The Centurion - 24. Chapter 24

Chapter Eleven:

The Trial

The power of the Legatio Senate derives from the fact that all laws are

written by that esteemed body. That power is restricted, however, by

the ability of the Field Marshals to pass laws by decree. Only when the

three are divided among themselves can the Senate use its influence

and act to bring about a resolution...

An excerpt from “The Legatio’s Sword”, written by Senator Perils

When Jason was finally allowed out of his cell, he was cold, wet and running a fever. Taken to a Legatio healer, he was force fed a white chalky potion, which soon put him into a deep sleep. Awakening, he found he was in a different cell this time, dry and well lit. Alex, and Philip were there, hovering over their mother, who was coughing. Standing next to him, touching his face with a cool cloth was Jonathan.

“Philip?” Jason called out as he stood up, his body still shaking with fever.

“Yes Jason,” Philip said as he walked to him. He looked tired, dirty, but otherwise fine.

“Where are we?” Jason asked as he wrapped his arms around Philip for comfort.

“In a holding cell,” Philip said as he put a hand on Jason’s forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“Sick, but not as bad as before.”

“Good, the healer did his job then.” Philip sighed.

“All he did was give me something to drink,” Jason replied.

“And do you know what was in that potion?” Philip asked.

“No...” Jason admitted.

“It was milk mixed with ground Centurion bone. It is the only thing we know that can heal a Legatio other than using anima,” Philip explained while his mother coughed.

Jason looked worriedly at Philip’s mother, she did not seem to be well. “Is she sick?”

“Yes she is,” Philip said sadly.

Jason stumbled onto his feet. “Can’t the healers help her?”

“No they cannot.”

Not understanding, Jason replied; “Why can’t they give her the same potion I was given?’

“No... only Centurions and Legatio are allowed to consume the bone, blood, and anima of a Centurion.

“I’m sorry, Philip,” Jason said as his face burst into tears, his cheek brushing against Philip’s unshaven face.

This time Philip did not stop Jason for saying he was sorry. Instead he hugged Jason close to him.

“Philip... bring the boy over here,” his mother said in a weak, hoarse voice.

Philip took Jason over and lowered him to his knees, Philip’s mother grabbing hold of Jason’s hands. “Take care of my children.”

Jason did not know how to respond to this. Until that moment he had felt that it was Philip and Alex who had taken care of him. But it was what she wanted, so he agreed. “I will.”

“Now give me a kiss and go rest. I need to talk to my sons alone.”

“Yes,” Jason replied before depositing his kiss on her forehead.

Jason went back to his bunk and watched as Philip and Alex listened to the last words their mother. Then both of them stood up, crossed their mother’s arms over her chest before walking over to Jason.

Jason stared at both of them as they went on their knees, resting their heads on his stomach and chest. Jason took his hands and placed them on top of both their heads. They cried against Jason and he cried with them. Then Philip, his face red with tears, lifted Jason off the bunk and brought him down on the floor. With Alex snuggled behind him and Philip nuzzling him from the front, Jason let the two brothers mourn their mother, using him for comfort.

It was another two days before they were brought before the surviving Field Marshals for trial. This time it was Lukas who looked angry and Xavier with the cheerful smile. Outside the Grand Hall the sounds of loud shouting could be heard.

“You three stand accused of insubordination, misuse of military supplies, and inciting a riot. How do you plea?” Lukas said darkly.

“Innocent,” all three of them replied, just as Philip had told them to.

Lukas’s face went even redder with rage. “Innocent... INNOCENT! You are all guilty!” Lukas fumed, almost getting out of his massive chair.

“Let them present their case,” Xavier said calmly.

Lukas sank back into his chair. “Fine!”

“Who will speak for the defense?” a voice called out into the Grand Hall.

“I will,” Perils replied as he stepped in with a sly smile on his face.

“Senator Perils... why are you inserting yourself into this,” Lukas demanded, suspicious of the politician.

“Looking out for the innocent, Field Marshal,” Perils said with a mocking bow.

Lukas gave the three defendants a look of pure hate. “These men are not innocent.”

“That is the first mistake of this case, Field Marshal. I only see one man charged.” Perils smiled.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, are not Alex, son of Dosa Helios, and Jason, son of Agamemnon Argot, minors and Jonathan, Jason’s servant? Not to mention that Jason is also a Legatio and Jonathan was General Agamemnon’s last lover. How can they be charged with insubordination if they are not part of a Legion? They are not under your command or that of any officer.”

“They live in C-5-7’s house,” Lukas pointed out.

“Yes... but then they would have been insubordinate against Commander Philip, not you. Philip, were Alex and Jason being insubordinate.”

“They were being reckless, yes, but they did not go against my orders,” Philip replied.

“So you admit that you told them to feed the traitors!” Lukas pointed, this time getting out of his chair.

“No, I did not, nor did I tell then they could not feed the Famulus,” Philip said adamantly.

“What about the misuse of military resources,” Lukas demanded, moving on to the next charge.

“I think the period of mourning explains that. With the curfew and the Famulus at the gates, could it not be said that Philip’s house was under siege?” Perils said more to the audience than to the Field Marshals. “What is the law dealing with command during a siege?”

“The ranking commander has final say over the use of resources,” Xavier recited. He himself had not known that law, but Perils had made him memorize it.

“Is this true?” Lukas said as he glared at the Legatio law clerk.

The man picked up one of the large books on Domus law, looking up the requested information. After five minutes, he was able to reply. “Yes, Field Marshal.”

“But it was not a real siege!” Lukas shouted, frustration adding fuel to his anger.

Perils, seeing Lukas moving that much closer to losing control could not hold back a chuckle. “That is for you Field Marshals to decide, but the situation Philip was under could have been viewed as such from a legal perspective.”

“Still... they incited a riot!” Lukas spat, pushing forward with his last accusation.

“Did they start a riot...? I think I can fairly say that there was already one before they threw a single crumb off their roof,” Perils said, making a waving motion with his hands as if he were pushing away the accusation.

“Enough... This trial is over. I find all of them guilty!” Lukas said, clearly agitated.

Knowing ahead of time what was going to happen, Xavier took great pleasure in announcing his own opinion. “I am sorry, Lukas, but I must say that I find all of them innocent.”

“Then it is a tie. They will have to stay in prison until we can reach agreement,” Lukas declared pounding on his iron throne, thinking he won a victory.

“No...” Perils smiled again. “In the case of a tie, the Senate makes the deciding vote.

“What?!” Lukas said, jumping up from his chair for the second time. He turned to look at the law clerk that had the great misfortune to tell the Field Marshal that Perils was right.

Perils waved toward his fellow red-robed senators. “That is why I asked all my colleagues to come today.”

Lukas knew he was beaten even before a single vote was taken, but still he pursued the charges but not without a threat. “Vote... but remember that I will judge each one of you Legatio on it.”

The outcome never came close to being in doubt. Only three of the one thousand senators voted guilty and that was only to the charge of the lesser crime of misusing military resources. As soon as it became clear how the vote was going to turn out, Field Marshal Lukas left the Grand Hall, grinding his teeth.

After the law clerk declared the final tally, Xavier stood up. “This court finds Philip, son of Dosa Helios, Alex, son of Dosa Helios, Jason, son of Agamemnon Argot, and his Famulus innocent of all charges.”

Jason on hearing those words went down on his knees, wrapping his arms around Philip and held him tight.

“I can’t wait till you are at the Academy... I’ll be able to punish you for all the trouble you caused.” Philip chuckled as he hugged the young man back.

“Really...?” Jason asked worried.

“No,” Philip grinned as he spun Jason around to the cheers of the Centurions.

Perils, witnessing Jason’s popularity among the onlookers, decided to grab some for himself. “Come, Jason, you have others who want to see you,” Perils said as he tapped him on the shoulder.

Just on cue, a series of unison cheers came from the Main Square. “Jason... Jason... Jason!”

Curious, Jason let Perils guide him outside of the Grand Hall to be confronted with a sea of black robes held back from the Grand Hall by a thin line of Home Guards. On seeing Jason appear, a sudden hush fell upon the crowd. “Well, Jason... it looks like you have a following.” Philip grinned, wrapping an arm around Jason’s waist. “Let’s get them something to really shout about.”

“What?” Jason tried to ask, but was stopped when Philip pulled him into a mouth-to-mouth kiss.

On seeing a Legatio being kissed by a Centurion, they all assumed that Jason was taking on a Centurion lover, the first in centuries. Famulus and Centurions alike went mad with excitement while the departing Legatio Senators grimaced.

This time it could be said that the two of them incited a riot. General Darius, with an escort, had to clear a path for them to get back home, the mob following them the whole way.