The Diego Diaries: Little Brilliant Lights (dd8 211)
=0=The big conference room, Ops Center, The Fortress, Autobot City, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, Postal Code 1
They gathered, the three brothers of Wheeljack, Perceptor who was spotting for Wheeljack who was helping his family settle, Ratchet and Prowl. Prime was coming and so was a number of relevant Autobots but for now the conversation was about the important things.
"All of the children have the same lighted finials. I saw a couple of babies with 'Jack's," Ratchet said.
Prowl sat silently imagining the splendor of the wonder of such a sight. It would be breath-taking to see toddlers and babies with finials such as these. Resolve who was one of Prowl's 'loaners' had the same features down to the ground of Perceptor (as per Wheeljack's wishes because he'd always thought that Percy was a colossal major babe) varied from his ada by one hard fought point: his tiny lit finials. The design had been a long process but in the end Resolve had the best of both worlds, the immense cutie.
Prowl sat back. "I don't know if Loon told you but all children from youngling age to newborn are mine. I will allow you to raise them but just so you understand, they're all loaners." He stated his piece with a deeply straight face.
Timpani who was Wheeljack's older brother and the other two, Clerk and Joist stared at Prowl who had listened politely and quietly on the Metro ride back as Ratchet regaled them with anecdotes about 'Jack and the 'way things go with him and Percy who I hooked by the way by locking them in an electrical closet'. They knew of Prowl in that he'd been Wheeljack's commander but they didn't know much more about him other than that he was smart as frag and a table turner over.
His legend traveled far and wide.
"Ignore him," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "He calls me loon but that's because he's delusional. I never correct him because of his fragile mental state."
Prowl gave Ratchet The Look⢠then leaned his elbows on the table. "We need to know what you know. I don't like the sound of the 'Cons reclaiming territory."
Timpani sat back. "They are."
At that moment Rainmaker, Starscream, Jetta and Elita, Jazz, Blaster and Mirage along with Optimus walked into the room. Introductions were made, happiness rounded the space, then all sat down again.
Perceptor rose. "I just had a message from Sciences. Will you three be alright while I go? I can come back when you leave and guide you back to your apartments."
"I recorded the ride over, Percy. Thank you. Go take care of what you have to do and we'll meet you at home later," Timpani said.
Perceptor nodded, then took his leave.
Optimus sat back in his chair. "Welcome to our colony and free Cybertron. The Empire for the most part, perhaps 90% of it is in our hands. I am told that you have information about the colony and settlement situation out past the Burren."
Clerk glanced at the others, then Prime. "We were part of a big refugee push that direction, out into the space beyond the Ruins, the Benzuli and the Burren. All of that space is so dangerous that even my family didn't want to take the chance of getting blasted in our berths.
"We kept going and found a number of planets that were conducive to our settlement to varying degrees. Most of us were low castes and we had banded together, a large group. My atar and a number of other elders that have come or will be coming through from the rescue by the Network and the Knights were the council that governed things. We thrived under their leadership and all problems were ironed out."
"We knew how precarious things were without unity," Joist said.
"We were very effective together since there were a lot of individuals who knew how to do and make things. Jo, here is a metallurgist and understands how to make things of all kinds from all types of metal and mineral. Clerk is an electrical wizard. I'm a demolitions and armament expert. Our family are inventors. We see a need and find a way to fix it.
"We networked, about 250 settlements which are under the supervision for movement by the Network and Dai Atlas. That doesn't help with the other fifty or so that need moving from our zone that were farther out and closer to the 'Cons than we liked, any of us. What's beyond the zone is a scary prospect," Joist said as they all nodded. "Tim was the one who was the liaison for the colonies and settlements. Some of them were a few hundred individuals and many were thousands. We helped all who came and we took care of the problems."
"How many total are in your zone?" Prowl asked as he pulled up a large map data pad.
"We had in our confederation about 58,000 Cybertronians. We know there's millions scattered around. They landed wherever there was a solid piece of ground. Some continued onward to make big groupings and others came to us. All of our own are being gathered to be moved," Timpani replied.
"What about the 'Cons?" Ratchet asked. "Someone made a passing mention of them."
"That's the problem," Timpani said. "We got a contact from the Network who sent a team of Knights and Circle warriors to check out what we had going on and what it would take to move us. We all agreed to go. We've been picking up 'Con activity for some time.
"There were aliens traveling who we knew and traded with who told us that places where the 'Cons had been driven from were seeing them move back. They're expanding their territory and that means trouble for the other fifty colonies that are closer to them than we were. They're going to be discovered and there's going to be trouble."
It was silent a moment, then Jetta unsubbed his military data pad. "I think we need to start from the beginning and get every detail you can give us. If you can map this for us, Prowl, we can plan out what to do about it," he said. He glanced at Prime. "We're going for them, right?"
Prime who was grimly silent nodded. "We are. All of them. Everyone, everywhere."
It would be a good two joors before they had all the information 'Jack's siblings could give them and it would be enough to begin a plan of rescue.
=0=On the Metro going home to District 1
The three big mechs sat on a bench on a sparkling train heading toward a meteor crater a number of Cybertronian miles away that was now home sweet home. They'd given every single detail they could including the leaders of the colonies not yet addressed for reclamation and the 'lay of the land' in space out that way.
Their area was free of the disrupted energy rifts though every now and again a ripple would flow through their area and give everyone vertigo for a moment. The Rifts and all the related areas of the Benzuli was the most dangerous sector of space known in this, the Great Galaxy as the bots named it or the Milky Way Galaxy as the humans called it. The entire area was off limits for travel and colonization for Cybertronians even though refugees were found and retrieved from there. Either they didn't know how terrible their danger was or they figured it would keep them safe.
Even Decepticons didn't go there.
Now they'd have to go past that area, a wide swing without bridges and reach who knew how many individuals who were facing a terrible threat whether they knew about it or not yet. This area was so far out even Sun and Jack hadn't reached it when they finally came to Mars and Cybertron. In their listing of settlements and the roughly 200,000,000 lost Cybertronians they'd discovered that were likely among them, this group had been unknown. But for the courage of the Network, Dai Atlas and his Knights as well as the Circle of Light warriors among them, they would still be so.
"This is a helluva place," Timpani said as he watched the stations flash past. He rose with his brothers to step off at the next one, wait on the platform for the direct one-way line to District 1 which they found faster than the Circle Line, then stepped off when the train stopped.
It was getting on so there weren't as many passengers as otherwise would be there. They waited for the Green Line 102 train to stop, climbed on and away they went.
"Do you think we should go with them to help? Having a familiar voice along might help the leadership get things moving," Clerk said.
"I'll go if they need one," Timpani said. "Atar and Ada need to relax here. We can rest a while, then 'Jack and Percy can help us get started. I want to work where I can do something besides think up defensive hardware."
"You and me, too. Wheeljack is head of Sciences for the Empire and here as well," Joist said. "He and Perceptor."
"Those two are a good match. I always liked Percy. He's a good looking mech," Timpani said.
"Smart as they come," Clerk said. "I always knew they'd end up together but apparently they're as inept at romance as I always thought."
"Thank goodness for Ratchet," Joist said as they laughed together.
They would arrive at their station, walk several blocks to their tower, then go up and celebrate with Wheeljack and eventually Perceptor who had finished a timed experiment for Wheeljack. He would join them shortly. It would be happy, lively and joyful at the Macs Menagerie in District 1.
Resolve had about a good dozen cousins.
=0=Ops Center
They sat in the conference room after studying the problem. Prime considered the two pronged potential disaster of the area and everyone there. "We have the first indication here that the Decepticons are making forward movement in reconquering or retaking territory that they lost. That they lost it when they pulled units into the war is beside the point. They have enough personnel to retake areas they ceded earlier. That means they either have recruits to fill their ranks, they're using aliens to do so or they're conscripting civilians to be soldiers. Any one of those scenarios is not good."
"We need intel," Jetta said. "We need to tap into their comm chatter. I don't suggest sending anyone there unless its the only possibility. Its too unknown to do that. We could be sending someone to their death if we don't know what they're doing and who's in charge."
"I agree," Prime said. "No one goes near this until we move the most affected away and even then I would be loathe to do so."
"We'll build up the sensor capability we have there, basing it at Fort Borderlands as the receiver site," Jazz said. "I think I'd prefer besides the stationary hardware to have ships there that can pull back swiftly if challenged. Since we don't know their status we could be provoking a very big conflagration and put everyone out there in jeopardy that we can't move just yet. This should be stealth preferably."
"Agreed," Rainmaker said as a pensive Starscream nodded beside him.
It was silent a moment, then Prime called for a couple of mechs to come. They appeared out of nowhere resolving into Typhoon and Metroplex.
"You rang?" Ty asked with a grin as the two big mechs pulled a chair to sit.
"I did," Prime said with a slight grin. "Prowl will fill you in."
They listened to the sit-rep, looked at the maps and sat back with the big picture. "You're thinking of having ships that can do deep space scanning with a lot of finesse yet be able to flee at the drop of a hat or if they can't, then the capacity to blow the intruders to slag. Is that about it?" Typhoon asked.
"In a nutshell," Prowl said. "I don't know what that means but you get the picture."
Metroplex grinned. "We do. You want a specialized mech or two. I know two who are deep space sensor capable and are very agile about it. They were consequential when we hunted pirates. They were part of the group that located them for the hunter-killer pods. I can send for two that are the best."
"I do not want to have anyone step away from their duty to the collective," Optimus said. "If they serve a purpose in such a manner, I am not wishing to make things more difficult to bring them on board. The pirates need to be deterred."
"They're one of several command and communications teams," Metroplex assured. "I wouldn't call them if they were incapable of being replaced."
"I think they need an escort. I have a warrior, Harpoon, who's an incredible tactician and as a highly veteran dreadnought would make short work of anyone who had the idea of tackling either of the two sensor ships or a colony that'd been found by the 'Cons. He'd have the skill and fire power to hold them off until they could be augmented by us."
"When will they come and what can we do to help them with upgrades or repairs?" Optimus asked.
"I will ask," Metroplex said. "Ty and I will make the call with particulars and see what's needed when they reply."
"Thank you," Prime said. "I will get with Atlas and see if there is a need for assistance in moving the groups out of there. Three we talked to who are from that group said they number 58,000 so we should be able to move them out swiftly and blow up their settlements. I do not want anything left for the Decepticons if they keep moving forward in their efforts to reclaim territory."
Everyone at the table agreed.
=0=TBC 07-12-2021