The Diego Diaries: Challenge (dd8 472)
=0=Court
"Now you invoke the Prime's authority? I thought you didn't believe that Prime had any in relation to you," Sezaran said calmly. "Which is it? Does Prime have the authority to rule our people in keeping with the laws of Cybertron and the Will of Primus and The One? Does it matter that we love and care about each other all the time or is that only in effect when you're in threat of danger? Perhaps you can enlighten us on that point. I am myself unclear what you mean."
Galio turned on Sezaran with a cold expression. "You know well what we mean."
"I am unclear," Sezaran said as he glanced at Ideal. "You just said that you fear getting hurt if we don't protect you against the Decepticons. Let me fill you in so that your next comments can be more informed. The orders are clear from Megatron. All Seekers are to be killed upon contact. All civilians wherever they're found in the Diaspora are to be forced out of their settlements and colonies no matter their circumstances and driven toward Prime."
"Why?" Metilus asked.
"Because he intended to overwhelm Prime before coming back to destroy all of us at once. Given that unlike himself, Prime would take care of all the refugees fleeing their harassers, he knew that Prime would be overwhelmed. He could kill two birds with one stone, Prime who is his nemesis and you refugees who he views as what? Useless eaters?" Serazan said. "You forget that he loathes high castes more than he does anyone else and he has no mercy for you no matter how self important you feel yourself to be. Anyone who crosses him is dead. That includes you as well."
"Then give us a place to live within the ring of your security. We can assist in the early warning system when something happens," Ideal said. "We are highly skilled and capable. It would solve every problem."
Serazan turned toward Prowl. "Commander, is there any decent place for them to live where they can be defended and not harassed by the numerous roving bands of pirates, criminals and deserting Decepticons that permeate this area?"
Prowl thought over the question then consulted his data map. He pressed a button and it appeared on the huge wall monitor nearby that was the monitor for the mission. "This is the entire area of our sovereignty, the area that we will and can defend. Notice that there's few places that would be suitable to colonize, thus our presence in the Sol System rather than here. I'm going to overlay colored zones for the areas on this map with the ranges of the predators out here and the sovereign territory of aliens who've lived here since their creation. We do not challenge the sovereignty of anyone already here and will continue to do so."
He did just that. Different colored overlays showing territories covered the maps, some of them overlapping, all of them the detailed range of various and sundry groups. It was obvious that the only safe place for refugees was inside the redoubt of Prime's system.
Galio glanced at Prowl. "How do we know that this is correct? How can we know that you aren't putting up anything that will help you repress us?"
Prowl's expression changed to disdain. "First of all, I am Prowl. I don't intend to put anything into the record that can be so easily checked. This is an accurate detailed working map of the enemy territories that we patrol every orn to keep cleared not just for us but those who live here as well. Secondly, this is the Orion arm of the galaxy, not a core area. Things happen here that don't happen there for various scientific reasons that you should already know.
"Its not a great place to settle if you don't have a miraculous system with which to colonize. Finding the Allspark led us here to an incredible anomaly of a location for our colony world, Mars. This map is accurate with updates and refreshes every fifteen seconds.
"There are planets within the first ring of your defenses, Prowl," Ideal said as he walked toward the map to look closer. "You could still defend us if we lived on one of the closer planets to your own."
"You still mention defending you. I was under the opinion that Prime has no power over you and by extension is under no obligation to defend you," Serazan said.
"You argue semantics with me," Galio said. "You have no need for us to be on your colonial world. It would be easier for you to let us go to a place where we can live, where you could defend us and we could help. Both sides would have what they want and both sides would be shut of each other."
"I suppose you want us to help you build your colony, then trade with you. Few of the aliens here need what you would make and the treaties, especially the Tyrest are still in force. Tell us what you would do to be not only capable of building a civilization here but also to be independently trading things not outlawed by treaty."
Galio stared at Sezaran. "We know how to build. We would appreciate materials and supplies to get started. As for commerce and trade, there are things we can find out that others need and make them."
"You would violate the Tyrest treaties and they're in force," Sezaran countered. "There's literally nothing that you can make that would be interesting or needed to others in this area but for guns and ships. That would end all of you in prison forever."
"You can't put us all in prison and in the end the simplest solution to this is helping establish a colony where we can live the way we want," Ideal said.
Sezaran stared at him. "And create a dagger to our throat that some day will swarm out of your redoubt to bring your poison to all of us again."
"You presume a lot, Sezaran," Galio said with some heat in his voice.
"That's General Sezaran to you," the big mech said. "You forget your place."
It was silent there and all over the fleet as people of their group watched the show along with everyone else.
Galio and Ideal conversed off line as everyone waited.
Prowl glanced at Ratchet who glanced at him. :They never have a good argument but this is novel. Give them a space and leave them alone until they come for us. Imagine all of them coming in the migrations diverting over to wherever they landed as they come in. It would be a sorry decision for us at some future point:
:I agree. Besides, there's no place for them that doesn't fall into the potential prey range of all of the predators out there including roving bands of bad actors. I heard that some of them were giving the space station out on the arm a hard half hour: Ratchet said.
:We moved a garrison there. Its stopped for now: Prowl said.
Ideal turned to the group. "We want to propose a site where we can live the way we wish. You don't have to do anything but assist us in the very beginning. After that, we're on our own. We would expect that you'll defend that area and that we would repay that with things we make in our colony. We're very innovative with tech. It would solve the problem of having a big undigested mass of disobedient individuals in the colony."
"You're making a threat then," Serazan said. "Do what we want or we'll make trouble in your colony."
"I'm saying that this would be the easiest and most peaceful way to ensure that both sides get what they want," Galio said.
"Or you could grow some character and take the Primal and the Matrix oaths. It would solve the problems for both sides to good satisfaction," Sezaran said.
"Satisfaction? Who's? We wouldn't be satisfied at all," Ideal said.
"We aren't interested in your satisfaction in this matter. You misunderstand me. Those who wouldn't be satisfied would be Primus Himself. Give us your oath. Solve the problem. Bid farewell to the past and all its entitlements and join the present at the colony. Those are your options other than that one other where a mech burned up when he broke his oath."
"And if we don't comply with that and any other?" Galio asked hotly.
"Then you go to prison until you do," Sezaran replied evenly. "We do not have the luxury of dividing ourselves. You will obey the Prime or you may leave back to your former terrain and have this discussion with the 'Cons. I do not believe it would be wise."
Ideal stared at him a moment, then a silent watching Hard Drive. "The simplest solution would be to create a space for us outside of your colony. Our people won't like it if they have to live anyway but what we want. You're making a problem out of nothing."
"Then you have no more argument than this?" Serazan asked.
Ideal stared at him coldly. "Would it make a difference? I am offering an alternative to mingling our points of view."
Serazan turned to Hardie to have a silent conversation a moment, then walked back to his place in the jury.
Hardie rose, then walked closer to the group. "You've laid down a line of reasoning. I'm going to ask you for more information. If you concede the trial portion we can go over it to give our verdict."
"Would it matter?" Metilus asked.
"What do you think?" Hardie asked.
"We're through presenting our arguments, Hard Drive. You can do what you want. You will anyway," Ideal said.
Hardie stared at him, then walked back to his chair to sit again. "I believe that counsel just said their argument is concluded. If that is not so let me know now."
No one said a word from either side.
"Very well," Hardie said. "We will go into deliberation."
It became as silent as a graveyard on the deck.
=0=TBC 7-8-2022 7-24-2022
ESL:
semantics: (seh-man-tiks) the meaning of words, phrases, sentences and such. "It's all semantics to me." Words, talk.
