The Diego Diaries: Psy-Ops 30 (dd3 109)
-0-On the way out of there
They sat quietly on Omega chatting together, the soft murmur of voices underscored by equally intense internal conversations.
Blackjack looked at Prime. "What was in the box, Prime?"
Optimus had the good grace to look embarrassed as he gazed sheepishly at Blackjack. The others listened, half of them smirking. "Actually, I asked Bumblebee, a mini-con scout to dive to the bottom of the Laurentian Abyssal to retrieve an artifact from the body of The Fallen. Soundwave didn't believe that The Fallen was dead. He wanted proof. I asked Bumblebee to find it and bring it to me. He dove down and brought something back that was clearly from Megatronus. Uh," he said. He looked at Ratchet.
"It was his debris cap," Ratchet said with a chuckle. "I told Optimus that sending that particular mini-con to do the job was asking for it. That little mini-con is pretty outstanding but a young wiseacre to boot."
Snickers and laughter lightened the mood and as they flew into the bridge they disappeared from sight. Flashing out, they banked and came in for a landing at the Airfield at Fort Apache. Touching down to settle, the ramp and hatch opened as the crews stepped off. The senior officers walked to The Fortress while the others hung out by the vessels. They would be departing soon enough.
:They start the Psy-Ops part of this today: Sunstreaker said. :We have to stay. Sideswipe gets to go home: He pulled Bluestreak into his arms and the smaller bot leaned into Sunstreaker.
Sideswipe sat down on a box filled with supplies waiting to be taken into The Fortress for storage. :I'll take care of Kaon and the girls while you and Blue are here for a decaorn. Then we swap:
:Only front liners and Wreckers, youngling, for this duty. We can use your shooting skills for distance work, Blue: Kup said from the throne of his own crate.
Blue sat and relaxed, the activity around them interesting and abundant.
The Fortress looked finished, the big heavy blast doors finally in place as the last step to be taken. The air field was busy while beyond them the hangars and hardened bunkers for Seekers and workshops could be seen getting final touches. The energon production and storage facility was underground now with hardened bunkers built over the top of them. The raw energon harvested from around the area was also underground out of sight and out of the way of crossfire.
:Bumblebee is a hoot: Drift said with a grin. :I don't know what piece of Megatronus I would've brought:
:His prong: Sideswipe said with a wolfish grin.
:You'd need an electron microscope to find it: Sunstreaker said with a malicious smile.
:That's true: Kup said staring at the end of his stogie. :Did I ever tell you about the time when-:
That was as far as he got.
-0-Ops Center, inside
They gathered around the comm station where Blaster and Jazz would run the show. It was linked into Ops Center at Autobot City where Mirage would manage that end. They would broadcast the messages that would be constant.
Mirage would seek any that replied embedded or otherwise.
Jazz switched on the program. It was time. He looked at Prime. "We're ready, Optimus."
Optimus moved closer. They looked at the data together, then Jazz flipped another switch. "You're go," he said softly.
Prime gathered himself. "Overlord and any hostage who can hear me, this is Optimus Prime."
-0-On a derelict speck of rock in a forgotten part of space
Conversation halted as the refugees glanced toward the ships where the comm stations were. They were left on, all radios primed to receive any news possible. That it had kicked on was astonishing and the mechs outside paused in their desultory conversations to listen to the feed which was being sent over one of the public lines all Cybertronians were born with as well as ship communications equipment.
"Overlord and any hostage who can hear me, this is Optimus Prime."
It was like being electrocuted and everyone who was present on both sides of the dividing line, hostage and Decepticon, refugees, those slaving on the rising fortress commanded into being by Overlord, the entire Decepticon fleet and Overlord himself froze at what they were doing to listen.
"I am calling to give you the confidence to know that you are not alone. You are very close to safety and we are here to retrieve everyone. I would like to speak directly to every Decepticon among you, both professional soldier and criminal element.
"I am holding you personally responsible for anything that happens to any one of the 2,500 hostages you have in your possession. They are neutral to our argument and need to be released immediately. If you do not do this, you will never leave this sector alive.
"We have established a colony on Mars that is of a size and strength capable to destroy you if I command it. I will if even one hostage is harmed. We have among our soldiers Kappa, Omega, Zeta and Gamma Supreme. Their brothers are coming along with entire divisions of Autobots. Fortress Maximus and Metroplex already live at Autobot City and are prepared to crush you to dust if one hostage dies.
"We are asking you to surrender and come to us with the promise from me that you will not be harmed if you do. You have my word on the Matrix. Twenty of your comrades have already surrendered and they are living a free life among us. We have thousands of Seekers and former Decepticons living peacefully in the city from many migrations and we will be broadcasting their statements to you. If you come to live peacefully, you are welcome. If you don't, you will be terminated.
"You have until the end of the next orn to decide. If you wish to come here leave your weapons behind, power down any on your ships and bring the hostages with you. We have made a pact with Soundwave to retrieve our people even if it means obliterating all of you one by one.
"I wish to report to the six families whose sparklings were so savagely removed from them, they are all fine and well. They are being cared for. I would say to Overlord, if anyone is hurt you will not be able to find a hole deep enough to bury yourself in. I am sending you a comm line to Soundwave. Call him and ask for yourself. Ask him about a trinket I gave him before he left, then decide whether on this orn you will live or die. I personally have no preference for either in relation to you. I am prepared to accept either condition to ensure the safe return of the hostages.
"I have spoken. You have until the next evening. If anyone is harmed, all bets are off. Prime out."
-0-On Decepticon ships
They listened silently, the dread some felt clearly evident on their faces. Others looked defiant but most kept their reaction to themselves. It was silent when Prime commed off, then the monitors on every ship on their side of the line lit up. The seal of the Primes of Cybertron appeared, then the face of Rampage could be seen. Everyone watching blinked with genuine surprise.
All but Overlord.
-0-At Fort Apache, Ops Center, out there
Jazz cued up the next ten statements and information videos, then sat back to listen to the one he and his team had gotten from Rampage. He seemed the logical choice for starters. He looked ferocious and his gaze could score concrete. He began in his most guttural dangerous voice.
"Most of you know who I am. I am Rampage and my brothers and I create Predaking when we feel like it. You know my story. If you don't, get your helms out of your afts and search for it. Its in the databanks. I live at Autobot City and I don't give a frag what you think. I had a seven foot sword run through my chassis from a battle with the Autobots when I was brought here. Instead of off lining me like Megatron would, doctors fixed me. It wasn't an easy fix. But it made a difference to me.
"Megatron would have thrown me out a hatch. He would have left me for dead. The Autobots didn't. It made me wonder what else Megatron said and did that was slag. And after giving it a lot of thought, I concluded pretty much everything that ever came out of his slag hole was a lie. There was never any 'us' in this. It was always about him.
"Don't get me wrong. I like fighting. I'm slagging good at it. Most of you fraggers know that. If I was with you, you'd be fragging scared. You'd tip toe around me like I was a fragging pile of bombs. But now I'm fighting for myself. I get to work for me. I get to do whatever I want. And the best part of this? Prime keeps his word.
"Megatron is a liar and a coward. So is Overlord. That low fragger likes to kill mechs that are caged up. He's a slagging coward. What are you doing following a coward? I don't intend to do that ever again. Prime no coward and I follow him. Frag Megatron, frag Overlord and frag the Cause. I was with Prime when he ripped The Fallen's slagging face off with his bare servos. I saw it.
"It was slagging wonderful.
"I live for myself and I live in a Cybertronian city in style. You slaggers stay with Overlord. Soundwave is going to help Prime get the hostages back and Prime means it that you'll die if anyone is harmed. Get smart. Cut Overlord's throat. Then throw down your weapons and come to Autobot City. For once in your slagging lives be smart."
The image faded. Then images of Autobot City appeared. They were designed to maximize the impact visually of the city even though it was stunning and Cybertronian anyway. The Military Air Field was shown as the camera panned lovingly down row after row of fierce battleship, heavy cruiser and destroyer. Omega and Silverbolt came into view, then the other Guardians and Aerialbots. They were sitting on a hillock nearby talking and laughing. The camera panned past them and as it did it picked up the business district off the Airfield, the housing towers beyond that were thick as trees in a forest and soon the imposing form of Metroplex in city mode.
The light glinted off everything as what seemed like hordes of bots went about their business just like they would back home on Cybertron. The camera continued and other business plazas appeared along with the Temple and Human Habitat. It showcased the building taking in the sun glinting off the copper roof of the holy site. When it moved again, it reached The Fortress, its gun turrets bristling and its background panorama of industrial parks stretching out farther than the optic could see was the last image before the fade.
The next image was Scar.
"My name is Scar. I'm sure you heard of me. I was a fragger's fragger. I was captured with Turmoil and Blind Spot when they tried to blackmail the Prime with hostages just like you're trying to do. We were slagged to the Pit. Between the soldiers and the thousands of Seekers beating our afts, we had no chance. Neither do you.
"I came here and ended up in the prison. When it became clear that if you gave your oath to the Prime and lived your life by the rules you could be free, I changed my mind. Here was a mech that kept his slagging word. Frag Megatron. He doesn't even know how to do that. Prime does. He trusts me. I'm trusted, you poor dumb fraggers because the Prime is an honorable mech. He's the only true leader of our people. He always was and he still is.
"This city is his idea. I'm part of building it. I'm a slagging pit boss and I belong to a union as well as help advise the city and the Prime on construction and planning. I help Decepticons come here and settle in. We have 100% success in everyone who comes who was a 'Con. No one has failed to find their way.
"I go to slagging school to learn how to be an architect. I never had a chance in my fragging life to do that but now I do because the system is dead and Prime keeps his word. But that isn't the biggest miracle for me. I have a bond. My bond is a smart mech, so smart and good that I can't believe he wants me. We have a daughter. My daughter holds my spark in her little servos and for her I would FRAGGING SLAG ALL OF YOU TO THE FRAGGING PIT IF I HAVE TO!
"There are hundreds, even thousands of Decepticons here and some of them teach, others are on the city council and all of us are welcome. You can be, too, if you have the sense to take off the blinders and come here. Bring the slagging hostages. If one of them, even one of them is harmed you will all die. We will come in hordes and kill you. I will personally skin you alive myself. You know what I did. I didn't slagging forget how to do that just because I live differently now. But I will do it again if anyone is hurt.
"Overlord ordered six sparklings to be taken away from their families and he had them thrown into space. The babies were slagging THROWN INTO SPACE!" He glared bitterly at the memory. "There is no apology big enough for that. Starscream himself led to their rescue and their families need them back. For the sake of my daughter, for the sake of my bond, I will personally slaughter all of you if that's what it takes to get this done. Rampage and I … all of the others, we mean what we say."
The image faded and more shots of Autobot City appeared. Then another mech was up.
"I am Starscream." He grinned slightly. "I know you, Overlord. You're a fragger's fragger. You kill for sport and when you run out of hostages you will turn on your crews. End him and come to us. Prime keeps his word. Swear an oath on the Matrix and be free at last. That is the path to a life worth living. The one you are on now is a death sentence. You know it. I know it. You might want to know that Primus knows it, too."
The image faded and the senior priest of the Temple appeared standing in front of the Well of AllSparks and the slowly turning loveliness of the AllSpark cube. He bowed slightly. "I am the senior priest of the Temple Restored of Autobot City, Chevron. Three of us survived so far as we know of the original group who cared for the relics of our people. The relics were lost and even though everyone hunted them for their own reasons they were destroyed in battle with Megatron.
"Then something wonderful happened. In the first Festival of Primus held here at Autobot City by our people in eons, Primus weighed in and with Solis Prime and others restored the relics to the Temple. They did this out of respect and love for our leader, Optimus. The AllSpark is here," he said nodding to the beautiful sight behind him. "So is the Well. Sparks are being granted from It already. In that room," he said nodding to a door nearby, "is the Matrix Flame that is tied to the AllSpark and Primus himself. All of this came into being because Optimus Prime is The One. He is The One Who Comes as prophesied by The Chronicles and by Primus who loves and assists him against Megatron.
"Optimus Prime bears the greatest matrix of all, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix which bears a shard of the spark of Primus Himself. How can you prevail against that? Even Primus has weighed in against you. You will fail. Give up the hostages. Come to us and make your peace. Your faction is over. Even Soundwave sees the futility. If you do not do this, you will die. It is that simple. Give up and live. Fight on and die. I would not want to be you if you continue. Primus will be very, very unhappy. Take it from me. I know," he said.
Then the image faded.
Another one came into view. It was Nitro and Revo, both of them standing in an armory that was filled with pallets and stacks of munitions and guns that seemed to go on forever. Revo spoke first. "I am Revo. I commanded a hunter group. You know my story and if you don't ask someone. I came here with my family when Megatron ordered all families slaughtered including genitors and infants.
"We came here without the hope that anyone would care. Prime did. He saved us. Our sick and elderly were helped by his order. We were given homes and opportunity. No one ever did that for me. I'm on the Senior Officer-City Council Committee the same as Nitro," he said nodding to the big Seeker standing beside him, "and I help make plans for the city. I will fight you to the Pit if you don't surrender. I won't be alone."
Nitro agreed. "This is where I work," he said gesturing to the armory behind him with endless stocks of guns, bullets, rockets and other items of war. "I 'm Nitro and you know my story, too. Its everyone's story isn't it. Here, I'm Master of Munitions and make the bullets, rockets, guns and energy shells that'll be your doom if you don't do what you're being asked to do. I personally made them. It makes me happy to know that if you're as dumb as I fear you'll be, we can obliterate you from existence with things I helped make myself.
"We know you can't go much further. You don't have the energon. This isn't about factions or autonomy. This is about Overlord and his sick games. Don't be fools. Leave him because he's death. Come here because its life. Take it from us. Why the frag would we lie?"
As they stood together silently, Scar, Rampage and Starscream entered the frame. They stared silently at the camera.
Starscream smirked. "In case you think that we're joking, we want to show you our quality."
With that, five forearms with clenched fists were raised and on them gleaming with its usual enigmatic expression, the image of the first Autobot could be seen.
Starscream chuckled. "Get smart or we'll come get you. That's your only choice. Make it the correct one. You only get one chance."
With that, the image faded.
It was silent all over the battle group and on the ships where the hostages sat stunned. Everyone stood and sat without moving but Overlord. He, on the other hand, rose off his throne with a roar.
=0=TBC 2012 (12) 12-12-2022