“Do you swear the evidence you have given at this trial is the truth.”
“I swear.”
The jury all suddenly looked shocked. So did a lot of the gallery. I walked over to the accuser. She visibly flinched as I approached.
“Do you swear the evidence you have given at this trial is the truth.”
She tried really hard to answer the question, but nothing came out. When she stopped trying, she glared at me.
“What part of your evidence was the truth?”
Again she tried to answer and failed, then silently sighed.
“The events up until he passed out on the couch were true. Him leaving was true. I watched him leave.”
“And the mage?”
She’d given up fighting now.
“Exists.”
Everyone including the judge now looked shocked. Even the defendant and defense lawyer hadn't been prepared for that admission.
“Whose idea was this?”
“His.”
“Describe the events leading up to meeting the defendant.”
“I’d been stalking him for months, but it was like I was invisible. I’ve been madly in love with him since the first time I saw him, but he just wouldn’t ask me out. A group of us girls were discussing magic, and suggested I find out if love potions were real. I thought they were joking, and but I found an ad in the local news service, and met a man who claimed to be a mage. He suggested a magically arranged baby would convince anyone to marry me. I just needed to meet his price.”
“And did you?”
“Yes.”
“Can you describe the man?”
She screwed her face up so much trying, I thought for a moment she was trying to lie.
“No, I can’t.
Odd. Everything she’d said was the truth, and yet it was also all lies.
“Do you want the baby?”
“He told me it could be removed just as easily as it was created, and initially I didn’t when we didn’t get married, but now I do. So yes.”
I looked over at the defendant.
“Do you want the baby?”
“No. But I will not see it terminated as long as I’m not asked to be part of its or the mother’s life in any way, including financially.”
“So ordered,” said the judge. “Anything else to present, mage master?”
“No. I think that will be enough. For now. But the court should be aware there are only victims here. One had genetic material stolen from him, and the other had it added in such a way as to create a life, while at the same time appears to have had her memories altered. There was no rape, even though the accuser remembers it happening.”
“Then you may release your magic, with the court’s thanks.”
I did so, and the noise level went up immediately, causing the judge to bang her gavel again. The room went silent.
“The conviction is overturned. The defendant is free to go. The bailiff will take the accuser into protective custody, pending investigations.” She banged her gavel. “Court is adjourned. The mage masters will see me in chambers immediately please.”
She rose, the bailiff bid everyone rise, and the judge left. Officers led the woman out, while the man sat sobbing. The court emptied, with an officer leading the three of us towards where the judge waited in her office. She’d removed her robes, and made herself comfortable. She waved us to the three seats in front of her desk.
“What now?” she asked.
Syrinx and Tanith both looked at me.
“This is now an Imperium matter. You’ll be hearing from either Chief Burnside or Detective Jane, or both, in due course. If you’d had your own mages, this would have remained a local matter until proved otherwise, but since you don’t, it means a mage from another Imperium member is acting illegally here. Imperium security will take the lead in the investigation, with mage support.”
Syrinx nodded. Tanith just kept looking at me. I wasn’t sure if he was stunned with what I’d done in the courtroom, or just wasn’t game to say anything. Like as not, both of them would end up involved in the investigation. It wasn’t certain the mage came from either of their people, but it was highly likely. And since neither of them had any ties to their own people, they would be completely impartial.
“I will pass that on to the local authorities. I assume you’ll be wanting to see the recordings of the other two trials mentioned?”
I sighed.
“Yes. I may also need to confront the parties to determine the truth again. And also the three men forced into marriage, should they want out.”
“When those investigating require it, I’ll issue the warrants.” She paused for a moment, looking at me. “You don’t look happy, but I consider it unlikely this case is the cause. Can I help you further?”
“I don’t know who called me here, or even how they arranged for me to be ordered here by my superior officer, but I’d like you to spread the word it will not happen again. I am Imperium military. I have no intensions of becoming a civil judge like my uncle, and anyone who thinks they can change that will find themselves regretting trying it.”
“But we obviously need your help, as we needed your uncle’s help.”
I looked at her. She met my gaze, and didn’t flinch.
“What was your reaction to the verdict?”
“I thought it wrong, but there was no evidence supporting the defenses claims. Not until you ensured the truth was spoken.”
She was telling the truth.
“I will allow the judiciary to refer recordings of trials to be sent to me, through Chief Burnside, where the presiding judge is of the same mind that justice has not been done, but there is no legal avenue to change it. I will give no time frame for looking at the recordings, and I will not tolerate my time being wasted. Anyone wasting my time will regret it.”
“Your uncle was well known to hold the same view point. We called on him sparingly. I shall ensure it is known that you are not to be bothered without special cause.”
“Thank you, your honour. I have a job to do, and very little time of my own as it is. I will help in cases like this one, but when we find a mage who can do the same thing I did, you will be referred to that person instead of me. Understood?”
“Yes, mage master. I do not know who called you in today, but I did of course recognize you when I saw you. All three of you are known. Would you like to be informed when I find out who it was?”
I thought about it.
“Only if the motives of that person were not pure.”
She laughed.
“I’d need you to determine that.”
“Got you there,” said Tanith, finally smiling.
Seventeen
We went straight to Burnside’s office.
As soon as we were back on the local station, I’d pinged Jane we were on our way, so the two of them were waiting for us. The older version of Jane made me feel uncomfortable, and I had no idea why. They were both in civvies, with him wearing eagles on his shoulders, and her wearing just her AI insignia. That was just wrong, in my opinion.
I gave a short version of what had happened, outlined what I thought needed to happen, and made it quite clear I didn’t want to be involved if someone else could handle it. A rogue mage happened every now and then, even at home, and the fact we had one now just meant the Imperium security services needed to step up their game.