First Immortals Ch. 09

"Mr Scabbard, do you feel more qualified than our entire judicial system to judge Member 301?"

"No." I took more notes. I had realised by then what they were doing. They were deliberately asking questions that I would want to defend my answers to, and my entire time at the end would become tied up with this. I had to admit it was clever. I had now added a couple more numbers to my list as I identified the mouthpieces being used by the ringleaders. Looking across at Rickson I could see he could read the writing on the wall, and he really didn't like what he found there.

Proposal defeated 144 to 1.

"Proposal Alpha 76 to reinstate the Inter Galactic Navy under the command of Mr Scabbard. Discuss now."

"Why would we reinstate a violent, outdated and unnecessary organisation?"

"This is just a push for personal power."

"Trying to shore up a doomed presidency using a military coup."

"Mr Scabbard, has the military been necessary for the defence of any people or nations here on Earth since the end of the third wold war?"

"No."

Proposal defeated 144 to 1.

I felt sorry for Rickson. I had pushed him into a losing battle and given him no other option. He looked defeated already.

"Proposal Alpha 77 to ban and destroy all 'energy weapons'. Discuss now."

At least this one showed some level of support.

"I was there, and this is true, we have to support this one or we will be wiped out."

"We have to accept this one if we want to survive."

"Who are these Eriguons anyway, and why do we accept their authority?"

"These aliens are far stronger than we are."

"By destroying these weapons we lose the only competitive advantage we have."

"They have far superior technology than we do."

"People have the right to choose themselves."

"I for one no longer have confidence in the ability of Member 43 to lead this assembly."

"I agree."

The wolves were closing in for the kill.

"Mr Scabbard, when you were a prisoner on YW4597 could you have defeated the aggressive aliens and escaped without the energy weapon you used?"

"No."

Proposal defeated 98 to 47.

"Before we vote to ratify these votes the introducing Member and the visitor may speak to the assembly for no more than two minutes," Member 51 said. "Member 43?"

Rickson slowly got to his feet.

"We had a chance to save this planet, fellow members, and you chose not to take it. At least you will not have to live with that decision for too long."

He sat down and hung his head. Then at a signal from the ringleaders what they thought was their trap was sprung.

"Before we hear from Mr Scabbard," Member 164 said, "I ask the security guards to remove the paper and pen he has been using in flagrant disregard of rule 43Q910 which specifically bans the use of any recording device in this assembly." I grinned, it was perfect timing.

"I am sorry Member 164," a security guard said from a desk on the bottom level, "we cannot do that, he is not in contravention of that rule."

"How can that be?" Member 142 asked suddenly. It was the first time any of the ringleaders had spoken directly.

"Mr Scabbard is using a Makeo fading marker and temporary paper in accordance with rule 43S281," the guard explained, and there was a sudden silence.

Many years earlier there was a member of the assembly who was involved in an accident and lost his short term memory. The Makeo fading marker and temporary paper were created to enable him to make notes during a sitting that were guaranteed to erase before they could leave the chamber. The rule permitting their use had never been repealed.

"That's not possible." said Member 97, "There was only ever one made and it is in the National Museum? He must have stolen it!" I grinned and made another note.

"Mr Scabbard has produced an authenticated permission from the Director of the Museum and the Head of Museum Security to have possession of this equipment," the security guard said.

"That was a pretty serious accusation you just made, Member 97," Rickson said, and the woman suddenly looked shocked.

"Withdrawn," she said quickly, obviously hating it. I smiled and silently thanked Terek and Saunders who had both used contacts and favours to give me access to this equipment. I didn't actually need it, I had committed to memory all of the information I needed, what I had needed and now got was a level of credibility in the chamber.

"Mr Scabbard, you may now speak," Member 239 said, and as my green light went on I stood up to drop my bombshell.

"On the 31st of October 2068 this assembly voted to disband the military," I said, and I immediately saw some startled looks.

"Because of the Halloween celebrations this vote was taken by just one hundred and ten members. The records were falsified to show there were one hundred and eleven members present because this assembly must have seventy five percent of the members present to be able to make decisions on proposals." There were a lot of angry people now, but while I was talking they couldn't interject.

"Member 8 was actually away with his family at the time, a fact that can easily be proven, but the official records show him to be present." I was starting to hear the cries of outrage now, but I continued.

"Because this vote was illegal the military has never legally been disbanded, and the crew of the Mayflower and myself are still serving members. As mentioned earlier by Member 18 an assembly member cannot be charged with treason unless they have betrayed their country, however deliberately sending serving military members to their death in a time of peace is one of the offences listed as betraying your country."

The roar had died away as the members suddenly realised what was at stake.

"Twenty one of the members who were aware of this offence have since left the assembly, so ninety of you are now guilty of treason," I said, and then I stuck the needle in further.

"However Member 8 challenged this vote on his return and ten other members who had not been present sat on the review council on the thirteenth of November 2068 that ruled that the vote had been legitimate. By covering up this crime they too are guilty of treason." I saw a lot of ashen faces.

"Before I entered this assembly I formally filed treason charges against ninety nine members of this assembly, and as you know I have only two hours to withdraw those charges before they are made public." I now had their undivided attention and you could have heard a pin drop in the chamber.

"If you do not ratify the earlier votes, and if the proposals are all passed when the re-vote is called I will drop the charges against all except the eleven Members on my list who I judge to have sabotaged this sitting of the assembly. Sadly there are twelve who I would like to charge but one has joined this assembly since this vote and has reasonable deniability. If your earlier decisions are ratified now this assembly will be dissolved today as the majority of members will be unable to continue in their positions while the charges are heard." I looked around and Rickson's head was held high again. He recognised a lifeline when he saw one.

"I think that is all," I sad, and I sat down.

"How can you even think that you can get away with blackmailing this assembly like this?" Member 11 asked, forgetting to use a closed question.

"This is not blackmail," I replied, "it is a negotiation, and I am in the position of power."

It took the assembly just twelve minutes reject the ratification, re-vote and pass all proposals, even proposal 76, the base part of which now appeared to be superfluous. I hurried out and amended my charges as promised. Members 301, 11, 142, 97, 164, 75, 18, 119, 98, 65 and 41 were all charged and eventually found to be guilty of treason.