The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho (dd6 234)
-0-Outside the big family chat room at Autobot City Processor Health and Outpatient Center
"So ..." Raptor said as he turned to Ratchet.
Ratchet grinned. He looked at security. "Is everything ready?"
"It is," one of the bigger ones said.
"Keep the transparent wall handy so you can see. Leave your artillery, Raptor," Ratchet said as he began to unload his own weapons. Turning toward Partition, he began to stack up a surprising array of hand guns, knives and a small sniper rifle that emerged from his subspace in his arms.
"Wow," Partition said. "You come fully loaded."
"Ironhide thinks so. Right?" he asked Ironhide with a dazzling smile.
HUGE gagging sounds were heard as the big mechs unloaded their weapons, a daunting pile, into the arms of their entourage. Raptor, Ironhide and Hard Drive smirked at Ratchet. "This good enough?" Raptor asked.
"As long as they can't reach the rest of them," Ratchet said as he gripped the door handle.
"I don't think they'll be fast enough to grab the grenade launcher I store in my codpiece," Raptor said because he was **!RAPTOR!** and he could. Huge laughter and worshipful optics greeted that from the lesser beings and his grandson as the three prepared to follow Ratchet inside. Behind them came Delphi and Turbine with the boxes of presents. The door closed behind them as the transparent wall flashed the scene inside before them. It was silent a moment. Then a youngling mech who was along for the ride and who worked swing shift in the Watch whispered what the others were thinking. "How do I get adopted into that family?"
-0-Inside
They walked in and caught those sitting around the room by surprise. Half of them stood and the other half sat in their seats watching the group with varying degrees of feral optics. Ratchet turned to them, scanning everyone swiftly. He paused a moment to check it, then grinned. "Everyone is fit as a targ. How are you all doing today?"
No one spoke as they stared at him. Raptor grinned. "Tough room."
Ratchet smiled. "You have no idea." He grinned at the mix of mechs and one femme. None of his most dangerous patients transferred from Special Detention at the prison were among them, so great was their danger to themselves and others. "We came here today to bring you presents. Today is Christmas Surprise Day and in the colony, we give things to each other as a sign of respect and love. Today, we brought you each a gift."
No one moved or spoke including Sunee and Sio who were sitting together playing a board game. They had become fast friends and were even being considered to be room mates in the secondary security wing of the hospital where 'trustee-type' patients could be housed. It was greater freedom and the chance to develop friendships that motivated this housing as a goal for the inmates. Ratchet glanced at the two. "You two have nothing to say to me? I'm surprised."
Sunee sat back regarding Ratchet with a calm expression. "You should be used to that by now."
Ratchet grinned. "I suppose but I don't really look forward to it. Your ada is one of my good friends now. We hang out and do things, Edict and the group. Your ada, too, Sio."
Sio considered that. "He told me."
It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. He turned to Turbine and took some of the presents out of the box. He read the name, then walked to a wary looking mech standing by the window. "Here, Senzi. This is for you from the colony." The mech took it, his optics never leaving Ratchet as the big medic walked to others handing them their gifts. He gifted everyone, then pulled one for Sio and Sunee. "Here. Those games you wanted."
They took them, then glanced at each other. Sunee smiled very faintly. "Thanks. It doesn't change a thing but thanks. Only for my ada. I know you look after him." It was silent a moment, then he nodded.
"Easiest thing I do being friends with your ada. He's an amazing mech. Did you know we went on the town and got caught up in the middle of a bar fight? We got swept up but your Ada didn't. He walked up to a Watchman and punched him so he had to go, too," Ratchet said.
Sunee frowned slightly, sitting straighter. "What for? Why did he do that?"
"Because he's a friend, Sunee. A good friend," Ratchet said.
It was silent, then Sunee glanced at Sio who smirked. "My ada is the greatest mech who ever lived."
"Sounds like it," Sio said with a quick smile. They both glanced at Ratchet, then the group. "Does it take this many to come in here?"
"No," Raptor said with a grin. "We just wanted to come. We also brought two hard afts that you might know," he said as he glanced at his grand amma. Delphi went to the door, leaned out and stepped back as Keystock and Cargo walked in, elf hats in place.
It was silent a moment as they stared at each other, then Sunee began to laugh. "You slaggers! You're a project aren't you."
The two said nothing but Raptor laughed. "SLAG RIGHT! These two are helping us put things to right on Cybertron. You do know we have it back, right?"
"We heard," Sio said as he sized up the pair. He glanced at Sunee. "These are the slaggers you ran off from your colony, right?"
"They were," Sunee said with a wolfish grin. "They came in and thought they could take over. Fraggers. How does it feel to be ordinary?"
"And you're in here, Sunee. How does it feel to be caged?" Keystock asked.
Cargo tensed, then stepped back. Apparently, he wasn't much for the physical side of things, though it was evident that he had skills himself. Hard Drive and the others filed that observation away.
Sunee rose slowly, his feral optics never leaving Keystock. "I'm free," he said. "I'm free and no one can touch that unless I allow it. What about you? I heard you were slammed by the Court. I heard that you have to lick Raptor's peds if he says so. How does that feel, Keystock? I don't have to do a slagging thing I don't want to do even in here. I'm free. How does it feel to be caged, slagger?" he asked.
Keystock didn't reply as the two stared at each other with unbridled hate. Raptor turned to them. "You know these slaggers?" he asked with a grin. Even Sunee and Sio laughed.
"We know each other," Keystock managed.
"I beat his aft several times before his group left our colony. They thought they could take over what we created and we showed you, slaggers. We showed you the fragging door," Sunee said with deep and blazing rage.
It was silent a moment, then Ratchet clasped his servos together. "Well then," he said doing his best and most crisp impression of Prowl, "we should roll onward." He turned to the kids in the room, mostly young adults, then Sunee and Sio. "Merry Christmas Surprise. I'll tell your families I saw you and you look good."
Sunee stared at Ratchet, then nodded. "Hug my ada for me," he said.
"I will. Easy duty," Ratchet said as he nodded to the others. "Onward ho," he said.
The door opened and the group slipped out until it was only Ratchet and the kids. He looked at them. "You know, infants … there's nothing we wouldn't do to help you have a happy life. We want you to be whole and free again. Even if you don't believe it, we care about you. Happy Christmas," he said, then walked out the door.
The kids stared at the door for a moment, frozen in place, then one-by-one, they began to inspect their gifts. There would be unanimous smiles and pleasure among them when they did.
Ratchet and the group watched them through the walls, then Ratchet turned to Rung. "Anything new or break through-ish?" he asked.
"Less hostility to you and the others. That's good. You looking in on Edict helps Sunee. I think today was enlightening. I will have to consider the long term effects, if any, though, before I can say."
"Thanks, Rung. You're my hero," Ratchet said as he turned to the others, all of them pensive. Cargo and Keystock were stiff with tension as they stood with Lucien who hadn't been called inside. Partition who stood with his father and Roto looked as freaked out as everyone else. "Well, shall we journey onward? What's the next stop?
Lee-Lee consulted her datapad, then grinned. "The Ops Center, Ratchet."
"AH! FOOD!" Ratchet said. He walked forward followed by the others. They would pile into two carriages and mount a posse of horses to ride through the city to the Ops Center where several others were arriving as well. Some would take longer but eventually, everyone would arrive for the treats, 'eggnog' and laughs.
It was a peaceful and laughter-filled ride through town to the Ops Center. It was getting darker so the lights that were everywhere were bright and warm. The town was bustling as the clubs which were going to stay open for parties and some of the restaurants as well attracted the bachelor and adventurous set. Other places were closed or closing, even though the grocery stores would remain open until midnight. Crews that worked were rotated in and out, including the military installations everywhere and the airfields. Traffic was still brisk but they allowed the horses stolidly pulling them in and out of the lanes as they wove their way toward their end goal, a cuppa and a laugh in the conference room of The Fortress.
The schools were out and family was bee-lining with infants to the Ops Center as messages reached all of the Santa Primes and elves on the wagons. They reached The Fortress and joined a line of wagons unloading passengers. When it was their turn, Ratchet and his crew hopped off including Lucien, Keystock and Cargo.
"Are we released now?" Lucien asked.
"Nope," Ratchet said. "Your families are inside waiting for you." With that, Ratchet began to walk inside with the others. Following slowly, the three solemn-faced pouters walked with them. It was filled with laughs and individuals as they entered the Rec Room. A huge buffet spread and a wet bar lined two walls and there were any number of mechs and the odd femme filling a plate and a glass. Shouts went up as the crews continued onward, Ratchet curtsying and preening to the point where Ironhide grabbed his arm to drag him along.
Entering the Ops Center, they walked to the crowded row of conference rooms which were all open to the group with their walls pushed back to release the space. A table filled with food and drinks were waiting as they walked in to applause and catcalls. It took a moment to get treats and a drink, then they gathered to 'debrief'. Edict, Madura, Anders, and Miler hugged Ratchet, then gathered with him to discuss their orn and the fun things they were beginning to do now that they were more confident.
Pulling Edict to one side, Ratchet grinned. "We met up with Sunee and gave him a gift he really wanted. He was in good form and he asked me to do this." Ratchet hugged Edict to his chassis and Edict hugged him back. They clung to each other, then Edict looked at Ratchet with emotional optics. "Thank you, Ratchet. I feel hope where there wasn't any before. What a great ungrateful fool I was before."
"You were only as good as your programming and consider this, Edict. You were living a life that didn't demand anything of you. All of this greatness inside of you was suppressed by conditioning, a lack of confidence and sadness. You're free now. He said he was free, too. Both of you, it will get better every day and I believe this utterly."
Edict nodded. "Thanks, Ratchet. Merry Christmas Surprise, my friend."
"And same to you, Edict. I always have hope," Ratchet said.
Edict nodded, then squeezed his servo. "We're going to have dinner together tonight and exchange gifts. Madura, Anders, Joon and some others. We're gathering at Joon's apartment. Burris and Proteus are coming happily."
"What about Laslo?" Ratchet asked as he got a beer and handed one to Edict.
"He's still working on Lucien but he told me he's coming anyway. His sons are behind him and they'll come, too. Lucien is fighting his better nature but Laslo has hope."
"We all have hope. It dies last," Ratchet said.
They gathered food and turned back to the group, folding themselves into the happiness and good cheer around them. Getting food and drink as well, Lucien, Keystock and Cargo walked to a corner and sat. Lucien vented a sigh. "Well, here we are." He glanced around the room noting Maddow and his family here with Hauser and his. Others were as well, those who once were friends and allies like Fenix and Trill, his bond. It was clear that they no longer were.
"I heard that Traachon is in jail pending a parole violation. He's going back to prison," Cargo said as the others glanced at him. "Maybe even Millow."
"Prime's crushing opposition," Keystock said darkly. "They're going to keep beating our afts until we break. I don't intend to."
Lucien nodded. "Raptor is unrelenting but the real force to watch out for is Hard Drive. He's implacable but it doesn't seem that way," Lucien said. "Don't let his calm and reasonable manner fool you. He's relentless."
"I know," Keystock said bitterly.
At that moment, Buzzie and Cliff entered to loud and sustained applause. He walked to a table and climbed up on top. Everyone turned to him, some catcalling about his lack of couth along with height among the stature-challenged. He pulled a gun, then the room silenced. Mostly. They were soldiers after all. He grinned, then subbed his gun. "I have an announcement." He glanced around the room eating up the moment, then he told them. "Buzzie is sparked."
BEDLAM. RIOTOUS ACCLAIM. LULZ SQUARED.
Yes, Buzzie was that well liked.
Moments later...
"You slaggers. You never told me a thing," Ratchet said as Buzzie huddled with him and his squad, half the family and many children.
"We just found out, Ratchet. We're a Stanix family so we had to tell all of them and there's a lot of them," Buzzie said.
"You have to tell them face-to-face, right?" Ratchet asked.
Buzzie nodded. "We did. It took a while."
"No kidding," Delphi said with a laugh. "I've seen the family trees."
Huge laughter met that.
Cliff who was being passed around the room by the big mechs was laughing loudly as he took his applause. Since bonding, he hadn't been arrested for drunken slaggery, something that happened every weekend before. He had a home he was working to 'modify for Buzzie and me … Buzzie has a lot of hobbies ... did you know he's the most talented mech in the universe? ...", someone to listen to his stories, carry him when he needed it, and worship at his ego altar. In exchange, Cliffjumper the Slagger actually adored the big mech. Now the most inexplicable thing happened and they were going to have an infant.
Who knew?
More mechs and the odd femme walked in along with a gaggle of humans on segways. They were from the habitats and resorts. They were informed that the senior Autobots were going to visit shortly and to be there or be square. The ambiance of the room was wonderful. Arcee and Magnus followed by the femmes entered, hooted and hollered, then took their turn at the refreshments. Shortly later, the last to check in, Jetta and Company entered and were engulfed.
The humans who were on the tables were chatting, poking curiously at the familiar and unfamiliar food items on the table as the drinks flowed. Jessie Landon with James Brooks-Spencer sat on condiment boxes as they talked to Miler and Tagg. Ravel who sat on the other side listened to the latest gossip of the human contingent. He would find out that Sam Witwicky and Carly Brooks-Spencer had become engaged and were planning to be married here on Mars. It would be family, bots, Optimus officiating, hopefully, and as media free as possible. There was HUGE interest in their wedding pictures on Earth so Warren was negotiating their sale with the proceeds going to children's charities.
The scientists had their contracts to stay on-world extended another five years. They would be mentoring a lot of others who would be coming here to work and explore, some of whom were very, very famous on Earth. The Resort would be expanding their green belt to create more trails, more woodlands and another large water hole for the guests. Linking the stream into that lake and out again would allow a water pathway to be added. Given that the birds were doing well and now the insects after some experimentation and adjustment, there would be a place for more. The beehive was not only ensuring that their flower gardens were going great guns but also that there was a very fragrant honey in stock.
Leonora Huttle sat on a stack of datapads in the middle of a table in the middle of the room surrounded by titan frames in pretender gear. Two of them, The Dire Wolf and The Hammer of Primus were visiting from Cybertron to be experimental subjects for the device which would allow the titans to go into the surrounding areas relatively normal-sized and lift out heavy objects or help in the building in places where anyone else was either too small, too weak or it would take too much time to cut and drag off debris. They were having a great time sitting around the table, drinking beer and eating the snacks that were like nothing they had ever seen. They were as big as Paribolus, Metroplex, Fort Max, Caminus, Metrotitan, and Tennyson and just as happy to be here.
She grinned at them, then walked to Metroplex. :May I ask you a question, Metroplex?:
He looked at her as did the others, then nodded. "Yes, you may, Leonora Huttle," he said in his deep wise voice.
She grinned. All of the bots but for those she worked with closely used both her names, probably thinking they were one. :I keep a lot of secrets and if you wish to tell me, and I know you might not, I will keep secret anything you say: she began.
Max nodded. "We know, Leonora Huttle. What do you wish to know?" he asked.
She looked at them, bots millions and millions of years old, then asked. :We're in the third dimension here. Which dimension is Soft Space?:
They glanced at each other, then Metroplex leaned closer. "It is the twelfth dimension, Leonora Huttle. It is where we hide, regroup and protect each other. No one must know."
She nodded. :I know. What do you know about planetary evolution?: she asked as she remembered a story she had read about consciousness and evolution being a universal ideal.
Metroplex glanced at Caminus, then her. "You are aware, are you not, that everything has consciousness, from the smallest particle in a molecule or atom to the universe. All things have consciousness. They are aware and alive, though it might not seem that way to you as a third dimensional being."
She nodded, though it was skirting the edge of her understanding. :When I walk on the ground, across a floor, across grass … I'm stepping on a conscious thing?:
They looked at each other for a moment, as if in conversation, then Metroplex looked at her and nodded. "You are."
:But that hurts them, right? It creates harm to a conscious being or entity: She replied.
They considered that. "Sometimes, but consider this. You would be stranded in place. What makes it alright is your intent. How do you feel about and treat all that is around you? If you have respect and understanding of how things are and how all functions and is made, then its alright. If you respect the world and all of its enormity, then you are on good ground."
:Why do you go to the twelfth dimension and we can't?: she asked.
Caminus leaned closer. "Everything is based on vibrations, energetic vibrations. The totality of All That Is is a chorus of vibrations. Low vibrations … third dimensional, for instance, can only rise to the level their vibration matches. You are a low vibration species, Leonora Huttle. I mean that not as an insult but as an observation of truth. You kill each other for greed, you allow terrible things to transpire … its where you are at this point in your evolution. If you were of a higher order of vibration, you would see that All That Is … all of it is one. Our creed and prayer is Until all are one. Until everyone is, no one is.
"We vibrate at a higher level than you and we can rise to higher dimensions of vibration with all their gifts and wonders. Some orn, you will, too," he said. "You have to want it."
:How do you get it?: she asked.
"There is only one path to the high dimensions, Leonora Huttle," Paribolus said. "Love is the only path forward to advancement on the energetic evolutionary scale. Everything and everyone is energy. All of us. Some of are older and wiser perhaps but even that didn't save us. The Decepticons are third dimensional density individuals that were among the rest of us. They are warmongers and destroyers. The rest of us are fifth dimensional and beyond. Just like your Earth, herself."
:What do you mean? You said we were third dimensional: she replied.
"You are as a species but Earth isn't. Earth's normal place of existence is the fifth dimension. She's ascending now. Her spirit, her internal consciousness is rising into the fifth dimension where she belongs," Paribolus said. "Do you remember Caminus when Prime moved her to Tau Ceti?"
Leonora nodded. :I do. That's still classified so I haven't told anyone but Wheeljack and Perceptor answer my questions:
"Because you keep confidences," Fort Max said. Everyone nodded and Leonora felt warm in her heart.
"Caminus was moved to call for help and the universe who listened sent it. Prime came and moved her but not before the star that she orbited came to him on the Matrix. She, Caminus, the star whose consciousness loved her and Prime came together. The star told him that he was holding back until Caminus could be moved because if he died, he would kill Caminus as well. When they moved the planet, he passed onward and returned to Source Energy, or if it helps you, The One."
:He loved her, you say: Leonora asked.
They all nodded. "All energy and its infinite forms have consciousness. He was able to save Caminus because he operates on the most powerful impulse and motivational force in All That Is … love," Titan said as the others nodded.
"What other force compels a stranger to sit with someone who is in a wheelchair and can't flee a building when its falling down, which happened with the World Trade Center? What motivates a person to stop their car and jump into a river to save a drowning person they never met before? What impulse will make a cat walk back into a burning building to save their young while being burned themselves while doing it? Only the most powerful and titanic force in the universe would make strangers help strangers in such ways. Its love. That is the most powerful force in the universe and it is the glue that holds all of us together," Tennyson said with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his handsome face.
"She cannot see the threads, Tenn," Fort Max said.
"Then I will see them for you," Tennyson said as he slowly looked around himself, staring at the party raging onward around them. Then he looked at her as he touched the side of his helm. An image appeared, a sharp one with everyone Tennyson had just seen. Silver threads of the finest thinness seemed attached to everyone, themselves, one to the other, networking all together. They shimmered, the finest softest silver glow, then the image was gone.
:What was that, Tennyson?: Leonora asked.
"That was the ties that bind, I do believe your people say," Tennyson said with a grin. "Those are the silver threads that connect all life together. You do get to see them, Leonora Huttle. When the blessing from The One comes, that overwhelming light, that is every thread from every individual thing no matter how big and small vibrating at the same time as they seethe with the love of The One. It is how love travels from The One to us and between us to each other.
"You are never alone. You are never apart. Everyone, everywhere is connected. That is why you should be more careful with your actions and words because when you strike out at one of you, you strike out at all. Megatron never learned that, I'm afraid. Your planet, you call her Gaia, is ascending to the fifth dimension where she belongs. You have to decide what you want. She will bring you along but the life you will receive will be different than this one. There will be no greed, no war, no separation. You are living the illusion of separation and duality. You have always been One. Always. You have created the idea that you are all separate unto yourselves, that you are islands when you have never been thus. You are as tied together as us. Did you notice that the same threads that bound us together held the humans not only together but with us as well?"
She nodded. :I saw that in the image:
"Your loneliness is disturbing to me," Paribolus said. "I find you very lonely. You don't speak to each other enough, to say the things of the spark. Our sparks become one when we bond. We are bound together in fate and design. You are, too, but you find the darkness too attractive sometimes. I feel pity for your sense of isolation when it doesn't have to be so."
:When Gaia ascends as you say, where will she go?: Leonora said.
"Nowhere and everywhere. She will raise her vibration and in doing so, she will rise energetically. So will you. You do know that the chaos of your world right now are the old paradigms breaking apart. Secrets long buried are rising to the surface. No secrets will be held back now. People are finding their voice and the weariness of the old ways of separation and division are being tossed aside. Your species is growing and rising up. Those who cannot or won't will be swept aside as they are now in the mass movements of liberation that are coming forward now. I know this to be true. We are ancient and have seen much. We know the signs. There is upheaval on your planet in relation to the rising of Earth's energetic evolutionary signature. Your people are coming into their own," Metroplex said. "This is a good thing, Leonora Huttle. It means that your people are growing up to the fullness of their greatness."
She stared at them, then walked to Metroplex. She hugged his thumb, pressing her face mask against him. :I always feel better around you. I love your people. It's such an honor to live here and be with you. I want you to know that:
"We do," Tennyson said with a grin. "That is part of your evolution, to speak of love to those who you wish to grant it and to feel a part of a whole once again."
She nodded. :I do:
They chatted together a long time about love and emotion, about evolution, vibration and Earth. It would be a glorious thing for Leonora Huttle, pioneer human on Mars.
-0-TBC 12-31-17 edited 1-2-18
Dear Ones,
Just a final wish of the greatest possible love and happiness in the coming year. This was a helluva a year and I can't thank you enough for coming along. I am ever the optimist. I hope 2018 will be the year when all of us find our way together. I prefer to love everyone, everything, everywhere and find commonalities rather than differences. We are all one. Some of us find that hard to swallow but it's true. From my House to your House, a most beautiful, peaceful, prosperous, and happy New Year. Until all are one … Cathy in Alaska
Waves at Leoness!