Objective Consequence (Book Two of the Subjective Justice series)

Chapter Nine: What's Best Left Forgotten (Unedited)

"Calm down!" Akio cried, though no one heard it over the sounds of their own voices around the conference table. "I said." Akio stepped up on top of the table. "Calm." She rose her bow into the air. "Down!" She slammed it into the table, sending wood splinters flying in all directions.

The room fell into silence, besides the nervous twitch of fingers and tap of feet.

Akio forced a tight smile on her weary face. "Thank you." She continued to stand on the table, not wanting to risk losing the attention she had to break wood to gain. "Now, as most of you heard, the Commander is coming to the planet in search of me. But I know for a fact he won't stop there. I could give myself up and grant you a few days, a few weeks, if that. He would still find this place and slaughter everyone within it. Our best chance is to stay together, to gather resources, outside help."

"And how do you intend to do that when showing your face could bring the entirety of the commanders on you?" Chester asked, standing up and placing his hands on the table. "Everyone wants you dead. Everyone. And after the mole—"

Hushed whispers started circulating around the room.

Chester stared down at the table, hurt clear in his expression. "How do we know who we can trust? How do we know if we can trust you? Bolivar was my friend. He was like a brother to me, and he stabbed us in the back."

Akio sighed. She knew this would bring more conflict. But if she kept that information a secret, and someone found out from anyone other than her then there would only be further discord in the group. "He was a friend to many. I don't know his intentions, but it's likely that he betrayed the group because of my presence. Not because of anything the rest of you did. Unless he's always been a traitor from the start."

"What about Eris? Do you think she knows? She might be in danger," Greomoire stated, her gerbul nose twitching in anxiousness and fear.

Swallowing, Akio glanced down at the table. Hard calls, that was her duty as a leader. Knowing she would have to make this call hurt. Eris was her friend, someone she cared deeply for, but she couldn't risk the safety of everyone here for her. "If Bolivar finds out that we know of his doing's, we risk him killing Eris. If by some chance she isn't involved, which is also a possibility, we cannot interfere." Akio clenched her hand around the bow in her hand, forcing her voice to stay strong, void of the emotion threatening to surface. "Both Bolivar and Eris are banned from returning to the mansion under the penalty of death."

"How could you betray her like that?"

"I thought she was your friend."

"You're sentencing her to die."

"Heartless weapon."

"This is why weapons shouldn't be leaders, they don't care for anyone but themselves."

The onslaught of accusations was predictable. Akio knew this wasn't a call anyone would appreciate. In time, they would understand. That wouldn't lessen the hurt it caused to anyone close to Eris, it wouldn't lessen the hurt threatening to make her break down in this conference room full of vigilantes. Strong. Akio needed to be strong. If she couldn't handle a meeting like this, they wouldn't stand a chance.

"Fuck you, you selfish pieces of starshit," Indra spat, marching into the room and whacking a few with her cane. "You will not disrespect our leader like this. Eris was her friend too, she was my friend. Letting her back in risks everyone dying if she's a traitor. Get your head out of your asses and hold your tongue."

Akio shook her head, unable to express just how grateful she was for her girlfriend at that moment. Stars. Indra always said what Akio wished she could. "Thank you, Indra. As I was saying, we need to reach out and get more groups on our side. With the Commander seeking blood shed, it's only a matter of time before this turns into a war. If this is all that stands in his way, it will be as infants to the slaughter. He'll slay us in our sleep with futile resistance."