The Diego Diaries: Time Out (678)
-0-Courthouse of Autobot City, Mars
They stood in line, two of several heading for arraignment above. A short ride in the elevator and a shorter walk through the door to sit on a bench completed the journey. Semi sat at his dais chatting with the bailiff as they waited for the lawyers to approach. Fenix and his team were gathering their motions as Coln-2 waited at his table with a couple of assistants and a youngling mech on a work-study before pre-university classes in law and interplanetary business contracts.
Gravity and Kale sat on the bench staring at the floor. Then Kale turned to see his genitors enter the courtroom. Behind them, the genitors of Gravity came as well. They took a seat together as court was rapped into order. They watched as the clerk went through the behavioral expectations of all present, introduced the judge and announced the cases, seeking in the audience the presence of the requisite representation in the room.
It would take a few moments.
-0-Ops Center, Mars
The meeting at last broke up with lots of laughter and hoo-hah. The big mechs and femmes, all of whom bore the burden of leadership and representation walked into the vast Ops Center. Some of them would be heading for fortresses and forward bases off world. Others would be heading for their offices and work places all over the planet. Still others would have free time to schmooze and lollygag around. As they filtered out, they nodded to two pensive individuals who stood by the doorway looking inside with unease. They stepped back to let people pass without noticing them. When they were gone, they looked inside again.
"We have to go inside."
"I know. Are you afraid?"
"I am."
They stood together, then stepped in tentatively looking for the one that they wanted to see.
-0-Around the city
They walked back into their lives, the soldiers and techs of the armada. It was part of the fabric of their lives that this could blow up swiftly, then end just as fast, mostly. Shifts were shifted back. Workers took their places again. All of the munitions and some of the guns were left at the requisite hub depot nearest to home for storage or repair. All was good.
This time.
Kestrel walked out of the counseling center in the Labor Hall pausing beside Tagg who sat chatting with some 'very nice young mechs'. They chatted together, then walked out to go to the library. Kestrel was enamored of the peace of the place for study. Tagg liked to help the staff with the work. He usually got his work done when Kestrel was in counseling.
Their routine was not only set in stone, it was glorious.
-0-Ops Center
They made it quite a ways inside when Prowl noted, then intercepted them. "May I help you?" he asked.
"We would like to speak with the Prime. If he is not busy that is," Como said with more nervous tension that he could remember. Pawz nodded with great discomfort.
Prowl nodded. "Won't you follow me then?" he asked, then walked toward the far corner where doors led to the offices of some of the senior officers including Prime.
They had remodeled this part of the facility after the expansion of Ops Center making the offices much larger, more hooked up and comfortable than they once were. At the end of the corridor Prowl slowed, then turned to them. He gestured with his servo. "Through this door."
They nodded, then with trepidation entered the spacious graceful office of the Prime of Mars, Cybertron and every other place were Cybertronians were living. He stood up as they entered. "Please. Won't you sit? Can we get you anything?"
"No. Sir. We're … we're fine," Como said as he sat down. Pawz sat, too, staring at the floor with emotion. "We came to talk to you about a number of things. But we want more than anything to apologize to you and have you accept it. We want to apologize for our behavior and actions and that of our son. We want to somehow show you in some way that we don't know how much we … regret our actions and behavior." He paused a moment wincing with pain. "Regret is too small a word."
Prime watched them, his own spark fluttering. They were sorry and it was genuine. He leaned slightly forward. "It is sometimes but all in all, it is a good word."
Como looked at him with almost a desperate intensity. "I'm filled with so much regret. My son … we talked all night. For the first time in our lives, we really talked. We didn't understand everything he said but he kept talking. We let him down. We let our people down. We sat in comfort and oblivion as our people suffered. As you yourself suffered. I'm so sorry. We need you to understand how sorry we are. We … we did what we knew. We looked the other way and blamed the poor for their poverty because it was what we knew. It made it easy to pretend."
"But now?" Prime asked gently.
"Now … we're in turmoil. I still don't understand all of it but I know that I let my son down. I'm filled with regrets." Como stared at the floor. "I wish I could … change it. We wanted to tell you that we're so sorry we disrespected you. You are Cybertron wherever you are. The Charter says so and so does the Matrix. To disrespect you is to disrespect Primus and The One. You would not be Prime if they had not loved and respected you. We're sincerely sorry and wish to make amends."
Two strained pairs of optics looked at him intently as they waited for Prime to speak. He sat back considering the delicate moment before him. "You can not ask for what you already have," he said quietly.
Como glanced at Pawz, then Prime. "I don't understand."
"We have had trouble in the past. A misguided individual planted bombs on one of our public buildings. It ruptured energon lines leading to Metroplex when they blew up. He had to clear his districts safely so he sat in the fire. It burned him pretty badly. He stayed in the fire to save his residents. When the genitors of the bomber asked for forgiveness, going to see him to ask for some punishment to show their sorrow, he told them, 'you can not ask for what you already have'," Prime said.
They looked at him, then sat back.
Prime leaned forward again. "He had already forgiven them. He is that sort of spark. I will repeat to you what he told them. You can not ask for what you already have."
Tears slid down Como's cheeks. "I want to make amends."
"Then work hard, take care of your family and know that all of us are one. All of us are loved by Primus equally. If you do that, then you are on the right track. We have to make here what we could not have on Cybertron. This is our second act."
Pawz nodded. "Thank you. I'm sorry. Please know how much. Our boy … he's changed. He wants to do better and we won't let him down this time. We did before. But not again."
Prime nodded, then stood as they did.
Como turned to look at Prime as he hesitated at the door. "Thank you. For everything."
Prime nodded. "Thank you."
They stepped out, then walked together across Ops Center with a lighter tread.
Prowl watched, then walked to the office. He peered inside. "What's the verdict?"
"Two more down, several thousand to go," Optimus said with a grin.
Prowl grinned back. "Good."
-0-Courthouse
They sat through arraignments of three drunks and a mech who 'forgot' to turn down his radio in the very early morning. When they reached Gravity and Kale, the tone changed. The half witted ambiance of sheepish misdemeanors changed to the serious danger of felonies. The bailiff cleared the room of everyone but those directly involved to protect the order of this case as a sealed event.
Semi looked at Fenix and three other lawyers who were moving to the defense table while Coln-2 sat relaxed and ready at the table of the prosecution. "Please read the charges, Tam-run," Semi asked of the clerk of court.
"Some charges are still pending investigation but the Prime's Case states that the accused, Kale and Gravity planted explosive devices in three different locations with the intention of extreme mischief with the possibility of great bodily harm." He sat.
Semi glanced at Coln-2. "Colie?"
Coln rose. "The Prime's Brief is seeking detention for these mechs until trial because they represent a clear and present danger to the community. We're prepared to present evidence and testimony of witnesses to support the charges during trial. We seek a Primal Hearing given the gravity of the charges and their federal jurisdiction as felonies."
Semi nodded. "I'll take that under advisement. We have the option of jury or a bench trial. I'll take pleas and entertain motions from both sides regarding jurisdiction of the case."
Fenix consulted a data pad, then offered his requests. "Sir, my clients plead not guilty and seek a bench jury. I'm also asking that the defendants be released to house detention pending the resolution of the charges against them. Having them confined to their homes would ensure that security can be managed without undo discomfort for the families involved. I would also seek continuance of the order containing this proceedings to remain sealed."
"Your honor, one of the bombs made it extremely 'inconvenient' for one family necessitating housing elsewhere because their home was destroyed. There was an artist whose work was destroyed or harmed from the bombing. There are other individuals who've been highly negatively impacted by the alleged actions of the accused. Since little thought went into the comfort of the victims, I'm less inclined to care or support the comfort of the accused," Coln replied.
"The defendants are just that, accused. Right now, we've ascertained none of the facts as applied to them. It would be a safe placement for the accused. Tracking devices would manage their security. We're asking for this custody pending the trial," Fenix said.
Semi considered both petitions, then. "I will continue the information ban order indefinitely and allow home detention but it'll be severe. They may not leave their apartments except to come to trial. They must wear location devices that will monitor their whereabouts. The only place they can be is home. They will need custodians who will take responsibility for them."
"Their genitors will be able to manage that aspect of this decision, your honor," Fenix said.
Semi glanced at Coln-2 who had no objection. "Very well. Both of you stand."
The two younglings stood, their expressions solemn and tense.
Semi regarded them. "You will be remanded into the custody of your parents pending your trial on the charges before you. There is evidence enough to arraign you for the charges before the court. You will go with the bailiff to the medic on site in the jail who will fit you with the monitoring devices that will allow us to track you. You will be confined to your custodial apartments. You may not leave them. Gravity, your special function of invisibility will be disabled and you may not utilize it or tamper with the dampening device that will deactivate it. If you do, then jail it will be. Any breach of any these orders will land you in the jail. Do you understand and accept this ruling?"
They both nodded. "Yes, sir," they said nearly in unison.
"Very well. You may take them, bailiff. When they're fitted, release them to their genitors," Semi said.
The bailiff nodded, then gestured to the younglings. They silently followed him out the door nearby. Their genitors stood to intercept Fenix and his compatriots as they walked toward the door to wait outside for their clients. The courtroom continued onward hearing the pleas and motions of the remaining prisoners as the few who were here to watch came back in to do so.
-0-Ironhide
They sat in his office grinning at each other. A tiny mech with a great chevron smiled at his atar as they shared bites of the morning cookie. "Atar. Atar? ATAR!ATAR!" Prowler said with a deep chuckle.
Ironhide looked at him, then grinned. "Sh."
"Atar?" he asked smiling at Ironhide.
"I think I'll do an inspection. We need to get out of here before anyone knows you can talk," Ironhide said taking the Seeker bag and little hat into servo. "Your old ada is being a good old mech. By now he would've had you in school. I don't want to hear you cry like Hero did. I think I still have open wounds from that one." With an expert's touch, he put the baby into the bag. Rising, he stepped out after hiding Prowler in his hold. Leaving with haste, he walked to the elevator and took it down a floor. Leaving through the big double doors, he walked along the sidewalk that bordered the train tracks.
They paused as one passed, then he crossed the tracks to enter a utility door nearby. It would take them into the bowels of the subterranean part of the city that was his domain. They would spend the afternoon walking about halls and chambers filled with munitions and guns chatting together.
It would be here that he would see Prowler pull himself up to stand on his tiny peds. He would look up at his atar with a giant smile as he clung to a box of bullets. His old pa would do his best not to cry.
-0-TBC April 9, 2014 edited 4-14-14 7-24-19