The Diego Diaries: "Combat in the System" (dd8 294)

=0=At the moment of revelation

Prowl's face appeared on the screen with a stricken expression. "They've … THEY'RE IN ORBIT OF MARS, OPTIMUS!"

Optimus Prime stared at Prowl for a nanosecond without comprehension, then he turned to Blaster and the bridge crew who were frozen in terror all around him. "MILER! BRIDGE US BACK!"

:OPTIMUS! THERE'S A BATTLE GROUP NEARBY US POINTING THEIR GUNS AT THE PLANET! I HAVE TO BRIDGE YOU TO THE OTHER SIDE OF MARS! YOU CAN'T COME BACK THE NORMAL WAY OR YOU'LL CRASH INTO EACH OTHER!: Miler's terrified voice was heard over the intercom as a bridge burst into sight before them.

"DO IT!" Prime roared as Delphi barked orders for the fleet to leave in good order.

They flew into the bridge, moving through it in groups as they headed back toward Mars and who the hell knew what.

=0=Paladin

He stared at the sight before him with astonishment. Below, there was a massive city landscape that disappeared into the distance. Huge airfields were here and there, a massive almost incomprehensible industrial park could be seen and nearby were two Triggers. There were two Trigger space bridges at Prime's kingdom.

Paladin glanced at his second. "Take out those Triggers. Prime can't be allowed to come back."

As he spoke the big bridge vessels were leaving their spot falling off the line of fire from the invading fleet that was spreading out in the close space where they emerged. They flew with surprising swiftness toward the curve of the world, heading in the opposite direction from the intruders.

"Send a cruiser to take care of them," Paladin said as he walked closer to the tactical chart that was spread out over the forward monitors of his battleship. As he did a cruiser fell out of formation to follow the Triggers.

=0=Ops Center, Autobot City

Alor leaned over the table taking in the information that was displaying the field of combat overhead. "Alor to Rainmaker."

:Rainmaker here:

"A cruiser is going after the Triggers. They can't fight back. Take out the cruiser and I'll send battle shuttles from the home defense."

:Understood: Rainmaker said. He turned to Starscream who was calling up Seeker heavy gunners to intercept the vessel. Rainmaker rose, then nodded to Starscream as he walked to the door to do battle for his home and people. A number of burly Seekers followed him with their arms clearly on display.

=0=On Trigger One

"This is Wheeljack. I'm ordering everyone who isn't on the bridge and piloting to go to the escape pods now. I'm taking control of this Trigger myself. I'm ordering you to run as fast as you can to the escape pods and leave. A cruiser is coming after us and you know what that means. NO ONE IS TO STAY! THAT'S AN ORDER!"

Wheeljack glanced at Perceptor, staring at him long and hard.

He nodded, then with the most reluctance, Perceptor grabbed Miler's arm and began to drag him to the escape pods nearby.

"I CAN'T GO! I HAVE TO HELP HERE, PERCEPTOR!" Miler screamed as Percy jammed him into a pod. The others on the deck were running for them, too and entered swiftly.

Percy stared at Wheeljack. "I love you, 'Jack."

"I know. I love you, too," Wheeljack said as he stared at Percy. "Go. Tell Resolve I will always love him."

Percy nodded then with reluctance climbed into the escape pod. The hatch closed then Wheeljack ejected them from the ship. A scan before him showed that he was alone on the now fully automated bridge. He scanned the other, watching as escape pods flew toward the ground from it as well. Cameo, a veteran scientist and chief operator-pilot was the only one on his vessel as well. "Cameo," Wheeljack said as he opened the mike.

:'Jack. It was nice knowing you: Cameo said.

"Fuck that," Wheeljack said. "Let's show them what good, no GREAT flying is like."

As Wheeljack said that, as the two began to fly the big vessels forward, a battle cruiser broke over the horizon in pursuit.

Flying toward the ground, Perceptor sat beside a mute Miler as the sound of chaos and grief filled his helm. He didn't look back. He flew down toward the planet as overhead a battle cruiser began to close on two Triggers flying two different directions on erratic paths. All around them escape pods flew toward the ground and the northern most outskirts of the colony's habitation zone.

=0=On the ground

They lifted off in a blaze of fire and noise heading swiftly for the sky and space overhead. It was clear that the Triggers were doomed and that the crews minus likely the pilots were heading toward the wilderness of Olympus Mons. Hopefully. If they could fly far enough the trajectory of their crash would carry them that far.

A cruiser, a black menacing vessel was closing on Trigger One as they began to reach that level of space. As it did a mass of Seekers broke over the horizon and began to unload as one into the tail section of the huge ship.

=0=Emergency Command Center, Fortress Maximus, Autobot City, Mars

Inferno watched the play on his situation map showing the Triggers in dire straits. He saw the enemy fleet begin to form into smaller groups perhaps to strafe or land their crews on the ground. It was clear to him that they were surprised by what they saw and it gave the home team a modicum of time to organize a defense built around their actions. He knew in his spark and processor that Prime was hot on their heels. He toggled a switch. "Inferno to Springer."

:Springer here:

"They sent a cruiser to destroy the Triggers. I think Seekers are going after the cruiser but its anyone's guess how that'll turn out. If they destroy the Triggers too soon for them to clear the colony one will land in the wilderness north of the prison and the other one will come down almost too close to Seven Cities-North."

:Understood. What's the possibility of a ground invasion?: Springer asked.

"Highly likely," Inferno said. "Comm into Alor. He and I will feed you information. Your troops are in place in strategic areas. They can be deployed as intel demands."

:Understood: Springer replied. He glanced at the group with him that included Drift and the usual boys, a large heavily armed contingent of Wreckers and veteran soldiers. "Inferno thinks they're going to land. Be ready to move out. Magnus? Arcee? Elita? Did you hear?:

Magnus who was standing on the Military Airfield glanced at the femmes, Jetta and a large contingent of soldiers and Seekers. "We heard. Tuning in to Alor."

They all did.

=0=Alor

He watched the groups splitting up even as he took intel from Rainmaker who was leading the defense of the Triggers. Two good shots had landed on Trigger 1 before the cruiser became occupied by the hornets nest wrath of the Seekers who were swarming it. It felt better to him until he heard Paladin send shuttles after the Seekers.

"Alor to battle group 1. Assist the Seekers. Two shuttles are coming to the aid of the cruiser. Trigger 1 has two hits. Defend."

:Understood: a deep voice replied. Exit turned to his mechs. "Lift off as fast as you can. Alpha group, we're go," he said over the shuttle intercom system.

Four battle shuttles lifted off at the civilian airfield north of Aerie Hill. They'd be in space in seconds. The fighting then would be furious between the home boys and three Decepticon ships of war.

=0=Prime

They came in a rush, ships pouring out of a funnel of time that was fluctuating as they did, arriving at the far side of Mars from the colony. Below the lonely TransWorld Highway could be seen. Both triggers were holding their integrity at the moment but Trigger 1 was shorting. It meant that it was hit. Trigger 2 was holding steady thus far.

Prowl stared at the maps trying to put the idea of his ada being on Trigger 1 out of his mind. They were on the far side of the planet and more than half their battle group was still waiting to come through the bridge. As he stared at the data the funnel began to collapse for Trigger 1. "STOP! DON'T GO THROUGH TRIGGER 1! ITS COLLAPSING!" he yelled into the intercom system. As he did, the bridge funnel disappeared. "WHO WAS IN THE FUNNEL!?"

:Hercy here. No one was. We saw it glitching so we halted traffic. We're up for 2. What's its status?:

"Its holding. I don't know for how long. Get the ships through but if it drops below 75% power halt traffic and beat it here the long way. In fact, start sending ships back. If you go into the Trigger at less than 75% you can end up in trouble because of imminent collapse at any moment. Can you monitor that from there?"

"We can, Prowl: another voice said. :We also have four 'Con battle shuttles here trying to surrender. We're taking them into custody:

"Hercy, have someone get their information. Get it to me stat. We're exiting on the far side of Mars and the battle group is looking to land on the ground," Prowl said. "Trigger 1 is going down."

It was silent a second, then Hercy was back. :On it, Prowl:

Prowl stared at the table map even as he formulated dozens and dozens of plans incorporating the hundreds and hundreds of individuals on both sides that were being fed to him by Teletraan and just about every other source on the field. Trigger 1 was heading to the ground and he prayed that no one was on board. He didn't dare check to see.

=0=Trigger 1

The ship was falling toward the ground below. Wheeljack was struggling to have it fall far enough north that no one would be harmed by the explosion that would follow. He glanced to the escape ports and saw the one left. "Wheeljack to Alor."

:'Jack, I'm ordering you to abandon ship: Alor replied. :You've cleared Aerie Hill and Seven Cities-North far enough. ABANDON SHIP!:

'Jack checked his controls, set the ship on a slow glide, then rose to run for the escape pod. He climbed in, it sealed then was ejected. He cleared the mortally wounded vessel as it began to fall in earnest trailing behind black smoke and pieces that were falling off the tail. Huge explosions began to render it as the massive energy of the bridge began to be released from the fires inside.

'Jack looked farther on to see shuttles fighting as Seekers waited to assist in the close in battle that was taking place over the space between Seven Cities and the parkland that separated that city-plex from West and East. As he watched, a Decepticon shuttle took a huge hit, then began to fall uncontrollably toward the ground. It struck hard and exploded sending shrapnel for what looked like miles and miles. It burned for a moment, then winked out. No one appeared to be walking away from the crash.

It was then that his escape pod slowed to a glide, then landed itself on the ground. Waiting for him as he clambered out was the crew of the Trigger and Perceptor. He walked into Percy's arms and held him tightly.

=0=Prowl and Prime

Optimus looked incandescent as he sat on the command chair. A good third of his armada was here but the rest were forced to use Trigger 2 or begin a mad race back. Trigger 2 was still fleeing and making its way toward their location when a pair of shuttles rounded on it from their recon route over the city below. Up they flew and began to fire.

"Send shuttles, Prowl. Destroy those ships," Prime hissed in fury.

"Group 1, go. Defend the Trigger," Prowl said.

A group of five battle shuttles rose from their assigned spot near Terra to fly upward into the sky. They were gone in seconds. So were the two 'Con shuttles which fell shortly from the sky to land in the vicinity of the Port of Autobot City. It would be small consolation for Trigger 2 which shut down its funnel as it, too, made its way toward the ground.

Sitting on his command chair watching with the coldest fury he felt in literally a million years, Optimus Prime watched as an escape pod cleared the doomed vessel. The massive vessel was on its way to the ground and would crash with a spectacular explosion like its twin about fifteen miles from the Park City. The tremors of both crashing would be felt by everyone living on Mars as they huddled in their shelters underground.

At the same time, shuttles filled with heavily armed soldiers would be landing all over the colony from Decepticon shuttles and fighters.

=0=TBC 11-5-2021