The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd7 5)
NOTE: I had a !**SCORCHING**! sore throat and the only way to survive it was to lay perfectly still. Now its better. HERE WE GO!
=0=At the scene of the crime
Slag was bent over in energon chains, not cuffs, pressed nearly face first into the ground by Black Shadow and Blue Bacchus. This one looked as bad as theirs but the vibe from him was deeply psychotic.
Ratchet stared at him, then pulled a meter. Running data, he turned to Prime. "This one needs stasis. No one is going to be safe around him."
"Do it," Prime said as he stared at the raging beast before them. It was evident that he had some small function of his fire mechanism but it was limited to his mouth. It glowed and so did his maniacal optics.
Ratchet pulled another meter, walked closer to where Black Shadow and Blue Bacchus had him pressed half bent over toward the ground. Then he tapped in a code and the big mech dropped silently onto his face. He was deep in medical stasis and it would take Ratchet's codes to bring him back.
Behind him, sliding down the ramp in raging frustration, his partner in crime appeared. Sixshot and another unknown mech were manhandling him. It took both of them. Sludge was equally enraged and in seconds equally flat on his face.
It was silent a moment, then Ratchet grinned. "Well, that was anti-climatic."
Huge laughter greeted that as everyone relaxed. Guards from the prison gathered the two and with a grinning Gee-Gee leading the way headed with Ratchet to the lock ups nearby where they'd be placed in the first barracks. Laying them on berths until their placement was finalized, they would remain there for the short term no longer a danger to anyone.
Walking back out, Ratchet and Gee-Gee arrived just in time to see the ship lift off to go home again. Ratchet grinned at Prime. "All is well. For us, that is."
Huge laughter and relief greeted that as everyone relaxed.
Prime glanced at Prowl. "Do you have everything you need?"
Prowl nodded. "We're good here."
Prime glanced at the others. "Then we're off duty until tomorrow."
Everyone began to transform, then drive back to The City as Ratchet ambled along the road. Ironhide and his family joined him as Prowl and Prime transformed to drive back. It was pleasant.
"I have to say … their Sixshot is a better looking slagger than ours," Ratchet observed.
"Frag that," Ironhide said as he glanced at Ratchet with a slight frown. "Since when?"
"A good looking mech is a good looking mech, Ironhide," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. Poking a raging volcano was fun.
"Frag that," Ironhide said as his family laughed loudly.
=0=Around the colony over the last orn of weekend
They streamed in, thousands a day as the refugee bases got them prepared to leave there for safety. It was mechanized now to a precise degree that would make the humans green with envy. Teletraan II's 'floating nexus', a small computer that was linked into the entire system and had enough brains, power and autonomy to do things independent of all of them had control of this process. It would detail down to the last elder and baby who could come at any time and find housing available. It was so precise, attentive and detailed that it was called 'Little Jetta' by everyone in the housing and refugee sectors.
Meanwhile, in Crater Districts 2 and 3 a manic program of housing construction was underway. Both sites, huge and when finished, capable of holding 20,000,000 individuals had been dug out in tandem then 'plumbed' with all the utilities and structures needed to house a towering series of independent but related cities. They were rising into the skies, all of them in about the same degree of build.
Each of the massive vast areas would be built in the usual style … a 'hub' city for the 'wheel' that would be six others, all of them filled with amenities, businesses, governmental, educational and medical facilities and things to do. All of them would have cultural annexes. All of them would be beautiful, built on a grid system and fully capable of functioning independently.
Nearby in another crater, number 4 would be an airport and commercial landing site where commerce would happen and private and military aircraft would thrive and function. A train system that ran above ground dedicated to commercial operation was being built here and would be extended everywhere to all centers.
It was even being debated that the Hangar District's commercial center would be transferred out here to Crater District 4 to facilitate everything better. When that was accomplished, then they could take the older area and transform it into greater and more comfortable housing for the giant frames and bots like Silverbolt and his brothers.
Win-win.
Slacker would get a brand new kingdom and the bots who flew would get a bigger, better home.
Jetta stood with Payload, Tyro and Bulkhead on a dirt pile studying the plans for an entire block of towers that were halfway to completion in District 2 of Crater District 3. They were tall, beautiful and on the side of one of the great towers was the Autobrand. They were too tall for humans to see the tops but the bots could easily. "This is beautiful. Well done."
Bulk grinned. "We're going to have half this place on line in a few orns. Most of what we have to do with this section of ten blocks is finish the inside. Some of the businesses that want to come here are already moving in. The governmental buildings, medical and the cultural stuff are also moving in. We want to have as many of the useful things available for the refugees when they come."
"How many are already in here and what's the status on Crater District 1's ability to take refugees, if you know? I haven't gotten the data from the Bureau yet. Or maybe I have and haven't seen it," Jetta said as he studied the appropriate files on his main work data pad.
"We have about 50,000 refugees living here on the two blocks on Main and 14th Streets. We can open up the next fifteen blocks for them when the amenities get applied inside. The room left at Crater 1 is getting to be short. If things continue we can make the shift to this place without a break. If things get hung up, then we're going to have to halt the stream until it gets sorted out. So far, all is holding up," Payload said.
"We got the supply lines down to a fine science. As soon as the train tracks are laid and the yards sorted out, the supply will be even better. I love trains," Bulkhead said with a grin.
"You and me both," Jetta said with a grin. "I can't wait to hitch rides."
"I used to do that on Cybertron," Payload said fondly remembering the hardship of getting on and not getting clubbed by security that ran rough shod at the stations. No hitchhiking was allowed.
"You and me, too," Bulkhead replied.
Beyond the cityscape a long shiny trail of tracks were being laid. They would parallel the road systems heading from the Industrial Park Cities into train yards that were on the edge of cities. All manner of goods would be delivered that way supplying delivery services who could then turn their talents and resources to something other than joining long lines at the expediters every early morning for their wares. The expediters could them turn their own talents to the trains. It was a win-win for everyone.
=0=The Basilica
They worked together, the wives of billionaires sweeping and busing up the interior of an overpoweringly tall building that was sacred to The People. Cassie Daniels, Allison Beliveau, Annie Cutter, Sandra Galloway, Mariah Davis and Bridgette Baudin were here with Olivia Bowers to do their term of service according to their plans for their 'Women's Task Force' as they facetiously called it.
They had studied the women's auxiliary which numbered over 600 now including men and decided to add their own autonomous group to the social mix. The Earth2 Women's Club was now a thing and they were here and there around the colony seeking things to do to add their distinction to life here. From working in the buildings to keep them clean, to going to the museums and libraries to make contributions, they were doing good works all over the place and it was welcomed by the bots.
:This place is so big if I look up I get vertigo: Annie Cutter said. :I've been in big cathedrals but this is more than that:
:I know: Allison Beliveau said. :I've never been anywhere that the dust bunnies were as big as me:
They laughed, then continued. The ultimate goal for some of them, Mariah Davis included was working in the Temple itself some day. The morning would pass sweetly.
=0=Hanging out on the weekend at Earth2 International High School, Earth2, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire
Tim and Amber sat on the steps together watching traffic on the streets before them. Small electric cars and trucks, the tiny cabs, too, were driving past heading this way and that. They were going to the farm after school to help take care of the sheep and baby calves. It was something they asked to do and the caretakers welcomed them.
"What do you want to do during break?" Amber asked.
"Kayak," Tim said. "I don't want to hang with the others. I'm going to punch Barrett if he comes around. I hate that guy."
Amber nodded. "I don't like his sisters either. We can hang out and kayak. Maybe we can help on the farm more. Maybe Olivia will let us ride her horses. I asked Rain and she doesn't want anyone riding hers but her family."
"She doesn't have a clue," Tim said bitterly. "We can wait for Dad to get off, then maybe have a picnic."
"That would be fun," Amber said as she leaned against her brother. "I can get the food together. We can drive out and have fun. When our dogs get here its going to be a lot better."
"When do they come?" Tim asked as he nodded.
"Tomorrow. Grandma and Grandpa coming to stay will be great," Amber said. "I miss them."
Tim nodded, then glanced at her. "Do you miss Earth?"
She thought a moment, then shook her head. "No. Not since Mom."
Tim nodded, then leaned closer to his sister. "I know. It'll be better tomorrow."
They sat together watching the cars go by, waiting for their dad to get off work so they could have fun together.
=0=RTR Tools
They came in, four big tense looking mechs. Pausing at the counter, they waited for Ravel to walk out. He did, polishing a big knife he held in his servos. "Can I help you?"
One of them nodded respectfully. "You can, Abba. We want to have knives made."
"I see," Ravel said as he reached under the counter to get a thick book. He laid it on the counter. "Here are the usual styles. If you want something else, you can tell my bond so he can draw it."
The big mech took the book and the four browsed through it. They settled on big double edged combat knives, ones that required a lot of work to make.
Ravel studied it, then looked up at the mechs. "You do know that our knives and other weapons are sentient. They get that way through the process. They have the right to decide whether or not to accept you. If they don't, you can't take them. That is our rule and requirement."
The four mechs stared at Ravel, someone who was revered along with Tie Down in the martial community. "We know, Abba. We're going to take that risk for a good blade."
Ravel smiled. "Very well. I need to take information." He put the blade in his hand down, then walked to the computer station to pull up a screen. When he did, one of the mechs picked up the blade he was working on.
The blade was long, curved and had all of the etchings and prayers it needed already supplied to it through the making process. When the mech picked it up, it sparked. He dropped it to the counter and wrung his servo in pain.
Ravel glanced at it, then them. He hesitated, then looked at the screen. "Names?" he asked.
They would give them along with contact information, then walk out. Ravel would watch them go, then pick up the blade. He stared at it. "You don't like them either? Maybe I should talk to my grandson again."
=0=TBC 6-1-19