Titan's Plague: The Trial by Tom Briggs (story reading .txt) 📕

The courtroom looked the same, and Pati took her usual seat. Nancy had joked that they might as well put Pati’s name on the defendant’s chair, but that was after the second JJ ruling when it looked like walking free was a given.

Today, Pati worried but was not scared. Nancy said the worst case should be no more than living on Titan a few more years, although that was bad because she had to wear a disguise just to get to the courtroom without being abused for being the “alien-lady,” as the teenagers labeled her. Regardless, it would probably blow over after a few months, and she could live a normal life until she could leave. Better would be to walk out of here today, and on the first cruise ship back to Earth.

She no longer worried about being sent back in the repatriation program. Following her attack on Harry Meldrom, Nancy took her on a tour of the ships built for just such a trip. This included the hallway connected to this courtroom, each dock door leading to the ships, and they even entered one of the ships. Pati took notes during the tour, and despite Nancy’s confidence, she decided then to have a Plan B.

Pati wore a business casual suit. Tan slacks with a blue blouse that fit loosely at the wrists. Nancy wanted her to wear the black business suit. Pati had other ideas. She needed to be ready to deal with anything that could happen.

Nancy sat next to her in the courtroom, going through notes on her tablet. She’d committed the final statements to a document ready for upload to the JJ. She also would say a few words to support the document, an act expected to gain another point or two in Pati’s favor. Pati thought she was making the statement more to antagonize Jack Reagan, which was fine by her.

Pati looked over at him. He also was busy reviewing documents on his tablet, and the minion who taunted her into pummeling him sat at the other chair. There was still about five minutes before noon when the trial started, so whatever he had up his sleeve, it better be good because Jack Reagan had played all his cards. When this was all over, hopefully, he’d have his position reviewed and knocked down a few notches for dragging this trial out. If that was unrealistic, she’d settle for a pissed-off look because she was walking out a free person.

Pati scanned the courtroom; it was a little more crowded than in the previous hearings. Bruno’s family was here again, and his mom still looked like she wanted blood. Pati wondered how she’d feel if someone had killed her child, whether the circumstances were warranted or not. Maybe being a mother meant you had to check part of your discretion at the door when it came to your kids. A thought that made her think of her own mother, and how much better life would be when she could be with her.

She decided reminiscing about family would have to wait till after the trial. Pati continued to scan the courtroom and noted there were a few reporters, none being Connie Pearson. That was good because after how the people of Karakorum taunted her, Pati might not be able to control herself. Connie had all but given her word the story would not come out until after the trial, and she couldn’t even wait a few hours before broadcasting. Pati reviewed the crowd once more, making sure Connie wasn’t sitting in a regular seat outside of the press box. While scanning, she saw the courtroom door open, and he walked in.

Kerry McLear, maybe the most powerful man in the solar system, if not the wealthiest, walked through the door with his bodyguard and assistant. Pati knew them all from her marriage to Richard, and despite that fact of relation, Kerry never looked in her direction.

She remembered his resemblance to Richard, the same brownish hair with some gray in it, although Kerry wasn’t balding like Richard was. He was taller too, easily over two meters. Pati knew he spent most of his time on Picus managing the factories, which would normally make him unable to live in even the one-sixth gravity of Titan. She also knew that he had a private gravity-treatment facility to keep him in shape for his visits to Earth. He had it all physically, both the size and bone density. Nobody would kill him with one punch.

Jack Reagan turned when he heard the gasps from the crowd. He immediately stood and turned toward Kerry. “Mr. McLear, we didn’t expect your presence.”

Kerry led his two-man entourage to a trio of unoccupied seats near the front. “No, I didn’t forward a notification, Mr. Reagan. I’m simply here as a private citizen to observe our justice system,” Kerry said. The seat he took was two rows behind Jack Reagan and had empty seats on both sides for his bodyguard and assistant. They took the seats, the bodyguard scanning the room, and the assistant working on a tablet. Kerry just sat there as if waiting for a stage play or movie to begin.

“Thank you for your participation, Mr. McLear,” Jack Reagan said. Pati suspected he was kissing up to Kerry. Kerry was not officially part of the legal system in the Saturnian system. However, his family could influence how tax revenues were spent. Should today’s event not go according to Kerry’s desires, Jack Reagan could be out of a job.

It didn’t make sense, though. Why would he be here, when there would be millions of other tasks vying for his attention? He did not attempt to influence the settlement negotiations for killing his brother, why now? Even if he could influence the proceedings by his attendance, Jack Reagan no longer could do much to affect the outcome. The JJ would render the score based on the previous data uploaded, and Nancy’s final statement. Also, Kerry could have sent a minion to influence the trial before now, so why waste his valuable time, which could literally be measured in gold.

“It’s now 12 p.m., and I call the proceedings to order,” Jack Reagan said. “Counselor,” he said to Nancy.

“Thank you,” she said. She stood up from her chair and proceeded to the podium in front of the JJ screen. For the next five minutes, she uploaded her final statement into the JJ. When she finished, she stood at the podium and took a breath.

“The final data for my client’s defense has been uploaded. Before we have the computers render a final decision, I would like to say a few words.”

There were a few murmurs from the crowd behind Pati. Bruno’s family probably wasn’t happy, and maybe a few others who were eager to see the results. They’d have to suck it up since it wasn’t their necks on the line.

“This trial has gone too far,” she began. “As a public defendant, I have to ensure people accused of crimes are not wrongly convicted because they do not have the resources to defend themselves against the state, who regularly, is trying to incarcerate people. In this trial, we see the state prolonging the inevitable on the basis that the accusation is so extreme that every opportunity for them to collect evidence must be granted. That they have, through the use of questionable tactics, extended the trial to this date makes it a matter of questionable ethics. Because, in this extended timeframe, the state has not yet provided a single scrap of evidence to disprove any of my client’s statements of fact. Therefore, the prosecutors acting for the state should consider themselves unethical.”

Pati looked at Jack Reagan and his minion. Jack looked upset, and the minion was turning red. Was Nancy trying to goad them into doing something stupid? If so, Pati certainly approved.

“We, the people of Titan, utilize the electronic means of judgment because of the inability to find an unbiased jury of peers in a civilization with such a small population. When used properly, it has been a significant resource saver as well. However, in such situations as we find ourselves today, unscrupulous attorneys can try to manipulate the system to get results that benefit them personally, and justice be damned.”

Pati didn’t look at the prosecutors this time, which was probably good because she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face, and that might be pushing it.

“However, what’s done is done. The actions of the state can be addressed, and fortunately will not affect the outcome of this trial. The Defense will now rest,” Nancy said. She walked from behind the podium and back to her seat.

Pati now took a quick look at Jack Reagan and his minion, and they still looked upset. She turned back to Nancy after she sat back down. “Now what?”

“Did you like my backhanded attack on Jack Reagan?” Nancy asked with a smile.

“It was brilliant; they didn’t jump over the table and attack you, though.”

“I couldn’t expect that much. I just wanted to get it on the record that their behavior in this trial needs to be looked at. Having Kerry McLear here only helps.”

“Is that why he’s here?”

“I don’t have a clue why he’s here. You were related to him. Why do you think he’s here?”

“I’ve been beating my brain since he walked in and I still can’t come up with a good