first trial

[airlockedmods]

[When the announcement sounds and the evidence gathered it’s time for a trial. When the remaining champions are all gathered by the repaired docking bay doors they slide slowly slide open.

There are two lines of robots, silent as sentries, creating a border path from the docking bay doors to the circle of metal podiums. The podiums themselves were made of strange metals in red and gold and orange and black, each one etched with the name of one of the Champions. There are flood lights - like spot lights - in front of each podium, but the lights in front of Shirou, Hamilton, and Albel are dark, and hung on the front of their podiums are greyscale portraits, printed from their profiles.

Blaze Dudely stands on a repair deck on top of his ship, which looms over the proceedings ominously. Rather than the glee the Champions may think he would take in this kind of display, he merely stands there with his arms crossed, expression unreadable and his cyborg eye scanning the Champions with a piercing scrutiny, like he's searching for one of them to act out of line.]

Mornin’, Champions. Here’s how this is goin’ to go: take the evidence ya found, piece together what happened and find who took out the Champion Swordsman. If ya find them, they’ll be dealt with. If ya don’t, they’ll be free to go and the rest of ya will face punishment. Take the time ya need but don’t bore me.

Comments

[induality]

Y-you're just as bad as the bear....

[That's mumbled at Dudely-- But okay. Here it is. Just as terrible as she expeccted. Thanks to her condition, she wasn't any help yesterday so now might be her only real chance to help.]

Th-this is just like before... if we discuss and consider all the evidence we'll find the killer.

S-so for starters... how do you think he was killed? Sure it was his neck but... d-do you really think they did it with their bare hands...?

[There are a couple people she side-eyes... that she thinks could.......]

[chides]

We'd need to look at the evidence first before determining how he was killed. For starters, there was all the glass on the floor; did anyone find the source of that?

[tenimuho]

It's possible, but it's likely that they used something else to do it, like maybe the door of a washing machine. If they were just going to snap his neck with their bare hands, they could have done that in the hallway and not brought him to the laundry room at all.

[rickdiculous]

...Way to ma-make this shit bureaucratic as fuck, dude.

Jesus.

[andneversaydie]

...

[it's kind of half grumbled, with her nose kind of stuffy from a bout of crying.

because yeah.]

What, do you want us to juggle for you while we try and figured out who killed Albel?

[heartswapped]

The way this is going, he's probably going to expect a damned musical number.

[empathiser]

Maybe we can do stand up comedy for his entertainment at the same time.

[tenimuho]

[Oda stands at his podium and sets down a book with a few pages bookmarked (with tarot cards, since that's what he found on short notice).

From the title, it looks like it's about robotics.]

The case files on our PIP say that Albel died of a broken neck at 12:02 AM, with an additional head wound. His body was found with broken glass around it.

Did anyone find anything the glass might have been from?

[chides]

Is that a book you were reading or is it relevant to the case?

[ NOT TRYING TO BE CONDESCENDING just. genuinely curious ]

[andneversaydie]

Oh... did you find something in the library, Oda? I kept looking, but ... yeah, I didn't see anything.

[withoutred]

First theory. I believe Albel-san was attacked in the corridor, had a bottle smashed over his head to render him off balance or outright unconscious, then was dragged to the laundry room so the attacker could break his neck with the door. Furthermore, it's possible that Albel-san woke up during the attack, and tried to resist- thus accounting for the scratches in the door.

[ erika you're missing like 90% of the point of this, it's a whodunnit not howdunnit trial--

When she speaks, two blue shimmering lights pop into existence around shoulder-level with a ringing sound - and then fizzle out into non-existence within seconds. Goddamnit. ]

... of course, because today really needed to get worse. Either way, whoever attacked him likely didn't have the strength to confront him directly - or perhaps simply didn't have the right tools on hand.

[power_of_dominance]

[Okay, that's getting her a Look.]

All good points. I just have one question.

What the hell was that all about?

[ebonyknight]

They were cowardly.

[goldrighthand]

[and your Token Bruiser was already taken out, which doesn't help figure out whom. he does eye all that blue, though, then shakes his head.]

It seems a messy method. There are cleaner ways to kill someone.

[beat]

Which means it is likely whoever did this was not experienced.

[canted]

[ARE YOU KIDDING HIM YOU ARE LITERALLY USING MAGIC WHAT THE FUCK -]

None of that particularly helps us discover who did this.

[tuskenlancer]

[ Enough talk about how. Let's talk about why. ]

We all have motive.

[ Thanks for that, by the way, Dudely. ]

But whoever did it could have targeted anyone. Why him? There are easier targets. And if they really were studying robotics, that means that it wasn't a crime of opportunity. This was planned.

She looks around, meeting everyone's eyes in turn. ]

Did anyone know him?

Or have something against him personally?

[andneversaydie]

I never actually talked to him, personally. Always kind of meant to, but ...

[She sighs heavily.]

[power_of_dominance]

I spoke to him a couple of times. He's... he was a really angry person, it seems. Looked down on anyone he saw as weak or cowardly.

[Soma shakes his head.]

I've met people like that before. Words are words, I had no reason to hold a grudge against him for his insults.

[goldrighthand]

I thought him entertaining. But I would have enjoyed facing him in battle, if he was able to back up his bravado.

Clothing Check

[ebonyknight]

Aside from the obvious oddity of the method, focus on the cloth.

Everyone get over here so I can get a good look at you.

[Time to be observed. Apollo is wearing her darkly colored armor as she has been almost constantly. Her cape isn't blue either.]

[chides]

[ mako isn't wearing anything out of the ordinary! ]

The Classic Murdergame Strip Search!

[power_of_dominance]

I'm no exhibitionist, but I'll go first in good faith.

[Soma undoes the top of his jumpsuit, the way he did when he sparred with Akande, and skins it down to his waist. Other than the fact that he's shockingly pale and surprisingly free of any markings-- scars, moles, even freckles-- there's nothing suspicious.]

[andneversaydie]

[.............................

i mean she appreciates the show but]

Are we really doing this...

THE PANTS ARE OFF

[jerkassic]

[It took three people and some sort of mystical ability, but Diego has finally been pantsed. And unlike some Dios, he's got underwear on, so this isn't suddenly becoming more indecent.

Oh, and his foot's bandaged.

So those are your rewards for the most elaborate pantsing Diego Brandos ever been a part of.]

Well, I hope the rest of you are happy.

[tenimuho]

I am, thank you. How did you injure your foot?

[Oda's going to step away now that he isn't trying to pants him.]

Time to Vote

[theoversight]

[Blaze Dudely's eye flashes red.]

Think you've got it figured out?

Put your votes where your mouths are. I don't think you'll have trouble coming to a consensus this time.

[goldrighthand]

Indeed.

>CHAMPION BACKSTABBER

PARTING WORDS

[theoversight]

[When the votes are in, Blaze Dudely finally tears his laser focus from the trial to look down at the tablet he stole from Price. After a beat he looks up and grins.]

Well done, Champions. You did good this time. The Champion Backstabber did murder the Champion Swordsman. [He touches the screen and two robots break formation from the line-up to grab Diego by the arms and hold him in place.]

Diego Brando. Have you got any parting words for your fellow Champions before you face your punishment?

[jerkassic]

[Despite the fact that he's been found guilty and is once again being restrained. Diego doesn't look defeated. No, it seems like his expression is stuck in complete asshole mode.]

If this is the part where I'm supposed to beg for my life, then I think I'll pass. I have no interest in that, nor will I beg forgiveness for anything I've done. If I have any regret, it's being caught, but if it things are kill or be killed, I'd rather be the one killing than waiting around like some helpless sheep, hoping no one will make the first move.

[He seems content with that.]

If I can't win, I'll set the pace. You over there,

[He looks at Doomfist because apparently he is not done being a shitposting asshole.]

You said that I'm insignificant, nothing. That we all are. But I guarantee none of you will forget this. You'll forget my roommate, you even may even forget those other idiotic fucks that died before, but you will remember me! Diego!

[He'd pose right now, but robots are holding him in place, it makes it kind of difficult.]

If I can't have fame, then infamy will have to do! The name Diego Brando will live on among the rest of you here, long after I'm gone!

[His sneer turns into a smirk here. He's gonna die. He knows that. It's gonna suck. But he can still be Diego about things and in some way, that's comforting.]

Depending on how many of you live, that is. I've no doubt that even now, some of you fucking pigeons have seen what direction I've steered the flock in and will follow suit. You can do it better, you won't get caught, and so on. Even if you don't know it, those thoughts are there.

[Yeah, probably not, but it makes him feel better to think that some other people here are...not as much of an asshole as he is, he's King Asshole, but some of you are probably murderous jerks.]

As to why him, or why I did it the way I did, I don't owe the lot of you a goddamn thing. Wonder why or don't, it hardly matters to me at this point.

[He's quiet, and then just starts laughing because you all clearly haven't heard enough of his voice today.]

Go ahead then! I've said all I have to say.

EXECUTION: Open the Door, Get on the Floor

[airlockedmods]

[With Diego’s final words done the floodlight illuminating his name goes dark and, a few seconds later, so do the rest of the lights in the docking bay. The lights stay down for a long minute with just the ominous mechanical sounds with no clear origin and whatever sounds the Champions themselves make in the blackness.

Then there’s a soft click and mechanical whirr of a projector kicking on somewhere in the background. With Blaze Dudely’s metallic black ship as the screen, a video begins:

Diego is thrown, with little ceremony and even less gentleness, into a dimly lit room with the doors slammed shut behind him. There’s no sound but, still pantless, Diego turns and slams his fists against the door with muted angry shouts. This goes on for a few seconds before a pair of glowing yellow eyes light up behind him and he freezes, turning his head slowly to look over his shoulder as the lights blow up to full brightness to reveal a round pen, not unlike one someone would keep a large animal in.

Behind Diego is a triceratops, massive and dangerous and pawing at the hard ground. The dinosaur is made of the same shiny black metal as every other robot related to Blaze Dudely’s takeover, with its horns a marbling of red, orange and yellow. Diego turns around fully, his face stricken with terror, and tries to back away only to have his back hit the door.

A massive foot paws at the ground and the triceratops lowers its head to charge. Diego runs. He sprints toward the eastern side of the room, away from this massive robot dinosaur, and pounds his fists against the walls as he tries to find some other door out. When there’s no other door to be found he claws at the walls instead, trying and failing miserably to climb his way out.

The robot turns with speed something that size shouldn’t be able to wield and charges him. The vibrant horn pierces his back, going straight through his chest and effectively pinning him to the wall. Diego’s terrified face contorts in pain as blood bubbles from between his lips and he opens his mouth in a silent howl of agony. The triceratops jerks forward and drives the horn in deeper until the Champion Backstabber’s arms finally go limp. It backs off slowly, letting the body drop to the ground.

The video lingers on Diego’s prone, bloody body for a solid minute before abruptly turning off and the lights spring back on. Blaze Dudely, who is still watching the spot where the execution projection was with a fierce intensity, spares the Champions a glance.]

Get back the the Penitentiary. We’re done here.