Addleworth is rattled by words like, "people created by science," "clones," and "rearranged DNA," but he quickly covers it up by smiling at Aiu and saying, "Good point that.  Good point."

He turns his smile to Dave.  "Some might consider having a mayor's name on your resume as a reference impressive."

He offers a business card.  "Feel free to add my name and that number to yours."

As the group passes a marble bust of an elderly mouse, he expounds, "Ah.  The Honorable Marvin C. Manderville.  One of my predecessors.  Marvin was credited with quite a number of achievements, including eking out a surplus in the budget in spite of the cost of building this wing.  But I'll bet that it was most likely a member of his staff that did the actual balancing."

Y'naro ohs and says, "...why would Marvin get credit if someone else did the balancing?"

Aiu says, "Because in this culture, rank matters a lot; whatever you do is credited to the person in authority over you." Aiu noticed Addleworth being rattled, but didn't bring it up. She just stores it away in her mind.

  While he figures the Blissians mean well when it comes to Drevinjer, he can understand why treating the subject of designer sentiments so casually would be unsettling to most.

  He takes the card, and nods "Thank you, Addleworth. I appreciate the thought."  The right connections and coincidences also help, along with rank.

OOC: Henry Ford.  Nobody believed in me!  Except the rich investor who paid for my first factory!... And second factory, after the first one failed.

Addleworth nods and smiles to Dave.  "No problem, my friend.  No problem at all."

He's glad Aiu fielded Y'naro's question.  That'd be an awkward one to handle, considering his own position.

"Bear in mind that that rule generally applies only to certain jobs and situations and even then it has exceptions.  For example, one newspaper headline might read, 'Briggs Captures Pirate Lord,' while another might read, 'Battleduster Crew Returns Victorious.'"

"Most good leaders are sure to give credit where it is due.  Ah!  Speaking of which, to the right you'll see the officers of my hard-working staff..."

He brags a bit about his underlings.

Y'naro is pleased. He seems to zone out for a moment, a pleasant smile still on his face.

Aiu asks about Addleworth's career life and how he got where he is. Y'naro snaps back to reality to try to pay attention to Addleworth's history.

Aiu, meanwhile, asks, "Not to sound impatient, but... when is the Battleduster due to arrive?"

  "I figure the Battleduster was due to arrive quite some time ago.  Or at the very least, it's crew is probably thinking as much."

To hear Addleworth tell his backstory, you would think he'd be just as happy being the head of a soup kitchen.

"I always enjoyed helping people.  I just happen to have a knack for team building.  So my friends and family encouraged me to run for councilman.  I soon learned that the Mayoral position is much more able to get things done for the community than my councilman position.  So the next election I ran for Mayor..."

To the question about the Battleduster he shrugs.  "I'm sure we'll find out more once we arrive."

A secretary peeks from one of the offices and arfs!

"Mayor!  You're needed in Courtroom One pronto!"

"Yes yes, I know, Clair.  Thank you.  I was headed that way."

Clair approaches hurriedly with an arm full of papers and mobile devices, tail wagging.

"I there!  I'm Clair, the Mayor's Secretary!  Nice to meet you!  Let's go!  Arf!"

She bounds down the hall then turns to look expectantly at the group.  Addleworth chuckles.  "Her energy never ceases to impress.  Let's hurry our pace some for her sake."

Y'naro suspects Addleworth of a bit too much humility.

Aiu chases Clair happily. "Arf! Arf!"

Y'naro shrugs. "I guess that's what you do here?" He rushes after the doggies. "Hold up! Arf!"

  "Hello Clair, it is good to meet you."  At least she seemed to enjoy her job, hopefully her pay was as reasonable as Addleworth would like to suggest as well.

  Wait, why is the bunny barking.  Why is this what you consider a mental sticking point. David?

Addleworth chuckles at all the hurrying and barking.  "It's what Clair does, in any case.  But if  you enjoy doing the same, then by all means feel free.  Feel free."

Clair smiles and tail-wags that two of the guests are barking.  She gives a friendly wave to Dave, tail wagging.

"Thanks!  Likewise!"

She opens the courtroom door for the group.  Inside is a flurry of activity between lawyers, bailiffs, clerks, and whatnot.  Notably, not photographers or video camera men are there.

Y'naro ohs at Addleworth's explanation.

When the bunch enter the courtroom, Aiu looks around. "....why aren't there any cameras? Wasn't this event supposed to be televised?"

Y'naro looks around. "Good point. That is odd. Unless this isn't the courtroom that the pirate lord is going to be brought to..."

  "It's more effort to confiscate or discredit video evidence of the proceedings than it is to say someone just made up what they wrote down." Can't let it get out that the government either played nice with an infamous pirate lord to get information, or other bad for public image political antics.

Clair bounds off to a clerk and starts chatting.

Addleworth looks surprised about the lack of cameras too and approaches the judge, an aging badger.

"Why no reporters, Ben?"

"Gag order," the judge answers, showing the Mayor a stack of papers, "Don't like being told how to run my courtroom, but it admittedly makes sense.  There's a high chance the prisoner may know state secrets and spill 'em on live news out of spite."

Addleworth ohs.  He takes out a fancy pen and signs the top page then hands it back to the judge.  He then offers the pen and rest of the stack to his guests.  "A simple agreement saying that should the prisoner spill secrets that would be dangerous if they got out, you won't be sharing those secrets with anyone.  If you don't feel comfortable with that sort of agreement, I could find you a nice comfy couch in the lounge with a TV to watch."

Clair hurries back.  "Got us seats!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:05, Wed 04 Nov 2015.

Aiu ponders. She looks the papers over before signing.

Y'naro, of course, trusts blindly and simply signs.

Aiu says, "The public is going to want to see this, though... does the courtroom have its own cameras to record the event rather than go live?"

  OOCly, he knows he needs to sign this to keep things moving along.  Fortunately ICly as a frequently mummified in Red Tape Deksharr he is used to this sort of thing, and signs with the swift efficiency born of seeing many quadruplicate forms.

  He's sure someone will make him sign something with conflicting instructions on the way out.  <aqua>"Thank you, Clair."</aqau>

The document is simply a more wordy version of what Addleworth summariaed.  Clair takes her own turn signing one and the stack is returned to the judge.

"Sure thing," she answers Dave happily.

She leads the group to the front row seats behind the defense desk.

The judge turns down Addleworth's offered doughnut box so the Mayor takes his seat, wiggles his fingers over the box as he considers which flavor, then digs in.  Clair offers him a cup of coffee and he gives her a big smile.  "Thanks, Clair!  You're the best!"

"Arf!"

Addleworth sips then points with the mug to a black kitty sketching on a big sketchpad.  "In cases where cameras aren't allowed, an artist draws the events."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 04:05, Thu 05 Nov 2015.

Y'naro says, "Wow... heh. I never was good at art."

Aiu says, "Me neither. But I suppose we're all out of our element here anyway. Except the Mayor. Unless you or Dave happens to be good with law and didn't mention it."

Y'naro says, "Only Blissian law. Sorry, but out here, I don't know a thing about how this is going to proceed."

  "Somewhat, but I expect the laws in play here tonight may not match what I've learned."  Laws are only obeyed when it's convenient for the chain of command, after all.  At least, this has been his experience.

Clair shrugs.  "Doing the unfamiliar is how one learns, right?"

Addleworth smiles and offers the doughnut box around again.  "And they say that students teach the teacher quite a bit.  I'm interested to see what your three sets of fresh eyes and ears will pick up on."

Two bailiffs spontaneously start hurrying for the main doors.  The judge speaks up.  "Everyone please take your assigned seats.  The prisoner is almost here."

Many take seats while others exit out the back doors.

Y'naro seems uplifted by Clair's statement, smiles at her and says, "Right you are, Clair." He then takes another doughnut from Addleworth's doughnut equivalent of a Handy Haversack.

Aiu smiles at Clair and nods. Then looks over at Dave. "We are in a foreign courtroom, after all." Aiu noms a doughnut right out of the box. Where she is from, taking food with your mouth is not considered rude, considering two thirds of the Grenu population do not have hands and thus, use their mouths.

The puppy and bunny take their seats and watch in anticipation.

Now that court proceedings are (supposedly) starting, Dave refrains from seconds.  He's sure Aiu would make a better 'onlookers more interested in donuts than arrest' story phot-oh right no photos.

He grabs a second donut.  "I suppose the fact nobody has mentioned which pirate lord yet, will be a moot point soon."

Clair smiles and tail-wags at Y'naro's affirmation then takes her seat and helps herself to a doughnut.  "This is so exciting!  Front row seats to an historic trial!"

Addleworth doesn't look the least bit offended by Aiu.  If anything, he looks pleased with Aiu enjoying more of one of his favorite treats.  Moreso that all his guests are accepting his offer.  He shrugs.

"I imagine this could wind up a very short trial regardless of who was captured.  Jurisdiction complications, multiple inter-planetary treaties involved, military procedures, and so on.  No doubt something was overlooked in the arrest and the defense will exploit that in a motion to dismiss."

"Have some faith, Mayor," the prosecuting attorney interjects with a smile, "I won't let them off the hook so easily.  I'm ready for those and have counters prepared."

"Glad to hear, my good man.  Glad to hear."

The doors open and the bailifs help guide in a wheeled plexiglas mini-prison with Angel Bard inside toward the defense desk!

--
Aiu would have been slack-jawed no matter which pirate lord was arrested. The kind of thing where you have to see it to believe it and once you see it, it is still unbelieveable. "Goodness... they really caught one..."

Y'naro gives an "oh" expression, watching her be carted in. His expression clearly turns into concern. "Well... it is a better thing than I thought that I came." he concludes. "This could involve Blissian politics also... and given my title, I can represent Bliss as if I were an official representitive."

  He looks over to Y'naro, then decides to not voice his suspicion his official representative duties are literal finger wagging and telling her she's been a naughty bunny and SO grounded.

  "I would be more surprised if they ever let her go even if that's what the legal paperwork said should happen." He is already surprised she survived transit.

  Being on the red tape untangling end of the usual Deksharr regard for laws has given him a somewhat dim view of the spirit or letter of them being held to when inconvenient for his superiors.

OOC:  Well, that's one way to get Angel into one of these threads I guess.

As Angel passes it becomes obvious that she's exhausted herself with crying, the fur on her face matted by her tears.  She casts her sad, bloodshot gaze first to the prosecutor, then the judge, then the defense attorney.  The prosecutor looks confused and uncomfortable.  The defense attorney looks saddened.  Only the judge seems jaded enough to look unaffected.

"Court is now in session," the judge announces.

Clair ducks her ears.  "Aw?  She looks so sad.  Not what I expected.  She always looked so defiant before."

Angel looks over.  When she catches sight of Y'naro, she looks surprised for a moment then quickly looks away in shame.  Addleworth eats more voraciously, pausing only to say, "We'll see..."

Others in the audience also comment to one another.  To those unfamiliar with protocol, it's now pretty clear that nobody is expected to keep quiet during the trial.

Y'naro gives her a concerned look when she looked at him. He asides to Clair, "No matter what people may say of Angel, she is a person with feelings and vulnerabilities like you and me."

Once court is in session, Y'naro raises his hand to get a turn. When he is called on, he says, "I have two announcements concerning this trial. First: I can and will represent Bliss on all political matters pertaining to Bliss and Angel's status as one of our people. Second: We have a guest here who is an Oracle of Gog. As such, she can provide insights for the trial."

Aiu nods. Now she doesn't have to introduce herself. And she is pretty sure the judge would have known she was coming. However, she does ask to speak and when given the chance, she informs, "I can see visions pertaining to an individual, but they will be vague unless the person is willing to let me see further. Any other insights I have will not be from my visions, but from my experience as an oracle."