Miss Militia

I drove down to the courthouse, determined to try to stop whatever maddness was planned. There had been another hit and run, another infant killed and this one wasn't going to be buried in the news, by the way the fact that they do that disgusts me, but the city's economy is crap they tell me. We desperately need every tax dollar we can get, they tell me, and if innocent people suffer then so what?

I was techically one of ugh... their kind and I hoped the judge would listen to me, hoped that I could prevent another total sick joke of a trial. It was getting dark when he got out, his hair was white. He used to be a judge in Egypt, and due to his knowledge of the legal system, and the fact that the courts were overwhelmed and certain strings being pulled, he was now a judge here. A lot of strings got pulled, so many strings and when it all unraveled, this city would burn.

"Miss Militia, it's a delight to see you."

"We need to talk."

He frowned but nodded his head, we walked to his private office, which was richly adorned with things a judge shouldn't be able to afford on his salary.

"I need you to recuse yourself from the trial."

He stared at me.

"From which case?"

"The hit and run."

"There are a lot of-"

"The one with your grandson, the one where a baby died, that one."

He was silent and then shrugged.

"I am perfectly capable of being equitable, even when it involves family."

My mouth was dry.

"Please, please Omar, don't do this, if you value justice at all, if you value honor at all please don't do this."

He frowned.

"I don't like what your implying."

I gritted my teeth.

"People can't live without justice, let someone else handle the trial, for the sake of the city, please I beg of you don't do this."

He stared at me.

"I have my duty, I will perform the trial as expected."

I left his office, feeling frustrated, as expected the trial took place. A differnt DA worked the case. I trusted David Woo to handle the case as professionally as I could, but as I looked at the jury's make up my heart fell.

"Fucking hell."

"Don't do it."

That was Armsmaster, trying to be the voice of reason. He didn't stop me as I drove down to the courthouse, no one stopped me as I marched into the on going trial and as I got in the judge blinked. I looked into the jury's eyes.

"A child, an Infant is dead."

I couldn't keep the raw rage out of my voice, I didn't care about the cameras.

"Miss Militia-"

"Some of you have families, some of you have children of your own. Stop thinking of this as 'this is my tribe'. This isn't about family, this isn't about your ethnicity or your religion, this is about two parents who lost their child."

"Miss Militia, please leave the courtroom."

I ignored the judge.

"This isn't the old country! This isn't the middle east, this is america! You can't just ignore the facts, live behind your walls and do whatever you want damn the conquences! Other peoples lives matter, other people love their families too please, please think of that!"

"1 day in jail for contempt of court."

The guards grabbed me, half the court looked at me with disguist the other half had looks of sympathy. I was placed in a cell and waited, when Emily came I looked up.

"I had to do it."

She had short cropped hair and a lean physic, she shrugged.

"I know, the judge asked me to fire you, dock your pay for that stunt."

"And?"

"And I asked him to shove it up his ass."

She had a cup in her hand.

"It's from Starbucks, your favorite."

"Thanks."

She slumped.

"You did the right thing Hanna, even if you did it in the wrong way, civilization must be protected at all costs. Corruption is a disease that kills it."

"I thought you were about law and order."

"You can't have peace without justice. Take a break, there's going to be another riot soon, I can feel it."

I waited and eventually they let me out, the Enclave was pissed but a lot of people understood, when the not guilty verdict was handed down I was disgusted. When the little shit decided to give an interview on the steps of the libary I felt sick. He looked cocky, his cloathing... you're not suposed to wear that much fabric during the war, and it was so gaudy and trashy too.

"Praise Allah, I am free, truly he smiles upon the innocent."

The reporter waved her hand.

"What do you say about the infant."

He shrugged.

"Clearly they were trying to frame me, that they would willingly murder their own child for a bit of coin is disgusting but when you don't have the light of Allah in your heart telling you right from wrong, well these things happen. I just hope that they find the light and repent for their-"

There was a bang in the air and people screamed, Lung stood there with a nimbus of flame around him. The crowd was silent, the mans eyes opened in fear.

"Oh please continue, I am, as the americans say all ears."

The man took a breath.

"Allah punishes the people who harm the innocent."

Lung tilted his head.

"When I see one, I will keep that in mind."

He looked around at the terrified press and public he yawned.

"You know? There's been a lot of talk about justice, about god, about all of these nice wonderful words that don't mean anything."

His nimbus of flame continued to burn as he walked around.

"I'm not claiming to be a nice man or even a good one, but you know what? When I kill? When I destroy? I don't use the god, gods, or spirits as an excuse."

"Allah will jud-"

"Your god isn't here right now, I am."

Fire came out of his finger tips and the man screamed as he was burned alive, I watched in horror as he was turned to ash. The crowd was too terrified to move. When Lung was finished, he looked at the crowd.

"For those that arrogantly invoke god to shield their actions, for those that arrogantly assume that some higher power allows them to do as they will, I have one thing to say."

He took in a deep breath.

"Because you were evil I am here, Because you were wicked I am here, because you were unjust I am here. If you're wondering why a man such as myself exists at all know that it is because your so called god brought me here to punish you."

He cracked his neck.

"Do not make me come back here."

With that he rocketed into the sky and left, I stared at the ash that used to be a human being and turned off the TV.