The Diego Diaries: At the Clerb (dd8 57)
=0=In The Glitter Ball, Retriarius, a city titan in the cluster known locally as The Eight Ball
"Where's Ma?"
Optimus Prime looked up from his beer into the warm bemused optics of Springer and Drift. Behind them were a few of the boys, mostly the youngsters who came with at night on patrols. "He's dancing. How are you?" he asked with a grin.
Prime was feeling no pain.
Springer glanced around until he located Ratchet's energy. He was bouncing around in the dance mob on the dance floor, flinging and hopping around in a typical Cybertronian dance style. He glanced back at Prime and Prowl. They were sitting snuggled together in the booth with Prowl nearly sitting on Prime's lap. He grinned as he remembered doing that a few times himself. "I'm good, Optimus. There's a standing order for us to be there when these two step out. What's the call?"
"The call is go," Prime said with a grin as he patted the snug next to him. "Go as in stay." He chuckled as he watched Springer glance at Drift, then move to sit. Drift slid in on the other side.
"You go on ahead and we'll catch up later," Springer said to the kids waiting.
They looked at the group longingly, then walked out reluctantly. Apparently, it was a 'good detail' to do drunk clubbing with Ratchet, Prowl and Prime. By the time they were gone Ratchet was skippity hopping back with his arms spread wide and a giant smile on his face. He reached them, then bowed. "Hidey-ho, infants!"
Drift rose, then stuffed Ratchet into the booth. Sitting himself, he grinned at Ratchet. "You look happy."
"I am. I'm rather a good dancer, as you know," Ratchet said as he turned to Drift with a smirk. "Prowl dances like a pregnant hippo. He's cute but he can't dance."
"So say you, Loon," Prowl said smugly from the center of a Prime cocoon.
Springer grinned at them, then paused for a communication. He glanced at Drift, then Prime. "We have to go to the Port. There's a brawl there."
"I will go with you," Optimus said as he tried to stand up, Prowl, table and all. Then he sat heavily. "Maybe I might stay."
Springer laughed as he slid out and waited for Drift to set Ratchet up straighter so he could follow. "I sent a text to Raptor and Blackjack. See ya." With that, the two walked toward the door and the horses outside.
"Those two are so cute," Ratchet said with a smile.
Prowl smirked. "If you say so."
They would chat together until a number of massive mechs walked in. Raptor, Blackjack, Sun and Jack ambled in followed by Hard Drive. They paused before the table.
"Well, look at you," Sun said with a chuckle.
"WOW! WE HIT THE JACKPOT!" Ratchet said as he slid off the seat and onto the floor.
"We got here just in the nick of time," Jack said as he reached down to unwind the pile of limbs that was Ratchet.
=0=Port of Mars, Immigration and Refugee Center, Tri-Cities District, Mars
It was dark when they galloped up, hopping off the horses to walk toward a brouhaha in the middle of the path that led to the Administrative Center nearby. A number of security of the Port and those from horseback patrols nearby had come, broken it up and were getting them ready for the jailhouse ride.
"What happened?" Springer asked as a patrol sargent walked toward him.
"A big family feud," he said. "We broke it up. We're going to take them back to the jailhouse when the wagons get here."
Drift nodded, then noticed a number of the Port officials standing nearby. He walked toward them, then noted that one of them held a bundle. "Hi. Did you see what happened?"
"We did. We came through with them and they almost bumped this one," he said as he gazed down at what was clearly a well wrapped baby in his arms.
"What's this?" Drift asked as he moved a blanket a little to see two very tiny amber optics staring back.
"This is an orphan. His name is Tell and he's from Camp Semblance out in Area 6-B. He has no family so he's going to the hospital until we get him logged into the orphan database. After that, the free-for-all begins over who can adopt him," he said with a grin. "They don't last very long before someone gets them."
Drift stared at the calm little optics staring up at him. He recognized the tiny bear he clung to like a spider monkey. All refugee children got a soft toy to comfort them. He glanced at Springer who was finishing up his chat. "Springer. Come and see this."
Springer glanced at him, then left the group who were watching a couple of police vans driving down the road toward them. The lines were already flowing toward the Center again as more came through the four huge bridges that ran orn and night. He paused by Drift, then looked into the bundle. "What's this?"
"This is Tell. He's an orphan," Drift said. He watched Springer looking for something that looked as triggered as he, himself felt.
Springer stared at the baby, his bright optics, tiny arms and servos clutching the dollie. He felt something inside twist as he stared at the helpless baby who had started his life without the hint of his genitors. "What happened to his family? Does he have one?"
The mech shook his helm. "No. They got sick and died. He's about three decaorns old. He's in good shape. No wasting or other illnesses. He's a good little kid, too, I'm told. Someone will be very happy who gets him. He's sort of small but he'll grow."
"Where's he going now?" Springer asked.
"I'm going to take him to the Med Center for a once over. That's the process. We put him there and he stays until he gets the green light. Then the baby will be entered into the orphan database and put up for that." He began to walk toward the Center.
The two watched him go, then they turned to each other. A furious conversation commenced, then they hurriedly followed him.
=0=Elevator to The Residence
"Put your peds forward," Jack said as he held Prime up. "That's it. Just keep them going."
The two walked forward followed by a tipsy Prowl and a happily babbling Ratchet who was hanging onto Sun. It took a moment to get them inside, then cajole Ratchet through a hazy step-by-step toward getting the cure WIFI-ed to everyone there. It was then that he got a call to come to the Port.
=0=Night time in the City a bit and a cure later
Ratchet walked into the Center, then was directed to a conference room nearby. He entered, then paused a moment in surprise before walking to the table to sit. "Hi, Mart-T. What's up?"
The mech who had the baby grinned at Ratchet. "We have a little orphan here and we need someone to case work him for the next few orns until a decision is made about custody."
Ratchet nodded, then held out his servos. The baby was laid down on the table, then gently slid to him. He peered at the baby, then smiled. "Where did you come from, infant? What's your condition?" he asked as he plugged a tiny plug into the infant. It was silent a moment, then he pulled it. "Well, you're in good shape. What's the … the procedure is pretty clear, Mart-T. Is there some kind of hiccup here?"
Mart-T grinned, then nodded his helm toward Drift and Springer who were sitting silently and pensively together.
Ratchet stared at them a moment, then the baby, then the two. "Tell ya what, Mart-T. How about we have a chat, the boys and me. I'll watch the baby for a moment. Go have a donut on me."
Mart-T grinned, then rose to go. When the door closed, Ratchet turned back to the two. "Well, this is interesting."
Both of them looked uncomfortable, then Drift leaned forward. "He sort of rung a bell for us."
"He would. He's that side of awesome," Ratchet said as he peeled back the wraps.
A tiny baby lay on them staring at those around him. A tiny teddy bear was clutched in his tiny servos. He was a light green color with finials that slightly resembled Ironhide's own. There were silver embellishments but no etchings of who he was or how someone felt for him. He was small but not too much and seemingly very calm and sweet. His little optics shifted from one strange face to another and back again.
"Now … tell me about this," Ratchet asked.
They stared at him, two mechs with turmoil.
Drift glanced at Springer, then Ratchet. "I don't know. It just seemed … right."
"Well, you can't hand him back. You have to be really sure. This is a full time thing and a life time commitment. Make sure that you aren't being blindsided by emotions and that you really want to have someone around that'll take your carefree bachelor life away permanently," Ratchet said.
The two stared at him as they talked together off line, the Springer leaned forward slightly. "We can do this. He needs someone. He's cute and a good kid. We have a lot of family who can help us when we need it. Right?"
"You have to ask?" Ratchet said.
Springer sat back. "I want him to have a good life. I still think about the others. I … miss them. They were fun and someone to look after. I had a good life growing up. Mostly. I want to see him have the same."
"I grew up in a crate," Drift said with a slight smirk.
Springer glanced at him, then Ratchet. "Do you think we could do this? Its like this is something that won't happen again."
"I can't tell you that but I know you're good with kids. Just know this is a long term commitment and you can't undo it when you begin. If you think you don't mind having to think of him first before you make any plans, that you have school and other things ahead of you, then you'll be great. I don't doubt that you'd be good genitors. I worry that you might find it cramps things up a bit sometimes."
It was silent as they chatted off line, then both glanced at Ratchet. "We want to have him. He needs us," Springer said.
Ratchet quashed a grin. "Good to know. Let's get this show on the road then." Ratchet gathered the baby, then rose to leave. The two mechs followed him, then walked outside. Ratchet called a bridge as he sent Mart-T a text, then they walked through into his office where he sat on the couch. "I'm going to get slag going. Before I do, what do you need for him?"
"Uh, we have stuff," Springer said.
"We stored our stuff. We can get it," Drift said.
"Do you have a place for him? I'd suggest that you keep him in your berth room because there's a lot to do on a schedule with this size infant," Ratchet said as he put in a call for back up.
Moments later …
Big mechs walked into the room, then paused before the baby.
"What's this, Ratchet?" Turbine said as he took the baby into his servos. "What a cute little baby."
"He's a new orphan and the boys want to take him in," Ratchet said nodding to an uncomfortable appearing Drift and Springer standing by Ratchet's big desk.
Turbine, Delphi and Auntie Lissie turned to them, then smiled. "WE'RE AMMAS AGAIN THEN!?"
Seconds later …
Drift walked back and forth by the window as the baby whimpered tiny whimpers. An intense group of ammas bent helms, then gripped Springer to drag him off to get things set up for the newest infant, Tell. "This is sorta fast."
"They are, when good things happen. Are you truly up to this or is this an impulse that sort of grabbed you in a weak moment?" Ratchet asked.
Drift glanced at the baby, then grinned at him. "I think its legit."
"Good," Ratchet said. "I'm one more ahead of Prowler."
=0=TBC 01-04-2021 01-05-2021 01-11-2021