The airplane took about an hour to travel back to Besaid. Paine and Baralai said nothing. Paine was scared for Gippal. She couldn't picture him in jail. He wouldn't do well in jail.
"There's nothing you can do, for leniency?" Paine asked Baralai.
"I can't control what the Maesters decide. Yes, I can maybe take off some charges."
"What can you control?" Paine pleaded. She looked at him, deep in the eyes.
"I'm not sure, really." He looked down, then back towards her. "Paine, he broke the law. We can't let him slide because he's a Spirian leader. For once, he has to be treated like everyone else. And in that case, charged and ruled like everyone else."
"I…I understand that. But there's got to be something!"
"Look, both of us are going to have to stay in Bevelle until this is done. Why don't we head to the Temples library and do research. I don't want to see him and Rikku put away just as much as you do. Anything that can help is worth it. But, I just doubt there's anything that'll help."
"Rikku is none of my problems. She lied to me," Paine looked back out her window. After thinking for a moment, she sat up. "Your father. You said your father passed that law because something like that happened. What if we find him, maybe he can help us?" Baralai sighed.
"Paine, he's been gone for four years. No one knows where he went, anything. And I don't think we can find him before Gippal and Rikku are tried."
Finally, they arrived back to Bevelle, and were escorted to Baralai's home. The guards stayed outside the house, monitoring the door.
"They're really taking this serious, aren't they?" Paine asked as she peeked out the window.
"Yes, and unfortunately, that means Nooj can't help us either."
"Well yeah, he'd be shot on the spot snooping around here. Especially because he's allied with Gippal too."
"Djose is on Yevon territory. They wouldn't suspect that." Paine left the window and sat on the couch.
"Then how are we going to leave here? They're going to watch us 24/7." Baralai smirked.
"Not in the Cloisters." He sat next to her and rested his elbows on his knees.
"Oh? And how do we get there?" Paine asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I have tunnels, leading to the temple and back. I had them build because I knew I was going to stay in the Temples. So, we could go through there."
"You knew you weren't going to turn out like your father. You want to be better, right?"
"Well yeah. To tell you the truth, I think the Temples believe I'll turn out like him. 'Like Father, Like Son'. They always say that to me." Paine leaned against him.
"Nah, I bet you're doing a lot better than he had been doing. A million times better." Just then, the phone rang, and Baralai jumped up to get it.
"Hello?"
"Baralai? What's going on, you three are all plastered on the news?" It was Yuna.
"Who is it?" Baralai turned to her and mouthed 'Yuna'. Paine nodded and walked into the kitchen.
"It's kind of a long story. Gippal, Rikku, a group of Ronsoes, and Guado decided to blow up Mt. Gagazet. I don't know the details yet, however, but most of them have been caught by Yevon guards and are being prosecuted."
"What? Rikku was in it?"
"Yeah, I think she and Gippal were together in it."
"Like, relationship-wise?"
"That I don't know. I haven't had a lot of time to talk to him. Actually, both Paine and I aren't to be around him. Don't ask, it's a bill that was passed by my father years ago."
"Oh my word. How's Paine doing?" Baralai glanced to Paine, who was sitting at the table, looking at him curiously.
"She's fine. She kind of got in between everything and was buried under rocks. Blacked out, from what Gippal told me."
"Oh. I'm glad she's okay. I'm going to go. Just please, call me if anything new comes up."
"Will do, see you Yuna." He hung up and sighed. "She's not too happy about it."
"Well, no. Rikku's her cousin, anyway. You should call Nooj. Maybe he can get to the Temples."
"I don't think so. I'll call him though. Maybe he can give us advice." He picked up the phone and dialed the number, then sat across from Paine.
"Hey Nooj, its Baralai."
"Just the person I wanted to talk to. How's everything turning out?"
"Horrible. I was hoping you could help us out a little. You see, because Paine and I are allied with Gippal and the Machine Faction, we can't talk to him, be around him, anything. We're under complete lockdown. They've got guards outside my door."
"They're not tapping into your phone line, are they?" Nooj laughed.
"I hope not. This is serious. Thankfully, I have a tunnel to lead us to the Temple. Do you think you could get over here, without being noticed?"
"I don't know. I've got a bunch of paperwork."
"Can't that wait? I've put mine on standby."
"Yours has always been on standby. Tell you what. I'll drive over there behind your house. Let me in through the back."
"There's the problem, I don't have a back door." Paine hit her forehead with her hand. Baralai scowled at her and took her hand. "I have a big window though."
"You know I can't climb into it."
"Just…come anyway." Paine sat up and looked towards the door. Someone was trying to open it. "I have to go. Come in an hour." He hung up and slammed the phone down.
"Who do you think it is?" Paine asked, standing next to him.
"Go into my room and unlock the window."
"But what about guards."
"Just go." He nudged her side and walked towards the door. Paine nodded and walked back into his room.
"Who is it?" Baralai leaned his ear against the door.
"Maester Mika. Please open the door." Baralai sighed and opened the door.
"I'm sorry Maester, I wasn't expecting you." Baralai bowed, as did Paine, who approached from behind.
"Ah, you must be Paine. I was wondering who would be held up here with him." He shook her hand and walked over to the couch.
"Why do you have that book?" Baralai asked, sitting next to him.
"Well, it's got most laws about Yevon, and the courts. I figured you'd want to go a tad easier on the two of the Al-Bheds that are there."
"Well, of course, but the other Maesters will noticed, and I may even get impeached." Paine sat next to him and squeezed his hand.
"Yes, true. But I think you're ready to face those Maesters. They've doubted you from the start. I found some in here that can limit the penalties. Maybe it'll lighten the Maesters up a bit. Notice your full potential, you know?"
"I guess. Please, show me."
"Well, there's this one." Mika flipped through the pages until he found the marked page. "It states that the Ronsoes, who reside on Mt. Gagazet, would get a harder blow than both the Guadoes, and the Al-Bhed." Baralai skimmed the article quickly.
"So, how long would you say that Gippal and Rikku would be in jail for?"
"Hm, I can't say for sure. Under the current circumstance and investigation, I'd guess about a year tops." Mika assumed, continuing to flip through the pages. Baralai looked over to Paine, who was biting her lip.
"Now, another article I've found is directed probably towards the Guado. Because the Guadoes are from Guadosalam, and were living there, they have to be tried in Guadosalam. As well as the Ronsoes, who have been sent back to Mt. Gagazet."
"What about Gippal and Rikku, where would they be tried? Neither was living in Bikanel." Paine asked, finally speaking.
"They'd still be tried here, in Bevelle. Like I said, it really only was directed towards the other two groups."
"Is that all that you found?" Baralai asked, reading the small paragraph.
"So far, yes. But I must say, it took a lot to get here. You really are under lockdown; I'm surprised of the amount of guards here."
"Yes, I have no idea how I'll get anything done. All my work is in my office."
"Not to worry. The trial is tomorrow. The Ronso and Guado were sent back to their main lands. Rikku and Gippal, I believe, are in the jail. They both have attorneys, surprisingly enough. Well, I'll leave this with you, maybe you can find something. Good day, Baralai." Mika bowed, while both Paine and Baralai nodded. Mika walked to the door and left.
"Well…that didn't help much." Paine leaned her head back on to the couch.
"Some what. I'm glad to hear that Gippal won't get as hard of a blow. I still think we need more."
"Mika's pretty proud of you." Paine smirked, elbowing him in the side.
"He's really the only Maester that approves of me being here, in the Temples even." Baralai glanced up at the clock. "Shoot, Nooj'll be here soon. You unlocked the window, right?"
"Yeah, I'll go and keep watch. You keep reading." She patted his leg and walked back into the bedroom. Just as she walked in, she could see Nooj creeping up to the window. "Think you can fit? You seem to have gained some extra pounds these last two weeks."
"Ha-ha, open the window!" Nooj rolled his eyes. Paine sighed and opened the window as wide as she could. Thankfully, it was a bay window, so it could open wider than most windows could.
"Give me your hand" Paine reached out for his hand and pulled him in. "You okay?"
"I'm really getting too old to do that. But other than that, yeah, I'm fine. Where's Baralai?"
"Living room. Maester Mika surprised us with ways we can lessen the blow to Gippal and Rikku. He's skimming through a law book right now." Paine led him out to the living room.
"Hey Nooj." Baralai set down the book and walked up to him.
"You were right. There are guards everywhere. I'm going to be lucky if I get out of here undetected." Nooj sighed. "My hover gets towed, you're paying." He smirked at Baralai.
"Have you found anything new out?" Paine asked
"No, it seems that that's all that can be done. We just have to wait and find out what happens." Baralai sighed, leaning against the wall.
"Mika never said what time the trial was, did he?" Paine wondered.
"No. But I can always ask the guard outside my door."
"Ask them to deliver pizza for us." Paine said in sarcasm.
"I don't think they know anything. But, show me what you found." Baralai nodded and walked out into the living room and showed the book to Nooj. Paine went into the kitchen and poured everyone a glass of water.
"That's it?" Nooj asked, not believing the two laws could save Gippal.
"Yes, but he's going to be gone another year." Paine said as she set the glasses down.
"Thanks, Paine." Nooj said as he sipped the water. She nodded and sat on the other side of Baralai.
"Yeah, just about. But I should probably go through this again. Even though we're low on time." Nooj stayed around for another two hours. All of them talked about the trial and what could happen. Finally, Nooj said his goodbyes and left through the window. Paine tilted her head onto his shoulders.
"I'm sleepy. I've had a big day, I guess."
"Yeah, getting knocked out probably gets someone tired. Go ahead and crash out in the master bedroom. I'm going to be up a little later, trying to find more. Goodnight." He gently kissed her and she got up and walked into the back room. Paine shut the door and sighed. The day went by so slowly. Besides the fact that she had been knocked out most of it. She was with Gippal for only minutes, and he was taken away from her, again. She walked over to the bed and laid down, face up. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep almost immediately.
Baralai, however, was still awake, skimming through the thick book. He wondered whether he should call Mika or not. He shrugged and decided to.
"Hello?" Mika answered, sleepily.
"Hello Maester Mika, its Baralai. Sorry to wake you, I understand it's late. But I was hoping you knew what time the trial was."
"I heard around 5 p.m. I heard from the Guadoes. The group was charged with 9 months in jail. The Ronsoes were the same. I figure Gippal and Rikku will probably be charged with the same."
"Alright, thanks Mika. I appreciate it." Baralai hung up and sighed. He stood up and lit the fireplace, hoping the warmth would somewhat relax him. He also knew that Paine would probably come back out and demand the rest of "Othello" to be read. He smiled at the thought and picked the law book back up.