Starship Armstrong - Season 2

Part 68 - The Trial Of Dr. Kang (IV)

The office of prosecuting attorney Xenophon Gibson was sparse, uninviting, and meticulously clean. Here he sat, back straight despite being completely alone with the door shut, at a shining pseudowood desk scrolling through a pad containing the Kang file.

This Heliodore Kang was an absolute monster. One of the dark memories left over from the Reunification Wars; unfinished business that Mars should have dealt with a long time ago. Gibson may not be able to bring him to justice for his real crimes, but he would still be able to nail him for murder.

There was a knock at Gibson's door. He stood, carefully re-buttoning the bottom button on his suit, and wiped the sides once with his hands.

"Come in," he said.

It was Gibson's boss, Ms. Jahangir. He had been expecting this.

"I want to talk to you about the Kang file," said Ms. Jahangir.

"What about it?" asked Gibson, suddenly protective of the pad.

"Whether or not you're going to recuse yourself from it," said Jahangir, flatly "This is a very important case for this office. I cannot impress that upon you enough. And this Heliodore Kang is a crewmember on the ship your younger brother serves on. If you foresee a conflict of interest..."

"I don't," said Gibson, firmly "My brother has served with thousands of people and none of them are above the law as far as I know. I would never allow something so insignificant to affect my judgement."

"I know that," said Jahangir "Nobody in this office has ever doubted that. However you know as well as I do that it's not about the presence of bias. It's about the reasonable apprehension of bias."

"No reasonable person could possible conclude that I would go easy on a murderer just because they happened to serve on the same starship as a member of my family. They will have even less reason to think that when I secure his conviction. I have never given you reason to doubt either my abilities or my dedication."

"That's good. I'm very happy to hear that," said Jahangir "I'm going to go forward with this case with you as lead council, but I wanted to have this conversation first."

"I am pleased I could allay your fears then," said Gibson.

* * *

"I'm Kye Diamond, that's the Diamond in Shalmaneser Mollysdaughter and Diamond for the record. You've seen our advertisements. Unless you want to be personally named in the lawsuit I will inevitably be filing against this institution I demand immediate and unconditional access to my client Dr. Heliodore Kang, PHD!"

They had put Aiko at the visitors desk because it was her first day working at the prison and they wanted to ease her into things. She stared at the man wearing a suit that cost more than she made in a year wide eyed while he threatened and ranted.

"I was always going to let you in to see him," she said "You just have to sign the ledger."

She tried to pass the ledger to him, but he pushed it away.

"That's a condition!" Diamond snapped.

"I'll just fill it out for you," Aiko said.

Diamond came storming into the visiting room, where Dr. Kang was already seated at the table waiting for him in a prison uniform.

Diamond immediately pointed at the force-field.

"Has this been adversely affecting your health in any way?" he asked.

"No," said Dr. Kang.

"Monitor that closely," said Diamond, taking his seat on the other side of the table "In the meantime since you arrived have you been discriminated against on the grounds of race, planetary or national origin, birth method, clone status, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, family status, organic or inorganic status, genetic characteristics, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered? Think carefully."

"No," said Dr. Kang.

"When you were arrested did you experience whiplash?" asked Diamond.

"I don't want to go after the prison, I don't have time," said Dr. Kang "I just need to beat this murder charge."

Diamond laughed and slapped the table jocularly.

"Oh!" he exclaimed "Is that all? Don't worry one bit. Legally I can't promise I'll win the case, the Law Society of Mars is really up my ass about doing that, but let me just say I've put more killers back on the streets that a military hospital!"

Diamond laughed at his own joke while Dr. Kang sat silently. 

"Now, first thing's first: whatever happens never admit to me you're guilty. I can't advance a defence that argues you're innocent if you admit that to me. If that happens all I can do is attack the prosecution's evidence without outright saying you didn't do it. So don't tell me anything I'm not supposed to know."

"Obviously," said Dr. Kang "But for the record I am genuinely innocent."

"Perfect!" said Diamond.