Page 46 of First

“You admit to defying our laws?” a different Councilor demanded, their tone incredulous.

“I admit to choosing life,” Jo’Nay replied, his voice strong and unwavering. “I admit to choosing love. And I admit to questioning the laws that would demand my death for such choices.”

The Council erupted into murmurs, their voices clashing like a storm within the chamber. Winn’s heart pounded as she stepped closer to Jo’Nay, her hand finding his once more. She felt his fingers tighten around hers, asilent promise that they would face together whatever camenext.

“Silence!” the Head Councilor commanded, pounding his governing stone against the raised bench, his voice slicing through the noise. “Jo’Nay, your defiance is noted. But your fate lies not in your hands, nor in those of your mate. It lies with the Council.”

Winn’s grip on Jo’Nay’s hand tightened as the Council deliberated, their voices a low, unintelligible murmur. It became clear as they spoke that they’d already formed their decision. This trial—this spectacle—was as much for show as for judgment. The cameras transmitted every word, every glance, to ensure that no other Intergalactic Warrior or citizen would dare follow Jo’Nay’s example.

“We will recess,” the Head Councilor finally announced, rising from their seat. “Not to determine your guilt, which is evident, but to decide if you will be permitted to fight the charges leveled against you. Until then, you remain under guard.”

As the enforcers stepped forward, Winn braced herself, her heart aching as she watched them lead Jo’Nay away. His gaze met hers one last time, asilent reassurance in his eyes that she clung to with every fiber of her being.

The chamber emptied, leaving Winn alone in the cavernous space. She sank to her knees, her hands trembling as they rested on her belly. Tears blurred her vision, but she refused to let them fall. She had to be strong. For Jo’Nay. For their child. For the future they had fought so hard to claim.

As the shadows of the Council chamber loomed around her, Winn made a silent vow. She would not let them take him from her. Whatever it took, she would fight. For him. For their family. For the love that had brought them to this moment, and for the hope that it would carry them through whatever camenext.

The courtroom was a cauldron of tension, simmering with the weight of judgment and defiance. Winn’s palms were clammy as she gripped them together, her gaze flicking from the area where the Council members had been sitting to the audience that filled the chamber.

Representatives from across the Nine Galaxies had gathered, their faces a mixture of disdain, curiosity, and barely veiled outrage. The glowing panels lining the chamber’s walls cast a surreal light over the scene, while the ever-present hum of hovering broadcast drones reminded Winn that this spectacle was being transmitted to billions.

A few moments later, the Councilors returned to their seats and enforcers returned Jo’Nay to her side. She stood, her heartbeat thundered in her ears as the Head Councilor’s voice rang out, commanding the room to order.

“This Council reconvenes to determine if Jo’Nay, First of Alpha Legion of the Intergalactic Warriors, will be allowed to challenge the charges leveled against him.” The formal tone sent a chill down her spine. The implication was clear: this was not a trial. It was an example.

Winn shifted uneasily at Jo’Nay’s side as the audience settled into tense silence. She could feel their eyes on her, judging her as much as they judged Jo’Nay. They were alien—most humanoid, some far from it—with features that defied human comprehension. Aserpentine figure with shimmering scales hissed softly, its eyes unblinking as it fixed on her belly. Beside it, ahumanoid being with elongated limbs and skin that shimmered like oil murmured to its neighbor. Winn’s hand instinctively rested on her abdomen, aprotective gesture that did little to shield her from the weight of their scrutiny.

Jo’Nay stood at the center of the dais, his manacled hands held in front of him with a dignity that belied the situation. He towered over the enforcers flanking them, his bronze skin catching the refracted light from above and making him appear otherworldly even among this diverse assembly. His gaze never wavered from the Council, but Winn could see the tension in his jaw, the subtle shift of his shoulders as he resisted the urge to assert himself.

“Jo’Nay,” the Head Councilor began, their voice resonant and emotionless. “You have defied the sacred laws of our kind, laws that have ensured peace and balance across the Nine Galaxies for millennia. This Council has reviewed your actions, your choices, and the consequences of those choices.”

Winn’s breath hitched as the Councilor’s gaze shifted toward her, even though their features remained obscured. “You claim love. You claim life. But your claims threaten the harmony of our existence.”

A murmur swept through the audience, awave of whispers and clicks that echoed ominously. Winn’s chest tightened. She glanced up at Jo’Nay, who remained stoic, his towering form unyielding despite the weight of the accusations.

“Before this Council determines whether you may challenge the charges,” the Councilor continued, “we will hear testimony.” They turned their focus to Winn, and her heart lurched. “Winn of Earth, supposed mate of Jo’Nay, step forward.”

Her legs felt like lead as she inched forward. The murmurs in the audience grew louder, acacophony of judgment and curiosity. The enforcers gestured for her to move further forward, and she did so with trepidation, glancing over her shoulder at Jo’Nay for reassurance. He met her eyes, and though he said nothing, the silent strength in his expression steadiedher.

The Head Councilor’s voice was cold and impersonal. “You are human, are you not?”

“Yes,” she replied, her voice trembling despite her effort to remain composed.

“You understand the gravity of this proceeding?”

“I do.” Winn’s voice strengthened as she spoke, her resolve hardening under the weight of the Councilor’s scrutiny.

“Then explain,” the Councilor demanded. “Explain why you would bind yourself to a being whose existence demands the preservation of balance, whose life—and death—are not his own to choose.”

Winn swallowed hard, her thoughts racing. She knew the truth of her love for Jo’Nay, the depth of their connection, but how could she convey that to beings who saw him as nothing more than a cog in a vast machine?

“Because he is not just a warrior,” she began, her voice steadying as she found her courage. “He is a person. He is compassionate and honorable. He risked everything to save mewhen he could have walked away. He gave me hope when I had none. How could I not love him?”

The Councilor’s silence was oppressive, but Winn pressed on. “You say he defied the natural order, but isn’t it natural to want to live? To want to love and protect the people who matter most to you? He didn’t choose this path lightly. He chose it because it was the right thing to do. Because he saw a future worth fighting for.”

A wave of murmurs rippled through the audience, louder this time. Winn’s heart raced as she stepped back, her hands trembling. She turned to Jo’Nay, her gaze pleading for him to see her strength and draw fromit.

The Councilor’s voice cut through the noise. “Jo’Nay, you have heard your mate’s words. Do you deny their truth?”

---