The Diego Diaries: Momentum (dd7 240)
=0=Cybertron, in a hole
Then Sun tossed the rock onto the tail section of a rocket.
Rockwell saw the rock fly forward knowing in some corner of his mind that it wasn't going to do anything, surely, but his body rose in fright. He stretched out for it and missed. The rock continued, then fell toward the rocket hitting the tail section hard. He froze, his body clenching so tightly that he would feel it for a long time.
The clang rang out hollowly as the rock bounced away to land on a heap of smaller stones. It was completely silent in the hole, around the edge of it and seemingly onward into the universe until time ended.
Then it wasn't.
Rockwell spun on Sun who sat on the rock staring at him without expression. He stepped forward as he clenched his fists. "YOU DID THAT! YOU KNEW IT WAS A DUD!"
"But you didn't," Sun said quietly. "You didn't know that. You felt the injustice of my action didn't you. You felt it and couldn't do a thing. Someone else had all the power and control while you were the pawn unable to prevent a slagging thing from happening. How does it feel?"
Rockwell stared at him with absolute fury, then he swung on Sun. He swung over and over as the big mech rose dodging and blocking his blind rage easily. Rockwell staggered back. "YOU CAN'T BREAK ME! YOU CAN'T CHANGE ME NO MATTER WHAT!"
Sun considered that. "No, but I can own you until you decide to do just that. They usually do eventually. I can control your life, just or unjust. I can tell you what to do and you have to do it without any recourse. You have to get up when I tell you and recharge when I command it. I now have a familial hold on you and that means you fall under Praxian Parental Control laws and regulations. If I decide to invoke on you, then you have no recourse. None."
"You aren't my genitor," Rockwell said with cold fury.
"I am," Sun said. "The magistrate okayed my papers along with Hard Drive as Chief Judge and they were referred to the Office of the Primes where its just a rubber stamp. You're mine. I own you. How does it feel?"
He stared at Sun with molten fury. "Frag you."
"There's one other path for you, Rockwell, other than this one. You can grow up, get a grip on yourself and make a life in the new Cybertronian paradigm. The System is over and will never come back. You can be a big mech and understand that or we can do this forever."
"Well, *ATAR*, I guess we will," Rockwell said.
Sun grinned slightly. "You don't know much do you? You think you do. You think you have special insight but you really don't have a lot of information or sense. Those rockets were for shuttles. They never stockpile them with fuses or ignition devices. Even a school child would know that but you don't spend anytime thinking or observing. You just barrel in and break things. Well, I won't have a son who has no sense. I want you to start really looking at things, slagger. Next time they might not be duds." With that, he climbed up the side of the hole, then looked down. "Hurry up. We have a lot of places to go."
Rockwell watched him and the others, all of whom smirked at him, walk away. He grabbed the sealed backpack, shouldered it, then laboriously clambered up the crumbling side of the hole to follow them to the ship nearby. They would spend the entire orn traveling around checking out disasters, meeting the locals and having a great time.
All of them but Rockwell.
=0=On patrol
They flew in their usual formation having bridged out to this sector to check on strange sensor readings on the Stellar Deep Space Array, one which would be the guardian of those who might want to sneak in or out of the Epsilon Eridani area where Razorclaw maintained his hegemony. It had been upgraded and thus they were able to get a bigger picture of the space that held so many important things such as the newer planets that now orbited Sirius A and Caminus as well. The movement of planets to the local group was getting to be quite the neighborhood.
They flew from their bridge then headed onward away from the local group toward the edges of space that held less well known dangers. As they did, the signals became clearer and it was evident that they were picking up signs of a Yautja ship. This one was alone and fast with heavy armor and wasn't interested in stealth.
:Cloudburst, I think the ship went through that debris field: a younger Seeker mech, Anvil said.
:We're not going in there. This ship is different. I want caution. Follow me: he said as he began to parallel the trail laid down by the ship's engines. They flew into the dust ring of a planetary system nearby.
=0=Flight Center, Aerie Hill Seeker Command, Mars
"Skywarp, the patrol near Sirius has picked up a Yautja trail. Cloudburst says the ship is different than those known so they're paralleling it to see what's up. Do we send a back up?" Screamer, a big mech running tactical asked.
Skywarp glanced at the maps, then nodded. "Do. Send two shuttles."
They would.
=0=Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
"The Seekers on patrol out near Sirius found a new type of Yautja ship," Sandstorm said as he walked over to the command table where Prowl sat buried in work. "Seeker Command sent two shuttles as back up."
Prowl who had glanced up nodded as he sat back. "The Yautja… they've been quiet a while. I suppose its about that time."
Sandstorm grinned. "Maybe they have a nursery world out there."
"Then we blow it up," Prowl said grimly.
=0=Sunstreaker and Sideswipe
They rolled along the docks at Diego Garcia picking up a short term posting to cover a couple of mechs who had family things to attend to. It was hot, sunny and calm on the base. The usual crowds were there drawn by their infamy and were watching them with cameras and intensity. They rolled through the town along Britannia Way passing the Bike Shop as they made their way around the area.
"The squad is going bowling and carousing this weekend, Second Friday, I heard," Sideswipe said as they turned down Constitution to pass the Turner Club Complex and the base pool. A lot of off duty soldiers and sailors were there having a good time taking the sun and splashing around. They watched the pair as they rolled by, both of them taller than the buildings around them. "Bluestreak will be out. That means one of us is babysitting."
"Not me," Sunstreaker said with a chuckle. "I have to see about the rules for the juried art show they're having at the University that's being sponsored by the Guild."
"Just like that?" Sideswipe said with a frown. "Just like that?"
"You snooze, you lose," Sunstreaker said as they made the turn to roll through the piers and docks, mostly to check for Cardinelli, the captain of the ship that hid Frazer out once upon a time and for Frazer himself who they heard was here.
The twins knew how to hold a grudge.
=0=Gathering at airports all over Earth
The first group of individuals who would be going to The Prima Station had gathered in their local areas with the intention of leaving Earth for their new home. Their gear had already been sent ahead by cargo ship from their expediters in France, Canada and Japan.
Forwarded by the travelers for sending together, it had been received on the station and dispersed to the new occupant's new homes.
It would be easier that way all around.
They gathered with their spouses, children and pets, the first 200 department heads, senior administrators and the medical teams. They would be picked up by a vessel from the Autobot Department of State which would carry them to the station where Ratchet would be waiting to greet them. He would do so among lunch runs for his kids out at the Science Center on the TransWorld Highway … "Sorry, Ada. We forgot." … and checking in with Prowl over items on the now infamously long meeting agenda for the next orn.
It would be a tight schedule to keep.
=0=Hide And Go Seek(ers)
They flew though the dust and dirt cloud of a failed planet that blocked their sensors to some degree. They had an idea where the Yautja ship was but the signal was static filled and fluctuating. It was nerve racking until a bridge nearby opened and two shuttles flew out to join them. They slowed as the Seekers transformed to enter the shuttles, then picked up speed again.
"What's the sit-rep, Cloudy?" Hercy asked as he sat in the engineer's seat next to the pilot, Rem. They were flying the City of Helex, his personal favorite and Impactor's Revenge.
"We have a bogey that checks out as Yautja but its different. The ship is bigger, seems faster and has a good cloaking effect. It won't answer and it appears to be going in no real direction. It's weird," he said as he sat on a bench with the youngest of the five with him.
The other four were on the other shuttle.
"Did you hail them?" Hercy asked with a slight grin. "Too bad Springer isn't here. He's pretty good at handling these slaggers. Ask him about it some time."
Cloudburst grinned. "I will. You want to do the honors or do I?"
"Age before beauty," Hercy said as he nodded to Rem.
Rem opened all channels, then glanced at Hercy. "You're open, Abba."
Hercy considered his possibilities, then went straight to the point. "Yautja slagger, this is Hercy of Helex. What are you slaggers doing in our territory? I thought slagging all your ships was enough to tell you that you're not wanted here. Speak up."
It was silent. Then a bolt of light flew out of the darkness.
The two ships avoided it, then everyone glanced at Hercy.
Hercy mused a moment, then glanced at Rem. "That wasn't neighborly."
"No, Appa," Rem said with a grin. "It wasn't."
Hercy checked the sensors, then opened a channel to the other shuttle. "Tracks, I think we should check this out. Follow me."
:On it, Hercy: Tracks replied.
"Rem, can you get a bead on that blast?"
"I already have," Rem said.
"Okay. Take us in. Mount up the guns, boys. We're going to pay a visit," Hercy said as he rose to walk to the nearest one.
The Seekers sat back to enjoy the show. The slagging grounders could take it from here.
=0=The Prima Space Station, Midway
Ratchet watched the ship slide into the docking arm that was available halfway up the structure. It was going to be the flight path for Resort shuttles some fine orn for overnights at the space nearby which would be a hotel and restaurant eventually. For now it would be a faster journey than from the hangar deck. The ship docked, there was a slight wait, then the humans, station security team who'd been here for some time and had flown out and back with the mini-con workers also on board to help the newcomers walked down the jetway to the doors.
They entered, gawking around as they took in the sights. They were on the lounge deck and Ratchet was standing before them. It gave them the sense of how high each deck was that he didn't bump his helm or bend over to fit. Children, pets, spouses who weren't employees, employees and handlers walked to him to gather around.
Ratchet grinned. "Welcome to Prima Station. 200 down and a zillion more to go. Let's go inside to the town. Head for that elevator over there," he said pointing to the nearest of many elevators placed all around to expedite travel.
They would, ambling along, chatting excitedly and happily as they did. Ratchet would feel like the Pied Piper of Hamlin as he walked along with them.
=0=Out there
The shots that came were unexpected from a ship that was fast, powerful and cloaked. They glanced off Impactor's Revenge to fade into the darkness.
Hercy who watched them frowned. "So," he said quietly. "You want to play that game ..." He leaned around the gun control in front of him. "Get him in the cross hairs, Rem. I think I'm going to return the favor."
They flashed forward into the darkness of space.
=0=TBC 3-26-2020. 3-27-2020
=0=ESL
hegemony (hedj-em-uh-nee) influence, usually negative from a stronger power/person over a less strong country/place/person