The Diego Diaries: Normalsville (dd8 151)
=0=At the corner bus stop
The bus rolled to a stop as little kids began to get off. Down they came, then Praxus and Orion. Smiling HUGELY, they ran to their family members to throw themselves at them. It was raucous and huggy for a moment until the next bus came. Down came Sunspot and Spot. Glee ensued and would continue as cabs and buses arrived one-by-one.
Shortly later …
"What's on the television?"
Ratchet checked the listings, then chose The Hourly News. "This for starters."
"… and the next Grand Council meeting of the Delegate Assembly is set for Second Friday at Lecture Hall 5 in the Sciences Building at the University of Mars. Councilors of the local city councils will bring forward through their super delegate representatives all of the concerns, questions and requests to be debated, voted upon, then sent to the Senior Community and Senior Autobot Council for the Prime to hear and consider.
"All who are interested may attend and are encouraged. Seating is limited to 5,000 so come early. For those who can't come or find no seating available when you do, the meeting will be broadcast over Community Channel 111 at 1700 joors on the TMC. You may text questions or statements for their consideration as well. Check the Community Bulletin Board file entitled 'Politics and Councils' for more information.
"Also, the Autobot City Unified School District will meet on First Friday at the General Meeting Room at the Central Office located in Tower 16 in Metrotitan. All are encouraged to come and share your concerns, ideas and suggestions. Seating is limited to the first 500 but monitors will be playing in the corridors. It will be broadcast on Community Channel 111 as well starting at 1700 joors on the TMC.
"In other news, the mission to Meadow Lands, a colony of nearly 1,200 civilians has been successfully completed. The information officer for the Empire, Commander Jazz of the Office of Strategic Communications will be with us to discuss what transpired after the school bulletins, menus and bus news plays for you on the Community Bulletin Board. We'll be right back," Lim-Lee said as the Bulletin Board began to scroll.
"Lunch looks good at Intermediate Day," Ratchet said with a grin. "You have to read through your packet for the school board meeting, slacker. I can't do everything."
"Of course you can." Ironhide grinned. "That's your job, slagger. I AM IRONHIDE! I DON'T READ MY PACKETS!"
Ratchet snickered. "You better. You're on television and it won't do my reputation any good if you look like a dumb aft."
Ironhide snickered. "Fragger."
"The board elections for your seat and No-A's are up in a few. Should I issue a statement saying you're retiring from public life?" Ratchet asked. / … three … two … o-… /
"FRAG NO!"
=0=In a lobby in a dazzlingly new tower in City 4 of Crater District Seven
The crowd was gathering, two groups of brand new settlers to the colony. They were facing each other and there were heated words being used. Standing nearby making a call to the Watch, the building supervisor, Nilo of Helex watched anxiously. He was a small mech with a gentle touch, loved his residents and didn't want any trouble for them or his magnificent building.
The towers of the Crater Districts were being built taller and bigger so that the usual ceiling of fifty stories now rose to one hundred. They were able to hold almost more than twice the residents of the other developments, thus accommodating the rising numbers of those who were constantly streaming in or relocating for whatever reason from Cybertron and the Inner Empire. Ahead of this, the seventh crater development, were three other giant ones, one nearly completed with two more in various stages of composition.
All of the towers had a live-in superintendent who fielded a team who kept the building up to specs and clean. They took care of the residents and their problems except when something happened like this. Their standing orders from Magnus and Springer were to call the Watch. That is what Nilo was doing right now. They couldn't come fast enough for him.
=0=On the beat nearby on Cascade and 12th Street, City 4, Crater District Seven
:Officers A-27 and L-14, this is Central Dispatching at Watch Center in Metrotitan. Check in:
The two Watchmen walking along the street nodding to pedestrians and watching for this and that did. "We're both here, Central Dispatch," Waley aka A-27 replied.
:We have a Code 415 in progress at Esco Tower 15 on Comet and 4th Street. A crowd has gathered in the lobby and there is a disturbance between them. There are no reports of weapons but its escalating and the superintendent would like haste:
"Copy that. On our way," Cobra aka L-14 said. He glanced at his partner, then leaped into the air. Transforming, he peeled out with his siren and lights blaring. Waley aka A-27 was right behind him.
=0=At a tower in another housing district closer to The City at the same time
Drift glanced at Springer. "There's a disturbance, possibly caste related in District 7, City 4."
Springer glanced up from wrapping Tell into a blanket. The baby was sleeping in his servos after a bath, baby wax and bottle. He was shining he was so clean after his bath. "I wonder who," he said grimly. "We better go. We can drop Tell off with Trooper and Scout at the Performing Arts Center. They're staying over for the debut of that new opera of theirs. Call them will you?" he asked as he gently laid the baby inside his carry hold.
They walked out the door, then blitzed down the elevator. Walking outside, both transformed, Springer taking great care not to disturb Tell, then drove swiftly to the scene after a quick stop at the curb of the big street-side parking lot of the Performing Arts Center. Tell would spend the night with his Amma and Appa. They disappeared again into the night with their lights and sirens blazing.
Scout watched them go, then glanced down at the sleeping baby in his arms. He grinned. "Hello, my little angel. Let's go inside and put you into a real bed. Did we tell you," he asked as he walked with Trooper back to the doors, "that we made a nice little bed for our babies when they come? You can be the first." They disappeared inside the huge building heading for the apartment where they lived half the time during the debut of new works.
=0=Home
"Ada, will you come to see me tomorrow?" Hero asked.
"I have a meeting but I also have to spend some joors in school. I'll try really hard for tomorrow but if not then another orn after that. Okay?" Ratchet asked.
She smiled, then nodded. Glancing at Halo, Hero smiled. "What about you, Halo? Do you want Ada and Atar to come to your school to watch you?"
Halo who was staring at her sister-best friend frowned slight. "No."
Hero laughed. "YOU'RE SO FUNNY!"
Halo grinned in spite of herself.
Herding children into their berths, tucking them in, handing out 'sleepy bed' dollies, it took a moment to put the babies to bed. Sunspot and Spot were easy-peasy as were the big kids. It was unanimous. It wasn't home if everyone wasn't here.
Walking out, Ratchet and Ironhide were inclined to agree. Passing Cousin sleeping on the back of Robby who was dozing by the window where he usually slept, they walked back to their chairs to sit. It was silent and pleasant a moment. Then Ratchet grinned.
"What's so funny?" Ironhide asked.
"Springer and Drift are heading to a possible high caste blow out at District Seven."
"Oh, frag," Ironhide said. "CASTE COURT! CASTE COURT!"
They both laughed loudly, then turned the news back on.
=0=At the Tower in question
Springer and Drift walked in and assessed the situation immediately. A couple of horse back patrols were waiting outside, all of whom waved to Springer and The Boss™ as they walked past. It was noisy and crowded inside. Spotting Waley and Cobra, they squeezed through the crowd until they got to the front. Frowning, they both stared at the group closest to the elevator bank.
"What's going on?" Drift asked the two officers.
"We were sent by Central Dispatch who said a 415 was ongoing. Apparently, there's a dispute over the elevator," Waley said.
"There's no dispute. These guys told us that we have to take this elevator from now on and not use that one," he said pointing to the slightly bigger one that was used by bigger groups or baggage for residents. Both of them were glitteringly beautiful and identical but for size.
"Who says that?" Springer asked as he stared at Mik of Upper Tetrahex.
"Those newcomers. We've lived here longer and they're telling us we can't take this elevator. AMONG OTHER THINGS!" a big mech said heatedly.
Springer stared at Mik and Cord-D, brothers of the much lament(able)ed Will-M currently gracing the jail at the Courthouse on Cultural Center Road. Dok was no where to be seen but the elevator was still coming down from way the hell and gone up there somewhere. He looked at Mik who was making the most noise. "You haven't been here a full orn and this happens. Tell me why I don't arrest you for making a disturbance."
"You can try," Cord-D said darkly.
"Arrest them. They're here to put The System back in place. That's against a Prime Directive," an older mech said.
"Frag you," Mik said. "The System was legal when we left and there's no government from that time to say otherwise."
"You'd be wrong again. Prime is legal and recognized by the Matrix and Pantheon. The government never broke and here in this district, I am the representative of the people for this city and alternate representative to the Delegate Assembly that prepares all concerns for the Prime's Committee and the Grand Assembly. If you'd lived here more than five joors you might know something but its obvious that you don't. Surprise, surprise," the mech, Sandstone said.
"Maybe you don't know who we are," Cord-D said coldly as the elevator stopped and opened. Dok was inside by himself and stepped out. Cord-D turned to him. "These slaggers are making a problem."
Dok stared at the group, then Springer and Drift. "We have posted a sign about the elevators. We have decided not to make more out of our living arrangements than that. I fail to see the problem here."
The group stared at him with almost a blank sense of amazement. It had been a while for most of them to have to face this kind of unfathomable mentality but here it was.
Sandstone stepped closer. "I am Sandstone of Marble Hill. I'm the delegate for this city to the Delegate Assembly. I represent everyone in this city. We are a democratic representative colony with equal standing for everyone. The Prime has made it very clear that this thinking and behaving is outlawed. It's beyond our ability, all of us here," he said glancing around to a crowd of stone-faced individuals who were nodding emphatically, "that you cannot understand that. You are playing with fire here. No one is going to tolerate this kind of thinking. Its against the law for starters and treason at best."
They stared at each other, two sides that had no common ground, then Springer stepped between the two. He saw the sign on the wall over the control panel and removed it. Reading it, he glanced at Dok. "You don't seem to get it."
"We are here against our will. We don't want to be here but because we had no choice we're making the best of it. We intend to live our life the way we did when we were kidnapped by Prime and brought here," Dok said calmly.
"KIDNAPPED!?" a mech said in the back of the group. "WHAT THE FRAG ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, YOU SLAGGING INGRATE?!"
That didn't go over well at all.
=0=TBC 04-29-2021