The Diego Diaries: Swamming (dd6 423)
-0-Sitting on the side of the pool sipping chatting
"What do you think about Halo's speech thing, Amma?"
Chan glanced at Ravel. "I think she will grow out of it just like our little mech will. I will say that I like their pattern. I know its not good for them but they're so cute and sweet."
"I know," Ravel said as the water surged to their knees again. In the pool beyond, Prime, Ironhide, Hard Drive, Roto and Terradive together, Hercy, then Kup came screaming in and hit the pool one right after the other. The surge was met by the breaker wall but much spilled over before getting caught by the secondary wall constructed around the patio. Drains kept it from swamping those who sat eating, laughing, drinking, commenting on the punters in the pool, and watching children. "Good thing this can't get out into the mall or it would be a nightmare, I would think."
"You and me both, Ravel," Kestrel said with a grin. "I do enjoy the infants having a good time. We have some very bad things coming up with the trials. Do any of you know about whether they would be broadcast or not yet?"
"Its still being reviewed, Kes," Miler said as he patted Prima. He had been floating in the baby pool and was now chowing down again with his ada. "I hope not in a way because its going to really inflame bad memories but I hope that it happens because everyone needs to know what happened and why it can't happen again."
The group nodded as another flood spilled over bringing with it two of their grandchildren and a couple of someone elses. It took a moment to float them back out, then they sat down again. "I love this place. I can see why humans like to play in the water," Ravel said.
"Are you going out there and take a ride?" Kestrel asked with a grin.
"Oh, no. My, no. You can get run over out there," Ravel said with a smile.
He would be right.
-0-Around and around and around ..
He lay on his back watching the ceiling tiles flash by as he was blown like a torpedo through the tubes that ran in convoluted and twisting manners all over the roof of the giant mall. It was possible to stand on the ground and watch mechanisms flash by in the blast of water that was pumped through them. It was a hilarious pastime for some of the human community to sit on their segways to watch. Rounding a corner, spinning like a top from opposing jets, he spiraled back into the main rush that formulated a sort of giant S-turn.
Howling with laughter, Ratchet held his arms in and kept his peds together as he flashed into the long straight away that would bring him back to the exit point. Ahead of him, Alor and Delphi flew like a two-man luge at the Idiot Olympics. Ratchet who preferred his crash and burn solo this time felt the oncoming dismount coming up. They flashed out ahead of him, flew dozens of feet into the air, then fell into the water from height. They disappeared just as he came out and flailed as he bellowed before falling into and disappearing away in the churning water.
Wave after wave rolled simulating surf as the big mechs, some with little kids and some not, slammed out and downward into the colossal pool. Titan mechanisms of the younger sort, big mechs who knew better, a Prime without shame ... religious, profane, Wrecker, Soldier, Tailor, Spy … they came out, slammed down and hurried to do it all over again.
Ratchet broke the surface, then swam toward Prowl who was floating on his back with Sunspot, T-Bar, Spirit, and Rambler sitting on him taking a breather. He floated in front of them, "DON'T YOU LOOK CUTE!"
"HI, ADA/UNCLE RATCHET!" -all of them
Prowl grinned. "They're taking a breather, then they're going to the kid's pool over there."
"Can't we stay here, Ada?" Spirit asked with hopeful optics.
"Not the way your family is coming out of the spout," Prowl said as he began to float to the side of the pool.
Ratchet nudged him along and when they reached it, they climbed out, waved and ran for the pool that was near the rest of the family who were lounging there. It was going to be a great afternoon in the park.
-0-Unidad
They walked along the street, the newcomers who had arrived before the festival. They had checked in, gone to their offices and met with Carly who would be their day-to-day supervisor. The next day about 1,200 more would come, settle in, then get the word. They would be the group who would run businesses, take care of things that made life worth living and operate services. Businesses were already in place and some were staked out by their operators from visuals online. It would take them being here to make sure all was a good fit.
They paused outside Merlie's Soul Food, then walked in. Tennessee who was filling salt and pepper shakers smiled. "Welcome. Are you here to eat?"
They glanced at each other, three couples from three countries who would be working in the same departmental area. "Are you open already?" Achojah Oni asked. He was with his wife, Adaku who would be in plant genetics while he worked as a soil scientist. Both were from Nigeria via Cambridge in the UK and were acknowledged in their fields.
"We are," Tennessee said. "Why don't you come here and make your order. Then you can have a seat and we can bring it to you. This restaurant and the barbecue place down the street are open. We're working out our recipes here before we operate full time so that they're as good as they were on Earth."
They walked to the counter where Achojah and Adaku gave their orders. "Some of this looks very familiar to our own food,' Adaku said. "That makes me very, very happy."
Tennessee laughed. "A lot of it might be," she said as she took the next order. Stanislaw and Agata Nowak from Poland ordered their food and so did Abdel and Shanifa Khoury from Lebanon. They then walked to a table to sit down and wait. Tennessee went into the back to get things ready.
When she did, Merlie walked out with a tray that held their drinks. She smiled as she set them on the table, then pulled up a chair to sit. "Well, welcome to Unidad Terra 1. How are you liking it so far?" she asked in her sweet manner.
"I love it," Stanislaw aka 'Stan' said with a smile. "This is so big and so fantastical I am overwhelmed. I knew it would be good but not like this," he said as the others nodded.
"I know. Optimus Prime is a genius. He's so gifted, that one. We've lived here on this planet for about two years full time. Our great grandson, Bobby, is a N.E.S.T. soldier. He wanted us to come here and have all the advantages and comforts. He's such a good young man, our Bobby. What exactly will you young people be doing? Do you have children?"
"Adaku and I work in plant and soil sciences, just like Stanislaw and Agata. We're part of the same department," Achojah said.
"We don't have children yet," Adaku said. "I want to have them preferably here. What a miracle that would be."
"We have children here," Merlie said. "Aedh is the second. Angus is the first. We can't have too many babies. So feel free."
They laughed as Tennessee began to bring out their food. She set it in front of them and they stared at it with amazement. Fried chicken, five cheese macaroni, collard greens, big wedges of cornbread and fresh made butter from the dairy, a little side of cold slaw and something amazing called 'ambrosia' was arrayed before them. Merlie leaned closer. "Dig in, infants. The butter came from the herd here. I get first call on it for now."
They glanced at her with surprise, then began to eat. It was quiet a moment, then Adaku grinned. "This is just like Nigeria. I think this is going to be my go-to place."
"The barbecue is going. You might try that. Nothing like good barbecue and my boys are award winners in competitions," Merlie said proudly.
"I love barbecue," Abdel Khoury said. "I interned in Memphis for a short time at an animal hospital and I love it. Shanifa hasn't had good barbecue yet. We're going there next."
Shanifa grinned. "If its half as good as this, then yes," she said. They were from Lebanon and had worked around the world on fish and water projects. They would be the lead scientists in management of the water systems here and any fish that would be placed in them.
"You all eat up now," Merlie said. "I made pies. There's nothing like a big slice of my peach pie for dessert."
There wouldn't be.
-0-Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean, Earth
They sat in the Officer's Club having breakfast as the business of security went onward everywhere around them. Hummers drove here and there sometimes followed or led by a fantastical concept car. A security conference was going to be held at the Resort at Autobot City so the 200 individuals gathered here to go later in the afternoon by vessel were killing time hanging out. Some of them were friends and former colleagues of some of those here and thus, slag was slung.
"Do you get many lifts in those cars?" a former Air Force commander asked, one who was a member of Her Majesty's Air Force, Collin Leavitt.
"Sometimes. The younger kids are more open. The older mechs are less depending on who they are, though they like to bullshit. It's fun to hang out and listen to their stories. Most of the older ones have been through more fighting in more places among more weird types of things than you'll ever know," Martin Albertson said. He was the replacement for procurement for the Navy for Cam Frazer. "I like them. Its just like talking to an old timer from here."
Dave Calley nodded. "The kids are fun. They like to play football in the water. Or 'kill the ball carrier' is closer to what they do," he said with a chuckle. He was an Air Force tech who managed the communications between the base and airborne planes. "Their football is so amazing. I have to go to a game one of these days."
They chatted as officers came and went and the bots walked past on their rounds. "When do the famous ones come?" Eric Monaghan asked. He was a public relations officer for the base. He had just arrived, posted here to the most sought after placement in a number of armies, navies and air forces.
"Ratchet comes once a month to personally do the physicals for the garrison or to shape up someone who's an idiot. He takes on projects apparently," Dave said with a chuckle. "He's a hoot. Watch him when he comes down from a ship. He poses for everyone. There's entire channels on YouTube that have the videos."
"What's he like? Do you know him?" Eric asked.
"Not like the regulars do, though I want to," Dave said. "He's nice and patient with everyone. He'll talk to you sometimes better than most of them. I like him. He's funny and really smart."
"Prime doesn't come often but when he does its a big deal," Martin said. "He's a big deal. Literally. The thing that amazes me is how he never has a bodyguard or entourage with him, though Ironhide is his chosen bodyguard I'm told."
"That's a dude I'd love to meet," Eric said as everyone nodded.
They chatted, then a man strolled in to sit nearby and have a bite. He was Simpson Michaels, the latest liaison between the bots and the State Department. The other two had been hired away by Warren Roberts to do things for him in the New York office and Washington, D.C. Diplomatic Annex. He liked and trusted them so they were lured away. It didn't take much for that to happen.
Simpson Albert 'Al' Michaels was a tall thin man rather reminiscent of Theodore Galloway. He was as intense, humorless and focused. He had a lot of friends in high places including the Daniels and Nast. He was appointed to the position by the President who was a golfing buddy and had taken to it with gusto. He didn't like the bots, didn't trust them, liked to insult them, and was a hard man to be around even by the humans.
"That guy gets under my skin," Dave said quietly.
They glanced surreptitiously, then nodded. "He pokes around everywhere. Having him posted here isn't going to be good," Martin said. "He's going to mouth off at a bot and it won't be pretty what happens. I want to be there especially if its Prime."
"You and me both," Collin Leavitt of the UK said.
At that moment, John Fulton walked in with Andrew Settles, then sat down at their table. They grinned and nodded at the four sitting nearby, then made their order. That was when Albert Michaels rose to walk to Fulton's table.
-0-Floating in the water feeling no pain
"This is the life."
"I agree."
Pause.
"Good thing the ammas took the kids."
"I agree."
Pause.
Grin.
"I think Prime needs a side piece."
Pause as winged wonder scans the internet, then rolls up to dunk grinning medico floating on the waves beside him. Both settle once again.
"I was testing you. 'I agree' sort of had a recorded message sound to it," Ratchet said.
Prowl grinned. "I agree."
He would then do the rest of his screaming near the bottom of the pool with Ratchet.
-0-TBC 7-26-18. edited 7-29-18
I'm editing part 2 and found this section header:
On a forward base on Enchiladas - Sunstreaker and Sideswipe
BWAHAHAHA! I HATE AUTO CORRECT! (Encelidus)