The Diego Diaries: Barbecue (dd6 256)
-0-As darkness falls
They sat around the fire pits drinking beer and telling lies. It was getting onward toward dark and after eating themselves silly, the kids were in the domes nearby, warm and content to play with their toys and each other as the lights that lit them blazed in the gathering inky darkness. Soon, they would be put to bed and the adults would join them or sleep it off in their chairs. The several grills had been bagged up and more fire pits gathered. All over the vast area, fires dotted the campgrounds. Near the valley that led into the deeply carved ravines that spiraled off from the camping area, the campground office and apartments for the on site rangers at the HQ nearby could be seen.
Ratchet slouched in his chair as he watched the stars overhead. He grinned. It was nice to cut loose and after an afternoon of tomfoolery, it was good to sit. They had spent all afternoon playing, together and with the kids. A number of mechs had taken off to climb and ramble around the lower floor of the vast gash that was the ravine where they were camping. Sitting on the top of a plateau that was part of the natural topography of the area of the campground, all around them were deep wandering narrow valleys. Sheer cliffs of red stone and dirt called to a few and they climbed them, including the sons of Burris, Lucien and Vinn. Keystock and Cargo didn't.
That none of them fell was a miracle given that a few of them had tied one on.
WRECK(AGE) AND RULE!
Others had ridden the horses, thundering through races that led to a winner, Madura, of all mechs. He had been taking riding lessons and sprung the news on everyone when the races were held. Two mechs at a time rode down a long stretch of open space that ran along the back of their location racing each other to the delight of the crowds and the horses. Even if the mechs involved had been more sober, it appeared to Ratchet that Madura would have won. He was a natural and was expanding his range. It was delightful and even when he raced with Drift and Springer, he beat them hands down.
It was amazing. It would have been better if Ratchet had been sober but he clapped loudly as the winners blew past. He, himself, had all the riding he planned to do when the horses arrived. Later in the arena with Ironhide, Tagg and Kestrel would suffice for him.
The evening deepened and stars came out. Sitting around the fire eating snacks and drinking beer, they began to tell stories. Lucien and Laslo sat across from him with Joon and Vinn on one side and Burris with Anders on the other. Everyone else was seated around the blazing camp stoves which threw a lot of light and heat around the area. Keystock and Cargo sat together while the sons of Vinn and Joon lounged here and there among the mechs, soldiers and civilians both.
Optimus was slouched in his chair sitting between his genitors while Prowl sat beside his own nearby. He was discussing the war games which would be the next big thing for them to look forward to having in the schedule. The mechs perked up and some of them began to discuss the application of 'certain modifications' that would 'blast the aft off the slaggers'.
"Magnus, I heard that your mech is a gorilla," Ratchet said with a grin.
Magnus who was only as drunk as his special internal gear would allow, which was very little, glanced at Ratchet. "I have made modifications that I believe will stand my remote in good stead," he said.
Arcee glanced at him. "Your little bot is a monster."
"It is," Magnus said with a grin. "I expect to do well."
"What about you and 'Jack, Perceptor?" Ratchet asked. "I heard that the alarms have caught you both trying to mine the site at least two or three times."
Wheeljack smirked. "So you say."
Huge scorn greeted that.
"We plan to bring our own remotes," Wheeljack said.
"What kind?" someone in the back asked.
"I can't say," Wheeljack said mysteriously.
"Slagger. What is it? A neutron bomb?" another asked.
He laughed. "YOU WISH! I don't plan to lose. Just leave it at that."
"Wheeljack, that's a bit hasty," Perceptor said. "Really, you could be setting yourself up for failure," he tut-tutted.
Everyone grinned at the prim nerd, then Wheeljack. "You're not going to hold us hostage, Wheeljack. Let's make a group vow that if he looks like he's going to level the game, we blow his aft up," Ironhide said.
Everyone vowed. Wheeljack frowned. Prime applauded. Prowl took his beer away. Sandstorm slipped him another and the beat went on.
"How many combiners are there this time?" someone in the back asked, probably Cliffjumper getting intel on the next round for the title.
"We're making one. All of us." Elita grinned. "It's sort of big."
"What about you, Maelstrom? What part of the combiner are you?" Bee asked from somewhere in the back.
Maelstrom laughed loudly. "I'm myself, only bigger. Much … much bigger," he said with a wolfish grin.
"Frag," Hercy said. "NEW VOW! WE TAKE OUT MAELSTROM!"
Huge laughter.
"What about the Dinobots? Who has intel on them?" Prime asked as he glanced around. Prowl took his beer. Sandstorm slipped him another. Prowl caught it and frowned at Sandstorm.
"I'm sitting next to the booze locker, Prowl," Sandy said. "I got a million of them."
Huge laughter and a lot of ridicule about 'your mama' and 'LET PRIME BE PRIME!"
Optimus chuckled. "Yes, let Prime be Prime."
Prowl stared at him like he'd grown horns.
"COMBINERS! IDENTIFY YOURSELF!" Raptor called out.
It was quiet a moment, then they did. Elita and her femmes were combiners. Rainmaker and his sons were a Seeker combiner-
"A SEEKER COMBINER! What's that?" Raptor asked as he glanced at Starscream, who himself was half in the bag.
"THE GREATEST INNOVATION IN THE HISTORY OF HISTORY!" Starscream said. "Guess who gets to be the aft of our combiner?"
Everyone stared at Starscream as he grinned.
Starscream began to frown. "No one is going to guess?"
"I'll bite," Ratchet said as he sipped his beer. "MEGATRON!"
Starscream frowned at him as the others around him convulsed in laughter. "YOU PEEKED!"
"No, actually, I guessed. Who's a bigger aft?" Ratchet said to great acclaim.
"Point taken," Starscream said with a grin.
"AIM FOR STARSCREAM'S AFT!" Raptor said as everyone laughed. "I will be," he said with a feral grin. Turbine took his beer. Sunstreaker slipped him another one.
"What are the humans doing for theirs?" Hard Drive asked as he sat beside Delphi eating a piece of pie.
"I don't know but I've decided to blow them all to the Pit right away," Springer said. "Get the squishies," he said with a grin.
"What did they ever do to you?" someone asked.
"Nothing," Springer said with a smile.
"I'll help you," Drift said to catcalls.
"Are you going on horseback? I want to see your horse's tail burn again," Sideswipe said.
"We're going by horseback. Of course, we beefed the horses up a bit ..." Springer said.
"Who's coming as heavy artillery? Are you and Delphi going as tanks, Amma?" Sunstreaker asked as he reached for another cookie from a heaped plate.
"No," both said. Turbine grinned. "I want to out last Grimlock. Did you know that the Dinobots are bigger, stronger and they can combine?"
It was silent a moment, then Springer glanced around. "New game plan. Destroy the Dinobots, then the humans. Get the big afts and the ants out of the way. Then we can slag each other to the Pit."
Huge laughter and agreement met that. Then First Aid leaned forward to peer toward Prime. "What's the layout going to be? Is the set up from before going to remain?"
"No," Wheeljack said. "Jetta took the plans and reworked them," he said as Jetta stood and took a bow. "Fragger. Between Fort Max, Metroplex and Jetta, its different. They're going to unveil it with the buildings and the like the night before so we can look it over."
"If you were a good son-in-law, Jetta, you'd show your old ada the plans. No pressure, you understand. A good mech would," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
Huge laughter greeted that.
"What about the newbies. What about your mechs?" Ratchet asked.
Madura leaned forward. "Proteus and I have a mech. I don't know how long we'll last but we're coming."
"Partition, Inweld and Morius have showed Burris and I how to use them. We practice in the desert," Anders said with a smile. "I hope to last a few minutes but I promise nothing."
Huge laughter.
"I have a big mech. I added more guns. I can run fast," Optimus said with a grin. "Right, Prowl? You got that firm to design our little bots and make them foolproof-" Prime said before Prowl handed him a cookie. He took it and grinned. "I love cookies."
Everyone grinned at Prime, then his genitors. They grinned back.
"What about you, Kes? Tagg? Are you going to play this time?" Ratchet asked.
"No," they both replied. "We are not cut out for it."
"I hear you, Kestrel," Ravel said. "I'm not an insane person like my son so I don't think any of us will try it this time."
Agreement and laughter greeted that.
It was peaceful as they chatted together, then the kids came fogging in. They ran to their genitors and smiled. "ADA! WHAT US!? SHE SAYED GOING TO YOU!" Orion pointed to someone's amma who was grinning at them after herding them up to camp. Down the way, the domes were shut down. Toys were everywhere inside but the lights were off.
"Bed time, infants," Ratchet said as he tried to stand. He managed, then gripped two of the kids, Orion and Praxus around their fat baby bellies. "Let's go." He walked forward, then paused. "Where are the tents?"
"Oh, my," Ravel said as he stood. "Follow me, infant. You're a danger to us all."
Ratchet laughed and followed Ravel to the tent where the kids would sleep as all the others hopped along behind. They went in, the hoo-haw was loud and then they came back out. "Who else or is that all of them?"
Ravel gently pushed Ratchet forward until he found his chair. "Sit, infant. We'll take care of this."
Prime stood up, swaying slightly. "I will help you, Ravel. Where are our kids, Prowl?" he asked before his father gently tugged him down.
"I think we can do that, son. Enjoy yourself," Tagg said with a smile as he rose and began to gather kids and cats.
Raptor glanced to the horses who were staked out again. "Pudding?"
The cow turned a baleful optic on Raptor from where he stood under Yancy.
"Are you going to come into the tent?" Raptor asked.
"You're talking to a cow, Appa," Sideswipe said with a grin.
"That's no ordinary cow," Raptor said. "That's a slagging fine cow."
Pudding walked down the slight incline to where Raptor sat. Raptor pulled him into his lap as Keystock and Cargo watched both with loathing. "This cow, this very cow is a trail breaker. The first cow on Mars."
"I think he's the third cow on Mars, Raptor," Turbine said.
"Uh … that's right. This cow, this very cow is a trail breaker. The first cow on Cybertron," Raptor said. He grinned. "I love cows."
Everyone laughed.
Turbine stood. "You need to recharge it off."
"Later. I'm going to stay here and commune with my cow," Raptor said.
Turbine glanced at Ratchet. "What's on the agenda tomorrow?"
"Food. Fun. Badges. Everyone gets a badge. I, Ratchet, have spoken," he said with a grin.
"THAT'S RIGHT! MY RATCHET HAS SPOKEN!" Appa Ratchet said. He grinned at his grandson. "Don't forget to give yourself the cure, Sonny."
Everyone laughed. "Do you have it?" Sandstorm asked as he popped a brew.
Ratchet considered that, then shrugged. "I hope so."
"We're doomed," Ironhide said with a grin.
Prime chuckled. "We're doomed," he said as he sipped his beer.
Prowl rolled his optics.
-0-TBC 1-24-18 edited 2-2-18