“Those are private. We are talking about a young person, an entrepreneur, who was in the process of setting up a business. Jal was emotionally devastated each time this woman tampered with its accounts. I submit, Your Honor, that this woman subjected Jal to unnecessary emotional stress. .I’d like to call Jal Jomari to the stand.”

Jal took the oath to tell the truth. “This is one of the emails that the defendant sent to you. Please tell us what interaction between the two of you preceded this message.”

For a long moment, Jal stared at the ceiling. “She was at the race on World Health Day.”

The prosecutor went on, “Three weeks passed, and you received this email threatening you with death if you didn’t leave the peninsula?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know who this was from?”

“No.”

“Tell us what you did.”

“Nothing. I didn’t know what to do.”

“Did you tell anyone?”

“No.”

“You received seven similar emails.”

“Yes.”

“Is there anything you’d like to say to the defendant?”

“I don’t have anything to say, but I do have something to ask.” The judge nodded. “Why did you choose me to be your victim?”

Haerm Bron scowled, and each boy copied his mannerisms. Geldou stared at Jal.

Its gaze did not waver. She whispered to her attorney. “The defendant would like to respond to this question.” The judge nodded.

Geldou rose to her feet. “You are really screwed up, Syp. You were born in my bed and raised in my home. This whole mess is all your fault. It’s your fault that we loosed you in First Month. Because of your big mouth, we need to build a new home. We can’t afford a new one. I manipulated accounts to get money to buy food for you! I’m here on trumped up charges because of you! It’s your fault that we’ve had to pay for lawyers to get us out of this mess. You would be under my roof if you behaved like a normal girl. Those dishes you’re making should be mine. I should be selling them for our family’s expenses! Your Honor, Jal Jomari is really my daughter named Syp. She is committing identity fraud. I didn’t send Jal Jomari threatening messages. I sent them to Syp, so she would come home.”

The judge frowned. “Please be seated, Mrs. Bron.” He looked at the defense attorney. “Do you have evidence to prove this claim of identity fraud, Sapke?”

“If we could look at the young man’s identity papers, it would confirm these allegations.”

“Jurian, I assume you are Jal’s attorney.”

“I am.”

“I would like to review his identity papers.”

“Hers!” shouted Geldou Bron.

“Your Honor, Jal is not the one who is on trial. The jury needs to focus on the fact that Geldou Bron harassed and threatened Jal using electronic means.”

“Syp, as your mother, I am ordering you to turn over your identity papers!”

The judge banged his gavel. “Sit down and shut up! Jurian, may I review this young man’s identity papers?"

“I'll allow that only if I follow the advice of my client.”

“Very well.”

“Jal has stated that it will grant permission solely to you, Judge Drost.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Your Honor! That defeats the purpose--”

“Be silent, Sapke!”

“No one else will see them. I will not speak of them with anyone other than you or your lawyer, Jal.”

Jurian handed Judge Drost the packet of papers. He read through them carefully, folded, and handed them back to Jurian. “These accusations of identity fraud are fabricated and slanderous. Jal Jomari is a student, businessperson, and district resident with the rights and privileges of an adult.” He slammed his gavel. "Sapkje Gaastra, I’m ordering you to stop wasting this court’s time. Move on, Bearend.”

“Yes, Your Honor. Now that you have heard about the electronic threats made by Geldou Bron, I’d like to address the charge of slander.” Bearend had four people testify that Geldou told each of them that Jal had died. The prosecution presented to the judge a jury a graph that indicated a steady increase in Jal’s sales. “According to this chart, projected sales would have doubled by now. Geldou’s misinformation stopped the growth of Jal’s business in its tracks. Customers believed what they were told and purchased their goods elsewhere. Jal’s appearance around the village addressed the rumors to some degree, but the business has not recovered.”

Sapke objected to these allegations, stating that the chart was only a prediction. Judge Drost ruled against her, stating that the chart was a tool used by many local businesses.

“We have the charge against Geldou Bron of solicitation of murder for hire. This judge and jury found Haerm Bron guilty of this charge during his trial. I’m not going to call the same witnesses and go through all the formality, but I would like to place a summary into the record of this trial.”

Again, the defending lawyer objected. "Geldou Bron is innocent of this charge. She claims that she wasn’t present at this meeting.”

“Would you like me to replay the questioning from Mr. Bron’s trial, Sapke?” Bearend asked. “The gunman and his colleague made it clear that Haerm and Geldou Bron were both present at the meeting.” He looked at his watch. “This last charge, Your Honor, was handed to me as we entered the courtroom after lunch. I’ve only had a moment to look at it.” Bearend picked up a tablet. “Geldou Bron went to ‘Tunne’s General Store’ during the lunch recess. While there, she damaged merchandise totalling three hundred mu-tok. According to this, it was all new merchandise that had been delivered to Tunne De Graaf only minutes before.”

The judge rubbed his forehead. “How do you plead, Mrs. Bron?”

She mumbled, “Not guilty.”

The prosecutor started the video recording, and the jurors watched. Aghast, they began to whisper among themselves.

“Do you want to try to justify this incident, Sapke?”

“Geldou claims those things simply fell onto the floor.”

Judge Drost looked at Geldou. “Was there any other merchandise destroyed, Bearend?”

“I have the facts that you have, sir.”

“Hm. This report indicates that the items on the table were those created by Jal Jomari. You have a lot of anger against this person. I would really like to know why.” He waited a few seconds, hoping that Geldou would respond. The judge gave the jury directions before they were led from the courtroom to determine a verdict. “This court stands in recess.”

Everyone but the members of the Bron family rose to their feet. There weren’t more than two handfuls of people walking around talking. “Thank you, Jurian,” Jal said. “Thank you for handling that. I feel much better.”

Jurian looked at Jal. “You know, this will all be part of a public record. If someone asks about your identity and you don’t wish to show your papers, you can refer to this case. The judge’s ruling that you are who you say you are, is now a judgement that is accepted as a fact. It has the integrity and standing of the entire legal system behind it.”

“What happens now?”

“We wait for the jury to return.” Jurian saw Eiske looking at his timepiece. “I'm betting that it won’t take long.”

Less than an hour later, the jury took their seats. The foreperson read off the charges against Geldou for the charges and a guilty verdict for each one. “Members of the jury, thank you for your service. Please remain seated. I’m going to set the sentence right now for Geldou Bron. For embezzlement, illegally accessing accounts, and hiring someone to kill Eiske Bonnema and Jal Jomari, twenty-five hundred mu-toc and one-hundred-twenty months of imprisonment. You have committed slander in the courtroom and in the community; the penalty is one thousand mu-toc. For using electronic methods to threaten Jal Jomari, the defendant will pay ten thousand mu-toc. For the damage at Tunne’s General store, four hundred zu-toc.”

“Your Honor, I object!” Sapke exclaimed. “That’s four years! Ten thousand mu-toc for using electronic methods is also an excessive number.”

“This is a very specific law, that was put in place a few years ago to address situations involving electronic threats exactly like this one. If you wish to see the written law, please see me after we adjourn.”

“This judgement is excessive, Your Honor!”

“This judgement may seem excessive, but the amount of money taken through embezzlement and using other people’s accounts is equally excessive. Perhaps the Brons would like to pay back the entire amount, the fines, and serve time?” Sapke was silent. Judge Drost spoke again. “Maybe I’m being too lenient.”

“You are driving this family into debt, Your Honor!”

“Geldou Bron stated that the family was already in debt when this activity all started. She is blaming this all on an outsider. It is time for her to take responsibility for her actions. This court is adjourned.” He slammed the gavel onto the desk.

Jal could see Nel shaking.

Jal felt bad for its brother, but before Jal had time to think, there was a voice in the back of the room.

“You have a lot to pay off, Geldou Bonnema.” All the heads in the room turn. “Before you pay your fines, you need to pay me. I was in line long before these other people came into the picture.”

“Who are you?”

“You know who I am. It’s time to pay up!”