The Technician's Fight, Draft 1, CH09

Update? He tapped on his tablet, not paying attention to the Kersosterans arguing in front of the adjudicators.

He’s at a gym, talking with a pair there.

That was good. Him interacting with people on the ship would strengthen his position that Jeremy wasn’t suffering from anything, or being held against his will, which could have been brought up if, as Gralgiran had worried, his Heart decided to stay in their home, working on one of his projects.

What he and his Betas had realized, was that they lacked to much information on the Earthers to plan an effective attack. All they knew for certain was that they were willing to lower themselves to Taournian levels of duplicity to get what they were after.

They’d decided that if they couldn’t plan for an attack, anticipating theirs was the best course to take. With Jeremy not being in the assigned quarters on the station, the Earthers would accuse him of holding him against his will. The fact that, as with the previous time, they weren’t to confront the Earthers together, as per the Earther’s demands, wouldn’t matter to them. So he’d preemptively given his security beta assess to the private security room. He didn’t want to risk Jeremy going somewhere private, preventing a proper response to the Earther’s accusations.

As an added precaution against the Earther’s duplicity, he had his investigation pack hack their ship’s system so they’d get warning of their next attempt.

The Kersosterans grew silent, and the adjudicators rendered their judgment. Neither was happy. Gralgiran hoped for a better resolution for the situation the Earthers were forcing on him.

He’s exercising with the female from the pair, appeared as he was called.

That could be a problem, but one he could do nothing about. He put his tablet away and headed for the central table as the Earthers did the same. That exercising would look like Jeremy was fighting with someone on his ship to the Earthers? Hopefully, one of them was sufficiently knowledgeable with Kelsirian exercises to accept his explanation.

As the Earthers took their seat, the other Ridoshi adjudicator stood, ceding their seat to an elderly Kelsirian in adjudicator robes. More than the age of the male, the fact there was a change in adjudicator caught his attention. As far as he was aware, adjudicator boards didn’t change until the shift was over, and they all retired for new ones to take their place.

The Earthers didn’t pay attentions to it.

He tried to find Jeremy’s father among them, but all Jeremy had been able to tell him was that he had brown eyes, salt and pepper hair, was in his late fifties, and slightly overweight. All the pictures of his family were on the tablet that had remained on Einstein station.

Maybe he wasn’t even there. Jeremy was who they could expect him to be effective against.

“This adjudication is in session,” the Kersosteran adjudicator said. “The Earther government, against the Kelsirian Captain Gralgiran sel Helrarvnir. The Kelsirian Captain is representing in person. The Earther government is represented by Carl Monroe. The claim is the unjustified holding of an Earth citizen by a Kelsirian. The Earthers can make their case.”

“Thank you honored adjudicator,” the Earther representative said, standing, in Federalize so crisp Gralgiran wondered if they’d gotten one of the station mentalist to teach it to them. “I want to start by making it clear that we aren’t accusing the captain of any wrongdoing. That we believe he acted in what he felt was the best interest of someone the believed cared for him.”

“Believes cared for him?” the Kelsirian adjudicator said. “It is my understanding they are Hearts.”

“That the captain believes they are, adjudicator,” the Earther countered.

“Hearts are not a matter of belief.”

“But those involved have to be of right mind to make that claim, do they not? They both have to be sane.”

The Earther’s glance in Gralgiran’s direction was furtive, while two of the six others outright looked at him, as if expecting a reaction. Maybe they didn’t know the leadership had warned him of the charges. Maybe, based on their previous interactions with them, they were under the impression the leadership was willing to sacrifice him to avoid having part of the blame fall on to them.

“Sanity of Kelsirian Jeremy Bradshaw,” the Ridoshi adjudicator said, “established? Result of analysis of Earther caused mind torture, produced report to state of sanity prior to torture?”

Ridoshi’s fluid mindset meant they never spoke with certainty. Gralgiran did his best not to have to deal with them.

“Yes,” the Reoseph adjudicator replied. “As part of establishing the damage caused by the torture, the Viper’s Bane’s Psychologist provided her reports on the Kelsirian citizen. No indicators of insanity were found.”

“Yes,” the Earther said. “I don’t doubt that.”

“Then, what is the basis of your claim?” the Taournian adjudicator asked.

“That while Jeremy Bradshaw is sane now, he wasn’t when he initially demanded to be taken in by the Kelsirian.”

“The past is not subject to adjudication,” the Reoseph stated.

“If it has an impact on the present, it is,” the Earther said. “As per provision D-29-B-83.”

That the adjudicators had to pull out their tablets showed how deep the provision was. Reinforcing that the Earthers had an ally with better understanding of Federation procedures than even the appointed adjudicators. Maybe even one of them. His most likely candidate was the Taournian.

“Provision found,” The Ridoshi stated. “Old?”

“But never contested,” the Kelsirian adjudicator said. “The Earther representative can continue making his case.”

“Thank you, your honor.” He looked at Gralgiran. “Captain. How would you describe Jeremy’s behavior while on your chip?”

“Professional, dedicated, hard working,” he answered without hesitation.

“How about his behavior while in your presence?”

He narrowed his eyes, flexing his claws under the table.

“Your honor,” the Earther said, “may I have permission to treat the captain as a hostile witness?”

“There is no fighting in the adjudication chamber,” the Reoseph declared, taking the Earther by surprise.

“I apologize. Maybe the expression doesn’t carry over to Federalize. As the captain isn’t answering my question, I ask permission to narrow my questions so he won’t be able to avoid answering or give evading answers.”

“Captain,” the Kelsirian adjudicator said. “You will answer the Earther representative.”

“Jeremy was uncomfortable in my presence.” He knew better than to add his explanations. It would be dismissed by the adjudicators and make him look like he was trying to defend himself.

The Earther consulted his tablet. “Uncomfortable? Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say erratic? That he screamed at you to leave him alone?”

“It happened once,” he answered as the Kelsirian Adjudicator opened his mouth to order him. Jeremy had considered the doctor who treated him as a friend. It made sense he would have confided in him how he felt about Gralgiran’s presence.

“Didn’t you think that was indicative of him not wanting to be there?”

“I considered it an indication he didn’t like that I intruded into his territory.”

“I’m sorry? Is this another expression that doesn’t carry over?”

“Jeremy was my ship’s Engineer for the duration,” he replied, keeping his voice flat. “Engineering was his territory. My presence there might have been interpreted to be a lack of confidence in his ability.”

“You’re making a supposition, captain.”

“I’m telling you what my Engineer has screamed at me more than once.”

“Still,” the Earther said, sounding unsure this time, “it does show that Jeremy’s behavior didn’t have the stability he was known for. I have reports from his superior noting that Jeremy is one of the most emotionally stable person she’s had working under her. That even in life or death situation, he retains a level headedness that lets him deal with the situation rationally and solve the problem. Since demanding you take him on, has Jeremy showed that kind of level headedness?”

“Yes.”

“Representative,” the Taournian adjudicator said, “You are establishing that the Kelsirian citizen doesn’t meet the requirement for being considered insane. What are you doing?” There was a hiss under the words Gralgiran had learned to associate with Taournians being annoyed.

“I am establishing what Jeremy Bradsaw is like when sane, your honor. His erratic behavior when working on the captain’s ship doesn’t match that.”

“First time meeting other species?” the Ridoshi adjudicator said.

“For someone who can remain emotionally stable while disarming an anti-matter reactor in the process of overloading?” the Earther countered. “This establishes that Jeremy Bradshaw was not sane when he requested to be taken in by the captain.”

“I find it convenient,” the Kersosteran adjudicator said, “this claim of insanity is passing, lasting only the duration of the incident you disagree with.”

“Captain, was Jeremy Bradsaw checked out by your medical staff after joining your ship?”

“Yes.”

“Was he treated for anything?”

“I don’t know.”

“I provided documentation from Jeremy Bradshaw’s doctors, going back to when he was first diagnosed, that he is afflicted with Encephalo-thrometapil-darminal. That is a medical condition we, Earthers, don’t have a cure for. The best we can provide those suffering from it is ongoing treatment to keep the symptoms under control. As you can read, one of effect of not treating it, is a deterioration of the cognitive faculties. We discovered, after the fact, that Jeremy stopped taking his medication a few days before the captain arrived at the station requesting assistance. It is entirely possible that Kelsirian medicine has a cure for the condition, and that they administered it without realizing what they were curing since they didn’t have the complete medical information on his species.”

“I’m not a medic,” Gralgiran answered when the Earther looked at him.

He nodded as if that was the answer he’d wanted.

“We can’t go back and test Jeremy’s state of mind during the incident,” the Earther said. “And it has most likely been cured now, so all we have left is his behavior during that time frame. A behavior that has been documented by his friends, his superiors, and the station’s commanding officer. All of which indicate that there was something not entirely right with how Jeremy Bradshaw behaved in the days leading to him demanding to be taken in by the captain.”

“If Kelsirian citizen Jeremy Bradshaw now sane,” The Reoseph adjudicator said, “he can make claim now and be valid.”

“That isn’t acceptable,” the Earther said. “He’s been exposed to Kelsirian culture for more than a year now. Even without meaning to, they can have polluted his mind with beliefs and behaviors that no human would even consider engaging in. In fact, when he presents himself before this board, I plan on showing that—”

The Earther to his left drew his attention to the tablet in his hands.

“Where’s Jeremy Bradshaw?” the representative asked.

“On my ship,” Gralgiran replied before one of the adjudicators could ask why the representative knew Jeremy wasn’t in the provided quarters.

“Federation protocols require that the people to come before the board be housed on the station where the adjudication takes place.”

“Captain,” the Kelsirian adjudicator said. “Why are you breaking protocol?”

“The last time Jeremy came to this station while an Earther ship was docked, he was kidnapped and tortured. I considered it prudent not to allow this to happen again.”

“That isn’t how this goes,” The Earther snapped. “If he isn’t going to respect the protocols, he’s forfeiting the case.”

“Earther Representative be calm? Precedent for safety measures exist?”

“Yes,” the Kersosteran representative said. “Concessions can be made when there is concern for the safety of one of the party, but I don’t think this warrants it.”

“My government gave me authority to keep Jeremy safe,” Gralgiran said. “Feel free to check with them.”

The adjudicators looked at each other.

“That doesn’t matter,” The Earther said. “It doesn’t matter who gave him permission. For all I know, they have him locked in a room, training him for the answers he’d going to give.”

“Why would the captain need to do such a thing, if the Kelsirian Jeremy Bradshaw is sane, as you claim?” The Taournian adjudicator asked.

“Why should I know how he thinks? How about he brings Jeremy here right now so we can judge for ourselves?”

“No, but I can show you he’s fine.”

“We can’t trust video feeds. You made that claim, captain.”

“I can’t trust recordings of events,” he replied.

“But the Earther representative makes a point in that you can show us what you want us to see.” The Kersosteran adjudicator said.

“Captain,” The Kelsirian adjudicator said. “You will hand over control of your ship’s surveillance to this board for the duration needed to establish that Technician Jeremy Bradshaw is not being held against his will in any capacity.”

He activated the comm. “Beta Batrix sel Gezbil,”

“Captain, I don’t—”

“You are to transfer control to the adjudication board.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Beta,” The Kelsirian adjudicator said, cutting into what should have been a private link. “This is Adjudicator Baristarimal Forterioa Grimar, you will hand over control to this board, or you, your captain, and his ship will face serious repercussion, am I being understood?”

“Yes adjudicator. Transferring control over, now.”

The view that appeared in the center of the chamber was that of one of the exercising rooms, by the large mat covering most of the floor. On the opposite end of the camera, two forms were on the mat. Jeremy, by the lack of fur, and a someone under him.

“What are they doing to him?” the Earther demanded.

“Exercising,” Gralgiran replied, as the view shifted closer and he realized he was wrong. A detail he’d missed previously was how much skin was exposed. All of it. Jeremy was naked. With someone’s legs over his shoulder and thrusting hard.

“Oh,” the Kelsirian adjudicator said, surprised.

“What the fuck?” one of the Earther said.

The color pattern of the fur was quite familiar to him, and he smiled.

The angle changed, showing that Toom was also naked, and with how matter the fur on his stomach was, he was enjoying this as much as Gralgiran did.

When he’d told Jeremy he’d have to corner Toom to resolve this, he hadn’t expected thing to go in this direction.

The image vanished as Toom’s arms reached around Jeremy’s neck.

“Oh,” The adjudicator said, breathless, “that is just too much.”

“Yes! Finally, one of you admits that is wrong!” The triumph in the Earther’s voice surprised Gralgiran.

“Wrong?” the Taournian asked.

“You heard him.” He pointed to the Kelsirian adjudicator, who looked like he’d run too much for his age.

The male chuckled. “You misunderstand my reaction. At my age, that is excitement I need to build up to slowly. That was…” he smiled. “Quite a shock.”

“No, that was wrong. We don’t do that. They’re forcing that on him.”

“Nothing I saw indicated the other was forcing this,” The Taournian adjudicator said. “The position seemed to indicate that the Kelsirian Jeremy Bradshaw is in control of the sex happening.”

“This established Kelsirian Jeremy Bradshaw willing Kelsirian?” the Ridoshi adjudicator said.

“I believe it does,” The Kersosteran adjudicator said.

“No! This isn’t over. I demand to talk to Jeremy Bradshaw!”

“You will have your chance, representative,” the Taournian adjudicator said. “But this was about establishing if the Kelsirian Jeremy Bradshaw wanted to be Kelsirian. The actions show he does.”

“Not they don’t! They’ve brainwashed him into thinking that’s right. Have him bring Jeremy here, and I’ll prove it to you.”

“Kelsirian Jeremy Bradshaw will present himself when requested by board,” the Reoseph adjudicator stated. They looked at the others. “Will determine time and contact parties. You can go.”

Gralgiran fought not to run. Both because it would be inappropriate, and because he wanted to give Jeremy and Toom time to enjoy each other.

Outline section 

The ship and prisoner exchange went over smoothly, and by the time the ship reached the federation station, Gral was fairly certain he had an airtight case against whatever angle the humans might try to argue from. And a few wild cards, just to put them on the defense if necessary.

Docking at the station, Gral meets the federation representatives at the airlock. He informs them at this time Jeremy will be waiting until his own hearing before boarding the station. The federation delegates understand. The human prosecution...

###

...isn’t pulling any punches on being outraged about everything. From Jeremy staying on the Viper’s Bane rather than the station for the court proceedings, to the evidence against there being no such thing as a sickness being an attack in support of a human cultural pandemic. And the way their witness of Jeremy’s father presented the discovery of the sickness in Jeremy... they are turning this case into not just an attack against Jeremy but a defence for all the horrible things they do to their own people to fight this sickness.

Eventually Gral decides it’s time to play a wildcard. He’ll call in a court approved technician he arranged to be here during the travel time to the station. He’ll then have him remote access the Viper’s Bane internal camera system so the court can look, in real time, at kelsirian citizen the humans are claiming wasn’t mentally fit to declare his citizenship.

There will be objections from the human prosecution as the tech does his work, citing a lot of claims about video evidence Gral used against the humans in the last case. Gral, though, states that this isn’t evidence he or his crew is providing. It’s being done by a court approved lab technician; are the humans claiming he his loyalties to the court above all else or his credentials to spot forgeries are in question?

During this back and forth, the technician will find Jeremy... but will be hesitant to show it in court. The representative judges are insistent... and we end the scene before actually showing what was going on in order to preserve the rating.

Addition 

Details to include. Keeping cameras on Jeremy is now actually part of the plan since, with him not being on the station. They know the Earthers are going to claim they’re holding him against his will.

Gral had a narrow bandwidth comm, which is technically against the station’s rules, but he needs to be kept appraised of what Jeremy is up to for when the Earthers make their demands.

and I realized I forgot to address what happens to the pirates that were prisoners.

otherwise, the chapter went mostly as expected