Common Justice Be Done (PM for Invite)

[Kay-Larr]

~THE TRIAL OF VEIERE ARENAIS~
¤SENATE HALL-COMMENOR¤​

It was the trial of the century on Commenor. The holo-media outlets in CSA territory were all assembled both within and without the Senate Hall that lay just outside of the Capital; Chasin City. All of them were eager to be the first to broadcast the events. It was a media circus with recording devices and reporters everywhere. Knowing that there would be so many in attendance, it was decided that the trial of CSA vs [member="Veiere Arenais"] would be held here instead of one of the smaller courthouses. By the look of things it was a good choice.

Weeks ago the former King of the CSA had allowed himself to be taken into custody following his attack on the Jedi Temple on Deneba. Since then he had been held in solitary confinement in a secret location known only to a few people. Blocked from the Force outside of his cell, Veiere didn't have any contact with the outside world, except for by those that visited him. Even those visits were heavily restricted. Today will mark the first day in a while that the former King had seen daylight. Hopefully it wouldn't be the last.

Knowing that the trial could take some time, Kay had scheduled it to start in the morning. The trial could last for days on end, yet one never knew. It wasn't a common occurance for the Head of State's spouse to attack a sacred site and it's occupants on one of their worlds. On the contrary, Veiere was always the type to try to stop such things from happening. So both the tragic event and the trial were very unusual occurances.

There was plenty of evidence and various witnesses to go over, and for the judge, it could take him a lot of time to consider pass judgement. Kay had wanted to preside over the trial herself. She was the Head of State afterall. But the whispers of citizens fearing corruption within her government and threatening to rebel against her; well she just couldn't risk it. Besides, Veiere was her husband and she wasn't afraid to admit that she was biased towards him. It was bad enough keeping him imprisoned, when all that she had wanted to do was to help him. So the trial was to be presided by a neutral party; [member="Eralam"] , carefully chosen out of a number of qualified candidates. It was an extensive process that was both difficult and tiring.

The whole situation had broken Kay's heart. She did her best to hide it from everyone, but she knew that they were well aware of it. Yet none had ever openly admited their concern. Instead they had just pressed on. Maybe it was better that way anyways.

[member="Darlyn Excron"] was expected to speak at the trial. He was the Minister of Justice, afterall. [member="Cassius Droma"] was to attend as well as an eye witness, him being the lone survivor of the attack. [member="Callum Calahad"] was a hired private investigator that was also invited. Whether or not he chose to speak was up to him. Even Kay was slated to speak in defence of her husband. He needed her just as she needed him. The last thing that she had wanted was for them to be pitted against eachother.

Kay waited inside of the office given to Eralam , staring out of one of the tall windows. The make-shift courtroom was beginning to fill up with people. Soon the two of them would be brought in, along with Veiere. She cradled a cup of tea in her hands, nervous as anyone would be. Was she ready for this? No. But it had to be done.

"All of this is but a nightmare that I can't wake up from. However it ends, I hope that Veiere can forgive me." She sipped her tea, hoping that given the publicity of the trial, the members of his Dark Jedi Order wouldn't try to rescue him. But she didn't know just how strong their loyalties were. Maybe today she'd find out.

 

[Ravenfire]

Arriving at the senate hall, Rex immediately enters and goes looking for [member="Lady Kay"]. He knows today would be hard on her. The Trail, the media in all of it he was willing to help her behind the scenes. Eventually running the corridors he happens upon the office of the judge, poke his head in he sees here. "My lady how are you it has been a week since I last saw you." Looking out the window, "I am here to help you if you need my lady is it starting to get a bit crazy out there." Still looking out at the city "I give it 5 mins before the media try to catch every word you say." The looking at Kay "I am here to help my lady just say the word."

 

[Jaster Awaud]

The Mandalorian who was a close friend of [member="Lady Kay"] had entered the Senate Building that was to act as the Dark Jedi's Court House. He had brought [member="Loreena Arenais"] to witness the Trial of the her father as she heard about the problems that her father was in and threatened to run away if he did not go with her. He knew he would catch hell from Kay if he lost her daughter and the last thing he needed was to have the women in a mood that could very much so end his life. Thus he brought her along to the trial as he was interested in the outcome of the King of Commenor being arrested and sentenced for his crime.

The room was only starting to fill up, but he could already see the worry and concern on the young Apprentices face. So he did what he thought best and walked up to a Reporter who was sitting in the front row and looking to get the best seat for the trial. Walking up behind the man he placed his large hand on the mans shoulder. He then looked at the man, "Move or the last thing you see is a Mandalorain Fist."

Out of fear, the man moved and gave the two a front row seat and a perfect view of both the Defendant and the Room as a whole. Hopefully this would go better then Jaster Assumed as he saw no way Lore's father getting out of it with anything less then life in prison. Looking over to the young women he pointed to the seat, "Sit and dont cause problems, be good for your parents."

 

[Eralam]

At first, they tried to make him wear robes.

Eralam had never been one to stand on tradition, especially not stupid ones. He didn't throw salt over his shoulder, knock on wood, or do any of the other ridiculous things he'd seen organics do in the name of superstition, and he sure as hell wasn't about to start now. Whomever decided that judges needed robes was so long dead, no one had the slightest chance of tracking down who they were, where they lived, or even when they were alive. It was just a thing. Judges had to wear robes.

That went about as well as you might expect.

Finally, after much cajoling, pleading, and shouting, someone wisely pointed out that there wasn't a set of robes in stock that would last long in direct contact with the Shard's chassis, and they didn't have time to get a set made out of sturdier stuff. Rather than have the judge presiding over the trial of the former King in tattered robes, they reluctantly agreed that Eralam's dueling chassis was ceremonial enough for the purposes.

The circumstances that led to the argument in the first place were bizarre, even by his standards. The Shard first came into contact with the CSA after the Incursion, when a group of Iron Knights led a direct assault on their Temple. In the aftermath, Eralam had offered the services of the Shard Network to anyone looking for information about the group known as The Contingency, and that had put him directly in contact with the King and Queen of Commenor.

He quickly established a reputation as an oddball; he was neither Light nor Dark nor Grey, but seemed to exist outside the traditional Force alignments. What's more, he made no effort to lie, whether outright, by omission, or by presenting the truth in such a way that it might lead one astray. Lying, as he put it, took effort. It was far easier to tell the truth and let the consequences fall where they may, even if it didn't necessarily work out in his favor.

So, he was an oddball, but a trustworthy one. A 900 something year old trustworthy oddball who had witnessed countless galactic powers rise and fall, and had been exposed to more variations of law and order than a chronic binge watching junkie, and who could count on the fingers of no hands the number of duelists who he considered to be a threat.

When the former King went on trial, they needed someone who wouldn't be prejudiced by notions of Light and Dark, had no ties to any particular government, and couldn't be bribed or threatened. Someone had remembered Eralam, and he had agreed to come because, frankly, he was bored. New challenges were rare, and overseeing what was likely to be the biggest trial of the century was a novelty he'd have to be mad to pass up.

It was nearly time for the trial to start, but first, he was scheduled to meet with the Queen of Commenor, [member="Lady Kay"]. He admired her resolve, putting her husband on trial for the good of her nation. That couldn't have been easy, especially since she could have just buried the charges under royal decree, but it was certainly the right thing to do. That sort of resolve was rare, especially in an organic.

The Shard strode into the chamber, his magnificent songsteel chassis glinting in the artificial light. On his belt were his usual weapons, his eralam-bladed lightsaber, and the ancient revolver. Commenor had no death penalty, but it was conceivable that someone might try to interfere with the trial. Assassination and escape were both potential outcomes. Eralam was perfectly prepared to use force to prevent that.

"Howdy," he said by way of greeting. Perhaps not the best way to formally greet a Queen, but he was saving his formality for the trial. "How're you holding up?"

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay looked over to see who had entered the office. To her surprise it was [member="Rex Taff"] . The man had gone through a lot as of late and because of it he had moved elsewhere. But like most Commenori, he was loyal to her, and she had to admire him for that. "Thank you, Rex. I just hope that they don't try to crucify me or Veiere out there."

And then [member="Eralam"] arrived. His entrance was almost comical. Perhaps that was done on purpose, to lighten the mood. Kay was never one to force people into using formalities or titles. Her position of Queen wasn't something that she was born into. Kay had always worked hard and had tried to leave politics a few times. Yet like a shadow at her feet, politics was always there.

She bowed her head to Eralam and then had another sip of her tea, nearly finishing her cup. "I'm doing as good as can be expected. Thank you for taking up this task. I want this situation to be handled right, and this is the best way." Perhaps it was the only way.

 

[Ravenfire]

"So do I my lady, your family has been thru enough already from my research." He replies to [member="Lady Kay"]. He would be loyal to her and the CSA no matter the outcome of the trial. After all they were some of the first people who had made him feel welcome. That was when the judge who had been chosen for the trial [member="Eralam"] entered. "My apologies I hadn't realised you were coming to see Lady Kay Eralam." After saying that he turns to the two "If either of you require any form of assistance I will be here otherwise it might be best if I get out of your hair." He says as he moves to leave the room. But he stops himself looking down at a holopad in his hands "Lady Kay I also heard about the bounty out on Amelia Sorenn-Syrush, I am here to protect the CSA and it's people if you require, I do not support the bounty even though it was placed by the Vicelord of the CIS." He waits to see what her response is.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori walked into the Senate Hall with all the confidence that she could muster. She had [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] along with her and she was glad that she was able to force him to come along. The media circus that had assembled was tough to get through. So many were asking her questions about her parents and what she thought of concerning the trial. Yet she didn't answer any of them. Instead she just kept on walking.

She grinned at Jaster's comment to the reporter to make him give up his seat. It was one that she'd have to remember. Lori loved his sense of humour. He had to have one in order to handle all of her pranks and questions. He was a great teacher and she was very happy with her Mom's choice in picking him.

Lori's grin faded as Jaster then ordered her to sit and behave. It wasn't as though she was going to pull one of her pranks there. This trial was serious business. All of these people wouldn't of been here if it wasn't. She plopped down in the chair, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm always well behaved. It's obvious that they aren't." Despite her stubborn exterior, Lori leaned against Jaster somewhat. This was going to be a tough day.

 

[Eralam]

"Wouldn't worry overmuch about anyone trying to catch a bounty here," Eralam said wryly. "Between the bounties, the counter-bounties, and the counter-counter-bounties, I'm pretty sure most of the bounty hunting world is tied up, chasing its own tail. Besides, you'd have to be stupid or desperate to try and bust up in here at the moment."

The Shard's face wasn't actually capable of expression, but he gave off the impression of a man scowling as he continued.

"I'd be far more worried about rescue or assassination, if I were you," he said. "I've kept myself as ignorant of the case as possible for the sake of fairness, but it's hard not to think that either possibility is on the table. I don't know how deep Dark Jedi roll these days, but there have been groups in the past that would do either if one of their own was on trial, whichever was the most beneficial for the good of the whole. The Jedi Jedi I'm not so worried about; though there was that business with the rancor dropped on a city. Kriffing bizarre, that was. Can't tell which way they'll jump these days."

The old Iron Knight paused for a moment to remove an object from a pouch on his belt. It was a plain, undecorated meerschaum pipe. The white clay had just begun to speckle with browns and orange from use. He fished a measure of tobacco from another pouch on his belt, expertly packed the pipe, and lit it with a spark conjured from a fingertip. Whether the spark was mechanical or mystical in original, who could say? The bigger question was, what point or purpose did smoking serve for a mechanical being?

Within moments, the sweet smell of Eralam's tobacco flooded the room. The aroma was fruity, strongly reminiscent of apricots, with something dark and vaguely musty at the back end. The combined effect brought to mind a finely aged wine.

"Me personally, I'd be more worried about foreign state actors trying to influence things one way or another. Galaxy's too volatile to leave a group like you guys sitting off in the corner, minding your own business. If something does go down, one of your neighbors likely has a hand in it."

[member="Lady Kay"] [member="Rex Taff"]

 

[Jaster Awaud]

Jaster sat down next to [member="Loreena Arenais"] he let out a sigh of exhaustion. "Sorry kid," He put his metallic hand on her head and rub it as soft as he could. "Just a little uncomfortable with seeing your parents as they are now."

The mandalorian was not that close with her father, though he respected who the man was and what he once represented. Heard stories from Kay as well as many Jedi he crossed paths with, and until recently, it was never in ill willed. He only recently got back from the Unknown Region with Lore, touring space and fighting pirates for sport. He and Lore would have only recently found out about the trial and flew through a Chaos Nebula to get here. It was strange to even think of why the once well endowed Jedi would turn to the path of death and destruction.

He took his hand off her head, "Guess I was talking to myself more then you, lets hope your mother could stop the both of us if we rush the judge on a bad call." A small singular laugh escaped his lungs as he imagined the Small Mandalorain escorted by himself charging the stage in full glory. Too bad Kay would discipline them both if such a thing happened and he joined in instead of being an adult.

His cheery mood was then washed away by his real worry. "Kay" He whispered to himself. She was his closest friend and literally the reason he still had hope for this messed up galaxy. This moment must literally be taring her apart and shaking her to the foundation. To add to that, he just brought her daughter to the trial that literally was worse then a divorce hearing for a married couple. Literally Kay could pull something this weird out of thin air, he just looked to the stage and shook his head lightly as if he was waking from a dream. His attention needed to be in the moment and keep himself and Lore from doing something dumb...... May the Force be with him.

 

[WolfMortum]

Freedom from the void, the cage that had served as his Prison Cell cut off from all else around him. The moment that Veiere was released from his prison, his presence flooded across the catacombs buried beneath the Royal City Palace, his aura reconnecting with his wive's, their bond having been severed through the "Force Dead" barrier that had kept his presence hidden for so very long, no longer active and able to keep her nor him from reaching out to one another.

Greeted on the outside, he was met with members of the 191st Clone-Trooper Infantry, Soldiers from their wartime military forces that had been pulled away from their duty to oversee the Dark Jedi Master's transition from his cell to his trial. While these Clone's were exceptionally trained and well armed, carrying the lastest of Systems Alliance technology in the form of their Assault Blaster Rifles, they too were accompanied by representatives of the Order of Commenor, practitioners of the Force that Veiere himself had once founded their Order and they having resumed their protection of the world and her neighbors through their efforts without him since the former King's abandonment of the light. In these Masters of Peace, they stood the vanguard and insurance against Veiere's potential revolt were he so bold.

Time had passed slowly and while he had no connection to the world outside of his cage, his mind and body remained fit and empowered. With so little to distract himself over the months, Veiere had resorted to physical exercise and the practice of abilities known not to those of the Jedi. Only weeks prior to his arrest, he had arranged a meeting with his former Apprentice and now Knight of Ren, [member="Brennan Cabrol"]. It was then that they had traded secrets, Veiere's considered treason not against the CSA but the Jedi themselves and the Rens, the exchange of his own learnings and mastery of abilities most harmful to those whom would invoke them. Now, with the air being taken into his lunges, the fresh breeze that was cast against his face as he moved, enveloped by his armed escort between the buildings and on towards the place of his sentencing, Veiere Arenais could not help but smile to himself as he felt the enormous thirst of the Force, the energies around him being drawn in, every inhale the revitalization of his admiration in the beauty and chaos of the natural world.

[member="Lady Kay"] would be the first to feel his proximity, and then those sensitive to the Force. Veiere did not know what to expect, though he knew his name had been well and truly slandered by now and likely that too of his families. It would not be a good day, and already he could feel the tension rising in the back of his mind and in the pit of his stomach, the force swelled around him with every step he took closer towards his impending fate and yet the cuffs of which bound his wrists were those designed to counter force-user's, to inhibit and deter any practice that he might seek to take against his would be accusers. Taking one last look skyward, his brows furrowed in question of whom would attend and what manner of harm it would bring down upon the world of Commenor, if any; the entrance to the would-be court-room soon clouding his view and forcing him to come back to reality as he was walked down the center towards the defendants podium.

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] | [member="Eralam"] | [member="Loreena Arenais"] | [member="Rex Taff"] | [member="Lady Kay"]​

 

[Cassius Droma]

Cassius sat within the crowd of those gathered, making sure that he had taken a seat near the aisle so that he could take the witness stand when called. The murmurs of observers flowed around the room. Luckily, it didn’t appear that anyone really recognized him. He was wearing his Jedi robes, as this required formal wear, and he tried to keep an air of calm about him as he waited.

Internally, he was a mix of emotions. A small amount of anxiety was in his chest. This was an important event, after all. Recalling the battle wouldn’t be a problem – he had done debriefings of flying missions that had been more harrowing than the attack on Deneba. It was more that he didn’t know exactly what would be asked, and whether or not he could actually trust Commenor’s justice system. The Minister of Justice was a practitioner of the dark side, as were a few other of Kay’s allies. Could Veiere’s crimes be overlooked since he was so close to Kay? He wanted to believe that things would be fair, but he couldn’t be sure.

A ripple of a dark presence went throughout the room, and Cassius knew that Veiere had been let out of holding and that he would be arriving soon. He sat up, adjusting his posture, and controlled his breathing. Again, it wasn’t the man of the darkness he now carried that scared him. It was the possibility of this all being waved away, and a Dark Jedi that had tried to kill him being set free to know who knows what else. It was those that would be affected by this that he feared for – the other Jedi in the galaxy, the people of Commenor. They deserved better than this.

Cassius stared down Veiere the whole time he was being escorted to the defendant’s seat. He took in a deep breath, and sighed. Answer all questions truthfully, leave nothing out, stand your ground.

[member="Lady Kay"] | [member="Veiere Arenais"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay raised a brow slightly. [member="Rex Taff"] had been doing a bit of research on her family, has he? However some of it was public knowledge. That was the one thing about serving the public; there wasn't much privacy to be had. She bowed her head to him as he had turned to leave, but then stopped. Bounties on Amelia? The trial had kept her so preoccupied, that she was unaware of everything that was happening. "Thank you for your support, Rex. I'll keep you posted on any developments."

She then looked to [member="Eralam"] as he spoke up. Having him on board was a great idea. Not only was he unbiased and preserved himself for the trial as such, but he was fully prepared to defend the court as well. Kay raised a brow slightly as he lit up a pipe. That was....an odd habit for a droid. But the smell of the pipe tabacco was somehow soothing, much like her tea.

"I don't expect any trouble..Although Veiere did warn me about making this so public. I think that he's a little unsure of how his followers would react." It was partly why she had kept [member="Veiere Arenais"] so close. At first her husband was skeptical in her decision to keep him in the catacombs of the Palace, however the addition of guards there would raise no suspicion, unlike if he were put in an empty warehouse or something of the sort. "I don't think that any of our neighbours or others would have a hand in any of this Eralam. Most prefer to have their supplies being transported safely and that's the service that we provide. It is to their advantage that we are not plunged into war with any of them." At least that's what she liked to believe. For a long time they have kept true to their neutral stance. And due to their trade agreements with most of the major players in the Galaxy, they have been left alone.

Kay then held her breath as [member="Veiere Arenais"] was released from his cell. The sudden reconnection to him nearly hit her like a tidal wave with his power. Instead of it diminishing while he was in captivity, it had increased, the Darkness overshadowing the Light like an eclipse of a sun and moon. "Veiere is coming...It's time to begin." She set down her cup, worried for a moment that she may have revealed her secret of her Force Sensitivity. But then again everyone would expect her to be nervous, and nervous people tended to have good intuition.

She bowed her head to Eralam. "I'll see you out there." As expected through protocol, Kay needed to enter the courtroom first. The judge was always the last to arrive, for the judge waited for no-one. She was not presiding over this trial.

Kay left the office and entered the courtroom through a side door. As she made her way through, she made no eye contact with anyone. Her seat was in it's own special section where the jury would usually be, able to see over everything. In truth she couldn't choose which side to sit on for she had wanted to defend both her husband and her people.

Some of the audience got to their feet as she walked by. Only when she sat down did, they take their seats and she look to who was in the crowd. Right away she spotted her husband, well guarded and cuffed. Kay then noticed [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] , her jaw dropping ever so slightly in shock to see that he had brought [member="Loreena Arenais"] with him. Why did he do that? Why would he let her witness this? It was bad enough that she felt as though she was betraying Veiere by putting him through this, and now it was to be done in front of their daughter? He better have a good reason for it. Now was not the time to get mad at him, however. She then spotted [member="Cassius Droma"] in his Jedi robes. It was good for him to come, as he was the sole witness. Kay didn't expect Veiere to lie about what happened, but it was important to know of the events through the eyes of another that was there.

She clenched her jaw, keeping her composure as poised as possible. Anything that she said or did would be scrutinized, so she had to be careful.

 

[Eralam]

Eralam nodded respectfully to [member="Lady Kay"] as she left. It was time to take his place anyway.

Behind the Speaker's podium, which was serving as the judge's bench for this occasion, there was an antechamber. It was stocked with the usual goodies one might expect: light refreshments, holoscreens silently playing the news, a large pitcher of iced water, and comfy chairs. It was the sort of place a government official might find relaxing. It offered respite from the chaos on the other side of the doors, into which they'd inevitably wade before too long.

Today, the screens were off. The Shard required no refreshments, and his metallic backside would shred the comfortable leather seats. The bailiff, a short, stout woman with iron-grey hair, gave a little bow as he entered.

"Just a few more minutes, Your Honor," she said.

It took him a beat to realize she was talking to him.

"Oh, er, right. Groovy."

The bailiff smiled faintly, her expression somewhere between amusement and exasperation.

"Nervous?" she asked. Her voice was a pleasant contralto, with just a hint of rasp that betrayed some kind of damage, probably from drinking or smoking.

"Well, I can't say I've presided over a trial this high profile before. Trials, certainly. Civil, legal, trial by jury, trial by combat. Honestly, the trials by combat are the most fun. The quickest, too."

"We don't do that here," the bailiff replied, her smile blossoming into a full on grin.

"So I've heard," Eralam said dryly.

She checked her datapad.

"It's time, Your Honor. Ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

She smoothed the front of her tunic, checked that her blaster was charged and ready to go, and threw open the doors with the solemn ceremony her position required.

"All rise for the Honorable Master Eralam, of the Order of the Iron Knights," she boomed, her voice amplified by some unseen means.

The Shard would have blushed slightly, had he the proper biological wiring to do so. He always found his full title slightly embarrassing, and tacking the word "honorable" to the front stretched the truth nearly to the breaking point. But, since he didn't he strode confidently up to the speaker's podium and took his place.

The podium rose smoothly from the ground, propelled by an admirably silent, hydraulically lifted column. Once it stopped, the Shard addressed the defendant for the first time.

"Master [member="Veiere Arenais"], you stand accused of Conspiracy to Commit a Violent Felony, First Degree Aggravated Assault and Battery, Destruction of Private Property, Treason, Attempted Murder, and Felony Murder. There's also a list of charges for violating various air traffic control regulations, but you can take those up with Traffic Court, as far as I'm concerned."

Eralam tossed that page to the side, and looked the defendant in the eye. He wasn't the best at reading people, but hey, you never knew what you could find if you tried.

"How do you plead?"

[member="Cassius Droma"] | [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] | [member="Loreena Arenais"] | [member="Rex Taff"]

 

[Amelia von Sorenn]

Amelia had arrived late to the proceedings, though she had her own concerns to oversee before she arrived. The woman had been worried that someone or some group of individuals, would likely see the court hearing as the perfect time to cause a commotion or attempt to rescue [member="Veiere Arenais"] . Thus she had spent much of the morning ensuring that security around the capital was doubled, even going so far as to move in some Knights of the Pyre units to ensure additional forces if necessary - though she had hoped they wouldn't be.

Looking over the datapad that was handed to her, she shifted slightly as the gunship shuttered in the air, her attention shifting towards the others that flew alongside her own before she motioned for them to break off. They held reconnaissance units that were to be deployed around the Senate Hall in the off chance that things went side ways. A last sigh escaped her lips as her gunship set down at the far end of the long walk towards the Senate Hall, her golden hues falling upon the myriad of reports and onlookers that had gathered. Silently she slipped the datapad into her armor before she motioned to four of the Knights to disembark with her.

With a simple motion of her hand, the gunship rose off and slipped away, moving to deliver its remaining passengers as she made her way to the Senate Hall. Even though she was not sensitive to it, she could still feel that something was off, a soft mumble to herself escaped her lips.

"They must be moving him."

She hissed under her breath before she looking to one of the Knights with her, nodding quietly before conferring with the individual.

"Make sure that the 153rd and 177th Mechanized Infantry Legions are ready and on standby. If anything happens, I want them flooding into the city as quickly as possible. Have the 3rd and 53rd Line Legion ready to assist in an potential evacuations. We can't be too careful about this entire situation."

"Yes Ma'am."

With that, her attention refocused to the Senate Hall before she pushed forward, the group quickly cutting through the crowd and making their way inside. This wasn't the first trial she had attended - though it was one that had her paranoid beyond what she considered normal.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Ravenfire]

Rex quietly found a place to sit. He did nothing nor did he say anything to anyone, looking around to make sure that people weren't trying anything. He sat and watched the trial for the most part. He noticed [member="Lady Kay"] along with several other important people ( [member="Cassius Droma"], [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"], [member="Loreena Arenais"], [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"]). He then looked at the judge [member="Eralam"] and the accused [member="Veiere Arenais"]. The accused was Lady Kay's husband this much he knew already. What he didn't know is why he killed the Jedi. It was something he didn't fully understand but none the less he would listen.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

[member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] was the perfect uncle, the perfect guardian. They got along super well and he let her do things that she knew she wouldn't be able to get away with at home. Plus it was fun! And it helped to keep her mind off of missing her twin brother at times.

Right now though her thoughts were all on her parents. The moment that [member="Veiere Arenais"] was led into the room, she sat up straight and just stared. "Dad....Hi..." Her voice was quiet and she didn't really expect him to hear her. There was so much that she had wanted to tell him and show him, but she just couldn't. And to see him cuffed and guarded like some villain...it was like a bad dream.

And then her mother walked in, all poised and quiet. There was almost a hush in the audience. Lori gave her a little wave with her fingers as she passed by. It was difficult for her to imagine what she was going through, but the could feel the strong emotions all around her.

[member="Eralam"] walked in next and everyone was ordered to rise, so she did so, taking hold of Jaster's hand as the charges were laid out. There were so many. He was going to be grounded for life! She knew it! And then she'd never be able to show him her skills and all of the things that she was learning.

Hopefully she was wrong.

 

[WolfMortum]

"Master Veiere Arenais, you stand accused of Conspiracy to Commit a Violent Felony, First Degree Aggravated Assault and Battery, Destruction of Private Property, Treason, Attempted Murder, and Felony Murder. There's also a list of charges for violating various air traffic control regulations..." [member="Eralam"] informed Veiere before the crowded hall, the vast room catering to many in number to which the former King's eyes took to in sparing glance having no doubt in his mind the manner of accusations and judgement that would be being cast down at him upon high. Eralam for whom Veiere did not recognize continued to comment on the matter of traffic offenses to which otherwise went over the Dark Master's head for he dismissed it as unimportant; the fact was that if he were to be incarcerated then what choice would he have in taking any such a matter to their place in the law of things across Commenori Space.

"How do you plead?", his Judge soon posed the question to Veiere and turning to meet the figure's gaze, Veiere's head tilted slightly, his brows lifting to pass him a skeptical look. How many had survived the attack on Deneba? Veiere had willingly allowed those too afraid for their lives to flee while taking the battle to those whom refused and sought to remain within the Enclave and defend it. He had been reluctant to show such consideration, yet those who remained behind to fight, had chosen to do so; did this however mean that the guilt was not entirely his? Unfortunately not, as he had brought two Stormtrooper Squadrons along with him with the single intention of leveling the establishment.

Turning to glance back over his shoulder, he noticed the absence of legal support for his side of the Trial. 'Interesting' he thought; were he of the desire to plead innocence, it might have frustrated him more so in the fact that the Trial was already stacked against him, yet again he had brought this down upon himself through his actions and quite frankly, it was better that he take the fall rather than those of Rannon. There was also the matter of his family whom still meant to live upon Commenor, hopefully without being too heavily slandered for their association with him.

Destruction of Private Property was a curious offense to be accused of given that it were he that resurrected the former husk of the Jedi Enclave since it's destruction in the last battle between the Galactic Republic and the One Sith and Mandalorian Empire, yet with the number of charges including Murder, what did another year really matter. "Oh, I am quite guilty" Veiere responded nonchalantly, lifting his head in a half nod of compliance to the Judge and invoking a backlash of whispering and mutters hidden atop the crowd seated at his back.

[member="Cassius Droma"] | [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] | [member="Loreena Arenais"] | [member="Rex Taff"] | [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"] | [member="Lady Kay"]​

 

[Darlyn Excron]

There was no pomp and circumstance for the Dark Jedi Master Excron. There shouldn't be. Today was not a good day, for anyone.

No, today was not a pleasant day, and there would be no joy in the proceedings. Darlyn had hoped to make the now dark [member="Veiere Arenais"] see a different path than that he ended up taking, when he had found the turn. Darkness was not an excuse for unlawfulness, not in CSA space at the very least. That had never been the case, and Darlyn's few solid principles stood upon that foundation. He had hoped to show Arenais that the darkness, while making difficult choices easier, and making it possible to even justify the hard choices, was not an excuse to become a Sith in all but name. When arrested, Darlyn had taken many hours out of his days to try and talk with the man, help him so that he might emerge a better man, shrouded in dark but not a villain. Alas, he doubted it had worked. Perhaps this would help.

Darlyn did doubt that Veiere was a different man, after all.

And it didn't take a genius to see that [member="Lady Kay"] still loved him despite the heartache she had been forced into. Perhaps if nothing else, that would make him realize the moron he was being, what he was throwing away. This was more than a simple time in prison, this punishment was meant to be debilitating in ways tailored to him. Imprisoning Veiere would do nothing but validate his own point, he would win. No, if he was found guilty, then there was far worse in store for him. DJO member or not, Darlyn had to uphold the law. Far more than his pride rode the line. While [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"] was keeping peace outside, it was Darlyn's job to prove that the CSA's CJS was... well that was a tongue twister, the CSA's Criminal Justice System was fair, darksider or not. Perhaps the more important issue.

Not helped in the slightest that Veiere's thrice damned attorney wasn't there at the start. Darlyn glared heavily at the empty place behind Veiere, perhaps at first seeming to glare at Veiere himself as he rose to the arrival of @Eralam. However it would become readily apparent what he was actually upset with just after Veiere's 'stunning' and totally 'surprising' admission of guilt. "Your Honor, prosecution motions for a retrial. It would appear that Mr. Arenais's legal representation has just found himself absent from the proceedings. That is of course, if the Defense would wish for their representation to be present, I am unaware if he has opted out of the public defender system."

Almost as many murmurs rung out at that. Some were frustrated that the prosecution would insist on this, others surprised that Darlyn, known for being rather tough and a darkside practitioner (who surely would love to punish Veiere right?) would insist that every standard of a trial be filled out. Others just spread the discussion around. But Darlyn didn't care. If Darlyn was going to put the punishments out for debate that the prosecution had designed, he was going to make sure every single thing went right up until that point. Even if it took him years to get through it. Veiere was once the only Jedi that Darlyn even liked, the only one he'd met who hadn't judged him almost entirely on his darkside aura, to the point of doubting he was a good person, the good guy, but instead let his actions speak louder. True, he judged him still, but the trust had meant much towards the end of his light.

He would respect that now.

[member="Loreena Arenais"] || [member="Rex Taff"] || [member="Cassius Droma"] || [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"]

 

[Jaster Awaud]

The man stood as the prisoner King was brought into the room. He did not feel really sympathetic towards the man, for he had heard stories of [member="Veiere Arenais"] such that if he wanted to destroy the entire Jedi Enclave, there would be no survivors. There had to be an ulterior motive here, or the stories he had heard were nothing more then blow out legends from those who held him in greater regard. Either way, he was here to protect and if need be run away with, Lore should things get to chaotic in a way even he would be unable to stop. It was his duty to protect the child as his friend made it very clear of her protective nature of her daughter.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he had a strong turn in his stomach and felt the weight of a million planets shadowing over him. It was not his gut feeling he normally had when he felt the presence of a Force User, no. It was the Combat Equivalent to animal instincts when a Pray feels its Predator lock eyes on it, he turned to see what it was. His eyes locked with [member="Lady Kay"] as she sent a chill down the veteran warriors spine. He feared 2 things in this galaxy, one of them was Kay in a bad mood, and that look he was given was sure sign of her willingness to injure him.

He pointed to the child that was her daughter and shook his head, the kid was of very strong opinion about the whole thing. He was weak to her as much as he was to Kay when they wanted things done. Was he to let her go alone without his protection, cuz she could most defiantly would have.

[member="Loreena Arenais"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

Kay listened as the charges were laid out by [member="Eralam"] . There were so much more than she had realized. At best she figured that he'd have one or two, but the fact that there were at least half a dozen, well it didn't exactly bode well for her husband.

[member="Veiere Arenais"] confessed his guilt, which gave Kay a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. He must have felt so outnumbered, so cornered, so much hated. It was a far cry from how people used to view him; a kind King that would often walk the streets and converse with everyone, a man that didn't pit himself above them but as one of their equals. And now he sat alone. [member="Darlyn Excron"] seemed to have picked up on that. For he spoke up straight away about the lack of defence for Veiere. Kay half expected for [member="Mythos"] to show up, but he was nowhere to be found. Was there anyone that wanted to help her husband?

Kay clenched her jaw. She couldn't let him go through this alone. She didn't want him to think that she was trying to cast him aside in favour of her political standing. As Veiere had told her previously; she couldn't seperate public and private life. Maybe in this case, she had to. Each decision had it's consequence, ones in which she had to face. So she got to her feet, her eyes moving from Veiere to Eralam. "I will help in Veiere's defence. That is if both he and the court allow it."

[member="Rex Taff"] [member="Jaster of Clan Awaud"] [member="Loreena Arenais"] [member="Cassius Droma"] [member="Amelia Sorenn-Syrush"]