NOTE: Science is identifying wandering planets all over the place. The notion of Cybertron being one among them is now back up by science. HUZZAH, SCIENCE! :D
-0-Now, back to it
The Diego Diaries: Psy-Ops 32 (dd3 111)
-0-Ops Center, Fort Apache, on the migration trail
"There's a message for you, sir."
Prime looked up at Prowl who was standing by Teletraan IV. He . Prowl activated the link.
Soundwave's face appeared on the screen. "Prime."
"Soundwave."
"Overlord is no more a problem for either of us."
Prime considered the comment. "What proofs do you offer?"
"My word?" the bot asked.
"In another dimension, in another life," Prime replied.
The screen image changed to Kaon. It was midday but the shadows were long, the weak light of stars the only illumination that remained to the rootless starless wanderer. The square that the Decepticon Headquarters fronted was huge with enormous buildings encircling it repaired and imposing. The enormous statue of Megatron, a meglomaniac's meglo-dream stood over the giant entrance arm upswept. That much had been spared in the destruction of battle.
Unfortunately.
Soundwave was standing by himself. A small ship, a runabout was heading toward him and landed gently nearby. Overlord, his enormous blue body and trademark trident walked toward Soundwave and the two appeared to begin a conversation. It was not heard on the video, the sound was missing but it was evident that it didn't last long. Three beams shot out and coalesced on his carcass causing him to convulse and fall flat on his face.
rays it seemed to Prime were the reason.
Other mechs walked out and hauled the big entity away with Soundwave following right behind. The screen's image was replaced by that bot. "Do you require other proofs?"
"What did you do with him?" Prime asked.
"I'm having him made into a chair." Soundwave didn't betray anything with that remark but it amused everyone in the room but Prime. The others smirked slightly as they listened.
"We are rounding up the refugee hostages and taking the soldiers with Overlord into custody. They wish to defect."
Soundwave nodded. "Very well. Remember this, Prime. We should talk often." At that, the screen went dead.
"He just gave away his bridges by taking care of this so fast," Alor said.
Prime murmured agreement.
It was silent a moment, then Prowl looked at Prime. "I'd believe him if it were anyone but Soundwave. Though, I will say the idea of that mech sitting on Overlord is appealing."
Prime considered the visual. "It is." He looked up at Prowl and grinned. "It really is."
Ironhide snorted. "I want to have it when we retake Cybertron."
Prime looked at Ironhide. "You may have it. That is if he really did that. I do not see him wasting a possible future asset."
"Neither do I," Ironhide said. "But the idea is as you say appealing. I get first dibs."
"Only if I can have Soundwave made into a swooning couch," Ratchet said with a chuckle.
The mood was lifted as they turned back to the problems at servo, the refugees and the defecting soldiers.
-0-On a planetoid in the dark
The rescue ships landed and the refugees streamed out of their vessels, all 2500 of them gathering around the techs and medics. Everyone was hollering, yelling, hugging and crying. It was a madhouse.
-0-On a planetoid in the dark
They watched the ship land as Splice held the group in a measured mob. They were shivering with relief, fear and hope. He himself was relieved and gladdened.
The ship settled as mechs stepped out including Sunstreaker as field medic. They moved toward their rescuers and Splice. "Sunstreaker," the big Knight called out.
The big yellow Lambo looked through the crowd. when he saw the one he wanted, he smiled genuinely. Stepping through the mechs, he flung his arms around the big bronze and blue Knight. "Splice!"
"Sunny!" Splice said hugging Sunstreaker once more. "You fragger. You made it."
"We both did. Sideswipe did, too, you slagger," Sunstreaker said. "What the frag! Come on all of you. Let's get out of here." Sunstreaker looked at the crowd and gently ushered them forward with Splice following with a lighter tread. When they were all aboard, the ship lifted off and the last of the refugees were reclaimed once more.
-0-On a planetoid in the dark with 2500 mechs and femmes
They came to Kup who was directing the initial organization for lift off and grabbed his arm telling of their terror and distress. Listening with sympathy, Kup commed a shuttle that was sitting nearby. The pilot stepped down and hurried to Kup listening as he outlined the orders he would follow. Turning to the distraught mechs, he explained they should go with the pilot and leave the planetoid for the base nearby. They did.
-0-At The Fortress
The busy Ops Center spun like clockwork while out in the rec room bots sat watching the show on the big monitors. The split screen showed the defanging of the 'Cons, the rescue of the main refugee group and the rescue of a smaller one that was being used as forced labor. The sound was down but voices filtered out of the Ops Center following the practice of allowing everyone to listen in on missions.
A shuttle lifted off and disappeared off the screen of the big rescue group while in space between them and the battle zone Decepticons were being floated to Kappa Supreme who'd come through the vortex with her brother Zeta. They were lead over to where Wrecker and Day/Night Watch mechs were waiting, some inside the vessel, others outside. They were taken in and seated in lines on the floor. The process was orderly and no one seemed to be acting up.
-0-A shuttle going from here to there
The shuttle came in and landed on the air field of The Fortress, an area well lit with light. The passengers climbed down and hurried to the big stone building led by Autobot soldiers. They entered, disappearing off the screen in the rec room. Inside, the group watching turned around to see the clatter at the doors.
A pair of Autobot soldiers were leading over a dozen mechs to Ops Center. They watched as the group entered, then turned back to the screens. Inside, the group waited anxiously by the door as one of the soldiers walked to the table where Prowl and Prime sat with other members of the senior leadership. He leaned down and talked to Prime.
Prime leaned toward Prowl and Ratchet speaking with them a moment. They both rose to follow the soldier back to the group.
Prowl halted before them. "Welcome. I am Prowl, Second-In-Command of the Autobot Armed Forces. I have had the privilege all this time of caring for your sparklings."
They broke down in tears.
-0-On the way to The Fortress
They sat around the sides and in the middle of the shuttle's hull as Sunstreaker scanned them, marking their armor with details and bantering with Splice. The Knight of Cybertron, Circle of Light master swordsman was amused by Sunstreaker's diligence to the task at hand. It was unlike him he thought. "Since when did you get to be so useful?"
"Since when did you get to be so pure?" Sunstreaker said grinning back at the tall bot who'd been his friend since he was a toddler.
"I guess we both got religion," Splice said with a smirk. "How's Sideswipe?"
"Ugly as ever," Sunstreaker said with a grin. "We have a bond, he and I with Bluestreak. We have three kids. We did okay because Bluestreak is Prowl's youngling and Prowl is bonded with Prime."
"Frag," Splice said with a grin. "You bonded up."
"Don't tell Blue. We have enough trouble with him as it is. He spends a lot of time with Ratchet."
"Is that old mech still around?" Splice asked with a grin.
"That old mech and Ironhide are and they're our genitors," Sunny said with grin. "They adopted us. They also have a few kids of their own. I have three brothers besides Sideswipe and a sister."
"Frag. I'm behind the times. I'll have to get caught up," Splice said.
"You have no idea," Sunstreaker said with a chuckle.
-0-At the city
The shuttles began to come in loaded with refugees. There were many at the field to help in their repatriation. This group was starving and rundown from the journey and the terrifying detour. Many of the migration that made it were there to help their fellow travelers. The Air Field was lit up in the gathering darkness and busy with vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The humans gathered on top of shipping boxes in their safe place as they watched the well organized effort go on.
:They're good at this: Jack Mellar said as he watched his crew film.
:They have this down to a fine science: Michio Yamaha said. "They're very much disciplined:
:They are: Bobby Epps said with a touch of pride. :Cuts down on the crap:
They would stay there for the rest of the night and watch the command crew return along with the Guardians filled with new prisoners.
-0-On the way to Autobot City
They sat in the hold of Kappa Supreme, part of the 3,237 'Cons who'd given up. They were facing the flight deck and guarded by Wreckers. A senior officer was giving them the rundown of what would come next.
"You're new and we have to process you before even considering letting you into the city to live. We'll take your stats and do an assessment of your skills. We'll also check out who you are and if you are trustworthy to let loose. Until then, you'll be staying in the prison."
A mumble of discontent sounded and it was checked right away.
"We don't know who you are. But we do know that you were with Overlord who's a fragger's fragging fragger. You were part of a crime in taking hostages and you were part of a group that threw six sparklings into vacuum before you retreated. Think about that a moment, you numskulls."
A silent array of 'Con soldiers sat staring back at him as he waited. "We're a city filled with mechs, some femmes and a lot of infants. There are kids there. Unless we can trust you, you won't be let out. When it's determined that you aren't a menace to society, you'll have to do a couple of three things.
"First, you have to give your personal oath to the Prime and to the Matrix. I know some of you aren't religious and some of you are stupid. So let me explain. The Matrix will kill you if you give an oath to It and break your word. When you give the oath, you promise to be a good citizen, work for the good of all and obey the law. If you don't, if you break your oath, the Matrix will even the score. You could lose your processor. You could be killed outright. It's a documented fact. Even the worst we have here … Scorponok and Barricade, for instance ,know better than to frag the Matrix.
"Secondly, you will have your transformation cog and your internal comm system disconnected until you prove your worthiness. You will also wear a detonation device that has a GPS signal that can be remotely detonated. Medical are the only ones who can remove it without you blowing up. You try it, you die on the spot.
"We're a peaceful society. We're what Cybertron should've been. We're making it happen here. Don't get any funny ideas. The Prime is the only leader who matters and if you frag with him, he will unpin your helm. The AllSpark, the Well of AllSparks and the Matrix Flame reside here granted back to us by Primus himself. I was there and saw it. Ask anyone about the Festival of Primus that just passed.
"Get it straight. Your Cause is dead. You're over as Decepticons. Your brand will have to go right away. They're banned from the colony unless you're mission operative. You'll be mentored by the Former Decepticon Association who will help you fit in. Are there any questions?"
The group was sullen a moment, then one shifted. "What the frag do we have to look forward, too?"
The officer looked at him then knelt, moving close to the 'Con who for his part didn't flinch. "Everything," he whispered.
-0-Landing at the air field
They followed him off and marveled as all around them an amazing city worked to reclaim their lost comrades. A runabout was ready so they climbed in as Prowl closed the hatch. It lifted off and flew upward offering a panoramic view to the mechs inside. They stared out with astonishment, looking this way and that as the runabout made its way to the roof of the tower where the Residence of the Prime was located. They landed and stepped off onto an enormous Autobrand painted on the deck of the private landing pad for Prime as they followed Prowl to the door that was Prime's home.
Entering, they walked down steps and reached the outside door to the quarters. Inside waiting, the staff who'd helped Prowl manage the babies stood expectantly with sparklings in arms. Prowl entered and stepped aside as the mechs rushed in and grabbed their infants. He watched them as they held their infants, checked them over and cried.
It was a beautiful sight to see. Victory.
-0-TBC 2012 (12) 12-13-2022