Shadow of Her Sins, Chapter Nine (cont)
Jan. 29th, 2014 09:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jeriendhalThe morning dawn was bright, the sky clear and promising.
Ali's stomach felt like lead.
She could feel the eyes of her family, of Lady Melanie, of the colonists whom she'd come to know, all staring at her as they shuffled into the courtroom. All of her secrets were out now. How many of them hated her, or worse, pitied her, instead of her victims?
The screen came to life, and the judges appeared. At the bailiffs call the room rose in respect, then sat again. The Chief Justice's eyes fell up Ali, and she felt as if they were boring into her soul. If there was any clue as to her fate within them she could not see.
The Chief Justice cleared his throat and asked formally, “Before we pass sentence upon you, Alinadar Blacksailor, do you have any final statement you wish to make to the court?”
“Yes, Honored Justice,” Ali replied. She spared one glance at Salli, stealing a last squeeze of her paw, before standing. “In some cultures I'm told, the surviving family members of a murder victim are permitted to make statements to the court, to let the judges know exactly what was taken from them, what hurt they have in their heart. I'm enough of a coward to be grateful that is not the case in Stellar Court. Not that they don't deserve a voice, to speak for their dead, but because...” Ali faltered, then continued. “If I had to see them, to listen to them, they would have been denied their right to see justice done. Because I would have been cowardly enough to take my own life, rather than having names, and stories, and lives attached to my victims.
“If any of those survivors are listening, watching today, all I can say is that I'm sorry. I know that isn't enough, that isn't going to bring back your lost ones. But that's all I can do now. That and accept the judgment that I am given. I won't ask for forgiveness though, because I know I don't deserve any.” Ali lowered her head briefly, pulling in a deep breath to compose herself. “All right, I'm ready.”
“Very well.” The Chief Justice stood, looking at her gravely. “Alinadar Blacksailor, aka Alinadar Waterfarmer, aka Ali-Kat, you have presented this court with a unique case, and caused much debate between myself and my fellow justices. Where does justice lay, when a young woman who suffered so much trauma herself at such a young age, in turn inflicts these same traumas on so many others? You spent years forced into the service of one of the most truly despicable sentients of our era, committed crimes that individually would have earned you a death sentence on many worlds, including the one of your birth, but only because you were under the threat of murder if you did not obey.
“I am hesitant to use the term 'fortunately', but the histories of both my own people and that of Humanity provide precedent for your situation, which this court may build upon. In both our cases, in our pre-interstellar eras, in areas of our worlds where wars became genocides, where any semblance of civilization was turned aside in favor of bloodshed and hatred, the forced conscription of children in armies and militias, beaten and threatened and then armed, to kill or be killed, was a known practice. And in these cases, it was not the children who were blamed for the killings that they committed, but the ones who forced them into their actions. When the time came for the guns to be put down, peace and civilization to return, it was recognized that these battered souls must be treated with compassion and forgiveness.
“Alinadar Blacksailor, it is the decision of this court that all crimes that you committed prior to the foxen age of majority of seventeen standard years, you are to be absolved of, in recognition of your lack of agency in your actions. The blame lies firmly on that of your tormentor, Marguerite Antoinette O'Keefe, more commonly known as Bloody Margo. It is not this particular court's task to pass sentence upon that most odious sentient, but the record of her crimes against you, and your late family, will be entered for the viewing of the court which will take up that duty.
There was an audible sigh of relief from the audience benches at this announcement, and Ali felt the knot of tension in her stomach ease, at least until she caught the eye of her defender. He shook his head slightly, as if to say It's not over yet.
The Chief Justice continued on. “This leaves with the next matter, those crimes you committed after you reached the age majority. These were done while you were under the command of the so called Red Vixen, who while perhaps the polar opposite in terms of personality and tactics of Bloody Margo, was still a pirate, stealing the wealth of innocents for her own gain, and engaging in multiple incidents of piracy, smuggling and kidnapping. By your own account, and that of Lady Sallivera's deposition upon her rescue after the Red Vixen's raid upon Bloody Margo last year, you were the former's slave. And technically that would leave you with the same lack of agency that you had before. But also by your own account, the Red Vixen often allowed you to operate independently, often for weeks at a time away from her ship and out of her direct view. At any time during those periods you could have easily have left your so called 'Mistress' and returned to civil society, either to turn yourself in for your crimes, find a place for yourself in honest labor, or even search for what remained of your family.
“But you did not. You remained a pirate, aiding the Red Vixen in the attack and capture of over two dozen freighters. Acts which, while not in the same category of callous slaughter that Bloody Margo engaged in, were still crimes. Any one of which would earn you a stiff penalty, and which cannot be ignored. You had agency, you had a choice, and despite your nightmarish upbringing you had a moral compass, as demonstrated when you came to the defense of the Vicountess Darktail numerous times.” The elderly Chief Justice drew in a breath. “Therefore, it is with heavy heart that this court finds you guilty of twenty-eight separate counts of interstellar piracy. In penalty your sentence is to serve hard labor for the remainder of your living days, until death comes in release.”
There was a sharp intake of breath from several points in the room including Salli. From the audience benches Ali heard Lady Melanie shout, “NO! That isn't fair! She's not to-”
There was a loud screech from the Chief Justice's chime, cutting off Lady Melanie's protests. “There will be no demonstrations in the courtroom,” he stated sharply. When the chamber had settled down, he went continued. “Said sentence is to be serve on the world of Greenholme, under the supervision of that world's justice ministry, under the aegis of the Vicountess Sallivera Darktail, who will be responsible for supervising Miss Blacksailor's behavior and making sure she is provided with proper mental health treatment in consideration of her past experiences. If Miss Waterfarmer is to be ever permitted to travel offworld in execution of her duties under her sentence, she is to only do so under Lady Sallivera's direct supervision, or that of a designated agent. Do you accept this charge, milady?”
Salli stood up immediately. “I accept without hesitation, Chief Justice,” she stated.
“Excellent.” The Chief Justice turned his attention back to Ali. “Farewell, Miss Blacksailor. One a personal note, despite being found guilty, I hope that you will find some solace in being reunited with your family. Their love you is something this court found hard to ignore. This court is adjourned.”
TBC
Ali's stomach felt like lead.
She could feel the eyes of her family, of Lady Melanie, of the colonists whom she'd come to know, all staring at her as they shuffled into the courtroom. All of her secrets were out now. How many of them hated her, or worse, pitied her, instead of her victims?
The screen came to life, and the judges appeared. At the bailiffs call the room rose in respect, then sat again. The Chief Justice's eyes fell up Ali, and she felt as if they were boring into her soul. If there was any clue as to her fate within them she could not see.
The Chief Justice cleared his throat and asked formally, “Before we pass sentence upon you, Alinadar Blacksailor, do you have any final statement you wish to make to the court?”
“Yes, Honored Justice,” Ali replied. She spared one glance at Salli, stealing a last squeeze of her paw, before standing. “In some cultures I'm told, the surviving family members of a murder victim are permitted to make statements to the court, to let the judges know exactly what was taken from them, what hurt they have in their heart. I'm enough of a coward to be grateful that is not the case in Stellar Court. Not that they don't deserve a voice, to speak for their dead, but because...” Ali faltered, then continued. “If I had to see them, to listen to them, they would have been denied their right to see justice done. Because I would have been cowardly enough to take my own life, rather than having names, and stories, and lives attached to my victims.
“If any of those survivors are listening, watching today, all I can say is that I'm sorry. I know that isn't enough, that isn't going to bring back your lost ones. But that's all I can do now. That and accept the judgment that I am given. I won't ask for forgiveness though, because I know I don't deserve any.” Ali lowered her head briefly, pulling in a deep breath to compose herself. “All right, I'm ready.”
“Very well.” The Chief Justice stood, looking at her gravely. “Alinadar Blacksailor, aka Alinadar Waterfarmer, aka Ali-Kat, you have presented this court with a unique case, and caused much debate between myself and my fellow justices. Where does justice lay, when a young woman who suffered so much trauma herself at such a young age, in turn inflicts these same traumas on so many others? You spent years forced into the service of one of the most truly despicable sentients of our era, committed crimes that individually would have earned you a death sentence on many worlds, including the one of your birth, but only because you were under the threat of murder if you did not obey.
“I am hesitant to use the term 'fortunately', but the histories of both my own people and that of Humanity provide precedent for your situation, which this court may build upon. In both our cases, in our pre-interstellar eras, in areas of our worlds where wars became genocides, where any semblance of civilization was turned aside in favor of bloodshed and hatred, the forced conscription of children in armies and militias, beaten and threatened and then armed, to kill or be killed, was a known practice. And in these cases, it was not the children who were blamed for the killings that they committed, but the ones who forced them into their actions. When the time came for the guns to be put down, peace and civilization to return, it was recognized that these battered souls must be treated with compassion and forgiveness.
“Alinadar Blacksailor, it is the decision of this court that all crimes that you committed prior to the foxen age of majority of seventeen standard years, you are to be absolved of, in recognition of your lack of agency in your actions. The blame lies firmly on that of your tormentor, Marguerite Antoinette O'Keefe, more commonly known as Bloody Margo. It is not this particular court's task to pass sentence upon that most odious sentient, but the record of her crimes against you, and your late family, will be entered for the viewing of the court which will take up that duty.
There was an audible sigh of relief from the audience benches at this announcement, and Ali felt the knot of tension in her stomach ease, at least until she caught the eye of her defender. He shook his head slightly, as if to say It's not over yet.
The Chief Justice continued on. “This leaves with the next matter, those crimes you committed after you reached the age majority. These were done while you were under the command of the so called Red Vixen, who while perhaps the polar opposite in terms of personality and tactics of Bloody Margo, was still a pirate, stealing the wealth of innocents for her own gain, and engaging in multiple incidents of piracy, smuggling and kidnapping. By your own account, and that of Lady Sallivera's deposition upon her rescue after the Red Vixen's raid upon Bloody Margo last year, you were the former's slave. And technically that would leave you with the same lack of agency that you had before. But also by your own account, the Red Vixen often allowed you to operate independently, often for weeks at a time away from her ship and out of her direct view. At any time during those periods you could have easily have left your so called 'Mistress' and returned to civil society, either to turn yourself in for your crimes, find a place for yourself in honest labor, or even search for what remained of your family.
“But you did not. You remained a pirate, aiding the Red Vixen in the attack and capture of over two dozen freighters. Acts which, while not in the same category of callous slaughter that Bloody Margo engaged in, were still crimes. Any one of which would earn you a stiff penalty, and which cannot be ignored. You had agency, you had a choice, and despite your nightmarish upbringing you had a moral compass, as demonstrated when you came to the defense of the Vicountess Darktail numerous times.” The elderly Chief Justice drew in a breath. “Therefore, it is with heavy heart that this court finds you guilty of twenty-eight separate counts of interstellar piracy. In penalty your sentence is to serve hard labor for the remainder of your living days, until death comes in release.”
There was a sharp intake of breath from several points in the room including Salli. From the audience benches Ali heard Lady Melanie shout, “NO! That isn't fair! She's not to-”
There was a loud screech from the Chief Justice's chime, cutting off Lady Melanie's protests. “There will be no demonstrations in the courtroom,” he stated sharply. When the chamber had settled down, he went continued. “Said sentence is to be serve on the world of Greenholme, under the supervision of that world's justice ministry, under the aegis of the Vicountess Sallivera Darktail, who will be responsible for supervising Miss Blacksailor's behavior and making sure she is provided with proper mental health treatment in consideration of her past experiences. If Miss Waterfarmer is to be ever permitted to travel offworld in execution of her duties under her sentence, she is to only do so under Lady Sallivera's direct supervision, or that of a designated agent. Do you accept this charge, milady?”
Salli stood up immediately. “I accept without hesitation, Chief Justice,” she stated.
“Excellent.” The Chief Justice turned his attention back to Ali. “Farewell, Miss Blacksailor. One a personal note, despite being found guilty, I hope that you will find some solace in being reunited with your family. Their love you is something this court found hard to ignore. This court is adjourned.”
TBC
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no subject
Date: 2014-01-31 12:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-31 02:08 am (UTC)...had you decided on that before I answered the poll?
(Stupid question, perhaps; it takes time to write. But it's essentially a rephrasing of what I'd hoped.)
no subject
Date: 2014-01-31 08:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-31 01:39 pm (UTC)Knew there was a reason I liked you.
no subject
Date: 2014-01-31 02:59 pm (UTC)