The Diego Diaries: Chaos 25
=0=Big Conference room, Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"Ratchet?"
Ironhide stood up quickly his chair bouncing off the wall behind him. He watched as Ratchet grabbed the other side of the table's edge and squeezed. A low groan filled the room and then it was gone. "Ratchet!" Ironhide touched him gently.
"I'm okay," Ratchet said to the middle of the tabletop before sitting up. "That smarted."
"What's happening?" Ironhide asked.
Alor stood up gathering himself. "Ironhide, help Ratchet up. He's going to separate. Right, Ratchet?"
"You are right, Ali," Ratchet said standing up. He turned to Ironhide who looked rooted to the floor. "You might have to carry Ironhide, Blackjack. He doesn't do well during these things."
"Ironhide, we are going now," Blackjack said sternly even though his insides were quivering like a bow string.
The acorn didn't fall far from the tree.
They turned nearly as one and walked to the door, Ratchet walking out with a smile. Following, the entire crew crossed the Ops Center heading for the Sparkling, Youngling and Femme Hospital in Metroplex Administrative District. It was bright and balmy as they strolled along, Alor on one side, Ironhide on the other.
Prowl walked with Prime, their digits laced together. "This is opportune."
"How so?" Prime asked.
"I don't know. But it feels opportune," Prowl said absently.
Prime looked down at his pensive winger and got it clearly and simply. Prowl had 'the look'. They walked on together following a cheerful Ratchet, a stunned and fearful Ironhide and a determined Alor.
-0-Nearby
He skated in and looked around spotting his brother in the corner sharpening his swords. Speeding over, he paused. Looking at the cameraman nearby, he switched to Cybertronian Standard. "Hey. Ada is separating."
Sunstreaker glanced up sharply. "He is?"
Sideswipe nodded. "Bluestreak is already there. So is just about everyone but Tie and Ravel. We have to get them and bring them over."
Sunstreaker nodded and rose slipping his seven foot swords into his wrist sheaths. He slipped them in and out a couple of times noting the heightening of interest in the cameramen. He then turned and transformed into wheels, the two heading out together madly. Watching them go, the segways turned and hurried after, both teams following Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. The dojo became quiet once again.
-0-At the apartment
"Have you got what you need, Grandada?" Sunstreaker asked.
"I do, son," Ravel replied with a smile. "How nice of you to come get us. I don't know where the hospital is."
"We'll get you there," Sunstreaker said following Ravel to the door. Sideswipe and Tie Down were already heading to the elevators. Soon they would be on the street walking to the hospital, two segways filled with cameras following. Behind then, three segways filled with soldiers were hot on their trail.
-0-The Hallway, Sparkling, Youngling and Femme Hospital, Metroplex Administrative District
They walked down the corridor toward the open door of the emergency ward and the group lounging both inside and out. Ravel paused and peeked around the corner. "Ratchet!"
"Ada!" Ratchet said motioning his genitors inside. They came to him and they hugged. "The boys brought you here. How do you feel?"
"We feel good, son," Tie Down said. "We want to know how you feel?"
"Sore when the pains come but otherwise, I am just fine," Ratchet said. "Ironhide on the other servo ..."
They all turned to look at the grim faced Autobot standing between his genitors. "You can't make me feel bad, Ratchet," he said grumpily.
"Aw, I'm not, Ironhide," Ratchet said. "Why don't you come over here and hold my servo."
Ironhide walked to the berth and took Ratchet's servo. He stood rubbing it, his fear obvious, his indifference to that public fact complete.
A shooting pain went through Ratchet and he hung his helm biting the sound that struggled to emerge. Ironhide gripped Ratchet's servo, his anxiety intensifying. Then it passed and Ratchet relaxed. He sat with plugs in his neck and helm, data rolling on the monitor overhead. Gypsy who was managing the separation looked at him with a smile. "This might be very fast, Ratchet. Third time is the charm."
"That's good to hear. I don't want to squish Ironhide's servo," he said pausing his optics on Prowl. That worthy was leaning against the counter by the door, Prime's arm around him. "Third time."
Prowl snorted and shrugged. "Doesn't matter. All of them are mine. All of them."
Hilarity ensued.
A sound drew attention and Prime peered out into the hallway. Standing on their segways arguing together, three soldiers held off two cartloads of filmmakers. He leaned back in and nodded to Prowl. "Appears there is a problem in the corridor. I would deal with it but ..."
Prowl nodded and turned peering out. "William Lennox, what is happening?"
"They want to go inside and film. We told them that the hospital was a permission-only situation," he said looking upward.
Prowl nodded. "It is. You don't have it. Any questions, gentlemen?" he asked looking at the filmmakers.
"Uh … no, sir. Prowl is it? We fully understand."
Prowl nodded. "You may go. Your subjects will be about later."
They nodded and turned speeding off. Prowl looked at the soldiers. "Do you want to come inside?"
"What's happening?" Niall asked curiously.
"Ratchet is separating," Prowl said smoothly.
They looked at him, then each other, then Prowl. "I thought that was taboo," Epps asked with surprise.
"For them. You're family," Prowl said turning and disappearing into the room.
The men looked at each other and then the door. "Do we go? What the hell is it like? I got enough nightmares," Epps said.
It was silent a moment, then the three drove inside the door together.
-0-Inside
"Well, well, look at you!" Ratchet said looking down at the floor. "So you want to see a separation?"
"No," Epps said.
Ratchet chuckled. "Stay if you want. I promise not to step on you."
They looked at Prowl and nodded. He reached down and set them nearby on a shelf where they could watch. Putting the segways on another one, Prowl turned back to watch himself.
Ratchet moved to lie back and when he did, Ironhide cupped his helm in his servos. Leaning down, kissing his mech, Ironhide nodded. "You just relax."
"You too, Ironhide."
"I will," Ironhide said. He glanced at his genitors who were standing with Ravel and Tie Down. "Do you want a chair, Ada?" he asked.
"No, son," Alor said. "I'm fine. I think I need to stand. This is very nervous making. It's been a long time since someone in the family was separating."
Ravel nodded. "I think Ratchet's separation was the last family event I can remember." He smiled. "He was such a cute lively little sparkling."
"Ironhide was the same way. These two were doomed to bond," Blackjack said with a chuckle.
The room was full with many more in the corridor. Jazz and Mirage, the trine, Springer, Kup and Drift stood with Prowl, Prime and the family genitors.
"Where's Sunspot, Sideswipe?" Ratchet asked as he felt a pain building.
"He's in school. We'll get him when the femme is here if you want," Sideswipe said as he stood behind Bluestreak, his powerful arms around the winger.
"That's good. Thank you, son," Ratchet said off lining his optics for the screamfest building. When it came, Ironhide looked pale. For a big black mechanism with very few highlights, he looked gray. Blackjack walked over and stood beside him resting a servo on Ironhide's back. "Steady on, son," he said quietly, his military bearing and intestinal fortitude taking over.
"I hear that Sunny gets to name this one and do the reading at the ceremony," Prowl said smirking slightly. "Brave of you."
Ratchet chuckled. "I have faith. He's been writing his speech for a decaorn now."
"Have you read it?" Tie down asked curiously.
"No," Ratchet said. "We told him to speak from the spark."
"Then it will be wonderful," Ravel said as he stood at the end of the berth rubbing Ratchet's peds.
Everyone grinned.
"How will you hold it, Ratchet?" Alor asked with a slightly worried tone. "Where do these happen?"
"The first one ever was on the steps of the Fortress with Orion. Then the next one was there with Praxus. Miracle had his at the stands for Christmas Surprise," Ratchet said.
"Christmas Surprise?" Blackjack asked.
"A human holiday that we observe," Prime said with a slight grin. "The humans helped the sparkings feel better one year."
"You get to be Santa," Prowl said with a smirk. Venture and Miler stepped inside just then looking around at everything for a second. Then Miler looked at Prowl. "What is Santa and who gets to be him?"
Hilarity ensued.
Two screams later …
"Ironhide, this year we need to have Halloween," Ratchet said.
Pause. Initiate. Access internet. Search: Halloween. Noun, definition, examples. End access. All optics turn to Ratchet.
"You want all of us to dress up as ghouls and such, then go and 'trick or treat'?" Prowl asked.
Ratchet snorted. "You make it sound awful. And its mostly about the infants. Imagine Miracle as a pumpkin."
Several pause to access the relevant data. Others stand silently thinking about how to make a sparkling into a pumpkin. Various grandadas figure it out and internally do a cartwheel over the cuteness. Nearly all buy in.
Especially Jazz.
"That sounds like a good thing for the younglings. It could be a nice break in the routine, Ratchet. You can organize it," Prime said.
Prowl looked upward. "Truly?"
"You can be his second," Prime said with a grin.
Prowl blinked and then glanced at Ratchet. "Ha. You see? In the end, they *are* all mine."
Hilarity and intense catcalling ensued.
-0-Down below
Cheelie walked along the corridor to the vault down at the end of level three. It was the secured site for protoforms. When Metroplex transformed, it ended up somewhere about shoulder level in the robotic format of the mechanism. They had built down three levels before he had been burned and even though it had held up when he moved, it bore the scars of fire and collapse. The vault had been tunneled out, secured and its contents checked. The corridor was being rebuilt to reach it and would be finished soon enough.
Unlocking the door, he walked inside, the lights springing on. Walking down the room passing little boxes stacked in rows, she found the right one. The room was filled with boxes of protoforms awaiting their occupants.
On a shelf nearby were emergency protoforms for anyone who was without their own designs. They were troubleshooting anything and everything. Thus, they were ready for anyone's crisis. She took the little box and walked out shutting the door. It was a short walk to the elevator and a shorter ride upward. The little box's contents would soon be in use.
-0-Out in the city
"HEY! Guess what?"
"What?"
"Ratchet is separating."
"Oh my. What kind of Ironhide do we get to see this time?"
-0-In a quarry...
"Payload, Ratchet is popping."
"That's awesome. Maybe I can get Carro to go take a peek. He's just around the corner."
"Do."
:Carro:
:What, Only One:
:Ratchet is separating. What can you go and see?:
:I don't know. Let me to look:
Moments pass. :He's separating:
:We know. What can you see?:
:I can't see through the crowd:
:See what you can do. I would like to know:
:I will, Only One:
Payload looked at Bulkhead and grinned. "Let's start a pool."
Bulkhead grinned. "You're on." He turned and walked to the crew that were finishing their break. "Guess what. Ratchet's separating. Who wants a bet on what the sparkling is?"
"What's the choice?" Scar asked with a smirk.
"Mech or femme, Ironhide or Ratchet," Bulkhead said with a grin.
There were no takers.
=0=TBC
2012 (9)