fifth trial

[stagemanagers]

[When the investigation finishes, the lights begin to flicker on and off as that low, gentle rumble echoes through the opera house.

Your intermission is ending. Please return to your trial room.

The court room looks just as it always has for you: the grand chandelier glittering above your heads, the dusty red velvet seats. In the orchestra pit your circle of wooden podiums are waiting. Jeremy and Steven's podiums are draped in black crepe with their grey scale funerary portraits, just like your friends before them. The ghost light glows softly behind the podiums.

The curtain is closed, waiting to open when a decision has been reached and the execution can commence.

When everyone is in their places, the Phantom's voice echoes loud and clear through the theatre from his place in box 5. His tone is even, with none of the distraction or terse notes in the weeks before. He almost sounds curious for how this all will play out.]

You must now determine who was responsible for the death of Steven Universe. Submit your vote on the podiums when you are certain of your choice.

[Gather your evidence and let's begin.]

Comments

[likemypicture]

You left him trapped here, that's harming him!

Do the rules still apply during a trial?

[inside_yourmind]

Administering a vaccine causes pain, but it is in pursuit of a greater benefit.

Mine, or yours?

[37773972]

People consent to vaccines.

[inside_yourmind]

And those who choose not to will spread deadly diseases to a vulnerable population who is unable to receive the protection they so easily turn down. They should obviously be required.

[are we. is this what we're getting into now.]

[37773972]

Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they're misinformed. Telling them what's going on works wonders!

[inside_yourmind]

That is a very optimistic viewpoint. In practice, people will tend to cling to their prejudices no matter how much harm is caused.

[.....]

Though I admit, left to my own devices, I would have attempted that route first.

[37773972]

What does it matter? You're doing this now.

[inside_yourmind]

It does not. Merely a hypothetical.

[likemypicture]

[wtf is going on]

[likemypicture]

A what. [dude smallpox is still a thing]

The rules on the wall about killing people. And uh. Summonings.

[inside_yourmind]

They do.

[And he's gonna assume someone else might explain vaccines to you for the moment...???]