The Diego Diaries: Snake Eyes 1 (422)
-0-That evening
They sat at a table in the back of Club Cybertron talking together. Facing the doorway, they both watched with wary optics for the appearance of the Grandada of Doom but Dev was no where to be seen.
Hot Rod leaned back catching the profile of his targeted objet d'amour. He was one good looking kid. Grinning, he looked at the pile of stuff on the table. "How was class?"
Smokey looked at him, then groaned slightly. "Physics. Do you have to ask?"
"Not into the sciences?" Roddy asked with a smirk.
Smokey shrugged. "I am. Just not now. I want to be a warrior. I'm Elite Guard, after all. I want to use that diploma before I collect anything more."
Hot Rod nodded. "Let's dance."
They stood up and walked to the crowded dance floor filled with gyrating dancers flinging themselves around with abandon to the techno beat and high grade. Smokey and Roddy on the other servo embraced each other swaying to their own internal beat. They could have been alone.
-0-Earlier that orn
"Dev."
"What?" Devcon looked up from a book he was reading in the atrium of the Polyhex Business Plaza. He'd dropped off his knives for RTR Tools to put the edge back on and was waiting in the Food Court nearby. He turned in his chair and spotted Smokescreen. Grinning, he put down his book and waited.
Smokescreen leaned down to kiss his bond, then sat. "What's going on with you and the boy?"
"He's under the influence of lust," Dev said with a grin. "Hot Rod has him in his optics."
Smokescreen's smirk faded. "He does does he?"
"Our boy skipped school the other night, got slag faced and nearly invited Roddy into his apartment," Dev said sitting back to watch the inevitable outcome.
Smokescreen looked at him with irritation. "Then he moves in with us."
Dev snorted. "That will go over really well."
"He's just a youngling. He doesn't need some arrogant player sniffing around," Smokescreen said with a trace of irony.
"I've broken up an electrical closet moment and between you and me, we could have him covered," Dev said.
"That's what I came to find you about. You've been transferred to Charon and you have to go in about half a joor," Smokescreen said.
Dev looked at him levelly, then they both came to the same conclusion. "Hot Rod."
-0-Standing on the tarmac
Dev stood with his gear bag and guns waiting with a bunch of Wreckers to go to the moon base of Charon. He'd been given 'unusual' orders, That is … he was to be stationed there for three decaorns rather than the one that soldiers fulfilled ordinarily. A short perusal of the duty roster led to the discovery of tampering. He'd found it himself with Smokescreen looking over his shoulder, then turned to his bond. "This is war, Smokescreen."
Smokescreen, his expression grim and purposeful nodded. "Agreed."
"Here's what we do," Devcon said with a grin.
-0-After the dancing
They walked through the city, Smokey's servo gripped by Hot Rod as they talked and laughed about this and that together. Reaching Smokey's building, the younger mech paused. "My grandada is probably up there waiting for me." He looked glum. "We can't go there."
"Yes, we can," Hot Rod said with a grin.
Smokey stared at him a moment. "Okay."
They walked onward to his tower and took the elevator upward. A short trip through the empty corridor took them to his door.
Then Smokey turned to Roddy. "You sure?"
Hot Rod nodded. "I'm. Your grandada won't be there."
Smokey grinned, then opened the door as both of them walked into the darkened apartment. As the door closed the lights came on and a good natured voice spoke. "Hello, boys."
Smokey startled with a shocked expression as Hot Rod followed suit. "*Grand Ada!*"
-0-Moments later
They sat at the kitchen table playing cards. "You going to pout all night long or are you doing to tell me how many cards you want?"
"Three," Smokey said tossing down half his hand. "You're a buzz kill times ten."
"You're too young to frag around with someone who's as slick and experienced as Hot Rod."
Smokey glared at his Grand Ada. "What if I like him? What if I want to hang out with him?" He leaned in closer. "What if I want to 'face him?"
Smokescreen grinned as he glanced at his grandson. "You gonna ante?"
Smokey dropped his helm. "Argh! Why are you two making my life so awful? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?"
Smokescreen grinned as he sipped his high grade. "You were born, son." He anted up and they played for a couple of joors before Smokey did his homework. He did so under the watchful gaze of his Grand Ada and Atar.
-0-Elsewhere
He stepped out of the shower and dried off. Walking into the apartment he brooded. He'd been thwarted again with a new player entering the game, Smokescreen the Elder. Dev would be gone for three decaorns but Smokescreen was the new firewall. Pausing at the monitor, he noticed a flashing message light. Opening it, he frowned.
"Autobot HOT ROD: Report to the airfield at 2230 HRS on the TERRAN MILITARY CLOCK for duty to the forward base on IO, JUPITER. Attend to Officer of the Orn for posting details. -Ops Center, 1950 HRS on the TERRAN MILITARY CLOCK."
"Slag."
-0-Charon, Pluto
Devcon stood quietly before the big window of the forward base at Charon. Arriving out of the blue, he was welcomed by all. Dropping his gear by the hatch, he walked to a computer and spent a breem working intensely. Then he sat and ate dinner with the crew.
Two joors later, a ship would take him back to Mars.
-0-Io, Jupiter
He stepped off a shuttle and watched it leave, then walked purposefully to the Forward Base Installation nearby. Entering to trade slag with the inmates, he dropped his gear by the hatch. Walking to a computer terminal, he spent a breem trying to break the 'mysterious' lock on the duty schedule that 'someone' had put there on his personal posting details. He sat back, swore under his breath and walked to the table nearby to join the duty soldiers for dinner.
-0-On the way back
Devcon sat on a chair in the hold of the cargo and troop ship as it flashed past Neptune. He was on his way back to Mars after a 'strange hiccup in the system' showed that his posting had been a 'mistake'. He read his book and only paused when they passed Io. This ship had dropped off Hot Rod earlier before coming out with electronic parts and to pick him up at Charon. When he saw the moon nearby, he'd grinned slightly. "Touche, Hot Rod. Touche," he would whisper, then return to his book with a grin.
-0-Trine
It was dark outside as they sat in the living room watching the twinnies playing with a pile of little dollies and dress up clothes for them. They were talking to each other as they dressed and undressed the babies. Kaon was sitting on Sideswipe's lap sucking his thumb with his own dollie as he fought sleepiness.
Sitting on the couch with Sunstreaker sprawling on Blue's lap as he lay comfortably, they watched the opening episode of the new season of 'Platoon: Autobot City'.
"I really like the opening. You and Sunny look deadly and so sexy," Blue said with a glance at Sideswipe.
"Well, one of us does," Sideswipe replied with a grin.
"So glad you admit it, Sideswipe. I didn't want to break your spark by pointing that out," Sunstreaker said with a grin himself.
Iacon got up and walked to her ada with a dollie. "Ada, how this?" she asked holding up her dollie and its little outfit of purple booties and a fire engine red dress.
"It's perfect," Sunny replied gently. "Sort of like you."
She looked at him smiling brilliantly, then leaned in for a kiss. Holding her dollie for a kiss, too, she ran back to Uraya who was dressing a Blue Dog in a pair of pants and a t-shirt. "I'll do some more, Ada. Okay?" she asked with intense delight.
"I live for it, baby," Sunstreaker replied.
She sat down and began.
(On screen: A shot of a migration with the usual controlled chaos and movement of spectacular types of bots. One bot is hurrying to reach a group that includes Optimus Prime. A ship has landed and many bots were standing before Prime, some young and eager, all of them deeply respectful of him and his general officers. They talk. One drives up and transforms)
"You called?" (The new bot, a handsome figure with a beautiful paint scheme asked with a grin. His grin fades fast) "Okay. What did I do now?" he asked. (Subtitles indicate he is Autobot Smokescreen)
(The group parts to reveal a younger semi familiar version of this bot. They stare at each other without the new one connecting, then he does. He smiles, then not) "Smokey."
"Grand Atar. You made it." (Subtitle translations say 'Grandpa' for Grand Atar)
"You did, too." (New bot envelopes younger one in bear hug, then looks him over happily) "You made it through the Elite Guard training."
"I did." (The younger bot speaks, then punches the new bot in the nose. New bot staggers, then stabilizes holding his nose structure a moment) "What did you do that for?"
"Grandada told me that if I ever ran into you again first to punch you in the face for him," (Younger bot speaks and stares at 'Grandpa' with a grin. Subtitles: Grandada … other grandpa)
('Grandpa' grins as he rubs his nose) "Well, your old grandada would do that wouldn't he."
"He would and I think he will when he gets here. He's in the next migration along with my genitors. You better ditch whoever you have on the side and be ready to fight when he gets here." (Subtitles indicate genitors means parents)
(Grandpa considers his grandson, then nods) "Thanks for the heads up, Smokey." (He smiles and they embrace each other tightly as everyone else laughs their helms off. Apparently, no one is surprised by anything. Scene fades)
(Cut to Dai Atlas Dojo)
"What do you think about what I heard?" (Drift, Lon, Splice, newcomer Smokescreen, Sunstreaker, Sandstorm, Topspin and a new bot named Swiffer look at Springer)
"It's fragged." -general agreement
"What a mess. If the last one wasn't so bad, I might just blow this off but I think making another one is going to be worse. I think I might need to pay him a visit. I'm still put out about potbellies and mullets on Wreckers from Dark of the Moon. MOHAWKS I CAN SEE! Impactor had one, rest his superstructure wherever it is. But I'm a fine specimen and they owe us some respect." -Kup.
(Hoots and catcalls met that statement in force. Kup, a miracle of nature himself ignores it. He looks down and pets the helm of Dawg who's sprawled next to him on the couch. Nearby, another figure rests pressed back out of sight a little)
:What's that creature?: -Leonora
"That, little Missy, is an immature Insecticon orphan." -Sandstorm
"Those are the enemy, right? Didn't they just attack Diego Garcia?" -Leonora
(Helms nod. Sunstreaker leans down to pick him up sitting him on the low table before them in the lounge area) "His name is Bob."
:Bob?: -Leonora
(Sunstreaker grins) "Epps is too formal, I thought."
(Hoots and abuse greet that)
"Have you told Sargent Epps that you named a bug after him?" -Kup, interested
"Not yet." -Sunstreaker, bemused
:What's this thing about, Sunny? Tell me about him?: -Leonora who moved closer.
(Insecticon flinches and presses down abjectly into the table top. He looks at filmmakers with fright obvious even on his oddly featured face area. His multiple optics glow with terror)
:He's afraid of us: -Leonora
"He's afraid of everything. We found him. He'd been abandoned by his type and left to fend on his own. Ratchet thinks he's got health issues and they abandoned him because he'd be hard to care for on bivouac. He was at the end of his rope when we found him. A few joors either way and he'd be dead now." -Sunstreaker
:He's very shy. Do you keep him or what?:-Leonora
"I keep him. I found him. I'm responsible for him. He's good company for Dawg." -Sunstreaker, determined
(Camera cuts to Dawg Who's sleeping pressed against Kup with his tongue hanging way out, his snoring loud enough to hear)
"Are there many more out there like this?" -Leonora
"I don't think so. They usually kill them when they don't measure up. This little mutt got a lucky break and got spared. Then he got lucky again. He should be dead. But we'll spare that for the ones that dumped him." -Kup
(Other bots nod, some of them grimly like Sunstreaker. Cut to shop with shuttle cocks moving back and forth on a loom)
:Hi: -off camera voice
"Hello." -Joon of Tyger Pax, Cybertron and Mars
:What are you making?: -off camera voice
"I'm making a tapestry of the Diaspora of our people."
:Your designation is Joon, right?: -off screen voice
"That's right."
:Your bond was the former governor-general of Tyger Pax on Cybertron, right?: -off camera voice
"Long ago, right." -Joon, pausing uncomfortably
:What do you think about the Diaspora and how your life has changed from being the bond of a city-state governor to a weaver in a Circle of Light Guild store on a colony world?: -off screen voice
(Pretty femme looks at camera and speaker, then pauses the loom) "We find it more fulfilling here than on Cybertron. We were part of the problem. We didn't respect our people nor did we feel much sympathy for them. They were caught in a terrible injustice and we didn't care. The horrors of the Diaspora and the kindness shown to us by all castes showed us the truth about the System and about ourselves. It wasn't a good or easy thing, I can tell you, the process of coming to the truth.
"The Circle of Light saved us. We're part of the colony and work every orn to make it better for everyone here. It's our life's commitment to try and make amends. Most of the high castes are sorry and ashamed of what they were party to on Cybertron. If you have inequities and injustice built in to the system, you cannot expect to prosper. If you're part of that, It's your duty to try to make as many amends and changes as you can. I'm making this weaving to help remember what we've become over the vorns of wandering and suffering. We're one. We're united." -Joon
-0-Trine
"I've met her bond. He seems to be truly sincere about helping and changing," Bluestreak said as he gently rubbed Sunstreaker's finials.
"He should. That's where Bee got hurt," Sideswipe said as they watched the program continue.
Sunstreaker nodded as he drifted in the sea of drowsiness under the tender touch of Bluestreak's digits.
-0-Elsewhere at the same time
A rap on the door drew their attention.
"Come in," Smokey said loudly. He was lounging on a couch with his Grand Ada sipping beer and eating a bunch of food they'd delivered. The door opened as Devcon stepped inside carrying his own six pack and a bit of dinner. "Hi."
Smokey looked at him, then glanced at his Grand Ada.
Smokescreen looked at his grandson and grinned. "You look surprised to see your grandada."
"Uh, no," Smokey said before looking away with a frown.
Dev made a plate and took the beer to the coffee table setting it next to the rest of the meal and drinks. Sitting, he grinned at his grandson. "Homework done?"
Smokey nodded, then looked glumly at his grandada. "Yes."
"Good mech," Dev said with a grin. "Oh, by the way. Hot Rod says hi."
Smokey perked up and looked at his grandada with a hopeful expression. "He does?"
"Yes, he does. From Io." Devcon settled back and clicked beers with Smokescreen.
They laughed together. Smokey didn't.
Neither did Hot Rod on Io. But he learned one thing. If he was going to frag with Devcon he would have to bring his A game.
-0-TBC September 5, 2013 12-04-2022