Original Fiction: Anarchist's Almanac, Episode 15

In this episode, Joshua Claiborne stands trial for violation of the First Law

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Phil screamed, “What the hell dude?”

The Reaper crumpled to the floor, arms flailing as Joshua rode it to the ground. Finally, the hands found the catches at either side of the helmet and popped it off. A black, shaggy head of hair emerged.

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“Emil?” Stella said, “Meet Joshua. Are you okay?”

Emil, the Reaper suit’s operator laughed, “Yeah, I’m fine, but that was awesome! Can you teach us that?”

“Man! Now I have to rebuild this helmet,” Phil held up a small remote. “All I had to do was push this button,” he said, pressing it, as the suit powered down. “What did you do?”

“The ‘nerve’ bundle that controls these things motor skills is on the very top of the skull, under a thin piece of sheet metal, puncture it, it collapses. You didn’t know that?” Joshua said.

“Well, it appears we may need you more than you need us,” Stella said. “So, just say the word and we’ll get you where you need to be. Meanwhile, my team will be working on your son’s location.”

Joshua dropped the letter opener and walked to the stairs, “Fine, whatever you need to collect from my meeting, get it. Now, who’s driving?” With that, he walked up the stairs, he had no more time to waste.

The Mapleton courthouse sat on a hill in the center of the town, overlooking the area around for miles.

Joshua insisted that the team Stella had sent stop 5 miles out and allow him to ride in on the electric trike alone, while they observed the meeting from a distance.

He carried the tiny remote in his shirt pocket, a gift from Phil. “That’s my only prototype, so don’t lose it,” he’d said.

From the end of Main Street, looking up toward the courthouse, Joshua counted at least six reapers. He wondered how far the signal from the remote would travel.

He thought about pressing it now, disarming his enemy, then walking in, but he’d still have to deal with the six drivers, if they managed to escape the suits.

Besides, Stella seemed to think there was some secret they were going to give away, although Joshua couldn’t imagine it.

He checked his watch, ten minutes until his scheduled time and while he knew better than to be late, he had no intention of giving the Consensus one more second than he had to.

The trike spun it’s tires on a patch of loose gravel as he started back up. He decided a quick approach was best. He charged up the hill, jumping the “Mayor’s” parking barrier and rolling up to the foot of the front stairs, he cranked the accelerator and the trike rose up on its back wheel, popping the two front wheels, over the bottom step.

The machine had more than enough power to climb the steps and Joshua skidded to a stop outside the courthouse door. He stopped and turned back toward the town, the six Reapers swarming toward him up the steps. He powered down, swung his leg up and over the bike and opened the door.

The Reapers followed him into the hall as he approached the court room.

The Magistrate sat behind the judge’s bench and Joshua couldn’t help but smirk at the insult to the very concept of actual justice that this thing represented.

“Joshua Claiborne, appearing as requested,” Joshua said, standing directly in front of the Magistrate.

“Yes, Mr. Claiborne, have a seat,” A woman’s face, projected on the face shield of the Magistrate said.

“I’d rather stand,” he said.

“Suit yourself, may we have the room, please?” she said, looking toward the reapers that had entered the back doors of the courtroom.

They left quietly.

“Mr. Claiborne, you’re charged with violation of the first law, in so
much as you have encouraged and joined in the activity of settling
outside of Consensus approved areas, acted outside of the legal
jurisdiction of the council and on more than one occasion, acted
against the best interest of Consensus, including attacking duly
authorized Magistrates in the course of their legally binding duties,
how do you plead?”

The woman looked at Joshua, peering over a pair of short, square spectacles, like some sort of outdated stereotype.

“Not guilty, by reason of illegitimacy of the currently established government and its ensigns. I am not, nor do I choose to become, subject to your law. I stand judged as innocent by natural law, insomuch as I have not caused harm to another human in aggression, damaged or stolen property, nor unnecessarily restricted the liberty of any other person. I recognize no other responsibility to my fellow man,” Joshua said calmly.

“Be that as it may, Mr. Claiborne, we are not here under the auspices of “natural law” but rather, under the Council mandated authority of the Consensus and its Magisterial Ministry, of which I am a part and I assure you, you are subject to,”

The woman intoned, her expression one of almost sheer boredom.

“Court finds the defendant guilty and remands the subject for immediate judicial murder.”

The magistrate raised its arm and brought it down on the bench with a solid thud, that echoed through the court. Joshua felt his heart sink as the Reapers reentered the court and moved up to surround him.

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