Note: Judge Green is one of my favorite, favorite minor characters. For non-JAG fans, or those JAG fans keeping score, the two episode she's been in are "Overdue and Presumed Lost," and "Legacy Part II."
Without the children, the warehouse seemed empty. The lawyers made no further visits that day, and Beast waited out the last few hours feeling utterly alone. He did not sleep well.
The six AM shift change woke him, and even though the trial did not start for several hours yet, he decided to give up his attempts to sleep. Instead he sat staring blankly at the television, thinking of everything and nothing, until one of the guards came over and turned it on. With a start, he realized that the trial began in just more than forty-five minutes.
He took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. This was more anxiety-causing than anything he'd ever been through, including the Homecoming football game in his senior year, and defending his doctoral dissertation as a grad student. He had a fleeting wish that his life had never taken this turn - that he had never been transformed into his current state, that he had never been a mutant at all - but he forced it out of his mind as quickly as it'd come. Angsting was not going to help.
The TV showed only an empty courtroom at first. Then people began to file in, some of them taking seats, some of them doing various tasks to set things up. Soon two familiar figures entered, both of them carrying briefcases and wearing civilian suits. Rabb and MacKenzie turned and gave reassuring smiles to the camera. They cut sharp figures, looking like television's dream of lawyers, all grace and confidence.
Beast did not feel reassured.
The prosecution team came in a few minutes later - all five of them. The government was taking no chances, it seemed. They shook hands with the defense lawyers and retreated to their table. The lead prosecutor was a tall, middle-aged man with thick brown hair, a politician's smile, and a very nice suit. Judging from the expressions on Rabb and MacKenzie's faces as they had a quick, murmured conversation, they thought they could eat the guy for breakfast.
Finally, just when Beast was beginning to understand Evan's need for constant movement, the bailiff announced the judge, one Esther Green, who proceeded to take her seat with an air of possessiveness. Judge Green was a middle-aged black woman with a jaded slant to her eyes, and she was firmly in control of her courtroom, Beast surmised. A good quality in a judge. She brought the room to order and folded her hands across the wood in front of her. "Commander Rabb and Colonel MacKenzie, from the Judge Advocate General's office," she said in a slow drawl, eyeing them. "How is Admiral Chegwidden, anyway?"
"Just fine, ma'am," MacKenzie answered, all cool confidence.
"Huh. Still giving everyone a headache, I bet. Nice to see you in my courtroom again, Colonel," the judge said, amused about something. "Going to let the defendant get carbombed this time?"
MacKenzie smiled, slightly uneasy. "No ma'am."
"Good." Judge Green rested her chin on one hand and said, "I'm presuming you have something to tell me before the opening statements, since you spent an hour harassing my secretary this morning?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Rabb said, standing. "We'd like to request that you declare a mistrial."
The lead prosecutor was on his feet in a second. "Your Honor, the trial hasn't even begun!"
"The defendant is being held in a military facility, in a cage, in shackles," Rabb said firmly, not giving the judge a chance to say anything. "Right now, he's watching the beginning of his trial, through an electrified glass wall, on a fifteen-inch television. He is being denied his Constitutional right to a fair trial and a chance to see his accusers in court."
"Your Honor, Dr. McCoy is being held in a secure location because he is a dangerous-"
Rabb cut him off with a loud and adamant, "Your Honor, such terms are prejudicial to our client, as is the fact that he's not allowed to attend his own trial."
"It's hardly prejudicial," the prosecutor retorted. "It's a common practice. Dozens of serial killers and other-"
"Comparing Dr. McCoy to a serial killer isn't prejudicial?" Rabb shot back, his entire demeanor suggesting raw incredulity.
Judge Green rapped her gavel several times, hard enough to make Beast wince. "Enough! Now sit down and shut up, both of you."
The lawyers sat.
"Commander Rabb," the judge said, turning her face to him. "I know about you and all the little stunts you like to pull." She strung the "all" out in an exaggerated accusation. "You're not winning points."
Beast's evaluation of his legal team dipped slightly.
"But," Judge Green went on, "I also know you're stubborn enough to press this issue until we all die of old age, and I don't want to make this thing any more of a circus than it's going to be. Can you guarantee the safety of this court if the defendant is brought here?"
"Dr. McCoy has asserted several times that he is more than happy to obey the rules of the court, Your Honor," Rabb said, looking suitably chastised. "And we are willing to meet the prosecution halfway on this."
"Then court will recess until three o'clock," Judge Green said with a bang of her gavel. "You get your client in here and let's get this over with."
"Thank you, ma'am," Rabb said, and that was how Beast found himself being sheparded into a truck under heavy guard and bundled off to the Virginia courthouse where his lawyers were waiting.
