The Diego Diaries: War and Aftermath (dd6 111)
-0-Bedlam
The infants ran to gather their things. A compromise on ensemble for Orion was reached. He would wear his sister's flower covered hat and leave the banana skirt at home. His accessories including leis didn't much match up with it very well so it was an easy trade off. It was also hilarious to watch Ironhide bargain with his boy just enough that he could fit into a carry hold without much fuss. When the appropriate dollies were chosen and the book bags distributed, Ironhide, the big kids, Ratchet, Spot, the little kids, and Partition stepped out to go down to the lobby. The elders who usually got the kids to school were working on the migration after having taken a sleep and food break. They would only get half the lecture from Ratchet about over extending themselves this time.
They reached the street, then gathered to watch Hero call her cab. She was self-consciously delighted to demonstrate this great skill and family assist in front of the 'new guy'. He had been asked to carry her down and he had. She had smiled at him and he had grinned slightly back. She was very pleased to help even a little bit. "Mr. Cab Man? This is Hero of Mars," she said as she pressed the call button at the cab stand.
"Hi, Hero. You ready to go to school?" a cheerful voice replied.
"I AM!" Hero said with great excitement. She looked at the others with a giant smile. This was so much fun showing everyone how much she could help them. They smiled back including a slightly mesmerized Partition.
"I have it programmed. I also programmed your cab to the shop. Are you going there after school or are your elders working on the migration?" 'Mr. Cab Man' asked.
She looked up at the adults. "What do I do?"
"Come to the hospital. We can get you in the lobby," Ratchet said.
"Mr. Cab Man, I have to go to the Autobot City Medical Center. My ada will get me there," Hero said.
"Okay," the voice said. "It's plugged in. Have a great orn, Hero."
"THANK YOU, MR. CAB MAN! I WILL! YOU BE HAPPY TOO!" she said with a blinding burst of joy. The family was used to it but it was new to Partition. He really liked this little femme.
"What happens now? She goes to school in a cab? Why?" Partition asked as a cab could be seen coming.
"She goes to the Pioneer School in the Central Office in Metrotitan. She's been accelerated," Ratchet said as Hero began to get hugs. When she got to Partition, she held up her arms. He leaned down and awkwardly hugged her. She smiled, then walked with great self conscious happiness to get inside the cab. The door closed, then it pulled out. She waved until they were out of sight. A receipt would be sent to Ironhide and Ratchet when she arrived.
Ironhide turned to everyone. "Time to go to Terra. What about it, Sunspot? Do you come with us to Terra, then take the Yellow Bus to Centurion today or what?"
"I'm going to do that, Ada. Bos, Reflector and Co-D's bus stops there and I can get on. It's at the cab stand outside Metro Station #1 in Terra." Sunspot led the way to Metro Station #1 nearby and down the steps they went, Partition following. The big boys waited on the platform with them until the train came for Iacon, then hugged everyone before they left. The orange train to Terra arrived so they crowded on, the door sliding shut behind them. Holding straps, they swayed in the packed train car all the way to Terra.
-0-Topside
"There it is!" Sunspot said as a yellow bus rumbled toward them. Spot moved to stand beside him as the bus stopped and the door opened. Three other kids waiting for it boarded while Sunspot hugged and kissed everyone. The little mechs were sitting by the windows waving and calling out. They got love back, then the bus pulled off with all four of the little mechs waving from the same window seat.
"That's the last different school?" Partition asked as they began to walk to the school down the street.
"We send Hero to Metrotitan and the Pioneer School. The big boys go to Iacon and the Intermediate School. Orion and Praxus come here to Sparkling Day, then we go down the street to drop Prowler at The Circle of Light Preparatory Academy." Ratchet grinned. "We have family help us most orns but today is our turn. Everyone is working on the migration."
Partition nodded as he followed the two and the last three kids. Entering the school, he watched Orion and Praxus get hugged, kissed, then run for their lines. The doors opened and they entered. Prowler watched them, then the adults. "I go there?"
"Soon," Ironhide said as he kissed his son's cheek. "Right now, we go down the street to your school or Miss Birdie will eat us." They walked out, headed against the tide to the prep school, then dropped the last little bundle off. They were, at last, free.
"Where now?" Partition asked.
"A tour of the armory," Ironhide said. He looked at Partition with a critical optic. "A soldier needs to understand ordinance. I don't suppose you've gotten that far in your training yet?"
Partition looked at Ironhide with surprise, then straightened a bit. "No, sir."
"Then its time," Ironhide said as he looked at Ratchet. "I'm taking the recruit over. He needs some training. He can meet with you later on. Okay?"
Ratchet appeared to be considering that, then nodded. "I agree. It'll be good for the recruit to learn all he can. He has a desire to serve and be the best soldier he can be."
Partition nodded, glancing from one to the other. "That's right."
"Then follow me, infant," Ironhide said as he turned back to the metro station. "Time to go to the hubs and armories. There's a whole new world down there and every soldier has to learn it."
Partition nodded, his affect brightening. "Alright. Where are we going?" he said as he hurried after Ironhide.
"Down below, to my domain. You're about to enter a whole new world of possibilities," Ironhide said as the two hurried down the station steps to disappear.
Ratchet watched them go, then grinned. "You better believe it. Oh, and Ironhide? I'm so going to frag your big old peds off tonight." With that, he walked down the street to the ice cream shop for a bite, then headed back to The City to look in on the overnight haul from space.
-0-Later that morning
Ratchet cleared up his desk, organized everything, then stepped into the hallway. Down the way heading toward him with dispatch, Laslo and Lucien were walking. Lee-Lee followed with a look of distraction and irritation on her face. "Ratchet, I tried to tell them that you're busy but they won't listen."
"That's alright, Lee-Lee," Ratchet said as he walked back into his office. "Let them come."
Lee-Lee stared at them, then him. "I'll be right outside. Call me if you need me."
"I will, infant. Thank you," Ratchet said as the two entered. He closed the door, then turned to them. "My, don't you two look happy."
"I'm not here to trade quips or mince words, Ratchet. I want you to release whatever weird hold you have on my son. He's not going to be a soldier and he's not going to expose himself to anything that dangerous," Lucien said.
"I don't blame you. Who wants their kids to be soldiers? I have about 27 children in all. All of my daughters but one are soldiers. All of my older sons are. My babies, they're not going to be soldiers. None of them are. We don't want it so we know what you feel but understand me, both of you … he's a grown boy and he's made up his processor." Ratchet walked to his desk, pulled a drawer, then a can from its confines. "Candy?" he asked them.
"No," Lucien said. He watched Ratchet sit, prop up his peds, then unscrew the can to eat some of the contents. "You're doing this to punish both of us for your grievances. You want to take my son away from me."
"No to both, Lucien," Ratchet said. "I don't need more sons. I have a lot of them. You're the one losing your son. You think he'll obey you? You taught him to ignore authority and the rules. You can't suddenly impose both now. Your kid is finding a new path and he likes it. I hadn't planned on him getting into the military but he likes it. Guess what … the soldiers agreed to train him, good tough drill masters. They have him learning how to do hard things with confidence. Your son didn't have confidence before. He had arrogance and a distinct lack of empathy and gratitude. Now, he's learning how to be a good mech and the concept of all being one. Soldiering and religion, all in one. You're welcome."
Laslo glanced at Lucien who was seething silently, then Ratchet. "Ratchet … we know that you have authority over us and this whole situation. You can't be encouraging Partition to do this. He isn't a soldier and he could get killed. This isn't about us and you, about The System and getting even is it?"
"It might have been once upon a time but now? It's about helping a mech find his footing, about helping a kid who wants to belong and have friends find them. You have no idea how lonely this kid is do you? He's aching to belong to something bigger than himself and he found it. The mechs include him, mechs that you wouldn't give a tinker's damn about include him and he's ecstatic. He works hard and he's improving. I'm proud of him. He decided this on his own. He told me he likes the jokes and friendships. He says there wasn't either in his last job. He's lonely and has enough character and gumption to look for a better way. Instead of supporting that, you're against it."
"He's my son. I don't want to bury him," Lucien said coldly.
"No. Who would. Did you ever think, Lucien, that when you so glibly helped start wars for other family's children to fight in that their genitors feel like you do right now or is that too much to expect?" Ratchet said. "Now you know how my family has felt." He put down the can. "This isn't about The System to me. Prime banned it short of honor fights. This is about helping your son find a better way. Before, he was friendless, clueless and insufferable. Now? He's a happy mech striving for something big and in the middle of that is a real personal set of goals. He wants to be happy, feel useful and have genuine friends. I support that. It's a giant improvement over what he was. Too bad you can't see that as valuable."
"Where is he?" Lucien asked as he balled and relaxed his fists in a restless cycle.
"He's with the Master of the Armed Forces getting a private tour of the hubs and armories. He'd need to understand that if he wants to be a soldier," Ratchet said.
"He's with Ironhide then," Lucien asked for clarification.
Ratchet nodded. "He is. You should have seen him do his duty. You'd be proud of him. He was brave and he obeyed his orders to a tee. He's got good in him and I'm going to help him. You can't do a slagging thing. I have complete authority until the period of mentorship is over. You know that. I know it. Why not just go do your jobs and let him do his. You should be proud of him, both of you."
Lucien stepped closer. "I am proud of him."
Ratchet nodded. "Good. Nice start. You have new orders. Support your son. Do it so he can feel real feelings again and not the poison you two have filled him with. Maybe if you do, he'll come home and feel good about himself rather than sleeping over at my house instead."
Lucien stared at Ratchet with cold optics. Then with Laslo in tow, he walked out. Ratchet watched him go, then nodded to Lee-Lee. "I'll be down there. Call me if you need me, sweetie."
Lee-Lee nodded, then watched as Ratchet walked to the elevator to go down to the migration. It would be a long afternoon for everyone.
-0-In a hub down below
"These are for Seekers. These are the payload scripts," Ironhide said pointing to the sign on the wall over the huge pallets. Partition read them, then nodded. Ironhide turned to the next grouping across from it. "These shells go into artillery pieces, mostly space shuttles for the Wreckers. They have huge payloads. See?" Ironhide said as he held up the spec card attached to a shell. Partition read it closely, then nodded.
Ironhide grinned as they walked to the door to the next area. It would continue like that, then he would take Partition to the scene of the settlements, show him how they were designing the detonation of the last two colonies. Then they would watch together as they went up in smoke along with anything remotely aviation or military at settlement one. When they were done, the armada would withdraw and leave the remnants to Imperialis. When they did, Partition would be convinced to a degree he never felt before that he had finally, at last, found his calling.
He would also begin a sense of awe about Ironhide that would be life long.
-0-TBC 8-28-17 edited 8-31-17