By Weyrldr
The night started as any other night for a constable, the
normal patrol the arresting of a thief or two. But it soon changed as Minos
and I entered the Stone Toga Inn. The room was filled with my fellow Constables
and the Captain Locanda. An Iridine Officer and two Soldiers escorted Eburnus.
Upon entering the Inn I could tell that something was amiss, the air was
so full of tension you could taste it. The Captain was reading from a parchment,
with a look of disbelief. She turned the parchment over to the Officer. Eburnus
said to Locanda “You have your orders, you will follow them.” Locanda
slowly replied “ Yes Sir.”
We, the constables, were ordered to follow Eburnus. Tarsos, Cantius, Annatar,
Donnigar, Minos, Atre, and I stepped in line with the Tribune. None of us
knew what was going on, only given the order to follow.
The Legion seemed a bit stiff necked and made several comments about the
fact of many drawn weapons. This troubled me because it is part of our job
to use our weapons to arrest criminals. The officer went so far as to say
something to me about it, and I explained to him why my stave was in hand.
He only gazed at me with a look of distaste.
We traveled to the Constables Headquarters, where we were told that we would
be making an arrest, and setting right a great wrong that was done long ago.
We followed the Tribune into the HQ, where we went straight away to the Legates
office. This troubled me greatly, for the Tribune said again “You all
have your orders, you will arrest the person I say to
arrest.”
The Tribune knocks on the door, and yells “Legate open the
door.”
We all walk in, the constables Salute the commander of the Constabulary,
and he looks a bit shocked at the large group. Legate Acteaon asked,
“Tribune, What brings you into my office with such a large
crowd?”
The Tribune did not speak; he only smiled a thin smile that seemed smug and
self-serving. It was very apparent that things were not what they should
be, between to men of such a station in the Republic.
The Officer Cleared his throat and pull the parchment from a blonde pouch
and read:
By order of the Senate of the Republic, Acteaon, you are here by charged
with treason. You are also here by stripped of your rank as Legate and ordered
to go to the jail cell for holding until your trial.
Signed Seredian Allende
Every constable in the room gaped at the charges, the Captain more so than
the rest. She had a look of true heartbreak on her face. She did not look
up much at that point averting her eyes from the Legate.
Eburnus then said to the Captain “Locanda the Senate has placed you
in the position of acting Legate until a new one can be voted
on.”
He continued. “You have your orders Legate carry them out, and your
men will listen to you won’t they?”
The Captain or the Acting Legate now, looked at Acteaon with near tears in
her eyes, and said to Eburnus, “They will listen.” To Acteaon she
said, “Sir I am…so sorry.” She did not have the heart to carry
out this order and is shown on her face.
Acteaon said to Locanda. “Legate you have your orders, carry them
out.”
We were ordered to Escort Acteaon to the jail cell down the hall. The Locanda
walked in a half daze and did not go straight to the cell.
Eburnus and his Legion troop were waiting at the cell. In the cell was Pompeii,
all of us were shocked and stunned at the realization of the
moment.
We escorted Acteaon to a more private cell and placed him in; before we could
leave he removed his Constable Medallion and gave it to Locanda. All of us
said that this would be straightened out in the trial and the truth would
come out.
We returned to the other public cell and the Legate unlocked the cell. We
entered to see a gaunt, unshaven, dirty man. Pompeii having nothing but his
demon tattoo with a rave flying over it, and a rat peeking over a crescent
moon, blinked at the light from the open cell door.
The Tribune puffed himself up and in regal tones said, “Pompeii you
are hereby pardoned of all crimes, furthermore you are also called a Hero
of the Republic for actions during the Cinerian
Occupation.”
Pompeii just stammered and blinked at the events unfolding before him. We
as the constabulary said light curses and mutterings of disagreement. Pompeii
stood on weak legs and followed the Tribune out of the cell.
We stood there for several minutes in shock, and I said, “May Ereal
help us.” A constable returned with a sack bearing the name Pompeii,
and handed it to Locanda.
We went back to the Entrance to see the Tribune leaving and telling Pompeii
that he was a hero.
From here the story must unfold in time for it is now a part of everyday
life in the city.
Grazen Bullith