The Diego Diaries: Moving On 4
-0-On the way
They burned up the road, transforming on the fly at the gate of the prison. Glancing at a grim faced Ironhide, Optimus Prime ran down the short road from the Guard House Center parking lot to the gates. The guards who were intensely grateful to see him dropped the bars and both entered. Hurrying across the no mechs land toward the inner gate, they entered because it was down.
Nearby in a pool of light a fight was ongoing. Drift, Kup and Springer stood with Ratchet as Prowl and Sentinel traded blows. Prime paused quelling the urge to pull a weapon and drop Sentinel in his tracks. Prowl had pivoted as Prime appeared, slamming Sentinel in the mid drift with his ped. It had been a powerful blow but Sentinel gave with it grabbing Prowl's leg as he did. Pulling Prowl off his peds, he turned to slam the winger into the ground.
A round into the sky halted the proceedings.
Sentinel turned, pausing. A weapon was directed to his helm so he let go of Prowl who crashed to the ground. Staggering up, Prowl turned on Sentinel with a roundhouse fist but was grabbed by Drift and Springer. They pulled him back struggling and cursing, but held him fast. Kup glanced at Prime. The look of cold murder on his face was something he hadn't seen before. Kup turned and stepped between Sentinel and Prime. "Fight's over, Optimus. We best all stand down."
For a moment it was silent. Ratchet who was sobering up became aware of Ironhide standing behind him. He leaned back as enormous arms surrounded him. Then Prime powered down, the relief around him enormous. The Officer of the Orn shifted on his peds. "Sir, they asked to see the prisoner. I didn't think I had the authority to say no. Uh, even in their condition."
Optimus looked at him and nodded. "You are the Officer in charge. You do have that authority."
He nodded, an expression of regret on his face. "Yes sir. I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Optimus said. "Why don't you take Prowl and Ratchet to the Guard House. I'll be along."
The youngling nodded and turned, pausing for a moment to gather his nerve. "Sir, you and Commander Prowl need to come with me."
Ratchet who was staring at Prime nodded. "Ironhide, why don't you stay with Optimus."
Ironhide squeezed Ratchet. "Go on, mech. I'll be along."
Ratchet nodded and turned taking Prowl's arm. "Come on, Prowler."
Prowl stood for a moment rooted to the spot, his emotional optics trained on Optimus. Then he nodded and turned limping toward the gate and the Guard House beyond. When they were gone, Optimus turned toward Sentinel. "Good thing you stopped."
"You would have shot me?" Sentinel asked.
"For the good of the order," Prime said with a coldness that even Ironhide had never heard before.
Sentinel considered that. "Prowl came here and began this. He landed the first blow. I don't suppose that matters."
"To me it does," Prime replied. "I know it wouldn't to you, Sentinel. You never did play by the rules."
"And you see what that got us," Sentinel said. "We have no home world, our people are scattered all over the universe as Megatron lives and flourishes. Playing by the rules is for losers, Optimus."
"Is that so?" Prime said quietly.
Springer shifted and moved away to stand across from Optimus on the other side of Sentinel. The big mech glanced at him, then Prime. "So you want to fight do you? Do you have some sort of point to make like Prowl? We were together once upon a time. I liked his mind. He is one of the smartest ones we ever produced. But he's sort of socially backward. He always was, even for a high caste."
Optimus felt rage suffuse him, a fire of an intensity that he had never felt before. He firewalled the link between him and Prowl, narrowing down his focus as he did to Sentinel and no one else. The big mech was goading him, he knew. He wasn't going to jump to the bait.
Until he wanted to.
"That doesn't bother you? Prowl and me? Together?" Sentinel asked.
"You are the dead past like your rule," Prime replied. "You don't matter anymore. It would have been merciful to everyone if you had really been dead. You came here to sell out our people and Earth. You don't know how to be a mech. There isn't anything too low for you to do, Sentinel. There isn't anyone, not even the smallest infant that is safe from you and your cowardice."
"Is that so? I did what I did to *save Cybertron*. There was *no way* that we were going to win. It was only a matter of time before there was no leverage left. You put the Allspark into orbit. You lost it to Cybertron. Yet you blame me for what happened next. You have a selective memory, Optimus."
"You do, Sentinel. Curious how you forget that we weren't ready for Megatron even though you were told that revolution was coming by nearly everyone with a voice. There was plenty of warning but you didn't prepare. Then the Army defected. They left you, Sentinel. The Seekers and the Army defected and left you high and dry. They would rather follow a criminal than you. How does that feel, Sentinel, to know that in the history of our people the Army defected to the enemy under your command."
Bulls eye.
Sentinel's optics narrowed and his fists clenched. "You were the Prime who lost Cybertron, Optimus."
"You were the Prime that made the loss inevitable. You can count your blessings, Sentinel, that I got the AllSpark away before Megatron reached it. If that had happened there would be nothing left. You made a deal with a mad mech and sold all of us out. No matter how you spin your actions, you will always be the traitor who put your own fortunes over Cybertron," Optimus said moving closer, his own fists clenched. "You were aiming to keep command weren't you. You were aiming to make sure that even if you needed Megatron's help, you would be leader when Cybertron was reborn because you were going to eliminate him when he met all the objectives you needed for restoration of both you and our world. Tell me I'm wrong."
Sentinel looked at the big mech, the atmosphere electric. Then he nodded. "You aren't wrong, Optimus. Megatron was never going to rule Cybertron. That low caste clown was my vehicle to rebuild our home world but he was never going to rule it. No way, no how."
Optimus looked at Sentinel for a moment, then nodded. "Somehow, Sentinel, I don't think there's much daylight between you and him. One of you in charge would be just like the other."
Sentinel's fist flew out but Optimus ducked it dodging the follow ups as well. He spun and slammed Sentinel in the neck with the edge of his servo, a knife-like blow that staggered him.
Drift who was standing next to the youngling Home Guard mechs who were wide opticed with surprise turned and moved them back. "You younglings stay on your toes. These two can throw a shuttle a long ways. Don't get caught in the cross fire. Do you hear me?"
They nodded and moved farther back, their optics fixed on the two behemoths. Ironhide moved back and watched intently as they battled, his own intentions to cut Sentinel into confetti if necessary clear in his processor. The angst from Ratchet was clear over their bond so he pulsed soothing energy and tamped the link down. Poised and ready to step in, Ironhide watched side-by-side with Kup.
No one noticed that Ultra Magnus, Jazz and Mirage had arrived nearby.
Optimus ducked one blow and took another, the electrical sensations of pain filtering through him. He dampened that and turned with a flurry of blows that knocked Sentinel back. Say what you will about the big mechanism, Sentinel Prime knew how to fight. He was feared as an opponent and very skilled with his weapons of choice, which if he still possessed them would make a battle royal for Optimus. As it was now, the footing was level and the outcome unknown.
Optimus spun and slammed his fist into Sentinel's helm coming to the conclusion that he had the edge. His fury alone would carry him a long way but the simple fact that his combat practice had never ended while Sentinel's had was enough to give him the edge. The Prime's formats were built to be nearly invulnerable. They were the spear tip on the weapon of the Cybertronian armed forces. They were designed to be invincible. At no point in history had two Prime designs ever had the opportunity to combat each other before. This moment in its own way was historic. It was becoming evident that between the two, Optimus was going to win.
Sentinel spun and moved warily with Optimus, the multiple blows given by that big mechanism resounding inside his processor. "You are still good at fisticuffs, Optimus. I suppose I'm supposed to surrender the fight now. I suppose you can declare victory over the bad mech who hurt your bond's feelings and ruined his life."
A hard blow to the nose structure met that remark as Sentinel dodged but not fast enough. It sent warning flags off all over his processor. So did the next one. He spun and moved away waiting for the fog to lift. "Nice one," he said rubbing his face. "It isn't a good tactic to allow your enemy to needle you on your sore spots. I would figure even you could grasp that knowledge."
"Coward," Optimus said. "There isn't one mech here who doesn't agree." Prime moved closer, his fists raised. "You left our people at the mercy of Megatron. You allowed them to be used as slave labor, to be experiments for Shockwave. You allowed our world to become a charred wasteland and the AllSpark to be lost because you and the others are cowards."
From the windows and the porch the others could be seen standing silently, watching the show without expression. None of them came out of their barracks. They stayed inside the relative safety of the porch watching without comment.
"Your great good friends aren't coming to your aid, Sentinel. No one is coming to your side," Optimus said moving in swiftly to plant a round house onto Sentinel's chin. The big mech lifted off and landed on his backside, sitting dazed for a moment.
He looked up at Optimus, his optics flaring with anger. "Does it make you feel better, Optimus, to beat up the former lover of your bond?"
Optimus paused, then moved swiftly forward lifting Sentinel off his peds. He looked at Sentinel with murder in his optics, then pulled him closer. "Yes," he said softly. Optimus held him a moment, then let him go watching with satisfaction as Sentinel staggered backward struggling to stay on his peds. Glaring at him with great purpose, Prime turned and walked toward the gate, Ironhide behind him.
Kup stared at Sentinel as he stood glaring back. "You aren't too bright, Sentinel. I'll say that for ya." Kup glanced at Drift and Springer. "He ain't too bright, that one." Then he turned with a smirking Drift in tow, walking for the Guard House too.
Springer looked at Sentinel. "You need a doctor? I'll send one in."
"Don't bother," Sentinel said. Then with that, he walked back to the barracks and disappeared inside with the others.
Springer grinned and turned walking to the gate. He talked to the nervous and thrilled younglings there, then headed for the Guard House too. The younglings locked the gates and turned moving back to their posts. It would be a much more thrilling night than usual on their internal chat line.
-0-Inside the Guard House
Prowl sat at the table, his arms folded, his helm resting on them. Ratchet sat next to him leaning back into Ironhide's chassis as the birdies sang in his slowly sobering processor. The door opened, Springer and Drift entering with First Aid and Bumblebee behind him. Glancing at Prime who sat at the front of the table, Aid got the go ahead to dispense sobriety. He did. Gently and kindly, just like his basic nature, he injected the antidote. Then First Aid and Bee stepped back to wait.
It was almost instantaneous, the sobriety. Prowl stared at his arms, scanned the room around him and felt intense shame and upset. He slowly sat up, his optics fixed on the table. A huge servo gently squeezed his arm. "Are you alright, Prowl?"
He thought a moment. "Aside from the dereliction of duty, abuse of authority, abuse of prisoners, assault and battery, public drunkenness and the idea that you will bear embarrassment, I am fine."
Optimus grinned slightly. "Quite a record for a single night."
"He has to share that with me. I was the adult here. If he swings, so do I," Ratchet said glancing at Optimus with a baleful expression.
Optimus snorted. "Volunteering for the gallows are you?"
"I am nothing if not loyal," Ratchet said with a smirk.
Prowl smirked too. Then another voice spoke. "You're nothing if not mad. I was also say you are a bad influence on others as well, Ratchet."
The anger from Ironhide was immediate as Ratchet gripped his wrist. Ironhide turned locking optics with a very peeved Ultra Magnus. Mirage and Jazz stood behind him as the door opened and Arcee entered with Elita and Jetta. The three looked at the tableau and Arcee grinned. "Why does this make me think that Ratchet led someone down the primrose path to the Pit again?"
"Because he did," Magnus said hotly. "Brawling in the prison, abuse of prisoners, public drunkenness are just a few of the many offenses of the night."
"I want to go with you next time you paint the town, Ratchet," Arcee said with a grin. Elita and Jetta nodded as well, chuckling.
"I'm glad you find this funny, Arcee. I would think the last prison brawl would be enough but apparently I underestimated your ability to create havoc, Ratchet."
Ironhide stepped forward but was tugged back by Ratchet. Prowl watching with a frown shook his helm. "I did the mayhem, Magnus. You are blaming the wrong person."
"But he's the catalyst. He always is the catalyst. I suppose you're going to get a slap on the wrist again?" Magnus looked at Prime. "Officers have a duty to present a decent command image to the lower ranks. We have Home Guard younglings doing night duty here, Optimus. What kind of message does this send to them? To the ranks?"
Optimus sat back regarding the mech he considered a brother. For a moment, he thought abstractly about all the mechs here, Jetta, Magnus, Springer, Jazz and Ironhide. Brothers all. Springer maybe more over all given the intimacy of their past but a brother nonetheless. Their company and abilities made his job tolerable. Prowl made his life worth living. He considered the number of things Prowl had covered up to protect everyone in this room from his own wrath should he have found out things they had done without his permission and found a small smile forming on his lips. "You are never dull, any of you."
They all looked at him, Magnus with great exasperation. "I suppose you're going to overlook this."
Optimus looked at him. "No. I am not. I didn't before either, Magnus, no matter what you thought of my decision. There are some circumstances where leeway should be given and since we have nearly 300,000 refugees and others on our sensors, putting them into the hole would be counterproductive." He looked at Prowl and Ratchet. "You will however spend time in the brig tonight and tomorrow night. I want you on duty when you are due, then back to the brig. I want to think about what can be done to rectify this situation."
Prowl looked at him, his anguish evident. "I am sorry."
Optimus nodded. "I know."
"Are you hurt?" he asked taking Optimus's servo into his own.
"No. I am upset by your anguish. We will discuss that privately. I will care for the infants. I would however consider it a given that your genitors will want to speak to you about this. I suppose there is some yet unknown Praxian custom to apply here?"
Prowl smirked slightly. "I'll have to ask."
Optimus nodded and squeezed Prowl's servo. "Springer, Drift, take them to the Brig. First Aid, will you check them over, especially Prowl?"
First Aid nodded and turned with Bee, the two following Prowl, Ratchet, Springer and Drift out the door. When it closed, Magnus turned toward Prime.
=0=TBC
2013 (1)