NOTE: BWAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAHHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I actually forgot to post this tonight. :D:D:D I will post it now, two hours later than I though I already had. Going to beddy by now. :D:D:D
-0-Now, let's get this party started
The Diego Diaries: PsyOps 35
-0-On the way to the Tower District
Ratchet ambled along in the early evening, dusk settling as city lights came on. Looking upward at the towers, he saw that the 'virus' of colored Christmas Surprise lights was spreading. A 'Cybertronian' interest story on The Hourly News followed up by a segment on 'Good Morning, Autobot City' had made that revelation something really desired by more bots than he thought possible. It added to the beauty of the city and the general warmth and invitation this place held. The refugees could not be made more comfortable he thought as he reached the tower where Prowl had placed the infants and their families.
Entering, the night lighting was soft and the lobby was empty. A short ride to the fifteenth floor brought him to four of the six little families. Walking to door 18, he rapped on it. It was opened by a mech who stared at him with surprise. "Yes?" he asked.
"Hi. I'm Ratchet, CMO for the Armed Services and this planet. I'm here to look in on you and the infant."
The mech stepped aside and let Ratchet in. The infant in question was lying in his genitor's arms as he rocked to recharge by the window in a chair designed for that. Ratchet grinned. "Hi. How are all of you doing? I know this is a bit of a shift for you to absorb in one orn."
They both glanced at each other and nodded. "It is."
Ratchet chuckled. "Well, welcome to the city. You can find most of what you need to know on the Community Bulletin Board on the monitor. There are also programs going all the time, some from the planet over with our human allies, others that are our own plus the news every hour. Do you get all the perks of this apartment?"
They both nodded. "I am astonished. I have never lived in an apartment this good. Most of my life I lived in a barracks or on the street," one of the two said. His name was Rooney, his bond, Stover and their infant, Testla. They looked like the kind of mechs you would pass by without a glance. Battered paint schemes, servos that bore marks of hard labor and the sort of solidity of understanding about 'place' that those without hope for better sometimes bore with great dignity. Ratchet scanned them, then grinned. "You're in pretty good shape. Of course, Testla is aces. I took care of him myself."
"Thank you for that," Stover said as tears welled up. "We were ready to die when they took him. He's all we got besides each other."
"So were we when we saw them thrown into vacuum, all six of these little pearls. We didn't know what they were at first but when it was clear, all the ships were ready to empty out to get them. Starscream reached them with his Seekers. It was madness I tell you," Ratchet said with anger in his voice.
"I can't imagine it but when Prime said they were alright it was like being reborn," Rooney said nodding.
"I know," Ratchet said. "I have sparklings of my own and grandsparklings. All the genitors as well wanted Overlord's spark. I am under the belief that Soundwave has it on a shelf in his office," Ratchet said with a grin.
"Good," Stover said in complete agreement.
"I think you are all well. I am in the Board listings under Medical-Ratchet. Call me about anything. I can show you or tell you or point you to anything you need. It beats working."
They grinned and chuckled as Ratchet arose. "Thank you, Ratchet. I am so happy we're here. We knew Prime was regrouping but a city? A real Cybertronian city?"
"I know," Ratchet said nodding. "There are programs on the Board in the archives that will show you how the city grew. You might want to see them. Take your time about getting work and go sightseeing. Go and enjoy yourself in the restaurants and get things for your house and infant that you want. Get things for yourself. Be happy here. The AllSpark rates a stop and so does the Flame and the Well. You can also go to any of the detailing shops and get your armor refinished and painted to a high shine, as high as you want. I would recommend it. It will lift your spirits tremendously."
They looked at Ratchet a moment, then nodded. "Thank you," they said as he turned leaving with a grin. The door closed and they looked at each other. "I think I'm going to like it here, Stover."
Stover grinned and nodded back. "You would be mad not to."
They laughed together for the first time in orns. It felt wonderful.
-0-Stop 2
He entered and grinned, the tiniest little refugee sitting in the tub being held up by his ada's servo. "Hi, baby. Remember me? Uncle Ratchet?" he asked as the tiny infant smiled at him. "You do. Awesome."
The infant's genitors, all three of them looked at Ratchet with emotional optics. "Thank you for looking after Prima. We were so desperate."
"All of us were even on this side. We started to plan your return two seconds before we figured out what Overlord was doing, it was that important to all of us," Ratchet said pulling a device. He scanned both of them. "You all need to go to the Sparkling, Youngling and Femme Hospital in Metroplex to have some work done. I can't allow you to work until you do. You are rundown and need a tune up of your systems. You also show some old untreated abuse."
They nodded. "That's where? In Metroplex somewhere?"
Ratchet walked to the monitor turning it on. The Community Bulletin Board was always the screen that came on first. He explained it and the other entertainment features as he screened through. The city map was shown and he located the hospital which was nearby, part of the Administration complex of the big bot.
"This is The Hourly News which will show you things that happen in the city every hour all orn long. There are local, alien and mixed programming in conjunction with the planet one over from us. They're our allies and you'll see them buzzing around the city on segways. You were told about proximity sensors, yes?"
They all nodded.
"Good. They're good allies but organic and squishy," he said with a grin. "Take your time before getting work and learn the city, its offerings and set up your home to be comfy. Try and relax, see things, ask about things. We take care of everyone here. Get cookies and go to the park. We have a holiday coming that the humans shared with us called Christmas Surprise. You can find it here," Ratchet said going back to the Board and showing the links under that listing which were growing almost ornly. "The lights and decorations are human inspired and the whole thing is fun especially for children." He turned and looked at the trio. "What exactly were your professions before?"
One of the atars, a big mech called Outlaw glanced at his bonds. Then he looked at Ratchet. "We were missionaries." The other atar, a smart looking but slender mech named Hobo looked at Ratchet with anxious optics.
Ratchet blinked. "That is outstanding. You need to go to the Temple to see Chevron and the other priests. We have four acolytes there as well. They will all be glad to see you and know that some survived. The Allspark, Flame and Well are there too. They were restored during the Festival of Primus we just had a while back, the first one in eons with the Prime consulting the Matrix."
They nodded. "Levee, Hobo and I will go there with Prima. We can put his stones in the garden."
"Good," Ratchet said. "I will comm Chevron and let him know you are here."
Outlaw nodded and bowed his helm in the old fashioned Cybertonian way. "Thank you for all you have done. There are no words to express our gratitude."
"None are needed," Ratchet said. "You might want to know that a member of the pacifist Mountain Seeker clan from Vos is here with his family. His name is Breezy and he would be happy to meet you. He's a pharmacist at the drug store in the Mall at Metroplex. His clan participated with the Missionaries too."
"We will see him tomorrow, Ratchet. Thank you for all you have done," Outlaw said bowing his helm again in the humble way of his sect. The others did too.
"No," Ratchet said placing a servo gently on his shoulder. "Thank you for all you did and tried to do. I am glad to have you here at last. You are part of the best of our struggle and to have your voice here to tell it to others matters a lot to me. I for one only believe this war will end with diplomacy. Call me contrary but I believe in reasonable agreements too."
They bid each other goodnight and Ratchet left walking to the elevator for the ride down. He considered the three, practitioners of a pacifist group that he thought had been wiped out. They were mechs he could relate to. Anyone who hated war could as well, especially the chief diplomat and doctor of a great army who loathed it with the fire of a thousand suns.
During the run up to war groups that had espoused peace began to come together to make serious civil disobedience everywhere. Two of them emerged supreme that encompassed the opposition at both ends of the spectrum of thought. One of them was called The Neutrals who hated war and didn't want to see Cybertron torn apart for any number of reasons including commercial enterprise disruptions and caste concerns were a big group. Their obstinacy was less based on the idea of commity than it was on the idea of commerce and the continuation of the status quo. They would only later diverge into the pro-caste side which wanted things to be the way they were with peace included and the bigger faction, those that wanted nothing to do with the system, war and eventually Cybertron because war sucked and Cybertron was to be feared lost forever if they went down that road.
The other group was called The Primus Peace Mission, the 'Missionaries'. They were a mix of all manner of mechs including some whose few surviving members would join the Circle of Light and help revive the Knights of Cybertron. This group had religious, non-religious but zealous for peace, intelligensia, youth with ideals or members from pacifist clans including remote fabled Seeker types among their numbers. They gathered together because they felt war was an affront to Cybertron, Primus and The One and tried to stop it with peaceful efforts including trying to influence public opinion.
Instead of leaving like nearly all the main Neutral groups and their offshoot branches did, they stayed and tried to foment peace through non-violent means. They were from all castes, all professions, all manner of points of view but they felt strongly enough for Cybertron and their people to use their bodies and personal courage to end the war.
They were of course slaughtered in great numbers. It seemed that they fell like wheat stalks before a scythe. They were at first not clearly understood or appreciated, then they were admired and reverenced. They were the lambs before the slaughter, the face of goodness against the dark night of evil, anyone's child, father, aunt, neighbor. The priests supported and joined them, many dying themselves. Ratchet had never expected to see any again. It was affirming to him in a way he couldn't articulate to know that members of The Primus Peace Mission had survived and now lived here.
It was awesome. It was affirming. It made him want to cry.
When he reached the bottom, he walked out into the night air. The lights were bright everywhere and he had a springier step to his ped as he headed out to see the remaining four little families.
-0-In another tower
They walked to the elevator and took it upward fourteen floors. They got off and walked into a specially designed domain that had been built to meet a specific need. The elevator opened into a big space filled with chairs and couches, a communal entertainment center and nearby the huge windows, a kitchen with dining area. Around the big space were doors that would reveal themselves to be separate contained berthrooms for anyone staying here. Sitting at the table eating, three other younglings about their age looked their way, a friendly looking adult mech sitting with them. He looked up and waved. "Hi. We were expecting you."
Jericho smiled back and waved. "Good. I have two nice little femmes for you, Torus."
Torus who himself was a big red bot with white highlights on his face nodded. "Just in time to eat. Join us, Jericho and we can get our new guests settled in."
They walked to the table and sat as Torus rustled up food from the counter where it was resting in large trays. He handed filled plates to the two femmes and large mugs of energon. He sat and smiled. "This is Class A energon, sparklings. It is designed to kick start your systems. The shapes of the food were created by our colony's greatest chef, Rampage. He was a Predacon before coming here and now he cooks for all of us. He has taken on creating all the food and drinks that you will eat when you live here in this sheltered space. He supplies food and treats. The treats will be on the counter and you can have all you want all orn long."
The two femmes looked at him and nodded staring at the exotic food on their plates. They didn't know it was shaped like steak, baked potatoes and carrots, the vivid colors of the human food equally represented. They just knew it tasted AWESOME when they finally took a bite. They dug in and had at it.
"This is Inspiration who goes by Inspire. That is Aurora. They are of indeterminate age and therefore are our guests until we can figure out what they need and how they meet the law for emancipation as required," he told Jericho more for the femmes' sake than the night time shelter manager's. He nodded anyway.
Three other 'guests' sat at the table eating looking from the two femmes to Jericho and back. They were Highrise, Two-Bits and Rapture, three mechs who looked seriously underage. Torus grinned. "These little younglings came in on the migration too. Their genitors are in the hospital so they're staying with us for the duration. When their genitors are well, they will go home. You little femmes are welcome here. We are happy to have you. This is your home for now. You will stay here when you aren't out and about with a chaperone. We are seriously concerned about the well being of our younglings and the care and protection of you is first and foremost our job. That is why I stay here overnight and during the day three others come. One is a tutor who will help assess your education. Two others are here to help you see the city, go to appointments that are part of the process and care for you."
The two girls nodded. "Okay," Inspire said meekly.
"We can go out and look around?" Aurora asked.
"You can," Torus said. "Not tonight. The windows are good enough for you to see out but its curfew for you now. When you get done you can go pick out a room that will be yours until you get settled into a permanent situation."
They nodded and continued eating. Then the door opened and Ratchet walked inside.
-0-In the bosom of love
Ironhide sneaked in hugging Ravel and Tie Down. They shared whispers about each others day, then the two elders slipped out for home next door. Ironhide crept into the berthrooms checking on the younglings. He had to unwind Orion from his blankets and replace dollies for Praxus. Sunspot was sleeping like a log so he crept back out and turned on the monitor at the lowest setting, dialing up his own audials to make up for it. Sitting in his chair, he relaxed. Ratchet would be home soon and they would eat the leftover 'chinese' for dinner while catching up on the gossip aka The Hourly News.
-0-At the Youngling House
Ratchet paused by the table noting the five younglings who stared up at him. "Hi, Torus, Jericho. Looks like a full house tonight."
"We have new younglings," Torus replied with a smile. "These three have genitors in the hospital and these two came in alone."
"I see," Ratchet said accessing data. He looked at the three younglings. "Your genitors are going to recover a few orns in the hospital. I'll go see them myself in the morning and send an update to the day crew. Don't worry, younglings. Their hurts are easy fixes."
They looked relieved and nodded. Ratchet looked at the femmes who looked back at him silently. "I see the problem in figuring out age. They are petite femmes."
Jericho nodded. "We will need a complete diagnostic and physical tomorrow, Ratchet."
"I'll have Gypsy and Cleeri do that. They're the youngling experts. As for the rest, I will see what I can do," Ratchet said. "Dinner looks good. You're lucky, younglings. The best chef in the city takes care of you. I might run away from home and join you."
They grinned and Torus chuckled. "You want to stay and eat?"
"I can't. Ironhide has some leftover 'chinese'. He's rather fond of it and wants me to try some. He hates to eat alone, the big baby," Ratchet said with a grin.
"The biggest kind of all," Jericho said glancing at the younglings. "He's 25 feet tall and Master of the Armed Forces."
The little mechs looked at him with big optics, then Ratchet. "Can he come here?" one of them, a little mech named Rapture asked.
"I'll tell him. He's a softie when it comes to sparklings," Ratchet said.
"Can we get an Autobrand? Everyone we see has one including the younglings and sparklings," Two-Bits asked.
"My youngling paints them for every infant in the city. I'll ask Sunstreaker," Ratchet said nodding. "So, are you going to be alright or is there anything you need?"
"We're good. You scanned the newbies?" Jericho asked grinning at the femmes.
Ratchet did and nodded. "Not too bad. Sort of undernourished and over worked but nothing a plan won't fix. I'll let you go and come back tomorrow. You younglings eat a lot. That's an order." Ratchet grinned and they grinned back. Turning with a nod, he walked to the door and left.
They sat eating, then Torus began to collect the dishes. "Come on, femmes. Let's choose a berthroom," Jericho said as he rose from the table. They did too and accomplished the deed. They then spent the next few hours at the windows in the living room watching the lights and the flights from the air field come and go with the little mechs.
-0-In the bosom of love
He slipped in and kissed Ironhide. Filling two plates with 'chinese' dishes and two mugs with the proper brand of 'tea', he walked to Ironhide and handed him a plate. Sitting the mugs down, he sprawled in a chair.
"How was it?" Ironhide asked taking a large bite of 'chicken fried rice'.
"Not bad. Two new femme orphans of indeterminate age came in with this group. Three youngling mechs are in the refuge while their genitors are in the hospital and they want to see a chaos bringer and have Autobrands. Then I found a trine who were missionaries on Cybertron. The littlest mechling, that is who he belongs to."
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "Really? I'm surprised any of them are still alive."
"Me too," Ratchet said. "It's a slagging miracle," he said softly as they sat together eating, The Hourly News filling them in on the goings-on of the largest Cybertronian city still in existence.
=0=TBC
2012 (12) I have written and rewritten this so much my head is spinning. I think its important to mention those that were against the war since this sort of action is mentioned in canon. The two femmes are created and owned by Kaekokat. :D:D There was something else but I forget. :D:D:D Good night, my dears all over this world. :D :D :D :D