The Diego Diaries: Moving On (dd7 4)
=0=Morning after the rush
Ratchet walked to The Fortress with Ironhide, Blackjack and Alor. No one was going to their day jobs because it was still the last orn of weekend but the debrief called at The Fortress was essential to the good order of things.
Prowl was standing by the conference room door listening to an update on the local shooting in Iacon earlier in the morning from Springer and Drift. He nodded to Ratchet and Ironhide as they walked past to enter the room with treats and a drink. Sitting at the table, they leaned back to watch the funny folk. Nearly everyone was there when Prowl and a grim looking Springer and Drift entered the room to sit. Before the door closed, everyone hurried in and they began.
"We're here to go over the situation regarding Arcturus and anything else worthy of discussion," Prowl began. "Last night over the space of half the evening, Sciences and the Bridge teams placed four gas giants planets into carefully devised orbits around the star, Arcturus. Arcturus is nearly 37 light years from here and was the best first choice for Cybertron among the many investigated. We were hoping for such a close placement given the need for security and at the moment all is holding. Wheeljack? Perceptor?" He leaned back to listen.
"We have the four planets on round-the-clock watch with telemetry coming in showing a good start to this project," Wheeljack began. "Bare facts indicate Arcturus is a sterile system without life factors to juggle, its 113 times brighter than Sol and about the most perfect possibility we can find that ticks all the boxes. Its moving with a small group across the Milky Way or Great Galaxy as we call it. It was possibly a dwarf galaxy that slammed into this one at some long ago time. Projections state it'll be impossible to see in the night sky from Earth in 1,000,000 years but will be close enough to Mars to be the best placement long term for Cybertron we can hope for. All in all, its a great place to put our home world.
"Right now, the giants are holding orbits well as the internal instability made from both the move and the reinsertion into a star's gravity well fall within the parameters we designed for this project. None of them had a star and all of them were free roaming when captured. All of them are on course with nearly no notable deviation from their orbital paths.
"All of them are soaking up the debris that's chaotic in this region with some large objects including five giant pieces of a comet hitting one of them without incident. It won't take a great deal of time to make the system safer with their presence. We don't want anything from space to hit Cybertron when its moved there. We are also going to monitor space when Cybertron is moved to blast or bump off anything that might present even the slightest danger to Him from space.
"The balance is well in hand at the moment and there are no models at this point that signal anything too untoward happening. The Teletraans were part of the process and handled the transfers without incident. Both One and Two were exemplary in their actions and are running and coordinating the follow up surveillance.
"We have ships fitted with every manner of sensor and scanner holding at the site to give us information on how things go. It will take another decaorn to see how things are shaping up to any great degree," Perceptor said.
"What's the next move then?" Starscream asked as the Great Elder sat beside him listening closely.
"We want to move a planet from our local group that's a barren rock, Laxus 3. It has no purpose, has no life, isn't a major player and would fit perfectly in the orbit that Mercury fulfills in this system. Then the beating it'd take from being there would be acceptable in the long run," Wheeljack said. "We want to set up the system to hold at least two of our local group along with Cybertron," Wheeljack said.
"How would that work besides setting up a distinct difference between inner and outer planets like this system?" Prowl asked.
"We would insert Laxus 3 as a Mercury orbital body. That would allow a balance between the next two, one of which would be Cybertron. Sarat IV would be the next in line in an orbit that's slightly midway between where Venus is and Earth. We have the issue of Cybertron's size which makes the inner planets three rather than four like this system.
"Sarat IV is an industrial planet and could be reformed into one again by using our techniques and supply. It would be a great place to put a lot of industry feeding Cybertron to get it off world. Bridges would be able to get workers from there to home and back again without requiring relocation or other disruptions.
"We're also going to have more energon than we thought ever existed here to take there. The free floating stuff here would supply that operation for eons easily," Wheeljack said sitting back as he studied his data pad.
"That leaves a space roughly between Earth and Mars for Cybertron. Its going to be a huge planet, even giving the gas giants a run for its money. We would insert it there along with Moonbase. We've decided to move the little moons but take Moonbase with Cybertron when we move it. We want to quell as much interior reaction for Primus as we can and keeping the moon in orbit upon release will make that a much better idea," Wheeljack concluded.
"When will this happen?" Magnus asked.
"Not for a bit. We have to make sure the system is stable, then insert Laxus 3 and watch the reaction to everyone else. When that world is in, the other two are on a timetable. We don't want a gas planet to find itself migrating inward due to the waves brought by Laxus or the change in gravitational pull from Arcturus. We have to have things balanced and equalized. Neptune and Uranus started as inner planets and migrated to their current positions during the chaos of this solar system's birth by whiplash and disturbances," Perceptor said. "That kind of action can't be allowed here."
"How did that happen?" Elita asked.
"Jupiter and Saturn had orbits at the start that destabilized everyone in the system. It forced Saturn to move out away from the sun. This pushed Neptune and Uranus into weird orbits themselves. Everyone moved away into chaotic orbits that took a long time to settle into the circles we have now. All of that galloping around stunted Mars in its development but in the end it created the perfect balance we have now," he said.
"Then we have to wait for a while," Prime said.
Wheeljack nodded. "We do. Inserting Laxus 3 will give us good data about Sarat and Cybertron. Instead of four inner planets, we're going for three. Given Cybertron's size, we had to make sure that the orbits of the gas giants wouldn't be affected by Cybertron's gravity well. It's like playing chess with hand grenades."
Magnus sat back. "At least we're on our way."
Everyone agreed that was the best factoid of all.
They discussed the situation, agreed that telling anyone before the plantation of Laxus would be borrowing trouble, then swore an oath to wait and hold off the news until things were farther along.
Prime was noticeably relieved at that idea. He glanced at Springer. "I heard that a shooting happened last night at a bar in Iacon."
Springer nodded grimly. "We got a call and headed there. A number of individuals had gotten into an argument, it went outside when one side decided to leave for home, then continued there. There was a lot of fighting and when the ones who started it pulled a gun, there was a lot of shooting. Several individuals were shot, nothing too serious, and the perps got away. We have the security films of the bar and outside and should be able to track them down. The wounded didn't know who they were. No one did."
"This is worrying," Prime said.
"What's the former caste status on both sides, if you know," Prowl said.
"The group shot were mid and low. The group arguing were mixed, mid and high," Drift replied.
Everyone always looked even if the system was dead and buried forever. Old habits die hard.
"I'd like the data when it comes in as well," Prowl said, ever the cop.
Prime glanced at Ratchet. "What is the word on the injuries, if you know?"
"I saw the report in my mailbox. A shot to the chassis which was the worst and even then, not so much. A through-and-through of a servo, a graze on a helm. It could have been much worse," Ratchet replied.
Prime frowned slightly. "I want them found. I do not want anyone to believe you can settle things here with guns."
"We hope to make arrests today," Springer said.
Prime glanced at Ratchet. "I had a message from Megatron. He has a couple of prisoners to send. They will come tonight. I would like you there to see to their fitness. I do not know who they are yet but they would like them gone."
Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "Another trip into Wonderland. I can't wait."
"Wait, slagger," Ironhide said amiably.
They talked about this and that, then everyone broke up for the last orn of weekend and whatever they were going to do. There were games, family obligations and cards. It was going to be a peaceful time.
=0=Later that evening at the Autobot City Military and Civilian Prison airport
They gathered to get the latest Autobot criminals and they were dandies. Warpath, Slag and Sludge were being delivered to the gathered group of prison guards and senior Autobots, some of which were there out of curiosity to see what a Dinobot looked like on the other side. Their Grimlock had been no fun and these two were said to be lit.
Literally.
After the shut down into stasis of the group already imprisoned here due to the dimensional rift problem they'd dealt with earlier, some of the caged alternatives had been after review restored to their functions. None of them were the soldiers. All of them were the civilians with even the slightest possible negative functions deactivated. It was a newly empty sector of the prison that would hold these three as the review of the former inmates continued. If these three proved to be too dangerous they would be placed in stasis as well. The last thing anyone wanted was one of these slaggers being whisked away to the dimension where Optimus was a god and there had never been war.
It was cold and dark around them as they stood in the bright light of the towers nearby. A ship was coming in with the fused images of Autobot and Decepticon. It landed, the hatch opened, the ramp extended and Sixshot walked down with Blue Bacchus and Black Shadow.
Raptor grinned. "This never gets old."
Amusement greeted that as the three big mechs walked to the group and shook hands.
"We have three real slaggers, Lord Optimus. We're sorry and not sorry that they're going to be yours," Black Shadow said with a chuckle.
Prime grinned. "We have space for whomever you require. It is our honor."
Blue Bacchus grinned. "Honor doesn't really apply to them but thank you for this. Here's a data wafer from Megatron to update you on things on our side of the line. It includes a wish list of slaggers we're hunting including the other Dinobots and data on how the rift is on our side."
Prime took it and handed it to Prowl. "Thank you. Please send your prime my deepest regards. It is our hope that your Cybertron rises to its greatest heights as soon as possible."
"Weeding our garden helps a lot," Sixshot said. He grinned, then walked to the ramp. "Bring them down."
A ruckus was heard inside, then heavily chained mechs began to be shoved, half carried and muscled down. The first was Warpath, a brilliant rusty red with all the meanness and none of the charm of theirs. He was lit and swore with an intensity that was almost physical.
Hercy who was watching unsubbed his device, walked to Warpath and after the guards saw his weapon, tazed him when they let go. It took three strikes before he fell. "Mech has no manners. There's femmes here."
Roadbuster walked to Warpath, gripped a ped, then began to drag him toward the gates beyond. Everyone watched that big mech go with grins. Roadie didn't stand on ceremony.
Another mech came down, Slag in all his psychotic glory.
"I see that nothing changes no matter where you are," Sun said as he unsubbed his big guns.
"Nope," Steiner said as he unsubbed his.
=0=TBC 5-29-19 edited 6-1-19 edited 6-9-19