Disclaimer: I don't own the Enterprise characters, and I certainly don't lay claim to the devil.
Author's note: Thank you to everyone who's been reading so far, and a special thank you to all my reviewers – especially Arim, Akin, and Rinne. And – as always – to my wonderful beta readers, gaianarchy and silvershadowfire, without whom I would be lost. In silvershadowfire's case, this is literally: she's seen the way I navigate, and has still managed to teach me how to find the shortcut.
Chapter Three: Continuing Downwards
I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.
Harry S. Truman (1884 - 1972), in Look, Apr. 3, 1956
Each of us bears his own Hell.
Virgil (70 BC - 19 BC), Aeneid
You'll get a fair trial followed by a first class hanging.
Judge Roy Bean
The Light-bearer pulled Trip along the path, seeming to enjoy Trip's attempts to escape. "I thought you said you wanted to come with me. 'Gladly,' wasn't it?"
"I changed my mind." Trip pulled and twisted again, to no avail. "I'll take my chances…"
"Yes, you will." Lucifer tightened his grip until Trip winced. "I've noticed that about you… you like to act and just take your chances, don't you? And if anyone gets hurt… well, it wasn't your fault… you couldn't predict everything."
"Not true." Wasn't another name for Lucifer 'Father of Lies?' "I take responsibility…"
"Yes, you will." Lucifer repeated. "You will take responsibility this time. Everybody does, eventually." They stopped, outside a small stone building. "Inside now…"
Trip planted his feet, but Lucifer jerked, and dropped him to his knees. "I do like a struggle… it makes things so much sweeter when you finally give in." He whispered in Trip's ear, his breath hot at it washed across the sensitive nerves.
"Go to hell." Trip scrunched his eyes shut and pulled away.
Lucifer laughed, a surprisingly gentle and sweet sound. "Oh, but we are… you're going to come with me. Don't worry, Trip, you won't be alone… you'll see plenty of familiar faces soon." He ran a hand over the back of Trip's head and neck. "Just wait…"
Trip shuddered. Please… I'm sorry… it wasn't supposed to…
"Sorry doesn't cut it now." Lucifer seemed able to read Trip's thoughts. "Everybody's sorry at this point. Now's too late for sorry… you should have thought of that sooner." He laughed again. "I know it wasn't supposed to… but remember what road you're on. Good intentions?" He pulled Trip to his feet and shoved him forward.
Trip stumbled, and instinctively opened his eyes to a large, well-lit courtroom. This is impossible. The only building had been the small stone hut – there was no physical way it could hold this big a space.
"If there are more things on heaven and earth…" Lucifer grinned, proudly, "Just imagine what I can achieve."
As Lucifer marched him up to the Defence table, Trip caught sight of the faces he'd been told to expect. They lined the jury box… Ensign Taylor, Charles – the cogenitor – Elizabeth, and even… his own face stared back at him: Sim.
"I will, of course, be your advocate… can you guess who will be working for my side?"
Surely not… she'd never side against him, even here.
Lucifer sighed. "No, not her… though it would be interesting to arrange. A complete betrayal… destroy the both of you at once. But no… here he comes now."
Trip turned, and his stomach fell. James. Of course… this was a court of the dead… and who better to prosecute than his own brother? He watched James' movements, trying to gauge his brother's mood. Are you up, or are you down? Or are you somewhere in between? Not that any of them would be advantageous… Up, and he'd be aggressive, maybe violent. Down, and he'd be bitter and resentful. Even in the middle… then he could be charming, more charming than even Trip could ever manage.
"Hey, there, Trip. Long time, no see. Of course, that was your choice… better to just abandon your family, than try and actually be a member of it."
"You hurt my friends." Trip turned away. "I couldn't keep cleaning up after you."
"I was your brother, and I was sick. But you couldn't deal with that, so you took the easy way. I'll bet your friends don't know that about you either, do they? They don't know what a self-centred, disloyal brat you really are." James smiled, his best killer smile, the one everybody always fell for. The smile that could cover any lie, make any indiscretion be forgiven. So… charming then. Not good, considering this jury.
"The prosecution calls its first witness: Charles – no last name."
What the hell? Trip's head whipped around and he stared at his brother. "Isn't she on the…"
"Who better to judge you," Lucifer asked, mildly, "than those who best know your guilt?"
Charles stood and glared at him. "You promised me a better life. You promised me that my 'conditions' would improve if I could read. You promised me that they'd have to listen to me. You gave me hope so it could be taken away. You destroyed me. If it hadn't been for you, I would never have known anything else… and I would have had no reason to die."
Trip shrank back in his chair. I thought…
"With people like you," Lucifer leaned over and whispered, "I could go into the wholesale paving business. You thought you'd strike a blow for freedom and justice, didn't you? You thought you'd make a soul less miserable… and you drove it straight into despair. I haven't met anyone that talented in a long time. And to think I'd almost lost my faith in humanity."
"Shut up," Trip pulled into himself further as Lucifer chuckled.
James smiled, at Charles this time. "He is good at that, isn't he? He makes you believe, and you take as gospel all his false promises. Because a face like that wouldn't lie… and he's trying to help you, right? And he could have done so much more – if he really believed that you deserved a better life – if he really believed that what you had was so wrong. He could have taken a stand, but he wanted to impress his captain and the Vulcan instead. He wanted to show them what an obedient boy he could be, rather than doing the right thing."
That's not it at all. It was that they'd brought up complexities that he hadn't thought of…
"Rationalising again?" Lucifer smirked. "Oh, you know the truth… you just couldn't bear to have them not like you. After all, you'd have to face them every day… so much better to take the easy route, sacrifice the one who'd never see you again."
"The prosecution calls its next witness: Ensign Taylor."
Trip closed his eyes. Why Taylor? It wasn't like Taylor hadn't known the risks…
"You promised that I wouldn't be forgotten. Yet how often do you remember me? How often do you think of me? What have you done to make sure that I'm remembered?"
I do remember you. Not as much, anymore, but he remembered.
"And you forget, too. How long before you forget entirely, and she's just a name on a roster somewhere? Before History provides her with nothing… not even a footnote. And when you're gone?"
There's only so much I can do. After all, it wasn't like he was all that important, himself. Not enough for people to listen to. Not the kind of people who can do things like that... There'll be a memorial, I'm sure… but… a couple of tears worked their way down his cheeks. He'd lied, hadn't he? He'd promised, but he couldn't follow through. Unconsciously, he covered his ears with his hands, not wanting to listen to the testimony any longer. It could only get worse from here on in… didn't you start with the minor witnesses and lead into the major ones?
"The prosecution calls…" As James spoke, Lucifer gently pulled Trip's hands down, then tapped the side of Trip's head until he opened his eyes. "Elizabeth Tucker." James smiled, and his tone became gentle. "Hello, dear sister…"
Elizabeth turned to Trip, her face sad, and almost sympathetic. "You promised me you'd look after me, Trip. You promised me you'd protect me. You always said the monsters wouldn't get me, that you'd always stop the monsters. Where were you when the monsters came? When I needed you to stop them? When I needed you to save me? Where were you, Trip? Where were you? You lied to me. You said you'd keep me safe, and then you let me die. Why didn't you do what you promised?"
"I… I…" I couldn't.
"That seems to be a bad habit with you," Lucifer mused. "Making promises that you can't keep."
Trip nodded. He did it all the time, didn't he? Told people what he thought they wanted to hear, even if he couldn't follow through. Did it matter that Elizabeth had been just a child when he made that promise? Did it matter that he had been little more than – even still – a kid himself? No. Because a promise is a promise. Cross my heart and hope to die. Except he couldn't even make that one now.
"Dying is too good for you," Lucifer agreed. "After all, all the best people die, don't they? But that's okay, Trip…"
"The prosecution calls, Sim."
I didn't promise you anything. He hadn't had any say in the matter.
"You. Mr. Perfect, aren't you? Mr. Important. More important than me… just ask your friends. My only purpose was to die, just so that you didn't have to. Your own personal saviour. And what have you done since? Lied? Broken promises? But of course, you're so much better." There could be no hiding the bitterness in his other's tone – he'd heard it a million times before, recounting a betrayal. Yet what right did he have? I'm the bigger Judas.
"It's okay, Trip," Lucifer repeated. "It's okay…" He slipped an arm around and began to rub Trip's back, comfortingly. "You see? No matter how low you sink, I'll always be there waiting."
Trip couldn't help it. He let himself fall into it. He closed his eyes and listened to the soothing voice, and let the hands take the tension away. The devil is my only friend. It came from a song, he was sure of it… he just wasn't sure which one. Toby would know. But Toby was gone now, and all because of him. He began to cry harder, feeling like a helpless child. And Lucifer sat beside him – a strong, comforting parent, holding his hand and telling him it would be okay.
Another voice broke in, full of anger and frustration, full of worry and pain. A voice that bored through the layers and made him sit up, the same way it always did. Jon's voice… he who must be obeyed. "What the hell is going on here?"
