53. Who had everything

• “Defense calls Mr. Ignazio Delaware to the witness stand.”

The tall man, short gray hair and light bristle showing his progressed age walked up to the stand. His smile and mannerisms staged for publicity, well practiced for camera. Often representing the company on mass media, the public relations training was fundamental to board members.

• “What is your role at ISV?”
• “I am a board member and executive director. I am serving the company by overseeing the Perseus arm tourist routes, having two dozen luxury cruisers assigned to me.”
• “Is… was the Giant of the Stars one of those cruisers?”
• “Yes, it was. Such an unfortunate accident. Our internal investigation found the route taken too dangerous and the ship’s crew unprepared for such a circumstance.”
• “So you are refuting the Galactic Transportation Safety Board’s report?”
• “Some part of it, yes.” — his never-ending, relentless smile started to get on John’s nerves, like he was watching a man with a plastic mask on.
• “Amy, can you please pull up defendant exhibit 12-A, and blow up the executive summary first paragraph for the screens.” — as the lawyer was talking, the clerk already did so and the online streams switched to showing the witness and the paper on screen in split view.
• “Mr. Delaware. What do you see on the screen?”
• “I see my team’s internal investigation’s executive summary, as it was delivered to me a year after the accident.”
• “Who delivered it to you?”
• “The lead investigator, Mr. Carver, appointed by the entire board unanimously.”
• “Is he on payroll at InterStellar Vacations?”
• “No, and he wasn’t. He is an employee of a third party investigator firm.”
• “Your honor, I move to include defendant exhibit 12-A as evidence.”
• “Any objections?” — judge wasn’t looking up from her notes while asking the mundane question.
• “With current redactions, no objections, your honor.”
• “Then I sustain, evidence number D-12-A.”
• “There is no D-12 evidence yet.” — Amy offered input as usual.
• “Ah, okey, then we don’t need the sub-designation. Go on.”
• “Mr. Delaware, could you read please the first paragraph?”
• “Yes, khm, khm. The Giant of the Stars accident was caused by the captain’s hasty decision to take an uncharted route toward their planned destination. This haste caused by high-profile anonymous VIP guests pressuring the captain to take a detour so the guests can make selfies with the star cradle nebula near Kodiak station. This route change was unauthorized by the company and standard operation procedures were not followed by the captain and his crew.”

After a few more routine questions, reading more from the internal investigation exhibit further detailing how the crew were at fault, not the company, we got to the closing question from the defending lawyer:

• “Mr. Delaware, in summary, what conclusions do you challenge from the GTSB report?”
• “The main cause of the accident. In our independent investigators’ view, the captain committed gross negligence hence making him as the responsible. The company is not at fault as per our employment contracts and policies have been breached.”
• “Thank you, no more questions.”
• “Okey, do you want to cross examine?”
• “Yes, your honor.”
• “Stand is yours.”
• “Thank you. Good day, Mr. Delaware. Let’s start with the investigation. Which company Mr. Carver was employed by at the time of the investigation?”
• “Hm, not sure if I remember correctly.”
• “Oh no worries about that. Amy, please blow up the signatures on page 63. Thank you. Can you please read the printed part under Mr. Carver’s signature?”
• “Objection, foundation.”
• “Sustained.”
• “Let me rephrase. What do you see here?”
• “The signature of Mr. Carver along mine and two more board members redacted, on the internal investigation report.”
• “Can you read please the printed part under Mr. Carver’s signature?”
• “Yes, khm. Lead Investigator.”
• “All lines, please.” — room in silence as all could see the name, unsure where this leads and not a single muscle on the prosecuting lawyer’s stone face moved.
• “Crash Investigation Services LLC. Founder and CEO.”
• “Thank you. Does ISV have a stake in Crash Investigation Services LLC?”
• “I don’t know, we have stakes in thousands of companies.”
• “So you can’t exclude that you had a controlling stake in the supposedly third party company probing into your accident?”
• “Objection, leading.”
• “Overruled, you should know, leading questions allowed during cross-examining hostile witness. Answer the question, Mr. Delaware.”
• “Yes, I mean yes, right now I can’t without the company books in front of me.”
• “Thank you. Next, I would like to ask you about the captain’s actions. What is the standard operating procedure in case of guest’s wishes to change route?”
• “Out of memory, it is not allowed under any circumstances.”
• “Let me refresh your memory. Amy, pull up exhibit P-546, page 56, second paragraph. What do we see here, Mr. Delaware?”
• “The standard operating procedure booklet written by ISV department, specifically the part about route changes.”
• “And please read the first sentence of the paragraph.”
• “Yes, khm. Route changes not allowed except it is deemed necessary by the captain of the vessel under extenuating circumstances.”
• “Do you agree it is a bit imprecise, isn’t it?”

John could box in the air, he got them.

• “Objection, he is not a linguists to argue about.”
• “But he is in charge of safety rules as being the director.”
• “Overruled, he can form opinion in his responsibility area.” — as the judge ruled, Mr. Delaware’s poker face broke for a moment and the smile turned to grin.
• “Not sure what you are asking me.”
• “Is it true that all captains of the ISV used this paragraph to change routes for passenger requests?”
• “Objection, foundation, how could he know.”
• “All captains that report to you, mister, how many of them filed route changes for reason ‘passenger medical needs’?”
• “Ahm, khm. I can’t recall right know.”
• “I take it as an all of them, thank you.”

The grilling continued for the rest of the day along the lines of the captain’s responsibility dissolves company responsibility or not. With the board member pushing all to a deceased member of the crew, ultimately absolving the company from paying the restitution for the injured, deceased and family members.

The prosecution pushing for bridging cause and consequence, arguing that the company put the captain into the position, ultimately being responsible for the consequences. John knew where he stood on the issue. It will be decided by the jurors though after deliberation.

If he calculated correctly, the next week they finish the trial’s current phase, both sides running out of time to present their case. So far it seems a quick decision will be delivered by the jurors, most analysts on media agrees. Still days of evidence left to be presented.

After that, the jurors will move to a separate room, sealed in with the evidence and only food and supplies can go in while they are debating. It can take days in unusual circumstances.

As John waited for his coffee at the vending machine, staring at the end of the corridor where the juror’s room will be. Didn’t notice he remained alone as everyone poured out and left for home.

The last drops of his coffee sprinkled everywhere, burning his hand and leaving marks on his only suit. Then the lights flickered out as he touched the cup.

Leaving at the gate, he jokingly remarked toward the guards that they almost closed the lights on him. The guards were stunned, unknowing what he is talking about. They never turn off the lights in this building. A second shift of clerks work through the night. Always.

John called Victoria to let her know he needs to stay in town. Ringing forever, she didn’t pick up, so he left a message. Didn’t think of it at all. Often had to leave a message when she was on a mission or in deep space transit. She must had been recalled to work while he was in the courtroom.

As he strolled down the nearby river, leisurely criss crossing between pedestrians, asking his travel agent what to do for a weekend in this small old-French town. He wanted some history or museums to check out.

Unfortunately the town of Campignon wasn’t important enough to build a shield dome around. Whatever seemed historical, was rebuilt from archives using modern tools and materials. Everything original was destroyed, decomposed to dust during the twenty-second century.

Maybe it is just him, could not help it, but to see the parallels. Humanity will build wonders just to turn them to dust, while its own faults, greed and such will never go away.

Read the story leading up to now:

Giant of the Stars

Fictional story of a luxury starliner’s catastrophy