This part was supposed to upload last night. IT DIDN'T! FF hates me. :D:D:D I will post more tonight and make sure they make it. HUGS!
-0-And now back to the story in progress
The Diego Diaries: Aftermath 3 (560)
-0-That evening
The quiet was wonderful. All of the infants were in bed and they both crashed in their chairs. The monitor was playing with the sound turned down. The family had eaten together, chatted, caught up on things and organized for Christmas Surprise and The Game.
"What do you think will happen if Praxus wins?" Ratchet asked.
"I don't know. Prowl will be insufferable. The twins will be inconsolable. I will have lost a bet with Old Hercy. He heard that Blurr is on the team and fit. Looks like a lost cause," Ironhide said. "I have to hand it to Prowl. When he cheats, he does a good job of it."
"He's a slagger. Little cheater," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I have to hand it to him. All that cop work has given him an edge."
"You have the edge in insanity," Ironhide replied.
Ratchet looked at him. "Why, Ironhide … you say the nicest things."
"I do don't I," Ironhide said smugly.
Ratchet snorted. "I suppose we will lose no matter who wins."
"I think you have it," Ironhide said.
-0-The Residence
"You should relax. We have two orns before the game and since you packed the team you shouldn't be too worried." Optimus Prime lay on the berth relaxing as he watched Prowl move around the enormous room doing this and that.
Prowl paused, then turned to Prime. "I didn't cheat."
Optimus smirked. "Really?"
"Much." Prowl walked to the berth pausing by the foot. "You have no idea how hard it was to never win. Your team always won. ALWAYS! You don't know what its like to see your team become the butt of every joke in the world. We were the … the ..."
"Greatest losing team of all time?" Optimus offered helpfully.
Prowl smirked. "That was low."
"You and Ratchet are hilarious. What do you plan to do to entertain us after football season?" Optimus asked.
"Ratchet is mad," Prowl said with a grin. "I on the other servo am the soul of propriety."
"Is that what it is," Optimus asked. He patted the berth and shifted slightly as Prowl sat down reclining next to him. "What is the status of the team?"
"We're going to kick their afts," Prowl said with a grin.
-0-Night Watch
They walked along the street heading toward the outer cities. There were crews paving the highways with others finishing up the last repairs on the light and direction systems that led outward. Lines and other finishing touches were placed as the crews paved, the asphalt combination hardening on contact with the cold night air. Beyond them, crews were digging out the broken subways, replacing the broken stone and steel with new. They would take another orn beyond tomorrow but would be ready for game day."
"Looks good."
"It does," Springer replied. "It was a close one. If Max hadn't been able to stop Titan we would have lost Terra. All of the civilians trying to get out would have been killed like everyone else. I can't even imagine that."
Drift nodded. "But it didn't happen. We have three, maybe four new cities out of the deal."
"What do you think about Paragon and Cyclonus getting together?" Springer asked as they turned to walk onward.
"I think they're having a reality check right now," Drift said. "I would."
"You aren't clinically insane," Springer said with a grin.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Drift said with a grin. They disappeared into the darkness beyond emerging in another pool of light as they passed under another light pole.
-0-Trine
"We have one more practice out in the wilderness," Sideswipe said. "We have to get up early and leave before anyone notices."
"When do you have to be at the stadium for the game?" Bluestreak asked as he cleared the last toy away.
"We have to be there before noon," Sunstreaker said.
"We will go to Venture and Miler's when you go. They can help me with the kids," Blue said as he sat down on the floor. Dawg rolled over for Blue to rub his belly which Blue did. "This game will be epic. Can I ask you something without you getting mad or superstitious?"
"Maybe?" Sunstreaker said as he lounged on a couch, Bob curled into a tight ball next to him.
"How about telling me what you will feel if you don't win the game?"
They looked at him, then Sunstreaker frowned. "You are supposed to support us come hell or high water, Bluestreak."
"I do," Blue said. "I am just concerned about how you would feel if things don't go your way."
There was a pause, then Sunstreaker looked at him. "This is for Kaon. This is for all of us. How do you think we will feel, Babe?"
Bluestreak nodded. "I will keep a good attitude then," he said.
"That would help a bit," Sideswipe said with a smirk. "Nothing like intense bond support."
Sunstreaker nodded. "Really. Prowl will be insufferable if Praxus wins."
"He isn't now?" Sideswipe said with a grin.
"That's my atar you're talking about," Blue said with a grin. "Hope I don't tell him. He does control the duty schedule after all."
"Now you tell us," Sideswipe replied. He glanced at the window where the three tiny trees were placed, their lights warm and bright in the slightly darkened room. "Could get coal in our stockings."
They all considered that. "What an insane thing, Christmas Surprise."
They all nodded in agreement.
-0-Night shift at the supermarket
They worked quietly stocking shelves as a few night time customers did their shopping. The late joors were when things were adjusted, cleaned, stocked and made ready for the day crowds. He worked in the vegetable aisle putting things he had never heard of into groaning bins for the customers that would come en mass soon enough. It was a step up from the warehouse in Industrial Park City where he had worked until now.
Default paused to open a crate of 'lettuce'. Looking around, he found it preferable being here to being out there. He was away from Kale and among others. It felt a lot better not seeing that bot's optics boring holes into his body every shift.
His supervisor had showed him how to stock and replenish shelves and bins. The inhouse bakery was baking things and the delicious aromas were filling the enormous space enticingly. Mechs and the odd femme were pulling or pushing dollies heavily laden with items to be placed here and there. He watched them a moment, then returned to the task. He would work night shift in Centurian stocking shelves and doing clean up instead of working days in the Industrial Park City.
Although it was entirely below his caste to do this kind of work, it was an enormous improvement over where he had been. Default, follower and utter bad aft was scared. He turned back to the job and worked hard.
-0-On the plain
Metrobase listened to the commentary of technicians who were working on his subsystems that controlled his communications array. They were only a few of the great number of individuals that worked to bring him up to speed. It felt good to sit on a pad made just for him with sufficient energon to make him feel well for the first time since the Fall. He had never had energon this good and neither had anyone else.
He had talked to his siblings earlier about things that were coming up including the championship game and Christmas Surprise. He had no really clear idea about the humans and their relationship to Mars and his people but the Prime respected them so he would until they showed him otherwise.
Right now, he was tired. He was so weary he couldn't articulate it to his family. He was beyond himself to be with them again. All that threw a cloud over his life right now was the condition of Titan. When that was clear he would relax. Only then.
-0-Early morning
The airfield bustled with the early morning traffic of commerce from Earth as ships came and went. For the next two orns the forward bases would be manned. Then the soldiers would be recalled for the game and fireworks after. Everything would be on automation for about the eight orns they would be home again. Space bridges made the distance between Mars and the bases negligible.
The sun began to break the horizon signaling the day before Game Day, a colony-wide holiday for everyone but the most essential personnel. Those would serve a joor, then make way for someone else. It sucked to be essential.
Optimus Prime stood on the verandah of his apartment. Behind him, Prowl lay sprawled on the berth in recharge. The alarm would get them up soon enough and the orn would claim them. He would take a tour of the metro formers, a tour of the infrastructure repairs and do two orns in the Sparkling school to complete his in-class genitor duty.
The reports from the system about Cyclonus and Paragon were intriguing. It was clear that the pair had seen the big ships. Their 'leak' had taken that bit of news outward. He had also been talked into sending more emails about his 'family' for Paragon to read and believe.
It had been fascinatingly amusing for him to watch them slide out of the processor of Ratchet and out into the system.
-0-Later that orn yesterday
"That is just incomprehensible to me, Ratchet. You are sorely in need of counseling."
"Prowl … you are an uptight, prim, buttoned-down ninny. This is funny."
Prowl looked at Ratchet, then the list of emails that were going out on the system and get 'leaked' to Paragon. They rolled out as follows.
:Optimus, this is Springer. Where are you?:
:Optimus here:
:Optimus, you REALLY have to speak to your daughter. Arcee has moved in with that cretin, Ultra Magnus. TELL HER SOMETHING! YOU'RE THE FRAGGING PRIME!:
:What am I supposed to say? She won't listen to me. AND I CAN'T RUN THIS COLONY AND TRY TO KEEP HER IN LINE AT THE SAME TIME!:
:DO IT, OPTIMUS! I HAVE HAD IT! I am working late tonight. You wanted the reports done. I left food in the oven. HELP ME OUT HERE! SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER TOO!:
"You won't be home tonight? How late?:
:All night. The substations are still compiling data. I won't be home until tomorrow. By the way … take that SON of yours in servo. I will plant him if you don't. He's drag racing through the cities. See you for lunch tomorrow:
Paragon looked up at Arrow who was lounging on a couch nearby as the messages scrolled on a large monitor in their berth room. "Intriguing information."
"Prime is a rag Springer wipes his chassis with," Arrow said with a grin. "Who knew? What else is there?"
"His kids are on a few more of them, then there is Prime and you know who," Paragon said with a grin. They scrolled up.
:Prime to Prowl:
:Prowl here:
:Springer is not coming home tonight:
:Why? Reports? I would love to see them sometime this vorn:
:He's getting them ready. How about meeting in the usual place for a little … roadwork?:
:Sounds exciting. When?:
:Now. And before you leave put Bumblebee and Arcee on extended duty at the forward bases:
Paragon could almost feel the grin in Prowl's response.
:Done deal, big boy. Should I bring the usual … you know … stuff?:
:Oh yeah: There was a pause from Prime, then a short final note. :Bring your siren:
Paragon snorted, then laughed aloud. "This is priceless. We really need that meet up with Prime. I hope when we do Prowl is there at the same time."
"Prowl and Springer both," Arrow said with a chuckle of his own.
-0-On a terrace in Autobot City, Mars
Prowl grinned. "Ratchet, you are a caution," Prime said with a chuckle. Then he turned and walked back inside.
-0-TBC December 11, 2013
NOTE: Apparently, Smaug in the Hobbit movie is being voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. Rooowwwllll. :D By the way, I just received my copy of The Chronicles of Primus. It tells the story of the Transformers race from the beginning to the present day. I haven't done more than look at it yet. Will tell you more as I go over it. :D
I am watching G1 cartoons again and its hilarious how outgoing and funny, laughing and smiling Prowl was. All of them are funny and fun on the original cartoons.