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

[goldrighthand]

People have killed for less.

[jerkassic]

Please, I'm Diego Brando, not people.

[helladoptera]

[ Well that hits a little bit of a nerve with Max, apparently?? ]

... which means?

[jerkassic]

Exactly what it sounds like.

[helladoptera]

Are you... actually pulling rank in a room full of strangers from other worlds and times? Really?

[jerkassic]

Why not, you've all given me far more attention than even I would say I deserve. Why not use the floor if it's been given to you?

[goldrighthand]

You are nothing.

[And Akande draws himself to his full height, voice hardening. Like an icy glacier, pressing its weight down on the entire courtroom-]

We are thousands of years beyond any of our rightful times. And in that time, humanity has risen, fallen, and risen again. Without any of us to shape it.

[There's something in his voice there. Something - not quite pained, not quite angry. Frustrated, maybe, that he wasn't there as he feels he should have been?]

If you, or anyone else thinks 'going home' is a great goal - all you have to do is realize that you have already been forgotten. Your friends, your family, all of them mean nothing.

Your homes are already destroyed. There is no saving them. Not through his [and he throws a hand towards Blaze] machinations, not through some assumption of going back and changing things-

You dare assume you are anything but an insignificant speck? That your race means anything? [He snorts, completely unamused.] Then you are a greater fool than I could have imagined.

[andneversaydie]

I. I mean.

There might... be space nonsense going on...

[PLEASE. JUST. CHRIST ALMIGHTY]

[goldrighthand]

Might is useless. We only have what we have here.

I might kill you all in the next five minutes. Do you want to continue praying for such uncertainties?

[withoutred]

-- come again?

[ what's this about death now ]

[tokencanadian]

Akande! Don't say things like that!

[Especially not to Mozu??]

We don't know what is and isn't possible here, but I won't stand for you saying such things.

[silverguitarhero]

[John just. Goes over to place a hand on her shoulder.]

[ebonyknight]

[Diego was an idiot. A race was nothing but-- well. Something about Akande's words.

'Your friends, your family, all of them mean nothing.'

Something flares up inside her and she throws whatever she can at Akande. Which means Erika, sorry.]

Be quiet, fool!

[withoutred]

[ And she is screaming her little lungs out the entire way. And probably making a grab for Apollo's helmet on the way past. Good fuckin' god. ]

ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME KILLED--

[power_of_dominance]

[Soma has come out of hiding by now, silently listening to Akande's admonishment. The traces of the embarrassed flush quickly face from his face, replaced by a sickened pallor.

"Your friends, your family, all of them mean nothing.

Your homes are already destroyed."

His parents... Mina....

He grips the edges of his podium, head bowed and hands shaking. There's something churning inside him, the same thing he felt when Shirou was killed, something he doesn't understand....

He swallows again and again, trying not to be sick. His head hurts and his mouth aches.]

[goldrighthand]

[aw, he hurt a fightbuddy's feelings

GET OVER IT. he doesn't seem to care, only taking in Soma's reactions with a light snort of scorn before returning his attention elsewhere]

[tenimuho]

...Akande. I don't disagree. In five thousand years I have done nothing that is truly important, and no one now will remember me or anything that I have done. I am an insignificant speck in the universe.

[Oda, who had been withdrawing into himself a little after accusing Rick, meets Akande's gaze, steady and unflinching.]

But, I don't care about leaving a mark on the universe. In the year that I come from, there are children that would be dead that aren't dead because of my actions, and that's enough for me.

Nothing is permanent, and no one person matters to the universe in any significant way, but that doesn't make the things we care about meaningless to ourselves.

[chides]

[ THANK YOU ODA ]

[goldrighthand]

[Akande will meet Oda's gaze with his own ice, narrowing his eyes as he stares at the man. For a long few moments he simply holds it, as though this were a challenge in itself.

Finally, he snorts]

Believe what you want. If it gives you strength, so be it.

[you're entitled to your opinion, EVEN IF IT'S WRONG. but he still holds a shred of respect for you, Oda, so he will allow this to be dropped]

[tuskenlancer]

[ CT just snorts. Spare her this sappy bullshit. ]

[jerkassic]

What a rousing speech. Truly I have seen the error of my ways.

[He's not impressed, sorry.]

[goldrighthand]

No - you haven't.

And you never will, even when the worms feast on your corpse.

[heartswapped]

...well, yeah, it kind of says so on your profile here.

[Said in the most sarcastic tone possible. Because sarcasm is also for little people, apparently.]

[jerkassic]

Does it, I hadn't noticed?

[Sarcasm right back at you, Cheryl.]

[heartswapped]

[She mulls over her words for a second, then finds what she's looking for.]

If you're gonna go out and say you're not "people", [and yes, she does go for the air quotes here] then maybe we know who Blaze had in mind when he said we'd all get out if we killed it.