The Diego Diaries: Sun Dance and Turkey Legs (dd7 152)
=0=Earlier at the party
It was going hard, the party when the last shift workers arrived with their food and large cardboard cutouts of everyone on the mission who would've been here but wasn't. Huge laughter greeted that as they were leaned up against the front wall which was bare and had room for the amusing portraits that would bear witness for those who were working still.
The party would go on for joors until at last everyone would find their way homeward satiated and happy. The only thing better would be if there had been the contest followed by football. The season was still delayed given the work load lately of half the players in the league who were active duty. When things simmered down it would begin.
=0=A bit before that last roll call at the party in the hall
They gathered to go to Mars, half carrying Stealth with them. The sedatives were good and he was in a better state when they arrived at Autobot City. Prime had asked for the bridge to put them down on the corner of Metro 1 and 3 which was directly in front of their building. The walk to the elevator and a ride up was taken, then they went into the Residence to sit.
Prowl sat tensely with Styre who was watching Stealth with an anxious expression. It was clear that Stealth would require a bit of assistance to find his way back to peak performance.
Ratchet who was monitoring him wondered himself how much of this was the handsome mech's natural state.
Styre and Stealth bore the same configuration as Prowl, black and white with red chevrons. Apparently it was an affectation of design that both families admired. It was quiet in the room as Stealth lay back on the chair and shuttered his optics.
Ratchet glanced at Prime. :If Venture and Miler are coming, maybe we better get Stealth into another place so we can see how this goes with Styre: he said.
Prime nodded, then rose. "Come with us, Stealth. We have a nice room for you to rest in. We can regroup after you sleep a bit."
Stealth was helped up, then with Prowl and Styre walked to the corridor that would take them to the section of their apartment that were luxury suites for visitors, state or otherwise. They disappeared, then Prime turned to Ratchet. "That was probably a good idea."
"I think so. We can get Styre and have him meet up with the others when they get here. We can see how it goes with him. He's not so great himself," Ratchet replied.
Prime nodded, then followed down the hallway. He was gone in seconds.
Ratchet stared at the corridor, then heard someone outside. The kids were parted out and it could only be Kestrel, Tagg, Miler and Venture. He walked to the door, opened it, then looked out.
"Ratchet," Miler said with a smile as he walked from the elevator with the others. "What are you doing here?"
"Prime abdicated. I'm Prime now. Ratchetitus Primus El Grande Mostest."
Huge laughter greeted that as they entered, then Ratchet closed the door.
Miler turned to him with a smile. "Where's Prowl and Optimus?"
"They're attending to something. Have a seat," Ratchet said as he walked to a couch to sit.
Everyone walked in, then sat.
Venture leaned back. "You should have been there. It was wonderful. Someone brought card board cutouts of everyone missing. We're going to bring them home tomorrow."
Ratchet grinned. "Did they get my good side?"
"Both of them," Miler said with a chuckle. "How is it where you are?"
"We have a surrender," Ratchet said. "Two warring groups fighting over The System. The usual slag. We have about 4.7 million civilians to bring in. What's making it slow is that they have the detonation chips in their helms. We have to remove them and only then is it go."
"They're not another Functionalist Council group are they?" Venture asked suddenly solemn.
"No. They just shared tech," Ratchet said as the sound of footfalls returning could be heard.
Prime and Prowl entered the room, then paused before the group.
Ratchet grinned. "The party was hearty."
"I am glad," Prime said.
"Are you here for a stay, Orion or do you have to go back right away?" Kestrel asked as he sat beside Tagg.
"We have to go but we found someone we want to have you meet before we do," Prime said as he glanced at Prowl.
Prowl looked pensive then he glanced at Ratchet. It was clear he was at a loss to proceed.
Ratchet looked at Venture and Miler. "You know how sometimes you get lucky and the shock of it can be something else?"
The group nodded silently.
"Well, we did. The leader of one of the factional groups was a mech that you and Miler know, Venture. Their bond is someone you know as well," Ratchet said as he glanced at Prowl. "Can one of them come or are both of them resting?"
"One is," Prowl said. He looked at his genitors. "I'll get him." He headed for the corridor swiftly.
"Who is it, Ratchet?" Venture asked.
Ratchet looked at Prime, then them. Even Prime was waiting for Ratchet. "We found two mechs, Venture. One of them is Styre and the other is Stealth."
It was silent in the room as they took in their information, then Venture leaned forward. "That's the names of my genitors," he said blankly.
Then it sank in.
At that moment, Prowl appeared with a strikingly handsome slightly older appearing version of himself.
Styre was beside him, then he looked at the group. It was as if he was punched in the face. "Venture."
Venture stood up slowly staring from Ratchet to Prime to his father. "You found my father. You found my atar." He stood in place almost seemingly rooted to the floor then turned to Ratchet. "My father is here."
Ratchet was scanning both him and Miler as Venture floundered. "Go hug your father, Ven. It's about time."
Venture staggered forward then hurried to his father. He gripped him tightly in a hug for a moment before Styre through his shock hugged him back. It was incredible how silent it was as they hugged each other. Then Venture stepped back to look at him. "You're here. You made it. Where's Ada?"
"He's lying down. Venture, you made it-" He paused as he glanced at Miler.
Miler was standing up staring at Styre with astonishment. "Styre … you're alive. You and Stealth are alive."
That's when Venture and Styre began to cry.
=0=A half joor later
They sat side-by-side holding servos, Venture and his father as they struggled to pull themselves together.
Ratchet helped them with a script, an additional one for Styre. Both of them leaned back, then sat almost haggardly for a moment.
"How did you find them, Optimus?" Miler asked as he sat on the other side of Styre and took his hand.
"He leads one of the factions, one called Homeland. He and Stealth are part of the leadership and it was coming along toward a shooting war when we arrived," Prime said. He was sitting on a couch next to a pensive Prowl who was staring at his fathers with intensity.
"Oh, my," Miler said. "What a miracle. What will you do out there, Optimus? It isn't going to be a fight is it?"
"No," Prime said. "We disarmed the aggressor and have it in control. We have both colonies to move because they are in unstable space and the group who challenged us on the Functionalist colony lives nearby. We cannot leave anyone there when we go."
Stealth looked at Prime. "I will go back with you. You will need help with moving the colony and other things that I can do."
"You're not going anywhere for a bit," Ratchet said as he looked at the data on his meter. "You're on the edge of the fritz. You need to rest here and see about Stealth. He's got a serious case of post traumatic stress. Both of you do. You'll need assistance, especially Stealth."
Styre stared at Ratchet but felt too weary to argue. He hung his helm. "I had no hope. We were in Polyhex and had to go. The Knights were moving us along, some at gunpoint to get us to leave. We never found out what happened to any of you or if you were alright. It has been the most profound torment of all."
Prowl glanced at Venture who had his arm around his father. "We also have rescued Amma Shadow and Appa Zenith."
Styre raised his helm to look at Prowl. "That's wonderful news. I'm happy for you, Miler. Its so terrible what has happened to all of us. We're so lucky. I never expected to see any of you again."
"There's someone you need to see, Styre," Miler said as he rose to walk to a baby carrier nearby. He reached inside and pulled out a onesie clad infant who was sound asleep. He walked back to Styre and gently lay the baby into his grandfather's arms. "This is our son, Styre. His name is Prima."
Styre stared at the baby, then Miler and an emotional Venture. "This is your son. You had another son?"
"We did it for Prowl and for ourselves. There are no limits anymore, Styre. No limits and no end of dreams to pursue," Miler said. "This baby is that promise."
Prima lay in Styre's arms, his tiny chevron muted in sleep. He was beautiful, perfect and handsome. "I see you carried on the family tradition of design and coloration."
"We did. He's so handsome," Miler said proudly. "You should see our other grandchildren and their nephews and nieces. We have twin femmes, a little mech from our grandson, Prowl's son, Bluestreak. Then we have grandchildren from Prowl and Optimus … three older little mechs, two tiny ones and two little femmes. We have children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, Styre. You and Stealth will be very busy loving them."
Styre stared at Miler, then the baby. "I think so." He then began to cry again, this time less raggedly.
=0=Out there
Ironhide sat on a box near a ship being loaded with personal items of refugees getting ready to go to Mars. A number of his family was with him but Hard Drive who was running the show in the Ops Center nearby. Sun Dance was being dismantled but it would take a lot of work and finesse. He glanced at his grandfather, Raptor. "Prowl has his amma and appa at The Residence. They just let Venture in on the news. He and his father are pretty emotional. They just showed him Prima."
Raptor grinned. "That's always good. Prima is a first class little slagger, too. I remember when we came in to meet the infants ourselves for the first time. You never forget that moment."
"Nope," Ironhide said with a grin. "Wait until they meet everyone including ours."
Raptor snickered. "I WILL be there for that one."
The whirl went on and on.
=0=Sun Dance Ops Center
The humans watched the show outside their case which was well on its way to getting coordinated the way it need to be. They were comfortable and could stay in the box for days before they ran out of food and water. The facilities were lux and even if some might have to sleep on the plush carpets of the floor there were enough chairs and couches for most of them.
"This is amazing," Jessie said as she stood beside James Brooks-Spencer, her fiance. "This could have been so bad."
James nodded. "How does it feel to be on another planet on the other side of the galaxy, practically?"
Jessie grinned. "This is Tuesday for Mars N.E.S.T."
Huge laughter greeted that as the swirl went on around them.
=0=On the tarmac heading for a ship to bridge away
Prime and Ratchet walked together heading for a battleship that would send them on a hop and skip out to the mission. Prowl had reluctantly decided to stay. He was that tightly wound into duty but the mission at home was a priority. He would call for Ratchet to come back to manage the introductions for Stealth when he awoke and would arrive, hopefully, with Prime as well when Prowl signaled for him.
"That never gets old but it was good that I could come to assist," Ratchet said as they nearly reached the battleship Destiny.
"I appreciate that," Prime said. "This is a hard business but there are islands of happiness in our sea of problems."
Ratchet nodded. "Two down and millions to go," he said as they walked up the ramp to disappear inside.
=0=Two joors later
He stood by the window of the luxurious suite that was their room here in The Residence of the Primes. Outside, he could see the swirl of a great city in the direction of the airfield. It was dark and the night looked velvet. Lights made it seem less foreboding from towers around them, equipment in orbit and the never ending flights of Seekers and planes.
They had talked a bit, marveled over the baby, then he had been brought here to rest with his bond who was deeply asleep thanks to Ratchet. He had lay there after they left then rose to walk to the window in the dark room. It was amazing to see, a real Cybertronian view. His son was part of this. Venture was a big part of it and his grandson, his precious Prowl was Prime's bond and his right arm.
He considered the traumas of long eons of fear and felt some of them fall away. It would take a long time to get better and he wouldn't be calm until everyone was here in safety. Tomorrow would come and he would attend to Stealth, himself riven in half by stress, work load and fear of war. Now it was over. Soon they would find their way and then they would turn their attentions to the only thing that would matter then, their family, grandchildren, the colony and peace.
He walked back to the berth then sat down. Taking Stealth's servo, he would sit for a long time before he could unwind enough to lay back down.
=0=TBC 12-8-19