For a trial to determine our future, it was really boring. On the second day, I was called into the Council chambers to explain what happened again. I told the same story I’d told the day before and to Councillor Harvey for the previous few months. It was unnerving. Sitting in that room with the five Councillors staring down at me. Harvey always had this look on his face like it was his birthday and everyone had remembered. It was a strange cross between a smug grin and a look of genuine happiness. Some of the Councillors never talked, like Councillor Murray but Councillor Ortiz asked a bunch of questions. A lot of them centred around the other ships and Captain Aquila. Obviously, we told them nothing and played dumb. I knew that we would be punished but Captain Aquila hadn’t done anything wrong as far as I was aware.

They dismissed me after what felt like a few hours before calling in the rest of my crew one at a time. Cas was called in multiple times. He thought his dad was trying to pin it all on him but I don’t see how he could, we all told the same story. I think Harvey was dragging this out on purpose to try and get us to snap and confessed that it was all Cas’ fault. That he was the mastermind behind the whole mission, that he’d done all of this to get back at his dad. He hadn’t, obviously, but the more time I spent with Councillor Harvey the more I understood the urge. Revenge would be good.

The one good thing that came out of how long it was taking was that after the first day we’d been given our normal, thin, short-sleeved scrubs so all of the Councillors could see just how thin and injured we were. Councillor Ortiz got so annoyed at Cas’ dad. She’d sent me out of the room and I was so grateful for my mods because I could hear every word of their fight. Apparently, the rest of the Councillors hadn’t approved the beatings or the way they were feeding us. Hearing Harvey grovel made me very happy. I’d repeated every word to my crew, taking great satisfaction in their laughter echoing back at me.

You’re about to be brought in as well. I think we’re almost done. Cas warned us.

I stretched and quickly swallowed another painkiller in preparation of the walk and having to sit in those uncomfortable metal chairs again. The others did the same, turning to look at the door as we heard the Guardian’s footsteps echoing down the hall.

“You’ve been requested in the Council room.”

Knowing the routine by now, I stepped forwards and held out my wrists to be cuffed. We followed the Guardians silently, tired and sore, to the Council chambers where we were cuffed to the chairs again.

“Thank you for joining us again.” Councillor Ortiz greeted us with a polite smile.

Like we had a choice. Gem thought sarcastically.

“We are prepared to withdraw to discuss the evidence before reconvening for the final verdict and sentencing. Is there any information you would like to add?” She looked at us over her screen.

Anything? I asked.

“No,” I replied once everyone had confirmed.

“Nothing you’d like to add, Adam?” Councillor Harvey smiled down at him condescendingly.

I saw Cas’ jaw twitch and a look of carefully suppressed rage crossed his face.

“That isn’t my name. Either call me by my number or call me Cassiopeia.” His voice had taken on a dangerous edge I’d never heard before.

“Nonsense.” The Councillor laughed. “You are my son, your name is Adam.”

Cas’ fists strained against his cuffs and our eyes bounced between Cas and his dad as they fought. Even the other Councillors were watching silently.

“Legally, you have no claim to me.”

The Councillor laughed again. It sounded mocking, cruel. I got a glimpse of the father who forced his children to fight each other for food.

“I am your father, Adam.” He smiled again, his tone patronising.

“You forfeited that right when you left me in an orphanage alone at the age of seven to be beaten and abused. I joined the Space Corps to get away from you. You are nothing to me. Nothing and no one.”

The room was silent. No one knew how to respond to Cas’ quiet fury until his father spoke again, his face blotchy.

“You listen here, Adam—”

He was cut off by Councillor Ortiz who spoke loudly over him.

“Enough. We shall reconvene shortly. Please remain seated until we return.”

The Councillors rose as one and exited through the door at the back of the room. Cas’ dad glared furiously at him.

You okay? I asked, glancing at Cas who was breathing heavily.

Yeah. It felt good to say actually, I’ve been thinking it for a while. I just wish I could have punched him too.

Cas moved his fingers stiffly, trying to straighten them out again.

That probably would have hurt our case though. And your hand. I thought with a smile.

Yeah… It would have felt so good though.

So… what now? We just wait? Gem asked impatiently, her leg bouncing.

Looks like it. Cas replied.

How did it go earlier?

I looked at his face closer now. He looked tired. Exhausted really. The shadows under his eyes had gotten darker and he was slumped in his chair.

It was fine. Same as it always is. They grilled me about what happened and my part in it and my father refused to call me Cas.

I frowned at him.

Your dad is a dick.

He is. Any idea which way the sentencing is going to go? Peg asked.

No, none. He doesn’t seem too smug today though so maybe we’ll be okay?

I bit my lip. He didn’t. Any time I was dragged down to his office before he was definitely smug but now he seemed more subdued, almost annoyed. Hells, even in the first few days of the trial he’d looked smug.

The time dragged. My butt went numb quickly but with my hands cuffed to the chair, I couldn’t stand or move too much. I settled for fidgeting uncomfortably and wishing they’d just hurry up and come back in. There was no clock in there so we didn’t know how long they’d been gone. We sat silently, straining our ears to try and hear something. Anything. Once or twice someone had walked past the door, a Guardian maybe, and we’d all turned anxiously to watch.

Footsteps grew louder and I felt my heart start to race.

Is this them? I asked pointlessly.

It sounded like more than five sets of footsteps, the Councillors and their Guardians, but it was hard to know for sure. I held my breath as they stopped. The door opened and my stomach dropped as I looked at Councillor Harvey barely suppressing a cruel smirk. They took their time getting seated again, spreading their robes slowly around them as we waited anxiously. My heart pounded, echoing loudly in my ears.

“We have reached a verdict.” Councillor Ortiz said, reading from her screen.

My heart jumped into my throat and bounced aggressively as I waited for her to finish.

“You have been found not guilty of treason but instead of the lesser crime of disregarding Council orders. You have been found innocent of trafficking known fugitives. You have been found innocent of terrorism. You have been found guilty of destruction of Council property through means of hacking. Due to your age and your intention, as well as the discrepancy in the information we received from our systems,” her eyes cut across briefly at Councillor Harvey before returning, “you have been issued a flying ban and sentenced to complete probation at Nova base 225. You will not leave the base until you reach graduation, then your flying ban will be lifted. A tracking device will be implanted into each of you to ensure you comply with your sentence.”

My head spun and I felt dizzy as she spoke. We were going back to the base… but we wouldn’t be able to leave it. We wouldn’t be able to fly again. Not until we graduate at least. That meant we wouldn’t be able to graduate as a crew. Or as crew members even. I wouldn’t be able to graduate as a Captain because you needed to pass missions and you have to be able to fly to do that. Cas wouldn't be able to either. Peggy wouldn’t be able to be a Diplomat, Gem wouldn’t be able to be an explorer and Cory wouldn’t be able to be a ship doctor. They were letting us go back to the base but they’re taking away our chances of graduating early. Or even being able to be on a crew once we graduate. It would take years to get back up to the level where we already were. We’d have to start from the bottom again.

Councillor Harvey’s smug face suddenly made a lot more sense. He knew what he’d taken away from us and I hated him for it. He locked eyes with Cas and mouthed something.

“I will win.”

Cas’ face froze and he swallowed, his eyes wild, as the Councillors exited the room again. Cas’ dad smirked smugly at him one last time before letting the door slam.

A Guardian entered and uncured us, leading us from the room. I felt strangely empty. I’d expected a different result. I hadn’t expected us to be allowed to go home but never leave. Of course, I was happy to be going back to the base but it wouldn’t be the same.

“Now what?” I asked hollowly, staring at the Guardian as we stopped outside the storeroom.

“You will be taken to the medBay later today and then transported back to the base.”

“Do you know when?”

“I’m not sure. We haven’t been told yet.” They sounded apologetic.

I didn’t reply. I just turned and walked into the room.

It had been gutted. The mattresses had been removed, just the tables and chairs remained.

“This isn’t totally a bad thing.” Gem tried, her voice forcefully upbeat.

No one responded.

“Like the alternative was prison forever. Or death. So, at least we’re going home and we get to stay together!” She insisted.

I pushed a smile onto my face, my eyes not leaving the ugly crimson flooring whilst the rest of my crew stayed silent. We might be going back to the base but we all knew what we’d lost. We all knew what had been taken from us.