9
The only way to support a revolution is to make your own – Abbie Hoffman
The next morning, Jonathan sat in his Ready Room on the Cochrane and petted Porthos. There was a door chime. "Come on in."
"Sir," Malcolm said, "might I have a word with you?"
"Of course. You're thinking about our friends on the surface, right?"
"If friends is the right word, then, yes," Malcolm said, "Sir, I'm not certain that I can, that I can continue."
"I don't understand."
"I, sir, I am only here to serve. And I like to think I do a good job following orders."
"Of course you do. I wouldn't have wanted you for my First Officer if I didn't think you excelled."
"Well, thank you, sir. But I don't believe I can, that we should, that is to say, I don't see that I can continue as your First Officer if we are to simply watch the Daranaeans and what they are doing, and just sit idly by as they exploit so many of their people."
"Not continue?"
"No, sir. I would rather resign my commission – and even resign from Starfleet, if absolutely necessary – than continue with dealings with the Daranaeans as they stand. I just, I feel that we should not be simply letting this happen. I feel that we should – or at least I should – I would like to, sir, I would like to take a stand for human – er, sentient species – rights."
There was a silence, and it was broken by a Communications chime. Jonathan answered it. "Hoshi?"
"Sir, you should watch this. It's a Daranaean broadcast. There's some sort of a trial going on."
=/\=
On the Excelsior, there was a Communications chime, "You'd best watch this," Jonathan said to Erika, "I believe this is the scandal that Arnis mentioned but never actually got around to really telling us about."
"How interesting," she replied, and then motioned to Ensign Tate to switch to the broadcast.
=/\=
"We're here live from the trial of Mistra, the secondary wife of our Alpha," said Craethe, "this case has proven to be fascinating as Mistra has consistently protested her innocence, in direct contradiction to what the Alpha has said is spoken truth. Now, we all know that only females can testify with male corroboration, but it does raise some interesting questions."
He stood in a court room where there was a five-judge panel and a small audience. Mistra was nearby, looking scared.
"Yes," agreed a man who was evidently an anchor, "while contradicting the Alpha is not a crime, it is not recommended! The secondary probably feels she has little to lose. Is there an accusation directly against the Alpha?"
"There is not," replied Craethe, "all we have heard from Mistra is her proclaiming her innocence, but she has not stated anything about any other person as possibly being responsible for the boy child's death."
"And the vessel," reminded the anchor.
"Vessel?" asked Erika.
"Vessel," An repeated aloud, alone in Sick Bay. He knew that the anchor meant that the deceased was not even born yet, and the vessel was the fetus's mother. There was a second victim, and she apparently was not even worthy of mention on the news.
=/\=
In the Alpha's home, Dratha paced. "This is absurd. Mistra would not hurt anyone."
"Mother," Vidam said, "I do not wish to accuse Father of anything. He is at the Beta Council. I am certain that they, too, are watching the trial."
"Everyone is watching the trial," she replied.
"You're right," he agreed, "but also – I agree – Mistra is not a violent person. I don't know what happened. And I don't know why it happened. Perhaps there was a prowler who came and went very quickly? But I do know that this is wrong. Mistra does not know what to do. She must be very frightened. She has been nothing but kind to me, to all of us. We cannot let this happen."
"Will you go with me," Dratha asked, "and back me up, corroborate if I go into court and speak truth?"
He thought for a moment. "I will do this."
"Perhaps, at least, we can save her pouchling. Come, we must hurry," she said.
=/\=
At the trial, a witness was called. "Doctor Rechal, what did you observe?" asked a judicial panel member. The panel was composed of all male Daranaeans. Two were brown, one was grey and the other two had black and white spots. The grey one appeared to be in charge.
"I was called to the Alpha's home and found the last caste female on the floor of the Alpha's bedroom. She had already gone to the place with all of the good smells. There was a gash on the side of her head."
"The place with all of the good smells?" Jonathan asked, on the DC-1500.
"I imagine that's supposed to be their heaven, sir," Malcolm said.
=/\=
On the surface, in Elemus's home, the entire family was agitated, even Thessa, who was normally unflappable. "This is outrageous," she finally said, "a public trial, for all to see."
"I understand that it is her right," said one of the secondary's boy children.
"I know, but it all seems so, well, pointless. Why have trials if the Alpha is right about everything, anyway?"
"Perhaps the Alpha is mistaken," Libba said quietly.
"Or does not speak truth," Cama said, even more quietly.
Thessa thought about that. "I have seen Mistra and have known her for several years. And on the viewer they are saying that Inta had a large gash in her head and had gone to the place with all of the good smells, and went there very quickly. That would imply a very heavy blow," she paused, "I do not wish to sound like I am contradicting the Alpha but, that seems to me, to be something that Mistra might not be capable of. She was pregnant and pouch feeding and made such a heavy blow with her hands? Is that even possible?"
There were sounds outside their home. Cama looked through a window. "There are some people in the street. They are, listen to what they are saying."
They could hear it, others, males and some Prime Wives, they were saying "Mistra may be innocent! Give her a fair trial!"
The viewer cut away to a scene outside the court. "This is strange," the field reporter said, "but there are people coming. They are saying Mistra might not be guilty. There are demands for a fair trial."
Libba looked Thessa in the eye, "If this is wrong, we should say something, and not just in here where we are the only ones who can hear it."
"We cannot leave the children," Thessa said, "and Cama cannot go out without a male escort."
"Then my eldest son will be her escort," Libba said, "and we will all go. We will leave no one at home."
8
