Without resistance, Hastelloy allowed himself to be seated in a chair. Once situated, the guards placed his hands into a set of restraints that grew out of the tabletop as the plastic surface reformed itself around his wrists.
Hastelloy focused on his restraints for a moment, then looked up at the Chancellor again. “Isn’t visiting prisoners before trial a little below your pay grade? The undisputed leader of the known galaxy certainly has better uses of his time. You should be ushering the Republic through some noble effort to expand its sphere of influence, or drive fear into the hearts of her enemies?”
“That will be all, thank you,” the Chancellor said to the guards exiting the room and closed the door behind them. He then let a smug smirk of superiority overtake his thin lips as he looked upon Hastelloy once more. “In case you haven’t heard, I brought about an end to the Alpha war four thousand years ago. The only enemy now left for me to defeat is you, the man who issued an illegal order that led to my son’s ship being destroyed without a Nexus device nearby.”
“I see my demotion from admiral to captain and the passage of time have done nothing to diminish your anger. You view me as the sole reason for your son’s death, which is fine by me, but know this. It was war. I made a command decision that served a greater good for our people. I make no apologies for performing my duty,” Hastelloy concluded.
“It wasn’t only you, there were two factors that caused my son’s death. First, there was the Alpha who provoked the war, and then there was, of course, you. I put an end to the Alpha long ago, and now I finally have the chance to put an end to you as well.”
“I don’t mind admitting to you,” the Chancellor went on, “when I first heard about that message of yours originating from some unknown, backwater rim system, I wept. I wept for joy that so many Novi soldiers were still alive, but I also lamented the fact that I’d never have the chance to finish you off. How could I possibly assail the hero who returned nearly all the life forces from the Lost Fleet to our people? You were destined to be sacrosanct for all eternity; idolized by billions, until suddenly you weren’t. You lost your mind over these last few weeks, and now I revel in it.”
Hastelloy’s eyes widened with the clarity of thought he reached in that moment. “So the attack you ordered on Earth wasn’t just about neutralizing a culturally contaminated civilization in a’ noble’ effort to avoid another disaster like first contact with the Alpha. It was about me. You knew I would act against the Republic to defend Earth and give you an opening to come after me.”
The Chancellor’s omnipresent smirk grew all the brighter with Hastelloy’s acknowledgement of his scheme; the man took great pride in its genius. “I spent weeks researching these humans of which you are so fond. Considering you were involved in nearly every aspect of their formative years; their history is your history.”
“Learning the ways of your enemy I suppose,” Hastelloy mocked. “Tell me then, based on all your careful study of the humans and their ways, did you discover a weakness of mine?”
“You’re here facing trial aren’t you?” the Chancellor replied with great cheer. “Now that you mention it, I did come across one particular turn of phrase by a human play write that I find particularly relevant at the moment. To paraphrase, ‘Tickle us do we not laugh, prick us do we not bleed, wrong us shall we not revenge’.”
“The Merchant of Venice, Act three, scene one; more or less,” Hastelloy acknowledged. “Ironic that you’d use the words I wrote as William Shakespeare five hundred years ago against me now.”
The Chancellor stood silent for a moment shaking his head in disbelief, and finally let out a soft chuckle. “I might have guessed. I’m not one to compliment often, but you definitely missed your calling by choosing the life of a military man rather than an artist. Such a pity for all concerned, especially my son.”
“It was a fun respite after thousands of years spent defending Earth and the Nexus from the Alpha, but nothing I’d do again,” Hastelloy responded. “Too many critics rendering judgment as if they could do any better themselves.”
“Defending Earth,” the Chancellor repeated with a huff of disgust. “There is not a shred of Novi blood left in those veins of yours now is there? Look at you,” the Chancellor said while gesturing towards Hastelloy’s large frame, “you’re one of them. You’re an alien to us all, and nothing more.”
“A fact the Republic’s advocate will no doubt touch upon during my trial. Little wonder I wasn’t granted the right to return to a Novi body like the rest of my crew when we reached Novus; makes for a better show.”
The Chancellor was about to respond, but had his words cut off by a gentle knock at the door followed by a guard poking his large head into the room. “The magistrate is ready.”
“Let the show begin,” Hastelloy sighed as the guards removed his hands from the table restraints.
Acknowledgements:
Friends and Family:
Once again, I have a whole host of people to thank for helping bring the fourth installment of the Origins series to life. My wife Tracy, brother Jeff, mother Donna, and Kim Callan down in Texas all deserve a great big shout out. To my infinitely patient children, Elena and Kristian, thank you for putting up with dad being so distracted these last few months.
Origins: The Reich Page 35