The Diego Diaries: Playah (dd6 221)
-0-Ops Center
Prime stood with Prowl staring at the map on the table, the one that held up the various different areas in the local cluster that they controlled and were still in play. It was clear that the several groups had arrived at the same spot and were discussing things together. They had seen a burst of energy several hundred light years away that indicated that Razorclaw was working on perfecting his bridge tech. This was a great deal farther than the first time it was indicated, when a group used it to close the distance between themselves and his domain, fleeing capture as they did. "That's disquieting to see."
Prowl and Paragon nodded. "He's stepped up," Paragon said.
Prime nodded. "Perhaps we can return the favor when he leaves his rendezvous and we can guide him here." He thought a moment. "Prime to Wheeljack."
"Wheeljack here."
"I need your advice. Please come with Perceptor to the Ops Center."
"On our way," Wheeljack said before the transmission cut.
"What do you have in mind?" Prowl asked.
"We have been scouting and interdicting intruders out that way for a long time. We know the area rather well," he said as Wheeljack and Perceptor walked into the huge room. They watched them approach, then Prime asked his questions. "Gentlemen, is it possible that when Razorclaw begins his route back to his own domain that we can intercept him before he reaches his point of transport via bridge? We have his farthest location, correct?" he asked Paragon and Prowl.
"I would say so," Paragon said. "He would have exited into this quadrant closer to the meet up otherwise. Logic dictates such a course."
"Then we have that point. When he's heading back this way, we need to target him and catch him with a bridge before he reaches it again to leave. Is that possible?" Prime asked his scientists.
They thought a moment, then nodded. "That's very possible. We just have to be precise. We have Seekers and their back up shuttles there, all of them capable of pinpointing Razorclaw's exact position as he returns. We can use their information sent in real time to pose the moment when we open a bridge to catch him," Wheeljack said as Perceptor nodded.
"Then make it so," Prime said. "I want him captured. We need to talk. Prowl, put together a group to meet him. Bring him into the solar well, just inside. The unstable energy will give us a few seconds from the disorientation to capture him."
"I will do that," Prowl said as he turned to Paragon. They walked to a console nearby where Paragon sat to work the computers and Prowl watched, leaning over him as he did. Perceptor and Wheeljack walked to a computer and sat down together to work out the details.
Prime looked at the data map. Razorclaw was already there. It was his hope that the slagger wouldn't be going back as freely.
-0-There
It was a cold and clear atmosphere all around them as Razorclaw stepped out of his vessel. He came in a heavily armed ship with a full crew of cold blooded killers. None of his siblings were there, however, but some very famous and dangerous Decepticons were. He walked to the group who were gathered near a pile of rocks with their seconds and personal guards. It was silent as they took in the measure of the other. Everyone knew everyone already and reputations didn't have to be supplied.
Ominous and his second, Pleon watched him walk closer. With him were three other captains and their entourages. He had little experience with Razorclaw since Predaking liked to go it alone most of the time. In set piece battles with large forces, he had seen him. It wasn't someone he would like to tangle with. If he went to Razorclaw, there was no doubt who would be boss. The others knew it as well. He paused in front of them. "I'm Razorclaw. You called me to see about joining my forces. I am not unhappy to have you. You may know that Prime is very strong here and he has Cybertron. This is his entire sphere of influence and as long as the peace lasts, they leave us alone. The point of this whole exercise is to gather enough forces to match or exceed his."
The group captains nodded. "You would be commanding," Ominous stated.
Razorclaw grinned slightly. "That would be a non-negotiable item on our dance card."
The others glanced at each other, then one of them, a huge mech named Liko who was a piratical ship boarding monster turned to face him. "What's in it for us if we join you? All of us have been successful on our own and nothing is stopping us from forming our own group and digging in here. We've scanned and know about the energon floating in this area. We don't really need you without good cause.'
"That's true but it begs a few questions. Will Prime allow another group, a large enough one, to dig in here? Would he just decide to cut his losses and go after you? What about us? We have a greater force than yours. What would keep us from coming for you ourselves?" Razorclaw said. "Prime has forts and forward bases all over this area from here to Cybertron and beyond. He's got tentacles everywhere. Together, we're stronger than on our own or even the four of you. He has metro-formers, Supremes, all the free floating Seekers, endless populations of skilled workers, and a city complex where they live. He's pulling Cybertron back from the brink. There is no Decepticons on Cybertron anymore. He took down Black Shadow, the Decepticon Justice Division and who knows who else?"
It was leaden as they considered that. Around them, the cold air embraced their bodies, though it could have been a balmy orn for all it mattered. The sky was dark with the vacuum of space, though a bright smear of stars was everywhere.
"If we go on our own, what can we expect from you?" Ominous asked. "For informational purposes only." He grinned humorlessly and Razorclaw returned it.
"I wouldn't like it," he said simply.
"I'm not ready to give you an answer yet. I want to talk to my colleagues," Ominous said as he nodded to the other three.
Razorclaw glanced at them, then the big mech with the silent sub commander standing beside him. "Don't wait too long," he said tersely. "You know where I live." With that, Razorclaw walked to his ship and boarded. The three watched as he flew upward, the hatch closing as it did, then jet away into space.
They watched him, then turned to each other. "I'm sick of being a second tier mech for anyone," one of them said. The others nodded. Moving to the rocks nearby, they sat and began to discuss the situation together.
-0-On the way back
Razorclaw brooded in his command chair as the ship flew toward the closest point in space that their bridge could reach. When they got to it, they would fly in and arrive back home. His ship, a fast light battle cruiser was armed and ready to fight, even as it sacrificed a bit of armor and crew complement for speed and agility. No one had anything to say as they flew along. That is, they didn't until a space bridge burst into life before them. They were swallowed by it before they could react. It closed behind them immediately.
-0-At the other side of time
They had gathered a pair of shuttles and stocked them with the best they had. Hopping out to the solar well to interdict Razorclaw's ship, Kup and Hercy sat along the wall of the City of Helex while Drift and Springer rode in Impactor's Revenge. It was quiet as they flew through the maelstrom of light into the dark and roiling energy of the solar well. They flew just outside the turbulence, then powered down to wait. The precision of the bridgings would be a masterful piece of art shortly when the speedy ship of Razorclaw was going to pop into view. They manned gun turrets, then hunkered down to wait.
They wouldn't wait long.
-0-Ops Center
They stood around tactical listening to the cross talk on the Trigger. Trigger 2 was making the catch and retrieve while the other continued with its regular debugging and maintenance. Miler was making commentary as they loaded the precise moment when the bridge would open, Razorclaw would fly in and it would close behind him. They finished loading destiny coordinates, then all of them poised themselves to wait.
-0-Out there
Razorclaw was brooding on his plans when the bridge flared in front of him. Caught in surprise along with everyone else, he had barely stood up to call out for evasive maneuvers before it was too late. Inward they flew, then it closed behind them. He stood on the deck, his fists clenched tightly as they came out again, flashing into dark space and a turbulent area of energy ahead. As they throttled back, their sensors pointing and gathering information in all directions, two gleaming ships appeared out of the darkness.
"Springer to Razorclaw," an amused voice said over Razorclaw's ship's intercom. "You there?"
Razorclaw felt molten fury rise through him, then quashed it. "Is that you, Springer? What brings you here?"
"Actually, its the other way around. Prime wants to speak to you and he told me that if you decided to make that difficult, I could blow you to sub atomic particles. Isn't that great?" the voice asked with a big smile implied.
Razorclaw felt all optics upon him as he sat in his chair musing over the possibilities. "Put him on screen. I can take a minute but I'm overdue at home. I left the stove on."
Springer grinned as he waited for Prime's return message. It came, he read it, then he opened the channel to Razorclaw. "He says, if you come this way again, he will shoot you to molecules. Right now, he can hold you as his prisoners. He has a few words. Hang on." He leaned back and the screen images changed. Optimus Prime was staring at Razorclaw.
-0-Out there
Pleon stared at the device in his servo, then glanced at Ominous. "Sir, Razorclaw has disappeared. A bridge appeared and he went through it."
"He did to come here," Ominous said.
"That was a bridge that was quite smaller and short ranged. This was huge, powerfully lit and had an infinite range," Pleon said.
Ominous considered that, then turned to the others. "It would appear that Razorclaw just got hoisted by Optimus Prime. It will be intriguing to hear from him again. I, however, don't find myself filled with confidence. I propose that we band together and make our own kingdom here. In time, it will be us and Razorclaw for the leadership. We have the advantage. Any of our kind of recruit that wants to see him or anywhere else has to come past us here. We can add our own troops as they show up. Tell me how I'm wrong?"
No one did. They agreed.
Another combined force set out to find a suitable headquarters. The leadership problem was solved almost immediately. They would allow Ominous to be the leader. If they didn't like it, they would resolve it the old fashioned Decepticon way.
They would beat each other until only one was standing. He would be the leader of this branch of the faction. It was the Decepticon way.
-0-Face Time
"I am surprised that you can think you can buzz around my sphere of influence without consequences, Razorclaw. You seem willing to start war," Prime said.
"I'm just trying to be a good neighbor, Prime. I flew out to say hello to the new guys," Razorclaw said with a tight grin.
"You are intent in building up your forces. That will not be allowed. I am confiscating your ship. You will be bridged here and then bridged home. Your brother wishes to talk to you," Optimus said.
Razorclaw didn't reply right away, then he did. "I would hate to have you take my ship. I'm rather fond of it. I would like to speak to my brother. That's mighty fine of you to offer."
"I will send a bridge. Come unarmed or you will be shot on sight," Prime said. He signed off.
"You aren't going are you?" Blue Bacchus asked.
Razorclaw shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt. I want to see if Rampage will come." He rose to his full height, then glanced at the others. "Wait for me here." With that, he walked into the elevator and disappeared. He would reappear almost seconds later on the tarmac of the Military and Civilian Interplanetary Municipal Airfield on Mars.
-0-TBC 12-17-17 edited 12-18-17