Eris on Cardamine

[Omicron]

Crowd's eyes were full of hatred, bad wishing fury and vengeance. Dozen people in military uniforms - be it improvised or still intact original pieces of their original post stared ominously at him, being kept at bay only by discipline and detail of soldiers. Heralding voice was surprisingly calm, silencing entire room in moment's notice. Right in front of John on the wall behind the judge a symbol, an eye, familiar and well known to him - was now an ominous presage. Horus Eye, symbol that The Order has chosen as its own, fading slowly to background's grey as if left unattended for years. Before he could take some of the details of the crowd surrounding him, a guard publicly humiliates John with stock of his rifle, putting him back to ground level.

Guards force him back to face the court, being so distant and out of the reach. Collective of five individuals reside behind the long desk. At the center, the highest seat, is the person responsible for gathering. A military type with graying hair, a face all too well known to once the famous doctor in entire Sirius sector. Still recovering the sight Doc had problems with identifying any of the other present people, including awfully familiar judge. Another officer at his far right clears his throat, interrupting silence that stretched few unsettling moments to John.

"Prisoner of war known as John Holiday, captured and finally brought to face a trial under wrathful light of justice."

With each following second, gravity of situation started to crush him, atmosphere thickens and building up as witnesses suppress their emotions. Perhaps a promise of quick and impending resolution rather than weeks of uncertainty spent in isolation will grant him peace of mind no matter the outcome.

"Judges in this trial are as follows...

...Commander Alain Girard

Butcher of Orleanais. Morally disputed human that has taken difficult choices when his commanding officers failed to take action. His surviving contingent saught out Order and offered everything they've got.

...Elder Isabella Blanxart

Last Corsair Elder alive to comprehend importance of things to come. Remainder of her familia got through to join remnants of The Order while Crete economically collapsed as Great Starvation decimated population and Empire itself was overrun by Nomads.

...Director Nick O'Brien

Traitor to Liberty republic, formerly leader of Liberty Security Force. In event of realization as Liberty's might was out-dwarfed by Nomad's masterminded intrigue, he handed over all secrets of Liberty to Order command as houses were about to enter apocalyptic stages of Sirian's last war.

...Commander Ashley Golanska

Daughter of Order admiral, responsible for capturing of Holiday himself during a raid. While youngest of the judges, she was given a chance to take part given her achievements in making this trial possible.

...Admiral Michal Golanski"

The last and highest judge was identified to John. He was right about knowing him as last judge's name was mentioned. A lot of years have passed since they spoke face to face, both getting old now. Admiral with graying hair is well still in capacity to take gun himself and lead the charge. This particular revelation sent shiver through his spine as leader of The Order for decades now, arrived in person to finish this revengeful show. Demand for blood rising among the witnesses. Golanski stepped out of his post, walking towards the prisoner. As admiral left the crowd, he halted and turn around to address everyone like a showman. It was not meant to be a fair trial for sins they brought him to this very room. A parlay to appease the public through a witch hunt. All of them around seem got used by now to the limited space available on spaceship as if they were doing that for years if not more. It does not look like anyone around is on prisoner's side.

"In front of you, is a living being. Shell of what used to call a human... but how we were wrong about that!" - Michal began his speech with marginalizing John as an unnatural animal, a being that does not belong to this world. "This... 'thing', preferred its current alien overlords over the survival of humans as a species. It allowed to hunt us in our own homes in exchange for it's meaningless life as a slave." Litany of litanies has begun.

"The list of crimes is long and colorful. Siding with the Nomads, 'it' caused the ongoing downfall of the houses as their military forces are now at their final quest for complete mutual destruction, misguided by infiltrators posing as their leaders. What you are looking at, was the most influential and skillful surgeon of our time." Crowd has agreed with brief outburst, seeing John Holiday as a lesser being and out of all: not a human.

"Holiday was among the responsible to shorten and eventually prompt the Zoners to cease trade within Corsair space, inflicting crippling and long lasting effects of food shortages. A desperate civil war has erupted causing the collapse of their government. In those darkest hours, the Nomads came for them. Soon enough Omegas have fallen, one by one." Prisoner has been forced to stay silent, as Golanski is about to continue his lengthy speech.

"Nomads were and are ripping effects of chaos they seeded carefully by planting traitors like Holiday thorough all these years. A total war plot triggered as the infiltrators began turning colonies against each other. And within this prolonged chaos they have finally emerged in their fullest. Tau systems have been subdued into a marionette state - creating a 'refuge' for beings like 'it', a new world built in their vile and twisted vision. But the very presence of this traitor, defiling our ship as a prisoner of war, proves they are not safe even there. This... 'presence' will be rectified in due time after we are done here." Crowd demanded to issue a sentence, silenced by judge Girard.

"Something we used to call "ally", proven to be a willful tool of our greatest enemy we have ever faced. All the help promises were just a bluff... And I saw that since fall of Toledo... all of them remained ignorant the signs of what we call a second Nomad War. As billions die in nuclear fallout, big share of spilled blood is caught at its hands. Our worlds, homes, families are now reduced to ash. But traitors will never be allowed to witness the new beginning, a new Earth. Before we leave Sirius behind, they will know the pain we suffered." Clearly their plan is to leave and begin anew. Golanski was not fully consumed by hatred yet. Thinking practically, offering all those people some meaningful future if they walk through this hell that their lives became, together.

O'Brien wanted to take a voice in this matter, to which Golanski approved. "Over the years the tools houses developed to inform and in a way influence their own population were taken over. Propaganda machine turned against interest of self-preservation, fueling hatred towards the neighbors. At some point the all-out war became the only possible outcome. This was the point of no return. I have witnessed it happening within Liberty... sane minds already lost and only hope remaining is until end of everything: The Order. But remember - it all started with instigators like Holiday. Old woulds were opened all too easily..."

All of the judges had something to say along the line, Blanxart added: "As we left Crete, we took shelter in Rheinland space to gain resources for our further endeavor. What we have seen there was extra-ordinary. Unlike the rest of the houses Rheinland proved to be the most stable entity until the time came. Following the decadent years and lowered security Nomads have managed to crawl back into power. They have artificially keep this house uniformly and alive, seemingly improving even. But in truth behind this facade of stability and peace they were slowly raising dangerous tensions within the society. And then all grievances were let out at the same time. Economical collapse and social crash followed as the house of cards fell."

Girard, his story was about clash of the titans... "We had hoped Liberty and Gallia were strong enough to withstand Nomad influence. Royalist Gallia, still having issues with ever-growing rebellions in claimed territories have made a pact with nationalist, police state of Liberty to divide Bretonia between the two and establish a truce. Some would say even a weak peace is better than a great war... it did not last long as Liberty annexed Gallic side of the pact, just as Nomads had intended."

It was up to daughter of the admiral to explain the final chapters of Kusari. "Civil war between Kishiro-backed corrupted, increasingly isolationist republic and Samura - the benefactors of the die-hard conservative Exiles. Hogosha rushed to power when the war opened for the path for them, but their profit-aligned minds never saw plot of the Nomads set against them all. I have spent the last days of Kusari with Blood Dragons, trying to fight this influence until the two powers unleashed weapons of mass destruction against each other in last attempt to gain complete dominance over Kusari. Ironic how similar they were, yet none of them wanted to share. But it were the Nomad who supplied both sides with such weapons and whispering to use them. We were too late."

Painful reminders of what lead humanity to such a state each story was meant to increase the blood lust against all related to the Nomads. Followed by a satisfying sacrifice death of a high importance traitor. As the judges began to select appropriate punishment in a last grasp to the concept of justice, crowd yet again had to be silenced from death wishes directed towards the soon-to-be sentenced. For all judges the outcome was simple and predetermined. A dramatic delay for a good show measure. There was nothing in their eyes that could justify this. Nothing that would make it up for the insult of enhanced slave race that Holiday got himself assimilated into, posing now as superior to all of humanity. All this and more made him an irredeemable abomination in their eyes, destined for the only "act of mercy": a capital punishment for all contributions leading to this state of affairs. It would not take long for judges to discuss among their own circle for further course of action. Decision had been made long time ago, daughter of admiral was to deliver the word as her father delivered idea that raised eyebrows of all judges.

"Prisoner John Henry Holiday, you have been found guilty by uniform decision of entire board for genocide, betraying the human race, willfully siding with greatest threat humanity has ever faced in our entire history... You are hereby sentenced to death. However we deem that quick death is not a satisfying measure in comparison to the suffering of millions protecting their homes, all the innocent civilians, women and children, our families..." Admiral replaced Ashley to announce the final resolution. "There is no equal way to punish you... but before you die, you will feel and experience what we went through and felt. You will not be the first in line to get executed. Take him away!" He ordered the two marines that kept John in place to move him for final destination. Judges and some chosen among the public have followed to oversee the entire process. It seemed like an eternity for the prisoner. But further they brought him the more fear and anxiety filled him, these were foreign emotions coming from other source. The closer he got to the location where execution was to take place the more intense those feelings became. He could hear screams echoing through the corridors, silenced immediately by unknown person. Emotions the various people felt here in this place when faced with dreadful means of ending their lives.

They arrived into room with wall full of bullet holes and unwashed stains of old blood. Another person was put against the wall already, awaiting immediate execution. The Order have captured Midori Holliday and set her to be done with just like him. Both were able to see each other, Henry's wife eyes were full of paralyzing fear, begging whoever she looked at to spare her. But for The Order she was yet another abomination and an insult to what it means to be a human. John was brought to very specific place to stand and witness the entire event. His hopes that at least his family would be spared were gone. Attempts to break out and do something were swiftly punished by the soldiers, weakened John collapsed. Midori was tied to a pillar to keep her in place. Officer kept performing regular procedures to form a firing line and prepare to fulfill the will of the judges. All of assault rifles were raised, ready to remove remaining spark of life. The second after final order was given, John dropped on the floor. He felt death intensified by losing the dearest person to him, as if the bullets pierced him as well.

He could finally open his eyes to see Midori lying on the ground, feeling her life fading away, with all the thoughts and moments. A final shot by officer ended it. After the shock, it was gone... he could not feel anything. "What you just witnessed is Nomad neural implant that connects two living beings. Sharing emotions, feelings, even thought... He felt her death, intensified by the strong bond between the two..." - a scientist in the crowd was interrupted by admiral Golanski. "Now set him to die again, for good this time." It was not necessary to repeat his stance. The same procedure followed, the firing line formed...

Raising eyes for one last time. With a flicker of lights in the room everything changed: his captors now were twisted grotesque humanoid beings, their slower speech turning into incomprehensible barking noise, bodies and heads twitching in convulsions. Hatred is all he could hear before a moment later everything turned back to what it was followed by single shot.

A low hum echoing far in the distance brought him back, back at the Shrine.

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