[Citadel] Enemy of the People (closed)

He had dreaded for this day to come. Juhani's work had been like in the old westerns where the protagonist who has earned the ire of the antagonist's gang walks around the saloon and everyone stares at him, staring at a dead man who is set to expire 10:47 AM sharp, because that is how long it takes for the hitmen to reach the saloon from the town railway station.

Sharp knocks on the door. He turned around on his chair to see it was the commander. He looked far from happy. Neither one of them was.

"Ragum, it's time."

Juhani just nodded back and got up, following his CO down the hallway. He kept his eyes focused on the back of the CO's head. THere was no point in looking around. He expected everyone else to stare at the dead man and he didn't want to meet their gazes. The rumour mill had churned his tales of insubordination larger than they had been. His former friends were now preparing to erase Juhani Ragum away from their heads, because that's what was going to happen to him. He'd be gone from the Citadel garrison to rehabilitation, like enemies of the state should be.

Uncomfortable heat, not unlike fever had gripped him on the way down. The administrational offices where he worked were in the upper levels of the garrison. The hearing chambers were many levels below. Uncomfortable associations with basements and authoritarian states only made him feel worse.

"Sir? How badly you'll be punished for this?"

"At least you remember something from boot, Ragum. It depends on how bad impression you'll make on the board evaluating you. If they want you to kiss their boots, you damn well better lick them clean."

"Understood, sir."

Well if that didn't help. No assistance to be seen from any direction. Juhani was on his own here. The elevator doors slid open and their walk continued. Soon the disgruntled commander left him in front of the preparations room that was used by the defendant and his or her advocates to negotiate strategies for facing the board. He had none to help him.

"Enter." The intercom crackled to life, and with a buzz the door opened into the hearing chambers. Juhani felt a cold wave wash over his body. He stepped forward and inside.

Three turians were perched behind an elevated table, well above Juhani's head. Two women, one man. None happy about the situation. There was a smaller stand before theirs, the defendant's. Behind them were another table and seatings. This was where his defenders would have gone if he had any.

"Serviceman Juhani Ragum, client of the third tier. Take your place by the stand and face the interventionary court." the middle turian spoke.

Juhani did so.

"This intervention has been performed on you, for you have done wrong towards the Hierarchy and we seek to set you straight from your errors. Serviceman Ragum, do you know what you have done?"

This was it. Would he fight the court or go by it? His future depended on this. One wrong word and he'll be off to the gulags. Maybe he'd end up there in any case. Good turians own up to their mistakes. Juhani was no turian, but clients too had responsibilities. They were no children in need of paternal guidance.

"I believe so, and I want to explain my reasoning behind my decisions regarding my daughter. She had trust issues with strangers after her parents died, and the Sundowner clan hall was closest thing to a family she had after the war's conclusion. I wanted to keep her with familiar people so she'd recover from th-" Just as he was getting into explaining things, the man on the right interrupted him.

"No no no, what is this? This hearing is not about your daughter or the Sundowners! You truly don't know why you are here?"

Oh, shit. "If this hearing is not about my associations with the Sundowners, then no, I don't know."

This apparently was far from the reply the board had been seeking. All of them shook their heads in disbelief.

"Serviceman Ragum, we have concrete evidence of you committing tax evasion and unauthorized portrayal of Hierarchy in a movie."

Tax evasion? Unauthorized portrayal of the Hierarchy in a movie? It...spirits damn it. Juhani covered his face with both hands and sighed deep.

"It's the Quad Squad 51, isn't it?"

"Correct. You have failed to notify the revenue service of the considerable profits you have made from your acting in this...movie, and on top of that, you failed to seek an authorization from the ministry of culture concerning your portrayal of the Hierarchy in the movie that you participated during your service. What can you say in your defense, serviceman Ragum?"

"I didn't know."

He could feel the indignation emanating all the way from the judges' bench.

"You did not know?"

"The taxes I couldn't report because at the time relays were still down and QEC wasn't allotted to revenue service. By the time connections were restored, I had forgotten about it. As for the authorization to be in a movie...I had no idea I needed a permission for that."

"Serviceman Ragum, you should always keep in mind, now that you are with the Hierarchy that your behavior, both good and bad will in turn indicate how well or how badly we have trained you. Conducting yourself poorly will shame yourself, your peers, the Hierarchy but above all your superiors." the woman in the middle spoke.

"It is because of this that the ministry of culture screens any projects active servicemen would take part in. They make sure that the servants of the state do not end up to subvert them in the media."

"So, what was the ministry's verdict on my performance?"

That glare he got could have melted dreadnought hulls. "Do you think this a joke, Ragum?"

"No ma'am. I'd like to know if I am guilty of more than just unauthorized participation in a movie."

"While the film was certainly crude in nature, given its director, your performance was found adequate given the context."

He sighed relieved. "But it does not absolve you from cooperating with people that were you co-stars. Criminals, former Blood Pack mercenaries. You associate with the most unsavoury crowd." It was too premature.

So there it was. Tax evasion and doing a movie that didn't portray the good ol' Hierarchy properly. How many years in the gulag he'd get for this? Well, denying wouldn't get him anywhere and this bunch loved honesty. Hell, they expected it of him. There would be no pats on the back for doing obligatory parts.

"Very well. I accept full responsibility. What should I do to redeem myself?"

He didn't like the looks he was getting now at all. It was like standing in a lions' den in the spotlight, with the hunters observing their prey before mealtime.

"It is in your best interest to co-operate as we investigate the extent of your misdeeds. Your performance evaluation will be continued through peer and supervisory reviews. The punishments you receive will be decided by the severity of the crimes and how willing you are to make amends and steer clear of repeating them." the middle turian continued.

"Which brings us to our next point. Given that the bank holding your profits from the movie is based on the Citadel and Hierarchy laws do not apply to it, we require your consent for full access to it to ascertain the exact amount you have failed to report to the revenue service. Denying it will only slow the process and make your case worse."

"You have my consent to investigate my bank account."

The turians looked like they made some notes.

"Very well then, serviceman Ragum. We have nothing else to ask you of now. You will contacted by your bank to confirm our access later on. Be prepared to be summoned back at another date when we have sufficient information to rule on a punishment. Interventionary court dismissed!"

That was it? No, it wasn't over yet, it was back to sitting under a hanging sword until they'd think of how much jail time he'd get.

Juhani stood up and made his way back to the preparation room. Back to work until told otherwise.

At the second hearing

"Serviceman Juhani Ragum, client of the third tier. Take your place by the stand and face the interventionary court."

Back in the lions' den, to wait how they plan to gut him up. Spirits he hated this, but he had brought it onto himself.

"The revenue service has reviewed your income and they have decided to apply a 60% tax to your profits from the movie, seeing that this was an unannounced source of income."

Well, that didn't leave him much, but it was still several thousands of credits to his name. Juhani could live with this quite fine, if he played the cash right and brokered in stocks-

"This concludes the revenue service's take. As for your crimes of tax evasion, there will be fines to pay and sentences to suffer."

Fuck. Debtor's prison for life it seems then.

"The interventionary court is ready to pass judging on your case. Serviceman Juhani Ragum of the third tier, attention!"

The three turians behind their desks stood up to read the judgement.

"Having considered all factors in this matter, the court has decided to levy a fine of 40 000 credits upon you, demote you to the first tier for the period of punishment and sentence you to a correctional facility for the minimum duration of three months. Should you be unable to pay the fine fully, the remaining sum will be added to your sentence. Your account will be placed under surveillance for the duration of the sentence to enable the revenue service to tax any future proceedings you might receive during your incarceration. You will be permitted to access banking services while incarcerated should you elect to pay the fines with funds you've gained during your sentence."

Well, that was turning into a long speech. Even the speakers had to take a break to wet their throats. Juhani felt slight relief. This wasn't turning out to be the end of the world.

"...as for the quality of your incarceration, given your cooperation and sincerity in atoning for your crimes, your status as a levo-eating client, father and nature of your crimes, it is this court's opinion that low-security facility or a penal battalion with the Hierarchy's client states is best suited to house you. Until a suitable facility or unit has been found capable of hosting you, you will remain with the Citadel garrison at first tier, confined to the barracks and to be permitted out at your commander's discretion."

With the speech coming to an end, the trio turned their gaze down to him. "Do you have anything to say, serviceman Juhani Ragum?"

What could he really say at this point? Protesting would just turn them more against him. This whole court, whole process was designed to humble him, to force the rebellious cog back into the mold and machine of the Hierarchy. "I trust your judgement in this matter, officers. I find nothing to complain."

"Then it is decided. This interventionary court is dismissed!"

Juhani waved the file away from his omni-tool and bit his lip. The departure time was getting close. He'd still need to break the news to Aira if the nurturing center staff hadn't done so already. Oh, how would she react to these news? Would she understand, would she condemn him like all the other turians?

Well, Aira was being moved with him. That still meant Juhani had custodial rights, but for how long? Conviction must have been big enough infraction to revoke them by now. Perhaps the person in charge had been changed, and the current one didn't see his case through the same anti-client tinted glasses? Maybe they were just letting him believe the coast was clear and then they'd slam him with the revocation.

Fucking hells.

Juhani was just lying in his bunk, staring at the bottom of the top one. Many people had left their marks on it, carved their names or something witty or drawn something silly to let the Citadel know that here slept Marcius Aventa, the stay at the garrison had been good but he couldn't wait to get back to Gothis. Here, please have a moxie stumbling their way to its bunk.

That's all what he could do, besides using the gym. To barracks-confined prisoners there were not many options. Laze about. Use the gym. Talk to Pater Notre, Migae and Aralaw. He'd been doing lot of the last one in the past days, to build confidence and seek solace. Even though the barracks hated him, he'd have the three spirits to turn to for listening ears, in between bouts of mocking himself internally for resorting to spirituality to get a vent for himself.

He didn't really know, but after a while, it felt like he'd started to get answers. Not clear, definite words, just feelings and sensations after sessions with the otherworldly that reassured him and gave him peace.

They had also given him strength. It was nearly time Penteca, his commanding officer ended his daily tour of the garrison and would be reachable at the office. Juhani had waited for him to return, as this turian held the keys to letting him out, and he had a need to leave the barracks. In his worst moments, Juhani couldn't even imagine confronting the CO after the hearings, he had just about had it with turian authority screwing him over, but Pater Notre and Aralaw had given him power and resolve. He'd do this for Aira's sake, try to retain the best of the horrible situation he'd gotten himself into.

Juhani climbed out of his bunk and set his course for Penteca's office.

Buzz of the doorbell. Acknowledgement to come in. Juhani could see Tralvas' face sour at the sight of him. He snapped to attention, saluted Travlas who returned the gesture with the smallest nod he could give.

"Sir, I have a request. Will you hear me out?"

"Requests from the lowest of the low don't tend to score high on my priorities, but let's hear it."

"I request permission to visit the nurturing center where my daughter has been placed. I wish to explain my situation and how it will affect her to Aira in person."

"Prisoners do not have privilege of parental visits, Ragum."

"I am aware of that, sir. It is why I am asking you, so I may assume responsibility for my neglect and own up to it. It is what you would do yourself if placed in similar situation, would you not?"

"Your presumption is flawed, prisoner. Garrison commanders do not neglect such basic matters as paying taxes. This discussion is over, dismissed!" he waved a finger at the door.

"But, sir!"

"I said dismissed! Are you even failing to obey a simple order?"

"Sir! How am I supposed to improve myself if you do not permit me to? I am taking initiative in making amends. I will inform my daughter, face to face, that I have committed crime towards the Hierarchy and I am punished for it, and it is why she must suffer for my failures. If I cannot do it, then so be it, let her be taken away and given to better parents than I am, but please, let me just do this!"

Tralvas, whose hand was about to summon the guards froze still, then followed Juhani's plea in dismay, finally let out a resigned sigh and leaned back on his chair. "Fine, fine. Juhani Ragum, I hereby grant you one, and just one parental visit to see Aira Desolas, effective immediately. Don't come into my office anymore, if I see that crass imitation of turian facepaint ever again you're going to regret it!"

"You have my gratitude, sir."

"Now, dismissed!"

Juhani was practically yelled out of the office, but he didn't mind it much. He had gotten his permission to see Aira.

Expecting the garrison commander to just let him out like that would have been foolish, but Juhani still felt humiliated for having a chaperon assigned to him, who made it very clear what he thought of escorting a convict instead of using that time in the garrison recreational facilities.

Check in by the nurturing center reception. Get disapproving stares.

Walk on the hallways. More disapproving stares.

The convict button on the chest identifier could be seen far away, most likely designed for that purpose. Of course actual convicts would wear highly visible and recognizable overalls and not service personnel fatigues, like he was doing right now.

Aira was in middle of a lesson so Juhani would have to wait in one of the presently empty rooms so that the staff could inform the teacher that they needed the girl to take a moment off. Minutes passed in silence, Juhani seated on one of the chairs there, the turian chaperon leaned against a wall, browsing the extranet with his omnitool.

Finally she arrived, escorted by a teacher. Damn, she had grown so much since Juhani had rescued her from the battlefield in 2186. It had been three years now, in human years at least, two and a half in turian. That would make her now...half past seven old. Halfway into military service if she wanted to. He wanted to give her the choice of deciding whether to enlist or not.

Aira looked around the room. She saw the military guard and then her adoptive father stripped of ranks with the prisoner button on the chest identifier. Her mandible twitched just barely. Juhani wondered what was going through her mind. Would it be condemnation like any other turian would give him, or fear that they'd be separated for good now?

"Father."

"Aira. I'm sorry to come here with such dreary news, but this is something I must tell you myself."

"Am I being given away?"

Spirits it hurt to hear those words from her mouth. But she wasn't far off. The one strike remaining had been expended now. There hadn't been any notice yet, but Juhani wasn't going to believe he'd get to retain custody for long at this rate.

"No. Not yet at least, but I sincerely hope we won't have to go through that."

She nodded back timidly.

"What I need to tell you...well, you saw it yourself when you came in. I'm a prisoner now. I have neglected being lawful citizen to the Hierarchy. The chaos after the war did not help, but still, I didn't do my part and it was enough severe to merit punishment. Taxes need to be paid after all, and Spirits know the government needs them right now to put the society back into shape it was before."

"What will you do now? Where will they send you to?"

"There is a colony in the Apien Crest, with the clients where they'll have me work, rebuilding roads and houses. At least for three months. I won't be able to visit you, but I'll get to send you messages, so keep an eye out for them, alright?" Juhani smiled weakly. She met it with one of her own.

"In the meanwhile, be a good girl here, listen to your teachers and don't neglect your homework."

"I will father. Don't you worry."

"If you feel lonely, there's always Trex, Vindi and Raelon at the range to talk with. They won't turn you away. I'll talk to Veneta too, ask her to look after you."

This surprised her. Perhaps it was dislike as well. The two hadn't gotten to know each other well and Aira might feel still disappointed over the divorce.

"But weren't you two no longer together?"

"No, we're not, but I'll ask her anyway. She works here in any case."

Juhani nodded to his chaperone. He was about done here with Aira. Still he'd need to talk with Veneta, a meeting he was not looking forwards to. The scars were still raw.

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"Don't do anything stupid anymore. You're not being a good parent this way. I don't want to lose you as well."

He was taken aback by her frankness. Juhani felt a sting in his heart. She was right, frank and straightforward about it but still right. He had fucked up, and there might not be another chance after this.

"No, I won't. Goodbye Aira."

"Goodbye father."

Juhani and the guard left the room, but once they were out, he waved him to lean in closer.

"One more thing. I need to meet with my ex-wife who works here, inform her about this arrangement."

"Just this once, and then we're back to barracks. No detours."

"Understood."