7:47 PM: Metal Gear Solid

1.4 - Trial by Funeral

12:36 PM
Washington, DC
One First St NE
The Supreme Court Building
The US Army v. Elijah Bishop

Eli didn't deny a damn thing. In fact, he even confessed, almost gloatfully, to some war crimes he hadn't even been charged with, as if the list wasn't long enough already.

I was present, but I had declined my invitation to testify. Samantha sat next to me, looking extremely uncomfortable in her dress that Wolf had bought for her. Raised in warzones as she was, I imagine she'd never worn one before. She understood well enough what was happening, for a child raised outside the States who currently sat in an American courthouse--or rather, the American courthouse. Even so, she seemed disconnected from the court proceedings, fidgeting with her fingers and her dress, trying not to sit too still on the old wood benches. She was silent most of the time, and watching. Some--myself included--might have mistaken her for not paying attention, but every now and then, she'd tug on my arm and whisper a question about some of the legal terms that came up, like "Amicus curiae". For those who don't know, this is a Latin term that refers to a third party interested in, but not involved with, a case that provides information or evidence related to the case, whether it's for the defense or the prosecution (she also asked what a prosecutor is). The phrase got thrown out when, during Campbell's testimony, a third party presented itself in the form of two people I didn't expect to see--Kazuhira Miller and, even more surprising, mine and Eli's father, the Big Boss himself. When someone misused the word "filibuster" at some point, and Samantha asked, I told her it was a really good burger popular in the Southern States, particularly Texas. This joke of mine only confused her more.

The trial lasted several days, and while it was in session, Samantha and I were always sitting side by side, only talking to each other if she asked for clarification on something mentioned in the trial. But in between sessions, I had my own legal pursuits, trying to fulfill certain wishes of Eli's. He and I hadn't spoken since early into the flight back to America, after I'd told him about Helena while Samantha slept slumped over on Sniper Wolf's arm. He didn't ask me for anything during the trial. It was an older wish of his I was focusing on.

During the trial, Eli's entire life came under attack, as retired Diamond Dog staff from the PF's medical wing pretended to understand enough psychology to diagnose Eli as a psychopath "with sociopathic tendencies", and even his own father made suggestions for exactly what sentence to give him. Eli sold out a good number of his allies, not in any apparent attempt to lessen his sentence, but just to clear the air. He confirmed reports that he'd been in contact with, if not fully partnered with, different terror organizations around the world, even naming off a couple militias within America that he'd either sold weapons to or hired recruits from. Although it wasn't his intention, the way the Justices were behaving, it did seem like he might pull through with a life sentence for his cooperation.

But then he sealed his fate, by driving a single nail into his coffin. He confessed to colluding with Osama Bin Ladin during the terrorist attack of 9/11. He readily admitted that he had helped organize the attack, even confirming all four targets of each plane. The fourth wasn't what you might expect. And he openly stated that he was still in contact with Bin Ladin, blurting out his current home address in the Middle East.

The revelation might've been the biggest asset to his case had about half of the current Justices not been in their same positions during September 11th nine years ago, the same chairs that they sat in now.

"Elijah 'Liquid Snake' Bishop," Chief Justice John Roberts began after he and his colleagues had debated and voted, "we, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, find you guilty of all the atrocious crimes against America, her people, and the war crimes against humanity, that you have been charged with... and we hereby sentence you to death, to be carried immediately upon your arrival at ADX Florence, by lethal injection."