The Diego Diaries: Ganging Up (dd8 196)
=0=On a platform on the way back to The City
"GET DOWN!" someone hollered as the loud argument on the other side of the train tracks on the platform there, a number of kids began to shoot at each other.
Everyone there got flat on the ground but for the Autobots across from them. Flint who was standing beside Steiner leaped across the platform, twisted his body, then took out about four of the shooters on one of the two sides. They crashed into the wall, then fell to the ground. It left them all open to being shot from the other kids who were facing them with their guns but it cut the combatants in half.
Before they could pivot to shoot the helpless mechs trying to stand up to run, a number of Autobots leaped as well. Landing on the platform, Steiner and Jack grabbed arms, jerked them so guns fell, then tossed the kids aside. Moving in on the others, they grappled, or shall we say snagged them almost effortlessly to toss them minus their guns completely across the platform to the other side of the tracks.
Catching them as they landed, Ironhide, Raptor and Hardie subdued them, bouncing the kids against the station wall where they slid down to land hard. Before the shooting really had a chance to connect, the altercation was over.
Ratchet who had stood in the midst of a number of civilians who were laying flat with their families and friends watched the problem be solved in a matter of moments. It was a flash loud and terrible, then ended with a whimper. As he turned toward the kids to scan them, those that sat groggily against the station wall, the sound of peds approaching down the stairs could be heard. He glanced up in time to see Springer, Drift, Prowl and Prime burst onto the platform with guns drawn. He grinned. "You're a day late and a dollar short as the humans say."
Prime subbed his gun, then stepped down to cross the tracks. He stepped up to consult with Hardie as Watchmen from the local substation ran down the steps with guns drawn. After a moment with Drift, they subbed them, then began to cuff the kids.
"Note the gang tats," Raptor said as he hopped back up on their platform. "Hauser will want to know about this," he said to Drift.
"He's coming," Drift said.
"WHERE'S THAT BABY! DON'T TELL ME YOU BROUGHT HIM TO A GUNFIGHT?!" Ratchet said as it dawned upon him.
"Uh," Drift said with a stammer.
"Hand him over," Ratchet said as the big mech complied. He grinned at the sleepy infant. "One of the many things that are perfect about you, infant, is your ability to remain calm at all times."
Drift grinned. "I heard he's that far up the awesome scale."
Ratchet snickered. "I can see that."
Prime, Springer and Prowl huddled to talk as Hauser hurried down the stairs. He stared at the kids, then walked to Springer. "This is that new group, the Gang they call themselves. It appears that they don't like the Southies."
Sullen kids were led past them heading for jail. Discreet gang flashes could be seen on some of them, small and harder to spot but nonetheless there. They were walked up the steps by the Watch patrol to disappear into the gathering late afternoon.
Prime watched them go, then turned to Hauser. "I want this to be a priority. Look at the civilians present."
They did. They were mostly families with children, a couple of elders and two or three middling young mechs. It could have been a disaster.
"I would like to know how they got their guns and if the entire gang sports them. I do not want them to have a source. Guns are banned as it is among the general population when they're in public since the football game shooting. I will not allow gangs to go off half cocked and provoke a public menace," Prime said with irritation. "What can you tell me about the Gang, Hauser?"
"They're new players, Prime," Hauser said. "They came with one of the big migrations some time back and they've laid low, though their gang sign has been spotted here and there. Its a red smear. Mostly, they're high caste, former ones that know how to conceal themselves and blend in. They bear no formal insignia but their paint scheme gives them away. There's a red line around their chests, something that isn't typical and all of them have it. We estimate as far as we have information now that there are five identified as certain and 20 that are probables. They don't like not being the only gang."
"What's the beef with the gangs here? They can't fight for anything of value since we're cashless," Raptor asked.
"They fight for territory. The gangs here like to have territory. They seem to be trying to figure out what's worth fighting for and until they do they fight over territory. Its likely that these Southies were in their domain. Most of the fighting is less about gathering wealth or bothering businesses, the usual slag but more about becoming the most powerful group.
"When someone finally emerges then I expect more traditional problems but for now, its caste oriented. Low and mid against mid to high. Some of them are violent in their attitudes about The System and find an outlet in fighting with other gangs that aren't in their social status."
"We have five gangs at last report as I understand it," Prime said as Hauser nodded. "Do they have a base?"
"Two of the gangs do. They have social clubs for themselves and the others hang out at Club Hoyle and Club Cybertron," Hauser said. "We work with the staff and management of both places. Since we don't have a reason to intervene with them we can only watch. They keep a low profile for now."
"Do they show weapons or is this an anomaly?" Prime asked.
"This is unusual. I don't know what prompted it but the territorial dispute nature of this can't be a good thing," Hauser said. "I've trained a team of gang experts and we're building a map of territories to match a book of players, especially their leadership."
"Please keep me informed," Prime said. "We are done with gangs."
A train slid into the station and stopped. Doors opened and the civilians began to get on board, some of them for whom this was their train.
The officers of the Watch had interviewed them, then let them go. The Autobots and Prime watched the train pull out to disappear down the tracks.
"I do not want any trouble. The Festival of Primus is a couple of decaorns away," Prime said. "The last thing we need is a gang shootout when there are that many civilians about."
Everyone agreed, listened to the officer in charge of the scene, then boarded the next train back to Autobot City.
The car was filled as they sat or stood around.
Ratchet glanced at Prime. "Poor Hauser. What a thankless job."
Prowl nodded. "I worked undercover in the gangs and its dangerous and boring. I'm sick of this kind of mentality."
"I'm bothered that this might be an escalation of the gangs regarding turf," Blackjack said. "If it is then this kind of violence will become common."
"So will jail sentences of some duration," Prime replied.
They rode to Metro #1, then climbed up into the street where they chatted a while. When they broke up to go wherever they were going it was starting to become dusk. The night would be wide open with millions of individuals out on the town(s) with no prospect of work, several millions of them, for two decaorns.
=0=That night
They ran about the apartment screeching, laughing and chasing about as they played stampede. It was a favorite game of the littlest kids who would run around making as much noise as possible while not getting touched by the one who was 'it'.
Prowler was it and in his usual manner he walked casually around smiling at them as he dragged his favorite teddy bear. There was nothing but amusement and a sense of dreamy detachment in the little mech as he wandered after his panicked siblings who didn't want to be 'it' themselves.
The big kids were staying over with the family in Iacon because 'Uncle' Tornado and 'Uncle' Aileron were in from Cybertron and had a trunk load of stories to tell. Sunspot was overnighting with Bos and all was well. The shorties were having a stampede through the living room, then disappeared into the hallway and someone's berth room with gusto.
Ironhide and Ratchet who were sitting in their chairs with a cold plate and a beer watched them hoo-haw, then disappear. Ratchet glanced at Ironhide. "Sparklings are on a roll."
"They are," Ironhide said with a grin. "Sparklings have a lot of energy."
What about you? Have you recovered from your game?" Ratchet asked.
Ironhide frowned at him. "Fragger. We're not going to discuss this." He clicked on the sound for The Hourly News.
"Welcome back. I'm Jacx sitting in for Lim-Lee with the evening news. A late breaking report indicates that there was a violent altercation that involved fists and firearms at the Metro #3 station in City 4 at Crater District 6 about four joors ago. It's reported that two groups of youngling mechs got into an argument that led to a brawl. In the midst of it guns were pulled and shooting commenced.
"There were a number of civilians on both platforms caught in the middle but the quick thinking of Commander Flint of Praxus and other Autobots who were on the platform across from the fight prevented injuries and death from occurring. There is little information released from the Watch Communications Office nor the Office of Strategic Communications as of yet but there's been a promise to do so when all the information is sorted."
=0=E2
"Well, that's bullshit," Theodore Galloway said as he sat in the bar at the habitat playing cards with Jase Daniels, James Daniels and Kyle Davis. "You could be shot riding the metro."
"Name a place where you won't be," James Daniels replied.
"Not here. Its supposed to be buttoned down and ultra safe," Galloway said.
"It mostly is," James replied. "I don't like Prime but he runs a tight ship. Shit happens."
"Remember that when you're on the subway and shooting starts. Imagine when they stampede your way."
"I don't want to," Jase said. "Two cards please."
=0=In a bar at Unidad
James Johnson and several of the mercs including Sam sat at a table eating bar food and drinking beer. They'd come to Unidad because you could. Humans could come and go to the habitats without fuss if they were cleared to travel. These individuals were.
"Nice to know you can get shot or stepped on in a stampede here," Carlos Ortega said as he looked his cards over. "Bad can happen in all directions."
"You can go home," Johnson said. "No one is forcing you to stay."
"Fuck you, Johnson," Carlos said amiably. "I open with this," he said dropping chips on the table to bet.
They would play for a few hours, then take the Metro back to Earth2.
A tall rangy man sitting nearby sipping beer and reading The Autobot Daily News would stay longer and gather more of a sense of the place even as he still luxuriated in the idea of being on another planet. Silas would stay longer than the boys he supervised much to their disgust. So disgusted were they that they didn't invite him to join them.
Silas didn't care. He was their boss anyway and how they acted around and because of him was good intel. He read the paper, watched the monitor nearby with the news and enjoyed himself immensely.
=0=At the jail
They came in from the paddy wagon to line up for their intake at the Courthouse Jail at the Courthouse in Iacon. They were silent, cool in demeanor and unified, both sets of mechs as they gazed at each other from different lines with intense loathing.
Watching them as he took notes, Hauser of Capital City gauged the size of his problem with concern. This could have ended with finality for an innocent tonight. He would redouble his efforts to put end to the mangy gangs of Cybertron. As he watched them, he decided what he'd try to do about their behavior and hopefully the ability to reform themselves.
He had a forlorn hope but it was his and he clung to it tightly.
=0=TBC 06-23-2021