The Diego Diaries: Getting There 1 (514) edited
-0-On the Phobos
"Carnivac, declare your intentions." Prime sat with a grim expression on his face. All around him, the senior officers sat listening as well. No one was happy to hear this mech's name.
"I was traveling through this sector with the refugees, Prime. I want to meet up with friends down the road," the voice said.
"You are trespassing in a migration that we are rescuing. You will not be allowed to continue onward. You will either surrender to me or I will have you destroyed."
There was a brief pause, then the voice was back. "That doesn't sound too friendly, Prime. We left the Empire for greener pastures. We heard a friend call so we came this way. We haven't caused any trouble and we don't expect to make any. How about you letting us move on and we'll be out of your way in no time."
"How about you surrendering or dying?" Blackjack said coldly. "You heard the Prime. You have no other options. Do you want to die today or not?"
It was silent a moment, then the voice was back. "We want to continue onward. We have left the Empire and are seeking shelter with friends. I don't understand why you would not let us through. We didn't do anything to the migration. Ask around."
Prime glanced at Starscream who nodded back. :Surround the ship at the location I am sending coordinates. Pull everyone away. This is a very dangerous ship. It carries Megatron's Mayhem Attack Squad:
:Very well. Red Wing out:
Starscream looked at Prime, then nodded. Prime looked back at the screen which had dozens of Seekers moving toward a point in the distance. "Carnivac, we have sent Seekers to take up position around your ship. If you do not surrender you will be destroyed. There are no other choices."
It was silent a moment, then the voice was back. "You make this hard. It appears, Prime, that you don't want friends. We were here to find a better life and you act like this."
"Give it up or I will order the guns pointing at you to fire," Prime said.
It was silent a moment, then Carnivac was back. "Where is Springer? I want to talk to him."
"You have half a breem to make your decision. Fail to surrender and we will blow you to the Pit. Problem solved. Prime out," he said as he sat back to wait.
The humans sitting nearby listened, then Lennox ventured a question. "Optimus … who are these guys?"
Jazz glanced at him, then Prime who nodded. "These are the Decepticon answer to the Wreckers," Jazz said. "They are called in code the Mayhem Attack Squad. There can be as many as 16 and as few as 6. All the way around, they're bad news. Springer and their leader, Carnivac have been forced to work together from time to time and some of them were Autobots. Now they are major fraggers."
Lennox nodded, then sat back. The screen showed hundreds of Seekers gathering around the ship as three battle shuttles bearing Wrecker insignia moved in as well. The Decepticons were outnumbered, out gunned and out of luck.
It was tense for about seven minutes, then the voice was back. "You give us no choice, Prime."
"Surrender or die. There is choice there, Carnivac. Choose," Prime replied coldly.
"Who would come to get us? Springer? What happens if we give it up?" he asked.
"You become our prisoners. You will be placed into confinement until you show us that you can be trusted. You will have no weapons nor a t-cog. That will be removed and stored against the future when you make your decision clearly and strongly enough to allow your passage into our society. Those are some of the rules," Optimus replied.
"Well, that's hardly neighborly. I guess this means we surrender," he said.
"Put your weapons … all of them in lockers. Fuse the locks. Power down your weapons on the ship. Be ready to be searched, then confined for transport to our colony. If you frag up one bit then we blow you to the Pit," Blackjack said sternly.
"Who are you?" the voice asked.
"General Blackjack of the First Battalion," the stern mech said. "Are you prepared to meet the conditions of surrender?"
The voice seemed to be amused. "Sure. Why not?" he said. "Prime, what do you want? Surrender now? Give us a clue."
"Ironhide is still with Target?" Prime asked.
Blackjack nodded. "He is. That group is halfway through the surrender and they're getting the ships ready for transit through the bridge."
Prime nodded. "Prime to Springer and Drift."
:Drift here:
:Springer, Prime:
:The last group has identified itself. Its a Mayhem team led by Carnivac. There are a total of ten mechs on board. He asked for you. I think he should get you. Is there anything I need to know?" Prime asked.
:Not that I know of: Springer grinned. :We worked together a few times, but mostly we were enemies. Do you want me to get them?:
"Yes. Be careful. Don't let anyone get killed especially yourselves," Prime said.
:Roger that. Springer out: He turned, then grinned at Drift. "We get to kick Carnivac in the slats. You up for it?"
"Born ready," Drift said as they both turned to the command deck of their ship.
-0-Autobot City, Mars
Prowl watched Kappa drop her ramp, then slide back her hatches. For a moment there was no activity, then an Autobot stepped out walking down the ramp. At the top, mechs began to appear. They walked out under heavy guard following and being followed by heavily armed security. They gathered at the bottom, then turned to look around. Silo and Magec who were in the mix noticed the group watching them including Prowl.
"Look at that fragger. There's Prowl," Silo said as he stood with his crews broiling with outrage. "Fragger. He's a fragger's fragger."
A sharp poke with a gun caught him in the ribs. He turned to look at a soldier who glared at him. "Shut your trap. That mech is bonded to Prime."
Silo glanced at Prowl, then gazed around the area. It was stupendous and astounding. To Silo. Magec had heard rumors about this place from the few Seekers he had known before they left. The drumbeat to leave had made them tell the few non-Seekers they called friends what was happening and why they were going. He was aware of a lot of this area but even so it was astonishing.
Prowl talked to the mech in charge of the prisoners as the Officer of the Orn outlined where the mechs would be taken. They had been frisked on Kappa, therefore their path would now lead directly to jail. When the discussion was over, the Officer of the Orn walked to the group. "You will follow the officers to your place of incarceration. Anyone who steps out of line will be hammered. Any questions?"
"Yeah," Silo said. "I want to talk to Prowl."
"Don't we all," the officer said.
"HEY PROWL! I WANT TO TALK!" Silo said yelling loudly.
Prowl considered that, then nodded. The officer gripped his arm, turning to walk to where Prowl stood with several officers and a chatty infant in his hold. He looked at Silo levelly. "You want to speak to me?"
Silo nodded, glancing back at the group who watched them with concern. "I want to know what we're supposed to do now."
"You are supposed to go to jail and stay there. We don't have time to discuss any other outcomes at the moment. When we do, you will be asked to state your position. We will never allow you out as long as you are an idiot."
He stared at Prowl, then smirked. "You want us to reform."
"I don't care what you do. We have plenty of space for you and your little friends. However, if you want out anytime soon you will have to reform. You will have to give your oath to Prime and the Matrix. If you break it one will merely beat you to a pulp. The other will kill you."
Silo looked at him a moment. "What if I don't hold to that nonsense?"
"It doesn't matter what you believe. The Matrix will do what it does. You can become a historical footnote here if you give your oath and break it. We now have a mausoleum for the dead," Prowl said in his ice cold manner.
Silo considered that, then smirked. "You're still an ice cube aren't you."
"Take him to his new accommodations," Prowl said coldly.
Guards jerked Silo and half dragged him to the group who stood waiting. Orders were given, then the group turned marching toward the north where the expansion lock up had been laid down several months prior.
Prowl turned to the officers and workers surrounding him. "How is the new lock up coming along?"
"We have the bars laid in ground with the framework rising for the fences. The electricians are working around the clock to get the lock up in place. We can provide structures for housing similar to the original jail on the airfield. It will be temporary housing until we have more time to build improvements. The security towers will be in place by tomorrow afternoon. They are one piece constructions that are being welded together now. When they are complete, all of them will be transported, then erected. They will be part of the alarm system as well. They will be able to give cross fire to every other tower over the expanse of the new jail," Jetta said.
"This is good news," Prowl said with a slight weariness. "We have fourteen ships worth of prisoners on the way. We will hold them in space on their vessels until you are ready and troubleshoot all you need. Until then work with dispatch but know that if you need the time you can take it. We have temporary quarters on their ships. We will allow them to be inconvenienced to make sure that our haste doesn't make us regret something later on."
Jetta looked relieved. "Good. We are going to get this up to a class B prison by tomorrow night. It will take a while to upgrade it to class A but by then maybe some of these slaggers will see the light."
"From your lips to Primus's audials," Prowl said. "Thank you, all. I am very impressed."
They nodded, chatted a moment, then Prowl walked off to the Ops Center for the next catastrophe. Lights were on everywhere as the orn moved onward toward deep night. The sound of ships arriving and leaving was constant. So were the lines. He checked the arrival data. 597,621 refugees had arrived and been processed. They were in Tyger Pax and Centurion housed and fed. Thousands more were getting assistance from the medical community. As he walked to the Fortress he marveled once again with a slight touch of nostalgia when it was only a handful of Cybertronian soldiers standing on this soil trying to figure out how to house the first refugees, all 27 or so of them.
He walked on wearily toward the Fortress and the problems ahead.
-0-Out there
Ironhide watched as the last group of Decepticons were locked in the rec room where they would stay until they were taken through to Mars. Target had been all military bearing and stiff upper lip. He had made sure that his crew followed his orders to the letter. As Ironhide watched him he began to worry about this mech and his crew. They were precise in their obedience which meant that his control of them was intense. That could mean bad things for the prospect of assimilation. They would remain loyal to him for a long time. That wasn't good for the colony he thought as he turned to Target. "You and your exec will come with me."
Target and Source, the only two left nodded, then followed Ironhide to the hangar deck of the ship they were on. A runabout waited for them so they boarded and it lifted off. Flying with speed, it flew to Phobos and landed. Stepping off, the two silent mechs followed Ironhide and his armed guard to the elevator and a straight shot at the command deck. Stepping out, they walked to where the senior staff worked and sat. Pausing, Ironhide nodded. "I brought these slaggers here, Prime."
Optimus looked up from a datapad but he didn't bother to stand. "Target, I presume."
Target nodded. "I am. This is my second, Source."
Prime looked at both, then nodded. "You are my prisoners. I expect that you will understand that I would like information about the Empire and what is happening there. I would expect you to understand that if you become a problem you will be put into deep stasis."
Target nodded. "We are aware of that. I am concerned about the disposition of my crew."
"They are my prisoners," Prime said. "They will remain that way until they prove their trustworthiness to me and the colony. That is the way it is for all Decepticons who come within my territory or try to interfere with what I as Prime am required to do."
Target nodded. "Very well. What exactly do you wish to know?"
Prime nodded to Jazz who got chairs. The two sat waiting for questions.
"Megatron. Where is he?" Prime asked.
"He is chasing after allies. He has encountered it is said an empire that is as vast as the universe, an empire of cybernetic-biological beings. They are a vicious force and he enjoys the hunt. Or so it is said," Target replied.
"And Soundwave?" Starscream said.
"He has found energon and has supplies brought in. He wants to rebuild Cybertron and rule it. He is making some progress in the rebuilds though the task is enormous," Target replied.
It was silent a moment, then Prime glanced at the map showing the layout of all of the sectors between here and home. "You were going to speak with Cyclonus and Paragon. Why?"
"I seek a better opportunity than that which exists at home. I would build my force, then go back to Cybertron and depose Soundwave. Our planet suffers and needs strong leadership with vision to restore her. I believe I bring that to the table."
"Another empire builder, Prime," Ironhide said with disgust. "You fight over a pile of sticks that you created, the bones of the dead."
Target looked at Ironhide, a student in the academy and officer's school some years ahead of him. He was smart, tactical and tough. "We both have the same goals. We both want home to be restored. We want our people retrieved and living in peace again."
"With you as king," Alor said. "There is always that caveat."
"There is," Blackjack said. "Too bad there is only one Prime at a time. No one will follow a Decepticon willingly again."
Target had nothing to say. Neither did Source.
-0-Out there
Their vessel came along side the battle transport. "Springer to Carnivac."
:SPRINGER! ABOUT TIME!:
"I'm coming aboard. If any of your slaggers so much as twitch you die. Understood?"
:FRAG YEAH! I need you to explain to Prime that I'm harmless:
Springer snorted, then looked at his team. "You ready to slap afts?"
"Frag yeah," Sunstreaker said as Sideswipe stood beside him, his blades sliding in and out of his wrist sheaths.
"Let's go then," Springer said as he leaped out the open door to the ship hull in front of him. The others followed with a whoop.
-0-TBC November 14, 2013