8: A Day in Court
Have you ever sat inside a room that is very cold? When I say cold, I mean colder than even the caps in the polar worlds of the universe. At least psycho...logically(?) speaking, it feels that way, because something in the air makes you shudder and wish for something warm to cover you with. Normally, some people interpret this as a prelude to doom.
Certainly, my feelings were similarly placed when I was escorted into the courtroom the first day, early so that there would not be so much to deal with in terms of the outside public and media. Not the hearings, but the actual trial itself. The trial itself took place three days after my hunt for evidence had finished. They had moved it up from the original date, which I can't recall, mainly because I pushed that date out of my head once we learned that the date had changed. But it didn't really matter what day it started. I felt that shudder.
-I want, I whispered to Dyka, -to get this over with.
-Mmm hmm.
Dyka was not speaking much to me. She was very angry - not at me, at least not anymore. She had initially been angry with me because she though Koogairu had scared everyone away. Koogairu, being what she is outside of the Seemarin, can scare many people away with her ceaseless, useless bantering if someone let her talk about whatever she wanted. Even I get annoyed by it. So, any time I did something with Koogairu and it failed, Dyka always originally blamed Koo. But I digress.
-Witless! She roared at me. -Nonsense! How could you possibly take her with you! Did she regale our witnesses with her pointless stories and anecdotes?!
-But she's a sister! I protested. -And she didn't regale anyone-
-I told you, I didn't WANT her on the team! Dyka was very angry. -How....could you just let her ruin our evidence.....
However, one of the witnesses called Dyka up at my feverish insistence and explained what had happened with the others. There had been a lot of discontent against Tsukinousagi, it was explained, and us going out there to talk to pirate fighters was actually riskier than it looked. The reason, she elaborated, was that many of the pirate fighters did not take kindly to people going into their affairs.
Fortunately, Dyka was appeased by this, at least towards me. But she was angered that she could not get as much evidence as she'd liked. She was angered even more by Michag's destroyed papers, for they would have helped us. At least, we thought they would have, but of course we would never be certain of it.
-Well, she had turned to me before going off to her bedroom. -I guess you have more sense than I just thought. My apologies.
I was embarrassed, still embarrassed, that my own boss had been so willing to dismiss me. I felt like a failure - not because I was failing to save our client, as it would be where you humans live, but it was the fact that I had done such an unacceptable job in getting people on our side. For us, getting three witnesses out of a potential pool of at least two hundred was not a disgrace. Getting three witnesses out of a potential pool of at least two hundred was the work of a completely incompetent laughingstock.
Fortunately, there was no booing or cheering of a crowd to sink my spirits lower than they already were. I was relieved that the Judges made the proceedings a private tribunal, rather than one that the public could attend with their scrutiny. Not that there would be nothing from the outside world, that was for certain. There was no way that anyone could ignore this.
-Are you ready? Dyka hissed in my ear as we entered the courtroom. -Here comes the onslaught.
To make sure some points are known, since I researched your world's more prominent law systems. With your kind, there are opening arguments, and then the prosecution presents their case. Then the defense. Then come closing arguments, and then comes the decision. That is not how it really works with us.
Whereas you can only present evidence collected before a certain date, our people can collect evidence and show it all the way up until the day the verdict comes down. The prosecution gets the preference to show what they have first, but the defense can interrupt and show their own evidence in contrast to the evidence of the prosecution. Sometimes, this can amount to shouting matches between the barristers. But most people did not mind it, unless the three judges screeched for silence.
-Yeah, I'm ready.
I stood up as our client came in. I looked at her, not quite sure what to think. For on her forehead was a large cut, covered up by a bandage, and a bruise on her cheek. Her face went down, as if to try avoid the glances that the people in the room gave her. Behind her was her bodyguard, the person who had been appointed by the Bysey to escort her to and from the court. They called him Brutus, and he looked to be a brute indeed - he was a large, grey creature of muscle, almost twice my size. I could not believe how frightened I was of him even as he just entered the room.
-Wow. I began to get nervous. -They need that kind of get up for her?
-Well. Dyka sighed. -You don't need much brain to guard her. Just a lot of muscle. Once the press learns the trial has started, the entire galaxy will be here trying to rip her to shreds.
I gave a nod, as he gave me a very cold look. I froze, wondering why he dared to give me that look, but at the same time hoping I did not meet up with him alone ever. We sat down as the grunt put Tsukinousagi in her cage and stepped aside.
-Let us begin. The Judges, who had been silent, spoke, again with Savitri as their spokesperson. -Prosecution, do you have your first witness ready?
-We do, your Honors.
Kepe stood up, walking towards the great desk which the Three sat at. Sitting down, writing in her notebook, for she was not allowed to speak during the trial, as with me, was Bora. She looked at Kepe, and down at her notebook, and gave a sigh. I could tell she wanted to be more of a part of this, like me. I rubbed my face.
-We would like to present our first witness. Kepe turned towards the back of the room. -Sailor Hadro, enter the cage.
And so, Kepe's first witness stood up. She was relatively small, though not as small as Tsukinousagi, and she wore a bright green sailor suit. She seemed to give Tsukinousagi a strange look as she entered the witness cage. The witness cage was very similar to the defendant's cage, but in this case, not as secure and of a different color.
-Judges, Kepe bowed. -Sailor Hadro will testify to events on date 375, year 746251. Approximately eight months ago.
-Proceed.
-Thank you. Sailor Hadro. Kepe began to pace. -Tell me, briefly, your history, for the court.
There was a brief silence at this. Hadro took a deep breath.
-Yes. She finally spoke. -I live in the Caxu galaxy. I have been a sailor soldier for six years.
-And you are here for what reason?
-I am in prison. I was interrogated at Veldanis.
-For what?
-I was arrested by a group of pirate fighters for inciting a rebellion on the planet Gintax with two other sailors named Meito and Yomokai.
There was nothing seemingly exciting about such things. What did a rebellion have to do with Tsukinousagi? Granted, such things were not welcomed, yet Caxu was nowhere near the Vika galaxy where Tuskinousagi reportedly lived. But I simply gave a sigh. I would probably be proven wrong anyways.
-And how do you know the defendant? Kepe asked.
-How? Hadro looked at the defendant, who simply stared at her, then back at Kepe. -I met her.
-When?
-I believe....eight months ago.
-What happened then?
-She and I were in a bar called 'Goshen', where she ended up drinking quite a bit. Hadro pasued. -Then.....when she had gotten drunk enough...she started bragging.
-Bragging about what?
-She told me that she was the most powerful soldier in the universe. Hadro nodded. -And she told me she did something pretty good, and she asked me if I wanted to know what she did.
-Did you say yes?
-No. I said I didn't care. But she told me anyways. Hardo shook her head, adding, -I had never seen anyone so drunk before in my life as she was. She was getting very sick.
I looked at Tsukinousagi. Her face was completely reddened by this. My instant reaction was that this had actually happened, and I looked down, slightly irritated. What was she thinking!
-What did she tell you?
-She told me, Hadro sighed, -that she had done something no one else had done, and if there were more sailor soldiers around, she'd tell them too.
-And what did she do?
-She told me she had gone into the Galaxy Cauldron. Hadro looked at Tsukinousagi. -That she was the strongest and bravest soldier in the universe for showing herself to the Cauldron.
-And what happened after that?
-....She fainted.
-How did you feel about this?
-I......I was shocked. Hadro nodded. -Yes. I was shocked. Not about when she fainted, but what she told me.
-And you are a Vika soldier?
-Yes.
-A moment!
At this, Dyka stood up. She quickly strode towards Hadro, her hands clasped behind herself.
-You say that you met the defendant at a bar. Dyka turned towards Kepe before turning back towards Hadro. -Where was this bar?
-I.....it was..... Hadro paused. -Planet Goisue.
-Goisue? Dyka looked at her questioningly. -And this is eight months ago.
-Yes.
-....Very well. Dyka gave a smile. -So she was drunk?
-Yes.
-Which...is surprising..... Dyka went back to the desk and looked at her notes. -At lest to me. Goisue is in the Lasjhf galaxy. Do you know this?
-Yes. Hadro looked at Dyka warily. -I know this.
-Then you are aware that there is a prohibition of such drinks going on on Goisue?
-W...no. Hadro sat up. -But this was two years ago.
-And the prohibition has been going on for seventeen years. Dyka turned away. -So if you were drinking at such an establishment, should we not arrest you for such an illegal activity?
-No. Hadro's eyes widened. -I didn't know-
-Do you know what planet Tsukinousagi is from?
-......No.....
-Thank you. Dyka looked at Kepe. -Do you have any more questions for your witness?
-Nope. Kepe seemed unfazed about her witness. -I have no more.
I looked at Dyka, confused, as she came back to her seat. She looked smugly at Hadro, who left the witness box. Yet I was confused about what exactly made the prohibition such a big deal. They could have gone to an illegal establishment.
-Dyka-
-Shh. She quickly silenced me. -The next witness is coming up.
The next witness was not much of a big thing, not so much as the first witness, since the first witness would make the impression of how the trial would go. Almost every witness was from the prosecution. There was Hadro, of course, but there was also several experts on the stand as well. Two experts came onto the stand. Both times, I began to sense that Dyka was more aware of what was going on than I really was. She seemed ready for everything that was thrown at her.
-And so, Kepe turned to the second expert, a astragraphist. -So, according to 97 percent of the sailor soldiers you talked to, they were well aware of the legal consequences of what they were doing if they broke the laws of the Seemarin - particularly the laws respectively called Numbers One and Two?
-Yes. The man tapped his fingers together and nodded. -They know fully well they were not allowed to.
-And these were Vika soldiers?
-Yes.
-But! Suddenly, Dyka stood up. -You did not do these surveys in the Vika galaxy that Tsukinousagi resides in. Is this not correct?
-Permit me to ask a question, barriser, the expert looked at Dyka. -Which galaxy does she reside in?
-She resides in the Centissa galaxy.
-Then, no. He shook his head. -I have not.
-Very well. Dyka looked at Kepe. -I am finished with him. Keep going with him, if you wish.
-No. I am finished with him.
The reason this man was important was not so much because he himself was of importance. It is because, the minute he left the witness cage, there was a strange sound that filled our ears. We all immediately looked down to where it was coming from.
-What..... I suddenly felt sick. -Is she......
Tsukinousagi, who had already looked pitiful, had suddenly retched inside her cage. The spew was everywhere in her cage, a disgusting dark color with chunks in it, and she showed no signs of stopping. She was completely white as she came up, then went back down to repeat the action.
-GUARD! Savitri's voice boomed. -Escort her out of here.
Instantly, the big creature, Brutus, complied. He carried her out of the cage, even as her piles spilled all over his shoes. A sanitizer was instantly summoned to clean it up, and he promptly did by putting all of the large, holdable portions in a clear bag. He then washed and scrubbed inside the cage until it was as clean as it had been the day it was made.
Though he quickly packed up and left, never to be seen by me again, his story doesn't quite finish there. Three weeks later, I learned through a satellite program that there had been a fortune made by someone when one very rich citizen - actually, royalty of a planet I forget the name of - bought a large bag filled with -sailor moon evil sputum- to place around his house to ward off demons whose complete power was supposedly not so evil as the bodily fluid was. I was in no doubt where this prince got the -sputum- from. But I digress.
-My. Dyka looked at me as the Judges began to ready the rest of the proceedings. -She looked sick before, of course, what with those bruises she got herself.
I nodded in agreement. I did not dare to say to the contrary, and I would not have even if I had been allowed to speak.
-
We went back in silence to Mehsheh. It had been the first, somewhat uneventful day, and we were both tired.
-Go open the door for me. Dyka motioned to me. -I must be getting some things from the back of this transport.
-Right.
I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary coming up the stairs to the door. All that would be was that Tsukinousagi had taken my bedroom, for she had gotten home first. I was still annoyed about that, but could still do nothing about it. I went to the front door with the key.
And found myself staring at a note pinned to the door with a long, black handled sword. Run through by the sword was a piece of cloth, with a reddened crescent on it. The note was written in red blood, and a small yellow star was fixed under the words. The note in blood only had four words.
-WATCH YOURSELVES. WE'RE COMING.
