The Diego Diaries: Here. Now. (595) edited
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Smokey walked from the classroom with more homework, the congratulations of his teacher and a burning need to make out with Hot Rod in the worst way. He paused, then groaned. "Atar! What are you doing here? Don't you have a job?"
Moda stood up and walked from the couch in the common room to his son. "Your family is resolved. How was class? Your instructors find you full of promise."
"You asked?!" He looked at his father with amazement.
"You do remember you are Praxian, right?" Moda asked with a grin. "It is my right and duty to you, my only child, to ensure your future and your safety no matter how loudly and often you whine. I have spoken."
"Atar!" He stood for a moment staring at his father. When Moda walked away, he hurried to catch up.
They exited the building, Moda with a slight grin on his handsome face, Smokey slouching along with a pouty expression on his handsome face. "You have a job, right?" he asked glancing at his father who was walking with amusement and resolve in equal measures.
"I have, in the Economic Development Department of the colony's administration. I manage the books for Caro and Venture, implementing their decisions and supervising myself the bookkeeping department. I am also supervised by Venture of Praxus. He is 300% behind our invocation, Smokescreen. He gave your ada and I permission to alternate being off duty so that we could supervise. Even your grand genitors are ready to step in if they are needed. You are precious to us and you will abide." He paused, then looked closely at his son. "You do understand that we expect you to abide."
Smokey looked at his atar, then nodded. "YES!" he whined.
Moda turned, then continued grinning in spite of himself. "Come. Your grandada is expecting us for lunch."
"I'M NOT HUNGRY!" he raged as he followed his father.
"He made your favorite pie, the one with the sauce that you pour over it," Moda said hitting his son where he lived.
Smokey looked sharply at his father. "That one? The way I like it?"
"Is there any other way?" his father asked as he reached the underground station that would take them to his ada's house.
"Yeah. Ada does something weird to it and it isn't as good," Smokey said as he followed in the obtuse manner of youth.
"I will try not to tell your Ada," Moda said with a grin as he walked down the steps to the platform.
"DON'T TELL HIM THAT!" Smokey said as he followed along behind.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
He stood at the center table, an oddly familiar figure, almost the shadow of Prowl. He held two datapads and was scrutinizing them against the enormous roll out datapad detailing the system on the table before him. Heavy treads didn't alert him until the undeniable energy of Optimus Prime reached through his calculations and formulations. He turned, then paused. "Sir."
"Paragon. Please report," Optimus said as he took his usual seat at the table.
Paragon paused a moment, then nodded. "The migration coming down what I am assuming is the usual pathway is finally reaching sensor range and promises to be large but not enormous. The other group which will have to cut across the territory of Cyclonus, Slacker and three other pirate groups as well as my former base is advancing to the point where I would recommend rescue. The least amount of time that our oppositional forces have to gather themselves to present trouble the better."
Prime nodded. "I agree."
"There is a scientific group heading for Gliese 581 g today, a planet with potential for habitation if all factors being considered are taken into account. They include but are not limited to being in the habitable orbital band of the red dwarf it orbits, Gliese 581, has the potential for water, temperatures range between -34 to +10 F. It is tidal locked, one side permanently cold, the other hot. I would estimate that the possibilities of its most fulsome use are still unknown until the Seekers return more information. It could be that life exists there and I would assume therefore it would be off limits to our needs," Paragon said noting that Prime nodded in agreement. "It is 3-4 times larger than Earth. The length of its day is the length of its year, 37 orns meaning no real seasons but it has a possible atmosphere and the potential of Earth-like gravity. It is a mere 20 light years away, well within our protected sphere of influence. It is assumed to be a rocky planet, perhaps aggregate in nature and promising."
Prime nodded. "We have been studying the Gliese star system for a while waiting for the opportunity to determine if there is a potential forward base we can establish there to watch Cybertron and the migration trail more carefully. We are interested in creating opportunities to watch the empire with extreme discretion. The earlier we find out about Megatron and Galvatron the better."
Paragon nodded. "I would agree. If Gliese 581 g is a viable base, I would recommend building deep space detection devices there with enhanced intel capabilities. Perhaps even a large space bridge to enhance small vessel transfers as well as personnel."
"I agree," Prime said. "What about the forward base at Io? I am aware that the moon is proving to be unstable. Volcanic activity is placing in danger the base that we built there."
Paragon touched the huge datapad, images changing until the pockmarked visage of Io appeared. Orbiting Jupiter, ravaged by its tidal pull, Io was a seething mass of volcanic activity. "It would appear that it would be highly unlikely that a station on Io would be a long term investment toward our security. I would suggest that they fall back until a more suitable location is selected, one with the possibility of long term habitation of our forces."
Prime nodded, then rose. "I would like a plan on my desk as soon as possible. I would also like options among the other moons for a new base."
Paragon nodded. "Yes, sir."
Prime nodded, then turned walking to the door and his office. Paragon watched him go, overcome for a moment with deja vu. It was almost like Iacon before the Fall. He turned to stare at the datapad, then began to comply with the order. He did so with an ease that shocked him.
-0-At grandma's house
Smokey walked in with his father, pausing to glance at the kitchen table. It was set for lunch and the counters nearby groaned with all the food that he loved the most. Devcon turned, then grinned. "How was school?"
"FRAGGED!" he replied.
"Wash up, Smokescreen," Devcon said as Moda pulled a chair out to sit.
Smokey stared at the two who looked at him with slight grins. Then he stormed off heading for his grand genitor's wash rack. Devcon smirked, then glanced at his son. "That youngling makes me laugh."
"He's got a rage going on," Moda said nodding. "Where's Atar?"
"Doing duty on Io. They're going to bug out," Devcon said. "Their projections for seismic stability outweigh Sciences delight in looking the place over in comfort."
"They're removing or abandoning the base?" Moda asked as he watched his son return to the living room to stand defiantly before both.
"As I understand it thus far, they will be taking the base apart. They have it halfway bagged already," Dev said glancing at his grandson. "Sit. You look hungry."
"I'M NOT! I DON'T NEED TO BE BABIED!" Smokey said as he sat down grumpily.
Devcon turned with a grin, then filled a plate. Setting it before his grandson, he paused. "Eat, youngling."
Smokey glared at Dev, then looked at his plate. "Wow. All my favorites."
"Of course," Dev said with a chuckle. "A mech needs his strength."
The two filled plates of their own, then joined the youngling with drinks. It was quiet a moment, then Smokey looked at his grandada. "You know, at some point I'm going to get laid."
Moda nearly choked. "WHAT!?"
"IT'S TRUE!" Smokey said with a grin of his own. Score, he thought. "I'm not a baby anymore."
"No, you aren't. But you are Praxian and we will abide. Correct?" Dev asked gently.
Smokey looked at his grand ada with a sour expression. "YES!" he whined. "DO YOU EVEN LIKE HOT ROD!?"
Dev nodded. "I do."
"WELL!?" Smokey asked.
"You never asked me if I would trust him with my only sweet youngling grandson."
"HE'S NICE AND HE LIKES ME!" Smokey said.
"Who doesn't like you, youngling? Besides, you're grumping at the wrong bot. Your genitors invoked without consulting us." Dev glanced at his son who was looking at him with pointed optics. "You did. We are blameless this time."
Moda sat back, then grinned. "For once."
"True, that," Dev said with a grin. He glanced at Smokey who was watching both with barely contained teenaged-type angst. "Eat up, youngling."
"IT'S A GOOD THING THIS TASTES GOOD OR I WOULD REALLY BE MAD!" Smokey said as he began to eat again.
"We can't have that, youngling. By the way, you can do your homework here when you're done," Moda said with a chuckle.
"WHAT!?" Smokey said before being buried with his elder's laughter.
-0-Centurion
They rolled along the main street, the one that cut the city in two. It continued onward to Kalis and eventually the Industrial Park City in the hinterlands. Right now, the bustle of mid orn in a densely populated city filled with commerce and traffic was soothing, familiar and Cybertonian. "Conferences are in a few orns."
Sunstreaker nodded. "They will be awesome. How could they be anything else?"
Sideswipe nodded. "You won't get an argument from me, Sunny."
They paused on a corner watching the traffic both vehicle and pedestrian. "I hear that we have to get a migration out by Cyclonus and the pirates."
"Are we in?" Sunstreaker asked
"I don't know," Sideswipe replied. "I hope so. I haven't been in a fight in a while. I don't want to get rusty."
"You're instructing. Keep in trim, brother," Sunstreaker said as they both crossed against the light. They continued onward pausing before a store filled with art from the Art Guild. After a discussion about technique and talent, they rolled onward toward Kalis and the industrial park.
-0-At a grocery store in Tyger Pax
Default worked putting items on shelves, keeping to himself as he did. Commotion lying in state in the Basilica was in its second orn. One more and he would have to be in the procession that would end at the Mausoleum. Commotion would be interred in the family's tomb, one that they had asked for just for their son. It made him want to crawl out of his exoskeleton, the whole process. It seemed so surreal that he wanted just to ignore it. He worked, came home, hid in his room and talked to no one from the old life.
A mech asked him a question about something he was stocking. He answered it, then the mech took the item with him. He watched the mech go, an obvious low caste he decided but he felt nothing about it anymore. Others invited him to return to the Iacon Order and their youngling activities groups. He declined and they chalked it up to mourning. It wasn't. Not really. What it actually was was terror. He worked hard, kept a low profile and worried. That was his life now.
-0-Fenix
He sat in his office working hard on his contract summations. Commerce between Earth and Mars was burgeoning. No. That was insufficient. It was exploding. The number of contracts for all manner of things presented to Autobot Nation were endless. He had to proof them, write a summation about what was good, bad and indifferent to present to Carro and through him, the city management team and Prime.
The sun streamed in as he worked. A pile of work waited for him at his home as well. He was now the lead legal beagle for the Iacon Order and all high castes on Mars. He worked for them, for Sio's eventual release and the certain probability that there would be a Convocation of the Will in the foreseeable future. Prime had called it into order. It would only be a matter of time. It was his duty to present and protect their interests. Even in an uphill battle, Fenix had vowed to do his best. It would probably take much much more than that. Of this, he was clear.
-0-TBC January 21, 2014