"Ezekiel Solace, you are found guilty on all charges. You will serve fifty years in federal prison, and pay a fine of two million credits."
The gavel fell, its sharp crack echoing through the courtroom like a judgment carved in stone.
The room erupted instantly, every person reacting in their own way to the final verdict. On the opposing side, cheers burst out so loud they bounced off the high ceilings. People jumped to their feet, laughing, clapping each other on the back, congratulating one another as if they had won a great victory. They glanced between Cain, then Ezekiel, their expressions a mix of triumph and scorn. Ezekiel stood in the dock, his head bowed low, his face hidden in shadow. He must feel utterly broken, they thought. He's barely holding himself together.
