The Diego Diaries: Freedom Ever After (dd8 117)
=0=IntraCom the next orn, just before noon
Prime sat on his set waiting for Blaster and Jazz to give the word. He considered what he would say and mused again on the humans being included. Nothing overnight broke the hold he'd made on the information but this message likely would. It would be a test of the trustworthiness of the humans what was told and how it was delivered. He mused on the comments he would make, then Jazz signaled him.
"Live in three … two … one."
=0=The Hourly News: LATEST BREAKING NEWS!
"And now, a message from Optimus Prime," Lim-Lee said as the screen changed to the Emblem of the Primes.
=0=In a lounge at Earth2
They gathered there, those who were at the trial and beyond. Sitting in the room where sunlight streamed in, they watched the Emblem, then Prime.
"Here we go," Owen said softly.
=0=Studio
"Good afternoon. I am Optimus Prime. I am here today to tell you about a criminal trial that had Special Circumstances. For those who are unfamiliar with that designation, it means a trial with crimes of such an egregious nature that it lends the need for the Pantheon to consider. If the crimes are serious enough, the Pantheon can and has weighed in. This is the third trial of this nature here on Mars and the third where the Pantheon intervened.
"This trial involved Ebio and Cassio Imperialis, brothers who ran a crime syndicate on Cybertron and contributed in a major way to the hardships and downfall of our planet. They were involved in the nuclear attack that leveled Tarn and Vos. They used the treasure of our nation as a personal account and were responsible for murders, theft on a vast scale and treason. They were found guilty during the trial and after consultation with the Powers, they were recalled to the Matrix.
"There were a lot of observers with us at trial. When the Pantheon stepped in, they were brought along as well. There were different experiences by those involved including a number of humans. All of them experienced what they did because the Pantheon willed it. At the end, we were brought together to sit in judgment with Primus Himself as the judge.
"There was some discussion. Both mechs were defended by me, chosen by Primus to do so. In the end, their behavior and the accumulation of their crimes determined the outcome of the trial. They were recalled to be given a chance to change, feel the responsibility of their actions and make some manner of atonement. However long that takes will be their sentence.
"When one is recalled, there is no fear to be had for those who care about them. They are safe in the arms of The One and the Pantheon. That Primus Himself presided over the trial is an indication of the seriousness with which their actions were taken. As it stands, those who were harmed by these two can have some satisfaction that the Powers heard your cries and felt your pain, then intervened Themselves to make sure that neither of these two will ever harm anyone again.
"As for the humans who were there. It is an enormous honor for anyone to be in the presence of these individuals. They are holy to our people and revered. We were happy that you could see Them and know that the universe is a very big and diverse construct. We know that you will be respectful of this event and that it will be one more step forward in understanding between your people and mine. Primus is our warrior god. He is the very ground upon which we walk. We are proud of Him and what He represents to us and the universe. We hope that respect is just one of the many things you take away from the encounter, that is how rare is it for even us to see any of Them.
"Part of the problem that escalated this intervention was the statement by Cassio Imperialis that he held information about the location of two of the four Omega Keys that would have helped transform Cybertron. The Omega Keys are ancient devices that activate a machine that re-formats Cybertron into any configuration programmed in a matter of minutes. They wanted to live on Cybertron absolved of their crimes in exchange for that data.
"They were unwilling to give it and we could not take it because it was heavily encrypted and would destroy itself if we did. Even when Primus asked for it they refused. As it is, we will continue as we have. We will prevail. It is my opinion that it is debatable if they possessed the information in the first place but now its a moot point.
"For everyone in the empire, another enemy has been vanquished. We are that much better off and safer. We will continue to build strength upon strength. I am proud of our people and will do whatever I can to ensure your safety, well being and progress. Know that I give my oath as a Prime, a warrior and a mech. Thank you. Until all are one."
The screen changed.
=0=In classrooms in Youngling Day School #1 and #3
"GUESS WHAT! WE/I WERE/WAS THERE!"
=0=Earth2 lounge
It was silent a moment, then Cynthia glanced at Owen. "Do you believe that the two had the data?"
Owen glanced at her. "Its hard to say. Those two were real bastards. They weren't afraid of Primus or the Matrix. There was no fear in them. It was amazing. I've never seen anyone so powerful and impressive as the two of Them. Both of the Imperialis brothers talked to Them without an ounce of fear."
"Both of them were bastards," Rick said with a hard edge to his voice. "Primus can see through anyone and anything presented to Him. Those two were too arrogant to be afraid. Rather like someone else I know."
Owen glanced at his son but said nothing.
Rick rose, then walked to the door. "I won't be home for dinner." He left.
Everyone stared at the door, then Harris.
"What was that about? What did you do?" Cynthia asked.
"Its a misunderstanding," Owen said diffidently. "Right now we're going to get hit by news agencies on Earth because this went out over the MCA. You better get on it, Cynthia. I want a measured message of respect going out. This is The People's warrior-god. We have to be careful about how we treat this figure."
Cynthia rose, then left the room. When she did everyone relaxed.
"That was … I'm not sure what it was but I don't like it, Owen," Kyle said.
"You don't like anything, Kyle. It's part of your charm," Owen said with a grin. "Let's see what shakes out."
The others had nothing to say.
=0=Other places
"He's doing very well," the specialist said as they sat in his office together getting the low down. He was a very specialized doctor of children. He handled defects of the body and was one of the best audial doctors for little ones on world. "At this rate we can begin some of the treatments shortly. We're going to be doing gene therapy. We want this to correct without medical intervention."
"What's that going to be like?" Drift asked as Springer held Tell.
"We inject a solution into his system that will help repairs on the defective gene in his CNA. This is an inherited syndrome and as such we have to start at that level of treatment. This isn't about replacing audials. His audials are fine. Its the structure and apparatus of his audial system that needs assistance."
"Do you have a timeline?" Springer asked as he shifted the baby to his shoulder. He was sleeping like the champion he was.
"We have to wait until he's a bit older. Then we began testing with a number of nutrients and minerals that we'll administer. That will boost him overall. Its at that point that we begin the injections that will do the gene splicing that can correct this."
"Can?" Drift asked.
"The success rate of this procedure is nearly 100%. The length of time it takes and the dosages will be the problem if there's any. We have to establish what it takes to make the changes and sometimes that varies. There's no real established rule for this because each child is different. Getting him at this age is optimal. I would be very surprised if he doesn't rebound completely," the doctor said.
Springer felt huge relief. "Thanks. That's a worry."
Drift nodded. "Then he has therapy for sound and speech?"
The doctor nodded. "That's necessary. Right now, his world is silent and his ability to speak internally doesn't exist, he's so young. That will happen as a matter of course and the district has a deaf infant classroom in the District Offices. You might want to go there and let them know that we have a baby like him and they can start a file and line up a caseworker when he's ready. You can never get the paperwork done fast enough."
They both nodded.
"On it. -Both of them.
Outside a moment later …
Tell was swaddled in Springer's hold as they paused on the sidewalk.
"That's a plan. Do we go to the school now?" Drift asked.
"We never talked about school," Springer said.
"I was hoping he could go to the Circle Academy first or the Temple School. I sort of wanted that for him," Drift said. "What do you want?"
"That sounds good though this school may take a while. We can ask Sela how to sign him up and when they take new students. For now, I want him with us."
Drift nodded. "Ditto."
The two walked out to find a resource to go with them to navigate the slag. They would find Ratchet at the office.
A joor and a half later …
They walked out of the Autobot City Unified School District Central Office in Metrotitan's tower set aside for the school district. All of the offices of administration and the departments were there along with the specialist schools. They'd spent a moment or two with Hero who was DELIGHTED, then came outside after setting up the placement of Tell when he was able to hear. It didn't matter how old he was. All that mattered was the moment when he would hear again.
"When he's ready he can come here. When he catches onto sound and conversation, when he learns that sounds make words and words make meaning then he'll be ready to rumble. What's the idea for his education?" Ratchet asked as they walked to the Metro.
"We want him in either Circle Prep or the Temple School. We wanted to go there to see it and speak to someone. Can you come?" Springer asked.
Ratchet stared at the two, both of them the toughest rattlers in the nest brought low by a school for their baby. He nearly exploded on the cuteness. "Are you kidding?" he asked with a giant smile.
Two mechs followed their ada with lighter treads as they walked to the Metro to go back to The City.
Moments later at the Temple Metro Station …
They walked to the street, then headed toward the Temple nearby. The ride had been hilarious. There were a number of tiny femme granny bots in their car and they were checking out the mechs. They spoke a dialect of the workers from Uraya which Ratchet knew from his Amma Docker so he got the down low on The Sexy about Springer and Drift. "Those granny bots were hilarious."
"I don't speak that dialect," Springer said as Drift nodded in agreement.
"They were checking out the local talent. Both of you made the cut. I'M SO PROUD!" Ratchet said as they reached the gate of The Temple grounds.
It was a chuckling duo that followed Ratchet into the building and over to the little school where Halo was having her fourth orn.
=0=TBC 03-18-2021