Writers Note

Alright, at this point in time things will start moving fast and furious. I don't plan on dragging this section of the story out too far but I've established the where, I've established the who and now I am coming back to the what; The what of course being Penitata and the Court System that sentences them. This is what, in a large portion I want to focus on in this story - the sections of the rejuve verse that so far have remained unseen. How a criminal is captured, sentenced, tried and rejuved in a brief but detailed way that I hope will answer a few questions.

---

Lost Little Kitty Chapter 4 Current Music: Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd

Meeting up with Cassier outside the local station, Arean's temper was tangible. Her ears twitched, her tail flicked and her hackles would have bee giving her away if not for them being held down by the blue and yellow shorts and shirt that was her uniform at the shop she worked at. Arean was impatient, Missel had said he got someone but the pair had already been waiting an hour for her uncle's lawyer to turn up. It wasn't good, she had no idea what kind of person Missel had been able to come up with at such short notice but then she didn't know either how exactly she could help the situation. The New Jalaxian Court System was tough. Having borrowed from the systems developed for Earth and Earth Colonies after making first contact with the species over a century ago most of Jalaxia had adopted the Rejuve technology with a passion and not more so than in the justice system.

Where once justice had been doled out slowly with each side being required to build a case before the trial date was even set, the new system set a date at the soonest time possible and expected people to have their case ready before the date. Anyone who didn't simply didn't have enough of a case to support them. It did help, or in this case hinder, that most testimonies were taken by machine. No more unreliable questioning time, the Draconian invention of the isothaumic mental projector meant that when a person was asked a question any visual elements in their head related to the issue would be brought to the front of the mind. You could have defined the device as an aid to assist in retrieving memories and getting accurate statements except that it went further than that. The projector would also indicate with beeps whether what the person was relating was exactly as their memory indicated it in the fashion of the old lie detectors but with almost 100% accuracy, and worse. IF warranted the police could subpoena memories, using the device to record them and attempt to display any visual memories or audio components of the memory as well as directly recording testimonies.

It was formidable technology that didn't even require the criminal to be conscious when used effectively which meant in some cases a court case could be called with the criminal never having met their lawyer face to face.

Arean knew all this in her head and it was scaring her. Depending on how determined the lawyers were they could lean all about Arean, Cassier, Uncle Missel and the many other people that Gariab had sold to in the past. With a cat who had been in the business that long it was possible to bring down a lot of people. And unless they could convince the police that such extremes weren't necessary the poor guy would be rejuved and sentenced to multiple childhoods as had become the way. And if Gariab fell, those he knew would likely fall and be sentenced alongside him.

Finally the Lawyer arrived. He looked sharp, that much was a relief at least but young at the same time. Not that much older than Arean the feline must have rejuved recently. She prayed that he hadn't only recently done the course for the bar and clopped down the stairs to meet him. Her work uniform was pretty much the only decent looking clothes she had, well decent in the way that would allow her to enter the police station without being questioned.

"Tirrial" the lawyer introduced himself. "You're Arean?" "Yes, thank you for coming. Uncle Missel was good to get you, Gariab's in trouble!" Mounting the stairs Arean tried to remain quiet as Tirrial did his work, asking to see his client, talking to the officers, waiting for permission to enter. The police tower was exactly that, a tower. On the bottom floor was the offices where most of the police remained and talked. Above that was the interview rooms, and above that the cells where criminals were housed. It wasn't a jail, but there were two layers of cells with the solitary ones on the top. Only the bottom floor had windows and people travelled up and down the tower by the central elevator, always with a police escort.

"Yes, We were actually just starting interviewing him a moment ago!" the policeman was saying "But he wasnt saying anything. Wasnt even asking to SEE a lawyer so your arriving rather caught me by surprise!" "It got back to me through other means!" was all Tirrial replied as they went up the lift. "Well, I do hope that you can get him to cooperate. He's holding up his own case and the captain's getting rather grumbly about it. If he doesn't say anything then the captain will just subpoena his memories and he'll get an additional charge of with-holding evidence!" Arean glowered at the blue-clad feline. Like most of the police in this place they were all thin furred villains with big builds, lots of muscle and not a lot of tolerance. Members of the police were rumoured to be signed up according to how likely they were to act without thinking. Predatorial thinking. If it runs chase it!

Now on the second floor they were led into the room Gariab was in. With a moments hesitation he was on his feet, out of the scan-chair and across the room putting his arms around Arean. She blinked. "er." "Oh you are a sight for sore eyes! I didn't expect to see you here -" He rubbed cheeks with Arean then broke contact. "Why are you here? Did you-" "Mr Gariab!" Tirrial broke in suddenly, seemingly at just the right moment and rather forcefully shook the street cat's hand. "I'm Tirrial, your lawyer. Arean organised for me to come and help you out. I hear you haven't been too forthcoming with your conversations with the police?" Gariab took a moment to re-orient.

"What, no, well of course not? They've pegged me as a dealer and they're not even trying to prove it. All they have done since I got here is grill me and try to find out where I get stuff and who my client is! They aren't even giving me the benefit of a doubt! I'm not going to answer them if they won't even give me a chance to prove my innocence!" Tirrial and his two clients look around to the officer and the Sergent standing there. "Can I speak with my client privately for a moment?" The officers shrug. "You can but you know we can always ask what you were talking about when he's back in the chair!" Arean felt like scratching the officer's eyes out, but for now she wasn't in trouble. Gariab was.

Once the officers had left Arean and Tirrial sat and the first word out of her mouth was "Where is your caller? Do they have it? Did you have it hidden? Please tell me they don't have your caller?" Gariab sighed and raised his paws to say 'stop'. "They have my caller but I only use my caller for the payments. I don't keep any information or contacts in it, just payments and schedules!" he replied. "I use the manual dial option and kept all my contacts in a data chip - I don't think they have that!" Arean breathed a sigh of relief. Last thing she needed was any proof she bought from him, with luck the payments wouldn't be traced as they were simple transfer of credits.

[[Writers Note - By credits I want to imply this is a cashcall currency. It was a failed system created in Germany to replace hard currency. Instead of using a card to transfer money from bank to bank with eftpos, these were little cards with chips and a transceiver. You were meant to be able to physically deposit money on the card, and then transfer from card to card without the need of involving the banks unless you wanted to make a deposit or withdrawal. This is a variation of that system using their callers.]]

"This just came at a bad time didn't it." Arean sighed. "You were getting out of all this soon, on that trip!" "You too if you still want to come!" Gariab grinned. "If the police haven't confiscated them then the tickets were on the cabinet beside the bed! By rights I don't see why you shouldn't be allowed to get them, especially if you tell the officers you're my girl!" "I don't know that I want to give them that fire till I have to." Arean frowned. "If they think I'm your girl they might try and arrest me to. Best I'm just a friend or maybe a cousin for now." Gariab's ears drooped but he nodded. "Fair point, still, any of my stuff you can get back from the cops will be appreciated. And you can grab my keys and look through my flat for the chip."

There was a knock at the door. A moment later it popped open and a large pair of ears popped through followed by a rather grumpy looking and surprisingly furless face. "Are you finished in here?" the three cats stared as a large Innu with big floppy ears and a clean gray suite entered the room. "I hoped as much. I'm Detective Inspector Bernard; I believe we have an interview to conduct? Shall we begin?" He looked at the lawyer and Arean. "You're welcomed to stay!"

The Inspector motioned to the chair and Gariab sat in it. Instantly all the lights around the top of the chair came on and went through a basic check sequence before flashing twice and going silent. "Alright, shall we begin?" he sits and drops a cube on the centre of the table. A handful of images apear above the holoprojector. "Chair recording 26th of Carani 92470, 14pm. Talking to Mr Gariab Atrian, I am showing Mr Gabiab some provided witness memories of the Area known as Treacle Park near the Premises where he reputedly lives." The lights on the chair fire into life, flickering an orangey colour and flickering up and down between four lights and five lights the chair registers the visual recollection of the location. "Do you know this location?" For a moment Arean can tell Gariab was about to say no and the lights dropped down two levels, Arean had heard of the chairs but never seen one operate before. The chair wasn't reading physical indications of truth, rather analysing the section of the brain that was processing the memory. Then it would indicate if the memory was not being related correctly.

"Of course I recognise the area, it is near where I live and I go past there a lot!" the machine flickered and went back to normal. Grabbing a pointer the detective waved the memory into action and pointed at a figure. "So tell me Mr Gariab, Do you recognise this person in the memory?" Arean and Gariab looked up at the memory being projected, there while at a distance was clear footage of Gariab talking with a young boy, probably no older than 17. "Well, i ah-" the chair started buzzing as the number of lights decreased. "It's not a very good image." the buzzing got louder and the Detective folded his fingers under his chin. "Do go on!"

The rest of the conversation didn't go very well. The police didnt have much in the way of sequestered memories or testimonies but they did have probably cause. Going through some of the items seized in the raid of Gariab's house, they did indeed have his caller but didn't manifest his book of contacts; not that it didn't mean they didn't have it. They also had confiscated drugs although small in amount which at least meant they could prove possession. Rubbing her ears as she listened to the evidence mounting up Tirrial tried to guide the direction of the questions a little but the chair was picking up even the slightest deviation or distraction that Gariab was trying to perform. Then the police drew out the tickets and Arean gulped.

"Planning to go somewhere?" "Those are mine!" Arean replied without thinking, as she was not sitting in the chair there was no way to prove it at this time. Bernard looked at Arean, "Those are my tickets, they were going to be a gift to my uncle!" Arean worked her brain frantically, and I left them at Gariab's so that my uncle wouldn't know about them. She had to word things carefully, if the Detective asked Gariab for confirmation the wording had to be perfect, she hoped her tail wasn't giving her away but didn't dare to check, her ears dropped in embarrassment. "Is that true Mr Gariab?" Gariab blinked and the lights on the chair started flicking wildly. "Huh, what?" he snapped back to reality. "Yeah, they're from the lottery and they were going to be a gift." he replied.

Somehow this slipped past the chair, Bernard looking at the two sceptically. Something was off with that, he could smell it. "What relationship are you?" he addressed Gariab but Arean interjected with "Cousin. I visit him occasionally. It wouldn't be the first time I've left something at his place. And no before you officer didn't look in the least bit convinced however.

"I see" the Inu officer was not convinced. "And how much do you know about your brother's dealings?" Arean took a breath.

"I confess, i was shocked to hear about this!" she said after a moment. "As is I havent seen that much proof that he has done anything - I would hesitate that you have nowhere near as much evidence as you believe you do. Gariab is a good cat, al-be-it a bit of a street cat. I would never believe him guilty of anything sordid or nasty!" Gariab was staring at Arean in complete shock, confused by the wishy washy assertion of his innocence.

"I didnt ask for a character reference!" the officer smiled. "I asked for your testimony and if your going to give such a glowing yet blatantly transparent statement then I would reuest a verified testimony from the chair or - if you would prefer - a ualified regellian telepath! Arean balked and her hesitation almost cost her.

"Officer Bernard, I believe that my client is the one being interviewed here. While I am sure his cousin has no intention of misleeding the police I will remind that without charges pressed agreement to a verification scan is completely voluntary only! Arean recovered. "Yes, what he said. I am telling you the truth, i dont particularly like the idea of things poking around in my mind thankyou." "There we go." "I see!" Bernard sat and glared at the two felines accross the way from him in a way that was extremely disconcerting. "So you maintain that you have no knowledge of this mans dealings?" "I swear!" "And you confirm this?" Arean blinked - the officer asking Gariab was the worst thing they could have happen. "Do you have any reason to suspect Miss arean's answer?" the lawyer interrupted. "Of course not!" Bernard replied smoothly. "It's not important anyhow. At this time while we are only making enquireries there is a way around everything!" he spoke up so the recording device would be absolutely certain of hearing him. "116, Interview suspended pending the submittal of a search order to sequestor memories. Grounds of unwillingness to co-operate!" Bernard instructed.

"What - Your going to get a writ for me?" Arean just clicked to what was being declared. "Yes." Arean tried not to shake with nerves at the answer but the lawyer had a response to this too. "Do you have any evidence of any crime against Miss Arean?" Bernard sat and seamed to think about this for a long time. "No, I don't think we do." "Then I trust you have no reason to hold her. With your permission we will adjourne until this writ is presented and research our case." "Your welcomed to do so, we hope to have our case ready within the next day, trial should be within the week."

Nodding the lawyer stood and Arean followed, Gariab standing up and being led out by one of the officers and back to the temporary holding cell where he would be kept safe. Arean followed the saegent as he took the file containing the evidence, chips and information pertaining to the case downstairs, Arean following, sharing the elevator with the detective. "I don't..." she started to say then stiffled her mouth, rubbiing her fingers together. She didn't want to take any risks here but - of course one of her earliest skill had been.

Reaching forward quietly and gently she snagged the end of the tickets, just visible in the top of the file with her fingernails - and when the officer stepped forwards gently tugged and slipped the tickets out to stuff them under her shirt. "I don't see that you're going to have much of a case!" she sneered, hoping she hadn't been noticed. "Even if you sequestor the memories of everyone he knows, I sincerely doubt he is guilty of the crimes you imply."

"we'll see!"