Resurgence: The Ship Series // Book Five

by Jerry Aubin

  Zax greatly appreciated the approach Rilee’s people had taken to rebuilding Earth. It was a perfect solution for their culture given how the majority of Earthers experienced large chunks of their lives in an Uploaded state. When your consciousness spent most of its time in a virtual world, then it obviously made no difference if your mind was stored within hardware deep underground.

  The Earther lifestyle was interesting, but it held no appeal for Zax. Rilee had hedged the suggestion by saying it still required final approval from the Leadership Council, but she had proposed that he stay behind for some time on Earth when the Ship departed. He told her he’d consider the offer out of a desire to be polite, but his short experience inside the AI was more than enough to confirm for Zax that he was not cut out for a virtual life on a full-time basis. He was excited for an extended visit with an amazing host like Rilee, but was certain that his future was out among the stars. The engineers working for the Leadership Council still hadn’t answered how quickly they could retrofit the Ship, but Zax was certain he’d be on board once the asteroid continued its journey.

  38

  He doesn’t care for us very much.

  The shuttle started to slow and Rilee stood up. “We’re just about to land at the Justice Complex. Remember, all of the testimony you each provided over the last two months has already been thoroughly examined and weighed by the Tribunal. Today’s session will be short and only have two parts. The judges will first take whatever time they need to ask follow-up questions and get any clarifications necessary to reach a verdict. Once that portion is done, the Tribunal will sentence the defendants. When we walk out of here later today, Markev should be out of his restraints while Adan will have been fitted for a permanent set.”

  Zax’s mouth had started to go dry as if he was the one facing a verdict. Despite constant exhortations from the Boss and Rilee to relax and tell the truth, he had repeatedly found himself tongue-tied when answering even the simplest queries from the investigators who came to the Ship to gather evidence and testimony. Zax had found it odd how they were effectively conducting the trial remotely, with only a single day planned on Earth, but Rilee explained the trial was potentially explosive and the Council wanted to limit Adan’s time on the surface. There hadn’t been any unrest since news of his return went public, and the authorities were willing to take all measures to ensure that didn’t change. They required a trial to show that justice was fair, but afterwards the people of Earth wanted to never worry about Adan again once his consciousness was Uploaded to a prison facility to rot for all eternity.

  The shuttle touched down, and Zax followed Rilee to the exit. As the exterior hatch opened, Kalyn appeared and inserted herself in front of Zax such that Rilee walked out by herself to thunderous applause. Zax peeked outside and marveled at the sight. They had landed on top of a squat structure surrounded by an expanse of open space that extended for kilometers in every direction. At least a million people had jammed themselves into the space, and they were screaming themselves hoarse to welcome Rilee home.

  Kalyn moved aside, and as Zax stepped out of the shuttle the crowd noise was still so powerful that it vibrated within his stomach. It was far more people than he had ever seen gathered in a single place in his life, and the sight triggered a sense of vertigo. The cheers continued as the rest of their group exited the shuttle, but it immediately shifted from adulation to condemnation when Markev’s giant frame strode out. By the time Adan was extracted from the hold and escorted with weapons arrayed around him to the front of the shuttle, the crowd had transformed into an ugly and bloodthirsty mob. Waves of rage roiled off the throngs below, and Zax’s head ached from the sheer force of voices expressing their hatred and disgust.

  A woman in uniform appeared and led the group around the shuttle and into the building. Zax breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind them and sealed out the noise from the crowd gathered below. A new group of guards waited for them inside, with one man in front who was dressed in flowing black robes rather than the uniform worn by the rest. He stepped forward.

  “Hello, Rilee. I must say I’m surprised that you’re not in restraints alongside Adan. I’ll never understand why the Council forgave how you ignored orders and interfered with everything up on that asteroid, but forgive you they have. Adan and his bodyguard will come with me. You take the rest of his people into the Tribunal yourself.”

  Something about the man’s tone as he pointed at the Crew made the hairs on the back of Zax’s neck snap to attention. Rilee responded, and it was obvious from her tone that she did not care one bit for the man.

  “They haven’t been Adan’s people for thousands of years, Randel. I’ll bring our guests, the ones who helped return him for justice, into the Tribunal once I’ve had a chance to show them around.”

  The man’s expression shifted from haughty disdain to one that looked like he had bitten into a rotten piece of fruit, but he nodded and walked away without another word. The guards behind him broke into two squads. One group surrounded Adan and began to manhandle him in the direction the robed man had left. The second group treated Markev with marginally more respect but still jabbed him in the back repeatedly with the barrels of their weapons. Zax found himself getting angry about the burly giant’s treatment since they never would have defeated Adan without the man’s help. For his part, Markev remained perfectly calm and kept his eyes forward with his head held high as he disappeared around a corner.

  “Rilee—who was that? He doesn’t care for us very much.”

  “That’s just Randel, Zax. You should do your best to ignore him. Other than Kalyn and myself, he’s the only other person still around who was alive when Adan nuked us. You may hear the three of us referred to at some point as being part of the First Thirty-Six, meaning the group of survivors who rebuilt our world and culture after Adan’s Destruction. I’ve never liked Randel and the feeling has always been mutual. More than once I’ve wished I could go back in time and change my mind about bringing him along with me to the Ark that kept us alive. The fact he’s still part of the Leadership Council makes me question whether I’d ever want to live on Earth again, but everything I’ve been told suggests that his influence has begun to wane over the last few years.”

  The memory of the man’s expression continued to nag at him, but Zax pushed those worries aside as Rilee gestured for the group to follow her. He fell into line between Kalare and Mase as she led them down a hallway lined with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the massive crowd below. Zax didn’t know what the day ahead might bring, but he hoped it wouldn’t involve Randel any further.

  39

  All rise for the Supreme Tribunal.

  Rilee led the group from the Ship into the Tribunal’s chamber and sat with them in a row of seats at the front of the room that was marked as reserved. It was almost as if they were strange specimens on display given the manner in which the hundreds of Earthers present had pointed and gawked as the group walked in and found their seats. Zax’s discomfort morphed into anger a few mins later when Markev was led into the chamber surrounded by guards. The restraints holding the man had been increased substantially since he had left the shuttle. His massive arms were pinned to his sides by manacles on his wrists that were in turn shackled to a belt around his waist. His feet were also bound in such a way that he was forced to move with an awkward shuffle.

  Zax understood how the average Earther might perceive Markev given their planet’s history. The people in charge of the Tribunal, however, were fully aware of the huge role the man had played in delivering Adan into their hands. It was well within their power to grant Markev some modicum of dignity, and Zax’s belly roiled with apprehension once he witnessed the Tribunal’s comfort with humiliating the former bodyguard in such a manner.

  Markev was escorted to one of the tables directly in front of Zax. Once he was settled, Adan was led in. The man’s restraints matched those worn by Markev, but Zax couldn’t care any less about discomf
ort experienced by the Ship’s creator given the man’s five thousand year trail of murder and destruction. Adan was led to the second table in front of the Crew, and he sat down without so much as a glance in their direction.

  The chamber buzzed as the observers had their first sighting of the man who figured so prominently in their culture’s history. Throughout the months leading to the trial, Zax had been told repeatedly and at great length about Adan’s Destruction by every Earther he encountered. The stories about how their world clawed back from Adan’s treachery were a core part of their belief system, and Zax found it impossible to imagine what it must be like to have the villain from those ancient tales suddenly appear in the flesh amongst them.

  A door at the front of the chamber opened, and Zax’s stomach sank when Randel walked in. Something about the man sent alarms screaming in his gut, but Zax was at a loss to identify what it was. Randel took ten steps into the chamber and then halted to shout in a booming voice.

  “All rise for the Supreme Tribunal.”

  Zax stood along with everyone else as the justices entered the room. Their robes were similar in style to the one worn by Randel but colored a deep scarlet instead of black. The group, nine women and six men, entered and climbed the stairs that led to chairs atop a raised dais. Once they were seated, Randel turned back to the rest of the chamber.

  “You may take your seats.”

  Once the bustle of movement was over, the chamber became eerily quiet. The woman at the center of the dais, whose placard identified her as the Chief Justice, stared at the screen of her slate-like device. After a few moments she looked up and spoke.

  “We are here in the matter of Adan’s Destruction—the wanton annihilation of the planet Earth and the murder of nine billion people. The Tribunal has spent the past two months gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses. All testimony has been entered into the record and our preliminary deliberations are complete. Today is the final opportunity for us to hear from the defendants and then pass judgment upon them. The defendants shall rise.”

  Markev rose. Adan remained in his chair and stared at the surface of the empty table in front of him. Randel took two steps towards Adan and barked at him with contempt.

  “Defendant—you are directed to stand!”

  Adan did not move and after a few moments Randel signaled the two guards stationed behind him. They approached with one on each side, seized Adan under his arms, and yanked him to his feet. They held him in place as red marks formed on Adan’s arms due to the pressure applied by their grip.

  The Chief Justice observed Adan’s pitiful drama with a smile. Once he was standing, she turned back to Markev.

  “Markev—in this matter how do you plead?”

  “I plead guilty.”

  Despite being aware the man intended to plead guilty, Zax’s stomach still tumbled at the words. Rilee had counseled Markev that he stood the best chance of receiving leniency from the court if he didn’t put up a fight and took full responsibility for his actions around the deaths of the General Secretary and the other leaders from Earth. Zax never would have imagined wanting the man go free after witnessing the records of his actions around the time of the Ship’s departure, but his perspective shifted one hundred and eighty degrees once he understood how Markev had struggled ever since to make Adan pay for his far greater crimes.

  A low murmur bubbled up from the observers, but everyone quieted when the Chief Justice looked up with a raised eyebrow. No one wanted to risk being thrown out of the chamber before they witnessed Adan’s punishment. The woman at the center of the dais turned her attention back to Adan.

  “Adan—in this matter how do you plead?”

  The once powerful creator of the Ship appeared pitifully small to Zax as he stood hunched over in restraints while bookended between the two tall Earther guards. Adan remained silent for an uncomfortably long time, but then something shifted. His shoulders straightened, his stance became more solid, and he lifted his head to glare at the Chief Justice.

  “I refuse to acknowledge that any unlawful act has been committed. I did that which you have charged me with, but my deeds were not crimes. They were the necessary actions that anyone in my position would have undertaken to save the human race. I would do it all over again if given the chance. My only regret is that I didn’t develop more powerful bombs that would have smashed the planet into rubble and truly guaranteed that no one survived.”

  Almost as one, the crowd of observers gasped as the words sank in. Zax was not the least surprised at the man’s attitude having observed so much of his behavior both in his physical form and then subsequently as Alpha. Adan had complete conviction in his belief system. His goals may have once been noble, but his actions in pursuing them had long ago proved that his intent had become pathological.

  The Chief Justice remained stone-faced throughout Adan’s response and the minor uproar it triggered. Randel stepped forward once again.

  “There shall be silence in the chamber or we will clear it.”

  It took longer for the observers to settle than it had after Markev’s plea, but within a few secs everyone calmed. The Chief Justice broke the silence.

  “Let the record show that Defendant Adan has pleaded guilty. The defendants may sit.” She paused to lift her slate and swipe at its screen for a moment. “We shall now proceed into the penalty phase of the trial. I understand there is a witness who would like to offer testimony on behalf of Defendant Markev.”

  The Tribunal observers chattered once again at the announcement. Everyone scanned the chamber wide-eyed at the revelation there was someone who wanted to put their reputation at risk on behalf of a mass murderer. Many gasped when they recognized the person who rose, and an excited murmur filled the chamber.

  40

  The defendants shall rise.

  At the end of their row, Rilee rose from her chair and started to make her way to the aisle. Zax pulled in his legs to allow her to pass and smiled up at her as she did so. Rilee winked in return and then strode confidently towards a raised chair positioned to the side of the justices’ dais. Once she was seated, the crowd hushed immediately. The Chief Justice had Rilee speak her name for the record and then she gestured to the dark-skinned man sitting to her left who addressed Rilee.

  “Forgive me, ma’am, for making the observation, but I find it particularly odd for a member of the First Thirty-Six to speak in defense of one of the men responsible for Adan’s Destruction. You were there to witness all of the horror firsthand.”

  Rilee grinned. “I appreciate that perspective, sir, as I never would have imagined being here. In fact, it’s even stranger than you’re already aware. Before I encountered him two months ago, the last time I saw Markev was when he killed my lover and then attempted to kill me a year prior to the asteroid’s departure.”

  The justice was left dumbstruck at Rilee’s revelation and sat with his mouth hanging open. The Chief Justice laughed and she picked up the questioning in his stead.

  “I’ve been told a lot of interesting stories about you, Rilee, but this one is clearly going to top them all. Please continue.”

  “My pleasure, Madam Chief Justice. There is no one alive who should want this man punished more than I, and yet here I am to testify on his behalf. I’ve spent the past two months diving deep into all of Adan’s logs aboard the asteroid. They reveal how it was clear from the beginning that Markev was unaware of Adan’s plan to nuke Earth until moments before it happened. Once he learned about it, Markev fought against the action until he was forced to accept that he was powerless to stop his boss.”

  Zax was amazed at how the crowd around the room hung on Rilee’s every word. He turned back as Rilee continued.

  “Markev ultimately sacrificed his physical body to Upload and continue the fight against Adan from within the AI. This may sound like an easy decision to all of us used to shifting our minds from Skin to Skin, but it went against Markev’s most deeply held desire to maintain his phys
ical humanity. Over the next five thousand years, he worked nonstop to exploit any weaknesses to defeat Adan. It never happened, but over the course of that time he put the key pieces in place that led to the man’s eventual downfall. When it came time for the final battle, Markev stepped forward and put his very existence on the line. He is the sole reason why we were able to extract Adan from the asteroid. Without him, Adan would have finally succeeded in killing me. Markev is clearly not without guilt, but he has already paid a massive price for his crimes and we are now in his debt. Don’t punish him any further.”

  At the conclusion of Rilee’s testimony, Zax worked up the nerve to check the dais. He allowed himself a glimmer of hope when the justices appeared to share the positive attitude that the woman’s words had engendered in the crowd of observers. The Chief Justice gestured up and down the row of her fellow jurists to solicit any further questions. When none were offered, she signaled for Rilee to rise.

  “Thank you for your dedication through these many years in your quest to bring Adan to justice.”

  Rilee nodded at the Chief Justice and then made her way back to her seat. She was smiling, but her eyes revealed more than a hint of worry as she squeezed past Zax.

  Once Rilee was done, all of the Justices bent their heads to focus on their individual slates. The majority simply poked and swiped a couple of times and then were done. A small handful, including the Chief Justice, spent far longer interacting with the devices. From their body language, Zax assumed they were arguing with each other, but it struck Zax as wildly inefficient. The chamber remained silent throughout, even as the delay stretched past a fifth min. Eventually, the activity stopped and the justices all leaned back in their seats. As if that was his cue, Randel stepped forward.