NOTE: I am going to have Thanksgiving dinner with the fam. I just wanted to wish all of you everywhere, from Australia to Zambia (really) a great day or night, whichever you get. I will be writing like crazy amidst the munchies and stuff. Take care and know that you readers are one of the best things I am thankful for today. :D
PS Someone PM'd me about adding their OC's to the story. I don't have that email. Somehow, it isn't in my account. :O If you can resend, we can see what we can do. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
-0-And now back to the story
The Diego Diaries: PsyOps 13
-0-Conference Room, Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
He stared at his servos, the big hands that had taken him through every danger and hardship, through brutal hand-to-hand combat and back again. They were the servos that had killed and they were the servos that had held his children from the moment of their first glimpse of sentience. They bathed those tiny bots everyday, gently washing and drying their tiny formats to make sure they were as cared for as he was at their age by his own genitors.
His big servos lay flat on the table and he stared at them a moment. The screen had said something, a thing that he had heard without truly understanding. A word about Ratchet and his son, about their people and way of life ... it had come in one audial and exploded leaving him stunned and surprised. A servo touched him, a red one.
Ratchet.
Maybe.
His processor was fogged with grief and slowly building rage. Glancing at the servo, he looked up at a white face with a gray chevron, one staring at him with fear and concern. "Ironhide?"
A soft voice said his name. He rose halfway up and sat again looking at the screen in confusion. "What is this?"
Optimus, his processor filled with concern leaned forward. "Ironhide, look at me."
For a moment he didn't. Then he did, his optics focusing with effort. "Optimus … my son."
Ratchet moved over and wrapped his arms around Ironhide as Prime gripped his servo. Ironhide looked at them, two giant servos clutching each other, then his genitors who sat across from him with Flint, their faces a mixture of homicidal rage and terrible grief. Flint turned to Optimus. "What is the meaning of this? How can they do this to you and Prowl, then mock our infants?"
"They can do it because they're slaggers," Jazz said quietly. "They were kicked off the N.E.S.T. Program for this kind of thing. Don't try and understand it for more than it is. Hate pure and simple."
Optimus nodded. "These men don't mean anything. They don't represent Earth and they don't represent most humans and their thinking about us. We have a good reputation among the humans. There are good and bad everywhere. We will deal."
Ironhide looked at Optimus. "They slagged my son. My sons. All three of them. And Bluestreak." He looked at Prowl who was sitting with a stoic expression. "They slagged Prowl. The fraggers... who are they to judge? Who are they to out you, Optimus?"
Prime nodded. "We will find out. Right now, I want us all to try and get this through our systems." He looked at Prowl and took his servo. "Fraggers."
Prowl nodded and looked at Prime. "They put the entire psychological advantage of our effort around your leadership into the dirt. It works to our favor for everyone to wonder about you, to guess if you really exist. It was an advantage, Optimus."
"I know. But we can decide what to do now. Given the amount of images they can scan from our downloads to Earth, they will find me even if we block everything and anything now. What I want to do now is troubleshoot a response and then talk to the allies."
They all sat back, worried optics on Ironhide. He sat staring at the table, then he rose and turned walking out. Ratchet paused and glanced at Optimus. "I'll be back. Include me if you need something, Optimus."
He nodded. "I will."
Ratchet rose and turned nodding to Alor and Blackjack. They watched as he walked out and hurried across the Ops Center before disappearing out of view. Blackjack turned and looked at Optimus. "Slaggers. Tell me who these mechs are and why I can't kill them." Alor nodded.
They explained the situation and when it was through Alor nodded again. "They better never come near to me," he said quietly.
-0-Outside
Ironhide hurried through the building and crossed the courtyard turning toward the city beyond. Ratchet hustled after and nearly caught him as he rushed through the crowds toward the school. Ironhide reached it and entered beating Ratchet to an elevator. Jumping into the one next to it, Ratchet followed him up to the floor where the babies would be. He stepped out just as Ironhide entered the Day School, the door closing behind him.
Ratchet ran to the door and entered looking around quickly. He didn't see Ironhide but he focused on Ironhide's energy following him to a door. It opened and Roto stepped out, a look of concern on his face. He paused when he saw Ratchet. "What's going on? Ironhide is really upset."
Ratchet gave him the short version and entered the room where Ironhide stood holding his son. Orion was laying on his shoulder, his arms around his papa, his expression slightly confused. His old pa's energy was horrendous and he didn't know what to do about it. Looking up and spotting Ratchet, he frowned. "ADA! ATAR SAD! WHY ME?"
Ironhide turned and walked to a rocking chair that was in the corner of the room, the massage room where Orion was going through his daily massage/therapy. Sitting, he hugged Orion as his optics spilled over. He wept without a sound, his big body shuddering as he struggled to keep his emotions contained.
Roto stared at Ironhide with deep concern. Ratchet turned and nodded at him, smiling weakly. "It'll be alright, Roto. If we can have a moment."
Roto looked at Ratchet and nodded. "I'll be outside if you need me."
Ratchet nodded and squeezed his arm. "Thank you."
Roto turned to leave and closed the door behind him. Ratchet stood quietly a moment then hesitantly stepped closer, pulling out a chair to sit. He waited for Ironhide who sat weeping silently as if his spark was crushed.
It was.
-0-Ops Center
They decided on a path to the best worst solution. Sitting quietly, they watched as Blaster put the Vice President of the United States, General Morshower, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the President of France on the split screen. They gave their greetings and Optimus returned them.
"Gentlemen, we have discussed this situation," he said as Warren Roberts' image joined them on the next monitor. "We have come to a best worst solution."
"Optimus, I wish to apologize on behalf of the United States government for the insult to you, your family and your people. These men don't speak for the American people. The relationship that we share with you and your people is incredibly important to us and we are extremely upset that something like this could have happened." The other individuals nodded and offered their regrets as well.
"Thank you. We feel the same way. It is deeply unfortunate that my image and the planning around it was compromised. But it has been and we have to go on anyway. We will continue to monitor and block images that go out. None of the groups who come here will be allowed to send more. I will leave to you what can be done about the men who did this. Warren Roberts represents our interests on Earth.
"Another concern are the remarks made by the men about the incidents at Diego and our demeanor among the troops and civilians," Optimus said gravely. "We are disturbed by the impression they made. The soldiers and civilians of Diego Garcia are extremely important comrades to us. They are our brothers and sisters. For us, until all are one is a solemn thing."
Glenn Morshower nodded. "Don't worry about it, Optimus. They were there too when all the slag happened. I will be going to Diego myself to talk to the garrison about this. Right now, the General Counsel is looking into possible charges against these two men for breach of confidentiality. All special ops soldiers sign one as part of the job and its binding over their lifetime. Or so I understand it."
Optimus nodded. "I appreciate that, Glenn. I put the Embassy and Diego garrison under lock down until we determined the best path. I will stand them down shortly. Right now, we are going to go on as if the ban on me and my image is still holding. If there is need to address this either directly or remotely, I will be asking for your assistance about timing and venue."
They all nodded. "We wish for the relationship to hold. We have dissent here and there, Optimus," the French President said. "But the greatest portion of our population is glad and relieved that you and your people are here and work with us. We enjoy greatly watching programming about your city and your people. Your children are greatly loved, especially that little black and yellow child. I wish you to know that."
Optimus nodded. "Thank you. I wish to introduce to you two of the four grandgenitors of that little bot, Orion. In the migrations, families are being recreated. This is Blackjack and Alor, grandgenitors of Orion and the genitors of Ironhide."
The two nodded and they stared at the humans as the humans stared at them. The Prime Minister of the UK smiled. "I can see that you are his parents. Your resemblance is striking."
Alor smirked slightly. "Thank you," he said. "I am one of the baby-in-question's grandgenitors." He paused and looked at them again. "Grandparents. Some slaggers called my grandson ugly and weird. I want to tear their arms off. That is my little baby. It wounded my son's spark and ours as well. I want you to know that the love I feel for my family, especially our grandchildren both infant and adult is as intense and important as what you feel for yours. We may not look like you but we feel a lot of the same things."
Glenn Morshower nodded. "I can attest to that. I also want to know if Christmas Surprise is still on for the regulars."
Optimus grinned slightly. "Do you have to ask?"
Morshower grinned back. "I think it might be nice to have the representative leaders of our allies come for Christmas too. Education is a process."
Optimus nodded. "I agree. Please extend invitations for a Christmas Surprise visit to our allies, General. We shall issue them as well. It might be a good thing to have a chance to show our commonalities to the world once more."
"I for one would love to come," the UK Prime Minister said. "Perhaps the Queen might come."
The mood was lifted at the thought of the venerable Queen of England donning a survival suit with room for a tiara.
"She would be most welcome," Optimus said with a genuine smile at last.
-0-In the therapy/massage room at the Day School
They sat in the silent room, Ironhide rocking in the chair and Ratchet sitting next to him. Orion was laying on his papa's shoulder staring at Ratchet with concern. Ironhide was silent, his arms holding his little son tightly. The room was lighter, less heavy at last. "Ironhide?"
For a moment, the big bot sat rocking. Then he looked at Ratchet. "Ratchet," he said quietly.
"Are you going to be alright, Ironhide?" Ratchet asked with concern. "Those men … they don't matter. No one really thinks bad things about our son. He's a really popular little bot on Earth."
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "No one slags our sparklings. None of them," he said with a glint of steel in his voice.
"Morshower will take care of it," Ratchet said. "Morshower won't allow any of this. There are rules even in the human army. N.E.S.T. is special ops. They will have rules."
"Maybe," Ironhide said gently rubbing Orion's back. "They slagged our son. This little bot. He's my whole life, he and the others. I didn't know I missed him but I did from the time I was born. Maybe even before then. I love this bot, Ratchet. I love them all. I'm their atar and I'm supposed to protect them."
"You do. Everyday," Ratchet said. "Honest, Ironhide, it will be made right."
Ironhide looked at him and then nodded. "If it doesn't, I will make it happen."
Ratchet vented a soft anxious sigh. "Let Optimus handle it. He's the mech. He will know what to do."
Ironhide sat a moment gently rocking. "He better," Ironhide ominously. "That is all I will say."
=0=TBC
2012 (11)