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“I do not,” Jo’Nay replied, his voice a deep rumble that resonated through the chamber. “Her words are true. She speaks not only for herself but for me.”

The Head Councilor’s tone grew sharper. “Then speak for yourself, Jo’Nay. Defend your actions if you believe them defensible.”

Jo’Nay took a step forward, his manacles glinting under the light. Winn retreated to the edge of the dais, her heart pounding as he began to speak.

“I was born into the Intergalactic Warrior program,” he began, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. “From the moment I showed the markings of a Prime, my fate was sealed. Iwas trained to protect the Nine Galaxies, to serve and sacrifice without question. For centuries, Idid so. Ifollowed the laws. Iupheld the balance.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the audience, his expression fierce. “But in all those centuries, Iwas never given a choice. Iwas never asked whatIwanted, whatIbelieved in. Iwas a tool, aweapon. Until I met Winn.”

Winn’s chest tightened at his words, her heart aching for the man she loved.

“She showed me a world beyond duty,” Jo’Nay continued. “A world of possibilities, of love and hope. She gave me a reason to fight not just for the Nine Galaxies, but for myself. For the chance to live a life worth living.”

The murmurs in the audience swelled, some voices angry, others contemplative. Jo’Nay’s voice rose above them, commanding attention.

“I do not deny my actions,” he said. “I do not deny that I have broken the laws of our kind. But I ask you to consider this: are those laws just? Are they right? Or are they relics of a time that no longer serves us?”

The tension in the room heightened as Jo’Nay’s words resonated. ACouncilor on the far end, her voice colder than the rest, interrupted. “Your emotions cloud your reasoning. The laws are absolute because they maintain order. You, Jo’Nay, are a threat to that order.”

Jo’Nay’s jaw tightened, his gaze steady. “If questioning unjust laws makes me a threat, then so be it. But laws that force warriors to die without cause, to forfeit their individuality, do not maintain order—they perpetuate control.”

“Control is necessary,” another Councilor snapped, his tone brittle. “Without it, there is chaos.”

Jo’Nay’s response came unwavering. “Perhaps it is time to redefine what you call chaos. To recognize that control which denies freedom breeds rebellion.”

The audience erupted into murmurs again, their tones a volatile mixture of fear, anger, and reluctant agreement. Among them, Winn noticed a few figures who seemed more thoughtful than condemning. Allies, perhaps, though silent ones fornow.

The Head Councilor raised a hand, silencing the crowd. “Enough. This Council will take a moment to deliberate on whether to allow further testimony and evidence. Until then, the accused and his human will remain silent.”

Chapter 21

JO’NAY STOODmotionless in the center of the dais, his manacled hands a visible symbol of his supposed guilt, but his gaze was fierce and unwavering. The Head Councilor’s voice boomed across the chamber, its resonant tone an instrument of authority designed to silence dissent. But Jo’Nay would not be silenced. Not today.

“You stand accused of violating the sacred laws of Vetta,” the Head Councilor began, their tone cold and deliberate. “You have taken a mate, fathered a hybrid child, consumed an unapproved substance that altered your genetic makeup, and refused to take your Final Flight. There is nothing further to discuss. Therefore, we find you—”

Jo’Nay instantly interrupted, “I do not deny the actions you accuse me of. But I challenge the premise that these actions are crimes. Ihave not had an opportunity to argue my case. Or is that no longer allowed?”

The audience erupted into a cacophony of murmurs and whispers, their voices a blend of shock, outrage, and faintcuriosity. The Councilors exchanged glances, their expressions grim but unreadable. Jo’Nay seized the moment, his voice rising above the noise.

“Let us begin with the first charge,” he said, his tone measured but forceful. “I have taken a mate. Ahuman from Earth. Her name is Winn. This law forbidding warriors to take mates is rooted in the belief that our focus must remain solely on protecting the Nine Galaxies. For four hundred years, Iupheld that law. For four centuries, Igave my life, my body, and my soul to your cause. But my service is complete. Iam no longer a protector. Why, then, am I denied the right to love?”

The murmurs grew louder, and Jo’Nay’s gaze swept the room, challenging everyone who met his gaze. “Your laws demand that warriors sacrifice everything for the greater good, and yet when their service ends, you offer them nothing in return. No peace. No family. No future. Why? What are you so afraid of?”

The Head Councilor’s face tightened. “You were bred for a singular purpose, Jo’Nay. To protect. To serve. To die when your duty is complete. That is the order of things.”

Jo’Nay’s jaw clenched, but his voice remained steady. “The order of things? Or the order that serves your interests? Four centuries of service, and the reward is oblivion? No. Ireject that. Iearned the right to live, to love, to create a future.”

He paused, allowing the weight of his words to settle over the chamber. The faces of the Council remained stern, but some of the audience leaned forward, riveted by the power of his defiance.

“And that future includes fathering a hybrid child?” another Councilor interjected, her voice dripping with disdain. “A child that could destabilize the balance of the Nine Galaxies?”

Jo’Nay turned his gaze to the Councilor, his purple eyes blazing. “Destabilize? My child represents the possibility of unity, of coexistence. The fact that he is a hybrid does not make him a threat. It makes him a bridge. Your fear of hybrids is not rooted in logic. It is rooted in archaic prejudice. You speak of balance, yet you cling to divisions that serve only to perpetuate fear.”

He turned to the audience, his voice rising with passion. “How long will we continue to allow fear to dictate our lives? The Nine Galaxies are a mosaic of cultures, species, and histories. The very fabric of our existence is built on diversity. Yet here we are, punishing the very essence of what makes us stronger.”

The chamber fell silent, the weight of Jo’Nay’s words hanging heavy in the air. He pressed on, his voice gaining strength.

“So let us address the third charge,” he said, his tone sharpening. “I consumed an unknown substance that altered my genetics. You frame this as a crime, yet you conveniently omit the fact that my genetics were already altered—by you. By the Vettian government. From the moment I was identified as a Prime, my body was manipulated to suit your needs. The substance I consumed did not harm me. It restored me. It undid what you had done without my consent.”

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