Disclaimer: Don't own Transformers

Prohibition

Author's Note: G1 AU.

Summary: High Grade is temperately not allowed. This is how the population of Cybertron copes. For the most part, follows Jazz.

A few things that will come in handy to know for this fic.

: Private comm. :

- Group comm. -

"Speaking."

Astrosecond = 1 Cybertronian second/0.498 Earth seconds

Breem = 1 Cybertronian minute/8.3 Earth minutes

Joor = 1 Cybertronian hour

Orn = 1 Cybertronian day

Decacycle = 10 orns

Vorn = 1 Cybertronian year/83 Earth years

"Breaking News." A well-known reporter appeared to be shaking ever so slightly in front of the usual stack of datapads that had been long associated with such matters. "The Altihex region has experienced the most severe explosion to this orn only breems ago."

The screen displayed the huge explosion, taking out several energon mines with it and closing the entrances to many more, trapping thousands of workers inside.

"Rescue teams are being organized and dispatched to save the trapped individuals. Medics who are not on the teams are asked to be on standby in their respected medbays. Lists are being prepared. Those who have been found will have their current location while those who contain bots still missing will have their last known location. They will be posted and updated regularly. The cause is yet to be determined."

To Whom It May Concern:

It has come to my attention that the parts requested for the energon synthesizing machines located at the southern part of the Rust Sea haven't been sent yet and won't be until another few decacycles. Machines that made the parts had been thrown off calibration from the recent Altihex explosion since, as you may know, our facility is nearby. The parts will be melted down and we will reuse the metal to remake the parts in the requested specifications. Thank you for being patient with us.

Sincerely,

Solarflare

Shipment Manager

Zeta Prime walked to the podium in the center of the large stage, cameras flashing and recording devices focused to get every astrosecond of what he was to say for the entire planet to see. As a prime, he had long since grown used to the stresses of being in such a position and as much, he was unaffected by it.

"My brethren, today is a day of much recovery. The inhabitants of the Altihex region, the miners in particular, have received a heavy hit. We are a strong and resilient race. There are stories of brave individuals who spent orns working to reopen entrances to the mines just as there are stories of leaders emerging in the caves to provide peace and order while awaiting help. Medics working around the clock to save patients brought in from the region. I could go on all orn listing off the great things that have been done in response to the accident. We must work together, everyone across the planet and conserve energon for the time being. What I'm asking is not to cut down in the traditional sense of not utilizing as much of our life sustaining fluid, but to do a harmless alternative. What might this be?" Zeta Prime paused, allowing time for his audience to think the question over. "A temporary ban on high grade."

- Six Vorns Later -

"Sentinel Prime, is it true that you're against lifting the ban on high grade?"

Sentinel looked slightly offended by the question, "Silverbell, why would you think that? I love high grade as much as the next bot."

Silverbell crossed her legs, resting her datapad full of questions on her lap as she stared intently at the prime before her. "Many sources have reported that the economy, especially in the Altihex region, have fully recovered. Energon production is back to normal and surveys of the population show that the majority are eager to accept high grade back into our lives."

"My predecessor, may his spark be resting in the well, was a great prime. He was the one who came up with the ban on high grade in the first place and Cybertron as a whole has been doing better because of it. World hunger has become nonexistent."

"World hunger was solved not from a ban on high grade, but from the advancements of the brilliant minds at Crystal City. Individuals such as Perceptor and Starscream have been working together to make renewable sources of energon, thus cutting down the dependency of mining raw energon and depleting the planet's natural resources." Silverbell looked over her datapad finding the exact details, "Energy from the waves in the Rust Sea, sunlight from our two suns and movement from the wind are being converted into perfectly safe to consume energon."

Sentinel straightened, looking as if he that had been the first time he had even heard of that. "I'm… very lucky… to have been chosen to be the next prime over this prosperous planet. The ban should be removed within the next few vorns."

The recording crew cheered into the background, some forming group hugs while others promised to take the others out for a round of drinking.

Engines purred as individuals got into formation, the positions having been given out from the results of the last race although some had different spots due to won or lost bets that had been made the night before.

A black and white Polyhexian pulled into his location near the back. This was his first time racing in this group, having just transferred in after utilizing some very strong connections.

He switched to the frequency that the leader, Stoplight, had mentioned back at the place they had been staying at for the last orn and if all things went well, again tonight.

- Comm, is the frequency secured? – Skyscraper questioned, a tinge of eagerness in his voice.

- Just an astrosecond… - An unknown voice hummed over the group frequency before replying. – Frequency secured. So how are you, my main mech? -

- It's a very fine orn for a race. It's been a while since we were last here in Kaon. – Skyscraper mused, - Last time we were here, Spinout slipped off the road. -

- But he always does that. – A voice protested in a whining tone.

- I do not! – Spinout protested, - Daft, you're over exaggerating things again. -

Stoplight interjected before it became too much. – Comm, why don't you to the lineup so we can get started? –

Meiser watched as the last of the group finally arrived. He had yet to put a name to each one, but he still had time to do that. If all went well, he'd be able to stick around in this group for a long time to come. He was a very skilled racer if he said so himself.

Comm hummed a small tune over the frequency as the owner of the voice looked for the list. – In first place we have Windracer followed closely by Airstream. Third is Roadrage. Fourth is… uh… Skyscraper. Fifth is Stoplight who is followed closely by Speedbump and Spinout. Eighth is the newbie, Meiser. Wow, we got another betting mech on our hands. Ninth is Roadburn. Tenth is Daft. – There was a chuckle across the frequency. – Streetglider managed to put himself in last. Do I even want to know? –

The eleventh member of the group pulled in ever so quietly. Meiser almost missed the sleek, pure white bot's presence entirely if it weren't for the sudden feeling that he was being watched. A very calm voice spoke up on their frequency. – Not particularly. It's a long story anyway. We're all here and in the correct positions. –

- When the light turns green, feel free to begin. – Comm announced.

Meiser brought his attention to the light, hovering on yellow before the change to red. He revved his engine in anticipation. It wouldn't be much longer now.

Just as the light turned green, he hit the accelerator, weaving his way pass several bots before the others even had the change to get started. Glancing back, he spotted the white bot, Streetglider, far behind and going at a much slower pace than he expected for a bot with an alt mode so similar to his own. It was a shame. He was looking forward to racing the bot. With a name like Streetglider, Meiser was expecting a whole lot more from the white mech.