Judgement – Bail Hearing
by Commander Karen Villiers & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin
Post Details
::ON::
This was perhaps the strangest situation that Karen had ever found herself in. Pleas for clemency from a doctor, bail posted by an ambassador ... What next? A confession of guilt from another party? Karen simply did not know.
Before she handed the woman over to the ambassador she wanted to be sure that the bartender understood the conditions. She was quite sure that the Romulan understood, but the Bokkai ...
"Come in," Karen said as her door chime sounded. Security bringing Ibalin to her office.
The tall woman was a pale silvery grey from head to foot, her hair the colour of storm clouds. She looked liked hammered crap to boot. Her left eye slightly puffy, three lines of pitch plack scabs running neatly from her eye lid to her cheek. "You wanted to see me, Commander?"
"You can leave us," Karen told the lingering security team. "She'll not be coming back with you."
Karen rolled the transponder between her fingertips as she cast her gaze over the bartender. It had been delivered from the Consulate, could be activated once, and was programmed only to drop the Consulate defences for a second or two and only then if the DNA was a match. They were not taking any chances.
"Sit down, Miss Ibalin," Karen said. She had her own qualms about this arrangement but it appeared to have the support of the Captain, and the Romulan Ambassador's word was inviolate. "You have some very serious allegations hanging over you," Karen observed wondering how she came by the injury - perhaps when they had been trying to decipher the 'rainbow' - she mused. "However I am aware that you have been co-operating to what extent you are able."
Yolanthe recalled t'Khellian's advice to try and remain cool when protesting her innocence. "It seemed like the wisest course to prove I didn't do it."
That was a big change from when they had last spoken, but then hours of watching the walls could wear anyone down.
"This is the Federation," Karen reminded her, "I don't know how it works on your planet, but here its up to the prosecution to prove your guilt, not the other way around."
"Its complicated." Yolanthe sighed. "But its boils down to a bit of both. A guilty soul is the the one that doesn't fight back."
"Maybe, maybe not," Karen said. "It is because you have been co-operative that you are here," she continued, "Normally, in a murder investigation I wouldn't be considering the option of bail until the authorities concluded that they had insufficient evidence ... in this case." Karen paused, "The circumstances are unusual."
The bokkai remained impassive and grey. "I've got no basis for comparison. Why Unusual?"
"An alien ambassador in good standing with the authorities on this station and in the wider Federation agrees to post bail and vouch for the character of a bartender? That doesn't strike you as unusual?"
Yolanthe was a little curious, but, "Isn't that what she's' supposed to do as my lawyer?"
"To agree to take custody of and responsibility for a suspect once bail is posted - rare, but not unprecedented, to post bail and offer her guarantee that you won't abscond. That's way beyond normal," Karen said evenly. "Have you ever double crossed a Romulan?" she asked.
The bartender shook her head. "To the best of my knowledge I've never double crossed anyone. Though I did have a disagreement with the head of security there."
"I wasn't suggesting that you had. Its something I don't advise trying, particularly not with one who places a lot of value on her reputation. What's the issue with their head of security?" Karen asked. That could cause difficulties - Karen really had no idea what t'Khellian's plans were - she had to be certain that she was not allowing the bartender into a risky situation - better keep her in the brig and refuse bail if she was.
"When I was looking for Klia, I went to the Romulan embassy - she'd had drinks with the Ambassador's neice a few nights before and it was one place I hadnt checked. T'Merek and I exchanged some heated words. I think she called me a whore, and I called her an unfeeling bitch, and mentioned something along the lines that it was no surprise her cousin wanted to date a bajorran, becuase with family like her..." Yolanthe shrugged. "That's when she hit me." Unconsciously her fingers touched her lower lid, and she winced. "The bruise had only just gone down too."
Karen folded her arms and leaned forward. "You didn't report it," she said. "Diplomatic staff, of whatever level tend to think the rules don't apply to them. They do," she said. Karen had not forgotten the debacle with the voles on the promenade, or the attitude of this woman's diplomatic 'friend'. "I have no qualms about disabusing diplomats of any level of their delusions," she said. "Anyway, why didn't you report the incident?" she asked.
"I was more interested in finding my friend. Miss Monteros stepped in and volunteered her services, and I took them. As for not reporting it, it was a personal dispute, and its hardly the first time I've been hit in the face." the bartender explained.
"Its still a crime," Karen said with a shrug. "Let me be clear about the bargain that has been made. The Romulan Ambassador will provide bail, and you will be in her custody. You will effectively no longer be on Federation soil so to speak. She has agreed to abide with the requisites of our legal process however, so it is my belief and understanding that you will be as safe there as you are in the brig."
"Probably safer." Yolanthe agreed. The cuts Draylin Tal had inflicted on her throbbed in sympthy
Karen could not say that she liked the Romulan Ambassador, but she did know her reputation as a lawyer, and trusted that if her word was given it would be kept. "You'll have no more freedom than you would if you remained in the brig," Karen explained. "I want to be sure that you understand that this is not a release, and that if this case is brought against you you will be required to stand trial."
"I understand." Yolanthe looked down at her grey hands for a moment. "when will I know, if I'm to stand trial?"
Karen pursed her lips before she spoke. "Its an ongoing investigation. You are the main suspect. It could be days, it could be weeks. It really depends on the evidence that is brought against you - if that falls apart your release would be equally swift."
The bokkai's light grey hue darkened another couple of shades. Whilst t'Khellian had said it was obvious she didn't do it, the evidence the security officers had shown her seemed quite conclusive, even if it was fake. "I understand," she said again.
"Bail is set at fifty bars of gold-pressed latinum. It has been paid," Karen replied.
Yolanthe blinked. It was a considerable amount of money the Ambassador was prepared to pay. "So what now?"
Finally Karen stopped playing with the transponder. "Now you choose to stay in the brig or you choose to give yourself to the protection of the Romulan Ambassador."
Karen slid the transponder in front of the Bokkai before she withdrew her hand. "If you agree to enter her protection, pick that up. If you have doubts, don't even touch it," Karen said.
Yolanthe reached out and wrapped her smoke coloured fingers firmly around the device.
Off
Commander Karen Villiers
JAG/Executive Officer
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, the Box of Delights
by Commander Karen Villiers & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin
Post Details
| Title | Bail Hearing | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Commander Karen Villiers & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin | |
| Posted | Tue Jul 12, 2011 @ 9:32pm | |
| Location | JAG Office. Deck 56 | |
| Timeline | SD38: 15:00 |
This was perhaps the strangest situation that Karen had ever found herself in. Pleas for clemency from a doctor, bail posted by an ambassador ... What next? A confession of guilt from another party? Karen simply did not know.
Before she handed the woman over to the ambassador she wanted to be sure that the bartender understood the conditions. She was quite sure that the Romulan understood, but the Bokkai ...
"Come in," Karen said as her door chime sounded. Security bringing Ibalin to her office.
The tall woman was a pale silvery grey from head to foot, her hair the colour of storm clouds. She looked liked hammered crap to boot. Her left eye slightly puffy, three lines of pitch plack scabs running neatly from her eye lid to her cheek. "You wanted to see me, Commander?"
"You can leave us," Karen told the lingering security team. "She'll not be coming back with you."
Karen rolled the transponder between her fingertips as she cast her gaze over the bartender. It had been delivered from the Consulate, could be activated once, and was programmed only to drop the Consulate defences for a second or two and only then if the DNA was a match. They were not taking any chances.
"Sit down, Miss Ibalin," Karen said. She had her own qualms about this arrangement but it appeared to have the support of the Captain, and the Romulan Ambassador's word was inviolate. "You have some very serious allegations hanging over you," Karen observed wondering how she came by the injury - perhaps when they had been trying to decipher the 'rainbow' - she mused. "However I am aware that you have been co-operating to what extent you are able."
Yolanthe recalled t'Khellian's advice to try and remain cool when protesting her innocence. "It seemed like the wisest course to prove I didn't do it."
That was a big change from when they had last spoken, but then hours of watching the walls could wear anyone down.
"This is the Federation," Karen reminded her, "I don't know how it works on your planet, but here its up to the prosecution to prove your guilt, not the other way around."
"Its complicated." Yolanthe sighed. "But its boils down to a bit of both. A guilty soul is the the one that doesn't fight back."
"Maybe, maybe not," Karen said. "It is because you have been co-operative that you are here," she continued, "Normally, in a murder investigation I wouldn't be considering the option of bail until the authorities concluded that they had insufficient evidence ... in this case." Karen paused, "The circumstances are unusual."
The bokkai remained impassive and grey. "I've got no basis for comparison. Why Unusual?"
"An alien ambassador in good standing with the authorities on this station and in the wider Federation agrees to post bail and vouch for the character of a bartender? That doesn't strike you as unusual?"
Yolanthe was a little curious, but, "Isn't that what she's' supposed to do as my lawyer?"
"To agree to take custody of and responsibility for a suspect once bail is posted - rare, but not unprecedented, to post bail and offer her guarantee that you won't abscond. That's way beyond normal," Karen said evenly. "Have you ever double crossed a Romulan?" she asked.
The bartender shook her head. "To the best of my knowledge I've never double crossed anyone. Though I did have a disagreement with the head of security there."
"I wasn't suggesting that you had. Its something I don't advise trying, particularly not with one who places a lot of value on her reputation. What's the issue with their head of security?" Karen asked. That could cause difficulties - Karen really had no idea what t'Khellian's plans were - she had to be certain that she was not allowing the bartender into a risky situation - better keep her in the brig and refuse bail if she was.
"When I was looking for Klia, I went to the Romulan embassy - she'd had drinks with the Ambassador's neice a few nights before and it was one place I hadnt checked. T'Merek and I exchanged some heated words. I think she called me a whore, and I called her an unfeeling bitch, and mentioned something along the lines that it was no surprise her cousin wanted to date a bajorran, becuase with family like her..." Yolanthe shrugged. "That's when she hit me." Unconsciously her fingers touched her lower lid, and she winced. "The bruise had only just gone down too."
Karen folded her arms and leaned forward. "You didn't report it," she said. "Diplomatic staff, of whatever level tend to think the rules don't apply to them. They do," she said. Karen had not forgotten the debacle with the voles on the promenade, or the attitude of this woman's diplomatic 'friend'. "I have no qualms about disabusing diplomats of any level of their delusions," she said. "Anyway, why didn't you report the incident?" she asked.
"I was more interested in finding my friend. Miss Monteros stepped in and volunteered her services, and I took them. As for not reporting it, it was a personal dispute, and its hardly the first time I've been hit in the face." the bartender explained.
"Its still a crime," Karen said with a shrug. "Let me be clear about the bargain that has been made. The Romulan Ambassador will provide bail, and you will be in her custody. You will effectively no longer be on Federation soil so to speak. She has agreed to abide with the requisites of our legal process however, so it is my belief and understanding that you will be as safe there as you are in the brig."
"Probably safer." Yolanthe agreed. The cuts Draylin Tal had inflicted on her throbbed in sympthy
Karen could not say that she liked the Romulan Ambassador, but she did know her reputation as a lawyer, and trusted that if her word was given it would be kept. "You'll have no more freedom than you would if you remained in the brig," Karen explained. "I want to be sure that you understand that this is not a release, and that if this case is brought against you you will be required to stand trial."
"I understand." Yolanthe looked down at her grey hands for a moment. "when will I know, if I'm to stand trial?"
Karen pursed her lips before she spoke. "Its an ongoing investigation. You are the main suspect. It could be days, it could be weeks. It really depends on the evidence that is brought against you - if that falls apart your release would be equally swift."
The bokkai's light grey hue darkened another couple of shades. Whilst t'Khellian had said it was obvious she didn't do it, the evidence the security officers had shown her seemed quite conclusive, even if it was fake. "I understand," she said again.
"Bail is set at fifty bars of gold-pressed latinum. It has been paid," Karen replied.
Yolanthe blinked. It was a considerable amount of money the Ambassador was prepared to pay. "So what now?"
Finally Karen stopped playing with the transponder. "Now you choose to stay in the brig or you choose to give yourself to the protection of the Romulan Ambassador."
Karen slid the transponder in front of the Bokkai before she withdrew her hand. "If you agree to enter her protection, pick that up. If you have doubts, don't even touch it," Karen said.
Yolanthe reached out and wrapped her smoke coloured fingers firmly around the device.
Off
Commander Karen Villiers
JAG/Executive Officer
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, the Box of Delights