In front of you a holographic display appears. It shows a large city, the very one you saw when you stepped outside of the shack. “Taction Feed, show us crime scene CS: 4/23-0399,” Entria says. The view zooms in on what looks like the outskirts of the city, it focuses on a back road that you remember as the one you were on. A figure is highlighted on the display, it was the dead body of Jayon Cæ. Surrounding the area is a densely wooded forest of white trees that remind you of a winter back on earth, their branches the skeletal remains of the bushy beings they once were.
“I knew it,” Cardus says.
“Knew what?”
“There is no shack here from which Mr. Duschand could have come out from. The tale he spun was all a big lie,” he says.
You look, and sure enough there doesn't seem to be any shack nearby. It's strange, because there should be something just a few yards down from the body, but there is absolutely nothing. “Wait a second, no, this isn't right. It should definitely be there,” you say.
“Well, it isn't.”
You think for a moment and then it comes to you. “Maybe if you go back to the time when it actually happened? You should be able to see where I come from?” You suggest.
“I'm sure all that we'll see is just more reason to see you guilty,” Cardus crosses his arms.
“I say we take a look at it and find out exactly what happened, no?” Jesse says.
“All in favor?” Piscar asks.
You see Darmande's hand rise up, shake a little and then slowly lower to a half-raise. Andrew is next to raise his hand alongside Piscar. “I,” Zyar says, and you notice an irritated look on her face. Probably for the fact that she doesn't have arms. Entria Brant raises her tiny little hand, Khap-Ar and Pamen follow suit. Tiburr, Yaldabaoth, and Cardus sit in a quieted silence.
“Well, we know Cardus' reasons for objecting, but what say you, Tiburr? Yaldabaoth?” Entria asks.
“I don't care,” Tiburr says.
“Personally, I feel that this human is simply playing the role in order to plea to our sympathies.”
“Thank you. Finally someone understands,” Cardus says. “You know, Yaldi, sometimes I consider you a hard ass, but I agree with you fully on this.”
Yaldabaoth turns towards Cardus, “And I consider you a kiss ass sometimes. No matter what race was slaughtered I would have my doubts of this human. And you know not to call me that.”
“Well, it's nice that you two are bonding, but we're in a majority vote, so can we just get on with this?” Andrew asks.
“Do you have somewhere to be, Cress?” Darmande begins, “Hot date, maybe?”
This seems to shut Andrew up completely, he looks back over to you and Jesse. “Right,” he takes in a deep breath. “CS: 4/23-0399, time 2:00.”
The display in front of you begins changing as the time of day shifts and you can see Jayon come back to life as it were seeing as its being played in reverse. You wonder why they needed to see you here in the first place considering they have video footage of everything. If they ever needed a solid conviction they have all the evidence they would need. Maybe it's to get people to fess up, a sort of plea bargain deal if they plead guilty.
The display slows down as it shows you standing out on the Taction street. It keeps reversing until you see the point in which you were stepping out of the small shack. You step out from what looks like absolutely nothing. There looks to be an outline of what from the outside looks to be a part of a tree and the space next to it. It almost looks like a tear in reality itself that opens up to let you out. There isn't anything on the inside of the rift, all you can see is yourself emerge and step out onto the Taction road in forward motion.
“How is this possible?” Piscar asks.
“There should be nothing there, and yet this isn't true.”
“Do you have an explanation?” Entria asks.
“I don't. I didn't turn around to look at it, that much you know. But I did wake up in wherever that is.”
“Well, I see little reason to doubt that statement. This definitely is a cause for more investigation on the matter. However, this does not excuse you of your crime. I pitch the idea that you be tasked to work for the capitol to pay off your debts to our society.”
“Work? I put to it that he be executed!” Cardus calls out.
“Now, now. I find it horrible that someone died, but I believe that the situation isn't as black and white as you believe.” Entria says.
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Just then a new figure appears in the display, replacing the view of the outskirts. It's a holographic projection of what looks like another of Entria's race, the Illith.
“Guys, there's some shit going down,” you hear it say out of breath.
“You know it's serious when you're forgoing any of the formalities of addressing the council,” Jesse jokes.
“Will you hush up?” Entria hisses towards Jesse and then turns to the hologram. “What is it?”
“The Dromedans are here. The sentries are pulling in by the dozens. Please call the-” the message is cut off by a screeching sound. The display begins to freak out until a new figure appears in it. It looks like a slick humanoid figure with cavernous eye holes and a mouth sealed almost fully closed.
“You threw us away. Well guess what? We don't die easy,” the figure says before the display cuts out entirely.
“How quickly can you get the defense force over here?” Andrew asks, looking at Tiburr and Darmande.
“It'd probably be a few minutes at most.”
“Do that. Cardus, throw up the shield. We need to sanction off this building,” Andrew says.
“What about the people outside? You can't just hide in here while shit goes down out there,” you say.
“I don't believe we asked for your input,” Cardus spouts.
The whole ground shakes beneath you. You nearly fall to the floor from the tremor.
“Taro, status on Dromedan menace,” Yaldabaoth yells into a speaker he's clutching.
“They've laced the sentry units with explosives sir! We can't fight back or else we risk blowing up all of Pandera!”
That must be the name of this lovely city.
“Damn it all,” he throws the speaker across the room and it shatters against the wall.
“What the hell is up? Aren't you guys the ones who united this planet? The revered warriors that they made that statue out front commemorating? And now you're sitting here inside while everyone else out there fights for you?”
“I'd still your tongue quick if you want to keep breathing,” Yaldabaoth scolds.
“He's right,” Andrew says.
“You can't be serious,” Yaldabaoth groans.
“I agree, but there's nothing we can do,” Zyar says.
“We need to think of something, and fast.”
“Pamen are dying out there. Fast isn't fast enough.”
“No need, the shield's already up. Nothing is making it inside this building now,” Cardus says, finishing inputting commands into a keyboard at his side.
“Listen, just let me and Darmande go out there and we'll lead them away, sound like a plan? Yald, you in?” Tiburr says, stretching out on the chair.
“No, because these shields are staying in place. No one comes in, no one goes out.”
“Dude, you literally just threw a bitch fit because one of your own race died. That's reasonable, but now you don't give a shit when there are tons of people out there probably dying?” You say.
“He's got a point, Cardus,” Entria says.
“He has no point! We're staying safe in here and that's-” Just then the door behind you opens. You see a single figure standing in the doorway. It looks to be made of a slick and shiny metal all over. You feel your body shaking.
“The family is all here, how wonderful. It's a shame a few Illith had to be ground into the dirt for our reunion to happen,” the cold metallic voice says as it walks into the room slowly.
“What? How the hell are you here? The shield is up!” Cardus yells.
“Cardus, it is good to see you again. Still as cowardly as ever, I see. Well, it seems absent-minded as well. Did you forget I was the one who installed that very shield in this building all those years ago?”
“So then you're the Mark VI, huh?” You ask, not knowing where your courage is coming from.
It looks towards you, squinting its eyes almost, you can see a harsh red glow coming from the slits inside, “You don't remember me, Mr. Duschand? I'm quite hurt...wait a moment. You aren't him, are you? No, your eyes are different...” he says.
“How are you alive?” Entria asks.
He laughs a sort of hollow laugh that sounds more like the sputter of an engine. “Please call me by my name. It is the polite thing to do. And not by that silly nickname of Mark VI, Cross will do just fine?”
“You didn't answer my question.”
“And you didn't honor my request, is that not how bartering goes? One makes a request and another fulfills it? Or should I use the Sayarian bartering method of betrayal?”
Piscar stands up, “You were getting in way over your head, Cross. We had to-”
“I hope you know I didn't come here to endure your lectures,” he says, raising up his left arm. In his clutches you see a small spherical device with weird purple protrusions sticking out of the sides.
“Think about what you're doing now,” Yaldabaoth says slowly.
“I have. I've thought about it for all of the time you cut the Dromedan race off. Now it's time we cut you off from the roots up,” He says as he walks closer, twisting a piece on the device as it begins to glow a bright white.
“Your strings are cut free, and from freedom you shall embrace death as I once did.”
The entire scene has you paralyzed. Your mind is screaming at you to move, to run, to attack, to hide, but you stand. Everything inside of you burns to move but all you can do is remember the library you went to when you were little. No! Your memories are not important now! Do not succumb to them! Cross takes another step forward, his smile sends chills down your spine and you're thrown back into your memories as a blaring sound drowns out all others.