C:/> cd nomad/fanfic/1388651
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> chapter8.rtf
Error loading C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651chapter8.rtf. File may be damaged or too deranged for public display.
(A)bort, (R)etry, (F)ail? R
"Hey, something's not right here, ya know?" said Raijin.
"AFFIRMATIVE," said Fujin. She and Fujin were standing in the Ragnarok's main hold, where no one else was. "RAGNAROK, EMPTY."
"I think they all just forgot about us or something, ya know?" said Raijin. "Yo, I knew we shouldn't'a waited in the Air Room! Everyone always forgets about that place, ya know?"
"HINDSIGHT," said Fujin. "ALWAYS 20/20."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Raijin. "Still, what're we gonna do now, ya know? Sit around here and wait for 'em to come back? Or do we go out 'n look for them, ya know?" A thought occurred to him. "Hey, you think maybe we're landed somewhere? I mean, it'd be kinda weird if everyone disappeared 'n we were out in outer space, ya know?"
"MOON," Fujin guessed. "ALIEN HOLDING BAY." By explanation, she pointed to a monitor reading, YOUR VESSEL IS ON THE MOON, IN AN ALIEN HOLDING BAY. [LOLLERSKATES-12345]
"Oh, man, the crew's been captured by aliens?" asked Raijin. "Hey, that's bad news, ya know?"
Fujin frowned. "SAY THAT, I DIDN'T."
Raijin frowned back. "Say you didn't what, Fuj?"
Fujin shook her head. "MISINTERPRETED. MEANT...NOT SAY...DIDN'T...." Frustrated, she rolled her eye. "I never said they were captured by aliens, all right?"
"Well, yeah," said Raijin. "I read it over there, ya know." He pointed to another monitor reading, THIS VESSEL'S CREW HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY ALIENS. [SNOOD-47]
Fujin blinked. "OH. ...SHOULD RESCUE."
"Hey, good idea, ya know!" Raijin exclaimed. "Let's rescue them, ya know!" Probably as his intended beginning of the rescue he had just proposed, he charged through the door to the Ragnarok's exit bay.
When he found himself standing on the bridge instead, he was more than a little confused.
"...ODD," commented Fujin, who had followed him.
"Man, that door shouldn't lead here, ya know?" said Raijin, although nobody present was unaware of this. "You get to the bridge with the lift, ya know?" He frowned. "...Yo, where's the lift?"
The lift that should be at the rear of the bridge was strangely not present; instead, the bridge seemed to possess a door in its rear wall that should not be there. This being the door that Fujin and Raijin had just entered through, they found this second fact less surprising than the first.
"This is kinda freaky, ya know?" said Raijin. "What's goin' on here?"
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> more
"What's going on here?" Squall demanded. He, along with Quistis, Rinoa, Seifer, Zell, Irvine, Nida, and a few other less important people were standing on a circular metal platform hovering in the air, which happened to be just large enough to seat them all. Surrounding them were several hundred monsters and small blue aliens in stadium seating; and a pair of large Propagators were facing them on a larger circular metal platform hovering in the air.
"The accused may not ask questions," declared one of the two Propagators facing them. These were distinguishable from normal Propagators in that they were about twice as large, and their skin was white with black zebra stripes. Also, their voices sounded more like a subwoofer than actual voices.
"Man, that guy's voice sounds like a subwoofer," said Zell.
"You stand accused of crimes against the Pan-Galactic Law Authority in the Moon district," said the other Propagator.
"How do you plead to these charges?" asked the first.
"What the hell?" asked Squall. "I don't even know what the charges are!"
"Your plea of ignorance has been noted," declared the second Propagator. "The trial will now begin."
"Way to answer their question with ignorance, Mr. Leader," said Seifer.
"Shut up, Seifer," said Squall.
"You shut up, Squall," Quistis snapped. "Why are you always so hard on Seifer, anyway?"
"Stay out of this, Instructor," Seifer growled. "I can take care of myself."
"The accused may not talk amongst themselves," declared the first Propagator.
"Since you do not have appropriate Pan-Galactic legal counsel, one has been provided for you by the Pan-Galactic Court," said the second. "Is the Pan-Galactic counsel ready to begin?"
A Geezard slithered up onto the platform, making it somewhat crowded. "I am ready," it declared.
"What the hell?" asked Irvine. "Our lawyer's a Geezard?"
"This is the part you think is strange?" asked Nida.
"The accused may not ask questions or talk amongst themselves!" growled the first Propogator.
"Since legal counsel is prepared," said the second, "the Pan-Galactic legal trial may begin."
"The accuser may call the first witness," said the first.
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> more
"Please state your name for the record," said Xu, looking slightly less bored than she felt.
"Laguna Loire," said Laguna, looking exactly as exasperated as he felt.
"Occupation?" Xu asked.
"President of Esthar. Is this really necessary?"
Xu shook her head. "Absolutely not—"
"Yes, it certainly is," said Colonel Torzen, who was watching the proceeding with his single hand on his hip. "This shows a clear sign that Garden will not tolerate lawlessness and disobedience." He turned to the array of students who were gathered to watch the tribunal. "The lessons you learn here today, you should keep with you throughout your lives. The law must be obeyed!"
"He admits what he did," said Xu.
"And I'd do it again in an instant if it meant protecting this world from the alien menace!" declared the tinfoil hat man from the defendant's cage. The cage had been built at Torzen's instruction.
"Continue with your questioning, please," said Torzen.
Xu sighed. "Mr. President, did the man in the defendant's cage threaten to..." she sighed. "...protonize you if you attempted to leave the Headmaster's office?"
"I object!" declared the tinfoil hat man's lawyer, who bore a distinct familial resemblance to the tinfoil hat man himself. "That's a leading question! I declare this trial nothing but a farce designed to discredit and humiliate my client!"
"Well, I completely agree about the farce part," said Xu.
Cid, who looked about as tired as it was possible for a person to do, sighed. "Rephrase the question, please," he said.
Xu sighed as well. "Cid, couldn't you have put a stop to this?"
"Colonel Torzen is the Garden Master," said Cid. "This is in his jurisdiction."
"How?" asked Xu. "This man isn't a student; we don't even have legal jurisdiction over him."
Cid shrugged. "Well, he wanted complete authority over discipline as part of his contract, and spineless as I am, I—"
"I object!" declared the tinfoil hat man's lawyer. "The judge and the prosecutor are being too friendly! I declare this trial to be biased!"
"Your client admitted his guilt," Xu pointed out.
"I want that stricken from the record!" demanded the lawyer, pointing to the audience instead of Cid or the stenographer.
"Xu, just rephrase the question," said Cid.
Xu groaned. "I don't even remember the question," she said.
The stenographer scanned up through the record. "'Mr. President, did the man in the defendant's cage threaten to—' sigh '—protonize you if you attempted to leave the Headmaster's office?'"
"Move to strike! Move to strike!" the tinfoil hat man's lawyer was practically jumping up and down by now.
Xu groaned again. "Mr. President. Could you describe the situation that immediately led up to the defendant's apprehension?"
"Objection!" cried the tinfoil hat man's lawyer. "'Apprehension' implies suspicion that my client committed an offense. I move to strike because it unfairly biases the jury!"
"He's on trial!" Xu exclaimed. "Of course he's suspected of an offense! He admitted the offense!"
"Okay, that's it," said Cid, banging his gavel down on his desk. Since the desk was plastic, the results were not satisfying. "I'm declaring this trial in recess, at least until Squall comes back and becomes headmaster. Have a good day, everyone."
"Headmaster, I protest," said Colonel Torzen. "What about the children, sir? What sort of message does this send to them?"
Cid frowned. "You might be right, Colonel." Turning to the students, he cleared his throat. "All of you must understand that discipline is very important. Without discipline, there would certainly be more people breaking the rules. As students in Garden, I trust you understand the importance of self-control. But—"
"Headmaster," said one of the new Faculty members, who had been hired recently. "You should stop talking for some reason."
"Yes, of course," said Cid, and he walked away.
Colonel Torzen looked after him and scowled. "Won't somebody think of the children?" he muttered.
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> cd /
C:/>
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> chapter8.rtf
Error loading C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651chapter8.rtf. File may be damaged or too deranged for public display.
(A)bort, (R)etry, (F)ail? R
"Hey, something's not right here, ya know?" said Raijin.
"AFFIRMATIVE," said Fujin. She and Fujin were standing in the Ragnarok's main hold, where no one else was. "RAGNAROK, EMPTY."
"I think they all just forgot about us or something, ya know?" said Raijin. "Yo, I knew we shouldn't'a waited in the Air Room! Everyone always forgets about that place, ya know?"
"HINDSIGHT," said Fujin. "ALWAYS 20/20."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Raijin. "Still, what're we gonna do now, ya know? Sit around here and wait for 'em to come back? Or do we go out 'n look for them, ya know?" A thought occurred to him. "Hey, you think maybe we're landed somewhere? I mean, it'd be kinda weird if everyone disappeared 'n we were out in outer space, ya know?"
"MOON," Fujin guessed. "ALIEN HOLDING BAY." By explanation, she pointed to a monitor reading, YOUR VESSEL IS ON THE MOON, IN AN ALIEN HOLDING BAY. [LOLLERSKATES-12345]
"Oh, man, the crew's been captured by aliens?" asked Raijin. "Hey, that's bad news, ya know?"
Fujin frowned. "SAY THAT, I DIDN'T."
Raijin frowned back. "Say you didn't what, Fuj?"
Fujin shook her head. "MISINTERPRETED. MEANT...NOT SAY...DIDN'T...." Frustrated, she rolled her eye. "I never said they were captured by aliens, all right?"
"Well, yeah," said Raijin. "I read it over there, ya know." He pointed to another monitor reading, THIS VESSEL'S CREW HAS BEEN CAPTURED BY ALIENS. [SNOOD-47]
Fujin blinked. "OH. ...SHOULD RESCUE."
"Hey, good idea, ya know!" Raijin exclaimed. "Let's rescue them, ya know!" Probably as his intended beginning of the rescue he had just proposed, he charged through the door to the Ragnarok's exit bay.
When he found himself standing on the bridge instead, he was more than a little confused.
"...ODD," commented Fujin, who had followed him.
"Man, that door shouldn't lead here, ya know?" said Raijin, although nobody present was unaware of this. "You get to the bridge with the lift, ya know?" He frowned. "...Yo, where's the lift?"
The lift that should be at the rear of the bridge was strangely not present; instead, the bridge seemed to possess a door in its rear wall that should not be there. This being the door that Fujin and Raijin had just entered through, they found this second fact less surprising than the first.
"This is kinda freaky, ya know?" said Raijin. "What's goin' on here?"
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> more
"What's going on here?" Squall demanded. He, along with Quistis, Rinoa, Seifer, Zell, Irvine, Nida, and a few other less important people were standing on a circular metal platform hovering in the air, which happened to be just large enough to seat them all. Surrounding them were several hundred monsters and small blue aliens in stadium seating; and a pair of large Propagators were facing them on a larger circular metal platform hovering in the air.
"The accused may not ask questions," declared one of the two Propagators facing them. These were distinguishable from normal Propagators in that they were about twice as large, and their skin was white with black zebra stripes. Also, their voices sounded more like a subwoofer than actual voices.
"Man, that guy's voice sounds like a subwoofer," said Zell.
"You stand accused of crimes against the Pan-Galactic Law Authority in the Moon district," said the other Propagator.
"How do you plead to these charges?" asked the first.
"What the hell?" asked Squall. "I don't even know what the charges are!"
"Your plea of ignorance has been noted," declared the second Propagator. "The trial will now begin."
"Way to answer their question with ignorance, Mr. Leader," said Seifer.
"Shut up, Seifer," said Squall.
"You shut up, Squall," Quistis snapped. "Why are you always so hard on Seifer, anyway?"
"Stay out of this, Instructor," Seifer growled. "I can take care of myself."
"The accused may not talk amongst themselves," declared the first Propagator.
"Since you do not have appropriate Pan-Galactic legal counsel, one has been provided for you by the Pan-Galactic Court," said the second. "Is the Pan-Galactic counsel ready to begin?"
A Geezard slithered up onto the platform, making it somewhat crowded. "I am ready," it declared.
"What the hell?" asked Irvine. "Our lawyer's a Geezard?"
"This is the part you think is strange?" asked Nida.
"The accused may not ask questions or talk amongst themselves!" growled the first Propogator.
"Since legal counsel is prepared," said the second, "the Pan-Galactic legal trial may begin."
"The accuser may call the first witness," said the first.
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> more
"Please state your name for the record," said Xu, looking slightly less bored than she felt.
"Laguna Loire," said Laguna, looking exactly as exasperated as he felt.
"Occupation?" Xu asked.
"President of Esthar. Is this really necessary?"
Xu shook her head. "Absolutely not—"
"Yes, it certainly is," said Colonel Torzen, who was watching the proceeding with his single hand on his hip. "This shows a clear sign that Garden will not tolerate lawlessness and disobedience." He turned to the array of students who were gathered to watch the tribunal. "The lessons you learn here today, you should keep with you throughout your lives. The law must be obeyed!"
"He admits what he did," said Xu.
"And I'd do it again in an instant if it meant protecting this world from the alien menace!" declared the tinfoil hat man from the defendant's cage. The cage had been built at Torzen's instruction.
"Continue with your questioning, please," said Torzen.
Xu sighed. "Mr. President, did the man in the defendant's cage threaten to..." she sighed. "...protonize you if you attempted to leave the Headmaster's office?"
"I object!" declared the tinfoil hat man's lawyer, who bore a distinct familial resemblance to the tinfoil hat man himself. "That's a leading question! I declare this trial nothing but a farce designed to discredit and humiliate my client!"
"Well, I completely agree about the farce part," said Xu.
Cid, who looked about as tired as it was possible for a person to do, sighed. "Rephrase the question, please," he said.
Xu sighed as well. "Cid, couldn't you have put a stop to this?"
"Colonel Torzen is the Garden Master," said Cid. "This is in his jurisdiction."
"How?" asked Xu. "This man isn't a student; we don't even have legal jurisdiction over him."
Cid shrugged. "Well, he wanted complete authority over discipline as part of his contract, and spineless as I am, I—"
"I object!" declared the tinfoil hat man's lawyer. "The judge and the prosecutor are being too friendly! I declare this trial to be biased!"
"Your client admitted his guilt," Xu pointed out.
"I want that stricken from the record!" demanded the lawyer, pointing to the audience instead of Cid or the stenographer.
"Xu, just rephrase the question," said Cid.
Xu groaned. "I don't even remember the question," she said.
The stenographer scanned up through the record. "'Mr. President, did the man in the defendant's cage threaten to—' sigh '—protonize you if you attempted to leave the Headmaster's office?'"
"Move to strike! Move to strike!" the tinfoil hat man's lawyer was practically jumping up and down by now.
Xu groaned again. "Mr. President. Could you describe the situation that immediately led up to the defendant's apprehension?"
"Objection!" cried the tinfoil hat man's lawyer. "'Apprehension' implies suspicion that my client committed an offense. I move to strike because it unfairly biases the jury!"
"He's on trial!" Xu exclaimed. "Of course he's suspected of an offense! He admitted the offense!"
"Okay, that's it," said Cid, banging his gavel down on his desk. Since the desk was plastic, the results were not satisfying. "I'm declaring this trial in recess, at least until Squall comes back and becomes headmaster. Have a good day, everyone."
"Headmaster, I protest," said Colonel Torzen. "What about the children, sir? What sort of message does this send to them?"
Cid frowned. "You might be right, Colonel." Turning to the students, he cleared his throat. "All of you must understand that discipline is very important. Without discipline, there would certainly be more people breaking the rules. As students in Garden, I trust you understand the importance of self-control. But—"
"Headmaster," said one of the new Faculty members, who had been hired recently. "You should stop talking for some reason."
"Yes, of course," said Cid, and he walked away.
Colonel Torzen looked after him and scowled. "Won't somebody think of the children?" he muttered.
C:/nomad/fanfic/1388651> cd /
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