Chapter 6 – Drowned Honour
Mei-Wan looked over the five PADDs spread across the table in the apartment she and Dani had gotten. Their presentation was on the devices, each part leading to the next. But her mind was elsewhere.
She had tried to track down a name listed in the data core from Geryon V’s moon. The information from that Ancient Progenitor data core was about their military movements across the galaxy. The name which had caught her eye was Dajjal Therion. Mei-Wan was certain she had run across it before, but she couldn’t locate it in any of the other data they’d gotten from the various Ancient Progenitor sites. She felt this name was important, and was frustrated her searches weren’t coming up with anything further about this individual.
An hour earlier, Harold had informed her that Jack had been arrested by Starfleet. They had no idea why or what the charges were. But with Jack in custody, her assumption he was to play a part in some grand plan by the Temporal Engineers seemed misplaced. Searching for information about Dajjal Therion was a nice distraction from what was going on with Jack.
Dani walked in, and stared.
“Your mind isn't on the work, is it?”
“No,” Mei-Wan said. “I was certain Jack and Forcas were here together as part of what the Temporal Engineers were up to.”
“That may still be the case,” Dani said. “Without understanding their plan, you have no way of knowing.”
“When the timeline shifts again, I intend to confront one of them,” Mei-Wan said. She walked over to the window where bright sunlight streamed in, filling the room. “I'll get my answers.”
“That might be extremely dangerous.”
“It will be... for him.”
“It would tip them off you suspect they have a larger plan,” Dani said. “They might move against you.”
“I have to find out what they're up to!”
“Then don't close off any avenue of investigation.”
Mei-Wan knew Dani was right. “Then what do you suggest?”
“Watch for opportunities,” Dani said. “Especially at the reception. If Forcas is there as you suspect he will be, confront him. See how he reacts.”
“But my ideas about him are just guesses.”
“Even so, his reactions should speak volumes about his true intentions. Given he is a religious zealot, we need to have a sense of his intentions.”
Mei-Wan nodded. “I just wish Harold could find out more about Jack.”
Dani walked up to her. “You’re worried about him?”
“Jack has a knack for getting himself into messes,” Mei-Wan said. “But I suppose I need to let that go as well.”
“You have to be yourself,” Dani said.
Mei-Wan smiled, and stepped closer to Dani. “You’ve made that far more possible than ever before.”
“Because I love you.”
Mei-Wan leaned against Dani, sliding her hand into Dani’s hair to cradle her head.
As she often did, Dani reduced her height so they could be eye to eye with one another.
A moment later, Mei-Wan pressed her lips against Dani’s.
***
Three hours after Melissa had come to see him at the detention facility, Jack was hurried into a court room without explanation. A minute later, three admirals filed into the room and took their seats behind the dais at the front of the courtroom.
Jack didn’t know any of them. There was a middle-aged human woman, a green-skinned Eldoran, and a tall blue-skinned Belavani, both of the last two were males. The Belavani admiral sat in the center of the panel.
To Jack’s left, at the prosecution table sat Alverson and his female Andorian colleague.
The only other individuals in the court room were a bailiff and the court reporter. Both appeared human.
The Belavani admiral looked at Alverson. “Let the record show that Jack McCall is present as is the prosecutor, Captain Alverson.” He took a breath. “Presiding over this case are Admiral Blain,” he said turning to the human woman to his left. “And Admiral Geskai,” he said turning to the Eldoran on his right. “I am Admiral Vulnes.” He took another breath. “Captain Alverson, is the prosecution ready to proceed?”
“Yes, your honor,” Alverson replied, casting a quick glance at Jack.
“Very well, then…”
“Uh, your honor,” Jack began. “My lawyer has yet to arrive.”
Alverson jumped in. “You don’t need a lawyer for this hearing, Captain McCall. We’re merely stating the charges against you and…”
“And deciding if I have to remain in that cage you’ve kept me in for the last four hours,” Jack said. “I think due process demands I have access to legal counsel.”
“The rules for this hearing, given the classified nature of the charges, say otherwise.”
The next moment, the doors at the rear of the courtroom burst open, and a tall Klingon with long grey hair, wearing golden Klingon attire marched forward.
“I object!” he called out in a deep baritone voice.
“Bailiff!” Admiral Vulnes called out. “Hold that individual!”
The Klingon glared at the bailiff who froze in place.
“I am Captain McCall’s lawyer,” the Klingon stated. “General K’Nor, son of Krell of House K’Tal!”
Vulnes stared at K’Nor a moment. “We are of course aware of your legal scholarship and trial experience, General K’Nor, but…”
“Thank you, judge!” K’Nor said as he stood at the defense table with Jack. He gave Jack a quick grin, then turned back to the panel of judges. “I appreciate your recognition of my experience, but in case the prosecution is unaware, I am a professor of law at Starfleet Academy, three time and current chair of the Federation Bar Association, and a member of the Federation President’s Council on Inter-legal issues with foreign powers.”
Alverson started searching through a PADD.
“I’d like to know what Starfleet was thinking when they had this defendant appear for his preliminary hearing without counsel,” K’Nor said, staring at the three judge panel. “If I didn’t know Starfleet better, I’d get the impression they wanted to… what’s the human term? Railroad him?” He turned to the prosecution table. “Is that what you were up to before I came in?”
Alverson hesitated a moment, then stood. “Of course not. Your honors, this case is classified due to the underlying directive at the heart of it.”
“Secret orders? Is that what this is about?” K’Nor laughed. “Of course, I wouldn’t know despite being Captain McCall’s lawyer.”
“You being his lawyer has yet to be determined,” Alverson said. “Your honors, I ask that defense counsel be removed from this proceeding until we can determine if he is qualified to…”
“Qualified?!” K’Nor took a breath, and forced a smile. “I have a thirty-year career of defending civilians in Federation courts as well as officers in Starfleet hearings and court-martials. I have defended cases involving the Prime Directive, secret orders during wartime, and temporal incidents.” He turned to the judges. “And not a single time have I seen a court which was hell bent on having a defendant stand before it without the right of counsel.”
“Your honors…” the Alverson began.
“I’m not finished!” K’Nor turned to the prosecution table. “You do understand the notion of rights, don’t you? Those are things which you can’t trample over no matter how justified you think you are!” He turned back to the judges. “Now, if it is indeed your intent to deny Jack McCall one of his fundamental rights, I’ll leave… And then I’ll go find friends I have in the various news services, and let the galaxy know what Starfleet has become.” He turned to glare at Alverson. “What’ll it be?”
Alverson sneered. “I could have you arrested before you leave this court room.”
K’Nor smiled wide. “Oh, please do! That will make what eventually gets out to the news services all the more compelling!”
Vulnes took a long breath. “We will reconvene at sixteen hundred hours today to determine the issue of counsel.”
“But your honor…” Alverson began.
“We are adjourned until that time.”
“One other thing, your honor,” K’Nor said. “My client is being held without bond, and without formal charges being filed against him. I request the court release him so that I might be better able to prepare a defense.”
Vulnes looked down a moment, then, “Defendant is released until the sixteen hundred hearing. But understand Captain McCall, you are not to leave the surface of Yed Post IV, and you are not to discuss the particulars of this case with anyone who does not have proper clearance. Do you understand these restrictions?”
Jack stood. “I do, your honor.”
“We are adjourned,” the judge said with a hammering of the gavel.
Alverson turned to Jack. “Don’t think this delay will get you anywhere, McCall. We’re going to bury you.”
“I always say, injustice delayed is injustice denied,” K’Nor said with a wide smile.
Alverson looked at him. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”
“And who is responsible for my not knowing? Care to enlighten me?”
Alverson shook his head and stormed out of the court room.
K’Nor turned to Jack. “You certainly have these people quite upset.”
“That happens with me a lot.”
