The Diego Diaries: Siege (651)
-0-At the place of conflict
The Seekers flew together mapping the area of influence that Trannis had picked for his base of operations. It was unknown how long he was seated there nor would they have a clue of his overall strength. They would also have to conjecture about how he had placed around the area his resources on approach to defend his position.
The debris that surrounded access to his location was ice of varying sizes and shapes, broken rock and dust. The dust was vast and floated in billowing clouds along with pulverized ice. It made penetration with any degree of confidence difficult. They transmitted the data back to Salton Sea and flew ever onward to detail the terrain around Trannis in a 360 radius.
-0-Bridge of Salton Sea
Prime looked at Hound. "What is the word on Corlie-1 and his group, Hound?"
"They are coming. The Seekers are nearly there. Nothing interfering yet. Do you want to send Wreckers in case the echo decides to act?"
Prime nodded. "Send the ones we have here and have the others at Fort Apache join us."
Hound nodded and turned back to the console. Around them, mechs were working hard on the fluid events at their stations around the vast command deck. An echo of a mother ship was complicating things at the moment but what else was new?
Ratchet sat at the command table getting his marching orders. They were going to siege Trannis, an action fraught with consequences both seen and unforeseen. He would provide the medical component of the effort bringing Kappa along with Phobos. Phobos would also become the platform for the Seeker contingent that would be their fast attack team component.
Ten Wrecker ships minus the two destroyed by the predatory aliens were already here and ten more were waiting for call up at Fort Apache. When they had escorted the Seekers who were rallying to the newcomers, Corlie-1, they would return to help contain the enemy. It would be no problem calling up three to four more battle ships like Salton Sea to station at intervals around the area to seal Trannis inside. Shock troops could be housed on board making their deployment incredibly swift and precise with space bridges and their small deadly fighters.
"It's too bad we don't have intel inside. We could deliver teams to the spot and take him down without a fuss," Ratchet said shaking his helm.
Prime nodded. "We do not have a clear idea of what is happening inside. We could make this worse if we do that."
"We do know that the fragger picked his spot well. Dense gas, dust and ice. Large planetesimals to hide ambushes and all the rest. Slagger. He needs to come out and fight like a mechanism," Ironhide said with disgust in his voice.
Devcon nodded. "You would have to arm wrestle me for the honor, Ironhide," he said with a slight smirk.
"What is the bottom line regarding him? What is the totality that we have about him?" Prime asked as he sat back to listen.
"We know he was a ruthless Decepticon. I doubt very much that he and Soundwave are friends. There was a lot of infighting back in the orn between him and everyone else. It might do us good to talk to Elita," Ratchet said.
Prime nodded, then glanced at Blaster. "Can you get Elita on line, Blaster?"
That big mechanism nodded, then made it so. The beautiful exotic face of Elita-1 appeared on the massive forward screen. She grinned. "Hi."
"Hello," Optimus said with a grin of his own. "We need to know what you know about Trannis, Elita."
Her grin faded. "He's bad news. Really bad news. When he says he will kill someone he means it. He was there when Megatron left back in the orn. I think he was chasing you. Shockwave and Soundwave were sort of in charge. Trannis exploited their disunity and took over. He was brutal, Optimus. He killed without care. Shockwave and Soundwave finally threw him over and restored things just before Megatron returned. I don't know that they mentioned the episode to him. I don't think they would like him to know they weren't up to maintaining control when he wasn't there. But Trannis is a tool. He can get complacent, Optimus. He can slack after a while. I think he's a stone killer."
Prime nodded. "That is what we thought."
"Do you need us? We can assist on infiltration," Elita said.
"I will remember that. Right now, I do not want to have anyone within reach of his grasp. I would hate to think of the consequences," Prime replied.
Elita nodded, then signed off. It was silent a moment, then Thundercracker turned from sensors where he was watching incoming intel. "We have the entire circumference of the area detailed, Prime. We need to set up the barriers soon."
Prime nodded. "I agree." He looked at Ironhide and Ratchet. "Make it so."
They nodded, then rose. Ratchet would go to Autobot City to do his part. Ironhide would direct from Salton Sea. In three joors four more battle ships, three of the Supremes, several tankers and other support vessels would be there to assist. They would bring along soldiers, pilots, specialists of all manner of disciplines and an implacable will. They would button up the fragger inside the debris surrounding his base of operations. He would not be able to leave without asking nicely.
Very, very nicely.
-0-Evening at Autobot City, Mars
They walked their beat taking up the slack of their boss and his second, Drift. They were busy with the fleet taking care of business. It would be up to the team to manage the security of their burgeoning metropolitan cities. They walked onward in the gathering darkness watching for the odd wild aft youngling, someone who was drinking too much or someone disoriented from the disconnect between fear and hunger and the end of it. Two mechs would be taken to the hospital before morning with one checked into the Processor Care Center and one given back to his relieved family.
They passed the Temple. The torches that ringed it burned brightly lighting up the darkness outside. The shadows they threw against the building highlighted in relief the glyphs and images engraved on its soaring sides. It was ominous and comforting at the same time. The glow of light inside was warm and welcoming with any number of individuals standing on the steps or walking in and out of the building on their way to and back from paying their respects. It was of immeasurable comfort to have the Temple and relics once more among the weary haggard refugees.
They walked onward heading for the Metro-Cities District, a new designation for the four massive cities created by the metro-formers several miles down the highway from Autobot City. One had to pass the Mausoleum and the Basilica to reach it, then beyond were the Tri-Cities. Home was huge now and filled with millions of individuals who were intensely happy to be there. The road led onward into the night broken along the way with pools of light from tall poles along the highway and pedestrian paths that bordered it. It would be a relatively light duty this night for most of the city's dedicated Watchmen.
-0-The Grocery at Tyger Pax
Default worked on the shelves in the drinks department restocking things for the next orns shoppers. Trucks had brought in shipments of local labels made by the small breweries that fed the colony's demand for much loved and much missed home brands. They made all manner of famous concoctions that had been lost to the ages until now.
He had pulled the hand trucks up from the delivery levels. They were laden with boxes and kegs of brews that he would shelve. When that was done he would have to stock the infant section and the cleaning supplies shelves. He would be busy all night long. By the time the sun was breaking the horizon he would be finished with his shift. He would go to breakfast with a couple of the mechs that worked his shift, then he would go home to hide.
Again.
-0-The Wanderers
Cordie-1 stood on the command deck watching the sensor screens. They told him of a large group of Seekers heading their way as well as eight vessels following. Prime had sent them help and it couldn't come too soon. A ship was paralleling them and was getting closer. He turned and tapped his communications officer. "Get Prime on the line."
He turned and did. For a moment, there was only static. Then Prime was on.
"This is Prime."
"Sir, we are being followed by a big ship and they're getting closer. We aren't designed to fight. We have no fighting capacity," Corlie-1 said.
"Our Seekers are nearly there. Let them take the lead. All you have to do is keep coming. I have dispatched ships to back them up," Prime said. "Have faith. We will get you."
Corlie looked at his companions. "Alright," he said with more confidence than he felt.
"We are coming," Prime said. The line didn't cut out but it went quiet.
Corlie moved to sit next to the sensor operator. The moving lights were terrifying he thought as he waited to see which side would win.
-0-On the Yautja mother ship
They watched the trajectory of the vessels they were following for some time as they eased across the debris field toward other vessels who had appeared out of nowhere. There were some who had made a base inside the mass. There were some coming across it including this group and there were those who were heading there to meet them. They had been kings of this sector of space for generations of their people. Now there were intruders and it wouldn't set well. They didn't share their hunting grounds with anyone.
Especially their favorite, the blue water world in a solar system with a mid sized star. That planet was theirs and had been for generations and generations. With the metallics there, they had not been able to hunt in a long time. They were working on that. They were going to cloak their ships, small ones to deliver and pick up hunters. Soon they would be back in the tropical zone of the blue marble. Soon they would hunt humans again.
The metallic alien's ships coming to protect the small group were getting very close. Some broke off to confront them so the Yautja turned away moving off. It wasn't a matter of cowardice. It was a matter of tactics. They had a very smart captain with burning ambitions. He would not waste his chances on a marauding run at a species that were superior to them in a fight in every way. The pull of the possibilities involved in meeting them in combat were very powerful but he was smarter than that. It would take a lot of thought and tactics to do what he wanted. They pulled out and left the area to the metallics so they could rescue their people.
For now.
-0-At The Pit Stop
They sat at a table talking together while diners came and went. It was evening and the lights outside shown through the window of the restaurant styled after a 1950's American diner from Earth. Sipping beer, eating 'hamburgers', they discussed the mission.
"I don't like the acid monsters. We don't have a defense yet. I think that Wheeljack and Perceptor will figure it out but until then, count me out," Hot Rod said.
"Have they called you up yet?" Smokey asked.
"I'm on standby."
Smokey looked at him for a moment, then his dinner. "I want to be a regular but I think my Ama is going to see to it that I don't get those assignments again."
"Devcon is a tough bot. He gets things sorted out and that's it," Roddy said.
"How long have you known my grandgenitors?" Smokey asked for the first time.
"Eons. Dev was always a loner. He did missions for Prime at request, then hunted the worst of the worst on his own. He went after anyone he considered too tough for us," Roddy said.
"He's pretty awesome," Smokey said with a grin. "I don't know too many bots who can best him."
"No," Roddy agreed. "Both of them are good at what they do. You have big peds to fill."
Smokey nodded. "I want to. I don't know how its going to go but I want to be just like them."
Roddy nodded, then grinned. "They will never let ya."
Smokey frowned, in and of itself a very cute expression. "I will. Count on it."
Hot Rod paused, then put his beer down. "I gotta go."
"Aw, really?" Smokey said with dismay. Another one of his many cute things. Of course, he had no idea how cute it was. If he did, he would probably try not to do it.
"Gotta motor. Walk with me," he said rising. They stood and gathered their stuff out of habit, leaving it in a nice stack. With a wave to the waiters and cook who were chatting by the door to the kitchen, they walked out the door heading for the airfield.
-0-TBC March 14, 2014