Chapter Text
Starbase 8
In orbit of Memory Alpha
JAG Complex, Deck Four
January 24, 2318 (Stardate 139001.53)
Upon entering the office, Leo and Martinez caught Janeera's voice as she stood at the reception desk, speaking to Yeoman Zenn. "Major Bex will remain on Valkyrie for at least two to three weeks, so we'll need to change the rotation." The captain, wearing the less formal "bomber jacket" variant of the Starfleet uniform, moved the PADD in her hands from her midsection to her side just as she heard the pair of attorneys.
"Have you both finished your inspection of the holding facility?" Janeera mused with a smile.
Leo smiled, appreciating her humor. "We'll need a word with you in your office, sir."
Her expression turned into one of interest. "This sounds like it'll be good."
He held up his hand to forestall further comment. Instead, with a glance toward Zenn, he ordered, "Yeoman, I'm expecting Corporal Torres to be released by the holding company. And please page Captain Lawson, tell her we need to confer with her; we'll all be waiting in there."
The mention of the starbase's inspector general caused glances back from both Janeera and Zenn. "The IG?" asked Zenn to confirm. When Leo gave his nod, she reached over to page out without further discussion.
"Oh, my," Janeera looked between the two as they spoke. She then led her lawyers into the office to wait.
Although Leo kept his expression neutral while they remained at reception, he smirked the moment they cleared the doors and into a more private setting. "It's entertaining, sir."
As they took up seats at the small conference table set up in the corner of Janeera's office, they waited only minutes before Captain Rebecca "Becky" Lawson arrived.
"I was summoned?" Lawson said as she entered the office. Her long blonde hair, blue eyes, height, and athletic build gave Leo pause, as though he were seeing Janeera's human twin sister. The comparison became evident to him as they stood side by side to greet one another.
Leo and Martinez rose in kind to make their introductions. Upon shaking Leo's hand, Lawson paused and remarked, "Commander, your reputation precedes you."
After casting a furtive glance toward his commanding officer, whose expression betrayed nothing but her perpetual amusement, Leo stammered, "Y-You have me at a disadvantage, Captain Lawson. However, if you'd prefer, please call-”
"Call you 'Leo,'" Lawson finished for him with an amused smile like Janeera’s. “I'm willing to do it, but only if you call me 'Becky' as a favor.”
Leo's eyes shifted between Janeera and Martinez before replying hesitantly, "Of course, sir. Becky."
They took seats at the small table while Leo and Martinez recounted the events leading up to their return to the JAG reception foyer. Upon hearing their anecdotal evidence, Becky posed similar questions about Leo's interrogation of the marines in the holding company and Torres' subsequent responses. She gave a nod of approval once she was satisfied with the information brought to her attention.
Becky smiled at Janeera, "'Astute hire,' indeed."
Janeera ignored Becky and questioned Leo, "If Corporal Torres isn't freed by your deadline, do you plan to file a writ of habeas corpus?"
"Yes, sir," Leo answered.
Becky noted, "We should loop in Colonel Sullivan." She turned to Leo and pointed out, "Given that you've requested my presence, I can only presume a request for an investigation-"
Before she could even complete her sentence, the office intercom crackled and Zenn's voice broke through, informing the captain of Marine Captain Kline's presence along with three others.
Janeera activated the intercom by leaning forward and pressing a key from her seat. "Please send them in, Lara."
Within seconds of closing the intercom circuit, a marine captain trailed by the same three non-commissioned officers Leo and Martinez met in holding entered the office.
Kline’s physicality, stride, and demeanor reminded Leo of the Marine Corps recruiting posters; he kept his dark hair shorn to the skin, and his muscular build rivaled that of the meaner-looking non-comms Leo had met in his career. Whatever confidence he held striding into the office vanished at the sight of two naval captains glaring at the unsolicited encroachment into their discussion. The marines snapped to attention.
Janeera swiveled toward the marines and asked, "How may I help you, Captain?"
"Sir, my name is Captain Kline, and I am the commanding officer of the holding company. Please forgive my intrusion, but I'm here to arrest Lieutenant Commander Verde," Kline said without emotion.
Leo sighed and shook his head at the absurdity. He rose to his feet and presented his wrists for binding. "My name is Verde. I'll surrender to the arrest."
Kline's attention shifted to him, and Leo saw the look of unabashed scorn when they locked eyes. "Gunny, take the commander into custody."
Drake and his sergeants followed Kline's command, but Janeera and Becky had the same reaction.
"Stand fast, marines!" said the captains. The stereophonic response from the senior officers froze the marines in their tracks.
"With all due respect, Captains," Kline said without bothering to hide his smugness, "neither of you have the authority to revoke my order. Proceed, Gunny."
Drake smiled at Leo as he moved to advance and take him into custody as Kline made his assertion. But, before he could slap the binders on any wrists, Janeera moved forward and barked in her soprano voice, "I said stand fast, Gunny!" She keyed open the intercom once more and called out, "Lara, I need a squad of bailiffs in here with their sidearms."
Though Zenn did not respond to the call from her intercom circuit, the doors parted, and five members of the court bailiff team entered wearing their type-two phaser pistols at their sides. The lead bailiff wore the rank of a full lieutenant.
"Captain?" Lieutenant T'Imri said as she entered, her hand on her weapon.
Janeera ordered, "Cover these marines; ensure they do not move until I say so."
As T'Imri and her team took up positions behind the marines to ensure they did nothing further, Becky, who had risen from her seat, added, "Quite right. This is beyond the pale, Captain Kline."
Kline remained unapologetic. "Sirs, I am the CO of the holding company. I have full arrest authority on this base."
Lieutenant T'Imri replied from behind him, "As do we."
"And I might remind you, Captain," Janeera added, "I'm the Sector Judge Advocate here. I adjudicate your arrests. So…" She retreated to behind her impressive desk and sat. "Convince me that your arrest of a judge advocate is just and proper."
Kline blanched at the mention of adjudication. "Captain-"
"Your Honor," corrected Janeera. "In this capacity, I'm acting as a judge. We'll call this an informal hearing."
"Your Honor," Kline softened his tone. "I issued orders that Corporal Torres would receive no visitors, and Lieutenant Commander Verde countermanded those orders, using his so-called authority."
Janeera listened and then turned her head toward Leo. "Commander, your response?"
Leo approached the desk and placed his hands behind his back during orations. "Uh, Your Honor, Captain Kline's orders were unlawful. Corporal Torres was read her rights during the arrest, which included her right to counsel. Those rights are handed down from the Constitution and cannot be repealed by anyone, regardless of rank or position. Captain Kline denied Corporal Torres access to counsel, and further, he overreached on his authority by removing an officer of superior rank from seeing to his duty."
Kline scoffed. "You're just a lawyer."
Before Leo could respond, Janeera spoke over him. "Commander Verde is, in fact, a commissioned officer. As is everyone here who wears the uniform. However, you're inferring that he is not a proper officer because…"
Kline replied, "Your Honor, I meant the Commander got his reserve commission because he has a law degree and does not have the proper experience of the typical field grade officer in Starfleet."
"I see. Well, we'll have to unpack all of that later, but for the record, Commander Verde is a lawyer on my staff, which is correct. He also has over six years of space duty with the Border Service, where he served alongside marine companies in boarding actions. Until two months ago, he served as Operations Officer aboard a starship." Janeera paused and asked him, "Does that meet your definition of 'proper?'"
As she spoke, Kline winced, unaware of Leo's personal history. "Your Honor, I was misinformed."
Leo smirked. "I'll say."
Janeera shot him a rebuke, "Commander."
"Apologies, Your Honor."
"Captain Kline," Janeera continued without missing a beat, "Commander Verde's interpretation of the law is correct. You have no authority to deny Corporal Torres access to counsel. To do so violates due process and calls the entire arrest into question."
Kline replied, "Your Honor, the holding company must have a certain level of autonomy to do the job. JAG does not intervene in every arrest we make. Sometimes, we must hold people to protect them but not charge them and return them to duty."
Leo countered, "Captain Kline is correct that when certain members are found, taking them into custody for public safety is not improper, although we look to the Shore Patrol division to handle those duties. However, Your Honor, In this case, Corporal Torres was being held on a felony charge of Absent Without Leave and informed Lieutenant Martinez and me she wanted to plead guilty before any discussion with her counsel. The short few minutes I had to speak with my client, made it clear she made that decision in haste."
"Corporal Torres made her choices, Commander," Kline said, his words dripping with irritation. "She didn't need some lawyer to interfere in a clear-cut case of AWOL."
Janeera held up her hand to end the bickering. "Captain Kline, while I appreciate your attention to your duty, I would prefer that you allow me to do my job. This office decides whether the Corporal is guilty of being AWOL. That is not a duty that falls to you and your company."
"Your Honor," Kline replied, pointing out, "In the past, your predecessor did not interfere with our policies and procedures. He approved our actions."
"Admiral Devereaux has made me aware of Kyle Gregson's performance," Janeera informed him. "That is the reason he has been transferred and I've been assigned here. This office will no longer be rubber-stamping your arrests or charges, and we will follow the process to the letter."
Kline frowned. "I understand, sir."
Leo requested, "Your Honor, I respectfully motion on behalf of my client to dismiss all pending charges for the reasons previously stated."
Janeera raised her hand once more. "Hold on, Commander. There's no one here to represent the government."
Kline stepped forward and said, "Your Honor, I have a lawyer to present our side of the argument. Can I get whatever this is... delayed somehow?"
She briefly pondered the request. Their eyes met. Leo shrugged, acknowledging the need to hear the other side. Janeera sighed. "Fair enough. Let's postpone the rest of this hearing until we can find and brief Captain Kline's choice for governmental representation. We'll meet tomorrow in Room Alpha with everyone."
"Understood, sir," the gathered officers uttered variations of that within the office.
Janeera issued one more order. "In the meantime, Captain Kline, you'll put Corporal Torres on ORR pending the hearing. Right now." She nodded to T'Imri, who understood the unspoken request.
Kline sighed. "Aye, aye, sir."
"Good. We're done. Everyone other than Captain Lawson, get out."
Within the confines of his office, Leo concentrated on the stack of paperwork he left behind a few hours prior. By the time T'Imri returned with Torres in tow, he'd whittled the pile to less than half remaining.
"I have Corporal Torres, sir," said T'Imri.
Torres wore her marine enlisted service uniform instead of the prisoner's coveralls earlier. Stepping into the office, she stood at attention as T'Imri recounted the events that led to that moment.
"We oversaw her release, sir. Although the company commander used unreasonable means to stall the process, we persuaded Captain Kline to comply with orders."
He offered nothing more than a nod to T'Imri. But he let his curiosity drive a question. "Were there any other issues of note?"
"Other company members appeared most displeased with Corporal Torres during the release procedure, sir. Our presence prevented any overt adverse action," said the Vulcan bailiff, wrapping up her report.
Leo stretched his back while he listened and then walked over to stand in front of Torres. "Thank you very much, Lieutenant. I'll take it from here. Pass my compliments to your bailiffs. Dismissed."
T'Imri nodded. "Aye, sir." Without further comment, she departed the office, leaving Leo and Torres to speak alone.
"Stand easy, Corporal," he ordered, noticing a visible improvement in her demeanor. Without the unflattering lighting of the holding facility, she made use of the brief opportunity to change back into uniform. "I'm going to contact my friend Tom downstairs and see if we can't find you another bunk. I doubt you'll be welcome in the marine barracks after today."
Torres relaxed and sighed. "Yes, sir. Sir, I-"
"One moment, Corporal." Leo leaned out his office door and called, "Barzel, Ale, a moment of your time, please?"
After Barzel and Martinez joined them, Leo bade Torres to continue her sentence. She said, "Sir, I wanted to say thank you and Lieutenant Martinez for intervening on my behalf."
Leo signaled for both to sit on the corner couch while he claimed the armchair. "All part of the service, Corporal. Let us bring you up to speed on what's happened so far…" With Martinez's help, they regaled both of them with an abridged version of events, then Leo ended with, "Now we're awaiting the government's lawyer. We can proceed with the hearing once they announce themselves to the court."
Torres's brow creased with worry. "Do you think they'll make a case to put me back in the cell, sir?"
Martinez shook his head. "Not likely. They violated due process. I would be shocked if the court upheld the arrest."
As the intercom signaled, Leo nodded. "Agreed. Pardon me." He reached over to the nearest panel and opened the circuit. "Verde, here."
Yeoman Zenn's voice called out to him over the channel. "Commander, meeting in the Captain's office in thirty minutes."
"Is she reconvening the hearing?" Leo asked.
"No, sir. The attorney taking up the government's side has arrived."
When Leo, Martinez, and Torres arrived in Captain Ch'charhat's office, Captain Kline and an Edosian male wearing a marine first lieutenant's uniform awaited them. Besides the marine officers, an enlisted petty officer, second class wearing the rate of a Legal Specialist (LS), sat nearby, to record the conversation.
Janeera sat behind her desk once more. "Welcome, Lieutenant Reter," she said to the Edosian.
Reter inclined his head and offered a salute with his right arm while he held a portable device in his left. "Thank you, Your Honor. My apologies for the delay, tardiness, and hold on this issue. I was handed this case a mere twenty minutes prior."
She glanced over at Leo to share a brief look with him before asking Reter, "You are licensed to practice law on Starfleet matters, Lieutenant?"
Reter stepped forward and offered an optical chip. "My credentials for your edification, Your Honor."
Janeera leaned toward Reter to accept the proffered chip and placed it within the input port on her desktop terminal. Within seconds, the information appeared, and her eyebrows climbed upwards. "Impressive. I thought I knew all qualified legal personnel here on the base. Might I ask how you came to take on this case?"
"It is… an unusual, uncommon, and atypical story, Your Honor," Reter replied, scratching at his bald, orange head. "I do not serve in the Corps in any legal capacity. I am the supply officer for the company."
She blinked. "Supply officer? What are you doing for the company, specifically?"
"This morning, I was inventorying our cargo containers in the garrison hold, Your Honor."
Leo flashed a brief smirk at the aggrieved expression on Janeera's face. She noticed him enough to cast an unhappy glance in his direction. To explain her mood, she told him, "He has an LL.B from the T'Pau Institute of Law and Culture on Vulcan." She sighed and returned her attention to Reter. "Since I'm guessing that Captain Kline unburied you from the mountain of supplies down in the garrison dungeon, are you going to assemble the charge sheet?"
"Your Honor, if I could please petition for a continuance-" Reter began.
Janeera raised her left hand. "Granted. Under the circumstances, a continuance is the very least I could do. However, I recommend you and the defense counsel find an alternative solution."
"I only need a few hours, sir," Peter promised. "May I borrow an office and some staff in the JAG complex?"
Leo spoke up before Janeera could. "I'll have a couple of paralegals assigned to your new office, Lieutenant. We'll take good care of you." Seeing Reter's support taken care of, he asked, "Considering current events, Your Honor, I'd like to propose a change in billet for Corporal Torres."