Sime~Gen Roleplaying: District Controller's Office Scenario
Episode #145: Dressed to Kill (1/31/00)
Monty, a Gen police officer, walks down the halls of the 53rd District building, searching for Controller Arat's office.
Triti hurries after Monty, trying not to babble.
Triti: Are you really sure you want to do this?
Monty turns to look at Triti.
Triti: Controller Arat has been in a... difficult mood, lately, and....
Triti realizes that she is babbling, after all.
Monty: ~~earnestly~~ I don't know any other way.
Monty: What is the problem?
Triti wrings her tentacles, despite being 0% Riyyh.
Monty is young, strong as a bull, and powerful because his heart is pure.
Triti: One doesn't bother Controller Arat with irrelevancies.
Triti thinks, at least if one doesn't want one's nager frozen with Farris-strength contempt.
Monty: ~~grimly~~ This is relevant, I would think, to a Controller.
Triti: Well, if you're really sure... just let me go ahead to announce you. Controller Arat doesn't like surprises.
Monty, being Gen, is not concerned about Farris nagers.
Monty: Well, yes, of course.
Triti darts ahead to Arat's door and signals.
Triti: ~~ oh dear ~~
Arat: Enter!
Triti blanches, then opens the door.
Monty glances at Triti to see if she is going to precede him.
Arat looks up impatiently at the interruption.
Triti: Controller Arat, there's a gentleman here to see you.
Triti: He's a police officer, not a reporter, so I thought you might....
Arat frowns.
Triti closes her mouth abruptly; security types should not babble.
Arat: Very well. Send him in.
Arat says this despite the fact that he can see and zlin perfectly well that Monty is standing right behind her.
Monty enters the office and gazes at Controller Arat. He has never met him before, though he has read of him in the papers.
Triti makes the mistake of stepping further into the office to hold the door open wider.
Triti is therefore subjected to Arat's undiluted nager.
Triti: Ccccontroller Arat will ssssee you now, Officer Monty.
Monty: Good afternoon, Controller. Forgive me for this interruption.
Arat nods at Triti, acknowledging her news in order that she may leave expediently.
Arat turns his attention to Monty.
Arat studies him critically, and then nods.
Monty knows he is right to try this, although he is not sure if he will get the results he hopes for.
Monty: I wanted to speak to you about this matter of Leah Rivers.
Triti blushes at her stuttering, thus committing the third major infraction of proper security-guard behavior.
Arat's expression does not change, mainly because the name rings no bells.
Triti hastily scuttles out of Arat's office, wondering if she should just resign now before she's laughed out of her job.
Monty sees the lack of response.
Monty: Also known as Lalique Vale, also known as Lady Sunshine....
Monty: Your office had a warrant on file.
Arat recognizes the name Lalique Vale, from reports of a trained but possibly rogue Donor Tiarala had picked up along with Buggfa, who had disappeared from the Center before Arat ever got a chance to zlin her.
Arat: ...I see.
Monty: A request to hold her as a witness in the case of Buggfa Lube.
Arat hadn't known about the warrant, but it would have been filed while Neptude was still covering for him.
Arat nods.
Arat: She has been located, then?
Monty: She is currently being detained at the Capitol City Jail on another charge, that of rogue transfer.
Arat's look darkens at that.
Arat: I see.
Monty: However, it is likely that the charge will be dismissed.
Arat makes a mental note to re-shake down the security types who allowed Lalique to escape in the first place, in case Neptude did an inadequate job.
Monty: ~~controlled fury~~
Arat zlins Monty carefully.
Monty: And if that happens, your office has the next claim on her.
Monty meets Arat's eyes calmly.
Monty: Controller, you have a reputation as a man who sticks to the letter of the law and plays no favorites.
Monty: That's why I came here.
Monty: Frankly, I could get in trouble for this, but someone must do something!
Monty: I work in an area to the north of the city.
Monty: We busted up a very private and illegal party.
Monty: A transfer party, with Leah Rivers providing the entertainment.
Monty: ~~blushes furiously with embarrassment~~
Arat takes this in with the vague expression which usually means he's zlinning and thinking at the same time.
Monty: The people who attended that party included some with a lot of money and influence.
Monty: We busted it up before anything too much happened.
Monty: And I think the fix is in.
Monty: Except for her.
Monty: If they throw the case out, we won't be able to get her for this crime.
Monty: But she is wanted for other matters.
Monty: There's your own warrant, and others on file from Gulf Territory.
Arat studies Monty measuringly.
Arat: Whose influence is involved?
Arat might be able to detain Rivers long enough for word to be gotten to Gulf Territory and back, but not if the persons acting on her behalf are capable of threatening his career.
Monty: The party-goers included some rich people. Herb Kar, the rancher's son, and Della Melle, who owns the mines up in Collins.
Monty: And we think the whole thing was set up by Tuib Len Carols, the import-export merchant.
Monty: Now there's a slimy character, but we've been trying to get the goods on him for years.
Arat doesn't think he has anything to worry about from them. He was more concerned with political and selyn-control influence.
Arat nods.
Monty: Anyway, the police chief and judge don't want to touch it.
Arat: You want me to delay her here until you can get word back from Gulf Territory.
Arat: Four to six weeks, at this time of year.
Arat assumes this because if they simply wanted to pack her off to the holders of the Gulf Territory warrants, they would have done so already.
Monty: Well, I was wondering if there were some way you could hold her under Tecton regulations rather than criminal law.
Monty: No doubt she's a rogue.
Monty: The police chief wants to extradite her to Gulf and get the whole matter out of his tentacles.
Monty: But those warrants are 8 years old.
Monty: They'll have a difficult time convicting if they can't find the witnesses any more.
Monty: [passionately] And this Gen shouldn't be running around loose!
Arat's laterals recoil into their sheathes, and then lick out thoughtfully to taste Monty's passion.
Arat: Then you do not want her returned to Gulf... you want her removed from the public by my office.
Monty: That's what I want. That's why I've come to you unofficially.
Monty: With the warrant filed by your office, you have first claim on her if they dismiss the case.
Arat: I understand.
Arat sheathes his tentacles and folds his hands on the desktop.
Monty: These crimes are current. If she's sent to Gulf, who knows what will happen?
Arat: I cannot make any promises, except that I will do my best to see that the matter is handled properly.
Monty: Thank you, Controller. That's all I ask.
see note 1
Lalique sits on a hard, cold bench in the city jail, where she has been placed in a cell by herself.
Lalique is wearing a peculiar dress, part metal mesh with holes cut in strategic locations and quartz beads dangling in others.
Lalique has been wearing this dress for two days since she was arrested at the party and it is not very comfortable to sleep in.
Lalique jumps up and frantically paces back and forth in the tiny cell.
Erejohn, a beefy Gen jailkeeper, approaches the cell, keys jingling.
Erejohn is the taciturn, no-nonsense, hard-to-tell-just-how-dumb-he-is type.
Erejohn: Got a visitor. [grunts, to Lalique]
Lalique: Lalique whirls around and fights for calm.
Lalique nods, grimly.
Lalique wishes she had a hairbrush or some make-up.
Lalique thinks that in fact a whole bathtub would be nice.
Erejohn unlocks the door, and then holds up the handcuffs meaningly. Lalique should know the routine by now.
Lalique allows herself to be cuffed.
Erejohn leads the bound Lalique through a short maze of narrow corridors and locking doors toward a divided meeting-cubicle.
Kerville is waiting for his latest court-ordered client to be ushered into the prison's visiting room.
Kerville shuffles papers with a weary tentacle, wishing that jails were not so depressing, and that he had worked hard enough in law school to get a job with a real law firm.
Kerville thinks that at least this case sounds relatively straightforward; a bit of routine plea-bargaining and his client will be out causing trouble for someone else, not him.
Kerville has long since lost his youthful illusions about justice and the defense of the innocent.
Kerville has been forced to accept that a huge majority of people arrested for crimes are in fact guilty of them, and that most of the rest are guilty of something else.
Kerville is, in fact, blatantly ~~ cynical ~~ about his profession.
Kerville looks up as the door to the prison half of the visiting cubicle is opened.
Kerville: That her? [to Erejohn]
Erejohn: Yep. [grunts]
Lalique assumes her on-stage stance and marches in proudly, despite the absurd clothes she is wearing.
Kerville looks over Lalique's outfit and ungroomed hair.
Kerville: Don't look like much, does she?
Kerville: Or did you bring me a hooker by mistake?
Kerville chuckles at his own wit.
Erejohn keeps his dumb-as-a-poker face and simply guides Lalique to the chair.
Erejohn then fades back into the background, near the locked door of the cubicle.
Lalique knows her outfit, probably salvaged from some Reloc Kill parlor of a hundred years ago, makes an impression on Simes that is not very respectable.
Lalique seats herself with as much dignity as she can manage in the hand-cuffs.
Kerville zlins Lalique, then shrugs.
Kerville: I'm Kerville, your defender.
Kerville does not exactly look like the proverbial knight errant.
Kerville: It looks like you've managed to get yourself into a heap of trouble.
Lalique controls her field carefully, knowing the distortions the dress will produce if she lets her nager fluctuate.
Lalique: [low, throaty voice, rather hoarse after days in the cold cell] Pleased to meet you, Kerville.
Kerville holds up a file.
Kerville: Now, the way I see it, if we plead guilty to unauthorized nageric amplification, we can probably get the incitement to illegal transfer bit dropped.
Lalique: Do you think so?
Kerville: Yeah. That's three months jail time and a fine.
Lalique is very relieved that the three Simes she actually served transfer to managed to elude the police and disappeared on extended vacations.
Kerville zlins Lalique again.
Lalique: What procedures would be involved in making such a plea?
Kerville: Your part is simple enough. You wait until the judge says, "How do you plead?", and then you answer, "Guilty".
Kerville: You can manage that much, can't you?
Lalique: ~~calm detachment~~
Lalique: Yes.
Lalique: Where would I be held?
Kerville: Oh, and you'd better tell me the name of the Sime Center where you donated, or the prosecutor won't be interested.
Lalique: Out-territory. Collins.
Kerville raises a cynical eyebrow.
Kerville: Right. I don't suppose you have the train stub on you?
Lalique worked this contingency plan out with Carols in advance.
Lalique: No, afraid not.
Kerville grunts.
Kerville: Well, it'd take too long to get word from there, this time of year.
Kerville: I suppose we can ask for a channel to come verify your statement.
Lalique: [drily] You can ask.
Lalique thinks that if the channel is any thing but Third Order, she isn't making any kind of statement.
Kerville zlins Lalique's intransigence.
Kerville: Listen here. You're in trouble, Rivers.
Kerville: Big trouble.
Lalique nods.
Kerville: If you value your hide, you'll do exactly what I tell you to, no hesitation.
Lalique thinks he doesn't begin to know how much trouble.
Lalique: So, what do you tell me?
Kerville: We can't wait for work from Collins. Rumor has it that some idealistic police type decided you're the end of civilization.
Kerville: I heard he was investigating ways to have you held, even if the charges are dropped.
Kerville really hates it when a client lingers in jail; then he has to keep working on the case.
Kerville: So we get a channel to verify your statement, and it had better be a good one, understand?
Lalique lets herself drift into a Donor's detachment to hold off the realization of impending doom.
Lalique: I will do my best.
Kerville assumes anyone who's been on the streets as much as Lalique obviously has, knows the trick of uttering truthful statements that don't necessarily answer the question.
Lalique realizes that if she can't get the case dropped quickly, any statements she makes will dig her a larger and larger hole.
Erejohn goes to the cubicle's door in answer to a quiet tap. He exchanges a few words with the person on the other side, and then relocks the door and resumes his silent post.
Lalique wonders if Tiarala is still hunting her and whether Riyyh blabbed everything she told him, and to whom.
Kerville's face twists with cynicism.
Lalique really never wanted to ever come back to Capitol again.
Kerville: I never did understand why anyone would be stupid enough to go to such a party, much less get caught.
Lalique shrugs.
Lalique: I guess it takes all kinds, huh?
Kerville: Was one drunken night really worth the rest of your life?
Kerville is perhaps a bit better acquainted with the punishment part of the criminal process than lawyers who approach their duties with more enthusiasm.
Lalique smiles back at Kerville with equal cynicism.
Lalique: It doesn't matter now.
Kerville: True enough.
Kerville has long since given up expecting criminals to act sensibly.
Lalique: But if you're really good at what you do, it won't cost the rest of my life.
Kerville: I'll sound out the prosecutor and see if he's willing to deal.
Lalique: I don't forget my friends.
Kerville snorts.
Lalique: I might surprise you.
Kerville: Let me guess: You invite your friends to parties.
Lalique: Sometimes.
Lalique: ~~warm appreciation and admiration~~
Kerville: Spare me. I'm not your friend, I'm your lawyer.
Kerville closes the folder.
Lalique: As you wish.
Lalique: ~~returns to detachment~~
Kerville looks at Erejohn.
Kerville: You can take her back, now.
Lalique: Is there any way to get a shower in this place? And a change of clothes?
Kerville: Ask your hosts.
Kerville nods towards Erejohn.
Lalique: Well, Mister? What about it?
Kerville picks up his folder and leaves.
Erejohn: They want yuh up at the 53rd District Offices.
Erejohn: Sent down the order just now.
Erejohn sounds as thick as a brick, but you have to have a certain number of brains to say "53rd".
Erejohn: Com'on.
Lalique feels her stomach clench with nausea.
Kerville stops in the hall to brush dust off his worn suit, and curses as he fumbles the folder and papers go all over the floor.
Lalique has no choice but to follow Erejohn's powerful pull on the handcuffs.
Erejohn leads Lalique out of the cubicle, then down a different set of hallways.
Erejohn signs Lalique out at a guard station.
Kerville gathers up his papers and makes his way to the prison entrance, only to find an unexpected sight in front of him.
Kerville: Where are you taking my client?
Lalique: [shouts to Kerville] 53rd District.
Kerville signs out himself, then hurries to catch up.
Erejohn dutifully leads Lalique toward a big, dark blue police wagon drawn by two tall, skinny dark brown generic police horses.
Kerville: What does the 53rd District want with my client?
Erejohn: Executive order from th' selyn branch. Dunno more than that.
Erejohn doesn't need to know any more than that to do his job, though.
Kerville curses; he hates surprises.
Lalique figures that means Tiarala at the very least, and probably Arat.
Lalique figures she can forget the statement game that Kerville wants to play.
Kerville: I suppose I'd better come along to represent my client.
Kerville means by this, to keep Lalique from doing anything too stupid and spoiling his deal.
Lalique eyes Kerville dubiously. He really is about the poorest excuse for a lawyer she's seen in a while.
Lalique figures, however, that even Tuib Len Carol's finest couldn't get her out of this jam.
Erejohn: Whatever you say. But you can't ride this.
Erejohn loads Lalique into the back of the wagon, and locks the door.
Erejohn blocks Kerville from following if he tries.
Lalique remembers how relentless Tiarala was, and, from his reputation, Arat will be even worse.
Kerville: Be reasonable, Erejohn. You know how hard it is to find a taxi this time of day.
Kerville: There's plenty of room on the seat.
Erejohn: Nope.
Erejohn swings up onto the seat beside the driver.
Erejohn: See you there. [adds, as the wagon pulls away from the curb]
Lalique thinks that she told Carols this party thing was a bad idea.
Kerville shakes his fist at Erejohn (whose back is safely turned towards him) and starts plodding after the wagon.
Lalique puts the thought aside; no use crying over spilt milk.
Lalique wonders if Nick is still working with Arat; might have some pull there.
Kerville is glad that the ice on the cobblestones keeps the wagon from moving quickly.
Kerville is, however, heartily wishing that he had been able to afford new water-proof boots.
Lalique wonders if her life story is out on the Naros gossip circuit.
see note 2
Erejohn unloads Lalique from the wagon, spends about a half hour getting her through the tightened 53rd District security procedures, during which time Kerville unfortunately catches up to them, and then leads her toward the office of the muckety muck who wanted to see her.
Lalique has her nager under iron control.
Lalique walks proudly, with her head held high.
Lalique figures she is doomed to shedoni, but might as well go out with style.
Kerville winces in embarrassment as one boot persists in squelching.
Nick brings Arat a fresh cup of tea, and sits down in the Donor's chair with another.
Lalique muses that the dress is really quite appropriate; the last Gen who wore it was probably headed for the auction block.
Nick has more or less managed to arrange his work schedule to allow regular blocks of time with Arat.
Erejohn tromps down the last bit of hallway and stops in front of the room he was instructed to go to.
Erejohn signals, looking not-quite-bored.
Nick sets his tea aside and goes to answer the door.
Arat has not particularly forgiven Nick, deep down inside, but it didn't hurt that Nick was more open this time when questioned about Lalique.
Arat couldn't have tolerated Nick holding out on him again, not so soon after what happened with Pylor and Snake.
Nick raises his eyebrow when he sees the trio in the hall, then looks back at Arat.
Nick: It's our visitors.
Arat nods to Nick to let them in.
Nick stands aside and gestures them to enter.
Lalique docilely follows after Erejohn.
Nick then makes his way expeditiously back to the Donor's chair to offer Arat ~~ support ~~ sufficient to counter any tricks Lalique might pull.
Nick has a prudent respect for Lalique's abilities, and level of desperation.
Erejohn stands aside, near the door, and becomes immobile and unworthy of notice.
Kerville bustles in after Lalique.
Arat gestures for them to sit.
Lalique: [warm, on-stage smile] Hello, Nick. Good to see you again.
Nick raises an eyebrow in response, recognizing the performance for what it is.
Lalique tries to maintain her detachment, but regards Arat with trepidation. This is her worst nightmare come true.
Kerville: I really must protest, this is quite irregular....
Kerville gets a clear zlin of Arat and stops protesting with a gulp.
Arat: Please, sit down. [since neither of them has done so yet]
Arat prefers neat rows of people sitting at attention, to an office full of unruly desperadoes.
Kerville is very glad to sit, after his perilous hike from the prison.
Lalique sits.
Arat: Leah Rivers, I presume? [to Lalique]
Lalique concentrates on supreme self-control.
Arat: Or do you prefer Lalique?
Lalique shrugs.
Lalique: Either will do.
Arat assumes, from her initial somewhat negative reaction to the other name, that she will prefer Lalique.
Arat looks to Kerville.
Arat: And you are?
Kerville: Public Defender Kerville. Miz Rivers is my client.
Kerville: When I learned of this highly irregular summons, I felt it necessary to come along to protect my client's interests.
Arat studies Kerville minutely, from his somewhat tousled head to his painfully thawing, waterlogged toe.
Arat notes there isn't any particularly strong bond between Lalique and her lawyer, which he thinks is for the best.
Kerville wilts visibly under the scrutiny.
Kerville wonders why he always gets the hard cases.
Arat nods, and turns his attention back to Lalique.
Lalique watches everyone in the room, cataloging information that might be useful later.
Arat zlins her thoughtfully.
Lalique senses Arat zlinning her and trembles slightly.
Arat finds the distortion outfit extremely irritating, and notices Lalique does also.
Nick notes that Lalique looks considerably more travel-worn and desperate than before.
Nick wonders why she didn't have the sense to stay far away from Capitol, or stay away from dubious situations.
Lalique has heard stories about Farris abilities, although this is the first time she has ever had one focus full attention on her.
Arat: Lalique, you have been brought here because I am given to understand that you worked with Buggfa Lube while travelling with him recently.
Lalique: ~~surprised that this is where the interrogation is starting~~
Arat might have jumped directly to what he found most interesting about Lalique, Farris-style, except for the Lawyer's presence. Because of that, he starts with what the warrant covers.
Lalique: Yes.
Arat tends to be a bit anal-retentive around lawyers, due to lifelong experience with them.
Arat will not let Kerville's apparent, suspected incompetence lull him into complacency on such an ingrained habit.
Arat: As you may or may not know, an official investigation into the activities of his employers is now under way.
Lalique nods.
Kerville wonders why his brief fails to mention this Buggfa Lube.
Arat: Regardless of the results of the investigation, Buggfa will require extensive therapy as a result of his injury and its continued lack of treatment.
Arat: Your knowledge, and your having worked with Buggfa already, may be of some use to us in both endeavours.
Arat: Are you willing to cooperate?
Lalique: I have had no contact with Buggfa's employers.
Nick looks at Lalique, trying to determine whether her concern about Buggfa has survived the weeks since Tiarala brought them back to Capitol.
Lalique: All I know about them is what he told me.
Arat nods.
Lalique: I was happy to be of some service, but I doubt there is much I can contribute if you can assign professional therapists to work with him.
Arat: Does that mean you are unwilling?
Arat scrutinizes Lalique, visually and nagerically.
Lalique: Unwilling to do what?
Lalique is doing her best to maintain control, but a Farris can clearly zlin that she would prefer to be on the other side of the globe if possible.
Arat: Cooperate with us in the matter of the investigation into Lortuen Records' activities, and Buggfa Lube's rehabilitation.
Nick sips his tea calmly.
Lalique: My personal affairs would make an extended stay in Capitol inconvenient.
Arat frowns mildly.
Lalique: When last I was here, Hajene Tiarala felt the matter was important enough to detain me here by force.
Arat: Actually, I believe her motive in detaining you was more that she feared you were prone to rogue activities.
Arat's tone has taken on a slightly ironic, acid edge.
Arat: Although your utility with regards to Buggfa was recognized even then.
Kerville leans forward in ~~ alarm ~~
Lalique: Well, I do not wish to stay here.
Kerville: Mis Rivers' participation in rogue activities remains speculative.
Kerville really doesn't care to get involved, but some reflexes are drilled into you in law school.
Arat zlins Lalique again, being deliberately obvious about it.
Arat: I would say not.
Arat: I should think if it went to court, it could be proven.
Kerville winces, as he has been afraid of this since Lalique threw that practiced ~~warm appreciation and admiration~~ at him.
Nick wonders once more why Lalique didn't leave while she had the chance.
Arat: And I daresay that it could be brought to court in a reasonably short time, were the Tecton to become involved.
Arat: However, that is not at issue at the moment.
Lalique: Well, I would prefer to remain here than to stay in jail.
Lalique: And if I cannot leave, I suppose I can make myself useful.
Arat raises an eyebrow at the "And if I cannot leave".
Nick notes that her time in jail has not deprived Lalique of her dramatic flare.
Arat: What is at issue at the moment [as if she had said nothing] is Lortuen Records and their handling of Buggfa Lube's injury.
Arat: Buggfa has been so thoroughly cowed by his employers that he is unable to speak in his own defense.
Arat: Your recollections of what he has told you in the past will be valuable to the court.
Lalique: I know nothing of the matter first hand, but I am willing to repeat our conversations on the subject.
Arat knows that quite a number of witnesses of this type are being assembled by the prosecution, but contrary to what he's said, the real issue isn't Buggfa, it's Lalique.
Arat: That will be sufficient.
Arat: As for Buggfa's therapy, there will be some use for a team member he can trust.
Arat: At the moment it is not clear whether he will be handled by people from Naros or by the Tecton. However, in either case they will be strangers to him.
Arat: According to every account I have seen, you were able to establish a rapport with him. That may prove invaluable.
Arat again doesn't really believe this, but he is working obliquely toward a specific goal.
Lalique: I am willing to continue to work with him.
Arat: Your... status... [delicate emphasis on the word] will have to be resolved, of course, but it will be acceptable if this happens over time.
Nick wonders if Arat plans to try to rehabilitate Lalique.
Arat means, a reasonable amount of time.
Lalique considers this a hopeful sign; if Arat sees some use for her, perhaps she can negotiate a better deal than life imprisonment.
Lalique: What did you have in mind?
Arat steeples his fingers.
Arat: You will stay here, while Buggfa remains here. This will allow you to smooth his transition into cooperation with the therapy team which will be taking him onto the road.
Arat: It will also make it easier to keep your... case... out of court. You will be unambiguously under control.
Arat: You will also appear in court for the Lortuen Records case and make depositions as required. This may extend over several weeks, or longer, but it will not consume all of your time.
Arat: If you are willing to do this, I am prepared to offer compensation on several levels.
Lalique listens with full attention.
Arat: I am not unaware of your legal difficulties. These are not unresolvable.
Arat: If after several months you have proven stable and reliable and have not engaged in any rogue activities, and have been helpful in every way, I will accept your word - your truthful word - that you will not engage in rogue activities again.
Arat: If you give your truthful word, I will be willing to repeat it to a court of law.
Arat: I believe that will be sufficient to clear your record, provided it can be proven that you are reliable.
Arat: Or, if you prefer, you may rehabilitate as a Tecton employee.
Lalique: ~~suspicious~~
Nick wonders if Lalique will take the chance Arat is offering to start over.
Kerville realizes that Lalique's case has been snatched irrevocably from his tentacles.
Erejohn stands there looking like a post.
Kerville can't say he's particularly sorry, as rogues make him very nervous, but suspects he's going to be stuck following the case for the state anyway, even if he can't do anything about it.
Kerville calculates how many prostitutes, pickpockets, and other minor offenders he could have handled in the time Lalique will cost him, and mourns the lost income.
Lalique: You are willing to accept me as I am now, without bringing up the past?
Arat: If you are ready to change your life, then yes, I am.
Arat in fact could use a rehab patient who is actually ready to change their life... they are so few and far between.
Lalique: As I told Tiarala, I have put the past behind me. I have no wish to speak of it or think of it.
Lalique: On that condition, I will accept your offer.
Nick wonders how that statement jives with recent illegal transfers.
Lalique shimmies a bit in the beaded, metallic dress.
Arat: I have prepared a legal document which should prevent any... interference from outside authority.
Arat: If you would please read it over, with the assistance of your lawyer if you like, and sign it?
Lalique glances at Kerville.
Kerville's tentacles twitch at the words "legal document".
Arat offers Lalique a thin stack of papers.
Lalique takes the papers, amused that Arat had this all pre-planned so completely.
Kerville leans over Lalique's shoulder to start reading.
Lalique: Would you assist me, Advocate?
Kerville: Perhaps you could give my client and myself a bit of privacy in which we might read this over?
Kerville: She must be advised of all the implications before she signs anything.
Arat: Nick, show them to the small conference room. Room 503.
Nick: Certainly.
Nick gets to his feet.
Nick: Please follow me.
Erejohn comes to attention, ready to follow Lalique until he receives further orders.
Kerville gets to his feet, clutching his folder, and squelches after Nick.
Lalique follows, the handcuffs still chafing her wrists, but feeling far more hopeful than when she entered.
Notes:
1) Some time passes between these two scenes. [return]
2) Some time passes between these two scenes, during which they travel to the 53rd District Offices. [return]