Star Blaze (35 page)

“Hey—I need that,” said Johnny. “It's my communicator—for my ship,” but the creature ignored him and removed the wristcom, before all six flew with it to the Regent.

The huge Phasmeer stood, surrounded by the Monks, and said, “But it is more than a simple link to your ship, is it not?”

“What do you mean?” asked Johnny, defiantly.

“I am informed it is a hyperspatial transmitter.”

Johnny went cold. He wondered exactly what Nicky had affixed to the wristcom's face.

The Regent continued, “We will analyze your signals, but already the evidence is damning. Members of the Senate—it appears we have found our spy.”

The next moment, two squat, muscular aliens clad in blue body armor grabbed Johnny, easily wrestling him to the floor. Winded, he was forced face-down onto his front. One sat on him, grabbing hold of his arms and forcing them behind his back.

As he struggled, Johnny heard Captain Valdour's voice cut across the hubbub, shouting, “There must be some mistake. I
owe Johnny Mackintosh my life and will gladly vouch for him.”

“As his Second you are aware you would face the same sentence as the accused?” boomed the Regent.

“I am,” replied Captain Valdour, nodding toward Johnny. The alien's battle-scarred smile looked none too reassuring.

“While I would be loath to execute a capable officer and holder of the Regency Medal of Honor, the law must be followed. Arrest them both.”

More armor-clad guards were flooding into the Chamber and a pneumatic syringe was pressed against Johnny's neck.

“
Johnny? Where are you? Can you hear me?
” It was Clara's voice coming through his earpiece, but it wasn't possible to respond. Even if he'd still been wearing his wristcom, Johnny wouldn't have been able to lift his arm to his mouth to talk. The chair in which he'd awoken came complete with metal bands, tightly binding his arms and legs. His head hurt and everything was hazy, as if he'd been drugged, but there was no way of telling how much time had passed since his arrest in the Senate Chamber. He wondered what was happening back in the solar system. He had to get out of here, wherever “here” was.

The stabbing pains in his temple were made worse by the annoying little insects buzzing around Johnny's face, that he was powerless to swat away. It looked as if his trial was already about to begin, but the large room in which he found himself wasn't like any courtroom Johnny had seen. Parts were old and worn, but modern fittings had been grafted onto the old stone ceiling so that, if anything, it looked more like a TV studio. The impression wasn't helped by the excited aliens, of all different shapes and sizes, who'd taken their places on the rows of stone steps, like an amphitheater, facing Johnny and Captain Valdour—who had been seated, about ten meters apart, on a narrow, crumbling stone stage. They were separated from the audience by a dry moat, filled with soldiers clad in blue body armor. Next to the captain was a set of steps leading to an empty,
hexagonal platform, a couple of meters higher than its surroundings, overhanging the moat.

The watching aliens were chattering in a mixture of languages, clicks and whistles (he only caught snatches of it) while pointing at Johnny and the captain and, for some reason, the wall behind them. Then the lights above the audience dimmed and a single beam lit up a spectacular side entrance. Buzzing into view, to enormous applause, came a doubleheaded alien with two identical pointy faces, supported on four wings which were beating so fast they moved as a solid blur.

“Thank you …
thank you
,” came a voice from each of the creature's twin mouths. At first it looked to be flying toward Captain Valdour, but then it diverted to hover above the front two rows of the audience, extending six long, thin legs, jointed very high up, which were grasped fleetingly by different aliens seated below. There were squeals of delight from the audience.

“Welcome to this Milky Way News Network Special,” said the flying speaker. “We may Vermalcast around the galaxy, around the clock,
but once in a Big Bang we give you a show even more spectacular than normal
. This is one of those rare occasions. Citizens of the galaxy—We, Z'habar
Z'habar
Estagog, present The Trial of the Terran.”

The audience cheered wildly.

“Yes, all you intelligent life forms out there, this is no ordinary trial—the Terran, Johnny Mackintosh, and his Second, Captain Valdour, are charged with nothing less than High Treason.”

The audience hushed.

“
A crime so heinous, that it has been made … punishable by death!
”

At this the audience roared.

“Everyone who's anyone is here, in this very studio. We have Gilgadon!”

A spotlight fell on the front row of the audience, picking out an alien with a triangular-shaped body, covered in sparkling gold fur, across which fell a pink sash. It stood up, opened a very wide mouth, and emitted a steady, high-pitched squeal so powerful that Johnny was pressed into the back of his chair and momentarily deafened. The ringing in his ears only stopped after two further, quieter aliens had been picked out and introduced. If Clara had been speaking again, he wouldn't have heard.

“But that's not all,” the flying, buzzing alien carried on as Johnny's hearing returned. “I've Vermalcasted with celebrities before, but today, my fellow citizens, is special. We're not simply joined by the stars of the galaxy—
we have its political elite
. With more gravitas than a Carabine Bear declaiming the twelve cycles of the new ascension—
while standing on one leg
—I give you Gronack, Chancellor of Melania!”

With robes of the deepest purple, the Phasmeer swept into the studio through the same entrance Z'habar Z'habar Estagog had used, its antennae wrapping around each other in delight at the audience's rapturous response.

“And finally, whisper it among yourselves—step into your Vermaldomes to be in the presence of greatness. And give the loudest acclamation you have yet for the wisest, most benevolent and—
according to the latest and most comprehensive survey of galactic opinion by Mizar Magazine
—most admired ruler of all the galaxy since Themissa herself.”

For a fleeting moment, Johnny thought Bram had returned to Melania just in time, but it was the gigantic Regent who came through the entrance as the presenter shouted its name. The tall Phasmeer was flanked by an escort of squat soldiers in blue armor carrying very powerful looking blasters. The loudest applause yet followed, but Johnny realized it wasn't coming from the aliens sitting in front of him, but was being piped into the studio.

“Two of the greats of the galaxy, here to enjoy the show,” continued the alien presenter. “Incidentally, it's down to Chancellor Gronack that we're casting from the highest-security courtroom in all the empire. Designed by Ophion himself, this studio is guaranteed one hundred percent Plican-proof, so there's no chance of rescue—our two accused have to hope they'll be found innocent.
Like that's really going to happen when you're caught red-handed in the Senate chamber
.”

The audience laughed. Johnny couldn't believe this was happening—it was like a bad dream. He thought courts were meant to be serious places, but this one looked like some sort of light entertainment show. He didn't know much about laws, but enough to see it was outrageous that the host had pronounced his guilt before anything had even begun.

As if reading his mind, Z'habar Z'habar Estagog continued, “But it's not up to me to mete out the verdict.
Though we have two heads' worth of memory engrams full of messages wishing it were
 … oh yes. But, citizens of the galaxy. For justice to be done, and to be seen to be done—
maybe with just a tinsy winsy bit of fun along the way
—we demand a judge!”

What Johnny had thought was a wall beside his chair vanished. Now the stage extended further back and, between him and Captain Valdour, was a gigantic brain, with thick trailing tentacles, floating in a clear vat. Flanked on either side were massive three-dimensional close-ups of Johnny's head, above two discs, one white and one black, supported on pillars of the same colors. Johnny stared wide-eyed and his gigantic doubles stared back—the little insects buzzing around his head must be more cameras.

“Court is in session,” boomed a deep voice and, as it did, the fluid in which the brain was suspended flashed with light. The audience cheered even louder, this time without any need at all for assistance. Johnny tried to look across to Captain Valdour,
but was only able to see his friend's eye patch.

“
Johnny—what's going on? Alf says you're on trial.
” It was Clara again, coming in through his earpiece. “
He's watching some broadcast thing and says you're there with Captain Valdour. Look, I know you probably can't speak to me, but maybe you can still hear. We'll get you both out of there … I promise.
”

Johnny wished he shared his sister's confidence. He had to get out of here and back to Earth, but even Clara probably wouldn't be able to fold into a Plican-proof courtroom designed by a former Emperor and, if she did, Alf wouldn't be able to come with her without collapsing. Then, supposing they could rescue him before the Regent's highly armed soldiers intervened, there was no way they'd be able to free Captain Valdour who was out of reach on the far side of the studio.

“Johnny Mackintosh of the planet Terra,” said the Judge. “You are charged with High Treason against the State. Under the Emergency War Act, the penalty for this crime is death by firing squad. How do you plead?”

Johnny felt as if all the air had been squeezed from his lungs and his voicebox crushed. He managed a feeble, “Not guilty.”

“Very well. I call the first witness,” said the Judge, the fluid in its tank again lighting up in time to the words. “I call Chancellor Gronack of Melania.”

Z'habar Z'habar Estagog, hovering overhead, whispered its running commentary, “As the youngest chancellor the Emperor ever appointed and then the Regent reappointed takes to the stand, no one can doubt its eloquence and grace alone will prove more than enough to convict the Terran. I hear the firing squad is already being prepared—
watch the execution live on the Milky Way News Network
.”

The Phasmeer rose against a background of excited whispers from the audience. It walked slowly across the stage, its antennae proudly vertical and its robes a rich, shining turquoise, as it
milked the attention for all it was worth. Finally it reached the stone steps, but tripped on the way up, falling flat on its elongated face. Nobody dared laugh. Once on its feet its robes glowed bright pink as it stood atop the hexagonal platform, its head now higher than even the Regent's as it surveyed the audience as though a fiery preacher about to begin a sermon.

“Members of the jury,” began the Phasmeer, addressing the aliens sitting on the stone steps at the front of the courtroom. “While it is doubtless unusual for such an important official to take to the stand, I am uniquely placed to report on the activities of the accused.”

“Remarkable though it sounds,” whispered Z'habar Z'habar Estagog, “during its first term, our beloved Gronack traveled aboard the accused's spaceship—
immediately before the Chancellor's mysterious disappearance
. Until now, nothing has been known of that time. But in a live Milky Way News Network exclusive,
sources tell us that all will now be revealed
.”

The Phasmeer considered its congregation. “You have been led to believe that the accused, the Terran Johnny Mackintosh, is especially favored by our much-loved but reclusive, aging Emperor. Nothing could be further from the truth. You may be surprised to hear that, when this Terran first came to Melania, His Divine Imperial Majesty only sent forth the Imperial Guard—for the first time in a century—precisely because the threat from the defendant was so great.”

Johnny rolled his eyes, wondering when he'd have the chance to speak himself. He wriggled in his chair, but it was impossible to free his arms or legs.

“That is the reason,” the Chancellor went on, “our sadly feeble Emperor sent me to Terra—to keep watch over Johnny Mackintosh and report on his loathsome activities.”

Johnny was seething. How dare Gronack lie so blatantly to the court.

“What I found was so shocking, that I struggled to believe it. The accused wasn't only openly working with the evil Krun, the very dregs of sentient life in our galaxy.”

Screams of “No!” and “Shame!” came from the audience.

The Chancellor paused before saying, “Oh yes, but it was far, far worse. He was also in contact with the Andromedans.”

“That was you,” shouted Johnny. He tried to carry on talking, but a band from the neck of the chair instantly slid across his lips, gagging him. He could taste the cold metal in his mouth. A matching, golden metal band had slid across his faces projected either side of the brain's tank.

“Silence!” boomed the Judge. “Any more interruptions and you will be in contempt of court and executed on the spot. Your counsel can cross-examine the witness in due course.”

“Your Honor,” said Captain Valdour from across the stage, his voice level and controlled. “It has doubtless, quite understandably, escaped your attention, but we do not appear to have counsel.”

“The oversight is not my own, Captain Valdour. You have had two days to assemble the defense team of your choosing before this trial began. Failure to do so cannot …”

“This isn't justice,” shouted Valdour, before he too was gagged in the same manner as Johnny.

“Proceed,” said the Judge to the elevated witness.

Johnny wasn't listening. Two Melanian days were the equivalent of three on Earth. While he'd been drugged unconscious, waiting for the trial to be organized, the Andromedans would have been preparing their attack. They would be ready to strike any time now.