Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Get off my planet, scum!
"Your Honor," Holloway said after everyone was seated, "if Dad's testimony stands, there is one more thing we need to discuss."
"What is it, Mr. Holloway," said Thorden.She looked exhausted.
"We have proven that Mr. Dries was at the scene of the arson attack," Holloway said. "Ms. Meyer may have to call in her so-called witnesses to give Mr. Driess an alibi, but we have DNA evidence and credible witness statements. , and ruled out other possible arson suspects. I also doubt that Mayer can find any credible witnesses after I presented these evidences today. Moreover, we have also fully proved that Mao Mao is an intelligent creature. Because the ruling of Dad's Once the testimony is established, you effectively establish its identity as an intelligent creature of its kind."
"I haven't heard what you're discussing, Mr Holloway," said Thorden.
"Obviously, I'm talking about a murder charge," Holloway said.
"What?" Dries growled.The anger that had been pent up throughout the preliminary interrogation finally exploded.
"Murder," repeated Holloway, turning to Dries, "you murdered those furries, Joe."
"You're talking nonsense!" Driss stood up abruptly.
"No, it's not bullshit, Joe." Holloway walked up to Dries, "It's not bullshit this time, you're done. Because you go up to the little intelligent creature, lift your boot and step on it, all the way to it Little life dies. When its mate wants to protect it, you kill it too. It's two counts of murder, fair and just, simple as that."
"Your Honor." Meyer looked back and forth between Dries and Holloway, begging Thorden to separate the two.
"Mr. Holloway," Thorden warned him.
"What do you think will happen, Joe?" Holloway continued, ignoring the judge, "We just discovered new intelligent creatures. Except for humans, we only found three kinds in total, and you trampled one to death immediately. .What do you think it's going to be, Joe?"
"Go away, Jack," Dries said. "I warn you."
"You know, Joe, they're not only going to charge you with murder. They're going to charge you with sapient beings. Surely you mutilated the first puny furry you met because it was sapient, didn't you? Here you go , You saw it, you trampled it to death."
"Your Honor!" Mayer almost screamed in protest.
"If it's just murder, you're probably facing life in prison, Joe," Holloway said. "But it's not just murder. Sentient beings hate crimes and you get the death penalty. Two capital crimes. You're going to die." , Joe, you took a little life for fun, and you will die too."
Roaring, Driss crawled out from behind the defense table and punched Holloway.Holloway took the blow hard and fell to the ground without resistance.Sullivan jumped out from the gallery, restrained Dries, and pulled him away from Holloway, but Dries still hit Holloway hard on the head and face a few times, and Holloway didn't block the attack. .Following Sullivan, lawyers from the Zara Group stepped forward one after another, and finally restrained Driss and prevented him from continuing to fight.
Holloway struggled to his feet, wiping the blood from his face with the sleeve of his coat.He turned to Soden, who was completely stunned.
"As I said, Your Honor, two counts of murder." Holloway wiped the blood from his brow, which began to trickle into his eyes, "and one count of assault and wounding."
"Nonsense!" Dries yelled behind a group of lawyers who blocked him. "I want a mitigation agreement, Your Honor."
"What are you talking about, Mr. Dries," said Soden.
"Shut up, Joe," Mayer said to Dries.
"Shut up, Meyer," Dries said. "I'm not going to die for those two bastards. If I'm going to die, they're not going to get away with it."
"Mr. Dries!" Soden snapped.Dries shut up. "I'll ask again: what are you talking about?"
"I went to Holloway's house to do what I was ordered to do," Dries said. "I was ordered to go to his house to install traps and kill Fluffy."
"Whose order?" Soden asked.
"I guess you guessed it, Your Honor," Dries said, "but I won't say anything until a mitigation agreement is reached."
Soden gave Dries a stern look, then said to Mayer: "Your client wants to provide information and come to a mitigating agreement, Ms. Mayer."
"At this point I must request that I withdraw from this case and no longer act as defense counsel for Mr. Dries," Meyer said.
"I guess so," Thorden said.She looked around the courtroom, her eyes resting on the person she was looking for. "Mr. Sullivan, you don't have any duties at present, do you?"
"Yes, Your Honor," Sullivan said. "I resigned from Zara Group about 40 seconds ago."
"What a coincidence," Soden said, "would you be willing to act as Mr. Dries' defense attorney? At least for the time being. I can offer you the standard treatment of an official Colonial Public Defender."
"Happy to oblige," said Sullivan.
Thorden turned to Papa Fluffy, who was still standing on the witness stand, watching the unfolding of events quietly and intently. "Daddy Mao Mao, are you right to speak on behalf of your people?"
"Yes." Papa Fluffy said.
"Soon my people will need to communicate with your people," she said. "You need to choose someone to help us communicate. Someone you like, who is good for you and good for your people."
"I'll take Jack Holloway," said Papa Fluffy.
"Are you sure?" Thorn asked.
"I'm sure," said Papa Fluffy, "I don't know as much as you guys. But I'm smart. I understand what Holloway is doing here. Jack Holloway let you know that the bad guys hurt my people and killed me kid. Jack Holloway is a good guy. I choose Jack Holloway."
"Mr. Holloway," said Thorden, "do you understand what you've been nominated for?"
"The chief defender of the Mao Mao Kingdom, it seems like this." Holloway said.
"Would you take the job?" Soden asked.
"I would," Holloway said.
"Then congratulations." Soden said, "From this moment on, you are officially in charge of the entire planet."
"Wait a minute," said Weedon Aubrey VII, "you can't do this. The Zara Group and the Colonial Star Administration signed a survey and mining agreement. A judge of your level has no right to rule that the agreement is invalid, let alone Put custody of the planet in the hands of a contract surveyor."
"Mr. Aubrey, although you have no right to intervene in the court at this moment, your words remind me that I have to announce some important matters now." Soden said, "But first, everyone, please sit down." it is good."
Everyone in the court slowly took their seats and order was restored.
"Now, listen," Thorden said, "Mr. Aubrey, once the report of suspected intelligent life is submitted-and I have submitted it-if any colony judge has conclusive evidence that the life of original intelligent life on the planet is threatened , he/she must report to the supreme judge of the planet according to regulations. The supreme judge himself or appoints someone else to serve as the special guardian of alien intelligent creatures. Comprehensive assessment. The special guardian not only has the right but also must take measures to ensure the survival of intelligent creatures, and if necessary, martial law can be imposed and all exploration and mining projects will be put on hold.”
"Mr. Aubrey, just as you condescended to advise me, I am just an ordinary colony planet judge," Thorden said after a pause, "However, it is precisely because your group intends to be subject to the minimum restrictions on the planets that are surveyed and mined." I am also the only colonial judge on this planet. Therefore, I am the special guardian of alien intelligent creatures, which means that I have the right and must take action to protect Maomao."
"After today, I am very convinced that Mao Mao is under a significant and imminent threat from the human beings on this planet, from your group." Thorden said, "I have witnessed a lot of evidence, no need to wait for the legal gear Turn to prove the existence of this intelligent being. The carnage has already begun, two lives have been killed. Mr. Aubrey, whether the carnage was instigated or encouraged by you, or whether you deliberately turned a blind eye, I don't care at this moment. All I care One thing - stop the killing before there's more furry blood on human hands."
"So, Mr. Aubrey," Soden said, "out of my authority as the special guardian of alien intelligent creatures, the Zara Group's survey and mining rights to Zara 23 are temporarily revoked, effective immediately, pending further review .All exploration and mining activities stop immediately. All employees and contract personnel must evacuate the planet within 30 days. I declare martial law. The official sheriff of the colony planet will arrive on the planet within 24 hours, and Zara Group security personnel must turn in all Arms, hand over policing powers."
"Also, I appointed Jack Holloway as the Assistant Special Guardian for Extraterrestrial Creatures. His duty is to hand over all the legal powers of this planet to the creature 'Maomao', pending the determination of intelligent creatures." Soden said , "He strategizes internally and handles everything related to Maomao, while I handle all external affairs related to the official colony planet. Therefore, if you have any requirements related to this planet, your people should talk to him , because he is in charge of communicating with Maomao."
"We will appeal this ruling," Meyer said.
"Of course you will appeal," said Thorden, "but before that, talk to Mr. Holloway, understand?"
"Understood, Your Honor," Mayer said.
"Well," said Soden, "and, are you going to call any witnesses to give evidence of Mr. Dries's whereabouts on the day of the crime?"
"No, Your Honor," Mayer said.
"Then, going back to the previous independent case, I ruled that Mr. Driess has sufficient evidence in the case of arson and property damage, and the court will be held on another day." Soden said, "This ruling will be announced on the court website. Everything that happened in court today It will also be announced, and I will announce the specific time of the trial later." Soden picked up a folder that Mayer had placed on the trial table before, and said: "Looking on the bright side, Ms. Mayer, in the end you still succeeded. The trial court has been changed."
Thorn stood up. "This concludes this preliminary hearing," she added, "thank God," before leaving the courtroom.
Holloway walked over to Meyer, who was still in shock. "Ms. Meyer," he said, and called again before she realized it.
"What more do you want, Holloway?" Mayer asked.
"I just wanted to tell you," said Holloway, "and now you know what I'm up to."
The next afternoon, Holloway strode into the high-level conference room of the Zara Group building, information boards in place, Papa Fuzzy on one side, and Carl on the other.He sat down in the center on the left side of the conference table, and on the right sat Dries, Dries' attorney Sullivan, Aubrey and Langdon's attorneys Meyer, and Aubrey and Langdon representing the Zara Group board of directors.Holloway put away his information board, asked Papa Fluffy to find a comfortable seat on the conference table, and motioned for Carl to lie aside, which Carl happily complied with. "Well," said Holloway briskly, "I slept like a baby last night. How did you sleep?" "Come on, don't be so hateful, Jack," said Sullivan. "You're right," said Holloway, "I've talked to Papa Fluffy, he's talked to his people, and I've weighed up the relationship between me and Mr. All good. Mr. Sullivan, I will settle with Mr. Dries and only ask for compensation in the name of 1 credit for the loss of arson and property damage. Momo will also not hold Mr. Dries and Mr. Aubrey for the deaths of Baby and Scabbers , Mr. Langdon, and the Zara Group. Also, on behalf of Mao Mao, I will send a request to the Colonial Planet officials to withdraw all charges against Driss, Aubrey, Langdon, and the Zara Group. "Finally, while we will not be asking Judge Soden to reverse the ruling temporarily revoking the Zara Group's prospecting and mining rights, we will be asking her to change her ruling to allow for an orderly evacuation of the group's personnel and property within six months. Zara Group will not allow Further mining or looting of the planet's resources, but the resources that have been mined or looting can be disposed of during the time of an orderly evacuation. The details are definitely still being worked out, but in general this is our rough proposal." "What about your request?" Aubrey said. "Quite simply," Holloway said, "we ask you to go. First and foremost you three—you, Aubrey; you, Langdon; and, most personally, you, Joe—get out of this Planet, never come back. Also, the Zara Group cannot appeal Judge Soden's ruling, cannot obstruct the identification of Mao Mao intelligent creatures, and cannot stay on this planet in any form. All of you leave. Take what you have Leave. It's that simple, there are no other requirements, once everything is settled, everyone's accounts are settled." "We have no objection to that condition," Sullivan said. "Of course you didn't object," Aubrey said, "and you weren't asked to give up decades of income." "I must point out that this condition can only be 'take it all or reject it'," Holloway said. "If you can't agree, then it's out of the question." "The group has done so much here, you can't ask us to leave," Aubrey said. "Of course I can," Holloway said. "I just did. To be clear, Aubrey, while there is no question that you can drag yourself out for years on appeals and motions, there are two problems. No. One, in the final analysis, Mao Mao is an intelligent creature. The Zara Group has no claim to this planet. You spend millions, but it is nothing but a dying struggle; Bad things will come your way in the end." "A lot," Dries said, "including your ship accident, Jack. They tried to get rid of you a long time ago." "Damn it, I knew it." Holloway slapped the table and cursed, "This is on your shoulders, Aubrey." "That's right," Dries said, "I can assure you." Aubrey gave him a glare. "So if you're going to keep going, Aubrey, let it go," said Holloway, "but I promise, if you try to play tricks, you'll end up strapped to a table, staring at a clock, counting the seconds." , waiting for every neuron in your brain to be mashed." "I think you're overestimating your abilities," Aubrey said with a contemptuous smile. "It's interesting to say that," Holloway said, "especially when I took a planet from you in just one month and opened the heart of your company." Aubrey stopped smiling . "Ask yourself, if you give me two months, or a year, what can I do." "We accept the terms," Langdon said. "Brad." Aubrey wanted to object. "Shut up, Weedon," Langdon yelled. "You have no right to decide. This is over." Aubrey shut his mouth. Holloway looked at Langdon in surprise. "So you're not his personal assistant." After a while, he finally asked. "Of course not," Langdon said. "Although it's ugly enough for now, it could be worse if no one was looking at him." "I can't tell," Holloway said, "it's already ugly." "At least from this moment on, there's nothing worse," Langdon said. "The rest of the Aubrey family sees brand value in keeping the Weedon Aubrey name at the top of the company. Stable, and our Class B holders value that. But it’s really gone downhill in recent generations.” Langdon gestured to Bi Aubrey: "This grandfather nearly ruined the company with 'Green v. Winston', and if we don't get this father, our current great leader, once he's sober, He's probably going to try to overturn all the company's eco-friendly principles one by one. We thought this guy might be better. At least he seemed a little smarter and really cared about the business. So we put him in charge and let him do whatever he wanted. He went around the field to see what he would do - now we've learned our lesson." "That's an expensive lesson," Holloway said. Langdon shrugged. "It seems expensive now, yes," he said, "but in the future, we believe that Maomao will eventually realize the commercial value of this planet and may be willing to develop it according to their needs and desires. When that day comes, I hope they Can consider us, a valuable partner full of potential and sincerity." "That's not sure," Holloway said. "Will this man still be in power?" Langdon laughed, and Aubrey looked at him angrily. "Then we're done," Holloway said. "Now, Mr. Dries, Mr. Aubrey, and Mr. Langdon, please leave the front door. A spaceship is waiting to take you to the interstellar flight." .The flight is waiting for you. Your personal belongings will follow." All three looked surprised, "You want us to leave now?" Aubrey said. "Yes, you're leaving now," said a small shrill voice, and it was Papa Fluffy. The three of them looked at Mao Mao again, as if they had forgotten that it could talk. "You said you would go." Papa Mao Mao said, "You go. I don't want the murderer of my child to breathe the air my child breathed, to see the sun my child has seen. You are not good people. You are not worthy of these good people." thing." Papa Fluffy stood up, walked across the table, and stopped in front of Aubrey. "I don't know as much as you. But I'm not stupid." It pointed at Dries, "I know this man killed my child. Now I know you let this man kill my child. You use this man, kill My boy. Jack Holloway said he'd catch--" Papa Fluffy looked up at Holloway. "Scum," Holloway said for him. "Jack Holloway told me he'd catch the scum who killed my kid, who killed my kid's mate," Papa Fluffy went on, "Jack Holloway got the scum. Jack Holloway got you ...you are the one who killed my child. Get off my planet, scum!"
Notes:
The next afternoon, Holloway strode into the high-level conference room of the Zara Group building, information boards in place, Papa Fuzzy on one side, and Carl on the other.He sat down in the center on the left side of the conference table, and on the right sat Dries, Dries' attorney Sullivan, Aubrey and Langdon's attorneys Meyer, and Aubrey and Langdon representing the Zara Group board of directors.Holloway put away his information board, asked Papa Fluffy to find a comfortable seat on the conference table, and motioned for Carl to lie aside, which Carl happily complied with. "Well," said Holloway briskly, "I slept like a baby last night. How did you sleep?" "Come on, don't be so hateful, Jack," said Sullivan. "You're right," said Holloway, "I've talked to Papa Fluffy, he's talked to his people, and I've weighed up the relationship between me and Mr. All good. Mr. Sullivan, I will settle with Mr. Dries and only ask for compensation in the name of 1 credit for the loss of arson and property damage. Momo will also not hold Mr. Dries and Mr. Aubrey for the deaths of Baby and Scabbers , Mr. Langdon, and the Zara Group. Also, on behalf of Mao Mao, I will send a request to the Colonial Planet officials to withdraw all charges against Driss, Aubrey, Langdon, and the Zara Group. "Finally, while we will not be asking Judge Soden to reverse the ruling temporarily revoking the Zara Group's prospecting and mining rights, we will be asking her to change her ruling to allow for an orderly evacuation of the group's personnel and property within six months. Zara Group will not allow Further mining or looting of the planet's resources, but the resources that have been mined or looting can be disposed of during the time of an orderly evacuation. The details are definitely still being worked out, but in general this is our rough proposal." "What about your request?" Aubrey said. "Quite simply," Holloway said, "we ask you to go. First and foremost you three—you, Aubrey; you, Langdon; and, most personally, you, Joe—get out of this Planet, never come back. Also, the Zara Group cannot appeal Judge Soden's ruling, cannot obstruct the identification of Mao Mao intelligent creatures, and cannot stay on this planet in any form. All of you leave. Take what you have Leave. It's that simple, there are no other requirements, once everything is settled, everyone's accounts are settled." "We have no objection to that condition," Sullivan said. "Of course you didn't object," Aubrey said, "and you weren't asked to give up decades of income." "I must point out that this condition can only be 'take it all or reject it'," Holloway said. "If you can't agree, then it's out of the question." "The group has done so much here, you can't ask us to leave," Aubrey said. "Of course I can," Holloway said. "I just did. To be clear, Aubrey, while there is no question that you can drag yourself out for years on appeals and motions, there are two problems. No. One, in the final analysis, Mao Mao is an intelligent creature. The Zara Group has no claim to this planet. You spend millions, but it is nothing but a dying struggle; Bad things will come your way in the end." "A lot," Dries said, "including your ship accident, Jack. They tried to get rid of you a long time ago." "Damn it, I knew it." Holloway slapped the table and cursed, "This is on your shoulders, Aubrey." "That's right," Dries said, "I can assure you." Aubrey gave him a glare. "So if you're going to keep going, Aubrey, let it go," said Holloway, "but I promise, if you try to play tricks, you'll end up strapped to a table, staring at a clock, counting the seconds." , waiting for every neuron in your brain to be mashed." "I think you're overestimating your abilities," Aubrey said with a contemptuous smile. "It's interesting to say that," Holloway said, "especially when I took a planet from you in just one month and opened the heart of your company." Aubrey stopped smiling . "Ask yourself, if you give me two months, or a year, what can I do." "We accept the terms," Langdon said. "Brad." Aubrey wanted to object. "Shut up, Weedon," Langdon yelled. "You have no right to decide. This is over." Aubrey shut his mouth. Holloway looked at Langdon in surprise. "So you're not his personal assistant." After a while, he finally asked. "Of course not," Langdon said. "Although it's ugly enough for now, it could be worse if no one was looking at him." "I can't tell," Holloway said, "it's already ugly." "At least from this moment on, there's nothing worse," Langdon said. "The rest of the Aubrey family sees brand value in keeping the Weedon Aubrey name at the top of the company. Stable, and our Class B holders value that. But it’s really gone downhill in recent generations.” Langdon gestured to Bi Aubrey: "This grandfather nearly ruined the company with 'Green v. Winston', and if we don't get this father, our current great leader, once he's sober, He's probably going to try to overturn all the company's eco-friendly principles one by one. We thought this guy might be better. At least he seemed a little smarter and really cared about the business. So we put him in charge and let him do whatever he wanted. He went around the field to see what he would do - now we've learned our lesson." "That's an expensive lesson," Holloway said. Langdon shrugged. "It seems expensive now, yes," he said, "but in the future, we believe that Maomao will eventually realize the commercial value of this planet and may be willing to develop it according to their needs and desires. When that day comes, I hope they Can consider us, a valuable partner full of potential and sincerity." "That's not sure," Holloway said. "Will this man still be in power?" Langdon laughed, and Aubrey looked at him angrily. "Then we're done," Holloway said. "Now, Mr. Dries, Mr. Aubrey, and Mr. Langdon, please leave the front door. A spaceship is waiting to take you to the interstellar flight." .The flight is waiting for you. Your personal belongings will follow." All three looked surprised, "You want us to leave now?" Aubrey said. "Yes, you're leaving now," said a small shrill voice, and it was Papa Fluffy. The three of them looked at Mao Mao again, as if they had forgotten that it could talk. "You said you would go." Papa Mao Mao said, "You go. I don't want the murderer of my child to breathe the air my child breathed, to see the sun my child has seen. You are not good people. You are not worthy of these good people." thing." Papa Fluffy stood up, walked across the table, and stopped in front of Aubrey. "I don't know as much as you. But I'm not stupid." It pointed at Dries, "I know this man killed my child. Now I know you let this man kill my child. You use this man, kill My boy. Jack Holloway said he'd catch--" Papa Fluffy looked up at Holloway. "Scum," Holloway said for him. "Jack Holloway told me he'd catch the scum who killed my kid, who killed my kid's mate," Papa Fluffy went on, "Jack Holloway got the scum. Jack Holloway got you ...you are the one who killed my child. Get off my planet, scum!"
Notes: