NOTES: One of the things that interests me about writing is finding out what the other guys are doing when someone else is center stage. Telling the tale of everything and everyone makes for me a universe that you can live inside of and enjoy more fully. :D Hugs to all. Shout outs to everyone. Here we go...

=0=And now, on with the soiree

The Diego Diaries: Chaos 18 edited

=0=That evening

They stood at the window and looked out, the three together at last. "This is extraordinary, 'Jack," Alor said shaking his helm. "What an achievement."

Flint nodded. "They started with the Fortress building it stone by stone."

"How do they manage to feed everyone? Consider what is required to fuel the Supremes, Fort Max and Metroplex?" Alor asked. He looked at Flint. "This is a miracle."

"It is," Flint said. "They found that this was a planet that had been seeded with energon eons ago by Seeker drones. They found out accidentally that the planet is more than 40% energon."

Blackjack glanced at him. "Amazing."

"It gets better," Flint said. "It's Class A and Class A- grade."

They were silent a moment. Blackjack shook his helm. "You don't have to have much raw ore to distill a mountain of energy. No wonder the dinner was so good tonight."

Alor nodded. "I have only had class A energon when I was a youngling."

Blackjack nodded. "I know," he said. "This place is buttoned down."

"Out fifteen light years," Flint said. "A fleck of paint can't fly past without being mapped."

Alor looked around. "This is a wonderful space. There's a berth for you, Flint. We would love for you to stay here."

"I think I might. Praxus can have his bedroom back."

"Those are wonderful infants," Blackjack said. "We're grandparents." He grinned. "I like that they have the city's infants using traditional words. Grandatar. How wonderful is that?"

Alor nodded. Then he blinked. "Ironhide said Ratchet is going to separate in a few orns."

They stood looking at each other, then Alor headed for the door. Stepping out to walk briskly to the group standing in front of Tie and Ravel's door, he paused. "Ratchet … did Ironhide say you were separating another sparkling in a few orns?"

Ratchet grinned.

Moments later over tea...

They sat at the dining room table sipping 'tea'. Ironhide had corralled the sparklings and they were now in bed. He was sitting on the couch going over the datapad that held Sunspot's homework. When it checked out, Sunspot got kissed all around and went to his berth. Ironhide followed and tucked him in. Walking out, he collapsed in a chair next to the window. "Done."

"Apparently you aren't. You glossed over the news that a sparkling is due in mere orns," Alor said shooting his son a gimlet optic.

"Uh," Ironhide said. "We are expecting a sparkling in three orns. Just so you know." He grinned.

Alor smirked. "Just so we know," he said. "Tell me about this new sparkling and how do Praxian customs work here. That is if you are observing."

"We are," Ratchet said squeezing Alor's arm. "Ironhide decided he wanted a femme to take care of him in his decrepitude. So … we tied one on and viole! Here we are."

"Ah," Alor said. "That's how we got Ironhide."

"Ada! What?!" Ironhide said incredulously.

"I cannot tell a lie," Alor said with a grin. "We actually over energized and got sparked. We don't regret it but it wasn't planned."

"Neither was Praxus. Nor this one. I want them, don't get me wrong. But we didn't plan either of those two," Ratchet said.

Alor nodded. "They are wonderful. They go to school in the morning don't they?"

"They do. We'll come get you if you want to go and see," Ratchet said.

"We would love it. I am also very happy to have Flint with us," Alor said. "I hope you don't mind."

"We don't," Ironhide said. "Enjoy."

He would.

-0-Later that night

"When are you coming to recharge?"

"Soon, Ali," Blackjack said. "The view is mesmerizing."

"It is," Alor said moving to stand beside his bond. "This is more than anything I could have imagined when we left Cybertron. This is a gracious city with amenities. They are open to everyone. It's wonderful."

"It is," Blackjack said. "The meeting in the morning will be interesting. Neo is a member for the elders."

"Ratchet told me that we would like her now. I hope so. I want peace here, 'Jack," Alor said moving a chair to the window. He sat down and watched as Blackjack did too. "What do you think about the twins being grandsons?"

"It will be interesting," Blackjack said. "I remember them very well."

-0-Long ago in Iacon

He saw them, two young mechs who were standing in an alley way watching him. He had no idea of how old they were but it wasn't much. They had 'the look', a lean hungry affect that told him all he had to know.

Orphans.

Wolves.

They were orphans living on the street making their way through the swamp that poverty and homelessness made of the dreams and ambitions of mechs caught in an unjust system. He turned and looked, taking a step toward them. The red and black youngling slapped the others arm, turning to leave. The yellow and black bot looked at him, defiance in every line of his beautiful body. The red and black bot grabbed his arm tugging him. Only then did he turn and follow, the two disappearing from sight. He stood a while looking down the alley, wondering about the two. He had heard that there were twins around. They were that rare that seeing them was considered of interest.

-0-Now

"They were just scrambling younglings. I always wondered about their beginning. I think they were from Kaon. I didn't see them again until I heard that they were in the army defying gravity and common sense. They appear to have turned out alright," Blackjack said.

"Ratchet and Ironhide are a good influence," Alor said resting a servo on Blackjack's arm. "That is a good thing."

Blackjack nodded. "I don't know that we will find much here that isn't a good thing, Ali."

Alor nodded.

-0-Down the hallway

They went about their evening routine, Ravel checking the injury that Tie had incurred during the blast. It was nearly healed and Ravel was relieved. "That is good, Tie, that you're healing so well. Ratchet is a good doctor."

"He's a great doctor, Ravie," Tie down said turning off the light in the wash rack. "I sure enjoyed the evening. Alor and Blackjack are such good bots."

"I'm so happy for Ironhide. He was such a good sport when we came here. He was happy for Ratchet," Ravel said walking to the berth and sitting.

"Ravie, Ironhide loves you. He was happy to see us too." Tie down sat on the berth and lay back settling in for the evening. Ravel lay back and snuggled against him. "I love Ironhide, too. My Ratchet is happy. That's all that matters."

Tie nodded. "I agree. Goodnight, Ravie."

"Goodnight, Tie," he said quietly.

-0-Elsewhere

"You seem pensive."

He looked up at Prowl and sat back, tossing his stylus on the desk. The lights outside the windows of the Residence office were bright in the velvet darkness of the gathering evening. Seekers took off and returned, work went on all over the city and the airfield as still the streets had pedestrians going here and there. "I suppose I do."

"Your genitors?" Prowl asked walking to stand behind Prime. He settled his servos on Prime's shoulders pooling heat in them. He felt the big bot relaxing into the soothing sensation and felt better.

"I don't wish to seem petty or self centered," Optimus said.

"For wanting your genitors? Since when will that ever fit those descriptors?" Prowl asked. "There is preliminary data to conclude that there are a large number of families and friends reunited from this migration. There are more coming. We also have data from Cybertron that has names and so forth. We are scanning it but it's taking time. You must have hope."

"Did you ever expect to see your genitors?" Optimus asked pulling the winger into his lap.

Prowl settled and considered the question. "I didn't. But I didn't allow myself to think about it. It sort of fell into the category of 'don't ever ask, you might not like the answer'."

Prime nodded. "Me too."

"I feel that things are going to work out, Optimus. I don't know why. It is completely illogical but I feel hopeful. Maybe it's because of the family. I am happier than I have ever been in my life. Maybe its that."

"I don't know," Optimus said hugging Prowl. "But I do know you made me feel better."

Prowl grinned slightly. "Mission accomplished," he said.

-0-In the bosom of love

"Do you think they need anything?"

"I don't know, Ironhide. You can go ask if you want to."

"I don't want to disturb them." Pause. "They really liked the sparklings."

"I saw that. But then they were rather awesome sparklings. Who couldn't enjoy them? I love how they loved on Sunspot too, Ironhide. That little bot needs all he can get."

"He does. He did a good poem too didn't he? I was proud of that. And Rambler … that is one smart little bot. Said that Gettysburg speech like a pro."

"He did. He's a wonderful little mech. He's blazing the trail in the school system for the babies. He's a brave little bot going to school in classes with older younglings."

"He's that smart." Pause. "How long did you know they were here, Ratchet?"

"I was told by Prowl when we were walking to the ship. They wanted to make sure it was them."

"I can see that." Pause. "You ready to recharge?"

"If you are. You look tired."

"I am. Took a bit out of me to see them. I wish Prime could know what this feels like."

"Give it time, Ironhide. He named his son Miracle after all." (Grin)

"He did. The slagger." (Grin)

-0-Far away

They walked down the street maintaining a low profile. They were used to avoiding optics and displaying a meek mild affect. It was easier to stay alive that way. Reaching the corner to wait for their transport, they noted their shadows were in place. They always were escorted, everywhere they went shadowed. From the beginning of the Fall, they were meticulously cared for and protected.

Their side had lost the war but their spirit had been unbowed. The Autobots who stayed behind had maintained surveillance of the planet and protected those that they could. When the Fall came, the two had emerged from their home and tried to run. Reaching the corner, huddling in the burning rubble, they found big mechs taking their servos to lead them away.

They had run for miles and were hidden. When the dust settled they were taken to a medic and their appearance changed. Their transponders were altered and their identity buried for the duration which seemed to stretch out forever.

Now they were just another bonded pair working hard in the steel mills, living in a tiny apartment in the Jumble for the 'GOOD OF THE EMPIRE'. Or so the posters said. They stayed together, worked hard and did their best. No one would be allowed too close. There were mechs watching who would make that foolish effort costly.

No one could know who they were. The propaganda possibilities and the danger it would mean to the Struggle if they were to fall into the wrong servos were beyond calculation. They had to be protected at all costs. So Kestrel and Tagg walked together shadowed by a member of the guard that had protected them from the beginning.

No one would be allowed to know the identity and whereabouts of Optimus Prime's genitors.

No one.

=0=TBC

2012 (9)

=0=Notes on Rambler's recitation:

Abraham Lincoln is considered the greatest of the American presidents. He was also considered the most amazing writer and if you read his letters to families during the Civil War and other documents, you can see why. The Gettysburg Address was made after a battle in the Civil War that turned the tide of battle and was enormously costly in lives. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of American public life. Rambler recited it. Here it is:

The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate—we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead who struggled here have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom— and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

-0-

He gave the speech on the battlefield where the fight had been held over three days. It is located in the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I included this speech for the obvious reference for those readers who aren't familiar with it and because I hear Optimus Prime in his words. =Me.

-0-