The Diego Diaries: Elder Day (dd8 204)
=0=At Sun and 'Jack's house
They sat in the living room yarning away, telling stories of the long ago days to the kids who'd come over with Springer and Drift when they heard everyone was here. The hilarity at Ratchet and Ironhide's was tempting but the storm had quickened. It was a gale force affair and the ending time for it had been pushed forward.
Springer, Drift and their group had taken the train to Sun's house when Sideswipe sent them a message. They'd come for the kids but were staying for the bullshit. It was a nicely crowded apartment when they arrived. Given that some of them lived in the same city it wasn't a stretch to come over to their tower with a case of beer and the food they were bringing to the barbecue before it got mowed down under a hail of wind and sand.
"I see you brought the loaner," Lissie said as Springer handed her the tiny bundle that was Tell. "How is he doing?"
"He goes to school for two joors every orn and he's doing great. He can sit up all by himself now," Springer said with evident pride. "He's that end of the awesome scale or so someone tells me."
"Poor Ratchet," Sun said with a chuckle. "He so does like things to be nice."
"We saw them when we decided to bring the horses in. All the patrols were recalled. Ratchet was leaning into the wind in front of the barbecue and Ironhide was holding on to a pole," Drift said as everyone howled. "Ada opened the barbecue lid to check things and got enveloped with fire."
Howling laughter greeted that as everyone sat including Hercy, Kup and all of the youngsters. Among them were Hot Rod and Smokey who sat on the opposite side of the room from each other.
"When was the last time that those two had a night off from kids and crap?" 'Jack asked.
"I can't remember," Drift said as he glanced at the twins and Springer.
They shrugged. No one knew.
"What say we cancel dinner and the man cave. Let them have a chance to be off duty so to speak," 'Jack said. "Tel them the storm has us pinned down and everyone is here safe and sound. Even the ones living in their building."
"What if they go across the hall to see if 'Jack and Alie are there?" Sun asked.
"We tell them to stay home and lay low or go to Hardie's or Raptor's houses. They deserve a night off given all the slag lately and I'm not fond of the idea of going out into this to return the kids," 'Jack replied.
"Me either," Sun said as the others nodded.
"We're going to have to go eventually," Sideswipe said. "Blue is at Prime's for dinner and we were let off from that because of the storm and being called up by the Watch. By the way, how's this work?"
"We're linked in. We get called out from here, this squad. We have priority override on the Metro to get where we have to go and everyone is hunkered down in strategic locations at the substations. There's a few who are patrolling because their features allow it but mostly the grid is doing the heavy duty.
"If someone gets lost or stuck the grid will alert us and we're on it with an emergency team at The Fortress and at the Emergency Command Center to use the bridges," Springer said. "This is a good way to drill and troubleshoot the plan."
Everyone nodded.
"I'm going to text Hardie. Hold on," Sun said as he sat quietly a moment. Then he grinned. "We're agreed."
=0=At Tower Two in Hardie and Delphi's place many floors below you-know-who
They sat on the couch together with Orion sleeping on the heat generated by Hardie as the baby lay on his chassis. They were watching a movie with the sound and lights turned down. It was quiet and peaceful.
Hardie glanced at Delphi. "Sun messaged me. He thought it might be nice to call a night on the dinner and man cave. He thought it might be a good thing to let Ironhide and Ratchet have a night alone. Some of them are concerned about going through the sand storm to get here and they want us along with Raptor and Blackjack to hide."
"What if they see us? What if they come by?" Delphi asked. "We all live in the same building."
"Sun and 'Jack are going to send a text. Everyone got caught out in the storm and are hunkered down," Hardie said.
They stared at each other, then Orion, then each other.
"Something tells me this is going to bite us in the ass," Delphi said.
Hardie nodded, then sent back a text.
=0=At Sun and Jack's house
"Hardie and Delph agree. They also say we're going to regret this," Sun said as everyone nodded. He grinned. "I'll get the email together and give it to Hardie to proof. No one messes around. None of you will be at home. Alor will be the weak link. I'm messaging him now."
=0=At Blackjack's house
They both read the message, then considered it in silence.
"What about the morning? What if they see us here too soon?" Alor asked.
"I know. We can't stay here. We're tactically too close. Hold on," Blackjack said. :Atar:
:Here: Raptor replied.
:Did you get Sun's message?:
:I did. What do you want to do?: Raptor replied.
:Camp with you. We can't be here. We live across the hallway for Primus sake. We're on our way: Blackjack said.
:Understood. Bring the kids or don't come. Raptor out:
Blackjack grinned, then rose. "We better bug out fast and quietly."
They would.
=0=Shortly after missing hulking mechs moving out
They trudged out of the elevator carrying a covered tray with a layer of sand on it. Ratchet led the way with a slight scorch mark on his face while Ironhide followed trailing sand with every ped fall. Into the house they went. The lights came on as they walked to the counter to put slag down.
"What now? I'm going to set the table," Ironhide said, then he paused to listen to an incoming message. "Oh-oh."
"What?" Ratchet asked as he turned to look at Ironhide.
"Everyone's stranded. No one can get out to come," Ironhide said as he turned to Ratchet with a wary expression. "Everyone's hunkered down with others. No one is at home here. The kids are with them and all of them are okay."
Ratchet stared at him, then the food stacked around, enough to feed the army that they called their kids. The warmers held more and the barbecue was plentiful. Covered dishes with buns of all kinds were also being kept warm on the counter next to the stove covered with dishes of other sides. "Well …"
=0=Sun's house
"Ironhide just sent a text. He's got a ton of food, some really good looking barbecue and a lot of beer."
"I want to go to their house," Springer said as the others nodded.
"You want to go out into that?" 'Jack asked.
Everyone stared at the window which looked like they were stuck in a sandy hole, the blizzard was so intense. "No." -everyone
=0=Ironhide and Ratchet's house
"This orn has been a fragging disaster," Ratchet said as he stared at the barbecue which he for some reason had become expert at making really good. "That storm is a bitch."
"I agree," Ironhide said.
"I hate this." -R, hating this
"I do, too." -IH, hating that R was hating this
Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "I need to punch something."
Ironhide braced himself. "Okay."
Ratchet smirked faintly, then looked at the food all around. "Dinner is served."
They silently got plates, several, then heaped them up. Both of them would sit at the table and eat quietly. Outside, the storm raged on. It would escalate shortly and everyone everywhere would be stuck in place, such was the intensity outside.
In a strange prescient manner, Sun and 'Jack would be right.
=0=Raptor's house
They came in, sleeping child, mellow cow and the two of them, entering the house to stay over. They were many floors down and away from Ratchet and Ironhide, thus it would take real effort for the two to find them. It would be an amusing evening with the baby sleeping in the spare room with Alor and Blackjack sleeping on the couch when at last everyone turned in.
=0=At the House Where Fun Comes To Die™
They sat on their chairs sipping beer as they listened to The Hourly News tell about the storm.
"The Weather Command Center at Fortress Maximus has released an updated forecast of the storm and it looked like it'll be raging through 1000 joors in the evening tomorrow on the TMC before it begins to taper off. At the moment its a full storm with a wind force rated 10. The winds are raging between 100-125 miles per hour. The Center declared black out conditions and all fights in and out of Autobot City are grounded at all airports within the colony.
"Trade off world and flights commercial and military between Earth and Mars are on standby. All fights to and from the outlying bases are on hold with traffic from them confined to bridges at The Fortress.
"The Bureau of Refugees at the Port of Mars has released a statement saying that all incoming refugees are on standby until the storm eases and the scene can be assessed. Normally, the colony receives between four and ten thousand new colonists through the bridges at the Port every orn. Until things are safer and conditions are assessed, no one will be arriving there.
"The Watch has released a statement asking all travelers to stay at home in the morning until the sand and debris situation can be assessed. Teletraan II is currently mapping the colony, updating fully every 3 minutes to determine the degree of settlement of the sand in the storm. They also state that large rocks and boulders are among the debris tossing about.
"All human habitations and their occupants are confined by Primal Decree to their habitats. Under no circumstances shall you leave them even by Metro. The Metro trains will be bypassing your stations to help contain your inhabitants until further notice. I repeat, all Metro trains will not be stopping at your stations until further notice.
"Schools are closed tomorrow until roads and highways are cleared. Unless you are clearly identified as essential workers and receive a call from your work place, no businesses will be open tomorrow in order to allow all public transport and what roads may be passable to be used by Emergency Services and Public Works who will begin to take the situation in hand.
"If you have an emergency contact Emergency Services through the call system by dialing 919. You will be attended to. All other events are canceled until further notice. If you can, please reschedule appointments. Please do not go out unless you have no other option. All further information can be had at the Community Bulletin Board in the Emergency Folder.
"The Autobot City Unified School Board has issued a statement that reads that all colonial schools, public, private and religious are closed until the roads are safe and passable again. No buses will be running. No public offices will be open tomorrow as well. Also, a notice has been posted that all performances at the Performing Arts Center are canceled. The University released a statement that all on-site classes are canceled but on-line classes will be held as usual. All trade schools report that they're closed until the all clear is given.
"The Industrial Park System is going on automated control until the situation clears. All designated essential workers are given priority on the Metro lines to go there. Its a positive that the majority of workers there and in allied and related businesses and business parks are on vacation for the retool and build up of the new Crater Districts and the Central Point Habitation project.
"We're going to take a break for the Community Bulletin Board to scroll through closures and messages. When we come back we'll have a break down of the storm from the Chief Colonial Meteorologist, Capstone of Torus States."
The Community Bulletin Board began to scroll.
Ratchet rose, then walked to the cooler that stood next to their giant fridge. Opening it, he pulled out a giant sheet cake. Taking two big spoons out of a drawer, he walked back, tugged a teevee tray table out of the stand to set it up between them, then set the huge cake down.
Ironhide looked at it, then Ratchet. "You made this?"
Ratchet nodded. Then he sat.
"How did you get all the images on it. That's all of us from when we were kids," Ironhide said as he looked at the top of a Celebration cake covered in edible pictures. "This is great, Ratchet."
Ratchet smothered a grin. Then he stuck a spoon into the middle of it. Scooping out a big spoonful, he stuck it into his mouth. He held out the other spoon to Ironhide.
The big mech grinned, then took it. He stuck it in, got a big spoonful of his favorite dessert, then ate it. He felt the bliss. "You're getting to be a helluva baker, Ratchet. This is great."
"For you, Ironhide," Ratchet said.
They would sit together eating the cake themselves as they watched the experts explain the debacle going on outside.
Alone.
=0=TBC 07-04-2021
Happy Fourth of July, America. Is it really still 118 degrees everywhere? I hope the hell not.
ESL
yarning: a yarn is a tale, hopefully told like the storytellers in my family can tell them. Sitting around telling stories is yarning. Its an old American Western remark about sitting around talking and telling about the good old orns.
I remember one Thanksgiving when I broke my crystal cooking all day long. A HUGE turkey stuffed to the gunnels, buns, salads, side dishes, pies and all of it. An enormous mountain of food. My siblings couldn't make it and my mom had to go to the emergency room over something taking my dad with her. All of the food was picture perfect and sitting on the table with empty places all around. I remember sitting there thinking 'fuck'. BWAHAHAHA! I almost felt like Prowl.