The Diego Diaries: Polity (dd7 318)
=0=There
They came out of the burst of light about eighty light years from the heavily dense area where the big mech had dug in and built a very complex fortress and installation. They fell into a defensive configuration and linked up sensors. That action gave them full field access ahead to the base and its two auxiliary planets nearby their operational center which was the heart and soul of the operation. It alerted Polity right away.
"We have a message incoming, Optimus," Blaster said.
"Put it through," Optimus replied as he gathered himself for the conversation.
The screen changed and the handsome face of Polity came into view. He looked tense and bore in his aura the signatures of surprise which he kept off his face and body to an admirable degree. "Prime."
Prime stared at Polity with a stern and cold expression. "Polity."
"What brings you here, if I may ask?" Polity said as he relaxed into his seat. He wasn't relaxed but he had the smooth manner of a high caste who thought they could talk themselves out of anything.
That kind.
"I am here to scan your operation. I am here to find out your strengths and weaknesses. Ships and Seekers will be doing this and you will allow it," Prime said coldly.
Polity considered the remark, then glanced around his ops center. "That wouldn't be a good idea, Prime. I'm a sovereign entity in my own territory. You don't have the right to do what you suggest."
"You are camping within my sphere of influence. You are squatting in my personal territory. You have no right to object," Prime replied.
"I would resist you, Prime. It would be a very big mistake for you to come here and attempt to take from me what I'm not prepared to give," Polity said.
Hard Drive who was discussing the interrogation phase of their entrance with Prime, Ratchet and Raptor off line glanced at Polity. "We've already taken down Ominous and Razorclaw. How about going easy on yourself? Its a lot easier on the central nervous system if you do."
Polity watched the group on the screen, all of them known to him by reputation. He felt the walls coming toward him but he kept it off his face. "I don't suppose you would negotiate your demands."
"No," Prime said.
Polity considered his options, then glanced at his second. "Stand by a moment."
The screen went dark.
"Hard Drive, this is your show," Prime said.
Hardie nodded his helm in respect, then turned to Communications. "Link me in, please."
Blaster opened ship wide channels. "You're on."
"This is General Hard Drive. Bring systems online for attack," he said. "Ping readiness."
They began to come in even as ships began to lift off from Polity's base.
Prowl glanced at Prime. "They're launching a defense."
The humans watched tensely as the situation began to unfold. They had no idea how big the fleet opposing them but they were ready to duke it out. This was going to be difficult to watch.
"Launch counter measures," Hardie said quietly. "Supremes follow. Springer report."
:Springer here:
"Direct counter measures."
:On it:
Springer glanced at his pilot. "Get us out of here."
It wouldn't take any time for the two battle shuttles to slip out of Paradisio to form up on the others who were waiting to go. Six Supreme mechanisms moved forward with their guns primed and their torpedoes ready to go. In seconds, they were gathered, then stepped on the gas to go. They disappeared almost immediately.
=0=Polity
He gave the order to fight even as he stared at Prime. It only took a moment for his troops to comply. Large and small ships lifted off, fighter ships with multiple crews and their own version of battle shuttles. They began to rise up and gather in fighting formations as more came to join them. It would be a tough, large veteran group that would fly toward Prime to do battle.
=0=Prime
He stared at the screen watching lights, all of them yellow, that showed his forces. They were enormous, various, agile and veteran. The opposing forces, all of them in red were heading toward them at speed. How many times had he faced just such a moment and prevailed or lost? Too many to contemplate right now. He relaxed in his seat willing himself to be calm and provide commentary for the fight to come.
It would come fast.
=0=Battle Group Prime
They sped toward a gathering of lights far away which constituted the oncoming armada of Polity. Having sensor information from them when they linked up, Springer with Hardie, Hercy, Lissie and the others began to build an offense to take out the various ships approaching.
:Hard Drive to Springer:
"Springer here."
:We're going to shoot them with null rays unless they turn back at 50 light years."
"Don't be shy on our account," Springer said with a grin. "Standing by with a broom."
Hardie could be heard speaking to the big frames, a chuckle evident in his voice. :Pursuit group, I want you to go full out until you get to their fifty-five light year approach line on the grid. We're going to hit them with null rays at their fifty. Expect cartwheels. Ping receipt:
Pings flooded the bridge as the group sped up. It was like a colossal game of chicken as both sides began to close the gap. All at once, missiles from the other group were launched and began to fly swiftly toward Springer's.
Springer sat in the engineer's seat watching them come. "Want to wait for the titans or do we take them out?"
"We'll miss every other one," Bartlett said. He was a Wrecker pilot of immense ability. He glanced at Springer with a grin. "Where would be the fun in that. The null rays will drop them in their tracks. How about we suck it up and wait?"
"You have no future hopes and dreams do you?" Drift asked with a smirk.
Bartlett laughed. "I like a good game."
"You'll probably get it," Springer said as he opened a line to Hardie. "Uh, when will you launch the beams? We might be picking bumpers out of our grills here shortly."
Hardie who was working out the firing pattern with the titans at the command table chuckled. The group glanced at the intercoms with amusement.
Mechs.
"We're finalizing that now. Suck it up." Hardie glanced at a snickering Prowl. "Can't have the former Mrs. Optimus Prime get complacent can we?"
"You're asking me?" Prowl said with a chuckle. "This is golden."
They agreed on a send, then Hardie contacted the group again. They were reaching the line of no return. "We will shoot at 60 light years from their base. Do not deviate from your current paths forward unless you want to take a trip to triage."
:Okay:
Even Prime grinned faintly at the reply.
=0=Humans in the Gerbil Cage™ nearby
"Can you imagine how fast we're going if they're 50 light years away and closing fast?" Niall asked his father-in-law.
Randolph glanced at him. "Far then, right?"
Niall grinned, then nodded. "Very."
"Oh," Randolph said as he stared at the forward monitor with intensity.
=0=Polity's Ops Center
"They're closing," his tactical officer said. "Thirty-five light years. They fired weapons. The Autobots aren't returning fire. All of them are just closing ground. If they don't shoot the torpedoes they'll be struck." He glanced at Polity. "I don't understand what they're doing."
Polity considered the situation, then glanced at his second. "I don't either. They might have weapons that we don't know about-"
A shout nearby drew everyone's attention. A young mech with a cold hard aura glanced at the two. "THEY'RE FIRING NULL RAYS! THEY'RE COMING FROM THE TITANS AND THE SUPREMES!"
Polity turned toward the monitor with a surprised expression. "What the frag ..."
The beams could be seen on his tactical maps. They were coming straight for his troops and ships, passing by and missing all of Prime's. "OPEN A CHANNEL!"
One was.
"EVADE! THOSE ARE NULL RAYS! EVADE!"
The group watched as tensely as Prime.
=0=Prime's Ops Center. (Paradisio)
The group watched as tensely as Polity.
The beams went at speeds that defied human physics missing everyone but their intended targets. The torpedoes erupted into wild bursts of flame and flying debris as they exploded, then flew away. The beams continued, giant white arms reaching out to embrace the ships.
Then they did.
=0=Polity's Ops Center (Fort Stealth, a small rocky planetoid)
"WHAT THE FRAG!"
=0=Springer's flight deck watching the light speed by
"I love dreads." -Springer aka S
(nods) "I do, too." -Drift aka D
"You would." Sandstorm aka Sandy
(Glances with curiosity at big mech flipping a blade in his servo) "Why?" -D
"Bond and all. You always agree with him." -Sandy aka Sandy
Momentary silence as entire group cogitates on that deep thought.
"I noticed that about you."
Everyone glanced at Cyber, a big mech who was a former Decepticon and worked as a Watchman with call out to the army. He grinned. "You back him no matter what." He glanced at Sandstorm. "That's how bonds work."
Sandstorm grinned. "Count me out. I prefer to free range."
"Is that what its called now?" Springer asked with a smirk.
:Battle group, this is General Hard Drive. Expect impact on the marauders in … one, two, three. Boom goes the dynamite:
The mechs laughed as ships tried to run but didn't. The beams washed over them, then the ships began to spiral all over the place on sheer momentum. Nothing on board worked now and everyone inside was napping the Nap of the Damned™.
Springer grinned. "I like this mission."
"You would."
Everyone glanced at Sandy and Cyber.
Those two glanced at Drift. "What now, Boss?" Sandy asked as everyone snickered.
Drift kept his grin to the barest minimum. He glanced at a slightly frowning Springer. "What's next?"
Springer snorted, then glanced at him. "I don't know … *BOSS*."
"Ah, someone has an owie."
Everyone glanced at Carlo, a big mech who as a regular army infantryman who could punch holes through steel. He grinned. "Want me to kiss it?"
"You can." -D
S glanced at D who shrugged.
"I'm just trying to be helpful and friendly." -D
Springer glanced from him, to the others, then Drift. "Frag that. I may be cheap but I'm not easy."
HUGE laughter and agreement greeted that as they came into range of the destroyed vessels.
Springer grinned at the pilot who grinned back. "Need a confab with Appa."
"Flaunting your connections, too, I see," Cyber said as he sat with his guns to grin at Springer who he loved.
"I got 'em. Frag yeah I'll flaunt them," Springer said as he gathered his thoughts. "Hey, *Appa* … we're here. They're broken."
Hardie's laugh could be heard all over the battle group. :Check them out. The Seekers can help and the Supremes can take them on. Prime wants them all. Then blow up the ships. We can test their industrial abilities:
"Copy that," Springer said as he stood.
Everyone else sat and stared at him.
He stared back, then shook his helm. "WHAT!?"
"Nothing." -all of them but Drift
Drift stood and checked his short blades. "I'll follow you wherever you go. Its in the fine print."
HUGE laughter greeted that as they stood and began to get ready to board ships that probably didn't have one working system but a lot of mechs snoozing the Snooze of the Slagged™.
=0=Prime's Ops Center
He sat on the command chair listening to the cross talk among the mechs including the amusing conversation with Springer and Drift because Cyber was a smart aft and cut everyone in. He was a mech that Prime respected and liked personally. They had an amusing bantering relationship borne over eons of war. He'd become disillusioned with the 'Cons and had traded sides early on, working with Prime on many an occasion. He was one of the few mechs of the ranks that knew how much and how well Prime liked to laugh.
Hence the soundtrack.
Prowl who was lounging in his chair listening to the slag being handed to Springer considered how wonderful life could be sometimes. Whenever Springer got slagged, it was Christmas Surprise all over again.
Ratchet getting the subtext of the two grinned. "That's my eldest … maybe ... baby boy."
"Lucky you," Prowl said.
"Lucky me. He's on the future bonds list, slagger. He has nice shoulders," Ratchet replied as Ironhide snorted with amusement nearby.
"No one has shoulders like you-know-who," Miss Priss whispered in his superior-but-still-a-prig tone when on duty.
That one.
Ratchet snickered. "WHO!? WHO HAS NICER SHOULDERS THAN MY MAYBE ELDEST SON, SPRINGER!? DO YOU MEAN THE MESSIA-"
Prowl actually punched Ratchet's nose.
=0=TBC 7-3-2020 edited 7-7-2020