The Diego Diaries: Mission Go (dd7 101)
=0=The next morning
Ironhide walked to The Fortress in the early morning. He had Halo in his carry hold and the others were still recharging. The night was dark and the air was cold. Halo slept on a pile of blankets in a padded onesie. She wore a little knit cap that snapped under her little chin as well as gloves on her tiny servos.
She was a limp noodle getting ready to go with him, her helm flopping over as Ironhide slid her into the gear that would keep her toasty. She yawned broadly, her little optics drooping as she was trustled by familiar servos through the familiar routine.
Ratchet had handed Ironhide gear as he leaned against the dresser in her little room. "You better make sure that she gets her breakfast at the Military Daycare Center in The Fortress. If I find out you took her to the shooting thing I'll kabong you with my peds from here to Terra and back."
"Brutal old slagger, your old ada," Ironhide said as he held his snoozing daughter up. He kissed her, then slid her into his hold. "Gotta motor, Old Mech," Ironhide said as he kissed Ratchet.
"Gonna get clobbered, Ironhide, if you stand out and take her. Know that," Ratchet said with a grin.
"What makes you think we're ready to go?" Ironhide said as he walked to the door nearby.
"The standing orders posted on the ready mission board with the notation to stand out in five joors," Ratchet said.
"Oh, that stuff. Probably some sub adult slagger tagging again," he said as he opened the door. He grinned. "See ya.'
"See ya," Ratchet said as he walked out and the door closed. "Have fun at your first shooting war, Halo. I'll take my time finding the right hammer to use on his helm when you get back." With that, Ratchet walked into the berth room again, flopped on the berth and was out like a light almost immediately.
=0=Heading for the Courtyard
Prime saw Ironhide walk toward him, then slowed to wait. When Ironhide reached him, they continued onward.
"Where's Prowl?" Ironhide asked.
"He's already at Ops Center. Where's Halo?" Prime asked with a grin.
Ironhide patted his hold. "Need to ask?"
"You are not taking her along on this mission," Prime said rather than asked.
"Who?" Ironhide replied with a grin as they entered the courtyard and disappeared from view.
=0=Ops Center about the same time
Prowl slid the box with Possibility under the console and rose to go back to the table. As he did Ironhide and Prime walked in to join him. He picked up another box bed from the floor, then handed it to Ironhide. "Here."
"What do you mean?" Ironhide asked with his most (fail oriented) innocent expression. "What's this for?"
Prowl and Prime stared at him, then he sighed. He pulled Halo out, tucked her in and she was placed on the floor next to a deeply sleeping Possibility.
"Slave driving slaggers. You're almost as bad as old mech."
"No one is that bad," Prowl said as more of the command team began to walk in and across the vast floor toward them. In moments they would all arrive, then adjourn to the conference room to troubleshoot and go over the plans again.
They wouldn't change and neither would the launch times.
=0=Riding to the stables
Springer and Drift rode into the stable grounds heading for the grooms who were waiting for them. They were going on the mission with the group following them so they were coming in early. The overnight staff which were numerous were there in shifts all orn and night for riders, professional groups such as his and for the animal's care and safety.
They rode in, then dismounted, taking their saddles and tack to the room designated for their group. Hanging them up, caring for them before leaving, they bantered and laughed together.
Morius who was part of the swing shift and a mentored officer with Hercy walked out with the little mech and his brother Inweld who was mentored with Splice to the main room of the covered building. The room was a walk past the special or sick horse stalls and outward to The City beyond.
"When can we come on a mission, Abba?" Inweld asked Kup who had joined them.
"Soon enough, infant. We're going to need guards and messengers. Not all the jobs involve fighting. You will learn and then we'll see," Kup replied.
"We can learn fast, Abba," Morius said. "I hope you know you can count on us."
Kup grinned at the two kids. "That was always part of our thinking, infant. How about breakfast before we go?"
Everyone agreed as Springer, Drift and Sandstorm walked out. They would continue onward to The Diner On The Corner. When they finished most of them would go to the airfield and the latest update on the mission to come.
Inweld and Morius would go to their apartment to crash, then hang out with their brother and Lancer who wasn't going on the mission. It would be a lot of fun.
=0=On the ground
The ships began to move on the flight line rolling into place for their eventual launch. They were many including a half dozen battleships and four of the Supremes who were already in orbit overhead. Support was gathered as well and launched from the depot that Roadie managed 200 miles north of the colony.
Lights blinked in the velvet darkness as ships moved, mechs and femmes ran and drove here and there and the Master of the Muster began to organize to deploy several hundred troops and Seekers into the proper ship or line up. Small vehicles drove here and there, some pulling trailers of bombs and other support to the ships on the line.
Some of the personnel was already here. Doctors were already in orbit on the medical ships, Phobos, Kappa Supreme and The Harpy. Salton Sea would be Prime's command post and Starscream with the Great Elder and his sons would command Seekerkin from The Dauntless, another refurbished man of war that belonged to the Decepticons once upon a time.
From the front row windows in the Great Concourse and numerous lounges of The Resort everyone with a pair of binoculars, small hand held telescopes or manning those supplied by the building watched the gathering down on the plain below. They had heard the news tell about a mission gathered to go but little more. They had also heard that the missing human boy had been found but that 'circumstances of his disappearance and subsequent return were still under investigation, though nothing foul was suspected'.
It was a mystery.
Given that his name was withheld and all agreed that it was for the good, no one would know it was him and Barrett would have a good shot at getting back to his life again. That would mean one more review by the caste court and hopefully, his release from their jurisdiction.
But that was for later on.
Some of the humans from N.E.S.T., the Tower and Sciences stood in the viewing box to watch the muster. They would stay there all night to see the ships lift off to go when the sun began to lighten the inky darkness of the Martian night.
By then, the colony would be waking slowly up.
=0=ZZZzzzzzzZzzzzzzZZZZZzzzz …
"Ada."
[Nothing]
"Ada?"
"ZZZZzzzzZzZZzzz."
"Ada not doin'."
"Ada?" [PAT! PAT! PAT!]
Optics blink open, look down at four sets of smiling faces, then a servo scoops all of them up to put them on the bed and pull a cover over their helms. Then optics shutter and the snoring continues.
Four helms under a blanket stick up like haystacks after a good snow. Then they lay back down and soon there is more if very soft snoring going on.
=0=Bridge to somewhere
Prime stepped out of the bridge onto the deck of Salton Sea. Followed by Sun and Jack, Steiner, Lissie, Hercy, Kup, Blackjack, Ironhide, Hard Drive, Alor, Turbine and Delphi, he walked to the elevators that would take him and his command staff to the command deck and the central processor of the armada that they were going to be taking into the heart of pirate country to take out Ebio and Cassio Imperialis.
On ships nearby, other commanders took their places including Goldwing for medical and Starscream and Rainmaker for Seekerkin. Ratchet would stay behind for Banner unless called to come by bridge. Crews had been boarding for joors and were ready to go. Ships were lifting off and they would join the others shortly to take their place in the order of battle.
Prime reached the command station, then sat down in the captain's chair. Rem was his pilot and Heva navigator-engineer. Everyone gathered around, then Prime made the run through preparatory to leaving. When that was done, he went over a couple of changes, then everyone headed out to take their ships, shuttles or positions here and there until only Sun, Jack and Steiner were with Ironhide and Prime on their ship, the command vessel Salton Sea.
"This is going to be fun," Jack said with a grin. "I never liked the Imperialis boys. Ebio and I have a grudge going way, way back."
"Over what?" Ironhide asked with a grin as he stood beside Prime.
"Who remembers? It was probably him cheating at cards. Don't be surprised if he challenges you to a duel," Sun said with a big laugh.
"I won't be. That mech was never too bright," Jack said as he sat down in a spare chair. "When do we go?"
Prime logged off with Prowl who was on Beta Supreme, himself part of the order of battle that included Kappa, Xantium and Omega. "I think now is good," Prime said with a grim expression. "Rem, clear us and take us out."
Rem did.
=0=There
"ADA!"
"What?"
"Where Atar?"
"He's workin', Orion. Sit up and finish your breakfast. We have to go to school. Ammas and Appas are all busy so I'm going to take you."
"That will be fun, Ada," Sunspot said with a grin.
Ratchet grinned back. "You're staying over with Bos tonight. Right?"
"I am. Spot is, too."
"Do you have your little bag packed?"
"I do, Ada. I'm taking my best truck with me. We're going to their gravel pit in the park."
"The one in the sandbox?" Ratchet asked as he began to gather up dishes to leave in the sink until he cared more.
"Yes. That one is fun. No one bothers it. Isn't that nice?"
Ratchet grinned at Sunspot. "I do. I also think you're especially nice yourself. We better get a move on. It's getting about time to go."
The sound of scurrying feet hitting the floor could be heard heading toward their rooms as the big boys came out of their own loaded up. "We gotta go, Ada. We're taking the subway. We have an experiment to check on in the lab," Genesis said.
"Will anyone be there this early?" Ratchet asked.
"Mr. Hobo will be there. He's letting all of us in early because of the project," Quasar said. "We have to go to the DMZ after school, Ada. They're syncing new extensions to our sensor range. We have to help them."
"After school? When will you be done?" Ratchet asked as he suited up imps and put on their harnesses.
"We don't know. We may have to have dinner there," Fireball said. "I don't want to. You need help here."
Ratchet grinned. "You go do what you need. Let me know."
"We will," they said as they hugged Ratchet, the babies, Spot and headed out the door. It closed behind them.
"Ada. Where shes?"
Ratchet looked down at Orion, then grinned. "Uh … 'kool?"
Orion smiled like the sun. "I, ORION LOVE 'KOOL! I LOVE THE SHES!"
Ratchet laughed. "Who doesn't? MOUNT UP, POSSE! TIME TO RIDE!"
A loud and happy group hippy-hopped out the door for school. It closed quietly behind them.
=0=Getting there
They came out of the Triggers, the biggest and most lethal armada seen in these parts in vorns. Gathering up, Prime listened to the call to order. In seconds, everyone was in place and ready to go.
"We have the sensor data locked in, Optimus," Sun said as he watched the mech at Tactical do the job of optics and audials for everyone. "We're go when you are."
Prime nodded, then opened a channel to the armada. "This is Optimus Prime. We are going into uncharted territory to take out a very grave danger. Be on your toes and be ready for anything. Prime out." He glanced at Rem, then nodded.
Rem threw it into overdrive and almost as one the armada leaped forward into the darkness of space and disappeared.
=0=TBC 10-02-19 02-26-2021
PS: Thank you for the grand genitor/genitor boo-boo with Prime in 100. FIXED IT!
Trussled or trussled up in my orn was when you got into your gear or you got chained up. There are meanings that have no relation to that but we called getting into gear or getting hog tied trussled.