Chapter 11: Judge, Jury & Executioner

The music, the damn noise didn't stop did it? The cheery mall tune played in the early hours of dawn as the sun rose over the horizon. Last night was...strained at best. It was late, and the wagon was cramped but what stood out the most was Grandpa's story. That damn number station. He told it with such fervor it sounded like he was telling the truth. But he couldn't be, it was just a story. A bedtime story he probably tells the foals.

"I may go back to Madame Rope if that's how your travelling now. Although I didn't mind being close to Verity." Hans said with a comedic tone.

Artemis sipped her coffee and swallowed several painkillers. She didn't eat pills wantonly, only when she had headaches. Because if your day starts out bad it will only get worse and in the Equestrian Wasteland "worse" could be very fatal. Instantly she felt the vice on her mind break away and now she could raise her head. Hans noticed her recovery.

"So darling where does our little gang go next?" Hans asked.

Artemis thought about it. Then she realized, why was that her decision? Why was she the leader of this motley crew? But Hans did make a good point.

"Well first I say we leave then deal with Obsidian Shine. After that we'll go from there." Artemis answered.

"Ah yes, Ms. Shine, what are your plans for her.?" He asked taking a sip of his drink.

"Ugh, I guess....dammit I dunno. We could sell her into slavery but we're not slavers, we could execute her but then if we did then it trivializes detaining her in the first place." Artemis complained.

"Leave her to the fates Artemis." He said. "Just leave her tied up out in the desert, and if she lives she lives and if she dies then she dies. See? She isn't executed by you and she has a chance at life. It's all you could give her really."

Artemis pondered his suggestion and shrugged. "Damn, fine. At least we're not enslaving her or torturing her to death like Verity wants."

"See, best of both worlds sweetums." Hans smiled. "Now c'mon it's time to get rolling."

~Later after setting out and announcing the plan to the others.~

The wagon slowed to a stop. Over the cliff spanned that entire wasteland. A massive desert with mountains touching the aquamarine sky. Obsidian Shine landed on the ground with a "oof" after Verity dropped her. He sat her up and Artemis removed the bag that covered her head.

"Okay Obsidian Shine, this is your chance at life. We're not going to kill you." Obsidian Shine hummed with relief. "We're going to leave you, and once we leave you're on your own. Just thank your lucky stars you're not on a cross." Artemis said sternly and nodded to Verity.

"I still say we break her hind legs and leave her." He grumbled playing the bad cop. Obsidian Shine started squirming and mumbling something through her gag. With a scowl Artemis removed it. Obsidian gasped and choked for a minute.

"Don't leave me out here please! I know about your number station!" She begged. The last part of her sentence caught Artemis's attention.

"The number station's a story." Artemis hissed. Obsidian just shook her head.

"It's real, I know the old pony he spoke of last night. Skipper." She said with a gasp.

Artemis didn't believe her for a second. But she would have ask Grandpa about this "Skipper" character and see if she was telling the truth. But either way this ended now.

"Where is he?" Artemis demanded. Obsidian choked some more and wheezed.

"To the north. White Tail National Park, he leads a tribe of ponies. Please just let me go. I gave you something." Shine begged.

Artemis was silent for a minute. She was most likely lying, trying to barter for her freedom. But she already had it.

"We will." Artemis whispered. "But you'll have to free yourself." She added and turned away.

"No! Goddesses no! Kill me! Don't leave me here!" Obsidian Shine cried. Artemis cringed in anger and put the gag back in her mouth.

Obsidian fell over and thrashed around kicking and flailing and eventually broke into tears. She laid there hopelessly.

"Shall we investigate this Skipper?" Verity asked.

Artemis sighed deeply then looked back to Obsidian. "Yes but I feel terrible leaving her out here."

Verity put an arm on her shoulder, it was unexpected but not completely unwelcomed. "Artemis, she was a raider, a bandit. She's a killer." He said in his soothing tone. It softened the blow of what they were about to do. But I didn't make it any easier.

Without looking back she climbed into the wagon. Aroma wouldn't look at her. She just sat in the back with her forelegs crossed. Hayseed and Lady knew what had happened, they to were reluctant to speak. Whether the two of them approved or not could not be decided at the moment. Only Verity gave any reassurance that they had done the right thing. Was that a bad thing if Verity approved? The wagon drove down the road until Obsidian became a speck in the horizon.

Another hour down the road the air had become stagnant in the wagon. The unpopularity of the Obsidian verdict had cast an spell over the interior. Everyone was quiet. Verity had his usual steely face on. Aroma looked dissatisfied, maybe even a little angry. Which was unorthodoxed seeing that she practically idolized Artemis. Hans looked indifferent, he gave a slight smile when she glanced in his direction.

Artemis didn't know how she looked on the outside, but inside she felt wrong. Like she made a horrible mistake leaving Obsidian to starve. Not matter what she told herself she still felt awful. Just simply awful. Dammit, this sucked.

"Next time she'll shoot the raider, not arrest her." She promised herself.

"Artemis." Aroma said cutting the silence that had lorded over them for so long. "Obsidian Shine will die now, she'll starve or Celestia forbid someone finds her and something worse happens." Aroma scolded her like a parent.

"How dare you..." Verity responded in a disgusted tone.

"Artemis did the best she could." Verity growled. "You wanted to let her go!" He pointed a talon at Aroma.

Several others in the wagon perked up as his voice rose....although they wouldn't dare interrupt. Aroma looked at Verity, you could see her fear but she did not cower down and Aroma replied with a commanding tone.

"These..these raiders! I've seen are nothing compared to the horrors the Legion inflicts: crucifixion, torture, slavery! The Dreadsaw Legion is no more than organized killers! I saw what you did to Ether Voice!"

Verity gave a dark chuckled that barely masked his rage.

"Girl, you do even know who Ether Voice is?" He said in a passive agressive fury.

Aroma was taken aback. But she still remained as strong as she could. "No, b, but her gang didn't deserve that massacre." She stuttered. Verity smirked his beak and shook his head disappointed by her ignorance.

"Ether Voice is the radio alias of Death Belle. She gets on her little radio and broadcasts a distress signal to unsuspecting ponies. Once they fall for her trap her raider buddies captured them and ATE THEM! They were cannibals Aroma!" He exclaimed.

Now Aroma was stunned along with several others in the wagon. Her argument had taken a serious if not fatal blow. It wasn't over Verity continued.

"When legionnaires arrived to eradicate them they found emaciated colts and fillies in animal cages. They murdered their parents right in front of them!" Verity sneered in anger.

Again Aroma could not raise a hoof to his oral onslaught. She fell to her haunches, mouth agape in horror. Verity lowered his head to Aroma and pressed a talon to her chest.

"Now, maybe next time you'll think of who you're dealing with before speaking out of line. Trust your comrades first." He spoke in a low but commanding voice

Aroma was defeated. She only nodded, tears swelled up in her eyes. Verity wiped her tears and spoke softly.

"No tears Aroma. You learn and move on. There are worse things to cry about."

"Artemis...I'm so sorry." Aroma squeaked.

Artemis felt so bad for Aroma. It wasn't entirely her fault, she had been out of her Stable for what? A week at the most. Artemis walked to give Aroma a friendly hug.

KABOOM!

A second later the wagon was tossed on it's side. Artemis landed on her back and smacked her head. She was concussed, the only thing she could hear was the faint crackle of fire, various popping sounds possibly gunfire and screaming. Artemis turned on her side trying to crawl out of wagon her ears were ringing and none of her friends were in sight. What hell had happened? Seconds later as she approached the wagon door her will and strength failed her after to much strain and she fell unconscious....

Next Chapter: Chapter 12 pt. 1 - Playing In The Park Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 12 Minutes