The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 353)
-0-Out there
There was a huge fireball as two tanker ships unable to move away or counter measure were struck with slimline missiles from Supreme mechanisms. They went up in a gigantic explosion, one slamming into the others fireball as they detonated seconds apart. They flashed and threw shrapnel everywhere as they fell into oblivion. Ships from the enemy fleet pulled out and rounded on the giant vessels as they plowed forward through the mass of fire, unspent fuel and rubble of ships. Flying forward, they began to shoot. As they shot, they dispensed small fighters in profusion.
-0-Seekers
They flew in masses heading for the fighters that were landing shots on the Supremes. Those ships were interlocking fire to move down the slaggers as they churned out through the dense rubble of battle. Seekers flashed into the battles and the Supremes broke off fire. Furious shooting, Seekers landing on ships to shoot directly into the cockpits and dog fights galore were only overshadowed by five big ships ducking down as one to go under the battle that congested the road ahead. It was unbelievable to watch.
-0-Forward
Two battleships began to fire on Prime, all of their shots heading his way. Omega barrel rolled, churning downward as the agile fleet Prime put together broke formation to let all the missiles pass. Plasma fire and large shells followed, peppering the battleships and Omega as he rolled again, bringing his side guns into alignment with one of them.
Gripping tightly to the chair where he sat, Optimus Prime watched as his troops began to take the battle group apart. That was when some of it broke free and began to speed away. It was a lot, then more joined, heading toward the Bootes with zeal. The largest part was still engaged but it was now cut down by at least a third.
Humans watching were mesmerized by the show outside. It was faster than they expected and they knew it would be speedy. It was violent in a very impersonal manner, the distances and violence disallowing one to see their enemy and put any value on them. There was no sound either. That was strange. Radio traffic could be heard on board ship with voices calling out or calling in. But the sounds one was used to seeing in a space battle on film were missing here.
Truly. In space, they cannot hear you scream.
-0-A battleship being eaten alive by smaller vessels
They came in, Wrecker shuttles, and began to lay down seams of fire that stitched the ship in all the most vulnerable places. All around them the battle was engaged. Several more ships began to break off and head for the Bootes. Only two of them made it through the field of engagement. A battleship was firing madly at the ships incoming as a Wrecker shuttle blew up, scattering its shrapnel everywhere. Fire engulfed the view, then it was gone. Floating in space were several mechs, their bodies showing signs of the fight.
Ratchet watched the scene, then turned to his rescue teams. "I won't ask you to go there but I'm going. Get the fast shuttle ready," he said as a number of soldiers ran for the elevator. He looked at the sensors that were running numbers on the mechs. They might make it, some of them, if he got them now. He would, he vowed. With that, he ran for the elevator and disappeared into the ship.
-0-Nearby
"FRAG! LOOK AT THAT!" Sideswipe said as he fired on the battleship. "WE HAVE WOUNDED OUT THERE!"
Springer got the location, then glanced at Usso, a grizzled old mech who had been a pilot in the Golden Age. "Bring us around and we'll pull them inside."
He nodded, then moved the ship around explosions and debris to slide in close to the silent floating mechs. The hatch opened, bots leaped out and the wounded were pulled inside almost immediately.
"ANYONE ELSE!?" Drift called out over the noise.
"WE GOT THEM!" Usso shouted as the door closed.
"Ada is coming. Move us off so we can download them," Springer said as the ship shifted. They moved out of the way of more incoming fire, hunkering down as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker began to help with the wounded. As they did, a blast from the battleship signaled a big rupture and as they moved onward toward a small fast shuttle heading toward them with medical markers, the battleship began to jump wildly with internal explosions.
"Bring us around and we can take them through the hatchback," Ratchet said as they closed distance through the intense fighting to Impactor's Revenge. As they did, the battleship began to come apart at the seams.
They moved to the windows, Springer and Ratchet on their respective ships, to watch the spectacle of a ship that could carry 10,000 individuals optimally begin to disintegrate. It ruptured in the middle spilling out metal and fluids as the stern buckled. It seemed to hump up and bend in two, then fling itself back to level. As it did, a massive part of the engine that propelled the ship burst through the hull, barely missed several Seekers tussling with a small three-man fighter and began to flash through space willy nilly.
"Omega, move!" Rem said as he helped the big ship make a barrel roll once again. Crashing into a small cruiser that was trading fire with two Wrecker shuttles, he bounced off harmlessly but cut his retreating space by nearly half. The flaming sparking piece of ship trailing burning fluids and shrapnel cleared the distance just as Omega rolled again. When he did, he broke the enemy cruiser in half, then shuddered with impact. The flaming piece of debris had struck him directly in the chest where it slid down his body which was braced by the cruiser, laying him open all the way to his stern before flying free to head into open space.
The impact was bone jarring and so was the cry from Omega as the debris cut him up. He rolled and rolled, spinning out of control even as he held his structural integrity for his passengers. He spun, then leveled out as he hit another cruiser, this one Prime's own fleet. He glanced off it, then slid swiftly without propelling himself as he drifted away from the group.
"OMEGA!" Xantium's voice rang out over the intercom system as the big mech moved closer, his guns blazing at a cruiser nearby. They came together as Xantium slowed Omega's drift. "Xantium to Prime. WHAT THE FRAG IS HAPPENING!? IS HE ALRIGHT!?"
Prime who was up and at tactical and environmental tapped a toggle. "He is. He has to go back. We are switching to you, Xantium. Prepare to receive us."
"I'm waiting but you better come fast. I'M GOING TO BUST THEM UP!" Xee said as soldiers and civilian workers began to bridge over to him.
Prime walked to the humans. "You will go back with Omega. We cannot have you here. This is greater than you can safely watch, though not unexpected. Stay where you are. The containers have internal gravity and you will be safe. When you get to Autobot City, this action is classified until we have the full picture. You are on your honor."
:Understood, Prime. What's the situation on Omega? Can he get us there?: Lennox asked.
Prime glanced at the monitor nearby, then the humans. "Hang on. It will be a bumpy ride."
They stared at him, then nodded.
"I would transfer you to another ship but its not possible right now. Omega has to go so you go with them. Everyone else is needed here. If I can, I will have you retrieved," Prime said as he turned to leave. He looked back, nodded, then ran for the elevator. He disappeared along with Ironhide, his family and the stuff from the table.
Lennox stared at the door, then turned to the others. :Something tells me that this is going to be a wild ride home:
:You may be right: Glenn Morshower said.
:Bring it on: Judy Witwicky said grimly. It was then that Omega began to move again. He was heading slowly, haltingly toward a space bridge that had burst into sight nearby. Coming from it with guns locked and loaded, several shuttles bore down with a tow vessel between them. They made their way through the littered battlefield, shot up two fighters who came for them, then locked onto Omega. As they did, a mech transferred over and ran for the elevator across the fight deck. He disappeared inside.
-0-Elsewhere
The battle was frighteningly furious as the enemy began to run for the Bootes. They had to pass the fury of Omega's siblings, some of whom made up for their relative lack of shooting chops in genuine fury and invective. They flashed past as the big ships moved to prevent further escape with their enormity and fury.
Downfield, the battle was raging. Prime was now on Xantium and he was directing a pincer movement to cut off the escape of several troop ships and cruisers. Six other battleships were trying to find maneuvering room even as Prime's forces cut them off. As they turned and backed around, small fighters and Seekers were scoring the slag out of their propulsion units. They were finding themselves unable to turn or move, making them sitting ducks for the shooting that was blazing all around them, everywhere.
The tow beams hit Omega and they began to back toward the bridge when a number of enemy shuttles and fighters flashed toward them. Putting out a call, the shuttles opened up and debris began to fly. Moving behind several large sections of a ship that was breached, three enemy fighters and a shuttle slowed to wait. Others fought the shuttles before they scored two of them and sent the tow ship into retreat. Before anyone could come to assist, Omega in his delirium began to move toward the bridge's funnel. As he did, a mech transferred back to a shuttle carrying the boxes of humans in his arms. It was a good thing.
-0-On Mars at the airfield at Autobot City
The siren went off and everyone in the Hangar District paused to listen. The siren was long, then it gave three short bursts. It was then that everyone in the area fled to the streets to leave or into the shelters below buildings. Something big and dangerous was coming into the airfield hot.
Silverbolt who was on Earth had been called back to Autobot City. Told about Omega's wounds, he flew as fast as he could. The bridges were held for the mission so he had to fly. He would miss Omega's landing at The City.
It would be a good thing.
-0-Moving with dispatch
He flew toward the light which in his delirium represented freedom. He flashed into the funnel bashing his way through a number of Decepticon fighters who disintegrated upon impact to fall into the bridge for home. Unnoticed with him in the fury and sensor distortion of the moment, three enemy fighters and a shuttle flew after him, their presence on sensors under represented in the debris field his wounds were leaving behind him.
-0-Autobot City
The sirens howled again signaling that a crash landing was probably going to happen. Seekers flying up to the funnel itself waited to slow down what was heading for them. Omega burst out of the funnel, barrel rolling in distress as he began to fall toward the airfield, going on some imprinted memory through the procedure of landing on the long runway that was their frame's preferred place. On the ground, safely out of the area, those who had businesses, those who worked in the hangar district, those who were at the Courthouse, Museum and IntraComm watched with astonishment as a heavily damaged Supreme mechanism began to dog leg around to come into a landing on the long runway.
"Oh, frag," Lon said as he and Bezel stood together holding back civilians from the area who wanted to watch what appeared to be a looming disaster of the magnitude unseen since Metroplex was burned. Seekers were attaching to him to slow him as the ground was being covered with foam. The entire runway was covered by the time he began to descend, heading for a crash landing of awesome magnitude.
They arrived, big frames who watched with horror as the great Omega came in trailing debris. Down he came as Tennyson joined the others, watching with shock and fear as it was clearly too late to intervene. Down he came, then Omega hit the ground. A rumble below them was heard and felt as the ship slid in the foam, spraying it like waves on the ocean in all directions. Seekers were pulling hard on him, then he began to roll. They cut loose and managed to free themselves as he rolled toward the side heading swiftly toward the Courthouse. He slammed into it, then rolled again, heading toward IntraComm and the Museum of Cybertron and Mars. He hit them, sheering off the front of IntraComm and the side galleries of the Museum before continuing. He was rolling now, over and over before he hit a building that catered to small businesses that used fixed offices. He shattered every window on the side he struck, then halted. Dust hung in the air, glass fell from thirty stories upward, artifacts of The People lay scattered everywhere, and a tower for transmission of music and radio programs lay bent and broken on the ground.
IntraComm was missing an entrance with all its windows, the art in the foreground, their cab stand, and a number of vehicles used to transport reporters and movie equipment. The Museum lost its galleries that held a number of priceless books and paintings. Those would have to be sifted out to see if they could be reclaimed by restorers led by Jade. All of the outside of the building was pockmarked by flying debris and small fires that sputtered out when the fuel that caused them burned up. A long curving groove and several divots where he had landed on his slide tore up the roads and byways.
The Courthouse had heavy damage, though everyone had gone below. Omega had hit it directly and it caved all along the front side, the stonework of this, one of the first buildings built here collapsing under impact. Debris had hit everywhere including the businesses and administrative buildings across the street from the runways all the way down to the Pit Stop. Dust was high but it was clear that shit had hit the fan. Other than things bouncing off their domes and buildings, N.E.S.T. HQ and the Hu-An Habitat were safe and undisturbed.
It was silent a moment, then a siren commenced again. A voice sounded over the Emergency Transponder System. "Everyone is to go inside and stay there. If you're near a shelter, go there. We have intruders in the system. Our Army and Air Force are on the situation. We want everyone off the streets and inside. Stay inside. Do not go to the schools. They're on lock down. Everyone, clear the streets and stay inside. Get off the streets and go to the nearest building or shelter. Repeat, this is no drill. We have intruders in the system ..."
It was only then that they noticed that Omega didn't come alone.
-0-TBC 5-11-18 edited 7-3-18
ESL:
Invective: words spoken in anger. :D