The Diego Diaries: Kaboom (dd8 299)
=0=The Farm
They stared at each other, two species from two different worlds. The mechs standing on the road walked to the fence, climbed over, then walked toward the mech who was already in the field with three maddened appearing organic beasts of some sort. By the time they were nearly together the big bulls charged all of them.
=0=Flying slowly overhead
A fighter ship flew slowly over the horses as they fled toward the part of their range farthest from the stables. They were running in a huge mass, small and large together, beating feet as fast as they could go. It was a beautiful sight to see for the pilot who had flown over the pasturage that was closest to the stables.
Fearing for the herd, he followed it as it fled led by the white stallion, Partee that was such a show horse in the papers and lifestyle features of the local media. He belonged to Prime and was the emergent leader of the herd over the more easygoing twin of his, King.
He flew low enough not to appear on radar but high enough not to scare them worse than they were. In time they would reach the caldera set aside for them when they were far afield, go down the winding trail and end up in a maintained space with a covered dome that would protect them, allow food and 'water' to be had there and keep them safe for now. When they were he would fly back and rejoin the battle once more.
=0=A cloud of doom shaped Seekers
They buzzed up forming like a swirling cloud of bees, then flew straight at the lingering ends of the armada. Firing on them almost as one, the ships at the receiving end returned fire though it was hard to target given the angles from which the enemy came at them. Almost at once the enemy began to speed up, some of them nearly ramming those in front of them in the line up.
The enemy armada began to move.
=0=Paladin
He noted the rear attack, then sent orders for them to close up and not allow the Seekers to come inside their formation to land on the ships. He knew they had that capability and it meant doom if they did. Moving faster, the armada cleared the Tri-Cities and were headed swiftly over the Crater Districts to the open terrain and the Industrial Parks ahead.
Just as Prime wanted them to do.
=0=Prime
He watched with an intense gaze as the battle group made their second mistake. They were removing themselves from the possibility of hostages by overflying the inhabited areas to flee across open and mostly unsettled terrain. There were electrical stations and energon substations sitting here and there across the plain but they were expendable right now though their downing would have consequences.
Prime was ready to live with them as he watched the armada close up and nearly reach the point he wished. "Prowl, put me in contact with Metroplex."
Prowl switched him in. "Done."
"Metroplex, this is Prime."
:Metroplex here. They are in position:
"Then do what you do," Prime said coldly. "It is your command now."
:Understood: Metroplex said from the Sub Operational Center at The Fortress. He glanced at the plethora of titans and dreads in the room, then turned to them. "Execute defense mode. Take the enemy down," he said in his deeply serious voice.
They would begin.
=0=Park Cities
Springer and his crew manned the gates watching as a horde of Seekers began to shoot at the ships rolling toward them. It was evident that the return fire was limited by their proximity to each other and the awkward angles of the ships banded together. They were starting to speed up and bunch up closer as they came forward toward the Parks.
It was then that all around the area the seated titans partially hidden by the totality of their inclusion into the city designscape had begun to transform their towers back into guns.
=0=Around the vicinity
It was fast for their size and habitat limitations. All over the colony in every major settlement from the Metro Districts, the Eight Ball and Elevens, ships were transforming their towering heights into the lethal guns for which they were so rightly feared. It was swift, then they sighted in, zeroing into the ships who'd flown past the Crater Districts far enough that their inevitable falls wouldn't be harmful to the urban landscape.
The Eight Ball was first, then trained their guns on the middle section of the armada. Without a missed step or hesitation, they began to shoot into the ships. The Metro Districts were next and aimed their fire at the tail end of the Decepticon fleet. Firing last but not least, the Elevens dumped their angst into the ships leading the fray.
It was massive, immediate and from the moment the strikes hit, the impacts were unmistakable. Rounds that landed on a cruiser hit the vital areas and it began to heave as the engines and reactors inside started to blow up. It sprayed fire and shrapnel in all directions and that struck other ships.
Fire landed and the resulting chaos made returning it nearly impossible as ships began to rise into the atmosphere to head toward space, breaking formation in great turmoil. Decepticon fighters from around the area began to scream in to shoot at the titans who ignored them. Shots landed and many of them would be peppered with wounds but nothing was strong enough to stop the fusillade that was showering upward toward the intruders.
Seekers who had flown over and hovered nearby began to chase the 'Con fighters, engaging them over the cities as they fled the massed attack. Many were the fighters who would crash on the streets and into the towers of the different cities as the 'Cons tried to run for the airfield where there would be protection from the troop ships parked on the tarmac. It would be brutal all over the plains and cities of the colony.
=0=Central Corridor
They ran forward, then peered inside. A huge rec room was the main space before them while on the left side was the Fight Center for the colony. It was barricaded shut and no one appeared to be inside. Across the way was the barricaded doors of the Operational Center of the whole colony. Its steel doors mocked them as they entered to stare at the sight.
Running to the main doors, they shot out the controls, then opened them. Outside the battle was raging as fighters passed overhead with Seekers shooting up the ships on the field and nearby in the Hangar District. They stared at it, then each other, the Ops Center sealed shut, then ran out the door heading for a shuttle to leave. The vessels were rising up to run for it and they had to hurry to find one.
They would barely make it.
Inside the Ops Center Alor was working hard on the situation while a squad of Autobot Marines and the defending soldiers waited near the doors for a breach.
It would never come.
=0=Earth1
They ransacked the place looking for anyone who might be there. When it was evident that no one was, the squad of Decepticons ran for the doors to exit the building.
For the people in the shelters watching on their monitors it was heartbreaking to see. However, the relief they felt when the slaggers were gone made up for it a little. They would be stuck there until the structural engineers signed off that things were safe.
That would take two days.
=0=On the streets in The City
Debris fell to the ground now and then from the demolished tower that was missing four floors. A crew of Autobot soldiers huddled against the nearby business building that housed an industrial engineering firm of a family who came from Nova Cronum. The windows that were now broken out once had team patches on them discretely in the corners to show their support. They would have to get new ones now.
The debris falling was coming off the tower where Prime lived. The top four floors were destroyed completely while the rest were shaken hard. It would be an interesting scan from a ship to determine that most of the building was secure though needed repair. Everything from the thirtieth floor downward was in habitable order though it'd need repair. The thirty-first floor up to the now destroyed top levels wouldn't be.
The soldiers watched down the way as the 'Cons began to leave the central area and airfield. It would take a bit but soon the ships would be trying to flee and only a few laggers would be left behind. That was for them to mop up so the soldiers waited for the moment when it was inevitable for those abandoned by their comrades to surrender.
Oddly enough, they would.
=0=Farm Road
The bulls charged without warning or any warning that the 'Cons could understand. Pawing the ground, flicking tails and ears were signs they didn't understand but the consequences of bothering them would be instantly.
The bison hooked one of them with a horn and effortlessly threw them into the air. The other two charged into the mechs and bowled them over to send them ass over tea kettle into the ditches.
The mechs who lost their guns in the encounter fled over the fence to stare at the strange organic monsters with surprise and some discomfort. It was then that they got a call from their commander to retreat and be prepared to leave. Apparently, outside in the game the titans had joined to play.
They glanced at each other, then began to run back the way they came. As they did the bulls were hooking their horns into the fallen guns to fling them into the trees as they raged. The bison would run alongside the 'Cons on his side of the fence with his tail raised in rage until he ran out of fence. By the time they were gone the guns were, too. It would take a caretaker finding them in the trees nearby a week later to render them harmless.
The bulls, several. The 'Cons, none.
=0=Elsewhere
They entered their dome, milled around inside, then settled a bit. All of the herd had made it led by the stallion that ruled them with a benign grace. They settled their spirits, then began to feed on the mash formula that was dispensed from feeding troughs all around the area. There were buildings in which they could enter which would give them a sense of protection like the stables did.
The young horses that were developed as foals and fillies to allow children to have horses that could grow up with them followed the adults who'd bonded with them, acting like parents for their slow and steady growth toward adults themselves. Small ponies and a couple of miniature horses boarded at the Stables had managed to keep up and were gathered together to comfort each other.
The night would pass with them guarded by the white stallion and several others. Morning would dawn before the mechs who saved them would arrive to give them care.
=0=Down below
Tie Down listened to the report sent to him alone, then felt a crushing blow of despair for a moment. Acknowledging with thanks, he sat back again beside the children who were sleeping in a pile next to him. The blow to their building hadn't reached their apartment but it meant that Kes and Tagg who were sitting together talking sweetly were homeless like their peerless son and his family. It was despairing to consider the blow.
He glanced at the children, then thought of the others. The titan kids were at their stations in the DMZ having transported themselves via de-resolution and resolution to their greater selves.
It was feared that the renegades might hear of this attack and that the DMZ might turn into a front as well. The kids came to the stations reluctantly leaving their shelter and the ammas and appas that comforted them.
"We're coming back, Amma. Don't be afraid. We will defend all of you," Fireball had said anxiously as he and his brothers got the word. Coming over as well to go in with them from the titan shelter under their building, six titan children stared at their grandparents and infant siblings with concern.
"We can come, Amma," Tru said as the others nodded.
"Call us," Saber said. "If you don't and you need us I might cry."
They were hugged and petted, comforted as well, then they headed out to protect the colony from their end of the battlefield.
Their elders would sit and feel terrible for a while, then slowly drift off to sleep themselves. Only Tie and Appa Ratchet would be awake to see the armada get blasted in the sky.
As they did the fleet from the other side of the solar system finally made their way to Mars.
=0=TBC 11-10-2021
