Chapter 5
Day 1, morning
The cell was relatively small. Enough room for hir to turn around comfortably, attend the lavatory and the sink without much effort, and the steel cot was nigh useless, but could be folded against the wall for added room, or be used as a desk or eating bed. The walls were twenty hand sized brick high. Fifteen bricks to the steel moulding around the barred window and a pane of marred plexiglass on hir side of the bars with images of swastikas and Humans First emblems that distorted the light of the morning sun. The door was a simple affair large and metal, cold, with a panel to slide food and mail in and out of. Shi could not see anything else, nor could she hear anything else in the area.
Some time during the morning she was fed breakfast. Shi couldn’t identify the contents but figured the brown fluid in the cup was something akin to coffee. There wasn’t even a guard to give the meal, rather an automated serving robot. Gildedtongue picked at the food quietly before starting to eat, sadly realizing that this was probably more nutrients than shi’s had in a meal for ages.
Shi slipped the tray and such out of the slot as the bottom of the tray instructed, probably another robot will come by to clean it up later tonight. Shi sighed softly to hirself, pacing and counting bricks. Without a book or any paper or a data pad, this was going to be very long.
Day 3, morning
Gildedtongue sighed softly to hirself as shi woke up. It took hir a few moments to recall how long shi had been in the cell, two days seemed like an eternity for hir. A message from the server droid beeped that shi would have consul from hir attourney an hour before the proceedings started. That was the first voice shi heard since the guard escourted hir into this room, and it wasn’t even real.
No one had come to talk to hir. Not Frank, nor Dreamweaver or any of hir family. Gildedtongue racked hir brain for anyone else shi might know that hadn’t come, but none came to mind that shi would have ever considered “Friend.”
The room seemed to grow bigger or smaller the more shi paced inside the walls. Shi probably walked a mile without ever leaving the square of the cell. Meals and the light coming through the bars of the window were the only measurement of time in this room. The time could have passed by faster if shi just had someone to talk to.
Day 4, morning
The chakat woke up with a start after another dreamless sleep. It was still dark out and not even the beginnings of dawn poked at the starry sky. The chakat’s hair went on end as shi looked around the room, wondering what woke hir up.
“Hello?” was all that shi could croak out. It had been days since shi last spoke and hir vocal cords were stiff and dry. Shi greeted to the phantoms of the shadows of hir cell a few more times, aching for another voice. Figuring it only nerves the golden brown chakat moved to the corner of the room and wrapped hirself with hir body, aching for self-warmth.
The chakat felt a hand rest on hir shoulder for a moment. This time shi woke up slowly, blinking the sleep from hir eyes before lifting hir head to look at whatever was there. A tall, older chakat sat next to the waking feli’taur, smiling down at hir and reached to stroke over Gildetongue’s hair. “Hey, kiddo. Man, you look like shit.”
Gildedtongue grumbled as shi slowly got up, feeling hir joints crack a bit, “Mmmmph, thanks, Dad, you always know how to make someone feel special.” Gildy looked at the other chakat in the room. Shi was a bit smaller than Gildy, with grey, ratty fur, a ruffled mane, and the long tail of a chakat elder. The slightly younger chakat looked around to see if anyone else came in. Shi saw the locked, solid door and realized that of course no one could have come in and turned to ask Creekstripe just how shi came in, but as shi turned hir head shi realized again, that shi was alone.
“I must be dreaming again,” shi muttered to hirself, at least, shi thought it was just to hirself as shi curled back up again.
The day went on without any more visitors. Gildedtongue spent hir day devising a crude clock using the light out of the window and chiseling hir spoon. Shi failed to remember that the shadow would be sticking outside of the window come midday, but at least hir mornings were less dull, and shi felt at least slightly productive that morning.
Day 4, Evening
For failing to return the spoon shi was punished with smaller rations in the evening. Not that less tasteless food could be considered a true punishment; it did leave hir stomachs growling. Shi idly wondered about hir attourney. Probably some young, fresh out of law school student who drew a short straw, that or a soon-to-be-retiring man who wouldn’t mind losing a case just to feel his own sense of justice. Either way, Gildy didn’t quite hold too much optimism.
“What has caused you to lose your smile, Gildy?” Creekstripe asked hir again. Gildedtongue shivered but figured it just the cooler kicking on. Gildy didn’t turn hir head to even attempt to see who said it. At the same time, why fight insanity when madness always beats out rationale.
“I dunno. The fact that I was already sentenced before the police even arrived?” shi retorted to hir father. Shi knew it wasn’t true, not officially. There will be a trial of inquisitors and shi will be held to whatever the views of those most pure of thought feel shi deserves. HCKNA trials just barely squeak by Federation standards of justice. “Maybe I deserve it, Dad. Maybe not for this crime, but maybe for others.”
“Others? Other crimes? My child, have you been a naughty kitten while your parents weren’t looking?” The grey feili’taur smiled giddily, giving Gildedtongue’s tail a swat. The leonine chakat pulled hir tail away a bit, giving a small growl. Hir father always loved this game, even as a long tail, tormenting other chakat’s tails. The story goes that shi met Gladelong after pouncing on hir tail.
“Maybe not crimes, Dad,” shi muttered, “but, other infractions against humanity.” Shi rubbed hir left arm idly, trying to think. “I mean, I’ve certainly had enough malicious thoughts. And I’ve started to lash out, to both the clergy and children. Children, Dad!” shi sighed softly, rubbing hir temple.
“You haven’t changed a bit, Gildedtongue. Spare the rod to everyone but yourself. You’ve always seemed to enjoy the role of the troubled elder.”
“Someone had to, Dad. You were never exactly one to take things seriously.” Gildedtongue retorted, turning back to hir father, snarling threateningly, “Every single time something went on that could have affected us, you’d just throw up your fucking hands and say ‘that’s the course of things.’ You never tried!” Gilded stood still for a moment, then, realizing shi just went off on hir parent, shi hushed up.
Creekstripe was quiet for a moment; closing hir eyes a moment, then reached out to stroke over Gildedtongue’s ear, “My child. I’m sorry if that was the impression you had, but you know now that without the right sort of power here, it is rather futile to try. I just tried to show you how to adapt. I’m sorry that I appeared the coward, but that wasn’t what I was after.”
The red maned chakat shuddered and leaned into the ear stroking, “I-I know that, Dad. I just am stressed out and angry, I guess.” Shi looked upon the ground a bit more, thinking to hirself for a moment, and then asked, “How did you get here, Dad?”
The longtail smiled to himself and padded over to the door, “What, you never tried the door?” shi asked and proceeded to tug a bit on the handle. The door slowly opened to reveal the hallway, “Heh, when you’ve been in here as often as I have, you know that the big doors are just to frighten you. C’mon.” Gildy’s sire took hir hand and lead hir into the dank hallway. They passed several of the same sorts of door. The food slot was about eye level as Gildy peeked inside. Each cell containing one prisoner; big ones, mean ones, humans, morphs, all represented, however they all had the same thing in common, a broken soul full of hopelessness. Gildy’s empathy was never that well honed; however the degree of despair left hir hearts heavy with grief. Creekstripe saw this and reached to rest hir hand on Gildy’s shoulder, giving a comforting pat, “Please come.”
They went through a door leading out of the hallway. The room felt better, but empty, there wasn’t any feeling. The walls were bare white and the furniture was a simple table and chairs. No art hung upon the walls and in the corner, a Vending Replicator hummed quietly. Gildy’s father pushed some chairs to the side and sat down, a paw moved to offer hir to join. “It’s not much but at least it’s quiet, don’t you think?”
“Dead quiet.” Gildedtongue responded, moving to sit with hir father, looking around the small room. Shi rested hir elbows on the table and let go of a long sigh. “Dad, can I ask you something?” the chakat looked up through hir mane of hair at the other seated centauroid. Hir father nodded and listened to hir child’s inquiry, cocking hir ears towards hir intently. “Why here, Dad? I mean, don’t give me that bullshit about your university job. That ended when I was 13, and yet you, Mom, and I kept living here in this…” Gildedtongue fumbled for the right words, “Holy Hell Hole.”
Creekstripe went silent for a few moments. The moments stretched for an eternity as Gildedtongue looked up to hir sire, hoping for a real answer. The longtail finally sighed and started to speak, “Well, the job was definitely the first reason. I mean, that’s the only reason we moved here. But, you’re right, afterwards it really wasn’t a good reason.” Shi shrugged a bit.
“Well, no good reason is better than no reason, so what was it?” asked Gildedtongue, getting a little frustrated at the roundabout reasoning shi was going through.
Creekstripe gave a half smile as shi looked at hir daughter, “Well, to return the question, what kept you staying here?” Gildedtongue nearly snarled again, but stopped. It was a relatively legitimate question, even though it dodged hir own. Shi settled back down onto hir haunches and thought about it.
“I guess that even despite having no real power in this government, I still wanted to try and make a difference for the better. I guess that’s why I started to teach; to help people fulfill their potential.” Shi sighed a bit, slumping atop of the table, looking up as shi felt most of hir energy drained from trying to think. “But, why here? I mean, we could have done a better job in Australia, Europe, or any of the stars in the galaxy! Here it just felt like breaking your hands against a wall trying to get it to move, nothing seemed to do anything!” Gildedtongue hushed a shout, feeling tears of frustration welling in hir eyes.
Creekstripe rubbed hir daughter’s head softly, reassuring hir, “You haven’t been that ineffective, Gildedtongue. Sure, the majority of your students probably will never have been helped, and most of them not helped by anyone else. But teaching isn’t about numbers, it’s about the few that actually do get it and do become better for it.” The longtail caressed hir child’s back, trying to calm hir down.
Gildedtongue exhaled a long breath before blinking hir eyes clear of tears again, gulping down hir throat, “I still haven’t forgiven myself for killing you, Dad.” Shi muttered under hir breath. Shi yelped at a clap to hir ears and felt hir head being picked up by the sore cranial appendage, looking at the very stern face of hir sire.
“Gildedtongue, you still blame yourself for that? No wonder you haven’t done anything or gotten close to anyone since.” Creekstripe scolded and sighed a bit, letting go of Gildedtongue’s head. The leonine chakat sat up a bit more, looking intently at the table between them.
“But, Dad, a week after, you…” Gildedtongue started, but was quickly cut off by Creekstripe. Hir ears pressed against hir skull and hir tail wrapped around hir haunches in defense.
“A week later I passed on because of complications and my body just shut down. It happens, Gildedtongue, you’re not God.” The older chakat stood up and wrapped hir arms around hir child, “I’m sorry that I caused you such grief. Maybe it was my fault for asking you to make love. I just wanted to make you happy.”
Gildedtongue bit hir tongue, crying a bit more in hir father’s embrace, “No, no, it wasn’t your fault. I just…” shi started, then recollected hir thoughts, “I just take everything unto myself like always. I guess I still have a lot of growing up to do. I-I love you, Dad.” Shi muttered under hir breath, allowing hirself to purr.
Creekstripe nodded to hirself, stroking hir daughter’s cheek a bit, “I know. I love you too, Gildedtongue. But I must go now. You must now fight for your life without me. You won’t be alone for long, I assure you.”
Gildedtongue held still while the arms that held hir slowly faded away. Hir eyes held closed for a moment longer. Slowly they reopened to see that the chakat was in a ruined city, hir home. Buildings were burning and the streets lay in ruins. Shi looked around hirself for a moment, seeing a discarded vibroblade. Shi picked up the longsword and gave it a few swishes in hir hand, getting a feel for the weapon.
Shi didn’t have long alone, however. Shi turned slowly behind hir. A lumbering hulk of metal and madness slowly walked towards hir. Shi recognized it as the Christian Army’s Power armour from the Gene War. Shi readied hir blade, staring at hir adversary. The metal beast saluted with its own claymore, then opened its helmet for a moment. Gildedtongue nearly dropped hir weapon as shi saw a familiar golden furred muzzle peering out of the helmet.
It was hir. Gildedtongue shook hir head rapidly to ready hirself, shi had to win. Shi stared for a moment more before the powered monstrosity made two quick moments. Shi couldn’t keep up with it as the blade broke through hir defenses and penetrated hir chest. Gildedtongue screamed in pain as shi felt the electric current from the blade course through hir body.
Day 6, Evening.
Gildedtongue blinked hir eyes open as shi awoke. The pain of the sword started to fade as a greater one filled hir chest. The chakat lifted hir head slowly to see a number of men above hir in surgical garb. Hir eyes went wide as shi looked at hirself, seeing a large needle stuck through hir chest. The doctors continued to push a yellowish liquid into what felt like hir heart. A nurse near hir head saw hir open hir eyes as she yelped, “The Adrenaline is working, shi’s awake!” the chakat yowled as the pain came to fully register as shi passed out again. Shaken, but stable, now.
Day 7, morning.
Gildedtongue was apparently unconscious and barely alive since the evening of the fourth day. Hir body was already repairing hirself from the shock of surgery. Apparently the correctional facility hadn’t changed its medical practices since before the war. Gildedtongue supposed it was easier trying dead people than living people.
The chakat put on the fresh clothing shi was offered by the server bot along with hir breakfast. The food was slightly less vile today, shi wasn’t sure if that was for the trial, or the fact that shi nearly died. Either way shi made a small prayer of thanks before consuming the meal.
An hour later a guard, a real, human guard, appeared and brandished his stunstick at the crushed chakat. Shi followed his barked orders; silently thanking him for acknowledging hir presence and reminding hir that shi was real. Shi donned on the tail cuff first, then slowly cuffed hir hands behind hir join, The guard made sure they were secure before sheathing his weapon.
Shi was lead to the court where shi met hir attourney. Shi was right on the first account, as the student seemed to be barely out of hir own classes. He looked over Gildedtongue’s file again and sighed softly, “Look, I’m not even sure what you did or why you did it. I just got this case last night. But I’m going to tell you to plead guilty. No one’s dead, so maybe you’ll only get a few years in prison.” The squirrelly boy said. Gildedtongue only nodded.
The Judge slowly approached from the rear out of a pair of heavy wooden doors. He stared at the court, seeing the appointed jury, then at the accused. “Chakat Gildedtongue, you have been charged with assault on a minor, and the destruction of private property. How do you plead?”
Gildedtongue felt in a daze. Shi wasn’t sure what to say. Hir brain told hir to follow the advice of hir council, but that just didn’t feel right. Shi gulped again, trying to find words, but all that came was a growl deep in hir chest.
“Shir Gildedtongue, how do you plead?” the judge repeated, getting a bit irritated already. Gildedtongue already saw this as going down hill as shi looked upon the floor again and resigned.
“I am guilty of these sins, Inquisitor.”
The room felt like all the energy and life was sucked out of it at that moment as the chakat resigned hirself to fate.
“Very well, the Defendant pleads hir innocence. The accused’s fate shall be put to the test starting on the morrow. Dismissed!”
Gildedtongue jerked hir head up. Hir eyes gone wide as hir mouth became barren of fluid. They didn’t want a trial; they wanted a show of good triumphing over evil.
Gildedtongue’s ordeals were far from over.
