"Did you know I was planning to retire from Judge duty soon?" Andrews ignores Marie's questioning look, but responds to the shake of her head "Well, you see, I had a lot of preparation done to get to work with one of the biggest companies in this sector of the solar system, a military contractor at that. Not just as a mere legal adviser, but as a partner, since I have personal interest in their work and what it could give even to the public. For that, I have built personal connections with the people they work for and managed to impress, without recommendations needed. Which is not to say that they hurt subsequently."

He walks further into the room, helping himself to a coffee from Marie's machine. Marie herself can only stare and try to follow where the man was going with his speech, but she does notice that Mu doesn't seem fazed at all, nodding here and there, as if she had already heard those parts. "All of this was done under watch from the Clearing Agency, whom you well know closely monitors the few of us Judges, among other things, and does so especially hard when we plan to change jobs." Andrews continues.

"So far they have never found corruption or any other kind of wrongdoings since the installation of that institution and our judicial system." Looking back at Marie sharply, he still smiles, which makes him look somewhat predatory. "It makes me proud to be among those keeping the law right. "

If it were James, Marie would now retort with something along the lines of 'I'm sensing a but coming.', but this time, that option doesn't come further than a short flash through her mind, accompanied by pictures of the likely reaction from the Judge. Instead, she asks politely "Why are you telling me this much, sir?" looking over to Mu, who doesn't seem to be confused by this at all.

"Because you need to know that these people invested huge sums into the station you want to take a look at." he points a finger at Marie. "Because you need to know that I'm now having a conflict of interest. And because you need to know why I can't sign that warrant." Leaning onto a small desk in a corner of Marie's office, he continues "I have worked hard, for two years, to get into contact with and raise the interest of these people. I have invested a lot of my time and money, and they did, too, even more so. And now you go and tell me they're criminals."

"Military contractor..." Marie mutters, a little confused. Leaving aside who, in the end, did sign the warrant, for the moment, she asks "Which 'they' do you mean? The research group, or the security company?" Her hope rises that she may find out more, or anything of value, really, about the researchers and their current activities. It would not only help her approach, but maybe even give reason to hope that Mu might not suffer a personal loss. Though the woman looks rather serene, at the moment, which, to Marie, seems a little disconcerting.

"I mean the science team that's guarded by that mercenary bunch you mention in your report." He pulls out another file from the black synthetic leather pouch and hands it to Marie.

Flipping through it, Marie's eyes grow wider with every few pages. "These are-"

"Yes, it's a list of whom I've been working with, the higher-ups of a new division that's going to start their business on the new station, once that's finished."

Marie stares blankly past Andrews, her mind working over the one name, among a good dozen on the list that immediately jumps out at her. It lists Katherine Hofman as division leader for a new research team, apparently a subsidiary, though it doesn't name to what company. In total, there weren't too many companies working as military contractors, so that would be the least of a problem to find out.

Leaving aside the moral issues Andrews faces, this couldn't have worked out better for Marie. Still, quite a coincidence that he's involved in this, like this. she thinks. But sometimes coincidences were just that, and the integrity of the judge was never in question, so Marie hopes this is one of those cases. He'd know I'd be going through everything anyway, so if his name was there, in a way different from what he says... "Do you know if there's already any work done up there?" since he should know about details, if he wants to work there, she might as well question Andrews.

Who seems to notice her change to professional attitude, smirking as he answers "There isn't much there yet. At least I haven't been told of anything and haven't found out anything myself. Whatever that may means, considering I haven't the time to look deep." A defeated laugh escapes him "Since I had to read your report to make a decision on the warrant, I see you seem to know more than me already. What seemingly little I know is in the files with the names. Katherin Hofman, being the initiator of the new division, apparently got hired away from some Geo-observatory institute. I don't know why they picked her, but until now, I had no reason to even think of questioning that."

Marie just wants to start explaining her findings on that matter, still begrudging James for not being here to add what he knows, but Andrews is quicker in saying "No matter who or what, when and why, I want this cleaned up." Leaving the files with Marie, he closes his pouch and starts to leave. Before exiting, he adds "I put it on official record that my secretary requested another judge to agree to this, because of the conflict of interest. An friend of mine is one of the few outside people who know I want to work there, so he signed it." Another big surprise, Marie wants to ask why he tells her that, but gets forestalled again "So take your warrant and go check."

Since he's already almost out of her office and obviously not willing to elaborate further, she lets him go with a simple "Yes, sir." if a little bewildered. I'm feeling too much of that, lately. Ridiculous.

"Thomas is a good man." Marie is startled out of staring at the door by Mu's comment. The smile on the woman's face tells her that didn't go unnoticed. Didn't say a word the whole time! I thought they seemed to get along well initially. The sort-of-question in her head must be obviously hanging in the room unsaid, because Mu adds "I do not mind him overlooking me." smiling brighter. "He has never really liked having found his match, especially in a way he cannot understand."

"So you manipulated him, too, then?" Marie asks, a little sharper than intended, cringing internally. Despite everything that had happened already, she still isn't entirely sure that Mu is telling her everything. Trusting her gut, which tells her that Mu is telling the truth since she first met her, is well and good, but some things left her with a slightly nagging feeling. If a person had the ability to manipulate someone into doing whatever, they were usually prone to do so.

The woman seems to take it in stride though. "Even if I were capable of it, I have had no reason to. Words are just as powerful, which is the only sort of manipulation I used when I worked with him. As for you" she focuses on Marie's eyes "I do not begrudge you for having doubts. I would be rather disappointed if you did not have them. Still" she gets upright from leaning against a wall "I suppose that means we can go."

Quietly regarding Mu for a moment, Marie sighs and shakes her head. Never mind what I think about the mind trick, I know without doubt that...her egg..was..is real. "Yeah, I guess we can." I suppose I have to be thankful that she didn't rush off by herself already. Sighing again, she steps around her desk, switches off the computer and packs up the newly acquired papers, so she can study them during the flight. And I've got to get James on the line as well. Should be just enough time for getting through all that.

Mu waits patiently for her to finish and when Marie turns to her and says "Alright, let's go.", she picks up the thermos flask and follows Marie out of the office. They're leaving the floor under hooded scrutiny of most of the staff on it, following their almost stomping Captain.