The Diego Diaries: Cliffie and Buzzie's Turn
"Given the complexity of Stanixian clan society and the power the leaders wielded not only there but in different areas of Cybertronian life worldwide through networking and family ties, even Primes made time for The Empress ..." -The Societal Mores and Social Structure of the Family Clans of Stanix, University Of Iacon Press.
=0=Autobot City Medical Center, morning
They passed each other in the doorway, Rocco and Cliffjumper, neither knowing the other. Cliffjumper walked in holding his tiny daughter, Agnus of Mars while his bond, the luminous Buzzsaw of Stanix walked proudly beside them, his servo resting on Cliff's shoulder as ever. They were headed for the clinic on the 25th floor, Statistics and Data, where they would have Buzzie's progress charted to add to the database that was recovered from Cybertron. It had been damaged so bonds like theirs, a 'construction-class' bot and a mini-con were still uncharted territory for CNA predictions. They were collecting data for the Protoform Guild so that they would be able to analyze spark size and make protoforms for babies that would be able to handle the CNA of such disparate individuals.
They chatted up fellow patients on the way, colleagues and nanas who wanted to pinch Agnus's cheeks. Reaching the elevator, they entered. It began to go upward swiftly. Cliff looked up at Buzzie. "You look great today, Buzzie. I imagine you'll fly through this."
Buzzsaw's spark flew as he took in the genuine compliments of his bond. "I feel great, Cliffie. All is going to be well. We better get to the protoform department as soon as they measure us up. I don't imagine it'll be much different from Agnus."
"We will," Cliff said. "Whatever you need, Buzzie." The doors opened and he walked out followed by the huge mech who worshiped the ground he walked over. That it was mutual was something that Buzzsaw never expected.
Long ago …
"That should do it, Amma," Buzz said as he finished up a tiny repair on a tiny femme that was his great great great grandma. She was a terribly respected member of her clan, the most powerful one in all of Stanixian culture. This was the clan that had 'Outsider' members from all over the place including a number of perfectly placed individuals that could reek havoc on the world if asked.
And they would if asked.
Stanix clan society was matriarchal. That is, a single solitary femme ruled every clan across the board. Their word was holy writ, their decisions were final and they were revered for their wisdom, compassion and historical memory. She and all the subordinate femmes known as Queens were born during the Functionalist Oppression. Some of them including The Empress were Immortals.
All of them were victims of the earliest experiments of Jhiaxus to introduce gender into their species, a project he never completely gave up on accomplishing. They had fled with the others to disappear into their respective lives and cultures, some of them rewriting it entirely in their desire to protect themselves and their people from any future exploitation and harm.
Jhiaxus was still alive when they did and guarded by his association with the Primes. That didn't mean that the femmes weren't having him traced and watched, waiting for that moment when they would extract from him their eternal vengeance.
They never did.
He continued his work even as they continued to hunt him. That he left with Nova was both a big relief and a wrath-filled regret.
"How do you feel now, Amma?" Buzzie had asked gently as the elder mechs of her family watched.
Amma had fallen, tripping over a cyber fox she loved and dented her little arm. She was small and femme-like as most femmes in the future would become. She was the daughter of The Empress, a first generation Jhiaxus victim and thus the CNA changes had begun with her. She had been born a small modern shaped 'femme' but because she had a good protoform she had survived. Many didn't. Not in this group and not in the groups that followed Elita. They were just so statistically small that they were forgotten and overlooked.
It was another reason to hunt and kill Jhiaxus.
"Its wonderful, my sweet Buzzie. Please sit and have tea and cakes with me. Tell me of your life now," Amma Lylette, a Queen had said. She was the daughter of the Empress and ada of The Deacon. She was the public face of The Empress on the rare occasions it was needed.
Buzzie who adored her even as he was adored sat and talked to his grandma for over a joor before a call for a hedge doctor was made. He hugged her gently, took the best wishes of everyone there, then walked out to help others.
They watched him go with great affection. Lylette's son, The Deacon vented a sigh. "My son needs the best bond ever. He's so dedicated, Ada."
Lylette considered that, then consulted The Oracle. She stared into the depths of its swirling colors, then glanced at her son. "Don't worry about Buzzie, Tarlon. He's going to bond some fine orn and it will be glorious." …
They walked into the waiting room of the data center. Greetings and laughter were had because everyone LOVED Buzzie and were getting very fond of Cliffie, too.
Agnus stood on the floor on her tiny peds staring around with a gigantic baby smile. She walked here and there patting peds and getting pets.
Buzzie and Cliff sat nearby watching with ENORMOUS pride as she did.
"What a lovely baby," a little femme said.
"She's awesome. Buzzie is the ada so how could she be less?" Cliffie said. "Her protoform was designed to show how beautiful she is and to match Buzzie. Right, Buzzie?"
Buzzie who was smiling at him nodded. "I wanted finials like yours, Cliffie. Tiny femme horns would be cute."
"We couldn't get them right, Buzzie. I like yours. They're so delicate and beautiful," Cliff said as oblivious about things as ever. He said what he felt and he felt LARGE for Buzzie …
At a very large apartment in Stanix, (the Primal Colony of Mars), of course …
The Elder Council of Stanix was meeting in The Empress's house. It was the usual affair, thousands seemingly of individuals, children beyond count, groaning boards of food and much drink. Laughter, gossip, catching up and respect for the array of tiny elders who sat on either side of The Empress in the living room overflowed the big space.
The top three floors of the tower that overlooked the city center were the homes of the elders and their immediate families. Scattered all over the colonial city of Stanix were the boundless numbers of Stanixians who had gotten away because they were clans and that organized. Every orn new came and the several towers of the city that were kept free just for them to preserve their unique culture and social organization would have new residents.
Sitting with The Empress were the elders who counted for different skills and devotions and the individual femmes who led each large clan. They were called queens and even though they were the authority of their individual families and clan groupings, they were all subordinate to The Empress. Standing behind them eating and drinking as they attended to their elders, a row of mechs and two femmes chosen for a duration of time from the larger group who were heads of their respective families waited to assist whatever was needed including solving problems that The Empress gave them to do.
Anything.
Beyond that were the members of the families that made up the clans, all of them here to celebrate and to hear the wisdom of their elders. This was also the time where they would put forward requests, tell good things and seek whatever permissions that applied to their authority. Party hearty, they did. Then the serious business began.
Everyone quieted as the word went out from the rooms around, into the hallways and corridors. Everyone tuned into video feed if they couldn't see or knelt or sat down if they could and anyone was behind them. The meeting had been called to order.
That was when The Deacon stood up and walked to the open space in front of the elders. He grinned. "Welcome to the house of The Empress. She and our elders are here to help you, support you, CELEBRATE you and do what they can to uplift you. We are welcome to petitions."
They would come.
A tiny femme walked forward with a framed picture. She smiled at her great-great-great-great-great grandma and held up the frame. "I MADE YOU A PICTURE, NANETH!" She smiled brilliantly. The image was of Lido of Stanix, Empress of the Clans of Stanix and a powerful force of nature that few anywhere in Cybertronian society dared to insult or underestimate.
Lido smiled and reached for it. She pulled the baby next to her and listened as she described the image made by her with her art set. "What a lovely picture. What an artist you are. My! I will have to hang it on the wall." She looked at her son.
The Deacon grinned, then gently took the image. He looked at the wall, found a place among the hundreds of images of family and art made by children for her, then hung it there. Everyone in the room clapped and applauded the child who was hugged, then walked off to her genitors with a joyous spirit.
Others came, those who needed advice, some to express their love for her, this revered figure and others to tell how something went and to thank her. It was warm, familial, non-threatening and lovely.
Then it was Buzzie's turn.
Buzzie, ill at ease for a moment walked to his grandma and kissed her cheek.
Lido held Buzzie's face for a moment, pressing her cheek against his, then sat back. "Buzzie, you seem happier than usual. What may I do to serve you?" she asked.
Buzzie who was dazzled by the little femme on a normal orn knelt down. "Amma, I have someone who I love."
The room stilled with an intense silence as they listened to Buzzie. Self denying, self effacing Buzzie always put himself last to help others. Now he was here, maybe with some sort of thing for himself. It made everyone listening ecstatic.
"Tell me more," Lido said.
"I love someone, a mini-con named Cliffjumper. He's a soldier in Lord Optimus's army, an important one. He's a great mech and kind. I want to bond with him," Buzzie said.
It was deeply silent a moment, then Lido nodded. "Tell me about your spark, Buzzie. How does it speak to you?"
"It tells me this is the one, Amma," Buzzie said with a hopeful expression. "I seek your permission, Amma."
Lido considered what she had already been told of Cliffjumper. When someone outside the clans liked someone inside, the family always did discreet checking. If it looked more than casual, The Empress was told. Lido knew that Cliffjumper was often arrested, mostly for drunkenness and was a problematic mech at best. But Buzzie was in love …
"Then you wish to go through the period of waiting? Just so we can learn to love him, too?" Lido asked.
Buzzie nodded. "I do, Amma. I know you will love him like I do."
Lido thought a moment taking internal comments from the Queens around her. Then she nodded. "That will be an easy thing, Buzzie, for you."
Buzzie's smile was beautiful and when he stood up to glance at his ada he missed the look that Lido gave to three of the mechs standing behind her, the heads of families who did the footwork for The Empress and on occasion a Queen. The three mechs nodded to her, a slight tilting of the helm, then she turned back to enjoy Buzzie's happiness.
Cliff was now on the block …
Buzzie came out of the examination room with a smile. "They have enough data to make a protoform for this one. Its going to be slightly bigger than Agnus." He grinned as Cliff picked up their daughter. "I was thinking a mech just like you, Cliffie, with really sweet silver horns and a red finish."
Cliff grinned at Buzzie. "I like the mech idea, Buzzie. Maybe the horns and your finish? How about your servos? I love your servos," he said as they walked contentedly out the door …
He came to the party and was immediately scooped up by the three mechs detailed to helping this bond either happen or not. It was all in Cliffjumper's servos. He was taken in, given food and drink, then sat down among the mechs who led families. He was consulted on this and that, his opinions were sought and exclaimed over and his ideas considered. They were delving into him with the idea of knowing him well.
Buzzie who stood nearby with his genitors watched with hopefulness as the process was enacted for his benefit. He had never been in love. He never found anyone who made him this happy. Now he did and he hoped that they would see what he saw, the great goodness that was part of Cliffjumper when he had a goal and a purpose besides fighting and being an aft.
They would.
They would cheer him on in the games and when he won, they would fete him like a king. They would sit with him at football and basketball, play cards with him on 'boys night out' and include him in events, family and otherwise. At first, it was because The Empress wanted it and eventually, it was because they liked him. When the Deacon and his bond, Buzzie's genitors decided they did as well, Buzzie had a private meeting with The Empress.
"What do you think, Amma?" Buzzie asked anxiously.
Lido grinned at her grandson many generations removed. This was a good mech, a self sacrificing individual. This was a mech who worked for the common good in a healing capacity, who visited his elders because he loved them. He was a genuinely good mech, something rare it seemed to her. "I like him, Buzzie."
That was all it took …
They walked out of the Autobot City Medical Center into the cold light of the mid morning. "Where to now, Cliffie?" Buzzie asked.
"How about we go see about that Circle Primary School for Gifted Children for Agnus and the new one just in case we get slagged in duties? The one in Stanix?" Cliffjumper asked as he stared up at the greatest and most wonderful mech he'd ever met in his life. "We can't be too careful."
"We can't. You know the clan will help us, right?" Buzzie said as they walked to the metro nearby.
"I do, Buzzie," Cliff said conversationally. "I also know we both want them to be college graduates. These two are going to be the greatest slagging kids that ever lived." He looked up at Buzzie. "Given their ada, how could they be other?" he said and he meant it.
They walked to the metro to go down to the trains and as they did, Buzzsaw of Stanix floated on a cloud beside the Only One who would ever be needed to make him happy ever again. As they did, they greeted then passed Jetta and Elita of Iacon as they walked out to go to The Fortress.
=0=TBC 4-7-2020 4-21-2020
NEXT: Jetta and Elita's Turn