Roseum

Arriving at the Ziggurat shortly after nightfall, the four Judges nodded casually as they walked the bridge across the moat that isolated the Zig from the rest of Brickstown. Wearing their black and white uniforms, often times referred to by other Judges as their Judex Robes, they passed through each security check point with ease as their working members cleared their phony credentials.

Niveum struggled navigating both herself and the Unknown Judge through the narrow corridors of the Zig, nearly running the both of them in the frame of the stairway leading up to the higher security cells.

Cheirium quickly grabbed the both of them, a curt command, “Handled?” she playfully mocked her fellow Judge as they walked up the steel steps single file.

Top floor. Room 12.

The officer standing guard nodded to the four of them, and lowered the security force field keeping their target locked up.

Karnal Sin was relaxing, her hands behind her head with her left leg dangling nonchalantly off the side of the cot, seemingly having a one-sided conversation with herself, laughing. The Judges stood and watched for a moment as she continued on. She quickly turns her head to them, standing, “Who are you?”

“Karnal Sin,” Caesum spoke up finally, “We are Judex.”

“Am I supposed to know you?”

“No.”

Kathryn flipped her legs around and stood up, “Pleasant response, because you’ll have to forgive me as I’m not familiar with…you or your…organization.”

Cheirium grew impatient, stepping forward, “We are here for your judgment and to make you an offer.”

Karnal Sin smirked, “What offer could you possibly have for me, heroes?”

Niveum smirked right back at her, “We are not heroes.”

Karnal Sin tilted her head at that, intrigued, “How are you in the Zig…unarrested, then?”

Caesum interjected, ignoring her question, “We’re offering you a way out, Kathryn.” He was sure to use her civilian name when addressing her this time, “Where you can get away out of this cell…and out of that body.”

Karnal Sin’s eyes narrowed at the suggestion, “I worked for six years to get back INTO this body…”

“Not you, Karnal Sin. Interested?”

“In case you didn’t notice, there four of you, one of me, in a buffered room no less, and hundreds of overpowered guards out there. How do you expect to get me out of here?”

“The same way we came in. Come.”

On cue, the force field at the doorway lowered again, and the four judges parted their ranks, allowing Karnal Sin to walk past them hesitantly. She was sincerely shocked when nothing happened and they walked down the steps towards her freedom.

“What’s in it for Judex?”

“You are,” all three answered simultaneously.

Caesum stood, waiting for his team to arrive, the other judges exiting the council room. His eyes wandered along the nearly blank walls that housed the council room. His eyes stopped as they came across the single most ornate adornment, Lady Justice. He walked closer to the granite statue. Almost completely monotone in color, Lady Justice stood classically robed, her right hand extended and holding the scales of justice. The Scales were a representation and throw back to Roman Goddess Justia and her stoic face, which was covered in the traditional blindfold, was a nod to the Greek Goddess of Luck, Tyche. He smiled to himself as he pondered her, but the smile quickly turned to an expression of frustration as he looked at her other hand grasping the Sword of Vengeance.

The Judicial Council had worked tirelessly in the shadows, forming allegiances and support from key members and participants in the broken system, allowing them to move freely and gather information when they chose to. A series of clerks, court officers, attorneys, registered judges, politicians, and more, all formed the network that was necessary for them to fulfill their mission. The scales of justice were now properly formed.

But the sword.

Justice was incomplete without the homage to Nemesis, and so were their efforts.

The Judicial Council had been monitoring the local trials with great interest and three of them caught their eyes: Kathryn Moore (Karnal Sin), Sebastian Kain (President SK), and Judas Black (Slaphappy). The three villains were exactly what they had been looking for. Kathryn’s ability to infiltrate and gather information was legendary, with or without deception; she had a forked and silvery tongue that had even wooed one of the most powerful heroes in Paragon. Sebastian’s immense influence, brute strength, and layered intellect were commanding and positioned him as a natural leader. Judas’s mastered perception and understanding of chaos brought balance to the Trifecta; with a spotless success record in his efforts, Judex needed his obsessive compulsive personality as Kathryn and Sebastian were easily distracted. Had any of them been properly executed under the law, their attention would have moved on to other potentials. However, the complete failure of the jury to convict on their most heinous of crimes beckoned their response. And respond they would.

Niveum walked into the Council room suddenly with two others, one of which Caesum recognized as Cheirium…the other…he had no idea who was wearing the robes of Judex.

“We just received this in delivery from Crey’s Industries,” Niveum pushed the unknown Judge forward. The Unknown said nothing.

“The other Judges will be in place soon. Shall we go make our offer?” Cheirium couldn’t help but smile as she spoke the words. Despite the Judges’ best efforts, an excitement filled them as a whole, as they felt they were soon to become complete as an organization.

Cheirium looked at the Unknown Judge up and down, “How is she walking?” Niveum lifted her hand to her temple, “Fear not, Judge. We have this handled.”

Caesum nodded to his comrades, “Let’s move out. And let’s hope that our search is over.”

((First post, will be short, I'll be posting for the others after they are done writing))

In a poorly lit room, a gathering of black and white clad individuals are amassed. They all sit around a tiered table, their faces covered by obscuring and differing masks. Whatever hushed discussion is being had is interrupted by a voice coming from the intercom.

“Officer Conlee is back from the courthouse, Judges.”

“We require his presence, send him in.”

All heads turn towards the door as a man walks through its frame. It is the bailiff who had watched over the jury during deliberation of Kathryn Moore’s trial.

“What was the verdict?” One of the seated individuals inquires.

“Guilty. But they took the death penalty off the table.”

The obligatory question follows with just a hint of sarcasm, “Why?”

“The debate revolved around the idea that Star of America was already considered dead by most, Kathryn’s relationship to Xanatos and her step-child Gwen. They felt that despite the facts clearly showing her crimes, some leniency was in order.”

“Oh did they?” Caesum sarcastically responds. He stretches his legs in front of him knowing the words about to come out of one his fellow comrade's mouth.

“It’s time then. We said that if this happened that we’d take action.”

Phoenicum stands, signaling for the others to stand with him.

Everyone in the room nods in unison, a wave of movement takes the table as chairs are scraped across the marble flooring of the room and they break off into teams of three or more.

Caesum looks at Ravum, “Prepare a room for our guest.”

Ravum’s smile is easily seen against her dark skin, “Are we that confident she’ll be coming?”

And without missing a beat, several of them answer, “Yes. Yes we are.”