Morwen followed the gold armored guard detail as they escorted her through the grand hall. Her people didn’t really have a justice system that made use of courtrooms. But the Brotherhood of Man did so heavily. And since they were part of this, their request had to be accommodated somehow. So they converted a large lecture room to the purpose.
Below them, a long Federation colored rug adorned the floor. Ahead sat a small table with a podium atop it. Before that sat a long rectangular table with a single chair. Her chair, she realized. The guard captain gestured to the chair with her gold and silver spell rifle at parade arms.
“Your seat Captain.”
Morwen nodded and took it. With their assigned task completed, the escort guard about faced and marched back out of the large lecture hall, leaving Morwen alone in the center. She fussed with her uniform in the silence. Straightening out the collar and smoothening out her sleeves. Making sure the brass rank and medals were all glossy and polished. It wouldn’t do to present a shoddy image.
She reached for her wrist for the bracelet her father had given her long ago and felt only the fabric of her uniform once again. She sighed, mentally scolding herself for having forgotten she’d traded that away. It was a worthwhile trade, and she’d gladly do it again, but she felt naked without it.
A short time passed, and bodies began shuffling into the lecture hall. First among them was Allosius Rayshe. The noble who’d sponsored her unit, and the father of the man she’d murdered. Morwen frowned at his presence. Nothing good would come of him being present. He glared at her coldly, nothing but pure venom in his expression.
She sighed, having expected that. She deserved it, after all. None of the accusations against her were false. They had given her orders she disobeyed. She murdered the XO. There was no factual obfuscation at play.
Behind Rayshe strode in Admiral Brown from the Brotherhood of Man. His Royal Blue dress uniform adorned with a full rack of ribbons and medals. He was a man twice as decorated as she was. That kind of visible public service record commanded much respect from her. He assumed the center seat at the podium that was to serve as the judge’s bench.
Filling in the right seat was a man from the Artificers of Eryn. He was an unusual specimen. With a nasty burn scar covering the left side of his face. Some kind of explosive detonation at close range, perhaps? It was a trait that could easily have been healed and treated, but he wore it proudly, like some kind of badge of honor. Then it sunk in just who the man was, her mother’s largest opponent within the Artificer’s guild.
Whether this was good or bad, she couldn’t tell. It wasn’t a secret there was no love lost between herself and her mother. However, going after her could score big points against her mother in a more political fashion. Given how cutthroat the politics in the Artificers guild could get? She drew no comfort in his presence here today.
The Admiral took a moment to exchange glances left and right before rising to speak. He cleared his throat first, then leveled Morwen with his gaze.
“We’re gathered here to conduct an inquiry into the events that took place pertaining to the attack on Hidros and how Captain Morwen handled the situation. Captain, can you please share with the panel your recollection of the events?”
“Surely you’ve read my report?”
“Indeed, I have, and I have to say, Captain, I find the whole load of it to be pure bullshit. It wreaked of notions like honor and duty. And yet we’re here because you disobeyed orders and executed a man in cold blood. So help me make sense of this, please.”
“Not just any man. She murdered my son!”
“Rayshe! So help me god if you act a damn fool like that again, I’ll kick your ass off this bench and out of this building. Do I make myself clear? God damned elves. You all think you’re so mighty important. Yet none of you lift a damn finger when it’s hordes of humans dying at your dumbass decisions. Now sit down and shut the hell up. Do I make myself clear?”
Morwen sat quietly and allowed Rayshe to his outburst. Rayshe withered momentarily under Admiral Brown’s irritation. Once he’d settled down under the Admiral’s ire, she took an uncertain breath and continued. “Fair enough Admiral. I received a prophecy spell from the ArchPriest. The prophecy required my corporal and two, as of then, unrecruited air nomads from Hoshun.”
Admiral Brown rubbed the bridge of his nose. His face twisted in annoyance and disbelief. It was anyone’s guess which side he’d land on. “Captain Morwen, do you mean to sit here and tell me that the reason we’re all sitting here is that you received a dream?”
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“No sir. Dreams are non-probabilistic. This was a spell cast by a long dead god to ensure we won the day against the Sauridius. It tracked an outcome and provided criteria for its success.”
The admiral was about to protest again when the doors at the far end of the lecture hall flung open and her father and Lucinda stepped in. Morwen sighed as she slowly turned away to face the panel again. This was not going well.
“What Captain Morwen says is correct. I summoned her regarding a prophecy spell. I’d been decoding it since receiving it before she was born. The foretold of great doom that befall the sector if we either failed to act, or acted out of concordance with the prophecy’s possibility.”
Admiral Brown’s face scrunched up. “Christ, you elves, and your absolute lack of decorum. Mr. ArchPriest, could you please sit down and abstain from speaking? This is an inquiry. Not an open trial.”
Her father came up short and nodded with an apologetic smile. Both he and Lucinda took a seat, giving Morwen sympathetic looks. Admiral Brown refocused on Morwen before resuming his questioning.
“Now, Captain, there’s one other bit of information I want to clarify before we decided on whether a trial is necessary.”
“Which it is!” Allosius shouted. The Admiral shot him a glare that would melt steel and Rayshe settled down.
“In your report, and they corroborated this with Admiral Smits’ report, they informed you were being relieved of command before you reached Hidros, and that Lt. Rayshe was to assume command prior to. Is that right, Captain?”
“It is.”
“So then, why in the seven hells did you not do that?”
“The Prophecy dictated I was to lead my forces into battle at Hidros. I couldn’t do that if they sidelined me in the brig because I didn’t arrive at your whims.”
Admiral Brown’s eyes twitched. “My. Whims? Captain, need I remind you wasted valuable time sacrificing ground to the enemy, and later lives, so you could fetch potions and guns?”
Morwen met the Admiral’s gaze, pound for pound. Chin up, back rigid, shoulders swept back. Perfect command posture. “Perhaps I could have dispatched my forces in a more timely manner if my unit was better funded. I can’t execute missions if I lack the materiel and resources to prosecute conflicts.”
Admiral Brown opened his mouth to reply but the put upon look of Allosius slowed him. “Well Allosius. Is that true?”
Allosius simply looked away in casual disinterest. He might have even rolled his eyes. Admiral Brown took a slow, deep breath and refocused on Morwen.
“Alright then. With those answers, I feel we have enough grounds to move forward to trial. You’ll be confined to quarters until the trial. I’d advise you to get your affairs in order. This inquiry is dismissed.”
Brown banged a makeshift gavel against the podium, dismissing the attendance. Morwen rose and quickly made for the exit opposite her father. Before she could reach it, Admiral Brown stopped her.
“Captain. A word.”
She inclined her head for him to continue.
“Off the record, I back your play. And you’ve got Admiral Smits singin’ your praises back on New Terra. Between his report and yours, I don’t doubt that we’d have lost the colony if you’d not played it how you had. Having said that. We both know that it violated lawful orders. And a man’s blood is on your hands.”
Morwen jostled as Allosius Rayshe shoved into her on his way towards the door. “You’re right. And while I take heart that we’re here to rectify the violation of those orders, and find some justice for Lt. Rayshe, it saddens me that the issues that caused such events to become necessary won’t be looked at.”
“Gods damnit Morwen. Do you even look yourself in the eyes in the mirror? Do you not even feel bad?”
“Everyday Admiral. And yes. But would I do it again if I had to? Absolutely, and I wouldn’t have changed a single thing.”
Brown huffed, shaking his head as he turned to leave. His medals jingled softly as he marched away. Her father approached her softly, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, but she gently tugged it free.
“Morwen…” He started falling short of her retreat.
“Not now, father. Whatever it is you want, can it not wait until this is all over, please?” The Archpriest nodded sadly. “Of course.” With that he gave her a soft pat and the pair left Morwen there in the silence.