The door to the Sanctum had never seemed so imposing to Tom. With each footfall, he felt the weight of the situation pulling him down. Marcus had no doubt gone straight to the Tribunal after the altercation. Tom felt certain his tenure not only as leader but as a Knight in general was about to end.

He stepped closer to the door and raised his hand for the palm scanner. After a moment, the doors opened and Tom stepped into the darkness. He could see Marcus standing off to the side. Marcus stood outside of the center spotlight, but the cast light from that provided the slightest bit of definition to the contours of his body. That left most of him concealed by shadow, which made the elder commander even more imposing than usual.

Tom glanced at Marcus for a brief moment, but Marcus wouldn’t look at him. The permanent scowl on his face had an added intensity now. Tom looked away from Marcus and stepped into the spotlight. The three shadowy heads of the Quantum Tribunal appeared around him.

“Knight Stone, we apologize for the urgent summons, but we thank you for your prompt arrival.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?” Tom thought to himself.

“We have received some distressing news about an interpersonal conflict between you and Agent Kane. If it pleases the commander, we would like Agent Kane to repeat his report for the record.”

“Gladly.” Marcus stepped closer to the three heads, though still kept a distance from Tom. The spotlight switched over to him and the Tribunal turned their attention in his direction.

“You may begin, Agent.”

“I was in the interrogation room with Knights Stone, Jackson, and Monroe. We were discussing the altercation with the enemy combatant known only as the Shadowblade. During our conversation, the topic of Knight Kim’s recent incapacitation was raised. Knight Stone asked for an explanation for the incident, which I provided. Knight Stone then became aggressive and challenged my authority. When I reprimanded him, he escalated the situation from the verbal to the physical and assaulted my person.”

Once Marcus completed his report, the Tribunal’s silence hung in the air. In unison, the three large heads turned in Tom’s direction and the spotlight fell upon him once again. Tom closed his eyes for an instant at the sudden, bright intrusion.

“Knight Stone, would you care to respond to these allegations?”

“He’s leaving a few things out,” said Tom. “The reason I became aggressive is because Agent Kane has been controlling my team with a heavy hand as of late. He verbally assaulted both Knights Jackson and Monroe after a training session. Furthermore, I felt that as team leader, I had a right to be informed about any risky maneuvers my teammates are asked to undergo. I was not informed of Knight Kim’s Titan interface, nor was I made aware of the risks in advance.”

“Your concern for your teammates is admirable, Knight Stone. However, the interface was ordered by the Tribunal. Our dictates override the needs of leadership, either field or operational, to be informed.”

“Particularly if time is of the essence, as it was in this situation. You and Knight Jackson were on-mission. We had an urgent need to determine exactly what Knight Kim had seen in Brazil.”

“Regardless of the appropriateness of Agent Kane’s words, physical assault on a commanding officer is never warranted. As field leader of the Omega Knights, you must hold yourself to a higher standard.”

Tom felt that same anger bubbling inside him. His fingers curled into his palm, but he took a deep breath to center himself. With his arm raised, Tom pointed a finger in Marcus’s direction and then added, “And is it ever warranted for a commanding officer to assault a Knight? Shouldn’t operational leaders be held to the same high standard as field leaders?”

The Tribunal grew silent for a long, pregnant pause.

“Please elaborate, Knight.”

After the…the incident when we lost Knights Taylor, Dawson, and Gray, Agent Kane physically assaulted me just outside the Sanctum.”

The Tribunal once more grew silent and turned their attention—and the spotlight—back onto Marcus.

“Would you care to respond to this allegation, Agent Kane?”

“During that battle, Knight Stone ignored a direct order and put himself and his Titan at risk. I warned him that such a breach of the chain of command would not be tolerated.”

“I believe his exact words were something to the effect of, ‘I’ve been doing this since you were shitting in diapers,’” said Tom. “Then, to emphasize his point, he punched me in the abdomen.”

Another moment of silence. Tom wondered if during those pauses, the Tribunal somehow communicated amongst themselves.

“We have no record of any report of this incident, Knight Stone.”

Tom sighed. “That’s because I made no report.”

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“So we see. And during this most-recent altercation, Knights Jackson and Monroe were both present?”

“They were. They can corroborate my report,” said Marcus.

“Very well. Then we shall invite both of them in to provide their own accounts.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” said Marcus.

The Tribunal addressed Tom. “Knight Stone, do you have any objections to hearing testimony from Knights Jackson and Monroe?”

Tom paused. Alexa and Ethan were both in the room when he’d punched Marcus, and they had no knowledge of his last encounter with him. They no doubt had a dim view of him—Ethan in particular. But this was the situation he’d put himself in and now he’d have to live with the consequences.

“Knight Stone?”

“No, I don’t have any objections.”

“Very well. Summon Knights Jackson and Monroe at once. The sooner we resolve this, the sooner we can move on to more important matters.”

----------------------------------------

“You are certain of this, Knight Jackson?” asked the Tribunal.

Ethan stood in the center of the three floating images, his arms clasped at his waist, head tilted forward. “I’m sorry I can’t be more help. But for whatever reason, I was…somewhere else when it went down.”

Tom watched from the side of the room and saw Ethan’s brow furrowed in thought.

“I really don’t know what exactly happened,” said Ethan. “My attention was focused on the prisoner, and I guess I was aware that Tom and Marcus—”

“Knight Stone and Agent Kane,” corrected one of the Tribunal.

“Please use the official titles when you are in this chamber, Knight Jackson.”

“This is to ensure the record is kept accurate and impartiality is maintained.”

“I’m sorry,” said Ethan. “I could hear Knight Stone and Agent Kane arguing, but I really wasn’t paying attention to it. If I’m being completely honest, then I can say I just didn’t care what they were fighting about. Just seemed like a pissing contest from my perspective.”

“Did you witness when Knight Stone accosted Agent Kane?”

Ethan shook his head. “No. Like I said, I was focused on the prisoner and I just…spaced. Maybe I was tired after the battle, the adrenaline drop and everything. Because it wasn’t until Alexa said something to me that I snapped out of it and then I realized that Marcus had gone.”

“Allow us to confirm the events of your testimony, Knight Jackson.”

“You were physically present in the room when the altercation took place. You recall hearing the two individuals in question arguing.”

“And yet, when the punch was thrown, you were unaware of it? Or even when Agent Kane left the room?”

“When you put it like that, you make me sound like an old guy with dementia.” Ethan chuckled at his own joke, but he then swallowed the laughter when he saw the Tribunal didn’t find it too funny. “I apologize. I wish I could be more help, but I just really don’t know what had happened.”

“One additional question, Knight Jackson. You say your attention was focused on the prisoner—why?”

Ethan drew in a breath and hesitated before answering. “I…don’t really know. The stuff you’d shown us before of the creatures we faced, the thing we fought in Brazil before…they were inhuman. But this…Shadowblade? She looked like a normal person—or, relatively normal, I should say.”

“And you found this…intriguing?”

“Well, yeah. She’s so different from what we’d been shown up ’til now. And she could even communicate with us,” said Ethan. “I guess I was just trying to figure out what her deal is.”

“Thank you, Knight Jackson. You are dismissed.”

Ethan gave a nod and turned toward the door. He didn’t glance at either Tom nor Marcus. Something about Ethan’s explanation of why he’d fixated on the Shadowblade felt…unfulfilling to Tom. Assuming he’d get out of this situation, Tom knew there was more to investigate.

The Sanctum door opened again after Ethan had left, but this time, it provided passage for Alexa. She stepped before the Tribunal and awaited their questions.

“Knight Monroe, do you understand why you’re here?”

Alexa nodded. “I’ve got a pretty good idea.”

“Please state what you know.”

“There was an argument between Knight Stone and Agent Kane,” said Alexa. “Knight Jackson and myself were both in the room when it happened.”

“Can you recall the substance of the argument?”

“Knight Stone was concerned about the well-being of his teammate,” said Alexa.

“And Agent Kane’s demeanor?”

Alexa bit her lower lip, but said nothing.

“Knight Monroe? Would you like the question repeated?”

“No, I heard it just fine,” said Alexa. “Do I have permission to speak candidly?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Agent Kane seemed…dismissive toward Knight Stone’s concerns.”

Tom could hear Marcus’s whispered utterance of “The fuck?” He felt a little surprised by it himself.

“And what occurred next?”

“Agent Kane became agitated and then he left the room,” said Alexa.

Tom looked up in surprise. The Tribunal grew silent for several moments.

“Knight Monroe, is it your testimony that you witnessed no physical altercation between Knight Stone and Agent Kane?”

Alexa looked down again and rubbed her chin. “I…can’t recall, no.”

“What do you recall?”

“I recall Agent Kane’s belligerence and I felt Knight Stone’s anger rooted understandably in concern for his teammate,” she continued. “But other than that, I just ignored the argument. I didn’t feel like it was something I should get involved with.”

“Agent Kane has testified that Knight Stone physically struck him. Do you dispute his account?”

Alexa gave a shrug. “I’m not disputing anything. But if there were any punches thrown, I didn’t see them.”

“That’s bullshit!” shouted Marcus, moving from the wall. He stormed up to Alexa and jabbed a finger in her direction.

“Agent Kane, please restrain yourself.”

“She’s pissed because I was hard on her the other day, that’s all!”

“Agent Kane, do not make us repeat ourselves.”

“But this is a goddamn set-up!” Marcus shouted as he faced the Tribunal.

“ENOUGH!”

All three members of the Tribunal spoke in one unified voice. It reverberated through the Sanctum, striking like the hammer of the gods. And instantly, all voices silenced themselves.

“Knight Monroe, we thank you for your testimony and you are now dismissed.”

“Thank you…” Alexa whispered politely and then left the room.

Tom watched her go, his own mind awash in confusion. She’d just lied for him, seemingly as a way to get revenge on Marcus. And though she may have just saved his job, a part of him felt uncomfortable with how she did it.

“Due to lack of corroborating accounts and the circumstances we presently find ourselves, it is the decision of the Tribunal that no disciplinary measures shall be taken against Knight Stone.”

Tom stood upright and gave a salute. “I thank the Tribunal for their unbiased decision.”

“You can’t be fucking serious!” said Marcus.

“Knight Stone, you are dismissed.”

“Agent Kane, please remain for further discussion.”

“We would have words regarding your demeanor during these proceedings.”

Tom headed for the door, but he could feel Marcus’s eyes on him and also heard the words, “This isn’t over…”

Seemed him and Marcus were in full agreement over something.