The Diego Diaries: Problem (dd8 119)
=0=Ops Center, Mars
"That's all the data we have."
Everyone stared at Prowl with concern as he had outlined how the teams went out, missed all their deadlines and hadn't returned. Nothing much was known of that space but that it was relatively free of intelligent signals that might mean space going species might be the cause of their problem. It was silent a moment.
"We need to find out what happened. Maybe another team can go and scout this. It could be a simple thing interfering with their navigation to come to the coordinates or something else," Arcee suggested. "Maybe it might be simple, though …"
Sun nodded. "We can hope." He glanced at Prowl. "Tell us what you want and its done."
Optimus who was listening as well considered the options before them. "We take a chance sending anyone but we have to. I would like you, General, to lead a group to the coordinates then begin a grid search until you find the make up of the sector. Make it powerful and fast. You are to stay in touch with us the entire time. No one is to be off radio contact. I want to know what is happening and where they are."
"Got it, Prime," Sun said as he rose with his brother. Glancing at Hardie, he said, "If you can configure the ships and crews I'll get with you, Starscream, for escort."
Starscream rose with Warlord as the three walked out and over to the Flight Center to plan the air wing for the mission.
Hardie rose. "Keep it fast and powerful. No big ships but more shuttles. Got it." He walked to the console nearby to pick out the fleet and send messages to the most senior and experienced soldiers to arrive." He glanced at Prime. "Springer and Drift stay behind, correct?"
"We can go. You're going to need at least a senior field commander," Springer said as Drift nodded.
"Not until we organize fall back for the baby," Prowl said. "You're not going on these missions until the family has a plan for him while both of you are gone and I'm going to be giving thought to the idea of both of you on the same mission for the same reason."
"The twins go together," Drift replied.
"Yes, they do," Prowl said grimly. "They're both on this mission."
It was a heavy atmosphere in the Ops Center as they gathered up a fast powerful mission group.
=0=A couple of joors earlier
They gathered in the Ops Center, John Fulton, Joe Bowers and Glenn Morshower, all three of which were called in from Earth. They gathered on Prime's desk as they waited for a number of others from the community to show up. When they did, Ron and Judy Witwicky, Harley Epps, Jonathan Lennox and Ralph McClean, Linda Graham's father, Ratchet glanced at Prime.
He nodded so Ratchet turned to the group. "Thank you for coming. Your kin and others went out with the rescue exploration team this morning and they're overdue to check in," he said as the group tensed with surprise. "Don't, now. No conclusions as of yet," he said gently. "We're sending a team out to check on this. It could be a number of things that aren't problematic. We want you to know so you can assist others in understanding what can be happening. The teams they went with are the best. I can't stress it enough not to become undone over this."
:My wife went with them: Joe Bowers said with concern.
"She did. Niall Graham, Will Lennox, Fig Figueroa, Gavin Pritchard, Clarise Mohamed, Corey McFarlane, Jessie Landon, Rick Harris and Trevor Smith went as well. They were with Hercy and Kup along with very veteran soldiers and a crack Seeker team led by Red Wing himself. I would like you to know that its the Autobot way find out what happened no matter what and go in guns blazing if necessary. We're going now to find them."
:Will you go, too?: Judy Witwicky asked with concern.
Ratchet glanced at Prime who nodded. "I will. If it makes you feel better I'll go."
:It would, Ratchet. I … this is so awful I'm numb: Ralph McClean said. :My daughter will be so afraid:
Ratchet glanced at the elder Londoner who had come to live here with this sweet wife to be with his grandchildren and was a classroom assistant in the American School at Earth2. "We have brilliant luck with this stuff. It could be a rift of some kind making the bridge problematic. Whatever it is we'll figure it out and find them. You have my promise."
:You can't give promises: Harley Epps said solemnly, :But what you just said about finding them is enough for me. What do we tell the others?:
"We don't know what you prefer to do when things like this happen. Human reactions are a bit out of my wheelhouse. I'm hoping that you have enough skill to let them know that nothing is certain but we're on our way to make it so. Sun will command, Warlord is the leader for the Seekers and the best are going out now," Prowl said. "We're going to drop communication expediters out there along the way by opening bridges at strategic points and sending them through. We want as close to real time communications as possible."
"Alright," Glenn Morshower said. He glanced at the others, some of whom looked sick with tension. "We need to get the community together at The Family Tower and get the information to them in a real organized manner. How about Dr. Phoebe and the medics at the HQ meeting us there? I also think having Pastor Millie and Father Bob handy wouldn't hurt. I don't want anyone to panic or get out of hand. This is the waiting game we all know too well in the service: He glanced at Prowl. :What about Owen Harris?:
"I sent someone to speak with him," Prowl said as the all call came for the mission.
Everyone glanced at Ratchet who rose. No one said a word.
Ratchet stared at them, tiny organic beings who he loved and respected. "You have my word that we'll find them. Something tells me that this is doable. I'll let you know as we go." With that, he patted Ironhide's aft, then ran toward the door to leave.
Everyone watched him go, then turned back to Prime.
"Please … have faith in us," he said quietly. "We will go with whatever it takes to find them and get them back safely. For now, I think as leaders of your community that you need to help your people with this. We will be rethinking human participation on missions in future."
:I hope you won't change your mind, Prime. This is an important part of our growth here, to be with you and your people in all manner of situations: Morshower said.
"We will talk soon, Glenn," Prime said.
The humans stared at him a moment, then were placed on the floor with their vehicles. They boarded, then drove out to break the news to the families.
The bots watched them go, then Ironhide glanced at Prowl. "Who's telling Harris?"
Prowl glanced at him. "Drift and Springer."
=0=On the way to E2
They drove through traffic passing the Tri-Cities roundabout to head out the habitat road to Earth2. It was dark and the day was over. Traffic was thinning out for dinner time before everyone hit the clubs and other activity. There was a great card at the Race Tracks and movies had changed on the marquis throughout the colony. Dinner places and clubs would be busy and all would be light and fun everywhere.
Perhaps except for the human communities, that is.
Springer had contacted Owen Harris and asked him to meet for a chat. He was going in with pretender gear, he and Drift, to make this as gentle as something like this could be.
:How do you feel about not going?:
Drift's voice over the radio drew him back from his musing. "Not good but the reasoning is sound. We have to get with Amma Turbine who can help us with this. I don't like the idea of not going together at all but sound reasoning again."
:I know. We knew this going in, though: Drift replied.
"We did. No regrets?" Springer asked.
:You have to ask?: Drift replied.
"I hear ya."
There was silence a moment as they drove into the well lit parking lot of Earth 2.
:How hard will it be to get him back from Prowl do you think?:
Springer chuckled. "Bring your brass knuckles."
They drove up, parked, then projected their intense, highly upgraded pretender modes of themselves. Walking to the door as thus, both waited for the hatch to open.
Inside standing together watching them was Owen Harris, Pierre Beliveau, Andre Baudin and Kyle Davis.
"Those images are flawless," Kyle said. "You could make an army of them and no one would die."
"You could make an army of workers for the interior of nuclear plants and other places and no one would die," Andre said as the doors opened and two big 'men' came inside.
Springer and Drift walked toward the group with their usual confidence and poise. They were both over six feet tall, powerful in build and dressed in their preferred casual attire. They were recognizable if you knew they were the two, their features oddly enough reflecting the two handsome mechs pretty well, framed as it were with dark hair and piercing blue eyes.
The hatch closed, air was achieved and the home group stepped out to speak to the visitors.
Owen paused before them with the others. "Gentlemen, what brings you both here? Especially in pretender mode."
"We have a situation, Owen, and I think you might want to have a private conversation about it," Springer said.
Owen stared at him, then glanced at the others who were frowning. "What? There's nothing you can tell me that they can't hear."
Springer glanced at the others, then Owen. "Alright. Did you know that Rick went out with a mission of rescue earlier today?"
"No, but he sometimes does that," Owen said. "What happened?"
Springer gauged the human, then failed to figure him out as usual. Drift was standing silently beside him as they noted Phoebe walking toward the door with a medic kit. "The group is late checking in. We don't know what's happening but a flight just left to find out. We wanted to tell you so you'd know."
Phoebe slowed to a stop beside the group. "Owen, are you alright?"
He didn't look good, Owen Harris, as he absorbed the surprise of the news. "What do you know?" he finally asked.
"We know that a heavily armed flight went to a signal of a stranded group to reconn and let us know about their rescue. They were supposed to check in but haven't. We have another team led by Sun to find them. We'll find them. Count on it," Springer said.
"Oh my god," Phoebe said. "They want me at The Family Tower."
"We'll take you, Phoebe," Drift said. "The leadership there have to tell the others."
"Who else went with my son?" Harris asked.
"A bunch of humans. Will and Niall for two. Trevor Smith, Fig, Corey, Gavin, Clarise and Jessie. All of them went out with Rick," Springer said. "Are you alright? Or what?"
Harris stared at him a moment. "Where's Prime?"
"At the Ops Center running the show," Drift said.
Harris considered that, then glanced at the group with him. "We're going there. No one is to know until I get back." He glanced at Phoebe. "Come with us, Phoebe. We can drop you off."
Phoebe glanced at Springer who nodded.
"Why didn't you go with them?" Kyle asked.
"Because we have a son, a newborn. Prowl takes that into consideration on missions like this. Without us, he has no genitors," Springer said. "If you're alright, then we have to go. We have to go to the Tower. Either with him or us, Phoebe. We have to go there anyway."
Phoebe glanced at Owen. "Are you going to be alright?"
Harris glanced at her. "I don't know yet. No one tell Mariah. Promise me."
Everyone did, then Springer walked out with Drift and Phoebe. Phoebe entered Springer's format, then the two drove off in a rush.
Harris watched them go, then glanced at the others. "Come on. You drive, Perri."
They grabbed their gear, suited up, then piled into a vehicle. They tore out of the parking lot behind the others. As they did, the sun winked out on the horizon. It was officially the dark night of day.
=0=TBC 03-21-2021 For optimusprime101