The Diego Diaries: Prodigal Son (dd8 339)

(This was suppose to go out last night but a bottle of lemon Pinesol got splashed and I could hardly see out of my eyes. Even the cats wanted out. The only thing that helped was milk. We used to give the dogs milk baths when skunks got them and its the only thing that helps. It worked really well. I woke up alive.) :D:D:D Sometimes I hate my life soooo much. LOL! HERE WE GO!

=0=The next morning

"We got the word from the District that Sparkling Day is opening tomorrow on the same schedule. The teachers are going in today to get things up and running. The buses will run along with more who might travel by Metro and so will cabs. The Metro underground is off until the lines out of there are repaired," Ratchet said as he lounged in a booth at The Diner on the Corner. "The overland passenger trains? Its going to take a while."

"That's good news," Ironhide said.

"You're on the School Board. Why didn't you know this already?" Drift asked.

Ironhide looked up from his 'steak, eggs and toast' feast extravaganza. "I've been busy. I'm essential equipment."

"I'll say. Why the other night in the berth-" was as far as Ratchet got.

=0=Ops Center later

Ratchet walked in to sit. "We got word that we can visit our apartments to see the damage. I don't know what happened but its all fragged isn't it."

Prowl nodded. "The update is that in about five or six orns the apartment will be finished. We can go up and decide on décor and the like. I have a request into the Museum to borrow a few antiques for display again. I'm not looking forward to this though they say the pool is much larger and there's more rooms for 'messing around'. Their words."

Ratchet nodded. "Where's the Messiah of our people?"

"He's on a call with Megatronus Prime. They talk together about once every few decaorns to catch up and sometimes more when Megatron wants advice. I find it very weird to use either name," Prowl said.

"I hear ya. I have to go to the Prison again and do a preliminary on all 47 or so special head cases there. I think we're going to have to build a full high security processor hospital unit. I think we need a special place set away from things where we can put them for treatment. Having them in the vicinity of our main population in our existing units is asking for trouble," Ratchet replied.

"Get with Paragon. I've detailed him all the care units and the like because he has experience and interest. I agree. All we need is for some lunatic to escape and shoot up the place," Prowl said.

"Okay," Ratchet said as he rose to go. "What about going on the town or is it too hard right now with things and all?"

"It might but I'll think about it. Optimus is still steaming mad about things and I don't want him to be alone with his thoughts too much. He tends to be self punishing."

"Aren't we all? Like the other night in the berth-"

A donut took care of that bit of 'sharing'.

=0=At the Military Prison of Autobot City 50 miles northwest of Autobot City and 42 miles northwest of Aerie Hill

Ratchet walked into the Control Office after stepping off the high security train that ran underground to the prison from The Fortress. Somehow it escaped destruction. The Center had the atmosphere of a summer afternoon with a murmur of voices from workers chatting at stations and the free flow of food and drinks from a small counter near the door. Gee-Gee was a good taskmaster who believed in her crew and made sure they were happy. This place ran like a slagging top.

Ratchet walked to the table near the security and tactical stations where Gee-Gee sat with Blackstone, several intense kids who read like guardian ad litems, Winnie and a crew chief of the day shift intervention team, Oil Can aka Olly. He pulled a chair and sat. "Mama's here. What's on the menu?"

Grins greeted him.

"Hopefully, nothing that'll come back up again," Olly said to a mech he knew from way back.

Ratchet laughed. "We can but hope. I have a cure for that you know," he said as he transformed his hand into a wildly spinning saw. Everyone lurched back, then he sheathed it again. He smiled his best smile to laughter and admiration for his gall.

"How can anything go wrong today?" Winnie said as she handed him a beer.

Gee-Gee was a GREAT boss.

The prison itself was a wheel in design with the administration and hospital the hub. Each long arm was a world unto itself with its toxic clientele spread out to prevent problems and facilitate any sort of chance they had to change. The inmates were everything from hardcore Decepticons, hardcore criminals, mental patients, those suffering from personality disorders and those damaged from war. It was a growing collection of miscreant children of a lesser god that didn't appear to be able to find the pathway forward and the intensity of their disease was almost heat against the armor of those around them.

"What's the status and who is it we have to go get? I'm assuming you want a baseline on the whole crew then," Ratchet said as he sipped his rather surprisingly good near beer.

Gee-Gee wasn't stupid.

"We want to know the group's temperature if you will and there are about six that have to come out. They've been condemned and need retrieval before they hurt themselves. We also want you to go see the group in the Alt pens to check with them. Alternative Jetta is in the High Security Processor Center in the Pax Medical Center," Blackstone said. "We have deadlines that need met, Ratchet. We don't really hold out hope that they'll be released anytime soon."

"They won't," Ratchet assured him. "But that doesn't mean we can't try. Some of them are slated for damage control. That means messing with nodes and possible personality changes. I hope that'll result in a good change and not something worse."

Blackstone nodded, then they troubleshot the plan before rising together to go out and retrieve six ultra dangerous decompensating mechs from their delirium.

=0=On the way there

They walked along the paved street that separated each side from the other on the long spiral that started back at the Center. Along the way mechs and an occasional femme would paused their doings to walk along their fencing to chat, complain or mock them. It was dully amusing for all of them who'd heard almost everything they could think up to hurl. The only thing missing were rocks.

"They have a colorful vocabulary, I'll say that about them." Ratchet said as he ambled along with the team and the short femmes. The ad litems and a stoic Blackstone followed behind, placed there to protect them against any maniacal harm that might happen.

"I've learned to swear in over 200 different dialects and languages over my career," Winnie said. "Its educational, these walks."

"I think you're right," Ratchet said with a chuckle.

They continued onward then when reaching the proper place began the labyrinthine process of passing through security into the darkest hole in the colony. Not even the other prison with its maniacs could touch the madness locked up here.

A row of pens that held only one prisoner lined both sides of a paved pathway. Attempts to beautify the otherwise bleak area had achieved a kind of muted grace with rocks artfully arranged and everything as neat as a pin. The stonework that abounded here was decorative and Cybertronian in design. It was rather an attractive area in spite of its purpose.

There were six pens that were located in a block in this group with the others similarly situated. Inside each was a mech that looked like a train wreck. These six were in the self abusing stage given their rising levels of violence and inability to reach the objects of their fury through the bars.

The group paused before one while Ratchet scanned him. "This fragger is having a brain storm as the humans call it. He's falling into a delirium that I've seen in combat where they stab anything they can reach without a care who's on which side. This is processor trauma. Blows to the helm, I imagine," Ratchet said as he went over the data. He glanced at the grim, fearful ad litems. "Which one is this, infants?"

"That's Tarbox," a small femme said. She began to read from her data pad. "He's from Slaughter City, grew up in the Youth Center until his behavior sent him to prison. He came out a full fledged criminal, joined gangs, then the Decepticons. He likes killing anything and anyone. He likes close up fighting."

"In short, he's my kind of mech then," Ratchet said gently. Ratchet glanced at him, then walked around the block scanning the mostly silent wary mechs inside each cell. He paused at last beside Winnie.

"Tarbox is the most delicate. No more trauma on the helm if you can. These two," he said gesturing to two other cells, "aren't so badly off that they might be on the delicate side. They have internal injuries that are compounding. I suspect that if they go the way all things go that death will be a blessing. Fragging Decepticons. They don't do medicine for slag all."

"Then Tarbox first, these two next," Winnie said. "What about those three?"

A mech was sitting on a chair ignoring them. He was staring at the sky, then his servos. Then he looked back up again. The other two looked physically debilitated but there was also something in their optics that looked broken and deeply scary.

"That mech on the chair … hmm," Ratchet said. "Blackstone and you infants. Watch him when we take the others. If he reacts badly then he's next. If he doesn't react, he's last."

They nodded.

"By the way," Ratchet said pointing to a pillbox nearby, one that had guns pointed outward through kill slots in its metallic sides. "Go stand behind or inside that. Make sure you can see. If things get out of hand and he slips away from us go inside and stay there. Don't come out for any reason."

They stared at him, then nodded. Blackstone herded the little femmes to the pillbox where mechs who worked there stood in the doorway staring out with guns casually slung on their arms. They gathered there to wait tensely.

"Right," Ratchet said. "Let me in."

Winnie grinned. "Let us both in. You want to talk to him, go ahead. I'll be there to keep you from getting decapitated."

Ratchet dazzled him with a smile. "Sounds like a plan."

The mechs laughed rudely as the captain keyed in the codes that would allow them the three gate process of entry.

When the last one was opened Ratchet stepped inside. He grinned. "Hi, Tarbox. How about a sit down chat. You decide the topics. Okay?"

Tarbox didn't state a preference. He was too busy charging Ratchet like Rhinox.

=0=TBC 1-6-2022

ESL:

pill box/pillbox: a term for a heavily fortified building, small and bristling with guns through slits in the design that stands as a safety post for snipers and guards. You can see them in prison movies, security sites on the ground rather than in towers. They can defend in a 360 degree radius. They can be huge. and they can be small. This one would be a small one located in shooting and viewing range of the cells and would be the first line of defense. They are designed to disallow anyone from entering. (It can be spelled either way but the single spelling of two words is usually used for this. The others means a medicine box)

NOTES:

Misty Legionnaire chapter 338 . Jan 4

I'm curious which dimension spawned the Borg and how many Megatron will face.

Will these Borg be more of a challenge?

Hugs for a wonderful year ahead.

ME: There are endless dimensions to every universe and each one is different. These will be tougher than our own but all of them are intruding on timelines, thus the 'fix'. :D Hugs back to you, my friend. You as well.

Misty Legionnaire chapter 337 . Jan 3

Would they rotate which if the 3 old looms will be up top / not in the safe? I would think they would want to protect these looms in case tragedy strikes again, yes?

ME: That's a good idea. I find it wonderful when people put antiques respectfully to use. Its good to know how clever and innovative your ancestors were.

Interesting conversation that Megatron will never recall once he's returned. I imagine the bridge crew didn't see Megatron's turn to the throne so they'll continue onward to whatever dark location once he returns.

ME: They didn't see and so they won't know. Not letting Megatron know about things he's told is part and parcel for the Pantheon. They tell and maybe a seed is planted. I also think it did Primus a bit of good to tell Megatron that 13 is his son and Prime is 13.

Glad to see more chapters in the beginning of the new year.

ME: More to come if I don't mess up things. I still smell lemons. LOL!

Hugs.

Me: Back at you, my friend. :D

Misty Legionnaire chapter 335 . Jan 3

Caplet kinda reminds me of the story "The Stainless Steel Leech" by Roger Zelazny. Yet the robot in the story at least had a friend. Caplet is alone so it is sad.

ME: I don't know that story so I'll have another one to see. I love recommendations. Caplet will reappear. He's like a lot of them, too old to be alone that long. Imagine their lifespans without love, family, place and friends. Hugs, my dear one.

jackalkat chapter 337 . Jan 3

Speaking as a dude who crochets, the weaver's losses make me cringe.

ME: You crochet? I would but my mom was left handed and I was right. Never the twain shall meet. LOL! Its a great skill and tension reliever. I'd love to see your stuff. My entire family going back to the beginning of time crocheted, tatted and knitted like champions. Good on you, honey.

Also I am loving this Primus Megatron interlude.

ME: I love the big frames and the Pantheon. I love conversations where things are really laid out on the table. Primus has His own ideas and is going to pursue them in His own way. Megatron is the greatest bad guy I know and he's smart and astute as well. I love that you're enjoying this. HUGS, you clever boots. I never learned and I wish I had. :D:D:D

cball671 chapter 337 . Jan 3

Ooh this is an unexpected turn of events. Any chance Primus can turn Megatron into a lil sparkling? Just an idea. I like unexpected twist and turns.

ME: That might be a great idea for all of the various ones. Its on the list. I have a list where I work out what people suggested. It makes the best fresh thread list ever. Thank you, cball671. You've been here forever. HUGS! :D:D:D

Sesshykiss13 chapter 335 . Dec 31, 2021

Happy New Year and you know I'm starting it off right with reading what I love. It's a tradition at this point and no plans of stopping anytime soon! Hope you have a wonderful 2022 and thanks for all you do!

ME: Happy NEW YEAR! Aw. I love you back. I hope 2022 is all you need and want. We're all long overdo. I will write this until the internet collapses. LOL! HUGS!

Sesshykiss13 chapter 334 . Dec 31, 2021

Still here and enjoying all the work you do! Though 2021 is over, I look forward to more of the Diego Diaries and the bots we all know and love!

ME: As long as I say away from cleaning supplies count on it. LOL! HUGS!

fancyspinner chapter 327 . Dec 31, 2021

they need to get it over... bond or get over it!

ME: I think so too. LOL! As for Devcon, I think we all know where he stands. ;) HUGS, my darling Fancy!