The Diego Diaries: Conundrum (dd8 438)

=0=At the point of impact

Prime listened to this most surprising turn of events. "Tell me more."

Rattler turned to Prime with a concerned expression. "We came to an understanding, the four of us, the base commanders and a number of mechs on Base 1431. We didn't contact Jayco. He's a 'true believer' and he'd fight us and alert command if we left with his knowledge." He turned toward the screen with DC. "Are the others leaving?"

:They are. We have them on sensors behind us: DC replied. :We were afraid Jayco would find out too soon so we're remote running the bases until we get out of range. The others were supposed to take out Jayco and his supporters, then flee. We haven't heard from them: DC glanced at a mech at a comm station who glanced at him with a worried expression before shaking his helm. He looked at Prime. :We can't leave them behind:

Prime considered that. "Give me everything that you have about how this works and that base," he said grimly. "Prowl, call up the Beta Fleet."

Prowl nodded, then walked to the comm station to compose the orders which Blaster would send and while that happened Rattler and DC told Prime everything they could think of while sending maps and charts to his ship.

=0=The Hourly News: Latest Breaking News

"We just received word that the Decepticon group heading this way was a mixed group of Seekers, civilian refugees, Autobot soldiers and Decepticons fleeing toward asylum. They were met by forces of the Prime where it was determined that they seek asylum here. Among them were nearly 5,000 Seekers who are being processed through the Bureau of Refugees, many of who were hiding all this time around the galaxy.

"Given that all were in or near enemy territory, they were forced like many other refugees to hide. When the Decepticons fled their base they looked for them and others, sending out flights to search out those that were hidden. Its a big group that is gathered with Lord Optimus in deep space.

"Little is being released at the moment because this is a very high security military action ongoing. Though they aren't unusual, mixed groups with Decepticons among them, its always handled with great caution when they come our way. This is the newest information at the moment. As more is released, we will relay it to you. In other news tonight …"

=0=At the Former Decepticon Association HQ in Central Labor Hall

They gathered at the table to organize the intake of an unknown number and quality of Decepticons out there who were seeking asylum. It was their job as the governing committee to organize the now 14,500,000+ former active duty Decepticon membership around mentoring this group to success.

"We don't have a total yet but it appears to be more than 11,000 at the least. The composition is unknown but their leadership isn't. The overall command if there is one is led by a mech named Rattler of Polyhex," Nitro said as he perused a data pad with the information. "Anyone know him?"

No one did. The others, DC, Padlock and Barker were unknowns as well. Jayco on the other hand was known by two of them.

Revo frowned. "I know him. He's a hotheaded mech who actually believes in the Cause and Megatron. I doubt that he's changed and from the information we have here he hasn't."

Heva nodded. "That slagger hates families. He's a rat."

Scar sat back. "He has to be removed or that base will be a disaster and it could draw others in."

"Well, we have the list activated. I want them alerted to watch for anything that might be interpreted as problematic," Nitro said as the others nodded. "I think its probably good for most of them but you never know if we get Jayco's base if everyone is solidly on point."

They'd work for a few joors, then break. It would be a while before the Decepticons could arrive. They would be ready for them.

=0=Out there

The commanders came aboard pulled in by bridge. They walked to where Prime sat on the command chair of the dreadnought Tennyson. It was an awe inspiring sight to fly through a bridge to see such a thing along with two other metrotitans. They paused before Prime who had turned his chair toward them as they came forward.

Prime stood. "I am Optimus Prime."

The others stared at him, then one stepped forward with his servo extended. "I'm DC, commander of Base 1430. I wish to seek formal surrender for me and my group, then help you with this problem regarding Base 1431."

Prime gripped his servo. He looked at the other two who were long distance bridge grabs.

One of the extended his servo. "My name is Padlock and this is Barker. We command Bases 1429 and 1428. We left in a round about way that won't alert Jayco. We want to surrender our bases and help save the others. We're networked pretty tightly, Prime. We're not like Jayco. We got conscripted some of us and the others learned the hard way. We just want to come home. All of us."

Prime considered that. "We want everyone to come home but on our terms. We shelter more than 300 million refugees at our colony world and we have Cybertron. They do not have one more conflict left among them. If you come to us the right way then you can stay. We have prisons for those who do not."

Barker nodded. "We understand. This is a long way out, Prime. We've gotten to be friends in our shared nightmare. It didn't take a lot of persuasion to get everyone to agree to come. A decimation clears the processor," he said with cold grimness.

The others nodded equally grimly.

"We took a chance that you're who you say you are. We could be going from one fire to another but we're done. Help us get the others and we can end this part of the problem for good," Rattler said.

Prime considered their plea. It was extraordinary that this wasn't a fight to the death. "We will get the base. We need to do this two ways." He would outline both to them.

=0=A moment later

They walked onto the deck, a good half dozen rangy femmes and a couple of mechs. They halted with the group.

"You called?" Elita asked with a smirk.

"I did," Prime said. He glanced at the four pensive mechs watching nearby. "That is Barker, DC, Rattler and Padlock. They commanded bases out here, bases that watched us take away the scattered refugee settlements. They want to defect but there is a base that is still in the hands of hardcore mechs. Nearly all of them want to come but their leader, Jayco is an impediment to that happening."

"You want us to remove the impediment?" Arcee asked.

"That is the plan. We need some constructive destruction," Prowl said. "We need their comm systems to be torched, their ships removed from the picture and anything else you can see on the ground that might be useful to our efforts. We're going to have Springer and his team drop you and give you back up. The plan is here," Prowl said as the group bent over the table to go over maps and other information.

Maelstrom who was looking over Chromia's shoulder towered over most of them there.

Jetta walked to stand beside Prime's chair. "What's the odds at getting this group with this kind of problem?"

"I do not know. We can liberate 3,300 mechs and femmes if we get this one and his coterie. I want it to be a madhouse, then we can come in and give them an alternative. I will announce on personal transponders to leave toward the shuttles, then fly over with Tennyson. I think that might help clarify the situation to those who might be having difficulty deciding," Prime said grimly. "The less shooting and mayhem the better."

Jetta grinned. "I agree. I'll manage the ground game. Link in with me and we can coordinate the whole mission."

"Agreed," Prime said as the group at the table began to divide up roles.

=0=At the home front

Ironhide waited until Timbre left before turning to the others. Coros and Sil had left as well when Timbre had, leaving the core group free to talk. "What do you think? I think he's going for your job, No-A."

No-A grinned. "The vote is among us. I think having the junior member not have a job for the first year or so is normal and expected. I heard that the others have filed for board positions all over the place."

"I heard that a number of kids from Intermediate Day also did," Hugh-E said with a chuckle. "My kids want to but they're too small. Literally. Give them a chance to become first levels and there's an open road ahead. They like telling their friends I'm on the school board. I get cute letters from them asking for stuff."

Herling chuckled. "Junk Food Friday. Genius."

Everyone grinned.

"We'll have to watch that and the delegate elections coming up. There's fifteen seats open for this period for the three year terms and thirty for the six year ones," Nova said. "This is their toe hold, I'm afraid."

"Don't be afraid, Nova," Ironhide said grimly. "They have to get elected first and two can play at that game. None of the seats are open in the Delegate Assembly like ours but we can help some of the incumbents campaign among their district voters. I'm talking them up at the depots and armories. Everyone should."

"The kids want debates. Three of them are going for a delegate seat in their city," Herling said. "This is the most exciting thing. What a great Prime we have extending the franchise to our older kids."

"Well, Prime is just that side of the awesome scale," Ironhide said.

Everyone agreed.

=0=There

The femmes walked to the elevator to disappear with Springer, Drift, Jetta and Maelstrom. Rattler would be on the bridge with Prime and the others would go back to their fleeing groups to continue to this point where they would gather to get instructions about what came next.

Prime watched them go, then glanced at the screen. Four shuttles were pulling out flying with haste into the darkness of night. It would take about a joor to get to where they were supposed to be before a bridge would let them through to the base in question. Before they did they would destroy the 'Con's routers and place a small one on the array that would allow Prime to contact all the Decepticons on the base but for a list of those who were going to be excluded.

"What's the colony like, Prime? The one we're going to go to?" Rattler asked.

Prime glanced upward at him. "The kind of place we all deserved. I do not allow the System to exist, you can live decently and choose what you want to do. We have built what should have been ours all along."

"You have 300 million of our people there?" he asked.

"We do. More come every orn. The Network and Knights are hunting, gathering them at their camps, then we bridge them in," Prime said. "Ten to fifteen thousand an orn."

Rattler stared at him, then the screen. "Thank you for taking us. The war has been hard on everyone. We just want to go home."

"All of us will go home again," Prime said. "You have my word on the Matrix."

Rattler nodded. "That's good enough for me," he said softly.

=0=Arrival

They came upon a router station which sped up communications both between bases but mostly outwardly toward the central command unit that serviced the area. Slowing to a halt, Springer glanced at Elita and Chromia, both of them relaxing against the hull as Chromia flipped a razor sharp knife in her servos. "Your destination, my queens," he said.

Chromia rose, then grinned at him. "Empress," she said as she walked to the hatch door nearby trailing others who smirked at Springer.

Maelstrom who was going, too, glanced at Springer. "Queen-Empress Chromia."

Chuckles greeted that as they stepped out to fly over and disable the router.

"I wouldn't argue with him," Hercy said. "Mech is in love."

Loud laughter greeted that.

"I'll tell Maelstrom you laughed," Hercy said with a smirk.

There was silence in the shuttle for a while.

=0=TBC 5-20-2022

ESL

peruse(d): (purr-rooz) to look over, to check, to see what's there

rangy: (rain-gee) someone usually tall and lean with a really athletic sense of their own body. Its a descriptor often given to cowboys and athletes.