"Self-proclaimed name is Ootsuki Senka - a name from the planet called Earth in Quadrant 3201a-3. Age unknown, 1242 height units. No detectable signs of life, impossible to distinguish from a preserved museum specimen of an Earth child's body when not moving of her own accord. An extremely high Sieval level of over twelve million, basically suggesting an infinite lifespan." Sovialid Mution speaks in a mechanical tone due to his vocal replicator, while facing the person in question. He is an Aphilean, an insect-like humanoid being that requires a delicate breathing apparatus to survive in oxygen-rich environments.
They are in a brightly lit, blank white room with a metallic table and chairs and not a single piece of decoration. It is evident that it serves as an interrogation chamber, even though the typical one-way mirror, for onlookers to monitor the unfolding situation through, is missing. Hologram technology that can replicate the interior of the room with sensors built inside the walls has rendered such a weakness in the room's structural integrity obsolete. After all, there are dangerous beings in this galactic quadrant.
"Do you know the charges being pressed against you?" The officer asks when she does not respond and a strange gurgling noise escapes from between his mandibles. A sigh. Her presence is causing him slight discomfort, as she keeps staring at his compound eyes without moving, making her seem like a well-crafted doll.
"... yes, I'm being accused of murder." Senka finally responds and her expression changes to one of annoyance. This action completely belies her appearance of a porcelain-faced doll and would have been thought of as impossible, if they had not performed an in-depth scan of her body. She is basically a moving corpse, and no scientific explanation could be found for how she does it, although the anima specialist correlates the phenomenon with her immense Sieval levels. "Someone got a heart attack and died when I appeared out of thin air in the middle of the street."
Her tone is filled with cynicism and Sovialid can understand where she is coming from. Normally, it would be filed away as an accident - if it was not for the fact that she was monitored absorbing the Sieval from the victim as it escaped his body. Complicating the matter is that the victim also happened to be a Trombulan, a race with famously high Sieval levels. While she does seem to be unaware of that phenomenon herself, there have been many cases of criminals from certain species attacking them to steal their Sieval. Senka's own immense level might suggest an intentional connection, although it could be entirely coincidental, too.
"Is that enough of a reason to keep me here?" She inquires and looks around while barely moving her head. There used to be a popular holo-experience where a living doll chases the players, but it was discontinued after a Trombulan suffered a major anxiety attack in it. Why a member of such a notoriously weak-hearted species even tried it out is questionable in the first place, but the fact remains a stain on the company's name. "Actually, I'd like to talk to my lawyer."
"What is a lawyer?" Sovialid asks and would have lifted an eyebrow, if he had any. His expression, paired with the mechanical voice, has earned him plenty of jokes from superiors, subordinates and criminals he has taken in, about him actually being a robot.
"... you know Earth, but don't know what a lawyers is?" The living doll looks at him in disbelief, but then leans backwards on her metal chair with a resigning expression.
"Oh, you mean a legal representative. That system has been abolished a long time ago." Clicking his mandibles, Sovialid comes to the realization as to what Senka means. "We have the Quanton Justiciar system, which comes to a verdict with no need to involve any irrational petitioning and emotion-driven responses."
"That sounds like a system that can be easily rigged..." It is understandable for citizens of a planet with a less advanced level of technology to think that way, but there has not been a single wrong decision since their implementation. Sovialid believes that she will be acquitted of the charges, but due to her Sieval level, which is as high as that of the highest ranked Star Guardians, she will receive an overwhelming amount of soliciting.
"Off the records." The officer speaks the phrase to pause the voice recording. "From the circumstantial evidence, and in my personal opinion, you are innocent. Trombulans are easily scared and oftentimes sever their tails upon a loud noise. The recording shows that you appeared out of nowhere, and while teleportation technology is in a gray area, it is not illegal."
"How much weight does your word carry?" Senka asks with understandable skepticism, and the Aphilean officer gurgles a sigh again.
"Just appreciate my sentiment, even if I may not sound very sincere with my lack of expressiveness and robot-like voice. The Quanton Justiciar system has all the authority and will not be overturned by anyone's personal opinions." Upon these words the doll-like girl lowers her gaze apologetically.
"I'm sorry... you're right, I'm venting against the wrong person." She finally says and smiles, the stitches on her cheeks stretching to reveal even her molars. If Sovialid had entered the room at this time, it would have scared the living daylights out of him. But now he finds it a little charming, even if it still remains very disturbing to look at.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"I believe you should go free by the end of tomorrow at the latest." He states confidently, even if it does not translate well due to his physical shortcomings.
"The verdict is guilty. You will serve a celestial lifespan sentence of imprisonment at the Blackpoint Maximum Security Bastille." The mechanical voice representative of the Quanton Justicar system states in a matter of fact tone. A symbolic sound reminiscent of a judge's gavel hitting the sound block echoes through the needlessly large halls of justice and Senka is taken away from the defendant's stand, her face remaining completely expressionless as if she anticipated such an outcome from the start.
"Welcome to Blackpoint, prisoner. Please enter the Reclothing Booth to receive your uniform. Enjoy your stay." A pleasant sounding female voice recording plays on repeat as the column of criminals of various ages, genders and sizes are guided out of the transport craft onto the prison space station, aptly named for its location at the edge of a black hole's gravitational field.
Senka steps into the booth, which automatically closes behind her. Once inside, her current clothes are annihilated by a red wave of light, before she is practically packed like a parcel in the prison uniform of an cerulean blue with white trims. All the while, her expression is one of utter non-amusement.
"Say hello to your new roommate." The Aphilean guard from the alpha caste, covered in natural heavy armor and of a stocky but tall build that towers over Senka at twice her height, guides the doll-like girl into her cell. "This is Prisoner OS72, give her a warm welcome, Prisoner OS69."
On the lower bunk bed inside the room sits a well-endowed and beautiful woman, looking barely over twenty. She sports long straight natural-looking red hair, green eyes and a rather pale complexion that contrasts well with her prison uniform. Her most notable features are her extremely long and pointy ears, which are flopping downwards like those of a scolded dog. Coupled with her expression, she radiates submissiveness - or boredom, depending on how one looks at her.
"Prisoner OS69 is an eldar and serves a life sentence as well, so the both of you will have a lot of time to get chummy in here, until here eventually ends up there." The guard points at the wall opposite of the door, which is completely transparent and gives an incredible view of the black hole outside. It acts as a constant reminder of one's status as a prisoner who can be jettisoned into space at any moment, should one misbehave. "I say eventually, but I'm retiring tomorrow, so I won't be seeing either of you around." A strange repetitive sound emerges from his strong mandibles, which may be laughter.
With this, Senka is ushered inside and the door is closed behind her. Aside from the two bunk beds, the small room is furnished with a small sectioned off area with a showerhead sticking out of the wall, over an automatic toilet and a shallow sink inside which a suicidal prisoner could not drown himself. A very bleak abode, even if it's squeaky clean and almost sterile-looking.
"Um... hello. My name is Olethea Sykoria..." The eldar introduces herself with a shy smile.
"Ootsuki Senka..." The doll-like girl responds after a short pause during which she looks her roommate up and down. An eldar is basically a space elf, and this one fits the description of one perfectly: An almost otherworldly beauty that will never wane over a virtually eternal lifespan, pointy long ears and a figure that can enchant any mortal.
"So... what are you in for, if I may ask?" Olethea asks cautiously. It is quite apparent that she has a very agreeable personality, and her manners are proper despite their locality and Senka's appearance.
"I don't really know... something about killing a Trombulan for his Sieval." Pacing through the room, she responds in a casual tone. She has had enough life experiences to know that one can never trust those who act nice in prison - at least not blindly. That mistake has cost many their peace of mind or even lives. "And you?"
"I killed the President of the Galactic Republic." She responds with a bashful smile and scratches her cheek in embarrassment. For a moment, Senka looks at her expressionlessly, before she rubs the bridge of her nose and turns away to take a deep breath.
"Hey, isn't this a little too abrupt?" She says towards something only she can see. "Only because that other story's taken off into space, you make this instantly high sci-fi? You're going to lose a lot of people over this choice..." Pausing for a bit to put her face in her palm, she seems to feel a little faint, as she leans on the transparent wall and looks at the black hole outside. "Even I can't survive that, you know? Then again, I'd rather take a dip, than spend eternity locked in a space prison cell."
"Who are you talking to, Senka?" Olethea asks as she stretches her neck a little. Her expression changes and it becomes clear that she was not being submissive earlier, only very bored. Spinning her head around in shock, the doll-like girl stares at the eldar in disbelief, before turning back to the invisible person she seems to be talking to.
"Wait, don't tell me she... oh no, you didn't!" Her voice is beginning to sound desperate and angry.
"Oh, is this the famous fourth-wall breaking thing?" Looking into the general direction of where Senka seems to be talking towards, Olethea asks in innocent thoughtfulness while tilting her head slightly. Then she waves with a radiant smile. "Hi~ I'm Olethea Sykoria, hyper-dimensional assassin for hire. Very nice to meet you~ ♪"