The Diego Diaries: Push Back (dd8 715)

=0=Tennyson

They gathered together, the senior Autobots, scientists, techs and Prime. It was mid afternoon ship time even if it was 0730 in the morning on Mars. The buses had taken children to school so Blackjack was here sitting beside Alor in the now enlarged conference room on the ship. It was standing room only when Prowl and Paragon entered. He sat. "Let's begin. Gentlemen?" he asked as he glanced at Perceptor and Wheeljack who were sitting at the table with Timpani, Wheeljack's older brother.

"We devised the plan, worked out all the math, physics and logistics and gamed it about 200 times against all potentialities. It works to a probability of 98.7% success which within the margin of error makes it a done deal." He switched on a monitor and on it was all the points in contention, the base, the location of the fleet and all who were there including their own armada and those ships flying here and there for Paladin.

"We're going to using four Triggers, two from the Saturn Shipyard which are the back up one there and the one dedicated to the space world stations down the Orion Arm and the Silk Road. That one was moved there when completed after he attacked us to take the space stations to safety if necessary. That one will remain here to anchor the move. It has the biggest capacity due to its focus on the space stations and that will be expanded when it links in with the other three.

"We're going to transport the Triggers to their assigned spots around the planetoid at the same time so that we have the element of surprise. Auntie will run the show to get them there and the follow up entrapment to make it as foolproof as possible. Once they arrive they'll create the cube that will surround the planetoid out to a great enough degree that it'll trap all of the stationary ships that are part of Paladin's wall of defense. It will be instantaneous.

"At that point, he can be contacted which I imagine you want to do, Prime, then we can send him to the place we picked out on the other side of the galaxy where he can live if he chooses because there's no one around to harm or he can return here which means he has to traverse some devastating territory to do so. None of the species he'll have to pass are shrinking violets and most of them can gun him down without a problem if they wish. The odds that he can return to give us a hot half hour are incredibly small. We're talking enormous distance from here." Wheeljack sat back pleased. "You may applaud."

Perceptor glanced at him with a smirk, then Prime. "Yes. You may."

They did.

=0=At Mars two joor later

The Geosynchronous Bridge powered down having refueled the two Triggers in orbit over the colony. It had been enhanced by the recovery of engineers and designers who were expert on such devices and now what had to be refueled every six months was expanded to a year and a half. The energy storage system of the four Triggers and the Autobot City Space Bridge were topnotch and it was a good thing considering shipping had to be diverted to other airports or halted until the process was finished.

The Senior Bridge crew sat in their places on Trigger 1, their longtime Trigger of choice. Going over the process, they reached readiness. Miler was navigator of the mission, Perceptor was engineer and handled the actual transport while Wheeljack was overall fight controller and pilot. He glanced at everyone who nodded, then opened a channel to Tennyson. "Prime, this is Wheeljack. Everything is go at your command."

There was a pause, then Prime replied. :Wheeljack, you have command. Nothing has changed here:

"Got that, Prime." He glanced at the others, then grinned. "Let's go have some fun." He turned to the console, then linked in all the Triggers. "This is Pilot-Command. We're go. The sequence is now in the good servos of Auntie. Auntie, you're in command."

A soft female voice replied. "Understood, Pilot-Command. I will commence transport sequence and then capture. I will do so in five … four …

=0=Tennyson

Prime sat tensely on his command chair as nearly everyone in the command structure, titan or otherwise stood around and behind him. Prowl was silent as a sphinx standing beside him and Hardie occupied the other side. It was tense and scary. If this failed it would be a ferocious battle to shoot every ship that would arise to wreak vengeance on the colony, Cybertron and Earth.

=0=There

"Three …"

=0=Elsewhere

They opened their store after walking there with Suvi and his son who was on a break from his job. They entered the store and as they did Suvi's son, Mobile gawked around at the illuminated treasures all around him.

"This is so beautiful," he said as he paused before a sword. "I get so many compliments about the embellishments you gave to us, Abba," he said glanced at Tie. "You're such an artist. I've never seen this before. My brother was the one who helped recover them. He told me about them but its not enough. This sword. That one," he said as he glanced around. "All of them, everything. Its all beautiful."

Tie grinned at him. "Come with us and we'll show you how we make them. Maybe if you want to we can help you make something."

He stared at Tie with surprise.

"Our grandchildren have made their own daggers. Would you like to try it? How about you, Suvi? Tie asked.

They stared at him.

"Yes," they said together.

=0=There

"Two …"

=0=Tennyson

"… one," Auntie said over the comm link. It was at that moment that she moved three Triggers into their places around the planetoid with a burst of light and energy then enacted the cube of energy that would hold all of them fast. It flashed brilliantly, then settled into a shimmering shield of light that enclosed everyone but two fighters that were too far out to capture. They were already in the plan to intercept given it was unlikely that they would be able to get all of them in their transport.

It was silent as everyone watched with amazement.

Auntie's voice came back on. :Teletraan 2 speaking. I have captured the target. Two outliers are free. They are fighters, class 3. Their capture can be made at your command. The cube's integrity is go. We are go:

Wheeljack's voice came on. :Understood, Auntie. Brilliant work. All stations check in: They did and there was a lot of science talk before Wheeljack came back on. :Wheeljack to Prime:

"Prime here," he replied tensely.

:We have them locked down. We can transport them at your call. The fighters will be picked up through Autobot City Space Bridge and held at your command:

"You have it," Prime said.

All watched a moment, then a flash occurred in the darkness in front of the fighters. They tried to swerve but flew into the bridges in front of them anyway. They pipped out and all of Paladin's fleet was grabbed.

:Autobot City Flight Center, we have the two fighters in custody. They have surrendered and will be held at your discretion, Lord Optimus.: a voice reported, a Seeker in charge of that function.

"Thank you, Flight Center. Well done. Prime out." He turned to glance at the monitor nearby with the faces of the bridge teams. "Thank you, Wheeljack. Brilliant work, all of you. Auntie, I am grateful for your genius."

"It is my function," Auntie replied, then there was a chuckle, light and feminine. "I enjoyed this, too."

It was like someone had pricked a balloon as the tension drained from everyone. A moment of delight occurred before Hardie turned toward Prime. "Do you wish to speak to Paladin, Prime, before they go bye-bye as a certain yellow banded version of all my descendants would say?"

Prime grinned in spite of himself. "I would, General."

"Do you wish privacy?" Hardie asked.

"No. All of us earned this," Prime replied. "All of us will share it."

Hardie glanced at Blaster who was sitting at the Com Station with Jazz next to him at Tactical. Both of them were grinning like Cheshire Cats. "Make it so, my friends."

Blaster grinned, worked a moment then glanced at Hardie. "He's connected."

Prime considered that, then spoke. "Optimus Prime to Paladin."

=0=There

He walked into the Ops Center called by his crew. Staring at the screen, watching his ships buzzing an energy grid that appeared to have them enclosed, Paladin forcefully calmed his surprise. "What is this, Lancer? Serial?"

Lancer glanced at Paladin with a grave expression. "They've used bridges on us of a type I don't understand. We're trapped. Two of our fighters outside this net were bridged away just now. I have no idea how to get out of this net. Its the strongest thing I've ever encountered. Its strong enough, given they're using bridges, to transport a planet to another place."

Paladin startled. "They're going to transport us from here then."

Serial who had a wild look in his optics nodded. "Its the only reason this could be happening."

:Optimus Prime to Paladin:

Everyone froze a moment. Then Paladin recovered. "Paladin here, Prime."

:I wanted to tell you a few things before you are bridged away to the other side of the galaxy. I wanted to tell you how vexed I was that you would attack our people, our traumatized and recovering people in the haven that we have built for them one stone at a time. You attacked our own without mercy. Therefore, I am going to prevent that ever happening again. But I am not without mercy. The area you will be transported to is not without its features most of which include alien species much more powerful than you:

Paladin felt a frisson of fear, then quashed it mightily. "I don't suppose there's anyway you can just let us go back the way we came, no harm, no foul."

There was a pause, then a voice filled with cold rage softly replied. :No: It was silent again, then the voice spoke again. :Wheeljack, commence transport:

Paladin jolted. "PRIME! TALK TO ME!"

=0=Tennyson

:PRIME! TALK TO ME!: echoed over the intercom as Prime watched with barely suppressed violence as the cube and its contents disappeared from view. He stared at the screen watching the telemetry of the transfer roll on its massive surface. "No," he whispered as the notation, 'transport is successful' came into view. Only then did he feel free.

=0=Trigger Command

"We're clear, Wheeljack. Transport complete," Miler said as he glanced at Wheeljack over his shoulder.

"Of course it is," Wheeljack exulted as the crew bellowed their delight.

Timpani sitting nearby in the engineer seat grinned at Wheeljack. Sometimes the kid was a genius.

=0=The Hourly News moments later

Lim-Lee read the news data handed to her by her producer, then smiled with surprise and delight. "We have a latest release from the fleet authorized by Optimus Prime himself. Lord Optimus says that 'the armada that overtook the base held by the Decepticon Ominous has been transported out of the system to another on the other side of the galaxy. The operation which was executed by the superb talents and scientists of our Sciences Department and fulfilled by the genius and precision of Teletraan 2 concluded a moment ago. It was a complete success. The threat of this group has been removed from our system and any local area forever.

"All congratulations to the soldiers, marines, airmen and femmes, scientists, civilians, techs, Home Guardians and support crews both on ship and on the ground at Cybertron and Mars for their great expertise and courage. Today, I am overwhelmed with their efforts and salute all who assisted.

"We will be policing the area for a few joors, then the fleet will stand down and come home. All hail the Cybertronian People. I am more proud today of being your Prime than ever. I am Optimus Prime, bearer of the Autobot Creation Matrix, the Matrix of Leadership and I salute everyone. Until all are one. Prime out."

It was then that Lim-Lee tossed the data wafer into the air and burst into joy. It would be echoed everywhere, Mars, Earth, Cybertron and the outlying fortifications. It would on Razorclaw's base because an outlier who could unbalance everything was gone. It would be the only reason.

=0=TBC 5-26-2023 edited