The Diego Diaries: HONK! HONK! Oh. And Primus. (dd8 24)
=0=At Fort Borderlands
Ratchet sat at the desk watching multicolored toads fly around the room. They were smiling at him and he smiled back. He knew they weren't there but they were being friendly, so …
"Old Mech, you're not going to do any doctoring until you pass inspection," Ironhide said as he worked on the other side of the table.
Ratchet smiled. "Okay."
"You're not normal on a good orn," Ironhide said with a grin. "Mech, you're seeing shadows and cartoons. That's all. I'm surprised that Rung let you out."
"Rung is a great guy for a bird bath," Ratchet said.
Ironhide stared at him. "What are you really seeing, Ratchet?"
Ratchet stared at him, then all around the room. The rabbits were gone but a big hairy sloth was sitting in the empty chair beside him reading a newspaper. The giraffe was still there and so was his light bulb horns. The seals were flopping around the room looking at things. He smiled at them. They were the best part of all of it, his thicc bois. He glanced at Ironhide. "Nothing."
Ironhide frowned. "You aren't going to be out of my sight. Do you hear me?"
Ratchet smiled as large reptilian walked over to sit next to the sloth. They appeared to be old friends. "Okay."
Ironhide shook his helm, then went back to his data pads. At no time going forward would Ratchet be off his sensor net.
=0=Autobot City Medical Center
Drift had been signed off, his hurts setting and healing to rights. The big picture item now was Springer. He was sitting on a med berth and the doctors were going to remove the compression bandages that had been wrapped around his replacement servos to help circulation and his protoform reattach itself to that new part of his body. They were big wrapped bundles on his servos, placed just so as to separate his individual digits. It hurt a bit that they were so tightly wrapped. As the doctors began to remove them he felt relief.
And stiffness.
Pain. That was still there.
Shiny silver that was almost as bad as a human seeing the bones of their hands without skin and muscle to cover it.
Like that.
"You're going to need a repaint."
"You do it," Springer said.
"Alright," Drift replied as he watched with eagle optics the slow unwinding of a very special elastic material that helped their strange physiology repair itself.
The doctors studied the servos, each joint and join, then turned them this way and that. He was asked to close and open his servo, grip and release soft objects and to flex his joints. It stung as feeling began to come back from the fading of the topical anesthesia that they'd applied when they wrapped the bandages. He watched them, glanced at Drift with unease and frustration, then the doctors.
When you got slagged on the battlefield you usually had to limp along until repairs were possible. This was strange and a bit on the scary side, though it was almost without mentioning the number of things that couldn't be repaired on these aliens. They were really unique in that respects, their ability to rise again.
"Well, we have a nice start," Cardio, the orthopedic surgeon said. "I want you to wear compression gloves for the next two orns, don't do anything that will require lifting and manipulating anything heavy and come to Outpatient Care in two orns to get them looked at. Wear the compression gloves orn and night. Don't take them off until we cut them off."
"Cut them?" Springer asked.
"They're tight and have to be. We're forcing protoform to reassert itself here to make the new parts permanent. You can do this the easy way or the hard way," Cardio said.
"Oh," Springer said rather meekly.
Drift grinned at him. "Then he can go?"
Cardio nodded. "Not to work or war but home to recover. You could use a orn downtime yourself."
Drift noted that, then turned to Springer. "Home?"
Springer glanced at Cardio who nodded. Then he jumped down. "Thanks, doc."
"Wait up. The gloves," Cardio said with a grin.
=0=Moments later
They stood on the sidewalk outside the Med Center. Springer stared at his servos. They and his arms were covered to his elbows in a black pair of latex-like gloves that were tight and oddly comforting to wear. His servos and wrists were throbbing before they were slipped on and snapped tightly to his form.
"I can see why they'd have to cut them off," Drift said. He glanced around. "Do you want to go home or by the office first."
"The office, I think," Springer said as they both began to walk to the Metro Station across the street. They disappeared down the stairs to the platform and a straight shot to Metrotitan and the office.
=0=Ops Center
Prowl walked to the office down the officer's wing after briefing Paragon on all matters related to the sit-rep. He'd managed a quick shine and was heading for the helipad outside after snagging Optimus. That mech was already shined having taken a moment after things settled out earlier. Entering the door, Prowl walked to his office and nearly collided with him as he exited. "You ready to go?"
Optimus nodded, then the two walked down the corridor to the back lot where the runabout was waiting to take them to the bridge, the dimensional gap, then a jump to Cybertron. They would do so on the deck of a yacht sent to pick them up. It wouldn't take but moments to reach Cybertron, Alternative Cybertron and the first Festival of Primus by Megatronus Prime.
=0=Around the place, kicking the tires so to speak
Ratchet ambled along with Ironhide as he began an onsite inspection of the facilities. It was a big base with carefully laid out and constructed buildings. All of it had been repaired for the most part and what wasn't was being taken care of now. Bustle was everywhere but Ratchet made sure that Ironhide didn't step on the seals. The others managed to take care of themselves but his thicc bois had less leeway to move when a truck drove through or someone was walking past.
Ironhide watched Ratchet with a gimlet optic as he smiled and waved at everyone and talked now and again to the seals to 'keep up, fatties'. It was going to be a long afternoon.
=0=At the office
They entered with a fussy Maxi, then sat as she went to get food. The light streamed in through the vast windows into the huge space and it felt like home. Work was piled up but neither felt up to looking at it yet.
Maxi breezed back in with heavily laden plates, hot cups of something or other and solicitous motherly affection. "I'll be right outside. Call me," she said before she left the room.
They watched her go, then stared at each other.
Springer grinned. "I think Ma has competition."
Drift grinned as he managed Springer's cup and plate to him. "Can you eat this?"
"If I can't manage the utensils, I'll just tip it into my mouth," he said with a chuckle. "Something tells me this is going to be a long decaorn."
"I think you're right," Drift said as he settled to eat.
It was a nice quiet chat together as they finished their food, then went over the outstanding situation in the department. Gangs were starting to decide to rumble. Just what they needed.
Not.
=0=Getting there at last
The trip to Tennyson and the changeover to a yacht for the ride to Alt Cybertron was smooth and handily undertaken. Black Shadow and Blue Bacchus led the security team that would protect both Prowl and Prime during the situation.
"What's the outlook for seeing Optimus there?" Prowl asked as everyone relaxed in luxury.
"Its been discussed by Megatronus and the media for two decaorns now. Its more like curiosity and hopefulness than hatred, I think. We've got it covered all the way," Black Shadow said.
"Good," Prowl said.
They approached the planet, then began to descend to Simfur and a landing pad at the back of the Primal Residence there. It would take little time but the view outside the windows showed that millions of mechs and femmes were there for the show.
=0=At home at last
They entered, then checked mail as Springer sat heavily in his chair. "Anything of interest?"
"Not much but your retirement account is doing gangbusters," Drift said with a grin.
"What retirement account?" Springer asked. He grinned. "Beer?"
"I hope so," Drift said as he walked to the fridge. He opened it, then frowned. "Uh … I haven't been to the grocery store in a while."
Springer snickered. "Good thing they deliver here." He tried to pick up a handheld and failed. "Frag. My digits feel like bananas."
"Let me," Drift said as he sat and picked up the device. Opening the favorite places list, he glanced at Springer. "What do you want?"
"Black Label, pizza for later, brownies, the kind that have that frosting on them … maybe some ice cream," Springer said as he considered the possibilities. "Order what you want, too."
Drift snickered. "When did I ever not?"
"Well, I try not to comment on your weight. I know how sensitive you are about it," Springer said. He grinned at Drift who grinned back.
"Just because you're slightly bigger than me and heavier, fatty, doesn't mean I can't whip your aft," Drift replied as he punched in the order and his, too.
"I never said you couldn't. Especially when I'm not 100%," Springer replied.
Drift put the handheld down, then leaned back to get comfortable. "I feel like I got run over by a train."
"You did," Springer said as he stared at his servos. "A train and all the cars. The caboose, too."
Drift chuckled. "Poor Ada. He got clobbered and he's going to hallucinate until the new part they put in his helm syncs. I guess its pretty funny."
"That mech can't win," Springer said with a chuckle.
"I don't know. He has us."
Springer grinned. "His best and most favorite offspring."
"I won't argue with that," Drift replied as the doorbell rang.
Dinner and second dinner was served.
=0=The Residence of the Primes, Simfur, Alternative Cybertron
A guard of honor was waiting for them when they stepped off the yacht. Megatronus walked to them and shook hands, smiling as he welcomed them to his home. Outside the sound of huge crowds could be heard and everywhere cameras were pointed.
"Won't you come inside? I'm afraid that all of our moves short of being inside will be filmed. This is a historic occasion. Its the first time in eons that we've had this festival. It wasn't part of the plan or practice when the Autobots were in control," he said, then glanced at both. "No offense."
"None taken," Optimus said with a grin.
They walked inside, were introduced to a lot of mechs and femmes, many of which had counterparts on the other side of the divide, then shared a drink. As they chatted, Sixshot entered, then caught Megatronus's attention. "Time to go, Lord Megatronus."
"Very well," Megatronus said. He looked at all gathered. "This is a historic time for all of us. I am so honored and happy that my good friend and our patron, Optimus Prime is with us. Shall we go?"
He led the way forward with Prime at his side to the doors. The two Prowls followed as Megatronus's large family left to go to the Temple to wait. The groups formed up, then it was time to go. Megatronus glanced at Prime. "I am honored you are here. Without you none of this would have been possible. Thank you, friend."
Optimus nodded. "It is my honor to come. Thank you for the invitation. Until all are one, Megatronus Prime."
Megatronus grinned. "I couldn't have said it better."
With that, the two stepped out into the sunshine and the multitudes who were waiting.
=0=TBC 11-25-2020 12-08-2020
For those who have Thanksgiving, have a great holiday. For those who don't, know how thankful I am for your company this past decade.