Reincarnated As Tony Stark With A Skill - Volume 3 Chapter 97 Trial End

D’ken: “Let me ask you, how fast do you think you can go back to your planet?”

_____

(AN: I’ll be referring to the place they are at as Tribunal. Courtroom just sounds like a small room, Hall feels like a corridor to me, and Hall of Imperium Tribunals is just too long.)

Before Tony answered D’ken’s question, he first checked his HUD. He made sure the camera’s in his helmet were recording.

At the moment, everything that Tony is currently seeing is being recorded. The video is then streamed to the Shi’ar Imperial Fleet’s flagship, Behemoth. There, the stream is fed to the flagship’s communicators which distributed the video stream to the rest of the Shi’ar Empire.

At the same time as this live stream. Tony also had some people in the Tribunal stream videos from their perspective. He also had some of the smaller spaceship’s the Storm Troopers commandeered stream their own video footage.

The other videos would serve as proof that Tony’s video streaming was indeed live.

When Tony started his counterattack, one of the first things he made sure to do was to cut off all forms of communication in the city. He then made sure that D’ken, Lilandra, and the rest were aware of the situation.

Tony had then made it look like most of the civilians inside the Tribunal were knocked out by the explosions. They were knocked out for a moment just to fool Oracle. After they were confirmed to be knocked out, he woke them up and made sure they were conscious during the following event.

Tony set the place up so that D’ken wouldn’t be concerned about revealing his less honorable side. He made sure D’ken felt that no information could go out and most of those who could hear him were under his control. D’ken should also not care about the civilians inside the Tribunal as he could just have them executed for treason after this.

Tony wanted D’ken to feel at ease because he wanted the guy to reveal himself. He wanted to show to all the citizens of the Shi’ar Empire, the true face of their Emperor. He wanted D’ken’s reputation to go into mud before he did anything to him.

____

Tony: “I’m not sure. Never tried to time it.”

D’Ken: “I don’t need to know the time. Just tell me, do you think you could back to your planet on time?”

Tony: “Yeah. But I don’t need to. I can go back anytime I want after taking care of you.”

D’ken: “Oh, but you do. But even if you went back now, it would already be too late.”

Lilandra: “Brother, what are you talking about? Why would he be late?”

D’ken: “Later Lilandra. Now, Vader, tell me. Do you live in America?”

Tony faked a flinch in order to appear shocked.

One problem with wearing Darth Vader’s whole suit was that his face wasn’t revealed. He had to act every reaction with his body instead of just showing his face.

He had to make sure all his movements were executed just right. If it was too much, the movements would appear fake. It would also be bad if what he did was too little. He may appear less concerned than he needed to be. He just had to do things just right to invoke as much emotion from the audience.

Tony movements weren’t that great but he still managed to pull it off. D’ken was convinced that he still has the upper hand

D’ken: “Do you live in (X-Mansion address) to be exact?”

Tony: “How How do you know that?”

D’ken: “You see, I had some of my men go there. They are currently, how does your species say it, babysitting? Yes. Babysitting the people in that house.”

Tony: “You!!!! There are kids in there!”

D’ken: “Oh I know. I made sure of that. And if they my men haven’t received any sort of contact from me in the next 5 minutes, they would start killing those people.”

Tony: “You!!!”

Tony raised his hands to Force choke him. “Release them!!! Now!!!”

D’ken: “Are you sure about this? Once I’m dead, those kids will die too.”

Tony released his hands to release the Force choke.

D’ken: “That’s better.

Now, let’s get back trial. Darth Vader, do you want to plead guilty now? Don’t worry, you would still be able to have your life. Your friends too.

You just have to plead guilty and accept the punishment of working for me. You have 3 minutes”

Tony clenched his hands. He looked at the Lilandra, Oracle, and Gladiator and asked for their help.

Tony: “Oracle. Is this person you work for? How could you stand working for this man?

Gladiator. Do you think there is honor in this? Is this how Shi’ar is now? What do you think your race (warrior race) would think if they hear this? Isn’t a warrior supposed to fight with honor?

Lilandra. Aren’t you supposed to lead the commander of the Imperial Guards? Do you think this man is worthy of your people’s loyalty?”

Tony then looked at them waiting for their answers

Oracle: “Sorry. I understand. But I couldn’t be of help even if I wanted to.”

Tony didn’t expect any help from her anyway so he just nodded.

Gladiator: “I don’t need to decide on such things. I swore my loyalty to the throne. My race knew that the moment they gave awarded me the title, Gladiator. I only need to follow the commands given to me.”

Tony: “Mindless soldier.”

Meanwhile, Tony thought about the words Gladiator said.

Tony waited for Lilandra to act.

She approached D’ken. “Are children truly involved?”

D’ken just smiled at her.

Lilandra: “No. Release them. Children are innocent. They shouldn’t be dragged into all of this.”

D’ken: “Ah my dear little sister. You are still too soft. Too kind. Too weak.”

Lilandra: “Enough. Taking hostages is fine. But children should be off-limits.”

D’ken just laughed at Lilandra’s pleads: “You are good at managing the empire. But you would be a terrible ruler. Why do you think I became the Emperor? It wasn’t just because I was the oldest. It’s because I am ready to do anything.”

Lilandra: “I know. But children should be off-limits.

Elder sister was right. You would never be a great emperor.”

Lilandra walked away from D’ken without even asking for his permission. She walked towards Tony and apologized.

D’ekn: “30 seconds. Plead guilty if you want to save those people.”

Tony: “Wait!!! You win.”

Tony told D’ken that his communicators were functioning again. “Contact your people. Tell them to stop first.”

D’ken opened his communicator and Black Cloak’s face was shown. “Bring me one of them.”

Tony: “What are you doing? I already gave up”

D’ken: “Too late. Time’s up. Now, you will watch one of those children you care about die.”

Tony: “You bastard!!!”

Lilandra: “Brother. Stop it.”

D’ken: “No. Oh look, Black Cloak brought a cute one.”

Tony tried to go to D’ken but Gladiator held him before he could even take a step. He tried to break free from Gladiator but the man was stronger than him. He watched as D’ken appeared to enjoy the execution.

When the execution was finished, D’ken looked at Tony. “That’ll teach you not to defy me.”

D’ken wanted to see Tony’s reaction, so he told Gladiator to remove the helmet. He was interrupted midway through his command whoever by Tony shivering.

Tony couldn’t it in anymore and started laughing.

D’ken: “Was that too much? Have you become crazy now? Why are you laughing for?”

Tony: “No. It’s just. You. You don’t know what you’ve done.”

D’ken was just about to ask what Tony was talking about when he saw the ones who were supposed to be knocked out stand up all at the same time. He then saw their eyes that were red. He saw their facial expressions that were all either showing anger or sadness.

Tony: “You see. What you’ve done. The whole Shi’ar Empire saw that. And now, it is time for your trial.”

____

A few moments earlier.

After the Storm Troopers showed everyone the live feed, they told the citizens of the empire of the situation. They were told how their emperor sent a squad to their planet and took people, hostage. How their emperor almost took children, hostage.

Normally, the citizens of the Shi’ar Empire wouldn’t much about how their emperor operated, but not this time. This time they had a reason to care. The Storm Troopers also held someone important in their life hostage. These people would be killed if the Emperor ordered the death of someone.

They then told the citizens of their condition. There are two ways these people could be saved.

One is if the Emperor didn’t order anyone. The Storm Troopers would let them go since they had no more reason to kill the hostages.

The other reason is if they denounce their Emperor. If the Emperor ordered the death of a hostage, the Storm Troopers would give the people a few seconds to denounce D’ken. These denouncements were recorded to serve as proof of their rebellion.

If they did denounce D’ken, it meant that they didn’t approve of his actions. Tony counted on most people turning to his side. He wanted them to feel as repulsed at D’ken as they can be.

This shouldn’t have worked for everyone as there was bound to be people that could still think under such extreme pressure. But for those people, Tony had the Phoenix’s help.

Tony secretly had the Phoenix channel their emotions to each other through Tony’s symbiote. This made the calm people afraid which made them more emotional.

It also did things for those in the opposite situation. For those people that were in too much panic to even think, the emotions were transferred to others. This made them a bit clearer-headed. This gave them just the right amount of clarity to think for themselves.

It worked well and most of the people denounced. The Storm Troopers let their hostages go and then asked for their cooperation on the events that would follow.

For those that stayed loyal to D’ken, Tony checked on their situation. If they were loyal to the throne and not loyal to D’ken specifically, he asked their stance if there was a new emperor.

For those that were just idiotically loyal to D’ken, they were killed while the hostages were let go. The hostages that survived were left dejected. Those emotions were amplified, and those people became more resentful at D’ken. It was up to the point where they wanted to exact revenge on the man.

_____

Tony explained to D’ken and the rest on what happened. He then slowly started to approach D’ken.

This time, Gladiator didn’t stop Tony. Gladiator got a signal from Lilandra to not make any moves and let Tony go.

Tony got to D’ken’s seat and threw D’ken to Tony’s previous position. He then sat on D’ken’s seat and looked down at D’ken.

Tony: “D’Ken. You are currently being judged for your actions. You have no say in this. The citizens of the Shi’ar Empire would judge you.”

Tony then put on the screen the pictures showing each of the planets of the Shi’ar Empire. He got Gladiator and Oracle to check and prove that they were indeed showing live feed. Afterward, he continued on his trial.

Tony: “If they find you unworthy of the throne, then they should turn off all the lights in their planet.”

Everyone then watched what happened in the different planets. It didn’t take much time for most of the lights to turn off. The only ones left on were the lights in a grid pattern. They were from streetlights and it weren’t counted. It became clear that everyone wanted D’ken to get out of the throne.

Tony: “There’s your judgment. Your punishment is, of course, execution.”

D’ken: “Wait. If this is a trial, then I demand trial by combat.”

Tony: “Fine. Let’s go fight. Right here. Right now.”

D’ken: “Wait. I’m not a fighter. Gladiator would be my champion.”

D’ken looked at Gladiator who was currently conflicted. Unlike the situation earlier, D’ken’s position is currently in question. He could fight for the Emperor but it is a problem if the empire doesn’t recognize their emperor.

Tony knew the conflict in Gladiator’s mind and fueled it some more: “Gladiator. Is he still the one on the throne? Even you should understand that a ruler stops being a ruler once no one follows him. So?”

Lilandra helped Gladiator decided. “Gladiator. Since D’ken isn’t the Emperor right now, I should have the same authority as him. I command you not to fight for him.”

D’ken: “Lilandra!!!”

Lilandra: “You said it yourself brother. I was too kind. I was just learning from your teachings.”

D’ken looked back at Gladiator who flew to the side. There were only two people in power and one was opposing the other. Without the other princess as the tiebreaker, he only had himself to rely on. He flew away from D’ken and onto the side.

Tony: “I guess that’s that. Draw your weapon and let’s fight”

Tony drew a fake lightsaber from his belt. He held it properly and a red beam appeared. The beam was made from All-Black. Its color just became red after combining with the Phoenix and having it change its colors.

Tony waited for D’ken to get ready. D’ken got some energy weapons and started the fight.

Tony stood there waiting for his attacks.

Every time D’ken fired a shot, Tony would just reflect the shots back to D’ken. Tony made sure the shots didn’t hit his vitals as he didn’t want him to die fast.

Tony slowly approached D’ken walking one step at a time.

D’ken, in turn, took a step back. But he eventually couldn’t step back anymore and was trapped.

Tony got close enough to him so he started his attack. He first sliced the man’s right arm off. Then, he continued slicing D’ken limb by limb until only his torso and head was left.

Tony made sure D’ken felt as helpless as possible before he decapitated him.