Forbidden sanctuary, p.17
Forbidden Sanctuary, page 17
part #2 of Star Lawyers Series
Suzie glanced at her bridge crew. “Ladies, it looks like I made a dog’s dinner out of this escape. If only Abuela—”
“There you are!” A smiling, gray-haired version of Bianca Matthews materialized beside the Captain’s console.
“You!” Suzie balled her fist, then reconsidered.
Abuela smiled. “Ready to jump out of here?”
“Bloody hell, yes.”
“Where do you want to go, dear?”
“Suryadivan Prime,” Suzie said.
“Still too far.”
“Fifteen seconds,” Parvati said.
“Anywhere—hurry!” Suzie felt the Universe turn inside out, then excruciating whiteness consumed them like a detonating supernova,.
Sixteen
Tyler frowned at J.B.’s orange leatherette tote. “You had to bring the carrot monster?”
“It’s my briefcase. I like it. When did you become the style police?”
“Nobody carries briefcases anymore.”
“It holds my notes and datacom.” J.B. removed a yellow pad and two silver pens.
“Most people can barely print their names. You write in cursive, for God’s sake.”
“Shhh! Here comes the judge.”
Presiding Judge Meister Vorak took his seat. “I arrive here with trembling fin. You may have heard the media reports. The Suryadivan naval contingent sent to guard Adao-2 has been destroyed in a battle with an unknown enemy. No more is known at this time. We hope for survivors and bless those heroes who went to the afterlife defending the Sacred Protectorate.”
The crowded auditorium filled with the wheezing sound of Suryadivan weeping. Tyler did the political math. Obviously, the government wasn’t revealing the real location of the engagement or the complete loss of life.
“The gracious Forty-Six hold our Suryadivan people in their hands.” Meister Vorak, leaned on both hands at the bench to steady himself. “Clerk, read the charges against the defendant, Esteban Xavier Solorio.”
The Matthews brothers, plus Attorney Blue and Rosalie Matthews, occupied seats to the right of the semi-circular courtroom. Tyler placed Julieta halfway up the auditorium with Lox Aspi, ostensibly to take notes due to her impeccable command of the local language. He also wanted assurance she wasn’t prowling the city to dispatch co-conspirators who wanted her brother dead.
The prosecution team—Senior Advocate Claudik and scar-faced Assistant Advocate Halek—faced them across the taupe rug traditionally known as the sand pit. The presiding judge occupied a table on the judicial platform inside the semi-circle, with a recording secretary beside and below his bench. With an occasional bizarre variation, the typical courtroom configuration of accuser, defender, judge and sometimes jury reproduced itself endlessly among sentient beings seeking remedies from legal systems.
Rosalie told her brothers the setup was almost inevitable. Tribal societies needed feuds settled before the elders. Kings heard requests and dispensed judgment at the royal court. Complex civilizations required standardized rules, procedures, and precedents to at least give the appearance of fair play before judgment. Trial by combat, ordeal, or priestly divination might work in early periods, but once a species aimed at the stars its judicial systems usually had evolved into some equivalent of judge, jury, prosecution and defense counsels.
Due to the gravity of the case against Esteban, Presiding Judge Meister Vorak heard the proceedings solo. In their research on Suryadivan juris prudence, Tyler and J.B. discovered the principle of undivided wisdom required a single, learned judge to hear capital cases. The marsupial-amphibians considered death penalty offenses far too important for debate among legal scholars.
Below the judge’s platform, Meister Vorak’s clerk—middle aged female with a mottled head fin—remained seated at her desk and raised a data pad.
“The charge report states: ‘Esteban Xavier Solorio attempted the assassination of a Gobikan official, Greeter Lox Aspi, which constitutes an act of terrorism and sacrilege against the One True Faith of the Suryadivan Sacred Protectorate.’”
“Who appears in response?” Vorak asked ritually.
J.B. rose. “Star Lawyers and Associates, Your Honor.”
“And who is Senior Advocate for the Sacred Protectorate?”
Sour-faced and thin, Father Claudik stood at the opposing table. “That honor is mine, Reverend Lord.”
“All parties are present. Let the trial begin,” Meister Vorak declared.
“Reverend Lords,” Tyler said in badly pronounced Suryadivan, “forgive my poor speaking. I have a question. Is not the defendant needed at trial?”
“He observes by remote transmission in a safe place,” Vorak said. “When he is needed, we will bring him here.”
“Thank you.” He turned to J.B. and whispered, “Just like fucking Sedalia. Is everybody out here defendant phobic?”
J.B. shrugged. “At least our Sedalia colony has no religious hierarchy who can overturn verdicts.”
The Judge raised his head fin to Tyler. “Your Suryadivan is better than my Terran. Thank you for learning our language.”
“I had good teacher.” Tyler gave silent thanks for Father Yajik’s superior technology.
Judge Vorak gestured to the prosecution table. “Father Claudik, is the Protectorate ready to present its case?”
“Yes, Reverend Lord.”
Tyler leaned to his co-counsel. “Bust ‘em up, Bro.”
“Your Honor, we have an objection.” J.B. rose before the opposition responded.
“Already?” Vorak said. “No testimony has been given.”
“Before we proceed, the defense feels Father Claudik should recuse himself from prosecuting this case.”
“What?” Claudik leaped up. “On what grounds?”
“My esteemed Suryadivan colleague has already rendered preliminary judgment on the merits of Esteban Solorio’s defense in our earlier hearing before this court,” J.B. said. “When he switches to this side of the bench, he doubtless brings with him the goodwill and respect of his senior jurist. How can your special relationship not taint these proceedings in favor of the prosecution?”
Claudik sneered. “The Meister has no particular respect for me!”
Laughter erupted so loudly that Vorak threatened the spectators and media with immediate confinement. Silence returned.
J.B. smiled sadly. “Well, I am sorry to learn you have disappointed your superior on the bench.”
More laughter, which quickly suppressed itself.
“Reverend Prosecutor, however unhappily Meister Vorak may regard your performance,” J.B. said, “your close relationship must be addressed before the trial can proceed.”
Claudik raised webbed hands to the judgment seat, head fin trembling. “Reverend Lord—”
“He has a point, Prosecutor Claudik. You obviously harbor great animus toward these aliens. And my deep…” he paused, as if searching for a word “…feelings about you might taint any judgment rendered by this court.”
“Reverend Judge, the Matthews brothers seek my dismissal because I know for a fact they violated the sacred precincts of Adao-2 and disrupted the Hunt!”
The audience gasped. Tyler closed his eyes. Shit! We just lost this case. Esteban will be sentenced to die, and there’s no way I can keep Julieta from blasting her way into a jailbreak that will get them both killed. Maybe Rosalie, too.
J.B. coolly shook his head. “Well, now, since you claim we went to Adao-2, which I do not stipulate, this further disqualifies you as Senior Advocate. Your bias against us will make objective presentation of a case against our cousin impossible.”
Claudik stabbed a webbed finger at the defense table. “They admit their sacrilege!”
Spectators arose, shouting curses. An elderly priestess in a pale orange habit toppled into the aisle. Her companions quickly revived her amid continuing shrieks of outrage.
Meister Vorak raised a webbed fist, and the courtroom froze. Neither breath nor sound passed human or Suryadivan lips. Flared gills flattened against cheekbones, and head fins drooped. Even media crews representing a patchwork of alien races became statues. Suryadivan high courts judges held life and death power over their domains, and they did not hesitate to exercise it.
“Matthews brothers, Claudik and Assistant Advocate Halek—step forward into the cone of silence.”
As the legal teams approached the bench a sound-blocking forcefield sealed them in conference with the judge and his recording secretary. Tyler felt engulfed in cool air; the spiced, warm atmosphere of an auditorium packed with extraterrestrials no longer filled his nostrils.
Judge Vorak’s head fin leaned toward J.B. “Mr. Matthews, Advocate Claudik claims your team has violated the consecrated space of Adao-2. Is this true?”
“Your honor, before I respond, allow me to report a major act of aggression by Mindorian and Dengathi pirates.”
“What sort of aggression?” the senior magistrate said. “How does this relate to your alleged trespass on holy ground?”
“I am told the pirates murdered over a hundred clergy and pilgrims at Temple of Life 27 on Adao-2. While I do not condone the activities of the Suryadivan Sacred Protectorate at this location, my culture regards the slaughter of innocents the most heinous of crimes.” J.B. pointed at the Senior Advocate. “Claudik witnessed the atrocity and, to my knowledge, has not yet reported it to his superiors.”
Vorak glared at the prosecutor, who shriveled visibly. “Is this true?”
“Yes, Reverend Lord, but the Matthews brothers were there, too!”
Vorak sat back and flopped a webbed hand on his desk. “Mr. Matthews, I want the whole story.”
J.B. crossed his arms and nodded slowly. “While I do not admit to these unsubstantiated charges, if we had been present at the slaughter we would have done our utmost to blunt the attack and save innocent lives.”
“Claudik?”
“Yes, Reverend Lord. They killed many pirates inside Temple 27. And their dragon—”
“Dragon? What dragon ?” Vorak demanded.
J.B. sighed. “See what I mean, Your Honor? Unsubstantiated fairy tales. There are no dragons. But if we had a dinosaur available, she would have trampled the pirates like vermin underfoot.”
“Claudik?” Vorak said.
“Yes, yes. I misspoke. Not a dragon. They had a din-o-saur. It was fearsome.”
“Dinosaur…” Vorak repeated. “None evolved on this world, but I have seen pictures.” He nodded his fin at the Matthews brothers. It was definitely a well done, boys gesture.
Suddenly Claudik’s face beamed like a child who had found a bright coin. “But, Reverend Lord, this merely proves they committed sacrilege by being there in the first place!”
“Saving your droopy head fin in the process. Step back, give thanks you didn’t die on Sacred Adao.”
“But, Meister—”
Vorak dropped the cone of silence. “Claudik, you are dismissed as People’s Advocate. I pray you good tidings and ban you from these proceedings. Leave immediately.” Meister Vorak flapped his fin at the second chair. “Please take over, Halek, son of Zaron.”
The new Senior Advocate bore a scar across the left cheek of his unsmiling face. Taller than Claudik, he displayed the white sash of Religious Police, indicating his dual function as investigative law enforcer and prosecutor. Claudik handed Halek his data pad and a small golden box. The new Senior Advocate bowed to his predecessor, and Claudik departed the courtroom. He walked past Lox Aspi, seated with Julieta hallway up the auditorium, without glancing at the Greeter or his bodyguard.
“Halek….Halek….” Tyler looked at J.B. “Why do I know that name?”
“He’s the RP big dog Suzie impersonated the night they arrested Esteban.” J.B. offered his datacom. “I’ll bet he’s licking his chops for a bite of Matthews Family rump.”
Tyler glanced at the readout. “Good. He’ll be reckless.”
J.B. thumbed at the opposing counsel. “That face doesn’t belong to a reckless man, Ty.”
“So, we’ll make him reckless. Game on, Bro.”
J.B. shook his head. “I hope we didn’t disqualify a goat in favor of a bloodhound.”
“Prosecution, you may begin,” Vorak declared.
Halek tipped his fin toward the defense table, then bowed to the judge. “Most Reverend Lord, the Suryadivan Sacred Protectorate calls its first witness,” Halek said.
“Proceed in a virtuous manner,” Meister Vorak said.
Tyler leaned toward J.B. “Maybe we did fuck up here. This guy is scary.”
“The Protectorate calls Kichirou Tsuchiya,” Halek announced.
Inside the Ring of Truth, a wavering figure appeared and quickly solidified into a smiling young Japanese businessman. Kichirou Tsuchiya bowed to the Judge, then turned to the defense table.
“Konnichiwa, Tyler-san,” Kichirou said. “Rosalie-san, lovely as always.”
Hello, Judas. Tyler fought to control himself. Rosalie’s fingernails grasped his arm so tightly he had to pry himself loose before the blood squirted.
“Focus,” he said.
“Never kill for revenge,” she hissed.
Tyler raised a lone, center finger to the holographic witness. Rosalie followed suit. Mr. Blue cocked his head, extended a hand, and stuck out two fingers.
Tyler slapped the blue hand down. “Indigo! Don’t give that asshole the peace sign.”
Blue rubbed his smacked knuckles. “Your culture must bewilder the gods.”
Advocate Halek faced the bench. “Reverend Lord, this witness sails hyperspace far from the Gobikan. I ask permission to admit his testimony by holographic transmission with simultaneous translation into Suryadivan.”
Meister Vorak addressed the defense team. “Do you object to the witness or mode of testimony?”
“No, sir,” Tyler said. “Let this… witness proceed.”
Holographic Kichirou stepped into the Judgment Circle between attorney tables and the judge’s bench. After the court clerk determined the remote translation protocols were effective, Meister Vorak sternly reminded him of the honesty expected from anyone whose duties took place within the Circle.
When oath-briefing concluded, Halek rose at the prosecution table and tapped on a data pad for so long that Tyler suspected he was trying to intimidate the opposition. I’ve got so much to ask him—where do I begin?
“Señor Tsuchiya, where were you on the night you humans call Chubby Tuesday?”
J.B. leaned toward Tyler. “New guy is culture-deaf.”
Tyler shook his head. “The gaff was intentional. Halek wants us to underestimate him.”
Holographic Kichirou never flickered a photon. “Attending the Mardi Gras celebration at the M-double-I Trade Embassy.”
“Please tell the court what the acronym means.”
“Matthews Interstellar Industries. Parent corporation of the Matthews-Solorio trade empire.”
“How long have you known members of the Matthews and Solorio families?”
“Since my childhood.” He glanced at the defense table. “Tyler and I are lifelong friends.”
“Objection,” Tyler said.
“We do not allow interruptions in the flow of testimony, Mr. Matthews,” Judge Vorak said. “Make your notes and address the issues in cross.”
“Thank you, Reverend Lord,” Tyler said. “I wasn’t objecting to any facts bearing on the case. I merely thought you would understand Señor Tsuchiya’s testimony better if his mischaracterization were clarified.”
“What mischaracterization?” Vorak said.
“This dickhead is no longer my friend.” Tyler smiled. No objections, eh? License to kill.
“Now, I am confused,” Vorak said. “If the tip of his human genitalia is not compatible with yours, is the rest of his body still your comrade?”
Tyler looked at Mr. Blue, who was nodding vigorously.
“No, Your Honor,” Tyler said. “Dickhead is a pejorative Terran epithet, which roughly translates into Suryadivan as gnad-omak.”
Several members of the clergy jumped to their feet and protested Tyler’s profanity. Vorak silenced them with a gesture.
“Thank you for the colorful clarification, Mr. Mathews.” The Meister flipped his fin lightly. “No more interruptions. Proceed, Advocate Halek.”
The Prosecutor circled the lifelike image of his first witness. Halek began with a brief speech on the virtues of truthfulness and the solemn nature of sworn testimony in the Suryadivan Sacred Protectorate. The scar-faced Senior Advocate charged all who heard this testimony to listen as if their lives depended on its fidelity to the facts.
Tyler tuned out five minutes into Halek’s morality lecture, but he understood what the sonuvabitch was doing. By appealing to the climate of hostility toward off-worlders and juxtaposing Esteban’s alleged treachery against the purity of their Sacred Protectorate, the prosecutor tried to reshape the lens through which the Judge viewed these proceedings. Although Halek spoke to the crowd, he only needed to influence one mind, the venerable Meister Vorak. After a quarter hour of invoking patriotism, religious dogma, and historic imagery, he finally began direct examination.
“Tsuchiya-san, why did you attend the Mardi Gras party on the roof of the Matthews Trade Embassy?”
“To make business contacts in a relaxed atmosphere.”
“During your socializing, did you observe an altercation between the accused, Esteban Solorio, and Greeter Lox Aspi?”
“I did.”
“What time of day was this?”
“Evening, just after dark.”
“Will you tell this court what happened?”
“Lox Aspi stood by the edge of the roof under a low tree. It was a very dark corner, especially under the tree, and I assumed he wanted to look at the Deiro Yord skyline. Your city lights are very beautiful.”
“We all appreciate our capital’s nightscape,” Halek said. “Tell us what happened next.”
“Esteban Solorio approached Lox Aspi. I could tell by Mr. Solorio’s hand gestures and Greeter Lox’s head fin exclamations they were having an argument. Lox climbed on the wall and sat with his back to Esteban. It was only waist high. Suddenly, Esteban reached out and thrust his hands into the Greeter’s back. Lox Aspi tumbled off the roof. It was horrifying.”
