The Diego Diaries: Game! (dd8 454)

=0=Afterward

They sat together at the Tower in the Sky in Iacon for the post game dinner. It was a jolly group that filled the room reserved for them after each win, lose or draw. That Crater was the only undefeated team in the league thus far was a good portent for the future. Even though the teams were getting better, they were still the gold standard.

"We'll beat you," Sideswipe said to Ironhide who was slipping bits of this and that to Halo and Hero who were standing in front of his plate holding hands. Across the way, Uraya and Iacon were doing the same in front of Sunstreaker's plate.

"Count on it," Sunny said.

"Frag the two of you," Ironhide said. "We're the greatest basketball team on Mars. Get used to it."

Huge guff and/or agreement met that including from Ratchet formerly known as Taco…

-*In a locker room after a win-win-win

He sauntered in behind Prowl who was studiously ignoring his sorry aft. Pausing in the middle of the room, Ratchet gave them his best smile. "So … you like my latest cheer gear?"

Crickets.

Ratchet glanced all around the room, then grinned. "I hate all of ya."

HUGE laughter greeted that.

Sideswipe rose, then walked to him taking in the greatness. He reached for a tomato. "This looks good."

"ALL of it is good," Ratchet said to raucous laughter and a lot of agreement. "I had this made to salute the cuisine of Mexico and because I LOVE their culture and their food. Ole."

"I wish I had my castanets," Alor said with a chuckle. "Disrobe and sit, slagger."

The resulting humorous striptease was received with delight by everyone but a fuming Ravel.

Budge and Mystic who had decided to make the trek and were resting in their chairs while everyone doted upon them were terribly amused in their quiet manner.

Appa Ratchet was amused in his usual manner. "THAT'S MY BOY! MY SONNY! HE'S THE BEST TACO IN THE WORLD!"

HUGE laughter greeted that.

The meal would be a delight for all.

=0=Later after the game and dinner

"Ada, can we go to the club? Our friends are going to join up and talk about Coros's campaign," Fireball asked as everyone broke into their various areas of play and relaxation.

"Are you helping on the campaign?" Ratchet asked as he relaxed in his chair.

"We are," Fireball replied. "We're helping on the delegate campaign. We're going to knock on doors today and help him explain himself to voters. Our district is sort of consolidated so we don't have to go all over the place."

"You're a work and wonder, you three. Are your brothers going there, too?" Ratchet asked.

"All nine of us. We want to help," Genesis said as the other two nodded. "It was so great voting for the School Board. We all voted for you, Atar. You and Coros."

"That's how I won," Ironhide said. "Your votes did the trick."

They grinned at him as Genesis leaned down to hug Ironhide. "I hope so, Atar. You're the best School Board member, you and Sunstreaker. Now you have Coros to help you."

"We do," Ratchet said. "You kids be careful and don't take cranky people to spark. Sometimes there's a story behind every scowl."

"People like to see us. I think they like kids who want to do something. Its all new," Quadrus said.

"And good," Ironhide said. "Come here, all nine of you for dinner if you can. We can all have dinner and tell lies."

The three chuckled, hugged everyone, then walked out the door together. It closed slowly behind them.

"Best thing we ever did to have them in our family, all nine of them," Ratchet said.

Ironhide nodded. "I can't disagree. What's on the teevee?"

They would find out.

=0=Upstairs

"Can I go?" Rambler asked.

Prime stared at his son with great pride and pleasure. "Of course you can."

Prowl nodded. "Just be careful."

"I will," Rambler said with a big smile. "Genesis and the others are coming with us. No one would bother us with them along."

"You all make me very, very proud," Optimus said. "I had hoped young people would make their mark. Someday I hope to vote for you, son."

"I'm going to try for the board that takes care of the land," Rambler said. "A seat is coming open on the Rural Land Development Board next period. I'm going to put my name on that one. I want to help make sure that the parks are done right and Mars isn't harmed."

Prowl and Prime stared at him for a moment, then Optimus gently picked him up, hugging him carefully. "I think that would be something that would be wonderful. You would bring such integrity to the process." He set Rambler down.

"I agree," Prowl said.

Rambler smiled, then ran for the door. He would go downward, join Fireball, Genesis and Quadrus in the lobby, then leave for the Watch clubhouse where the others would gather to begin canvassing for their candidates.

=0=Central Point, Room 113

"That was a fine meal, Tie," Mystic said as he sat heavily in his chair.

They'd gone to and returned from the dinner in cabs. It was the best way to get there without jostling or problems. It'd been a revelation to eat with a Prime, to find such comfort and welcome among so many who were so storied and be part of the group. All that they would encounter for a long time would be a revelation and a problem to overcome, the idea that they weren't slaves but equals.

"Tell me, Ratch, you have to go to school again. Right?" Budge asked.

"Not for a while. I took an extension for leave due to your need. I'm going to be here for you and Mystie. Count on me, Budge," Appa Ratchet said with intensity.

"You always were," Budge said quietly. "Tell me about the infant's business."

"It was the one we wanted to make. We still can," Ratchet said fervently. Then he explained RTR Tools to the pair. It would be a warm and happy afternoon for all of them.

=0=At an apartment in City 6, District 8

They played cards, a gang from the Diaspora. They were making their mark, though the visible public aspect of it had disappeared since the killing of some random mech during a turf war. They'd been in an alley arguing over who had which part of the city when a gun was drawn. Someone shot it, then a clatter was heard nearby.

All of them froze, then ran to the end of the alley to see the fallen body of a mech on the ground. After a moment of shocked realization, they melted into the city to lie low. The gun itself was torn down to scrap and fed into the recycler. It would never be found.

All they had to do now, the Red Streak gang and the Southies, a former high caste gang with parental support was to lie low and not make a sound. It would be easy to do. It was clear that no one had a clue it was them.

So far.

=0=At the clubhouse

They gathered, a group of kids with a goal. Into the big classroom they went to settle and get marching orders. Among them was Daro, Sadie and of all individuals, Barrett Walters. They waited as Jessine, Sil and Coros discussed something, then they were given all the fullest attention possible.

"I'm glad to see you," Coros said. "We're going to break into teams to go and canvas the district. Everyone is going to get a portion of the houses we need to speak to. Those that aren't home can be seen again. We want everyone to be comfortable about this. All you have to do is knock on their door, ask if they can listen a minute, then tell them what we plan to do for this election. I have a list of things we all agreed upon last meeting and each of you will have it. Just make it short and sweet. I don't think anyone is going to yell at kids," he said with a grin. "They haven't so far."

"No," Sil said as Jessine and Echo nodded. "They like us coming and I think they're glad that we care to do this. We're going to support those who are running for boards next. This is our practice to get it right."

:What about our age?: Barrett asked. :Do they think you're old enough, Coros, to do this in the Assembly?:

Everyone glanced at Barrett.

"I think so, Barrett," Coros said. "No one has mentioned that yet. Just say that I want to and will listen to the people of the district. Tell them that I wouldn't run if I wasn't serious. Good question. I suspect someone will want to know that answer."

Barrett grinned as the stood beside Rambler, someone he'd just met. Rambler seemed a real nice mech, someone that drew Barrett toward him. He also knew that he was Prime's son. This was an amazing group of kids he found himself with.

"Barrett just joined the Watch group," Pulley said. He grinned. "Our first human and hopefully not the last. This is a good thing, making this stuff fit together."

Everyone nodded as some of them patted Barrett gently.

He felt a swell of emotion and the odd feeling of belonging, really belonging to someone and something great. It was an amazing thing to him.

They broke into groups with Barrett going with Sil and Rambler. Thirty kids would make ten groups, all of them primed with information. They would troubleshoot the effort, then all of them would go out to the Metro where they would knock on every door of their list to chat with the inhabitants.

Most of them would be home.

All of them would be impressed by the kids and their effort.

=0=E2

"Has anyone seen Barrett?" Willow Walters asked her daughters as she walked into the living room of their big apartment. "I can't find him."

"Oh. I forgot," Gina said. "He's doing something called canvasing with his friends."

"What friends?" Willow asked.

"The bot kids," Tynsley said as she looked up from her homework. It never ended, their homework, but it was an unannounced contest among the three of them that none of them would flunk out. All of them were doing well, especially Barrett.

"What? Didn't he think to tell me?" Willow asked. "Where did he go?"

"They have a clubhouse in the Central Labor Hall. You were zooming when he wanted to tell you so he told us," Gina said as her father joined the conversation.

Both glanced at each other, then walked out without a word.

=0=KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

A door opened as a big mech glanced out, then down. He looked at three kids staring upward at him. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," Rambler replied as he glanced at his data pad. Beside him was a tiny femme and a kid on a segway, a human kid.

"Good afternoon. Can we take a moment to tell you about the candidacy of Coros of Capital City for the Delegate Assembly of this district?" Rambler asked with a giant smile.

The other two smiled as well.

The mech who was surprised but highly amused bent down to their eye/optic level. "Sure," he said as three others inside joined him.

It would go like that at every stop.

=0=On a segway in the Central Labor Hall

They buzzed along following a GPS signal that would take them to the Autobot City Youth Watch and Medical clubhouse where apparently their son was supposed to be. They wouldn't find him there so they would home into his signal to find him outside a doorway in a city nearby talking to a big mech about something from his data pad while two other little bot kids nodded as he spoke.

They slowed to a stop to watch them discuss things with three mechs, three little femmes and two tall kids. It would go on a while, then they would end the chat with grins and waves on both sides. The big mechs and femmes grinned and waved back as they closed the door. The kids huddled, then turned their way to go to the next door. That's when Barrett would see them.

=0=TBC 6-11-2022

Just a factoid I read while cruising one of my favorite historical figures, Alexander III, the Great of Macedon. When he took over the Persian treasury at Persepolis, he also took over 120 billion dollars worth of gold. That was just one place. Lordy, almighty. :D:D:D

I'd have the Lamborghini of chariots if that was me. :D