The Travels of Anadrasata Nearabhigan: Early Day 27

[rix_scaedu]

Time to look at events behind the news and catch up with what's happening to the real villain who passed through this tale.

This piece runs to 717 words, and I hope that you enjoy it.

Index Page.

 

Lady Maikhas dh'Lhong clutched at the locket that nestled at the base of her throat.  "How many murder charges?"  Outside, in the sunlit garden beyond the curtained windows, three small birds hopped along a flowering border.

Her husband's solicitor, Mr Ghrus Mhahaiba, cleared his throat uncomfortably.  "Conspiracy to commit murder, my lady," he corrected respectfully.  "Eighteen charges."

"Eighteen."  Lady Maikhas looked over at her husband who was seated in the comfortable chair a third of the way around the small round table from her.  "A conspiracy charge spreads the blame, doesn't it?"

"It does," agreed her husband with a warning look at his solicitor who occupied the third point of their seating arrangement at the secondary table in his study, "but conspiracy to commit a crime worsens it in the eyes of the law.  Because it speaks to premeditation, planning, and malice aforethought."

"Then there are the other, lesser charges included in the Warrant," added Mr Mhahaiba.  "Three conspiracy resulting in attempted murder charges, and the grievous indecent assault charges."

Lord Maikhas dh'Lhong asked, "Are the latter likely to be played up in the papers?  I expect that the Imperial Clarion will have bigger issues to report, but what about the local papers?"

"My lord," the solicitor cleared his throat again, "I would be much more comfortable discussing those matters with you privately."

"I'm sure we all would be more comfortable if you did that," said Lady Maikhas tartly, "but he's my son too and I want to know how much trouble he's in."

Mr Mhahaiba cleared his throat, looked at the ceiling, and said, "It seems that Mr Caitus dh'Lhong has been in the habit of forcing himself on his female domestics, his female factory workers, and the attractive daughters of his factory workers.  In one case he abused a young woman within hours of having had her father killed for trying to organise a workers' union in the factory where he was employed.  That young woman is also the mother of one of the six children your son is identified as having sired during the course of his activities." He cleared his throat again.  "Several gentleman investigators working on this matter have been heard expressing their disgust that your son had not been providing for any of these children or their mothers."

"Six children?" Her ladyship looked stunned.

Lord Maikhas asked, "When you say, 'gentleman investigators,' what do you mean, exactly?"

"Gentlemen of noble or genteel families employed by the Imperial Adjutant or the Inspectorate to look into matters of interest," replied the solicitor.  "Several have courtesy titles, and I understand that they belong to various gentlemen's clubs in the capital."

"Ah," said Lord Maikhas.  "My other sons and I can only hope that we aren't asked to resign our own memberships due to the familial association."

*********************************

TTeyetteye Ameyettair placed the Warrant copy on the desk between him and his client.  "Mr dh'Lhong, I am afraid that your problems, and consequently mine, have multiplied.  Yes, this Warrant means that you can be reincarcerated, and then transferred to your home province for trial on these charges.  I can continue to represent you for these matters as they are criminal matters covered by Imperial law and not provincial regulation, but the number of charges suggests that there will be an extensive amount of briefing material to read through and comprehend."

Caitus dh'Lhong looked at him, surprised.  "But being transferred home is good.  That's where my contacts are.  My family is well known there.  I will have the advantage there, and this," he smiled as he waved his hand over the extensive arrest Warrant, "will all disappear."

"Mr dh'Lhong,"said TTeyetteye Ameyettair gravely, "this is the first time in my legal career that a prosecuting officer of any ilk has handed me a Warrant, or any other document, and said that I should know that the Emperor is taking a personal interest in this matter."

"It will be settled soon then," replied Caitus dh'Lhong confidently.  "Rank has its privileges and all that."

"He was quite clear that the Imperial interest meant that extensive resources are available to the investigation into your affairs," replied Mr Ameyettair.  "Is there anything you think I should know before I discover that it's covered by an Imperial Warrant, Mr dh'Lhong?"

Comments

O_O

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>"Conspiracy to commit murder, my lady," he corrected respectfully. "Eighteen charges."<<

That is a lot.

Re: O_O

[rix_scaedu]

Think scumbag gentleman" industrialist from the Industrial Revolution who does not want the workers in any of his factories to organise into unions.

Re: O_O

[rix_scaedu]

If he owns six factories, that would "only" be three per factory....

He is not a nice man.

[chanter1944]

Aaaaand the rapist without a conscience is completely unable to comprehend the dung heap he's landed in, by the sound of it. :( Wow, yes. make every charge stick, publicly and without doubt, and Throw his behind in the slammer.

[kengr]

Actually, I think he may deserve the "buried *under* the jail" fate that I've seen referred to.

[rix_scaedu]

Yes, they do have capital punishment.

[chanter1944]

I was thinking more public coverage and discussion of the case in the national papers, resounding guilty verdicts across the board given the mountain of evidence in play, forfeiture of assets as part of punishment, to be dispersed among those he's wronged (including both his victims and their families - the widow and children of the man run down by a cart come to mind, as do his six offspring, along with the obvious others) and nationwide disgrace for the man generally. Add to that a lengthy jail sentence. Name him and shame him, far and wide. He gets off too easily for his crimes, and his lack of remorse (presuming he's able to feel it), if he simply dies.

[kelkyag]

All of this, yes. Does the Empire put people in the stocks?

[rix_scaedu]

I have not considered that until now.

Also, if they do, is it for any of these crimes?

[kelkyag]

While they might choose not to take the option, the women he assaulted and raped (or their designated proxies) and the families of the people he had murdered should have first dibs on throwing rotten eggs & spoiled vegetables at him. (I wouldn't begrudge them some bricks, either, but that might be out of the Empire's range of suitable punishments. Or not -- I don't have a good sense of that.) Would not be sad if putting people in the stocks is still technically on the books but hasn't been used in decades, and they revive it for him.

But you know where you're going with the story, and I'm still working on catching up with what's already written. :)

[rix_scaedu]

:)