Chapter 48: 047 Trial

The Captain was kneeling atop an elevated podium in a cavernous room. In a semi-circle in front of him was a layered seating arena, much like one of the amphitheaters of old. They were filled with what he considered to be his colleagues, other individuals who resided in the Sanctum and operated under the oath of neutrality.

To his rear, elevated many stories above him, were three seating areas. Each was host to a single person, all three of the Grand Elders.

The Grand Elders ran the Sanctum, formally subservient to the Arboreal Maiden and working in service of the Great Csillacra. Each was responsible for a specific section of their operation.

Grand Elder Larson controlled all military aspects of the Sanctum. A purely defensive and peacekeeping force, it was his duty to ensure they were properly trained, equipped, and educated on their duties. Owing to their neutral position, no favor could be bestowed upon one party more than any other, and laws governing their actions were expected to be followed to the letter.

Grand Elder Szirpty, more commonly referred to as Grandmother Ashes by her own request, governed all sectors pertaining to historical record. Recording things was one of the Sanctum's most important duties as the arbiter of neutrality. Historical precedent could only be set with an unchallengeable set of documents, and it could provide a clean and bloodless solution to a problem two conflicting parties may have.

Issues pertaining to a dynasty's inheritance methods were very common owing to the rate at which leaders died on the battlefield, though it was infuriating to Grandmother Ashes just how often these conflicts she thought were resolved would once again bubble over into war once one party grew powerful enough to defeat the other.

The final Elder did not appear to fit the description, that was because he was only 53 years old. Grand Elder Firche was extremely young for a someone in his position, though not one bit unqualified.

He was in charge of external relations, maintaining their neutral stance as well as negotiating deals with various merchants to secure supplies and sell goods produced in the Sanctum. It was also his responsibility to judge when intervention was required outside of the Sanctum, there were some threats and catastrophes only they could realistically deal with.

Neutrality did not mean they had to abandon the people to death, so long as the threat was one borne either of nature or factions hostile to the Sanctum.

To the younger rulers of the galaxy, Grand Elder Firche was the face of the Sanctum.

"Captain," Grand Elder Larson spoke down to everyone from his position in the middle. "you bear the responsibility of ensuring the survival, if not necessarily safety, of those nurtured by the Great Csillacra's will. I am, perhaps more than any other in attendance save yourself, familiar with the duties, responsibilities, pressure, and difficulty associated with this job. And yet we are here today owing to the loss of an estimated 37 billion individual lives lost.

As Captain, primary ambassador, and expert in this field, you have failed. You have failed not just the denizens of that world, but the expectations of the Great Csillacra and the oath you took to maintain neutrality to the best of your ability by allowing death to take control.

As such, you stand accused not only of dereliction of your assigned duty, but also of the inability to remain a neutral arbiter. How do you plea?"

Still on his knees, the Captain adjusted himself to be upright facing the crowd. Slowly, he took a deep breath. If he was to be executed, he wished to at least maintain an air of dignity so as not to further disgrace the Sanctum's reputation.

"I plead guilty."

Disbelief rippled through the audience. They had at least expected him to resist, make an excuse, something other than outright admit fault.

"What exactly leads you to this decision?" Elder Firche operated in his role.

"Objectively, I have failed in my duties. Even if not obvious at the time, I am certain that there is more I could have done to safeguard against this catastrophe. Even without the knowledge of the Veil's collapse conditions, I should have kept someone watching over the situation and my crew primed and ready to leave as soon as trouble presented itself. I am at fault for this tragedy, and nothing I say or do will ever be enough to remedy the mistakes I have made.

As such, I plead guilty to the charges listed. I will accept whatever punishment is handed down with grace."

"Even if such punishment would be public execution?" Larson challenged his determination, only to receive a slow nod in return.

The room remained silent for some time, not even mutterings from the stands could be heard. Whether this was intended to be a pressure tactic by the Grand Elders or a sign of their uncertainty in handling the situation wasn't entirely clear. That was at least until-

"Haaaa." A lengthy sigh, exhausted, and bordering on the angry close to the end escaped Grand Elder Larson's lips. "I had suspected it would turn out this way. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your true state of mind, I am unable to accept that admission as truth. Grandmother Ashes, if you will?"

"In the interests of the pursuit of neutrality, all attempts of judgment in such cases where the truth is not extravagantly clear will be subject to a fair and equal trial consisting of three parties arguing the actions of the individual or group at hand. A number of teams with the purpose of arguing whether or not the accused acted for or against an external party, as well as one arguing the maintenance of neutrality, shall set forth debates in the public eye so that a verdict comprising of audience votes may be made."

She sounded as if she was reciting a passage from some legal document.

"In this case, I believe it fitting that the team arguing that you have made actions in favor of this young humanity's development should not be formed. I feel that there is not an argument to be made there anyway.

As we, the Grand Elders, stewards of the Sanctum's neutrality and authorities on the responsibilities given to each individual, are best suited to the defense of the now absent victims, I nominate us to be the party responsible for proving the Captain's favor towards extinction. Are there any objection's to this assumed neutral view from those gathered? Captain, you too may speak up in your defense."

Naturally, there was no movement to indicate any such rejection. Grandmother Ashes nodded to herself, her two colleagues remaining apathetic in their dispositions.

"As for the defense of your neutrality, I believe that the arrangements for your team will not evoke disappointment. You are, of course, entitled to alter or even forgo the defense team I have built for you, but I see no reason for you to refuse.

I invite to the court the Scholar."

A hurried tapping could be heard from the great black void underneath the elevated boxes opposite the stands. The Scholar, looking disheveled but maintaining a composed air, was holding a stack of papers in his arms.

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There was little doubt they were records to be used as hard evidence.

"Are you sure only one person will be enough Grandmother? It hardly seems neutral to only have one person argue against three."

Grand Elder Larson intercepted Firche's question in Szirpty's stead. "I can forgive the assumption, however I believe you may find it will be us on the back foot in this confrontation, Firche. Were it not for his... peculiarities, he would no doubt be Grandmother Ashes' successor. Where Szirpty may be comparable to a walking textbook, the Scholar is a library."

"An apt assessment, though I think you will find he still has much to learn. He is not yet able to harness the vast reserve of knowledge he holds, lacking only in experience. I chose him as the Captain's defendant not only because I believe him to be the most capable of defending him, but as a test to see if he has learned.

Perhaps through the evolution of his thought process, I may glean some information from what remains of our two new guests."

"Guests? You mean there are some that still live?"

"Indeed Larson, though from what little I have heard from the Scholar they are currently being attended to by the Arboreal Maiden."

"Then what of this case? Will that not prove The Captain's innocence?" Firche, the newest member, was still unfamiliar with the grand trial process.

"That is what we are here to find out, Grand Elder. I understand your convictions given the gravity of the perceived offense, but I am obliged to warn you that not everything is what it seems."

- - - - -

Down below, the Scholar was finishing setting up his documents on the desk provided to him. They were a hassle to work with, some in scrolls, others books, but the majority were loose leaflets of varying sizes and shapes that made it impossible to hold them in a stack.

Taking a brief moment to catch his wits and analyze his current file order, he looked up at his kneeling Captain.

"I will do my utmost to prove your innocence, Captain."

"While I have no doubts you will do your duty, I ask you to understand there is nothing I may do to repent for my lack of ability. Do not fight a battle that you have no hope of winning, my friend."

"I believe there is irrefutable evidence of the fact you maintained neutrality, sir, all I need to do is present it in the proper manner."

The Captain was demoralized, somber, accepting the fate that was to come. In response to his subordinate's optimism, he could only nod. Content with his arrangements, the Scholar raised his voice so that he may be heard.

"Grand Elders, it is with great conviction and certainty that I believe that my charge, the one titled 'Captain' is innocent of deviation from his vows of both duty and neutrality."

This raised eyebrows from multiple parties. The Grand Elders, members of the audience, and even the Captain, had caught an oddity in the Scholar's opening remark.

"'Believe', Scholar?" Grandmother Ashes was the first to properly respond. "Your argument is one based on beliefs, not evidence?"

This was a sentence worthy of a trial in its own right, beliefs were not to be brought into a grand trial.

"Not at all, Grandmother Ashes. In fact, I believe you will find nothing but solid evidence among the documents, records, charters, and testimonies I have brought with me today. I have learned on this voyage to not place all of my faith in the information I have at my disposal. I was lectured, chastised you might go so far as to say, for my overreliance on facts I once viewed to be as absolute, whole, and unassailable.

I was forced to come to terms with the fact that, in spite of my knowledge, there may be details that elude my grasp. Differences in viewpoint, situation, and context may render any information that I have obsolete. I must come to terms with the fact that, while I believe that the Captain is no doubt neutral, it is only that. A belief.

Until such time as my charge is declared either biased or neutral, I will hold this belief."

The room fell quiet, all unsure of just how to parse this information. Normally, a held belief should not come up in such a trial, if at all, yet none could find flaw with his logic. This method of thinking, despite the contradiction with the conventional understandings of neutrality, perhaps fit better with his duty. He was expected to prove the Captain's neutrality and disprove any perceived biases.

Could he truly perform this task if he didn't believe in the Captain's innocence?

"Very good, Scholar, I see this latest voyage has resulted in some growth in you." Grand Elder Szirpty was pleased as opposed to perplexed. "Belief in and of itself is not a violation of neutrality. Neutrality itself may be considered a belief, its definition in a constant state of flux with the conditions surrounding each individual situation and the biases inherent in the general population."

Pensive expressions and shock were evoked in the crowd. Some grew up under the code of neutrality, others were brought into its fold, yet very few had ever thought about what the rules they were sworn to live by meant.

"With that, I believe it is high time to act on your own beliefs." She once again emphasized the word belief, hoping that those in the audience would develop their understanding. "The case against your charge is quite clear, it will be up to you to convince us otherwise."

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