The Diego Diaries: Newbies 3 (325)
-0-Here and there at Autobot City, Mars
The breeze was light and the warmth of the sun welcomed as the younglings walked around the city seeing the sights. They had washed up at the Labor Hall finding their true colors under the purple or gray of their Decepticon rankings. They had also had their Deceptibrands removed as well. Some had looked forlorn about it, they were young after all, but others, most of them relieved. The splendor of the Hall alone was enough to intrigue them about the potential in the glittering city beyond. When they were clean, shiny and organized, small groups lead by their group leader designate left the Hall and walked to the underground station that fed the area. Cars laden and not so flashed past, some of them stopping and when the proper ones arrived they entered. Off they went on the vast underground system to explore the city that was just out of their reach thus far.
-0-Recess
A dog ran and jumped grabbing a ball in mid flight. He landed and paused scoping out a group of mechs who were watching them on the sidewalk nearby. When he ascertained no threat, he turned and ran back to a small group of younglings who were waiting. Cardinal took the ball and threw it again, watching with great excitement as Spot ran like the wind to catch it. "I love your dog. I wonder if we can get a dog," he said with a grin.
"You can," Sunspot said with a smile. "Go to The Animal Store and get on the list. Have Mr. Terradive write you a letter or get one of the Elders to help you. I bet you can get a dog right away."
"I would like a dog," Raptor said as he took the ball from Spot. "I want a dog. What about you, Farrell?"
Farrell paused from digging in the sandbox, an intricate number of sand sculptures dotting the area where he played. "I would love a dog. Can you help us, Sunny?"
"I will ask Ada. He can do anything," Sunspot said with conviction as Raptor threw the ball again.
It flew through the air and bounced, one of the newbie youngling Decepticons catching it. Spot ran and slid to a stop before him, gazing at the newcomer with an appraising optic. The newbie looked at the others, then threw the ball back toward the kids. Spot spun on a dime and went for it jumping to catch it before Sunspot could. The little Seeker looking at the newbies turned walking confidently toward them with the verve only the most loved possessed. He paused and looked up at them. "Hi. I'm Sunspot. This is my dog, Spot." Spot had turned to run to Sunny, standing beside him protectively. He had the ball in his mouth and the other three younglings ran toward him to stand as well. "Who are you?"
"We're uh … we're new here," a youngling mech said. The others nodded.
"That's great! More mechs for our city!" Sunny said happily. "We hope you like it here. Do you like our school?" he asked looking over his shoulder at the glittering tower behind him.
"That's a school?" a youngling asked with surprise.
The four little Seekers nodded. "It is. It's our school too. We were warriors but we can't be now," Cardinal said innocently. "We go to school here. I like it better."
The soldiers looked at the little kids, then watched as they ran back at the whistle to where Terradive stood waiting to take them back inside. The soldiers looked at their mentors. "What's with that?" one asked.
"Megatron. He used infants for soldiers. Those four little Seekers were in battles. They were shot and hurt. They were harmed because Megatron doesn't care. Think about it," Rampage said with a coldness that used to spell murder. With a nod of his helm, they turned and walked on. By the time they were through a comprehensive tour of the city, they would end up in The Energon Basket in time for fresh kilned cookies and something they would learn was called 'a coke'.
It would be awesome.
-0-At the prison
They entered the section where they would live until further notice and looked around as the gates sprung into life behind them. No one was there but them. Apparently, old friends and a few indifferent allies lived here as well. Walking to a bench to sit, they stared out at their surroundings. Acer, a captain of the ship, Destruction looked at him. "Well, we're here. I hope you know what you're doing."
"Being here is half the battle. We can assess from the inside what we face and make plans accordingly."
"Prime's no fool," Reverb said as he stretched his legs. "Look at this place. This is power made manifest. This must be the source of the energon we found out there floating around in bits and pieces. Prime has this system locked down. He has unlimited energon. He's gathering millions of bots together using space bridges among other things. How do you suppose to do anything about this?"
"I don't know but I do know being on the inside of the tent pissing out is better than being on the outside pissing in," he said with a smirk. The others just shook their helms.
-0-In the Office of Patents and Contracts
Fenix sat in his beautiful office that had windows that looked out upon the city in which his department was located. It was the combined office tower of the city administration, local policing department and their lockups, the hospital annex for the city and centralized school district administration offices. Herling because of his good natured unwillingness to do anything good for himself before taking care of everyone else was given as his office a large portion of the top floor. It was spectacular.
The entire floor where the Patent and Contracts offices were located was shared with planning and zoning. Caro who was thrilled with his own expansive digs worked down the hall from where Fenix sat doing the legal business of business. Pictures of his bond, Tril and their three little mechs lined the walls along with monitors and large boards with information about how things were done, the hierarchy of the system and all manner of detailed stuff he needed.
The work was interesting and surprisingly sophisticated. It was detailed and fulfilling, something he hadn't expected. The staff was surprisingly well trained and efficient, something else not expected from a mixed caste office. He shared a secretary slash administrative aide with another who was also on top of their game. But then, they were mid caste and used to being effective.
The Hourly News came on so he turned up the sound taking a moment to catch up on things around the city.
"Today, a Decepticon fleet surrendered to the Prime and gave up a crew complement of 357 soldiers, 2 Seekers and three ship captains and their staff. They were taken into custody by the Prime using a commanding force of three Guardians, 200 Seekers and other support ships through The Trigger. The event was accomplished without a shot being fired and garnered the military four battle cruisers, three battle shuttles and a number of smaller vessels including two fighter carriers. Lim-Lee talked to Jazz, the Autobot Information Officer earlier about it," Gen-O said.
"Jazz, how did the mission go and how did you know that they wanted to meet up to discuss surrender?" Lim-Lee asked.
"We had followed them on the long range sensors that we have out 35 light years. No one gets near without us knowin' and we track them orn and night. This group actually commed the Prime and asked for a meet up. We went out, discussed terms and they surrendered. We think a lot of Decepticons are running out of fuel, supplies and patience with their faction. Their side is fallin' apart without Megatron to run things orn-to-orn."
"What do you know about Megatron, his intentions and whereabouts? Did they supply any information
on that score?" Lim-Lee asked.
"No. We don't know. We just know he's off recruitin' allies and knowin' him the way we do, he probably found someone to fight who can defend themselves. That would draw him like flies to honey. Or is it bees?" Jazz asked with a big smile.
Lim-Lee chuckled. "Tell us about the crews. We have seen them around town in the company of the Former Decepticon Association members."
"The bots in that group are comin' through again. They take the newcomers under their wing and show them the ropes. They monitor them and make it way easier for the rest of us to do what we have to do. They will be out and about as they learn how to live here so I hope they are welcomed. I also hope they behave themselves or Scar and Rampage will whip their afts."
Lim-Lee grinned and turned to the camera. "Back to you in the studio, Gen-O."
Fenix watched as film of the newbies walking here and there was shown, then an interview was broadcast of some of them.
"This is Jacx reporting from Main and Fifth Street in Terra," he said turning to smile at half a dozen VERY nervous youngling mech former Decepticons. "I wonder if you can tell us what you think about the city so far."
They glanced at each other, then one was nudged. He looked at his friends, then Jacx. "It's awesome."
The others nodded and looked at him encouragingly. Then another one stepped closer. "This reminds me of Cybertron. I like it here. We had cookies at The Energon Basket. They were really good. They reminded me of my grandada's cookies." He paused. "Uh, I'm hoping we get to go to the football game. Vos and Kaon are trying to see who plays Praxus. I would love to do that."
Jacx glanced at Payload who grinned and nodded. "It would appear that your mentor says you'll go."
They looked at him with excitement, then back at Jacx. "I really like this place," the young mech said with a big grin.
Fenix considered that, the idea of Decepticons among them and felt himself shudder. That everyone did the first few times this happened didn't make him bad. It made him a refugee. A rap on the door caught his attention. Caro was there with three datapads. "Hi. Could you look over these contracts please? I am going to be talking to the Two Worlds Panel shortly via conference call and they want to know if these ideas have even a chance of happening. I need to know the legal before the call." He walked in and handed the pads to Fenix who nodded. "No problem," he said as Caro nodded and walked out. He sat staring at the door, then turned to the stack of work on his desk. It felt like Iacon he thought idly. Then he began to work.
-0-Barricade and Scorponok
They watched The Hourly News from the perch of their table in Club Cybertron. The ships that had been brought in were known to both as were the command crews. The film shown of the groups leaving the vessels had been surprising. Shield was one of the captains. It must have been pretty bad for him to surrender. Fuel was a problem for all of them.
All of them but the Autobots.
"Shield looks pretty relaxed for surrendering his group," Scorponok offered.
Barricade nodded. "He does." Barricade looked around, then sat forward. "He doesn't surrender. Never. He has something in processor. I wonder if they are going to be letting them live in the towers or if he's going to be in the prison with us."
"I would jail his aft," Scorponok said sipping his high grade. "I wouldn't trust him if I was Prime. I'm not Prime and I don't trust him," the strange mech said with a smirk.
Barricade nodded. "I do. He and I go way back. I wonder what he's got in mind. We'll have to see how we can talk to him tonight. I want to know what's going on beyond this fragging system."
"You and me both," Scorponok said quietly.
-0-In a conference room in Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
Prime sat staring at him as did Prowl, Ironhide and Ratchet. Being a bullshitter, the mech waited. Finally, he looked at Prime. "What's up and why all this?"
"Because we are hearing bad things about you, Sideways," Prowl said. He looked at the mech like he was a suspect and Prowl was a cop again. Which he was. For the interview. "You want to come clean or do we beat it out of you?"
Ratchet glanced at Prowl more than aware of his interest in the BBC series, 'Copper'. Glancing at Prime, he could see the leading edge of a guffaw trying to emerge. Ironhide merely sat back with a great show of steel behind which a hardy laugh was ongoing.
Sideways looked at Prowl, then shrugged. "I don't know what that would be. I've been a very good boy."
Apparently he watched 'Copper' too Ratchet thought as he sat thoroughly entertained. Prowl looked at him. "Have you examined him, Doctor?"
"I have," Ratchet replied with a slight grin. "This slagger is fit to work in every manner and shape deemed possible in the mind of anyone with a mind."
Prowl rolled his optics for a moment, then looked at Sideways. "You do not have gainful employment."
Sideways looked at Prowl, then relaxed. So that was what all of this was about. "I'm looking into it. I am also looking into college. I was thinking accounting was a good safe career choice."
"You have had more than two years to find and keep employment. You have had three jobs since you were allowed to go into general population, none of them lasting more than a week. You have been unemployed for more than a year and a half. Gambling at Club Hoyle is not gainful employment. Tell me why we don't send you back to prison?"
He sat up straighter and caught himself, cursing silently his slip. "I have been trying. I also have been in a relationship that is important to me. I have issues about the past few years and it makes it hard to think long term. Post traumatic stress." He looked at Ratchet with faux sad optics and nearly got a howling laugh out of his 'doctor' in response.
"I am aware of this 'relationship'," Prime said calmly. "Apparently, the mech's family hates you and what was it they told me they wanted, Prowl?" Prime asked.
"I believe, sir," Prowl said making a show of looking at his datapad, "'We want him dead'. Sir."
Prime composed himself internally, quashing the INTENSE desire to laugh out loud. Then he nodded. "I think what you think they want and what actually is are two different things, Sideways."
"This is all a big misunderstanding, Prime. My mech's genitors love me," Sideways stammered.
Prime nodded to Ironhide who stood and walked to the door. He opened it and a pair of genitors entered. So also did two sets of grandgenitors, three brothers, a pair of sisters, two aunts and their bonds, a number of youngling cousins and a priest. Chevron smiled and nodded, his energy and affect as lovely as ever. "You were saying, Sideways?"
He looked at the mob who stared daggers at him minus Chevron who smiled sweetly. "Hi," he said. "I'm so glad you could come."
At that point, the door opened and a chuckling Drift and Springer entered walking to Sideways to take him by the arms. They lifted him off the floor and carted him outside, his protestations echoing off the corridor walls. When he was gone, Prime smiled at the family. "Who is this mech?"
A rumple in the wall of individuals birthed a youngling mech who was good looking, sweet faced and WAY THE FRAG too young for the conman who was just carted out. Prime nodded at the nervous youngling. "Hi. I understand that you were considering a relationship with Sideways."
He looked at this family, the mechs involved and the sympathetic face of Ratchet. "I … uh, I guess not."
Prime grinned. "Have a seat. We want you to be fully informed about this mech and how he earned his return to prison." Prime nodded to Prowl who sat forward, a ubiquitous datapad in his servos. "I was a detective on Cybertron on loan from Praxus to Iacon and Capital City. I had professional reasons to run into Sideways and arrest him on numerous occasions for crimes and other bad behavior."
The youngling sat listening intently, his family with boatloads of revulsion and the senior officers with a sense that they were just in the nick of time. No 'facing had happened, just a lot of snoggling in the odd place. By the time Prowl was finished, the youngling was frightened by the sheer mendacity and amoral slaggery of Sideways and his family was ready to pile up wood and get a match. They were intensely effusive to Prime and Prowl as they gathered their sweet youngling and left. When they were gone, Ratchet burst out into laughter. "Hi. I'm so glad you could come."
"He's where he belongs," Prowl said with an umbrage so high he was underwater. Prime and Ironhide on the other servo laughed their afts off.
-0-At the prison
He was tossed into the prison without ceremony, Drift and Springer adding enough parting insults and laughter to tide the slagger over for a while. Sideways abused them back until they were out of sight before turning. He froze and stared at mechs he hadn't seen in a long time. Shield sat grinning at the little con man who had swindled him out of shanix large before the war drove everyone off Cybertron in self defense. Sideways swallowed hard. "Hi," he said as Shield stood up and planted his fist into Sideways's nose structure.
-0-TBC June 5, 2013