Chapter Text
Runabout Telara en route to the Migrant Fleet
“The doctors had to put him in stasis, Big Brother, until we can get a skilled enough telepath to do what amounts to psychic surgery on him.” Tovan quietly listened as his Little Sister poured out her problems to him. “To make it even worse, Morinth escaped and Samara left to go after her.”
“How are you holding up, Little Sister?” Tovan asked with a worried look on his face as he gazed into the image of V’lana on the monitor.
“Better than I was.” V’lana replied with a sigh. “I had dinner tonight with Satra and Samantha and they dragged me down to the holodeck where we met up with Cilla and Liara and we kind of had a girls night out in an Earth discothèque from the 1970s—at least that’s what Samantha says it is—it’s her program. She said that she got the idea from a classic Earth movie. I think it was Saturday Night Fever or something like that. Anyway…” The subcommander managed a slight grin, “It had the desired effect in that it took my mind off of things for a while.”
“Good.” Tovan inclined his head slightly, “He will get better, Little Sister. He’s a strong man.”
“I know.” V’lana responded, her grin now brighter, “I told him he better or else.”
Laughing, the handsome centurion asked, changing the subject, “I take it you’re through with Omega?”
“For now, yes. We’re en route to the Alpha Draconis system to do some scanning there. Hopefully we’ll find our wormhole or gateway. So far, everything’s been a bust.”
“Sooner or later we’ll find something.” Tovan confidently replied, “It’s only a matter of time.”
“I know.” The subcommander acknowledged, “Hopefully sooner rather than later. So, Little Brother…” V’lana inquired, changing the focus of the discussion to her executive officer and his travel companion, “How are you and Tali and when do you anticipate meeting with the Migrant Fleet?”
“We’re both doing well, and Tali says we should be at the rendezvous point in no less than twenty-four hours.”
“Good. Once you’ve finished your business there, plan on meeting us at Illium. V’lana out.”
“Understood, Little Sister.” Tovan answered back, “Tovan out.”
“How is she? Truly?” Tali asked her Romulan companion after the communication had ended.
Tovan replied with a reassuring smile. “My Little Sister is strong. She stared down a Tal’Shiar D’Deridex in our old T’liss once. That Ardat-Yakshi doesn’t know it yet, but her days are marked.”
“Kaidan is a strong man as well.” Tali observed. “Plus, Dr. Chakwas is there to look after both of them. I remember Ashley once describing her as a ‘Momma Bear’. She will take on both our universes to protect those she cares about.”
“I remember when V’lana escaped from Hakeev and the torture he put her through.” Tovan recalled, “I was so worried…but…she recovered. So will Staff Commander Alenko.” Changing the subject the centurion inquired, “What can I expect from your people? Will they be immediately hostile or…”
“They will be watchful.” Tali cautioned, “The Cerberus attack on one of our scout ships, the Idenna, has made the Admiralty and Fleet wary of outsiders—especially outsiders who are unknown. Expect a cool reception.”
“Understandable.” Tovan inclined his head, “My people would react similarly were the situation reversed.”
“Thank you.” Tali replied, her sigh vocalized through her suit’s speaker.
“How will they conduct the trial?”
“The Admiralty Board will sit as judges.” Tali explained. “As my father is an admiral on the board, he’ll have to recuse himself.”
“I can understand why. The same rule regarding conflict of interest holds true in a Republic or Federation court-martial.”
Shaking her head, the young quarian moaned, “I can’t even imagine what he’s thinking right now.”
“I’d think he’d support his daughter.” Tovan replied encouragingly.
“You don’t know my father.” Tali responded her tone a mixture of bitterness, fear, and hope all intermingled. “He has never been what humans would describe as being very close to me. And he is very serious about the safety of the Fleet.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes.” Tali nodded her head, “What you would call the burden of proof lies with the defendant.”
“In other words…” Tovan concluded, “Guilty until proven innocent.”
“Correct.” Tali acknowledged. “There is no presumption of innocence. As a rule on the rare occasion treason charges have been levied, the amount of evidence is substantial enough where the trial itself is merely a formality. A guilty verdict is usually a foregone conclusion.”
“Are we looking at a possible death sentence or lengthy term of incarceration?” Tovan inquired. “I know that the Citadel Council and Earth Systems Alliance in this universe still use capital punishment as well as lifetime imprisonment.” His look now one of deep worry and concern, he asked, “Are you in danger of either of those outcomes occurring.”
“No.” Tali shook her head. “We don’t have the spare resources for long-term incarceration. Instead, for relatively minor offenses, the usual punishment is monitored work details. And we don’t have enough people to afford executions. Those accused of what other races would consider capital crimes are exiled from the Fleet. Someone exiled could still have children and those children would be welcomed back into the Fleet.”
“So…no attaintment—the parent’s guilt being passed on to the descendants?”
Tali again shook her head, “No. The children are not punished because of their parents’ guilt. Should I be found guilty, I would be exiled. Banished from the Migrant Fleet and not permitted to return. My name would also be stricken from the ship's records. If the admirals deem it a tragic mistake in judgment instead of a malicious act of deliberate treason, the convicted person might be permitted a small ship and supplies. Otherwise they are deposited on the nearest habitable world and left to fend for themselves.”
“You stated that treason charges were rare.” Tovan recalled, “When was the last time someone faced them?”
“Yes, treason charges are seldom prosecuted.” Tali affirmed, “The act must affect the entire flotilla, not just one ship. If it’s just one ship, the captain would handle it with the most likely result being the guilty party transferred to another ship.”
“In other words, that person becomes someone else’s headache.” The centurion commented wryly.
“Precisely.” Tali responded with a momentary chuckle that quickly vanished as she recollected the last treason trial. “Anora’Vanya vas Selani was the last person to be charged. She was an engineer who handed Fleet defense schematics to the batarians. She meant well. The batarians were contracted to upgrade our systems. But, instead, they passed the defense schematics to a pirate gang.”
“That’s not treason—well…the Tal’Shiar and Sela’s Empire might consider it treason.” Tovan declared in outrage. “She did not deliberately set out to betray her people. Bad judgment…yes. Naivete…most likely. But treason…” the Romulan officer shook his head, “No. So…why was she charged? And was she convicted?”
Tali shook her head. “She wasn’t convicted because she made a suicide run on the pirate gang and killed them before they could attack the Fleet. Because of that, she was granted a posthumous pardon. I hope it doesn’t come to that to prove my innocence.” She finished with a melancholic groan.
“I’d suggest we get some sleep.” Tovan advised, “I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
Nodding her head in agreement, the young quarian replied, “You’re right about it being a long day, but I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep.”