by Britt Ringel
The bailiff produced a datapad and handed it to Heskan after he was seated. Her words were mechanical, nearly artificial. “By signing this contract, you swear your answers will be a full and complete representation of the truth as you know it.”
Heskan nodded and pressed his thumb to the face of the datapad. The bailiff turned to present the datapad to the panel of judges.
Heskan counted eleven judges behind the bench. Odd, he thought. Aren’t there thirteen corporate entities? He scanned for clues that might reveal which corporation each judge represented but their simple, black gowns bore no evidence of allegiance. The center archjudge, an elder female easily into her nineties, inspected the bailiff’s datapad and after a beat, announced, “Your witness, Counsel.”
The simple remark spurred the bailiff to her post near the opposite side of the panel while simultaneously impelling Miller to move from behind his plaintiff’s table. The attorney nodded acknowledgment to Heskan as he walked directly to the front of the bench to stand near the bailiff. Miller’s distant position forced Heskan to turn to face the judges in order to see AmyraCorp’s advocate.
“Good morning, Captain Heskan. Thank you for appearing today, sir.” Miller nodded again before explaining, “I’m standing this far from you so that you’ll speak loudly enough for the judges to hear your answers.” The attorney’s trembling hand brought a datapad up to his face and the man read, “Are the holo-logs of AV Elathra, the ship you commanded, taken on twelve-twelve dot nine-ninety-five a true and accurate depiction of the events as they unfolded that day?”
Wow, he doesn’t beat around the bush, Heskan thought as he leaned forward in the uncomfortable chair and looked at the judges scrutinizing his every move. Heskan cleared his throat, willing his voice to sound confident. “Yes. I have reviewed the logs recorded that day and they accurately illustrate the events before, during and after the battle to the best of my recollection.” After giving his answer, he sat back, pleased that he had regurgitated the sentence without tripping over any words.
Miller exhaled a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Captain. No further questions, your Honors.” He spun to face the opposing counsel with a smile.
The elder woman behind the bench declared, “Your witness,” while gesturing toward the defendant’s table.
The blonde woman rose and thanked the judge while collecting her datapad. She wore a dark, long skirt that ended near her ankles. The fabric nearly shimmered in its opacity and clung to the curves of her body. A doublet made from the same material concealed most of a frilly, ivory shirt.
As she slinked her way toward her chosen battleground, a spot roughly two meters directly in front of her witness, Heskan took the opportunity to search the large crowd for Vernay. Although it was extremely unlikely his friend could have answered the morning’s bell given her condition when he had dropped her off at her room, he instinctively sought out the comfort her presence would offer him. Unable to find her face, he abandoned the effort when the shark in front of him spoke.
“Captain Heskan, how many Seshafian sailors died on twelve-twelve, last year?”
Heskan felt his heart leap into his throat. What? The lump grew larger as he realized he did not know the answer. What’s wrong with me? How can I not know how many people died under my command? The fleeting thought occurred to him that Admiral Hayes might not have been able to answer such a question either.
“Too many,” he answered.
The predator before him smiled slightly. “Be specific, please... if you can.”
Heskan swallowed. “I’m ashamed to say I can’t give you a specific answer. I know one hundred and five died directly in the conflict and that another thirty-eight were wounded but I can’t say that I know how many of the wounded recovered.” The forced admission made him bite down hard and hate the woman in front of him, and himself.
“Were any of the fatalities that you bothered to make yourself aware of a result of rifle or pistol shot?”
Across the room, Miller shouted, “Objection, your Honors. Inflammatory.”
The aged matriarch behind the bench paused to look down to the surface in front of her. The light from the inlaid screen brightened her face. Ten other judges also consulted their screens, some typing comments onto them. After several beats, the archjudge addressed Miller. “Overruled.” She glanced at Miller’s opposition and cautioned, “You have very little latitude, Counsel.”
The huntress barely acknowledged the warning. “Were any shot, Captain?”
What the hell is going on? Heskan wondered. They said she wouldn’t question me. He let his words turn bitter. “Why would they have been?”
Another slight smile grew from the woman before him. “Captain Heskan, in this forum, I ask the questions. Please answer them.”
“Objection, your Honors!”
The central judge looked at Miller patiently before prompting, “Your grounds, Counsel?”
Miller faltered, then looked down at his datapad. After a substantial silence, he finally blurted out, “Beyond the scope. This has nothing to do with Captain Heskan’s testimony about the holo-logs.”
The elder judge smiled slightly and returned her attention toward the shark in dark clothing. “Counsel, I must ask you how this pertains to his earlier testimony before we make a ruling.”
“Certainly, your Honor.” Her voice grew in volume. “Will the court amanuensis please play the audio from the holo-log in question at time thirteen twenty-six point thirty-two.”
A moment later, Heskan heard a recording of his own voice: “I don’t think, I know! This is Captain Heskan and I am now the ranking officer of this fleet. Any ship captain that breaks the line without proper authorization will be shot after this battle!”
Audible gasps rippled through the courtroom as the harsh words sliced their way through those in attendance. Even the judges’ stoicism wavered down the panel before being replaced with their customary, emotionless masks.
The inquisitor made no effort to conceal her lethal grin. “Whose words are those, Captain?”
Heskan looked across the courtroom at Miller. He was feverishly swiping his fingers over his datapad. “Those are mine but—”
“Thank you, Captain,” she interrupted.
“Counsel, let the witness finish his answer.” The mandate had not come from the archjudge but a small-statured man sitting at the far end of the bench. The minor rebuke from the magistrate earned a flicker of surprise from Miller.
Heskan dipped his head gratefully. “Thank you, sir. Those are my words but I didn’t mean them.”
The predator’s smile grew wider. “Please replay the holo-log.”
Heskan cringed with the realization he just bestowed a golden opportunity upon the woman to have the cruel words echo through the chamber again.
“Does that sound like a man who doesn’t mean it?” she asked.
Heskan’s hands came up in frustration. “It was for motivational purposes. The fleet was on the verge of surrender… I had to do something.”
The woman in black took a moment to look at her datapad. Heskan watched her eyes sweep from left to right and back again. Finally, she looked back at Heskan and asked, “I’m sure being threatened with a firing squad is very motivational. Is that how Secure Solutions motivates its sailors?”
“Objection, your Honors!” Miller practically screamed. “Privateer Confidentiality.”
The archjudge hesitated. “I don’t believe this would be covered under that clause although we will tread lightly with this subject, Counsels.” She looked pointedly at Heskan. “Captain, you are instructed not to reveal any proprietary methods of the privateer firms you were employed by and neither will you discuss any past or present actions while under their auspices. Now please answer the question within those confines.”
“Your Honor,” Miller pleaded. “This is outside the scope of his earlier testimony again. This doesn’t relate to the holo-logs.”
“The witness brought this up himself,
not from my question, your Honor,” his opponent retorted with a wicked smile.
“Quite so,” agreed the archjudge. “We’d have your answer, Captain.”
“Um, what’s the question again?” Heskan asked shyly.
Subdued laughter rippled through the chamber but was cut short by an icy glare from the central judge.
The court amanuensis recited, “I’m sure being threatened with a firing squad is very motivational. Is that how Secure Solutions motivates its sailors?”
Heskan parsed his words carefully. “To my knowledge, no.”
The woman’s eyebrows arched up in staged surprise. “Then where did you learn that particular technique?”
Miller’s voice boomed again through the courtroom. “Objection, Privateer Confidentiality!”
“Sustained and I’m disappointed by the question, Counsel,” the venerable judge scolded.
The woman in black raised her arms in mock confusion. An insincere smile tarnished an otherwise beautiful face. “You misunderstand me, your Honor. I know better than to ask of Captain Heskan’s former allegiances. I’m asking where he learned this strange motivational technique. Surely that information doesn’t threaten the proprietary integrity of any firm he may have worked for.” Her eyes returned to Heskan and glared defiantly. “Which star system, Captain Heskan.”
Heskan’s stomach lurched. I can’t answer that without giving away my origins. He searched for an escape hatch and reached for the first avenue he thought of. “To be perfectly honest, I’ve never made that threat before.”
The advocate chuckled but slowly shook her head. “I didn’t ask you when the first time you threatened the lives of your sailors was. I asked where you learned such an atrocious tactic.”
Heskan stared desperately at Miller. The man was whispering frantically to his assistant.
“Your Honor,” the black-clad predator pushed, “can you please instruct the witness to answer the question?”
Before the judge could speak, Heskan blurted out, “I can’t.”
Miller ceased his conversation and stared hopefully at Heskan.
The inquisitor threw her arms up in exaggerated frustration. She glared at the panel of judges and spat out, “Your Honors, I move to find the witness in contempt of court for failing to abide by his contract. He refuses to answer the question and must be sanctioned per Rule Four Forty-five. The sanction should bar him from participation in any upcoming corporate activity for a length of time determined by your Honors but not less than five years.”
Chapter 18
The archjudge brought an unsteady hand up to silence the advocate. When order in the chamber had been restored, she looked at Heskan and asked, “Captain, why do you believe answering the question breaks the Privateer Confidentiality protections?”
Heskan opened his eyes wide to appear as sincere as possible. “I don’t believe it does, your Honor, but it would break the security oath I swore to a corporate-recognized government.”
“He cannot be forced to violate that oath and reveal a state secret in open court,” stated the judge from the end of the panel. The man’s statement of support drew curious expressions around the room, including some from his fellow magistrates.
“Agreed,” the archjudge declared. She turned to Heskan’s nemesis. “Move on, Counsel.”
Heskan resisted the urge to smile as he watched her come to grips with the ruling. The line of her mouth twisted maliciously as she moved closer and glared fiercely at him. “Who taught you that technique?”
Without waiting for Miller’s objection, Heskan replied, “State secret.” He suppressed his smile.
Through clenched teeth, she spat, “What ship were you serving on when you learned it?”
The answer returned like an echo. “State secret.” Heskan let himself smile this time.
Disgusted, the woman whirled away from him while asking, “Your instructor’s rank?”
“State secret,” both Heskan and the inquisitor said in unison.
“Fine,” she accepted with a heavy sigh.
Heskan began to rise from his chair but paused when he saw the woman turning slowly. Is she not done?
“You never did answer my original question, Captain. Were any Seshafian sailors shot after the skirmish?”
Heskan blew his breath out in disgust and reseated himself. “Of course not.” He bit down hard at being forced to acknowledge such a denigrating question.
“You don’t like the insinuation, do you, Captain?” the huntress asked demurely as she approached Heskan once more.
Heskan squinted at the woman and mustered all his outrage before answering. “No, I do not, Madam. You may see me as nothing but a butcher but I’m a professional officer who abides by a strict code of ethics that includes honoring the sacrifices of those who serve with me.”
“You were promoted to fleet commander over all Seshafian naval forces, yes?”
Heskan answered warily, “Yes.”
“Congratulations,” the woman said acerbically. “I cannot help but notice your rank remains captain. Were you not elevated to admiral upon this promotion?”
“No.”
“And to ensure I am addressing you properly,” the woman said in an exaggerated politeness, “because you were not promoted to admiral, you were not bestowed with a fons honorum title of baron, correct?”
“I was not,” Heskan replied hesitantly, his suspicion growing.
The advocate smiled evilly. “A pity for you.” She glanced down at her datapad and announced, “Your Honors, I am flashing you a countersuit joining Captain Garrett Heskan to this hearing. Based on the witness’s own testimony, Viscount Wallace has no choice but to levy the countersuit asserting violation of the rules and ethics of the Nobility Articles as they pertain to corporate officials in the Lesser Magellanic Arm.”
The archjudge called for quiet over the rising fervor of the spectators in attendance. After several moments, she asked, “What specific violation do you hold as your client’s cause of action?”
“Disparagement of a noble by an untitled citizen.”
“And your proof?” Miller called out from behind his table.
The archjudge shot a withering look at the young man. “I will not tolerate another outburst such as that, Counsel.” Her point made, she readdressed the huntress. “You must present your evidence, Counsel… swiftly.”
The woman in black raised a hand upward as if gesturing to the courtroom’s speakers. “Please play the holo-log in question at time thirteen twenty-seven point eleven.”
The speakers flared to life, replaying more of Heskan’s words: “And could you really trust your lives to the man who just murdered his long-time friend in cold blood?”
Heskan saw Miller cringe and lean toward his assistant in another agitated conversation. Seconds later, the assistant rose from her chair and bolted for the exit.
The woman in front of Heskan smiled victoriously. “The public and outlandish accusation of murder against an official without sufficient proof is a clear violation of the Nobility Articles. Viscount Wallace does not seek archaic remedy via duel but rather through this court, as civilized men ought. Further, we’ll forgo the punishments allotted by those same articles and settle for simple, judicial chastisement following an immediate judgment.”
A stern eye from the archjudge quieted the rising clamor from the crowd. She turned toward Miller. “Counsel?”
Miller stood and opened his arms wide in submission. “Your Honor, please. I need time for consideration of the evidence. Time for lead counsel to appear. The Nobility Articles are so rarely referred to.”
The woman in black shook her head. “There are no questions of fact in this countersuit. The facts are not in dispute. This is purely a question of law. Is denying my client his right to immediate judgment proper, solely because the plaintiff has not deemed this hearing worthy enough to have a functioning counsel in attendance?”
“It is not,” agreed the archjudge. She cast
an eye toward Heskan. “Captain Heskan, the defense is joining your alleged violation of the Articles of Nobility into the present hearing. Do you understand this?”
Heskan looked at Miller. The attorney’s head was back down in his datapad again. “Not really, ma’am.”
The judge at the end of the panel explained while pushing up his spectacles. “Defense is accusing you of violating the Articles of Nobility based upon your statement during the battle. They are waiving the punishments normally applicable and are simply asking for immediate judgment from us, which limits any punishment we might impose to what is available under the code relating to immediate judgments. If we find you guilty, your punishment ranges from simply verbal chastisement from this bench to a sanction that would prohibit you from participating in corporate events inside the LMA.” The old magistrate clarified further. “By asking for immediate judgment, the harsher punishments such as loss of liberty or stripping your citizenship are taken off the table.”
Heskan shrugged. “I understand, sir. So the worst that can happen to me is that I don’t have to attend those dreadful balls?”
The audience laughed again but was cowed into submission by the archjudge’s gaze.
“It’s more than that,” the end judge continued. “Corporate events include combat. If found guilty, you may be prohibited from participating in any LMA conflicts for a length of time determined by us but not to exceed two years.”
Heskan felt his heart sink at the troubling news. This has been her end game the entire time. They don’t care about my origins, they’re trying to remove me from their upcoming invasion.
“Your Honors,” Miller interjected, “defense has not even established the necessary elements of disparagement of a noble, namely whom my client’s statement was directed toward.”
The shark circling near Heskan rolled her eyes. “Captain Heskan, who was the last statement played by the court amanuensis directed at?”
I might be trapped, Heskan thought, but I’ll be damned if I don’t own up to my own words. And since they’re going to be recorded for all posterity... “Oh, my words were most certainly directed at the man who obviously arranged for the cold-blooded and most dishonorable murder of Admiral Cooke.”