Chapter 6.
Guilty
He leaned against the cold cement wall of his holding cell, the cot mattress was thin, and the hardness of the bench could easily be felt. He sat in lotus position; his head hung in concentration and his mind fixated on the trial.
For six months he had a firm belief in his decision. And all it took was a dream of a brave girl burning to ash to destroy his resolve. Now he had to face his truth. Was he a proud man or was he a just man?
"Coward."
He gritted his teeth, the vision of the haunting burning girl flooding his mind. Was he mistaking his pride for stubbornness?
There was a buzz and then a sound of air pressure realising as a cream metal door beyond his bars slowly swung open. A darker skinned burly man step through the doors, 6'5'', chest puffed and smug. "It's finally trial day G-terrorist, time to get what you deserve. Get up!"
He hesitated, agitation clouding his physical responses, even after six months he couldn't get accustomed to being disrespected like this.
"Come on, move!"
He remained sitting; eyes closed.
"Fine, I'll tell'em that you rather life in a cage, boy."
Wu Fei slowly opened his eyes, giving the guard a sharp look before reluctantly peeling himself of the cot. His thin, synthetic, navy shoes made a smacking sound as they hit the concrete floor.
"Oh, now you get up? Your punk ass better behave or I'll bust those knee caps." The guard extended his guard stick and slammed it on the cell bars, Wu Fei responded with rolling of the eyes. He rationed that the prison guard was afraid of him, many were, given the propaganda news reports that have been circling the globe. They were calling him the 'odious child solider', the teen terrorist mastered in hand-to-hand combat. A vengeful monster who wanted nothing more than for earth to suffer the same fate of his own colony, he should not be trusted at all cost; the paparazzi did an exceptional job.
He stepped towards a small square gate big enough to slip his wrist through and felt the clod metal hand cuffs restrict tightly against his skin. "Step back" the guard ordered; Wu Fei complied.
They walked through the corridor, the voices of other inmates clashed, and conflicting taunts flooded the hallway. Many of them were cursing his name for his alleged crimes, a few praised him, other's words were loaded with depravities. His ears turned deaf to them all, the only voice he could hear was Sally's pleading words, and the haunting of his burning dead wife.
The court room was decorated in nude pale blues and greys except for the chairpersons large oak desk that stretched across the front of the of the room, there were five chairpersons on the bench, the majority representing countries on earth and two from separate colonies, Colony L1, and Colony L4.
Wu Fei was seated on the left side of the court room with his profile facing the chairpersons, his navy-blue jumpsuit replaced by a suit more suitable for a funeral. His hair was in a tight ponytail a little longer than he preferred, and he had a clean shaved face. He took a quick glance at the spectator's section behind a large view glass. From what Wu Fei could tell, there was the EAS dedicated supporters and reports from different countries and colonies. However, there was only one face Wu Fei was looking for.
And Sally's wasn't amongst them.
"Are you sure you want me to make the appeal" this was the fourth time he has seen the preventors lawyer. He looked pristine in his freshly pressed uniform, cleaned shaved face and brunette hair that was slicked back with another wax to light a candle.
Wu Fei nodded with forged certainty. What ever decision he made today, he needed to sure
"As your lawyer" his tone was hushed so not to draw attention during proceedings, "I want to make sure you understand the ramification of your decision."
"Understood." He abruptly said.
"We are here today to the rules of the court to cast a verdict on one Wu Fei Chang on the request of indictment by the Earth Alliance Supremist, on the Chang case, EAS v.s Chang." The first chairwoman readjusted her microphone closer to her mouth, eyes darting over the court room quickly. "The Earth Alliance Supremist application instituting proceedings against Chang in violation of the Earth Sphere United Nations code in actions in the second earth sphere war, known as the war of Endless Waltz, are as follows." She looked up at the court again taking a breath before reading a document in front of her. "Conduct of war, conduct of war in outer space, the use of force, crimes against humanity, conspiracy to commit genocide, and attempt and complicity in genocide."
Each charge stung as they were being read, the last two stung the hardest. He knew in that moment that regardless of circumstances, he couldn't walk away from his past. No one forced him into battle on a quest for justice, and no one forced him to fight for Dekim.
But should servitude to the ESUN be a fitting punishment for his crimes?
"Coward."
Looking down and squeezing his eyes shut, he felt his throat tightening in a way that made it difficult to swallow. He forced a deep breath that came out jagged to the ears. He had to make that decision, and he had to make it now.
"Based on the Security Council of Earth Sphere Law chapter 7 in article 39, 40, and 47 the Earth Sphere Security Court has passed the verdict of…" The chairwoman looked up at the court room causing a dramatic pause, "guilty on all charges."
There was a sound of exasperations from the side of the prosecution as the lawyers from the EAS shook hands in celebration, the audience in the viewing also celebrated with muted claps and high-fives. Colonel Une held true to her word; he was as expected found guilty, just as the ESUN and the Preventors Secret Service Task Force had plan. His heart hammered his chest in anxious anticipation, he knew what was coming next.
"Due to the nature of such a sensitive case" A different chairman spoke this time; he had a greying beard that matched the disappearing hair line from the top oh his heard. "And in respect to the Mr. Chang contribution to the first war, Operation Meteor, and his continued contribution in the fight for peace while being of service in the Preventors Secret Service Task Force, we have taken this into account when issuing this sentence." He paused to take a sip of water; Wu Fei felt his mouth go dry, but his stiff body made no effort to reach for his glass. "The issuing sentence is of probational sentence of fifteen years to be served to the Earth Sphere United Nations and their affiliations, after the removal of the position of Second Lieutenant to regular forces member. I now ask the prosecution if they would like to make an appeal at this time?"
There was a pause of dissatisfaction from one of the lawyers and a brief moments of bickering before one the lawyers stood up and said, "No appeal to be made your honour." When the lawyer sat down, he whispered to the two lawyers beside him, and then they all turned towards Wu Fei and grinned. Wu Fei caught their eyes on him and clenched his hands together until they turned into a sick pale.
"Let the record state that the prosecution has decided to not make an appeal." The grey bearded chairman now looked over to the defence table and repeated the question, "I now ask the defence if they would like to make an appeal at this time?"
He heard his lawyers starting to stand with a defeated sigh and without realizing it, Wu Fei shot his hand out and grab the lawyer arm, forcing him down. "What are you doing, Mr. Chang?" His lawyers' harsh whispers were loud enough to be heard within the court room.
"It's my case," Wu Fei said as he stood up, he looked down at the lawyer. "I can speak for myself."
"Well actually Mr. Chang that's not how it works" his lawyer grabbed Wu Fei sleeve, but Wu Fei gruffly shrugged him off and straightened out his suit jacket.
"Mr. Chang" The chairwoman looked down at Wu Fei over her glasses in annoyed confusion. "you need to sit down and let the lawyer speak on your-"
"There will be no appeal, your honour."
The court room erupted in chatter and the reporters in the viewing rooms started typing wildly. The prosecution lawyer who spoke before stood up and shouted "He…He can't do that!" The head chairwoman slammed down her hammer and ordered, "Order in the court! I'll have order! Defence control your client!" The chairpersons all leaned over each other and started whispering and pointing in Wu Fei's direction. But Wu Fei stood still, unfazed by it all.
"I apologize your honour- Mr. Chang!" His lawyer shot out of his seat, sweat beading his lip and brow "What hell do think you're doing?!"
"Shut up!" Wu Fei gave the lawyer a disgusted look, "your council is no loner needed." The lawyer tried to stutter out a response, but Wu Fei wasn't listening. He took a deep breath, letting the air fill his lungs before he breathed out contently.
"I am guilty."
***Inspiration***
Some Night – F.U.N