Perfection in White

Sequel to Legend of the Black Rose

The Trial of Peeta Mellark

Chapter 6

A New Administration

One week later, Hanger Bay, District 13: Coin's removal from office.

D-13's Hanger bay area was converted for Coin's trial. A panel of five Victors were asked to participate as Judges in a Panel, tribunal style hearing. Finnick acted as the prosecution & Coin decided to defend herself. Of course one has to remember the saying 'to represent oneself as a fool for a client.' It was Boggs who read the charges to Coin when he opened the Tribunal with:

"Alma Louise Coin, you are charged with the following;

1) Treason while leading the rebellion you gave vital information to President Snow costing thousands of lives.

2) Conspiracy to commit murder of the Mocking Jay, her unborn children & the Tributes from the 74th Hunger games.

3) Conspiracy to commit Kidnapping of the Mocking Jay & her unborn children.

4) Espionage & aiding the enemy multiple counts

5) Murder of the Little Mocking Jay, Rue Stone age 12, a minor

6) 1500 counts of attempted murder from the bombings.

7) Multiple counts of assault on the citizens of District 13.

8) Murder of the citizens of District 8 by nuclear attack.

What is your plea?"

Without hesitation Coin plead not guilty & stated as the President of the Rebellion she is not subject to trial as executive privilege furthermore, she moves that the trial be postponed to review the evidence & interview the witnesses against her. The judges denied her request stating she can have her chance during cross examination. Finnick's opening statement said it all. It was what made him so desirable in the capitol all those years. Finnick opened with:
"Ladies & gentlemen of the panel:
Alma Louise Coin tricked many of the citizens of Panem into this rebellion under the guise to free our children from the Hunger Games & the current government regime. When she was chosen as our President she promised that we will live as free people from this nightmare. Her way of doing this, by giving us on a silver platter to President Snow. She gave vital information to the enemy that injuried thousands & cost hundreds of lives including the Little Micking Jay, 74th Tribute/Victor Rue Stone daughter to Cato & Katniss Stone. She single handedly wiped out District 8 by nuclear attack, by supplying Snow with a nuclear warhead. When Alma Coin did that she signed every man, woman & child's death warrant there. Yet Coin tells her partner in crime that its means to an end. Human life is never means to an end. The evidence that will be provided will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Alma Louise Coin is guilty & should be sentenced accordingly. Thank you."

Alma Coin gets up for her opening statement:
"Power hungry people have brought you here today in a fake trial to make a mockery of justice. There is no way that I could do the things that I am accused of. There is no evidence other than what was fabracated by the prosecution's witnesses. I am innocent of these charges & when exonerated & reinstated has your president, I will bring swift justice to those who falsely accuse me of these vicious crimes.-Thank you."
Coin sits back down confident, thinking that they have nothing or, they didn't get proper authority (her authority to be exact) therefore she could quash it because of fruit of the poisonous tree. Coin is about to get a lesson that she would never soon forget as the first witness is called.

Finnick decided to come out swinging his first witness was none other than her second in command, Boggs. Boggs showing how he got her authority to perform the investigation itself. Which led to showing all the transmissions between her & Snow. How she commented about Rue's death being 'tragic but nesscessary' to fracture Cato from the Mocking Jay. To silence both voices of the rebellion therefore losing their backbone & reason to fight. This was news to Rue's parents has they sat there taking it all in. Where you see rage from Cato, you see shock then sadness in Katniss on the outside. On the inside pure anger & rage on the Mocking Jay.

Coin immediately moved to quash until said evidence can be authenicated & Boggs testimony thrown out for there was no proper authority given to perform such an investigation, which was denied when Finnick Brought Gale to the stand which had everything time stamped & dated including Coin's permission to perform the investigation. Coin was ruthless in her cross examination to both Gale & Boggs.

Finnick then called Clove to the stand because she was a victim of the bombing that killed Rue. Finnick introduced her medical report that showed she miscarried because of the bombing. Cato was amazed how she kept it together for her testimony.

When Coin crossed examined her, it took everything Clove had not to haul off & deck Coin. Coin called her a failure for not protecting Rue like she was assigned to. Coin then moved that the murder charge stemming from Rue's death be dismissed because she is not responsbile for incompetent bodyguards. Coin then further stated "If a bodyguard can't seem to do her job as assigned & fail to protect her charge a 12 year old child then, she should face charges of murder as well for her incompetentce. " Cato saw it then, the guilt in Clove eyes. Clove thought she was a failure. She's taking this verbal beat down because of the guilt she still felt over it. So we thought for, when Clove gets pissed watch out. Clove fired back her reply. It was what convicted Coin later on. "Rue would still be alive today if YOU hadn't GIVEN SNOW those schematics of the weakest spot of 13 & told him to listen to the medics radio channel, COIN. So who's incomptent now BITCH?" This brought an immediate reaction from Coin when she back-handed Clove in the witness box. Clove in turn had a knife to Coin's throat faster than anyone could blink. Clove looked to Cato who shook his head. Phoenix then walked up & took the knife from her as security removed Coin from the witnesses reach.

Judge "ENOUGH! Alma Coin you now have an additional charge of striking a soldier of the rebellion & her unborn child. You will hence forth cross examine from your table or, you will be shackled there. Clove, please accept the courts apologises for the hurt inflicted upon you today." Clove nodded as she was allowed to leave the witness stand. Finncik then called Jackson to the stand followed by Legg1 & Legg2. Then the biggest surpise came to the court when the next witness came in; Platauch Havensbee Snow's former Head Game Maker who testified that the recordings were true & turned over his originals the Judge himself. Plat then testified that "after the rebellion was over Snow was going to promote Coin as second in command for about six months before she died in an 'accident' like Brutus's brother Brice did when Snow & Coin had Romulus kill Brice to get to Brutus." Finnick then called Haymitch, Phoenix, then Cato & in the tradition of saving the best for last, Finnick called in The Mocking Jay, Katniss Everdeen-Stone.

Katniss testified what Coin is really like, how she treated her & in turn Cato for us training & protecting Rue. But what got Cato's attention was when Katniss came up with the idea after she overheard a transmission the day Rue died on her way back from medical. Instead of telling Cato, she went immediately to Boggs because "I reconized the voice as Coin. (there was a murmur throughout the court as she continued) I knew if I told Cato it would put him in immediate danger. That's a line I will not cross. By then Boggs was already starting an investigation on Gale's 'missing transmission' programs. What I overheard was Coin telling the receiver where to find them & Cato's codes into planning. I told Boggs verbatim what was said. I was ordered not to reveal anything to anybody."
From his seat Cato put two & two together. Now he realizes why Katniss was in so many pro-pos meetings just before Rue died. She was giving her statement to Boggs & Gale. She was protecting him & Rue. The trial was a blur after that.

In the end it took the jury less than 3 hours to convict Alma Coin on all charges. In the sentencing phrase of the trial, there were so many impact statements given on the pain Coin caused in her trickery to free us from Snow, the lost of their loved ones that it took twice as long as the trial to get them all in. Katniss had Cato read theirs. She just couldn't do it without losing it, it was too much for her. It got to the point that Katniss & Clove had to sit outside while Glimmer was in there when Phoenix & Cato read their statements. Cato ended his statement saying;

"You notice that my wife, the Mocking Jay is not in here today. People will think she doesn't care or, is cold because Rue was adopted. Truth be known Katniss is one of the most selfless, caring, strongest people I ever known in my life. When Katniss was only 11 years old, took the responsibilities of running the household & caring for her younger sister who was almost 7 at the time becoming a second mother to Prim when her father died in a mining explosion. Forsaking her own childhood to care & provide for her family on her own. When the games were stopped her mother died from a heart attack because of her being notified of Katniss's death & she couldn't get to her sister Prim, she made sure Prim had guardians to care for her. Even then never a day went by that she didn't think of her. This was just after she was stabbed by Peeta. She didn't think of herself or, have a pity party. Her thoughts were of arena, the remaining tributes' survival, to care for our daughter Rue. To keep us, all of us safe from harm even though she was still recovering from a serious knife injury herself,we were always her top priority.
Yet everybody has their breaking point, this trial was it for Katniss. It's bad when a love one who has given so much to others & receive so little in her short life, felt that she had to beg me, her husband not to come in here & ask me to speak on her behalf. I can say this for the two of us, we hope no parent will suffer the lost of their child like we did. As for myself, if the court should need an executioner, I will be glad to provide my training, experience & services to that endevor in this case for Rue & for Katniss.

The Judges came back to pass sentence. Although it was no surprise that she & the others that followed were sentenced to death, the Judges felt poetic justice or some type of karma should be included as payback.
The Chief Justice then past judgement & sentence:

"Alma Louise Coin. You have been found guilty on ALL charges including an additional charge of assault of a Soldier in this court. Words can not express how disgusted I am with you. Your betrayal for everything we hold dear, using our lives as a grounds for your selfishness to promote yourself. Recruiting us for YOUR cause in one hand while stabbing us in the back with the other by giving important information & materials to AID THE ENEMY. With that being said for all charges combined, I hereby sentence you to death via the Hunger Games. You want the games to stay, now you can participate in them as a tribute yourself like so many of Panem's children have done. You will be placed in the POW camp with your comrades until the time of YOUR execution where you WILL face your executioner from a Tribute of 74th games. YOU WILL FACE THE MOCKING JAY in an arena of HER choosing. Until then guards get this worthless piece of shit out of my court. Court is a journed."

As left Phoenix looked at Cato who got up & went to where Katniss & Clove were. They watched the whole thing on the TV screen. Katniss never wanted to be in any arena again, now has to play executioner in one.

Late in the night there was a deposit into the POW camp also known has the haunted arena. Phoenix & Marvel personally made sure she was put in there with her comrades. Has with the others she had an tracker inserted into her arm & was given a back pack with the bare basics for survival. As Phoenix threw her off the plane he told her, "I wish it was Cato or, Clove as your executioner. Katniss will be too merciful. She won't make you suffer like you made us suffered when you murdered our children (as she lands on the ground), you bitch." Phoenix closes the door as the plane takes off.

Alma Coin looks around warily has she walks to the cornucopia where the others are. As Coin walks through the woods, she notices a silhouette of a young man then all of a sudden she screams as she thrown on the ground. Yet there is no one there...

In the days that followed, Boggs & Haymitch were running the rebellion with Brutus as second in command in case something happens to either one of them. Cato is now being trained to take over in Brutus's place for second in command. Marvel & Clove is training for Cato's place in planning & promises Cato that both he & Glimmer will protect Katniss & company with everything they got. Phoenix & Thresh will be Katniss's bodyguards until after Clove delivers. Glimmer for her part helps train others in battle Career style with Johanna. Gale & Madge were married soon after. Gale spent most of his time developing ways to shorten the rebellion without more bloodshed than necessary.

Security give updates on the POW'S which has Boggs & Haymitch concerned. For some reason all female POW'S are being attacked in that arena. Yet they can find no one of that description in the POW camp. Security also moved Cornelia Snow to a different area of 13 after, reassigning her new guards for her protection & have an advocate for her needs. Cornelia is happy about the changes yet she knows she is a Prisoner until the war ends. She still wants to go home but she understand after Cato explained it to her why she can't right now.

Cato becoming a father for the first time has him in over protective mode. He wants Katniss & his children safe. So where ever Katniss goes her guards plus Clove go. "I lost Rue. I almost lost it when you & Cornelia were shot in the meadow. Until the war is over I want you & our children safe. Clove being with you gives Phoenix the peace of mind for being a first time father. Please love, just indulge us a little."
For Katniss's part she is going through the best part of pregnancy, she can eat again. Between her & Clove there seems to be a shortage of strawberries, pickles & anything that has chocolate or, caramel with it. Yet in the back of her mind she knows that after the war is over, she has to go into the arena to be the executioner to the former President of the Rebellion. She hates the thought of it. Katniss doesn't even want to look at an arena let alone go into one again.

6 months later:
With the moles for the Capitol gone the rebellion is back on track. With the information on the code that Havensbee provided shorten the war by years saving, countless lives of the rebels. Several battles were fought became victories for the rebellion. Katniss kept giving propos to get the other districts to join. She gave heartfelt speeches about her experience in the arena & what she later found out that the Capitol had planned for the 74th Tributes.

More reports came from security in charge of the POW camp about the female prisoners being attacked & raped by unseen forces. Finally night cameras were on one night where the heads decided were in for a surprise. Their attacker was none other than Peeta Mellark.
If a POW would go to bathe or, get water by the river, they would find scratches on their backs. Bruises to their faces & upper torso. Each time an 'event' happened there was a sickening laugh with the audio going "I'm still here Seam Rat. Come out come out where ever you are." Finally after one vicious attack where one of Snow's former game makers was raped by the boulders where Peeta was hiding after his escape only to be thrown with such force that she later died, the leaders of the rebellion removed all female POW's including Coin from the arena. When the hovercraft lead in by Cato landed with the others to keep the males penned to collect the female POW's, Cato was even attacked. Has the audio &video was reviewed later you can hear Peeta voice yell "HAYMITCH NOOOOO! That Career is MINE! SHE'S MINE! THE TRAITOR SEAM WHORE IS MINE!" When you look where the old cabin was where there was a bread tree surrounded by black rose bushes you saw him, Peeta Mellark leaning there smiling. You can also see right through him. Then he faded away. This disturbed many in that room including Katniss who was expected to execute Coin in the arena. After the POW's were checked by the medical teams, they were relocated to another camp outside of District 12 within view of the arena that they just left. The message sent to the prisoners, mess up & we'll send you all back in there.

Yet the next sight that all in the rebellion see sickens them.

President Snow has put the capitol's children in front of his mansion has a human shield providing them with little protection from the elements. And winter is coming in hard with its snow storms, the children will die of exposure in less than two weeks if this continues. The rebellion knew that it needed to end this war now for Panem to survive.

Gale & the gang came up with an idea. Instead of carpet bombing the Capitol itself causing multiples injuries & deaths of unarmed civilians, the rebels will use something less evasive. Havensbee will unarm the pods within the Capitol so that no one will die from them. Ground troops will go in to take over grid by grid until the Capitol falls. Air strikes will drop knock out gas for the capitol's troops that are outside. One group will disable the ventilation systems while the remaining Victors along with Cato will go in & get Snow after they set off fumigators of sleeping gas within the mansion itself. If all goes well the capitol's children will be returned to their parents & the rebellion will be over. Panem will no longer have to subject its children as human sacrifices ever again nor its Victors to prostitution. Children can have childhoods again without the threat of the reapings laying in wait for them. Or the threat of death for at the whims of the president.