The Diego Diaries: WHO! WHO! WHO LET THE TARGS OUT!? (dd6 186)
-0-At the Autobot City Unified School District Public Arena, Autobot City, Primal Colony of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire
Everyone watched as they jumped the wall, then jogged across the field. They appeared on the jumbotron as the crowd went nuts. Praxian Elite warriors were joining the free-for-all. It was going to be great. No one forgot the last time when it wasn't.
Neither did Prowl. "If you dare to defy me and go help them, Optimus Prime ..." Prowl whispered under his breath.
Prime grinned. "Do not worry. I am not that suicidal."
"Good," Prowl said as he slammed his fists together. "I am." With that, he walked down the row, down the stairs and hopped on the wall. He jumped down and began to hoof it across the field. Ratchet who watched him handed off children, then hurried after Prowl. He was loping across the field on the jumbotron, too, as the cameras followed him and Prowl. On every screen in every place that the game was being watched, a Praxian and an Iaconian were racing forward to do their duty.
Again.
-0-Getting there
Huge Praxian mechanisms were running across the field passing refs and players who were watching with interest as the security forces rushed forward. Sunstreaker who was at the bench turned to the little kids. "Go over there and stay with the security by the wall. If something happens they can put you over the ledge and keep you safe," he said as he herded four little kids over. "Watch them, boys," he said, then transformed to blast across the field, Sideswipe by his side.
In the stands, things were getting real. Springer and the big kid, Gar-Bow were slagging it out. He was a big kid, had an edge being a stair or two above Springer and showed some skill. A lot of skill. Around him, the mechs were taking on a number of the kids but they were too many. About 44 kids were fighting in the space of two sections. The Watch and other security were escorting civilians caught in the middle away, shielding them from blows with their own bodies. Dropping them over the wall, they ran back for more, some of whom were huddled against the wall trying to defend themselves as the battle raged all around them.
A little elder was standing in front of a few others and some little children as Sandstorm tried to pass fights to reach them. He was terrified but plucky, shoving anyone who came near his little group. Before Sandstorm could reach him, a big kid punched the little mech in the face lifting him off his peds. He flew backward, hit the wall and fell to lie silently. An elder with him cried out and flung himself over the little mech. The others cowered, crying out for help as the fight raged around them.
Sandstorm, who became enraged, picked up a kid, then pitched him back into the mob before he could reach the little group. Picking up the prone elder, he used himself to shield the little group as they struggled along the top of the section, walking toward an opening nearby. It would take time and effort.
Springer gripped Gar-Bow's servo, then squeezed. That big kid screamed, then subbed a gun. Springer saw it, then gripped his other servo. Roaring with pain and rage, the gun went off. It hit the top of the stadium, then glanced off harmlessly. That was when several guns came out.
-0-Primal Box
He handed off his children, then ran for the stairs. Hurrying down, he stepped onto the wall, then jumped off. Flying through the air, he landed gracefully then ran swiftly toward the fight. Guns were out and Optimus Prime could no longer stand and watch. The crowd who was watching him, then noticed the flash of gun fire and began to move on both sides. A stampede had begun.
Prowl and Ratchet arrived at the scene at the same time, then leaped onto the wall. Grabbing kids, they tossed two out of the area. They landed on the ground at the sidelines, then jumped up, gripping the wall to enter again. Prowl and Ratchet were too busy fist fighting at the moment to notice them come back. They were working hard to get to the kids with guns.
Kup and Hercy grabbed culprits as they flew out between helping civilians to flee. The civilian spectators were coming over the wall to get out of the line of fire. Some of them were soldiers who after helping their families and companions to safety turned with guns drawn, waiting to hold troublemakers as they were removed or shoot them if ordered.
Hot Rod and Smokey were in the middle of a fist fight in the stands, trying to overpower a pair of big kids who were kicking their asses. Several Coppo kids had found several Southies and the fighting was fierce. It raged on the stairs near the spot where Raptor emerged into the stands. With an unholy roar, he gripped two of them, crashed them together, then tossed them over the wall. As he turned, a Southie pointed a gun in his face and pulled the trigger. Raptor ducked in reflex, took a graze across the side of his helm and staggered backward.
Ironhide who was behind him caught his grandfather and pulled him down to the ground. "RATCHET! GET OVER HERE!" he bellowed as Ratchet raced in. Raptor slid to the ground, then lay back. Ratchet scanned, then staunched a seeping graze. "He's alright. He got his bell run but he's going to recover. Its a graze, Ironhide,"
Ironhide nodded, then turned with a bellow. He ran up the stairs to grab gunmen. As he did, two fired at him at close range. Ratchet who was watching felt rather than saw Turbine and Delphi materialize beside him. "He's got a graze, Turbine. I'm going to help Ironhide. They shot him."
Delphi and Turbine looked up at the mob sharply. "STAY HERE! DOCTOR EVERYONE, RATCHET!" Turbine said as he rose to run for the wall. Delphi was behind him.
Ironhide who took a graze across the shoulder and a hit on the left side of his chassis bellowed with rage and pain, then reached for the shooters. They turned and fell back, just out of his reach. That is, they were until Turbine shoved Ironhide out of the way to grab a gun by the barrel. He yanked it away, then bent it with his bare hands. Turning to the field, he threw it and it exploded before it hit the ground. Turning with burning rage, he advanced on both. The one with a gun fired on him, then found himself flying over Turbine's shoulder to land on the steps before Delphi. Delphi picked him up, then threw him out of the section. He bounced on the ground and was grabbed by Hercy. A tazer made the grab easy.
Optimus Prime reached the stands, jumped the wall and landed on benches. Grabbing two kids in his servos, he clanged them together and tossed them over the wall. Turning to the group, he began to advance. That's when two kids shot at him before fleeing. The hits were direct but they didn't stop him. He advanced swiftly on them, catching both. Banging them against the wall, he dropped them, then turned toward everyone. It was a melee. Pulling his big gun, he fired into the air. It was loud in the space, reverberating against everyone in the crowded area. They froze, then turned to stare into the barrel of the biggest gun they had ever seen. "ENOUGH!" he bellowed.
It was.
-0-Control Booth
"Well, isn't this frag all," Blaster said as Revet and Jazz nodded. "I think they shot Raptor, Springer and Prime. Some slagger shot Prime."
"First time I've ever seen gun play at the game. Usually, it happens in the bars afterward. Must be the gangs," Jazz said as they watched security swarm the area and haul off kids to the infield.
"This is horrible. THIS IS NOT THE WAY FOOTBALL WORKS! DON'T THINK FOR A MOMENT IT IS!" Revet fumed.
For once, the two of them agreed.
-0-On the ground
Ratchet scanned Prime's wounds, then patched them swiftly. "Not much, Optimus, but they're going to sting. Good thing the guns they had weren't more than civilian popguns."
Prime nodded. "Who is hurt?"
"Springer got a shot, Ironhide, Raptor and Turbine," Ratchet said before Prowl walked down the stairs with two wounds. "Prowl, too," he said as he scanned the big winger.
Prime's expression hardened into something deeply cold. "Is he alright, Ratchet?"
"He is," Ratchet said. "I'm going to field patch everyone." He sent a call for everyone shot or harmed to step forward. Raptor, Ironhide, Turbine, Hot Rod, Prowl, and Prime would be the body count. That didn't count a half dozen abused civilians, an elder who would be hospitalized but recover fully and the reputation of the Nation.
Prime turned to the stairs, walked down, then jumped the wall. He walked past everyone to the center field before he subbed his gun. Standing in the middle, the place became instantly silent. He looked around, then spoke. "There are no words to express the disappointment that I feel right now over the few holding hostage the safety and well being of the rest of us. This was a game for our amusement, not a gladiatorial pit. Those who did this will be charged. Those who feel this is the way we conduct ourselves here or anywhere else in the Empire will find that is a very incorrect assumption. This kind of violence will not be tolerated. Those who wish to bring destruction and warfare to our shores will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. Will the referees come forward. Password? If you are here, come forward."
Solemn referees and a sprinting Password followed by two other football officials came to Prime and they talked together off line. It was silent, deeply silent as the suspects were loaded into several prisoner vans that showed up. When they were loaded, the vans drove off, heading down a tunnel to the Courthouse. Those who were wounded were treated on the sidelines as they gathered to await the verdict. Security, beat cops and horse borne, walked around the field, staring into the stands for more trouble but it wasn't there. There was only the solemn faces of the crowd. Some were enraged, some were frightened, worried, struggling with memories, or concerned about the outcome of the game. It was tense and quiet in the stadium filled with 242,000 spectators.
The jumbotron scanned the crowd as a portion of the screen was given over to Ratchet patching everyone and the group huddled in the middle figuring out the next step. No one offered commentary as the scene unfolded. The sky was blue, flags were snapping in the breeze and thousands were waiting the verdict.
The group discussed the situation, then everyone nodded. Sunstreaker as a team captain and Sideswipe as his nosy brother had joined them along with the captain of Simfur. Prime turned to the group. "After discussion, we have decided to continue the game. However, if there is one more outburst, the game will be forfeit. Both Simfur and Kaon will count a forfeit as a loss. The outcome of this situation is in your servos," he said in a stern voice.
Prime walked to the group on the sidelines, checked his mechs and the situation, then the group turned to the field and began to walk back to their seats. The place was silent a moment, then everyone stood up to howl and applaud. It was stupefyingly loud as they journeyed across, then jumped the wall to go up after comforting the four little mechs. It was a muted group that turned to the game which was gathering together to play.
Joining the others, taking concerned comments from the others, Prime and the others including a seething Prowl, a sore Raptor and a furious Turbine turned to the field to watch. Simfur and Kaon would play a very tough game but the pattern had been set earlier. Kaon would win, 6-2. They would be undefeated, one of only three teams that were.
-0-TBC 11-9-17 edited 1-2-18