Chapter 69: Rebuttal
"State your name for the record." The bailer said.
"Android 21 Cell."
"You may begin your questioning, Supreme Kai."
"Cell, you know my client, Katie Briefs, very well, don't you?"
"Yes, I do." Cell answered.
"When did you two first meet?"
"About twelve years ago."
"Describe that meeting, when you first saw her."
"I was in my imperfect form, seeking Android 17 so I could reach my next form. She tried to stop me."
"How, exactly, did she try to stop you?"
"She fought me. I remember seeing a fire in her eyes. She meant to stop me because she knew what I could do."
"Please, continue." Supreme Kai urged.
"I escaped and began search anew. After I absorbed 17 Katie came to stop me again. I felt her energy wavering as she fought me, and from her power level I knew she should have been able to stop me. She was keeping 18 away from me, but finally I overpowered her and absorbed 18."
"What do you mean by 'her power wavering'?" Supreme Kai asked.
"Her Ki was fluctuating abnormally. She met a blast of mine full on, and I felt her Ki at its limit, but she tired out long before I did. And like I said before, she should have had enough power to stop me."
"Then what happened?"
"I returned to the battle ground and saw Katie near death. I still don't know what exactly made me do it, but I took her back to Dr. Gero's lab and healed her." Cell recalled.
"What was wrong with her?"
"She had the same Heart Virus that endangered the life of Son Goku. If I hadn't taken her she most certainly would have died."
"How did she react to her capture?"
"She was actually rather calm about the entire situation." Cell said with a small laugh.
"Could you explain what happened 3 nights before your tournament?"
"I caught her reading my files. She was trying to find a weakness in my design." Cell said with a minor hint of betrayal in his voice.
"Now, would you to describe how you really feel about her in a short statement?"
"She is a beautiful and pure-hearted warrior."
"So you don't believe she could ever be evil?"
"No." Cell replied, shaking his head.
"No matter how much power she had?"
"Exactly."
"I have no further questions." Supreme Kai said as he turned back to stand next to me.
That was very smart, but lets see how this guy twists Cell's words.
"Incubus, you may question the witness."
"Cell, how would you describe your feelings toward her, really?" Incubus said.
"I love her and respect her."
"But you wouldn't lie to save her?"
"I was under the impression that no one could lie in the temple."
"Of course." Incubus shot a glare at me before continuing, "Did Katrin ever try to escape while being held captive by you?"
"No." Cell answered, almost questioning Incubus back.
"Why is that?"
"She understood I could catch her or kill her easily if I wanted to."
"But didn't Katrin just finish saying she had to stop you before reaching your perfect form?"
"Yes."
"So then why didn't she try to stop you?"
"There are many reasons. She knew she was out of her league if she tried to fight me. She knew who could stop me."
"Didn't the suspect state that you were her favorite villain from the television program in that other dimension?"
"Yes." Cell said, sounding deflated.
"No further questions."
"You may step down, Cell."
Well, I had to do something for my defense.
"Your honors, may I ask the witness a few questions?"
"I object!" Incubus cried.
"Lawyers, approach the bench." So Supreme Kai and Incubus talked with the tribunal for a moment.
Cell looked at me questioningly, but I just winked at him.
"You may proceed, Katrin." The judge on the left said. I walked up in front of Cell as I began.
"Cell, do you recall the conversation we had the first night I was in Lord Roxx's castle?" I asked as I walked in front of Cell.
"Yes."
"Could you please summarize it?" I stopped to listen to him carefully.
"You were in shock because you had just learned that Roxx had destroyed the dimension you grew up in. You lost the will to fight."
"And then what happened?"
"I contacted you with the help of King Kai. I reminded you of another reason you should fight for."
"And what was the reason you told me?"
"That the rest of your family, your new family, would be destroyed next if you didn't stop him."
"Why were you so sure I could stop him?"
"I knew you had no evil in your soul."
"And doesn't that old prophecy say the Angel is pure of heart?" I asked.
"No."
"Then I'll ask you again, why were you so sure I could stop him?" I asked, harder than before.
"I had felt the love in your soul. It was strong, very strong. I thought that if your love could be tapped into, as Gohan did with his rage, then nothing could stop you."
"Thank you. Your honors, I have no further questions."
"You may now step down, Android 21. Before we make our decision, does the defense have a statement?"
"Yes, I do, your honors. I won't take too long. I realize how much power my new form has, and I realize how dangerous it could be if I somehow lost control. But I swear I would never harm this Tri-dimension. I don't fully understand how a television show in my- in the dimension I grew up in could actually be a real place, but I love this universe, and I would never do anything to harm it. I know I have done some terrible things, and I still wake up at night for my sins, but all I want is a chance to live with my abilities. I want to have a child with my husband, I want to see it grow up and learn to fight, like the rest of my family, if it wanted to, or become a great scholar. But if you think I'm guilty, ask yourselves this: why did you bother to save me as a child? Thank you, your honors." I sat down, exhausted. This fight was of a mental battlefield, one I had skill in but not use to doing so.
"There will be a thirty minute recess while the tribunal determines the fate of Katrin."
The judges got up and left into a small room next to their bench.
"I'm going for a smoke." Incubus sighed.
"Very clever move, Katie." Cell said as he and Supreme Kai walked over. I stood to greet them.
"You could have been a great lawyer." Supreme Kai said.
"I thought so. I also thought it was quite clever of Supreme Kai to call you as a witness, Cell."
"Well, lets hope they don't find you guilty." Cell said.
"Why? Wouldn't I be stuck with you?" I said, trying to joke. But I don't think any of us wanted to joke.
"No, you'd be locked up like Roxx."
I took a seat, as did Cell and Supreme Kai.
If I die this time, I won't be allowed back into the mortal realm. I'll never see Mirai, and I'll never get my chance for a family.
Sitting anxiously, I waited as the tribunal decided on my fate. Cell and Supreme Kai seemed anxious, too, but that only made me feel worse. And Incubus' smoke smell and happy-go-lucky attitude didn't help much.
Finally the tribunal returned and took their seats.
"Will the defendant please rise." The bailer said. Supreme Kai and I did as they middle judge spoke.
"On the charge of breaking the Power Act, we of the tribunal find the defendant… Not Guilty. You are free to go, Katrin."
"Yes!" I said.
"Congratulations, Katie." Cell said. I couldn't help it; I gave him a hug. I could feel him awkwardly hug back, as though he didn't know how to hug.
"Thank you, Cell."
