The Diego Diaries: Follow Up 3 (dd3 157)
-0-At an apartment near Johnson Space Center, Texas
"What's up with the teevee?"
"The MCA is playing reruns tonight," Lola Teasdale said taking a coke and plate from her sister. Their pets were coiled up here and there as both sat to watch the evening download from Mars. Dinner and Martian teevee. Life was good.
"Why? It must mean something weird is going on over there," Cindy said as she settled her plate in her lap. "There must be trouble with the migration. Did you watch 'Good Morning, Autobot City' this morning?"
"I did," Lola replied turning up the sound. "They said the migration was coming but little else."
Cindy nodded. "At least the new ep of 'Platoon' is on. I'm glad that's being allowed to be shown."
"Thank Primus for that," Lola said with heartfelt feeling.
-0-Platoon
The opening sequence ended and the peds of someone walking down a street could be seen. They paused, then crossed the street heading along a highway that bordered the airfield. The usual working day was going on hot and heavy there as the bot continued. The scene changed.
Several bots were seen standing outside Day/Night Watch substation 3 which was across the street from the Temple of Simfur Restored. They were discussing the shift change from Night to Day Watch. Lon, a tall youngling was standing with Drift and Springer who were briefing everyone who was coming on duty.
"The shadow side of the Polyhex Business Center has a lot of younglings, pre-sub adults. They like to sit and shoot the slag. We found some of them trying to get mechs to buy them beer. Keep an optic on that corner. Its just like the old alcove in the Fortress. You can't see them unless you want to." Springer grinned. "Punks," he said with a chuckle. The others grinned as the three walked away toward the Fortress.
"Time for breakfast, youngling," Drift said with a grin at Lon. "How was your beat?"
"It was quiet, Drift," Lon replied. "The traffic to Terra was mostly construction. That new restaurant on the building top is drawing customers. I hear the food is good and the view amazing."
"If you weren't so cheap you'd take me there," Drift said glancing at Springer.
"Yeah, like it costs shanix to go," Springer said with a big grin. As they bantered along, Ironhide appeared walking through the gate of the Fortress. "Hey," Springer said with a grin as they paused.
"Hey," Ironhide repeated. "How was the night?"
"Quiet," Springer replied. "There's that little femme of yours. What's that on her little hat?"
"That's a Hello Kitty," Ironhide said with a look that could peel paint off a wall.
"What's a Hello Kitty?" Drift asked admiring the tiny femme who looked at him with a smile.
"Look it up," Ironhide said with a trace of defensiveness. "I can't do all the work, younglings."
"I don't know. Four kids in three years … sounds pretty busy to me," Springer said with a chuckle.
"Well, some of us have it and know where to put it," Ironhide said with a smug grin. Then it faded as he looked downward. "That isn't one of those camera things."
"It is," Drift said as they all looked down.
"Frag. Don't put that in the show," Ironhide said with a shake of his head. "Ratchet slags me enough."
"Aw. Mech up, stud," Springer said as he slapped Ironhide on the arm.
"You mech up," Ironhide replied. "I don't see you getting too spry around old mech."
"I'm not suicidal," Springer said with a grin. "What's good on the menu?"
"Everything. Rampage is a genius," Ironhide said as they walked around him. The camera stayed in one place then Ironhide looked down at them, his expression becoming less amused by the minute.
:Hey, you're Ironhide, right?: the voice off screen asked. Fortunately it was Leonora and she was given what some of the other camera crews weren't. Genuine regard as a female. In the mech shaped world of Cybertronian life, femmes and females of all stripes were given high regard. It was just the way it was. Perhaps it was their rarity or perhaps in the mech shaped world of Cybertronian life, manners were manners were manners. No matter what, the humans found out early on so Leonora was given a camera crew and mission of her own. She would always be received with great respect and care.
Unlike some of the men.
Sometimes.
:I am. Maybe: Ironhide said unwittingly endearing himself to seven billion pairs of eyes on the next planet over.
:Is that a baby?: Leonora asked.
:She is: Ironhide said glancing at the little femme in his arm. :She's my daughter: he said proudly. :The sparkling doctors say that if you put them in little hats it helps their processors develop. The warmth.: Ironhide looked down at the little crew and felt like a dolt.
:I think she looks wonderful. What good advice, Ironhide. Nothing like taking care of your baby the right way: Leonora said with feeling, inadvertently sealing her fate as one of 'the good ones'.
He looked at her and smiled faintly. :I'm as servos on as I can be:
Leonora nodded as she beamed at him. :Can you bring her closer? I would love to see her:
Ironhide thought a moment, then knelt down to hold his arm out. Hero was lying on a soft blanket, her little Seeker sack in her old pa's hold. She was wearing a pink and white Hello Kitty hat and matching booties that Ironhide had picked out the decaorn before. She looked adorable.
:Oh, she's so cute. What a beautiful little girl: Leonora said as she stepped down from the segway to walk closer. She touched Hero's ped and the little femme smiled brilliantly. :Oh! She smiled at me!:
Ironhide who nearly dissolved into a puddle smiled proudly. :She's that far along the awesome scale:
:No doubt: Leonora said nodding. :I'd love to film the families of the soldiers. I think it would be awesome to have the viewers see the great care all the little kids get here. I think seeing families will help humanity know you better:
:Ask Jazz and Blaster to put it to Prime. I'll ask him if I see him today: Ironhide said as he watched his daughter reach out for Leonora. She took Leonora's hand and squeezed it. Drawing back, Leonora smiled. :She's strong:
Ironhide nodded proudly. :She's trying to sit up and almost can without help:
Leonora smiled. :I love her. She's wonderful:
:I'll talk to Prime. If you film the families, he might say yes. I hear you're a good femme yourself:
She looked up at him, this improbable giant with a tiny much loved infant on his arm. :Thank you, Ironhide. I like your people and this place:
Ironhide nodded. :We know: he said rising upward. Nodding to the crew, he grinned slightly. :I'll put your request through today: With that, he walked down the street heading for the housing district and the hospital.
Leonora watched him go and smiled. :What a cute little girl that was: With that, they rolled into the Fortress hot on the trail of Drift, Springer and Lon.
-0-In an apartment near Johnson Space Center.
"ARGH! I WANT TO BE THERE!"
Lola looked at her sister. "You and me both. When we go, if we go, I want to work in the Sparkling Day School on my time off. If we get any."
"We have to work harder. We have to go. We made it this far. M.I.T. almost didn't take us," Cindy said.
"They were convinced. We worked our butts off and graduated in jig time. This was a better idea than working in a brokerage." Lola frowned. "Who were those girls?"
"They weren't us. Not now anyway," Cindy said sipping her coke. "Here we go," she said as the science minute ended and the show resumed.
-0-At the airfield
They followed Nitro as he made his way to the hangars where the workers labored on the ships and fighters. Nearby, below ground, the local armory cache was located. He was there to do servos on inventory. Passing Omega who sat in flight mode as routine maintenance was being performed, a voice off screen asked him a question. :How many ships around here are sentient, Nitro, and how many are not?:
Nitro looking around, then down. :The huge ones are sentient. None of the others are. Except the Aerialbots and Astrotrain: he said nodding to a group of enormous robotic mechanisms sitting on a hillock nearby talking and laughing together. :That group is sentient:
:It's a struggle to imagine that anything that big is alive: -voice
:Metroplex and Fortress Maximus are alive: he said nodding in the direction of the giants glittering in the sunlight.
:Is there a way to talk to them?: -voice
:Go ask: Nitro said staring at the camera with his stern visage.
:The bots themselves?: -voice
Nitro nodded. :Sure: He continued onward.
-Cut scene to a lighted corridor and a bot. Lon the Security officer was their guide. He walked ahead of them and as they reached a set of large doors he paused. :Inside is the command center of Metroplex. You'll see a lighted panel that's the largest monitor in the control room beyond these doors. Address yourself to that. It's his interface module:
They nodded and waited as he rapped on the doors. :Metroplex. You have visitors:
"Enter," a sonorous voice replied. The doors opened on their own and lights inside came on filling a huge space with illumination. They entered and paused to look around. The space was lined with equipment panels and consoles, all of them working without operators.
The camera panned it, then a voice began as Lon walked to a seat and sat down to watch. :Thank you, Metroplex for having us visit you:
"You are welcome. Prime explained. I will do what I can to help you understand us and our culture."
:I have never seen anyone as big and as complex as you, Metroplex. How did you come to be?: -the voice
"I am unclear. I have always been."
:There are three parts to you, I'm told. What does that mean?: -the voice
"It means that I can assist and explore beyond the range of my sensors. Three parts of me are defensive as well as investigative."
:You're a beautiful city. I'm amazed at your beauty: -the voice
There was a pause and he didn't answer. Lon leaned forward and grinned slightly. :Metroplex is a very humble bot. He doesn't have a towering ego. He's just good:
The voice answered. :Compliments are hard? I see:
[Pause]
:Metroplex, we've heard that you were injured during an explosion a while back. There were residents in your confines trying to get out while you were actually burning yourself in the flames. You didn't get up off the fire because of them. Could you tell us about that?:
There was a long pause, then a soft sound like a sigh. "There was an energon explosion. My residents were fleeing. I house over five thousand. I had to allow them to leave before rising up. I would not cause them harm even by accident. They are mine and I am theirs."
The humans considered that, then the narrator stepped into the view. :That's remarkable. I don't know if I could be so brave:
[Pause]
"It was my duty. I live to serve. I get company and harmony in return. I get more than I give from my residents. The infants and younglings make a lot of things right for me. I am weary of war. But if my Prime needs me, I will answer his call. It is my duty to our people and to our Cause. It is my function."
The human walked to the panel and touched it lightly. :Would that we could say the same about some of our leaders and protectors, Metroplex:
-0-Cut to the street paralleling the airfield. Three bots were heading toward what seemed at ground level like a slightly rising hill. They were Jolt, Blurr and Bumblebee. After a moment, the hill was overtaken and they were going down the slight rise toward a big installation nearby. The bots didn't see the rise. To them, the road was level. To the tiny segways and their riders, it wasn't.
:Where are we going?: -a voice
Bumblebee looked back and grinned. :Jail:
:I heard about your prison. I heard your CMO got a riot going there once: Laughter greeted that as the bots looked down and the segway moved ahead, the camera view turning back to get them in the frame. :What about it?:
:Someone slagged Ironhide. Ratchet doesn't take anyone slagging his old mech: Blurr said with his trademark smirk. :He went to the prison and punched the offender in the nose. That led to complications:
:Half the mechs on the forward bases buzzed home because of the 'riot': Jolt said with a chuckle. :Everyone in the city with a shovel and crowbar came to 'save Ratchet'. It was hilarious. We had senior citizens waving their canes, mini-cons trying to stand on each others shoulders so they could climb over the fence and Starscream laughing his aft off. It was memorable:
The chuckling was unanimous.
They reached the turn and walked toward the guard house. As they did, Bumblebee stopped to look at them. :This is the end of the road for you. Security won't allow you closer:
:There's bad mechs there?:
Bee nodded. :Very bad: With that, he hurried to catch up with the others. They would do their shift here to allow some of the Home Guard mechs to attend finals in the University.
-0-Cut to
A shot of Club Cybertron filled the view, the doors standing open and the bar clearly seen inside. Mechs were standing around it laughing and talking as the little segway navigated inside. Moving toward the one they wanted, where Payload sat with his family, they caught the optics of a few dining nearby.
"Hey! You!"
The segway stopped and turned toward the group. They were mini-cons, all three of them staring down at the segway from the table where they sat eating lunch. Games played on the many monitors, most of them micro-mini-con youngling league match ups. The one who called to them was a red bot with silver horns. He looked at them with a slightly displeased expression. "You! Come here!" he said with emphasis.
-0-TBC 2013 (1) edited 4-21-18