The Diego Diaries: Onward Ho-Ho-Ho! (dd6 385)
-0-Cybertron
They walked through the largest redeveloped area of Iacon and perhaps in the whole of Cybertron, noting with an inexpressible joy the sight of towers gleaming in the light of the stars. They towered overhead and housed nearly one and a half million individuals from the sprawling camp villages nearby. As far as the optic could see, towers were in development following the old plan of the city with some adjustments. Iacon was incredibly ancient so they were saving the footprint as much as they could where it made sense and improving it where they could see a better flow for everyone.
The plan of Mars, having businesses in the street side storefronts was being followed here and they were incredibly busy. Most of them were restaurants and bakeries with grocery stores here and there for the more adventurous individuals. Street traffic was brisk, everyone walked with a lighter step and they were profusely grateful to Prime when they saw him. Some came from across the street, some from businesses where they were transacting whatever it was they were doing, others from corners where they were waiting for buses and cabs.
Most of them were civilians but some, many, were former Decepticons with family and others alone or with friends. He met their children and elders, their bonds and friends, hearing of their new lives and prospects. Some of them apologized to Prime, soldiers and civilians alike, telling him of their regret of choice in leadership. They spoke about their service under Megatron, the hardships and the overwhelming sense of happiness and relief that things were different now. It was a continuous display as they walked along with some religious reaching out to touch him as he passed by, heading for the well lit headquarters of the Autobots in the city in the distance. It would take a while.
-0-At a counseling session in the hospital
Min-D sat on a chair with the little group of elders talking to them about how things were going. Ratchet had contacted her about them and she came gladly. These little mechs were like a lot of their elders here … sweet, conforming and gentle, beaten down by life and slowly unfolding their wings in the new paradigm. That a speed bump along the way could upend them so completely wasn't unusual. They would find their way again.
"Our Sonny is our guiding star," Corr said as the others nodded. "We never expected it would be easy to have and raise a child in our situation. But we did. We made him the focus of our lives and he grew up to be a very good youngling mech. Mind you," Corr said as he leaned closer to Min-D, "he can be a handful." The others nodded as well. "But he is good. Down in his spark, close to the place where Primus can see us, he's good."
Min-D nodded. "He takes care of you all very well."
"He does. He's our boy. He always does. He tells us he reads our medical reports to make sure everything is going to plan. Maybe he worries too much," Docker said as she looked at the others. They nodded. "But he's a good mech, our Sonny. He got us on our peds and made sure we have a nice home. We prefer to live together, all of us. We can help each other, just like in the Jumble."
The others nodded.
"What was that like, Docker?" Min-D asked again.
Docker looked at her, then a frown came over her pretty face. "It was bad. They had no respect for us. I fought them. I didn't allow them to treat us badly."
"It was lucky, Only One, that they didn't arrest you," Appa Ratchet said. "Docker was brave," he said. "She was our hero."
The others nodded.
"No one deserves to be less than anyone else. The One and Primus expect us to love each other unconditionally, to help each other and not to judge. We all are one. No one believed it then. We lived in a terrible place but we made it as good for our Sonny as we could," she said fiercely. "It was defiance against The One and Primus that made all this happen. Defiance of the greatest thing we can do for each other … love and forgive each other unconditionally. If something had happened to Corr, nothing else would matter. We could be the richest and most powerful in the world but without Corr, nothing would be good."
The others nodded.
"You find solace in your religion?" Min-D asked.
"We do," Chan said. "We keep the holy orns and took Sonny to the Shrine on that orn. We tried to save to go to the Temple. We wanted Sonny to see the relics but it was always too much and something would come up. We would have gone, though. We taught him what the Pantheon and The One wanted … to love unconditionally, to forgive unconditionally, to treat each other with love, the way you would want to be treated."
"Did it work?" Min-D asked with a slight grin.
Chan grinned back. "No."
The others nodded again.
-0-Cybertron
They walked to the big hangars that they had built on the footprint of those destroyed long ago. The shimmering sea beyond undulated with its endless beauty. The Sea of Light was a colossal rarity, a liquid body that shown with a glow from minerals that suffused its sandy bottom. It gave an eerie light in the constant darkness of the world, one of the few self illuminated places on this, the strangest planet ever.
The pathway to the warehouse district above was winding but the area was cleared and attempts were made to restore it and the shoreline which disappeared into the distance in two directions. Arc lights were here and there but the area was mostly darkness due to the lack of use of the area around the building complex. Huge plants were asserting themselves around the shore and they were thick on the ground, spreading their roots into the distance, adding more shoots upward as they spread out.
It was rather eerie, a sensation that was not lost on the mechs who worked here.
They reached the end of the sloping climb from the sea, then walked further onward, passing buildings that were not in active use at the moment due to ends of shifts or storage of supplies and other shipments that came here, a hub for spare parts for half the planet. They walked toward the lighted building where everyone was, their ped falls echoing in the evening air. They talked about this and that, feeling even as they did the tension on their armor from their auric fields. Glancing this way and that, they picked up speed.
"This place gives me the creeps," one of them said as the other nodded. "I swear I saw shadows moving at the northern warehouses."
They both looked that way, fearfully watching the dark shadows between the buildings before reaching the lighted area that was maintained orn and night with huge light towers. It felt better to get there. They couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, though. They also weren't the only ones who did. When Prime came in three orns, they would talk to him about this and see what the Matrix advised. If there were ghosts here, they would need a seer.
Or three.
They entered the building filled with light and comrades with relief. The dark shadows watching them had no emotional buy in as they did. Half of them weren't even aware that the two mechs had walked past and the others were content to wait for them to come back out again.
-0-Circle of Light Superstore, Terra
"I heard from Ratchet that his family members are doing well," Madura said as he entered the business with his son, Rugur. He set the basket down as his baby was sleeping, then turned to Joon and Edict who were stocking shelves. "Corr is getting better and will be released soon. The entire group is staying at the hospital because this was such a shock. They're having counseling for their hurts, thank Solus."
"That's good to hear. Prowl said he'd tell us if the pub crawl is on for tonight," Joon said. "Do they need anything? Ratchet's family?"
"No. It's in servo so far," Madura said as he began to set up the afternoon cafe rush. He came in the mornings usually but had to attend to something with Proteus involving the disposition of some of the adopted sons they had in the migration with Rockwell and his bond. They had been in prison all this time but their deadlines for disposition were upcoming and there was a lot to do. They weren't part of the 45 who had foolishly tried Caste Court with Rockwell and ended up in a quarry. These were different cases and more serious given their relationships.
"How did the meeting turn out? I suppose that Gradient expects Proteus to stand up for him," Edict said.
"Actually, I did the talking. We decided to not allow them to know of the format changes Proteus had done because they can't be trusted to keep their mouths shut. I won't trade my bond's new life and growth for anything. I made him promise me that they were on their own and he wouldn't do anything noble like help them," Madura said. "They have to pass inspection with Prime but I have my doubts. They're still entrenched in the old paradigm."
"Some of them are," Edict said sympathetically. "My Sunee is making good progress. He and Sio are fast friends. I hope he can have day release. I want him to ease back in. When he has to stand for his behavior, we will be there but he has to be realistic and face the consequences of his actions with understanding."
"How is Hobbes? He seems to be making great progress, Edict," Joon asked.
"He is. He's a very happy mech. He goes out on mid decaorn to play cards and have a beer with the mechs he works with. He likes supervising and procuring for the department but he still works with them, side-by-side, doing the dirty work. He's grateful," Edict said. He grinned. "He must have been traded with a clone. This can't be my Hobbes."
"Or my Proteus. Or Lucien. Or …" Madura said with a chuckle. "My, how the mighty have fallen."
Their laughter was loud and long.
-0-Later that evening after stopping by the overnight version of the Military Day Care Center in The Fortress and seeing off a number of big kids to their Amma and Appas house
They gathered on the sidewalk at Metro 1. They were waiting for Ratchet and a couple of others to show up. Prime's kids were with the twins. Blue was here and the twins were bitching about it over the bond link. Everyone came with significant others and a grin. When Ratchet galloped across the highway from the Medical Center toward them, they were ready to go.
"How are the genitors and all?" Prowl asked as he walked toward the Metro with Optimus and the others. The many, many others.
"They're all tucked in and feeling very well. Min-D is back as their counselor and I might discharge them tomorrow after the last set of tests if all goes well," Ratchet said as he walked with Alor, Delphi, Turbine and their bonds, Hercy, Kup, Arcee, Elita and Jetta, Hauser and his bond, Springer and Drift who were 'on duty', Smokescreen and Devcon because … fun … all of the Squad and their bonds who were varying degrees of delighted and slightly wary, Joon and Vinn, Lon and Bezel, Inweld, Morius, Terradive and Roto because they heard about the first time Prime pub crawled and were determined to be here for this one … like that and a cast of thousands more following.
It would be the biggest floating party in the history of Mars.
They began to descend down the steps of the Metro station heading toward Gambian and a big club there with dancing. It would be epic.
-0-TBC 6-15-18 edited 6-23-18
NOTES:
Silverhornd chapter 384 . 18h ago
It seems like Earth2 is not going to give up on trying to get permission to dig, I say let them do it for a little while and then get sick and have the ones that don't learn a big lesson, that what the bots where doing was for their on good. Question is one to the things that is beaning rebuilt on Cybertron is 6 lasers over Cybertron or they are going to do that last because everything else is more important.
ME: They never say die. You have a good point. Maybe they can dig up a life form they have no immunity against and wipe themselves out. LOL! It would probably happen. Six Lasers will be rebuilt and Prowl would like one here. when I can actually figure out something big enough, it will happen. A couple of big projects are ahead of it on the list though. :D:D:D HUGS!
Megatron Owes Me Money chapter 384 . 20h ago
Onions? I've never had onions on a BLT before... going to have to try that! I usually don't toast my bread either. I like the soft contrast of the bread compared to the crunchy bacon and lettuce. Plus I'm a Miracle Whip BLT person! Sweet vs salty! To spice it up I sometimes use sriracha sauce along with the MW... damnit! Now I'm hungry! :P
ME: I think I put onions on everything. They seldom are on BLTs unless I make them though. :D Toasting the bread makes it for me and I will tell you, I AM A MIRACLE WHIP GAL! Sriracha sauce ... damn. Sounds good. I actually had a BLT at a diner tonight after writing that down. I forget out good they are until I write something into the story. :D:D:D HUGS!
arctapus chapter 41 . 23h ago
I accidentally posted Diego Diaries part one 41-45 here when editing and had to report 41-45 part six. I hope those reading this will know and get them. Sorry about that. This is now over 7.5 million words and I think I have to hammer out about 6 million of them by hand. LOL! Thanks for those who tipped me off. HUGS!
Guest chapter 46 . Jun 14
Just for your information, on this part 6 the chapters 41 to 45 are from Diego diaries 1. You must have corrected them and they ended up in the wrong place.
ME: See the above, darling. I hope you get to go back and see them. GOLD STARS for whoever finds this kind of dumb crap I do. HUGS! Guest.
Leoness chapter 383 . Jun 13
Aggravation kills the muse - or in the case of my co-worker, results in another piece with the biggest case of jerk ass with a heart of gold trope in our entire writing lineup as a main character!
Leoness chapter 382 . Jun 13
ME: jerk ass with a heart of gold trope is the GREATEST line I have read in a very, very long time. BWAHAHAHAAHA! Aggravation or emotional hoo-haw shuts me off. I think I love your co-worker. At least I do for what inspiration they give you. KUDOS! :D:D:D
Leoness: chapter 382 June 13
Their old lives are so sad. I like the realism of them trying to accept that new reality.
ME: I think about this and even though they're aliens and tough, what would it be like to have this happen? Would it take a time? Would they have fall backs? I agree with you on their old lives. It must be like a dream for them now. I like to see how this works and what it takes. HUGS, my dear Leoness. :D:D:D
That Hobbit Girl chapter 45 . Jun 12
Hi really enjoying your story slowly but surely catching up! don't know if you realized but chapters 41-45 of part six are actually the updated chapters for part one a blast from the past which was fun but might need fixing going to keep reading hopefully won't miss anything interesting. thanks for writing such an amazing story btw you obviously put a lot of hard work into it remembering all the different story lines I can't wait for the seeker coming of age gonna be so cool
ME: I fixed that finally. Thank you for the heads up, Hobbit Honey. The Seekers will be blasting back in. The threads are so many, I have to braid them carefully. Right now, the bots want to dance. :D:D:D HUGS!