The Scales and Sword

Posted on 04 Apr 2019 @ 5:53pm by Commander Scarlet Blake

701 words; about a 4 minute read

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"The matter of the assault against Ensign Mimi has, thankfully, been dealt with," Blake spoke quietly to the screen that recorded her log, but her body was far from relaxed. On the contrary, her back was rigid and her legs and arms both crossed tightly. "The Captain's panel found that Ensign Mimi, as an officer, should have reported previous unacceptable behaviour of Crewman M'rthyr earlier, and was given 30 days restricted duty. M'rthyr has been removed from this ship to be sent to a judicial court."

She shook her head with a frown, looking away from the screen as she continued. "I should say, I have no doubt that he carried out the assault. I just hope there's enough evidence for the court to find him guilty."

Blake reached for her drink with that, sipping it slowly, gathering her thoughts, unsure if she even wanted to continue. "The sad truth is, sexual assault is one of the hardest crimes to convict. So much relies on believing one story over another. There's so much doubt. So many...grey lines. In this case, there is medical evidence to support that she ingested a drug. There's also the recording of the interview carried out by ir-Llantrisant and Warraquim while Mimi was under the influence of a drug that allowed her to remember more of what happened. I worry more about that as evidence though...a determined and clever counsel for M'rthyr could argue that such a hazy and blurry set of memories are unreliable as evidence...they might even try and claim that she was being led in the questioning at some points. At least there's enough evidence to show he was actually there and that something happened between them. I hope it's enough. It may depend on how hard he's going to fight it."

Her expression said it all. How disgusted she would be if he managed to get away with it. "I believe her," she said, simply, shrugging with a frown. "I've had to rely on my instinct a lot over the years...both as a marine, and a counsellor. I believe her."

Scarlet set her glass down with cold features, her hand lingering on the glass for just a moment longer than needed, her body leaning forward with it. "It makes me sick," she said quietly, her gaze unfocussed. "That a predator like that managed to become part of our crew...our community."

She finally sat back, swallowing hard as she pulled a leg up into the chair, her arm wrapping lightly around it. "People have the right to feel safe. To not have to tolerate any level of harassment or assault. No one should have to just 'put up with it'. And yet, creeps still get away with too much. People are still having to live through this..." she shook her head, looking to her daughter's bedroom door. "Will she still be having to worry about this when she's my age? If anyone were to ever hurt her, I'd..." she clamped her mouth shut, just shaking her head instead. "No, maybe it doesn't make me sick. Maybe it makes me angry."

Scarlet leant back in her chair, silent for several long moments as she processed her thoughts and feelings. She finally shook her head slowly, rubbing her hands awkwardly together. "Things are so different here to back then," she said quietly, almost absently. "It was...a different place, sometimes a crazy one. In the marines...fighting, running...following difficult orders, giving difficult orders...violence, peace...it was all, sometimes, some kind of crazy. Then that place, that cell..." she closed her eyes briefly, shaking her head slowly. "Seven months..." she whispered, letting all of the air in her lungs escape in a tired sigh, until her chest ached with it.

Scarlet shook her head, her mouth dry as she reached for her drink, knocking back the last of it in two large mouthfuls. She pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, remaining silent for a long moment. "I hope they throw the book at him," she finally said, her voice breaking slightly with it as she reached out, her eyes cold as she shut down the recording.

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