Chapter 44 dd1
The Diego Diaries: "So... what about it?"
=0=In Prowl's Office
Prime sat on Prowl's chair staring at the door. Prowl had gone ahead seeking clarification to the wild rumors of Ratchet's insanity and Ironhide's impending death. It had made his processor spin and so as not to receive any more condolences for the imminent passing of his oldest friend, he sat in the chair in a quiet room during a peaceful moment in an otherwise crazy day.
Outside, a world that needed them buzzed hot and cold on their presence. His people were trapped inside a building that was their only home ground so far. He was gathering more and more to their protection. The networks in space beyond were passing the word. 'Prime and our soldiers have been found. They have been found. Prime will show us the way now'.
'Come'.
He had found the burden exhausting before when he had shouldered it alone. But now he had Prowl. That had made the complete difference. He was happy at last even if things were hard, difficult, and even stupid. He had survived worse experiences than billionaires who liked to play soldier boy and xenophobes who spewed their opinions on cable TV. He had a idea, enough resources and expertise among his soldiers to make a plan for their safety and prosperity elsewhere while at the same time being able to protect the Earth and her people. After all, as far as he could ascertain even with pretensions no one on Earth truly owned Mars.
The door opened as Prowl entered to close it behind him. He shook his head. "Do you want the whole convoluted story or just the cliff notes."
pause. access. cliff notes, noun. acquired. download. access terminated.
"Whichever one has the most laughs," he said holding out his hand.
Prowl took it and leaned down to kiss Optimus softly. "They both do."
Prime smiled.
=0=Ironhide and Ratchet's quarters
It was dark inside so he switched to night vision. Sitting in a chair sipping a glass of high grade, Ratchet was waiting. He paused uncertain what to do, then walked over to sit across from his Only One. "It's dark and you're drinking. You confound me."
Ratchet grinned as he set the glass down. He pushed it over to Ironhide. Ironhide took it and finished it off. They sat together looking at each other with night vision. Then Ratchet leaned forward. "I know something."
Ironhide considered the potential of the statement and decided you only die once. "What do you know, Ratchet?"
"I know that you would never do this thing," Ratchet said. He grinned. "I know it isn't you."
Ironhide nodded. "I would give you my right arm, Ratchet."
"You have. A couple of times."
They both chuckled. Ratchet grinned at him. "You're the best old mech I know."
Ironhide smiled and reached out to squeeze Ratchet's servo. "You know how I feel about you. I'm not the best with words. I hope you know by what I do."
"I do," Ratchet said warmly squeezing him back. "I just need to know if you want this too. And if you do would you do it now or wait some more."
Ironhide looked at Ratchet a long time, then he leaned forward taking Ratchet's servo in his own. "I want this too. I also don't want anything to happen to you if we do. We're not younglings."
"But we're not old either, not really. I looked it up."
Ironhide laughed for a moment. "Your datapads?"
"Among other things," Ratchet said with a nod.
Ironhide sat back regarding Ratchet with warm optics. "You're the best thing I ever did for myself. I've never laughed or loved as much except with you. How could I ever want that to be put into danger."
"It won't happen."
"How can you know?"
"Because I say so," Ratchet said smirking. "Even the Pit would spit me back out."
"But the Matrix would take you," Ironhide said.
It was silent a moment. "When you were laying there in the snow in Denver I thought you were dead. I felt such a tearing in my spark that I knew you were on your way. You stayed. I knew that it could always be that way for us. We're soldiers. But I don't have to like it and we don't have to let it rule us. I want a part of you running around with a part of us tearing up the world, showing the universe that Ironhide and Ratchet were here. You do know don't you what a miracle it is that all of us are still here?"
He nodded as he regarded Ratchet, thinking how beautiful he truly was. There was nothing about Ratchet that he didn't love. When he came to their quarters and Ratchet wasn't there, Ironhide didn't stay. It felt empty and cold when that spark, that comfort wasn't there. It was wherever Ratchet was. He had been separated many times from the gangling medico but never in his spark. They would always be one. He nodded. "I do too."
Ratchet smiled. He rose, then held out his servo. Ironhide rose and gripped it, pulling Ratchet into his arms. They stood together swaying in the dark using night vision.
"Ratchet?"
"Hmm."
"Why the dark?"
"Romantic."
"Oh."
Silence.
"Wanna frag?"
"Thought you would never ask."
"I'm askin'.
=0=Prowl's office
"This place is nuts."
"I think you should relax the house rules," Prowl said smiling. "I think getting the mechs out to the beach and obstacle course would be a reasonable concession."
"You're right. Buddy system."
Prowl nodded.
"Come sit on my lap a moment, buddy," Prime said grinning.
"Thought you would never ask."
=0=Ironhide and Ratchet's quarters five minutes later
Ironhide was out cold as a wedge. Buried under his bulk was a very much awake Ratchet. Nearly four tons of black metallic Autobot lay splayed over nearly five tons of yellow.
"Ironhide?"
Silence.
"Ironhide."
Silence.
"Frag."
=0=Over the Comm system, internal and external
"The obstacle course and the beach will be open to general use starting now and until further notice. You must observe the buddy system at all times. The rules about fraternization with the human population are still in effect. There will be no confrontations. Any possibility of one arising, you are ordered to walk away and report the incident to the officer of the day. Any further questions can be directed to Senior Autobot Officers. Prowl out."
"Well, that's an improvement." Sideswipe rose turning to the door. "I'm going for a spin. You coming?"
Sunstreaker finished his energon and rose. "Coming."
Hound and Trailbreaker declining watched them go. "I hope nothing happens. Sunny is still angry," Hound said.
"They slagged Bluestreak. I'd be angry too," Trailbreaker said relaxing his peds on Sideswipe's chair.
Hound nodded.
=0=Ironhide and Ratchet's quarters
"Ironhide?"
A groan came from the general direction of Ironhide's helm so Ratchet reached down finding the correct wire. He pinched it. Ironhide roused looking at Ratchet with a bleary optic. "What? What did you do that for?"
"You weigh a ton," Ratchet said irritated. "Can you move over a moment."
Ironhide rolled over and relaxed on his back intensely glad to be back on the berth again. He glanced at Ratchet who was laying with his back to him facing the wall. Rolling onto his side, propping himself up on an elbow, he stared down. "Ratchet?"
"Ironhide."
"What?"
"You finished the race without me, you big slagger."
"Oops," Ironhide said. "Uh, Ratchet it's been a while."
=0=Outside, rolling to the beach
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe skated toward the tarmac where the jets were parked. Small vehicles drove here and there going about the business of running a military base. In bunches and groups here and there, sitting out in the sun on their off time, soldiers, sailors, the odd civilian, and airmen watched, snapping pictures of them as they rolled along. Among them was a soldier who took a lot of pictures and checked them after the two had passed. He would be sending them to a new friend, Intel-Martin C.E.O. Kent.
There was a high paying future in store for him he thought. All it took was a bit of luck and he'd have a career in security that actually paid a living wage. He leaned back on his deck chair and relaxed.
=0=Ironhide and Ratchet's quarters
"I'm sorry, Ratchet."
Silence.
"How about we try it again?"
Ratchet shifted and Ironhide smiled. "That's my best old mech."
Ratchet's arm flopped over, laying nearly over Ironhide's helm. He gripped it, holding it up as something tickled his nasal structure. It was an interface cord from a panel on Ratchet's wrist.
"Uh, Ratchet? I was hoping for something more substantial."
=0=At the beach
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe roared down the beach skating in a race to a pile of big boulders far down the length of the sandy expanse. The wind whistled past their audials as they tore up the sand flying at nearly 150 miles per hour. The crowds followed them and lined the bank nearby from one end to the other. It was a glorious day and the sight was nothing like anything one could see anywhere else on Earth. These were aliens beings from another planet, born and bred under a different sun with different ideas, ideals and configurations. It was amazing every time most of them saw the bots out and about.
The sun glinted on the ocean, an almost incomprehensible sight to the aliens when they first arrived. There were no expanses of water of any consequence on Cybertron. It took some getting used to. But the beaches, they were fun to race on and they often would come to do it together.
They pulled up before the beach ran out, Sunstreaker barely acing out Sideswipe. Then they turned to roar back again. They played and sparred, fenced and talked, relaxing together as friends and brothers. They didn't see someone with a high powered camera sitting on a hill top some distance away taking pictures and short videos of their antics. They were just two youngling soldiers having a good time together.
=0=Ironhide and Ratchet's quarters
"Uh, Ratchet? I was hoping for something more substantial."
Silence.
Then Ratchet plopped a leg over Ironhide. Ironhide glancing down to spot Ratchet's yellow appendage smiled with amusement. "You know, if you throw a few more things over I can re-assemble you on this side."
Even Ratchet had to laugh.
=0=TBC 2010 (11) edited 1-1-17