The Diego Diaries: Copycat (dd8 562)

Sorry. This was supposed to go out last night. It was 1 degree. I think my main spring snapped. :D

=0=Tennyson

"Then we are in agreement," Megatronus said. He'd just checked in with his own Command and Control. There was no sign of the seven ships in their sphere.

Prime nodded. "We are."

They gripped wrists in the warrior manner, then Prime watched Megatronus and his mechs walk toward the elevator to leave. When the door closed, he turned to his own, all of the ship captains among them. "We have to be vigilant." He glanced at Blaster. "Run a systems check on our sensor arrays all throughout the Empire. I want to know if they come back to us again with enough time to react. I am particularly concerned about Cybertron."

Blaster glanced at Wheeljack and Perceptor who nodded. He nodded back, then glanced at Prime. "On it, Optimus."

"What is the situation about Crader and his group that we hold?" Optimus asked Ratchet who was standing with Shadow and Stealth. They looked pensively at Prime.

"Crader is in recovery. He's a little femme now and it went well. That's his standard protoform going forward as he mutates. The others are in various stages and we have all 24 of them in stasis now. We're going to slot them for chamber transfers when they reach a critical juncture. All of them are in hand. If we have to do this forever short of shooting them into a star, we can. We have the protocol figured out for this now and its safe as can be baring unforeseen circumstances."

"Place Crader among them where they're detained. He will be close at servo if we need him," Optimus said. He glanced at the scientists. "What do we know and what is the plan going forward?"

"We have divided the problem into three parts. One group including the genetics team will be going over the transmutation utilizing Crader's now cast off protoform and the two femmes, Denita and Stormy. Turquoise will be among them. A second will be going over the idea of dimensional jumping and time travel. The third will be working on defensive measures against their armor, their ability to appear and disappear and alerting tech that can help us meet them before they get the upper hand," Wheeljack said. "Miler, Shadow and Stealth will be working on part two. They're going to receive the data that comes of this for their own research."

Stealth glanced at Wheeljack. "We will?"

Wheeljack glanced at Stealth. "You appear to be the resident experts at this kind of problem. You'll be given all the data we get to add to your own research projects on this issue and others related. We hope it helps you over all."

"Thank you, Wheeljack," Shadow said as Stealth nodded.

"Ada, can you manage the mathematics for the Trigger and this?" Prowl asked.

Miler nodded. "I can do them independently of each other. Its how my processor functions. I can run four different problems together without conflict."

"Your processor is without parallel, Miler," Shadow said as he nodded. "My son is an extraordinarily marvelous mathematician."

Prowl glanced at his ada who was staring at his genitors with surprise. Then there was pleasure before the tense watchful facade fell back into place.

Miler glanced at his genitors. "That pleases me greatly."

Shadow glanced at him, then nodded faintly.

Prime who didn't miss the subtext either glanced at Ty and the titans who were standing nearby the console. "Gentlemen, an update on your role and findings please."

"Our best scientists are coming, those who figured out Soft Space when we landed there in that first flight from trouble and helped us live there while bringing others. Paradox and Helix will be here shortly. They'll assist you, Wheeljack, as well. What they don't know about the multiverse is only known by the Pantheon."

"They're very old aren't they? I think I read their names when I was researching for Banner," Ratchet said. "I don't think I ever worked on them before."

"You can now. They're among the oldest and smartest. They have an insatiable curiosity and if anyone can get into this problem its them," Ty replied as the others nodded.

"AWESOME! More big handsome slaggers for me," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile.

Chuckles and agreement rounded the room as everyone relaxed slightly. More conversation was had before they began to break up to return to Mars, Cybertron and various outposts where they worked when not on mission. The senior crew would bridge back while the shuttle crews would take a bridge. Everyone would be back home or on station again in short time.

=0=The Fortress

In a corner of the vast room Prowl and Miler chatted quietly. The others including his grand genitors had left, heading for home and the prospect of a daunting problem before them. Prime waited as Prowl checked in, then walked with the two as they left. Waving to Paragon who was in command, they exited into the night of Mars.

"How do you feel this will go, Miler?" Prime asked as they walked together toward the Tower. They cut across the busy airfield which was receiving ships and shuttles as they came in.

"I believe in our talent, Optimus," Miler said as he glanced upward at the big mech. He was walking between Optimus and Prowl, feeling oddly good and bad at the same time. "Its going to be interesting working with my genitors."

"They seemed to be more approachable tonight," Optimus said. "Sometimes the prospect of shared dangers makes everything else less important."

"That's my hope," Miler said wistfully.

"Their loss if nothing changes," Prowl said loyally. "We'll take it orn by orn."

Miler grinned. "Joor by joor." He squeezed Prowl's servo and held it as they walked toward the door of the building.

Miler would come up and retrieve Prima from Corr and Chan, then head toward home in the Vos Tower of Metroplex. Venture would meet him at the door after the meetings that he had to attend. It would be an interesting discussion that followed.

=0=Up there

Ironhide entered his home, hugged Ravel, then tiptoed all over the three-apartment-sized homestead to check on infants and younglings wherever they were. The babies were sleeping. So was Sunspot and two of the dread kids. Fireball was zooming with Lumi. He grinned then entered the lounge to pull up a chair to sit. "I see you're recharging."

"We didn't get together today. Lumi went to the Science Center on Trypticon," Fireball said.

Ironhide glanced at the handsome kid on the screen. "Did you learn anything or do I have to make a scene at the next School Board meeting?"

Lumi smiled. :I learned a lot, Atar. What were you doing with the fleet?:

Ironhide considered things. "We're chasing slaggers. We need some smartie pants from Soft Space. Paradox and Helix are coming to help."

"I've heard of them, Atar. They're great scientists and legends," Fireball said. "They're really old, too. Appa and Ammas like them a lot. I think they were made about the same time as Appa."

"Older than the sun then," Ironhide said with a grin. He listened to the two kids chuckle. It was music to his audials. "How's your nice friendship coming along?" he asked.

Both of them grinned and would have blushed if they could. They glanced at each other, then Fireball turned toward Ironhide. "We like each other the best, Atar. There's less comments. We still get looks. But no one is making it weird."

"So I guess everyone's starting to have friendships, too, then?" Ironhide asked.

Fireball and Lumi glanced at each other then Ironhide.

Fireball nodded. "Some are."

"There!" Ironhide said with a chuckle. "You're breaking trail for everyone else. Don't let things get to ya. You'll always have me."

Both boys laughed, then Fireball leaned forward to hug Ironhide.

"Don't talk too late, infants," Ironhide said as he stood. "Morning comes fast."

"We won't, Atar," Fireball said. "Goodnight."

:GOOD NIGHT, ATAR!: Lumi said as he laughed.

"Good night, infants," Ironhide said as he walked to the door to leave. Peering in on the big kids again, checking Sunspot and the babies, he walked to his room to crash.

Ratchet was already snoring.

=0=On the airfield

They walked together with their group toward The City as the night crews took over the shuttles. Lissie had left to have a late dinner with Steiner and Flint. Hercy and Kup were heading for the barn along with the rest of their crews. Drift and Springer were debating going on the job or going home.

Home won.

Tell, after all.

They walked across the highway and headed down the Metro entrance to board a train to Metrotitan. The car wasn't crowded as they boarded and sat. The train picked up and away they went toward the Metro Districts beyond.

"That was weird," Drift said as he glanced at Springer.

"It was. I can't seem to make the jump. Heretech is Stephonia's bond in their world, not Spuria, the Avatar Foundation is run by Heretech and her. He's the good guy," Springer said. "I have to say that I kind of like Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow."

Drift nodded. "Maybe we can go camping together in the Mons."

It was silent a moment before the two laughed aloud.

"Maybe we can take them to the Valles Scouting Campground and have them help the kids collect rocks," Drift said. "That would make a slagging good short on Tik Tok."

"Speaking of shorts, I gave Blue Bacchus the video of the time we stuffed his cell at Ad-Seg," Springer said.

Drift grinned, then glanced at Springer. "I gave it to Black Shadow."

They both laughed loudly until they arrived, departed, then retrieved Tell from the night shift. It would be a pleasant ride home with their son.

=0=Elsewhere

They left the debrief at The Residence to walk down the street to the elegant townhouse in a row of them that was their home. The Residence District, historical and populated by the officers of Megatronus's Senior staff, held their home which was a beautiful three story Brownstone-like house that was ancient. All of the senior officers lived in the district to be available to Megatronus at the drop of a hat.

They walked down cobblestone streets lit by antique light poles, then up the steps to their house. They entered, then walked into the elegant living room with high ceilings and equally elegant furniture to sit to relax.

"Well, that was weird," Blue Bacchus said.

Black Shadow grinned. "I like Springer and Drift. Hard to believe. Maybe one of these orns we'll all get over it. I'd like to visit their planet and spend time at Autobot City. It would be interesting to see the planning of a Cybertronian development that advanced that was started from scratch."

"Your architectural past calling to you again?" Blue said as he nudged his bond with his ped.

Black Shadow grinned. "That's not the only thing calling to me. I got a video from Springer."

"I got one from Drift. Apparently there was a humorous moment or two with my Cybertronian counterpart." Blue grinned. "Shall we watch? Apparently this comes from several security cameras that a friend edited it into a feature film."

Black Shadow grinned. "So I was told as well," he said as he transferred it to the big monitor nearby.

They shifted together to watch it, then three times more, howling with laughter each time. After a moment of silence to recover, Blue glanced at Black Shadow. "I like my doppelganger's guts but I think I'm better looking than him."

Black Shadow grinned. "Does it even have to be said?"

They would watch it a few times more before retiring to their suite on the top floor of their home. All would be well among them for now.

=0=In the clouds

"What do you think they'll do?" Prowl asked as he came to the berth and flopped down beside Optimus.

Optimus who was mulling that very fact glanced at Prowl as he called down the lights. "I do not believe they will not come back. I am just worried about what they are doing to whoever they happen to be with now. I can only assume that they jump to alternate dimensional configurations of our own dimension rather than something completely different."

Prowl considered that. "It would be the best energetic match. By the way, WE MISSED HALLOWEEN AGAIN!"

Prime grinned. "We did. Trick-or-treat, Prowler."

Prowl grinned. "Ditto," he said as he finally relaxed into Prime's arms.

=0=TBC 11-6-2022

DIRECT FROM THE MEMORY HOLE:

The scene where they had to bring Blue Bacchus to Prime from the dog kennel aka phone booth stuffing is in Diego Diaries six and starts with Part 223. The rest follows in the next part or two. You're welcome.