Legal Headaches

Posted on Mon Oct 26th, 2020 @ 2:13am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson

Mission: Season 4: Episode 2: Rest And Relaxation
Location: Vaii Residence, Dover England
Timeline: During the Six Month Therapy Leave
1187 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Jessica was out in the aircraft hanger working on what happened to be a centuries old F/A - 18 Super Hornet. She had plenty of time, since Starfleet had literally shuttered her career for six months.

Sha'nae had been summoned because of her expertise in law and the fact that she had successfully defended people against charges brought by petty bureaucrats that had never been in space before. "Hey Jessica."

"Hey Sha'nae..." Jess noted. Something was different about Jessica. She seemed less arrogant now. More reserved, and more confident. There was something in her eyes. Like she had witnessed every atrocity the Cardassians would have unleashed and more. It was literally straining Jessica apart.

Shae walked around, dressed in her business suit. "So I hear you have a bit of trouble" She said. "Tell me Vaii... tell me how I, of all people can help you."

"You sure you want to hear it? I tried telling even Starfleet Command what happened only five weeks ago." Jess noted. "In three days, I bore witness to nearly every warcrime imaginable. Murder, Slavery, Rape, Brainwashing, Torture. There was not a hint of remorse in them. And I decided if that's the way they wanted it, that's the way they'll get it. Goddesses, Shae, if I didn't have something to live for again. This is not the same woman you meet three years ago, Sha'nae Ba'au, this is someone who's been broken into a thousand pieces and is trying to rebuild herself."

"Mirror Universe. They suck." Shae said as she made notes. "Go on."

"So I was having my third morning cup of coffee when we suddenly get ordered to the Cargo Bay by someone with Phoenix Lalor's voice. So I went down there wondering what the hell was going on and some thugs were busy putting collars on everyone. They all get together and start beating the shit out of me. That was until Warrant Officer Man'darr showed up, tackled them, and opened fire on them thus freeing a part of the crew. Fernando and Heather Del La Rosa and the others. So I now have a charge of False Surrender. I grabbed those people and got us to the security center." Jess noted.

"They cannot make that false surrender charge stick" Shae muttered as she made more notes. "Go on. What else."

"Well, they had something called hunters all over the ship, hunting anyone who didn't surrender down. They held the Transporters, the shuttlebays, the docking bays. So, I did something they'd never expect. We EVA'd to the station where they kept their new slaves." Jessica noted "They were pitting them in arena matches for their amusement. For three days my Telepathy. I felt every moment of pain for... People in their pain machines." Jessica took a wrench and threw it into a nearby tool chest. "Begging for the pain to stop.. pleading... They raped mothers in front of their children... Our head marine was brainwashed and altered into an Orion Slave." She climbed down from the fighter and kicked a tool chest. "And those son of a bitches at Headquarters want to charge me for what I did? I freed slaves Sha'nae. Damn them. Damn them straight to hell with those Terran Bastards."

Shae held up a hand. "No more. They need a scape goat and they have chosen you. It will not stand." Shae's lips curved into an almost evil smile. "Trust me, You will be back on the Elysium before you know it"

"I am so sorry with how I treated you, Shae. I'm so sorry..." She hugged Shae and began crying. "I had to lead people to pay the price of freedom, and I will never take it for granted again."

Shae gave her a hug back and then straightened. "Well you are going to have to put that face back on Jess." She said with a smile. "Now stand up straight. You have done nothing wrong. I will put in a motion to dismiss and then we will fight it. I do not see a need to take this to the courts. I believe I can argue this in chambers and save Starfleet the embarrassment of having to face me in court a 3rd time this year."

Jess gestured Shae outside the hanger. "Come. Let's go inside. I should at least give you a drink or something. No one leaves my residence without my hospitality, even rivals who are now friends. I'd offer you something stronger from my liquor cabinet, but there's a reason it's empty right now." Jess noted as she lead her inside. On a plaque was several newly awarded medals. "They give you medals when you have to live with what happened forever. They call them honors, Sha'nae."

"They do. Because even though you faced horrors Jessica, you served your ship and crew and you brought those you could home." Shae paused "You could have refused them. Some have."

"If I did that, what example would I be for the pilot cadets I get. Those kids need someone to look up to." Jess smirked. "And look at you.. a Lawyer..." Jess shook her head. "Goddesses if Quinn isn't out there laughing her ass off right now. I'm going to have to have her over here to so I can make up with her." Jess chuckled. "Anyway, I'll be alright, I have people out there that are helping with my sanity. I just need time."

"I was always a lawyer. I cleared my name and am chief of Science now on Poseidon station under Harrington, and i just cleared his name, funnily enough around something to do with the Mirror Universe as well." Shae said not sure who Quinn was

Jess nodded. "I'm sending a full report to HQ. All the gruesome details." Jess noted. "Right now, a location in their universe corresponds to ours. They could pop their entire fleet around our shipyards and have them in flames. But they have one blaring weakness in their thought process. They thought we are weak. I took advantage of that thinking to free our crew." Jess noted. "So I used the Bajoran's playbook. It worked spectacularly."

"Well sometimes you need to take risks Jess." Came Shae's reply. "But do not worry, you will be fine."

Jess smiled. "Thank you Shae. And also, this furlough has been productive too." Jess gestured her into her study. and brought up some intelligence data from the ISS Elysium. "I've had time on my hands to study the data from their ship. All of the Empire's strategic assets. Battle Plans for each operational theater. Strategic risk assessments. Good news; We'll be able to knock over their house of cards pretty easily. Bad news; This universe is politically unstable. If the Empire falls, the Alliance takes over, and they're as depraved as the Empire. I hate to say this, but the best thing to do is to keep on ensuring they continue to bloody themselves again and again." Jess noted.

"See you are not letting this get you down at all" Shae smirked "Just keep your chin up Vaii"