The Diego Diaries: New (6)
-0-In a courtroom
Turmoil looked at Semi with a blank expression. "I am sick of being locked up with no end to it. I want to look around and see things. I want out."
"Everyone in prison wants out. What makes your release a good, not bad thing?" Semi persisted.
"I would rather die than stay in prison without end. Being out would depend on me. I know what that means," Turmoil said.
Blind Spot nodded in agreement.
It was silent a moment, then Semi glanced at Sunstreaker. "You can sit, Sunstreaker."
For a moment Sunny glared at Turmoil, then he stepped down to walk toward Ratchet whom he sat down with. Ratchet squeezed his arm. It was silent, then Semi sat forward staring at the petitions. "You both have thankless jobs putting these petitions forward when your clients have done nothing to earn a day pass. However, I am aware of some kinds of tech that might make this possible, at least a few joors a day for now." He glanced at Springer who was leaning against the back wall with Drift. "Tell me about the killers, Springer."
Springer straightened, then smirked slightly. "Shockwave developed a control device during the Clampdown that he used to control some of his monsters like the drillers. It attaches to the neural node that controls everything we have. It reads the levels of activity of the neural net, considers what it means and if it reaches certain levels to show anger or rage it flips the switch. The device shocks the body until the individuals falls into a death-like stasis. It shocks to that level because when we fall that low only a medic can bring you online again. You become no threat until that happens."
Semi nodded. "So if they laugh, it doesn't harm them? It won't read that body change as a threat?"
"No. Its set to the cycles that indicate anger, rage, even irritation because otherwise no one would be walking around who had one. There are levels that can be determined that indicate negative emotions. Or so I've been told," Springer said grinning across to Ratchet.
"You have the specs?" Ratchet asked rising.
"I have them and the devices," Springer said popping his hold. Two devices with a number of wires ending in plugs came out on his servo along with a datawafer. He turned to hand them to Ratchet. That mech took the wafer and inserted it into a slot on his arm to download and assimilate the information swiftly. He looked at the devices as he learned about them internally. Turning to Semi, he nodded. "Shockwave was a fragger. These are set to determine only one set of emotions by levels. It will slag them to the Pit if they activate it."
"In your opinion, if I grant them four joor day passes with them suspended during emergencies or migrations that this will be a full stop deterrent for any trouble that might arise?" Semi asked.
"Yeah. I wish I had these earlier. Where did you find this slag? And may I say, I loathe 'Con tech?" Ratchet asked glancing at Springer.
"Why I got them off Turmoil's ship," Springer said with a grin. "I've seen these before. We raided prisons and the like. They work. I would learn meditation if I were them. If they so much as get their feelings hurt they will keel over."
"What happens if they try and tamper with or remove them?" Semi asked.
"According to the specs, if anyone short of the installer tries to do that they will detonate. I have to enter a code if I install them that only I can know. I will be the only one who can remove them safely," Ratchet said glancing at the pair. "You better hope I never off line. You will never get them out. No one knows my codes but me."
"Very well. Ratchet, install them. You two get four joor day passes with caveats already mentioned. This isn't an act of trust on the part of this court. This is an act of law. However and I cannot stress this too much … you frag this up, I will never allow you out again. Understand?" Semi asked.
Both nodded silently.
"Springer, I am assuming that you have security designed to contain them?" Semi asked.
"We do," he replied.
"Very well. You are banned from the schools, parks where any children or elderly are, military or security installations or operations. If there are other things that don't need your presence, I will let you know. Understand, this is the only shot you get," he said standing. "This case is closed by order of the Primes."
Springer walked forward and paused. "Up, slaggers. Time to get mined. And no, you don't have to thank me. Thank Shockwave," he said as the two got up. Their expressions were unreadable but they gave no offense. Turning, surrounded to the hilt by security that Springer had called to come, they walked through the courtroom to the door and exited.
Everyone stood, then Expo turned to Sunstreaker. "I am assuming you want to punch my face."
"I do," Sunstreaker said coldly.
"You don't remember me do you," Expo replied with a grin.
"Should I?" Sunny asked coldly.
"Sideswipe should," Expo said grinning at the silent wary mech staring at him as he stood next to Ironhide.
"Why?" Sideswipe asked.
"I was the lawyer that got you out of prison," Expo said.
It was silent a moment as Sideswipe accessed his files. "You were a different color … light blue."
"Yeah," Expo said. "I had to change schemes after I got you out. Sentinel wasn't pleased."
Sideswipe grinned. "I never thanked you. Thanks."
Expo nodded. "Your welcome. Kaon forever?"
Sideswipe nodded. "Forever." He looked at Sunstreaker who was watching the exchange with intensity. "This slagger got me out on a technicality when no one else would take my case. I would still be in prison but for him."
Sunstreaker relaxed slightly. Then he nodded.
Expo grinned. "I never did ask why you were there. There were no charges listed. That is how I got you out."
"Sentinel was hot for Sunny. Sunny was going to kill him. Sentinel never did take no for an answer. He threw me in the slammer to force Sunstreaker's servo. As you can see, that didn't work," Sideswipe said with a grin.
"Frag Sentinel to the Pit," Sunstreaker said. Then he glanced at Sideswipe. "I hired him," he said nodding to Expo.
"You did," Expo said with a smirk. "I used the payment to change my appearance."
"Then we owe you one," Sideswipe said. "Buy you a drink?"
"I'll take it," Expo said nodding to Anglo, he stepped forward and with the twins in tow walked out the door together.
Ratchet watched them go, then glanced at Ironhide. "That youngling has to ugly up." He grinned. "He takes after my side of the family with his great beauty."
Slag met that as everyone turned to follow Ratchet to the hospital. They were going to watch the implantation come the Pit or high water.
-0-At the high security suite in the Emergency Room, Autobot City Medical Center, Autobot City, Mars
Blind Spot sat on the med berth as Ratchet plugged him in. He grinned at the medic, someone he had tried to kill on more than one occasion.
"Sit back, you slagger, or I will 'accidentally' break your spark chamber," Ratchet said glaring at the big mechanism.
Blind Spot lay back awkwardly, the bonds making that difficult. Then Ratchet popped his lid. "What are you seeing in there besides prime stuff?"
"I'm seeing a sparkless fragger who is pushing his luck," Ratchet said. He took the device and inserted it in the proper slot. Carefully plugging in the many wires, he looked it over. It was easy to install but the fun part was next. Taking a meter from subspace, he grinned at the grinning marauder. "Now its time to activate it." He tapped the meter, then pressed a button.
A flash of light burst from Blind Spot's chassis. He convulsed, thrashing for a moment. Then it subsided. He looked at last at Ratchet who was studying the monitor overhead. "YOU FRAGGER! YOU DID THAT ON PURPOSE!"
"No I didn't. This is Shockwave's tech, you imbecile. Since when did that maniac ever do anything that didn't hurt?" Ratchet asked with equal venom. "By the way, you better tone it down. Your device will shut you down."
Blind Spot blinked, then lay back forcing himself into relaxation. Ratchet grinned. Prowl glowered. Ironhide snickered. Springer grinned at Drift who grinned at Turmoil. Everyone grinned but the two biggest fraggers in med bay in a long, long time.
"It appears to be optimal," Ratchet said as he turned a malicious grin on Turmoil. "You're next, fragger."
It would go smoother than Blind Spot.
-0-On the way back to Ops Center
"That was weird," Prowl said. "I want them shot if they so much as cross the street against the lights."
Ironhide snorted, then nodded. "Springer has it in servo. What do you think about the news regarding Sunstreaker and Sideswipe?"
"I want to know it," Prowl said. "Sort of. I don't like the idea of them having a past that might come back to haunt us."
"I was aware of Sentinel and Sunstreaker. He told Ratchet once, a little bit of it," Ironhide said as they crossed the courtyard.
"That mech is holding back. I am displeased. Tell him so," Prowl said as they crossed the Rec Room.
Ironhide grinned. "Sure."
They entered and continued to plan for the new migration to be taken up in three orns.
-0-On the street
They stood without bonds, without bars, but supervised out the wazoo. They stood in front of the hospital tower staring around with amazement. It was one thing to see bits of it from the prison and another to stand on a busy intersection of a major city watching pedestrians and traffic go past. It was so much like home it felt like deja vu all over again.
Turmoil spotted Club Cybertron, then stepped forward. Half the security went with him. Blind Spot considered the view, then turned to follow. Down the street they went until they came to the door of the Club. The lunchtime crowd was there, some standing at the bar, others inside in the various lounge, bar and dining rooms. He entered and passed the bar, his bad energy alerting everyone nearby to turn to look at him as Blind Spot followed.
They entered the lounge where the televisions were playing sports with the sound turned down. A buzz of conversation met them as bots sat having a drink and/or eating the bar food for which this club was renowned on Cybertron. They stood a moment until they got the feel of the room. In the dining areas nearby, Turmoil could spot at least two of his old crew, one of them with family. He then turned and paused. Sitting at a table nearby, Barricade and Stiletto watched them. Skorponok who was watching the television turned, then noticed them. He sat back as the pair watched them as they stood together silently. Guards with the pair and guards already there amped up their vigilance as the two groups stared at the other.
Then Turmoil stepped forward.
-0-TBC February 21, 2014 edited 2-21-14