The Trial: Zade

Posted on Wed May 17th, 2023 @ 12:10pm by Commodore Mikhail Babanin & Commodore S'vRock & Commander Firestorm to Ennien & Lieutenant Didrea Zade

Mission: Wrath of the People
Location: Starfleet Judicial Centre/USS Athena
Timeline: MD6
1466 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

"-Spasibo Comrade-Leftenant", Babanin rapidly interjected, cutting down the Lieutenant's words which may have softened the impact of the answer he was looking for. "His own Security Chief thinks he did it" Babanin dryly said with a feigned disgust, before looking across to Commodore S'vRock. "No further questions sir" he said calmly and softly, with a bow of respect.

Zade wouldn't let him talk over her this time, but he was equally persistent. Most of her response was drowned out by Babanin, but the end of her sentence came through after he finally shut up. "-to have any relevance!" A sense of helplessness washed over her, like she wasn't doing enough to help Kane, to protect him from such a verbal assault, and that molded itself into frustration.

Babanin smirked as he sat down, making a show of reorganizing the PADDs and not giving Lieutenant Zade the slightest bit of further attention as Commodore Sv'Rock called the Commander to begin her questions.



The Commodore on the bench cocked an eyebrow at the emotions that were running high in this courtroom. In all his years on the bench it was something that he never understood, the idea of emotions getting involved in something as logical as the judiciary. Nevertheless the trial must go on and this would be something to ponder at a later date. "Commander to Ennien the witness and the floor is yours."

Assuming it was his turn, Firestorm stood, casting a brief glance at his notes. "Lieutenant Zade, you are a bridge officer, are you not?"

That stupid smirk resting on Babanin's face as he ignored her further annoyed Zade, entirely because she knew it was intentional. He wanted her to know that he accomplished his goals. Briefly closing her eyes, she forced herself to take a slow breath to collect herself before responding to the Commander. "That is correct." Her voice still held tension, but it was quieter than what it was only a moment ago

"While you had bridge duty, have ever witnessed anything out of the ordinary in Captain Kane's behaviour? Violence? Lack of patience for example with junior officers? Angry outbursts that served no particular purpose?" One of his ears twitched as he brushed his whiskers in thought. "Anything like that?"

Babanin rapidly weighed up his options; he could object to that question he thought. But then again Zade might say something in the affirmative to the question. He had only the briefest of seconds before the Lieutenant answered, and ultimately settled on the probable outcome that she wasn't about to say something which painted Kane in a bad light. "Objection" he bellowed, jumping to his feet; "Leftenant Zade is unqualified to make obserwations on Keptin Kane's mental state nor the appropriateness of his interactions with his officers."

"The commodore opened the door when asking about strategic and tactical ability which also include ones state of mind," Firestorm countered, "and I asked for observation from her position as security chief, which makes her very qualified to judge."

"Commodore Brabanin the Commander is correct. You did in fact open the door to questioning of this kind. Now that the tactic is against you, you cannot simply close the door. Objection overruled. Lieutenant Zade please answer the question." It was the one thing about the judiciary that S'vRock did not like. The fact that attorneys would use a tactic and when the opposite side uses the same tactic suddenly it is no good. The failure of logic when that happened astounded the Vulcan.

Zade tensely nodded to S'vRock before turning her attention back to Firestorm. "While on bridge duty, I have not witnessed the behavior you described." Despite the new face asking questions, Zade was still on guard, making sure the questions were answered carefully. "The most I have ever seen from him is mild frustration when something complicates a mission."

"Can you give an example of such a complication, and how he would voice or act out this frustration?" Firestorm was trying to show that his client was not the ruthless man his opponent was seemingly trying to depict him as

It was simultaneously easy and difficult to not keep an eye on Babanin. On the one hand, Zade wanted to look for signs that he was going to object, but she also knew that it would further annoy her to give him the attention he was craving. It felt like no matter what she did, she was playing right into his hands and she hated it. "During our last mission, we were tasked to provide rescue and tactical response to the USS Avalon." Zade was careful to only provide the background necessary to answer Firestorm's question, "we were performing a standard sensor sweep to locate the vessel, and Captain Kane gave the order to alter course to investigate a positive match. When we got closer, something started interfering with sensors, and we... discovered that the match was a false positive." The use of the word 'discover' wasn't the best way to describe it, since the decoy had literally exploded right in front of them. "The presence of decoys complicated the nature of our mission. The Captain's tone momentarily raised when I reported that what sensors had picked up was a decoy. He then spoke with what I would describe as contained frustration while operations and I provided more insight to the situation. When I was not looking at my station, I did not see any physical displays of his emotions."

"Have you ever heard him mention any instance where he might be planning to murder someone? Directly, or indirectly in your capacity as security chief?"

Zade didn't have to think on that question. "I have not."

"Would he even have had time to orchestrate it? Surely an assassination of this magnitude requires a great deal of planning? And was he not requested to speak at the last minute?"

"Objection" Babanin calmly said, rising to his full height and looking straight at Commander to Ennien, without giving the slightest acknowledgement of Lieutenant Zade. "The witness cannot answer multiple pointless questions concurrently, and in any case, Leftenant Zade would not have insight in Keptin Kane's personal time. Unless, of course.." he granted her the briefest eye contact in a fleeting dart of a look, "...there is an inappropriate relationship which would give her insight into how or with whom the Keptin spends his personal time...". He remained standing, hoping to have riled the Lieutenant again; at the very least logically S'vRock would have to conclude that Zade couldn't possibly have a clue about Kane's off duty hours, lest he consider the notion of Zade and Kane, and the unreliability for the defense that would precipitate.

Even if Babanin hadn't spoken up, Zade would have mentioned that what Kane does in his free time would be outside of her purview. She didn't monitor the Captain's every move, and she currently had no reason to. At the mention of a possible relationship, the Trill's eyes narrowed as she tried to not give Babanin the satisfaction of a response, instead looking at the Vulcan judge for his call.

"Objection sustained. The Commodore is correct. Commander to Ennien please change tact." S'vRock agreed with everything that Babanin had said. There was a part of the stoic Vulcan that hoped that the Captain did not have some sort of inappropriate relationship. If that came out to be true it would not bode well for the Captain.

"Lieutenant, do you have the ability to track and trace the Captain's whereabouts? And as security chief, should you not know where the captain is at all times, in case of emergency?" Firestorm tried again.

"I do have such an ability," Zade answered, feeling herself start to slowly let go of her tension. Or perhaps she just wasn't clenching her fists as tightly. "It is within the scope of my duties to know of the captain's whereabouts, for various reasons."

"Has he been anywhere that could be even remotely suggested as planning a murder?" Firestorm flicked his ears back as he looked at the Trill, expecting a negative answer at the very least.

Zade paused for a brief moment before answering. It would be easy to say no, but wasn't the question rather subjective? Literally any location could count as a sufficient place to plan a murder, even places the Trill wouldn't immediately consider as questionable areas. Was she overthinking it? Deciding to approach the question by gauging if her recollection of Kane's whereabouts raised any ounce of suspicion, she finally said, "no, sir."

"Thank you lieutenant," the feline said, then turned towards the judge. "No further questions your honour."

S'vRock nodded at the Commander's comment. "Very well Commander to Ennien. Lieutneant Zade you may step down. Next witness please."