Pre-Trial - Institution of Higher Learning

[Kaelon]

Justicar Julianna appeared on edge. After having to contemplate on the immediate fate concerning the trial of Alexander Nighthawk, she seemed not too eager to explore the cases before her court, for fear that the Rakrya might attempt other recriminations against its political opponents. Even so, the Justicar settled into her seat, awkwardly adjusting her bronze armor, the symbol of her stature born from history and tradition, and gazed somewhat impatiently towards the man whom she would so eagerly call a fat midget, but refrained from lashing out at him simply because his voice was annoying, or he was annoying, or she was annoyed in general, and awaited for her herald to speak.

"Pre Trial Hearing," he began, "before the court of Her Glorious Honor, Justicar Juliara of the Province of Prime; the Empire versus the Institution of Higher Learning!"

And with that, Justicar Juliara turned her attention to the Inquisitor before her to represent the prosecution. "Inquisitor, I shall take your opening statement."

Justicar Juliara

[Kenaz]

Airan stepped up to the Justicar and bowed her head with respect. She was clothed in long robes of elegant red, and her shoes clicked gently on the hard surface of the floor. She took a deep breath, moved her feet slightly apart, spread her arms, and paused before she began her speech. Parts fudged the truth; parts seemed to be good speculation, but it was doubtful if they could be proven. But there was no doubt in Inquisitor Airan’s mind that she had the moral high ground in this case; she had seen the evidence and while it may not have matched up to her description, it was close enough to it for moral outrage.

She met the Justicar’s gaze, and began on her well-rehearsed speech.

“I come before you, Justicar, to tell you of a series of terrible crimes, committed by the staff of one of the city’s most respected educational institutions. While all may have seemed well to some students there, what went on beneath this convenient facade would have shocked all, had they known. There were people amongst these nine who were criminals, worshipers of the dark gods, evil persons. And the others knew, and rather than telling anyone of what had happened, they turned their backs and tried to forget what went on after-hours.

“I will tell you a tale of one hundred sixty nine murders, Justicar, each and every one premeditated, thought out with cunning care, executed over the course of a few hours nightly with stunning cruelty. I will tell you of a powerful Mystic who was nothing short of drunk with lust for death and blood, who would torture the minds of anyone - - men, women, children, friends, enemies - - until even the strongest-hearted of men would destroy themselves, to end this mental misery.

“I will tell you of drugs administered to a little girl who knew not the difference between white and black, her mind had been toyed with so. I will tell you of a Hayan who sold her body to anyone who could pay the meager price to be ensnared into lust; I will tell you of a family of Jorelites who had an altar in their cellar, in which they prayed and sacrificed for power over each other.

“And I will tell you of the others. They stood by, they watched, they did NOTHING, for it was to their advantage to have these wretches safe from the law.

“I have evidence of all of this, Justicar, and I will show everything. It may sicken; it may shock; but I shall withhold nothing in my fight to have these monsters put to death.”

Her voice was clear, pleasantly-toned, and had possessed intensity and conviction. Airan could feel herself flush from both the heat of the confined room and the energy of putting on a performance - - for, indeed, her job telling true stories in a convincing way - - as she sat down once more and bowed her head again.

[Kaelon]

Justicar Juliara raised her eyebrow curiously. This cautious magistrate seemed to have a gentle fury building up within her each moment that Inquisitor Airan would cite a transgression. The clear presentation by the Inquisitor definitely impressed; some in the audience resisted the urge to applaud and cheer the efforts of the Ministry of Justice to put an end, once and for all, to the crimes of this respected institution. Finally, Juliara spoke.

"Thank you, Madame Inquisitor," said the Justicar of Prime Province. "These transgressions that you cite fall within the scope of High Justice, and this court recognizes your mandate under the Articles of Imperium. Before we may proceed in this hearing, we must establish a preponderance of guilt through evidence." The requirement was basic, and Airan must have certainly felt it coming, but the audience also knew that their trusted Inquisitor, defender of Justice for the people, was quite prepared.

"Please tell this court about the evidence that you have gathered for each crime committed," instructed the Justicar. Juliara rested cautiously, knowing that the preponderance of guilt determined by the evidence would almost always establish the outcome to the trial, wherein the accused would have to prove their innocence.

Justicar Juliara

[Ogabe K'tinga]

OOC: Fluidly before things start, if you please

IC: Ogabe strode through the door of Juliara's court with wide-eyed wonder at the lavish appointments of this place. Definitely a bit fancier than my digs back in Nexus he thought, remembering the brief tour he had of his own chambers before leaving for Prime. The tension in Juliara's shoulders and posture was apparent, but the dappled katta had no clue as to what the cause of it was. The voice of her herald was indeed annoying, a slight twinge in his voice likewise driving Ogabe's nerves on edge. After the intial formalities, the visiting Justicar seated himself in the location of his choosing, which he had staked out prior to most of the players' entrance onto this grand stage.

Ogabe had positioned himself carefully, close to both the defense table, and Magistrate Airan. This would allow him to ask questions of the advocates, should some procedure or occurrance seem out of the ordinary, which was just about everything that was going on.

The list of charges spoken by Airan was simply mind-boggling in its scope and depth. Her enthusiasm for bringing the guilty to justice was appluadable as well, a woman after his own heart, this one. He resolved to at least speak to Airan after the proceedings were finished, her unwavering passion for justice was something he found lacking in his Senatorial colleagues.

[Kenaz]

Airan took a deep breath, and her throat tightened visibly; here was where the case grew shakier. The evidence was there, but it could be taken in several ways. "Justicar," the Inquisitor said with another polite, brisk bow. "On the part of the Hayan, many a man has shamefully attested to making love for a fee with her, or has seen her walking the streets late at night.

"After coersion, many members of the school testified against each other; this is how we learned of the lady Jorelite. They saw her beat the little girl she lived with, in a display of absolute cruelty. And yet the school did nothing, clearly displaying a conspiracy against Blessed Lord Ioannes. And the Mystic murderer, the wench's brother was well aware of the Jorelite shrine underneath the house, according to what he said and will, no doubt, say before you during the trial.

"As for the Mystic's crimes, he had artfully covered them up with his magics. But when the Aetherfracture came about, the enchantments he had used to cover his lingering, wicked thoughts drifted away, and we could see that he had been there at the scene of every crime. When we apprehended him for suspicion during the raid of the school, we could match up his thoughts with those we found at the murder sites. Upon searching his room of the house and his desk in the school, we found large amounts of frost and chlorpromazine. That serves as a summary, Lady Magistrate, of what you will see in this trial as evidence."

While Airan spoke, something shifted in the corner of Ogabe's keen eyes. What looked to be a tiny white and black dragonfly was perched upon the bannister that separated the audience from the courtroom floor.

[Ogabe K'tinga]

Ogabe saw that delicious flicker at the edge of his vision, but did his best to keep from staring in that direction, trying to learn something here. He listened as the Advocate read the particulars of the case, and could not help but feel a chill run down his spine. Retrieving his journal, Ogabe carefully balanced the inkpot on the bench seat next to him, scribbling a few short notes in the book for questioning Murrl Sk’rith later.

legality of arcane evidence?
Knowledge without involvement=guilt?

His pen was poised to write again, but hovered in mid air, a fat drop of black ink quivering at the end, as his eyes fell upon Nyx once again. Ogabe did not know whether to feel curious or frightened at her unexpected appearance here at the pre-trial proceedings. She had certainly taught him . . .something from their last encounter. However, he could not imagine that she would use magic, it had to be magic, right? against him again here in the courtroom, with witnesses present. Besides, she just looked so . . . enticing, wings flapping slowly, possibly to cool herself. It was getting hot in there, or was it just Ogabe?

[Kaelon]

Justicar Juliara raised her eyes in astonishment. "Evidence in this matter is quite clear for the charge of Abrogation of the Sacred Three, Madame Inquisitor," said the magistrate to Airan as she surveyed the documents before her perusal. "and, though Arcane Evidence has been dubious in the past, I was instructed by the Imperial Tribunal to consider it admissible evidence. Such is obviously the will of Emperor Julos, and as such, I have no choice but to accept it."

She turned her attention to see if the defending advocate was present. "I will now hear from the defending advocate any motions or statements for this disturbing crime," said Juliara, seeming highly alarmed by the nature of the conspiracy that had been set upon the institution.

[Kenaz]

Airan bowed perfunctorily to the Magistrate and eased herself back into her seat. She turned her head only slightly to see her colleague, Advocate Picazon. Airan had little respect for him; he was a rail-thin gentleman who had studied, earned his title, and promptly gone into a quiet life as a sustenance farmer in the rolling hills of Candaceburg. He had returned to the city - - letting his crops rest and grow - - to defend local cases that interested him. And this case certainly had done; he had come to Prime as soon as the news had been published in the Herald, and his fields had, no doubt, lain fallow.

Picazon stood, briefly and reflexively shoved his dark mop of hair out of his eyes, bowed quickly, took a deep breath - - and began.

"Magistrate," he said in his pleasant baritone, and he turned himself slightly to better address his audience, as well. "Two points . . . two points that will be the core of my argument.

"First, one must understand that I respect Inquisitor Airan greatly." He shook his hand slightly, without meaning as he paced about like an actor performing a soliloquy. "I went to law school with her, back at the Institute of Higher Learning, actually, before Hrafn bought it and ceased teaching law. I admire Airan completely. But she's making some conclusions that do not follow logically. And I have spoken with the suspects and I don't think the conclusions are true. At all." He spread his hands to the courtroom, to display his open palms. "Of course, I can't tlel you which ones just yet. I've got to keep you in suspense." Airan made a little ambiguous face, as Picazon changed his posture slightly, a fine showman.

"Secondly. Lovely Airan has not touched upon motive for these crimes - - I do not deny that they occurred. I have asked, and I have discerned, and I have dcetermined that these people were operating under burdens. Some had fear, others madness, and one was almost cursed by the dark gods. They coud have gone to close friends of Ioannes - - priests and such - - and asked for help. But if that had even occurred to them in their ruined state of mind, they were afraid of punishment and stigmatism, for even we servants of the light can be a bit intimidating at times.

"I do not plan to excuse these crimes, only to explain them. And I think that these nine will deserve not your hatred and fear, but your pity and your retribution."

Picazon's tone had slowly grown softer, and now he clasped his hands behind his back and deeply bowed his head. There was a little dark shimmer in Ogabe's view as Nyx, unaware of the cat-man's gaze, shuddered gently and drew a black chiffon cloth around herself.

[Ogabe K'tinga]

Ogabe was torn then, between his furious scribbling of notes one the one hand, and watching Nyx on the other. The tiny morsel of a faery at last covered her wickedly enticing wings, and Ogabe could set himself back to the task at hand. Dipping the pen back in his inkpot, he scratched a few more words down, the last of which was Retribution? He pondered that a moment, before returning his gaze to the small notebook he was writing in, pen darting swiftly in measured movements, Ogabe's precise script flowing onto the page almost as fast as he could think of what to write.

Mental defect as defense? Duress? What have these people to fear? he asked himself, and once things were done, Murrl Sk'rith as well.

[Kaelon]

Justicar Juliara nodded affirmatively. "Thank you for your statements, Advocate Picazon," said the ruling magistrate of Prime Province. "I can see that this trial certainly will have an empassioned defense. In the interests of Swift Justice, however, this Pre-Trial hearing must make proper accomodations for sentence to be carried out at the conclusion of final deliberations. The charge in this matter warrants the sentence of death, and as such, we shall schedule execution by beheadings in the Imperial Forum at the end of the week. Does that time period seem appropriate for both of you to argue your cases?" she asked.

[Kenaz]

Aerin only gave a quick nod to Juliara. "Time enough," she said in a low monotone.

But Picazon drew himself up indignantly, having not yet reseated himself upon his chair. "Justicar," he said, beginning to slowly ease into his animated, hurried, colorful speech. "I have done research, picked at the defendants' brains extensively (so to speak), but still more might come during the trial. I want to ensure that all witnesses are able to come and testify truly. Might we extend the trial only slightly to a cycle and a half?"

He finished, extending a hand palm up to Juliara and bringing his chin down so he could glance up at her reverantly.

Nyx the pixie's wings fluttered gently in the corner of Ogabe's eyes, flapping her chiffon cloth, and she slowly began to turn her tiny head to scan the audience.

[Ogabe K'tinga]

The dappled katta had been rather surprised at how eager the Justicar had been to condemn the accused, leaving the defense advocate little time to prepare himself. The fact that there seemed little doubt to the defendants' guilt was the only thing that kept the slender cheetari from raising several questions, when the two advocates had proper time to answer them. His Law instruction under Professor d'Kandorian was coming along well, but books offered little of the drama witnessed in a real courtroom, and none of the actual courtroom procedure, the practical application thereof being quite important to the young Justicar.

Ogabe was furiously scribbling notes into his journal, or damn well intended to as soon as that maddeningly enticing faery stopped distracting his feline mind. The motion of the tiny woman was almost hypnotic, doubly so because of her small size. Nyx was holding his attention like few on Telath could, save Nikina of course, the dappled cheetari staring quite unabashedly, and unaware of his own actions.