The Diego Diaries: Rolling On (dd6 162)
-0-About mid afternoon, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire
:Ratchet: -Ironhide aka IH
:What?: -Ratchet aka R
:Where are ya?: -IH
:At the office. Where are you?: -R
:Cutting a wide swath. What's the plan?: -IH
:I have three processor surgeries this afternoon and its going to be teaching moments. Then I can come home. It won't be before 1630: -R
(Pause)
:I'll get the buses. Ammas and Appas are on Cybertron and your folks have their clubs after work today. Everyone fends for themselves: -IH
:Good going, Ironhide. I'll be home about … 1630 if all goes well. Get dinner out and have it shipped in. We have them all tonight from the get go: -R
:On it. I AM IRONHIDE! I AM ON THINGS!: -IH! being IH!
:You'd be on coins if I had my way, Ironhide. See ya. Would love to be with ya: -R
:WHO WOULDN'T!? I AM IRONHIDE! I'M GOING NOW! SEE YA!: Ironhide chuckled, then walked down Fortress Road to The City to order dinner shipped from The Takeout Place, their home away from home. He did so with a light step to his peds.
Ratchet laughed, then glanced at Lee-Lee who was standing in the doorway of his office. "Gotta motor. Processors are waiting."
"I'll hold down the fort," Lee-Lee said as the big mech walked past him with a grin. He disappeared out the door and down the hallway. "You make me laugh, Ratchet." She grinned, then walked to her desk to manage the ebb and flow of medicine over several planets in several systems.
-0-At The Takeout Place, Metroplex District
He stood in line studying the vast menu which was divided into Human and Cybertronian dishes. He had in mind what he wanted and as each different mech and/or femme made their choices, he got that much closer. When it was his turn, he reached the counter, then looked over it. Standing on the other side with a recorder/order device in servo, Isle of Tyrest looked up with a giant smile on her mini-con face. "IRONHIDE! HI!"
Ironhide grinned. "Hello, sweetie pie. How you been?"
"Cecil and I are pre-bonded," she said as she glanced at a good looking mini-con mech stirring a giant pot filled with 'tomato sauce' for pizzas nearby. "We're going to bond at Christmas Surprise. There's going to be a big party. You and Ratchet are invited. Dancing, food, lots of fun. Can you come?" she asked.
"I'm already there," he said to chuckles everywhere as he marked the date on his personal internal calendar. "Where's the party?"
"Central Labor Hall, in the Guild Hall," she said of the highly ornate meeting hall of all the skilled artisan groups that plied their trades on and off world. The room was a work in progress as its huge space was filled with art and its walls and ceiling painted by some of the greatest artists still living including up and comers like Sunstreaker. All of the arts and their practitioners belonged to the Guild which nurtured their art, promoted it across the solar system and was the focus of all their many activities including promotional shows and mentoring kids like Sadee.
"We'll be there," Ironhide said as she smiled brightly.
"GOOD! What can we get you? I'm assuming its huge quantities of your favorite stuff," she said with a grin.
"You got that right, Missy. I think we can start with this," he said opening a data wafer that had his order …
4 giant pizzas with all manner of toppings
4 giant brownies fresh baked with nuts and 'chocolate chips' baked in, frosted out the wazoo
1 regular sized tray of 'veggies' to appease Old Mech
2 big tubs of chocolate chip cookie dough to eat later when no one was watching
1 big tub of vanilla ice cream
2 trays of cookies to make ice cream sandwiches
a few napkins just in case
Isle looked up at him and smiled. "Only one tray of veggies?"
"One too many for me," Ironhide said with a smile. "I AM IRONHIDE! I DON'T EAT MY VEGGIES!"
"Shall I ask Ratchet?" Cecil asked as he checked the order on the computer above his work station.
"Uh, I wouldn't do that. Don't bother yourself," Ironhide said as everyone in the room laughed. He grinned. "I think I need this about 1645 if you can."
"We can," Isle said. "Tell everyone hi for us."
"I will. I'll tell old mech about your bonding. That's one less youngling he gets to fix up, the slagger."
Huge laughter followed Ironhide out because, apparently, Yenta Claus had trended once on local social media and now was a 'thing'. Ironhide grinned. He loved his life. He walked out to go to the corner of the street in front of the tower where everyone was going to be coming in about half a breem. He did so with a lilt in his step.
-0-In a surgical arena surrounded by 'third years' as level three doctors were now called.
Some of them were here from Cybertron bunking in hotels and special set aside housing for them as they went to the university and worked in the hospitals here and around the system. They were all here to learn, then go back to Cybertron and other places in the local system to save the people. They were almost grim with purpose, this group of 200 doctors soon to be graduated out to serve. They were getting their master classes now from Ratchet. In six short decaorns, they would be on their way and 200 more would arrive to take their places. It was the only way they could get the numbers of doctors trained to the same up-to-date system that they needed. They were mentored with doctors here, working with them on their shifts while attending university. Then they would have an intensive set of classes with Ratchet before going back home to save the world.
He worked, interjected jokes and measured the lack of any other focus than their purpose here. They would need a party and a going away gift that was worthy of their effort. They would receive their first full medical kit from him as a graduation present before leaving to do battle against time, desolation and great need.
It would be a long three surgeries but all of them would go well. One would miss a few orns' memories but nothing really important. He wouldn't remember how much he had suffered before reaching Autobot City Medical Center. One would be too young to remember and the other would to some degree but be so happy to be alive he wouldn't care.
-0-On a street corner nearby
Ironhide watched the heavy afternoon traffic roll past, some sentient, some not. A few humans blew by, waved and continued onward. It was cold, sunny and the mood around him was light. Shift had just changed from day to swing, so there were a lot of individuals heading home or onward to other things. Soon, adults would be waiting at bus stops all over the colony or on train platforms or by cab stands to get their kids. He was one of them, following the new system that they had put together to free up everyone. Ratchet's family was hard at it for the holiday season, getting things ready for people to gift and his own were on different worlds doing their jobs.
He was lucky enough that wherever Prime was, he was. That meant a lot of time here on Mars. The down side meant less fighting, more work at his desk and the like. However, that also meant riding the trains, walking around looking at slag in the armories while giving it a gimlet optic as he rubbed his chin looking serious as he did to keep the infants working there on their toes, petting his horses and riding one now and again so he could be better at something than Ratchet, the slagger, hanging out at the dojo when no official was looking, eating ice cream at all the shops that he had mapped out in the colony so that one was near him at all times at least once an orn, checking on orders with Off World Requisitions at the Main Post Office here in town every so often to see about orders for his kids, hanging with the boys, secretly working on his HELICOPTER OF DOOM!(tm), along with sneaking in weird food that he spotted walking from one duty to the other as he made sure that he saw every hub every day when in town.
That stuff.
It was fun.
Now, he watched as a big yellow school bus turned the corner to drive up Metro Highway #2 toward where he was standing. It stopped three times to let kids out, then drove to where he was. Three more were behind it letting out kids all along the way. The door of this one opened, then Sunspot and Spot hopped down. Hugging Ironhide, the two waved to Bos, Co-D and Reflector as the door closed and they drove onward.
"HI, ATAR! I MISSED YOU! CO-D, REFLECTOR AND BOS SAY HI!" Sunspot said with a radiant smile. "THEY GET TO SPEND FIRST SATURDAY OVERNIGHT WITH US!"
"Sounds like fun," Ironhide said with a grin as the next bus drove up. The door opened and an aide stepped down. He put Orion and Praxus on the ground, then nodded to Ironhide. He climbed back in, then the door closed and the bus continued. Grabbing their leashes, Sunspot pulled them back where they hugged Ironhide's ped, then began to babble about their orn.
A white cab was next, sliding to the curb. The door opened, Hero hopped out, blue backpack firmly in place, then ran to him for a hug. Sunspot gripped her leash as the cab closed the door, then drove onward to a cab stand nearby. Hero smiled, then began to babble, too. Ironhide grinned at all of them as they waited for more.
Another big yellow school bus slid up, opened the door, then a mass of giant kids began to climb out. One by one until all nine were out, the kids came. When they were done, the door closed and the bus moved onward. Ironhide who was surrounded by babbling happy kids began to pick them up and part them out to the others. When everyone got a ride, he grinned. "Come on. Last one up is a sparkling."
It was a sprint for the elevators.
-0-Up there
He sat at the window of his room working on his studies. His medic training was really coming together. He was learning a lot and he was going to be finished with basic training in four orns. Then he would be graduated into the ranks. After that, he would ask Ratchet what you had to learn to be an elder doctor. Something about old people really resonated with him. Hercy and Kup were among his icons and he wanted to be useful to the most vulnerable population besides kids.
He heard the door open so he arose and walked out. A flood of individuals were coming through the door with Ironhide. He grinned. "School's out?"
"Either that or they got expelled and are afraid to tell me," Ironhide said with a grin as he put kids on the floor including Prowler who had been in his hold.
An enormous amount of hoo-hah ensued as harnesses and leashes, book bags, garments, and other child stuff was gathered up. Then half the small ones hoofed it to the berth rooms to play. It was quiet a second before the laughter down the hallway was up to specs. Ironhide grinned, then looked at the others. "Dinner is coming in a moment. Hopefully, so will Ada."
"I hope so. I LOVE IT WHEN WE CAN ALL BE HOME!" Sunspot said with a giant smile. He hugged Lumi's leg tightly. "Can you guys stay, too?"
"I got enough for a battalion," Ironhide said.
"I'll message Ammas and Appa," Tru said as he walked to the monitor.
A rap on the door was met by Santee who looked out. He stepped back as three big kids brought in a mountain of food boxes. They set containers on the table, traded slag with everyone and a bouncy dog, then cheerfully left to deliver more in their truck down below. Everyone watched the door close, then walked to the table and counter to look.
"I love pizza," Saber said as Tru helped him sort through the containers. "You have good taste, Atar," he said to Ironhide.
"And it tastes good, too," he said as he plucked the two containers of cookie dough off the counter. "Don't tell Ada," he said as he opened the fridge and put it in the back. "I love to eat that slag raw."
"Is it good, Atar?" Fireball asked.
"It's warrior food," Ironhide said. "Don't tell Ada. He thinks I spoil you."
Quadrus grinned. "Is that true?" he asked.
"That's my story and I'm sticking to it," Ironhide said as he began to get out plates and cups.
Huge laughter greeted that as the big kids began to set the table for dinner.
-0-At the hospital
He turned off the monitors, then straightened the stack of work on his desk. The kids had been great, asked great questions, gave good insights, and made him proud. Now, he was heading for the barn. He looked up. "Lee-Lee, go home."
"I was waiting for you," Lee-Lee said.
He grinned at her, this affable, smart and sweet natured young femme. "You're going to dinner with your mech, right?"
She nodded. "In a joor. He has to get something done at the office. I'll walk you out."
Ratchet looked around, then walked to the door. He hugged Lee-Lee, then both walked out to the elevators and the first stop toward home.
-0-Home
Ironhide stood at the counter with an RTR paring knife. He was slashing two pieces of pizza and piling the tiny bits onto the little kid's little plates. Taking a handful of veggies, he pressed them down on top of the little bits of pizza. "There. Dinner." He looked at the nine big kids watching him with an adorable mix of disbelief, riotous humor and worshipful awe, then handed two plates to two kids. "Grub's on."
"You don't mind, Atar, if we fix our own plates do you?" Saber asked as Partition leaned against the counter. He was quashing a belly laugh of his own.
"Nope," Ironhide said with a grin. "Partition, you help them get their drinks. Juice boxes in the fridge."
Partition nodded, then opened the fridge. Juice boxes were had, kids were sat, smiles were given and everyone turned in place to stare at Ironhide. He looked at them, then the food. "Last one at the table is a slagger," he said grabbing a plate. He wouldn't be last. Fireball would be. He would laugh loudly when he finally sat.
Everyone stared at each other, then Ironhide. The door opened at that moment as Ratchet stepped in. "HI, HONEY! I'M HOME!"
Bedlam.
Out and out bedlam for about three minutes ensued, then after filling a plate, Ratchet sat at the table. Everyone looked at him with smiles. He smiled back. "WHO WANTS TO SAY GRACE!?" he asked.
"GRACE!" everyone bellowed. Then they laughed loudly and began to eat. It was a normal evening at the Ratchet v Ironhide establishment.
-0-TBC 10-16-17 edited 12-19-17