The Diego Diaries: Requiescat In Pace (dd6 275)
-0-Courtroom
"I find similar circumstances in my results that my colleague reached. I also examined a number of other things outside of the direct testing of individuals to allow me to have an array of questions with with to assess them. I had a number of individuals in the data division of the City Hall and the National Archives at the Museum do historical researches for me. I wanted to use that information in my questions to find out what we're dealing with here.
"I would like to say that nothing really phases me in the quest for the truth and the well being of my subjects and patients. I have 47 of the most difficult patients here and on Cybertron. I have serial killers, some of the most deadly patients from the prison who had decompensated and were rescued before they went past the point of possible retrieval, individuals who see me as a game, a test of their inner ability to triumph over the state … that sort of thing. As it stands, this group falls slightly past the middle in difficulty.
"I found that they are sociopathic in their thinking and conduct and I concur with Jarro on that point. I find that some of them are also psychopathic. I concluded that One, Three, Six, Nine, and Twelve exhibit the classic symptoms of psychopathic personalities. All of them fall well below normal on the personality scales that we use to place them in the continuum of behavior that constitutes both normal and abnormal activity. All of them fall short of normal. I could give the court the data and explain it if you require," Rung stated with a slightly hopeful tone to his voice.
"I am confident in your credentials, Doctor," Coln replied. Blackstone nodded. Both remembered three joors of sitting with Rung as he explained in minute detail what he had found. "We have had the benefit of your professionalism already. Are you good with that, counselor?" he asked.
"I am. Thank you, Doctor," Blackstone said.
"Lord Optimus?" Rung asked.
He glanced at Coln and Blackstone who looked tense. "I defer to the counsel's greater wisdom and to you, Doctor."
The two lawyers and their group relaxed as Coln turned to a slightly disappointed Rung. "Please continue, Doctor."
"They were resistant but that is my favorite kind of patient. I have become quite adept at seeing in that sort of personality that which they most try to hide. Patience is a virtue," Rung said. "They have no empathy, but then, this kind of individual is devoid of it and that's a major feature of their personality disturbance. They can't see the other person in their own place and thus, the things they do tend to be of no more consequence to them than taking out the garbage or swatting a fly as the humans say. They don't have regrets, features of remorse or any depth of understanding of relationships. They see the others as 'other' … as equipment and apply no more attention to their well being, rights and sovereignty than they would with a table saw or a truck.
"They've divided their personalities, if you will, into twelve parts and I think it also divides the responsibility as well. There's plausible deniability for some on the worst things, though I will say, their collaborative methods put lie to that. They do make a point of saying they make their decisions together."
"What else have you discovered about them that hasn't been illuminated by Doctor Jarro and his team, sir?" Coln asked.
"They are secretive. There are many locks on their databases that needed to be broken and their reports are sometimes in code. Most of those involve disciplinary actions or things that we'd consider criminal and suspect. They exhibit an awareness of their actions in terms of their liability by being so secretive and uncooperative. If they didn't understand that this would be something that the state, that is, you and the Cybertronian government considered illegal, then why take such measures?"
"What else? Is it possible to assess the presence of mental illness?" Coln asked.
Rung considered that. "It's not normal to do what they're accused of and their lack of emotional content surrounding it is remarkable, but then, I've seen it in soldiers who've done terrible things in war. Sometimes that's the way they cope and for others, its who they are. I'm leaning toward the opinion that they don't care and that's who they are. Consider this … they live in a closed society with its own rules and no oversight. They've displayed their sociopathy every time they had a chance without fallout or corrective oversight. They were as terrible in the past as they're accused of being now. I checked their identity and transponder numbers against the mainframe on Cybertron. These are the same mechs from the Functionalist era right here in this room. They did what they did then and its well documented. They're accused of repeating history here. They cannot say they aren't one and the same. I would say, given the information at hand and the data collected that they're as sane as you and me regarding the issue of knowing right from wrong. What they are, however, is ruthlessly cold blooded and remorseless.
"I agree with Jarro and his team that we're dealing with sociopaths and psychopaths. I believe they're a terrific danger to anything that steps in the way of their business. I believe they're lacking in a number of normal mental, spiritual, psychological, and societal attributes but not to the degree that they were incompetent. They knew what they were doing and the consequences to others. They knew it was against all that Cybertron and her people believe and hold dear. They are many things but not mentally incompetent."
"Thank you, Doctor," Coln said as he sat.
Blackstone sat in his chair staring at the little medic. "Doctor, how can one not be mentally impaired if for some reason this proves true? If they're the same mechs from the past with all of the recalls attributed to them by history … if this one is proven to be their doing … how can you not be impaired mentally and not responsible for your actions given the magnitude of this?"
Rung considered that. "Someone who is not responsible would not understand the consequences of their actions and how it would be a problem for them if someone knew. They wouldn't have taken the steps to hide their actions the way this group has. They wouldn't understand that what they did was wrong and that there could be consequences for it. They hid their actions, they made it difficult to access their data and the data was highly encoded and encrypted. Someone who has awareness that what they did was wrong and takes steps to hide it knows what they're doing may have punishments attached. They took steps. That means they reasoned that the things they did would have consequences, that they were wrong. That implies self awareness of the deed. Someone who was sick wouldn't know or care if others knew. That's the simplistic explanation of what they did and why they are as sane, if not as moral, as you and I."
"No further questions at this time. I reserve the right to question at a later point," Blackstone said as Prowl noted the request.
Coln stood. "I would like to call General Hard Drive back. Before I make this request, I wish to have him speak about these mechs and what he recalls about the Functionalist period of our history."
"Objection," Blackstone said. "We have no cause to go back in history to that moment. We aren't trying those events. We are here and we feel that to allow this would be prejudicial to our case."
"We have a repeat of history. I want to hear more about how this group functions. It wouldn't be prejudicial but informational," Coln said.
"What focus would you make, Counselor? What are your questions going to cover?" Prime asked.
"Recalls, sir. I want to know what the exempts know directly about recalls. This was their policy both on and off world. I want to know more about this process to assess motives," Coln said.
"The past is not on trial here and we know what the process was. I would be very aggrieved if this were allowed as its prejudicial and therefore out of the scope of this proceeding," Blackstone said.
Prime thought a moment. "Please submit your questions, Coln-2 and if they meet the point of this hearing I will allow them. If not, I will tell you so."
Coln nodded, then sat. "I have no more questions at this point and rest our case with the caveat of the request I just made."
"Very well." Prime looked at Blackstone. "Counselor, the floor is yours."
Blackstone nodded, stood, then bowed. "I would like the court to know that I have discussed the seriousness of this hearing with my clients and they insist on being allowed to speak. I warned against it but they were not to be reasoned with. I would like to register my disapproval with the court and my concerns that this will irretrievably harm their cases. With that being said, I call One of Twelve to the stand."
The little yellow mech rose and walked to the stand. He took the oath with his slightly metallic voice, then turned to Blackstone. "Thank you, Counselor. You may sit."
"I think that would be deeply unwise, One. Allow me to defend you and protect your cases," Blackstone said.
"That will not be necessary. I know what I'm doing." One stood silently as Blackstone sat heavily, his concern and weariness clear to all. The other eleven were silent and rigid in their seats.
"One of Twelve, you would do well to listen to Blackstone. He is a very remarkable counsel," Prime said.
One turned to Prime. "I am aware and feel gratitude for his services but he cannot represent us better than we can."
"Very well. Proceed." Prime braced himself for anything as did everyone else in the room.
"I am One of Twelve, the leader of the Functionalist Council which at one time brought order and peace to Cybertron. Living according to the law as delivered to us from the Great Cybertron Taxonomy, we were able to bring the world into its fullest level of prosperity and greatness. It was unfortunate that The People didn't understand this and we had to go. We took our methods and culture with us and founded two colonies. The last one was the place from which we fled."
"One, where was the other?" Prime asked. He glanced at Prowl. "Do we know?"
"We're looking through the databases but unsurprisingly, that information is highly encrypted," Prowl replied.
"Very well. Tell me when you find it. We have to go there and see what has happened," Prime said. He looked at One. "Continue."
"We picked up the wreckage of the Quintessans to bring our people into order and to launch the way forward to the best ages of our existence and history. Because we were a sovereign government prior to the Matrix being awarded to the Primes, your authority wasn't in existence over us and we cannot be held here nor tried because of it." One considered his thoughts. "The first Prime after the Quintessans didn't have access to the Matrix. Your authority doesn't extend to us or what we do. We are in essence a sovereign entity with our own rules, laws and authority. We were a government before the Charters and documents and thus, you are not sovereign over us."
Prime considered the argument. "We have had this discussion with others in the past and the charter and foundational documents have been found to trump the renegade assumptions of others regarding my authority as Prime. Barron, we would need a ruling on this assertion."
Barron nodded, then stepped into the hallway with his team to search and discuss the question. Prime looked at One who was standing silently on the stand. It was deadly silent in the room, then Barron stepped back inside. He stepped to the front and bowed to Prime. "Lord Optimus, there is no basis for this assumption regarding their independent sovereignty. They were overthrown and thus, their credibility and authority was made forfeit among The People. Given that they are Cybertronians and that the foundational documents from the congregations that gathered to recreate our society after the battles intended them for all Cybertronians everywhere they may exist, their assertion is in opposition to the intent of the documents and Primal Charter.
"The Matrix gives you authority over all Cybertronians everywhere but also included is the title of Prime. Inferred as well, the authority of Primus is not only granted to the Matrix but also to his First Disciple. You are the representative of Primus among The People. That was always the intention of the Pantheon, that the Primes be the leaders with all the authority and power possible to lead and protect us. To say that any Cybertronian is exempt from your authority is not supported by the documents and the INTENTION of the Pantheon."
One looked at him. "We predated the Matrix and the Primal system existed after us. When we left, we left Cybertron and our world behind. You have no authority over us."
"That is debatable but what isn't is the status of those who went with you. They never gave anything up and they are still bound as citizens of the Empire. You took Cybertronians with you no matter what you may assert, depriving them of a real opportunity to stay. Their status is still on the books as Cybertronian. They didn't relinquish anything. They still are the province of the Primes and when you did what you are alleged to have done to them, you also did it to us," Barron said.
"We disagree," One said. "I am the leader of my group and all of them with me are my subjects. You have no authority over me or my people. Your arrest of us was unlawful and you hold us against our will. It is our right to claim our own sovereignty and we assert it now."
"This is without merit, Lord Optimus. You have sovereignty over this group and they are subject to our laws because they left Cybertronian and never relinquished anything. No one in any of the Diasporas ever gave up their identity as Cybertronians," Barron said.
"We disagree," One said. "It is our right to rule ourselves because we always have. We also would assert our right to leave this place."
"And go where?" Coln asked.
"That is not your concern," One said.
"But it is mine," Prime replied.
-0-2-16-18 edited 2-22-18
Sovereign: to rule yourself in this case.
Sovereignty: one's power. Prime has sovereignty over his people as their leader.