The Pinnacle of Evolution: Canceled or Cut Content Trial Chapter 1, a mass effect fanfic

Intro to TPOE: 'CCC'

So, you may be asking... what is this, swrWriter? Well...

This here is The Pinnacle of Evolution's 'Canceled/Cut Content' (CCC). It came to fruition as a result of the trial chapters that I had fully written, before scrapping the idea from the story. You will see the chapters as they were originally meant to be seen, Author Notes and all. I hope you enjoy the two chapters that cover the canceled trail, and any other chapters that are posted about canceled or cut content from The Pinnacle of Evolution (TPOE).

As you can/will see, this would have taken the place of chapter 11. Be warned of some grammatical and spelling errors, as they have not gone through the same process of proofreading and editing since they weren't included in the story. Some information covered in these chapters may still be considered 'canon' to TPOE, but the vast majority isn't. Some of it, scratch that, most of it very well may and will conflict with information from the actual story, creating apparent paradoxes. This is because the story shifts and changes as I write it, meaning it's a dynamic process. I know several points and the general direction of my story, but much of it has changed from where I imagined it would go.

This isn't my best work, either, as it would have likely gone through an overhaul or two to better adapt the written chapter to the story, so I apologize. Anyway…

The background of this chapter and the next is simple: After the attack on the Citadel, in my story, Grimlock escaped capture aboard the Nedas, Jordan is captured/arrested and thought to be guilty of murdering Udina and working with the Geth. However, the original intent was to have his innocence in Udina's murder to be proven. The reason this was scrapped was because I felt like it was too drastic of a change from the feel of the story. AND… the ending that occurs in the second part of the Trial, the one that naturally flowed into creation as I wrote, drastically altered the course and feel of the story, in such a way that I felt was not the way I wanted TPOE to go.

This, I felt, was too drastic of a change to the feel and tone of my story. However, the character "Nilo'Franz" does and will reappear in the main story. I did, though, have immense joy and fun writing this a long while back. And because of that, I wanted to share it. I hope this is enjoyed, and I will say it once more: I am still working on the main story. I just thought that in celebration of writing once again, I'd share something that brings me back to how I felt when I first started out: Enjoying writing and sharing my work, regardless of outside opinion and thought.

Hopefully, you enjoy it nonetheless. And more chapters may appear later, with further notes explaining them. For now, here's the Trial Chapters.

Chapter 11: Turnabout First Contact (Part 1)

A/N:

Before we start, let me just let you know that this part of the story will be slightly different than what's happened so far. It's something that came to mind as I began planning the story, and thanks to my love of Ace Attorney, I couldn't help but include this. I hope you enjoy this section of TPOE and I hope some of you, at least, are fans of the series as well. It won't be EXACTLY like the games, but I think it's close enough…

Quick note, all of the "recommended"s are songs/music from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice, and are NOT required for it to make sense. HOWEVER, it would indefinitely increase the experience and I think you'd enjoy it more if you played it while reading. I know I did while I wrote! Without further ado… Turnabout First Contact!

Another quick note, Galactic Standard Time has 100 seconds in a minute, 100 minutes in an hour, and 20 hours in a day. Just in case you were wondering.

March 25, 11:52 AM

Presidium Courthouse

Defendant Lobby No. 1

[Recommended: "Defendant Lobby ~ Prelude to the Truth" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

Daniel Wright, Ace Attorney. That's who he was. That's who he needed to be.

Putting away the news articles he'd been reading and straightening his blue suit and red tie absentmindedly, he'd been also making sure his dark black hair was straight in his usual backwards 'spikes' as others had called them. Mr. Wright waited as patiently as he could in the lobby for his client to arrive from C-Sec detainment. He looked around the room, taking in the familiar architecture of the Defendant Lobby. Same comfortable-looking couch on the opposing wall, made of some sort of pseudo-leather, no doubt. Some painting of whatever the hell that was over the couch. Same whiteish-grey walls, with the pseudo-wood double doors that would lead to the courtroom on his left, flanked by two C-Sec officers.

Or, well, it normally would be. Today, however, stood a Salarian and an Asari, both wearing dark gear, holding their advanced weapons firmly. Though they might appear to be C-Sec officers at first glance, there was no doubt in Wright's mind that they were Spectres. It made sense though, considering the charges laid against his client.

"My name is Daniel Wright. I'm a Defense Attorney, living on the Citadel and running my own Defense Agency. I defend the innocent against unfair, false charges brought up against them. I'm not perfect, but many consider me one of the best human Attorneys in the business. I don't take cases I think I can win… I take cases where I need to win; Cases where my client truly is innocent. Cases like this one."

It had been a rather strange day when he'd received the call from Mister Sower. He didn't agree to take the case originally, but agreed to come down to the detention center and hear his client out.

Jordan claimed that on the day of the Geth Attack, he'd been unexpectedly freed from custody. Not wanting to sit around and watch people die, he joined in the fight, rescuing civilians and taking down Geth. Apparently, some of the Geth worked with Jordan and they went toward the Embassies to make sure the important people had gotten out as well. His client claimed that he came across Udina's body upon entering the Human Embassy. C-Sec claims he entered the Embassies and assassinated Udina in cold blood, using the chaos around him to his advantage.

His client admitted that he'd worked with some of the Geth. Hell, he'd claimed the Geth were split into two factions and that he'd been working with a faction that wasn't responsible for the Eden Prime attack. To the charge of actively working with Synthetics, although he wasn't happy about it, Jordan was going to plead Guilty. But for the death of Udina… He was vehement that he hadn't done it, and wanted to plead innocent.

Other lawyers might see this as a way to get their name out there on the Galactic Stage. "Hey, I'm the Defense Attorney you saw on the holoscreen defending that Geth Sympathizer." Nearly all of them would refuse to take the case unless Jordan agreed to plead Guilty to killing Udina. But Daniel Wright wasn't your average Attorney.

He was going to prove Jordan's innocence! Speaking of which…

The doors opened, allowing Jordan to enter the room with his hands cuffed in front of him with Omni-cuffs. Both Spectres watched him carefully as his client looked around the room with a sort of amusement in his eyes, before his eyesight landed on him.

His client was dressed in modern black suit with a green tie, at his request for 'looking the part' during the trial today. His bright green eyes locked onto Wrights as he approached, an appreciative smile on his face.

"Ah, Mr. Wright, I presume." He asked. He appeared quite young, likely only in his mid-twenties. He didn't look like a hardened criminal, that's for sure.

He nodded, "That right, Mr. Sower."

Jordan smiled a bit more openly, "I must say, it's an honor to have you as my attorney." He said genuinely, reaching out his cuffed hands to attempt a handshake. Deciding to humor him, Mr. Wright took his client's right hand, shaking it.

"The pleasure is mine." He responded easily, "Are you ready for the trial today?"

Jordan confidently nodded, "Yes sir. I'm more than confident that you can prove my innocence."

Mr. Wright absentmindedly scratched the back of his neck, "Yeah, but it won't be easy. The charges laid on you are serious, and the evidence is pretty solid. You were, after all, apprehended on scene. Plus, the choice in the Prosecutor doesn't exactly help things…"

His opponent today worried him. Prosecutor Nilo'Franz vas Karma. A well-known prosecutor amongst the Council, this Quarian had been involved in a number of treason and high-level trials, always securing the defendant's guilt. Nilo'Franz, as his name suggests, is considered a part of the crew of the Karma, a relatively new ship. His story is it that during his Pilgrimage, he worked in a law firm on the Citadel, quickly rising through the ranks as he caught on quickly to intergalactic law.

Rumor has it that after he completed his Pilgrimage, he served as a sort of legal advisor to Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema, helping condemn Quarians accused of treason, before being a granted a ship of his own in order to further advance his career. If rumor is also to be believed, it is said that he's been looking through the legal system on the Citadel in an attempt to regain his people's Embassy, hoping to find a loophole or some kind or a breach in protocol on the Council's decision. However, don't let that fool you. He's a cutthroat Prosecutor!

Jordan frowned, and shook his head, "I'm telling you, I was there to check on Udina. I was trying to make sure all the politicians and ambassadors were ok during the attack."

"I understand." He said, putting his hands up to concede the point, "I believe you weren't there to kill him, but the fact remains that you were found at the scene, and no one else was in the room during the incident."

His client sighed, "Yeah… it's not looking good for me." He brightened up for a moment though, "But if anyone can prove my innocence, it'd be the great Daniel Wright, Ace Attorney!"

Daniel reddened a bit in embarrassment, still not completely used to his 'beloved reputation'. He was only doing his job. Before he could respond, the double doors opened as the Asari Spectre stepped forward towards the pair.

"Alright guys, conversation's over. Time to head in."

"Of course, Spectre Vasir." Mr. Wright responded kindly.

Jordan turned to look at Vasir, before looking at Wright, a look of horror in his eyes at the name of the Spectre, but quickly hid it. It confused Mister Wright for a moment, but ignored it. Jordan already had a fairly 'unhappy' experience with a Spectre already, and must have been afraid of her for that same reason.

Following Tela Vasir out of the room with Jondum Bau following up the rear, watching Jordan carefully.

March 25, 12:01 PM

Presidium Courthouse

Courtroom #1

[Recommended: "Spirit of Justice ~ Court Begins" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

Boom. The loud sound cut off all discussions within the Courtroom and silence reigned as everyone was where they should be. Daniel Wright stood at the Defense Desk, staring ahead and ready to begin. Jordan Sower sat in the given chair for the accused. Over at the Prosecution's table stood a male Quarian in a blood-red environmental suit with blue accents and the normal purple visor. Standing behind the judge in the center were the four Councilors, watching the ordeal carefully. Judge Zartlor, the judge in this trial stood at attention on all four legs, staring out at the audience for a moment before he began to speak.

"With Authority: Court is now in session for the Trial of Jordan Sower."

Mr. Wright nodded, "The Defense is ready, your honor."

The Quarian crossed his arms, "The Prosecution has never been more ready, your honor." He responded with passion, eyeing Jordan carefully.

The Elcor judge nodded, "With pleasure: The Prosecution may begin with its opening statement."

The Quarian straightened his posture, definitely smiling beneath his mask, "Thank you, your honor." He turned to appraise the crowd, "Several weeks ago, the Geth attacked the Citadel, leaving death and destruction in their wake, as always." He began, "During this time, a Geth Sympathizer, Jordan Sower, used the chaos to his advantage. With a squad of Geth, he escaped prison, went to the Embassies, and assassinate Udina in cold blood." He paused dramatically for a moment, watching the crowd's reaction. After all, this entire ordeal was being aired live galaxy-wide. "He attempted to escape with his Geth, but thanks to the efforts of Citadel Security and a civilian, he was captured before he could escape." With that, he took his default position by his desk, "That is all, your honor."

The Judge nodded, "With exasperated sadness: Ah, Mr. Wright… You may now make your opening statement."

Mr. Wright chuckled internally. He'd had much experience with this particular judge, and anyone who knew anything about Daniel Wright would know that he's caused trials to go far longer than expected, inevitably rubbing the Judge the wrong way over time. It was to be expected of him by this point.

Externally, he straightened his posture, looking out upon the crows present, before turning towards the Councilors: Anderson, Tevos, Valern, and Sparatus.

"Your honor. Your esteemed Councilors. I have brought before you today a man, who is not innocent, but is neither guilty as well." he began. "Has he worked with the Geth? He claims that he has, but not as you know it."

"Objection!" The Quarian cut in, "Are you trying to say that he worked with the Geth or not."

Judge Zartlor shook his head, "Chastising rebuke: Prosecutor Nilo'Franz vas Karma, allow Mr. Wright to finish his opening statement before you begin objecting." Jordan's eyes sparkled in the background, shocked and amused upon discovering the Prosecutor's name.

Mr. Wright nodded, thankful. "Regardless of the Geth argument, my client is innocent of the charge that he'd assassinated Ambassador Udina. I hope to prove to you all that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is all." He returned to his default posture.

The Judge nodded, "With patience: You may call your first witness, Prosecutor Franz."

The Prosecutor nodded, his eyes narrowing in what was likely a smile, "The Prosecution would like to call Detective Decian Chellick to the stand to explain the facts of the case."

Detective Chellick stepped down from where he was seated, approaching and stopping at the Witness Stand in the center of the Courtroom.

"With formality: Please give the Court your full name and occupation."

Chellick nodded, straightening his posture, wearing his C-Sec black and blue armor. He looked up towards the Councilors and the Judge, "Detective Decian Chellick, lead Detective in Citadel Security."

Prosecutor Franz curtly nodded, "Please, Detective, fill us in on the facts of this case." To his, Detective Chellick nodded, bringing out several pieces of evidence.

[Recommended: "The Basics of the Case" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

The Detective pulled out a datapad filled with information, which he synced with the screens in the room to show off to all those that were present. A copy of the document landed in the possession of each Attorney as well.

Chellick began in his deep, turian voice, "According to the human calendar, on March 6th at approximately 14:00 Galactic Standard Time, the attack on the Citadel by Geth Forces began."

Detective Chellick swiped down on his data pad, pulling up to a vid recording. Pressing play, they saw the security footage of the Embassies as the emergency lights went out and the arms of the Citadel were closing at this point. The audience watched the footage as they saw Councilor Udina run into his office, locking the door behind him. There wasn't any sound.

"Footage reveals the Ambassador entered the empty room alone, locking it behind him and closing the security shutters, sealing himself inside." He explained, before the video ended and he selected the next one, showing Jordan working with several Geth. The video showed him actively killing other Geth while working with others, before killing several of the husks and 'Marauders' as they were now called. "At approximately 14:65 Galactic Standard time, Jordan Sower and his squad of Geth arrived after escaping C-Sec custody. Taking down other Geth, Husks, and Marauders along the way, he entered his destination: The Presidium Embassies."

The footage changed further, showing him approaching and entering several of the rooms, "He proceeded to search the left side of the Embassies, before coming across the Executor's office." The audience gasped. Chellick nodded, pulling up a document on screen as well, "This security report details that the unique Geth unit next to Jordan hacked the cameras within the executor's officer, verifying that Udina was not present."

"It was that his point that he made his way immediately towards Udina's office. Again, the Embassy Security report shows that his ordered the Geth to hack the door open. Moments later, he entered, out of sight of the cameras."

Prosecutor Nilo'Franz vas Karma interrupted, "Why isn't there footage of the murder?"

Chellick looked over and frowned slightly, "The Ambassador's assistant, Brian Miller, had accidently fried it and the entire system a few days prior. Most cameras were working by the time of the incident, but the sound was still out and we hadn't gotten around to repairing Udina's cameras." He informed the court.

Mr. Wright noticed something and interrupted as well, "Where was Mr. Miller during the murder?"

Chellick sighed, "I'm getting to that." He returned his attention to the datapad, pulling up surveillance of the hallways of the Embassies. "A few minutes later, C-Sec reinforcements arrived on scene, taking out all Geth at the entrances to the Embassies. At this point, an unidentified Geth ship approached the scene to take Jordan away to safety. C-Sec wasn't going to make it in time." On screen, the door to the Volus and Elcor Embassy opened, revealing a tall man with red hair, wearing a professional, modern suit and carrying a sidearm.

Mr. Wright nodded as Chellick continued, "Brian Miller claimed to have heard a commotion from the other room over. He had been hiding in the other office for his safety, but moved out to check on his boss. It was then that he saw the culprit, holding the murder weapon in his hand."

The display shifted to a pistol. "A Stiletto III, produced by Haliat Armory, was used to kill Udina. His very own sidearm, issued for self-defense in the case of an attempt on his life." It went back to the security footage, showing Mister Miller altering the ammo type on his weapon, "At this point, Mr. Miller entered the room and fired at Jordan using a prototype ammunition, called stun-rounds. These rounds incapacitate opponents much like a Taser, but has the full range of an actual firearm, making distance no real issue. It was using this weapon that he took Jordan down before he could escape. Unfortunately, the Geth unit accompanying him was immune to the rounds since it was a synthetic, and was able to escape."

"And that's when Citadel Security showed up, yes?" Prosecutor Franz asked.

Chellick nodded. He pulled up one final document attached, "This is Donnell Udina's autopsy report. He died from a single gunshot wound to the head, consistent with the Stiletto line of pistols."

Mr. Wright asked another question, "And what of the pistol? Can you confirm it was this specific gun that was used?" He asked, rubbing his chin in thought.

Chellick nodded, "Yes. Normally, with how small the rounds are these days, we wouldn't be able to tell. However, we know Udina's never fired a shot with that weapon before, meaning it should have been a full ammo block in there. However, our forensics experts discovered a small grain was missing from the ammo block, meaning it'd been fired once."

The Prosecutor grinned, speaking confidently, "Excellent. This seems clear cut and dry. Your honor, I move for an immediate verdict."

"Uncertainly: Perhaps that is-" Mr. Wright rolled his eyes. Why was the judge always swayed so easily to the whims of the prosecution?

"Objection!" Shouted Mr. Wright. "Your honor, I'd like to start my cross-examination."

The elcor sighed aloud, "Unamused: Of Course, Mr. Wright. Please begin your cross-examination."

He nodded, "Thank you, your Honor." He turned towards Detective Chellick, "Detective, if you would be so kind as to summarize the finding of the case and go over them once more, that'd be appreciated."

Detective Chellick nodded, "Of course, Mr. Wright." He replied, straightening his posture.

Cross-Examination

The Facts of the Case

[Recommended: "Cross-Examination ~ Moderato 2016" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

"On March 6th, at approximately 14:90 GST, Ambassador Udina was murdered in his office while attempting to hide from the Geth invasion." Chellick began.

"Hold it." Shepard interrupted, "At about 14:90, you said. Are you certain of the timing?"

Detective Chellick nodded, "According to the footage and the recorded times, he entered his office near the beginning of the hour, and Jordan was apprehended just before the end of the hour." He said, motioning towards the camera footage on-screen still, "Unless you honestly believe the entire system was off and no longer tracking time correctly, then even you must admit this the likely time of death. Our forensics team determined the time of death to be between 14:75 and 14:95, as detailed in the full autopsy report."

Shepard nodded, "I see. Please, continue."

Chellick continued, "Jordan was seen entering the room at approximately 14:85, along with the unique Geth unit accompanying him."

"Hold it." He interrupted once more, "Tell me about this 'unique geth unit'."

Chellick shrugged, "Sure. It was seen originally in C-Sec HQ, breaking Jordan out of jail. From there, security cameras caught it the entire time they were moving." He looked down at his datapad and brought up the clearest image they had of it. "This is a Geth Juggernaut, which are normally red in color. However, this unit has a white stripe across its chest with the word 'Grimlock' written across it in blue English letters, along with a human symbol on each shoulder. The extranet revealed the symbol used is an "Autobot" symbol."

Prosecutor Franz spoke up, "What is this 'Autobot' symbol, Detective? I've certainly never heard of it prior to his trial."

Chellick put on the equivalent of an awkward turian smile and scratched at the plating around his neck, "According to the extranet and my human colleagues, the Autobots were an alien race of machines that could 'transform' to look like everyday human technology." Before he could get any further, gasps and murmuring began in the audience.

Judge Zartlor banged a fist into the desk three times, loud enough to gain everyone's attention, "In shock and anger: Order in the Court." He said, before speaking after a short break, "Another race of synthetics, Detective?"

Chellick shook his head, "No, your honor. These 'Transformers' were simply from popular culture in Earth's 20 and 21st Century. They were not real, but they were and still are relatively popular amongst humans."

"Alieved: Ah, I see. Thank you, Detective."

"Is there anything else you'd like to know about the unit, or shall I continue, Mr. Wright."

Daniel scratched the back of his neck and smiled, "No, please, continue."

Chellick nodded, "Once in the Embassy, it was just him, the Geth, and Udina. Jordan was the one who pulled the trigger, since his fingerprints were on it."

"Hold it!" Wright shouted, "How are you certain it was Jordan who killed Udina?" He asked, pointing his finger at Chellick.

"Objection!" Vas Karma interrupted before Chellick could speak. Nilo'Franz shook his head dismissively, crossing his arms, "Are all human attorneys this incompetent?" He asked sarcastically.

The Prosecutor sighed, "I suppose I must enlighten you, Mr. Wright. The weapon is designed to be used by organics, and certainly a large Geth such as this Juggernaut would be unable to successfully utilize the weapon, even if commanded to do so by Jordan."

Mr. Wright shook his head, "But are we certain that there wasn't anyone else couldn't have gotten in there?"

"Like who, Mr. Wright?"

Daniel went silent, trying to think. Could he list a name of someone who could have been there? Many people present in the building were either dead or in the Executor's office. Could he name Brian Miller? No, he has nothing that could support this theory. That's when an idea struck him.

He looked over the Autopsy report: "Victim died between 14:75 and 14:95 GST via a single gunshot wound to the head. The wound is consistent with the firearm found at the scene: A Stiletto III. Victim was also found with a few small bruises and a burn around the entry wound on his head. No traces of medication or chemicals were found in his bloodstream, but analysis shows an increase in blood pressure minutes before death."

[Recommended: "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2016" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

"Take that!" He said aloud, internally yelling 'objection', as he answered, bringing up Udina's autopsy report. "Take a look at this for me, will you Vas Karma?"

Prosecutor Franz scoffed, "The autopsy report? I've reread the report a dozen times over by now. What about it."

Wright held the datapad in his hands, smacking it lightly for dramatic flair, before re-reading the line in question. "Victim was also found with a few small bruises and a burn around the entry wound on his head." He read aloud, "Now, based on my previous knowledge with gunshot wounds, which isn't first-hand, mind you, guns only leave burn marks when fired at close range. Incredibly close range if I remember correctly, right Detective?"

Detective Chellick nodded, "That is correct. The burns found indicate the Stiletto was likely pressed against the side of his head before it was fired." He agreed.

"And again, if we take a look, at the autopsy report, we'd also notice that he was found with only 'a few small bruises'. This sounds inconsistent with a struggle, don't you think?"

"Objection!" Prosecutor Franz interrupted. "This is ridiculous. It's quite obvious he didn't put up a fight and that Jordan closed in and killed him up close."

"Objection, to you good sir." Wright responded, pulling up the security footage of Jordan entering the room, "My client entered the room with a weapon of his own. Wouldn't it have made sense that he would have fired with that weapon instead, saving time and guaranteeing an escape?" He responded.

There was murmuring in the crowd once more, causing the Judge to slam his foot down once more to silence the court, "Annoyed: Silence. Order in the Court."

Detective Chellick was silent for a moment before responding for a moment, "Yes, that would make logical sense, Mister Wright, wouldn't it?"

Daniel seemed shocked with the agreement, "Yes."

The Prosecutor took it from there, "Well Mister Wright, would you say that everything you do is completely and utterly logical?" He asked, speaking again before Daniel could respond, "Of course not, otherwise we wouldn't be having this conversation." He said, shaking his head in what seemed to be amusement.

"Wha- what?" he asked, feeling that this was a personal attack now.

"So many murders are, as you humans call it, 'the heat of the moment', right, Wright? This morning, I logically knew you'd be defending this Geth Sympathizer, but emotionally, I was angry, regardless of your motive. If we were to take emotion out of every decision ever made, then yes, Jordan couldn't have done it… unless…" he paused, dramatically rubbing his chin, "Unless you're here to claim Mister Sower is an emotionless organic? Because in that case, you've got another whole problem entirely."

"Y-yeah, but…" He began, pointing his finger towards the Prosecution, "But you can't say there was a motive behind the assassination." He said, "There was no reason for Jordan to have killed him, much less a reason to kill him in an irrational way."

Prosecutor Nilo-Franz vas Karma began to chuckle, raising his arms to the side as he began to shake his head, "Oh, we have plenty of motive, if that's what you're looking for, Mister Wright." He stopped and stared at his opponent, "I had hoped this would have been over already, that way it wouldn't be so bad for you, but alas, you've forced my hand…" He turned towards the Judge, "You're Honor, I'd like to call my next witness to the stand. Someone who can shed light on Jordan's motive."

[Music ends for now.]

Judge Zartlor nodded, "Intrigued: Very well. You may call your next witness forward."

Prosecutor vas Karma nodded with a humored gleam in his eyes beneath his mask, "Prosecution calls Brian Miller to the stand."

Wright turned to look toward his client. Any hint of excitement and enthusiasm that he might have had earlier was gone, as he now looked genuinely worried. Daniel sighed, 'This wasn't working out quite how he planned.' That Quarian, Nilo'Franks vas Karma, he really had it out for Jordan. No doubt because of his association with his people's enemy: The Geth.

A moment later, Chellick was gone and replaced with another human: Brian Miller. He had short red hair and light skin, standing a bit taller than Jordan's height with dark brown eyes, which kind of surprised Daniel considering his hair color. He was slightly muscular in build, unlike Jordan, but still maintained the appearance of a lean man. Brian wore a white uniform, similar in style to the outfit Udina always wore, and appeared to be about the same age as Jordan, maybe slightly older.

He stood up there slightly awkwardly, holding his left arm with his right as he looked down at the ground, not meeting anyone's gaze.

Prosecutor vas Karma unnecessarily cleared his throat, "Please, young man, state your name and occupation for the court. Introduce yourself."

He looked up, focusing his eyes on the Quarian for a moment before looking up towards the Councilors, who were watching intently. "My…" he took a deep breath, shaking his head, "My name is Brian Miller. I work, no, sorry, worked with Ambassador Udina in the Citadel Embassies in his office, er, rather my officer, I suppose." His voice was masculine, but slightly soft as he spoke quietly into the microphone.

The Judge slowly shook his head, "Reassuringly: There is no reason to be stressing out, Mister Miller."

"S-sorry, it's just, unthinkable, isn't it? Udina dead?! I can hardly believe it myself." He replied quietly once more.

Prosecutor vas Karma nodded with his arms folded across his chest, "I understand he was more of a friend than a superior, is that correct?"

Brian straightened his posture and shrugged, "Well, maybe, but not at first. When I first met Udina last year, he was pretty stuck up, only hesitantly giving me the position. But, well, overtime he became less stuck-up-ish, I guess. He'd been really accommodating to me, even after that disaster with the camera system."

'This guy worked for that ass?' Shepard mused internally. Udina had never been short of annoying to anyone as far as he knew. Seemed like Jordan was thinking the same thing, based on his expression.

Nilo-Franz leaned forward, putting his arms onto this desk before him, "Now, Brian, you don't mind if I call you Brian, yes?"

"N-no sir, Brian is fine. I'm not a fan of inappropriate titles." He admitted, making the Prosecutor's eyes widen in amusement.

"Ahh, me neither, Brian. We have a lot in common. Too bad in a court of law, I'm required to remain strictly professional, right Wright?" Daniel rolled his eyes and muttered an annoyed curse under his breath. "Now, Brian, our friendly dimwit over here…" he motioned towards Wright offhandedly, "…believes that Mister Sower over there has no motive for killing your dear friend Udina."

Brian's eyes shot to Wrights, locking on for a moment before turning to look at Jordan, locking eyes with him for a moment as well. He didn't respond right away, so Nilo'Franz continued, "Would you mind giving us your Witness Testimony as to what you observed from Din's office right down the hall?"

Brian Miller nodded, steeling himself and taking a deep breath. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Begin, if you will." Vas Karma said remarkably politely.

Witness Testimony

Jordan's Motive

[Recommended: "Cross-Examination ~ Moderato 2016" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

He locked his arms firmly behind his back, looking ahead confidently, "At around 8:30 in the evening, I was in Din Korlack's office." He began.

Taking a deep breath, his confident mask slipped into a genuine frown, "The Geth were attacking the Citadel, I was separated from C-Sec and Mister Udina, I was terrified that I was going to die."

He looked over to the side, biting his lip slightly, "I was cowering by the desk, waiting for either C-Sec or the Geth to find me, when I heard the sounds."

He swallowed harshly, "It was so loud, it gave me a headache. From next door, in Udina's office, I heard shouting. Yelling. Pleading. Screaming." He paused between sentences before taking a deep breath as he continued.

"I… I believe I heard Jordan say, 'Your dead Udina, you damn traitor!'. B-but I know Udina, he's not a traitor!" He said, taking another deep breath.

"Udina pleaded, but I couldn't hear his words clearly through the wall. Next thing I heard after that was… h-his gun went off…"

He looked down, unable to look up, "I- I thought, that, maybe it was self-defense, you know. Maybe Udina was alive and fought off the attacker, so I went to check, against my better judgment."

He looked up, locking his eyes on Jordan, "That's when I saw THAT man with a Geth, trying to escape through a hole in Udina's shutters. I opened fire, hoping the bastard would get stunned and face punishment." He finished in rage.

Brian Miller took a deep breath, "The rest is history, of course, when C-Sec finally showed up and helped subdue the suspect. That's when I finally got a good look at Mister Udina. He was… he was gone…" He finished, taking a deep breath and forcing himself to straighten his posture.

"Sympathetic: I am sorry, young man. It must have been so hard for you to lose such a great man."

Mr. Wright could have sworn he saw all four Councilors roll their eyes in sync. Prosecutor Vas Karma simply went along with the sad charade, "As am I, Brian. Don't worry, with your testimony, we'll, as you say, make sure 'the bastard' gets punished, yes?"

"TH-thank you M-mister…"

The Prosecutor raised an apologetic hand, "Nilo'Franz vas Karma." He reintroduced himself, knowing full well that he likely had forgotten in his emotional state.

"M-mister Franz von Karma." He corrected. Jordan barely held back a snicker as Wright felt his lip twitch at the mistake. Prosecutor Franz, however, narrowed his eyes and slouched slightly in a combination of likely anger and embarrassment. "VAS. Vas Karma." He kindly attempted to correct, but his irritation still bled into his speech. "Von means 'one who has a weak bladder'. Vas means 'crew of', which is my ship. My home." He helpfully explained, hoping to save face.

Brian smiled sheepishly, "Y-yeah, vas Karma, of course, my bad."

Mr. Wright shook his head, "Your honor, if I may…" He ended vaguely, knowing the Judge knew exactly what he meant.

The elcor Judge shook his head, "Unsurprised: Very well Mr. Wright. Warningly: Please be careful with the witness."

He nodded, standing up straighter as he stepped out from behind the desk slightly, "Alright Mr. Miller, I'd like to start at the beginning, if you would."

"O-of course, Mr. Wright." He said, nodding.

Cross-Examination

Jordan's Motive

Brian Miller took a deep breath. "At around 8:30 in the evening, I was in Din Korlack's office." He began.

"Hold it for a moment." Mr. Wright interrupted, rubbing his chin, "8:30 in the evening, you say? According to what clock?"

Brian's eyes opened a bit wider for a moment, understanding what he meant, "I'm sorry, I forgot to mention…" He raised his left hand into the air, using his right to pull down his sleeve, revealing a metal watch on his wrist. "I was born and raised on Earth, my parents gave me this watch when I was younger." He explained before smiling sheepishly, "I've kinda grown attached to it, so I always wear it. Back on Earth, if you didn't know, time is kept on a twenty-four-hour cycle, far different than Citadel time."

Daniel looked at the watch for a moment, "I see, so you kept the watch with you, and happened to remember what it said at that moment?"

Mister Miller nodded, "Precisely. I know the two times are vastly different, but hey, that's what omni-tools are for, right?"

"Objection." Prosecutor Vas Karma cut in, "Your honor, as interesting as the lesson on human timekeeping is, I fail to see how this is related to the case at hand."

Judge Zartlor nodded, "Conceding: I agree, Prosecutor Frank vas Karma. Objection sustained, please continue with your testimony Mister Miller."

Brian blushed slightly in embarrassment, "S-sorry, I kinda get off track easily. Anyway…" He took a deep breath and continued with his testimony, "The Geth were attacking the Citadel, I was separated from C-Sec and Mister Udina, I was terrified that I was going to die."

"Hold it." Wright interrupted once more, "I've been wondering: How'd you get separated, ending up in Din Korlack's office?" He wondered stroking his chin.

Brian Miller laughed nervously, "Hehehe… that was kind of a combination of Udina's demands and my lack of judgment."

"How so?" He asked.

"W-well, I remember when the order was given I was already in the Volus-Elcor embassy."

Murmuring broke out once more amongst the crowd, flooding the room with nonsense as the Judge brought things back to order with a few more pounds to his desk, "Progressively annoyed: Order in the Court." The Judge took a moment to wait until everyone was quiet, before speaking again, "Genuinely curious: What were you doing in there?"

He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, "You see, after Udina was struck by Councilor Anderson…" He began, making sure not to make eye contact with said councilor, "He wanted me to gather video evidence that it was David Anderson."

"Wait a moment, didn't Detective Chellick say you fried Udina's camera system a few days prior?"

"N-no, w-well yeah, I guess I did, yeah…" He admitted, looking down in shame, "And I told Mr. Udina the same thing, but he said, "If I know those Keepers, they'd probably already fixed the damn things.". He sent me to Din's office to check the Keeper Terminal after that, convinced that I might find the records there." He admitted, "Plus the two ambassadors in there were out in the lobby, so I wouldn't be bothered.

Prosecutor Franz vas Karma nodded, cutting in, "And in case you're wondering Mr. Wright, yes, we do have video evidence of this. It was just figured that knowing when exactly he entered the office wasn't relevant." He 'helpfully' informed him.

Daniel sighed, "Alright, thank you for clarifying for us, Mister Miller. Please, continue…"

"Ok." Brian nodded, "Well, then I was cowering by the desk, waiting for either C-Sec of the Geth to find me, when I heard the sounds."

Mr. Wright didn't interrupt him this time, finding nothing particularly important with this statement in his testimony.

"It was so loud, it gave me a headache. From next door, in Udina's office, I heard shouting. Yelling. Pleading. Screaming." Something rubbed Daniel the wrong way about this statement, but left it alone for the time being, unable to put into words what he was feeling. "I… I believe I heard Jordan say, 'Your dead Udina, you damn traitor!'. B-but I know Udina, he's not a traitor!" He said next, this time he was interrupted.

"Hold it!" Attention returned to Mr. Wright as he called it out, "You believe your heard Jordan say that?" He asked, perhaps more harshly than strictly necessary.

"I…"

"Objection!"

Attention shifted to the Prosecution, "Mr. Wright, don't you know anything?" He asked, almost disappointed as he shook his head, "Evidence is everything in a court of law. You think he's lying? Why? Is it because you're so blinded to the truth that you can't see what's in front of you? That you'd willingly press every detail until there's nothing left?" He shook his head once more, "If you really think that he's lying, then please, by all means, show us that he's lying."

The Judge nodded, "In complete agreement: Mr. Wright, do you have any evidence to support your claims?"

Daniel thought for a moment, deep in thought. Did he really have any evidence to prove that he was lying? That what he was said wrong? Mr. Wright shook his head, "No, your honor."

"Exactly what I thought." Prosecutor vas Karma mocked. "Please, Brian, ignore this imbecile and continue. The sooner you do, the sooner this farce can be ended."

Brian nodded, "And then Udina pleaded, but I couldn't hear his words clearly through the wall. Next thing I heard after that was… h-his gun went off…"

"Hold it!" He interrupted immediately, once more causing the Prosecutor's eyes to roll, "You couldn't clearly hear him through the wall?" He asked, to which he received a nod, "Then how can you be so sure that Jordan was the one speaking to Udina? Or what about what you claimed what Jordan said?"

Brian went red in the face as he began to sweat slightly, looking down, "I… I just…" He took a deep breath, looking up a moment later, "It was the sound difference." He claimed, "Jordan was screaming at Mr. Udina, but he must've been in shock, because he didn't respond at the same volume."

Wright shook his head, "Then how were you sure that he was pleading? Maybe he recognized the murderer and began to converse with him, ending in an argument?" He reasoned.

"Objection." The Prosecutor cut in, to absolutely no one's surprise. His crossed his arms tightly, tapping on his elbow with his three fingers, "This is all conjecture, Mr. Wright. Wild conjecture without evidence. What leads you to believe this, Mr. Wright?"

Wright shook his head, "No direct evidence, but rather, his statements."

The judge shook his head, "Neutrally: If that is all, Mr. Wright, why don't we allow Mister Miller to continue."

He looked down, unable to look up as he continued, "I- I thought, that, maybe it was self-defense, you know. Maybe Udina was alive and fought off the attacker, so I went to check, against my better judgment." Mister Wright remained silent for a moment, allowing him to continue.

"Hold it, just a moment." Wright interrupted, "You saw Jordan with a Geth in Udina's office, yes?"

Brian nodded, "Yes sir. I remember it clearly. Time almost seemed to slow in that moment, sir."

Wright furrowed his brows, "Can you describe this Geth for us? The one that was present and escaped with Jordan?"

Brian flinched for a moment, looking unsure before shaking his head, "O-of course, it was just a Geth Juggernaut."

"Anything else catch you eye about this Geth?"

"No, not really, sir."

Mr. Wright pulled up the photo taken of the Geth named 'Grimlock', showing it to the court, "That's quite peculiar, Mister Miller, considering it was more than 'just' a juggernaut." He said, pointing to the display.

"Wh-wait, I-" he began.

"Objection!" Wright rolled his eyes, honestly not surprised by the outburst since he was finally getting somewhere. Vas Karma shook his head, "Mr. Wright, let's put this into perspective, shall we?" He straightened his posture, "Let's go back to the security footage, shall we?"

Taking a deep breath, Prosecutor Nilo'Franz brought up the footage, focusing on a few different points, "First of all, Mr. Miller was hiding in the office down the hall during the majority of the event, meaning he couldn't see the Geth earlier. Then…" The footage played, showing Brian exit the room, prepare his weapon and run in, with C-Sec following only seconds later, "In the heat of the moment, he focused on the defendant, only seeing what was likely the back end of the Geth escaping. Tell me, could you make out the unique identifiers on the front of the Geth from behind? I must admit, even I would be unable to do so."

The judge nodded, "In agreement: It makes sense, Mr. Wright. Questioningly: And, what difference does it make that he missed the symbols and word on the Geth unit?"

"Agreed, your honor." Franz responded, "No, if you're quite finished Mr. Wright, why don't we allow Brian to continue."

Brian Miller took a deep breath, "The rest is history, of course, when C-Sec finally showed up and helped subdue the suspect. That's when I finally got a good look Mister Udina. He was… he was gone…"

Wright closed his eyes for a second in thought. There weren't any clear contradictions in his testimony that could be proved with evidence. However, some of these statements weren't adding up. Something told him there was more going on. He took a deep breath, ready to try one more thing.

"Brian Miller, if you would please go back a bit in your testimony? Maybe back to when you were still in the other office?"

"O-oh, of course, sir." He said, nodding, "I remember that I was cowering by the desk, waiting for either C-Sec or the Geth to find me, when I heard the sounds." Wright remained silent on this, waiting.

"Hold it!" He exclaimed, "What was so loud?" He asked, rubbing his chin.

Brian Miller shivered, closing his eyes and swallowing harshly, "I… I don't…"

"Objection!" Interrupted our resident annoying Quarian once more, "Your honor, this is completely irrelevant to his testimony."

"Honestly confused: I do not see how this is important, either. Mr. Wright, is this even necessary?"

Daniel nodded confidently, smiling despite his bluff, "Of course it is, your honor."

"Giving up: Very well, Mr. Wright. Mr. Miller, please elaborate."

Brian bit his lip a bit harder as he closed his eyes, "It… I want to say it was the yelling, but I don't think it was. Something… It felt like something was pressing against my brain from all angles. It hurt so badly, just thinking about h-hurts…"

"Hmm." Wright wondered for a moment, before asking a follow-up question, "How long would you say the pain lasted for? You didn't appear to be in pain on camera when you entered Udina's office."

"Well…" He looked towards the Prosecutor for a moment, who, almost inconceivably, shook his head, "I… I don't know how long. I couldn't focus on anything when it happened…" He admitted.

[Recommended: "Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2016" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

"Objection!" Franz yelled out, trying in vain to interrupt before his witness' admission came, which he failed at doing. The court erupted into chaos, which was quickly quelled by the judge slamming his fist down a few times, once again reminding Wright of an old earth judge's gavel.

"With Authority: Order. Order, I say." He cried out in his monotone voice.

Wright, however, shook his head as the opportunity presented itself. Pointing accusingly at Brian Miller, he continued his point, "You couldn't focus on anything? Then what about what you claimed to hear from within the room?"

"Hold it!" Brian interrupted, "I- I know what I heard! I know I heard the screaming, the yelling and the pleading!"

"Not so fast." Wright returned, "That may be so, but did you really hear Jordan speak? How did you know it was him who spoke?" Motioning towards his datapad, "Last I checked, Jordan hasn't spoken within this courtroom today, and his voice is noticeably absent along with all sound in the security footage. How could you so easily identify his voice?!" He pressed.

"W-well I…"

"Objection!" Franz tried once more, "Mr. Wright, you forget that he found Jordan trying to escape in Udina's office, stunning the man himself. Obviously, he must have spoken at that point!"

The Judge shook his head, "Conceding: Prosecutor Franz, I believe Wright has a point. Mr. Miller was confident in Jordan's voice, meaning he must have known it before."

Wright smiled, the judge was actually taking his side on this. Franz gasped as if there was a slight malfunction with his suit, before examining his omni-tool for a moment to verify everything was working. Wright pointed at Brian, "Mr. Miller, do you have any prior association with Mr. Sower?" He asked, pointing towards his client.

"I…" He looked down with a frown, shaking his head, "I'd never seen him before the incident, and this is my first time since Udina's death." He admitted.

Wright followed up immediately, "So, I must ask, for the sake of all those present here, today: How confident are you that you heard Jordan in the room before you arrived?"

"O-Objection!" Franz vas Karma tried once more, "Th-this is outrageous. So what that Mister Miller had a headache? He still found Jordan holding the weapon. The literal smoking gun!" Wright could make out light perspiration on the outside of the Quarian's mask.

"Your honor," Wright began, looking up at the judge, "The accuracy of Brian Miller's testimony must be called into question."

The Judge looked taken aback for a moment, before eventually nodding, "Hesitantly: I must concur, Mr. Wright. Mr. Miller, your testimony is now called into question."

"Objection, your honor." Nilo'Franz interrupted, "Let's not be so hasty, your honor. We can't just let one small mistake distract us from the facts!" He tried, the perspiration on his mask only worsening, looking almost like sweat from Wright's perspective.

"I- I know that I saw." Brian tried, "Besides, there's not another soul who had witnessed the crime." Wright conceded there, but this was all he had. Brian Miller had to be hiding something with these lies and contradictions. Why was he trying so hard to indict Jordan for the murder of Udina when he's not even sure what he heard?

Wright needed another angle to go at. Something he could use to get closer to the truth… but how…

"OBJECTION!" Screamed Jordan Sower, standing up from the Defendant's chair. The entire room went nearly silent as everyone turned their attention to the supposed assassin. Spectres Bou and Vasir, standing nearby, gripped their weapons a bit tighter as they began approaching Jordan to force him to sit down.

"Wait!" He cried out, "I OBJECT!"

"Shocked: On what grounds?" The Judge asked, shocked that Jordan had chosen now to speak up and interrupt.

"There was another at the scene of the Crime!" He claimed, causing the Spectres to pause and the spectators to begin talking amongst themselves.

Nilo'Frank vas Karma scoffed, shaking his head as his composure began to return. "There was no one else at the scene of the Crime, AI sympathizer. Who on the Citadel could you mean? You're delusional."

Jordan turned towards Daniel, eyeing him carefully. Wright nodded, understanding what he was getting at. Taking a deep breath, knowing this was a long shot, indeed, and stood up.

Mr. Wright slammed his hands down on his desk, pulling up the security footage of the Embassies once more. "TAKE THAT!"

[Recommended: "Pursuit ~ Cornering Together" from Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice]

The crowd erupted into an uproar. The Councilors did a double-take. Judge Zartlor was speechless. Prosecutor Nilo-Franz vas Karma gasped and took half a step back in shock. Jordan, however, smiled and nodded at Wright.

Zartlor smashed his arm many, many times onto his desk, almost cracking it as he attempted to regain control of the courtroom. "Demanding: Order in the Court!" he actually managed to raise his voice this time, shocking everyone even more into a more manageable state.

Prosecutor Franz vas Karma shook his head quickly, "This… this must be one of your distasteful, human jokes, isn't it Mr. Wright?"

Wright, however, shook his head, "I'm afraid not, Mr. Von Karma." At that, Franz narrowed his eyes in fury at the insult, to which Wright smiled. Wasting no time, he focused on the image of Grimlock. "This Geth unit was present with Jordan Sower at the time of the incident." He said, motioning towards the screen, "It had witnessed the entire event, likely recording it since it's a synthetic." He reasoned.

For the very first time during the entire Trial, Councilor Tevos stood up, earning everyone's attention, "The Geth are sworn enemies to the Citadel Council. Even if we could trust them, they will not return here so soon after their failed attack, especially under peaceful pretenses."

Councilor Valern stood up now as well, "Artificial Intelligence is still outlawed within Council Space, Mr. Wright."

Sparatus joined in next, "And a violent, machine race such as the Geth care nothing for Organics. If they were to come, it would only be for another attack after their last one failed."

Finally, Anderson spoke, standing up and holding a straight position, reminding everyone that he was once a Military man, himself. "I must point out that it may be possible. After all, we have reports of separate factions of Geth."

Councilor Valern spoke, turning to Anderson, "Let's assume for argument's sake that you're right, Councilor. Regardless, are we to expect the Geth to show up willingly in a reasonable amount of time?"

Prosecutor Franz took this moment to speak as well, "It is just as the Councilors say, Mister Wright." He said his name with venom, "Geth would not come here under peaceful pretenses, even if asked nicely." He mocked.

"Wait." Jordan stood up, "If the Geth do come, would you give them a chance to speak?"

Tevos locked eyes with Jordan, "For argument's sake, if the Geth shows up without weapons, under peaceful pretenses, in a reasonable amount of time, and can speak and provide irrefutable evidence, then sure, we could give it a chance." She humored him, despite no humor being present within her eyes.

Prosecutor Franz vas Karma scoffed, "This is a waste of time, your honor. There's no way any of this is even remotely possible. This is the Geth we're talking about."

The Judge nodded, "In disbelief: I agree. I cannot believe this has gone on as long as it has. Without further ado, I-" The judge began, before the unthinkable happened.

"WE OBJECT."

Attention turned swiftly towards the synthetic voice. Standing at the entrance to the courtroom, appearing out of thin air, was a Geth Hunter. This specific platform, which are normally white and blue, contained a green stripe across its chest, with the English word 'GENESIS' written within the stripe in gold capital letters. It had no weapons, and stood at attention with its arms in the air in a position of surrender.

All C-Sec officers and Spectres present pulled out their weapons and aimed at the unarmed platform as the whole room went silent. Wright could even see Commander Shepard and his crew in the audience, aiming at the Geth Hunter as well.

It slowly looked around the room, looking at Jordan for a spilt second, nodding towards him before focusing on the Councilors.

"We wish to speak on behalf of the Geth Collective. We can prove it was not Sower-Ambassador who killed Udina-Ambassador."

Nilo'Franz vas Karma, of course, chose this moment to faint, slamming his head down on the desk, before slipping onto the ground, were a few C-Sec officers ran over to him.

"We are ready." It stated simply.

A/N:

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I had to break this chapter up a bit. To make it up to you, I'll try to upload part two soon. Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed this Trial so far.