The Diego Diaries: Slammer (dd3 440)
-0-In the courtroom
They walked to the bench on the side of the room where Prime sat to sit themselves. Semi was studying his data pad detailing the offenses as the high caste younglings sat down behind their defender.
Semi looked up. "Mr. Tailor, please begin."
"Sir, we have a petition for change of representation from a lawyer, Fenix to represent the defendants in this case. The motion is on the data pad before you. I sent it there. Fenix is asking to be the counsel upon the request of family of the defendants."
Semi looked at the petition, then Fenix. "You do understand that the laws of Cybertron apply here, too, and the rules of the colony as outlined by the Prime state clearly that the caste system is outlawed by decree?"
Fenix nodded. "I do, your honor."
Semi glanced at Tailor. "I will allow the change in counsel but any defense predicated on the caste system will be disallowed. There is no defense based on that system here."
Fenix glanced at the crowd, then the younglings who sat quietly. He talked internally for a moment to someone, then looked at Semi. "Your honor, I'm formally asking to represent the defendants."
Semi nodded. "Accepted with the aforementioned caveats," he said.
Barron who was sitting next to Prime considered that. This would not be pretty.
"Then begin." Semi sat back to listen.
"I would like to ascertain the whereabouts and condition of one of the defendants, Sio. He's not here. He was taken from his cell last night and placed in solitary detention. Or so it was said to me by a very angry General Blackjack. He and his son, Ironhide came to the jail and had Sio removed. I would like to know where he is and why he isn't here for this hearing?" Fenix paused, his demeanor calm and unemotional.
Professional.
Semi glanced at the bailiff. "Silver, find out where the defendant is. Fenix, begin your motions."
Fenix nodded. "Alright. We would like to have the case dismissed since the group before you now did not start the fight nor did they throw the first punch. The group prior to this case accepted full blame and admitted to starting the altercation. These younglings were defending themselves from attack. It was self defense. Therefore, there's no hold that the state has over them. We ask for dismissal of the charges against them and immediate release."
Semi looked at the prosecutor for this case, the Prosecutor of the Session, Coln-2.
"Sir, this is more than just an altercation between younglings in a bar. This is more than just a brawl. This is a case of provocation. The younglings would have you believe that they're blameless but they aren't. They provoked the action and thereby deserve some of the blame. Even if the previous case establishes who began the fight, it does not explain why it happened. The fight wouldn't have occurred at all without the efforts and actions of these defendants."
Semi nodded. "I understand. Please present the Prime's case against the defendants."
Coln-2 nodded. "I would like to call the bartender who had a complete view of the altercation from the beginning to the end."
The bailiff opened the door and a handsome mech stepped in taking the witness stand nervously. He was sworn in, then waited for the questions that would come.
"Your name and profession please," Tailor asked.
"I am Quari. I tend bar at Club Cybertron on the swing shift," he said.
"Please, Quari, tell us what you saw when the altercation happened," Coln-2 said.
He glanced at Prime, then the crowd. They were mostly composed of friends and families of the defendants. "I was doing duty at the bar when it appeared that there was unease nearby."
"Unease?" Coln-2 asked.
"There was unease at the mini-con table that was next to the one these younglings were sitting. They were staring at the younglings who were talking trash about other patrons."
"How did you know?" Coln-2 asked.
"Part of my job is to assess the room and alert the bouncers. I tuned into the conversation. I have specialized audial enhancements."
"Continue." Coln-2 sat to listen.
"The conversation was about who the younglings felt in the room was 'faceable and who they didn't think was so. The mini-cons were close enough to hear it and it wasn't complimentary of almost everyone including them. Some of the crowd they liked, nearly everyone else they didn't."
"What happened then?" Coln-2 asked.
"The focus of the fight was the behavior of a mech who was dancing on the dance floor. It was the uncle of that mech, Haro-n," Quari said pointing to the mech who sat with the others on a bench behind Fenix. "He took exception to his uncle dancing with one of the soldiers. He went in to get him and did. They sat together talking for a while, then the uncle grabbed the same soldier and went back to the dance floor."
"The soldier … was there anything of significance about him that would cause offense for the defendants?" Coln-2 asked.
"Objection. Counsel is seeking opinions that are subjective and pejorative in nature," Fenix asked.
"Overruled. Counsel will have the opportunity to examine this witness," Semi said.
"The mech he was chasing was a really handsome nice kid. I've seen him in the Club many times with friends and he's a sweet kid. He's also extremely good looking. The only conclusion I had was his caste. I don't think they felt he was in their league and part of that comes from their comments about the other patrons."
"What happened then, Quari?" Coln-2 asked.
"The younglings got up and waded into the dance floor. That's when the mini-cons intercepted him and everyone began to brawl. The soldiers didn't join the fighting until one of them was decked by a flying bottle. The mech who was being chased by the uncle didn't participate. He was buried in the crush by the fighting."
Coln-2 nodded. "Thank you."
Fenix thought a moment, then stood. "You were able to hear the conversation over the sound of many conversations?"
Quari nodded. "I've done this work a long time. I'm good at it. I had my audials tuned to hear specifically whatever I need to hear while tuning out other stuff. It is part of the legal requirement to work in a bar and my job to monitor the mood of the crowd for trouble. That requires special equipment and programming which I have. Its state of the art tech and legally required for the job."
"You saw the mini-cons attack the younglings unprovoked?" Fenix asked.
"They attacked and landed the first blow but I don't consider it unprovoked," Quari replied.
"You're judging the event. What are your personal feelings about the caste system and high castes in particular?" Fenix asked calmly.
"I don't like it. I've never had very good treatment from high castes. I like that the System is dead here," Quari said, his tone acquiring an edge to it as he spoke.
"Then you'd have to admit that the feelings you have about high castes color your opinions and therefore your observations," Fenix posed.
"No. They don't and I don't," Quari said coldly.
"No further questions," Fenix said.
Quari was dismissed and left the room. Coln-2 stood and consulted his data pad. "I would like to call Autobot Smokescreen to the stand."
A rap on the door and the aforementioned 'hot babe' entered the room with great unease. He slowed a bit, then walked to the stand to testify. He took the oath then waited nervously.
"Autobot Smokescreen, please tell us about the altercation that happened last night at Club Cybertron," Coln-2 said.
Smokey glanced nervously at Optimus who sat with no expression three seats down from a very solemn Prowl, Ratchet and Alor. He nodded. "Uh, I was at the club with friends. We were sitting at a table when a mech I bumped into once came over. His name is Mistermaster. He sort of … uh, he came on to me. Sir." He stood stiffly, his mortification high as Coln-2 nodded.
"What happened then?" Coln-2 asked.
"He dragged me to the dance floor. I was sort of trapped and he was … uh, sort of aggressive. I was stuck."
"Then?" Coln-2 prompted.
"A mech came and dragged him off. I went back to my table and sat. Then after a moment he was back and I was stuck on the dance floor again. I couldn't get loose and I didn't want to hit him. He's … sort of old and all. I was afraid I'd hurt him and he's not totally awful. But close."
Ratchet felt a smirk creep up his face but he killed it. Glancing at the doorway, he saw that Devcon, Moda, Tress and Smokescreen were standing along the back wall listening with emotional expressions ranging from destitute (Moda and Tress) to bemused (Smokescreen) to watchfully amused (Devcon). It could only get better, he thought as he turned his attention back to the handsome unhappy nervous youngling on the stand.
"And then?" Coln-2 prompted.
"The mechs at the table … those guys," Smokey said nodding to the high castes. "They got up and were heading to the floor again when the mini-cons jumped on them. Then the fight was on. I was pinned to the floor when I fell down trying to fend Mistermaster off."
"What did he do?" Coln-2 asked for no other reason than it made him chuckle. He knew Mistermaster, too.
"He jumped on me and sort of … uh, he sort of … he got sort of familiar," Smokey said doing the Cybertronian version of a blush.
"In public?" Coln-2 asked with a slight grin.
"Yeah," Smokey said forgetting he was testifying in a crowd. "He was all over me. I was really freaked out," he said with a look of exasperation. "I didn't want to punch him but I almost did." Then he caught himself. "Uh, sir."
Coln-2 permitted a grin, then looked at his notes. "Did you see them … the defendants fighting?"
"Yes sir," Smokey said. "They were fighting the mini-cons, then the soldiers. I think there were even civilians in the fighting at some point but it was between the soldiers, those mechs and the mini-cons."
"What happened then?" Coln-2 asked.
"The bouncers were there trying to stop the fighting, then Prowl came. He got it stopped and sorted everyone out. The civilians left and the lot of us ended up in the brig. Sir."
Coln-2 checked his notes. "What happened in the brig?"
Smokey glanced at Ratchet, Alor and Prowl, then Coln-2. "The mechs … those mechs didn't like it. They wanted out. They provoked us in the other cells by shooting off- … by saying things that were meant to provoke."
"What sort of things?" Coln-2 asked.
"Caste stuff. They said a lot of ugly things. They wanted to know about the death of Kudon. They tried to provoke the soldiers with insults. They called some of them class traitors and they said a lot of insults that I've never heard before like dirt licking mixer. I've never heard that before last night."
"You're a young mech," Coln-2 said.
"Yes but I'm learning. My grandada never allowed caste stuff around me and my family." Smokey looked at his family and felt better than he had in half an orn. They looked at him with confidence. He straightened and stood calmer than before.
"Was there an incident in the brig that precipitated the removal of a prisoner?"
"There was. One of them … I don't see him here called Prowl names and insulted the Prime. They even insulted Gypsy when she came to see if anyone needed medical help. He also said that Prime covered up the death of Kudon. He said a lot of mean things about castes and how stupid and low we are. That we're too stupid to be in any position of influence. That we were the reason for the Fall and not them." His expression reflected his outrage a moment, then it passed. "It was really awful. Then he insulted, personally, Commander Alor and Commander Ratchet calling them dirt lickers and stupid. They insulted Commander Alor about his bond.
"That didn't go over well with the soldiers. They were really piss- … uh, they weren't happy. That's when General Blackjack and Commander Ironhide showed up. They had that mech taken to solitary and told everyone to settle. They all did. We all did. Sir."
"I have no more questions at this time," Coln-2 said.
Fenix stood. "We have no indication that these allegations happened beyond your comments, Autobot Smokescreen," he said. "You say that they provoked. Were they provoked in the brig?"
"No," Smokey said. "The trouble started when they slagged Gypsy. She was coming to help and they slagged her."
"How?" Fenix asked.
"She asked if they wanted help and they were really rude when they declined," Smokey said.
"In your opinion," Fenix said.
"In everyone's opinion," Smokey countered.
"Where there any high castes in the brig besides the defendants?" Fenix asked.
"Commander Prowl was the only one that I know about," Smokey said.
"What were the officers doing besides being incarcerated for fighting themselves?" Fenix asked.
"They were in a cell together. None of them were acting like the defendants. The Prime came and things were sorted a bit. You," he said nodding to Fenix, "wanted Prime to give them to you but he said no. You then decided to stay, too. Remember that?" A slight expression of anger was forming on Smokey's face. He glanced at the back of the room to his family.
Devcon who was watching shook his helm slightly. Smokey caught himself and slowly relaxed. He looked at Fenix who was consulting a data pad. "I would like to know about the constant provocations of the soldiers."
"There weren't any. Three commanders including the S.I.C. were sitting there. No one was picking a fight with anyone. All of the comments came from the defendants."
"The soldiers answered the comments," Fenix countered.
"They did but only because the defendants threw them in our faces. They wouldn't shut up. So General Blackjack took the worst one out of there and it calmed down for the rest of the night," Smokey said.
"General Blackjack and Commander Ironhide threatened the defendants with bodily harm if they weren't compliant," Fenix said.
"They came and did their duty." Smokey stared at Fenix with a defiant expression. "It worked. They shut up and everyone settled."
"No further questions," Fenix said.
"You may go," Semi said to the youngling. He did. Swiftly.
"I would like to call Commander Prowl to the stand," Coln-2 said.
Prowl rose and walked to the stand taking the oath. He waited calmly, his optics focused on the prosecutor.
"Sir, what happened?"
"We, my colleague Commander Ratchet and I were in the Ops Center going off shift after checking out the latest intel on a couple of developments when we heard about the altercation. No one else was on duty and it was on the way home so we went to settle the dispute which appeared to include soldiers.
"We entered the club and stood in the doorway to the dining room dodging bottles. I managed to end the fighting and called for security. They took everyone away."
"Were you involved in the fighting? Were there other officers there that were as well?" Coln-2 asked.
"Affirmative," Prowl said as the police man asserted himself. "A comment was made that was derogatory and by implication blasphemous to the person of the Prime and his role as First Disciple of Primus. It had to do with The Fall which they blamed on him. I punched him in the face. He fell and stayed down."
"What happened then?" Coln-2 asked as Optimus sent soothing energy to Prowl.
"Another mech, the one called Haro-n who is the nephew of Mistermaster became incensed and made severely derogatory remarks about me as a caste traitor and mixer. That was when Commander Ratchet dropped him. Commander Alor stepped up to help them to their peds when another mech shoved him. He was dropped also. That was when the Watch took them to the brig."
"Is that a normal behavior of yours, fighting in public?" Coln-2 asked.
Prowl stood like a sphinx for a moment, then looked at Coln-2. "I have a severe lack of tolerance for blasphemy or insult to the person or office of the Prime of Cybertron. I find that the older I get the shorter that tolerance is."
"Thank you, Commander," Coln-2 said.
Fenix regarded Prowl. "You admit brawling in public. It seems that you have three briggings on your record in the past few years. One was in the rec room, two were at the prison and now this. It would appear, Commander, that you're not only violent but act on base impulses. All of the brawls were with high castes."
Prowl looked at Fenix with cold optics. "Is there a question in all of that?"
"Yes. You brawl with high castes. Why?" Fenix asked. "What manner of self loathing do you have and act upon given your high caste hatred that makes you a danger to the high caste members of this colony?"
-0-TBC September 21, 2013 7-30-19