The Diego Diaries: Giddy Up. Go. (502) edited
-0-In the Ravages, Kaon, Cybertron
Dai Atlas climbed the ladder to the surface of the tunnel opening pausing long enough to look around himself. The desolation of the Ravages as this area was called kept them safe. Even the Decepticons found other places to go. When they came here they did so heavily armed and shot whoever spooked them or popped up with a beef. Since that singularly stupid response had gone out, the hunted were shooting back.
It played to Dai's advantage that they did.
The rest of his team climbed out with him, then they turned as one heading out to the north. They were relocating their energon plants to make sure that the 'Cons didn't find them. They were distributing energon in both liquid and brick form throughout the hinterlands. The suffering population would receive all of it. They had even progressed to the point where they could stockpile it here and there to assist the workers who were struggling to function and do the state's bidding on the supplies that they were given.
Word had it that Soundwave had made an alliance that was supplying energon to Cybertron. He had increased the ration of surprisingly good quality to the workers and other civilians. It had increased the productivity of the population in the designated areas of prime reconstruction a few percentage points. The calculator in Soundwave's spark chamber was more than aware of this. Word had it that he was working even harder to supply the work force and civilian population with more.
Dai considered that from all angles. First, it would increase the work going on to rebuild their planet. That would be a good move in meeting the objectives of Megatron at the same time impressing that megalomaniac with Soundwave's abilities. Then there was the idea that he was going his own way, building his own platform by ensuring a better life for the civilians stuck here as essential to their continued cooperation as well as their acceptance of his leadership. His hold on the military had never been strong. However, Soundwave was a homeboy and loved Cybertron. He had spent his entire career working his way upward with the ultimate objective being Lord of the planet and overall queen bee.
The idea of ease coming into the lives of literally millions upon millions of Cybertronians still here appealed. What it would mean in the long run he could only guess. Where was the energon coming from? It was very high grade and therefore supplied a great deal of energy in smaller quantities. That meant Soundwave had either found a mine that produced extremely high grade ore or they had captured a place that did. Dai knew that Prime had that kind of luxury. What did this all mean strategically for the long run especially in that strained dynamic?
Dai and his band walked onward moving through the debris and destruction pausing at each small encampment to listen, encourage, comfort and guide. Then he moved onward, his great sword hilt visible to everyone they came into contact with before they even saw his handsome confident face. They would move their plants to other locations to create more energon and energon bricks. They would disperse them throughout Cybertron by themselves and sometimes in the vehicles and ships of sympathetic Decepticons who were part of their slowly growing network of resistance. Then they would turn to other things.
There were always other things.
-0-On the other side-by-side
Prime sat on a chair at the strategy table on the command deck of the Phobos. Sitting in the captain's chair behind him, Blackjack commanded the fleet to form up. As each particular component flashed through, the formation expanded exponentially. Battle shuttles fell into place in front of the battleships as the tip of the spear. They would fly forward with interlocked sensor grids gathering intel for the battle group following.
The three big warships that would be the main fighting force formed a vee formation with Ratchet's ship, Moonbase in the middle. All of the smaller vessels came through, then the vast bridge closed. They gathered, then cleared their presence and position with Phobos. When they were all at optimal Blackjack toggled transport. "You are clear to go, Flint."
"Very well," Flint said as he stepped onto the bridge platform in the hold of the ship. It flared as he walked through disappearing into the bridge room of Fort Apache. He commed off, then turned walking upward to the Ops Center. There with his officers he would wait to see what was needed as well as monitor the goings on of everyone else around them.
Blackjack glanced at Prime, then nodded.
"Very well. Roll out, General," Prime said sitting back in his chair to turn forward and watch the progress of the fleet to their suffering compatriots.
The ships in front hailed. "Are we go, 'Jack?" Kup was heard to ask.
"You are go, Kup." Blackjack glanced at Alor who was sitting beside him working on a large datapad. "We are now go," Alor confirmed glancing at his bond and lifelong partner in army affairs.
The shuttles that formed the tip of the spear jumped forward heading swiftly into the lead. They would take the group across the far edge of the space that had been claimed by Paragon and Cyclonus. Their sensors were spread wide and they didn't bother to hide their signature. Both leaders and everyone else would know they were there anyway.
"Conn, take us out," Blackjack said quietly.
Sandstorm glanced back, then nodded. He turned back to the screen in front of him, then punched it. They leaped forward following. The space they occupied became empty once more and no one would ever know they had been there when at last the bridge and ship energy signatures dispersed to infinity.
-0-Paragon's Ops Center, closer than he would want to be when they told him
He paused by sensors and got the intel. It bothered him a great deal given the size of the battle group going out as well as their proximity. He was discreetly pleased that it was Prime, not Megatron. If this force ever came at him they would be destroyed. Even with the inclusion of four more small wandering groups of ships to his forces, he was still no match for Prime.
Even if he included Cyclonus, he would be outmatched. The pirates that were battling strange aliens attacking them along with Cyclonus were insufficient as well. Prime was going out to collect a massive wave of displaced Cybertronians. He would get workers, skilled techs, soldiers and materials. He would increase his forces and fighting ability even as he, Paragon, diminished. He considered that as he walked to his chair to sit. He would monitor this retrieval, then reconsider his options.
Again.
-0-Kup
He sat in the co-pilot chair of the shuttle as it flashed ahead of the massive group following. Chawing on his stogie, he looked at it in his servo. "I have to say ..."
It was quiet a moment, then Smokescreen grinned. "And what would you say, old mech?"
"I like the odds," Kup replied as he chomped down on his stogie.
Smokescreen grinned. "I rather like them too. This reminds me of some of the early orns in The Great War. We weren't so outnumbered."
"Well, if we didn't give a frag about the civilians and everyone else there would have been more of us on world to help fight the fraggers," Kup said with a nod. "'Cons don't give a frag."
"They don't. I hear that there's troublemakers in the migration and that it could end up like Turmoil," Topspin said relaxing against the comfortable seats in the vessel.
"Right up our alley," Kup said with a nod. "Let 'em try it, fraggers. We'll read 'em from the book."
They scanned the reference, then grinned. "You mean … we're going to get all Leviticus on their afts?" Topspin asked.
They chuckled. "Sounds good to me," Kup said to general agreement. The shuttle flew ever onward to the ever growing signal of the refugees.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
He sat at the command table working on data as the ever changing images of the rescue party moved on the giant data pad before him. Sitting on the table chewing on a cookie, Prowler grinned at his namesake and inveterate sparkling thief, Uncle Prowl. Prowl glanced at him, then grinned. "You are cute. Remember that." He turned back to his work even as a small program running in his processor watched the infant like a hawk.
-0-Out there
They stood together on the command deck of their ship. They had a crew of 5. A message from Prime and Starscream had met them some time after one by Prime. Then a message from the Great Elder had found even them as well. When that was heard the Seekers everywhere evaporated. They were without flight wings everywhere. Why they had been called away was unknown. Starscream's alliance with Prime had lit a fire in their guts that raged drawing them to this, a migration of their people toward the safety of the Prime out here. Starscream had been dedicated to the Cause and his defection was still resonating through the Empire. Their leader had taken it personally when he had heard the message. This required servos on immediately.
They stood watching their sensor grids when their communications officer turned toward them. "Sir, we have a communication from the migration. It is on a Seeker channel using an older set of comm signal designations."
Their captain considered that, then nodded. "Open a line."
He did. A masculine tenor voice came over their broadcast system. :Decepticon ship, commanding. This is Red Wing, commander of the Seeker Armada currently inspecting the migration. I want to know your status:
He considered that. Then answered. "We are part of the refugee group."
It was quiet a moment, then the voice was back. :You are to power down your weapons and keep them down. All of your personal arms must be stored in lockers which are then fused. You must be prepared to be boarded in turn and taken into custody. When you are transported to our staging area you will be questioned and given an opportunity to declare your status as either a Neutral, Decepticon or refugee without portfolio. All of this must be done to ensure the safety of all involved including the refugees that surround you:
"Frag that," another said under his breath.
The captain stood a moment, then walked to his chair. Sitting, he thought a bit longer. "Red Wing, I know you. You have joined the Prime. Correct?"
:Affirmative. Who are you?: Red Wing's voice replied.
For a moment he stood contemplating what to say. Then he said it. "Tarn."
It was a while before Red Wing replied. :You are ordered to stop your ship where you are and hold. If you don't comply we will destroy you. Reply:
He leaned back in his chair, then glanced at his companions. "What do you think? Do we comply?"
The others looked at him, then grinned. "No. Why should we? They are the traitors."
"We don't know the whole story yet. Why don't we hold it here and ask to speak to Starscream or Prime? I want to hear what they say." He considered his words, then spoke. "Red Wing. I am Tarn of the Decepticon Justice Division. I want to speak to Starscream and Prime. Make it happen."
They sat a moment watching the monitors display what was happening outside their ship. Seekers were coming in, several hundred and a couple hundred more were landing on vessels. All around them Seekers were directing course changes which began to pull refugee vessels away from their own ship nearly immediately. Soon they were a lone vessel sitting in the middle of a gradually spreading empty.
"If they take the ships away they get clearer shots at us," Tesarus said glancing at their leader with a slight smirk. "Not that I'm worried but hundreds of Seekers shooting us at the same time is daunting fire."
Tarn shrugged. "I want to speak to Prime and Starscream. I came here for one. I will be happy with either or both."
It was silent as they sat waiting, the dissipating pool of ships that had surrounded them fading into the darkness all around them.
-0-relay
:Red Wing to Prime:
:Prime here:
:We have a really, really serious problem, sir:
-0-TBC November 7, 2013
NOTE: I am thinking about how they can transport energon. I have seen that they have personal energon makers for the soldiers that can feed them from other energy types by conversion. I am aware that they can store energon in all kinds of cubes. They also have it in raw form, beautiful blue crystals. I am introducing the concept of 'energon bricks'. This is energon that is processed to be food but pressed into bricks that can be stored and shipped in vast numbers or taken in small quantities here and there by small groups or individuals. I would think that it could be stored against future use by families, rather like having a freezer full of food. It would be compacted, capable of being broken into smaller pieces with each piece being by reconstitution able to feed a large number. One could carry one in subspace and have rations for a long time, rather like soldiers on bivouac. I am not clear that personal machines and liquid format would be the end all, be all of army and civilian food and food storage.
Yes, I am that obsessed with this world. :D
CONCERNING THE DJD: They are rated on a level with phase sixers by Prowl because of their incredible ability to do damage and their relentless implacable fanaticism. Check them out at T F Wiki Dot Net.
Donnie Rose: THANK YOU! I will check it out. I will also give a bit of thought to your suggestion. It is a great one, my friend. HUGS! :D