The Diego Diaries: Hoot (dd7 9)
Notes to come tomorrow. :D:D:D
=0=In the corridor
They stared at each other as Spectre and his mates took in the two. Ratchet and Prowl … the doctor-diplomat and the bond of Prime himself. It didn't feel right.
"You expect us to believe that we can just fly out of here with you two and nothing is going to stop that," Spectre said.
"Drop us off when you get to the coordinates that lead to the fort where Ominous is living and all will be well. If not, Prime will hunt you down and kill you himself. Ominous can't stop him from doing that anymore than Razorclaw but its a chance we want to take if you take out Ominous and frag up his operation," Ratchet said. "Though you may not notice it, your options are limited unless you do what I say."
Spectre stared at him. "The ship."
"Is outside on the patio. We had one brought in when we heard that you were doing this stupid thing. We don't have anymore time for any of you," Prowl said coldly.
"And you'll just let us go," another asked.
"We can find you any time we want," Ratchet said. "Keep up."
The two sides stared at each other with loathing and intense rage, then Spectre nodded. "After you."
Ratchet stepped past him and walked down the corridor to the door that led outside. Prowl followed Ratchet and the others followed him. Ratchet reached the door, then opened it. A ship was waiting nearby.
"What about snipers and the rest of that slag?" Spectre asked as he scanned the area for trouble.
"The area is clear," Prowl said. "We want you gone. We have things to do and sticking it to Ominous is always a good thing."
"Then walk out with me, Prowl. I don't think Prime would shoot his own bond," Spectre said.
Prowl stepped out and with Spectre beside him, they continued to the ship. Three others hurried across and that left Ratchet with Chalkline. He looked at Ratchet. "Move it."
"You didn't say 'please'," Ratchet said as he stepped out and walked across the patio to the ship. They both entered, the door closed and it began to lift off almost immediately.
Ratchet and Prowl sat next to each other on a bench along the hull while Chalkline and Spectre sat in the pilot and co-pilot's seat. The other two had seats by view ports and were watching as they rose into space to begin the long trek to the land of Ominous. They stared at the five giving nothing away.
Spectre glanced back at the pair. "I suppose you want to be dropped off somewhere."
"It would do you good. Prime's prepared to ignore you for now. Harm us and the game is over for all of you," Ratchet said as he sat back and crossed his arms over his chassis.
"What's the word on Ominous?" one of the others, Poker, asked.
"Well, he has a good thing going. Has a bunch of mechs and ships … probably under 100,000. Razorclaw has about two and a half times more." Ratchet grinned. "We have 1,500,000 ex
Decepticons alone. That doesn't count a million Seekers and all the recovered Autobot Army thus far. Did I tell you about the Home Guard, the big frames and the army and air force on Cybertron?" He gave them a dazzling smile.
It was silent a while as they approached the point of no return that would take them past Caminus and out to where Ominous had a fort. Chalkline glanced at Spectre. "There's a ship following."
"Our taxi," Ratchet said. "Care to slow down so we can jump?"
"What if I say no?" Spectre asked. He stared at them with a cold calculating look as both Ratchet and Prowl disappeared. It would take him a moment to process that sleight of hand.
=0=In the Bridge Room of The Fortress, Autobot City
Both Ratchet and Prowl stepped back from the Pretender towers that allowed their bodies to stay on world while their pretender shells sashayed elsewhere. Pulling plugs, they hustled for the door and the climb upward to the Ops Center.
Reaching that point, they hurried to Wheeljack and Perceptor who were bent over a console while the entire committee taking a break lounged around to watch.
Ratchet paused beside Wheeljack. "Open a channel, 'Jack. I want to pay my respects."
Wheeljack snickered. "Here you go."
"Hey, Spectre. This is Ratchet. How ya doin'?" he asked.
A pause occurred before the infuriated voice of Spectre came over the comm speakers. "Very funny, fragger. I suppose Prowl is with you?:
"I am. I'd also like to tell you that you have half a breem to shut down that ship and surrender before we turn up the heat," Prowl said coldly.
Sitting nearby with Solus and Sojourner in his arms, Prime watched with amusement. Angry Prowl was a good look for him. It would appear that things were in hand.
:And if I don't?: Spectre said.
"Then that's a choice. That's a choice, right, Prowl?" Ratchet asked his partner in crime.
Prowl stared at him, then the screen. "If you say so, Loon."
Ratchet laughed loudly, then nodded to Perceptor. "Hit it, Percy."
Everyone watched as Perceptor programmed a short sequence of numbers, then pressed a button. Nothing happened a moment, then another voice came over the speakers. :Uh, Ada? Are you there? The ship is slowing. It appears to be down:
"I know," Ratchet said with a dazzling smile. "ISN'T THAT GREAT!? I, Ratchet OF IACON DID HEREBY SAVE THE ORN! AGAIN! With these two servos … these holy serv-" A rap on the helm by Prowl ended that soliloquy. He grinned at Prowl. "Some might think you're jealous of my genius."
Prowl sniffed as only he could. "As if."
Huge laughter imbued with amusement, delight and relief filled the room.
Ratchet leaned over the console. "Are you there, Springer?"
:Always and forever: an amused voice replied.
"Be a good son and bring the ship back. Take the garbage to the jailhouse. Or maybe straight to the prison for Gee-Gee to manage." Ratchet grinned at Wheeljack and slapped his shoulder. "Then hurry back. We have a meeting to finish."
:Oh joy. On it: Springer said with a chuckle. "Impactor's Revenge, out:
The relief was enormous as Ratchet turned to everyone and curtsied like the exhibitionist that he was.
Prime grinned at him. "Details?"
"We had to move them out so I negotiated for them to leave with us as hostages. It was a brilliant tactic, one that has served me admirably for vor-"
Rap on the noggin, part two.
Ratchet grinned at Prowl, then turned back to a grinning Prime. His daughters were staring at Ratchet, then grinned brightly. "YOU'RE SO CUTE! And your daughters are, too," he said to huge laughter. "We had to get them out with high status hostages so they would agree. So I volunteered and Miss Priss here, he was just standing there so I lowered my standar-"
Rap on the noggin, part three.
"I was saying … I had us come as Pretenders, get on the ship and get them away, then derez. That was when I had Wheeljack remote the ship through a small homing device I slipped under the bench we were sitting on and zap it with an electrical overload of the systems. They were electrocuted within an inch of their lives," Ratchet finished.
"Well done," Prime said with a grin.
"Genius," Raptor said from a monitor nearby. Everyone on the monitors nodded.
"It's just part of the job, the job I do so humbl-"
Rap on the noggin, part four.
Ratchet stared at Prowl a moment, then slapped him. There was a short interlude for a spirited slap fight before Prime cleared his throat, a totally unnecessary thing.
Both stared at him, then Ratchet grinned. "I need a donut." He began to walk to the table nearby.
"Get me one, too, Loon. Chocolate," Prowl said as he picked up Sojie. "So, where are we?"
Prime rose with Solus. "I do believe we are in the middle of financial reports."
"Oh, good," Prowl said as he walked back to the conference room with his daughter. He entered as everyone watched him go.
"Never change, Prowler," Alor said from a monitor. He was in Las Vegas already.
Prime grinned. "I do not think you have to worry about that."
Huge laughter followed them into the conference room, that and a large plate of donuts.
=0=Space, where no one can hear you SCREEEEAAAAAMMMMMM!
They slid to a stop beside a ship listing slightly in space, its notable features for illumination dead to the world. When they were close enough, Springer, Drift, Roadie, Sandstorm, Twin Twist, Hercy and Kup stepped out and floated over with guns drawn.
"Is it safe to touch?" Drift asked as the ship got closer to their drifting bodies.
"I hope so," Springer said with a chuckle as he landed on its surface. Magnetizing, he walked to the hatch which was closed as tight as a drum head.
Hercy walked over, knelt, then broke the lock to open the hatch with a strange tool he kept for such things. Then he stood again and jumped inside, floating in the air because the gravity plating was out. Shoving along the wall, he led the way to the flight deck.
"I'm supposed to lead the team," Springer groused.
Drift who was following him as Springer followed everyone else grinned. :You can lead me to your spark's content later on:
Springer glanced at Drift with a smoky optic. :You're giving me ideas:
:I hope so: Drift said with a chuckle as they bounced off walls floating forward.
:Hope so as in 'yeah, baby' or hope so as in 'Dad, I'm bored'?: Springer asked with a smirk.
Drift laughed but he didn't answer.
They magnetized to watch as the others grabbed the floating slaggers who were glitching from massive electrocution. "We better get them to the colony. Slaggers got bit," Hercy said.
The mechs grabbed the five blotto criminals, then floated past Drift and Springer. They left the ship and began to float back just as a tow vessel slid into view.
Springer and Drift watched the mechs leave, then glanced at each other. "I'd kick that old geezer in the slats but he's probably got a tool that'll kill me if I do," Springer said.
"I'd hate to take a really good look in his sub space," Drift said. "Come on. The rate they're going, we might have to hitch a ride back with the tow ship." He stepped off and floated toward Impactor's Revenge.
Springer watched him go, then sighed. "Last one, again," he said, then stepped off to follow.
=0=Meeting
They were mostly flagging, the infants. Sitting on laps or giving in to their boredom by falling into recharge, most of the little kids were showing with their own behavior what most of the adults felt. A scorching game of Scrabble was going on between Optimus Prime and Raptor off line.
"And that about does it for our Earth side institutions, the Prime National Bank, the credit unions, the investments of our worker's retirement and the status of our insurance for the same. All in all, we're very solvent which is sort of an odd-man-out thing to be on Earth. Caro is managing the portfolios, Optimus, and all is well," Venture said as he sat.
Prime nodded as he considered what kind of word he could make with a 'Q', two 'X's' and an 'I'. Sometimes it was fragged to be Prime. "Thank you, Venture. I am happy to hear it."
:I'm sure you are: Venture said as he watched the game Prime was playing with Raptor who had cut him in halfway through his presentation when it was clear that Prime was puzzling about something.
Prime grinned. "Anyone else?"
"I want to know your deep professional analysis of the next game between Iacon and Kaon due to roll up shortly. I have a bet to layoff and I need insider knowledge," Raptor asked as he watched Prime struggle with the letters he had left.
"You could go to prison for asking on Earth," Prime said as he sat back with Solus sleeping in his arms.
"Kaon will lose," Prowl said firmly. "This is Optimus Prime. PRIME HERE! Do you have to ask?" He looked up at the monitor with Raptor who was grinning.
"Yes," Raptor said to huge laughter.
"For the good of the order then," Prime said with great satisfaction.
Sometimes it was good to be Prime.
=0=TBC 6-7-19
ESL:
imbue, imbued: (im-be-you'd) to fill with something, to make something more