Chapter 4: Energon Part 1
Asteroid XL-578, Mining Colony
New Tunis was one of the newer asteroid colonies established by the United Nations of Sol. Founded about thirty years ago, the colony had been established to mine the rich resources of the asteroid. More than twenty thousand people lived within three habitable domes clustered together near the main mining site of the colony.
There were other smaller mining sites spread across the asteroid, but most of the population was centered around the main mining complex.
For the most part, asteroid XL-578, or New Tunis as the locals liked to call it, was no different from the other asteroid colonies in the Sol system. It was rich in minerals and close to the front lines of the war but had largely been ignored. A fact that its people were thankful for. But that would soon change.
Governor Ebeid kept his expression natural as the elevator went down into the mine. He wondered why he had been woken up in the middle of the night and asked to come to this mine. One that was so far from the main mining complex.
The elevator landed on the bottle, and the door slid open. The middle-aged governor was immediately met by the foreman of the mine. A man who looked to be around his age.
"Governor," the foreman said. "I'm glad that you were able to come so soon. I was worried that the urgency of my message would be ignored."
Ebeid hid his frown with a warm smile. "You need not have worried about that," he said, taking the man's hand and shaking it. "The urgency in your voice was clear to see," that had been enough to convince him to investigate the matter instead of pushing it to the back of his mind. "But you did wake me in the middle of the night. So, this had better be worth it. Or else this mine will be looking for a new foreman to run it."
The foreman looked at the governor nervously. "My apologies, governor," he said.
Ebeid held his hand to stop the man's groveling. "Just show me what makes you think it is so important that I have to investigate in person."
The foreman nodded. "Right this way, governor," he said. Then, he started to lead the governor deeper into the mine. In the meantime, Ebeid looked around and examined the setup of this mine.
He was impressed with what he saw. Even though it was one of the smaller mines, it had an impressive setup and looked like it would grow in time. He had read the reports on this mine before coming here, so he knew it sat over one of the larger deposits on the asteroid. So, he knew this site had the potential to grow into a larger operation.
It is not the same size as the main complex but large enough to keep the place in mind. A while later, the pair entered a tunnel.
Deeper within the tunnel Ebeid could see what the foreman wanted him to see. At the end, large blue crystals glowed. "Is this what you dragged me down here for?" he asked evenly.
The foreman nodded nervously. "Yes, governor," he replied. They stopped in front of the crystals.
Governor Ebeid held his hand out to one of the crystals. It felt warm, not in the sense that it was hot, but like it was alive. The governor frowned, but that was a strange concept to think about. Then again, so were living machines from another planet. What strange times they lived in now.
The governor pulled his hand back and looked at the foreman. "How about we cut to the chase here," he said. "What are these things?"
The foreman had a nervous expression on his face. "We're not for certain," he said, crossing his arms. "But I did get some scans of this stuff and cross-referenced it in the database. And well, sir."
"And well?" The governor asked back.
"Governor, I think we found energon here."
Luna, Naval Shipyard
The lift stopped, and the doors slid open. Two men walked out; one was Admiral Colson, while the other was a man half his age. "An impressive facility. Wouldn't you say?" Admiral Colson said with pride in his voice.
"Indeed, it is," the other man said. Lieutenant Commander Raymond smiled to himself, admitting it was the truth. The Lunar Shipyard was indeed an impressive facility. Built on the moon's surface, the shipyard was large enough to construct ships as large as a cruiser. Several of them, in fact. But Raymond knew that wasn't the true purpose of the Lunar Shipyards.
"But not quite like the ones over Earth or Mars," Raymond said with a smile. "The Vulcan Shipyards come to mind."
Colson nodded and stroked his beard. "While I admit it might not live up to our largest Shipyards, the one on Luna is still quite important. While it might be producing our Battleships or our Carriers. It still sends out some of our most special ships."
Raymond nodded, and one such ship came to mind. Speaking of. The pair came to a viewport that offered them a view of a ship docked in a berth. Raymond smiled at seeing the sleek ship. This was the first time he had laid eyes on her.
She was a small ship measuring a hundred-fifty meters and had six decks altogether. Even Raymond thought she was beautiful.
Colson was looking at him with a knowing smile. "Quite the lady, isn't she?" He asked. "Say hello to the SOV-102, UNS. Jasper. She is one of our newest stealth corvettes, the Nevada class.
Raymond nodded. "I know that, sir," he said. "I read over her specifications hundreds of times before coming here. "She uses that knew Phantom drive to hide her signature, and her hull is lined with sensor reflective materials." That, along with several other things, made the new Nevada class the most advanced class of stealth ship the UNS could field. "And she's all mine."
"Indeed, she is," Colson said with a grin. "Congratulations on your new command," he held his hand out for Raymond. "I hope she will be as good as your ship."
Raymond looks at the Admiral with a sad smile across his face at the thought of his old ship. His first command. "The Tigress will always hold a special place in my heart," he said. Over three months ago, the old corvette had been lost in a skirmish with the League. But like the beast she had been named after, she had not gone down without a fight. The league cruiser that crippled her had been gutted by a missile barrage from the Tigress.
That incident and other actions Raymond and his crew took earned him command of the Navy's newest and most advanced stealth ship. Some of his old crew would join him, taking key positions on the Jasper.
Raymond looked at his new ship and smiled. "Not to say that she won't hold a place in my heart in time."
Admiral Colson nodded. "I know the feeling" he said. "My first command was a small frigate the Thunderchild. Even to this day I dearlt miss her," he had a musing expression on his face. Then he shook his head. "But I believe that is enough of the nostalgia. We need to move on with the rest of your debriefing."
The Admiral turned away from the viewport and walked away. Raymond took one last glance at his new ship and followed the Admiral. "Before I forget," Admiral Colson reached into his pockets and pulled something out. Upon closer inspection, Raymond saw they were a pair of Commander slates.
Raymond gave the Admiral a questioning look. "Admiral?" He spoke.
Colson smiled at him. "High command felt that a Lieutenant Commander should not be in command of one of our most advanced stealth ships, among other things," he explained. "So, it is my honor, duty, and privilege to present you with these," he tossed the slates over to Raymond.
Raymond caught them and looked at them for what felt like an eternity. He couldn't believe what he saw in his hands for a moment. He half expected to blink and for them to be gone. Then, a wide grin crossed his lips.
"Thank you, Admiral," Raymond said. Carefully, he removed his old Lieutenant Commander slates from his shoulders and replaced them with his new Commander slates. "And I hereby accept my promotion."
Admiral Colson nodded. "Then congratulations are in order, Commander,' he said. "Now, let's get on with the rest of your debriefing." The two men enter a conference room.
Ark
Hotrod looked at his brother. The pair were faced with their toughest opponent yet. A foe was so cunning and skilled that it would take all their combined efforts to defeat. Even then, some would say that their chances were not good. Hotrod never paid them any mind.
Hotrod and Bumblebee ran at their foe, flanking him from both sides. "Just hand it over," Hotrod said with a cocky grin. "We can make this easy on all of us."
Bumblebee nodded. "This doesn't have to be embarrassing for you," he said.
Their opponent looked between them and the object in his hands. Then he smiled at the two autobot brothers. "Oh, it's going to be an embarrassment, all right," he said, lifting the object up with one hand. "For you," he tossed the object up into the air.
Reflexively, Hotrod pulled his head up to track the spherical object through the air. "Hotrod," Bumblebee's warning came as the sounds of running footsteps reached Hotrod's audio receptors.
Hotrod looked at his opponent, seeing him charging at him with a mad grin. "Oh, fra…" his opponent slammed into him, sending the young autobot crashing into the ground.
Pushing himself up, Hotrod saw his brother charge at the enemy, swinging his arms wide open to grab him. But his opponent deftly dodged the other autobot and swung his arm out. The blow connected with Bee, sending him crashing down on top of Hotrod.
"Bee, get off me," Hotrod trying to push his brother off him. The yellow and black meche rolled off him, flopping down next to him. "Come on," he said, getting to his knees. "We need to," but it was already too late.
Their opponent had already made it across the field of battle. He jumps high into the air and slams the object through the goal. A moment later, a horn blared. "And time is up," a minicon said. "Point goes to Wheeljack. Final score: Wheeljack seven. Hotrod and Bumblebee two. The winner of this game is Wheeljack."
Wheeljack whooped and fist pumped into the air. "Another win for the wreckers," he said with a wide grin."
Hotrod hung his head down. "And another loss for me and my brother," he said. Wheeljack walked up to the downed Autobot and offered his hand. Hotrod took it and got back to his feet. "Seriously, Wheeljack, you couldn't have gone easy on us?"
"Hotrod has got a point," Bumblebee said, getting back to his feet. "We are the new guys. Couldn't you have shown us some courtesy?"
Wheeljack looked between the brothers, smiling. "Well, what can I say," he said, crossing his arms. "We wreckers either go big or not at all." Then he patted Hotrod on the back. "Come, I'll treat you to some energon. Make up for kicking the two of you in the aft."
From the sidelines, Jack smiled as his autobot friends approached him. "Well, kid?" Wheeljack said, looking down at Jack. "What do you think?"
For the moment, ignoring the pressure in his skull, Jack shook his head. "I'd say it looks like an interesting game," he said. "This Lobbing did you call it?" He got a nod from the Autobot. "It sort of reminds me of an Earth game called basketball, crossed with football."
"Really now?" Wheeljack said, crossing his arms.
Jack nodded. "Though the way you attacked your opponent would have been considered an illegal move in both games," he said with a smile.
Hotrod raised a finger in the air. "Can we make it illegal in our game too?" He quipped.
Wheeljack snorted. "Suck it up, newbie," he said. "I didn't hit you that hard." He got an incredulous look from the young autobot.
Jack shook his head. "Still, it might be interesting to see more games like that one," he said, standing up. He looked around to see that the game had gathered a crowd of humans and autobots. "Who knows, it might become popular on Earth."
Wheeljack smiled. "Hey now," he said, rubbing his chin. "I wouldn't mind seeing some human sports. See how they compare to the ones back on Cybertron."
Jack nodded. "I'll have to see what games are coming up," he said.
"It's a deal," Wheeljack said. "And I imagine the kids here won't mind either."
Both Bumblebee and Hotrod whistle nervously. "It might be cool," Hotrod said.
Jack smiled and shook his head. It was funny how quickly they had become friends. Even Hotrod was getting easier to be around. Jack almost frowned at that thought and pressed it back into the back of his mind.
"I should get going," Jack said, turning around to leave. He rubbed the temples with a hand to the side of his head.
"What's with the rush?" Hotrod asked. "We just finished our game. I thought we would get to hang out with each other."
Jack stopped in his tracks. "Sorry about that," he said. "But I'm going to check in with the med-bay." His head was still rubbing at his temples. Man, he hated it when this happened.
"Something the matter?" Wheeljack asked. "You getting sick?
Jack shook his head. "No, just a little headache," he said, dropping his hand. "Probably from neural load."
"Neural load?" Bumblebee asked. "What's neural load?"
Jack looked at the autobots confusedly. Who wouldn't know about neural load? Then it clicked. "Oh right, you wouldn't know about that," he said to the bots. He got more confused looks from them. He shook his head. "It's a side effect of having implants, namely in my head."
"Implants?" Wheeljack asked.
"We humans aren't completely organic," Jack explained. "Somewhere around the twenty-second century, that would be about five hundred years ago. We started to augment our bodies with cybernetics."
"Cybernetics?" Wheeljack repeated. "So, like machine parts? You have pieces of technology in your fleshy little body?"
"That right," Jack responded. "We also mess a little with genetics, but that's another story. But the point is it's an effort to improve the human body."
Hotrode and Bumblebee still looked confused, but Wheeljack seemed to understand the concept. "Makes sense, I guess," Wheeljack said. "Sounds similar to mods we cybertronians use. So, how much of is man and how much is machine?"
Jack smiled and waved Wheeljack off. "Still almost entirely man, my friend," he said. "We can replace lost limbs with mechanical ones. But that's about it. We haven't can borg or mechcanicas quite yet." He got a raised eyebrow from the wrecker. "I'll explain those later." He tapped the side of his head. "The implants in my head allow me to interface with the systems in my fighter."
"That sounds pretty cool," Hotrode said. "So, do they allow you to control it? Like it were your own body?"
Now, wouldn't that be a dream? Jack shook his head. "We haven't gotten that far," he said. "Trust it's a goal that the UNS and I imagine the League is working towards. No, what they do is feed information into my head. Mostly sensor information, systems check on my fighter."
"I imagine that makes it quicker than just reading it," Wheeljack commented. "Leaves a little more room for thinking."
Jack nodded. "Still have to process what I'm getting, but something like that," he said. Then, he messaged his temple. "But it doesn't come without a side effect or two."
"The Neural load," Hotrode said."
Jack nodded his head. "The human brain can be sensitive to stuff like that," he explained. "Sometimes the information can cause the brain to build pressure, headaches if you will. Nature never had neural implants in mind when designing the brain. So, I have to deal with stuff like this sometimes."
"Sounds like a pain," Wheeljack said. "How often does this happen?"
"Thankfully, not often," Jack replied. "Depending on the sorties, I might only get one or two a month. Largely because I have a new generation of implants to work with. Anyone with an older generation has it worse, though." He was glad to know that the first and second-generation implants were no longer around. From what he had read, the pilots who had those suffered debilitating side effects.
"Technology marches forward," Wheeljack said. "I guess you're people are working towards stuff that wouldn't have side effects like neural load?"
Jack nodded. "That's the dream," he said. "But despite the drawbacks, the benefits still outweigh them. The headaches aren't so bad to deal with given our level of medical technology; just need to bite the bullet once in a while."
"Ok," Hotrode said, crossing his arms. "So, you go get a doctor's check-up, and then we can hang."
Jack shook his head. "No, can do for that either," he said. "After the med-ward, I have a debriefing to attend. I'm being reassigned."
"Reassigned?" Bumblebee asked.
"It means I'm being transferred to a new ship," Jack explained. "The UNS. Jasper, I believe it was called. So, I should be getting going. I don't want to be late." Before more questions could be asked, Jack turned back around and walked away.
Hotrod tried to call out to Jack. "Hey, wai?" But was stopped by a hand from Wheeljack. Hotrod looked at the former wrecker, seeing him shake his head.
"Give him time," Wheeljack said. "Remember, it wasn't just a friend he lost. It was someone a lot closer."
Hotrod opened his mouth, then shut it. He nodded. "I guess I should go see what boss man wants," he said. "Prime said something about new orders."
Wheeljack looked at him and nodded. "Good idea," he said.
UNS. Jasper, Hanger Bay
Following his check up at a medward Jack found himself inside his new assignment. Jack would admit he was very much impressed with the new ship. The Jasper was easily the most advanced ship he had ever seen and served on. It was also the smallest he had served on, which worried him. Corvettes did not have fighters on them.
That was his thought as he stepped aboard the small starship. Then, he had been directed to the Jasper's hanger bay. As it turned out, the corvette did have fighters on her. Two of them, and they were different from the fighters Jack had flown.
Jack stepped out of the elevator and approached one of the fighters. "Are these the new Viper III?" The Sf-108 Hornet IV was the current mainstay fighter of the UNS Starfighter Corps. They were good, reliable fighters, but the top brass had seen fit to replace them. Several designs have been drawn up and tested. From what Jack heard, they had several promising designs.
However, in the end, the SF-109 Viper III was chosen. At a glance, the Viper and Hornet largely looked the same. However, a closer inspection would reveal the differences between the two. The Viper was longer than the Hornet but had a narrower frame. The wings were slightly swept back, and the nose did not protrude as much as it did with the Hornet. The biggest difference a person might have noticed was that the Viper had two additional small engines. That gave the Viper a total of five engines as opposed to the Hornet's three.
However, the difference that Jack noticed was the weapons attached to it. Jack knew why, though. Breakthroughs in miniaturization in the last decade have made it possible. Unlike the Hornet, which had plasma cannons as its primary weapon, the Viper had fusion bolt cannons. Weapons that would normally be found on starships that had bigger reactors than a starfighter.
Because of this advancement, the Viper had greater firepower than the Hornet. It also gave the UNS Starfighter Corps an advantage over their League Counterparts, who had yet to make that advancement.
"You almost got it," A woman's voice answered him. Jack turned around to see a woman who looked to be about Admiral Cartwell's age. Her blue-grey was done nicely, and her face was heavily lined. Her pale grey eyes told Jack of the experiences the woman had in her life. But despite her age, it was apparent she had been and still was a beautiful woman.
The woman walked up beside him. "What you are looking at is the Sf-109 Viper III-B," the woman explained; her voice was heavy with an accent that Jack could not quite place. "She is a more advanced model of the current Wipers."
"Wipers?" Jack said, looking at the woman strangely.
The woman let a chuckle. "Forgive me," she said. "The accent can make things hard to pronounce. The wife says it's cute, but I find it annoying. What I meant to say was the Vipers."
Jack nodded. "So, what's the difference?" he asked, looking back at the fighter before him. "I can't really see the difference between the Viper III and this Viper III-B."
The woman nodded. "For the most part, they are the same," she said. "The B is simply a more advanced version of the standard Viper III. Faster, more maneuverability, better fire rate, you name it. I would not be surprised if it replaced the current Viper III."
Jack nodded. "So, I'm going to be flying one of these," he said as he put his hand on the fighter's hull. Once more, feeling the cool touch of the hull on his hands, Jack felt excitement inside him.
"Indeed, you will," the woman said. "I assume you are the new fighter pilot."
Jack nodded at the woman. "Jack Witwicky."
A thoughtful expression appeared on the woman's face. "Jack Witwicky," she mutters. "Now, where have I heard that name before? Ah! You are the son of the Fleet Admiral Witwicky, are you not?"
Jack took his hand off the fighter and turned to face the woman. He nodded at her. "I am," he said. "You might even see some of the family resemblance," he pointed to his face.
The woman held her head closer to Jack's face. Her pale grey eyes scanned over his face. "Somewhat," she said. "Still, it is an honor to meet you, Jack Witwicky. And please forgive my rudeness. I have yet to introduce myself. I am Vera Gusev, chief engineer of the Jasper."
Jack's eyes widened in surprise. "You're the chief engineer?" he asked, getting a nod from Gusev. "What are you doing down here? I thought you would be in the engine room."
"True," Gusev said. "But since the Jasper is a smaller warship, I also doubt as the chief technician for the hanger bay. Suffice it to say I am a very busy woman."
Jack nodded, making a mental note to stay on this woman's good side. "So, I guess you'll be taking care of these babies," he nodded at the fighters in the cramped hangar space."
Gusev nodded at him with a warm smile. "Indeed, I will," she said. "So, do promise me not to do anything too reckless with these new fighters. I know how your flyboys can be. After all, my wife's brother is one."
Jack gave the woman an innocent smile. "Don't worry," he looked over the fighter close to him. "I'll take real good care of her."
Gusev smiled at him. "What a good boy you are," she said. "Now then, I can show you around the Jasper if you like. She is a wonderful ship, and I'm sure you will come to love her like I do."
Jack nodded. "I would like that." Before leaving the hangar, Jack smiled and looked at the Viper III fighters. He could not wait to take one of them out for a spin.
Luna Naval HQ
"So, it is done then," Admiral Cartwell said.
Admiral Colson nodded. "The Decepticons have deployed warships to the frontlines," he said. "They appear to be integrating themselves with their League counterparts. In response, the Autobots have also deployed their warships to the front. So, the balance of power has not shifted too much."
Cartwell gave the man a grim nod. "It will take some time for our forces to get used to fighting alongside one another," he said. "The good news is that the same will apply to the League and the Decepticons."
"We have to take small blessings where we can," Colson said. "But I believe that we and the Autobots will be the quicker of the two to integrate. From what we've seen of the Decepticons, they are not the most open-minded people."
Cartwell rubbed his beard, knowing what the man was referring to. "Yes, the Decepticons are an arrogant bunch," he said, recalling his encounters with the cons. "And rather dismissive of us organics. That kind of attitude may very well drive a wedge between them and the League."
Colson nodded. "Not to say we won't have our problems with the bots," he said. "We already had a number of incidents with them. Thus far, they have been resolved peacefully or set to the back burner."
"But you are hopeful that we will grow closer," Cartwell said.
Colson gave no indication of his true thoughts. "At the very least, I hope we remain cordial towards one another," he said. "Humanity doesn't need enemies right now. Not when we have so many problems in our backyard."
Cartwell sighed and sat down in a chair. "Indeed," he said. "Though if the Autobots and the Decepticons are any indication, other life appears to be dealing with the same issues."
Colson nodded. "I believe that is enough of the side conversations," he said. "I have new orders for you," he pulled out a datapad and handed it to Cartwell. "You are being reassigned."
Cartwell raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often that someone of his rank got reassignments. He took the pad and started to read over the contents. Then he looked back up at Colson. "I'm reassigned to head up the 17th fleet. That's back out in the Belt, on the frontlines."
Colson nodded and sat down next to Cartwell. "This was at the request of the President," he said. "He felt that your experiences with the Decepticons would be invaluable on the frontlines. I and the rest of the Admiralty agreed."
Cartwell nodded, seeing the logic behind his reassignment. He figured it didn't hurt that he was one of the most experienced Admirals. He had been on the frontlines before and led several campaigns against the League. His name was well known throughout the Sol system. Loved by the UNS and hated in the League. "There's more, isn't there?"
Colson nodded. "You will be given a senior position in the overall operations in the belt," he said. "To be precise, you will oversee special operations within the belt."
Now Cartwell was intrigued. "Special operations?" he repeated. "Does this include Black Ops?"
Colson shook his head. "No, that will still be handled by someone else," he said. "But you may have to work with them occasionally."
Cartwell accepted that answer. "Who will be given command of the Lunar Defense Fleet?" He asked.
"Fleet Admiral Jones," Colson answered.
Cartwell raked his brain, trying to put a face to the face. A few moments later, he had a picture. "Ah, that Jones," he said. "I've heard of them. Lead the defense of XL- 507. I believe I met them once, a good person."
Colson nodded. "I thought you would approve," he said. "They'll be taking over Luna's defense when you leave. Getting back to the topic, you will oversee all special operations in the Belt. A full listing of such operations will be forwarded to your desk on the Armstrong. Along with all relevant details."
Cartwell nodded. "I'll be sure to read them all," he said. He made a mental note to keep a full pot of coffee ready. He had a feeling he was in for a long night of reading.
"Good," Colson said. "However, there is one special operations group, in particular, we want you to keep an eye on. It is a new one, recently made in light of the new Decepticon threat."
Cartwell raised an eyebrow. "Tell more," he said, getting comfortable in his chair.
The com chimed. "Admiral," a man said. "The others are on the line."
Colson nodded with a smile. "Perfect timing," he said. "Patch them through now."
"Yes, Admiral."
Two figures appeared at the other end of the table. One Cartwell recognized as the Optimus Prime. The other, though, was a man Cartwell had difficulty placing. "Admiral Cartwell, you already know Optimus Prime," Colson said, gesturing to the Autobot leader.
Optimus Prime nodded at the Admirals. "It is good to see you again, Admiral Cartwell," he said.
Cartwell nodded back at the meche. "Same goes for you, Prime," he said. Then he looked over at the man next to him.
"This Commander Raymond," Colson introduced the man. "His is the commanding officer of the UNS. Jasper."
Cartwell nodded. "That would be one of our new stealth ships," he said. "Nevada class, if I remember correctly." He got a nod from Colson and Commander Raymond.
Raymond stood at attention before the Admirals. "Commander Gabreial Raymond," he said. "Commanding Officer of the SOV-102, UNS. Jasper. Currently attached to special operations group Omega One."
"At ease, Commander," Colson said.
Commander Raymond nodded and relaxed his posture. Cartwell looked at Colson. "Special Operations Group Omega One?" He asked the man.
Colson gave him a smirk. "As I said, it is a new one," he said. "SOG Omega-One is a mixed force of UNS and Autobot forces," On the table, a projector activates, showing the image of an autobot ship. "The Naval aspect of this group will be centered on an Autobot cruiser."
"The Axalon," Optimus said. "It is one of our older ships but has served through the Autobot cause since the beginning."
Cartwell nodded and looked back at the projection. "An autobot frigate will also be joining the SOG. It will act as an escort for the Axalon. Conversely, we will be fielding a light cruiser, a destroyer, two frigates, and a corvette."
Cartwell looked over at Raymond. "The Jasper," he said. He got a nod from the young commander.
"Correct," Colson said. He changed the image of the autobot cruiser to show an image of the Jasper. "Given its advanced stealth capabilities, the Jasper will act as the Omega-One's primary scout ship and a means to quietly insert its ground forces."
Cartwell nodded. "This is fascinating and all, but I must ask, what is the purpose of this Omega-One?" he asked, turning his chair to face Colson.
"A good question," Colson replied. "Omega-One will function as a type of rapid response unit," this got a raised eyebrow from Cartwell. Colson explained further. "With the decepticons joining the war alongside the League, we are now presented with a problem. The problem is that the cons can cause a situation to swing in the favor of the League. The Decepticons can act as a powerful mobile force that can push our forces back."
Colson stood from his chair and walked around to the front of the table. "Now, the deployment of Autobot soldiers to the front lines has somewhat mitigated the issue. But that does not stop them from gathering forces and striking at moments of criticality. Valhalla-Seven was one example:" An image of the recently attacked colony was shown. "We were lucky that we had the help of the autobots to salvage the situation. Otherwise," Colson turned his head to Cartwell.
Cartwell got the implication. "Otherwise, we would have lost the Colony, and the League would have a springboard to launch further attacks into the belt," he explained. "I see what role the SOG like Omega-One can play. They can act rapidly to such situations and stabilize them."
Colson nodded. "Correct again, Admiral," he said. "Omega-One will also have other roles outside of rapid response, such as to secure objectives of interest or to launch deep strikes on the enemy. They will be expected to work with other allied forces where they can. Additional forces will be assigned to Omega-One when needed."
Cartwell nodded and rubbed his chin. "I got an idea of the naval aspect," he said. "But what about the ground units? What sort of force will it bring to bear?"
"Unfortunately, due to the mobile nature of Omega-one, we can't assign heavy units," Colson answered. "So, no tanks or artillery. Though we can assign infantry fighting vehicles and gunships, Omega-One will have some mechanized support. Speaking of," Colson looked over at Optimus Prime.
Optimus nodded his head. "My team will be joining Omega-One," he said calmly. "From what Colson has told me, we are the primary force that your ground units will be built around."
Cartwell looked at Prime in surprise. "You'll be joining the battlefront personally? Isn't that risky?" He could understand with the attempt to Capture Megatron and even the defense of Valhalla-Seven.
Optimus smiled at him. "My second-in-command Ultra Magnus brought up the same concerns," he said. "I will tell you the same thing I told him. I may be the leader of the Autobots, but I will always think of myself as a soldier first. I prefer to lead my people from the front."
Cartwell nodded. His respect for the meche had just gone up several notches. In time he had no doubt that he would gain the respect of many in the armed forces of UNS. "So, it will be your team and whatever other soldiers that cruiser of yours can carry," Cartwell said. He got a nod from Prime. Cartwell hummed to himself. "Quite the force we've assembled, and you expect me to oversee it?" He turned it over to Colson.
"Essentially, yes," he said. "Though for the most part, SOG Omega-One is expected to operate independently. You will just pass along the occasional order and read their reports."
Cartwell glanced at Prime. "Will your people have trouble with you taking orders from a human?" He asked.
Prime rubbed his chin-plate. "So as long they do not go against the creed of the Autobots, I do not believe so," he said.
Cartwell nodded. "Who will have overall command of Omega-One?" He asked.
"On paper, command will be divided between Commander Raymond and Optimus Prime," Colson explained. "Raymond will command the human elements, while Prime commands the Autobot elements."
Cartwell nodded, showing he understood. "What about in reality?" He asked.
Colson looked at Prime. "Commander Raymond has been advised to defer to Prime in most command decisions," he said. "Especially in matters regarding the Decepticons."
That was something Cartwell figured would happen a lot. He looked over at Prime to see him giving him a reassuring tilt of his head. "Do not worry, Admiral Cartwell," he said. "I will work closely with the SOG's captain and other human senior figures. I will not waste the lives and resources given to me needlessly. Any advice I get, I will consider."
Cartwell smiled. "That's good to hear," he said. "And will go a long way for relations between our two peoples."
Colson nodded. "Now then, that we got the introductions out of the way," he said, cutting out the image of the ships. "It's time for Omega-One's first set of orders."
"Already?" Cartwell said.
Prime was the one to answer him. "Tell me, Cartwell, what do you know of a substance called energon?" He asked.
Cartwell tried to recall what he knew about the substance. "It is the stuff that powers all of your technology," he said. "And the blood of your people."
Prime nodded. "It is the very lifeblood of my species," he said. "Without it, no Cybertronian, Autobot, or Decepticon can function. The dwindling supply of energon was another reason the Great War was started."
An image of a blue crystal appeared on the table. "In its natural state, energon appears as blue, glowing crystal," Prime explained. "Before we fled Cybertron, we gathered as much energon as possible."
Cartwell shared a look of concern with the Autobot leader. "How much were you able to gather?"
"Enough to last us a few of your years," Prime answered. "It had been or hoped to find another source of energon. Preferably enough to sustain a growing population."
"I had not realized energon could be found off your homeworld," Cartwell said.
Prime nodded at him. "It has been known that energon can be found throughout the galaxy," he explained. "Cybertron simply had a great abundance of it. Likely due impart to it being the body of Primus."
"Primus?" Cartwell looked at Colson.
"The Cybertronian god," Colson answered.
Cartwell looked at Prime. "So, what does this have to do with us?"
"Ever since we arrived in this star system, we have been scanning for sources of energon," Prime replied.
That made sense to Cartwell. "Were you able to find any of the stuff?" He asked.
"We did," Prime answered.
"As it turns out, our solar system has a fair abundance," Colson said. "Nowhere near what their homeworld had. But it still makes our home system one of the largest sources of energon that the Autobots know of," Colson brought an image of the Sol System. "Their scans showed that energon can be found throughout the solar system. They even picked up deposits on Earth."
"This stuff is on Earth?" Cartwell said, surprised by the notion. "How have we missed this?"
"Mainly because we didn't know where to look," Colson said. "But also, because, according to the surveys done by the Autobots, the stuff is in places that are inaccessible to us Humans."
"But not to the Autobots," Cartwell said.
Colson nodded. "We are looking into the possibility of letting them set up mining operations on Earth," he explained. "However, that is not the topic of discussion for this debriefing," the solar system image was replaced by an asteroid. A colonized one by the looks of the habitation domes on it. "A couple of days ago, we got reports from Asteroid Colony XL-578, New Tunis, to the locals. Their miners reportedly found a large deposit of energon."
Cartwell examined the image of the asteroid colony closely. "Were we able to confirm this report?"
Colson and Prime looked at each other and nodded. "I sent some of my people to check the sit-out," Prime said. "They were able to confirm that deposits of energon exist on this New Tunis. They also confirm it is one of the largest deposits they have found."
"That will be Omega-One's first mission," Colson said. "They are to secure the site until a larger UNS/Autobot force can arrive. We have no doubt that the Decepticons and the League have already learned about the energon being in the solar system. In fact, intel suggests they are moving to secure what deposits they can."
"Did your scans show if the outer solar system had any energon?" Cartwell asked Prime.
"They did," Optimus said. "But the largest deposits appear to be in what you refer to as the Belt."
Cartwell nodded. "So, yet another reason to secure the Belt," he said in an almost bitter tone. A part of him wonders how the people in the Belt felt about all the fighting over their homes.
"All of us here want this war to end," Colson said. "But we have no choice but to continue fighting. Not when the alternative is unthinkable."
"The cons are still after the PFC, aren't they?" Cartwell asked, already knowing the answer.
"Did you honestly expect them to give up so easily?" Colson shot back.
"Megatron will not give up so easily," Prime intoned. "Now that he has been denied a chance of swift success. He will settle for a slower game."
So, in words, a war of attrition. "Will they be able to build new ships and other war materials?" Cartwell asked as the thought occurred to him. "Or, for that matter, will your people be able to?"
Before Prime could answer, Colson spoke up for him. "The president has already agreed to allow the Autobots to establish facilities around the Ark," he looked over at Prime, ignoring the look of surprise from Cartwell. "And has even offered the use of one of our shipyards for construction of new autobot ships."
Prime nodded at Colson. "Think you, Admiral Colson," he said with a bow. "Your offer is most appreciated."
"It's not me you need to thank," Colson said. "Thank President Blum for that. Granted, this is not entirely out of the goodness of our hearts. The League will likely make the same offer to their new decepticon allies. If the Decepticons were allowed to produce new warships, it could shift the balance of the war in their favor. That is something we cannot allow."
Colson shot Cartwell a look that told him they would discuss the matter later. "Still, you have my spark felt, thanks," Prime said. "For the first time in many cycles, we will have the means to produce the materials we need to win this war."
Colson nodded. "Then the matter is settled," he said. "You all have your assignments. I suggest that you get to them. This debriefing is over."
A few moments later, Cartwell caught up with the young Admiral. He was in a monitoring station watching as the ships of Omega-one departed through a spacebridge. "I have my reservations about this," Cartwell said, stepping beside the other Admiral.
Colson kept his eyes on the monitor as the ships vanished through the green vortex. "The decision has been made," he said. He turned around to face Cartwell. "I, too, have my reservations."
Cartwell rubbed his chin. "So, neither of us don't quite trust the Autobots," he said. The statement came out oddly bitter. "Not yet, anyway."
"It's not that we don't trust them," Colson said. "The Autobots are good people, Cartwell. But our alliance is still young, and we have much to learn about each other. The level of cooperation we seek with them will take time."
Cartwell nodded, knowing that what Colson was saying was true. "I just wish this relationship did not have to be born out of necessity," he said.
A sad smile spread across Colson's face. "Me too, Cartwell," he said. "Me, too."
Nemesis in orbit over Titian
Megatron stepped onto the bridge of his flagship. On the command deck, he saw Starscream talking to Soundwave and a holographic representation of Fleet Lord Yuda. A representation that stood as tall as a cybertronian.
Megatron masked his amusement as he walked up to the three figures. "I have been told that you have something for me," he said, getting the trio's attention. "So, what is it?"
Fleet Lord Yuda gave Megatron a respectful bow. "Lord Megatron," he said. "A pleasure as always."
Megatron gave the human a curt nod. "Now, then, what is it that you have for me?"
Yuda rose from his bow and looked Megatron in the eye. "As you may well know," he started. "We have started to move our forces around to secure the deposits of energon found."
Megatron nodded. It was a surprise that the human home system had an abundance of energon deposits. Not an unwelcome one, but a surprise, nonetheless. "Yes, as I understand, the largest deposits can be found in the Belt. Is that correct?" He was wondering where the human was going.
Yuda nodded at him. "Thus far, the deposits we have secured have either been small or difficult to reach," he said. Then he held his hand up, and an image of an asteroid appeared over his hand. On closer examination, Megaton could see that the chunk of rock had what appeared to be habitation domes on it.
"This asteroid Xl-578, or as the locals call it, New Tunis," Yuda continued. Then he glanced over at Starscream.
Starscream cleared his vocal processor and started to speak. "Thanks to how we say insider knowledge," a smile spread across his face. "We have learned that this New Tunis has one of the largest deposits of energon in this system."
Now, that was news to Megatron. A smile spread across his face; it seemed that Makeshift's failure had become a boon for the Decepticon cause. "I assume we will soon secure this deposit?"
That was when he saw Starscream's smile falter. Megatron had a sneaking suspicion he would not like what he was about to hear. Yuda gave Starscream an almost pitying look. "Unfortunately, the colony lies on the UNS side of the frontlines. While it is close, it will be difficult to move a large force to secure it."
Megatron kept the frown off his face. "Then it will soon fall into enemy hands," he said. He did not like the idea that the Autobots would soon have a large source of energon. Or any source of energon for that matter.
Yuda shook his head. "Not necessarily," he said. "While it is true that we will have a hard time sending a large force to secure New Tunis. The same goes for the UNS/Autobot alliance."
Megatron put his hand to his chin. "A small force might be enough to secure it," he said, realizing what plan the Fleet Lord and possibly Starscream had in mind. "At least long for a larger force to move in."
Yuda nodded. "I will leave the details to you and your Second-In—Command," he said. Then his image vanished.
Starscream let out a disgusted snort. "Impudent little flesh bag," he said. "Does not know his place."
Megatron wanted to laugh at the irony of the statement. "He is more useful than you have been," Megatron said with a smile. Starscream looked offended by the statement and opened his mouth to protest. "Remember, Starscream, it is your fault that we are here in the first place. Had you secured the Ark before it left Cybertron, we would not be here discussing this matter."
Megatron saw a flash of anger in Starscream's optics and saw one of his taloned hands curl up. Megatron was ready for retaliation from his SID, even though he knew it would never come.
The anger in Starscream's optics vanished as he got control of himself. "Yes, Lord Megatron," he said with a bow. "I am greatly shamed for my failure. But I will endeavor to do better in the future."
Megatron's smile grew. "Exactly as I expected, Starscream," he said. The leader of the Decepticons turned around and started to walk away. "I expect much better from all of my followers going world."
Autobot Cruiser Axalon, bridge:
Elita One stepped onto the bridge of the Axalon. With a smile, she looked around the bride, looking for her bondmate. Her smile grew when she spotted Optimus talking to one of the team's new members. Black and Yellow meche, Bumblebee.
She walked through the bridge, getting some nodes and smiles from some of the bridge crew. When she approached the pair, Optimus turned his head to face her. The moment his optics caught sight of her, they lit up.
"Elita," Optimus said.
Elita One saluted the Autobot leader. "Elita One, reporting for duty," she said with a smile.
Bumblebee looked between them with an awkward expression on his face. "I'll just leave the two of you alone," he said. "I think I hear Hotrod call for me." He slipped between the two and left.
Elita chuckled as she saw the yellow and black meche retreat from them. "I think we might have scared him away," she said, looking back at her bondmate.
Optimus smiled at her. "Perhaps so," he said. Then, his smile melted away into a concerned frown. "Are you ok?"
Elita looked at Optimus and nodded. "I'm just fine, Optimus," she said. "Ratchet cleared me earlier today. I thought he would have told you already."
"He might not have had a chance," Optimus said, rubbing his chin. "I have been busy as of late."
That or the old doctor wanted her recovery to surprise Optimus. Elita knew well that if Ratchet had wanted to talk to Optimus, he would have already done so. "Well. I know one thing is for certain," she said, stretching her arms over her head. "I am eager for some action."
Optimus frowned at her. "Are you sure about it?" He asked. "You have only just gotten out of recovery."
Elita rolled her optics and placed a hand on the side of her bondmate's face. "Orion, I appreciate your concern," she said. "But I have been cooped up in a medbay for over a week. I am just as eager as one of our new recruits to do something, anything. Besides," she transformed her other hand into a cannon. "I'm eager to repay Megatron for his parting gift to me."
Optimus still had a look of concern on his face. After a moment, he nodded and smiled at her. "Very well then," he said. "We will soon be arriving at our destination. Do I need to tell you what has been happening?"
Elita shook her head. "No need," she said. "I've kept up to date on what's been happening. I know we're moving in to secure a deposit of energon."
Optimus nodded. "Then perhaps you would like to be a part of the team that secures the site," he suggested.
Elita smiled. "I think that will do," she said. Granted, it wasn't the kind of action she was looking for right now. But it was better than doing nothing. "Now then, I believe I'll head down to the hanger. See how our UNS friends are settling in."
Optimus nodded at her. Another autobot walked up to him, handing him a pad. "I'm afraid I can't join you," he said. "There are matters that demand my attention right now."
Elita nodded back at her bondmate. "I'll be fine on my own," she said. Then she strolled away.
Axalon, Hanger
Jack was still amazed by the size of the autobot cruiser's hanger. It had been big enough for the Jasper to fit in and leave plenty of room in the hanger. Jack was not privy to all the details. Still, one of the autobot ships, the Axalon, hangers had been set aside for UNS forces alongside the section outside of the hanger.
The autobot hanger had been converted into a launching bay for the Jasper and a squadron of UNS fighters, all of them the new vipers. The section outside the hanger would be the living area for the UNS forces on board.
"Quite impressive, isn't it?" He heard a voice next to him.
Jack almost jumped at the sudden sound. He looked over to see a woman around his age standing beside him. She wore the combat armor of a marine. "I bet you could hide a whole battalion here," she said.
"I guess," Jack said, rubbing his head. He trailed off, trying to remember whether he knew this woman and where he might have met her.
"Hatsuko," she said. "Corporal Nakama Hatsuko, or rather Commander Nakama Hatsuko. I got a promotion."
Jack nodded at the woman, Hatsuko. "Congratulations, I guess?" he said awkwardly.
Hatsuko beamed at him. "Thanks," she said. "I earned for my efforts during the battle for Valhalla-Seven."
Jack perked up at the mention of the recent battle. "You were at Valhalla-seven?"
The Marine Commander nodded her head. "My unit was ground for some R&R when the attack happened," she explained. "I fought alongside our new allies to take the signal jammer. After that, I helped them clean up." So, that means she fought alongside Optimus and his team.
"I took part in that battle, too," Jack said. "Though I wasn't ground side."
"I know," she said. Jack looked at her in surprise. "Don't be so surprised, Jack Witwicky. Your name cropped up a few times in the after-action reports. Multiple confirmed kills on Decepticon Flyers and League strike craft. You helped take down the communications cruiser and, might I add, quite handsome too." She gave him a teasing look.
Jack blushed and looked away from the woman. "Uhh, thanks," he said, feeling a little nervous and awkward. "But you should know that I'm interested in men."
A sly smile spread across Hatsuko's face. "Well, that's a shame," she said. "You and I could have made for an interesting item."
Jack frowned as his thoughts went to Conner. Hatsuko noticed his expression as her smile faded. "I'm just teasing you," she said. "I'm sorry."
Jack let out a breath. "It's ok," he said. "It's just I lost someone recently, and the wound is still fresh."
Hatsuko nodded. "I figured as much," she said. "I've seen that look before. Again, I'm sorry if I rubbed some salt in the wound."
Jack smiled and waved Hatsuko off. "Don't worry about it," he said. "You didn't know."
Hatsuko nodded but didn't appear to be convinced. "Well, truthfully, it wouldn't have happened anyway," she said. "I'm not all that interested in a relationship. Don't get me wrong, I find men attractive, but I just don't want any commitments."
Jack nodded. "I can understand that," he said. He couldn't see himself with anyone else, not for a long time, if ever. "So, why did you come over here?" He looked at the marine commander, expecting an answer from her.
Hatsuko smiled at him. "You seemed a little lonely," she said. "That's all. Plus, we'll be serving on the Jasper together. I thought having at least one friend on board would be nice."
"You're on the Jasper?" Jack asked.
Hatsuko nodded. "In command of the Marine detachment on board," she replied. "So, we'll be seeing a lot of each other."
Jack nodded. "I guess that means you'll probably be seeing a lot of action with the bots," he said. He got a nod from Hatsuko. "Can you promise me something?"
Hatsuko raised an eyebrow. "That depends on what it is," she said. "Shoot."
Jack bit his cheek, wondering if what he was about to ask was even appropriate. "Can you look after the bots?" He asked. "You know when your ground side."
"Look after the bots," she said incredulously. "Living machines that are about three stories tall. You expect little old me to look after them? Do you realize they have been fighting for far longer than any of us have been alive? Don't you think they can handle themselves?"
Jack winced. "I know that," he said. "But they're," he paused for a second. "They're friends." Jack even thought of Hotrod as a friend, even though he still had a hard time forgiving him.
Hatsuko gave him a strange look for a couple of seconds, then she smiled and nodded. "Alright then," she said. "I'll do what I can."
"Really?" Jack said.
"In a way, I was already planning on it," Hatsuko said. She looked across the bay at one of the bots hanging around. "They're good people, and they have been through a lot. Besides, when you're groundside and in a firefight, you always keep an eye on your people. Now that the bots are our allies, that extends to them too. So, don't worry, I'll make sure they'll be safe."
Jack smiled and looked at the Jasper. "Thanks," he said.
"Just promise me one thing, flyboy," Hatsuko said. "You make sure that the skies are clear for us. Got that?"
Jack smiled and nodded his. "I think I can do that."
New Tunis
Elita One walked off the freight elevator. Usually, the humans would have used it to haul freight up and down the mine. But now the Autobots were using it to get around the mines. Thankfully, the mining tunnels were big enough for a cybertronian to move around.
As she exited the freight elevator, several other autobots spread through the mining complex, along with several squads of UNS marines.
Bumblebee and Hot Rod were close behind her, and marine commander Hatsuko kept pace with them. "Not a bad setup they have here," Hot Rod commented. "You think we can set up this place for mine energon?"
Elita was wondering the same thing. "That's what we're here to find out," she replied. She looked down at Hatsuko, seeing that the marine Commander was handing out orders to her subordinates. "Commander Hatsuko, you think we can defend this place?"
Hatsuko looked at her. "That's what I'm trying to find out," she said. "I've got my spreading through the mines. They're looking for good defensive positions, choke points, etc. And looking to see if the tunnels can even handle a firefight," Hatsuko looked around the mine and gave a shudder. "I don't relish the thought of these tunnels collapsing in on us."
Neither do I, Elita thought to herself as she looked around the mine. It looked sturdy enough to her. But one could never truly tell. Let's hope we never have to find out.
"What about topside?" Elita asked Hatsuko.
At this, the marine Commander gave her a happy nod of her head. "Better news on that front," she said. "The local garrison already saw fit to establish a defense perimeter. My people are reinforcing them now. No enemy force is going to get through quickly. Not by conventional means anyway."
Elita noticed the way the human put an emphasis on the word conventional. "You're worried about the cons groundbridging their way through," she said.
Hatsuko nodded. "It's what they did on Vallala-Seven," she said. "And we're already getting reports of them pulling the same tactic across the frontlines."
Elita nodded. She understood why the human would be worried. A well-placed groundbridge could be disastrous for them. Thankfully, they had a solution for that. "Don't worry, they won't be pulling that trick again," the sound of the freighter elevator coming down reached them. "Just in time."
The freighter elevator touched down on the bottom, showing three large devices, each flanked by two autobot soldiers. Hatsuko looked at the devices with intrigue. "What are those?"
"Subspace jammers," Elita said as she gestured for Bumblebee and Hot Rod to help with the devices. "Once activated, they generate a field that blocks groundbridges. Both incoming and outgoing."
Hatsuko was rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "So, we won't be able to get out," she said. "But they won't be able to get in."
"Exactly," Elita said. "We're trying to get as many of them across the frontlines as possible. But can only make so many at a time. However, I've heard that your people are looking into ways of blocking ground bridges with our help."
"I've heard about that," Hatsuko said. "Last I heard, they were following some promising leads."
"Hopefully, they'll be able to find something soon," Elita said. Of that, she was confident. She had read about some of the ideas they were coming up with and was impressed by their creativity.
"For now, we'll just have to rely on these," she said, gesturing to the Subspace jammers. "We just need to figure out where to set them."
Hatsuko nodded. "For that, we'll need the foreman's help," she said. She looked over to see a man approaching. "Speaking of, I believe that's him."
The foreman stopped in front of Commander Hatsuko. He gave Elita a nervous glance before he returned his attention to the marine commander. "I assume you are Commander Hatsuko," the foreman said.
"That's right," Hatsuko said, standing at attention. "Commander Nakama Hatsuko of the 312th Marine Mobile Assault Force, currently attached to Special Operations Group Omega-One." Then she gestured to Elita One. "And this is Elita One, my autobot counterpart."
Elita salutes the man. "A pleasure," she said.
The foreman gave a nervous nod at the two. "No need for formalities here, ladies," he said. He tried to smile at them but was clearly very nervous about this situation. It was hard to tell whether it was because of the military's involvement or the presence of the autobots. It might even be a little bit of both.
"And you don't need to be so nervous," Elita said to reassure the foreman. "We're here to help."
The foreman looked at Elita for several seconds. He let out a nervous breath and smiled at her. From the way his posture relaxed, she could tell he was calmer now, still anxious. "I'm sorry," the foreman said. "I'm not to having the military be involved in my mining operation." He looks at Commander Hatsuko. "I'm not very comfortable."
Hatsuko nodded. "That I can understand," she said. "The military tries not to get too involved in civilian matters. Other than providing protection on the trade lanes and dealing with smugglers, we prefer to stay out of your business. But this goes beyond pirates and smugglers."
There was a noticeable look of fear on the man's face. "The league," he said.
"And the Decepticons," Elita said. For a second, she felt a stab of pain in her spark. They brought the cons to the human home system, even by accident. "Remember, we autobots are not the only ones that need energon to survive."
"R-right," the foreman said. "Another thing I'm not used to. Giant robots fighting over my mines." There was a loud commotion that drew the attention of the group. The three saw two large Autobot meches walking out of a tunnel, talking loudly to each other. "But I suppose I did have some time to wrap my head around it."
"Are those the autobot miners sent ahead to confirm the energon deposit here?" Hatsuko asked.
Elita let a sigh and tried to put on her best smile. "They are," she said. The two autobot miners approached the group while still holding a loud conversation with each other. "Chopper and Chipper are some of the best energon miners we have. But they can be a rather rowdy duo."
"I can see that," Hatsuko said. She had an expression that was a cross between worry and amusement. "Then again, I suppose a lot of miners can be like that. No offense," she looked at the foreman.
The foreman waved her off. "None taken," he said. "The mining business attracts certain types of people, so I'm used to rowdy crowds." Then he looked at the autobot miner heading their way. "Though I will admit these two are hard to handle."
The two miners stopped in front of the group. "Well, well, if it isn't Elita One," one of them said. "I haven't seen you in person since Icon fell. How have you been doing?"
Elita smiled at the two. "Just fine, Chopper," she said. "It's good to see that the two of you are still alive and kicking."
Chopper smiled at her. "More than kickin'," he said. "We're finally back in business." He stepped away from the femme and gestured to the mine around him. "Do you know how long it has been since we struck an energon vein this rich?"
Elita One did. "A long time," she said. A very long time. "Which is why we need to secure this site."
"Of course we do," Chipper said, placing a hand on his partner's shoulder. "Don't need the cons getting their claws on this stuff."
Chopper turned back around and nodded at Elita. "We've already started some small-scale mining of the energon."
Now, that was a surprise for Elita One. "Really now?" She asked. "I thought you couldn't do that without the necessary equipment."
The two autobot miners looked down at the human foreman. The man seemed to shrink into his shoulders as he gave them a nervous wave of his hand. "We've been helping," he said.
Elita looked at the miners with a surprised look. Chopper let out a chuckle. "I'll admit the little ones have some primitive stuff," he said. "But it's still some good mining equipment."
"Just not made for mining energon in mind," Chipper added. Then he gestured over to a stack of energon cubes across the mine. "Even still, they were able to get us started."
Elita and the others walked across the mine and stopped before the energon cubes. Elita placed a hand on one cube, feeling the warmth. "How much have you managed to mine?" She asked.
"You're looking at it," Chopper said. "I know it's not much, but."
"But it's a start," Elita said with a nod. "Well done," she nodded at the Autobot miners. Then she gazed down at the human foreman and nodded at him. "And thank you for your help."
The foreman nodded back at her. "Anything for our new allies," he said. "I had a friend back on Vallala-seven. Thanks to you, he got to see his family."
Elita nodded. "Then you won't mind letting us bring our equipment down here? So, we can start mining the energon properly?" She asked the foreman.
The foreman smiled at her. "Of course not," he said. "You need this stuff way more than we do. I'll start letting my people know you'll bring in the heavy stuff."
Elita nodded and glanced over at the subspace jammers. "There is some special equipment we have already got down here," she said. "They'll help with the defense of the mines should the Decepticons and the League appear. But we need to know what some of the good places are to set them up."
The foreman nodded. "I'll get on it right away," he said before he walked off.
Chopper and Chipper looked at Elita. "We better get going, too," Chopper said. "It has been a while since any has mined energon this rich. So, we want to make the greenhorns don't mess it up."
Elita nodded at the two miners as they left her and Commander Hatsuko. Elita looked down at the marine commander and smiled at her. "Well, now," she said. "Let's get to work."
Axalon Bridge
Special Operations Group Omega-One had been in orbit of New Tunis for half a day when the report came in. "Prime, enemy contacts entering a range of the colony."
Optimus frowned. He had been afraid that the enemy would come. "Decepticon or League?" He asked.
"Both, sir," a crewman said. "I'm reading eleven contacts. Two of them are decepticon warships, A cruiser, and a frigate. The others are league warships, including a battleship, one light, and one medium cruiser. They are accompanied by three frigates and two destroyers."
Optimus nodded. Omega-One had linked up with the New Tunis's defense group, a pair of frigates, which brought their total fleet strength to eleven ships. In terms of numbers, the two opposing forces were even. However, in terms of firepower, it was more difficult to say who had the advantage.
"Get a signal to Commander Raymond," Optimus said.
A moment later, the image of the UNS commander appeared in front of Optimus. "Safe to assume that you see them too?" Raymond said.
Optimus nodded. "Indeed, I have Commander," he said. "Now the question is, what will we do about them?"
The UNS Commander gave Optimus a grim nod. "Simple, we drive them back," he said. "The enemy has entered our space, so we will use all necessary force."
Optimus rubbed his chin. "Tell me, Commander," he said. "Does this colony have any other defenses? Satellites in orbit? Ground defense batteries? Anything that can give us an edge in this battle."
The UNS Commander shook his head. "I'm afraid not," he said. "Aside from the pair of frigates, New Tunis did not get much in the way of defenses. While it is rich in resources, this sector has more tempting targets."
"I see," Optimus said, disappointed but not surprised by that bit of information. As capable as the UNS was, it could not be everywhere all at once. "Then we will have to make do with what we have."
Then, something seemed to flash across the commander's face. "Actually, now that I'm thinking about it," he said. "I believe New Tunis should have additional strike craft that can help us. Hold on one second."
The commander's image winked out, leaving Optimus and the other Autobots to wait. They didn't have to wait long as the commander's image reappeared. "New Tunis has three squadrons of fighters stationed on it. That gives us a little extra firepower. Should I order them to scramble their birds now?"
Optimus shook his head. "No," he said, getting a surprised look from the UNS commander. "But have them on standby. We can use them when the enemy has engaged us."
A look of understanding spread across the man's face. "Then, in that case, might I suggest we deploy the Jasper under stealth? We might not have to use her in the battle. But she could carry some troops into the mine if things get hairy. Either way, the more surprises we have for the cons and the LOD, the better."
Optimus nodded, agreeing with the man's logic. The Jasper's stealth capabilitiesgave them some options they wouldn't normally have. Although he did have to wonder how well they would hold up against cybertronian sensors. Perhaps after this battle, he would see about getting Wheeljack to look over Jasper's stealth systems. He might find a way to improve them. Speaking of.
"Have your ship ready to launch," Optimus said. Then an idea formed in his. "And be ready to receive autobot troops."
Commander Raymond nodded his head. "Yes, sir," he said, saluting Optimus.
Optimus saluted the UNS Commander back before his image vanished. Optimus activated a comm link. "Wheeljack," he said. "I want to get a couple more autobots and board the Jasper. I have a mission for you."
"On it, boss," Wheeljack said.
Then Optimus cut the link and turned his attention to the projection ahead. There was a battle to be won.
[Type here]