The Diego Diaries: Home At Last 2 (369)
-0-On the ground at the Military Airfield, Autobot editedCity, Mars
They landed the shuttles, the two that were brought to them by the Stunticons and the Wrecker fighter-shuttle, Impactor. Everyone climbed out and gathered as Springer synched the computers with Flight-Intelligence, Ops Center, the system that Elita-1 and Jazz helped build to suck out the contents of ships' data files without pulling the systems out of the ships proper. Drift walked to the security team waiting with the two prisoners and the other Wreckers on the mission.
"Nice place. You live anywhere in the neighborhood?" Wild Rider asked Drift as he stood beside Kup.
"Like you should know, aft," Kup said.
Thundercracker, who had landed nearby paused from the conversation he was having with the former 'Cons working at a small depot on the edge of the tarmac and walked toward them. "Are they going to the Hospital for the fittings and oaths?"
"They are," Kup said nodding. A runabout from the hospital was just landing so they turned and prodded the two Stunticons toward the ship. They went reluctantly, snarking and insulting the mechs who followed them. Kup watched them go, then looked at Thundercracker. "You going to the hospital to watch this?"
Thundercracker nodded, then transformed and swept upward to the hospital tower nearby. He landed on the roof and walked in stopping beside Starscream who was already there. They stood to one side and had a quiet internal conversation.
The hatch closed as the runabout lifted off. Another bigger shuttle carried the rest of them along and they were on top of the world in jig time. Drift and Springer stepped off with Kup and two other bots heading across the rooftop to the Emergency Room entrance. By the time they entered the facility Prowl, Prime and Ratchet were there.
-0-In Surgery 4
Ratchet stood by a medical berth as Wild Rider and Drag Strip were brought into the room. Prowl stood nearby, a smirk on his face. He was amused by a conversation he was having with Rambler about coming home just to leave again. Bantering was a new skill he was learning and Prowl liked it. He looked around. Ironhide wasn't there. Someone had to be an audience for five very happy infants and a springy dog.
"Prime," Wild Rider said pausing before the big bot. "Don't you look well."
Prime didn't say anything to the mech. He looked at Springer. "Any trouble?"
"Drag Strip. Note the dents artistically applied," Springer said with a grin. "Some things change, some never change."
"And frag you too, Springer. Many is the time I had you in my sights," the big bot said with a sneer.
"Too bad you forgot to pull the trigger, moron," Springer said moving to sit on a med berth. He grinned. "But then, no one ever accused you of being too smart, Drag Strip."
"Frag you!" Drag Strip said lunging forward. He was pulled back by several bots. Wild Rider who was pissed at his brother kicked him in the leg. "Knock it off. We came to surrender." Rider looked at Prime. "We want sanctuary."
"Why?" Prime asked.
Wild Rider looked at him a moment. "I'm tired of bad food, no fun and looking over my shoulder. Megatron is crazy. He will order your death on a whim. He kills mechs for no reason."
"What else can you tell us?" Prowl asked.
They both looked at him, the legendary computer nemesis of their faction. "Prowl," Drag Strip said. "I always wondered what happened to you."
"I put you in prison twice," Prowl said coldly.
"You did. I never got to thank you, fragger," Drag Strip said before Wild Rider kicked him in the ped. He got a dirty look for it from his brother who turned to Prime. "The Empire is waiting for Megatron to come back. Everyone is tightening up. Everyone is afraid and no one knows squat. Is that what you wanted to know?"
Prime considered that. "Nothing we don't already know."
"We came from Cybertron. Soundwave is making a fall back fort near here. I can tell you where it is but you probably already know. Someone told me that they found the entrance to Vector Sigma, that the thing is real and not a myth."
"Do you know where it is?" Prowl asked.
"Near Kaon I'm told. Funny that. Vector Sigma that close to the ugliest worst city on Cybertron," Drag Strip said.
"Anything else?" Prime asked.
They thought a moment, then shook their helms. As they did, Starscream and Thundercracker walked into the room and stood against a wall. The two turned and looked at both. "Starscream! What the frag are you up to these orns?" Wild Rider asked.
"Nothing a fragger like you needs to know," Starscream said as Thundercracker smirked beside him.
"Now that's no way to talk about a future neighbor," Drag Strip said with a smile.
"Get on the med berth," Prime said.
Wild Rider turned and walked to the med berth. Pausing, he grinned. "Ratchet! Like old times!"
"No it isn't," Ratchet said with a grin. He shoved Wild Rider onto the berth, then turned to get the devices.
"Hurt me, Ratchet," Rider said with a grin. "You know you want to."
Ratchet pushed him flat, then opened his chassis. "Be careful what you ask for, fragger." He rummaged around, then closed the mech up. Turning to another berth, he did the same with Drag Race. Then he pulled a meter from subspace and tuned it. Turning to Prime, he nodded. "These fraggers sneeze too hard, they will never have to worry about doing it again."
Prime nodded. "Give me your oaths. You are making them to the Matrix too. You do know what that means I am guessing."
"We die. We go poof." Wild Rider stood and offered a manacled servo to Prime. The electrical spark signaled the deal sealed. Then Drag Strip did the same. Moving back to lean against the berth, he grinned. "What now? Do I get a penthouse in the clouds?"
Drag Strip grinned too.
"No, actually," Thundercracker said stepped up to stand next to Prime. "You get a cell in the prison."
Prime glanced at Ratchet. "Did you disable their transformation cogs, Ratchet?"
Ratchet nodded. "I did. They can't transform, nor can they combine. You can stuff their sorry afts in with the other two idiots and it won't matter."
Prime nodded. "Then we will." He turned and clapped Thundercracker on the shoulder. "Thank you for helping us out."
"It was my pleasure alone, Prime," Thundercracker said smirking at two mechs he had never liked nor gotten along with.
Drag Strip straightened and looked at his brother. Wild Rider looked thunderstruck. "WHAT? YOU LIED?"
"Of course I did," Thundercracker said holding up his forearm. The Autobrand stared out at all of them.
"WHAT THE FRAG!? WHY!?" Wild Rider asked with astonishment.
"Because I have hatchlings. I am happy here. I like it. We, all of my trine like it here. We are respected. We have a leader we can respect at long last. You represent the death of my hatchlings, Rider. We can't trust you because you aren't trustworthy. Period."
The two 'Cons looked at Thundercracker a moment, their expressions filled with conflicting emotions … fury, surprise, outrage, murder. They leaped forward but were gathered up by the Wreckers. Prime turned to Springer and Drift. "Will you put the newbies in the clink please?"
Springer snorted, then nodded. "With pleasure." He turned and grabbed an arm dragging Wild Rider behind him. The abuse and swearing that they spewed was astonishing as they were dragged and/or carried out. When they were gone, Prime turned to the Seekers who were chuckling together. "Thank you."
"You are welcome. Welcome back. How is the situation on Earth?" Starscream asked.
"In flux. We're better positioned to do something about it however," Prime said as they turned to walk out together. He paused, then looked back at Ratchet. "We have subpoenas for hearings, Ratchet. We'll talk later."
Ratchet paused by Prowl. "Oh joy," he said. They walked out and the surgery was quiet once more.
-0-In the land of boo-boos, honey
They stood around Ironhide who sat holding Prowler. They were waiting their turn to 'show you something, Atar!'. Hero was first up. She had put on her rose outfit, the hat slightly askew despite her best efforts. She stood smiling at him with enormous delight. "Do you like it, Atar? Ada got me it."
"You look beautiful, Hero," Ironhide said nodding. "That is a good color for you."
She smiled brilliantly, then Orion hugged her tightly. They stood together holding servos as Sunspot stepped forward and showed Ironhide his datapad. The math test was there and it was flawless. He had not missed a problem. "This is outstanding, son. Very good, Sunspot."
Sunspot nearly turned inside out with pleasure, taking the datapad back with joy. "I think you need to check my homework, okay, Atar?"
"I will," Ironhide said nodding.
Praxus looked at them, then Ironhide. He had a car that he liked so he stepped forward and held it up. "You play car?" he asked.
Ironhide grinned and took it holding it up. "I will. I like this car."
Praxus hugged himself he was so pleased, then he hugged Spot tightly. The big dog who was sitting behind them merely sat very still and enjoyed it. It too was fragging awesome. Everyone was delirious with happiness so he was there to get his piece of the pie.
Orion who had a small puzzle held it up. "ATAR! MY! SEE!?"
Ironhide took it and looked it over. Most of the parts were still out of order so the picture left a lot to be desired but Orion wanted him to see it so he considered it this way and that. Handing it back, he nodded. "Looks like fun, Orion."
"IT IS! FUN, ME! I FUN!" Orion agreed with an almost impossible delight. "YOU, ME?!"
"I will. After a bit, I will," Ironhide said.
The door opened and the mayhem shifted a moment to Ratchet. He kissed and patted this and that infant, rubbed Spot's belly and flopped down. "Two more idiots in the basket."
"Good," Ironhide said with a grin. "Thundercracker likes a joke too."
"Wild Rider and Drag Strip didn't see the humor."
"They never were too bright," Ironhide said with a smile. The infants closed in on both and for a while no one cared that all five of the Stunticons now resided at Autobot City, four of them in the prison.
-0-At the Prison
They dropped the bars so Drift and Springer carried their part of two screaming prisoners forward. When they had gotten inside the perimeter of the inside bars, they set the two down. By then, Dead End and Motormaster had come out to the porch of their barracks. Stepping back, the bars went up. Springer released the cuffs on the two and they disappeared. Turning with enormous fury, Wild Rider and Drag Strip came to the bars and continued their venting.
"They don't give up," Drift said.
"No, they don't." Springer grinned. "Wanna frag?"
"Sure," Drift said turning to look at Springer with emotional optics. They stood together a moment, then turned and walked out of the no mech's land that filled the space between the inner and outer bars of the 'high security-imminent danger' portion of the prison's facilities. They would banter all the way back to the city walking intensely companionably all the way home.
-0-Bosom, et al
"GET ME, ATAR! I HIDING YOU!" Praxus stood under the table peering out, Spot by his side. He was nearly hysterical with joy and excitement.
Ratchet leaned against the kitchen counter a towel wrapped Prowler in his arms. Sunspot sat at the table finishing his writing assignment shining from helm to ped from his shower. Ironhide stood with a towel wrapped Hero who was hugging his neck. She was extremely happy from the moments before bath time when Atar had given them all a present. Ironhide had no reason other than he was home again. He just wanted to do it.
Orion got a wooden train engine that he had liked in the catalog from the Requisitions-Off World Department of City Hall who handled things made other than on Mars. It had his name carved on it in Cybertronian glyphs. It was old fashioned and he "LOVED IT, ATAR!"
Praxus got a My Little Pony he had seen in the same book because he "LIKE MY DOG, ATAR!"
Sunspot had gotten a video game of a World War One bi-plane aviation sim. He loved it. "ATAR!"
Prowler got a hug and a kiss. He loved it.
Hero got something that Ironhide had seen in a magazine ad. She had put it on and modeled it self consciously. It was a white jacket with a white hat. They were fuzzy like a puff ball. She looked like a dandelion ready to let fly her seeds. She "LOVE(D) THIS, ATAR!"
"Nice touch for them. They had a tough time. We need to take the genitors out to dinner in thanks. They really come through, Ironhide," Ratchet said as he walked to his chair to sit. Taking Hero from Ironhide, he watched as Praxus fell to the stealth moves of his atar. Orion peering out of Sunny's berth room dripping water on the floor shrieked with laughter and excitement. "PAX! RUN, YOU! ATAR COME!"
Praxus cackled as all three disappeared into the room and the wash racks beyond. Hero and Sunspot who had climbed into Ratchet's lap watched. "These two are so funny," Sunspot said looking at Ratchet. Prowler grinned at him as all three sat on Ratchet's lap.
"They are. You all are, sparklings," Ratchet said with a grin.
-0-Moments later
They sat on the two big soft chairs, Spot lying across Ironhide's ped with great contentment. All of the sparklings settled in for the night's story read by Atar. Ratchet reached over to the coffee table and picked up the new book. Handing it to Ironhide who looked it over, nodded. "I hear it's good."
Ironhide nodded, then settled Orion and Praxus on his arms. Ratchet sat with Sunspot, Hero and Prowler as they waited for Ironhide to begin. He did. "In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit..."
-0-TBC July 16, 2013