The Diego Diaries: On a Trip (dd8 439)
=0=On a platform in space
The femmes along with Maelstrom floated over to a platform that was holding in space, a point in time and location that would allow the Decepticon bases located this direction to send and receive messages with expedited speed. Its signal and power source were muted but not cloaked. It was as if so little traffic came this way that no one felt it was needed apparently.
Elita pulled a transmitter from subspace and programmed it before sticking it against the one running. Stepping back, they waited for the 'Con's device to short out and theirs to step in seamlessly. A red light flashed to green. It was on. It would intercept anything from HQ to any of the bases and with programmed intuitive sorting would craft a reply. It was designed to do so forever.
:Elita to Prime:
:Prime here:
:We're in: she replied as Chromia began to disable a number of features on the platform that would record who passed and send that information onward. It would be good for HQ to wonder who did this, a device that could be detonated and the platform with it when they withdrew.
:Very well. Continue: Prime replied.
:Onward, boy and girls: Elita said with a big grin.
The group floated back to the shuttle where Drift and Springer pulled them in. Then the entire group flashed onward toward a number of bases on their journey to the one they wanted.
=0=In a study room at Intermediate Day School planning
Mr. L7 sat with his students as they put a proposal forward. He was mesmerized by the kids he was mentoring through their blossoming into forces to be reckoned with. Their plan was straightforward and modeled on the successful campaign just finished.
"What do you think, Mr. L7? You saw the opinion from the Election Commission as well," Coros said.
Sil nodded. "Coros is blazing a trail for everyone, Mr. L7. This is history in the making."
L7 gazed at the tiny micro-mini femme who as 'co-campaign manager' with Jessine during the just completed successful run for School Board. The fifteen kids staring at him with the most serious expressions of intention were getting to be an inspiration for everyone in the school. "I think its an amazing project. I don't know if this is a bridge too far as some say but I think its an idea worth experimenting with. Your plan is very good and has already had a successful outcome, Coros. Having you and Jessine run for the Delegate Assembly could be a very good thing."
"We want to be very clear, Mr. L7," Jessine said. "Not only do we want to do this to show that kids can do good work and be helpful but also because we know that former high castes who haven't evolved want to get a toe hold in the government. If we can show a different set of proposals and thoughts from them and win because its the popular idea for us now, maybe the high caste population will get it."
Everyone watching him nodded.
L7 who was a mid caste with high caste family members sat back to consider that. "Your platform of ideas is worthy. If this is also a motivation then its worthy as well. Sometimes it takes a while to get the point of something and if your race, no matter how it turns out, happens to go to those ultimate ends then I agree."
Jessine pulled a data pad, pulled up her intention to run in the District 98 delegate race, then hit the send button. It would be filed immediately. Coros did the same for District 112 and Pulley for District 57.
The Rubicon had been crossed. There was no going back now.
=0=Out there
They flew ahead of the group which was following now on a path that wouldn't be tracked or recorded. Shuttles filled with soldiers and the single most decorated and skillful stealth commando team in their military history, Elita-1's squad led the way.
"We're coming up on the first base, the one Rattler commanded," Ilka said. She was their pilot, a long time fighter pilot for the Autobots.
Drift leaned over to fiddle with communications. "Prime can see it now." The image flashed back to the battle group and Prime. He would see what they saw.
"Springer to group. Get ready to fly over and rejoin around the planetoid. Acknowledge."
Everyone did as Ilka flew downward toward the planetary fragment, then skimmed the surface with their sensors extended to tie this ship with the others. They would do a fast pass over with intensive scanning, then meet together again when the pass by was over.
Prime sat on the command chair listening and watching the project. The shuttles were dividing up to fly over their section of the planet which would make the entire picture of the situation on world. By the time they pulled back into space and formed up, the images of the site would be stitched together and presented on screen.
They appeared, the multi-level scan of a rather large fragment of a planet which collided with something else long ago. Prowl looked it over from the deepest to the surface scan, then glanced at Optimus. "There is no life there, no one is left behind. The entire base has been detonated. There is nothing left standing."
Rattler nodded. "We didn't want anyone to benefit from our loss," he said with a slight bitterness. "We even brought out dead including five mechs and a femme who were decimated."
Prime stared at him. "I will have them attended to properly. A funeral will be given to them with priests in attendance."
Rattler and the others glanced at him, the emotions of terrible futile moments clear on their faces. "Thank you," he said.
=0=Out there
They flew onward into unknown territory. None of them had ever been out this far though they knew that the 'Cons had. There was talk of these bases, ones built to anchor a march forward down the arm toward the general area of Earth and its solar system. It was one of the few open pathways toward that part of space given the octopus-like sprawl of the Benzuli Expansion.
"One down, four to go," Drift said quietly. "I'll be glad when this is sewed up."
Springer nodded. "I'll be glad when this is so blasted that no one comes to give paybacks."
It was a silent ride forward to the second base where they'd find the same thing, no one left behind including the dead and a ruination as far as the optic could see. They continued onward toward Padlock's base, then DC's before slowing to consider the second part of the plan, enter Jayco's base and destroy it.
=0=Mars
Ironhide walked into the Port to find Ratchet. After a search through the various aid stations he found him sitting at a computer inputting data. "Old Mech."
Ratchet glanced up. "Hey, sweet talker."
"I am aren't I?" Ironhide said with a grin. "The Board meeting is over and I'm heading out with some techs to go to Tennyson. Anything you need or have to tell them?"
"No. We're doing well," Ratchet said. "Give them a good boot, Ironhide."
"Done deal," he said with a smirk as he turned around and walked out without looking back.
Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "Old coot," he said softly, then he turned back to the endless data on the group he was running to ascertain overall health. It would take a while. They would be as good as any Decepticon batch ever was. That is, okay, not good.
=0=On the deck
Ironhide walked onto the flight deck of Tennyson heading for the command chair where Prowl and Prime were conferring quietly with Tennyson and Manta Ray, a guerrilla warfare tactical expert of some considerable skill and age in the first run of titans constructed. The two were going over data and the possibility of paybacks once HQ found out that five bases were missing. He walked to Prime to listen.
"We could take advantage of this situation by implying that someone did this to them rather than they did it and ran. If we blast the bases to bits, then it might give pause to anyone who comes this way to find out what happened. Consider that we can leave ghost images of our passing when we leave on their device before we blow it up. If they get the picture of giant ships that we take care not to identify too much, then they might pull out of here and leave the area alone. That might help with searching for refugees and Seekers," Manta Ray was saying.
"That is a very good cover, Manta Ray. If you could work out the details it could be affected when we leave this space," Prime said as Prowl nodded.
"As you command," Ray said as he bowed slightly in the old school manner frames his age always used in professional situations around a Prime. He walked to a console and sat with Tennyson and other titans who came along.
"Sounds promising. I like the idea that they sweat for a while," Ironhide said as his elders nodded.
"They might leave this area alone," Raptor said.
"That is the hope, General," Prime said.
:Springer to Prime:
"Prime here."
:We're sending you the data of the next three bases. They're blown to bits and nothing and no one is left there: Springer replied. :We're nearly at a staging point for the last one, Jayco's. Have you figured out how to contact everyone there but the die hards?:
"We are working it out. Get there and check in. We will go from there," Prime said. He glanced at the silent mechs watching things.
"I will need that list, gentlemen," he said as a data wafer was produced by DC. He handed it to Prime who took it. "This is a good list?" Prime asked. "Current and acceptable?"
DC nodded. "We were planning on running in three orns so we got our crew manifests ready. That included the one from Jayco's base. The contact there is Mizer. He smuggled it to DC and we all have it so that if this happens and we can communicate off line with the ones ready to go we could. We never expected to run into you. If you can contact them through their transponders then the likelihood of mistakes will be lessened. Jayco won't be playing around."
The others nodded.
A grim look of determination crossed Prime's face. "Neither will I," he said coldly.
=0=TBC 5-21-2022
ESL
expedite: (X-puh-dite) to send something together more swiftly, such as collecting things from different places to send to one more quickly. To expedite is to speed something up. Someone who does that is an expediter. Slacker is theirs since he organizes all shipping and freight along with getting it delivered when it arrives.
A little river called the Rubicon was a border between Italy and Gaul. A governor of Rome such as Julius Caesar was immune from prosecution of his crimes, alleged or true if he stayed on the Gallic (French) side of the river. Once he crossed it he was declaring war on the Empire especially if he brought legions with him.
Julius did. He spent a whole day worrying over his decision, then mounted up to go. He told his followers and soldiers, "We are crossing the Rubicon. There's no going back." When he did civil war began in the Roman Empire that would last until Caesar defeated everyone.
Jackalkat: It does doesn't it? The Roman Army used the practice of decimations, decade or ten, executing every tenth person in line when the ranks were lined up in formation. It was a very terrible thing and by the time they realized what a waste in men it was, then did other humiliating things for discipline. They made the object lesson eat barley, an animal fodder, sleep outside the safety of the base and so one. They were one cold blooded machine, the Roman Army. They suit the Decepticons very well. Hugs, Jackalkat.
