Of Angels and Demons (Junichi Koyama Epilogue)
Posted on Sat Aug 17th, 2024 @ 11:44pm by Captain Maho Takahashi & Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa & Commander Chiyomi Anzai & Yaeka Sakuragi
1,847 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Captains and Contraband
Location: USS Myogi (NCC-65918), Interrogation Room, Security Department Deck 8
Timeline: Approximately 1 day after "To Catch A Governor"
Captain's Log, Starship Myogi:
Following the successful capture of Governor Ambrose Hartley, The Myogi is currently en route to Earth to bring him to trial. Frankly, I must commend the efforts of our medical staff to patch him up so he is physically able to following the betrayal of our allies.
My understanding is that Ichiro Sakuragi turned himself in following the swearing in of Pryce and has ordered his resistance to stand down and cooperate with the authorities. Perhaps that is the best outcome we could ask for:
Commander Misono and I are still going over the charges against Lieutenants Sinclair and Amaro. Ichika wants me to dismiss the charges, but I'm of the belief that there must be some form of accountability for what happened.
But perhaps, strangest of all, is that Commander Ebisuzawa wishes to continue a tradition that started under Misono, and that is questioning our prisoner to attempt to dissect the why of it all. I guess I'll never understand it, personally...
End log
"Let me lay it to you straight, maggot," Commander Anzai explained as she leaned in to look Ambrose straight in the eye. "Your life as you know it is over; the succession of power has been passed down to your Deputy Governor, who will likely fire your cabinet and reverse your policies within the next year; you, in the meantime, could be looking at spending the rest of your life in Certax for your crimes- and frankly, you'll be lucky if you ever see the light of day again."
She straightened and began to pace about the room. "Fortunately for you, the datacards that one of our officers managed to recover from the surface show that your government has been involved in an illegal gunrunning ring that has been providing arms to the Confederacy of Independent Planets. Now, we're willing- reluctant, but willing- to cut you a deal; in exchange for a guilty plea, along with any information you can provide us on your gunrunning operations, we can guarantee a reduced sentence. There will be a Slight chance that you may live to see your eventual release, but that will be provided you cooperate with us."
She paused in front of the now ex-governor before leaning in to make sure that she got her message across. "So, I ask you, one final time, Ambrose Hartley: are you willing to cooperate?"
"You're already a bunch of corrupt child-killers that sound like you've already made up your mind as to what to do with a red blooded patriot like myself." Hartley said. "So, why would I give in to your confirmation bias?"
"Because you have nothing left to gain if you don't," Commander Anzai replied. "If you're willing to repent for your crimes, then there may just be a chance- a slim one, but a chance nonetheless- that you'll have time to make something of yourself on this plane of existence. If you don't, then you will die a pariah, rather than a patriot- a figure hated by all, whose crimes will stand testament to the hill he chose to die on."
Before he could answer, the doors of the room swished open. In walked Kurumi. Silently she walked over towards Chiyomi. "Commander." She said simply. "I think I can take this from here."
Commander Anzai nodded, before standing back up.
"I would choose your next words wisely, maggot," she stated simply. "What you choose to be remembered as will be determined by what you say here and now."
And with one final nod, she was gone.
Hartley sized up the changing of the guard as it happened.
"So, Starfleet throws a chronic pedophile at me and expects me to repent?" He scoffed. "Might as well just do what greenie wants you to and blow my brains out. Less work for your kangaroo court that way..."
Kurumi watched as Chiyomi left the room. She then turned and took a few steps towards Hartley. She stood on the other side of the table, looking down at him. Without a word she raised her arm high in the air, and then with one powerful swish slapped him clean across the face.
The 'smack' sound bounced around the room. "I am Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa. The Chief of Security for this ship. If you piss me off... Which you've already achieved... then your stay on this ship will be less than pleasant."
With that said she began to pace up and down in front of him, her arms behind her back. "I only have one question for you." she said simply. She stopped and turned her head to look at him. "What sort of man are you Mister Hartley?"
Hartley's handcuffs clinked as he did his best shrug in the position he was in.
"At the end of the day, I'm just a single father trying to give my girls a better galaxy to live in than the one I grew up in." He explained.
Kurumi began to pace again. "So, in order to 'make a better galaxy' you decided to ruin the lives of those under you." She said. "Tell me, Mister Hartley. Does the name 'Sakuragi' mean anything to you?"
"You should know how dangerous those pedophiles are." Hartley's eyes narrowed. "For so long they bought into the lie that you people are equal members of society that they refused to accept their subhuman status without a fight. The sombitches shot me, and they won't stop there. And these are the kinds of criminals the Federation wishes to call equal members of their society?"
Kurumi stopped pacing and locked eyes with him. "So, to 'protect' your daughters you decided to murder an entire family? Then reduce the rights of those with similar heritage?" Kurumi asked her voice raised. "Congratulations Mister Hartley. You've officially repeated history! You've shown the true side of the darkness in you, just like one man did hundreds of years ago."
She paused. "You are familiar with the policies that the German Nazi Party enforced are you not?" She asked her voice still raised. "Well, even if you're not. There is one thing I NEED to know. What gives you the RIGHT and the POWER to murder a loving young family in cold blood?"
"Ever heard of the Holy Bible, demon?" Hartley asked. "It's clearly outlined that god's followers have not only the right, but the DUTY to vanquish Satan's monsters back to the fiery pits from whence they crawled!"
Kurumi didn't answer.
Kurumi held out a finger to stop him from answering. "On second thought. It's not me you need to answer to. It's someone else..." she tapped her comm badge.
The doors of the room swished open to reveal Yaeka. She stepped in nervously and seemed hesitant. She walked over to the table and sat opposite Hartley.
"Governor. Please explain to Miss Sakuragi why you ordered the attack on her home. Why you murdered her mother and father, and attempted to kill her aswell. Then tell her why she was thrown in your 'detention center' where she was tortured, hardly fed and left to die." Kurumi demanded. "EXPLAIN TO HER WHY YOU TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM HER!"
Yaeka looked up at Hartley, the pain and sorrow in her eyes. You could see deep down she was still hurting. "Why did you take away my mummy and daddy?"
Evidently, Hartley was shocked to see Yaeka. He had been told that both the Sakuragi Estate and the Sakuragi Farmstead had been burned to the ground. Though the still-healing wound in his abdomen suggested that the farmboy had cheated death, and now sitting in front of him was living proof that not even everyone from the Estate had been killed!
"I... I, uh..." Hartley faltered.
"Why did you do it?" He hallucinated someone say.
Hartley blinked and saw sitting across from him not Yaeka, but his own daughter: The eldest one, glaring disapprovingly at him as teenage girls often did.
"Why did you order those people killed?" Miss 16 asked.
"Wah... I..." Hartley stammered. "They were a... Threat, and..."
The incessant glare of Miss 16 (actually the sight of Yaeka) was too much for Hartley to handle, and he quickly began to lose his composure.
"Look, I was just trying to protect the kids!" He said. "That's all I was doing!"
Yaeka looked down for a second, tears forming in her eyes. "Am I not a kid too?" She sniffled.
Hartley shook his head, wordlessly denying Yaeka the basic right to be kid by his definition. Because kids like Yaeka unfortunately grew up to be swayed by their biology, and the biology of a Japanese was sexual and predatory in nature.
Tears ran down Yaeka's cheeks. "You are a bad person." She sniffled.
"I know..." Hartley squeaked. "I was just trying to do the right thing for my people..."
Yaeka looked up at him, the tears sparkling in her eyes. "Mummy and Daddy were helping people too. But you took them away."
"They were helping themselves." Hartley responded.
Yaeka shook her head. "They gave good and medicine to people who were sick. I helped them." She told him. "Why do you hurt nice people?"
"That niceness is just a façade, kid." Hartley said. "Under that façade are animals who deserve the same rights as animals."
Kurumi took Yaeka's hand and pulled her away gently. She lead her out of the door, ensuring it was closed and she was out of sight before she turned back to Hartley. "By your own admission..." she said her eyes narrowing. "You said that animals have the same rights as animals..." she smirked. "Well I deem you an animal. And you need to be punished..."
Her face seemed to be void of anything but revenge and malice. "You best hope that someone stops me..." she dropped her voice to a low whisper. "Because I could end your pathetic existence right here... right now..." she raised her hand, her fist clenched tight...
"Then go ahead, Demon:" Hartley said through gritted teeth. "Go ahead and strike a defenseless disciple of God. Because if you kill me, I'll still ascend to God's paradise, while you shall be forever damned to burn in hell!"
Kurumi didn't hit him. Instead she turned away from him. "Actually. You're not worth it." She said coldly. "I wouldn't want something so disgusting and inhumane touching me." She looked over her shoulder. "If you still believe that you'll go to Heaven after your sins. Then may God have mercy on your soul, for it seems to have already been claimed by Lucifer."
Without another word she strode out of the room leaving him alone.
Posting by
Captain Maho Takahashi
Commanding Officer
Commander Chiyomi Anzai
Third Officer
Lieutenant Commander Kurumi Ebisuzawa
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
Yaeka Sakuragi
Civilian Child
Ambrose Hartley
Former Governor - Gamma Zednor
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