The Diego Diaries: Vacay (dd6 580)
=0=At the door to the Office of The Primes, The Citadel, Iacon, Cybertron, the Empire of the Cybertronian People
He stood in the doorway holding a box. He looked shocked and frozen in place. It took a moment for someone to see him, then alert the others who were screaming, running away or bent over laughing loudly.
Ratchet turned to the door, then affected a poised and smiling facade. "Oh, hello, infant. Is that for me?" he asked as if what was happening was normal.
The youngling Home Guard kid stared at Ratchet, then the box, then Ratchet again. "Uh, are you C.M.O. Ratchet?"
"That's me," Ratchet said as he walked to the kid and took the box. "Thank you, infant. I'll tell your commander what a champion you are, okay?"
He stared at Ratchet, then the leadership of their people scrambling to get their dignity back as the helm of a mech rolled around on the floor. He looked at Ratchet, then nodded.
"Who is your commander, infant?" Ratchet asked with a grin. This kid was adorable.
"Commander Derelict, sir," he said.
Ratchet paused a moment to connect to Derelict and compliment the slag out of the kid, then signed off. "Thank you. You can go back. Commander Derelict will be most pleased."
He nodded, stared at the now mostly composed group … minus Optimus who was still bent over laughing loudly, then left.
Ratchet watched him go then closed the door. Walking to the table, he set the box containing the helm of Overlord on the table. "Fraggers. What a bunch of babies you lot are."
"Frag you," Prowl said as he pulled his tattered dignity together. He glanced at Prime. "Really?"
Optimus paused laughing long enough to stare at Prowl with a smirk, then he laughed again. It took a moment for him to pull himself together, then he picked up Black Shadow's helm. He stared at it, then Ratchet. "This feels too light to be real."
"It isn't," Ratchet said with a DAZZLING smile. "Real, that is."
It would take a moment for him to explain and as such he was immediately pummeled by everyone in the room BUT Prime . He glowered at all of them before turning to Optimus. "It was too much work to unscrew their helms so I had them scanned and printed. Not that baby stuff the humans have but the big steel printers at Fabrication. BECAUSE I, RATCHET, AM NO BIG MINCING IDIOT!" he said glaring at everyone in the room including a riotously laughing Sun and Jack.
"This is so much fun," Steiner said as he squeezed Lissie's hand.
She smiled up at him with an adoring expression. "It usually is, Stein."
"We have to tie one on," Sun said as he walked to the box to peer inside. "Who do you have … let's see ..." He pulled out a helm. It was Arachnid. Setting it down, he pulled out the helms of the Decepticon Justice Division, Kudon, Neo and Soundwave. The first two were from what Ratchet facetiously called "The Trans Dimensional Collection' while Soundwave was added for fun along with Sixshot and two other phase sixers that Ratchet had met himself once upon a time, Deathwish and Calamity.
They weren't dead but he knew that they weren't yet seen so … what the hell?
The last one was Shockwave. There was also an Insecticon mug to round out the collection. Lining them up, Sun grinned. "Nice collection."
"I'm having chess sets made for everyone next Christmas Surprise with them and a few others. I'm making Megatron the Queen, just so you know."
HUGE laughter greeted that including a few more after a check of the databases, 'chess, noun'.
"I included a couple more phase sixers, two I know are still alive as of a bunch of time ago and Sixshot because he's such a bastard." Ratchet pulled out a bunch of stands, simple spikes on bases, then walked to a bookshelf nearby. "Let's clear this, then Maestro Ratchet the Great can make a display that will-"
A rap on the noggin shut that slag off as Prowl assumed command. "This is my domain, slagger. I'm arranging the shrunken head collection myself. We do want to create the right impression in this, a sacred space."
A hard punch to the gut took care of that impertinence to the delight of everyone there including Prime but Prowl prevailed. Soon, the most macabre row of slaggers that ever presented an ugly mug to The Messiah of The People singularly or in a group stared with dead optics from a bookshelf against the wall in the office of The Leader of The People.
"I'm sure glad those slaggers are off line now," Jack said as he squeezed his great nephew's broad shoulders. "We might have to divide them up otherwise and frankly, I don't like to share," he said to laughter long and loud.
"I see blowhard runs in your family," Prowl said to Hardie who was grinning at both his brothers.
"I won't disagree," Hardie said.
"Better not, Kid," Sun said. "What now, Optimus?" he asked to the mech who was composing himself after the 'design debate and fisticuffs' between Prowl and Ratchet.
"Well, I'm keeping them there from now on. Prowl will have to transfer all the stuff there to another place in the room. I defer to his superior decorating skills," Prime said with a grin to his bond.
"I'll do it," Ratchet said with a giant smile. "I work cheaper."
"At last, a public admission of a truth we all suspected," Prowl said with a smirk. "I don't think we need a display of your Precious Moments kitch here in this sacred space."
"Frag you, Granny," Ratchet said with a giant smile plastered on his face. "Maybe we can display a line up of your most Gothic moments as a child growing up. Milie showed me all your images in his albums. You were quite the little shit weren't you."
Prowl frowned. "He didn't. You lie."
Then Ratchet projected a line up of images of Prowl standing with his genitors in front of nearly every beautiful place in Iacon and Praxus. His genitors were smiling like you do in family vacation images. Prowl at various ages and sizes was standing between them scowling darkly, his wings drooping with infant angst. The only think missing was black eyeliner and lipstick.
"WHAT THE FRAG!?" Prowl said as his composure and smirkiness cracked off his face and fell to the ground like broken glass.
It would take a moment for things to settle again, especially Prime.
=0=The guests of honor
They reached the coordinates sent by Prime and when they did a massive bridge flared into life, opening a swirling porthole to who knew where. Ominous and Pleon flying the shuttle Prime ordered sped up and disappeared inside. When they did, the bridge winked out of existence.
Elsewhere, a shuttle entered a bridge and when it came out the other side Razorclaw flew into the midst of a large heavily armed battle group. Floating nearby, another shuttle, obviously Ominous was surrounded as well. The screen of their shuttle activated. A big mech, Flint of Iacon sat on the command chair. "You are both guests of the Prime of Cybertron, Mars and The Empire that encompasses not only established space but every sector in which you currently trespass.
"You are going to be bridged here, then we shall bridge to Cybertron. Come without arms. If you bring even the smallest arm you will be detained. Your return, if its allowed, will be up to Optimus Prime. If you wish to make some point by concealing a weapon on your person, those are the consequences. Violations will be your responsibility entirely. Prepare to be bridged." The screen went back to the view of space outside, an overpowering display of Prime's might.
A flash occurred behind both sets of mechs on the deck of their ships. A small bridge had appeared precisely beamed there, an impressive show all around. Glancing at each other as they removed their personal arsenals, both sets of mechs walked into them to disappear.
=0=Cybertron
They lounged around the office, some of them prying into the stuff that was artfully and tastefully displayed. Prime had his peds up on the desk watching them with amusement.
Jetta grinned at him as he sat on a couch with Elita and Arcee. Magnus stood at the window staring out as the others either sat or stood with him. "This is the life."
"It is," Optimus said with a grin.
Magnus turned toward Prime. "I just got a message from Flint. They have the four in custody and are bridging to the airfield in a shuttle. They will take the route planned to get here."
"Lucky Flint. I wish I was there to see their faces," Raptor said with a grin.
"He's filming it," Magnus said with satisfaction.
"This is going to be fun," Ratchet said as he lounged nearby. "Finally, they're the weak afts. Not us."
Everyone nodded.
"We got here just in time," Sun said as he glanced at Jack and Steiner.
"Slag right," Jack said with a grin.
=0=Landing at the airfield where the show was going madly
They climbed down from the shuttle with Flint and a heavily armed group of Wreckers. They'd been scanned and found to be in compliance. None of the four spoke to each other or him, merely nodding the recognition of their presence to each other.
Flint began to walk toward a big ground transport nearby which would have them walk past a building blocking the view of most of the airfield. When they did they would see a sight that hadn't even been available during the Golden Age. As far as the optic could see and they could see a long long way, the arsenal of Optimus Prime stretched wingtip to hull to cannon. Standing some distance away in a wash of lights assisting the ground crews with moving what appeared to be heavy crates, they could see Omega, Gamma and Xantium Supreme. What the four marauders didn't know was they had flown in to add spice to the picture being presented.
They did.
Entering the vehicle, they sat on both sides of the van on benches that were almost comfortable. The doors closed and they drove off. No one would say a word until they reached the Military Zone which encompassed not only more of the same kind of power displays but unimpeded views of the city and its resurrection. It would be a sobering sight for them to see.
It was intended that way.
=0=Here
"And that's when Orion dumped his debris chamber," Ratchet said with a big proud smile. He even batted his optical ridges.
Huge laughter greeted that.
"I want him. Send him over. He can sit in the corner at my house," Springer said as he sprawled on a chair near the big window overlooking the Primal Security District, that is, the area that encompassed the Residence which bordered onto the Central Security Zone fronted by The Citadel.
The former Primes were paranoid, the fraggers.
With reason it would appear …
"He's yours. But you have to take Praxus. They come as a set," Ratchet said knowing full well they would.
"Done deal," Drift said as Prowl rose to answer a call on the wall monitor nearby. Everyone paused to listen and watch.
Prowl took the message, then turned to the group. "They're in the zone. Expect them in a few moments. Does everyone understand their part?"
Everyone nodded, then began to stand and move to their areas as directed while others stepped outside to 'welcome' their 'guests' ...
=0=There
They pulled to the curb, then the door opened and everyone rose to step out. They weren't at The Citadel yet which sat in a reasonably clear area all around its massive self. They were several blocks away. Flint turned to them. "We're detouring around a massive power upgrade nearby. We have to walk the rest of the way. Stay together." With that terse commandment, Flint walked forward toward a big mass of lights that signified The Citadel.
The others began to follow surrounded as they were by armed soldiers. As they did they began to see what Prime wanted them to see … the resurrection of the city and the rise of his commanded power. The towers around them were brand new, filled with lights from those who lived there and other lights that allowed more illumination everywhere.
Masses of black spires in the distance, most with lights showing workers working and their efforts with the construction seemed to blackout the sky. More towers were rising, more homes and business spaces for the people who lived here. The glow of massive camps signifying perhaps millions living nearby gave a soft glow to the horizon as they shown their lights orn and night for those who lived here in perpetual darkness otherwise.
The streets were crowded with vehicles, some individuals heading this way and that, others loaded heavily with materials for construction. They passed work boss headquarters, businesses in buildings that seemed designed for that, kiosks with monitors for information at set intervals, traffic lights, the odd presence of policing forces, elders and families with children and not along with security everywhere. It was slagging impressive and even though they knew things were underway, seeing it was believing it.
Onward they went and as they did the presence of The Citadel began to make itself known. It was bigger and better, rebuilt from the husk that it was and on its peak was the infernal Autobrand defiantly showing itself against all odds. The space around it was filled with individuals, small runabouts landing and taking off as well as military and civilian transports. There were a lot of individuals here, all of them bearing Autobrands, all of them going purposefully about.
They walked across the open space, then entered the building. The soaring roof was there and so were all the offices, spaces and images that adorned the walls and stood on plinths, statues of Prima, Primus and others of the Pantheon. The symbol of The One, cupped servos with Cybertron in the middle was tastefully carved into the marble banisters that fronted the concourse for the stairs that went upward.
Rather than taking the elevators, Flint took the stairs and the others followed. They would be in Prime's office many floors overhead shortly.
Prime would be waiting.
So would his reception committee.
TBC 1-26-19 edited 1-27-19
plinth: platforms for statues. :D
DreamChaser99 chapter 537 . 16h ago
this is awesome! I know people whose last name is Steiner!
ME: For some reason, I just love that name. It popped in way back when all by itself. Sometimes names and events do that and I have learned to go with it. :D:D:D
Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 577 . Jan 24
I love how the Bots have discretion over the mercs. I love how they get razzed... Johnson especially is a sore spot for me. I think he should have been kicked off world when he broke the rules before. That's why I'm not Optimus. Lol! HUGS!
ME: I hear ya! Optimus is of the opinion that a chain snaps faster when there's a weak link. The bots can bat them around, raise the heat and watch the fall out. That's the plan anyway. :D:D:D HUGS!
Leoness chapter 576 . Jan 23
I can't wait till Springer and Drift get their Well sparkling(s). They are gonna be hilarious dads. (Plus i admit i want to see Well sparklings for the main group)
ME: That's the only way short of messing up that they would do it. I like their thinking about three at once. Guy logic. LOL! They're going to be awesome if somewhat unconventional dads. It's down the road. ;) HUGS!