The Diego Diaries: Lost (643)
-0-In a hold
The alien who stuck Lon was bouncing off the walls nearby at about the same time the youngling hit the floor courtesy of Hercy. The old mech stood over Lon with his fists ready.
It was incredibly silent a moment, then the monsters began to bellow.
The racket of their cries was astounding as the aliens holding them struggled to contain the beasts. Prods artfully applied took care of them in short order. They crouched down, their intelligent optics filled with rage and wariness.
Hercy stepped back, then dragged Lon to his peds. Pressing him back, Drift took the youngling's arm pulling him behind his own body. Lon stood shaken a moment, then looked at the group facing them. There were four enormous aliens, pale and massively muscular. Between them they controlled five slavering monsters.
Hercy considered the odds and found them unacceptable. Stepping forward, this unlikely little mech, he paused. "Do you fraggers understand me?"
They stared at him, then one stepped forward. He leaned in and with his menacing mandibles clacking bellowed. Hercy looked at him with a disgusted expression. "I will take that for no."
The big male stepped back, then gestured with his long slender stick weapon for them to go. Hercy stepped forward as behind him the others began to follow in a single line. Outside in the corridor there were more, all of them staring at the procession with interest, curiosity and menace. The metallics towered over them, even hunching slightly to make their way through the ship. It seemed to wind on forever and then they were in a large hangar.
:This ship feels like its descending: Kup said as he stood without expression or emotion on the edge of the group. They had gathered together, the two younglings along with an ailing Sandstorm in the middle. A soft settling sound signaled below them that they were landed. A grating sound of a hatch sliding caught their attention. It opened slowly revealing a lush jungle world before them.
A big male turned to them and gestured for them to go out of the ship. They glanced at each other, then complied. By the time the last of them stepped down and moved toward the others the hatch was closing. Bracing themselves, they watched as the long ship began to rise up. Engines roared as it did, then it streaked off heading for space.
Springer looked up at the light blue sky for a moment, then down at the spongy ground upon which he stood. "Great. This stuff will get everywhere."
"We are alive and freed from confinement. Where there is movement, there is life," Hercy said as he looked around the open space where they had been dropped.
"We have no weapons," Smokey said.
"That is where you would be mistaken, youngling," Hercy said glancing at the big handsome youngster. He reached down and slid a hidden panel on his thigh. Pulling out a long knife he tossed it to Springer. A smaller one followed. That he gave to Kup. Reaching into a small compartment hidden on his chassis near his spark chamber, he withdrew a small device with a directional antenna. "If we can get some height somewhere this will emit a signal for Prime."
"They'll hear it too," Lon said.
"No they won't," Hercy said stowing it again. "This is designed to do band frequencies that organics aren't tuned into. All we need is high ground."
"You don't think they left us here out of the goodness of their … whatever they have do you?" Springer asked. "Signal or no, we are in for it here."
"Then we better hurry," Hercy said staring around the clearing, noting the mass of tall trees and vegetation for as far as the optic could see. Nowhere was even the hint of high ground. "Let's go north. There has to be hills or mountains somewhere." He turned to the north and began walking.
Kup grinned. "Better keep up, younglings," he said as he followed.
They glanced at each other, then turned to hurry after.
-0-Optimus
He walked through the ship passing hundreds of individuals. There seemed to be a dividing line down the middle of the vessel with each side maintaining their own area. That of the high castes was better provisioned it was obvious and there were more and classier possessions there. That of the others was skimpier all the way around. They were converting the heat of the ship into energon to feed those with them. It would help maintain survival but was not much to recommend itself. He paused in the corridor outside a room filled with children. "Ratchet."
"Ratchet here."
"Bridge to me now."
For a second there was nothing, then a bridge opened down corridor. Ratchet walked out, then paused to look around. "What do you need, Optimus?"
"I need an assessment of the entire population of this ship starting from here. We have hungry children. I want it to be a forensic assessment, Ratchet," Prime said staring pointedly at the big white and red medico.
Ratchet nodded. "Alright. I will need assistance and we will need to bring food and other things here."
"Use the bridges. Is there a base that can come to your aid or do you need to have Autobot City assist you?" Prime asked.
"I will check with them and use the best, most nearby available source," Ratchet said with a nod.
Prime nodded grimly, then turned to Hadrian and Flyer. "Let us continue."
They turned and followed him. Ratchet looked around at the small infants standing in the doorway staring at him silently. "Ratchet to Autobot City. I am in dire need of assistance."
They would organize it immediately.
-0-Out there
They walked in single file along a narrow trail through the jungle. Sandstorm who was hurt the most was helped along by Drift. The day was incredibly hot, humidity nearly 100% as they moved along. The jungle was intensely dense and slippery underfoot.
"Let's sit a moment," Drift said as he paused to steady Sandstorm.
They stopped, then moved to sit on rocks and the fallen bodies of dead trees. Overhead, the steady drip of moisture was constant as it fell from the canopies. The sound of animals and bird-like creatures resounded all around them. It was oppressive and pungent. It was like literally thousands of jungles most of them had been in from time to time over a zillion vorns.
"Why do you suppose they dumped us?" Smokey asked as he looked up at the top of the trees and giant ferns overhead.
"I don't know but if they had a plan we'll find out," Springer said.
"They could have just dumped trouble but my guess is they intend to study us."
"You see them too?" Kup asked glancing at Springer.
Springer nodded. "I have since we began."
"What?" Lon asked as he sat straighter.
"They have invisibility devices or cloaks … I don't know which. They can become invisible to a point. They reflect light so it looks like they are part of the background but you can see them when they move," Kup said watching one who was high in a tree nearby studying them. "I won't point them out. I don't want them to know that we're on to them. But they're out there watching. You younglings stay in the middle of the line and do what we tell you. Understand?"
They both nodded, then Kup looked at Sandstorm. "You ready to move, Sandy or do you want more time?"
"I can move. I don't want to be an easy target," he said looking up at Kup.
"I don't think they'll hurt us yet. I think they're waiting for something to happen," Kup said. "Younglings and Sandstorm in the middle. Drift, you and Hercy take rear guard and I'll take point with Springer. Keep your optics alert." He rose and they gathered, then turned walking forward into the jungle feeling the land beneath their peds rising slowly as they did. Somewhere there had to be high ground. Not only would it get their signal out better, they could defend against attack as well.
It wasn't a matter of if it would come to the veterans in the group but when it would happen. They were moving forward to be ready.
-0-On a liner in the migration
Prime walked past crowded rough conditions where several hundred civilians were living. They were low and mid caste mechs or so Flyer told him as he outlined the situation for Prime. They had been on the same planet in the same colony, divided there as on Cybertron. But the low and mid castes understood right away that the power they had … their bodies, abilities and skills were a high premium when things were bad and everyone had to start from scratch.
They had forced the high castes to accept a new paradigm, one in which fair labor got fair remuneration. They had to accept as the smaller less capable group in dire conditions that the other side had a lot of leverage. They used it to get food, decent housing and a say in things. Then the pirates came. Then the rogue Decepticons, regular duty Decepticons and pirates again. They rebuilt the liner that had first brought them, then left, all of them together.
The relationship which was never good frayed around the edges as they flew onward toward the signal of the Prime. Sides eventually divided and became opposing camps. Resources were hoarded, even fights broke out as they made their way toward hope in a hopeless way. Even joining the migration at some point didn't help.
Now they were rescued and grievances could be aired. Flyer calmly explained the situation and Prime listened. Hadrian walked along silently, more than aware of this Prime and his notions. When they finally reached the decks where the high castes lived it was evident that they had not suffered along the way and that their conditions of accommodation were better.
Prime paused before a room with stored energon cubes. "You appear to have ample food. I am concerned that you did not share it. Why is that, Hadrian?"
The former governor of Crystal City looked at Prime knowing full well that his explanations would not appease the big format. "We did what we felt was best. I don't expect you to understand."
"I understand that as the leader of a city-state you know about obligations to every citizen that lived there. I am aware that you understand that when children get hungry you feed them. I cannot imagine an explanation that would condone hoarding food when hunger is one deck below. If not the adults, then why not the children? How can you allow children to go hungry?"
Hadrian stood silently, his affect one of stiff silence and defiance. "I do not wish to discuss it, Prime."
"You will, just not here," Prime said. He paused to put in a call. "Ironhide."
"Ironhide here," a voice could be heard to say.
"Send a team to the liner, Glory and meet me at the great hatch on the starboard side. I need security for this ship." Prime turned to look at Hadrian. "I am holding you responsible for these actions and outcomes because you identified yourself as the leader of your faction. I am putting you under arrest. You will accompany me to the Salton Sea."
"I don't think that will be necessary, Prime. My people won't like it. Allow me to go with them to the colony and we can discuss this there," Hadrian said.
"I think not," Prime said. "I have made my decision. My security team will undertake command of this vessel and bring it in to the colony. Your people will be detained long enough for us to ascertain whether anyone else needs to be taken into custody. This may not be Cybertron but the law still applies."
"There may be those that think you aren't legitimate out here," Hadrian said.
"They would be wrong," a deeply masculine voice behind them said. They turned to see who it was. Ironhide stood behind Hadrian, his optics filled with rage. "Wherever Prime is, Cybertron is. He is Cybertron and Cybertron is him. How you ever became the governor of a great city I will never know. The Charter puts lie to what you just said."
Hadrian looked at Prime, then Ironhide. "I suppose you are here to arrest me?" Around him, the high castes became concerned.
"I am here to obey my Prime. It would do you well to do the same," Ironhide said.
"Take him to the Salton Sea, Ironhide." Prime turned to the others. "I would like every weapon on this vessel turned over to security. If there is even one found anywhere there will be consequences. I hope you understand the full impact of what I am requesting."
The civilians looked at him, then nodded silently. They turned with security in tow disappearing into the vessel. Ironhide turned to Hadrian. "Come with me and don't give me any slag. I'm not in the mood."
Hadrian stood stiffly, then turned silently to follow Ironhide. Flyer turned to Prime. "Thank you. For everything, Prime."
Prime nodded. "It is a difficult transition for some to move from old paradigms to new ones. Most of our high castes have done so and are admirable citizens. Some have not. We wish for peaceful coexistence among all of our people. Until all are one, we must take a hard line with this kind of thinking."
"What will happen to him?" a youngling mech asked as he held a small infant in his arms.
"He will be detained pending investigation and if there is anything to warrant it there will be a trial. He will have representation and present evidence for himself. Someone else will handle the state's case. We follow Cybertronian law as it should be, not as it was. You will be asked to give information about the journey. The Justice Department will be contacting you."
Flyer nodded. They talked a bit, then Prime turned and walked back. Passing silent individuals, both low, high and mid caste, he stepped out of the door and flew onward.
-0-The jungle
They entered a mottled clearing, then paused. Long pools of shade sheltered odd shaped mounds on the ground. Here and there in breaks in the canopy shafts of light hit the ground but they were few and far between. Kup paused, then looked at the others. "What the frag is this?" he asked.
Drift bent down looking at one of the innumerable pod like shapes closest to them. It had an opening that looked like a giant X slashed on the top. It was silent and the seal unbroken. He stood, then shrugged. "I don't know. Could be a fungus. We have to cross this clearing to move ahead. Something tells me that this is going to be a problem."
Lon and Smokey stood together looking at the white shapes. Then Kup tapped one with his ped. It began to move, something inside, as the top began to peel back like a banana. "Oh crap," Smokey said softly as he raised his fists instinctively.
"I think that wasn't a good idea, Kup," Springer said as something with long finger like legs began to emerge. As it did all over the area the same thing began to happen.
"Frag," Kup said softly. Then all at once the whole scene exploded as alien creatures leaped into the air at them nearly all at the same time.
-0-TBC March 6, 2014 edited 3-11-14
The trailer of TF4: Age of Extinction has a phone number on a bill board about reporting aliens. It is 1-855-363-8392. Call it. The number is toll free and fun. ;)