Xuan Ming’s new division did not carry weapons. Its inspectors carried clipboards, air meters, and crew lists.
Their first job was to make sure every surviving ship had heat, food, and a way home. Their second was to record damage without letting either side hide its part.
The public hearings took place in the Frost-Belt safety classroom. Workers spoke by radio from hospitals, factories, and disabled ships. Little Chen’s mother described the night of the blowout. A Concordat engineer described Wu Ji’s order to abandon damaged ships. Sen Rho explained why he had finally refused to relay an attack.
Wu Ji sat at a plain table without his armor. He admitted sending Vael. He admitted deleting the scout report. He still tried to call the later attacks necessary.
Austin pointed to the public allocation log. “You knew the grid served homes and hospitals. You ordered strikes after your own officers told you the first plan had failed.”
“I was defending Concordat authority.”
“No. You were defending your report.”
The hearing board found Wu Ji responsible for sabotage, false command records, and reckless orders against civilians. It did not punish the crews who had refused those orders. It reviewed the people who had carried them out one case at a time.
