by Ben Stevens
Miller did know what she meant. Wyntr was a special child, the only person left in Home who knew where Xibalba, resting place of the Morning Star was; where Maya had gone. And now that Maya and her guardians had gone radio silent, overdue by at least a week, Miller feared that the child’s secret would soon have to be passed on to another group of intrepid heroes. No, To-Kan was correct, the child could not be cared for by just anyone.
Sighing, Miller nodded his head to the sagely woman and gestured to her seat.
“Very well. Thank you all and welcome back to the second meeting of the New Republic council, and uh… daycare.” Although he did not find the situation or his own comments to be funny, Miller heard his remarks prompt more than one chuckle from the group.
“I’ve called you all back here for two reasons. Two reasons, yet they are one and the same. Our previous meeting was cut short with the news that Chairman Accoba Warbak’s aide, the man known as Matiaba, had been spotted in the Shanty. I’m happy to report that that was not only true but that the villain has been apprehended. I made the arrest personally.”
“Villain? Villain, you say?” a voice spoke up over the approving murmurs that followed on the heels of Miller’s announcement.
A well-dressed man stood up from the table. Miller had seen the man somewhere before, but couldn’t place him or recall his name. He certainly wasn’t a member of the council. Then again, many in the room were not. Some were members of the newly formed Free-Press Guild, while others, like Captain Wojax, were active military men, positioned in the room to act as guards. Then there was Wyntr… but who was this man?
“I was under the impression that my client would receive a fair trial, and yet here you are, General, already trying to sway the council with your unguarded and obviously biased words.”
Lawyer, then. When did we get lawyers?
“Honorable members of the council, I am Libis. I am representing Matiaba in the trial,” the well-dressed man said. He was slightly overweight, with slicked back hair, and wore a pair of glasses that matched his suit nicely. He gestured to Miller and then to the room at large, saying, “I suggest you keep your opinions of my client’s character to yourself or hold them for the trial, and even then only when you are asked.”
Oh boy. Here we go.
“Fine by me,” Miller said, scowling. Then, as he sat back down, he added, “Let’s get this circus started.”
“You see, ladies and gentlemen?” Libis asked the room. “General Miller here seems to have made up his mind before the trial has even begun.”
No one said anything, but a few members shot Miller some worried glances across the table.
“Hey. Take it easy,” Candice whispered to Miller, once again patting the back of his giant metal hand.
Miller sighed. He hated lawyers. He hated trials. He was beginning to regret agreeing to this fiasco.
“Fine, fine,” Miller said. “Bring him in.”
Captain Wojax raised a knife-hand and saluted Miller, then turned to leave the room. A short minute later, he returned, joined by two more soldiers, each in Inner-Zigg attire, armed with pistols, and flanking a handcuffed Matiaba.
Miller nodded to his captain and made a rolling wheel gesture with a finger. The young officer saluted once more and escorted Matiaba to an empty seat at the table.
“Are the handcuffs necessary?” Libis asked no one in particular.
Heads snapped and looked to Miller, either wondering what he would say or waiting for his command. Miller tried to read their faces; confusion and uncertainty was the look du jour.
“Fine,” Miller said with a tired and audible sigh. “Captain, remove the cuffs.”
“Sir, yes sir,” Wojax chirped and rushed to remove the manacles from the former aide.
“Thank you,” Matiaba said, shaking and rubbing his now free wrists dramatically before sitting down.
Miller waited a moment for Matiaba to get situated and then began.
“Matiaba. You stand accused of war crimes, conspiracy, torture, and murder. How do you plead?”
What a colossal waste of time, Miller thought as he announced the accusations. Why drag out the inevitable? He tried not to look bored or roll his eyes as he reached for his cup of tea and took a sip.
“Why, not guilty, of course,” Matiaba said calmly.
Miller almost spat out his tea, instead opting to choke on it as he covered his mouth.
“Do you think this is a joke?” Miller asked after he managed to cough the tea from his lungs.
“Not at all,” Matiaba said.
“You see, General, I will prove that my client, much like you and many others here, was simply doing his job, and is not guilty of any of the crimes that he has been accused of,” Libis said, standing.
“Give me a break!” Miller roared. “You expect me to believe that this man was only following orders when he took Lucy from the Shanty and cut her up? Turned her into a killing machine?”
Neither Libis nor Matiaba showed a sign of emotion at Miller’s rage. They looked at each other expressionlessly and then turned back to Miller.
“That is precisely what I expect you to believe, General. For that is the truth.”
The council room fell silent as concerned glances shot back and forth.
“If I may?” Libis asked, holding his hand aloft as if an invisible object rested within it.
“Fine,” Miller said, almost growling. “Make your case.”
“Excellent. First, let’s look at the details of the accusations. What was the first on the list? War crimes?”
“Yes,” Miller mumbled, frowning.
“I see. And what exactly is the nature of the so-called war crime?” Libis asked, smiling slightly.
“How about the transformation of every New Breed soldier into those demonic robots and the capture of every other man, woman, and child into those Harvester spheres?” Miller snapped, his patience with this charade already long gone.
“I see,” Libis said, his small smile now slightly turned downward in a frown of contemplation. “And the conspiracy charges?”
“I think I just made that clear. Did you miss the part about the Harvester spheres?”
“Oh. I see.” Libis’s smile returned. “Honorable council members, I ask you a simple question. Who do you see here on trial?”
The room was silent. Confused glances came to Miller from nearly everyone in the room.
“You don’t need to take your lines from the good general here. I assure you, you can all think and answer for yourselves. It’s not a trick question. Who do you see here on trial?”
“Uh… Matiaba?” Quiteke broke the silence, his answer sounding more like a question of its own.
“That is correct, sir. Matiaba. Not Chairman Warbak.”
Miller watched in frustration as understanding dawned on his peers’ faces. So that’s your game, eh?
“You see, ladies and gentlemen, my client here was an aide, not a leader. Like everyone in the Ziggurat, he had orders to follow. Matiaba had no choice but to do his job. We should remember all too well the late Ministry of Social Purity, and the consequences for not following orders.”
Heads around the room nodded gravely. Miller seethed.
“Would you care to make a statement?” Libis said to Matiaba.
The former aide nodded and stood, looking around the room, pausing briefly to make eye contact with every member of the council.
“I swear on Home, and all it stands for, that I was not aware of Chairman Warbak’s intention to transform the New Breed into Spartans, or of his intent to capture the citizens of Home. Furthermore, I had no idea that he was working with Umbra and the Harvesters,” Matiaba said.
“And,” Libis continued, “please tell the council what you would have done if you had known.”
“I would have attempted to stop him.”
“What a load of bullshit!” Miller shouted, rising again to his feet and slamming a palm on the table, causing many a cup of tea an
d water to spill. “You’re as guilty as Warbak!”
“General, please,” Libis said calmly. Matiaba looked his way, but still bore no sign of agitation or fear.
“On what grounds do you say such things? What evidence do you present? I assumed this council would be founded on the principles of liberty, notions such as innocent until proven guilty, or have you simply removed one despot and taken his place yourselves?”
Miller practically shook with rage. He stole glances at his fellow council members and saw to his dismay that they were almost all looking at him with concern, even Candy. Only Elena looked unconvinced.
“And where is your proof that he is innocent?” Miller asked through clenched teeth.
“The burden of proof falls on the accuser, not the accused,” Libis said, eyes narrowing with triumphant glee. “Ladies and gentlemen. Allow me to digress for a minute. I assure you, there is a point.”
“Very well,” To-Kan said. Miller wondered if she’d decided to take over because of his emotional outburst, or if it was merely a coincidence. He curled his palm into a fist and sat back down.
The child, Wyntr, was restless, climbing off To-Kan’s lap and playing with the edge of the table. The play caught Miller’s attention, and when he looked, he found the girl staring at him, though most of her face was obscured by the table.
Oh, to be that innocent, Miller thought. Though, for her sake, and countless others like her, I’ll be damned if I let Matiaba walk!
“General Miller,” Libis began again, “were you or were you not present during the Battle of Texhoma?”
“What the crap?” Miller barked in answer. “Who’s on trial here?”
“Forgive me, ladies and gentlemen, but if the good General won’t even—”
“Miller, please,” To-Kan said.
“Fine. Yes. Yes, I was present,” Miller said, crossing his massive arms in silent protest.
“And during that battle—or slaughter, really—how many people, human and Displaced, did you kill?”
“Why you—!” Miller bolted back upright so fast and hard that his chair shot out from under him, striking the wall behind him and causing many in the room to gasp. He was shaking and had lost any control he had left of his temper. “I should have gunned you down in the Wombat,” he said, but not to Libis. His bloodshot eyes drilled holes into the former aide to the Chairman. More gasps, followed by silence.
“Interesting…” Libis mumbled, gently stroking the frames of his glasses with a fingertip.
“I mean…” Miller tried to correct himself, realizing that everyone in the room was staring at him in aghast disbelief.
“You don’t have to answer the question, sir.” Libis quickly turned the tone of the inquiry as deftly as a master duelist parried the incoming tip of an opponent’s rapier. “The question was not meant to bring you shame. We all know that you were decorated by Warbak for your actions in the war of reclamation. Surely you took no joy in the slaughter of your fellow man. You did what you had to do as a soldier in the Republic. You followed your orders.”
Miller said nothing. He could feel his massive metal-clad chest heaving with every breath. Damn him to hell.
“You’ve made your point, counselor,” To-Kan said, prompting several nods from the other council members. Wyntr pushed herself up into the air off the edge of the table and shouted in mimicry.
“Bang! Bang! You followed orders!”
“To-Kan, control that child!” Miller shouted. Wyntr flashed him a hurt look and disappeared under the table, burying her face in the elderly councilwoman’s lap.
“Miller…” Candice said from beside him, almost a whisper. “What’s going on with you?”
“Council, if I may continue on to the other charges?” Libis asked. Matiaba stared at Miller. The veteran could swear the former aide smirked, but when he looked again, the man’s face was as stoic as a statue.
“Yes, please. The next charge was…” To-Kan drifted off as she studied a paper in front of her with one hand while petting Wyntr’s hair with the other. “Torture.”
“Torture?” Libis repeated the word as a question.
“Yes. According to the reports given by Maya, Jon, Rene, Ratt, and Lucy, several victims of torture and experimentation were found in the Chairman’s pagoda.”
“The Chairman’s pagoda?” Libis asked, giving the room a knowing look.
“We don’ need ta hear da same round’bout story, Olsen,” Elena said, raising a scolding finger. “I knows dat he was in charge of findin’ doz gurls. I was there when he came to my place. I saw him take Lucy back den. I knows what kinda man he really is.”
“My client—”
“Libis, please,” Matiaba said, raising a hand in objection. “I would like to speak for myself on this matter. And the one to follow.”
Heads cocked, studying the former aide. Miller remained unimpressed. As far as he was concerned, this was all part of the man’s grand theater. He dared not object, however, for he knew he would, at this point, only be helping the weasel.
“Dearest Councilwoman Elena, please believe me when I tell you that I had no idea what Chairman Warbak was doing with those poor girls. I had my suspicions, but had to guard them very, very carefully. I’m sure you have all heard by now that Accoba Warbak was a telepath. He could shape Strange with the best of them. It was his power alone that gave the Ministers and Handlers their abilities to read minds and control those hellhounds they called Sniffers. Can you imagine working at his side? Being in intimate proximity to him day in and day out, whilst sheltering doubts, fears, and concerns? Ladies and gentlemen of the council, please hear me when I tell you that I lived in terror every day of my life, always afraid that today would be the day I thought the wrong thought about Warbak’s iron-fisted rule. I shudder at the memory. Apparently, he had been trying to perfect what would become those Spartans for some time. My heart breaks for the people he experimented on. I grieve for their suffering, and yet I am deeply ashamed to tell you that I stand here today, thankful and grateful I never knew the truth, the extent of his sickness. That I never accidentally stumbled across one of his ‘experiments’.” Matiaba made air quotes around this last word, and then paused, taking the time to make eye contact with everyone in the room again. His face was a kabuki mask of sorrow, and Miller burned, knowing that his peers were falling for it hook, line, and sinker. “I am thankful, because, if I had known, I fear there would’ve been no way for me to guard the sheer and utter revulsion for Warbak that I feel this very moment, just thinking about it. I beg your forgiveness, members of the council. I was a blissfully ignorant coward.”
For a minute, no one said anything. Everyone appeared to be in quiet reflection. Even Libis looked to be shaken and made no attempt to regain his position as mouthpiece for the accused.
“A sad story. But what about Lucy? I was ‘dere when you took ‘er,” Elena said.
“It’s true, Madam,” Matiaba said, looking directly at her. “I did take her away. I had been informed by her pimp at the time that she was sick and would die. I only meant to save her life. I had no idea what Warbak would do to her, or with her. I assure you, I meant no harm.”
Elena scoffed. “I wonder what Lucy would say to that. She told me that when you were her client you were particularly cruel and twisted.”
“I suppose I should be used to these attacks on my character by now, councilwoman, yet I assure you, they still hurt. It’s true that I am guilty of soliciting prostitution. As guilty as you are for promoting it, mamasan.”
Miller saw Elena flinch at that, but before she could counter-attack, Matiaba went off the offensive and returned to his sob story.
“My frequenting of your brothel is but one sin that I hope to atone for. But for the moment, I do not believe I’m on trial for seeking the company of working girls.”
“Girls is right,” Miller interrupted. “Lucy was just a child then. She told me what you used to do to her.” Looks of disgust replaced the sympatheti
c expressions on the council’s faces.
“Lies and hearsay. If that is how it must be, then for my client’s sake, I suggest we hear testimony from Lucy herself,” Libis quickly countered.
Miller bristled. He glanced around and caught Candice looking at him, concern written on her face.
Dammit, man. I just put myself in a corner.
“Lucy isn’t available,” Miller mumbled, almost too quiet for anyone to hear.
“I’m sorry?” Libis asked, cupping his hand to his ear, obviously for dramatic effect. “Could you please repeat that?”
“Lucy isn’t here, dammit!” Miller growled, frowning deeply.
“Here? As in Home?” Libis continued to press, almost gloating.
“That’s correct,” Miller admitted to the room. Several council members, the ones he wasn’t close to, looked to be somewhere between alarmed and confused. They turned to each other and the room buzzed with the hum of several muffled conversations. “But that doesn’t cha—”
“Isn’t this Lucy, infamous warrior of the former Underground Resistance, off on an errand with Lily Sapphire, aka Maya? The leader of the rebellion?” Libis said, cutting him off.
“Yes, but—”
“And is the New Breed officer, Jon 310-257, with them also?”
How does he know this? Their mission was a secret!
“Along with another New Breed, Rene, as well as the scientist called Ratt?” Libis asked, not letting up.
“None of this has to do with Matiaba’s crimes!” Miller shouted, trying to stem the flow of the rising tide.
“Please, General. Answer the question,” Libis said, cocking one eyebrow up over the rim of his glasses, his arms crossed aloofly.
“Yes. They are all together,” Miller admitted.
“Are together? Or were together?” Libis asked. Miller squinted at the lawyer.
“What do you mean?”
“You see, ladies and gentlemen,” Libis said, turning his attention from Miller to the room at large. “What not everyone here is aware of is that the people I just mentioned, the very core of the rebellion that overthrew Warbak, are all gone on a secret mission. A mission that you, the acting governmental body of Home, were not considered important enough to be given the details of.”
