The Diego Diaries: Crader (dd6 509)
-0-Court
"Well, since you asked so nicely," Crader said with a chuckle. He looked around the room, then spotted two more mechs, neither sitting very close together. "How about you, Fin? You were a major thief of government property. You stole the stuff, then fenced it with Tidal. And you, Corrigate … you were the biggest bribe taker in Nova Cronum. Whatever anyone would pay for, you would do even if it was criminal or slag. Why don't you stand up and tell us all about it."
They both sat rooted to their seats, unable to move from the scrutiny on them. Tidal stood. "General, how long is this slag fest going to last before we get onto the business we're here for?"
"We're HERE for this slag fest. Did you really think I would take the fall without you?" He glanced at the others, then turned to Hardie who sat as impassively as the others. "I gave you an offer. I can unload a lot of slag here that'll clear the decks on a lot of slag. How about it, General? If memory serves me, you're a lot smarter than the average slagger. Good trade. You get justice for a boat load of crimes and me and mine move on. Win-win."
It was silent a moment, then Coln-2 put his datapad on the table. "General, we don't do deals like this. Unless he allows unfettered access to his databases, we can't depend upon him telling the truth. We have a trial and we need to move on. He's playing the court and manipulating everyone, something he's famed for."
"You don't believe that the comments he's already made are true? That they allude to even more information?" Turbine asked with a slightly metallic tone to his voice.
"We're ready to entertain allegations with facts. We aren't prepared to barter for the truth by letting these individuals walk away after they dole out whatever they feel they need to so they can. We're dealing with special circumstances here," Coln said.
"Yes, we are," Crader said. "In fact, I'm so clear on the information I can and will give you, I waive the rest of this trial. You did a good job. Kudos to you, Coln. As for you, Sherrod … you never had a good hand from the start. I hold that," he said tapping his helm with a digit. "Up here."
It was silent a moment, then Hardie looked at Sherrod. "Your client is off the rails. Do you want to set this hearing aside until you have a chance to re-organize or do you wish to take up his request?"
Sherrod stared at Hardie, then his client. "We never had his cooperation, General. I feel the futility of this event. I will accept what he feels he needs to do and the responsibility of the outcome is his alone."
Crader grinned. "That's my boy. Coln-2? What about you?"
Coln stared at Crader like he was looking at another species of being. He glanced at Hardie's impassive face, then Sherrod's defeat. "I think you're being a damned fool, Crader. We're talking about your neck. If you fail here, you can be recalled by the Pantheon. Whatever you think you can finagle out of this court, you can't fool Them. Think hard about it."
"I have. I decided that I'd rather be dead than in prison especially when so many of my former colleagues would be living in the colony whooping it up. Why should I take the fall alone? Who wouldn't want to find out the truth?"
"AS YOU SAY IT WAS!" Everyone turned to Sleuth who had stood up, fists clenched and rage on.
"As it was. I have nothing to do with the facts as they happened, Sleuth. I gave you the bribes to help me stay out of jail. I didn't make you take them," Crader said.
"YOU'RE A LIAR!" Sleuth said as Drift moved down the steps to stand between Sleuth and Crader.
"Have a seat. Now," Drift said calmly.
"You better do it, Sleuth. I've seen this fragger fight. You don't want to mix it up with him," Crader said.
Sleuth stared at Crader with homicide on his face, then sat slowly down again. It was ghastly, the energy in the room. Everyone turned to Hardie who was apparently discussing the whole turn of events with the others. After a moment, he stood. "I will allow the request unless you have difficulty with your presentation standing thusly," he said as he glanced at Coln.
Coln stared at him, then Crader and Sherrod. He tossed a stylus on the table. "If you desire it, General, we'll rest our case." He sat and leaned on his elbows as the room watched the show with gathering dread.
Hardie sat down, then glanced at Piro. "I wish for commentary from the congregation to commence."
Piro nodded, then stood. "You're called to speak as your conscience decides. This is sacred space and you will be protected here. Come and speak your mind." He sat.
The room was deathly silent as everyone sat like statues in their seats. Then a small femme stood, one who was old and walked down the stairs to the platform. She took it, then turned to face Hardie. "General, thank you for this moment. I wish you to know that Crader killed my son. He hooked him on addictive video games and he never recovered. You know the kind … the purple games they were called."
There was no one in the room who didn't know what they were. There were few things more addictive than them and many were the mech and femme who starved to death playing them, so absorbed were they in thrall to them. They were also a pathway to other things, scripts and substances that overtook and all to often killed them.
"My son was a nice kid but he loved games. Someone gave him the Shocker game, the one that most of them got hooked on. From the moment he played it he was lost to us. He died from addiction to that and other substances that always followed the games. He tried to stop but he couldn't. He's buried in Nova Cronum and some orn I hope to be buried beside him. He was my son, my little mech. This man and whoever knows how many in this room killed him as surely as if they shot him. They need to pay for their crimes. They owe us a debt that needs to be paid. I ask you to reject his offer and follow the law. I know you lead from The Code. I trust in you." She stared at him, then bowed to him, then Optimus. She walked back to her seat and sat.
It was quiet, then a mech stood up and walked down the row to the aisle. He walked to the platform and took it, staring at Hardie. "I know The System was a fragged thing. Life on the run and here has shown that to be true. A lot of individuals got hurt from it. This slagger is trying to bargain with their suffering for a way out of his own. You can't allow that. He owes us, all of us. All of us who were high caste did a lot of things. Every time we allowed something dishonorable or unjust to happen we were as guilty as him of destroying people's lives. We all owe a debt, all of us. This slagger needs to pay his just as the rest of us need to pay ours. We owe it to everyone. Don't give in to his slag, General. He's not going to tell you everything and if he doesn't tell everything he knows than anything he DOES tell you is meaningless." He bowed to Hardie, then Prime, then walked back.
Prowl stood, then walked to the platform. "I am Prowl. I was a detective on loan to many departments during the times in question. I worked hard to catch this mech and others. I bagged Barricade and some of the other gangsters but not you. You were, indeed, warmed of my efforts. I don't know who told you but someone did. I suggest you reject his offer, General. He has no honor and he won't come fully clean. If he just implicates others and skips over himself, then nothing he says will have value. He deserves to pay a real penalty for his crimes." He bowed to Hardie, then Prime, then walked back to sit.
It was silent.
"Any others?" Piro asked. No one responded, so he stood. "The commentary is over. The case is now given to the panel led by General Hard Drive to decide. Everyone is to sit and wait. No one is to leave. There will be no emotional outbursts or you will be arrested." He sat down and turned to the panel to wait.
-0-Waiting
Conversations raged all over the room off line as the crowd sat in major discomfort while the judges decided what to do. Along the wall, Prime and Company discussed this or that point raised by Crader who sat calmly and relaxed in his chair nearby. Sherrod looked like slag and so did his team. Coln looked at Sherrod with concern as the silence deepened.
:What is the likelihood that the Pantheon will show up?: Ratchet asked.
Prime shrugged. :I would think its high. I do not expect that Hard Drive will accept Crader's offer:
:I agree. I also plan to investigate the individuals named by Crader when this is over. If there is anything to what he said then they will have their own date with destiny: Prowl said.
:That's our Prowler: Ratchet said with a grin.
-0-A half joor later
Hardie stood and everyone in the room jolted. They sat up straight to listen to the General give the decision. It was ghastly, the energy in the room. The only one who didn't appear to be affected was Crader. "I am General of the Army Emeritus Hard Drive of Praxus, exempt mech and member of The Immortals. I am here with my fellow Praxians to decide on the petition of Crader of Nova Cronum regarding a number of charges that constitute special circumstances. Crader called for the court. I gave him two opportunities to withdraw his petition and go through a normal criminal process. He declined both times.
"We are here to decide whether the burden of proof has been met. The charges range from murder to treason. Thievery, financial criminality and slaving are also part of the charges. The court has presented a mass of evidence and witnesses. We, the court feel that the burden of proof has been met. We believe that the charges against Crader of Nova Cronum have been met and sustained.
"Given that the court itself is a mechanism for a particular caste to seek redress outside the normal courts of law, it's a given that this was the court of last resort. Mechs and femmes came here to stay out of normal prisons. It was a perk of caste that was used and abused by any number of diabolical individuals who had no love for nor concern about our people or system. Our civilization suffered under the caste system and because it did, mechs like you, Crader were able to flourish and rampage to your sparks content.
"It was proved that you were given information to skirt arrest. You were heavily protected by the Senate and others who were amply paid by you to do so. Your corruption is deeply insidious and must be rooted out wherever it exists. You get no passes now. You get no protection here. You're just another mech standing trial for your actions all of which if proven constitute penalties of the most exacting kind. All of the charges have been proved.
"This is a case of special circumstances. Prime will alert us to when The Pantheon comes for you. It's highly likely They will. You cannot bargain and bribe your way out of this even if I wanted to set you free. The Pantheon has an abiding interest and will come for you, I believe. I find you guilty of all charges and remand you to the custody of the state until such time as The Powers make it clear what They require to feel whole."
Crader stood slowly, staring at Hard Drive with something akin to hatred. "I gave you a chance to solve a slagging pile of crimes, Hard Drive."
"You gave to me what you wanted. You refused to have a cortical patch and I do believe you did so because you're a participant in more than what has been laid out here. We're not interested in taking your crumbs so you can leave and perhaps link up with Razorclaw. You're a clear and present danger and until we can determine what the mechanism and process is about your frames and their mutations we can't allow you to mingle in the world. You will be held until such time as its determined by The Pantheon what your final sentence will be."
Crader stood up and cursed. "I'll tell you about the slaggers here. I have a lot to say. You can't turn me away. I can bring down the roof."
Springer gripped his arm and dragged him toward the stage steps. He howled all the way up and out as the intervention team followed from the prison. It was loud for a moment, then silent.
Hardie stared at the end of the stage, then stared at the crowd. "A lot of information has been made public. I would expect it to remain among the congregation. I would be personally affronted if it made general circulation."
"What about his slander?" Tidal said as he stood.
"If its slander, you are safe," Hardie said calmly. "This court is concluded. All stand and hail Optimus Prime." He began and the crowd joined him. Then it was silent. "Go and do honor to everyone who you owe it toward. The System of Exception which was shown once again to be a septic system of debauchery is dead and gone. Learn that simple truth."
The crowd began to stand and hurriedly make their way out as the aisles clogged with mechs and femmes booking it. As they did, the panel dialed up, then began to walk down the steps. Waiting at the foot, Ratchet grinned. "How about having dinner on me?" he asked.
"Well, since you're buying," Raptor said as he squeezed Ratchet's shoulders. The group would gather friends and make their way out to the metro station and a short trip to The Diner On The Corner. Springer and Drift would join them as well a moment or two later.
-0-TBC 10-30-18 Addictive games are canon. :D edited 11-3-18