The Diego Diaries: Incident (dd8 234)
=0=At Diego Garcia
Prime stood nearby watching the Embassy crew fighting the fires of the ships on the line. They were loaded with fuel and ammunition so it was dire for a time to put them out. Special foam was sprayed on their holds and gun emplacements to cut the fires as fast as possible and coat the bombs and ammo for the time it would take to put them out.
Behind him, the human masses were gathered along with the news reporters that lived here and reported on them. A line to the MCA was going and it was all real time on the screens. The bots were heroically putting out the fire as Prime considered the problems that just popped up out of nowhere. All of it went to Mars and Earth at the same time.
First and foremost, figuring out who this group was would be the most important task ahead. Finding out how they pierced the iron curtain that was his carefully designed security net would be the first thing to accomplish. Who sent them, why they were here, when they'd come back … all of it was critically important.
Secondly, the coalition would be shaken by this and they would have to defend themselves and their efforts to groups that each had entrenched hardcore anti-alien coalitions. They'd not be happy with this and would have to have a reckoning. It wouldn't do this time to have statements or even speeches broadcast to the humans who were understandably upset. Someone would have to face their wrath.
He glanced over his shoulder to watch Ratchet who was kneeling nearby talking to humans who were gathered near him to shout questions and get calm answers back. Ratchet was good at this and he was happy. Ratchet would be going to New York soon enough, he considered.
It was maddening that the Decepticons were roaming about. He was clear in his own helm that this was 'Con activity, probably the big group coming through The Ruins. Which 'Cons, where they came from and a handful of other questions occupied him as at last the fires began to go out one and two at a time.
=0=Home
They waited in the shelters all over the colony watching as they did the monitors tell the story. They heard Aleph and Lim-Lee talk together from the bunker under IntraCom as they relayed what they knew to everyone. On a split screen was the MCA feed which showed Diego and the carnage there. It was a sobering thing for everyone that danger had presented itself to the solar system once again after their long spell of peace.
=0=On the MCA
They sat at their places around the desk that news readers utilized during their shows. Mick Moran, Colonel and Chief of Staff for General Morshower was there with a number of civilian and former military-now civilian individuals to discuss the unfolding situation. The conversation was grave and was aiming to become heated as several of the guests didn't believe the alliance with the Autobots was a good thing.
"They said they had the system buttoned down and now this happens. I wonder what else they don't know about and haven't told us," a former Senator and now contracted network guest was saying. "What sort of technology do the intruders have that can get past Prime's iron wall? He promised that there would be no further incursions."
"There is never a guarantee in this kind of thing," Mick Moran said grimly. "They keep the system safe but the universe is very big and diverse. Not every moment can be predicted."
"You know and I know that this is a Decepticon shot over our bow," the man persisted. "This is just the beginning of the war for this system."
"A couple of things," Mick said hotly. "First, no one has defined who this is. Secondly, using words like war is irresponsible. You haven't been in war. You don't have the first clue about war. Fear mongering is a low brow move."
It would go hot and heavy like that for some time.
=0=N.E.S.T. HQ, Mars
They sat in the underground command center that mirrored that above them watching the show on the monitors. One of them was dedicated to the rotating array of cameras that showed the colony's different cities, their features and neighborhoods all the day long. No matter where the cameras switched, the cities were empty. It was hauntingly awful to watch and among the old timers the memories of earlier lock downs brought about by the menace of Black Shadow came to mind.
Will Lennox was chatting with his family on a three way telecast with the Resort. The women including his wife and mom were above ground in the office defying the shelter rules as they ate lunch and played cards at Judy Witwicky's desk.
"I still think you need to hit the shelter," Will said for the fifteenth time. "What about the mechs there? Didn't they tell you to come with them?"
"They're good," Judy Witwicky said as Sarah Lennox dealt the cards. "We're just feet away from the office shelter. If something happens we're going to hoof it down there. Right now, we don't want this food to go to waste."
"What are you eating?" Bobby Epps asked as he glanced at the screen. Lonnie was eating lovely food along with the other women and a number of young soldier's wives who worked there as well.
"Well," Sarah said. "We found nice fried chicken, potato salad, fruit compote, green salads and corn on the cob. Chocolate cake is for dessert and I think there's still ice cream in the office fridge. Right, Lonnie?"
Lonnie who was enjoying her husband's growing dismay over missing lunch grinned. "Lots of it. All the favorites. I think that a big old slice of chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream is nectar of the gods."
"I think you're pissing me off," Epps said with a grin. "Choke on it."
"If I did I'd come back to haunt you unmercifully," Lonnie said with a chuckle. "I would, too."
"And you don't now?" Epps asked as the men around him snickered. "I'm damned hungry and you're eating in front of us without going down into the shelter. I'm telling Prime."
Lonnie grinned. "Do that, snitch. See how long your gangsta reputation lasts when I post that on Bullhorn."
It would go like that.
=0=Diego
Optimus walked past the ships that were burned husks on the battered, cracked, melted and blackened flight line. They were totaled and he would have them towed to Mars for recycling in the scrapyard. They had an unlimited number of ships in the inventory that was stored on Ceres and at the Flight Center 126 miles (Earth) from Crater District 2. Lined up wingtip to wingtip, they had their pick of vessels.
There would be a large number of ultra fast ships to choose from, then modify for replacements. That wasn't the issue. What was concerning him more than the loss of his ships was that they were destroyed in the first place. That was the problem. Someone could come and do this, then get away. He turned toward the base to watch as Wheeljack, his older brother, Timpani and Perceptor walk toward him.
"Prime, we've been studying the situation and there's a new sort of bridge tech, new in the sense that its pretty precise given Decepticon science that's responsible for this," Perceptor said as the other two nodded. "I've run scans on it and with Timpani and 'Jack's consultation we've noticed that this fits modifications that Jhiaxus had been working on in the orn. It would appear that whoever this is either has access to him or was one of his many mentored proteges."
"How much more advanced is it than our own, if any?" Prime asked.
"Its good tech and it has a location finder that I want to study regarding their ability to so precisely bridge but other than that its still typical bridge technology," Wheeljack said.
"I'd wager that its a 'Con breakaway group leaving the Empire," Ratchet said as he joined them. "Given their area of transit, it would make the most sense.
Prime nodded. "We need to have all the information you can give us because Ratchet will have to go to New York and talk to the United Nations about this. We have to be able to tell them not only what happened here and as much about the intruder as is prudent, but also what we are going to do to prevent them from doing this to a city elsewhere."
Ratchet nodded. "Oh, joy."
=0=On world
The message from Prime came through the transponders of the adults and on the screens, broadcast from Diego itself. The image of the big mech was framed by a view of the beautiful ocean behind him, the blue sky and palm trees waving in the breeze. One couldn't see the base or the airfield in the shot.
"Good afternoon, I am Optimus Prime," he said to the home audience and those of Earth, of which nearly every channel and broadcast net was carrying his message. "Today, a small squad of fast ships came to this base, appearing out of bridges and strafed the field. All of the ships we maintain here for defense and rapid response were destroyed. Pursuit was made but the intruders escaped through bridge technology. Once a ship does that it cannot be tracked.
"We are unclear who they were but they appear to be former or present Decepticons who are part of a large armada that is currently fleeing the Empire. The Decepticon High Command is dealing with defections on a large scale with some of them heading this way depending on which side of their territory they are leaving. We have the capability to track everything that exists out to 180,000 light years in high resolution detail and a further 300,000 light years to good detail.
"We have been working to increase the depth and resolution of our sensor network to protect this solar system, Cybertron and the local group from intruders and will continue. What I am asking you to do is not to fall into reckless speculation and fear mongering. As it stands now we have raised our level of alert to red which means the number and types of ships and patrols that we field every hour normally will triple for the duration.
"We are committed to protecting Earth and Mars. This entire solar system is patrolled every day and each part of it scanned when it happens. We are committed to the good but cannot promise the perfect. It would be a lie if we did that and we refuse to delude anyone about this. Right now, the system is in lock down. We are going to continue to do high diligence and disclose our findings to you. We hope that you understand that your safety is as important as that of our own families.
"We will defeat this and we hope that you continue to have confidence in our ability to protect you. We have done so since 2007 and will continue. No one was hurt here at Diego Garcia. Our ships were destroyed but we have endless numbers of them and the finest pilots and soldiers. We will replace them and continue to hunt these individuals. As we learn what is true, we will share it with you. Please have faith in us even as we work to protect you day and night. Until all are one," Prime said, then the screen went blanketed
=0=Mars
It was silent a moment, then the sirens sounded. Long and loud they did, then the guards at the doors keyed them and they swung open. It would take a while for the colony to return upward and longer for the cities to return to some semblance of normal. As they did, Seekers and ships by the numbers were taking off at every single shipyard and airport on world.
Red Level as now the order of the orn.
=0=TBC 8-18-2021
Sorry about last night. Between friend's spouses passing away and others getting sick, its been weird. Take care out there and know you are loved. +C+