Shi Lang connected with the whole team, and first asked, “How is Quinn holding up?”
Mental abilities come with a significant drawback, they will leave the wielder out of their senses or numb for a varying period of time. Shi Lang was concerned if Quinn could hold on. Amelia replied, “She is fine but slightly dizzy. Was the task successful?”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “Yes, it was completed. However, something else also took place.”
With that, he began to tell them about the Steward and the attack at the spaceport. Rosa said, “We should put some bots to track these suspicious people.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “I agree, but the first thing we need to do before any further actions, is to contact back home and ask them if what the Queen has said is true or not.”
The people agreed, and then Shi Lang asked, “Quinn, just now I saw the palace guard you possessed to have a dizzy and confused reaction, do you think it will be a problem for us. I mean what if tomorrow in the courtroom she did not testify as we need her to.”
Quinn replied in a weak voice, “Do not worry, by the time she appears in the courtroom, those memories would have become a part of her subconscious. My ability is not to possess other people but to isolate their consciousness while I manipulate them. I have no idea how it works, but it does.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “You all should go to bed, we will check with the President in the morning.”
The people agreed and went back to bed. Amelia returned to his side, while Rosa stayed with Quinn to look after her. In a blink, morning came and the people began to ready for an appearance inside the courtroom.
During their breakfast, Shi Lang and Rosa had predicted that the reason a common guard attacked Shi Lang was a part of a bigger plan. It could be anything, from trying to stop them from leaving the sight by the Queen, or to entice trouble between the queen and them, by the minister.
Either way, all this was too suspicious and today Shi Lang decided to bring out the truth from this man’s mouth. Rosa told him to be careful, after all, this debate might stir up a lot of trouble in the courtroom, and to defend herself from the fire, the Queen might draw a line between them.
Shi Lang nodded and the people finished their breakfast, just in time for Amelia to come over and ask them to follow her back to the courtroom. With a tense expression, the people followed Ameris, who said, “Do not worry, just narrate what happened there and you will be fine.”
Shi Lang nodded and said, “That was what I intended to do.”
He held his hands behind his back and gave the team a few signs to not speak or lose their temper inside the courtroom. Amelia was beside him and she asked in a hushed voice, “Will you be able to do what you told them?”
Shi Lang shrugged his shoulders and said, “I do not know about later, but right now I have an urge to kiss you.”
Amelia pinched his waist sneakily and the young man winced in pain. After a few minutes, the group arrived in front of the courtroom. Their names were announced and they moved in front of the queen. Shi Lang and the rest bowed slightly to the lady sitting on the throne, dressed in her usual thigh slit gown.
She gestured for them to sit down on the specially arranged chairs on the side. The chairs were luxurious and not some makeshift excuse for hospitality. She said, “Call the accused.”
Ameris nodded and said, “Lieutenant Shunt Bril from third spaceport patrol, march in.”
Following the announcement, the accused, the soldier who attacked Shi Lang walked inside the courtroom. He greeted the queen and stood at the side opposite Shi Lang.
Nexalia gazed at them and said, “The trial may begin.”
A person who accompanied Shunt Bril spoke up, “Your Majesty, my client is accused of disrespecting the imperial guest and attacking him with an intent to kill. However, I would like to ask the imperial guest himself, What might be your evidence sir? Are we, the neomonians to believe that every word coming from your mouth is truth?”
Shi Lang nodded and stood up, he faced the Queen and asked, “I would like the permission to move and speak freely, Your Majesty.”
Nexalia nodded to him and Shi Lang adjusted his cufflinks before he faced the lawyer brought by Shunt Bril, and said, “The evidence you seek would have been lodged in the camera interface of my spaceship if not for some people tempering with the integrity of my vessel. I would like to pile up one more charge, and it is a collective accusation I make towards all the spaceport guarding authorities.”
The people were shocked, to think Shi Lang would even smear more mud on their faces. However, before they could create a ruckus, the young Terran said, “You asked if whatever I say is the truth? Yes, I am truthful, because I am not as immature as some people do not know what impact my movements hold on the Neomon-Terran relationship. Do you really think of me to be so stupid that I would provoke trouble in a land where I have nothing to rely on?”
The lawyer from the other side did not move but said, “That is all sound and well put up, but without evidence, we cannot rule that my client might as well be innocent. Your accusation can cost him his career.”
This guy was trying to portray Shi Lang as if he was the one big villain here. But that was a given, after all, he was an ‘alien’. Everyone in the courtroom wanted to see what Shi Lang would do.
Shi Lang nodded and said, “Your Majesty, I would like to examine Lieutenant Shunt.”
Nexalia nodded and said, “Granted.”