Trial (Three hours after previous thread)

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

There was something interesting to be said about the judicial processes of the Burgite Council of Elders on a good day. The laws were fair but absolute and they did not frown on capital punishment on this island. To outsiders this sounded harsh, but normally the Elders played the part of benevolent dictators who served twelve-year terms before new Elders were paradoxically nominated to serve in their stead. It was a system that worked.

Lt.-Col. Cosine Theta had been nominated at one time and had steadfastly refused. Which, she thought to herself, was probably the best thing, since the system that worked had been turned on its head.

Someone was controlling them and the fair but absolute laws had suddenly become arbitrary and unjust. The fact that they would ignore a legally binding OFA and then claim it never was written was... out of the ordinary.

Like Theta herself, today's accused had, according to rumours, already been nominated to the Council. Of course she had no idea that such events were happening, but it was a sign of how skewed things were that this nominee was being charged with unauthorized magical murder.

Theta knew this woman. Knew what she was capable of doing, because she had seen it time and time again. But the one thing this woman wasn't was a cold blooded murderer. From Theta's vantage point at the front of the court she saw her sitting there in a small caged chamber, still and calm, blue eyes scanning the room placidly.

The lieutenant-colonel was worried that Sal was about to willingly walk into death. She looked at the people sitting beside her: Sal's family.

Would this be the last day they'd see her alive and well?

There was no definitive answer and that above all things was what had Cosine Theta frightened.

Comments

[random_xtras]

Kurt was looking at Sal, and when he saw her looking back he couldn't stop the grin that came over his face. He could be standing in a dragon's mouth and Sal's glance would still make him grin.

Aoife, sitting next to him, was frowning fixedly at one of the constables, as though trying to bore a hole in his head with her eyes.

And Jav was zoned, not even mentally in the room at all.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

This is really not a good time to giggle...

Sal cleared her throat and stared intently at her hands, waiting for the Elders to enter and marveling at the fact that they had torches lighting the place. If she'd been a different kind of woman she'd have already incinerated the place.

She knew they were going to try for the death penalty. And yet something about what had happened mere hours before, when Sam had been tossed into the cell, had put her mind completely at ease.

Fear just wasn't there anymore.

[random_xtras]

Albus dropped a jelly bean and looked down at the floor before stooping after it. He caught his head on the seat on the way up, and the clunk made several people start. Aoife looked at him like he needed his rear booted.

He just smiled cheerfully and ate the bean, then sat down and resumed emptying his pockets of sweets.

Fawkes looked at him from where he roosted behind Jabez and trilled, then resumed arranging the silent girl's curls.

[sadri.livejournal.com]

Sadri sat at the end of the row, staring intently at Sal in a mimic of how Aoife had been staring down the constable.

She doesn't know. The one-time Jedi Master tried very hard not to grin.

[random_xtras]

Aoife looked around, then once more fixed her eyes on the constable and pretended that she could see everything that he was thinking. Actually, he was so nervous that she was seeing what he was thinking, but the act made it a little more fun.

-Mu?- asked Jav, tilting his head just slightly.

Kurt looked at Aoife with a slight frown, then turned to look at the constable too.

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

-I'm outside,- she sent.

She was standing outside the building with Vanya and Atin, waiting for just the right moment to burst in and crash the party.

Biting her lip she tried very hard not to chuckle, because Sal was in there and she was the only one, it seemed, who didn't know what was going on.

Jeimu's eyes clouded over only slightly and she grinned. Something, somewhere was telling her that everything would be okay.

[random_xtras]

Jav quirked a slight grin that barely showed, then blinked and looked at the back of the seat as Walter climbed up and calmly sat beside Fawkes. Interestingly, no one other than his family seemed to see the cat.

"Jelly bean?" Albus offered Theta.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

Theta blinked.

"Sure."

She grabbed a green one and popped it into her mouth.

[random_xtras]

"What're they waitin' fer, b'y?" whispered Jav, his grin fading to a restless scowl.

Albus offered him a jelly bean. And Walter leaned over and started licking his hair, purring like a small outboard.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

"Who knows?" Theta said with a grin. "You know how the Elders can be..."

They did things on their own terms.

[random_xtras]

"Ugh...." Jav drew his shoulders up to his ears. "@#$%& cat."

Walter gave him an invisible box to the ear, then hopped down and went to join Sal in the cage. Albus watched him go.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

Sal stiffened as Walter entered the cage.

However her dislike for the cat was quickly overshadowed by the opening of the massive double doors at the end of the room.

The Elders were convening.

[random_xtras]

Kurt's eyes were on Sal as he stood with the other. -(Be strong, my love,)- he thought to himself. -(God, please help her and keep her strong... and what is Walter doing? Don't the Elders see him?-

They didn't seem to as he hopped up and sat on their table with an impudent twitch of his fluffy tail.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

Sal didn't stand, which was a statement in itself.

[random_xtras]

Albus grinned broadly as he watched Walter start to wash his butt, then cleared his throat as he sat down and tried to look stern. It didn't work. Especially since Jabez was sitting with her hand over her mouth in seeming sadness that was actually stifled laughter.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

Sal noticed it too, and smirked.

Her attention remained fixed on the cat as the Elders went through their preamble.

[random_xtras]

Walter sighed and settled down to lay in a comfortable position, an expression of total innocence on his fuzzy face as he farted. He'd been eating Doritos, the result wasn't nice.

Albus knew exactly what the cat had done, and resorted to polishing his glasses to try and recover from his own reaction.

Jav and Aoife both blinked and then went stony faced to hold in unseemly mirth.

And Kurt and Jabez looked around and were lost.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

They sat at their long table, their backs to the audience, facing where Sal sat in the cage.

Bradford St. Croix, one-time headmaster of Burgeo Academy, stared resolutely at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with her or her family. The more empathic members of the family could have probably felt the guilt rolling off of him in waves. St. Croix was not one to be easily mentally influenced. But who- or whatever was controlling the Council knew enough to arrange things such that St. Croix's pleas for reason fell on deaf ears.

The Prime Elder stood up and began to formally open the court hearing.

It would have been possible to cut the tension with a knife.

[random_xtras]

Hunter relayed to the three waiting outside the happenings inside, not because it was necessary, but just for something to do. A few curious passerby looked up at him and wondered why he was standing on the courthouse roof instead of on the BnB.

Atin watched as one man hurried inside, a furry woman carried in his arms. Then he looked over Jeimu's head at Vanya to see what she was doing. The scarred clone was in battle mode, there wasn't a lot going on in his head.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

Billy found a chair at the back of the courtroom; dodging several dirty looks from the half of the town that had showed up to see what would happen to Sal he sat Bennie down in the chair and listened intently.

By the time they got settled the Prime Elder had turned the floor over to the rest of the Council. Sal's stringent cross examination had begun.

"...despite your status as a registered Auror you were not given authorization to perform a Killing Curse, am I right?"

There was silence from the cage. Billy could have sworn that the torches that were lighting the room had flared up slightly.

[random_xtras]

Jav glanced at Leeroy who sat flanking the rest of the family, then eyed the torches and remembered that ordinance locker explosion.

Aoife's stormy grey eyes bored holes in the back of an Elder's head.

Albus fed jelly beans to Fawkes, who sang softly despite the gravity of the proceedings.

And Kurt twitched his tail and scowled despite himself.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

She sat tall in her chair - or as tall as she could - and stared at the Elder who had dealt her the question.

Her voice was so strained and polite and devoid of accent that it didn't even sound like her when she said:

"As I have said - repeatedly - an OFA was signed by Lt.-Col. Theta." She raised a hand and pointed a long finger at the red-headed woman, who grinned slightly. "Vanya Alucard was also authorized as a back-up by this very Council."

[random_xtras]

-Vhat is that cat doing...?- Kurt leaned to one side and watched as Walter sauntered over and gave the hand of one elder an invisible swipe with his tongue.

Albus put his hand back into his pocket and blinked at the lack of candy there, then reached into the other one.

And Bennie frowned thoughtfully and did her best to follow the English, her dark eyes watching the torches with curious interest as her unborn son- invisible yet- pattered away at the inside of her womb.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

Sal pursed her lips as Walter made for the Elder's other hand.

"As we have stated before," another one said, rising to her feet, "we have no evidence that -"

"Why don't you just ask her? I am allowed witnesses, am I not?" Sal made eye contact with Theta, who grinned and got to her feet

The Elder blinked. "She's not here."

Sal's eyes went wide, and this time the torches did flare as the courtroom erupted in total chaos. The assembled people looked at Theta, and then at the Elders, and then at Sal.

All etiquette was broken as loud questions were fielded at the Elders.

"Can't you see her?"

Then there was the most horrible sensation in her mind, as though from nowhere she was being forced to relive the most horrific - and joyful - times in her life.

Damn. There IS a Legilimens at work....

There was no other choice.

The cage erupted in a ball of flame.

[random_xtras]

Up on the rooftop Hunter stiffened, but then relaxed at Jeimu's assurance though his tail swept great bare patches in the gravel of the roofing.

Kurt blinked and started forward, but then stopped at Albus's hand on his tail and gave the older man a reproachful look.

"Thunder!" Jav was on his feet as well, while Jabez gave her mother a look of frightened concern.

No one was afraid of Sal being hurt by the fire, but seeing her set things on fire told them that something was wrong other than just Theta's invisibility to the Elders.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

Leeroy stood up too and he seemed to be the only one who'd noticed that the fire had dissipated and there was a red and gold bird sitting placidly on the seat of the chair, which had been charred only slightly.

"Um... guys..."

That was when the door at the back of the courtroom was thrown open.

[random_xtras]

All eyes turned that way, wondering what new excitement was coming now.

Atin and Vanya entered in step, then parted and stood at attention to either side of the door, eyes rigidly to the front.

And a small figure sauntered in between them....

[jeimu.livejournal.com]

-Alright, time to shut 'em down.-

She trusted Hunter would be able to effectively shield the Elders from the as of yet unknown Legilimens and from each other.

"I know for a fact," she said, her voice carrying loudly as she walked, "that an OFA was signed by Lt.-Col. Theta. I was there when it was given."

Jeimu stood in front of Theta (who was gaping in a good impression of a fish out of water) and took her hand, leading her to the front of the courtroom so that the Elders could see her.

"You have all the evidence you require," Jeimu continued, "to let the accused be cleared of all charges. I suggest you focus on the more pressing matter - which one of you is it who's been controlling the Council?"

There was another courtroom outburst, but she looked over her shoulder where Sal was standing up, hands gripping the iron bars of the cage in a deathgrip, tears streaming down her face.

[random_xtras]

There was sudden mental silence in the courtroom, mixed in with a few distracting visions of pink elephants. Hunter concentrated for a moment and removed the shielding from Jeimu and Vanya. An angry outburst from Walter got him cleared as well.

Plumed tail waving, he popped into sight on the Elders' table and wandered over to sit on Jeimu's foot and look impressive.

And Kurt was grinning again, like a fool.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

"No," Sal said firmly. "This... we..."

You also buried your grandfather, you stunned cow, and look where he is.

She sat back down in the chair, feeling exceptionally overwhelmed.

[random_xtras]

There were more grins than just Kurt's. Albus was chuckling at the looks on the Elder's faces. John White (only distantly related to Tom) was scrubbing the hands that Walter had kissed as though afraid they'd start mutating, his well-known dislike of cats overriding every other concern at the moment.

"Do we need to do crowd control or something?" asked Aoife, looking up at Leeroy.

Bennie just looked at her husband with a grin.

[sadri.livejournal.com]

That was when Sadri stood up and walked forward. "No need," she said, before coming to a dead stop and staring at Jeimu.

Then something in her Force-sight flared amongst all the chaos. The disturbance was centered around Henry Aucoin's father.

"Jeimu..." She pointed at the man and received a somber nod in return.

It looked like Aucoin was their man.

[random_xtras]

-He feels off,- reported Hunter.

-Stinky,- said Walter gleefully.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

"It is him," Sal's voice was a whisper, but it carried.

The woman had been many things in her lifetime: witch, soldier, lover, mother - but she still had Dumbledore blood running through her veins.

As such she was blessed with the gifts that came with that name. Like her own brand of innate Occlumency. She was able to naturally shut her mind away from their influence. And now she could see, clear as day, the source of said influence.

"But why Henry?"

She looked at the Elders and smiled widely when she realized St. Croix was looking at her again.

[random_xtras]

Albus got to his feet and walked over to stand by the cage, his keen blue eyes focused on the elders as he absently moved closely enough for Fawkes to reach through the bars.

"Henry Senior?" Aoife's eyes narrowed. "Do we get him?"

"Stand down," said Jav absently.

[fire-in-flight.livejournal.com]

"I..." Sal scratched Fawkes on the head absently. "Well..."

It wasn't really within her sphere of authority to say anything. She just stared at her family, as though not quite believing what had just transpired.

[random_xtras]

"Might I get the key?" asked Albus, ignoring a few amazed looks from the Elders' table. Then he blinked as an explosion of brimstone scented smoke left Kurt hanging from the inside top of the cage.

Kurt grinned at his wife and reached down to poke her gently.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

"Absolutely," came the voice of Bradford St. Croix. "Since now we're all well aware that there... there is no reason for us to even be here." He cleared his throat and spoke in an official tone of voice.

"Salinas Wagner, we have come to the conclusion that you acted within restraint of the law and the Order for Assassination that was given to you by Lt.-Col. Cosine Theta. Henceforth you are now cleared of all charges."

[random_xtras]

"And Sam and John?" Aoife nearly passed out with surprise as she realized the clear voice that asked that question was her own. Then she caught Albus' smile and stood to attention.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

"I think a hundred dollar bail if only to pay the janitor is in order," St. Croix replied with a sideways grin as he tried very hard not to pay attention to the happy reunion in the cage. "Then they're free to go. However, we'll need to deal with the elder Henry here on our own terms."

St. Croix thought that was a lovely euphemism for the fact that the absolute yet fair laws of the island were probably going to sentence Aucoin to death.

[random_xtras]

Jav snerked and reached into his pocket, knowing very well that John had no where near that amount of money. Then he cocked his head as Hunter came walking in past the sentries by the door and paused to look down at Billy before continuing over to the cage and calmly teleporting Sal out of it.

"(So, it's the happy ending?)" Bennie looked up at her husband, totally unfazed by the giant scaly guy.

[teh-rest.livejournal.com]

"(Yeah.)" Billy smiled and offered Bennie his arms. "(Come on. We can meet them at home.)"

[random_xtras]

She put her arms around his neck and pulled herself up. "Sure, b'y, les' go."