“I hereby call this court to order.” Judge Hassler said, striking his gavel against the wooden block.
The mumbling inside the courtroom came to a stop, curious attendees turning their attention towards the center of the room.
“The prosecution may begin.”
A formally dressed man stood up from his chair in front of the judges’ panel, staring daggers at Captain Cosco and his seniormost subordinates before turning to the judges.
“Your Honor, the Ministry of Law and Justice accuses Captain L. Cosco, Commander J. Ferdinand and their subordinates of war crimes, under Article 7 of the Akritan Legal Code. Specifically, we accuse the defense of murdering non-combatants, attacking non-combatants with the intent to kill, assisting in the use of slave labor…”
Cosco remained expressionless throughout the entire multi-minute accusation. He knew there was no use to anything he might do. He could curse these morons, promise to rain hellfire on their children. Yet that would only gain him worse standing, and maybe a cruel death instead of a swift one.
This was a sham trial, after all. His execution was but a certainty; the judges looked ready to shoot him. Especially the presiding one, Hassler what’s-his-name. He looked like a military judge, wearing a uniform with badges and nametags instead of the more formal, courtlike wear that civilian judges donned.
“Does the defense have anything to say in reply?”
“N-No, your honor.” Their defender, a woman who looked downright embarrased to be representing them in court, replied. “Please proceed.”
“Very well. May the prosecution’s first witness come to the stand.”
Cosco saw the man stand up from his seat and move to the stand next to the judges, while the prosecutor approached to ask him. He was leonian, no doubt about it. A refugee, definetely. By the time the prosecutor started asking and the witness began answering, his thoughts drifted off once more.
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‘What even is the point of this?’
He could bite his tongue, try to kill himself. Maybe these ‘akritans’ would try to resuscitate him, king knew it could be done with the right equipment and expertise. But maybe they wouldn’t get to him in time, and he could choke to death. One final act, of his own volition.
But as he twisted his tongue in place and moved his jaws about to bite, he felt a wave of naussea.
‘I can’t do it…I want to live, damnit!
Tears dripped from his eyes, down his cheeks and to the metal floor. He had a career, a future! The Admiralty had promised him a promotion to battleship command if he ran Wolf 163 smoothly for the next two cycles, maybe even a place for him amidst the ranks of Highborn.
“It’s not fair! They are the criminals! Shoot them, not me, damn it all!”
Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and he smashed his head against the armaglass cell window. He wanted, he had to escape, to-
“Tase him!” He heard somebody say, the voices getting fainter. The glass had taken a crimson hue.
“You motherfu—”
A tousand volts of electricity ran through his entire body, and the dishonorable captain dropped to the floor like a sack of rocks.
—
Judgement!
At seven o’clock this evening, Goldspeak Standard Time, the war criminal Captain Cosco and his deputies were executed by firing squad. They where previously flown to Domusec by military shuttle and served a final meal of bread and water, before being dragged in front of akritans marines and officers of the Polarii Gendarmerie .
The five men and women were declared guilty of a multitude of war crimes and crimes against humanity by a court of three judges, one of which was polarii.
Judge Mycroft Lindberg is the seniormost judge of the Polari Judicial System, having graduated from the Goldspeak State University thirty five years ago. He has served as a judge in the lower and higher courts for over three decades, and received several accolades.
It is unknown which members of the Gendarmerie participated in the firing squad, and their identities have been declared top secret information by Governor Polk. Speaking to the Tribune during a special press release, the Governor said the following:
“On this day, justice was served against the victims of these barbarians.”
Upon further prompting regarding the status of the refugees, the Governor promised that her cabinet was examining all options for resettlement, as “…sending these people back would be a death sentence”.
—Aurora Tribune