As the bells within the Temple ring five o' clock in the afternoon, guards move in to clean out the audience and the officials gathered for the previous trial… Apparently someone had been substituting small spider eggs for some favored Eeee spices, about which the patrons of a notable restaurant had complained vehemently, after some of the pastries left on display had 'sprouted'. The cook received the death penalty.

So it is that as Inquisitor Zeffel and his guards escort Envoy into the courtroom, they pass a young weasel in a tall fluffy chef's hat yelping, "It's not my fault! I dinna know they were eggs! You can' kill me fer a mistake like that!"

Envoy blinks blearily at the weasel, and then tries to focus her attention back on the courtroom.

The black-robed Inquisitor guides Envoy into the courtroom beneath the unseeing stares of the Captain-Astromancers of the years past, toward several tables at which a number of Nagas have already been assembled. The Judge looks bored as she pours herself a glass of wine and then drains it in a single gulp, a pale-colored leonine wearing a white mantle, and a mouse writes busily in the court recorder's box.

Zeffel bids Envoy to sit at the table on the right and introduces the bleary-looking Exile to a young garter snake Naga, his eyes marked by green streaks just behind them. "Your defender. Advocate Saava. He has already been briefed on the particulars of your case."

Envoy nods slowly, "Hello, Saava. I'm Envoy."

Saava hisses, "I have been asssigned to defend you, for the crimess you are charged with. They are most heinous." He flicks out his tongue, "But I sshall do my besst on your behalf."

The audience boxes begin to fill again… Envoy recognizes Vielanika, the bat-bard looking quite worried as she wrings her hands, and a scattering of others from the Bard's Guild, and then there is an assortment of nobles, mostly poodles and a few salukis, who whisper back and forth between each other and occasionally hold up numbers of fingers. Betting? Most curiously, a black dragon sits at the very back, his eyes glinting. His wings tuck meticulously behind him.

Chiaroscuro shuffles in from a different entrance to the courtroom, and sits down in one of the benches. The gauntness of his imprisonment is gone, and he's nearly returned to his normal weight… yet his motions seem slow and weak still.

Envoy blinks three times. "I am innocent, so it should not be too difficult," she assures the small Naga.

Envoy's eyes go wide at the sight of Chiaroscuro! What did they DO to him?!

The cream-colored lioness at the Judge's podium hammers a gavel down. "Recorder, the particulars," she says.

Silence falls upon the courtroom, and Inquisitor Zeffel finds a seat quickly at the other table. There is no sign of Inquisitor Faline…

The garter hisses and looks through his notes, waiting for the records to be read.

Chiaroscuro looks over at Envoy, making eye contact for just a moment… then looking back up to the judge.

Another figure enters the courtroom and takes a seat off to the side. A white Cervani doe, her face is stern and angry.

"On this day, seven days after the Day of the First Ones," the recorder says in a high squeaky voice. "The State does hereby charge the defendant, Envoy of Lothrhyn, an Exile, before the Lower Court of the Temple of Rephidim with the crimes of trespassing in the College Esoterica's restricted areas, failure to pay for the time of a licensed mage, interference in the vital work of a licensed mage at a time when a life hung in the balance, and… Murder of a licensed mage of the College Esoterica. For these charges, the Temple asks that Envoy pay the maximum penalty for her grievous and injurious attempts to impair the commonweal."

They must have dropped the charges for late payment of Temple Scout cookies and the possession of unregistered artifacts. Small blessings.

The Judge yawns and then pours another glass of wine, which she gulps down. "The defendant has heard the charges against her," she says in an exquisite voice of sandpapery velvet. "How does she plead?"

Envoy whispers to Saava, "Not guilty."

Saava says, "She pleadss Not Guilty, your honour."

Latania snorts… sounding almost like she's laughing at an ugly joke.

The garter hisses quietly back to Envoy, "You sshould have pled guilty and assked for mercy. There iss still time to change your mind."

Envoy blinks at her Advocate. "That would be hypocritical though. I am not guilty."

The lioness raises her eyebrows. "You would not be the first to make that claim in these halls, Exile. Nor would you be the last to fail." She draws a thin smile, black lips pressing together.

Chiaroscuro watches the proceedings through dulled eyes and senses, apparently unreactive.

"It is easierr to ask forrgiveness, than to prove permission." The little advocate hissess, "But Not guilty it stayss."

The court recorder scribbles busily away. Members of the audience draw in their breaths.

The lioness glances toward the hooded Naga who sits behind the other table next to Inquisitor Zeffel. "The Prosecutor may now present his case," she purrs.

Saava flips through the folder before him, reading various signed statements.

The Prosecutor stands and then bows toward the Judge. "As it pleasess the Court, I, the Advocate Sevanissha, do declare that I sshall prove that the wicked and mosst treacherouss defendant, Envoy of Lothrhyn… Guilty of the mosst ssubstantial of charge, and I do exssspect that the other chargess sshall be as mere lagniappe upon that mosst heinouss of crime. For sshe has deprived the world of a mossst vital resssource, the mind of a magician, one who hass been truly great in his dayss… " His body glitters with jewelry that catches the eyes, more than one Vartan in the audience going 'ooo!' and 'Oh!' at the sight.

Envoy idly wonders if the prosecutor is being paid by the word…

Sevanissha nods toward Envoy. "And firsst, in the interesst of equanamity… " He smiles, fangs folded away into his scaly lips. "I sshould like to call upon the defendant, and assk her to tell you what sshe did on that mosst fateful of dayss."

The hooded cobra turns toward the winged unicornoid and waits.

Envoy asks Saava what she's supposed to do now.

Saava flips through his folder, and pulls out a sheet of paper. "You are to take the witnesss stand. This iss a transscript of your confesssion in the cells. Do not say anything that iss not herre, he will try to trap you." The garter points, "That is where the witness standss."

Envoy nods and walks to the witness box.

Latania taps a finger against her muzzle, her ears tip forward.

Chiaroscuro watches Envoy, his paws set unmoving in his lap.

The prosecutor draws Envoy out through the day's activities, making sure to point out the fact that it was Envoy's conversation with Isstan that motivated him to attempt a deadly magical spell, despite his obvious weakened condition – "Obvioussly, it wass a fatal misstake of him to trusst her," Sevanissha says. "It iss only due to the heroicissm of the mage Latania that he lived on ass long ass he did after thiss most deplorable death-blow."

Envoy blinks at that conclusion.

The Judge listens to the dialogue with almost boredom, and then looks toward Saava. "Do you have any questions for the witness?" she murmurs.

The Cervani nods her head. The copper earrings on her ears jingle their approval.

Saava nods, "Yes, Witness, was there any evidence that Isstan was in failing health?"

Envoy says, "Not that I noticed. My association with him had not been extensive, but I had seen him exhausted before."

The white-mantled lioness's tail flips back and forth as she runs a finger around the rim of her wineglass.

"So he wass exhausted when you saw him?" The little Naga hisses.

Sevanissha raises his voice. "Objection! It iss only relevant that he wass dying ass a ressult of Envoy's coercssing of the mage."

Envoy blinks. "How could one coerce a master mind mage, yet still manage to be arrested and detained?"

Saava hisses, "It iss not irrelevant your honour, he may have been dying regardlesss of her actionss."

The Prosecutor hisses, "But it wass only thankss to the Mage Latania that the ssusspect wass found out and detained." He nods his head toward the cervine.

Envoy shakes her head, obviously disagreeing.

Latania nods to the prosecutor.

The Judge rubs her chin as she leans back. "Mmmm. The objection is sustained. Recorder, you will strike out Envoy's response to the Defender's question. Now, Advocate, if you have something more… Pertinent?" She lowers her eyeridges and looks lazily toward Saava.

The mouse scribbles away furiously, drawing several lines through narrowly-written sentences.

"No! No!" The little Naga waves at his defendant, "Do not say thingss without being asked, do not gesturre so. You will give them things to usse against you." Then he looks guiltily at the Judge. "Yess… it may have been a badly timed misshap."

"If it can be proved that Isstan was tired, or disstracted, he may have made a mistake… " The little Naga hisses, obviously upset at having to tarnish Isstan's memory as he is, "which would mean my client iss innocent."

Sevanissha smirks at the Defender's obvious unpreparedness. "Objection! Sspeculation," he says smugly. "We are not required to believe in all ssortss of unlikely accssidentss that free the Defendant of the burden of the crime."

The lioness pours another goblet of wine and swirls it back and forth. "Mmmm." She looks at Envoy through the reddish liquid, her face swimming back and forth as the Exile sees it through the glass.

Saava says, "Isstan wass being treated for an illnesss! The defendant could not have known that." Saava stares at Envoy, "This is true yess? you did not know."

Envoy says, "I did not know Isstan was under the care of a Life Mage or a Healer. He made no mention of it."

"And yet you ssaw he was exhaussted," Sevanissha says drawing his thin arms up and smirking. Pearls glitter from his wrists. "You contradict yoursself from your own wordss."

Envoy blinks three times at the bejewelled Naga, but doesn't say anything as Saava advised her.

"See!" The little advocate says happily as he hears Envoy's words. Then he hisses, "Oh… " as he hears Sevanissha's.

"Did you see he was exhausted when you met with him that lasst time?" Saava asks Envoy, finally.

Envoy says, "No."

"Pah… " Latania growls under her breath.

Saava says, "Sso he did not seem deprresssed or otherwisse incapacitated in ways different from how you had seen him on previouss occasions?"

The Judge sips her wine and looks amused. "So then, Advocate, you claim that the defendant… " She looks down at the recorder's sheets of paper. "Envoy of Lothrehin… is guilty only of accidental manslaughter?"

Envoy says, "No. It would not have been reasonable for someone in such a state to be working in a laboratory unmonitored."

Saava nods! "Yess, so as farr as you knew, Isstan was still conducting his dutiess as normal." Then he nods to the judge, "Yess… just a moment your honour, I need to review.

The little advocate starts flipping pages quickly, scanning them.

Sevanissha, rather than seeming worried, listens to Envoy's continuing words with almost a smile upon his scaley lips. "Ah! But the laboratory wass not in fact in usse," he says. Holding up papers, he continues, "In fact, it wass marked ass awaiting cleaning and sservicssing by the sstaff of the College Essoterica. And had not been in usse for some monthss, until thiss maintenance." He raises his eyeridges at Envoy. "Sso, in fact, your meeting with Isstan was a clandesstine meeting, wass it not?"

"She iss… she iss… I think it can be proved your honour, that she iss just a witnesss to unfortunate eventss." Saava hisses.

Saava flicks out his tongue, and starts searching for the piece of paper that tells him that!

Envoy nods to the prosecutor, "Yes, I had hoped to discuss sensitive matters with Isstan."

Sevanissha smirks at Saava. "Sso, a witness, iss sshe, when sshe speaks of… ssenssitive matterss? When sshe meetss with Isstan in private placess, hoping sshe will not be disscovered by more ressponssible, wisser mindss?"

Envoy frowns. That isn't what she said at all.

The Prosecutor sniffs disdainfully. "Perhapss you had better end your quesstioning before you prove her guilty of… High Treasson, hmm?"

The Cervani mage's lips curl up into a grin.

The Judge starts to look interested. Perhaps such interesting cases do not often wind up in the Lower Court.

The smaller Naga, intimidated by the larger Naga with the larger name flicks out his tongue a few times, "Ah… ah… jusst a moment." He turns to Envoy, "Did you select the room, or did Isstan? Were you aware it wass not his usual lab?"

Envoy says, "Isstan was in the lab when I arrived. It was not the meeting place I would have chosen, so I assumed he had a special reason for using the laboratory."

"How wass the meeting arranged?" Saava asks, then adds, "You sshould not sspeculate rreassons you do not know. HE will use it againsst you."

Sevanissha *smiles* at Saava.

Envoy says, "I asked my friend Chiaroscuro to try to find Isstan and arrange a meeting."

Chiaroscuro's ears lift slightly at the mention of his name.

Saava perks up! Flicking his tongue, "So you were innocent of hiss condition, and had no knowledge that he wass not performing hiss regular dutiess! I have no further quesstionss for the defendant if so."

Envoy nods to Saava.

"Sso, your Honor, you ssee that sshe did indeed dessire a sspecial meeting," Sevanissha says as if Saava had been proving his case all along. "No further quesstions."

Envoy looks to the judge, "Do I return to the table now?"

The Judge smirks. "Very well, Advocates. Envoy, you may return to your table. And I trust that you shall discuss your defense more… thoroughly with your Advocate before you are again called forth before this stand."

The recorder scribbles.

Saava looks defiantly at Sevanissha, then back at Envoy, "Yess, you come back here, then we call another witnesss."

Envoy nods and returns to the Defendants table.

The cream-colored lioness leans forward, stretching so that her mantle ripples over her golden bracelet-wrapped arms, hands splayed out. "Very well. Prosecutor?"

The little Naga hisses quietly to Envoy, "You may be innocent after all." He looks between Latania and Chiaroscuro, trying to decide which he'd prefer to hear called up first.

Sevanissha nods toward Latania. "I would like to call upon the wisse and knowledgeable mage Latania, sshe who it wass who ssusstained the life of our essteemed mind-mage, Isstan, for so long. Dear Latania, if you would take the sstand?"

Envoy hmms…

Envoy's advocate reads, looking at statements from Latania, trying to prepare questions. He hisses quietly at Envoy, "Anything you think I should assk her?" as he reads.

The Cervani stands, brushes her dress off and walks slowly and deliberately towards the stand. She seats herself quietly, cold brown eyes look across the assembled people.

Chiaroscuro watches dully. His hands are still in the same position in his lap since the start of the trial… his tail still set at the same angle.

"Now, milady, how would you desscribe what you ssaw when you firsst entered thiss mosst ssecluded and ssecret laboratory, where you had been ssummoned by the Exile Chiarosscuro?" The hooded cobra gestures to Latania to begin her tale.

Envoy nods, "Many things. Did she know what Isstan was being treated for, and what was involved in that treatment? Was she familiar with the possible side effects of a memory-transfer spell performed on somebody with an alien brain structure? And why did she refuse to have a Mind Mage sent for to assist her in the treatment of Isstan? Also, I would like to know if she had ever performed magic on me without my consent."

The Judge shoots a look at Envoy as if to suggest that she had better speak more quietly with her defender.

The life mage clears her throat. "When I entered the abandoned laboratory, I saw Envoy and Isstan in what appeared to be the remnants of a ritual. Isstan was lying on the floor, bleeding from his mouth."

"Latania, You are a highly skilled life mage." The little Naga hisses, "Could those woulds have been caused by a ritual, or would they require violence?"

"And there wass no one elsse there? Nor ssignss that ssome assassin had fled the premissess?" Sevanissha motions Saava to silence. "My witnessss for the moment, my friend."

The Judge raises an eyebrow, looking down at Saava from a gleaming yellow eye, then sips from her winecup.

Saava shrinks a little at the cobra Naga's gesture and instead whisperhisses to Envoy, "How iss your brain different from anyone elsse's? You would not do well to ssugest Isstan wass not capable. It iss wrong to sso malign the dead."

"No. His wounds were obviously caused by a ritual gone awry." Latania says. "Either the ritual has been interrupted… or deliberately tampered with."

The garter doesn't seem happy to hear this answer, and just flicks out his tongue.

Envoy whispers back, "The report of the medical examiner who processed me has the details of my brain chemistry. My brain is only superficially organic."

Saava starts looking for that in his folder!

Sevanissha raises his eyebrows. "Fancssy thiss," he murmurs. "Could you tell uss all a little more about what happened then?"

"Sso you told Isstan this?" The little advocate hisses at his client, "I cannot sseem to find the proof of it here, your recordss." His voice still low.

Envoy whispers back, "I did not tell Isstan this, for I did not know that my brain had chemical differences until recently."

"Having entered the chamber I began to make ready for a healing ritual." the Cervani says in a low tone. "Being in the presence of… disagreeable… people interrupts my concentration, so I told the aeolun and the Kavi to leave. They did not."

Envoy whispers to Saava, "You might ask her if she has a personal bias against me, from her statement."

The garter hisses back to Envoy, "I can not find proof of thiss, it cannot be ussed in your defensse. As far as the court iss concerned, your mind iss like everyone elsess, easily sscanned."

The Judge listens with interest. Noble poodles whisper heatedly between themselves, some pulling out bags of coins and handing them to others to hold.

Latania continues, "I became more insistent and bid some nearby apprentices to escort them out. They were ready to do so – had Envoy not frightened the poor children by telling them that her horrid zelak would attack them if they saw such. finally I resorted to summoning the guards, and Envoy resorted to a paltry voice trick in an attempt to remain and summon another mind mage."

Saava looks up at Envoy, "Ah… oh… yess. I will assk her went it iss my turn. It iss a statement of her skillss though, so… I do not know how usseful it wil be."

Envoy's advocate flicks out his tongue, asking his client, "Iss that true?"

Envoy whispers, "Yes, I wanted another Mind Mage there to determine that the spell was actually broken, or if there were some lingering effects related to Isstan's condition. It seemed unreasonable to me for Latania to refuse to have more knowledgeable diagnosis available."

The Judge's tailtip flickers faster. "Very interesting," she comments as Latania pauses, and listens intently.

"But you ussed voice trickery and threatss to do that?" Saava asks a little too loudly of Envoy.

Envoy blinks, and whispers back, "I don't threaten anybody. I was only telling them how the Zelak might respond if they followed that course of action."

"Sso, Envoy delayed you, Misstressss Latania," Sevanissha says with almost a purr – a Naga-version, of course. Cruelly, he adds, "Perhapss to make ssure that the job of enssuring hiss death wass done. Would you care to ssummarize your findingss as you treated the sstricken mage Isstan, and fought to keep him from sslipping through Death'ss door?"

Envoy whispers to Saava, "I also had reason to question Latania's interests in my well-being if the spell was indeed somehow in effect."

The little Naga holds up his folder, so he is partially hidden, then tells Envoy, "But that iss a threat, if it frightens someone, thats what a threat iss." Then he looks at Sevanissha, and there is no doubt whom is threatened by whom.

Envoy frowns, and whispers, "Facts are not threatening, only their interpretation. If they interpretted it as a threat, I can only assume it was because they live in an environment where threats are common."

"SHH!" The garter hissess, "Do not ssay such thingss, that is an admission that you were threatening them, consciouss or not."

"Of course," the Cervani says with a nod. "He suffered cerebral hemorrhaging. Brought on by what appeared to be a massive magical overload."

Envoy blinks when she hears this. Was that odd dream event the cause of the overload, she wonders?

Envoy whispers to Saava, "I would like to know if anyone else confirmed Latania's diagnosis."

"He would have survived… had it not been for the fact that something had drained him of the will to live." Latania adds. "I am easily one of the most proficient… if not THE most in all of Rephidim. But when the patient does not wish to live… "

"I am forgetting my questionss, my defensse." The little advocate hissess to himself, "I musst write them down." He takes out a pencil and starts scribbling on his folder. "Too many quesstions."

Sevanissha smirks. "So from the wordss of the honored mage Latania, it iss mosst likely that joining in a sspell of ssome sort with Envoy caussed Isstan's eventual death. And that Envoy then attempted to delay proper treatment." He pauses at Latania's latest observation with some surprise. "Yess. Let it be written that the besst mage in all Rephidim wass not able to reversse the coursse down which the defendant… Envoy… had plunged him."

Sevanissha looks toward Saava. "Your witnessss."

Envoy adds another, whispering, "Could you also ask how I could have caused the overload or loss of will in Isstan?"

The mouse scribbles away.

The Judge runs a finger around the rim of her wineglass again, causing it to sing with a faint note, as she waits for Saava's questions.

"I… ah… I… ah… " The little advocate hisses back at Envoy, "I… musst assk other questionss firrst." He flicks out his tongue, then twice again in quick succession, and looks at Latania while lifting up his folder. "Most resspected life mage of the College of Essoterica, my, ah client wishess to know if you had asked a second opinion on Isstan's condition." He flicks out his tongue again.

"Yes." the Cervani responds, her tone of voice sounds almost as though she's insulted by the acusation. "He was a member of the Naga Empire afterall, his brethren insisted upon it."

Sevanissha smirks as if to suggest that the will of the Naga Empire reaches far indeed.

Saava hisses, "Oh… ". He looks at his folder, "I will ask of earlier eventss. You were treating Isstan for some time, had you advissed him to avoid ritualss because he wass weak?"

"I am not Isstan's keeper." Latania snorts. "But any mage – especially a mind mage knows what any mental unbalance on either party can do to disrupt a ritual. Isstan was no fool either, he was probably one of the most brilliant mind mages the college has ever seen."

"Yess, a tragic losss to us all." The little advocate agrees.

The Cervani runs a finger across one of her glittering copper earrings. "A mind mage would not risk what Isstan had done unless he was very desperate, or perhaps coerced."

Sevanissha nods agreement here and looks smug, his tailtip flickering.

Saava nods a little more happily, flicking his tongue out. "You said earlier you find my client'ss pressence dissruptive? Would thiss mean that you do not like her?"

Envoy wonders how you coerce someone to perform a complex ritual for three hours, especially one that gives him access to his supposed coercer's mind…

"Objection," Sevanissha says primly. "Latania's likess and disslikess are irrelevant to what sshe observess."

"No! No" Saava waves his arms, "It isss relevant. What she seess is not in disspute, but how she interpratess it may be."

"Sustained," the Judge says. "Advocate, please confine your questions to the facts."

The life mage places her hands on her lap. Her expression is blank.

The cream lioness is about to drink from her wineglass, when she notices that it is empty. She pours another gobletful… She does not look the least bit tipsy despite the amount that she must have drunken today; if anything, her golden eyes are alive with predatory instincts.

The little garter fumes, looking down at his folder, and tries, again, "Mosst resspected mage, iss it possible that you misstook my client's shock and confussion upon seeing Isstan struck down, as a maliciouss intent to stop you?"

Sevanissha smirks. "Iss thiss how you limit yoursself to factss, dear friend?" he stage-whispers to Saava.

"Perhaps I would have had she not resorted to trickery when I attempted to have her removed." Latania says coldly. "It is common knowledge that a mage must be able to concentrate to perform correctly. I was not able to concentrate."

The recorder writes down Latania's acerbic response.

Saava glares back at the bigger Naga, "The factss are coming out!" Even though they're not the facts he really wants revealed.

Envoy hmms. If Isstan had lost his will to live, as Latania claimed, then a delay could hardly have made a difference.

"A confused person does not resort to tricks, your honor." the Cervani adds. "They bow to a higher authority. she did not even so much as question my knowledge on the subject."

Envoy blinks and sits up rigidly. She did SO question Latania's knowledge…

"Do you have anything more… Relevant to ask?" the Judge drawls. She taps her clawtips on the hard wood of her stand.

Saava, unlike Isstan, is not a mind reader, so he continues, "I see. Just a moment." He flicks out his tongue again, "My client has requested me to assk you to detail your bredth of knowledge outsside your field of specialization."

Chiaroscuro moves noticeably for the first time since he sat down, reaching into a pocket in his clothing, and opens a small box, plucking strings inside. He returns the box to a pocket and returns to sitting stilly.

"Objection, irrelevant," Sevanissha murmurs with an oiled smirk. "The witnessss wass acting in the field of her sspecialization, that of ssaving Isstan's life."

Envoy grumbles, "At which she failed… "

"SHH!" Envoy's advocate hisses at her, "You will not help by insulting her, she iss not on trial."

The hooded cobra darts a venomous look toward Envoy. "Perhaps you had a vessted interesst in sseeing her fail? You sshould have given her every asssisstance."

Sevanissha smirks and steeples his hands.

The Judge frowns toward Envoy, and then thumps her gavel. "Sustained. Please confine your questioning to things *pertinent* to the case, Advocate Saava."

Envoy is getting angry now, and whispers to Saava, "She says he had no will to live, which is clearly the purview of a Mind Mage, which she refused to have summoned!"

Saava says, "Do not venture information, he iss using it againsst us. He hass good earrs, you should only say ssuch things on the stands." He gulps, looking at the judge, then back to Latania, "Sso… you still say that Isstan would not have done such a ritual without coercion?" He asks with a very hopeful look."

The life mage's ears flatten. "I have been a member of the mage's guild for twenty years. My sphere is life… but I am not ignorant of the other spheres. I have seen to every student's education that has passed through the college's doors for the past five years. Yet I was treated as if I was a child… that I knew nothing about what had happened. Has *SHE* studied the spheres? She was not even able to determine for herself if the ritual had ended… even the apprentices knew that!"

Saava gets caught between two very irate females, he tries to hide behind his folder again.

The Judge admonishes the mouse at her right, "You may strike this line of questioning from the records." He emits a small sigh and starts drawing a line through the close-written text again.

"Well, my friend? Are you quite done?" Sevanissha affects concern and sympathy for Saava, reaching out to offer him a cup of water.

"I… ah… I believe that esstablishes your credentialss beyond any doubt." The little Naga hisses, "Still, most highly resspected mage of the college, it is your most unchallengable possition that Isstan would not have attempted the ritual without coercion?"

Latania sits deeper into her chair, glowering. "I am saying that Isstan was not a fool. I have seen him at his prime, he knew the risks. I would not risk my life on a ritual unless I had been promised a large reward… or if I had been blackmailed."

Sevanissha raises his eyeridges and looks sardonically toward Saava, as if to remind him of an earlier comment about High Treason.

Envoy whispers to Saava, "I did offer him a reward, as payment for the information he gave me. But it isn't something that can be discussed in public."

"Yes!" Saava slams his folder on the table. "I submit to the court that my client wass an unwilling participant, set up by… " He stops and stares at Envoy for a second, almost choking, then continues, "… by that persson there. The one who arranged the whole encounter. The Kavi Chiaroscuro, who musst have somehow coerced Isstan. I call him to the standss!"

Envoy blinks and stares at Saava. "What??"

"Shhh!" Hisses the advocate back at Envoy, "He cannot be found guilty in your trial. This iss the only way to save yoursself."

Chiaroscuro looks at Saava, and mutters "Snakes… always it is snakes… " he shuffles towards the witness stand.

Sevanissha looks interested at Saava as he broke off to look at Envoy. "Very well," he says. "Let the next witnessss be called. The *Exile* Chiarosscuro. I sshall be graciouss and posstpone my quesstioning until after my asssociate'ss."

The Judge nods. "So be it," she says crisply. "Mage Latania, thank you for sparing time from your busy schedule for this court. You may step down now."

Latania rises from her seat in the stand and moves quietly back to the bench. "You are welcome, your honor. May justice be served."

Saava looks guiltily at Latania, then buries his head in his notes, "Exile? it doess not say exile here." He fusses to himself.

Sevanissha flickers his tail and fixes his gaze on the mongoose as he steps up to the stand.

Chiaroscuro sits in the witness stand, looking a bit less dull… still weary.

The Judge freshens her goblet and sips it slowly. "Very well, then; Sevanissha – ah, yes. Advocate Saava, your questions?"

Envoy continues to stare incredulously at Saava…

Saava looks up at Chiaroscuro, readying himself for some biting and darting questions. "Chiaroscuro. Explain pleasse in your own worrds, how you set up the encounter with Isstan, and set up your unwitting accomplice, my client."

The little garter looks back at Envoy's STARE, and shivers, slithering sideways on the table, "It iss okay, they cannot use him as a witnesss againsst himself." He flicks out his tongue, "I do not think so anywayss… "

The audience leans forward. Who will die, the mongoose or the Aeolun? The poodles bet frantically back and forth between themselves.

Chiaroscuro speaks in flat tones. "Envoy told me that she wanted to meet with Isstan, and asked me to use my access to the College to do so. Isstan agreed to meet her on the college grounds."

The lioness leans forward, her ears rotated toward Chiaroscuro. Her tailtip flickers with interest.

Chiaroscuro continues. "Then a few days later, Envoy and I went to meet Isstan." He pauses here… and keeps paused and silent.

Saava listens. "Ah, sso what reasonss did she provide for meeting with Isstan. How were these rreasons compatible with your own planss to use her as a scapegoat? When you met with Isstan, what threatss did you bring againsst him, to coerce him into ssuch a dangerrouss ritual?"

Chiaroscuro looks at Saava with a trace of… irritability? Annoyance?, then speaks more emphatically… "She claimed to want to get information from Isstan. I did not threaten the snake."

Sevaniisha flickers his tailtip back and forth and glances sidelong toward Saava.

The little advocate flicks out his tongue, hissing, "So… pleasse explain how you convinced an experience mage to meet in an unussed laboratory and conduct a ritual which he himsself knew he wass likely too weak to undertake. A room disstant from anyone who could assisst him should he require it."

Envoy hisses to Saava, "The ritual wasn't even suggested until after I had already spoken with Isstan!!"

Chiaroscuro says, "The room… he chose the room, I do not know why. And Envoy was the one that got him to perform the ritual."

A poodle whispers to another, making grasping motions at empty air. Several nobles titer, until the Judge glares down at them. "There will be silence from the audience," she commands.

The mouse writes Chiaroscuro's words down obediently.

Saava flicks out his tongue! "Ah… ah… It… " He searches through his folder, "It wass her idea to attempt the rituals? Yess… yess. You have just answered that. But… but." He keeps flipping pages.

Sevanissha has the good grace to look slightly embarrassed on Saava's behlf.

Chiaroscuro mutters, "Envoy asked Isstan to perform the ritual.", in a almost mechanical voice. He still looks at the snake, avoiding eye contact with Envoy.

Envoy whispers to Saava, "Chiaroscuro did not do anything to cause Isstan's death! I will not allow such an accusation to be used in my defense!"

"You have avowed a disslike of my kind. Did you not bring her and him together knowing he wass in a weakened condition, and would posssibly die if the ritual wass interrupted. Which you admit to doing?" He flicks out his tongue, "That desspite my clients interesst, you dessired to see the Nagai Empire deprived of one of it's mosst prominent mages, and used her to that end?"

Saava hisses back at Envoy, "Someone iss guilty, there were only two people in the room, if you are innocent it musst be him!"

Envoy blinks… But there was someone else there… but only in Isstan's and her own mind!

Envoy whispers, "No, there might have been another Mind Mage involved… or several."

"How? The room wass secluded" The little garter hissess, "There iss no evidence any were around. It cannot be proved, it only makess you look like you are grassping at strawss. We cannot suggest unprovable consspiraciess."

Chiaroscuro's eyes glint with the tiniest tinge of red, and his voice rises, "I did not know he was weak, and he *would* have died if the ritual was not interrupted. I *warned* Envoy it was killing Isstan. I did not kill him! I might hate snakes but… "

Envoy whispers, "Another Mind Mage could confirm it though!"

Chiaroscuro drops suddenly back to emotionlessness. "I did not kill Isstan. I tried to save him… I did."

Latania, who had been looking bored up until this moment, suddenly perks up.

Saava looks like he desperately wants a straw to grasp. "You… she… you warned… interrupted… ah!" He ducks behind his folder.

Sevanissha looks sardonically toward Saava. "And sso, the Exile Chiarosscuro, far from the cruel and prejudicssed being you paint him, sstrived to ssave the life of a great mage. From whom, but the Exile, Envoy? Sshe ussed your connection with the College, did sshe not, Chiarosscuro? Sshe ussed you for an alibi… "

The hooded cobra gazes almost sympathetically toward the mongoose.

"You… you don't know anything about magic" The little advocate stares incredulously at Envoy, "How do you know anything of the mind sphere, what can and cannot be done. Unless… Unless… "

Envoy almost snaps at the cobra, but restrains herself. The reason she used Chiaroscuro was because she thought Latania was trying to kill her.

Chiaroscuro suddenly crumples back in the chair… then stands up… "I trusted her, I was there to protect her, and she used me, used me to get at him, used me to KILL A SNAKE that for once I TRIED TO SAVE!" His voice ends in almost a screech.

Saava slithers further away from Envoy, holding his notes defensively between her and himself.

Envoy whispers to Saava, "I have the memories that were being transferred when Isstan fell! The answer to what happened to him must be in them."

The Judge looks taken aback by Chiaroscuro's outburst.

Envoy blinks and looks stunned by Chia's claim…

Chiaroscuro curls up in a ball in the chair, shuddering, mumbling "Used… used… " with a sob in his voice.

"No! No!" Saava hisses, "My client… my client… my client changes her plea to guilty, and throws herself on the mercy of the courts."

Latania's lips curl up into a snarl. She hisses something to herself, "… usssssssed… "

Envoy just sits there, ignoring Saava completely for now in her confusion, and torn by her urge to run up and comfort Chipper and anger at being betrayed…

Sevanissha's face hardens, as much as a Naga's can, muscles drawing tight. He smiles fangily. "Your Honor, on behalf of the State… And the Naga Empire… I can only assk that the maxssimum penalty be exssacted. Death iss too good for one who hass mind-raped a mage of the College Essoterica, and left him to die. But it iss all that we can assk."

"My… my client is a mind mage, or… or has a strange brain! She told me, it destroys mind mages who link with her." Saava almost slithers off the edge of the table, "She… she… "

Chiaroscuro curls smaller and smaller, still sobbing out "Used… used… "

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" The little snake sobs, "Have mercy on her your honour, make her death quick, and her grave hidden, so it will not be defiled by the hundreds of Nagai who will curse this day.""

Myriad thoughts tangle in Envoy's mind. Was it her memories of the Priest-King that destroyed Isstan's will to live?

The Cervani stands rigidly in her seat. "Your honor! THAT is what the Envoy does! She USES people. She used me to aid a rebel slave, and then threw me away later to deal with the authorites as if it were nothing!! LOOK AT HER!!! Not a hint of guilt! She is a MONSTER your honor! Incapable of seeing beyond her own means… and leaving a trail of broken people in her wake!" Her hands are clenched into tight fists at her side.

"

Envoy reaches up to touch her cheek, and stares at her damp fingers in wonder. She's crying, and that confuses her even more…

Saava says, "Execute her now your honour! save her from being torn apart by the crowd! I implore you. Give my client a swift death!"

Latania grits her teeth and storms out of the courtroom muttering… well… things that such a fine lady should not be heard saying in public.

The cream-colored lioness bangs the gavel. "Order in the court," she yells. "There shall be order in the court, and he who breaks it first, I shall personally put to the sword."

The Judge pronounces the words solemnly. "This, the Lower Court of the Temple of Rephidim, does hereby find the defendant, Envoy of Lothrhyn, guilty of the major charge of murder against the person of the Mind-Mage Isstan, licensed mage of the College Esoterica, and of the sundry other charges levelled against her, inasmuch as she has given no defense for them. The heinous nature of this crime forbids any lesser punishment, and so I hereby sentence the defendant to… "

Envoy shudders, and lets the repressed frustration and stress of the past few days run free. "I… didn't mean for anyone to be hurt," she sobs.

Chiaroscuro curls smaller… smaller… body folding and crumpling like a wad of paper… used, wasted paper…

"Death by the Great Chair," the lioness finishes.

Envoy doesn't seem to hear the pronouncement, or anything else beyond Chiaroscuro's distress.

"No! That is too cruel!" Envoy's advocate hisses, "Let her be torn apart by the crowd, let her be thrown from Rephidim with her wings bound and a big rock, anything but the Great Chair! I beg you on my clients behalf."

Dazed and red-eyed, Envoy stands up and begins walking towards the witness stand. "Ch-chipper? I'm sorry!"

Saava says, "She's gone mad! Beware, it is another trick. Help"

Chiaroscuro huddles up, shrinking back from Envoy against the far side of the witness stand…

The scene fades to black around Envoy, as if she had passed out… And when her vision comes back, she finds herself seated in a huge ceramic chair with cables connected everywhere to her hands, her feet, her body, the ugly steel manacles locking her body into place. An audience of what must be at least a hundred thousand throngs the square outside, and a ferocious snarling fills the air – it must be from the giant array of batteries nearby. The skies are ironically clear, without a cloud in sight and only the great slash of the Procession to mark Sinai's sky.

Envoy blinks slowly, not quite registering the world around her. Is she still under the interface helmet, dreaming with the computer?

The crowd cheers as a black-robed Inquisitor steps out and declares to the people, "Now the slayer of the mind-mage Isstan shall die! Witness the judgment of the First Ones!" And the roar of the crowd goes on and on, as if they were all chanting one thing, every voice joined in unison.

Light glints off of the Inquisitor's star-and-anchor-blazoned shoulder pads as he reaches for a black-handled knife-switch.

Envoy whispers, "But I'm innocent… "

And pulls it.

*CLANK!* Electricity surges, the chair flashes with lightning, a heat that consumes Envoy in a single split-second, everything fading to white…

And she wakes up in a bed.

Envoy gasps for breath! Where is she?? What's happening??

A familiar form of a white Cervani doe stands at the foot of the bed. "Be still!" she grumbles. "You were brought here after the accident at the college. I believe I have healed you adequately now… but you shall still need rest."

Chiaroscuro calls out gently, "Envoy?" in a voice of concern.

It looks like her room in the Bard's Guild, and as her eyes adjust, the few tapestries and musical instruments that adorn the wall come back into focus. It's cramped, not quite enough room to swing a vermite around in… A crunch beneath her suggests that there's plenty of reinforcement for Envoy's bug collection.

Envoy sobs when she hears Chia's voice! "I'm sorry Chipper!! I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Latania cleans up her collection of powders and candles. "Never have I seen such a mess… bah. I'll need a hot bath to wash off the grime of this place."

Chiaroscuro looks confused… "Hurt me?" He takes Envoy's hand gently in his, rubbing it soothingly. "What are you speaking of, Lady Envoy?"

Envoy blinks at her hand, and finally notices Latania. "How… how long since I died? Am I still dead?"

The doe stashes her various items into a red leather pouch. "She may be a bit disoriented for awhile. Fouled mind rituals are pesky things." She blinks. "Dead? No… damaged, yes. But have no fear… I am an expert at what I do. You shoud be fully healed within a few days." She rummages through her bag and pulls out a paper bag.

Latania tosses the bag at the foot of Envoy's bed. "Drink these herbs in some sort of broth… otherwise you will have a screaming headache for the next two weeks." She checks her supplies again and then turns to look at the mongoose, "Well, Kavi, as you see… I have done my part of the bargain. I assume that no charges will be filed against the guild now?"

Envoy blinks three times slowly, before sniffling and saying, "I don't know what's real anymore. Do you still hate me, Chipper? Why would Latania help me after Isstan's death?"

"Because I am a healer." Latania answers flatly.

Oddly, Latania's calling Chiaroscuro a Kavi helps Envoy believe that this is all actually happening…

Chiaroscuro nods to Latania. "Of course not… as long as Envoy is safe, that is all I care about." He turns back to Envoy. "H-hate you?" He sniffles a bit. "How… how could you ever think that, Envoy?" His eyes look into Envoy's with gentleness.

Envoy tries to sit up, since laying down has never seemed natural to her… "I… you said I'd used you at the trial… " She keeps her grip on Chiaroscuro's hand though, to make sure he doesn't vanish.

Chiaroscuro tilts his head to the side. "What? No… Envoy, I do not know what trial you are talking about, but you are my greatest friend in this world… I would never think or say such a thing… you must have had bad, bad dreams these past days… "

Envoy blinks and relaxes a little. This IS real, but… "Dreams? I've never dreamt before… before Isstan showed me… "

Someone or something rasps once, just outside the door and out of sight.

"I will leave now." the Cervani says as she walks to the door. "And, as much as it pains me to bring up unpleasantries such as this, I would recommend that you not step foot on the college grounds for… a while. Until Isstan's name is forgotten." And with that, she vanishes. out the door.

Envoy says, "Isstan… "

Envoy suddenly hugs Chiaroscuro tight!

Chiaroscuro looks down… "Isstan's dead, Envoy… I tried to save him by breaking the spell, but he died anyway. And you have been like this ever since… I have been waiting by your side each-" he stops suddenly, embracing Envoy tightly to return the hug.

Envoy sighs deeply, then quietly asks, "How long has it been? What happened to Isstan?"

Chiaroscuro says, "It has been… two weeks now, Envoy, about… Isstan died… I thought you might be dead too… The spell went all wrong when I broke it, I went to get mages to fix it… they saved you but Isstan is dead."

Chiaroscuro squeezes Envoy… "I am so glad you are back… "

Two weeks!! "We had brain damage?" she guesses.

Chiaroscuro says, "That is what they said… mind damage… they said you might have false memories or strange dreams when you awoke."

Envoy can't help but chuckle weakly…

Envoy says, "They didn't charge us with murder then?"

Chiaroscuro shakes his head vigourously… "No… I told the mages everything, and they know we were only trying to get information from him. Latania said he had been weak before and should not have tried it…

Envoy starts sobbing again. "I must have killed him, Chipper! The memories I gave him… I must have known or I wouldn't have dreamt like I did!"

Chiaroscuro cradles Envoy's head against his chest, arms holding her gently. "No… it's not your fault, Envoy. He was weak before, that is what the mages say. I know you would not kill him, you are no murderer… "

Envoy rests against the mongoose. "You stayed with me for two weeks? Can you stay longer? I don't want to be alone."

Chiaroscuro nods, smiling warmly. "I will be here as long as you need me, Lady Envoy. You will not be alone." He rubs Envoy's back with a paw. "Besides, it is roomier than my home.", he says, with a small 'come on and giggle along' giggle.

Envoy obliges, and giggles. She probably wouldn't have before.