"His fifteen minutes are up." Mac said. "Bailiff, bring in the members."
"Yes your honour." The bailiff went and brought the members in.
"This court martial is brought to order." Mac announced. "Present are the judge, defence counsel and the accused and the members. However as prosecutor isn't here, I have no choice but to..."
"I'm sorry I'm late your honour." Lieutenant Commander Blakemore burst through the court room. "I had a little trouble with security." He was in a state of disarray and dripping water.
"Your fifteen minutes were up five minutes ago Commander." Mac reminded him.
"I'm sorry for that your honour and I throw myself on the mercy of the court." He put his briefcase and cover on the table.
"And you're dripping water all over my court room."
"And I apologise for that too your honour. Your honour the people would like to request a continuance for twenty-four hours."
"On what grounds?" Mac inquired.
"New evidence has come to light since yesterday and we would like to take some time to examine it to see if it has any bearing on the case." Two police officers entered the court room.
"You're not under arrest are you Commander?" Mac asked.
"No your honour."
"Before I make a ruling on that would counsel please approach." Mac instructed.
Both the defence and prosecution counsel came to the bench.
"Commander, I'm assuming you have a good explanation for your tardiness." Mac said.
"Yes Colonel." He replied.
"Would you care to share it with me before I find you in contempt?"
"Your honour, when I was driving here this morning I stopped at a crosswalk and an old lady took a tumble in front of my car. I got out of the car to assist her as it was a relatively quiet street."
"That's very commendable but that doesn't explain your state of dress and the puddles that are now collecting on my floor." Mac said.
"Yes ma'am. When I had mad sure that she was okay and that she could continue, I got back into my car and another vehicle slammed into the back of me pushing me into a fire hydrant, hence the getting wet. Your honour the police are here because they need to take my statement about the incident, I didn't want to hold the court up anymore than necessary so I had them drive me here."
"That's a very interesting story Commander and if you weren't looking like a drowned rat and the police weren't here I would tend to think it was ludicrous, but in this case I believe you. You're very lucky as I was about to dismiss the case and find you in contempt. But for that is all step away."
They both returned to their respective places in the court.
"I'm going to grant your request for a continuance Commander. Find a towel for yourself and some more to clear up the mess you have made of this courtroom. This court martial stands in recess to 0900 tomorrow morning."
"All rise." The bailiff called.
"So what happened to him ma'am?" Jen asked as she and Mac walked back to her office.
"He tried to be a good person and then someone knocked his car into a fire hydrant." Mac replied.
"Oh. That would explain the being wet."
"Yes."
"It would appear you could keep your appointment with Lieutenant Commander McPhalin earlier than expected."
"Yes ma'am. Are you sure you don't need me to stick around for a while?"
"No. I'm just going to sit on the couch and go over some paperwork. Go and get it over with, it will give you a better perspective for what he'll be like in court next week."
"Yes ma'am."
#
"Commander." Jen knocked on Brett's office door.
"Petty Officer, I thought you were supposed to be in court."
"There was an incident with the prosecutor and a fire hydrant and then he requested a twenty-four hour continuance which the Colonel granted. So it would appear I have some time now that is if you are ready to continue our interview sir."
"Come in and sit down." Brett instructed. "Let's get this started."
TBC
"Yes your honour." The bailiff went and brought the members in.
"This court martial is brought to order." Mac announced. "Present are the judge, defence counsel and the accused and the members. However as prosecutor isn't here, I have no choice but to..."
"I'm sorry I'm late your honour." Lieutenant Commander Blakemore burst through the court room. "I had a little trouble with security." He was in a state of disarray and dripping water.
"Your fifteen minutes were up five minutes ago Commander." Mac reminded him.
"I'm sorry for that your honour and I throw myself on the mercy of the court." He put his briefcase and cover on the table.
"And you're dripping water all over my court room."
"And I apologise for that too your honour. Your honour the people would like to request a continuance for twenty-four hours."
"On what grounds?" Mac inquired.
"New evidence has come to light since yesterday and we would like to take some time to examine it to see if it has any bearing on the case." Two police officers entered the court room.
"You're not under arrest are you Commander?" Mac asked.
"No your honour."
"Before I make a ruling on that would counsel please approach." Mac instructed.
Both the defence and prosecution counsel came to the bench.
"Commander, I'm assuming you have a good explanation for your tardiness." Mac said.
"Yes Colonel." He replied.
"Would you care to share it with me before I find you in contempt?"
"Your honour, when I was driving here this morning I stopped at a crosswalk and an old lady took a tumble in front of my car. I got out of the car to assist her as it was a relatively quiet street."
"That's very commendable but that doesn't explain your state of dress and the puddles that are now collecting on my floor." Mac said.
"Yes ma'am. When I had mad sure that she was okay and that she could continue, I got back into my car and another vehicle slammed into the back of me pushing me into a fire hydrant, hence the getting wet. Your honour the police are here because they need to take my statement about the incident, I didn't want to hold the court up anymore than necessary so I had them drive me here."
"That's a very interesting story Commander and if you weren't looking like a drowned rat and the police weren't here I would tend to think it was ludicrous, but in this case I believe you. You're very lucky as I was about to dismiss the case and find you in contempt. But for that is all step away."
They both returned to their respective places in the court.
"I'm going to grant your request for a continuance Commander. Find a towel for yourself and some more to clear up the mess you have made of this courtroom. This court martial stands in recess to 0900 tomorrow morning."
"All rise." The bailiff called.
"So what happened to him ma'am?" Jen asked as she and Mac walked back to her office.
"He tried to be a good person and then someone knocked his car into a fire hydrant." Mac replied.
"Oh. That would explain the being wet."
"Yes."
"It would appear you could keep your appointment with Lieutenant Commander McPhalin earlier than expected."
"Yes ma'am. Are you sure you don't need me to stick around for a while?"
"No. I'm just going to sit on the couch and go over some paperwork. Go and get it over with, it will give you a better perspective for what he'll be like in court next week."
"Yes ma'am."
#
"Commander." Jen knocked on Brett's office door.
"Petty Officer, I thought you were supposed to be in court."
"There was an incident with the prosecutor and a fire hydrant and then he requested a twenty-four hour continuance which the Colonel granted. So it would appear I have some time now that is if you are ready to continue our interview sir."
"Come in and sit down." Brett instructed. "Let's get this started."
TBC
