The Diego Diaries: Jammin' (dd8 503)

=0=At the office, E2

They walked out, an unlikely group of friends to go to the Cafe On The Sidewalk for lunch. They went just after the rush when the best tables, those near the back of the grouping on the terrace out front were empty and waiting for custom. Ted Galloway, Beau Weaver, James, William and Jase Daniels along with Kyle Davis chatted their way through the maze of pedestrians and crossed three 'streets' before reaching their destination. They sat, ordered, then relaxed.

"Any more word on the indicted?" Ted asked as he sipped his drink. The restaurant had a bar license and served various cocktails and beer.

"No," William Daniels said. "I haven't heard a peep."

"No news is good news, I guess," Beau Weaver said. Talking about court cases was pretty much a non starter in their group. "When does Cameron go back to Diego? Or can he? I forgot how that's shaped up."

"He can go," Kyle said. "It's hoped greatly that he keeps his trap shut. Perri is going with him."

"He needs his daddy does he?" James Daniels said as he glanced at his son, then father.

Chuckles rounded the table as big plates of food came out and were laid on the table. They dug in for a moment, then continued.

"How long do you suppose Cindy is going to run this place before something's settled about Owen?" Ted asked Kyle.

Kyle shrugged. "I don't know how that works. I know that Cindy was appointed interim but the way things are going don't be surprised if Prime makes it permanent."

"Owen won't like it," Jase said with a slight grin.

"No," Kyle said with a small grin of his own. "He won't."

=0=Unidad Terra 1 about the same time

Cameron Fraser walked from the Administration Center toward the door to take the Metro back to Earth2. As he walked along he spotted Carrie Fields now Calley with her husband John across the concourse. They were in a group talking to people who were laughing with them.

He heard that she was here shortly after her arrival and that she'd married and had a little boy. She was flying experimental aircraft designed to meet the needs of mini-con pilots and perhaps some fine day human. She was probably the most well trained pilot alive at the moment given the type of craft she was testing.

He stared at her, felt the old burn, then walked onward. He was dating a beautiful blond from accounting and they were doing alright. He didn't need to dwell on old news especially given that it was attached to a bastard like Sideswipe. He cleared the deck, then went down to take a Gray Line Metro to the E2 Habitat. He would be irritated for the rest of the day.

=0=Out there about the same time relatively

Ratchet caught up with Prime after the shootout was over. The miscreants were in cuffs, hard helmed kids who didn't want to leave their old home. Prime himself leaked from two wounds. "Well, aren't you just a spray of good cheer. See what I did there?" Ratchet said as Prime turned and the energon leaking from his arm left a trail in the vacuum all around them.

"It only hurts when I move," Prime said as he stared at two shots that had pierced his armored arm, then flew onward. It looked worse than it was but it hurt nonetheless. So Prime did what all soldiers of his species did, he shut down his sensors.

Ratchet with practiced ease field patched both hurts, then examined one on Prime's ped where a ricochet had laid him a good burn. "Nice going, Hop Along. The School Marm is going to slap the crap out of you for these. Something about minions or something."

Prime grinned. "I am working out my frustrations on the rowdies."

"Well save some of that for Prowl. I think he's going to go Metallicato on your aft when he sees those. You better get them fixed and spot detailed before you go back to the bridge. He might flip your command seat with you in it," Ratchet said as they walked to the hatch to leave. A crew passed them going in to get the ship ready to strip, then tow away.

They jumped onto the deck of a shuttle, then went to the next ship.

=0=Diego Garcia HQ

Smokescreen walked into the Operational Center with a data pad containing pertinent info send from Mars that came everyday at this time. He sat to read it while Jolt, Smokey and Delta, a young sweet Home Guardsman played cards onscreen at their stations. "Well, it looks like Beta is going to convalesce here."

"He is, Appa?" Smokey asked his grandfather with surprise.

Smokescreen nodded. "He's going to be here for the sun. Its going to be restorative for his systems to do so. Something about solar or something." He glanced at his grandson. "Are your duties caught up or are you shirking soldier?" He glanced over his shoulder. "Soldiers?"

The three hustled to do so, then turned toward him to relax. Smokescreen the Elder ran a casual command though no one there forgot who the boss was.

Devcon.

"So when can we go out there and help, Appa?" Smokey asked.

"Not any time soon. Besides, the 'Cons have been bagged," Smokescreen replied. "There's nothing left but the hot helmed kid and someone's ticked off Nana."

"Why does this always happen to me?" Smokey said with disgust.

"I heard that Roddy is there with the mechs," Jolt said to be ornery. He didn't know one way or the other, really. He just was a cad.

"AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

=0=The Hourly News: Catch Up

"Welcome back," Lim-Lee said with a big smile. "We have new projections on the status of those waiting in the migration to be rescued. Given the latest information from the Bureau of Refugees and the Immigration Bureau, the influx stands at 2,989,246 so far. The remaining millions are being collected and transferred in larger groups now that the threat of Decepticons and others is removed.

"The number of incarcerations is greater in this group that most due to the number of individuals who have caused trouble at the point of contact. There was also the incident where three Decepticon ships made a break for it before getting captured by Xantium Supreme and the cruiser Tag.

"The Prime is moving among the ships to reassure the newest immigrants that things are going well and they will be taken to safety in the fastest possible manner available. We will have interviews, two from the migration from Senior Commander Jazz of Kaon and Senior Commander and Immortal Hercy of Helex shortly. We will also have an update on the weather conditions along with messages from the migration in a moment. We will be right back."

The Community Bulletin Board began to scroll very slowly with informational numbers for those who wanted to find out if their relatives were in the migration.

"Its amazing how open they are," Georgi Petkov said as he stared out the window at the night beyond. It was getting on into the evening as the soldier habitat changed shift. Sitting in the mess hall eating dinner, those off duty were winding down. Outside, the wind had come up and the fine particulate dust began to rise in the air. "We would never give out as much information as they do."

"They live here. I don't think it matters to them that we hear them way over there," Kim Lee said as he grinned at his partner in drills and soldiering. "Its nice to know someone trusts their people."

"Yeah," Georgi said as the news came back.

The weather reader of the night, Coil who was a meteorologist for the airports around the colony was on. "Good evening. A short update on the storm that's brewing at the equator at the moment. During the late springs here warmer wetter air rises at the equator and when it hits the cold layers in the upper atmosphere it causes disturbances. It happens every year but mostly they're not too difficult.

"This storm is being predicted to be otherwise."

=0=E2

"I thought Wheeljack and Perceptor ended that threat," Kyle Davis said as they watched a monitor nearby while having dessert.

"Apparently those around the equator can't be easily controlled. They're working on it but it isn't a sure thing," William Daniels said. He glanced at the others. "I like to read the science news in the papers."

"Then we're going to get buried again. I wonder how this is going to effect the migration rescue?" Ted Galloway mused.

"It won't be good," Kyle Davis replied as they listened.

=0=Weather report

"And because that happens the intensity of the storm is harder to predict though this one appears to be gathering speed. Right now outside, the fine particulates of the sandy ground cover are beginning to rise. Given how fine they are they take a long time to drift back down in the thin atmosphere and lighter gravity of Mars. As it stands we predict a moderate to severe storm with winds up to 200 miles per hour. It will begin to intensify about 2240 joors with peak reached at 0700 tomorrow morning.

"We are advising you to stay off the roads unless its an emergency. The Emergency Command Center will be extending the grid to use for GPS on channel 43. All roads will be monitored and those that are closed will be posted on the front page in 'Emergency Conditions' in the Community Bulletin Board. Schools are scheduled to be closed in all cities of the colony. The University is closing tonight.

"Emergency Services maintains lines for calls. They are 919, 444 and 222. Given the possibility of impassable roads all emergency calls will be answered by runabout from the Public Works, Medical, Army Medical and Watch fleets. Response times will be determined by conditions so its imperative that you stay at home.

"All of the human habitations are in lockdown until the storm passes and conditions are assessed. No one is allowed to leave them even by Metro until things are ascertained for their safety. The Metro is being commandeered by the Bureau of Immigration given the conditions of the roads outside.

"No utilities are projected to be endangered though it would be wise if you lose electricity to call your superintendent and have them make a call to Central Emergency at the Watch at 929, the Colonial Power Center at 888 or the Public Works at 666. Please don't flood the lines by calling yourself.

"Anyone with shut-in patients or Home Healthcare clients will be met by their caregivers with the help of the Air Force. They will be coming at a slower pace, I am sure, but the pilots are trained to get people in and out of difficult circumstances so they'll be doing the flying and landing.

"More information will be given out as it comes to us. Stay turned to this channel and program to get the best and latest information. As of now the word is stay home unless you are going to be assisting in the migration. All businesses are being asked to close until the storm passes. As of now it won't abate until at least 0700 joors tomorrow morning. Lim-Lee."

"Thank you, Coil. When we come back we will have an update on the weather and the interviews with Senior Commanders Jazz of Kaon and Hercy of Helex who are currently on duty in the migration. We'll be right back."

=0=Around the younger set world

"No school. Frag."

"No school. Oh."

"No school. Awesome."

=0=Prowl

"No school. Frag." (VENTS ENORMOUS GINORMOUS SIGH!)

=0=TBC 8-17-2022

ESL and Notes about slag:

Hop Along Cassidy was a western character that was a sidekick for a more serious character if memory serves me. I vaguely remember it from about 60 years ago. LOL! I am old. ;)