The Diego Diaries: Cloudy (dd7 389)
I just read a news bit that people in south Houston shouldn't drink their tap water because a 'brain eating amoeba' is in the water. CAN SOMEONE JUST SHOOT 2020 ALREADY!?
=0=On the deck of Tennyson
Prowl's expression hardened into ice. "Listen up, loser. Stay and have a chance to live or run and guarantee your own grave at his convenience. We're the only group with enough firepower and brains to end him. When he comes back you tell us. Or run and we'll have a funeral for your stupidity. Either way works for me."
It was silent.
The voice came back. :Scenario your responses if I agree:
Prowl considered that. "If he comes back we come here and obliterate him. You'll have to help maintain surveillance with us and be quick about it. Your neck will be chopped as easily and probably easier than any of us. If you don't agree then we watch for him, but only marginally your way. We know you can't defend yourself to the degree he requires so we let him take care of you and rid us of a problem. The noise we get from the sensors that we deploy this direction as he kills you will be our cue to defend ourselves. There's no scenario in this dance where you win."
Silence was had, then he was back. :We'll remain here. We'll tell you. Then when this is over I'm coming for you, Prowl. Tell Prime. I'm coming for you: The mech signed off.
It was quiet on the deck, then Ratchet grinned. "You haven't lost your touch and winning ways, Prowler."
Prowl glanced at him still slowly burning with offense. "Well, that's me for you."
Snickers rounded the deck as the tension bled off. They broke down the encounter for a moment, Prowl ordered a redesign of the arrays that watched this area focusing a bit more on Polity and his location, discussed meeting with Wheeljack and Perceptor over the tech Rotor appeared to have that was new, then broke the mission to return to home.
"We're going to stand at Level II until this is handled," Prowl said as he walked to the command table. Staring at the map, he sat down. Glancing at the lounge, he looked back at the table data maps. :Orion, please take the command chair to bring us in. We need to have you do that. Prying optics and all:
Orion listened, then stood up a bit awkwardly. He squared his inner mech's shoulders, then walked to the chair. He paused a moment to glance around, then sat down. The view ahead was over the top but he understood it better than he thought he would. Some of this felt faintly familiar, almost like muscle memory to humans. If you do something enough times, you will do it without thought. This felt like that.
:Orion, tell the conn to bring us home: Prowl said as he stared at the data maps but kept his internal sensors on the two youngsters.
Orion steeled himself, then looked at the pilot. "Take us home please."
The pilot nodded, then made a general recall for the fleet and Seekers to reform for the journey back. Outside, Seekers were jetting for Tennyson's flight deck and a hitched ride back to Mars. The shuttles appeared and in moments they were waiting for the bridge to appear. When it did, the pilot glanced at Orion.
Orion nodded slightly, so the pilot put metal to the peddle and took them in. They were gone in seconds.
=0=Mars
They arrived at night when the sun had just gone down toward the dark deepness of late evening Mars. The fleet settled, mechs and femmes, ships, Seekers and technicians began to stand down. In space, the crew of Tennyson that wasn't stationed on him walked to bridges to go home to Autobot City while the command crew waited for everyone to be gone. They chatted about the mission, waving to the humans as they passed by in their box headed for planet fall. When everyone was gone they relaxed.
"Well, that was anti-climatic," Ratchet said. "All but you two, of course." He grinned at a solemn Ironhide and Orion. "You two were naturals."
"Oddly enough, it felt faintly that way," Orion admitted.
"Sometimes you're going to have to do things that you might not know because you have to," Prowl said. "All of us, especially Ratchet and I will tell you what to do. You did a good job. No one noticed that there was anything different."
"The humans might," Ratchet said. "They spent a lot of time watching the both of you, though I think it was intense jealously over your great beauty." He gave them a dazzling smile.
Huge laughter greeted that along with a break in the tension.
"Time to go," Prowl said as he gathered up his gear. "We can discuss this more tomorrow. Will you get Wheeljack and Perceptor in on the problem?"
Ratchet nodded. "Done deal," he said as they walked for the elevator and home.
=0=Elsewhere
He buzzed out over a vast city complex that was so totally familiar he had a moment of cognitive dissonance. Spread out below him was Iacon.
Yet, not Iacon.
This one was beautiful. It seemed almost new it was so bright and shiny. The one he remembered even before the war showed its age and the neglect of the system of oppression that made small heavily protected islands of great beautiful habitation for the wealthy in a sea of neglect and underfunded infrastructure and dwellings for the rest.
He flew toward the airfield near the Citadel, then landed. The tower had treated him as a visitor and gave him clearance. In the distance, after he had transformed, he saw the place he wanted to go. He saw The Residence of the Primes. It was disconcertingly beautiful as everywhere else was. Rotor aka Xylon began to walk to the street nearby that eventually would bring him to the place where the Primes of Cybertron lived. He was going to see Optimus Prime himself.
It was long overdue.
=0=Home
They laughed as they watched the wrestling programming from Earth. All of the wrestlers seemingly fake dancing around was hilarious. So had dinner been. Kids, kids, kids everywhere. They finally were all in bed and it was time to decompress. Sitting in their chairs with their evening snack and beer, Ratchet and Ironhide muted the commercials that plagued Earth programming.
"That was a weird slagger," Ironhide said.
Ratchet nodded. "He gets things into his helm, sometimes disagreements and grievances that don't exist and presses them to the bitter end. He's a stalker at heart and he has free hand to kill, stalk, be a fragger-"
Ironhide glanced at Ratchet who had frozen in place. "What?" Ironhide asked with rising concern.
"Rotor … Xylon. Oh frag," Ratchet said. He dialed in Prowl. :Prowler:
=0=Up there
Evening had been amusing with kids, kids, kids but they were in bed now and the two were decompressing. Sitting on a couch together, snuggling with Orion's arm around him as they shared chocolate covered popcorn, Prowl was enjoying himself. Then Ratchet called. :Prowler:
Prowl startled a moment, then replied. :What?:
:The codes. We had the codes for phase sixers and we didn't use them: Ratchet replied.
Prowl sat tensely a moment, then sagged a little. :Oh shit:
:That, too. Don't tell anyone. Okay?: Ratchet asked with a slight smirk that Granny had actually sworn like a human.
It was silent a moment.
:Okay. See me tomorrow. Prowl out:
"What?"
Prowl glanced up at Orion. "Something I forgot to do that I can do tomorrow. It's nothing. Ratchet just likes to rub it in." He settled back. Orion pulled him closer, something that made Prowl's spark flutter.
"If there is nothing to it ..." Orion posed.
"No," Prowl said. "It'll keep for the meet up tomorrow."
Down below, Ratchet glanced at Ironhide who looked concerned. "We have a set of codes that can shut them down. We forgot that we did."
"Oh frag. Well," Ironhide said as he unconsciously began to do something that he had always done from the first date … defend Ratchet as innocent even when he was guilty as sin … "Slag happens."
Ratchet grinned, then clicked his beer with Ironhide. "Why, Ironhide … you're still a poet at spark."
Ironhide grinned. "That's me."
=0=Outside The Residence of the Primes
He stared at the fence, the guard and the security. There wasn't much which was strange. The Residence on his Cybertron was a fortress but this place was only as secure as a museum or library. He walked toward the door.
"Do you have an appointment?" the guard asked.
Xylon punched him and he fell. "Yeah," he said as he continued onward. He opened the door, then entered. The place was busy and no one noticed him. He walked toward an elevator and took it, rising to the top floor where he knew the private residence was. He'd been in the one on his Cybertron after The Fall. The door opened and he was in a long elegantly furnished hallway. Walking onward, ignoring those who were there for this and that, he reached the office where Prime worked.
The door was open so he walked in. The secretary looked up as he walked toward the door of Prime's office. "You can't go in there without an appointment."
"I'm going in there," Xylon said as he opened the door then entered.
=0=Night
It was quiet in The Residence as the family slept onward. Wrapped in each other's arms, Prowl and Orion recharged. It had been a romantic evening, one of intimacy and conversation. Tomorrow would come when it did. Now it was peaceful.
Below, Ironhide and Ratchet recharged on. Fun had been attained, jokes told, a few wrestling holds tried and broken before lights out were had. Tomorrow would come but who gave a frag? They were having a good time now.
=0=The Residence of the Primes
He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him. Two mechs were sitting at a table going over something together. One of them was Optimus Prime. Xylon expected that. The other he didn't. The other was Sentinel Prime himself. They glanced up with surprise, then Prime stood. "Who are you and why are you here?"
Xylon pulled his gun. "I came to kill you, Prime. Or shall I call you Orion Pax?"
Sentinel stood, then glanced at Prime. "Who is Orion Pax?"
Both glanced at Xylon.
"I do not know," Optimus said. "Your weapons are no good here. Put them down, take a seat and talk."
"I don't think so, Prime. Or shall I say Pax? I don't feel like talking," Xylon said.
"You would be making a very big mistake if you believe that you can use weapons upon me. I am a god," Optimus said. "Your popguns will fail with me."
Xylon stared at the mech noting a rising halo effect of light forming around him. He glanced at Sentinel who didn't look at all perturbed. "Why are you here, Sentinel? You were assassinated. You're fragging dead. I remember the period of mourning they made for your sorry carcass."
"You are mistaken. I am a professor of art at the University," Sentinel said. He glanced at Optimus. "This mech is in need of assistance."
Optimus considered that. "You are from a world divided into Autobots and Decepticons. You are at war with each other. Does that sound familiar?"
Xylon considered both. "And you're not?"
"No. There is no war here. There never has been. There are no Decepticons, no social injustice, nothing of the sort. You are not in the right dimensional plane. How did you get here?" Optimus asked.
Xylon considered the mech, the rising sensation that this was not a normal bot but something a little more pantheonic. "I can jump dimensions. What is this place?"
"Put the gun down and we can talk," Optimus said as Sentinel nodded. "If you are lost we can help you. I can help you get home. Just put down the gun before you find out that I am not who you think I am."
Xylon glanced from one to the other, then bolted for the balcony. He jumped of, transformed in air, then disappeared with speed.
Optimus and Sentinel ran for the balcony, then saw the stranger disappear into the sky heading for space.
"What do we do, Optimus?" Sentinel asked. "He was going to kill you."
Optimus nodded. "I will have him tracked. Then I will try and find a way to contact the Prime of the world he is from. He has to be warned about this intruder."
"Can you?" Sentinel asked.
Optimus considered that. "I do not know," he replied softly.
=0=TBC 9-26-2020 10-24-2020
NOTES!
=0=Misty Legionnaire chapter 388 . Sep 25
Doesn't Ratchet have all the codes to shut down any the phase sixer?
I would think that would be recalled sooner than later since he only got to use it once before (assuming my memory is good still)
I'm curious if Xylon/Rotor was some stalker/admirer of Orion Pax in the future of young Orion Pax / past of Optimus Prime and that is why he should know the name?
I look forward to the next chapter.
Please be safe out there/
ME: YOU ARE PSYCHIC! All is going to unfold here. Everyone is under a strain so its not on the forefront of their noggins. Xylon is a stalker. A psycho stalker. Its going to be laid out as wew go. HUGS, honey. Take care out there, too, my darling.
=0=Guest chapter 384 . Sep 21
When the other dimension Prowl was staying with Optimus and the kids, the kids could sense he wasn't the right one. Is Optimus' field now still the same then, or how come they are not freaked out about this?
ME: I gave them both slack. They don't sense it. Pretender gear is good enough that other Cybertronians don't detect things with it so I made it fit here. Good thoughts, darling. :D:D
=0=KyrstenRook chapter 382 . Sep 18
And so the plot thickens! I really love this! When you started this arc, all I could think is what might happen if some baddy were to show up. Will Prime return to himself? Does he know Rotor? What will Orion Pax do? Please update soon?
ME: This was tailor made for mayhem. LOL! Xylon knows Pax. If Pax does he's holding it close. Xylon is a stalker. More to come, darling. Take care out there. :D:D
=0=Galaxus Prime chapter 382 . Sep 18
The kids we all know and love meet there future selves! (kinds like future trunks in dragon ball z meets his parents and past self kind deal!)
ME: I love Trunks. :D That scenario is on my list of things that I want to try to do. Consider it moved up the list. :D:D:D HUGS, darling.
=0=Guest chapter 382 . Sep 18
Hmmmmmmmmmmm *imagination activates* what if Someone build a time machine, then everything went wrong, they (i mean our lovely current bots we know and love) go to the future and meet there kids but now all grown up...AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH* fangirl activates*
ME: BWHAHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAAA! I would LOVE that. Its on the list, seeing the kids as adults. Its going to be here eventually. I want to see if any of them are as hardcore as Prowler. LOL! HUGS, darling. :D:D
=0=Silverhornd chapter 381 . Sep 17
Hi. Oh no, not another problem. Lets hope this Xylon isn't another bad guy. Please let him be a good guy (an unknown cousin perhaps maybe).
ME: OOPSIE! LOL! Xylon is a baddie but there are others going to be involved that are good. HANG ON FOR THE RIDE! HUGS, darling. :D:D
=0=Misty Legionnaire chapter 381 . Sep 17
I'm curious what happens when the mirrorverse set of Cybertronians need to make another deposit? Will there be a face to face between Prime Megatronus and young Orion?
ME: You must be psychic, too. LOL! They are part of this. So are others. ;)
Also, would Soundwave pick up on Orion being not the same Optimus Prime, assuming he has telepathic powers in this verse (not sure if he's used them or not)?
ME: I'm not sure. The pretender gear is suppose to prevent that. I will consider it.
I eagerly await what lesson Orion and Ironhide need here.
ME: You and me both. :D:D
Please stay safe and be well.
ME: You, too, my darling. :D:D:D
=0=moosekababs chapter 377 . Sep 12
its nice to see them having fun, even if the situation is pretty strange. i hope they get to keep the memories they're making now!
ME: I think Ratchet as a good time guy and a couple of teenagers is a recipe for fun. They will get them back. But there's a few adventures before it happens. You know me. I never beat them too hard and I don't kill anyone. Just call me Pollyanna. :D:D HUGS, darling.
=0=KyrstenRook chapter 375 . Sep 10
Hello, my friend. Thank you for another excellent chapter. I really think it's fun to watch Ironhide and Ratchet go back and forth. Those two make me smile! It will be very interesting to see the brother bond form between Ironhide and Orion. :) Please continue the awesome work. Take care. :)
ME: I love it, too. I think those two are so destined for each other that nothing that happens can undo that. The brother thing is part of this in a big way. I'm delighted that you enjoy it. HUGS, darling. Take care out there, too.
=0=Heala chapter 371 . Sep 6
this chapter was hilarious.
ME: For you, the moon, my darling Heala. :D:D Take care.
=0=Galaxus Prime chapter 367 . Sep 1
i love when you update this saga its soo good it keeps me happy, thank you for that!
ME: Its my pleasure to write for you, darling. :D
and every time i read a new chapter my brain wonder to the theme song from sam & cat "Just Fine". i feel like it fits here. if you haven't heard it check it out! but once again love your sage, your awesome and thank you for keeping me happy!
ME: I will check it out. I've had so many good songs added to my play lists from readers. I am happy you are happy. Its a good thing in this old world. :D HUGS, my darling. Be safe.
=0=Leoness: Ratchet is wooing Ironhide all over again.
ME: He is. He can't help himself. LOL! I love Ratchet. He reminds me of my mom and Ironhide my dad. Hugs, Miss Kitty and take care. :D