The Diego Diaries: Polity and Stuff (dd8 19)
=0=Tennyson
Prowl turned to Hard Drive. "General, send our ghost signal forward."
Hardie nodded, then walked toward Tactical. "Send the signal, Smokescreen. Ghost it to reach half way then halt it."
Smokescreen the Elder turned to the console and began to formulate an image of Tennyson and the Supremes that would be transmitted ahead of the actual ships to give everyone coming some idea of the fire power that was heading their way. He made it happen, then away it went, particles of light that wouldn't formulate into images until it was at its endpoint destination. He glanced at Hardie. "In three, General. Three … two," he said as he watched the data stream, "one. Its there. Its forming … intact. Its there."
"Open a channel, Prowl," Prime said.
Ratchet walked forward and sat in the navigator's chair. Glancing at the data screens around him, he looked at Rem. "Need a navigator?"
"If we get into a fight. You can plot the ship movement," Rem said as he flew them ever closer in a long line with the other vessels. They were arrayed on either side of Tennyson as they flew forward toward the Decepticon fleet.
Ratchet turned to face the panel, plugged in and watched the screen. The fleet ahead was only now just beginning to slow in reaction to the mirage ahead of them.
"You're open, Lord Optimus," Prowl said as he turned to face the forward screen. It showed space ahead and in a corner inset screen the image of the fleet they were flying forward could be seen. Lights in another inset screen showed the vast array of Nitrate's group. They were in battle formation but starting to slow.
"Nitrate, this is Optimus Prime. Respond."
Crackling static was heard, the background noise of space and its radiant energy.
Then Nitrate spoke. :Prime:
"I am not going to allow you to enter this sector, Nitrate. I have projected an image of the ships, some of them, that I brought with me to meet you. I would assess the firepower of this, a small portion of the titan arsenal that we have defending our people, then leave. You will not be coming further without the fight of your life."
:You show me pretty pictures, Prime. I would, too. Nice tactic: Nitrate replied.
Prime glanced at Prowl and Hardie who were standing side-by-side behind him. "Have Tennyson drop a greeting. Target his supply ships. Ascertain their crew complements first."
Hardie and Prowl walked over to Sensors and huddled a moment, then Prowl glanced at Prime. "All of the support ships in the target range have minimal crew to fly them. We have two important ones picked out. One is a fuel ship and the other carries stores."
Prime nodded, then looked back at the screen which showed Nitrate still slowing. He glanced at Prowl. "Prepare an image send. When we launch send it to them. They won't be able to defend." He glanced at the row of big mechs watching him solemnly from the forward lounge. They were a row of massive, handsome, slightly enigmatic mechs staring at him through visors of varying colors, visors that made them seem mysterious. "I would like you, Tennyson, to send a missile to the ships targeted big enough to destroy them without any of the others. There are families on board and we have not sorted out who wants refuge and who comes in malice."
Tennyson rose and with Hammer of Primus and Typhoon with him walked to a firing console nearby. They huddled, discussed off line, then Hammer turned to Prime. "We are ready at your command, Lord Optimus."
Prime nodded to them, then looked at the screen. "Given that you doubt me, I am sending you a present courtesy of the dreadnought, Tennyson of Praxus." He glanced at the three titans, then nodded. As he did the ships ahead were already breaking formation.
It took a reset for Tennyson to lock on the targets, then a slight surge beneath their peds indicated the launch of one, then two missiles. They streaked forward as brilliant arrows disappearing into the night time ahead. Everyone waited in tense silence for the resulting inevitable explosions.
=0=Nitrate
He sat forward as two lights appeared on the screen. "Break formation. Evade now."
Mechs sent orders and the sensation of swift movement was felt all around them as ships began to evade. He watched the lights tensely as they flew through space on the screen before him. They weren't heading for him. They were heading for one of his most important stores and the biggest tanker that they fielded.
"Counter measure for tanker four and vessel six. Do it in profusion," Nitrate said. Even as he saw his fleet disperse, he saw the missiles adjust to counter that very thing. A profusion of bright lights indicating counter measures filled the screen. He watched them tensely.
=0=Prime
He watched the two missiles close on their targets and saw the counter measures as well. Big floating bombs that if touched would explode floated in the wake of the two ships trying to escape.
The slimlines came into the leading edge of the counter measures, their speed glancing them off as the missiles continued. Their magnetic field built just for this defense had held so far. By the time they reached the biggest mass of them, the floating bombs exploded setting each other off. It took out one of the slimline missiles which exploded in a vast display of light and heat. The other missile kept going. By the time it closed on the tanker, the crew was bailing as fast as they could go.
The impact was stupendous and the fireball though brief was brilliant. Its shock wake flew out in all directions setting off all the remaining counter measures as it flamed, then winked out.
"Send two more. Round about. Take out that stores ship," Prime said grimly.
The titans complied, then everyone watched the screen as a pair of slimlines set out again.
=0=Nitrate
He stood behind the pilot watching his crews being picked up as the fleet began to disperse and retreat. The devastation was big. That was his main stores ship but they had more and he had to regroup. The damage Prime could cause was enormous.
"Captain."
Nitrate turned to his pilot. "Yes."
"Two more coming."
"For what?" he asked as he began to walk to his throne to sit.
"The stores ship. He means to take it out."
"Flee then," Nitrate said calmly. Inside his helm he was intrigued. Maybe some of the stories were correct. Maybe this would take finesse and stealth.
As the group began to turn, the missiles reached the stores ship and it went up like a roman candle. The crew which had been picked up by a shuttle missed the fun as they faded into the darkness with the rest of the fleet. Only the command vessel, a 'minor dreadnought' or heavy battleship class vessel was taking its time to leave.
:Nitrate, this is Prime:
He glanced at the speaker on his throne, then sat back more casually than he could believe he would. "Nitrate here."
:Do you get the message or do I send another?:
"I received it. Now I'm going somewhere to consider its contents. See ya around, Prime. Nitrate out." With that he cut transmission and settled in to follow his group to a place nearby that was a broken field of space debris where even his group could hide easily, its mishmash of energy and radiation a good scrambler for enemy sensor nets. He vanished nearly immediately.
=0=Tennyson
"They're leaving," Prowl said as he shifted the forward view screen. A large group of ships, very, very large were heading for the debris field some distance away to regroup. "Shall I send them a going away gift?" he asked Prime in his hunter voice, a cold and implacable thing.
Prime considered that. "There are too many civilians and defectors in that group. We cannot allow them to be harmed. Situation report."
Hardie and Prowl worked a moment, then Hardie walked to Prime. He turned to face him. "We have a heavy transport vessel destroyed. A lot of his stores went up in that. We have a heavy transport fuel tanker destroyed as well. However, as inconvenient that this is, the debris field has shown bits of raw energon mixed in. It was Polity's strength that his location was heavy with feasibly sized chunks. It wasn't that hard to gather. Its more thin on the ground where they're regrouping but available nonetheless. There was no way that this sector of space out to Mars was ever going to avoid this kind of intrusion, good or bad, for the energon alone."
"They will regroup and refuel. They can make whatever they need from the energon supply available. I do not believe they will stay where they are. The base below is going to be brought up to speed and we have to station ships here. I want it done as fast as possible. Add it to our inventory," Prime said. "I want a Seeker-Grounder command. I want to get the civilians and Seekers away from Nitrate. I also want any Decepticon here to defect to have every chance to do so. I do not want to seem to eager. He will use them as leverage."
Hardie nodded. "I agree. I would think we need to go to the ground and assess the situation there. I am of the opinion if we fall back with our mainline here, we can do so without compromising our position."
"Make it so, General," Prime said. "Prowl."
Prowl walked over and leaned down. The conversation between him and Prime was private.
=0=On ships all over the retreating fleet
"What do you think?"
A big Seeker glanced at his bond, another big Seeker who held in his hold three of their four children. They had decided to keep them in their carry holds unless they were flying. It was a pact between them if anything happened that would kill either of them they would take their children with them. They wouldn't be left to suffer consequences alone. "I think we're close. I think the Elder will figure this out."
"What about Prime?"
"I don't know. I just trust the Elder. If he trusts Prime, we should. Maybe," he said grimly. All around him the rest of his family and his bond's, the other civilians in their group and a lot of other Seekers nodded. They were huddled together in a hold of a ship their large migration had stolen when they left. They were determined to come out of the hiding they'd been in for years and rejoin their people once more. Now that they were close, the tension was almost unbearable.
Elsewhere …
He walked off duty after it was decided to regroup in the debris field some distance away. He was part of a large contingent of the fleet that was fleeing to save their families and to find a better life. None of them were 'good' in the sense they hadn't been among the harder core of their faction but things change, mechs and femmes get different ideas and responsibilities and it was clear that this wasn't a good life to live anymore. That Megatron killed families was the last straw for all of them.
They hooked up with Nitrate almost by accident and now there was a tense standoff between the committed of that mech's crew, them and the Seekers. How this would play out was still to be seen. He entered his quarters on his ship, then closed the door. A number of his elders, his bond and their two kids glanced up at him.
"What's happening, Delta?" his old father asked. He'd never been a 'Con. His son was and it was a bone of contention between them that helped make this moment possible.
"Prime destroyed two of our ships, a tanker and supply vessel. We're regrouping in a debris field. I think Nitrate is wholly outclassed here," he said as he sat down and took his son into his arms.
"What will that mean for us leaving these slaggers? What about the Seekers?" his ada, an older mech who looked like he never had a break in his life from the effects of work on his body, asked with concern.
"I don't know. We're going to speak with them later over the private line. We'll have to wait and see. Our moment will come," Delta said with a stone cold voice.
=0=TBC 11-20-2020 12-08-2020
Leoness: I hear ya. LOL!