The Diego Diaries: Down Time 6 (268) edited for boo boos
-0-That night in the Bosom of Love
"Ratchet."
"What?"
"How do you feel?"
"Fine. Tired. Lots of folks in and out of the house today."
Pause. "They want to see the sparkling."
(grin) "They couldn't even if I wanted to show them. Your rules, Ironhide."
Pause. "Slag my rules."
(grin) "Never truer words spoken."
Pause. "How is he? Is he warm?"
"Yep."
"Is he fed enough?"
"Yep."
"I bet he's really cute."
"He is. Stellar is the word."
Pause. "I miss him."
Pause. "You do?"
"I do." (whimperish sound) "I really do."
"Aw."
"Can I peek?"
"Nope."
"You're one hard aft slagger." (grin)
"Yep." (grin)
-0-In another room
Phobos shone in the sky as it made its swift circuit of Mars. Lights from the outside shown inward casting long shadows on the floor. He lay looking at it, then settled. A dream had awakened him in the dark room. It was a dream of running in fields, crossing metallic roads and watching as big mechanisms passed by. It had been pleasurable, his romps in the never ending beauty of the Matrix. But so was his place here. He had wanted adventure and he was getting it now, right here with this infant.
Sunspot lay curled against him, his dog, his arm over Spot's muscular body. It was recharge time and they did it together on the berth that would be Spot's too. He lay his helm back down and fell into recharge, his spark roaming the Matrix with his siblings as they ran in the always sun through the always beautiful fields of home.
-0-Nearby
"Ratchet?"
"What?"
"What will I have to do to see the sparkling before orn after … today?"
Ratchet thought a moment, then grinned. "I don't know. I don't want you to do anything, Ironhide. Maybe just keep the deal you made, you big whiner."
"I want to see him."
"I want to be Queen of the May."
Up link, initiate search, access information, 'May, Queen of', terminate download. "You're off your processor."
"I made you search."
"You did." (grin) "Queen of the May, huh? You'd look good."
"You're so cute when you're groveling." (grin)
"Is it working?" (hopeful optics)
"Almost."
"What if I apologize and tell you that you are the love of my life. You know I'm not good with words, Ratchet. I try and show you with actions. I know I sort of took advantage of your good nature and asked you to do something that was over the top. I love you for it."
Ratchet blinked and sat up staring down at the mech who was impersonating Ironhide. "I am old and ornery, Ironhide. I would have to know that you don't have a part of you laughing to think you can best me and end an agreement you made with stealth. I don't want to give up and find out you joked or laughed about besting me later on."
Ironhide sat up and looked at Ratchet. "You know better. Feel the link."
Ratchet concentrated on their bond and felt oceans of love and regret floating toward him. He didn't see artifice or guile. He didn't feel the hidden edge of a snicker. Ironhide was as open and honest as he knew how to be, which to the insider was a greater thing that most gave him credit for. "Will you accept and let me see Prowler?"
Ratchet looked at him, considered the almost messianic precision with which he ran his prankster operation with Ironhide and vented a soft sigh. "If I do this, it can only be for here and now, just for a few moments. You can see and touch him but that's it. We're back on after and I don't want any verbal exclamation or remark from you. This is my final assertion on this matter, Ironhide."
He nodded and leaned in kissing Ratchet softly. "Thanks."
Ratchet snorted. "If I ever hear that you ran a hard luck soft sparked story on me to best me, I will drop kick your sorry aft into orbit around Jupiter. I will beat you so flat helmed that I can sit my beer cube on it and have room for crackers."
Ironhide snorted. "We have really ruined each other for trust haven't we."
"We have," Ratchet said. Nothing over the bond felt duplicitous so he sat back and opened his carry hold. He pulled the little bundle out and held it a moment staring at Ironhide to take his measure. The mech stared back, his look one of profound admiration. So Ratchet handed the baby over.
Ironhide took Prowler and sniffed him memorizing his particular baby smell, the one humans might characterize as new car. Then he lay the baby down and began to lift his blanket. He stared at the sleeping baby, so tiny and brand new. He sparkled and looked angelic. He was an awesome sight to his old pa. Ironhide glanced up at Ratchet and grinned. "You dazzle me, old mech. That is one good looking sparkling."
"I think so," Ratchet said rubbing one of the baby's tiny servos. "Did you get an optic full?"
"Nope," he said rubbing a tiny ped. "I love this sparkling, Ratchet. Thank you."
"Don't mention it," Ratchet said with a grin.
Ironhide looked up sharply. "I will. Every orn. I will always mention it. Look at what our life is now compared to before. Thank you."
Ratchet leaned in and kissed him. "Your welcome. Now hand over the sparkling."
Ironhide snorted and put the blankets back. Ratchet tucked them in and slid the infant back into his hold. Laying back, he relaxed. They both did. Ironhide would hold Ratchet's servo most of the night.
-0-Morning
They walked together to the school after dropping off the sparklings a tad early at their own. Riding on the subway with his dog, Sunspot felt super as he watched mechs and younglings with the odd femme stare at HIS DOG!
Entering the school, they walked through the crowds to the elevator and took the ride upward to the fourth floor where his classroom was. Terradive was waiting at the door and beckoned to them. They walked through the awe struck kids, their optics focused on the shining dog with the Wrecker and Autobot Armed Forces tattoos on his shoulder. Below that in precise glyphs in gold, a tiny notation was made. "This dog belongs to Sunspot". He had asked for it the orn before while Sunstreaker was putting on the marks.
"Someone might not know that Spot belongs to me."
Entering, they watched as Sunspot walked to his locker in the back of the room and stowed his stuff. Spot stood beside him patiently. Sunny turned and looked at them, a brilliant smile on his face. "LOOK, MR. TERRADIVE! THIS DOG IS SO NICE!"
"I can see that, Sunny," Terradive said. He glanced at Ratchet and Ironhide. "I think we have a good plan in place. I will call you if we need you but I think in a couple of orns things will die down."
Ratchet and Ironhide nodded, kissed Sunspot and patted Spot. Then they turned and walked out with only a very mild case of trepidation.
With three orns off and nowhere to go, Ratchet followed Ironhide who meandered to the Tower Subway Station #1. They would go down and spend part of the morning inspecting hubs, gunneries and armories to see if they were on the up and up. Then they would visit with Ravel and Tie down.
Those two venerable bots would tut-tut and gently chide Ratchet for being a sparkling hog and all around aft helm. When that was finished, they would head for the Fortress and the first staff meeting since the last crisis which they had so recently averted. It would be fun.
-0-Prowl
He sat in the conference room behind stacks of datapads piled within easy reach of the multitudes who would be coming to do the postmortem on their great effort. Optimus was in conversation with someone and others were discussing things together, catching up on gossip as the group began to filter in. Ratchet walked in sitting as Ironhide did the same. Prowl reached his servo over and snapped his digits, a big smirk on his face. Ironhide looked at him with narrowing optical ridges and supplied Hero anyway.
She sat on her blankie as he pulled her out and she was swept away like a damsel on a flying carpet to the arms of her Uncle Prowl. She smiled and patted his face. She was beautiful, satiny black with a yellow delicate braid around her left ankle. She had happy blue optics and slender femme winglets that fluttered when she was happy. "O."
Prowl blinked and looked at Ratchet and Ironhide who had paused in their conversation to stare. "O?"
"O." Hero said it happily, proudly, firmly. A big servo reached out and pulled her to him. Optimus sat smiling. "O."
Prowl snorted and leaned back. "Slagger. Sir."
Ratchet snorted. "May I second that emotion?"
"Me too," a slightly peeved Ironhide replied.
More came and took their places until all were there. Optimus, his arms around Hero who looked out at the gathering group with a giant smile nodded. "Let the games begin."
-0-Agenda- Old Business: Pending Items to Be Finalized, New Pending Items to be Finalized Later; New Business: Economics, Sciences, Medical, Education, City Administrator's Report, Commercial Guilds Report/Request Action, Union/Guild/Co-op Reports/Request Action, Industry, Aviation, Diplomatic; Special Events: The Migration, Paragon, Free-Ranging Decepticon Battle groups (Subject to Military Personnel Only), Communications, Special Operations (Subject to Military Personnel Only), Temple Report, Mental Health, Judicial Report/Pending Actions, New Business Not Already Accounted For (Youngling Day School Room 11 Art Report and Showing; Human Activities: 'Platoon: Autobot City Season 1 Wrap up, Request to make and broadcast 'Migration' as three hour special on MCA, Request for office space on Project Homestead, Request for round-trip sightseeing flights to Mars from Earth, Resident Human Sciences report to the Committee on various projects, Home Guard Report and For The Good Of the Order
"Where are we, Prowl?" Optimus asked as Caro sat down.
Prowl quashed a big grin. "Business, Venture on risks and advantages for commercial flights round trip between here and Earth."
Optimus looked at the datapad before him and swallowed. Hard.
Venture who was watching smirked and stood. "I would like to point out in minute detail the various theories supporting the venture and the various caveats. This might take some time," he said before being clobbered by writing implements and empty cubes.
-0- zzzzZZZZZzzzzZZZZZzzzzzzz
Ratchet sat with his optics open and his processor in recharge. He was aware of things but not really. Beside him playing battleship internally with Prime, Ironhide looked completely attentive. Even Miler was re-arranging the living room at his apartment in his processor. Even if the love of his life was explaining futures and the like, Miler was gloriously occupied. He had sconces made like the ones back home and would pick them up today.
Yay!
:Ratchet:
He looked at Prowl who was staring at the datapad in his servos with intensity. :What?:
:I want to see the sparkling:
:Well, wish in one servo and empty your debris hold in the other and see which fills up the fastest:
Prowl shifted in his seat holding in a guffaw. :You are vulgar:
:Your panties are too tight, Prowler:
That's a great name, Ratchet. A great name for a sparkling:
:I know, Prowl. It's sitting in my hold sucking his thumb:
Prowl glanced quickly at Ratchet, then back to his datapad. :You are a vulgar slagger:
:You are wrong. I'm the vulgar slagger with the sparkling named Prowler in my hold:
A ghost of a smile greeted that remark as they sat and listened to Venture wind it up.
-0-Later, during City Administrator's Report
"The city now stands at roughly 1,487,299 individuals."
Everyone paused their games, decorating, slagging and other internal time kills to look at Magnus. He sat calmly, deeply unaware of how handsome he was and how uptight he looked.
"That's a lot of bodies, Magnus. How are they all fitting in?" Ratchet asked.
"We have housed them all. We have 1,500 apartments left," he said nodding.
"oh oh," Jazz replied. "We have a migration comin' that looks big and another close behind it. We don't have anythin' that is more than an echo on the sensors behind that but you can't count on it."
Magnus nodded. "We have to put the effort in to make housing units for at least half a million to three quarters of a million. I expect that we will push two million citizens shortly."
"We will begin on phase six and seven together," Jetta said glancing at Prime. "Magnus and I have scouted two more satellite city sites just south of Terra. We can build there and do both rather than one at a time. That way we can exceed the number of units being planned for and stay ahead of things. Our new plants for steel and metal fabrication came online during the migration itself and we can meet the need for materials now but if there is more demand, not so much."
"What about workers and technicians?" Starscream asked.
"We have an enormous number of workers in this bunch. The array of talent is astonishing. We even have stone cutters and metal fabricators that worked on ornamental buildings on Cybertron. They can mentor the kids and we can get more talents into the main body of workers. The Guilds are going to manage the teams and their assignment and we have amazing bosses the like of Bulkhead, Payload and Scar."
The big bots present to represent Guilds and Unions nodded confidently, inordinately pleased with the shout out.
"They are doing heroic duty," Prime said nodding. "I will leave this to you, Magnus and your teams, Jetta. Let us know what you need and we will organize it."
They nodded. The building plan was remarked upon and the beat went on …
... Request for round-trip sightseeing flights to Mars from Earth and back again
A youngling mech and his partners, three of them, stood nervously before the committee and Prime. They began their presentation with a click of a monitor. A prototype ship was shown, one with a low solid body shape and maximum viewing space. It was nearly completely transparent steel with a solid body and gear underneath. Inside the big domed compartment space were rows of seats fit for human habitation. They were arrayed outward rather than frontward, seven rows on one side, seven on the other in tier seating to make viewing unobstructed.
"What we would like to do is partner with a company that Warren Roberts is working with to bring tourists to Autobot City and take them on tours. It would be day trips only at first. They would gather at three airports, London, England, New York City, New York and Sydney, Australia. We would bring them here on a round about route past Venus, Earth, Jupiter and then Mars. They would get a tour of the city in an enclosed vehicle." Another image shown of a bus-like vehicle with completely transparent walls and ceiling. "They would tour the city, then go on another ship," he said showing a smaller vessel of the one that would bring them to Mars, "touring the Valles and Olympus Mons. There would be refreshments inside the vehicles and they would have human attendants. Mr. Roberts would handle that end of the hiring process. Our own employees would fly and do the tours. Then all would go home the same way."
Another youngling nodded. "That way we can build good will among the humans by having them come here and see for themselves what a great place this is."
Everyone smiled at the earnest mechs standing before them. "I am not opposed to the idea. I however don't want this to simply be limited to those who can afford it, the high castes of Earth," Prime said.
"It won't be," the first youngling said. "We will only charge $20.00 for the trip."
They all did the math, then looked at each other. "Youngling, that seems a very good number but a little low," Ironhide said.
"We know," he replied. "It would cover part of the insurance policy that we have to have to operate on Earth. Mr. Warren and Mr. Venture said he would cover the rest out of the general fund."
Venture nodded. "That way we can have a token payment yet make it affordable for everyone. There will be no one left out who might want to come."
"First come, first serve?" Ratchet asked.
They nodded. When the venture was ironed out and all bases were covered for the three ship flotilla that would begin 'Autobot Tours, Inc', the webpage would go on line. It would allow groups of 300 per vessel to come for the day trips and tours of the planet. It would capsize in half an hour from the PHENOMENAL demand for a spot. Success would be too small a word for it. They would even make the cover of Forbes.
...a deferred 'Platoon: Autobot City Season 1' and special broadcast report …
The humans arrived late and apologized. Standing on the table, turning to take in all the leading citizens of Autobot City and their intensity, Jack Mellar and Aaron Belcher turned. :Sir, we have just wrapped up the last two episodes of Platoon and we thank you for the quick sign off: Aaron said as Optimus nodded. :We have a renewal for season 2 and our syndicate and the MCA are so pleased with season one, they gave us the farm. We can add photographers to the mix:
They all looked at him and his announcement, a mixed blessing at best. Starscream summed it up best: "More snoopy little slaggers running around like turbo rats under my peds. Oh joy."
Snickers were had by all.
"We have filmed the entire migration and have footage from Epps, Lennox and Graham as well as Landon. They were in the migration and took cameras. We want to put together a film in which the story tells itself. It will be just footage, very little music except in a couple of places to heighten suspense and nothing more. No dialog beyond what is said by the participants and nothing but the odd subtitle to tell where and what is happening."
"We can send it to you now for sign off and suggestions," Jack Mellar said.
Prime nodded. "Jazz?"
Jazz looked at them, then plugged into the console calling up the material he had already reviewed himself as one of the censors for IntraComm. It sped to Prime and he watched it all. It took about 0.02 seconds to review the entire three hour presentation. He considered it and nodded. "You can show it. Get with Warren Roberts."
They looked at him and blinked. "You watched it already?"
"Slag yeah," Jazz said with a smirk. "He is the Prime after all."
Snickers met that as the delighted humans were put down on the floor and left. Starscream watched them go with a slight sneer. "Slaggers."
"What's left, Prowl?" Prime asked with a chuckle.
"Just the military agenda which covers that and the remaining unattended agenda items. Shall I list them in triplicate?" he asked with a grin.
"Nope. How about the good of the order?" Prime asked with a grin of his own. Sitting back, regarding his fellows, he smiled. "Entertain me," he said.
-0-TBC
2013 (4)