His uniform neatly pressed, his face cleanly shaven, and his eyes filled with fire, Commander Robert Drake strode briskly into the chambers. All doubt and frustration from the night prior was gone, replaced by steadfast resolve and confident determination. Today, he would lock up two war criminals. Today, he would defend the soul of the Federation from those whose actions threatened to undermine it. There was only one acceptable outcome.

He walked with purpose towards the front of the room. Lieutenant Kel’don was already seated at the prosecution’s table to the right of center. The Rotciv attorney had grown up in the forgotten borderlands, and he’d experienced the abuses of corrupt Starfleet officers firsthand. That made this case personal for him – not as personal as it was for Commander Drake, but still personal nonetheless. Starfleet officers were meant to uphold the laws of the Federation, not violate them, and he shared his boss’s determination to see Captain Lewis and Lieutenant Hall held accountable for their actions.

Commander Drake glanced over at the defense as he took his seat. Captain Lewis and Dr. Hall had already been brought in, and a pair of security officers lingered behind them. The haggard old spook had an indifferent, disinterested look on his face, almost as if he didn’t comprehend the gravity of the situation, while the psychologist sat with a frigid expression on hers. Not an ounce of remorse was visible between the pair. To their left, Ensign Malik Aronian, an associate public defender from the JAG Corps, fidgeted in his chair. Commander Drake couldn’t help but notice how nervous the kid looked. Was it because he was sitting next to a pair of murderers or guilt over even representing these monsters? Or was it something simpler, like the recognition he was going to lose?

The murmurs of background conversation drew silent as the door at the rear of the chamber opened once more. All eyes turned to Captain Eleazar Adler, a highly-decorated and well-respected senior JAG hearing officer, as he stepped into the room. Carrying himself with the weight of an elder statesman, the sound of his footsteps was the only thing audible in the chamber as he made his way to the bench.

“All rise,” declared the bailiff.

Everyone assembled in the chamber rose in unison. This custom was a reminder that, while only a preliminary hearing, this proceeding had transcended the executive function of the fleet and were now squarely within the realm of the judiciary.

Standing at the front, Captain Adler surveyed the room with discerning eyes. He was acutely aware of what had preceded this moment, and he would allow none of those past shenanigans to taint the proceedings henceforth. “As officers of Starfleet, we are emissaries and protectors of the great principles on which the Federation is founded,” Captain Adler addressed the room. “Today, we assemble to consider serious allegations brought against two of our own, and it is our duty to ensure that justice is served equitably and fairly for all involved. The integrity of our institution, as always, depends on our commitment to the rule of law.”

Captain Adler pulled back his chair and sat down at the head of the chambers.

“This hearing is now called to order,” he declared as he gavelled in the session. All around the room, those assembled took their seats as Captain Adler picked up his PADD. “Today, the bench shall consider the preferral of charges brought by the Office of the Judge Advocate General against Captain Jacob Daniel Lewis and Lieutenant Lisa Anne Hall for crimes alleged to have occurred the evening of March 16, 2401 on Nasera II.”

Sitting at the defense’s table, Captain Lewis folded his arms across his chest obstinately and shook his head slowly. What a crock of shit. Next to him, Dr. Hall’s motions were more subtle, just a slight flicker across her jawline, but her thoughts were much the same. This was all so frivolous. There were real problems out there beyond the duranium hull of the Polaris, and yet here they were, arguing semantics over the rights of a dead Vorta, a creature who frankly had no purpose for existence except to serve the will of the Founders.

“Let the record show the parties present,” Captain Adler directed as he looked first to the table to his left.

“Commander Robert Alastair Drake, Polaris Squadron JAG Officer, representing the Office of the Judge Advocate General,” announced the proud prosecutor from the first chair. “Joined by Lieutenant Kel’don.”

Captain Adler then turned towards the table to his right.

“Ensign Malik Hayk Aronian, Associate JAG Defender, representing the defen…”

Whoosh. He didn’t get a chance to finish as the rear doors of the chamber slid open. Clack. Clack. Clack. The hard leather soles could be heard impacting the polished floor with a cadence that could mean only one thing.

“Fleet Admiral Allison Reyes, formerly of the Fleet Command Council, on behalf of the defense,” the admiral announced as she walked towards the front of the room. Her movements were crisp, her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and her face showed no hesitation whatsoever. The gloves were off, and her pips, adorned on the collar of her dress uniform, were, along with the title she’d announced herself by, a reminder of her standing and experience.

There was a stunned silence as she approached the defense table, and the ensign, who’d been in the midst of announcing himself, stepped aside in deference. 

“Not so fast,” she whispered to him under her breath before turning back to clarify for those in the chamber. “Joined by Ensign Malik Hayk Aronian.” Captain Adler was, many decades ago, a JAG defender himself, and the fact he’d selected the young adjutant as defender for this case meant he trusted that Ensign Aronian would faithfully and comprehensively represent the defense. She’d be a fool to just throw him aside.

“Objection!” shouted Commander Drake as he glared across the room. The admiral could see the fury in his eyes. This was a betrayal, plain and simple, after all they had been through over the years. “As I will remind the court, your honor himself instructed Admiral Reyes to recuse herself from any further role in these proceedings.”

“With all due respect,” Admiral Reyes smiled deviously as she met his gaze. “The court only instructed that I recuse myself from the adjudication of the case against Captain Lewis and Dr. Hall.” Two could play this game. She turned to face Captain Adler. “I’m certain that your honor did not intend, through your instructions, to deprive Captain Lewis and Dr. Hall of access to the best defense available and to the counsel of their choosing.”

“The admiral is not even a judicial officer!” Commander Drake snorted as he stuck his nose up at her. “Nor does she have any formal training in military law.” That wasn’t exactly true though, and they both knew it. As a member of the admiralty and a former member of Command itself, not only was Allison Reyes deeply acquainted with Federation law and Starfleet regulations, but, on the latter, she’d even participated in some of the drafting. It didn’t stop Commander Drake from challenging her though. “In what world is she the best defense available? Or the counsel of their choice?”

“In the world that it annoys you,” Captain Lewis snarled. He hadn’t never expected Admiral Reyes to do what she’d just done. Given her position, she was not usually so overt in her support. And neither too would he ever have asked her to do it. But since she had, he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The chamber erupted in a clamor.

“Order!” Captain Adler insisted as he slammed his gavel against the lectern. “I’ll have order!” They hadn’t even made it to opening statements yet.

Slowly, everyone quieted back down.

Captain Adler took a deep breath and then offered his ruling. “On the first matter, the admiral is absolutely correct,” he said as his eyes danced between Admiral Reyes and Commander Drake. “The restraint placed upon Admiral Reyes was not intended to in any way infringe upon the rights of the accused.” He then turned to address Captain Lewis and Dr. Hall directly. “On the latter point, Captain Lewis, Dr. Hall, the right to counsel is enshrined in our founding documents, and thus, as to the matter of representation, the choice is yours.”

“I believe I already gave you my answer,” Captain Lewis stated firmly. He looked over at Commander Drake as he spoke his next words, savoring the frustration that washed across the JAG’s face as he said them. “I elect for Admiral Reyes to represent me in this joke of a preferral.”

Captain Adler sighed. He would not deprive this man of the counsel of his choice, and he would rule fairly in this case no matter where the facts led, but it didn’t mean he liked the defendant in the slightest. A preferral was never a joke. It was a critical step in a most important proceeding, used as a final check before a case moved to a General Court Martial. And, if it got there, Captain Adler figured it might wipe the smug look off even the old spook’s face.

“If it’s good enough for him,” Dr. Hall nodded at the captain. “Then it’s good enough for me.” She saw no need to poke the bear as he had, but she welcomed the admiral’s assistance. She knew the admiral never acted without careful consideration.

“The clerk shall note the change in counsel,” Captain Adler instructed before turning back to the prosecution. “Commander Drake, Lieutenant Kel’don, you may now begin with your opening statements.”