The Diego Diaries: The Morning After (dd6 202)
-0-Around
"That looks winning there"
"I think so," Hercy said as he eyeballed the trophy, one in a row with others. "Ratchet makes me laugh."
"He does," Kup said as he stood next to his roomie eyeballing the newest trophy.
"He's a sport." -Hercy
(Nods) "He is." -Kup
Pause to ponder the greatness.
"Ironhide's a lucky mech." -Hercy
(Nods again) "He is."
-0-Trine
"Too bad. Another year without a win, Babe," Sideswipe said before a hard jab in the chassis took care of that sass.
"Ow," Sideswipe said with a grin as he straightened slowly. "I can't stay and frag around but thanks for the invite."
He barely ducked the next one.
-0-On a bus to school
"I can't wait to show it to my class, Ada," Lil said as she stood between 26, her father, and Avor, her other father. A trophy was in a covered box at her feet.
Boe grinned. "You get it in the morning and I get it in the afternoon."
It would be a very cheery ride to Youngling Day for all four of them.
-0-At an elegant apartment
"I'm going to be off this morning, Lucien, so I'm going to Full Circle in Terra. Everyone will be there." Laslo was sorting out his school datapads for his afternoon classes. Both were master classes for engineers geared around thinking conceptually out of the box. He looked at Lucien who was sitting on the couch staring at the trophy sitting in the living room on the shelf in front of the big window. No one could miss it coming in. "That's such a joy for me, Lucien," Laslo said with a trace of anxiety. "I've never won anything like that until now."
"I'm not sure there ever was anything like it until now, Laslo," Lucien said dryly.
Laslo stared at him, then gathered his gear. He turned to his bond. "Lucien … I love that trophy. It's mine. I won a very hard contest with my skills. It means everything to me. I won it in the company of friends."
Lucien glanced up at Laslo. "I know. I was terribly proud of you, Laslo. You cook brilliantly."
"There were many good bakers there, Lucien. It means something to me to win against them. I ..." he hesitated. Glancing at the trophy, he turned to Lucien. "That means more than the contest, Lucien. It means friends and happiness. Anders, Madura, Joon, Edict … Ratchet … the others … they're my friends, real friends who don't want anything but me. I didn't realize how lonely I was until I came here. I was so lonely and … I can't be that person anymore. I want friends and fun, family time and excursions with interesting people. Ratchet is so kind, Lucien. When no one else stepped up to help us, he did. That was a terrible moment for me, Lucien, when no one came forward. It broke things inside, the crushing humiliation that no one we thought were friends would help us in our deepest need."
"Laslo ..." Lucien said rising to stand before Laslo.
"It's all changed, Lucien. We have to change, too." He stepped closer to Lucien. "I hope you know how much I love you. I love you so desperately. You are the only mech for me, Lucien, and nothing will ever change that. I want you to know how loved you are in my spark."
Lucien stared at Laslo with a darkening expression of emotion. He touched Laslo's arms gently. "You know you don't have to tell me. I know."
"I pray you do, Lucien. I love you more than my own life but … I'm not proud of you now." Tears came to his optics but he blinked them away. "I want to be proud of you, Only One, all of you. You are my heroes."
Lucien stared at Laslo without words. He searched Laslo's face for understanding, then the big mech hugged him. Lucien hugged him back, tightly and emotionally. Laslo stepped back. "I have to go now but I would like to go out to dinner tonight, Lucien. Would you like that, too? Just you and me for once?"
Lucien nodded numbly. "I would like that a lot, Laslo."
"I'm so glad. It's all new and hard but it will get better. I can hope for it can't I?" Laslo said. "I will come by your office after my last class." Lucien nodded as Laslo walked to the door. He paused there, then looked back. "I love you forever." Then he stepped out and was gone.
Lucien stared at the door without a word for several moments, then gathered his own work gear. Walking to the door, he stepped out and was gone.
-0-Shifts
"How do you like your new apartment, Buzzie?"
"I love it. Cliffie and I are decorating it to reflect our tastes. We both like casual décor." Buzz Saw grinned. "I'm totally satisfied with my life."
"Your ceremony was so nice. Prime does such a good service," Gypsy said. "The parties were amazing."
"We planned them to last, Stanix-style. I never danced so much in my life. Cliffie is such a good dancer," Buzzie said with a smile. He was so loved in the hospital that everyone showed up for the bonding ceremony in the big room at the Central Labor Hall. It was so big, they had to push back walls to add more space. Prime had done the service, everyone had cheered, then the serious eating and drinking began. Given it was a Stanix bonding and celebration ceremony, it lasted the full four days. The presents were typical of Stanix bondings, sensible, colorful and plentiful.
Cliff had been carried around on shoulders, had been the recipient of literally dozens of well wishing toasts, then had danced the first dance with Buzzie. That he never touched the ground as he swayed in the arms of the huge mech, Cliffie didn't care. He was loved and needed and wanted. He had a home and family, albeit Mafia-like in its intensity and that was all that mattered.
"So … when can we expect sparklings?" Gypsy asked with a giant smile.
Buzzie actually blushed.
-0-In the Office of the Political Liaison, Office of the Ambassador of State, Autobot City
Lucien sat at his desk staring at a picture cube that held endless images of his family, his homes on Cybertron, their life in better times, and his Laslo. It had shocked him what Laslo had said. He had no idea that he had been unhappy beyond the notable circumstances. Laslo had said he was lonely. He had heard the same from Edict, Madura and Anders. All of them had expressed a sense of loneliness. It was shocking.
He sat up in his chair, then turned toward the windows where the giant quarry, now parkland of the Mare Tranquilitatis spread out to the horizon. Around it, gigantic towers, eighteen of them, ringed the depression. They were the first built here, the upward movement toward the light once it was deemed by the Pantheon, apparently, that it was safe to go above ground.
The Pantheon.
Prime conversed with the Pantheon.
Regularly.
He wondered what that was like. He wondered if Sentinel, Nova, Nominus … even Zeta had ever done that. Something told him in his truest heart space that they didn't. He was sure that none of them had ever seen, let alone talked to the Pantheon. It was clear to him that Prima and Guardian did. It was written in the annals and chronicles of their people. There was nothing to say that the other four ever had. It would have been written down some place, perhaps. Some small notation, even, that they had been blessed by such activity. But there was nothing.
He looked at the screen, the searchable database of their people's mainframes everywhere. A simple search had yielded nothing of Zeta, Nominus, Sentinel, and Nova speaking with anyone more exalted than their own reflections in mirrors. Only Prime, Prima and Guardian. The Matrix had spoken. It had chosen.
He stepped back from that very fact to consider it without emotion. If this was true, then most of what he held dear was bollocks. Guardian and Prima never held to The System. They wouldn't have allowed it. Optimus fought it all of his term. The other four held to it like burrs to a long haired dog. Under Guardian and Prima, the people had built the greatest age of their time, the Golden Age of Cybertron. Under the other four, they hadn't. Now, with Prime here, they were thriving again. He turned those facts over and over again, like a strange object with hidden meanings he was trying to divine.
He would until an aide walked in to talk about a project. He would be busy the rest of the orn, pausing only when Laslo walked in with trepidation to be enveloped into his embrace.
-0-N.E.S.T HQ, United Nations Territory, Autobot City
He sat at his station tossing a ball against the wall overhead. He caught it, then bounced it again, repeating the exercise until everyone turned to him. "Keep that up, Walt, and I'll kick your ass," Corey McFarlane said.
Walt Grantley caught the ball, then put in on the console. "Sorry," he said. He turned his chair to look around the vast room where N.E.S.T. on-world did their business. It was high tech out the wazoo. Grantley was new, a Beta team tech who was monitoring sensors. He was tracking a comet through the system to break up the tedium. "Do you think Sarge is cooled off yet?"
Trevor Smith who was manning communications grinned. "I doubt it," he said. "I doubt that Epps will be cooling off any time soon."
-0-The night before at Earth2
The place was packed with the entire human population of Mars. The cameras in the facility were filming everyone everywhere as the feed was sent to Earth for all there to watch on television. The facility did that anyway as part of the agreement for operation. Humans fogged in carrying food, drink, children, and the occasional dog. It was loud, happy and the aromas coming from the concourse were amazing. Most of the heavy duty cooking was done here in the main kitchen and the restaurants on the main floor. Some of the more specialist dishes were being made by families in their apartments, then brought to the party. It was the biggest party that the humans had ever produced on world. Every human was here and the functions of the soldiers and scientists were being watched manually by the bots to allow everyone to come.
The inside parking lot filled up so segways and vehicles were lined up in rows outside. The sun was going down at the time the biggest number began to arrive so the overhead lights, massive and powerful came on and lit up the gathering darkness. Still they came with food, drink and a desire to have a good time. Standing at the door greeting them, Owen Harris and his team waited.
Olivia Bowers and her husband walked in with a huge red velvet cake and three bottles of Jack Daniels. They paused in front of Earth2's greeting party, then continued inside. Walking with the others, they noted that the children were already being fed. Several hundred children and a handful of toddlers were eating at the tables in the vast dining area of the concourse. It was festive and nearby, reflecting against the window that showed a deepening darkness outside, a gigantic artificial Christmas tree twinkled.
"Olivia!"
She turned to the voice, then waved back. "Joe," she said looking up at her husband. "I'm going to speak to Charlotte a moment. Can you put this on the table where the desserts belong?"
He grinned, then took it. "I suppose you'll be busy recruiting for the rest of the evening."
She grinned back. "No. I'll probably be discouraging recruits," she said. "Join us when you can, darling." She began to weave her way to the drinks table where Charlotte Mearing, Judy Witwicky, Barbara Morshower, Seymour Simmons, Hildie Wilkerson, Mariah Harris-Davis, and Mikaela Banes were congregated.
He would.
Across the room, a number of N.E.S.T. soldiers were gathered sipping beer as they watched the hoo-haw. "This is a lot of people," Bobby Epps said. "I don't know if I like it. I mean … don't get me wrong. This feels like home but … you know what I mean."
Will Lennox nodded. "I hear ya," he said as his father, Jonathan Lennox walked over to join them.
"Did you ever think you'd see this, son?" Jonathan asked.
"No. I'm not sure I still want to, either," Lennox said with a grin. "When's dinner?"
Jonathan Lennox grinned. "Anytime you want it to be, I was told."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Lennox asked. The group laughed, then began to migrate to the buffet. As they did, other members of their families joined and so did seven mercs.
Fathers and a grandfather of the soldiers had joined them, each of the older men taking a plate. Laughter and joking abounded as they stared at the food tsunami ahead of them. "My, my, Bobby," Amos Epps said as he considered the food ahead. A much admired man on-world and father of four including Bobby Epps, Junior, Robert 'Amos' Epps, Senior considered the haul ahead. "I may have to make a few trips."
"Do it, Daddy," Bobby said with a grin. "This is just the start. You haven't seen Christmas yet."
Amos began, filling his plate and checking things over. Everyone who knew him loved him, this dignified man who had worked hard all his life, sent four kids to college and asked for nothing for himself. He was now a resident 'grandpa' in N.E.S.T. among half a dozen other older men and an enthusiastic participant in health studies of life here on older bodies. They were the thread through which life flowed in the community, their elders. Amos Epps had a million funny stories and the kids adored him. He was one of the few anywhere who could rock a colicky baby to sleep.
Behind them, seven mercs waited as the others followed. Jim Johnson who had been drinking all afternoon was irritated but kept it to himself. Lennox who noticed felt his offense rising. "What's on your mind, Johnson? You look perturbed."
Johnson who was staring at Lennox grinned. "You have no call on me, Lennox. I don't have to answer to you."
"Now, that's where you get it wrong, Johnson. I can kick you off world and not give a reason," Lennox said. "I'm the big dog here. You better remember that simple fact."
Jonathan Lennox and Amos Epps paused, then looked down the row. "We aren't having a kerfuffle are we, son?" Amos asked.
"No, we aren't," Lennox said to a man he respected and liked. "Someone just forgot the protocols of living here."
"Oh," Amos said. "That's not a good thing," he said, then returned to the food.
They moved along, nearing the end when Rick Harris walked up to chat a moment with Will. Rick Harris was totally into his business, giving his clients a good experience, and following the rules. He was actually holding up his part of the deal and was easy to deal with. He actually respected the world and its inhabitants, that was clear. "Will, I was wondering if you had a chance to talk to Interior about the new trail?"
"I have a meeting with them about the training range expansion, Rick. I'm including your proposal. The panel will take the message to Beachcomber when we get finished. I don't see a problem with the proposal. Public Works and the Park Service would be the ones implementing both projects. I haven't seen the master plan yet, but I'll call Magnus tomorrow."
"Thanks, Will," Rick Harris said as he slapping Lennox on the shoulder. "You did me a solid and I appreciate it. You know Beachcomber better than me."
"Who's Beachcomber?" Johnson asked as he began to fill his plate.
"He's the Director for Resources, Conservation and the Interior. Nothing gets built here that doesn't go through him and his department first," Niall Graham said. He was filling a plate for Linda who was sitting at a table with friends. She was now nearly six months pregnant and he was hovering.
"What's the problem? It's all desert and dust out there. This place … I suppose he had a say in that, too," Johnson said.
"He has a say in everything," Bobby Epps said. "Nothing gets done here without an impact study and evaluation."
"What kind of name is Beachcomber and Ultra Magnus?" Todd Baseman asked. "Some of the names here … they're like some kid's cartoon."
The soldiers stared at the mercs who stared back. "You're a guest here. I would suggest that you act like it and be grateful. These bots allow you to stay. Insulting them is a stupid thing to do in reply," Niall Graham said coldly.
"You have to admit that the names here are stupid. Sideswipe. Sunstreaker. There's a couple of psychos for you," Lawrence Dobbs said.
"You tried to smuggle out pictures against the rules. You got booted for good cause," Niall said with no small heat. "It would appear that you haven't learned gratitude yet."
"Fuck that," Lawrence said. "I'm here because I'm good at what I do."
"And what's that, young man?" Amos Epps asked.
Bobby who was startled by his father's question stepped in front of him. "Don't ask, Dad. These fuckers were kicked off Diego in disgrace. It's only a matter of time before it happens here."
Almost out of thin air, Kyle Davis appeared. "Gentlemen, how are we doing?" he asked almost too brightly as he looked from one side of the divide to another. "How's the food? It looks mighty inviting to me."
"We were going over the rules. Again," Lennox said as he glared at the mercs. "Apparently, you haven't given them enough instruction in the chain of command on-world."
Kyle glanced at the mercs. "This is Thanksgiving and we're having a party. Let's all step back and enjoy the moment." He looked at the soldiers. "No one here has forgotten the chain of command, Major. I promise you we haven't."
"You might want to take a show of hands," Bobby Epps said coldly. "Some of them seem to have forgotten." He turned to his father who was staring at the mercs with a pensive expression. "Come on, Daddy, let's get some of this," he said as he stepped between the mercs and his father, turning his back on them. It would be a tense group moving forward through the buffet, then taking seats at tables across the room from each other to eat.
"I don't think I like those men, son," Amos Epps said as he glanced worriedly at his son. "They won't be trouble will they?"
Bobby glanced at the others, then his father. "They weren't much to write home about the first time. I don't think that's changed a lot. Besides, Daddy, we have the home court advantage."
With murmurs of agreement, everyone dug into their dinners.
-0-TBC 11-27-17 edited 1-9-18
ESL:
trepidation (treh-pih-day-shun) Unease, fear, nervousness.
exalted: (x-all-tid) raised up, made important
bollocks: I love foreign insults and commentary. This is British and I believe it means an expression of exasperation or disgust. Like our own USA: BS (bullshit) :D
colic (kall-ick) a colicky baby is one with an upset tummy
kerfuffle: a problem, just this short of a brawl