The Diego Diaries: (dd8 469)

=0=On the deck

"You will obey the laws, understand that modified martial law is in effect and obey warning sirens when they sound. We were attacked by an armada shortly ago and it was brutal. That's what we face every orn and because we do we don't have time for your precious slag. Any questions so far?" he asked.

Galio stared at Prowl with an incredible expression of loathing. "And what do you expect me to ask?"

"I'd inquire about the laws against treason and how long you'll go to prison if you persist," Prowl replied coldly.

"So its treason to want to live an authentic Cybertronian life now?" he asked.

"It is if the Prime says so because he is the First Disciple of Primus and thus is Primus-Blessed," Lauren said as he walked toward the two. "Primus Himself has banned The System. Do you stand against Him and the Others as well?"

Floating in the ether nearby watching with intensity, Micronus Prime considered the possibilities after consulting the timelines with Onyx. There was nothing that could come from this group that would change anything permanently if they persisted even inside the colonies. Primus had His foot on The System and it wouldn't rise again. The System was thus outlawed and if Primus Himself had to stride the streets of the colony and Cybertron to ensure that His wishes were understood, Micronus knew He would.

However …

There was also the higher purpose of the high castes now that The System was banned. That purpose was to educate a number of things into the minds and sparks of The People.

This is what happens when you don't have unity.

This is what the absence of love, patience and understanding for each other and what you represent as a species, a very great and ancient species creates.

It was a chance to show in a deep and obvious way how things had to change from what they were to what they had to be. It would be a chance to change things in the colony and Cybertron as well in this and every other migration to come.

This colony was a school for fools and the high castes were serving a higher purpose even if they didn't know it.

Micronus weighed the pros and cons of taking this group on Himself and slagging them up one side and down the other. As he considered that a figure appeared beside him. He grinned at Kudon. "Well, My friend, We have an assignment for you."

Kudon grinned. "I was told about it, Lord Micronus. I am Your servant."

Micronus chuckled. "No, Kudon. You are my friend. I leave this in your capable hands."

Kudon bowed his helm as Micronus faded away. Kudon stared at the scene, then settled onto the deck. Walking to a corner, he waited there to watch. No one discerned his presence. He would remain here until this problem, a big one in this migration and the next was settled.

Who knew?

Prime rose from his seat, a huge imposing presence of enormous dignity and power. Everyone turned to him as the room silenced. It was extremely tense as he slowly walked to the group to pause before them.

The group held their own without moving back, staring upward at the biggest mech they'd seen in some time. They steeled themselves for anything.

"I am Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron chosen by the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of Primus and Cybertron during the Choosing Ceremony by the Matrix Itself, the first one held in public since Guardian Prime. There was no ambiguity about it. The choice was freely given and freely accepted at the spark level, the level where Primus reigns supreme.

"Primus Himself has decreed that The System of Exception is dead and gone. He has pledged Himself to honor fight anyone who opposes His Will. He tires and rightly so of receiving children at the Matrix. The point in question to me is why you do not."

Galio stared at him coldly. "I am Cybertronian. I honor all parts of my culture without question."

"Then perhaps you need more questions. Shortly ago, the Functionalist Council was taken into custody for the mass murder, or recall as they declare it of a half million of our people. They killed them because your precious System rendered them 'obsolete'. They were held to a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances and when the verdict was read all present were transported to the Matrix for the rest of it.

"Primus Himself declared on His own honor and spark that The System was OVER!" Prime stepped closer with rage on his face. "He will honor fight anyone who says otherwise or tries to resurrect this blasphemy to His honor and decree. The question posed is who are you to question the Will of Primus?"

"We only have your word for it, Prime," Galio said as the others nodded.

"You have mine," Sela said as she stepped forward with Lauren following. "We were there, many of us here. We saw Him, our Great Lord and the others. He has spoken. By what evil intention do you not hear Him?"

At that moment the room froze, all of them but Prime. He startled, then glanced around spotting Kudon walking toward him with a grin on his face. "Kudon. Friend."

Kudon reached him, then knelt on one knee. "Optimus Prime, I am your servant," he said as he rose to grip Prime's servo. "We do appear to have a problem here."

"The same one. Its a cancer I cannot seem to eradicate. I CANNOT SEEM TO END IT!" Prime said with exasperation.

"You do know that all of us have a path. My life was trending to this moment when I could be more service on the other side than here. So they have the same possibility. We could end this here but they keep coming because they haven't learned the greatest lesson of our tragedy, that love and unity will be the only way forward from extinction.

"Consider them a lesson for the others. Unless we can change their sparks this will never end. The only way for the others coming to change is through the efforts of their own kind," Kudon said. "There are no jails big enough to put them all."

"How do we do that?" Prime said with muted rage.

"Cut off the head of the snake and the body will die," Kudon said. "I am here to assist you. You will see me but no one else. I will offer that which I'm allowed to give and nothing more but I do so love 20 questions." He grinned faintly.

Prime considered the small window offered to him by that remark, then nodded. "I understand," he said as he glanced at the others. "I am deeply relieved to have you here, Kudon. I hope you understand how much of a friend I consider you."

Kudon looked emotional for a moment. "And I, you, Optimus." He glanced at them. "Trust your instincts. It might seem impossible but it isn't. They just don't know any better."

Prime nodded, then turned to the group as the room shifted back to the way it was before Kudon showed. No one noticed as Prime stared at the group. "I assume that you constitute the leadership of this group?"

Galio nodded. "We are."

"Are there any others who need to be here for the negotiations?" Prime asked.

Galio looked surprised. "Negotiations? You intend to negotiate with us?"

"I will only speak to all of the leadership and nothing less. There will be no ambiguity in the decisions rendered," Prime said as he turned his back to them and walked to the command seat. He sat and stared at them as before.

They stared back at him, then turned to each other to discuss off line what they would do. Galio turned back to him after a moment. "There are six others. They would have to be brought here."

"Also your security chiefs. I will speak to them as well," Prime said with a frigid voice.

Galio hesitated, then made the call for his people.

Around the room the mechs and femmes glanced at each other, then Prime.

Prowl had walked over to stand by him, his tension incredible as he waited as well. :I suppose you have a plan?: he asked.

:I do: Prime replied as he stared silently at the group who stared back.

After a few moments the elevator opened and more walked out, all of them mechs. They reached Galio's group, then halted. One of them glanced at Galio. "What's this about?"

"Is this all of your people in leadership and security, Galio?" Prime asked.

Galio stared at Prime as feelings of unease began to gather. "Yes," he answered with a wary tone.

:Ironhide, have your family take them into custody. Null anyone who draws a gun: Prime said.

The elders of Ironhide's family and Ironhide glanced at Prime, then drew guns.

Everyone in the room froze.

Galio glanced at them with incredulous surprise, then Prime with voluminous fury. "WHAT IS *THIS* SLAG! YOU TRICKED US!"

It was silent a moment as the two sides stared at each other in shock.

"I am the PRIME OF CYBERTRON! ITS MY DUTY TO REMOVE THREATS! ARREST THEM!" Prime said.

Before Sun could reach one of the security mechs he'd drawn a gun but it didn't matter. He was nulled by Jack who was a marksman of legend. That mech dropped to the ground as Ironhide and his family fell upon the group. The struggle was unequal and in seconds everyone was shucked of weapons and bathed in the glow of energon cuffs.

Prime rose from his seat and strode to them. He backed them all up a step or two with his incandescent anger. "Who are you to make demands of me who bears the Matrix. Do you KNOW WHO I AM!? I AM THE FIRST DISCIPLE OF PRIMUS! I BEAR HIS WILL AND AUTHORITY IN THIS DIMENSION! You will obey me. The System of Exception is DEAD AND GONE! IN THE NAME OF THE FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DEAD I DECLARE IT SO! You disobey me at your peril," he said ominously.

They stared at him stunned by his actions, ones no one among them would have credited him to have. They were shocked into silence for a moment, then Melitus managed to speak. "What are you going to do with us?"

"I am calling a Caste Court," Prime said softly, his voice infused with rage.

=0=In a box nearby

"What's a caste court? I've heard of them but I've never seen one," a femme soldier asked.

"You haven't lived then," Epps said as the others nodded. "You're going to see the flip side of the System right now."

Nearby ...

Sun and Jack glanced at each other, then Hardie stepped forward to bow low to Prime. "As you require, Lord Optimus," he said formally. "I assume that you want all of the migration to watch this?"

Prime nodded. "I do," he said as he walked back to his chair to sit.

"Amma," the tiny femme Home Guardsman holding Neo's servo asked in a tiny soft voice. "What's happening?" she whispered to Neo.

Neo squeezed her servo. "Justice, my angel. Justice at last."

It took a moment to hook into the entire migration but it was achieved for all including whatever gangs or Decepticons were there. Blaster glanced at Prime. "You can go live, Prime. I have the cameras sorted out. The whole thing will be broadcast there."

"Very well. Now is optimal," he said.

Blaster touched his console. "You're on."

Kudon who was standing nearby walked to Prime to stand behind him. He was deeply interested and it showed on his face. No one but Prime would be able to see him.

"Migration, I want your attention. I am Optimus Prime, the Prime of Cybertron chosen in the Matrix Ceremony by the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, the Creation Matrix of Primus and the greatest of all of Them that exist. It did not make a mistake when It did so and I would require you to consider that if you feel that you can say otherwise.

"Today the Great Poison of our people, caste entitlement has reached our shores. We are here to rescue you from your agony and yet there are those who feel that by virtue of an arbitrary decision made long ago based on the malice and malicious beliefs of aliens who made us their slaves that they are entitled to everything first.

"It was decided along with Primus and the Pantheon Themselves through a Primal Hearing with Special Circumstances not that long ago on Mars that The System of Exception be outlawed forever wherever and whenever Cybertronians exist. The consequences of breaking that ruling are honor fights with me and with Primus Himself. It would due you well to know that the Primal Hearing was for the Functionalist Council who came here after 'recalling' five hundred thousand of our people. They murdered them without conscience and came here expecting what your leadership is demanding now, a return to this horror and crime with all its gifts for the few and terrors for the many.

"I have arrested them for treason which is the penalty for this demand and will have them tried for it now so you can watch. I have called upon the Praxian Elites among us to hold a Caste Court. Given that its a part of your elitist system, you cannot be against such a measure given it is a major part of The System operated by your highest caste. To challenge its validity is to invalidate the System at that moment. You know that as well. Either all of it is true and valid or none of it is.

"I will give you a chance to avoid all of this, however. You can denounce The System of Exception and give me your Matrix oath. If you break it I will understand. However, the Matrix has Its own needs and desires if you do. The last individual to do this burned to death from the inside out and all that was left was his armor and a black mark on the floor. What say you, Galio and company?" Prime asked with an acid tone.

Galio stared at him with the others. They conferred together, then glanced at Hard Drive who was watching them with the priests who looked tense but resolved. "We do not yield."

=0=Out in the mix

"Oh frag," Drift said. "I want front row seats when Primus comes."

The others around him, refugees all, glanced at him with alarm.

=0=TBC 7-4-2022 7-34-2022

Sorry about missing last night. Fourth of July weekend is a thing. HUGS to all. My love for all. -Nana