The Diego Diaries: Titan 1 (534)
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
They streamed in, department heads, the Emergency Response command team, experts in major formats, Seekers and other essential personnel gathering around the command table as Prime laid out the information known. He had an open link to Fort Max who had an open link to Metroplex and Metrobase out at the point of battle.
:Miler to Prime:
"Prime here."
The Trigger is go: Miler said over the comm system.
"Very well. Stand by, Trigger," Prime said as he looked at the gathering troops of the upcoming newest emergency of many. "We have several titans coming in shortly. There are going to be injuries to at least one and that one is Metrotitan."
"They finally caught him," Hercy said. "He was menacing space around the Expansion out to Junkion. We had to drive him off once ourselves. He carries bad things, Optimus. You better be warned."
"The Metro Squad," Prime said grimly. "We will have force ready." He glanced at Springer who nodded.
"I remember them, Optimus. We'll be ready," Springer replied.
Prime nodded, then a deep concerned voice emanated from the speaker system. They all paused to listen.
:Prime, this is Max:
"Max, Prime here."
:They've disabled Titan. Right now, they're taking his internal elements into custody. It's a battle inside Titan. I will keep you updated. Max out:
They were silent a moment considering that, then another bot appeared with Drift. He was grim faced and silent.
Heatout nodded to Prime. "Sir, how can we help you. The Knights of Cybertron are yours to command."
"Thank you, Heatout. We have several titans heading this way. One of them is Metrotitan and he will be injured. The others are unknown but may number more than two. We would need the influence and possibly the codes and commands of the Knights to help manage Metrotitan if you have them. We are aware that they were constructed in the beginning for the Knights."
"Yes sir," Heatout said as several other mechs joined him, others in the Council of Order that ruled their faction. They looked as concerned as Heatout. "We know them, but it's been eons since their use. We've been sundered from our vessels for a very long time. Metroplex can assist us."
Prime nodded. "Good. I will ask Metroplex to ascertain their status and the possibility that Titan can be reached. It is a memory of mine that he was infiltrated with either processor-altering lies or a virus that made him defect."
Heatout nodded. "That's very likely. He fell into a strange faction and was never the same after."
Prime glanced at the console as Max was back. :Max to Prime:
"Prime here." It fell tensely quiet.
:Acroplex sends word that Titan's internals have been quelled. They're in dire condition. Titan is injured as well. Metrobase, Metrocon and Acroplex have taken hits as well. They're commencing to teleport. They'll bring Titan first. Acroplex will be towing him to the edge of the system. If a force can meet them there, they'll be able to come through. We told them they dare not teleport inside this system. The gravity of the asymmetric orbits of the planets here would make that dangerous given their size:
"Understood. When are they coming?" Prime asked as his processor raced.
:In three breems: Max said. His own voice sounded strained. :I'm ready to detach my moorings to assist if required. I defer to Ratchet. The Supremes and Aerialbots are standby for your command:
"Thank you, Max. You are to detach only if its required as a last resort," Prime said. "We are moving on this problem, Max. What does Metroplex say?"
"He says hurry," Max replied grimly.
Prime turned to Starscream and Red Wing who with the rest of their command crew looked deeply grim. "Please take the bridge to the solar well. Be ready to see two giant formats appear out of nowhere. Have a medical flight to scan them and a crew to fly them in slowly. We will tell you what to do when you get here. They will need guides."
Starscream nodded, then walked out with his crew following for the Flight Command Center nearby.
"Ratchet," Prime called.
:Ratchet here:
"What's the status? They're coming in three breems," Prime asked.
:Frag. I have an all call. We're going out to the site. Jetta has called me and they have a site three miles from the Tri-Cities and new construction. They're blasting it with Seeker flyovers to smooth it and glass the surface. The Energon Administration is on the job and will let me know what's going to happen. I've also called for the biggest Seekers around as well as bruiser grounders to help with heavy lifting. Half the Watch is out there already to provide security. I'm told the Supremes and Aerialbots are coming, too:
"Keep me informed," Prime said grimly.
"I will," Ratchet said. "Out." He turned to look at the group gathering around the base of the Medical Tower. It was growing by the minute. Day Watch mechs were rerouting what traffic there was so that they could assemble. "HEAR ME! WE HAVE A CODE RED IN MOMENTS! BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE TITAN FORMATS ARE COMING IN AND THEY COULD BE WOUNDED. HOW BADLY IS NOT KNOWN. I WANT YOU TO GET YOUR EMERGENCY KITS, THE PORTABLE UNITS AND EMERGENCY LIGHTS INTO RUNABOUTS AND GO TO THIS COORDINATE," he said sending the location to their internal medical call file. "I'VE CALLED FOR ALL THE BIG FORMATS WE HAVE TO HELP WITH THE TRIAGE. THE INDUSTRIAL PARK, SPECIALTY FABRICATION-ARMOR AND -MEDICAL SPECIALTY ARE ONLINE WITH THIS. WE NEED SURGICAL TEAMS! FORM UP WHEN YOU GET THERE! I'LL DIRECT YOU TO YOUR STATIONS WHEN WE GET PATIENTS! WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'LL NEED BUT ITS BETTER TO BE OVER PREPARED THAN UNDER! LET'S GO!"
Standing nearby on their segways, soldiers and scientists watched along with filmmakers taking images as the flow of bots continued. They'd seen them rushing by so they joined the flow.
Jessie looked at Ratchet. :RATCHET! WHAT'S UP!?:
Ratchet paused a moment, then spotted the humans. :We have damaged titans coming in. One of them is a 'Con. Go to the Habitat and stay there. It's going to be wild for a while:
They glanced at each other, then turned around to buzz back along the side of buildings until they turned up the road that led to the Habitat.
Ratchet watched them go from ground zero of the controlled chaos of rescue. When they were safe, he turned back to the thousands of details that lay ahead. He hurried inside too.
-0-Gypsy and Cambo
They entered the hospital where they worked, the one at Metroplex. Catching up, they considered their assignments. They were the head doctors of the colony while all the rest bugged out for the emergency. In the hospital they shared, eighteen Decepticons were under lock and key. Half a dozen separations were scheduled along with normal surgical and medical treatments following the holiday.
Sitting at the nurses' station, they watched the data go past as their fellows geared up for what could be a colossal problem. If a titan format died, it would be an incredible problem as well as incalculable loss. No one had ever buried a format that big, not since the olden orns on Cybertron. As they sat, they resolved no one would here either.
-0-Scamper
"What do you think will happen?" he asked as he sat on a chair in the command module.
"I don't know. Titan is a hard helm. I'm hoping that they can study him and find out what made him change sides. I know he doesn't believe what the Decepticons stood for. He's my brother. I know him," Metroplex replied, his interface panel flashing with his agitation and grief.
"What have your heard about 'Shot, 'Bomb, 'Dash and 'Tank?" Scamper asked.
"I heard that they're in custody. It means they're shot up, too," Metroplex said with a strained tone. "I'm glad they got Titan. He needs assistance badly."
"What if he doesn't take it, Metro?" Scamper asked with concern.
"I refuse to countenance that possibility," Metroplex replied firmly. "Scamper, go to the recovery site. Be my optics and audials. If they require assistance, let me know. Max is prepared to lift up if they need us."
Scamper nodded. "It'll be alright," he said.
"It's my conviction as well," Metroplex said.
Scamper rose, then walked out as his systems synced with Metroplex. What he saw and heard, what he did and felt, so would Metroplex. It was how they were. It fell silent again as Metroplex listened to his siblings in the faraway distance grapple with their wayward brother.
-0-At the site
In the distance, cities glittered. The Tri-Cities were farther away but the new construction was visible to the workers who struggled to make a landing pad for perhaps five city-formers. To one side, the medical rescue was forming under Ratchet's able direction.
Security ringed a huge area with front line heavily armed Seekers amongst them. Overhead, flying in formations of ten, Seekers swept down laying plasma fire in directed patterns.
Jetta and his team stood nearby relaying directions for them as they began to flatten and melt the surface of the glass-like sand that was everywhere on Mars, blowing up and burning surface debris as well.
It turned black as it melted forming a glistening surface that radiated heat waves until it swiftly cooled. They came in wave after wave until a forty mile square was smoothed enough for big formats to land upon. It would have to be smooth because they were injured.
Overhead, giant ships began to come flying past the landing zone to a space next to it. Side by side they landed, enormous tanker after enormous ship, all of them bearing medical and food grade energon. They were scheduled to fly as often as necessary to ensure optimal supply for the giants until other arrangements were made. Crews with the needed hook up lines carried on heavy rock lifting shuttles borrowed from the quarries were ready to link them up for medical as well as nutritional energon supply.
Even as they landed, Jetta began to plan their placement in the colony and the infrastructure that would be required for massive titanic formats such as these. Better to be prepared than be caught flat pedded, Jetta thought, as he signaled the next Seeker flight. Elita and the others stood with him grim faced.
Mack himself looked frightened. This was all new territory for him.
-0-Out there
They held the four symbionts of 'Titan in the brig of Acroplex, his own symbionts gathering them up after they were clobbered in a firefight. Metrotitan listed in space as the three began to work out the logistics of bringing him forward.
"Acroplex, are you secured?" Metrobase asked.
"Affirmative, 'Base. I am going to begin teleportation when you both are clear." Acroplex began to power up equipment he'd used to find 'Titan, equipment that had allowed him to find 'Base and 'Con as well. "Stand back, brothers," he said in his deep voice. "I am linking with Prime's message and Metroplex's spark."
"We are clear," Metrobase said as the two moved away to a nearby debris field.
The scene settled a moment, then light began to form around Acroplex and 'Titan. They both began to vibrate, then the light grew blindingly bright. After a moment the light blinked, then was gone.
So was Acroplex and Metrotitan.
-0-Ops Center, Diego Garcia, Mars
Tracks walked out of the Embassy toward the Administration Building. Acknowledging humans who were having their own Thanksgiving feast and orn off, he reached the Officer's Club. It was ablaze with lights and hilarity. Grinning, he bent down and rapped gently on the roof. Inside, the lights blinked and the conversation stopped.
Then humans began to pour out, staring up at the handsome bot. Fulton stepped out. General Morshower and two other Joint Chiefs in tow exited along with several British officers. "Tracks," Fulton said. "What's up?"
"We have a situation," Tracks said with a characteristic smirk.
-0-The solar well
They waited, their massed numbers spread out. Seekers whose specialty was scanning things were dialed into the medical computers at the hospital and Teletraan III at Ops Center. They'd give the first heads up to everyone how bad things were. As they hung in space buffeted in the bubbling swirling energy,fire and radiation of the solar well, a brilliant light appeared out of nowhere. As it flashed out, two ships were visible.
Two phenomenally enormous gigantic ships.