He rose with military bearing and marched to the stand once called upon, settling in easily, and swore to the truth. It was beneath him to lie, and he said as much. Nodding, Adora began with some simple questions to help paint his backstory.
"Lord Hordak," she began.
He held up a hand to halt her. "I am no 'lord' any longer," he stated. "Least of all yours, Adora. Just Hordak will suffice."
"Hordak…", she agreed. "Right... tell me then, just how old are you, Hordak?"
He appeared puzzled by her questioning, but gave an answer. A rather impressive one with triple digits.
"And just how long does your... species live?"
"Is this relevant?" called out Mermista.
Adora glanced her way. "Is that a formal objection?" Without waiting for a reply, she turned back to the judge Glimmer. "Your honor, I would like to present evidence regarding to Hordak's age because I believe it will influence sentencing. You would hardly imprison someone for life if they were going to live for a thousand years, I hope."
Nodding, Glimmer agreed to the line of questioning.
"My species is not a natural one," Hordak explained. "Not any longer. And Etheria's atmosphere has an element that... hastens decay in our cellular structure. Since I have been restored to health, I imagine I might live at least another hundred years with a minimum of medical interference."
"I see, I see," Adora nodded, letting the fact sink in. Then she changed tactics. "When you landed on Etheria, you arrived here with virtually nothing, is that right?"
"It is."
"And yet you single-handedly managed to build your own technological empire from virtually nothing but scraps and determination. What I have to ask is... why did you do it?"
"It was... my purpose," he replied, his gaze shifting slightly lower, ashamed. "We clones of Prime... our purpose was to conquer and to serve. To bring order to the universe in his name for his purposes. Anything not Prime's was to be made his." One could practically hear the intonation in his voice, the way whenever 'he' was mentioned, the H was practically capitalized. Horde Prime had been more than a genetic donor, or a brother to his clones, he had been a living god to them.
"So you did it for his approval."
"Perhaps. At the time I certainly thought so."
"If you had believed Prime gone forever... would you still have done it?"
"I believe I would have... not out of a desire to see others suffer... but because I believe... believed," he quickly amended himself. "That order needed to be obtained and maintained. By force."
"But you no longer believe that," Adora said.
"I do not."
She nodded thoughtfully, pacing back and forth in the open square, letting this initial look at Hordak sink in, showing him as he was: as much a victim of Horde Prime as a servant.
"Can you walk us through some of those early days here on Etheria?" she inquired.
Hordak nodded. "My vessel crash-landed in what is now known as the Fright Zone, but previously was the Kingdom of Arachne. Just on the edge of it. I survived as a bandit at first, raiding the nearby villages and taking what I needed. Food, materials... at first I'd hoped to restore my craft, but the damage was too great. Then I tried to contact Horde Prime, with equal success. During this time I tinkered, repairing the few machines that came with me, upgrading and expanding my forces. In a little under a year I had enough of a force to capture the nearby village and began putting its people to work."
"Why?"
"I had at my disposal all of the technical expertise of the Horde," he explained. "But while I could build virtually anything, it needed to be maintained. And robots make poor substitutions for actual flesh and blood, hands and minds. I put them to work with lesser tasks so I could focus on... other things. Then, another year or so after that, I conquered the kingdom, and made the King and Queen swear loyalty to the Horde. I seized the Black Garnet, though apart from using it as an exotic power source, thought nothing of it. From there, we simply kept expanding. I didn't concern myself with the day-to-day I was... focused on my work."
"Trying to contact Horde Prime, and then create a portal to reach him."
He nodded. "No signal escapes Despondos. A fully functional portal was needed just to make contact."
Adora 'hmmm'd to herself, knowing that well enough. "If you are found innocent today, and all charges acquitted... what would you do with your life?"
"Objection."
Glimmer silenced Mermista with a wave of her gavel. "Overruled. Go on, Hordak."
"I... don't know," he replied earnestly, not having expected the question. "Regardless of the outcome of this trial, the fact remains I am guilty. No words will change that. I have done a great wrong. And if I must spend the rest of my life working to fix what I have broken, then I shall do so."
Nodding, Adora stepped forward and, greatly breaking protocol, rested a hand over Hordak's. While a monstrous warlord and destroyer of countless kingdoms, villages, and peoples, Hordak was also the closest thing Adora had ever had to a father in her life. She owed him a great deal. That was why she'd agreed to serve as his defense.
"Do you have anything further to say in your own defense?"
He pondered that, unsure for a moment, then nodded briefly. "I do."
Adora glanced briefly at Glimmer, who nodded sagely. "I'll allow it," she said.
"I make no excuse for my actions. I know what I have done wrong. I have never truly known what I was capable of... I was a servant of the Horde... of Prime... my objective was solely conquest. But I truly believed what I was doing was for the betterment of Etheria... and the Universe. It is to you... Adora, and others like you... like Entrapta... I owe a most profound thanks, for showing me the error of my ways. The wrongness of what I was doing."
A heartfelt, truly touching speech. Adora herself felt her chest feel tight, and she'd fully expected to make something similar if Hordak hadn't. In the audience, Entrapta was on the verge of tears, using her hair to gently wipe away the corners of her eyes, while the rest were watching with mixed, subdued reactions.
"Thank you, Hordak. No further questions."
Adora stepped backwards, composing herself with great discipline, and reclaimed her seat, regal as any princess.
There was a brief pause as Glimmer glanced over at the other table beside her.
"I've got nothing," Mermista said, greatly subdued.
Slightly less phased by the testimonial and keeping on course, Sea Hawk immediately leapt to his feet. "Er, your majesty... honor... majesty-honor. If it pleases the court, the Prosecution also came with some potential ideas for suitable punishments, should the accused be found guilty. With your permission, we can read them aloud or simply hand them to you during the next recess to consider. It may influence your decision."
Chewing the inside of her cheek, Glimmer pondered that, then ultimately nodded in agreement with the first option. "No, go ahead and read aloud. I want everyone here to be aware of the potential outcomes."
Adjusting is glasses, Sea Hawk found the paper in question, reading aloud from it. "Let's see... confiscation of money and resources, stripped of titles, imprisonment, exile..."
Hordak listened with only half an ear, well aware most of these were a sham to direct the judges attention towards more fitting punishments. After all, what resources could they confiscate from him? He had virtually nothing left, the Fright Zone had been reclaimed by Princess Scorpia, and all of the Horde's tech and vehicles had already been taken in by Brightmoon to repurpose for space flight and exploration. Stripped of his titles? He didn't have any, any more. Imprisonment seemed more likely, but it was that next one that sent a cold chill down Hordak's spine.
Exile.
Now that Etheria was no longer locked away from the rest of the Universe in Despondos, and space flight was very real (ironically, thanks to the Horde's tech) it was entirely possible he would be exiled from Etheria for his crimes. Hordak spared a glance over at Princess Entrapta, again lost in one of her little tracker pads, working on some experiment or other. While he wouldn't claim he would be completely find with leaving Etheria forever, he would miss her. His friend, his very first friend. If such was his punishment, however, could he ask her to come with him? She, who had a kingdom to rule, and subjects to take care of? No, he'd caused enough suffering with his selfish interests. He would not ruin Dryl and Entrapta's life simply to ease his own discomfort.
"... and of course, execution," Sea Hawk finished awkwardly. "Er, not that we're advocating that or anything. Just some possibilities."
"Some," Glimmer agreed, emphasizing the word to show that likewise, she was considering some, but not others. This trial was a forum for justice, not revenge.
With both sides of the trial finished, it all fell now closing statements, and then to the pink-haired monarch to ponder everything that had been presented and make her final judgement.
"If that is all," Glimmer began. "Then I declare a recess until I have had time to properly consider..."
The doors burst open, cutting her off.
"Wait!"
All eyes zoomed on the open doorway and the pair of guards who'd been knocked out by the stunning alicorn standing there. Swift Wind looked just a little sheepish at his entry but gamely trotted forward, carrying someone on his back. A stout woman in purple and fuschia robes, with a staff in one hand and a pair of spectacles resting on her eyes. Her hair seemed enormous, like she could hide at least three cats in it and have room to spare. Swift Wind trotted to the edge of the observational seats and stopped just shy of the court.
Glimmer did not look pleased. "Just what is all this?!" she demanded.
Adora stood. "Surprise witness, your honor. I am sorry for the short notice but we weren't sure if she was going to make it... but if you'll allow..."
"Your honor I object!" Mermista was already on her feet, and Sea Hawk was right behind her. "It is too late to introduce new witnesses at this time! For crying out loud we were just about to wrap this up!"
"Hear, hear!" Sea Hawk chimed in.
The Princess of Power ignored them, pointedly making her way to Swift Wind and thanking him profusely for his swift arrival, then offering Razz a hand down from the noble steed.
"Ah, Mara dearie, so good to see you again... is it time to go berry picking again?"
Adora barely managed to hide a grimace. This was the flaw in her gamble, if Madame Razz got truly, utterly lost in her ramblings, it could be detrimental to her defense of Hodrak, already on very thin ice. On the other hand, Razz had been able to help her when she'd been in an alternate reality, she was hoping things were serious enough now that she could hold it together long enough to give a testimonial.
"Not today, Razz... this is the Trial of Hordak. We're defending him, did Swift Wind explain everything?"
"Of course, of course, nothing to it," Razz said, making her way down from the alicorn and across the courtroom to the witness stand. Glimmer, looking more confused than angry at this point, glanced to Adora as if for explanation. She simply shrugged.
"... alright, I'll allow this. But keep it short," Glimmer requested.
"I only need a little time," Adora promised. "Madame Razz..."
"... swear to always tell the truth," the matronly lady replied, already swearing in with Bow. "No need for the semantics, Adora, we can skip to the juicy bits."
Using her name was definitely a good sign, Adora decided.
"Madame Razz you'll forgive making implications of your age, but you saw the Horde when they first came to Etheria, didn't you? You've lived through their invasion first hand?"
"Of course, dearie."
Mermista fumed. "This is ridiculous, I object! No one is that old!"
"Hordak is," Sea Hawk reminded her. She just glared at her buccaneer paramour, and he promptly shut up.
Adora asked several other questions, setting up some precedent for Razz's testimony, asking about her own experiences with Mara, and the First Ones, and Hordak and all that had transpired in the myriad years between then and now. Madame Razz recited it all almost perfectly, as if she had just been there yesterday. Many of the audience were being drawn in despite themselves, even Mermista's attention was snagged when Razz mentioned knowing Princess Sea coral, her mother. Finally, sensing her time was short, Adora went in for the kill.
"Madame Razz, could you explain to me the... importance of Hordak's reign?"
"Importance?!"
"Oh, he didn't know what he was doing... but he was instrumental to the end of Horde Prime," Razz explained. "Because of you, dearie. Because of She-Ra."
"How so?" Adora sought clarification.
"Well She-Ra defeated Prime, of course, didn't she? And that only came about because of you! And Hordak brought you here to Etheria in the first place to train you and prepare you for your destiny. It's all rather obvious, isn't it?"
Obvious in hindsight, perhaps, but sometimes it seemed to Adora as if Razz was able to view past, present, and future equally. Perhaps to her, able to see the end of Horde Prime long before it happened, everything did seem rather obvious.
"So you're saying what Hordak did... had some good in it."
"Of course, dearie. All of us make mistakes, but that doesn't make us irredeemable."
A smile graced Adora's face. "Thank you, Madame Razz. That's just what we needed to hear. Well, that's all I needed. Does the prosecution want a go?" she asked, somewhat smugly.
Mermista glared, and Sea Hawk looked ready to climb out of his seat and take a stab at it, but the Princess of Salineas wisely chose to shake her head. "No."
The elderly woman nodded as she slid off the stand and moved back towards the pews. "Ah, wonderful, I always enjoy this part... watching the outcome. Please, don't mind me," she said, absent-mindedly stealing a seat from someone who had slipped out of the room earlier.
Adora seized this opportunity to deliver her closing remarks.
"Everyone. Please. This trial is about more than just Hordak and the Horde. This war... has been awful. For all of us. There is no piece of Etheria that has been untouched by it," she started quietly. Then, more firmly, "But the War. Is. Over. Dragging it back into the light isn't what is needed now. What we need to do is rebuild... and forgive. We have all done horrible things but what is past is over and done with. The Horde is no more. Let us put aside our grievances and show Hordak forgiveness... and move into the future together."
Utter silence followed, as everyone pondered her words, unsure of what they would mean in just a short amount of time. Because now it was Glimmer's time to render judgement. All eyes eventually drifted towards the sparkling monarch to see what she would say.
"Give the time of day, I will sleep on it," Glimmer said. "Tomorrow, at noon... we will resume with verdict and sentencing."
Bang.
Hordak was escorted back to his cell, and despite Adora's attempts to comfort him, he found little hope in the outcome being anything other than dismal. He was, after all, by his very nature pessimistic rather than optimistic. But he had ever been a patient man, and he was determined to let what was to be, be. He would wait until tomorrow to find out what the verdict was, then abide by it.
Dawn came, and then a few hours later, the courtroom was refilled as noon arrived. Hordak was escorted in, re-shackled, as he, Adora, Mermista and her co-counsel Sea Hawk stood. Bailif Bow nodded to Glimmer as she lightly banged the gavel, drawing all attention to her.
"This court has decided on a verdict," Queen Glimmer stated, her voice firm. "The evidence is clear, and testimonials have been crucial in determining this. Moreover, we all here have borne witness to what the Horde has done in the past century, and further beyond. It is not something we can simply sweep aside and forget, no matter how much we wish to. And whether it has been consciously by design or good intentions gone awry, consequences must be accepted for the one who organized and ordered these atrocities."
She paused to let her words sink in, then dropped the real anvil. "It is the finding of this court that the defendant Hordak is indeed... guilty."
There was a rustle of murmuring amongst the crowd as many looked shocked by the judgement, while just as many others seemed vindicated. More than a few people were talking, wondering just what this outcome would mean for Hordak, the former Horde members, and Etheria in general. Adora frowned, but didn't look entirely shocked.
Glimmer wasn't finished, however.
"However!"
At first, the chaotic murmurings continued, and Glimmer glowered, striking the gavel. Not just once, but twice to restore order.
"However...! The punishment must fit the crime. And given all Hordak has already done for the good of Etheria, being instrumental in the defeat of Horde Prime, to say nothing of his interest in continuing to do even more good moving forward, we have determined a suitable punishment for him. Bailiff, if you will?"
Nodding, Bow stepped forward, pad in hand. Hordak glanced at Adora, slightly confused, but she just nodded back at the young man about to speak. From his tracker, Bow read aloud: "The defendant Hordak will be remanded to the custody of the Kingdom of Dryl and it's ruler Princess Entrapta for the foreseeable future. He will be subject to the occasional, random interview and inspection by the Princess Alliance to ensure he is keeping to the terms of his parole. Moreover, Hordak will engage in community service of at least one week every month in the kingdoms of Salineas, Brightmoon, and the Fright Zone, until such time as their respective rulers are satisfied with his contributions. This will be reviewed with possible appeal in one year and every subsequent year until the debt is repaid."
"So be it," Glimmer declared, banging her gavel, making the sentence final.
Hordak could scarcely believe his ears. Community service? That was to be his punishment? He barely heard the Queen order the bailiff Bow to remove his shackles. He just absent-mindedly rubbed his wrists as Adora beamed brighter than he'd ever seen her.
"I'd call this a victory, wouldn't you?"
"I... suppose..." he replied, still unsure of it all. He would never have countenanced such a punishment while he had been the one meting out justice in the Horde. But, perhaps that was precisely the point. The Horde was well and truly gone now, and despite his name, Hordak had to find his own place in the world. And that started by repaying debts owed. "Thank you, Adora," he said hesitantly. "This would not have been possible without you."
She smiled. "Wasn't just me."
Hordak looked up, spotting a purple-haired princess looking about ready to pounce on him, and intercepted her before she could make a scene, gently capturing her small hands in his. As always, marveling at the size difference between them.
"Entrapta, I..."
"This is going to be awesome!" she cut him off, so excited she looked like she had stars in her eyes. "I get my favorite lab partner back and you're coming to live at Dryl with me?! I mean gosh I can't even wait!"
Neither could he. There was a lot to do. Not just in terms of repairs and restorations, but with the wider universe now available, countless possibilities had opened up. It would take a lifetime (possibly several) to explore them all, and he could see easily enough his "punishment" was equally an opportunity to do so.
If this was to be his penance, then it was one he would gladly serve out.
Authors Notes:
Please review if you enjoyed. I know I did.