The Diego Diaries: Home (dd8 447)

Sorry. Guess who has covid again? LOL!

=0=That same day as the buyer's convention, at a care facility in Central Point

They walked along the corridor heading to the elevator that would take them down to the lobby where Ratchet would transfer his two elders to the nearby transitional Stage II Assisted Living Center as its official designation stated. It was two blocks down the street and waiting in that multiple story building was a room that was part hospital room, part small apartment.

It was cold but the walk to the center was short through a charming little main street with individuals going happily and briskly about their business. They passed restaurants and sidewalk cafes, shops and other interesting places. They passed a book store and library annex that were doing good business.

Crossing the street, they walked to the door to enter the building which was many stories tall. It was a beautiful place with a long reception counter by the entrance and a huge lounge stretching back to glass walls that showed the vista beyond, the sprawling urban centers of Mars.

While Ratchet squared things away at the desk, the others walked through the lounge, then stopped before the windows.

"Look at this, Budge. That city there is Seven Cities-West and beyond them the Crater Districts begin. Over there following the train tracks and the highway is the industrial plant for the entire empire." Appa Ratchet glanced at his brother. "That's where Ravel and Tie get their supplies to make all the beautiful things I told you about."

"Solus approves of them," Mystic said. "She loves their work and approves. That's why it becomes sentient."

Appa Ratchet glanced at Mystic. "That's true, Mystie. They know the old ways."

Mystic nodded, then glanced at Budge. "You could do the same. You have so much talent, Budge. I see you working again, designing things that will bring you honor."

Budge glanced at Mystic. "A lot of time has passed."

"We have time now. You design and make them. I'll help you. All of us can have our dream now," Appa Ratchet said. "I go to college. Me, Ratchet of Iacon. My Docker does, too. We all do, the four of us. If that can happen then there's nothing we can't do together. You'll see, Budge. We're going to have our dream. I'll help you. Remember that."

Budge slipped his arm around Ratchet's shoulders. "We can see."

"We have your little house ready, Appa," Ratchet said as he caught up to them. "Nice view. Paragon who made this place wanted the best for everyone. Nothing but the best from now on, Appa and Amma."

"THAT'S RIGHT! NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR BOTH OF YOU!" Appa Ratchet said with a burst of sorrow. "We'll do it all, Budge. I'll help you. Both of you. You'll see. The Prime made this place and he's holy." He stared at his brother with anxious optics, then Budge embraced him.

"I missed you, Ratchet. I never stopped hoping we'd be together sometime. Mystie told me it would happen but I started to give up hope," Budge said.

"Then I'll hope for both of us," Appa Ratchet said as he clung to his brother. "This place is made of it. I got my Docker back with Chan and Corr and now you and Mystie. Its hope. You'll feel it, Budge. I'll help you."

Ratchet felt pieces of himself break off and hit the bottom of his chassis to shatter. "We all will," he said. "How about we go see how cute your little house is?"

They followed Ratchet across the lobby, then into an elevator. They would arrive at their door in jig time. Their names were on the door plate, beautiful calligraphy announcing this was their house. They went in and the door closed.

The room was sunlit and beautiful. Cozy would be a word that would fit later when they added their own touches but safe, sound and filled with comforts would do for now. They looked around, then sat on comfortable chairs.

"You can go if you have to, Sonny," Ratchet said as he sat down on the couch near the two. "I can help them."

"We all can, Sonny. We know you have a lot of work to do with the mission and rescue things," Corr said anxiously. "We can help them."

"I know you can," Ratchet said as he hugged his elders. "I'm coming by later. Show them how everything works. The rules for this place such as they are will be in the Community Bulletin Board under this place's name. It might be helpful to getting to know how to live here."

"We got this, infant," Docker said as she sat back with the house data pad to order in food and snacks.

"Alright. I love you all," Ratchet said as he walked to the door. They returned the salute and he was gone.

"What would you like to eat?" Docker asked. "We have pizza here."

"What's pizza?" Budge asked. He would find out and it would be bookmarked on the data pad.

=0=Elsewhere about the same time

Sunstreaker watched as the buyers finished purchasing the last item that the kids had on their table. The idea of a Cybertronian and human kid starting a business and making a beautiful yet simple product was the draw but the jewelry was the hook. They were made from highly polished and carefully set gem stones that were scattered all over the planet given its geological past.

The Foundry Exchange jewel director had given them extremely well crafted gems, all of them cut to the size and shape the girls had wanted. It had taken three joors to decide upon them, get the materials for the fastenings, then arrange to make them together around school work. The actual work took four months.

They completed the sales form, congratulated the buyers, then glanced up at Sunstreaker who had stood behind them throughout the viewing.

:We did it, Sunstreaker: Rain Harris had said. :We sold out our stuff:

"We did, Sunny," Silverbow said as she hugged his ped. "This money will help people and our stuff gets to make people happy. This is fun."

Sunstreaker knelt down. "You did good. If you practice you'll get better. Come to the studio on First Monday for lessons from me and First Wednesday for work with a jeweler I know. You'll learn to cast things and all that other stuff."

Rain hugged Sunstreaker's ped. :This is going to be so fun:

The two girls broke down their little booth through they were booked through the three days of the convention. They had no more inventory to sell and the large amount raised, over $250,000 or nearly 240,000 Euros was an amazing investment in their enthusiasm to continue. That it was all going to charity for Earth didn't faze Rain a bit.

Her brother, father and mother arrived as they began to take things apart. They came to the table as nearby Trailbreaker and Hound appeared. They came as well.

:How did it go? Why are you leaving?: Mariah Harris-Davis asked.

:We sold out. Everything was bought by the buyers: Rain said.

Rick hugged her, then Silverbow. :If you need more space you can set up in my spare room. We can make it a studio for both of you:

Silverbow smiled at him. "That would be fun. I'd have to ask to come to Earth2," she said as she glanced up at her fathers.

"We can work things out, Bunny," Hound said. "You sold everything?"

They both nodded.

"They took a lot of pictures of us holding things. I think they like that a human and us can be friends and do things together," Silverbow said.

:I'm glad, Silverbow: Owen Harris said. :I'm very proud of both of you:

:This is fun, Dad. We're going to make more things. Three of the stores are going to take things on consignment. All of the money we get from this is going to the Primal Foundation. We're helping our planet with this stuff: Rain said.

:This is wonderful. We need to let everyone know that you're helping make things better together: Mariah said.

Sunstreaker watched them, nothing their auras and their colors. All of them were genuinely happy reflecting in bright arrays of warm colors. Harris was as well but more muted in detail. As he watched them, Sunny considered how they'd like their daughter being mentored by him.

It would be a growth process for both sides.

=0=At an office in the Administration of the Empire in Terra

Heavy treads drew their attention to Ultra Magnus as he walked down the corridor toward them. They rose and all shook servos. "Come with me."

DC, Padlock, Barker and Rattler walked toward the conference room that was attached to Magus's office suite. Entering to sit and take refreshment, they stared at each other, both sides coming one to the other in the impulse for freedom.

"How are things working out for your residences?" Magnus asked.

"Very well," Padlock said. "I'm astonished every minute so far."

"Prime wants the best for everyone. I have good reports about your soldiers from the Former Decepticon Association. I hope it holds."

Magnus had made the meeting to clear the decks for the leadership and their crews.

"He succeeded," Rattler replied. "We want to stay soldiers. We've been commanders all this time and prefer that to other things. We have interests, be assured, but soldiering is our desire for now."

"You'll have to go through training with Senior Commander Lissie," Magnus began. "She has very exacting standards and its going to take rewriting everything you know to fit the program."

Rattler nodded. "We know. Its good to be home again. What's the progress of Cybertron and can we go there anytime soon?"

"Its coming along. No one can go there without a good reason for now. We're going to move it and then allow that when the surface and population can handle it," Magnus said.

"And the rest of the local group? The colony worlds?" DC asked.

"We have all forty planets on the list. Cybertron takes first place in the operation," Magnus said. "Caminus is already here."

"It'll be good to have them tethered again around a star," Barker said.

Magnus nodded.

They would talk together, go over a few things, then be added to Lissie's roster. She would be stop number one on the road to a new life on world. All four of them would pass with flying colors and become squad commanders for the shuttle class ships.

Win-win.

=0=At the house at last

Everyone had fogged in from their play dates on this, the second orn of weekend. The following day there would be a game between the Crater Comets and Simfur. The boys and girls were out practicing, working out the strain of the mission around the pleasure of the game practice.

Ratchet had the kids now that Budge and Mystic were tucked in nicely at their new more free yet sheltered placement. Even Appa Ratchet had gone home after thoroughly checking out the system and now it worked. When the weekend was over, the return to routine was expected. School was beckoning and so was work. It would be good for everyone to return to it once more.

"ADA!"

"What, Spud?"

Orion stared upward at his ada with a toy in each servo. "You comed to my thing? To kool?"

"I will if I can," Ratchet asked. "How's it going?"

"I doin'. Bad One dere. I doing anyway," Orion said.

"Do your best. You two will eventually get it," Ratchet said.

Praxus who was with Orion grinned. "When?" he asked sweetly.

"Uh, soon. I hope," Ratchet said as he glanced at Orion, then Praxus.

"Okay," Praxus said. He glanced at his brother. "When are you going to tell about time out?"

Orion glanced at Praxus, then made hushing noises. He turned back to Ratchet with a huge cheese eating grin. "Pax not good me. I sayed to him. You not good me, Pax. I not doin'."

Ratchet stared at Orion a moment. "You ended up in the corner for a time out."

Orion stared at his ada for a stretched out moment. "Yes."

Busted.

=0=TBC 6-1-2022