“It’s going to be okay, little buddy,” Lars said, stroking Grog’s scaly head.
They were seated in the cockpit, Grog nestled in for body heat. The plump creature leaned into the attention, illuminated by the soft indicator lights of the panels in front of them.
Lars was exhausted. The immersion tank would stim your muscles, but he’d mostly been sitting in the courtroom. It was the stress—enough so that the AI had issued a warning when he’d come up. It recommended breathing exercises. Like hell, he was doing those. Lars ignored it and tended to Grog.
It was unusual for Lars to be under for so long. He often wondered what the creature thought of the tank. He was always waiting there after as if standing guard. This time he’d been vocal. Lars had hurried to check the ship’s systems and then heat Grog’s food. Now the little beast had settled down.
Lars leaned back in the padded swivel chair and watched the exterior feeds, pinpricks in the dark. He let his eyes unfocus and started to notice shades of white, a star slightly yellow, another tinted blue. He had the odd sensation of floating without his ship, weightless in the vast empty. There was a certain appeal to drifting forever.
“Rah.”
Lars jumped. Then Grog squirmed out of his arms and thwumped onto the dark gray dash.
“Sorry, Grog.” Lars ran both hands over his face. “You wouldn’t believe some of these people.”
Grog blinked slowly.
“It looks so… fair but it’s not. Everyone is polite and takes their turn. Everything is pre-submitted and follows the plan precisely. There are no cross-examinations or objections like at home. They all just submit what they want, even the same records or Orators, and then present their stories one at a time. It’s all too polite.”
Lars kicked his feet up on the dash to the left of Grog. The scaly beast eyed the intrusion but didn’t move, tail curled around his body.
“High Chancellor Garok is terrifying in person by the way. And he just gets to decide. And Tertiary… He brought out case after case and all these Orators who were actually from the planet. They’re kind of like taller Cogitare. He made it seem like they’re these horrible bloodthirsty people.”
“How do I know that they’re not? Don’t give me that look. I’ve met with Tertiary enough times. He told me this was his strategy. But the Kurtis Aoki? That was a surprise. Get this, there was a guy who got scanned into a Deinya body. He looks like me! Well, not as handsome of course.”
“Rah.”
“Oh, you have an opinion on that? He was an orange. Everyone knows my dark hairs are dashing.” Lars grinned. “Okay, scales are handsome too.”
Grog crawled two steps forward and nuzzled Lars's foot.
Lars sighed. It was really bothering him. Somehow the treatment of the case was worse than the incident itself. Meela had explained how it all would happen but seeing was different. He’d always known FRC was powerful. He’d grown up with that fact, like gravity. They were the pinnacle of aspiration. And this was so wrong.
Lars checked the time on the display. He was expected back in 0.1 standard hours.
“Sorry, Grog.” Lars gently slid his feet away from the creature. “You’re not going to like this. But neither am I.”
###
Meela rushed to Lars's pod and placed a hand on the interior wall. “Breathe.”
Not her too, Lars thought. Do I look that rough?
“I used the recess to confer. Have faith in The Five and trust me.” She rushed away to the edge of the Floor, then ascended to her High Seat. She was the last to take her place and the first to be called.
“These proceedings will now resume,” the High Chancellor declared in his darkly hissing voice. “Per lottery, High Seat Meela family Barlos will offer final statements first.”
Lars's throat bobbed. What did ‘trust me’ mean? She’d run off too quickly. She’d told him it was expected for the High Seats to meet privately over any recesses but who did she speak with and about what? He felt too warm. He had to get out. He gripped the seat cushion.
“Thank you,” Meela began, having reached the center of the Floor. She looked so young and small among the huge gray tiles.
She better know what she’s doing. It wasn’t just Lars's future at risk, but the future of an entire people. Lars crossed his arms over his stomach, applying pressure to prevent being sick.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“High Seats and good people of The Conglomerate, Lars family Dexius is one of us. He is a hard-working citizen of a member-world. He followed protocol every day leading up to the incident. He has a good employment record. We’ve gone through the official records; there is no disputing these facts. The incident with F-311246.3 was tragic—this is also true—but Lars should not bear the fault.”
Lars's chest tightened. Maybe I do need those shit breathing exercises.
“The data supports a ruling that the Harvester Operator is not liable. Furthermore, we humbly ask the High Chancellor to consider all Harvester Operators’ willingness to accept future contracts, should they have concerns about meeting a similar fate.”
What was it she’d said that first meeting, a dance of options, benefits, and consequences? Lars hoped that was enough.
“Additionally,” Meela said, “we support the FRC’s bid to nullify the claim of Code A421 violation.”
Lars's stomach dropped. The murmur of the crowd got louder.
What the hell is she doing? He’d told her about Tertiary’s plans so she could stop them, not get on board.
“Typically, a petitioning planet would be afforded time to progress, should they not meet requirements. However, F-311246.3 no longer exists. Their time is up. Typically, we would review longitudinal records. However, the data with the planet no longer exists. And yet a decision is required given the immediate and long-term financial burden.” She bowed her head. “Thank you.” Then she ascended to her High Seat.
That doesn’t make it okay. He stared up at Meela, eyes wide, horrified. She didn’t meet his gaze. Her face was neutral, almost bored or uncaring. She must not care if she just did that.
“The Deinya Minister will now take the Floor,” High Chancellor Garok said.
How is this happening? It didn’t matter what came next and he had to sit through it all until dismissed. Lars slumped in his pod.
“High Seats, good people,” Gallu family Tullios began. “It is our tradition that the burden in legal matters is shared. Shared with business and worker, shared with worker and family. This tradition goes back more than a thousand years. We, of the Deinya people, recognize that this is a Conglomerate proceeding and we are here showing respect for its ways. We simply ask for this respect to be reciprocated, as a long-standing member-world.”
Well, that’s just great, Lars thought. Although he wasn’t surprised, a little part of him had held out hope. What was his mother going to say? His uncle? The rest of the family? They were already short on funds.
“Earlier in these proceedings, we laid out clear evidence that our government’s involvement was not by choice and that we have incurred great expense. There was no IP infringement because there was no action on our part. Also, we should be compensated for the expense, as detailed, and per our traditions, the burden should be shared by FRC and the offending Operator and his family. The Deinya are a humble and hard-working people. We respectfully remind the assembled that our citizens operate the largest percentage of Harvester ships. We seek the wisdom and respect of the High Chancellor to set things right.”
Lars braced a hand on the inside wall of his pod as the Minister and Tertiary switched places. Tertiary spun with raised arms, offering honorifics. Then he reminded the High Seats of the records and Orations he’d presented. He spoke of patents and financials, and then the status of the humans. Lars thought he might be sick. This wasn’t supposed to be happening. He wasn’t supposed to be here.
“And, as you heard a few minutes ago,” Tertiary said, “High Seat Meela supports this claim. FRC seeks a ruling from the High Chancellor to declare Primitive Status for this world. Thank you.”
Lars swallowed. It wasn’t right.
“The PRO delegate will descend,” the High Chancellor commanded.
Lars thought it strange that she had not provided a name, although it did fit with the mystique of her people. Maybe he could ask Meela—if he was ever willing to speak to her again. She glided down the steps, seaflower hair ebbing, scales on her temples shimmering. She paused at the center of the Floor. The crowd quieted and she cupped her hands in front of her.
“Conglomerate Peoples,” she began in that breathy voice. “High Seats. PRO abstains from taking a position on the assignment of fault. We trust in the wisdom of the High Chancellor.”
The murmur rose in volume. She stared out at the crowd and did not cede her position on the Floor. She turned her long neck to look back at the High Seats. Tertiary straightened at her gaze.
“As High Seat Tertiary built upon the words of those who spoke before, so shall we. He is correct that the technology of F-311246.3 is insufficient to petition.”
Tertiary’s lips tugged up into a smug smile.
“However we have no way of knowing whether it would have advanced in due time. The incident has removed this opportunity. High Seat Meela family Barlos is also correct that social advancement is typically assessed through longitudinal data, which we do not have.”
Tertiary crossed his arms, holding the smile on his face. He was practically salivating over her words like a high-protein meal.
“While the Orations offered by FRC are compelling they are but a point in time. Therefore, on the matter of F-311246.3’s status, PRO’s position is that there is insufficient data for a ruling at this time.”
The murmur of the crowd surged and then was abruptly dampened.
“We are all here because we agree that something must be done. Meela family Barlos is correct that a decision is required. Therefore, PRO proposes an alternative: provisional membership for one standard year, an in situ trial period with controls to be negotiated. These would address any concerns related to scan errors or otherwise. PRO will agree to back a status ruling following assessment at that time.”
“There’s no precedent for that!” Tertiary burst.
The High Chancellor raised an arm and glared.
The Cogitare lawyer shrunk in his Seat.
“We trust in the wisdom of the High Chancellor to deliver a valid ruling,” the Atargaetis said. “To show our support, PRO will contribute to this outcome by funding fifty percent of the population’s access fees for the year. Thank you.”
She gracefully ascended back to her Seat. Lars was stunned. He looked up at Meela and this time she met his eyes. She held his stare though her face remained neutral.
“A very unique proposal,” the High Chancellor said, tapping red fingers on his armrest. “The Conglomerate thanks you for your service, High Seats. Per the procedures set out by our founders, I will now review the presented evidence and deliberate. Rulings will be delivered by secure transmit. These proceedings are now closed.”