CHPT 23 "Plea for Pilot"

The Plea for Pilot

Magistrate Juon Kanta looked at the motley bunch gathered before her. A rather handsome Ranger from North Oceania, one of tattooed demi human hill barbarians, a member of the race now known as "fingers of Darkness", though she displayed none of the zombie characteristics of those shambling, mindless hordes. And finally, Lord Rygel, exiled lord of the Darkness overrun nation of Hyneria.

And their lawyer.

Garin Tayle bowed respectfully to the Magistrate, not letting her serious, glaring green eyes intimidate him, fortified with a righteous sense of purpose.

Magistrate Kanta nodded to him and his party, and looked at the competing voices. Merchant Prince Abel Korner, Owner and proprietor of the Seven Cities Circus. His family had run the circus for fifty years. They were respectful, and brought honest currency to the land, and entertainment to the people, both needed greatly in these troubled times. Kanta knew she had a thin line to balance in her decision here, and seeing the indignation and anger in Korner's eyes, along with the justified determination in Tayle's, this would be rather difficult.

"Mister Tayle…", she began, "I recognize your plea for the release of the…" she squinted at the circus flyer, "Amazing Frog Boy, yes, Boy, from the Circus, due to the fact you argue that he is a sentient in possession of a soul, further, the last survivor of his race, and therefore the circus cannot legally hold him."

"And we know him! He's a buddy! Tell 'er!" Chianna declared, elbowing Rygel.

"Out of order!" Korner's toad-like attorney piped up, his wide eyes watery. "Prior acquaintance hasn't been established, much less sentience."

"Mr. Tayle, please make sure your clients recognize due order and the decorum of this court," Kanta warned.

Garin shushed Chianna, backed up by Crichton and turned back to Kanta, "Your honor, may I question Prince Korner?"

"You may," Kanta allowed, "But be warned to keep it within respectful boundaries."

Garin nodded and turned to Korner and his lawyer, "Prince Korner, where did you apprehend the Frog Boy?"

Korner harrumphed a bit. The hawk like merchant prince clearly didn't appreciate these proceedings at all. Not that he was arrogant or anywhere approaching evil, but he was proud of his circus, proud of his family's entertaining tradition. And he wasn't going to let this…lawyer ruin the service he provided."On the border to the Marshland Realms," Prince Korner answered.

"How did you happen to find him?" Garin asked.

"I found it dehydrated and exhausted on the edge of the Realms. It had been fleeing the Darkness for some time, I would guess,"

"And you came to its rescue?" Garin asked.

"Yes…yes, I did. It obviously couldn't survive without assistance outside its realm."

"Ah," Garin said thoughtfully, "So it came to you willingly."

"Well…it didn't run when we approached."

Garin locked gazes with him, "Was it too exhausted to run? Frozen in fear? Just how has the creature been fairing in your hands, Prince Korner?"

"Yeah, just how have you been treating Pilot, Prince?" Crichton asked harshly, and then upon seeing Kanta's look, "Sorry, judge…lost my head." He looked at D'argo. D'argo grimaced.

"Irrelevant, as he is property of the Seven Cities Circus!" Korner's lawyer ribbited.

"Bullshit!" Crichton coughed.

"Bless you," Chiana said soothingly. Rygel handed him a hanky.

"Quite relevant, as even visiting merchants must observe human animal care laws in our realm, if they are expected to do business," Garin said. "Even more so if they are a rare creature. And what if they are…sentient?"

"Objection!" Korner's lawyer yelped

"Sustained," Kanta said. "Such speculation has no place in this court. Only facts are matters of law."

"But what if we could talk to Pilot…yes, asshole, he has a name," Crichton declared to Korner."

"Advocate Tayle, your retinue must remain silent or I will have them removed," Kanta warned.

Garin suppressed a little smile and said, "Yes, your honor, but, with respect, the Ranger makes a good point. If he CAN talk, and he knows these people, it would make strong evidence in our case for sentience of this creature, and the illegality of his captivity. I make a motion that we go visit the Frog Boy and examine the evidence."

"Objection!" Korner's attorney croaked.

"Denied," Kanta said. "In the interests of a full examination of the evidence, we will go see this creature immediately, seeing as the first performance of the circus goes on tonight. Prince Korner, lead us on."

"With pleasure, your honor," Prince Korner, looking every bit the aggrieved, but reasonable businessman, led the entourage.

Crichton said, "Good going, Garin. I know Pilot. He's a sarcastic guy. He'll charm Kanta's robes off and he'll be out of there. Right?"

Garin swallowed and said, "Well, that's the idea."

"And it's a good one," Rygel said. "Pilot is most annoying when he wants to be. That purpose of annoyance alone proves sentience."

Aeryn Sun flew above the Legions of the Army of Peace, resplendent in black leather armor. Her squadrons of dragons flew overhead in precise formations, bellowing and hooting at each other. She stroked Prowler's dorsal ridges, producing a rumble from her dragon. She and her squadron would soon be flying ahead to intercept the commander of the encroaching Death Monitors. This could mean a turnaround for the entire war, or her untimely demise. Well, she hoped she wouldn't die before she had a chance to delve into the mystery of the man with the blue eyes named John who kept haunting her.