“How long do we have, my heart?” he asked.
“Within the hour,” she told him. “No more. Then…we must be parted until this matter is decided, one way or the other. And after that, we are both honor-bound to accept that decision. Even if it means…that I must die.”
Khai brought his strong hands gently to her face and drew her close to him again. They rolled to one side, onto the bed, face to face.
Naero forced herself to smile and caressed his tortured, chiseled features, and ran her fingers once more through his long, golden hair, gazing into his golden lion eyes.
“Khai, love me, my heart,” she whispered to him. “We cannot know the future. Love me while there is yet time. While we are still free.”
The Enforcer enfolded her in his mighty arms. Arms that had never known defeat. “Naero, I shall never stop loving you. No matter whatever happens.”
When the joy they shared with each other but paused, Naero teknomanced their nanobed away.
The two lovers sank into the black velvet of the soft nanofloor.
There they lay entwined, softly shining in the black in their own light like living jewels–the emerald and the gold. The white and the black.
There they lay, glittering and breathing life into each other, until the final summons for her trial reached them.
Naero prepared herself, and teknomanced the hi-tek shackles that Intel sent onto her arms, binding herself with their weight.
Khai carried her in his arms to their shuttle, with her beloved crew saluting her to either side. He piloted the craft with his own hands.
They landed without incident, and Naero walked into her hi-sec cell that awaited her without looking back or saying a word.
The doors closed and sealed behind her like a vault.
Perhaps she had made the wrong choice.
Yet she wanted her last moments with Khai–if the last ones they must be–to be free of any further pain, doubt, or worry.
Now, all thought must be bent upon her trial, and winning her freedom.
2
When she was given the choice, Naero chose the right to wear her Strike Fleet Captain’s dress uniform mantle to her trial.
Khai was present during the trial, as his duty required him to be, along with six Prime adepts of the Three Orders: Order, Chaos, and Change. They were the appointed guards for the trial, and escorted the prisoner from her isolated holding cell in the shackles that she was required to wear.
Admiral Klyne officiated her trial solely as the judge, to conduct and observe the necessary Spacer legalities.
High Master Tree would prosecute the legal case against her. High Master Jo would conduct her defense. Khai and the Prime adepts would stand guard.
A jury of Mystic peers would be called upon to decide Naero Amashin Maeris’s fate. These were fifteen Elders from the Clans who were also Mystics. Five from each of the Three Orders. Yet none could be from any of the direct Clans of her parents or grandparents.
These fifteen Spacers would decide whether she lived or died.
The trial would last for three days. One day would be given to the prosecution. One day for the defense.
On the third day, the final statements would be made. The jury would deliberate, and make their decision.
If acquitted, she would be set free.
If convicted, she quickly learned the sentence of death would be carried out–immediately–by the Mystic Enforcer.
That seemed odd and rather drastic. Why would it be necessary to execute her immediately?
On day one, High Master Tree made a rather determined case against Naero. His deep, stentorian voice boomed out with righteous, grim authority.
“A Mystic High Master is dead. He was murdered and destroyed by his own student, Mystic Adept Naero Amashin Maeris. She had admitted to many, on numerous occasions, that she despised Master Vane and his opinions. She slew Master Vane in the Astral Plane and annihilated his spirit essence with a forbidden Chaos Technique: The Eye of Annihilation. His body was also consumed and utterly destroyed at that exact same moment.”
Tree would pause at times to let his statements soak in, before taking up his next point of attack to expound upon. Sometimes he took a few breaths, sometimes he looked through his notes and papers, and at other times he paused for drinks of water.
Then he would surge right ahead once more.
“The facts are indisputable. The two remaining High Masters, the Mystic Enforcer, and the Prime adepts were all present in the vicinity at the time of the murder, and know very well who committed it.
“To this date, no other Mystic High Master has ever been murdered by one of his students. Such a crime is unheard of. Such an affront to the Three Orders cannot be tolerated.”
For Tree, everything was black and white.
“Crime is crime.”
And he emphasized that emphatically by driving his accusing index finger through the air like a stabbing weapon of conviction.
“Murder is murder.”
His voice always thundered with the hammering ring of absolute authority.
“The facts of this case and our laws are crystal clear.”
The finger of doom always ended up on Naero.
“Spacers do not take the lives of other Spacers. That is forbidden. And Mystics do not take the lives of other Mystics without just cause, and especially not their masters.”
Master Tree turned and held out both hands as if he were bestowing the gift of his knowledge on everyone, especially the jury.
“It does not matter what her name is. Her Clan, her parents, or any of her deeds, good or bad. It doesn’t matter if she is popular or infamous. Nor whether we like her as a person or not. All that matters is that she has broken one of our most deeply honored and cherished laws.”
That damn finger again, pointing her way.
“Naero Amashin Maeris murdered another Spacer, and not just any Spacer, but a Mystic High Master. And let me remind you. In Spacer society, the incredibly rare and heinous crime of murder has always–in every case–been punishable by death. Murder is punished by execution, each and every time.”
No finger this time. Tree just folded his hands in front of himself and even looked sad.
“Just as it should be now. Murder and crime of the worst sort cannot, has not, is not, and will not–will never be tolerated by our people. It is one of the founding cornerstones of our Spacer society, and what makes us different. It is what makes us Spacers. We do not kill each other!”
Naero herself did not take a full breath almost until just now. She had had trouble catching her breath, ever since they led her out of her cell and she saw Khai.
Haisha, Om. Master Tree has nearly convinced me that I should be executed.
What a rigid dickhead.
Om! She barely maintained her composure. Bursting out laughing like a nervous lunatic for no apparent reason would certainly not help her case any.
Yet inside, she was chuckling away like hell, despite the seriousness of all that was taking place.
Thanks, Om.
No charge, N.
They had to listen to a lot more of the same dreck and drama from Master Tree. The big pompous blowhard. Everything with him was the importance of the letter of the law. Nothing else.
Why should she expect anything different from the High Master of Order? Order was unforgiving, and indifferent.
That made for a very long day.
At the end of it, Naero barely touched the fine meal they sent in to her. And that night, she barely slept. Each time that she moved, the binding chains of her shackles clinked or got in her way somehow.
She could slip out of them, but it would probably raise some kind of alarm if she did so. And she didn’t want to make anyone think that she was attempting to escape.
She spent most of that night sighing, tossing, and turning on her nanopad. She wondered about her child. She worried about Khai.
The next day, Master Jo took up Naero’s defense
.
First, he outlined Naero’s character, detailing her incredible military career and record with the Annexation War and the recent defeat of the Ejjai Invasion during The High Crusade to save humanity.
Master Jo held up her service as a Mystic and how she had actually helped save Master Vane’s life during the attacks on the Mystic Homeworlds and during all of the subsequent attacks by their new, mysterious, and implacably dangerous alien adversaries.
He called up the unquestionable testimonies of General Walker, Admiral Klyne, and several of the Spacer Elders, who testified to Naero’s honor and high character. To the strength of her word as a Spacer.
With each cross examination of each witness called, Master Tree asked the same exact questions, and hammered home his point.
He asked all of Naero’s character witnesses if any Spacer was above the law, and able to commit murder–killing another Spacer–and deserved to not face justice for such a crime.
Each of them said no in response. And each time, Master Tree cut them off before any of them could say anything else.
Master Tree had cleverly called no witnesses. Therefore, none of his claims had ever been directly challenged or refuted.
Then Master Jo went on to outline how valuable Naero was, as the possessor of the elusive, and still untapped, Kexxian Data Matrix. As a Mystic. As a naval commander. As one of the enigmatic chosen Guardians of the ancient obelisk of Change energy for the Three Orders of the Cosmic Prophecies. She could very well play a very important part in the mysteries as they unfolded.
If nothing else, Naero was also a valuable weapon, to be pitted against their apparently growing list of dangerous and largely unknown enemies. She had played important roles in foiling the plots and plans of their enemies, time and time again, as only she could.
“And let us not forget, that Naero Amashin Maeris has directly fought with valor and courage to help save the lives of trillions, not just Spacers and landers, but many known sentients. We would all be much worse off, without Captain Naero helping to defend us.”
Master Tree shot to his feet and asked to be able to make not so much of an objection, but a comment. Admiral Klyne, acting as the guiding judge, said that he would allow it.
Tree asked everyone in the open court, “Do any of these noble acts and achievements give anyone the power, right, or permission to commit murder?”
Master Tree continued to play variations on his trump card.
Master Jo took up one of his own.
First he detailed all of Master Vane’s many “difficulties” that he had brought about and upon himself, largely on his own and by his own character flaws and actions.
Master Tree quickly objected. “The murder victim is not the one on trial here; nor can he speak for himself,” Tree noted.
“Then perhaps the so-called victim and his questionable character should be held up to scrutiny and made a matter of public record. By any account, Master Vane was not the soul of virtue and discretion. It was long known or suspected that High Master Vane was either responsible for or present at the deaths of several adepts during extreme Mystic practice sessions for various reasons over the years. One of them even provided Vane with a very convenient and reliable host body, shortly after dying. It was often wondered if Vane somehow helped the process along.”
This time Master Tree shot to his feet to make a very clear objection. High Master Vane was not on trial. His character was not the question.
Master Jo insisted that it was, and that he would clearly demonstrate why.
Then Master Jo surprised everyone by calling Naero Amashin Maeris, the defendant herself, to the stand to testify.
Naero walked over, still wearing her shackles, and was forced to stand in place instead of taking a seat. The chair was simply pulled back to make room for her to do so.
Master Jo began to explain, in great detail, how in the Astral Plane, Naero had never intended to fight with Master Vane, let alone intended to kill him. She merely went there to have her say and defend herself, when Master Vane was insisting that for the good of all, she should be executed.
Naero’s testimony agreed with Master Jo’s presentation at every point.
They tried to present and explain Master Vane’s well-known prejudice and hatred for the Maeris Clan, and specifically, Naero’s direct family, dating back to her mother and her now outcast uncle. Vain had repeatedly made his contempt for them known even as he trained them.
Master Jo explained how all along, Master Vane openly declared and insisted that Naero was literally a Cosmic monster, one that would need to be destroyed. And that when the time came–or whenever he saw fit–he would step in and destroy her himself, for the good of all.
Their main defense was that Naero had only slain Master Vane accidentally, in self-defense, after he chose to act unilaterally and was actively trying to kill her.
And he kept trying to kill her, despite the fact that she had fled from Master Vane, fought only to get away, and repeatedly begged him not to attack her. She repeatedly warned him of the possible, terrible consequences if he insisted on trying to destroy her.
She could not be held accountable for the outcome.
Master Tree did his best to emphasize this key point of her defense. “Naero, like every Spacer, had every right to defend herself. No matter what High Master Vane’s opinion of her, even the other two High Masters agreed that Master Vane overstepped his authority when he went after her. He attacked her repeatedly, trying to kill her, ignoring her attempts to flee–even when she begged him not to attack her.
“Naero was under no obligation to stand by and allow Master Vane to kill her. She had every right to defend herself against anyone trying to kill her. No matter who the attacker was. Even if that person was a Mystic High Master.”
Naero glanced around her slightly, suddenly hopeful and certain that Master Jo had them all on her side now.
Yet once Master Jo was finished with Naero, Master Tree rose up to cross examine her and her testimony.
“Naero Maeris. You make a spurious claim that High Master Vane attacked you with the purpose and intent to take your life. What is your proof of that?”
Naero paused for a moment, uncertain how to answer. She was caught completely off guard. “What? I don’t understand.”
“High Master Jo has no proof of any of this. Neither do you. It is, however, a feeble attempt on your part to explain away you guilt, and your crime. And now, with you on trial for your life, we are supposed to accept nothing but your very convenient word?
“How can you prove to every one and to the jury, that Master Vane was trying to kill you, and that you acted in self-defense? Don’t bother answering, because we already know that you can’t. For all we know, he was merely trying to restrain or capture you. Again, what factual evidence can you present to prove that you were defending yourself? Other than your own convenient account of things, in your own convenient words?”
Naero was stymied once more.
“Answer the question, Naero Maeris.”
“If my word and my honor are not good enough, then no, I have no other proof. No one in my situation would. What occurred happened solely between Master Vane and myself. And after I defended myself again his attempts to kill me…he was gone.”
Now Master Tree pressed his obvious advantage on the point of law. “So, by your own admission in your own words, you have absolutely no proof that your life was at risk, or that you were actually defending yourself when you killed Master Vane?”
Naero remained silent.
“Now, why don’t you tell us exactly how you killed Master Vane?”
“Well, when he attacked me–”
“Stop. Let’s get this clear. You can’t prove that he attacked you, or that you were acting in self-defense, so let’s just skip that farce. Go directly to how you killed him. Please, explain it for all to hear.”
“Yes, but–”
“There, you admitted it. Your Honor, let the witne
ss be dismissed. She agreed for all to hear that she killed Master Vane. She clearly just confessed to murder.”
“That’s not what I said or was going to say.”
“Step down. You are dismissed.”
“No, let me have my say. This is only a trick. You did not let me finish my statement in answer to your line of questioning.”
“Your confession is all that matters. Step down.”
Master Jo rose up and tried to recover. “Your honor, this is clearly a dirty trick on the part of the prosecution. Please allow Fleet Captain Maeris to finish her statement and explain herself, for the benefit of the jury. She is on trial for her life. She should not be maneuvered into condemning herself in this sleight-of-hand fashion. She was clearly baited into this trap, and I demand that she be allowed to explain herself, and her statement.”
“The court agrees,” Admiral Klyne announced. “Captain Maeris, take your time, and explain yourself fully. Tell us what happened in your own words.”
Naero nodded, took in a deep breath, and prepared herself. “For the record, this is what happened. This is how Master Vane died. He came at me several times, attacking me and telling me that it was time for him to kill me and take me out, just as he had been threatening me since the day I met him. He insisted that I was going to turn into some kind of monster.
“I fought him off; I tried to get away from, repeatedly. In the end, he had me cornered and even told me that he was going to use the forbidden Eye of Annihilation Cosmic attack on me, a terrifying Chaos energy attack. I had seen former Adept Hashiko destroy herself with that same technique as it went out of control.
“Let me tell everyone. He attacked me. I did not attack him. Vane wasn’t kidding, he wasn’t joking or fooling around or trying to capture me. He didn’t want to just maim or cripple me. He wanted to kill me. And he was trying as hard as he could to do so. In the end, I–I instinctively defended myself, but I never attacked him directly. All I did was reflect his own attack back on him. By attacking me and trying to kill me, he killed himself when his own forbidden attack turned back against him and destroyed him. End of story.”
Naero's War: The Citation Series 3: Naero's Trial Page 2
