Naero's War: The Citation Series 3: Naero's Trial Read Online Free Page A

with that same technique as it went out of control.
    “Let me tell everyone. He attacked me. I did not attack him. Vane wasn’t kidding, he wasn’t joking or fooling around or trying to capture me. He didn’t want to just maim or cripple me. He wanted to kill me. And he was trying as hard as he could to do so. In the end, I–I instinctively defended myself, but I never attacked him directly. All I did was reflect his own attack back on him. By attacking me and trying to kill me, he killed himself when his own forbidden attack turned back against him and destroyed him. End of story.”
    Master Tree challenged once again and cross-examined her testimony. “We have already proven that your personal statements are suspect and cannot be assumed to be taken as fact. Just because you say something does not make it true. Other than your questionable word, you do not have any proof that you killed High Master Vane in self-defense. Do you? That’s all you have, isn’t it?”
    Naero lifted her chin high. “I am a Spacer. I am my honor, and my word.”
    “I call up vidcam feeds from around the now-missing Mystic Homeworld planet of Janosha and the events that took place during the attack there. Many here have already witnessed this footage. To those who are seeing this for the first time, I would call it illuminating.”
    Even Naero watched as she rocketed up from the surface of the planet, swelling up larger and larger into her Dark Beast form when it went out of control.
    Everyone watched as she single-handedly destroyed the enemy invasion fleet. The massive Cosmic explosion occurred and then she shrank back down.
    “That,” Master Tree announced, “is the monster that Naero Maeris is capable of transforming into. So, as it turns out, Master Vane was exactly correct about one thing. He was right. Naero Maeris is a monster; she is a danger to all. Look on and see for yourself.”
    However Naero and Master Jo tried to explain those past images away, and how she was learning to control herself and all of her abilities with the help of the Mystics, the jury was left with those frightening images of Naero and her Dark Beast out of control.

 
     
     
     
    3
     
     
    On the third day of Naero’s trial the prosecution and the defense made their final, closing statements.
    Master Jo spoke first, for the defense.
    “In the final analysis, I would both conclude and insist that Naero Amashin Maeris has proven herself time and time again to be an honorable Spacer, and that her word is without question. She is also vital to the survival of her people in many important ways. Naero Amashin Maeris is a noble, invaluable warrior and a proven leader who has served the Clans and the Alliance well, in both peacetime and war. She is a Mystic Champion who is now part of the great and mysterious Cosmic Prophecy, long foretold. There is still so little that we do not know about those prophecies; who can say what vital role she might play in the end?”
    Master Jo paced a bit. “And on a very basic level, she is a Spacer, like all of us. As such, she has the right of all Spacers and all sentients to defend herself, to the death, against anyone who attempts to kill her. Reluctantly, she resorted to lethal force only after High Master Vane attacked her with the intent to destroy her and take her life. He kept up his attacks, even after she had tried to get away from him and begged him repeatedly not to attack her.
    “She cannot not be convicted of murder for defending her own life against someone trying to kill her. Those are all many good reasons why you must see fit to exonerate her of these erroneous charges. We cannot take the life of this amazing, and valiant hero.”
    The defense finally rested.
    Master Tree was given the final word in the trial for the prosecution.
    “Hero? First, let me also revisit the reckless side of this renegade, outlaw Spacer, who fled from justice and had to be brought back by force to face her crimes, bound in