"Osric Melkire. With regards to the charges of conspiracy and assassination brought against you, the defendant, as the primary suspect allegedly responsible for arranging the murders of Lords Rezhenne, Quillburn, and Mumuqaru, in accordance with the regulations of the Immortal Flames and the laws of Ul'dah as set forth by the Arrzaneth Ossuary, we find the evidence brought against you insufficient. Burden of proof is upon the prosecution, not the defense, to provide, and we find the supposed 'proof' in this case to be circumstantial at best."
"However."
"Eyewitnesses place you at the scene the night that Jameson Taeros disappeared. By your own admission, you were present for the altercation, and it is a matter of military record that you negotiated with a criminal and terrorist and that said negotiations were the reason, the cause as it were, for said presence, for said altercation. Furthermore, you were under no orders from your ranking officers to pursue such a course, and as such this constitutes an act of vigilantism on your part. The evidence, I'm afraid, is rather damning... particularly Miss Callae's testimony pertaining to the use of a firearm. As it stands, we have little choice but to find you guilty of the charges of assault, battery and attempted murder upon the person of Lord Taeros."
"That said."
"There are extenuating circumstances. This case is rife with them. First and foremost, it has come to our attention that Taeros survived the incident and still numbers among the living. That neither he nor his representatives have come forth in the intervening moons to bring a suit against you... well, we would be remiss if we did not take such a strange turn of events into account. The same would hold true if we were to disregard the fact that you struck the bargain you did for the sake of the 'greater good,' as it were. You saved many lives, and not all of them refugees. Quite a few citizens owe their well-being to you, and we kept that under consideration. We deliberated long and hard as a result, and came to a decision."
"Leniency."
"You are henceforth dishonorably discharged from the Immortal Flames for conduct unbecoming an enlisted man. Moving forward, you will neither benefit nor profit from Sultanate and Syndicate alike. We are cutting you loose, with all that entails. Given your time spent drilling new recruits, we will be contacting your fellow servicemen, instructing them to refuse you, to turn you away, to shut and bar their doors against you. Never again will you abuse our Grand Company."
"You are no hero, Master Melkire, though you strive for heroics. You are little more than a thug, a dog we leashed for a time. Do keep that in mind."
"However."
"Eyewitnesses place you at the scene the night that Jameson Taeros disappeared. By your own admission, you were present for the altercation, and it is a matter of military record that you negotiated with a criminal and terrorist and that said negotiations were the reason, the cause as it were, for said presence, for said altercation. Furthermore, you were under no orders from your ranking officers to pursue such a course, and as such this constitutes an act of vigilantism on your part. The evidence, I'm afraid, is rather damning... particularly Miss Callae's testimony pertaining to the use of a firearm. As it stands, we have little choice but to find you guilty of the charges of assault, battery and attempted murder upon the person of Lord Taeros."
"That said."
"There are extenuating circumstances. This case is rife with them. First and foremost, it has come to our attention that Taeros survived the incident and still numbers among the living. That neither he nor his representatives have come forth in the intervening moons to bring a suit against you... well, we would be remiss if we did not take such a strange turn of events into account. The same would hold true if we were to disregard the fact that you struck the bargain you did for the sake of the 'greater good,' as it were. You saved many lives, and not all of them refugees. Quite a few citizens owe their well-being to you, and we kept that under consideration. We deliberated long and hard as a result, and came to a decision."
"Leniency."
"You are henceforth dishonorably discharged from the Immortal Flames for conduct unbecoming an enlisted man. Moving forward, you will neither benefit nor profit from Sultanate and Syndicate alike. We are cutting you loose, with all that entails. Given your time spent drilling new recruits, we will be contacting your fellow servicemen, instructing them to refuse you, to turn you away, to shut and bar their doors against you. Never again will you abuse our Grand Company."
"You are no hero, Master Melkire, though you strive for heroics. You are little more than a thug, a dog we leashed for a time. Do keep that in mind."