The Diego Diaries: Sun Dance (dd7 150)
=0=On the ground at Sun Base
They came in a large box, one designed for longish stays so it was bigger, had amenities and was built to withstand a meteor falling on it. It was a clear box with couches and chairs inside. There was a long bar with stools and a small rest room along the back wall. There were stores of food and drink along with communications equipment to hear what was happening around them and to chat.
Inside watching with amazement were a bunch of humans who had asked to come along. Now that the shooting potential was almost zed, they were given a ride in the 'long term-human habitation, fully stocked', that had been created for such moments and numbers. Will, Niall and Bobby Epps were there but so were a number of humans and other soldiers from their group.
Lonnie was standing with Sarah at the window as they were carried between two mechs. Jonathan and Thelma Lennox were there along with Judy and Ron Witwicky, Gavin Pritchard, Linda Graham, Jessie Landon, James Brooks-Spencer and three of the scientists. Others rounded out the group including a surprising number of siblings and elders of the party. They entered the command center, crossed the broad floor, then were placed on a table cleared for them.
The two mechs patted the box as they left to go to whatever duty they were required to do. The humans watched them go, then glanced around. Working nearby, Ratchet could be seen. Prowl was sitting at the table working on who knew what while a line snaked inside that they had just passed composing of local civilians. They came with children and other members of their family and were directed to Ratchet and three others.
They stepped behind screens where something was going on. A baby cried as the group looked poorly, those who were waiting. It was tense in the room as some went behind the screens, then walked out after a bit with lighter energy.
Lennox watched as a mech walked out of the screen behind which Ratchet was working. :Ratchet:
A helm popped up, looked around, then smiled. "Lennox. I see you brought your gerbil homies."
Laughter greeted that.
:Ratchet, what do you want to do about tomorrow?: Jessie asked.
Ratchet stared at them a moment, then jolted. "FRAG!"
Everyone in the room jolted, too, then looked at Ratchet. Half of the line looked ready to run.
"Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, Prowl," Ratchet said as he looked at his biggest alibi.
Prowl stared at him, then sat back. He tossed his stylus. "Frag. That's right."
"What's Thanksgiving?" a mech asked from the line.
"A holiday. We forgot it," Prowl said. "Don't worry about it. Its alright."
The line seemed to stand up a bit taller after that reminding everyone working there that this was a battered group.
Prowl stared at Ratchet who stared at Prowl. :Frag: they said to each other.
Moments later …
:IRONHIDE!:
[Pause]
:WHAT! WHAT THE FRAG, OLD MECH! DON'T DO THAT!:
:Tomorrow is Thanksgiving:
[Long pause]
:Frag:
Moments later… (over a long range bridge supported communications relay)
:Oh, Ratchet … this is so sad. How will you have dinner? Will there be something for you there?:
Ratchet listened to his ada fuss as he toiled in RTR Tools over a very intricate and carved sword, one with pieces cut out of the blade to create designs. This would be a highly ceremonial sword, one that he was making for Optimus for Christmas Surprise. It wouldn't do in his thinking for a Prime and a holy personage not to have the fullest range of ceremonial and personal swords imaginable. He personally was set to create all of them for him one holiday at a time.
:I'll see to it. What I want to know is what we're going to do about the situation? Half the mechs and femmes coming are with us here: Ratchet replied.
:Well, we can have dinner here just like we planned: Ravel said. :I can host it:
Ratchet grinned. :The host with the most. How about having it at the Hall and we'll bag the contest this year. I can keep the prizes for something else later on. Maybe we can have a camp out and barbecue in the Valles:
:That would be lovely, Ratchet. I'm so sorry, son. You put so much effort and store in your parties. They're very wonderful parties, too: Ravel said with a tinge of anxiety.
Ratchet quashed a snicker and a desire to go to RTR Tools and hug his ada. :Thank you, Ada. How about having it with everyone? Then you can have some fun. We're good to go here. We'll make it up at Christmas Surprise. Have the others help you. Don't do it all on your own. Have everyone there and I'll handle the rest:
:Alright, son. Don't worry about the children. We have them figured out. We'll play with them when school is out. We have two orns. Will you be home?: Ravel asked.
:I'm not sure. Don't count on it and you won't be disappointed. We have a big population to help move out of here. Nearly five million:
:Oh, my. They might call our group to assist: Ravel said.
:I took you off the rotation. You have too much to do. I don't want you to be too worn out: Ratchet replied.
:We can help, Sonny. We want to: Ravel said.
:Not this time, Ada. Is Atar there?: Ratchet asked.
:I'll cut him in on the line: Ravel said.
:Ratchet? How are you? Are things going well or not?: Tie Down said as he paused his pounding of metal on an anvil.
:We're good. No shooting. Just surrender. I want you and Ada to have a great Thanksgiving with the group at the Hall. Also, I want you to put the kids into daycare at The Fortress. Most of their friends will be there, too. Don't overdue but eat a lot:
:What about you and the others, son?: Tie asked.
:Fortunes of war, Atar. We're going to be fine here. We can go camping and have the barbecue contest in the Valles. Don't worry. Just do it and have fun: Ratchet said. :It will help us if you do:
They chatted a moment, then signed off. Ratchet glanced at the humans who were watching him. "Thanks, Sunshine," he said with a grin, then he began to work again, retrieving explosives out of the skulls of everyone they could find in the colony.
=0=Nearby squaring out things himself ...
:Just take the food, heat it up and bring it to the Hall. Everyone who isn't here will be there. It's alright. Fortunes of war, Ada: Prowl said as he spoke this ada over the link up.
:Oh, Prowl. This is so sad to me. I invited my genitors to come. They said they would: Miler said.
Prowl considered the conundrum before him with his atar's Amma and Appa working across the table from him. He didn't dare to tell his ada they were here. He wanted to make sure that it went over well and that his father wasn't too shocked. Venture never spoke of them, the idea of their unknown condition too painful to contemplate. They figured out the plan, then Miler signed off.
:Optimus:
:I am here:
:Thanksgiving tomorrow:
[Silence]
:That is right. I am sorry about that, Prowl:
:Don't be. Things happen. I just talked to Ada about the children. They're in good hands. I said that he should get the food in the fridge, heat it up and take it to the Hall for the party. I suspect that the usual will show, that is, those that are still on world and can have the party. Ratchet told me that the contest is called. Maybe later during a camping trip in the Valles:
An amused feeling crossed their bond. :I assume that we will have to wait to see who wins 'Prowl' this year?:
Prowl nearly guffawed. :I intend to win that one myself:
They chatted a moment commiserating together, then signed off. Prowl sat a moment savoring Prime's soft energy, then glanced toward Ratchet. He grinned. "Prowl," he said softly, then snickered. He returned to his work and in the company of his appa and amma, he continued to figure out how to move nearly four million individuals and their gear with as little fuss as possible.
=0=The next orn on Mars
They gathered the kids and parted them out. All of Ironhide's family and Ratchet were on the mission and thus wouldn't be here. Everyone else had pinged back agreement to come anyway and they numbered about 350 individuals, up a hundred or so from the year before even with missing members.
Food was strategized, individuals enlisted and all was go for noon at the Central Labor Hall, Room 113. With a grin, the group was herded out with the aid of the big kids as they walked out to meet the day. Nothing was going to be open so they were going to the park to play. It would be a hilarious time in the confines of Metroplex Kiddie Park for a while.
=0=Earth 1, Earth2 and Unidad Terra 1
Things were swinging at Earth 1 and 2. All of the habitats had agreed that Thanksgiving would be in-house this year while Christmas and a number of other holidays that were consolidated on this date for everyone who wasn't Christian were likewise going to see celebrations at the same time. They were a multi-national community and all through the year celebrations both national and personal were given their just due. This one would be a party for several nation's independence days, a couple of Thanksgivings besides America's and celebrations of milestones for the smaller nations represented that deserved more attention.
All manner of food, drink, dress and language would be represented for this Thanksgiving, the first for some and several for others. It would be homey and then Christmas would be cosmopolitan, held once again at Unidad. All in all, the party schedule was on point.
Kitchens cooked large quantities of good things, individuals cooked in their apartments all of their personal and national specialties while others received shipping from home and country containing things they wanted everyone to try. Lounges were set up and prepped as everyone got ready for lunch which was supposed to start at Earth 1 at noon, Earth 2 an hour later and Unidad, the biggest habitat at 3:00 PM.
The Hu An would be harvesting a wheat-like grain they were experimenting with that would allow them to make a very special and much loved bread if all worked out according to plan. It would be a toss up amongst all of them who would be the most thankful today.
=0=There
All around the colony there were lines feeding into medical shuttles and small ships that were helping the people all over the colony with their problem. Most of them were in good condition overall. Many of them were also very traumatized with their lives especially among the most recent migrations, all of which were conned into coming here to live and were captured into slavery.
The planet was beautiful, resource rich and rare. That two of them circled the same star was amazing. The other four planets in the system were inhospitable to most life but not to the Cybertronians. They could exist almost anywhere but the seething center of a volcano.
They came and came, the locals, patiently waiting in line. Ratchet watched them as he walked around the area scoping out the problem and troubleshooting the situation which was enormous. The now former slaves were tense and uncertain. He paused by an elder. "How are you doing?"
He turned to Ratchet. "Where are we going? We get to stay together. Right?" he asked with anxiety. Everyone around him shed the same fearful aura.
Ratchet nodded. "We're going to a great place where you can live free." He put in a call to Prime, then listened. When Prime signed off, Ratchet looked at the elder. "I asked Prime to tell you about it. He's going to help you understand that this nice place isn't the last nice place you ever live."
"This place is beautiful but its a prison to us," the elder said as the others nodded and murmured.
Ratchet squeezed the elder's shoulder. "I know. Just wait. Optimus will help you."
=0=Moments later …
:May I have your attention. This is Optimus Prime:
A pause swept over the entire community as his voice reached them.
:I am aware of your anxiety about where we are going to go when we leave here. We receive many anxious migrations and have prepared videos of our colony to allay fears of refugees coming there. I am going to allow them to be played for you through the transponder system. You will be able to view them on your internal monitors. Please watch them and know that you are included in all the benefits and possibilities shown. Remember, we are all one. Prime out:
It was then that the films began to play, the flights over the colony, the visitations of places and overviews of their future homes narrated by Ultra Magnus. It would be an overwhelming revelation for most of them. A most welcomed revelation.
=0=TBC 12-6-19 :D