The Diego Diaries: Requiem (dd6 271)
-0-Courtroom
"All of them? How many did you at that time understand were affected?"
Prowl stared at Coln. "We were under the impression that half a million individuals were in this group in total but there were barely 3,000 in the group in hand. They intimated to us that they were leaving their settlement under duress. That meant a catastrophe had to have happened and we had to find them."
"Then you went forward to do so," Coln asked.
"We did. When we arrived in the system, we realized that we weren't alone. There was a confederation of alien civilizations who lived there who shared the same cultural references and had a strong alliance based around a mutual god. They couldn't be bargained with. They wanted us to leave and they began to build up a huge force against us." Prowl glanced at the first rows of the defendants but they weren't registering any kind of response. "We went to the planets themselves and thereby, we confirmed our worst fears and their testimony about what had happened."
"They had confessed," Coln asked.
Prowl nodded. "Eleven of Twelve told us what had happened. We went from place to place and found only dead. There were dead mechs of all ages, femmes, children from babies to sub adults … it was grim and terrifyingly awful."
"What happened then?" Coln asked.
"There was contact with the aliens from the start and they made it clear that they wanted us gone. They began a huge build up and so did we. We called up the secondary fleet and then in the end, our biggest frames. As that was happening, as we were on the ground figuring out what to do, they began to build a huge energy enclosure around our entire battle group. We also had some tests, shootings and ships sparring at this moment and it was clear to all of us that this wasn't going to end well. We figured there would be fighting when we broke the energy enclosure but they didn't fight us at that moment," Prowl said.
"There was no one to save," Coln said. "Where did you find everyone and how did they get there?"
"There was no one left alive. They were called from their locations and told to go to their homes. It was then, when everyone was in their homes and accounted for that they issued the signal that killed them. It was … 'efficient'." The tone of Prowl's voice left no guesses about what he felt about that.
"When it was clear that no one was alive, we tried to find evidence of what happened. We looked everywhere, then pulled the databases and computers," Prowl said. "Prime could make no headway with the aliens in negotiations, so we had to figure out how to leave without abandoning the dead to the vultures for pillaging," Prowl said. "It was decided to destroy the installations on the two worlds where there were no bodies. Then destroy the home worlds themselves where the bodies were."
"How did you accomplish that?" Coln asked.
"The Prime decided to pull everyone out, letting them think we were leaving," Prowl said. "The battle group went through the bridges until it only the dreads and Supremes were left. As they also turned to leave, Prime ordered them to unload every missile and bullet that they carried into both planets. The aliens came for us when we did but we went through the bridges. Tennyson before he teleported saw the two planets disintegrate. We left and it was over. The aliens wouldn't have our people to pillage."
It was silent a moment. Then Coln considered his questions. "Tell me, Commander, what you know about the councilors."
"They were unwilling to cooperate at any point in the operation. They hindered us all along the way. They showed zero remorse about what they did and they had to be coerced to help."
"It is understood that Prime removed an arm and beat four of them with it," Coln said.
Prowl considered that. "They weren't cooperating and at that time, we felt that half a million of our people were still alive and in danger. They weren't helping us to find and rescue them. It was a question of who was in the more urgent situation. We defaulted to trying to save the people in greatest danger and if the four had a discomforted moment, then I stand guilty as charged."
It was silent, then Coln put down his datapad. "No more questions for now."
Blackstone stood, then considered his questions. He had a terrible hand but he was going to try to pick this apart where he could. "Commander, tell me about the coercion of the four leaders."
Prowl considered things, they opted for the facts. "Prime asked them for information about where the missing individuals were and what happened to them. They refused. It was a calculation to do what was done, one designed to save half a million lives. Prime pulled off an arm and beat all of them with it."
"Is that standard practice for interrogations?" Blackstone asked.
"No. However, given the circumstances and their unwillingness to tell us about half a million missing and likely endangered individuals, it was a calculation we were willing to make. I'm sure that if there are charges brought, all of us as participants and witnesses are ready to stand for them," Prowl said.
"There was no other way?" Blackstone asked.
"We had exhausted all other possibilities and short of jacking into them and rummaging around in their heads, we did what we felt would elicit the information the quickest," Prowl replied.
"No more questions," Blackstone said as he sat.
Prowl was dismissed and sat at the recorder's table. Coln stood. "I wish to call to the stand Commander Ratchet."
Ratchet walked up, took the oath and waited. Coln stared at him a moment. "Commander, you found the chips. How did that happen, how do they work and what is their purpose?"
"We were discussing the Functionalists on board ship and some of the soldiers with us who are exempt and remembered them mentioned the devices. We scanned the elders with us and found them there. It could be that they were a Quintesson feature that the Functionalists co-opted for themselves or they weren't. I'm not sure and the record is sparse. However, it consists of two chips, one in the PC-31 sector of the processor and a smaller one hidden deeper nearby. I removed them and had the group scanned. Both Gamma and Xantium Supreme bore them, one giant one to kill them. They were sent back to have them removed, then came back with their siblings, all of whom bore them. They were small devices for everyone else that if activated by a signal would short out, tripping some delicate wiring in the processor which would explode it. It would be instantaneous and the Functionalists wouldn't have to see the end result of their actions due to the remote detonation feature."
"How did that many of them die like this? Prowl said they were in their homes," Coln asked.
"We went through the data and saw that their last message, the last one sent to everyone was an order to go to their homes and stay there. They went, all of them. There was no one in the mines on other worlds and no one at the different work sites. Everyone was found in their homes. It was there that they all lie dead. All of those I examined, and I did many, were dead from exploded processors. The explosions originated in the same locations, the PC-31 sector. It killed everyone, mechs, femmes, elders, children, and babies. Families died together, it would appear."
The air was heavy in the room but the Functionalists sat stoically in their seats, rows of silent identical individuals who could easily have been items on a store shelf. They discussed a few more technical things, then Ratchet turned toward Blackstone. He stood and looked at Ratchet thoughtfully. "Doctor, what would you think about someone capable of doing such a thing to anyone, let alone that many and various a group?"
"I would have to examine them to search out deformities in their helms and bodies because this is so outside the norm for anyone. I was alternating between horror and fury at the time," Ratchet said. "At the moment, more practical concerns weren't at the forefront of my mind."
"Would you consider anyone who could do such a thing deficient in their grasp of how things are supposed to be? Damaged in their mentality or even defective?" Blackstone asked.
"That's usually the first thought when something like this happens, especially when children and babies are part of the crime. Its so outside the normal that your first instinct is to try and find the source of such cruelty and indifference. It's why I ordered Rung and Jarro to assess them and try to find defects. I handled the medical end with a number of specialists who are experts at determining processor health from a medical point of view," Ratchet said.
"And what did you discover?" Blackstone asked as he picked up the medical and processor reports he was given.
"We found no obvious deformities in them. We saw normal processors and with very few deviations from the normal," Ratchet said. "If I were looking for a medical place where such a world view could originate, I didn't find one. I believe that the processor department is going to have to give you findings for why they did this. It very well could be that they just don't care this much."
"You found nothing medical that could account for this?" Blackstone said.
"No, Blackstone. I really looked but found nothing that would spark this," Ratchet said.
"What about oppressive conformity of behavior," Blackstone said. "I read a few of your papers about this phenomenon among our people. The kind of thing that makes someone a 'good soldier' to a tyrant. How would those studies you made apply to this situation? I doubt that anyone would argue that there are few groups more suffocatingly overbearing than this one."
Ratchet considered that as he stared at the group who didn't react to Blackstone's insult. "I believe there are personalities that don't like to think for themselves, that they're very happy to be told what to do and are willing in their zeal to conform to very high degrees to participate, even in terrible things. They have many motivations. They may just want to belong that greatly, are swept up in something bigger than they're used to, want to impress someone that they admire, or even rise to the top of the group they aspire to and are willing to do what it takes. Pressure on some, especially those with a weak will or processor, can make them do things that are terrible or against common sense."
"Do you believe that you see that here? The Functionalists demand absolute conformity," Blackstone said.
"It could. I would have to discuss it with my colleagues and examine them again. I don't rule out anything now, Blackstone. I only have my small part of the puzzle," Ratchet said.
"Thank you, Doctor," Blackstone said as he sat.
Coln stood. "Doctor … if the ideas that you were studying apply to them, for the sake of argument, does that eliminate responsibility for things they do? Is it a mental condition?"
"That depends on a lot of factors. Other factors would have to be present to make it a mental and thereby mitigating condition. However, mostly its not. It's not a mitigating factor in what a person does. Many are the atrocities committed in war that were done by weak willed individuals who were 'just following orders'. We aren't immune to that and its not enough of a factor to release them from responsibility."
"Thank you." Coln sat.
Ratchet stepped down and sat on the bench.
"I would like to call Commander Springer," Coln said.
The questioning of soldiers involved in the take over would last a while. They would all tell similar stories along with many Seekers. It wouldn't go well for the Functionalists.
-0-Earth2
The kids walked in from school heading for home and then fun and games. Jaycee Jameson wasn't one of them. She was at the Family Tower with Annie Lennox and the others. She was fitting in swimmingly and often hung out with the younger kids. Even though they were younger, they got along greatly. Rain and Lilly walked into the cafe to get a bite. School was so long that they found themselves ravenous by the time they got back to the habitat. Sitting after ordering, they sat back tiredly. "Rowing in the pool is going to kill me," Lilly said.
Rain nodded. "I've never seen such a big pool. I like rowing, though."
Lilly nodded. "We're going to Trypticon tomorrow. Does your Mom still want to come? Mine does. She has to do her two hours at school so she's coming along."
"Mine isn't. A bunch of reporters and magazines are going to be here for a few days. Mom is in charge of showing them around. I hope to get a picture at least in the Vanity Fair article. Imagine," she said with a grin. "Vanity Fair."
Lilly grinned. "I hear you." Their food was called and they got it, returning to sit to eat. As they did, they did what they also did when they got off. They began their homework.
-0-Middle afternoon in a courtroom
"Coln-2," Prime said. "We are going to end the session today if you are at a point where you can break. If not, we will continue."
Coln looked up at Prime. "No, sir. We can rest here and pick it up tomorrow."
Prime glanced at Blackstone. "Counselor?"
"We can rest here, Lord Optimus," Blackstone said.
"Very well," Prime said as he stood. "This court is in recess until tomorrow at 1000 hours on the TMC. You are cautioned that an informational black out is in place on this case."
Everyone nodded, then stood as Prime stepped down. It was a weary group that watched the defendants walk into the jail once again. Prowl finished up the recording and set it for the next orn. Locking the record, he turned to Prime. "I'm famished. Are you?"
Prime nodded, then glanced at the others. "I think a meal at The Pit Stop would be a good idea. That is where we are going. You are welcome to come if you can."
The others stretched, then followed Prowl and Prime out as Coln and Blackstone sat down together to talk. It was a nice walk to the restaurant which was between rushes. Sitting, pulling tables together, they ordered and waited for food. No one spoke of the orn's exertions. Everyone spoke about family and fun.
Life.
-0-TBC 2-11-18 edited 3-4-18
NOTES:
Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 269 . Feb 10
I'm shocked at how passionate Hercy got during his portion of the beginning speech. He's normally so even tempered. It just goes to show how deep and abhorrent the deeds of the Functionalists and the System of Exception are.
I loved the beginning speeches a lot. It explained more about Cybertron and Primus. It also delved into the poisoning of the entire culture. The Exempt Bots are amazing and needed to endure so much. I admire them more now then before.
ME: YOUR MESSAGES SHOWED UP! LOL! I love telling about their history and the entire enormous backstory of the TF's. It's so interesting though I will say I tweak a bit of it to fit the story here. Not much. They have such a huge range of possibilities. I didn't know about the Guiding Hand until I started this story and did research. :D Hercy was a kid and he was ready to be scrapped. He still feels the pain. The exempts are their treasure, the ones who remember everything. I love showing the long history of this universe and its characters. I love TF something awful. HUGS!
kattenbelletje chapter 269 . Feb 10
I love it when elders tell stories about how things used to be. I hope we will learn more. Will there be flashback stories or a spin off?
ME: Yes to both. I have been brewing up a story about Ironhide as a little kid strarting with Delphi and Hardie in the most remote past. I think them having Raptor and the progression to them showing up on Mars would be a really fun story to write. Right now, I'm sort of outlining it. DD sucks the wind out of me. I still have the other story that needs picking up and I will. I have about two stories connected to the elders being blocked out now. I love the elders and their solid decency.
optimus prime101 chapter 268 . Feb 9
Do you know where I can look at the covenant of Primus all I find of ones where you have to join the website to download it?
I have tried to find it online and have had no luck but I'll try again. You never know. :D
Sunstreaker's Girl chapter 267 . Feb 8
Here we go...
I'm curious, are the Functionalist Council in the courtroom yet or are they sequestered elsewhere? I'd think they would be elsewhere since I doubt they could keep their non-mouths quiet.
I like that there are multiple exempt Bots available to question. I'd hate to be the only one to reflect on a time that was so depressing and full of turmoil. They say misery likes company and that's the time the Bots won their freedom from the Quintessons but lost it immediately to the Functionalists.
I'll also repeat my previous post by saying, Optimus may have a hard time with this case, but he's the only one who could determine the punishment. Not only does he consult the Matrix, he also asks the Pantheon for help.
That said, I'd love to be present for a Cybertronian court case, though not this one. I think it would be fun and interesting. Maybe the cutest cases so far are the cases with drunk Mini-cons. Yes, that's exactly the type of case that would be my choice to sit in on.
ME: I love the trials. Some of the funny ones, the mini-cons crack me up. Some are just fun for the fights and this one, it needs to happen. The background didn't involve them so they weren't there. They will be and they won't be a good client for poor Blackstone. The case is so terrible that the Matrix has to be part of it. It's too big and awful otherwise. :D