The Diego Diaries: Moo-ving On (dd6 286)
-0-Military Airfield the next morning
It was still dark as they gathered, all of them getting ready to take a ship through a bridge to Cybertron. The sun wasn't up yet but the area was lit with lights on tall poles. Ships came and went, mechs with their tools and carts went here and there as the business of the colony went on round the clock. Keystock and Cargo were there waiting together. They looked guarded and worn. Both bore backpacks and carried satchels. All of them were filled with candy, cookies and small toys. They were visiting the camps and the camp schools. The kids would get a lot of good things. Two big crates were loaded already into the big gun ships that would be their transport.
Crossing the big field carrying his cow, Raptor walked with his father and son. Blackjack who was coming for the lulz since he was off today led his newest acquisition on a leash. Behind him trotting like a pro, a tiny Hereford steer ambled with him. He had the basic white legs, tummy and face with the reddish saddle of color that filled in all the other spaces. To top his (miniature) magnificence, he bore tiny curved horns. He was flawless.
They reached the two who stared at the new cow. Blackjack picked him up, then turned to the two boys with a look of rapture on his face. "You're here!"
"We're supposed to," Cargo said as he glanced at his brother. "Right?"
Keystock nodded wanly. "What's with the new cow?"
Raptor roared with laughter as Blackjack set his little steer down. "This is the new wonder of the family. This is my cow. I call him Flipper."
"Flipper?" Cargo asked with a slight frown of pain/confusion/suicidal thoughts. (Take your pick)
"I was wondering what to name him when my son, Scout walked up to him and tugged his little ear. He turned around, hooked a horn into Scout and flipped him over on his helm. Flipper. See?" Blackjack asked with a giant smile and twinkling optics.
"Didn't he hurt your son?" Keystone asked with a slight look of amazement.
"Nah," Blackjack said. "He landed on a pillow. Besides, he has to learn he can't pull someone's ears. Flipper slept in Scout's bed all night."
Hard Drive grinned. "I may have to get a cow to keep up with the neighbors," he said as he watched his aides arrive with Raptor and Blackjack's. "Time to go. Get the cows on board." Hard Drive walked to the ship and climbed up.
Blackjack picked up Flipper, then turned to his father who was stuffing Pudding into his carry hold. "Head 'em up and move 'em out. Whoopie-ti-yi-yo!" he said with a chuckle. He nodded to the kids who gathered their gear and climbed on board.
Blackjack looked at Flipper, then grinned at him. "They love you," he said as he climbed the ramp himself. The ship was on its way before it retracted and the door slid shut.
-0-In an apartment or two
"Can I get you anything, Lucien?" Laslo asked as he gathered the breakfast dishes. "You and I should take an orn off and wander. At least, Only One, until you get your footing again." He put them in the sink, then sat with a worried expression. "This has been an awful shock."
Lucien glanced at Laslo, hating the anxiety on his face. It had been gone a while now. "It was," he said. "I have to say, Las, that I feel strange. I don't know what to think. All this time … the things we did and how we lived. It was hated by the Pantheon. I thought I should feel worse than this. I thought I should be as angry as I could be but I feel flat."
"You aren't going to do anything … rash?" Laslo asked as he gripped Lucien's servo.
He grinned faintly. "And leave you? Never."
Laslo looked relieved. "I think its a good idea to go to therapy. Vinn understands. He went through it as well. Please tell him your spark. Tell him all of it. You can't feel better if you don't get it out and understand it."
"The gist, Las, is that our families lied to us. They were lied to. All the way back, everyone lied. I can hardly fathom that. My atar was my best friend."
"He didn't know any better than the rest of us, Lou," Laslo said. "You can't blame him. You can't blame anyone but the first one. They were there to see the Functionalists. They could see that it wasn't any better than with the Quintessans. They set the tone and raised their children to follow that trail. It was cast in stone at that moment. If anyone is to blame, blame them. We were as big a pair of pawns as anyone else."
"I don't know why it didn't matter that so much was wrong," Lucien mused. "I'm not used to this. I keep my feelings in check. I don't allow them out. I don't give things away. I was the master for so long. I don't know what to think about this."
"That's where Vinn is invaluable. I'll go with you. I think we can both work this through. Then we have to live our lives in a good way. The boys … they already have. You do know that Partition is sweet on Lancer. Lancer is a mid caste. What do you think about that, Lucien?"
He considered that a moment. "Now or before Primus Himself told me what He thought about it?"
"Both. Neither," Laslo said anxiously.
Lucien gripped Laslo's servo. "It's Partition's call. I don't know her but if he loves her, then we can't stand in his way. Before? You already know. Now … the world is upside down. We have to obey."
Laslo nodded, then stood. "Come with me, Lou. I have to make a stop before you go to work."
Lucien stood tiredly and with effort walked to the door to leave with Laslo. They walked from their building to the Metro station nearby, going downward to take a train to the Temple District. It was a long ride but soon they were there, walking up the steps to the street above. It was crowded with the morning's workers and pedestrians heading this way and that. Gripping Lucien's servo, Laslo led the way, turning into the Temple at the big gates. They walked inside, then entered. They walked across the big concourse until they spotted a priest. Laslo walked to him, then nodded. "I would like to speak to Gravitas if I may. I come for answers."
The priest nodded. "I will find him, Pilgrim." With that, he walked down the steps to the Well, crossed the big room and entered the private apartment area nearby. He was gone for a moment, then came back with Gravitas. They climbed the steps, then walked to the pair who nodded.
"Thank you for coming, Gravitas. My bond is troubled by the new paradigm and needs wise counsel. We come to you to seek answers." Laslo bowed his helm.
Gravitas nodded to the other priest who went back out to the morning crowd. He looked at the pair. "Laslo and Lucien, I'm so glad to finally see you. Won't you come with me?" he asked as he led them down the stairs to a counseling lounge that was off the vast space. They would sit and talk for a long time together.
-0-At the end of the night
They walked into the Diner On The Corner to sit and eat breakfast. The usual group behind 'The Boss and, oh yeah, Springer' as Sandstorm so snarked on the way in followed the big mechs as they entered and took a booth. Sitting with a touch of fatigue, they made their orders. Partition who was off shift at the 46th Substation pulled up a chair for Lancer, then sat himself.
"When are you two tying the knot?" Springer asked. "Consider me asking for Ma and Pa."
Huge laughter greeted that. Sandstorm grinned at Springer. "You and Drift shacked up for a while if memory served me."
"I remember that," Drift said with a smirk.
"Best orns of your life," Springer said with a grin. "Or so you told me."
"I did?" Drift asked as the others laughed.
"I have to tell my genitors first," Partition said.
"Tell them now. I think a few things were squared away with your atar," Springer said. "Something tells me that objections aren't going to be in the cards."
"Have you talked to your genitors yet?" Hercy asked as he lounged in his booth. "A mech has to square the family away and make sure they're in good shape. Way of the Warrior."
Everyone grinned and nodded as they watched Partition's face. He worshiped the ground Hercy walked on and they knew he would do the diligence. Food arrived so they began to eat. Drift grinned at Springer. "Did you hear that Blackjack got a cow?"
Springer grinned. "Why am I not surprised?"
Drift paused a moment as he touched base with Alor. Then he grinned. "Amma said he got one because he whined enough. Hard Drive has a thing about his grandchildren. By the way, he's calling the cow … Flipper."
The group guffawed as Springer considered the name. He looked at Drift. "Flipper?"
"Yeah," Drift said. "Alie brought the cow in with Hardie, Turbine, Raptor, and Delphi. They surprised him. They had it in the works for a while. When they did, Appa lost his shit. He was really surprised and happy. Scout walked up to pat it, then pulled its ear. The little cow has horns. He hooked Scout and tossed him. He flipped him over on his helm."
"Did he get hurt?" Springer asked with surprise.
"No. Apparently, he was building a fort on the floor with his old pa and there were pillows," Drift said with a chuckle. "Ironhide's family is hilarious."
There was general agreement that the generals were the bomb. Then Kup grinned. "I wonder which of those two kids gets to carry him?"
Huge laughter.
Sandstorm glanced at Kup. "I would."
Everyone there agreed. They would, too.
-0-Mid morning
They began to arrive for the brunch, a lot of women invited from The Family Tower, The Resort, Sciences, Earth 1, and the Consulate. They drove in and joined the group inside waiting at the door. It was the second get-together by the powerful Women That Ran Things and Mariah had put on the dog. She had a splendid brunch laid out for everyone in the special occasions dining room. The reporters from the magazines that were here doing pieces on the habitat were taking pictures as they watched the group greet each other. "Where is Linda?" Mariah asked as she greeted several of the women from N.E.S.T.
"Linda is about ready to pop. She's at the N.E.S.T. HQ now until the baby comes. She's about three days overdue," Lois Morshower said. "She's staying close to the doctors."
"Oh, my," Mariah said with a smile. "The second human born on Mars." She looked at the group, then the locals. "Shall we go?"
The women followed her and Allison Beliveau toward the gala. It would take a while to walk there.
-0-At N.E.S.T. HQ
"How do you feel?"
"Terrible, Niall. Everything is swollen up," Linda Graham said as she sat uncomfortably on a couch in the lounge. Nothing she could do would make it better including Niall hovering around her.
Mama Fig had opted to stay with her so she sat in a chair nearby knitting booties and other baby things for the new infant. "Rub her feet, Niall. That always feels good."
Niall who was living and dying with every ache and pain Linda had sat on the floor, removed her shoe and began to rub. "How's that?"
"Better," Linda said as she lay back. "Where's Phoebe?" she asked.
"At Earth 1. She's coming over shortly. She's going to be here to deliver the baby. Don't worry," Niall said.
"I'm not. I do want to beat you to a pulp though," Linda said as another false labor pain ripped through her.
He grinned and began to rub the other foot. As long as he held them, he reasoned, she couldn't kick him.
-0-TBC 2-28-18 edited 3-4-18
Putting on the dog means to really do things up high tone.