The Diego Diaries: Problems (dd6 83)

NOTES: I've been overrun by a virus that ate my computer. I had to order another because the laptop is so damaged that it skips through the programs. My virus catcher missed or couldn't get this so I'm a bit behind. Also, my new laptop won't be here for a few days so I have to do this on my desktop. SIGH!

Here we go...

-0-Later that afternoon at Earth2

She walked from the library heading for the apartment area of the vast complex. Her home work was finished, that is, all the work that didn't get completed in class. It was hard and more challenging than any school she had attended and they expected a decent, organized and interesting composition every day. It had taken time but she was finished. As she walked toward her home she noticed that groups of kids, the ones her age were standing here and there talking together, some of them her classmates in Youngling Day. No one made an effort to speak to her but she didn't notice. She was preoccupied by her situation and its possible outcomes.

So were they.

-0-On board a ship in the migration

Ratchet nodded, then unsubbed a gun. He looked at Partition. "You stay here and watch the patients. Don't let anyone follow. We're going to find the others," he said. "If you don't do what I tell you I will thrash your aft. This is reality, not playtime. Understand?"

Partition nodded. "Okay," he said as he watched the group form up and walk forward.

Ratchet looked at the civilians sitting and standing around the lounge area with tense worried expressions. "Don't worry. We have this," he said as he followed. He disappeared hot on the trail of the others. Partition watched him go.

-0-Down the corridor

"This is Springer and Ratchet. We're with the rescue. We're here for medical and transport to better ships and the safety of the colony. Identify yourself and step out with your servos empty," Springer said as they crept along.

The sound of footfalls walking away from them could be heard echoing in the ship along with the slight sound of something scraping metal. They slowed, glanced at each other, then split up. Half went one way, Ratchet went with Springer and Drift the other way. :Watch out for ambushes: Springer said as they switched to infrared and night vision, an innovation all of them had as adults.

Ratchet followed, then caught a movement. He tapped Drift, then the two turned to the door where the sound was emanating. Peering swiftly inside, Ratchet blinked with surprise, then entered the room. Sitting on the floor looking terrified, three toddlers were cowering. Subbing his gun, Ratchet gently swooped them up, then stowed them in his carry hold. They cowered there too but they were safer. A swift check of the space yielded no one else so they slipped out and moved onward.

-0-Prime on Salton Sea

Reports were pouring in as the medics and security forces began to systematically make their way forward. The ships that were here were shot up and exhausted of purpose, like they had given all they had in the long haul toward this destination and had little left to continue. Miners and their friends, companions and partners were showing up in the group. Elders who had the knowledge needed to work the different kinds of deposits should they be found were among them too.

Families were elsewhere, back on the three settlement planets that were on the list for pick up by Prime when the chaotic level of daily life settled enough that they could manage to go there. The situation had become unbearable and the priority of the three colonies rose through the roof. He would have to get a plan together when he could get more information. They would squeeze it out of the 'Cons in this group and hopefully, they would tell things they needed. Perhaps they were plants put here by the unknown enemy out there.

"We have a discreet message from a big ship in the middle of the migration, Optimus," Blaster said as he looked up from Communications. "Apparently, the unknowns there have come clean and they're holding the ship. The crew who aren't exactly shrinking violets … they're deep pit miners … they're holed up in an equipment room with a thick door. The 'Cons haven't come around to doing anything about it but they could."

"How many Decepticons and where are they?" Prime asked.

"It's unknown. They can confirm five heavily armed mechs, maybe more. They were moved to this vessel when theirs gave out," Blaster replied. "The ship is located and I can send the coordinates to a team at your command." He checked again. "Ratchet and his medical team are there too."

Prime nodded as he sat in the command chair watching the map on the forward view screen that had every single ship and his teams marked. Partition was inputting the data as fast as it came in. Ships that winked a blue color were those already taken and secured. Those with red were unknown, possibly dangerous. Those that were yellow were probably fine but caution would prevail until it was verified. There were few blue lights, many red and even more yellow. The greatest number were still white signifying that they were not reached at all yet. "Prime to Springer."

:Springer: a hushed voice replied.

"I need you and a good team," Prime said. "Contact me when you get what you're doing secured."

:Affirmative: Springer whispered.

Prime glanced at Blaster. "Link in Springer, Drift, Hercy, Lon, and Kup's optics through a split screen. Audio convergence into one on the sound system," he said.

Blaster complied. The forward screen split into five view points while the audio came through as one. Kup glanced back so they could see Ratchet as Blaster added his view point to the group on the monitor. They were moving along a corridor in the dark but the vision they transmitted was detailed and clear.

Kup: "We need to slow down. Meeting here cleared the ship behind us but the mechs moving up … they could be hiding in the cul de sacs we're coming up to in the bend ahead."

Springer: "Break it up and do a pincer on them. Come around and when we move closer, I'll tell them to surrender or Ada will have a few more patients."

Ratchet with a grin: "Don't do anything on my account, boys. I don't mind sharing the wealth. Kick them like good sons."

Snickers, soft but audible were heard, then everyone divided up. Half the view points hurried around the pass through nearby, inched along to the far corridor again, then one stared down the hallway. :We're set up, Springer: Hercy said.

Springer lowered his gun a bit, then peered around the corner. "This is Springer again. We know you're there. If you're hurt, let us help you. Come on in with your servos up. We're taking you onward to the colony so Prime can hear you and figure out how we can get the others."

"I can't come to you," a female voice said. "There's mechs with guns here."

A hissing sound was heard, then someone moving back. It settled again. Springer glanced down the hall, then leaned back. "Why would you need guns? We're here on a mission of mercy. If you're scared and think we're here for any other reason, don't be. We do this a lot. The colony on the planet where the message comes from has 23 million settlers. We also took Cybertron back. The Decepticons are over."

"I doubt that," a deep rough voice said.

"It 's true," Drift said. "We have a million former Decepticons living on our settlement world. We're gathering everyone including all the Seekers. We took Cybertron back a year ago. It surrendered because it was starving and Megatron is away."

"Let's say a few things, then," the voice said. "Even if you're telling the truth, what makes you think Prime would take us in? What if we say we're Decepticons who were fleeing. What then?"

"I'd say, 'welcome, brother'," Drift replied. "I'm a former Decepticon myself."

It was silent a moment, then the voice was back. "I want to hear it from Prime."

"Hang on," Springer said. :Did you hear that, Optimus?" he asked.

"I am on my way," Prime said as he walked toward the elevator with Ironhide. "You have the 'Con, Paragon." He walked to the elevator, then jetted down to the hangar deck once again. Entering a runabout, they were flown to the ship where the standoff was happening. Slipping inside, he paused in the lounge area to look at the civilians. They were shocked to see him and he was middling surprised to see Partition. "How is the situation here, Partition?" he asked.

"We're fine. When will someone come get them?" he asked nodding to the civilians.

"That is up to Ratchet. Stay here and maintain your post," he said, then walked forward with Ironhide. Partition watched them go.

-0-At a table in the rec room, a game place with a small soda fountain-like snack bar in one corner inside Earth2

They gathered at a table near a window, watching the settlers beyond it walking here and there on the job or off. It was designed to be like an Earth business though it was inside the facility. The commercial section of the habitat was large, various and homelike. Camilla Baker, Lilly Brown, Jaycee Jameson along with Rain Harris gathered to talk. After ordering ice cream, they leaned in together. "How's it going in Mrs. Lyrica's class?" the three asked Jaycee.

"It's hard. She was a famous university teacher. What would someone like that be here doing this?" Jaycee asked. Everyone shrugged. "I have a couple of the kids from N.E.S.T. They're ahead of me. I can't believe it."

Everyone nodded. "We have to get out of pull-out school. We need to be in the rooms full time," Rain said.

"I heard that they keep the classes we're not supposed to know in the time where we're not there," Lilly said. "By the way, we get to go to Trypticon. We're going to Saturn on Martian Friday to do some telescope stuff."

"I wish I could," Jaycee said sighing. "What about you? Are you going to get suspended?"

"I doubt it," Rain said. "I haven't been yet."

"This isn't Earth. I don't think they care who your dad is or how much money they have," Camilla said. "I also saw some of the kids staring at you. It wasn't friendly."

Rain shrugged. "My dad said they'd probably be mad. I don't care. This is our time. My time. They can get over it."

They sat eating ice cream and talking until the curfew siren sounded and all under aged kids, i.e., those less than 17 had to go home from wherever they were. The four of them would be among them.

-0-Prime

He conferred with the group, then moved closer to the hallway. "This is Optimus Prime. I am here to discuss this with you."

It was silent a moment, then the deep voice spoke again. "We're not here to make trouble, Prime. We're leaving the Empire because things are changing on the Rim and out along the Frontier. The new management's as harsh as Megatron but without the humor," the voice said with deep bitterness.

"Come out and surrender. Then talk. I need information. You need sanctuary. You have to come out without weapons and then we can talk," Prime said.

The sound of silence ticked past, then a single shot rang out. A heavy weight seemed to hit the floor, then the voice was back. "We're surrendering. We had a difference of opinion. I hope you have a medic."

"Come out without guns and your servos up. Any of you so much as stumble, you will be killed. Do you understand?" Prime replied.

"We do," the voice said. The sound of weapons hitting the ground could be heard as footfalls from the other end signaled Hercy and crew moving up. A huge mech stepped out of the darkness followed by four more. Their arms were raised, their expressions were grim and they were completely compliant as the mechs tossed them for dangerous items. They had none.

As they filed out, a femme rushed out, paused to look at the Autobots, then ran onward toward the lounge where the others were. Ratchet watched her go, then moved past to the wounded mech who was groaning on the floor. He looked up at the big mech who had been the leader in the encounter. "Nice shot. Nothing fatal but debilitating nonetheless."

"I try," he said with a disgusted tone. "He's my cousin. He's a slow learner."

"Your cousin?" Springer asked with surprise.

"Yeah," the big mech said. "My aunt and uncle wanted me to take care of him because he's a bit on the slow side. Sometimes, you have to perforate him to get him to agree." He glanced at Optimus. "I hope you don't mind, Prime. It's a family thing."

Prime almost grinned as he nodded. "Come with me, all of you. I need to know what's going on."

"Optimus," Ratchet said as he patted his hold. "I have three little babies in here that were alone in a room nearby."

"Bring them, Ratchet. We can sort it out in a moment," Prime said as he continued onward. With that, the big mechs followed under guard for transport to Salton Sea. Ratchet followed with 'cousin' on a stretcher and a bedazzled Partition behind him.

-0-TBC 8-5-17 edited 8-10-17

Leoness: That's absolutely true, Miss Kitty. You have to be carefully taught young as the song says. Unfortunately. :(

Lackwit: BWAHAHAHA! I hear you. So far, Rain isn't telling me she's going to change. We shall see. ;)