Difference between revisions of "Transcript of Crown vs. Ricardo"

Latest revision as of 18:53, 26 March 2011

This page contains a transcript of the trial Crown vs. Ricardo.

Transcript

• Jacob: Weapons are prohibited. Please see the banker outside.
• Jacob: Weapons are not allowed in this building. A banker is available outside to assist you.
• You cannot say anything at this time; you have been muted.
• You see: William the Guard
• You see: Thomas the Guard
• You see: Ricardo the Thief
• You see: Ellie (squelched)
• William: Sit down.
• William: We'll 'ave our eyes on ye the whole time.
• You see: Kyle the Bailiff
• Kyle: Gentlemen.
• William: Sir.
• Thomas: Sir.
• Kyle: Good morning, Mr. Ricardo
• Ricardo: Mornin', Kyle.
• Kyle: *smirks*
• You see: Lilian the Clerk
• You see: Casca the Prosecutor
• You see: Beauregard the Defence Counsel
• Beauregard: Have no worries, sirrah. I hath rarely lost a case!
• Ricardo: *shrugs*
• Ricardo: Meh, what's the worst they could do?
• Beauregard: Ah, aha. Most brave! Well said.
• Beauregard: *coughs*
• Kyle: All rise! Hear ye, hear ye!
• You see: Justice Verina the Magistrate
• Kyle: This court is now open for the trial of criminal cases with and without jury.
• Kyle: All those having anything to do before the Honorable Verina, Justice of the Court of Truth, draw near and attend.
• Kyle: This court is now in session. Please be seated.
• Lilian: Britannia versus Ricardo.
• Justice Verina: Good afternoon. The clerk shall announce counsel.
• Lilian: Casca of Heartwood as the Plaintiff, representing the government of Britannia.
• Casca: Good afternoon, Your Honor.
• Lilian: Beauregard of Trinsic, for the Defense.
• Beauregard: Good afternoon, Your Honor. Might I say Her Ladyship looketh well today?
• Justice Verina: The court shall disregard, and the Defense will keep observations of the Court to themselves.
• Beauregard: Ah.
• Justice Verina: The clerk shall read the charges against the Defendant and report his pleas.
• Lilian: The Defendant, Ricardo, has pleaded Not Guilty to the following charges:
• Lilian: Theft, namely of a foreign national treasure.
• Lilian: Conspiracy, in the attempted assault upon a Kingdom prisoner transport unit.
• Lilian: High Treason, for inciting the Ophidian War.
• Justice Verina: Very well, and again, good afternoon to you all.
• Justice Verina: Art thou prepared to open?
• Casca: Indeed, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: Thou mayest do so.
• Casca: Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, Id like to begin by telling you a story about a young girl named Liane.
• Casca: Now this young lady was kind, generous, altogether virtuous, and quite beloved of the townspeople.
• Casca: Her father was an innkeeper, and as such, she often had the opportunity to greet travelers and serve as a hostess for their visitors.
• Casca: She lived with her family in a sleepy little village, and lived a humble yet blissful life.
• Casca: All this was shattered one horrible morning... In a single instant everything she'd held dear was ripped away from her.
• Casca: You see, ladies and gentlemen, Liane lived in Papua, a territory of Britannia in the Lost Lands, and the first city to suffer under the sudden onslaught of the Ophidian army.
• Casca: An army that would soon overwhelm Papuas pitiful defenses, and march on towards our heartland.
• Casca: Liane suffered that instant of agony alone, as she watched her father fall before her eyes, yet in all the carnage managed to escape meeting her familys fate.
• Casca: Instead, the terrified child sought shelter in the depths of a dark cellar, hidden, as best she could, in the impossibly tight space between a few water barrels.
• Casca: Here alone, in shock, drenched in tears and sweat and blood, the poor girl hid.
• Casca: ...
• Casca: Forgive me, my friends, for this graphic rendition.
• Casca: I only wish to convey the horror this child must have endured in the darkness, while the screams of the dying echoed all around her.
• Casca: I want to tell you that she remained hidden and safe in that cellar.
• Casca: I want to tell you that the Ophidians withdrew and returned to their lairs, content with their mayhem.
• Casca: But I cannot.
• Casca: The Ophidians hunted down every man, woman, and child they could find in that city, and slaughtered them without mercy.
• Casca: Liane was no exception.
• Casca: Yet, you see my friends, Liane died under an Ophidian's blade, true! But it was a Man who sealed her fate.
• Casca: A man who's arrogance, who's unmitigated gall, who's foolhardy quest for glory and riches so infuriated the Ophidians that they poured war down upon us.
• Casca: A man who fled to safety, never warning those left behind of the horrors following after him.
• Casca: That man, ladies and gentlemen, is seated before us.
• Casca: That man is Ricardo, the so-called legendary thief.
• Casca: The prosecution will show beyond any reasonable doubt that Ricardos theft of the Scions Zenith, an artifact of great importance to the Ophidians, was the direct cause of the war.
• Casca: We will further show that Ricardo, in doing so, invoked a war upon our shores like none seen in recent memory.
• Casca: We will prove that Ricardo has committed High Treason, and we will demonstrate the law to which he will be held.
• Casca: We will justify our call for the maximum penalty. This was a crime committed against all Britannia.
• Casca: Ricardo did not wield the bardiche that cut short Lianes life.
• Casca: Nor the ones that destroyed the thousands of lives lost during the war.
• Casca: But we cannot show mercy.
• Casca: No, today, Justice cannot yield to mercy, even as Compassion was never shown to all those who paid the price for Ricardos crimes.
• Casca: Our only wish is that the jury carefully hear all the evidence presented from this point forward.
• Casca: That they decide only upon the facts of this case.
• Casca: That their sole, and greatest duty, be that the Truth come forward, and upon that foundation a fate be determined.
• Casca: A fate, I believe, that will be bound by Justice. Thank you.
• Justice Verina: I feel this would be an appropriate time to take a short break.
• Casca: Thank you, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: Members of the jury shall remain seated, all else are free to go.
• Justice Verina: Court shall recess for one Britannian hour.
• Beauregard: Hold tight!
• Beauregard: I shall defend thee to the bitter end!
• Justice Verina: Well spoken, Mr. Casca.
• Lilian: That was most impressive, sir.
• Ricardo: I'm sure you will.
• Casca: Oh, please don't be impressed.
• Casca: Just take it in your heart to remember those who've gone on ahead of us.
• Town Crier: Hear ye! Hear ye! The Trial of Ricardo, murderer and thief, is being held in Yew.
• Lilian: Oh, ah, yes, yes of course.
• Town Crier: Come and witness the trial of the century, at the Court of Truth!
• Town Crier: Let Justice be served!
• You see: Casca the Prosecutor
• You see: Beauregard the Defence Counsel
• You see: Justice Verina the Magistrate
• Kyle: Be seated, please.
• Justice Verina: The Prosecution hath concluded its opening statement.
• Justice Verina: Is the Defense prepared?
• Beauregard: Indeed, Your Honor, quite prepared!
• Beauregard: My client is innocent!
• Beauregard: How, ye may ask, might a man, a thief, in fact, be innocent?
• Beauregard: Well I shall tell thee!
• Beauregard: The man you see sitting before thee is but a pitiful pawn in a game of chess.
• Beauregard: A game played by politicians and liars (as though the two could be separate!)
• Beauregard: The Defense shall refute the claims of the Prosecution, and prove, or at least provide some reasonable shred of doubt, that Ricardo is innocent of the crimes attributed him.*
• Beauregard: Ask thineselves, Is it reasonable that a man should be put to death for committing a crime he couldst not know would harm another?"
• Beauregard: No!
• Beauregard: Ask thineselves, Is it possible that an entire war could begin with the actions of just one man?
• Beauregard: No!
• Beauregard: And finally, ask thyself, If it were I in Ricardos place, how wouldst I wish to be treated?
• Beauregard: No!
• Beauregard: Oh.
• Beauregard: I mean, please ask thyself that question, and consider this case most carefully.
• Beauregard: For the ramifications could be dire.
• Beauregard: Thank you.
• Ricardo: Thats it?
• Ricardo: *sighs*
• Justice Verina: Is that all, Mr. Beauregard?
• Beauregard: Er, yes, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: Very well, let the record show that we hath concluded opening statements.
• Justice Verina: Mr. Casca, thou mayest begin.
• Casca: Thank you, Your Honor.
• Casca: The Prosecution wishes to submit the findings of Justice Edgar, juge dinstruction for this case, as Peoples Exhibit the First.
• Justice Verina: Let the record show that Justice Edgar was the Investigating Magistrate for this trial.
• Lilian: The record shows the findings as Peoples Exhibit the First, and that Justice Edgar was the Investigating Magistrate for this trial.
• Lilian: One, that Ricardo is the same Ricardo accused in the matter of this trial.
• Lilian: Second, that Ricardo committed, and did in fact admit to, the theft of the Scions Zenith.
• Beauregard: Objection, Your Honor!
• Justice Verina: The findings of the Investigating Magistrate are not a matter for debate. Continue.
• Lilian: Ahem.
• Lilian: Third, that a band of brigands did assault the transport carriage of Ricardo during his relocation to Yew.
• Lilian: Fourth, that the theft of the Scions Zenith was an instigating factor in the sudden uprising of the Ophidians.
• Casca: Thank you.
• Casca: The People calls Hudson of Papua to the stand.
• You see: Hudson the Fisherman
• Casca: Hudson, are you from the town of Papua?
• You see: Kyle the Bailiff
• Hudson: Yes sir, I am. Whats left of it at least.
• Casca: Ah, and could you tell me a little about Papua? Before the invasion, I mean.
• Hudson: Aye, tis a beautiful little town, sitting on the shore surrounded by jungle.
• Hudson: Wed had our fair share of trouble with the neighbors, but itd been right calm since wed become a part of the Kingdom proper.
• Casca: When you say neighbors, whom do you mean?
• Hudson: Those snakes and spiders, ya know, the monsters.
• Casca: The Ophidians and Terathans, you mean?
• Beauregard: Objection! Leading the witness!
• Justice Verina: Overruled. That was for clarification. The witness may answer.
• Hudson: Aye, thats them.
• Casca: Could you tell me about what happened when the Ophidian army invaded your town?
• Hudson: It was fast, thats what it was.
• Hudson: One moment it was quiet, the next the jungle was a full of em. They were everywhere.
• Hudson: Soon enough the guards were down, and the barriers around the town, they just werent working.
• Casca: When you say barriers
• Hudson: The magic ones, you know, that protect cities. All of em have em.
• Casca: Indeed. So the Ophidians had no opposition?
• Hudson: Oh no! We fought em, we did. I had me trusty crossbow at me side.
• Hudson: But they were too fast. And then the big uns, the ones with the blood-stained bardiches
• Hudson: *shakes head*
• Hudson: Soon we were all running for the shore figured we could swim if we couldnt get through the trees.
• Casca: What happened then?
• Hudson: They were all over the docks, so I climbed a tree. Turned out they never found me up there.
• Casca: Did you see anything while you were up there?
• Hudson: Aye. Aye Saw the innkeepers girl run into the old shipwrights. Shed been in the weaponsmiths - had something in her hand.
• Hudson: I thought shed hid good, was sure of it, hoped so at least. But then I saw one of them snakes sniffing around the door.
• Casca: What happened then?
• Hudson: It went in. It was in there for a long time, and then I heard a scream. Itd gotten pretty quiet by then.
• Casca: Thank you Hudson.
• Hudson: *nods*
• Casca: Your witness, sir.
• Beauregard: So, it seemeth my friend Mr. Casca wisheth to establish a most sad tale of woe! Is that it, Hudson?
• Casca: Your Honor! Speculation!
• Justice Verina: Sustained.
• Beauregard: Well, well well. So you saw this scared, little, child of a girl run into this building all by herself?
• Hudson: Thats right.
• Beauregard: And ye were up in some tree looking down, is that right?
• Hudson: Yes.
• Beauregard: Mmhm and you saw that snake heading towards her?
• Hudson: I did.
• Beauregard: And you just sat there?
• Hudson: What?
• Beauregard: You sat there, armed with a crossbow, and watched a girl get killed, doing nothing?!
• Casca: YOUR HONOR! Please!
• Justice Verina: Sustained. Mr. Beauregard, this man is not on trial. Change your line of questioning.
• Beauregard: Im done with this man.
• Beauregard: *hic*
• Justice Verina: Excuse me?
• Beauregard: Ah, hiccups, Your Honor, just a tad nervous.
• Justice Verina: Mr. Casca, your next witness?
• Casca: The People calls Nicholas to the stand
• You see: Nicholas the Merchant
• Casca: Sir, may I inquire as to your profession?
• Nicholas: Sure. Im a fence.
• Casca: Could you define the meaning?
• Nicholas: I take stolen stuff and pass it on, or sell it to others.
• Casca: Have you ever met this man, Ricardo?
• Nicholas: Met em? Were good buddies! Hey Ricardo!
• Ricardo: Hey, Nick.
• Justice Verina: The Defendant will remain silent.
• Casca: Are you familiar with the Scions Zenith?
• Nicholas: The crown thing? Sure. Broke it up for for the rares: gold, jewels, you know.
• Casca: I see. Who gave you that crown?
• Nicholas: Ricardo.
• Casca: Do you know where he got it?
• Nicholas: *shrugs*
• Nicholas: Heard it came from the snake people.
• Beauregard: Objection! Hearsay!
• Justice Verina: Sustained.
• Casca: Er, did Ricardo tell you where he obtained the crown?
• Nicholas: Like I said, he told me he got it from the snakes.
• Beauregard: Your Hon
• Justice Verina: That was acceptable.
• Casca: Thank you, sir.
• Nicholas: Always a pleasure.
• Casca: Mr. Beauregard?
• Beauregard: *hic*
• Beauregard: Why art thou here, Nick?
• Nicholas: Cause the court ordered me.
• Beauregard: Oh? And why was that?
• Nicholas: I got caught fencing some jewels. My testimony is part of the plea bargain.
• Beauregard: Aha! Did you hear that everyone!?
• Justice Verina: Order!
• Justice Verina: I remind the court that testimony given as part of a plea bargain is perfectly admissible.
• Beauregard: Oh, well then, thank you.
• Ricardo: *groans*
• Ricardo: Your Honor, I
• You see: Inu the Crone
• Kyle: Stop! Stop I say!
• Thomas: You there! Halt!
• You see: Inu the Crone
• You see: Inu the Crone
• You see: William the Guard
• Justice Verina: Order!
• You see: Thomas the Guard
• William: *looks confused*
• Inu: A trial by fire burns the beast!
• Thomas: *blinks*
• Kyle: Someone help me catch her!
• Inu: Come! Stop! Go!
• Inu: Hehehehe.
• You see: Inu the Crone
• Inu: Hehehehe.
• Inu: You cant stop fate! They come! Oh they come!
• Kyle: Get down from there!
• You see: Inu the Crone
• William: Gotcha!
• Justice Verina: Guards!
• Justice Verina: Get this fool woman out of here!
• William: Yes, Your Honor!
• Inu: Decide his fate! Dont be late! Kekeke.
• Justice Verina: Court will recess for twenty Britannian minutes!
• Kyle: Forgive me, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: *nods*
• Beauregard: What the devil was that all about?
• Ricardo: I've no idea.
• Kyle: All rise! Hear ye, hear ye!
• You see: Justice Verina the Magistrate
• Kyle: All may be seated.
• Sticky Fingers: Obsu Vulni - Close Wounds
• Justice Verina: What an interesting woman.
• Justice Verina: *shakes head*
• Justice Verina: A friend of the defendant?
• Ricardo: Never met her in my life, Your Honor. Although
• Justice Verina: Moving on. Mr. Casca?
• Casca: Your Honor, the Prosecution would like to submit Peoples Exhibit the Second at this time.
• Justice Verina: Proceed.
• Casca: I am handing a copy of the Treason Act to the clerk at this time.
• Lilian: I have received it.
• Casca: Could the clerk please read the various conditions for which High Treason is defined?
• Lilian: *coughs*
• Lilian: One, Compass or imagine the death of our lord the Sovereign; or the Sovereigns companion; or their heir, or
• Lilian: Two, Levy war against the Sovereign in their Realm; or adhere to the Sovereigns enemies in their Realm; giving them aid or comfort in their Realm or elsewhere, or
• Lilian: ...
• Lilian: Three, Counterfeit the Royal Seal; or any of the Sovereigns money, or
• Lilian: Four, Kill any member of the Royal Court; or the Sovereigns Justices; or the Royal Council while in the pursuit of their duties
• Beauregard: Your Honor! My client hath done none of these things!
• Justice Verina: Be patient. Continue Mr. Casca.
• Casca: Thank you. Is there any additional text concerning the definition of High Treason?
• Lilian: Yes, there is a specific clause extending the definition.
• Casca: Please read it.
• Lilian: And because that many other like Cases of Treason may happen in Time to come, which a Man cannot think nor declare at this present Time;
• Lilian: it is accorded, That if any other Case, supposed Treason, which is not above specified, doth happen before any Justices,
• Lilian: the Justices shall tarry without any going to Judgement of the Treason till the Cause be shewed and declared before the Sovereign and his Council,
• Lilian: whether it ought to be judged Treason or other Felony.
• Casca: Thank you. Your Honor, I call my next witness to the stand.
• Casca: Lord Francesco, please.
• You see: Francesco the Royal Treasurer
• Casca: Lord Francesco, could you introduce yourself briefly?
• Francesco: I am Francesco, Treasurer of the Royal Council. I am here representing their will today.
• Casca: And we appreciate it. My lord, has the Royal Council considered the charges of treason against Ricardo?
• Francesco: We have.
• Casca: How do you find the defendant?
• Francesco: We judge his crime Treason most High.
• Francesco: His actions have resulted in the deaths of thousands, and extraordinary loss to the Kingdom.
• Casca: By what authority to you judge this crime High Treason?
• Francesco: By the authority vested in the Royal Council, ruling pro-tempore, and by the Treason Act.
• Casca: How so?
• Francesco: The Act allows the Council to define new and specific instances of Treason.
• Casca: And how have you defined this instance of High Treason?
• Francesco: We define this instance as: "A willful act that results in great loss of life and property."
• Francesco: "The former to be no less than five-score peoples, the latter to be no less than the value of the smallest town in the realm."
• Casca: Has Ricardos crime met these conditions?
• Francesco: The conditions are not only met, but are exceeded.
• Casca: I yield the witness to my friend, Mr. Beauregard.
• Beauregard: Can you truly say all that Ricardo has wrought is ill?
• Francesco: Im sorry?
• Beauregard: Can you truly say that Ricardo has done nothing good for the Kingdom?
• Francesco: *looks around*
• Francesco: Is that at issue? I did not
• Casca: Your Honor? Objection?
• Justice Verina: Sustained.
• Beauregard: Tell me, then, did Ricardo not aid an old woman locked in a dungeon? Surely the Council is aware of this incident?
• Francesco: Which incident is that?
• Beauregard: Why, the door behind which Inu the Crone lay prisoner!
• Francesco: Inu the what? Who?
• Justice Verina: Mr. Beauregard, does this line of inquiry have a point?
• Beauregard: Yes, Your Honor, just a moment more.
• Beauregard: Inu the Crone, kidnapped off the streets of Britain, held against her will, this man saved her!
• Francesco: *coughs*
• Casca: Ah, Your Honor, I believe he is referring to Ricardo picking a lock for some mercenaries.
• Justice Verina: Wait, is this the same woman who just willfully obstructed the court?
• Beauregard: Er, well, yes Your Honor.
• Casca: Indeed.
• Justice Verina: The jury will disregard testimony concerning Inu the Crone - irrelevance.
• Lilian: So noted.
• Beauregard: Ah, well, then. Carry on.
• Casca: Thank you, Lord Francesco.
• Casca: Finally, I would like to call Luiz the Guard to the stand, who will testify concerning the assault on Ricardos transport earlier this month.
• Casca: Ah, excuse me
• Beauregard: zz.. Zzz...
• Beauregard: Zzz
• Justice Verina: Mr. Casca?
• You see: Casca the Prosecutor
• Casca: Your Honor, my witness seems to be absent.
• Beauregard: ...
• Justice Verina: This is unfortunate, dost thou have any further witnesses?
• Casca: No, Your Honor. Motion to delay?
• Justice Verina: Does the Defense wish to accede?
• Beauregard: ...
• Casca: Mr. Beauregard?
• Justice Verina: Mr. Beauregard?
• Ricardo: Your Honor?
• Justice Verina: Yes?
• Ricardo: My defender seems to be asleep.
• Justice Verina: MR. BEAUREGARD!
• You see: Beauregard the Defence Counsel
• Beauregard: Ah, *hic*, ah, yes Your Honor, I am present.
• Ricardo: If it pleases the court, my defender seems to be drunk, as well.
• Justice Verina: Order!
• Justice Verina: Bailiff! Escort this man from the building!
• Ricardo: Your Honor?
• Justice Verina: One moment Mr. Ricardo.
• Beauregard: But wait, Im not Im f
• Beauregard: *vomits*
• Casca: Your Honor, the Prosecution is most distressed by the behavior of the Defense.
• Justice Verina: As is the Court. Didst thou have any further witnesses?
• Casca: No, Your Honor. The Prosecution rests.
• Justice Verina: I see. Still, we must arrange the representation of the defendant, or reconvene when Mr. Beauregard is in a position to fulfill his capacities.
• Casca: I agree, Your Honor and
• Ricardo: I would like to put forward a motion of no confidence in my Defense, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: Mr. Ricardo? Thou understandeth that ye are in no position to dictate the course of this affair?
• Ricardo: Yes, Your Honor, unless I were to represent myself before the court.
• Justice Verina: Mr. Ricardo, I doubt you comprehend the ramifications of representing thyself.
• Ricardo: Your Honor, from the moment I entered the custody of the courts I've had no chance of defending myself.
• Ricardo: Both of my representatives have proven useless to me. Both were provided by the government, which also tries me.
• Ricardo: Mr. Beauregard had not even arranged any witnesses to testify on my behalf.
• Ricardo: The least I can be allowed is a chance to speak. Is this not fair?
• Casca: Your Honor, surely you will not?
• Justice Verina: Hmm Save for the serious nature of the charges I might have already ordered this case retried.
• Justice Verina: Mr. Ricardo, dost thou feel that you canst more truly represent thyself than those who have been, or may be appointed in thine behalf?
• Ricardo: I do, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: This is the Court of Truth, Mr. Ricardo, dost thou so swear?
• Ricardo: Wholeheartedly.
• Justice Verina: Then thou mayest proceed.
• Casca: Your Honor, I object to this, and
• Justice Verina: Objection noted. Please proceed.
• Ricardo: Lacking any further witnesses, I call Mr. Casca to the stand.
• Casca: Your Honor!
• Justice Verina: Irregular, but I can allow it.
• Ricardo: Mr. Casca, of the charges levied against me, which have you failed to demonstrate?
• Casca: Your Honor! Calls for speculation on the part of the witness! On my part!
• Ricardo: Your Honor, surely Mr. Casca is an expert in his field and capable of evaluating his own case?
• Justice Verina: Proceed, but tread carefully Mr. Ricardo.
• Ricardo: Mr. Casca?
• Casca: The Prosecution has failed to establish a link between the assault on the prison transport and any conspiracy on the part of defendant.
• Ricardo: Thank you. Not bad for a thief, eh?
• Casca: Your!
• Justice Verina: Sustained!
• Ricardo: Forgive me, Your Honor.
• Ricardo: Mr. Casca, are the Ophidian lands under the control of the Britannian government?
• Casca: Britannia lays claim to all of the Lost Lands.
• Ricardo: Claim? Do our laws extend to the Ophidians?
• Casca: That's immaterial - they're monsters.
• Ricardo: Please answer.
• Casca: They do not, for they cannot.
• Ricardo: Thank you, Im finished.
• Justice Verina: Nothing further, Mr. Ricardo?
• Ricardo: No, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: Then we will proceed to closing statements. Mr. Casca?
• Casca: Ahem.
• Casca: Right, then.
• Casca: The Prosecution has submitted its case to the court quite plainly.
• Casca: It cannot be argued that Ricardo stole the Scions Zenith, as we have written testimony that he has admitted it.
• Casca: This has also been corroborated by a witness who had personal dealings with Ricardo.
• Casca: What the jury must decide, though, is the validity of the Kingdoms complaint.
• Casca: Some may be confused by the elegant words you heard Lord Francesco speak, please dont be.
• Casca: The Royal Council has determined that the acts Ricardo committed amount to High Treason.
• Casca: They submit to you, as do I, as does Britannia herself, that Ricardos actions resulted in the needless deaths of thousands.
• Casca: He committed a crime, and, through his negligence, compounded the crime in an incalculable way.
• Casca: My friends, I walk amongst you as a stranger to your culture, and to your ways.
• Casca: My people, the Elves of Heartwood, were long separated from our brethren the Britannians.
• Casca: Yet here I stand now, a citizen, yearning to do Justice by the laws and codes that have built our great society.
• Casca: I have always respected the great Britannian legal system. I have placed my trust in it.
• Casca: That trust tells me that you must act in accordance with those laws. I have laid them plainly before you.
• Casca: It is my hope you will answer Justice this day with a resounding voice.
• Casca: Thank you.
• Ricardo: Ladies and gentlemen, I am not a smart man, and definitely not a noble one.
• Ricardo: I do not understand the cunning ways of law, nor the subtleties of court.
• Ricardo: But one thing I can tell you is the Truth.
• Ricardo: I did, in fact, take the Scions Zenith from the Ophidians. Please notice I did not say stole.
• Ricardo: How can I have stolen something, when the Ophidians do not recognize our own laws?
• Ricardo: The Prosecution has failed, you see, to actually prove a crime was committed.
• Ricardo: If a man slay a beast, even outside the Kingdoms borders, can he not take whatever he finds?
• Ricardo: And yes, my friends, this was well beyond the Kingdoms borders.
• Ricardo: What the government of Britannia wishes is for me to die, not to receive Justice.
• Ricardo: I am a necessary sacrifice. I am the scapegoat: the man who suffers their sins.
• Ricardo: Where, I ask, were the soldiers when Papua was attacked?
• Ricardo: Where, I ask, were the mages to protect the barriers around our cities?
• Ricardo: Where, I ask, was this vaunted Royal Council, that so easily passes judgment, in our time of need?
• Ricardo: I cannot tell you. I doubt they will ever tell you.
• Ricardo: Instead they left their nation defenseless, and now, in their haste to cover their cowardice, they lay the blame on me.
• Ricardo: Did I murder a Brood Queen at the behest of some noble in Britain? No.
• Ricardo: Did I send wave after wave of invading marauders into the Ophidians lair seeking treasure? No.
• Ricardo: How could I, by myself, have incited a war when the "crime" I committed was so minor?
• Ricardo: A thousand things contributed to this war - the Scions Zenith was just one of them.
• Ricardo: How are we to know it was not all a lie? A mere excuse?
• Ricardo: Did we not turn over a replicated copy, which they readily accepted, convinced of its realness?
• Ricardo: Did we see the Ophidians withdraw after that peaceful move?
• Ricardo: No! Instead, we found them building machines of horrible power deep within the earth.
• Ricardo: What of this blackrock then? These strange magics and a rogue Ophidian queen?
• Ricardo: Why arent questions being asked?
• Ricardo: Because theyre afraid youll discover the truth. And the truth is this:
• Ricardo: This government has given itself the power to destroy any one of us by simply rewriting laws.
• Ricardo: Lord Francesco was kind to point out that strange and curious addition to the Treason Act.
• Ricardo: Did you listen carefully? Thats right. They, the Royal Council, are allowed to define Treason however they wish.
• Ricardo: At any time.
• Ricardo: Even after the so-called crime has been committed, as they have done to me.
• Ricardo: My friends, there is no body and there is, no, crime.
• Ricardo: I plead for my life, but, oh my friends, I plead more for Justice.
• Ricardo: May the mercy of our True Sovereign be upon us.
• Justice Verina: Order!
• Casca: Your Honor!
• Justice Verina: Yes?
• Casca: The Prosecution wishes to dismiss the charges of Theft and Conspiracy against the defendant.
• Justice Verina: Dost thou wish to explain?
• Casca: The charge of Theft, at this point, may unduly influence the decision on the charge of Treason. Also, the charge of Conspiracy cannot be substantiated.
• Justice Verina: Very well, the charges of Theft and Conspiracy are hereby dropped.
• Justice Verina: The jury will now decide the facts of this case, and render a verdict of Guilty or Innocent for the charge of High Treason.
• Justice Verina: Court will reconvene in one Britannian hour.
• You see: Kyle the Bailiff
• You see: Thomas the Guard
• Kyle: Be seated.
• Justice Verina: Would the jury foreman please stand.
• Justice Verina: Have you reached a verdict on the charge?
• Enrique: Yes, Your Honor.
• Justice Verina: On the charge of High Treason, how does the jury find the defendant?
• Enrique: Guilty.
• Justice Verina: The court finds the defendant guilty of High Treason.
• Justice Verina: Mr. Ricardo, you are hereby remanded to the State for execution.
• Justice Verina: Bailiff, take this man away.
• Justice Verina: Court dismissed.
• Ricardo: *shakes head*
• Lilian: I'm... I'm so sorry...
• Ricardo: For what it's worth, thank you.
• Kyle: *coughs*
• Town Crier: And so... Justice is done. Ricardo is Guilty.

See Also

• Ricardo
• Casca