The Diego Diaries: Sun Dance (dd7 145)
=0=Sun Base HQ
"What is that?"
Faber stood in front of the sensor screen that showed a huge figure heading toward them. Three ships had been dispatched to see what had materialized out of nowhere a moment ago. As it moved toward them it began to take shape.
"That's a titanic frame," Machlis said as he stood next to Tulsa the Elder. They had come when the message from Prime was received. It was concerning.
"Its more than a titanic frame. Its a dreadnought," Tulsa said with disquiet in his voice. "I did a documentary on them when they were building one in Tarn. I know their signature."
"Prime has a dreadnought," Faber said aloud as if to confirm it to himself.
"He has the Titanics in his power. Their special function is to serve us through him. They will do anything he asks them to do," Machlis said. "Recall the three vessels. They have no chance."
Faber glanced at his amma then looked at the communications officer. "Recall the three ships. Open a channel to the vessel."
He did.
=0=There
"Look at that. They're leaving," Tennyson said with a grin. "Maybe I can give them a going away present." He was silent a moment, then a ripple spread out from his forward bow. It sped across the distance between them and the retreating ships, overtaking them almost instantly.
The ships sped, then the wave hit them causing them to fly in all directions. They tumbled then two sped onward as one rolled to a slightly lopsided stall nearby.
Tennyson slowed. "Well, we got one. Its like the humans used to do at the fishing hole. They'd drop dynamite into the water, then rake in the fish when they rose to the top killed from the concussion. We got us a fish, Hardie."
Hard Drive grinned. "I won't tell the game warden."
Tennyson laughed, then sent a drone ship to tractor them into his flight deck. He slowed nearly to a stop. "Let's see what the daily catch is."
Both of them rose, then walked to the elevators for the short ride downward to the flight deck way below. When they stepped off it was an astonishing sight to see. The flight deck could easily accommodate Wrecker shuttles and many of them. Hanging in the ceiling were dozens and dozens of fighters of all sizes. A number of big ships of war were parked along the walls on both sides of the vast deck down the way waiting to be flown either as drones or as piloted vehicles. It was almost beyond what Hardie could describe, the size and vastness of the deck and its arsenal.
They walked to the enemy ship that was sitting heavily on the deck. Its landing gear was still retracted. Hardie and Tennyson pulled guns, then popped the hatch. Laying inside sprawled all over the deck were five soldiers. The wave had hit them first, the powerful energetic aura of Tennyson which he'd extended toward them like a crowbar to the face. They were still groggy from the pummeling and subsequent flying around the ship that ensued.
"Well done, Tenn," Hardie said as he walked inside.
"I try," Tennyson said with a grin.
Hardie laughed as he disarmed, then cuffed the five. Drones waiting nearby walked in, then pulled them out. They were settled there on the deck.
"What is your command?" one of them asked in his metallic voice.
"The brig, Number 179," Tennyson said with a grin.
The drones gathered the prisoners up, then carried them off to the elevators. They disappeared, then Hardie turned to Tennyson. "How many drones do you have on board, Tenn?"
Tennyson thought a moment. I have about 2,000. Just enough to do the job well," he said. "Its minimum status for a mech my size."
"Amazing," Hardie replied. "I never asked the children," he said as they walked toward the elevator.
"They have the minimum for their age … 50. They're babies after all," he said with evident pride.
"They're wonderful," Hardie replied with evident pride himself.
They entered the elevator, then disappeared from sight.
=0=Homeland HQ on a ship and in the building nearby
"Message, Optimus," Blaster said as he put the text on the forward screen.
"Optimus: We've disabled the ships and captured one. Five prisoners are in my brig. I'm awaiting the go ahead."
"Prime to Tennyson. The word is go."
It was silent a moment, then an amused voice came over the ship's intercom. :On it, Lord Optimus. Tennyson out:
=0=HQ
:On it, Lord Optimus. Tennyson out:
Prowl heard the message then glanced at the mechs around him. "Tennyson is going to do the fly by. We'll have information shortly, then we can do what we have to do to get this in order."
Styre stared at him then the map, watching Tennyson pick up speed as he flashed forward toward Sun Base. He looked at Prowl. "I'm glad. We're going to have a committee meeting tonight to discuss this. If you and Lord Optimus can be there we can discuss this together with the best information. This is going to be a very wrenching thing for our people to decide."
Prowl nodded. "Been there, done that. We'll be there."
Styre and the others looked relieved.
=0=Outside
"They look worried and relieved," Drift said about the locals watching them nearby. He rose to walk to the fence. The locals stared at him as he paused on his side of the barrier. "I'm Drift. I'm with the Prime of Cybertron. We heard about you and came to see."
"Are you here to stop Sun Base?" someone asked.
"We're here to figure this out. If Sun Base is breaking the rules then Prime will deal with it. What's the general opinion about staying here? This place is dangerous."
The group stared at him, then one stepped to the metallic links. "Are you here to take us out?"
Drift shrugged. "I take orders. I don't make them. What if that's the idea? Before you answer, I don't know if it is. But what if it is?"
They glanced at each other then him. "I don't know. Its slagging dangerous here. We know the floes are unpredictable but they haven't hurt us yet. So ... I don't know. I just know I want to be free of worry," he said as everyone with him nodded and murmured.
"Where are you from? What's it like? What's happening out there in the universe? What happened to Cybertron? The Decepticons are around but they're afraid to come this way," Someone asked.
Everyone stared at Drift with expectation.
"I'm from a colony world called Mars. Its a safe place where migrations of refugees come. We have nearly 100,000,000 of our people there now and they come every orn," he said to the gasping surprise of the crowd. "Its a great place and everyone has a home, a choice of what they want to do and safety.
"The Decepticons are on retreat and Megatron is far away in the Delta Quadrant fighting an empire that outnumbers the stars in the sky. We retook Cybertron without a shot," he said.
They gasped then glanced at each other. Someone leaned closer. "You're telling the truth?"
Drift nodded. "Not a shot. We're feeding and caring for a billion people and reclaiming everyone we can find. No one is left behind. Prime is determined to find everyone. The Pantheon steps in to help when They can. We have a colony that has to be seen to be believed. You can do what you want, there's no System and everyone lives like a king."
"It sounds too good to be true," another said. "We live like that here but its hard. Energon is hard to make in quantities but we do a good job."
"Our system was seeded by a drone Seeker eons ago and we have other worlds nearby that are seeded as well. Our colony world, Mars, is nearly 50% energon," Drift said to gasps. "We have Class A and A- energon under our peds. It allowed us to make not only an incredible Cybertronian colony but also to rebuild Cybertron which is a wreck."
It was silent a moment, then a small femme stared upward at him. "Do you think the Prime wants us to go?"
"I think the Prime would worry a lot if you stayed here. This place isn't safe," Drift said.
It was silent a moment as everyone considered what he said.
=0=There
Tennyson came into view of Sun Base. There were ships in orbit and a lot of orbital tech, mostly sensors or communications. He glanced at Hardie. "How about a fly by? Considering what comes up to greet us, I'm going to do three orbits, then leave."
"Sounds good to me. Isn't one good enough?" Hardie asked with a grin as he sat down again on the navigator's chair.
Tennyson grinned. "It is. But I want to make a point. I also want to see if they have anything that they can launch from the ground that matters."
"What if they have ballistic missiles and rockets?" Hardie asked.
"Then you get to see what we can do that makes dreadnoughts the greatest flying mechanism, the greatest fighting mechanism, the GREATEST MECHS IN THE SLAGGING UNIVERSE!" he said with a giant smile. He stared at Hardie, then both laughed loudly. "System Command, report."
A metallic voice replied. :System Command reporting:
"Be ready for ground-to-air incoming," Tennyson said.
:Affirmative, Commander: the voice said.
They flew closer following a path plotted on the forward screen. The planet grew larger but nothing rose to meet them. Soon he inserted into orbit, then began to descend toward the colony just ahead even lower than he needed to do. He was also going to show his stuff.
The cities came into view as he flew over them scanning the ground and air in all directions. He could make everything down to the sub levels appear on his mapping tech with one swing around but he was making a point. He flew over the city, his bulk blotting out the sun over the entire area before he passed onward. Every habitation on the planet in this area was covered by his shadow.
=0=On the ground
They stood on the streets everywhere watching the most astonishing sight they had ever seen pass by overhead. It was the biggest ship ever seen by them and some had panicked, unaware that it was Cybertronian. Workers paused their jobs, those inside buildings ran out to look as everyone watched with dread or hope the sight pass over them. Then it was gone.
It would return ten minutes later recording at a slower pace, moving as if trying to provoke a response. No one did, no one made a move as the behemoth passed over again.
On board, Tennyson watched as the imaging tech he carried made the most detailed maps Hardie had ever seen flyover tech make. They were even detailed to the flowers planted in flower boxes around the area.
The ship began to move off around the planet. Hardie turned to Tennyson. "You can't get shot no matter how hard you try," he said with a snicker.
"Well, let's press the point," Tennyson said with a snicker of his own.
They came around the planet, approached the main colony, then began to slow. The massive ship moved very slowly forward, then halted over the city. Tennyson grinned at Hardie, then opened a channel to broadcast not only on transponders but local systems and the broadcast equipment he carried on his hull that could speak to those outside his ship without communicators. Only Primes could tap into transponders the way he did. He was last ditch emergency so he could do the same, the only titanic frame that could.
"This is Tennyson of the Dreadnought battle group, Obliteration. Hear me, citizens of Sun Base," he began as Hardie sat back to listen.
=0=Homeland and Prime
"Here we go," Drift said with a grin as he sat on the bench near the command chair on Salton Sea. Everyone had come there to watch the show now that Tennyson was heading toward a fly by. Everyone around him grinned and nodded with amusement.
=0=HQ
"What's he going to do?" Styre asked.
"What he's a professionally and anatomically designed to do … he's going to show them the futility of resistance," Prowl said as he watched the data pad before him.
=0=Prime
He watched the screen which now accommodated a view of the forward cameras of the big vessel. Prime would get a camera view of the situation as they flew over it and the cameras switched from one to the other to show things. It was a tense and fascinating thing to watch.
=0=Tenn at the same time the view was transmitted to everyone
He moved forward in his orbit coming around again to the colony. As he did, he pulled in the view to send it to Prowl and Prime. The colony came ever closer until it was underneath. Then he halted in place. He opened his channels and began.
"This is Tennyson of the Dreadnought battle group, Obliteration. Hear me, citizens of Sun Base," he began…
=0=TBC 11-30-19
Its the end of November and its warm and raining outside. Amazing. HUGS!
NOTES AT LAST!
Misty Legionnaire chapter 144 . 11h ago
Boy, Faber and crew will be deeply surprised when more dreadnoughts arrive should they decide to frag up and start this war.
Curious thought: would the Pantheon step in to prevent more deaths from the System / Functionalists? If not, are there resistance members on Sun Base who are working to remove the kill switches?
ME: That is the question. The Pantheon can't step in unless They are asked. Even gods have rules. :D
Also, I could see Faber holding unto a family member of Prowl's family (Prowl sr?), waiting until driving the dagger in would really hurt. I hope that isn't the case, but his family strikes me as that ruthless. Since most don't escape Sun Base once in their domain, it's possible.
Looking forward to the next chapter.
ME: YOU GIVE ME SUCH GOOD IDEAS! ON THE LIST! HUGS!
leoness chapter 143 . Nov 28
venture and miler are gonna lose it. and wait till they meet the kiddies.
happy thanksgiving!
ME: HAPPY BACK AT YA! I love reunions. Especially with the high castes. One didn't go well. I think this will for Prowl. :D:D:D HUGS!
Misty Legionnaire chapter 142 . Nov 27
Leadership runs in Prowl's family, even if they don't realize it. I hope Styre can take strength from the meeting to move his people out of the war zone.
ME: They have that command aura, I think. :D
I get the feeling Styre seeing the babies for the first time will take awhile since they are at war footing.
ME: This won't end easily or soon. Poor babies. They missed Thanksgiving and the contest. :D
Maybe more dreads are needed, assuming more are out there and able to answer the call.
ME: They have 15 and all of them are found. It could be so.
I take it the Functionalist colony helped Sun Base mine their people, so could Prime disable the control, assuming the science kids have made a way to do so?
ME: We shall see. :D:D:D ;););)
I look forward to the next chapter.
ME: On it. :D:D HUGS!
Ragemoose chapter 142 . Nov 26
OOOOH oh man i love these kind of events so much. i love seeing family reunions and im so so so excited to see how prowl and the fam react! i bet styre never expected his grandson to bond with the prime or to carry the first primal child, either! oooh this is so excitiiing~ can't wait to read more! make sure to take care of yourself in that cold! and if you're celebrating this week, happy holidays!
ME: I love them, too. I am a fool for redemption and possibility. LOL! More to come, darling. I have three days off. You take care, too, and happy holidays! HUGS! :D:D:D
Ragemoose chapter 140 . Nov 24
OOOOOH... how exciting! i wonder if this Stryker is a relative... perhaps maybe even someone who could talk some sense into prowl's grand-genitors regarding their views and what not :0 we can but hope i suppose
ME: Prowl had a vision during Festival about them. :D By now you know. LOL! I have to do better on keeping up with notes. HUGS! :D:D:D
Lackwit chapter 140 . Nov 24
Yay, I hope Stryker is the hinted at during the Pantheon's visit after Sentinel et al's trials, although the name isn't quite the same. I've been curious lol.
ME: He is. It took two days to find his name and change it. HUGS! :D:D:D
Misty Legionnaire chapter 140 . Nov 24
Is Stryker from the other side of Prowl's family, or is he one level higher than those already collected? If yes (to either side of the question), he's so in for a large family welcome.
ME: He's Ventures parents. :D:D:D I love reunions. :D:D:D
So sad on the war, but the System cannot live side by side with democracy.
ME: Never truer words spoken.
Looking forward to your next chapter.
ME: ON IT! HUGS! :D:D:D
optimus prime101 chapter 140 . Nov 24
please put up another chapter, please
ME: Okay. :D:D:D HUGS, DARLING!
leoness chapter 140 . Nov 24
ugh, it is the sickest time of year. glad you are on the mend.
ME: Yeah. Ugh. Then I ate too much for dinner at my sister's for Thanksgiving and could barely walk. LOL! I am my own worst enemy. :D:D:D HUGS!
Guest chapter 139 . Nov 22
Hmm...I wonder if Prowl is going find another pair of grandgenitors soon:)
ME: HE DID! I have to keep up with my notes better than this. LOL! HUGS!
Ragemoose chapter 139 . Nov 21
7 is really cute! I don't know much about her but I genuinely love her. For her sake and the sake of the rest of the functionalists at the colony I hope this conflict can be resolved peacefully. I wonder how people like this group, Faber and Tulsa, could countenance having an alliance with aliens while still subjugating members of their own species? If they DO work with aliens, it will be pretty surprising and I bet they would have designs to make themselves the more powerful side of the theoretical alliance. From what we know, they don't seem like the kind of people interested in equal partnerships.
ME: They will do what they need to become powerful and do what they always did. They have factors now that they have to take into account … Tennyson and Prime … but they also have hostages. This is going to take time and finesse.
I wonder if this has anything to do with the universe hopping that happened a while back? It's a long shot, but if the one member was after proprietary technology like Magnus said, I wouldn't be surprised if they had alien technology that they couldn't handle that might make something like that event possible. I suppose it's just a matter of waiting to see how it all plays out, and I'm very interested to see where this goes!
ME: I love this paragraph. All of it ties together in the long run. The short run is build up. Keep them coming, darling. Sometimes the best ideas and thoughts come from readers. :D:D
Thank you for another great chapter!
ME: You are truly welcome. HUGS! :D:D:D
Ragemoose chapter 138 . Nov 21
oh boy, more high tones. I don't even want to know what kind of messed up dystopia they have going on at their camp. I'm worried it will be another functionalist situation. That was so terrible for everyone, and I wouldn't put it past this group to have something similar going on.
ME: You are clairvoyant. You do what you know. Sometimes it takes catastrophe on a personal level to change the game. HUGS! :D
Fancy spinner chapter 138 . Nov 21
More troublemakers! They just can't catch a break. LOL it was great that they were able to goof around and relax for the previous few chapters. I am happy for burnoff and default. They straighten themselves out and are doing really well. I love that they're having a sparkling. :-) Thanks for the shout out!
ME: I love the downtime. I don't like to go too long without seeing what the others are doing. More to come, dear Fancy. HUGS!
Ragemoose chapter 137 . Nov 20
Aww, poor starscream. At least the kiddos still come to sleep with them! they must have a really big berth! :0 four kids, three mechs, AND a dog? its practically a party!
ME: I love the silkiness of Starscream and his befuddlement sometimes. He's one of the greatest characters ever. LOL!
I feel so happy for Default and the fam :D though I might be wrong, but wasn't Burnout the philosopher with The Circle and Burnoff the son of turquoise an Copperton? Or do I have their names backward?
ME: Heatout is the philosopher. (He's named after a lubricant. I work at a hardware store. LOL!) Burnoff is the son of Turquoise and Copperton and Default was from the group of idiots that including Gravity and Sio.
I'm really happy cliffjumper has found his place. Sometimes with people like him, their harshness only comes from a place of internalized inferiority, and when someone takes the time to show them compassion it can really work miracles for their attitude. He seems to be genuinely happy with where he is and that makes me happy for him! Though the idea of a whole stanixian clan looking to him for guidance... maybe that's a little concerning.
ME: I love Cliffie and Buzzie. Buzzie bugged me for a long time about Cliff. That's how this story works. Things come up from the bottom of my head and I put them in. He's hilarious about his new life. I love that little family. :D
wonderful as always! thank you for sharing! 3
ME: Its always my joy. Take care, darling. HUGS! :D:D:D