Chapter 50 dd1
The Diego Diaries: Baked Alaska
=0=At the Dimond Center Mall
They waited, the electronic noise from their radio actual conversation among the mechs out in the field moving slowly through the shadows, their sensor equipment fixed on the vehicles that drove in and parked in front of the main entrance. Beyond the light in the darkness, another truck moved. This one was black and heavy, a truck that was unlike any usually seen. The cab was empty and the hood ornament was a face with finials and wicked emptiness to the eyes.
It moved to the other side of the street that fronted the parking lot and stopped, shutting off. For a moment, no one moved, then two men stepped out, both of them wearing heavy clothing. They walked to the truck and a window rolled down, a figure inside leaning out to speak to them for a moment. They talked unaware that the figure was a hologram, then a man from the truck walked back to his car pulling out an envelope. He walking back to give it to the figure in the truck. They talked a bit more, then the window went up as the truck began to move off.
The two men returned to their car and began to go in the opposite direction. As they did, a green and yellow Topkick pickup truck came out of the shadows moving toward them. They slowed, then turned, going up the parking lot toward the street. As they did, a black Topkick pickup truck moved out and began an intercept course. A red Lamborghini parked in front of the street exit waited with an aura of menace about it.
As all this was going on, a Porsche, a Ferrari, and a Range Rover moved parallel and behind the truck that had pulled up, driving slowly away with whatever the two men had given them. As the three Autobots rolled to cut the truck off, it transformed. Moving swiftly, changing into a huge dark robotic form, it raised a weapon pointing it at Jazz.
Lennox stepped out of Ironhide, the truck transforming as he did. His big cannons came on line as he rolled forward, turning to aim them and the Decepticon who was moving forward at a quickening pace. Jazz transformed and jumped to one side. He had no time to bring his weapons up or to move out of the way. As the Decepticon fired, he was hit with fire from Ironhide, knocking him off his peds and into the side of the building.
The Con's blast hit Jazz who was deflected just enough by the fire from Ironhide to fall and roll, his shoulder smoking as he struggled to rise. Across the street waiting to cut off anyone who came his way, First Aid rolled over the curb, the center highway divider and up onto the curb of the shopping center. He transformed, gun in hand and ran forward shooting as he crossed the parking lot toward Jazz. Jazz struggling lay back down as shots were fired over his head. Ironhide, First Aid, and Hound lay down fire at the big Decepticon as the sound of Sideswipe transforming to skate forward came screeching up behind them.
The Con struggled away to disappear around the bend of the big Center, moving toward Best Buy and the street beyond. First Aid knelt beside Jazz and waved the others off. Ironhide, Hound, and the soldiers ran in pursuit chasing the Decepticon around toward the highway that paralleled the Center, the soldiers gamely in pursuit even as they began to fall behind. Sideswipe skated off rushing to follow Springer around the back corner. As the pair reached it, the Con was already across the street moving toward the Pier One store and the interstate beyond.
A flash of fire drove them back. They leaned against the side of the Center. Decepticon fire from the back was covering their brother's retreat. Then the fire stopped and went the other way allowing Ironhide and Hound to pursue.
As they cleared the street, Lennox looked back, turning to cover everyone's traverse. A fire fight was going on at the other end of the Center, the lights of weapons fire bright in the bitter darkness. In his headset he could hear the chatter, swearing and orders called out as Springer, Sideswipe, and Mirage battled two other Decepticons hiding in the shadows behind the Dimond Center Hotel.
Lennox could hear Optimus Prime over the top of it telling his team he was coming down. He looked up into the night as a dark form was falling, chutes finally deploying as it landed nearby with a heavy thud of peds hitting the ground.
"Autobots! I'm here!" he called out as he moved at a dead run toward the fire fight, weapon drawn.
Lennox turning ran across the street dodging a car and truck as he raced to catch up to Ironhide and the others. As all this was going on the entire audio feed was rolling through the HQ back in Diego Garcia as well as throughout the entire complex of the Autobot Embassy.
=0=Ratchet
He stood in Ops Center listening, hearing Ironhide's shouts and the odd grunt as he dodged fire. He had heard and seen the same thing for eons and it always was the same. Awful. It was easier when he was there but he wasn't selected this time. He had almost gone to Optimus and explained he didn't feel Ironhide was up to it but he didn't. Ironhide knew what to do and he wouldn't stand in front of him doing his duty.
He would stand and listen. He would listen like Trailbreaker. Like Prowl. Like all of them. He would wait and know that the caliber of enemy would never defeat the caliber of Autobot they fielded. They were the best and no one was better. That is how he managed as he listened, waiting for them all to come back home.
As he listened he knew Jazz was down. He mentally prepared for casualties and as he did he prayed to Primus that it wouldn't be Ironhide.
=0=Sunstreaker
He stood in the doorway of Ops Center. Bluestreak was sitting on a chair listening to the battle with a pensive expression. He walked over and knelt beside him, laying his helm on Blue's knee. For a moment Blue sat without moving. Then he put his servo on Sunny's helm, rubbing his temple with his thumb. Sunny relaxed, off-lining his optics as they sat together.
He had debated coming here but the unsettled feeling he got with that moment back in his quarters overrode any queasy feeling he had about affectionate behavior in public. They sat together listening like every Autobot in the facility. Sideswipe's voice could be heard cursing and laughing as he brought the battle to the enemy.
They could hear Optimus too so Ratchet glanced at Prowl, noting only a calm expression on his face even as his wings betrayed him. Ratchet walked to Teletraan II and sat in an empty chair, watching the screens as the battle continued.
:First Aid to Prowl:
:Prowl:
:I have wounded. Jazz took a round but he's field patched. Tell Ratchet we have a through and through in his right shoulder. I think the joint will have to be replaced.:
:He heard you:
:First Aid out:
They sat and listened, the battle waxing and waning, then waxing again as they tracked the Decepticons. For a moment there was shooting and cursing, then the sound of jets activating. Firing followed furiously, then quiet. Sideswipe cursed, then Optimus directed everyone toward the pursuit that was happening across the street.
There was the sounds of running and cursing, the screech of tires as some hapless human driving home from a bar braked at the sight of four giant robots and a handful of armed soldiers running across the street. The pounding of their peds, the sound of armor clanking and the powering up and down of weapons filled the silence.
Then the clash returned, firing and shouts, running and the sound of something lifting off, shots following it as it flew off with a roar. The sound stopped, then the sound of soldiers out of breath, shouts of soldiers identifying themselves as present were heard.
:Prime to Prowl:
:Prowl here:
:What does Teletraan say?:
Pause.
:They're in the upper troposphere heading out. The course plots them out of the solar system:
:Very well. We'll clean up here and get ready to evac. I identified two of the Decepticons. One was Swindle and the other, the one who made the transfer was Dead End.:
:Affirmative: Prowl began to access files. :They were reportedly killed in the Fall of Iacon but apparently our data is faulty. What about the criminal humans?:
:They are in custody. The soldiers have them. We are going to retrieve the weapon as soon as they talk:
:Affirmative:
:Prime out:
The sound continued, the conversations between the soldiers and the Autobots focusing on retrieval of the weapon. The human criminals, the two who stepped out and one who waited in the car were cooling their heels on the curb in front of the Center with armed guards talking to them as they sat paralyzed with fear at the turn of events. Beyond them, the sound of emergency vehicles and police cars could be heard wailing.
Optimus walked back from Borders, crossed the road, passing Best Buy, then walked up the parking lot to where the three sat shackled and awaiting transfer to the federal authorities. He paused in his momentous grandeur as he stared down at them, his rifle in his hand. He was imposing and terrifying as they looked up at him with fear on their faces. "I would like to know where the weapon is."
They looked at him, then each other. One of them trying to rise slipped and sat hard. "I know."
"Good," Optimus said quietly.
=0=Ops Center
They coordinated with the N.E.S.T. Command in all feeds but the audio. They did not allow the feeds of the battle through Autobot channels out of house. In all other areas they shared everything. The Federal authorities took the prisoners in charge as the Autobots transformed, gathered up the N.E.S.T. soldiers to drive back to the airport for the trip to Homer, 260 miles south of this location to get the weapon. The criminal was so rattled he stuttered but they knew from his directions where they were to go.
Reaching the airport, they loaded up again, Silverbolt lifting off, carried them away silently. It was a short jolt to Homer, a small fishing town sitting literally at the end of the road on the Kenai Peninsula. Landing at the airport, Optimus followed by Ironhide and Springer drove down the road, heading toward the inlet and the left turn that led to the Homer Spit.
A two lane road ran from the town out onto a flat narrow strip of land. Along that spine the road ran, winding out into a narrow spit of ground that was ground zero each summer for sports fishermen and the fishing boats that called Homer home. Driving in the dark, the lights of the town twinkling behind them, they reached the end.
The soldiers jumped out and Lennox following Prime's directions found the site where the weapon had been buried. A trap door covered with stones that was the top of a metal container was lifted and inside resting in the cold earth was a small plasma weapon. Lifting it out, lowering the cover back to preserve the scene, they walked back to Optimus, Springer and Ironhide. It was a short ride back to the airport and a longer one back to Diego Garcia but they arrived relatively unscathed.
=0=At Diego Garcia
They off loaded Jazz, the tarmac swelled with the ranks of Autobots that came forward to lend a hand. The weapon, a relatively small and simple version of a lot of the weapons they were currently using was carried to the HQ for storage. Even though it was a piece of evidence it was taken into custody by the only force that could keep it safely out of the wrong hands.
Ironhide walked with Optimus. "We sort of shot the place up last night. I can only imagine what the talking heads will say about it."
"We will cross that bridge when we get there, old friend," Optimus said grinning. "Get some recharge."
"And when will you?" Ironhide asked, noticing that officers from N.E.S.T. were already waiting for Optimus.
"Sooner than you think," Optimus said with a grin. He slapped Ironhide on the back as he walked onward toward them.
Ironhide continued onward toward the hangar and Med Bay where Ratchet was.
=0=Med Bay
Ratchet was working on Jazz even as the rest of the team was reaching the hangar door. Jazz had been brought in, his wounds carefully field dressed. Mirage himself silent and intense stood nearby waiting. Parts were removed, parts were replaced, then First Aid took over to finish the closing steps.
Ratchet collected the ruined parts in a pan and turned to go to the medical disposal bin. He paused as he saw Ironhide standing quietly in the doorway. He smiled slightly then turned again to walk to the lab beyond. Ironhide, hesitating, followed him, watching as Ratchet put the tools and parts in proper vats of disinfectant.
"Hey."
"Hey," Ratchet said glancing at him. He stood a moment, leaning on the counter, then moved to Ironhide to embrace him emotionally. They swayed together, then Ironhide kissed Ratchet, a kiss of love and gratitude. Ratchet hugged him tightly. "Guess what?"
"What?" Ironhide asked, rubbing Ratchet's back with his servo, swaying gently as he did.
"I sparked."
For a moment, Ironhide held Ratchet absorbing the comfort. Then he stopped, staring at the back wall. He stepped back looking at Ratchet. Then it hit him. "YOU'RE WHAT?"
His bellow could be heard all the way to Ops Center. Prowl pausing, looked in that direction along with the rest. Then he commed Optimus.
:Prime here:
:Optimus, I think Ironhide and Ratchet have something to tell you:
Prowl could feel Prime's smile through the comm link. :On my way:
Prowl grinned, a wholly beautiful thing.
=0=TBC 2010 (11) edited 1-1-17