The Diego Diaries: Newbies 14 (337) (NOTE: Had to go to Anchorage last night. Got in late. Pooped.) :D

-0-Mars

The glow of the city mass could be seen below from the Trigger as Esty sat doing his duty. He was a civilian who had been a bridge tech on Cybertron back in the distant past. Now he worked here in a state of stupefied exhilaration that such a possibility could exist again and that it could serve such a great purpose for all. He had come here with only his two servos and a lot of talents he had almost forgotten. Now he had a life and a job that saved people. They retrieved and sent out masses of individuals and he was the control officer of the graveyard shift. He was going to close the apertures in less than five minutes on the Terran Military clock and he was delighted.

The curve of Mars lay out below him with a glow in several places that indicated habitation. Satellites passed by him, their blinking lights signifying their endless vigilance. It was quiet, the vast room darkened to coax an atmosphere of peace and calm. He sat back in his seat watching the chronometer count down the minutes left. When it hit zero, he pressed a red button. Nearby the flaring lights of infinity winked out bringing to an end the agonizing saga of 617,994 homeless Cybertronians.

-0-In a room down below

They stood on a table before Roto who sat on a chair leaning forward, his arms on the table encircling the two 'culprits'. They looked at him, Hero with great anxiety and Orion with hopefulness. Orion looked at Terradive who pulled up a chair to sit himself and smiled at both with his most dazzling smile. He pointed at Terradive and looked at Roto. "TOTO? WHO SHE?"

Roto snorted and glanced at Terradive. "She is Terradive."

Orion looked at Roto, then Terradive, then Roto. "Doh-Doh?"

"Close enough," Roto said with a chuckle. "What are you two doing sneaking around? Sneaking out is against the rules. You're only supposed to do that when you're older." He grinned at Orion enjoying him thoroughly.

Orion grinned back. He glanced at Hero who wasn't grinning and patted her. "Ho-Ho want Atar. Ho-Ho want Ada. We go there."

"Where is there?" Roto asked with fascination.

"Home," Orion said. Then he smiled gigantically waiting for applause. He got it.

Roto snorted, then kissed the baby on his cheek. "New word."

"We want Atar," Hero said anxiously. "Ada too. Where are they? Can we go home?"

Terradive glanced at Roto. "I see what you mean. That is impressive for a sparkling her age."

Roto nodded. "It happens but I've never seen it until now. Orion is advanced too but note the difference."

Orion hearing his name patted Roto's face. He bent down to look up into Roto's optics, a wholly comical effect. "TOTO! YOU GO ME AND HO-HO HOME? WE GO HOME?"

Roto looked at Orion, then hugged him. "I wish you could, baby. But not yet."

"Why?" Hero asked as her expression crumbled into something teary. "I miss them. They miss me. We can go home?"

Roto took her and lay her on his shoulder patting her little bottom gently. "I wish you could. They miss you. But not yet, Hero. They will come soon. The work is almost completed. Then they will come and you can go home."

She began to cry and he rocked gently in his seat as he held her. Orion watched, then glanced around. "TOTO. This not fun. No fun here. We can go home?" he asked again.

A sound at the door paused the conversation, then Orion smiled brilliantly. "ATAR!"

Hero looked back and burst into tears. "Atar!" she cried out.

Ironhide pausing in the doorway with his genitors stepped inside walking to the table. He took Hero and hugged her, the infant clinging to him as she cried. "I missed you," she wailed before snuggling into his arms.

"ATAR! WE GO HOME!" Orion said as he stood on the table looking up at the adults.

Alor snagged him, cuddling him in his arms. "You were going home?"

"They both got up and stealthed their way toward the elevator before we caught them," Roto said with a big grin.

Ironhide looked at Roto sharply. Then he looked at Orion. "You were stealthing?"

"It was hilarious. He was actually showing some really good moves," Terradive said with a smile. "By the way, I am called 'Doh-Doh'."

Ironhide snorted. "Sparkling is a caution." Everyone nodded.

"When can they go? They're trying to make a break without a clue," Roto said leaning back in his chair.

"We have carry holds. We can take these two now," Alor said nodding to Blackjack who agreed. "We would need a blanket and their sleep dollies. Then you will have two less wild free range babies on your servos."

The two rose and led the way into the classroom converted to a sleeping space. Gathering the requisite stuff, the infants were put inside their Other Atar and Other Ada's holds. With snark and profuse thanks, they turned and walked out pausing on the streets outside. The sound of a tiny rap could be heard so Blackjack popped his hold. Orion leaned out and smiled brilliantly. "ATAR! SEE ME!"

Ironhide guffawed and gently pushed the infant back inside. The door slid shut and the three turned walking toward the Fortress as overhead the space bridges winked out of sight.

-0-Ulura, Australia, Earth

They sat together in their underground bunker watching the sensors, listening to the channels they were maintaining. A number of them were different human groups that belonged to the Autobot resistance along with some from various N.E.S.T groups and others affiliated with Prime outside of the military. They were part of a specialist group that instituted what were known in the Decepticons as the infiltration protocols. They were deep cover bots who would burrow in and wait, gathering intel to make possible the conquest of their particular planetary residence. They had arrived with Megatron ten thousand years before and had lain in waiting for the word to begin.

The awakening of The Fallen had activated them and they had begun listening in on the usual channels for intel with which to exploit. They had been aware of The Fallen's demise and the retreat of Megatron. There had been no new information from Cybertron or any other leader of stature so they began themselves to do what they were here to do. There were three cells on Earth. One of them was located in Europe and another in North America. They were linked on heavily encrypted lines and subterranean in locale to hide their signatures from detection. It had worked extremely well.

They would stay subterranean for a while.

-0-Gathering at the command center

Ratchet walked from the hospital tower heading for the Fortress. The night was giving way to the day, the horizon lightening in the distance. Traffic was light still but would pick up when the shifts changed in about three joors. Turning the corner at Fortress and Airport, he continued to the big command center of military life on Mars.

It was cold this morning as he crossed the courtyard, oddly empty feeling without the feisty energy of the elders who utilized the game tables there. Entering, he sassed through the rec room where a number of bots were lounging and entered the Ops Center. He walked to the center table and parked himself regarding Prime, Prowl and Smokescreen with a grin. "How's the jaw?" Ratchet asked.

"Good." Smokescreen smirked. "Nothing like a right cross to say 'I love ya, baby'," he said.

Ratchet snorted. "Funny, that. Ironhide says the same thing."

Prime chuckled. "How's the fix-it part coming along?"

"Really good. We haven't had a serious problem for joors," Ratchet replied.

"That's good," Prowl said nodding. "We closed the bridges. We're done."

"Now the hard part begins. Assimilating 20% more population without too much trouble happening," Ratchet replied with a nod. He glanced at the doorway and watched as Ironhide, Alor and Blackjack entered walking to the table to pull up chairs. "How was your orn?"

"Very productive," Alor said opening his carry hold. Reaching gently inside, he pulled Hero out. She had been sitting talking to her dollie as she fought recharge. "I found this sort of lurking around."

Ratchet grinned. "Lurking?"

A small tapping sound drew all their attention so Blackjack opened his hold. Orion who was standing at the door peered out spotting Optimus. "OMUS! I SEE YOU!"

Laughter greeted that as Blackjack stood the little bot on the tabletop. He looked at all of them basting himself with the attention. Looking at Ratchet, he smiled brilliantly. "ADA! I COME YOU! ME AND SHE!"

"They almost made a break for the wall," Alor said proudly. "Terradive and Roto caught them lurking down the hallway to the elevator."

"They decided to leave?" Ratchet asked dazzled by his infants. He watched as Alor stood Hero on the table too. "Did you try to run away?" he asked the slightly fussy little femme.

She looked at him and nodded. "I wanted to come home," she said as Prime and Prowl blinked. "Orion and I ran away."

Ratchet leaned in. "Mr. Roto caught you?"

She nodded, her little chin quivering. "Atar didn't come. I missed you," she said holding out her arms.

Ratchet picked her up hugging her. Glancing at Prowl and Prime, he grinned. "Apparently, sometimes they can do this."

Apparently," Prowl said, his optics focused like lazers on the tiny femme laying against Ratchet's shoulder. "Very nice."

"She talk," Orion said nodding as he walked over stuff to pause before Prowl. He smiled brilliantly. "We go home."

Prowl snorted, then leaned closer. "You are very cute. I like you."

Orion smiled. "Orion loves Owl."

They indulged themselves a moment with the infants, then stood. "I think we can turn in for a few. The Center will alert us if anything needs more than the usual attention," Prime said as he settled Orion on his arm. "Home beckons."

They turned and with amiable chatter walked out to the city and home beyond.

-0-Nearby

Bluestreak stepped inside and turned closing the door behind him. Sideswipe was stretched out on the couch waiting for him. Sunstreaker was out in the mix heading for home as the gates were commencing for wind down. Sideswipe had gotten the infants putting them to bed and crashed to wait for Bluestreak who had been working on data at City Hall. He looked in on the babies, then walked to Sideswipe. "Hey, sleepy. Get up and come to bed."

Sideswipe shifted glancing at him, then stretched. "Hey. You off?"

"I am. Things are being handled by the day shift," Bluestreak said nodding. "You hungry or do you want to come to bed?"

"Bed," he said rising stiffly. "I'm tired. Come on. What about Sunny?"

"He's coming. He has to help with the last of the refugees," Bluestreak said as they walked to their berthroom and disappeared inside.

-0-At the Bosom of Love

She stood on the table outlining her grievances and fears. Ironhide sat listening, nodding his helm from time-to-time as she stood babbling, her servos gesturing and her body language tense and sad. "Atar, I was a-scared."

He glanced at Ratchet who sat by the window rocking a sleepy Orion, himself babbling softly as he looked at his servo. It apparently was fascinating. "Little femme is upset, Ratchet."

"I see that," Ratchet said nodding. "I don't know what to do about it. We're soldiers, Ironhide. She will have to adjust."

"I don't like her being afraid," Ironhide said leaning in to kiss his daughter. "She shouldn't ever feel afraid."

"She will, Ironhide. You can't prevent that. I don't like it either but she is going to have a life where things happen," Ratchet replied as Orion went limp from recharge. "I would have loved to see them slinking along. Apparently, Orion was deep in deep cover."

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet with a proud expression. "I know. He's quite the stealther."

Ratchet snorted. "That's him alright. Stealth."

"Atar?"

Ironhide looked back at Hero who stood before him, her wings showing tension and her servos clasped. "Can I sleep with you and Ada?"

Ironhide glanced at Ratchet. "Do we?"

"It would be a bad precedent, Ironhide. Little femme has to learn to have confidence and stand up on her little peds. Why don't you put her in her bed, wrap her up and put her best toys with her. Rub her back. It will be better for us to help her through this than to enable her."

Ironhide looked at Ratchet, then Hero. "Come on, daughter. Let's go look at your little bed. I bet there are toys there that are missing you." He gently picked her up and walked to the berthroom removing her little hat and jacket. He kissed her helm and carried her to her little crib. It was a very feminine bed, as feminine as her room. Spreading her blankets, he set her down. "Lie down, Hero," he said gently pressing her back. She lay down looking at him, her tiny wings folded under. Taking her soft blankets, he tucked her in and put her favorite baby dollies around her. "There. We're right here. You recharge and we'll have breakfast soon enough."

She looked at him comforted by her bed and him. "Atar?"

"What?" he asked as he rubbed her temple gently.

"I love you, Atar. Orion helped me."

"I heard he did," Ironhide said with a proud smile. "He's pretty good, Orion. Takes care of you like a big brother."

"He did," she replied as recharge began to claim her. "He's my brother."

"He is," Ironhide said nodding. "He's a good brother. You go to recharge. We're right here."

Ratchet walked past heading for Orion's berthroom. Putting him into his berth, he paused until Orion settled. Walking to Hero's room he stood by her bed watching as she fell asleep. "Cute."

"She is," Ironhide said with a nod. "She's afraid when we're gone. I don't like that she is."

"I know," Ratchet said tugging on Ironhide's arm. "We'll figure it out."

Ironhide left reluctantly and headed for his own berthroom. Outside in the night, the last rescue vessel landed.

-0-TBC June 19, 2013 edited

PS Kissing in Transformers is canon. It really is. :D :D :D

aNony, I have no address so I answered you in the review section. Thank you. :D