Hello,I'm Your Lawyer

Posted on Wed Dec 20th, 2017 @ 9:24am by

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: New Earth Starbase, Interrogation Room
Timeline: July 3, 2399 @ 1020

The Lieutenant Commander stepped through the door that was opened by the MP and nodded to him, "Make sure all recording devices are turned off. This is an official meeting." The sergeant nodded in return and the redhead turned around and strode over to the table where Lo'Mah was manacled and chained to. She placed the briefcase on the tabletop and gave what was definitely a forced smile, "Good morning, Major Lo'Mah. My name is Lieutenant Commander Dawn Winters of the Judge Advocate General division." She started to hold out her hand for a handshake, but after the first motion stopped and opened the briefcase, pulling out a PADD, "I am your lawyer for this court martial and to start off, I don't care if you're innocent or guilty, I'm going to do my damndest to get you acquitted, but to be honest, it isn't going to be easy. The whole topper is the charge of Treason with a pair of Murders in the First. Now...Difficult is not impossible, but I'm going to need you to help me help you."

Lo'Mah looked at the woman, and returned the handshake. "A pleasure." he said, defeated but still just a little defiant. "You really believe you have any chance of getting me acquitted?" he inquired. "Have you read the incident reports?"

"And they're very damning, sir, but until I get to see all of the evidence they have, which they need to provide very soon, there's always hope. But I also want to explore the possibility of trying for a plea deal." Dawn sat down across the table, "The worst charge we've got here is Treason. There's only one penalty for it and we don't want that. But with your approval, I want to propose something to get the death penalty off the table to the prosecutor. That is, unless you want this to be an all-or-nothing situation."

Lo'Mah was angered. "They call what I did treason, do they?" he said. "With respect, Ms. Winters... I've been trying to save the Federation from itself for most of a year." he added.

"Yes, sir, they are calling it that." Dawn made a note to ignore what he'd just blurted, "And whether you believe it to be or not and why is irrelevant at this point. The fact of rhe matter is they are trying you for it. And as part of the deal I am hoping to make, you may be required to cooperate with the JAG with amy information you MAY know about the group known as the Organization."

"Of course I will cooperate and I will assist, though it makes one wonder why they need it." he said... "Did they not get enough from everyone else the Cardassians scammed?"

"I sure hope not, Major. Because my job is to keep you alive and with a chance to get out of jail. With a bargaining chip like this, we have a better chance." Dawn leaned back in her chair.

"What is your bargaining chip?" Lo'Mah asked.

"Cooperation to bring down the Organization, unless you're telling me you aren't one of them, given the rhetoric?" She raised a brief eyebrow, "I am certain there are things you can tell them that the others they've apprehended can tell them."

Lo'Mah considered for a moment. The Organization was like his family. But in allowing itself to be scammed by the very people he hated, they had committed a dishonourable act. "I am happy to provide all information plus any additional material to Starfleet regarding the incident that killed Captain Ross, Colonel Blanchard, and the rest of the senior staff."

Dawn looked at him appraisingly, "I think we can work with that. There should be a Counsels pre-trial meet with the Judge that I can propose a deal at, maybe even try to keep this from going to trial. We can at least try."

"It is seen as dishonourable for a Klingon to even entertain such an option." Lo'Mah said. "But as much as I believe the Federation is heading the wrong direction... We did not make it any easier by siding with the Cardassians against all sensibility. What the Organization did in this incident was more dishonourable."

"Then I am confident I can get them to deal. You'll fo a good amount of time in a penal system, followed by a dishonorable discharge, nothing I'd be able to do about that, but I am all but certain that's it." Dawn nodded and smiled.

"I hope you are right." Lo'Mah said. "What of the others that were scammed? I hope they will suffer a similar fate."

"I know the lawyer that's reresenting them as a group, given their position in the chain of command and Major, theywon't have anything to bargain with that's of any real consequence. But on the other side, they don't have to face treason charges."

"Unless they have been classified, most of the information I disclosed is in the interrogation files of Mr. Stevens. It just depends if Intelligence has put a blackout on it." Lo'Mah said.

"I can't speak to that, sir, I'm not privy to anything in that regard, I'm here to defend you against the charges that have been leveled." Dawn stood up again, preparatory to leaving, "But I'm going to do my best, sir, and I've got a reputation to uphold."

"I look forward to you upholding it. For your benefit... And for mine." Lo'Mah said.

OFF:

Lieutenant Commander Dawn winters
Judge Advocate General Defense Counsel
JAG

Lo'Mah
Former Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer
Organization Traitor