The Diego Diaries: Convocation (dd8 533)
=0=Among the Congregation "What's going to happen now?"
26 stared downward at his daughter who was burrowed between Avor and himself. Bo was also there staring up worriedly at his genitors. "The Powers are listening to the other side of the argument. When they finish then the decision will be made by Primus after we speak and vote."
"What will that be, Atar?" Bo asked.
"Whatever it is will benefit everyone. There's no need to be afraid," 26 said to his children as they sat on the couch together watching the images on the monitor shift from massive bot to massive bot while the opposing side made their commentary.
Prime watched as lights from different gods appeared around the individual cocooning them in a loving way while they had their say like the others. He glanced down to notice that Prowl had stepped closer.
The pen nearby drew his attention. All of them were lit by the light of Primus Himself.
-0-Elsewhere
"When they finish talking to the Pantheon then it stops?" Mariah Harris-Davis asked her daughter.
"I think so. Someone had a report on different kinds of forums for this kind of thing," Rain said as she sat on a chair by the window with her brother. "This is the Convocation, the Gathering. The Congregation, everyone who is allowed to come gets their say. Then the Pantheon or anyone who's running the show makes the decision. Its always either a Prime or a member of the Pantheon."
"What sort of decision?" Hamilton Brown asked.
His daughter glanced at him. "Whatever They want."
It was silent as they pondered that by the window.
-0-Family Tower
They watched the sights posted around the colony as the cameras passed each giant figure and the multitudes that surrounded them. Few if anyone could see the lights that appeared here and there, winking on and off around The People from the different members of the Pantheon who were listening to the commentary from those who were on the oppositional side of things.
Here and on Cybertron, the Inner Empire and the Diaspora, every Cybertronian everywhere was cut into the Convocation with the only exception Megatron and his armada. Even the pirates and different kingdoms everywhere were watching the show.
-0-
Razorclaw sat on his throne watching the images, considering as he did how the Pantheon had decided to act. The System of Exception had been his doom as well as almost everyone he knew, preventing them from the fullness of their society like everyone else.
However, he didn't care. The System was an impetus to becoming the mech he now was and that of his family. None of them were unhappy to see it go nor were they overly bothered. Killing high castes was fun.
The program had taken over their screens and they were required to watch it. Nothing that could be done could turn it off so they watched and marveled at Prime's domain once more. The only place that came close to it right now at night were the high caste towers and enclaves on Cybertron back in the orn.
=0=Prison
The light of the Pantheon surrounded those in the prison faded, signaling Prime that the discussion phase of the process was over. He watched as Primus glanced into the distance toward the Others, then down at Prime. "Optimus Prime."
Prime let go of Prowl's servo, then stepped forward. He paused at the peds of Primus who was kneeling down to speak to him. As he did everyone everywhere saw Him. He stared at Optimus, then grinned slightly. "I am well pleased with you."
Optimus bowed. "Thank you, Lord Primus. I am honored to serve."
"I am aware of that. Too many aren't, however. They believe that their antique systems replace the need for unity, decency and solidarity. I do not agree with them. I believe that you are The One Who Comes, that you have led The People with wisdom and courage and have defended The People with your life over and over.
"I am well pleased with you," He said as He rose to stand. Up and up He went until He towered massively over all of them. "Hear Me," He said as he linked into everyone including sub adults just coming into their off line communications abilities as they matured.
"I am Primus. I am here to help you. For eons I have watched you struggle and felt every sorrow and pain that you have felt during life times of struggle. I have NEVER agreed nor aided the creation of anything that puts one higher or lower than anyone for ANY reason and I am here with My family, all of Us who love you, to tell you that this kind of thinking is over.
"The experiment of this form for Cybertron was a masterpiece of creation. That My body became your home was to My greatest delight. My slumber was that much less lonely for it and seeing your progress, your growth against great adversity made the experiment worth while.
"What experiment you may ask? The experiment of free will, that you could come to Cybertron and learn enormous lessons, live lives of great consequence and bring The People forward was wondrous to Me. Then it took the dark turns into masters and slaves, into subservience and despair. Each iteration of The System became worse than the first until it was all that there was of the culture that had been started by Us.
"When the price became too high the experiment was terminated. You were told that this would be so. No more would there be a hierarchy of worthiness, nor would there be artificial barriers to anyone who had dreams and ambitions. It is against all that I hold dear that this should be so and thus, its terminated forever.
"I instructed Optimus Prime to tell you and he has. Most of you understand not only that this ship has sailed but that Optimus as bearer of the Matrix and First Disciple for Me among you has spoken for Me. I am pleased that most of you have decided that a life of love and unity is preferable to the old one that led to the war that nearly destroyed Me.
"However, some of you persist in your delusion and egoic ideas. You have made trouble for many here and some of you are in danger but refuse to cooperate for your own safety. There is need to check you out for devises that old paradigms placed in you that imperil your lives. I am asking that you cooperate. It is My Will that you do. For the sake of your lives and that of those around you, you will cooperate."
He looked around Himself and back to the group before him. "I am pleased with this place. I am pleased with the progress of Cybertron. I know you will succeed with or without the Omega Keys. I am waiting the orn when you can move Cybertron, the Inner Empire and the Colonial Cache to good space where We all can live as free there as you do here.
"This is a miracle begun eons before in the deepest reaches of time designed to save you from yourselves. You are Mine and I am yours. I am here to proclaim the Will of the Congregation. I will have you send your responses to Me and my family. Yea or nay on the Proposal. Do it now."
Prime glanced at Prowl, then sent his response through his transponder to the big mech before him. All around the colony, Cybertron and the Empire votes were cast for the Proposal to the Congregation. Millions and even billions of votes were sent to the link that Primus and the Others provided. Some came to Him and others to the Pantheonic individual that they or their family called their own.
After a moment Primus glanced around. He stared at the group before Him, then the unfolding panorama of the colony beyond. His face filled every screen and monitor everywhere Cybertronians existed. Internally and externally, His luminously beautiful face stared directly into their souls.
"Before I say what I will, I want you to know this. Everyone of you is loved by Me and My own. We are here out of an abundance of love for all of you. None of you are unworthy and none of you will ever be overlooked by Us and Our reverence for you. Even Megatron will find his way home again some orn.
"What I am not prepared to do is accept those who were discarded by others who believe they have no value. I am not willing to listen to the lamentations of those who are held back, held down or harmed in even the slightest fashion by someone sporting, supporting or enforcing one of these ideas.
"All that you are is wondrous and important to Us. We are intimately aware of you and how you are. You are never alone in your lives, ever. If you believe that is so its your own sensibilities that make it so. A father will never abandon their children. None of Us will. Ever."
There was a moment of silence, then Primus gave His verdict. "The Convocation of the Will is a gathering of The People where it is Our option to come and participate. Not since The Beginning have We done so. We have allowed your experiment to unfold so that you could learn the lessons you came to undertake. Good genitors who love their children do this very thing.
"However, near annihilation of the species has called for this moment and Our participation was required due to the severity of the offenses against The People and My Will but also to reach a solution that would stick. It wasn't enough that I made My point clearly. The poison still persists. It will be enough that you see Us and hear what I have to say about this now, together."
It was silent again as He consulted with the Others, then He turned to look at the colony again. "I am Primus, second born of The One who came into the universe to save it from the predations of My Brother whose name I will not say here. Given that We could not defeat each Other I tricked Him into slumber to save you and All That Is.
"You had free reign on Cybertron and throughout the universe to show who you were and to become leaders in the growth of different worlds toward a peaceful and prosperous unity. There was enough for everyone to do so. There was, is and always will be enough.
"But it wasn't to be. It was up to Us to come here and assist Optimus to show you the true meaning of MY Will. We are here to tell you for the final time that the use of hierarchies and other devices to deny the full autonomy of some over others is banned here, everywhere Cybertronians exist now and forever. The universe will end before I change My processor.
"You are equal in every conceivable manner. To say that some are and others aren't by some litmus test that you have contrived is to say to Me and My Father that what We have created is inferior and unworthy of full agency within this culture. You are judging and finding fault in the wisdom and abilities of The One and of Me by demeaning and denigrating those that We created and love.
"I have already said that I would intervene if this did not end. We are here to assure you that We will. It will not be an easy change for those whose entire identity depends upon their belief that by some undefinable attribute that they are inherently better than others.
"That mechanism does not exist. This bigotry will end now, today, in this place. I will intervene again if this does not cease immediately. Avail yourself of counseling, visit the Temple and talk to the priests and priestesses. Talk to Optimus. Talk to his family. I tell you now I am declaring it outlaw for now until time ends. If anyone is unhappy with that it is too late. You had your run. It is over.
"By a vote of 98.4% of the population of Cybertronians everywhere, compliance to that proclamation is agreed. A mere 1.6% of you disagree. You may. You may hold whatever thoughts you feel you need to hold but if you act on them then You will be directly at odds with Me. I declare this vote authoritative, I declare My proclamation definitive and I support the efforts of Optimus of Iacon, The Prime of Cybertron to be in accordance with My will.
"This Convocation is declared to be the final law on this subject for The People to live by. I, Primus of Cybertron have spoken."
He towered over them, a glowing masterwork of august beauty then all around the colony the others began to do so as well. Upward They grew until it seemed They could grow no further. That was when They burst into brilliant light flashing across the colonial landscape like a flash fire.
=0=TBC 9-28-2022 september 30, 2022
agency: your free will, your freedom to think and act
