The Diego Diaries: Cat and Mouse (dd6 644)
=0=At the staff meeting the next morning
They walked in, all of the leadership both civilian and military. Some of the Cybertronian district managers were still on world before heading out so they came in person while a couple of others who had already left were on monitors around the room as everyone there lounged and chatted as they waited.
Ratchet breezed in, slapped Springer on the back of his helm as he passed him, then sat. He had a plate and cupful. Ironhide followed with his, then sat as well. More came and at last all were there including Brandon Clark for Earth 1, Owen Harris for Earth2, Bet Erdeme for the Consulate, Sheila Conway for Sciences Habitat, Epps, Lennox and Graham for N.E.S.T., Ron Witwicky and Gavin Pritchard for the Resort, Carly Brooks-Spencer for Unidad, Sam Witwicky for Autobot Nation, Incorporated, Warren for the overall big picture of said entity and The Primal Foundation of Cybertron and last but not least, Mikaela Banes for the Prime's Press.
Optimus who was chatting with Prowl off line watched as the big winger spread out the data pads and downloaded to the handhelds of the humans the agenda.
Everyone groaned, Prowl glared and it began. "We haven't caught up in some time due to slag beyond the call of duty so today we do," Prowl said. "Loon?"
Ratchet who was ready to bite a donut smiled a dazzler at Prowl. As he did Prime took Prowl's last cruller and began to eat it. Obviously, Prime was feeling better about the overall picture today and it bode well for the good of the order.
Prowl stared at his nearly empty plate, then frowned at Prime. Glancing down the table, he spied Springer and Drift. "Minions, bring in more grub. I have spoken."
Laughter greeted that as the two rose with grins and stepped out a moment. When they stepped back in huge boxes of donuts, cookies, cake, hand sized pies and other delights were laid on the table and shifted around. Some of the humans rose, stared at the supersized versions of their own stuff, then sat down again after taking a few snaps and selfies.
"Loon?" Prowl asked again as he took another cruller and a few bits of this and that. As he did, Prime took some of it and put it on his own plate. Prowl stared at his plate, then Prime, then the box. Filling his plate comically high with all manner of baked goods, he pulled it over to the right where Raptor sat.
Raptor helped himself to the great delight of everyone. "Thanks, Prowl. And everyone says you don't share."
Prowl stared as Raptor ate his favorite chocolate donut. "I get it. Frag all of you anyway." He piled more on, then set the heaping plate on his lap. "LOON!?"
When the laughter died down, Ratchet began. "Last night I was called out of bed in the middle of … well, I'm too shy to give more details," Ratchet said as Ironhide nearly swallowed his tongue and the maple bar in his hand at the same time.
"OLD MECH!"
"As I was saying … I was called to Earth2 to lay servos on. Nay! THESE!" he said holding up his two giant red hands. "I arrived and there was chaos in the land." Then he smiled brilliantly.
It was silent a moment, then Armour leaned in slightly. "Go on," he said nearly breathless with curiosity.
There was a huge aww moment for the sweet little priest by everyone including the humans, then Ratchet did.
"I walked in, saw destruction everywhere, then healed the moment with my genius," he said, then smiled brilliantly again.
"OLD MECH! QUIT FRAGGING AROUND AND GET TO THE POINT!" Ironhide said. "Do you want that fudge?"
"Nope," Ratchet said as Ironhide helped himself.
Everyone of his family adults nearly surged with delight of a tiny little Ironhide asking if they wanted their candy, too, the little cutie. Aw, such is memory.
Ratchet continued. "There was a fight between Too Bright Johnson and Springer Who Knows Better who jumped into pretender gear just for the LULZ. Springer broke his hand in pretender format and guess what, Wheeljack and Percy? What you break or harm in pretender format you have a corresponding hurt in your root mode. I'm not sure if they can kill your pretender if you then die in root mode. We have to test that out." Ratchet glanced around. "Any volunteers?"
Huge laughter and a lot of finger pointing rounded the room as even Prime laughed.
"I had to set his hand and fix his servo. Then he was SUPPOSED TO GO OFF DUTY AND GO HOME!" Ratchet said in his specialized vocal tone that was equivalent to a fog horn on an ocean liner, low and loud.
For a moment everyone sat in their seats ringing like bells, then they laughed.
:Fuck, Ratchet, you have a big mouth: Lennox said with a chuckle. :I felt that against my suit: he said as the other humans nodded.
"I aims to please," Ratchet said, then scowled at Springer who tried and failed to look contrite. "How's the servo, slagger?"
Springer held it up. "Fine as frog's hair."
A momentary scan of the internet drew stares his way from everyone in the room, something that didn't feel too good as he leaned slightly behind Drift. Huge laughter and mockery happened, then the dance went on.
"As for things … we're getting a good bunch of refugees lately through the camps. We're serving Atlas and his three big camps and sorting them there. The worst come to Gliese or here. All in all, we're swinging."
:May I ask a question?:
Everyone looked at Harris. Prime nodded.
:What is Gliese? I hear it a lot but I don't know what it is?: he asked.
Prowl glanced his way. "Its the name of a camp we have for patients who need emergency treatment. Its just a place we settled out there for the purposes of medical treatment of refugees."
:Thank you: Harris said.
:New rule: Prowl began off line to everyone in the room but the humans. :We use med camp from now on. No one uses Gliese again around unvetted humans. Signal receipt:
Everyone did and the show rolled on.
"Springer?" Prowl asked.
"Well, I busted my servo on Big Jim Johnson's cement head," Springer said with a grin.
Huge laughter, mockery, some of relating to cats.
The mechs LOVED human insults and swearing.
Prime did as well but he would never say so out loud. He was holy after all.
His ada knew, however.
He didn't know that Kes knew.
Some things were better left unknown.
Ratchet was a bad influence on everyone it seemed.
But I digress …
"We have a lot of young mechs and the odd femme getting loaded and fighting. Basketball is usually the cause. When there's a sport going on the drunk and disorderly stats climb. There was some domestic violence, not much. A few accidents but overall it amazes me after all the slag we've been through that the crime rate around here isn't higher."
"You can get what you want without stealing it," Drift said. "No money helps. Also, your charisma is key to the whole operation."
"It that it?" Prime asked as he relaxed in his chair.
Even the humans were amazed at his mellow manner today.
"Key," Drift said with a grin.
Springer who was lounging in his chair, his shoulder resting against Drift's, nodded. "That must be it. Nothing to steal when you can get it for free. Everyone is safe here as well and the mental health set up is primo. I don't know. There's an answer in it somewhere. I'm not complaining, mind you. Cybertron is a seething pit compared to this place.
"We've located 4 of our 250+ serial killers and have them in custody. We had three shoot outs with road rage gangs. There's other things but its in hand. Community policing is undoing eons of distrust and our tip lines are bursting with news and information that keeps us ahead of the slaggers." He glanced at Prime. :By the way, Hauser said that tips are coming in to the tip line about the murders here. He's working on it:
:That's good to know: Optimus said as he took another donut off Prowl's plate.
Prowl frowned, then looked at Springer. "You done?"
"Yep," Springer said.
They carried on, business news, all of the departments one by one having their say about this and that. When they got to the habitats, there was only Science and Education.
Carly stood. :We're doing great science at Unidad, Optimus. Our crops are getting ready to pick and we're going to be sharing the abundance with the other habitats, the tower and N.E.S.T. We have noted that the birds are nesting and fish are doing well in the water system. All of our projects are on line and we're gearing up for the international business and development conference that's coming in two weeks.
:Our kids are doing well in our schools and in those of the District. Our animals are flourishing and we're due to receive another shipment of llamas and alpacas as well as two buffalo and some turtles, frogs and amphibians. We're going to be submitting the full report to your office as per the quarterly assessment but I will tell you everyone is working hard and is extremely happy at our habitat. Thank you: she said as she sat.
Brandon Clark stood. :We're delighted with the expansion of our greenhouse and the plans for an open space dome for our habitat so that we can have planned development outside of our facility to do other things and to expand our agricultural project. Having trails, water features and more space for different projects is wonderful for quality of life and getting the kids out into the world outside. We hope to start an orchard of our own and the Hu-An are going to be there to advise us: he said nodding to Larc who nodded back.
:We're expecting two more babies among our population shortly. That's terribly exciting and when we do there will be a celebration in the habitat for the entire human community. Of course, we'll have to hold it at Unidad: he said as everyone laughed and nodded. :We'll be posting our quarterly assessment in the proper file on the Bulletin Board and will send a copy to you, Wheeljack and Perceptor. Thank you:
Ron Witwicky stood. :All's well at the Resort. A few drunks now and again but all is going well. We appreciate the fly outs to the cliffs at Olympus Mons, Optimus. It gives the clients one more good place to get selfies and hang out. I do believe that they've probably cleaned out every fragment of a gem or gold that was lying around there by now so if you want to salt the area I won't complain: he said as he sat down.
"Magnus and Ironhide can," Elita said. "They do that for the Autobot Scouts."
Ironhide, Prowl and Starscream flinched, then gave her dirty looks. The ball rolled on.
:We're getting back to some order after the situations that have plagued us. We would like to be able to return to coming and going as soon as possible. Our program is flourishing and our children are enjoying attending local schools. We have four more kids who want to go when the next intake is up. I will send you their names, Herling:
Herling nodded. "All are welcome, Mr. Harris."
Harris continued, then sat to let the others give their spiel.
Herling finally stood and gave his overview of things, talked about the expansion of the Planetarium at Intermediate School #1 in Iacon. The new curriculum in math was almost ready to send to the school board and it was Huge-E's turn to bring treats for the meeting. When he sat, it was time for Sciences.
Everyone was flagging by then as Wheeljack stood and checked his data pad. "I think that this would be a good time to bid our humans farewell or they disable their comm systems."
The humans complied, then everyone settled again.
Wheeljack turned toward Prime. "We figured out how to move Cybertron here."
You could hear a pin drop.
=0=TBC 4-23-19