Chapter 18 Bogg's Protector

Phineas sighed and closed his eyes. He was still fighting exhaustion from such a massive loss of blood and wasn't used to feeling so tired.

He had just drifted off when a knock on the door caused him to jerk awake.

"Phineas Bogg?" a male voice asked.

"Yeah," Bogg answered, and the man walked toward the bed holding out an envelope.

"You'll need to sign for this," he said.

Bogg took the pen and signed his name, then ripped open the envelope as the man left. Jeff watched curiously as his partner read the letter.

Phineas read the short notice through twice, then folded it up and placed it on the table beside the bed.

"What was that?" Jeff asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about."

"Is it something you need to worry about?"

"Not today kid. Go on back to your game so I can get some sleep."

"But.."

"Would I be able to sleep if something was wrong?"

"Depends on how tired you were," Jeff answered sarcastically.

"Don't you ever give that smart mouth a rest?"

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Go to sleep then," he said resignedly.

"Thank you," and before another few minutes had passed, Jeff was sure his partner was asleep.

He eyed the letter where it sat on the table beside the bed. Bogg hadn't said not to read it, only that he shouldn't be worried about it. He turned back to the Legos, but his eyes and mind were repeatedly pulled back to the letter. What if there was something private in it that Bogg didn't want him to see? If he read it, he would feel terrible. On the other hand, it looked official, and they had both just finished a very difficult mission. Didn't he have a right to know what was being sent to his partner?

He stared at the letter, biting his lip, arguing with himself, for about ten minutes before he walked over and opened it. As he read it, he felt his temper flare. Bogg was being summoned to a disciplinary hearing because he exposed Jeffrey to the cowpox virus. They had examined the omni memory recorder and were accusing him of intentionally harming Jeff, not only with the virus, but by cutting his arm and risking infection when they were stranded in a time without antibiotics.

Jeffrey's mind immediately raced off in several directions, the first was that if they found him guilty, they might separate them. The second was that it was unfair to Bogg, who was an excellent voyager. The hearing was scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, and it wasn't fair to make Bogg go across the compound to the hearing room when he hadn't recovered yet either. He could barely stay awake for three hours at a time, and that was when he stayed in their room.

And how was Bogg supposed to defend himself in his condition? When Drake brought him to trial, he'd just tried to defend himself the best he could, and Jeff could see him decide to take that same approach again. But, the last trial hadn't gone so well with that approach, and Jeff thought this one was more serious. The elders on the Tribunal had brought the charges, and that meant they felt they were justified. It seemed to Jeff like the judgement had already been made.

He sat holding the letter and thinking. Finally he stood up, wrote a quick note to Bogg so he wouldn't worry when he woke up, and headed out the door to look for Susan.

ooOoo

Jeffrey found Susan's office without much difficulty. He knocked and was allowed in immediately. Susan listened intently as he explained the situation. When he finished, she finally spoke.

"Jeff, I'm sorry but I'm on my way out right now. I've got another case." She paused and stared at the boy. "You know, our laws say that anyone can speak as a defender at a hearing, or even a trial."

"You mean me? I can't do it!"

Susan shrugged, "everything you need is right here, in the books around you. I can give you some ideas and show you how to look things up before I go."

Jeff glanced around the room. Bookcases lined all four walls of the office. "Do Field Workers have any rights? Because it doesn't seem to me that Bogg's being treated very fairly."

Susan smiled and took out a sheet of paper. "Let me outline a few basic facts and concepts for you, and then I'll show you how to use this library."

ooOoo

Phineas woke up to a darkened room. It was 9pm and Jeff wasn't there. He turned on the light and saw the note.

Bogg, I'm with Susan and will be back very late. Jeff

He sighed. It was just as well, the kid had so much energy, it was good for him to stay busy. He reached over and picked up the official letter and read it again.

To Voyager Phineas Bogg.

You are required to appear at a disciplinary hearing tomorrow afternoon regarding cowpox virus exposure.

Charges:

Intentionally injuring a fellow Voyager, risking infection, while stranded in a dangerous time zone.

Intentionally injuring a child.

Intentionally causing illness in a fellow voyager.

Misuse of the power of your position.

.

Failure to appear will be considered admission of guilt.

Counselor Brindle

Surely the Tribunal would be fair, wouldn't they? They would understand that he'd had no choice. Giving Jeff the cowpox had been the only way to be sure he'd be immune to smallpox. He would just explain what had happened the best he could.

Unfortunately these thoughts didn't make him feel very confident.

Shortly after midnight, Jeffrey opened the door and quietly entered the room. He paused to look at his partner before moving to the other bed. In the morning, one of the nurses woke him early and he wrote Bogg another note before he left again. He was long gone before Bogg woke up.

Phineas awoke feeling much stronger and more awake than he had since his injury. He read Jeff's new note with interest.

Bogg,
Sorry I missed you. I got back late and left early. I'll be back for lunch.
Jeff

He wondered what could keep Jeff's interest for so long a time. After breakfast, he paced around the room, bored for the first time since their arrival. Finally he went out into the hall and saw a pretty blond nurse writing in a chart at the desk. His eyes lit up as he approached her.

"Hi."

She looked up and smiled at him.

"You wouldn't happen to know where my kid is, would you?" he asked.

"Well, Voyager Bogg, you're looking much better."

"Thanks, what about Jeff?"

"Well, word on the street is that he got in after midnight and asked to be woken up before breakfast. He said he's seeing an attorney named Susan."

"About?"

She shook her head, "he wouldn't say."

"So you just let him leave?"

"He wasn't about to stay here. He was pretty intent on leaving."

"But he's just a kid."

"This isn't a prison you know." She smiled at him, touched by his concern for the boy. "I'm sure he's okay."

Phineas sighed, "yeah, I guess so." He would just have to wait for Jeff to get back.

True to his word, Jeff returned at noon, just as lunch was being served.

"Where have you been? What have you been doing? Don't keep me in the dark kid," Phineas asked as soon as he saw him.

Jeff paused, "I know about the hearing. I've been looking for a way to defend you."

"I thought I told you not to worry about it," Phineas said with irritation, "and you shouldn't read my mail!"

"Well, you weren't gonna tell me," Jeff shot back, his temper flaring.

"I didn't have a chance to, I haven't seen you since yesterday!"

There was silence and they both started to eat. Finally, Jeff spoke quietly, "you look better today."

"I feel better," Phineas answered in a friendly tone.

After the meal, they left together for the courtroom.

ooOoo

The room was set up like it had been for the trial. Counselor Garth brought the gavel down to call the room to order. As he began to speak, Jeffrey stood up.

"What're you doing?" Bogg whispered.

Jeff ignored his partner and addressed the Tribunal. "I'd like to invoke the Formal Proceedings," he said.

"Those rules haven't been used in years, there's no reason to delay this hearing," Brindle responded forcefully.

"They're still in the law books."

The elders glanced at each other and Garth gave a hint of a smile. "You have that right, if Voyager Bogg agrees."

All eyes shifted to Phineas and he glanced at Jeff in surprise. Jeff nodded to him, then he spoke to the Tribunal, "I agree."

Garth tapped the gavel, "we'll take a short recess while I gather the document."

Jeff sat down beside Bogg and smiled.

"You really have a plan?" Bogg whispered.

"Trust me."

Several minutes later, Garth returned to the bench and tapped the gavel again and cleared his throat. "This Formal Proceedings Hearing is now in session. Tribunal members are as follows: The first Tribunal member is Horatio Garth, Counselor 1st Degree. Do you have any questions?"

"No," Jeff responded.

"This is a ridiculous waste of time," Brindle said aloud.

Garth raised the script again. "The second Tribunal member is Mary Brindle, Counselor 1st Degree. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes." was Jeff's quick response and everyone in the room sat more upright.

"What could you want to ask me?" Brindle said with a note of contempt in her voice.

"When was your last documented Voyage as a Field Worker?" Jeff asked.

"My... why would you care about that?"

Jeff stared at her, "please answer the question."

"I'm not sure."

"Have you ever been a Field Worker?"

There was silence until Garth cleared his throat. He decided to help the kid along. "Why do you want to know this?"

"Because Bogg has a right to have his Field Work responsibilities judged by a Tribunal composed of his peers. And a peer is defined as..."

"We know what a peer is defined as!" hissed Brindle. "I'll step down, but I won't leave."

"Thank you," Jeff said.

Phineas glanced from Jeff to each of the others in the room and couldn't help but smile. Everyone was looking intently at Jeff.

Garth cleared his throat again and raised the paper. "The third Tribunal member is John Kane. Do you have any questions?"

"Yes."

"I was a Field Worker for 15 years and last Voyaged as a Field Worker 4 years ago," Kane responded without prompting.

"Any other questions?"

Jeff paused, "no, we accept him."

"You seem to be one Tribunal member short," Brindle announced from her seat in the spectator area.

"Have you another person in mind?" Garth asked.

"Yes sir. Last night I asked Trevor Dillon to sit on the Tribunal and he agreed. Can we contact him?"

Garth sat back and eyed the child before him. Jeff exchanged glances with Phineas and smiled.

"He will be summoned. We will recess until he joins us, no one is to leave the area."

Jeff went immediately to Phineas and slid onto the seat beside him.

"Kid, you're doing great!"

"Thanks. All we need is a two thirds vote in your favor to win."

"I can't believe you're doing all this."

The rear door of the hearing room opened as Trevor Dillon walked through and almost immediately Garth's gavel fell, calling the room to order again.

Dillon winked at Jeff as he took his place with the Tribunal and Garth continued reading from the Formal Proceedings script.

ooOoo

The charges were presented next, and Jeffrey made sure that Phineas got to respond to them from a seated position. He was able to explain what happened in full, without being interrupted. After he finished, Garth spoke again.

"Is there any other evidence?"

"Yes," Jeff said immediately, "I have similar cases for you to review while you deliberate," and he walked forward and handed each Tribunal member a folder.

"This is ridiculous," Brindle said loudly. "Where could you possibly have gotten this kind of information? Voyager Bogg couldn't have taught you to do this."

Jeff shrugged, "Well, he kind of did, actually."

At this remark, Phineas' eye widened in surprise. He couldn't fathom where the kid was going with this.

"He couldn't possibly have taught you anything like this," Brindle persisted.

"I guess I taught myself then."

"You would need access to information and he couldn't possibly have given you that!"

"He didn't give me access, Susan did, but you still don't get it. I ...taught ...myself."

"Then what did Voyager Bogg have to do with it?"

Jeff paused and looked Brindle in the eye, "he loves me," Jeff told her seriously.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because of that, I taught it to myself." He paused, "and as far as what he HAS taught me, I'll tell you what he taught me. Voyagers don't kill people. That's one thing, and there's about a billion other things too."