The Arbitration Court of the Ministry of Military Affairs on Baka Star is a magnificent place, as huge and gloomy as an imperial mausoleum.
The ancient courts that have stood for thousands of years echoed with the sounds of countless trials, including military tribunals and civil prosecutions.
On the huge stained glass windows, portraits of emperors and saints gazed untiringly, weighing guilty or innocent souls.
Tapestries hang from the dark marble walls, their peeling and scattered colors contrasting sharply with the ambience of the room.
As a political commissar in the Imperial Army, it couldn't be easier for Yarrick to go wherever the Emperor told him to go.
So now, he stood patiently in the dock, enduring the discomfort of his ill-fitting uniform, waiting for the trial to begin.
He may not be a tall man by Astra Militarum standards, but he is muscular and powerful.
Since he was escorted here from the Unbound Soul by representatives of the Ministry of Military Affairs, except for some daily exercises, he could only stay in his cell with nothing to do after eating and drinking.
The benefits of this life were obvious. He was almost regaining the girth and weight he had lost since his deployment to Valedo.
His previous military coat was already worn out, and he had no hope of getting a new one, but with the help of some "mysterious power", he still got a new military coat, which also contained some hints.
But he had no interest in showing off like a noble official. Yarrick was a soldier.
The air is dry today, and a row of servoskulls holding charcoal floats in the air, but it won't get much warmer until the interrogation begins, which exposes the cowering soul of the guilty at the outset.
But it was no big deal to Yarrick, only the Emperor could control his destiny, as he had always done.
Then he moved his gaze to the center of the window in the hall, staring at the shining portrait of the Emperor.
"The light of all mankind..."
He whispered, not caring whether the bailiff behind him would hear.
"I was born for the battlefield. I serve your wishes. May I devote myself to this."
At this time, someone coughed on the right side of Alek, and the echo lingered between the stone walls until it was submerged in the shadow of the high ceiling, so he turned around.
"Actually, Yarrick."
A lone man sitting on the jury bench laughed:
"Is it necessary to be so depressed so early in the morning?"
This was his former superior, who looked well-rested and in good shape, the sunken cheeks disappearing from the days away from combat.
His oiled black hair was as shiny as when they first met, and the ubiquitous big-brimmed hat, a symbol of his class, rested on the bench beside him.
"I just didn't sleep well last night."
Alec nodded, surprised that he felt a little comforted by this man's presence.
No matter what happens in this trial, the appearance of this man will be the most surprising one. He plays his part in the whole incident and understands the truth.
But how would he testify?
Despite some assurances, this was one of the things that remained elusive to Yarrick.
He was heroic enough, yes, and he had proven his loyalty and devotion to the Emperor, but he was also a "Tainted", a survivor who had faced the most terrifying enemies of the Imperium. The outcome should not be good.
A pair of figures on the balcony above the bench caught Yarick's eyes. He raised his eyes from the old officer and saw a pair of weirdos sitting in the front row of the balcony.
The two men looked directly at each other.
It is a man and a woman, although it seems that the word "person" is not appropriate to describe the former.
The woman sat there with her shoulders hunched, her head almost buried in the black ruffles of her robe.
Her elderly body was hunched over and she looked no taller than a ten-year-old child, but from the shadow of her hood, she could see a sharp and wise light shining in her eyes.
Is she a juror too? Or from another institution?
Regardless, her look made Alex uncomfortable, but he couldn't explain why.
The old ugly woman was dwarfed by the man who sat next to her. The man looked like a living statue carved from a block of marble. His skin was as white as snow in the sun, and his simple robes were completely ineffective. Covering up the huge body underneath.
He was bald, which only reinforced the illusion that he was essentially made of rock.
But this illusion was broken when Alex noticed his gaze. His eyes were blood red, even where the whites of his eyes should have been.
In all his travels, Yarrick had never seen anyone so terrifying, so strange.
Who are these people, and what are they planning to do in this interrogation?
Suddenly, the door made a loud bang as it was pushed open, and the air rushed in with the sound of chaotic footsteps on the marble floor.
A mixed crowd of Adeptus Munitorum officers and Astra Militarum officers poured in, and the room shook with the clamor of them seeking their seats.
Yarrick scanned the crowd, trying to find a few familiar faces, but couldn't find any of his people.
This is not surprising.
Yarrick withdrew his gaze from the crowd and turned forward, just in time to see the door of the judge's chamber open.
A burst of passionate orange light flooded into the hall, and the military arbiters walked in slowly in a row.
When the bloated figure of the chief inquisitor appeared in his sight, Yaric couldn't control himself from showing weirdness on his face.
This is a disabled person, fixed on a multi-legged mechanical seat that can be directly controlled through the neurofeedback slot at the base of his skull. The seat smoothly brings him to the trial seat with spider-like steps. The shoulder insignia shows that he holds the rank of lieutenant general.
Alec raised his right hand to his brow and saluted with a quick but reluctant movement.
"In the name of the Emperor."
The legal clerk announced:
"All rise."
The people in the gallery moved noisily, and the interrogation of political commissar Yarick began.
For the next three hours, Yaric frowned and gritted his teeth as people who had never been on the front line berated him, belittled the heroic sacrifice of those soldiers, and blamed him for every death.
The interrogation came to an end after four hours.
Behind the arbitration table is the general, shackled in a mechanical chair that sustains life, and will personally deliver the verdict.
The arbitration hall remained deathly quiet.
The arbitration committee ended their low-pitched discussion and then turned to face Yarick in the dock.
The servo skull, equipped with sensors and recording devices, yellowed by time, lowered from the top of the head and floated in the air with a low hum of anti-gravity engines.
They record every word spoken in the hall, whether formal speeches or the conversations of observers, and these transcripts are carefully screened to identify dissenters and potential troublemakers.
"stand up."
A wrinkled old official near the general ordered.
"Rise, Sebastian Yarrick, the sentence is about to be pronounced."
These days of endless questioning and repeating what happened on Valedo over and over have made Yaric exhausted and heavy-footed, while his old boss on the far terrace on the right is very concerned about his personal qualities. and ability to make his own report, however Yarrick was ordered to recuse himself from those hearings and therefore was completely unaware of the contents of the report.
The general cleared his throat with a cough and began to speak through the electronic microphone installed on his seat.
"Throughout this trial, a wide range of witnesses, analysts and evaluators were heard -"
The general's small black eyes sternly scanned the entire venue.
"We heard how the defendant went to great lengths to remove himself from suspicion, the ways in which he used it to influence junior soldiers, and we heard in detail the impact that the loss of command of 4337th Infantry Regiment had on the overall situation of the war. What consequences."
The silent squirming of Alex's stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten since dawn. He was beginning to feel hungry but his protesting stomach would have to wait a while.
"Honorable members."
The general continued.
"They listened carefully to all statements before reaching their conclusions, we consulted with think tanks and dug through the books of our glorious military history for precedents."
Yarrick noticed the general glance towards the two strange figures on the terrace, just as he had done throughout the interrogation.
This further confirmed Yarick's suspicion: the general was afraid of the strangers.
Based on this result, he made further inferences.
These two men were most likely followers of Judge Wende, or his "friends".
The general continued, but Yarrick was convinced that the man's electronic voice sounded lacking in confidence.
"We have finally reached a conclusion and are ready to announce it here. In the name of the Emperor of Mankind, it is now up to me to pronounce the final verdict of Political Commissar Sebastian Yarrick of the 4337th Infantry Regiment."
As required by regulations, Yaric saluted his judge.
"Some members of the committee believe that, in view of the role you played in the disastrous debacle at Valedo, you should be relieved of all duties for the remainder of your life; others feel that merely stripping you of your duties would be too merciful and that you should be sentenced to a long term imprisonment and Choose one of the two punishments: exile.”
This time, Alex felt that the general was pretending not to be in a hurry and deliberately not looking at the figure on the terrace.
"In any case, the actual situation of the counter-insurgency operations in Valedor has changed dramatically in a short period of time, and the war has also attracted the attention of some people in power in the Empire, who exercise even more authority than the Sector Commander For this reason, the court is forced to acknowledge your decisive role in the ensuing war and your assistance in the battles of two glorious Adeptus Astartes, which is an honorable contribution."
The General's eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he continued.
"The testimony of your former superior officer was also taken into account, in which he gave a lengthy account of your courage, piety and superior fighting skills. Taking these factors into account, the court ruled that you will remain in your current position."
After saying this, the general sighed visibly.
"In view of the fact that the 4337th Infantry Regiment has been completely destroyed, under these powers, the court has decided to grant you a new position and station until a new regiment is formed, at which time you will immediately return to the frontline troops."
A noisy response to the arbitration panel's announcement filled the courtroom, with people chattering and sharing their views with those sitting around them.
Yarrick was also surprised.
"New residence? Can you tell me where it is?"
"Originally, you should sign for the letter of appointment yourself, well, since you asked."
The general took out a letter of appointment and glanced at the place names on it.
"Your new station is...Armageddon."
