The Diego Diaries: Festivale 3 (383) edited
-0-That afternoon
The city moved on as swing shift changed with day. The crush of mechs and the odd femme on the streets was amazing as the families drove here and there showing the city and city life to the newbies. Niall Graham drove his segway with his parents on the back. Riding with them on another was a biologist from Scotland, Angus Ogilvy who drove with Linda Graham and two Epps kids. Her infant was in the habitat, a number of residents happy to watch him sleep.
They drove along the sidewalk heading for the tour that included just about everything everyone knew plus some. There were new cities to go see now, five of them and for most it was a new world. They headed out lickety split.
Watching them go, Charlotte Mearing turned and followed having claimed a segway herself when no one was looking. Having ditched Simmons with effort, she made her way to the habitat airlock and spied row after row of segways lined up ready to go. She had taken one and gone out again determined to find out more about the city, its inhabitants and their way of life. What better way to do it than in the company of humans that knew their way around?
The first stop: Club Cybertron.
-0-Club Cybertron
They tooled in and parked to one side. The place was between rushes, the bar relatively filled with younglings having a drink and a bite in anticipation of the upcoming fast. In the main room, the tables had families here and there eating lunch. Niall glanced at his parents and grinned. :This is one of the most popular bars and restaurants in the city. It was the first one and is an exact replica of the bar in Iacon, a city of Cybertron. It was a bar where anyone could come and there wasn't much trouble. The bouncers there were famous for their size and ferocity:
:This looks like a nice place, son," Amity Graham said as she looked at her son. :A nice family place:
Epps grinned at Lennox, both of them remembering the epic time Cliffjumper got his helm handed to him and everyone ended up at the Day/Night Watch substation 4 for a rendezvous with Prowl. :I like it: Epps said.
They stood a moment, then Barricade walked in followed by Scorponok and their security detail. The bot walked past, his menace following along almost like a shadow. Scorponok was big, hulking and inscrutable as he followed, the two taking their seats at the usual table. A waiter walked over and took their order, turning to leave them quickly. As they sat, Barricade noted the humans. His visage, never happy or kindly did a downward turn at the sight. :Humans. Insects:
Scorponok looked at the humans, his bland facial expression matching his usual personal aura. He didn't say anything but nodded slightly. Barricade stared at them darkly, then sat back. The humans stared at him, then the first one turned heading out. The others followed including one that was not close to the group. For a moment, he sat filled with satisfaction. Then he turned to the waiter and took his drink.
-0-Further down the road
They continued onward to the Mall of Metroplex trading laughs and commentary as they went. Most of the Epps kids minus his daughter and older son were on a machine driven by Lonnie. Annabelle and her daughter were riding with Sarah Lennox who had become addicted to the machines over the various trips to Mars. The other parents rode on different segways, two of them driven by scientists who were happy to gallop around with the newbies and old timing families. It was carnivale in the midst of festivale for the humans of Mars.
The open doors of the arcade showed up at last so they jetted in weaving around through the throngs who were either putting together the feast following the fast or ordering and/or picking up the meals that they would serve before the siren sounded. Niall explained the building, pointing out some of the more than forty stores that now fully occupied the massive three story expanse. They passed The Book Store, The Sparkling Center and a number of places to eat, get various home things or chat. The Home Store and a detailing place also passed by before they entered Autobot City Grocery. Mearing followed right behind.
-0-Ratchet and Ironhide
"What do you think of Mearing?" Ratchet asked as he walked along with Ironhide through the armory below the city of Phobos.
"You don't want to know. Little audials," Ironhide replied.
Ratchet snorted. "Alor has Prowler and Prowl has Hero. What little audials?"
"I'm practicing," Ironhide said as they turned and walked upward to the platform of the underground train. They were heading for Metroplex and the mall where they would pick up things for the meals ahead. They themselves would fast from the time the city-wide alarm sounded at midnight through the following midnight, twenty-four and a half hours of introspection, communal gatherings and serious concentration about one's life and where it was all going. The infants on the other hand would eat their three squares and cookies.
They hopped a blue train that would lead to the blue district, Metroplex and stepped off heading upward with and against the masses who were going about the business of living in a genuinely Cybertronian city. Reaching the surface, they continued onward into the great arcade.
Inside, Charlotte Mearing followed the happily chatting frankly gawking figures of the humans ahead of her listening in as well to the information being expressed as she worked to understand the goings-on around her. The place was busy and now they were in a grocery store that would shame most of those she had seen back on Earth. The variety and quantities of food stuffs was staggering, much of it familiar to her by shape, color and design. Other types of what appeared to be Cybertronian weren't and she looked at the tall bottles, tubes and other containers that held various liquids and pastes with curiosity and some distain. None of it looked even close to pallatable.
Following them, she watched as the bots around her picked up prepared food packages or 'ingredients' for themselves. Apparently, bots cooked too. They were serviced nearby by checkers who put things in boxes and bags handing them over cheerfully. Some others walked around helping customers with ideas and explaining the bounty that groaned on shelves everywhere around them.
She didn't see registers nor any kind of monetary exchange so payment was unknown. She made a note to herself to ask about that later. She merely followed the other humans for now as they turned and began to leave the vast structure for other places.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
Hero stood on the table looking at the map of the universe that usually resided there. The pretty lights and little moving images on its surface were fun to watch. She stood staring down half bent over, her waif-like figure and comical Ironhide expression delightful to Prowl. Her tiny femme wings were delicate and suited her, making her quite a pretty little pert thing.
He grinned and looked at the image. "What are you noticing, Hero?"
She looked up and smiled. "The pretty lights," she said pointing at the pad. "They move."
Prowl grinned. "Those are ships," he said pointing some out. "These are planets, asteroids and other things that float out there. This map tracks everything."
She nodded. "What is that?" she asked pointing to a light at the very margin just coming into view near where her tiny ped stood.
Prowl leaned in, then frowned slightly. "That is a Decepticon." He turned to Masterstroke. "We have a bogie at A321.65 on the azimuth."
The big bot nodded, then turned to run a check. "We have a ship heading this way, Commander. It is tended by three smaller ones. It seems to be bypassing the forts heading for us."
Prowl nodded, then turned gazing at the map. As he did Hero walked around to stare at the map too. Prowl pressed his cheek against the little femme. "You have good optics, Hero. Thank you."
She smiled. It was good to be helpful.
-0-Terra, Autobot City, Mars
They stopped at the central plaza of the city having driven there on the highway. Beyond, glittering in the distance, Crystal City, Luna and Phobos stood tall and beautiful. The traffic on the highways was brisk as bots and non-sentient vehicles sped along. The shoulder of the highway was wide to allow for pedestrians and segways so they made good time.
The city center, a great plaza around which the city was build was busy as bots came and went from underground stations, buildings and shops all over the area. The school tower was on a large block that shared space with the Hospital-Medical Center. They stood at one end each of the big space with a playground between them for the school. At the moment, sparklings were running around the grounds playing on the toys and chasing each other.
The segways headed across the plaza past elderly sitting to chat on the benches and families passing the time together as they ate lunch or visited. Crossing Main Street, they continued down the sidewalk and paused beside the fence that enclosed the playground. It was very big with astro-type turf covering the entire space. A sandbox, swings and other play forms were here and there. Two trampolines with about 6 inch ground clearance were available as well as half a dozen big and small climbing toys. Places to peg balls through various openings were also available.
They stopped to watch as infants ran about chasing each other, dug in the sand or attempted to climb the low slung formats. Laret and Neo watched them, walking here and there, Laret carrying Olo. She saw the humans and turned walking toward them. When she reached the fence, she knelt and smiled. :Hello:
:Hi, Laret. Who is that?: Will Lennox asked.
The infant in question looked at him, then Laret set her gently down. :This is the wonderful Olo:
The humans smiled, some stepping down to see her. She looked at them for a moment, then came closer. :Who?: Olo asked looking over her shoulder at Laret.
Laret grinned. :Friends:
Olo looked at her a moment, then the humans. She patted her servos together and stepped closer. Lonnie Epps climbed down from her segway and knelt next to the fence. Reaching through the links, she held out her hand. Olo looked at it, then her. Then she patted it. Smiling, she looked up at Laret who smiled at her. :I see her:
:You do, darling: Laret replied.
The infants standing nearby walked over to gather around Olo. Orion looked at them, then Olo. :Lo-Lo, you them?:
She nodded and smiled. Orion smiled, then turned to the humans. :YOU COME HERE? YOU COME?: he asked pointing toward the playground. :YOU PLAY!?:
Will Lennox looked at Bobby Epps, then the two looked at Laret. She grinned, then rose and walked to the gate. Opening it, she waited until the several segways were inside, then closed it. Soon the good times rolled.
He ran squeeing like a little piglet as several human children chased him, their own smiles firmly in place. Orion ran as fast as he could while looking back over his shoulder to see the pursuit. The Epps kids were chasing him as other kids came over to play. Soon, the swings and climbing apparatus were in full operation as humans and Cybertronian children cut loose. Standing together watching, Laret and the adults had a moment.
It was all good.
-0-Mearing
She stood on her segway watching the babies playing. They ran around and played with great gusto and happiness. The adults chatted like old friends as the children cavorted. It was so familiar, so homey, so typical of Earth that she could understand the appeal. They could be parents at a park watching their children play after school. They could be taking their children to play dates. The city was something she hadn't figured it to be ... unusually familiar in an alien way.
A bell rang and everyone paused. The infants colided together as they stopped to look at the school. Then they looked at their teachers. Orion walked up to Laret filled with purpose and chutzpa. Then he paused. :LO-LO? WE PLAY US?: He pointed to the humans who stood among a gang of infants both human and otherwise, smiles on their faces.
'LO-LO' grinned and nodded. The race was back on.
-0-TBC August 1, 2013 For Pip, Tim, Andy, Rob and Tip. (Gretchen too)
NOTES: Sorry. Drove truck. Crawled home. Fell asleep. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D