The Diego Diaries: Getting Along (dd8 584)
=0=At a hearing on conditional release the next orn
Sideways sat at the defender's table with his lawyer, a youngling mech named Parso who was specializing in prisons and prisoner issues. He and several friends were part of a new group that worked on cases like this at their private practice, Hard Core Legal. These were dangerous, mental and criminal individuals who were marginal at best. They worked on their cases for trial, petitions to release from confinement to various day programs and solitary. They were also the team that held Sio and Sunee's briefs. It was incredible the amount and kinds of firepower you could have on your side when money no longer created barriers.
Hargity who was the hearing officer sat at the judge's dais with Coral, a femme who was his clerk of court handling the particulars. Ferris who was an assistant prosecutorial attorney in the Office of the Prosecutor was handling the Prime's Brief. They were waiting for Hargity to conclude a call off line.
He did, then glanced at everyone present. "Thank you for coming so promptly. I apologize for the call. Sometimes things come up and you have to handle them as they appear." He sat back, then glanced at Coral. "Let's begin, shall we?"
Everyone agreed, so Coral read the agenda for the hearing. "We are gathered here to discuss the petition for relief presented by Parso of Stamus IV who is representing the petitioner, Sideways of Helex. The petition put forward seeks unconditional relief and discharge from complete holding or partial if the Court pleases."
Hargity glanced at the attorneys and the client, Sideways who was making the petition of relief. "Gentlemen, shall we begin. Mr. Ferris?"
"Thank you. I've done extensive research into the background of this individual. Its instructive that his specialty, spying and double-dealing likely was the career choice that he made in the Decepticons. He was a runner for the Decepticons, he spied and when things got dangerous or there was violence he would find the biggest mech there and stand next to him. He did so because if there was any shooting the bullets would hit that mech and not him. He's not trustworthy by even those on his side of the divide with many bots who have blood feuds with him because of his willingness to run, stab them in the back and lie.
"His attempts to live in the colony have failed every time it was tried. He was returned to jail last when he failed to find employment and at the request of a family of a youngling mech who he was 'courting', if that is the word for it and who felt the danger of the association.
"His efforts, if you can call them that to rehabilitate himself or learn something useful have been minimal at best even when things have been offered. He's been involved in a fracas with Motormaster in the prison as well. We don't believe he's trustworthy nor is he a good candidate for release. He won't agree to a psychological profile to determine how dangerous or not he is to the public but I do believe that his record speaks for himself," Ferris concluded.
Hargity considered that, then glanced at Parso. "Mr. Parso?"
"Your honor, there are many things to discuss here but also included among them are the laws that govern the length of time a mech or femme can be held before a disposition of their situation must be made. My client has been in prison for a very long time. The laws of Cybertron indicate that a speedy and/or timely determination of a person's situation is guaranteed. To hold them without the possibility of a decision about their status is unlawful and immoral.
"I'm not declaring this mech is a saint. He's had a very checkered life in the Decepticons and he's had a time adjusting to the post-war paradigm. For that, he's not alone. Reaching this planet and living in a place like this with all the open ended possibilities has been a process for all of us. Many of us failed and many are still getting their sea legs. What's not tenable is having no end in sight for the chance to have another chance.
"My client wishes to receive day release like other far more dangerous prisoners enjoy with the possibility of full and unconditional release at some point. He realizes that the burden for change is upon him. He's aware that he has a past that doesn't inspire confidence. He does hope that here in this place a second chance can be his as well. Barricade and Scorponok are on day leave. They're more dangerous and have steeper and more terrible records yet they're in this program. We ask for Sideways to have the same chance to prove himself and further the opportunity to full release some orn."
Hargity considered that. He glanced at Sideways. "You haven't done well on your own when we did give you that chance. You were in an inappropriate relationship with a mech who was barely on the cusp of full emancipation. You were separating him from his family. That wasn't wise. It's fortunate that they were from Stanix or who would know how that would end. Tell me why I should grant to you a place on this program's list. It has several hundred mechs and femmes seeking the same placement as you."
"I was on it before and I goofed up. I wasn't here long when I did. I was still in the mindset of the run and chase. I hate being in the prison. I want to do things, to be a part of the world again. I know you think I can't do it. But I want to have a chance. I know I'll not be alone and that there's a lot of limitations but I want to be able to have the chance to live a different and better life. I don't know how to convince you of my resolve but I want this, Mr. Hargity."
Hargity considered that. "You were asked to agree to psychological testing so that we could get a better handle on who you were, what your problems might be and figure out how to help you. You never agreed. Why?"
Sideways considered that. "I don't trust head doctors. I don't like people trying to put me in a box. I expect that it might have been wiser to agree but I can't. I've seen that used against individuals. I didn't want to be one of them."
Hargity considered that as well, then glanced at Ferris. "What is your estimation of this mech's success even in as controlled a program as the Day Release?"
"Not good," Ferris replied. "He's had chances and he's sneaky. He always messes them up."
Hargity glanced at Parso.
"I believe in the tightly controlled parameters of the program that he has a chance to redeem himself. If he fails then he can go back to the jail and find another attorney," Parso said.
Sideways glanced at him. "Yeah?"
Parso sat back taking Sideways in with a cool gaze. "Yeah."
"Oh," Sideways said with a grin.
"Is there anything more you wish me to know?" Hargity asked both attorneys.
Both demurred, so Hargity rose. "Give me a few minutes to consider this and speak to the director of the program." With that, he walked from the room.
Everyone watched him go, then they sat back to wait. Sitting by the door with a gun, the jailer waited as well.
=0=IntraCom
They walked together to the studio to begin their afternoon news report. It would be pre-recorded so they could go on location to Charon to record segments with the mechs at the base. They were an interesting team. One of them was a mech from Cybertron with a long hard hitting news background and the other was a human with the same in European and Asian broadcasting. Chamber of Praxus and Ezra Rowan of the UK had formed a partnership investigating the underground movement against the Autobots in the system and during the course of it proposed a broadcast show where they both worked on the same story digging into it and presenting their points of view about the same topic. It was called 'The Post'.
The forward bases would be investigated to show what they did, how they functioned and who worked there. The soldiers would be profiled, the work they did explained and their overall function in the defense of the sector would be more fully understood.
Leonora Huttle was producing but she was involved in the new season of Platoon so her protege, Antonio Rios of Peru would be going with the two men as producer along with a film crew. They'd bridge in, then ride back on a ship to get both transports on camera. It would take a week and they'd be back in time to start an exploration of the bot's acceptance and transformation of human holidays and what that meant in the dynamic between species.
It would be an interesting life.
=0=Hearing Room
Hargity walked back in, then sat. He had a legal datapad with him which he set down in front of himself. He stared at it, then the three who waited, one with more tension than he planned to let slip. "I've gone over the submissions, your statements and so forth. I've given a lot of thought to what you both said, in essence a summary of your written petitions. I've also considered your words, Sideways. It's clear to me that you didn't do much to advance your cause by participating in the efforts of your attorneys help you to try harder. The prison has confirmed that you were offered three different programs designed to facilitate rehabilitation and you refused. I find that perplexing."
Sideways shifted with unease but said nothing.
"Your lack of interest in giving a little to get a lot is problematic. You want us to fill your servo but you do nothing to assist us in making a good decision that won't come back to bite any of us on the aft. That's a problem for me. You're not cooperating like a mech who wants to make a change. The only change you're interested in making is the scenery outside your cell block. Its unfortunate as can be that you believe you can run the system and con your way into a better life without offering anything back in return.
"In all the places I've lived and worked including Cybertron, there has never been a place like this that tried so hard to help mechs and femmes find their way. Yet you rejected all that they offered to help you. Its hard to believe what you say."
Sideways stared at him dreading the possibilities. "I have my issues. Everyone does. I just want another chance."
"You may find this hard to believe but we all do. We want everyone to have another chance including you but its not a one-way street. You give us something, we give you everything. You can't even make that small journey to meet us a little bit. You offer nothing to tell me that you've rehabilitated yourself even a little bit. That's a painful thing to me whether you believe it or not," Hargity said. "I'm going to make you an offer. Got to the classes, allow and participate genuinely in the mental health portion of this plan and I'll reconsider your petition myself in 6 decaorns. If you don't agree I have nothing to show that you're a good candidate for release."
Sideways stared at him a moment, then vented a soft sigh. "Frag," he whispered as he nodded his helm.
=0=TBC 12-07-2022