An Orion in Captivity

Posted on 12/31/2020 @ 7:31pm by Lieutenant JG Jonah Webster JD & Lieutenant Commander Wilbur Winchester JD & Lieutenant JG Larissa Syndel
Edited on on 12/31/2020 @ 8:24pm

Mission: S3E1: Time of Change
Location: Earth- Holding facility
Timeline: Day 85 at 0000

Lieutenant Commander Wilbur Winchester and his young defense associate, the junior JAG defense attorney, Lieutenant JG Jonah Webster arrived at the facility and were making their way, escorted by one of the guards to where their client, Lieutenant Larissa Syndel of the USS Crazy Horse was being held. They would have the privilege to sit down with the woman, get her side of matters and ultimately formulate a plan of defense. "It's now or never, Jonah," 'Tex' said to his younger colleague as they neared where Syndel was.

Now or never, Jonah mused to himself as he walked in step with the elder defense attorney. "It will be interesting to see how this goes, hopefully she will want to meet with us." There were times that clients, especially those in Syndel's situation who just accepted their fate. However, this court martial was going to be different, they were going to be dealing with a jury. That wasn't something that typically happened, most times these things took place in front a captain or an admiral, with just the prosecution, defense and a handful of witnesses. He figured this was of Rahner's doing, and just accepted it as that.

Seeing the green-skinned woman, Wilbur flashed a small smile, and he lifted his hat from his head. "Ma'am, I'm Lieutenant Commander Wilbur Winchester your JAG defense, and this here is Lieutenant Jonah Webster. He will be assisting me on your case. "You're Lieutenant Syndel, I presume?"

Larissa rolled over in her cells bed to face the owner of the voice. "I don't think there are any other Orion women in this facility Commander, I'm your girl." she said given a small smile though she wasn't really in a smiling condition. "You'll have to excuse me getting up, I feel like hell."

The simple truth was that Syndel also looked like hell. He cleared his throat, though he was sympathetic, he didn't care if the defendent 'felt like hell' or not, they needed questions answered if they were going to get her a lesser sentence. "The commander and I wanted to speak with you about what happened," Jonah said.

Larissa nodded slightly. "Go right ahead young man." She readied herself for similar questions to everyone else that had come to see her.

Jonah nodded. "Yes, let's get started," he said, stammering a bit. He willed himself to pull himself together and then started the recording on the PaDD he carried. "We will start with when the away team first entered where Chief Bourdeaux was, who was in the room with you?"

"Me and the Xo Lt Joral went in first, we stunned the two guards by the entrance." Larissa replied. "Lt's Nuin and Gallagher came in after."

"Alright," Jonah said. He looked at the Orion, studying her but in a non-sexual way, his facial features passive, neutral. He was trying to look through the eyes of a potential juror and how they would see the woman. He knew some would show prejudice or even xenophobia, but they would never state that outloud. So far, barely there answers were not doing it for him. He wanted a full explanation. Now then it was time to pull out the big questions, to push like a prosecutor would push. "So despite being stunned, you still decided to kill an unconscious guard? Did Mr. Bourdeaux's death really 'flip the switch' so to speak? Do you always go to zero to sixty with your anger, or was it just directed at another Orion, specifically a male?"

"It was not just the chiefs death, these were slave traders, I was put in with a group of women taken from the Skunil colony." Larissa explained. "They were held in inhumane conditions. Barely any food or water, nothing real in the way of sanitation, they had been there for a long time. How can someone keep another in those kind of conditions."

"It's deplorable, the Federation has outgrown that nonsense centuries ago, but you see... your actions do not justify the means. You killed a stunned guard, a guard that would be considered harmless at that point," Jonah said, he shook his head and gave a brief look to Winchester and then turned back to Syndel. "You know, just as we do, that this does not look good. Just because we get angry, doesn't mean that we go around killing people... Starfleet happens to not like murderers in its ranks." He blew out a breath and crossed his arms at his chest. "I'm sorry this happened to you," he began, his voice softened now, the edge gone, "what my concern is that the prosecution will try to use the fact you are Orion against you, we must make sure that doesn't happen."

"Oh I bet they will try, I'd be surprised if they didn't to be honest." Larissa told the men chuckling slightly despite it turning her stomach. "Play on the innate distrust that people seem to see in us Orions."

Jonah let that sit for a moment. Humans had had dealings with Orions since the early days of Starfleet and even earlier when trade vessels started to leave the Sol system. "Well, it will be our job to subvert that," he finally said. "You might be stripped of your rank, position, and freedom, I just hope you have some regrets about this. The jury has to see that you do."

Larissa shrugged slightly. "I don't think there is much doubt about me losing my commission and going away for a while no matter how much I regret killing the guy."

"Hogwash and hollandaise sauce!" exclaimed Wilbur. "Prosecution doesn't have shit to work with. Career Starfleet Officer finds fellow shipmate deceased and attacks Orion guard," added Wilbur shaking his head. "Back in the day, that would get you a little lip from the XO and a slap in your back, not a Court martial."

Jonah looked at Winchester, a look of bewilderment on his face. "Hogwash and hollandaise sauce?" He looked back to Syndel and shrugged, he had absolutely no idea what that phrase meant, but he went with it. He also wasn't as confident as his superior that the prosecution didn't have anything to work with. In his mind, Syndel shot a man who was out cold. She let her anger get the best of her. He had wondered if 'back in the day' it really had been just a 'little lip' and a slap on the back from the XO. That seemed wrong on so many levels. Murder was murder, even if it was in the name of justice.

"Things have changed a lot since 'back in the day' Commander." Larissa commented, gone were the days when Captains would falsify log entries and get away with all kinds of activities.

"Unfortunately," replied Wilbur "That is all too true. Those days are gone, and now we have to be more delicate about handling matters and more careful with what is said or done." The elder lawyer shook his head. "What I am hoping for, Lieutenant is that we can emphasize exactly who you are, and that being a career officer in Starleet who had a momentary lapse of judgment, justified by the death of your shipmate. We need to build your credibility and appeal to the emotions of the jury."

Jonah nodded. Winchester was correct concerning the jury, though it still stumped him there would be a jury to begin with. "Is there anything else you want to add?" he asked, directing his question to the Orion female.

"I do regret killing the guy, my record is mostly clear. A little too much partying here and there but nothing too bad." Larissa told them. "I'm no saint but I'm not the criminal they will probably try and make me out as just because I'm Orion."

"Being Orion is a double edge sword, but I believe it can work to our advantage. The guard you killed was also Orion," noted Wilbur. "Frankly my dear, I do not entirely appreciate them placing you on court-martial for this. You were captured, beaten, and the individual you killed was no saint either. The facility was not Federation. Our rules and laws should not necessarily apply there. If we go by it being an Orion matter, correct me if I am wrong, but they are still a very eye for an eye society."

"Somewhat yes." Larissa replied.

"I feel confident we can use that in court. What jury of your peers, starfleet officers are going to ignore what they know about Orions and Orion society. They are not a Federation member, and my apologies, dear, but they are barbaric. The bounties they place on the heads of Starfleet personnel and Federation governmental officials... what they did to the Chief. That is going to stick with them."

Larissa slowly rolled back over onto her back. "Still doesn't give me much of a chance that I won't end up spending the rest of my life in a penal colony."

Jonah stood there, not sure what else to say on the matter. He had a feeling Rahmer had some odd vendetta with this whole thing, especially with such an elaborate court martial. All they could do was try their best. "You aren't wrong," Jonah replied. "But our job is to make sure this doesn't turn into a lifetime gig."

"And so we shall my young friend," replied Wilbur. "We will go into this knowing that we cannot prove your innocence, lieutenant Syndel. I think we can all agree that would be impossible; however, we can emphasize your character, your duty to the uniform, and point out the flaws in the prosecution's case. We will cause a jury to wrestle with the morality and ethics of the situation, appeal to their emotions, and if all goes according to plan...we may be able to twist some arms and get the prosecution to agree to mitigation, and we can get life in prison cleared off the chess board."

"Good luck." Larissa told the men. "you're going to need it."

Jonah rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything more to that. The thing was, Syndel was not wrong about that either - they truly were going to need all the luck in the universe to get a lesser sentence. But they would try their best to do so.


A Post by:

Lieutenant Larissa Syndel
Former Chief Operations Officer
USS Crazy Horse

Lieutenant Commander Wibur Winchester, JD
Judge Advocate for the Defense

Lieutenant Jonah Webster, JD
Judge Advocate for the Defense