The Diego Diaries: Conclusions (dd8 473)

=0=On the deck

"Very well," Hardie said. "We will go into deliberation."

It became as silent as a graveyard on the deck.

=0=In the box nearby

The soldiers watched silently along with everyone else as the forest of huge dark mechs turned to each other and froze. They seemed to be inanimate though they were having a very serious and strategic conversation off line. Ranger who was their legal Code analyst was going over the limits of their own power, the near limitless power of Prime as First Disciple of Primus who bore the Matrix and their situation as it stood with an audience of high castes watching in the migration.

All of their decisions were geared to the rules their caste developed and enforced to hold things in check and the laws of Cybertron as interpreted by three different individual entities. First and foremost of all, the Prime of Cybertron as First Disciple of Primus, bearer of the most powerful, important and oldest Matrix as well as head of their government held sway in an almost astonishing array of things given the corruption of the system during the past several Primes.

No one had the time to reform the judicial and governmental apparatus and legal system when the world blew up nor did they care to. Everyone was too busy trying to flee. On world now, Barron led a multi-disciplinary 'reconciliation team' who were going through the codes, laws and other rules and ordinances to evaluate them for deletion, investigation regarding abuses and whether they were fit to keep. It was a laborious process but necessary.

The next entity that held power was the Senate, the Council of Elders and the Council of the Ancients. Those were corrupt organizations who held no sway here due to their suspension by the war and Primal Decree. The Delegate Assembly and the Senior Autobot-Civilian Committee as well as district councils were formed to give democratic voice to The People though with modified martial law in effect Prime still had veto power. That the system they had developed worked so well, he hadn't used it even once thus far.

Oddly enough, the last check on tyranny was The Code of the Praxian Military Elites who were the highest and most powerful caste in The System of Exception. They'd gathered in Praxus, the warriors of the first revolution and there began to build a support platform to reform their culture along with protecting Guardian Prime who faced push back from the state by the collaborator class and those who wanted power for themselves in the chaos of post war Cybertron.

They codified rules that they developed and enforced by their warrior status and brute strength, forcing those who would return The People into slavery to back down. Over the eons it grew in power and prestige with The People favoring them over anyone else in any polls taken about politics and life on world.

The caste was the last line before utter tyranny and even the courts which were part of the governmental class had less power than them. It was an anomaly that the powerful were never able to overturn and thus in this instance, Galio and his group understood how dangerous this ruling would be for them if they lost.

None of them expected to win. They waited together formulating plans as the big mechs discussed their future together.

"Amma."

Neo glanced down at the little femme who held her servo. She petted that little femme's tiny hand. "What, granddaughter?" she asked in the family-familiar.

"What happens now?" she whispered, though her voice could be heard on the grimly silent deck.

"Justice will prevail," Neo replied softly. "We're here for our people and the Prime. Remember this orn, infant. This is the justice we never had but deserved delivered by the bravest of the brave."

The little Home Guard femme, a smaller than normal sized mini-con femme who had suffered growth deprivation on the run peered at the big mechs standing nearby like silent statues. "I heard of them. They protect us don't they?"

"They always have," Neo said as she stared at the 22 big mechs staring at each other in silence. She felt emotion rise in her, deep love and emotion. "They always will."

Ratchet who was sitting nearby took in the big mechs, all of them similar in appearance though their facial features were slightly different than Hardie and his family, all of whom looked like Ironhide. They were for the most part created in the same run of 'product', thus their similar appearance. He admired them as someone who 'had one of his own', then grinned. He glanced at Prowl. :Nice set of mechs. I think I'll keep them:

Prowl grinned in spite of the grim energy field swallowing them. :I don't blame you this time. Tomorrow? Maybe not:

Nearby, Songbird was leaning against a console watching the court go through their deliberations. Among those titans with her, they were making plans to assist if this went south which all of them guessed would happen. Nothing in the aura of Galio and his party looked ready to concede to them.

:We need to go to the ships and assist the mechs: Fort Max was saying. :Acroplex says its cathartic. I think I want some of this catharsis:

Titan grinned. :Is that what its called?:

Metroplex smirked at both. :Change is a process. I can only imagine that this group will learn no matter how hard or long it is. Its our job to be vigilant. Ranger is a friend of Tennyson. He can help us work out the edges of the lines of propriety. We have to be ready to assist. If this is a big group that comes without proper agreement on `the rules, then we have to be ready to defend The People:

All of them nodded in agreement just as Hard Drive turned to Galio and his group. The room which was silent seemed to ratchet up its dense energy in anticipation.

=0=Springer and others around the migration

"Well, here we go," Springer said as he glanced around the room. "Given that the Elites rule your asses, you better be ready to bend the knee to Prime."

"Fat chance," a younger mech said.

No one joined him but the expressions all around them made it clear that they didn't disagree with the kid.

=0=Other high caste ships

They sat, stood and paced as they watched the scene of the court. It was the last thing that they expected to see, that many Elites judging them. They were fleeing harassment and were prepared to start all over again in an appropriate place. All of their leadership knew they were heading toward Prime and that there would be trouble. That it would come in the black armor of their highest level caste members was astonishing.

It was a tense group waiting in the huge migration which was ongoing in its efforts to move refugees out. The only ones that were being skipped at present were identified Decepticons, the odd alien caught in the migration and them, the high caste component in the midst.

=0=On the deck

They dialed up, all 22 of the mechs as Hard Drive stared at Galio and his group. "We have reached a decision. I will explain what needs to be known about it as well as how and why it was reached."

"Do spare us, Hard Drive," Ideal said. "We know what you've decided."

"Kneel."

It was startling, the command softly delivered. Hard Drive looked like a statue as he stared at Ideal.

Ideal on the other servo looked startled.

It was as silent as a graveyard in the room.

:Well, here we go: Ratchet said. :Expect embarrassment to bloom like weeds among the unbelievers:

:Whatever it was you said, I agree: Prowl answered as everyone watched, riveted to the scene.

Hard Drive took a step forward. "Kneel," he said almost in a whisper. It was frightening the tone behind that singular word.

Ideal stared at Hard Drive aware that he'd pushed his luck with his intemperate remarks. Slowly, with emotions he didn't know he even possessed blazing through his processor, he knelt on the floor.

=0=Nearby

"What the fuck is going on?" a soldier asked as others nodded.

"He insulted the General. Right, Colonel?" a female soldier asked Lennox.

Lennox nodded. He stared at the scene with a grim expression. "Hard Drive is the most powerful person in The System of Exception. No one has more power because he commands the Elites as their chieftain. Even Prime has to bow to him on some things. That prick shot his mouth off and now he's feeling real power. It won't go down well at all."

=0=There

Hard Drive stared at Ideal without expression. "Rise. Slowly."

Ideal stared at him, then complied.

"You are what I tell you that you are. You have no power over us and especially over me. You insulted me and by virtue our entire caste. I will have payment, Ideal. Now you will listen while I tell you what I will. Is there any disagreement by any of you?" he asked glancing from Ideal to the others.

No one spoke.

"Very well. I am Hard Drive of Praxus, General of the Army, chieftain of the Praxian Military Elite caste and commander of this court. You came to us without gratitude and made demands though you were aware of the rules both by this Prime, Optimus who is The One Who Comes and our great warrior-God, Primus Himself. Even knowing all this you came to make demands for something that is banned.

"We have heard your petition and even though it had novel components which is not usually the case, it is declined anyway. There are no arguments that overrule the Will of Primus and The One who declare that all must be one. Lord Optimus of Iacon is the duly chosen leader of our people through the Matrix Ceremony of Choosing, the first one held in public since the ascension of Guardian Prime. I know. I was there.

"The foundational documents of our people and those of the First Convocation, the Primal Charter and the Laws of The People as codified in the Codes of Cybertron and the Empire give you no hold, position or justification to impose upon the patience of this Prime and our people your demands.

"You will not be allowed to make a place outside of the colony and its defensive zone without the permission of the Prime and the consent of the Delegate Assembly, the democratically elected representatives of The People. We are a people of laws. We will enforce them equally and fairly for everyone.

"Given the danger that exists beyond our borders even with the army and security we field, the chances of you living unscathed are in the range of nil. It would be extremely negligent of us to allow this to happen. Even if you do not care about your children reaching their majority and your elders having comforts, we do. It is our job and always has been in spite of you and your kind of thinking.

"Your relic is over and done. This court is a holdover by the request of the Prime to deal with this kind of petition or action. It puts you into a dilemma. You either agree with the decision of the court and give up your pretensions of superiority or you disagree with it by which you invalidate The System of Exception by not obeying us. You can't have it both ways. You either accept this decision delivered by the processes of The System or you deny it and invalidate forever The System itself.

"We find you guilty, Galio, of fomenting treason and the rest of you with collaboration to foment treason. I will leave the sentencing up to the Prime or I will deliver it myself." He turned to Prime. "Whatever your will, Lord Optimus, I will obey it." With that, Hard Drive, the most powerful Cybertronian to exist in the optics of The System of Exception bent a knee to Prime.

=0=7-9-2022 7-24-2022