''You don't trust me because of what Hank told you.''
''I don't trust either of you any further than I can throw that space station of yours. Kris, until my people can make up their own minds, the less they see of you, the better.''
''We have twenty members of that ship's crew in custody,'' Kris said. ''They appear to have been involved in crimes ranging from destruction of government property and endangering the spaceways to conspiracy to commit piracy and maybe murder. I'm not prepared to try them. Can I turn them over to Chance?''
''Judge Maydell is working on that wreck of a ship of yours along with Judges Billie and Ardnet. They should be able to convene a court. Try them. Half a dozen of those old farts have tried or defended cases. It'll be good for the kids to see justice in action.''
''And the final disposal of the ship?'' Kris asked.
''Forfeiture of property involved in a crime is not an unusual penalty here on Chance,'' Ron said. ''Now, Kris, if you will excuse me and the Captain, we need to leave.'' And he did.
Kris waited until the mayor was out of earshot, weighed several dozen nasty things to say, and found that all she wanted to do was ask Penny how things were going. Penny's brief boiled down to fine. ''Everything okay with the Patton Museum?'' Kris asked. ''No kids hurt?''
''Nothing a bandage couldn't handle.'' Penny studied the new ship through the ports. ''She got a name?''
''Several. If I can swing buying her, she'll be the Wasp.''
Penny considered that for a moment. ''Nice name. I think I like it. Armed like the Typhoon, you say?''
''And protected by a Smart Metal cladding. Chief Beni can explain it to you.'' Penny's commlink began flashing.
''That was fast. Judge Maydell wants to borrow our court facilities. Do we have any?''
''If they say we do. Let them have anything they want.''
Kris was surprised, considering how long she'd been left hanging when charged with misappropriation of government property on Wardhaven, to find that the court would convene at noon the next day. She was not surprised to find that the court-assigned lawyers divided up the accused pretty much the way the Resolute's brig had them. Those with Engineer Chim pleaded guilty to lesser charges, threw themselves on the mercy of the court… and turned state's evidence.
The seven in the middle cells were found innocent of most charges by right of youth and ignorance. They were found guilty of being something that boiled down, at least to Kris, to being stupid and sentenced to probation and community service.
The last six were the hard cases. They denied that the court had any jurisdiction over them, seeing how the actions they were accused of were committed closer to Brenner than Chance, and demanded that they be sent there. They entered that plea on their own after declining the provided legal assistance.
Judge Maydell made short work of that. ''You're here in my court, and I don't pass off my problems to others lightly. The property you destroyed was from High Chance. The ship you boarded was chartered to High Chance.'' Her gavel came down hard. ''Prosecution, present your case.''
Kris was the first witness. Again, she recounted the story of how the Resolute and ship of many names came to cross paths.
''You caused the Resolute to appear to malfunction?'' Judge Billie, a short, white-haired woman, asked.
''Yes, Your Honor. It was my professional judgment that in a shoot-out, the Resolute would not survive.''
''And what did you find on that ship?'' the prosecutor asked.
''It was heavily armed.'' Kris described both the ship's hidden armament and the weapons taken from the boarding party. ''And when we boarded, the first officer threw a destruct switch. Only the action of the engineer saved all aboard from death.''
Cross-examination did not go nearly as well. ''She murdered my girlfriend in cold blood,'' was former Captain Jinks' opening statement. ''She should be here, not us.''
An objection was followed quickly by, ''Overruled.''
''I imagine there's a question in there somewhere for the witness,'' said Judge Maydell. ''Did you kill anyone?''
Kris swallowed hard and described switching to lethal ammunition to take down the woman in armor.
''See,'' Jinks spat. ''Cold blood. They say we were armed. Of course we were. There're crazy people out there in between the stars. Crazy people like this Longknife girl.''
The gavel came down for silence. ''Your point is made. Do any of the defense lawyers have anything to add to this matter?''
''Not at this time.''
There was a pause while the judges studied the ceiling, and Kris began to wonder where she could hire a good lawyer.
Judge Billie was the first to speak. ''You say this was a judgment call on your part, Ms. Longknife.''
''It was my professional judgment that the woman was armed and dangerous and that the Resolute was in severe danger. I ordered her not to go for her weapon. She did. I shot her.''
''And you based that professional judgment on…''
''Combat experience, Your Honor.''
The prosecutor stood. ''May I lay the witness's military record before the court?''
''Please do.''
The prosecutor entered into evidence his exhibit, a three-page listing of Kris's Navy experience. First copy went to the court reporter, then to the defense, then one each for the judges. Their reading was interrupted by a whistle from Ardnet. ''You've seen a lot of action, young lady.''
''The prosecution understands that this is not a complete record of her service, but only what is in the public domain.''
''There's more?'' Judge Maydell said, eyeing Kris over reading glasses.
''Yes, ma'am.''
''She should have to give it all up,'' Jinks demanded.
''This is a full list of your awards and decorations?'' Judge Billie asked. Kris nodded.
''Nothing spectacular there,'' Judge Ardnet said.
''Clearly you never served, Ardy,'' Billie said. ''The Wounded Lion is dated right after the Devolution ceremonies on Paris. I notice that you've got a V for combat valor added to your Devolution Medal. Is that a mistake? There's no official report of any combat taking place while we and the Society of Humanity were arranging that whopper of a divorce.''
''You are correct,'' Kris said.
''That there was no fighting, or that you got a V for valor in combat there?''
Kris said nothing.
''She has to answer the court,'' Jinks half screamed.
''Not if the court chooses to withdraw the question,'' Judge Maydell said. ''Judge Wilhelmina?''
''I withdraw the question. I can wait for the memoirs,'' the woman said. ''But it is clear to me that this young woman has seen combat far beyond what we have come to expect recently of one so young. I find her professional judgment is something this court should respect. What say you, Madame Senior Justice.''
Judge Maydell eyed Ardent. He nodded. ''This court finds that no one should have to wait until they are dead to prove that they are in harm's way. We find that the witness exercised legitimate professional judgment in this matter and shot first. The court will withhold final judgment in this matter until all testimony has been heard. Now, shall we get back to the case at hand.'' And the gavel rapped down.
The prosecution rested its case at three o'clock. The court adjourned to let the defense think on its case that night. It didn't help. The next day's presentation by Jinks was strident and hardly helped him. By noon the judges had ruled; ten years incarceration to be arranged at salt mines up the coast from Inside Strait, and forfeiture of the ship involved in the crimes, ''to pay court costs and replacement costs of the lost property. All other benefits from the sale of said ship to accrue to Chance's general fund with a strong recommendation from this court that they be used for the common defense, and spent quickly.'' And Judge Maydell gaveled the proceedings to a close.