THE THIRD TRIAL

[strangerpeople]

THE THIRD TRIAL

[The Conductor doesn't meet them when the chime rings. Instead, it is the Smiling Priest.]

Come. Though betrayal waits for no one, she is waiting for you.

[He motions towards the Synod, beckoning all to follow. Soon, everyone passes, almost painfully slowly, through the Seven Stations. They come to the sherd of the Mountain. Beyond that are 15 podiums, illuminated by its light. Around those are pews, with many hooded figures already sitting.

The Conductor is in a chair in front of the step to the well, looking absolutely angry and miserable. She speaks the info into her phone, but she sounds like she is being forced to say it, as opposed to simply going through the same rote routine. She takes deep breaths as the suspect list loads on everyone's cuffs.]

THE BRIGHT	THE WATCHFUL	THE DEIDRE	THE BRITTLE
				THE HALVED

A member of my crew is dead alongside your dead. Justice shall be served. I do hope you are proud of yourself, whoever committed this crime.

[She says nothing else. She looks like she's on tenterhooks. Looks like there's no point in delaying.

The trial for the murders of Konawa Talimo, The Deidre, and Zack Foster, The Watchful, has begun.]

Comments

[otherworldlyking]

[ ...this is going to be a pain in the ass of a trial, isn't it.

Anyway, he'll yawn after he's settled. ]

If you've got any questions, get them over with.

[ Anyway, he's taking this time to open the bottle. At least he has his drink with him...also he brought the face with him because, yeah.

He'll just speak what he needs to, and see if he can catch a nap here or there. ]

...And found what appears to be someone's face, but it's from nobody on the train or anyone I'd recognize. Don't really get why'd it be there in that case.

[overworker]

...this is the first time we've had suspects that aren't with us...

[It's. Well... hmm!]

We can't verify their sides of the story. But with the state of the crime scene... I can't imagine anyone else getting in there and committing that crime without being poisoned or worse.

[charmingheroine]

[Well. That's not entirely unexpected, given her suspicions about how these lists are assembled. And given the frankly Agatha Christie tier note-in-the-hallway nonsense, too. She is furious, but she has let her emotions push her to do things she'd rather never have done enough on this nightmarish parody of the Grand Tour....]

There's a question that's been bothering me since the first time you put us through this, ma'am.

What do you do with their bodies?

[unwittingking]

…did you have to bring the face with you?!

[Said through gritted teeth, covering his eyes in disgust. He may have checked the bodies, but he only took pictures of them! This is messed up!]

[overworker]

[You know what. She doesn't have a question. She has a statement.]

I can account for Bernie's whereabouts Thursday evening, so you can ask me as well.

[F r i e n d s h i p.]

[katzenpfote]

... Also, how would one convict a dead person, should they be found guilty?

[otherworldlyking]

Thought someone might need it.

[ It's evidence...right...?

Okay, yeah it's weird but. He saw no problem bringing it here, sorry bub. ]

[katzenpfote]

... 'Bernie'?

[He looks like he's trying not to laugh.]

[eternaldivide]

[ so this is happening again isn't it... ]

If anyone has any questions please... Don't hesitate to ask.

[ and... with that aside... ]

The place where Zack was found had a ton of marks from weapons everywhere. I think it's clear enough that a struggle happened and caused the death of the robot there.

[unwittingking]

Why would anyone n-

No! No, do not answer that! I do not need to know!

[He's still judging McBurn, but he's not going to do it in a way that he regrets.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ ...... Why do you do this, Towa.

He'll just pretend he didn't hear the nickname for now. Let's see how long that lasts. ]

[otherworldlyking]

Think it was caused by someone's power?

[biddentodance]

[Minato is here, still looking somewhat ill...but cleaned up. He looks over everything here, the well, the pews, the conductor, the suspect list.]

How...?

[No, he needs to focus on the task at hand. The trial.]

Do... Does anyone know what time, specifically the- explosion went off? For reference?

[overworker]

[Listen. He told her it would be "a big pain" if other people heard but he's being a big pain by being suspected all the time so it's fair.]

Yep. He came to my room last night.

[eternaldivide]

It'd be... a few minutes before Tali's time of death, wouldn't it? Since when we found her she was still alive...

[katzenpfote]

I's... cute.

[overworker]

I'm not familiar with that kind of toxic poisoning but I can't see anyone unleashing it on purpose unless they had a plain to protect themselves. If they did this, it's likely they were after the audience that was promised after all. If they died, it would be a wasted opportunity.

[disregartist]

With exceptions, the dead victims are cremated and their ashes given to the skies.

The culprit's bodies are shipped to the Throne of Hours.

[charmingheroine]

But her cause of death wasn't concussive trauma, and from the descriptions here [she taps her wristcuff] she'd been wrapped tightly, as though either she herself or someone else tried to bandage what must have punctured an artery... I'm sorry, I just don't know enough about medicine to know how long it takes someone to bleed out from a wound like that.

[katzenpfote]

... Atsushi being an exception, I take it.

[disregartist]

A face.

[That gets Lilac to sit up.]

Show me.

[charmingheroine]

Of course you'd consider a pagan rite further courtesy.

[Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Counting backwards from one hundred by sevens. She cannot afford to antagonize someone who holds the controls to something literally named the Wrath of Heaven.]

I take it blaming the dead for their own deaths means their bodies would be subjected to the same exposure to the Sun that Throne is tied to?

[disregartist]

To put it lightly. Don't worry-his remains will never be found.

[overworker]

[Well maybe if you didn't get suspected all the time, she wouldn't have to be your defense squad!

It's a pain for everyone involved.]

[disregartist]

[The slightest narrowing of eyes.]

What do you know about Thrones?