The Diego Diaries: Shadow Box 50 edited for boo-boos. :D
-0-Late that afternoon on the tarmac of Autobot City Airfield, Autobot City, Mars
Bluestreak stood waiting with three infants on leashes for the ships to land that were due through the bridges that had just burst into power overhead. Their flickering lights could be easily seen from the ground by the powerful optics of the bots who waited, both family and professionals.
The twins played with tiny rocks on the ground, picking them up to discuss together. Kaon on the other servo watched the mechs go past and the gear that was used to fuel and charge ships when they landed.
It was very exciting.
There were other family and friends, some who stood with him to chat and pass the time. The first ships burst through, arcing their trajectory to make an orbit of the home world before getting clearance to descend. They were followed by the others and the support ship carrying the special ops techs who had set the simulation into place.
Disappearing for the ten minutes it would take them to orbit Mars, they flashed away from visual contact by Bluestreak and the others almost immediately. The field activity began to pick up as they readied themselves for the ships.
-0-At the CMO's office, Autobot City Medical Tower, Autobot City, Mars
They played by the window, taking things from their toy box to build houses and forts. They had done a good job of entertaining themselves as all waited for Sunspot and Ironhide to return. When the little Seeker walked in smiling from audial to audial, he joined them. Ratchet worked diligently getting things caught up because tonight would be the night when Sunspot got a bigger room. They would eat dinner, then work out the remaining moves and changes themselves. All they needed was Ironhide now. It was peaceful.
:Old mech:
:What?:
:Where are you at?:
"My office. All of us are here:
:Good. I want to be there to help. We're coming in for a landing. Where do you want to meet?:
:You come by the office, Ironhide or let me know when to come down with them. Be in the lobby waiting for us and we'll come. Where's Hero?: The grump reached Ratchet over the link and he grinned.
:Ada has her. Why don't you get her, Ratchet? My ada is punishing me for something I probably did when I was a sparkling:
:Ah. It must have been bad for Ali to carry a grudge this long:
:I'm still searching for the memory: A grin and its warmth reached Ratchet.
:How was the training exercise?:
:Good. We're going out tomorrow, then heading out for the mission if its a sign off. We plotted the time line and if we pull it off tomorrow, we are go:
:Okay. So you really want me to get Hero?:
Pause. :I'll get her. I'm surrounded by slaggers:
:Speak for yourself, Ironhide. Come home soon:
:I will. Ironhide out:
Ratchet glanced at the younglings who were deciding together how high an ungainly number of blocks could be stacked. He grinned and got back to work.
-0-On the ground
The hatches popped and ramps slid downward as weary soldiers trudged off their respective ships. They walked toward the city pausing to snark at the soldiers and preen for the cameras of the filmmakers. By the time the twins reached Bluestreak the infants were nearly dancing with excitement. They were picked up, cuddled, kissed and settled on the big powerful arms of their ada and atar.
"How did it go?" Bluestreak asked as he was kissed.
"Not well at the start but we have it down now. It's a real luxury to troubleshoot this thing," Sideswipe said as he bounced Kaon on his arm. That little mech laughed and hugged his father. They turned to walk toward home, part of the many who had gathered mechs on their return.
Segways with filmmakers wove in and out capturing this and that moment. No one really noticed them anymore, so ubiquitous were they in the environment of the city. Once they were explained to the new comers, they were accepted.
Ironhide paused by the command group and retrieved his daughter. Walking to the Fortress, they entered and headed for Ops Center. After about a half hour of debrief and commentary, the group broke up to head for home. Alor and Blackjack walked with Ironhide and Hero along the sidewalk that led up Metroplex Highway to the towers beyond. The sun was beginning its descent into the night as the temperature began to drop. Ironhide slid the baby into his hold and continued as they chatted.
When they arrived at the towers, Ironhide headed for the Medical building while his genitors went ahead to home. He pinged Ratchet and soon they came down the elevator and saw him. The little mechs all ran, their leashes dragging as they grabbed Ironhide's legs. Patting his peds, they all began to babble. "I'm glad to see you too." He looked at Ratchet who stood grinning. "Time to go home. Our dinner will be delivered shortly."
They turned and ambled out heading for their tower and their newer enlarged apartment.
-0-A moment later
They stood and looked at the finished product. A note from Bulkhead had signaled to Ratchet earlier that they had finished. Ratchet had thanked them profusely and bided his time, preferring to share the surprise with his whole family group. Now they were here in a large space with only a few new things that had to be finished.
The living room and kitchen area of the other apartment had been changed. A wall of windows filled the space where the kitchen was and the dining room table had been placed there by the workers who didn't know where everything went. A couch stood against those windows as well offering a huge seating area and open space for the younglings.
The entire apartment had been repainted, the wall hangings and pictures having been removed by Ratchet and Ironhide that morning. They would need rehung and rearranged, especially for Sunspot. Everyone turned and looked at Ratchet. "ADA! Why?" Orion asked pointing at the room.
"Because we needed space for all you hoodlums," Ratchet said with a grin. "Let's go look at the berthroom for Sunspot."
The little Seeker turned and ran for the corridor pausing before the door to his genitor's old room. It was different. All of the things that had been in there for Ratchet and Ironhide were gone, removed by Ratchet to the new room on a morning break. All of Sunspot's many different things, his bedding and some of his school projects were in the slots of the built-in closet. His new sweater was hung up and his little hats including his Halloween daisy were on the shelf overhead.
The rest of the room was unchanged. A large berth dominated the room and there was a dresser along the wall by the door. He turned and looked at both of them. "What do we do now, Ada?"
"We take all of your stuff and bring it in here. You have to tell us what and where you want it," Ratchet said.
Sunspot's smile was radiant, then he turned and ran to his room. Ironhide followed along with Orion and Praxus as Ratchet sat down on the berth to await their return. It didn't take long. Orion was back with a dollie that he dragged behind him. He stood and looked at Ratchet. "ADA! WHAT ME!?"
"You are a noisy slagger. I'm surprised those old femmes at the grocery store didn't punch me. They have no idea what a little hellion you can be," Ratchet said picking Orion up and putting him on the berth.
Sunspot came in holding a model of a ship that he and Ironhide were building together. Ratchet took it and put it on the dresser *just so* under the direction of Sunspot. Two incredibly neat toy boxes appeared in the servos of Ironhide who put them down just as well. He left and returned with a little bookshelf that held all of Sunspot's personal library. It was placed near the berth so that he could reach them easily for a read when he wanted.
Praxus walked in and out with Ironhide carrying the same little stuffed dog each time. Everyone was walking so he was too. He would pause when Ironhide paused, move when he moved and offered the odd comment here and there about this and that. Orion watched him as he knelt beside Ratchet, then slid down to help. He ran out and came back with a pillow off the couch. He handed it to Ratchet, then ran out again. When he came back, he had a pan from the kitchen cupboard. Ratchet took it too with a grin. Orion ran out.
Sunspot watched him, then looked at the stuff accumulating on the berth. "He's getting strange stuff."
"He's helping," Ratchet said with a chuckle.
Sunspot grinned. "He always does. He's a good helper."
"He is," Ratchet said as Orion staggered back in with three datapads that nearly squirted out of his grasp. When Ratchet took them, he turned and ran out again.
Ironhide walked back in with a number of little bulletin boards and a rolled up tube. "Tell me where you want them after I show you this."
He then unrolled the tube and the picture of the Kaon Kavaliers was unfurled.
Sunspot looked at it with shock, then glanced up at Ironhide with enormous surprise. "ATAR! THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL! THERE ARE MY BROTHERS! THIS IS THEIR TEAM! I LOVE THEIR TEAM!"
Ironhide grinned. "We know. There they are."
"HOW DID YOU DO THAT!? I LOVE IT! IS IT FOR ME?! CAN I HAVE IT IN MY ROOM?!"
"It is. Tell me where it goes and I'll put it up," Ironhide said with a grin.
Sunspot looked at him, then turned to Ratchet. "ADA! DID YOU SEE THIS?!"
"I sure did, Sunny Bunny," Ratchet said hugging him. "You and Atar can figure out where all of these hang. I think dinner just showed up." He rose and walked to the living room, Praxus in tow. The door was opened and a dinner box was delivered by a couple of cheerful younglings. They went off and the door closed. Glancing down, Ratchet grinned. "Are you hungry, sparkling?"
Praxus grinned, his sweet little white face shining like a new dime.
"I'll take that as a yes," Ratchet said walking to the kitchen. He began to lay out the food boxes and when he saw Ironhide walk out of the berthroom, he called out. "Dinner!"
"Give us a moment," Ironhide said disappearing into Sunny's old room, then his new one. A bit of laughter and a lot of happy exclaiming by a little Seeker could be heard. Orion and Praxus had ditched that for dinner. They had their priorities right.
Ratchet lifted them into their chairs, then handed them their cups. Dinner would be had first in a cup, then from a spoon as each of the adults took over that chore for both babies. The table had a clear view of the airfield, the Fortress and beyond that, the prison. It was a panoramic view that was afforded. It was a much improved view he thought as he put plates on the table spilling over with 'rice, noodles' and other savories from the 'Thai' menu at Cafe Praxus and the fertile creativity of Rampage. "LAST CALL!"
They both came out and sat, Sunspot fixing Ratchet with a beautiful smile. "Everything is up. My whole room is moved. My brothers are on the wall. They told me that they would watch over me and now they will."
Ratchet paused and grinned at the little infant who had begun to dig into his food. "You make that sound like a chore, Sunbeam. Easiest thing that anyone of us do."
Dinner would pass with joy.
-0-Later that evening in Sunspot's new room
Ironhide made the berth up with the bigger blankets and things. Optimus Prime and Bumblebee stared off the covers in action poses that brought smirks to Ratchet and Ironhide as well as looks of awe from Sunspot. "They look awesome."
"They do. They'll keep you company when you sleep," Ironhide said.
Sunspot looked around the room walking to peer into his closet. It was filled with his things. He pushed the doors closed, then turned and paused again. "My desk. My peg for my book bag."
Ratchet turned, walking into the other bedroom to pick up the little desk and bring it back. "Where does it go?"
Sunspot looked around, then pointed to the window. "If it goes there, I can look out while I do my homework."
It was settled with its little chair. They all looked around, then grinned at each other. "This is great," Ratchet said.
"IT'S AWESOME, ADA!" he said throwing himself against Ratchet's legs, hugging them tightly.
Ratchet rubbed his back gently. "You are going to be an awesome sparkling with this room. You even have a wash rack of your own."
"I'LL SHARE IT WITH ORION AND PRAXUS!" Sunspot said looking up at Ratchet.
"We know you will, son," Ironhide said. "How about getting your homework done so I can check it and you can read your story to me?"
Sunspot smiled and nodded. "I will," he said taking his book bag off the floor. He paused. "I think it should be here, Atar," he said pointing to a spot on the wall.
"I think you're right," Ironhide said as he walked to the old room to retrieve the peg he and Sunspot had placed there. With Sunspot's 'help', Ironhide placed it on the wall by the door. "There. Looks great. Mech has a place to put his school bag."
"I DO! I WILL! I have to do my work now," he said happily. He turned and walked to his desk sitting on his chair and retrieving his stuff. They watched a moment, then turned walking out. The infants followed and looked at the space of the extended room. With a glance at each other, Praxus and Orion of Mars ran as fast as their little legs could take them to the new corridor and beyond squeeing with delight as they did.
Ratchet and Ironhide stood side-by-side watching. "It's going to be a long night," Ratchet said quietly.
Ironhide nodded. "Tell me something I don't know."
-0-TBC For Pip
2013 (2)