second trial

[airlockedmods]

[Like last week the announcement sounds, the Champions with their gathered evidence file once again to the teleporter where the courtroom waits for them.

The a circle of podiums has changed since last week. The Griffin, Toby, and Angelica's floating portraits have joined Chintanda's above their respective podiums as well as the bright green having been changed to a glaring red.

The Overseers are waiting on their floating platform when the first group of Champions arrive. They're back in their black suits, side by side. Jamie's expression is grim but he looks more mentally present than the last trial. Bolton, on the other hand, looks stern but not grim, arms crossed over his chest. Once again, he's the one who makes the announcement.]

Welcome, Champions, to the courtroom. Sixteen of you have entered, but - in the best case scenario - only fifteen of you will leave. Compile your evidence and figure out who the killer is. If you vote correctly, the culprit will be executed and the rest of you will be allowed to go back upstairs. If you vote wrong, however, the killer goes free and the rest of you take the punishment in their place.

Remember, there is no time limit but keeping things interesting is in your best interests.

Comments

[almightyconflagration]

I can't see Margulis, Xander or Lightning being the types to use a cowardly means of murder like poison.

[fatherofsin]

It wouldn't need to be cowardly. They simply would have to be someone who couldn't take Angelica specifically.

[stitch_in_time]

Maybe not. Depends on how badly they wanted to get home. Taking someone on physically is gonna leave a hell of a lot more direct evidence than poisoning.

[Sometimes desperation makes people act atypically, you know?]

[fatherofsin]

True, but then all they'd need is the element of surprise. If they were strong enough to take her on, then they'd only need to do it in one swift blow.

[stitch_in_time]

A broken neck'd fit the fake hanging a lot better, yeah. That'd also be risking a miss, though, an' the attack turning into a big throwdown.

So we're probably not looking at someone who's a big risk-taker either, beyond the risk of gettin' found out here and now. An' really, I'd think that'd be enough for anyone, but here we are.

[Again, not actually accusing anyone yet, but he's not eliminating anyone based on an alleged warrior's code or sense of honor.]

[almightyconflagration]

That also rules those three out.

[curdle]

Or wished not to. To use their own two hands, it might make them easier to catch out. But any of us might poison a cup.

[misplacedxsheath]

As he said, cowardly. It's the mindset of a warrior...if you're going to attempt to kill someone, it's an insult to both them and yourself to accomplish it through something like that.

[fatherofsin]

Not if you want to get away with it. You're not warriors here, whether you'd like to think you are or not. When your choices are to get away with it or to die trying... Most would take the road of caution. And Angelica isn't someone most of you would miss. I think it might just be me and Frederica who would.

[voltrounds]

[Ricky opens her mouth to say something, but... no, he's right, isn't he?]

[misplacedxsheath]

You obviously have no conception of a warrior's pride. There are certain things people like us would carry to the grave rather than relinquish for the sake of making things easier for ourselves.

[fatherofsin]

I also think it's rather foolish to hold onto that pride when you could be murdered at any time. As it is, while I doubt you and McBurn could have done it, I won't put it past anyone here to lie about a supposed warrior's pride. We only have your word on it, after all.

[stitch_in_time]

An' I've seen honor tossed aside in the name of the greater good too often to assume it'll hold for anyone else, sorry.

[The Time Lords had, if not honor, at least standards, once. He's seen all too well how that went, under enough pressure.]

Thing about honor is, if something important enough's on the line, honor might demand abandoning itself for just a little bit to save the bigger picture, yeah?

[misplacedxsheath]

The bigger picture...I'm well aware of things like that. But given our different worlds, I suppose there's no way to adequately illustrate the larger picture I've dealt with without resorting to acting as if I doubted my abilities in a direct confrontation.

[misplacedxsheath]

That's because it's something you have no concept of. Though I will concede that disguising the means of death wouldn't be a problem if it were to come to it.

[fatherofsin]

Oh, I have a concept of it. I simply have seen too many abandon their so-called pride when it served them well. Just because you say it is as strong as you say it is doesn't make it true. The desperate do anything.

[misplacedxsheath]

Then they were cowards all along. But if you're so convinced a warrior's pride is meaningless, then by all means, include us in the suspect pool. Just know that the insult you've issued is not one I consider light.

[imnotfat]

Things like pride doesn't matter when it's about keeping your own life.

[Togami sounds extraordinarily disdainful]

Only an idiot would let something like warrior's pride keep them from saving their own life.

[stitch_in_time]

[Your agreement fills the Doctor with shame, Togami.]

[refusedtoleave]

[Not saying anything, but judging you, young man.]

[kingshaming]

She might not have been the friendliest among us, but that is no excuse. We'll find who did this and they'll be punished just like Toby was.

Still, since she was so distant she's the perfect victim for a set up like this- if none of us knew her well who could SAY what she could or couldn't do to herself? That takes a certain calculating mind to realize and use.

[He was just getting to know her... but they were all the same once they were dead]

[almightyconflagration]

She is a perfect victim, but she also didn't seem like she'd rather die than continue to live. It's a mindset that is obvious in hindsight once you've seen it.

[refusedtoleave]

I don't believe we've ever spoken. Not even in passing, so I couldn't vouch for her character.

From what I've been told, if I'd found the body. I would have thought that she'd done it herself...