It had been decades since the last Tribunal. The courthouse, which served as the Brigade's headquarters in Berlin, was adorned with high, vaulted ceilings, somber wood paneling, and a stifling atmosphere. She sat, her posture straight yet relaxed, in the defendant's dock. As she awaited her fate, Gale's large piercing green eyes were thoughtful as they took in the proceedings.

A month had passed since the operation in Latvia, and Gale was in the middle of a formal investigation into her and the late Lieutenant Baker's actions. Their op had coincided with a coup attempt in Moscow, and there were fears they were working for a foreign power.

Gale was allowed to wear her uniform and insignia, but she was decidedly unarmed. The panel of distinguished officers sat as solemn judge and jury, impeccably adorned in their blue and silver ceremonial attire. Despite her dire circumstances, Gale found herself reflecting on the power struggle and underlying tension that was now apparent among the military officials. Each of them vied for dominance, while simultaneously maneuvering to avoid blame for this fiasco.

These were not new occurrences in her line of work, but these political machinations seemed more vital in this case. Gale knew she was facing a potential injustice, being used as a scapegoat for an operation that may have been unsanctioned yet ultimately successful, but larger, more important pieces were in play.

As the proceedings began, she paid close attention—both to the details of her case and to the subtle shifts in power among the officials present. She knew that her fate, and possibly her life, hung in the balance. Despite this, she exuded a sense of confidence and self-assuredness which only served to heighten the intrigue surrounding her.

In the front row, Chief Goodspeed sat with his arms folded across his solid chest. She could tell her close confidant was irked by the proceedings, but he couldn't help her now. She was alone and vulnerable facing the faceless system that her very own government had put in place.

Gale followed the panel as they called forth witness after witness. Her face remained stoically fixed, offering neither remorse nor defiance, as she believed there was a time and place for everything, remaining confident that there was a reason behind it.

The room buzzed with hushed conversations and murmurs from the gallery. Even in this solemn and grave situation, Gale could not help but observe the spectators around her. Some were dressed in their finest suits, while others wore casual attire.

One such man, in a black suit, his hair white despite his face appearing to be no older than thirty, caught Gale's eye. He went from one high ranking officer to another with an attaché that he opened and presented folders from to each as he spoke to them. His eyes met Gale's briefly before moving away, but his presence unnerved her. She took note of him, making a mental reminder to learn his identity and find out what role he played in these proceedings.

The prosecution was finishing up its case, and the head of the Tribunal had questions for their last witness.

"So, what you're saying then, if Pugo was there, he would have ordered the troops to move into the government buildings and the coup would have been successful?" The head of the Tribunal, a stern, hook-nosed man with silver hair and piercing dark eyes, asked said witness, an analyst.

"Yes, Chairman. That seems to be the consensus in Intelligence, but I'm also saying no one could have known that beforehand. Especially not soon enough to sanction such an operation. Unless they could see into the future." The analyst chuckled weakly as he wiped away a single bead of sweat from his brow with his thumb as he lowered his head in submission. The analyst could feel the weight of judgment heavy in the room and Gale understood how he felt. His testimony, while no doubt accurate, placed an even heavier burden on Gale's shoulders.

With the witness completing his testimony, the Tribunal ordered a short recess, during which Gale could feel the weight of Chief Goodspeed's gaze upon her. She was about to thank her longtime friend for his support, but as she shifted her attention to him, she saw he was already embroiled in a deep conversation with the mysterious man from earlier, the one in the black suit and white hair.

Gale mused that Goodspeed was just as observant as she was - perhaps Chief Goodspeed had noticed how intensely she had observed the strange man and wanted to learn more about him.

The Chief picked up a discarded fedora and threw it at the man in black, "Yours, I presume!" He barked.

The man in black deftly caught the hat, "First, this is not my fedora." He said to Chief Goodspeed, then smoothed out any creases in it and gently placed it on the bench before continuing, "Second, no one touches the fedora." His voice carried a mysterious and mischievous charm.

"Cut the games," Chief Goodspeed interrupted. "I've seen you skulking around this courtroom like a coy vixen. Do you even care about Tanner?" he asked intently.

The man in black nodded as he looked around the court room, "The Tribunal seems impartial, I'm sure Tanner will have her say."

"What good is that without the late Lieutenant Baker's testimony?" Chief Goodspeed countered; skepticism etched into his facial features.

The man in black shrugged noncommittally, slowly stepping back from Chief Goodspeed as if trying to return to the shadows from which he'd appeared. "I'm just a humble messenger, nothing more. I'm not at liberty to discuss certain matters. But rest assured, Tanner's fate was already decided long before she ever stepped foot in this courtroom."

Chief Goodspeed scowled, the lines on his forehead deepening. "Are you saying this trial is merely for show? She deserves justice, dammit!" He took a slow, deep breath and reigned in his emotions before concluding, "What about the truth? What about how she'll be remembered?" He said, his shoulders back, his head high, with pride.

For the first time, the man in black dropped his mischievous grin and looked serious, "The truth, Chief!? Thirty years from now, the world will believe the 'truth' that the Pugos died from a car accident, or suicide. How will Tanner be remembered!? Whatever someone, like you, writes, Chief. You work in records, you know this."

"Only what is written will be remembered, Chief. It was ever thus." The man in black replied with an air of finality. With a sweeping gesture, he summoned a shroud of darkness that swallowed him, hiding him from view as if he was just another patch of shadow in the dimly lit gallery. Chief Goodspeed blinked hard, uncertain if it happened or merely his eyes playing tricks on him. He couldn't help but feel a shiver-inducing mix of dread and curiosity about this intriguing stranger's identity and enigmatic intentions.

Chief Goodspeed had served his country with unwavering loyalty and dedication for decades, and he knew that the erasure of such a momentous event in history was a dangerous game to play. Above all else, he was committed to ensuring Gale's story was recorded accurately.

As Chief Goodspeed pondered the man in black's words, the military tribunal reconvened, pulling him back from his contemplations. As he turned to Gale to wish her luck, he was puzzled, he couldn’t find her.

A gloved hand, diminutive, but confident, picked up the discarded fedora. The person doing so froze, with the fedora covering their face, as they sensed the foreboding presence behind them.

“No need for concern. I’m not one to blow someone’s cover. You can put it on.” Gale said with hushed tones. She stared off perpendicularly to the person holding the fedora, to not garner attention to their conversation.

The person firmly placed the fedora on their head, their posture straightening as they did so.

Gale couldn’t help but chuckle at the change in countenance, “It suits you.” She said with a wry smile. The person wearing the fedora cocked their head, implying impatience. She nodded, understanding the haste, “Let’s talk.”

---

The proceedings had started again. Everyone finally in their positions or seated in the cavernous courtroom. With the prosecution’s case made, it was time for Gale to mount her defense. However, instead she got up and stood before the panel. "If I may, I'd like to address the panel and Chairman directly with a statement." Her voice was steady, unemotional despite the dire situation. Everything she had worked tirelessly for seemed to be crumbling around her, yet Gale maintained an intimidatingly cool appearance.

The hook-nosed Tribunal Chairman raised an eyebrow.

Unfazed, Gale continued, "I would like to amend the previous testimony regarding Lieutenant Baker's participation in the coup intervention operation. I ditched him in Berlin, as I departed on Johannes Crowes' tour bus. How you explain his death is up to you. He had nothing to do with the operation. I went alone." She explained as she took her pips and insignia off her uniform. A low tremor began.

Gale's words hung in the air, filled with a quiet, unshakeable resolve. In the stunned silence that followed, the panel of officers stared at her, taken aback by her admission. She paused, gathering her thoughts before continuing, "I received no instructions from anyone in US Intelligence or any member of the US Military, I acted alone." The tremor continued, now a low rumble. Gale could see space and time literally warped as she attempted a human sized portal for the first time in her life.

She looked around the courtroom, her eyes locking with the chiefs for a moment before sweeping across the panel of officers. "I infiltrated the group and used my own judgment and authority as E6 to carry out the operation."

Gale's words reverberated throughout the courtroom, filling the oppressive silence. A murmur broke out among the gallery, speculations and theories flying as whispers raced from ear to ear. The officers stared at her, attempting to gauge the truth behind her claims.

"I work alone. I have and will always be..." She paused as she turned her gaze to Goodspeed, a deep sadness evident behind her eyes as she met his handsome ebony face, she finished with an almost inaudible whisper, "alone."

The rumbling grew louder, and a large blindingly white disc materialized beside Gale. As she stepped through the portal, the room exploded with chaos. Military police shouted, trying to reach Gale before she disappeared. The man in black watched intently from the shadows, a sly smile creeping across his face as he witnessed the spectacle unfold. With one last glance back at Chief Goodspeed, Gale vanished.

There was a roar from the crowd of speculators, "What about S.T.O.I.C.? Are we enacting the S.T.O.I.C. protocol? She was clearly supernatural!" Various military personnel murmured in the wake of Gale's sudden disappearance. A tremor coursed through the building, shaking the foundation and disrupting the gravity of the scene that had unfolded within the tribunal. Gale Tanner had used her powers to make a dramatic exit, further mystifying and captivating those present and leaving behind a chaotic flurry.

However, with a wave from the Tribunal Chairman, the room was quieted. "We will continue with this tribunal and pass judgment in due time," he stated matter-of-factly. "I know nothing of such a protocol, and it will not be mentioned again in this building."

Chief Goodspeed's calm exterior crumbled as Gale vanished. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as if to stave off an impending headache. He was all too familiar with this feeling, but the longer he dwelled on it, the wider a small grin spread across his face. He had witnessed something extraordinary - Gayle Tanner's superhuman abilities, and her ability to vanish through a portal in plain sight.

Around Chief Goodspeed, conversations buzzed about the startling sight of Gale's disappearance. There seemed to be as many theories as there were people present.

Yet in the end, the Tribunal continued in Tanner's absence, reached a verdict and passed judgment. Tanner was found guilty, she was presumed an agent of a foreign supernatural power, and despite his prior claims, Chairman Thompson ordered the S.T.O.I.C. protocol put into effect - it was a given that Gale's deeds should not go unpunished, despite her extraordinary abilities.