S1 Chapter 5, The Trial Pending

EPISODE FIVE

2020 AC/DC
Holy Wood Greater Courthouse. Day. . . . .

Dawn and Richi sat in the front row. Rosie was absent. Plenty had turned out for the hearing, they always did when Star was involved. She herself was sitting before the judge with her many managers and representatives . They all appeared anxious to an extreme, so unlike her She simply sat with a slight grin and wide, hopeful, eyes. The accuser this time was a small town Sheriff who sat on the other side of the room, waiting for his legal adviser friends form the BOC to arrive so that they may begin.

The Sheriff was a plain faced man with dark hair and grey eyes. He was a respected officer of his village and there were never problems with the people he looked after. But he was tired of his simple life, his grandfather took part in the Rebellion all those years ago. The man was ashamed of his lowly status as Sheriff compared to the higher military ranks his grandfather carried. Unhappy with his internal failure, during a drinking binge he was approached at a bar by an old BOC man with a proposition. Side with the BOC and help pursue a case against the Queen to once again dethrone her.

They were only allowed to voice any grievances they had before the Queen herself and an assorted gathering of councilors would listen and if anything cuaght the attention of the Council, only then was it pursued. To bypass this rule, the BOC hired an unhappy man to launch the trial, which he was allowed to do as a citizen of Holy Wood. All this went through his mind as he was leading an attempt to charge her for illegal witch craft.

His palms were clammy as he looked over the “evidence” he claimed stacked up against her. Even he had little hope. An assortment of interviews from a girl and her friends about her sexual encounters with the Queen and what happened during one particular evening. The girl was known to have consorted intimately with the Queen many times before-

“Sheriff Tam.”

Tam looked up, interrupted from his thoughts. Tam was short for Tamascus. “Aye,” he replied. “I was going over things.”

His partner was a representative of the BOC, they shook hands, one of the many who served the BOC. He was a legal adviser, a priest in the their main center of worship, the City. He was dressed in the customary dark blue robes of priesthood and had the greying brown hair of an elder man, but the Sheriff knew he was cursed by the Queen herself. Current BOC members were all cursed to never age and age they never did. This one was a particular advocate against the Queen and she allowed him to operate as an organization, she called it “being fair”.

“I am so happy you agreed to lead this case Mr. Tam, being our friend in these times is well appreciated. You have the gratitude of the BOC. With unlawful magic present no court will let her go free, the girl gave us detailed accounts about the Boy and what he looked like. Not to mention all the witnesses on the night of the raid, need I remind you?”

Tam shook his head, he was dressed in his uniform, distinguished, presentable. He had short hair of deep color that he kept slicked back. He had a plain straight goatee and a simple mustache that was manly but not domineering. He was strong, but lean and unassuming. But with a cough to clear his throat he straightened his lapels and looked to the task at hand. He needed composure and he was going to force it out of himself, he had to win this case. If he lost, he would become a laughing stock.

“No need for reminders, I've read the accounts of the soldiers present. They gave what is deemed honest testimony.”

“Yes, most of them.” The Priest said. He beamed a smile.

Tam looked at him. “What?”

“COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!” The Bailiff, a tall, strong man of bald head, braod shoulder and mean eyes stood to the side of the judge.

“The Judge stood and waved for all to sit as he took his seat. An old man with dark blue eyes. He wore his black robes and white wig of justice as they all took their seats.

He looked to the queen and nodded. “Welcome back your highness. I assume you will play fair.”

She nodded. “Yes your honor.” She looked to her left and smiled at the accusing.

The judge looked to them too. “And you as well will be respectful to your Queen and truthful with the evidence.”

Sheriff and Priest nodded. The judge smiled once and then let his mouth droop into a frown of natural state. He began and called Star to the stand, which she gladly danced forward to sit at. Once seated he 'hmpfed' at her antics and droned on with the charges.

“You are detained here this day to stand trial accused of practice of unlawful magic, therein described as 'consorting with the gates of hell and Satan himself to summon a devil child'. As well as this, the accusation of underage, nonparental consented-or acknowledged-sexual conduct with an unmarried girl of sixteen is brought forth and recognized today before those attending.”

Dawn sighed, bowed her head, and smacked her palm to her forehead. Of course her mother would have those charges presented against her. She was disgusted with the realization-once again- that her mother was a dark magic using pervert. Richi stared at her with his dark eyes, unreadable. On the stand Star merely sighed in preparation and nodded.

“I understand and acknowledge these accusations your honor,” she said.

“How do you plead before the court?”

“Not guilty.”

The courtroom erupted in noise of all kinds. Screams, shouts, good and bad. Against or with her. Outraged parents paid to stand there and scream discontent. The judge banged rapidly on his stand to silence the crowd and it wasn't until the Bailiff stood and went to an apparent stand covered in black satin. But he pulled the cover away to reveal an amp. He turned on a switch and Star covered her ears at the sound of feed back that went unnoticed by the crowds. Tam watched the Queen and followed suit just as the Bailiff brought a guitar out of a hidden panel cabinet and plugged it to the amp. He strummed to test it and then strummed again and shook the house.

The noise vibrated all through the court room, shaking the people to their cores. When the wave of sound ended he strummed once more and brought them to their knees. With their submission as a single crowd clear, he set the guitar down and the judge cleared his throat. The people paid close attention now. Star smiled and tried not to laugh, the power of the guitar always amazed her.

“You said Not Guilty?”

“Yes, yes I did,” she was so proud.

“Why is that?” The judge droned on in a sarcastic way, he knew her. He had heard many stories, presided over several of her cases, and knew that she was confident. The ones who accused her were the ones he was waiting to be impressed by.

“Permission to speak my case freely your honor?” She asked.

“As long as it pertains to your reasons for pleading not guilty you may proceed.”

“Oh that they do.” She licked her lips, dried from the joint she smoked right before coming in. She cleared her throat. “I want to clearly state here and now that in the case of underage, noparentrental sexual-”

“Or acknowledged!” Tam shouted.

The priest smiled and nodded.

She continued. “Conduct with an underage, unwed girl of sixteen. I believe we met through a social gathering at the time. You see , your honor, I was well beyond inebriated and truly unaware in such celebratory times that the seemingly young Woman,” she stressed the word 'woman'. “who approached me was indeed a young girl. I was fooled your honor!” She shouted in dramatic flair and flopped forward in her seat, putting her head on her shoulders in apparent grief of being so horribly duped. “I am but a product of my people, I feel them, and I become one with them. The girl, who as I said I did not know was so young, merely was trying to express her happiness, which as Queen I live for, and I accepted to have her by my side that night. I am sorry to inform the court, that by the time I stand accused of fornicating with her, knowing she was underage, is based on a night of intoxicated misunderstanding. Many were there, and many can testify to my lack of clear headed knowledge of my actions.”

“In other words,” the judge said. “You are saying that you were intoxicated during a celebration and in the middle of it you were led to believe that a sixteen year old girl was a twenty year old girl.”

“Ah, but that I wish I even had ever guessed her age.” Star replied. “I never asked her age, she assured me she was a young woman of proper age.”

“Your honor I object!” Tam shouted.

“Proceed.” He droned.

Star looked at him expectantly as he approached. He found the strength in him to stand up against her, she didn't look terrifying. Pretty, but not terrifying.

“You admit to being highly intoxicated at a social celebration last night?”

“I do.”

“And you're claiming that in that time a young girl pretended to be a grown woman and seduced you?”

“Actually I-”

“Yes or no?” He rushed her.

“Yes.”

“Who exactly can prove this?”

She chuckled. “Well who do you want first? They're all here,” She motioned to the crowds.

He called a man forward and faced him on the stand. “Did you see your Queen intoxicated on the night she stands accused of fornication with knowledge of age?”

“Aye sir, I saw her that night with the girl.”

“Oh you know this girl?” Tam asked excitedly.

“Of course, she sneaks out with a group of us all the time. We dress up older and pretend to be other names to get into more parties and clubs.” He started laughing.

“Thanks a lot Dane!” A young girl from the audience shouted.

“Order in the court!” The Judge shouted. “I will remove you if you do that again!”

There was silence. The boy was excused. The Sheriff sat down.

“I gather that the rest of you who would testify have the same opinion? Raise your hands if you agreed with that young man there. If you agree that the Queen was intoxicated to the point of being unable to recognize woman from girl.” The judge called upon those present to participate en mass.

Many raised hands.

“If you saw your Queen that night she is accused and she was NOT intoxicated enough to be blind to the difference between a girl and a woman, raise your hands please.” He asked again.

There were fewer hands, three. Two when one fell to retract their vote.

The judge nodded. “Jury what say you?” He turned to the crowd of dignitaries and random village people in the jury box. The lead juror stood to announce their answer.

“She is Not Guilty of having knowledge of-”

“We know what it was,” the judge interrupted. “The next matter is more pressing. Practice of unlawful magic. With testimony available, Tamascus of Holy Wood, Sheriff of the village known as Sativa Bayeux, will come forward to present this evidence. Star please return to the stand.”

She did. Tam turned to the Priest.

“Do not worry,” the Priest said, even though he seemed more nervous than Tam. “This is the serious part. Now go as we spoke about and share what you know. Remember what I said, say what I did.”

Tam nodded and stood up. He approached.

“The girl, who I can not name, the one from your now pardoned under-aged knowledge accusation, gave testimony to you showing her the Boy who was summoned.” He came closer and gave a stack of pages to the Judge who shuffled through them. “As you will read, she says that one night, after her first sexual encounter with the Queen, she was taken to the Queen's manor on the outskirts of the city. To Blackmoore Manor where she grew up.”

He faced the crowds. The girl in the crowd who they spoke of was ashamed of betraying her queen. Her parents forced her too.

“The dear girl stated that after fornicating, the Queen introduced her to a young boy of twelve or thirteen in appearance. He slept in a nest of constructed blankets in the dark steam, natural springs that Star Dust built her laboratories in during her times as Lady Blackmoore. The guards who assisted the arresting group of police the day of the raid, can all give testimony to the laboratories I refer to. Its all here,” he held up another stack of papers.

Star knew that the arresting officers were BOC followers. This was unfortunate but of no issue. Let him have this knowledge.

“How do you counter your highness?” The judge asked her.

She shrugged. “I did have the boy in my manor house at that time. I did show him to the girl in confidence of her silence.”

“So you admit to summoning him?” The priest suddenly piped up.

“No, I said I harbored him.”

“How is that different?!”

“I found him wandering the fields below my house. I took him in. I had no idea he was a demonic being if he was at all.”

The priest stared at her as if she had struck him.

“Then how do you account for blasting him off into space when the raid was conducted on your manor?” Tam demanded to know.

“I grew attached to him, having nos sons of my own. When I was informed that men were seen in the distance, fast approaching, I believed it to be an attack from a Spyder Gang and in a panic I sent him off into Space.”

“Who can prove your attachment and finding the boy?” Tam was brimming with anxiety and doubt.

“Watch your temper Mr Tamascus,” the wig adorned judge growled at him.

“My apologies your honor. I ask again, do you have a witness that can testify to that statement?”

“Yes, my cousin Richi. He was with me that night I found the Boy.”

Richi stood. The Judge addressed him with a nod and the command to speak the truth.

“I saw it your honor,” he said. “I was there for the evening when she went outside and miraculously came back with a child in tow. She is maternal and it was no surprise that she took him in. Given her current status with the Spyders, she was indeed confused.”

The Judge nodded and grumbled as he sat back in his seat.

Tam had one last effort. “If you did not summon him, you still harbored him.”

“That's not what my accusation being debated here stated.”

“No but you know where he is. You do.”

“This is true,” Judge man said. “This is very serious your highness. Consorting with demonic forces raises suspicion, and pardon me, of dangerous black magic that you yourself proclaimed unlawful to use in accordance with your reconstruction of the law book. You set down these laws to prevent those of demonic nature to be summoned and used in times of conflict.”

“I am aware,” she said to him. “But alas, I do not know where he went. I sent him into space with the expectation he would return in a few days when danger lifted. But he was thrown into orbit and I lost his signal long ago.” She looked down in apparent sadness.

“The matter of this trial was to deem that she herself practiced unlawful black magic that raised a demon from Hades. With the testimony of Sir Richi Blackmoore-”

“And that of my entire staff.” Richi held up his own stack of papers. He took them to the Judge as he droned on.

“With Sir Richi's testimony and that of his staff,” he passed the papers to the Bailiff who passed them to the jury to inspect. “With what was has been given, I proclaim that she is Not Guilty of practicing unlawful black magic as stated. Mr Tamascus Bay, if you wish to pursue a trial for her harboring a fugitive you must arrange a separate hearing.”

As he continued with his sentences, the crowds were beginning to bubble with talk.

“Also, as for her crime of underage fornication, that too, from the testimony given, is found to be False due to the level of intoxication that blinded our Queen's judgement. Star Dust Moorison of Holy Wood, I the presiding Judge Kruhl, find you innocent of your crimes put forth by the provided evidence of Sheriff Tamascus Bay of Sativa Bayuex. Unless the jury cane provide further counter argument in the next week, you are free to go today.”

Star got up from her stand, and everyone knew full well that once the jury placed every single, individual testimony in order, that the truth would be a white paper road all the way out of the court room, following the Queen. The trial was not officially over, the jury still had a week to decide their final answer. But she knew that what she had provided was sufficient enough to prove the Tamascus fellow wrong.

Tamascus looked to the Priest but the BOC man was just as astounded. The Sheriff was hallow, he dreaded the return to Sativa Bayuex, absolutely dreaded it.

Richi and Dawn left with Star the same way they all came, through the front doors. Reporters and photographers stormed the front steps but Star pushed them away and entered the horse drawn carriage waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Inside was black and the curtains thick, Dawn got in with Star and Richi took up in a car behind them. Star lit a joint, puffed, and passed to Dawn. Her daughter was silent, that was not good.

“That's not what you told me when I bailed you out after the raid,” she said. “You told me that it was all true. You used magic to summon the Boy.”

“Yes, and Richi was there with me. We did it together, a mix of science and magic combined. Oh it was a spectacular sight!” Star was joyfully reminiscing.

Dawn drew on the joint. “I would hardly call summoning demon boys Spectacular.”

“His name is Angus, my baby Angus.” She smiled. “ He is coming back soon. You will grow to accept him.”

“Ha! A demon as my brother? Not a chance you crazy bat.” She eyed her mother. “He wasn't the bastard king you wanted him to be.”

“The witch said I would put the next king on the throne and the king would be a bastard.”

“Maybe it was a figure of speech.” Dawn rolled her eyes.

“No, it meant a real bastard.”

“So you and Richi had a bastard? But you didn't carry him you summoned him. Even if you presented it to the courts that way it would never work.” The Princess stared hard at Star. “You are deranged.”

Star shrugged. “I am, and no, he is not the bastard I thought he would be. A bastard, but not The bastard.”

“Stop fighting it mother!” She said suddenly. “Put me as queen if you want a successor so badly.”

Star leaned forward and held Dawn's face in her hands. She smiled and her eyes welled with tears. “I would rather sacrifice the life of a bastard boy rather than my only living daughter. I lost two daughters, if you become queen on earth you will die.”

“Ok ok, you keep being crazy,” Dawn pulled away. “You'll give up one day.”

Her mother wanted to say more, but she couldn't. It was useless to explain that the witch who said she would bare a bastard king, also said her daughters of earth would rule red sands. Star only knew of one place with red sand, it was far away and no Earthling had been there in many years. She saw it in her dreams and knew she had been there once before.

However, she went on. “I've heard of a new band on the Great Southern Island. Prince Malcom is a rather talented musician you know.”

“I assume this is the band your Angus is a part of?”

“Yes,” Star was proud from afar. “They're coming soon.....He is coming with them, and not just Angus.”

Dawn faced her. “He?”

She nodded.

Her daughter knew that the man and subject was trouble and didn't feel in the mood for opening that conversation. She knocked on the roof of the carriage. It stopped.

“Driver halt!” She stood and exited. “I'm going to spend some time in town mother, Rosie is being looked after. Remember, she does not go out after dark!” She slammed the door closed before Star could speak otherwise.

The Queen was sent on alone, tired, and was no more aware of the man sitting above her. His blue eyes were hidden under a drivers three cornered sun hat and a tall neckline from his coat against the winds growing colder. He watched her daughter go into the nearest tavern and many people hailed her as she went. What a strange family, he thought. He drove the Queen to the castle and she didn't look at him as she went inside, smoke from a joint on her lips trailing behind her. He would visit her before he left to go back south but until then he slipped in to carry out his driver charade and just as Sir Blackmoore came into view, Bon-the driver in disguise- slipped away.