The Diego Diaries: Ascension (dd6 283)
-0-In the conference room
"You see them a lot don't you," Lucien said rather than asked. He was sitting beside a tense but hopeful Laslo.
Prime nodded. "I do."
"They call you brother. I don't suppose they did that with other Primes. Sentinel, perhaps?" he asked.
"I am unaware that they did. Some of them were fine mechs and tried very hard to save The People and some were less so," Prime said.
"We never had festivals like here," Springer said. "He and Nominus banned them."
"The Pantheon made it clear through the Matrix that they were outside the bounds of our creed," Prowl said. "They withheld the blessing not because They didn't love us. They did it to send a message that no one in power was interested in hearing. We do have free will, after all."
"I am at sea," Lucien said.
"You have had a spiritual awakening," Lauren said. "The markers you steered by are proven to be false and now you must find others. We are here for you, all of us."
"Can you be honest?" Ratchet asked. He looked at the three still here. They looked back at him for a moment, then Lucien nodded. "Alright, before you went through this, before the Pantheon scrambled your world, what did you really think of me? Be honest because it doesn't matter anymore."
"It matters to me," Ironhide interjected.
"Hush, Only One. I need true honesty here," Ratchet said with a grin. Ironhide frowned at Ratchet but said nothing more. "Honesty, the three of you."
Keystock sat back. "I wanted to punch your face. I thought you had a lot of bearings to order me around.
"Is that all?" Ratchet prompted.
He looked at Ratchet a moment before glancing at the tabletop. "No," he said softly.
"Cargo? You had a fight with your brother. The Court mediated," Ratchet said. "You essentially became the property of the Generals. What about that? What about your brother and Lon and everything? What did you feel then?"
He stared at the tabletop with something new on his face ... embarrassment. "I did what I thought was right."
"And now?" Ratchet asked.
He looked at Ratchet with a flash of the old fire but it died almost instantly. "You heard Them. You know what They said."
"So did you," Ratchet said. "Lon ... tell your story from when you came here and how things went for you and your friends then."
Sitting at the end of the table with Bezel, Lon tensed. "Alright," he said. "We came here, about eight of us on a ship separate from the families. It was underground then, the city. We went through intake and were given space in a barracks. Some of the guys with me didn't think that was right. There were apartments for those who were sick or had babies. Prime and Prowl had one, too. That stuck in their processors. They didn't put a lot of elbow grease into their jobs and for that, they were cut off from energon to make a point about it. For myself, I saw the security guys ... Drift and Springer for certain and thought that's the job for me.
"I never really believed the high caste slag. All of us when we fled had to live the same hard life. If we didn't do something it didn't get done. The mid and low castes that were with us treated me good and taught me a lot, maybe more than they knew. All I wanted was a peaceful life serving the common good. I was working my nerve up to talk to you," he said glancing at Springer and Drift, "when the mechs who were with me were sitting in the rec room one orn when Prowl walked in with his grandson. They sat and it was sweet. you know, both of them. That's when the mechs with me decided to insult Prowl. They insulted that baby, Kaon. I couldn't believe it. They wouldn't shut up so I got up and begged them to follow me. They didn't.
"Prowl handed Kaon to someone nearby who was about ready to pop everyone himself, then he began to thrash them into dust. I watched from the corridor but I didn't know what to do. Then Ratchet came in lit with rage and joined Prowl. Everyone ended up in the brig. I must have walked all over the colony at the time to try and get a handle on my feelings. It was a short time later that I worked up the nerve to go to Drift and Springer and ask to be a security officer. I told them that I didn't hold to these kind of ideas and I wanted to serve. It was the greatest moment in my life when they agreed."
"What about your genitors? They're engineers and I imagine they were amazed at your decision," Ratchet said.
Lon nodded. "They were. But they were changed by the ordeal of trying to find a place to live after the Fall. Everyone mostly was. You had to work at it to keep the old ideas, it seemed to me. Everyone needed everyone to survive and it meant we had to work together. Most of us high castes didn't have the basic skills to construct homes and produce energon for food. We never had to," he said bitterly, "but we had to learn or die. We had to protect each other and cooperate. That made all the rest moot in my opinion. You can't hate someone you know, not if you have a chance to be a normal person."
It was silent. Then Ratchet leaned forward on his elbows. "What about it, Cargo? Are you a high caste or are you a normal person now?"
He looked at Ratchet a long time, then the tabletop. "I'm ... I need to think."
"Good answer," Ratchet said with a grin. "I'm glad. This is no small change but the Pantheon gave you the heads up. They let you know in advance. That's a blessing. That's a kindness. You and your brother will continue with the Generals. It's good for you to do positive things and helping The People on Cybertron is as positive as it gets. Also, one can never discount the influence of Pudding."
Laughter finally filled the room as Raptor patted his carry hold. "My Pudding is a slagging wonder of the world. This one and every other."
Ratchet sat back, smirking at the big jovial version of Ironhide who was about as feared a soldier as it got. "Softie."
"There is that," Raptor said as he winked at Ratchet. He looked at the two boys. "You two are our projects. Do you know what that means in Elite terms?"
Cargo and Keystock glanced at both of them. "Yes, sir," they said.
Raptor grinned. "Then you need to know a truth. One that's basic to the training regime of a project if they're especially hard helmed like you." He looked at Keystock. "Remember the backpack you carry?"
"Yes, sir," Keystock said.
"It's filled with cybertanium bars."
It was silent a moment as Keystock stared at him. "What?"
"It's filled with heavy steel. We added more and more each orn. It's a device to break down hard helms. We had no idea that the Pantheon would do what They did. Most of the time, toting an ever increasingly heavy backpack is enough to get a slagger's attention. Do you have to carry it tomorrow?" Raptor asked.
Keystock stared at him with astonishment, then looked at Hard Drive. That mech was analyzing him with cool optics. He felt parts of his processor implode. He sat back sagging a little. "No, sir."
"Good. Tomorrow when you carry it, it'll be filled with cookies and candy for the kids. We're going on a tour of schools in camps. We need to help the children feel better and treats are the trick," Raptor said. "You both will still come with us. Expect instruction this time around."
The two stared at them, then nodded. They were resigned to their fates, a first step to finding their way back. At least there was no violence at the revelation. Both Raptor and Hard Drive had tested their boys and both had passed. Ratchet looked at Lucien. "What about it, Lucien? Are you still my political adjutant or do you need intake at the hospital with Waldeen and probably Traachon?"
He looked at Ratchet blankly a moment. Laslo sat close to him, his arms around the big stunned mech he loved with all his spark. "I have the job, right? Is it still mine or what?"
"I gave it to you because you have talent and skills. I want to know that you can manage it in this new paradigm shift," Ratchet said.
He considered that, then nodded. "Yes," he said. Laslo looked almost light helmed with relief.
Ratchet looked at Burris. "You okay, Burris?"
Burris who was looking at his two sons with anxiety glanced at Ratchet. "I am. Are they?"
"Ask them," Ratchet said.
"Boys?" Burris asked with some small anxiety. "Are you alright?"
They looked at him, then nodded numbly. "Nothing is right is it?" Cargo asked. "Everything is changed."
Burris glanced at Anders who looked at him with anxiety. Burris straightened in his chair, assuming a stronger expression of himself. "Things are different and changed, yes. We can do this. I ..." He stopped a moment to gather himself as emotion threatened to overwhelm him. "I was wrong. My fathers were wrong. All of us were wrong. I hurt a very great number of mechs and femmes by what I did. I never saw them as important and that will always be my shame. I … I feel so much sorrow every day. The mechs at the hospital … they include me in stuff they do. We're friends. They don't expect anything from me but friendship. It makes me feel ashamed. I don't want that for you. I'm your father and I want you to live right. We can do this together, all of us," he said firmly.
Anders squeezed his shoulders. "It takes a strong mech to do what your father has done. He's my hero. I want you to be my heroes, too. We can do this together. Not just because the Pantheon said it must be so but because its right. Do you understand?"
They stared at their anxious genitors, then nodded. "I'm really tired," Cargo said.
Prime stood. "I think we all need to go somewhere and rest up. Tomorrow always comes. But this time, it comes with only the desire that we understand that all of us are one and that all of us matter. It was an honor to have you come. Thank you," he said.
Springer snorted. "You're thanking us?" he asked to the general laughter of the group. They rose, stood together as if unwilling to go, then they did, small groups leaving to go back to their lives and whatever they were going to do in this new, personally changed life they were leading.
Ratchet leaned forward. "We want you in family counseling, boys," he said. "Your ada and atar go and you will go as well. Jarro's office will monitor the progress to make sure you're safe. Lucien, you will go as well and the same restrictions apply to you as well. All of you have your jobs. All of you have therapy. I'm proud of you to understand what happened. It was only with great and abiding love that you ended up with Optimus. They could have been indifferent to you and your points of view but They love you and want you to change. They brought you along. Heed what They say and see what greatness is waiting for you when you do." He stood and the others did as well.
Laslo and Anders hugged everyone, thanked everyone, then steered their family through the door. Optimus, Prowl, Ironhide, Raptor, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Delphi, and Ratchet were left. Just as they sat, the door opened again. Alor and Turbine stepped in with frowns. "YOU SLAGGERS! YOU GO TO THE MATRIX AND YOU DON'T TAKE US?"
"Take it up with the boss," Raptor said as he nodded to Prime.
Turbine cuffed Raptor on the helm, then both sat. "So … what did the Pantheon do, if that's not secret?"
Prowl grinned. "The oppressive systems are dead and gone forever. If they come back, the Pantheon, maybe even Primus Himself will intervene personally."
"Frag. I think we live in Nirvana now," Alor said with a grin. "By the way, Lissie is sad she couldn't help. She said she hoped it went well. I would say it went well. Who showed up?"
Raptor grinned. "All of Them."
Loud bitching and another rap on the noggin were had. Raptor frowned, then pulled out Pudding. He sat the cow on the table. He grinned at it. "The ball and chain punched me twice. Attack Turbine, the slagger."
Pudding stared at him, then stepped closer to Raptor. He leaned in and began to chew on his nose structure, what there was of it. Raptor grinned. "How about me dumping the ball and chain and you and I running off together?"
"Mixed bond, is it?" Turbine asked as he rubbed Pudding's rump. He picked up the cow and sat him on his lap. "Sweet baby. Run away with me."
"I want a cow," Blackjack said with a grin. He glanced at Alor. "I WANT A COW!"
"Big mouth. I see where Orion comes from. Speaking of which … hand them over." Alor leaned in with a deep frown. "Empty."
Babies were pulled from holds and stood on the table. They smiled at everyone around them and everyone around them smiled back. "ADA! WHAT THAT DOG!?" Orion asked as he pointed at Pudding.
"That's a cow," Ratchet said.
"COW!"
Everyone applauded. They weren't aware that Orion could say cow from way back when.
"I, ORION, LIKE DOG! CAN I, ORION, GET DOG! ME, ORION, CAN DOED THE SHE!?" he asked with growing excitement and slowly deteriorating vocabulary.
"He wants a cow, Ada," Hero said as she crouched over Halo, petting her little face gently.
"We have a cat, a dog, almost a dozen horses … YOU WANT A COW, TOO!?" Ratchet asked.
Orion smiled like a scraplet. "I, ORION, WANT THE SHE!"
"You, Orion, will have to learn to live with disappointment," Ratchet said with a grin.
Orion stared at his ada, then glanced at Great Grandpa Raptor. "What sayed?"
"Ada said yes. You can have a cow," Raptor said before numerous servos slapped him in the helm.
It took a few moments for the screaming, yelling, slapping, and the occasional peeved moo to transpire before everything got back to whatever usually passed for normal among them. Raptor glared at all of them including a uproariously laughing Prime. "Slaggers. You seem to think that having pets for the babies is a bad thing. Why, Blackjack had tons of pets and look how he turned out?"
Everyone turned to stare mutely at him. Blackjack grinned in spite of himself. "Frag all of you."
"What pets did you have?" Prime asked sweetly. Short of the cyber bugs that plagued his building, he had never had one of his own until Miss Kitty and he found them lovely.
"Everything short of trags. Atar was always dragging something home that needed a place to live. We always had pets," Blackjack said with a smirk at his father.
"SLAG RIGHT!" Raptor said. "Make it a law. All kids have pets. They need to learn responsibility and bear the joy of unconditional love."
"There was that," Turbine said. "YOU WERE THE CUTEST LITTLE SLAGGER!" he said as he grinned at Blackjack.
Prime grinned. "I bet he was."
Blackjack preened. "Slag right. Broke sparks at primary school."
"I never got to go to school," Ratchet said as he picked up an old game he played to make the family crawl. It always worked. "What about you, Optimus?"
"Never. Not an orn," Prime said with a grin. "I did watch others go to them."
"Me, too. Since you and I came from the same slum, you must mean the Perfector Day School down the road from us. The one the rich kids went to," Ratchet said as he warmed to the task.
"I remember that. It was next to the library we could not enter either," Prime said with a slight smirk.
Everyone else in the room was twisting slightly from shame and embarrassment in their chairs. Raptor leaned forward to look down the table at Prime. "If it would make you feel better, I'll lend you Pudding for a while. He can bring a smile to a stone monkey."
"What about me?" Ratchet asked with a dazzling smile.
"Frag you, slagger," Raptor said with a smile of his own. "GET YOUR OWN COW!"
"Huge laughter.
"Save some of this for the meeting tomorrow," Prime said. "Right now, I have to go to IntraComm and let the colony, Cybertron and the Empire know what happened."
"Do you want us to come? We can stand behind you and look ravishing," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.
Prime guffawed. "Only if you bring Pudding along."
It took a moment to stow kids and pick up the cow, but they were soon on their way heading toward the airfield and the walk down Cultural Center Road to the turn off to IntraComm.
-0-TBC 2-25-18 edited 3-4-18