The Trial Begins

"Are you transmitting, Qli-341? Yes? Very Good. Let us begin."

"Doctor Darien James Mason! I, Doctor Jermiah Wilhelm Mason, as your Creator, as rightful Regent of the Bloodwing Foundation, and as Ruler of New Erebus, do hereby charge you with crimes against humanity..."

"What madness is this! Release me at once!"

"SILENCE, CLONE! You should be grateful I am giving you at least the trappings of a trial!"

"Trappings, indeed! You dare to call me a criminal?"

"You usurped my place in the midst of critical research! I could have saved over half a million American lives and brought out nation closer to true democracy! Instead you squandered your Spark and the Foundation's resources to feed the Bloodwing demon!'

"Your interpretation of the past is so hopelessly twisted I will not even waste my time trying to reason with you...FATHER!"

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CALL ME THAT! You shall address me as DOCTOR Mason! And YOU have no right to speak of the past that you have so conveniently made yourself forget after you mangled it! And need I say anything about these lovely constructs you have corrupted and thrown away like so much medical waste!"

"I am as horrified as you about the existence of this Legion, Doctor. But you have obviously put it to your advantage and altered them further with Replicator nanobytes."

"That, Doctor Mason, is to make them function as a unit. Otherwise they would be completely erratic! Now, about your memories...I cannot punish you for actions you have purged from your memory in false atonement, now can I? The Angel Heart Effect I believe it's called. Qli-341, the sound barrier helmet and the mnemonic oscillator, please."

*gasp!* "That device! That's...that's...!"

"The Deadly Ringer? It is based on the same priciples of neurovibratory stimulus. But that is like comparing a battle axe to a surgeon's scalpel..."

"Of all the cruelties you could inflict upon me..."

"Now now, Doctor. I'm not going to drive you mad with this like the other weapon did to Captain Ramsey. I'm going to repair the neurons you cauterized to block the memories of what you did to me and our legacy after you ambushed me in Sumatra."

*the sound of a high-pitched ring...and screams*

TO BE CONTINUED