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Prologue
The eleven judges of the world tribunal walked silently into the chamber. They all had the tired look that everyone had become used to in a world gone to war. Their solemn nature did not seem to reflect the fact that it was all coming to an end. The only sound was the scraping of chair legs on the ancient wooden floor as they took their respective seats. The courtroom, as well as the world watching on the vid transmission, awaited their ruling. It was not so much that the ruling was in doubt, it was just a tired and abused world very much needing the closure of hearing it.
The Supreme Justice of the tribunal looked over the packed courtroom and took a moment to reflect on the events that had brought them all to this time and place. Five hundred years of high intensity warfare…five hundred years of billions laying dead in the streets…five hundred years of destroying the planet that they all loved. It was hard for him to believe that these ten prisoners before him were responsible for every last tragedy. For the first time in his one hundred year career on the bench he questioned his society’s rule against the death penalty. If ever an exception should be made…but no. No, that was the type thinking that these criminals hoped to foster in everyone. The solution that had been decided on was the best. Enough! It was time for him to pass sentence to the criminals and to address his world. He straightened his robe and his back . He avoided looking at the criminals and looked squarely into the camera.
“Ceasar, Cleopatra, Shakka, Bismark, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mao, Joan, Abraham, Smoke-Jaguar…You stand convicted before this court of the most heinous crimes against humanity. The blood on your hands is without parallel in our world’s history. The billions that died at your hands and the billions more that died bringing you to justice cry out for our strongest punishment.” The Supreme Justice now hardened his look and his resolve and faced the criminals squarely. “It has been decided that you shall be banished from this world for the rest of your natural lives. A ship will be constructed that will be capable of transporting you to a primitive world that will sustain your retched lives. There you shall live among the heathens until death claims your worthless souls. Your passion for war and violence shall be eliminated from our world. Your supporters will be hunted down and imprisoned. The cycle of violence that you inflicted upon us is at an end. There is no appeal…there is no reprieve. This judgement is final and will be carried out immediately upon completion of the transport ship. This is the will of the people.”
There…it was done. Finally, the centuries of war that these leaders had imposed on this world were over. The world was united and now at peace. So to were the justices of the tribunal. The only unnerving moment was Bismark as he was being drug from the courtroom in chains yelling “I will return! If it takes me five thousand years, I will return!” The justices all silently trembled at this remark.
The sentence was carried out as imposed. The transport ship ejecting the life pod of each leader at various points around this primitive world. It did seem that there were some wondering bands of humanoids down there but that was the least of the worries of the ships crew. They were simply happy to have this filthy duty behind them. They smiled on their return trip knowing that the warmongers could no longer practice their evil craft.
-My first attempt! Be gentle. All criticism is welcome and appreciated. I recognize that many on this board have far greater expertise as writers than I could ever hope to. Still, I have gotten such enjoyment out of your stories that I felt compelled to contribute. Enjoy.
The eleven judges of the world tribunal walked silently into the chamber. They all had the tired look that everyone had become used to in a world gone to war. Their solemn nature did not seem to reflect the fact that it was all coming to an end. The only sound was the scraping of chair legs on the ancient wooden floor as they took their respective seats. The courtroom, as well as the world watching on the vid transmission, awaited their ruling. It was not so much that the ruling was in doubt, it was just a tired and abused world very much needing the closure of hearing it.
The Supreme Justice of the tribunal looked over the packed courtroom and took a moment to reflect on the events that had brought them all to this time and place. Five hundred years of high intensity warfare…five hundred years of billions laying dead in the streets…five hundred years of destroying the planet that they all loved. It was hard for him to believe that these ten prisoners before him were responsible for every last tragedy. For the first time in his one hundred year career on the bench he questioned his society’s rule against the death penalty. If ever an exception should be made…but no. No, that was the type thinking that these criminals hoped to foster in everyone. The solution that had been decided on was the best. Enough! It was time for him to pass sentence to the criminals and to address his world. He straightened his robe and his back . He avoided looking at the criminals and looked squarely into the camera.
“Ceasar, Cleopatra, Shakka, Bismark, Elizabeth, Catherine, Mao, Joan, Abraham, Smoke-Jaguar…You stand convicted before this court of the most heinous crimes against humanity. The blood on your hands is without parallel in our world’s history. The billions that died at your hands and the billions more that died bringing you to justice cry out for our strongest punishment.” The Supreme Justice now hardened his look and his resolve and faced the criminals squarely. “It has been decided that you shall be banished from this world for the rest of your natural lives. A ship will be constructed that will be capable of transporting you to a primitive world that will sustain your retched lives. There you shall live among the heathens until death claims your worthless souls. Your passion for war and violence shall be eliminated from our world. Your supporters will be hunted down and imprisoned. The cycle of violence that you inflicted upon us is at an end. There is no appeal…there is no reprieve. This judgement is final and will be carried out immediately upon completion of the transport ship. This is the will of the people.”
There…it was done. Finally, the centuries of war that these leaders had imposed on this world were over. The world was united and now at peace. So to were the justices of the tribunal. The only unnerving moment was Bismark as he was being drug from the courtroom in chains yelling “I will return! If it takes me five thousand years, I will return!” The justices all silently trembled at this remark.
The sentence was carried out as imposed. The transport ship ejecting the life pod of each leader at various points around this primitive world. It did seem that there were some wondering bands of humanoids down there but that was the least of the worries of the ships crew. They were simply happy to have this filthy duty behind them. They smiled on their return trip knowing that the warmongers could no longer practice their evil craft.
-My first attempt! Be gentle. All criticism is welcome and appreciated. I recognize that many on this board have far greater expertise as writers than I could ever hope to. Still, I have gotten such enjoyment out of your stories that I felt compelled to contribute. Enjoy.
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