The Trial: The man in the big chair

Posted on Sat Sep 23rd, 2023 @ 1:44pm by Commodore Jacob Kane & Commodore S'vRock & Commander Firestorm to Ennien & Commodore Mikhail Babanin

Mission: Wrath of the People
Location: Starfleet Judicial Centre.
Timeline: MD7: 0900
2219 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

"Where the hell is he...?" Babanin urged Lieutenant Dodd, the junior-most aide he had brought with him. Commander Cameron had finished yesterday evening, presumably gone home, and yet there was no trace of him this morning. On top of that, the most intriguing witness of all - Lieutenant Commander Keating - had somehow escaped custody and was on the run. Given that Colonel Keating had also gone on a conveniently timed vacation, the Russian Commodore seriously suspected that father had aided daughter. This was all a mess. One big mess. Surely this one man wasn't worth it? What the hell was going on? Why all the chaos and seeming conspiracy which surrounded Jacob Kane?

Dodd shook her head tightly, she too apparently had no idea where Cameron was. "Sir" she quipped, tapping Babanin's boot beneath the desk as Commodore S'vRock entered the bench and everyone rose.

The tall feline stood though he took a moment to quietly address his client. "Remember, answer as precisely and concisely as possible. Don't let him goad you and for the love of whatever deity you adhere to, keep calm,* he hissed in a hushed voice.

"I can do that," he answered firmly. He would have been more confident had Keating not destroyed his defense with a single statement. As it was, things were entirely different now. Perhaps Babanin would press the advantage, perhaps not. But this was no different to anything they'd already trained him to to; to win.

S'vRock stood in front of his chair for a moment and surveyed those in the courtroom. It had all come to this moment, the moment the Captain would take the stand. "Be seated... Bailiffs please escort Captain Kane to the stand verify."

One of the Bailiffs came forward and escorted the Captain to the stand. "Please place your right hand on the scanner and state your name, rank, and assignment for the record."

Kane smartly stretched out his hand. "Kane, Jacob. Captain. Commanding officer of the USS Athena."

The bailiff looked and the scanner and nodded then spoke to the Commodore on the bench. "Identity verified your honor." "Thank you Lieutenant. Commodore Babanin you may proceed." S'vrock folded his hands on his desk as he spoke.

Babanin approached the man on the stand. He didn't exactly know the man well, and he surmised he could very well be wrong, but it looked like Kane was something akin to a plasma conduit ready to rupture. Maybe he always looked like a miserable, ill tempered bastard though, Babanin wondered. Certainly their meeting in detention was only brief, but perhaps if he could poke Kane enough to snap...then again, he was by all accounts such a lunkhead that it probably wouldn't be all too hard to talk into self-incriminating circumstances. "Keptin Jacob Kane..." he began. "Shall we simply adwance to why you set the bomb...?".

"Objection!" Firestorm bristled, lashing his long tail. "Counsel is jumping to conclusions."

Babanin raised a hand toward S'vRock and softly spoke; "My apologies Comrade-Commodore...I shall rephrase". Clearing his throat, he turned back to Kane. "Keptin...how might an outsider perceive you has having a motivation to set the bomb?".

"You're asking me to speculate on outside factors and opinions?" Kane glanced at the Admiral, wondering if this would cause further ire, but continued anyway. "I didn't set a bomb. I had no motivation to set a bomb. And I don't know why someone would make the assumption that I would."

"Ah, let us examine these things turn Comrade-Keptin uh?" the prosecutor replied, pacing as he couldn't displace the anxiety he felt about Cameron's absence, especially after his clearly agitated reaction to the Keating testimony. "You say you did not set bomb. Who did? You were given possession of constituent chemicals by Leftenant-Commander Keating; traces of those constituents are then found in your quarters....if you did not set the bomb, who did?".

"Objection! There is no evidence that Captain Kane ever was in personal possession of those chemicals. No evidence he has ever seen or touched them.," Firestorm called out.

Almost as if he had been waiting for the objection S'vRock replied without a hesitation. "Objection sustained. Commodore Babanin you are going to have to refrain from blatantly accusing the witness. That is unless you have further evidence that has not yet been introduced. Captain Kane do not answer the question."

Babanin shook his head and swore internally; "Allow me to rephrase Keptin..." he said, glaring at Kane; "Leftenant-Commander Keating states she supplied you with chemicals used to make the explosive. Now, please, if I may...sworn testimony, combined with the physical scene report confirming the same traces were found in your quarters aboard Athena...one might be forgiwen for beliewing that you set this bomb uh?". He found his place again and pushed forward. "Of course..." he held a hand up as if to silence that damn cat's brewing objection "...this is presently circumstantial ewidence..." he lowered his hand, hoping to have satisfied the defence. "So with testimony on one hand, and on the other, administrative report showing chemicals in your quarters...do you have anything to contribute to these facts...?"

"Lieutenant Commander Keating has given a testimony that is entirely fabricated. No such conversation happened. And I have no knowledge of any compounds in my quarters. They've clearly been placed there by parties unknown with the intent of casting me in the role of conspirator." Kane leaned back. "I am not responsible for these acts."

"These are quite serious allegations you are making Keptin, yet the defence Counsellor has not submitted any ewidence to support these claims..." he paced a little, as if deep in thought. "Keptin I will move on, as your protestations aren't backed by any substantiation there seems little point dwelling". Babanin moved over to the prosecutors table, and found the PADD he was looking for since Cameron wasn't there to hand it to him. "Let us focus on your second point a few moments ago...'I had no motiwation to set the bomb'...are you sure?" he paused a moment; "are you absolutely certain you had no motiwation to do this...?". He watched with anticipation, with any luck the might Jacob Kane was about to fall into his own lie.

"Objection. The captain has already stated he had no motive, his answer will not change no matter how many times it will be asked." Firestorm didn't even bother to stand.

Once again ignoring his own counsel, Kane fixed Babanin with a steel-eyed challenge. Come and get me.

"I told you I didn't. Surely the burden of proof is on you to evidence that yourself?" he fired back.

S'vRock was about to respond to the objection when Kane decided to answer the question. So, now there was no reason to rule however, the Commodore felt some things needed to be pointed out. "Points of order gentlemen. Captain Kane when an objection is made please refrain from answering until a ruling is passed on the objection. Commander to Ennien when addressing the bench you will rise. Now, Commodore Babanin either present evidence or move on with your questioning. I will not sit here and listen you ask the same thing multiple ways." S'vRock leaned forward as he spoke in an effort to emphasize his point.

"Certainly" Babanin replied. "Keptin...to illuminate the issue of motiwation...would you describe your experiences with Admiral White?".

Kane's eyes narrowed, not necessarily seeing the connection. "Admiral White was responsible for Operation Midnight, a highly classified dark project aimed at replacing key Starfleet personnel with clones. His overall aim was destabilizing Federation interests to a point where rogue Cardassian and Breen factions could capitalize. Thanks to the actions of my crew and I, that clandestine operation was stopped and broken up."

S'vRock's face remained neutral except for the one eyebrow that raised. Anyone who knew anything about Vulcan mannerisms would know that he did not know about that particular operation and was interested in all that could be said about it.

"Da I see" replied the prosecutor. "How did you feel when Admiral White went effectively unpunished by the courts? he probed.

Kane's jaw set for a moment before he formed another answer. "Frustrated." Not wanting to let Babanin use that, he followed-up with a clarification. "Admiral White betrayed Starfleet and the Federation. He should have been brought to justice for his role in the deaths his conspiracy led to."

"Ahhh" the Commodore replied. "Personally, I agree Keptin...this was far too lenient a sentence and a disgwace to justice..." he paused a moment before continuing. "Admiral Nerak and Admiral White were always quite wocal supporters of each other's stances...particularly Starfleet's role in the ninth fleet area of operations..." he paused again, listening for the sound of that damned cat piping up again. With no objection to what were clearly established facts, he pressed on; "How would you feel if someone so similarly minded had been elected to the chair in the Loki sector...? That is, Keptin, for the avoidance of doubt; if Admiral White was a traitor not bought to justice, how would you feel with Admiral Nerak - his effective policy doppleganger - in a position of serious influence in the Federation Council?".

And there the other penny dropped. Kane knew that he had to find an answer that didn't implicate himself, without outright lying. "The Federation is built on principles of democracy and free and fair elections..." he began. "I might not have agreed with Admiral Nerak's politics, but to my knowledge he himself was not involved himself in criminal activity."

"Keptin Kane I did not ask you about Federation principles..." the Commodore responded, danger in his voice; "I asked how you would feel with Nerak elected to a position where he had real influence over a Starfleet withdrawal from the Loki sector..."

"Objection," Firestorm cut in before his client could respond, "the captain's personal feelings are of no concern." His whiskers twitched as he glared at the opposing counsel. "Nor is the suggested appointment of admiral Nerak."

"Admiral Nerak was at least a wictim if not an outright target in this attack, the feelings of the prime suspect towards the man are of material importance" Babanin retorted.

"Objection over ruled..." S'vRock began. "Logic does dictate that ones opinions can play to motive. So I will allow this question. However Commodore Babanin, treat lightly I would hate to see you drown as the old adage went." As things stood at the moment there was not enough evidence to convict, however, there was too much evidence to convict. This was indeed a fascinating case.

Kane glared at Babanin, knowing that he had to answer the question. "I would feel...frustrated, as anyone with contrary political views would," he growled. "It would feel like the Federation was agreeing with the approaches of men like White and Nerak, which in my opinion goes against what the Federation stands for."

"Frustrated enough to do something about it eh Keptin?" Babanin goaded, ready to entrap Kane in the previous testimonies when he undoubtedly answered in the negative.

"I believe in the Federation, Commodore," Kane retorted sharply. "I wouldn't be in Starfleet if I didn't. I joined up to defend those principles of freedom and justice. I saw what happened when we went to war; I pulled bodies out of Starfleet Headquarters when the Breen attacked Earth!" He glared hard, knowing that the man opposite had no understanding of what that would have been like. "The Federation can't afford another conflict like that. I won't allow it on my watch." He realised with the last statement that he'd given Babanin the opening he was looking for, but it was too late to withdraw the comment.

"Won't allow it uh Comrade Keptin..?" Babanin repeated back, noticing the definite change in the tension level in the room. "So with Admiral White trying to undermine the ninth fleet and create a withdrawal, and with Nerak looking like he was about to be elected on the same policy...you acted true to your principles didn't you Keptin? You decided not to allow it on your watch, so you planted a bomb to kill Nerak."

"Objection!" Firestorm all but shouted, his tail lashing as he bristled angrily. "Cease your constant insinuating."

S'vRock simply raised an eyebrow at the objection. While the method Babanin employed was tiring and boarderline at best. The prosecutor did have the right to explore motive. "Overruled... The Commodore can explore the possible motives of the Captain."

Kane glared at Babanin, his blood already boiling. "Admiral White was a traitor, who actively undermined all that Starfleet represents. If I had a choice in the matter, you're damned right I would want to intervene. But I did not plant a bomb."

The courtroom was silent for a moment, as noises and some sort of shouting came from the entrance. The assembled group watched in surprise as the doors opened to reveal three unexpected arrivals. Lieutenant P'rel, Lieutenant Commander Keating, and, rather shockingly, the deceased Admiral Nerak.

They were quickly followed by an unfamiliar entourage.

"Please excuse the interruption, but I believe we have some evidence that you'll want to see."