While this was going on, Royce and Izzy had stumbled across something on their walk, which, while it was different to say the least for Royce, actually brought comfort to Isabella. It was the annual display of public punishments. A reminder to the public that despite the vastness of lawless space, Law and Order were still very much alive.
The display began simply enough with the area of display being marked with all clan warning poles and crest flags, with the host clan's markers being more predominate compared to the guest clans. The primary clan putting on this years display, was the Shogunate Warrior Clan, lead by The Shogun. An yautla clan of single sex live bearers, who had non-violence treaties with the live bearing mixed sex and hermaphrodite sexed Ocean Clan. The Shogun had often hunted humans on earth, and had become influenced by the ordered life of the Japanese Shoguns, and those who were protected under him.
Surprisingly enough, this ordered existence didn't interfere with the Warrior life style of his own peoples, and instead actually supported the clans infrastructure, enabling this small clan to have Honor and Political power it would not have otherwise enjoyed. It didn't hurt either, that due to the clan's close proximity to Hish Space, that it had a non-violence treaty with Ocean Hish Clan, which although was a much larger and stronger clan, had offered the treaty rather than simply absorbing the much smaller and at the time of negotiations, struggling clan, claiming its space, people and grounds as its own. The Ocean Hish Clan believed that charity in the form of helping those in need, was next to Spirituality. Honor, Honesty and Integrity being the other 3 virtues of sentience. Without those, their people were no better than the beasts that the Warriors and Hunters hunted.
For Royce and Isabella, it offered a rather unique look into the mind of the monsters that hunted them. And as Royce wore the armor and mask that had been given to him out of charity, he was able to read aloud to Isabella the red warning ribbons hanging from the black and red skull bedecked warning poles.
"To all who enter these hollowed grounds, no violence of any sort shall be visited upon another, upon pain of death, by law, as enforced by the Arbitrators and Clan Shogunate." Royce read aloud, while holding onto Isabelle's hand. "The path to righteousness and lawfulness begins through the gates of death." he continued. "I wonder what that means." looking over at Izzy.
Looking down, Izzy saw a ribbon lined pathway, leading between the Red Marker Poles. "It's a public display of some sort." she replied, suspecting that this might be something she was familiar with, having grown up in a predominately Muslim world, "Have you seen a public display of justice before Royce?" she asked, wondering if he might become upset at what he might see. "Although such displays are considered barbaric or even sadistic by non-muslim dominated societies, the actual crime rate is a lot lower than the gathered statistics showing violence towards citizens."
"No, I have only read about them, having never had the opportunity to actually observe one, why do you ask?" he replied.
"I know such displays aren't as common in our modern society as it used to be, so I didn't know if you would become upset. Sometimes such displays can be rather, gorey, to those who aren't used to them. Much like seeing your first public execution as a witness. Please don't try to help anyone you see, the punished aren't like the one we tried to help, and I don't want to die today." she replied.
Royce smiled behind the mask, "I won't Izzy, I promise. Besides, if this is a display of Law and Order, it means we might have a chance to argue a case to go back home to Earth." Royce reminded her, knowing it would give her some small hope, even if it was a false hope.
Smiling, Isabella waved her hand forward "Lead on through the red lined road oh great Hunter of Mine." Deep inside, she appreciated Royce's attempt to comfort and offer hope, yet she had already consigned herself to this living death, irregardless of the promise of redemption for past sins committed.
And so he did.
The first display wasn't to far inwards from the entrance poles, and as Royce read aloud the crime of the Rapist, along with his judgment, Isabelle publicly denounced the criminal in the more traditional way of a woman giving voice on behalf of his victim.
"This unworthy male had been found guilty of the crime of forced breeding with an unwilling female. His punishment is to be branded as a Bad Blood, and to halt any continuation of his line, castration is his judgment." he read, "Bad Blood must be their word for Rapist." Royce added.
It didn't hurt that the criminal, while being tied by the hands and feet, spread eagle B'ketween two poles, had been castrated in such a manner, that he was still conscious. And although neither could understand his begging them for help to die or the mercy of death, rather than the shame of life, the cloaked Arbitrators allowed Isabella her voice. Recorded and translated for a report to the Shogun regarding the presence of two Prey to the Arbitration Display. For to them, crimes against women were a disgrace to societies as a whole. And the humans presence here meant that the species might not be as lawless as mindless animals as once thought. Although once she picked up the traditional beating stick to shake at the "Disgrace of a Man", one did uncloak in front of Royce and gently motioned for them to move onward, as a test of the Lawful sentience of the 2 humans present.
Startled, Royce, with some trepidation, and desperately trusting in the Red Ribbon of Protection for all who entered, lightly grabbed Isabelle's arm, and began to tug gently as he tried to walk forward. "Umm, Izzy, perhaps we should be going."
"Huh, Oh!" glancing over and seeing the uncloaked version of the Law. "Okay, sorry I was taking so long, such sorry excuses for manhood always get me worked up." turning in Royce's grasp and walking backwards while still shaking the stick, she continued to hurl a few more choice epitaphs at the Rapist, before dropping her stick and walking forward with Royce.
The second display, Thieves, although no-one was on display, had various limbs, set out upon a table.
"These are the thieves." Feeling more and more hopeful by the minute, She pointed out to Royce, who read aloud the red ribbon of judgment.
"For the crimes of stealing property, trophies, and ignoring repeated warnings to turn from such lawlessness, the following limbs were removed from those unworthy to call themselves Hunters, Warriors, Citizens. These Bad Bloods are not sentenced to death, and will have the opportunity to regain honor, if not positions, in society." looking at Isabelle in surprise, "Looks like my earlier assumption of Bad Blood being an identifier of a criminal, is instead the word for criminal."
"I wonder if they punish those who hurt children." she mused aloud, before looking to Royce. "At least we know what the word for criminal is. Do you think that is why we were brought here? Because we might have been mistaken for our societies version of Bad Bloods?"
"As much as I want to agree with you Izzy, I don't think that's why we were brought here. Remember, those who hunted us, considered it almost a sport." Royce replied. "Lets continue before we upset the Law with over staying."
"Ok' she replied.
The third display, was rather upsetting to both of them, not so much in that it was a display of the law of the Servant, so much as it involved a child.
"To those who stand as witness, this young one is being punished for the crime of running away from his master. While his family has been punished, for one as young as this, should never be sold into indenture, poverty and the opportunity of a B'ketter life led the family down the wrong path. Be it known to all who stand witness, that the punishment of a servant who flees, is 200 hard lashes with the whip, the court has taken into consideration both the age and condition of said servant at the hands of his master, and while he is a child, reduced the sentence of 200 lashes to 20 lashes, of which 2 soft lashes were gently served. The child will be reintroduced to society as though his crime had never taken place, and his contract for employment and skill instruction is open for anyone who will take it upon himself or herself to provide a stable and caring environment, while providing said child with the rights to learn a skill to support himself as required by law. His contract is for 7 years, upon which time, the child will have earned enough money to begin life as a productive member of society, along with the required notice of completion of age, to begin training for the trails of adulthood." Royce read this, and at the end, removed his helm to B'ketter see the child.
The young one, although chained to a post by the wrist, had been allowed the small comfort of being allowed to sit upon a hide upon the ground. Silent tears slid down his face, and although he looked up in surprise, and not a little fear towards the two humans, which to him had up until now, been the stuff of nightmare stories told to bad children, couldn't stop a soft sob, and both Royce and Isabelle wrapped him in a hug, offering to him the only source of solace that they could. It hurt each to the depths of their heart, that neither had the means, nor the funds to free the child, nor raise him, who was all of 10 earth years in age.
"Don't cry small one, the court won't let you go to a bad master." Izzy murmured, wiping the child's tears away gently, allowing him to cry on her shoulder. "I'm sorry we can't take you with us."
"Stay strong, for although you are being punished, you did the right thing by standing up against a tyrant." Royce spoke, gently squeezing the child's shoulder. Both having risked the punishment of the Arbitrator by offering this physical comfort to one so young.
No such punishment appeared, and after they were gone, the one guarding the child, gently explained that the "Humans" were honored Prey, and had they had the means, might have been able to purchase his contract, and perhaps begin his training as a future warrior. The child endeavored to be more braver in withstanding his punishment, which earned him a gentle reassuring shake on his shoulder from his guard.
Behind the child, and out of his sight, the remains of his master were to be found as the display of One Who Preys Upon The Weak.
"For the crimes of preying on those who were weak and helpless, stealing money justly earned, and murder of a child, in the presence of a child, which resulted in the servant prior seen running from his master, this One has been sentenced to death. The moneys kept are to be distributed amongst his 7 victims, with all indentured contracts going to the highest bidders of Investigated upstanding reputation, for the furtherance of skills training and a brighter future." Royce read as he and Isabelle gazed upon the dismembered corpse of what had once been the young child's master.
Neither said a word, since what words can one speak, when one can barely take care of oneself, and having served oneself or even a government, some of which preyed on those weaker? With a much quieter and more somber mood, they continued to the fourth and final display, Murder.
"For the crime of murder, the following 4 have been sentenced to death." Royce read from the ribbon on the Red and Black Pole next to the four skinned and decapitated corpses. The heads had been impaled upon spears and sat in front of the former owners. Of the skins, there was no evidence.
Isabelle spat upon the ground, "Good riddance to Bad Blood." was all she said, before spying the path, which led to the refreshment table. "Royce, all of this violence has upset me, perhaps we can find a quiet place to sit and refresh ourselves while pondering upon the weight of the law as we have witnessed." she pointed towards the tables with bags upon them.
Looking at her, Royce nodded, and led the way towards the designated area, which had small sections set up for sitting and resting.
"Royce? See which bags are ours, please" she asked, suddenly finding herself extremely exhausted. Not even thinking that maybe there wouldn't be any refreshment, so close to identical to such displays from her country, had this alien display of justice been.
Looking at her, and not having the heart to point out that neither were on earth, he did as she had bid, and was pleasantly surprised to find two bags, each with his and Izzy's name upon the tags. Carrying them back over to her, he joined her and as she opened hers, spoke, "Don't you find this just a little morbid Izzy? I mean, the refreshments, not the punishments."
"No," She said softly, "It would be morbid without the refreshments reminding us that we are still good people, and that we still live and therefore have a chance at being productive citizens, maybe even citizens in this society."
Royce gently pulled her close, his excitement at learning that the monsters were not just lawless serial killers, hunting humans simply for sport, dampened by the heartache he saw in her face. "If you don't, Izzy, then I won't either." With that he opened his bag, and spied his sandwich neatly wrapped beneath the familiar fruit of his planet.
"Trade you my "Ooman skull" sandwich for yours" he said, trying to lighten Isabelle's heart.
"No, I want to eat my "Kiahnde Ameeda skulls" she replied, trying to pronounce the words for Hard Meat drones, and giving him a half hearted smiled."trade you my apple for your orange tho."
"Ok" he replied, sipping on his juice, and nearly choking as he discovered his juice wasn't for kids. "Wow, you might want to try your juice, it's definitely a pick-me-upper." he smiled at Izzy.
Izzy did, and both grinned like little kids at each other.
And despite both being adults, each were children to the laws of the society each had just witnessed the justice of, and Royce was the youngest of both cultures represented.