The House Part 20

Part Five
Mutually Assured Destruction
April 28th
Prologue
Transcript of the Official House High Council's trial of Thomas March after he was captured during the Battle of Floor 47.
Allison October: Mr. Bailiff are you ready?
Neil April: I am, Your Honor.
Allison October: Then please swear in the jury.
Neil April: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury please raise your right hand and repeat after me “I do solemnly swear.
Jury: I do solemnly swear
Neil April: That I declare that I will well and truly try the issue joined between the House and the defendant, and a true verdict render according to the evidence.
Jury: That I declare that I will well and truly try the issue joined between the House and the defendant, and a true verdict render according to the evidence.’
Allison October: Thank you, please take your seats. Council, are you ready to proceed?
Brien May: I am, your honor.
Hugo November: I am, your honor.
Allison October: Very well. Mr. May please give your opening statement.
Brien May: Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, this is a very simple case. The defense council will try and run circles around you and tell you that it isn't that simple and it's all a matter of perspective but in the real world this is a very simple case. This man, Thomas March, was instrumental in beginning the civil war which has caused the death of many many innocent men, women, and children. Mass Murder is defined in the House legal code as, and this is a direct quote, “The unneeded termination of multiple lives by an individual or individuals.” This man was the Vice President of the so called Reformed High Council and, as of last week Three thousand four hundred and thirty nine innocent house of residents have been killed in this war. This is the real world, you all have common sense, I trust that you can work it out?”
Allison October: Mr. November.
Secretary's note: at this point Hugo November begins to applaud.
Allison October: Mr November? What in the name of God are you doing?
Hugo November: I beg pardon your honor but I have to say, bravo Mr May! Bravo! That was exceptionally done. Here, let me shake your hand.
Brien May: Um, Objection.
Allison October: Sustained. Mr. November, what are you doing?
Hugo November: I am congratulating Mr May on a spectacular opening, it really was stellar. But here's the problem...it's a lie.
Brien May: Objection.
Hugo November: I'll rephrase. It's all very clever spin. Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. May took facts and spun them. Lord, he spun them so much and did it so well that even I started to think my client was guilty.
Brien May: Objection.
Hugo November: On what grounds?
Brien May: Your honor, he is defaming my character.
Hugo November: How so? I was complimenting your skillful lawyering.
Allison October: The objection is overruled. ..but Mr. November please try and keep the attacks on the prosecution attorney to a minimum.
Hugo November: I will your honor. Now as I was saying: by the time that Mr. May was done even I thought that my client was guilty, but then I remembered the facts. And the facts tell a very different story. Number one, Thomas March was not one of the leaders of the rebellion, in fact the actual leaders of the rebellion pushed him aside and never actually let him lead anything. Number two, the law may read the way that Mr. May read it but in reality, in this real world that Mr. May is so fond of, the law means something very different. The courts have ruled time and time again in case after case after case that Mass Murder means something very different. Let me read from The House vs. Henry April.
Brien May: Objection, your honor, irrelevant.
Hugo November: Have you read the legal code?
Brien May: Excuse me?
Hugo November: Have you read the House legal code? Because that objection is so idiotic that I find it hard to believe that you have actually read the legal code.
Brien May: Your Honor!
Allison October: Mr. November please refrain from attacking the prosecuting council.
Hugo November: No.
Allison October: What?
Hugo November: No, I will not refrain from attacking the prosecuting council.
Allison October: Mr. November, I am this close to holding you in contempt.
Hugo November: Then do it.
Allison October: Excuse me?
Hugo November: Hold me in contempt, appoint another a defense attorney, we all know that it doesn't matter. This trial has already been tired and I didn't come out to well.
Allison October: That is simply not true. This is an unbiased court.
Hugo November: And Mr May is made of green cheese! Don't insult our intelligence! the military dictator of the House is the prosecutor and the judge is someone who has made numerous statements condemning the accused. My god I'm sorry, I was wrong, how could I possibly have thought that this court is biased?”
Brien May: Your honor, this man is disrespecting this court!
Hugo November: This court deserves no respect! This court is a travesty, why are we even bothering to try this guy? In the olden days we used to just put a bullet through their head!
Allison October: Mr. Bailiff please escort Mr. November out.
Hugo November: First I want to say one thing to Brien May and then I will go happily to my cell.
Allison October: Ok but make it quick.
Hugo October: Just seven words, your honor, just seven words. Mr May, please die a painful death.
Secretary's Note: At this point Hugo October drew a knife and stabbed Brien May. Then he was shot through the head by Neil April.
Allison October: Mr Bailiff! Please call in reinforcements and then take Thomas March into a cell.
End of transcript