grv. Fort Lamont. Meal Time

[dens_extra_pups]

Blackout: *saw that all the human women were busy, and that no dinner was being cooked. Has marinated a big hog, and then roasted and shredded it. Now has the meat in one of the big cauldrons that are used for cooking corn and sweet potatoes. Has this container of meat food sitting beside another cauldron full of boiled okra, several huge metal bowls full of rice dressing, and a small mountain of assorted colours of sweet potatoes that's laying on a tarp* *stands and tells Showtime to take her hand out of the pork container*

Showtime: *clicks and pops, but does as told*

Blackout: *glances at the other babies and tots, then tells the bot ones in Cybertronian to line up and she'll give them their fuel after she's alerted the humans to theirs*

Hot Rod: *happy crowing is a go*

Blackout: Hush. *glances at the human children* Lizzie, is this food that someone your age can access without adult assistance?

Lizzie: Yes'm. *nods*

Blackout: *looks around, and then stoops and grabs some of that heap of banana leaves that someone left here. Checks for bugs, and then starts giving a section of leaf to each child* Use this to hold your meal.

Lizzie: Okay. *will go to get a serving spoon and fork first, though*

Blackout: *to the other children* Line up, as the hatchlings and Chrome are.

Lizzie: *back with her apron on, and the serving spoon and fork!*

Dixie: *making her slow, waddling way out to supervise*

Blackout: *senses the approach and turns to glower down at her friend* What are you doing, Dixie? Someone could have brought your fuel.

Dixie: Ah wanted t' see wh't y'all were doin'.

Blackout: *indicates the mountains of food* I prepared the evening meal, since everyone else was busy.

Dixie: *nods* 'T's 'arvest season...

Blackout: Your twins were speaking of procuring something, but then a calf was discovered tangled in the fence and they left to care for it. *to Lizzie* I've told God thank You.

Lizzie: 'Kay. *moves to begin serving the human kids*

Dixie: Chrisseh 'n Jesseh'll prolleh eat 'n th' way back, th'n... *small nod*

Blackout: *gets something for Dixie to sit on, telling Springer to let go of his brother's head on the way* *puts the plastic chair next to Dixie*

Dixie: *soft snerk, thanks Blackout as she moves to sit down*

Blackout: *distracted by a small boy with a freshly peeled willow stabbing one of the sweet potatoes and breaking it apart* Are you supposed to do that, Kyle?

Kyle: Ah'm gonna share it wit' Chris.

Dixie: *chuckle* Th' 'tater is still 'ot.'N 't's pretteh big.

Blackout: Alright. *watches the serving, but begins to frown as she sees glitches in the process. Had intended to let the little ones eat first, as is done among the bots. But she can see that these little ones are having trouble handling their fuel* *rumble*

Xiaobei: *drops her food on the grass and huffs a huge sigh of frustration* *to Blackout* Ah need mah mama!

Blackout: *frowns at the child, and then looks at Dixie, who knows much more about these things than she does* I had thought to feed the children first.

Dixie: Most 'f th' oldah kids 're coordinated 'nough t' feed th'mselves... Xiaobei 'n th' youngah 'uns're still learnin'.

Blackout: *uncertainty shows so clearly in that deep, harsh, alto* I should call the others, then?

Dixie: Jes' th' parents 'f th' youngest kids.

Kyle: *wrestling with big tater* Wha? T's dinnah tahm, raht?

Dixie: 'Cause s'me'un's gotta 'old th' 'tater f'r y'u so y'u c'n share it wit' Chris.

Kyle: *nods to what his aunty said* But wha cain't ever'bodeh eat?

Dixie: 'Cause th' othahs're still workin' th' fields, 'n y'all 'ave school t'morrah, Kyle.

Kyle: *confusion as he spears a bit of sweet potato and blows on it* Th's's eatin' tahm.

Dixie: Well, Blackout wanted y'all t' gitcher dinners first, th'n th' grownups'll eat.

WakeJumper: *is the sound of scoldies approaching from the hospital. She went and tattled on Aunty Dixie to her mama!*

Ratchet: *arrives, carrying WakeJumper. Is exceedingly glad for an excuse to be up out of her chair, even for a little while*

Blackout: Ratchet, you're supposed to be resting. *glower*

Ratchet: WakeJumper was very insistent that I come check on Dixie. *is amused to see the children, both bot and human, in their two separate lines, and that even the rowdiest of the hatchlings is waiting nicely*

Xiaobei: Wah don't we got th' picnic plates? *trying to pick her rice up off the ground before Hazard realizes it's there*

Dixie: Huh? *looks to Xiaobei, blinks* Th'se're banana leaves... *recognizes them because Hattie's been busy relocating her trees to the fort*

Xiaobei: *nod nod* Th's ain't leaf food. C'n we 'ave th' picnic plates? *big brown eyes so full of appeal*

Blackout: ...I do not know what those are, Xiaobei.

Inferno: Fr'sbehs.

Blackout: That doesn't help.

Dixie: *sigh* Th' Chinet plates ain't frisbehs, 'Ferno.

Inferno: *startled glance at Springer, who gives him the same look*

both bitties: ...Oh.

Showtime: *chirps and scoots out of line to go get the plates. She remembers where they are because she helped Mama put them away!* Babeh get!

Blackout: *carefully picks Xiaobei up as Hazard notices the spilt food and goes to help her with it*

Xiaobei: *sad little pout as she looks down at the big dog*

Inferno: Mama, bebeh go help Show? *enquiring look for Dixie as he points after the little blue hatchling*

Dixie: *chuckles* Alrahght, 'on.

Ratchet: *scanning Dixie now*

Inferno: *off he goes, trucking along on his sturdy legs*

Red Alert: *fidgets slightly* Mama? Bebeh sit wit' y'u. No nomma yet.

Dixie: Aww, alrahght, 'on. *will do her best to make room for Red Alert*

Red Alert: *shakes his little head and sits by her feet, small hands going out to gently rub her nearer ankle* *quietly* Babeh 'elpin'.

Ratchet: *gets a picture of the cute, and makes a note to check on Dixie later tonight*

WakeJumper: *fusses and points at Dixie, too excited to remember her English*

Ratchet: *quietly* I see it, WakeJumper. *will gently rub the hatchling's back*

WakeJumper: *POUT*

Cornflower: *little wriggle and murmur. Vanishes completely into Lizzie's fleece hoodie that is wearing her*

Ratchet: *hand goes to her grill, over the spot where Cornflower is sleeping*

Cornflower: *little murmur, and then a soft trill of amusement at her dreams*

Lizzie: *almost on her toes as she looks to see if her little friend is alright*

Chrome: Babeh okay?

Ratchet: *chuckles softly* She's having a good dream.

Chrome: Yay! *dances in his place in the line, then leans over to watch as the plate bringers arrive*

Blackout: *perks and steps forward* Robbie, stop poking Jamie and pass out the plates.

Showtime: *scoldies! You know better, Robbie!*

Robbie: *abashed grin just like his dad's when Bobbie gets caught cutting up at the wrong time* Heh. Sorry, Show. *walks over get the plates, grunting softly as Inferno gives him a very gentle slap upside the head*

little kids: *getting back into line, some still holding food on banana leaf and looking scared of imminent spillage*

Blackout: *relieved to see that things are going much better now. And then one of the men on guard duty comes through and stops to help. The children are soon stuffed and parading obediently through the bathroom of the men's barracks to brush their teeth. The former Decepticon admits that this assignment had nearly been too much for her* *quick check on Dixie and Ratchet to see if they have anything to say to her*

Dixie: *small smile* 'T least we di'n't 'ave aneh fahghts 'bout goin' t' brush teeth.

Ratchet: ...I still fail to see why that is such a point of contention.

Red Alert: *quietly* Not fun. Nuh uh.

Blackout: *reassured that the the other women find no fault with her performance, she turns her attention to feeding Chrome and the hatchlings*


half an hour later


Blackout: *finished reheating the food. Now shouts "Soup's on!" at her most carrying volume*

Cornflower: *awake!* o.0?

Ratchet: *ditto that! Dozed off while sitting with Dixie*

Dixie: *awks and then starts laughing* *meeps*

Blackout: *attention snaps toward the sound, and she scans her friend to find the source of distress*

Dixie: *very sheepish now... and needs a new change of pants and boonies*

Blackout: *walks over to gently pick Dixie and Red Alert up* Let me help you.

Red Alert: *snaps to attention, his silicon lump forgotten in his hands* Mama 'urt??

Dixie: *blushing* Ah ain't 'urt, Red.

Red Alert: *appealing look. What's wrong, then, Mama?* *little peep as Blackout lowers her hands to the level of the front porch, then jumps down and reaches up to try and help Mama out of her chair. Dinner is forgotten*

Dixie: *quietly* Red, y'u dropped yer supper...

Red Alert: *fussing up a storm as he absently takes his fuel, attention is wholly on making sure Mama gets safely into the house*

Blackout: *watches till Dixie safely reaches her destination, and then rises and turns toward the sound of incoming vehicles*

Matt: *is one of the first to begin arriving at the mess area* *surprised whoop when he sees what the meal is*

Col. Lennox: *pauses with bewilderment as he gets out of Ironhide's passenger side* Matt, what is that? *has never seen food like that reddish brown stuff*

Matt: *grin* Pulled pork!

Col. Lennox: *perks* I've never seen that much of it in one place. What's in these other pots?

Matt: *moving to look, more grin* Boiled okra 'n rahce dressin'.

Fig: *perks from where he just transformed after offloading passengers* You talkin' dirty rice?

Matt: *nod nod* Yup.

Col. Lennox: *walks around the cauldrons and then stops and stares* That is a lot of sweet potatoes.

Matt: *much grin* Plenteh 'f 'taters f'r all 'f us.

Col. Lennox: *starts to say something, but then nearly jumps out of his skin as Hattie gives a startled whoop from the walk-in freezer*

Hattie: *emerges from the freezer* Land's sakes!

Col. Lennox: *moves that way* What's wrong, Miss Hattie?

Hattie: S'me'un stuck a pigskin 'n th' freezer 'n th' dang th'n's look'n' out.

Matt: *went to see what the fuss was, and now he's laughing inside the freezer*

Fig: *goes to peek too* Hey, that's the hide off our pulled pork, ain't it?

Epps: Lemme see. *trying to get past big bot butt*

Hattie: *headshake* Wh't's 't doin' 'angin' up 'n th' freezer?

Blackout: *has walked over to observe the disturbance* Isn't that where it goes?

Hattie: Not whole.

Blackout: *disgruntled. Will change the subject* The meal'll get cold if people don't hurry.

Col. Lennox: *suddenly notice the silence* Where're the little kids?

Denver: *rowdy as she, BJ, and Jethro arrive*

Matilda: *coming to see whether anyone needs drinks, overhears Col. Lennox's question* Th'y's all gettin' readeh f'r bed.

Epps: o.0 How'd you pull that off?

Matilda: Blackout got 'em fed 'n taken care'a.

Col. Lennox: *shoots a quick glance toward the big black woman, who is trying to steer Denver, BJ, and Jethro away from the house*

Blackout: The meal is on the common.

Denver: Oh. Alrahght. *will move to drag her dad and cousin to the line*

Ironhide: *has tongs. Is fishing for okra* Why is this my job?

Optimus: *has received a peeled and sharpened willow stick from Matilda. Is listening carefully to instructions for serving sweet potatoes*

soldiers, family, older kids, and neighbours: *coming in to get food, and all are surprised that it's being served out on the commons, but nobody's complaining. They've all worked hard to get things taken care of out in the fields*

Ironhide: *growls at Saelen and offers him a tongsful of okra*

Saelen: *grins and holds his plate out*

Ironhide: *drops the seven pods on his plate* I still want to know how I wound up in charge of this.

Saelen: I have no idea, Ironhide.

Ironhide: *displeased rumble* More?

Saelen: Just a little. Maybe ask Blackout why you got put in charge of the okra?

Ironhide: *looks at his wife just in time to see her snap a piece off the pig skin and give it to someone* *shudder* Nope. *more okra!*

Saelen: That's enough. *glances to Blackout, small nod of understanding* I could try and find out?

Ironhide: Knock yourself out. Terrance, what do you think you're doing?

Terrance: Tryin' ta not moon everyone! *laughs and acks. Is currently being mobbed by hatchlings*

Ironhide: *deep rumble* You brats get back to bed. Terrance needs fuel.

Hot Rod: *crows happily*

Ironhide: Last one to bed doesn't get any silicon tomorrow.

hatchlings: *dot at Ironhide, and then it's a mass scarper for the nursery*

Beau: *snerks* 'Ot Rod'll do anehth'n' f'r s'me silicon.

Ironhide: *to Terrance* Why did you just squeal at the okra? *to Beau* Except sit still in school.

Terrance: It's all slimy! *does NOT like okra*

Beau: *incredulous look for the big Samoan*

Ironhide: *sternly* Vegetables are good for you.

Terrance: Sweet potatoes are a vegetable!

Optimus: *hunkered by sweet potato pile and watching this, but then he's distracted by talking to Ratchet*

Beau: ... *headshake* Terrance, quit bein' a wuss, 'n Cowgirl up. *yes, he knows the phrase is "Cowboy up" or "Man up", but Terrance is special, because the big guy told him about how his cousins declared him an honorary girl years ago*

Ironhide: Sweet potatoes aren't green. You need a green vegetable. *serves another happy and eager redneck a heaping serving of the vegetable in question*

Terrance: *wibble* But...

Matilda: *coming to get her veggies* Terrance, quit 'oldin' up th' lahn. *is tired and a little crabby as a result*

Ironhide: *three okra on Terrance's plate*

Terrance: *pouting muchly as he moves on in the line*

Beau: *snorts and moves to fall in line behind Matilda*

Blackout: *speaks up then* Anyone else refusing their okra ration?

Terrance: *startled squawk*

Blackout: Well?

Terrance: *sheepishly* I-I don't think so, Ma'am....

Blackout: ...Really? Banshee, do you want okra or spinach from a jar?

Banshee: I vill haf okra..

Blackout: Huh.

Ironhide: It's over here.

Banshee: *nods to Blackout, will go to get in line*

Blackout: So only one person wants spinach?

Senaiji: *from the line* There's spinach?

Blackout: *pauses* Anyone else?

some of the soldiers and rednecks: *chiming in with agreements*

Blackout: *opens the jar with stunning delicacy and then pours out the liquid* *this done, she holds out the jar* I don't know how to fix it.

Senaiji: *coming to help* That's alright. I know how to fix it.

Blackout: *gives the half gallon jar* There.

Senaiji: *nods* Thank you, Blackout. *will move to prepare the spinach*

Blackout: *looks around to see what else is needed*

Terrance: *attention back to his food, surprised sound and then he's laughing* It's purple! *holds up his sweet potato*

Epps: Whaat? *looks over from where he's sitting and eating with his lady and teens* We got purple sweet potatoes?

Monique: Shut up and eat your mashed potatoes. *prepared the white sweet potato that her husband brought over*

Terrance: *laughing muchly as he goes to sit down*

soldiers and rednecks: *much happy chatter about the good food*

Jesse: *is the last person in line, but not complaining about it. She and the rest of her cousins made sure Chrissy got something to take and eat with Cragbuster*

Ironhide: *scowls at her* There are five okra things left. *yeah, Jesse, guess what he's doing*

Jesse: Ah'll finish 'em off, 'n grab wh'tevah's left'a th' otha veggehs, th'n.

Ironhide: *okras her* How's the calf?

Jesse: 'Avin' th' tahm 'f 'is lahf. *grin*

Ironhide: Good. *looks to see how much pork is left* That looks like the same amount of corpse that the others ate.

Jesse: *snerk* Ain't gonna be aneh leftovahs, looks lahk. Th't's alrahght though. Means th're w's plenteh 'f food.

Ironhide: Go look in the cooler.

Jesse: Ah will 'n a bit. *moving to get a 'tater from the still sizable heap*

Ironhide: I know what comes next.

Saelen: *laughs* Now the clean-up shift washes the pots.

Ironhide: *looks down* Or not. But I like that better. *drops the tongs into the cauldron and wipes his hands*

Scanner: *chirping and following her Mama as Cat comes to help with the clean-up*

Blackout: I'm never doing that again. *turns and stomps off*

Cat: *snerks* Yeah, she says that now...

((Written with random_xtras))