Hunting The Stars

by BluePhoenix14

Matthias and his team of bounty hunters are some of the best in the galaxy, able to catch anyone they set their minds to. But, after taking on the task of hunting down members of three scattered royal families who have been missing for years, the group finds themselves getting pulled into the war between the imperious Union and the volatile Resistance - with no way to get out of it

35. The Song of the Blackbird

Me: hmm, I wanna post the next chapter
Also Me: but you have serious writer's block on the chapter after this one
Me: yeaahhhhhh
Also Me: you're gonna post it, aren't you?
Me: already done
Also Me: *sigh*

Yes, I am back, and way ahead of schedule! Yay me! I'm only churning out so many chapters because I'm on holidays currently (winter holidays, because I'm Australian) so this is a good opportunity for me to just write.

Anyway, oh boy, this chapter is huge! It clocks in at about 15,225 words! I'm so sorry! I was going to split it in half, but I was on a roll, so I said: "meh, screw it, let them scroll down forever". The trial is this chapter, so enjoy a lot of legal bullshit! (Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, as will soon become evident)

RECAP (god a lot happened last time):
- Matthew and Alfred have reunited, though Alfred is now badly injured
- The whole gang knows about Arthur being terminally ill. Luckily, the rebels were able to find some medication for him
- The gang also knows that Lukas is present in the resistance. They also know that 'the Lieutenant' is Tino, a famous sniper
- Lukas is going to go into a sort of trance in order to quickly find out the identity of the spy.

NAMES (some are new, some are refreshers):
- Arshad Teymouri: Persian Empire
- Teerapat Sripuy: Thailand
- Yaretzi Chapula: Aztec Empire (it's really hard to find Aztec names, okay? Don't judge)
- Jamael Laroussi: Algeria
- Helena Papadopoulos: OC? (I'm not sure) Anyway, she's Octavia's sister

WARNINGS (IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!):

Okay, so this chapter is 90% legal bullshit, but it does have some more intense scenes, so be warned.

Dubious elements include: use of racial slurs (no offence is meant, and I profusely apologise if any is taken), mentions of torture methods and sex.

- IMPORTANT! - There is a semi-graphic (?) scene of sexual assault in this chapter. I am fully aware of the fact that such content can trigger people, in addition to there being people who simply don't want to read such a thing. The section is toward the very end of the chapter, and has been clearly marked out with double line breaks with some symbols in between them, so, if you don't want to read it, just skip down when you see them. Not much detail is given of the scene afterwards, so all should be well.

- SLIGHTLY LESS IMPORTANT! - There's a scene in which two characters use a foreign language to communicate. I have provided translations in the brackets at the end of the line. It's awkward, but I don't have another way to tell you what it means.

Please reviewwwwwww!

---

Was there was something there?

No, no, no…wrong again…they should quiet down so that it isn't so hard…why are they all so noisy?

Their secrets….

They all seem to have

so very many

deep and dark secrets

.

.

.

why?

What are you trying to hide from me?

I won't tell anyone…

I can't –

Because then –

I'd have to explain –

How I found out in the first place

I need to be faster, but

There's so many of you

So many fighters

With so many secrets…

.

.

But I need to hurry

Because

Even though there's so many of you

I really only need to find one of you.

.

.

---

Resistance Headquarters,
Draak-Zafi Forra, Nyma
29th Maarch

Yao woke in a cold sweat, the nightmare quickly receding from his consciousness. He didn't have to wonder what it had been about. Every nerve in his body and mind felt like it was drawn tight – as if he would snap at any moment, and his resolve to prove his innocence would vanish. He forced his shaking hands to still and sat up, running his hand across his brow.

Well, the day was finally here. His trial.

Yao stood, peering through the window in an attempt to gauge what time it was, when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, slowly, to face the two guards who had approached the barred door. One of them stepped closer, wielding a key, and unlocked the door. He remained still as she approached him, roughly pulled his gloved hands into handcuffs and escorted him out.

He was relieved to finally step out of the cell block. Though it was still fairly hot outside, compared to the relentless humidity which he'd experienced inside the cell, the air felt cool on his skin. He rolled his shoulders, wincing at the aches which spread down his shoulders and neck. Sleeping on the ground was never comfortable, and he wasn't as young as he used to be. He cringed a little when he saw that he was drawing attention. He hadn't been allowed to wash himself at all in days, and he knew that he must look fairly wretched.

Luckily though, as he had been promised, a shower seemed to be where he was headed. His guards dragged him roughly down a dirt slope and frog-marched him towards a shower block. He deduced that it must have been around breakfast time, because the block was completely deserted. He waited patiently as his handcuffs were unlocked, and he was handed a pile of clothes – they were his own, and must have been taken from his tent – along with a towel, soap and other amenities. He sighed in relief, glad that he would finally get to wash his hair again.

The guard shoved him towards one of the stalls – which thankfully had room to get dressed in – and ordered him to "make it quick." He nodded mutely and scurried inside, shutting the door. He placed the pile of clothes carefully on the bench, far enough away from the water that they wouldn't get soaked. He knew for a fact that this stall had always had a faulty water pipe – there was no hot water available. He suppressed his chuckle. If this was the best that Octavia could do to unnerve him, then she really had to try harder.

He turned on the water. Given how hot it was outside, it was lukewarm anyway. He sighed quietly as it raced down his skin, but, bearing in mind the guard's warning, he quickly took to washing himself. He wrinkled his nose at how much dirt and grime came sloughing off his skin. Really, he knew that Octavia was trying to show her tough side, but that didn't mean that she had to deprive him of basic hygiene. He almost attacked his hair with shampoo and conditioner, scrubbing away at the oil that had undoubtedly accumulated there in the past few days. The worst part about having black hair was definitely how dirty it got so quickly. He was reluctant to step out from under the stream of water, and only did so when his guard began to bang on the door impatiently. Cursing at them under his breath, he turned off the water and quickly dried himself, pulling on all of his clean clothes bar his jacket and gloves.

He towelled his long hair frantically, wishing that it could dry quicker than it would. Sighing when he noted that he hadn't been given any sort of brush, he combed through his hair with his fingers, grumbling in displeasure. Realising that his hair was unlikely to cooperate if he tried to braid it, he tugged it up into a high ponytail instead, sighing at the feeling of damp hair on the back of his neck. He pulled on the jacket and gloves quickly, and stepped out, throwing a glower at his guards, noticing as he did that he was taller than both of them.

He was handed a toothbrush, toothpaste and a few breath mints, and quickly took the hint, moving over the sink to clean his teeth. He scowled at then through the mirror as he did so.

"I'll assume that I don't get breakfast, then?" he asked as he rinsed his mouth out. His guards were both silent, glaring. He sighed. "Got it. Great conversation this is."

The pair were quick to handcuff him again, escorting him back out of the block. People had gathered some distance away – trying and failing to look like they weren't staring at him – and were murmuring among themselves. He winced a little as he was pulled forwards faster by his guards. He was surprised to see a frown on one of their faces as she looked back at the crowd. Is she trying to spare me from what they're saying? He wondered. More likely, they were running late and wanted to get there as fast as possible. Yao couldn't fault them for their curiosity, though. Only the judges, witnesses and opposing parties were allowed in the room where he would soon be tried for espionage and treason. Most of these people would never hear the details that were exposed inside.

But their stares raked over his skin. He felt like all of his secrets – every little thing that he would have to admit, were already out in the open. He swallowed. His stomach was tying itself in knots, and not just because of hunger. He took in a deep breath as they approached the building that he would be tried in.

It was one of the few actual physical structures in their base and was used normally as a meeting place for high-ranked officials. Today it would be used to decide his fate. He shuddered slightly as they opened the door and escorted him inside. The room was quite long, with wooden walls and a packed-dirt floor. A high table stood at the far end of the room, next to it was a raised area where people normally spoke. That was likely where the witnesses would be interrogated. Chairs were lined up in rows, though today most of them would go unused. The first row had been pulled forward a bit more than the rest, and had tables arranged in front. He could see a projector screen behind the high table, in clear view of everyone. No doubt, it was to be used to show some of the evidence they had collected.

Everyone else seemed to already be there. He could see Ayshe, seated as close to the front as possible, with Elizabeta next to her. He could also see Tino, Kari, Matthew sitting behind them. He was stunned to see Nelia also seated beside Ines Jakolin. Turning his head to the side as he was pulled forwards, he surveyed the other side of the room. Octavia was there, Ehsan beside her. Zev Batbayaryn and Aelia Gabras also seemed to be witnesses. In their masses, he could also see Mohammed, Raneem, Dalisay and Ali. He relaxed a little upon spotting them.

Yao was dragged up to the front row, where a stake with chains attached had been driven into the ground. Whispering rose around the hall as he was marched up the aisle. His guards unlocked his handcuffs, and locked his newest set of chains in place. He sighed, slumping a little in the chair. All eyes were on him, but he pointedly ignored them, looking up at the high table in front of him. Whenever they had any sort of legal proceeding, they would always appoint three relatively high-ranked officials to acts as judges. His stomach turned over when he noticed that they were already assembled. The three chosen had been Jamael Laroussi (who disliked him, but was sensible), Teerapat Sripuy (who maintained neutrality in most matters) and, his heart leapt, Yaretzi Chapula, seated in the middle. She gave him a welcoming grin, and he felt himself relax. It could have been far worse. He seemed to have been blessed with critical, but not insensible, judges.

Yaretzi cleared her throat, and began to speak. "Now that we are all assembled, we may begin. First of all, good morning, everyone." She received a few mumbled 'good morning's' in return, and a very enthusiastic one from Dalisay Mendoza that made Yao smile. Yaretzi also smiled at her and continued. "We are here this morning to review the charges of espionage and treason made against General Yao Wang by Vice General Octavia Papadopoulos and Vice General Ehsan Karimi. First of all," she said, shuffling some notes in front of her, "we would like to review the charges properly. If you would, Vice General Papadopoulos."

Octavia stood, casting the barest glance at Yao before she straightened up and began to speak. "Vice General Karimi and myself have made charges of espionage and treason against General Yao." She cleared her throat. "We specifically charge him with the use of technology to pass information to enemy cells, sympathising with a Union-centric political cause and manipulating the wider circle of resistance society to obtain an officer's position." Yao gritted his teeth at the last claim. So, she believed that he had manipulated the results of his own election? He should have expected it, but it hurt nonetheless.

Yaretzi nodded to Octavia as she finished speaking and took her seat again. "We acknowledge that these charges have been made, and will endeavour to find the truth of the matter." She said, tone cool and professional. "I must ask, for the record, that Vice Generals Papadopoulos and Karimi state their personal details."

Octavia went first, "Octavia Myrine Papadopoulos, Vice General of the Infantry Branch of the rebel forces. Daughter of Mikenos and Atheena Papadopoulos. Sister of Helena Papadopoulos-Karpusi, former Lieutenant-General. 32 years of age."

"Ehsan Mahyar Karimi, Vice General of the Infantry Branch of the rebel forces. Son of Sohrab Karimi and Fahime Teymouri. Half-brother of Arshad Teymouri, former leader of the resistance. 40 years of age."

Yaretzi nodded to them as they both sat again. "Thank you. Now," she spun her chair a little and turned to face Yao, "in the case of the defendant, an in-depth evaluation is required. The questions concerning your personal details will be more invasive than those asked of Vice Generals Papadopoulos and Karimi. Do you have any objection to this?" Yao shook his head. He knew that it was necessary for Yaretzi to explain what she was asking, and why. He also knew that any objection was pointless. Besides – these questions were likely to be the least invasive of them all, regardless of Yaretzi's warning.

"Okay. Please state your full name."

"Yao Xinyi Wang." He said simply.

"Your date of birth, place of birth and age as of today?"

"I was born on the 10th of Octava, 4475CC, in a village called Zet-San Xi in the Es-Tian province of Yan. I am 36 years old." He saw Ehsan's eyes widen in surprise after he said his age, and had to suppress a grin. No doubt Karimi was a bit shocked to learn that the man that he (until a few days, at least) answered to was younger than him. Yaretzi nodded.

"Your parents?"

"My mother is Ai-Huo, and my father is Ruogang." He answered. Yaretzi nodded, turning to her notes again.

"Are either of your parents currently alive, as far as you are aware?"

Yao hesitated, "I don't have any information as to the status of my parents but…assuming that they are subscribing to the average lifespan on Yan, and that they haven't been affected by any other factors, I would assume that they are still alive, yes."

"Okay." She folded her arms and directed her gaze towards Raneem, who had been in charge of collecting documents and other information for both sides. "Is there any evidence to validate this as the defendant's real identity?"

Raneem nodded, and selected a document from the top of a pile sitting next to her. "Yes," she spoke as she approached the high table, "Resource A; a record of a birth certificate filed in the Es-Tian province in 4475CC." she handed it to Yaretzi, who scrutinised it, Teerapat and Jamael following suit. She nodded, and handed it back to Raneem.

"The court accepts this as valid evidence of your identity." Yaretzi said to Yao. She shuffled through her notes. "The next set of questions concerns your early life and first interactions with rebel cells." She nodded to Octavia. "Vice General Papadopoulos, you may proceed." Octavia nodded and stood. She fixed her gaze on Yao, making eye contact for the first time all morning.

"You were born in the Es-Tian Province, this has been established. Was this also the place in which you were raised?"

Yao nodded. "Yes, I lived in Zet-San Xi until I was 20." Octavia nodded.

"Would you say that you had any particular political influences while growing up?" she inquired.

Yao blinked. "Uh, no, not really. Zet-San is small, and fairly remote. There was never a lot of political engagement there. It was more moralistic teachings, in all honesty." Octavia nodded.

"What was your parents' professions?"

"They were both farmers." He answered.

"Hmm. Now, basic trade policy in the Union tends to favour lower-class workers, does it not?" Yao sighed.

"I suppose so, yes."

"So, given that your parents would be directly impacted – advantaged even – by policies enacted by the Union, would you not agree that it is possible that they would have had a Unionist bias?"

"I mean…it's possible, but my parents never seemed to engage much, politically speaking."

"I see. Did you yourself become politically engaged at any point while you were still living with Zet-San Xi?" Yao suppressed a small smile at her attempt to pronounce his hometown's name correctly.

"Not while I lived within the village, no."

"And at what point did you start to become more engaged with the political environment within Yan, and by extension, the Union?"

"I only really got involved when I moved out of Zet-San."

"And where did you move?"

"Khiqing."

"And that is still located within Es Tian Province, correct?"

"Correct."

"And, was it while living in Khiqing that you first made contact with rebel cells?"

"No, I made contact first while living in Beizaning, also in the Es Tian Province."

"Can you give the details of that first encounter?"

"It- it was in 4502. Late Janwir, I believe."

"Do you recall the exact date?"

"I…no, I don't." Octavia nodded.

"What other details can you provide about this initial contact? Who did you come into contact with?"

"I came into contact with Arshad Teymouri, though he used a false moniker when I first met him. We met in the Beizaning Cultural and Political Archives."

"And why were you at the archives that day?"

"It was where I worked. We met because he was asking me for help in finding certain files…"

---

Beizaning Cultural and Political Archives,
Beizaning, Yan,
Late Janwir, 4502CC

Yao sighed as he flicked through the glossary, the nervous high-schooler next to him fiddling with the straps of her bag. She'd asked him for help in locating information about a certain political party in the Pre-Expansionist era, and he was on the verge of losing his patience. The girl herself had been polite and well-mannered, but the topic itself was remarkably dull. He was, not for the first time, glad that he'd long graduated from school. His eyes finally caught the word, and he quickly examined the texts with information on the topic. He smiled at her kindly.

"Found it! Come on, I'll show you." She jumped a little at his words, flushing red and muttering her thanks as she trailed behind him. He found the section relatively quickly, and sent her off with a stack of relevant information piled into her arms. She thanked him profusely, bowing and blushing so much that he feared she would topple forward.

Yao smiled absently to himself as he roved through the shelves, running his fingers along the spines of the numerous books, manuscripts and photo albums stacked inside. He had fallen in love with the archives from his first visit, and it hadn't taken much persuading by the friendly staff for him to motivate him to start working there, first as a part-timer, and then as his proper occupation. He'd dropped out of the technology course that he'd been studying in order to work full-time here. His parents hadn't been disappointed, just glad that he had found something that he genuinely loved. It paid very well, too, considering that he was the equivalent of an extra-important librarian.

He paused in the row, frowning as he felt a gaze on him. Turning, he flushed nervously as he made eye contact with a tall, dark-skinned man. The man blinked, clearly surprised to have been caught staring, looked away, seemingly flustered. Yao hesitated a moment, before walking over to him.

"Did you need any assistance, sir?" he asked, using Common Standard rather than Yanish. The man blinked.

"Oh, well, I was trying to find the section on the Kovin'Wa Doctrine, but I somehow ended up in the section on–" he paused, flipping over the book he was holding.

"The origins of the Min-yan-ko festival held in Shu-Tuan City?" Yao interrupted, tapping the sign right in front of the man's eyes. He looked at it, and Yao felt a laugh bubble up his throat as the man flushed.

"Ahh, right." He laughed sheepishly. "I'm a fairly terrible navigator." He chuckled awkwardly. Yao was trying and failing not to smile now.

"I can show you the section on Kovin'Wa." he said warmly. The man dropped his hand from the back of his neck, and he smiled.

"That would be wonderful, thank you." He said.

Yao took a moment to look over the man as he moved past him. He was tall – about 6'1'', considering that he was about three inches taller than Yao – and had dark skin like caramel. His hair was so dark it looked nearly black, and was on the long side, though not Yao's kind of long, more just 'slightly over-grown', and was extremely thick and curly. His eyes were obsidian black, and his smile was almost blindingly white. He was quite handsome, and was maybe ten years or so older than Yao. He was wearing a large brown overcoat – sensible, it was very cold out this time of year – over clothes which Yao would describe primarily as smart casual.

As they walked, he engaged the man in conversation. He introduced himself as Iraj Zamani, and said that he had moved to Beizaning only recently from Reycass. Yao listened with interest, and in return offered a few details about himself. He told him a little about Zet-San Xi, and gave him a few tips about the best places to eat and shop in the city. Iraj listened with interest. Yao was actually disappointed when they arrived at the section of the archives about the Kovin'Wa Doctrine.

"Well, here we are," he said, wishing that he could prolong his discussion with the intriguing man a little longer, "Kovin'Wa." He turned around to face him. "Was there anything else you needed?" he asked. Iraj was silent for a moment.

"Well…" he trailed off for a moment, "I would like to get to know you better. Perhaps you could show me some of those good eateries in person?" Yao blinked.

"Are you asking me out?" he asked, verifiably stunned. Iraj gave a smile.

"Essentially."

"Well…okay then. Why not?" he smiled shyly at him. "Do you know where Yue Huanghua's is?" Iraj nodded. Yao shrugged, "how about we meet there tomorrow? My shift ends at 8." Iraj smiled at him, blindingly bright.

"Sounds fantastic."

---

Octavia turned her head towards Yaretzi, Teerapat and Jamael. "No further questions." She said, moving back to her seat. Yao sighed a little. The questions hadn't been too bad so far, but he knew that they were bound to get worse.

"Okay," Yaretzi said, "you met Arshad a few more times after this, correct?" Yao nodded. "As we understand it, your role was collecting information on Yan and sending it to the resistance. Treason carries a penalty of death in the Union. Why did you agree to perform espionage, especially given how harsh the punishment is?"

Yao drew in a deep breath. "I had always been raised with the belief that people were equal. But…well, as I began to become more 'politically engaged' as Octavia phrased it, I came to realise that everything that people spouted about the Union being a harbinger of equality were false. The policies they enacted for their own civilians did help them, yes, but their treatment of people from other planets – mostly those that they wanted to conquer – was appalling."

"Can you recall the first instance in which you viewed the Union with this view? Of their actions being 'appalling', I mean."

"Probably in as early as 4496CC." he admitted. "The Queen of Syhvva was assassinated, along with her husband. Everyone knew that the Union was responsible, though they denied any and all responsibility. I thought – well, I thought that the fact that they were willing to kill someone and orphan two small children was horrifying. No-one else around me seemed to agree – they all saw it as a good thing. I guess that I started to realise, at that point, that there was something off in how they conducted inter-planetary affairs. I only really started to realise the extent of their crimes after the Expansion, though."

Yaretzi nodded. "And, in response to the crimes committed by the Union, you began to sympathise more with opposing ideologies, is that what you're saying?" Yao nodded. He was surprised when Jamael Laroussi leant forward to ask him a question – he and Teerapat had been completely silent up until that point.

"We have established that you worked as an agent of espionage for the resistance for some time. In roughly what time period did you perform these activities?" Yao racked his memory.

"I began spying in Maarch 4502CC, and continued through until about late Juillat of 4503CC. It was about 16 or 17 months, if my math is correct." Jamael nodded, making a note on the paper in front of him.

"Is it true that, during this time, you visited the base of resistance operations – at that time located in the Arden Delta on Apollomina?"

Yao nodded. "Yes, that is true."

"The period of time that you spent at Arden was between Decambyr of 4502CC and Fybwari of 4503CC. Is that correct?" Yao nodded again.

"There are some statements which indicate that you were not treated with a great deal of respect while at Arden. Can you elaborate on this?"

Yao hesitated, then nodded.

---

Resistance Headquarters,
Arden Delta, Apollomina,
11th Decambyr, 4502CC

"I still just can't…" Yao trailed off, staring at his friend in disbelief. "You damn liar, you told me that you weren't anyone important!"

The other man shrugged, grinning sheepishly. "I did say that I had to keep my name secret."

Yao punched him (gently) in the gut. "You're the leader of the entire resistance, I mean…" he shook his head, hoping that he didn't look as awestruck as he felt. "I officially know a celebrity."

Iraj – no, that wasn't his real name – Arshad – threw his head back and laughed. "Do you call all wanted people celebrities? Oh Yao, you are truly far too good for such a dirty business." Yao flushed.

"As are you." He teased in return. Arshad chuckled, and threw his arm around Yao's shoulders, pulling him closer.

"What do you think so far?" he asked, gesturing to the expanse of forested area, and the numerous buildings, tents and shacks proper up underneath.

"I've been here all of an hour!" Yao laughed. "But I do like it. Apollomina is such a beautiful planet, don't you think?" Arshad smiled at him, and nodded.

"I can't argue with that assessment." He said. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was cut off by someone from behind yelling 'Arshad!'. He turned, pulling Yao around with him, as a tall, Daernic woman approached them. She blinked a little in surprise when she spotted Yao, but smiled nonetheless.

"I've been looking for you for ages!" she laughed. Arshad grinned.

"My apologies, I was showing my lovely friend from the archives around." He said. The woman's eyes widened.

"So, you're Blackbird, then?" she asked. Yao blushed a little at the name. Arshad had come up with it. He nodded, and the woman smiled even more, holding out her hand. He shook it. "I'm Helena Papadopoulos." She explained.

"Yao Wang." He responded. She smiled.

"Your intel on the Mikabe Shield System was invaluable." She said, bowing her head slightly to him. "You saved many lives. Thank you."

"Oh!" he waved his hands. "It's- I-, it's my job! That's okay!" Helena laughed at his fumbling and smiled at Arshad.

"I see what you mean. He's adorable." Yao felt his face turn even redder as both Arshad and Helena laughed. She grinned, though was clearly trying to wipe the expression from her face. "Sorry, though I do like to tease." He shrugged, patting his cheeks to see if they were still flaming red. Helena grinned, though her attention was quickly caught by someone behind them, and she waved them over.

"Mohammed! Blackbird's finally come to meet us all!" the man she was beckoning came over, brow furrowing when he spotted Yao. Helena introduced him. "This is Mohammed Hassan, he's a Colonel, so you've gotta respect him." She winked after the statement, which detracted from it's fairly serious nature.

"I'm Yao Wang." He introduced himself. Mohammed nodded, gaze sharp. He turned to Arshad and abruptly began to speak in High Nymian.

"Buraya getirdiğine inanamıyorum" (I can't believe you brought it here) he said, voice low. Arshad's entire body stiffened, and Yao felt his nails dig painfully into his arm.

"Onun adı Yao." (His name is Yao) Arshad responded.

"O bir şaşı göz." (He's a squint-eye) Mohammed said back.

"Bunu söylemeye nasıl cüret edersin!" (How dare you say that?) Arshad snapped at the other man. Mohammed scowled, and the two engaged in a tense, silent standoff before Hassan stepped back, threw Yao a vicious look, and stormed off.

"Onun gibi insanlara güvenemeyiz!" (We can't trust people like him!) The man called over his shoulder. Arshad tensed again, and moved forward, as if he was preparing himself to run after the other and hit him. Yao grabbed his arm.

"What was that all about?" Helena asked, looking puzzled. Arshad sighed.

"Just…a strategic misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about." Yao didn't miss the look that his friend threw him, however, and forced himself to maintain a calm, slightly befuddled expression.

He didn't have the heart to tell Arshad that he'd understood every word.

---

"…Yes, there were a few instances in which I was treated differently to other new recruits."

"Why was this?" Jamael inquired.

"My race, obviously. I was one of the first ever defectors from the Kyrs System. I was the first ever to come from Yan. People didn't trust me, and they were scared that I was going to betray them." He shrugged. "In their fear, they lashed out at me."

"So, you were subjected to verbal abuse? Racial slurs and the like?" Yao nodded.

"Yes, that was the majority of it."

"Did you ever suffer any physical harm based on your race?"

"Not that I can recall, no."

"Can you name any of the people who targeted you with racial abuse during this time?"

"Yes," Yao said, "but just because I can doesn't mean that I will. It's irrelevant." Jamael raised an eyebrow, but Yao could have sworn that he saw something resembling respect flash across his face first.

"No further questions." He said, sitting back in his chair.

Teerapat was the next to speak.

"Now, we have established that your path to joining the resistance seems to be fairly believable. However, Vice-Generals Papadopoulos and Karimi have breached the subject that you are masterful at influencing, or even manipulating, the emotions of others. For that reason, we find it is relevant to question your emotional ties to certain members of the resistance." Yao felt his stomach turn over. Oh. So, this was when the harder questions started.

"Vice-General Papadopoulos, you may proceed." Teerapat said, sitting back and folding his arms.

Octavia stood again.

"You have admitted that, for close to nine months, your only point of contact with the resistance was Arshad Teymouri." She said, leaning against her table and surveying him. "Would say that, given this fact, at the time of your stay on Apollomina, he was your closest contact?"

Yao nodded. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Given your large amount of exposure to him, and the friendship that you two had, it is likely that you would have been able to exert at least a small amount of influence over him. Considering this, is it true that you, indeed, were the one to first bring up the subject of going to the rebel base of operations, then located at Arden?" Yao hesitated. Oh, she was better than he had given her credit for. And she had really done her research.

"Yes, that's true." He murmured, feeling his stomach sink as he saw Jamael and Teerapat frown at one another. Octavia began to pace in front of him.

"So, one could say that your motivation for visiting Arden was to scope out the area and report the location?"

"One could say that, but they would be incorrect." He snapped. Octavia paused for a moment, before turning and facing him.

"What exactly was the nature of your relationship with Arshad Teymouri?" she asked, and Yao swore that his chest seized up.

How on earth would he answer that? He himself had never really known

---

Late Fybwari, 4503CC

Yao sighed, gazing at the ship as the figures scurrying around it's base continued to load supplies into the hull. He folded his arms, casting another glance behind him, at the rich green foliage which enveloped the hidden rebel camp. It had been fun to be here – despite a few less than pleasant encounters – and he was sad to be leaving already. To stay any longer was risky, though. He'd only been able to get such a long break from the archives because he almost never used his actual holiday leave, and it had accumulated over time.

"Oiyo!" Yao was already grinning as he turned. Arshad was approaching him, smiling jovially, as he almost always was. "I hope that you weren't planning on shuttling back to Beizaning without saying goodbye first!"

Yao made an overexaggerated motion. "Curses! My plot has been foiled!"

Arshad laughed, almost tackling him in a hug. "As if I'd ever let you go without saying goodbye first." He said, voice filled with mirth. "I hope that we weren't all so awful that you feel the need to return."

Yao smiled, though a little more wanly. "Oh no, not at all. I will admit, I have heard rumours recently, that everyone is convinced that one particular spy is a double agent, and is actually working for the Union." Arshad frowned.

"That sounds preposterous. I don't know why everyone listens to such mindless gossip."

"Oh, I don't know. They made the very compelling point that this supposed double agent is of an inferior ethnicity."

"Hey." Arshad said, elbowing him. "I don't care if you're messing around, don't ever say something like that about yourself." Yao shrugged, but didn't make eye contact.

"I didn't mind it that much, Arshad. I'm going back because it's about time I did. Besides, there isn't much that one can do when they aren't even allowed in planning rooms." He could feel the tension in Arshad's frame as he said that.

"I still can't believe that." Arshad muttered bitterly. "I'll flay them for that, I swear." Yao shrugged.

"At least the refugees were happy to let me help them." He sighed. "That little Syhvvanian – Romeo – he seemed to be trying to merge with my leg."

Arshad laughed. "Oh that's right! Yes, he can be a little clingy, but he really took to you." Yao smiled. He'd had to make sure to have the small boy in bed before leaving, to avoid the inevitable crying and tantrum that would accompany him leaving.

"Well, I prefer the rumour that I'm an excellent babysitter over all of the other ones." He said. Arshad made a low humming noise in his throat. He straightened up after a moment, gazing at something. Yao followed his gaze, and noted a small group of teenaged recruits, all of whom seemed to be stealing glances at the two of them.

"Why don't we start a new rumour?" Arshad asked. Yao frowned, turning to face him.

"Oh? What do you have in mind?" Arshad gazed at him for a moment, before a smile crept across his face. He pulled Yao's arm so that he was facing him properly, reached around and tugged a leaf out of his braid, leaned forward, and kissed him.

He stiffened in shock, but relaxed only a moment later, and leaned into Arshad, cautiously sliding his hands up the other man's arms. He felt hands on his waist, before one slid underneath his shirt, and he could feel Arshad's hand pressed against the bare skin of his ribs. Feeling a little braver, Yao moved one of his hands into Arshad's hair, knotting his fingers through the curls. He felt the other's man teeth graze his lower lip, and let out an embarrassing moan. He didn't have long to feel humiliated, however, as Arshad took the opportunity to slip his tongue into Yao's mouth.

When he finally felt like he could barely breathe, Yao gently tugged Arshad's head backwards, and they separated, both breathing heavily. He could distantly hear the teenagers giggling. He blushed, and stepped away.

"I think that would just about do it." Arshad commented mildly, a wide grin on his face.

Yao punched him in the gut, face burning. "Is that the only reason you wanted to kiss me?"

The look that Arshad sent him was long and uncommonly intense.

"Not at all."

---

It had never been clear – they had always blurred some sort of line. But that was what made their relationship so special. Arshad had been so much to him, he felt like if he tried to define it, some of it's meaning would be lost.

Thankfully, he was saved from answering only by an interruption by Teerapat.

"What is the relevance of this question, Octavia?"

"I am wishing to see if General Yao would have, in the past, been in a position to potentially emotionally manipulate the late General Teymouri." Teerapat frowned.

"Rephrase the question for clarity, please." Octavia nodded.

"Very well." She said, turning back to face Yao again, before she somehow made it even worse. "Did you ever have sexual relations with Arshad Teymouri?" he blinked in shock, almost wishing that he could go back in time and just answer her first question.

She noted the bewilderment on his face, and elaborated. "Whether it was once, or many times, did your relationship with Arshad Teymouri ever involve sexual intercourse?"

Yao didn't even have to wonder over that question. (He still remembered every second. He still remembered how they'd ended up slipping out their clothes and what it had been like to have their sweaty bodies pressed together. And he still remembered what it had felt like to have Arshad inside him.)

He exhaled. What was the point in lying? "Yes." Octavia nodded, not looking even remotely surprised by the information.

"Was this a regular occurrence, or otherwise?" Yao could see that Ehsan looked rather uncomfortable. No wonder; he was Arshad's half-brother, after all.

"No. It only happened once." He said. Just a few weeks before Yao had been taken. He had always wondered what would have happened between he and Arshad if they hadn't caught onto his espionage act. Octavia nodded.

"No further questions."

Yaretzi eyed the witnesses in the stand. "Mohammed Hassan, if you would." He looked up, nodded and moved towards the raised platform.

"What comments can you make about the relationship between Yao Wang and Arshad Teymouri?"

Mohammed frowned. "I probably have less perspective than either of them would. But…I can speak for what Arshad's view seemed to be." Yaretzi gestured for him to continue. "If I had to describe it…well, reasonably excusing error, I would say that Arshad was in love with him." Yaretzi nodded.

"And, in your opinion, would you say that these feelings were returned?"

"From what I saw of their interactions…yes, I would say so."

"So, you would describe the relationship as one of genuine emotion, rather than potential manipulation?"

"Yes, I would."

Yaretzi nodded and dismissed Mohammed. Once he was seated again, she turned to Yao.

"After your stay on Apollomina, which extended into Fybwari of 4503CC, you returned home to Beizaning, correct?" he nodded. "In the following months, you continued to pass information to the resistance. In early Augynt of that year, however, we observed total radio silence from you, until status reports indicate you as 'located' in Septombre of the next year. Correct?" he nodded.

"Can you elaborate as to what you were doing in the roughly 13 months between your disappearance and your relocation?" Yao smiled thinly.

"I was…incapacitated, for lack of a better term. I'll answer properly when I'm asked the right questions." He said. Yaretzi raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

"I see. Now that we have firmly established the general basis on which your loyalty to the resistance is based, perhaps it is time that we examined the particular reasons upon which these charges of treason and espionage have been based." Yaretzi nodded to Ehsan, who began to speak.

"On the 10th of Maarch, the resistance received a canister containing information about the spy buried within our ranks. Many of the details contained within have been determined to be pertinent to you. Among the most compelling we consider the facts that the supposed spy wears long clothing to conceal an audio recorder, as you always do, has a background in radio technology, which you possess due to your skill set prior to your election and past on Yan, and has been with the resistance for a considerable amount of time."

"Thank you, Ehsan. Now," Yaretzi said, "these charges are going to be reviewed, from the least to most compelling pieces of evidence." Yao felt his stomach tighten. "The first, if you would."

Ehsan nodded. "We have deduced that the least compelling piece of evidence is the length of Yao's service in the resistance. We can determine that the spy is in fact a sleeper agent, and as such has likely been a member for the resistance between 4 and 12 years. Given the nature of historical and political events in the past 12 years, and recent political manoeuvres which have altered the dynamic between the Union and us, we find it more likely that the spy has been within our ranks for a maximum of about 7 years. General Yao, having joined the resistance in 4502CC, ten years ago, does not fit this specific profile." Ehsan admitted. Yaretzi nodded.

"So, in General Yao's case, you are disregarding the time frame as compelling evidence?"

"Yes, we are." He said, nodding. Yao relaxed a little. It was a relief to know that Ehsan was willing to make reasonable concessions. He knew how this would go. Octavia and Ehsan would be given the opportunity to present their case, and as they did, testimony would be taken from the witnesses that they had gathered. Afterwards, Yao would then be given the final chance to refute their claims and try and clear his name. The trial was naturally stacked against him, but that was a norm of espionage trials. The rebels were too cautious to potentially let a spy go free.

"Vice-General Papadopoulos and I would like, with your permission, to explore the evidence concerning technological use." After receiving a nod from Yaretzi, Ehsan continued. "The canister contained information which indicated that the spy was highly proficient in the use of technology. This can be assumed due to the facts that this spy is using a unique, single-frequency radio, which is likely difficult to manoeuvre, and that they are proficiently using technology to record audio segments and transfer classified files to the Union database."

Ehsan turned to Yao. "Kindly explain to the court what your background in technology is."

Yao took a deep breath. "Well…I did start a technology course while attending university in Beizaning, though I never completed the degree, as I left to work in the Archives. Prior to that, my primary source of knowledge was more hands-on. Since Zet-San Xi was so remote, we had to fix our own vehicles and appliances if they ever broke. I've used technology consistently since, mainly for training, planning or strategic purposes." Ehsan nodded as he finished.

"Now, while you acted as a spy for the rebellion, you contacted Arshad Teymouri using several methods, this is known. Is it true that, after your stay at Arden, you began to use a single-frequency radio to contact the resistance?" Yao drew in a shuddering breath.

"Yes, that is true."

Teerapat, who had watched the exchange with great interest, sat up straight. "A bold connection to make, Vice-General." He said. Ehsan blinked, looking over at him in surprise. Teerapat looked at Yao, frowning slightly, and he felt his stomach sink. The man sat back in his chair. As Ehsan was about to continue, Raneem tentatively raised her hand. Teerapat nodded at her.

"Vice-Admiral Asgar?"

"Request to provide event testimony." Teerapat blinked, looking surprised, but nodded.

"Granted."

Raneem stood from her place and moved to the front of the room, up to the raised platform, before sitting on the chair and looking to Teerapat. He shuffled his notes and folded his arms, peering at her.

"Begin when you are ready." He said. Raneem tilted her head a little.

"From Maarch to early Maii of 4503CC, I was assigned to be Yao's point of contact within the rebellion. This was done to provide more time for Arshad, who had been his contact up until that point."

Teerapat nodded. "I see. Can you comment on the use of single-frequency radios?"

Raneem nodded. "Yes. I had encountered them before and recalled the benefits of using them – most specifically, the extreme difficulty of 'eavesdropping' by outside sources. There were fears that Yao would be compromised, so I suggested their use."

"You're saying that Yao began using a single-frequency radio under your instruction?"

"Yes."

Teerapat nodded. "You say that your period of working as Yao's primary contact lasted from Maarch to Maii. However, as has already been stated, Yao stopped officially working as a sleeper agent in Beizaning in late Juillat. Why did you stop being a first-line responder?"

"Well, my position had already undergone some changes, and it was recommended that I was relocated to a position in the strategic field. I accepted, and ceased to be Yao's contact."

"And who took your place?"

"…it was Arshad, I believe." She said slowly.

"And this was in early Juillat?"

"Yes."

"You are dismissed, Vice-Admiral Asgar, thank you." Raneem nodded and stepped down from the platform, shooting Yao a nervous look. He forced himself to smile slightly, though he felt like he was on the verge of being sick. This was going to get worse and worse, he could just tell.

Octavia stood, and he felt nausea creep up again.

"One of the most compelling pieces of evidence that suggests that Yao is in fact the spy that has been leaking information is the matter of the AXO-549 audio recording devices." She turned towards the screen behind the high table, and flicked a remote. The blueprints of the device came up on the screen. "Resource B. These are the blueprints for the fine-tuned audio recording device. They were among the intel recovered in the canister."

Jamael scrutinised the blueprints. "Kindly elaborate on the specifics of this device, Vice-General Papadopoulos."

"The device can record audio for up to 48 hours at a time, and is able to record audio in several different fields. This allows it to produce multiple different recordings, so that the impact of factors like fabric moving, and a wearer's heartbeat, are not audible. The device is small enough to be worn underneath clothing without detection. Given the nature of its purpose, placement on the arms or neck would be ideal for audio collection."

Jamael folded his arms. "I see. And I suppose that this is one factor of your suspicion of General Yao, then? It is no secret that he prefers long clothing." Octavia nodded.

"Yes. We are also basing our suspicions on General Yao's own extreme reluctance to ever be seen without long sleeves, or indeed, gloves, in place." Yao winced. He had known that this would come up at some point. Jamael nodded, surveying Yao critically.

"Yao's background knowledge of technology would also give credibility to this, as the device appears to be difficult to use, perhaps purposefully so."

Yao sighed, regretting that he'd ever been interested in studying technology. Even though he had never even finished the degree, Octavia seemed to be heralding it as evidence of his supposed 'treachery'.

"Do you have any further evidence to provide to the court?" Jamael inquired.

Octavia nodded. "We pulled the shift timetables from dates at which information was likely to be taken from the primary database. General Yao was listed as on-duty in each."

Yao cursed under his breath as the three judges looked over the sheet which Octavia had supplied them with, brows furrowed. She was well and truly succeeding at deconstructing his innocence. Even Yaretzi, who had always been a friend to him, looked unnerved, and shot him a wary glance.

"If Vice-Generals Papadopoulos and Karimi have no further claims to make, we will proceed into witness testimony."

Octavia and Ehsan both nodded, and Teerapat picked up another sheet.

"The witnesses called today to give testimony have been split into two separate groups; Character Witnesses and Factual Witnesses. Character Witnesses will provide testimony based on the accused's behaviour and personality, and their own perception of the character of the accused. Factual Witnesses will provide testimony on the physical evidence found, in addition to past events and experiences. It is expected that all witnesses will provide testimony as truthfully as possible, and attempt to remain unbiased throughout the duration of their questioning."

Remain unbiased? That was unlikely to happen. Still, Yao felt himself relax marginally. At the very least, he wasn't having questions thrown at him again.

"The court calls First Lieutenant Tino Vainamoinen to testify, as a character witness." Tino sat up straight, looking a little frightened at the prospect at going first. Nonetheless, he stood straight-backed and confident as he approached the platform.

"State your relationship with Yao Wang."

"I'm a member of the First Sniper Division. As such, I'm an indirect underling of his, though I would say that we are friends, outside of a professional sphere." Yao smiled at that, nodding ever so slightly at him. Tino had barely closed his mouth before Jamael was speaking again.

Octavia and Jamael were the ones doing the questioning, and it was clear from the moment that Laroussi opened his mouth that he was convinced Yao was guilty. He didn't think that he'd ever heard such targeted questions in his life. For all the talk of the witnesses being unbiased, the judges themselves didn't seem to be succeeding in that field. Tino actually paused and gawked at Jamael at certain points. Yao was fairly certain that they both choked on air when Jamael actually asked if their relationship had ever become intimate. Even disregarding the 16-year age gap between them, the very idea was uncomfortable. Tino looked like he was ready for death when Octavia actually asked him if Yao had ever tried to flirt with him, and responded with a firm 'no'.

Yao leant back slightly to talk to Ayshe and Elizabeta. "From the questions that they're asking, you'd think I was some sort of sex predator."

Elizabeta giggled. "I always did think that you were a cougar, Yao." Ayshe snorted at her comment. "If anything, it would be the other way around, wouldn't it?" Elizabeta continued. "After all, Arshad was the older one of the two of you, wasn't he?"

Yao's smile dampened just a little. "Yeah. Eleven years older."

Elizabeta nodded. "So, you're not a cougar; but you are into them." Yao choked on his own spit and glared at Elizabeta. Ayshe chuckled.

"Enough teasing, Elizabeta." She said. "You could be up next." That shut the Daernic girl up quickly enough, and they all turned their attention back to the questioning.

Tino looked relieved when they finally dismissed him, and almost collapsed into his chair as they called Ali up to go next. As a neutral witness, his testimony was much less…passionate that Tino's, but still not unhelpful to Yao's case. He stuck to the facts, which was good. Yao couldn't help but notice that he was up there for a far shorter time than Tino – likely because Octavia couldn't warp his testimony against Yao as easily.

Up next was Raneem. She spent most of her time rehashing what she had already said about her time spent communicating with Yao, as well as some other details about the work she had done with him since. Though, like Ali, she mostly just stuck to the facts, Yao smiled a little when she adamantly insisted that she didn't consider him capable of treachery. He knew that her words meant that the evidence she'd collected would now be considered with a grain of salt, but he was grateful for them nonetheless.

After Raneem's almost 40-minute stint on the stand, it was Aelia Gabras' turn. He should have expected the utter decimation of his character which she displayed, but was left feeling somewhat stunned and hurt afterwards nonetheless. He wasn't surprised at the sheer harshness of her words – Gabras had never gotten along with him, and as a close friend of Octavia's, it was only to be expected that she would take her side.

Once Gabras had finally been convinced to end her testimony – almost an hour and a half after she had begun – it was Elizabeta's turn. The girl had been grumbling about Aelia, and didn't look entirely prepared to get up on the stand, but complied nonetheless. Though she spoke strongly, and confidently, Yao felt like the damage which Gabras had intended to sow had already been done. Teerapat and Jamael didn't look overtly convinced, and even Yaretzi still looked uneasy. The tension in his shoulders had been growing since the testimonies had begun, though something in him snapped when he heard them ask Elizabeta, similarly to how they had questioned Tino, if her relationship with him was ever sexual.

"It might shock you, Vice-General Papadopoulos, but I don't sleep with people to make them be friends with me." Octavia paused, casting a look over her shoulder at him.

"I meant no offence." She said, though her tone indicated otherwise. Yao sat back, anger fading as she rephrased her questioning.

Elizabeta looked almost as shaken as Tino, by the time she was finished being questioned.

"God, it's intense. Octavia knows how to intimidate people, I'll give her that." Ayshe smiled sympathetically, rubbing her shoulder.

Yao was given a short string of good luck as Kari, Ines, Matthew and Nelia were called up next. Kari and Matthew defended him so viciously that he started to get emotional. Nelia was less passionate, but still calm, and she took his side. Ines had been called in as a 'neutral' witness, and delivered. Her testimony, like those others who dared to not take a side, was shortlived.

But after those four had given their statements, the trial quickly went more downhill than before.

Dalisay Mendoza was up after Nelia, and though she tried her hardest to remain calm and neutral, her dislike of him was evident. He wasn't surprised; they had had several disagreements in the past, when both had thought the other was overstepping their boundaries. Though she had obviously been instructed to try and look cool and clinical, she quickly got emotional. He couldn't even fault her for that – Dalisay was, at her core, light and cheerful. She cared deeply about everyone around her. Even though she and Yao had several differences, most of which were painfully obvious, she had still always treated him with a great deal of respect. He couldn't be angry at her; she had been asked for her honest opinion, and this was it.

After Dalisay had stepped down, Mohammed was next.

Yao did his best to hide his winces when Mohammed recalled the distrust that he had of Yao when they first met, though he found himself reacting when the man listed moments where he had doubted him, which occurred after the Arbiter. Yao and Mohammed respected each other now, yes, but Mohammed still wasn't his greatest friend. He showed basic concern for Yao when he pushed himself too far, though that was more due to the fact that Hassan wanted the leader of their entire movement – the only person who could give him orders – to be sound in mind and body.

Though Mohammed's testimony was more neutral in nature than Yao had hoped, it had clearly started to undo any good will that the judges might have had for him after his friends' testimonies.

He was relieved when Mohammed stepped down, but it took less than three minutes into Zev Batbayaryn's testimony for him to wish that General Hassan was back on the stand.

If Aelia Gabras had decimated any idea of his innocence, Zev completely annihilated it. Yao had never been aware that he had apparently offended the Major so, but judging by the harsh, cruel and downright hateful words which the man spouted, Yao might as well have mortally wounded him. He sat in shock for an hour, listening to the Major espouse hate and anger, clenching and unclenching his fists. When Zev finally stepped down, Yao was unsure if he wanted to punch him or apologise.

He cast a look at the clock. They had been inside this building for close to seven hours now, and his lack of food was starting to make him lightheaded. They had been given a brief break, about halfway through the testimonies, but even that had been almost three hours ago. He could see the sky slowly but surely darkening outside.

Teerapat sighed, looking as tired as everyone else seemed to feel, and called up their last witness.

"The court calls Admiral Ayshe Kartal to testify." He said lazily. Ayshe stood, and swept gracefully towards the front of the room, throwing Yao a single, nervous smile as she sat in the stand.

"What is your relationship with Yao Wang?"

"We work closely together. Because our rankings are of a similar nature, we cooperate on many projects which require the combination of infantry and navy forces."

"Would you consider yourself friends?"

"I would, yes."

The questioning continued much in the same trend as those before, though unlike some of the previous witnesses, Ayshe spoke in a way that made it hard for Octavia, or anyone else, to misconstrue or twist around her words. He felt himself grow hopeful. Though Ayshe sat answering questions for ages, though, he felt like her efforts might have been too little, too late. Finally, Octavia seemed to wind down her questioning. It was one of her last ones, however, that sent chills down his spine

"Now, you said previously that you have known Yao Wang for approximately 8 years, correct?"

Ayshe nodded.

"Can you tell us, how exactly did you two first meet?"

Ayshe froze, eyes widening. "I…what is the relevance of this question?"

"I just want to get a proper feel of how your friendship started." Octavia responded, looking at her expectantly. Ayshe was still silent. Her gaze moved to Yao, and they made eye contact. He nodded slightly, telling her to continue. Ayshe sighed.

"We met during Operation Parasite, in mid-4504CC." she said quietly. Octavia frowned, looking confused.

"I see. Would you like to elaborate on that?" Ayshe stared her down.

"No, I would not." She said sharply. There was tense silence for a moment, before Octavia dismissed her. Ayshe looked pale as she walked down and retook her seat. Yao smiled at her, though nerves were making his stomach bunch up.

"Okay, now that that's over," Teerapat said, looking relieved, "I think that we'll all take a break, and then regroup so that General Yao can give his defence. Witnesses, you are no longer required to attend. Those choosing to return, please be ready to resume session in 40 minutes' time."

There was a murmur of agreement, and the room began to empty. Yao smiled sadly at his friends as they left. He wasn't technically allowed to talk to any of them; he'd only gotten away with talking to Ayshe and Elizabeta earlier because everyone's attention had been occupied.

He sighed and leant back, nodding to his guards gratefully when they finally brought him food and water. The next session was going to be a nightmare.

---

I don't have much time.

I know I need to hurry, but….

So many minds, so little time to sift through them.

I wish that anyone else could take over this task for me…..

But I would never do that to her…she's my sister…she's less powerful…

This is so terrifying…if I can't face it….

She wouldn't be able to, either, though. She's littler than she acts…

Either way, this is my job…...I said that I would do it

.

.

.

What if I can't find them?

I've looked through so many heads, but they're still evading me.

.

.

.

no

I'll find them

Not because I have to

.

I want to

.

I won't let them hurt my friends even more

.

.

.

---

Yao felt ready to be sick when they walked back inside the courtroom forty minutes later. He wished that he could put this off, but it was finally time for him to answer the tough questions…

He knew what he would have to talk about. It made him sick to his stomach.

But he knew that he had to.

The mood was more subdued as people began to walk back inside. He noticed that several of the witnesses had not bothered to return. Zev and Aelia were absent, as was Nelia. He didn't blame them; many people had not wanted to give testimony today, so it made sense that they had left as soon as they were able. Still, he cringed at the thought of how many people would be hearing about everything that had happened to him. In addition to his three judges, Octavia and Ehsan, there were still ten other people who would see and hear everything.

He felt sicker than ever.

"The court calls General Yao Wang to the stand, to present his own defence." He was shaking ever so slightly, he could tell, as he was led up to the chair and chained to it. One of his guards, the same one who had quickly ushered him away from crowds that morning, shot him a concerned look, but said nothing. They quickly darted away once he had been chained down, and Yao looked around nervously. Yaretzi tossed her long, dark hair over her shoulder, and began to spoke.

"Before Vice-General Papadopoulos begins her own questioning, I would direct a few inquiries to General Yao's guard." She faced the two guards who had watched his cell and brought him there that morning. They stood at attention, looking a little surprised. Yarezti eyed them sternly.

"One of the major claims made today is that General Yao wears long clothing in order to conceal a small, audio recording device. The only period of time in which he has been permitted to change clothes was this morning, correct?" they both nodded as she continued. "Has any physical evidence been found of such a device, either on General Yao's person, in his belongings, or on the person of anyone who has come into contact with him?" his guards exchanged a look.

"No," one of them said, "no evidence of such a device has been found." Yarezti nodded as Yao felt himself relax marginally.

Octavia stood after receiving a nod to begin from Teerapat.

"Between Augynt of 4503CC, and Juillat of 4504CC, you maintained complete radio silence. You abruptly broke off contact on the 5th of Augynt. An inspection of your place of residence showed that all documents and other information collected by you for the resistance had vanished. It is, understandably, believable that you did in fact, betray the resistance and sell information out to the Union." Yao swallowed. So, they were starting here?

"I can see why one would make such an assumption." He said cautiously. Octavia was watching him carefully, before she turned to Raneem.

"Resource D, if you would, Raneem." Raneem nodded dutifully, and pulled a small disk drive from the pile next to her, and plugged it into the laptop connected to the projector screen. Octavia continued speaking. "Resource D; the audio recording of the last transmission between field agent 'Blackbird' and home base, on the 5th of Augynt, 4503CC." Octavia nodded to Raneem, and she played the audio file. Yao sighed. If he remembered right, this conversation has at least been short.

There was a burst of static at the beginning, then a voice filtered through. Yao almost sobbed. It was Arshad, sounding the same as ever. Even Ehsan looked a little melancholy at hearing his brother's voice.

"HQ to Blackbird, do you copy?"

There was the sound of a shaky, rattling breath, before the faint response.

"I copy." It was his voice. He sounded so…young. Yao suppressed a shiver. He'd been 27 years old, and nearly delirious with fear when he'd made this call; he knew that it had showed.

"Blackbird, can you provide a reason for the distress signal sent out earlier today?"

"Yes, I can…I…" the voice trailed off in a shuddering sob, before resuming, "they know I'm here."

"They?"

"The fucking- oh, you know who I mean. They know that I've been spying." There was total silence for a moment, before Arshad responded again, any remnant of a joking tone gone from his voice.

"Are you certain?"

"Yes. They know that I've been stealing files and hacking into websites and-" he cut himself off, drawing in another shaky breath.

"Okay. Well, if you're certain that they've figured out your identity, we can send an extraction team along in a few days-"

"A few-, they're coming NOW!" Yao's voice yelled in response. "I…I don't have days. I have hours, maybe not even that…" His past self had been so panicked, and his anxiety and fear were obvious to everyone in the room. Yao could see a few people exchanging surprised looks. That didn't shock him. He wasn't exactly known as someone who got scared easily.

"Okay, okay…" Arshad was speaking again, "just calm down a little. Do you have any evidence of your involvement in your apartment?"

There was a moment of silence on the tape.

"Yes…I, I do. What- what do I do with it?"

"Destroy it. They can't convict you if they have no evidence."

Yao gave a hollow laugh. "They don't need evidence. That's how things work here."

"Okay then, but destroy it anyway. Can you get out of the city tonight?"

"Th-they'll have staked out my apartment building. They'll know if I leave, and they'll just capture me-" he broke off again, letting out a small sob. "I-I don't want to get tortured." The words were spoken quietly, but were so raw with fear and sorrow that Yao could see many faces crinkling in sympathy.

"You won't be." Arshad said firmly. "I promise. You can't let them catch you, though. If they get any information out of you, about the resistance, about me, we'll be doomed."

"Don't tell them a thing…don't tell them a thing," Yao mumbled in return, "But…I don't think I can hold out that long. I'm n-not strong at all."

"You are. I know that you'll be able to do what you need to do to stop them from learning anything." Arshad paused for a moment. "Are there any alternative exits-"

"Don't worry about it." Yao interrupted him. His voice had taken on a hollow, still quality. "I…I know what to do now."

Without another word, the sound of the connection being cut met their ears. The recording was over.

Octavia raised an eyebrow at him.

"So, in early Augynt, the Union became aware of your espionage. You had that conversation with Arshad Teymouri, and then you…disappeared. Nothing was seen or heard of you for another 13 months, at which point you were 'located'. I personally find your final statements confusing. Can you elaborate as to what you meant?" Yao tilted his chin proudly.

"I knew that the information I had was very desirable to the Union. I knew that if they got their hands on it, Arshad and the rest of the rebels could be doomed. I was determined not to ever let them know what I knew. So, to stop the Union, I destroyed every file and data drive which I had had in my apartment, fried my laptop, destroyed the radio, and tried to commit suicide."

"And it didn't work?"

"Obviously not." He retorted. "Union soldiers came inside the building looking for me. If they had come in just a minute later, it would have." Octavia nodded, something like sympathy in her eyes.

"The next time that you were seen was reportedly when you met Admiral Ayshe Kartal during Operation Parasite. Given the details of that mission, can you please explain exactly what you were doing in the 13 months of your absence?"

---

Onboard the SS Arbiter,
Orbiting Yan,
8th Augynt, 4503CC

DAY 001

Yao groaned as his eyes finally fluttered open, not processing where he was at first. The room he was in was clinical and almost unnaturally clean. He seemed to be on it's floor. The ceiling and walls were completely bare, and it wasn't until he noted a flat, metal door set into one wall that he realised the room wasn't completely bare. His head ached. What did he remember?

He remembered…another room? A normal prison cell…and before that…

Burning files…the radio….a car…a running motor…

A running motor…oh.

OH

He sat up, but almost immediately slumped down to the floor again as dizziness overtook everything. His head ached, his lungs ached.

He had tried to die. He had tried to die because they were coming for him. He looked at the walls around him. The walls of a cell, he realised. He hadn't been fast enough. Yao looked down. He was dressed in a loose, dark grey uniform, but the idea that someone else had dressed him was hardly as disturbing as knowing that he was now in the hands of the enemy.

He felt his skin crawl, and knew that someone was watching him. He turned to look at the door again. Someone was peering in at him through the small, thick pane of glass near the top. There was a loud metallic clang, and the door swung open, revealing a surprisingly tall man, Yanish like Yao, wearing the dark, tailored uniform of a Union guard.

The man strode over to him, face pleasant but gaze sinister. He stopped just in front of him, and smiled coldly.

"Ah, you are finally awake, I see. How is your head?" Yao stared at him, shrinking away slightly. The man grinned. "Ah, it does not matter. Welcome! It's a delight to have you onboard with us. I hope to have many interesting conversations with you in the future. I am Wuhan Ma." He bowed slightly. "And you are Yao Wang, as I have been told."

"Where am I?" Yao asked. Wuhan smiled cruelly.

"You, my friend, are onboard the SS Arbiter." Yao blinked. He had never heard of it, but the name indicated something sinister. Wuhan knelt down, and ran his cold fingers down the side of Yao's face.

"I do hope that you and I grow to get to know each other. I'll be…taking care of you, from now on. So, don't worry; I'll treat you like you deserve."

---

Octavia was silent, looking a little taken aback. "You were a prisoner onboard the SS Arbiter?"

Yao nodded. "Yes. I met Ayshe during the rescue mission in Septombre of 4504CC."

"The average survival period on the SS Arbiter is about 4 months, yet you claim to have been there for 13?" Yao nodded.

"Yes, that's correct." It was the first time that he had really, properly admitted it. Somehow, it wasn't as hard to say as he had expected it would be. Octavia blinked, staring at him. She seemed to believe him, and looked like she was about to move on to another question, when Ehsan stepped in.

"Do you have any evidence, save the testimony given by Ayshe Kartal and yourself, that this is true?"

Yao stiffened. Evidence? Of course he had evidence. His entire body was evidence of what they had done.

"If…if you would accept physical injuries as evidence…then yes." He said slowly, falteringly. Yaretzi sat up a little straighter.

"If I may interject," she said, "would these injuries that you refer to also tie in to the related concerns over your clothing?"

"…Yes, they would, I suppose." Yaretzi seemed satisfied, but Ehsan clearly still wasn't. His next words made Yao blanch.

"Prove it. If the injuries that you supposedly received while onboard the SS Arbiter are also your reasoning behind wearing long clothing, kindly demonstrate why this is the case."

Octavia frowned at Ehsan. "I don't think that's necessary-"

"It is! How do we even know that he's telling the truth, otherwise? Ayshe Kartal is one of his closest friends, after all-, I wouldn't put it past her to lie for his benefit!"

"Testimonies are taken under an oath of truth-"

"Oh yes, because no-one has ever lied under oath before."

"Do you have no faith in our peers to tell the truth for the sake of justice?"

"Not when there's so much at stake, no."

"Ehsan." Yao interjected. Yaretzi had signalled to his guards to uncuff him when he had nodded begrudgingly. He'd been led down from the stand so that everyone could see him clearly, and removed his high-necked jacket. He put his still-gloved hands on his hips as Ehsan turned, looking annoyed until he caught sight of Yao. The Vice-General had a strong stomach, but he still went pale when he saw all of the scars, burns and other painful marks strewn across Yao's arms, collarbones and neck. Octavia let out a shocked, dismayed sound, hand flying to her mouth as tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

Yao turned his head to the side, tapping at the vicious scarring on his neck. The Yanish character 处罚 was marked into his skin. It meant 'punishment' – and every prisoner on the Arbiter was given it. "Is this proof enough?" he inquired. Octavia looked very pale. Ehsan himself looked shocked, but his gaze locked onto Yao's hands.

"What about the gloves? I still say that it is possible that an audio recorder could be hidden there." Ehsan said stubbornly. Octavia looked at him, shocked. Clearly, she didn't believe that Yao needed to provide any more evidence. However, it was then that Yao's sympathetic guard spoke up.

"As was previously stated, the prisoner has been closely monitored throughout his entire imprisonment. No audio recorders of any kind have been found on his person, or anyone else who has come into contact with him." Yaretzi nodded at this. Ehsan remained stone-faced, though, and she sighed.

"General Yao, if you would remove your gloves, please."

He was sorely tempted to just refuse, but he knew that if he didn't do it willingly, he would be forced to, and he would rather do this on his own terms. Yao locked eyes with Ehsan, then Octavia, as he moved to stand in the middle of the space again, pulled off his gloves and held out his hands.

Teerapat, who had leaned forwards in interest, moved back, expression aghast. He could hear numerous other cries of disgust and horror. Ehsan looked like he was sorry that he had ever asked, while Octavia's face had turned a delicate shade of green. The only person who didn't react was Ayshe, who smiled sadly. She had seen it all before. He could see the questions swirling about behind their eyes, and sighed, deciding to just explain already.

"In mid-4504CC, my fingernails were removed, and flayed my hands in an attempt to make me give up information. I wear gloves both to spare everyone else from the sight of them, and to stop them from becoming damaged." Yao said. He was almost scared by how cold and clinical his tone had become. He had a habit of trying to detach himself from the event, as if that would make it go away. Yaretzi nodded, very quickly.

"Yes, uh, very well. You may replace your gloves and jacket, if you so please." He did as she said, resuming his place in the stand.

Yaretzi blinked, looking slightly nauseated, before nodding to herself and straightening up again. "Vice-General Karimi, you may continue the questioning." Ehsan nodded, still looking very uncomfortable.

"Though it is highly likely that these injuries of yours were suffered while onboard the SS Arbiter, can you provide any proof that they were inflicted between Augynt of 4503CC and Septombre of 4504CC, specifically?" Yao's mind blanked. However, he didn't need to answer, as Raneem spoke up.

"Resources E and F." she said, again fiddling with the laptop. A picture came up on screen, and even Yao blinked in surprise when he saw what it was. "Resource E; one of several resources collected by the Union after Yao was declared as a person of interest. It was taken from Union databases about three years ago."

It was a picture of him walking in Beizaning, completely oblivious to the fact that he was being followed and photographed. He was wearing a simple, three-quarter length shirt, long pants and what he distantly recognised as his favourite pair of old boots. His hair was shockingly free of grey, and had been twisted up into a messy bun. He had a large messenger bag slung over his shoulder, bare hands – undamaged, as they had been back then – and a mildly anxious expression on his face. He was completely unscarred.

"It was dated as the 28th of Juillat, 4503CC." Only a week before he'd been taken. No wonder he looked worried in the photo. He had suspected that he was getting followed for a while before he'd actually been captured. Raneem hesitated as the three judges all nodded at her to continue.

"Resource F; a photograph taken in the medical ward shortly after Operation Parasite. It is dated from the 11th of Septombre, 4504CC. It was taken from our own photographic database. It had been categorised under medical photos." She shot Yao an apologetic glance, before she put the second photo up on the screen.

This one was much worse. He didn't remember it being taken, but he certainly remembered what had been happening while it must have been. It was very shortly after the Arbiter – probably only a few days after they had arrived back from the liberation mission. He was the focus of the photo and-

He had never realised exactly how horrible he must have looked just after he got back. His condition got worse before it had ever gotten better, and the person in the photograph looked like a corpse. He was seated up on a bed in the photo, with his feet drawn halfway up to his chest. One of his feet – also scarred – partially hidden underneath a blanket. His left arm was being held away from his body by someone out of sight, and his right arm was fully extended. Kabeeta, recognisable as ever, was tending to his right hand in the photo, which was little more than a twisted wreck of red and black.

The thin singlet and pants that he wore in the photo did little to disguise the deplorable state he was in. His skin was grey, and drawn taut across his bones. His ribs jutted out in a manner that made the most emaciated of refugees look well-fed. His spine jutted just as sharply through his skin, looking like a row of spines on his back. His entire body was just too small. Every limb was rail-thin, and looked susceptible to break under the slightest pressure. His hair, in this photo, bore the white streaks which made most misconstrue his age. All of the scars which he had just shown everyone were clearly visible on his neck and arms.

The most chilling part of the photo, however, was his expression. There were tears running down his face and chin, and his mouth was twisted in pain, but his eyes, though widened, were…dead. His emotion seemed to stop just short of reaching his eyes. It was unnerving, yet, as Yao knew, another common attribute of Arbiter survivors.

There were several people in the photo other than Kabeeta and Yao. Ayshe had her arms hooked around Yao's thin chest – obviously trying to hold him still – while Helena was sitting near the foot of the bed, a case of medical instruments in her lap as she peered at his hand alongside Kabeeta. There was blood splattered across Kabeeta's clothing and the blankets of the bed. Kabeeta's hands, hidden by surgical gloves, were also drenched with blood.

There was silence as everyone took in the photo. Yaretzi nodded after a few minutes. "Thank you, Vice-Admiral Raneem, the evidence has been noted." she said, "Vice-General Karimi, you may proceed with further questioning." Yao sighed in relief when the photo disappeared from the screen, as did several others. Ehsan paused for a minute, looking through some notes that he had been writing, before standing and peering at Yao.

"Many methods of torture and manipulation are used on the Arbiter. Most often, methods are used to attempt to break down a prisoner's resolve and encourage them to give up information. Can you name some of the techniques used on you during your tenure on the Arbiter?"

"Fucking hell." Yao heard someone faintly mutter. He drew in a deep breath.

"Well…I…can I just list them?" Ehsan hesitated, then nodded.

"Beatings, whippings, solitary confinement, prolonged starvation, deprivation of light and water, mutilation, interrogation, psychological manipulation – most often using mentions of friends or family, injections of foreign substances, poisoning, flaying…there were quite a few."

"Can you name what method, if any, was most likely to make you give up, or almost give up, information?"

"…which one…" he trailed off. There was one that he'd forgotten to name. He felt nausea creeping up.

"I…uh…" his voice was tapering off again. Panic seized him, and he clenched his hands into fists.

"Do you not know?"

"No…I do…"

"Which method?"

He closed his eyes. It was like it was happening all over again.

---

()()()

---

Onboard the SS Arbiter,
18th Maarch, 4504CC

DAY 221

Yao cowered as Wuhan strode happily into his cell again.

"Good morning, little Bù chén!" he crowed, sadistic grin in place. "I hope you slept well!"

Slept well. What a joke. With those high, screeching noises playing on maximum volume all night? Wuhan was trying to drive him insane, but Yao had just tuned out the noises. He hadn't given any information up yet, even seven and a half months into this hell, and he didn't intend on doing do because of a few loud noises. He glared at the man, who grinned back.

"Oh, didn't you like the pretty lullaby I was playing you? I thought it would be soothing."

Yao forced a smile onto his skeletal face. "Oh, it was very pleasant. I was out like a light."

Wuhan laughed. "You amuse me, little Bù chén, but no-one can survive on only an hour of sleep every day."

"Perhaps I'll be the first." Yao murmured. Wuhan grinned again.

"Perhaps you will be." he suddenly clapped his hands together. "We're going to be trying something different today, Bù chén! I got permission from our boss yesterday! I think this will encourage you to be a bit more talkative." His smile was it's usual, sinister self, but something about it today was darker…it was…satisfied…in a way.

Wuhan slammed the door shut behind him, and the forced smile dropped from Yao's face. He only ever shut the door if he didn't want someone to interrupt what he was doing. The last time it had happened, he had whipped Yao so badly that his spine had been sticking through his back. Yao shuffled backwards, until his back hit the wall. Wuhan grinned when he saw this.

"Ohh, is Bù chén scared?" he cooed, tone vicious. "Don't worry. Today, you'll help me out, regardless of whether you talk or not." His hand lashed out, sending Yao's head slamming back into the wall. Dazed, Yao could barely struggle when Wuhan seized one of his hands and dragged him away from the wall. Yao began to wriggle as Wuhan slammed him into the floor, forcing his hands into handcuffs behind his back.

He yelped when the handcuffs slammed shut around his wrists. They were the worst kind; they had small razors on the inside, so that even the smallest movement would cause the blades to cut shallow grooves into his wrists. They weren't sharp enough to outright slit someone's wrists – Yao had tried to use them to kill himself three months ago. Nonetheless, they were still painful.

Yao writhed around, stomach turning over in horror as he saw Wuhan draw a solid metal bar from his belt. Pinned down as he was, he was powerless as it swung towards his temple.

He was probably only unconscious for a minute or so when he felt himself being shaken awake.

"Come on now, little Bù chén. I want you awake for this." Yao blinked blearily, raising his head slightly. He still hadn't been gagged – whatever Wuhan was doing, he wanted the prisoners in nearby cells to hear it. He couldn't understand what was happening. He was still lying on the floor on his stomach. The only real change was that the tops of his legs felt colder than normal.

But then he felt Wuhan's weight on him, and he understood.

"No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO!" He began to scream as he felt Wuhan's cold, rough fingers on his legs, pushing them apart. He struggled, but he had been thin and malnourished for months now, whereas Wuhan was healthy and strong.

"Hush now, you'll enjoy it." Wuhan purred, running a hand down Yao's side. That was the only warning he had before the man, the source of Yao's pain for over half a year now, forced his way inside him.

Yao screamed. Wuhan moaned.

"Ohh…how has it taken me so long to ask for this? I should have just taken you long ago." He hissed in Yao's ear. He tried to wriggle free, but that sent pain shooting up through his bowels, and he sobbed. "Shush, shush," Wuhan said again, "I want to have fun with this."

And then he was moving, roughly slamming his hips forward and crowing in delight with every plea for mercy, sob, and cry of pain that raked itself free of Yao's throat. His body shifted backwards and forwards slightly along the floor with every small movement that the man on top of him made.

The pain was too much.

It wasn't the strongest, nor the most unbearable…but…it violated him. He was being torn apart on the inside as well as the outside now. He let out a choked cry when he felt blood running down the inside of his legs.

I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't…I can't… I can't…

He was breathing heavily, gasping for some reprieve as the pain continued to take control of his lower body. He slammed his eyes shut, wincing.

This will be the death of me.

Not whipping or beating or anything else.

I can't… I can't… I can't… I can't…

He almost didn't notice when Wuhan's movements became more sluggish and uneven, or when the sadistic brute slammed his hips forward one more time and achieved ecstasy from Yao's pain. He only came back to himself when the pressure inside him was suddenly gone. He shuddered when he felt the slickness on the inside of his legs. He knew what it was. Wuhan was leering at him as he undid the handcuffs.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bù chén." He said, giving himself a once-over as he turned and walked from the cell.

Yao didn't move for a long time after that.

---

()()()

---

He realised only when he had finished telling them that he was crying. He opened his eyes, slowly, carefully. They all looked like they were about to be sick. Octavia had turned grey.

Yaretzi turned to Octavia. "You may continue, Vice-General Papadopoulos." Her voice was shaky. Octavia nodded, looking worn and upset as she stood and cast a look down at the notes which Ehsan handed to her.

"So…given the experiences you had on the Arbiter, a place in which psychological manipulation is very commonly used, would you agree that it is possible that you could have been somehow convinced to act against the resistance?" Yao felt tired to his bones. He couldn't find it in him to argue.

"I would say that that is possible, yes."

Octavia was silent, expression odd, and she waved away Ehsan as she walked closer to him.

"But, again considering the treatment that you suffered on the Arbiter, would you agree, also, that such a possibility is minimal, and that the torture inflicted on you was far more likely to have increased your loyalty to the rebel forces?" Yao looked up at Octavia in bewilderment. Ehsan was also staring at her in complete confusion.

"Octavia…what are you-?" Octavia was shaking her head, and Yao could see now that she was crying, had been crying the whole time.

"I-I can't do this," she sobbed quietly as she looked at Yao again, "I can't."

She met his eyes then, and he could see that, finally, she believed he was innocent.

Silence engulfed the courtroom as Octavia turned away from him, clearly no longer able to maintain eye contact.

"No further questions." Yaretzi nodded.

"Does anyone else wish to make a statement on the claims, or the evidence presented?" she asked. There was silence again. No one spoke; Yao doubted that anyone was even daring to move.

"Very well," Yaretzi said, "Teerapat, Jamael and I will be convening to determine the sentence." She looked at Yao. "General Yao, you are dismissed." All three of them stood and moved into a small room in the back as Yao's guards led him back to his previous place.

The silence was stifling as Yao drew in several deep breaths and dried his eyes on his sleeves. He hadn't intended to start crying, but, then again, he hadn't intended to ever tell that story, either. It had happened years ago, after all, and that had hardly been the only time.

They all sat quietly as they waited for the trio to conclude whether or not he was guilty. One of Yao's guards fetched him some water, for which he was grateful, and sat next to him rather than standing at attention. Just by looking at their faces, he could tell that today had exhausted them just as much as it had him.

They had waited for maybe twenty or thirty minutes when the doors opened again, and they returned. Everyone's eyes were on them as they moved back to their places. The three exchanged a look, and Yaretzi stood, clearing her throat.

"The court has today heard the case against Yao Wang, and the evidence surrounding claims of espionage and treason. My fellow judges; Teerapat Sripuy, Jamael Laroussi and I have considered the available evidence and testimony made under oath." She paused for a moment.

"We have concluded that the accused, General Yao Wang, is not guilty of the charges, and as such, we restore him fully to his position as leader of the resistance." Yaretzi bowed deeply to all of them. "Thank you for your cooperation and poise throughout this investigation. It has been duly noted." She nodded at his guards, who moved forward to, finally, unchain him. He rubbed his wrists when the handcuffs finally fell away. "The court is dismissed."

The minute that those words met Ayshe's ears, she leapt over the row of seating separating her from Yao and threw herself at him. He hugged her in return, burying his head in her shoulder as everyone else began to file out, and his friends gathered around him.

"You're shaking." Ayshe murmured. Yao laughed hollowly.

"What did you expect?" he asked. She smiled, oh so sadly, and hugged him again.

"It's okay, it's okay," she murmured as sobs began to move up through his chest again, "it's over. This whole damned thing is over."

"It isn't." Yao said as he finally forced himself to withdraw from her again. "The spy is still out there."

Tino shook his head, ever so slightly. "They won't be for long. I put Lukas onto it." Yao looked up in surprise.

"I feel sorry for the spy, then." He murmured.

---

You should.

Because

All I really needed in order

To find our little traitor

Was a day of everyone being distracted.

Which you provided, Yao

So

Don't worry

.

.

.

I know who they are now.