Sweet Venom Arc 03 Ch. 20

A cold, bitter wind blew across the rich, green fields. The blades of grass, uniform in every aspect, quivered at their station, but held firm. The wind howled between the imposing stone statues that lined the courtyard, surrounding the royal court. Several ships, ranging from large cruisers to small, personal crafts, descended from the grey skies in the distance, their engines illuminating the hazy, sleet rain with a bright cyan hue.

Theo stood alone in the courtyard, his metal leg pushing against the wall as the tip of his tail thrashed around impatiently. He watched the ships intently, blinking the rain away from his eyes.

As if today wasn't bad enough.

The royal courthouse truly was a spectacular sight to behold. Shaped like a pyramid, it had been built in such a way that it sat perfectly in the centre of acres upon acres of immaculately kept, luscious green land, stretching out for miles. Only the courthouse's imperial architecture pierced the landscape, along with its surrounding ensemble of stone protectors. These statues would do little in a fight of course, but the hanger of elite dragoons built into the cliffside was a very different matter. Positioned towards the endless grey sea, the dragoons were ready to launch at a second's notice, should anyone threaten the royal family's authority.

The main path leading up to the courthouse was as wide as two streets, made from glittering, thick slabs of granite, and guarded by yet more stone statues, spaced at regular intervals along the path.

Around the main building were six smaller facilities, similar in stature to the courthouse but much less grand in both size and appearance. These facilities were essentially hotels with no charge, which the members of the different ranking divisions and the public could stay in as required. Although the housing was classy and immaculately kept, their use was often lamented due to the nature of requiring their services.

The sound of heavy footsteps snapped Theo's attention back to the ground. A small group of dragons was quickly making its way up the main courthouse path. Evangeline walked in the centre of the group, her high heels clicking against the smooth stone path in unison with the XITD security guards around her, elegant as ever. She was dressed in a sharp black and blue suit. Only one person in the group marched out of time: Scyler, skulking a few paces behind Evangeline. Theo glared across the way at them as they passed, but Evangeline didn't even acknowledge his presence; she kept her chin up and eyes forward. Her comrade, however, could not quite match her dignified poise, and struggled not to make eye contact with the rhargnorn.

Prick.

Theo watched with a steely stare as the formation climbed up the courthouse steps and disappeared inside.

You're gonna get what's coming to ya. Just you fucking wait. Theo's hands clenched tightly into fists, anger rising in his chest. His mind flashed with images of Evangeline's cool but smug expression, as he gritted his teeth and begrudgingly signed off on that report, of Mooki in her box office, on the brink of tears, and then that... creature with Mooki's memories, who had attacked him...

Cool it, Theo, we haven't even entered the building yet! I don't need another strike with the royal family.

He took a few long, deep breaths, and managed to calm down a little. As the anger faded away from his chest though, concern washed in and took its place instead. Through the misty rain, he could just about make out Jace's silhouette, marching quickly up the path. His shoulders were hunched, and as he got closer, Theo could see that Jace looked exhausted. His tie was wonky, his blazer undone, quite frankly, this was the most dishevelled Theo had seen Jace in... years.

"Jace!" Theo forced a smile and strode across the courtyard to greet his friend. "I was starting to get worried there! You were almost late for being early! Never thought I'd see the day where I arrived somewhere before you."

Jace cast a tired glance up at Theo, then mumbled something under his breath, which Theo couldn't quite catch. He watched as Jace fiddled about with his tie, and tried to tuck his shirt into his trousers whilst continuing with his quick pace.

"Are you okay, Jace? Can you do this... today?" Theo asked, matching Jace's stride. Jace didn't reply for a few moments, then sighed deeply.

"It's all going wrong, Theo." He replied bluntly. "I've just got off of a very... intense phone call with Seeth, that nomad czarite I've been working with? Do you remember Hendrik Griffin, bloke who runs the Fixer Den? Goes by Garnet."

"Garnet?" Theo scratched his chin briefly. "Oh, contract handler for the Merc Guild on the border? Worked for the BDA back in the day, didn't he? Has something happened?"

"His wife's been murdered." Jace replied, flatly.

"Murdered?!" Theo was taken aback. "Awh no, she was the one who always baked pies when you dropped by the Den, wasn't she? Damn good pies. I'm sorry, man."

"It's worse than that Theo..." Jace stopped at the foot of the stairs and leaned heavily against one of the statues. "...A squad of Vora Barons attacked the Den. She was killed during their raid." Jace sighed loudly, pressing his fingers against his brow.

"VORA BARONS ATTACKED A CONTRACT DEN?!" Theo almost shouted in shock. Jace gave him a quick lower your voice! look, and Theo quickly complied, glancing around to make sure no-one was close by. "Why?!" He whispered harshly. "That's neutral ground! You do not launch an attack on neutral ground. Fuck, I knew the Barons were ballsy mother-fuckers, but to attack a contact den? Everyone's gonna be after them now! I can't believe it. They must've made a deal with the Black Lance. Horrible fuckers." Theo suddenly stood bolt upright to attention. as if someone had flicked a switch in his brain. "Do you need me out there?! I'll kill Barons no problem, fuckers earned it. I'll go after the Lance too, just say the word." Theo's body was bristling with a fresh wave of adrenaline.

"No. I need you here. The Guild will dispense justice in its own time, not that any of the Barons who attacked left the Den alive anyway. The much loved Lockblade saw to that. But it gets worse than that." Jace grit his teeth. "Seeth, and a lot of the other nomads, are blaming me for the attack."

"What." Theo's voice dropped several octaves, a look of pure disbelief on his face.

"She's just finished giving me an absolute ear full - and I hate to say it, but it makes sense." Jace thought for a second, focusing on the cooling mist-like rain that was sweeping over them both, purposely avoiding Theo's concerned gaze. "We have a lot to discuss, privately, but for now, let's just focus on this."

He nodded towards the distance, and the dragons were greeted by the deafening roar of ship engines, descending onto a wide circular landing pad at the very end of the courthouse path. The ship was of an elegant construction of silver and gold, speckled with blue highlights and cyan engine flares. It was flanked by four similarly sized ships, all well equipped with sleek but powerful heavy armaments, compared to the smooth chassis of the primary ship. The fleet landed with a gentle clunk.

"The princess has arrived."

*

The inside of the courthouse was as immaculate in its design as the outside, as robust as it was impressive. The interior was bespoke, boasting polished stone walls and brooding grey floors, with dark wooden furniture and hints of soft blue colouration peeking out between the polished surfaces. A brief glance around any room was all that was required to spot the litany of eye insignias. These were carved, stamped or inked into various places around the courthouse, ever present throughout its decor.

The main courtroom itself was easily the centrepiece of the building, with tall rising ceilings and sweeping seats that wouldn't feel out of place in a cathedral, dressed in all the same drip and polish as the rest of the courthouse. A decent crowd had already arrived, of congressmen, politicians, and several dozen concerned (but mostly nosey) higher-class civilians, as well as various journalists from all across DA territory, eager to report on the affair. Jace and Theo calmly made their way inside, marching past the observer area and into the middle of the hall. They sat on the right hand side, opposite Evangeline and Scyler at their respective pews.

At the front of the hall, on a curling throne of vigorously maintained dark wood, sat an elegant dragoness, mulling over the private holo-screens in front of her. Her skin was a brilliant white, with amber fins and golden decorations framing her pretty face. She wore a long, silken black dress, adorned with beautiful swirling blue spirals and precious aqua-blue gems. Although her eyes were a soft, gentle shade of pink, they had a fierce glare to them, not that a reminder was needed in this courtroom that, although she may appear attractive and soft, her words carried a deadly authority. And if anyone did need a reminder of that, the phalanx of heavily armoured guards on either side of her, and lining the walls of the room, would be more than happy to oblige. Their armour displayed an emblem of an upside-down crown, with the usual spokes of the crown replaced with vicious-looking fangs instead. These were the Royal Praetorian Battalion, the direct bodyguards to the royal family. Although rarely seen in public, the RPB were often revered by DA citizens for their unshakable faith. They had one purpose; protect the royal family at any cost. Each guard was fully equipped for duty, with elite vulcan weapons strapped to their backs and sides, and a full suite of the best power armour the DA could produce. Despite their heavy armaments, the RPB guards moved almost silently, as if they were wearing little more than silk, with an effortless grace that failed to accurately portray the weight of their armour and munitions.

The courtroom sat in a tense silence as the princess's eyes scanned over her screens. A slender finger gently rubbed the side of her muzzle as she puzzled over the data. A quiet sigh escaped from her lips as she scowled at something she was reading, and the tension in the room suddenly rose. Finally, with a disappointed, subtle shake of her head, she spoke.

"So. I have read some... interesting details here." Her eyes landed firmly on Evangeline. "Officer Kintrax has made some strong accusations, Doctor Caizer. He is backed in full by Commander Koa who has served the RMD for quite some years now, faithfully and effectively. I assume you understand the weight of these charges?"

"I do, Your Majesty." Evangeline replied, as cool and collected as ever.

"Very well. Officer Kintrax?" Turning her attention to the other side of the room, the princess focused on Theo, who was mid-way through pulling the collar of his suit into a more comfortable position.

"Your Majesty." Theo responded, trying to mimic Evangeline's seemingly carefree attitude, but already he could feel the anger boiling in his chest again.

"Explain, from your perspective, the events which transpired on Doctor Caizer's station."

"No problem! So, Jace - sorry - Commander Koa, gave me permission to check on the station again after one of the students failed to contact us. I became concerned for her wellbeing."

"Mooki Rye?" The princess asked, raising an eyebrow and glancing down quickly at her holo-screens.

"Yes, Your Majesty. And when I arrived at the station, I found it to be under attack by unknown forces. I boarded immediately and tried to assist in any way I could. I happened upon the E-lab wing of the station, and witnessed an injured czarite being removed from one of the labs, by the attackers."

Jace raised his hand and the princess nodded to him.

"For context, I had suspected that the XITD station was concealing a czarite prisoner, based on the events that took place on Barru X, the nomad space station that the XITD had... an interest in earlier this year. My suspicion was what prompted me to send Officer Kintrax there in the first place."

The princess nodded softly, her eyes drifting towards the ceiling for a few seconds as she pondered his words.

"So, you thought the XITD division were illegally harbouring a czarite prisoner, sent Officer Kintrax to investigate. He found nothing, but the visit prompted notable behaviour from the now deceased student, Miss Rye?"

"During the visit, Miss Rye appeared uncomfortable and mentioned to Officer Kintrax that she did not want to violate her NDA with the XITD." Jace clarified. "Her explicit mention of the NDA gave rise to suspicion that Miss Rye had knowledge that could potentially compromise the integrity of the XITD station."

"And when Miss Rye failed to get in touch, Officer Kintrax became worried and you gave him permission to attend the station again... I believe I understand." The princess's attention shifted to Evangeline and Scyler. "Care to explain yourselves?"

Evangeline stood from her seat calmly, staring back at the princess, unphased.

"Your majesty, I cannot dispute Officer Kintrax's account of witnessing a czarite leaving one of the E-labs. I do however dispute this twisted narrative that Commander Koa has constructed. Officer Kintrax can only account for an unknown czarite leaving the station, my station. My station that was attacked and destroyed within our borders, the very same borders that Commander Koa is responsible for keeping secure.

"We were attacked by czarites, is it not entirely possible that the individual Officer Kintrax saw leaving was part of the attacking force? Does that not seem more likely? After all, Officer Kintrax had signed off on a report mere days before this tragic incident, stating that we had no prisoners on board, never mind an illegal one. Frankly, I find this entire charade insulting to both myself and the royal family's limited time."

A brief flick of the princess's hand towards Jace confirmed she wanted his response.

"You are being accused of deceit, Doctor Caizer. The fact that Officer Kintrax's report contains no evidence of wrong-doing does not absolve you. He suspected something was wrong but couldn't prove it. As did I." Jace narrowed his eyes at Evangeline, his temper starting to rise.

"It doesn't matter what you think happened, Commander Koa. What matters is what actually happened. I know the royal court to be strict but fair and, at present, the two pieces of evidence that you have presented here - that you were allowed to collect on little more than a hunch, might I add - is a clean report, and the fact that there were unaccounted people in my station during the middle of an attack. Forgive me, Your Majesty, for my blunt nature, but I believe there is a secondary explanation for this that Commander Koa will never divulge." Evangeline's composure remained cool, despite the rapid nature of her delivery.

"Hmm?" The princess responded, a curious smile flickering onto her face.

"I believe Commander Koa is obsessed with me, and will chase any detail, any breadcrumb in order to get my professional attention."

A startled cough erupted from Jace. Both him and Theo stared across the courtroom with widened eyes, trying to process exactly what Evangeline had just said.

The princess offered an indulgent, yet condescending smile.

"How interesting! So, you claim to have no foreknowledge about this injured czarite, and that Commander Koa's persistence with the issue is purely fabricated in order to get your attention?"

"I do. We must work on verifiable facts here and it appears to me that the prosecution wishes to pick and choose the facts they believe, even if it goes against their own observations." Evangeline persisted calmly, her gaze briefly flickering over to Jace.

"Mhm." The princess mused, kicking one of her legs out and crossing it over the other.

Jace raised his hand for permission to rebut, but the princess shook her finger, denying him the opportunity. After a few more seconds, she continued.

"Officer Kintrax, tell me about this other individual you interacted with in the E-labs. You said on your report she claimed to be Miss Rye?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Despite replying to the princess, Theo stared daggers directly at Scyler from across the courtroom. "She recognised me upon entry, and requested to be freed from the lab."

"Did you recognise her?"

"I didn't. She did not match Mooki's appearance in any way. But she did know me."

The princess flicked her finger over towards Evangeline, whose attention was fixed back on her private holo-screens.

"The individual Officer Kintrax spoke to was a nomad, suffering from a new disease on our borders that we have been investigating. We recovered the subject a few days after the RMD inspection, which is why they weren't mentioned on the report." Evangeline responded.

Jace raised his hand again, and the princess nodded this time.

"We've heard reports that this disease, or affiliation of sorts, alters people's bodies quite drastically. I suspect Miss Rye had been infected with it, and the individual Officer Kintrax spoke to was her post-infection."

"Post-infection?" The princess recoiled. "Are you suggesting that Miss Rye was infected aboard the station?!" Her gaze landed on the other side of the room. "Any explanation from your side, Doctor Caizer?!"

Evangeline cleared her throat, taking an uncharacteristic second to compose her demeanour.

"I can confirm that the person he spoke with simply could not have been Miss Rye."

"And why is that?" The princess raised an eyebrow, unamused.

"Because Miss Rye had passed away two days earlier. We had an... accident in the station. I... I didn't want to bring this up because I suspect Officer Kintrax will take it personally, when it was more of a tragic accident than anything else."

The atmosphere in the courtroom shifted suddenly, the tension rising sharply as Evangeline continued.

"Miss Rye had an accident at work which we believe was due to the renovations conducted by Officer Kintrax. She... S-She was electrocuted at her desk."

"LIAR!" Theo bolted to his feet, shaking with fury. "PIGSHIT! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"

Evangeline continued, a single crystal tear running down her stoic face.

"Her body was found in the early morning by Officer Kagvar, who can testify if required." She gestured to Scyler next to her. "I was... heartbroken. I did not know how to start explaining it, and I didn't want to antagonise Commander Koa or Officer Kintrax with any further news. So my report was delayed. Before I could complete it, the station was attacked."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Theo screamed again, leaning over the desk towards Evangeline, his fingers gripping the stone tightly. "I left that box of an office in a perfectly safe condition! You DARE blame me!"

Despite his sudden aggression, the courtroom did not respond, nor react, with the princess only showing the slightest hint of a smirk.

"You believed you did. But you're not sure if your own report was correct, right?" Evangeline cleared her throat again, refocusing her attention on the princess. "We think that Miss Rye attempted to correct some of the work done by Officer Kintrax, and that was what ended her life. My failing as her superior was not completing and sending the report so her family could get some closure. And obviously, her death in the first place."

Jace placed a hand on Theo's shoulder and gently, but firmly, guided him back down to his chair. The rhargnorn's skin was hot to the touch, his whole body buzzing with anger. His gaze was locked on Evangeline like a missile, but he complied, and sat down. As he turned back to the princess, the slightest shift of the praetorian guards' helms in his direction gave the only warning required.

Yeah. I know. No aggression towards royalty.