Chapter 339 - Trial

Being transported under heavy police escort, Dax was brought to the high court near the Imperial palace before being left in a holding cell without even a single guard.

"... Well, it's not like a guard would stop me from escaping but…"

Even without using anything fancy like mana, Dax could easily break out of the cell and escape. Caught up in such thoughts Dax didn't miss the sound of approaching footsteps, they were so perfectly timed and spaced out that it really only could belong to one person, although calling them a 'person' would be a stretch in of itself.

"To what do I owe the honour of talking directly to the administrative AI?"

"I'm just here to talk."

Even if the avatar standing in front of him looked very much like a person, Dax knew that it wasn't the case, instead, it was a piece of lost technology, just like the administrative AI itself. Perhaps it was too obvious, or perhaps Dax had just blindsided the entire issue, but he had overlooked something important.

Confirming that the precursors were still very much alive and operating in Dax's plane of existence, he should have thought about what that means in relation to the administrative AI. After all, how would the tool react if it found out that its creator was still alive, the administrative AI ought to know about Dax's run ins with the precursor, in that case, why didn't it react? 

"I've come here on behalf of an interested third party."

It didn't react because it was already aware that the precursors still existed, in fact, it was still very much in contact with them, it never lost contact in the first place. It seemed painfully obvious not that he put some thought into it, but now it seemed too late to get out of the precursor's clutches.

"As a tool, you have crossed the line."

(So is this entire Empire under the precursor's control?)

Although he didn't show it on his face, the administrative AI's avatar nevertheless cracked a smile to confirm Dax's inner thoughts. In that case, was all this some sort of experiment? Was all the suffering Dax and other 'hands' of the Empire inflicted not for some greater good, but simply some sort of sick entertainment? If so Dax felt like a large part of his life had been a lie, the hope his long passed mother had passed onto him, 'to serve the Empire' was simply nothing more than some sort of joke?

"It seems like you understand your current situation. If you want your allies to escape without repercussions here's what is going to happen…"

-

(Dax, are you good?)

(Mu, is that you?... Yeah I'm fine, although I am slightly vexed nothing else is wrong.)

A bit after the avatar left, Dax was contacted by Mu who had finally managed to break through the isolation which surrounded him and establish a direct line of communication.

(Vexed? How so?)

Sensing Mu's confusion Dax put on a bitter smile.

(It seems the Empire really needs me, and they're not that willing to let me go.)

Dax's vague response left Mu kind of speechless and created a silence which lasted long enough to make Dax think that Mu had lost connection.

(Could you please elaborate on that?)

(Well, it seems I contributed too much to the current war effort, this contribution has not gone unnoticed, so the Empire wants to commend me for my efforts.)

(I really don't like the way you're wording things Dax, please tell me honestly what is going on.)

Starting to see through the act Dax was putting up, Mu realized that he was not only angry, but positively seething with maddening rage. Even as he sounded calm, Dax had just about broken every single bone in his hands as he was clenching his fist that hard, even with the extreme regeneration of his highly modified body it couldn't keep up, thus a steady stream of back blood steadily dropped from both his hands. Turning his rage towards the nearby cell wall, Dax shattered the reinforced wall like it was made of wet paper, having still not found an appropriate outlet for his rage Dax continued to desiccate everything in his surroundings until the only thing still standing was the sole prison bench which had been part of his cell. Having exhausted all available targets to take out his rage, Dax still didn't feel fulfilled at all but nevertheless sat down powerlessly on the sole bench.

(They want to designate me as a strategic level weapon of mass destruction.)

(WHAT!?)

Designating a person as a strategic level weapon of mass destruction, meant just that, the person would be classified as a weapon, meaning their rights as an intelligent being would be stripped away and they would only be permitted to breathe if it benefitted the Galactic Empire and they would only continue to exist for the sole reason of slaying the Empire's enemies, both foreign and domestic.

(I'll get Ra, we'll start preparing a defence right away! Along with that, we'll start working on backup plans you hear!? There's no way they'll get away with this, you're done being the Empires tool-"

Somewhere along the line, Dax stopped listening to what Mu was saying because in the end, it wouldn't matter.

Over the following weeks, the upcoming trial was heavily polished. Through every single media source Dax was painted as a dangerous criminal who had formed a criminal syndicate doing the war of annihilation, but at the same time, the media made Dax's contributions to the war efforts clear, painting him as a valuable ȧsset to the Galactic Empire. It would seem the Empire really did plan to condemn Dax to the role of a weapon, as a qiton he should be happy, but ever since Dax had been arrested he had destroyed every single drone sent to bring him food.

Doing so only with his bȧrė hands, without even attempting to use magic.

While Dax was busy destroying everything within sight, Ra and Mu were building up Dax's defence, by arguing that most of Dax's achievements were due to Lazarus technology and he wasn't responsible or the hook from corruption within the 125th, proving both of those points would let Dax walk free and if not they would simply break him out by force. While both sides were busy with preparing their defensive, offensive and contingency options, the day of the trial which would be ingrained in the history of the Galactic Empire began.

Published as the trial which would settle the population's gripes with the military and their misdeeds doing the war, the way to the executive military tribunal was lined with spectators and reporters from all over the Empire. As a heavily armoured transport landed in front of the courthouse, all attention was immediately drawn to it as a detachment of the 89th in full combat gear surrounded it, then the rear ramp finally lowered and a sole figure emerged. Having stayed out of the limelight until now, most people didn't recognize Dax immediately, but his imposing figure clad in the all black uniform, black eyepatch and the pair of reinforced handcuffs around his wrists definitely left a strong impression. Walking to the courtroom under heavy guard, Dax was secured with heavy shackles to the central witness stand before one of the members of the 89th cautiously approached him in order to remove Dax's handcuffs.

"No need."

But as Dax had no need for a key to get out of the cuffs, he simply ripped them off like they were made of candy wrappers before looking the qiton elder dead in the eyes.

"You can just bill me for those later."

"... Sure."

Although such action was viewed as an act of aggression to most of the spectators, the 89th saw this as Dax cooperating, as he just showed that he could have easily escaped earlier if he wanted to. About 20 minutes after Dax was settled in, the crowd outside once again started to stir as a transport marked with the Lazarus emblem approached for landing, but instead of setting down completely the craft simply overflew the landing area as two people wearing high tech isolation suits jumped out. Not equipped with parachutes or reaction control thrusters which could break the fall, the two executives had their fall broken by some unseen force as they simply floated down gracefully before landing and walking into the courthouse. With two Lazarus executives taking the position of Dax's defence, an uncomfortable silence soon fell over the room, although most of the public didn't think very highly of Lazarus, most of them were keenly aware of their efforts in winning the war against the Emergence. As a part of the buildup to the trail, Ra had leaked a part of the numerous patents she had filed under Lazarus, and it didn't take a long time for those who did some digging for them to come across those designs in almost every single navy design which had seen action doing the war. With representatives of the special counsel, the galactic senate and one of the administrative AI's avatars arriving, the numerous crimes Dax had been accused of were listed.

"What does the accused, Dax Alpha-4, commander of the 125th special orbital wetwork battalion, have to say in regards to the charges brought against him?"

With all attention falling on Dax the courtroom drew silent as Dax himself closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I dėsɨrė nothing more than a deep and eternal rest. I am guilty of all charges, do as you will with me."