Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 485: Opening Statements

The court room sat in silence as the prosecutor for this case grinned while glancing at the clock. The lawyer assigned to Jace Hex, a Sima that survived the recent purge, shifted nervously in his seat and dabbed his head with a handkerchief. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

"I think we can start this off. Since he has not appeared we can assume that he is not going to show up." The prosecutor stood up with a grin. "Let’s just get this over with."

"What! No! We cannot. He was given until seven and he still has a few minutes left." The sima Lawyer insisted. "You cannot start the trial without his presence. Especially since it was the courts who were bringing him here." He looked at the group of judges. Some of which flinched and looked away. Likely already aware that there was an issue with bridging him here.

"Mister Handsole, do not insinuate that the courts nor the judges up here are intentionally attempting to botch this case." The one who spoke up was an older mar’talic. He was actually one of the few who were not corrupt among this group.

"You are right, I apologize." Mister Handsole bowed his head slightly.

"It is alright." The man nodded and then looked at the prosecutor. "Prosecutor Skell, you know as well as I do that there was a problem with the transport of the prisoner. They should be bringing him here in a moment."

The door to the room swung open then the audience in the room stood up as Jacquette marched in with Jace following behind her. The guards that followed them just stayed at the door and closed it.

Jacquette and Jace stepped past the wooden gate and into the main area. Jacquette took off her hate and bowed slightly. "Jacquette Rose, we arrived after a few difficulties during transport. I will write up my report later."

"Were they caused by the prisoner?" The prosecutor scoffed. But Jacquette ignored him and continued looking at the speaker. The older mar’talic man.

"Were any of the issues caused by the prisoner?" The speaker asked with a hidden grin. Repeating the prosecutor’s ignored question.

"No, it was caused by a third party." Jacquette bowed and then walked back past Jace. "Good Luck." She whispered before taking up an empty seat in the back and leaning back before falling asleep.

Jace sat next to the Sima Lawyer and offered a hand for the lawyer to shake. He flinched in surprise. "Nice to meet you, Mister Handsole."

"A... pleasure..." He frowned as he shook Jace’s hand.

Jace then sat in his seat and looked to the front. The speaker spoke up with a frown. "Colonel Jace, why did you not salute when you walked in?"

"Because I only have two superior officers unless one of them says otherwise. So despite my rank of Colonel, I do not have to salute a General like yourself unless one of them says I have to." Jace explained.

"Hm... Very well. Let us start." He stood up. "I am Speaker Ta’Maz, I am also a General with the Military branch. I will be in charge of the flow of this trial. To my right are Head Judge of Courts Nessale, Planetary Senator Hun’at, and Solar Congressman Illanian." He pointed them out as they went. First the ola, then the Mar’talic, and finally the Sima. "Then to my left are Business Commissioner Tor’as, Colonel Elenas, and System Senator Pusah." This time he pointed to a mar’talic, a female accer, and then a Hydragentia.

"The people would like to charge Jace Hex with multiple crimes. The list of which is too long to go over in a courtroom." Prosecutor Skell informed them. But was then drowned out by a roar of a crowd from outside the courtroom. "Like I said the people-"

BING!

They all looked to some of the windows where various thrown objects like fruits or bricks were bouncing off a shield that probably covered the outside of the building. "I do not think the ’people’ are agreeing with you Skell." Jace chuckled as he nodded at the broadcasting device that was recording the images live and probably transmitting holographic and two dimensional footage. It was doing it both ways because the majority of human territories still lacked hologram technology. They were still stuck with interactive screens.

Skell sucked in his breath and glared at Jace with something that looked like annoyance. Which made sense. Skell had constructed this complex story that painted Jace as a villain but neither him nor apparently anyone else wanted to hear it.

"Colonel Jace, please do not speak unless permitted. This is your only warning." Speaker Ta’Maz reminded him.

Jace raised his hands and bowed his head in surrender before leaning back in his chair. Speaker Ta’Maz then turned and waved at Skell for him to continue.

"The people are charging Jace Hex with a number of crimes. Along with several war crimes as well. All the way from his days as a juvenile to his most recent missions where he publicly tortured someone for information." Skell explained.

"Very well," Speaker Ta’Maz looked to Jace who stood up since he was about to be addressed. "Colonel Jace, how would you like to plead to these crimes?"

"Guilty to most but there are a few that I am not guilty of. Give me a moment." Jace grabbed a datapad from Handsole and then swiped through it until he nodded. "Okay, I just sent the list to your respective devices. Please peruse it at your leisure."

Speaker Ta’Maz looked confused before picking up his datapad and looking through the list. While Jace glanced over at Prosecutor Skell who was looking completely confused. Jace’s Attorney Handsole was moving and looking through his opening statement and preparing. He was already aware that Jace planned to plead guilty to most but not guilty to some.

"Colonel Jace, is there a particular reason you are not pleading guilty to these crimes. Because compared to the ones that you did commit, they seem much more... tame." Speaker Ta’Maz explained his confusion as he set down his datapad. He finished reading faster than any of the others or even the Prosecutor.

"Because they are crimes I did not commit. I am fine with being charged with crimes I have committed but not of crimes I did not commit." Jace answered and received a deadpan stare back. Jace shrugged, "what? They were still committed just not by me which is something Prosecutor Skell will have to pursue following this trial."

Speaker Ta’Maz seemed to understand Jace’s explanation when the Hydragentia, System Senator Pusah if Jace recalls correctly, leaned over and whispered to Speaker Ta’Maz. He nodded his head and then spoke up again. "Are you sure that you want to admit to the various war crimes listed here? If you do so it gives the other countries an excuse to sue for peace."

"Positive. I will explain and cite the appropriate sources once we get started so you may understand." Jace explained as he motioned to his seat. "Would you like me to sit down so we may begin?"

Speaker Ta’Maz looked at Pusah who shook her head and then at the others who also shook their heads as well. He then waved at Jace’s seat. "Please be seated. Prosecutor Skell. You have the floor."

"Thank you Speaker Ta’Maz." He moved to the center of the courtroom and looked at all of the judges. "We are here today to determine whether or not to charge one Jace Hex of the Victorium Military Cerberus Branch. On account of multiple crimes ranging from torture to vadalism. With just about every type of crime in between included. This is a man with a clear lack of guilt since he openly admits to his crimes. The first crime..." Prosecutor Skell droned on for over a few hours. Going through each crime. Jace had to resist the urge to jump in and correct him multiple times. But it was interesting to see what the investigators thought occurred instead. "... Thank you and please convict Jace Hex of all the crimes I have just listed."

Speaker Ta’Maz looked like he was staring off into space before Pusah nudged him with her arm and he flinched and then sat forward. "Thank you for your opening statement, Prosecutor Skell. You may sit down now. Attorney Handsole, it is your turn to provide an opening statement. Please... keep it short."

"Gladly." Attorney Handsole waddled out to the other side of the table. Good Afternoon now, your honors. Please do not convict my client, Colonel Jace on account of his reputation and service for not only the Victorium but the time he served in the Vexical Military and the joint unit between the two countries before the Vexical joined our nation. He has done a number of troubling things. But typically in service to his nation or his own survival. Thank you for your time." He then bowed and moved back around to his seat.

Speaker Ta’Maz sighed. "Good. Now we can start off with whether or not Colonel Jace can apply for bail."