The Diego Diaries: Going There (dd8 118)
=0=In the Conference room briefing for a scouting mission with Prowl
They sat or stood around the room leaning on the walls, listening to Prowl brief the mission with his teams. Two battle shuttles and ten Seekers were heading out to check on a signal that had finally made its way to their sphere of influence. It was from a small colony that was seeking help, possibly rescue but hadn't been able to do better than they did with their message strength. If Ops Center hadn't been looking with enhanced sensors on all the bandwidths possible they could have missed this signal.
"So, are there any questions? A quick scan if there's problems, a short visit if there isn't, then back to us to plan the rescue," Prowl said.
Everyone nodded, then Hercy glanced at Kup, the other shuttle boss. "Let's go, infant. There's our people out there." With a nod to Prowl, Kup, Hercy and the crews began to leave the room followed by Red Wing and nine Seekers who would do a quick flyover of the source of the signal and provide cover.
They left the room as Prowl watched, then he went back to his ten thousand problems once more.
=0=On the way to leave
They buzzed up, a mixed bag of individuals to the mechs walking with heavy arms and gear toward two shuttles being readied to go somewhere. If they were lucky they might be able to go with. Pulling up alongside the twins, Lennox shouted to get their attention. :HEY! WHERE YA GOING?!:
The soldiers slowed, then looked down. "On a mission to reconn a small settlement about 200,000 light years away," Sideswipe said.
:That's farther than we've ever been before: Clarise Mohamed said to Jessie Landon.
:How about hitchhikers?: Niall Graham asked.
"Didn't your mama tell you not to do that?" Whirlaway asked. "Something about your virtue or something?"
All of the mechs laughed loudly.
:Mama? What Mama?: Lennox asked with a snicker.
"Clear it with Prowl and hurry up," Hercy said.
The group with Lennox waited as he made the call, then they floored it after the mechs. Driving into Hercy's ship, they continued onward toward the back where they would sit in the vehicles until the ships lifted off. Then they would come out and mingle with the mechs while perched in their section that held chairs, seat belts and other safety gear. All of the ships in the fleet had been fitted for humans up to and including long haul trips as per the orders of Prowl.
You never knew and it would be a good thing.
=0=Ratchet
He noted on the ever flowing intensely encrypted ticker in his processor that all senior officers were privy to that a pair of shuttles and some Seekers were on a reconn to a possible rescue. He put that on the board for his own emergency command response planning team with the proviso that more data would be added as it came in. He then walked off to do rounds with trainee doctors who'd be specializing in mental health patients and their care.
=0=RTR Tools
They worked together in perfect harmony finishing up the remaining overlaid etching on a half dozen great swords that would be ornamental weapons for Knights at some point. Some weapons were created to be beautiful, to be presentation items or to commemorate a missing sword from someone or some event's past. These would be displayed to their glorious perfection awaiting future owners and partners who would understand appreciate to the fullest the depth and meaning of such a quality sword made by RTR Tools. Of all the metallurgists ever produced by Cybertron, they were the only ones who still remembered how to make sentient tools.
It would be a glorious morning and early afternoon before the nine titan and dread kids came for their next lesson in blending metals to make small knives. It would make a great day greater for everyone.
=0=On the way
Lennox signed off from his father after relaying that he and the men and women with him wouldn't be home for dinner.
Probably.
Sitting back in the chair where he was belted, he watched the big mechs stow arms, then sit to pass time before going through the bridge to the mission site. :What are we doing then?: he asked with a grin.
"We?" Sandstorm asked. "Do you have a mouse in your subspace?" he asked Bumblebee. He grinned. "You could probably fit."
Bee tossed an ammo pack at Sandy who caught it handily. He glanced at Lennox. "You came without knowing the mission?"
Lennox shrugged, then glanced at the others. :Is that a problem?: he asked.
The mechs and ladies with him shook their heads. He glanced at Bee. :Apparently not:
"We're going to check out a rescue possibility. Be glad that Prowl ordered updates for the facilities. We might be a while," Sunstreaker said. "Disgusting how you do things, some of them."
:You mean penises and stuff?: Olivia Bowers asked knowing full well that every mech she ever met was disturbed about human male anatomy. What they thought about women was unknown because they were gents, most of them.
Or at least fascinated by female humans enough to hold their fire.
And gorge.
Until maybe now.
Every mech in the shuttle groaned and moaned, sitting back with varying expressions of disgust and agonized ennui. They stared at her.
She smiled at them.
All was well again.
=0=Sarah and the Gals™ at The Resort at Autobot City in the main administrative offices
"Dad just called. The boys and some of the girls were going on a mission with the mechs. Two shuttles on a reconn for a possible rescue. Everyone is going but Bobby. He has the deck at the Habitat so don't tell him. Okay? He'll be incredibly put out not to come along," Sarah said.
Lonnie Epps who was working on the menus for the next two weeks nodded. "Thanks, Sarah," she said, then called up N.E.S.T. HQ.
Someone answered.
"Hi. This is Lonnie. Is Sargent Epps available?" She held. Then she grinned. "Hey, baby. I'm surprised to see you answer the phone. I figured you were going on the reconn mission with Will and Niall-"
She held the phone away from her ear as everyone in the office snickered.
=0=Roll call on the ship as it goes through Trigger Two
Will Lennox sat between Niall Graham and Trevor Smith. Fig Figueroa sat nearby along with Jessie Landon, Clarise Mohamed, Corey McFarlane, Gavin Pritchard and Rick Harris. Harris was along as a close friend of several of the N.E.S.T. strikers, having made friendships through climbing and cards.
The view outside smeared, then settled. They were at their point of departure 200,000 light years from home. It didn't even feel like they'd moved and they hadn't. They were always the stationary object. It was space that moved and reformed around them when they got where they were going.
Lennox glanced at Hercy and Rem, the pilot.
"Well, we're here. What do you see?" Hercy asked Kup over the inter-ship intercom.
:Space. More space. Then some space: Kup replied.
"Me, too," Hercy said. "Red Wing. You there?"
:Here, Hercy:
"How about forming up and we go in?" Hercy asked casually, like he was discussing dinner menus.
:Sounds doable: Red Wing replied with the ghost of a grin.
"Let's go then," Hercy said as the Seekers formed a wedge in front of the two shuttles. Then they lit a candle and were gone.
=0=Up in the offices at Metrotitan in the Day/Night Watch Tower of Mars
"I don't like being left out."
"Me neither for multiple reasons, some of which I'm good with."
Springer glanced at Drift who was elbow deep in paperwork. He grinned. "I won't ask which ones."
"Good for you. Check Tell?" Drift asked as he looked up at Springer.
Springer walked to the couch where the baby was sleeping in a nest of very soft blankets. "He's a champ. What else can he be?"
"There's that," Drift said agreeing. "Some missions we can't take. Others we can. We have to pick someone in the family to take care of him when we go. I don't want him in a day care. I will say our day cares are amazing."
Springer nodded. "I agree. I'll get with Amma Turbine."
"Good," Drift said as he pulled more paperwork over to his current stack.
Springer continued his dart game.
All was well in the office.
=0=Out there
They flew in toward a beautiful planet in the Goldilocks zone of the system where it was located. It wasn't too close nor too far away but just right. The Seekers buzzed it, flying over to notice a small densely built colony below with a small densely built industrial park near it. A river divided the habitation into two parts but the rest of the world appeared to be untouched. It was interesting.
:Red Wing to Hercy and Kup. We flew over. The data is pretty standard. We're also getting a signal to come down:
"On it. Follow us down," Hercy said. "Let's go calling, Kup."
:Right behind you: Kup replied.
=0=At a special school for traumatized children
Boo and Tika sat together holding servos. Their bears, deeply loved sat nearby, a first for the two who needed them always. They were listening to a story with twelve other babies who had the same deprived terrifying life they had. It was sweet, cozy and homey in their little classroom filled with the smell of baking cookies as they sat on the carpeted stairs to listen. School was great and they were looking forward to it every day now when their atar, Rocco brought them in the morning before taking their older brother, Siphon down the elevator to his own class.
All of them were thriving in the protected atmosphere where the ratio of teachers and experts along with aides was nearly one on one. They would stay here until they were educationally and emotionally ready for a regular placement no matter how long that took. It would be a beautiful morning for the two in their sunlit comfortable classroom.
Nearby …
Siphon sat in the art room molding clay, making a model of a train. He was going paint it like their own favorite engine at home, then give it to his atar. Rocco would add it to the shelf where all the other things he and his siblings made were proudly placed. It would be a nice accompaniment to the trucks he already had there, each of them bearing his name, his sister and brother and their atar on the doors.
The sunlight shown in at the table where he worked with three other mechs like him. Though none of them were child soldiers, they knew enough about war to be one. They were also the best friends in the world, all of them.
=0=On the ground
Two groups met each other, a tense group of colonists and a curious group of soldiers. Hercy considered them, then extended his servo. "Commander Hercy of Helex, commanding this group for the Prime. We got your message. We're here to figure out what we need to take you out of here."
The mechs from two shuttles and all of the Seekers had gathered around the group. Beyond them, more refugees were coming from a densely built area of towers.
The big mech meeting them, the apparent leader looked grim. That he was high caste didn't help. But it felt different than that.
"What do you need to get this going?" Kup asked.
The mech glanced around, then turned to him. "A miracle," he said.
=0=Late that night
They gathered in the Ops Center to hear the word. Prime and all the senior Autobots were there along with others from related divisions. Prowl looked tense and so did Prime.
"What's the word?" Ratchet asked as he stood beside Ironhide.
"That's the problem," Prowl said grimly. "We haven't heard from them. It's ten joors past check in time. We don't know anything."
=0=TBC 03-20-2021
gorge: (gor-j) old fashioned expression meaning vomit. To hold ones gorge was not to vomit.