The trial was efficient.
That alone was a warning.
Ace sat on a stone platform too high for comfort, chains light but symbolic. Across the chamber, robed officials arranged papers with practiced calm.
No jury.
Only certainty.
---
The Charges
"Unauthorized interference."
"Destabilization of sanctioned systems."
"Incitement through ambiguity."
Ace tilted his head.
"…That last one's new."
A clerk ignored him.
---
The Argument
The prosecutor spoke smoothly.
"This individual undermines order by refusing responsibility. He teaches people to question without offering structure."
Ace's ears flicked.
He raised a paw.
"May I speak?"
A pause.
"…Briefly."
Ace nodded.
"I didn't remove structure," he said.
"I removed the lie that it only works when no one is tired."
Murmurs rippled.
---
Evidence Presented
Reports of delays.
Metrics disrupted.
Schedules missed.
Then—
Accident logs.
Near-collapses.
Lives not lost.
The prosecutor frowned.
"These are irrelevant."
Ace smiled faintly.
"They're the point."
---
Ravenna's Turn
Across the city, Ravenna stood before a glass council chamber.
Her charge was simpler:
"Refusal to designate authority."
She spoke calmly.
"Because authority without consent is just a faster mistake."
The chamber went silent.
---
The Unplanned Witness
A miner stepped forward.
Not summoned.
Not listed.
His hands shook.
"If he hadn't stopped the carts," the miner said,
"we'd be burying three men."
The guards moved.
The judge hesitated.
"…Continue."
---
The Verdict Deferred
The council withdrew.
Too many eyes watching now.
Too many stories circulating.
They postponed.
Not mercy.
Calculation.
---
End Beat
Ace was led back to his cell.
Ravenna returned to hers.
Neither felt defeated.
Because outside—
People weren't waiting for rulings anymore.
They were asking each other:
What happens if this fails?
Who notices first?
Who gets hurt?
And once a society starts asking those questions—
No sentence can put them back.