Damn it!
I was betrayed by my own mistress!
Yang Ming left the glass tank with a dark expression, his hands shackled, walking towards the hatch without looking back.
"Hanton!"
Doctor Lina chased after him a few steps, but was stopped by the guards.
Yang Ming turned his head to meet the gaze of this elder sister-like doctor.
"Take care," Lina said somewhat excitedly, "I will think of a way to help you as soon as possible."
"Thank you," Yang Ming felt a warm sensation in his heart but then glared at mistress number one.
This hot-bodied intern pilot just shrugged indifferently, at this moment showing no sense of guilt.
They were just shipmates, after the starship blew up, the intimate relationship naturally ended as well.
Following this, the Human Council dispatched over ten working groups which simultaneously entered the glass room to investigate and gather evidence, their actions remarkably efficient.
Yang Ming was then taken to a solitary interrogation room for two thorough inspections, luckily without his identity as a transformed person being exposed.
He began a long silence.
If I were Hanton, what would be the most appropriate behavior now?
Quite simple, absolute loyalty to the Sherman Empire, and wait for the Empire to conduct a rescue.
So, facing the investigators from the Human Council, Yang Ming maintained his silence;
A day later, facing officials from the Human Council, Yang Ming maintained his silence;
And two days later, in front of the interrogators from the interstellar court, Yang Ming had planned to maintain his silence, but he realized… if he continued to be silent, he might really be thrown into an interstellar prison!
He decided to say something.
...
Judgement Court Three of the interstellar court was located in the center of Cole Port.
The core of Cole Port was a decommissioned massive transport ship, which served as a foundation for an alloy structure that continued to 'grow' in all directions, and in the subsequent expansions more abandoned ships were assimilated and more fortress panels were integrated; ultimately forming an interstellar transfer station capable of accommodating a population of a million.
An M-type dwarf star provided a continuous supply of energy for Cole Port; advanced technology contributed by the New Federation also ensured simulated gravity fields were ubiquitous here.
Of course, most of the residents here were transient.
Most people preferred to settle down and retire on actual planets.
Judgement Court Three, open to the public, was Cole Port's 'social media check-in' spot.
The exterior of the Judgement Court looked like a sea bowl, much like the colosseums from Yang Ming's memory; rows of seats surrounding it, sparsely occupied by figures from different star domains and species.
In the center of the Judgement Court, three judges—that is, public hearing officers—were seated in mid-air on anti-gravity stone chairs, staring at Yang Ming who was slowly ascending on a flying disk.
"Captain Hanton."
The chief hearing officer was an elderly woman with light brown short hair and sharp eyes; her overly elongated neck and limbs gave her an elegant yet strange appearance.
The female hearing officer asked, "You will continue to remain silent today, correct?"
Yang Ming gave no response.
He was reminiscing over the sumptuous meals of the past week, and the soft mattress that took no effort to get out of.
The Human Council really valued the protection of human rights.
The female hearing officer nodded and began to speak slowly while looking at the projected text in front of her:
"You are an excellent Sherman officer, but Captain, those Empire elites rescued with you don't seem too concerned about the honor of the Empire; they have provided ample testimony that can prove your guilt."
Yang Ming suddenly felt anxious.
Had his identity as a transformed experimental being been exposed?
The researchers who participated in the 'Hanton Transformation Experiment' had all been knocked out by him, all dying in the explosion aboard the research vessel... Did any other scientific personnel also know about that impromptu experiment?
Yang Ming pondered for a moment.
The female hearing officer gazed at Yang Ming with her intimidating eyes.
"I want to know what they said," Yang Ming asked calmly.
The female hearing officer listed a series of terms: "Professor Kigrov, Valkyrie Plan, human body modification experiments, gene fusion, monsters, Valkyries... Although you don't need to add anything more, we still want to hear your side of the story, as you are also one of the perpetrators."
"I was just a third officer," Yang Ming's expression was full of helplessness, "I was only in charge of the maintenance of the fire control system and some emergency repairs."
The female hearing officer asked, "Did you directly participate in the Valkyrie Plan?"
"No," said Yang Ming, "I wasn't an executor of the plan, and whenever I mistakenly entered the experimental area, I would be shouted at and sent away by the people in white coats; the status of a third officer is actually quite pitiful, this is the norm."
Yang Ming glanced with the corner of his eye at the audience, spotting several middle-aged men dressed in Sherman military uniforms.
Had his salvation arrived?
The female hearing officer continued her questioning, "The disaster of the research ship's destruction was triggered by the Valkyrie's mutiny, correct?"
"Yes."
"According to testimonies from several bridge crew members, you were standing at the main control desk at the time, and you said something about giving the Valkyrie a penetrating wound, so she would be immobilized, is that right?"
"Yes."
Yang Ming added, "I just thought it would be safer that way."
He was gambling, gambling there were no living witnesses to the fight in the rear compartment.
"Furthermore," the female examiner's gaze left the document in front of her and fixed onto Yang Ming.
Yang Ming's heart rose to his throat.
The female hearing officer said, "Your intern pilot—your sexual partner on that research ship—has confessed to us that you were extremely panicked before the Valkyrie started the uprising, and you advised her to head for the lifeboats, is that right?"
Yang Ming's mouth twitched slightly.
This treacherous bitch, she better not fall into my hands in the future!
"Yes, at that time, I deduced through various signs that the Valkyrie might have gone out of control."
Yang Ming looked exceedingly sincere:
"The specific details are somewhat complicated, and mainly thanks to biology's sixth sense—intuition."
"Some of my intelligence comes from researchers with psychological disturbances. I am a mature and physically strong male; I have had more than one temporary partner."
"Oh?"
The female adjudicator pushed up her glasses, sizing up the robust and well-proportioned muscles beneath Yang Ming's military uniform.
"What did you do then, after you determined Valkyrie might lose control?" she asked.
"The riot happened before I had a chance to do anything,"
Yang Ming thought for a moment and then spoke softly:
"I know you may already see me as an evil executioner, but I want to say that I am just a low-rank officer following the orders of my superiors."
"I stand here because the disaster took the lives of my superiors: the captain, first mate, and second mate all sacrificed themselves, necessitating me, a mere third mate of the fire team, to step up, not because I have committed any crime."
"Yes, Captain Hanton," the female adjudicator nodded in approval, "We need to adjudicate the crimes committed aboard that research vessel, and there must be a specific criminal entity."
Yang Ming frowned and said, "Are you saying that no matter what I say, I will face imprisonment?"
"Objective facts cannot be shifted by your subjective narrative."
The female adjudicator replied,
"If you're willing to plead guilty in court and join the following press conference to truthfully reveal everything that happened aboard the research vessel, promoting racial equality and fair justice, then I will pronounce the lightest penalty allowed by interstellar law and ensure you are settled securely."
"If you choose to defend that ridiculous Empire honor, you could face up to twenty-two years imprisonment."
Yang Ming was about to speak.
But the female adjudicator said, "Don't rush, Hanton; as per our regulations, the interrogation period lasts two months. You will be taken to Cole Port Prison and there you can wait for one month, with the next hearing taking place in one month."
"You're a citizen of the New Federation, aren't you? Adjudicator?" Yang Ming suddenly asked.
The female adjudicator paused, then smiled, saying, "Yes, I'm just here for work."
Yang Ming scoffed and said indifferently, "I can sense the malice toward the Sherman Empire in your words; you're essentially encouraging me to betray my homeland."
"I don't bring personal emotions into my work; are you questioning my professional integrity?" said the female adjudicator.
"Hyprocritical Federation," Yang Ming said with a smile.
"Very well, the next hearing will be in two months, and you will have a two-month prison experience."
Yang Ming calmly raised his fists with the knuckles facing himself and neatly flicked up two middle fingers.
He had not anticipated this Earth-origin international gesture of greeting was also common in the Pan-Galaxy culture.
The female adjudicator's face turned green with anger.
...
On the way to the prison, Yang Ming heard some mixed news.
The 'refugees' brought back by the Human Council had been released, all except him.
This meant that the researchers involved in the experiments got off scot-free, while he, the third mate responsible for maintaining the fire suppression system, was made the scapegoat.
Indeed, the hypocritical Federation and the evil Empire were neck and neck; the two biggest forces of the Galaxy were both thugs!
This also indirectly reflected that the Empire currently had no idea that Hanton had been transformed.
But did Kigrov's research vessel leave any data? Or something like a 'cloud data' backup? Would Doctor Lina betray him?
To Yang Ming, these were uncontrollable risks.
The transport vehicle was fully enclosed, preventing Yang Ming from catching a glimpse of Cole Port's unique metallic architecture.
He meticulously inspected the layout of the vehicle interior, confident that before the four officers beside and in front of him could react, he could concuss them, kick the door open, and make his escape.
But what then?
Did he have a map of the city?
Was there a way to leave this port city?
How strong was the defense system here?
Even if his body was exceptionally strong, could it withstand the fire from a starship cannon?
Impossible; even a not fully completed Valkyrie couldn't block the particle cannon fire from an old model mecha, let alone a starship cannon. Getting locked onto by a Guard Cannon meant certain death.
And let's not forget, the Ancient God Life Form that supplied the transformational genes for Valkyrie also fell to the cannon fire from the Empire's powerful fleet.
This was the era of the Galaxy's grand voyages of starships and heavy artillery.
His own combat abilities were only advantageous within a confined space. Of course, if he were to enter the interior of a starship, that'd be a different situation entirely.
Yang Ming concentrated on planning his next moves and didn't pay much attention to the changing environment.
With shackles on, he stepped off the transport vehicle and calmly walked through the rundown gateway, which resembled an antique, to be taken over by a squad of guards in black uniforms.
The Guard Captain escorting Yang Ming spoke in hushed tones with the prison guards.
Yang Ming's ears twitched slightly, easily capturing a few keywords:
"Evil Empire soldier," "special attention," "the adjudicator needs him to suffer some hardships to facilitate the upcoming work."
Yang Ming chuckled inwardly, not taking it seriously at all.
So, a few minutes later.
Several guards unlocked Yang Ming's shackles and pushed him into a somewhat crowded mixed cell.
Seven or eight muscular men who were lifting weights turned their heads to look over; after seeing Yang Ming's handsome face, their expressions subtly changed.
"Let's give him a little welcome ceremony!"
The guards' whistles came from outside the cell, and they quickly left the 'crime scene.'
Yang Ming didn't bother with these pointless muscle men and walked to a corner area by himself.
For Yang Ming now, nothing was more important than planning for the future.
"Hey, brother," a few brawny men slowly surrounded him, "Every newcomer needs a thorough check-up. Take off all your clothes."
Yang Ming slowly raised his head.
"Are you sure?"
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PS: This book was actually released spontaneously, without any promotion; I'm new and looking for support - please recommend, follow, and share!