The Diego Diaries: Copycat (dd8 559)
See note below. :D
=0=Out there
"Prime."
Optimus swiveled in his chair to face Blaster who was sitting nearby jacked into a very powerful computer used by communications and sensor techs for tracking. "Blaster?"
"I have an echo," the big mech said. "Its at these coordinates," he said sending them to the forward screen. "They bounce all over but they're not organic nor are they energetic like they'd be here in the void. Its something that's made by someone echoing my signal to me."
"Prime to Springer, Hercy and Kup."
They acknowledged over the intercom.
Sitting nearby listening with AU Prowl and Prowler, Megatronus glanced up from his datapad to listen as well.
"We have soundings. Please investigate at the coordinates we send you," Optimus said as they acknowledged. He sat back, then glanced at Megatronus. "I hope they do not feel the urge to jump again."
Megatronus nodded. "I am interested in the range of their abilities."
Prime nodded. "I am as well."
=0=Out there
Three battle shuttles pulled out of the group to head onward moving toward a point in space that was unclear but the first break they'd been given. Flying side-by-side, they flashed onward with their sensors and guns at the ready.
Hercy sat quietly as he considered the problem before them. They had to reconnoiter an unknown so powerful that all of them could barely contain even one of their members. He glanced at Killmaster who was chatting quietly with a youngling Home Guardsmen who didn't have a clue about the mech he was sitting next to. That is, the mech on their side of the divide.
"What exactly did you do before the war, Killmaster?" he asked.
The big mech glanced at him, then sat back. "I was a fireman."
Everyone on board the ship stared at him, then each other.
"That's good to know," Hercy said as they got the word from Blaster to alter course. The data coming in was stronger. "Correct course, Rem. Take us in. Hercy to Kup and Springer."
They acknowledged.
"What about a fast flyby. We can data scan and you can give cover," he said.
:Sounds like a plan: Springer replied.
:Good to go: Kup replied.
They burst forward heading toward a metallic echo that was in all likelihood their target.
=0=On Tennyson
Prime brooded in the command chair as he watched the crew working at their consoles. He'd watched the screen but it showed little. The pursuit wasn't appearing up there. It was underway in the audials and enormous talents of Blaster. They were following his directions as he almost echo located the target like a bat does its prey.
Nearby working with Prowl to map the area, something that alternative Cybertronians possessed to some degree, Heretech assisted. The dreaded fanatic was a very interesting mech with his own story crossing paths with that of those Prime knew from his side of the divide.
Heretech in this dimension was the bond of Stephonia of Praxus and both of them ran the massive charitable foundation that had saved so many lives on both Cybertrons before, during and after the war. Instead of the bond that Optimus knew and considered a friend, Heretech was the mech on this dimensional plane. They ran the Avatar Foundation while his were in the Resistance and ended up in prison. In this dimension they were admired, with Heretech working with Megatronus as a key advisor and confidante.
Odd how things turned out.
Megatronus rose to walk to Prime. He sat down in the navigation chair. "This group … they are very dangerous. I am concerned how far they can jump dimensionally."
Optimus who had turned around to face him leaned slightly closer. "I have that fear as well. I am unclear who is next on the progression upward. What strangeness will commence in the next dimension close to us? The Optimus Prime I told you about, the one who rules as the god 13, he is very far away from us dimensionally. I am unclear if Disson and his crew can reach that plane but nothing surprises me."
"That Prime, 13, he wished to stay in touch. I am unclear how that will work. I am assuming that the Matrix will facilitate such a thing, then?" Megatronus asked.
Prime nodded. "You will learn. It will show you what It needs and how you can solve problems together if its possible. We must inform each other if It does."
Megatronus nodded. "That is a capital idea."
"Optimus?"
Both mechs glanced toward Blaster.
=0=Out there
:Little ships:
Springer startled. "Here, slagger."
:Don't follow us. We don't like it:
"I don't care what you don't like. Give it up and come back with us. You can run but you can't hide," Springer said grimly.
The shuttles began to rush forward, heading for the now visible ships that were flying in a relaxed formation together.
"Springer to group. Mount up. We're closing ground," Springer said as he glanced at the sensor screen next to him.
That was when the seven ships disappeared.
=0=On the deck of Tennyson's
"They just disappeared," Blaster said as he glanced up at the two mechs staring at him with startled expressions. "They don't register on the screen."
:Springer to Prime:
"Prime here."
:The slaggers either disappeared into thin air or they jumped:
"Return quickly." Prime sat back waiting as both Prowls frantically worked on data.
After a moment of off line conversation, the two glanced at Prime and Megatronus.
"We have nothing, sir," Prowler said. "They vanished. There's no way to get a bead on their energetic trail in this mess."
It was silent a moment.
"Prime to titan fleet. Do you have any idea where they went or some point of origin for a search of their vanishing place?"
It was silent a moment, then Radical Wind spoke. :We have nothing, Prime. Its impossible to sort out their signatures from this. We have a last point of location but its already corrupted in the eddies. They disappeared and we have nothing:
Prime thought a moment, then glanced at Hard Drive. "Bring Crader out here, General."
Hardie bowed slightly, then walked toward the detention area near the elevators that was located on the deck. After a moment he returned with several armed mechs including one holding the restraint board where Crader was affixed. He slotted it into the floor holder that he dropped on the deck, then stepped back.
Crader glanced around the room, then stared at Prime with a grim sense of satisfaction. "What took you so long to call?"
Prime stared at him considering his next move. "We have discovered how you do this. It was only a matter of time," he lied. "You did yourself no favors resisting."
"Is that so? I'm already mutating this slagger and when I do I'm going to come for you," Crader said then he caught sight of Megatronus who was staring at him with appraising optics. "MEGATRON! Don't tell me you two are kissing cousins? How did you get here, you maniac? You owe me a lot of shanix for things I did for you ratting out the Resistance and running guns."
Megatronus stared at him, then sat back with a cold expression. "Is that so?" he asked in a dangerous sounding voice.
Prime glanced at him, then Crader. "We want information, Crader. I have no problem allowing Megatron to extract it."
"Is that so? What are you doing here, Megatron? I thought you were in the boondocks sniffing glue or something. Someone told me you were a raving lunatic," Crader said.
"And who would know better than you?" Blaster said coldly.
Crader laughed. "Yeah. So, Prime … what do you want? My son is going to part you out like an old shuttle when he gets here."
"I doubt that," Megatronus said quietly.
Crader glanced at him. "Yeah?"
Megatronus nodded. "You might wonder why I am here."
"It crossed my processor," Crader said. He stared at Megatronus with curiosity and nothing more.
"Your son and his friends … they double crossed me. You should know what a bad idea that is," Megatronus said. "They won't do it again."
Crader stared at him, then Prime. "Is that so. I suppose you expect me to believe you killed them or whatever. Right?"
Megatronus stared at him without speaking, the expression on his face as cold and dangerous as any that Megatron had ever shown on Prime's side of the line.
Crader glanced from him to Prime. "I could feel when my son came. How did you figure I knew?"
"Can you feel him now," Megatronus said rather than asked.
Crader stared at him, the bot with whom he made many deals and kept them all. No sense provoking a mech who kept the Decepticon Justice Division around to settle his scores. "It takes more than you to kill him. Disson is no one's fool."
"I would disagree with that," Megatronus said. "Disson is no more."
Crader stared at him, then the cold hard faces of everyone around him. He jerked at his bonds. "YOU FRAGGER! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU! MY SON WOULD TAKE MORE THAN YOU TO KILL HIM!"
"Actually, Crader, it didn't," Megatron said as he sat back in his chair. :It would appear that they cannot remain linked when they aren't in the same dimension:
:It would appear so: Prime replied. "Its a relief not to have to deal with your family, Crader. Maybe we can leave you here and let you float away with the nebula. It will certainly make things safer for all of us all around."
"You're a poor bluffer, Prime. Everyone knows you would never do that. You soft sparked, soft headed fragger. Nice try," Crader said with a bitter smirk.
"They appear to have your number, Optimus," Megatronus said. "Perhaps you can give him to me. I will find a number of interesting pastimes with this one and it will eliminate him from your list of things to do."
Prime nodded. "That would be a welcome outcome to this whole business."
"Then our truce is concluded?" Megatronus said as he rose to stand.
"It is," Optimus said as he rose himself.
Megatronus nodded, then glanced at Heretech. "Please arrange for this baggage to be taken to my ship. Then engage Shockwave to come. I wish to have a new chair made." He looked at Crader. "This one will do."
Crader who was glancing from mech to mech looked at Prime. "You're going to let this maniac take me away?"
Prime shrugged. "I have a lot to do, Crader. I am tired of mechs who cannot learn and change. You demand more time from me than I have to give. If Megatron takes you it satisfies both you as a problem and an old debt we made a truce to settle." He glanced at the mechs standing nearby with their guns. "Please take this mech with Megatron when he leaves. You will transfer him at the hangar deck. I am classifying this exchange as 'secret over secret'. No one is to speak of it to anyone. Understood?"
The mechs who were used to gaslighting operations nodded.
"Sure," Styler replied. He was a big mech, veteran of many campaigns and knew the drill. "Get him and lets go," he said to the others.
One of the big mechs picked up the board, then waited as Megatronus and Heretech took their leave.
"It was good seeing you again, Optimus. I do not intend to be this peaceful next time around. The truce ends when we leave," Megatronus said.
Prime nodded. "Understood."
With that, Megatronus, Heretech, Crader and his guard began to walk to the elevator.
=0=TBC 11-2-2022
NOTE!
I started this story in 2010. October 26 was supposed to be the first posting but the interface was so hard to figure out for me that it took a few days. I posted the first five parts of The Diego Diaries on November 2, 2010. I have tried to write every day and until covid managed a pretty straight line. I intend to do that again given that its snowing like crazy outside and I don't have to go out when it does. Its been a ton of fun and some of you have been here from the start. Thank you for being such good sports about this mild obsession of mine. I hug you all tightly and send you oceans of love.
Me, tip tapping away as the snow falls outside.
