The Trial

Back to Iest. Church & State II continues.

It is time for Astoria's formal trial, although the word formal has to be used rather loosely when dealing with a church of Tarim that is headed by Cerebus.

It begins with Cerebus dressed in his formal papal robes in a cavernous room making his way to the ornate altar. The big difference with the formal robes are a large, ornate mitre, that is also quite heavy and really looks stupid. Cerebus appears to be wearing a cruise missile on his head. Then there is the robe's train, ridiculously long, the fact that Cerebus is only 3 feet tall doesn't help. Cerebus is attended by a tall, cadaverous, unnamed priest, whose chief duties seem to consist of holding up the train.

A shadowy figure watches the window of the cathedral from somewhere nearby and sends out a messenger pigeon into the night.

Powers and Posey are assisting with the trial. Posey is his usual nervous self and it's apparent that Powers doesn't like him any more than Cerebus does, in fact it's probably less. Powers doesn't like anything, except for Spike.

Most of this until Astoria begins to speak in her defence is a power struggle between Cerebus and his bishop. By due of his position Cerebus wins the struggle, but I can't think Powers will allow it to continue and wonder if the aardvark isn't pushing the cleric too far.

Astoria's defence is that after Cerebus ran past her to destroy the false pope she blacked out and woke up in a room with a dagger. She felt compelled to take the dagger and stab the Lion of Serrea. The Lion's last words were that he would go to hell, they were also Weisshaupt's last words. The entire time Astoria is talking about the moment she assassinated the Lion Cerebus has an image of the dying Weisshaupt in his head.

Powers screams that Astoria has to be executed, but in a rare moment of courage Posey says that if she was not in control of herself when she committed the deed then the law is on her side and she cannot be executed. The trial continues next chapter with Astoria giving Cerebus the truth.

This chapter was both amusing and interesting. It also made full use of Gerhard's awesome backgrounds. The interior of the cathedral is at times simply stunning.