Chapter 535
-0-Autobot City, Mars
The Hourly News was giving a rundown of activities in the city for Thanksgiving before featuring the weather when a breaking newscast cut that off. The solemn face of Aleph, the '*Walter Cronkite' of Mars according to Time Magazine appeared on the screens. "Good evening. The Office of Emergency Management has asked civilians to remain inside their homes tonight. Word has reached the colony that a rescue is underway involving meta-titan formats that have been damaged in fire fights in the far reaches of space. They're on their way to the colony and will be here in one breem. Because they're damaged, the effort to rescue them will take precedent in the colony tonight and into tomorrow. Please remain off the streets until further notice. It is a Primal Decree that you go into and stay in lock down. If you need assistance, then call the Emergency Command Center at Fortress Maximus and help will be sent. No schools, no jobs unless you are texted to come as essential personnel.
"Jacx is at the scene of the rescue. Jacx, can you hear me?" Aleph asked.
The scene cut to the plain north west of Tri-Cities and the new construction. "Aleph. Can you hear me?" Jacx asked as a flight of Seekers flashed in low blasting the ground with plasma fire. It was incredibly loud, the flash, the screaming affect of the Seekers at that angle and the roar of fire. It flared brilliantly, then died away as the Seekers pulled up sharply disappearing from view.
Jacx watched them leaning nearly over from the blast of wind that accompanied the action, then turned back to the camera. "Aleph?"
"We hear and see you, Jacx. What's happening?" Aleph asked calmly.
"The Seekers are doing flyovers to burn the area around here into a hard flat landing pad. They've smoothed a square about forty miles in area for the possibility of between three to five Titan formats landing. The area is big because room could be needed between them to allow medical attention to each.
"CMO Ratchet is directing the medical part of the operation. I've found out that Ratchet is certified in all phases of Titan medicine and construction. He was present and worked on Omega when he was constructed. He's the only fully certified Meta format technician and doctor in the colony." As Jacx talked, in the background behind him the Supremes, Cosmos and the Aerialbots could be seen walking toward the area to take up positions around it. "It would appear that Omega and his family are here to assist," Jacx said glancing over the improvised airfield for information. "I also see that the Aerialbots and Cosmos are here as well. In the distance, I can see Astrotrain coming, too."
"What's the security situation like?" Aleph asked.
"It's tight. It took Primal consent for us to come film this. There's very great concern about one of the Titans when they come. Apparently, he's injured and worries that he could harm someone in his condition are high. I can't get to Ratchet to ask for details but apparently they're concerned his injuries might lead to harm of others. It could be that we're discussing a processor injury or something else. It's all just speculation at this point, Aleph."
"What do you see now? Go around in a circle, Jacx. Let us know what's happening," Aleph said.
Jacx looked toward Autobot City. "The city is in the east and the line of relief comes from there. It appears to be directed from Autobot City Medical Center. There's medical runabouts coming this way flying low over a steady stream of medical and fire vehicles cutting across the open ground between here and The City.
"To the north as you can see," Jacx said turning to the field. Across it were vehicles and ship settling in. "Those are tankers filled with medical and food energon for the ships. We have no idea yet what kind of condition they'll be in until they land nor do we know how depleted their energy supply is. It could be dire. Until they come we can only prepare and hope for the best. The shuttles will be on a continuous run to the tank farms to feed them and supply energon for their medical treatments. The heavy shuttles filled with conduits are ready to hook them up to transfuse the bots during their inspection and medical treatment.
"To the east, you'll find the operational center for security. Chief Springer will be operating security from the Wrecker battle shuttle parked near the fire trucks. No one is allowed here if they aren't part of the rescue. Any one who comes here without permission will be brigged. It's not clear how smoothly this will go. To the south where I am, CMO Ratchet is working out the medical response. All is pretty much in order for the rescue to begin."
"Has there been any information released about how they will come?" Aleph asked.
"I asked Lim-Lee to go to Ops Center and speak to someone there," Jacx said.
"Please stand by, Jacx. Cut in if need calls for it," Aleph replied. "Lim-Lee? Can you hear me?" Aleph asked.
The scene changed to The Fortress, specifically outside Ops Center. "Aleph, I'm here outside Operational Center."
"What if anything have you learned thus far, Lim-Lee?" Aleph asked.
"I got to speak to Prowl for just a second, Aleph. He says that Acroplex is bringing Metrotitan in via teleportation," Lim-Lee said. "He said that Metrotitan is injured, perhaps incapacitated and therefore requires towing by his sibling through the system. He told me that he'll come through the system slowly due to gravitational wave considerations, then arrive here in about a breem and a half. It'll take a bit of finesse for Titan to land but the Supremes can assist there. As for the others … there's at least two more mega titans waiting to teleport here. It's believed they're Metrobase and Metrocon. However, that's only tentative."
"I see," Aleph replied. They would discuss the unfolding situation for a few moments more, then the cameras would turn upward for the landing of a force beyond belief.
-0-Out there
They appeared out of nowhere, two incredible sentient mechanisms hanging in space. Those that had come to meet them stared in complete astonishment. They had appeared out of a burst of light, the typical process of teleportation by this format. They were enormous in a way that could only be truly understood in root or ship format. Max and Metroplex in their city and fortress formats indicated more subtlety the enormity of the older and even larger meta-titans. But it was only when Metroplex or Max stood that their enormity could be fully appreciated.
A Seeker flight split and flew over them doing the initial scans which would go directly in tight beam bullet send to Ratchet himself. He had been contacted and turned to stand quietly waiting. His files on meta formats were ready to go on nearly any kind of injury a meta-titan could receive.
Fortunately.
Unfortunately, he was the only one who knew how to take care of a meta-titan. He wouldn't be able to leave the scene until they were on the upswing and Titan's mental condition was returned to something approximating normal. He was going to be Ratchet's patient at the care site probably until they were ready to seat into their permanent locations.
The Seeker flight pulled up, then slowly turned to scan deeply, getting to the most intricate and intimate portions of both mechanisms. They hung in space silently, one allowing it, the other unaware. When they were through, the scanning team sped off heading back to Mars. Others made ready to lead them in.
:Acroplex, this is Red Wing:
:Red Wing, you're a Seeker:
:We are one, Acroplex: Red Wing replied.
It was silent a moment, then a response came, one that seemed tinged with tearful emotion. :Until all are one at last?: he asked.
:Yes: Red Wing replied with equal emotion. :Can you come forward? We will help you and Titan:
:We can. I will tow him. He is very ill. Where are we going?:
:To Prime: Red Wing said equally emotionally.
It was silent a moment, then Acroplex replied. :Lead us home:
Red Wing transformed into flight mode, then placed his fellows around the big mechs. Without further ado, he began the slow flight forward into safety followed by the massive formats of Acroplex and a silent listing Metrotitan.
-0-Forward Base #3, Charon, Pluto, Sol System
They crowded the windows staring with disbelief at the sight before them. Moving with slow steady speed, a Seeker-led formation was crossing their line of sight. Behind them, a pair of titans were following. One was shot full of holes. It was towed by one with lesser but noticeable harm.
"Frag. We're never in the right place at the right time," said Harrow who was a Home Guardsman doing his tri-monthly service in the regular army.
"I hear ya," Poli said. She was a sharpshooter doing duty as well.
The regular army didn't say anything but it was clear on their faces. They were fragged off, too.
-0-Ratchet
Ratchet waited silently with most the medical community with him as he received the report from the Seekers. It was silent now, relatively. The pad was fixed, equipment and help in place. Prime had come and stood beside him now waiting for Ratchet to speak. Jetta and the rest had joined them including Blackjack, Alor, a grim faced Flint and expectant Ironhide.
Ratchet listened, then turned to the group. "Frag. Titan got slagged. His symbionts will be taken to the hospital and given the once over. They need it worse than him. Titan, however, is going to be a big fragging mess. He managed to land a couple of good ones on Acroplex but he's going to be okay. We have to concentrate on Titan. I want him here in ship format. Then I have to take his cog and put him into stasis. It'll mean hoofing it to his command center because as one of the most important operations of the frame, its the most automatically protected. Hope he's so far out that this isn't on line at the moment."
"I'll go with you," Blackjack said. Alor and Flint nodded as well as Ironhide.
Prime turned to Springer. "You go with them, Springer." Prime grinned faintly. "Protect your ada."
Springer grinned. "Tell me something hard."
They took that cheerful moment, then Prowl paused as if to listen. "They've passed Saturn. Expect them to be here in five minutes."
Sobriety ruled as they waited while Starscream directed the flights in a shuttle nearby that would help Acroplex manage. The landing of a meta-titan was fraught with possibilities on a good orn. The wash of that much energy coming down could blow them all off their peds. The massive size of the format required enormous mathematical calculations to achieve. Miler had been called down from The Trigger to the site to help with the course both would take.
It would depend on Acroplex to supply the muscle and skill in putting his semi-conscious brother safely down. Everyone had pulled their vehicles back even further than they were should something go wrong. Destroying the rescue equipment in the landing would be a disaster. As it was, two big Autobot ships were in orbit prepared to use their tractor beams to support Metrotitan if Acroplex needed the help. Nothing was certain. All of it was up in the air. Soon it would be academic. Acroplex and Metrotitan were just reaching Jupiter.
-0-Nearby
She came on a segway and parked herself nearby hidden in a stack of boxes filled with parts that had been pulled that were stock on almost all formats. Some things inside the titans were as small as those on regular formats. She'd come to watch and was deeply impressed with the organization and skill brought to things thus far. She'd stay there and be joined by others who couldn't stay away either. Soldiers, scientists, the pesky Seymour Simmons … all of them would in the end join them. They couldn't help themselves, Charlotte Mearing thought, as she watched the rescue. It was too amazing not to see first hand.
-0-Bridge Room, Autobot Embassy, Diego Garcia, Earth at the same time
Tracks stared at the humans squabbling. He grinned and shook his helm. "General, Colonel?"
All of the humans struggling into enviro-suits paused to look upward.
"Tracks?"
"How do you stand these fraggers?"
Fulton smirked as Morshower snorted. "It isn't easy." He looked at the others, then grinned. "Sirs."
Tracks looked at the hastily retrieved civilian humans who were going to Mars with Fulton and Morshower, two other Joint Chiefs who were visiting and the British Commandant of Diego Garcia. "You fraggers are getting the chance to see a marvel … titan formats coming to Mars and all you can do is cry about your suits? Tell ya what. Leave them here and go without them. I don't care. Do you, Colonel? General?"
They grinned up at the vain smart aleck and laughed. "Nope. Sirs," Fulton said as he put on his mask. He turned to the humans who were looking at the soldiers with a deep frown. "Get your gear on, gentlemen. What the hell are you whining for? Half of Earth would trade places with you in a heartbeat. Hurry up. We have to go." He then grinned. "Sirs."
They stared at him with amusement in spite of themselves. Their handlers were less happy but no one at last cared. They were going to Mars. They hurried, were scanned and found 'go'.
Tracks considered them then grinned. "We go through the bridge to Luna Base. Then we go through the bigger bridge to the Airport at Autobot City. From there, you'll be taken to the site. Hurry up or we'll miss them. They're passing Jupiter now." With that, Tracks turned to the bridge operator. It burst into flames, the swirling howling energy into infinity settling. He walked forward and disappeared.
Fulton and Morshower looked at the others, the Presidents of France, America and Russia as well as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. "Come on. Keep up. Sirs," Fulton said as he took the arm of the President of Russia. Stepping up, they disappeared into the energy. The American President along with France, the Prime Minister and the other officers stepped forward to disappear into time, having done it before. Morshower followed last.
The bridge fell silent, then the crew walked back to Ops Center to watch everything on the IntraComm down feed from Autobot City just like everyone else in the world could and would do on the MCA channels showing it as a BREAKING NEWS! story. As they did, Acroplex and Metrotitan were halfway to Mars.
Metrobase and Metrocon on the other hand had just arrived by teleportation at the edge of the solar system. Seekers were scanning them for the all clear, then they, too, would fly into the system and relief on a dusty red planet forth from the star that would be their new home.
Until all were one.
TBC December 1, 2013 *Walter Cronkite was the most trusted news caster in probably tv history in America. He visited Viet Nam during the war and came back to the news saying the war was a fiasco. It ended not long later. The President at the time, Johnson said 'if we have lost Walter Cronkite, we have lost America' in support for the war. He had.