Preparations to Return by Firestorm

[ - ]

- Text Size +

"Hey, general," the lieutenant said as he entered into Derek's office. "Just got the files for the next batch of people to be assigned here."

"Thank you," Derek said as he took them and began to look them over.

"Oh yeah, did you hear the news?"

Derek looked up. "Actress made infamous for her anti-war protesting a few generations ago dead of sudden stroke? I'd say half the base has already heard of it."

"Wierd, ain't it? Spewing venom one day, dead the next."

"Clay, the coroner is just about ready to declare it a stroke as well. Believe me when I say that if someone did indeed ice her, then for them to have done it that cleanly would mean they're one of the most cunning bastards on God's Green Earth. Not only would they have to figure out what precise mix of what chemicals to use, but also how to get it to her without anyone knowing." "Good job, Rad," he thought to himself. "Almost ready to become an Angel, eh?"

"Still though, it's kinda wierd."

"Dismissed."

*****

Checkpoint watched out of the viewport as the landscape of the planet Dominion rised to meet his shuttle. The main spaceport of the planet was inside the capital city of Harlock, but was on an island near the main docks instead of in the center of town as an anti-pirate measure. From the spaceport, you could see the splendor that was the planet. Water flowed over about 65% of the planet's surface, and lush vegetation covered most of the rest; that is, what wasn't covered by the cities and bases. However,
Checkpoint hated to look at it; the entire thing just felt so.....

"I hate this phony rock," Longshot said as he stood beside Checkpoint. "Primus, what an ego Maximus has."

Checkpoint made optic contact with his team's sharpshooter, and nodded his agreement. Many of the more "professional" mercenaries with the Dark Nebula Guild hated the artificial nature of Dominion, but few had the courage to verbalize it. The scouts who discovered the planet so many vorns ago only did a resource scan; it wasn't until the first colonization groups landed that they realized the planet was going
through an ice age. The colonies had been all but abandoned when the first groups of mercenaries under Maximus chose to set up shop here. Among the first order of business was to artificially end the ice age; the ice was melted to make the oceans and lakes, and in the process the steam and vapor generated helped to give the planet an atmosphere capable of supporting the vegetation that Maximus began to import.

And all this just to impress the clients.

Checkpoint had been the only one of those original warriors to protest the decision; in the end, his words had little effect. Dominion was completely made over, and ironically began to look like the mudball known as Earth. The very thought caused his face to wrinkle.

"So," Longshot began, "why'd Maximus call us back here anyway? Problem with one of our old contracts?"

"No," Checkpoint replied. "He said he wants to hire us on behalf of the Guild to function as escorts for a diplomatic mission."

"As much as I hate diplomats, this sounds like luck; given all the combat contracts we've had recently, this should be comparitively easy."

"I know. That's why I'm on edge. He only gave me the basics; he wants me to meet with him in person for the rest. I'll be taking Fastlane with me; I want you in charge of the ship until I return."

Longshot smiled. "Always rubbing things in, eh?" In an effort to make themselves more attractive, Maximus encourage those technicians and scientists with them to upgrade and re-invent
whatever technologies they could. In the process, they wound up excelling in the field of Gestalt Sciences, the process by which warriors could merge. Both Autobots and Decepticons serendipitously began to work on their own versions during the main part of the War, although they all but abandoned it in favor of tech with more promise.The DNMG became so renowned for its advances in the technology that non-Gestalt soldiers were almost stigmatized; even though he knew he had earned it, Longshot also knew that his status as Checkpoint's main confidant was a distinctive snub towards the system.

"Spaceport command to Eternal," a voice said over the comms systems. "Proceed to landing bay 12 and set down. Customs check has been waived, so you are free to immediately disembark and unload."

"Eternal acknowledges," Checkpoint replied. He turned to Longshot. "Showtime."

*****

"You wanted to see me?" Scorponok asked as he entered Thrust's quarters.

"I did," Thrust replied. "With the exception of Skywarp, you are the only subordinate that I can trust right now."

"Pardon?" Scorponok asked.

"I doubt Rattletrap's loyalty as well as the competence of Hyperdrive and Predacon. Therefore, you are the only one I can trust with what I have to tell you."

"Very well then," Scorponok said. He swallowed hard. "What is it?"

"In short order, I will have Skywarp give you a disk with the location of two additional shipyards. One of them has a third Tidal Wave unit under construction. The other facility specializes in repair work. If I should fall in battle or an uprising should occur, I want you to go to those facilities and get whatever
reinforcements you can. Is that understood?"

"Yes, it is."

"Very well then. You may leave."

*****

"You want us to do what?!" Fastlane demanded as he rose from his chair. "Cybertron?!"

"That's right," Maximus said. "There was a vote in the council early yesterday morning; the majority decision was to restore diplomatic relations with Cybertron."

"But why?!"

"I think I can guess," Checkpoint said, remaining in his seat. "There's something on that planet the council wants, and wants badly. Badly enough to restore ties to a planet most of the members there have sworn off. What are we talking? Technology? Raw materials?"

"Troops," Maximus replied. "We've been looking over the situation on Cybertron. The War will truly be over within the next few vorns; we're talking a lot of soldiers who suddenly don't have jobs anymore."

"However," Checkpoint said, slyly, "if the War ends, then we should be seeing a corresponding drop in the number of contracts; extra troops will not be needed unless the council has other plans."

"Let's see you try to pass off nine worlds as an empire," Maximus replied, smugly. "There's entire pirate nations far larger than we are. Once the War ends, it is all but guaranteed that at least some of them will try to take advantage of the lull for their own ends. Whether you like it or not, Dominion is most
likely going to be a top target."

"Just one question then. There's a number of teams far more loyal to you than mine. Hell, your own cousin Ultra Magnus has his own team, right? Why not use them?"

"Magnus was recently given a retainer contract; you're the best of what's left."

"Retainer contract?" Fastlane asked.

"As you know," Maximus began, "Magnus' team is mainly engineers. You know formality prevents me from going into any detail, but suffice to say that they have been contracted by a third party to construct a facility; however, due to politics it will be a while before construction can begin. Anyway, you leave in a few orns so you may as well enjoy your shore leave while it lasts. Dismissed."

*****

Derek shut the door behind him before setting down his briefcase. "How was everything today?" he shouted as he pulled some files out from the case.

"Remember that material we ordered for Sara?" Hilde replied from the kitchen. "It came in this morning. Oh, dinner will be ready just as soon as the peas finish warming."

"Has it already been two weeks?"

"Yeah; we ordered it what, the sixteenth? It's already May now."

"I know." Files in hand, Derek walked into the kitchen."Where are the girls?"

"Sara was so excited that she started working on it right away; Alexis is helping her now, so they should be done any time now."

Derek walked over and kissed Hilde on the cheek. "Let me know once they're done. I have something to show them."

Hilde paused, curious. "And what could that be?"

"The roster of incoming soldiers came in. I think you can guess who's on it."

"Rad?"

"Yep. And he'll be in early too."

"Ooh. I bet the girls will want to know. They're upstairs in my sewing room." Hilde turned her head, allowing Derek to kiss her on the lips.

He turned, then walked towards the stairs. With his normal stride, he was able to take the steps two and three at a time. He paused long enough to watch as Wierdwolf walked towards him, wearing a crocheted hat and part of a sweater.

"I see Sara's been busy," Derek said.

["Would it be too much to ask for you to kill me? I mean, LOOK!"] He flicked his tail to show some crocheted adornments. ["Thank Primus that material came in, or else she'd have made slipcovers for my cannon barrels."]

"Look at it this way - at least we know she likes to work with her hands."

["Then why not make her take auto shop or something? She likes motorcycles, too."]

"Then she'd probably be overhauling you instead of making you more booties like she did last week."

["Don't remind me."]

"Are they still in there?"

["The door's closed, so you'll have to knock first."]

Temporarily ignoring Wierdwolf's plight, Derek walked over to the room and knocked on the door.

"Busy!" Alexis shouted.

"Got something to show you," Derek said as he slid the papers beneath the door. He waited for a few minutes until he heard the sounds of excited screaming.

["Rad coming back?"] Wierdwolf asked.

"Yep."

["Will Alexis try to cook for him again?"]

"Probably."

Wierdwolf plopped down on the floor, and covered his face with his front paws. ["Why, Primus, why?!"]

*****

"I take it something is amiss?" Longshot asked.

"I don't believe that the pirate nations are the only things he's worried about," Checkpoint replied. "Best case scenario is that he's going to turn the better teams - which will include us - into a professional Guild-loyal military for use as an army of conquest."

"Worst case?"

"There's something out there that is so powerful it even has the mighty Maximus scared."

Longshot paused. "Slag but that's got to be something powerful if that's the case. Got any ideas?"

"Rumor is that there's been signs of life on Quent."

"You're joking, right? We're talking the same Quent that serves as the moon of Quintessa, home of the Cult of Unicron, right? The planet that was supposedly abandoned after the nutjobs there screwed it over?"

"With as much as I pay my source," Checkpoint said, "I doubt that he's toying with me."

"Look man; even if those nutjobs have returned, it's going to take a few vorns before they can even consider trying anything. Heck, if Maximus is so frickin' worried about them, he could send in a task force and finish them off now. We've got enough idle teams."

"You never did let me finish my thought. What if I was lied to? What if the real purpose in that diplomatic team is a truce? As much as Maximus hates his old man, he isn't stupid. Yes, by ourselves we're powerful. But what if we also had a portion of the Autobot forces at our disposal?"

"Well, they'll stop a few laser blasts, if that's what you mean. But yeah, if that is the case....."

"Get the team ready. I want to brief them."

"Right."

*****

Checkpoint looked over his team and found them all in order. As usual, Longshot took his place in the squad leader's formation, followed by his mini-con Kain. Next to Kain was his hazmat trooper Inferno; although a loyal and skilled soldier, Checkpoint regretted that Inferno didn't seem to think for
himself all that often. Then there was his security trooper Fastlane and his technician Spotweld. Like Inferno, both were skilled and loyal enough to make them quality soldiers, but were too eager to follow the Guild directly. Even though questioning of authority was almost the norm in the DNMG, it was still far too easy to find soldiers willing to take the Guild's leadership at face value.

"I'll make this short," he said. "We have been contracted to act as escort for a group of Guild diplomats going to Cybertron. This may be just a babysitting job, but we still need to be sharp. Any questions? Then you're dismissed."

Featured Stories

Random Story

Site Info

Site News

Preparations to Return by Firestorm