SEIA38

=Chapter 38=
==Silent enim inter arma: Tribunals==
Unity City
North America, Terra
Sol Star System
Republic of the Sphere
3079
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[...Prisoner Visiting Room]
"...it's a chimera." Elizabeth was granting an interview with the permission of Stone's government, to a Donegal Broadcasting journalist. "It's been six hundred years since anyone has been held accountable for their actions in wartime.  Can you imagine that? Even the Rimjobs didn't face war-crimes tribunals, our ancestors just killed them in revenge."
"but...you're the defendant."
"I'm being held accountable, Klaus.  This is historic.  Innocent or guilty, our civilization is doing the adult thing for once, and actually looking at what happens when weapons are used instead of negotiation, instead of thought, instead of understanding.  This is us, collectively as a society, doing the adult thing...addressing whether the ends justify the means, asking if some means really aren't on the table."  she shrugged, "I may be convicted, but at least those questions, after centuries of massacre, genocide, and weapons of mass destruction, are being asked."
"Do you feel what you did to Geneva was called for?"
"Personally, strategically, or tactically?" Elizabeth asked him, "Warfare when it reaches the civilian populace is never moral. It may be necessary, but that doesn't make it good or right.  We can't put the men who sited that command bunker on trial, because I already killed them or they were already dead when I got here, but there must be a limit. Alarion is a death-world now, no-one can go there in safety and no-one ever will.  Necromo? same thing.  Odessa's a bleak and blighted hole now, billions are dead.  Do you realize that even if I'm found guilty, I'm not even the worst mass killer in this war?  There has to be a damned limit!!"
"Does it really affect you though??" he asks
"Ask the people who confiscate my shoelaces and belt every night." Elizabeth said, "Yes, God yes.  How could it not?  I ordered the premeditated deaths of twelve point one seven five million human beings to destroy a bunker complex manned by a few thousand.  In my mind, it was necessary. I would do it again, but without someone checking how can I be sure? Rely on intelligence reports? Reports have been wrong before.  Rely on judgement? My judgement could be impaired by poor information, or prejudiced by personal attitudes? There is only one way to be certain what I did was the correct action. It's not whether we won, but what comes out of that end-state...placing me on trial, having a panel of others not of my choosing review and judge those actions? It's a good start.  You as well as I, know that we will also be judged by history if it bothers to remember us, but that won't make those people any less dead."
"What will happen if you are convicted?" he asks Elizabeth
"I will accept my sentence, we're setting precedents here, Klaus.  I can hardly expect special treatment and still consider this. This being held accountable, to be historic or valuable.  If I am found guilty, and if they sentence me to die, I will accept it, because this is important for the future.  if I am found to be not guilty of a crime, I will not be disappointed!" she smiled, "I will go home, I will hang up the uniform and pray I never wear another one...but the truth must come out, people must be held accountable, even in victory, or worse can happen."
"What is your ideal end-state, Duchess Ngo?"
"That the concept of international law take root, that national governments observe that yes, there are in fact limits to what is acceptable conduct, that war become less the first-resort and more the resort taken when all other options truly have been exhausted. That militaries teach their members that some acts are beyond the pale. Unacceptable, that it be upheld and enforced.  We can't eliminate war from society, but we can maybe establish firm limits and resurrect the theory of a Just War, rather than just having another war.  I am willing to face execution for that goal.  Peter seems to agree with me on this, which is comforting in its way."
"Do you think you have a chance to achieve...vindication? that the trial panel will find you to be not-guilty?"
"My chances are better today, than they were when we started." Elizabeth stated.  "When I surrendered, I considered my eventual fate sealed-a show trial and an execution. This has turned out to be anything BUT a show trial, and my chances have improved as a result."
"Is there anything else you would like to say to our viewers? Anyone you would like to call out to?"
"To my children, Patrick and Amanda, I love you both and mind your studies, to my Husband, I am doing my best, and I love you.  To my brother, I forgive you." she said, "To everyone else? Be safe and good to one another."
"This is Klaus Maffei, Donegal Broadcast News Terra desk, on location, good night."
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[...Elsewhere in Unity City]
"What's this?" Seether asked.
"We found it settles Blakist POW's down.  Maybe it's one of your 'Triggers'."  Captain Leroy Fauchard was AFFS, and he sort of chased her down at the Lyran Embassy.
She looked at the picture.  "Looks pretty cheesy." she said.
"Hey, don't blame me." he shrugged, "I don't know why it works, but it works on about half the Blakies we tested it on after retaking New Avalon."
Huh.
"That's...interesting."  Seether said, "You know, I've seen that image before."
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