The Diego Diaries: Silas (dd8 179)
=0=Terra Medical Center, Terra
The place was a quiet madhouse with techs, doctors and nurses hustling to help patients that had poured in. Several hundred were spread between all three of the huge medical centers that were the backbone of the system on world. There were eight of them scattered around the colony but the three being utilized had the most experience with the disease.
Prime walked through dimly lit ward after dimly lit ward listening as Ratchet explained the situation as it stood. With them taking notes for both, Reno and Tavia followed. They were members of the Watch and Medical Auxiliary, newer ones so they were even more serious and dedicated than the rest if that was possible.
"You might need to remember something, Commander. You have so much on your processor, Lord Optimus. We can help both of you remember things by taking notes."
Two little faces filled with earnest love stared upward so two earnest loving kids came with them furiously noting all the points made by Ratchet and the comments made back by Prime.
It helped.
A lot.
Ward after ward was visited, a few of the lucid victims scheduled for medical stasis noted him, faintly remembering something about him. He asked them how they were and some of them remembered how to answer. Their family members were there, a number not as poorly but all of them were going into care here and at a couple of long term facilities that were available for those who had no one to help them or required care after surgeries or other medical emergencies. They would stay there when their family member was in stasis in order to receive what treatment was available to these, sufferers of a new strain of an old condition.
It was amazing to both how different the situation was now with the refugees themselves, all of whom were here in safety. They were attentive, those who could be, asked good questions if they were able and showed none of the stand off slag that high castes in rebellion had in spades. They were as 'normal' a group as any who were in fear and desperate for help. There was no slag apparent anywhere they went.
Walking down the corridor with two children following, they entered the elevator to go up a floor. Prime glanced at Ratchet. :There seems to be no controversy about caste. I will post a few guard teams here just in case:
:Thanks. I hope it holds: Ratchet said as the elevator stopped and the door opened. He glanced at the two kids. "Lead onward, my intrepid warriors."
They smiled at him, stepped out and after the two mechs did, the kids followed them. It would be a long tour of the facility, a sit down with key staff, then onward to the next step. The kids would continue to take notes, then email them to Ratchet and Prime when they walked to the door to leave.
They would be detailed down to the last note.
=0=Earlier
Springer and Drift walked into the facility to check on the kids. Springer had had a conversation with Herling about them and it had been worked out. Herling would accommodate their efforts, the teachers would send and receive their studies and the kids would get extra credit for their time spent in service.
Win-win.
He walked into the lounge where the kids stayed, chatted with some who were doing homework or eating a bite. Several grandparents were there and the vibe was happy and light. Grandgenitors were taking turns being here orn and night until the kids left because grandmas and grandpas were gold.
Walking out, Springer and Drift took the elevator to the Outpatient Treatment Center where his servo would get a look-see. They stepped off and walked to the now very familiar department where the doctors would see how he was doing and perhaps lessen the size of his bandage. Entering, they checked with the receptionist, then were shown in.
"Well, let's see," Doctor Paginet said. He unwrapped Springer's servo which once again showed as a metallic colored 'claw'. He turned it this way and that, had Springer flex it, then put a glove-like sleeve on it. "There you go. Three orns, then come back in. We can see how you're doing. Remember, frag this up and we go back to the slice and dice table."
"Your bedside manner, I see, has improved," Springer said as he slid off the med berth. "A micron."
Paginet chuckled. "I'm tired of being 'nice' for soldiers. You slaggers don't do what we tell you. But know this … we always get you back for seconds."
"Not this time," Springer said as he chuckled himself. "Thanks for the memories."
"Wait until you see my bill," Paginet replied.
"HA!" Springer said as he winked at Paginet.
Both of them walked out with the okay to go back to light duty or even patrol without using the servo for a few more orns.
"Well, that was encouraging," Drift said as they entered the elevator to go down. "Now, the next step."
"Yeah," Springer said with a slight frown. "Frag that."
They rode the elevator to the ground floor, then walked out to take a metro back to Metrotitan again.
=0=Earth2
Silas aka Martin Polaski sat in his living room watching the news as he sipped a beer. He'd spent a bit of time with Harris answering questions, troubleshooting a couple of things and by the time he walked out with Daniels he was director for security both for the physical plant and the electronics. He had staff now including all of the private mercs that were part of Harris's plan to goad Prime.
Harris never said they were there for that purpose but it was obvious to him. Harris was engaged in testing Prime's boundaries and given that he'd been nuked over the Mall project, it was clear that Prime still had it going on.
The news hour was going over the refugee story, showing all the different hospitals involved and films of the surrender and the stand off. It was instructive to know just how far the bots would go to end a situation without violence. Prime didn't like violence but then he was a commanding general so he could bring it if he wanted. Having watched a number of films and Platoon, he was aware that when Prime 'brought it', it was brung.
He had an office, access into a lot of things but not all of it. Harris was still testing him. He would exceed his programming to get the rest. Harris hadn't caught on that this was the man he sprung from prison, put into servitude and in the end, Silas had escaped.
Harris had underestimated him.
Good to know.
Tomorrow he would drive around the colony with Daniels who he liked. Game recognizes game as they say. He was now where he wanted to be, sitting in a position of power and access. It made him happy in ways he would never be able to articulate that he'd passed into Harris's sphere of influence without challenge.
Huzzah.
He sipped his beer, took in the news, then spent the rest of the night going through the Community Bulletin Board for intel.
=0=Elsewhere, earlier
They walked into the Central Office of the Autobot City Unified School District in their dedicated tower, then headed for the elevator. Riding upward silently together, they stepped out on the eighteenth floor where the classrooms for special needs kids were located. Down the corridor to the left, the classroom where Hero attended was going great guns.
Today was baking day.
To the right was the one they were heading for so they slowly and uncomfortably walked that way. They paused outside a door that read, 'Autobot City Deaf Education Center'. Glancing at each other a moment, Drift opened the door and they walked inside. A receptionist greeted them, then led them down a corridor to the right that entered into a complex of rooms of various usage, classrooms and other areas that were the heart and soul of deaf education for the colony.
A mech walked out to greet them, Tell's new and first teacher, Mr. Gramble. He grinned at their nervous auras. "How about showing me the baby?"
Springer slid Tell out. He was wearing a teddy bear outfit with a hood with little bear ears. He smiled up at Springer, then Drift. They grinned back. Holding him out, Springer shifted slightly with nerves. "We shined him up. He's been fed and had his nap. What do you want us to do?"
"There's a lounge down the hallway. Some genitors bring books and other things to do. There's newspapers and magazines. A port connects to the Library in Autobot City. Just go there and relax. Have a cup of something. We're going to be checking him out and playing games to get baselines. Then we'll bring him back out. Your chart says you speak all of the sign languages we use."
"Our nieces were deaf. They had their audials replaced but the family learned signing for them. It also helps on the job," Drift said.
"That's wonderful. The more you do the better it is for everyone," Gramble said. "Well, we'll be out again when his lessons and screenings are over. Then we can discuss the findings and make a plan for him. We have the doctor reports about his future surgeries."
"Surgeries?" Springer asked.
Drift patted his arm. "Its going to take two."
Springer glanced at Drift. "I didn't know that. They didn't tell me that."
"They did but you were too traumatized to hear it. I recorded it. I'll let you listen again," Drift said as he took Springer's arm. "Thanks. We'll be in the lounge." Drift steered Springer into the hallway.
"I don't remember it being more than one," Springer said.
"I'm going to get with Ada. You come, too. We can clear this up but I heard that. One to set the area and one to install the audials. Its slightly different from the girls. There's different ways to go deaf or be born deaf. All of them are different." Drift tugged his arm to walk down the corridor to a room marked lounge.
They walked inside, then sat on a couch. It would be the longest two joors they'd spent in some time.
=0=School bus stop
They began to arrive home and were gathered up by their ammas. Corr and Ravel took the leashes into servo, then hugged the big kids. When everyone was there they went upward to the apartment to settle so that Ravel could go back to the shop. Entering the apartment, the kids ran off to their rooms while Genesis walked to the refrigerator. He opened it, then glanced at his ammas. "I think we need to go to the store. I'm starving."
"We can do that, Ammas. Let's go and get things. You don't have to do everything," Fireball said as he hugged Ravel.
"You don't have to do that, infants. You're the children who we take care of," Ravel said.
"We're going to do this, Amma. Maybe we can get you something to eat, too. You can tell us what you and Appas like and we'll get it," Quadrus said. "This is our turn to take care of you."
Two tiny seeming mechs stared upward into the sweet hopeful faces of three boys that were incredibly tall. "Okay," both of them said with a smile.
Quadrus smiled. "You wait here. We've got this, Ammas." Fireball said with conviction. "Do you need help with the sparklings?"
"We've got this, infant," Corr said with a big smile.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" a voice called out from the big kid end of the house.
"We're going to the store to get food. Come with us, Sunspot. You know what everyone likes, too," Genesis said.
Sunspot glanced as his ammas who nodded. "THAT SOUNDS LIKE FUN!"
The four kids and a bouncy dog gathered up to go, then stepped out.
"Those children are so precious," Corr said.
Ravel nodded. "They are."
"AMMA! WHAT YOU!?" a voice said in the vicinity of their knee assemblies.
Both glanced down, then grinned.
"ORION! WHAT YOU!?" both of them said.
Laughter was had by all.
=0=TBC 06-01-2021