The Diego Diaries: (528) edited
-0-At an inquest
"During the shoot out it became clear that we had to secure the scene so it was with Ironhide that I turned to retrieve the humans and anyone else who was in the line of fire," Ratchet began. "When I turned I saw a youngling running toward the humans. I was shocked to see it. He was not armed nor was it clear to me that he understood the danger in which he was placing himself.
"Ironhide and I both ran as fast as we could. It was then that I received a shot that spun me around. I crashed to the ground, rolled and began to run once more. As I did I was shot again, spun, but didn't fall. As I spun I saw a bolt of fire hit the youngling in the chest." Ratchet paused. Then he continued. "I have a lot of experience in combat and doing combat medicine on scene. I knew that the youngling was going to die but I hurried as fast as I could anyway."
It was silent in the room as everyone listened, some of them with emotional expressions. The soldiers around the room, those who were testifying and those for security were stoic. They had seen it all. The civilians were silent. This was new territory to them.
"I finally reached the mech who was laying on his back on the ground. I could see the tarmac through his wound, it was so catastrophic. There was nothing to do. He was already deceased."
"Doctor, what was the situation at that point in the battle?" Coln-2 asked quietly.
"The battle was raging horrifically at that point. Prime and the others were advancing. Neo had been told to run and made it safely because in the beginning when she did the 'Cons were still focused on each other. The rest were on the ground being defended including nearly all the priests from the Temple and Alpha Trion."
"What did you do then?" Coln-2 asked.
Ratchet sat a moment, then looked at the audience. "Prime came and the others. I was ordered back to the hospital to help where I could be useful."
Coln-2 paused as if to listen to something, then looked at Ratchet. He considered his words, then asked. "Doctor, two of the humans who were rescued by you and Commander Ironhide have given a report of their impressions and exploits here at a press conference on Earth. They reported on Commotion and in their statement they gave their impressions of him as they saw him. They were very upset that a young mech who was coming to save them should be killed this way."
Ratchet stared at him a moment, then glanced at the audience. The expressions on some and the atmosphere shifted as they stared back at him. "What exactly did they say, Coli?" Ratchet asked.
"They expressed sadness that the youngling was shot when they saw him coming to rescue them," Coln-2 replied. "They were upset that he was harmed in a humanitarian attempt to help them."
Ratchet sat a moment, then looked at Semi. He was staring at Ratchet with a strange expression. It was matched by Coln-2 and Blackstone. Ratchet considered the information. "I cannot speak for Commotion. I don't know why he was running to the cargo depot. It may have been in his processor to help. I can't say yes or no. It could be a possibility." He sat back more than sure it was otherwise but he wasn't going to crush anyone's chance to make something terrible less senseless.
It was silent a moment. "Doctor, what can you tell us about the shooter?" Blackstone asked.
"I have no idea who it was. When I saw Commotion coming forward I turned to run with Commander Ironhide to save the humans and the youngling. All I saw was the shot coming in hitting Commotion. I knew it was bad from experience but I tried to get there. I tried to … it was a forlorn hope I had."
They sat quietly in the room, then Semi looked at Ratchet. "The shot … the wound. I have the autopsy report here," he said holding up the datapad he had before him. "We don't need more details. The shot was fatal. The hope was to find the shooter."
"There is no really hard evidential way to match the plasma residue of the wound with the shooter's gun. That test is still unreliable," Ratchet said. "We could match it against the guns at the site but there were 27 plasma guns on scene from the shooters. If they all used the same ammo source, then it would be impossible to narrow it down more. I am afraid that unless the video shows who it was we will never know."
It was silent, then Semi sat back. "Very well. It would appear from the reports and evidence that the youngling, Commotion was killed by hostile means by mechs unknown. The cause of death is homicide by misadventure." He looked at the audience. "I am sorry that this happened and that the youngling has been lost. But the evidence that we have does not isolate the killer. That is no consolation to family and friends, I know. But until there are better methods or confessions it will have to be the conclusion of this inquest. The deepest condolences possible are extended to the family and friends of the youngling, Commotion. The findings of this hearing will be sent to the Office of the Colonial Attorney General. This inquest stands in adjournment."
It was silent a moment, then Semi stood. The others stood as well as he walked to the door to leave for his office nearby. No one said anything, then slowly they began to vacate the room. When only Blackstone, Ratchet and Coln-2 were left, the three sat again. Ratchet glanced at Coln-2. "That was surprising."
Coln-2 nodded. "That was their view and if they were here they would have added that to the testimony. I am sure that the genitors will be happy to have something better than what they have now."
Ratchet nodded. "I hope it helps."
They talked a moment, then rose heading out to the rest of their orn.
-0-On the job elsewhere
"ADA!"
"What, Orion?"
"WHERE SHE!? I YOU!?" he asked as he looked at a rack of small shells neatly stacked. Reaching out, he moved one enough that it fell to the floor and rolled. "WHOA! I GO THIS!"
Ironhide thanked Primus that the shell was user activated and not live. But then nothing in the armory was live until placed in a gun or lit by the user. "Orion, that was not good. Come here," he said as the little bits looked up at him. Orion's smile faded until he was uncertain. Ironhide turned and they all followed. Before they could reach him they heard a clatter. When they got to their atar, they noticed that the floor was covered with three types of bullets. Ironhide looked at them. "Oops."
They looked at the floor, then the three canisters that were 'tipped over'. Hero looked concerned. "Atar, the floor is dirty."
Ironhide grinned. "We had a mistake, Hero. Maybe you can show the mechs how to clean this up. See these cans? They must have fell over."
Hero looked at them, then the mess. Moving to the cans, she began to set them up. Orion and Praxus watched, then ran over to help. It took all of them to turn up the canisters, then they all looked at the mess on the ground. Orion looked up at Ironhide. "ATAR! WHAT SHE!?" he asked.
"Hero, why don't you show them what goes where?" Ironhide asked.
Hero smiled brilliantly, then nodded. Picking up a bullet, she looked at the canisters. "Orion … Praxus, this goes in here," she said pointing to a picture on the canister. Putting it in, she turned and showed them where the other types went. She would spend her time putting things in herself and taking some out where the little mechs put them in the wrong place.
Sometimes it pays to be able to associate pictures with things.
Watching a moment as the three began to get into the job, Ironhide looked at Sunspot and Spot who were watching too. "Help me count?"
Sunspot looked up and smiled. "I will, Atar. I will help you."
They turned and walked back to a big pallet that had already been counted. "I don't know how many rockets are here, Sunspot. Why don't you help me by counting them."
"Alright!" Sunspot said said moving forward to count the bombs in the stack.
Ironhide for his part sat down on a barrel nearby watching both groups as they worked through their part of the job. It would be a very pleasant morning in the armory.
-0-On the street
Ratchet ambled along, his processor filled with all manner of details and images. He paused at the intersection of Metroplex 1 and 2. One direction would take him home or to the hospital. The other would take him into the Metroplex District. He turned that way and crossed the street making his way to the administration plaza. Entering the hospital, he walked down the hallways to the security ward.
Pausing at the nursing station, he continued through high security into the ward where the downed Decepticons were held for recuperation. Pausing by each berth, he read the notes, leaving some of his own while he chatted with the doctors and nurses who were there to assist that shift. By the time he turned to go everyone was on track to recovery though most of them would take a while.
"I'll leave this to you, Lever," Ratchet said at last. "I am on call if you need me."
Lever nodded, then Ratchet turned to go. Ratchet walked through the busy hospital, then reached the street. Pausing, he watched a family of newbies walk past gawking at the sights. Grinning, he looked around. The city was buzzing. :Ironhide:
:What?:
:Where are you?:
:We're on the train to Metro 1. Where are you?:
"Standing here waiting: Ratchet said. :How were the kids?:
:Real helpful. They even got Prowler out of Holi's servos:
:How did you manage that?: Ratchet asked with a grin.
:I sent Hero to get him: Ironhide said, his grin nearly audible over the link.
:YOU BIG FEMME!:
:You can't make me mad, Ratchet: Ironhide grinned. :We're coming into the station. Come down and help me get them to the surface:
:On my way: Ratchet said as he turned heading for the station entrance nearby. Skipping down the stairs, he paused on the platform waiting as the light of a train could be seen nearby. It filled the already bright station, then slid to a stop. On the fourth car three sparklings, a youngling with a dog and a big mech carrying an infant got off. It took a moment to untangle the infants, then Ratchet picked up three. "Follow me, Sunspot, Ironhide. Straight line behind me."
"I'M COMING, ADA!" Sunspot said falling in line. "COME ON, SPOT!"
They walked up the stairs into the sunshine, then paused out of the way. Ratchet looked at the three in his arms, then the others. "You look like you had a good orn."
"ADA! WE GOT TO HELP! SOME CANS FELL OVER AND WE HAD TO HELP FILL THEM UP AGAIN!" Hero said.
"Ah," Ratchet said with a grin. "You were essential then."
She nodded with a giant smile. "Where are we going now, Ada? Are we going to help you too?"
"Yes," Ratchet said. "You can help me eat lunch."
"ADA! WE GO YOU? SHE AND SHE AND.." Orion looked around, then looked at Praxus and Hero. "She and she," he said pointing to them. Then he looked at the rest of them. "She and she and she and she too?"
Ratchet who considered that he was outlining their group, a rather big leap for his tiny vocabulary nodded. "Yes."
"What about she?" he asked pointing to Spot.
"Spot can come. Who will eat what you drop on the floor if he doesn't?" Ratchet asked as they turned to go.
"ADA! WE GO SHE!" Orion said as he pointed across the street.
Ratchet laughed. "You betcha."
They crossed, then walked down the street. "How was the inquest?"
"Sad. Very sad. I think that the humans thought he was coming to rescue them," Ratchet said. "It came up in the inquest so we left it. If it makes them feel less awful, then its worth it," Ratchet said.
They entered the restaurant, then found 'their' table. Sitting everyone around it, they sat themselves. As they considered their menus Ratchet noticed two mechs nearby. Rising, walking to their table he sat down unbidden. "Well, look what the targs dragged in."
"Hi," Springer said with a giant grin. A giant nervous grin.
"What a fine youngling you are. You do know that the family obligations are obligatory. That's an order," Ratchet said knowing full well that he outranked most of the Autobots still standing and certainly Drift and Springer.
"Oh," Springer said as the full realization sunk in.
"Do the twins know? What about everyone else or do we make a notice in the media about our newest acquisition?" Ratchet asked.
"You don't have to do that," Springer said to no avail.
"It's the least I can do," Ratchet said rising. "Come on over and eat lunch with your siblings." Ratchet turned walking back to the table filled with happy infants and a slightly wary bond.
"What do you know? Siblings," Drift said looking at the infants sitting around the table being patient and mannerly.
"I just realized that. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are brothers," Springer said with a slowly growing grin. "You know … this gives me an idea ..."
"Oh crap," Drift said worriedly. Then Springer told him. He grinned in spite of himself.
Then they rose to walk to the table and eat with the Fam.
-0-TBC November 25, 2013