The Diego Diaries: War (dd6 355)
-0-Out there
Those who were left from the invading group were surrounded, their ships disabled or blocked in as the Autobots began to gather up their own craft and people while keeping the mob in a chaotic ball. Prime watched the data incoming even as he watched the broadcast from IntraComm from the shelter studio that they used to get word out when a disaster happened.
It had.
There was a trail of destruction from the runway into the business district that fronted the airfield and into The City nearby. IntraComm got clobbered, the Courthouse had half fell in the tumbling crash and the new glassed galleries of the Museum were destroyed. He didn't take the time to consider the destruction given the circumstances but he did deploy Raptor to handle things. There would be a stand down from the order to go inside shortly, as soon as they got the crash area blocked off to the public. It was going to take a while to clean up and put things back together.
Ironhide and Springer were on the intruders who had reached Earth. Morshower was taking on the RIMPAC ships and they were pulling back, if not leaving the area. Where the slaggers were in the ocean was not determined yet but things were starting to blaze madly in the media on Earth.
-0-Around the globe
"Preliminary indications suggest that during a bridge opening to allow injured to come back to Mars from the battle against new intruders, three to four enemy vessels slipped through and made their way across space heading for freedom in the direction of Epsilon Eridani, a star in the general area of the quarantined Decepticon group led by the Predacon, Razorclaw. They were pursued immediately by Autobot forces and when they were faced with those launched from Luna Base as per protocols, they dove into the Pacific Ocean to hide. Right now, a large force of Autobots are scanning the ocean to find them. There is a sensor grid surrounding the Earth which will alert the Autobots if they come up from the ocean where they can be intercepted. Right now, all security forces on Earth are standing at DEFCON 2." The newsreader turned toward the others on the panel, then shook her head. "You'll forgive me but never in my life had I ever believed I would read a news report like that."
They would discuss things and wait for more news, running the news feed from IntraComm down the MCA the moment it began to broadcast to Earth.
-0-IntraComm … The Hourly News … THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS! moments later ...
"This is Aleph of Iacon and I'm reporting the situation as it stands from the emergency broadcast studio in the sub basements and shelter of IntraComm. I have the latest breaking news on the ongoing operation ..."
-0-Earth … a news panel broadcasting to the entire Earth at the MCA HQ in New York City …
"... I have the latest breaking news on the ongoing operation."
The news reader halted the conversation on the panel. "We're going live with the latest breaking news from Autobot City on The Hourly News broadcast."
The screen cut to Aleph, the 'Walter Cronkite of Cybertron' as he gravely gave the news and updates.
"I am Aleph reporting from Autobot City. As of now, the entire colony is on lock down due to several incidents of the last few joors. As we have reported, the Prime and our Alpha and Beta fleets stood out to intercept a rogue Decepticon and piratical civilian group that was bridging their way across the Bootes Barren in the Bootes Constellation as they made for the quarantined encampment of the Decepticon marauder, Ominous. They were given an ultimatum by Prime to turn back and leave the area or face consequences.
"They are led by a mech who goes by the pseudonym Shrike. Information indicates that he was a crime syndicate leader on Cybertron who is named Cobalt and who in the Empire along the Rim before the revolution dealt in the black market and hijacking. Given his activities then, he joined the Decepticons when war came. He is incredibly dangerous, unyielding and unwilling to compromise even to advance his own agenda. He was seeking to link up with Ominous and after scanning his battle group by sending Seeker data flights to investigate, Prime and the General Staff determined that his force was huge, veteran and highly dangerous to the balance of power here. It would be a 'game changer' as Information Officer, Commander Jazz has said.
"They stood out to engage in battle if he wasn't prepared to leave and battle it was. There was a violent exchange 95,000 light years from here, an inevitable outcome given the personality involved. The battle was violent enough that shrapnel damaged Omega Supreme to the point he had to be evacuated and towed here to be treated. The tow team was attacked when they arrived and Omega in his delirium came through the bridge, then crashed landed on the runway favored for his size frame.
"We were given a fleeting heads up given the circumstances and foam was dispensed on the runway while the Hangar District and surrounding areas were evacuated. Seekers managed to slow him down enough manually so that he didn't further slide to The City and take out towers. It would be marginal for him to survive such a thing and the carnage would have been incalculable to our citizenry as well. He crashed, spun out of control, then flew toward the business sector in the Arena District. He crashed into the Courthouse causing half the building to collapse along the front facade. He then spun and rolled into the galleries of the Museum of Cybertron and Mars, clipped the front of the building here at IntraComm before crashing to a halt in the Business Tower nearby.
"He is being attended to right now and will be airlifted to the Medical Hangar in the Hangar District for intensive repairs. Preliminary indications suggest that a long convalescence will be in order. He is in very serious but guarded condition right now. No one on the ground was hurt by this event, which is miraculous given the time the area was given to prepare for this. Omega Supreme is an elder among the Titan Class members of our species and incredibly honored and loved. We wish him well. His bond, Silverbolt has returned from duty on Diego Garcia on Earth and is with him now.
"We were also told that with the chaos of battle, the distortion such brings to sensors and the open bridge to Mars that at least three and maybe four small fighter ships from the group made their way through the aperture here to Mars in the shadow of Omega. When that was discovered almost immediately by Flight Command Center in Fortress Maximus, emergency teams whose job it is to handle such eventualities mustered and gave pursuit. An alert was also triggered at Luna Base where their first response teams flew to assist, placing themselves between the enemy ships and Earth.
"It was then that they disappeared off sensors, cloaking with tech that is new to our experience before diving into the Pacific Ocean to hide. We have sent several ships that specialize in deep scans to link with Luna Base to reach the depths that these ships will be using to hide. The forces are commanded by Commander Ironhide of Praxus and assisted by Commander Springer of Polyhex, head of the Wreckers Special Operations Command and the Day and Night Watch here on Mars.
"The threat level on Earth stands at DEFCON 2, which is precautionary. The operation will be handled by our forces given the differential between humans and our species in terms of sheer firepower. All of the governments of Earth through the N.E.S.T. Global Alliance commanded by General Glenn Morshower are being apprised of all information as we receive it.
"Optimus Prime is in battle at the moment, a combat that has come out in our favor. At this moment, the reports say that a good third of the battle group fled back to the Bootes Barren when it was clear that they would be destroyed if they stayed. All of the enemy ships left behind have been disabled and cannot move or flee. There are damaged ships on both sides with the greatest damage to Shrike's group. Right now, it is not clear if Shrike is still alive but the Prime is in negotiations for an unconditional surrender. It is unclear whether this group will do that or not.
"Preliminary casualty reports indicate that Omega Supreme, the battleship Salton Sea, the battleship Manganese Mountains, the cruisers Furious, Helex and Altihex have taken hits that render them less than effective. Those ships will be returning when the enemy is fully contained. They are still functional but their propulsion units and other engineering operations are rated less than optimal now. We have lost twenty-two small close in fighters, six shuttles and have 22 injured with 2 killed in action. Families of the deceased have been notified and we send as a grateful people our deepest and most sparkfelt condolences. The flags of our colony and Cybertron will be lowered for the next three decaorns in honor of them and all who have served in this operation.
"Commander Jazz has stated that it is a miracle that more are not lost given the ferocity of the battle. At no point in this mission were the enemy going to surrender or leave. The level of battle was as bad as it ever was around Cybertron during The Fall. We will be updating you with information as it comes in. In one breem, the siren will give the all clear for you to come out. Do not go near the hangar district. More ships will be coming and the danger is too great for anyone to be there who has no business in the operation. Please stay where you are until the siren signals the all clear. It will be a very long single blast of sound ..."
-0-Earth
"That sounded ferocious," a military expert said. "Look at the pictures," he said as the feed from Mars began to show the destruction. It didn't show the crash but it showed the aftermath interspersed with the empty streets of the cities. "That ship is nearly 700 feet tall when he stands in root mode as they call the robotic configuration they make. He's massive on a scale that has to be seen to be believed. When we visited the Resort, we got to go to their hangars as visiting military. The hangars are over 700 feet tall. I got vertigo just looking up."
"He's pretty damaged. Look at the Courthouse. He broke it down the middle and the entire front half collapsed," a man said as they stared silently at the mess. It was in every manner that was possible.
-0-Earlier that same orn before disaster …
"What I doing?"
Mr. Abbe-12 grinned. "You're getting ready for a body cast, infant. We're going to make little statues of each of you out of this cast method. All you have to do is stand still while we fix it around you."
Orion who was pinioned into stillness by the fast setting cement that hardened almost the moment it was applied to the body suit he had been squeezed into glanced down at his cemented tiny lower body. "What I do? I, Orion, 'tuck."
"You bet you are," Abbe said as he applied cement to the wrapped arms and chest of Orion. He stood on an art table for the adults who were working as a team to apply the cement form over the almost overbearingly tight body suit to get every crevice and cranny of their charges figures down to perfection. It hardened and as it did Orion stared at his tiny chest. He couldn't move an inch. "Okay, Orion. Remember how we showed all of you about the hood for this game?"
Orion stared up at them with his comical little Ironhide face and his popping blue optics. He nodded. "You doed it."
Roto who was here to help coax the show into action chuckled. "We doed."
Orion smiled brilliantly. "WE DOED!"
"Well, dude, what about you letting them put the mask on and finish this job. When you get done, we can go to lunch and have ice cream," Roto said as he lounged on a chair nearby.
Orion perked up. "KEEM! YOU DOED IT WITH I, ORION!? KEEM!?"
"Yes. You and me and keem," Roto said as the others chuckled.
"I, Orion, doed it. For keem," he said as the last part of the full body cast was lowered over his head and attached to the entirety of the rest of his imprisonment. It was still a moment. Then it wasn't.
-0-Lunch with the early bunch
"I don't like that. They did that and I don't like it," Praxus said as he sat at the lunch table with his group, A. He had been advanced in his learning plan in his level and was now surpassing Orion because he was intelligible and Orion less so. They were about equal in output that could be measured but Orion was still garbled, the little slagger.
The staff had met, gone over the data and plan, discussed the family's wishes and paranoia, then moved Praxus to a more individualized and accelerated plan within his level. He had what it took to flourish in Pioneer School where Hero was but the family was too worried that he was too small and immature to go there. There was still a hold on Hero for the same reason regarding Youngling Day. The next few conferences would tell the story of their ability to flourish and move on.
Or not.
Bleu nodded. "I don't like it," he echoed. He glanced at the others as he spooned his food into his mouth. "You like it?"
Everyone at the table shook their helms. They didn't like it either.
-0-At an art table in an art room several floors away from the gigantic lunchroom
Abbe used a micro saw to cut on the outline edges of the suit that Orion was encased in. Up the side of his legs, along his tiny chassis and along his arms he cut. Then he cut around Orion's tiny helm. Pulling gently, the two halves came off beautifully. Orion who was inside sputtered loudly as he staggered a bit. Even though he had been held fast, he had floundered furiously in his helm. "WHAT! YOU OWED ME! I, ORION CRIED! YOU BAD, YOU!" he bellowed in his tiny huge voice. Glancing around frantically, he ran forward in his zeal to get away and stepped off the table where he was caught, thankfully, by Abbe's assistant, Mr. Tone-E.
Tone-E handed Orion to Roto who reached for him. "Gotcha, Spud. Come on. You can tell me about it." He glanced at the others. "He was the last one, right?"
Abbe grinned as a little mech to whom he taught some of the art they required at this school as well as in the others. "Yeah. We kept the goofiest one for last."
Orion frowned as he sat in Roto's arms. "I, ORION, NOT GOOBER!" he said with an insulted tone. Then he grinned. "Goober." He cackled loudly. "I, ORION, GOOBER! BWAHAHAHAAHAAHA!"
Roto walked out with Orion laughing madly. They watched him go. Then Abbe looked at Tone-E who was holding the two halves of Orion's form. "Don't tell anyone but he's one of the bits on my top ten list."
Tone-E grinned. "Me, too."
That was when the siren went off.
-0-TBC 5-13-18 edited 7-3-18