The Trial of Oak Hansford

Trials normally happen in Terminus station. There's an area with multiple levels, so the crowd can go on the bottom level, Adela Stirling comforts Oak Hansford on the second level, and Speaker Leah sits behind a table she's dragged in, next to her any witnesses will speak. Above it all, there's a balcony where the Director stands. Zir figure is difficult to make out from how far below the crowd is.

Once the quorum of 30 is met. Leah starts banging a gavel on the table. The crowd continues to chatter. She bangs again. “Hello! Hello! The trial is starting.” The chattering continues. She whacks the gavel a few more times. Eventually the crowd starts to quieten down, and she can start speaking.

“Ah, yes hello welcome everyone. We've gathered here today to discuss Oak's crimes… well accused crimes. I don't know whether he actually did it or not, I guess that's why we're here… Ahem. Oh, and since I've got you all here, I'll remind you that I'm still looking for people to help out in my musical about the day we all went underground. You can talk to me at the next town hall meeting if you're interested.”

“Ah.. Um. Ahem. Anyway, let's get on with the trial shall we. Oak, would you like to start by giving your account of the events.” Leah gestures at Oak to walk to the top platform. Oak takes a deep breath and walks up the stairs.

“I had gone to the tunnel to perform some routine maintenance work. I had been told by someone from the Director's Office - Drew, I believe - that there would be no trains and that it would just be me. And it was just me, from what I remember. Carl Shaw wasn't there.

Something that I only remembered this week is that while I was working in the service tunnel, I heard some metallic sounds from just outside and went to investigate. That's when I found a bunch of tools strewn across the tracks. I… can't remember what happened next though.

The next thing I can recall is waking up elsewhere, in some other tunnel, alone and slightly injured. I had a gut feeling that something was wrong, so I decided to hide.

The only other thing of note that comes to mind is the day before Sky and the others found where I was. I saw a group of masked figures, and I think they might have been looking for me, but I stayed hidden so I didn't get a good look at them.”

Oak seems to finish his statement and is about to leave before a flicker of realisation comes over his face.

“Wait… There is something else I think I remember as well, just recently returned. My memory is slowly coming back to me. When I was looking at the tools strewn across the floor, I didn't go unconscious immediately. But everything did go black. I think the power had gone out. Then, there's screeching, a bang. And… that's all I remember, I'm sorry.”

“Thank you Oak, that's very helpful. Now, do we have any questions for Oak from the crowd?” Leah steps in and looks towards the crowd.

“Why did you kill Carl!” Shouts an unknown figure from the crowd.

“I didn't…” Oak tries to respond

“Why should we trust you?!” Another bodyless voice from another part of the crowd.

“I…”

“Exile! We want exile! We want exile! We want exile!” One member of the crowd starts, and a few others start chanting along with them. Leah tries banging the gavel, but the crowd doesn't cease.

“Stop!” Adella shouts from up on the second level. Quietening the crowd and taking the floor.

“Please, everyone, let's stay calm and civilised. Let's look at the facts. On that day, we know that Oak had been assigned to go up there, corroborated by manager Drew Lopez in the DO. What's more, is that Carl had no reason to be there. We know, once again from Drew, that Carl was supposed to be investigating the various groups around the Underground. The Esoteric Order of the Rat. The Church of the Sun. The Cult of Darkness. And looking into the growing interest around mushrooms. What do all of these have in common? None of them are based near Cilbano Interchange. Carl had no reason to be there that day, and Oak was there on work. So how could something as elaborate as a cave-in murder be executed with so little planning? What's more, why would you trap yourself in a dark train tunnel, giving yourself injuries and scars that won't even be able to be treated in Medicus for who knows how long?”

There is a moments silence before an angry but hesitant voice shouts up “But who else could've done it?”

Another “And why did Oak hide if he's innocent?”

Adela slows, steadying herself on a table as if reeling from a headache, Leah approaches to comfort her and the lawyer continues.

“I ask you this. Why do people hide? Because they're scared. Because they're being hunted. People of the Underground, Oak was hiding because he was scared of the actual murderers!”

“Let's look at the CCTV before the event happened. Yesterday, Alexis Knight checked out the CCTV. What did she find? Everyone who went up to the crime scene on the day of the murder.

First, was Oak, heading north performing scheduled maintenance.

Later on was a train, presumably being driven by the victim, Carl Shaw.

But there was a third group in-between! Between Oak and Carl, two masked figures headed north. They were carrying some large objects. Note that Oak was only carrying repair tools. So who is it that's likely to have planted the bomb? These masked figures!

What's more, we never see them leave on this footage. There was a powercut, consistent with Oak's testimony! They cut the power to cover their tracks so we couldn't see more of them as they left.

But finally, you may be asking who did it? Consider the bomb. What was found at the scene of the crime? Fertiliser residue. The only people with access to fertiliser are the workers on Terra and Fundus! This explicitly rules out Oak as a possible culprit.

Therefore, people of the Underground, there is not only evidence to suggest that Oak did not carry out this murder, but further evidence to suggest he was purposefully framed by the real culprits, the masked figures in the CCTV footage. Recall Oak's testimony once more, we know they wanted to cover their traces as who did Oak see looking for him just as the rubble was cleared? Potentially the very same masked figures!”

The crowd goes silent, then murmuring, then full on rabble. Speaker Leah struggles to restore order with the gavel but eventually silence falls on the hall and the vote begins.

One by one you along with all the other attendants of the trial input their verdict into the electronic system. Seconds pass, then minutes, all in a tense silence as the future of Oak and justice for Carl Shaw is decided.

95%

95% of the Underground votes for not guilty.

Leah declares that Oak is officially dropped of all charges.