IKC FHew 7C6110
Alligences 1 – Help from an unusual quarter
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Marie St. Helene
Post Details
The table was in the back room of the bar. A day earlier Marie had been here brokering deals for contraband. Now she was looking for something quite different.
Warin, the contact she had made her previous deals with sat comfortably, "Relax, human. We want the stuff off world as badly as you, and no one wants the Authorities to be able to look around your ship to closely or ask too many questions. I told you I had a solution, now we just have to wait for it to arrive."
“Not good enough,” Marie responded. “I need more than a ‘solution’. I’ve had experience of your ‘solutions’ and I don’t much care to repeat it. You’ll get me the information on who’s really smuggling the arms or I’ll expose your dealings on this woe begotten planet.”
Warin smirked, "As if you didn't know. The House Matlh have been shipping enough weapons and armour through here to outfit a small army. What's going on? Is there an invasion planned? I have interests in this sector. I just want to know so I can move further a field if necessary."
“Tell me something I don’t already know. I’m aware that House Matlh’s badges are all over the arms shipments. I’m even prepared to believe they’re real badges, not forgeries. Now, tell me who’s actually doing the smuggling.”
At that point there was a knock on the door. Warin held up a cautionary finger then got up and moved to the peep hole and grunted. He pulled back the lock and let a somberly dressed Ubatti official through the door.
"Marie," Warin gestured, "This is Chief Prosecuter Petri. He is our solution."
Marie cursed herself for an idiot but...to be fair, she was an idiot with little choice. Warin was her best hope of solving this puzzle and getting off this rock in one piece. She forced herself to relax. No doubt the ‘solution’ would solve a few problems for him! For now, all she could do was hang on and see where the ride took her.
Petri held out his hand, "A pleasure to make your acquaintence, Beq Marie. I understand you know some people who may be in the market for a defence lawyer?"
Marie looked at Warin in disgust. “So this is your solution; bribe the prosecution. Or are you trying to tell me the chief prosecutor is going to turn on his own team?”
"That's right. I am the best lawyer in this province so it only seems fair that I am allowed to act for both prosecution and defence. Certainly there is nothing in our legal system that prevents it. I certainly think we have a very good chance of overturning the case for the prosecution which is mostly speculation and assumption. Are you in a position to negotiate my fee?"
Marie was still looking at Warin. “This had better not be one of your warped jokes because I’m not in the mood.” She turned to Petroi. “Let’s see how good you are before we start talking terms. For all I know you’re Chief Prosecutor because you’re a manipulative, underhanded, conniving bureaucrat, not because you can handle yourself in a courtroom.”
Petri's smile never wavered, "Both actually. It is my manipulative, underhanded, conniving nature that makes me so good in the courtroom. If I understand you correctly you are saying you accept full responsibility for payment on the condition that I clear your ship and crew of all charges, but if I do not manage to convince the court then there will be no fee payable? You realise that under standard conditions it requires a double fee on my succesful defence?"
Warin whistled, "Better you than me Marie."
“Double! What, one fee for you as prosecutor and one as defence? Why don’t you throw in one for your aging great aunt’s pension plan while you’re at it?” Unfortunately, she saw no alternative. Her future hung on getting the FHew off Ubatti and she had no better offers. For once, she couldn’t even bluff. No doubt Petroi knew exactly what her position was. She couldn’t even plead that only Matlh could make such a bargain.
“All right,” she conceded resignedly. “I accept.” She had no authority to sell her soul but what choice did she have? Petroi might well be asking double of nothing but for her it was all or nothing.
"Very well then I will accept the case on a double or nothing payment plan. Now obviously that eliminates any chance of a guilty plea bargain. So I will have to go and prepare for tomorrows case. You are of course free to update your Captain and crew on the following arrangements, but be careful not to disclose your association until after I have cleared them. Just to avoid any unnecessary unpleasantness."
by HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Marie St. Helene
Post Details
| Title | Help from an unusual quarter | |
| Mission | Alligences 1 | |
| Author(s) | HoD Ro' Matlh & Soghla' Marie St. Helene | |
| Posted | Tue Jun 15, 2010 @ 11:54am | |
| Location | Ubatti trade port | |
| Timeline | The day after the first trial |
Warin, the contact she had made her previous deals with sat comfortably, "Relax, human. We want the stuff off world as badly as you, and no one wants the Authorities to be able to look around your ship to closely or ask too many questions. I told you I had a solution, now we just have to wait for it to arrive."
“Not good enough,” Marie responded. “I need more than a ‘solution’. I’ve had experience of your ‘solutions’ and I don’t much care to repeat it. You’ll get me the information on who’s really smuggling the arms or I’ll expose your dealings on this woe begotten planet.”
Warin smirked, "As if you didn't know. The House Matlh have been shipping enough weapons and armour through here to outfit a small army. What's going on? Is there an invasion planned? I have interests in this sector. I just want to know so I can move further a field if necessary."
“Tell me something I don’t already know. I’m aware that House Matlh’s badges are all over the arms shipments. I’m even prepared to believe they’re real badges, not forgeries. Now, tell me who’s actually doing the smuggling.”
At that point there was a knock on the door. Warin held up a cautionary finger then got up and moved to the peep hole and grunted. He pulled back the lock and let a somberly dressed Ubatti official through the door.
"Marie," Warin gestured, "This is Chief Prosecuter Petri. He is our solution."
Marie cursed herself for an idiot but...to be fair, she was an idiot with little choice. Warin was her best hope of solving this puzzle and getting off this rock in one piece. She forced herself to relax. No doubt the ‘solution’ would solve a few problems for him! For now, all she could do was hang on and see where the ride took her.
Petri held out his hand, "A pleasure to make your acquaintence, Beq Marie. I understand you know some people who may be in the market for a defence lawyer?"
Marie looked at Warin in disgust. “So this is your solution; bribe the prosecution. Or are you trying to tell me the chief prosecutor is going to turn on his own team?”
"That's right. I am the best lawyer in this province so it only seems fair that I am allowed to act for both prosecution and defence. Certainly there is nothing in our legal system that prevents it. I certainly think we have a very good chance of overturning the case for the prosecution which is mostly speculation and assumption. Are you in a position to negotiate my fee?"
Marie was still looking at Warin. “This had better not be one of your warped jokes because I’m not in the mood.” She turned to Petroi. “Let’s see how good you are before we start talking terms. For all I know you’re Chief Prosecutor because you’re a manipulative, underhanded, conniving bureaucrat, not because you can handle yourself in a courtroom.”
Petri's smile never wavered, "Both actually. It is my manipulative, underhanded, conniving nature that makes me so good in the courtroom. If I understand you correctly you are saying you accept full responsibility for payment on the condition that I clear your ship and crew of all charges, but if I do not manage to convince the court then there will be no fee payable? You realise that under standard conditions it requires a double fee on my succesful defence?"
Warin whistled, "Better you than me Marie."
“Double! What, one fee for you as prosecutor and one as defence? Why don’t you throw in one for your aging great aunt’s pension plan while you’re at it?” Unfortunately, she saw no alternative. Her future hung on getting the FHew off Ubatti and she had no better offers. For once, she couldn’t even bluff. No doubt Petroi knew exactly what her position was. She couldn’t even plead that only Matlh could make such a bargain.
“All right,” she conceded resignedly. “I accept.” She had no authority to sell her soul but what choice did she have? Petroi might well be asking double of nothing but for her it was all or nothing.
"Very well then I will accept the case on a double or nothing payment plan. Now obviously that eliminates any chance of a guilty plea bargain. So I will have to go and prepare for tomorrows case. You are of course free to update your Captain and crew on the following arrangements, but be careful not to disclose your association until after I have cleared them. Just to avoid any unnecessary unpleasantness."