The Diego Diaries: Doin' With the Shes (dd8 425)
=0=The new room
They sat at their little tables, three to each one as Neo organized the first activity of the orn. They were going to have a tour of their classroom and see what there was to do. Then they'd do some activities to boost their already burgeoning reading ability before having a snack.
Orion sat with El and Mimi. Praxus sat with Han and Bleu. He stared at Neo and Laret admiring their auras which radiated the white light of happiness that kids learned to read from the earliest ages, though they didn't know why or what for. They just knew that when that light could be seen in an aura around their genitors things were copacetic.
The others of their small group had their own places and their names were on the chairs they sat on, all of them made by the mechs of the Manufacturing and Furniture Guilds, one of whom was Bleu's appa. A little cyber bunny was next to each name complimenting the already cute nature of the room's décor.
These were, after all, just basically toddlers.
Nearby with Tipper and Olo, Han looked around as well. This was new. It was good. So far. He glanced toward Mimi then frowned. She was sitting at Orion's table.
His girl.
He had a low key burn before cookies took care of it for a while.
=0=RTR Tools
They showed up after dropping Praxus and Orion off, entering the store as a very happy tool-and-die mech left with a kit so beautiful he was almost tempted not to actually use it. Walking through the glistening showcases to the warehouses, they were greeted then grilled.
Watching the video, Ravel relaxed slightly. "How were our babies with the change, Sonny?"
"Yes, Sonny," Corr asked anxiously. He was waiting for school to start himself.
Ratchet patted both. "They loved it. The hams are the center of the full attention of their first handlers. Nothing is better than that."
Both vented a sigh.
"I TOLD YOU! Orion and Praxus are CHAMPIONS!" Appa Ratchet said with a giant smile.
It would be good times at the shop before everyone stepped out to go to their day jobs.
=0=At the Port of Autobot City, Mars after leaving Omega Base as an emergency priority-medical
They walked through the space bridge with a lot of elders who'd been abandoned on a planet when they appeared too old and tired to work. They were victims of a corporate worker scam from way back in the orn, so far back that there'd be trouble finding evidence of it to use against the criminals who trafficked them to the farthest reaches of the beyond.
A mech from Omega Base was with them shepherding the little antique bots to the bus waiting that would take them to Femme, Youngling and Elder Hospital downtown where Gypsy and a team was waiting to receive them. They hobbled, some of them and the others walked with what dignity they could to the bus, then were helped up to sit down inside.
Two little mechs, antique and somewhat more alert waited until everyone was on, then joined them. The door closed and the bus went onward heading toward the Administration Center District of Metroplex. The elders would watch the world outside during the ride with astonishment.
The two would watch it with wariness.
=0=Ratchet
He walked to the Femme Hospital to see the arriving group of elders who were found on their last legs abandoned on a planetoid near a planet where they had worked.
Qualifier: were worked nearly to death.
Apparently in the past workers were scammed with opportunities to go to far away places, work for amazing wages, then would be brought home to Cybertron again unless they elected to stay. Unfortunately, this wasn't the way it worked. Mechs and femmes were conned into going to faraway places that were mostly mining operations where they'd be worked half to death. No one who ever went ever came back and those who tried to find out about this were ignored by the corporation-controlled authorities.
This group were among them and even though Ratchet had an idea about who they were and what had happened, no one had ever taken the time or effort to find out when the rumors were rampant on Cybertron in the orn. It was rumored that the Wheelus Faction was the dealer in essentially slaves and that they brokered them with this scam to corporations that had operations in far away places.
He walked into the lobby just as the bus was arriving at the Emergency entrance. He walked down the corridors to the big doors to watch as orderlies, EMTS and doctors gently helped them down from the bus, put most of them on conveyances and wheeled them to rooms for immediate treatment. Down they came, most of them with assistance until the last two walked down the steps.
Ratchet walked to them intrigued by their faintly familiar energy. "Let me help you," he said as he gently lifted one to sit on a gurney and then the other as well. "You sit on this and we'll push you where you have to go. I'm a doctor here. Let me help you."
They stared at Ratchet, then nodded as one. Sitting on the gurney, they rode to an examination room with Ratchet.
=0=Nova Cronum District 2 HQ
"Then they're doing okay?" Turbine asked.
Alor who was on a screen in pretender gear in Las Vegas nodded. :They like it a lot and Neo is their teacher. Neo and Laret had them since they were babies. This is a good thing. I think:
"Well, we'll see," Turbine said with a slight grin. "I can't wait for the Temple school to add levels. Halo is doing very well, I was told. She's pretty much over the strangeness and homesickness."
:That's good to hear. Ironhide is going to get all three of them after school and bring them to Iacon. He's going to text me. I'll drop you a signal: Alor said.
"What's in Iacon for them?" Turbine asked.
:Appa Har-Har: Alor replied as both of them laughed. :I can imagine that Appa Tap-Tap and Appa Backtap will be there, too, Amma Tub-Tub: Alor aka Amma Lo-Lo said.
The names from Orion morphed here and there but some remained the same. Appa Raptor aka Appa Tap-Tap and Appa Blackjack aka Appa Backtap had gotten their names etched into their armor along with Appa Hard Drive aka Appa Har-Har. Matched with tiny hand prints, they had any number of talking points about the grandkids ready to go.
The two would have a very pleasant conversation together before duty called.
=0=Emergency Room
Ratchet plugged the two in and watched the data. They were worn down, had protoform wasting and showed years and years, eons even of neglect. "What's the story here? You two haven't had a break in forever. Is this a trafficking thing?"
The little mechs glanced at each other, then him. They nodded.
"I know you," one of them said. "Your energy is … I know it."
Ratchet stared at the little mech who bore a tat from the Seer's Guild. This was an actual Seer. "I know you, too, but I don't know why? Where are you from and what's your names?"
They glanced at each other, then the slightly talker mech spoke. "I'm Budge and this is Mystic. We're from Iacon."
Ratchet was stunned into silence.
=0=Moments later
He gently tucked both in, then stared at them a moment with an emotional expression. "You're my personal patients. I want you to just rest. In fact, I'm putting you into a very light, very mild stasis. It's the same as if you just fell asleep. I'll be back in a couple of joors to check on you. Okay?"
They stared at him, then nodded.
Ratchet took a meter, dialed them down, then felt relief as they relaxed into recharge. He stared at them, then did a deep dive search on the computer nearby. It was them.
With a brisk step, Ratchet walked out of the room, left orders with the nursing staff, then lit a tailpipe to RTR Tools.
=0=Cybertron
"I have to go to The City. Ratchet says someone showed up. Someone they didn't believe was alive even before the war," Ironhide said.
Raptor glanced at him. "Who?"
"I don't know. He won't say."
"Then you better go, mechanism. Keep us in the loop," Raptor said as Blackjack nodded. "I can get the kids for Atar if you get hung up. Let me know."
Ironhide nodded, then walked to a shuttle to use the bridge to go to The Fortress. It was a short brisk walk to Femme Hospital when he arrived.
=0=Outside the store
Tie down got the text, excused himself from the others, then met Ratchet on the sidewalk outside the store. "What's going on, son?"
"We got a bunch of elders in bad shape. They're going to make it but they're long term abuse cases, trafficked by the Wheelus Faction maybe. I just took care of two of them" Ratchet said.
Tie nodded. "Okay."
"They're Budge and Mystic, Atar."
Tie looked poleaxed as he stared at his son. "Budge and Mystic? They've been gone forever. They sent notes that they liked where they were and might not be coming back to Iacon."
"That was a trick by the traffickers. They were abandoned on a planetoid and just about done when the Knights found them," Ratchet said. "I'm making them my patients. I don't know how to tell the others."
Tie stared at Ratchet, then glanced at the door. "You come with me. We have to tell them."
Ratchet followed his father into the store. They walked toward the warehouse and paused in the doorway. Corr, Chan, Docker and Appa Ratchet were sitting on their couches with their school gear nearby, waiting for the time to leave as they chatted with Ravel who was tending a smelter.
Docker noticed the pensive expression on the two, then rose. "Ratchet? Tie? Is there something wrong?" she asked uncertainly.
"No," Tie said. "Something very good has happened. We came here, Ratchet came, to tell you."
"Okay," Docker said as she glanced from one to the other.
Tie stepped forward, then looked at Appa Ratchet. "Atar, the Knights brought in some elders. Among them were Budge and Mystic."
It was silent as they took it in, then Appa Ratchet rose slowly. "Budge? Mystic? They're here?" he asked with incredulity.
Tie nodded, then glanced at Ratchet. "Tell them, son."
Ratchet stepped closer. "I made them my patients. They're low but its going to be okay, just like you were. It was them. I did the check over a dozen times to be sure. They're going to need work and help but they're here and safe."
Ratchet stared at his grandson, then the others, then Ratchet again. "I need to see them, Sonny."
"I'll take you there, Appa. They're in a mild stasis to sleep but its amazing how little it'll take to help them get well. Focus on that part. Okay?"
Ratchet stared at him, then the others. "We have to go there."
They would. By the time they got to the hospital Ratchet was carrying his grandfather in his arms.
=0=Waiting at the doorway of the room
Prowl had come at Ironhide's call. The two stared at the pair who were laying in heating blankets with plugs and transfusions galore. It was quiet and the lights were low. "This is unbearable. How long have they been in this plight?"
"I don't know. Ratchet called for the Detection Unit of the Committee for War Crimes to send investigators for them and the rest. There's about 42 of them here. When they can speak the detectives and social workers will come and start a case and investigation."
"Do you know them?" Prowl asked.
"I heard about them. They were gone long before I met Ratchet," Ironhide said. "One of them is Seer Clan."
"Really?" Prowl asked with surprise.
"Ratchet used to see ghosts. Maybe that's why," Ironhide said.
The sound of footfalls caught their gaze as Ratchet and the family walked down the hallway. Appa Ratchet was softly crying as Ratchet carried him. He set him down on a gurney in the hallway before giving him a sedative via WIFI.
For a moment he was distraught along with the others as Ratchet worked on them, too. Corr and Chan were highly affected but slowly gathered themselves after a sedative.
Docker was tense and stricken as well but had always been the one who stepped in when things went south. She kept them alive in the dumping ground in Polyhex with her fists and cunning against great odds before they were rescued by the Network.
"What's the situation, Sonny?" she asked.
"They're showing a slight improvement which means their prognosis looks good given they've only been on treatments a joor," Ratchet said.
Appa Ratchet looked up at his grandson as the anxiety bled slightly away. "I would like to see them, Sonny. I'd like to see my brother."
=0=TBC 5-3-2022
ESL:
Copacetic: (cope-uh-set-tik) great, all is well, balanced and good
poleaxed: (pole-ax-d) to be so shocked and surprised its like getting hit in the face with an ax, the deepest kind of shock and surprise possible. Its an old expression or saying.
