“Very well. And does the Court Defender have anything to say about this?” the judge inquired, looking over at a Ma’shorkan man sitting on the opposite marble bench.
“Hmm?” The Ma’shorkan Defender—who was wearing a gray tunic and trousers—looked up from tapping on his personal communications device.
“Court Defender, do try to stay with us!” The judge glared at him. “I realize you have a difficult time, defending all the trash that gets dragged into my courtroom, but I do expect you to at least make an effort to do your job!”
“Apologies, your Justness!” The Ma’shorkan defender stood and cleared his throat. “Theft of Ma’shorkan scents doesn’t lighten the mass of the planet,” your Justness,” he said to the judge. “Therefore, the defendant isn’t very guilty—only a bit guilty.”
“Only a bit, eh?” The judge appeared to consider this. Then he frowned down at the defendant. “Very well—only a bit guilty. The defendant is hereby sentenced to five hundred lifetimes of hard labor at Hammerdown Prison.”
Selena sucked in a gasp. Five hundred lifetimes? For stealing smells?
The defendant with the short black horns looked as stunned as she felt.
“Wait, but I didn’t take anything! I was just breathing!” he shouted hoarsely. “You can’t send people to prison just for breathing!”
But apparently, they could. The guards dragged him away, still protesting, and the next defendant was brought up. This one was a Ma’shorkan woman with a ragged dress, ripped open at the front.
“This female was caught walking down the street in public with her breasts covered!” one of the guards holding her declared. “And no sign of a Master or a Seal of Independence anywhere in sight!”
“We opened her dress to bare her breasts for you, your Justness,” the second guard declared. “So that she wouldn’t be indecent in your courtroom.”
“That was very good of you.” The judge nodded gravely. “It shows proper respect for this courtroom and I commend you, guard.”
“Your Justness, I am an Independent Female!” the defendant cried, still struggling against the guards who held her on either side. “These two took my Seal of Independence and ripped open my dress because I refused to perform sexual favors on them when they came into my shop, demanding to be serviced!”
The judge scowled down at her warningly.
“Be silent! You know the law—a Dependent Female shall not be allowed to speak in the High Court unless she is asked a direct question by a male.”
“But then, how am I to defend myself?” the woman pleaded.
“The Court Defender will do your talking for you, as it is only right and proper for a male to speak for a female,” the judge said decisively. Turning to the Defender in the gray suit, he raised his eyebrows. “Well, Court Defender?”
“Hmm…” The Ma’shorkan Defender frowned thoughtfully. “Is it as she said?” he asked the guards who were flanking the woman. “You came into her shop and she denied you sexual favors?”
“Well…yes. But she thinks she’s better than us, just because she owns a fancy thought-goods shop—imagine, a female, thinking she’s better than a male!” the first guard exclaimed.
“We thought we ought to teach her a lesson. All we wanted was to get our knobs waxed a bit,” the second guard said sullenly. “But she refused us! Threatened to throw us out of her shop, she did!”
The Court Defender frowned at the woman.
“Is this true? You not only refused to suck off these two fine officers of the court, you also threatened to throw them from your shop?”
“I’m an Independent Female!” the woman protested again. “I worked hard to gain my status! I shouldn’t have to offer sexual favors to anyone anymore!”
“Well, there you have it, your Justness.” The Court Defender spread his hands expressively and looked up at the judge. “This female doesn’t even try to deny her crime. I have no choice but to think she must be guilty.”
“But…but they lied about me! They came into my shop and harassed me!” the woman protested. “They stole my Seal! If you’ll just search them, you’ll find it! They—”
“Silence female!” the judge thundered, glaring down at her. “How many times must I tell you that it is against the law for a female to speak in the High Court unless she is asked a direct question by a court official?” He blew his silver bugle and proclaimed, “I find you guilty of the crime of pretending to be an Independent Female and using that lie as an excuse to deny fine, upstanding males sexual favors. For your many offenses, I sentence you to two thousand lifetimes of hard labor at Hammerdown Prison. Guards, take her away to the holding cell!”
Selena watched, aghast, as the hapless Ma’shorkan woman was dragged away, still protesting her innocence. Valen had told her that the court system here was stacked against outsiders and women—basically anyone who wasn’t a Ma’shorkan male—but she hadn’t truly understood how bad it could be until now. What hope did she have of beating the charges placed against her in this kind of environment, where the deck was already stacked against her?