Homo Machinus

Grabbing sticks and stones, they set about the prisoner with acceptable savagery. After a while they paused, puzzled by the strange noise bubbling from the bloodied form before them.

The round metal room echoed with the organic sound. Contained within layered concentric shells, cogs within cogs, the wheels of law turned. Justice as a concept long forgotten, this was purely a legal machine now for systematically enacting that particular inhumanity. Each a part of the process and its execution; not accountable.

And still the laughter came through shattered lungs.

"Your Honour," monotoned a guard. "You remain in contempt of court."