Posted by Civilian Jessa Novar (Child) 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.”

“They also define a liar as a person who tells lies, my point is until a body, which exists for this purpose, identifies her as such you are just making a personal assessment. By your criteria, I personally, think you are telling lies, so I should identify you as a liar, because I think the title fits you.”

“I would like request the court to treat Mr. Rinker as a hostile witness,” Hudson stared Rinker down while speaking to the judges.

“Overruled. Proceed,” Judge Marshall stated. He was not going to make anyone’s case but the reference to the juvenile was unsettling to him also.

“Mr. Hudson, I hold a doctorate in psychology, a medical license, as well as being a commissioned Commander in Star-Fleet. There are several accurate titles for me in an official setting, Mister is not one of them unless you suddenly outranked me. Uniform code indicates I should be referred to as Commander or Sir first then any honorific such as Doctor, if you are so inclined. Since I’m being court marshalled, I’d like to think the prosecutor is aware of the uniform code.”

“Understood. How about we use Commander for now.” The tone in Hudson’s voice was of pure disdain. The faster this trial was over and the faster they could strip this man of his rank the happier he would be.

“So you are used to working with criminals or terrorists to make them mentally healthy.” Hudson was ready to take a swing again at Jessa.

“The overwhelming percentage of my patients were and are Star-Fleet officers,” he squinted at him. “So I’m not sure what you are implying about Star-Fleet.”

“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?”

Rinker tilted his head. “I did, although I didn’t not receive special treatment for any collaboration with the enemy. I had a special skill set, medicine, that they wanted to utilize. They believed that positive emotions would be better to keep me at my duties than negative. All the doctors and other specialists received the same, what you called special treatment.”

Hudson looked at Rinker feeling a slight arrogance. The reports from Captain Primrose were just confirmed by the man sitting in the chair before him. His mind daydreamed for a second about how smug this counselor would be in a penal colony. The happy thought slipped as he next imagined how he would probably work a deal and offer to counsel the other inmates for a reduced sentence.

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

Hudson JAG

“As anyone who actually served, knew the Vorta to operate like this, first be obsequious, then generous, before threatening, and murdering. I thought it would be better to keep them obsequious instead of murdery.”

“Well good for you but not so much for your other officers,” Hudson added. “I mean you did not die so…”

“Objection,” McDevitt responded.

“Sustained,” Marshall agreed getting a scowl from Hudson.

“So while you were in this overly servile role what did you receive from the Vorta?”

“I received, full food rations, I had recreation credits, I was able to stay in my own quarters. I was allowed to socialize with other doctors. I rarely got harassed moving on the streets or in the hospital. I wasn’t subject to random arrest, imprisonment and torture.”

“So that war was almost a vacation for you compared to the starvation, isolation, cramped, and diseased quarters of the others in the camp who were routinely harrassed, beaten, and tortured,” Hudson asked.

“Sir Objection,” McDevitt immediately shot back.

“Withdrawn,” Hudson recanted. At times it was worth pulling back a statement. Once the information was out it could not be unheard no matter what words were used. “So what did you do with all this freedom and privilege for your fellow Starfleet officers? Anything?” The smug tone in Hudson’s voice was clear. This was personal for the man and not just some topic he was prosecuting.

Rinker blinked at him. Little did he know that the objection did him a favor as Rinker had a few more zingers for him.

“Star-Fleet expects prisoners of war to keep the faith with their fellow prisoners, which I did, to keep my position meant I got to continue to treat Star-Fleet personnel and Betazed civilians who I was informed would not have sufficient professionals if I didn’t not continue working.”

“So you did this to help them. Okay but what did you give the Vorta. Nothing is free.”

“I was obligated to treat Dominion personal as well. However, medical treatment of enemy wounded is a expected service of any civilized force.”

“So you patched up and sent the Vorta out to kill, maim, and torture our soldiers because you are a good man Commander. According to your own words and your Hippocratic oaths, everyone should be treated the same no matter what. Tell me what else did your oath require? Telling them about our tactics?”

“I kept my honor, never giving information, never working so hard that the enemy derived a tactical or strategic benefit, I made no statement which was disloyal to the Federation and her allies.”

“So you say now that the war is over and there is no one in this room that could refute your comments.”

“There were hundreds of personal who received the exact same treatment at the exact same time. Any of them could attest to the conditions we acted in.”

“We....but you weren’t a we.... Commander. You by your own states aided the enemy so that you received better food, housing. You weren’t in the same situation as the we. You aided the enemy so that makes it more of an I thing.”

“Every doctor in that hospital received the same treatment. There were dozens in that hospital and hundreds across the planet.” Rinker thought he figured out the direction this prosecutor was going. There question was why. He certainly pissed off dozens of people, but few were so powerful and so petty to target Rinker who had no real power in the Fleet. He looked at him as if to say really.

“Yes but I am more concerned with the ones that weren’t Starfleet. You stated you treated everyone the same so would it be fair to say you treated every life as valuable? That you triaged those who came into the hospital with the most life-threatening injuries first regardless of whether they were Federation or Dominion?” Hudson kept his tone fast and his questions coming faster.

“I rarely did triage, the doctors were used in treatment. The battlefield medics, then the EMTs and nurses in the emergency room did the ordering of patients. The overwhelming percentage of the people I treated were preselected in terms of order.” He shook his head in a confused manner. As if he was saying the lawyer had no idea what he was talking about.

“So in fact this proves my earlier point that you consistently in your career have dealt with terrorists and criminals on your caseload because those fighting in the Dominion War against the Federation were in fact terrorists on some level. They killed without regard as to man, women, child....” Hudson let his voice trail. “Tell me how did you control your emotions so that you resisted the urge to just let them die. I mean who would judge you on that. You saw countless of our own dying and wounded so it would be natural to find yourself hesitating with someone that was not Federation but you are saying you didn’t do that. That you treated everyone equally.”

“I am a doctor, I treat patients. Again none of which have ever been identified as terrorist to the best of my knowledge. In fact, none of my patients have ever been identified as war criminals either. That being said, even if they were, it is against both military and medical code to deny life saving medical treatment due to personal feelings.”

“I celebrate the fact that my sacrifices during the war, has protected your ability to hold these trials. I certainly hope you respect and demonstrate the same level of honor as I and the millions that served during the war did.” He looked at the lawyer the expression was mostly blank, but there was a twinkle in his eye that said. ‘I can do this all day.’ “In this your sacred legal duty that we died to protect.”

Rinker

“You certainly didn’t die but others did however not all.” Taking his gaze off Rinker, Hudson walked back to his table and grabbed his PaDD. Bringing up a holorecording on the large wall PaDD. The image was of a man about the same age as Rinker. Instead of a Starfleet uniform, the man, crewman Brian Zellers, was wearing an orange penal colony. “Due to the fact this man is currently incarcerated at our Federation prison in New Zealand he was unable to be here in person however, I would like to call him to testify as to the validity of Commander Rinker’s statements.” Hudson was unsure if Rinker actually knew Brian Zellers but that did not matter to him.

“I object. The man was not listed as a witness.” McDevitt did not yet bring up that Zellers was in the penal colony for the exact crimes Rinker was being accused of. The man not only sold out the Federation every second he could but actively spied on his own fellow officers turning them into the Vorta secret camp police.

Rinker looked at his lawyer and shook his head in the negative fashion along with a shrug. He hoped the message was clear that he had no idea who this person was.

“Careful Mr. Hudson. I will allow this for now,” Judge Marshall stated in a grave tone. Brian Zellers was a traitor. The facts in his case were well known but he would not prove McDevitt’s case for him.

“Mr. Rinker,” Hudson stated dropping the man’s rank to make him appear as if he was a civilian and on the level with Zellers.
“Did you know Mr. Zellers in the camps?”

Hudson JAG

Rinker took a moment staring at him.

Hudson knew this man was not going to let his title slip. He could now see how dangerous this man was. Admiral Perkins was right. Rinker needed to be put down. “I stand corrected. Let me rephrase that. Commander Rinker,” he added the honorific and let the last part of his question remain waiting for Heathcliff to respond about if he knew Mr. Zellers.”

I do not recollect this individual. If I treated him on Betazed, I could collect my notes from that period review them and be properly informed to give you accurate responses.

Rinker was thinking about setting up a way to stall. Surprised rarely worked out in your favor.

Rinker

“Oh he did not receive your treatment but has brought to light some facts about stardate 112.369. To refresh your memory on that night Mr. Zellers has sworn under oath that you were seen entering the camp commandant’s office and three hours later two hundred new Federation soldiers arrived at the camp. So did you casually let it slip that the assault was coming because we know that on that date regiment was sent in against the Jem’Hadar? They were lying in wait and took our forces with minimal losses to them but catastrophic losses on our side. Care to explain what you were doing in that meeting with the Commandant that Mr. Zellers has testified to?”

Hudson

“I walked into the Commandant’s office?” He paused. That was far from damning evidence, it had to be more than that. “I suspect you are dramatically misinformed. I am a doctor, even if I told the Commandant every tactical piece of information I ever possessed, it wouldn’t give them the tactical advantage over a squad of first year cadets.”

Rinker

“No, but it would indicate you had some sympathies towards your captors no different than the sympathies you display for the Galactic Union right now.” It was a leap, but it was well-documented that he had a strong association with Jessa Novar. If Hudson could prove that Rinker blurred the lines with loyalties in the Dominion War, it would show he might do the same with the Galactic Union.

Hudson

“I fought and was captured in the Dominion War. I served honorably and was awarded two campaign medals, a combat action ribbon, a commendation medal, a meritorious service award, and a bronze star.” It was a nice array of medals and covered about half the badges on his dress uniform. The bronze star was the highest but that wasn’t an unusually high award. It was a nice set, but just that nice. “I have no sympathies to those who imprisoned me. You have no idea what it is to be a prisoner of war, if that is something that causes sympathies. I have no idea where you are coming up with these irrational beliefs. However I know a number of very qualified therapists that can help you with delusional thoughts.”

Rinker

Hudson gritted his teeth wanting to lash back but retained his composure. “I don’t need a therapist to explain to me what Stockholm Syndrome is. Maybe you should look it up. As to the next charge, UCMJ Article 117: Provoking Speeches or Gestures - Provoking and reproachful describe words or gestures used in the presence of the person at whom they are directed, which a reasonable person would expect to induce a disturbance of the peace. Also UCMJ Article 116: Riot or Breach of Peace. So tell me,” Hudson state after reading the charge, “did you do anything to breach the peace when you were in the Dominion camps? Did you try to spread any dissension in the ranks or did you just agree to everything your captors said and support them?”

Hudson

“Clearly you don’t because if I had Stockholm Syndrome, an acknowledged mental disorder you wouldn’t be able to charge me with anything because I would be cleared under the ‘insanity’ defense.” He used air quotes.

“Then we can send you to a psychiatric facility until you are mentally not insane. Care to change you plea? We could wrap up this trial faster. I will make it easy for you. Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response that can occur when people develop feelings of trust, loyalty, or sympathy for their captors.” Hudson over simplified the response leaving out key components of the disorder. Proving Rinker was a feeble minded officer with a weak constitution would be incredibly delicious to him however, Hudson wanted more than just tarnishing the man’s reputation.

“I object,” McDevitt added to the animosity in the courtroom. “We are not changing our plea and the fact Lt. Hudson is even suggesting…” McDevitt was exhausted and outraged at the suggestion. He had been relatively quiet up until now.

“Mr. Hudson,” Judge Marshall spoke in a firm and commanding tone. “You will stick to the facts. You will present a case and I will decide the verdict not you. This is the first and last time I warn you to present the case and not grand stand.”

“I was just making sure that the defendant was educated on the key components of the condition and if he needed to time to look up,” Hudson backed down slightly before Rinker responded.

“Nor do I need to look anything up, I’m familiar with the key components of my specialty. I have some question to yours though.” He took a breath.

“I am sure you do an I will humor you.” Hudson sat on the edge of his desk and spread his hands as if to invite the conversation to open between them.

Rinker tilted his head confused. “For instance, you just switched from providing aid and comfort to the enemy, to supporting a terrorist, to traitor, and now to Breach of the Peace? This is precisely the reason why you have to define all the charges that you are accusing someone of at the beginning of the trial so you can’t just do a fishing expedition and hope you catch something. This is a violation of my rights, not to mention petty. What is breech of the peace, 3 months… You went from the death penalty to 20 years to 3 months.”

“No I am exactly sure of what I did and what charges I am leveling at you.”

“Are you ignorant that what you just did is illegal and against the Federation Charter, or did you intentionally choose to violate my rights and violate your oath as a JAG officer to defend the Constitution?”

“Here, I’ll do you a favor, I misfiled something 10 years ago. That’s at least an hour of paperwork to clear that up. I’ll plead guilty to that and you can stop this farce and stop embarrassing yourself.”

Rinker

“You will plead guilty to Provoking speech and gestures detrimental to the safety of the Federation, supporting a riot and treason. This is why.” Hudson moved across the space with purposeful strides to stare down Rinker in his cross examination. “In the Dominion Camp you have stated that you treated everyone who walked through that door. You took on the alleged terrorist Jessa Novar as a patient. In the month she has been under your care you have spent at minimum one hour a day with her under the pretense of deprogramming her and yet she has not become a member of Federation Society. I submit that now as when you were in the camp, you have allowed yourself to not only accept but believe the rhetoric these people spill. My data to support this is you not only survived but thrived in the Dominion Camp.” The longer Hudson thought about it the more enraged he became. Perkins was right. This smug counselor would do anything to save his own skin at the expense of those around him. “You also are one of the few crew that has not been assaulted by Jessa Novar. In fact when she mounted the attack on the Promenade the other alien Zala Tsu did not harm you either. We have footage where she attacked everyone in the space but you. So it only makes sense that in the week you spent with Jessa Novar before the attack you learned of the attack. That is why you visited with the other three aliens in the Brig. That is why you did not respond when Jessa contacted you during the attack claiming comm issues. You knew it was happening and when you arrived at the Promenade you left without so much as a scratch. Jessa protected you. The only reason she did that was because you have secretly aligned with the Galactic Union the same as you did with your captors in the prison camp. It is a pattern with you. You will go to jail and justice will be done.” Hudson could barely hold back his rage. Perkins had laid out the argument but now Hudson saw it as clear as day.

Hudson JAG

Rinker starred at him for a moment. “Calm yourself counselor.” He started. “You understand that you have to present evidence at a trial not theories and feelings.”

“I have evidence you jumped up to treat Jessa Novar within a day of her arrival and even seemed confident of your ability to treat her. Do you need for me to produce the log where she showed up in your office for two hours? What could you possibly have accomplished in these sessions?” Hudson had zero hope Rinker would spill the contents of his therapy session. The session was covered under doctor-patient confidentiality however if Jessa had threatened to harm herself or others, Rinker would be duty-bound to report it.

“I was ordered to take on Jessa Novar as a patient, and while as my patient, she fought against the members of the Galactic Union that attacked us. So I’d call that a win.”

“I’m sure you do,” Hudson said in a condescending tone.

“As far as not a scratch I was scratched several times, by a very long knife held by a sociopath.”

“And yet you are here. Just like you survived the camp in the war.”

“So nothing about the stabbings, nothing about the dozens of civilians I and Jessa saved? Just “but you survived” that’s my crime survival.” He stared at him for a moment, “There continues to be no evidence and all you do i make up another argument.”

“You fictional narrative implies that I’m so weak willed an indecisive that I fell under Dominion propaganda, then the Galactic Union in about 4 days, but never the Federation after 20 years of honorable service? All while being competent enough to make you look like a clown in a court room. That is some pretty subjective lack of mental acumen.”

“My oath as a doctor ethically obligates me to treat all patients. I did not treat active hostile combatants although I admit, as I did before, that I treated all wounded persons that were brought to me without consideration of their race. And I have never espoused or supported any Dominion politics or rhetoric before, during or after the war. Hence, again your total lack of any evidence of anything.”

Rinker

Hudson had one last card to play. If he could not break Rinker directly he had another option. “Sir,” Hudson ignored Rinker and turned his attention to the judges. “I would like to call the Federation’s first witness to the stand to show proof that Lt. Commander Heathcliff Rinker is guilty of these charges. I would like to call Jessa Novar to the stand.”

Rinker seemed nonplussed by the ‘surprise’ calling of Jessa. He did pull at his collar and look at his pips. “Yup still a full Commander.” He said with a low voice but still loud enough for the judge and the court stenographer to hear.

The doors to the room opened and Jessa was escorted in. The immediate objections from McDevitt was music to Hudson’s ears. This only confirmed to Hudson it was the correct choice. If he could not get Rinker to admit to the charges on stand, Jessa would prove them through his questions. By Hudson’s thoughts, Jessa would confirm how Rinker supported her lunatic ideas about the Galactic Union and bypass the doctor-patient confidentiality Rinker was hiding behind. She also could try to kill everyone in the courtroom. The latter would not do much to convict Rinker but it would allow the court to remove her from the Atlantis efficiently.

Hudson

Jessa walked up to Rinker and gave him a nervous smile. “Are you in trouble,” she asked Rinker. The room looked imposing and everyone was wearing dour expressions.

“This is below average example of the Federation Justice system. If you are accused of a crime, they have to present evidence before a judge and usually a jury, that part depends. It’s supposed to be fair, and you need to tell the truth to the questions they ask you.”

“But honestly, since I didn’t do anything and this prosecutor is a pair of clown shoes, it should be fine.” He knew she wouldn’t understand the reference, but it wasn’t really for her. He just liked insulting this person. He was so transparent that his name should be ‘Mr. Cellophane.’

“Elder Novar,” Hudson said in an uncharacteristically friendly tone. The use of her grandiose title was a calculated move. Hudson wanted Jessa to not see herself as a kid as the crew and the man on trial had worked so hard to achieve. Hudson wanted her to regress into the ego-centric sociopath from a month ago. “Could you please take that seat over there?” Since the proceedings were on a starship, they lacked the weight of a normal courtroom with oak walled paneling and marble floors. It only had one long table where the five judges sat, two tables for the lawyers and a seat for the accused. Hudson did not remove Rinker from his seat where he was being interrogated but pulled up a chair perpendicular to Rinker’s. This would make Jessa have to turn her head to see Heathcliff and be facing the imposing countenances of the trial judges.

As Jessa moved to take a seat McDevitt began to spout objection after objection at calling Jessa as a witness. “Miss Novar is a child and a non-citizen of the Federation. She does not understand our laws nor the charges being leveled at Commander Rinker.”

“The Sixth Amendment guarantees defendants in a criminal trial the right to confrontation,” Hudson started before he was cut off by McDevitt.

“The defendant does not want to confront her nor asked for it,” McDevitt snapped. “She has no bearing on this case especially for the charge of treason.”

“Wait you are on trial for treason,” Jessa ignored everyone in the room except for Rinker. Looking around the space she tried to figure out what was going on. “These are your adjudicators?” In one of their sessions, Jessa had stated that in the Union lawyers were called adjudicators. She had explained to Rinker that their proclamations on a case were final with no appeals. She also stated that in the Union there was only one punishment for traitors and that was immediate death. Her heart pounded and her face got a little paler. “I don’t understand. I was the one that did everything?”

This was exactly the response Hudson wanted.

Jessa Novar

“Jessa, you are not familar with your rights, here in the Federation. What you say here is admissiable in terms of an admission of a crime.” He spoke to the court. “She is entitled to representation and acoording to Federation Law is both a minor and a civilan and can not be tried in a Star-Fleet court marshal. As i contine to repeat. The Procuoter continues to destroy the fabric of Federation and Star-Fleet justice.”

“Furthermore, she didn’t specify what everything was. Nor will she speak about anything she might have done without a lawyer. She does, and will continue to invoke her rights and that is all she will say until she has a lawyer.” He looked at her. “Thats all she will say until she has a lawyer. That she invokes all her rights to remain silent.”
Rinker