The Diego Diaries: Starting On Again (dd8 313)

=0=Around

The night passed relatively easily with less mental health calls than expected. Springer and Drift walked out of the stables into the feeble light of dawn after taking calls and checking things all night shift with the boys. It was cold and the stars could still be seen overhead. Behind them came the boys, all of the mechs who were part and parcel of the Night Watch Horse Patrol. They continued to the junction, then paused to take reflection.

There were some people on the streets, those who were walking briskly toward an approved destination most likely. Pharmacies, groceries and essential jobs were allowed and no one appeared to be taking advantage. Up the tall buildings that lined the Metroplex Highway, lights of homes could be seen here and there. The Metroplex District was still quiet and so were the towers that could be seen from this corner.

Down the road before them, Fortress Road they could see that the activity was brisk. Across this road the airfield was still being sorted out. It would appear that the debris of ships and thrashed items too big to truck out had been airlifted away. Left was a desert of broken blackened debris, some of which could still be deciphered. Trucks, mechs and machinery worked furiously to get the area back up.

The Commercial District that was part of the airfield was being sorted out with a lot of physical damage to buildings and pallets of cargo being investigated by teams of mechs and femmes from many different departments and specialties. It would take a bit of time to get this cleared so that ships could land and take off again.

The ships on the flight ready-go line were back and prepared to lift off at the least provocation. Nothing was parked there when the armada came so there wasn't that fiasco to undo. That was fortunate because as bad as a cruiser was to move, battleships would be that much worse.

The hangers of the Supremes and other frames looked fit and undamaged. That was fortunate since they soared to a startling and mind boggling 899 feet. The homes of the big ships and the Dinobots were untouched given the focus being on The Fortress and the colony beyond.

The Fortress itself had dings from blasts and projectiles across its smooth stone facade. Given that it was 22 feet thick and laced with cybertanium, it could have been a lot worse. Even direct shots from shuttles would take time to bring them down so well constructed was the building. Some of the broadcast towers on the roof were being broken for replacement, a must-do now project given they were the eye on the universe for the Center.

As they looked down the street toward the Temple, it was heartening for Springer and the boys to see that sacred space was untouched. Nothing appeared to be damaged that direction and checking the updating list all senior Autobots received all day and night long, it was missed altogether. Whether it was because of the Temple or not, Springer didn't care. He was just glad it was.

He glanced uptown to the damaged tower that was being scrutinized to the street around it. Club Cybertron had been slammed and entered. Down that street, Cultural Center Road, lay the debacle of the worst damage to any district around. "I'm going down Cultural Center Road. I heard it got slammed to death."

"It did," Drift said as the group walked toward the road cutting across the highway until they got there.

They stared at the Club, then down the road before them. It was hard to see. The Pit Stop was destroyed to the ground. IntraCom had been shot up heavily and so was the Courthouse, though neither place had been entered for whatever reason it was. There was a lot of potholes in the road which crews were filling. When they were done, then it would be hard to tell that there had been any damage. When the lines joined the refinish, it would be as good as new.

Walking up the sidewalk, stepping over this and that, they found themselves at the Courthouse. The pass by of The Pit Stop had been sobering. They stared around, then walked into the intake portion of the jail.

"Hi, Chief, Boss," Mako, the Senior Jailer of the whole colony said as he watched workers remove computers from the desk. "We're just going to replace hardware. Not much else happened. They didn't get past that door," he said nodding to the heavy steel door that led to the jail cells beyond.

"That's good to know. Was everyone in the shelters?" Springer asked as he inspected the marks on the big door.

"They were. Everyone galloped down there."

"Good to know," Springer said as he glanced around. "How much will it take to get this place together?"

"The hardware is the worst thing. The rest is cosmetic. I heard that Inferno is so fragged off that even smudges on windows left by them will be wiped. There won't be a mar anywhere if he and Jetta have their way," Mako said with a grin.

They chatted, then Springer walked out with his mechs. They'd cut across the airfield, seething at the damage to enter The Fortress and Ops Center.

=0=At the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea about the same time

Rainmaker, Warlord and Starscream walked into the Monastery, then paused to search out the crowds here and there. They were already working inside this building and outside to get rid of any trace of the disaster that had befallen them. When they saw Cyclonus, they continued onward to gather around him.

Cyclonus bowed respectfully. "Lord Rainmaker."

"Master Cyclonus," Rainmaker replied. "I am here to personally thank you and your mechs for defending the district here and Aerie Hill. They would have given us a lot of trouble had you not been so valiant."

Cyclonus considered that, the compliment of a mech he revered. "I thank you, Elder. I did my duty, me and my mechs. Our people have suffered enough."

"Indeed," Starscream agreed.

"Indeed," Rainmaker replied. "We have much to be thankful for. But I tell you, Master, if I can find them I will extract vengeance for all of our people."

"I will attend with you, Elder," Cyclonus replied.

They would walk around the Monastery, these members of the Guiding Hand along with Cyclonus and be relieved it had withstood a direct onslaught.

=0=About the same time at The Family Tower

Sarah Lennox stood at the window staring at the damaged tower across from them. Four of the top floors were gone and down for many more windows were shattered. There were visible cracks in the structure itself. It looked horrendous to her.

"It's terrible."

Sarah glanced at Lonnie Epps who was standing nearly next to her with a coffee cup in hand. "I think so. Its awful that they lost their home. Prowl did a lot of things, family things that are destroyed. They were done by hand. Calligraphy was a thing in their caste in Praxus. Also, the train set up. Poor Optimus. He doesn't deserve such a thing."

"That's what we get for living in the Old City. It could've been our tower."

"That would've been awful. Either live at Unidad or go home for a while, I suspect," Sarah agreed.

"I wonder how bad the HQ is? I heard they thrashed it but no one definitively knows," Lonnie said as other women joined them.

It was silent a moment.

"I don't think I've ever felt so Cybertronian than right now," Judy Witwicky said quietly.

They all agreed with her.

=0=N.E.S.T. HQ, Hangar District, Old City, Mars

The boys stared at the N.E.S.T. dome which allowed them to see inside and note the damage. It had been slammed hard and cracks were showing in the dome. It hadn't breached. It was rather indeterminate what it would take to breach the human habitat domes. No one really could calculate it but it would take more than the two fighters slamming into it, then spiraling into the airfield nearby. That was cold comfort to the mess inside.

Mini-cons who worked there were sorting through things.

Springer stepped closer to rap on the walls. :Hi. How bad is it, Stereo?:

A sweet sparked mech glanced at them. :Hi, Commander. Its pretty bad up here but the apartments are okay. There's things fallen down there but not much. We have to have the structural engineers here to go over this with a fine toothed comb as they say. The environment is maintaining. I don't think that's a problem. It just shook the slag hard here:

:Did they get in?: Hercy asked.

:No, Commander. The security doors held. They didn't get in or it would probably be still on fire: Stereo replied.

:Well, thanks for the update, Stereo. I'll pass it on: Springer said.

Stereo nodded, then waded back through the damp mess that was flung everywhere. A water main had broken and leaked before automatic shutoffs settled that. It would take time to get it back online.

They continued onward past the Hu-An Habitat that had been defended and missed the worst of it. Waving at Larc and her femme warriors who were still patrolling their perimeter, they walked back across the tarmac of the airfield, reached The Fortress to walk inside.

=0=Inside

Arrow put down a box of food for Paragon who'd taken the first and overnight shift while Prime and his family took a rest nearby in the old apartment in the corridor with the small apartments. He grinned at Parry who was engrossed in work. "You look happy."

Paragon glanced up, then sat back to stare at the love of his life. "I think we're getting a handle on it. How are the children?"

"Asleep," Arrow said as he patted his carry hold. He sat, then stared around the room for a moment. "Power will be back on in a few for a few. How's that situation going?"

"Its priority one," Paragon said. "They're building a temporary line next to the one blown out at Sub-Sector 17. That was a real shit show. If it'd reached District 4, then who knows what would've happened."

"I don't want to," Arrow said. "By the way, my transfer to the Flight Center across the Rec Room has been approved. I'm on your shift, days."

Paragon grinned, then leaned closer. "See? I knew you could do it. You're going to be the best analyst they have and we can be more of a family than before. No more flying reconn around the system."

"When this is over, of course," Arrow said with pleasure. "We can sit down as a family for meals and do things. We can pick the babies up from Prep School together as well."

Paragon squeezed Arrow's servo. "I hate how they cut your frame so short. You can do anything you want, Ari. You just have to decide then do it. We have to make sure the kids know that. No more limits. Only dreams."

Arrow nodded, staring at Paragon with naked love on his face. "We did good coming here, Paragon."

"We did," Paragon replied. He glanced over Arrow's shoulder to watch a group of mechs walking toward the table. He leaned back then grinned. "Look what the targs dragged in."

Drift smirked. "Looking in a mirror again?"

"No. Look at the new analyst at the Flight Center across the hall," Paragon said proudly as he glanced at Arrow with pride.

"I heard you were going to find a job that got you out of reconn," Drift said as he shook Arrow's servo. "Well done. Now the kids can benefit."

"I know. That was a major force to try, that and Paragon," Arrow said. "How is your son?"

"Tell is rejuvenating on his own for his hearing," Springer said with pride. "He's a great, great little mech. But then aren't they all? How's your little mechs?"

"They're in the Circle Academy now. We wanted them near us and we got lucky because the one at the Business Plaza took them in last outreach. We want them to have it all," Arrow said as he patted his hold.

"Don't we all," Drift said. "That's the school Tell is going to. I like their program and I'm Guiding Hand. Springer's Temple but we're in agreement. Tell gets both and he gets everything."

"Paragon is Temple and I'm Hand but our kids get it all," Arrow said. "What's it like out there in the boondocks?"

Springer grinned. "Shit. It's shit, Arrow."

Hercy grinned. "He means its going to take a bit of elbow grease."

Huge laughter. It was welcome.

=0=TBC 11-30-2021

Happy night to all (or day). Its the last day of November in a year from Hades. I'm listening to a tenor sing Danny Boy and strangely enough I feel hopeful. This shit show won't continue because nothing this bad does. Its going to turn, the tide. I'm old and I know.

I also know that you are the best and most wonderful companions on this ride that I could ever find. I want you to know that I hold you in my thoughts everyday and no matter what's happening, I write this for you. Take care, be well, be happy, be hopeful. But most of all know you are loved for all time by me. -C