NOTE: This was posted last night but it didn't show up. I am so bummed about this. I don't think its glitching for the story to become part eight but I'm going to stay up long enough to make sure it posts. Here we go... :[
The Diego Diaries: Talko (dd7116)
I'm experimenting with segment dividers … ^,,^ =0= and =-=
:D:D:D I have too much time on my hands. :0)
=0=Conference room in The Fortress
Rocco watched Prime consider what he had told him as all around him sat mechs from his general staff, some of the soldier femmes that were well known on his side of the line … former side as well as Prowl who was unrolling a data pad of colossal size and complexity.
Outside waiting for him in the Ops Center, Siphon was sitting with some of the mechs that were always around Prime. He was showing them a big white bear that the Former Decepticon Association always gave to the new arrival kids for comfort and as a gift. They had something soft and comforting to hold during their transition. Cryo had handed it to Siphon when they left to come here and the little mech was thrilled with it.
Scar had been called in by Cryo since Rocco was his client and they had all gathered here to discuss the problem that he had laid before Prime. It was silent and grim as they waited for what he would do about it.
Prime glanced at Prowl. "Do we have charts of space in that direction?" he asked.
Prowl nodded. "We have them from databases we captured or were handed to us." He looked at Rocco. "Find the base and outline the area. The most precise you are, the better."
Rocco leaned over, studied the map, then began to describe and detail the outlying area. "This is our base. Its small, just an out land sensor station. We have about thirty mechs there but half of us left. We sorta left without the possibility to go back because the cross hatch sensor grid out there went down for a short time. We managed to sneak out and were gone when we were supposed to return to base."
He stared at the map, then glanced up at Prime. "There's two kids there that won't cope. We need to get them back. I couldn't go back for them and to tell you the truth, Prime, it didn't occur to me until now." He shook his helm. "I can't leave them there."
"Are there any others there that require rescue? What about the local area?" Prime asked.
"No one. There's only the kids. They were found by another mech and brought there. He said something about tech slavers." Rocco frowned. "I asked if there were others because nothing frags me off more. I was told that there wasn't anyone else and this bunch would never do this again. These kids were found on a ship that had been attacked by unknowns and because they were small they hid. Siphon won't talk about it and the other two are younger and more scared. I think I need to get them one way or the other."
Prime considered the map and information, then sat back. "I will order a group to go there and get them. Will they surrender? What would you think would happen?"
"If you go big, they will. Most of them are okay. They just didn't get a chance to run. We're out of the way and no one comes by. I transferred there after Galvatron decimated my battle group. I was looking to leave," Rocco said grimly.
"We need a strike group with heavy escort. Overawe them into surrender," Prime said to Prowl who nodded and began to type orders and call ups on his personal work pad. "I want Sun and Jack to lead it. Rocco, you will go with them. We need insider information. Siphon can stay with us and we can take care of him until you return."
Rocco nodded, then everyone stood up to do their part. Rocco walked outside, then knelt down by Siphon. He smiled at Rocco as he held his bear proudly. Some of the mechs had complimented it, this first nice thing he ever had and he was over the moon about it. "I have to go on an errand. You need to wait here until I get back. Okay?"
Siphon's smile wavered, then firmed up again. "Okay. Will you come back? Will it be fast?"
"That's the plan," Rocco said as Siphon hugged him around his neck. He hesitated in surprise, then enveloped the infant in his arms. He held Siphon, then stood. He looked at the mechs there. "Who's going to look after this kid?" he asked.
"I will until Bumblebee gets here. Then you can take a tour of the colony with him, Siphon, until he gets back," Prowl said as he took the infant into his arms.
Siphon stared at Rocco a moment, his uncertainty clear, then he looked at Prowl. "Did you see my bear?" he asked as he held it up.
"That's an amazing bear," Prowl said. He glanced at the group, then Rocco. "I have this. Go and get back."
Rocco nodded, then walked out with the mechs. He didn't look back when he did.
Siphon watched him go, then looked at Prowl solemnly. "He'll come back. Right?"
"Yes," Prowl said firmly. "Come on in. Let's look at the Operational Center for the colony." They walked inside as the rest followed the first group out. In short order, a Supreme, three battle shuttles and fifty Seeker heavy gunners would be lifting off to go to the Trigger for a send halfway across the galaxy. They would be gone in seconds.
=-=On the ships
Everyone lounged in the big hold of Xantium Prime. He was locked and loaded in ship mode and would stay that way. The plan was to go there, overawe the locals, give them a chance to leave and then blow the slag out of the place when they did. It was a plan.
Wreckers.
Rocco stood by the window watching the sled arms crackle with energy. "I haven't gone down a trigger sled in vorns."
"We have three and the fourth is nearly finished," Hercy said as he lounged next to the twins. "We refuel them with class A+ energon which lasts forever practically. The two here are fueled by geosynchronous bridge from the plasma chamber."
Rocco glanced at him, then grinned slightly. "You've been busy."
"We have. Sit and tell me slag," Hercy said as Kup patted the seat beside him. The mechs all around watched him walk to the couch and sit. "What are you going to do now that you got smart and made the cut?"
Rocco grinned. "I don't know. I was hoping for Prime but the job appears to be filled."
Mechs grinned at him. He was at least smart enough to have developed a sense of humor.
"You got that right, infant," Kup said. "What were you before the war besides hungry, homeless and hopeless?"
Rocco grinned faintly. "I grew up in Slaughter City."
Everyone offered their sympathies.
"Were you army before or after the revolution?" Hercy asked.
"After. Before I was an electrician. I wanted to be a glass maker. You know, do the inlays and fancy work. Stained glass, design it and slag," Rocco replied.
"You can here," Sideswipe said. "All you have to do is want it."
"So I heard," Rocco replied. "I might do that. I like making the glass and shaping it. Something about making something out of nothing that's pleasing."
Sunstreaker nodded. "I'm an artist when I'm not soldiering. You can do the same. I'd like to see some of your stuff. The galleries here and other worlds like our art. You can show your stuff, have a studio and do what you want. No one will ride your aft."
Rocco nodded. "I worked as a helper for a glass maker when I was a kid. I liked making really intricate windows with lots of colors and in the colors adding designs. The smaller and harder, the better."
"They teach that at the University. You can just take that, learn it and open a shop. Or you can work at someone else's business or in the Industrial Parks. They do fancy glass there, too," Hercy said as he continued to read the big mech.
Rocco's energy said a lot of things to a mech with specialized personal tech no one knew about and a lifetime tens of millions of years long to learn how to read others to the degree he could. Rocco was a hard knock mech but he wasn't mean like a lot of Decepticons. That hard edge wasn't there. He was self centered like a lot of them were because you had to be to survive in the 'Cons. Trust was a liability and belief was something that could get you killed. It wouldn't take long for him to recover and exceed expectations, Hercy mused.
"Are you going to soldier? Lots of us have other jobs and soldier as well," Kup asked. "Mech could use a good hand."
"I'll think about it," Rocco said. He knew most of the mechs here were soldiers, some of them full time. He knew them by reputation, though probably never faced them in battle. He was always a good dependable guard to put on duty at sites away from Cybertron. He was competent, meticulous and followed orders. He could fight and had but not as much as some.
Sideswipe was a professional soldier even if he had other things to do. He liked it and worked like a demon. His reputation was well known and so were the others including his brother. He was a working mech, someone who did the job but didn't hone it too much. It wasn't the first choice, though he did like a good fight once in a while, usually when he was loaded or someone cheated at cards.
It was then that the flash of a bridge opening drew them to the screen overhead that showed the view ahead. They flew into it and were gone in seconds.
=-=On the road again
Siphon sat on Bumblebee's arm as they walked out of the station at Terra. They were heading for the school he'd been briefed would probably be Siphon's to look around
There was a half way school there for kids who were young enough to go either way, Sparkling Day or Youngling, to help them catch up before final placement.
The little mech looked at everything as he held his bear so others could see it. He got grins, Bee got waves and all was well. "What's that place, Bee?" Siphon asked.
"That's going to probably be your new school. Want to go inside?" Bee asked. They were walking down the main street heading toward where it sat occupying a full block facing the plaza of Terra.
"What do they do there? I've never been to a school," Siphon asked.
"Let's go see. Okay?" Bee asked.
"Okay. Can I bring my bear? I'm calling him Rocco. He's a white bear and Rocco's red. But its okay. I like that name," Siphon said as they entered the forecourt of the building's outside entrance.
"I like it, too," Bee said as they entered and found themselves in a lobby.
Siphon looked around in awe of the place as Bee walked to the desk for directions, then to an elevator to take a ride upward. They got off on the 18th floor, then walked down a corridor filled with kid's art, couches outside the classrooms to sit on and the odd person going here and there purposefully.
He reached the door that led to Groups A-D, then entered. The room inside was huge, had different areas all around it and little kids were either going with a teacher or aide somewhere, playing in the free play area or sitting with a teacher or aide for some kind of lesson. Bee stared around, then found who he wanted to see. Walking to the lounge door nearby, he rapped on the doorjamb.
Roto and a couple of his friends and colleagues were there taking a break. "Bee, what's up? Who's this?"
"This is Siphon and he's brand new. He came in with a Decepticon group that surrendered. He's never been to school and he's sort of high end sparking and low end youngling. At least, so far he is." Bee looked at Siphon who was looking at them silently, clutching his bear tightly.
Roto rose, then turned to the kid. "Hi, Siphon. Welcome to the colony."
Siphon glanced at Bee, then held up his bear. "Look at my bear. I got him today."
Roto grinned. "What a great bear. Does he have a name?"
"I'm calling him Rocco. I like that name," he said with gathering enthusiasm. "Did you know I have a construction company? Rocco got me trucks, then wrote my name on the doors. 'Siphon's Construction Company'." He smiled brilliantly, an eerie reflection of another battered kid that all of them knew well.
They chatted, then walked back into the big room. Siphon saw the sand box, then asked to see it closer. Bee put him down, then he walked over to the box, watching the smaller kids working away. Glancing around, he put his bear carefully on a chair nearby, then hurried back to the box. He stepped in, found a shovel and bucket, then began to dig happily. None of the other kids found that strange and neither did he.
Roto sat nearby with Bee watching the child, taking notes as he did. It would be a very happy child digging in the sandbox at Sparkling Day School in Terra.
=-=Out there
Sun and Jack compared notes, then put the group on standby. There was a grid sensor net ahead and they had to blow it up. Seekers were dispatched to do that job and in minutes they were free to go in. As they did, Sun opened a channel to the base.
"Outlying base, this is Ironhide of Praxus, General of the Army of the Prime. I'm asking for your surrender and transport off world or I will blow you up. I'm going to do a flyby and while I do that 50 Seeker heavy gunners are going to shoot up your ships."
As he said that fifty heavy arms Seekers flew in tight formation out of the middle of nowhere and laid waste to the ships and shuttles that were part of the base's duty fleet. As they did, they swung around to do more and added the communications and sensor dishes and towers to their list. There would be nothing standing when they were done but piles of rubble burning furiously in the thin atmosphere.
"This is Ironhide again. I'm going to be landing nearby with a Supreme ship and three battle shuttles. Their guns will be pointed at you. I want your complete surrender, the children in your custody sent out without harm and we can leave together for the promised land. I have a ball game in a couple of orns and I don't want to be stuck out here jabbering with you. Yes or no, slaggers. Make it snappy." Sun sat back with a grin. "We'll see."
Rocco watched tensely. Then a voice called back.
"Autobot?"
"Here," Sun said.
It was silent a moment.
"What kind of ball game?" the voice asked.
Sun and Jack both smiled.
=0=TBC 10-21-19
Given the intensity with sports among the Cybertronians … the Velocitronians built their entire life and world around racing and used up all their energy doing it … sports are a big deal. :D:D:D