The Diego Diaries: Here we go. 2 (291) (Note at the bottom of this and the next piece detailing the Smokescreen thing. :D)
-0-The evening (edited)
Ironhide walked to the Ops Center, two infants stowed in his hold. Before him hopping like bunnies, Orion and Praxus chattered and laughed. He held their leashes and moderated his speed to match the infants, a very slow progress indeed. Ratchet kept Sunspot and their dog, heading for RTR Tools to see the genitors. He had finished his shift and gathered some of the infants. They had an exchange of little bots at the intersection of Metroplex and Fortress, then went their own way.
Ironhide and Company entered the Fortress heading for Ops Center. Orion and Praxus said 'hi' to everyone they passed. Entering the command deck, they walked to the table where Prowl, Prime and a couple of mechs sat. Those bots turned to look their way, the rambling infants a good break to the serious conversation they were having. Orion and Praxus paused before the table looking around with giant smiles as they stood admiring the view.
Prime reached down and picked up the two little bots sitting them on the table. They grinned at him and took the rust sticks that Prowl produced from subspace. Ironhide sat pulling Hero and Prowler out of his hold as well. They were glommed by Prowl.
"How was her orn?" Prowl asked.
"Ravel stayed for the morning until she went to nap, then Tie came to stay. She was pretty good as long as she could see them. She likes the kids and some of the staff but she's very afraid to be alone. I think she feels we're abandoning her," Ironhide said as Hero stood up and looked around the table. She wore no coat because the orn had warmed but her little flowered hat was cute. She smiled, her rust stick in her servo. She turned to walk to Optimus offering him a bite. He pretended to take one. Then she walked to everyone at the table to give them a bite as well. Satisfied that everyone had their bite, she walked to Ironhide and sat awkwardly down to chew on her candy.
"It will get better," Prowl said as he held his namesake. Prime who was grinning at Orion looked at Ironhide. "We have two of our own inside Fenix's organization. Mirage and Tracks are going to do recon. Mirage is also going to be tracking Fenix when he goes to Earth in two orns."
Ironhide nodded. He leaned forward encircling his daughter in his arms. "I wouldn't put it past Fenix to scope out Earth and hook up with the Family and MECH. I don't put anything past him for causing trouble here."
Prime nodded. "If it happens it will be a window into the human's organizations. Fenix is going to be a long term project. I won't be pulling the plug on him until we get it all."
Ironhide nodded. "Any word on the migration?" he asked.
"Two interesting side bars to the one's we've been tracking thus far," Prowl said leaning forward to move datapads aside so that everyone could see the big one that was the tactical picture of the solar system and great distances beyond. He touched it, changing the data until he came to the screen he wanted.
The two migrations they knew about were lights on the screen. One of them was a mass that was leading the other, itself still indistinct echoes on the board. Cutting sideways across their path two different other trajectories could be seen. "This one," Prowl said pointing to a set of identifiers, "is a large group of Seekers. They are coming from the far end of the Benzuli. This group," he said pointing to another, "are Autobots with what appears to be ships with some civilians and important artifacts. We have received messages and directed them to radio silence. We are going to be getting that group tonight. The others … the Seeker group will be met by flights from here because they haven't responded to our hails over the encoded bullet line the Seekers use."
Ironhide nodded. "When will we get the Autobots? What time?" he asked.
"As soon as the Trigger is refueled. Its been refueling for about half an orn. When its 2200 on the Terran Military Clock, we will open it and bring them in," Prime said sitting back with Orion on his arm. The infant grinned at him, then returned to his rust stick. Optimus kissed the little bot's helm.
"Any firm intel on the troops coming?" Ironhide asked.
"Not yet," Prowl said. "We shut their comm line down when they began to give their numbers. We don't want the Decepticons to go after them too."
-0-Out in the sticks
The two arks flew swiftly through the darkness, their precious cargo stowed safely. The crew was in good shape having lived among colonies with resources over the length of their exile. Leaving when they had to, helping everyone they could along the way, they finally heard Prime's call. They turned and flew onward as fast as they could toward protection and the ranks of their own kind.
A youngling soldier sat at the communications console waiting for something, anything that would tell them that rescue and repatriation was at hand. He was young, handsome and ready to fight. He wasn't part of the effort to save his home world for very long. That had fallen just as he was getting ready to help, to fight. Running in the Fall, he had found himself with older more experienced mechs. Their life thus far had involved very little fighting.
They ran with their cargo and didn't stop anywhere they might be taken prisoner or lose their precious stores. Now they were coming back to the Prime and he could feel the electricity on his own neural net. He was going to be a part of Prime's army. It didn't get better than this.
-0-A joor later at Autobot City on the air field
Blackjack and Alor stood with a sparkling each. Ironhide had Prowler and Hero was sitting on Ratchet's arm. They had gathered at the air field to watch the bridge discharge a group of arks that had been coming their way for ages. Sunspot was at the Residence with Miler and Venture, his dog a highlight of their evening.
Lights at the air field came on as Ravel and Tie Down finally reached them. Ratchet turned and smiled. "The cavalry arrives," he said as Ravel took a very happy Hero. They joined the others as the senior officers left the Fortress to walk toward them. "This is exciting, Ratchet. I have not been available to help a group when they came."
"You chose a good night. This is a group of Autobot soldiers who have been coming this way a long time," Ratchet said as he slipped his arms around his genitors' shoulders. Nearby, a pack of photographers and their human handlers filmed the goings-on. Season two of 'Platoon: Autobot City' was already go and they were here in greater numbers to film.
A flash of light in the dark sky indicated that the bridge was opened and ready to receive travelers through its whirling expansion. A flight of Seekers would go through, meet the arks and lead them back. It would be less than a couple of breems before the ships sat down on their gear and discharged their cargo.
Prime, Prowl and Jazz joined the group along with others. Mirage, Barron, Jarro, Starscream and Neo walked up to stand, all of them ready to assist if a problem came up that required their expertise.
"It's always good to welcome our people home," Neo said to Alor. "We need to be together."
Alor nodded. "I know," he said. "We have to find them all."
A pair of lights appeared in the deep midnight of space signaling ships coming down to land. Their light grew larger until in the dark sky overhead shapes could be seen. They came lower, their Seeker escort peeling off to go back to Aerie Hill. The sound was terrific as they came in, their gear lowering for the landing. Sand kicked up and stung them as the ships slowly lowered themselves. They settled on their gear, then began to power down.
A hatch popped just as the engines cut out, the resulting silence almost painful. A ramp slid down as bots began to step out looking around with amazement. They were standing on a real tarmac and not a rutted dirt strip. Around them a massive flight installation operated with real overhead lights throwing light everywhere.
It was like Cybertron to the oldest among them. Eerily like home.
The bots gathered, their leader talking to them a moment. Then they turned and walked to Prime and the welcoming committee. When they reached Optimus, they stopped and stood at attention. Their leader saluted, then stepped forward. "Sir, I am Commander Aldet reporting," he said. "We have been looking for you for a long time."
Optimus gripped his servo as Ultra Magnus and Arcee walked to the group. "I am honored to meet you, Commander. Welcome to Autobot City and safety."
He looked relieved, then nodded to his soldiers. "These mechs are ready to live in a decent place and servo you, sir. We all are. We bring with us the relics of Iacon and some of the oldest archives among other things. We saved a lot of things that are irreplaceable. We have been looking for you to restore them properly for a long time."
"You are home now and we can relieve you of your burden, Commander," Prime said gripping the mech's servo. Behind him, Optimus could see the exhilarated faces of the others. "I would like to greet your troops, Commander."
He nodded and turned. "Come forward orderly."
The troops stepped forward, each of them gripping not just Prime's servo but that of the others, all of them known to them, all of them nearly mythological figures as well. One of them, a white and blue youngster with an eager expression gripped Prime's servo tightly. "I am honored to meet you. Optimus Prime! I knew you were okay. Is this your city? Did you build it?" He paused, then smiled sheepishly. "Of course you built it."
"I understand your meaning," Prime said with a grin. "We all did and you are welcome here. What is your name, soldier?" he asked kindly.
"Smokescreen," the youngster said. "I'm Smokescreen, sir." He snapped to. "I look forward to serving as a member of the army, sir, and training under your command."
The other mechs smiled fondly at the youngster. Arcee stepped closer. "You said your name is Smokescreen. Your paint scheme is familiar."
He looked at her and grinned. "I'm named for and designed after my grandatar."
The senior staff blinked. Ratchet grinned broadly. "Your grand genitor is Smokescreen? A former gambler? Tall and good looking? A real smart aft?"
He grinned back. "That's him. That's my grandatar."
"He lives here," Arcee said.
Smokescreen looked sharply at Arcee. "My grandatar? He lives here?"
Ratchet paused, then nodded. "I just sent for him."
A solemn expression crossed the youngster's handsome face, then he grinned slightly. "That's great," he said with a smile.
The crew sort of looked at each other, then they heard the sound of a high octane car engine driving up. The sound of transformation was heard. Then everyone turned to look at Smokescreen. "You called?" he asked with a grin. No one spoke and the grin faded slightly. "Okay. What did I do now?" he asked.
The group parted to reveal a younger semi familiar version of himself. Smokescreen stared at the youngster who bore his likeness and name. It didn't register a moment, then it did. He started to smile, then caught himself. "Smokey."
"Grandatar," the youngling said with a slight smirk. "You made it."
"You did too," Smokescreen said as he stepped forward and enveloped the kid in his arms. He lifted him off the ground, then set him down. Holding the youngling's arms for a moment, he looked him over. "You made it through the Elite Guard training."
"I did." He grinned at his grandatar, then he punched him in the face. Smokescreen staggered, then stabilized holding his nose structure a moment. "What did you do that for?"
"Grandada told me that if I ever ran into you again first, to punch you in the face for him," Smokescreen said with a grin. He stood before his grandatar, grown up, handsome and amused.
Smokescreen grinned and rubbed his nose. "Well, your old grandada would do that wouldn't he."
"He would and I think he will when he gets here. He's in the next migration along with my genitors. You better ditch whoever you have on the side and be ready to fight when he gets here."
Smokescreen considered his grandson, then nodded. "Thanks for the heads up, Smokey," he said with a smile.
Then they embraced each other tightly.
=0=TBC
05-02-2013
NOTE: There are a number of things about TF's that I love. The vastness of the scope, universes here and there including shattered glass. :D What I am interested in here with the Smokescreen thing is taking the enigma of Smokescreen the G1 gambler and making a story for him. Since he's a gambler, I wondered what else he was. Was he bonded? Did he have kids? He's an older bot and the possibilities were great.
It is pretty clear that TF: Prime meshes characters together. Wheeljack and Drift are an example of this. Its almost like they can't agree on the characters they want to add so they blend them. I see Smokescreen aka Smokey the younger as a mix of Smokescreen, Hot Rod (wants to fight, party, is a young goof ball and prime material) with overtones of Springer. He was knocking on my door here. :D
When I began to write him, the image of Smokescreen from TF: Prime was in my mind. Some mentioned how they thought of him as the G1 adult figure. I considered that and decided to make him more neutral in the future to allow readers to decide which one they wanted to feel he was. I like the younger version too so I decided to merge the two and make a backstory for Smokescreen by having his 'grandson' here looking like him, but not him. It will be part of that to have his family come, his bond, his son and bond and with Smokescreen who will be referred as Smokey now, what happens then? Was Smokescreen like a stereotypical gambler who cheated around and was less than dependable? How did a gambler become a devoted Autobot? This will either work or not. :D :D :D
Either way, I am good with it. :D Hugs, readers. I have really enjoyed your comments. Sorry I am not more clear. I am tweaking this to make it make more sense.