The Diego Diaries: Ho-Ho-Ho-Huh? (dd7 178)
=0=Night at RvIH™
"Nighty-night."
"ADA! I comed to lou? She's doin'? Goin' dere to doin'?" someone asked.
"No, Orion. You go to recharge until Santa Prime gets done coming on his ride. Tomorrow we can 'goin' to dere' but not now," Ratchet said.
Orion lay back, then frowned. "I, Orion not like dis."
"Sleep," Ratchet said with a chuckle, then he walked out and shut off the light. It took a moment for them to all be tucked in, then Ironhide and Ratchet stepped out.
Lying on the couch in a big fluffy blanket and big soft pillows, Appa Ratchet and his cat grinned. Cousin had joined them and Robby was trying to climb aboard as well. He would, then settle at the end of the couch to recharge with the three.
"Go to sleep, infants," Appa Ratchet said to the little animals lying around and on him. "We can't make Santa Prime miss the apartment if he thinks we're up." With a chuckle, he relaxed into recharge.
=0=Elsewhere
They gathered in Santee's room to play video games, all nine of the titanic children. They were going to spend the night, then all nine would join the family at The Diner On The Corner for breakfast. They were given early presents, video games that they were wanting and would play and snack out most of the night. All was well at Appa and Ammas' house.
=0=Elsewhere
Springer and Drift walked in late and turned on the lights. Their surprisingly neat and well appointed apartment beckoned. They were not going on duty tonight and the next unless things called them to come. Right now, they began to unload their arsenal into two ornate 'armoires' that were by the door. They were copies of a gun safe that Drift had seen once when robbing an armaments baron's home that he had always admired. It was painted with scenes of the nightscape in Iacon as seen from The Wells. They were beautiful. So was the knife that Drift still had that belonged to the armaments baron.
"You hungry?" Drift asked as he shut his armoire.
"Oddly enough, yeah," Springer said.
Drift pulled boxed food from subspace packed for both of them by Amma Corr and Appa Raptor. They had joked about how 'bachelor boys' who don't have a 'good reason to cook, such as grandchildren … hint, hint, hint' needed help in the food department and so they were set for about three orns with the load given them. He took one of the three, put it into the oven and began to heat it up.
He was good at that. Cooking? Not so much. Neither of them were. A good (or not) ration or whatever energon could be coaxed out of whatever was laying around (literally) usually sufficed. Both of them were still amazed at the array, quality and kinds of food they could eat as 'take out connoisseurs'.
Springer shut his locker armoire, then walked to the monitor to check things. "There's a gang in Iacon now. A small but mean one. They want to fight it out to the top. Hauser has it on his list for after holidays."
"That makes how many? Seven identified and a lot of free rangers?" Drift asked as he pulled the box out and set it on the counter. He pulled out plates and began to fill them up.
"Sounds about right," Springer said as he clicked on the last email. He read it. "We may have a problem out at Sun Base and Homeland."
Drift walked over with two beers, handed one to Springer, then read the message. "That isn't good."
"No," Springer said with a growing frown. "It isn't."
=0=Elsewhere
They met up and walked to The Fortress together, Raptor, Alor, Blackjack, Hard Drive, Ratchet and Ironhide. It was cold, The City was festive and traffic was light. The trees in the city and those shining from windows made it a magical place as they ambled along. The lights of The Resort were bright as were those of the Monastery, both buildings on their ridge miles north of The City seemingly floating in the sky so dark was the night.
The Military Airfield was ever busy as was the hangar district beyond. Commerce was heavy in the warehouse district and so was air traffic coming and going. It was a great urban vibe cast about them as they walked into the courtyard to disappear inside.
The rec room was nearly empty but for the odd straggler or someone waiting to do their joor. They entered the main room and walked to the table where Prime and Prowl sat. Pulling chairs, the group joined them.
Prowl glanced up at them. "We appear to have a visitor who came, scanned, then flew away."
Blackjack sat back in his chair. "And? I feel there's something you're not telling us."
"They came and went through space bridges," Prime replied.
It was silent a moment, then Ratchet rested his elbows on the table. "It could be a coincidence. Someone else could have developed it. Ideas hang in the air waiting to be retrieved and created. It could be someone had that apple growing on their own cultural tree."
"Perhaps but I doubt that the number of ship and bridge elements from their visit scanned by the Seekers that were sent to look that match up Cybertronian was a coincidence. It wasn't in my book. There are no coincidences. Both the Functionalists and Machlis's crew sold our tech. Someone has our tech and has learned how to use it," Prowl said grimly.
"I wonder who, though four different species come to mind. If they find out that the planets are not occupied they might try and grab them again," Alor said.
"That is what worries me. I am thinking that we need to erect a steel wall there until we move them. I contacted Wheeljack and Perceptor. They went to Sciences to work out the countdown to move them. I expect an answer shortly," Prime said. "We need to move them fast."
A monitor flickered on from a computer on the table. A hologram of Wheeljack popped up. "I see you're all here. Ho-ho-fragging-ho," Wheeljack said with a smirk.
"It's all Ironhide's fault," Ratchet said with a snicker.
"That's right. Slag Ironhide," Ironhide said. "What's the word, 'Jack?"
"The word is we need two orns. Tomorrow and the next orn. We also need to move Triggers. The reason we need the time is to do the countdowns, get the sequencing lined up and then move. We are ready in that time frame." Jack glanced at a data pad. "By dinner time in two orns we are go."
"We will have to protect both areas until then. All of our big ships will need to deploy," Raptor asked as he glanced at Prime.
Prime who had listened to Prowl off line glanced at Raptor. "We will need them. I think it would be wise to make a plan to deploy the Supremes, Tennyson, Typhoon, Clipper and the three titans who are on station at Cybertron. I want the two who are near the Rim side. We can deploy a fleet there to take their place until they return there." He looked at 'Jack. "How long will this take for them to be off station, Wheeljack?"
"Once they clear the area everyone can go back to their regular roles. We just need no interference there. Once they go then all will be well. I can get the Triggers on the move now. Your call, Prime," Wheeljack said.
"I call it," Optimus said. "Take care of the project and getting the Triggers there. We will have a battleship escort for them with Salton Sea and Septarian. I will ask Starscream to design the Seeker complement. Keep me informed, Wheeljack. Do not stand them out without support. I will have the Supremes go with you as well. Prowl will station everyone for maximum protection."
"On it," Wheeljack said, then the broadcast cut off.
It was silent a moment, then Prime glanced at Prowl. "Do you have the battle plan in order, Prowl?"
Prowl nodded. "I do. I can do a targeted call up now."
"Please do. I am sorry this is happening on a holiday but there is little we can do when things come up. If you have to get things in order, please do. I am going out and I want you with me until those planets are safe."
"Did the Pantheon give you a clue?" Ratchet asked as they stood up together.
Prime nodded. "They are in agreement, both Solomus and the planets themselves. We must do this right and hopefully we can save them from tech pillagers. I am very disquieted that they have bridge technology. They must not find out where we live."
They walked out to begin a mission, one designed to prevent more tech abuse and to save two planets from pirates. It was a grim faced group that left.
=0=Elsewhere
They stood by the window of the Sciences Dome watching the activity at the airfield. They were in a good place to see movement of big ships as they made their way to the field and onward into the sky. Apparently, the colony was doing a mission. It looked and felt like one and as they watched the show outside, The Hourly News came on with a bulletin. Everyone glanced at the screen to watch.
"This is Aleph with breaking news. The Office of Strategic Communications has released a message from the Prime that a mission is underway regarding the two colony worlds that were discovered and retrieved shortly ago. Nearly four and a half million of our people were retrieved from the two of them, the last refugees arriving early this morning. The two worlds are in a part of the Benzuli region that is known for energy disruptions and other dangerous and unpredictable happenings.
The colonists were recovered and brought to Mars to repatriate them into the fold. The two planets have big urban centers, lots of unrecoverable technology and life. Given that the area is unsettled, has emerging space going species and no way to prevent them from getting our tech which is prohibited by many laws and the Tyrest Treaties, the mission now is to determine what to do about both planets. Each is inhabited and thus fall under the laws and rules of such places as determined by Cybertronian law and the Rules and Laws of Space.
"What will become of them is unclear at this time. They lie in an area near the Functionalist Council's former colony, one where the trade of forbidden tech was accomplished for financial benefit. It is not only illegal but terribly dangerous for aliens to have our tech and that is the problem before the Prime. He is leading the mission which is leaving now. Going with them will be all of the Supreme mechanisms, Tennyson and two to three other titans from Cybertron who do guard duty on the frontier. They are going to be providing cover for the time being.
"It was also stated that the Triggers will be departing for destinations to assist with the situation at hand. How they will is not detailed yet. The Trigger at the Saturn Shipyard and that of Trigger One and Two will be departing in short order. The Autobot City Space Bridge will remain and take up the slack until the other three return. Shipping may be slow but it will continue. The Autobot City Space Bridge is rated Category A for transportation.
"The Office of Strategic Communications will be giving updates on the mission and as they come we will be giving them to you," Aleph said.
Cindy and Lola Teasdale, Sheila Conroy and Xi Yang glanced at each other.
"What do they need three space bridges for?" Cindy asked the others.
"They're talking about two planets," Lola said. "What would you need huge space bridges for ..."
They stared at each other silently a moment, then turned toward the window just as the lights of Trigger 1 which could be seen from the ground at night even by humans began to move out of their parking order. As it did, a space bridge opened from Trigger 2 and it flew into it to disappear.
"Damn," Lola whispered softly.
The others nodded.
=0=TBC 1-8-2020