The Diego Diaries: GAMING (dd7 296)
(I'm sitting out in the backyard with two cats and two dogs contemplating why this didn't go out last night even as I write the one for today. Here we go!)
=0=Prima Space Station, Recreation Level #82
They drove through the countryside on the recreational level that was filled from end to end with micro-environments from Earth. The only thing missing was a huge standing water feature and a real desert. They'd just finished the final tour of the hotel that would be host to tourists from Earth …
"This is really beautiful, Samson," Judy Witwicky said as they paused on the back deck of the huge hotel that was centerpiece to the Resort of Prima Station, part of the corporate entity that managed and maintained all human related hotels and facilities. They were built after planning with the Resort 'Boss Squad' to present this as another opportunity for humans to experience space.
The facility was of a vastness that beggared imagination to humans arriving and passing by the station. If a square was one mile on each side, it constituted 640 acres. This 'square' was sixty miles on each of its sides, thus, measuring 38,400 acres of land. Unidad Terra 1 was the largest enclosed space on Mars with the Hu-An Habitat coming in second. Given that Unidad was fixed to the ground, the scale of its dome was easier to make. Unidad's land mass under the first dome measured 80 square miles. With the recent expansion to increase the capability of making all human occupants food autonomous by the end of the year, it measured 120 square miles. Expressed in acres, Unidad could boast 76,800 acres of space separate from the facility itself. The Prima Station habitation zone was only half the size of Unidad which was grounded on Mars but even more of a marvel given its location.
The land was almost completely cultivated with micro habitats with the different possibilities available from Earth. Beachcomber had been appointed to the Human Habitation Board that managed the habitats on Mars, minus the Hu-An's own, and this one as overall overseers. He loved the Earth, all its beautiful possibilities and worked, himself with his bond and little son on the terrains when schedules permitted.
They crossed a bridge over a wide stream and continued onward to the forests, meadow lands, tiny desert and woods that dotted the entire area. There were trails everywhere, a paved roadway of dozens of miles in length and complexity that cut across the area and always led back to the Hotel.
Rick Harris had helped design a trail that was a fitness range which featured among other things different degrees of climbing walls. They were built into the terrain and would be highly utilized by tourists soon. Picnic areas dotted the vast space with a large one set up for camping. The guests would be able to check out tents and other gear to have that experience.
There were two small 'lakes' with picnic areas and places to relax. A small outdoor cafe would be there to take care of tourists. Most of the areas would be for wandering and sightseeing. There were small animals and lots of birds and insects. There were also a number of beehives placed here and there for the plants and flowers. It would be a garden of possibilities open for their guests day and night given light poles dispersed along the roads at intervals.
By the time they reached the huge hotel, it was mid afternoon. Walking inside across the broad back deck, they went to the office in the main lobby and began to finalize the plan for guests to come. Tourists now had a choice of destinations. They could spend their two weeks fully here, fully on Mars or split it between the two, one week at each place. It would happen in about three days when the change over of guests would occur.
Lois Morshower-Howell would be the day manager of the facility. Thelma and Thomas Lennox would be the host and hostess, greeting each of the guests and helping them through their experience. Given that there were two eighteen hole golf courses and two big swimming pools, it wasn't a bad duty at all.
=0=Ratchet
He walked into The Paint Box for a detailing. It was nearing the end of the orn and he had to spruce up. He'd been scalded twice, blowed up once, covered in energon, grease, solvents and unknown slag several times over a number of orns and needed to get his groove on. It was earlier than he planned, things went so well, so he decided to take care of a few things before going home.
Into the shop he walked, greeted the crew, then was hustled to a platform. They'd be on him in no time. It would feel wonderful.
=0=On a vessel to Mars, on a flight that would take 25 minutes
"That facility is amazing."
"I can't wait," Lois said. "This is going to be fun, especially when I get to use the bridge at the Command Center to come and go."
"It makes the donut runs easier," Judy Witwicky said with a chuckle. "We have to be at the airport tomorrow at 11:30 hours. Last one there is a slowpoke."
"I plan to sleep there overnight," Judy Fulton said with a grin.
Barbara Morshower snickered. "You and Lonnie?"
Lonnie grinned at both. "Call me a fan girl but I love my Cybertronian football."
"Who are you rooting for?" Lois asked.
Lonnie grinned. "The Comets, of course."
"Nova Cronum is a tough team. I hope Optimus and the boys are up to it," Barbara replied.
"They have Arcee and Chromia if they aren't," Lois said.
It was settled then.
=0=Bookstore
He walked through the aisles of the Bookstore At The Mall of Metroplex, his favorite one. He picked up his order, then added to it. There were several books for himself, audio downloads of various things, a good half dozen children's books in hard copy editions and the usual magazines and newspapers. He meandered, taking his time. It was good Ironhide was on the ball. He needed this to unwind.
=0=There
Ironhide watched as several of the kids left with Prowl. Prowl smirked as he took Rambler, Sunspot, T-Bar, Co-D, Spirit, Bos and Reflector with him. He left behind Miracle, Uraya, Kaon, Solus, Sojourner, Possibility and Iacon among the seven Ironhide had already. "I think its grand of you to volunteer to watch the little ones. I'll take the older ones with me. You know … the ones who know how to entertain themselves?"
*SMIRK!*
Ironhide frowned. "I didn't volunteer, slagger."
"Oh, right. This was court ordered public service for your many and sundry crimes," Prowl replied as the kids going with him ran back out of the hallway loaded with toys and games. "Yes, look at them taking care of themselves. I'm so proud of you."
All of the younglings smiled brilliantly. They said goodnight to Ironhide, then staggered off under the load of their self responsibility with a snickering Prowl.
The door shut.
Ironhide glowered at the door. "Fragger. Slagger."
It was then that Orion, Praxus, Hero, Prowler, Halo, Iacon, Uraya, Solus, Sojourner, a tottering Possibility, a gleeful Prima and Scout ran out to gather around Ironhide. They smiled up at him.
"Atar?"
"What, Hero?"
"What do we do now?" she asked sweetly from the middle of a gaggle of tiny femmes.
"Oh frag ..." Ironhide said.
=0=At a cafe
Ratchet finished his meal and part of a new book before rising to go. He had a few moments before his conscience kicked in so he went to the Bakery at the Mall of Metroplex and filled his hold with all manner of baked goods. Only then would he begin to head for the barn.
^..^
It was getting on dark when Ratchet reached his door, then slipped inside.
Lounging in his chair working on his third beer, Ironhide glanced up. "What took ya so long, Old Mech?"
"You," Ratchet said as he walked to the kitchen counter and began to unload his hold. "I know you had it like the pro you are."
"I am, aren't I," Ironhide replied with a grin. "What ya got there?"
"About one of everything from the bakery. Get a couple of plates and fill them up. I'll go check on everyone," Ratchet said as he ambled to the berth rooms of the peewees in question.
Ironhide watched him go then heaved himself up to walk to the counter. The bounty there was blinding. It would amaze him yet again how a baked good can make a mech feel better.
^..^
Ratchet peeked into all the rooms to see sleeping infants, many stacked per little bed. He walked out to sit in his chair where a mountainous plate of pastries and a beer waited for him. He sat, then smiled. "What's the word during my absence?"
It would take Ironhide several moments to whine through a declaration of the many and sundry events of his orn.
=0=Up there
Prowl walked into the living room with cups of tea and their evening snack. He sat, then clicked cups with Optimus. "I have to say … no one does sad sack better than Ironhide."
"I agree," Prime said. They would sit and talk for a while, then hit the hay. Tomorrow, they would be on their way to their first game on Cybertron.
=0=0654 joors in the Haus of IH v R
"EAT UP! WE MARCH AT … when do we march?" -IH
[Grin] "Dawn, I thought." -R
Ironhide chuckled as he collected the dishes to wash (in the dishwasher, thank Primus). He was, after all, very good at it now.
Enormous squeeing and running around in circles before heading toward the berth rooms to 'pack'. It would be a huge pile of toys that they would leave behind when they walked out the door to go. What would go with them was something new from Ironhide, their 'Family Victory Bag'. That is, a backpack filled with baked goods uneaten since the night before.
They could get beer at the game later when they got there.
=0=Gathering at the Autobot City Municipal Airport, Autobot City, Mars just around 1130 joors on the TMC
Humans began to come in droves, those that were going. Though it was about half an hour before they were supposed to arrive a half hour before lift off, they were taking no chances. The local reporters were there in force documenting this, the first game played on Cybertron between teams in the Martian and Cybertronian leagues. More would come but they had to catch up the canceled games before those.
Will Lennox and Niall Graham were checking off names as individuals arrived including two from Earth who were members of prominent states in the European Union who asked to come during a visit on world at the Consulate. They were very jolly group. On the other side of the divide coming through Customs and Immigration, a group of humans watched them. They crowded along the barrier to get the 'straight scoop' over the events to come. The Comets versus the Brigadiers was going to be the first game broadcast today for the download to Earth and everywhere else.
Annie Lennox ran over to the big group of Cybertronian kids coming along, all fifty of the Autobot City Youth Auxiliary for the Day/Night Watch and Medical Response. Most of them were classmates and friends and all of the human kids from the Tower and a couple from Earth 1 had their applications in to join as well, much to the amusement of (most) of their parents.
Even Rain Harris was here with her Dad and brother, Rick. She would spend time talking to the humans about life here and would find herself trending on Facebook much to her great delight.
The teams began to filter in and after chatting and snarking they would bridge ahead to their stadiums, though the twins would stay behind for lunch and chat before joining their team at Praxus.
Ratchet and the family including his elders, all their many children who were all pulled from school by said elders ambled in to great applause. Ratchet spent a few moments chatting and posing for the tourists before walking over to kneel down by the humans. "Hi, shorties. Ready to roll?"
:We were born ready. How's the titans: Judy Witwicky said. All of the humans had on their gear though it wasn't needed yet. Rules of the road if going to Cybertron.
"They're ready to rumble. Just a few paint jobs later on and they're as good as new. Two dreads between fifteen and sixteen miles in ship mode and a hunter pod of metrotitans. Not a bad haul."
:We've been briefed on how to maneuver over there. Anything else you want to tell us to help us do the right and respectful thing?: Warren Roberts asked mostly for the newcomers.
Ratchet who got the subtext glanced at the group and the newbies. "Our planet has suffered. It no longer has a sun but we're working to fix that. What it does have is the futility of war everywhere you look. We were a garden once but now we're emerging from the Apocalypse. Cybertron is a graveyard. Everywhere are the dead. Remember that not just for us but for your own planet. It doesn't matter who's right or who won when everyone loses this much."
It was silent, then Warren's wife, Kimber patted Ratchet's ped. :We love you so much:
Ratchet grinned at the elegant lady who liked horses and decorating old houses. "The feeling, I hope you know, is mutual."
"RATCHET!"
He glanced toward a gaggle of mechs, then grinned at the humans. "Gotta motor. Literally." With a snicker, he stood up, then walked toward the group.
Everyone watched him go, then glanced at each other. A representative of the EU glanced at Warren. :This is going to be extraordinary isn't it?"
Warren Roberts noting the feelings of respect and love he had for the mechs gaggled together nearby glanced at him. :Its going to be life changing:
TBC 6-6-2020