Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney
Turnabout of the Mobile Tank
by Derald Snyder
Trial- Day 2
Court Record:
Autopsy Report
SOPHIA-2 Mobile Tank
Victim's Vest
Crime Scene Photos
Blaster Rifle
Security Camera Footage
Metal Detector
Bloody Snow Shovel
Sophia's Disruptor Field
April 17, 9:29 AM
District Court
Defendant Lobby No. 4
"I-I'm glad we m-managed to b-bump into each other," Rei said as she and Detective Snooper entered the lobby.
"Wish it would've been less of an actual bump..." Snooper muttered as he rubbed his head. "Anyway, I got the results back on that snow shovel, turns out the blood is indeed Sheriff Linebeck's."
*Bloody Snow Shovel updated in Court Record.* "By the way, where's miss robot-girl?"
"W-well..." Rei began, before being interrupted as Jacob Fredrick was walked into the lobby by the bailiff. "Oh, good morning, Jacob."
"Morning," the young hunter replied as his cuffs were unlocked. "Where's Sophia?"
"I g-got a t-text from her e-earlier this morning... she s-said something had c-come up, and not t-to wait for her..." Rei explained.
"Maybe she had to go back to her creator for maintenance," Snooper muttered.
Jacob blinked in shock. "W-wait, you know?!"
"W-we found out y-yesterday," the lawyer said, "w-when she s-set off the m-metal d-detector we w-were using... Oh, speaking of which, d-did you want th-this back, detective?" She held out the device in question.
"Nah, hold on to it," Snooper deferred. "Rhoam Daphnes is making me stick around here in case I have to come back to the stand... and he's got Miss Janeway around here somewhere, too..."
"S-speaking of Miss Janeway..." Rei inquired, "d-did you search her f-for any weapons w-hen y-you arrived at th-the crime scene?"
The detective gave Rei an evil eye. "Of course I searched her. One of the first things I did... and she was completely clean. Nothin' on her but the clothes on her back. I mean, come on, if she DID have a weapon on her, I woulda arrested her on the spot! I'm not that incompetent!"
"Ahh! I'm sorry! So, so, sorry!" Rei apologized. "J-just making s-sure my b-bases were c-covered, that's all!"
"You don't think Miss Janeway is the assassin, do you?" Jacob asked in confusion.
"W-well, I'm j-just saying, s-she was the o-only other p-person at th-the scene..." the former goddess stuttered. "B-but there's n-nothing to p-prove that she is o-or was an a-assassin in any way, sh-shape, or f-form..."
"And evidence is everything in a court of law," Snooper finished. "Well, anyway, I'm wishing you luck in court today, Rei. Trust me... against someone like Rhoam Daphnes, you're gonna need it. I've seen him win cases with his opening statement alone..."
"Yeah, I remember Miss Zelda saying she wasn't as eloquent as her father," Jacob muttered.
"I-it doesn't matter how eloquent he is! The only thing that matters is the truth!" Rei asserted firmly. (I can't let myself get intimidated, Jacob's freedom depends on me!)
April 17, 10:00 AM
District Court
Courtroom No. 4
The gallery's murmuring was silenced by the judge's gavel. "Court is now in session for the trial of Jacob Fredrick."
"The defense is ready, Your Honor," Rei stated.
"As always, I am fully prepared for trial," Rhoam Daphnes said.
"R-Rhoam Daphnes?!" the judge gasped. "I-is that really you? I thought you'd hung up your prosecutor's badge for good!"
"Is it really that much of a surprise, Your Honor?" The old man shook his head. "Why wouldn't I feel compelled to step in for my daughter, especially given the revelations from yesterday?"
"Oh, right... you mean fact that there may be a hit out on your daughter's life. Yes, I suppose that makes sense," the judge nodded. "Still, seeing you behind the bench again takes me back... I'd almost think I'd traveled back in time, were it not for the fact that your hair has long since lost its color..."
"At least I still have hair atop my head, Your Honor," Rhoam shot back with a smirk.
The robed man visibly jerked at this. "...your tongue is as sharp as it's ever been, I see." He then cleared his throat. "Well, we can continue with the reminiscing later. Mr. Daphnes... your opening statement."
(What's with the dramatic pause?) Rei wondered... but she soon found out as Rhoam Daphnes cleared his throat before beginning to speak:
"'Twas indeed a tragic day, for such a noble and upright person such as Norris Linebeck to have his life so brutally snuffed out. Indeed, we lost a good man, who can never be brought back. All we can do is ensure that those responsible are brought to task for this reprehensible act. Certainly, there are those bounty hunters, though not all, who believe themselves above the law. And it is our task as officers of the court to disabuse them of that notion. Jacob Fredrick had no right to run down Sheriff Linebeck with his mobile tank. And as prosecutor, I shall ensure that he answers for this reckless tragedy. Norris Linebeck may be gone, but we shall honor his memory now and always, how he helped the helpless, tracked down and captured evildoers and never strayed from the path of justice, not to the right nor to the left. Mr. Linebeck, I promise you now, your sudden and pointless death shall be avenged!" He finished with a raised fist.
The judge seemed on the edge of tears. "Sniff... that was beautiful." Immediately the gallery burst into raucous applause, while Rhoam took a small bow...
"HOLD IT!"
The applause swiftly died out as Rei Ryghts slammed her fists on the bench. "Just what do you maggots think you're doing?! The trial hasn't even started yet! Is this a court of law, or a kangaroo court?!"
The judge visibly recoiled at this. "Oh, uh... O-of course, you're right, Miss Ryghts. It's just, it's been a while since I've had the privilege of hearing one of Mr. Daphnes' wonderful opening statements..."
Rhoam himself, on the other hand, merely looked shocked for a moment, before closing his eyes and chuckling. (It would seem that I do indeed have a worthy adversary after all,) he thought to himself.
The judge then banged his gavel. "Anyway, let us proceed with the trial. Mr. Daphnes, your first witness, if you please."
"Of course," the elder prosecutor nodded. "I would like to present a witness that my dear daughter unfortunately overlooked. The prosecution summons Sophia Grove to the stand."
"W-w-what?!" Rei gasped in shock. (Sophia?!)
The mechanic walked up to the witness stand, a forlorn look on her face, sporting a bandage on her cheek. "Sorry, Miss Rei... I didn't have a choice..."
"If you would kindly state your name and occupation for the record," Rhoam requested politely.
"...Sophia Grove. I assist Jacob with the upkeep and maintenance of the SOPHIA-2 mobile tank."
"You were riding with the defendant in the cockpit of SOPHIA-2 on the day of the tragedy, correct?"
"Yes sir. But I swear, it was an accident!" Sophia insisted.
"Now now, no swearing," Daphnes shook his head. "Just calm yourself and testify about what you witnessed."
The mechanic's face suddenly took on a determined expression. "Yes, I will... the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth! I owe Miss Rei that much!"
(That's right... Sophia literally has no reason to lie,) Rei tried to reassure herself. (But even so... what does Rhoam Daphnes hope to gain by this?)
"It all started at 1:34 PM," Sophia began her testimony, "Jacob and I were patrolling Iris Field, when we both heard the echo of a female's high-pitched screaming. I confirmed that there were two heat signatures in the area, one substantially weaker than the other. So Jacob revved the tank into gear and we sped towards the heat signatures... that's when it happened. We hit something... something large. I remained in the cockpit, while Jason exited to check on what we had run over."
"Did you happen to look out of the cockpit at any point?" Rhoam inquired.
"Yes, I did..." the engineer nodded. "But due to the awkward angle, I couldn't see exactly what was going on..."
"J-just t-try to recall as b-best you c-can," Rei advised.
"Affirmative," Sophia assented. "Well... I could see Jacob walk over a short distance behind the tank, and kneel down. I couldn't see exactly what he was doing though... I heard him say something, but it was too muffled to make out. Then I heard a scream! I looked over and saw... Nala Janeway, who looked quite horrified. I could hear her say 'Murderer! Murderer!' Then she threw her left hand forward, and I heard the sound of an electrical discharge, and Jacob screaming in pain... Then I saw Miss Janeway pull out a cell phone- likely to contact the authorities."
"Why did you not exit the vehicle to confront Miss Janeway?" Rhoam asked.
"I... have a fear of lightning... and electric shocks in general," Sophia admitted with a shameful look on her face. "I... didn't want to get tased along with Jacob... besides, she didn't take any other action until the police arrived..."
(I guess, being a robot, she would want to avoid getting short-circuited...) Rei mused inwardly.
The judge then banged his gavel, before shaking his head. "This doesn't sound any different from what we've heard so far. With all due respect, Prosecutor Daphnes, what was the point of having her testify?"
"Patience, Your Honor. Everything will become clear soon enough," Rhoam answered. "Miss Grove, I'd like to ask... did your partner have his weapon with him when he exited the tank?"
"Of course," Sophia nodded. "Jacob always takes his Blaster Rifle with him, in case of any unexpected surprises."
"HOLD IT!" Rei cut in, slamming her fists on the bench. "That rifle was already proven to have no connection to Sheriff Lineback's death!"
"OBJECTION!" Rhoam retorted in a booming voice. "You do realize, Miss Ryghts, that there was blood on the end of the weapon..."
"And surely *you* realize," Rei shot back, "that the autopsy report clearly says the victim was stabbed, not shot!"
"...Ah, but was he?" the old man replied.
"M-Mr. Daphnes!" the judge blinked in shock. "Surely you don't dispute the coroner's findings...!"
"'Dispute' is such a strong word," Rhoam muttered as he crossed his arms. "All I'm saying is, the possibility exists that the coroner might have made a mistake."
"A m-mistake?" Rei grunted.
"When I was talking with Miss Sophia before the trial, she informed me that the defendant's rifle was several different weapon settings," the prosecutor explained.
"And I also told you that it has no energy blade setting, or anything even remotely similar!" Sophia pointed out.
"Yes, I haven't forgotten that," the lawyer conceded. "But as you say, the rifle in question is an energy-based weapon, not one that fires kinetic projectiles. Therefore, is it not possible that one of the Blaster Rifle's settings could cause a wound that would look similar enough to a stab wound to fool the medical examiner?"
"Y-you c-can't be serious...!" Rei protested.
"I speak in all seriousness," Rhoam stated firmly. "After all, Detective Pericles informed me that he and you searched the entire crime scene and found nothing remotely resembling a sharp object that could have been used to stab the victim..."
"Urk!" the horned lawyer recoiled slightly.
"Furthermore, no one else at the scene had any sort of weapon on their person," the elder prosecutor continued. "Therefore, I argue that Jacob Fredrick, upon discovering Sheriff Linebeck's body, shot him to put him out of his misery!"
"OBJECTION!" yelled Rei. "The victim was already dead from being crushed by the mobile tank!"
Rhoam Daphnes was unruffled. "...But did HE know that? Mr. Fredrick is a bounty hunter, not a medical examiner. He obviously wanted to make sure the victim was dead..."
"Even so, Mr. Daphnes..." the judge interjected. "If what Miss Grove says is true, then this may have been nothing more than a tragic accident, not murder..."
"Indeed, Your Honor," Rhoam agreed. "Which is why I've amended the charge to vehicular manslaughter, instead of homicide." the crowd began to murmur at this, until the judge banged his gavel.
"Well, Mr. Daphnes, your theory of the crime does seem to make sense... Do you have any rebuttal, Miss Ryghts?"
"As a matter of fact, I do!" Rei affirmed. "TAKE THAT!" she declared as she presented the snow shovel.
"Ah, that must be the snow shovel you uncovered in your search of the crime scene," Rhoam acknowledged. "But how does that refute my theory?"
"Very easily," said the former goddess as she pointed to the bloody corner of the shovel. "As you can see here, there's blood on the corner of this shovel, which forensics has confirmed belongs to the victim! Which fits perfectly with the theory I espoused yesterday..." She then pointed at Rhoam, "That Mr. Linebeck was stabbed first, then buried in snow before he was run over by the SOPHIA-2 tank!" Setting the shovel aside, she then slammed her fists on the bench. "Moreover, this shovel was discovered far away from the victim's body, so you can't argue that Jacob Fredrick used the shovel himself! Otherwise, Miss Sophia would have seen it!"
"Th-that's right!" the mechanic nodded vigorously. "I never saw any shovel or anything similar!"
Rhoam just closed his eyes. "...is that the best you can do, Miss Ryghts?"
"Wh-what?!" Rei grunted, sweating slightly. (There's no way he can refute that...!)
"I can easily fit that shovel into my theory of the crime," the elder lawyer elaborated. "The prosecution theorizes that Sheriff Linebeck was holding the shovel himself when he was run down. A small amount of the victim's blood managed to land on the corner of said shovel as it was sent sailing a good distance from the point of impact."
"Yes, that would make sense," the judge nodded.
"Urk...!" Rei flinched.
"And before you say that there were no fingerprints on the shovel, I would advise you to take another look at the crime scene photos," Rhoam continued. "You can clearly see that the Sheriff is wearing gloves, obviously to protect his hands from the cold weather that day..."
"Aaaccckk!" Rei recoiled, as the crowd murmured...
The judge then banged his gavel. "I have to hand it to you, Mr. Daphnes... you haven't lost a beat in your old age. I personally can't see any contradictions or inconsistencies in your explanation of events..."
"B-but that... that can't be what happened! Do something, Miss Rei!" Sophia cried in desperation.
"Now, now, dear..." Rhoam held up a hand. "It's not as if your partner is going to prison for life... this is only a manslaughter charge, after all. I'm sure if he behaves himself in prison, he will be paroled in two or three years..."
(But what about the assassin?!) Rei thought. (This can't be how it ends... something's not right here... something's still nagging at me...)
"Miss Ryghts. I believe it's time for a verdict if you have no further arguments," the judge stated.
"...C-can I have a f-few minutes, Your Honor?" Rei requested. "S-something s-still d-doesn't sit right w-with me..."
"OBJECTION!" Rhoam Daphnes protested. "Your Honor, there is no need to indulge the defense's desperate request. Miss Ryghts is clearly trying to stall for time..."
The bald-headed judge pondered for a moment, before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Daphnes. Objection overruled."
"Wh-what?!" the prosecutor gasped, unable to believe his ears.
"With all due respect, Mr. Daphnes," the judge began, "you and I have known each other for quite a few years... however, I have also established a rapport of sorts with Miss Ryghts as well. I can tell the look on her face is not one of desperation, but determination. Therefore, I will grant the defense's request, but only this once."
"Of all the red-spotted toadstools and yoshi-saurs in Lowee..." Rhoam grumbled with his arms crossed.
"Th-thank you, Your Honor!" Rei nodded in gratitude. (I can't let this chance slip by! Something still doesn't add up... I need to go back over the case... and maybe then, the truth will reveal itself to me!) Rei closed her eyes and went into deep thought...
(Let's review the facts. Norris Linebeck was crushed to death by being run over with the SOPHIA-2 mobile tank, though the autopsy report shows he'd been stabbed beforehand. If I assume the autopsy was accurate... who was the most likely person to have stabbed Norris Linebeck?)
*Nala Janeway*
(Right. Nala Janeway, Zelda Daphne's so-called star witness. And I already proved her testimony to be one big lie. But Snooper said she was completely clean when he searched her. ...but something's not right. Given what we know, wasn't there something Snooper should have found?)
*The taser*
(That's right! Both Jacob and Sophia said that Janeway had tased Jacob. But there wasn't a taser on Janeway's person, nor did we find one at the scene. In fact... no-one remembers actually seeing the taser. So where did the taser come from?)
*Janeway's hand*
(Sophia testified that she only saw Janeway thrust her hand forward... so perhaps the taser was somehow imbedded in her hand, which would explain how Snooper missed it. Which may also mean the knife used to stab Norris Linebeck might be imbedded in Janeway's other hand, like Wolverine from the X-Men. But how does that make any sense? Unless...)
*Janeway isn't human*
(...not human? That sounds absurd... But wait! Sophia also testified that she detected two heat signatures before they ran over the victim. But there were three people at the scene! We can safely assume that the 'weak' heat signature belonged to Sheriff Linebeck, on account of having been stabbed. So who was the other heat signature?)
*Zelda Daphnes*
(That's right! Zelda herself was at the scene, though she had no clue what was going on literally behind her back. In fact Janeway was following closely behind her just before the incident happened. Does that mean Janeway is the assassin? If so, maybe she had stealth technology imbedded in her as well! The only way it all makes sense is if...)
*Janeway is a robot!*
NALA JANEWAY IS A ROBOT ASSASSIN!
(I don't believe it!) Rei thought, (Janeway's a robot just like Sophia! That's why she didn't give off a heat signature... because, being a machine, she had no body heat TO give off! Of course!) Rei opened her eyes, a sinister smirk spreading over her face... "Prosecutor Daphnes, I'm afraid there's one tiny detail you overlooked... a tiny inconsistency that will bring your 'flawless' theory crashing down upon itself!"
"What 'inconsistency'?" Rhoam harrumphed.
"Well, first, I need to confirm something with Detective Pericles, if you could call him back to the stand for a moment," said the horned lawyer.
"Bailiff, if you would, please," the judge commanded. Soon enough Snooper was standing at the witness stand.
"Detective," Rei began, "Before trial started this morning, you told me that you searched Nala Janeway and that she was completely clean, correct?"
"Yes ma'am," Snooper nodded.
"So you never found a taser?" Rei asked.
"Uh, no..." Snooper scratched his head in confusion.
"...!" Rhoam's eyes suddenly went wide in comprehension.
"It looks like you've realized it," Rei nodded. "Both Sophia Grove and Jacob Fredrick testified that Jacob had been tased unconscious by Nala Janeway. But Snooper never found a taser on her person, nor did we find any such thing at the crime scene. And we swept it pretty thoroughly, didn't we, Snooper?"
"Sure did," the detective nodded. "And all we found was that bloody snow shovel..."
"OBJECTION!" Rhoam suddenly interrupted. "Now hold on just a minute there, Miss Ryghts... Do you seriously intend to base your counterargument on this one inconsistency?!"
"As a matter of fact, I do!" the former goddess affirmed. "This contradiction is the key to the entire case!"
"...Even when it doesn't exist?" Rhoam opined.
"Wh-what do you mean by that?" Rei grunted.
"As you yourself have stated, the only two people that have testified to the defendant being tased are the defendant himself, and his partner. Mr. Fredrick's word cannot be trusted for obvious reasons, and Miss Grove would certainly have no problem covering for her partner..."
"HOLD IT!" Sophia protested. "Why would I lie about such a minute detail like that?!"
"Obviously, to throw this courtroom into confusion, so your partner can escape culpability for his crimes!" the prosecutor stated, causing the gallery to murmur...
"B-but..." Sophia tried to argue.
"Now then, Miss Ryghts," Rhoam ignored the engineer, "You know as well as I do that in a court of law, evidence is everything. If you want me to believe that Mr. Fredrick was tased unconscious, you will present proof that it actually happened!"
(Argh!) Rei fumed inwardly, (This guy has definitely earned his reputation! Most other prosecutors would've been bowled over by that contradiction... but he's turned it around and backed me into a corner instead!)
The judge then banged his gavel, the audience quieting. "Well, Miss Ryghts? Do you have proof that the defendant was tased unconscious by Nala Janeway?"
"...I think I do, Your Honor," Rei said after a moment.
"Hmph! You don't sound very sure of yourself, defense," Rhoam muttered.
(That's because I'm not... but this is my only shot!) Aloud Rei said, "I'd like to go back to the security camera footage presented by Miss Zelda Daphnes yesterday. It may have the answer we're looking for..."
"OBJECTION!" declared Rhoam. "Need I remind you, the incident is out of the camera's range?"
"Out of *visual* range, perhaps," Rei countered. "But if we crank the volume up to max, we might still be able to hear what happened! And the sound of an electrical discharge like a taser should be unmistakable!"
The judge nodded at this. "Objection overruled. Bailiff, please bring in the TV and VCR from yesterday."
"Yes, Your Honor!" A few minutes later, the apparatus in question was rolled in.
"Now then," said Rei, "Sophia said that the incident occurred at 1:34 PM. So fast-forward the tape to that point, then turn up the volume as high as it can go." This the bailiff did, playing the tape and fast-forwarding to the indicated time. "Now, let's listen closely..."
Though the camera showed nothing but an empty field, a vehicle could be heard rumbling in the distance... then, *thump-thump!*
"The victim just met his end," Rei observed grimly. Then came the sound of something hydraulic... "Must be the cockpit opening." Nothing else was heard for a short time, then... "AAAAAAHHH! Murderer! Murderer!"
"And there's Nala Janeway." Jacob's panicked voice could be faintly heard, then... "ZZ-zz-zz-zz-zz-zz-zzzzzzt!"
"Guh!" Rhoam gasped.
"And there it is... proof that my client *was*, in fact, tased unconscious!" the horned lawyer declared as she pointed her finger. "And that my client and Miss Grove were telling the truth!"
"G-Great Star Fox..." Rhoam Daphnes was starting to sweat.
"But if that's the case, then... what happened to the taser?" The judge asked confusedly. "Or did Miss Janeway use some sort of lightning magic spell?"
"Either that, or Nala Janeway is a robot, who has a taser imbedded in her left hand," Rei stated. "And I have proof that this is indeed the case!"
"W-what proof would that be?" The robed man inquired with wide eyes.
"Recall the beginning of Sophia's testimony," The horned lawyer stated, before elaborating, "She said that she had detected two heat signatures at the scene of the crime. However..." She slammed her fists on the bench. "There were actually three people at the scene!"
"Th-three?!" the judge gasped.
"Gurk!" Rhoam looked like he was about to have a heart attack.
"Looks like you've caught on, Mr. Daphnes," Rei nodded with a sinister smirk. "There was Norris Linebeck, who had just been stabbed. Nala Janeway, the so-called witness. And the third person... is the one who was forced to recuse herself from the trial yesterday! Your own daughter, Zelda Daphnes!"
"H-Holy Triforce Heroes... but that means..." Rhoam muttered in disbelief.
"We know that Sheriff Linebeck is organic, the autopsy confirms as much," Rei continued. "And I'm sure Mr. Daphnes can confirm his own child is flesh and blood as well. Which only leaves one possibility!" She slammed her fists on the bench again. "Nala Janeway was the one person who did not give off a heat signature, because she is not organic, but mechanical in nature!" The gallery began chattering at this...
"OBJECTION!" cried Rhoam. "Nice theory, defense, but you've forgotten something crucial."
(What is it now?!) Rei thought in exasperation.
"You do realize that every public entrance to this courthouse is equipped with metal detectors," the elder prosecutor explained. "If Miss Janeway is a robot as you say, she should have set them off!"
Rei's eyes went wide, before lowering her head. But then the sound of a sinister chuckle was heard, before the lawyer progressed into outright diabolical laughter.
"Wh-what is this laughter that fills my heart with dread?!" gasped Rhoam as he clutched his chest.
"Oh dear," the judge shook his head. "I'm afraid this doesn't bode well for you, Mr. Daphnes. Whenever Rei Ryghts laughs like that, it usually means the prosecution's argument is about to be completely destroyed..."
"Yes, I can explain that discrepancy quite easily, worm," Rei affirmed. "For I have a witness who can easily prove how Miss Janeway got past the metal detectors!"
"A witness?! But who?!" gasped the judge.
"Miss Sophia Grove," Rei stated solemnly. "I believe it's time you removed that bandage from your cheek... and reveal your true nature to the court, if you would."
"...Acknowledged." The mechanic did as instructed, peeling off the bandage, revealing shiny grey underneath, then tapping it with her index finger, making a distinct *tink-tink-tink* sound. "See? It's metal. I'm actually a robot myself."
"WH-WH-WHAAAAAAAATT?!" the judge screamed.
"GREAT SUPER SMASH BROTHERS! You can't be serious!" Rhoam recoiled with his arms spread wide, as the gallery was sent into a tizzy from this revelation.
"Order! Order! Order!" cried the judge as he banged his gavel several times over. "Believe me, I'm as shocked as you are, but we must have order!" The chatter slowly subsided. "M-miss Grove! If you are indeed a robot... then how did YOU get past the metal detectors?!"
"Allow me to explain, Your Honor," Rei stated. "Miss Sophia told me and Snooper about a special disruptor field installed in her body that can scramble certain types of metal detectors, so she doesn't set them off. So let me ask you, Miss Sophia... is this disruptor field technology unique to yourself?"
"Negative," replied Sophia, her tone of voice now sounding slightly monotone. "Dr. Grove custom-ordered it from the Internep... it is not very hard to find, if you know where to look."
*Disruptor Field updated in Court Record.*
"Which means the possibility exists that Miss Janeway is also equipped with such a disruptor field!" the former goddess declared. "And Janeway being a robot also explains the phantom knife! It was most likely imbedded in her right hand... which means Sheriff Linebeck never saw it until it was too late!" Slamming her fists on the bench, she continued, "Then, she dragged the prone sheriff out into the road, before using the snow shovel to get rid of the blood trail, then buried Linebeck in snow, after shoving the assassination note into his pocket! Finally, she screamed, which attracted the attention of my client, causing him to speed towards the scene..." She then slapped the bench twice for effect. "And that is how the victim met his end!" The audience started murmuring again...
"A-Are you suggesting... that Miss Janeway is the assassin out to end Miss Zelda Daphnes' life?!" the judge inquired.
"Exactly," Rei nodded. "And with that... I request that Nala Janeway be recalled to the stand!"
The bald man nodded in assent, before banging his gavel. "Bailiff! Have Miss Janeway escorted into the courtroom at once!"
"Yes, Your Honor!" Not two minutes later, the woman in question was once again standing at the witness stand.
"Did you need something from me?" Nala asked, appearing slightly nervous. "I've told you all I know..."
"Well, for starters, Miss Janeway... what happened to the taser you used to zap the defendant?" Rei asked, keeping her tone neutral.
"The taser...? Um..." Janeway pondered for a moment. "M-maybe I dropped it in the snow o-or something?"
"OBJECTION! Nice try, witness," the lawyer shook her head, "but Detective Pericles and I searched the whole crime scene with a metal detector, and all we found was a snow shovel! If you had just dropped the taser in the snow, we would have found it!"
"Irk! Um... U-ummmm..." Nala stammered.
"You're not a very good liar, are you Miss Janeway?" Rei shrugged. "Of course, I already knew that since I shredded your false testimony yesterday!" She slammed her fists on the bench. "I'll bet you're not even a college student! What's your alma mater?"
"My school? That is... I... Um... w-well..."
"Heh heh heh..." Rei chuckled evilly. "Never thought anyone'd look too deep into your past, did you? Unfortunately, we know the truth!" The lawyer pointed dramatically. "We know, Nala Janeway, that you are in fact a robot assassin hired to kill Zelda Daphnes!"
"WHAT?!" the girl screeched. "Th-that's not true...!"
"OBJECTION!" Rhoam Daphnes cut in. "Miss Ryghts, I admit you've put together a compelling theory of what happened, however... do you have any way to definitively prove that Miss Janeway is indeed a robot?"
"Of course I do!" the former goddess nodded, lifting up the metal detector. "Sophia's disruptor field only works on certain metal detectors... but *this* one went off when Snooper switched it on near her. That's how we found out about her being a robot in the first place!" Turning to Nala, she said, "So, Miss Janeway, I'm going to run this metal detector over you, and see what happens..."
"Nooooo!" Janeway wailed, gripping her hair in her hands. "Th-this is an invasion of privacy! Stop her, Mr. Daphnes!"
The regal old man closed his eyes. "The prosecution... has no objection."
"What?!" Janeway cried out.
"Thank you, prosecutor," Rei acknowledged as she stepped out from behind the bench. "Now then, let's see what we find..." She switched the metal detector on...
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!* (It reacted!)
"Well, that seems pretty incriminating to me," the judge nodded. "So, Miss Janeway, are you the assassin?"
"Argh!" Janeway growled. "F-fine! So I underwent surgery and had a few metal implants installed! What's wrong with that?!"
"Hmph... Still won't cop to it, maggot?" Rei sighed. "Fine then. You leave me no choice." (Good thing I've been practicing this...) Closing her eyes and concentrating, Rei called up a small amount of power from her Share Energy... then made a quick motion with her finger, as if she were slicing with a sword! *Wha... P-SHING!*
"GAAAAHH!" cried Janeway as her face was sliced, causing her hair and ponytail to fly off her head, as she quickly buried her wounded face in her hands!
"Wh-what in the name of Mario and Luigi...?" Rhoam grunted in confusion.
"What the-? A wig?!" gasped the judge with wide eyes.
"And also notice that I drew no blood when I cut her!" Rei pointed out. "Admit it, Nala Janeway! You aren't a college student but a deadly mecha-assassin!"
The now-bald woman made no motion for a few seconds... then she slowly lifted her head up, her hands now gripping her cheeks, her expression shifting to one of anger...
"AaaaaaaaAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHH!" She screamed as she literally tore the skin off her head, revealing a metal skull, causing the crowd to gasp in surprise and shock! The woman then tore off her shirt, revealing a metallic torso with no breasts, then her skirt, showing nothing between her legs but metal plating, and also revealing that she was simply wearing flesh-colored pantyhose!
"This... this does not compute!" the now-exposed robot muttered in disbelief. "I covered my tracks perfectly... I left no evidence behind... and yet, you still deduced my true nature! It's not logical! Not logical! Logic Error!"
"Unfortunately, it was that very lack of evidence that was your downfall," Rei stated solemnly. "You used the taser imbedded in your left hand to shock Jacob Fredrick unconscious... But that one little mistake caused your cover story to fall apart. If you had knocked him out with a sleeper hold instead, we might never have been the wiser..."
"But it is not logical for a frail, innocent college student to do such a thing!" Janeway protested. "That would have broken character, and put me under suspicion!"
"A real Catch-22, wasn't it, Miss Janeway," said Rhoam, "Or should I say, Miss Assassin! I doubt Nala Janeway is even your real name!"
"Bypassing logic error. Yes, you are correct, prosecutor," 'Janeway' affirmed, "I have no name. I am indeed an assassin hired to end your daughter's life and make you suffer..."
"So the assassination orders were yours after all," Rhoam snorted. "Another mistake on your part. You should have simply destroyed that note, instead of trying to throw us off the scent by pinning Sheriff Linebeck as the assassin."
"It also explains why you were following so closely behind Zelda Daphnes on the security camera footage," Rei added. "You were attempting to sneak up on her and stab her from behind. But then, Sheriff Linebeck saw you, and on instinct, called you over to him."
"And when you were unable to explain why you were following my dear Zelda so closely, you stabbed him!" Rhoam declared. "Now, where is the knife you used to do the dirty deed?"
"So, you suspected me all along, didn't you?" muttered the robot. She raised her right hand, making a fist, which caused a long, sharp knife to protrude through the fake skin between her second and third knuckles. "Here it is. Happy now?" The bailiffs quickly reacted, drawing their weapons and pointing them at the assassin.
"My word," the judge grunted, "it does seem consistent with the stab wound Sheriff Linebeck received... But if he was still alive, why not just stab him again and be done with it?"
"She had to complete her mission," Rei explained, "so she came up with an idea to get Zelda Daphnes within range of her assassin's knife once again. She set-up the crime scene and lured the defendant in his mobile tank to speed onto the scene, crushing Sheriff Linebeck to death!" Pointing at the robot, she declared, "You knew that once Miss Daphnes heard about the crime committed right behind her back, that she would be motivated to prosecute the case herself!"
"Are you saying that this murder case and trial was all just a set-up by Miss Janeway from the very beginning?" the judge asked in mild anger.
"...Affirmative," 'Janeway' confirmed. "Unfortunately, the security at the courthouse was too tight for me to kill my target without being discovered."
"And then Miss Ryghts uncovered the assassination plot, and you effectively lost your opportunity," Rhoam stated.
"Correct again, prosecutor," the robot affirmed. "Perhaps I should have fled when Zelda Daphnes was put into protective custody... but if I did that, everyone would logically conclude that I was the assassin in question. However, I calculated only a 5% probability of being discovered if I simply went along with the trial until its completion... But it would seem the odds were against me this time." She then glanced over to Sophia. "Of course, I failed to realize that Sophia Grove was mechanical in nature herself..."
"And if it hadn't been for that, I never would have figured it out," Rei admitted.
"So, who hired you?" Rhoam demanded.
"You do not have authorization to request that information," the assassin stated defiantly. "And given that I was hired to make you suffer, didn't you realize the risk of confronting me directly?"
At hearing this, the bailiffs slowly moved closer, only to be stopped by a raised hand from the prosecutor. One bailiff opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly silenced by the old man's glare. "As I have said before, assassin, I am already near the end of my life anyway. If I am to die here, at least I perish knowing my daughter is safe from your blade."
"How brave of you, old man," the robot complimented, "to trade your life for your offspring's. I may just take you up on that offer. But first..." She turned to the defense's bench. "You, Rei Ryghts, will die for exposing me like this!" She lunged with unnatural speed, Rei recoiling-
-only to be blocked by Sophia, the knife deflected by her own metal body. "Get out of my way!" the assassin cried, throwing her left hand forward...
*BZ-ZZ-ZZ-ZZ-ZAAAAAAAPP!*
"AAAAAAGG-GG-GG-GG-GG-AAAAHHHH!" Sophia screamed as she was shocked, sparks and smoke flying from her body, before dropping bonelessly to the ground. "M-must-t p-protect R-Rei Ryyyy... nnnnnnnn..." She went limp as her body shut down.
"SOPHIAAAA!" Jacob screamed in horror.
Rei's look of surprise swiftly transitioned to raw anger. "Y-you... You heartless metal bitch! RAAAAAAAH!" A blinding light engulfed her as she transformed to HDD, an angry flaring aura surrounding her. "That was one mistake you won't live to regret, maggot!"
'Janeway's' eyes went wide with fear as she promptly engaged her rocket boots and attempted to escape through the roof... only for Chaos Heart to catch up instantly, summoning her weapon and slamming it into the robot's throat! "Any last words, bitch?!"
"Y-You fool!" the assassin protested as they flew up into the sky, "If you kill me, you will never learn who hired me!"
"Easily solved," Rei stated, focusing power in her fingertip... *Wha-P-SHING!* Her slicing motion unleashed a wave of energy which decapitated the robot, Chaos Heart catching the head as the body fell. "We'll just extract the data from your computer-brain!" Pointing her weapon at the robot's body, she intoned, "Light of Absolution!" The headless body was engulfed in a yellow aura, before getting blown into smithereens by an angry red pillar of light, leaving nothing behind!
"Game over, bitch," the goddess nodded in satisfaction. (Never thought I'd be using *that* attack again... but if anyone deserved it...) She then dropped back down through the hole in the roof, reverting to normal as soon as she landed, dropping 'Janeway's' head at her feet.
"O-oh my!" The judge gasped.
"Well, I'll be King Dedede..." Rhoam grunted in awe.
"The assassin has been dealt with." Rei solemnly marched back behind the defense's bench, calmly adjusting her glasses. "Your Honor, please render your verdict, so Sophia Grove can be sent back to her creator to undergo repairs."
"Y-yes, of course. A most splendid job, Miss Ryghts," the judge nodded, before banging his gavel. "*Ahem* On the charge of vehicular manslaughter, this court finds the defendant, Jacob Fredrick..."
NOT GUILTY
The gallery immediately erupted into cheers and applause, confetti falling from the ceiling, Jacob breathing a sigh of relief as the bailiffs picked up the shorted-out Sophia and carried her out of the courtroom. Rhoam Daphnes, on the other hand, simply nodded and smiled in satisfaction.
"That is all. Court is adjourned!" declared the judge, as he banged his gavel one final time to bring a formal end to the trial.
To be continued...