The Diego Diaries: Out There (dd7 202)
=0=Here, Mars
"What do you want, Magnus?"
Ultra Magnus, magnificent specimen of the Cybertronian mech, tough, smart, ruthless and relentless stared at Faber. "I want to you to tell me the tech the Vergon Confederation has and how much they've developed it further."
"Why would I do that?" Faber asked as he sat back to spar.
"Because when they come here with it to kill us in our berths I'm going to weld you to the front of my ship before I go to battle them," Magnus said.
It was intensely quiet, then Faber shrugged. "What makes you think they can come here and harm us?"
"Maybe its because they have bridges, ships and weapon systems that read about 65% our tech … the idea that they want our tech and already tried to pillage our dead for it … that might be part of it," Magnus said.
Faber considered that. "They can't overtake us."
Magnus sat forward. "So you tell us. Details."
Faber stared at him silently. It was his mistake.
=0=There
Prime listened to the fight that was taking place between his shuttles and four ships from the scouting party. It was intense. He had already sent two more shuttles to the fight and they'd just arrived, one commanded by Steiner and the other by Sun. It wouldn't last long but it was loud.
=0=Nearby
They flashed through the bridge and flew straight at Springer and Hercy. The engagement was right away. It would be a good encounter between two sides that were reasonably close in complexity and tech. Though the bots had the edge in a big way, it would be instructive how good the four ships were before they were destroyed with their crews in the dog fight.
=0=Here
Magnus sat down again, then glanced at the wide eyed Home Guard standing at the door waiting to do his bidding. "Bring in the next individual, kid."
The Kid jolted, then hustled out.
It was quiet as the three sat together relaxing. Elita grinned at Arcee, then Magnus. "Nice art work, Magnus."
Magnus glanced at her, then the faintest grin formed on his handsome face. "Thank you."
The door opened and the kid guard came in followed by Fuller. Fuller looked wary, then slowed as he stared at the back wall. He stopped short, staring at the sight slack jawed with surprise, then turned toward the three sitting at the table. "What is this? What did you do to him?" he gasped.
The Kid with him looked 'gaspy' as well.
"He didn't answer my questions. Sit," Magnus said in his 'voice'. "Its your turn."
Fuller glanced around, then edged to a seat to sit. He stared at the back wall with an expression of fear on his face. "Is he alive?"
"For now," Magnus said.
It was silent as the three waited for Fuller to heighten in his sense of vulnerability. Then Magnus picked up a data pad laying on the table. "I want to know everything that you sold to the Vergon Confederation. Right now, they're planning to come here and blow things up. As I said to your father … if they do I will weld him and you to the front of my ship when we stand out to meet them in combat. Any questions thus far?" He stared at Fuller with the cold hard optics for which he was famed on both sides of the factional divide.
Fuller stared at him, then his father who appeared to be fastened face first to the wall. He hung there spreadeagled, his body rigidly attached by some function that he didn't understand. He looked at Magnus. "I didn't have much interaction with that. I had other things to do. I do know that bridge tech … ship and weapons systems were sold to them and maybe others ..." He trailed off. It was hard to think around the howling in his helm.
"What others?" Elita asked. "There are more aliens out there with our stuff?"
"I don't know. You have to have the databases, right? You can find out there, right?" Fuller asked.
"We're pressed for time. They're making their way here jumping with our bridges. If they can meet our level of tech, our armor and weapons systems, then things aren't going to be good. Do they know where Cybertron is?" Magnus asked.
Fuller stared at Magnus, then the others. "I think they do. I think someone mentioned it once when I was having dinner with them. They have star maps that they want to expand. They want to explore. Its their thing I was told."
"They know where Cybertron is then. Cybertron is a wreck. It can't defend itself. If they come there nothing can stop them pillaging to their hearts content. You never thought about that?"Arcee asked with incredulity.
"I never was part of it. I don't know what the others did. I was in charge of cataloging the planet's resources. I was in charge of the plants and animals, the minerals and stuff. I hate the business stuff. I wasn't part of it. I only know what others mentioned," Fuller said.
"Convenient for you," Elita said darkly. "So they know where we live. Do they know how defenseless Cybertron is? Do they know its helpless?"
"I don't know," Fuller replied as he glanced at his father. "We haven't been there for eons."
"You came to look over your property," Arcee said. "That was your first mistake. We found you out that way, through your arrogance and entitlement. You saw what the place was like, how much has to be done and how vulnerable everyone there is. Yet you still traded our tech with hostile aliens against all the laws and rules and told them things that make it likely they will invade Cybertron or us here."
Fuller stared at her, then Magnus. "I don't know the details. That's what I heard. My atar and the others did the business stuff. I took care of the planet."
Magnus sat forward. "If you left anything out I will come for you. Understand?"
Fuller nodded.
Magnus glanced at the Home Guard kid. "Take him out and turn him over to the duty officer. Then bring in the next one."
Both he and Fuller jumped to comply, Fuller to leave and the kid to obey.
Faber who was glued to the back wall wasn't in any position to go anywhere.
=0=Fight Club
The fighting was bitter and amazingly advanced for the ships that were scouting. But in the end the edge belonged to the bots and they were dispatched one after the other. When the proverbial dust settled, there was nothing left to scrape into a bag.
Springer stepped from a gun turret then walked to the engineer's seat. He called up Tennyson. "Springer to Prime."
"Prowl here. Report."
"We took them out. They were good, their ships and weapons very good but we have the edge. There's no one to bring in and nothing to salvage. We scanned the wreckage for data bases but there aren't any. Everything got blowed up," Springer said. "Do we come in or wait for the next dance?"
"Come in," Prowl said as he noted the forward view. He glanced at Prime. Then he signed to him. "No one survived. The encounter was better than it should have been and they have very good tech."
Prime noted that, then sat back to contemplate his next move.
=0=Magnus and Company
He came in, stopped short at the image of his son hanging on a wall behind Magnus of all mechs, then glanced sharply at the big mech. "What is this?"
"Sit."
Machlis sat and as he did he stared at his son with concern, then that disappeared. He looked at Magnus with loathing. "What do you want?"
"I want everything, Machlis. Do you know that the Vergon Confederation is coming this way with tech that matches us. They're jumping with bridges in large numbers. I want to know if they know about Cybertron, about how to kill us and if they can match us in combat. If you don't tell me, I have space on my wall until I have to fly out to fight them. At that point, I'm going to fix you to the front of my ship. I think it would be justice for you to see the results of your treason up close and personal," Magnus said.
"You wouldn't dare," Machlis said.
He would.
=0=The new wall of steel
They came in, Clipper with three titans who were new to the area and slated for sitting in the northern climes of Cybertron. They were warriors who were also steelmakers and other heavy industrial entities who had great experience doing what they were called to do. This was a detour from their main function which was to serve and protect the people of Cybertron though the end results would be the same. They teleported in using a dimensional jump pattern, then took up a holding position near Tennyson.
"The three ships and Clipper are here," Prowl said to Paragon. "Give them to Typhoon, Pari." Prowl stood then walked to Prime with the data pad that held the plan of action for any confrontation with the greater group. They were still some distance away. They were now preparing to tell the main group the fate of their scouting party. :We have our augmented mechs here. Clipper came with three titans, Slammer, Puncher and Sport. They're going to be part of the barrier with the others. Typhoon is taking care of that:
"That is good to know. Two dreadnoughts, six titans and three Supremes are good odds in our favor," Optimus said as he studied the data pad. As he did a small bridge appeared nearby on the screen and a shuttle flew out of it, one that was small enough to use the Autobot City Space Bridge to come this far and no farther. It would take a while to reach them even given their jump. "Who is flying that shuttle?"
Prowl checked, then turned to him with a slight smirk on his handsome face. :Its Magnus, Arcee and Elita. They brought some friends along for the ride:
Prime stared at Prowl for a moment, then Prowl changed the scene on the forward monitors. It showed an enhanced view of Impactor's Revenge flying their way and on the front fastened in some manner that Prime didn't know were three mechs. They were Fuller, Faber and Machlis.
Ratchet stared at the screen, then grinned at Prime. "That reminds me of a runabout ride to the Valles Campground a while back."
"It does, Loon," Prowl said with a grin. "This should be interesting."
It would be.
=0=Shuttles out there coming back
They flew through the line of steel that faced them, numerous ships of such stature that it was breathtaking. They flashed their running lights and the big ships flashed them back as Springer, Steiner, Sun and Hercy returned to the fold with their slightly battered shuttles. A few really good blows were delivered by very good guidance systems of their own tech but the lighter ships were no match for the heavy armor of these vessels. Apparently they didn't have the process for heavy duty laminated cybertanium.
"What do you think?" Sunstreaker asked Springer as they flew toward Tennyson and a debrief with Prime.
"I think they're good. I think our job just got a bit harder. If they ever find a way to get to us they'll come. I hope they don't know how defenseless Cybertron is right now," Springer said.
"They have to get past us," Sunny said as Drift nodded.
"They don't seem lacking in guts. Maybe their belief system doesn't find dying a problem. Maybe its a step up to some kind of paradise. Some belief systems are like that. Death is part of life so they aren't afraid," Drift said. "After all, I heard that they believe their god lives in the floes. Who knows what they know but they seem to have prospered out here."
"Maybe, but I think they better learn," Sandstorm said darkly.
They would join a group of shuttles near Tennyson that included one flown by Ultra Magnus.
=0=Inside Tennyson just before the four shuttles returned to the fold
They walked across the great expanse of Tennyson's command deck lead by Magnus heading for the command seat where Prime was working. It would be a grim faced group that reached him. It would be a grim faced Prime who would swivel around to face them.
=0=TBC 2-7-2020 2-14-2020
ESL:
incredulity: (IN-creh-doo-lity) overwhelming surprise and amazement (If you are thus, then you are incredulous. (IN-creh-duel-us)