Friends in High Places p4

Posted on Sat 11th Jan, 2025 @ 5:33pm by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Renato Solis
Edited on on Tue 14th Jan, 2025 @ 1:34am

1,690 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: The Phoenix Gamble

-Continuing...

The State Prosecutor approached, "You shouldn't be so confident, it's poor practice to put your client on the stand when the vote leans to Guilty."

The Prosecutor played to the crowsd, a referendum was likely, "We are here to discuss whether the Stigma unduly changed your punishment, but you have also committed crimes. But I feel, and am proving to the State that your actions actually fit the bill, in a rare win for this awful piece of jurisprudence. You are actually a monster, you do represent the fears of Ullia regressing to its former state. You deserve to be punished for your crimes in accordance to our laws."

Renato was emotionless, at the lull in conversation he only said, "Is there a question coming?"

The man looked squarely into Renato's eyes, with a confidence unearned between the two of them that Renato was inferior. The bear was poked, "Yes, do you feel justified in the decisions you made that night, assaulting two guards and fleeing custody off world? Or this litany we have presented of people who you've assaulted?"

Renato didn't hesitate. "I am justified to resist any action which ends my life or person-hood. I have only ever tried to help people, I am sorry Maam Klotch was not made better by my touch, it was arrogant, and I learned from that, I felt her burden. But she was herself again, for a week, and had a chance to say good-bye, so label my actions what you will, she got to say good bye. I am not, I will not ever be convinced to submit to a castration or hobbling."

The Prosecutor pointed at the witness stand, to the guard, "Ryyder Stahn, look at him, that's the man you traumatized, for years he suffered under the emotional agony of what you did. Did you know when you used your abilities on him, that he had endured so much trauma in a lifetime?"

Renato nodded, "The moment we connected. He had much sadness. He chose to only see what harmed him, had locked away what made him feel vulnerable. He protected his younger idealized self as the adult he craved to be. Ryyder isn't my enemy or a bad man-"

"Please stick to the question I asked." The prosecutor turned to Paul, "Dr. Graves, has Renato ever explained or given you insight into his ability? Can you speak on any of your conclusions towards his behaviors as a Betazoid?"

Paul glanced at the prosecutor. "I understood the basics of Renato's ability because I studied Ullians as part of my qualifications for earning my doctorate degree. After I met Renato, we did discuss his abilities over time, and I learned why he had fled Ullia. At a certain point, we agreed to touch and share memories. As I'm a Betazoid, Renato's memories weren't as clear to me as mine were to him. Despite that, I found the experience to be beautiful. Not always pleasant, but beautiful nonetheless. Regarding my conclusions toward his behaviors--I came late to this trial. Is Renato Solis being charged with telepathic memory invasion?"

The Prosecutor gave a level-headed reply, "Renato faces charges from the state for the use of his abilities in several counts. The most egregious of which is the escape from a detention facility which saw him assault this man, and another and erase his presence from their minds."

The Advocate for Renato lit a light on the table, "As we have established, there cannot be a charge for erasure of memory. Assault is the charge which has yet to be determined. Dr. Graves has brought up an excellent point to this end. Anyone at the more adept levels of telepathic practice will understand that the action mechanism of sensing is reflexive and innate, something restrained. Renato purposefully exercised his ability at his own admission, but the results were not violent as it is now being discussed. He might have suppressed memories but as we can see the memory of the events have returned. So to say there was something erased is false."

With the floor in his possession he tuned to the witness stand, "Dr. Graves can you elaborate on what the experience was like when you shared memories? Was there a violence or forceful action which compelled you in any way?"

"No," Paul said. "It was an honest and profound sharing of our selves. Renato learned from me my worst failure and, I'm sorry to say, lived it. He saw my loved ones and experienced a First Contact that I made. I learned of his family, felt the keen intelligence that he possesses and how he makes connections between seemingly unrelated facts. I experienced the events leading up to his trial from his point of view, and I learned of the deep, gnawing hunger and the sporadic euphoria that is drug addiction. For me, the experience was synesthetic flashes of sensations and emotions that made words unnecessary and even inadequate."

Renato wasn't supposed to interact with anyone, but he had to look over at his friend. Life was sinking in its teeth right now, but he felt invincible for a moment that galvanized him. He owed Dr. graves a visit, a midnight chat with Mr. Midnight. He made sure to glance with eye contact briefly before resuming an openly defiant gaze at the five empty lecterns.

The Advocate for the defense spoke up, "I have just received testimony from Abik Jedel! You all may remember that name; he was the other guard on duty opposite Ryyder? I submit this testimony which aligns with all we have stated. Listen!"

An image appeared on the five judges' workstation monitors. It was of a young adult male Ullian in what Paul guessed must be a prison guard's uniform. Jedel cleared his throat nervously. Someone offscreen asked, "Mr. Jedel, give me a detailed description of what you experienced when Mr. Solis attacked you."

A pensive look came over Jedel's face, and he cocked his head for a moment, thinking. Then he said, "Can it really be considered an attack if all you're doing is remembering your own life? All Solis did was what I could have done on my own, but not as clearly."

"Just answer the question, Mr. Jedel," the unseen voice said.

Jedel let out a long breath. "All right. Solis touched me while trying to escape. It was quite a shock. One moment, I was in the prison, trying to apprehend the guy, and the next instant, I was being born. It was all there--the lights, the delivery room staff, everything, even though it didn't make much sense to me as a baby, of course. From there, everything seemed to whizz forward. I saw myself the first time I consciously decided to be bad. I wanted something that belonged to another toddler, and I took it. I raised an unholy fit--and I could see that having the thing I'd taken wasn't any fun because my parents were mad at me for misbehaving, and I didn't like making the other kid unhappy, either.

"It went on from there, all sorts of things--me not doing my homework and getting a bad grade on a test, Me talking with my parents, eating meals, walking barefooted in water puddles, getting into fights that I could now see how I could have avoided some but not others. All the scenes I relived were decision points, and I could see how I could have done some things better or in different ways. Sometimes, I did make things better, and sometimes I was my own worst enemy. It was an unforgettable, deep experience. I'm glad to have had it."

"Was there any violence or coercion involved?" the unseen person asked.

On the screen, Jedel shook his head. "On Solis' part? Nah. It was a distraction so he could get away. I don't consider it to have been an attack. How could I? I was remembering things I'd already done. Now, yeah, I can see how it might be a different story if my memories were really unpleasant, but even then, it would be memories I'd lived through once before. I don't consider an instant playback to be violence. I probably wouldn't appreciate it as much if my memories were bad, but that doesn't change the simple nature of what Solis did. It was just a playback."

The Advocate thanked the witness. “Yes, thank you for your testimony. And tell me, were you encouraged to come today in any way?”

Abik knew the real question being asked, “No. In fact, I was made to work. I only came today to make sure my testimony was entered into record.”

The Advocate nodded, “Thank you again. I hope you have found peace and go to a good life."

The Witness Dais turned off, and he faced the lecterns where portents of ominous doom stood in anonymity to judge.

“I have nothing further, but to offer the Federation Ambassador to Ullia’s closing words on the matter. I am reading from a missive sent to the Judicium shared this morning. I quote,

The office of State for Ullia has overseen a reform in the last two decades, where rehabilitation and special attentions to miscarriage of justice have been guiding principles. The decision to arrest a Federation citizen by recalling them from their sentence, and then re-trying their case is not civil legal practice in the eyes of this office. Furthermore, the precedent for Ullian law states a person cannot be tried twice on the same case. The Federation and Ullia discussed a new legal framework altogether prior to membership, which is outlined in my submittal. In that we are bound by the laws of the Federation, not Ullia. Renato Solis is a resident of Starbase 109, and a Federation citizen. The act of recalling him was meant as entrapment, and holding him without fair trial or defense is a direct violation of his rights. Our office is seeking immediate remedy and empowers our advocate to any end within their scope of ability to protect this citizen from malicious prosecution.

-TBC

 

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