Tcr 35 Orpheus Vs The Concentric City Charter Govement

The relationship between Concentric City and the Federal Government had always been complex.

Also contentious, bitter, and nearly violent at times.

Core built the Palace as a sanctuary for Supers who were being victimized and as a challenge to the agents of the blackest of government operations trying to get back some of the people the Circle had rescued.

But wiser heads on both sides prevailed. No one wanted to find out what a Group of truly motivated and organized Rank 5s could do if sufficiently pissed off.

So there ended up being a lot of compromises, temporary agreements, and a lot of hand waving solutions put in place to try to make things work.

This included Federal Judge Kwame Dia, appointed as the top legal authority in Concentric City.

Dia’s family had come to this country as refugees, and Core was regarded as being anti immigrant, despite seven percent of the city being foreign nationals who had come to the US specifically for the chance to live and work at concentric city.

But if you publicly object to people illegally crossing US borders, like Core, then you’re branded a racist and against all immigrants.

Thus Judge Kwame Dia.

Of course, Dia knows the rules of leadership. One of which is don't give an order you know won’t be obeyed.

The Concentric City Federal Court sits in the part of the city over the Wyoming border and stands at a humble five stories in height. But the Courtroom is three stories below ground.

It is easier to deal with Super people trying to go on a rampage with walls dug of out solid bedrock.

The whole team rode in with me inside an armored bus, to show their support.

Fable was wearing a sharp looking dark purple business suit with a narrow skirt, or at least that's what it looked like she was wearing. In my real body, I can see her illusions just like anyone else with a heartbeat.

Everyone else is in uniform. Including me.

While I wasn’t really expecting paparazzi out front of the courthouse, I'm still a little disappointed not to see anyone out front. And confused why we weren't stopping out front, to walk up the half flight of stone steps leading up to the front entrance.

Instead, we parked in the lot next door. With our driver even stopping for a parking pass at the entrance to the lot. “This is so disappointing.”

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T-Rex gave me a questioning look. I shrugged.

There were in fact some reporters waiting inside the courthouse. Snapping pictures and even holding up microphones at my face and jabbering questions at me.

That’s more like it.

Shimmer stepped up. “I’m sorry but Orpheus has been advised by his lawyer not to answer any questions at this time, he does have a prepared statement.”

I fished the index card out of a pouch on my belt. It had been a lot easier to handle it without the gloves on.

“I wish to state, that as we work our way deeper into the twenty first century, it is time to recognize the nonhuman intelligences, to which we as a race, have long dreamed of, as people. Not property, not inconveniences, people.”

“They feel, they reason, they speak. If we keep them down, can only assure that will one day have no choice but to rise up. Just like every other oppressed people."

"Please do not twist my words to imply there is a machine or intelligent animal plot to turn against humanity and try to rule over us. Frankly, they all agree being in charge of humans would be nothing but a headache, and more frustrating than trying to herd cats. We're also way too entertaining to try to exterminate. So be better than that. Thank you."

After that, they settled down and shot some questions that had nothing to do with why I was here today, both at me and the rest of the Royals. “Who are you wearing today Fable?”

Fable posed for photos, Manifest quipped a line about the mouse that roared, T-Rex grunted, and Shimmer kept track of the time.

The reporter who had interviewed me that one time approached me. “Hi. I wanted to apologize again for upsetting you. I didn't mean to cross a line.”

I waved it off. "Then let me apologize as well. I don't like any exposure of my personal life and I overreacted.”

Note. Neither one of us actually apologized.

She held up a notepad. “So… Could I get an autograph?”

I was a little surprised at that, but I was still packing a felt tip that I used to sign with. Between the thick felt tip line and the gloves, my handwriting for this should be sufficiently different from my regular handwriting to make it impossible to find my real identity from a computer comparison search.

Besides it wasn't like there were a lot of samples of my cursive writing out there.

Shimmer began to wave people off. “Sorry everyone, but Orpheus had a court appearance.”

My lawyer gave me a frustrated look as I entered the courtroom. What? I beat the judge here.

Elysha Hallows was very passionate about people’s rights, and very young. I had found those two often went together.

I liked her drive for what she believed in but was exhausted by it. I also appreciated that she didn't tell me her pronouns, gender identification, dietary habits, or religious beliefs in the first ten minutes of meeting her, or in fact during any of the times we had met or spoken.

A professional. And working Pro Bono, although she did plan on trying to stick Core with legal costs.

Core didn't bother to show up himself, not for a lawsuit. He would never leave the building if he showed up every time someone sued him. Instead, he had a group of lawyers, what I would call law minions, representing him from some law firm whose name escaped my memory faster than I heard it.

Someone, something, and something else Attorneys at Law.

Judge Dia came in and got things started, and from there went six hours of my life, with a break for lunch.

My lawyer joined me and my team at a table in the cafeteria, other than Manifest who headed out to get me a smoothie.

The Federal Court had teleport blockers, and I wasn’t taking my helmet off to eat a sandwich.

Hallows nodded at me. “I think it’s going well. Judge Dia takes his impartiality seriously, he had to if he expects the Supers to obey his rulings.” She glanced at the team, “Sorry, but the first gens had to become outlaws at times just to survive and we all know they have limits.”

She turned back to look at me sitting at the end of the table. The armor was just too bulky to sit next to anyone else. “But I get the feeling Core’s pet law firm didn’t prepare all that well. Did Core tell them to softball this?” She slowly turned her head to look at Shimmer.

My boss sipped at her smoothie as she thought the question over. She had already demolished her salad and grilled cheese sandwich already, but Manifest had known to bring enough slushy fruit drinks for everyone.

“Getting legal recognition of sentient super animals will make it much harder to have Super humans abused by classifying them as other than human under the law. That's the only answer I'm going to give you Miss Hallows."

My lawyer grimaced as she narrowed her eyes and stared down at her half finished salad. “I’m willing to be played in a good cause. But. Orpheus.” She turned her glare on me. “I expect a full disclosure if you ever expect me to represent you again. Are we clear?”

I nodded. “Wasn’t my call. Won’t happen again.”

Then I started working the flexible tube Manifest had gotten for me under my helmet and up to my mouth so I could get something to eat before I went back into court.