We travelled at high speed, but I was still constantly aware of time slipping away. Our first problem was the grav-line itself. The further we got from the Capital, the more unpredictable the flow became. Odd surges of gravity caused unmapped eddies at strange places and made navigating the grav-line taxing, rapidly drawing both my mental and physical energy. Thankfully, the line was still intact because the consequences of leaving low gravity at inappropriate speeds was… usually very bad. The first ancient site did yield some success but a landslide had made gaining access very difficult and delayed us more than I’d hoped. If we pushed it and rested less, we could make it to the second site before heading straight to the Gathering on Neutral Ground with maybe a rotation to spare. It wasn’t much but it was better than being late or not making it at all. This Gathering was too important and, for some reason, Kine wanted me there.

Thellip travelled the grav-line next to me in his Resting Form. Not only was it safer than his tiny Avian Form, but the mass of his Resting Form was similar to the mass of my Warrior Form, so it was easier to maintain similar momentum as we travelled the grav-line together. Constantly trying to catch up to a lighter traveller or navigate eddies to slow down and wait was a complication I was happy to do without. It was one less thing to think about among the many tasks we had to handle travelling so deep in the Wilds. So far, we’d only seen the dangerous inhabitants from a distance and were rapidly taken out of any danger by the swift velocity of our travel. How long our fortune would hold out was anyones guess.

I was distracted from my vigilant survey of our route by a message that pinged on my personal screen. Pulling it out, I saw that Kine had sent me a short text message with a visual clip attached.

|Sierra, the trial has concluded. I’ve attached the ruling for you to view.

|I’ve now arrived at the Neutral Grounds. Let me know your progress and ETA. Stay Safe.

|Kine.

Curiosity surged up and quickly drowned out by nerves. The evidence had been overwhelming but something about Wistra made her seem indestructible somehow. Despite the fact I’d defeated her in my Feline Form, a little part of me still felt like the child whose mother and home had be taken from her, all sense of safety obliterated… but I had to know. I took another long look around for any immediate threat before using hand signals to inform Thellip I’d be distracted for a short while. He manoeuvred himself closer to me to act as a guard and to guide me around unexpected obstacles so I pulled up the clip.

“Wistra of House Kuthar.” Niah’s voice rang out and the clip showed her in the familiar raised seating from the same place the trial had been held. Arrayed around her were the members of the Ruling Triangle to her right and the Department Heads to her left. “You have been given a fair trial, all evidence and actions observed and verified by the Icanthie rulers and JETS (Just and Equitable Trial System) and have been found guilty of all charges. Due to the extreme nature of your crimes: which include but are not limited to, attempted murder of kin, mental, emotional and physical torture of kin, violation of kin, treason and murder; you have been deemed too dangerous even for banishment. Therefore, you will be kept in secure confinement here in the Capital dungeons. All rights and privileges and titles will be removed. Your nanites will be rendered inert and striped from your body. You will be afforded three rotational meals, appropriate clothing and three hours of freedom a rotation under heavy guard. You will attend mandatory sessions with Healers for regular assessment and therapy to try and get to the root of your actions and help with rehabilitation. Due to your middling age, you may one day earn back your freedoms and privileged, however we have decided not to set a predetermined release review date. This will depend entirely on the opinion of your Healers and Guards. Do you understand what you have been told?”

Wistra stood as still as a statue, her expression mulish. It seemed as if she would refuse to say anything until a fierce frown marred her face and her voice rang out, full of venom. “You’re removing my nanites? I’ll be stuck in this pathetic Form, barely better than a human.” Her complaints were met with silence. “HOW DARE YO-”

The clip ended and I was relieved, unwilling to listen to her vent her ego. Kine had probably felt the same way. I could scarcely let myself believe it. Wistra had be locked up, no longer the same threat she’d been all my life. Something in me loosened and I had to fight the urge to relax and just flop somewhere, let myself just feel. But I couldn’t, I had to remain alert and continue my mission. Thellip had stayed close and I nodded to him, letting him know I was back again. Just before I closed the message, I spotted another few lines of text at the bottom form Kine.

|Your compensation will be settled when you return to the Capital.

|This with lesser crimes deemed safe will be sent to the new village.

The new village. It had slipped my mind, what with everything going on. I wasn’t even sure that it would still be built, what with the danger from the debris fall and the other phenomena recently. Mind you, the ex-Banished were used to tough conditions and there was little that would stop them from achieving their goals, especially one so precision as a stable, recognised home. I condensed my personal screen and focused on navigating the grav-line again. We weren’t far now.