The Diego Diaries: Visitin' (dd8 159)
=0=Around
"Oh, my," Ravel said with worry. "This means Sonny has been shot again," he said as The Hourly News played on the monitor.
"We don't know, Ravie," Tie said as he hooked into the on world off line communications system to call Ironhide. :Ironhide?:
:Here, Tie:
:Some have been hurt. Do you know who? Has Sonny been shot again?: Tie asked, hiding his anxiety pretty well.
:There's been shooting, Tie, and a bit of shrapnel but Ratchet's okay. He's linked into me. By the way, I'm going to be there in the morning to get the kids to school. We're going to play this like normal until it settles. Something tells me that this is going to be a while. Are you and Ravel okay?:
:We're fine, Ironhide. We want all of you to be okay. Is Turbine there to help? Venture, too?:
:They are, Tie. Don't worry. If you don't hear from me all is well. If something happens you will be the first to know. Expect me about 0700 unless I get roped in. Don't worry. Okay? I'll comm you if I can't come:
"Understood, Ironhide. We don't want to bother you, you're so busy but we had to ask because of the news reporting: Tie said.
:Understood. Take care and don't worry: Ironhide said as they both signed off. :Ratchet:
:What?:
:Are you hurt?:
:Shrapnel and a few holes but nothing to worry about. The genitors?:
Ironhide nodded. :Yeah. I'm going home at 0700 to help get the kids to school:
:What about Halo? Is this one of those three orns off or what?: Ratchet asked.
:No. Its the start of her week: Ironhide replied. :We'll catch up tomorrow. Can you get out of there?:
:No. We're pinned down behind a couch. Its kind of cozy here. I don't want you to think that Prime and I have a thing going on here, its that cozy. Did I say it was cozy?: A smile could be felt over the link.
Ironhide snickered. :Well, keep me linked in and give Prime a kiss for me:
:I will. Ratchet out:
Ironhide glanced at Hard Drive who was in charge of the operation. "Ratchet just said that they're pinned down in a small space behind a couch, they have wounds but not worrisome and they can't get out without getting shot up."
Hardie nodded. "I thought so," he said as he turned back to the schematic datapad that had all of the plans for the towers on them that were built in this district and block.
=0=In a room at a tower in City 4, Crater District 7
They stared at each other, then Reset glanced at Devcon. "Take us back."
"No can do," Dev said coldly. "You're going to be here a while so grow up." He glanced at Fenix. "Where do you want them?"
Fenix gestured to a couch and two chairs. "Here will do, Commander."
Devcon turned to the five mechs. "Walk to the couch and sit."
"And if we don't?" a younger mech in the back of the group replied hotly.
"Then I'll help you and I guarantee you won't like it," Dev said.
"Move it," Gee-Gee said quietly, with malice.
The five slowly walked to the couch, then sat. When they did the energon cuffs on their servos disappeared. Dev walked back to lean against a wall with Roadie while Gee-Gee and Winnie took chairs by the door. It was deeply tense and quiet.
"You are Reset. You are Gimble, you are Camo, you are Flare and you are Stamp. I am unclear if you know everyone here so I will introduce them." He turned toward the group who were standing but for the femmes, all of their expressions solemn and hopeful at the same time. "This is Lord Lauren who is High Priest of the Temple of Primus both here and on Cybertron. This is his second, Lord Lauren. Also from the Temple is Gravitas, Templar, Mraz and the Lady Sela. With them is Master Turbine of the Elder Clan as well as Venture who is on the Temple Committee and a former highly placed functionary in the government before The Fall.
"These gentlemen are Proteus, Burris and Vinn, all of them highly placed former high caste businessmen, senators and governor-generals on Cybertron before The Fall. This is Barron who is Attorney General of the Empire, Blackstone who is the Empire Director for Public Legal Defense and Master Cyclonus who is Master of the Monastery of the Clavis Aurea. They are here to speak with you. All of those present are leaders in this, the new society of Cybertron and have a stake in helping new arrivals find their way."
"We aren't interested," Reset said with a bitter edge to his voice. "We didn't want to come here to start with. We've been kidnapped and brought here against our will."
"The Prime has a solemn duty to preserve our people and bring them from ruin wherever they're found," Turbine said. "Its his solemn oath. You were living on a planet where the life had already weighed in on your presence and decided you had to go. You were violating our laws regarding emergent and unique planets. You could have been arrested for that but you weren't. You were brought here and given full rein of the planet and its offerings," Fenix replied.
"We didn't ask to come," Reset said simply.
Lord Lauren stood, then bowed to Fenix. He turned toward Reset and the others. "I am Lauren who is blessed to be the High Priest of the Temple of Simfur on two worlds, mind you," he said with a smile. "I remember that you, Reset, were on the board of the Shrine for Vector Prime. I remember that you were very solicitous that all the rules were followed including the immoral ones that banned anyone who wasn't low caste from the shrines but for the three orns a month that they were allowed to go inside.
"I do remember that you were deeply enamored of the rules then. What has changed now? You do know that we don't bother emergent worlds, that its a Pantheonic request that we do so and it was codified into law on that reason alone. Why are you so solicitous of the rules then but ignore them now?" he asked in his gentle voice. He looked at the group with kindness and compassion, a trademark of those in his profession. There had to be correlation between the relics and their kindness it seemed to those watching. Lauren, Sela and Chevron were considered holy individuals by those present.
"I'm not here to argue the rules, Lord Lauren. The rules ended with Cybertron. They ended with The Fall. We were living by our own rules and they held supreme before Prime showed up and destroyed our lives," Reset said as the others nodded.
"The foundational documents and all of the common law that arose over the eons or through Convocations of The People bely that, Reset, and you know it," Barron said. He was sitting with Blackstone who looked upset. "The Pantheon blesses the rules and gives them credence by the manner of the Matrix and its holder. It would do you well to remember that They would disagree with you wholly."
Lauren nodded. "They would. They love all of us equally. They are so happy here with the colony and our Prime that They have gifted the Temple in Simfur and the one here with the same relics, all of them. Its in Their power as multiversal singularities to do so and They have."
"If you say so," the younger mech, Stamp said. "We don't care. We want to go back to Meadow Lands and live our lives."
"You can't and you know it. All you can do here is live in the prison. How many of your people do you want in prison?" Barron asked.
"Prime will do what he wants and in the end its on him," Stamp said as the others nodded.
It was silent a moment, then Venture stood. "Lords, I would like to speak."
Fenix and Lauren nodded.
Venture looked at them. "I know you, Reset. You were involved in weapons systems and we had dealings in the past. You were a stickler for the rules. You would explode if everything wasn't done to the fullest level required. Many were the times I had to go over the contracts for and with you to make sure they met every obligation. You were very pure about that, I remember.
"I also remember how close you were to every Prime from Nova to Sentinel. You were one of their biggest boosters. How many times did we see you on the News Net telling everyone that we had to obey the Primes, that they were Primus Blessed and that anyone who didn't obey them deserved prison for life for treason? Do you remember that?" Ven asked as he glanced around.
A murmur was heard of agreement and helms were nodded as the group stared at him with solemn and disturbed expressions. It was a thing getting on the News Net programming to help push the propaganda and he did so nearly daily. Reset and Camo were on so much as well they were like regular correspondents on the business and political shows.
"We couldn't turn on the business news without listening to you and Camo lecturing everyone that to disobey a Prime was treason. You said that prison forever was too good for anyone who did that. Do you remember that?" Venture asked as his voice took on a cold dark tone. "Or is that too inconvenient for you to remember? If it is, we will for you, all of us who had to suffer it."
Reset stared at Venture with a coldness that was brutal. The others did as well. "You, I suppose, are something in this paradigm, Venture? I never liked you. You were weak. You could never be hard enough to make things work. You were also a traitor."
Venture stared at Reset, then stepped closer. "You were the traitor. You pick and choose the rules that benefit you and ignore the rest. That worked then. It doesn't work now. We never had a good Prime until now. We're never going back."
"You should understand that we've had Primal Hearings with Special Circumstances since the colony began. We've had a number of war criminals show up here that had to be dealt with. They were given Primal Hearings but they were so egregious in their charges that the Pantheon weighed in on several. During them we were transported to the Matrix to hear the verdicts and hear from the Pantheon Themselves the word They wanted to convey about how we treat each other," Chevron began.
"I don't believe you," Camo said with surprise.
"Then you should believe me," Neo said as she stood. "I was there. Many of us here were. They were there, the Great Ones and They said The System of Exception is banned forever. They won't allow it, Reset. They said that it affronts Them and the love They give to all of us. It was never anything that They wanted because it kills. You pursue this line of thinking at your own peril because Primus Himself said He would step in if it continues."
Everyone there nodded.
The five stared at them without expression.
Turbine rose, then walked to stand in front of them. "I am Turbine of the Elder Clan. We keep the Secrets of the Beginning of Time. We were entrusted with more knowledge than you can imagine from The Powers, some of which has never been revealed to anyone but us. Secret knowledge. It's been handed down to us from the Elders and I tell you from the purity of what I bear, the Pantheon is done with The System."
Reset stared at Turbine who among The People was considered very holy just because of what he knew and held. "I have nothing to say to you, Turbine. Put us back and all will be well."
"Then you know what's happening in the colony," Turbine said.
"We are aware. Our people are defending themselves against this tyranny." Camo sat back to stare at Turbine for a moment. "You don't make me afraid, Elder. Nothing you can do will change my mind."
"Even the death of children? There's children in those apartments. If they die their deaths are on you," Turbine said.
"No," Reset said. "They're on Prime."
At that, Burris leaped up and threw himself on Reset.
=0=TBC 05-08-2021 05-13-2021