The Diego Diaries: Placebo (dd7 75)
This was supposed to go out last night. :(
=0=At the 'Special Case' lock up, Autobot City
It would be a very short on site visitation for Ratchet and the boys as he did his medical checkups. Kudon was actually doing very well and had improved over what Ratchet assumed to be long term low level data from his endless period of living with a time bomb in his chassis. He was sure that Kudon felt great but equally sure he would never say so.
As they ambled toward the Medical Center of the prison, the slag was flowing. Entering the building, they walked to the elevators and took them down to the lowest level of the building where all the alternative hard cases were locked up. Placed into stasis, it protected anyone from their harm if they were hauled into another universe by the still little understood anomaly that had made such havoc before. It would take Ratchet's personal codes to retrieve them from their slumbers and him alone.
Walking into the room, he checked the data showing on the small screens attached to each of the slide out chambers where the bad afts were contained. Moving from one to the next one, he scanned, evaluated, ensuring that their carcasses would be in good condition if they ever had a hope of getting out.
Which would probably never happen.
When all of them were checked, Ratchet looked at the others. "All is well," he said, then led the way onward.
They would bitch and slag until they reached the ground floor, then Ratchet and Ironhide would head for The Fortress because the preliminary data had just arrived from the Bootes about the new troublemakers.
=0=The Fortress, Autobot City
They walked in, the military leadership of the colony to meet in the conference room to go over data. Many would be on monitors so they could do the usual 'two things at once' that being a leader of an empire required. When Ratchet and Ironhide finally arrived, the door closed and everyone sat down to talk.
Prowl glanced at Starscream, Thundercracker and Rainmaker. "Gentlemen," he said.
Starscream leaned forward onto his elbows. "We have data on a very large group, very very large. It would appear that a battle group, perhaps two have joined forces and are heading this way. They appear to be those on the farthest rim of the Empire and thus have probably been going their own way for a while. We've tracked them across the deepest part of the Bootes, the one that seems to be the best and truest way through.
"They, if memory serves some of us were deep space groups who monitored the fringes on the farthest edges of the Empire and who did a lot of the attacks to subdue civilizations and expand territorial acquisition that direction. They had a lot of discretion because Megatron seldom had to go there over problems. They either are fanatical enough to do his bidding or they lied to him about their business. I will leave it up to you which it was," the big Seeker said with a grin.
Everyone grinned back.
"We can make estimates but until they reach us on our leading fringes, we can only guess. The sensors read them as large enough to appear to be a varied group of the type sent to wage long term war that couldn't be supported easily. That means some of their vessels are supply and arms in nature." Starscream sat back. "It would appear that we have a future fight on our servos."
It was silent in the room, then Prime sat back. "What is the time line that can be calculated?"
Rainmaker considered that. "We have a couple of decaorns before they become an issue. We have time to plan and interdict if necessary."
"What about warning them off?" Ratchet asked.
"That's a consideration," Blackjack said from a monitor. "We could show them the error of their ways."
Prime nodded. "Perhaps an initial call might give us a hint. They can either turn or keep coming and there will be time to prepare. Do we have communications capability that far out?"
"We do. We can send a ship there to enhance and boost the scan potential. The sooner we have hard and fast data, the better," Wheeljack said.
"Very well," Prime said. "Make it so. I would like a plan on my desk as soon as possible by the Emergency team. We will put this at 'priority one-pending'."
Prowl nodded as he took down the notes. "Very well. We can gather the information that we have overnight, then meet tomorrow after the staff meeting to go over what we might have to do with what we know."
"Staff meeting?" Ratchet asked.
"Tell me the date of the last one," Prowl said as he gazed at Ratchet coolly.
"I would but I might throw a rod," Ratchet replied.
They chatted a moment, then everyone broke for the rest of the orn. Tomorrow would be another day.
=0=In the dawning of 'another day'
They gathered in the conference room after sending off infants and taking care of other things that needed attention. The civilians and military members of the board fogged in, then the door shut. It was on.
"We will be moving through this at speed and when concluded, the military members will stay. We have a request to hear from the humans first," Prowl said as all optics turned to the group sitting in the middle of the big table as usual.
Lennox rose, then gazed at the civilian humans. :You're going to have to cut your comm channels for a moment. Classified information is going to be discussed: Lennox said.
The human civilians stared at him, then complied, something that Ratchet discreetly confirmed by lolling with a meter in his servo like he was playing a game. He glanced at Lennox, then nodded very slightly.
Lennox turned to Andrew Settles. :Andy:
Settles rose, then walked closer to Prime. :Optimus, we're getting to deposition stage with Dobbs' family. Their lawsuit was upheld in the world court. They can sue you but you don't have to respond. They can collect damages because if you do that, you will default the case and they will win their verdict automatically. They can then sue you for retrieval of damages if you don't pay what the court finds. The firm on Earth that you're using is working with Warren over this and they'll forward you information through the conference call:
Prowl glanced at Optimus. "I've been sitting with Barron over this. Barron is in court this morning but he told me what our position will be for all of this. He'll update your legal aide this afternoon."
Optimus nodded. "We do not want to cause undo harm and suffering to this family. What is the situation with Lombardi's family?"
"They're waiting for this suit to settle, then its expected that they will file. They've submitted information of intent so we can expect that they do the same," Prowl said.
:The depositions will be handled by Warren and his team on Earth. The bigger problem is the two soldiers you hold in jail. The pressure to solve the two murders is very great and growing on Earth. The other side is using this to their advantage. We're also receiving informational requests for the two spies from Germany and Australia. I don't know where that is for now but we have to organize our responses: Andrew said.
Prime glanced at Springer. "What is the status on the two men?"
"We have them in the lockup. Sciences is working out their tech," Springer said.
"The tech, that which allows them to be invisible was found in Shockwave's files. He had a gigantic stockpile of data in store from Jhiaxus. It matches pretty well something we found and its easy to believe that it was on Sentinel's ship mainframe. The devices they implanted are still being searched. We understand the tech. We just need to make the linkage for anything going forward," Wheeljack said.
Prime nodded. "Until we trace this back to the sources, we have the opportunity to lose. I do not want to lose."
"We can hold them for a bit longer. Its a matter of managing the information, plugging all the holes and figuring out how to do this without our tech being made public during a trial," Springer said.
"What's the situation on the tracking of the bad guys?" Ratchet asked. "How is the network tracing going?"
"Ghost and Smoke have the case and Warren is going to hear the update tomorrow. He's going to give the data to Elita and Jazz as ever," Springer said. "I was told they have about 86 different locales mapped with their money trail well in hand."
"We'll need to freeze it so that they lose their ability to fund their players," Wheeljack said. "I suppose that Barron will do that."
"Or we can do it ourselves," Jazz said. "Their banking systems are primitive enough that we can hack them, freeze the funds and leave no trail."
"The humans would have a riot if we did that," Raptor said from a monitor. "Then again, I like riots."
Laughter greeted that, then Prime leaned forward on his elbows. "There is a call for the whereabouts of the two spies then."
:There's an interest in them. You're covering their texts and messaging. Their families are wondering why they can't speak to them directly: Settles said.
"Tell them they're on ships patrolling the solar system. Its secured transport and they can't call home for a while. That might give us some more time," Jazz said.
Prowl nodded, then glanced at Settles. "We will expedite our end if you give that as their station for now."
Settles nodded, then sat. :That's the extent of concerns I was tasked to deliver:
"Tell your slave drivers that we got this," Ratchet said with a grin.
:Will do: Andrew said with a chuckle.
Everyone came back on line and the ball continued to roll through the many and sundry things that constituted life in the big city(ies).
Barron walked in at last with Magnus, then they sat.
"Ultra Magnus, I heard that elections for local councils are going to be open shortly," Optimus asked.
Magnus nodded. "They will be. I would like to mention that there will be three positions on the General Assembly open to human representatives. They are divided into three political districts. District One will be open to interested individuals chosen from Earth 1 and 2. District Two will be drawn from Unidad and the Consulate. The family Tower and Sciences will be included in District Three along with N.E.S.T.
"Elections will be held in thirty orns so if there are those who want to be that representative, then they can apply to run in the files for the General Assembly that are in the Community Bulletin Board political files."
:What are the qualifications, Commander?: Owen Harris asked.
"You have to be of age … I do believe 18 is sufficient among humans, live here full time and live in your particular district. The habitations have been divided into three districts to allow more responsive representation. They will be honorary positions for now without a vote. But that could change in future," Magnus replied.
There was discussion among the humans for a moment, then the show rolled onward. When the final report was given, the humans and civilians left. When the door closed, Prowl began.
"The overnight information is coming in and there are some interesting features found in it," he said. "There are scout ships from the Rim that give the signature of Cassio Imperialis. The big group heading across the Bootes has sent a ship to rendezvous with them for what I can only conclude is a discussion of intentions and coordination.
"We've determined that this is the biggest group ever encountered here and constitutes at least a moderate sized fleet. Its comparable to Razorclaw's group and has oddly enough a Seeker component."
Everyone gazed at Rainmaker and Starscream. They were frowning.
"They have one for now," Rainmaker said coldly. "Apparently, our calls haven't reached everyone out there."
"It would appear so, Elder," Prowl agreed. "It would appear that this group is working out the local area and meeting with others such as Imperialis. Cassio is reaching out a long way from where he's last known to base. Ominous and Razorclaw have yet to contact them though they must be clear that the group is coming."
"They can be aware of what they want," Starscream said. "The Seekers will come to us."
Rainmaker nodded. "That is not negotiable."
=0=TBC 9-1-19