The Diego Diaries: Going On (dd8 303)
=0=Around the colony in deep shelters
They listened solemnly everywhere to Prime's calm voice. He told of destruction and delays to their lives that they could only imagine in their heads. Outside there was who knew what? There was at least one tower sheared off with the crash of a shuttle and fighting happened everywhere. It would be quiet for a bit as Prime signed off.
=0=Earth2
"I wonder how bad it is up there? You'd think the titans would tell us," Cossimo Rossi said as he sat between Michael Pare and Christoper Pallas.
"Maybe they don't care," Pallas said. He was tense and angry, still burning over the fight. "This place is going to be a prison."
"Better here than Earth," Hamilton Brown said. "I don't know how you thought you could run away."
"I think you're hardly in the position to lecture," Clare Hilliard-Barnard sniffed.
"And neither are you," Owen Harris replied with irritation. Nearby walking among the people in the shelter, Cindy Tomas was comforting them, answering questions as best she could and taking questions to be answered later when things calmed down.
It irked.
=0=Among the Elders of the Human Collective
"I wonder how many of the colonists are going to want to go back to Earth to live?" Fig Figueroa mused. "Maybe a few?"
"I don't know," Sarah Lennox said. "I'm staying here. I don't see it being any safer on Earth than here. This is not the normal way of things. Optimus will get on top of their tech and turn this around. I want to stay here."
Will Lennox glanced at his wife who in the past was sweet, a homebody happy to raise their daughter on the farm and someone who he'd never expected to become an interplanetary pioneer for Earth. "I like it here. We can defend from here as well as there."
"I agree," Charlotte Mearing-Seymour said as she sat on a soft chair nearby. "The opposition will try to turn this to their advantage. We can't allow that. Too much is riding on keeping a good relationship with the bots and working together for the good of both sides."
"Then we all agree," Jonathan Lennox said.
Everyone around them nodded.
=0=Prima Station, Midpoint at the Midway Array
They finished running the diagnostics on the station and found it untouched and unharmed. After relaying that information to the Prime, Optimus agreed that the station could return to their lives though communications would remain cut off from Earth.
Jetta discussed things with the station crew, then cut into the communications line to the shelters many, many decks below. "May I have your attention," he said, then waited a beat. "My name is Jetta of Iacon and I'm the Chief Engineer for Autobot Nation, Mars, the Empire and this station. Give me your attention for a moment please."
Down below in the shelters thousands of humans paused their time passing to listen. The smooth tenor of Jetta, someone everyone knew about from living here drew them into silence.
"The colony just ended an attack from a Decepticon armada that we were tracking for some time now. The armada bridged into the solar system and we had a fight for the past day. We drove them off but we took hits, some of which will take time and effort to fix.
"You were told to go to the shelters and you did in a good time. We are going to work to cut that time down through our monthly spot drills. Its important that you value this training and obey immediately what you're called to do.
"Right now, we've gone over the station and found it sound. None of the intruders were able to get past Mars. The line of defense here will be in place for a number of days until we're clear that the enemy has been driven off. You'll see them outside the windows of the station. They include the entire family of Supreme mechanisms that live on Mars.
"We want you to come back up and rejoin your life and work. Understand, all communications is still suspended between Earth, Mars and this station. We're still assessing the situation on world and want to have control of the narrative when we tell Earth what has happened and the consequences of it.
"We've tired of rumors and fear mongering so we closed communications until Prime tells the tale of this situation in his usual fulsome and calm manner. It's not our habit to hide information from allies and that's not the point here. What we're tired of is contention and strife. When the full situation is sorted out then we'll let the people of Earth know what happened and how much was done to protect all of you here and them there as well.
"When the siren sounds you may begin to come back up. Do it easily and help each other. There's no reason for anyone to have fear or concern but we encourage you to avail yourself of the counseling your habitat provides if you feel anything negative or unsettling about what's happened. You did a good job. Thank you for your patience. Jetta out."
After a moment of digesting the news, the 29,000+ inhabitants of Prima Station began to gather their things, children, pets and each other to begin the ride back up to the habitation decks and their lives. It would take a while to complete.
=0=Ops Center
"Jetta checked in. Prima Station is unharmed and the locals are coming back up. No communications will be made by anyone until you decide to reconnect with Earth," Prowl said as he stood next to Prime who was sitting at the table going over the reports coming in.
"Thank you," he said quietly. He sat back to stare at Prowl. :Are you alright?:
:Ask me later: Prowl replied ruefully. :I'll take a moment to prepare the apartment down the corridor for us to live in until the Residence is rebuilt. You do agree about that, correct?:
Prime nodded. :I am happy with a home, Prowl. My genitors are homeless. I want to be the one who tells them:
:When the shelters are evacuated there we can tell them: Prowl replied. :We have hotel accommodations for everyone who has lost their home. Your genitors will be staying here in one of the smaller apartments that were given to those who were hurt when they came in on the migrations. We still have bout four of those here. They're small but nice and nearby us. I'll make sure they're comfortable and a good fit. They can dine with us:
:That will make me feel better, Prowl. Thank you for your kindness and patience. I love you: Prime said.
Prowl rested his servo on Prime's shoulder. :I love you, too. We'll get through this together, Optimus. It'll be alright:
:I hope so: Prime said quietly, then he picked up a data pad which was updating the fires and fuel crisis at the crash sites. It was getting close to being under control. That helped, too.
=0=Autobot City Medical Center
Ratchet walked from the Emergency Floor to the lobby using the stairs. The elevators were busy and he didn't want to wait. He also wanted to consider the situation. Engineers were sounding his building, testing those floors that were still standing. The elevator system was down so it meant if they were allowed to stay they'd have to walk up.
They lived on the 24th floor so it wasn't like it was impossible but with kids and pets it seemed to be to him. There was a message from Prowl that he could stay at an ambassadorial apartment with his family and genitors in the next district over from where they lived. It was tempting and probable given because the tower didn't look too good to him.
The top four floors had been rammed off and their smoldering remains actually felt painful to see. All of his family had homes there but Sun, 'Jack, Lissie, Flint and Steiner. It would take a lot of shuffling to have everyone homed again when the gates opened to come out.
He reached the lobby, then walked out the door. Ignoring the broken tower beside him, he hurried onward comforted to know that the kids had taken Robby, Spot and Cousin down into safety with them. The titan kids, all nine of them had checked in. Everyone had. Now they had to get the word when they came up. No one was going to be going home at the moment, that would be made clear by the engineers by the time he reached Ops Center.
=0=Maximum Security Prison
Roadie and Winnie watched the newbie prisoners walk in shackles into a temporary prison encampment until they could be processed. Most of them were from the escape pods or street fighting. Many were left behind when the armada rose up to leave. None of those mechs were happy about being abandoned and they either bellowed their unhappiness or were seething with sullen rage.
There were about 450 of them captured. 32 were killed in the fighting or the crash of ships and fighters. They struggled to hold off the quality and number of Seekers flung at them by Rainmaker and Starscream. Given this was their turf the Seekers suffered casualties but no deaths. It was miraculous that they'd been that good and fast.
Gee-Gee walked up to stand with the two. "Well, we have a scruffy group. I'm not hopeful."
"Consider it job security," Roadie said as he eyeballed the newbies marching past.
Gee-Gee grinned. "Sounds good to me."
It would be a noisy and tedious night for everyone.
=0=MCA Headline News
"New information has been received from Autobot City regarding the state of the colony after the surprise appearance in the solar system by an enemy armada that had been tracked for some time by Autobot forces. The enemy attacked Mars, then was driven off by forces led by Optimus Prime, Starscream of Vos and Rainmaker of Vos.
"There was damage to some of the colony's structures by the ground fighting and fighters crashing into the towers of a couple of cities. It appears that Terra had the most damage by crashed ships and street fighting.
"Enemy armada ships were brought down over the plains that separate the Industrial Park Cities from the colony causing electrical and energon disruptions that will take time to repair. Half of the colony has no electricity and energon will be rerouted to the Titan cities as well as crucial industries.
"There isn't very much detail at the moment due to ongoing damage assessments but it was made clear that details are already at work to rebuilt. The shelters themselves house everyone and will continue to do so until all of the affected areas are assessed and signed off upon. Only Prima Station which wasn't even approached during the battle is allowing its residents to return to their homes and work.
"All communication between Mars, Prima Station and Earth is suspended including programming normally scheduled on the MCA. It would appear that IntraCom and almost all of the businesses and buildings in proximity of the Military Airfield received damage. N.E.S.T. HQ's operational center was trashed but the residences weren't. The Hu-An held off all invaders themselves and suffered little damage and no casualties.
"As for overall deaths and injuries, there is no definitive number given as the process is ongoing. However, it was released that 450 prisoners were taken along with 32 intruders killed in the fighting or escape.
"There is no confirmation of the kind of damage that was accrued though IntraCom took a lot of hits. When more information comes in we will tell you. We've put in requests to speak to officials but were told that it would take perhaps another day or two before that can happen. Our requests to speak to the officers of the N.E.S.T. Garrison was also refused do to those individuals still being underground in the shelters.
"We will return in a moment," she said as the screen cut to a congressman who was making a statement about the situation.
=0=Down there
"Amma?"
"What, Hero?"
"When can we go home?"
"Soon, baby. When we do we can all sleep in our beds again. Won't that be wonderful?" Ravel said sweetly.
"It will, Amma. I'm tired," Hero said as she lay down again.
Ravel petted her little face until she slipped into sleep once more. He sat back against the wall. "I am, too, baby. Home will be a nice thing once more.
Tie Down stared at them then leaned back himself. It would be a bittersweet thing when they stepped out of here again. He was the only one here that knew some of them didn't have a home anymore.
It would be a long afternoon and following night for all.
=0=TBC 11-15-2021
