The Diego Diaries: Later that morning …
=0=Autobot-N.E.S.T. Staff Meeting
They wandered in slowly, finding their chairs and sitting heavily. The soldiers had arrived, climbing their way to their tabletop spot. Prime, in his usual place at the head of the table scrutinized all the players as they came and parked.
Wheeljack and Perceptor looked like slag. 'Jack had a pale undefinable color to his audials and Perceptor just looked worn. Jazz had no smile, no joviality. He just sat and rested his chin on his arms, staring. Mirage, looking rather chipper sat rubbing Jazz's back plates, chatting with Prowl who sat next to him. Prowl was happy, holding Kaon wrapped in a blanket as he waited for the meeting to start.
Ironhide and Ratchet sauntered in, parking themselves in the usual place. Orion was at daycare, a concession to his jovial little twittering during discussions. They both looked pretty good and so Prime deduced that Ratchet had given them both antidotes. When Ratchet lay his medikit on the table Prime knew that relief would be coming shortly.
One by one they came and one by one Ratchet gave them the antidote. Almost as one they found relief and settled back, waiting for Prime. He himself was debating a number of tasks that had to be accomplished and as the last member dragged in, he called the meeting to order and they began.
The discussion revolved around the mission, Shockwave and his disposition. Prime listened to everyone's comments and then shook his head. "I have decided that the responsibility is mine to keep him out of commission and out of the danger of ever becoming a problem again. We gave in to the request of the American government to keep the Allspark shard in quarantine. We all know what happened. Shockwave is my responsibility and I will make sure he is not a problem in future."
"What can you do with him, Optimus?" Lennox asked, a worried frown on his face.
"We are building a secured facility on Mars that will be guarded and he will be kept there under the highest security," Prime said only partially disclosing the situation as it stood. "I have already discussed this with General Morshower and the Secretary of State. Since the
decision has been taken out of your hands, the hands of humans … I have made this decision. We shall guard him ourselves and make sure he's secure."
Lennox nodded. "You can live on Mars?"
Prime smiled slightly, the image of his city coming to mind. "We don't breathe for survival and the extremes of temperature fall easily within our personal parameters. Being on Mars will be no problem. We can traverse the vacuum of space."
Lennox nodded. "That's right. Sorry," he said grinning sheepishly. "I forget sometimes that you're aliens."
Everyone chuckled and the atmosphere lightened.
"You know the government will want to see where he's kept and know how you're doing it. That's just the way they are," Epps said.
"We will give them a chance to do that when we are ready. I know they have wanted us to take them to Mars and other planets for some time but we have refused to do so. Right now, its too dangerous for humans to go to other worlds in this solar system until we figure out what happened to Megatron."
"You believe him still alive?" Graham asked. "Do you think he'll come back here?"
"I believe both to be true," Optimus said as the door flung open and Sunstreaker peered inside. He was almost wild eyed with emotion and when he saw Kaon resting in Prowl's arms he sagged against the doorjamb. "There he is," he said quietly.
"He was never lost. You three were," Ratchet said shaking his helm. "You were blotto."
Sunstreaker walked around the table and took Kaon from a reluctant Prowl. "I fed him," the winger said, watching as Sunstreaker kissed his little sparkling.
Sunstreaker nodded and at the door Sideswipe and Bluestreak appeared, looking at Kaon with relief. "I figured you had him," Bluestreak said looking at Prowl. "Thank you, Prowl."
Prowl nodded with a slight smile, shaking his head. "You three are pathetic."
"We know," Blue said grinning broadly. "We'll go now."
The three backed out of the room and the door closed. Ironhide shook his helm. "Sad sacks, those three."
"How do you think you and Ratchet got home?" Jazz asked with a big grin. "And Orion?"
Ratchet looked at him, then Prowl. "Grandma?"
Everyone laughed including Prowl. Then the meeting moved on, the agenda getting cleared. The soldiers of the N.E.S.T. that worked most closely with the Autobots were coming up on leave and would be gone for two weeks in a few days. Another set of soldiers would be stepping in, the beta group filling in for the alpha and they were personally trained by Epps, Lennox and Graham.
By the time they broke up the meeting, everyone was sober, Prime was headed for Mars, Graham was showing his fiance's picture to everyone, Epps had a long distance cell phone call from his mom, Ratchet was waiting to talk to Prime, Ironhide was overly ready to get the sparkling, Wheeljack and Perceptor were discussing a program they were developing to breach dampening technology by Decepticons with Prowl, Prowl was itching to get the datapads on his desk done so he could babysit Kaon and take the mechlings to the beach, a couple of conference calls were scheduled with the UK and USA and last but not least, the subject of the mini-cons on Mars had to be dealt with.
Before the mini-con village arrived.
Soon.
Fast.
To say that Prime was ready to deal with this breach of his Prime Directive, a breach that besmirched his personal honor was too light a statement. As he rose and walked to the door pausing to speak with Prowl before he would leave with Ironhide, Ratchet and Wheeljack for Mars, he considered the options that he had open. None of them were good.
=0=In the brig
They gathered, four Wreckers and a couple of garrison security experts. Ironhide would direct the detail. Kup, Springer, Streetwise, Perceptor, Mirage and Jazz would be the detail handling Shockwave. Three Aerialbots had been called in to escort Silverbolt on the journey. Ratchet would be going along to handle the final placement of Shockwave into long term stasis lock.
They had discussed this together, Ratchet and Prime over a period of days leading up to the mission. All the potentialities had to be taken into consideration. If they took Shockwave alive, they had to ensure that he would not be a threat. Putting him into stasis lock was preferable to killing him outright although Ironhide had several opinions on that matter.
"In the end, Prime, we will have to put a round in him. You know it and I know it. Putting him into a deep freeze is just delaying the inevitable. If you can't do it, let me."
Prime vented a soft sigh. "I hope you are wrong, Ironhide. I hope I'm right. No matter what happens, putting him in a deep freeze is a risk we have to take."
Ironhide nodded. "Alright. Whatever you decide I will support. I just want you to know that if he ever gets out I'm hunting him and taking him out. I want you to remember that."
Prime nodded. "I'll join you."
They walked out of the brig, Inferno and Red Alert accompanying the party. Shockwave walked through the corridors, the silent and grim stares of the garrison meeting him as he passed. Out through the rec room, out onto the tarmac and past dozens of silent human soldiers and Colonel Fulton, Shockwave went.
They reached Silverbolt and all boarded, the hatch closing. Three smaller jets lifted off with Silverbolt, forming up on each side of him. In seconds they were out of sight, disappearing into the bright light of day heading for space. Fulton turned and walked toward the Administration Building, noting that no mercs nor Daniels were in sight.
It had been planned that way, a drill requiring them to stay inside the cover for the transport of Shockwave. He would call it off. Eventually. But not soon. Sauntering along, the sun warm on his face, he smiled. Sometimes life was very good.
=0=Autobot City, Mars
They stood at the flight line on the air field, the sun glinting off the armaments of the city nearby. Heavily armed, there to provide a show of force for anyone predisposed to disrupt the orderly transfer, they stood with Magnus and waited.
For two weeks they had labored and made a vault, one deep inside the fortress. It had thick walls and a steel door. Inside was a stasis pod that would hold Shockwave. They had decided if he were caught that he would be placed there, away from escape and away from anyone who might have a vendetta.
Now they waited, watching as the jets came into view, watching as they touched down and taxied, watching as they rolled to a stop. The hatch to Silverbolt opened and the party began to step out. Prime followed the others and then he appeared at the top, an enormous purple figure of great menace prodded to move by Ironhide.
Prime continued past the greeting party and paused to stand next to Magnus. "Good morning," he said tensely.
"Good morning, Optimus. We are ready for him," Ultra Magnus replied.
Ratchet appeared and walked down the ramp, moving to stand with Prime and Magnus. The group formed up on Shockwave and together they stepped forward walking toward the fortress beyond. Shockwave, mute and inscrutable walked with them, the glow of his stasis cuffs brightly illuminating his deep purple color.
Prime and Magnus, along with Ratchet turned and followed them, walking toward the city and the gathering throng who came out to watch them bring the beast into their refuge.
=0=TBC
2011 (2)