NOVEL NEXT Chapter 60: Deposition II
[An excerpt from the controlled deposition of BETELGEUSE SAKAR, case number DEM-AC 3097-04-49, FRCD-SP-CSS, official transcript of a recording taken at the Central Court Mediation Chambers, Mediation Room 26, Sunday, 26 April 3097.]
—START EXCERPT—
Trahouni: … let's move on to the—I think I need to give you some further context, because this has to do with the circumstances surrounding your—the call, on the Vespertilio, with one Karl Mentzer.
(unintelligible)
Sakar: Okay.
Trahouni: So in yesterday's session we went through the representations made by Karl Mentzer as it seems—as had been recorded in the minutes you had taken. Do you recall?
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: It was the copy of the transcription we had gone through yesterday morning. If you can look at the leftmost file—this is the document we took you through, is that correct?
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: And this is a document you are familiar with?
Sakar: I should be.
Trahouni: Answer the question, Mr. Sakar.
Sakar: Yes, I am.
Trahouni: Why are you familiar with it?
Sakar: I took these minutes. I already answered this yesterday.
Trahouni: If you look at the first ten pages, it sets out the conversation between 'M' and 'K'. You recall your answer yesterday to our question as to the identities of these persons?
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: It was a conversation between Marja Mentzer, designated 'M' in this document, and Karl Mentzer, designated 'K' in the same document, was how you identified them, is that correct?
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: I would like to switch gears a bit. I'm not trying to repeat, just want to get at the circumstances surrounding this conversation in particular. So, this being the first conversation you had recorded, you must not have known Ms. Mentzer for long at the time?
Kennedy: Objection, vague.
Sakar: No, I did not.
Trahouni: And you first came into contact with her in your capacity as a Penal Legion Personnel?
Kennedy: Objection, leading.
Sakar: I'm not sure I understand your question.
Trahouni: How did you come to know Ms. Mentzer?
Kennedy: Objection. Vague. Way off topic, Ms. Trahouni.
Trahouni: Answer the question, Mr. Sakar. How did you come to know Ms. Mentzer?
Kennedy: Objection. Vague.
Sakar: I first met her after a screening of some infomentaries regarding Desert. It was Instructor Parsiphal who—
Kennedy: Just answer the specific question, Mr. Sakar.
Sakar: Well, I met her after the screening of some infomentaries.
Trahouni: That's fine. How long before the meeting with Karl Mentzer did you first come into contact with Marja Mentzer?
Kennedy: Objection. Vague.
Sakar: I don't remember. It was day twenty or twenty-one of our journey aboard the Vespertilio that I met her. After the Infomentary screening.
Trahouni: I am only asking you what you remember. Was it day twenty or twenty-one?
Sakar: I don't recall. It could've been day twenty-two.
Trahouni: Please flip to the first page of the transcript. Do you see a date written at the top?
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: Did you write this date?
Kennedy: Hold on—.
Trahouni: Yes?
(unintelligible)
Kennedy: My apologies, carry on.
Trahouni: Did you write this date?
Sakar: I did not.
Trahouni: Then someone else had appended a date to a document you prepared?
Kennedy: Objection. Leading.
Sakar: I suppose—
Trahouni: To rephrase, did you witness the production of the entire document?
Sakar: I did not write the date, if that's what you're asking.
Trahouni: Okay. Let's switch gears. Instructor Parsiphal introduced you to Ms. Mentzer?
Kennedy: Objection. Leading. Ms. Trahouni, can we go off the record?
Trahouni: Thats—uh, that's fine. Mehmet?
Zhukov: It's for parties to agree. We are off the record at 1204h.
Zhukov: We are on the record at 1206h.
Trahouni: Did anyone introduce you to Ms. Mentzer.
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: What was the name and rank of the person who introduced you to Ms. Mentzer?
Sakar: TAF Master Sergeant Parsiphal Lorentz.
Trahouni: Did he know you were a Penal Legion Personnel?
Sakar: I'd be surprised if he didn't.
Trahouni: Did he—
Sakar: Yes.
Trahouni: Did TAF Master Sergeant Lorentz know what you were assisting Ms. Mentzer with?
Kennedy: Objection. Vague.
Sakar: Not specifically.
Trahouni: But he knew you were assisting Ms. Mentzer?
Sakar: Yes, generally.
Trahouni: But not specifically?
Kennedy: Objection—Dalia, if you want me to submit a complaint petitioning the court to block this fishing expedition—
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Trahouni: What are you saying?
Kennedy: Can we go off the record?
Trahouni: That's fine.
Zhukov: We are off the record at 1209h.
Zhukov: We are on the record at 1210h.
Trahouni: I won't repeat the material we had covered in yesterday's session, Mr. Sakar, but if you flip to the last section of this transcript of the conversation between M and K, you will see that it cuts off after K's words 'Remember your responsibility'.
Sakar: Yes, it's what it says.
Trahouni: Was that the end of the conversation?
Trahouni: Mr. Sakar?
Sakar: I suppose.
Trahouni: Was it or was it not the end of the conversation?
Sakar: It was months ago, ma'am, I am unable to remember for sure.
Trahouni: So you don't know—or you are unsure—whether it was or was not the end of the conversation?
Kennedy: Objection, asked and answered.
Sakar: I said I suppose it was the end of the conversation. I'm not trying to be uncooperative, but many things have happened since then, ma'am.
Trahouni: You mean you're not able to recall specifically?
Sakar: No, I am not.
Trahouni: There was nothing said about the recording or minute-taking of the conversation?
Kennedy: Objection. Leading.
Sakar: … I'm not able to recall.
—END EXCERPT—
It was many hours before the session ended. The lawyers from Tensor Hedges left with Ms. Burrell without making any small talk, merely informing Theophilus Dan that the timing of the next session was "pending reply by the next witness" before leaving the room to Marja, Sen, Betelgeuse and the lawyers from Benson Hughes Lawry.
"It was a long session," Marja said, turning to Betelgeuse, but the latter had already regained his feet and explained apologetically that he had somewhere to be and adding that it was an urgent matter.
"It's an appointment with my… friends," he said, and Marja caught the slight hesitation in his words and wondered at how this rather flat personality could seem so bashful.
"Ah, a Sunday appointment," Marja managed a smile. "I'm sorry for taking up your off-days, Betelgeuse, but it's good to see you well. Many things have happened, indeed."
"I do my best," Betelgeuse replied.
"We haven't had time to talk since you returned," she commented.
"There's nothing for us to talk about," Betelgeuse replied. Then he thought for a bit and added: "… though I suppose I owe you some thanks."
Marja blinked. He's thanking me for using my power to save his section. … But why does he have that expression?
She watched Betelgeuse' face cycle through several strange and inapt emotions before it settled into blankness. It was the rigid mask he had maintained all throughout the controlled deposition, a mask that had never slipped even when he had been economical with the truth. On Marja's request, of course, and she supposed it meant that she owed him now.
"… if it means anything, I'm glad you're still alive," she said. Betelgeuse was much the same, as if Liberation's Reach had been nothing more than a mid-week camping trip. He hadn't changed at all, unlike her… and her eyes lowered to remembered what had happened, what she had done that night…
"I'm glad I'm still alive too," he grinned back. Marja's eyes returned to his face to find his skin pulled a little too tightly over his sharp chin.
"... One more thing. I had a discussion with your coycom, Captain Cacliocos, about what happened in the Prilogia."
Betelgeuse shrugged nonchalantly.
"Because of that… I've made arrangements to have your section posted to a lower-risk area next week, especially since you're down to 60% of full strength," Marja continued, staring into his eyes and finding in those dark pools phantom shapes that dredged up curious feelings of shame and regret…
She pulled herself together, realizing with some consternation that her attention had slipped, adding hastily: "because your role in this case is essential, I mean. This takes priority."
"I see. Thank you for that as well, ma'am," he returned, bowing his head.
"Just… call me Marja."
"May I take my leave? I think I'm gonna be late."
"… Yes, yes, go ahead. And watch out for the important announcement tomorrow morning," she said cryptically, "you might hear something interesting.
Betelgeuse narrowed his eyes and stood there for several seconds, but Marja's focus had already shifted over to Dan, who had slipped a portion of the transcript marked over in red ink over to her. She bobbed her head as Dan suggested that they should "depose a couple of the Lebensraum directors", and as she scanned the document placed before her, the intern, Anita Tate, stepped up before Betelgeuse.
"Shall I escort you out, sir?" she said politely, looking up at Betelgeuse, placing her body between him and Marja so that he could not see what the Deputy Marshal was reading.
He grunted noncommittally and turned toward the doors.
Sen watched on in the background, his hands clasped over his abdomen, observing with interest the PLP Betelgeuse Sakar leave the room.
"You can always trust a Jig to sniff out weaknesses," Sen muttered to Marja beside him.
The two were making their way down a wide and deserted corridor—'special access' to the Diplomatic Chambers, Sen had explained to Marja—and above them and all the way down the long hallway were light bulbs shining a refulgent orange, bathing that space in a color that, for all its great brightness, agreed well with her eyes. The cross-section of that hallway was an elongated rectangle, and as they continued down the distance they heard a succession of soft double-clicks issue from somewhere in the flat ceiling. As if in response to that tinny reverberation, there was a syncopated alternation between the lights behind them turning dark and the lights tens of meters to the front of them turning on; the motion-sensors had been calibrated so that Sen and Marja casual pace kept them ensconced in a constant length-strip of lighted space.
"They are like reptiles," he added, but Marja wasn't paying attention, her focus instead locked onto the constantly receding darkness to their front and thinking whether resources were so low that Saltilla had to resort to such cost-saving measures meant to save on electricity.
Marja sighed to herself.
Click-click.
"The Apothecaries' Society are making a mess of things," she said, her tone morose and tinged with exhaustion. "That Sloane woman is only making things worse with the demands they're making of the union," she remarked.
Click-click.
"Mm. It can't be helped, unfortunately. Janna Sloane is not the kind of woman to accept being told what to do," Sen returned.
Click-click.
"But union secretary Hillear himself does not seem like the kind of man to bend to any sort of demand," she said. "Sloane is making a mistake, taking on such a tough stance with Hillear. She's going to tear Saltilla apart."
"In other words, we're between a rock and a hard place…"
Click-click.
"Pardon me for being forward, but how can you be so sure that Sloane's Society is on your side?" Marja asked, looking down at her black military boots and watching their glossy toe-caps fill and decant with liquid light.
Sen side-eyed Marja without slowing his step. An expression approaching mirth graced his lineaments.
Click-click.
"Oh, I can be sure," Sen whistled. "We share the same patrons, after all."
'So, they share the same sources of funding. Ninsei and Caturdhara. I've yet to meet any of their representatives,' Marja thought.
Click-click.
"Some friends tend to be worse than enemies," Marja muttered. "The last public announcement the Society made, that they would dock a significant proportion of the pay and already-earned annual bonuses from Amalgamated Union members…"
Click-click.
"... It wasn't smart at all. The union's already announced another city-wide protest, independent, I think, of the Gimma Ashby's plans. I think we ought to be more careful of Sloane, is what I'm saying."
Click-click.
"Alan has Director Moore and the Chief of Police dealing with the protest—I wouldn't worry too much about it, Marja. We must play the long game," Sen stressed. "Sloane has assets in both Jegorich and Saltilla, and she's a great friend with the owner of the Tower Hotel. She's an essential bridge between the cities, you will see. Saltilla will live on long after this conflict is laid to rest; we need to ensure we have the right people on our side for when the time comes that Saltillans spearhead the Protectorate's future—profit-minded people like Sloane. I think you'll find she's more sensible than she lets on."
Click-click.
"I think they're pushing ordinary people further away from the government, Sen. Into the arms of these so-called terrorists."
"We have our own means also, I think you must realize," Sen returned. "Our CDF wings have reported some success in their counter-insurgency operations."
Click-click.
Marja couldn't resist the urge to chortle. Counter-insurgency operations. The CDF were in fact just normal citizens the Saltillan government had incentivized (read: fooled) into fighting the more violent of Gimma Ashby cadres with clubs and knives. It sounded ridiculous.
"There is a difference, I think you know."
"Be that as it may—"
"Sen, the clashes with the Gimma Ashby's cadres have been increasing. How long do you think the tally of casualties will stay equal? They have firearms, dammit, God knows where they sourced for those…"
Click-click.
"... And have you seen what people on the Intraweb are saying about the CDF? No one knows they're bought and paid for by Ninsei, yes, but 'government crony' doesn't exactly scream inspirational. People are sick and tired of war and curfew—you understand the longer this goes on, the more the 'extremists' seem like freedom fighters?"
Click-click.
Sen cleared his throat, but otherwise did not reply. Marja could feel her thighs start to burn lightly, and she realized they had come to a mild upward ascent. She could see, some few hundred meters away into the distance, past the remaining length of tunnel shrouded in impenetrable shadows, the end of the hallway shining a painfully resplendent yellow.
Click-click.
"Saltilla would've split a long time ago if not for the mass-compulsion-matrices," Marja murmured, just loud enough for Sen to hear. "But we're coming to its limit now. The violence can only be kept at bay so long."
"I don't doubt that, Marja, but we work with what we have."
Click-click.