So began the trial, in the month of June, over the complaint against Cray Fenton. In the beginning, Fenton admitted the rumor regarding the Monarin Stylus was false, but actually tried to convince the Caucus that I, myself, was the author of that rumor. He claimed that I had started the rumor as part of an act of vengeance against him when his popularity surpassed mine during last year's Dungeonmaster election cycle. A naive Caucus consisting solely of first-years would have bought this claim, but thankfully, that was not the case. The evidence against Fenton was overwhelming, supporting the three formal grievances: that he had started the Monarin Stylus conspiracy theory, that he had been the one who formed and launched the Shadow of Myrst against the Arturian Realm to upset the fair balance of dynamics, and that he had coerced numerous Members, including myself, into supporting his campaign. This, of course, was grounds not only for the termination of Fenton's Dungeonmaster Tenure, but also the termination of his Society membership and even a permanent ban from Society premises.

Fenton retaliated against this evidence by saying that I had been involved initially in his agenda, and reiterating the notion that I was behaving selfishly.

"If I'm going to be dismissed," Fenton declared in front of the meeting. "So should Meon!"

There was a lot of discussion to be had during this trial against Fenton. There were a lot of people impacted by his actions, people including hard-earned enemies and stubborn friends. The debates were lengthy. We knew it was going to take most of the summer at least. But it continued past the last week of June, despite what Robert Hughes anticipated, and went into the first week of September. By that point, the beginning of the Fall Semester for the University was to happen soon, thus mounting pressure to resolve this summer affair.

I will admit that for me, the stress manifested itself in ways that I did not intend, especially on the evening of September 4, when there was scheduled between Fenton and myself. Fenton had just finished speaking on a turn; and now it was my turn to speak. I was speaking on how Fenton had used a double-manipulation tactic to win support from me in his tactic of investigating Beyon and Meris while convincing others that I had actually been a proponent. Fenton kept interrupting me with interjections of "No!" and "Nonsense!"

Finally, I snapped at him and shouted, "Be quiet! You're speaking out of turn!"

Fenton jumped to his feet and yelled, "Well done, Meon! Showing your true colors by commanding the DUNGEONMASTER, of all people!"

"NO! YOU SIT DOWN!" I yelled. "Well done, for you, CRAY, for showing the Caucus that you think being Dungeonmaster gives you absolute power over this DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZATION! Guess what, pal! The rules apply to YOU too! And you're speaking out of turn! So SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!"

Except with that last sentence, I inserted a certain expletive.

Obviously I felt a bit of shame when, in the moment that followed, the presiding Bookkeeper, Robert Hughes, ordered a recess of the meeting. It was 10:12 PM; so Hughes ordered a recess until the top of the next hour, during which "hopefully, we may all convene with cooler heads."

I went up to Hughes and apologized, to which he responded by putting his hand on my back and said, "All is well, my friend. Just go outside and enjoy the calming summer night air."

So at 11:00 PM, we reconvened, and indeed with cooler heads. Come my next turn to speak, I admitted that though I had initially been disappointed for a short moment when I had realized that my former supporters turned to support Fenton as a Dungeonmaster candidate last year, I had abandoned selfish sentiment and threw my support behind Fenton for a solid front. As I continued to speak, I explained that I had initially agreed to the deal to support him despite my misgivings, but then as time went on, I had come to realize his intent.

I also explained publicly for the first time how I had gone from supporting the Traditionalists to supporting the Progressivists, while disclaiming that I hoped for consolation in the future with the other outspoken Traditionalists. With regard to Fenton, I concluded that he had failed to stop Traditionalist sentiment from hindering important measures of progress, that is, in the least, if not having initiated some of that sentiment. I squarely placed blame on Fenton for initiating a monstrous scheme of favoritism, which, posing a threat to the Society, must be stopped immediately and at any cost.

I ended by admitting that I, myself, was okay with being expelled from the Society if that was what the Caucus majority believed was necessary for the Society.

Fenton and his supporters responded to that, basically, with empty arguments calling every one of our points nonsense without really providing constructive counter-arguments.

In any case, Robert Hughes finally ended the debates and declared that between this hearing and Friday September 7 was time for the final Caucus vote.

The ballot of this vote consisted of three questions: Should the Society terminate the Dungeonmaster tenure of Cray Fenton? Should the Society terminate the Membership of Cray Fenton? And finally, should the Society, invoking provision in the Cabotton University Constitution for "addressing disruptive organizational members," permanently trespass Cray Fenton from all present and future Society premises?

With the first two questions, I answered "yes." But with the third, I answered "no." While I believe, and even today, that Cray Fenton was acting unbecoming of a Dungeonmaster and should not seek that position again, I understand that all people should be given a chance to rehabilitate. I felt that the best response was for Fenton to be given a chance to be a Member in the distant future, so long as that he is truly rehabilitated and that he never again arises to a dangerous position of power.

But the majority Caucus differed there. Yesterday evening, Friday September 7, Robert Hughes hand-delivered the final decision to Fenton, who was waiting in the East Side Corridor adjacent to the Main Chamber, the very same place where Fenton had blown up on me a year and a half ago. The Caucus voted "yes" to all three decisions.

I was there when Fenton received this verdict, though he did not see me. He sort of laughed slightly and said, "I should have stayed in North Kempton." He tossed the document into the air and stormed out to the Front Atrium, then turned around and shouted, "I'll be moved out by Sunday!"