4
Chapter 5
He sat on the cold dirt floor…watching the insects crawl in and out of the cracks in the wall. The walls were a pitch black; the only light was a crack protruding from underneath the door.
He clutched at the ground…feeling the dirt between his fingers.
He listened to his breaths…one by one. Thirty-five, thirty-six.
The monotony soothed him. It kept his mind at ease.
He hadn't spoken to anyone in what felt like years.
The day marks on the ground lied; there were three-hundred and twenty.
He knew he'd been in there for a life-time.
He could hear the screams of other inmates; shrieks of terror or pain.
Many of them had just lost their minds…or had never had them to begin with.
The guards seldom came by.
If they came by…he could talk to them.
Ask them what they thought of the colony of insects.
If they talked to them…liked they talked to him.
He could hear footsteps down the hall; they pitter-pattered slowly in his direction with the delicacy of a brute.
"Perhaps they've finally remembered you," one of the insects said.
"I hope so," he whispered.
The pitter-patter stopped in front of his door. He could hear the metallic clicking of the key turning in its hole.
"More friends," he said to himself.
The door slid open…blinding him with light.
In stepped a guard…weapon in one hand.
Another guard pushed in a metal contraption meant for restraint.
He looked up at both of them. He smiled.
"Have you met my friends?" he said pointing to the insects.
The two guards cackled.
The guards wheeled him into a large room. It was mostly empty…and cavernous. They pushed him out to a ledge over-looking a pit below. Up above…on another ledge…stood three people dressed in ceremonial garb. Their faces were stone-solid…and expressionless.
"General Lo-Chem…you've been brought before this tribunal to face the charges of kidnapping, performing ghastly and un-ethical experiments on your own men, and conspiracy to commit treason. How do you plead to these charges?"
He smiled.
"Not guilty,"
"Do you have evidence to support your claim?"
"No,"
He chuckled. The judges looked perplexed.
"General…are you not taking this proceeding seriously?"
The General's expression changed from happy to solemn.
"I take these proceedings very seriously. It is you who I do not take seriously."
The judges frowned and briefly whispered to themselves.
"General…you are facing very serious charges. I suggest you show some humility to this council…"
"It is this very council that is treasonous! I've devoted my life to protecting my people at all cost…but you. You destroy my work and undermine everything I have accomplished!"
The council was silent for a moment.
"General…how do you plead to these charges?"
He paused…shooting each judge a look.
"My grandfather fought to protect this council. He laid down his life in the war with our blood rivals. As did my father. All I sought to do was the same. I wanted us to be ready. I wanted us…to be prepared!"
"You will address this council properly. Or we shall skip these proceedings!"
"This new race! This intergalactic society is a threat to everything we hold dear! Everything that we are! They have already fought every major power in their region of space…within a matter of decades! We must be ready! It won't be long before they discover us! Before they discover our side of the galaxy!"
"All we hear is the ramblings of a crazy man. We've made no direct contact with these people. They have not even had the chance to show any act of aggression. General…you are guilty of violating basic civilized rights. This council deems you to be a danger to yourself and others.
"This council finds you guilty of all charges. We hereby sentence you to life imprisonment."
The guards started wheeling the General away.
"You are dooming us all! They will come! On that day you will say to yourselves 'We should have listened to the General!' They will come! The Federation will come!"