The Diego Diaries: Moving Along (dd8 450)

=0=The day

The City was brisk with the game day trade as people hit the cafes and restaurants. An essentially urban society, the vibe reflected that as families and individuals, groups of friends and kids made their way into this, the second to the last day of weekend. The three day weekend was becoming sacred space to those who had never had a break. Meet ups and gatherings at clubs, restaurants, cafes and the food courts and trucks of the cityscape always did brisk business on the weekend.

Ratchet sat at a sidewalk bistro and had his breakfast, the real one and not the picking here and there that most breakfasts consisted of around getting kids and dogs/cats fed. All of those scutters were with family doing the 'doin' as a certain little Autobot liked to say. This was actually one of his favorite non-family pastimes, sitting in a nice cafe, preferably outside, where he could people watch and eat.

Folks walked past including those who were obviously new. It was pleasing in a way that he couldn't describe to see his home through their delighted and surprised optics. It made all the labor worth it. It would be extremely pleasant where he was. A long work 'week' was over and now was the time of fun.

After his private home call patients.

=0=Arrow and Paragon

They ran into the Flight Center with a squee, rushing to their ada who was sitting at the command table finishing up the few joors of work he'd come to accomplish. He turned in his chair, then gathered up his twins, hugging their tiny backsides with delight. "Hi. Are you ready to go play?"

"I'm ready, Ada," Nova said.

His twin, Streak nodded as well. "We can go now. Right?" he asked.

Paragon who'd brought them reached the table, then sat down. "How about hanging it up? We have things to do before the game."

"I'm done," he said glancing at the stack nearby. "I'll do this First Monday." He rose, this big sleek tall medium weight gunner and close combat expert, then picked up Streak. "Have atar pick you up, Nova."

Atar did as they both began to walk toward the doors nearby. Chatting as they went, the Flight Center swirled onward. They were tracking three different species using the Silk Road to discover their home space, a huge migration moving from a part of space that was new and would pass through Razorclaw's domain at some point and the usual flights here and there around, toward and from Gliese and Cybertron.

=0=Earth2

"Then we got a contract from a craft store that wants to have good earrings from us," Rain was saying to her friends. "I have some good ideas but Silverbow is turning out to be a really good craftsman. We have a master craftsman who's mentoring us. Its so much fun."

The girls were having lunch in the cafe on their main street. Nearby heading their way, the 'newcomers', the children who were among the second group of 'high caste' immigrants waved at the group sitting with Rain.

"Here they come," Lilly said.

Rain nodded. "We don't tell them about our stuff. Rule?"

"Rule," the girls said, all of whom were becoming like sisters in the enclosed world of Earth2.

The others walked in, headed for them and pulled chairs. Sitting down, they grinned at Rain.

"I hear you did great at the buyer's convention," Gina Clark. "A quarter of a million."

"We did good," Rain said as she sat back in her chair in unconscious self defense. "The gems were so good."

"You started a business and they gave you all those gems," Cora Cutter said.

"We chose them. It took a long time to get the ones we wanted. The Foundry Exchange supplies all the gem stone artisans on world," Rain replied.

"Your partner is Silverbow?" Teri Cutter asked.

A flash of fury ripped through Rain, Lilly and Camilla.

She's the best. Silverbow is the best person I ever met," Rain said as the others nodded. "We have a great time doing this and we have art lessons from the Guild. Our mentor, Sunstreaker is going to get us into the Art Guild because we're artists now and have a registered company."

"How do you do that?" Cora asked as they made their order.

The girls would tell them the least they could in the firmest tone they could manage without undue offense. No one was going to slag Silverbow around them.

=0=Another kid in another place

He waited nervously at the human waiting lounge at Metro Station 1 in Autobot City. He was taking a big step, one that felt good to him somehow and the one who would help him told him to wait here. He watched the bots around him in this place that felt like home. He was connected to it somehow, the feeling you got when you felt safe and comforted by familiarity.

Down the platform after leaving a train, Coros and Pulley ran with Sil and Jessine in pursuit. They paused in front of the lounge door.

"Barrett? Are you in there?" Coros asked as he bent down to peer into the lounge. He was perhaps two feet taller than Barrett while the femmes were either his height or smaller. Pulley was just tall, taller than all of them.

Barrett stepped out. :I'm here. Thanks, Coros. What do we do now?:

"You come with us to the office and we'll go from there. Its down below. We have our own office and club house. Let's go," Coros said as the others began to head down the platform to the stairs, escalators and elevators that led underground into the labyrinthine sub city known as the Central Labor Hall or the Old City to locals.

They walked along the well lit streets on the sidewalks that were everywhere. Small vehicles only, sentient and not, drove on the double lane roads that made the grid of the city and made this a pedestrian paradise.

Barrett rode along on a segway with the four who happily filled him in on a number of things. When he reached the clubhouse/office, they entered.

It was a great place with a lounge, games and monitors playing television and videos, desks for those who did the paperwork of their venture, labs, supply rooms for their activities, a state-of-the-art communications center, a mentor's office and several classrooms. They had arranged for and designed this place themselves.

One small office held a number of signs that said 'Vote for Coros for Delegate Assembly. He will represent all of you'. Also standing in a corner were a couple that said, 'Vote for Coros for School Board'. Apparently, Coros ran his campaigns from this space, too.

:This is great. This is yours?: Barrett asked.

"We got it when we registered our organization," Jessine said. "We took a vote to decide what it would look like. We're getting a fridge First Monday so we can keep snacks and drinks. Some of our classes and some of our campaign meetings take a while and we don't want anyone to get hungry and thirsty."

Pulley grinned at her as other kids emerged from a nearby classroom where they were doing something together.

"What's up, Pulley?" a tall kid asked, one who was among the first. His name was Faun.

"We have a new member," he said to the kids who gathered around. "Meet Barrett Clark of Earth."

Barrett stared at them and they, him.

Then Faun grinned. "Welcome aboard the Autobot City Youth Watch and Medical Team."

He was mightily welcomed. For the first time Barrett felt completely at home among friends. He suffused with happiness as the kids were introduced to him and greeted him with their usual enthusiasm. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before. He would also be informed that he was coming to the game to stand in the wings with them as they did their duty as medics. It would be 'a great opportunity for you to see what we do and what great stuff you'll be doing yourself soon enough'.

Nearby suffused with amusement and great joy, the Lady of Mars watched them welcome a lost lamb back into the fold.

There was nothing like kids for Her. It had been a long, long time since their happiness was felt on Mars.

=0=Nast

He sat in his office clearing the decks. In a few hours he would board a flight with his family to go to Prima Station to go camping in the habitat. They'd chosen a desertscape where they could wander through trails and see the plants of Earth, something that they missed. His kids were doing great in school, making friends, mostly quiet religious kids like themselves and he was glad.

There was nothing in his life that mattered more than his son and daughter. It'd been devastating the past few years and he felt the burden of his guilt. He hadn't embraced all of it. That was a bridge too far for now but he felt it anyway. The kids didn't have their mother and he didn't have his wife.

They'd been high school sweethearts and everything they did was as a unified force. They were deeply religious, though their actions didn't square with their religious tenets. That part was reinforced by their political and slightly extreme views of God and country. It wasn't until this happened that he found out that none of it comforted him.

Now he lived for the kids. Having his father and mother immigrate here to help him was a comfort that couldn't be adequately spoken. They were sweet people, his mom and dad. They weren't much like him. Their views were more diverse and their feelings about people weren't transactional.

"Treat everyone like you'd want to be treated," they would tell him.

He could feel their disapproval in their words. They were shocked and he knew deeply embarrassed and ashamed when he was arrested. They didn't say so and were supportive as could be all through the ordeal. They took the kids and sheltered them through the whole thing. He considered that, the unconditional love of his parents and it changed small things. When he had the chance he applied for their immigration status as 'family to resident aliens/immigrants', the standard file name for those who were related to resident humans and wanted the same status.

There was a very large community going on among the humans with families being brought in. Many of them fell into the work whirl bringing their talents and skills to bear. Many were the volunteers enhancing the quality of life among the people here. Others were wedded to retirement and lived as they would on Earth, going about their business, doing their hobbies, looking around and joining clubs. The Resort was a place many would go to relax, play golf, meet up for lunch and wow the tourists with their stories. It was as close to being a celebrity as most of them would ever know.

The human community was diverse, multi-national and tight. Most of them knew they were representing Earth and made their way accordingly. A few of them were more problematic but so far, so good.

That Jason, James and William Daniels lived here along with Bill Nast and Ted Galloway was astonishing to some. Many were the individuals surprised when they met them at how low key and even friendly they were. Some carried a grudge about 'treason', thus the few that were problematic.

Bill Nast finished his work, shut everything down, then walked out of his nice office to the 'big one'. Leaning inside, he cleared his throat.

Cindy Tomas glanced up, then smiled. "Bill. You're still here?"

"I'm going now, Cindy. I'm going to be gone for three days but you can call me if you need to," he said.

She sat back in his chair. "I won't be doing that. Your babies need to have your full attention. Those are two of the nicest kids I ever met."

Bill felt warmth fill him. "They're pretty wonderful."

"They are. Your parents are as well. I'm glad you're here and your family, too. This is a good place to be," she said honestly. "You do a good job everyday, Bill."

"Thank you, Cindy. Its beginning to feel a bit like home," he said honestly.

"Have a lovely break," Cindy said. "Hug your family for me."

He stared at her, someone who should hate him, then nodded. "Thanks, Cindy. Have a great weekend." He hesitated, then walked away heading for the concourse where his kids and parents would be waiting. Then he'd head out with them for the short ride to Prima Station and the weekend in the desert with the people he loved the best.

Cindy watched him go, once one of the problematic elements in her thinking. It wasn't the same now from before. She was always gracious and empathetic in the past, though she treated this group with care. One never knew. Now? She saw him as a sad man with good kids and parents who were working overtime together to help him be well again.

She would help them. Bill Nast was a good worker and they had their own banter between them. She was in charge of this place, something that made her happier than ever before. She could affect the atmosphere and make it better. She was determined to do so.

Glancing at her own work, she got down to it again. A game was coming up. She and Paolo had a space in the Primal Box and a direct line of sight to the main show, Ratchet v Prowl.

She chuckled to herself and got on with it.

Bill Nast and his family would be watching space outside the ship window as the glittering imposing mass of Prima Station began to come into view. They would have a glorious weekend in the desert.

=0=TBC 6-5-2022