The Diego Diaries: Pursuit (dd8 437)
=0=Put there
"What can we find in the data that tells us what we are facing, Prowl?" Prime asked as he watched Devcon, Prowl and Hard Drive lean over the console at Tactical that was unwinding the bullet message. The Seekers had just arrived back, flying at speeds that beggared belief but the message beat them by miles.
Prowl glanced at him. "A few more seconds, sir," he said then returned to the confab.
Prime sat back tapping his digits on the arm of his command chair unaware he was. Prowl had arrived with Alor and the two were working on things, Prowl the approaching bogies and Alor the migration.
The ships were flying through the bridge faster than they liked and were being redirected to wait for the rest of the journey at Jupiter and Neptune. They would find orbits there until they were brought into Martian orbit. As they waited at the two spots, Medical and Immigration would be boarding them to assess their condition and get their data.
Most of their information was already gathered by Rattler and Raven but there were more things to know to get them going where they needed to be. Speed, however, was of the essence so they brought them through in large numbers but it wouldn't be enough.
Moving over the mass of the refugees, Prime made his way. Kappa and Gamma were guarding the bridge as the others flew toward open space at the end to meet the foe. Prime had called up reinforcements, Tennyson from the dimensional gap as well as Savage Wind and Corsair from Cybertron's unassigned protectors, a group of five metrotitans who were on call to go on missions.
Tennyson was the platform for his command and all over the bridge titans gathered together in pretender format with most of them ready to go on ship boarding ventures. Apparently, Ace had spread the word from the last one. This was a useful pastime for the group given their pretender status, he had said. Showing their big, big guns stopped fights dead in their tracks, he had said.
With a big grin.
They arrived together, two metrotitans and one dreadnought in ship mode with their guns ready to make hash of anyone who tried to mess with them. With them were half of the battle shuttles and half of the now 500 Seekers called up on the mission. All of the Seekers with Rattler and Raven were already at the Immigration and Port Authority offices at the Autobot City Municipal and Interplanetary Airport in The City. Going down in bunches, they were being logged in to their new life at this, an alternative sight for a group as big as they were.
Prowl walked from Tactical with Devcon and Hard Drive. "We have a big group, many warships and no Seekers. They're coming in fast. I'd suggest that you contact them. I'd say this constitutes a group large enough to encompass an entire base given what we saw out there on our rescue mission."
Prime nodded. "Blaster, open a channel."
Rattler and Raven who were helping with Rainmaker and Starscream to send ships through the bridge glanced at each other, then walked forward to stand beside Prime.
Rattler glanced at him. "We can help here. I know all of the commanders out here. We talk a lot."
Prime nodded, then the screen showed a Decepticon Commander on a ship's bridge. "I am Optimus Prime. Identify yourself."
:Why don't you ask him?: the figure said as he nodded toward Rattler.
"I am asking you," Prime said calmly.
The mech stared at him for a moment. :My designation is DC. I command the Decepticon base 127. I'm here to talk to Rattler. I'd like it to be silent, just between us for a moment:
Rattler glanced at Raven, then turned to the screen. "What do you need to say that everyone can't hear, DC? You got my message, right?"
:Humor me, Rattler: DC said.
"You may jack in," Prime said.
Rattler pulled a plug from his wrist then backed into the comm system. It was deeply, tensely silent on the bridge.
=0=The Hourly News: Latest Breaking News
"Welcome back. I'm Aleph with the latest news update. Earlier this evening Lord Optimus and his senior staff stood out with with the premier fleet of five Supremes to check on an anomaly that had appeared on the sensors and was determined to be heading our way post haste. We were told that a migration might be coming and that the threat of Decepticon harassment was highly likely.
"The Office of Strategic Communications has announced that a big migration has been located and that a direct threat of Decepticon intervention was commencing. The Alpha Fleet which had been called up to standby left a joor ago to undertake a security situation while refugee ships were being funneled through a bridge to safety. They're being directed to parking orbits around Jupiter and Neptune with a steady stream of them coming to Mars in good order.
"There's no information about the Decepticons reaching the migration yet but it would appear imminent. The fleet meeting the group includes the standby big frames, Tennyson, Savage Wind and Corsair. They're part of a six ship group that's part of an unassigned squad that can come on missions of this kind. They're now on station waiting for whatever comes next.
"The Office of Strategic Communications said that no engagement has been undertaken at the moment. Prime is in command of the mission and more information will be made available as its declassified and released to us. We will break into regular programming to update as it arrives."
=0=At a new soldier habitat
They sat in a lounge, half a dozen soldiers watching the teevee as they drank beer. Word had come to them that a mission was called and the community information channel 111 was go-to for any problems that arrived. They played a continuous live stream of the airfields, command centers with obvious caveats and the latest news sometimes even before The Hourly broadcast given that it was controlled at Fort Max. It was one of the most heavily watched channels in the colony given the number of soldiers and Seekers were family and friends of just about everyone.
"Dreadnoughts," a soldier said as he mulled that colossal notion. "A ship fifteen miles long."
A soldier glanced at him. "I was told they have 15 of them."
It would be silent in the lounge as they watched the hoo-hah at the airfield and the hoo-hah at the Port and Municipal Airport as the scene switched back and forth between them.
=0=There
Rattler listened, then pulled the plug. "Are you sure?"
DC nodded. :We are:
Rattler turned toward Prime as everyone on the bridge stared at him.
"DC wants to surrender his base."
=0=Ratchet
Ratchet walked among the refugees who looked at rattled, tired, hopeful and disbelieving as most were upon arrival. There were among them Decepticons who were wary and watchful. Pausing beside a family who had two Decepticons with them, Ratchet knelt before three little kids. "How are you doing?"
They looked up at the adults, then one slipped behind an elder. The others glanced at him, then the ground.
Ratchet pulled candy from subspace, then held it out. "Here. Champions need candy."
They glanced at their elders, then the candy. Their elders nodded.
Hesitantly, they took it, then bit into the turtles in their servos.
They glanced at him with shocked expressions, then looked up. "I like this," one said.
The adults relaxed slightly as Ratchet stood.
"Thanks," one of the Decepticons said.
"Don't mention it," Ratchet said as he scanned the group. "You could use some work. We'll schedule you. The kids have to go to school and you can have a few orns to unwind and decide what you want to do. The techs here will help you. We take care of our people. Why did you leave?"
The Decepticons glanced at each other, then one of the elders spoke. "They decimated us. It was a miracle that they didn't find us and the children. All the families had to hide in the cold, in a cave. It was the scariest thing wondering who'd be alive when we came out. We don't owe them anything."
Ratchet nodded. "You don't. Now you get to do what you should've done all along, live free and decide your own path. All you have to do is live within the rules and let the past go."
One of the Decepticons considered that. "Its harder than it looks."
"I don't know," Ratchet said with a slight grin. "We're having a nice conversation and your kids are cute. What more do we need?"
The elder grinned. "We heard of this place but it felt like a fable."
Ratchet nodded. "The Pantheon blesses us with Prime's leadership all the time. The Allspark and the rest are at the Temple in town," he said nodding in the general direction of Autobot City. "We want all our people back. Its a simple thing but a hard one. But all of us have done it. You will, too. By the way, The System is banned for all time. Anyone who wants it has to honor fight Prime, then Primus. So far no takers."
They stared at him for a moment assessing his words, then the elder stared in the direction of The City. "The Temple is here?"
"So is the Monastery of Upper Tetrahex," Ratchet replied. "The Master is Cyclonus."
They stared at him, then one of the 'Cons chuckled. "Now I know you're lying."
Ratchet grinned. "I can see how that might look."
They chatted together until they entered a building to begin the book work that would lead to a new life in the safest best place any of them could remember including Cybertron.
=0=There
"Please state your intentions," Prime said.
DC stared at him, then glanced back at the command team sitting on the bridge of the huge battleship they were traveling in. :Everyone, slow to stop:
Mechs moved to comply, then turned back to the forward screen with hopeful faces.
:Our intentions are to surrender our base, then live in peace. I know Rattler and the rest of us have discussed this a long time but there was never a chance to leave. We saw the big ships you brought when you evacuated those settlements and knew the rumors were true. We're glad you did take them. We were supposed to secure territory again and it would include them. We didn't want trouble: DC said.
:We have a signal that we'd activate if we ever decided to run. When Rattler did we gathered up our base, every mech and civilian, then boarded. We destroyed our base from space, then departed. We can't go back. Right now we have about two orns before they come to investigate. I alerted the others. Two other bases want to come. The third does but they have a true believer for commander. The base wants to leave but he's going to be a problem:
"Did you send the signal to leave to the others?" Rattler asked with some anxiety. It was clear that the mechs were friends. Perhaps all of them were.
:I did, all but base 1431. We have to go there to get them. I know that Jayco will fight. There's a hardcore there, Prime, that will hold the others hostage. We can't abandon them: DC said with some emotion.
Prime listened to this most surprising turn of events. "Tell me more."
=0=Emergency meetings everywhere: Autobot City Unified School Board Planning Center, Central Office Tower, Metrotitan, Metro District 4
The Emergency Task Force Committee gathered in the Central Office Planning Center which looked as high tech as Ops Center. It was central control and daily function stations for school flights around the world and to Trypticon, transportation for buses and Metros and all the other important functions of a school district. Anything needed from pencils for toddlers, chemicals for the swimming pools as well as printing, producing and providing all that was required got its start here.
The School Board members minus Ironhide were here gathering for the first time since the election to handle the tasks that presented themselves. They came in and sat together.
Herling and Nova were there along with the department heads that managed influxes of migrations.
"Welcome, everyone," Herling said. "We're here to make initial decisions about the migration that's coming in shortly. We don't know how many children or what their needs are but we have to plan for them anyway."
No-A glanced at the others. "I'm the President of this body. Sunstreaker," he said nodding to the silent mech beside him, "is Vice President, Ironhide who's on the mission is Secretary and Hugh-E is Second Vice President. That will stand for this meeting."
Coros had joined them as an elected voting member. He had his data pad ready for notes as Sil sat beside him to 'advise and listen, too'. They were totally intense and completely adorable.
"Welcome to our new members," No-A said.
Coros glanced up at him. "Thank you, Mr. President. Its an honor to represent students here."
Sil grinned as she nodded. "It is. I am here to assist Coros."
"Welcome, Sil. We're glad to have your input," No-A said as the others murmured agreement.
Ron Witwicky who sat on a chair on the conference table waved. :Thank you, No-A. Its an honor:
No-A grinned at him, then glanced at Timbre. "Welcome to another orn on the School Board."
Timbre nodded. "Thank you. I'm assuming that positions on the board are chosen amongst us?"
"They are but not now," No-A said. "We carry over for the first decaorn. Right now, we have a lot to plan for. Fortunately, our staff and the analysts are genius at this. If you want to begin, Herling, Nova," he said.
"Thank you, gentlemen. Let's get down to it," he said and they would.
Shots fired by Timbre.
=0=TBC 5-18-2022
