The Diego Diaries: Here we go. (300)
-0-Home again
They walked from Cosmos heading for Ops Center and the rest of the remaining weekend. It was getting along toward evening as the sun began to fade away behind the mass of Olympus Mons nearby. The city was busy, the three new satellite cities visible in the distance. They were rising with their housing towers, amenities and business constructions. It was a priority and a good thing. It would only be three orns before the first migration was going to be rescued. What the next one comprised of would be determined at the same time, a plan to bring them in as well underway.
They entered and walked to the center, sitting to relax a moment. "The humans we conferred with understand the situation, Prime. I have little faith in the rest," Rainmaker said. "Perhaps it is because I have little experience with their kind."
"They are good but some of them aren't," Optimus replied with a nod. "They are our best allies and given enough information, the majority will come with us. The rest are fear motivated and have a struggle with realities as they are. Some of them get their information from liars."
Rainmaker nodded. "Sounds like Cybertron once upon a time."
They sat and discussed things, then broke to leave. The United Nations meet up would be in two orns. The refugee rescue in three. Their time was compressed between a rock and a hard place. Or as it was known on Mars … a typical orn.
-0-At the Community Center, Terra
They walked in and paused by the railing that separated the gigantic swimming area from the lounge that surrounded it. They had entered through a three stage air lock that prevented the lack of atmosphere from destroying the swimming area. It was a huge long pool that began with a shallow end and culminated in a very deep area. Part of it was roped off to allow diving. The water was deep allowing for the weight of heavy mechanisms falling into it.
The Home Guard learned to swim here and do deep water exercises against the future. The schools were taking classes here to learn how to swim because interestingly enough, swimming wasn't a natural process for them. Cybertron had very little surface liquid. It wasn't necessary to learn there.
Families had areas to sit and watch their loved ones play, fed by a couple of tasty food businesses and a bar. The place was well lit and brightly designed, a soft yellow color on the walls reflecting a mid morning summer sort of effect. That most of it was transparent steel helped make it feel outdoorsy even though it was one of the most tightly contained buildings on the planet. A number of infants were in the water including theirs and they stood watching them.
Orion floated in the middle of the relatively deep end, his body encased in a yellow flotation ring. He flapped his arms patting the water as he sang at the top of his lungs an incomprehensible song. Nearby treading water, Sideswipe floated holding Praxus, a big grin on his face as he watched Orion. Bluestreak knelt at the edge with another set of toys, then noticed Ironhide and Ratchet. He rose and walked to them, a red floatie ball in each servo. "Hi. How did it go?"
"Not too badly," Ratchet said. "Optimus and Rainmaker are going in two orns to speak at the United Nations."
Bluestreak nodded watching as Sunstreaker walked to their table with refreshments from the bar, Dawg waddling along behind. "Looks like snack time has arrived."
"You two go eat. We'll take over. Where is Ravel and Tie Down?" Ironhide asked as he walked to the edge of the pool.
"We let them go home with Sunspot and his dog," Bluestreak said as Ironhide stepped off disappearing into the water. He bobbed up and began to slowly swim toward his kids. "They have friends coming over for dinner."
Ratchet glanced at Bluestreak. "Yeah? That's awesome."
"I think so," Blue said with a big grin.
Sunstreaker walked over and paused. "You hungry?"
Ratchet nodded. "How about double what you brought, son of mine?"
Sunstreaker smirked and nodded, turning to walk back to the bar. Ratchet and Blue turned, sitting at the table where the food and beer was. "This is the life."
"It is," Bluestreak said handing him his share. "The babies love the water. Whose idea was the pool?" he asked with a smirk. "Yours?"
Ratchet paused a moment, then grinned back. "Actually, I think it was. Maybe."
Nearby, a bot knelt with three little infants. Tril had brought his babies to the pool to play. The city had many amenities, an almost unheard of thing and they were for the most part Cybertronian in nature. It was healing to walk through a Cybertronian city once again. But the pool was different and the idea of learning to swim a good one.
He stepped forward and lowered his infants into the warm water, their flotation devices holding them up. Stepping in too, he sat and watched them float and play. It was very restful and fun.
Ironhide reached the infants and they shrieked their joy. "ADA! I SWIM!" Orion said with great gusto.
"I see," Ironhide said bobbing in the water himself.
"How was the trip?" Sideswipe asked handing an animated Praxus over to his atar. "How did Rainmaker do?"
"He was pivotal. He could give fresh intel and both he and Prime are headed for the United Nations in two orns."
"I can imagine the entourage they need. I suppose I'll be chosen," Sideswipe said with a smirk.
Ironhide grinned as he bobbed Praxus up and down. "Egotistical piece of work."
They bantered in the water, dozens of bots swimming past, some of them as 'boats' for smaller bots. Ratchet watched, then looked at Bluestreak. "See that bot with the three little sparklings? At the shallow end? Red chevron?"
Bluestreak nodded. "I do."
"That is the bond of Fenix." Ratchet shook his helm. "Look what Fenix is jeopardizing."
"He's the one that is trying to bring the system back, right?" Blue asked watching the four at the other end of the pool.
"Yes and I will have to gut you if you tell even the twins," Ratchet said with a severe optic.
Bluestreak smirked. "Yes, Mom."
They chatted, ate food and watched the infants enjoy themselves. When it was time to go, they wandered off together toward the evening's plans.
-0-The Trine
Bluestreak laid out a range of food that would serve about ten mechs who were coming over for the night. Drinks were available, the apartment bussed and ready for mechs to sit, some to play cards which was a staple of their parties and even dance if they wanted. The twins had gone to the studio to finish up a bit of business for a couple who wanted a portrait of their infants. Bluestreak looked around and smiled. "Good. This is going to be fun."
-0-Venture and Miler
They looked at the babies and smiled. "There are my babies. Aren't you lovely," Miler said as the three little waifs stood looking up at him, gigantic smiles on their faces. "Ven? Are you ready?" he asked.
Venture who was fixing little dishes nodded. "We're good to go, Milie," he said as he turned to put the little plates and cups, a special order from The Housewares Store in Metroplex on the table. They were special order with the image and glyph of each baby impressed upon it. Little booster seats kept in a cupboard in the spare room were already on the chairs.
Miler sat each infant on their seat, then took the dishes Venture handed to him. They both sat and looked at the infants who were waiting for them politely. The trine was adamant about manners and it showed even at this age. "Babies, eat your dinner," Miler said enchanted. Only then did they begin.
-0-At the Residence
Tagg and Kestrel sat at the table helping the little mechs do their homework. Miracle sat on the table, a chew toy consuming his attention. Outside, the sky was beginning to darken and lights were coming on here and there. It was comforting, safe and delightful. It was the anti-life of their former existence. At no time in their long ordeal did they ever think this was possible. But it was and they slowly, painfully assimilated the idea that it was truly real.
"Grandada?"
Kestrel leaned forward. "Spirit?"
"What is this?" he asked pointing to a word on his reading datapad.
Kestrel carefully explained it to the infant and Spirit continued. As he did, Kestrel experienced a sense of deja vu. How many times had he sat with his own little mech, Orion and did the same thing around the tiny table in their miniscule apartment? More times than he could remember. It was warming to his psyche to remember and he bent himself to helping the little mechs around him with their work.
-0-Alor
He sat on the floor with a rattle in his servo and a smile on his face. Prowler was sitting in the bouncy chair that had belonged to Praxus. He was smiling and laughing, a very tiny sweet sound. Hero was standing beside Alor, a giant smile on her tiny Ironhide face. Alor smiled at her. "You are such a beauty. Your ada was a very smart mech to make you so pretty."
He suffered the same emotional delusion as Ratchet obviously.
Hero walked to Prowler and leaned down kissing his fore helm. She turned to her grandada and smiled. Alor for his part nearly capsized on the sweetness. "Aw. Such nice babies."
The door opened and Blackjack stepped in pausing to smile. "Hi. I see we have a few of the jewels."
"We do. Ravie has Sunspot and the dog. We have these two. I think the trine has Orion and Praxus."
"Ratchet and Ironhide have them by now. Do we get to keep them overnight?" 'Jack asked as he sat down on the floor. Hero stomping her peds in excitement held out her arms. He picked her up and loved on her, setting her gently down again.
"We will. Possession is nine points of the law or something," Alor said with a grin. "Time for dinner now that Grandatar is home, babies. You watch them and I'll get things ready." Alor stood up and carefully stepped over everyone on his way to the kitchen. As he pulled Hero's tiny plates out, he turned and paused. Blackjack was lying on the floor as Hero patted him, kissing his face in a game. He was grinning, kissing her back. Alor smiled and continued, a contentment he never thought he would feel overcoming him.
Ironhide would be sent packing when he came to get the babies.
Life was good.
-0-At the home front
Ratchet walked inside the apartment with Orion and Praxus. Removing their harnesses, he watched as they ran for their rooms and the toy boxes in them. He walked to the monitor and checked his mail.
"Ratchet: We're keeping the babies. If Ironhide comes, he's going to get the boot. Hugs, Alor"
Ratchet grinned. Ironhide was on his way there now.
"Ratchet: We want to have Sunny Bunny and Spot. We want to keep them tonight. I hope you don't mind, son. Take care and I hope your mission was good for all of us. I love you, son. Ada"
"I love you too, Ada," Ratchet said softly as he continued down the list.
"Ratchet: I would like next weekend off. Breakdown and I have things to do. I won't bore you with the details. I'm just asking. -Knockout"
Ratchet considered the schedule, the fact that the last playoff game was that weekend and quelled the impulse to say FRAG NO! "Knockout: Take the time but make it up during the championship game. I will have someone cover you and you can exchange duties. -Ratchet"
Before he could reach the next note a return pinged. He opened it. "Ratchet: Scratch the request. I think I'd rather have the championship orn off. -Knockout"
Ratchet okayed the request. Then he continued. As he did, Ironhide walked in with a slight sad. "Hey. I hear that your genitors were going to punt you at the effrontery of thinking you could retrieve your children."
"You got that right," Ironhide said. He walked over. "Any notes for me?"
"Plenty. What do you want for dinner?" Ratchet asked closing his account.
"Whatever you can put on a plate. I'm hungry." Ironhide began to sort through his messages as Ratchet walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled out things. They would have an eclectic meal of leftovers. There would be Italian, Cybertronian and Chinese food on everyone's plates that night. It would all taste good.
-0-At the Residence
They finally walked in to the acclaim of their children. Kestrel and Tagg sitting on couches smiled. "How did it go, son?" Kestrel asked as he stood.
"I think it went well. I have to speak at an international forum in two orns but all is pretty well for us." Optimus hugged his ada and atar.
"Well, we'll go now," Tagg said glancing at Kestrel.
"No. You're staying for dinner," Prowl said with a grin.
They looked at him, then Optimus. "We can help you fix dinner. You have been working all orn," Tagg said firmly.
"You can help me, Tagg," Prowl said putting down T-Bar.
He nodded and turned following Prowl into the kitchen, T-Bar and Spirit in tow. Optimus turned and picked up Miracle who was patting his ped. Moving to sit, he looked at his ada. "How did your orn go, Ada?"
Kestrel smiled. "We walked around window shopping with the little mechs. They actually helped us pick out a couple of nice things for the apartment. It was fun."
Optimus smiled. "Good. I want you to have fun. Both of you."
"We are," Kestrel said as laughter could be heard in the kitchen.
They sat and chatted, had dinner and when it was time to go they both went away happy. They also had Spirit and T-Bar with them.
-0-In the woods of eastern Europe
They walked to the landing zone in the dark, torches giving the only light they had. A plane had landed and they were going to off load explosives and guns. They were a team that would be responsible for terrorist acts in this part of the world. Other teams had their own responsibilities. They would begin their spring campaign of damage and death to keep up the pressure on the aliens.
The sound of trucks driving off echoed in the woods as they came forward to do their part. Boxes and crates of guns and ammunition were offloaded, then the task was over. Climbing aboard, they drove off into the night as the plane turned to leave. They watched its lights rising into the sky to disappear into the inky blackness. They did too, melting into the night, fading away down a mountain road.
-0-TBC
05-11-13
NOTE: I was pooped last night. :D This is part 300 of part three. I added them all up. There are 1,082 segments of the story with 2,141,093 words. :D Yes, I am obsessive. :D I promise you a bunch more. This doesn't feel close to being done. :D Have a great weekend. :D We are one Cybertronian weekend from Vos v Kaon in the semi finals of the Martian Championship of the Cybertronian Adult Football League finals. :D