The Diego Diaries: Drift

=0=Medbay

They walked in, a tall Seeker newly sparkling clean and Cloud Burst. Pausing at the door, the big Seeker was searching for Ratchet. Ratchet, standing in front of Drift didn't see them but the mini-cons did. The sound of scurrying feet drew Ratchet's attention and he turned, staring at the door. "Cloud Burst … can I help you?"

"The Prime asked us to bring the new Seekers here for you to examine," Cloud Burst said before becoming still, his optics fastened onto the white bot sitting on the medberth."You're Deadlock."

Ratchet found himself pushed gently aside as Drift stood, planting himself for a fight. Kup, standing to one side stepped in front of him. "Don't even think of it," he said quietly.

The two Seekers, both of them seething stared at Drift, their optics bleeding toward white in their anger. Drift, nudging Kup attempted to get a better position but Kup cut him off. "No fights. You two gave your oath to be neutral and that goes for all of us including him."

They began to back out, the weight of their oath seeping through the red hot heat of their anger. Slipping out the door they turned and walked away, leaving the room oddly empty. Kup turned and looked at Drift, a grin forming on his faceplates as he stuck the stogie he carried in his mouth again. "You really bring out the colorful in other people doncha, kid?"

Drift snorted and smiled, shrugging slightly. "Appears so."

Ratchet stepped in between them and glared at Drift. "If you're through, then sit."

"I'm not sick," Drift said stepping backward under the glare Ratchet's intense optics. He bumped against the medberth and sat.

"You will be if you don't sit and let me finish," Ratchet said plugging the mech back in. He sat and relaxed, his optics perusing the door from time to time. Kup moved and leaned on the medberth, grinning at Drift. "Don't frag with the medic. He's got skills."

Ratchet snorted and chuckled. "Truer words never spoken."

=0=Out in the hallway at Medbay

They stood together, more of them joining as they came out of the shower racks. Starscream moved to the door peering inside. Walking in, he paused halfway into the room. Looking at Drift, he puzzled. Drift, looking at him warily sat very still. "I've seen you before," Starscream said. "I think I remember a big mouth slagger that looked like you … Turmoil?"

Drift looked at him and then Ratchet who had placed his servo on the warrior's arm. No one said a thing as Starscream mulled over the confusion of his memories and then he vented a delicate sigh. "No matter. Who are you now?"

"Drift."

The Seekers behind him had stone faces, their optics riveted upon the white bot. Starscream considered the new name and then shrugged. "Nice name. Means nothing to me, sorry," he said, his sexy voice low. He smirked and turned to Ratchet. "I have some patients for you. I hope you will do your best. Please try not to dent them too much. They've just washed off The Fallen."

Ratchet snorted and nodded. "I'll be gentle."

Starscream actually smiled. No one else in the group did.

=0=Nearby

Prime stood in the doorway watching the orderly lines going through processing and felt a sense of peace. More of their people were rescued. They weren't lost or hurting. They were here where they could be protected. They had also rescued a valuable commodity from exploitation. Their village head believed they would be used by the Autobots. He saw no difference between the factions.

Turning, nodding to a femme and her son, he walked down the corridor making his way to the brig. Going downward he reached the guard station and nodded to the officer of the day, a mech named High Tide. He chatted a moment and then continued onward to the last cell where Leader-1 was sitting on a berth staring at the floor. He didn't look up when Optimus arrived.

"Leader-1," Optimus said quietly. There was no reaction and so Optimus knelt, peering at the tiny mini-con. "I need to speak with you."

"Why? You'll do whatever you want." Leader-1 looked up and glared at Prime.

"What I want is for you to be a leader. I want you to help your people settle into the colony. Right now, we have little latitude in what we can allow or do about personal requests. But you have a responsibility to your village and you have to rise to the moment."

"You will use us for your own purposes," Leader-1 said, rising and walking to the energy bars. "We're small. We can't stop you."

"Bumblebee is a mini-con. There are a lot of them here. You need to talk to them," Prime said. "Your paranoia may be justified elsewhere but it isn't here and it doesn't help anyone. Your people need calm and level-headed leadership. Provide it and I will let you out of here."

"Just like that," Leader-1 said. "You expect me to trust you because you say I can."

"No," Prime said. "Because the other mini-cons here say you can."

Leader-1 stared at him measuring his thoughts and then walked back to his bench, sitting and leaning back. "I don't believe you."

"Very well," Prime said rising. "It's up to you." With that he turned and walked away, going back to the main hub where the dwindling lines were. Tiny bots stood in orderly lines moving through the stations quietly. Sunstreaker, Bluestreak and Sideswipe held infants and younglings as their parents worked out the details of living in the colony. When they were finished they led them to medbay and a complete examination and repair.

The sound of laughter and conversation poured out of the rec room and Prime walked to the door looking inside. Bots were everywhere, femmes and mechs, children here and there with their families, old and new getting together. He felt a sense of peace and a warmth suffuse him as he stood observing.

Ultra Magnus joined him. "Drift was part of the group that came with Omega."

"Drift? He is on our side last time I heard," Prime said.

"He is," Magnus said. "Kup vouches for him."

Prime nodded. "Good enough for me."

=0=Medbay

Ironhide stood nearby Orion in his arms as he watched the Seekers get the first real health care that they might ever have had since the war began. They were given the full once over and some of them were scheduled for surgeries to replace and repair things that had not been taken care of properly before.

Drift had left earlier with Kup who had taken the younger mech under his wing. He had a habit of doing that, mentoring mechs that had promise. Hot Rod and the twins were three of his earlier efforts. The hotter the helm or the more difficult the personality the more likely Kup would be there.

One after another the Seekers came, were seen and then left. They were silent and watchful, uncertain and strained. Starscream, leaning against a nearby berth waited with them until the last one was passed as fit. He followed them, pausing long enough for Ratchet to snuggle his hatchling. Then with hatchling in arms he turned and walked out, heading off to supervise the Seekers and their housing needs.

"How are the Seekers?" Ironhide said moving to sit on the diagnostic berth beside Ratchet.

"They are in as bad a condition as you would expect. No medics and no good health. Frankly, I'm sort of impressed at the improvisation they made to fix their hurts."

"Megatron was cheap."

"He was smart in a strange sort of way. He bound his minions to him with fear and deprivation," Ratchet said. "Too bad for him that it created weakness not strength." He turned and looked at Ironhide, squeezing Orion's ped as he did. "What have you been doing all morning?"

"Watching Prime be Prime," Ironhide said. "He does it better than anyone."

"He does," Ratchet said smirking. "What you're saying is you were goofing off all day."

"You could say that," Ironhide said. "Prime's been leading and I've been following."

"You missed the fun when Drift came in and so did a couple of the Seekers," Ratchet said dropping a number of tools onto a tray on the table next to him.

"Drift is here?" Ironhide said.

"The one and only," Ratchet said.

"Should be interesting," Ironhide said. "He's pretty remarkable with swords. Doesn't use other kinds of weapons."

"So I heard," Ratchet replied. "Maybe he and Prowl should get together and compare notes."

"Maybe," Ironhide agreed amiably. "Are you finished here?"

"Mostly."

"Come and energize," Ironhide said tugging at Ratchet's arm.

Ratchet called out to a medic and then they walked out together moving through the crowds in the corridors to the rec room beyond. It was filled with mechs and femmes, civilian and military. Children were about as well. They sat in groups chatting, energizing and catching up. It was happy and homely and everyone felt the joy of being in their own city among their own kind.

Ratchet and Ironhide found a seat along the wall, Ratchet taking Orion and sitting him and his dollie on his lap. Watching the fun and conversation, the two relaxed as Ironhide wove his way to the energon dispensers.

Prime walked past the door and looked in, smiling at Ratchet. Walking over, he took a seat next to Ratchet and then took Orion, settling the sparkling on his lap. "How were the exams?"

"What you'd expect. Some damage, some deprivation but not much. Most of it appeared before Omega and Maximus took them on. The Seekers aren't very good and some of them are scheduled for repair, All of them are scheduled for maintenance as well. Megatron is an aft head allowing them to get that debilitated."

"We count on that," Prime said grinning. He shifted Orion to his shoulder and the sparkling relaxed laying against Prime and patting him with his tiny servo.

Ironhide returned, three energon cubes in hand. He gave one to each and took a chair, pulling it to where they sat. Sitting, they knocked back their drinks and relaxed a moment. "How did the conference call go with Prowl?"

"As expected. They will want to see what we've done here. That is in the future and so is sharing more about things here with scientists."

Ratchet nodded. "Good. However, when I am needed for my close up I'm ready."

Ironhide snorted. "Exhibitionist."

Ratchet grinned and kicked Ironhide's shin with his ped. "Look who's talking."

They bantered for a moment and enjoyed the scene. And then Drift walked into the room with Kup.

=0=TBC

2011 (3)