second 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.

The two lines of sentry robots are there again, 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. The lights on Diego, Kiss-Shot and Erika's podiums have been turned off and their floating grey scale portraits have joined the four from last week.

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 Detective and... [He pauses, running through Kiss-Shot's excessively long title in his head.] The vampire one. Founders, I regret giving her that title. 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

[tenimuho]

Whether or not Kiss-Shot knew about the Accords, she would have assumed you'd say what you witnessed either for your own sake or for ours, and would have tried to kill you.

Do the Accords prevent you from acting in self-defense? Not even because you want to survive. Because you want to make sure we don't lose the trial.

[canted]

They do not. But who said anything about self-defense?

[goldrighthand]

...what of defense of others? Could they force you to action?

[canted]

It's hard to force someone to do something when you're dead.

[goldrighthand]

But the dead in question are not under it.

Would you be compelled to act if you came upon Kiss-Shot attacking Erika?

[canted]

Not to kill her, but to hold her accountable.

[goldrighthand]

And your preferred method...?

[canted]

A Clave trial. This would count.

[goldrighthand]

...which you could have allowed to happen on its own. It does not explain why you interfered.

But if you saw an opportunity, somewhere you could act and return to your home- especially where you could have the safety of knowing at least one of those deaths would not have your hand on it...

...answer me this, Alec. We found the bodies early. Why put your laundry in the wash and force yourself to wear that ridiculous outfit, knowing what was in store?

[tenimuho]

It's also possible that you're allowed to kill a vampire who has killed a mundane. As you've said, the Accords are supposed to govern that interaction.

Even if it was technically self-defense, I'm sure you didn't feel any regret. You killed a vampire, who you hate. Erika, who you dislike, is also dead. And now you're in a trial where the rest of us will be responsible for your death. This is the best possible ending for you.

[canted]

Emotions weaken. I'm not in the habit of feeling useless ones like regret.

[tenimuho]

...I don't think that's true.

The bucket of blood. Draining her blood was necessary, but like you said, there wouldn't be any point to just keeping it around if you weren't going to use it for its healing properties - you might as well just pour it down the sink.

Instead you gathered it up so that after you died at this trial, the rest of us would be able to use it.

[canted]

You're all mundanes. [Well, except for Varric. Sorry, Varric.] I don't care about any of you.

[tenimuho]

You made sure to tell us what it did and how to use it. There wouldn't be any reason to tell us that if you planned to use it for yourself, and there's no reason to collect it if you don't think someone will use it.

So I think that's a lie.

[heartswapped]

Tell me something, Alec.

If you didn't kill Kiss-shot and you really do want to die, you'd die anyway if we voted for you. If you were to point us in the right direction...

You'd still be here.

Sorry, but why put in all that effort?

[canted]

[Very softly, and with an immense amount of sadness:]

He's still alive.

[tenimuho]

[...Oda's standing right next to Alec, so he reaches out and sets a hand on Alec's shoulder, gently. He can brush it off if he wants to.

But Oda understands having someone important to go back to.]

[heartswapped]

[She thinks of the child she doesn't remember, about the niece and nephew she's left behind, about her other Pokemon, about Ren... and she almost understands.]

I'm sorry.

[chides]

[ mako's profile says he dislikes criminals. yet, he feels sympathetic. he won't say anything, just look over with understanding.

that's rough buddy. ]