The Diego Diaries: Hunt (dd8 668)
=0=Staff meeting
After the resulting tree commentaries, the meeting went downhill, that is, it slid down into Good of the Order and by the time every insult and donut was traded, everyone was heading out but for the usual suspects, Hard Drive, Springer, Hercy, Kup and Drift. The door closed, then they turned to each other.
"What is the timeline, Springer?" Optimus asked.
Springer who was sitting next to Hard Drive glanced at the elder mech. "Any time. Correct?"
Hardie glanced at Prime. "We have a case that meets the level for federal indictment. Barron is working out the indictments and will put them before the federal grand jury to peruse. Their decisions will be sealed when reached or not, so everyone is bound to keep the contents secret until they're filed and served."
"When do you perceive will be the correct time? How many are we talking about and how big is the network, if any?" Prowl asked.
Springer sat back. "We're going to wait for Barron to give us the word. He said tomorrow. He didn't have anything firmed up for the timeline before that, Optimus, or he would have mentioned something. He wants to keep things separated from all the departments and you given that you have the right to final appeal. You don't need to be associated with this now with the revision of the judiciary. The courts will handle the trial, the High Court of Appeal any dissension against the verdict by either side, then you can step in at that point to render a final decision with consultation with the Matrix."
"They're under surveillance? I didn't see their names on the list of the 127 gangsters that we're following now. What about their group? Genitors? Other links to other gangs?" Prowl asked.
"They weren't surveilled because they weren't active in their gang right now. They've been going about their business as inactive members. The Southies have been low key and so have the Coppos since the shootout at the game other than a few fist fights and the odd tag here and there. Its only been when other gangs began to make themselves known after getting here that they stepped it up again. We've expanded our gang database to 438 active individuals not counting those with genitors that back them up or have themselves made criminal databases as fences or intermediaries. We've added them as well. Both gangs had some members go underground when they came here, thus we've missed a few.
"As for genitors, there's three that could be indicted here. Other gang links are unknown," Hardie concluded.
"How many arrests are you going to make?" Prowl asked.
"Ten for now," Hardie said. "Mirage and the others have them under direct surveillance and that's how we were able to find them, having them meet up with the others who are active in apartments or at a club in a building in off Main and 15th Avenue in City 3 of Crater District 13." He glanced at Drift and Springer.
"This is a private club that needs codes to enter. Its called Deep Space, Incorporated. A while back Bezel got a copy of High Times and we had it analyzed. It led us through a convoluted trail but we discovered this club and had the mechs watch it. Its exclusively high caste and it attracts a broad range of individual from young to elder," Drift said.
"We know they go there and there's enough when they're arrested that we can raid the club. I'd like to know your thinking on that, Optimus," Springer said.
Prime thought a moment. "This is not about opinions or feelings about anything. This is not about being the thought police. I am uninterested in what opinions you hold as long as you uphold the laws and regulations about living here and in the Empire and treat everyone with respect. If you want to retain the ideas about caste and all of the rest you can. This is not about policing what you believe.
"This is about the end of tyranny that has caused incalculable harm to our people and the very possibility of extinction. It will not be allowed not just because I say so but because the Will of The People was expressed through the Convocation of the Will and affirmed by the Powers. All of the battles about it are over and the war has been won. I will enforce this affirmation and the laws of our people. Think what you will. Act upon it and there will be consequences."
He sat a moment in thought. "If there is adequate cause, then you have my support. I trust that Barron is aware of what is at stake here and that he has the clearest thinking about what constitutes probable cause. I will not be stepping into this given my status as court of final appeal. I trust to those of you who serve this government and that you have the best interests and rights of everyone involved in your minds."
Hardie sat back. "We've actually discussed the indictments and evidence with a panel of legal experts in trial evidence and other aspects of this. Barron constituted them as part of the judicial reform that he's preparing for the Delegate Assembly to review and pass to correct out all of the slag from back when. He has decided that a standing committee to help review the changes and/or big case indictments that come up will make any kind of bias or defect harder to get past scrutiny. It would have helped with the war criminal trials of the big cases we've already adjudicated."
Prowl nodded. "Good idea. This has to be cleared of even the faintest taint of The System."
Prime nodded. "When would you like to make this happen, Springer? A time for me to ruminate upon if you will."
Springer grinned. "We're shooting for First Friday. We want to hit all of them at once. Five of them will be at work in the same firm, one their genitors run for an Earth company that does the inventory of their business and helps with their other business prospects here. The other five work at various places. None of them are in school."
"Then it must be coordinated and swift. I want them removed before the press gets wind of it and there is a possibility for trouble in the community," Prime said. "I do not expect that the former high caste community will be happy. I am concerned about reprisals from everyone else toward them."
Springer nodded. "We know. We will include, then, The Club? That's what its called among them, The Club. Tell us what to do if we find High Times works from there. I haven't sat down with Barron yet to get the final outlines of our authority on this venture."
"It will depend upon the indictments. If High Times is part of the problem then it will be addressed as well. You will do a thorough investigation of all scenes, is that correct?" Prime asked.
Drift nodded. "Sky and our guys, Tellus of the Fire Department Forensics and Perceptor with Sciences will be handling the investigations on site and any evidence collection. They're going to be witnesses at trial along with others who worked each of the scenes. We're getting the science of the destruction worked out and will pass on the reports to the Court, your office and Prowl along with the Fire, Watch and Sciences departments as a finished product."
Prime sat back. "Very well. Please inform me when this is to commence. I will be available in case of trouble and Prowl along with Starlet will be your contacts about the case once the arrests are made. I will recuse myself from further participation."
Hardie nodded. "I'm meeting with Barron tonight to go over things, then we'll meet tomorrow with those involved to plan the arrests."
"Thank you for your good work. It relieves my processor that we are not following old paths," Prime said.
Hardie rose, then grinned. "Never again. I'm off to Iacon. Anything you wish to know or need?"
"No. I'm very pleased with your stewardship in the resurrection of our planet, General. I am in your debt," Prime said.
"Never, Optimus," Hardie said. "We all owe you for never giving up." With that, he walked to the door to go to Cybertron and overall command of the planet's rebirth.
"That mech is a work and wonder," Ratchet said. He glanced at the others. "What now, Dad?"
"Class is dismissed," Prime said with a grin.
Everyone rose, sassed him one more time, they walked out to do battle once again.
"What about the kids?" Ironhide asked as he glanced at Prime and Prowl.
"We thought you'll take them to a snack shop and get them ice cream," Prowl said with a deadpan face.
"All of them?" Ironhide said with surprise. "That's a handful of younglings."
"You can do it," Ratchet said as he rose to go. "I have house calls. Everyone else has a real job."
"Real job? What about mine?" Ironhide asked with offense.
"Holi runs that department. Tell me where I'm wrong," Ratchet said as Ironhide stood.
"I'm giving her a big raise. In fact, I'm giving her a raise and your entire salary," Prowl said with a smirk.
Ironhide smirked back. "We don't get paid here, slagger. I'll take the kids, though. Fraggers." With that, he walked out with a spring in his step toward the little table where a passel of kids sat watching him come with big smiles.
They rose to go with him, following the big mech as he led the way. Grinning back over his shoulder, the mob disappeared out the door together with Ironhide, the big mech hulking out with little kids hopping and skipping after him. A dog and three cows followed as well.
=0=At a family owned business in City 4, District 13
Pogo and his four best friends worked on projects that were part of a large plan for their firm to corner the market in 'business venturing' as a human called it. They were working out plans for human companies to have toeholds in markets that were becoming quite lucrative as the money potential for all manner of science and technology began to show itself in other habitats. That another was rumored to be coming, one tailored to energy and recycling had drawn interest right away.
Pogo worked on a plan proposal, something he was very good at doing. His friends all of which had grown up with him were also draftsmen. That they also were great bomb makers was a lesser known skill though it worked out to their favor a lot of the time when someone decided to be problematic to their needs, wants and future desires.
They were Southies. Their gang had parental support and had made them a great deal of money on Cybertron in the orn. It was a generational gang. That is, it'd been around for centuries with mechs coming and going depending on their desires and interests. Families had grown up in its complexity and some of them were foundational to its identity and processes. You had to get permission from the 'Patriarch' to do anything. Freelancing wasn't allowed.
Discipline had held through the Diaspora but coming here had broken some of the bonds that held them together through all this time. Now the younger mechs were feeling their oats as the humans said and there were 'mistakes' made, the shoot out at the game and other unsanctioned things that were bringing unwanted attention.
As they worked through the orn they had no idea that they were just that much closer to a reckoning.
=0=TBC 3-21-2023
ESL!
ruminate: (room-ih-nate) : to think something over, usually over a period of time, though that isn't necessary for its correct use.
adjudicate: (uh-joow-dih-cate): to judge something. If its adjudicated, then its decided. A trial is an adjudication.
recuse: (ree-kyoos) to recuse yourself from something is to withdraw from it. If you are on a jury selection and you know anyone of the victims or defendants you recuse yourself from the jury. A judge can not take a case for the same reason. It keeps bad things happening to juries and their decision-making.
passel: (pah-sul) an antique way of saying a bunch, a group, a number of kids.