The Diego Diaries: Psy-Ops 26 (dd3 106)
Appa-Cybertronian for grandpa Amma-Cybertronian for grandpa who was a carrier
{} These brackets will indicate NeoCybex, Cybertronian Standard or Common Speech is being spoken.
This will be so going forward. :D:D:D
-0-Late that night in Autobot City, Mars
The Night Watch walked their beats noting the tempo of the city as calm and relaxed. The biggest part of anyone's conversation was about the television show. It was considered a great success by nearly everyone but Cliffjumper who INSISTED that it was lacking a certain something.
Himself.
The clubs were full of mechs having a good time talking about things they talked about on Cybertron. Football, relationships, the war, the television show added … all of it felt homey.
Drift and Springer walked along companionably. The night was clear overhead and the stars of the universe were thick and bright. They reached the corner of Tower Road and Metroplex Highway 1, waiting for traffic to pass. Then they stepped out and crossed the street on their way to a trip through the forest of housing towers and newly emerging public and commercial buildings that were the heart and soul of their city. They disappeared into the night and were gone.
-0-In the bosom of love
Ironhide stood at the sink washing dishes. It was his turn.
Ratchet sat in his chair, remote in servo. He was listening to a cable news program talking about the episode of Platoon. A round table of entertainment critics, military people, scientists and politicos were on nearly every news channel on the spectrum. He settled on the one that he usually liked to listen in.
"The interesting thing for me is the familiar sensibility of the individuals. Their life is very much like our own and it isn't. They're obviously aliens but they have homes, families, help each other and work for the common good. The segment with Scar and that trapped kid was especially illuminating."
Everyone nodded in agreement of the scientist who'd just finished speaking.
Then a military person began. "They're a warrior society. They're fierce, proud and incredibly capable. I'd hate to face one of them on the battlefield. The divisions of troops is interesting, too. There's overlap with the Wreckers and front line troops that make up their shock forces. I also understand they have a Home Guard both on the ground and in the air. A colleague who's close to an officer at Diego Garcia said they also have pacifists who are highly respected. They said the bigger bots such as Metroplex and Fortress Maximus tend to be pacifists though they'll defend their faction if necessary. It's really interesting. The level of expertise as veteran soldier and combatant on display here is phenomenal."
"I agree with Colonel Rombard," a political person said. "The idea that we can defeat the Decepticons by ourselves, these bots who are at least the equal of the Autobots is absurd. If the Autobots by some stretch of the imagination are pushed out of this system, then its delusional to believe the Decepticons will go as well. And consider the singular problem in this scenario. How are we here going to get them to leave there?"
"That is the most laughable part of the anti-Autobot, anti-Cybertronian aspect of this entire situation. How are we going to force them to leave even if we want to which the polls don't reflect?"
"We can't," the host replied. "We have neighbors and it's great that they're our allies. We could be having this conversation about Decepticons colonizing Mars. As it is, we have a fascinating society reorganizing itself on a planet next to us who have a deep regard for us and our continued safety and autonomy." She grinned as she looked at the camera. "We'll be back in just a minute."
The camera cut away to the commercial.
"Sounds kind of balanced, sort of understanding," Ratchet said as he watched Ironhide be the domestic. He grinned. "You turn me on doing that, did you know that?"
Ironhide grinned as he looked over his shoulder at the sprawling red and white medico of his dreams.
Literally.
"Is that so?" he asked with smoldering optics.
Ratchet grinned. "Yes. Maybe you can dust and make some berths up when you're done there. Might get a frag if you work at it."
Ironhide grinned. "Might. Might not, old mech. I have to save something for Soundwave tomorrow."
"He can get his own mech," Ratchet said with a smile. "I don't share."
"Not that sort of save, old mech, and you know it," Ironhide said as he dried the last dish. He put them into the proper shelf, cleaned up then walked over to sit in his chair. The infants were in bed and they were heading there themselves. The evening would pass pleasantly. There would be no frag. There would be an early get up and slow mo plod to school because of the mission to meet Soundwave.
Even when he wasn't actually there, Soundwave was a fragger.
-0-At the Prime Residence, Iacon, Cybertron
He sat collecting his thoughts. He would take two ships through the bridge to an area close to the meet up. He would wait until just before the precise time to land. His soldiers would be adequate to show strength without being a nod to fear and weakness.
Sitting back in Prime's chair, he looked out the windows to the city beyond. The area was being reclaimed but the task was slowing. An underground appeared to be in operation, or a criminal group stealing what they needed. He had to find them. He had to eradicate them. No one living here should not be afraid of him. He would see to it.
The giant glittering form of Trypticon passed slowly in the upper atmosphere overhead. That worthy had returned albeit it in diminished form and needful of great quantities of fuel and repair. The energon chamber and geosynchronous energy bridge weren't in any condition to assuage him and it was clear after a long search that Prime still held the keys as was a duty of his Primeship. Even if Trypticon was next to worthless it was still good to have that force in his arsenal against the Prime. He himself had already seen Autobot City. He even considered another visit. He'd have to see.
The night would pass and so would Trypticon and Cybertron's moons in the dark sky overhead as the great metallic world continued its very slow drift along the outer spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Of course, he wouldn't know it as that. He would consider it in the terms Megatron had given it. He would think of it as the Decepticon Greater Empire Galaxy instead.
-0-Early the next morning
"Need help?"
"NO!"
Sunspot and Ratchet sat on the couch as the blood sport called "I'M WASHING THE SLAGGING SPARKLINGS MYSELF, OLD MECH AND I DON'T NEED YOU OR YOUR INFERNAL SLAG! GOT THAT!? I'M A SLAGGING CHAOS BRINGER! SLAG IT!"
Or as Ratchet called it, 'bath time for babies'.
Hysterical laughter filtered out, then a thud, then little peds pounding the floor as they fled from the morning bath time with the old mech. Running out dripping wet, Orion hustled across the room and hid out under his fort aka the table. He peered out with a maniacal smile on his cute little face. Shrieking with laughter and coiled excitement, he hunkered down as a huge hulking force came out behind him.
Walking slowly, his peds landing hard with metaphorical smoke coming from his nose structure, the Master of the Autobot Armed Forces stalked his sparkling. As he did Praxus came out of the wash rack to watch.
"Come here, you little slagger," Ironhide said as he slowed down in front of the table. Looking underneath, he was greeted by a hysterical shriek and a giant maniacal cackle. "ATAR! GO ME! BWAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA!"
Praxus clapped his servos and ran forward between Ironhide's legs straight under the table. The two held each others servos, their smiles nearly cracking their cute little faces.
"Ada," Sunspot said as he watched with a smile. "That's funny. Its like Atar is chasing himself and you."
"It does look like that doesn't it," Ratchet said with a smile. "That's one slagging fine brace of sparklings. It was genius to make them look like us. More entertaining don't you think?"
Sunspot agreed. He looked up at Ratchet. "They look so funny. Do you think sometime you can get a sparkling and have them look like me?"
Ratchet looked at him as Ironhide reached under to 'miss' catching them. He glanced back at his little mech. "That's a great idea, Ratchet. That would put us ahead of Prowl even with the loaner sparklings."
Ratchet chuckled. "I'd have to design a protoform with fake Seeker features. Or I could start a new trend by making a regular grounder protoform with fake Seeker items."
"That would be great," Sunspot said glanced back to watch the little mechs 'dodge' Ironhide's grasp.
Ratchet knowing Ironhide LOVED THIS GAME and that he was dragging it out by deliberately missing them smirked. "Two little mechs are kicking your aft, Ironhide. Not a good recommend for a Chaos Bringer."
"They're slippery," Ironhide said with a grin.
The two looked up at him with open faced smiles that shimmered with tense excitement.
Then Ironhide grabbed them. Hoisting them out one in each servo, he grinned. "SEE!? I HAVE THEM! I, IRONHIDE OF PRAXUS! IRONHIDE OF THE BONE CRUSHING FIST! I, IRONHIDE DOMINATOR OF RED AFT MEDICS HAVE TRIUMPHED YET AGAIN!" With that, he walked into the berth room and the wash racks with cackling sparklings in servo.
Ratchet and Sunspot watched them go. "Atar is so funny. He likes that game."
"You just noticed that, too? You're one perceptive little mech, Sunny Bunny," Ratchet said squeezing his son. "What do you want for Christmas Surprise?"
He looked up with surprise. "What do you mean?"
"Families on Earth give each other presents. You'll get one from Santa Prime. You will also get one from your Atar and me."
"Oh wow," Sunspot said with a smile. "I don't know what to get."
"Think on it, then whisper to me when you decide," Ratchet said kissing Sunspot's little yellow helm. "I will move heaven and earth to find it."
"Okay," he said with a big grin. "Can everyone do this?"
"Yes," Ratchet said. "I've been reading up on it."
"This is so great!" he said with enthusiasm. "I love Christmas Surprise! I still have my toy from last time."
"On the shelf, I know. You're a mighty fine little mech with your things, Sunny," Ratchet said.
They listened to the racket coming out of the berth room.
"ATAR! WET ME! I WET! NO, ATAR! HURT ME! ATAR HURT ORION! MY SWIM! I GO ADA! BAD ATAR! ADA! ADA, COME ME! ATAR HURT ORION!"
"He has another word," Sunspot noticed with a big grin.
"He does," Ratchet replied with a chuckle as he added it to his internal list.
Ironhide walked out with a towel wrapped, cocoon shaped Orion. He handed the infant off to Ratchet catching Praxus as he tried to sneak out to make a break for the table.
"Run, sparkling! Be free!" Ratchet said as Ironhide scooped Praxus up.
He cackled all the way to the wash racks. They watched as he did, then Sunspot and Ratchet looked at a towel-wrapped Orion. He grinned enormously.
"What a cute little sparkling you are."
"ADA! ATAR BAD!"
"He is," Ratchet said. "Bad enough to get you in the end."
Orion smiled. He looked at Sunspot. "ORION LOVES POT!"
Sunspot smiled. "Sunspot loves Orion." He leaned forward to kiss his brother's cheek.
Orion smiled gigantically looking up at Ratchet as he did. "POT KIPPED ORION!"
They both had a big chuckle out of that.
Hero who was dozing on the table in her brother's bouncy chair had no opinion.
-0-At the school
They'd dropped off the sparklings including Hero into the Transient Day Care Center and now waited in the lobby with Sunspot.
Ironhide was laying down the law. "If we are late, stay with the Community Schools. We already told Mr. Terradive about it. We will get you there. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe will come with us along with Bluestreak."
Sunspot listened as he stood in his line with a heavy book bag on his shoulder. He had his snacks and a drink, his school work, datapad and several books. He also had a plan to tell everyone that families could give each other a present, too. That was his secret. "I will. Will you come home for dinner?"
"We plan it," Ratchet said leaning down to kiss him. "Appa and Amma are going to come get you to stay at the store after a bit. If we're late, you can help them get the babies and feed everyone. You're such a good responsible little mech."
He smiled proudly. "You can count on me, Ada."
"I know we can. We always have," Ratchet said hugging him.
Ironhide hugged his son, too, then set him down gently. "You be a good hard working little Seeker, Sunspot. Have fun and don't worry about anything. We'll make another bulletin board for your room for all your badges this weekend," Ironhide said with a smile.
Sunspot grinned. "I will," he said.
The door opened so he hurried with his class into the room where Terradive waited with a smile. "Come in. We have so much stuff to do today," he said as the door closed slowly.
"We do, too," Ironhide said as Ratchet began to leave. He came along behind, his servo resting lightly on Ratchet's back. They entered the elevator and the door closed there, too.
=0=TBC 2012 (12) 12-12-2022