Chapter 55
-0-At Autobot City, Mars
Sideswipe helped pull heavy equipment out of boxes. They were from Earth, gathered together at the order of Prime and smuggled over the months into the compound ostensibly as energon production equipment, parts for medical purposes and Aerialbot components. The Autobots also said they were gathering together materials to make shuttles that would take passengers to the Oort Field, allowing at some unspecified future date that human scientists could see what lay beyond Pluto at last.
All of it was true.
Technically, their constructions would allow all of it. Cosmos had been bringing loads from Autobot outposts and temporary camps all over their part of the Alpha Quadrant since the message went out. He would off load at Diego Garcia every few days for nearly a year. To get all of it to Mars without raising eyebrows, they were loading mechs with the stuff, covering them with tarps, then having them drive onto Cosmos and Sky Dive who had assumed a shuttle form to help with the transfer from Earth to Mars.
Once the loaded alt vehicles were on board, the shuttles would take off flying straight to a landing zone near Autobot City that was swept free of the thick dust that covered every thing. A road led to the settlement which was growing in shape and size every day. From the shuttle port, a long dirt road led to the entrance of Autobot City.
It was a big structure, mostly underground at the moment but designed to be defensible. Gun turrets were being constructed, built to the specifications of Wheeljack and the other engineers. Materials found elsewhere, some by their network allowed them to mix alloys that created hardened materials equal to those they used themselves or remembered from Cybertron. Many were the bots who knew a lot about metals but it would be a celebration orn when a master of metallurgy showed up. Ratchet with his family background was and was consulted by those who covered that part of their situation.
They were bolstering the walls of the facility, laying miles of cables and wiring it to be hospitable. Until they built above ground they would be living underground here as well. There would be no windows but there would be lots of illumination. A series of solar constructions were already allowing them to work through the night and underground.
Med Bay, large and filled with the requisite rooms was being wired. Three levels below and to one side they'd built a hardened armory and gun room. The Ops Center was next to the entrance, also underground for now and was almost complete.
Sideswipe worked quietly, his processor puzzling on their dilemma as he did. They'd asked if they could take Bluestreak for a walk on the beach in the evening the next day and it had been granted. Ironhide would go along with them and he had veto power over anything they did while together. He was nervous and irritated but there was nothing they could do. Even if Bluestreak didn't want to go along with the complaint and he didn't know if Blue did or not, Prowl could still enforce it. They were applying Cybertron's laws and Prime was enforcing them. That part of his homesickness he could do without he thought as he hoisted a server onto a trailer.
-0-Australia
They drove silently down Peninsula Development Road 81 north of Lakeland in Queensland. They constituted a small convoy of trucks and vehicles, Bluestreak included. His alt vehicle form was a 2017 model Nissan 370Z convertible bringing up the rear. Ahead of him, Arcee in an SUV mode ala Range Rover rode by herself following Warpath who had arrived a week prior with Huffer and Grapple who were coming to work and live at Autobot City. He'd chosen a Hummer as tough enough and "pretty" enough for his alt mode. Bluestreak had forgotten how vain Warpath was but when he was hanging out with Kup and Springer he was good company, loud and full of it. A more outgoing Sunstreaker he thought wistfully.
Leading the group was Springer, his green and yellow Top Kick pickup truck at home in the farming area they were passing through. There was Decepticon activity reported south of Lakeland so they were going to scout it out. Nothing was too specific in the intel, just a lot of flashing lights in the sky that were moving too fast and when they weren't moving, hovering.
Bluestreak opened his sensors to the limit as he followed, watching and listening for anything, pushing his personal predicament out of his processor as he concentrated, turning from mixed up lover to warrior without much effort at all.
-0-Ops Center, Diego Garcia
Prowl watched the screen that tracked the team from space. Teletraan II's satellites were fixed on the convoy following it kilometer by kilometer. The intel was sketchy but sounded like Seekers. They were hovering over a place called Palmer River Goldfields Resource Reserve, coming at night, making the local population as well as the national government nervous.
Sending a team down to look around and scan for anything that might indicate Decepticon presence was the first step. Their allies were squeezing sources. That was step two. Jazz rising to walk to him with a smile was step three.
"He made the send," Jazz said turning to look at the sensor screen. "I wonder how long it'll take for them to get there?"
"I don't think long. Best alert the Aerialbots that are here. I'll message Springer and Silverbolt," Prowl said glancing over his shoulder as Optimus walked onto the command deck.
Optimus made his way to Prowl pausing beside him. "What's the word, Prowl?"
"He sent a message and we have a spider bot tracing it. Ghosting it, actually. We want to know all the routes it takes before it reaches Starscream. The 'lights' should appear at sundown on cue. I've sent the Aerialbots to support the ground team."
"Good," Optimus said. He put his servo on Prowl's shoulder. "You did not have to send Blue," he said softly, leaning closer to Prowl to whisper.
Prowl looked up at him with a slight tension in his wings evident. "I can't play favorites."
"You never do," Optimus said gently.
Jazz came back holding a datapad. "The bot made it to an account that Screamer uses to post on First_Strike. He's aware that the team's out there and that Springer's part of it. It's also going to two others." Jazz showed the datapad to Prowl and Optimus. They read it and their expressions were grim.
"I am not surprised," Optimus said.
"Neither am I," Prowl answered.
-0-Nearing the Goldfield Reserve
They drove through very dry rocky country with stands of trees here and there bordering creeks that wend their way through gullies and low lying areas. It was warm but not excruciating like it was beginning in December. Temperatures could reach 110 degrees F during the Australian summer. It was actually rather decent and the soldiers on board the trucks were glad of it.
They reached campgrounds where the roads became problematic for Bluestreak in auto format. Pulling off under a stand of trees with a creek ambling through, they transformed and huddled down as the sun set on the horizon. It was cooling as the breeze dropped off. Springer looking at the sky calculated the time before dark. He sat down in the shelter and cover of the trees watching out for soldiers as he did.
Epps settling his men turned to him. "You figure they'll show themselves?"
"Hard to say what Decepticons will do," Springer said thoughtfully. "They aren't especially bright."
Epps chuckled as he watched Bluestreak pull his rifle out of subspace, something that never grew old to the human.
Blue moved to the edge of the trees to take watch. Apparently Springer had told him over their internal comm system. He envied that, direct access among the troops. He regarded Springer. "I hear you're a Wrecker."
"I am," Springer said glancing at Epps with his calm blue optics. He'd heard good things and what he'd seen himself had borne them out. Epps was a good soldier.
"I hear its 'One Riot, One Wrecker'. Wreck 'N Rule," Epps began as Springer turned to look down at him. "What does your team do? Are you special ops?"
"That may be putting too fine a point on it," Springer replied with a grin. "If you had a job that was suicidal but necessary you sent us. If you had bad mechs who had to go you sent us. The impossible was what we did all the time."
"Kup mentioned something called Operation: Volcano," Epps said settling in.
Springer nodded. "That was when we were going to retake Cybertron. The plan was to kill the top ten Decepticon assassins before the offensive. Megatron recalled them so that was aborted but that was the mission goal."
"That meant high casualties for both sides, right?" Epps said gently.
"Sure," Springer said looking up at the sky. "You don't become a Wrecker because you worry about that. Our job was to go to worlds the 'Cons had just about conquered and give them huge casualties before they sealed the deal. We were a blade at their throats, cutting and making it expensive."
"Springer."
He glanced at Bluestreak who was looking up, his rifle in servo. "I see lights."
They shifted themselves, moving farther back in the shadows.
Arcee crouched beside Epps, her gun in servo. He glanced at her, this lone femme and wondered what it would be like to be such a minority. He'd felt it in the course of his life but there had been other black men as well as women always there. She was a minute fraction of their population, the norm being Ratchet and Ironhide, not Ratchet and Arcee. It was strange, he thought, as he got his rifle ready. How lonely would that be for anyone, anywhere?
The scrub brush that covered the ground offered no cover. The tree-lined creek they huddled at and two others farther out was it. Above them, the sound of jets could be heard and lights began to streak. They watched armed and ready as the light show continued.
-0-Ops Center
"I've buried a trace on their comm devices," Jazz said pointing on a screen the activity that the mole and his confederates were making as they communicated together.
Optimus nodded.
"We have sightings," Prowl said turning from Teletraan II. "Springer has visual contact. Seekers."
"Tell them to watch and I give Springer freedom to act as the situation calls. The Aerialbots. When will they be nearby?" Optimus asked as he sat down in a chair at the main sensor array next to Sunstreaker who was operations officer for the shift.
"They will be there in about two breems," Prowl said.
"Very well," Optimus said opening the comm line allowing the sound of the engines and soft cross talk among the team to fill the facility.
-0-Med Bay
Ratchet halted to listen to the sound of the patrol team, the sound of jet thrusters, then walked to the door to look down the corridor. The Autobots off duty were moving toward the Rec Room congregating to listen once more to the latest interaction. He walked toward the Rec Room himself, passing First Aid going the other way. They nodded, continuing onward and as Ratchet reached Ops Center he met up with Ironhide. They entered together and walked to the command center where Optimus was sitting. They stood by offering their skills as the moment needed and listened as the patrol interdicted the enemy.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
They sat together taking an energon break when the news reached them. The feed was available so they commed it on listening to the whispers and the sound of jets swooping nearby.
Sideswipe listened, then he heard Bluestreak's whisper, talking to Springer about the overhead view. His spark squeezed as he sat up straighter to listen harder.
-0-Australia
The lights began to drop lower as three of them landed. Two more stayed overhead flying seemingly aimlessly.
:Springer to Prowl:
:Prowl:
:How long until the Aerialbots get here?:
:One and a half breems:
Springer considered that, then looked at Warpath and Bluestreak as Arcee moved closer to his side. "I don't know what they're doing but the Aerialbots will be here in a breem and a half. They'll engage the ones still in the air. We'll engage the ones on the ground." Springer looked at Bluestreak. "Cover me, Blue. I'm getting closer. That creek ahead. I'm going to the trees."
Blue nodded moving closer as he focused his rife on the trees ahead. Springer moving with great agility and silence for a figure twenty-five feet tall cleared the distance in seconds, fading into the trees. Beyond him, lights blinked and something moved.
Epps with rifle in hand looked up at Arcee. She was watching Springer, peering through the darkness to where he was hunched down moving slowly through the trees to the edge closest to the 'Cons. "What do you see, Arcee?"
"Springer is getting close. He'll be at the edge of the trees in nanokliks," she whispered. "They appear to be moving towards us." She looked at him. "Stay in these trees unless you have to move out. Fall back if you have to. Don't try to engage. These mechs are out of your league." She paused as if listening, then looked down at him. "I have to go." She rose moving silently across the scrubby ground toward Springer.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Sideswipe listened riveted by the silence and glad for Bluestreak that Arcee and Springer were there. They were phenomenal soldiers and Blue would be safer with them.
-0-Ops Center, Diego Garcia
Sunstreaker managed the data downloads from Teletraan's satellites. They were tracking the Seekers and it was being fed to the ground team and to Autobot City where the defense computers in the Command Center were being on-lined for the first time. They were also sending to the N.E.S.T. HQ, sharing information as usual. He thought about Bluestreak and the others. He wanted to be there but if he couldn't then it was good that Arcee and Springer were.
Prowl with his wings reflecting his tension listened as all hell broke out.