The Diego Diaries: Elder Day (dd8 203)
First of all, I fell asleep writing this computer page open last night and somehow locked myself out when I jolted awake. All day long, ALL DAY I've tried to figure out how to open it without the usual 'I forgot my pin' link under the sign in. I then FINALLY read the enter 'A1B2C3' designation under the sign in which I thought was some generic bullshit and IT OPENED! Shades of "speak 'friend' and enter".
WTF!? So here we go, 'friend'. :D:D:D
=0=The morning of the orn in question
They walked out into the gritty air that turned everything a light beige color. The wind was annoying here at the moment but not as strong as north of them at Aerie Hill, some of the Crater Districts and two of the four Seven City developments. The wind was carrying heavy loads of the fine grain, even silt textured soil around the local area. A convergence of aerial conditions were playing havoc with the colony for the next few joors. Sciences and the Weather Command Center were still working out the intensity which was hard to calculate given the conditions boiling up around them.
They marshaled onward heading for the Med Center where they entered, then went upstairs to the wards where the refugees were being cared for. Ratchet walked from room-to-room, ward-to-ward, then ICU to take the temperature of the patients currently settled there. Most of them were conscious though a few were still in a light medical stasis. He checked each, asked standard questions to assess mental acuity, they walked onward.
Ironhide followed along staring at the data readouts on monitors he could read to a certain point as he watched Ratchet do his usual thing. Doctors and nurses listened, then jumped to it as they worked to bring back protoform that had been beset by the '3 D's' … dormancy, damaged and/or destroyed. It would be a long time before some of them walked out of this place under their own power. They'd be in assisted care facilities here and there to get well again with trained help. It would be done on a hold order.
Ratchet and Ironhide walked out for the train ride to Terra and the Children's Treatment Center there. As they stood on the platform Ironhide received a text. He glanced at Ratchet. "The barbecue is off."
"What?" Ratchet asked with surprise as a train slid into the station. They'd be among the last to board due to the crowds before it rolled away packed to the gunnels. He turned to the big mech beside him. :What do you mean its canceled? Its not so bad here:
:Its terrible. Everyone agreed to have dinner at home and meet at the man cave at 2000 joors for desserts: Ironhide replied.
:Frag that. What a bunch of wimps. I'm going to slagging barbecue, Ironhide, and you're going to help me: Ratchet said with a growing mental picture of that fiasco and a deep amusement to make it happen anyway.
"The frag I am," Ironhide said as he glanced at Ratchet.
"Our stop," Ratchet said as he turned toward the door.
It would take a moment for them to reach the platform and longer to climb upward to the street in the crowds. It was pretty slagging awful up there in this city, Terra, which was slightly more northerly than Autobot City. The open spaces all around it allowed more sand to go here, there and everywhere so it was worse here without wind breaks.
It was a long walk to the Treatment Center in mid town but they arrived, brushed off sand, then walked inside. Breakdown was walking out to leave so they met in the middle of the lobby.
"How did it go?" Ratchet asked.
"We have success already. The mutation has been arrested cold. Now we have to build up the protoform and do a lot of replacement surgeries. Some of these kids can't even move they have so many broken limbs and the danger of more if they do. Its awful," Breakdown said.
Ratchet nodded. "I know. But you're doing a slagging fine job. Go home and frag that ninny of yours. Happy Elder's Day. Tell him I congratulate him on his orn personally."
Breakdown laughed. "Have a good orn," he said to both as he walked onward to the door and a short trip to the Metro and home.
"He's a miracle," Ratchet said as the entered the elevator. The door closed behind him.
=0=Elsewhere
"Amma, what will we do for Elder's day?" Hero asked as she stared upward at her Amma Lo-Lo.
Alor grinned. "We're going to play all day until dinner. Then we're going to eat. After more play we're going to the man cave for desserts with everyone."
HURRAH was had among the shorties as Alor finished with the tiny sandwiches that they favored. Sides were added along with favorite drinks for the mid morning 'snack' that they always had for date days/nights.
Standing next to Alor making a HUGE sandwich with HUGE sides, Blackjack grinned at Hero, Halo and Prowler. It was good to be grandpa. "When you infants get done we have to read that new comic, the one with the ponies."
"I love ponies, Appa," Prowler said as he glanced upward with a giant smile. "I love them."
A moment to agree was taken by all as they walked to the table to sit down and eat together. Everyone waited until Alor fixed his food, then sat as well. He grinned. "Bony appetite."
Halo laughed. "So funny," she said as they began to dig in. It would be a highly chatty snack time with the Elders.
=0=Elsewhere
"HAHAHAHAHAAHAA! BWAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAA! APPA SO FUNNY! MY SHE GOOD ME!"
You-Know-Who™ was riding on the back of his Appa Pooh Bear aka Hard Drive as he crawled around the living room floor amusing the infant. It was either that or get a horse which was at the moment out of the question. However, having accidentally seen a short tik tok video of a 19 pound miniature horse who'd been abandoned by its mother, Hardie was finding his will weakening. That little horse was smaller than a normal sized dog.
"Hold on. I'm going to buck," Hardie said. He curled his back gently to 'buck'.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! I, ORION A COW BOY! GO, SHE! BE MY SHE! GOOD ME!" he cried out in delight.
Appa Pooh Bear (because Hardie was somehow too difficult) complied. It would be a very noisy morning with Orion at Appa Pooh Bear and Amma Deppy aka Delphi and their home.
=0=Elsewhere at the same time
They sat at the table with the drawing and painting kits and big paper pads. It was quiet as they drew and colored, adding paint here and there.
"What do you think, Appa?"
Appa Raptor glanced over at the picture that Praxus was drawing. It was a very cute, very child like image of a dog. "I think its genius. I never saw a dog picture anyone made that was so cute."
Praxus smiled at him, then looked at Raptor's picture. "Appa, I like your picture. That's Amma?" he asked.
Raptor grinned. "You can see that, too?" he asked as he held the image closer to Praxus.
"I can. Its good. You drawed it good." He smiled brilliantly.
Raptor grinned as Turbine walked from the berth room with more colors and chalk to sit with them.
"LOOK, AMMA! APPA DRAWED YOU!" Praxus said with enormous happiness.
Turbine glanced at the image, then smirked at Raptor. "Appa is a boo boo bear."
Praxus stared at his amma who'd said their favorite word for goof ball, then Appa Raptor. He grinned. "Amma said you a boo boo bear."
"I heard that. I think Amma is going to make me cry," Raptor said.
Praxus stared at him with concern, then Turbine. He leaned in closer to Amma Tub-Tub. "Amma, Appa wants to cry. You can't cry, Appa. I'll hug you."
Raptor grinned. "Done deal," he said as he picked up the little mech to hug him.
The image of Amma Tub-Tub on the table was cute and so were the cow horns Raptor drew coming out of his forehead. Turbine would frame it for a Christmas Surprise present upcoming.
For Praxus.
=0=Elsewhere
They gathered up to go, piling gear by the Embassy door. Nearby waiting on the runway, Cosmos was going off duty for a decaorn and thereby decided to fly anyone who was going home from here. Most of the mechs leaving were bachelors with little to no family exhorting them to come so they took up his offer rather than go through the bridge.
Standing around the area taking pictures and suntanning, the usual horde of humans watched. The embassy would be closed for the day running on autopilot with all of the equipment hosted by The Fortress remotely from Mars. Soon the doors would slide shut and a place of easygoing activity would be silent once more.
The humans wouldn't like it and the bots leaving would enjoy the orn off.
The mechs began to walk out to get their things and wait for the doors to close behind them. They linked up and the security system engaged. The mechs and femme bantered their way to Cosmos to board and leave. The place would be silent and as safe as Fort Knox. It would be weird to see it thus for everyone.
=0=At the house getting stuff ready because it was almost noon, SLAG IT!
"Okay, just set it up at the number three table and I'll take it from there," Ratchet said as Ironhide picked up the big box of barbecue 'stuff' that Ratchet had put together.
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "I'm setting the table up here, Old Mech. I refuse to be buried alive chewing on a bone outside."
"Where's your spirit of adventure? Where's the adventurous mech I used to know?" Ratchet asked as he noted his menu with delight. It was all going just as he planned.
"He got hungry," Ironhide said.
They walked to the door, left, took an elevator down to the ground, then walked to the front door to look outside. The sand storm was raging wildly somehow.
"Frag the weather service," Ratchet said with a frown.
"Do we go back up?" Ironhide asked already knowing the answer.
"Not on your spark," Ratchet said as he pushed the doors open and nearly disappeared outside into the choking density.
Ironhide watched him forge his way to the patio portion of the great tower. He laughed loudly. "Loon is a good word for you, Ratch," he said as he shoved the door open and lugged dinner outside.
He nearly disappeared himself right away.
=0=Prime Residence about the same time
"Loon's outside barbecuing."
Prime glanced up with surprise. "Really?"
"He is," Prowl said as he walked out of the kitchen where any number of really great smelling things were cooking.
"I wonder if I should go and see," Prime said with a chuckle.
"Ironhide is sending me film," Prowl said as he sat down in his chair.
"Good," Prime said as the movie began to play after the commercials.
Human television.
=0=Delphi and Hard Drive of Praxus domicile about the same time with Orion and a little snack time at the table
"Ratchet's barbecuing outside."
"BWAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAAAHAHAAAA!
=0=Blackjack, Lissie, Steiner, Flint, STU-RT and Turbine at the Ironhide the Elder and Sun the Elder of Praxus Domicile with an assortment of purloined boo-boos
"Guess what's going on? Ratchet's barbecuing outside." Blackjack said as he grinned from his chair nearby the sink. He was whipping up more cookie dough, stirring it for the little kids which included the twinnies and Kaon.
"Who's his body slave, 'Jack?" Alor asked as he iced cookies for very polite children, (a dog, a bug and a cow) who were watching with delight. "As if I have to ask."
"You don't." Blackjack replied.
"BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAA!" -everyone there including children who didn't know what they were laughing about.
=0=Everywhere else via the Family Grapevine™ earlier before the news really took off after receiving a whiny 'save me' text from his 'little mech'
:Guess what Ratchet is deciding that Ironhide will do?: Hardie said over the family link just because he wanted to make sure everyone knew
:What?: -everyone in the family.
:He's barbecuing outside anyway: -Hardie
:BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAAAA!: -everyone in the family
=0=Just about to leave the office
"I think its hilarious," Arcee said as she waited with Jetta and Elita to go to dinner with Jetta's folks at their house.
"Its moments like this that I'm glad your personal family tree has no insanity hanging from the branches, Arcee," Magnus said as he stepped around his desk to leave.
They bantered their way out and decided that they'd ask for the inevitable film of such things that always arrived in their inbox rather than fight the howling wind outside to get the parkland nearby.
=0=There, burning slag over fire
"WHAT?!"
"YOU'RE INSANE, LOON! I CAN'T SEE A SLAGGING THING!"
"OH. THANKS, IRONHIDE! I LOVE YOU, TOO, YOU SLAGGER!" Ratchet who was leaning into the wind peered under the lid of the outdoor barbecue that was part of each patio dining area. Flames poured out catching his face but died out in the wind. "I MIGHT'VE USED A BIT TOO MUCH LIGHTER FLUID!"
"DO YOU THINK!?" Ironhide replied as he gripped a pole that held up the roof over their picnic area to keep on his peds.
Sitting on horses nearby, ready to take them to the barn due to inclement weather, Springer, Drift and the boys watched with barely contained hysteria.
"ARE YOU GOING TO EAT DINNER WITH THEM!?" Hercy called out as the boys leaned in to listen around the howling gale.
"I DON'T THINK SO! THAT'S NOT HOW I PLAN TO GET MY MINERALS!" Springer replied.
They laughed loudly, did rock-paper-scissors, then rode toward the barn. Springer and Drift would come back after they picked up Tell at work. The entire scene was too funny to miss.
Maybe.
=0=TBC 07-3-2021 07-04-2021
By the way, that 19 pound little horse, not pony is a real thing. He's the littlest horse known to be born. SO CUTE! Google it. :D
Acuity: (uh-cue-ity) having to do with alertness and clarity, able to be sharp and self aware, or not.
purloined: (prrr-loynd) stolen
exhorted: (X-ortd) cheered