SD 08/06/05 - "Plea Bargin" - We're still a team! No more charges to worry about!
To begin with, my own trial focused mostly on the Violation of the Prime Directive charge. Here's what Judge Ross stated in the records:
(Judge Ross) "On the charge of Violation of the Prime Directive ..."
"To begin with, it's on the record I have a problem with the Prime Directive. This, philosphy, that a pre-warp world should be left alone, no matter how dire the circumstances, has been carried to what I feel are absurd extremes. In one extreme case in recent years, the USS Enterprise made the decision to leave behind the survivors of a primitive race on their dying world rather than rescue them on the grounds that it would 'contaminate' their culture. Fortunetly, the anthroplologist there disobeyed the Captain and transported them over."
"I stated this to Starfleet when they asked me to judge, but they expressed their confidence to put my predjuces aside. So my conclusion is this."
*Ross pressed a button, and a picture of the "Men in Black" in pose with their toys appeared on the display screen*
"Technicaly the Prime Directive applies to a planet uncontaminated by outside influences. The planet had a rouge organization outfitted with alien technology, and there is some evidence they were in contact with outsiders."
"This 'MiB' clearly had a potential to have vast influence over the planet at will. Not a good thing for the "normal social evolution" the Prime Directive is supposed to protect."
"And then there is this."
*Ross pressed another button, and various images of Trek fans, Trek memorabilia, and "Star Trek: The Experience" came up on the display screen*
"It's obvious that this 'Roddenberry' somehow found out about our universe, possibly going there from here, and used the information to create what has become a highly popular story."
"While not quite as influencial as a book of organized crime figures of early 20th century Earth was on planet Iotia, it has certainly influenced the planet on how it sees itself in the future."
"This court rules that this "alternative Earth" does *not* fall under the Prime Directive, and the charge of the defendant violating it is dismissed."
Vindication! My decision was upheld.
But my triumph was brief. The judge was about to read her verdict on the charge I pled "No Contest" to, "Impersonating an Officer." I then wondered if it was all over ...
Then the Prosecutor called for a recess! He then went over to me, and offered a deal with me and my Bridge Crew, Lt. Droolin and Ben Dover counted in this case, if we would discuss the details in the next room. We went there, and found three Admirals. Admiral Lars, a human, Admiral M'Kasa, a Caitian, and Admiral S'Cowl.
Lars and M'Kasa did most of the talking. Some of what Lars had to say was weak attempts to cover things up, but M'Kasa seemed more willing to explain the truth. It seems that a news blackout had a flaw due to Droolin being still able to post on the message boards of a porno viewers' group known as PERV (Purveyors of Exotic and Raunchy Videos). It wasn't long before word spread to New Cait, and people were upset. As M'Kasa put it, they weren't too happy to hear about their "heroes" on trial.
The CREEP (Caitian Rights Encouragement & Enforcment Policy) group then got involved with a demonstration. Unfortunetly, members of PERV showed up to cheer on Lynx and Lera in their own way which the CREEPS found repulsive to begin with. And when a PERV fondled a CREEP, the CREEPs begain beating up the PERVs.
There was another concern, M'Kasa stated: M'Rander. It seems somehow, word of her disapperance never got around, and officially she was still the one in charge. She was depicted as the one leading the battlecarrier that beat at New Cait. The update that she vanished at the hands of a madman months earlier, it's not being well recieved or believed. Most continue to believe she met her end durring or shortly after the battle, or with this trial a more conspirital theory. Some wonder if she quietly slipped away on her own to escape trumped-up charges against her and to uncover evidence proving her and her crew's innocence.
M'Kasa's solution to the problem was to go ahead and make the official record in line with the first story rather than risk more and more believing the second. To make it more believeable, he needed us to sign a statement saying M'Rander was the one who captained the battlecarrier. I was willing, as it would give our old comrade one "last hurah." Lynx, however, was giving off that cinimon smell when she gets upset. She would not go along with a lie, even if it meant honoring her mother.
The Admirals expressed disappointment. Although just my signature and Lera's were enough to uphold the statement, more would have helped. As a result, although they were still dropping the charges, with the marks on our records and some of us having gaps in our training, we would be sent to an uninhabited jungle world for Survival Training. We would carry nothing but knives and the clothes on our backs. Lera asked if she could carry just the knife. Typical Lera. 9.9
Her enthusiasm was brief as we were told we could make more clothes from the numerous rabbits found in the area, which freaked Lera with her silly phobia. M'Kasa got into the act by suggesting a vanished scout's last report was seeing a big white rabbit with big teeth hopping his way. Lera-eating bunnies? Ha!
So now our legal worries are over, although we still don't have a ship. Admiral Lars seemed a bit too defensive when I suggested the survival training was partly due to trouble finding one. Oh well. It may be hard work, but it beats sitting around here doing nothing. As long as we stick together, what could happen?