The Diego Diaries: Home Front (dd4 37)
-0-At a prep school in Terra
He walked in pausing. It was the second orn of school and he was still unclear how the intake would work out every morning. A big mech, the same one from before saw him, then walked over with a grin. "You came."
"I'm not late am I?" Ironhide asked as he slid Prowler out of his hold.
"No. Its just you came today, not your in-law." He grinned at Prowler who looked at the stranger solemnly as Ironhide handed him over. "You have a short meeting in the conference room so the caseworkers of the home schoolers can get you an overview of the curriculum for the next three decaorns. There is a physical component that the Day School will take care of as well. You can book that around your schedule as long as it gets one."
"Okay," Ironhide said as he watched Prowler go with the big mech. When he was gone through the double doors Ironhide walked to the conference room to sit with the other genitors to hear what they would have to do for the next 30 orns in detail.
Blue.
Then red.
Then yellow.
Circle.
Then square.
Then triangle.
Swim.
Massage and pre-dance.
Squeezy ball.
Crayons, the holding of correctly.
Walking, falling optional.
Blocks, stacking.
Nap time daily.
It was going to be intensive.
-0-Out there
Cyclonus stood by his sensor station watching their territory for the biggest slagger of them all to come. He knew all the phase sixers and they knew him. Even though the Warrior Elites were in a class by themselves none of them would consider Cyclonus an easy get. As he watched the screen a bogie appeared at the leading edge of the monitor. Turning, he glanced at the patrol that was sent to scan the debris field daily that formed part of his territory and security. They weren't even close. Moving to communications, he cued the stranger. "Identify yourself or die."
He waited, then a voice came back. "Cyclonus, this is Slacker. We're coming in."
Cyclonus considered that. "You are cleared."
It would be a silent wait for Slacker. Perhaps Slacker was coming alone. Perhaps he wasn't. Either way, Cyclonus was ready.
-0-In the courthouse
Semi sat waiting for the preliminary hearing for Burris. Experts would testify to the evidence for the most serious charges and he would then rule on whether it constituted indictable offenses. If it did, they would schedule trials. If not, they would rule on the remaining and he would then either serve time or not. It depended on the evidence.
Of course, Burris could appeal through the Office of the Attorney General, Barron for a Primal Hearing. He had no idea if Burris would but one never knew.
Coln-2 sat at the prosecution table representing the people and state through the office and person of Optimus Prime. Burris was represented by three attorneys including Fenix. Everyone had gotten copies of the reports which were the basis for the evidence presentation. They had read them, both sides. Now was the time for expert testimony for the hearing itself.
Ratchet walked in with Jarro and sat in the audience which had a number of former high castes and interested individuals who made a habit of trial watching. A reporter for The Autobot City Daily News and one from IntraComm were there as the outcome would be broadcast as news when the hearing was over. The Daily News reporter was working as a pool scribe who would post their article in the other newspapers that served their different cities.
Others walked in, some of them security and prison officials sitting in the audience seats. A door nearby opened with Inferno stepping out. Behind him was an aggravated Burris and two other guards. They walked him to the table where his attorneys were, then stepped back to the wall to watch. It was quiet as Semi consulted with the bailiff and clerk of court. Then he looked at everyone. "Are you prepared, Fenix? Coln-2?"
Both nodded. "Yes, your honor," Fenix replied.
"Very well. Let us begin," Semi said.
"All in attendance, court is now in session, Judge Semi presiding. Hold to decorum and all will be well. You may be seated."
They were. As they were Prowl entered, then walked to sit beside Ratchet. Burris looked back, then frowned but didn't say anything. He had been coached to hold his tongue and he did. Turning back, he sat silently beside Fenix and his other representatives.
"Today, we are going to have preliminary and evidentiary hearings into the possibility of affirming indictments against the defendant, Burris. He is represented by Fenix and his colleagues. The Prime's case is represented by Coln-2. Let the record reflect that." He looked at Coln-2. "You may begin, Coli."
Coln-2 nodded, then rose. "I would like to call Springer to the stand."
A security mech turned to the doors in the back of the courtroom, opened one and whispered to someone in the hallway outside. Springer appeared, then walked to the stand. He took it, then turned his usual goodnatured face to the group sitting facing him. "Springer, do you swear to state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?" the bailiff asked.
"I do," Springer replied. He stood with a lanky relaxed affect.
Coln-2 rose, then walked toward him. "Springer, you are Chief of Security for The City, the colony and the planet, correct?"
"Yes," Springer replied.
"You direct the Watch program that polices our lives here and protects us from trouble and dangers. Correct?" Coln asked.
"Yes."
"Tell us what you can about the case before us," Coln asked.
Springer nodded. "I personally was out in the migration when Burris and his party landed. I heard from Prowl what had happened when he had the incident that led to Burris's brigging. When I arrived I was given an update and detailed to do a full forensic on the ship as well as the preliminary interviews of those on board. We conducted that, then filed our reports with the Office of the Prime as per protocol."
"What were your findings?" Coln asked.
"First, we gave the ship a very detailed methodical examination looking for evidence of maltreatment of passengers and other signs that there could have been abuse or violations of the rules of space as well as Cybertronian laws of various types.
"We found a large well made, well provisioned ship that had a complement of nearly 90 passengers, all of them former high castes with most of them related to each other. The individual in charge was the defendant, Burris who was the former governor general of Altihex. He and his passengers were fit, healthy and showed no signs of physical abuse or privation at the time of interview and investigation.
"The ship carried machinery for making energon in quantity and there were tanks filled with food grade energon in liquid format in storage. The accommodation for these passengers was luxurious and roomy. The ship carried a great deal of personal belongings, some of them old and beautiful.
"When we investigated the hold we found 28 mechs and two femmes stashed among the crates and boxes. They weren't in good condition and many showed signs of battery, some more extreme than others. Their condition can be better explained by CMO Ratchet. I can tell you that they were terrified of speaking about their experiences in the preliminary interviews. They were afraid of reprisals. We had them assigned to Mental Health. Jarro will speak to that."
"What if any signs of abuse did you find?" Coln asked.
"We found signs of battery. We found dents in their armor that indicated blows from someone. None of them were soldiers nor were they involved in fighting. They were workers who did the labor assigned and had for some time. Apparently, they were in captive labor for a long time before arriving here."
Burris stared at Springer with a stony expression as Fenix and his colleagues listened, taking notes now and again.
"How did you conduct interviews and what was that like?" Coln asked.
"We brought them to the hospital so that they could be examined as the forensic cases that were begun would start there. They were defeated, worn down, exhausted, malnourished and terrified. They had no belief that they were safe, that they could speak out without reprisals so our first few interviews were difficult. They didn't believe us when we said they could speak without penalty," Springer replied.
"Did they tell you what had happened at any time they were part of your custody?" Coln asked.
"No. We found that they were too traumatized. Between their lives in the Pit and the coming of freedom they were unable to function for us. They didn't believe us when we said we would protect them," Springer said.
"You provided the preliminary facts of this investigation. What were the conclusions that you drew based on the facts and interviews that you conducted?"
"We prepared our report of the findings that we were able to put together based on the facts we discovered. The victims were unable at the time to tell us themselves what had happened due to their fears and trauma. We however determined that they were abused, confined in the hold and given little food during their journey. It appeared that the conditions that led to this finding were of long standing as they were weak, some of them bearing hurts while others were disoriented when we found them. They were discovered in the hold when the ship was being transferred to Silverbolt for inspection and final dispensation. Their presence was not disclosed to us by Burris or anyone else in his party."
"Thank you," Coln said turning to sit again.
Fenix stood. "Springer, you were not present at the touchdown nor in the first few orns of the event in question, correct?"
Springer nodded. "I was part of the security of the migration. I directed the investigation on the morning of the third orn when we came back with the last refugee group."
"You were not there to inspect any of the allegations that are proffered against my client at point of contact. You weren't there to investigate yourself then?" Fenix asked.
"No. We have a detective bureau in the Watch. We have criminal cases investigated by them because they are the professionals. There are two detectives on each shift in each city. They are given the fact finding parts of any investigation because they are the experts. We also have a forensics department that runs the crime scene analysis of anything brought in as evidence. They are the experts and often consult with Sciences on this or that thing. I am director and my police officers have their roles. We have diversified our expertise drawing in qualified individuals when it became clear that our city needed that level of game. We also consult with S.I.C. Prowl on matters of investigation because he was a detective with the security forces of Praxus and was loaned to various city states during his career there because of his level of expertise."
Fenix nodded. "Then it would be safe to say that your testimony would be less expert than that of others?"
"You could say it. I wouldn't. I've been a soldier for most of my life and I know what I see when I see it. My expertise is solid and based on vorns of practice putting things back together," Springer said.
"But in the case of expert witnessing, you would have less standing than others in your own department. Is that safe to say?" Fenix pressed.
Springer smirked slightly. "It offends my sense of professionalism to give you the answer you want. I bring my A game every night to every event. But if you want to say Perceptor is a better forensic scientist than me, I won't argue."
Fenix stared at Springer, then sat. "No further questions, your honor."
"Coli?"
Coln stood. "How long have you been a soldier and someone in charge of keeping things safe, Springer?"
"Since I was a subadult," Springer said.
"It would be safe to say that your powers of observation and your thoroughness at doing your job have grown over the long vorns of your life … that you are very aware of what you need to do when you face different scenarios?"
"Yes. Not only did my life depend upon it, so did my teams. I have had to grow or die," Springer said. "I didn't die."
Ratchet smirked. :Better not, slagger:
Springer glanced at Ratchet. :Okay, Ma:
"Springer, you may step down," Semi said as the counselors nodded.
He did.
"I would like to call CMO Ratchet to the stand please," Coln-2 said.
Ratchet rose vacating his place to Springer who smirked at the big medic as they passed each other. Ratchet grinned, then swished up to the platform to stand for his testimony.
"CMO Ratchet, do you swear to state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?" the bailiff asked.
"I do," Ratchet said.
Coln-2 rose. "CMO Ratchet, you were the attending physician were you not when the 30 individuals in question were brought into your hospital, correct?"
Ratchet nodded. "Yes, I was."
"What condition and/or hurts did you find when you examined the victims?" Coln glanced up from his notes. "Were you the doctor who examined them?"
"I was. I took the worst off, but I made a point of examining all of them. I realized from the moment they arrived we had a crime and a forensic presentation of fact would be necessary," Ratchet began.
-0-TBC May 25, 2014 edited 7-1-14
NOTES:
Leoness: G1 Prime plays basketball, surfs, laughs uproariously and has fun. I like when this Prime, the older mature Prime with massive dignity lets loose. It sort of jolts the others though they know he likes to relax from time to time. Prime lives 'for the good of the order' and enjoys jokes. It makes him fun to write the dignity and the goofy. :D:D:D