Chapter 560: Crimes and Punishment
(Veyr’s POV, Planet Koral)
While Leo departed Planet Koral for training, Veyr became engulfed in public speeches, layers of bureaucracy, and the exhausting work of post-war cleanup, as he faced a constant stream of minor disputes and major crises that demanded his immediate attention.
Unbeknownst to him, the victory that had seemed so decisive in the field was only the beginning of another kind of battle, one fought with patience, negotiation, and the constant mending of fraying tempers, as never in his wildest dreams could Veyr have imagined just how complicated it really was to lead an army.
The Dragon’s Army was not a hardened military but a ragtag force of volunteers, most of whom had been merchants, miners, or farmers only weeks ago.
Although six weeks of basic training had been enough to win the war, it was far from enough to instill true discipline, as when push came to shove and the men were asked to put in hard hours of patrol, they immediately began to groan and complain.
On paper the evacuation process seemed like something extremely simple: ships would depart daily, manifests would be checked, and lines would move with precision.
In practice however, it was pure chaos.
Families arrived at the embarkation gates dragging ornate furniture or heavy chests, refusing to board until their possessions were loaded.
Others openly declared they would remain on Koral, even under Cult rule, forcing officers into long, draining negotiations that often ended with these citizens being escorted to the transports against their will.
On the fifth day of evacuation, a middle-aged man attempted to smuggle a mana bomb strapped to his chest near the Hangar Bay area.
When the guards uncovered it, and rightfully beat the man for it, the man claimed innocence and said that he had no idea that a bomb was strapped to his body, which made for a truly bizarre case, for he was not the first one to make such a claim.
Across the planet, multiple such incidents were reported that day, and the Dragon Army could not make sense of it.
Similarly, another incident saw two young soldiers who had previously surrendered, now suddenly revolting, as they claimed the lives of two inspection officers, which immediately sparked outrage amongst the Cult security.
From that moment onwards, they became extra rough with every planet Koral soldier they came across, as the atmosphere almost boiled to the point of riots.
The crowd began to jeer, and Veyr was forced to move personally to defuse the situation.
"I have given my word that the righteous faction soldiers who surrendered will be treated with dignity," he told his men, his voice cold, as he instructed them to keep calm.
Then, turning to the crowd of righteous soldiers, he added, "You will cooperate with my men, and not throw extra tantrums when you walk up for inspection.
One of your people murdered two of my men.
Don’t forget, it’s we who are doing you people a favor by letting you walk out of this planet unharmed.
Because otherwise, we are very well within our rights to kill every soldier that we capture...."
He reminded, as he silenced the rebelling crowd with a concealed threat to not test his patience.
However, perhaps his most frustrating case came on the last day of evacuation, when a mistreatment report came across his desk, claiming that some of his men had forcibly kidnapped a beautiful local, and were holding her against her will in a city house.
This case was particularly difficult because punishing his own men was a slippery slope, as it risked sowing resentment among the ranks. Yet the nature of the crime left no room for hesitation.
Veyr began his investigation quietly, as he sent trusted aides to speak to witnesses, cross-checked testimonies, and review patrol records from the sector in question.
The more details emerged, the worse the situation became.
Apparently, it was not the act of a few rogue individuals, but the coordinated misconduct of an entire unit, including a Captain, a Corporal, twelve soldiers, and two female troopers.
The evidence was undeniable: they had forcibly detained a local woman, holding her captive in a small city house while taking turns violating her over several days.
Witness accounts matched the physical evidence gathered by investigators, leaving no doubt as to their guilt.
Veyr’s decision was swift. Every individual involved was placed under arrest and charged with war crimes.
The Captain, along with the rest of the unit, were immediately stripped of rank and sentenced to military imprisonment.
The Corporal, however, bore the greatest responsibility for initiating and organizing the act, and for him, Veyr had only one sentence—death.
It was a decision he took no pleasure in, but one he believed necessary to set an unshakable precedent.
When the trial concluded and the sentences were handed down, Veyr ordered the woman brought to the main plaza.
Before an audience of thousands of soldiers, he stepped forward, removed his helmet, and dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead to the ground in a deep kowtow. "For the crimes my men have committed against you, I offer my sincerest apology," he said, his voice steady yet heavy with regret. "Their shame is my shame, and I can’t begin to express how truly sorry I am that this happened to you."
The gesture silenced the crowd, with the highest echelons of the Dragon Army feeling the weight of the moment.
Veyr then presented her with a compensation of twenty million MP, delivered on the spot, and publicly vowed that every man and woman responsible would face the consequences of their actions.
His final words to the troops that day were a warning..... that the Dragon’s Army would never become a force that preyed on the weak, and that any who strayed from that path would meet the same fate as the Corporal who now awaited execution.
It was an unexpected event, but one that Veyr deemed to be extremely necessary, as after that day, every soldier in the Dragon’s Army understood one truth: their leader’s wrath would fall harder on those who shamed their banner than on any enemy, and no rank, no past glory, or excuse could shield them from the justice he demanded.