Chapter 327 The Trial of Yaric (asking for votes!!)
The Arbitration Court of the Ministry of Military Affairs on Baka is a magnificent place, as huge and eerie as an imperial mausoleum.
The ancient court that has stood for thousands of years echoes with the sounds of countless trials, including military courts and civil prosecutions.
On the huge stained glass, portraits of emperors and saints gazed endlessly, weighing guilty or innocent souls.
The tapestries hang from the dark marble walls, their peeling and scattered colors contrasting sharply with the atmosphere 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 caused by the ill-fitting uniform, waiting for the trial to begin.
Perhaps he is not a tall man by Astra Militarum standards, but he is muscular and powerful.
Since being escorted here from the Unbound Soul by representatives of the Ministry of Military Affairs, except for some daily exercises, he can only stay in his cell with nothing to do after eating and drinking.
The benefits of this life are obvious. He has almost regained the waistline and weight he had lost since being sent to Valedo.
His previous military coat was already worn out, and he originally didn't expect to get a new one, but with the help of some "mysterious power", he still got a new military coat, which also contained some hints.
However, he has no interest in showing off his power like a noble official. Yarrick is a soldier.
The air is dry today, with a row of servo skulls holding charcoal floating in the air, but it won't get much warmer until the interrogation begins, exposing the cowering soul of the guilty at the outset Come.
But it was no big deal to Yarrick, only the Emperor could control his destiny, just 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 it.
"I was born for the battlefield, I serve your wish, and I am willing to dedicate myself to this"
At this time, someone on the right side of Alek coughed, and the echo echoed on the stone wall It lingered until it was submerged in the shadow of the high ceiling, so he turned around.
"Actually, Yarrick."
A man sitting alone on the jury bench smiled and said:
"Is it necessary to be so depressed so early in the morning?"
This was his former superior, who seemed to have had enough sleep. , in good condition, and the days away from combat have made the hollows in his cheeks disappear.
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.”
Alex 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. He played his role in the entire incident and learned the truth.
But how will he testify?
Despite certain 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. Otherwise, the fate of such people should not be very 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 people 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 ruff of her robe.
Her elderly body is hunched over and she looks no taller than a ten-year-old child, but from the shadow of the hood, you can see the sharp and wise light shining in her eyes.
Is she a juror too? Or from another institution?
Anyway, her look made Alex uncomfortable, but he couldn't explain why.
The person sitting next to the old ugly woman made her look even smaller. The man looked like a living statue carved from a piece of marble. His skin was as white as snow in the sun. The simple robe could not hide the huge body underneath.
He is bald, which reinforces the illusion that he is essentially made of rock.
But this illusion was broken when Yarick 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 when 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, the room shaking with the din as they searched for their seats.
Yarrick scanned the crowd, trying to find a few familiar faces, but could not 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 filled 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 man, fixed in a multi-legged mechanical seat that can be controlled directly through neurofeedback slots at the base of his skull, which smoothly moves him to trial with a spider-like pace. At the table, the shoulder badge on his body showed that he had 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 stand."
The people in the gallery shouted noisily Moving forward, 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, who is strapped into a mechanical chair that sustains life. He will personally read out 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 records are carefully screened to identify dissenters and potential troublemakers.
“Stand up.”
A wrinkled old official near the general ordered.
“Rise, Sebastian Jarek, 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 the seat.
"Throughout this interrogation a wide range of witnesses, analysts and evaluators were heard -"
The general's small dark eyes scanned the entire venue sternly.
“We heard how the defendant went to great lengths to remove himself from suspicion, the methods he used to influence junior soldiers, and we heard in detail how the loss of command of the 4337th Infantry Regiment affected the overall What consequences did the war situation have? ”
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 our glorious military history books for precedents."
Yarek noticed the general's morning dew. The two strange figures on the stage gave each other the same glances he had shown 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 people are probably the followers of Judge Wende, or his "friends".
The general continued to speak, 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, I now 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, given the role you played in the disastrous debacle at Valledo, you should be relieved of all duties for the rest of your life, others feel that simply stripping you of your duties is too much. Mercy, you should choose one of the two punishments: long-term imprisonment or exile."
This time, Yarick felt that the general was pretending to be calm and deliberately not looking at the figure on the terrace. .
“In any case, the actual situation of the counter-insurgency operations in Valedo 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 have exercised their The authority is even higher than that of the Sector Command. In view of this, the court is forced to recognize your decisive role in the subsequent war and assisting the two glorious Adeptus Astartes in the battle. The above-mentioned contribution is honorable."
< br>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 committee's statement filled the courtroom hall, with people chattering and sharing their opinions with those sitting around them.
Yarrick was also surprised.
"New station? Can you tell me where it is?"
"Originally, you were supposed to sign for the letter of appointment yourself, okay, since you asked."
The general took out one I took a look at the place name on the letter of appointment.
"Your new station is...Armageddon."
Why do you get fewer votes if you add more than if you don't? ? ? So much more today! If you have votes, please support it!
(End of this chapter)