The city’s leader finally stood and beat a wooden cup on the table in front of him to silence the crowd. "By the authority vested in me by the good people of Auburn, I bring this tribunal to order. We will begin immediately. Prisoner Robert7, please step forward."
The man did as he was told, nudged by one of the militiamen who stood behind him.
"Are there any present who would represent this man?" Wilbur asked. He looked hastily around the crowd and made no attempt to listen for any who might have agreed. "None have stepped forward to represent the prisoner, so he will represent himself."
It wasn't like anyone would have stepped forward anyway.
Mayor Jones looked at the papers in front of him. "In the case of prisoner Robert7, who is accused of the crime of conspiring to and participating in the attack on the town of Auburn, how does the prisoner plead?"
Robert7 looked around, unsure of what he had been asked.
"Innocent," he said finally to the jeers and boos of the crowd.
"Then we shall proceed. We have found evidence that you were among the invaders and you have been recognized as one of the pilots of the mechs that participated in the attack. Witnesses have stated that you are not a citizen of the town of Auburn and you were among those that participated. Do you deny any of these facts as they have been presented?"
Robert7 looked panicked and more people jeered at him. They were all anticipating and likely hoping for a quick execution.
"I… Well, I was in the attack, but—"
"The prisoner admits his guilt and part in the attack," Wilbur interrupted, unable to keep a smile from his face.
Jessica13 tasted the bile in her mouth again but this time, there was no need to get away from the scene as quickly as possible. She wanted to act and she wouldn’t simply wait for the sham trial to continue. Instead, she shoved through the last line of people who were held back from the scaffold.
"What are you doing?" Mini asked from behind her.
She ignored the AI and pushed forward, shrugged off the hands of the militiaman who tried to stop her approach, and sprinted into the open area between the gallows and the tribunal table.
"When you asked whether the prisoner would be represented by anyone in the crowd, you did not wait for a reply," she shouted as loudly as her lungs would allow. "I will represent the prisoner."
The militiaman tried to catch her but stopped when Jones motioned him away.
"The selection of representation has passed," Wilbur noted with the hint of a sneer. "You will have to wait for another prisoner to be tried and represent him."
"You didn't allow time for someone to step forward," Jessica13 snapped in response, unsure of where all this bravery had come from. She wasn't about to question it now, however, as she had more important things to focus on.
Before Wilbur could say another word, Jones patted him on the shoulder. "As presiding judge over this trial, I will allow Jessica13 to represent Robert7. Do I hear a second?"
The woman beside him stared daggers at her but nodded slowly.
"Seconded," Jones said softly. "And passed. You may take your place next to the prisoner."
A few of the jeers and boos were directed at her now.
"The bunker types always stick together."
"Sympathizer!"
"Go fuck Lady Hoot if that's what you want."
She ignored them and climbed the steps to where Robert7 stood. He stared at her and looked confused.
"What are you doing?" he whispered.
"I'll let you know when I find out." Her voice was also in a whisper but gained volume when she addressed the three seated below. "If there is anything I learned from my time fighting alongside the Knights Mechanica, it is this. Any man or woman can find a way to redeem their past actions. The crime of following orders and being a soldier in the army that attacked Auburn is determined. But I have to ask, what do we gain from executing him? What does the town of Auburn stand to gain from killing him when he can instead atone for his actions and help us better than he would be able to do by hanging from a rope?"
The shouting, jeering, and booing stopped for a moment, and she wondered if her point had actually come across.
Wilbur snorted and shook his head in disbelief. Mayor Jones revealed no emotion on his features, which was contrasted sharply by the woman seated beside him. Claire had turned a deep shade of purple and she bolted out of her seat.
"I say based on those of our loved ones who suffered under the oppression of Lady Hoot and those who died deposing her. In their name, we would benefit from seeing the man hang. Fuck whatever help he claims he could offer us. He'll say anything to avoid the rope."
The crowd rumbled in agreement, and Jessica13 was surprised when Robert7 stepped forward. Maybe seeing someone stand up for him was enough to give him the courage to defend himself.
"I can help!" he shouted. "I know you're trying to fight against FEMA City, and if you want to have any chance to attack them, you will need to find a way in that bypasses the defenses. I know of a secret way inside and I will share it with you if you free me and the other FEMA City soldiers."
"What about the raiders?" Jessica13 asked in a whisper.
"What about them?" he retorted.
Chapter Fifty-Nine
All three of the judges conferred for a moment, and the people
