The Diego Diaries: Visitin' (dd8 166)
=0=At the Delegate Assembly Building of Mars and Cybertron mid morning
The monitor at the command center of the incident shifted from the situation, a brief overview of everyone getting to work or school to the Delegate Assembly Building which was on a big piece of land across from the Performing Arts Center of Mars. It was a relatively new construction, added to the list when Magnus was sure that they were ahead enough on habitation construction to add more amenities and services for The People.
It was a huge vast building raised off the ground like it was perched on the stem of a glass. A huge parking lot and landscaped grounds surrounded it as its platform rose up under a huge dome. Inside, four beautiful ornate buildings were set one each in the four corners. One of them was the Judiciary where big questions were determined by a panel of judges and assistants versed in law and precedent. It was the final court of appeal for sentences and welcomed all from the most minor to those most major, accepting cases from Cybertron and the Empire as well.
In another corner was the Delegate Assembly of District Delegates Building where the representatives of each city district who represented the individual districts of the colony met to discuss and vote on business as well as advisory votes for the Prime. That group's members represented a small part of a city and thus there could be many representatives to this body from one city. It was the biggest governing body in the colony.
The Grand Assembly of Representatives sat in the third corner and that was where everyone was gathering. They were the 'super delegates' who met to prepare decisions, discuss and vote on them before sending them to Prime and his ruling committee. Optimus had called them together to present the situation and they were coming, some of them for the first time. The elections had occurred eight orns ago and everyone elected was arriving.
The last corner held the building of administrators who assisted the elected groups and helped them with research as well as designing laws they wanted to present, answering constituent calls and other niceties that helped the two-way vision that this represented between the electees and the electors.
The dome overhead allowed them to work freely, moving about the vast structure with ease. The cafes and the dining room for members were in the fourth building, the Autobot City Administrative and Legislative Building that housed the worker bees. It was already landscaped inside with areas where Cybertronian plants and trees could be seen. It was a beautiful space open to anyone and the center of the burgeoning democracy movement that Optimus Prime wanted for his people.
Inside the Assembly room, the place was filling up. Delegates sat at their desks in the half moon section of the great open space that was their meeting area. Overhead, civilians were sitting in the visiting gallery watching the unfamiliar but amazing show below. The podium was empty but for the Speaker, a low caste mech from Pax named Metallic who was elected nearly unanimously by the delegates on their first orn who was waiting to introduce Prime when he arrived.
Judges, delegates and the 'super delegates' of the Grand Assembly gathered, found seats or stood against the walls. Built into the system, IntraCom was filming the whole thing. The entire business of these bodies was broadcast on the Community Channel 342 so anyone could hear and see what was going on in their colony's elected delegations. It was noisy with conversation for a while, then Metallic walked to the podium and gaveled for order.
Everyone hurried to sit, then it was quiet.
"Thank you. I'm glad you came so swiftly. Lord Optimus has asked that we gather so that he can speak to us of several matters of importance. I ask that you give your unqualified attention to him." He glanced toward the wings of the building, then began to clap as Prime walked into the room.
Everyone stood up clapping for him as he met Metallic, shook his servo, then turned to the gathered at the podium. After a moment of sincere appreciation, they began to sit and when they were Prime began.
=0=Command Center in City 4
They sat around the command center watching the screen which had just been tuned in to the broadcast as all the channels were. Prowl was sitting beside Ratchet and Alor as the others, most of Ironhide's elders, Ironhide and several soldiers sat or stood around the room. As the camera scanned the crowd Ratchet startled. "What is Amma doing there?" he asked with surprise.
Ironhide who glanced at Ratchet, then the screen winced inside. Do or die, maybe die loomed before him. "What do you mean?" he asked as a first sortie in the coming war of obliteration. He handed Halo to Alor then moved slightly back.
His elders glanced at him, Alor, then Ratchet before all of them grinned and sat back to watch whatever show was forming up before them.
"What do you mean 'what do I mean'?" Ratchet asked as he glanced at Ironhide with a gathering frown. "What the frag, Ironhide? What is she doing there and when did you know it?"
Ironhide who was thinking furiously decided a good defense was a good offense. "What do you mean, slagger? Didn't you vote?"
Ratchet stared at him blankly a moment. "You slagger. What the frag. We've been away on a mission. WHAT DO YOU MEAN DID I VOTE?!"
"This is going to be good," Raptor said.
Sun and Jack nodded.
"I hope so," Sun said with a grin.
"THE ELECTIONS! THE ONES JUST OVER! YOU VOTED ABSENTEE BALLOT, RIGHT?" Ironhide countered.
Ratchet stared at him, the monitor showing his tiny Amma Docker sitting at a desk with her name on it along with District 1. She was getting her datapad together to take notes when the camera panned the balcony. His Appa Ratchet was there telling everyone around him that his little femme was the representative of the Prime. Ratchet looked at Ironhide and did the math. "You knew about this and you didn't tell me."
"WHAT THE FRAG!? HOW IS IT MY RESPONSI-"
It was then that four and a half metric tons of medic rose, leaped into the air and landed spreadeagled on four tons of Autobot. The clang was outstanding, the thud hitting the ground shook the walls and drew into the room concerned members of the team who were wondering if everyone else felt an earthquake just now.
On the floor straddling Ironhide, Ratchet was punching him in the face.
=0=Delegate Assembly Room
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, delegates, members and interested individuals who have come on such short notice so soon after the election. I am here to tell you and the colony what is happening in City 4 of Crater District 7, what we are doing about it and what we hope to have as a solution to this situation.
"Over the years we have taken in tens of millions of individuals who were fleeing terrible circumstances, of being lost for eons with often little to no assistance or protection. Many of the refugees who come here bring with them hurts that are invisible to the optic or have left a generational trauma in those who arrive.
"We have made a point of having services available in quantity for our people so they can heal and have a second chance for the life they not only can have here, but the one they deserve because they exist. No one coming home to us is barred from having the life they desire and choose because of any artificial constructs or ideas that would hold them back. This colony is a miracle of cooperation and talents freed from bondage that work for the common good.
"Some migrations have come to us with different factions and ideas but in the end we have all made the decision that no matter the past, we are living in a new paradigm and thriving from it. We understand that sometimes its a process so we put services out for those who need them and there is no stigma nor shame in utilizing them because the ultimate goal is to free our sparks from bondage and learn to fly unfettered.
"A new migration arrived from a world that was protected by Cybertronian laws from colonization. The local indigenous lifeforms wanted us to leave so we brought the inhabitants from their colony which they called Meadow Lands to Mars. They had lived in extreme isolation on a world that was unsuitable for them to remain. They were not happy and there are indications that the peaceful nature of the planet makes separation from it even more difficult than usual.
"Coming here, their opportunity to adjust never had a chance when a localized dispute grew into an armed standoff. Given the unwillingness of their leadership to take responsibility and guide their people to the best path open to them, they networked and advised their people to resist. That put into danger not only those already living in their buildings but all of their own vulnerable people including a large number of children and elders.
"There was an initial shootout injuring some of us including myself. We, however, are willing to put that aside to help negotiate a settlement of this matter. There were laws broken and individuals were shot. That must be faced by those responsible in our courts with ample representation. The others must lay down their arms and help us give them assistance into making the leap from Meadow Lands to here.
"What we will not allow is anyone taking this incident and making a crusade out of it. This is linked to the System of Exception. It is banned for all time in any place and circumstance that Cybertronians exist. Not only have I issued a Primal Decree ordering this, Lord Primus Himself has taken the stand that if it persists He will personally step in to resolve it from continuing. I have personally pledged an honor fight to restore the affront to our people and my authority if this persists.
"Right now, 86 individuals have left their apartment buildings in City 4 to take up the rite of sanctuary in the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea and the Temple. Both of those buildings and their district areas are closed and off limits for the duration of this incident. No one may enter but for those who seek sparks at the Well and those who have appointments in the Monastery that cannot be canceled. You will be met by soldiers at checkpoints keeping traffic away as well as the Gatekeeper at the Monastery and the priests at the Temple.
"We offer the same guarantee to anyone in this situation who wishes to step away from the danger to safety. Lord Lauren, Lord Armour and Master Cyclonus welcome you to come and you have my word as a warrior and bearer of the Matrix that safe passage to both places is guaranteed.
"What I am not seeking is an escalation of feelings about this matter which can be harmful and long lasting in our peaceful society. We have always had many obstacles to the peace but we climb them every orn. There are few things I can say that articulate the degree of pride I have in you, our good people and the effort and grace you bring to our new world every orn. This place is good because you are good.
"Right now, we will take the time we need to resolve this peacefully. We do not want any more shooting. We do not want anyone getting hurt. We will continue to talk to you about standing this situation down and resolving the issues at hand. Do not attempt to do foolish things. What happens here might not be undone if rash ideas prevail.
"Our soldiers and negotiators, our people are working to help you. Listen to them. Believe in them. No one wants this to go badly. Everyone understands how it feels to be a refugee in a new place. Let us help you. Thank you, delegates, for this opportunity to speak about this matter. I am asking for the colony's forbearance in resolving this peacefully. Do not come to the scene. Thank you for your kind attention to this matter. Until all are one," Prime said. He shook Metallic's servo, then walked off the stage and out of sight.
Meanwhile …
"I told Ironhide to keep his right hand up," Raptor said as he watched Ironhide flail.
"He's a chaos bringer," Alor said with a grin as he watched his son getting the stuffing pounded out of him by an enraged Ratchet who found out that 1) Ironhide knew that his amma was running for District 1 delegate as part of a project in a class and forgot to tell him, 2) that she went door to door with cookies and a plan to represent the slag out of the district, 3) that she was voted into office with 89% of the vote, 4) that he knew they should have voted absentee, he did, and that he forgot to remind Ratchet before the mission blew up, 5) that she was their rep as well as everyone in District 1 that encompassed the 'Old City', all of the city of Autobot City from the prison, the airfield, the Sciences complex, The Fortress, the downtown of Autobot City, the Temple District to the Mausoleum, the residential districts from their own tower out fifteen miles in the 'Old City Residential Complex' and the airport by the stables.
The stables, too.
It was highly amusing to watch.
=0=TBC 05-17-2021