The court room was packed.  It seemed that every man in the district had turned up to watch the proceedings.  A low buzz of voices rippled through the pews as the locals speculated on the guilt of the strange alien youth.  The mood had a distinctly hostile flavour.  It didn't help that there were several off world females sitting where no respectable woman should be.

Leeza adjusted her jacket and tried to ignore the chilly stares directed at her.  She was grateful for the presence of Regina Fieldmaster.  The vulpine woman was leaning forward over her knees flicking through her data pad seemingly oblivious to the strained atmosphere.  On her other side sat Rufus.  He had adopted a lazy slouch in stark contrast to the tension surrounding them.  He looked almost bored except for the bright wariness of his half closed eyes.   Leeza herself was waging a losing battle to stop her legs from jiggling.  The butterflies in her stomach had mutated into restless crows that pecked at her innards, or so it felt.  She checked the time keeper up on the wall above the exit.  Less than a minute had passed since her eyes had last flicked that direction.

Suddenly the crowd hushed.  Four people entered the room from a side door.  First came Rashid Valdon resplendent in his dark woven tunic, billowing trousers and open coat robe of muted sapphire.  He strode into the room like an avenging warrior.  Following behind him, dressed in plain cream coloured clothing, was his daughter Fedora.  Her covered head was bowed, her face ashen. At the rear walked two vulpine men.  One had tawny fur and a steady expression.  He walked with quiet dignity to the table designated for witnesses.  His companion was much younger, a son perhaps, thought Leeza.  After spending several months on a vulpine battle cruiser she had managed to gain some skill in determining vulpine age.  It was no small feat considering that all vulpine facial lines were hidden by their fur which only started to turn white with advanced age.  She reckoned this individual to be no older than his late teens.  His brow fur was slightly wrinkled, a troubled expression.

Valdon pulled out a chair at the plaintiffs table for his daughter and with a sweep of his robe took the second one for himself.  They had been seated for less than a moment when a court official took to the floor.

“All rise for the Honourable Magistrate Abelard.”  The court room fell silent except for the sound of boots scraping on the floor as all present rose to their feet.  A door behind the main dais opened to admit a bearded black robed man.  He stepped up to the dais and seated himself depositing his data pad on the desk in front of him.   He picked up his gavel and struck a wooden block three times.  “Be seated.”  His voice filled the court room.  “This court is now in order.”

Leeza sank back down to her bench along with the rest.  It had begun.

The Magistrate addressed an armed, uniformed man standing by a locked door.  “Officer, present the defendant.”

The officer nodded and unlocked the door.  Out came Terinu flanked by two guards.  He wore manacles that held his hands crossed over in front of him.  A metal cord linked these to ankle bracelets restricting his gait to a walk.  Terinu ignored the ripple of commotion his appearance had sparked.  He stared straight ahead and passively allowing himself to be lead to the defendant's dais where his bonds were secured to peg mounted there.  His face showed neither fear nor anger, only firm resolve.  There was no trace of the fiery, foul mouthed youth who had complicated the engineer's life so irredeemably over the past months.  Leeza couldn't bear to see him like that anymore.  She turned her head to look at the dark haired girl next to Valdon.  Fedora's head was still bowed, her gaze fixed on her hands resting on her lap.  Leeza tried to feel some sympathy for her.  Poor girl, this must be torture for her... or was it?  Damn, she needed to know the truth.

Magistrate Abelard struck his gavel again.  “Present the case exhibit.”

Leeza frowned.  What did he mean by that?

A court official carrying a small sack appeared at the empty table situated on the centre of the floor in front of the Magistrate.

“Physical evidence,” whispered Regina into Leeza's ear.

The official upended the sack dumping a small pile of pale coloured cloth onto the table.  They were items of clothing.  With gloved hands he spread them out into roughly the arrangement they would have been worn in.

The pants in particular were heavily stained with blood.

            “Come on love,” Brooks grinned at the terrified girl struggling in his arms.  “No point carryin' on like this.  Ya' should be happy.  Yer gettin' to be a woman today.”

            Fedora clawed uselessly at the thick wrist holding her pinned. She may as well have been trying to bend iron bars.  Her fearful sobs rose in pitch as she pounded Brooks' chest with her small fists and tried to gouge his face.  Brooks laughed catching her flailing hands in his.  “'ere, I'll not have that.  Don't won't to ruin me good looks.”

He forced her arms behind her back, holding them in place with one hand. 

“That's better,” he ran a fat tongue over his lips. “Now let's see what sweet meat yer hidin' there.”

With his free hand he tugged at the fastener of her blouse.  The fabric was never designed for such rough treatment and started to rip.

He was stopped by the sound of a derisive snort.

“You brought me down here just to bore me to death?”

Brooks turned to look at Terinu.  The ferin youth was sitting cross-legged on the floor, his chin propped on one hand gazing disdainfully back at him.

Brooks' scowl turned into a knowing grin.  “Ho you don't fool me, freak.”

“Whatever.”  Terinu looked away.  “I knew all that talk about lettin' me have one was just shit anyway.”

Brooks sneered.  “So what happened to 'ain't interested'?”

“Sir,” Terinu spoke as if addressing a halfwit.  “The thought of screwing something that half the fraggin' diseased mob here have already had a go at makes me wanna' puke, Sir.”

Brooks glowered over the insubordinate tone of the boys words.  The little mongrel had a good point though.

Terinu rose to his feet.  “But if yer sayin' that this one's fresh...  dunno'.  Could be interesting.”

Brooks looked from Terinu to the trembling girl and back to Terinu again.  “Oh you're good, lad, really good.  You should be in fraggin' holo-vids.”

Terinu ignored him and stepped up to the girl.  She was a slight thing, about his height and wasp thin.  With a sudden movement he took hold of her torn blouse and ripped it down the rest of the way.  Fedora cried out as her knees gave way.

“What d' ya' know,” Terinu ran two fingers lightly down her throat.  “You weren't shittin' me after all.”

He raised his fingers to his mouth and thoughtfully licked the tips.

            Brooks' eyes took on a slightly glazed look.  His breathing quickened.

            With a grunt he thrust the whimpering girl into Terinu's arms.  Terinu caught her easily and held her upright against himself.  Paralysed with fear she hung unresistingly.

            Terinu looked back at Brooks.  “So all that crap about me getting to keep this one.  Were you fer real or what?”

            “It's not crap,” Brooks voice sounded breathy.  “That's unless you wanna' share with yer little boyfriend upstairs.  It's not likely I'm gonna fancy anything a freak like you've had."  He gestured at the girl.  The corner of his lip curled up.  "Enough with the fraggin' mouth.  Let's see what a runt like you has got.”