The Diego Diaries: Slammer 1 (dd3 437)
-0-At the brig
Prowl and Ratchet stood to one side as Inferno and Red Alert directed the gathering multitudes to their particular cell in Cell Block B. It was the one with large multiple berth containments that could handle the influx. The mini-cons were already in their cell sitting or standing as they watched the rest come in. The surly fuming high castes were placed in the cell by the door that held them easily. Down at the end were two other cells, one big and one smaller that would hold all of the soldiers. When they were inside the bars went up and they were enclosed.
Prowl turned to Red with a grim expression.
Red looked at Prowl a moment, then shook his helm. "You two are going to be the death of me."
"Three," Alor said with a grin.
Red Alert looked at Alor, then grinned faintly. "You're being led astray."
"Good," Alor said as he followed Prowl and Ratchet into the cell.
Red brought the bars up then walked out to the station to do the log ins and put the roster of brig internees up to date.
Ratchet sat down, then patted the berth.
Alor walked to it to sit beside his son-in-law. "Prowl … join us," Alor suggested.
Prowl glanced at them, then reluctantly sat. The three stared across the open space between cells at the high caste younglings who were fuming and rubbing sore things.
Down at the end of the row in the last cell Sideswipe and Sunstreaker stood by the bars watching. The punks may or not have thrown the bottle that hit Bluestreak. It was an affront and atrocity that would need investigating. They were patient. They didn't look it but they were very low caste in their society. They knew how to wait.
The mini-cons settled but for Tix. "Ratchet."
Ratchet looked down the row. "What, Tix?"
"Nice punch," Tix said with a grin. Then he sat down to wait through the night for the Magistrate's Court and his very uptight bond along with two tiny infants who would come to get him there along with his entire extended family and the mechs and femmes from the Old Neighborhood.
That one.
The others would face the same thing.
Outraged bonds and confused infants.
When a mini-con from the Villages screwed up it was a familial thing that brought out the entire family and then some to join in the hoo-haw and overall discontent. Elders would rail about wayward youth, adas would wait for that moment to cry to Primus about their infants and everyone would celebrate later when no one was looking about the whole thing.
Those guys.
What always surprised Ratchet was that they persisted in fighting so much when the entire family would come down to raise the roof the next orn. Magistrate's Court was going to be fun tomorrow. "Thank you, Tix. Coming from excitable little slaggers like you guys, I take it as a compliment."
The mini-cons laughed. "Good," one of them said.
It got quiet a moment.
Everyone stared at each other as the lights began to dim.
Prowl who was conversing internally with someone, probably Prime, was quiet.
Alor was grinning as he chatted with Blackjack.
Ratchet looked to the door and noted that Magnus was standing there staring with a cool optic at the groups in their cells. "Hello, Magnus. Are you checking in to Club Fed, too?"
Magnus snorted, then stepped closer to the bars where the three were. "What did you do? Brawl at the prison again?"
"No. We were at Club Cybertron this time. Apparently, there was a disturbance of the peace and we came to pour balm on troubled waters."
"I can see that didn't work out so well," he said as Blackjack and Ironhide came in behind him. Ultra Magnus glanced at them. "I don't suppose you're coming for them."
"Nope," Ironhide said with a grin. "I thought I'd pay a visit since half my family is in here. Hi, Ada."
Alor grinned at his son and bond. "Hello, boys. Care to join us?"
"Nope," Ironhide said with a chuckle. "You in for the night?"
"Looks like it," Alor said.
Blackjack nodded. He looked at Prowl who stood up and came closer to the bars. "Bluestreak is fine. He's at home with the infants and will take care of them tonight. He's going to come to the drum head after he gets them to school. There will be a drum head, right?"
Prowl nodded. "For the military. The Magistrate's Court will take care of the civilians."
Blackjack nodded, then looked at Magnus and Ironhide. "Drinks on me."
Ironhide grinned, then glanced at Magnus. "Come on, Magnus. You know you want to," he said then walked with his father to head back out.
"Have one for me, Only One," Ratchet called out.
Ironhide glanced over his shoulder and nodded. "Count on it, old mech."
Magnus left without a word.
It was silent again as bots watched the door. When no one else stepped in they began to settle. As they did Springer and Drift came through the door and stopped in front of the cell where Prowl, Ratchet and Alor were sitting.
"You look comfortable," Springer said with a grin.
"We're living the dream," Ratchet said as Alor guffawed.
"Is that what this is?" Alor asked with a smirk.
"Is there anything we can get for you?" Drift asked as he grinned at Ratchet.
"How about a good bottle of high grade and a frag?" Ratchet waggled his optical ridges as he asked.
Bots snorted here and there.
"I'll see what we can do," Springer said with a grin. "See ya in the morning."
They watched as the two walked out.
Smokey sat on a bunk next to other soldiers as across the corridor in the cell with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe Hot Rod sat watching him. Roddy's optics were bright in the gathering darkness as the lighting system counted down to the moment when they would go out entirely. After that, it would take night vision to see anything.
Smokey considered this, the first infraction of his life and felt embarrassment that his encounter with Mistermaster had precipitated all of them ending up in the brig. Even though the brawl was EPIC! it was also a smudge of trouble on his still slim service record and it couldn't end well in the morning when the drum head was held. It would most likely be officiated by the Prime. What a sorry way to begin a military career he thought as he sat beside Jolt.
Footfalls could be heard as all looked toward the door.
Kup entered followed by Gypsy and Sandstorm. He paused by the cell with Ratchet and his crew. "I brought Gypsy in to see about injuries," he said holding his stogie in servo. He looked around the room. "Anyone got a boo boo?"
No one said a word.
The mini-cons smirked at the soldiers who were stoic. No one was going to be the one who admitted to being hurt.
Kup noted that, then turned to Gypsy. "No one is fessing up, Gypsy. I guess you can go home then."
She looked at him, then the others. "Who needs assistance? Don't be a child. I have two of them at home already," she said in her sweet manner.
"We don't want your help," a high caste said from somewhere in the darkness of their cell.
Every soldier in the room stood up to stare at the high castes.
Sunstreaker was already at the bars anyway. He stared into the darkness of their cell. "Fraggers. Mind your mouth around her."
"Frag you," someone said.
Sio came out of the darkness to stare down the corridor at Sunstreaker.
"Come out of that cell and tell me that, fragger. I'll tear you apart," Sunstreaker said with the deadly calm that he got just before a fight. "No one talks to Gypsy that way."
"Frag you," Sio said. "What are you going to do? Kill me like you killed Kudon?" he asked.
The chill in the room was incredible as the words echoed off the walls.
The mini-cons stood up to stare at the high castes even as the soldiers watched the play, their optics ranging from Sunstreaker to Sio and back again.
Prowl stood. "Stand down," he said in the Voice That Must Be Obeyed.
It was completely still, then Sio looked at Prowl. "Frag you," he said quietly. There was a steely flint in his optics that was disturbing to Ratchet who rose himself.
"Gypsy."
She looked at Ratchet.
"Thank you for coming, little Miss. But what's wrong with that one can't be fixed by you. I'd go and hug your babies if I were you. Its the best medicine."
She looked at him, then the others. Stepping closer to the other cells where everyone was she said, "If you need me, I will come."
"They already know that, little Missy," Sandstorm said, his optics never leaving Sio. He took her arm gently and walked out with her.
Kup watched them go, then turned to Sio. He stepped to the cell, the heat of the bars warm on his armor. Sticking his stogie in his mouth, he stared at the high caste coldly for a moment. "I don't give a tinker's damn what or who you think you are, slagger. That little femme is ours. She's a Wrecker medic and as such has more brass in her little finger than you have in your entire body. If you ever disrespect her again these bars won't keep me out." It was silent a moment, then Kup turned to the others. "I'll be in the rec room. If you need someone call me."
Prowl nodded, then all watched him walk to the door and out.
It was silent, then Sio walked back to sit down again.
Prowl watched him as he did, then sat himself.
Everyone settled. The atmosphere of the block was tense and coagulated with rage.
It was silent, then Sunstreaker rose to move to the bars. He stared into the darkness, then shifted to night vision as the lights went out completely.
There were a number of bots in the cell, all of them young and unknown. He would have to learn about them, find out their weaknesses and strengths, then kick their afts into the stratosphere.
Sideswipe watched him well aware of the anger that filled his brother. This could get terrible in a really short period of time.
Sio was a fool.
"Prowl."
A voice called out.
Prowl for his part didn't answer or acknowledge it.
"Prowl … tell us about how Kudon. I want to know about his murder. After all … I hear your son-in-law did it and that you and Prime covered it up."
Tension surged as everyone switched to night vision and turned their gaze on the cell with Prowl. He was sitting calmly, his big mech-style wings folded down as he leaned against the wall.
Alor was sitting with him, his own expression calm as he searched the darkness across from him for the source of the voice.
It was Sio.
Ratchet on the other servo was talking to Prime who had called for the lowdown. He paused it, then cut the channel in to add the conversation oozing up into the room from the high caste cell. Prime would be able to hear what was said, too, as he made his way from the Residence to The Fortress after an inspection of Club Cybertron.
Smokey who was listening felt his hackles rising. He looked at the others who were sitting tensely, watching and listening without comment. He bit his tongue and followed their lead. No one said a word, then the sound of someone standing could be heard.
Two footsteps, then nothing.
"What's the matter, Prowl? Why don't you tell us about Kudon and how the low caste killed him? I heard it was over a sparkling."
The sound of peds hitting the floor as soldiers and mini-cons stood filled the room as mechs rose up in outrage. No one spoke. No one moved beyond that as they all watched the cell where Prowl sat. He hadn't moved. Nothing showed on the outside but inside he was seething with rage. Prowl felt it reach Optimus, then he pulled it back.
Ratchet rose to peer down down the way at Sunstreaker and Sideswipe who stood side-by-side in the faint glow of their bars. They were battle ready and the calm composed expressions on their faces and the tension in their bodies made him glad they were behind bars.
Prime who was listening signaled that he had reached The Fortress and would be coming.
Ratchet turned to look at Prowl whose gaze was fixed on Sio.
:Optimus is coming:
Prowl nodded as he sat with his arms crossed over his chest and his optics fixed on the high castes. The soldiers stood silently in their cells, waiting, as if to move would shatter reality and everything would come apart in the worst way possible. As they did the sound of heavy ped falls could be heard. Then the sound of a voice speaking, a voice of a light tenor was heard outside in the main corridor along the several cell blocks.
The ped falls continued until Red Alert walked in and turned the lights up. Behind him was Optimus, Fenix and Inferno. Ironhide was back along with Blackjack, Magnus and Arcee who had joined them in Cafe Praxus after a long work session with Elita.
Prime walked to Prowl's cell to look down at him. He nodded a slight nod, then turned to Ratchet. "Ratchet … what happened?"
Ratchet stood and glanced around the room. "A fight broke out at the Club Cybertron. We went, Prowl and I, because we were here and everyone else was dispersed. There was a fight with mini-cons, civilians and soldiers. It was started by a disagreement about Mistermaster and his choice of love objects."
Smokey stepped slightly back from the edge of the cell blending in better as he did.
Hot Rod watched him, then glanced back at Prime.
Sunstreaker and Sideswipe along with every soldier in the room was watching, too.
Optimus glanced around. "The alleged culprits are all here?"
"They are. They include the three of us," Ratchet concluded. "Prowl has organized the evidence and Springer along with Drift and a forensic investigation team will present at Magistrate's Court and a drum head. I'm assuming you'll hold a drum head for the soldiers."
Prime nodded. He looked at Prowl who stood at parade rest, his duty and dignity as a soldier unmoved by the familiar soothing presence of his bond. "I would like to know why the three of you are in the brig."
"They hit us," a voice said behind him. "The three of them hit us."
"You'd be dead if it was me," Sunstreaker said from his cell.
"I imagine we would be. I hear you like to murder high castes," Haro-n said with vehemence.
"I don't loose recharge," Sunstreaker said hotly as Sideswipe nodded.
Alor looked at Prime. "One of those clowns called aspersions on your honor and Prowl hit him. Allegedly. Another made a move and Ratchet dropped him as well. I lifted them off the ground and was struck by another. I dropped him. That's why we're here."
Fenix who was standing behind the group next to Arcee stepped forward. "This is unacceptable."
"I know. They shouldn't have slagged Prime," Ratchet said with a fake look of innocence on his face.
Fenix glared at him. "This was obviously the fault of others. I would like to have these younglings paroled into my custody until the hearing so that we can devise a defense appropriate to the level of jeopardy our caste feels here among you and the rest of the colony."
"Among what?" Arcee said moving closer to Fenix. "Say it. You know you want to. Say what it is that you see when you look at the rest of us. Then you can tell us how you believe that you can build a city for yourself. You do understand that you can't do it without us and no one here will lift a digit for you slaggers in the boonies. Count on it."
Fenix looked at Arcee. "You cannot provoke me, Arcee." He looked at Prime. "I would like the release of the younglings in this cell, Prime. Thank you."
Prime looked at him, at the cold calculating processor standing before him. "No, I will not. They stay. The process will play out according to Cybertronian law and they will stand trial before Semi in the morning. You, on the other servo, may leave."
Fenix glanced at the younglings who looked incredulous. "I can't leave, Prime. I fear for their lives if I do."
"Good," Red Alert said feeling the offense of his remarks. "I'll drop the bars and you can stay with them. Suits me JUST fine."
Fenix stared at Red a moment, then nodded. "Very well," he said moving to the bars.
Red looked at Prime who nodded. He dropped the bars, then Fenix entered. The bars went back up as he turned to stare out of them. "Looks good to me," Red said as Inferno nodded.
"You won't get a disagreement here, Red," Inferno said quietly.
Prime stared at then, then turned to Prowl, Alor and Ratchet. "I will come in the morning and we will sort this out. Until then, you are all confined to the brig." He stared at Prowl, then walked out. The others stood a moment, then began to file out. Soon it was quiet again and the lights went off.
No one moved a moment, then the sound of bodies settling could be heard again.
Ratchet sat back with Alor and Prowl on either side of him. It was quiet a moment, then a voice called out. "You still didn't tell us about murdering Kudon, slagger."
Sunstreaker who was leaning against the wall with his brother glared at them with murderous optics. "I'd prefer to show you. Care to volunteer?"
-0-TBC September 19, 2013 7-30-19 12-03-2022