The Diego Diaries: Wheelus (dd8 100)
(Eighth time we passed 100) (insert fireworks here)
=0=Two days later in the Office of the Prime, The Fortress, Autobot City
Prime sat at his desk gathering his thoughts for the trial which would begin shortly. He'd reviewed everything that they wanted him to know and that he needed, then rose to go. The door closed behind him and the stack of work on his desk. Sitting on one corner in a basket of its own were the trial documents for the Imperialis brothers and their request for a deal.
It would wait there until it was time for Prime to read it and no earlier.
=0=Courthouse of Autobot City, Mars, Cybertron and the Empire, court number 16
He sat in one of the chambers behind the door that led into the courtroom gathering his thoughts. This would be the most serious form of trial held in their culture. It was in its own way a possible death sentence, though no one would be put to death to achieve it. The Pantheon weren't cruel and what They aligned Themselves with was as merciful as possible, though some defendants probably wouldn't think so. But then those exalted individuals were never the ones who had to face shadow play and empurata, those who reached this level of scrutiny, so in some way they had no room to complain.
In the courtroom beyond the door, the different camps were setting up along with Prowl who would record as per the statutes. Silver who was Clerk of Court would standby if Prowl left. Security was arrayed and personally being handled by Kup and Hercy.
Springer and Drift were home with their son for the orn. He had appointments and they were going to get them done, this first time thing for all three of them. Springer at some point would also testify for the prosecution.
The witnesses were on call, a heads up of two breems to arrive for their part of things given to all. The defendants themselves were in the holding cells nearby. News media and the usual crowd of rubber necking humans were also there.
A rap on the door drew him as Prowl leaned in. "Time to go. You ready?"
Optimus rose, then nodded. "I am."
"Anything from beyond the Pale?" Prowl asked as they both stepped into the corridor.
"Not yet," Prime replied. "They will. I feel something in my intuition that this and the Imperialis trials are going to be events They wish to contribute toward."
Prowl considered that. "Well then, we all better be good."
Prime grinned at him as Prowl led the way to the door. He opened it and they stepped through.
In the big room half the seats were taken while humans lined a wall. Flags of city-states as well as those of Mars, Mars-Earth, Cybertron and the Primes hung tastefully along the walls near the ceiling. A chair waited for him on a dais as well as one for Semi and No-A who'd consult but have no bearing on the verdict. Nearby at his own table, Barron sat with his smart kids ready to search and research motions and case law. Their gear was spread across two of them.
Cameras rolled for the historical record as the University and IntraCom took their places in the back. Several reporters sat with their gear among the spectators of which there were a few, most of them aligned in some way or the other as expert witnesses or part of Prime's senior staff.
Ironhide sat next to Ratchet as they watched the two enter.
Everyone stood including the groups of lawyers at both the defense and prosecutorial tables.
Prowl walked to his place, then glanced at Prime, No-A and Semi. Prime sat, then the two other judges. Prowl glanced at everyone. "Please be seated."
Everyone did.
Prowl checked things, started the recorders, then glanced at Prime who nodded. He rose. "I am Prowl, Sub commander of the Autobot Armed Forces. I will record. You are expected to maintain the decorum or be evicted. Those who present discord can and will be arrested. We are here to hear the case of the Prime of Cybertron versus Karyll Wheelus, Lan Wheelus, D Wheelus, Kamdon Wheelus who is a late addition to the trial, Senator Timorous of Kalis, Judge Clamor of the High Court of Region VII and Judge Serafus of the High Court of Region II. Bailiff, produce the defendants please."
Prowl sat as Hercy opened the door, stepped in, then stepped back out again. Behind him came a line of very shiny mechs who were drawn looking but mostly calm and even defiant. They wore no restraints but followed directions to sit in two rows behind their defense attorneys who were being led by the femme, MaR-lo who had a reputation for taking on lost causes and in many cases even in a corrupt system like that on Cybertron winning stays or even acquittals, usually of death penalty cases. They sat and stared coldly at Prime.
When all was quiet again, Prowl glanced at Coln-2. "Is the prosecution ready?"
Coln rose, bowed slightly, then said yes. He sat again.
Prowl glanced at MaR-lo. "Is the defense ready?"
MaR-lo stood and bowed. "We are." She sat again.
Prowl rose, then began to read the indictment from his datapad. It was damning. It included murder, treason, theft, breach of oath of office, bribery, dereliction of duty, gun running, slavery, collusion, money laundering, receiving stolen goods, selling/fencing stolen goods, coercion for personal gain, taking bribes to affect outcomes of legal cases and/or for personal gain for themselves and others and terrorism. The last statement of it was about mass murder as it connected to the destruction of Polyhex and Vos. He sat, then glanced at Prime. They had an off line conversation, then Prowl glanced at Coln. "Are you ready for opening statements?"
Coln rose with a datapad, then bowed slightly. "Yes."
"Then proceed," Prowl said.
Coln glanced at the defendants, some of whom he knew and had defended clients in courts before as an attorney long ago. None of them were friends and nothing was so good between them that it rose to the level of recusal. He was here to do this thing. "Lord Optimus, the honorable judges Semi and No-A, we are gathered here to continue to seek justice for those who cannot, those who suffered because of the actions of the accused. Its not my job to determine guilt or innocence but to present to the court all the evidence and testimony possible so that you can make that call wisely and with confidence.
"Karyll Wheelus and his family, his bonds and his children, most notably former Senator Kamdon of the Highland District of Greater Iacon have had a long perilously dangerous career both inside and out of politics and because they have our world and people have suffered. Their association with the judges accused here, Serafus and Clamor ensured that justice would never enter the picture regarding what they did to our people. The Senate was a den of iniquity filled with ravenous individuals who couldn't do enough to appease their masters, of which Timorous of Kalis is only one example.
"Two senators sit here, Timorous and Kamdon, both of them responsible for the well being and advancement of millions of lives, but they didn't do that. I intend to prove that their only concern was their own enrichment and that of their families no matter how much they had to subvert reality and shame their obligations and duties.
"Everyone knew them. Everyone knew they were untouchable because of their associations with corrupt Primes and their governments. But the times have changed and they are here to face the consequences of their actions. All of them worked together to subvert our world, to harm in substantial ways millions and millions of lives. They were part of the mechanism that destroyed our planet and civilization. They were greedy, cruel, uncaring and unable to even now accept the responsibility that is theirs. They are sitting here now because they wanted what they wanted and didn't care who got hurt in the pursuit of taking it.
"It is my great duty, responsibility and honor to ensure that justice at long last is served in every possible manner we can seek. It is my very great hope that the Pantheon weigh in on this case and these individuals. Never in my mind has a group deserved such an outcome as this one. They not only destroyed the world we loved but they did so cloaked in the authority of the state. For that, there is only one outcome that meets the level of harm that they've caused. Thank you," he said as he bowed slightly, then sat.
It was silent a moment, then Prowl glanced at MaR-lo. "Are you ready, Counselor?"
"I am," MaR-lo said as she rose to stand. "I am MaR-lo of Star Station. I am a specialist in cases involving penalties that amount to death. During the reign of most of the Primes of our lifetime, we were aware that the death penalty was neither sparing nor rare. The concept of justice and that the penalty fit the crime was never a consideration among those who held the power over life and death. Terrible penalties were meted out for paltry crimes and great. Many of those who were sentenced were innocents or those who were inconvenient to power.
"It wasn't even much mentioned in the media after a while, it was so common place. Mechs and femmes disappeared, some returning maimed and changed. I suggest that Senator Shockwave is a prime example of such judicial and extrajudicial conduct. I made it my career to ensure that not only were defendants given trials but that their sentences upon conviction were non lethal. Once someone is dead, it doesn't matter if later down the road they're found not guilty.
"I find primal hearings meet my definition of a death sentence. Though the Pantheon has the power to take away those who may or not do great crimes, there's concern that to do so constitutes a death sentence. No matter my reverence for the Pantheon and our way of belief, and its considerable, the recall of a defendant to the Matrix is a death sentence.
"It's going to be one of the pillars of this defense to ensure that the death sentence penalty of this hearing is not enacted. Through arguments and historical review, we will attempt to show that if it is so, then we have made no progress whatsoever from the horrors of the past to the present. Thank you," she said, then sat.
Prime considered her argument and found little that he disagreed with. One could argue that the Pantheon's recall was indeed a death sentence. However, he'd have to be convinced. One cannot die if one never did in the first place. It was going to be interesting to say the least.
"Are there any motions or requirements before we begin?" Prowl asked both sides. They both declined to present. Prowl glanced at Optimus. "We are ready then to begin."
Prime stared at the defendants. "Then we shall."
=0=Elsewhere
"I heard something called a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances is happening at the courthouse right now," Kyle Davis said as he walked into the lounge to get coffee and a pastry.
Cynthia Tomas and Rick Owen glanced up.
"That means its a trial where the Pantheon could show up," Rick said with surprise. "Where did you hear this?"
"Someone who went to the City Hall to deliver something heard about it from people talking in the elevator. Why? You can't believe all the shit you hear, right?" Kyle asked as he paused beside their table.
"I'm going to find out," Rick said as he rose to go.
"Wait for me," Cynthia said as she rose to follow him.
Davis watched them go, then poured coffee, got pastry, then began to walk back to his office. "This place is a zoo," he muttered as he walked out the door.
=0=TBC 02-25-2021 03-01-2021
Sorry about last night. I dropped this thing and you should see the spider web cracks on this desktop as I go. LOL! I think I'm my own worst enemy. Here's praying that my baby holds out. Back up your stuff. Also, if your computer craps out, pull the hard drive, get a converter kit which is a simple slide in thing for the drive and it can be a plug in drive for your new one. Everything you have on it will still be there. HUGS!
ESL
recuse, recusal: (ree-k-use-ul) to step down from something because of conflict of interest or an inability to be completely impartial and fair in judgment.
judicial: judged by judges in a court as based on the laws.
extra judicial: 'justice' taken into one's own hands without a court or any other legal hearing. Dragging someone out to hang them without a trial and their rights served is extra judicial. Empurata and shadow play are extra judicial.