The Diego Diaries: Well, there's that … (dd8 152)
=0=In a tower lobby in District 7
"We're here against our will. We don't want to be here but because we had no choice we're making the best of it. We intend to live our life the way we did when we were kidnapped by Prime and brought here," Dok said calmly.
"KIDNAPPED!?" a mech said in the back of the group. "WHAT THE FRAG ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, YOU SLAGGING INGRATE?!"
That didn't go over well at all.
For a moment there was chaos and shoving before Springer, Drift and the two beat cops got between the two groups.
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone froze as Springer's voice was heard over the shouting and swearing. A number of children had been pulled back and were looking terrified nearby in the arms of mechs and femmes, all of whom wanted apparently to just go upward toward home.
Springer glanced around with a livid expression, then turned on Dok. "Understand me, Dok and the rest of you. There is no System of Exception. You're not allowed to forbid anyone the use of public services and utilities. You'll be jailed if you disturb the peace again."
Just then the sound of heavy treads could be heard. Everyone glanced toward the door in time to see Ultra Magnus walk inside. He looked brutal in his offense. Behind him, Optimus Prime himself followed. Both of them slowed to take in the scene, then walked across the vast lobby to halt beside the group, all of whom were turned to watch him. It was deeply and tensely silent for a moment.
"Commander Springer, what is the meaning of this gathering?" Prime asked calmly.
Springer walked out of the group and handed Prime the sign he'd taken from the elevator. "Dok and his sons feel that one of the elevators, the bigger one of course, should be reserved for them and all the other former high castes that live and visit here. His sons were preventing these residents from using that elevator. Apparently, there's a divide in the use of the facilities."
Prime stared at the note, then turned to face Dok and his two sons, Mik and Cord-D. It was tense but he appeared to be calm and gathered. "This is not permitted in the Empire and I will not countenance it. We have had this conversation. Perhaps you can inform me of what you do not understand."
Dok looked at Prime with an appraising expression. "I've already told you what I plan to say, Prime. I haven't agreed to this … 'rescue' and neither have our people. We were taken against our will to this place and we don't recognize these decisions by you against the will of our people."
"Funny, isn't it, that the only will you speak of is your own. None of us agree to this slag coming back and if you were to take a hand count of this colony, it'd be 250,000,000 to three against you, fragger," a big seething mech said from the crowd.
Everyone there murmured their agreement.
"When we had our conversation, Dok, at Meadow Lands, you were told that this was the way things were to be. You were also told that the planet you occupied was listed as emergent and thus, everyone there had to leave. Its the law of Cybertron that you and yours put into place eons ago. You have no right to challenge the laws of our people nor the prestige of this Prime. You're aware that any defiance on this matter will trigger an honor fight with Prime and frankly, none of you are in his class," Magnus said with his usual direct manner. "I personally volunteer to undertake the fight, Lord Optimus, to restore your honor and prestige in his matter." He even bowed slightly.
Prime who felt an enormous surge of love for the big mech who was among the first kids he ever saw in his life, glanced at him. "I will keep that as an option, Commander. Thank you." He looked at Dok. "Either you comply or we will take you into custody for disturbing the peace and ignoring a Prime Directive."
Dok stared at him for a moment, then began to turn to go into the elevator. "I'm leaving now."
"I haven't given you leave," Prime replied with a slight tension in his voice.
Dok was preparing to turn his back on Prime and it wasn't going to happen. Every soldier, Home Guardsman, veteran and/or mech in the room was frozen with the brazenness of Dok's move. The offense he was planning to give to Prime was unprecedented in their experience, turning his back in this manner.
Dok paused. "I didn't ask for it," he said, then he began to walk to the elevator.
He didn't make it.
=0=Home on the Range
Ratchet rose in his chair, then glanced down at Ironhide. "I have to go on a call. I'll be right back."
"I thought that you didn't do that slag anymore. You have a planet of underlings to do that stuff," Ironhide said with a frown.
"Oh, you're so cute when you're dreaming," Ratchet said as he reached the door.
As he left Ironhide grinned. "I am aren't I." With that, he turned the sound back on. The hobbits were reaching some kind of river and the humans and elf were looking tense as slag.
=0=Outside
It was cold when he reached the street, transformed and drove swiftly with lights and no siren toward District 7. Springer had called for him and he was heading there as fast as he could. He'd told Ratchet that the situation was FUBAR and that he felt half the combatants were insane. Thus, his presence was required.
He floored it and ran red lights all the way there.
=0=There
Dok had barely turned when a powerful servo gripped him. It was like a planet had gripped him, such was the power inherent in the vice clamp on his arm. He looked down at a black servo, one that was huge and which he knew from other Primes could rend him into confetti without much, if any effort. He was held fast in his tracks.
He felt rather than saw his two sons step forward to meet Prime, then felt rather than saw them fly past and hit the wall nearby hard. He tried to turn toward Prime but he couldn't, such was the strength that held him. Then he was jerked off his peds.
Before this transpired, Ultra Magnus had moved toward prime as Prime stepped forward for Dok.
Anticipating his sons would react, Magnus waited for them to come toward Prime. They did. He shoved one back sending him flying, such was the power of the big mech even when he applied so little of it like now. The other brother joined him with both slamming into the wall to slide to the ground to sit hard on the marble floor.
The crowd gasped, then stepped back, pushing and pulling each other out of the way.
Springer and Drift helped them move away, then turned to watch with the two beat cops as Prime spun Dok. He then glanced at Drift. "Put him in cuffs, Drift. He is going to jail. I would also like to have you bring those two as well. They have violated a Prime Directive and caused a disruption to the others living here."
Prime turned to them, wincing at the fear and emotion on the faces of these, new residents to the colony from who knows what far away hellhole. He stepped closer to them as Drift, Springer and the beat cops cuffed the three behind him.
Magnus turned to the group as well.
"I am Optimus Prime. I came here to make sure that you were safe and this situation resolved peacefully. I would like to guarantee to you that there will be no distinctions among any of us. All of us are one. I would appreciate it if this persists that you call the Watch on the emergency number, 919 so that they can come to resolve it. Remain in your apartments if you can if something happens. We will guarantee your safety and the peacefulness you deserve."
"I am Ultra Magnus, the colonial manager, mayor of Autobot City and the Tyrest Treaty enforcer. I personally guarantee your well being on my honor," Magnus said. He was seething and it was evident.
"Thank you, Lord Optimus and Lord Magnus," an elder said as the others murmured. "We're so grateful. This is such a shock. I thought we put that behind us."
"We have," Magnus said firmly.
Everyone watched as the three were walked out of the building into a waiting police wagon that would take them to the jail at the Courthouse in Iacon. As they were taken out, Prime noted Ratchet walking in.
Ratchet walked to Prime, glanced at the solemn-faced crowd, then Prime. "What's up?"
"I will need you to come with me to visit some of the newest residents of this building," Prime said. "Commander Magnus, will you be able to determine where the group lives that came from Meadow Lands with Dok and his party? I would like to personally visit them to remind them of the way we live here and what we are prepared to do to defend it."
Magnus nodded. "I will," he said as he internally linked to the City Hall to get the information which had been synced with Data Processing there directly from the Port and Immigration Intake. It would take a second but he would have all 941 newcomer's data, their residences and names sent to him. Almost all of them lived in this giant building which would make the home visits easier.
Springer walked back in. "They're on their way. What next?"
"Come with me, Magnus, Ratchet, Springer and Drift." He glanced at the two cops. "Gentlemen, you can return to your beats. Thank you for your assistance," Prime said to Waley and Cobra.
"Sir, we can go with you. You might need the back up given the weirdness of these three," Cobra said.
Prime considered that. "Very well. I welcome your presence." He glanced at the others. "You may use any facility as you need and desire. There is nothing but unity here. In the meantime, go home and stay there. We are going to be going into highly charged situations and we want no one to be harmed if it comes to that."
"Thank you, Prime, Commander Magnus. All of you," an elder mech said as the others murmured agreement.
Prime nodded, then walked into the big elevator. The others joined him and then they were gone, going upward to who knew what.
The group in the lobby watched the numbers as the elevator went up, then someone turned to the shaken appearing superintendent. "Are you alright?" an elder femme asked.
He vented a sigh. "I am now. I want you to know that we have safety protocols in place here. No one is to take on these things themselves or suffer in silence. Our security is tight and will come. All you have to do is go inside and barricade the door. Call the Watch line and help will come almost immediately. Alright?" Parable asked anxiously.
Everyone agreed, patted him, then took the elevators upward. When they were all there, Parable walked back to his big palatial apartment where his family was standing in the doorway watching anxiously. He entered the alcove nearby, then entered his apartment with the others This was the first problem in his building and he was feeling it. He hoped it would be the last one.
=0=Going upward
"I suppose we cut the snake's head off," Ratchet said.
Prime nodded, then shook his helm. "I am weary of such thinking."
"I am, too. That's why I've asked Rung and Jarro to do an overview of the whole lot of them. I'll use my own authorization for this so you won't have to, Optimus," Ratchet replied as the doors opened on the fifteenth floor. Four of the leadership of Meadow Lands lived here. Who knew what this would turn out to be but it wasn't for nothing that the four cops with him checked their gear as they continued.
=0=Courthouse at Iacon
They were brought into the lockup on the backside of the huge building. This, the second place for trials and the second non-prison lock up was built to speed up the rights of those accused. They were walked out of the prison transport into the building where the intake officer sat behind a protected barrier where he worked.
"We have three for ya, Bolt," one of the security guards said. He halted them before Bolt's desk.
Bolt who had seen it all twice glanced up, then pulled up screens. "Okay. What's your name?" he asked Dok.
Dok had nothing to say.
=0=TBC 04-30-2021