The Diego Diaries: Paradigm Shifted (519) edited
-0- On an upper tier street level of Centurian
They stood together peering into a window, a tall semi sub adult mech and his youngling sibling, a tiny femme with big yellow optics. They were watching a crowd inside sitting at tables waiting for or eating food. It was a restaurant called The Forum. They had no idea that a forum was a gathering place in ancient Rome or that the name of their new city denoted a warrior of that culture. They just knew they were in a new place, hungry and curious.
A waiter inside paused spotting them. They turned to hurry away but he intercepted them. "Hi. You hungry?"
They nodded.
"Come in and sit. We will bring you lunch or dinner or whatever you want," the waiter said with a smile.
"We can't pay for it," the youngling mech said. His sister nodded as she clung to his servo.
"You don't need money here," the waiter said. "You only have to contribute your time and effort. Then you can have whatever you want and need. Come on in. I'll help you myself." He smiled and beckoned. Neither youngling was aware that the waiter was one of six friends and siblings who owned the establishment. It had been opened for a decarorn building clientele for its large portions and warm masculine ambiance. Soft music played as good drinks were delivered from their extensive list of both hard and soft beverages.
The younglings looked at each other, then hesitantly walked inside. The décor was beautiful, 'steakhouse American' although they didn't know that. They followed the waiter who sat them at a little table along the wall where a lot of others sat two or three together, some eating already and some not. The waiter got menus, then paused. "Don't be insulted but can you read?"
The older youngling nodded. "Some."
"Okay, here is what we'll do. I can get you some really great stuff. If you want to trust me, I can take care of you myself."
They both nodded. "Okay," they both said.
He smiled, patting the youngling mech's shoulder. "Don't be scared. This place is awesome. When I have a moment or two I'll come by and explain things to you, okay?"
They both nodded. They sat watching the waiter hurry away, then looked at each other. "What do we do, Boe?"
"We sit here quiet and he brings us something. I think that's what we can do, Lil."
She nodded, then looked around. "This place is busy."
"Its a restaurant, Lil. You come here to eat, then you pay for it when you go."
"We can't pay for it, Boe," the little femme replied anxiously.
Boe leaned forward. "The waiter said we don't have to. But if something goes wrong, I'll ask them if I can work. I will take care of you, Lil."
She looked at him anxiously, then nodded. "I will help you."
It was quiet a moment, then the waiter was back. He had two large plates heaped with food. He set them down, then began to explain how energon was being made into all kinds of new things including food like their allies ate on the next planet over. Two 't-bone steaks', 'baked potatoes' and 'vegetables' greeted them, their aromas mouthwatering, their warm goodness incredibly appealing. He showed them how to eat the new food, then hurried off for their drinks. They looked at their plates, then began. Lil took a bite. "This is really good, Boe. I like this. If we don't eat all of it, Ada and Atar can have some too."
Boe nodded. "I know. I'll sneak it into my hold when no one is looking."
The waiter hurrying back heard their comments. He put down their glasses, then smiled. "If you can't eat it all I will bring boxes for you to take it home with you. I also am going to send dinner home with you for your genitors. I bet they could eat a good meal too."
The younglings looked at him, then nodded. For the rest of their meal he would come and explain things to them, these the newest members of their collective community. When the younglings finally left burdened down with boxes, they would have a much clearer understanding of the way things worked and a new friend in the waiter, himself a refugee from the last migration.
-0-On the ground at the airfield
They stood waiting as Ultra Magnus explained the 'sitchiation' as Old Hercy might say to the newest group landing. A simple scan had sorted out five known criminals and several surly troublemakers from the group of 2,000 waiting. The previous groups numbering as many as 25,000 were part of the total commanded by Insert. They had been one colony that had split along the lines created by the System. Electra and Eck supported its implementation again and their unity had sundered out there with the dispute against it. This group led by Insert couldn't countenance it at all. They had been respectful, grateful and willing to do whatever it took to help the colony and ALL its citizens.
They were a breath of fresh air.
The group before them now was not a bad group either. Most of them were ready to live a decent life without the self imposed masochism of the System. But scattered here and there were throwbacks. There were also possible members of race track gangs from Cybertron and perhaps three mechs who could have been planted by Soundwave. They were culled from the herd immediately, the resulting chaos of their arrest unnerving to the weary newbies who stood watching fearfully. After orientation and a warm welcome by Prime, the Priests and everyone else, the newly exultant group went forward.
They were down to the last 1,000 refugees.
It was getting dusk as Starscream looked upward to the sky. Faint stars were appearing and the temperature was beginning to drop. He glanced at his Elder and Thundercracker. "If you wish to leave, I can stay and finish this up."
"I am content, Starscream. Thank you," Rainmaker said with a nod.
"I'll head for home then. Sky will need help getting everyone fed and in bed," Thundercracker said.
"You can study for exams," Starscream said with a nod.
Thundercracker made his exit disappearing into the lights and backlog of ships that stood between him and Aerie Hill. A flash of light moments later indicated his transformation as he flew onward to home.
"How are those infants of yours, Starscream? Its been too long since I savored their magnificence," Ratchet said with a giant grin.
"You can say that again," Starscream said. Then he grinned. "Please."
General laughter greeted that as Starscream preened from the commentary. "They are particularly splendid lately. Dart is making full sentences and Flit? What can I say?"
"How is your youngest?" Ratchet asked as he watched a ship settle on its gear along with half a dozen Seekers who then transformed.
"Swift is beautiful. I am very fond of that name as well. Sky named him after his grandada. It is fitting. Pip, Flit, Dart and Swift. Spectacular names for spectacular infants," Starscream said with his usual pride. Everyone in the group grinned.
"Pip means beautiful," Arcee said. "What do the others if anything mean?" she asked.
Starscream considered it, mulled translations, then answered. "Dart means daring, rather perfect since he resembles me." He preened a moment, then continued. "Flit means kind. Swift means free."
"Perfect," Alor said with a grin.
"I think so. Perfect names for perfect infants," Starscream replied as they turned to the group heading their way. It would include several dozen dangerous mechs with barely contained loathing. Two rival road gangs had made to their shores.
-0-Centurian
They walked along carrying boxes, Lil following her brother as best she could. He had been burdened with the biggest part of their load. She was carrying a tiny box with something that smelled really good inside of it. Their leftovers were packed expertly by their benefactor, a waiter named Mar-jon. He had been extra kind and helpful so they both felt better all the way around. Walking with purpose, they finally found their building, then went up in the elevator to the tenth floor.
Working their way downward through those already at home and those just getting to their apartments with guides, they reached number 8. Boe put down his load, then opened the door. "Go inside, Lil. I'll come in behind you. Put the box on the table if you can. If not, put it on the floor. I'll get it in a minute."
Lil nodded, then walked inside quietly. Boe picked up his load and entered placing it on the table. Taking the box from Lil, he set it down too, then walked back to close the door. It was immediately quiet inside, a quality that had been missing for too long from their lives. Lil turned tip-toeing toward the hallway to pause beside the big berth room. Glancing at Boe anxiously, she waited as he came to the door.
Their genitors were lying on the berth, their exhaustion evident. It was getting toward evening and they had just been settled. Their guide had left them numbers to call, a gesture they would repeat fourteen times this migration to others in the same boat. They had had a hard time until they met up with the greater migration. Now that they had made it to the promised land exhaustion and nervous tension had laid them both down.
None of the four had remembered from the flood of information their guide had told them that liquid energon could be had on tap in their kitchen. That had impelled the hungry younglings to venture out. They had not had this level of comfort before so they had no idea such was possible and their prostrate genitors had not been much help.
"Ada?" Lil asked in a tiny voice. She glanced up at Boe who squeezed her shoulder.
Her ada turned his helm and on-lined his optics. "Lil? Where's Boe?"
"Right here, Ada. Lil and I got you and Atar dinner. Do you want to eat here or do you think you can come sit at the table?"
He lay a moment drifting in the fog of just-before-sleep, then sat up slowly. Pausing a moment to get his bearings, he got up laboriously. "I think it will help to eat at the table, son," he said as he paused to look at his bond. "Avor? Can you get up to eat?"
Avor didn't move a moment, then he did. Looking wearily at the three who stood looking at him fearfully, he nodded. "Alright." With effort, he got up and walked slowly around the berth in the inexplicably wonderful room. Pausing to look into the wash racks again, amazing himself that he wasn't dreaming, he walked out of the room following his children and bond. They paused in the living room to look around once again, then walked to the table to sit.
Boe removed the boxes, then began to put food on plates he found in the cupboard. Lil stood on tip toes getting utensils out after opening drawers before handing them to her parents. They took them and kissed her on her helm. "You are such good younglings," Avor said. His bond, 26 nodded. "They are the best. You went out and did this? How brave our younglings are."
"The waiter at a restaurant helped us, Ada," Lil said smiling brilliantly from the praise and her intense personal relief. She stood wringing her servos in anxiety as she waited for Boe to finish up serving.
Boe turned placing filled plates before them. It was a repeat of their own meal carefully packed and prepared by their waiter-friend. Adding a couple of bottles of beer, the younglings stepped back in anticipation.
Their genitors looked at the dishes, then their infants. "How did you manage to get this?" Avor asked with alarm.
"We don't pay for things here, Atar," Lil said. "We work and go to school. Then we get stuff."
Their parents looked at them including Boe who was nodding vigorously. "Mar-jon told us that the System is outlawed here."
Avor nodded. "They told us at intake. I remember. Vaguely."
"Mar-jon told us that we can rest up before working. We can choose a job to do and everything in the city is free if we do," Lil said anxiously.
"Mar-jon?" 26 asked.
"The waiter at the restaurant. Boe and I got to eat in a real restaurant," Lil said as 26 reached for her perching her on his lap. "It was really good. Strange food but so good. I never ate such good food before, Ada. He gave us the same food for you and Atar," she said glancing at their plates on the table. "You should eat it. I felt better the moment I did. We brought the leftovers home to eat later."
Boe sat down on a chair to watch his genitors eat, the anxiety lessening as they took their first bites. 26 paused. "This is very high grade energon, Avor. No way we can afford this."
"You don't pay for things, Ada," Boe began patiently. "When you feel better you can find jobs you like. You don't have to do what they tell you. You get to choose. Then anything you want is free. I saw a bookstore. Its filled with books, Atar." He looked at his genitor and smiled.
"I remember that younglings go to school here. Its required," 26 said with amazement. "I want both of you to go if you can."
"They have three schools for younglings, Ada," Boe said nodding. "I want to go."
"You will. When we get done we can take you there. Our guide pointed it out," Avor said nodding as he ate.
"Its night time, Atar," Lil said as she leaned back.
"The school is enrolling all night long. I remember that," 26 said. "I want you in school as soon as possible. Its my dream for both of you."
Avor nodded. "And mine."
They sat together listening as their infants told them about the things they had been told about the city. When dinner was finished and all the food stowed, the four of them walked to the elevator and the ride down.
-0-At the airfield
They stood together discussing things with the team leaders of the data intake and processing. The final count stood at 1,579,847 with this migration. The final tally of the colony's population pending several hundred sparkings was 3,702,080.
It was now the largest Cybertronian city habitation in the known universe.
-0-TBC November 19, 2013