The Diego Diaries: War and Questions (dd6 101) (My readers rule)
Someone asked how Jacx was pronounced. I call him Jacks. Everyone else might have other pronunciations but that's what I hear in his name. Thanks for the question. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D
-0-Around the whirl
They stood on the sidelines of the airfield watching the beta forces lift off. They had been called up and everyone who could make it came to the field to watch the muster, then departure. Jacx was giving a story as the big ships rumbled forward. "The news from the front lines at the moment is still coming in bit by bit. The Beta Armada has been called up to form part of a battle line around the area so that by overwhelming force, the Prime can convey what might come about if the enemy makes a move either against them or the settlements. More direct information has not been made available as of yet.
"The Prime will convey a message tonight at 1800 hours on the TMC through the offices of Strategic Communications. Commander Jazz will be delivering it for him. Prime is currently on site with the armada and will be working for the peaceful resolution of the situation. As it stands, an unknown force holds the three settlements in the Barren that have asked us to come for rescue for some time. The Prime is working hard to find a peaceful resolution for this problem that allows us to bring our people here and as it happens we will be informed. As it stands, Gen-O, the last of the Beta fleet has departed," Jacx said. "Back to you in the studio."
Gen-O nodded as he sat in the news desk chair. "Thank you, Jacx. We will be broadcasting the statement with Commander Jazz this evening at 1800 joors on the TMC. Now, let's go to the Central Armory Hub in The Fortress to get an update from the Master of the Deck on the output for the fleet in terms of munitions and weapons. Lim-Lee is there now. Lim-Lee?" he asked.
(Cut to Armory under The Fortress)
"Hello, Gen-O. I'm here with Gamsee who is night shift Master of the Deck. He is standing in for the Master of the Armories of our colony, Commander Ironhide of Praxus and the Master of Munitions, Nitro. Both of them are with the armada." She turned to the tall handsome mech, then looked way up. "Gamsee, what can you tell us about the arming of the armada that just left?"
Gamsee who was unused to being on television shifted nervously. "Well, let me show you some of the munitions that the armories have supplied to our Seekers and the soldiers themselves," he said as they turned to the vast stores behind them.
-0-School
Silverbow sat by the window staring at the airfield below. Neither of her genitors were going out on the mission but some of the children in her room had that very problem. Sunspot was one of them. She looked at him as he sat going over his writing with Turbo and Comet whose ada, Gypsy, was with the Wreckers as their doctor. She looked at the others and thought about what was happening. She was germinating an idea to cheer everyone up in the colony since the energy everywhere went down with the rise of the armada. She would think about it a bit longer, do more research, then present her idea to Mr. Terradive. He would mull it over, the amazingly wonderful aspects of it, then go up the chain of command to seek permission. He was nothing if not dedicated to his children.
-0-At 'Prison School'
Rain Harris had arrived that first day pausing by the desk with her stepfather and mother to get assigned an aide to help her through the physical part of her day. She was carried by her aide, Mesquite, to the elevator and beyond. Her family followed to watch her be delivered, be given instruction on what to do to assist her, then watch for a moment as they got to it. She was the only human in the room but not the only kid. There were six others there who were in various stages of getting their slag together. Those who had emotional problems had other placements. These were the children who were acting up. They would not only get their education here to satisfy their 'sentences' but also be in the care of behavioral specialists.
No one in the school system was ever 'kicked out of school' in the common sense. It wasn't considered a good idea to give kids what they probably wanted. Instead, they were removed from their classes and assigned elsewhere, some for long term placements and others for short term like Rain Harris. No one was kicked out to run around on their own hook for their sentenced time. They were still required to come but to another place until things were sorted out. No matter how long it took, they would work with the kids. Some of the kids coming here were damaged from war, starvation and violence. Insecurity abounded out in space. It was imperative to address it here and there was no end of patience and resources offered to make it so.
After a moment of conversation with the staff, Mariah Davis, Kyle Davis and Rick Harris were asked to go. Prison school was strict. They would leave to go back to Earth2 and await the arrival of the Beliveaus and Cameron Frazer.
-0-Salton Sea
Ironhide sat beside his father as Blackjack helped set up the net that would enclose the enemy. He knew the way the energy surges and ruptures worked best so he directed placement of ships until the area was enclosed. Ships could still make a break for it but they would be easier to triangulate upon and chase down. No one had an easy way out now. He felt burnt inside though he monitored their link intensely. It was there, slightly muted but nothing was being hidden. If Ratchet was harmed, he wouldn't be able to hide it from him with the two of them this close together. In the past, distance made determinations hard to make but now? He could tell when Ratchet was harmed no matter how small it was.
There was that.
So far, so good.
"There," Blackjack said. He turned to Optimus. "We're in place, Prime. I have sensors focused on two places that are unstable."
"Thank you, General," Prime said. "Blaster, hook me up."
Blaster nodded, made it so, then glanced at Prime. "You're sending, Prime."
"This is Optimus Prime. I wish to speak to the leader of the faction that holds my soldier and the settlements," he said.
It was silent a moment, then a voice spoke. It sounded metallic indicating that it was being distorted. Blaster who was listening turned to his console and worked swiftly to lift the distortions. "This is The Leader. You may call me that. What do you want, Prime? I have asked you to leave and you haven't. Go now and there will be no deaths."
"You hold my people. I will not abandon them. Turn over the doctor which you hold and depart this area. We will take our people out, then leave the area for good. The unstable energy around here makes staying unsuitable," Prime said.
"That won't be possible at the moment, Prime."
"We have surrounded the area with ships and guns. Our ships are formidable in the extreme. We can destroy you no matter what you do. If you allow us to rescue our people, there will be no violence. If you resist that request, then you will pay a steep price. I will personally eviscerate you with my own hands if that should happen," Prime said coldly.
"That's not your style, Prime. You don't use violent means, so I've been told," the voice said.
"You have been woefully misinformed," Prime said with glacial coldness. "Give up our people and live. Resist or harm even the smallest child and I will unleash the full might of my armada until nothing is left of you."
"If you invade or attack, the settlements are history, Prime. Stand off." The channel cut out.
Blaster turned to Prime. "They have good tech. I can't sort out the distortions. They're using their own translation tech. I haven't translated anything they've sent this far. They either speak or know NeoCybex or they have great tech."
Prime nodded. "What about the team going out?"
Prowl checked the datapad, then switched it to the forward screen. The humans who were back in their place watched as Prowl sorted out the data. He glanced at Prime. "They're nearly at their point of action."
-0-Getting there
The shuttles raced through the darkness heading through the vast shimmering empty toward the rocky fragment where they would provoke the enemy. The area they were flying through was filled with glowing energy and minute particles of ice, dust and dirt from destruction, swirling like a windstorm in the void. Hercy was sitting in the co-pilot seat as his team followed Springer, Kup, and Nitro forward.
"What do you think, Hercy? Will they fight?" Lon asked. Bezel who was sitting with him on this, his first mission looked pensive but resolved.
Hercy glanced at the two kids, a pair that he loved like his own. "Hard to say, infant. They may want to keep the element of surprise. Either way, we're going to wave our afts in their faces and see what happens."
A murmur and chuckle went through the group. Lon grinned at Hercy, then sat back slipping his arm around Bezel. Bezel leaned back into the warmth as they flew ever faster onward. On the other ships, the crews were getting set up to go outside. They were veterans and this was just another mission. Kup whose ship was leading saw the planet fragment coming into view, then opened a channel. "We're here. Everyone keep your optics open."
They flew onward, then circled, landing here and there in three different craters. They powered down, then everyone stood. :Hercy to Kup:
:Kup here:
:How about my team and Springer's hooking up the broadcaster to taunt. You can watch for replies or movements. Right were we are, the view is compromised by the crater: -Hercy
:Acknowledged: -Kup
:Springer, we're heading over with the devices: -Hercy
:Got it. We're here. Come on over: -Springer
The door was open as the mechs stepped out heavily armed. They were staring at the sky as Drift sat down on the step leading inside. Springer glanced at him. :You alright?:
Drift glanced up at him with his patched optic. :I'm fine. You?:
:Sore as shit. I'm fragged off, Drift. I want them so much I can taste it: Springer said as he watched Hercy walk toward them with two mechs carrying a device. Lon and Bezel were toting tech which they helped to set up. Car-Low who was a seasoned regular army guy helped with the devices that Springer had brought with him. When they were hooked up, Hercy turned to Springer with a grin. :Give them slag, infant. Make me proud:
Springer stared at the little mech, then smirked slightly. He pulled a small device off the transmitter, then slotted it into his arm. When it synced, he began. :Hey, fraggers. This is Springer. I'm a Wrecker and all around fragger. I'm here on a planetary fragment waiting for you to come out and play. I don't expect you will. You're gutless cowards. You attack settlements and harm children and elders. We're sitting here on your territory. We're invading your space. What you going to do about it, fraggers? What are you going to do about us? I don't know that you have the guts to come to the dance but we're waiting:
It was silent a moment, then the sound of crackling could be heard on the device. Car-Low who was the tech knelt to check the console. He looked up. :Something is moving out there. Something big:
Springer stared at him, then the sky. :Oh-oh: he said.
-0-Prowl
He watched the screens waiting for anything to pop up when an alarm fed by the incoming raw data in his programming let him know what was happening before anyone else. Having spent time trying to unravel all their enemies in his spare time, Prowl had several thousand alarms in his files. Some of them just needed purging because the species they alerted upon were either extinct or inconsequential now. This one, however, wasn't. He listened, checked the data, then opened a channel to the away team. "Hercy, Springer …"
There was no reply, then there was. :OH, FRAG! SEND REINFORCEMENTS!: Springer cried before the signal was cut.
-0-TBC 8-19-17 edited 8-23-17