The Diego Diaries: Clubbing and Clubbin' (dd7 349)
=0=The Gilded Cage, The Old City, Aerie Hill
He stood in the middle of of a pile of Seeker kindling. It'd been impressive the speed and skill by which Raptor dispatched the bigger Seekers. He was an economical fighter, expending only the effort necessary to end swiftly whatever conflict he was in. He only got expansive in the company of others, most notably his other mech family members. "Who's next?" he asked as he slammed his fists together.
It was silent in the room as half the mechs there stared coldly at Raptor, their comradry not withstanding. A grounder had just trashed two of their own.
"I think two is sufficient," Warlord said as he walked to where the debris field started around the big Autobot. He chuckled. "This is interesting."
"I don't know what happened but playing tug-of-war with a toddler isn't good form," Raptor said with a giant smile. As he did, the crowd parted as three Night Watchmen materialized seemingly out of thin air.
"Well, it looks like collection time for the bins," one of them said with a chuckle. It was probably fortunate that he, unlike the other two was a Seeker.
The temperature of the room only felt slightly lower until the Seeker grinned at the other two Watchmen. "Call the wagon for pickup, Sori."
It went back up with surprise from every winged wonder in the room.
Sori who looked young and had trainee tats jogged for the door and disappeared outside. As he did a big Seeker mech stood up. "Why the wagon, Freefall? We have a jail here."
Freefall glanced at the mech. "Standard procedure. He's going to the Courthouse jail on Cultural Center Road like anyone else."
It was cool a moment in the room, then an elder Seeker who was apparently having a party with his family sat back in his booth with a grin. "Send him then, infant. We play no favorites here anymore." He glanced around the room, a calming affect on everyone else who sat back down still slightly ticked off but unwilling to transgress on an elder especially in front of a Prime. There were rules that had to be observed.
Prime grinned, then nodded back to the elder.
Then Sori was back. "The wagon is here, Sargent."
Freefall grinned at him, then the two mechs. "Help me get their carcasses out there. Anyone want to help?" he asked as he turned toward Raptor. "Tell me why you don't come, too, General?"
Raptor grinned at a Seeker that he knew from personal life before the war fragged things up in the ranks. "They were playing tug-a-war with the infant here," he said nodding toward Smokey. "They didn't stop and they wouldn't let me play, too."
Freefall snickered. "Alright. But I'm putting you in the report. You have to be there for the Magistrate Hearing tomorrow morning. Harley starts at 0900 joors on the dot."
"I'll be there. Say hi to the bonds for me," Raptor said with a chuckle.
"Will do," Freefall said as he helped gather up one himself. The two grounders managed the other and soon they were out the door again.
It was silent in the room a moment, then Raptor turned toward the band. "PLAY, SLAGGERS! I GOTTA DANCE!"
Huge laughter broke out along with a tune as mechs fogged back onto the dance floor.
Raptor made it to his chair with Smokey in tow. They sat and everyone stared at each other, then him with grins.
Smokey sat back at the scrutiny. "WHAT!?"
=0=In the courtroom the next orn
They sat in the audience amidst a large group of mini-cons who decided to stay for the floor show.
Two big Seekers stood on the line staring at the judge giving everyone the sensation that they wanted to kill each other.
"I've read your reports and want to know what you plea?" Harley asked at last.
The two stared at him stonily, then each other. "Not guilty," they said almost as one.
"Very well. I'm going to release you to house arrest until your trial comes up. I'm under the impression that you know enough to get counsel and to keep away from the victim and any witnesses?" Harley asked.
They stared at him with deep loathing. "We're not stupid. We know the drill," one of them said.
The other glanced at his co-defendant, then the judge. "I can't vouch for him but I know I'm not stupid. I already have one."
The first Seeker, Blow Back glanced sharply at the other, Windstorm. He turned to face him. "Did you just call me stupid?"
Windstorm grinned at him without a trace of mirth. "If the shoe fits ..."
He got a slamming fist to the face for his efforts.
That was when the fists began flying.
^,,^ Moments later …
They were dragged out of the courtroom with revoked house arrest by the bailiff and several guards. The Autobots in the audience rose to help but the cavalry was already there when they did. Yelling, kicking and punching, the two were carted out of the place. It became silent almost immediately.
Harley who sat unperturbed in his seat the whole time stared at the door, then the crowd. He glanced at Silver, the court clerk for this session who was lounging in his chair even though the fight happened almost in his lap. "Anything else on the docket?"
"Not until 1000 joors," Silver replied.
Harley stood. "This court is in recess until 1000 joors." He walked to the door and was gone.
The audience began to rise to go including the party, Smokey and his grandgenitors. All of them had the weekend off so they came for the fireworks. They weren't disappointed.
Ratchet walked out the door with Smokey following. He glanced at the kid. "Well, we know where Hot Rod is going to be for the next decaorn."
"We do," Smokey said with great relish. "IT SERVES HIM RIGHT!"
"I'm glad, Smokey, that you're old enough and wise enough not to hold a grudge," Ratchet replied as they continued onward.
The sound of his grandfather laughing loudly went with them, too.
=0=The Gilded Cage the night before after the big fight
"Well, where next?" someone asked Raptor as he took another beer.
"Homeward?" Tagg suggested. "Its 0300 joors."
Everyone stared at the big mech, then each other.
"Are you sure its that late?" Lon asked as he leaned against a bluto Bezel.
"I am," Tagg said with a grin. "We can all recharge late."
That met everyone's greatest expectations so they had a last beer with Warlord, then rose to leave the bar. It took a moment for them with Warlord and his two brothers to get into cabs the big good natured Seeker had called …
"I think I can manage the Metro, Atar," Prime said as he leaned against a light pole.
Tagg grinned. "I know you can. I was thinking about me."
Prime glanced at his father who was sober as a judge, then stood straighter. "Of course. I'll help you get home."
"You are a good son, Orion," Tagg said with a chuckle.
Cabs were called for this or that city and tower. Tagg managed Prime into a cab followed by Venture and Styre. They waved happily as they drove off. They entered and entered, then it was Ironhide and his elders. Partition was taken away by the twins who promised to get him home.
Warlord grinned. "Next time you do the colony, call me. I want to come." So did his brothers.
"It would be my honor," Raptor said as he swept his arm and bowed lowly. He also fell forward onto his helm and rolled over into sleepy land.
Warlord laughed loudly and when the cab came, he helped put Ironhide and Raptor into the vehicle. Giving it directions, it drove off with the two by itself. He turned to the others. "Call me. I mean it."
"You got it," Hardie said with a chuckle.
They squished into the cabs, then drove off into the night.
Warlord glanced at his brothers. "They're mad. I'm going next time."
They all would. So would their other brothers and their father, Rainmaker.
=0=Cabbin'
They snoozed as they drove slowly in traffic. Ironhide rolled slightly and his servo fell onto the console.
"This is cab 122A. Do you have a change in destination?" a mechanical voice asked.
Ironhide who was startled by the speaker into the moonlight zone of semi-awareness sat up, pressed his servo on the keyboard of the console as he glanced around, then fell back asleep. Raptor was hanging half on and off the seat as he dreamed in sleepy land.
The cab changed course and began to drive in the other direction.
=0=Home
They arrived at their towers, Venture and Styre first at Vos Tower, then the others next at Tower Two. They climbed out, then glanced at the door.
Hardie grinned at Tagg. "Why don't you all go up? We'll take care of Raptor and Ironhide when they get here. What a great night this was. One for the history books."
Prime grinned. "I think so, too, Hardie," he said with uncharacteristic informality. He then hugged Hardie, then Tie, then everyone else, then his father, then Hardie again before a chuckling Tagg got him steered to the door.
Everyone walked into the building leaving him alone on the street. Hardie stood there waiting. A text beep told him that the humans had made it home in their cab. Now all he needed was his son and great grandson. He would wait and wait a while.
=0=Up there at the same time
Tagg steered Prime into the house, toward the berth room and onto his berth. Prowl wasn't there so he made sure his son was settled. He stared at Optimus who fell into recharge right away. "You are a good son, Orion. You are a good, good son. I love you."
He stared at Optimus sleeping a moment, then crept out. It would take no time to go down two floors to his own apartment. He crept in, then walked to the berth room.
"You made it home," Kestrel said as he sat in the bed reading a book.
"We did. We had a good time. Orion really enjoyed himself."
"I'm glad. Did anyone get arrested?" Kes asked.
"No. Not that I know of. We left Hot Rod at a club getting the slag beaten out of him in Retriades. But other than that … well … Raptor planted two Seekers fighting over Devcon's grandson, Smokey. Other than that," he said as he lay down on the berth, "it was just fun and games."
Kestrel stared at his bond, then grinned. "We must do this together some time."
"I think so, too," Tagg said with a chuckle. "Especially the part with horses."
=0=Hardie
He mused on the possibility that someone had reprogrammed the cab so he walked to the cab stand kiosk nearby and put in a call. They tracked the cab and told him where it was and its direction. Hardie considered that a moment, then thanked them. With a grin, he called a cab to go home to the house in Iacon.
Ironhide and Raptor were okay. Their cab was heading out on the TransWorld Highway. He would discover where they were in the morning. With a chuckle and a spring in his step, he walked to his cab as it slid to a halt to climb inside.
=0=The next orn before Magistrate Court
The cab slid to a stop, then announced their arrival. Ironhide and Raptor who jolted awake clambered back up onto the seats. Raptor came to himself faster than Ironhide. 'Cab, repeat location," he said.
"We are at mile 697 of the TransWorld Highway."
Raptor stared out the windows and saw nothing but barren desert in all directions. They were in the middle of nowhere.
Ironhide stared out bleary opticed, then glanced at his grandfather. "Where are we?"
"Nowhere in particular. Just 756 miles from home," Raptor replied. Then he laughed loudly.
=0=The Diner On The Corner, Autobot City after an airlift and Magistrate's Court
Raptor grinned at Ratchet. "And that's what happened as near as we can tell."
Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who was buttering his pancakes. "That's my boy. By the way, what's the story about Hot Rod, really?" he asked as he glanced at Smokey.
"What's the story about your party?" Smokey deflected. Not too well. He got handed great sneering and laughter. He frowned back rather prettily.
"Well," Ratchet said as he warmed up to the tale …
"Prowler?"
Somewhere in the bottom of a dank fur lined well Prowl of Praxus was gasping his last. A rough hand shook him so he sat up too fast. Groaning, he held his helm with both servos. "Oh, Primus. Not so loud."
"Prowler?" a whisper said.
He glanced toward the sound and saw Ratchet on his hands and knees staring at him with a huge smile. "You alive, slagger?"
"Cure. Now."
A blessed blast of menthol filled his helm as Ratchet complied. Down the hallway, Alor groaned and sat up after receiving his dose. Everyone stared at each other.
"I don't remember a thing," Ratchet said as he sat back on his backside.
"Neither do I," Prowl replied with a sigh.
"Make that three." Alor grinned. "A great time was had by all. Maybe." …
Ratchet stared at Smokey. "It was nothing. A trifle."
Alor nodded. "Quite a quiet affair if you want to really know."
"You got shit faced," Hardie said.
"BINGO!" -all three
=0=TBC 8-9-2020