The Diego Diaries: Chillin' (dd8 129)
=0=In a cell together
"Well, I've had just about enough of this," Chromia said as she flipped a knife in her servo. It was one of several weapons she carried that the slaggers didn't find because they weren't soldiers, special ops or that schooled.
"It won't be long now. Right, Percy?" Elita asked as she sat on the floor.
Perceptor glanced at her as he sat on a bench working on a number of science problems in his processor. "When the time is right we will break out. Until then we have to wait for coordination."
"Raptor better get it together," Maelstrom said as he watched with deep admiration the graceful and skillful way Chromia was flipping the blade, itself sharper than anything a human could make.
"He will," Arcee said. "Utramus believes in him. So do I."
Everyone had a good laugh over that including Perceptor.
=0=At the camp
Raptor and the elders including Warlord and Red Wing worked out a plan to bring the shuttles to the camp. A meadow nearby would hold them and they were remote enabled so it was only a matter of wondering what the townies would do if the shuttles began to lift off at their small airstrip. Raptor was intending to find out. He rose, then glanced at his uncle. "Come with?"
"Count on it," Jack said as he rose. He glanced at the others. "How about the twins coming along? Could use some muscle. Just look menacing."
"We can do that," Smokey said as he glanced at his amma lounging around the fire pit.
Devcon rose, then grinned at his grandson. "I can." He glanced at Jack. "If we have to shoot it out, then I'm in." He glanced at Smokey. "Guard the humans. Its your task."
With that, Raptor, Jack, the twins and Devcon set out on the dirt road toward town.
Smokey watched them go with a frown. He glanced down at the humans who grinned up at him. "Frag," he said.
=0=On the way toward town
"Can you see them?" Dev asked.
"I can," Jack said. "Some are in the trees all the way toward town. They might try a flanking action."
"We're on it," Sideswipe said quietly. Both of them were rolling along, their seven foot swords sliding in and out of their wrist gauntlets.
"We don't want to kill anyone," Raptor said. "If we shoot someone make it non-lethal. I know you can do that. As for the leadership, if they want to detain us we can call up the Seekers to strafe a few buildings. I doubt that they play poker but we shall see how they can take a bluff."
Ahead of them, the leadership of the colony were gathering. They looked as grim as Raptor felt surrounded by guns in the servos of amateurs as they were. They watched the Autobots come closer, then spread out into a half circle with their guns pointed to the ground, waiting for Raptor and his group to arrive. When they did, both sides glared at the other.
"We came to tell you that we're recalling our shuttles from the field. They have science equipment that we brought to try to figure out this problem. We can recall them remotely. Just so you know."
"What makes you think we'll allow it?" Reset asked coldly.
"Maybe the idea of a Seeker barrage on your colony, perhaps?" Jack asked.
"You wouldn't do that, Autobot," one of the others said caustically. "Autobots don't do such things."
"HE might not," Jack said glancing at his nephew, "but I would. What dream land do you live in, slagger?"
It was silent and tense as the group considered Raptor's declaration.
"What if we don't allow them to leave but allow two of you to work here?" Reset asked.
"What if you get the frag out of the way or we level this colony?" Raptor said.
"We have your people," the second elder said. "What about we level them if you do?"
"What makes you think I can't call it down now on all of you? What makes you think we haven't pinpointed each of you both here and in the woods? It wouldn't take slag all to have them fly in before you can even run and mow you down," Jack said as he stepped closer to the group.
"Then your people will never make it out alive," Reset said with a glacial tone.
"We already know where they are. What makes you think we haven't already infiltrated your colony to break them out now?" Jack asked. "Jack to Perceptor." He adjusted his audials.
:Perceptor to Blackjack:
Perceptor's voice could be heard by the entire group.
"Percy, how about leaving the jail and come out? We've got air support and I have an anti personnel mine in my hand I'm going to set on Reset," Jack said as his servo transformed. On it was a magnetic anti-personnel mine which he slammed onto Reset's chassis.
He flipped out a meter and activated it. The light on the mine came on, flashing red to show it was active. He grinned. "Kill me now, slagger, and my last act will be my digit sliding off this button." He held up the meter where his thumb digit was covering a button.
It was ghastly how surprised and silent the colonial group was as they froze into statuary.
:Perceptor to Jack. We're standing by:
"Do, Percy," Raptor said as he grinned at his uncle.
The twins were alternating between watching the area around them and worshiping the elders running the show. No one moved for a moment.
"What's the word, Reset? We get our shuttles and people so we can work on this problem together or do I blow you the frag up? Either way, I win because if you shoot us the Seekers have been instructed to do an annihilation barrage," Jack said.
"YOU WOULDN'T! THAT WOULD BE A WAR CRIME!" one of the elders said in a burst of rage and fear.
"Maybe, but if we never get out of here who will know? Also, I don't want to live in the colony with grabby fraggers like you hanging around. Better to wipe you all out and make the situation easier for us all around," Jack said. "You think I'm kidding."
"You aren't because you're a fragging barbarian," the elder seethed.
"Maybe," Jack said with a tight grin. "But you won't have to care. If you stand in the way you're the enemy and frankly the real estate values around here will increase without you."
No one said as word. It was still and tense.
"Raptor to Perceptor."
:Perceptor here:
"Leave the cell area and home in on us. Reset is going to tell everyone everywhere to let you pass. All of you," Raptor said. "Right, Reset?"
Reset stared at him with a murderous expression, then made the internal call.
"You are go, Perceptor. Meet us at the airfield," Raptor said.
:On our way. Perceptor out:
=0=Nearby
Perceptor glanced at the others. "Raptor has freed us. We're to walk to the airfield and it should be okay. Keep together and let's go."
Everyone gathered themselves together while Perceptor kicked at the joints of the cage where he'd undermined them structurally. They gave way and fell allowing them to leave.
Walking to the door, Elita and Chromia took point and led the way to the outer room where their weapons were. No one was there so they loaded up, then with guns in servo stepped outside to take in the area.
There were individuals about but no one was seen. The roadway to the airfield was clear so they walked together in a guarded unit until the airfield could be seen. Raptor and his group was there but no one else. They cleared the distance, then gathered together.
"Nice to see ya," Jack said with a grin.
"Good to see you, too," Perceptor said. "What now? Where is Reset and his group?"
"I let them go, then removed the anti personnel mine from Reset. He went away unhappy but then I think that's his natural condition," Jack replied with a grin.
The twins stared at Jack with like he was a god as Perceptor glanced around at the field.
"We're moving the shuttles. Everyone on board and let's go. Follow us," Raptor said as they began to walk to the vessels.
They boarded, then three shuttles, one of them a larger science ship rose into the sky, then floated onward toward the woods and the Autobot camp contained there. They disappeared almost immediately.
Left behind filled with fury, the locals watched them go.
=0=At Camp Don't-Wanna-Be-There
The humans and bots at camp watched as three big shuttles floated overhead to disappear into the woods nearby. They listened in their bunker shaped camp as the sound ended after a few minutes.
Will Lennox glanced up at Hot Rod. "How about a lift out there to see what's happening?"
Hot Rod stared at the pest who was a friend of the elders all around. He picked up Lennox, then Graham. It was then that everyone wanted a ride so the bots collected them as to the last one abandoned camp to see what was what in the meadows that were nearby.
=0=In two small meadows
They landed the ships, powered down, then the ramps opened. Everyone piled out to talk and debrief. It was noisy and laughter-filled when the others arrived. For a moment they chatted, then Raptor got the upper servo.
"Alright," he said as Seekers joined them. "'We have our ships and tools. We need to figure this out and do it fast. Those slaggers back there have hot helms and we don't want a shooting war with anyone."
"Do you suppose we can make a message ourselves, Raptor?" Will asked.
He considered that, then nodded. "Sure. Ratchet can help you."
Everyone glanced at Ratchet.
Ratchet gave them his most brilliant smile.
Everyone laughed heartily.
"Percy, you and your team get on this. We have data but not more than the usual stuff. We have to get this organized. The other group, the one who was segregated right away is over there. The humans for some reason can cross these barriers. They can help you and if you need to dissect one of these little slaggers to figure out how they do it I nominated McFarlane."
Everyone glanced at Corey who gave Raptor the finger.
All of them laughed loudly as Percy and his three mechs walked to their shuttle to begin.
Everyone watched them go, then turned to Raptor as one.
"What's this slag about a toilet, General?" a veteran soldier who had arrived with Perceptor's group, Pro-Rt asked of a mech he knew really well.
Raptor laughed. "Nothing but the finest kind of accommodation for this mech's army," he said as they began to walk back to camp.
=0=A short time later
The elders of the human community gathered around a monitor at the Ops Center. With them were the command team of the bots and Optimus. They were told to come because a message from the humans had made it to them. The screen came on and there they were, all of the humans gathered around Lennox. They were grinning, relaxed and apparently for some reason having a good time. It was highly unexpected.
"Hi. The bots managed to get this together so we're sending our own message. All of us are fine and have all the food and water we need for a long protracted stay if it comes to that. All of us are well and this planet is so much like Earth we don't have to wear gear.
"This place is beautiful and country. Just like I like it," Lennox said to laughter from the others. "Don't worry about us. Perceptor and his team are here with a science ship and the bots are able to give protection, though its a very under populated planet with birds, small furry animals and insects. I think that's about it. Maybe fish. I don't know. There are no humanoids here.
"Some of the others want to say something." Will moved slightly to allow Olivia to be seen.
"Hi, Joe. Don't worry about me. We're going to get home. Its sort of like a camping weekend. Al of the necessities were taken care of so there's no worry there. The only life forms of consequence here are the bots. We're going to be fine. Don't worry."
Fig leaned in. "Mama, check your crystal ball. Let us know what the word is. Other than that, its like boot camp only better. See ya when I get back."
One by one they gave a message, then Will was back again. "Don't worry about us. We have a good twenty mechs and about twenty Seekers in the group with us. No one can harm us.
"After they get the science figured out we can come back. Consider us camping for a bit. Just know we're good and love all of you. Hang in there. We're coming home as fast as Perceptor can figure it out. Someone told me once that when physics and Perceptor get a bead on each other, physics always blinks first. Take care. We'll send another message tomorrow. Camp What the Fuck over and out."
The screen went back to normal.
=0=TBC 04-02-2021
NOTES: I adore Perceptor. Here's some goodness on our favorite equipment bot: The brilliant Perceptor was able to serve the Autobots admirably for millions of years utilizing his expertise in a myriad of different scientific fields. However, a brush with death forced him to reassess his worth on the battlefield and Perceptor began cultivating a different role for himself as a cold detached sniper. His clinical focus, patience and built-in magnification abilities all translated perfectly to this occupation and Perceptor was even recruited into the Wreckers thanks to his deadly new skill set.
After the war ended, Perceptor joined the crew of the Lost Light, where he was able to partially rediscover his old self and serve as the ship's chief science officer.
He's an incredible sniper and fighter. He's about as bad ass as a bot can be in the novels. That dark ring attached to his optic, the left one I think is part of his sniper gear. It sights in the slaggers that he shoots without missing no matter how hard the shot. You can read more about him at:
tee eff wikee dot cohm