The Phoenix Conspiracy Read Online Free PDF Page A

except for their golden eyes, scaly-crimson
skin, and generally smaller physiques. They could also grow tails
but most had them removed right after birth. All three present were
male and wore the lavender uniforms of Rotham Military Command.
Their hair was as black as oil, common for rotham, but braided—a
style symbolizing status in their culture.
    "And so commences the General Tribunal
held aboard Praxis One, an outpost of Praxis System, this on the
fifth day of the ninth standard-month of Standard Galaxy Year 1218,
by virtue of a warrant bearing the date the 9th instant, from His
Excellency Sir William Gregory, Knight of the King, Overseer and
Commander-in-Chief of all His Majesty's Forces within Sector
One-One-Six." The Judicator then listed the names and ranks of the
officers of the court who would decide the outcome. After this,
Captain Raidan was ordered to rise.
    "Have you any objection to any of the
names just read to you?"
    "No," he said and sat back
down.
    "The Presiding Officer, Members and
Judge Advocate, being duly sworn, Captain Asari Raidan of His
Majesty's Fifth Fleet, came prisoner before the Court, and stands
accused of three counts of destruction of civilian property, four
counts of unauthorized assault on non-military starships—three of
which were destroyed, one count of violating Peaceful Traffic
Treaty 13-A with the Rotham Republic, seven counts of misuse of a
military starship, eighteen counts of failure to maintain regular
contact with Fleet Command, and one count of conspiracy against the
government. The senior staff of the accused have signed and
presented an affidavit to this court confirming the validity of the
charges, complete with a joint testimony that the Commanding
Officer was and is solely responsible for the Beotan Incident and
all listed charges. Now, Mister Asari," the Judicator said, looking
him straight in the eyes. "Do you stand by your request to use
clause 173-B of the Citizen's Defense Contract?"
    "I do."
    "Very well. The accused, as a full and
complete citizen of the Empire, has formally requested that no
defense counsel be appointed to him other than himself. The court
is hereby obligated to grant this request."
    Calvin raised an eyebrow at this,
guessing that Raidan knew he had almost no chance of dismissing any
of the charges in the face of such voluminous evidence. Perhaps he
wished to expedite the hearing, though Calvin couldn’t think
why.
    "Beginning with the first of the
charges, four counts of unauthorized assault on spacecraft
belonging to non-military non-combatants. The specification is
that, without provocation, you commanded your starship to open fire
on four commercial vessels which had entered Imperial Space
en-route to Capital System. Specifically the Ortahn, Guinn,
Qiun'ha, and Ursa freighters belonging to the Beotan Trade
Corporation. Your ship destroyed the first three without
provocation and inflicted serious damage to the fourth and only
surviving vessel, Ursa, before it managed to evade you. How do you
plead?"
    Radian stood up and looked around the
room for a few seconds before speaking. "Guilty."
    "And you understand that by such
conviction the only possible recourse for such a crime, as a full
citizen, is the death sentence as clearly stated under the
law?"
    "Yes, I understand that. And
while we're at it, I plead guilty to all of the charges. I can see
the Commander of the Ursa freighter among the Consul's delegation
and I can't defeat a witness like that. And my own staff has come
together and condemned me, and in a just and honest way. I cannot
in good conscience, or with any hope, try to pretend I did not
attack those ships. Because I did attack them. And I fully accept the consequences
of my actions. But know one thing, I did it for the good of the
Empire. Everything I've ever done has been for the good of the
Empire. I want it on the record that these are my feelings and that
that is why I surrendered my vessel to the Andromeda without