The Diego Diaries: Miscellaneous (dd8 481)

=0=Out there

The litter on the ground was impressive as Prime took stock of the catch thus far. They'd entered a ship filled with high castes and it was surprising and disconcerting to him how many had skills. This was the fourth ship they'd entered that needed 'persuasion' to see the 'handwriting on the fraggin' wall' as Certify so aptly stated.

Behind them one ship at a time, they were making their way to a trio of Decepticon-appearing vessels that were fleet attack ships. They oozed bad mojo and as he stared out the view port at them while the jail crew removed the sulking and much dented high castes, he felt a slight dread that they'd probably have to be taken out the hard way.

The area they were occupying thus far was thinning of ships that might pay a price for their efforts to denature the trio. Prime had ordered more of them to move away and they were. The 'Con ships tried to go with them until a battle shuttle and fifty Seekers with heavy arms disabused them of that notion. Now they were sitting in place silent and malevolent, scrubbed space on their hulls indicative of tattoos too dangerous to continue to show. It was wearying to him that they had this problem every time a group came, high castes and Decepticons not seeing the handwriting on the wall.

They had more in common than even they thought, he thought.

"That's the last, Optimus," Springer said as he limped up to stand beside him at the window. "What's the drill on those slaggers?"

"I was thinking that we could go to the hatch, blow it to slag, then go inside and take them apart. The rest of them can follow," Prime said with a smirk.

"Certify is a bad influence on you, I see," Springer said with a chuckle. "Its not a bad plan though."

"Perhaps," Prime said. "Let us find out. Decepticon ships, this is Optimus Prime."

There was silence as everyone there listened to the open frequency with its faint background sound of ambient energy. Then a voice was heard.

:So:

Springer blinked with surprise as everyone glanced at Prime who was smirking in spite of himself. "Well, what now, silver tongued one?"

Prime grinned more broadly. "I must be losing my touch. Who are you?" he asked.

There was a pause, then the voice was back. "No one you know. What's the drill here?"

"Well," Prime said as he sort of fell into a conversational vibe in spite of himself. "You give up. We take you to the colony. You earn our trust. We let you out. The price of admission is a Primal oath. What do you say?"

Lon and Bezel who had gotten their footing two ships back stared at Prime like he was a god.

Which he was.

Though no one knew.

But a lot suspected.

Among those who knew him best.

The voice was back. "Sounds like jail."

"Could be. It depends upon you. We have about six and a half million former Decepticons living amongst us and they are valued members of the community. What about you? Can you do the same?" Prime asked.

It was silent a moment, then the voice was back. "Sure."

Everyone glanced at each other, then Prime.

"Who are you?" Prime asked.

"Solo," the voice replied.

Payload tensed. "Oh frag."

Everyone looked at Payload.

"I had a bet and didn't pay him when I lost. I think he won't come willingly. He's a first class slagger and someone who directed groups of shipboarding teams." Payload shrugged with embarrassment. "He was my supervisor once."

"Does this mean you get a demerit on your performance evaluation for treason against the Cause?" Drift asked with a smirk.

He would know. Turmoil was once HIS supervisor.

"I don't want you to feel alone," Payload replied as they all laughed loudly.

Prime grinned at the mechs who he liked to the last one, then glanced out the window again. "Solo, you were a group commander of shipboarding teams. How can I trust you to keep your word?"

Silence.

:Because I say so?: the voice replied.

"Don't," Payload replied. "That slagger is bad news. He was rotten enough by himself but he was given command of all of us. You don't get to the top of the Decepticons by keeping your word, Prime."

Prime nodded. "I know." He thought a moment. "Come over on a flag of truce and let us talk together, Solo."

=0=Elsewhere at the same time as the video and audio of Prime and his group played on an internal screen for Prowl

He typed furiously into a computer and waited for details.

=0=Nearby watching with amusement

"I think Prowl is getting the details on Solo," Epps said as the other two nodded.

"What's a shipboarding team? I know it sounds obvious but …" Jackson Davis asked.

"This is a team of very dangerous Decepticons handpicked for these crews who chase shipping that includes civilian, alien and military. They overpower and board the ships stripping them of everything but their cover coats on the walls. Sometimes they just kill everyone aboard before leaving the ships to drift as an object lesson. Sometimes they leave the crew alive to die of starvation," Niall Graham explained as Epps and Lennox nodded in silence.

It was silent a moment, then the Korean woman soldier stepped closer to the window to stare at the screen with Prime and his group. "This is a nightmare isn't it."

Epps, Lennox and Graham nodded.

"When they found energon in the quantities that they did in our system and around it, it became ours," Lennox said.

=0=Nearby

Prowl stared at the information screen scrutinizing it deeply. Solo of Slaughter City. Extensive criminal record. Bad actor. Prisoner of the state. Murder, extortion, fencing stolen goods, racketeering, assault and battery for profit, known to be the primary suspect in fifteen disappearances of mechs and one femme. Total waste of CNA.

Prowl considered the last which wasn't listed on his rap sheet. "Frag," he whispered. :Optimus, I'm sending you Solo's record. I'm on my way:

:Stand by, Prowl: Prime said as he scrutinized the list. "Prime to Beta."

:Beta here, Prime:

"Can you come give an assist? We have a very bad group of actors here, three ships that constitute a shipboarding crew of some reputation."

:On my way. Stand by:

:Prime:

Prime startled a moment as the voice came over the intercom. "Prime here."

:Beta is coming to null us, right?:

"I have no idea what you mean. Beta is a prison ship," Prime lied.

Bezel and Lon looked startled. A Prime can lie?"

Nice boys from a sheltered upbringing.

:I know the drill, Prime. We aren't going to be nullified. In fact, we're leaving now. Cut your losses and don't interfere. Solo out: At that moment the three ships slid into forward mode, their running lights came up as they began to edge forward to leave. They were moving up to jump in open space.

"Oh crap," Springer said. "They're going to shoot up ships on the way."

Prime had already turned around and was running for the hatch. The others followed in hot pursuit.

=0=Nearby doing another set of chores

Raptor and his uncles, Steiner and a crew heard Prime's message, then ran for the shuttle attached to the ships where they were taking oaths. Jumping across the void to land on its deck, the battle shuttle laid a patch as it rose above the mob and blasted toward Prime's position.

Ironhide and his crew got the message and did the same, beating feet toward the point where a trio of very dangerous ships were moving forward to leave. He saw them rise over the mass which was level on the galactic plane allowing ships to fly around over and under them without collisions. They were very dangerous, heavily armed and heading directly their way.

"They're coming toward us. What's your drill, Prime?" Ironhide asked.

:I want them to be forced higher over the mass. I do not want them to duck down again and hide among the refugees. We cannot allow them to shoot: Prime replied.

:Ironhide, move into view but don't check them: Blackjack said to his son. :We're coming up behind them. Prime, have Beta keep their attention and we'll hit their propulsion systems:

:Understood: Prime replied over the intercom.

It was all moving swiftly toward battle.

=0=Prowl

He stood before the monitor fuming internally and externally. A trio of very dangerous mechs were throwing a wrench into the carefully designed precision of their much practiced reclamation. Seekers were coming in from Autobot City, called by him to help interdict the slaggers if they made free space.

He listened to the cross talk with no end of aggravation. SOMEONE ALWAYS FRAGGED UP HIS CAREFULLY LAID PLANS! With a furious expression of rage, Prowl began to pace in front of the screen, watching it with more fury than he'd felt in orns.

=0=At the same time in a much more normal place

She walked with her line into school. The Temple Primary School of Primus had 22 kids now with the last lottery a few back. It was nicer to have more kids for the 8 that had been the premier class. These kids were a mix from all the former castes chosen by the luck of the draw to have their initial educational experience inside the Temple of The People, just that much closer to the relics that often acknowledged them when they went here and there.

Walking to her tiny locker, Halo of Mars put her tiny book bag into it, then closed the door. Nearby, the others were doing the same, preparing to go outside to their little playground to run around and laugh for a few before school started with a breakfast for those who needed it and a snack and juice for those who already had one.

She followed her friends, two little femmes and three mechs to the playground where they played chase, laughed loudly and were oblivious to the activity farther away in the facility where workers helped the priests pack bags of snacks for their field workers to give away. Also among the flurry of movement were refugees heading for the relics for a moment of joy and gratitude.

A whistle blew as they slid to a halt to glance at the doorway nearby. Mr. Turnstile and Lady Sela were there smiling at them. 22 kids ran to them to line up and head inside. The aromas of a hot meal greeted them as they walked in their lines. Another day was about to begin.

=0=Out there

The ships began to rise up over the mass which was moving away from them with speed. Gathering on the horizon in all directions were Seekers magnetized to battle shuttles that were arriving from everywhere you could look. They were dangerous ships, armed to take on anything and win. Shipboarding vessels had extra armor, extra guns and extra malice. They were among the hardest Decepticon ships to take down.

Prime stood on the deck of Springer's battle shuttle, Impactor's Revenge. Outside, a ring of iron was being imposed around the three ships, one that he knew wouldn't daunt them. They were used to bad odds and their ships were hard to kill. This would be tricky to get the right blend.

That was when the three launched missiles at Beta who appeared over the fleet himself.-

=0=TBC 7-20-2022 8-12-2022

ESL:

Disabuse: (dis-abuse) to discourage someone from doing something as its used here. To disabuse someone of that notion is to deny them an action.