The Diego Diaries: Hear This (dd6 210)

-0-At the Courthouse

The room was cleared of the usual rubberneckers. Rather than cause a ruckus, the parties decided to have a closed hearing into the conduct of Mr. James Johnson of Chicago, Illinois, Planet Earth for now. His human representatives would be in their environmental suits and stand on the defendant's table where Johnson would be sitting with them after being brought out of his cell. His Cybertronian counsel, Highrode, would sit at that table as well.

Coln-2 and Bill Tillis, an aide for Warren Roberts and a trained lawyer would assist Colie with human law and tics. Coln had never prosecuted a human, though he was instrumental in getting the M.E.C.H. prisoners back to Earth and the various lockups that wanted them. Bill would sit on Coln's table. Semi would manage the proceedings as a senior judge and one who handled federal cases, which this was.

Watching as the state's representative, Ambassador Ratchet would be there along with a number of others including Prowl as the Prime's personal representative. It was unlikely that Prime would appear, though anything was possible. The courtroom held a number of individuals, some of which waited outside such as Drift and Springer who would speak to the complaint. Tika would be there and so would some of the humans at the party.

The door opened as the defendant was brought in. He was in the travel cage where he would stay when coming and going. The humans wouldn't have that sort of condition but he was the defendant, not them. The bailiff, Matins, carried the box, then set it on the table. The lawyers who had arrived earlier were shown how to have a private conversation with Johnson who was tense and filled with concern. He glanced around at the room and all who were here, then leaned into the clear sides of the box to have a conversation with the humans and Highrode.

Sitting on chairs on Coln's table, Warren who would attend as senior human representative and agent of Autobot Nation and Bill Tillis, counsel, watched them. They were going over this and that, he was sure. They had arrived earlier and had chatted with Johnson over the link between the jail cell he inhabited and Earth2. Sitting on a bench that was always there for humans, Owen Harris, Hamilton Brown, Peri Beliveau, Kyle Davis, William 'Bill' Baker, and Mark Jameson, all of them money men for the Earth2 project sat on it watching with varying degrees of concern the goings-on. With them was Cynthia Tomas, Publicity and Public Relations.

The door opened again as Semi walked in, tall, confident and imposingly dignified. He would handle the case. Barron and Blackstone walked in and sat down, leaning in to speak together. Owen Harris stared at them, then glanced at the others. :There's the Attorney General of Mars, Cybertron and the Empire. That's Barron. The mech with him is in charge of all public defenses as well. He's called Blackstone and was a famous lawyer before the war, a dissident lawyer. They along with that prosecutor are the main movers in the legal community here: Harris said.

At that moment, Silver, the Clerk rose. "Please stand for the Honorable Judge Semi."

Everyone did.

"Please sit and show decorum. If you act up, you will be removed," Silver said as he sat, worked on his computer and tech station setting up the recording, then waited.

Semi was working on his own computer at his podium desk. Behind him on the walls, the flags of Mars, Cybertron and the Primes hung. Around the walls of the room, the banners of the city-states and off world locations of their people hung as well. He finally looked up, took the measure of the room, then sat back. "My name is Semi and I'm a federal judge here on Mars. As such, those cases that bear on federal law or off world jurisdictions fall into my purview. I'm here to listen to the presentations, then decide what infractions have been made and what, if any, punishments should be meted out. I would tell you that this is the first case involving humans on world short of an extradition case some time before. I would thereby asked Silver, the court clerk to read the charges."

Silver glanced at Semi, then turned back to his computer. "The defendant, James Wayne Johnson, human, resident of Earth2 is hereby charged with trespass on the sovereign territory of Cybertron and Mars, disturbing the peace of the colony, assault with the intent to batter a Cybertronian national, assault and battery on a human security officer, and causing bodily harm with intent to do so," he said. He glanced at Semi who nodded. Turning back, he entered the data, then looked at Highrode.

"Counselors, who speaks now and what is your client's plea?" Semi asked.

"I do, your honor," Highrode said. "I am being advised by human counsel who have come from Earth to participate in the trial but because they have no standing here, I am counsel of record."

"Make the record show that, Silver," Semi said. Silver did. "Please continue."

"Your honor, our client pleads not guilty by extenuating circumstances," Highrode said.

Semi nodded. "Very well. We shall take pleadings now."

"I have none at the moment, your honor," Coln-2 said.

"I have a request from the defendant to speak but I'm going to ask that to be at the end, if at all. I have advised my client that he'd be foolish to treat this as something less than the utmost serious occasion it is. I will be counseling him as we go about this course of action. Otherwise, we have no pleadings."

"Very well. Coln? Are you prepared to plead the Prime's Brief?" Semi asked.

Coln nodded. "Yes, sir, I am."

"Very well. Please do so," Semi said as he sat back to listen.

Silver sat before the court plugged into the system, running the machines which recorded everything.

"Your honor, I'm here to plead the Prime's Brief and uphold the laws of The People against the human known as James Johnson. Last night, during Thanksgiving, Mr. Johnson caused a disturbance at Earth2 in which he menaced and chased a Cybertronian national and micro mini-con employee with the intention of creating bodily harm, entering into a highly secured off limits elevator to go to the command center of the installation. When he entered the elevator, he trespassed onto Cybertronian territory, violated a number of agreements and treaties, then reached the command center itself. It was there that William Lennox following him reached the deck and a brawl ensued. Apparently, there's bad blood between the defendant and the on-world commander of all humans who live here.

"While this was happening, a call to the Chief of Security for the Empire, Springer of Polyhex was made and he came along with his second, Commander Drift of Kaon. They interdicted the situation and arrested Mr. Johnson on the spot. That's the situation overall. Right now, I would like to call William Lennox to the stand."

The door opened and a segway drove in, stopping at the stand. Silver administered the oath. "Do you state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?" Lennox agreed, then turned to face the two sets of lawyers to wait stoically. Coln picked up his list of questions and began.

"Sir, you are overall commandant of the humans here, both military and civilian. Correct?" Coln-2 aka C2

:Yes: -William Lennox aka WL

"You were at a Thanksgiving dinner for all humans on-world at Earth2. Correct?"

:Yes: -WL

"You have a history with James Johnson. Please tell us about that." -C2

:I'm senior striker commander for N.E.S.T. ground forces both on Earth and here on-world and I train with my command team, Sargent Robert Epps and Captain Niall Graham all individuals who apply for and pass the preliminary program for striker placements. We're an elite group which demands group unity and cohesion so the standard is high. James Johnson was a candidate who finished basic training at Camp McKall which sorts out those who have what it takes from those who don't. The next step is training at Diego or other N.E.S.T. bases in a beta striker team. Johnson was there. While he was there, he acted out on his prejudices about the bots, created a scene and was scrubbed. He was unsuited to be a striker for N.E.S.T. He was returned to the army where he chose to resign. We don't agree on anything and I don't respect him:

Johnson bristled but he said nothing as his attorneys listened, commented off line together and watched.

"What are your feelings about his presence here?" -C2

:I don't like it. He wasn't up to it with the bots before and having him here is doubly problematic. I don't care for mercenaries. Real soldiers don't: Lennox said as he stared at Johnson coldly. :It bothers me that Earth2 feels they have to have hired mercenaries on site. This place falls under our jurisdiction inside and Prime's outside. Having them here feels like a provocation: -WL

"What did you personally see of the incident, if anything?" -C2

:I saw Johnson turn toward Tika and growl at him. Tika looked afraid and at that moment when Johnson stood up to chase Tika, all of us rose and went, too. I don't think Tika understood how he could have shredded Johnson but he followed his orders and training. He left the area but Johnson followed. We gave chase but Tika followed by Johnson had already entered the elevator to the command deck and were on their way. We were too late to follow: -WL

"What did you do then?" -C2

:I personally overrode the locks and we went up, several of us. When I reached the deck, Tika was standing with Siso and Siso was unhappy about all of it. I told him that I would take care of the problem. That's when Johnson challenged me, making it about Diego. We then exchanged blows: -WL

"Who landed the first one? Apparently, that's an important aspect of human law regarding assault and battery." -C2

"I did: -WL

"Why?" -C2

:I had the responsibility to bring this to a close and I knew he wouldn't go without a fight. I take responsibility for that but I give him full responsibility for creating an interplanetary incident, starting it by threatening a mech and trespassing on the Prime's territory. I neutralized the threat as I saw fit because Johnson wanted to fight at the moment he saw me exit the elevator. Dr. Grant patched us up and Springer arrived. So did the leadership of the facility along with Generals Morshower, Bowers and Liaison Charlotte Mearing. That didn't count the others, several thousand others. Everyone was there for a party. I had to end it and I did: -WL

"Why did Mr. Johnson do what he did in your professional estimation?: -C2

"Objection. This would be a subjective answer with little relevance to the facts," Highrode said.

Semi mulled that over. "I think I will uphold that objection. You have established a history between them. We are aware they are hostile to each other. Any further questions?"

"Not at this time. I reserve more for later," Coln said as he sat.

"Counselor," Semi said as Highrode stood.

"Mr. Lennox … you have a lot of hostility against my client. You landed the first blow. Was there no other way to defuse the situation without a fight? My client is charged with assault and battery which you started by landing the first blow," Highrode said. "That hardly seems fair."

:My role as leader of the human colony and colonists here on-world, Highrode, gives me a lot of latitude. I can send anyone home for good no matter who they are. My purview is based on the concept of keeping everyone alive and the alliance in good order. No one outranks me here, not even presidents and prime ministers. My word is the first and last law. All of the charters acknowledge that including that of Earth2. When I saw the situation on the deck and knew that a territorial breach had happened, I had the responsibility to end the situation before the interplanetary incident became worse than it was. Mr. Johnson was drunk, belligerent, threatening to Tika, and then to me when I arrived with the others. He came toward me to fight. I neutralized the threat as I saw it: -WL

"But my client is bearing the burden of assault and battery," Highrode said.

:I took care of an incursion with a belligerent and drunk invader. The charges aren't my purview. That will have to be taken up with the courts: -WL

"How many of these kind of interactions have you had with Mr. Johnson and his companions at Earth2 in all?" Highrode asked.

:I had an argument at Diego and this fight. That's it. I had no idea that Johnson and Sam Hedges who is also here were being insulting to the bots at Diego until I was told. When that happened, he and Hedges were washed out. They've held a grudge ever since: -WL

"And you haven't?" Highrode asked.

:I haven't thought about them since Diego until they showed up here. I don't like that they're here. They're unprofessional, prejudiced against your people and trouble. They drink and make trouble: -WL

Highrode considered the questions. He had done his best to show a prejudicial attitude in Lennox based on past events but he didn't want to push it too far. Everyone here knew about the mercenaries and what they did to the garrison at Diego. He sat. "Thank you, Mr. Lennox."

Coln stood. "Mr. Lennox, is Mr. Johnson part of the mercenary group on Diego?"

:They were part of a failed striker effort. They, however, spend a lot of time with mercenaries who were there and gave us so much trouble. Now they're here as security for Earth2. I don't like it one bit: Will said with an edge. He stared at Johnson who stared at him.

"Thank you, Mr. Lennox. No further questions." Coln sat.

"Thank you, Mr. Lennox. You may go," Semi said.

Will drove to Ratchet and parked the segway next to him.

"The prosecution calls Tika of Village D4 please, your honor," Coln said.

The bailiff leaned out, then in as a tiny mech walked in, nervous and wary. He walked to Coln, then over to the stand where he stood.

Silver looked toward him. "Do you speak English, Tika?"

He nodded.

"Very well. Do you state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?"

"I do," he said in his soft voice. He glanced at Johnson, then looked away. He was small, shiny red and very sweet. He was also very smart, very kindly and very loved at Earth2.

"Tika, please tell us what you do at Earth2," Coln asked.

"Well … I'm a millwright for the plant. If something goes wrong, I fix it. I can get into places others can't reach. I also do a lot of the computer maintenance and I'm a floor walker. If they need heavy lifting or something that falls into the noted listed items we can attend to, I go there and help."

"How do you get along with everyone?" Coln asked. He already knew. He had dozens and dozens of emails from residents who were worried about this and stood up for the little mech.

"I think that I have friends among the humans. I have never been treated badly until now. I like them and they like me," he said puzzledly. "I don't know what happened."

"What happened from your perspective, Tika," Coln said as he sat to listen.

Tika looked at him, then the judge. "Well, I bumped him … that human," he said pointing to Johnson. "I didn't mean to. It was just an accident, then he rose and began to shout at me. I was … I didn't know what to do, then I remembered the protocols about leaving to go to a supervisor if something happens that feels threatening. I ran for the elevator and entered but this human followed. Fortunately, it was a short ride."

"What then, Tika?" Coln asked quietly.

"I ran to Siso. He's so big, I thought it was safer. That's when Major Lennox arrived and everything fell apart." Tika looked distressed. "I never saw organics fight before. It's messy and awful."

"What and who started it from your perspective?" Coln asked.

"Well, that human was really angry and he turned on Major Lennox. He wanted to fight. He said something that led me to believe they were not friends. He walked toward the Major with his fists up, like he wanted to fight. Indeed, he goaded Major Lennox."

"Then what happened?" Coln asked.

"Why, Major Lennox punched Mr. Johnson in the face," Tika said with big optics and no small sense of amazement.

-0-TBC 12-05-17 edited 1-10-18

LEONESS: BWAHAHAHAHAHA! The power of words. ;)

PANDORA: I think I like Tulsi better. :D

FANCYSPINNER: I love their kind of fun. I would love to hang out at the dojo. :D

NOTES:

Has no standing: can't defend someone because you aren't a member of the legal community here. Someone who has no standing in something has no rights, no power, can't act.