The Attorney - A Character Assessment
27 Oct 2020Rexicles
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Original Author: Lord Scarfinger
Log Date: 1st September 3200 <???>
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Richard Waterston, now prosecuting Attorney of the Arduan Military, used to be a fighter pilot back in the day. Joined the Military during the Arduan Wars, he always knew what he wanted to be, a fighter pilot. Flying one of these old Defender type fighters and defend Mercia from the Voltar Collective. These Defenders, not manufactured anymore, were kind of U-shaped single pilot fighter crafts. The cockpit sat on top of its chasis, with 2 Fusion Pulse Cannons in the middle between its wings. Though fast and versatile reaching 900 m/s, these fighters remain a relic of the past. Already old when he joined the war, these fighters were a remnant from the time Tiare Walllace was still around. Just like FPCs, an energy weapon firing a fusion of proton and neutron based energy balls instead of laser beams.
Devastating nonetheless. After all, he joined 37 years ago, at the age of 18. And determined as he was, he did become a pilot. But his career in this branch of the military didn't last as long as he'd hoped for.
His first combat assignment 3 days after graduating pilot's academy went pretty well. He managed one enemy kill and scored two assists, besides that, his Defender just sustained minor hull damage. Yet he had one mishap that day, he accidentally fired at his wing leader, who just got in the way between Waterston's target and him at the same time he pulled the trigger. Luckily the leader's shields were at full strength and nothing more happened than a 12% drop.
The second combat assignment didn't work out so well. This time he didn't even make it up to space nor could he fire a single shot. His Defender was shot down by a Taari Rapier fighter craft almost immediately after lift off from the ground base he was stationed. He took damage to his engines and swiveled across the sky until crashing into the nearby mountain side. He couldn't eject his seat from the craft and his spine got severely injured through the impact of the crash. Luckily the automated emergency beacon activated. But he wasn't able to move his limbs anymore and got stuck in the heavily damaged fighter anyway. Hours went by until a rescue team could get to him. Though as advanced as medicine already was, his injuries were too severe for a fast recovery, needed for the war efforts, and his ability to pilot a fighter was impaired as well. He got the majority of his bodily movement back, but it just wasn't enough to requalify for flight ops - he abjectly refused promotion and didn't want to end his career stowed away in the command structure. Still there was the opportunity for him to stay in the military and study law.
Attorneys are needed in every branch, no matter if it is corporate, in civil life or the military.
His piloting career ended with the same rank it started, as Vice Lieutenant. But since he could stay in the military to become a lawyer, he still could achieve the same ranks as any other officer. He carries the rank of Sub Commander for the last 9 years now and since his carreer has taken a different path as planned all those years ago, this seems more a byproduct. He sees himself rather as an attorney instead an officer.
And being one of the higher respected military prosecuters on Ardua, the money is better than the average officer anyway. Yet making over four hundred thousand Arduan Schillings a year, still wouldn't help bring his daughter back, after the Aerocar accident 10 years ago.
Nor did it or the long office and court hours save his marriage after her death. Divorcement is rather expensive too, at this kind of income.
He found solace in his assisting attorney Jill Kincaid, who is not only smart, but an eye catcher too. Yet she is 21 years younger than her boss, it doesn't seem to bother her. But it isn't as much as a romantic relationship than a take care of each others needs relationship. For true romance and love this job doesn't offer the time. And since they spend so much time together professionally, it all comes quite handy.
Though no one officially knows about this at the office, some might have their suspicions. Kincaid works for about 4 years with Waterston now, and for about 3.5 years they, let's say, cuddle occasionally.
He values the uniform and won't accept disrespect to it. His recent case is one of a fighter pilot, nicknamed The Vulture. A Sub Lieutenant in rank, who is accused of misconduct of the highest order.
Generally the legal wing deal with matters of concern in population centres across AE space, almost inevitably focused on commercial or family law. For this particular case the judicial committee determined that Waterston's military background was ideally suited to understanding the ramifications of the AE vs. Vulture case. As someone who absolutely detested anyone who demeads the value of the uniform, Richards candour was exactly what the committee needed for the special prosecution.
In the build-up to the case he drove a team of analysts to destruction, collating all manner of intel on the defendant. This also dredged up numerous issues for the prosecution star witness, Frodo SwagginsX, as it uncovered fragments of data indicating his lodged claim was - in part - fraudulent. No sense in wasting time on those matters which the High Court would almost inevitably find not guilty due to lack of evidence, but it was also pointless trying to expend too much efffort away from the key charges of misconduct.
Clearly the plaintiff had elaborated on the detail of the Familicide allegations but even the defendants own submissions seemed to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he planned and instigated the events in question. Wasterston would focus purely on those details - any attempt to character assassinate after the defendants defence of AE in the cockpit would get nowhere. The sqdn archives had mountains of evidence of his bravery in that quarter.
No, this case would be about the events well outside the purview of the squadron. Perhaps he could file for dismissal of the case as the act(s) occurred outside the jurisdiction of the courts themselves? That would be a tricky pleading as many in the public arena had made this about the sqdn. The squadron commander had even called both him and the Advocate for the defence to ensure that they both put their best and most honest case forward - no favouritism, nothing swept under the carpet. Just the base cases they could each make.
It was obvious that the defence would likely accept a guilty verdict eventually and try to rebalance via lightened sentancing or plea deal.
He knew Duke wasn't going to be any pushover - a combat jock of course - but he wasn't going to underestimate his intelligence and cunning as he had the previous week at the card table. Waterston privately cursed the SC and the committee for selecting such a provident advisary in the courtroom.
Short of a change of plea, this was likely going to be the most complex case to argue of his career.
Lord Scarfinger 10/24-25/3306
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