The Trial
The bailiff called for the court to rise.
Mrs. Sayera Karim watched the panel of judges file in. The courtroom was designed to make it abundantly clear who was most important in the room. The judges sat on a raised dais, literally looking down on the rest of the court. And in the centre of them all was the man himself, General Liu.
For all her research into the man, as well as the exhaustive badgering necessary to get the military to reluctantly permit this trial to take place, she had never actually met Liu face to face.
As much distaste as she had for him, she had to admit that Liu looked the part. Serious. Imposing. Authoritative. Even without the formidable uniform with its array of medals and honours, he clearly looked like the kind of man used to giving orders and having them obeyed.