((Main Gymnasium, Soval))

Being the largest common space on the ship it was chosen as the site for the court martial proceedings for the 3 accused Culver City officers. Several rows of chairs were set up behind a partition which was behind 2 long decks that would be used by the Prosecution and the Defense. A third long desk on a raised platform was set up for the 3 presiding officers was in the front of the room, facing the rest.

Commander Aruin, the El-Aurian who had been assigned to the Blythe as a diplomat, and had spearheaded the original negotiations with the Dergans that led to their independance, but who also held a law degree would serve as defense counsel.

Commander Reynolds, the JAG attache from Krey’s staff would serve as the Prosecutor.

The Ferengi had been informed of the proceedings and were offered a chance to witnesses the trial. Pogg had sent one low level functionary to observe, but had otherwise preferred to collect his men and his shuttle and return to Bok station in orbit around Formica.

Seated in the impromptu gallery were Lieutenant Commander K’lev, Lieutenant Lotharys, and Lieutenants (jg) Hilava and sh’Livo from the Culver City, among others.  The quartet – commanding officer, executive officer, chief medical officer, and chief tactical officer, respectively – all stared ahead, solemn expressions on their faces.

Ambassador Krey, Captain Tyler, and Captain Priax then made there way into the makeshift court room and had their seats at the front of the room.

“This court is now in session. Uh, we are here to resolve the matter of The Federation vs Ensign Vaalk, Petty Officer Wallace, and Crewman Olgierdsson. Uh. The accused, shall rise.” Tyler took a short break while the 3 accused and their counsel rose to their feet.

“You three stand accused of, uh, 7 counts of abuse of a prisoner, 7 counts of conspiracy to abuse a prisoner, 7 counts of conspiracy to contravene Starfleet orders, and 7 counts of evidence tampering, how do you plead?”

Crewman Olgierdsson and Petty Officer Wallace answered “Not guilty,” almost at the same time.  However, after a glance at Commander Aruin, Ensign Vaalk’s posture stiffened.

“Guilty,” he replied.

Aruin nodded, atleast one of the trio had taken her advice. Vaalk was dead to rights on all the charges, but the other two had professed that they hadn’t mistreated any of the prisoners, they had just covered for the Ensign by not reporting it. It would certainly make for an interesting trial now.

“Please record a ‘guilty’ plea for Ensign Vaalk, and ‘not guilty’ pleas for PO Wallace amd Crewman Olgierdsson. Ensign Vaalk, you are hereby remanded to the custody of the brig aboard this vessel to await sentencing.” He nodded to 2 security officers who went and escorted the Ensign out of the room.

“You may be seated. Is the prosecution ready to proceed?” Tyler asked Reynolds.

Wallace and Olgierdsson sat, watching Vaalk be escorted away.  In the gallery, K’lev sighed quietly; that these three, until their arrest members of his crew, had behaved as they had under his watch hurt him deeply, but at least Vaalk – by all accounts the ringleader – had the decency to admit his guilt.

Reynolds nodded.  “The prosecution is ready to proceed,” he said.  In light of Vaalk’s guilty plea, as he was the only one who was actually seen abusing prisoners Reynolds knew he had to change his tactics slightly, to focus instead on the conspiracy and evidence-tampering angles. After 2 hours of arguments and testimony from K’lev, he passed the witness on to Aruin.

“Your witness.” He said to Aruin.

“Did you, or any member of your crew find any direct evidence that either Petty Officer Wallace, or Crewman Olgierdsson abuse any prisoner, or conspired to?”

“Not that I know of, no,” K’lev replied.

“To your knowledge did any Ferengi victim report being abuse by Wallace or Olgierdsson, or report any maltreatment from either of them?”

“No reports of mistreatment were filed at all; this came to light as a result of concerns expressed to me by my chief medical officer, and what I witnessed with my own eyes” he answered.

“When did you become aware of the fact that the monitoring systems in the interview room where the alleged abuse occurred were manually disabled?” Aruin pressed her advantage. This was still an early enough stage in the proceedings that she hoped her arguments would make Reynolds willing to discuss a last minute plea deal to save her 2 clients from the worst of the charges they were facing.

“With respect, Commander, they weren’t in an interview room, at least not when I caught Vaalk in the act.  They were in a storage closet.”  He smoothed his uniform tunic.  “There is no reason why a prisoner should have been alone in that closet with a security officer, especially without the door being held open so they could be seen at all times, which Wallace and Olgierdsson should have well known; thus, even if they didn’t lay hands on anyone themselves, they failed to report conduct inconsistent with procedures, and this conduct should have been adequate cause for action on their part unless some other circumstance intervened. And there is no regulations or operating procedure that would require visual or audio monitoring equipment in a storage locker” K’lev’s remarks even drew a few Chuckles from the gallery.

“That’s all I have for the witness at this time your honors.” Aruin addressed the bench with the 3 senior officers.

“You are excused LCdr K’lev.” Tyler said, referring to the Orion by his substantive rank, and not his customary shipboard title.

After disabling his microphone, checking his chrono, and sharing a brief aside with Priax and Krey, Tyler reengaged the microphone.

“This court will be in recess until tomorrow morning at 0900h.” Tyler said before banging his recently replicated gavel.