"I rode a tank, held a general's rank, when the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank..." Riddle carved on an obelisk found drifting between galactic arms.

"The idea of an all powerful figure that examines a being's life upon death and decides on punishment or reward for an eternal afterlife is the most base of primitive superstition. It is a denial of mortality, of the fleeting of existence, an attempt at immortality through superstitious belief.

"It is often discarded by the time a species achieves the harnessing of electricity.

"Leave it to the Terrans to create something that does exactly that." - Former Grand Most High Sma'akamo'o, from I Have Ridden the Hasslehoff

7th Army Bugler

All News! No Rumors!

With what looks to be the trial of the eon starting, all everyone is talking about is the fact that an entity known as "The Detainee", who apparently acts as the Devil for the SUDS system, will be representing the prosecution.

Investigation by the 7th Army Bugler has found absolutely no references to The Detainee anywhere in the historical archives. Despite appearing as a middle aged Terran Descent Humanity female, her biometrics and appearance apparently have no matches throughout archives available to investigative journalists. Some have pointed out her general resemblance to the Confederate Intelligence Services primary agents, the Grey Girls, but at this time there is no known connection.

For those of you unaware, despite Tri-Vee dramas, a military court martial has no place for interesting twists and turns. With the fact that it is the Confederate Armed Services Code of Military Justice in place instead of the much more complex and flexible civilian justice system, that means that the only things involved are basic facts.

THE FACTS

The Great Terran Die-Off destroyed nearly 87.56% of V Corps' active troops, including support and logistics personnel.

V Corps was engaged with defending the home of the Welkret, Laglun-3, a world inhabited by 17.8 billion sentients that was under attack by Atrekna forces.

3rd Armor Division was completely wiped out by the Great Terran Die-Off, with the exception of General Trucker.

General Trucker activated the Black Cauldron Protocol.

The Black Cauldron Protocol reanimated the TDH struck down by the Great Terran Die-Off.

Third Armor Division was deployed to a region of the heaviest fighting in the theater.

THE CHARGES

General Trucker is not being accused of activating the Black Cauldron Protocol, rather that he acted without performing due diligence on whether or not the Black Cauldron Protocol was an appropriate response to the situation on Laglun-3.

As of this morning, General Trucker has plead Not Guilty.

THE REPERCUSSIONS

Allies of Terran Descent Humanity have always known that humanity has kept their more ugly side hidden from the rest of the Confederacy. The use of the Black Cauldron Protocol at this time, with so many new ally species, could harm diplomatic efforts.

Additionally, there has been rumors and attitudes regarding Terran Descent Humanity's 'disposability' on the battlefield. This has led to accusations over the centuries that commanders take less care with TDH soldiers than they do other species.

The Black Cauldron is viewed by some as the ultimate in TDH 'disposability' on the battlefield.

This trial will undoubtedly decide how and when it is appropriate to use such mechanisms and could even go into such things as "Clone War Lyfe" and "Repeat Till Victory" attitudes that some commanders hold.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR US

An Old Blood unit only allows a single battlefield 'death' before being sent to an old unit. Some analysts claim that this is the reason that (Old X) units have a higher K/D ratio as well as a lower casualty rate.

Other units that perform the rapid reload system as well as the rebirth systems are considered the standard for the Confederate Armed Services, but more than a few critics have emerged over the centuries, criticizing using 'immortal soldiers' to fill out the ranks.

Many have pointed that, statistically, those who join the Confederate Armed Services rarely exit before serving out the 500 years maximum time in service. Those who have been killed and restored at least once remain in service at a rate of 98.93%, with those who are not killed and restored commonly leaving after 35-50 years, which is the usual amount of lifespan spent on a single career by the majority of Terran Descent Humanity.

The decisions regarding the Black Cauldron Protocol could very well lead into inquiry of the SUDS system itself as well as bringing up questions regarding the possibility of alteration of serving service member's attitudes toward the service.

With the Devil herself acting as the prosecution's lead prosecutor, this case promises to make history, one way or another.

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE?]

General NoDra'ak was wearing his full dress uniform. Not the Dress Greens, which used small ribbons for the awards and only allowed combat and meritorious service awards to be worn, but the Dress Blacks, which required every award, badge, certification, and medal ever earned.

NoDra'ak was just glad it had a sash. His service record left him with nearly a hundred combat awards, not to mention badge certifications like orbital grav drops, spaceship boarding training, and more.

NoDra'ak personally despised the Dress Black Uniform and was not too happy he had to wear it twice in the last week. The first time was when the Immortals had landed.

Now, he wore it on the witness stand.

He sat down, took the oaths, and watched as the matronly looking woman in a uniform-esque blouse and skirt, complete with stockings and low-heel shoes, referenced her paperwork before looking up.

While others were still debating if the woman was indeed the Devil, General NoDra'ak had seen her before.

Once, in the memories of a soldier who had escaped the SUDS. That time he had seen the large demonic figure that the woman had worn when she arrived by clawing her way out of the ground. Then, at the very end of the security recording, he had seen her, largely obscured, staring at the camera after the "Ordnance Man" had been escorted from the interrogation room.

The woman stood up and moved over to in front of General NoDra'ak, looking him up and down slowly.

The Devil AKA The Lord of Hell AKA The Detainee.

"General NoDra'ak, did General Trucker request the use for the Vānaras System to be activated as part of the Black Cauldron Protocol?" the Detainee asked.

"Yes, but," General NoDra'ak said.

"What was your estimation of the situation, at the time, of the situation on the surface of Laglun-3, in as few words as possible," the woman interrupted.

"Dire," NoDra'ak said. "The Atrekna had landed in force and were bringing in troops across a broad zone. Every minute was costing the civilians hundreds, possibly thousands or millions, of lives."

"What assets did you have that could have taken V Corps place?" the Detainee asked.

General NoDra'ak shook his head. "None. I had already deployed everything I had. There was additional..."

"Was the initial deployment plan yours?" the Detainee interrupted.

"No."

"Who's was it?" she asked.

"Admiral Shtuklar, Commander of the Task Force," NoDra'ak said.

"Was the Admiral, at the time, trained for ground force deployment and combat operations?" The Detainee asked.

"No. At that time Space Force and the Navy did not train flag and staff rank for ground side combat," General NoDra'ak said.

"Had you exhausted all other available assets? Including special assets?"

General NoDra'ak nodded slowly. "A Novastar pilot in Ringbreaker configuration had already been deployed, but was not enough."

"Were there any authorities that you neglected to confer with before you authorized the Vānaras System?"

"No."

The matronly woman took the time to light two cigarettes at the same time, closing the lighter and putting it in a pocket of the blouse. She handed one to NoDra'ak and took a deep drag off of her own.

"There is no non-medical allowances for smoking in government buildings," the judge said. "Please, extinguish your cigarette."

The Detainee looked at her for a long moment. "Make me," she turned and stared at the two bailiffs.

NoDra'ak saw her shadow shift, warp, becoming a massive creature with a large set of bat wings.

"Come, make me. Interfere with my duties and obligations," the woman said.

NoDra'ak saw her eyes glow red. Not the normal red he'd seen with Terrans, but something different, almost like flickering flames deep in her eyes.

The judge shifted and then held up her hand. "Seeing as you are the embodiment of the devil, I'll allow smoking at this time."

The Detainee turned to General NoDra'ak again.

"In your professional experience and knowledge, was using the Vānaras System the correct decision at the time, with the knowledge you possessed, and the situation you were facing?" the Detainee asked.

"Yes," General NoDra'ak said.

"And thus, based on your own knowledge and experience, you authorized General Trucker's request to activate the Vānaras System, knowing full well that the Black Cauldron Protocol was part of that system?" the Detainee asked.

"Yes," General NoDra'ak said.

The Detainee turned to the judge. "Nothing further, Your Honor," she said.

The lawyer for Trucker stood up. "No questions, Your Honor."

The judge paused for a moment, then addressed the Detainee. "Will you be making a case for the government or just for the defendant?"

The Detainee paused at the table for a long moment then turned around, removing the cigarette from between her lips and exhaling smoke.

"Judge Lemoyent, while it may be the burden of the State and the Confederate Government and the Confederate Military to prove guilt, the exact nature of guilt is what we are here to determine," the Detainee said. She took another drag, staring at the judge. "I must determine what, if anything, was misapplied in the decision to deploy the Vānaras System, of which the Black Cauldron Protocol is a part of."

The judge just stared at the short woman in front of her.

"If you feel I should have asked questions more pertaining to General Trucker's guilt, then perhaps you would like to suggest those questions to me," the Detainee smiled. The judge looked away. "Very well. I would like to call for my next witness, Admiral Shtuklar."

There was some stirring in the audience, but everyone watched the Admiral, in his Dress Blacks, moved up to the witness stand and be sworn in.

"You were responsible for the initial deployment, were you not?" the Detainee asked.

"I was," the Admiral said.

"Were you trained in ground combat force deployment prior to that?"

"I was not."

"During your deployment, did you or did you not deploy Chief Warrant Officer Casey in a suit of Novastar power armor in Ringbreaker configuration?" the Detainee asked.

"I did."

The lawyer for Trucker stood up. "Objection, Your Honor. Relevance. What does this have to do with the decisions of General Trucker?"

The judge looked at the Detainee for long moment.

"The line of questioning is relevant, Your Honor," the Detainee said.

The judge looked at Trucker's lawyer. "Overruled," she looked back at the Detainee. "I'll be watching carefully, counselor."

The Detainee smiled, showing long incisors, then turned back to Admiral Shtuklar. "Admiral, were you or were you not subjected to a board of inquiry for that action?"

"I was."

"What was the determination of the board of inquiry?"

"I was found to be Not Innocent."

"Of?"

"Crimes against sentience and a war crime in inhabited planet deployment of a Novastar pilot in armor as well as in a Ringbreaker configuration.

"And the penalty?"

"I was stripped of all Deck Rank as well as all Metal Rank as part of my lateral demotion to the rank of Admiral," Admiral Shtuklar said. He looked down for a moment then back up. "I was then placed under a bar to reenlistment as well as a bar to promotion."

"Since that time, have you received training in ground combat deployment?" the Detainee asked, a large smile on her face.

"I have," the Admiral managed to hold onto his dignity and composure during the questioning.

"With the knowledge you possess at this time, would you still deploy Chief Warrant Officer Casey in the same armor and configuration?" the Detainee asked.

Admiral Shtuklar nodded. "I would."

"Objection, Your Honor, relevance?" the lawyer for Trucker asked again.

"I am establishing the fact that Admiral Shtuklar has experience regarding the deployment of something like the Vānaras System," the Detainee said.

The judge thought for a long moment then nodded. "Overruled."

The Detainee turned back to Admiral Shtuklar. "Admiral, knowing what you know now, would you authorize the deployment of the Vānaras System?"

Admiral Shtuklar thought for a long moment, then finally nodded. "I would."

The Detainee looked at the judge. "Nothing further."

The judge looked at Trucker's lawyer. "Your witness."

The lawyer got up, moving in front of the Admiral. "Admiral Shtuklar," he said.

"Yes?" The Admiral looked perfectly calm.

"Did you know about the Vānaras System prior to General Trucker's request to deploy it?" the lawyer asked.

"I did not," the Admiral said.

"Would you have deployed it prior to General Trucker's request, had you known it existed?" the lawyer asked.

"I would have," the Admiral said.

The lawyer looked at the judge. "No further questions."

The Detainee stood up. "Cross, if you will."

The judge nodded and the Detainee moved back in front of the Admiral. "What was the casualty rate of V Corps and the Task Force prior to the Task Force's arrival in the Laglun system?"

The Admiral stiffened slightly. "V Corps had suffered roughly 86% casualties, the Task Force itself had suffered nearly 72% casualties."

"Terran Descent Humans make up what percent of combat troops for V Corps (Old Blood)?"

The Admiral blinked several times before answering. "Ninety-three percent."

"At that time did you believe that V Corps was combat capable in repelling the Atrekna assault upon Laglun-3?" the Detainee asked.

The Admiral shook his head. "No."

"Did you feel you had the forces capable of repelling the Atrekna assault prior to the deployment of the Vānaras System as well as the reveal of the actual capabilities of the Novastar Ringbreaker?"

The Admiral shook his head again. "No."

"No further questions," the Detainee said. She moved back to the table and sat down, uncapping some water and taking a drink while Trucker's lawyer conferred with two other JAG officers.

"Any further witnesses?" the judge asked after a moment.

The Detainee looked up from the piece of paper she was looking at. "No further witnesses," she said, smiling as she exhaled smoke through her teeth. The judge wrinkled her nose at the smell of hot blood, rusted iron, sulfur, and brimstone.

"Must you do that, counselor?" the judge asked, waving her hand in front of her face.

"It's my nature," the Detainee smiled.

The judge turned to the defense attorney. "Is your first witness prepared?"

The attorney nodded. "They are, your honor."

"Call your first witness," the judge said.

"I call, via needlecast, Captain Vuxten, First Telkan Marine Corps," the defense attorney said.

The hologram appeared, Vuxten appearing in the seat in full uniform. He was quickly sworn in and the attorney moved to questions, establishing that due to the Great Terran Die-Off Captain Vuxten had ended up in command of the Telkan First Marine Division.

"What would be your description of the situation on the ground during the initial hours of the counter-invasion?" the lawyer asked.

"Confused," Vuxten said.

"Can you elaborate?" the lawyer asked.

Vuxten thought for a second. "Immediately upon landing we began suffering collateral effects of Lance Cor... I mean Sergeant First Class Casey's assault on Atrekna forces. I was able to get him to change munitions but immediately the Division was put on a repeating temporal lockdown. My unit was stuck in the recursion effect for over twenty hours."

The lawyer nodded. "What broke the recursion?"

Vuxten thought a moment. "At the time, I did not know. After Action Reports stated that the Black Cauldron assault on the main Atrekna force caused the Atrekna leadership caste to drop the temporal recursion effect on my unit."

"And the situation after the recursion was released?" the lawyer asked.

"Difficult. The loss of the established chain of command, the strategically fluid situation on the ground, and the heavy presence of Atrekna leadership caste and spawning areas meant that the battlefield was rapidly changing with no clear and present lines of conflict," Vuxten said. "It took nearly a year to settle everything."

"In your opinion, as the commander of First Telkan Marine Division, was the use of the Black Cauldron Protocol justified?" the lawyer asked.

Vuxten thought for a long moment. "From my point of view, at the time, no," he said bluntly. "Later, upon viewing after action reports, from learning how close we came to losing the initial landing in the weeks following the initial landing, while I disagree with its deployment, the use was necessary to prevent further loss of civilian life."

The lawyer stood there for a moment. "What is the opinion of the ranking Telkan officer to the fact that the Black Cauldron Protocol exists?"

The judge glanced at The Detainee, as if she was expecting the short matronly woman to object, but instead the gray eyed woman just watched with interest.

"I don't believe my opinion is relevant," Vuxten said, looking uncomfortable.

The lawyer turned to the judge. "I would like to make Captain Vuxten's military and combat record a record for the court."

The judge nodded. "I'll allow it."

The Detainee looked at the dataslate, cycling the data fast enough that it only flashed to those watching over her shoulder. She looked up. "No objection."

"Your opinion, as one of the Confederacy's newest allied member species, is a matter for the court," the lawyer said.

Vuxten heaved a sigh. "It is monstrous and horrifying," he said. He held up his hand. "However, this is not a standard war, like the Mithril Nebula Conflict or the Clownface Nebula Wars, this is more akin to the Mar-gite War. This is a war of extinction or worse. Already the Confederacy has suffered the xenocide of a member species and there is no reason to believe that there will not be another species fall to the same attacks."

The lawyer nodded. "In your experience, was the Black Cauldron Protocol activation justified?"

Vuxten nodded. "Yes."

"Thank you, Captain Vuxten, nothing further," the lawyer said.

"Your witness, counselor," the judge told The Detainee.

The woman got up, walking forward slowly. "You have an impressive record, Captain."

"Thank you, ma'am," Vuxten said.

"Fought against the Precursor Autonomous War Machines for nearly a year as a conscript with the Confederate Army. Fought the Dwellerspawn as one of the original members of the Telkan Marines," the Detainee said. "Highest ranking member of the Telkan Marine Corps."

"Yes, ma'am," Vuxten said.

Smokey 'No noted how nervous the scarred Telkan officer was and couldn't really blame him. The Detainee's attention was intense.

"Your unit took no killed in action during the initial landings and operations, correct, Captain?" the Detainee asked.

"Correct. First Telkan Marine Division suffered no killed in action during the deployment," Vuxten stated.

"I had the Laglun campaign wargamed out. Without the Black Cauldron Protocol, the First Telkan Marine Division would have suffered nearly forty-percent killed in action and virtually fifty percent wounded in action," the Detainee stated. "With that knowledge, would you have deployed the Black Cauldron Protocols as well as the Vānaras System?"

Vuxten sat silently for a moment. "Yes."

The Detainee turned around. "No further questions."

NoDra'ak watched the Telkan vanish from the needlecast.

The judge frowned again. "You are planning on making a case for General Trucker's guilt, correct, Prosecutor?"

The Detainee turned back around. "There is no denying of the facts that General Trucker did activate the Vānaras System as well as the Black Cauldron Protocol. The only question I was made aware of was to determine, through a court of law, whether or not he was justified and correct in his usage of those systems."

She exhaled smoke, this time without a cigarette. "Of whether or not he was negligent in his usage. To determine that, I must determine if there was any other possible method that would not involve an unacceptable loss of civilian and military lives."

"At this time, it is my opinion that all you are managing to accomplish is proving that the defendant had no other choice but to utilize the Vānaras System," the judge said, feeling a slight bit of irritation.

The Detainee smiled again, a wisp of smoke eeking out from her teeth. "This goes far beyond one General, Your Honor. History and future commanders will examine this trial as they make decisions and form opinions on the usage of the Vānaras System and the Black Cauldron Protocol. I not only speak for those who were forced to participate in the Black Cauldron, I speak for all who will be threatened by its usage or the denial of its deployment," she smiled again and General NoDra'ak noticed that her shadow seemed to grow, with wings spreading out from it. "Human history is replete with monstrous things that should always have their use questioned at the highest levels."

The judge shook her head. "This case involves General Trucker and his use of the Black Cauldron Protocol and the Vānaras System, nothing more, nothing less. Please, attempt to stay on topic and at least give a nod toward your duties."

The Detainee blinked and withdrew a pack of cigarettes slowly. "You do not feel I am representing the Confederate Armed Services and the Terran Confederacy of Aligned Systems with all due diligence?"

The judge nodded, her face hardening. "I am beginning to question your methods."

The Detainee removed a single cigarette, tucking away the pack as the judge continued.

"You have not once attempted to prove that General Trucker was negligent in his use. If anything, you have made the defense's case for them," the judge snapped as the Detainee lit her cigarette and put away her flint and steel lighter. "The prosecution is normally supposed to prove the guilt of the defendant."

The Detainee shrugged. "His guilt was already determined by his actions. Negligence is up to me to prove."

"Which you have not done," the judge stated. "In fact, I am wondering exactly what qualifies 'the Devil' to prosecute this case," the judge made air quotes with her fingers. "Frankly, I'm beginning to tire of the theatrics involved in this and am starting to believe I should have you removed as the prosecution."

The Detainee smiled widely as she exhaled smoke. "It has been over two thousand years since the last time this system was used," she said. "Since then there has not been a single board convened on its use, not one government project regarding its feasibility or how it should be used, not a single person has questioned whether or not it should be used."

The judge frowned. "And?"

"There has been no second guessing of the circumstances regarding its deployment in its history. The Confederacy, and the governments before it, have simply put the Vānaras System in its arsenal without a single thought as to the ramifications, much less the ethical and moral quandaries that should surround such a system," the Detainee said. "Had humanity approached the atomic bomb in such a way, the human race would have been extinct within four decades after the first detonation."

The Detainee slowly exhaled smoke. "Now you have privates authorizing atomic detonations."

"That has no bearing on this case," the judge snapped.

"Doesn't it? Humanity used to question the weapons it fielded upon the battlefield. Even the tank and the shotgun were heavily discussed as a tool of warfare that perhaps should be outlawed, yet the Confederacy is not discussing whether or not to eliminate the Vānaras System but rather or not General Trucker is guilty of a war crime against his own men due to its use," the Detainee stated coldly. "This court is the closest thing I have seen to the Confederacy questioning its own moral superiority."

The judge's face grew red.

"You use atomic weaponry in urban areas, chemical weaponry in areas inhabited by civilians, and tell yourselves that 'oh, we'll clean it up' or 'the SUDS will bring them back'," the Detainee said. She leaned forward slightly. "But, nobody has looked at one simple fact, who I am representing."

The judge leaned forward, obviously angry. "Who is that?"

"May I call a witness?" the Detainee said softly.

The judge frowned. "This better be relevant to the case."

"Oh, it is," the Detainee smiled.

General NoDra'ak felt a chill run down both his spines and nervously lit a cigarette.

"Fine," the judge snapped. She looked at the defense attorney. "Any objection?"

"No, Your Honor," the defense attorney said.

"I call Colonel Dremsal to the stand," the Detainee smiled. She held up one hand.

The defense attorney looked up. "Colonel Dremsal was killed in the Great Die-Off."

"And used as part of the Black Cauldron," the Detainee smiled.

"If you think you can get him to the witness stand, by all means," the defense attorney said.

"I'll allow the attempt," the judge stated.

The Detainee smiled and snapped her fingers.

General NoDra'ak felt a light fzzzt across the back of his mandibles.

The Colonel appeared in the witness box. His skin, normally a ruddy tan, was gray. Black blood ran from his gnashing jaws, his brown eyes were covered by a white film, his body was bruised and scraped. He had heavy chains around his chest and arms, pinning his arms to his side. A metal mask covered his face, keeping his gnashing jaws from being able to bite anyone. He wore the rags of Confederate adaptive camouflage.

"This is his current SUDS recording personified," the Detainee stated coldly. "He currently wanders the mists of Gehenna, sometimes rending at his own flesh, sometimes hunting other damned souls. Today is a good day, he isn't screaming."

The Detainee stood up. "The Vānaras System damages their SUDS, leaves their recordings in this state, with a non-writable flag preventing them from being respawned until they have recovered from the trauma of their experiences."

She walked up and put her hand on the side of the mask.

Colonel Dremsal made a mewling noise and rubbed his head against her hand.

The Detainee looked at the defense attorney. "Do you have any questions for the Colonel?" she asked.

The defense attorney shook his head.

"Your Honor?" the Detainee asked.

The judge shook her head.

"Go back, and heal, little one," the Detainee said, snapping her fingers again. "Soon you will dwell with the Digital Omnimessiah."

Again, General NoDra'ak felt the fzzt across the back of his mandibles.

The Detainee walked back to her table and sat down, opening another bottle of water. She took a drag off of her cigarette and stared at the judge.

"Still questioning my qualifications, Your Honor?" she asked mildly.

The judge shook her head.

"I am representing the Confederacy and the military itself," the Detainee stated coldly. "I am representing those protected and victimized by the Vānaras System and the Black Cauldron Protocol."

"As you saw."