Isabel kept her eyes trained on the floor ahead of her as she was marched into the room. Her hands stayed firmly clasped before her hips, and while she was in no position to do so, she kept her chin held high as she approached her seat. She would not be intimidated by a room full of victorious bastards, or the judges they had hired for these ridiculous trials.
Out of nine hundred names submitted to the German government, only thirteen were selected to stand trial. The Allies were quite pleased with themselves, she imagined; twelve men of meager crimes, and one scientist with the slaughter of hundreds accredited to her name. This nonsense, this victor’s justice, had pulled her out of hiding, and led her from what remained of her labs outside of Berlin, to civilian prison and this ridiculous court. She knew what these men intended to do; humiliate her, blame her, and punish her for her work.
Lucky for them that she had not come to barter for her life. She would take whatever punishment they wished to give her, and would beg for no mercy. Her work had succeeded, that’s all that this meant. She had caused enough pain to garner attention, and that was all that mattered.
“Isabel Erna Maru. Chief scientist under Quartermaster-general Erich Ludendorff, Western Front.” Someone read from the bench. She didn’t bother looking to see who, “You are brought before the court on account of three dozen first degree murders, including twenty three accounts of lethal exposure to chemical weapons, seven accounts of lethal experimentation resulting in fatal torture, six accounts of intentional neglect regarding prisoners of war, and one account of overexposure to chemical weapons not as a result of a scientific examination-- a Captain Steven R. Trevor. Have you prepared your defense?”
She said nothing. The answer was no.