The Diego Diaries: Face Time (dd6 581)
-0-Nearly there
They walked down the corridor that led to the inner sanctum, the Office of the Primes of Cybertron and Empire. Such was the name of the door all this time and such was the decision by Prowl to leave it, to remind everyone that this was that individual. Standing outside the door, a good half dozen mechs waited, their firm and menacing auras reaching them as they approached.
The welcoming committee was known to everyone as the four halted before them. Hard Drive stared at them coldly. "You are going to be speaking to the First Disciple of Primus. I expect you to understand what that means." With that, he turned toward the door, opened it and led them inside.
Razorclaw and his second, Poison, along with Ominous and his, Pleon walked through the group composed of Ironhide, Blackjack, Raptor, Steiner, Sun and Jack. Then entered the reception room where Prime's Cybertronian staff worked including his office manager, the redoubtable Shackle. That big mech stood behind his desk with a slight smirk knowing full well that they would know who he was.
Cold optics glanced his way as they reached the big double doors to Prime's huge office. They entered, all of them, then Shackle closed the doors. He walked to the rest of the group standing nearby to join them. It was very silent.
The rest of his crew, Ratchet and the others were sitting on the couches and chairs watching with a sense of amusement. Sitting at his giant desk, one that had served every prime but the first three, Optimus sat calmly watching them. Standing behind him with a look of great satisfaction on his handsome face, Prowl watched them as well.
Razorclaw grinned slightly, an action without mirth. "We're here, Prime. Nice show by the way."
Prime sat forward bracing his elbows on the desk. "We caught the message. A phase six mechanism is on his way."
"It's mighty neighborly of you to notice," Ominous said with a slight grin. "What's your proposition?"
"What proposition?" Prowl asked as he glanced at Prime, then the others. "Did you hear of a proposition?"
Everyone shook their helms. Prowl stared at them with a cold expression. "Maybe you can clarify your question."
Razorclaw stepped closer. "You called us here for a purpose. You could have left this to ride, waiting to see who walked out of this encounter and who doesn't. What is your proposition, Prime?"
"I do not like instability in my realm. You exist in my realm and I allow it. The moment it becomes problematic, you will be taken out. This new player is problematic. I intend for the threat to either be ended or turned back. It is obvious to anyone that he is coming for one or both of you. My guess is he takes you out first, Ominous, then goes for you, Razorclaw. Tell me where I am wrong."
It was silent a moment, then Razorclaw shrugged. "It seems reasonable. Take out the weak link first, then come for me. What makes you think I'm that easy to kill?"
"I have some experience with phase six mechanisms," Prime said as he sat back.
Prowl glanced toward the bookshelf. The four visitors glanced that way, then turned to look with barely concealed surprise. Lining three bookshelves, impaled on spiked stands, the mugs of a lot of deep deep trouble stared back at them with dead optics. It was very quiet in the room.
Ominous walked toward them taking in the sight as he looked closely at each. He turned toward Prime. "I'd heard that your track record is good. I wasn't aware that you were a head hunter given your reputation as an Autobot."
"That was then. This is now," Prime said coldly. "I have seen a lot and for our people and Cybertron, there is little I will not do to protect both."
Ominous nodded as he glanced at the heads. "Apparently," he said as he walked back to the three who were staring at the heads without comment. "What do you want, Prime?"
Prime sat back. "If you are going to be here, then you have to do so in a neutral manner. You cannot recruit to enlarge your forces and you cannot provoke anyone … neither us nor anyone else who inhabits this space. I am beginning to hear things that are troublesome at the very least."
The four stared at him, then Pleon stepped closer. "If he is on his way as suggested, then what do you desire to happen? I am asking in a hypothetical way."
Prime stared at a mech who he'd seen about, one who didn't show emotion and who was as smart and tactical as they came. "I would require your surrender ultimately."
Ominous grinned. "Ah, a wish list. Go on."
"Your helms on that wall would be nice as well," Raptor said as he smoldered nearby.
"I can't say I agree with that one but I can understand the sentiment," Razorclaw said as he glanced their way. "I wouldn't mind having your helm on my wall either." He looked at Prime. "What else is on your processor, Prime?"
"We are not going to allow him to enter this space. We are going to take him out. What I am going to require of you is that no more soldiers and groups are allowed to join you. I will not allow it. I am also investigating your behavior and actions beyond Eridani. We are getting word, Razorclaw, that you intend to hold hegemony there and I will not allow it."
"Then you're throwing down the gauntlet?" Razorclaw asked.
Prime nodded. "I am. We can do this now or we can co-exist in balance. Either way, I am satisfied. I am sure that you understand the depth of my bench."
They did, both groups but they would never say so. It was silent a moment, then Poison said, "I'm under the impression that you're going to eradicate Pulsar then."
Prime nodded. "I am able to hear and see throughout the areas that you occupy. I will know if you give him warning and the punishment will be swift and brutal. I will give you no other warning."
Razorclaw nodded then glanced around. "Very well. Message delivered."
Prime rose, towering over nearly all of them but Razorclaw and Ominous. "It had better be. I will obliterate you to your component particles before I will allow one more alien species or Cybertronian to suffer any more at your hands. If you remember nothing else, remember that. I am not the same Autobot you once knew."
They stared at him, then Ominous nodded. "Message received and understood. What now?"
"You ... leave," Prime said in a soft and immaculately cold voice.
Hardie stepped forward. "Take this group back," he said to the mechs standing behind him. "Get them off Cybertron as fast as you can."
Raptor stepped forward with a smirk. "Move it, slaggers, before we cut our losses and blast you to dust particles right here."
They smirked at Raptor, then without a glance backward walked to the door Shackle opened to file out. Ironhide, Blackjack, Sun, Jack, Steiner, Hercy and Kup followed Raptor out.
Shackle closed the door, then turned toward Prime. "That was everything I needed today," he said to great and amused laughter.
That sentiment would be echoed by everyone.
-0-Outside and on their way
They walked along the street away from the Plaza of the Citadel. The city was jamming with activity, individuals going here and there, many of them with great happiness as the whirl rang onward. The area was ablaze with lights from the massive camps nearby, finished towers of habitation, other buildings that were familiar and now restored as well as businesses that were tall, short, spires or round as well as long multi-level block length buildings twinkling with light and unknown for purpose.
Overhead, ships flew, floating devices carrying heavy loads and workers passed over, some floating light towers that hovered like the drones they were illuminating the area and traffic that was like the olden orns showed the reclamation underway. It was a massive undertaking and another example of Prime's power and organizational abilities.
It was damned impressive and for a couple of them a spark tugging moment of homesickness. That passed as they reached the airfield where an almost catastrophic level of power was on display. Not even at the peak of the Golden Age was such military might gathered in one place. One could imagine this replicated all over Cybertron. All of it bore Autobrands and all of the players wore them as well.
Banners for the Primes, Iacon, the Autobots, other city-states and events could be seen on poles and hanging from the windows of apartment towers nearby. Cybertron was rising and flourishing, heading onward without them.
In spite of them.
They reached a block house near the airfield's command center, then entered it. Down they went to the bridge room where they halted. Raptor turned to them. "We're sending you back to your shuttles. When you get there you have free passage back to your holes in the ground for three joors. After that, we will kill you. Any questions?"
Razorclaw smirked slightly. "You assume we can get back in that time."
"He can," Raptor said as he nodded to Ominous. "You have bridges. Three of them. Use them."
It was coldly silent a moment as each side glared at the others, then a bridge burst into sight. "You go first, Ominous," Raptor said. He watched Ominous and Pleon enter the bridge, then it shifted, settling on another destination as the controller glanced, then nodded to Raptor. "Get, Razorclaw," Raptor said darkly.
Razorclaw stepped up on the platform, then glanced at Raptor. "Some orn, you and me."
"Pencil me in," Raptor said. He unsubbed a cannon, then pointed it at both. "Now git," he said echoing the near fetish level of lurve that cowboy culture had among the senior Autobots.
He smirked then stepped into the bridge followed by Poison. It flashed, then shut down. Raptor stared at it, then the others. "I think its Miller Time, boys."
Huge laughter and agreement met that as they walked out to return to The Citadel.
They would have to settle for Cybertronian labels.
-0-A short time later
Prowl stared at the wall of fake helms as he sipped his Black Label. "Do you really intend to leave this ghoulish sideshow here?"
Prime who was sitting at his desk with his peds up, a cold one and a brownie in servo grinned. "I rather like it."
"Stay away from Ratchet," Prowl said as he turned to the group lounging around the room. "He's wearing off on you."
Ratchet grinned. "Slagger. You, Prowler, should be so lucky as well."
"Frag that," Prowl said with no small satisfaction. His ada wasn't here.
"I suppose we have to design an overpowering and time ripping display of Primal might to take out this slagger once and for all," Sun said as he reached for another donut. "By the way, do you know about fudge? Infant showed us and it's addictive."
"I do," Prime said with a grin. "I have a great affinity for it myself. Cherries and nuts especially."
"Mech has good taste," Ironhide said with a grin as he winked at Prime. "Its rubbing off on him from me."
"That better be all that is," Prowl said as he sat down and propped up his peds.
Huge laughter.
"When do you want to meet to do this plan?" Hercy asked as he sat beside Kup eating a brownie.
"When we get back," Prime said. "We are tracking him and can intervene at any moment. I believe this will be a shooting war. Last time, we drove them off without a problem. This time, they have no where to go so they will in all likelihood shoot it out. I am going to require propaganda, Jazz, for their crews. We can see what and where that leads."
"To prison, surely," Turbine said.
"From your mouth to the audials of Primus," Ratchet said.
No one disagreed.
=0=TBC 1-29-19
zESL:
affinity: (uh-fin-it-eee) to have an affinity for something is to like it, feel a connection to it in a big way. Some people have an affinity to art and can paint and draw well.
It's Miller Time is a commercial slogan for Miller High Life beer. :D
TF NEWS: Beyverse is dead. Bumblebee did so well that it's now a reboot of TF's going forward. They're working on BB2 which will also feature Optimus where they both save the world or something. But before that … there will be an animated film set on Cybertron. HUZZAH! It will be between BB1 and BB2 and will help hook both films and their plots together. Imagine the drawing now after all this time. WHAT HO! A Beast Wars is on hold, maybe its on or not but Optimal Prime is AWESOME in the preliminary art. They're also working on an Optimus Prime movie but its hard because he's 'poised/contained, calculated and a mech of few words.' I think that's Beyverse thoughts. They need to re-watch all the G1 and see what a sport and boy Optimus really is. By the way, its all going to be based on G1.
:D:D:D
You're welcome.