The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 95)
-0-Salton Sea
They drove swiftly to the ship, then stepped out at the ramp where big mechs, weapons and other gear were heading inside as well. It was an amazing sight even for the seasoned warriors among them let alone the civilian, Harris. They stood by the ramp until two youngling soldiers came down, then held out both servos. They climbed aboard, then began the long walk inside.
They entered at the flight deck, the hangar deck of the big ship. It was loaded with pallets that were being trucked inside. Fighters hung by their tails on racks along the wall, winched up for future deployment. A big mech was directing the supplies to their proper places as squads of mechs began to form around a superior officer, all of whom appeared to be hard bitten and gnarly to Harris.
They were going past everything at chest level to the bots so it appeared even more amazing than perhaps at ground level where a lot of this including its intensity would be harder to see. They joined a line of soldiers waiting for an elevator. One turned to them, a hard looking customer it seemed to Harris. "What you got there, Fran?" he asked one of the two bearing the humans forward.
"Humans who have no sense," Fran, a big burly mech replied. He was young, a former Decepticon and a father.
Mechs who were waiting turned to look, then laughed. Lennox who was used to this as a warrior himself grinned at them. :Slaggers. If we don't come along, who's going to get the low shots?"
"I think we learned something, boys," a big gnarly mech said as the elevator opened. "Humans have mini-con slaggers too."
Huge laughter and insults greeted that as everyone entered to go to different floors. Some of them had to go to mustering areas while others went to barracks to stow gear and pass the time. The elevator not only went up and down, it went sideways, a factor not lost on Harris. When the door finally opened, they were the last to get off and it was on the vast, high tech, mind blowing command deck of Salton Sea. It seemed to take forever to cross as Harris craned his neck to see everything, high, low and in between.
A console curved from the back wall, around the front, around the sidewalls and back to the other side near the elevator. At intervals, mechs sat at stations, lighted monitors of massive size showing all manner of strange things in strange languages above, in front of and around them. At the center of the space was a command table with massive datapads laying upon it along with other tools that Harris could only assume aided navigation and war.
The front of the command deck had a separate two mech console that he would learn was the pilot station and the navigator's position. Behind all of this, centered in the middle was a command chair upon which Optimus Prime sat. He passed them as they headed for the travel box which was fastened to the console in front of the pilot. They were gently placed inside, then sat and buckled in. Glancing forward, Harris stared at several of the biggest monitors he had ever seen. They were colossal, the biggest ever, and on either side along the entire length of the command deck, the outside could be seen.
It was silent in the box as the group inside watched everyone around them. The seats could swivel so no view of the area was off limits to Harris. He turned his chair to watch Prime and his officers getting ready to leave. The sound of communications, at first in NeoCybex, then translated through the box itself into English told the story. Most of them were from other parts of the armada checking in but some of it was from the deck crew themselves.
"The Seekers are formed up, Prime," Ironhide said as he glanced up toward Prime.
Prime nodded. "Signal the fleet to check in readiness. What do we hear from Cybertron?"
"They're formed and ready to go. They'll meet up with us at the point of space chosen," Raptor said from what Harris would learn was Tactical.
The door of the elevator opened as Prowl walked in with Paragon and Alor of Iacon. He had studied the facial recognition books put together by Earth2 as each bot was identified and understood. He knew them by sight but the introductions to most were still waiting. They paused beside Prime.
"I've handed off command of the colony to Paragon. Alor and I will be handling strategic planning together. Are there any orders you wish for Paragon?" Prowl asked.
Prime looked at Paragon. "Hold the fort, Paragon. We will return as soon as possible, hopefully, with a good ending."
"I hope so, sir," Paragon said with a grave nod of his helm. "I have the contingency fleet and medical organized and on standby. I will send them at your call."
Prime nodded. "Very well. Gentlemen, I believe its time to stand out. Thank you, Paragon. Let us know if anything happens here to warrant our presence."
Paragon bowed slightly. "I will, Prime. Good sailing to a good ending."
"Thank you," Prime said as the elegant doppelganger of Prowl walked to the elevator and left. "Give the word, Prowl, when we're ready. Is the formation in space completely designed?"
Prowl glanced at Blackjack who nodded. "Yes, sir."
Harris knowing Prowl was Prime's bond marveled at the formality of the winger, but then he decided he shouldn't. Prowl was one finely tuned individual.
"Very well," Prime said. "Stage us into space."
On a monitor nearby, The Hourly News was broadcasting latest breaking news. The fleet was powering up as segments of it began to get into the order of flight that would in the end take them all away. Jacx was reporting next to a line of tankers that would not only refuel the fleet but be resting places for the bigger mechanisms. "And now that its been completed, Prowl has turned over command of the planet and empire to Commander Paragon of Praxus. I had a chance to speak with him earlier."
The scene cut to the Ops Center doorway where the two were talking together. "Sir, tell me about the mission and what details you can give."
"We have received word that several settlement colonies of our people have been seeking relief and safe journey to the empire for some time. We had worked out how to get them when it appears that they've been compromised by an unknown alien force. Given the lack of detail about who it might be, we've planned a large armed force to go there to see what's happening and to rescue our people."
"Will there be fighting, Commander?" Jacx asked.
"There's always that possibility but I'd hold to the good hope that when they see the force and resolve that the Prime brings to the problem that they will leave. I wouldn't want to face the forces that we're sending forward to resolve this," Paragon said.
"When will we know what's happening, sir?" Jacx asked.
"When we know, you will know," Paragon said. Someone called to him from inside the Ops Center. "If you excuse me, please." He nodded politely, then walked into the room to confer with a number of mechs around Tactical.
The scene returned to Jacx. He would continue to tell what was happening as ship after monster ship rolled forward behind him heading for the order of departure for their particular specialty.
Harris watched the broadcast, then looked around. Blackjack was at a console conferring with Alor. Raptor was scrutinizing a datapad as he joked with Ironhide. Ironhide was smirking at the big mech as he told his grandson something amusing in a soft voice. Other mechs and a small femme were working hard at their stations when the elevator opened and more familiar bots entered.
Hercy, Kup, Springer, Drift, Jazz, Splice, some of the big femmes that he had heard were daughters of Ratchet and Ironhide along with some mechs he didn't know walked toward the table to gather around it. Ironhide and his elders walked over to join them. Prime turned in his command chair to face them. He was very serious as was Prowl and Alor, though he glanced at the humans, then grinned. "What's the situation involving our strike forces?" Prime asked.
Springer glanced at the others, then Prime. "We're ready to go. Fueled and armed up, all of it organized. We're going to form up around the armada, then look for bases out there in the debris. Apparently, there's a lot of debris. It can help and hinder us, Optimus."
Prime nodded. "I will trust to your discretion. We're going to combine sensors and do a deep space scan from the moment we clear the bridges. You at point will be our vanguard."
Springer nodded. "Support has been lifting off. We will follow you. Once you and the big ships form up with the cruiser screen, we'll follow and make the lead. First into the bridges, then you follow."
"Affirmative," Prime said with a nod of his helm.
Lon and Bezel going to their first battle stood side-by-side listening to their leadership calmly define the battle formation. They were chosen to go, a shockingly amazing prospect for both and were here now, thrilled and a wee bit anxious. They were on Kup's ship. Smokey who stood with them along with Hot Rod and Blurr who was called in from Diego, was equally anxious to go and 'kick some metal'.
Harris and the others had swung around in their seats to listen and watch the show. The feed was through the suit's translation and communications devices and given how calm it was, Harris was mesmerized. He had first demurred about going with the armada but something about huge events can sweep up a person. He was here, perhaps going into combat and he felt an odd mix of thrill and fear. Even in the most brutal financial actions he had experienced, he had never felt like this before.
"Alright," Springer said as he glanced at the others. "Let's mount up."
"Young warriors," Prime said as everyone paused to turn back to him. "I am proud of you for your service and dedication but I ask you to be very cognizant of what happens and listen to your commanders. This is no time for anyone to attempt individual valor. We are a team and that is how we win and stay alive. Remember that."
The youngsters among the older mechs nodded solemnly. "We will, Optimus," Smokey said as Smokescreen grinned at his grandson.
"I'll make sure of it," Smokescreen said as everyone laughed.
Lon and Bezel glanced at Prime, then bowed their helms. "Thank you for the chance to serve our people, Prime. We won't let you down."
"It never occurred to me that you would," Prime said nodding back.
The group turned almost as one, then disappeared into the elevators. The bridge was silent but for the sound of machines working, then Raptor turned to Prime. "Younglings stepping up. I hate it."
"You and me, too, General," Prime said as he vented a soft sigh. Turning forward, he read the panels before him. "The cruisers, fighter mother ships and battleships short of us are moving out. Be ready for lift off, Rem."
"Yes, sir," Rem said as he turned back to the console.
It was silent as everyone stared forward at the long line of ships filing out of their parking spots to roll toward the flight line to lift off. They seemed endless, the white ships of the armada, their gigantic Autobrands peering enigmatically out at the world. One by one, at the front of the long line, they began to lift off, flying forward into the growing sunlight of a new day, heading toward the eternal darkness of night.
It would take a while before Phobos, Salton Sea and Moonbase would be moving forward to join them.
-0-TBC 8-17-17 edited 8-22-17
I am going through the notes to reply to them. Thank you for parts out of order and things that I wrote about a bit ago and haven't carried forward. The laptop crapping out sort of messed me up. I will gather up the threads and fix that. I will respond to notes as soon as I thump Cortana from popping up over and over and over and over and … ;)