The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 43 edited for boo-boos :D
-0-The next morning
He stood at the place where a wall once was and stared at the empty space. This was good. The sparklings could actually run back and forth in the extension and all would be good. Not great. That much hoo-hah seldom was but good indeed.
"Here they come."
A voice broke his reverie and he turned as a flood of infants began to stream in. Orion and Praxus followed by Sunspot ran toward him hugging his legs. He grinned and petted them. "Good morning, sleepy helms."
"HI, ADA! WE CAME TO SEE THE EMPTY PART!" Sunspot's joy was infectious and Ratchet laughed. "Go. Explore. Don't touch anything that might bite back."
He nodded and looked at Orion and Praxus who were smiling at him. "Come on. Let's go look." With that, three little mechs took off and disappeared into the rest of the extension
Ironhide walked out, Hero in arms and paused. "How's the hangover?"
"What hangover?" Ratchet asked with a smirk. He kissed his daughter and turned, the three watching the other three play hide and seek in the new space. Hysterical screeching of sparklings being chased by 'IT' was amusing and even more amusing was how hard Sunspot tried to not make it too easy for himself to tag one of them. "He's a good mech, our Sunspot."
"The best," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "Hey!"
They all froze and looked at him.
"Breakfast." He grinned as they flooded back pausing to stare upward like little birds in a nest waiting to be fed. "Go and sit."
They turned and hurried to the table, Orion and Praxus being hoisted into their chairs by Sunspot. Ratchet turned and walked to the kitchen retrieving bowls and sippie cups, plates and utensils. When all were served, they sat and ate together.
"When will the workers come, Ada?" Sunspot asked around the food in his mouth.
"When we leave for school and work."
"I have to write them a thank you. And maybe put a picture on it too," he said musing on the situation.
Ironhide looked at him and nodded. "That would be a good idea, Sunspot. Manners are always nice. They are the key that unlocks every door." He glanced at Ratchet. "There's a military meeting this morning about some intel Jazz put together out of the Shockwave download. Prime thinks we have a target to liberate."
Sunspot looked at him. "Do you want me to go too? I can help you. I've been in combat before."
They both paused and looked at the earnest innocent face of the little Seeker. "Not this time, son," Ratchet said quietly. "You're too veteran for what we need."
He looked at Ratchet and nodded. "Okay. But when you need me, I will come and help you."
"We know, son," Ironhide said. "What you can do that is the most help is being a good example of the little ones. Going to school everyday, helping around the house, playing and being a youngling … that's gold to us."
"It is?" he asked. Then he nodded. "Alright. I'll help the sparklings as best I can."
"You always do. You're a stellar brother, Sunny," Ratchet replied.
He grinned. "I love them."
"They love you," Ironhide said looking at Orion and Praxus. The two sparklings paused and grinned at him around their cups. "See? They're already better mechs because of you. And this one?" he said looking at Hero who sat on the table taking bits of bites from their forks looked up and smiled. "Little femme can sit up early because of you."
Sunspot looked at Hero and grinned. "She's so pretty. I love her." He glanced at Ratchet. "Ada? What about this new sparkling? Who gets to name him?"
"I do," Ratchet said with a smile. "My turn."
"Does that mean we don't get to know until the naming day?" he asked.
"Yes. It also means you don't get to see him until then either. Your Atar and I have a game going and he lost." Ratchet grinned. "So he has to wait just like you sparklings."
"Atar, you goofed," Sunspot said with a huge grin.
Ironhide snorted. "It happened nine million years ago," Ironhide said with a smirk.
"Bonding with me was the best thing you ever did," Ratchet said with a grin.
They bantered and chatted, told jokes and got the work part of morning over. When they lined up to go to school with their atar, Ratchet reviewed the troops. "Servos?"
Four pairs of servos were presented including a smirking Ironhide. He barely passed inspection. Book bags were checked, harnesses inspected and kisses dispensed liberally. Then the hats came out. After a moment of fuss by Orion and Praxus and a gimlet optic from their Atar, they walked to the wash rack to look in the big mirror. Pausing, looking with intense amazement and gathering joy, three sparklings checked themselves out.
"ADA! THIS IS AWESOME!" Sunspot exclaimed. "THIS HAT IS CUTE! LOOK AT THEM!" he said pointing to Orion and Praxus who were looking at him with giant grins.
A little black sparkling wearing a black hat with mouse ears and another wearing one a fuzzy cat hat blinked and grinned. After a few moments dissuading them not to take them off, they all turned to look at Sunspot. He was transfixed by the spikes of his dinosaur hat that disappeared over the top of his little head. "This is so cute!" He turned and looked up at his genitors. "I LOVE THIS!"
"I knew you would. Your little helm will be warmer and it will help you learn," Ironhide said with a bit of pride. "I think anything that helps you is a good thing, son."
"Thank you, Atar. This is so fun!" Sunspot said with a giant smile. He looked at his brothers who were looking up at him with big grins. "THEY LOOK SO CUTE! DON'T THEY LOOK CUTE?" he asked looking up at his parents.
"They look as cute as you, Sunny Bunny," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "Let's go show the city how cute you all are."
With that, they began to turn the herd and walked to the door together. As they exited, they paused as Tie Down and Ravel came out of their door. Exclamations were made over the sparklings, who hugged each other in their excitement over being so noticed. Then Alor and Blackjack exited their home, pausing with delight at the sight. Hero who was lying in Ironhide's arms wore her Hello Kitty garb and blanket. Alor of course took her and grinned at his son who shook his helm in resignation. "Sparkling's too cute. She ends up everywhere but where she belongs."
"Wait until the next one," Blackjack said slapping his son on the back. With that, Tie Down, Blackjack and Ironhide took the remaining infants and turned to go to the underground and the school beyond.
It was a typical morning.
Ratchet, Alor and Ravel watched them a moment, then Alor grinned. "How's the hangover?"
Ratchet smirked. "You just want to see my ada slap my aft."
"True, that," Alor said glancing at a miffed Ravel.
"Ratchet, what is the meaning of your ramblings? You have a family and a job in the city that requires more sense," Ravie said, his face frowning comically.
"Ah, Ada," Ratchet said leaning down to kiss Ravel. "You are so cute when you're upset."
"You can't make me feel better by that," he said, his expression turning in spite of his resolve. "You must have better sense, son. Mr. Magnus will throw you in jail I am told. He has a low tolerance of this sort of thing. He is the city manager after all."
"I know, Ada. I'll do better," Ratchet said slipping his arms through Ravel and Alor's. "Let's go." With that, they turned and ambled on talking sparklings, remodels and where to have lunch together later on.
-0-Ops Center
Prowl stood at the communications station getting the overnight intel. It was a quiet night relatively. The readings on Paragon's fortress indicated big progress on digging in and building out. They would begin their psyops operation against him shortly. Jazz would cover the production of the information they would send and he would coordinate it with his counterpart, Elita.
Fort Apache had sent the latest intel regarding the migrations ahead. They were constant now. There were very few orns between them and that gap was closing. It would appear that they would have an endless stream of very large migrations soon. The word had already been sent to Magnus. Housing construction on the board and on the ground would triple the population capacity of the city. They would build and build based on projections on the table right now.
Two new industrial parks were being built, one already halfway finished and the other in the groundbreaking stage. There were ample workers so the two projects would be in completion in no time compared to the old orns when it took forever. Supplying the building sites would require round the clock production at peak from all the current plants. The new ones would make it much easier to keep up with orders.
Three new housing sites were under construction around Terra. Autobot City would be built out to the north merging eventually with Aerie Hill. They would be separated by a curving swath of parkland so that they would have their own identities but in time the population expansion would go that way too.
Soundwave was making noise but nothing more than that could be ciphered over the distance involved. Another flight of super fast Seekers with hyper sensors was necessary he thought as he looked at the data. Soundwave appeared to be expanding his operation. What was being added was unclear. They would have to seek that information out.
A near riot had occurred in the park of Metroplex the night before. He frowned. It was the same kids from the migration, high and low castes. Apparently, some of their genitors had come for whatever reason and several were arrested as well including the ex Governor General of Altihex who apparently had been decked by Drift.
Oh-oh.
He would have to be the state's advocate in that trial. Apparently, speaking as a private citizen hadn't been enough. Perhaps speaking as the Prime's private representative might be warranted. He would have to clear it with Optimus and run it past Barron. The old system had abused the privilege. Having a mech speak for the Prime, even if it were a non-binding personal statement was a big thing and he didn't want it to be a tainting experience.
Turning, walking to the center table he scanned the other news. There was a big party at the Seeker Elder Hall. Apparently, they had elevated a femme to the Council of Elders to represent a clan that was still missing their leadership. He would have to send congratulations and a formal present from Optimus and one from himself.
He was nothing if not a traditional bot in many areas.
The heavy tread of Optimus Prime registered through his intense concentration and he turned waiting for the big mech to reach the table. Looking up, he nodded. "They're deposited?"
"They are. You should see the hats Ironhide has for the mechs," Optimus said with a chuckle. "Think furry cat, big eared mouse and dinosaur."
Prowl grinned. "You should see the hats I have coming for the little mechs."
Prime snorted and grinned. "I can't wait."
Drift and Springer followed by Kup walked in and paused by the table. "You look upright," Springer said.
"You look demotable," Prowl said with a gimlet optic.
"Best put a plug in it, youngling," Kup said to Springer who chuckled. "You missed the fun last night at the park. We arrested about 30 mechs. They're in the jail at City Hall. You might want to speak to them. Or not." He put his stogie in his mouth.
Prime nodded. "I think I'm getting sick of stupid."
"You and me both," Kup said nodding. "Want me to go slag them a little?"
"Don't tempt me," Optimus said with a grin.
The senior Autobots began to filter in, so they turned and began to walk to the conference room. Alor paused by the table, Ratchet in tow. "I had a great night. What about you?" he asked smirking at Prime.
"I had a nice walk," Optimus said as he paused to chat.
Prowl rolled his optics and turned heading for the conference room beyond. Miler who had come along to help answer any problems regarding the space bridges smirked. "Serves you right, youngling. When are you ever going to learn?"
Prowl paused to look at his ada, his optics stricken. Miler walked to him and hugged him tightly. "You do know you are supposed to call me to come along too?"
Prowl hugged his ada as tightly as he could.
-0-TBC
2013 (2) For Pip
NOTES:
LEONESS! Yes, it was you. And I liked it a lot. :D :D :D