Honoghr Salvage Review: Final Hearing

[Dmitri]

Rouge sipped the bordeaux in her hand. The investigation into the situation at Honoghr had been long and tedious. Mira Albion, Sindri Esmer, and the Nameless Knight had all been questioned in separate hearings. However, after Zsaekriel and herself had finished all three, and conversed with each other, it was time for the final hearing. All three participants of the Subach-Innes-sponsored salvage operation at Honoghr were now present.

The final review was a chance for all three of them to detail the charges they had placed on each other and defend themselves. Rouge had stressed in her messages she wanted it kept orderly and civil.

Rouge had not left the conference room since Mira's hearing, which had been the last out of the three. Zsaekriel had left after the two of them had conversed, so she was waiting for Zsaekriel and the three knights to show up. She had sent a communication to Subach-Innes' Myra for her to partake in the hearing if Myra's testimony was required.

Now she waited for the others to arrive. While the two chairs had been placed near the back on an elevated platform for Rouge and Zsaekriel, three stools had been placed in the middle of the room for Mira, Sindri, and Knight. The stools were designed so that the three legs were unequally distributed, forcing the sitter to focus on keeping their balance. It had been a tradition from a while back, in which the chairs were meant to preoccupy the sitters to a degree that they would be unable to be distracted in order to pay attention the the meeting.

 

[Syn]

Knight entered the room and stood there as she bowed. She had been in her old room waiting and walked to the stool. "Commander." Knight looked around she was here with the commander and rolled her shoulders as she sat down and kept her face calm. She had her armor and saber polished and her hair was dye free with just the black framing her face. She didn't know how the others had went she just knew how her questioning had been and her report of what had happened.

 

[Black Noise]

Mira entered the room, she hadn't changed, her bandages since the mission, they were beginning to yellow with some puss and brown in patches from dirt. Blood splatter was also slightly visible if one looked closely. Mira had been too anxious to bother, though she needed them changed. Her wounds weren't open, they simply never healed correctly. She was not a Miraluka, she did not have skin covering her eyeless sockets perfectly. The skin was thin and broke easily, often excreting blood or puss, thus her reason for bandages.

Bowing, she acknowledged her Commander first, then Knight. She didn't know what Knight had said, but it most likely wasn't good.
"Good, evening, I think, Commander, and Knight."

 

[HunterOrdo]

Sindri arrived last it seemed. He paused to look at the three other people in the room. The other two had probably already given their introductions.. He had not known what they had said about the salvage, but he felt it did not matter. He could not shake the feeling that the Commander had made her mind up before the 'trials' had even begun.

Even so, he had to see what could come of this, so he bowed "Commander." He wanted to tell Mira she needed to clean her wounds, but this was not really the time or place.

 

[DeathToll]

Zsaekriel stepped in behind the last of them and shut the door, purposefully waiting to secure them in this room; the Knight-Commander at the head, the Seneschal at its back.

Slowly his steps brought him to pass along the edge of the room, his hands dangling at his sides as he lean forward to lift himself up onto the leveled platform where he found his seat at the Knight-Commander's side. As he reach it, he first nodded a short bow in silence and formality; then pivoted around to face the three in question, and bent down to his seat.

He had heard each of them, just as the Knight-Commander had; but had kept his opinions to himself until now. In this hearing, he would be sure to voice his unbiased perspective in addition to the Commander's. These three may think one thing or believe in themselves wholeheartedly, but they had all failed to understand what would most likely be brought to their attention here today; they all had failed to see these events from the others' point of view, they themselves completely bias and predetermined. But working together and as a unit of the same brotherhood demands cooperation and understanding. There can be no weak link between brother or sister or leader. And all the responsibility, and all the blame, falls to each individual to uphold their end in their own oaths. Here today, these individuals would take responsibility for change.

 

[Dmitri]

Rouge nodded to Zsaekriel in form of greeting. The Knight-Commander then addressed the three knights.

"This hearing is to address three charges brought up by all of you during a salvaging operation on Honoghr," said Rouge. "Mira Albion, Knight has accused you of excessive, uncontrolled anger shown during your fight with pirates. Sindri Esmer, Knight accuses you of endangerment of Mira Albion during your infiltration and campaign through the Hammerhead. Knight, you have been accused of endangerment of Mira Albion and Sindri Esmer during your fight with the pirates, along with being accused of cold surrender of defenseless pirates who had surrendered." She looked up. "If there are any errors in these statements, please state them now. If there are no complaints, we shall allow each of you to address the accusation you've brought to our attention, defend that point, and the person accused will be allowed to defend themself." She glanced at Sindri and Mira. "If one of you wishes to defend the accused or accuser, you may do so, but must wait for the accuser and accused to give their opening statement."

Rouge motioned to Knight. "We shall go chronologically. Knight, you may now explain why you have accused Sindri Esmer of endangering Mira."

 

[Syn]

[[I am hoping you mean cold murder Weiss cause otherwise that line makes no sense]]

Knight looked at the commander as she listened and nodded. She was to go first and spoke as she kept her face forward looking at the commander. "I do not recall the pirates surrendering commander I recall them attacking Subach ships and endangering our allies. I offered fair warning I was cutting through the ship and Myra can back me up. I also do not see how a sealed door to prevent the ship from decompressing is endangering when he opened it commander." Knight turned her head and spoke with her face calm as she moved back to look at Z. "I do know we were under attack and when attacked by an aggressor I defend myself and my allies. I ordered Mira back to the ship because our hardsuits require HUD support to use weapons. Prospect Sindri's poor judgement that he could hold a force bubble for himself and Mira was I don't have a word commander and I stand by my decision to space the pirates bridge and disable the ship. Forced them to get back inside before something happened to his concentration and killed them both."

 

[HunterOrdo]

Sindri guessed it was his turn. Well, he was fairly certain it was. "Commander. I did not say they surrendered. The problem was she gave them no chance to surrender. They were defenseless and could not fight back even if they wanted to. They knew they were going to die and lost all hope. Knight should have asked for their surrender not murder them. They had no idea what our com systems were, so they could not have surrender on their own. Sound does not travel in space, so if they tried to surrender over the ships speakers we would not have been able to hear them. Knight should have made contact and ask for their immediate surrender not kill them because it was more convenient for her." He said sternly with a straight face.

"Apparently my judgement was sound, Knight, for the bubble held, and we are here. In order to save the lives of the defenseless crew men, I did what I felt needed to be done. If I did not believe I could hold the bubble, I would not have done it. I would not risk Mira's life so easily. I value life far higher then others." He did not name the other, but he did not need to. He also meant it. He would risk his own life if he had no other choice, but he would never risk Mira's life.

He started once again "Mira can testify that we heard no such communications. Knowing your allies could be walking into death should have prompted her to ask for confirmation. The 'sealed' door was not forced upon. Using the force, I simply pushed on the pressure pad and the door opened. Mira can testify to this as well. She did not force us back in. She did nothing save ignore my demand for offering them surrender, say she was protecting her 'allies' but from what? Defenseless pirates? and then left us there."

He did not flinch, he did not show anger, he merely spoke sternly. "I did what I did for death should be given as a last resort. Not a first. If they had not surrendered, and she had done what she had done, I doubt we would be here, but the problem was she could not spare a few minutes to ask their surrender. She did what was easier and convenient for herself."

 

[DeathToll]

"She did..."

Zsaekriel's voice boomed with a disapointed command over the two, confining this to a singular introduction of the point and a defence against it; keeping it from becoming a back and forth.

"..exactly what you did; what was thought to be right from a singular perspective."

Zsaekriel paused with a devistating stare into both their eyes, making sure he was to state his point with no rebutle until he finished and only if the Knight-Commander wished them to make defence thereafter.

"Both of you had the opportunity to rectify this overlooking error. Just as Knight could have asked for a confirmation of her open transmission, so could you, Sindri, have attempted to make contact with Knight. In your words, you admitted to seeing Knight cut through the outside of the ship in question as you made your way to it. You decided not to keep up a living communication with her and instead moved individually to your own plans and in detriment to the group as a whole. At the very least, Knight made an attempt in transimission. As well, you knew that Knight was cutting into the hull of the bridge and still you moved to enter a situation that you could not control. By creating a barrier around yourself and Mira, you entrapped yourselves in a stasis of innability; giving no effect on the situation but to exacerbate it. You then challenged Knight in confrontation."

Zsaekriel paused, not even going into the lack of reasoning for such a challenge and the results it could have caused.

"The pirates attacked in a dishonorable manner. They would again. There were a group of these pirates on the bridge. Though in one moment they would seem defenceless, in another they would seize opportunity and attack just when you thought the day won. You say they had no way of communicating to you and the others? Then how do you truly know of their intensions? Knight chose the most -direct- path to keep the pirate's ship both intact for acquisition, as well as keeping it from further harming your ally of Subach-Innes."

Zsaekriel believed it not an issue of morality in killing needlessly, but instead an issue of senselessness and unnecessary waste of action. He was partial to Sindri. But he did not let any bias interfere with his perspective on the situation.

"You did the same as she, but in complete contradiction of both your efforts. Should Knight have not cut through the bridge as she did, you and your comrade had cut down many of the pirate's crew. You think them beneath blind revenge? You think if they saw but two young intruders open the bridge doors and claim responsibility for all their trouble that they would have been intimidated? That they would not have attacked you and brought about similar results? Would you have been able to stop your comrade from continuing on the rampage, if this was the case, and ending all those pirates without your aid?"

Zsaekriel took a deep breath, finishing his rhetorical questions and hopefully enlightening all three before the Knight-Commander and he. He was not looking for any of them to answer. But if the Knight-Commander wished to further understand their reactions to his words, then he would be completely behind her judgement should she voice this request. Otherwise, Zsaekriel expected all three to remain silent until called upon; or, at the very least, to request permission to be heard.

 

[HunterOrdo]

Once again it seemed more like they had long ago decided their verdict, and since most of the comments were directed at him, he would defend himself. "Intact? She was cutting holes in the damn thing. How is that intact?" He pointed out. He and Mira had done no damage to the vessel.. besides scratching the metal flooring on the hanger, but he did see the older knights point about communication.. even if since they had begun the boarding, it would have been polite for her to contact them since she had decided to do the same thing after they had. "You are right, however, in the fact that I could have made contact, and perhaps I should have." He conceded.

"A challenge? You think I could possibly fight her in that state? Of course not. I never intended to do battle, I had hoped that a threat of a more -direct- action would at least make her pause to think about it." He argued. He pointed to his head. A thing the man himself had shown him awhile ago "I used the force. I did not really need to concentrate. You could feel the fear.. hopelessness.. seeping from the room. It is how I knew knight was on the other side of the door without having to open it to find out and die." He stated easily.

"Perhaps you have not been listening. Knight had the chance to get them to surrender. Just by her almost cutting through the door, the pirates realized the fight was over for them. I am more then sure they would have taken the chance at life. Mira would not have attacked them unless they attacked her. I have seen her leave the pirates that gave themselves over to Subach-Innes alone. She did not go back into rage, and she would not then." He said defending the young knight.

"Perhaps they would have attacked us. Perhaps they would have died even if they promised surrender, but that does not mean we kill them on a Perhaps. Perhaps Mira will someday not be able to control her anger it does not mean we will simply kill her. Giving death should be a last resort, not the first one we reach to." He restated the line from earlier which he had always firmly believed in.

 

[Dmitri]

OOC: Sorry about the confusion, Syn. I had originally planned on having Mira's charge be first, but when I saw that Cyclone was offline but you and HunterOrdo were I decided to switch.

Rouge listened to Knight's testimony, then Sindri's. Zsaekriel gave his opinion, followed by Sindri's defense.

"Sindri, Mira, I have a question: when Knight urged Mira to return to the ship, why didn't you take that advice? You admit to seeing her cutting into the hull, and instead of sending Mira to where it was safe, you led her closer to where you knew Knight was cutting into the hull. What if your bubble hadn't held? You need to realize that such a Force Bubble for a Prospect is hard to maintain at the vacuum of space."

Rouge played devil's advocate, pointing at other issues. "Knight, could you sense if they were defenseless and had given up? If you had, then Sindri and Mira have merit that then there was little point in killing them. According to Mira and Sindri, you had the opportunity, so why was such tactic not taken? However," she turned to Mira and Sindri, "I do agree with Zsaekriel that it is odd that dishonorable pirates would be intimidated by just two people.

"On a perhaps may be a stretch, but that does not mean it is without merit. Unfortunately, we cannot say for absolute what would have happened and thus need to reflect on what did, for all of you, not just Knight, and not just Mira, and not just Sindri. It is why when we question if something will happen, we need to be aware of it, and be prepared for if the Perhaps becomes a Does. I am not approving of Knight's or Mira's actions, but all of you need to realize that the purpose of this hearing is not just to clear up matters of where things went wrong but to also learn from each others' mistakes."

 

[DeathToll]

Zsaekriel relaxed a bit when seeing Sindri tap his head, just as he had done in teaching the Prospect. Zseakriel wasn't sure if all of his points were recieved and understood, but indeed he knew at least some of it was.

Zsaekriel nodded his head to some of the things Sindri said, and then nodded to some of the points La Rouge said - if only to provoke thought on the matters.

This was definitely a learning experience. And a bonding one, he hoped.

 

[Black Noise]

Mira kept silent almost the entire time, for she did not feel the need to speak. Her memory was not like theirs. It was if they could recall the situation perfectly in each of their own perspectives, but for Mira, everything was blurry. It could be partially from her seeing through the force, and partially from her being submerged in her anger for Juyo. She sighed and said quietly.
"It would seem it is time for me to take your advice Commander."

She had been referring to before, when they spoke and Rouge had told Mira that they needed to stop blaming each other. She stood up straighter and addressed everyone. An easy feat for a blind person, to address all without ever turning to face any of them.
"If Knight said over the coms for me to return, I either did not hear her or I ignored it. Once upon the ship, the battle and Juyo had consumed me with a bloodlust. I did enjoy killing them, it was strange, and above all wrong. I can realize this.

I made a mistake. I continued on when I should have set aside my own thoughts about Knight. I cannot say that I liked her then, and I cannot say I like her now. But I know that she is a Imperial Knight, as am I, and we should have worked together under that cercumstance. We all made mistakes, each one of us did things we should not. I know I shall learn from what I did wrong, and I intend to continue training with Sindri so I may reach the point where I no longer need to use Juyo at all.

The only real question is, Commander, what do you intend to do with us now? I cannot see everything, but I can see that your mind is already made up."

 

[HunterOrdo]

OCC: In my defense, I entered the thread believing it to have been after the promotions. I played him as a Knight not a Prospect.

Hearing Mira talk, he noted that she did not remember most of it. He had waited on giving an answer to allow her to speak for herself, but he would answer the Commanders question before she decided "She did not tell Mira to return as we were boarding. She said that during the initial contact when Mira was outside, but I collected her in the Freighter I was using at the time. We did not decide to board till after this." He clarified. He looked to Mira and then back to the commander, he had felt the same, and was eager to see what would happen.

 

[Dmitri]

Rouge grinned. Mira may not notice many things, but she did sense what the Knight-Commander was thinking.

"It's true, yet at the same time not," said Rouge. "I have already decided practice involving teamwork will be needed, and you all shall be my gizka* for this training, as your teamwork has been tested before, and the flaws apparent. However, further punishment or training will be decided upon the outcome of this hearing."

Rouge gave Mira a soothing smile of recognition. "I commend you for your honesty, and if you wish, I am willing to personally work with you on this subject." The offer had two objectives. The first was to help Mira with her anger issue. The other was to have Mira experience training with more than one person.

*implying same meaning as 'you shall be my guinea pigs'

 

[Syn]

Knight had waited to answer her question from the commander until after Mira had spoke. She bowed her head and spoke keeping her eyes on Rouge. "Commander I could not sense anything from the bridge I do not overestimate my abilities in the force. They were attacking and had to be stopped." Knight listened to the commander about their teamwork and she bowed again. "As you command ma'am."

 

[Black Noise]

Mira nodded, smiling slightly at the Commander's offer, and her mention of being a Gizka, and said.
"I would be honored if you would help me, thank you."
Of course, Mira was only thinking of her anger issue, not just experience. Hearing Knight, Mira couldn't help but wonder, was she learning nothing? Instead of simply admitting fault and apologizing, giving oneself a chance to do better next time, she was still trying to defend herself as if she was completely innocent.

 

[HunterOrdo]

Sindri was not sure if he should be annoyed that after all this the only thing coming out of it was he had to spend more time with Knight.. was that a punishment for him or both of them? Still, he could not fight the slight smile that tugged on the corner of his lips.

He gave a soft bow "You know I would always be happy to be your little Gizka."

 

[Dmitri]

Rouge faced Sindri. "I sense you're displeased. The purpose of the teamwork building is to facilitate better bonds and communications, as to prevent another case of Knight almost spacing you, and you not highlighting your position as well." She gave a quick glance at Mira. "You too, Mira.

"Zsaekriel, do you have anything further to say?"

 

[DeathToll]

Zsaekriel had watched Mira, and was pleased. Sindri and Knight had both continued to draw out their complaints of each other and it only lead him to believe that they didn't understand the reason for this hearing. Zsaekriel turned his head to the Knight-Commander and nodded. He did have something to add. Zsaekriel faced the three in question.

"The Imperial Knights have faced hardships. The body of our Empire turned on us, and the Sith nearly destroyed us. The Imperial Knights still face hardhsips. And we will face even worse times ahead."

He paused to let this sink in, his next point in connection being truly a pitiful thought with all this considered.

"If you cannot successfully work together on a simple acquisition run, how do you expect to survive the coming war? Who do you think you will be fighting along side, who do you think will be responsible for watching your back and saving you from what you could not foresee? It's you three."

Zsaekriel poined to them.

"You three will be fighting along side each other. And when the enemy flanks your position and one of you decides it best to silently move to a different line of attack, what do you think will happen to the two left standing there; the two you had doomed to death for not communicating to them that their backs were then left unguarded? What then? What if it is you who is left unguarded?"

The proposed scenario was but one of thousands possible to go wrong should these three not learn to respect each others' differences and learn to work together regardless. After these proposed rhetorical questions, Zsaekriel had hoped he had opened their minds to the world outside themselves. They were a part of a unit that exists only because of their tightly bound trust and loyalty. Three minds that think and approach a certain situation differently can be all the more effective if put together and collectively molded into one using the best parts of all three. This is what they had to learn.

"Thank you, Knight-Commander."

Zsaekriel concluded with a short bow to La Rouge.