The Diego Dairies: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions (dd8 144)
=0=Waiting
The sound of birds could be heard in the background of the trees that were numerous all around them. The forest was densest beyond their domed containment but many still inside it made a pretty display where they were waiting. The sounds of pedfalls could be heard as down the way a number of individuals came. Some looked hopeful, others angry but they came to Prime to gather together.
"Where is my son?" a mech asked.
"If he was one of those who chose to leave, he is in orbit of this planet waiting for the rest of you," Prime replied.
"My grandson is among them. What does this mean? We saw the videos. I don't dare to believe them," an older femme said with a worried expression.
"Believe them," Ratchet said. "We built that colony with our sweat and bare servos. Its the largest completed habitation of Cybertronians in the universe outside of Cybertron. Its a fortress and refuge. You would do well to follow your kids. They want a future and there isn't one here even if we didn't show up. What are they supposed to do? They have dreams and want to pursue them."
"Some don't want to come. We've lived here in peace since the war. Going somewhere else is going to be hard. We're … we're a group," the femme said. "If this place is that big we're going to lose track of each other."
"We group different parties together. Our Bureau of Refugees is very capable and they do all manner of things to keep communities intact," Magnus said. "We would accommodate your group if you require it."
"We would," the femme said. "We're just surprised. This came swiftly. Reset isn't a bad mech but he's led us this whole time and he sort of has a sense of responsibility for everyone."
"Understood. Right now, I need to know what you are going to do. I want to see what sort of opposition we face getting you off world. We are not going to leave you here. The life here is protected by our laws and I aim to enforce them," Optimus said.
"Some of us are prepared to fight evacuation, Prime," a mech said as two others nodded.
"Thank you for telling us," Magnus said as he nodded to his soldiers.
They stepped forward, then manacled the three mechs.
The group who was shocked glanced from the three surprised mechs to Prime.
"What is the meaning of this?" the elder femme asked.
"We have a situation where everyone has to go and we cannot allow dissent to deter what has to happen. These three indicated that they were unwilling to participate in this without the possibility of violence. I have reduced the threat by this action and their participation in what can only end badly for your side. We are professional soldiers. You are civilians who have lived a highly protected life for eons. What do you suppose the outcome will be if these mechs help incite resistance?"
She stared at him, then the others. "They won't allow us to stay. We could end this with violence or agreement. What is your position, Voyd?"
Voyd who was a very elegant mech with a sour expression glanced at her. "Guess."
"Take them to the ship," Magnus said.
The three were walked and half carried to a shuttle. It was silent a moment.
"We would prefer that you bow to the inevitable. No one expects this to be easy. All of us, everyone of us has suffered and had to lose something along the way," Prime began before Sideswipe cut him off.
"Frag that, Prime. They sat here under this dome and had a nice life while the rest of us suffered. They fled Cybertron before the end. They never were persecuted by anyone or had to leave world after world after world because we weren't welcome. You had nothing but good times here. Now you're whining because for the first time since The Fall you have to do something.
"What the frag have you ever suffered? All of us could write the book on it. I was separated from my twin brother for four and a half million years. You didn't see Cybertron after we retook her. You didn't see the millions of dead we had to stand on to lift the buildings that fell on them so we could take care of them. You haven't see the moonscape of our home world because you live here in this nice secure place.
"Whine. Groan. Fraggers. What the frag gives you the right to question the Prime of Cybertron? You should be down on your fragging knee assemblies that we came to find and deliver you from this place. The bugs are going to level this place. They want you gone. You could be facing this slag alone but we came here and risked ourselves to do it. I have three kids at home that need me but I'm here.
"How about you shut your slagging faces, get your slag together and leave this place like you were told. Optimus PRIME has ordered it. OBEY!"
They stared at Sideswipe frozen in shock at his remarks, then the femme glanced at Prime. "We're going back now."
"Then what? Fight? Check this," Sideswipe said as he slid out his glistening seven foot swords. "We're a professional army who've fought together for millions of years. We have slagging great air support. You fight us and we will OBLITERATE you. For once in your entitled fragging lives, DO WHAT YOU'RE TOLD! You fight us and I GUARANTEE IT you will regret it."
It was silent like a tomb, then the group began to walk back to the colony. They were gone in minutes.
"Well … that's not exactly how I'd put it being a slagging diplomat and all … but I like it," Ratchet said as he shot a dazzling smile at Sideswipe.
Sideswipe chuckled. "Fraggers. No respect for anyone or anything. I think it pushed my last button." He glanced at Prime. "Do I turn myself in or will you send a posse?"
Optimus grinned slightly. "If you have to go to jail I will come get you myself."
Snickers rounded the group.
"I'm tapped in, Prime," Dev said as he appeared to be listening to something off line. "They're really struggling. I think most of them will come. We have to remove the helm of the snake to kill the resistance. It appears we have a small window before things fall apart."
"I am open for suggestions, Devcon," Prime said.
=0=A joor later
They sat around the monitor which had been brought from a shuttle and set up before the leadership. On it was a highly detailed schematic of the colony with glowing lights the colonists. The different streets were detailed and all access points to the colony itself highlighted. They were dead end roads into the trees which actually made it easier for the Autobots to infiltrate if necessary.
"I would suggest, Prime, that you give another all call for those who'll leave so we can pinpoint all of those who don't respond and where they're likely to be tonight," Dev said.
Prime considered that. "A strike at night may be the only way to make this happen. Of course, it will be without any shooting. Even if they shoot we can find ways to disarm them. Call for whoever you need to make augmented teams, Raptor. We can plan this for midnight."
"On it, Prime," Raptor said as he glanced at Devcon. "Assistance welcome, of course."
"Assistance granted," Dev said with a slight grin.
Prime sat back, then opened all transponders again including those of his own team. :If I may have your attention: he began.
=0=Everywhere including the ships in orbit where a number of colonists were waiting
Everyone stopped what they were doing, mostly congregating in frightened and/or agitated groups. He was speaking again so the arguments for and against ceased as the adults girded themselves to listen.
=0=Fire pit
:This is Optimus Prime. I am calling to you again to ask for you to make your decision about your continued presence here. There is no decision regarding staying. The only one open to you is how you wish this transition to go. Some of your fellows decided that threats and violence were their choices and now they are in our custody for interfering with the progress of this rescue.
:You should decide to cut your loses and prepare to be evacuated before the indigenous life forms here decide to expel you. They have expressed the desire for you to leave peacefully but implicit in that desire is the willingness to expel you. We are here to affect your rescue. Any resistance or violence on your part will not change the outcome. We are a professional army and air force. We know how to meet force with force. It is not what I want to have happen but I am not afraid to do what is necessary to make this happen.
:You have been alone too long. Your sense of community and belonging to Cybertron and her people is diminished. You need to leave here and rekindle your allegiance to Cybertron. No matter what happens on your part, you will not succeed. I am asking you to transmit to me once again your answer to my question. Are you coming peacefully with the others to a new life on Mars at Autobot City? Tell me now or I will assume that your answer is no and plan accordingly. Prime out:
"Nice implied threat, Prime," Jack said. "I think they have to know we mean business. I hate for them to have this as their first taste of us but they're dictating the agenda now."
"They'll learn," Magnus said grimly.
"Our way or the hard way," Sunstreaker said with a snicker.
Magnus glanced at him. "I won't disagree."
=0=Earth2
He stood by the window waiting for Rick to show. They hadn't had a chance to talk since the situation sprang up and now his son wanted it. He dreaded this conversation. A lot. The door opened behind him. He turned to look as his son stepped into the room. Rick looked tense and angry. Owen turned to him and waited.
"We never had that talk," Rick said as he stood by his father's desk. "I want to know about Denita and Stormy."
Owen considered that. "It was business. I wanted tech and they were prepared to sell it to me."
"Sell it," Rick countered. "What would you give them that they wanted?"
"I gave them my friendship. They were looking for human allies on Earth. They gave me tech, I said they were my friends."
"Bullshit," Rick said bitterly. "You were there to get tech advantages, I can agree. But you were there to build allies to undermine Prime."
Owen walked to his desk, then sat. "I am not totally sold on the reasonableness of having the bots as an ally. Until Megatron is put down then all of us are targets because he's here in our solar system."
"What makes you think that Megatron won't come anyway? Anyone passing through this system will detect the free floating energon. He's going to come anyway and only the dumbest or the meanest bastard will believe not having the bots here will be anything other than suicide." Rick stepped closer. "You and I don't always agree on things but I never doubted you were at heart a good person. Now, I don't know.
"Your actions put all of us at risk. The bots are here. You're living in a fucking habitat they created in the middle of a colony of 250,000,000 Cybertronians and let you run it. How do you imagine in your wildest dreams that this will ever change?"
"I don't," Owen answered. "I want to have our side have more control. We're at the mercy of everyone and everything that happens. Its not an equal partnership, Rick."
"Oh, I know. They carry the lion's share of the burden. They built room for us here. They supply us and help our world with all its problems. We've been invaded already by that phase sixer and they took it on the chin to save us. We're the ones who aren't hoisting our end of things. They don't care. They like us anyway. Some of them love us. I love them. A lot."
He stepped closer to his father's desk. "I was drifting around when I came here. I was hiking around and doing this and that but it wasn't me, not what I wanted nor am. Here, I feel at home. I like this colony and its a privilege to live here. Even Rain's changed. She was a big mouthed brat who was heading for trouble before coming here and now she's different. She's better. She fits in. She never did before and I'm not sure I ever did. I fit in here.
"You were selfish as hell to do that with those two femmes. You could have put at risk the right for every human here to stay. You could have jeopardized the alliance between their people and Earth. You did a selfish thing, Dad. I'm not going to have it. If you want me to have respect for you then you better earn it. You may always be my father but I don't have to like it. Right now, I don't." He walked toward the door, then hesitated. He looked at his father. "I would hope that you understand that they are always, ALWAYS ten steps ahead of us. I hope you remember that." He gripped the door handle, then opened it. "See ya around," he said, then stepped out.
The door closed silently. Owen Harris would sit for a while before once again returning to the pile of work on his desk.
=0=TBC 04-21-2021