EFFECTS OF OPENNESS / CH. 15:TRIAL
MARS COUNCIL COURTROOM, MONSOL 20TH SEPTEMBER, 3PM
“The defendant pleads guilty to the charge of attempted wounding,” the defense lawyer said, “and accidental damage to life support equipment. However, he contends that the response to his attempt was of unbridled cruelty and that the so-called confession should be struck from the record as it was obtained under conditions of torture and deprivation of medical assistance.”
“Please expand on the medical assistance of which he was deprived,” Mack said.
“The ambassador clearly expected a certain level of pain relief from the administration of the muscle relaxant, however she only administered that medical aid after she had obtained the confession and after a further threat of violence from my client at the treatment being withheld.”
“You then, accuse the ambassador of perjury regarding her uncertainty whether the muscle relaxant would in any way aid the prisoner, her concern that the administration of the muscle relaxant might render more effective painkillers dangerous, and furthermore make it practically impossible for the prisoner to swallow the antidote that the ambassador made for the prisoner, as indeed happened?”
“The ambassador stated she had no idea how effective the antidote would be, either.”
“But she expected it to have some help. You have not yet responded to the question regarding the charge of perjury.”
“I do not accuse the ambassador or perjury.”
“Thank you,” Ruth said, having just been shuddering at what that might do to Mars-Atlantis relations.
“But you do accuse her of cruelty?”
“I state my client's opinion.”
“Madam ambassador, it's a little irregular, but would you like to respond?”
“First, I would like to ask the prisoner what he believed about the dart that hit him at the time of being shot, and why he believed it.”
“I thought it was poison.”
“Why?”
“Because you'd been heard saying you had poison darts for self-defence purposes.”
“So, you believed I was carrying lethal darts.”
“Yes.”
“How much time elapsed between you being hit and your colleague being hit with muscle relaxant?”
“Maybe five minutes.”
“How much time elapsed between your colleague being hit and you hearing that the dart was not, in fact lethal?”
“About a minute.”
“Once you found out that you would not die, you tried to attack me, did you not?”
“Couldn't.”
“I didn't suggest you succeeded. How soon did you try to attack me after me saying the antidote might not be more effective than taking an aspirin?”
“Immediately.”
“Why?”
“I was angry, you'd got me to talk for nothing.”
“Who initially suggested the trade of information for the antidote?”
“I did.”
“In my conversation with the dispatcher, what was stopping me from going to make it for you earlier?”
“You didn't want me escaping?”
“Why didn't I tie you up?”
“I'm stronger than you.”
“And?”
“I was armed.”
“Could you have thrown away your weapons?”
“Yes.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Did you at any time ask that I dart you with muscle relaxant?”
“No.”
“Did me darting you with muscle relaxant ease your pain?”
“Not much.”
“Did the antidote help, once the doctors had managed to force some down your throat?”
“Yes.”
“Who stopped me from making the antidote for the longest time?”
“Koschev.”
“Who?”
“Lieutenant Koschev.”
“That being the name of your colleague?”
“Yes.”
“Your honours,” Ruth addressed the Council, “The prisoner has just described the reduction in pain offered by the antidote as more effective than that of the muscle relaxant, and he earlier described the antidote as 'nothing'.
"I think we've just learnt that he did not believe the muscle relaxant was in any way medication, and that if anyone is to blame for the delay in medication, that person is the man the prisoner called Lieutenant Koschev.
"I therefore conclude that the so-called delay in providing medication was no more than a legal ploy to obtain a reduction in sentence. I would be interested to know if it was suggested by the lawyer. I also feel that his testimony has also cast doubt on the plea of intent to wound, as he believed I was carrying a lethal distance weapon and I understand that his arrow would have pierced my heart had I not reacted to his decision to shoot me.”
“The issue of torture has been raised and not addressed,” Mack said.
“The attackers were not aware that I had changed my darts. They believed they were poisoned, the man named as Lieutenant Koschev continued to press his attack. I probably implied there was an antidote, but I believe I only stated there was one to the dispatcher, after I'd darted the second assailant. I have stated that I had deep misgivings about using the poisoned darts of my people, and in those statements I made no mention of an antidote. I will state publicly that the only response I know of to being shot with the darts that they believed they were facing is an immediate isolation of the wound and amputation. Immediate as in about fifteen seconds. If I had not picked up the blowpipe and darts that my queen left me in the cargo pod, the prisoner would, I am fully convinced, now be dead, had I managed to shoot them. The blow pipe is, however, a short-range weapon. I have not tested the range of the one I brought with me, but it is primarily a musical instrument. I judged that the assailants were only just within effective range of that pipe, and I knew I facing a weapon of much superior range. My queen sent to me a loaded blow-pipe without finger-holes — that is to say a blow-pipe which of greater range which can be used to make a few notes but you'd not call it a musical instrument. It was loaded with the dart we called a warning dart, which I knew was rarely fatal. I had conducted the tricky procedure to safely remove the death-dart from my own pipe, and replaced it with a muscle inhibitor, but I had not carried out that procedure with the long-range blowpipe. Thus, faced with two attackers, at least one with a powerful bow, I decided to use the pipe with a longer range.”
“So you state that you considered yourself to have no real choice.”
“I had a choice, which would have put me at greater peril, and I had no doubt that they had intended to ambush me and kill me. However, I am sworn to tell the whole truth and so I will state that there was a secondary point that I considered. It was that if they thought that one had been poisoned it might bring the second assailant to surrender, without further risk. Indeed I offered such a surrender to the second assailant. However, he stated that he had a gun and was not the assailant's friend. By which I took it to mean that he didn't care if he lived or died.”
“You present yourself, then, as making a rational choice, and making a choice of which of your available weapons was best.”
“That is the nature of a Mer under threat, sir. We are not genetically the same as you, nor is our upbringing. I don't know which is dominant but our reaction to adrenaline is never flight, but to attack the threat. I have been trained for self-defence against wild animals and attacking humans since soon after I could walk. I first found myself confronted with a shark intending to take my life when I was thirteen, armed only with a knife. I killed it as I had been trained. I have defended myself and others on numerous occasions since, on very few of them did I have anything to hide behind. As I have been trained, when not under a threat so immediate that such a delay could cost me my life, I spent perhaps a second choosing the weapon that presented the least risk to myself and others around me, and since delay brings danger and possible reinforcements, to return the situation to normal as quickly as possible.”
“Thank you, Madam ambassador,” Mack said, “for your total honesty. It would be most pleasant if everyone who entered this court room spoke the whole truth as they were sworn to. The Council will decide on this matter of deliberate causing of pain as a strategic option. Let us turn to the matter of the prisoner's confession of 'intention to wound,' I understand this as an admission that he deliberately shot an arrow at the ambassador. Is there any contention that the arrow was not capable of causing death?”
The trial continued.
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ATLANTIS EMBASSY, 6PM
“Robert, can I have a hug?” Ruth asked as he knocked on the door. “Debate is cancelled and I feel sick.”
“About the trial?” Robert asked, “or the cancelled debate?”
“The trial, which made Claudia suggest the debate be cancelled. I'm basically being accused of using a weapon intended to torture when I didn't need to, and my people of being barbarians.”
“Hold on, who's on trial?”
“Officially, the guy who tried to kill me, and the other guy who said he wanted to kill me but didn't actually shoot, and therefore says 'oh no, your honour, I just said I had a gun to stop her from shooting me like she did my bosom buddy.' That being the man he casually declared could die as far as he was concerned. And because I'm a truthsayer, the defence lawyer is claiming that no truthsayer can be said to be unbiased in the case.”
“The lawyer is trying every nasty trick he can to save their lives, isn't he?”
“And make me out to be a homicidal maniac who needs to be locked up for the protection of Martian society.”
“Hmm. I wonder how long he's been on Mars.”
“Pardon?”
“Those sound like typical jit earthling lawyer techniques to me. I am a long way from being a lawyer, but I suggest you think of the ways his assumptions and arguments are pure jit-splurt, and also stop thinking you need to counter all his arguments yourself. Get a Martian lawyer. Since he's been throwing accusations around like that, you've got that right.”
“Got any recommendations?”
“I bet my dad can give some. Oh, and if he's impugning the honesty of truthsayers, then I reckon someone ought to get the association up in arms. Can I do that? Please?”
“Of course.” Ruth said, starting to feeling better.
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MARS COUNCIL COURT, TUESOL 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2PM
“Honoured council members,” Benjamin (Jimmy) Durrel said, from behind his truthsayer mask, “I hear this jit of a lawyer thinks that its perfectly acceptable to libel the entire association of truthsayers as willing accomplices to perjury. Therefore, while I'd personally vote to see how many of Ruth's little ouch darts he can catch in his privates before he stops polluting my planet, I understand that the formal procedure is to seek to have him struck off the legal register for gross incompetence, while at the same time suing him for slander and libel, and of course breach of a truthsayer's inalienable right to privacy.”
“How do you reach the final conclusion?”
“She was under oath to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and he had the temerity to ask her if she was a truthsayer, a question which had no bearing on the case in point, unless of course he was fully planning to commit the aforementioned slander.”
“We should have caught that, Mack.” Claudia said.
“Dropped the ball indeed,” Mack acknowledged, “Right, all in favour of allowing the complaint?” It was unanimous.
“Right, Mr Earthling lawyer,” Mack said, “you have trampled on a jit's right to privacy. In some ways, that's even worse than trampling on a Martian's right to privacy, because the poor jit didn't know she could object to the question. So, either you committed a crime in a planned attempt to commit an act of libel, or you didn't know the law. Which one was it?”
“I... urm... I'm not ready to answer that accusation, may I seek counsel?”
“Sounds like an admission that he knew just what he was doing to me.” Claudia said.
“Or he's trying to work out which one has the biggest punishment,” Raul pointed out, “because he doesn't know the law.”
“Either,” Claudia added.
“Good point. You mentioned incompetence as well, truthsayer?”
“Far be it from me to talk about stuff I'm not very familiar with,” Jimmy said, “so I'll hand that question to the expert next to the lady ambassador.”
“Partly it comes down to the red-herring of torture that he wasted a lot of court time on yesterday,” Brian, the lawyer Robert's father had recommended, said. “Your honours will remember, I'm sure, the question of whether exposure constituted torture or not, and the formal definition of torture that was developed: deliberately causing pain for no legitimate motive. This prohibited causing pain for the extraction of information because of the right to privacy, and for revenge, because there is no legal right of personal revenge, but it allowed the legitimate executions of the state to be carried out. The claim that the lady ambassador tortured the guy who she had every reason to fear was trying to kill her is absurd. She had a very legitimate motive for darting the guy: self defence. Therefore, it cannot have been torture. And if a citizen withholding of air from a dangerous criminal who seeks entry to their dome is not an offence, how can withholding treatment to a guy who's just tried to kill you be? I therefore move that this so-called lawyer be struck off as the worst kind of bullying shyster who does not know the laws of the planet.”
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“Sounds conclusive to me.” Claudia said.
“Do I have the right to respond?”
“I don't think he knows the law very well, does he?” Mack asked the other judges.
“Nope,” Raul agreed. The other councillors agreed.
“Your right to practice law is hereby revoked unless or until you can demonstrate that you know the laws of the planet. The minimum period of three years will apply, unless anyone votes for higher.”
“May I suggest more like five years?” Brian said, “Given the demonstrated spread of his ignorance, the number of and nature of the allegations and insinuations he's made from that privileged position and the importance of the case.”
A quick discussion among the judges resulted in the period being set at six years.
“Can we deal with the issue of the privacy breach, slander and libel?” Mack asked.
“Given that, at his request the court record has been published already,” Brian said, “I believe that the relevant response needs to be measured in hectares. Plus of course there are the thinly veiled allegations of perjury and dishonourable intentions against the honourable and duly accredited ambassador, which I feel need redressing.”
“Might I ask, madam ambassador,” Claudia said “how the allegations made you feel for the future negotiations between our governments?”
“They made me fear that there might be no negotiations, if the poisonous allegations enter the public psyche, then my people would not be welcome on Mars and any action we took to try to repair relationships would be viewed as with extreme cynicism.”
“Thank you, madam ambassador,” Mack said, “I agree, and am therefore of a mind to consider the public accusations of ill intent against the lady ambassador as politicised attacks on future cooperation between Mars and Atlantis. The Russian link of course adds further credence to that idea. That actually makes it trickier, I think, because he's probably going to accuse us of stringing him up for political reasons, when it's really just a case of him getting his just deserts.”
“There is plenty of case history we can point to that indicates that the damages for published slanderous libel is half a cubic metre of well rotted compost or five cubic metres of proven topsoil.” Claudia said, “How many truthsayers are there in the association these days?”
“Forty-three.” Jimmy reported.
“Right, Anyone think they shouldn't each expect the normal amount of compensation?” Claudia asked. No one did.
The trembling ex-lawyer asked “But I do not have that much compost or proven top-soil. Might I pay in kilos?”
“You may pay a hundred kilos per instance.” Claudia said, “But I doubt you have that much either, do you?”
“No.” he said.
“So, you may elect to pay debt of compost in installments,” Mack said “at a rate of not less that twenty percent each year, in which case your debt to the individuals will increase at a rate of ten percent interest per annum, compound. You may alternatively elect to settle all or part of your debt in hectares: one hectare being deemed equivalent to half a cubic metre of well-rotted compost. The court does not require an immediate answer in how you intend to pay, but you must enter a sworn deposition before the end of tomorrow.”
“Regarding the issue of deliberately invading privacy, and that private information being subsequently published, the case law is also clear.” Brian said.
“Indeed,” Mack said, “ten hectares.”
“So, your honours are left with the politically charged issue of the insults, accusations and insinuations leveled at my client,” Brian said.
“I wonder how Mer law might settle such an issue?” Claudia asked.
“He directly insulted my personal honour and character, and the honour of her Majesty's government in sending me the warning darts. He also insinuated insults against the honour and reputation of all Mer. There has not been such a case for many centuries, but in the pre-Christian past laws were passed that provided for trial by combat in cases of honour, and these ancient laws have not been repealed. Alternatively, where there was little doubt, the law provided that the motivations of the insulter be tested by ordeal — normally swimming some distance in shark-infested waters. But these laws are from our barbaric past, and the accusation has been made that we are a barbaric people still. I am sure that his blood on my knife would merely lend credibility to those accusations, and in any case, he is too unskilled to make it anything but instant slaughter. Nor do I seek he be subjected to exposure, for no life was under threat, and of course, practically speaking he cannot pay compensation for libel if he is dead. I conclude with the thought that the ancient laws of my people would not treat this weak man who spreads poisonous words as though he were an adult Mer.”
“Madam ambassador, you would not, then, be upset if we enter his various insults as further counts of libel?” Claudia asked.
“I would not,” Ruth said, “provided he makes no attempt to repeat them.”
“If he does,” Mack said, “then he would be in contempt of court, and he would find himself paying double damages as well as a fine.”
“I find myself quite reassured,” Ruth said.
“Right, Brian, please look at the transcript and see how many clearly distinct libelous accusations he's made against the ambassador and her people, this jit can quibble over numbers some other time but right now I want to get him out of our sight and move onto the scum he was defending. Any objections?” Mack asked the other judges. No one had any objections.
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MARS COUNCIL COURT, TUESOL 21ST SEPTEMBER, 3.50PM
“Final questions for the prisoner.” Mack said, “You carried out the attack under orders, is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“You are a soldier in the special forces of the Empire of Russia?”
“I was.”
“Was?” Mack asked.
“I heard yesterday that the general I was under has been court-martialed, the unit dissolved, my status disavowed, my pension evaporated, and I have been given a dishonourable discharge for obeying orders. Five years of my life, I have lived peacefully on Mars. Is nice place, I make friends, I think army have forgotten me, I meet nice girls. Then I am given some orders they say I must obey, when I just want to dig my potatoes. I ask division. Really, I must attack new ambassador? General says of course obey orders, or shame and dishonour, and no pension, no return to home. I obey orders and I get shot with what I think is deadly poison, told by lady to make my peace with God when there is no proper priest on this whole planet, so how do I do that? Koschev tells her I can die and he doesn't care, and now I am given dishonorable discharge and probably go to mount Olympus, yes? It would have been better to earn dishonorable discharge by punching Koschev until he goes away. Much more fun than getting shot. Then I could be harvesting my potatoes and asking nice girl to be my wife.”
“Truth,” Jimmy declared.
“Your honours,” Ruth addressed the judges, thinking of all she'd heard in the last few hours. “We Mer have a very simple attitude to a shark who has been dangerous but now wants to mend its ways and live in peace; no matter if that shark has no legs or two. We let it. I think if you allow this man to live he will not be any threat to anyone, except to someone who tries to make him leave his potatoes or who wishes to harm his wife or children.”
“You suggest that all charges be dropped against him, madam ambassador? Just like that?”
“I do not seek to interfere with due process, I merely state that I do not believe there is a benefit to locking away a man and making him a drain on society when he could be contributing to it, if he is no longer a threat, as I believe we have learnt here.”
“There is no question that he did endanger life.” Mack said.
“But I see Ruth's point.” Claudia said, “the character witnesses we've heard say it was only when Koschev turned up they even suspected he might not be a civilian, and he was heard to argue with Koschev on a number of occasions.”
Addressing the prisoner she asked, “Mr Gorbachev, what was the nature of those arguments?”
“About Koschev's idea.” The prisoner said, “Koschev's bad idea. I tell him this, he tell me shut up. I complain to division, say what about Geneva convention? They say Mer not signed, Mars not signed, convention does not apply, so I must obey orders. I glad I not soldier now. Mars is home.”
“Truth.” Jimmy confirmed.
“I believe there is something we need to look at there, council members.”
Mack said, “If countries think their military personnel can act differently on Mars than they would elsewhere.”
“Indeed,” Raul agreed,
“Let us confer,” Mack said, and they withdrew to a small room.
A few minutes later, Mack read the verdict.
“The acts of the prisoner, Vasili Gorbachev led to the endangering of life. That is clear, and not disputed. However, the prisoner has stated under oath and has witnesses to the effect that he did not approve of the orders he was given, but thought he had no legal ground on which to refuse them, either under international law or that of his home judicial system. As a soldier trained to infiltrate another states boundaries it is clear that he felt no particular reluctance to take life or to break the laws of his nation of residence. The council agrees with the ambassador of Atlantis that the prisoner is not now a threat to Martian society. However, we cannot leave his actions unpunished. Within one week, the prisoner must choose either imprisonment for ten years or to be exposed. If he chooses exposure he will be exposed without food, screamer, or communication device at a distance of one hundred and fifty kilometres from a place of safety. Should in any way he attempt to force another to help him, or force entry to a dome, then his life will be forfeit. If he accepts transport before he has reached the designated place of safety, then his exposure will be considered null and void and will be repeated. He may, however accept any food, drink, or temporary shelter in a non-moving vehicle for up to one hour, provided these are offered freely, without any expectation of direct or indirect benefit to the person who offers.”
“Does the prisoner understand these conditions perfectly?” Claudia asked.
“No. If friend helps, is allowed?”
“We really need to change that wording, Mack,” Raul commented.
“Yeah yeah. Sometime. If your friend helps you because they are your friend it is allowed. If your friend helps you because you have said 'help me and I will buy your wife a dress,' it is not allowed. If your girlfriend helps you because she is your girlfriend, it is allowed. If she helps you because you have told her you will not marry her if she does not, it is not allowed. If she helps you because you have told you will marry her if she does, it is not allowed. If she helps you because she wants you to be alive to marry her, it is allowed. If someone you owe money to helps you so you are alive to pay him back, it is allowed, but not if you will pay him more. If someone finds you walking and offers you help but only if you promise them something in return, that is blackmail. You may accept the help, but you must report them for breaking the law, and not keep the promise.”
“Carry on, Mack. You forgot my favourite one.” Claudia said, “the ex-girlfriend.”
“Fine. If your ex-girlfriend who you had previously rejected finds you and offers you help on the condition that you restore the relationship, that is blackmail. You may accept her help.”
“And I must report her?”
“You may if you choose, but the right to privacy takes precedence,” Mack said. “Do you have an ex-girlfriend you rejected?”
“You don't need to answer that,” Claudia said.
“The same is true for girls who thought they should be my girlfriend?”
“Yes. But you must not make promises or offers before you walk, assuming you choose to walk.”
“I will walk.”
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“I am Lieutenant Koschev, of the imperial Russian Army, Serial number 60s79d,”
“Through your lawyer who has now been dismissed from his role you pleaded guilty of attempting to wound. You are accused of possession of a firearm, of attempted murder, and of commissioning murder, and of attempted theft by murder. How do you plead?”
“I am Lieutenant Koschev, of the imperial Russian Army, Serial number 60s79d,”
“This is not a military court, you are not a prisoner of war.”
“I am Lieutenant Koschev, of the imperial Russian Army, Serial number 60s79d,”
“You are aware of the evidence the court has already heard, if you fail to answer this court's questions, then you will be deemed to have entered a not-guilty plea, and deemed to have chosen to defend yourself. If you persist in stating irrelevant information, you will be deemed to have nothing of substance to say and no desire to enter any defence.”
“I am Lieutenant Koschev, of the imperial Russian Army, Serial number 60s79d,”
“Somehow, I thought you might say that. You have entered a not-guilty plea, and informed the court that you will defend yourself. Do you have any words to say in your defence?”
“I am Lieutenant Koschev, of the imperial Russian Army, Serial number 60s79d, I am answerable to my superiors, and my superiors alone, and not to any self-appointed kangeroo court in a break-away province.”
“By denying the authority of this Council you waive your rights as legal immigrant to Mars. Do you retract your statement?”
“You have no authority over me.”
“If you waive your rights as a legal immigrant on this planet you deny the social contract, you will no longer have claim nor dome, compost nor account, gloop nor property. Do you understand the gravity of your declaration?”
“You have no authority over me.”
“Let the court record state the prisoner after due warning waived all his rights as a immigrant to this planet, and has entered no words of defence of the actions. The judges will confer.”
It didn't take long. He'd had a loaded gun, he'd heard Vasili Gorbachev's accusation that it had been his plan to kill Ruth, and had not tried to refute it. Either of those could earn him a death sentence. By refusing his rights as an immigrant he'd made sure that he had no right to food, or a claim to return to if they'd even been inclined to imprison him.
“The prisoner is found guilty on all counts. The crimes might, in cases that merited leniency, be commuted from death to imprisonment or exposure, however no grounds for leniency have been offered to this court, furthermore, by rejecting his rights as a colonist he has rejected the right of appeal, access to gloop or any means to sustain himself after such a commutation of his sentence. Therefore, the court finds there are no grounds by which the prisoner should or could receive any punishment but a death sentence. As he rejects his landing-rights, let his claims be made null and void, for whoever rejects their rights as a Martian leaves no inheritance. Let anyone he owed debts to come forward with evidence or witnesses, for in a week his compost shall be divided among the jits, and his account be transferred to the Council. After that time, then let his neighbours take freely from plants or objects in the constructions that used to be his house dome and field dome for they are on unowned land and the constructions shall be sold to the highest bidder two weeks from today.”
“That's my home,” a woman in the public gallery objected in terror.
“As wife, lover, guest or paying lodger?” Claudia asked, surprised.
“We were going to get married, he promised!”
“Then he is in your debt,” Claudia said. “Bring witnesses to the council offices that you lived there, witnesses to what you contributed to the household, who dug the compost, who worked the fields, who cleaned the house, who cooked the meals. We shall assess how great his debt is to you, and if his debt to you is sufficient you may claim heap and credit and adjust your claim so the domes are on your claim.”
“And can I not say I'll support him? Can I not plead for leniency?”
“He chose to not call you to speak, he could not to leave his claim to you, he chose to undo his existence on Mars. I'm sorry.”
“Why?” she screamed at the Lieutenant, “Why? You owe me that much!”
“I lied to you. I have a wife at home, a disabled daughter. They need my pension.” Then he turned to Ruth, “You were not supposed to take prisoners. If you killed me in bold and daring raid for motherland, then I would be hero, killed in line of duty, my daughter would be daughter of hero, well looked after.”
“The decision of the court has been made, but I heard a motive for leniency there.” Mack said, “Let the revelations that followed remain unrecorded or be erased, as they are in the domain of a Martian's privacy. Let the transcript of the trial of Lieutenant Koschev and the judgement be sent to the Russian media. Perhaps they will wish to encourage their government to suggest an alternative solution. The Court will meet in a week's time to decide on a date for execution or other developments.”
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MARS COUNCIL COURT, TUESOL 21ST SEPTEMBER, 4.30PM
“Mack,” Alice said, “I hope you realize what you've done there.”
“I've made it public knowledge in Russia that you can't tell the Mars Council that they've no authority here and expect to keep on eating. I've made it reasonably plausible that the guy gets held up as a hero by the media, which hopefully ensures that his pension is safe for his wife and daughter. There's a slight chance that the Empire of Russia dusts off that nice fast ship that brought the shareholders to Mars, so that to much public acclaim they can reunite him with his loving wife and daughter after all these years. There's also a minuscule chance that after all the fuss has blown over, Russia decide that it might be better to acknowledge the independence of Mars.”
“You've also raised the possibility that any court decision can be overturned on the basis of international pressure,” Alice said.
“Not really. He's not getting his claim back, after all. It just didn't feel right to any of us that Gorbachev who pulled the trigger should have a lesser sentence than the guy who ordered him to. The whole 'just obeying orders' thing isn't that valid an excuse. What worries me far more is that by pleading for leniency for the guy, Ruth's opened herself up to other attackers.”
“I think she's entirely happy shooting darts at physical attackers, Mack. It's the psychological ones she's not happy with. But can Simon and I speak to Gorbachev?”
“Why?”
“Because Gorbachev wanted to talk to what he calls a proper priest. I would be very happy to make that possible.”
“I don't get why Simon needs to be there.”
“Because I want him to be talking to a man, not a woman. It might make a difference.”
“Fine. I presume you'll be wearing masks?”
“Of course.”
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DETENTION WING
“You asked to speak to a priest,” Simon said.
“You are priest in Orthodox Church?” Vasili asked surprised.
“No, I am not, not in any church. But I have been baptised into the body of Christ and follow the traditions and teachings of that part of Christ's body to which I belong. My wife also. You see we are truthsayers, my wife is more, she is been blessed with the spiritual gift of knowing truth and speaking across worlds.”
“Blessed one,” Vasili greeted her.
Alice inclined her head in acknowledgement. She had decided she wouldn't speak; there was too high a chance of him recognising her voice.
“My wife has spoken mind to mind to a certain priest in Russia, recommended to her by a man with the same gift as her. A good priest, a true servant of God. Through her gift she can make it so that I hear his thoughts and he hears what my ears hear, whatever language they are spoken in. She cannot tell my lips how to speak the words of your language properly. Do you wish to speak to him? He stands ready if you are ready, but if you want to prepare yourself more, you may.”
“I am ready. Very ready.”
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“I thought he was just going to be a normal priest,” Simon said.
“So did I,” Alice said, “He was very gracious about us getting it wrong, though.”
“Good bloke. I don't agree with him about everything of course, but I firmly agree with him that Mars has no need to be divided among ethnic lines, and certainly the Church here doesn't.” Simon said.
“And just what Vasili needed to know: fellowship with any community of believers who acknowledge the authority of scripture and the creeds of the church.”
“I liked what he said about cultural Christians, legalist Christians and real ones, too,” Simon said, “And thank you for confirming that Vasili glowed.”
“That was actually at the metropolitan's request. He doesn't like pronouncing absolution to people if he doesn't know they've really got faith.”
“Have you told Ruth?”
“Not yet. I will, though, next time I see her.”
“Alice, I know you don't like using your gift if you don't need to, and there's the whole 'now we're both ambassadors' thing. But Ruth's a friend and she was feeling pretty lonely last time I glanced at her.”
“OK, I get the message. I'll call her.”