Indira Kapur (playadvocate) wrote in serenuscity, @ 2010-08-20 23:37:00 |
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Entry tags: | !narrative |
Narrative: Advocate and NPC
WHO: Indira Kapur [ADVOCATE] and Sam Harper
WHEN: Backdated, Roughly August 15th
WHERE: The Law Offices of Lyman, Jackson and Kapur in North Sector
WHAT: Sam Harper is looking for a fair trial for his brother, the man who kileld a Specialis Gens in cold blood in plain view of nearly fifty people.
WARNINGS: Strong anti-Specialis prejudice, possibly language.
The offices of Lyman, Jackson and Kapur were nice enough: the block was a little far from the rail station, true, but the office itself had good visibility on the street and the waiting room was nicely appointed. They had a pleasant and competent receptionist and, more importantly, an excellent track record of wins and successful appeals. Mr. Lyman and Mr. Jackson were both rather sophisticated gentlemen with nice cars, pretty wives and nauseatingly low golf handicaps. Their newest partner, however, was a different sort: Ms. Kapur was assertive and almost brash and if she wasn't so determined to win at any cost, she likely wouldn't have lasted a week there. Instead, her tenacity and her willingness to hold her own and "play with the big boys" had earned her some degree of respect.
But not, however, the corner office. Indira's office was at the end of the long hall, directly across from the file room. It was a petty thing to be annoyed about, but it still irritated her. It was also much smaller than the offices of her partners. There was space for a large desk and chair as well as two chairs for prospective clients, certainly, but there was little else there. As a consequence, the middle-aged man who was presently meeting with her could only pace for about three paces before he turned back and moved back the way he'd come, repeating the process in an endless circuit as he ran his hand through his thinning hair.
"...and they're saying the judge is going to ask for the maximum penalty," he was saying, his voice taught with worry. "I mean, poor Colin's never done wrong a day in his life and now he's rotting in some holding cell and they're gonna ask for the maximum - do you know what that is?" He didn't wait for an answer before he said, "They'll kill him! Him! All because of some freak!" Sam shook his head, a deep scowl etched on his features. "And the lawyer they gave us didn't do piss about it, just kept nodding and saying we should try to take a deal. Get him in prison for the rest of his life - lock him up when they should be the ones we lock up!"
Indira was leaning back in her chair, arms resting on the armrests as she watched the man evenly. Her fingers were steepled, the index fingers resting against her lips. "Mister Harper," she said, her tone flat, "Your brother committed murder in plain view of nearly fifty witnesses."
Mr. Harper stopped his pacing and slammed a hand on her desk, leaning across it to glare at her. "Damnit!" he exclaimed. A stern look from the attorney got him to remove his hands and he raked them back through his hair again. "They told me you'd understand but you're just like all the rest."
Indira leaned forward in her seat. "Exactly who told you?"
"I've asked around. Someone gave me your card after what happened, said you might be willing to help me." He finally sank into one of the seats for clients, looking utterly defeated. "They've invaded our way of life," he almost whined. "They're in our stores, they're on our networks, on the subway... Colin lost his apartment when they moved everyone in!"
The attorney looked skeptical. "I thought they moved all the Specialis into unoccupied housing."
Sam looked a touch evasive. "Well yeah," he admitted. "But Colin had his eye on a place and was trying to save money to move out of my place and into his own - he was on the wait list and everything. But then they told him the place had to be used for the freaks. So I guess he went a little crazy, but he's still my brother and he's not a bad person! it's not a crime to kill an animal, is it? Well that's what these freaks are: animals." When he got no confirmation or argument from the woman across from him, he rose from his chair and declared, "My brother was just trying to protect our way of life. He's a goddamn hero is what he is!"
Indira sighed. "No, Mr. Harper," she said as she closed the file in front of her. "Your brother is not a hero: he's an idiot." Apparently she'd heard enough because she moved around her desk to stand near the door. Sam looked outraged at her blasphemy and opened his mouth to argue the point, but was cut short as Indira held up a single finger to silence him like a teacher reprimanding a third grader.
"That I'll take the case goes without saying," she told him. "That my client is an idiot should at least be mentioned." Satisfied that she would get no argument, she lowered her hand. "While your brother may have been trying to stand up for the rights of his fellow 'non-freaks,' what he's actually done is turn the Specialis into victims. He's made them look like a persecuted and completely victimized group that should be pitied and coddled. By striking the first blow, he's turned us into villains. Now that he's bloodied the government's nose, they're goign to be looking to smooth things over with our 'guests' by throwing the book at him and making an example to keep this sort of things from happening again."
Now it was Indira's turn to pace, though she managed to do it with control, restraint and even grace, her heels sinking into the plush carpet with each controlled step as she worked out a plan in her mind. "It should be easy enough to argue crime of passion here. Man 1 or even Man 2. Just because the government wants to make nice, that doesn't mean we get to ignore the law. They're probably looking to hype the trial: make a big show about the Swift Hammer of Justice to make all the "specials" feel safe." She smirked and it was far from reassuring. "Well if they want to turn this into a circuis, we might as well oblige them, eh?"
Glancing at Sam, she realized that she was discussing tactics and intricate political strategies with a man who had likely never graduated from high school. She offered a wan smile and approached, holding out a hand that was suddenly holdign her business card. "As I said, Mr. Harper, I'll take the case. Pro Bono." Off his confused look, the forced smile faded. "No charge," she clarified. "I like the challenge. Candace will take your information and I'll speak with your brother at the jail tomorrow." She gestured him smoothly out of her office and was directing him towards the lobby.
Sam was elated and was wringing his hands to keep from trying to embrace her in gratitude. "Thank you, Miss Kapur," he kept saying. "Thank you - God bless yo-"
She closed the door before he could finish, and allowed herself the first sign of a real smile. God, she decided, had nothing to do with it.