The Arbitration Court of the Ministry of Military Affairs on Baka is a magnificent place, as huge and gloomy as an imperial mausoleum.
The ancient court that has stood for thousands of years echoed with the sounds of countless trials, including military courts and civil prosecutions.
On the huge stained glass, portraits of emperors and saints gazed endlessly, weighing guilty or innocent souls.
Tapestries hang from the dark marble walls, their peeling and scattered colors contrasting sharply with the atmosphere of the room.
As a political commissar in the Imperial Army, it couldn't be easier for Yarrick to go wherever the Emperor tells him to go.
So now, he stood patiently in the dock, enduring the discomfort caused by the ill-fitting uniform, waiting for the trial to begin.
Perhaps he was not a tall man by Astra Militarum standards, but he was muscular and powerful.
Since he was escorted here from the Unbound Soul by representatives of the Ministry of Military Affairs, except for some daily exercises, he could only stay in his cell with nothing to do after eating and drinking.
The benefits of this life were obvious. He had almost regained the girth and weight he had lost since being sent to Valedo.
His previous military coat was already worn out, and he originally had no hope of getting a new one, but with the help of some "mysterious power", he still got a new military coat, which also contained some hints.
But he has no interest in showing off like a noble official. Alex is a soldier.
The air is dry today, and a row of servoskulls holding charcoal float in the air, but it won't get much warmer until the interrogation begins, which exposes the cowering soul of the guilty at the outset.
But it was no big deal to Yarrick, only the Emperor could control his destiny, just as he had always done.
Then he moved his gaze to the center of the window in the hall, staring at the shining portrait of the Emperor.
"The light of all mankind..."
He whispered, not caring whether the bailiff behind him heard him.
"I was born for the battlefield, and I serve your wishes. I am willing to dedicate myself to this."
At this time, someone on the right side of Alek coughed, and the echo lingered between the stone walls until it was submerged in the shadow of the high ceiling, so he turned around.
"Actually, Yarrick."
A lone man sitting on the jury bench laughed:
"Is it necessary to be so depressed so early in the morning?"
This was his former superior. He seemed to have had enough sleep and was in good condition. The days away from combat had made the hollows on his cheeks disappear.
His oiled black hair was as shiny as when they first met, and the ubiquitous big-brimmed hat, a symbol of his class, rested on the bench beside him.
"I just didn't sleep well last night."
Alex nodded, surprised that he felt a little comforted by this person's presence.
No matter what happens in this trial, the appearance of this man will be the most surprising. He plays his role in the entire incident and understands the truth.
But how will he testify?
Despite certain assurances, this remains one of the things that remains elusive to Yarrick.
He was heroic enough, yes, and he had proven his loyalty and devotion to the Emperor, but he was also a "Tainted", a survivor who had faced the most terrifying enemies of the Imperium.
The outcome should not be good.
A pair of figures on the balcony above the bench caught Yarick's attention. He raised his gaze from the old officer and saw a pair of weirdos sitting in the front row of the balcony.
The two men looked directly at each other.
It is a man and a woman, although it seems that the word "person" is not appropriate to describe the former.
The woman sat there with her shoulders hunched, her head almost buried in the black ruff of her robe.
Her elderly body was hunched over and she looked no taller than a ten-year-old child, but from the shadow of the hood, you could see the sharp and wise light shining in her eyes.
Is she also a juror? Or is she from another agency?
Anyway, her look made Alex uncomfortable, but he couldn't explain why.
The old ugly woman was dwarfed by the man sitting next to her. The man looked like a living statue carved from a block of marble. His skin was as white as snow in the sun, and his simple robes were completely ineffective.
Covering up the huge body underneath.
He is bald, which only reinforces the illusion that he is essentially made of rock.
But this illusion was broken when Alex noticed his gaze. His eyes were blood red, even where the whites of his eyes were supposed to be.
In all his travels, Alex had never seen anyone so terrifying and strange.
Who are these people, and what are they planning to do in this interrogation?
Suddenly, the door made a loud bang as it was pushed open, and the air rushed in with the sound of chaotic footsteps on the marble floor.
A mixed crowd of Adeptus Munitorum officers and Astra Militarum officers poured in, and the room shook as they searched for their seats.
Alex scanned the crowd, trying to find a few familiar faces, but could not find any of his people.
This is not surprising.
Yarick withdrew his gaze from the crowd and turned forward, just in time to see the door of the judge's chamber open.
A burst of passionate orange light filled the hall, and the military arbiters walked in slowly in a row.
When the bloated figure of the chief inquisitor appeared in his sight, Alex couldn't control himself from showing a strange look on his face.
This is a disabled person, fixed on a multi-legged mechanical seat that can be directly controlled through the neurofeedback slot at the base of his skull. The seat smoothly brings him to the trial seat with spider-like steps.
The shoulder insignia shows that he holds the rank of lieutenant general.
Alex raised his right hand to his brow and saluted with a quick but reluctant movement.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! "In the name of the Emperor."
The legal clerk announced:
"All rise."
The people in the gallery moved noisily, and the interrogation of political commissar Yarick began.
For the next three hours, Yaric frowned and gritted his teeth as he listened to people who had never set foot on the front line berating him, belittling the heroic sacrifice of those soldiers, and blaming him for every death.
The interrogation came to an end after four hours.
Behind the arbitration table is the general, shackled in a mechanical chair that sustains life, who will personally read out the verdict.
The arbitration hall remained deathly quiet.
The arbitration committee ended their low-pitched discussion and then turned to face Yarick in the dock.
The servo skull, equipped with sensors and recording devices, yellowed by time, lowered from the top of the head and floated in the air with a low hum of anti-gravity engines.
They record every word spoken in the hall, whether formal speeches or the conversations of observers, and these records are carefully screened to identify dissenters and potential troublemakers.
"stand up."
A wrinkled old official near the general ordered.
"Stand up, Sebastian Yarrick, the sentence is about to be pronounced."
These days of endless questioning and repeating what happened on Valedo over and over have made Alex exhausted and heavy-footed, while his old boss on the far terrace on the right is very concerned about his personal qualities.
and ability to make his own report, however Yarrick was ordered to recuse himself from those hearings and therefore was completely unaware of the contents of the report.
The general cleared his throat with a cough and began to speak through the electronic microphone installed on his seat.
"Throughout the trial, a wide range of witnesses, analysts and evaluators were heard -"
The general's small black eyes scanned the entire venue sternly.
"We heard how the defendant went to great lengths to remove himself from suspicion, the ways in which he used it to influence junior soldiers, and we heard in detail how the loss of command of the 4337th Infantry Regiment had an impact on the overall situation of the war.
What are the consequences?"
Alex's stomach moved silently to remind him that he had not eaten since dawn. He began to feel hungry but his protesting stomach would have to wait for a while.
"Respectable members."
The general continued.
"They listened carefully to all statements before reaching their conclusions, we consulted with think tanks and dug through the books of our glorious military history for precedents."
Alex noticed the general glance towards the two strange figures on the terrace, just as he had done throughout the interrogation.
This further confirmed Yarick's suspicion that the general was afraid of these strangers.
Based on this result, he made further inferences.
These two people are probably the followers of Judge Wende, or his "friends".
The general continued to speak, but Yarrick was convinced that the man's electronic voice sounded lacking in confidence.
"We have finally reached a conclusion and are ready to announce it here. In the name of the Emperor of Mankind, it is now up to me to pronounce the final verdict of Political Commissar Sebastian Yarrick of the 4337th Infantry Regiment."
As required by regulations, Yarick saluted his judge.
"Some members of the committee believe that, in view of the role you played in the disastrous debacle at Valedo, you should be relieved of all duties for the rest of your life; others feel that simply stripping you of your duties would be too merciful and that you should be sentenced to a lengthy prison term and
Choose one of the two punishments: exile."
This time, Alex felt that the general was pretending to be calm and deliberately not looking at the figure on the terrace.
"In any case, the actual situation of the counter-insurgency operations in Valedo has changed dramatically in a short period of time, and this war has also attracted the attention of some people in power in the Empire, who exercise even more authority than the Sector Commander
For this reason, the court is forced to recognize your decisive role in the subsequent war and your assistance in the battles of two glorious Adeptus Astartes, which is an honorable contribution."
The general's eyebrows furrowed in frustration as he continued.
"The testimony of your former superior was also taken into consideration, in which he gave a lengthy account of your courage, piety and superior fighting skills. Taking these factors into consideration, the court ruled that you will remain in your current position."
After saying this, the general sighed visibly.
"In view of the fact that the 4337th Infantry Regiment has been completely destroyed, under these powers, the court has decided to grant you a new position and station until a new regiment is formed, at which time you will immediately return to the frontline troops."
The courtroom was filled with noisy responses from observers to the arbitration committee's statement, with people chattering and sharing their views with those sitting around them.
Alex was also surprised.
"New residence? Can you tell me where it is?"
"Originally, you should sign for the letter of appointment yourself, well, since you asked."
The general took out a letter of appointment and glanced at the place names on it.