The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd6 65)
-0-Later that afternoon
A white cab drove to the hatch for Earth2, then pulled up close to the door. Inside, visible as the ramp slid out and the door opened, Clarice and Devon were waiting. Having been dispatched the bring the news reporters back to the Family Tower for dinner, they waved them forward. The hatch to Earth2 opened and the humans stepped out, the first time on actual Martian soil. They marveled, then joined the army femmes inside. The hatch closed, the ramp retracted and the vehicle began its journey back to The City.
Moving to a row of seats designed for children and humans that ran along the barrier that divided the command unit from passengers, some of the reporters sat. :This is amazing. These are the driver-less cabs. How do they work?: one asked.
:They're programmed to go anywhere in the colony and around the planet when asked. They're on a grid in the Flight Center and are managed like any transportation device. Because they are, no one is ever more than a second or two away from rescue. Every human on world is tracked through the same center through devices in your suits and for those of us who live here permanently, a small microchip inserted into our shoulder. We're nanoseconds away from bridge rescue because that's how fast it has to be. It can happen with or without mech assistance.
"We take them when we need them, everywhere. The colony does. They're everywhere and there are call boxes around as well. You can access them also through the bot channel in your helmet. Hero, Ratchet and Ironhide's youngest daughter takes one to and from school everyday to Titan in the Metro District: Clarice smiled. :She's so cute. She wants to be a helper and give her grandmas and grandpas a break from having to take her every day: Clarice said as Devon nodded.
:She's the cutest little thing: Devon said.
:You've known them since they were born. What's the deal on them? What are they like?: a reporter asked.
:The first baby we ever met besides refugees was Orion. He's probably the most famous of the kids here. He's adorable. I want him. He'd probably come too: Clarice said with a grin. :He's smart, funny and a pistol. Kaon was next. He's a shared grandkid for Ratchet and Prowl. He's the sweetest natured little kid considering the high octane genitors he has with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. But maybe that's Bluestreak's influence. There are dozens and dozens of little kids we know. Sunspot is another. He was a forced child warrior for the Decepticons before he was rescued. We have hundreds of those here: Devon said.
:Another reason Megatron has to die: Clarice said with a cold tone. Devon nodded.
They passed the Temple with its beautiful glistening dome, then fell into late afternoon traffic. It slowed, then stopped. Standing in the middle of the street down from them in front of Club Cybertron, two big mechs were slagging it out. They were a mere two cars ahead so the giant size from being this close to it was mind boggling.
:Clarice to Flight Center Control. We're two cars away from a fight on the street in front of Club Cybertron. Requesting rescue to the Family Tower pronto:
"Understood, Clarice. Get ready to move," a voice said from the console in front of them. A burst of energy appeared inside the cab, a tiny bridge materializing, then Clarice and Devcon turned to the humans. :Hustle it with us now: Clarice said as she jogged toward the vortex. With Devcon herding them, the reporters followed. It was a good thing because a gigantic upper cut from one of the fighters to the other lifted a huge mech off his peds and landed him on the first two cars who were sentient and the cab that wasn't.
The two fighters would both be immediately enveloped by Day Watch mechs from Substation #4 and #6.
-0-The Family Tower
The vortex opened in the big lounge and immediately, ten reporters and two army women walked in. It winked out almost as quickly. Pulling off gear, Clarice turned to the group. "Take your helmets off and hand them over. Right now, you're in safe territory."
"What happened?" Thelma Lennox said as she stirred the roue for a gravy. She and the other female elders were on the schedule to cook so everyone who had functional legs was headed for the Tower for dinner tonight. It would be a rollicking time. The Resort would provide the dessert.
WIN!
"A fight broke out in the street in front of Club Cybertron so we called a bridge," Clarice said as she walked to the monitor which had a blinking light. Toggling it on, she answered. "Tower here."
"Clarice?"
"It's me, Spido," she replied as the reporters crowded around. A handome face appeared on the screen, one with blue and white colors and red optics.
"Good call on the bridge, Clarice," Spido said with a grin. "Here's what happened." The view changed to a massive fight with one mech flying back to land on two cars and the cab. Day Watch appeared out of nowhere and leaped into the fray. It was rock-em, sock-em robots for a moment, then the group was subdued. Spido appeared again. "You would have been at best bounced around."
"Thanks, Spido. You and the center are the greatest living bots of all time. We owe you one," Clarice said with a smile.
"No problemo," he said with a chuckle. "I'll forward the report and video to Lennox. Spido out." The screen went dark.
Turning to the humans who looked at her with a grave expression, she grinned. "Dinner ready?" she asked.
It almost was.
-0-Elsewhere
Ironhide stood by the counter in his apartment admiring the groceries that were just delivered. So did a number of little kids including Reflector who was going to be spending the night. There was fudge, booze, candy, things for Ratchet to 'cook', more fudge and candy. All in all, a good haul. His old mech was a good old mech. He put the last thing away, then looked at the infants. "HOMEWORK!"
They squealed, then ran for the various berth rooms to do it including a few babies who didn't have any but wanted to look like they did. Ironhide grinned, grabbed a cold beer from the fridge, then walked to his chair to sit. He popped it, drew a deep slug of cold goodness, then grinned. If there were two more little kids and his daft old mech here things would be perfect.
-0-Tower
Around a number of dinner tables, reporters sat with the locals. Conversations were varied but the fight was a big one. A reporter sitting between Lennox and Andrew Settles who was here to do reports asked them questions about the Club. "What's the deal on that Club? I know its a famous place with a lot of strange clientele but what else can you tell us?"
"Well," Lennox began, "they have a railing built around the club's ceiling that's deep enough to stash us in if a fight breaks out. We've been there when they have. We were stashed in the railing and got front row seats to the biggest baddest fight I ever saw short of the battlefield. Optimus Prime was in one and he nearly got his clock cleaned. I've seen Prowl and Ratchet settle one down and it wasn't pretty."
"What's Prowl like? He's sort of a mystery to us," another asked.
Epps snickered. "Sometimes I think he's a mystery to himself."
"He's a fighting machine. He has HUGE skills in hand-to-hand. Metallikato is one of his many styles and it literally means 'loss of metal'. Given that those who practice it can actually rip metal into shreds might explain that," Lennox said with a grin. "There's a lot of different things he knows … the five servos of doom and processor over matter two of them."
A newsman grinned slightly. "Five servos of doom?"
Lennox glanced at him. "Don't mock it. Some things translate weirdly. As for processor over matter … check out telekinesis some time."
"You mean … moving things with your mind?" someone else asked.
Lennox nodded. "Yep," he said.
The questions flowed like water after that.
-0-Elsewhere
"I heard that we have to have a meeting tomorrow, a really short one to discuss a couple of things, those of us in the military general staff. Just a check in before we part for Festival. It's in Prime's house by the way," Ratchet said as he slipped dinner onto trays, then into the two ovens that would have it cooked in no time. He had come home and had been enveloped in the love and warmth of his many infants including his 'loaner', Reflector.
"ADA! I CAN SPEND THE NIGHT!" Reflector had said after getting a hug. "MY ADA AND ATAR SAID SO! RIGHT, ATAR?" he asked glancing at a grinning Ironhide lounging in his chair.
"That's slagging right, infant," Ironhide said.
"I have to go back home tomorrow but I want to go camping with you when you go, Ada," he said looking at Ratchet with his sweet open-faced innocence. For him, two of everything was better than none of anything.
"You're booked," Ratchet said as he hugged the baby. Setting him down next to Sunny and Spot who looked ecstatic, he patted all of them. They ran for the lounge at the other end of the apartment where the dread kids were finishing their homework. It was noisy, then quieted down. Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "We do live fabled lives don't we?"
Ironhide nodded. "We do. BUT WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT GRUB, OLD MECH! I AM IRONHIDE! I HAVE SPOKEN!"
Ratchet smirked at him, then kicked his ped. "Frag you, Old Sexy. Food coming up." He paused, then turned back to look at Ironhide. "How come you never do this detail?"
"I wash up, I do the laundry with my aide, Hero, I clean up the berthrooms." Ironhide paused to think about the rest a moment.
Ratchet grinned. "You do, slagger," he said as he walked to the fridge and cupboards to lay out a spread that could feed three giant boys, three small ones, a little girl who liked to draw out her meals for the chance to 'chat', a dog who got bits on the side and the 'loaner' son spending the night. Of course, that didn't include Old Bottomless Pit Himself.
The door opened as Docker and Ravel stepped in. "Hello, Sonny … Ironhide," Ravel said with a big smile. "We want you to know that we have the meals for the children again. We can't have our little babies being hungry even for the Festival."
"Thanks, Ada," Ratchet said as he slapped 'meat' on trays. "What about Appa Ratchet and Amma Corr? I don't want them to deprive themselves and get down."
"They know. They have snacks if they feel the burn," Docker said as she began to prepare the salad. Ravel peered at the dinner, then opened a cupboard to pull out buns. They would be placed on trays and heated to be eaten at the table with melty butter and the applause of the masses.
Ratchet grinned. "This is nice. Old lead butt over there never gives an assist for cooking and he had the training."
"I had the training but that doesn't mean I have the talent. You should talk to my ada. Now there's a cook," he said with a giant smile. He barely made it to the door.
Standing in the hallway, he laughed. "HA HA, RATCHET!" With a jaunty step, he walked to his genitor's door and entered.
"Slagger," Ratchet said with a snicker. "RUNNING HOME TO MAMA!" He turned back, then grinned at his amma and ada who were grinning at him. "I don't HAVE to run. Mine are right here."
Laughter was long and loud for a while as food began to materialize with the assistance of two very good cooks and one who could read directions very well.
-0-Sitting in the living room with his mama and daddy
"What did you do now?" Alor asked with a chuckle. He was basting a dessert to go with the meal already prepared. All of it was familiar, complex and delicious.
Ironhide who sat down next to his father who held a smiling Scout grinned. "I told him what a great cook you are."
"You never learn, son," Alor said with a chuckle. "You can't eat here. Maybe you can come later for a piece of the pie but I'm not going to save you."
"You're a terrible ada not to save your little mech," Ironhide said as he winked at his father who grinned at both of them.
"Frag that, Ironhide. I have a new little mech now," Alor said.
"Oh, so that's it," Ironhide said as he picked up Scout. He held the little botlet up. Scout smiled at him, Ironhide smiled back. "I'd take you with me if old mech didn't know where you lived. You have all the right stuff. You look just like me." He grinned at his father. "The insanity runs strong here too, I see."
"It does," Blackjack said with a grin. "We want a daughter, Ironhide. Don't be surprised if some fine orn, your old ada and I have an announcement."
"Really?" Ironhide asked with his usual mixed feelings. The 'ick' factor was still strong in him. No one, especially the fully grown liked to be reminded that their genitors EVER did 'it' and even worse, were STILL doing it.
Ick.
"We're talking about it," Alor said. "I think I want a daughter too. We never expected more than one child and when we had you, we were very sad because we knew it was never going to happen."
Ironhide stared at Alor a moment before the remark registered. "OH, HA-HA, ADA!" He laughed, then hugged his brother. "You need a sister. You can share hats."
A helm peeked in. "GET HOME NOW, YOUNG MECH!"
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "Is the grub good? You should see what they got here."
Alor helped Ratchet slap the crap out of Ironhide.
In six joors, the siren would sound and the solemnities and observances would begin. There would be no more food after that for most of the colony and some of the humans until it sounded again nearly 25 joors later.
The Festival Of Primus would begin.
-0-TBC 7-15-17 edited 8-1-17
HB2AMB. 4Ever.
ESL: Someone who is a pistol is someone who is a holy terror, a busy into-things sort of little dude. :D It's an American expression. We have millions of them. Some of them can be traced back to other countries. We are so fortunate to have so many different immigrant countries to call our own too. HUGS, WORLD! You da bomb. :D
Grub: a slang word from the Old West of America that means food. :D