The Diego Diaries: Dad (dd8 480)

=0=Going onward

They sat on their carry case watching the forward screen where a lot of the points of view of the mechs roaming in the migration doing their job could be seen. The one most of the humans was watching involved the presence of Optimus. It was still an astonishing thing to see the leader of a people doing work at the 'grassroots' level like this especially when it involved personal jeopardy. None of them had nor would they ever have a national leader in their own country who would step into the fray to assist anything or anyone in a like manner.

It was easier and more profitable to start slag for someone else to face and finish than to do it yourself.

Optimus was floating in space staring at a couple of mechs working on the hatch of a door on a ship that looked battle hardened and was covered in guns. It opened and they all entered it.

Inside, the view was tightly packed as the mechs gathered. Prime was staring down a corridor as he leaned against the wall. The audio was muted though it was accessible to those who knew how to run the system which was part of their travel case.

Lennox was working out the routing and as he did the voices appeared over the intercom system translated through the tech. It was everyone's voice synthesized into whatever language the listeners required. Today it was English.

:So we rush them?: someone was asking Optimus.

He glanced at them with a slight grin. "Go ahead."

Rough laughter greeted that as a shot rang out. A hole appeared in the far wall nearby. Everyone hugged the bulkheads.

"That's fucked up," someone said nearby Graham.

Graham grinned. "It is. After you?" he asked no one in particular.

Rough laughter greeted that.

=0=There

"Well, that takes care of that," someone said as Prime considered their options.

"Maybe Beta can do them a number," a Wrecker said from a doorway on the other side.

"He could but where would be the fun in that?" someone else asked as he pulled a big gun and prepped himself.

"Yes, where would be the fun in that?" Prime said as he tuned into transponders. "Those of you on board this ship, I am Optimus Prime."

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!BLAM! BLAM!

=0=Prowl

He watched the same feed with a growing sense of exasperation. :Get Beta to blast them. You have minions for this:

:Is that you, Prowl?: came the bemused reply.

:You very well KNOW its me: Prowl replied.

:I cannot talk now. I have to do my job:

:Your JOB is letting someone else take the shots. Your JOB is leading the fleet from here, not there: Prowl persisted.

:I cannot hear you. Something must be wrong with our transmission connection. I will try to clear it up in a moment:

:You cad. GET BACK HERE!:

No one knew they were having a conversation as Prowl calmly went about the business of being both of them in the command center. To say he was annoyed was an understatement.

"I think they do not want to listen to reason," Prime said as he moved to the other side of the corridor. He halted in the doorway of a lounge. It was empty fortunately. "This is Optimus Prime. If you do not stop this now I will ask Beta Supreme to null ray this ship. Look out your windows and see him there."

There was a lull in the shooting as silence fell over the ship. It was mildly disconcerting for everyone as they waited.

=0=Elsewhere on the third of the three ships

They ran along the corridor chasing the bad guys in a running gunfight. The Decepticons were slaggers of the first order and they were making the mechs work for it. As they did a mech reached out of a room they passed and grabbed someone in the Autobot posse dragging them out of sight. No one noticed a moment, then they did.

Lon slid to a halt, looked around, then called to the others. "Where's Bezel?"

=0=The groups as it stood: Narrator

There were two main fights going on at the moment, one between Optimus, Springer and the Boyz and another where Hercy and Kup had split up to take another of the three Decepticon ships that had been in the group with the now empty high caste yacht. Given the bounty of riches everywhere for the typical fighting man, it was determined to divide the catch and not hog all the fun.

Prime was handling/being handled by someone as yet unidentified and their boys while Kup and Hercy took on an unknown slagger and his many nasty cohorts in a big ship made of guns and bailing wire floating near them. Prime's spat had descended into shooting while Kup and Hercy were taking a head count of their own team and finding one missing.

Now we continue in real time …

=0=Kup and Hercy aka K/H

They dragged Lon into an empty room near the part of the corridor leading backward to the hatch where they entered. Everyone froze to listen. There was no sound.

Lon who looked panicked then shoved hard but was pinned to the wall.

Hercy turned to him. "Stop. Don't be dumb. Listen for a moment."

Lon froze as they did.

Hercy walked to the door. "We can talk or you can face the music. Either way I'm satisfied."

"I have one of you," a deep voice said.

Lon lunged but was pinned again.

"Stop," Sunstreaker whispered. "Be smart, Lonny."

Lon stared at him in panic, then nodded curtly.

"We have your ship. You can't get away. Let him go and we can do this decently," Hercy said. :Prowl, they got Bezel. We're negotiating. Where's Beta in relation to us. Triangulate:

Prowl froze at the news, then did the calculations. :He's in range:

:Standby then: Hercy said. :Mild if he shoots. Very, very mild:

:Understood: Prowl switched to Beta. :Prowl to Beta:

:Beta here: a dignified masculine voice replied.

:Beta, they have one of ours. You may be needed to null the ship at the slightest and most effective level. Very slight indeed:

:Understood. Send coordinates: Beta asked.

Prowl did and waited tensely. :You're open to options, Hercy:

:Understood: Hercy glanced down the corridor. "You can't go anywhere. Let him out and we won't hold the grudge. I'm exempt. You know my word is good."

"I don't care. Give me a ship and a head start. I'll dump him out when I'm clear," the voice said.

Hercy considered that, then unsubbed a small device that he slotted into his neck. "Sad to say I don't believe you," he said. :Beta, shoot at will:

:Understood, Commander: Beta said as the ship was hit by a null ray.

=0=Prime

They were waiting in the corridor as Prime listened to Hercy negotiate. He glanced toward the view port nearby where it lit up as Beta bug zapped the ship floating nearby which was part of three who were running together.

Everyone glanced that way, then a mech walked closer to the window. "Beta zapped that ship. There's Autobots on it," he said.

Prime nodded. "They took a hostage, a Home Guard Watchman who has good experience but not enough to be able to be depended upon during negotiations. Beta took care of that." He glanced at the corridor up ahead of them. "Decepticons, Beta Supreme just handled the situation next door with a null ray. You saw it. What about you?"

BLAM! BLAM!BLAM!BLAM!

"Well, that's an answer I suppose," Sun said as he flipped up his bigger, bigger gun for one hand while the other held his big, big gun.

Prime grinned. "I imagine it is." Then he stepped into the corridor with Sun, Jack and Raptor to unload a fusillade of regret into the space ahead of them before running forward together.

The younger mechs watching with awe followed them swiftly.

=0=On a bug zapped ship

All around Hercy mechs sat or lay on the deck dazed with the ennui of nothingness that null rays caused on nervous systems. He alone was unbothered as he walked to the doorway, then checked all the rooms down the way until he came to one where Bezel was laying on his back staring at the ceiling stunned out of his skull.

"Thank you, Beta. You're a gent," Hercy said as he tapped Bezel with his ped. "All is well here."

:I am honored to assist: Beta replied.

"You saved one of ours in a hostage situation. Please remain on standby," Hercy said as he pulled Bezel to his peds.

:Understood: Beta said.

"Hercy to Prowl."

:Prowl here:

"The situation is under control. My group is nulled. Can someone come over here and help collect the garbage before it stands up and starts shooting again. My kids aren't fit for duty for a few more minutes. Time is of the essence," Hercy said.

:Understood. They're on their way:

Hercy helped Bezel out the door, down the corridor, then let him slide down the wall to sit in the room where everyone was staring at the ceiling. He grinned, then walked to the door, down the corridor, then waited at the open hatch where their shuttle was parked alongside the Decepticon ship.

Lights grew in the distance as a big battle shuttle, the City of Commerce slid to a halt beside his own. A mech followed by several more jumped out to float to him and magnetize on the hull.

"You called, Appa?" a mech asked, Tarsus who was a professional soldier who specialized in ship boarding.

"I did. Beta nulled the whole ship. We had one of our own, a talented kid grabbed by a 'Con. Seemed the best idea at the time. We need to net the slaggers before they come around."

"On it, Appa," Tarsus said as he slid in followed by a large group of big mechs who grinned at Hercy as they flew past to disappear inside.
Hercy followed, walking to his own group who were still counting the stars. The others would round up the entire group of Decepticons on board including a pod of Seekers who were with them pretending to be part of their crew until they could flee to the colony. They would be pass Hercy as well into the waiting hold of a runabout who would take them to a hospital ship for treatment and release into a Seeker rescue team's care.

Win-win, he considered as he noted Sunstreaker stagger toward him.

"What the frag happened?" Sunny demanded as the others joined him.

"Beta nulled the ship. Bezel is back," Hercy said as he stared at Bezel who was slowly rising from the deck.

Lon glanced at him, then grabbed him tightly.

"Why aren't you dragging your aft, too?" Sideswipe asked as it dawned on him that the little runt didn't seem affected like them.

Hercy tapped the insert in his neck port. "I have a nullifer."

"A what?" -everyone there with varying degrees of incredulity and/or heat.

=0=Prime

They crouched outside the heavy metal doors of the flight deck having shot and kicked their way there. Everyone huddled to either side as all over the ship the bent and spindled were being taken into custody by 'clean up' crews who were following the ship boarders with runabouts to transport the catch of the day to jail vessels nearby.

Prime glanced at the others. "Bezel is free."

A murmur of delight greeted that.

"Did they shoot it out?" someone asked Prime.

Prime grinned slightly. "No. Beta nullified the ship."

"With them on it?" Springer asked with surprise.

Prime smirked. He remembered a faint memory of a similar incident in the beginning of the war. "Hercy has his own tech and that he had made. He has a device that nullifies the effects of a null ray that he slots into his neck port. I just remembered that."

Everyone stared at Prime, then each other, then Prime.

"He does?" - everyone

=0=There

"YOU DIDN'T TELL US YOU HAVE TECH LIKE THAT?" - everyone but Kup who remembered and thus, wasn't as pissed as them.

Like that.

"You didn't ask," Hercy calmly replied.

=0=TBC 7-18-2022 8-12-2022

ESL

ennui: (on-wee) the feeling of nothingness or piteousness, bored indifference, listlessness from lack of excitement or interest

NOTES:

Jackalkat chapter 478 . Jul 17

Prowl in a snit is my favorite Prowl, lol.

ME: He's mine, too. He's such a mix of hard aft and failure. LOL!

Jackalkat chapter 477 . Jul 15

Rest up and mend well!

ME: Thank you, darling. I feel so much better. HUGS!

I can't add anymore notes to this because something in my writing program is acting up. I try and they scatter everywhere. I will add more tomorrow. All of you are the best. HUGS!