The Diego Diaries: Ballin' (dd6 542)
=0=Earth2
"Did you see The Hourly News?"
"I did. Optimus is going to play basketball for Iacon."
"Can you imagine? I can't imagine any of ours doing the same thing. Teresa May for tiddlywinks? Some of the younger leaders, Macron or Troudeau could probably play a mean game of tennis but this? Not likely. I can't see it."
"Nope. Me either. I'm going to find a way to go if its the last thing I do."
"You and me both."
=0=Elsewhere
Ratchet walked down a country lane in Unidad toward the water features that were up and running. The landscape was completely changed with green as far as the human optic could see. There were fallow fields in the far distance, their dark brown soil waiting its turn as it slowly became fertile again. Much of the area that wasn't under cultivation was planted with different kinds of grass and other plants which would be helpful in maintaining breathable atmospheres in contained habitats as well as helping with soil. It was warm, peaceful and the air smelled good.
He had come in and spoken to everyone, met some newbies who had come out of order of the last bunch which was expected soon, bringing the worker bees to 2,500 and their families, etc to 8,483. Most of those had their own careers that were given up for this opportunity. Even though at least one of each these couples were on the job here as a direct hire, there were literally hundreds of spouses and significant others that had skills and abilities as well. Many of them were assisting things, 'hiring on' as workers in the different businesses and 'government services' side of things but most were relaxing and getting into the swim of things. The social life here was coming together in a good way and the idea of a downtown to center their existence around was genius. It made things cohesive.
The lake was smooth and placid in the mid afternoon light, a lightly blue enormity that was clear and clean. Soon he was told that fish would be introduced and studied, several kinds along with different species that were lake dwellers. They would be fed as were nearly all of the 'wild' animals who lived here. Ducks flew in and landed on the lake, their beauty ever welcome to Ratchet. After all, his own son's fall back position when cornered was 'quack'.
He grinned. He would have to bring the shorties here eventually.
In the distance covering a curving rise of land were the beginnings of vines for a vineyard. Beyond them was a nascent orchard of young fruit trees reaching upward toward the light. They were many and represented a great deal of the fruit bearing species of Earth. Beyond them as the road curved ever onward were sprinklers spreading water over a vast area of fenced in green. Their whoop-whoop-whoop sound and the sparkling of water drops flung wide was mesmerizing.
He turned to look onward, following the now paved and lined road as it wound onward. It lead to alfalfa and corn fields followed by fallow land. If one continued and he did, one would see vegetables planted with monitors set at intervals to film their growth for a time lapse image. There was no need for a scarecrow he noted because the birds were mostly song and water fowl. Hummingbirds lived here and he was glad. There was just something about watching hummingbirds.
And cardinals. Them, too.
He passed the pump station, a secured building that held the system of purification and water dispersal for the facility. Then he continued onward walking along the country road that lead in a long round about path back to the massive facility in the distance. Milepost markers told how far he was from there. It was a good thing for the humans and their little vehicles to know.
He saw the pastures in the distance which would be used to rotate the cows and horses so that they wouldn't eat the grass down to nothingness. More animals were coming, sheep, goats and more mules. He had seen the requisition orders and knew they would pass muster. Llamas, a few alpacas and other more exotic animals were confirmed as well as peacocks, turkeys and chickens. Everyone of the birds would free range near their barns which were next to the dairy. All in all, the place was shaping up.
As he wondered, Ratchet mused on Ironhide's second sparklinghood. The slagger and his family hadn't told him about this. Apparently, Prime had been a mover and shaker about a basketball venue and when it came to fruition he had a chat with the family and personally recruited his teammates with vows of secrecy. Now they were the Iacon Invaders with a decent chance to win. It was thrilling that an Iaconian home boy would be able to cheer for a team with hope to excel but that it was with mostly Praxians was hard to take.
:Ratchet:
:What, slagger?:
:Where are you?:
:Milepost 62 at Unidad:
:Oh. When are you getting done there?:
:I don't know, Ironhide. Why? You have another team to join that you didn't tell me about?:
[Pause]
:Uh, no:
:Good. Why are you calling?:
[Pause]
:I miss ya?:
Ratchet grinned. He was crawling already. :Okay:
[Pause]
:I have a meeting tonight and I thought we'd order in and have dinner that way. Okay?:
[Pause]
:Are you going to get it?:
:I can. I will. See ya. Ironhide out:
Ratchet snickered, then transformed. He drove onward passing fields under cultivation, individuals out there who waved and he whooped his siren back, then inward he went. Driving in the light and lightly comical traffic of the downtown, Ratchet turned off and drove to the doors. They opened and he waited, then drove out. He would be back in The City in no time.
=0=Ops Center, command table
Prowl stared at the rosters of the teams that were announced and considered the pros and cons of the players. Some of them were huge and others weren't. He was parsing down the chances of the new Iacon team when Ratchet pulled up a chair and sat. Glancing up, he frowned lightly. "Hi, teamie."
"Frag that, Praxian. Why is most of the team made up of them?" Ratchet asked with a smirk.
"Maybe Iacon has decided they want good players as opposed to Iaconian players," Prowl said with a slight smirk.
"Frag that. So … has Optimus said something about working late tonight?" Ratchet asked as he put his big old peds on the chair next to him.
"He has things to do," Prowl said as he sat back.
"So does Ironhide. Want to bet that everyone on that roster has 'things to do'?"
"No," Prowl said.
"You do know what this makes us now, right?" Ratchet asked with a straight face.
Prowl stared at him, then folded his arms over his chest in unconscious self protection. "No."
"WAGS."
Prowl stared at him for almost too long. "WAGS?"
"Yes. Wives and girlfriends of athletes."
Prowl sat back and relaxed. "WAGS. Last time I checked I was mech. You on the other hand …"
Ratchet laughed. Then he leaned forward a bit. "Well … what about BAGS?"
"BAGS," Prowl replied.
"Bonds and guys of athletes."
It was quiet and amusing a moment, then Prowl sat closer leaning in slightly. "I am no ones BAG or WAG. Just so you know."
"Its a thing on Earth. Being a WAG is the pinnacle for some," Ratchet said. "We can have our own teevee show, "BAGS of Autobot City. I already told Leonora and she's getting the permissions together. All you have to do is swan around, be bitchy and fight when you're drunk. I think you have that mastered."
Prowl grinned slightly. "You lie. I know. I can always tell."
Ratchet leaned closer. "How?"
Prowl leaned toward him again. "Your lips are moving."
Ratchet laughed loudly as the door nearby opened and Prime walked out. He got applause from the shift on duty and a thumbs up from Ratchet. He sat down and grinned. "What are we talking about?"
"BAGS and WAGS. Also, we're going to be famous on our teevee show while you boys play ball," Ratchet said.
Prime who did a swift search of the internet grinned as he sat back to relax. "I think that would be amazing. Nothing like showing the humans our real private selves."
Prowl stared at Prime like he'd lost him mind. "Change places with me. You're too close to him and its rubbing off."
Huge laughter.
"Have they announced the game schedule yet?" Ratchet asked.
Prowl frowned. "They have."
"And?" Ratchet asked with a grin.
"Our first game is against Tarn," Prime said with a ghost of a grin on his handsome face.
Ratchet guffawed, then leaned in slightly. "Then the first game is against Grimlock."
"It would appear so," Prime said with a chuckle.
Prowl was fuming too much to agree but he nodded his helm vigorously.
=0=Around Diego
Smokey walked his beat with Jolt. He was assigned here for the duration when he wasn't soldiering. Both as a Watch mech and a soldier, he was stationed here. If he dared admit it, he could have sworn that his Amma had made it so. Devcon didn't. This was Smokescreen the Elder all the way. They plodded along grumping together. "Its fragged that we can't be there to watch the first games of the new league," he said as Jolt nodded.
"I know. I don't think teevee is going to do this justice," Jolt said. "I know that Optimus loves basketball and he even played a little. But this is going to be epic."
"Optimus Prime played basketball?" Smokey asked with surprise.
"He played HORSE and one or two player short games," Jolt said.
"HORSE?" Smokey asked.
"Yeah. You have shots on the basket against other players with each taking their turn. Each shot you made earned you one of the letters of the word and whoever reached it first, the whole word, won. If you messed up, you lost. The shots are set, varied and get hard fast," Jolt said.
"Maybe we can do the same. I wanted on a team but they were filled before anyone really knew," Smokey said as they passed through the dock area of the base.
They would chat along the way with the humans who asked about the new game. They had no more information about how it would be played than anyone else. The hardest part to cipher was the idea of a goalie.
=0=That evening
Ratchet walked in to see Ironhide and the big boys getting things out for dinner. He helped herd the 'cats' into their chairs and laid plates down for all them before taking one himself. It was bright and cheery in the room as they ate and discussed their orns. When things were winding down, Ironhide rose and grinned. "I have to go do something. I'll be back shortly."
Everyone stared at him as he pushed in his chair and walked toward the door. He left and it closed behind him. Ratchet stared at the door, then the cow and dog standing beside him looking up hopefully. He grinned. "You're a cute little slagger, Robby. You, too, Spot and Cousin."
"Where him going, Ada?" Orion asked.
"I think your old pa is going somewhere to practice basketball," Ratchet said. "WHO WANTS DESSERT!?"
All of them would.
=0=Warehouse in the Industrial Park City, near a depot that was often times empty of its usual wares
They drove in, the members of Prime's team, then transformed. It was top secret where they were and what they were doing. Once they gathered, Prime pulled basketballs out of his carry hold and tossed them to the playahs surrounding him. Spinning a basketball on his index digit, he grinned. "Shall we get down to it?"
The others smirked. Elita and Jetta, Arcee and Magnus, Ironhide, Hard Drive, Blackjack, Raptor and Chromia with an also grinning Maelstrom parking his aft on a crate to watch moved out into the huge space with a basketball hoop at each end. "Let's play ball," Magnus said as he took a ball into his big big hands.
They did.
Just as they had been doing for some time.
Under Prime's expert tutelage.
The slagger.
=0=TBC 12-11-18 edited 12-22-18