All That Glitters Ch. 63

"No, Prosecutor, I did not," Domuchelle replied. "I said that the assailants died by misadventure. I said nothing of the children's capabilities. While the damage done by the injuries were mostly by chance in that they hit major arteries, the locations of the injury are select points on the human body used to deliberately injure someone. From what I understand, the children are quite capable of doing this as they have been training for many months."

"Many months? And that makes them capable?" Takka sneered.

"They defeated the attackers, Prosecutor," Domuchelle replied icily. She did not like being thought of as less than capable as was being implied by Takka-Larn.

Takka-Larn was taken aback by the sudden frostiness from Domuchelle and her statement. It was not what she wanted to hear, not the direction that she wanted the answers to go.

"No further questions, Director," she finished.

"Tempa," Ikekia interrupted the Defender. "We need to go pee."

Tempa smiled.

"Director, we would call for a short break as some of us need to use the facilities," Tempa asked.

"It has been some time since we started. I will provide a break for the mid-day meal," Poda-La stated. "The accused and the witnesses are ordered not to speak to other people during the break."

The Speaker slammed his Rod of Office on the floor, ending the enforced silence. The crowd became quite boisterous, animatedly discussing what had taken place so far.

The family was swiftly escorted through the crowd to a private washroom where they did their thing and then returned to the floor with minimal conversation. Tempa joined them shortly after. Kim came forward with Bento boxes for the family, the Kumir-Rai looking on with interest.

"My apologies," Kim said with a bow to the guards. "However, I cannot imply favoritism by providing you with lunch."

A few of the guards barked a laugh and most give Kim a Pod-Drran nod of understanding as the family opened their lunches. The guards were practically drooling at the enticing scents.

Damn, it was a terrible thing to be in opposition to the Atohan and her family, thought the leader of the small group of guards.

"How do you think things are going, Tempa-Harn?" Hanalei asked.

"I honestly do not know, Hanalei," Tempa admitted. "Takka-Larn has made several points on her issues and has been bashing away at those points attempting to leave the impression she wants with the judges. I too, have been making points.

"However, from what I have been hearing around the floor, the guilt or innocence of your brood seems to be something that has been predetermined by who you support rather than by individual decisions making. That is not a good sign as the crowd may not support a ruling not in its favour."

"What do you plan to do next?" Junelliya asked.

"I intend to do the same as Takka-Larn did and force my opinion on the crowd through continued bashing, however, I will eventually have to question Ikekiya and Zarreniya. They will be questioned individually. Do you think they can handle that?" Tempa demanded.

The mothers smiled and nodded. "Yes, they can handle that. I think Takka, and those who are opposed to us, may be surprised by how capable they are," Junelliya stated getting a smile from Hanalei and Fayad.

The trial resumed when the Palace Speaker once again struck his Rod of Office against the floor and pointed to the Director who ordered Temp to continue.

Tempa called for a Seer to respond to questions. A Byandi stepped forward.

"I am Herlitz Astalla. I am considered the premier Herlitz, or Seer, on Mylatinyl, the Byandi home world and am accorded permanent residence at the Castada ne Mylatin (Grand Palace of the Byandi). I have thirty major prophecies that have been verified and another forty that have yet to come to pass, however, these will not come to pass for a few more years," Astalla stated.

"Is there anyone here that can verify this statement?" Tempa asked.

The Mylatin Adriné rose and confirmed who Astalla was, thus ending debate on the issue.

"Can you describe to us the rules of prophecy?" Tempa asked.

"Prophecy is not something that can be forced. It comes to different people in different ways. Most prophecy comes in a dream-like state. Some people see prophecy in dreams in the night. Others see prophecy in dreams in the day, others must gain a certain state of mind to 'see' prophecy. A prophetic dream can be triggered in many different ways. That is not important, what is important is the context of the prophecy.

"A prophecy can be directed to one person or a group of people. The prophecy's of Poda-La were directed to an entire planet of people, while some of my own prophecies were directed to individuals.

"A prophecy can take many different forms. It can be a warning, a direction to action, or a confirmation of future events. Prophecy is intended to be used and, as such, it is often directed to someone who can make changes based on the wording of the prophecy. Only those named in prophecy can change an event stated in prophecy. Should someone else interfere with a prophecy, it can have disastrous results. Regardless, the changes that occur because of interference are never what is anticipated nor desired by those who would change it.

"I have heard of this happening and seen it myself. The results are usually spectacular failures to the intentions of those who are not authorized to attempting to change a prophecy.

"However, it is not always clear as to whom the prophecy is intended. Once again, you can look to the prophecies of Poda-La to understand this. The further into the future a prophecy looks, the less likely that a specific individual can be named. Usually you get something like 'one will come' to do something. A Seer will often just know who the prophet is intended for but that is not always the case and there can be confusion and debate between Halitez as to who the prophecy is intended for..."

"Why would there be a debate between Seers if the prophecy comes to only one Seer?" Takka demanded.

"Once a prophecy is formed, it can be seen by other Halitez who come into contact with the originator of the prophecy. If the intended recipient is known, all will know it. The debate usually occurs only when no specific named person is identified to the Seer. Then, we must use the prophecy itself to determine who is the recipient. That is not always easy.

"Sometimes, a prophecy is half-formed, developing as time moves along, as in the case of Ikekiya's dream. I am told that Ikekiya did not see the complete dream because she did not want to look at it. Considering the bloodshed involved with this prophecy, it is understandable that a Seer of such a young age would shy away from looking at it. However, prophetic dreams are very demanding on the Seer. They will occur again and again until they are recognized, the dreams becoming more frequent and demanding of the Seer the closer to the event it gets. This would be especially true of a Seer who is involved directly in the prophecy as Ikekiya was," Astalla ended.

"So a Seer cannot ignore a prophecy then?" Tempa asked.

"That would be correct." Astalla agreed.

"Is it possible that the dream was never intended for Ikekiya or Zarreniya?" Takka asked.

"No. Other Halitez have seen this dream so I was also able to see it also. There is no question that the dream was directed to the Piscium children, specifically Zarreniya," Astalla stated.

"And did you know this because her name was mentioned in the dream?" Takka asked with scepticism in her voice.

"No. During the prophecy, Zarreniya was looking at a wall which was quite shiny. It was simple to clearly make out her image. Any who knew her would know this prophecy was for her," Astella informed the court. "Because Ikekiya was also in this image, to her inexperienced mind, she saw herself as the recipient of the prophecy. She had not yet learned that a Seer cannot see herself in prophecy. If she can, it is because she sees herself through the eyes of another."

"Thank you for explaining this," Tempa said with a low bow.

"Takka-Larn, do you have any questions of this person?" Poda-La asked.

"I do not, Director. I am however happy that this person has elaborated on the rules of prophecy."

"Very well, would the Defender call her next witness..."

Tempa called forth more witnesses and rehashed the points that Takka had made earlier, attempting to leave her own impressions.

with the crowd, with Takka re-imposing her arguments on the issues she wanted to emphasise with follow-up questions.

Tempa knew she had to do something to bring the crowd back to believing in the brood. It was time to ask them questions.

"I call for Ikekiya Soona-Patak Se-Lam Poda-Rai-Dosri Piscium to take the stand," Tempa ordered.

Ikekiya stood up and couldn't be seen over the witness stand. The Senechal had it temporarily removed to twitters of amusement from the crowd.

"Ikekiya, you and your sister have been involved in this issue for some time now," Tempa stated more than asked.

"Yes, I first have dream when we were still on AsocAR. It was a very scary dream. My friend was shot and I no like that. First time I have dream, only Raymon Sai-Ro was shot. The second time, it was Raymond, Liea, Kim, and Gillaya. I no like this dream and want it go 'way but it not go. It come back many times and get stronger and scarier each time.

"Since two months, twelve people die in this dream, including my sister and I. I no like see my friends die. I no like seeing my sister and me die," Ikekiya stated.

"But you told Raymond, Liea, Kim, and Gillaya about the dream?" Tempa asked.

"Yes. But the dream no change. All die. I tell Raymond but he say he take 'cautions but dream no change. I want dream to change, it no change," Ikekiya explained.

"Why did you attack the man in brown?" Tempa asked.

"We go to Food Court with school for lunch. My sister and I, we see start of dream. We look and see man in brown, then see Raymond, Liea, Kim, and Gillaya come.

"Zarreniya say, 'Go, help Raymond'. I go. Man is pointing gun at Raymond. I say in head 'You no move! You no move!' and he no move till I get there," Ikekiya replied.

"I hit gun with staff and want to hit him but he better fighter. He take staff. I see in mind he want hurt me and I very scared. I pull Damate and push where Kim say. It make him mad so I push again. He want hurt many people, want hurt Raymond. I say, 'You no hurt Raymond' and hit him each time.

"I feel him surprise. He think, 'I be child, this no right!'. But it no right he hurt people for money. He no like he be one is hurt.

"I hurt him, Tempa. I no want to, but have no choices," Ikekiya reached out to her sister who came forward and gave her a big hug.

Tempa gave them a moment then asked the next question. "What happened after that, Ikekiya?"

"Man in brown fall down. He be angry at me; he say, 'I am dying'. I be angry at him but I get sad that I hurt him. Then woman come. She want hurt me too. I no sense her till she almost hit me. I move but she too fast. When I wake up, I be in hospital."

"Why did you do that at all, Ikekiya?" Tempa asked. "You were not responsible for this event. You did not have to get involved.

"No, we have to. Dream our dream, Zarry and me. I change dream, stop man hurting Raymond. Stop man. Dream now different. I happy that dream no end like before."

"Thank you, Ikekiya. Your questions." Tempa said to Takka.

"You said that you had to get involved but you did not have the authority to do so. So why did you do this thing?" Takka asked.

"No, this our dream, Zarry and me. Only we make change. I stop man shooting Raymond and knock gun away. Dream no same. We make change," Ikekiya explained.

"That is not correct, is it Ikekiya. You said you saw yourself getting killed in the dream. But, according to all other prophets, one cannot see themselves in their prophecies. How do you explain that?" Takka demanded.

"Dream is our dream. Zarry and me. Dream is for Zarry. When I scared of dream, Zarry talk with me. She help me see dream right. We need change dream but we no know how. Then dream happen and we make change by doing," Ikekiya tried to explain.

Takka realized that she wasn't going to get any answers from Ikekiya that would help her in prosecuting the two. So she ended the questioning.

"I call Zarreniya Se-Lam Poda-Rai-Latti Piscium to the stand," Tempa said.

Zarreniya gave her sister a hug then moved to stand where Ikekiya had been.

"Zarreniya, Ikekiya had mentioned something that I did not understand. She said you and she had talked about the dream, almost as if you had seen the dream too. Can you explain that?" Tempa asked.

"We Palda. Palda Holt. That mean 'Blessed by Gods'. Ikekiya got new power. She Seer now. I no get new power but I get stronger.

"We both empath," Zarreniya explained, pointing to her Council of Empath pin. "But we also telepath," she lifted her right arm to show her Order of Telepath armband.

"Ikekiya no like dream but it come back. She try hide dream but I stronger now. She no hide from me. I see dream. We talk 'bout dream. Try learn things. But dream is scarry and we no like look at it. Dream come back more times. It show people we know get hurt, bad hurt. Man in brown shoot them, kill them. He hurt others. Then he shoot Ikekiya and then dream end. We look at dream. We learn Ikekiya no middle of dream. I be middle. Dream is for me.

"We talk to Elder Shusshhttookkann. She say you no see self in prophecy. So we know dream is for me. Now I 'fraid. How we make change to dream? Only we can do. Only I can do. I know it take Ikeki and me to change dream. I no do alone. Then dream come," Zarreniya ended in a quiet voice.

"You recognized the beginning of the dream as it occurred. What did you do and why did you do it?" Tempa asked.

"We see start of dream. We look and see man in brown. Then Raymond, Liea, Kim, and Gillaya walk into Food Court. Dream now real.

"We need make change or people bad hurt. I tell Ikekiya 'Go, help Raymond!' and she go. I tell Miss Urano that dream is here, she need take all back to daycare. Friends in daycare hurt in dream. If they no there, they no get hurt. So I make small change to dream.

"I go chase Ikekiya. I feel her anger. She shout in mind 'You no move! You no move!'. It stop man in brown for small time. She hit man with staff. He lose gun. She try hit man with staff but he fast. He grab staff. I see he want hurt Ikeki with staff. He turn round and Ikekiya pull Damate and use it. She use it many time say; 'You no hurt Raymond!'.

"I feel surprise from man. He look down. He still want hurt Ikekiya but he slowly fall down. He not happy. Then woman come.

"We no see woman in dream. She try hit my sister hard but Ikekiya move. She fall down and I no sense her now. Woman want gun but she want to hurt Ikeki. She pull knife and I scream in my mind 'YOU NO MOVE!'. She still move but she slow now. I want hit her with staff but she see me and move her hand. I change strike and hit her shoulder. She jump back and I hit her on nerve point. She drop knife.

"She take my staff and turn to right but she have long turn to make. I pull my Damate and push it in back. It hard to go in. Then she begin roll and I hold on to Damate. When it come free, I push again. She fall down and not move.

"I no sense my sister. We together all time and now I no sense her. It make me very sad. Then Gillaya is with me and momma and mommy come.

"We change dream. We save friends. But we hurt two people. They bad people but we no want hurt them like that," Zarreniya ended almost silently, tears running down her little cheeks.

As Zarreniya had been for her, Ikekiya was now there for Zarreniya. They hugged together for a few moments until Tempa asked her next question.

"Zarreniya, you said dream was meant for you. How do you know that?" Tempa asked.

"Ikekiya get shot in dream but dream not end. Then, man turn gun on person and dream end. Elder Shusshhttookkann say Seer no see self in prophecy, so she see self from other person."

Zarreniya place her hand above her head to give an indication of height. "I small and person in dream small like me," she said with a shrug and a rueful smile. That brought laughter from around the hall.

"Person in dream close to Ikekiya. That too, be me," Zarreniya explained her logic to the court.

"You still haven't really explained why you got involved. I know you wanted to change the dream but can you tell me your reasoning for that?" Tempa asked.

"Twelve people die in dream, Tempa. Most be friends. Raymond, Liea, Kim, Gillaya, Urano, they more than friends...they like family to us. The three children hurt are people we know from in daycare. Friends. We not want to see friends, family, hurt. We want change dream so they be safe. We know we get hurt but we no want see friends hurt," Zarreniya said, her head turned down and tears falling from her eyes.

Not a sound was heard in the Great Hall. Here was a small child that exemplified the warrior's code. She and her sister had done the impossible. If you believed in prophecy, and most Pod-Drran did, this brood had saved friends from certain death at the risk of their own lives. Tempa could feel the mood in the Great Hall suddenly shifting.

"You would have us believe that these two conspired to thwart prophecy?" Takka nearly screeched. "That they decided to stop an attack that killed twelve? That is just too incredible to believe!"

"Objection!" Tempa shouted.

"I will hear you comment, Tempa-Harn.

"Director, the Prosecutor is making the accused out to be murderers who deliberately killed the two assailants when we know that they assailants were assassin whose target was Raymond Clark," Tempa stated. "According to prophecy, the assailants intended to kill many more people to give themselves the possibility of an escape, as difficult as that would have been from a space station.

"The intervention of the accused stopped both the initial attack and the subsequent blood bath!" Tempa ended.

"Director, all who have testified have conclusively stated that the assailants were indeed killed by the accused. While the Defender wishes it to be otherwise, that is the inescapable truth!" Takka replied.

"Tempa-Harn, the prosecution is entitled to make their point. You, however, are also entitled to make your point. You need not bristle at the prosecution for doing her job," Poda-La said. Zarreniya, answer the statement made by Takka-Larn, if you can."

"Why you no like us?" Zarreniya shouted back at Takka. "We no hurt you. Union help you, save you. Pod-Drran go to war and Union destroy all Pod-Drran. You no fight right way to stop us.

"You no happy with changes. You hurt, so you want hurt us. You no want punish us for Pod-Drran people, you want hurt us to hurt Kumar-Pair. That wrong.

"You want be leaders of Pod-Drran but you no ready be leader. Leader work for all Pod-Drran, not family, not friends, not special people. For all.

"You see leaders up there? They know us. They like us. They like our family. But they judge us and punish us if we guilty. They do for all people.

"You insult Kumar-Pair when you say they not judge us right. They our godparents, we family. But they judge us. It right thing to punish us if we do bad. It right thing for all Pod-Drran.

"Can you do that if leader? Punish family if they do wrong? Punish friends if they do wrong? Work for all Pod-Drran and not for special people?

"If no, you no ready be leaders of Pod-Drran," Zarreniya declared, Ikekiya smiling at her and nodding her head, the pair shocking all in the Great Hall.

"How dare you speak to us like that," an unidentified voice shouted from the crowd.

"You mad Union make changes to Pod-Drran way. But change come all time. You no ready for change; you be running to catch up, or running away...