-0-Let's roll out shall we? (dd3 156)
The Diego Diaries: Follow Up 2
-0-On the way
The sound of ships being prepped drew every human on the planet so they gathered on the usual spot, the shipping crates on the edge of the airfield to watch. The troops going out were more than had ever mustered for a rescue and the ships were all types and sizes. They noted that the number of hospital ships was quadruple the usual complement, the number of Seekers and types of their models equal as well. The heavily armed newly designed Wrecker fighter vessels stood out and joined everyone in the sky above as the tower okayed them in the line up.
A flickering light that was barely perceptible in the bright sky indicated that the space bridges were being pressed into service. They watched as the well oiled drill of getting going unfolded before them. The filmmakers filmed, the soldiers watched with appraising eyes and the dance went on.
-0-At the line up topside
The Seekers formed up into flights in the highest orbit of Mars. Below them were the Wrecker designed fighters, fast heavy shuttles along with Silverbolt who would be the fighter command platform for Starscream. Below them rising up one at a time, the true heavies began to make a flight. The Supremes, Gamma, Zeta, Xantium, and Kappa were joined by Omega who would serve as command central for Prime. Prowl would ride on the former 'Con battle cruiser that was once the command deck for the brig rat, Turmoil. Somehow, it felt like justice taking a 'Con ship to fight 'Cons. The ship's new name was City of Solitude after a location in Crystal City that was no more.
Miler who sat at the console with Wheeljack running the Trigger glanced at the line up. Prowl's ship was beautiful, painted a gleaming white with Autobrand affixed on the side. He considered the way things could change in the blink of an optic. One orn it was Christmas Surprise, the next it was war.
It was awful.
"We are go, Wheeljack," Miler said glancing at the big Autobot with a nod. "Prime Flight, this is Miler Navigator. You are go on 'Jack's call."
"Good," Wheeljack replied. "Autobot Armada and Fort Max Flight Control, you are go through the gate."
"Fort Max Flight Control, we copy. Autobot Armada, you are go, go, go."
"Copy that, Flight Control," Rem said as he sat on the flight deck of Omega Supreme. He looked around the corner. "Are we go, sir?"
Optimus looked up from the maps and datapads that littered the central command table. He nodded. "Yes," he said quietly.
Rem sat back and looked at the blinking light that signaled Omega's presence on the console. "We are go, Omega."
"Affirmative. Condition: Optimal. We are go," said the deep sonorous voice of one of the most honorable Autobots ever. Then the great heart of Omega Supreme began to power up, his unfathomable strength evident under their peds. With that, he led the way for the massive force to enter the maelstrom and come out again on the other side of time.
-0-Around the city
Rampage walked to the subway station to visit the restaurant called Tower In The Sky on top of a tower at Terra. The massive liftoff had caught all of the city by surprise and many were the bots standing on sidewalks or terraces, rooftops and windows watching. He had paused himself, watching a happening of which he was well aware he had once participated. He had been a soldier, a very dangerous, murderous solder. He had mustered out with battle groups for eons of time. But as he watched the show, he couldn't bring more than a sense memory of such things to his processor. He was aware of what it felt to do this thing but he had no actual memories of being a part of it.
He had lost that side of himself. It had been taken away to save his life. He had accepted that with an equanimity that he wouldn't have possessed before his surgery. It wasn't a lobotomy that had found for him balance, intellect and another way of life. It was a removal of all of the bad, the horrible and the dangerous conditions that had conspired against him. What had replaced it was what would have been possible without the processor damage and the design flaw.
How many more were out there he sometimes thought who were just a visit to the processor doctors away from a real life? He had no idea. He was just glad he had his own. He had brothers, they said. He didn't remember them. It was probably all for the best, he thought, as he walked down the steps to the underground station. They wouldn't approve of his new life, he knew. That was one feeling he hadn't lost at all.
-0-Herling
He walked from classroom to classroom checking out the situation among their charges. Whenever a battle group stood out, there was always turmoil among the younglings and infants. They had tension, fear, tears, and actual decompensation among some children who had suffered already and weren't prepared for the sudden imposition of turmoil into their lives after finally have something stable here.
They had counselors available. They had play times revised, including more of it into the schedule. Everyone was stepping up to assist. The only thing he knew that would put everyone at ease was the return of their soldiers, Seekers and leadership. Only then would the children of Autobot City relax and turn back to the carefree life of school, families and city activities.
He walked to the elevator to go to another floor where he would visit the classrooms, talk to the students and get the word on how things were going. It would be a mixed bag of responses. It would be just like before. The door closed behind him as he stepped inside and went upward to the next group of anxious children and their sympathetic teachers and aides.
-0-RTR Tools
Ravie sat at the finishing table where he was polishing a set of rifle tools for a client. They had heard the noise and watched it, having been given a quick rundown by Ratchet before he left. They had felt lead in their tanks, the sinking feeling only parents can have when their youngsters were going into harms way.
He worked the tools on automatic pilot as memories of Ratchet as a child came to him. He was a gangling mech, their Ratchet. He was bright, smiled and laughed a lot, ended up in time out often, and was their world. They had labored long and hard for his education, such as it was, in the illegal underground schools. They scrimped to buy books and the things that all younglings desired. Most of the time they couldn't and Ratchet was very chipper about it. He was kind, their Ratchet. For all his seeming lack of seriousness, their Ratchet was a good mech.
Looking up, Ravel watched Tie Down cut templates for a set of medical knives out of sheet metal. It was exacting. Their personal templates were of such high quality, it only took a minimal amount of work to bring them to a brilliant finish. Tie looked as tense as he felt himself. It would be a long hard wait for their son to come back. Until then, they would have to do their best with the infants. Flint was going to Fort Apache. Venture and Miler had the Prime infants as well as the trines' own. They would have Orion, Praxus and Sunspot. Hero was at Fort Apache as Alor had taken responsibility for her care. It would be fine, Ravel thought, as he rose to the occasion. His Ratchet would come home and all would be well again. He bent closer and began to detail the tools that would be someone's pride and joy in three orns.
-0-Jetta
He watched the flight leave knowing Elita and her team were aboard one of the big ships. They were going to work with the Wreckers. He was also aware that they were going to go to Cybertron for deep cover assignments there as well shortly. He would be eating out a bit for a while, he considered. He grinned and looked at the roll out datapad that held the listings for the city and its available, under construction and soon-to-be finished housing units. If they took the high number already finished or soon to be and used it for the newcomer total, they would be able to cover everyone who was coming.
It was all good. He grabbed his portable datapad with the same information and walked past Venture and Magnus as they labored in their offices. He walked out of City Hall and headed for a subway that would take him to Terra and the work that was ongoing there. He disappeared underground with the mid afternoon crowd.
-0-Orion
He sat in the middle of a rug listening to an aide reading stories to him and his group, D. They were entranced although they didn't know all of the words. It was just amazing to hear someone say things, then show pictures. It was just like night time with Atar.
Han sat nearby, Bleu by his side. They were fast friends. Companionable and connoisseurs of the same type of dollie, they had an almost inseparable alliance of personality. Bleu was shy and sweet. Han wasn't shy.
Orion looked at them, a tiny frown marring his brow, then he turned back to listen as the tale of Dora the Explorer Cybertronian style continued onward. Even Mimi watched, her most deeply beloved dollie of Wheeljack almost forgotten in her tiny lap.
-0-Kaon
He sat on a little stool watching a puppet show by Mr. Roto. It was a story about a boy who cried wolf. Cybertronian style, of course. It was a story in which dollies acted, talked and even sounded an awful lot like Mr. Roto. When the story was over, he stood up and dragged his little stool to the wall where it was supposed to be. No one else did. Their adas weren't as strict about neatness it would seem. When he was finished, he looked across the room. The little femme that he liked was sitting on the floor propped up by pillows. He smiled and walked over to her, leaning down to see her little face. She looked up at him. Then she smiled enormously.
Meep was recovering from losing an arm and leg. Her replacement leg had taken hold but several attempts to re-attach her arm had failed. Her protoform needed more time. Kaon looked around and found a little book lying nearby. Taking it off the couch, he came back and sat down beside her. Opening it, he began to point to pictures as well as 'reading' words. Meep watched him, then the book, then Kaon. She smiled, he smiled.
Nearby smiling as well, Neo sat on the floor watching as Kaon cheered up her little charge. Meep was sweet but she was still exhausted from her ordeal. The two little sparklings were tonic for each other. They certainly were for her.
The afternoon passed quietly in the sparkling school as the battle group reached the Fort on the other side of time.
-0-Fort Apache
Alor and Blackjack stood in the front courtyard of the Fortress watching ships and Seekers pour out of the space bridge that had flared to life nearby.
:Are you sure you'll be okay?: Ironhide asked his ada.
Alor looked at him and grinned. :Fine and dandy:
Ironhide hugged both. Then he walked to a roundabout that would take him to Omega and Prime's command center. They watched as he lifted off and flew to the big gleaming Autobot who led the group. It paused long enough to off load Ironhide, then flew back to the airfield next to the fort.
Alor glanced at Blackjack and grinned. :Fussy thing, our Ironhide: He patted his carry hold where the infant was recharging in her tiny bag.
:He hates to miss his sparkling's orns: Blackjack said with a nod.
Flint walked out to pause beside them. :We're starting to organize the reclamation here when they rescue. I thought you might want to know its in servo:
:Good: Blackjack said as they all watched the battle group form up and start to move onward. :I hope we have an easy retrieval. I'm tired of fragging 'Con slaggers:
:From your lips, 'Jack, to Primus's audials," Flint said.
Alor merely swayed gently and nodded.
-0-TBC 2013 (1) edited 4-21-18
-0-Note to BlondeKelpie in Oz: :D :D I would be totally delighted to help you name a few of your cows. In my own family, we have cowboys and ranches, sheep herders and farmers. Taking care of animals and driving them here and there to the winter and summer range, branding and tagging, hugging and loving, that is what my family used to do not so long ago. :D Some of my family actually lived long enough to talk about coming west on the covered wagon trail to Oregon. :D We live a long time.
I welcome you so much to the story, BlondeKelpie. :D I am delighted to entertain you.
NAMING YOUR ANIMALS AFTER CHARACTERS?! THAT IS SO AWESOME! BLACKJACK! OMG! There is a Fell pony in an equestrian school in northern England named Orion from the story. You should look up Fell ponies, readers. They're BEAUTIFUL. This story is my delight. The chance of hearing about you and your doings, readers, makes me feel terrific. I love you all. BlondeKelpie, I don't have an addie for you so if you want to PM me or let me know how to tell you names, I'd be honored to help. I know about how names for animals are that important. I love cows, too. I used to go to the home ranch of my aunt and uncle and feed the cows grass over the fence. They'd all see me and come in a huge bunch. It was awesome. :D
I love including other countries in when I can. Australia is on my bucket list. :D So are a lot of other countries from people who read this story. Until all are one. A little birdie told me that. ;)