The Diego Diaries: New 5 (630)
-0-In the studio at Tyger Pax
She came through the door with another pile of art that she had been working on for orns. Smiling up at Sunstreaker who paused from his own painting to stare down at her, he asked the $64,000 question: "What are you doing skipping school again?"
She snickered, then put her art on the floor. "I want to get the show right. I brought the stuff you suggested and a few more things. Can you help me decide?" she asked with her usual sweetness.
Sunstreaker put down his brush, then knelt beside Sadee. "Show me," he said.
She did.
-0-Sideswipe
He sat in Club Hoyle playing cards with Smokescreen and Devcon. "What is the schedule for the next few orns?"
"We're gearing up for the small migration. It might be trouble. There are 'Con groups out there that are digging in from what the sparse intel says."
"Beyond Cyclonus?" Sideswipe asked.
Devcon nodded. "This will be most likely a shoot out."
"Sweet," Sideswipe said with a grin. "Deal, slaggers."
They did.
-0-Bluestreak
He walked to the firing range with his new students and a few of his graduates including Jade. They walked side-by-side talking about the new art that Jade was curating at the museum. He was helping to restore an old tapestry even as he cataloged the wonderful things that were collected and/or stored in the vast vaults under the museum itself.
"What about the Temple artifacts, Jade?" Blue asked of the mech who was becoming a good friend.
Jade who was drawn to Blue's warm energy and gentle disposition nodded. "I get to help the priests when they need it. I am writing a paper for art history based on the Magnificence."
"That thing is scary. It can answer any question asked of it and it can tell where every resource in the universe is located. I am so glad we have it back," Blue said glancing at Jade with a grin.
"You and me both," he replied with a nod. Intensive counseling, the company of Beray and his education had done a lot for him. He still wore a tracking device and there would be a hearing coming when his counselors agreed that he was ready to discuss what had happened and his responsibility in relation to it. For now he lived with his bot, attended class, discharged his duty in the Home Guard and worked at the museum.
They continued to the firing range, half a dozen mechs in tow to show them the wonders of using weapons.
-0-Sciences
"I was thinking, Wheeljack," Stormy said, "what about using the pillars that are stored in the vault to bring Gliese 581 g through to us?" Stormy was a youngling Seeker with a penchant and affinity for physics.
Wheeljack paused by the computer where he was working out calculations to listen to the youngling who was working out part of the problem for bringing an entire planet forward to this system. He looked at Stormy. "What do you know about them?"
"I was looking for a device down in the vault to calculate an equation and saw them. They're bridge pillars right? Like the old fashioned kind that linked the inner Empire to the Rim. Right?" the youngling asked.
Wheeljack nodded. "Those are larger," he said thinking back to the pillar system that informed the first series of bridge technology that Cybertron had used, albeit of a size off the scale compared to these smaller ones. They were commercial and military sized mechanisms that had done yeoman service until the war destroyed them. They were also old technology, their size indicating their age as the newer versions were smaller and lighter. "What exactly do you think we can do about them? We need to be cognizant that there are hundreds of them that are still out there any one of which can alert the 'Cons that we are using this technology."
"What about if we wire the control and manager devices into Teletraan and back track through them doing a simple inventory to count them and find out where they are. Backtrack through the system going from pillar to pillar until we get most of them online. I would think that at some point the signal will give us the advantage over them. We can halt the signal and even mask it as an automatic feature that is going through a maintenance process. We can see if they can be retrieved or whatever."
Wheeljack considered that, then turned to tap Perceptor on the shoulder. "Percy, listen to this if you will," he said.
Perceptor turned to Wheeljack, then nodded. "Okay."
-0-Court, later that afternoon
They came in under heavy guard wearing energon cuffs and hardcore expressions. Moving to sit at a table, their representatives walked to Semi who was sitting at the judge's table with the petitions before him and the prosecutor going over the proceedings. They were here to seek day paroles, that is, the ability to go about the city during the orn then return to incarceration at night. They had public defenders to represent them as the 'hold' period for their category of prisoner had reached the 'hearing or release' date under Cybertronian law. Although modified martial law could change that, Prime had not put in the request for updating their status.
The door opened as Ironhide walked in followed by a scowling Sunstreaker, expectant Sideswipe and Ratchet who had just got the news. They took seats behind the prosecutor as they studied the two reprobates who were trying to get a day pass from Cell Block B at the prison. As they sat Semi gaveled the court to order. The bailiff called everyone to stand, then read the riot act. They then sat as Semi looked at counsel for both sides of the argument. "Are you both ready to begin?"
Coln-2 nodded and so did the defense counsels, two highly qualified mechs named Anglo and Expo who had drawn the short straws. Semi looked at the petitions before him, then nodded to Coln-2. "You represent the Prime so you will go last. Right now, I would like you, Expo to present the case for granting a day pass to Blind Spot."
The door opened as Barron, Prowl and Blackstone walked in taking seats behind Ironhide and company. Ratchet glanced at Prowl as he sat down behind him. :You here for the fire works?:
:Yes: Prowl said with a slight frown.
"Your honor, I would like to present the petition for Blind Spot to have a day pass within the structure of his incarceration to have the opportunity to move about in the city and partake of its many opportunities. For nearly two years, he has been held as per Prime's discretion. We are aware that because of modified martial law that the Prime has the latitude to hold anyone who is deemed a threat to the colony for indefinite periods of time. There is however latitude in the law for anyone held in such circumstances to have supervised opportunities during the orn to be out and about with the appropriate security measures.
"I am seeking such opportunity for my client, Blind Spot. I am asking the court to grant his petition to have this privilege. He is aware that it is a privilege and seeks to impress the court of his willingness to abide within the limitations in order to have more freedom within our colony. Since this opportunity is available to Barricade and Skorponok, we are citing it as precedent," Expo nodded respectfully and sat.
"Anglo, please present your case for Turmoil." Semi sat listening intently, the petitions glowing on the datapads before him.
"I have the same position for my client that Expo presented. It is within the discretion of the Prime to allow this petition. It is not conducive to change in my client to have him penned up in prison without the opportunity to show that he can be trustworthy. It is not conducive to growth to find oneself penned up year in and year out without hope or an end. I would like you to consider seriously the petition and grant it. We are not asking for release. We are asking for a modification of the circumstances of his incarceration with the hope for progress in rehabilitation being possible as a result." He bowed, then sat down himself.
Semi nodded. "Coln-2, you speak for the Prime? Did you discuss this issue with him?"
Coln-2 stood. "Yes, your honor. I talked with the Prime last night after the funeral. I would like to state that the two mechs in question have not asked for nor availed themselves of any of the programs and possibilities that are offered to prisoners in this colony. They have not made any effort that is noteworthy or even noticeable to make change. We believe that their behavior exceeds the level of danger acceptable in the civilian population which includes a lot of infants and elderly. There are any number of former shipmates of these mechs who would be put in danger if they are released due to their vengeful natures which are well documented. I ask that you deny their petitions until they show over a period of time effort to change. They have done nothing to make that happen. The state does not believe it will happen." Coln-2 nodded his helm, then sat.
"Expo, I would like mitigating factors here that would make this make sense," Semi said.
"I would like to call Sunstreaker to the stand," Expo said.
Everyone looked at Sunstreaker who looked ready to kill. Ratchet who was surprised nodded. "Go."
Sunny stood up with ill temper, then walked to the stand. He turned to face the pair who looked at him, one without expression, one with a slight smirk. The bailiff looked at him. "Do you swear to state that you will tell the truth and present facts relevant to the proceedings without embellishment or subterfuge?"
Sunstreaker who was glaring at Turmoil looked at the bailiff and nodded. The bailiff walked to the wall and stood against it watching the proceedings carefully.
Expo stood. "Sunstreaker, do you know the petitioners?"
Sunstreaker nodded. "Yes."
"Did you know them on Cybertron?"
"Yes."
"Were you the head of a road gang that was notorious for theft and brawling in Kaon?"
Sunstreaker paused, then nodded. "I was."
"Did you and Turmoil have troubles there? Did you have troubles with Blind Spot in Kaon?"
Sunstreaker considered the question. "Sure. We clashed."
"Did you ever kill anyone on Cybertron?" Expo asked.
"Objection. What is the point of this line of questioning?" Coln-2 asked.
"I would like to make an obvious point. My clients have reputations for violence and danger yet they cannot be freed from incarceration. Sunstreaker and his brother were leaders of a notorious road gang in Kaon who were thieves, brutal combatants and rumored murderers. Yet they are free to wander the city and live without restriction."
"I would suggest, Expo, that you understand the difference between your client who is incorrigible and the twins who have been stellar in their behavior even as they fight to protect us and their family all these long vorns. There is a difference between mechs who have risen above their programming and those who aren't even aware they should," Coln-2 countered.
"I am assuming you are going to question Sideswipe as well along this line?" Semi asked.
Expo nodded. "I am here to defend my client. I will that to the best of my ability."
"I understand that but it doesn't move the court to hear that these mechs were as bad as these other mechs who have reformed themselves and are an asset to the colony. Perhaps you can tell me how these mechs have made that jump like Sunstreaker rather than stating that once upon a time Sunstreaker was a bad mech so let my guy go free too." Semi looked at Expo questioningly. "You see my problem here. I accept that there are mechs in this colony that have terrible pasts just like yours, Sunstreaker. What I need to have affirmed is that they will behave enough to be safe enough to release."
"I agree but I also aver that the prison is not a place for rehabilitation to happen. I would like a limited period of transition if you will for my client then, to allow him to make his mark like Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. If they can reform, I would like my client to make that jump too," Expo said as he found himself boxed in.
Semi looked at Blind Spot and Turmoil. One was open and the other shuttered. Both of them looked like demons from the Pit. "If I were to agree to this, what makes me believe you won't frag it up? What makes me think you won't kill a sparkling or someone who you have a grudge with?" He glanced at Sunstreaker who was glowering at the pair. "You know … like Sunstreaker here?"
-0-TBC February 20, 2014 edited 3-12-14
I don't envy the advocate who had to try and make Blind Spot and Turmoil candidates for release. LOL! Hugs to all.
NOTES: LESLIEM! Congrats on the graduation. :D I even checked out the webpage on your school. What a great place. Beautiful setting and buildings, awesome curriculum. My dad went to ag school. Any place that teaches about animals is my kind of place. Hug your babies for me and tell them granny loves them. :D PONIES! I LOVE PONIES! Orion, you little minx, you. :D:D:D:D:D Tell the college if you can I love them in a SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE sort of way. :D:D:D:D:D
Guest: There are several posts. I hug you all.