Chapter 12: Ebony
Ebony stood up slowly, her arms crossed. Iris looked at her with a mixture of pity and apprehension. "Ebony," Iris said quietly, "do you wish to stay here? If you do, there are questions I would like answered truthfully. Remember that you are allowed to state your reasons for doing things you have done without interruption, but those who came with you will be allowed to state anything you've done. If you don't want to stay, there is nothing you have to explain." Ebony stared stonily at the floor. "I would like to stay," she said finally.
"You were accused of pushing Ruby in front of a truck, as well as harming those whom you hated. What do you say to that?" Iris asked. "Now wait just a minute!" Slade said angrily, standing up. "What happened to Ruby was an accident!" Ebony took a deep breath and held up a hand. "I pushed Ruby in front of the truck," she said. Slade stared at her in pained shock and disbelief. Several of the Mallrats gasped in horror. Ellie narrowed her eyes. "I thought so!" she cried loudly. "Ebony?" Slade finally asked. Ebony looked up at the ceiling and then back at Iris. "I hated her. I was afraid Slade would leave me for her once the baby was born. I'm sick and tired of men leaving me for other women. Zoot would have gone back with Trudy and their child. Bray left me for Amber. Jay left me for Amber. Then I finally think I found someone, and he's gotten another girl pregnant."
Iris raised an eyebrow at the mention of Amber and glanced over at the girl. Slade shook his head and sat down with his face in his hands. Ebony paid no attention to him. The Council stared down at her as if they were looking at a poisonous snake. "What about the others you were supposed to have hurt?" Iris asked. Ebony sighed. Ellie jumped up and went into a long speech about everything Ebony had done since she had known her. Ebony stood in silence, not even looking at Ellie with anger. When Ellie was through, the room was completely silent for several minutes. Malik raised his hand, and Iris nodded for him to speak. "I would like to ask you a question, Ebony. How did you feel when your sisters died, fighting over you?"
"I don't want to talk about how I felt," Ebony snapped. "It's not something I want to think about." Malik and Iris exchanged glances. "Would you have prevented it?" Iris asked. Ebony drew in her breath. "I would have, if I could. But there was nothing I could have done. If I would have known that Siva . . ." She broke off and looked back up at the ceiling. "It would have been better if Java would have killed me." Joker raised his hand. "How do you justify the rest of the things you have done?" he asked bluntly. Ebony looked at him for a moment and shook her head. "I can't," she said simply. "I used to tell myself it was to survive, that no matter what, I had to survive, and not only that, I had to be the one in power. To me, power was everything. Those in power didn't die. They always had food, water, everything they needed. Even when the rest were starving. But that excuse doesn't work anymore does it? It was never true. It was just me, selfish and uncaring."
"That's for damned sure," Ellie spat. Ebony turned to her coldly. "You tried to kill me," she said evenly. "What do you have to say to that?" The Council began to murmur amongst themselves, as did the Mallrats. Iris stood up and called for order. "No one here can honestly say they have done nothing terrible since the virus," she said quietly. "The only reason we are examining Ebony is because we must be sure she will not do anything terrible here." Everyone quieted down, with many of the Council and the Mallrats looking sober, each thinking of things they had done in the past. When everyone was quiet, Iris looked at Ebony. "If you are allowed to stay, what will you do with your life?" she asked her.
"I'm tired of everything," Ebony said slowly. "I just want some damned peace. I'll work for my living, but there's not much I can do well, except fight. I can't erase what I've done. I'm not sorry for a lot of it, but I am sorry for what I did to Ruby. If you don't let me stay, that's fine. I'll leave, and find peace somewhere else." Iris looked over at the Mallrats. "Do any of you have anything to say?" she asked them. No one spoke. "How many of you believe Ebony should be given a second chance?" Iris asked quietly. Trudy raised her hand immediately, remembering what she had done when she went over to the Chosen, things no one in her tribe knew about. Salene glanced at May and raised her hand as well. May interpreted the glance as a reminder of several horrible things she had done, and raised her hand. Jay raised his as well, with a guilty look on his face. After several moments had passed, Amber did too, surprising Iris.
Althea raised her hand and stood up. "I think, considering the circumstances, that instead of voting whether or not Ebony should stay or go, we should vote on whether she should be allowed a trial period." Iris thought for a moment. "That is sufficient, and quite reasonable, Althea," she said. "Those in favor of voting on a trial period?" Every member of the Council raised their hands. "Those in favor of allowing Ebony a trial period?" Iris asked. Althea, Malik, and Joker raised their hands. Ethan, Crystal, and Gray kept their hands down. "A tie," Iris said musingly. "Therefore I will make the decision, but I will take a little more time to decide. After this meeting, the Council and I will meet privately, where each member will state their arguments in favor or not to me. I will give my decision tomorrow, Ebony."
Ebony merely nodded and sat down. "Slade, do you want to stay or not?" Iris asked the young man, who still had his head in his hands. "I . . . I don't know," he mumbled. Iris shrugged. "Then that leaves you, Ram." Ram glared at her and looked away. "It seems you have much to explain," Iris continued. He sighed loudly. "Then there's no reason to explain it, is there?" he snapped. "No matter what, I'll have to leave." "Do you want to leave?" Iris asked him. "Of course not!" Ram cried. "I don't want to be thrust back into that uncivilized mess!" "Is that all you want to remain here for?" Malik asked scathingly, speaking out without permission. "Safety? You know that many of our people were once slaves of yours! What about Ved and Cloe?" Ram's face tightened and his eyes filled with tears. He looked away, embarrassed.
"Malik," Iris said quietly, with authority. It was all she had to say. Malik turned to her, and bowed his head. "Forgive me, your Majesty," he said quickly. Iris nodded. "Ram," she asked gently, "do you want to stay here?" Ram nodded, not looking at her. "I think it would be easier if you just began with what happened to you after the virus, and go from there," Iris said, her curiosity about him too great to be satiated with only a few answers to a few questions. Ram glared at her. "Fine," he said shortly.