the burning energon.
-0-Nearby
The soldiers stood on their segways watching with shock and fear as the District evacuated. Hundreds of bots hurried by, shouting, crying, looking back with intense fear. It was a terrifying sight and for once they understood completely everything they needed to know about these people.
This was the Fall writ large before them. This was what it looked like when your life, your city and your world was dying in front of you. This was what it looked like to lose everything, to run for your life, to have no place to go. Younglings ran alongside their genitors, some of them barely able to keep up. Elders were helped along by their adult younglings, their grand sparklings and soldiers.
Medics helped mechs that looked old and ill. The two old feisty mechs that they saw playing games in the courtyard of the Fortress every day hobbled by holding up a very elderly femme between them. It was appalling, frightening and organized. Soldiers were everywhere encouraging everyone along, helping those that were in peril.
It brought tears to Will Lennox's eyes. He watched them with fear and horror, aware that he could offer nothing to help them. He was a detriment to the moment. All of them were. So they stood on their segways and watched, tears in their eyes as they watched the flow of suffering pass them by.
-0-At the arena
The priests stood in the gateway as the crowds came into the arena. Hundreds of citizens from the housing projects beyond the affected area were waiting to help them come inside and rest. The injured, old, infirm and mentally distracted were taken to the center field and settled among the medics waiting there.
The priests and their acolytes greeted everyone, comforting and showing resolute compassion to all. It made a difference as they helped as best they could. Alpha Trion evacuated from Vos Tower joined them in their effort and would stay with them until the end.
-0-Trine
Sunstreaker put the twins in his hold and returned to the living room. Kaon was being wrapped in blankets and stuffed into Sideswipe's hold. Blue, himself in tears came from the berth room with more blankets. "Are we all ready to go?"
A grim Sunstreaker nodded and took Blue's arm. Glancing at Sideswipe, the three walked for the door. Exiting, they took an elevator down and when they walked out onto the street, the last Autobot searching Polyhex Tower would signal to the guards at the door. They would draw a red X and another building would be sealed.
-0-Prime
He took the intel as it came, his comm link with Metroplex constant. The sweeps of the buildings were ongoing and as each one checked in with Prowl it was an inch closer to saving the big bot. He had already vowed to Prime that he would not lift off his pad until everyone was out. His own sensors were helping to direct the evacuation even though the heat had now begun to burn him.
The crowd flowed onward as Seekers began to fire suppress Metroplex himself. They screamed in, their cargoes splashing on the ground. Nearby standing with horror on her beautiful face Kappa watched her brother suffer. All of them felt it, all of them watched helplessly as their giant size prevented rather than aided the effort.
Prime stood stoically watching as the last group of residents were moved toward the highway, stepping off Metroplex's pad at last. "Metroplex, are you clear?"
A sensation of agony was felt over their link. "Affirmative. I am lifting up and moving, Prime. Please stand clear," Metroplex told him.
Prowl who was listening in as well sent the message to everyone. "Clear the area of Metroplex District. Clear the area. Expect lift off. Be clear. On the count. Five, four, three, two, one. You are go, Metroplex."
Prowl stared at the monitor, the agony of his bond warring with his own. Then it happened. A gigantic organism began to rise, pilons, lines and other attachments falling away. He rose upward becoming Metroplex, the only bot in all creation that was feared by Megatron and Tryticon alike. The pacifist, the gentle giant who loved the company of children, the warrior who hated war beyond expression but served his beloved Autobots and Prime anyway staggered into his root mode. He was said to be the one who could end the war on his own by the mere killing of Trypticon. Yet he sought only peace. He rose upward and as he did, a deep bellow of pain erupted out of his mouth.
When he rose up fully, the energon lines that were his life support ruptured and burst into flames.
-0-TBC 2012 (9) edited 12-18-16
