The Diego Diaries: Incident: Burn (dd8 241)
Note: Sorry this wasn't put up last night. I was dealing with a dog that had, dare I say it, diarrhea all night and day. Hot Tip: Boil hamburger and rice together and have them eat it about two days. It usually is enough to straighten out the gastrointestinal. HERE WE GO!
=0=Autobot City
The destruction was pretty amazing for a strafing run but the fact that more than one ship had been part of it accounted for a lot. Prime and Ratchet along with Sun and Hard Drive stood on the sidewalk in front of what once was The Pit Stop and watched as the fire department stirred through the rubble checking that everything was out and everyone was accounted for. It was a blazing heap of rubble.
"Well, this makes me really mad. They had the best onion rings in town and the family worked hard to make it a great place," Ratchet said.
Prime nodded. "This is unbearable."
Hard Drive glanced at him. "There are reports that the Mall of Terra got a few rounds in the roof before they pulled up to go to space. The Hu-An Habitat and N.E.S.T. Headquarters repelled the rounds they got. It was very fast or it could've been worse. The Fortress cannons were instrumental in driving them off."
"I am glad to hear that. Its problematic how effective they are after a certain amount of time passes," Prime said. "To know they are effective is good news."
Hardie nodded. "They're highly mobile and that's their key. That and the skill of the operators."
They walked onward toward the town following the trail of bullets and plasma burns that constituted the strafing run. It passed The Pit Stop and tore up the road all the way to the junction next to Club Cybertron. Everywhere they looked there were bullet and blaster strikes leaving their imprint behind as in the distance the damage to IntraCom and the Courthouse was as obvious. It ended in the middle of the intersection at Metroplex Highways 1 and 3 where the ships had pulled up to flee.
"What is the situation at the prisons?" Prime asked.
"They're holding out fine," Hardie said. "The Air Force placed ships there facing the facility at intervals so that if anyone got loose they wouldn't get very far."
"Good," Prime said. "Do we have any more of the trans-dimensional prisoners in open cells? If we do I want them in stasis. I do not want any of them escaping and adding to the confusion with their resemblances to us."
"I'll take care of that, Optimus," Ratchet said.
They continued to the middle of the intersection to stare at the fire pattern and to inspect the damage there. All the time they did they were on cameras and the images were going out to the world here and beyond. The only ones who wouldn't receive them would be the pirates and Razorclaw in the surrounding parsecs.
=0=Sitting in a cafe on Prima Station
The mid morning crowd were there still eating breakfast given the irregular times shifts were changed in different occupations and industries. It was a solemn group watching the screens that were set up around the spacious and delightfully homey cafe. Waitresses and waiters worked the tables which were packed while muted conversations kept a buzz in the room.
"What's the outlook for the foreseeable future, Jacx?" Aleph was asking from the studio.
Jacx who was doing a location shot in front of the rubble of The Pit Stop spoke. "We've doubled the security in the system and all of the arrays and dishes in the local system are geared to picking up bridge signals as soon as they appear. No one is speaking in detail about the security being brought forward yet.
"The airfields around the colony are busy with military ships and air flights. Commercial shipping and commuter traffic is being held up for a few more joors until they get a grip on what's happening. No one wants a commercial ship filled with passengers to have a flight of dangerous vessels confront them out of a bridge.
"No one is ready to speak to this particular attack right now as scientists and Watch professionals go over the evidence collected. Its presumed that Lord Optimus will be speaking to the nation once more when the information is gathered and analyzed.
"As for Ambassador Ratchet … the meeting before the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York has been postponed so that he can be more fully armed with information that includes this attack when he speaks. That was just announced a breem ago and even though there's push back from Earth, Lord Optimus has held firm."
"What do you think, Aaron? Do you think we're in trouble here?" an older scientist asked his friend as they sat in a booth together watching the news like everyone else.
"We're always in trouble with some," Aaron said. "But what can anyone do? Where are they going to go?"
"I heard that the population on Mars surpassed 230,000,000 individuals last week. I'd rather have them here than not. Given that the energon is here, nothing will prevent them from coming and coming. Nothing did before. Nothing will now," Aaron's wife said. "I just wish they could catch them."
"I wish that battle group coming wasn't. This is our first time for that. I hate it already," another elder said.
Everyone agreed, then turned back to listen to the news.
"And it would seem that The Pit Stop is a total loss, Aleph," Jack was heard to say.
=0=An hour later …
They came out of nowhere flying low over the ocean and made it to land over Beijing before anyone could really track them. Four ships were flying so fast they were nearly invisible to the sorts of sensors and tracking devices on Earth. Flashing onward, they arced north toward Russia.
=0=On their tail
Autobot interceptors sped after the ships when they were apprised of them by the Control Center at Ops Center in Diego Garcia. Operating out of the Embassy, they were responsible for anything that came into the atmosphere of Earth. Four ships had and shuttles in their roving patrols were alerted.
=0=Autobot City
They flashed through the Trigger and were at Earth in seconds. Following hot on the trail of four heavily armed ships, Optimus Prime and Springer's shuttle followed hard upon them. There was a fiery volley, then they disappeared again but not before Springer commed Prime.
:Springer to Prime:
"Prime here."
:We tagged them, Optimus:
Optimus Prime finally relaxed. "Good. Stand by. Prime to Prowl."
:Prowl here:
"We tagged them, Prowl. Get on it," Optimus said. "I will be back shortly."
:Understood. Prowl out: Prowl turned to the others. "We tagged the bastards. Track them, Dev."
Devcon nodded, then turned to the console before him. On the screen far away one light flashed steadily. It gave readings of four ships flying toward one that was stilled in position. They reached it, then the five flew slowly onward heading back into the Arm toward the direction of the Benzuli Expansion apparently towing the one waiting for them. Dev considered this, then grinned faintly. "You can run but you can't hide, fraggers."
=0=At Diego
Prime walked toward the Administration Building with grim purpose. He nodded to the crowds who were gathered here and there to watch the Autobots finish putting the last of the damage to rights. Nearby, a reporter was speaking. He saw Prime and his party but was too late to catch up to him for a comment or two.
He entered the area behind the Administration Building that was green grass and open space. Peering into the windows, he saw who he wanted. Lilly rose, then walked to the door that led onto a deck that was braced on stilts. Below it was a small cement patio for chairs and a table or two that could be reached from the second floor by the stairs attached to where she stood.
"Optimus. Are you okay? Is Autobot City okay?" she asked.
Optimus felt her warmth and the attachment that friendship like hers always made him feel. "I am alright, Lilly. Autobot City has some damage but its being rebuilt. Those who were hurt are being assisted. No one has died."
She looked deeply relieved. "That's such good news. How can I help you with this?" she asked.
"I would like to know what you believe is the prevailing opinion among humans about this situation?" Prime asked.
Lilly stared at him, this vast and unspeakably decent being. "They're scared. Helsinki was a surprise. We got used to believing we were safe and now it appears that things are more complex. As for the usual suspects … they're always going to howl. The good people are waiting for you to fix this.
"I know that sounds terrible but we've grown used to your wisdom and ability to do things, Optimus. Just know that the greatest number of us love and respect you. We know you'll find a way."
Prime stared at her, a small beautiful woman with a heart of gold. "We will do our best, Lilly. We never promised perfection."
"No, but you've delivered it for years. I think we're just surprised that this happened," Lilly replied.
Prime nodded. "Thank you, Lilly."
"You're welcome. You know that everyone here is on your side no matter what. We're all one, Optimus," she said.
"Until all are one, Lilly," Prime said. He nodded, then turned to go. He rounded the corner, then walked to the Embassy. The group of them would be home in seconds.
=0=Ops Center, Mars
Prowl stood beside Devcon who was tracking the ships across the Orion arm toward the Benzuli Expansion. He held a sleeping Tell in his arms.
"What is the word so far?" Prime asked as he paused behind the three.
"They're heading for the Benzuli, in the direction of The Ruins. I don't know what happens after that but the idea of being cut off from their group is something I can get behind. If they can't go back and they can't go forward then we can nail them," Dev said.
Prime nodded. "That is the hope. I want you in the group that goes, Devcon."
"My pleasure," Dev nearly purred.
It would be a long night in the Ops Center for everyone.
=0=The next morning
Prime sipped his morning beverage at the command table as the flicking lights of the disappearing ships continued to edge ever closer to The Ruins.
"Anything slowing down?" Delphi asked as he paused in the Ops Center before going to Cybertron.
"Not yet," Optimus said. "They still have some distance to go."
"Well, call me if you need me. I have to go to Cybertron," Delphi replied.
"Good luck," Prime said.
Delphi waved as he walked out passing Ratchet and Ironhide who had Halo. She looked wan. They walked to the table to sit.
"What is the matter with Halo?" Optimus asked.
"She feels poorly," Ratchet said with a smirk. "Sniffles or something of the like."
"She misses us being here normally," Ironhide said. "Little femme needs a day off to regroup and bond."
"Little femme needs to be in school," Ratchet said as he eyeballed both of them with a caustic grimace.
Both of them slunk slightly back.
"No word on the flight?" Ratchet asked.
"Not at the moment. Still traveling. I expect in about eight joors they are going to have to make a decision. I am aware that the radiation levels of such a surge would extend out some fair distance. If they start slowing down we get confirmation," Prime said. "I am going to have a group go and engage them. Devcon will be part of it."
"Good choice. Who is going to lead it?" Ratchet asked.
"Sun and Jack," Optimus said.
"Did someone call?" Sun asked as he walked toward the table with his brothers.
"I see you get the good jobs," Hardie said. "I have to go to Cybertron but call if you require me, Optimus."
"I will," Optimus said as the slimmer and minutely older brother of the two grinning behemoths walked toward the door to leave.
Sun and Jack sat down with the group.
"So, who do we get to snap in two?" Jack asked with a grin.
"Who indeed?" Ratchet said with a chuckle.
Halo who was eyeballing his ada warily didn't chuckle at all.
=0=TBC 8-30-2021