The military tribunal was entering his second phase. Passing next to him, Captain Touré whispered a few words to Officer Nabil, whose face was closed, probably trying to calm him down before the next part, giving him some instructions before returning to his place as well.
That was intense.
Jeanne stretched slightly as the defense lawyer also stood up, preparing his papers. For now, the prosecutor had really hit hard from the start, the young Paddaan found it hard to see the officer getting out of it. However, she was eager to see how the defense would minimize the damage.
Next to her, El Hadji let out a slight whistle.
_ I don't see him getting out of it, he muttered to Captain Ndour, his posture slightly slumped from weariness.
_ What's the worst that can happen? Jeanne asked.
_ The worst? Disciplinary arrest, replied the Thiongane captain, or a demotion, I'd say. But it's not just a military matter, we've done everything to calm the rumors but the defeat of a Ndimbelane by the hand of a child after the riots… the timing is too tight for him. This kind of thing can make the Ndimbelanes lose a lot of credibility, and politically… it's not looking good, I'd say.
_ So what, he could end up in prison? the Loucar captain asked in a somewhat acerbic tone, probably slightly irritated by their recent conversation.
El Hadji smirked.
_ It's a possibility, he affirmed without pressure, he could even receive a temporary or permanent exclusion from the army.
Behind his moon-shaped glasses, Captain Ndour blinked in surprise, his hazy anger instantly dissipating.
_ Isn't that a bit… extreme?
_ If the insubordination hadn't led to such a tense situation, he probably would have gotten away with a slap on the wrist. But I doubt the civilian judge wants to end it so easily; he is the representative of the ruling regime, and he judges with more severity all those who tarnish his image in any way without weakening it.
_ In short, Jeanne concluded fatalistically, a culprit was needed, a sacrificial lamb to bear the entire blame so as not to tarnish the army too much. And it fell on Officer Nabil.
Captain Gueye nodded.
_ Exactly. I'm still surprised. Many would have abandoned their soldier so as not to be associated with this incident, but the captain and the second-lieutenant support him as best they can. Say what you want about them, they have a great sense of solidarity.
El Hadji gave a slight smile, but Jeanne noticed that his eyes had clouded slightly in a tide of indistinct emotions. However, she didn't have too much time to worry about it because the defense lawyer had begun his plea.
Unlike the prosecutor, he was slightly short, about the same height as Captain Touré, and his voice was also slimmer. Walking back and forth, the light filtering through the high windows highlighted his bald head, which shone like a marble.
_ General, dear members of the jury, the lawyer proclaimed in a grandiloquent tone, the case we have to judge today is not a simple case of insubordination. Indeed, focusing purely on the consequences of the act is easy in itself, but cannot be equated with justice. Officer Nabil, can you remind us of the reason for your acceptance of the Rag.
Officer Nabil took a long breath before answering.
_ As I have already stated, he declared in a calm voice, this being had insulted the honor of the Ndimbelanes, and I responded without thinking too much.
_ I see, so, at that moment, the child had made, according to the report I have in hand, a demonstration of deafening speed to which no one, not even you with your affinity for the sembou of light, was able to react?
_ … That's correct.
_ So you knew, from that moment, that the person facing you was much more powerful than you.
There was a slight silence during which Nabil's lips were hermetically sealed, the expression on his face revolting as if he had been forced to swallow a particularly bitter medicine. The lawyer insisted:
_ Isn't that right?
_ … That's correct, the officer affirmed with less enthusiasm.
_ Yet you fought anyway, is that correct?
_ Yes, sir.
_ So, I would like to ask the court, how can a man act according to his ego if he already knows that his opponent is superior to him, and that defeat is a possibility? The egoist thinks only of himself by nature, and seeks only his personal glory. Yet, Officer Nabil Camara here engaged in combat, and do you know why he did it, ladies and gentlemen.
The lawyer paused for a few seconds before answering, observing the entire assembly with a glance.
_ He did it out of love for the corps, he replied in a moving tone. He felt his body boil, and his spirit emboldened beyond measure upon hearing the insult made to his comrades, to the Ndimbelane army. It is true that this soldier is at fault, but his act was the result of boundless loyalty to the army, in a moment of doubt and chaos.
Some slight murmurs were heard in the assembly. Jeanne could only applaud the lawyer's oratorical skills, even if she felt that his efforts were in vain and that they were wasting time unnecessarily. On the other hand, she did not expect – at least she had already foreseen it but really didn't want it to happen – what was to follow.
_ And to prove that the acceptance of this Rag had in fact, not handicapped, but saved the army from an even greater tragedy, I dare to call to the stand the esteemed Paddaan Neew, 9th of the order.
The announcement momentarily led to much louder murmurs despite the menacing presence of the soldiers guarding the aisles. Jeanne sighed.
_ You are called, esteemed Paddaan, Captain Gueye mocked.
_ Yeah, I know, Jeanne muttered, getting up.
She didn't bother to straighten her beige jacket, however, and walked towards the movable lectern to take her oath, her pace sure and smooth. When she went up the platform, she noticed that she only exceeded the lectern by a few centimeters; a reference to her small stature in an environment where everyone dominated her, because of her age. Behind her, she could feel the audience's gaze fixed on her, a slight confusion in the air. It must be said that her existence had been a secret until then, and her role among the Paddaans was a novelty that had not been made official.
The general evaluated Jeanne with a glance, raising his hand a third time, and Jeanne did not avert her eyes.
_ Do you swear in the name of Atemit and the oath of the Ndaananes, that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
_ I swear, Jeanne replied.
General Traoré and Jeanne lowered their hands at the same time. The lawyer took over, approaching Jeanne.
_ Esteemed Paddaan, you were present at the ceremony, weren't you?
Jeanne already felt exasperation rising.
_ You have the report in hand, don't you?
_ Uh… yes, esteemed Paddaan.
_ Then read the damn report and ask your question, Jeanne muttered through clenched teeth.
The lawyer gave a slight gasp of surprise. Out of the corner of her eye, Jeanne could see Captain Gueye stifling a laugh with all his might and Captain Ndour putting a hand to his face. The general's expression didn't change one bit.
_ W-well of course, esteemed Paddaan, the lawyer hurried to say before returning to his notes. It is mentioned in my reports that just after the interruption of the Rag, the child in question launched a powerful attack whose external effects could go beyond your protective barrier.
_ Yes, that's true, Jeanne agreed. So what?
_ So, can you tell us how powerful this blow, which you experienced firsthand, was? Because it seems to me that this blow was directly aimed at Agent K0029, and that you intervened.
Jeanne thought for a moment about the answer. Unlike others, lying would not affect her much, but she preferred to tell the truth, because it was in her best interest.
_ If I have to compare this blow to all the diambars who were present at the ceremony, Jeanne replied, I would say that no one would have been able to stop it without risking their life.
The declaration was enough to electrify the atmosphere.
_ No one could have stopped it? the lawyer asked again, not even Captain Gueye? Or Agent K0029?
_ Agent K0029 would be six feet under without my intervention, Jeanne added with a gloomy look. When I say that no one could have stopped it but me, it means that no one in this ceremony had enough resistance to withstand this blow.
_ So we are dealing with a threat that could rival Paddaans? the lawyer asked, turning to emphasize the gravity of the situation.
_ Yeah, no, don't exaggerate it, no Paddaan would lose to this technique, Jeanne denied. But I think you would at least need a durability worthy of a diambar in phase 4 of reinforcement type to stop this blow without a scratch.
Even so, I don't know if he can use such a capacity again, Jeanne thought. There is no doubt that this greatsword was the reflection of his essence, but this appearance was really peculiar. After all, it was his spirit that made it, not him.
Jeanne, however, refrained from sharing her thoughts with the stunned assembly, because the more mystery surrounded Georges, the more likely her plan was to work. General Traoré's eyes had widened slightly after the declaration, but no other sign of emotion had crossed his face. The defense lawyer continued his momentum.
_ With this declaration, isn't it obvious that the intervention of the units present that day would potentially have led to a worse situation, with much more collateral damage to the Ndimbelane forces?
It's a bit far-fetched, but it's possible. If the Rag had been refused, I suspect that the spirit in him would not have looked kindly on it. But could it have emerged anyway, knowing that its host's consciousness would not have sunk? There are too many parameters to take into account.
Again, Jeanne refrained from speaking.
_ General, gentlemen assessors, it is true that Officer Nabil Camara acted imprudently, and the consequences of this action greatly affected the country. But without this particular action, which one could dare to compare to a sacrifice, the rage of this individual targeted only a minimal rank.
The lawyer left a moment of silence to let the weight of his words sink in on the assembly.
_ I appeal to justice, and I appeal to the jury's morality. Thank you very much, that's all for me.
The defense lawyer walked back to his seat with a determined step. Jeanne did not need to be asked twice and also returned to her place next to Captain Gueye, her smile openly mocking.
_ You could at least hide your rudeness in this kind of situation, don't you think?
_ Oh, fuck off, Jeanne replied wearily before the general struck his gavel.
_ We will now proceed to deliberation. In this particular situation, we will not need an intermission and time to reflect to quickly resolve the next problem.
The announcement was full of meaning. One could deduce that whatever direction the trial might have taken, it would not have changed the final decision.
So what was the point of all this? Jeanne wondered, frustrated.
Deep down, she suspected that the trial was more a symbolic and open way to punish the designated culprit in this masquerade. But it remained a sad observation, and knowing General Traoré a little, the young Paddaan suspected that the arguments put forward by the defense had not fallen off his ears.
The general, after a few words exchanged with the assessors, particularly the civilian judge who seemed to insist on a particular point, gathered his papers and aligned them by hitting them on the table.
_ In light of this assembly, we find Officer Nabil Camara, 19 years old, guilty of serious insubordination on Thursday, September 26, 327 P.B., as well as undermining the authority of the armed forces, particularly the Ndimbelanes in this period of national tension. Consequently, the soldier is stripped of his rank, and will be sent to a military rehabilitation center for a period of one year, after which the subject of his rehabilitation will be examined by the military tribunal. Second Lieutenant Ndao and Captain Touré will be subjected to a command investigation regarding their ability to lead their troops within a given time. The first session is adjourned.
The declaration ended with three sharp blows of the gavel on the table. Officer Nabil did not seem really surprised, but as the two soldiers who were guarding him on either side came to take him again, he vocalized his frustration…
_ You're not listening to me, he cried out as he tried not to be easily carried away, I accept all possible sanctions but this boy is a monster. He doesn't think like you and me, there's nothing to be gained from a bomb that can explode at any moment. Please – let me go, damn it – General, listen to me, I beg you…
The officer's voice was muffled as the doors through which he had passed closed on him with a dull thud, but even so his lamentations could be heard, fainter and fainter, until they disappeared.
_ Woah, Jeanne said as her only comment.
_ Yeah, woah, Captain Gueye repeated. At least we can finally get down to business. Are you ready, Bachir?
Captain Ndour gave him a murderous look.
_ Yeah, you're ready, El Hadji simply replied, as the long awaited event approached.