The Diego Diaries: Partay! (dd6 227)
-0-In an office in the top of a tower in Metrotitan, a vast office filled with amazing tech, comfortable furnishings, a big desk, and a lot of Wreckers
"Hey."
Everyone looked toward the door where Maxi stood. She worked and ruled the roost outside in a vast room with several assistants assisting her to run the show as she sat by the window at her big desk with tech out the wazoo. Tyke was home and life was good again. "What's up, Maxi?" Springer said as he looked up from a dozen or so datapads that needed his attention.
"Got a call from the Parole Office. It would appear that Traachon hasn't shown up for work for two orns and he hasn't called his job, nor has he called his PO. Given it was him, I thought you might want to handle it yourself."
"Good call. I'll take it," Springer said. Maxi walked back out to do a million other things in this, an entire tower dedicated to the Day/Night Watch of the colony. Downward in the levels below this, the penthouse, labs, lock ups, offices, data centers, and a number of things he didn't know about more than in passing were busy with the business of teaching new officers including those in from Cybertron, detecting, collecting and such.
It was amazing.
"You'll take it to get out of doing your desk work, slagger."
Springer glanced over at Metrotitan who was slouched into a comfortable chair, his big peds resting on the coffee table in front of him, then grinned. "I liked you better before pretender gear."
Huge laughter greeted that as Springer stood up and stretched. "Pony up, boys. Time to take down a high tone."
Everyone including Titan rose to walk to the door. Snarking with Maxi and two others in the outer office, they walked out to take the elevator to the ground but not before they found out that Traachon was in the Diner On The Corner in Terra.
-0-At the Diner
They walked into the diner, then took a seat next to the booth where Traachon sat with three others. They gathered together, pushing tables against each other to sit. Waiters took their orders, then everyone relaxed. Laughing about another who wasn't here and some funny thing that they had done on the beat, they made a show of not noticing Traachon who was watching them silently.
He sat with three mechs that neither Drift nor Springer knew, all of them obviously at lunch and all of them watching the group with concern or wariness. Springer grinned, then made a show of glancing their way. He 'startled', then grinned again. "Traachon. Fancy meeting you here. Who are your friends?"
Traachon stared at Springer, the worst kind of individual to him … smart and violent. Dedicated to Prime, Springer was no ally and neither was Titan who was smirking at him. "Eating. You? You just happened to come here to this very place?"
"Actually, I came to pick you up for a parole violation and decided to not only let you finish your lunch but have one of my own. I brought a few of the mechs. Go ahead. Finish up," Springer said as he turned to the waiter who brought his food. Plates were laid on, drinks topped off, then the waiter hurried off to help others. "This looks good. It looks good, right?" he asked a smirking Drift.
"I would say so," Drift said as he began to eat his food.
"Parole violation … did the court order this?" Traachon asked in a very calm voice even as the three with him began to tense up.
"Yep," Springer said. "Who's your friends? I can check them for parole violations, too."
"They aren't bound by such restrictions," Traachon said.
They sat together, the four watching the dozen or so eat their food, trade quips and drink their beer. It was a busy place but there was no way they could walk out of the diner through the big mechs. They had sat together blocking the pathway out of the building, something they did on purpose, it was clear.
For a while, they sat quietly, then Traachon leaned closer to Springer. "We want to leave now. I suppose that's out of the question."
Springer nodded. "You haven't reported to work two orns in a row and you haven't let the Parole Office know, nor your P.O. You've broken the conditions of your parole, Traachon. I figured someone like you would have better sense than to test our resolve."
"I have extenuating circumstances," Traachon said as the others sat silently, warily, watching the exchange.
"Well … I'm open to a good story myself," Springer said as he leaned back and fixed Traachon with a cool gaze.
It was silent a moment, then Traachon replied. "My bond is feeling under the weather. I've stayed home. Frankly, if I may be clear, I'm bored with my employment. I would rather not go there given all things being equal. I would rather stay with Millow."
"I can see that," Springer said as he subbed a device. Tapping in a number, he waited. A voice answered. "Substation #42, Watchman Partition speaking." Springer grinned. "Partition, I need you to go to make a wellness check at the home of Traachon and Millow of Capital City. You can find it in the database. Take a mech with you to witness."
"On it, Chief," Partition said, then the line went dead.
Traachon who had signed off a message with the bond at the same time sat back. Millow would cover him.
"What's the story on Millow?" Springer asked. "What's his situation?"
"He's had a hard time. He hasn't felt well the last two orns. I stayed home to care for him. I put that responsibility over everything else."
"Is he depressed? Does he feel lonely and isolated?" Springer asked.
"You don't expect me to discuss my bond's well being with you do you?" Traachon answered with offense.
"Not really, but I've noticed something about all the bonds of you pompous windbags, you titans of Cybertron and your fragged up thinking. All of your bonds are depressed, feel isolated and have trouble feeling anything but fragged. Edict drank solvents and tried to die. Anders was severely depressed and Madura was housebound with depression and misery. Why is that, Traachon? Why would the bonds of all you high fliers be so oppressed and miserable? One of them to the point of suicide?"
Traachon stared at him, then shrugged. "Why don't you tell me? You're the expert it would appear."
Springer glanced at his device, then put in another number. A voice answered. "Autobot City Processor Health Hospital and Out Patient Center, Togo speaking. How can I help you?" he asked.
"This is Chief Springer, Togo. I need a wellness check at the home of Traachon and Millow of Capital City. Contact Watchman Medic Partition who's doing a wellness check. Meet him there and give Millow a full field exam. I'm heading over there now with his bond. He's due to go to jail for a parole violation but I want to know that Millow is safe and up to it."
"On it, Springer," Togo said.
Springer stood, then looked at Traachon. "Up and at 'em, Traachon. Time to go." He looked at the other three. "Do I need to run your names against the warrant database or can I take your word for it that you're not wanted?"
The three stiffened, then glanced at each other. "No," one of them said. "We were just visiting and we're going now."
"Good," Springer said. "You might rethink who you associate with."
The three glanced at Traachon, then slid out of the booth. They hurried onward to the door and left. The group watched them go, then turned toward Springer. "Move it, Traachon. We need to check in at your house, then head for jail."
Traachon stood, then walked without comment to the door with Springer and the others. It was a long silent journey to his city, tower and apartment.
-0-Already there
He rapped on the door as he stood in the hallway with Aero, a veteran policeman who was here with 'the rookie'. The door opened as a big handsome mech opened it, staring at them silently. "Yes?"
"I'm Officer Medic Partition of the Day Watch and this is my partner, Officer Aero. We were delegated to come and give a wellness check for Millow of Capital City, bond of Traachon. Is that you?" Partition asked.
Millow stared at both of them, then opened the door wider. "Yes. Come in."
The two entered, then the door closed. The apartment was elegant and filled with things that were antique enough that they had to have come with the occupants over the long travail of The Diaspora. It reminded Partition of a lot of homes he had visited in his youth, vague memories of life in another time and place. He looked at Millow who looked at him. "I will need to plug in," Partition said as he unsubbed his field kit. Opening it on the coffee table, he turned to Millow who had sat down on the couch. Carefully, gently, he plugged in and waited as the data came forward. As it did, a rap could be heard on the door outside.
Aero walked to it and opened the door, letting in a mech with a kit of his own.
"Hi," he said. "I'm Target. I was sent to do a mental health wellness check by the Watch."
Aero nodded. "Come on in. Partition is doing the health check."
Target nodded, then walked in to sit down beside Millow who looked like an ice cube of suppressed rage and overwhelming control. "Hi. How do you feel? We received a call to check up on you, Millow."
"I feel … tired," Millow said.
Target began to pull out meters and plugged into Millow's wrist jack. He watched the meter as he recorded the data. "Do you feel any sense of being isolated?"
"This is all new. I have to find where my friends live and start over. That's always … tiresome," he said quietly.
"What about depression? Do you feel sad or even unhappy, without control … does it come upon you out of the blue or is it a companion?" Target said as he pulled the jack and began to scan Millow with hand devices.
"It comes and goes," Millow said. Whether he was lying or not, it was hard to say. "It's been a hard venture coming here."
"It's a common complaint," Target said. "Just losing the idea of maybe being attacked or having something come out of the darkness to hurt you … that's a common complaint and dream. Have you had dreams like that?"
"I have … I find it hard to see my bond struggle and have him gone as much as he is," Millow said.
A rap on the door sounded, then Aero opened it, leaning out a moment. He stepped back to let Springer and Drift in with Traachon following. Traachon paused in front of Millow, then frowned. "This is not acceptable."
"Neither is you breaking parole," Springer said. "Anything yet?" he asked the two working on Millow.
Partition turned to him after checking his data, then pulling the plugs. "He's sound. He has no protoform wasting and I detect no drugs or scripts in his system. He's had a drink but nothing excessive. He's fit and well without blemish or difficulty internally. His processor reads clear and so do his major systems. I can detect with this preliminary examination nothing wrong with him that's evident at this level."
Springer nodded. "Thanks," he said, then he turned to Target. "Anything?"
Target glanced up, then looked at Millow. "Millow reports fatigue and concern over his bond. He reports some separation anxiety but nothing of great consequence. Right now, I detect nothing obvious but that's because this is only cursory. Something more in depth could reveal anything or nothing more. I would say that he's slightly anxious, could be suffering incipient depression and a sense of isolation due to change of circumstances and the absence of his bond. I find nothing extreme or worrying in the data. He's not suffering either substance nor physical impairment. Further tests would have to be run to determine how great his anxiety condition is but for now, I'd say its at a mild level."
Springer nodded. "Thanks," he said. "I'd love a report forwarded to my office of your findings."
Partition and Aero nodded, then packed up. Moving to the door, they waited. Springer was staring at Millow, then turned to Traachon. "Your bond appears to be able so he should be alright while you go to jail for parole violations. Millow, you're going to stay on our radar while he's in jail. Tomorrow, the magistrate will review your case and see if there's enough in it to revoke your special permit release. Let's go," he said as he took Traachon's arm.
Millow stood, his gaze fixed on Traachon. They appeared to be speaking off line, then Traachon moved toward the door. The group walked out and the door closed behind them. Walking to the elevator, they entered. Springer glanced at Traachon. "You're a real piece of work. Merry Christmas Surprise, Millow."
Traachon didn't say another word from that moment until the jail bars went up behind him at the Courthouse.
-0-TBC 12-23-17 edited 12-24-17 edited 1-11-18
NOTES:
I saw the latest episode of Transformers: Titans Return on Youtube that was so great. I LOVE the portrayal of Megatron and I NEVER liked him before, he was such a great villain. There is a GREAT thing with Fort Max in this that you have to see. Just search for Transformers: Titans Return. The episodes are only about 11 minutes long and the entire series, a second one, you can get the other online as well, is only about an hour and a half altogether. Peter Cullen voices Prime PERCY is there. :D You will love it. Cybertron is also beautiful.