The Diego Diaries: Show Time (dd7 294)
=0=On a playground in Centurion
They gathered together, over 25 kids who shared the same outside break time. They were a colorful lot, all of them wearing garb that signaled their youth. They were gathered around Sil, Coros and Pulley, the defacto heads of the Youth Auxiliary that worked with the Watch and the medical community to encourage civic participation and potential future careers among youngsters.
"Are you ready to go?" Sil asked as she held a data pad in her hand, the one she used for her work with the Auxiliary. They all had one covered in their own tattoos and that of the groups they worked with to keep their data straight. It not only showed their commitment to their study of these careers but signaled to others their serious dedication.
They were adorable.
"We are," someone said in the back. "I got my pack already and will carry my med-i-kit on as hand luggage."
Everyone nodded. It appeared to be a plan.
Sil glanced at Coros, then grinned. "Will our jackets be ready for tomorrow, Coros?"
He nodded. "We can get them tomorrow at The Stamp Shop. They're ready to go."
Everyone smiled and the conversation moved forward about the journey to Cybertron and the game where they would work 'their shift' as the junior G-Team for the house medicos and security. They would be divided into three groups, one each going to the stadiums at Polyhex, Iacon and Praxus. They'd have lunch when they arrived courtesy of Springer and Drift at The Citadel, tour it, then go to a camp to see how life was lived there.
It was going to be life changing.
The siren sounded so they ran for the door. This orn of school and one tomorrow lay ahead. The last orn this week would be a short one. They would go with the teams and security-medical detail on ships that would set down in Iacon first. Then the journey to and from the stadiums would be by bridge from the Citadel.
They would be ready to go.
=0=Cybertron
They stood on the pitch of the field with the giant logos of the city, Cybertron and the Autobots painted into the midfield line. Nearby was the reserved seating for a Prime and his party as well as a secured area for the humans coming. Many would.
The building was new and streamlined, less adorned and more useful than the old one. This would be a great place to come and scream your helm off. They saw a number of individuals already camped at the big gate leading inside to ensure their ability to attend since all civic events were first come, first serve.
After all, Optimus Prime would be playing football here.
"This is going to be good. Is Ada going to play the intro?" Ironhide asked.
Raptor nodded. "Alie will do the honors," he said as he glanced at his grandson. He grinned. "How was singing this morning?"
Ironhide smirked. "Two more orns."
"Unless we extend it. You might not be as good a little mech as you should be. I'll have to check your supervisors," Raptor said as Rockwell and the others smirked at Ironhide.
He frowned. "I don't have supervisors."
"All the more need to check up. How do we know you did all those dishes?" Raptor asked as he started to walk back to the tunnel and the way out.
Ironhide stared at him a moment, then caught up. "You're a fragger. How did I ever miss you?"
"You don't have to thank me, grandson," Raptor said with a huge smile.
Ironhide slowed, then caught up. Behind him snickering softly, the rest came including Rockwell.
=0=Elsewhere
Ratchet yawned. He had breakfast, made a spectacle of himself in front of his fellows, signed off on Fury, then headed for Relentless. It was going rather well if he thought so himself. Sitting down in the commander's office of the vast ship, he logged on, then reviewed progress. They were slightly ahead of schedule. This could be nicer than he planned. Sitting back, he considered the tasks ahead. It could be the best thing or the worst that they'd done with the local enemy.
Or not.
Prime was ready to do something about them, though forcing a huge firefight right now wasn't on anyone's agenda.
Raptor was going to command the operations given his experience in operating set piece battles with huge ships in the past. Hard Drive would handle the propaganda while he would go for the lulz. Starscream and Rainmaker would handle the Seeker portion of the plan while battle shuttles filled with fighters would be under the command of Springer. Prime and the others would also probably hop a ship and all would have a lark together.
Again.
A drone entered the room, then set down a big Cybertronian version of a banana split on the console in front of him. Ratchet glanced at the drone but he was already out the door. Staring at it, he opened a folded card. "Eat this, slagger. You know ya wanna. -Ironhide".
Ratchet grinned, then picked it up. :Ratchet to Ironhide:
:What, Old Mech. I'm busy:
Ratchet grinned bigger. :Guess what's cold, tasty and delicious:
[Silence]
:This isn't some of that phone sexy is it?:
[Grin] :Maybe:
[Grin] :Where are ya?:
:In the captain's office on Relentless. Fury just left. Two to go:
:GET THEM DONE! By the way, Appa is trolling me about extending the court ruling when he talks to my supervisors. I DON'T SLAGGING HAVE SUPERVISORS!:
Ratchet guffawed. :You have me:
[Silence]
:Slag … that's right:
Ratchet grinned. :This isn't a bribe is it?:
[Silence]
:No:
Ratchet guffawed again, then took another big bite.
:Is it working?:
:Could be, Only One. Where are you?:
:Slagging along a trail in the north. We went to the stadium and it looks good. Different and more modern. Right now, we're visiting camps:
:Hug everyone for me. When are you getting home?:
:Unless something happens, the usual time. What's the story on you?:
:I'm here for the duration:
:Slag. I'll check with you later. Halo and me have to keep up:
:YOU TOOK HALO TO CYBERTRON!?:
[Silence]
:Yep: stated with a confidence he didn't feel.
[Silence]
:Okay:
Both of them guffawed.
:Eat your ice cream. It's not a bribe unless you want it to be. Gotta motor:
:See ya, ba-beeee. Check in once in a while. YOU KNOW! YOU AND HALO!:
[Silence]
:Okay. Ironhide out:
Ratchet grinned, then took another big bite. "Never change, Ironhide. Never change."
It would be a long day.
=0=Las Vegas
He sat in pretender gear watching the data flow in on the interminable flight of the White's ship toward his home planet. It was almost sleepy when he heard a knock on the door. Jolting a bit, he stood up to peer on the monitor overhead. It was a couple of the locals in the neighborhood which was now thriving with exiles from the northern climes … snow birds and retired locals who liked the area.
He glanced at the others. "Continue. I'm shutting the door. No loud sounds," he said as he walked out of the center. Down the hallway he went to the living room, then adjusted his shirt before opening the door.
Two men and a woman stood outside smiling at him. "Hello," one of the men said.
"Hello," Alor replied.
It was silent a moment, then the other man spoke. "We're having a block party in a couple of days to watch the Cybertronian football games. We were hoping you and your … wife? Or whomever would like to come."
Alor stared at them as he scoped out the internet. Then he grinned. "Why, we'd love that."
=0=Ops Center, Mars, a few minutes later
"You're doing what?" Prowl asked as he sat in Prime's office going over the usual slag with the big mech. They both stared at the monitor on the wall, one with amusement and the other with surprise. "A block party?"
:Yeah. Apparently, everyone on the block gets together, eats food, talks, dances, that sort of thing. I can't wait:
"You have to play the anthem," Prowl said.
:Its for the first game at Iacon, not the last one at Praxus," Alor said. "That last game, not the first will coincide with the party:
"You agreed," Prime said.
Alor grinned. :I did. What could I do? Say no? Either way, its going to draw attention. Better to go and help disperse snooping:
Prime grinned. "Who is going with you? I have conscripted Blackjack."
Alor chuckled. :I know. I was thinking Ratchet. We could go as a pair:
"You really encourage anarchy don't you," Prowl said.
:Do you want to come?: Alor asked.
Prowl was silent a moment, then sniffed. "As if."
Prime howled. "Pick someone out and go. You know how to do this," he said as he studiously avoided Prowl's frown.
:I sort of wrote the book: Alor said with a touch of pride in the old special ops orns.
"Figure it out, then fill me in," Prowl said.
:Gotcha: Alor replied. :See ya: Then the monitor went back to roving images of the colony and Cybertron.
"If it isn't one thing, its another," Prowl said. He glanced at Prime. "You better see if he has something that keeps him sober."
"That is Ratchet's job. I am not sure I would approve of both of them going. Certainly not as a couple." He grinned. "I think that would be funny."
Prowl vented a sigh. "They're corrupting you."
It would be a long amusing afternoon.
=0=At The Drop Shop
They stood in a pen with tiny horses, tiny goats, tiny sheep, a pair of llamas, both tiny and a number of cows. Flipper, Robby and Pudding were getting ready to be 'groomed'. They were sometimes dropped off at The Drop Shop, a day and night service for those who had animals and needed either day care or kenneling from time to time.
The building that housed the facility, a new development in Crater District 3, City 5 was very busy helping families to shelter their little fur babies during whatever happened to come up. They fed, exercised, cared for and housed them during the different work and life shifts of their 'owners'. There were birds here, both Earth type and Cybertronian. Cyber foxes had a big presence as did cats and many different species from the fauna of their home world.
They stood together along the side of the pen furthest from noise drowsing while studiously ignoring a fat little pony that wanted to play. Soft music soothed as workers checked constantly, patting their little rumps on a regular basis. It was like going to the spa. The cows would be shined within an inch of their lives by the time they were reclaimed. They were contented.
The cows.
=0=Ratchet
He snickered over the news from Alor and coupled with the whining of Ironhide sort of made his orn. They discussed Ironhide's insecurity, laughed loudly at his banana split, then Alor had one of the kids run to Mars to get them all one. The chat was contented in the lull between chores.
=0=On a playground in a different break cycle
"Are you sure you can come?" Sunspot asked Bos, Reflector and Co-D.
The three nodded.
"My atar is going to come with us. Everyone else will be watching the game on the television. Its all cleared with everyone," Bos said.
"I can't wait," Reflector said. "We get to go to Cybertron."
They marveled a moment, then the siren sounded. They ran in together. The afternoon would be amazing.
=0=TBC 6-2-2020