Trial 4

Grandmother Ashes nodded to herself, her two colleagues remaining apathetic in their dispositions.

"As for the arrangements for your defense of neutrality, I believe that the arrangements for your team will not evoke disappointment. You are, of course, entitled to alter or even forgo the defense team I have built for you, but I see no reason for you to refuse.

I invite to the court the Scholar."

A hurried tapping could be heard from the great black void underneath the elevated boxes opposite the stands. The Scholar, looking disheveled but maintaining a composed air, was holding a stack of papers in his arms.

There was little doubt they were records to be used as hard evidence.

"Are you sure only one person will be enough Grandmother? It hardly seems neutral to only have one person argue against three."

Grand Elder Larson intercepted Firche's question in Szirpty's stead. "I can forgive the assumption, however I believe you may find it will be us on the back foot in this confrontation, Firche. Were it not for his... peculiarities, he would no doubt be Grandmother Ashes' successor. Where Szirpty may be comparable to a walking textbook, the Scholar is a library."

"An apt assessment, though I think you will find he still has much to learn. He is not yet able to harness the vast reserve of knowledge he holds, lacking only in experience. I chose him as the Captain's defendant not only because I believe him to be the most capable of defending him, but as a test to see if he has learned.

Perhaps through the evolution of his thought process, I may glean some information from what remains of our two new guests."

"Guests? You mean there are some that still live?"

"Indeed Larson, though from what little I have heard from the Scholar they are currently being attended to by the Arboreal Maiden."

"Then what of this case? Will that not prove The Captain's innocence?" Firche, the newest member, was still unfamiliar with the grand trial process.

"That is what we are here to find out, Grand Elder. I understand your convictions given the gravity of the perceived offense, but I am obliged to warn you that not everything is what it seems."

- - - - -

Down below, the Scholar was finishing setting up his documents on the desk provided to him. They were a hassle to work with, some in scrolls, others books, but the majority were loose leaflets of varying sizes and shapes that made it impossible to hold them in a stack.

Taking a brief moment to catch his wits and analyze his current file order, he looked up at his kneeling Captain.

"I will do my utmost to prove your innocence, Captain."

"While I have no doubts you will do your duty, I ask you to understand there is nothing I may do to repent for my lack of ability. Do not fight a battle that you have no hope of winning, my friend."

"I believe there is irrefutable evidence of the fact you maintained neutrality, sir, all I need to do is present it in the proper manner."

The Captain was demoralized, somber, accepting the fate that was to come. In response to his subordinate's optimism, he could only nod.

Content with his arrangements, the Scholar raised his voice so that he may be heard.

"Grand Elders, it is with great conviction and certainty that I believe that my charge, the one titled 'Captain' is innocent of deviation from his vow of both duty and neutrality."

This raised eyebrows from multiple parties. The Grand Elders, members of the audience, and even the Captain, had caught an oddity in the Scholar's opening remark.

"'Believe', Scholar?" Grandmother Ashes was the first to properly respond. "Your argument is one based on beliefs, not evidence?"

This was a sentence worthy of a trial in its own right, beliefs were not to be brought into a grand trial.

"Not at all, Grandmother Ashes. In fact, I believe you will find nothing but solid evidence among the documents, records, charters, and testimonies I have brought with me today. I have learned on this voyage to not place all of my faith in the information I have at my disposal. I was lectured, chastised you might go so far as to say, for my overreliance on facts I once viewed to be as absolute, whole, and unassailable.

I was forced to come to terms with the fact that, in spite of my knowledge, there may be details that elude my grasp. Differences in viewpoint, situation, and context may render any information that I have obsolete. I must come to terms with the fact that, while I believe that the Captain is no doubt neutral, it is only that. A belief.

Until such time as my charge is declared either biased or neutral, I will hold this belief."

The room fell quiet, all unsure of just how to parse this information. Normally, a held belief should not come up in such a trial, if at all, yet none could find flaw with his logic.

This method of thinking, despite the contradiction with the conventional understandings of neutrality, perhaps fit better with his duty. He was expected to prove the Captain's neutrality and disprove any perceived biases.

Could he truly perform this task if he didn't believe in the Captain's innocence?

"Very good, Scholar, I see this latest voyage has resulted in some maturation in you." Grand Elder Szirpty was pleased as opposed to perplexed. "Belief in and of itself is not a violation of neutrality. Neutrality itself may be considered a belief, its definition in a constant state of flux with the conditions surrounding each individual situation and the biases inherent in the general population."

Pensive expressions and shock were evoked in the crowd. Some grew up under the code of neutrality, others were brought into its fold, yet very few had ever thought about what the rules they were sworn to live by meant.

"With that, I believe it is high time to act on your own beliefs." She once again emphasized the word belief, hoping that those in the audience would develop their understanding. "The case against your charge is quite clear, it will be up to you to convince us otherwise."