by Jeri Dion
Marc slowly shook Tayce from her crooked neck sleep, resting on his shoulder. She slowly sat up coming awake, at first feeling refreshed, but that she soon changed to disgust, that they had spent the entire night hourons in their uncomfortable surroundings, namely the ‘Waiting Room’. She stretched.
“What time is it?” asked Tayce to Marc.
“Hold on I’ll check,” he said checking the Wristlink time display on his wrist.
It read 08:37 and he turned to inform her as much. He began thinking how hungry he was. They all had to get something to eat before the trial, he thought, this was disgusting. They had been treated no better than if they were criminals themselves. Suddenly the doors opened to the waiting room in walked the young officer from yesteron. To everyone’s surprise Tayce jumped to her feet.
“I demand to know why you have kept us locked in here all night, I could have returned to my cruiser until we were needed todayon?” asked Tayce angry.
“My apologies Colonel, you should have been allowed to return to your cruiser, I’m here to suggest you go for some refreshment and a freshen up and to report to the hearing at 09:15 at the main entrance, to Court Centre 2,” announced the young officer feeling somewhat sorry for the way everyone present had been treated.
“I’m Lydia Traun young man and the way we have been treated here, this will not be the last you’ve heard over your conduct towards us,” said Lydia as she walked passed him.
Marc knew what Lydia said, went. She was the kind of woman to carry out her words in a situation that displeased her greatly. He threw an unamused look also at the young officer that said it all, as he walked passed following the others out.
09:15 hourons the Court Centre where Tom’s case was to be held. Inside there could be heard the noise of spectators noisily taking up their seats, to get a good look at the criminal, namely Tom, jury members and law enforcing officers were all preparing for the trial of murder, the first case that mornet. A case that was totally untrue in the Amalthean teams eyes. The doors opened and the Amalthean team entered the Court Centre, immediately finding themselves under the interested eye of the spectators. Tayce felt she was a germ under a microscope. The young officer that earlier had suggested they should go and have something to eat and freshen up returned, crossing over to them briskly. He soon paused, then turned beckoning for them to follow him. Which the team did, walking across to some white spiral steps. As Tayce began up the steps, so she looked over to the Viewing Area and thought to herself, considering Tom was innocent there certainly were a lot of people present, especially legal people, this did not look good for him. Her sight came round to the lonesome figure of Tom, now standing staring straight ahead to the Court Centre wall. She could see he was very uneasy, in the way he stood, he had every right to be. She certainly wouldn’t want to stand where he was. He eventually glanced about at the many people and law enforcing personnel. Tayce hoped he would look her way. As if he read her thoughts, he looked up to her in the now Viewing Area. She smiled a small reassuring smile. He didn’t change his solemn expression of nervous anticipation, he looked back in front of him, thinking back to the moment in hand. The Judge entered the Court Centre in all his regalia. He was a plump pompous looking man who looked like he had seen his fair share of cases over the yearons pass before him. He was dressed in white long robe with an orange and yellow stripe running down the right hand side. He walked along up three steps and came to his seat, up in front of Tom. Sitting down he summoned Tom up and down for a moment in thought of whether he could be considered a guilty man or not. Tayce thought to herself that his hair colouring was somewhat strange, a yellowish blonde, with a streak of grey running from back to front, on his right hand side. She guessed it must be something that was in his ancestral blood line. Suddenly from below the trial started.
“Stand in appreciation for our Judge Marchoyns, who is in residence, to hear the murder trial of Tom Barry Stavard,” announced a law officer in a loud voice, that silenced the Court.
Everyone present stood to their feet in respect of the said named Judge, to mark his grand presence. Tayce watched an officer hand over what would be her sound evidence to Tom’s Lawyer. The Judge looked at what was happening, then nodded to Tom’s Lawyer. He then began the trial which would take an estimated time of roughly an houron and a half and take into consideration both lots of evidence, from Tom’s home planet, and Tayce and Midge.
“You are Tom Barry Stavard, is this correct?” demanded the Judge looking down on Tom coldly.
“Yes sir, that’s correct,” replied Tom nervously his hand rested on the lit palm sized pad before him.
From somewhere in the Court of spectators someone yelled out “Murderer”. The Judge looked up and quite firmly announced the next outcry from any spectator, would be pin pointed and be severely dealt with. He continued on, when silence had been restored.
“You are here todayon Mr Stavard, under trial for the murder of Alenea Stavard, on 24th Januan (January) 2417, how do you plead?” asked the Judge sternly.
“Not guilty sir, it was an accident,” replied Tom seriously and sincerely.
The Judge allowed his staff, to continue. Tom’s Lawyer stood to his feet, looking down at the evidence, and his questions on the Porto Compute putting together the first questions he was going to put to Tom. Then he began.
“Place your hand permanently on the panel before you Mr Stavard during this session, do not move your hand at any time during the following questions, I am about to put to you,” he ordered.
Tom did as requested he didn’t want to put a foot wrong in case it incriminated him further. His Lawyer began walking about the small area, before him holding the Porto Compute. He was an average looking man. A smartly dressed official, in all he stood for, in Law and rules in his position. There was no friendliness about him and it didn’t look like he was the kind of man to crack a joke to often.
“Mr Stavard your Colonel of the cruiser you serve on has given me evidence here to substantiate the fact your wife’s injuries were somewhat horrific, but I want you to tell me in your own words how it happened,” he prompted paying full attention to what Tom was about to say.
Tom began explaining to the Lawyer before him, exactly what he’d told Tayce, back aboard Amalthea which he knew to be the utter truth. From the Viewing Area Tayce was hearing everything once more via a loud speaker from the Court Centre below. She sat feeling sorry for Tom, having to relieve the moments of his wife’s death once more. Marc watched and figured he was glad he wasn’t in Tom’s shoes, being questioned on something that was so close to the bone and painful. Back down in the Court Centre the Lawyer asked Tom had his wife been strapped into her seat during the supposed onslaught of unsuspecting attack? Tom explained Alenea had been on her feet studying the meteorite samples collected earlier running constant checks via the computer scanner. As the questioning went on, so Tom found himself fighting back the tears of strong emotion, when he thought of his pretty wife and her horrific injuries of blood stained and gashed delicate skin. He wished he was somewhere else. The lawyer could see that Tom wanted a few minons to compose himself so looked down at his Porto Compute Screen, looking for the next point he wanted to question him on.
“Did you personally carry out the medical diagnostic on Alenea that made you come to the conclusion she had died immediately from her injuries?” put the lawyer.
Tom looked about the Court Centre at the spectators, the jury and their computer placed slim screens in front of them and flat keypads. He could see they were giving him scrutinizing attention. He could also see as he continued giving his account that what had seemed like a straight forward case in their eyes, was turning into something more sincere and truthful. They were beginning to see him in a whole different light. Once through Tom’s lawyer turned.
“Call Colonel Traun of Amalthea One to the stand,” he announced loudly.
Tayce was somewhat surprised, she had no idea she would be called this early, even though she said she would give evidence of her findings if she had to. She thought her sound evidence would have been sufficient just handing it over they were certainly giving Tom a hard time in her estimation. She stood to her feet quite prepared to speak. She was escorted by the young Court Officer that had shown her and the others of her team up to the seating area earlier down. He walked ahead going to the area where she would have to stand and speak on Tom’s behalf. She felt she was under scrutiny rather like a microbe under a microscope, as she walked from the spectators. She stepped up onto the platform that was identical to Tom’s.
“Colonel Traun, you say in your report that Alenea Stavard was dead when you found Mr Stavards craft, can you elaborate on this?” began the same lawyer that had questioned Tom.
“I was about to start my daily duty, my cruisers computer and myself always checked the Universe before we continued travelling on, hence when we looked, on the horizon there was Mr Stavards craft we went about undertaking a rescue, pirates were pretty much rampant in the current sector that we were passing through, so we had to proceed with caution, once decontamination was done and I could board the craft, I ventured in and found Mrs Stavard bloodstained and in the most horrific condition, I have ever seen, no one could have inflicted the injuries she sustained, I would say it was from impact, her face was badly disfigured and there was a blood stain to her uniform in the chest region,” said Tayce in the true tone of Colonel.
“What did you do then?” prompted the lawyer as the Judge gave his full attention.
“I took a Counter Medical Disc, it’s a device that gives a clear reading of patients condition, I placed it on Mrs Stavards wrist and waited, the reading soon came back as ‘Deceased’,” said Tayce seriously.
“Your report states she died from her injuries of impact from the way in which she’d impounded with the control panel At force?” he prompted studying Tayce in a summoning way.
“Yes definitely, when I glanced towards the control panel, there was blood on the silver leaver and controls,” replied Tayce.
“Tell me Colonel how long would you say Alenea was dead for, before you rescued Mr Stavard here?” he continued.
“On a true guess, roughly two hourons, her injuries would state as much, I would have been surprised if she had survived,” expressed Tayce.
“That will be all thank you Colonel you may step down, thank you for your informative time,” he announced with a slight thankful smile.
Tayce on the way back to the seating area asked the young Court Officer to be excused, she did not want to be present during the cross examination and she needed some air, even if it was recycled. The young officer nodded in agreement. Tayce slipped out the opening doors to the side of the Court glancing back at Tom hoping all would go well. Once outside she felt the rush of refreshing air, even if it wasn’t truly fresh it felt good on her delicate skin, she crossed to the silver and glassene balcony and leaned on it relaxingly taking in view over the whole of the Intergalactic Criminal Court Colony. She stood trying to shake the thought of the way in which the lawyer had made her feel no better than Tom, from her mind. A young sandy blonde haired girl approached Tayce cautiously.
“Um excuse me, are you Colonel Traun, Colonel Tayce Traun of the Amalthea One?” she asked politely but nervously.
“Yes I’m Tayce Traun, Colonel of Amalthea One, you are?” asked Tayce plainly turning to face the young student in her late teens, leisurely dressed.
“Treketa Stavard… I’m Tom’s sister, hello!” replied Treketa introducing herself full of gush like any young female student of her age.
“Hello, it’s good to meet you, Tom talks about you with pride, but what are you doing here, are you here to give evidence for Tom in some way?” asked Tayce awkwardly, she found this young woman a little to full on for her.
Tayce had always been brought up for a life of command, and she found Treketa in a class that she hadn’t encountered before, she was different to her friends on Traun and felt uncomfortable to say the least, sure enough she probably was a really nice girl, but just a bit extrovert and she took a bit of understanding, as she was so light and airy with her approach to everything.
“No not really and he won’t be happy to know that I’ve been kicked out of College Colony, oh don’t get me wrong Colonel, I didn’t do anything wrong, it was Tom that I got kicked out over,” explained Treketa she suddenly saw the prejudge mental way in which Tayce was looking at her, spelling trouble with a capital ‘T’ in that she was the kind of girl to just flit from post to post without a thought. Treketa was the typical leggy sandy blonde, with blue innocent eyes and gentle clear, model like features that conveyed her student like prowess. She wore leisure type trousers, a top that showed her midriff and her blonde hair was scraped up in a side ponytail. Her make-up was colourful to say the least. Both she and Tayce slowly began talking about the reason Treketa had been at College Colony. She was stopped by the appearance of the young Court Officer at the Court Centre entrance, beckoning Tayce to return. She suggested to Treketa that she go with her. Treketa agreed in a whole hearted way. Both women walked on across back to the trial. Tayce in the moments that she had been talking with Treketa had summoned her up and came to the conclusion that she was not a bad girl she just needed to get a little serious. She was in fact thinking of asking her to join the Amalthean Team as the next new member it may calm her down a little. It turned out what age Tayce thought Treketa was seventeen, was wrong. Treketa laughed upon Tayce saying how old she was and explained she was in fact twenty-four yearons old. Inside the Court the trial was coming to a conclusive end. The Judge was about to give his verdict. Tayce and Treketa stood just inside the entrance. Tayce put her hands behind her back and crossed her fingers in hope that what had been proven, would make Tom the innocent victim and he would be able to walk free and back to the team and Amalthea. The Judge began.
“Tom Barry Stavard, we have gathered all the evidence and heard your account of the untimely death of Alenea Stavard to support that you were not responsible, that it was purely an unfortunate accident as serious as her injuries were, I have come to the conclusion that you are an innocent man, I have decided that no more action needs be taken into account, it is my estimation, that whoever brought this charge against you, made you an unfortunate victim, it is quite clear you have had to endure unfairly this court time unnecessarily I therefore have no sentence to pass and declare you a free man,” he announced.
During the final words of the Judge, the whole of the Court Centre had fallen into a gripped anticipated silence. Nothing could be heard, it was what old Earth One people would say “You could here a Pin drop” The Judge stood, turned and began down towards Tom. A smile of great relief crossed both Tayce and Treketas faces knowing that Tom had been proven innocent. Tayce ran across to him and he opened his arms to her. The spectators walked from the court, all avoiding eye contact with Tom, knowing they had been proven wrong, whatever they first thought. The Amalthean members came down from the view area and all met in the middle of the now near empty court. Judge Marchoyn made his way towards Tom. He came to a pause.
“Hello, so your the new crime fighting team that I’m hearing good rumours about?” he said in casual tone.
“Yes your honour, this is Marc Dayatso, Councillor Lydia Traun my Medical Officer Donaldo Tysonne and Tom Stavard you already know and our latest hoped recruit, Treketa Stavard,” introduced Tayce seeing the surprised and excited look on Treketas face.
“It’s good to meet such a team, I wish you luck with your endeavours Colonel, this Universe could do with a team such as yours, it’s a pity there can’t be more,” he replied seriously in thought.
“Thank you for seeing that Tom was innocent,” said Tayce sincerely.
“Not at all, well better go I’ve another case in anothe
r of our courts here, good bye all of you,” he said heading off.
Tayce watched the Judge go, he was an impressive man she thought. Treketa hugged Tom like a sister would hug her brother, in not seeing him for a long time. She told him that she was back for good. Tom looked at her and discretely informed her she could explain later what she meant. With that he suggested they get off their present surroundings before they were arrested for loitering in a criminal court! Everyone turned and began walking on out of the Court Centre. Upon reaching the doorway Tom turned taking one last look back to where he had stood earlier to prove his innocence, realising things could have been a lot more different if Tayce hadn’t been there to support him. He hoped he would never have to set foot in somewhere like it again! He slipped an arm around Treketa and they headed on back to the Amalthea One. Lydia walked with Tayce discretely informing her, that it looked like she had been proven wrong over her thoughts on Tom’s innocence and she was really sorry for doubting her.
A while later as the team were about to walk up the walkway and head aboard the cruiser there came a male call for Tayce to wait up. She stopped. A good looking young man with dark brown short layered hair and resembling a younger version of Jonathan Largon came to a pause, out of breath. Treketa looked at him in impressed admiration. The most startling thing about this young man, was his dark brown Spanish eyes, they sparkled. He was around 1.75 metres in height and of trim build, but strong in physique.
“Lance Largon what are you doing here, your not in trouble are you?” asked Tayce surprised and delighted to see him.
“No Father sent me, for a minon I thought you were going to leave me stranded here,” he said warmly glad to see her just as much.
“Mother you remember Lance, Jonathan’s son when we were children we use to cause havoc with the security procedures on Questa,” said Tayce recalling the past with a smile.
