The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 110)
-0-Ratchet's office
They sat together as Ratchet finished a bit of paperwork. No one was in the need of his services and with the doctors who led his programs, novice medics and student doctors were handling things for real world experience. Ironhide was getting the kids and he, himself was getting ready to go home but would remain on call just in case. Partition was sitting on the couch eating a can of candy that Ratchet had tossed to him. "This is good."
"It's fudge. I keep it here in great quantities because Ironhide loves it," he replied. 'We keep such things around for the patients, especially children. Candy is a good bridge to communication when things are tough."
Partition nodded, then looked around. "What now?"
"Now? You go home and sleep, then come tomorrow around noon. We have things to do and you need to know how to do rounds."
"I'm not a doctor, I'm a soldier and diplomat," he replied.
"Why not be a triple threat?" Ratchet asked casually.
Partition stared at him a moment. "You don't think I can do it?"
"I don't know," Ratchet said as he sat back. "I'm always hopeful and positive and believe that you can do whatever you're willing to work hard enough to achieve."
Partition stared at him silently, then nodded. "Maybe. I might. You do it. How hard can it be?"
Ratchet laughed loudly, then grinned at the kid. "You're hilarious. Go home. Get sleep. Come back at noon, recruit. Those are your orders."
Partition tipped the can's contents into his mouth, then stood. He screwed the lid on the container and set it on Ratchet's desk. "Alright," he said, then seemingly reluctantly walked to the door.
"Hey, kid," Ratchet said. He paused to look at Ratchet. "You did good. I'm proud of you."
He stared at Ratchet almost too long, then nodded. "Okay," he said simply, then walked out.
Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "I'm going to make a decent mech out of you if it kills us both."
He turned back to the work before him, cleared it up, then rose to leave. He would be home in moments to wait for the family to come. They would. It would be bedlam.
-0-Late that night
Ratchet walked through the dark house to the door, then opened it. An emotional Partition was standing in the hallway. "Partition. What's happening?"
He shifted uneasily, then looked at Ratchet near to tears. "Can I spend the night here?"
-0-Ops Center earlier
Prowl wrapped things up and handed it off to the night commander, Lebus, who came in to work the migration to get experience managing fluid situations like this one. Prime had left earlier and was with the kids. When Prowl got home it would be bedlam.
-0-The Twins
It was cold on the hangar deck of Phobos as they flew into line behind ships managing the refugee transfer. Ships and runabouts ahead of them were off loading the few individuals who would need attention at the Martian and Gliesian hospitals after preliminaries on Phobos. Ratchet had left and they were getting ready to go. The first responders were being weeded out to leave for home. They were recalled to go. Having gone from ship-to-ship across the migration for the past eighteen joors, they were being replaced with others. Their ship slid up alongside Phobos and the two hopped off with three others, all of them off duty the moment they stepped onto the deck. A short walk to the bridge room would deliver them to the Ops Center on Mars. It would be night time when they arrived and finally entered their home where everyone was recharging. They would enter quietly and only Bob would see them. Dawg would be snoring on the pillow beside the living room window as usual.
-0-Elsewhere
"Partition … what's going on?" Ratchet asked with surprise.
Partition shifted uneasily. "Um … I was … passing by and ..." He paused, then rubbed his face with his servos. "Do you mind if I … can I stay here?" he asked.
Ratchet blinked. "Come in," Ratchet said as the youngster walked into the room. The door closed behind him.
-0-Earlier
Partition walked into his family apartment, then paused as his genitors turned to him. They were on the monitor and were as surprised to see him as he was to see them. His father turned toward him. "Partition … where have you been?"
"I've been working on the rescue," Partition said.
Laslo walked to him and gripped his arm. "You look tired. What happened, son? What did you do? We were so worried."
Partition shifted on his peds. "I was with Ratchet in the rescue armada. We got caught."
"What?" his father asked with surprise. "What do you mean? You were caught? By who?"
"The enemy. We had to go get the settlements. They were being held by aliens who turned out to be Cybertronian … renegades."
His father stepped closer. "Who?"
"Cassio Imperialis," Partition replied.
It was silent a moment, then Laslo turned to Lucien. "Cassio? He's here? Why is he here? I thought he was dead. What do you mean he had the settlements, son?"
"He's running his own group now and took them over. He had them under guard, held as prisoners. He told Prime to go or he'd hurt them," Partition said. "We had a shoot out and they left."
"What do you mean that you were caught, Partition?" Laslo asked.
"We went to get someone and they hit us with null rays, Ratchet and me. They took us to their fort or ship. We were held and then I got away. I was released and told Prime all I knew. We got Ratchet back and then worked on the migration. They let the first string go so here I am." He stared at them with a gathering sense of disconnect and anxiety. It sounded weird to him too.
Laslo glanced at Lucien who looked aghast. "Lucien … this isn't good. You could have been killed, son. You could have died."
"I didn't," Partition said as he glanced at his beloved ada. "I was fine. I'm a soldier now. I used my training and did the job."
It was silent, then Lucien stepped closer. "Partition, you cannot continue to do this. You are not meant for this life. You could have been killed. What would we do if you did?"
"I … don't know. I just know that I'm going to do this. I want to do this. This is the most amazing thing I've ever done. I'm doing something good here. I'm part of something big and important," Partition said. "I'm going to be a soldier and diplomat. I'm going to do this for my career. The soldiers accept me. They're going to train me."
"I don't think so. I forbid you to do this," Lucien said as he stood straighter. "I'm your father and I'm telling you, this ends now."
"No," Partition said equally firmly.
"Partition, your father has your best interests at heart," Laslo said nervously. "Why don't we speak about this?"
"I don't think there's anything to say, Laslo," Lucien said. He turned to his son. "You had your adventures, Partition. Now its time to put this aside."
Partition glanced from Laslo to Lucien. "No. I've found what I want to do. I'm going to do this."
"No, you aren't," Lucien said firmly.
It was silent a moment, then Partition turned to the door. He hesitated, then walked out. His genitors watched with shock and surprise, then hurried out. The door to the elevator closed before they could reach him.
-0-Elsewhere moments later
He sat on the couch staring at the floor. Ratchet sat beside him. He had scanned the kid when he came and other than depressed systems here and there, nothing indicated that he was unwell. "Well, what happened?" he asked gently. Standing in the hallway in the shadows, Ironhide watched the two.
"I went home. My father forbid me to do this. I told him what happened and how this was for me. You know?" he asked glancing at Ratchet for a moment.
Ratchet nodded. "Sometimes, you don't choose the moment. The moment chooses you."
Partition nodded. "I like this. I like the life. When we were caught," he said as he sat back to look at Ratchet with uncertainty. "I did the right thing, right? I wasn't a coward or something."
"No," Ratchet said. "You weren't a coward. You did what I ordered you to do and you did it well. I was proud of you. You went to Prime and told him. That's the first thing to do, report and get help. You were the spy for this encounter."
Partition looked relieved a moment, then he stared at the floor. "My genitors don't like it. I told them I was going to continue this because it was the thing I wanted to do. My atar forbid me so I left. I came here. I think you ... get me."
Ratchet grinned slightly. "I saw something good in you, infant. You did all you were supposed to do. You got a long way to go before we really include you in combat but you can come with me. I can use a steady hand."
He stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "I don't want to go back there tonight. Can I stay here?"
Ratchet nodded. "Come on. You can stay in my son's room. I think you'll fit in the bunk beds. Let's sneak you in." Ratchet rose, then pulled Partition to his peds. "You'll be alright. I have control over all three of you. Remember?"
Partition nodded, then followed Ratchet down the hallway. He crept into a bunk, stretched out, then relaxed. "Thanks," he said quietly.
"No problem," Ratchet said. "Recharge well. Tomorrow is coming soon enough."
He nodded, then shuttered his optics. Ratchet crept out, then walked to the berth room where Ironhide was lying down again. He lay back, then relaxed himself. "Poor dumb kid. He's going to be alright though, I think."
"His genitors won't be."
"They have no choice if I tell them to do something. It's time that they let him be an adult. The kid is trying. Mentor him, Ironhide. He's not a bad kid. Something in him is starting to grow. Let's water it," Ratchet said.
"If you say so," Ironhide said as Ratchet rolled over and tucked into his chassis.
It would be a quiet night in the apartment.
-0-Morning
He felt optics upon him. On-lining them, Ratchet saw standing over him the solemn face of his son. "What's up, Sunny?"
"There's a strange mech in my room." Sunspot glanced down the hallway, then back at Ratchet.
"That's Partition. He needed a berth. I thought, who can be the best buddy I know? Then the answer came. Sunspot, of course," Ratchet said as he sat up. Ironhide stirred, then fell back into recharge.
Sunspot grinned at both of them, then nodded. "Okay." He walked back out down the hallway.
Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "You're a marvel, infant." He rose, then walked out to check on the infants. Hero was awake, making up her little big girl berth in her immaculate room herself. Orion was up and digging in his toy box, his berth the usual wreck. Praxus was fighting waking up. Prowler was bouncing in his crib like it was a trampoline and Sunspot was organizing book bags in the living room. "What about our big boys, infant?"
Sunspot smiled. "I'll wake them up, Ada," he said. "Come on, Spot. They're hard to wake up."
Actually, they weren't but they liked to play this game too. Ratchet watched them haul down the hallway, then turned to the task of food. Pulling things out, he made a good old standby he saw on a food channel once. A huge pot of scrambled eggs with melted cheese, piles of 'toast, jam and butter', piles of 'bacon and sausage', glasses of 'orange juice', some Cybertronian pastries that were HUGE back in the orn which Ravel and Corr made and supplied for the infant's breakfasts because 'they should know what good tastes like, Sunny', they said. He snacked on one as he cooked. They were right.
The sound of laughter and footfalls greeted the near completion of breakfast as the big boys walked out carrying Sunspot between Quasar and Genesis as each held him upside down by his peds. Ironhide wandered out with Prowler and Praxus, both of them looking upbeat and ready to eat while Hero followed.
"Where's Spud?" Ratchet asked as he placed plates and cups around the table.
Ironhide settled kids, then turned to look around. "He was here a minute ago."
"ADA! I COMED NOW!" He came out with a Hawaiian flower lei around his neck, a short skirt that was made to look like bananas hanging on a string around his waist and Hero's straw hat with a daisy 'growing' out of the top. It bounced with every step. He paused before his genitors, then posed like Superman. "You likeded this? I doing it."
Ratchet laughed loudly. "I love it."
"What is that?" a voice said.
Everyone turned to see a new person standing in the hallway, someone with a great paint scheme and a confused expression. Ironhide who flared with defensiveness turned toward Partition. "That's Orion. He hears a different drummer."
Orion turned to him, posed like Superman, then smiled brilliantly. "HI, SHE! YOU COMED HERE TOO!? I, ORION, SAY HI!"
For a moment, it was silent as everyone stared from the little kid to the big one. Then Partition grinned slightly. "Hi," he said softly.
Ratchet laughed. "Sit down and eat. We got soldiering to do today."
He hesitated, then walked to the table to take a seat among the big kids. They looked at him, then Ratchet and Ironhide, then him again. Quasar held out his servo. "I'm Quasar. These are three out of nine of our older brothers … Genesis, Fireball, that little mech that looks like Ada is Praxus … this little femme is our sister, Hero," he said as he pointed out each. They smiled at Partition as they sat in their chairs. "That's Prowler … he's the youngest and that's Sunspot. The dog is Spot." He grinned. "That little kid is Orion. He's sort of my hero."
Everyone grinned at Orion, then looked at Partition. Partition looked at Orion, then Quasar. "Does he always do that?"
"No. Sometimes he's a Ninja Turtle," Quasar said with pride. The others nodded, then looked at Partition.
Partition stared at Orion, then Ratchet. "Oh," he said. Then he ate. A lot.
-0-TBC 8-27-17 edited 8-28-17
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in the big world tonight but especially those in the Gulf Coast like Texas. Take care and know you are needed and loved.