The Diego Diaries: Chaos 38 (dd3 48)

=0=That evening in Autobot City, Mars

The humans sped to their Habitat gathering for dinner and conversation. They had been all over the solar system, two of them going out to a forward array. Now was the time to sit and organize thoughts and notes. They sped toward the Habitat as the last lights of day glinted off the golden dome of the Temple.

The street lights were coming on and the city's night life began to emerge. The cafes and clubs began to fill up as mechs got off work and headed for dinner and drinks. The shops began to close as business mechs and femmes got off work to go home. The City Hall closed, the only departments still operating in the Administrative complex the hospital and ESCC, Emergency Services Command Center.

Ratchet stood at the window and looked down watching folks go here and there. Lights illuminated apartments all over the city, from Metroplex District to the four different occupied tower habitations in the former quarries. Two others were under construction in the never-ending quest to have space for anyone who might show up with 100,000 of their closest friends. The airfield was never-ending busy and lights overhead were either ships leaving, coming or orbital objects. He turned to look at the room behind him.

Lights were on and they gave a glow to the space that was spark warming. On the floor, Orion stood on his tiny Ironhide peds pointing at something he'd made with blocks. Standing in front of him listening intently, Praxus tried to follow his brother's statements. Sunspot sat on the couch drawing on his art pad, looking up now and again to smile at the sparklings.

They were finished with dinner and playing away the joors until they had to go to bed. All of them were happy and content including the femme that was held snugly in the arms of her big old dad. Ratchet walked to his chair and sat down. "Tell me how you got her back from the winged octopus."

Ironhide snorted. "I snuck up on him. Slid her right out."

"You mean Prowl let you sneak up on him."

A severe optic shot Ratchet's way. "You don't think I can do that without him catching on?"

"Nope."

"Oh." Ironhide looked down at his daughter and grinned. "She's slagging cute."

"She is," Ratchet said with amusement.

"You did a fine job designing her protoform, Ratchet. She's as cute a little slagger as it gets. I get great reviews on her when I walk around the city. Lots of good compliments."

"That's good," Ratchet said with more amusement. He stared at Ironhide who sat with the tiny infant tucked into his arm. Her little pink bootied peds were draped over his giant arm. She was very small even for a femme baby. At least it seemed to him when Ironhide held her. "You going to cart her around tomorrow?"

"Until we go," Ironhide said.

"Go where?" Ratchet asked.

"Out there."

"The Seekers are doing a flyover, Ironhide. I doubt that you'll be going out there yourself unless you heard something I haven't," Ratchet said.

Praxus had turned and saw his opening. Running swiftly, he launched himself on his ada. The big medic picked him up, blew a raspberry on his little belly, then sat him down on his lap. Praxus leaned back and smiled madly. All was now good in his world.

Orion bereft of an audience looked at the four of them and frowned slightly. Tossing down his block, he walked over and patted his atar. "ATAR! YOU PLAY!?"

They both blinked at him.

-0-Blackjack, Alor and Flint

They sat at the table dealing cards and laughing with contentment. Good high grade, take out from a restaurant and cards. It could have been their living room in Praxus. Outside, the sky grew dark and the lights grew in illumination. The airfield was busy with ships and Seekers as the security and commerce of the city continued onward. Day and night, there was no end to the activity that made the city seem several diameters bigger than it was.

"Poor Ironhide. He's going to have to be on his peds with Prowl," Alor said with a smile. He dropped a card and the other two groaned. "Read them and weep."

"Not yet, mechanism," Blackjack said. "Give me a moment here." He studied his cards and countered Alor's. Alor threw down two more and won. They all groaned again.

"Poor sparklings. You aren't anteing up anything. This is for fun and glory."

They both snorted at him and watched as he gathered the cards to shuffle and deal again.

"This is so nice," Flint said leaning back with his 'beer'. "I have missed you both so terribly."

"And we, you," Blackjack said patting Flint's big arm. "This city is a miracle. Prime is a miracle. I'm content here, the first time in eons. My son, my grandchildren, friends and colleagues … no system, no slag. Mostly." He grinned. "Mostly."

"Staff meetings," Alor said with a grin. "We're due to come tomorrow. A run down of the operation and other things. Neo should be there and we'll see."

"You should bury that hatchet, Ali," Flint said. "Eons have passed. Things are over. Everyone speaks of Neo with great affection, even love."

"That's a change, I'll admit it," Alor said dealing the cards to everyone. "I'll be happy to change. I just want to be sure that it's permanent."

They looked at their cards and threw in their bids. Alor grinned and threw in his. "I win," he said with a chuckle. The others groaned and crabbed good naturedly. They would play for hours happily.

-0-Trine HQ

They sat in the basin, their tiny helms barely seen over the brim. They were on the kitchen table as Sideswipe gently bathed them. Sunstreaker sat with Kaon on his lap and kibitzed.

"Tie Down and Ravel are so sweet and kind. They make you want to do things for them," Sideswipe said drizzling water over the tiny femmes' helms. They sputtered prettily and looked up to smile at him. He smiled back. "Cuties."

"They're really nice," Sunstreaker said. "They had a hard time. They won't have one here. We'll make sure of that."

Sideswipe nodded.

Bluestreak walked out of the berth room with towels. He put them on the table and smiled at his daughters. "You're both so cute."

"How else could they turn out?" Sunstreaker asked with a smirk. He got no objections.

-0-Elsewhere

They sat side by side watching The Hourly News. The city was filled with activities, events, places to go, things to see and do. Living in the Jumble their whole life, they hadn't had opportunities the way some did. They couldn't go to games, see events or much participate in the life of their culture and city. There were few greater fans of Iacon United than the two of them but they had only seen one game in person thanks to Ratchet.

They were world renowned for their tools and many of them were in museums honored as works of art. They were. But they didn't make the profit of their genius. That was for the expediter of their wares, the one they had to sell to because the system prevented them from benefiting from their own efforts since the takeover of their business by Galaxy Industries. The government had made laws that allowed it and they had become slaves to someone else in their own business, doing all the work of genius and reaping peanuts for it.

Low castes worked. Others profited.

They worked hard, made exquisite tools, some they had created themselves but they lived in poverty in a hardscrabble neighborhood that was tight knit and proud. They raised their one son into adulthood teaching him everything that they knew. He was gifted and they spent what little they had on his education, making sure he attended the underground schools that were expressly outlawed. He proved his worth and became the first mech in their families on both sides to attend University.

He became a doctor.

It was astonishing and when they attended his graduation, waiting outside for him because they weren't allowed inside, they had spent what small fortune they had in making a paint scheme for themselves worthy of the event as well as buying Ratchet a gift. It was the camera Ratchet still had and the first image taken on it was his own getting his diploma. They stood outside and listened as the doctors were announced and when Ratchet crossed to the stage to be presented it was a moment they would remember long after everything else was forgotten.

"We can look at the furnaces and smelters tomorrow, Tie," Ravel said sipping his 'tea'. "I think if it's sound then we can be one step closer to our goals."

"I agree, Ravie," Tie said. "Tomorrow, we get to watch the femmes."

Ravel smiled. "I cannot wait. Those tiny little waifs are so lovely. Maybe we can go to the park. Ratchet told me about something called a 'picnic'."

"What's that?" Tie asked glancing at his bond who sat in the comfortable chair next to him.

"We pack snacks and go to the park to play. Then we eat there," Ravel said with a smile. "I think it would be lovely. We can take that blanket that Ratchet gave us and spread it out. The babies can lie on it and look at things."

"I like that idea, Ravel," Tie said nodding. "We can get snacks at the grocery store or the bakery."

Ravel nodded. He looked at Tie for a moment.. "Don't tell Ratchet, Tie but I am still surprised that you don't pay for things here."

"I am, too," Tie said. "But he explained it. It keeps skills sharp and others alive. Mechs and femmes can work at what they did, like us. Everyone benefits. We all work for the common good."

"I like that. I'm glad we can do that, Tie. I wouldn't like to take an apartment like this without doing something to earn it."

Tie looked at Ravel, at the sweet face of the kindest gentlest mech he ever met. "Don't worry, Ravel. I'll take care of us."

"I'll help you," Ravel said looking at Tie with emotional optics.

Tie took Ravel's servo and gripped it as they sat together watching the news as they waited for one of Ravel's 'shows' to come on.

-0-Prime Residence

They walked from the kids' rooms and entered the living room to sit before the fireplace that showed a beautiful holographic fire. Sitting back, relaxing at last, Prime glanced at Prowl. "You finally gave Hero up, I see. Or do I have to look in your carry hold?"

Prowl snorted. "I felt sorry for him."

"Is that so," Prime said.

"I'm nothing if not soft sparked." They were silent a moment, then both burst into laughter.

"That's you. Soft sparked," Prime said gripping Prowl's servo.

"She's pretty wonderful and Ironhide is so easy it should be outlawed."

"I will if you want me to. Outlaw it."

Prowl snorted. "Not on your spark. He's one of the few real laughs I get to have."

Prime nodded. "I suppose you want to talk about another sparkling."

Prowl looked up at him. "Do you?"

"If you do."

[Pause]

"You never sound enthusiastic, Optimus."

"I think I have a problem putting what I want first."

Prowl nodded. "You and me both. I'm surprised we have a child."

Prime nodded. "I know."

It was silent a moment. "Are you serious about this, Optimus?" Prowl asked, moving to sit closer as Prime enclosing him in his arm.

"I am."

"Good," Prowl said with a grin.

The fire crackled on.

-0-In the Vos Tower

Miler cleaned the counter and put the last dishes away. Walking to his chair, he sat tiredly. Venture squeezed his servo. "Sit. Everything can wait."

"Some things," Miler said. He looked at Venture. "Did you know Prowl and Optimus are discussing another sparkling?"

"No," Venture said glancing at his bond. "I hadn't. Are they serious?"

"Prowl always is. Optimus seems to be as well. Or so he told me."

"He told you?" Venture asked.

"We were discussing something and he joked about Ironhide and Hero. Apparently, your son purloins sparklings at every opportunity."

Venture chuckled. "That youngling never ceases to impress me."

Miler grinned. "He said they were in discussions."

"I put my bet on Prowl."

"No bet," Miler said with a grin.

-0-Aerie Hill

Red Wing stood on the balcony of his apartment. Inside, his bond was working around the space putting things away after a full day of hatchling mayhem. They had four babies and were a duo bond. Most of the bonds on the floor where they lived were trines. He wasn't in one which made him the first duo in his family history. Their four kids were students in the Sparkling Day School which made them the first in their families to attend formal education.

It was outstanding.

He himself was the commander of Seekers during operations and had lots of responsibility. It was time consuming but didn't cut into family time. He was from a very traditional clan who took their responsibilities seriously. When he wasn't on duty, he was home. His bond walked out, a white mechanism with beautiful green touches here and there. Yellow optics stood out in the darkness. He slipped his arms around Red Wing. "Will you be going tomorrow?"

"I'm leading the sweep."

Yellow Tail nodded. "Be good."

"I will," he said as they stood in the moonlight of their new world. The Aerie sparkled in the darkness, the lights of habitations and Seekers coming and going were beautiful. They stood outside for a long time talking together, then walked inside to recharge.

=0=TBC 2012 (10) edited 12-23-18