The Diego Diaries Part Seven

by arctapus

This is a continuation of the universe started in Diego Diaries and continued through parts two to six. The premise is a joke that led to world building. This is about family, friendship, overcoming adversity and finding the best parts of yourself. This is an adventure, a trek through the world of Transformers and its a comedy/drama. Everyone is here and if you are, too, then YAY!

358. Chapter 358

The Diego Diaries: Cloudy (dd7 358)

=0=Bridge

"What are you going to do with me?"

Prowl stared at the younger version of the best and happiest part of his soul and heard a faint echo of fear in his bond's voice. It made him feel sick. "You can come with me. We have a home. You can stay there and maybe something will help you remember. You will be safe. Your genitors live on the next floor below our home, Opt- … Orion. You can have them help you."

Prime stepped down from the med berth, glancing at the group as he did. "My genitors are here?"

"They are, Orion," Arcee said. "So are Omi Corsair and Omi Imaldo. They can help you and all of us get through this. I know its strange but trust me. Trust Jetta and Deion. Prowl loves you. He's your bond. You can stay with him and it will be alright."

It seemed to take forever for the big youngster to reach a conclusion, then he nodded just slightly.

Prowl looked deflated. He glanced at the group in the room. "This is classified above secret. Anyone who even accidentally breathes a word of this will face treason charges. I hope you understand the danger to this mech, our people and my resolve to protect him."

Everyone nodded silently.

Turbine glanced at Ironhide. "You're coming with us. We're going to take on the children, all of us and you're going to stay with Ratchet. Any questions, recruit?"

Ironhide stared at his amma and heard The Tone That Brooked No Disagreement. "I do, Amma."

Hardie glanced around the deck, then looked at the group. "I think everyone needs to go home. I'll take on the command, Prowl. If anything comes up that requires both of us, I'll call you. The enhanced security is due in a few moments from Mars and will take over the science ships protection and will stay here with Salton Sea.

"I'm going to have Parable take over command here when we get a handle on this. We need to organize the children and get everyone settled. I'd say, Ratchet, that you should take time off unless something requires you."

Ratchet nodded, then glanced at Ironhide. "This is going to be strange. Old mech here is a hands on atar and all around wrestling buddy."

Ironhide stared at Ratchet, then the others. "I don't remember any of it."

"You won't apparently," Turbine said.

It was silent a moment, then Delphi turned to Hardie. "Give us a moment to gather up the kids and get them farmed out. We can have everyone here come in about a joor. Maybe you can have something to eat while you wait." Delphi glanced at Hardie, then walked toward the elevator. "Turbine, you stay here with them. Everyone else come with me. We have to take care of the children."

The group disappeared, then Ratchet turned back to those who were left. "Are you hungry?" he asked the stranger with Ironhide's face.

Ironhide glanced at his family, then nodded. He began to follow Ratchet when he walked toward the elevator. Prowl and the others including Prime joined them. It was awkward as hell.

=0=Mars

Delphi arrived with the twins, Blackjack and Alor, then drove toward the tower nearby. They reached it, then took an elevator upward. By the time they reached the 24th floor the family was ready to bug out all of the children in the apartment. As they walked to the door, Typhoon materialized into view.

"Delphi, what's going on?" Ty asked with a grin.

Delphi told him and it was amazing the array of expressions on his face as he listened. "This might be a few orns, Ty. I don't know how fast Ironhide can put together a good enough front for the kids that can pass muster. I'm going to work on him and so are the others."

Ty nodded. "We can keep them. We have a lot of room and the others do as well. What's the prospects here, Delph? This could be a terrible outcome."

Delphi nodded. "I know. Its also terribly dangerous for anyone to think that Optimus is incapacitated or harmed. Our people can't take the pain of it and our enemies don't need to know. This is so top secret. Prowl is about to come apart at the seams. I'm going to tell Tagg and Kestrel myself after we get the children sorted out."

Ty nodded, then they walked into the apartment. The children were still at school and the elders were there waiting as they had been called.

Ravel rose and the others turned toward them. "What's the issue, Delphi? How can we help?" he asked.

"We have a problem and we need the children helped out." Delphi sat and gently explained it to Ratchet's elders.

Ravel stood up with shock. "Oh, my poor boy. Ironhide. He's … he will be alright? He isn't going to be harmed very long is he? And PRIME!"

"We have everyone working on it and the cloud is being followed. We're not sure that it meant to do what it did. It was just a reaction. We're going to study this and find a way to restore both of them. But I cannot emphasize this enough," Delphi said as he glanced at all of the solemn looking elders. "If our people or our enemies knew this they would cause trouble. Optimus is the center to our existence here. He leads us and the people follow. We have to make sure no one knows what's going on."

"You can count on us, Delphi," Appa Ratchet said. He stood up and clenched his fists. "No one will harm Optimus or our Ironhide. You have our word."

Delphi squeezed Ratchet's servo as he sat again. "We know that. We're family, all of us."

"What do we do, Delphi? Just ask," Docker said.

"We're going to have Ty care for the dread children. Maybe even Sunspot," Delphi said as Ty nodded.

"We just have the little ones to sort out. Turbine and I will be here and we can help you with them but until we get things worked out its going to fall upon the two of you. Blackjack and Alie can take a couple of them, maybe Halo and Hero."

Both nodded. "We can, Docker," Alor said.

"The little mechs can stay with you and we can have them with us when the moment allows. We're also going to use the military daycare at The Fortress. No one is going to be overwhelmed by this. Ratchet will also be available until we work out how Ironhide is going to act. When he's clear we'll have the babies back at the apartment again," Delphi said. "He has to pass muster or he's not going to see them."

It was silent a moment, then Docker stood. She looked at the other three, then the group before him. "We can sort this out now. They can come to the shop until someone comes to help. Will Bluestreak help us and you boys?" she asked.

"We're here to help you, Amma," Sideswipe said as Sunstreaker nodded. "We can part out the little mechs, one to an apartment. That could help a lot."

"We can work it all out," Turbine said. "I'll get Hardie to keep you two and Bluestreak on standby then."

It would take a moment to get things organized, things gathered to take to other places and arrange who would pick up and drop off whom. By the time most of a joor went by, everyone was ready to roll.

=0=In the mess hall of Salton Sea

They sat on chairs around a big table near the galley doors. It was mostly empty of individuals so it was quiet. Food had been rustled up and drinks so everyone was eating. Prowl was picking at his food as he gazed at Prime with worried optics. Prime was studiously eating his food.

Ratchet sat back. "I just received a message from Delphi that the kids have been taken care of. They won't be coming to the house after school. We can go to the apartments without a problem. I would also make a suggestion, take it or leave it."

Everyone glanced at him.

"Given that you were the Prime and that with minimal differences you have a primal frame anyway, it might do all of us good in protecting you that you get Prime's paint scheme," he said. "It would take more than the usual glancing look to tell that there's any differences between you and your primal frame. The twins can do it. It will give us more protection for the secret if anyone sees him if they don't see anything that gives the game away."

It was silent a moment, then Prowl sat back in his chair. "I think anything that protects him is a good idea." He glanced at Prime. "I don't expect you to be happy with everything but we're here to protect you. You have a unique position among our people so we hope you understand."

Orion stared at him. The mech was very handsome, tightly wound and intense. He sat back to think a moment, then understood that there was very little here that he could do anything about. "I am not in favor of it. However … I will not stand in the way of reasonable actions. I would like to discuss this with my genitors."

"Of course," Prowl said.

It was silent a moment, then Ratchet stood. "How about all of us going home now. You have it in hand, right, Hardie?"

"I do, Ratchet," he said, then he looked at Ironhide. "I know this is strange for you, Ironhide, but you have to understand how much worse it is for Ratchet and the family. Both of you mechs have friends and family to help you. I hope you both understand the gravity of what's at stake. Go home and try to relax. We have the greatest scientists alive working on resolving this."

They stared at Hardie, then Ironhide stood. He glanced at Orion, then hesitated.

Orion noted it, then stood.

Prowl and Ratchet both stood, then Turbine joined them. "I'll get them there. Then I'm coming back, Hardie. I will try and contact the Pantheon here and if that fails, then I'll go to the Temple in Simfur."

"Thank you, Turbine," Hardie said as he stood as well.

Turbine grinned at Hardie. "It's going to be alright." He looked at the two tense mechs, Prowl and Ratchet. "You just have to relax and assist us in keeping this out of the public." He then began to walk to the door and the others followed. "Come with twins, Alor and Blackjack."

Hardie watched them go, then walked out behind them. He would stay on the deck of the ship overnight guarding two science ships as they worked to figure out what had happened.

=0=Mars

The jump to Mars was nearly instantaneous and they walked out to the courtyard of The Fortress. Ironhide and the now Orion Pax walked with them staring with open faced amazement at the sights around them. Prowl and Ratchet followed with the others as Turbine led the way. He was explaining things as they went.

"We're here on the main road in front of The Fortress. This was the first building made here. That's Autobot City and now we have to make it to that tower," he said pointing to an enormous tower among seemingly hundreds across the city. He turned to the group. "A cab is in order." He called for two and they waited until they slid up.

A door opened and they climbed in. It wouldn't take much time to get home but it would keep hundreds of people from seeing them.

=0=At school

The kids were gathered up by their elders as the schools let out. They came to get them and take them to swim and have a snack. The big kids were picked up by Kappa in pretender gear and taken to Ty's house. Prime's kids were gathered up by Miler and Venture. Kes and Tagg would have helped but they were going to be informed of the new circumstances by Turbine and Prowl.

=0=Up there

They arrived at the building, then hurried inside. No one noticed the difference about Prime but many waved. Up the elevator they went, then reached the door of The Residence. Orion slowed to a halt as he stared at the doors and the beautiful private lobby.

Turbine touched his arm. "This is where you live. You are the Prime of Cybertron, Orion. Come inside. Your genitors are coming here."

Orion stared at Turbine, then Ratchet and Ironhide who were with them. With a hesitation, he followed Turbine into the apartment.

Ironhide stared at the door, then Ratchet. "How the frag did this happen? Who is this kid?"

Ratchet stared at the stranger with the face he loved. "He's your brother, Ironhide."

Ironhide stared at him, then looked at the door. Glancing at Ratchet, he entered the apartment. As he did, the elevator opened. Tagg and Kestrel walked out, then halted in front of Ratchet.

"Ratchet, what's up?" Tagg asked with a grin.

Ratchet stared at the two, a pair of genuinely good mechs. "Come on in," he said. "Everyone is inside."

The two glanced at each other, then walked into the apartment. Ratchet gathered himself, then followed them. The doors closed silently behind him.

=0=TBC 8-20-2020

NOTE:

I would like to make a recommendation of a song and its video that will lift you into the stratosphere. The band is called Disturbed and the song is a cover of The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkle. This song and video is so beautiful that it blows the mind. I love this version better than the original. I would recommend that you seek out the music video that they made of it. You won't regret it. :D:D:D