The Diego Diaries: Home (Invasion) (dd4 25)
-0-Embassy doorway at night in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean, Earth
Ratchet stood in the doorway of the Embassy. Both of the huge doors were slid back allowing the breeze to enter the semi darkened interior. Only Ops Center was running with full lights. The rec room was dimmed as were other places. Bots in the garrison were either on duty or in the quarters area. It had been enhanced and there were things to do out of view of the world beyond these doors.
He stood remembering a different building and a different time. It had been good here … simpler and somehow easier. Infants had been born here, this small island becoming their personal sacred space. He had been hurt on this island and he had started his family here as well. Lots of memories he thought. Memories to add to zillions of others, many not so nice to think about.
It had only been a sliver of time since they stood in the pouring rain on a planet that had proven less than forthcoming. It had been disheartening, the lack of progress but the four of them were still together. Ratchet would never discount or underestimate the infinite patience and implacable will of Optimus Prime. He would persist when all else flagged, determined to rescue the AllSpark to save his people.
The Matrix had chosen well.
Then the call from Bumblebee was received. He had found it. Perhaps. They gathered together and headed into space bending into the transitional format that only mature individuals could make. Infants and younglings were unable to do so, he thought randomly. They would have to be held in the middle, secured tightly into the body of their genitors. He had never had to do it for Orion or his other infants. He hoped he never had to. It was a desperate measure to consider.
They had landed on Earth slamming into the ground at mind numbing velocity. It was the part Ratchet hated the most because they were at their most vulnerable. They were also scattered. When they had gathered together they had their formats, scanned from vehicle modalities that had been at servo. Haste smiled upon them. They kept their formats tinkering with them here and there. It was fortuitous that they were good from the start.
They had found 'the boy' and had their adventure together. Megatron and Starscream had met them in combat in Mission City in California. They had met their soldiers and made the framework of their lives together. Megatron had died. They had been wounded and he had done his best to make it good with what he had.
He had been delegated to make the negotiations on disposal of the bodies of the 'Cons. The Laurentian Abyssal seemed to be a reasonable solution but the demand that the shard be given to the humans who had no idea what it really was even after 80 years of study was a mistake. It had made possible the emergence of Megatron and his linkage with Megatronus Prime, The Fallen. He was of the Pantheon, one of the Thirteen created to manage Unicron. He was a traitor to their kind and thus, his name was never spoken among their kind.
He was dead to them.
He was now, Ratchet thought with a slight smirk. The shock of losing Prime had been extreme. He had examined Prime after the stabbing with shaking servos. They had been demoralized to a degree that was hard to quantify but they kept going. He had faltered himself when Galloway had taken command of the unit but Ironhide had been firm.
"That was not what Optimus would have wanted," his old mech had said in a flat numbed voice.
It wasn't.
They had fought back. There were a few more at the time. Sideswipe and Jolt had landed days before Prime's death. They were a welcome sight. In the end, Prime was raised up by Sam who had never doubted. They had driven the 'Cons into the brink and The Fallen was killed.
Pretty good all the way around.
Then they had come here to their base. It was quiet as they patched themselves up. Then twelve soldiers arrived. Among them was Prowl. He would never forget the expression on Optimus's face when Prowl straighted up and turned to face him. For them, it was as easy to identify a mech or femme in their protoform mode as it was in their colorful vehicular format. They knew it was Prowl the moment he turned to them.
Ratchet had always known the two loved each other. He also knew they were constitutionally incapable of courting or even talking about the personal, so devoted to the Cause were they both. Hopeless. Special needs.
He grinned. "I love you, Prowler and Optimus. Just saying."
A light streaked across the sky, a meteor hitting the atmosphere. Humans said to wish on them. It was good luck. "I wish for all our people to come to us so we can take care of and protect them," he said softly in his own language. "I hope you help us find them all and that we don't miss even one."
When the refugees came it was a surprise and it wasn't. That first group of 27 were the pioneers. They had come through in shables, nine orphans in tow. Silverbow, Faun, T-Bar, Rambler, Spirit and the others … they were precious cargo. Their lives had been crap until then. All of them saw their families die but here they thrived in a society that loved and protected them. They would always do that. Axe infants would be the last, most guarded space in any emergency to fall.
He leaned against the doorjamb watching the base as the night shift continued about their business. Footfalls caught his attention as Sideswipe walked out of the shadows on his rounds. Jolt was with him and both paused. "I figured you would be recharging," Sideswipe said with a grin.
Ratchet shrugged. "It's too nice. It's warm too."
Sideswipe nodded. "Is Blue going home tomorrow?"
"I checked him a moment ago. He will be going. I'll take him early and check him into Metroplex Femme. One more orn of transfusions and he will be fine."
Sideswipe nodded. "That was fragged. I hate fighting underwater."
Ratchet nodded. "I do too."
It was quiet a moment, then Sideswipe grinned at Ratchet. "I heard you put Prowler into the prep school."
Ratchet grinned. "Your old dad wants to give it a try. Parting is such sweet sorrow as they say."
"He's a big baby," Sideswipe said. "Who has Prowler now?"
"Ironhide. He's home. Tomorrow, he has to do something so my ada is taking Prowler to deliver him. Ironhide will pick him up. Then he has to do three joors of school with him. That doesn't count lunch and a nap."
"Atar doesn't seem the school marm type," Sideswipe said with a chuckle.
"No, but he's made up his processor. I don't mind. Sometimes it helps the grieving process to slowly wean yourself."
"So when can we expect the next sparkling with Ironhide's face?" Jolt asked with smirking impertinence.
"When can we expect a little generator from you, Sparky?" Ratchet countered. "By the way … who are you dating?"
Jolt blinked, then grinned. "I am sworn to secrecy."
"I will take that as a 'no one'," Ratchet replied with his own grin. "Leave it to me. Your 'face life will bloom with a little of my own yenta servos on."
Jolt blinked again, then glanced at Sideswipe who smirked back. "You're toast now, pal," he said to the youngling.
"Time to go, Sideswipe," Jolt said as he turned to head back out on patrol.
"Whimp," Ratchet said good naturedly. He looked at Sideswipe. "You better go hold his servo. I have that affect on bots."
Sideswipe laughed, then turned rolling out to catch up to the younger bot. Ratchet watched them go, then turned to walk back inside. It was dark and the rec room empty as he headed back to the medbay. Peering in on Bluestreak who was recharging in the ward, he turned and walked across the empty rec room to the Ops Center.
The Officer of the Day was there working out the data inflow as Ratchet sat at the table. "Anything on old rat face?"
"If you mean Arachnid, no," Hubcap said with a chuckle.
"Oh. Is that how you say her name?" Ratchet asked with a chuckle of his own. "I think she got what she wanted, to test the defenses and now she's pulled back."
"I think so. That is her modus in the past. We have had a few run ins with her in the past," the mini-con said.
"In bars? I do recall that you and Cliffjumper have had a few epic escapades," Ratchet replied.
Hubcap grinned. "You exaggerate my greatness."
Ratchet smirked. The mech before him was a con man and not one to be trusted. But he was on their side and did his job well. Given the complexity of their army with its civilian base, they were given leave to have oddballs among their ranks. "I'm going to recharge. Call me if you need me." He rose and nodded. Turning, he walked to his quarters to crash.
Literally.
-0-Later that night.
:Ratchet:
Weary optics came to sentience slowly. :What?:
:You awake?:
:Ironhide, is that you?:
:Who else?: -Ironhide, probing
:I thought it was my other husband: -Ratchet, fragging around
:You've been watching too much teevee. What are you doing?:
:I WAS recharging. You?:
:Took a while to get the younglings to bed. I'm laying here. Alone: -Ironhide aka IH
:Oh: -Ratchet aka R
Silence a moment.
:Ratchet?: -IH
:What?: -R, struggling to stay awake
:Tomorrow is Prowler's first orn of school: -IH
:I know: -R
:I have a duty at the same time. Something I have to take care of with the arsenel. Ravie is taking Prowler to school and leaving him off: -IH sounding miffed
:Not a good start, Only One: -R sounding tired
:I know but I'll get him. I got his first assignments in my folder this afternoon. I was studying his lessons between duties: -IH sounding dedicated
:You always were good that way, Only One. What are the assignments?: -Ratchet, intrigued
:Pretty important stuff. He has to learn about blue. Then he is working on round. He has to know what it means. Blue and round: -IH expounding on curriculum
:Sounds promising. Is that all he has on the docket?: R, grinning
:He has to work on walking and hopping without falling down. Then I have to read a couple of books. He needs a good lunch, lots of the good stuff. Then he needs a nap. I think he's supposed to work on his fine motor stuff with a squeezy ball: -IH concluding the first orn's extensive lessons
:Sounds imposing. You studied up on it did you?: -R, amused
:I did. There's a plan to this stuff. Round is the first shape they learn because its easier to hold. Blue is a nice color. Most of us have blue optics. See?: -IH, working it out
:You got this aced, Ironhide. This sparkling will probably enter college early because of this: -R, encouraging
:He will won't he: (Insert impossible smugness here) :I am going by The Sparkling Center in Metroplex to pick up a squeezy ball. I think they provide things for you to use. I suppose they will give me blue and a circle. But I think I want to keep a squeezy ball with me. Little mech can do his homework just like the others:
Ratchet smiled. :Clever idea, Only One:
:Hurry up and get home. I hate this: Ironhide said as he lay on the big empty berth. It wasn't home without Ratchet there.
:I will come tomorrow. I will bring Blue back. I'll meet you somewhere. Maybe you can show some of your teacher technique. Little mech can show me blue: Ratchet said as he lay stretched out on a berth in the transient doctor quarters.
:Count on it, Ratchet. Good night: -IH
:I do, Only One. Good night: -R
It would take a while before both fell into recharge.
-0-TBC May 13, 2014 edited 7-1-14