Chapter 8 The Trial Ryoko made no attempt to get away as she was being led down the large hall of the castle. There would be plenty of time for that later, if the trial didn't turn up. She followed Azaka obediently to the court room, where everyone else was already seated. She could see Sasami and Aeka on the first row behind the defense seats.. She smiled as she saw Ryo-oki on Sasami's lap. Well, she thought, at least I've got ONE living being rooting for me. On the judges stand, Ryoko was surprised to see the man that she had seen when she woke up in a judges robe. That must be Hasamato, she realized. Beside the stand, the wooden guardian Kamidake stood. "All rise for the honorable Hasamato," the drone called. Everyone stood. Hasamato motioned for everyone to take their seats and Kamidake left the stand to go to the prosecutors seat. "Is he our prosecutor?" Ryoko whispered to Azaka. "Yes, indeed," the drone whispered back. "Please be quiet though. We wouldn't want to disturb the court." Azaka turned to his left, his gaze followed by Ryoko's, and studied each of the jurors. The jurors were the remaining ten council members: from the left, Minsato, Katshinto, Prinaka, Jerol, Muriyaka, Meuka, Tensato, Hatto, Kensho, and Kinato. All had sincere expressions on their faces. "This is the case of the Empire of Jurai against the space pirate Ryoko," Kamidake announced. "Ryoko is faced with charges of thievery, treason, and murder. These are all very high offenses. Other, smaller offenses include not answering subpoenas and loitering in private places. These charges have been pardoned by her majesty the Princess Aeka, as reward for her services in the overthrow of Kagato. They have been stricken from the record." Ryoko wasn't happy, even with the pardon. That word murder was still hanging in her mind. She had a bad feeling that was gonna come up. She hoped the prosecution didn't know what it was doing. "We shall approach these three, very serious charges one by one, starting with thievery. The prosecution would like to call its first witness, one Aeka Jurai, if it so pleases the court." "Proceed," Hasamato said. Aeka stood up behind Ryoko and made her way past the delegates and castle officials sitting in the front row, towards the stand in front of the court. Ryoko's swell in her stomach started to knot, hard. She had had nightmares sort of like this back on Earth. "Princess Aeka," Kamidake started. "Is it true that, while on your trip back to Jurai from Earth, Ryoko left to buy food for you to eat on the trip from the planet Fishalna by way of Jurain currency you yourself had given her?" "Uh, that is true," the princess said, hesitating a little. "Isn't it also true that she was gone for over a whole Jurain day (roughly 36 hours on Earth time)?" "I can't very well be expected to dictate the precise amount of time," the princess said angrily. "Very well. Did it seem like a long time?" "A good bit of time, yes." "When she left, how hungry were you?" "Pretty hungry. We hadn't eaten in a few days since we had left." "When Ryoko returned, how hungry were you?" "I was famished," Aeka said without thinking, the old hunger rising again to her mind. After she had spoken, she realized her mistake and flushed slightly. "When Ryoko finally did return to the ship, did she have more or less money than what you had given her?" "I don't really-" "Let me remind you, princess, you are under oath." Aeka sighed. "More," she mumbled. "How much more?" "A LOT more." There were a few gasps from the people in the audience. "Was she being chased by anybody?" "A few ships." "Did these ships look to be police ships." "They had blinking lights and sirens, yes." "No further questions, your honor." "Does the defense have any questions?" Hasamato asked the drone Azaka. Ryoko excitedly whispered something to the drone. "Yes," Azaka answered the judge. The drone approached the bench slowly. "Princess Aeka. How much money did you give Ryoko?" "All the money I had." "Which was how much?" "Ooohh, I'd say about fifty Jurain credits." "How many people do you think were on that ship, the Yagami." "There was me, Ryoko, Tenchi, Sasami, Kiyone, Mihoshi, Washu, father, and grandfather." "Father and grandfather?" the drone asked. "Oh, I mean Nobiyuki and Yosho. Yosho was then going by the name Katsuhito, however." "So that's nine people?" "Yes, that's right." "That's a lot of people to feed for only fifty Jurain credits. Ryoko might have needed a little more to get descent food, don't you think?" "Well . . ." "You don't have to answer that question. The defense rests." "Very well," Hasamato said. "Aeka, you may step down." Aeka did and returned to her seat behind Ryoko. "You could have done a little more for me up there," Ryoko whispered to the princess. "Well, excuse me, but I did tell the truth, and I was certainly under oath." "Does the prosecution have any more witnesses?" Hasamato asked. "No," Kamidake answered. "Does the defense have any to present?" "No, your honor," Azaka said. "Very well. We shall now move on to the next charge of treason." "I move that this charge be thrown out," Azaka said simply. "Why?" Hasamato asked. "Ryoko is not a resident of anyone country or planet. Normal rules do not subject to her, for she has never been in any one place for more than a few weeks. She was born out in space, so she has nothing to be treasonous against." "Kamidake?" Hasamato asked the other drone. "She still has committed many acts such as graffiti on National monuments. These are offenses." "Seeing as how they are only misdemeanors, they can be punishable by simple fines, can they not?" "That is true," Hasamato said. "Since it is my decision, as judge of this court, I decree that the charge of treason be lessened to separate misdemeanors. Does this please the jury?" "Aye," the call went down the row of jurors, from Minsato to Kinato. "Ok," Hasamato continued. "That leaves the trial of murder in the first degree, the most serious of all these charges." "Hey!" Ryoko shouted. "I didn't murder anybody!! I've never killed anything in my life!" "Settle down, Ryoko," Azaka said. "It won't do us any good to cause such a ruckus." "NO! I DIDN'T KILL ANYBODY!!" she shouted, defensively. "AND IF YOU THINK SO YOU CAN JUST GO TO HELL CAUSE I DIDN'T KILL-" "RYOKO!!" Hasamato shouted. "IF YOU CAN NOT KEEP YOUR VOICE DOWN IN THIS COURT OF LAW, I'LL HAVE TO HOLD YOU IN CONTEMPT!! BE SURE THAT IF YOU ARE NOT ON THAT WITNESS STAND, WE DON'T GIVE A GOD DAMN WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!! NOW SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!!" Ryoko flustered for a moment and was on the verge of saying something else, but thought better of it and sat down awkwardly. "Now," Hasamato continued. "Proceed, Kamidake." "As most of you know, the trial for the murder of one Nagi Murdock (upon hearing this name, Aeka and Sasami gasped. Surely this could not be the same Nagi that had attacked Ryoko on Earth?!) has already come to trial." "YOU ALREADY HAD THE Trial?!!" Ryoko screamed. "We had sent you several subpoenas, Miss Ryoko. We couldn't wait for you any longer." "BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR!!" "Be that as it may, it is Jurain law, and what is not Jurain law is that the defendant has to be present for his or her trial. The case involved testimony from one Mitsuki Karagi, the only witness of the event, and she has given enough evidence to make a decision by the jury possible at this time." "BUT . . . but . . . I WANT TO CALL A RECESS!!!" Ryoko shouted. "Uh," Azaka addressed the judge. "The defense cordially requests a short recess." "Very well," Hasamato said. "A recess of fifteen minutes shall be given to the defense and its council. Court will resume in fifteen minutes." With two swift hits with his mallet, Hasamato dismissed court. "WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?!!" Ryoko asked Azaka in the private chambers set out for the defense and its council two doors down from the court room. "I would assume that we wait for the Jurain council's decision," Azaka answered the raving Ryoko. "BUT THEY'LL HAVE ME KILLED!!" "I seriously doubt it. The council, taking in that the prosecution's evidence was just one witness and taking in effect of your bravery for the empire, will probably be most lenient when it comes to a penalty." "You think so?" "Dear Miss. I am programmed with all the information available to the empire. I do not make mistakes when it comes to this sort of thing." "Well, alright. Let's face the guns." When the trial came to order, nobody had much to say. Ryoko was in a eerie sort of calm, and despair was creeping on her face. The council exited single-file, leaving a chattering court room full of royal delegates, empire representatives, and countless busy bodies from the township. This was big news."This sucks," Ryoko murmured. "Do not be discouraged," Azaka comforted her. "The most probable sentence will be only a life term." "A LIFE TERM?!!" Ryoko screamed. "I'll be an old maid by then! Wait a minute. I'LL BE DEAD BY THEN!! THIS SUCKS!!!" She sank back in her seat and put her head in her hands. "Don't worry Ryoko," Sasami said, coming up behind her. "They will more than likely tally in the heroic acts you did to save the empire. That should count for something. They may even throw it all out. It's happened before." "Yeah!" Ryoko said, lifting her head. "How about that, Mr. know it all!" she said to Azaka. "I was factoring that in when I gave you the most probable decision, ma'am," Azaka said. "DAMMIT!!" she cried, and sank her head back down. "Oh pipe down!" Aeka said. "I really don't know what your problem is! Your only going to get what you deserve, and it's about time too. In fact, you'll probably only have to pay back the money you stole! I was at the trial for the murder, and it was pretty shotty." "PAY BACK THE MONEY?!! THAT'S EVEN WORSE!!" Ryoko yelled. "That's . . . uh . . . I don't even remember WHAT amount that was!!" Just then, the council returned to their juror's stands. "That didn't take long at all," Ryoko said. "That's good, right Azaka? Right? Tell me that's good! PLEASE TELL ME THAT'S GOOD!!" "Actually, the ratio shows that the council usually takes less time when the jurors are convinced the defendant is guilty and have already a hefty sentence planned out," replied the drone. "But, if you insist madam, I will say that it is good." "AHHHH!!" Ryoko yelled, her voice sounding through out the room. "I should've stayed dead!!!" "Ryoko," Hasamato said, staring angrily at the pirate. "If you would please keep your voice down, the jury can give their verdict." "Whatever," Ryoko said, depressed. "Let the sentencing begin." "Very well. Minsato, do you have a verdict." "Yes, Hasamato, we do," replied the council man. "We find the defendant guilty of the charge of bank robbing and suspicious on the count of murder. (A type of sentencing on Jurai is suspicion. This means that the defendant will be held close until more evidence comes to trial to prove that he or she is guilty or not for sure. People have spent their entire lifetimes waiting for suspicion orders to be reconciled.) "I don't like the sound of that," Ryoko said. "Not at all." "We also have a sentence planned if that pleases the court." "You may proceed," Hasamato said, raising his hand. "We propose that Ryoko pay a fine equal to that of which she stole, and remain on probation until the suspicion charge is put on a further trial." "Oh, man!" Ryoko said, putting her head back in her hands. "And how much does she owe?" Hasamato asked. "A total of two billion Jurai credits." All the blood immediately left Ryoko's face. She looked as white as a ghost. "The probation limits her to crime free life on the planet Jurai until new evidence comes." "But I need to see Tenchi!" Ryoko yelled. "We are sorry, but the Emperor of Jurai must request your audience so you can see him." "Does he know I'm here?!" "I am sorry, but there is no way of reaching him at this time. Azaka, how long would it take to get one of our ships free for this excursion?" "Approximately two weeks, four days, and seven hours, if nothing frees up unexpectedly," the drone answered the council man. "Very well. We will inform him at that time." "But I can just send someone with Ryo-oki!" Ryoko complained. "I am sorry, but Ryo-oki, as your probation until you have served your term. As your accomplis, she must wait on you." "THIS SUCKS!!" "That as it may be, you are to be confined to this probation or else suffer more severe charges." "Like what?!!" "Believe me, madam, there are far worse charges." "Ok," Hasamato interrupted. "You may be briefed out of the courtroom on all of this. This is of none of our concern," he said to the people in the audience, "so this can wait til we're all finished here. And, if no one has anything else to add . . ." No one did. "Then we're all finished here. Case adjourned. Go home people." After they were ushered out of the courtroom and into the cell block chamber, Aeka approached Ryoko and tapped her on the back of the shoulder lightly. Ryoko turned around and stared coldly at the princess. "What do you want?" she asked bitterly. "Come to gloat?" "No," Aeka said, returning the angry look. "I have merely come to, uh, offer my, uh, services in, um, finding a, hm hmm, place of housing or something to, uh, that effect." "What?!" Aeka let out a deep sigh. And then, sucking in her breath, spoke quickly so as to be able to get the next words out, "Would you like to stay at the castle for a while, but let me remind you that you are not obliged by any means to accept the offer and, if you were to, it would be proof that you can't handle this task on your own." "Ooohh," Ryoko said, smiling. "Sasami's got you on a leash for a while and she wants to invite me to stay with y'all, but thinks it'll sound sweeter if coming from you." "Something to that effect, yes." "Well, you can tell the kid that I'd be overjoyed to stay in the castle. I can just see it now: the servants, the elegant bedroom, the fine cuisine-" "Now, don't expect me, or anyone else for that matter, to allow you to annoy our servants or cooks with your little fetishes. And as for the elegant bedroom, you are staying in the outside guest quarters. And I mean way outside. And you will be sharing a room with Azaka and Kamidake." "I can live with that," Ryoko smiled at the princess. "And besides, it'll give us a little time to bond, don't you think, Aeka?" Ryoko laughed as she walked away, leaving the scowling princess staring at her with coldness in her eyes.