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

[canted]

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

None of that particularly helps us discover who did this.

[withoutred]

[ IT'S NOT MAGIC

ITS MYSTERY-IC

GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME ]

Not directly, no. But it helps to understand the circumstances of the howdunnit before you hone in on the whodunnit, no...?

[canted]

[SPELLING IT FUNNY DOESN'T CHANGE WHAT IT IS, ERIKA]

Only if they can tell you something about who did it. You've managed to rule out . . . the dead, I suppose.

[withoutred]

[ IT DOES WHEN WORDPLAY IS A LIFE OR DEATH MATTER ]

I suppose some people might miss it. With the given criteria, it's unlikely that it's anyone with enough physical strength to fight him on even footing, or anyone who is otherwise experienced in fast, clean kills. So no assassins, and not Akande-san.

[tenimuho]

[thanks erika]

Akande was out of commission from fighting Blaze yesterday. He definitely couldn't have done this.

[withoutred]

[ friends help friends, even when they're not really sure what friends are. ]

That was my next point of call, yes. While I didn't see his concussion myself, there were enough eye witnesses to verify it that his alibi would be solid.

[goldrighthand]

If it was me, there would no longer be a door on that laundry machine.

[he thinks he's funny]

[withoutred]

I would've rather thought you would have just dropped the machine on him instead. I can't imagine it would be hard.

[ him big ]

[goldrighthand]

It would be one way to prevent you from looking at the body!

[FUCKING L O L]

[withoutred]

True, true. [ She actually grins now. ] However, it would have also been particularly incriminating, since I doubt any of us could pick up a washing machine.

[goldrighthand]

Unless I managed it in some Rube Goldberg design. [push button, make marble fall down chute, bounce on drum, tip over carefully-balanced washing machine]

[withoutred]

Still would be able to be linked to you, I'm afraid. The key point is still "must be capable of picking up or at least temporarily lifting the machine" in this hypothetical situation. Of course, one could say several people worked together, but that's not as fun.

[goldrighthand]

Or they understood how to use a lever. Besides which, I would not be surprised to learn others here hide a strength.

But this is a moot point. [did Oda just accuse his BFF Rick-]

[withoutred]

Mm, fair point. [ oh that sure was a thing, huh ] Later, then, I suppose. I refuse to let even a hypothetical theory remain unchallenged for long.

[ translation from nerd: we brainfighting later, 'kay? ]

[goldrighthand]

[are you really challenging the man with a concussion to nerdfight

fuck it he'll throw down LET'S GO GIRL]

[withoutred]

[ or whaaaaat, does he think he's not capable of fighting with a haaaaa~nd~i~caaaap....?

they're gonna fight and it's gonna be great. ]

[canted]

Why rule out assassins? Their job is to not get caught, not to make things clean. If the goal is escape, wouldn't pointing toward other people be the most efficient way to cover up your tracks?

[withoutred]

Professional pride, perhaps? Shifting the blame to someone else is one thing, but making yourself look incompetent in the process is another. [ She shrugs. ] And this doesn't feel like a professional cover-up to me.

[canted]

It's a whitewash, not a cover-up. [Because there's a difference.] This isn't about concealing evidence, it's about presenting it as misinformation so it's hard to tell what's real evidence and what's false evidence.