The Diego Diaries: Doin' (dd8 184)
=0=Around
They received Tell back, then walked out of the building to halt on the corner.
"Ada is having lunch at Club Cybertron at 1200. Want to go?" Drift asked.
"Yeah. I want to know what's the bottom line with the meeting this afternoon," Springer said as they walked to a cab stand. Catching one, they made their way to The City. They drove off into the gathering traffic of mid morning.
=0=Temple School
They sat on the steps talking about their lives as they did everyday to impart news and build relationships. Halo watched the kids as she sat next to a little mech named Milo. He was a lot like Prowler in that he was dreamy, loved everyone but didn't always do what the flow was doing. Like Prowler, he had a favorite dollie which he carried everywhere. It was his turn to talk.
Milo rose, smiled at everyone, then began. "My amma is a … is a … my amma is a ..."
=0=Iacon Intermediate School, Public School #3, Iacon, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal Code 33663
It was study hall, a short period in the mid morning where all the kids could get assignments organized, assignments read and relax a moment with a snack, drink and each other. Tru and Lumi joined Fireball and Genesis in a corner of the library where there was a lounge-like atmosphere. They sat beside each other, pairing off once again. Around them were kids they knew from their own classes and others who were older or younger, some ahead and others following on their own educational track. They were the biggest kids in the room at 32-33 feet in height. That they were kids was obvious but still stunning to see.
A lot of speculation was made among the kids about them but they were used to it by now. They believed it was their height mostly that interested others in them personally. That was part of it. They were handsome but the boys didn't know that. They were on the younger side of the cusp of caring about how attractive they were to others because school was so exciting that they participated in everything and anything, eschewing romances. But it was the romances that were the draw for many.
Lumi and Fireball.
That was the Big Story among many of the kids who were interested in others. Lumi and Fireball were interesting and so was their 'big romance' to others. The minutes ticked past as they discussed a speech each was to give in their language class. It would be a very comfortable and fun half joor for all four of them. For some of the kids watching them on the sly, it would be just that much more.
=0=On the way home
They walked through the bridge in The Fortress to go upward to town to eat lunch together. Things are Cybertron had been parted out to enormously expert and capable individuals from the local areas and as such the work load didn't involve staying over to handle it unless something came up. The only commanders who were living at their commands now were those at the forward bases, especially Borderlands. Given that the accommodations in most were 'excellent' and in others such as Borderlands 'palatial', it wasn't that big of a sacrifice.
Jack and Sun who were making tours of the forward bases to assess expansion plans walked through the courtyard with Delphi, Hard Drive and Turbine. All of them had a couple of joors to spend while things were being readied to go back with them to Cybertron. Lunch seemed like a good idea. They walked together to the junction, turned right, then walked onward through the downtown of Autobot City, the heart of the whole colony past government buildings and businesses to the oldest club on world. By the time they got there others were either inside or coming.
A cab pulled up as they reached the door. Drift and Springer stepped out, were relieved of the baby by Amma Tub-Tub, then all followed Sun inside. Blackjack, Ratchet, Ironhide, Prowl and Prime were already inside at the bar.
Loud greetings and cheer were dispensed with as others showed up including Alor, Flint, Lissie and Devcon who was here to meet Smokescreen. Chatting a moment, they began to drift inside to the tables reserved for them in the huge dining room. Waiters materialized out of thin air to seat everyone, then take orders for food and drink. When all of that hullabaloo was over, everyone sat back to grin at each other.
"This feels like normal for the first time in ages," Blackjack said.
"I know. I would hope that any further missions of rescue are easier and swifter to conclude than this. I do feel like we have been at this for months," Optimus said. He glanced at a nodding Prowl. "Pencil that in, Prowl."
Prowl glanced up at Prime who was smirking slightly at him. "Your wish is my command. Sir."
Huge laughter and a number of rude speculations greeted that but no drum heads were in order because food and drink began to arrive. For a moment there was only organizing to eat, then the conversation picked up again.
"So, Prime," Jack asked with a slight grin of anticipation, "what's the word on Golf-Cybertronian rules?"
"I am still figuring it out. Its a game less about contact and more about strategy," Optimus replied.
"Then maybe we need to devise strategies to bury the humans," Ironhide said to general agreement.
"We came to bury, not praise them then?" Ratchet asked.
"Sounds good to me," Sun said.
"What's the idea about teams? This is suppose to be a father-son thing. What's the word about that?" Ratchet asked.
"I am going to play with my atar, Tagg. It would appear that having adas play is out of the question. Apparently, there is an orn for that, though golf does not appear to figure into its celebration," Prime said.
"What does?" Alor asked.
"I did a search once and it has to do with dinner, sexy lingerie, family getting together, nice plants, jewelry and praise," Ratchet said. "Or I could be thinking about something else."
"No golf?" Alor asked.
"No," Ratchet replied. "The attire for golf is magnificent, however."
"NO YOU DON'T!" -all of the players there.
"Slaggers. Then I can't wear my plus fours?" Ratchet asked with a brilliant smile.
(Pause to do a search)
"NO!" -everyone there
By this point Ravel and Tie Down finally arrived. Staring at the group glaring at Ratchet, they nearly turned around to leave.
"GET OVER HERE AND HELP ME!" Ratchet said as he pulled out their chairs.
They settled, ordered, then glanced around.
"What did Ratchet do now?" Ravel asked.
"Scan for plus fours," Prowl said with a smirk and triumphant glance at Ratchet who gave him his biggest smile.
Snickers waited as Ravel and Tie scanned, then glanced sharply at Ratchet with concerned expressions.
It would go like that.
=0=School
Lunch was finished so they headed out to the playground in masses. Humans were buzzing around on their scooters chasing their bot friends around the huge landscaped and fenced enclosure. Teachers stood here and there watching them as they chatted together. The afternoon was ahead with a couple of academic classes, then the fun of gym class, library and art.
It was cold and high overhead the shimmering clouds of carbon dioxide ice that formed in the colder levels gave a mother of pearl look to the sky. They were luminous and beautiful, a topic of many a class lesson in the schools and many a desktop picture of an electronic device for the local humans who lived here.
There were no close holidays coming up but it would be Elder Day over the weekend so many would be the art project going home for the elders of many a grandchild or friend. It would be a straight shot to the Festival of Primus and after that the start of basketball season. It seemed festive anyway at school as children learned and moved forward from the nightmare of their former lives.
On the playground, there were only friends and fun. Those who were less social were noted by teachers with the hope that they could do one of the most important parts of their jobs successfully, socialize shy or traumatized children into friendships and comfort in the school setting.
"SUNSPOT!"
He glanced up from his handheld and huddled group of friends. Bobby Epps was calling to him. He waved Epps over and he came with several other kids including Barrett Walters. They would spend the rest of the recess going over the teams and their prospects for the new season of basketball.
This time everyone would fit in.
=0=On the sidewalk at the end of lunch
They chatted together prolonging the moment before stepping off to go back to work wherever that meant for them to go. By the time everyone left Ratchet was standing alone. He grinned, checked his internal messaging, then walked to a cab stand to take one to Metrotitan and a meet up with the doctors, teachers, social workers and specialists who would tell him the full story on his grandson, Tell. He would find Tell's nervous fathers waiting for him in the lobby.
=0=Lobby of the Autobot City Unified School District Tower, Metrotitan, District Four, Mars, Cybertron and The Empire, Postal District 11400-FB
"Do you see him yet?"
Drift leaned forward on the couch where he sat to peer out the doors nearby. "No." He sat back. "He'll come."
Springer nodded.
Laying in his arms fast asleep, a baby much loved and shined wearing a cute onesie, cap and gloves dreamed his dreams with full confidence. In his silent world he was safely floating on a sea of love in the company of two mechs he adored. That they adored him back made it all perfect.
Ratchet strode in, spotted them, then walked toward them as they rose to stand. "I see that you're a couple of frail reeds."
"This is new. What if they tell us something that's slag?" Springer asked as Ratchet gently scanned the baby as he slept.
"Welcome to my life," Ratchet said as he read the data. "He's optimal."
"I hope so," Drift said with uncharacteristic concern.
"Well, let's find out," Ratchet said as he led the way to the elevators.
When they arrived, they walked down the corridor, were spotted, then pulled into the conference room with the experts led by Mr. Gramble. Everyone met everyone, then sat.
Gramble grinned. "Shall we begin.
They shalled.
=0=A joor later
They sat in The Confectionaire eating ice cream while Tell slept in Drift's carry hold. It'd been intense listening to experts dispassionately explain your child and what was what. It called for a decompress by order of the doctor.
Springer looked up from his bowl. "What's the short hand again. I think I lost the ability to think after they said, 'Come on in and sit'."
Drift nodded in agreement.
Both of them looked like slag.
Ratchet grinned. "The short version is simple. He's got a genetic trait of deafness. Its treatable with gene therapy. Its going to take a bit of time but at the same time he's going to be fitted with modifiers that will amplify sound. His condition is rare. It means that even if its treated and reversed, and it will, he still will be impaired without a booster. That means two surgeries. One to set the device holder and allow protoform to attach to it and the second to set the device. The device is intuitive. It will listen for him, judge the sounds and words, then put them to his processor at the right loudness and frequency. If he didn't have them he might have to ask speakers to repeat what they say. Its all about sound and nothing more."
"Then he'll be able to hear and all of it? This isn't some kind of shortcoming but best case solution is it?" Springer asked anxiously.
"No," Ratchet said. "Its one of the few good things to grow out of war, making this kind of tech."
They both relaxed. Chat was had, hands were held, then two big boys and a baby walked out feeling a lot better than moments before.
For Ratchet, his work was done.
=0=A short time later
Ratchet stared at the three sheet cakes that had been freezing in the refrigerator. "Now, the hard part," he whispered as he gathered up the nerve to make them into something even a slagger would eat for Elders Day.
=0=TBC 06-08-2-21
=-=I once had a dick principal who didn't allow teachers to stand by each other. They had to find the farthest point on the playground to stand and watch the kids. Sometimes when you have power, you shouldn't.