The Diego Diaries: Paradigm Shifted 5 (dd3 523)
-0-In the Medical Center's Emergency Suites Division
The room was silent, then Bar stood up. "My son is dead and you're blaming him for his demise."
"Yes, he is."
Everyone turned to the door where Ratchet stood, his arm and chassis field patched as energon smears and scorch marks gave testament to his own hurts. He stepped into the room pausing before the small group of genitors and Fenix. "He did. He did it because he believed nothing could touch him. He did because he didn't believe the rules applied to him. Where did he hear that?"
"Ratchet," Fenix began. "This helps no one."
"Why not?" Ratchet replied. "Why not hear the truth for once, Fenix? There isn't a low caste mech in this room who can't tell you the orn and moment when they were sat down and told that the life they wanted and the dreams they held could never come to pass because someone else who won the CNA lottery gets to have them instead. Not one of us can forget the cold hard facts being laid on us by our genitors not only because that was the way it was but also because it was a way to protect us against the punishment of trying to achieve them. You lot made sure that the punishment was there, too, didn't you."
It was silent a moment, then Bar looked at Ratchet. "My son is dead."
"Yes, he is. I tried to save him. See these?" Ratchet said. "I saw him coming and the fire burst that killed him. I thought if I was just fast enough it would be enough to save him. It wasn't. I guess I already knew that anyway because UNLIKE YOU I'VE ALWAYS HAD TO LIVE IN THE FRAGGED UP MESS CALLED REALITY!"
It was as still as a tomb.
"I knew when the bolt hit him there was no hope BUT I STILL TRIED BECAUSE I'M CYBERTRONIAN! I'M A DOCTOR! I'M A GENITOR! I tried because it's who I am, THE LOW CASTE SLAGGER WHO RAN UNDER FIRE AND TOOK ROUNDS BECAUSE I TRIED TO SAVE YOUR SON! It makes me wonder when I do this sort of thing whether you'd do the same for me. Everything that I am tells me that you wouldn't. You wouldn't go out of your comfort zone to save me."
"Really, Ratchet, this is not the time or place-" Fenix began as everyone in the room shifted uneasily.
"Why! When is the time? When the next dead body lands on my desk? This was preordained. This youngster's fate was written the moment some slagger a zillion vorns ago looked around and decided they were better than anyone else. And consider that! What's the criteria for that distinction? You're what? TALLER THAN ME!? SMARTER!? LOOK AROUND YOU! EVERY MECH IN THIS ROOM IS INCREDIBLY ACCOMPLISHED AND DID IT IN-FRAGGING-SPITE OF BEING PIGEON HOLED IN THE DIRT! WE EARNED EVERYTHING WE EVER SET OUT TO GET. What about you, Bar? What did you EVER EARN THAT WASN'T DROPPED IN YOUR LAP OR THE PATH WAS SMOOTHED FOR YOU!?"
"Ratchet," Prime began but Ratchet cut him off.
"No. I have the do the autopsy on this child. I want it clear what I think ABOUT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING! This death was ordained when the System was born. This boy grew up without a clue. That came from you and all of you who want the System back. YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE! A criminal may have killed him but if he'd OBEYED THE RULES LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WITHOUT THINKING HE WAS ABOVE THEM HE'D BE ALIVE! He died a long time ago. This was just the lingering aftermath. If you want to know who really killed him LOOK IN THE SLAGGING MIRROR! Not only are you responsible you stand in defiance of Primus and The One. YOU'RE SO FRAGGED UP YOU AREN'T EVEN AFRAID OF GOD! GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
Prime glanced at Ironhide who nodded. Prime then nodded to the door. "Let us take this to the conference room on the next floor. I would suggest that Jarro and you, Lauren, accompany Bar and Dar there. If you can contribute positively to their care and support, the rest of you, please go, too. If not, just go home."
It was quiet as the family and their friends left.
Fenix lingered a moment, then followed.
Barron, Blackstone and Coln-2 paused by the door. "We're available if you need us, Optimus," Barron said. "We can assist with the Convocation."
Prime nodded, watching as they left, then turned to Ratchet who was staring at the floor.
Drift, Springer, Prowl and Ironhide stood around him watching, too.
Wheeljack and Perceptor who stood in the doorway of the suite stepped closer. "Are you alright, Ratchet?"
"No," he said looking up at Prime tiredly. "I'm tired of this. That is an only child of a pair of fools. What are we going to do about this?"
"We are going to end it," Prime said with determination.
Ratchet nodded, then touched his side gingerly.
Nearby watching with amazement, Knockout and Breakdown stood side-by-side. "Do you need that fixed?" Knockout asked.
Ratchet looked at him. "Yes."
Knockout shifted uneasily. "You know," he ventured. "I was high caste and basically got away with murder. I had few good role models," he said in his off hand manner. "I knew the caste system was crap and a license to steal. I just didn't know what any of us could do about it."
Ratchet nodded, then stared at Prime tiredly. "We can kill it forever. Now. Right here."
Optimus nodded. "We will."
Ratchet glanced at Perceptor and Wheeljack. "Would you two mind if I don't assist? I don't think I'm up to it today."
"We'll take care of it," Perceptor said softly.
Wheeljack nodded.
Ratchet stared at them a moment. "Thanks. I owe you one."
"No, you don't," Wheeljack said fiercely. "Go get patched."
Ratchet hesitated, then walked to the suite next door.
Ironhide and the others watched him go.
"This is fragged. Ratchet is right," Ironhide said. "This was inevitable. The only difference here is no low caste gets executed for this slagger's demise. If this were Cybertron, you can bet someone's helm would roll."
"Not here. Not while I am Prime." Optimus and the group watched as the body bags of the deceased came off the elevator to be autopsied. Doctors and students from the University Medical School were there to conduct them. The eighteen who were injured were being treated on the floor below before transfer to the high security ward at the Femme, Youngling, Sparkling and Elder Hospital in Metroplex.
They talked together for a moment as they organized the stand down, waiting for Prime to go to IntraComm to give a statement to the colony.
Prowl and Ironhide watched Commotion's autopsy through the door a moment then turned to Drift and Springer. "We should assume that until they prove otherwise there will be high caste discontent. Expect it to be expressed in behavior unbecoming," Prowl said dryly. "Arrest and disperse."
"The two others … Default and Kale," Springer asked. "What do you want with them?"
"Continue surveillance. They shouldn't feel there's going to be slackness in our measures just because of this," Prowl said.
"There's going to be a funeral," Ironhide said. "I know how this works. High castes have big funerals."
"They may," Prowl said. "We'll be respectful and discreet but I don't want it to be a springboard to bad behavior."
They all agreed on that score.
-0-In the emergency suite
Knockout troweled medicinal putty into the graze on Ratchet's side. The patches on the energon line nicked were holding beautifully. When the putty patch came off they would tidy up the fixings but all in all, it was pretty much set. His other wound, the graze on his arm stung but only needed a medicinal putty compress. Knockout did it expertly. "There. It really has fragged your finish but the wounds are taken care of."
Ratchet grinned. "I can't believe I allowed you to do this."
"I can't believe it either but lucky you to have me," Knockout said with a smirk.
Ratchet snorted, then chuckled. "You're a fragger's fragger. But now and again you're funny."
"Only now and again?" he asked with a smirk as Ratchet got up. He looked at the wound which was expertly dressed. "Did a few of these have you?"
"Now and again?" Knockout grinned. "Get out of here."
"No problem," Ratchet said as he winked at Breakdown. "Don't want to interrupt the 'facing."
"As if," Knockout said with an especially jaunty pose.
Ratchet chuckled, then walked out.
Breakdown watched him go, then glanced at Knockout. "Good job."
"Since when don't I ever do one?" Knockout said, pleased with himself as well.
-0-Outside
Ratchet returned to the small group. "It was unethical of me to do what I did but something in my processor snapped. A young mech, the only son of someone is lying on a slab because of a system that defies decency. I don't want another one there, Optimus. I'm prepared to take whatever reprimand or punishment you care to apply." He waited a moment, his expression struggling. "All I could see was Orion laying there with a through-and-through. This mech was raised to be dead by his genitors. Those fraggers didn't prepare him to live in the real world and its ONLY BY FRAGGED LUCK THAT THEY HAVEN'T KILLED SOMEONE WITH THEIR BOMBS!" Ratchet then stood straighter. "Whatever fits the moment, I'll accept."
Optimus looked at Ratchet, at the passionate yet oddly logical reasoned comrade of a zillion fox holes and bloody fights. "You are right. There is no penalty, Ratchet. I agree with you. But for now, we need to be cognizant of their suffering and the fact that it might be enough to break their position out of stealth and into open warfare."
Ratchet relaxed, sagging slightly. "My side slagging hurts."
"Give yourself a tonic, old mech. You're a slagging pharmacy," Ironhide replied with a slightly testy tone.
Ratchet looked at him, then grinned. "That's hardly the tone to use on a new ada."
"What are you talk-" Ironhide froze, then gathered himself. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Ratchet turned to Springer bracing his servos on his hips. Casting Springer with a severe gimlet optic, he grinned. Evilly. "Soooooo... are you or are you not the newest youngster in our household?"
Springer straightened, then glanced at Drift was was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chassis.
"Don't look at me," Drift said.
Springer looked at Ratchet, then Ironhide. "Well, it was like this, see?"
Ratchet grinned. "Oh please … do tell."
So Springer did.
-0-Later at the Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
The monitor showed the Seal of the Emblem of the Primes of Cybertron in preparation of the broadcast of a special announcement by Optimus Prime. Everyone sat wearily at the command table waiting for it to begin. Springer was dispatched with Drift as a good son to fetch a snack and energon for the elders of the fam. When they came back it was distributed, then all settled. The screen changed as Optimus Prime's visage and the banner came on screen.
"Good evening. I am here tonight to explain the situation that came up on the Military Air Field earlier this evening. When we receive a migration we try to identify all among each group who might come with ill will. Those unknown individuals are held until the end and forces are put in place to meet them. It has been the practice of past migrations that the bad actors among us change their tunes when confronted by a show of force. We have had extraordinary luck thus far as our preparations and procedures have allowed over three and three quarters of a million of our citizens to come here safely.
"Today, our hopes and efforts were overturned by the actions of a number of known criminals from the past who hid themselves among you hoping to enter our colony undetected. Upon seeing each other on the field, a dispute from other times and places broke out between them that involved our forces fighting back.
"A number of the individuals were killed and others injured. Of those in the colony's party waiting to greet them, no one was harmed. However, a bystander nearby was killed in the crossfire when he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Emergency Response Service made sure that the emergency broadcast system was utilized to send the message to all to remain away from the Military Air Field during this action. On every possible outlet including your individual transponder mechanisms you were made aware of this.
"I am gratified that the great majority of you did. I realize that it was a surprise and some didn't vacate the area or did so too slowly. Please understand. The Armed Forces of Cybertron and Mars are here to protect and defend you against all manner of mech-created events, natural disasters or provocations. It is up to you to obey when one occurs.
"The most important job that we have, the Armed Forces and myself as Prime is to protect and defend you. Please make that possible by obeying the messages that you receive during emergencies. Right now, the hostiles have been neutralized and their ability to cause harm ended. We have received 1,122,233 new refugees into our colony to bring our population total at this moment to 3,702,080.
"I wish to welcome all who are new to our shores. One of the great pleasures of being Prime is welcoming you at touchdown during your arrival. Please take advantage of the Community Bulletin Board for information, the services of the colony for assistance and the Watch for protection. We are extremely happy to have you here at this, the largest city habitation of Cybertronians known to still exist. You are safe. You are welcome. You are wanted. Understand, you are protected as well.
"Thank you for your presence and your cooperation as we begin to rebuild our civilization. More refugees will come and in their midst there will inevitably be more of this bad element. All you have to know is that we will defend you. Until all are one. Good night."
The image of Optimus faded to be replaced by the Emblem of the Primes. Then the Community Bulletin Board began to scroll for the breem to come before the next program began.
Sitting in Ops Center relaxing, Ratchet, Prowl, Springer, Drift and Ironhide sipped warm energon with the plate that held donuts before them long since gone.
"That hit the spot," Ratchet said with a soft sigh.
"The donuts?" Drift asked with a smirk.
Ratchet grinned. "Be nice. I'm your ada-in-law, youngster."
Drift's smirk faded slightly. "Oh slag. You are." He grinned at Springer. "Good going."
"I won't ask if you mean that nicely or not," Springer said as he rose and stretched. "I'm going on patrol. Should be a swinging night."
"Probably," Ratchet said. "Behave yourselves."
"I will, *MOM*,"Springer said with a grin. He ducked a half eaten donut. Pausing mid stride, he looked back at Ratchet. "Back there? What you said," Springer said with a nod. Then he walked out the door with Drift.
Ratchet watched him go, then grinned. "He's a good son."
Finally, everyone laughed.
-0-TBC November 20, 2013 12-22-2020