The Diego Diaries: Redemption 2 (dd3 674)
-0-In The Residence
Default told them the story, all of it and spared no one including himself. He said it in a quiet voice, his optics staring at a pattern in the stone work of the fireplace. He said it in a monotone voice, one filled with shame and sorrow. When he was finished they had the entire business from beginning to end. It was deeply silent as Default sat looking like a rag doll after a tug of war between two dogs.
Barron glanced at Prime. "I'm open to suggestions about this matter, Prime."
Blackstone looked at Prime. "I will personally handle this case, Prime. I'll also delegate counsel to manage others if you feel an arrest is necessary at the moment."
Prime looked at them, then a pensive Prowl.
As he did Burnoff cleared his throat, a wholly unnecessary thing.
They looked at him. He was solemn, clutching Default's servo tightly as he gathered his thoughts.
"Sir … I know this is a serious thing. I know about them. But I also know how hard redemption is. Changing every idea you ever had, taught to you by the ones who mean the most is hard. I would ask for mercy for Default. He really means what he says when he says he's sorry."
It was silent, then Prime nodded. "That is evident to me. It is also evident that there were serious laws broken. There was serious disregard for others." He considered things a moment, then looked at the lawyers. "I would like this to be classified. I do not want anyone to go off half cocked over this issue. I want the younglings involved gathered up and brought to the large conference room in the Ops Center. I want their genitors brought as well. We need to discuss this and stress that it needs to be met the right way but without public disclosure."
"That would make it unusual," Blackstone said. "Secrecy?"
"Consider this. We are many cities but one colony on a large world. If this becomes public, there will no street or city any of those involved can go where our people will not recognize them. They will not have a chance to reform themselves and start over because they will ever be known as bombers.
"I am not holding to any changes in the legal process. That will follow properly. I, however, wish that their chances to live here in peace following this, to change and contribute not be jeopardized at some point by a general knowledge of who did this in the greater public."
Blackstone looked at Barron who nodded. He looked at Prime. "As long as the process is carried out in the proper manner, I think I understand and concur concerning public disclosure of the names of those involved."
"If anyone knew, they would attack him," Burnoff said. "How could a person have a chance if they were forever marked by this one thing?"
Default looked at Prime. "I want to have another chance. I want to contribute and become better than my programming. I'm so sorry."
Prime nodded. "It is clear that you are, Default. What worries me is the reaction of the genitors involved. If they disclose the situation to the colony, then any chance for any of you to live here when your debt is discharged will be jeopardized."
Everyone sat a moment, then a rap on the door drew their attention. Prowl rose, then opened it.
Drift and Springer came inside pausing to stare at the group. "You rang?" Springer asked.
Prime nodded. "We have a situation. Discretion is of the essence."
They chatted a moment, then the two left to follow through on their task. Those inside rose to walk to the conference room in the Ops Center. Kes and Tagg took their place in The Residence. They were happy to do it.
-0-Ops Center, Autobot City, Mars
Default and Burnoff sat together in the large conference room chatting softly as one tried to help the other through their ordeal.
Prowl stood in Ops Center waiting for the others to arrive.
Drift and Springer had gotten Watchmen together to bring the individuals to the meeting.
Ratchet arrived along with Fenix and Armour who had the night duty at the Temple. They sat as Ratchet paused by the door getting the executive version from Prime.
Ratchet thought a moment, then looked at the forlorn youngling sitting at the table. :Well, I'm glad he fessed up. We aren't going to make this public are we? It could be a mess for everyone involved:
:No: Prime answered as the sound of voices were heard in the Ops Center. Everyone inside and out turned to look, some staring through the transparent walls as the genitors and remaining pair of miscreants were brought into the vast room.
Default looked wretched as he watched his genitors walk toward the room, both of them spotting him right away. Como and Paws hurried to the door pausing in front of Prime who blocked it. "You may go in and sit. We have serious things to discuss."
Como looked at Prime with concern. "What is the meaning of this? What are you doing to our son?"
"Go inside and sit," Prime said firmly.
The two glanced at Fenix who stood with Barron and Blackstone nearby talking quietly, then entered the room. They hurried to their son and sat together leaning in close to talk quietly themselves.
Kale and Gravity entered at that same time, their genitors walking with them surrounded by a Watchman escort. They looked concerned, even angry but they raised no objections, entering the conference room to sit without comment. Their sons went with them, their own expressions of concern firmly in place.
For a few moments there was conversation among the officials, then everyone entered the room taking places as Springer and Drift lounged in the doorway. Prime walked to the table and sat down.
"What is the meaning of this, Prime?" Humr asked as Prime nodded to Springer to close the door.
The big mech did.
"This is about the bombing incident from some time back. We have new information that requires intervention," Optimus said evenly.
Como and Humr looked at each other, then Fenix. "What is the meaning of this, Fenix? What new information?"
Fenix looked at Prime. "Sir?" he asked.
Prime sat back considering his options. They were wide open. "Tonight, I was visited by Default," he said as everyone glanced at the miserable mech sitting at the end of the table. "He had a story to tell and he did. Right now, all of us are part of a very volatile problem that has to be addressed according to Cybertronian law and the rule of the Matrix. Please tell what you told me, Default."
Default looked at everyone with great misery. "We … the five of us … we made and planted the bombs that went off at the Metro station and the other places. We all did it."
It was stone silent a moment, then Como took his son's servo. "What are you saying, Dee? Surely, you couldn't have done that. Surely."
Default looked at his father and his shocked silent ada. "I did. We all did. All of us. We thought it'd show the colony that the System wouldn't die quietly. We did it to strike back. It was stupid and wrong. I can't lie anymore. We all did it, me … Gravity, Kale … Sio and Commotion. We all did it. We're all guilty."
It was leaden a moment, then Kale sat forward. "You fragger," he said.
"Don't say another word," Fenix said sharply, silencing Kale with a rap of his knuckles on the table top. "No more from any of you. Don't say another word."
"I HAVE TO! I HAVE TO SAY EVERYTHING!" Default said. They turned to him, all of them. "I CAN'T STAND IT ANY LONGER! I work at the grocery store in Tyger Pax with mechs that don't give a frag what my caste was. THEY ACCEPT ME! DO YOU UNDERSTAND!? THEY DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST ME!"
"You need to calm down," Fenix said.
"He's my client, Fenix," Blackstone said quietly.
"The caste system is wrong.IT WAS ALWAYS WRONG! LOOK WHAT WE DID BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE WERE BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE!" Default looked at them tearfully. "I hate the System. I HATE IT! I WANT TO HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE! I WANT TO START OVER! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SORRY!"
It was as silent as a tomb as they sat together. Then a mech appeared at the door, halting to take in the scene. "I'm sorry, Prime. I had to come from Centurion."
"Please come in, Semi. We have a very grave problem here. We will need your wise counsel," Prime said.
Semi nodded, then took a seat at the table. He looked around the room, then sat back. "This looks like a legal proceeding about to transpire."
"It is," Prime said. "We have three younglings here and one in the Processor Hospital that are allegedly responsible for the bombings that took place in the colony some time back. The fifth member, Commotion, is deceased. We are digesting the confession of Default," he said nodding to the tearful youngling leaning against his distraught Atar's shoulder as his equally distraught Ada patted his son's servo.
"We need to work out what is going to be done about this and I am going to exercise discretion in this matter as well. We are not prepared to have this become general information in the colony. It would be impossible for anyone involved to live a peaceful life in the long run if it happens."
"Then this is going to be secret?" Fenix asked with concern.
"The only secret held about this will be identities of those involved," Prime said. "I am responsible for every spark in this colony and everywhere else. It would be against the long term interests of the younglings involved and their families if the colony knew the identities of those involved with this matter. It is not a negotiable item for discussion."
It was silent a moment, then Semi glanced at Prime. "What do you suggest?"
Prime was silent a moment, then looked at Default. "He has confessed. We can hold a hearing or settle his involvement here and now. As for the other three … Sio is not mentally and emotionally responsible as yet for his behavior. I would suggest that he be held in abeyance for his actions until such time as that changes. I would suggest that if counsel agrees, that pleas be taken from these two unless they wish to follow Default's lead," he said nodding at Gravity and Kale.
Those two sat with alarmed expressions mirroring their genitors. They looked at Fenix who was whispering with Barron. "Fenix! What does this mean?" Crater asked with concern.
"It means, Crater," Fenix said turning to the small tense group, "that Kale and Gravity are going to be charged for these incidents, then either jailed or placed on house arrest pending trial. I will, of course, represent them along with the legal team from the Order."
"But … but my son … he didn't do this," Crater said uncomprehendingly. He looked at Kale with a strained expression. "You didn't do this did you, son?"
Kale looked at him with a panicked expression, then Gravity. He mouthed words but nothing came out.
Fenix leaned closer. "I would strongly advise that everyone here not say another word. Do you understand me?" he asked.
The two younglings and their genitors looked at him a moment, then nodded. They sat closer together as they tried to absorb what was transpiring. Como and Paws who were watching turned to look at Default. "Son … tell me that you didn't have a part in this. Tell me that this is some kind of … of mistake."
Default looked at them, then his expression crumpled. He shook his helm. "It isn't. I did it. They did it with me. We were stupid and wrong. I've been hiding since Commotion died. I want to be happy again but I can't until this is fixed. I'm sorry every day. I want to have a life without feeling this awful."
"How … I don't understand," Como said with a rising anguish. "I don't understand."
Default wiped tears away. "You don't. I didn't, not for a long time. But I do now. The System is a lie. The mechs I work with were low caste. They like me anyway. They don't care what my caste is. They let me be part of things anyway. Look at what we did. It was wrong. It was all wrong always. It makes me ashamed. Do you understand?" He looked at them imploringly. They looked at him with a wretchedness that was felt in every spark in the room.
Default looked at Prime taking his Ada's servo into his own. "I'm sorry. I want another chance. I'm … I'm afraid of prison but I can't live like this anymore. I'll do whatever you think I should do for this but I hope you know how sorry I am, sir." He sat back clutching his genitor's servos. They sat with him as devastated as their youngling as they struggled to absorb what was happening.
Prime nodded, then glanced at Semi.
That worthy looked at Default. "You admit that you participated in a campaign of bombing that bore ill effects for a lot of innocent individuals who had never harmed you personally?"
Default gathering himself sat up straighter. He nodded. "Yes, sir."
Semi sat back considering his options. "Blackstone, you're counsel for the youngling. What say you?"
Blackstone sat forward. "I see a youngling in crisis. I see someone who made a very difficult decision to confess to a crime that he regrets with every ounce of his being. I see a youngling who with the proper guidance can become an asset to the colony. I don't wish to see him spend time in the prison. There are hardcore prisoners there and it would be difficult to place him where he'd have a chance to change and prove himself. I'd ask for mercy for this youngling. I'd ask that you give him house arrest and the chance to be a productive, respectful and responsible citizen."
Semi looked at Barron who nodded. "I agree."
Semi glanced at Prime.
He nodded. "I would rather salvage a spark than break it over a wheel," Prime said. "I concur with the suggestion."
Semi looked at Default and his genitors who stared at him with frightened optics. "Default, you're convicted of the crimes for which you have confessed, the record of which shall be sealed and classified permanently. I find it promising that you came to this moment on your own. It's the hope of this court that you mean what you've said.
"You will wear a tracking device on your person until such time as you're released from court supervision. You will attend counseling to be devised by Jarro and you will abide by the restrictions set up by the Department of Justice through the Probation Office. If you fail to meet your obligations you'll be jailed and a sentence will be imposed upon you. Do you understand?"
Default nodded. "I do," he said with a sigh.
His genitors clutched his servos as they stared in bewilderment at Semi.
"I would suggest that Como and Paws get counseling as well. This appears to be an ordeal that might require assistance," Semi said. He looked at Armour who stood by the door with Springer. "Armour, will you help this family as well?"
"It would be our honor," Armour said. He moved around the room to stand behind Como. He rested his servos lightly on the distraught mech's hunched shoulders. "I think you might want to rest at the Temple for a couple of orns. It's very helpful."
Semi looked at Gravity and Kale who looked back with a rising alarm. "I'm remanding you into custody, Gravity and Kale, until you can be arraigned. We'll schedule that on the docket tomorrow in closed session. Until then, you'll be taken to the jail in the Courthouse by the Watchmen where you will stay pending arraignment and bail if such is granted.
"I would remind everyone in this room that nothing that has transpired here will be discussed by anyone. I'm imposing a gag order on this case due to the sensitive nature of the alleged crime and the difficulty this will impose on the comfort of all concerned to live here should it become public knowledge. Any questions?"
"I'd like to say something," Ratchet said as he sat staring at Default.
Prime glanced at Ratchet, then nodded. "Semi?"
Semi nodded. "You may have a victim impact statement, Ratchet."
Ratchet considered that. He looked at the forlorn youngling who couldn't meet his optic. "When Ironhide and I bonded, I had to seek permission ... a waiver from the Justice Department to do so because I was low caste and he's Praxian Military Elite. I wish I would tell you what that felt like. I was Cybertronian and so was he but somehow he was intrinsically better than me.
"We worked together to save our planet and help our people. We have infants together. We're of one processor on most things and we're a formidable team, me and my old mech.
"Yet there are those who figure that Ironhide bonded down. That somehow he's a traitor to his caste. I find that remarkable. His ada is the greatest musician our people ever produced, a magician with music but he's not high caste. He's mid. None of it mattered when Cybertron fell. All of us were dirt under Megatron's peds. I'd think that you would've learned that by now. Your caste didn't mean a thing when our planet was burning down around us. The dead don't care either.
"Our army fought for all of us, the mids, highs and lows. Most of us are low. Our greatest Prime, the greatest Prime of all time was a low caste. He bonded with a high caste and raises wonderful infants. We bled, fought, suffered, too many of us died and all of us served, even those of us for whom all the doors were closed from our birth.
"Everyone knows RTR Tools ... Ravel, Tie Down, Ratchet Tools. My genitors are wizards with their skills but they never benefited from their effort and their genius. Never a shanix ... never a recognition because their business was overtaken by a corporation who stole their future away when they did and my family had no recourse about it. You saw their work in museums. Everyone knows and marvels at their work and reputation. All of this happening because someone way the frag back in the beginning decided that they were nothing.
"It grinds on you after a while. You talked about The Attitude, youngling. We all know it. Its the idea that you're automatically better than me and you can act on it. You act on it and I have no legal recourse to do anything about it.
"How many mechs and femmes who heard that they were nothing all their lives just gave up? How many couldn't face the next orn hungry and unfulfilled? How many of them died without a happy orn? I grew up in a slum. I lived four city blocks from where you grew up, Optimus, but I never met you. You grew up with Jetta, Elita, Magnus and others. All of you are gifted. All of you are brave, strong and good. Yet in the optics of half the individuals in this room, you and all of them including me are dirt. Disposable.
"It grinds you down. It affects you. Your dreams don't matter because you aren't allowed to follow them. Eventually, you stop having them. You're too busy scrabbling in an unforgiving world to feed your infants. You can't have dreams for them either. They won't be allowed. You just exist in a malaise going nowhere. You watch the world spin on. You see others having options and plenty to eat while you get by hungry, cold and despairing. Watching your infants struggle with their hopes only to see them crushed changes a mech, a genitor. It changes you but not in a good way.
"Sometimes one of us gets lifted from the muck to rise 'above our place'. I was one of them. I was a mercy case at the University. Starscream was, too. No one ever let us forget it either. We were harried until we both slapped the slag out of enough mechs that they left us alone.
"I graduated first in my class at Medical School and when I did my family ... my genitors and grandgenitors weren't allowed to attend the ceremony because they were low caste. They had to stand outside the arena listening until it was over. I didn't want to go through it but they told me to do it. They said it was my right.
"I did it for them and them alone. They gave up everything for me ... working slag hours, going hungry so I wouldn't, making sure that even if they had nothing for themselves I got to go to the illegal schools. If they were caught they would go to prison for seeking my education. They sacrificed their entire lives for me. And yet even then, we loved Cybertron. All of us low castes who didn't get more than scraps loved Cybertron. It was a miracle that enough of us did that we lasted freely as long as we did.
"When you attacked me because of your prejudices, that's what you struck. That's what you kicked. You took it upon yourself to attack someone who'd grown up in the basement of life without the expectation of ever seeing the sun. I don't understand why all the harm caused to us by your caste wasn't enough to appease your need to humiliate and harm others? Cruelty for the sake of cruelty ... that is what the caste system is.
"That's why it'll never come back here. I know you want it to and you'll work hard to do it but those of us that knew it and lived it will never allow it. You need know what it was really like. Unlike you, we know what it meant to be on the wrong end of the stick. That's why it will NEVER come back. EVER."
Ratchet looked at Default who looked wretched. His genitors were staring at the medic with anguish. "That is also why I forgive you, youngling. My grand atar was recovered. My grandada and other grandgenitors are still on Cybertron. They were the most wonderful individuals I ever knew. They were, are and ever will be perfect to me. They matter. They count. They're everything to me.
"Because they are, I forgive you. They told me never to hold bitterness against another because they'll hold you in chains forever and how can you fly if you do? I forgive you for what you did because I see that you're really sorry and mean it. For that and everything else, I forgive you. I really and truly do," Ratchet said as he sat back. "I want all of us to love each other the way we were supposed to do. it can't happen if I hate you. I don't. Go forth and sin no more."
It was deeply silent, then Default looked at Ratchet. "Thank you," he said quietly.
Ratchet grinned slightly. "You're welcome."
-0-TBC 4-5-14 edited 4-6-14 7-23-19 For my dad.