The Diego Diaries: Aftermath and Going On (dd6 366)
-0-Everywhere
"I am here to tell you about the mission to the Bootes Barren that intercepted a very large Decepticon fleet that was heading here to hold talks with Ominous and Razorclaw, two quarantined enemy groups in our local sphere of influence. We have just concluded a mission designed to turn them back or punish them to the point where there was no purpose continuing forward. I commanded the group at the point of confrontation and took a force so great that it would meet any contingency. Because this pertains to everyone in this system and by extension Cybertron, I am broadcasting to Earth, Mars, Cybertron, and the Empire. I am also including the two quarantined groups as well as an object lesson.
"Eleven years ago, fifteen countries of Earth were in the business of maintaining an alien figure and a strange cube device that was found in the arctic region of this planet by an explorer by the name of Witwicky. Both had lain frozen into the ice and snow and would still be if the melting conditions of the area had not allowed them to be seen and retrieved by humans. For nearly eighty years, you held the figure and examined him. You experimented upon his body and you developed a number of devices for your own use from that research. There were two unfortunate outcomes this effort created. First, the figure was Megatron. Secondly, at no point in this venture over the eighty year period was he unaware of what you were doing. He was in stasis bodily but his mental processes were aware and operating. He felt, heard and saw everything that you did to him.
"When he became free, he set in motion events that play out to this very day. We fought him and drove him off. We fought his mentor, Megatronus and we secured the system. Because I called for more soldiers to assist in this effort, refugees heard as well and came, some of them in great distress and grave condition. We had to care for them. I am their Prime. It is my duty to do so. We built the colony on the nearest viable planet, Mars, to resolve this problem, something that is a bone of contention to this day among some of you. Our people needed rescue and we needed a place to care for them. In doing so, we joined ourselves together, willing or not, for the future.
"I know Megatron well. I once called him brother. He will never forgive nor forget what happened to him for eighty years in your custody. He was aware of every single thing that happened to him. No one shames or humiliates him and lives. Because he is gone for now, the Empire is in disarray. We overtook Cybertron from them without firing a single shot. We are working to relieve over one and a half billion of our people there and there are millions upon millions in space and scattered through the galaxy seeking to come home or on their way.
"The undertaking before us, all of us Cybertronians, is daunting. On top of that, the greater part of the Decepticon empire is still intact and functioning. Their threat still remains. On the fringe of that, there are groups breaking away to build their own kingdoms. Two of them are heavily quarantined within the sphere of my influence which covers an area in all directions around this solar system out 110,000 light years. Within that space, Cybertron, this system and all number of different worlds which we are searching for our people exists. We will defend that space with our very sparks.
"We set out via space bridge to the place in the Bootes Constellation we call the Barren. It is a section of space with few planets or even galaxies within its confines. It is possible to track movements there and map the area to see who and what lives or operates there. It was then that this group led by a criminal and gangster named Shrike was spotted. He led a very big group of ships, one of the biggest we have come across. We saw from their movement that they had limited space bridge capacity which means they could jump, regroup and jump again until it was possible that they could come knocking on our door. We had to intervene with them far enough away that they would not be able to get here.
"We took a huge fleet with us, one designed to deter them. However, Shrike is not the kind who backs down. He made the decision to fight and in the close quarter battle, half of his fleet desserted. The other half decided to fight and in the intensity of battle, two of our own were killed and a number wounded. Shrike's group took heavy casualties and all of the ships that did not flee were disabled or destroyed. Some of them required boarding with hand-to-hand combat to subdue their crews.
"In the combat, a number of our own were badly wounded including the city-guardian, Omega Supreme. He was dispatched to leave for medical attention and in his delirium, he came through the bridge and in the attempt to land safely crashed heavily and spun out of control. I have been told by medical control that he will recover from his injuries, though it will take a while for him to be fully functional.
"Several of our ships were damaged as well and when we returned, that was evident by their condition. We brought back 497 prisoners, some of them badly wounded. They will be treated, then placed in our prison until further notice. Their ships and databases, their weapons and some new technology that they have developed was gathered. Part of that technology is the ability to not only cloak their ships but fall off the grid.
"Four ships made it through the bridge with Omega in the chaos of battle. They are being tracked in the oceans of Earth. They flew past us, cloaked, then made their way to Earth before plunging into the oceans where they are attempting to hide and elude pursuit. We, however, have them on sonar when they have to uncloak. Their powers aren't infinite. They have to recharge before cloaking again. When they do, we will find and apprehend them.
"What you do not have to do is panic. We have them located and will take them into custody when they surface. Your governments have been fully briefed and the militaries of the areas involved are being informed as the event develops. We have always informed Earth when things happen and we work very closely with the militaries of your world through the N.E.S.T. Global Alliance. Your governments have been informed and that will continue.
"I realized that this will once again dredge up old arguments about the alliances we have made and our place in this system. The old argument that if we were not here, they would not be here also will arise, rest assured. That argument has no validity when you consider the personality of Megatron and the fact that he was held prisoner by you for eighty years fully aware of what was happening to him when you did. He will never forgive. Given what he did to his own home world and people, what makes you think he will ever forgive what you did and leave? He will never leave without avenging his wrath upon you.
"We are securing the space where this conflict occurred. We also have issued warnings to Ominous and Razorclaw that we can just as easily turn our guns upon them. We will not allow battle groups or free floating Decepticons or pirates to come to this system and cause trouble. This is our home. We have families here as well. We will defend this space. Right now, I have ordered a mourning period of thirty days in which the flags of Cybertron, Mars and the Alliance will stand at half mast. We will be honoring the sacrifice of our fallen brothers even as we draw the iron curtain that surrounds us even tighter.
"We ask that you remember the fallen, take comfort in the courage of those who battled so that you can live in peace and hold true to the alliance that we share to make our home safe. We are, both sides, in a situation not of our own choosing but it is what it is. We share the same fate as you. It is our creed to stand together for each other and those whose lives and freedom we will defend. Until all are one. Good night," Prime said. Then the screen changed to the usual emblems.
Prime stood, chatted a moment with the crew, Jazz and Mirage, then turned to head for the door. That was when he received a message from Ironhide.
-0-Flying into the ether from the Hawaiian Islands
"They cloaked and I don't know where they are," Torque said. He was the pilot of the vessel Ironhide was flying, commanding the mission as the hits began to come in.
The four enemy ships broke the surface of the ocean flying swiftly upward to the sky before cloaking. They faded immediately, then were gone. Casting their nets wide, triangulating and all of the tricks of the trade couldn't locate them. Ironhide was lit. "FRAG! Put me through to Prime."
Torque complied. "You're on."
"Prime, the slaggers broke the surface, cloaked and are gone," Ironhide said furiously.
"Are they headed for space?" Prime asked.
"I believe so. I think they're making a break for Razorclaw," Ironhide replied.
"Understood. Alert the DMZ defensive forces, then follow. Try to see if they make a mistake or need to uncloak. Then disable them, Ironhide," Prime said.
"Got it, Prime." He turned to Torque. "Hit it. I want to be close enough to shoot in a wide array. We can see if they're anywhere near us, then let them have it."
They sped off shooting this way and that. The ships didn't reveal themselves and they wouldn't. They would barely make it to Razorclaw before they came onto his radar themselves. They would need to power up again before they could cloak once more. They would zoom with escort to the big mech's base where he would quiz them about their tech, then turn it over to his own mad scientists. It was his lucky orn.
-0-Autobot City Ops Center some time later
They sat around the table debriefing the slag. Then Prime glanced at the comm officer. "Please put me through to General Morshower at the Pentagon."
The comm officer did. "You're on, sir."
Morshower appeared on screen with two of his aides. "Optimus. What's happening?"
"The four ships made it to Razorclaw. Their tech has eluded our detection. Now Razorclaw has it. I want to keep that under wraps for now. We are studying their databases and will counter measure soon."
Morshower nodded with a grim expression. "Do we stand down?"
Prime nodded. "We do. For now."
They would talk a while troubleshooting the problem, then sign off. Morshower would alert everyone that the DEFCON condition was no longer applicable and a good dozen world leaders would have to give their solemn oath to uphold the secret beyond secret understanding that the quarantined battle groups now had new tech. They would be a grim group of individuals when they signed off.
-0-Late that night
Ironhide slipped in, then checked his kids. Tiptoeing into the berth room, he checked Halo, then lay down wearily. Ratchet turned onto his side and patted Ironhide. "You lost them, then?"
"We did. The slaggers and their tech are now with Razorclaw," Ironhide growled.
"Slag. We better crack the whip on Wheeljack and the Nerd Squad," Ratchet said.
"Tomorrow," Ironhide said tiredly. "Right now, I only want to see the inside of my optics."
Ratchet grinned. "You and me both. Good night, Ironhide."
"Good night, Ratchet."
-0-Farther up the pole
He walked in quietly, pet Miss Kitty who was waiting for him, then headed for the berth room to collapse. Prowl was already there having come earlier to assist the kids. He sat on the berth, then lay back tiredly. They had lost mechs, the enemy had aided the other enemy and the humans would probably be loudly unhappy, some of them. All in all, it was successful but costly.
As usual.
Prowl rustled, then glanced at him. "The speech was what they needed to hear. We will take this one orn at a time. As usual."
Prime nodded. "Tomorrow," he said. "Good night, Prowl."
"Good night, Optimus. Tomorrow when it matters more."
It was silent as outside the airfield was still a hive of activity and the weak light of the two moons of Mars shed down upon them as they flew swiftly overhead. The work crews were hard at it with the damaged buildings and repairs. Commerce still was transacted in the Hangar District and school would open again in a few joors. Life went on. It always moved on.
-0-TBC 5-25-18 edited 5-28-18 (I heart you, Dorothy, my dearest friend on your day)