The Diego Diaries: Jammin' and Such (dd8 506)

Sorry. I didn't get this finished last night. :D

=0=On the Mean Streets of Iacon

Springer paused in the middle of an intersection near the Courthouse. The jail wasn't very busy beyond the odd drunk that was found floundering in a sand pile looking for the Metro. They were rounding them up to sleep it off at the jail rather than try to figure out how to get them home. A call to the family was made to alert them that their miscreant was safe, then they were herded into a cell.

Springer and Drift had visited the jailers, got the word, then went back up to trudge onward. Tires weren't good for this kind of slag and when in car mode there were that many more places for sand to end up so they walked along in root mode conversing off line over the howling of the wind. Sand blew so thickly it was like swimming to move around.

:Remember when Ada barbecued in a sand storm?: Drift asked as they moved forward going off their internal GPS and the grid rather than sight. :I remember when he lifted the lid of the barbecue and got a face full of flames. I think I'm still laughing:

Springer chuckled, a sound lost to the wind as he glanced at Drift who he saw as a sand shaped mech. :I remember that. Want to barbecue when we get off? Like mother, like son …:

Drift laughed. :No. I don't have a death wish: he said as they stared at an overhead traffic light at an intersection swing on a broken chain. It was really going gangbusters, then it came loose and missed Springer's helm by centimeters before destroying itself against the wall of the Hudson Place, an interior decoration firm who had one of their three offices and showrooms on this street.

:Nice miss: Springer said as he glanced at the pieces on the ground. :Springer to Emergency Call Center:

:What's up, Chief?: Tantil asked. He was the department head for the Call Center.

:We had a near miss with a traffic light. The one at the intersection of Paisley and 14th in Iacon is smashed against the wall of the Hudson Place. Mark it for Public Works: he said as he glanced at the sparking fixture it was placed in before it went sailing. :You might want to let Public Works know that the place it flew out of is sparking. I don't know what that means but let them know. Okay?:

:On it. There's a brawl at a club in Bern. If you hurry you can see what's what: Tantil said. :Anything else?:

:Not yet: Springer said as he and Drift trudged onward toward the Metro to go to Bern. :The night is young. Unfortunately:

Laughter came over the call line. :I hear ya. Take care out there:

They moved forward and found the Metro entrance to disappear downward into the relative protection of the train line. Down they went, then halted on the platform. No one was there but them.

"I hate it when the city is like this. Everyone is ready to party and this happens. Its going to slow down the process and bring out the worst in those who're hunkered down," Springer said.

Drift nodded. "Consider it job security," he said as their train came into the station.

They boarded it, the only passengers, then it went on its automated way toward the city of Bern nearby. When they got there they would separate the slaggers who were feuding neighbors from way the frag back when who finally bumped into each other at the bar. It would also be fragged that they lived in the same building ten floors apart.

Runabouts would take them next door to Iacon where they would sit out the storm in the jail. Springer and Drift would trudge onward into the dark swirling hell of the night.

=0=Sitting on a cowling

Ratchet and Prime watched the operation as they flew toward a high caste appearing ship that held a large passenger manifest. They were beat up, both of them but willing. Ratchet lay back and magnetized himself to the cowling of the shuttle they were taking as a taxi. "The stars are sure out tonight."

Prime grinned at him. "They are," he replied as their ship slid to a halt. Prime glanced at the tats and other devices that were painted on the ship's hull. It was a high caste vessel obviously overlooked. He stared at the hatch, then rose. Floating over with the rest of the mechs and Ratchet, he rapped on it. :Open up to be assisted:

The hatch opened and he slid in with the rest. The hatch closed behind them. Watching pensively as they did, Kudon floated in the vacuum before entering through the hull of the ship like a ghost.

=0=Emergency Command Center, Fort Max, Autobot City, Mars

Jetta, Mack, Ultra Magnus and several others stood over the map of the colony which was tracking at the moment the storm outside. Reports were arriving constantly, updating the map as they did. Drift and Springer's traffic light was a small red spot on the grid where the traffic post was located. It would be replaced shortly. It wouldn't be the only one that was.

"We deployed the main airport crews to the military field, the prison field and the main Aerie Hill airport. We have to keep them clean though its a herculean task. After this subsides we have drones to take images so we can develop the best removal plan possible," Jetta said as the others nodded.

"The sooner the better for all of it," Magnus said as he studied the wind pattern overlay of the colony.

"Heads up," Felis said nearby. He was a transport grid specialist who was working to keep the roads, trains, planes and Metros working.

Everyone turned toward him.

"Herling just got off with the School Board. Schools will be closed for at least tomorrow, all of them. We need to send the bulletin. If you text Public Works I'll inform IntraCom," Felis said.

"Got it," Jetta said as he pulled up a computer terminal. They would all be at it all night long.

=0=Elsewhere

"I know, Ratch. I heard that things are pretty much closing down. What about the store?" Budge asked as he screen chatted with his brother on the monitor while Mystic washed their few dishes from dinner.

"Tie said he was going to do so. Magnus just texted me that the schools are closed," Ratchet said.

"That's good. Let the colony take care of this without the trouble of us being there," Budge said.

Mystic glanced at him. "They will."

"Do you see it, Mystie?" Ratchet asked with a twinkle.

Mystic grinned. "You don't have to be psychic for that one, Ratch."

They laughed and chatted onward.

=0=Coros

He sat in his nightly zoom call with the kids who were part of his team. "We're not going to risk anyone on the roads and get in the way of the Public Works," he said as the kids on screen nodded.

"That's your first decision on the School Board, Coros," Barrett said with a grin. "How does that feel?" he asked.

Coros grinned as he considered that as well. "Gold, Barri. It feels like gold."

=0=Ironhide

He walked down the corridor involved in a conference call with the School Board. Sunstreaker who was with him listened as well. They made the decision to close the schools together. Then they walked into a roomful of ecstatic refugees and were enfolded into their rapturous love and gratitude.

=0=Prime and Ratchet

They walked with the boys into a lounge filled with high castes of different ages according to their auras. They were a mixed bag of mostly mechs, a few femmes and big youngsters who stood behind their elders with tension and balled fists.

It was anyone's guess how this would go.

Nearby unseen, Kudon watched tensely.

"I am Optimus Prime. I am here to help you repatriate back into our society. I am assuming you saw the videos," he asked.

An elder femme and mech, apparently the power here nodded silently.

"Then we can begin taking data, tagging you and advising your place in the line for bridging," Ratchet said.

The elder mech stood. "I remember you, Ratchet and you, Prime. I an Decca of Iacon."

Prime blinked with surprise a moment as he considered the mech before him. It was Kudon's bond and daughter.

=0=Ops Center

Paragon worked quietly at the command table for the third straight orn. They were over four and a half million recovered and with seven and a half million total to get they were starting to pull ahead of the time schedule. Given that the troublemakers, most of them were already out of the way they could step it up and they did.

The room hummed with activity as a youngling Home Guardsman walked around delivering meals. He was involved in an off line chat with Arrow and the kids when his arrived. He grinned, thanked the young mech, then began to add food into his routine. It would go like that for less than two more orns. Having the problems out of the way made all things easier.

=0=There

They stared at each other over a chasm that would never close, or so it seemed to Prime. Decca was, like Turquoise, the son of a High Court justice, one who worked in league with that of Turquoise to ensure that the status quo never changed. Their daughter, the older appearing femme sitting on the couch staring at him with appraising optics was a famous artist on Cybertron and around the Empire, one who painted and sculpted.

He surmised that most of the younger mechs around the room were her children. Her bond, a financier named Particle was standing behind her. He was a serious war profiter and a cold unemotional individual.

"I remember you."

"I am unclear, Prime, what you mean by some of your comments and the videos," Decca said. "I would like to have a chat with you about them if I may."

"Take a number and stand in line, Decca," Ratchet said as memories flooded into his process. "You and most of this migration. However, we're here to do the job we came for and move onward. There's sick people and babies out there who need us. By the way, they go through first." It would astound Ratchet later how fast his fury came to him at this moment.

Prime glanced at him, then Decca. "There will be time later to talk. Right now we have to get this going."

:Are you going to tell them?: Ratchet asked.

:I don't know. Should I? I am overtaken by surprise at seeing them here: Prime replied.

:Either you tell them or someone else will, someone with an ax to grind: Ratchet replied.

Behind them staring at Decca who he visited in recharge on the dream plane all beings wandered in their recharge was a pensive Kudon. He glanced at Prime. :Tell them:

Prime glanced behind him, then back to Decca. "Please sit down. I would like to talk to you about something," he said as gently as he could.

=0=TBC 8-22-2022

JackalKat: I agree with you about Prowl. He's such a good boy. :D:D (For being a Machiavellian table turner.) :D HUGS!