With so many of the senior staff being jurors, Janeway and Chakotay had no choice but to continue their normal ship duties for the day. It was only when their shifts were over and the Bridge had been handed off to Seven, that they could discuss the case in her quarters.
"That was really something from Gretchen," said Janeway, shaking her head as she sat down on her couch with a coffee.
"I'll have to say, though I may already be biased," added Chakotay, as he also sat, "That Gretchen was quite impressive as a prosecutor. She let the law hang him and then went in for the kill."
"Impressive yes, also rather terrifying," said Janeway, sighing, "She knew Ransom would be emotional and make excuses. She evaluated and manipulated him beautifully, no aggressive accusations, no stump speeches, nothing but the bare facts. Not until she knew he had worn himself out."
Janeway sighed deeper, rubbing the rim of her coffee cup and looking at Chakotay in worry. "She's smart, crafty….She already tried to manipulate us into leaving the Equinox for dead….It failed, but she'll learn, she'll adapt. Next time she won't be so quick to assume I'll do what she wants. Which means there's a good chance she'll take action without me."
"She's trying to help us," said Chakotay persuasively, "I can't see where she's done anything wrong."
"No…." said Janeway, "And maybe in different circumstances I would be more grateful for her help….it's just…."
"A child you didn't raise," said Chakotay gently, "A grown woman you don't know."
"Exactly," said Kathryn, holding one hand to her head, "I want to really, I promise…..But I have to protect Voyager. And I do have to say….she doesn't seem very fond of me."
"You've been dead most likely for years, maybe since she was a child, it can't be easy to see you now. None of this can be easy for her. Her entire life is, in a sense, gone. Not just over, erased. I think it's hard to say what any of us would do in those circumstances."
Janeway shook her head, at a loss.
"After the trials," said Chakotay with conviction, "After the trials, when she's had a little time to adjust, you should try to get to know her, really. Have it out with her if she does have a problem with you. She's stuck with us….and we have a unique opportunity. We should be patient with her….We owe her that Kathryn."
"I know," she sighed.
Considering the circumstances, Janeway was shocked to find herself almost bored by the second day of the trial.
Ransom's lawyer introduced an insanity plea which was shot down immediately by testimony from the Doctor, and two subsequent holographic medical experts.
Then Seertek brought up two technicalities which, at most, would have cleared him of 3 out of the 9 negligent homicide charges. This was defeated by Gretchen in the dry legal way in which it had been introduced.
"Do you have anything else to say in your defense, Captain Ransom," said Chakotay.
"No," said Rudy with his head down.
"Jurors, do you have any further questions or details that need to be cleared up?"
There was silence for a moment followed by a gesture from Tuvok. Harry, B'Elanna, Tom and the other jurors opened up special datapads to vote on whether to proceed to the next stage.
"The vote to proceed is unanimous. The jury is ready to deliberate," came the Vulcan's voice.
"Very well," said Chakotay, "In the Kalaxis system a verdict cannot be voted on any sooner than the next morning. Anything less than a 2/3 majority, which in this case would be 8 jurors, will be an inconclusive trial and we'll have to do this again."
The jurors nodded solemnly.
"Files and witnesses remain open to you. Captain Ransom will now be available to you should you wish to interview him individually or in groups. He can however, turn you down, as he has already answered your official courtroom questions."
Chakotay turned to the accused, "Captain Ransom, you have the right to have your attorney present at any or all times and to confer with him privately. You have a limited right to challenge witnesses, files, or evidence, if you can make a compelling case for it. You do however, have the unconditioned right to meet with each juror individually for up to one hour, if you wish to use this right they cannot refuse you. Security will be present at all times if you decide to exercise this right."
Chakotay nodded at Seven, "The court trial is now officially over. Deliberations have begun."
"Do you think there's any chance of them returning a non-guilty verdict?" Janeway asked Chakotay, the same time and place as the day before.
"I would be shocked to the point of suspicion if they did. The case is air-tight legally. And I can't say any of them seemed sympathetic."
"It almost seems sad in a way."
"Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for Ransom?" asked Chakotay incredulously.
"No," said Janeway, "Not really, but now that he's been caught and cornered, he almost seems pathetic, like a tragic figure. Almost, mind you. It just makes me think, I suppose, of what humans are really capable of."
"Captain," said a clipped voice through Janeway's discarded combadge, lying on a nightstand in the next room of her suite.
"Seven," said Janeway, reaching it, "What's the problem?"
"There's an issue with the Brig," said Seven, "No life signs are currently shown."
"Red Alert," commanded Janeway immediately, "Get a security team down there now to investigate. Send another to Sickbay and double the force fields around it while you're at it. Seal off the Bridge, Engineering, Shuttle Bay, and all Jeffries Tubes. Find Him."
"Acknowledged," said Seven curtly.
"I'm going down there," said Janeway decisively, grabbing her command jacket and phaser.
"I'm coming too," said Chakotay, moving towards the door and then out into the hallway.
They paced quickly and in tandem through the corridors. The slow ride on the turbolift was tense and silent.
"Report" barked Janeway to the waiting Security Officer as the doors opened.
"We found out why there was no life sign," he responded, gesturing to the Brig a few meters away.
Moments later, Janeway stepped through the doorway and then stopped.
There, eyes rolled up in their sockets, mouth agape, and face as blank as a stone, was a clearly dead Captain Rudy Ransom.