Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Feb 27, 2010 19:49:05 GMT -6
Etrah: 10:55 AM, M13D15, 8008 AV Haven: 11:55 UO, M8D12, 4078 I
Apek led Maku into the holding cell area. "It shouldn't take too long to get the wheels turning on your tribunal," he said as he ushered Maku into the cell. "Until then, I'm afraid you're gonna have to wait here."
Apek locked the door behind him as he left the cell. "I hate to do this to you, kid," he said. He then left the holding cell area in order to get Maku's tribunal started. From what Apek had seen, Maku was a good kid. He was going through all this just to keep his brother out of financial trouble, and Apek didn't want him sitting in that cell any longer than was absolutely necessary.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Feb 27, 2010 20:37:38 GMT -6
As Apek walked away, Maku glanced around the small cell. It was meant for short-term confinement, so the only place to sit was a bench built into the wall. Shrugging, Maku walked over a took a seat.
After a few moments of trying to get at least somewhat comfortable, Maku sighed. Clenching his fists, a wave of black lighting crackled down his forearms, over his hands, and disappeared. Until he moved, it appeared that nothing had changed. When he unclenched his fists, however, the cable tie fractured, falling from his wrists in 3 pieces.
Stretching his arms, Maku laced his fingers together and sat forward on the bench. Absentmindedly, he twiddled his thumbs, hoping Apek was right, and that it wouldn't take long to get him out of the cell.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Feb 27, 2010 21:48:36 GMT -6
Etrah: 1200 hours, M13D15, 8008 AV Haven: 13:00 UO, M8D12, 4078 I
Apek came along after about an hour, wearing his dress uniform. He was accompanided by a private, who unlocked Maku's cell.
"Hands behind your back, soldier!" the private immediately barked, drawing his sidearm and pointing it at Maku through the open door.
"Holster that sidearm, private," Apek barked, pushing the gun down to waist level with his hand. He then looked at Maku, glancing first at his wrists, then the pieces of the old cable tie, the making eye contact.
"Really, Riskan?" he said, but nothing more. "Private, bind Riskan's hands again, would you?"
"Sir!" the private imediately responded, strolling into the cell. "Face the wall," he demanded of Maku as he pulled a cable tie from his pocket. "Hands behind your back."
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Feb 27, 2010 22:05:37 GMT -6
Maku stared coldly at the man with the gun, before standing as Apek calmed the man. Shrugging his shoulders at Apek's questioning, Maku turned and faced the wall, his hands together behind his back.
As the soldier roughly bound his hands together, Maku couldn't help but think that, just four months ago, he'd have killed the man just for having the audacity to raise his voice to him. He'd have killed him, felt nothing about it, and moved on with his day.
Now, though, he had Taka to worry about. For the time being, it was all the reason he needed to put up with this jackass.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Feb 27, 2010 22:38:59 GMT -6
Apek took Maku by the elbow, and led him out of the cell.
"Hey, private, I don't think you were hard enough on him," Apek whispered to the man who had bound Maku's hands moments ago. "Maybe next time you should kick him in the teeth, that should really piss him off."
"Sorry, sir," the private said. "Was I too rough?"
"Well, considering he's not acting violent, and wearing fatigues, maybe a little," Apek replied as the three walked out of the holding cell. "Now any other day I'd complement you on a textbook prisoner transfer, but since Riskan is one of our own - or will be soon enough - that may have been overdoing it a bit. We trained you to use force, private, but we also trained you to use your own discretion."
Apek and Maku arrived at a doorway at the visitors center. Apek looked at the private that had helped him escort Maku to his tribunal.
"That'll be all, private," Apek told the private, who saluted him sharply and walked down the corridor. Apek then opened the door, leading Maku inside to a singel chair facing a panel of 5 Vorcan Army officers, among them Darzul Vorca himself. Each man was wearing their dress uniform as well, and had a small placard in front of them denoting their name and rank. Apek was the only man on the tribunal below the rank of colonel. He led Maku to the chair designated for him, and then took his own place on the tribunal board.
"Take a seat, private Riskan," Darzul said, gesturing to the chair.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Feb 27, 2010 23:51:33 GMT -6
Maku swallowed hard. He was ready to accept whatever punishment there was. But actually being in this room, facing the tribunal board, with Vorca and Apek both seated at the table, he felt his heart rate double.
As Vorca gestured to the chair, however, Maku forced himself to take the seat, and focused on getting through this as painlessly as possible.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Feb 28, 2010 0:33:15 GMT -6
Darzul cleared his throat. "Maku Riskan, as you well know, you're here because you were absent without leave today, the 15th day of the 13th month, 8008 AV. Captain Onthinor Apek is the one who brought these charges against you. Captain Apek, please state for the tribunal the events that caused you to bring private Riskan on charges."
Apek stood up. "Earlier today, during RMMA training with drill sergeant Marcellus Draco's current basic training class, I recieved a call from Dr. Ferdynand Marwen indicating that private Riskan had been found at Thoncir General Hospital. Upon arrival..."
Apek gave one last glance to Maku, as if to say, Last chance.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Feb 28, 2010 0:41:35 GMT -6
Maku was silent as the tribunal began. The last time he'd heard Darzul address him personally, it had been an almost friendly conversation. Sure, he'd come across as a little gruff, but that was just the way he was.
This Darzul Vorca was a different story. Ever the soldier, the administrator, this Darzul commanded the attention and respect of those in the room, and if his own feelings were any indication, perhaps a little fear as well.
As Captain Apek stood to explain the events that had led them here, Maku watched him intently. He'd chosen to sit on the AWOL, but if Apek explained the truth here, it was all over. He'd put his fate, and his brother's, in this man's hands. At his glance, however, Maku realized he still had some say.
For a split-second, Maku didn't react. Then, he cast his eyes downward, as a guilty man might to avoid the eyes of his accusers. He hoped his message was clear. I made my choice. Keep going.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Feb 28, 2010 2:22:43 GMT -6
Apek picked up on the sign instantly, his pause only momentary. "...I found Maku Riskan to be the one Dr. Marwen had mentioned. I was able to positively ID him, and return him to base as soon as possible."
"It should be noted for the record," Apek added, "that while AWOL private Riskan accrued medical expenses. These have been recorded by Thoncir General Hospital personnel, and expunged as per the Vorcan Army health care contract, known formally as contract VA-3."
"Noted," Darzul replied. He motioned for Apek to take his seat, and the captain obliged.
He then looked back at Maku. "These are the charges levied against you," Darzul told him. "If you wish to refute any of captain Apek's testimony, or offer any other form of defense, now is the time to do so."
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Feb 28, 2010 23:13:12 GMT -6
Maku shook his head. "Captain Apek speaks the truth. I offer no contest."
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Feb 28, 2010 23:42:44 GMT -6
"Well, then this seems pretty cut-and-dry," Darzul said. "Maku Riskan, as punishment for being absent without leave, you are to recieve an automatic 'unsatisfactory' rating in basic training. You will enroll in the next available course."
"You may or may not have been aware of the fact that, due to your actions on the 21st day of the 11th month, captain Apek had recommended you for a promotion upon completion of basic training," Vorca continued. "This promotion is hereby denied."
The doors behind Maku flew open. Marcellus Draco stood there, in his dress uniform, with Maku's entire basic class standing behind him.
Once the doors had open, Draco and the class promptly stood at attention and saluted the tribunal. "Sir! Request permission to speak, sir!" Draco announced.
Darzul returned the salute, and sighed exasperatedly. "Granted. This had better be good, Draco," he warned the drill sergeant.
"Sir! Thank you, sir!" Draco replied. "I would like to report for the record that, at approximately 1045 hours today, while instructing my class in RMMA, captain Onthinor Apek informed me that private Maku Riskan was to be marked absent with leave, moments before the captain's departure from the RMMA facility."
He stood aside and gestured to the class, all of whom still stood at attention. "I have with me 24 witnesses who can corroborate my testimony."
Darzul turned and looked at Apek. "Is this true?" he asked.
Apek nodded. "Yes, sir," he said. "I did, in fact, tell drill sergeant Draco that Maku Riskan was to be marked AWL as of 1045 hours this morning." He managed to stifle his smile almost perfectly; only the right corner of his mouth even hinting at his happiness. "And as I located private Riskan at 1050 hours, he was already AWL when I found him out of uniform and off base."
Apek then cleared his throat. "I had forgotten that I had ordered private Riskan be marked AWL. I apologize for my carelessness, and accept full and sole responsibility for wasting the time of this tribunal."
Darzul looked at Apek, unable to dispute the facts but somehow aware he wasn't privy to all of them. He'd have to have a long talk with Onnie later about all this crap.
"Well, in light of sergeant Draco's and captain Apek's new testimonies, I have no choice but to clear private Riskan of all charges. Private, on behalf of this tribunal and the Vorcan Army as a whole, I apologize for any embarrassment caused by these proceedings."
"We're adjourned," Darzul then added with an air of finality, bringing down his gavel with a resounding crack.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Mar 1, 2010 13:52:09 GMT -6
As soon as the gavel was brought down, Maku could feel the cable ties around his wrists being cut and pulled away. Standing from the chair, Maku saluted the tribunal board, sparing a small, grateful smile for Captain Apek. Turning around, Maku then repeated the gesture to Sgt. Draco and his classmates.
Over the next few minutes, the room emptied fairly quickly, and Maku was thankful he could get away from the group, at least for a little while. His excitement over the outcome of the tribunal had been subdued somewhat by his confusion over how to react to it.
As he left the room himself, Maku looked around the visitor's center, reflecting on what he needed to do. He needed to visit Taka, but so soon after the tribunal, he didn't think it wise to go requesting leave just yet. Figuring it best to wait, Maku decided he'd go and sign up for his specialization, now that his graduation was no longer in jeopardy.
Somehow, during the time he'd sat in the holding cell, he'd made up his mind. All his fears and anxiety over any other specialization came down to his powers: whether he'd use them too much, or not enough, or whether they'd make him a danger to those around him.
However, he experienced none of those fears when considering RMMA. An entire specialization based around defending yourself without the use of anything but your own hands and feet, with no worries about losing control of yourself or your powers. Maku smiled to himself.
Now all he had to worry about was figuring out how the hell Taka had gotten here, and why he'd left the City in the first place. But, he supposed, that could wait for another time.
Etrah: 1230 hours, M13D15, 8008 AV Haven: 13:30 UO, M8D12, 4078 I
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Mar 9, 2010 2:19:03 GMT -6
Etrah: 1800 hours, M13D15, 8008 AV Haven: 3:00 AO, M8D12, 4078 I
Darzul sat across from Apek at a table in the officers' club, sipping on a brandy on the rocks.
"Alright, Onnie," he said. "I know that there's something you're not telling me about that AWOL business with private Riskan. You wouldn't go to the trouble of calling a tribunal and then just saying 'My bad' because you forgot that you gave a soldier leave for the day. You're incapable of that level of incompetence."
Apek smiled as he took a drink of his gin and tonic. "Nice to know you think so highly of me, sir," he said. "But it's like I told you, it slipped my mind."
A soldier then came by with a tray, carrying other patrons' drinks. The soldier tripped on a backpack a major had left behind him, and the soldier lost all of his drinks. The tray managed to fly across the room and strike Apek's drink, spilling it out on the table. A look of disheartened exasperation crossed Apek's face, but he said nothing.
Once the commotion died down and Apek's drink was cleaned up, Darzul leaned across the table and stared at him. "Okay, captain Apek, duly noted by general Vorca," he said, no humor in his voice. "But I didn't come here to ask you, on the record, as general to captain. We're not in a table in a dark corner, away from the others, talking quietly, because I'm trying to hit on you."
Darzul then cracked a smile. "Not that you're not pretty, Onnie," he said with a chuckle. His smile then thinned, but did not disappear. "Now I know there's something you're keeping from me, and you know how I feel about that. What the hell happened today to make you go to all this trouble just for this farce of a tribunal to sit on your record?"
Apek sighed. "Look, Darzul, the kid did this for a reason. Please, just let me leave it at that and let's drop it and enjoy our drinks."
"Bullshit, Onnie," Darzul countered curtly. "Like I said, this is off the record. Just be straight with me, man. I don't think that's too much to ask after all this time."
Apek sighed. "Okay, Darzul," he said. "Now, I have your word? None of this gets written down."
Darzul nodded.
"Alright," Apek said. "I got a call from the hospital, that robot doctor, says Riskan's at the hospital. Well bullshit, I tell him, I'm teaching the kid the Piston Toss as we speak. He insists he's got our guy, so I call Riskan over, ask him what the deal is. Apparently it's his twin. But Riskan knows the kid's broke, wants him patched up under the Army plan. But technically, if he's there to receive treatment and have it expunged, he couldn't be on base learning RMMA from me."
"So you 'found' him AWOL, and apprehended him to go before a tribunal," Darzul added.
"I checked with him, a few times," Apek said. "Riskan wanted to be marked AWOL to help his brother stay out of debt. They brought the kid there in an ambulance, man. He'd have been in the shit."
"So recruit the brother," Darzul said. "He's just as covered under his own name as under Maku's."
"The brother was unconscious," Apek replied. "I couldn't recruit him, not without his consent." Apek sighed. "The kid was gonna wreck his military career before it started, Darzul. I knew what Draco was gonna say the minute he opened that door, and I knew it was my ass if he did. But dammit, I'm a captain, and I don't have a whole lot of desire to go higher than that anyway."
As Darzul listened to Apek, a thought suddenly clicked in his mind, something Maku Riskan had said back when it was him in the hospital - for real.
"A few months back, I was living with my brother and our parents in Rerden. I don't know why it happened, but it was like one day, a switch got flipped in both of us. Now, my brother, he's amazing. He can heal people just by laying his hands on them, close up wounds in seconds that would take weeks to heal by themselves."
"Hey, man, are you even listening?" Apek asked. "If you don't wanna hear this, great. I don't wanna talk about it, never did."
"Sorry," Darzul said. "I was just remembering something Riskan told me about his brother, back when I first met him, in the hospital."
"What was it?" Apek asked.
"Now you're the one who told me about...what Riskan did at that battle," Darzul said. "So we both know he's a Unique. Well, when I asked him about his abilities, he mentioned that his brother was a Unique as well."
"Really?" Apek asked. "Any idea what his brother does?"
"He's a healer," Darzul said. "You think he's still at the hospital? We could always use another man, and a healer is especially useful."
Apek shrugged. "I suppose we could find out."
Darzul nodded, smiling thinly. "Let's do that."
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