The Diego Diaries: "There's combat in the system." (dd8 296)
=0=The Family Tower Shelter
The residents of the tower, family and soldiers along with a few visiting friends stared at the monitors stone faced with tension as the cameras outside showed the mess everywhere they rotated.
There were two feeds. One was the regular one that could be seen by residents and those on the MCA down feed from IntraCom on the dedicated channel all day long, channel 82. It showed the colony in a never ending rotation of images all night and day and was often the computer desktop of such places as the School District website and that of the government and IntraCom itself.
Then there was the same feed using the same system that was official use only for the Watch, The Fortress at Ops Center, the Senior Autobot's home high security systems as well as Prowl and Prime's office. That one could be accessed and manipulated to pause on a place or hop from one camera to the other to follow something that was happening.
Inferno at the Emergency Command Center at Fort Max, Alor at The Fortress, Prime and Prowl on board their vessels and the Strategic Information Emergency Center at the Watch Tower were among those with access that were using it now.
Cutting in the humans in the Family Tower group which included N.E.S.T. on world command huddled there and Morshower on a highly secured line in Virginia, they watched the horrors outside and from afar as they happened. It was with a gasp that they watched a mortally wounded shuttle take out the Penthouse and the next three floors of Prime's residence. That mess fell into a horrific burning crash into the playground nearby, then the fires winked out but for some that were burning that didn't require oxygen.
"Oh my god," Sarah Lennox whispered with grief in her voice. "Poor Prowl and Optimus. Things are lost that can't be replaced."
Will who was watching with a grim expression nodded. "This is going to be bad."
"They don't have the forces to triumph but they can make things terrible for a lot of individuals," Thomas Lennox said quietly as he sat next to his wife holding her hand. He glanced at the Witwickys. "What's the word at the Resort?"
Judy checked her handheld. "All's good so far. Only minimal panic among the guests."
=0=Earlier
They flooded the shelters entering to find a place to sit on the couches and air mattresses that were being inflated and placed around. The vastness of the four shelters was amazing even to the staff, three quarters f which were human who called this place home. They helped their guests come inside until the building was cleared topside.
Armed guards, some human who worked for Autobot City Day/Night Watch under Springer's command as well as military grade bots locked the doors, set the mines and turned to the crowd to help settle them.
The humans were mostly organized but there were some, always, whose fear and surprise got the best of them. One of them, a tall older man who looked like a business tycoon who was used to people obeying his orders in the real world stood near the doors with his wife and two other couples who looked scared to death. He walked to Gavin Pritchard who was helping his own wife and children settle on a couch nearby. "Are you in charge of this?"
Gavin turned to the man, then glanced around. People all around him paused their confusion to stare at Gavin. "I'm the head of security here. Find a place to sit and I'll tell you what this means and what we're going to do about it."
"I would like to speak to someone in authority," the man said.
The man's wife glanced anxiously at him. "Steven, lets sit and let him get a chance to tell us along with everyone else."
"I think I want to speak to the person in charge," Steven said as the couples with him and his wife began to shift with anxiety. It was nerve wracking for everyone but this made it worse.
"If you sit I'm going to give information. I want you to know that if you can't obey the orders of staff in this situation I'm going to arrest you," Gavin said. "I have complete authority, me, the staff, the mechs and femmes here and the operators of the Command Center for this place to keep the peace, control the situation and keep everyone safe. You're pushing that in the wrong direction."
Steven stared at him, then glanced around uncertainly. "Alright, but I expect a complete explanation of this." With his wife and the two couples, he walked to a couch nearby and sat.
Gavin watched him knowing how afraid everyone was. It was always thus that prompted such outbursts. He walked to a console nearby, coded in, then picked up the microphone. "May I have your attention."
Everyone paused a moment, turned to him and grew silent.
"I want everyone here to find a place to sit and get comfortable. When that's accomplished I'll tell you what I know and what we're going to do."
A hurried shuffle was had, then it was quiet again.
"Thank you," Gavin said reassuringly. "The sirens you heard were not a drill. Someone we've been following in the sector closest to Decepticon controlled space, someone defecting has arrived in the system. The Autobot Army, Marines and Air Force are lifting off to meet it. The threat is being dealt with and make take a bit of time given the size of the force that was tracked.
"I don't want you to feel fear. The size of the Air Force here alone is over 500,000 in the professional ranks not counting the Home Guard and Reserves. The Seekers are professional soldiers nearly to the last one and they've stayed in the ranks even if some are on the reserved list. All of them can come to play if needed.
"The Autobot Army including the reserves constitutes over 2,500,000 individuals. The ships in the fleet are of all make and model. They number into the tens of thousands both in the Ready Fleet and the reserves. We have literally more than three dozen metrotitans living here who can transform into defensive weapons without leaving their platforms and The Fortress has already proven itself as a defensive weapon of great accuracy and lethal potency.
"If in the unlikely event that the fuckers break through to come here, you'll hear a lot of shooting and fighting. I don't have anything but confidence in the outcome. These people are the greatest professional army and air force that I've ever seen and I'm former special forces. Their depth of experienced soldiers and material is unparalleled. No matter what happens topside, the outcome is already assured. The fuckers are going to lose.
"What can we do here? We can obey orders. We can deport ourselves honorably for these people are fighting for us as well. We don't need drama, outbursts or entitlement. I want to walk out of here after this is over proud of you for your conduct now. Anyone who feels any overriding anxiety about this let us know. We can help you. Anyone who feels the need to act the fool, I will personally arrest you. I have the authority.
"Look around the room at the bot and human staff that's here with you," Gavin said as everyone did. "They live here. This is home. Many of them have family out there huddling in a shelter somewhere wondering where their loved ones are. Don't make this worse.
"Don't expect them to cater to you in any overwhelming way. They have their own feelings about this as well and some of the bots have been in this very situation without shelter from its outcomes more than once in their lives.
"We're here to help you. Let us help you and you help us. In the end, we will triumph. Let's wait this out and see what happens. This is a very historic moment and here you are in it. Remember that. God save Optimus Prime and the Armed Forces of Cybertron, Mars and the Empire."
Murmurs and claps of agreement met that sentiment as Gavin turned to his wife. "I have to circulate to help. Call me if you need anything."
She hugged him and he hugged his children. Then he began to circulate among the 2,500 individuals and their pets who were vacationing here, helping them to settle for however long this calamity lasted. He would be online with the Family Tower shelter and The Fortress as he did.
Steven would come later to apologize to him for his fearful reaction to their situation. He would help them with the crowds, giving out food and comfort as best he could.
He would mean it.
=0=Nearby
They stood on the platform that fronted the entire monastery leading to the steps downward that ended in the parking lot. In the shelters below, the population that called this place home, the children who went to school here and their caretakers, the scribes and students and a host of individuals who fled here from all over the colony hid.
Cyclonus stood on the platform with his gun slung over his arm watching the fighting below with his leadership team.
The Gatekeeper glanced at him. "Will you join them, Master?"
"I am unclear that it would help," Cyclonus said as he mulled over several possibilities. "I am duty bound to defend this place. Anyone who makes the mistake of coming here will regret it."
"Look!" the chief scribe said as he pointed toward The City. "The Prime's home!"
They watched the shuttle take out the Residence, then fall to the ground. It crashed, then from the skies above fighters flew out, Autobot and Decepticon to clash.
"We have to defend this place," Cyclonus said, then glanced toward the Resort down the road. "We will do what we can for them but this is my primary concern. Its my duty to make sure that we aren't destroyed. Aerie Hill is sending Seekers to come here to assist. What I need is for you, brothers, to go below and comfort our people. When the Seekers get here we will join the fight to prevent them from spilling it over to this place as strategically as we can. I do not want to be drawn away from here if the tide shifts this way."
They bowed to Cyclonus, then hurried inside, the Gatekeeper last as he paused to look at his Master before locking the doors. Cyclonus looked as a god to him, silent and defiant as he watched the air combat. He entered and it was silent on the platform for a moment.
The sound of heavy landings behind him drew Cyclonus to turn toward a large group of Seekers gathering on the platform nearby. They walked toward him, then halted. Some bowed their helms.
"Cyclonus, Starscream sent us to help you defend the Monastery," a huge mech said.
Cyclonus nodded. "We shall do that. We shall also endeavor to defend the Resort but this sacred place is first."
The mechs glanced at the Resort then turned to Cyclonus. They looked down the ridge to the colony below. Smoke was trailing upward in several cities and the sky was filled with combat. It was a strange thing to watch it from the steps of this sacred space. It had been a long time since the skies where they lived were filled with anything but peace and contentment.
=0=Paladin
He took reports, sent out reinforcements and gathered his thoughts. If Prime ever got his momentum back the sheer numbers of his superior forces would end the game. He noted that the Industrial Park was one of the most strategic places on the planet. Glancing at his second, he said, "I want the fleet minus those supporting the insurgents to head for their industrial location. If we hold that we hold them hostage."
His second nodded then began to give orders. The ships that weren't supporting any of the invasion elements began to move forward heading toward the hills and craters miles away where the industrial heart of the colony lay. As he did, Paladin made a very strategic mistake.
=0=Prowl and Prime
"GOTCHA!" Prowl said as he exulted a moment.
Paladin was heading in force to the Industrial Park City to take it over and gain one of the biggest bargaining chips they had. Even burning down a city would be less lethal to their independence and mobility than taking their industrial capabilities hostage. The energon they used to run, heal, devise and feed everything was made there and piped out to every place in the colony from Park City 33.
"Prowl to Prime."
:Prime here:
"When they clear the urban areas and head into the open space leading to the Park Cities I'm going to have the titans open up," Prowl said.
:Let them clear, Prowl. It is apparent he does not see his vulnerability. Perhaps he does not see the titans in their cityforms as titans:
"We made it purposeful that they'd fit in along with every other development. You might be right," Prowl said. "Prowl out." He toggled the all call for the titans. "This is Prowl. The armada is mostly going toward the Park Cities. How many of you are already transformed into weapons?"
:This is Metroplex. Only three. The rest have held off given how much trouble this will make for residents:
"Which three?" Prowl asked.
:Acroplex and his group. They're defending the children: Metroplex replied.
"How long does it take you to transform your towers back into weapons?" Prowl asked as he formulated plans. The armada was passing over Autobot City heading toward Terra minus a cruiser which was supporting the ground game in The City and local area.
:We can transform those towers among our city form that are weapons in seconds, Prowl. We can transform when you give the word. I'm assuming you want us to take them down?: Metroplex asked.
"I do. But I want to make sure that if anything falls out of the sky it hits unoccupied territory," Prowl said. "We have fifty miles of relatively undeveloped terrain between the edge of the Crater District and the Park City. The other developments have thirty-five miles between them and the Industrial Park. We must make sure no matter how they're hit that they can't aim for a city to crash."
:Understood: Metroplex replied. :Stand by, Prowl. We're making calculations and assigning targets:
Prowl stared at the map then grinned without humor. "Okay, fucker," he said softly. "Let's see how you like us now."
=0=TBC 11-7-2021
