Posted by Commander Heathcliff Rinker (Chief Medical Officer/ Psychiatrist) in Court Martial of Heathcliff Rinker

Posted by Commander Heathcliff Rinker (Chief Medical Officer/ Psychiatrist) in Court Martial of Heathcliff Rinker

Posted by Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Court Martial of Heathcliff Rinker
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The courtroom felt pristine and clinical but also familiar and safe. The cases were being tried in one of the small diplomatic rooms on the ship. This made it feel familiar to those from the USS Atlantis with its familiar furniture and decor. What made it feel antiseptic was the arrangement of the room. A large table sat along the left wall with five chairs filled with five Admirals occupying the spot a jury normally sat. The accused sat in a chair perpendicular to the Admirals and facing McDevitt along with the opposing counsel James Hudson. There were no other seats in the makeshift courtroom which was by design. This was not going to be a spectacle. Starfleet wanted the trials over and done with minimal disruptions.

“So Commander Rinker, how long have you been a part of the crew of the USS Atlantis,” Hudson asked the man.

JAG lawyers

Rinker sat in the chair looking far more relaxed than most people in his position would look. It was not that he wasn’t worried. He was as angry and frustrated as the rest of the officers on the Atlantis were, however, this was not the first time he had sat in court having his skill as a therapist on trial. Over the years, Heathcliff Rinker had been called to various courtrooms as an expert witness, especially during his tenure as Assistant Clinical Director of Star-Fleet. “Ten years,” he responded to the question. Being on trial was a lot like sitting in a counseling session. The less you talked, the more it made the other person talk. Rinker had trust and faith in McDevitt representing him but that did not mean he would make the case any easier for opposing counsel.

Heathcliff Rinker CMO/CPO

“Before that your career in descending order was Assistant Clinical Director of Star-Fleet, Director of Starfleet Psychiatric services on Earth, and Counselor at Starfleet Command?” Hudson began laying the path to the charge of aiding and abetting the enemy. It was going to be a winding slope down slippery terrain but he would get the court there.

“That is correct,” Rinker replied.

“Tell me about your association with the terrorist Jessa Novar?

“I encountered Ms. Novar during my prescribed duties on the Atlantis. I have no idea what you mean by association, nor am I aware the Ms. Novar has been identified as a terrorist by any of the assigned branches of Star-Fleet. Nor has the Federation State Department classified her group as a terrorist organization. Further, if she had been so assigned, I was not notified. Based on all these factors I would call the premise of your question false, and intentionally prejudicial.”

Hudson hated working with counselors. They tended to prefer wordplay over facts. “The Vulcan Lexicon book defines a terrorist as a person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims. I think the title fits her.”

“Would you say you are closer to the terrorist than most of your clients?”

Hudson JAG

“I have no knowledge of any terrorist on my caseload.” He looked at the judge and the defense lawyer, he had set up the objection, “And even if I did, client lists, and disclosures in therapy are confidential so I can’t answer any question of that nature in specifics.”

“Objection,” McDevitt stated looking at the judges.

“Sustained. The courts will refer to Miss Novar by her name until it is ascertained what her goal was,” Marshall stated.

Hudson scowled at Rinker before moving on.

“Yes, but she has 24/7 access to you, correct?” Hudson kept his answers short and directed much like Rinker’s answers.

“Hypothetically, based on the needs of my clients, they all have 24/7 access to me or another mental health provider. As the clients learn coping mechanisms it tends to be less on-call and more session-only access.”

Heathcliff Rinker CMO/CPO

Hudson never had any real intention of linking Rinker to Jessa with the Aiding and Abetting the Enemy charge. It was a convenient way to get him to trial without it looking like a witch hunt. It would also strengthen his case that if the good counselor joined forces with the enemy once, he could do it again. “But you do have a pattern of associating with enemies of the state. Back in the Dominion War, you received special treatment from the Dominion overlords on Betazed did you not?”

“And could you explain what this special treatment was?”

Hudson JAG