Chapter 6.16: The trial

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From Sirio's diary

This morning we headed to the local tribunal very early on, our hearing would have started at 9 am. In preparation for that day we had to deal with paperwork after paperwork for weeks (actually, mostly my cousin Halley has). Arrived at that point we all felt worried and exhausted, but a pinch of hope was still clearly visible in all of us: yesterday we didn't lie to Hotaru, trials here really work differently than in Sim City. And we have our reasons to believe that these differences may be crucial for this verdict.

Lily insisted on being present too, she didn't want to be excluded anymore. She agreed to speak with some psychologists to help the judges to take the best choice for her, but she was not asked to testify in front of everyone present in the room. So that day she just sat in the back row and listened, more serious than I'd ever seen her before.

Maki: Well, I guess we're better to keep our fingers crossed now, isn't it?

Halley: A little more optimism, come on! Know that, after all the work I've done, I have no intention of accepting defeat as a result!

Judge Smith: Please all take your seats, we don't have all morning!

And here comes Judge Smith, Trix's older sister and our trump card. We were all confident that she would have been able to perceive much more from the people in this courtroom than any judges of Sim City ever managed to do.

Judge Smith: I would ask Ms Maki Ishikawa to come forward and give her side of the story.

Maki approached the podium showing much more confidence than she really had. Tracing back the story of her first marriage, the reasons for the divorce and the lawsuits that followed was undoubtedly very difficult for her. I perceived it very clearly.

But Maki was also very well aware of her rights and of what was at stake, and managed to bring out all the determination she had. I'm really proud of her.

Before Maki returned to her place, Hotaru was already ready to take her place, impatient.

Hotaru: Maki has always been very imaginative, otherwise I can't explain how she came up with such a story. She out of the blue decided to divorce me and prevent me from seeing my daughter, and when the judges were finally about to prove her wrong she decided to hide in this Country to avoid the enforcement of the verdict. Here I'm the one looking for some justice, if anything.

Hotaru had tried to show a calm and reasonable expression, but I could clearly sense the anger that Maki's words had sparked in him. A trifle would be enough for him to lose his mind again, and to show everyone what he really felt.

Judge Smith: Thank you both for your testimonies, undoubtedly they have allowed us to gather many new elements for the trial. However, before concluding today's session, I still intend to call Mr Sirio Miller to testify as, according to the documentation in our possession, we believe that he can provide us with some essential details to outline the psychological profiles of the people involved.

Hotaru looked puzzled, but I didn't sense any particular concern in him as I approached the podium to have my say. As usual he was underestimating me, as he had always done with all of us Sixamians since when he arrived here. All he hid within himself was anger and self-confidence, the confidence of someone who gave for granted the result without even bothering to check what we meant when constantly warning him about the differences between the tribunals he was used to and this one.

Well, too bad for him, he was finally about to realize the huge error of judgment that he made.

Sirio: I only had a few chances to interact with Mr Hotaru, but what I've been able to sense from him has always been the same. As much as he tries to hide it, I've always only perceived strong anger and a sense of frustration from him.

Judge Smith: I couldn't help but make the same evaluation, based on my observations today. Mr Miller, could you instead tell us in more detail about his impressions of your previous meetings?

Hotaru: (whispering) What are they talking about?

Maki: (whispering) Sirio happens to be pretty good at telepathy. And Judge Smith is no less.

Hotaru: (whispering) What? I've never given permission for any alien to enter my head, okay?

Maki: (whispering) Well, now you're in a courthouse in New Sixam. Didn't you read all the papers you had to sign before entering?

Forced telepathy is never allowed in New Sixam, if not to analyse the mind of those who committed the worst crimes. On the other hand, however, the natural ability to read the thoughts of those around us that those with some ancient sixamian blood show has never been criminalised. For us telepathy is just like any other sense, and just like whatever we see, hear or touch, and just like what we perceive through the other senses it can be used to testify in tribunal.

I can't read other people's minds as easily as my father Toq or Arizhel did, but the perceptions of other people's emotions that people like me or Judge Smith have are actually considered valuable to evaluate the motivations of a suspect. We quickly notice anyone's true intentions, and we are also very good at distinguishing lies from honesty: in such a context, the whole truth always finds its way to emerge.

Sirio: The most striking episode happened just before the second trial done in Sim City, when I was already living with Maki. Back then Hotaru accused me of wanting to steal his family, he wasn't even able to hold back his anger, and in the end he even decided to raise his hands against me. I had the impression he considered me as a threat.

Hotaru: What the heck, as if I could be scared of that smurf!

Judge Smith: By doing so you only confirm what is being said, Mr. Hotaru. Please, Mr Miller, go ahead.

Sirio: Um, let's see… Another notable example was the first time I met him, shortly after their divorce. He showed up at the art gallery ordering Maki to retrace her steps, and— 

And at that point I stopped mid-sentence, realizing that I shouldn't have mentioned this specific anecdote. I really shouldn't have said that…

Hotaru: Hey, wait a minute!

Techna: Ohi ohi…

Hotaru: You are that robot! And back then you were together with…

Hotaru often doesn't give the impression of being a particularly smart person, but this time he didn't take much time to complete the puzzle. Without thinking twice he jumped up pointing his finger at us, yelling:

Hotaru: He was using a human disguise that time! And that robot instead shocked me with electricity!

A sustained buzz had immediately spread throughout the room, suddenly everyone seemed to have awakened and to want to know more.

The Judge barely blinked instead, limiting herself to repeatedly slamming her gavel to restore silence in the courtroom and regain the audience's attention.

Judge Smith: Silence in the courtroom! By now the context seems clear enough to me, Mr Hotaru has not demonstrated the emotional stability necessary for the granting of custody of any minor. The present Court will therefore rule in favour of Ms Maki, and strongly suggests to Mr Hotaru to seek professional psychological help. On the other hand, we cannot ignore this latest information regarding the conduct of Mr Sirio and the robot Techna in Sim City, which will therefore be the subject of further investigations. This said, I hereby declare the trial closed!

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Maki and Lily teleported home early, as did all the other Sixamian around. I, on the other hand, needed some time to reflect a bit about what had just happened, and therefore I preferred to walk.

Yes, we won the lawsuit. Finally we could sleep peacefully, without the fear that Lily could be taken away to be entrusted to Hotaru.

But I still managed to make yet another mess, that's what… The judge hasn't pronounced yet about my illegal use of a disguise, but given the New Sixam rules I'm 99.9% sure that both I and Techna will be forbidden to leave the borders of this Country ever again. They really want to avoid international tensions, that's what.

We almost reached our goal, after the end of the trial we would have moved back to Maki's apartment in Sim City all together to live the life we all wished for. But, as I said, I messed everything up. We had so many beautiful projects in mind, what would happen now? And— 

My self-pity was interrupted when I noticed someone approaching, someone clearly upset after the verdict just like I was.

Hotaru: !#@**!

Hotaru: What? C'mon, it's you again, smurf? I've had enough of you, what else do you want from me?

Sirio: (tired) I could tell you the same, you know? I was just minding my own business, that's it.

Hotaru: Give it a rest! Maki had a lot of doubts after the divorce, if it wasn't for you she would have come back to me in no time! You're the one who screwed it up, that's what!

Sirio: …

Hotaru: Screwed over by a smurf-monster who uses telepathy on others, what a shame...

Sirio: You really don't realize anything, do you? You can only think about your own benefit, that's it!

Deep inside Hotaru is a big, fat, mounted egotist. All he wants is having his daughter back at all costs, as if Lily was one of the many properties they shared in the divorce. And being unable to get what he wants fills him with an untold amount of anger. Like almost every other obstacle he encounters in his life, apparently.

But doesn't he realize how much his behaviour makes those around him feel miserable?

For me, such a thing is inconceivable, because I perceive the suffering of others as clearly as my own. He, on the other hand, seems completely blind to all this, he doesn't even seem to suspect that all this could have happened because of him.

But can't I do anything to make him understand?

Sirio: (serious) Stand still for a moment…

Hotaru: Hey, what do you want—

Hotaru: (confused) … What did you do to me? You wiped my memories!?

Sirio: (seriously) No, I tried to give you new ones actually. I suggest you go to sleep, to let the new information settle down a bit.

Hotaru said no more, he just staggered away with a more and more confused expression on his face.

With telepathy it is possible to do many things. Removing unwanted memories is relatively easy, but in the same way it is possible to provide new ones. And the memories that I passed on to him tonight are precisely those about him: I showed him all the suffering that I had perceived from Maki every time she talked about her past, the blind anger that I felt coming from him every time I had the opportunity to talk to him, as well as how little Lily's hopes about her father were suddenly crushed as she finally discovered the truth about him.

I don't know if it will work, in retrospect I actually can't exclude that he might decide to sue me again for it. But who cares at this point, I won't be allowed to return back to Sim City anyway. And then who knows, maybe in this way I could have finally managed to put some common sense inside that empty head...

Next chapter -->

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§HermioneSims§ corner

Again, there would be a lot to comment on. However, this time I just want to use this little space to say that the beautiful tribunal building shown in this chapter is clearly not built by me (I'm a horrible builder) and that I took it straight from the galley. However, I don't remember at all where I took it, so if by chance you recognize the original maker please tell me so that I can give the right credit. Otherwise, I still thank the unknown creator for the beautiful setting :)