Trial of Kilo Squad

"You and your squad might've killed a lot of Locust today, Lieutenant. But this war is only just begun. Our survival depends on one thing: Gears. Follow. Orders. But I look at you and I don't see a Gear, I see something more dangerous. I see a hero. Well congratulations hero! Millions of citizens you swore to protect might die because of what you did today! I hearby charge Kilo Squad with desertion, cowardice, trespassing, the theft of experimental military technology and treason! Does that sound about right to you, Lieutenant Baird?"

—Colonel Ezra Loomis addressing Kilo Squad.

The Trial of Kilo Squad is the court-martial Lieutenant Damon S. Baird and Privates Augustus Cole, Garron Paduk and Onyx Guard Cadet Sofia Hendrik for their rogue actions during the Destruction of Halvo Bay.

History

Kilo Squad Goes Rogue

Assigned to assist at the Museum of Military Glory during the Destruction of Halvo Bay, Kilo Squad witnessed General Karn slaughtering every Gear guarding the museum and contacted Colonel Ezra Loomis to warn him of the development. Loomis, however, was dismissive of the threat posed by Karn and ordered Kilo to kill him and hold the museum. Private Garron Paduk, who had witnessed the devastation Karn was capable of causing during the Fall of Gorasnaya, tried to warn Loomis that the Gorasni army threw all they had at Karn and weren't able to take him down. Onyx Guard Cadet Sofia Hendrik suggested using the Lightmass Missile to kill Karn, but Loomis ordered her to "leave strategy to men with bars" and stated that he didn't want to hear from any of them until Karn was dead before they lost contact. After seeing Karn outside, the squad discussed the Lightmass Missile and the difficulties of using it. After receiving no response from Loomis when Paduk called for permission, Kilo decided to launch the Lightmass Missile.

Despite difficulties, Kilo was able to retrieve the targeting beacon, a bot they nicknamed Troy, from the Halvo Bay Military Academy and got the launch codes from Professor Kurt Elliott's mansion. After fighting through Locust forces occupying Onyx Point, Kilo began activating the Lightmass Missile, only receive a message that Omega-Two had knocked out the Seeder blocking comms and Loomis was leading a counterattack on the museum. Baird reluctantly contacted Loomis to inform him that they were on Onyx Point and had just activated the Lightmass Missile. Enraged, Loomis cut Baird off and informed him that the Lightmass Missile was sitting in its silo for a reason. Paduk tried to warn Loomis that Loomis had no idea what he was going up against, but Loomis dismissed Karn as a grub who had killed "a bunch of worthless Indies" even with Paduk warning him that Loomis would only get himself and his men killed. Loomis started to order Baird to arrest Paduk, but changed his order to having Sofia arrest Paduk and Baird if they tried to resist. Kilo picked up a transmission from Sergeant Marcus Fenix stating that Omega-Two was pinned down two blocks from the museum and needed an evac. However, Control could only get a King Raven to Omega in an hour which they didn't have. Cole pointed out that Kilo could get their much faster and everyone agreed to disobey orders to rescue Omega. After Baird activated the Lightmass Missile, Kilo left Onyx Point, sealing off the silo behind them.

"Lieutenant, listen carefully. That weapon is being saved by smarter men than we for a purpose. If you fire it, I will have you tried and shot."
"Fine. I'll see you in court. I suggest you take cover, sir."

—Loomis orders a defiant Baird to stand down.

After returning to the mainland, Kilo made their way through Old Town, believing that Karn was likely to be waiting for Loomis at the museum. Kilo fought their way through Old Town and the Museum Square Rooftops, receiving multiple distress messages from Omega and messages about Loomis' impending counterattack. After reaching a vantage point of the museum, Kilo was contacted by Loomis who asked after their position. Baird was forced to admit that they were about to fire the Lightmass Missile at Karn against orders, insisting that if they didn't, everyone in Halvo Bay was going to die. Loomis stated that the weapon was being saved by smarter men than them for a purpose and threatened to have Kilo tried and shot if they fired it. With the rest of Kilo in agreement, Baird stated that he'd see Loomis in court and suggested that he take cover. Baird fired the Lightmass Missile, destroying the Museum of Military Glory, the Locust forces gathered there and apparently Karn. After getting word that Omega-Two was "a little roasted, but clear," Kilo came under attack by Locust reinforcements. After they fended off the Locust, Loomis arrived in a King Raven and as promised, arrested Kilo for their actions.

Testimony

"The accused are denied any right to an attorney and may not question the authority of this tribunal."
"So we can't ask why you're doing this now?"
"At the conclusion of this tribunal, I will issue a fair and swift verdict."
"Right, of course you will..."
"Colonel, are we being charged with doing our job?"
"The charges will be defined as I hear your testimony. Now, Lieutenant Baird. Begin with the last time we saw each other."

—Loomis, Paduk and Sofia argue as Loomis starts the trial.

After being arrested, Kilo Squad was transported to the Halvo Bay Courthouse for an immediate trial. Though Lieutenant Damon Baird requested ten minutes to make sure General Karn was dead, Loomis refused. In the courtroom, Loomis declared that they were denied the right to an attorney and couldn't question the authority of the tribunal. To Kilo's protests, Loomis stated that he would deliver "a fair and swift verdict" when it was over and that the charges would be defined as he heard their testimony. Loomis ordered Baird to begin his testimony and Baird described how Kilo tried to help a convoy in Old Town before being sent to the Museum of Military Glory after discovering the convoy destroyed. Baird went on to explain how they helped Black-Four defend the museum, only to see that all of the Gears protecting it had been killed by Karn. Baird described this leading to Kilo's argument with Loomis over the threat from Karn and using the Lightmass Missile to kill him, culminating in their choice to disobey orders when Loomis wouldn't listen.

After Baird finished, Loomis questioned Cadet Sofia Hendrik on what would convince an Onyx Guard cadet to steal one of the COG's most powerful weapons. Sofia protested that she had been against it, earning her derision from Private Garron Paduk. Sofia argued that Paduk should show her and the army he volunteered for some respect, but Paduk pointed out that he had tried that and it got him put on trial. With the Locust getting closer, some of the Onyx Guard rushed out to help, but Loomis continued with the trial. Sofia explained that she was an Academy cadet and had to know if her friends were alright before describing the events at the Halvo Bay Military Academy, including how all of the cadets had been slaughtered.

With Sofia done, Loomis turned to Paduk and questioned if he was there as Major Paduk of the UIR or Private Paduk of the COG. Paduk responded that he was whichever answer Loomis liked least. Loomis declared that while the Open Arms Program may have given Paduk a COG uniform, Loomis and Paduk remained enemies. When Paduk declared they should settle it like enemies, the Onyx Guard beat him down until Baird and Loomis ordered them to stop. Loomis commented that the Gorasni weren't known for treating prisoners well and sarcastically suggested that Paduk knew nothing about that to which Paduk implied that he did. Noting that Paduk didn't seem like a man who followed orders, Loomis questioned why Paduk would even follow Baird. Suggesting that he had ulterior motives in wanting to see the fabled mansions of Halvo Bay, Paduk described the squad's mission to the Seahorse Hills to get the launch codes from Professor Elliot's mansion. As his testimony wrapped up, Paduk commented that he'd liked some of the mansions he'd seen that day and when it was all over, he might take one of the mansions for himself as there would be nobody left to say no to him.

Loomis turned his attention to Private Augustus Cole, noting that Cole had been atypically quiet up until that point. As Cole started to speak, the Locust burst into the courtroom, launching a surprise attack that killed several Onyx Guards before they could be repelled. Cole grabbed a Lancer and blocked a Locust's attempt to kill him with the Chainsaw Bayonet of another Lancer. As Cole blocked the attack, the Locust was killed by Loomis with his Boltok Pistol and he resumed proceedings despite the attack. Loomis questioned whether Cole had listened to his "Crashball" coach from time to time and admitted to not being a fan of "pretend war" when Cole corrected the name. Loomis requested that Cole unburden his mind by talking about how he was finding fighting a real war and Cole explained the events on Onyx Point, angering Loomis as the facility was supposed to be classified but Cole had gotten a tour from a general who was a fan of his.

Loomis was left enraged by Kilo's audacity, but the nearby Locust activity resulted in part of the celling caving in on them. Though an Onyx Guard captain urged Loomis to evacuate and postpone the trial, Loomis refused even with the Locust right outside the courtroom and ordered the captain to return to fighting. Though Baird declared the situation crazy, Loomis continued to refuse to relent, stating that he was waiting on Baird and ordered Baird to finish his testimony. Baird testified on how Kilo returned to Old Town launch the Lightmass Missile on the Museum of Military Glory where they figured Karn would be waiting after Omega knocked out his Seeder. Baird described how Kilo received Loomis' order to stand down and fired the Lightmass Missile anyway though their arrest after Kilo repelled the Locust attack on their position.

Original Verdict and Locust Attack

"No final words from you, Lieutenant?"
"Maybe you have a point, sir. We saved... what? A thousand people? The Lightmass Missile was designed to save millions, I know that. But if Karn had taken Halvo, we might've lost the chance to save anyone."

—Loomis and Baird as Loomis prepares to execute Kilo.

After Baird's testimony ended, Loomis announced that he had reached a final verdict and asked for last words. Paduk declared that men like Loomis were why he fought the COG while Sofia and Cole reminded Loomis that they had saved a lot of people, including Loomis. After being prompted by Loomis, Baird acknowledged that Loomis might have a point as the Lightmass Missile was designed to save millions of people while Kilo only saved around a thousand. However, Baird was insistent that if Karn had taken Halvo Bay, they might've lost the chance to save anyone. Baird's words appeared to give Loomis a moment of hesitation and consideration, but he chose to proceed with executing Kilo with his Boltok Pistol.

Before Loomis could fire, the Locust burst into the courtroom again in overwhelming numbers, engaging the Onyx Guard defenders. As Loomis fired at the Locust with his pistol, he was grabbed by a Locust Drone as a meat shield. Grabbing a Longshot Sniper Rifle, Paduk hesitated between shooting Loomis or the Drone but chose to save Loomis' life. Though shocked, Loomis quickly recovered and fled the courtroom as it was overrun by the Locust, leaving Kilo to fight their way out.

As Kilo fought through the courthouse to escape, they encountered Loomis again and teamed up together to reach a nearby King Raven, though Baird worried that they were escaping only to have Loomis execute them later. At the Plaza for the Tyran Dead, Kilo and Loomis encountered Karn who survived the Lightmass Missile and destroyed the King Raven. In the battle that followed, Kilo and Loomis worked together to kill Karn's mount Shibboleth and Loomis executed the badly injured Karn with his pistol as Kilo argued about what to do with the Locust general.

Final Verdict

"A word, Lieutenant. That's the last time anyone's going to address you as Lieutenant. I'm dropping the charges, but you'll never be an officer again."
"Yeah, why should all these brains be wasted on an officer... Sir."

—Loomis announces his final verdict to Baird.

After killing Karn, Colonel Loomis pulled Lieutenant Baird aside and revealed that he had decided to drop the charges against Kilo Squad. However, for Baird's actions, Loomis demoted Baird from Lieutenant to Private and declared that Baird would never be an officer again which Baird accepted. Loomis attempted to make peace with Paduk after Paduk had saved his life, but Paduk refused. Now free, Kilo departed together, joking about Baird's demotion and the fact that it might mean that Sofia Hendrik was now in charge.