Fort Bone was ablaze, flames licking up into the night sky as fragmentation grenades exploded throughout the town. The soldiers were becoming desperate, hurling explosives in all directions in a last-ditch effort to turn the tide. But the tide was long past turning.

The mini faeries, now fully committed to the fight, buzzed through the air like hornets. Their tiny hands crackled with lightning as they zapped soldiers without mercy.

Zap!

Zap!

Zap!

One by one, soldiers dropped, their bodies smoking from the faeries’ electrical strikes.

Wang Bo, revelling in the action, swung his staff with a fierce yell, “Eternal Dragon Emperor Slash!” The staff connected with a sickening crack against a soldier’s head, knocking him out cold. Wang Bo grinned, satisfied, as he moved on, his eyes scanning the streets for any more threats.

Atlas moved with precision, leading the Portal Crushers through the town. For fifteen grueling minutes, the battle raged on, until every soldier was either subdued, knocked out, or too injured to continue fighting. The settlement was theirs again.

Lieutenant Colonel Sanders, now barely conscious, lay slumped against a wall, guarded by two Portal Crushers, their crossbows trained on him. Several bolts had already punctured his armor, and blood seeped from his wounds. He coughed weakly, “I need a medic.”

Atlas stood over him, his gaze cold and unforgiving. “You can get a medic,” he said, his voice hard as steel. “And you can also get a trial.”

Atlas and the Portal Crushers waded through the chaos of Fort Bone. ‘I can't believe this was a peaceful settlement just an hour ago,‘ Atlas thought. ‘These army guys are going to pay the price.‘

"Atlas, let's check the wounded and dead," John suggested.

Barbara replied, "I've been rounding them up. We lost ten of our new warriors-in-training, and another fifteen are badly wounded. They're already at the Medipod. The soldiers have lost…”

"I don't care how many soldiers are lost," Atlas said. "Just strip the bodies, toss them in the compost, and secure the survivors."

“Should we use the Medipod on the wounded?" Barbara’s concern for the soldiers’ lives was evident.

Atlas considered for a moment. ‘It seems such a waste to use any mana coins on these guys,‘ but he wanted a fair trial. "Stabilize them, but don't waste too many resources."

Barbara looked unsure and unhappy. Even though the soldiers had attacked them, they were still people from Earth. Atlas gave her a hard glare. "Gather everybody else in front of the castle. I've got something to purchase from the vending machines."

He went to the Portal Justice vending machine. Their slogan was "Opening Gates, Closing Cases."

There, he bought the Lawbot (199 coins): Just enter your laws and constitution. Lawbot can do the rest. Verdicts are made based on user input. Warning: errors may occur.

After entering the laws of Fort Bone, he brought the new Lawbot machine terminal to the speaking area in the central square. Atlas addressed the gathered crowd, his tone steady and commanding.

"People of Fort Bone, citizens, visitors, as you know, we were all attacked tonight. I've acquired the Lawbot, and programmed it with the laws of Fort Bone, to guarantee impartial justice. The Wasteland is unforgiving, but our goal is to uphold justice. Remember, justice is crucial, and it may not always be merciful.

Now, I invite the defendants to speak on why they chose to attack our town."

Lt. Colonel Sanders had been healed by the Medipod and was stable enough to give a speech. He cleared his throat, adjusted his stance, and prepared to address the audience.

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"Ladies and gentlemen," Sanders began, his tone firm and authoritative, "our operation against Fort Bone was a critical step in maintaining order and ensuring the safety of our strategic interests. Though Fort Bone is not located on Earth, it represents a significant threat to our operations and objectives in this region of the wasteland.

Fort Bone has demonstrated a persistent defiance against our attempts at diplomatic engagement and has continually undermined our efforts to establish stability in the area. Their independent stance and refusal to cooperate with our directives pose a risk to our broader strategy and jeopardise the safety of our personnel operating in the vicinity.

Furthermore," Sanders continued, "the united government of Earth considers this mission crucial to our overall strategy. The laws we have established are not mere suggestions but essential guidelines designed to ensure peace and security across all territories, including those outside of Earth.

The laws of our united government reflect our commitment to justice and stability. They prohibit unprovoked aggression, uphold the right to self-defense, and mandate cooperation with lawful authorities. Fort Bone’s refusal to adhere to these laws undermines the very foundation of our governance and challenges the principles we have worked so hard to enshrine.

This operation tonight was a necessary step to uphold these laws and reaffirm our commitment to a stable and orderly future. We are not merely enforcing our will but protecting the rule of law that governs our interactions with all territories, whether on Earth or beyond."

Sanders paused, letting his words sink in. The crowd was silent, their focus on every word.

"As we proceed with this mission," he concluded, "let us remember that our actions are guided by a dedication to these principles. We are upholding the values of our united government and ensuring that our governance extends to every corner of our influence. Stand with us in this endeavor. Support our efforts to maintain the rule of law and secure a future where peace and order prevail. Together, we will achieve our goals and fortify our commitment to a just and stable wasteland. Thank you."

Atlas then asked for the verdict from the Lawbot. The Lawbot spoke in a cold, emotionless voice.

"According to the Laws of Fort Bone, the foreign enemy's attack breaks several laws:

1. ‘‘Loyalty Above All:‘‘ The attack represents a breach of loyalty, as it is an external force acting against the settlement.

2. ‘‘The Right to Fight:‘‘ The attack violates Fort Bone's right to self-defense by initiating unprovoked aggression.

3. ‘‘No Government Interference:‘‘ The foreign attack constitutes unauthorized interference in Fort Bone's internal affairs.

4. ‘‘Dispute Resolution:‘‘ The attack bypasses Fort Bone’s internal mechanisms for resolving conflicts, as it is an external assault rather than an internal dispute.

VERDICT: The attack disrupts Fort Bone’s internal order and processes, which are protected by its laws."

Atlas looked at John with a serious expression, "Well, there we go. We have a decision. We've never had a foreign attack before. So, what should we do with these people?"

The crowd watched with bated breath, their tension was clear. Yes they were originally from Earth, but after the fight they were now feeling united as citizens of Fort Bone. Out of a hundred voices, ninety-nine were shouting, "Kill them! Kill them!" The unanimous roar of the crowd underscored their eagerness for a decisive response.

John raised his voice to be heard over the tumultuous crowd, "Calm down, folks. We're not a lynch mob. Although I do believe we should execute them, we need to establish formal laws regarding enemy combatants. This is a good opportunity to draft those laws."

The crowd cheered at the idea. Atlas nodded in agreement. "All right, leaders, let’s head to the conference hall and discuss the next steps."

With that, the group of leaders moved towards the conference hall, ready to address the situation and set new precedents for handling enemy combatants.

As soon as they entered the conference hall, Atlas addressed the group with a decisive tone, "We all agree they should die, right?"

The leaders of Fort Bone glanced around the room and, after a brief pause, all nodded in agreement. Alexander was the first to speak up, "Yup."

However, Barbara, known for her softer heart, hesitated. She voiced her concern, "These people are soldiers from Earth, Atlas. They did nothing wrong besides following their orders."

Atlas turned to Barbara with a firm expression, "As soon as they were portaled into the wasteland, those orders were invalid, Barbara. There are no laws from Earth that govern us here, so we need to make a judgement based on what we think is right."

John added, "I've discussed this with Atlas before. When it comes to justice, it’s not about what’s morally right or wrong, but what serves the best interests of our new empire."

Isabella nodded in agreement, "You’re right. We can spend hours debating the morality of life, death, and the universe, but what we need to do is make a decision right now that’s best for Fort Bone."

Atlas nodded in agreement, "I couldn’t have said it better. You are completely, 100% right, Isabella. What’s best for Fort Bone? Amber, how would the tourists and craftspeople feel about a summary execution of the soldiers?"

Amber considered the question for a moment before responding, "Judging by the crowd's reaction and the soldiers' reckless attack, they would likely support execution."

Turning to Isabella, Alexander, and John, Atlas asked, "Settlement leaders, what do you think about the security of the situation?"

Alexander spoke up, "If we don’t execute them, what are our options? Exile? They’d just become bandits, and we’d have to hunt them down again. We can’t send them back to Earth."

Isabella agreed, "Exile isn’t an option."

John added, "Neither is prison. The bone stakes worked when we were smaller, but now that we're a flourishing town, we can’t rely on that. We also don’t want to spend extra resources on guards and building a jail."

Atlas concluded, "Then we’re all agreed about what to do."

John interjected, "Wait a second, Atlas. I just want to make sure we’re doing this the right way. We’ve got the Lawbot now. Shouldn't we make this part of our official legal process? That way, it’s clear to everyone that this isn’t just some arbitrary decision."

Using the LawBot to draft laws they’d already established might have seemed odd. But as this was the first instance, it made sense—and everyone knew it wouldn’t be the last.

Atlas raised an eyebrow, but then nodded thoughtfully. "You’re right, John. We don’t want to come across as tyrants. Let's make sure this follows procedure."

He gestured toward the Lawbot terminal. "We’ll input the law regarding foreign invaders into the system, and once it’s in place, we can pass judgement accordingly."

The leaders quickly drafted the new law:

‘‘LAW REGARDING ENEMY COMBATANTS:‘‘

"Any foreign force that attacks Fort Bone or its citizens without provocation will be tried as war criminals. Those found guilty will face execution as enemy combatants."

Atlas input the law into the Lawbot system, and it beeped in confirmation..

John said, “I want to add one extra option to this. It might be greatly beneficial to Fort Bone.”