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10
Chapter 11 � The trial of Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres
While the student protestors continued to kneel outside, Spokeswoman
Lee-Dolkivna, Director Cecilia Sanchez, Prisoner # 101025, and the two
officers escorting the prisoner passed through the main door of the
Central Courthouse. They walked through an ornate entryway and passed
through a second set of doors that led to the main courtroom chamber.
The main trial room was large, with old wooden furnishings and huge
windows on the left side. On the right side were benches where
spectators sat. The judge sat at a large desk on an elevated platform at
the end of the room opposite from where the prisoner entered, and the
prosecution team had a table near the judge's platform. The most
important detail for Maria Elena was a second wooden platform about 5
meters in front of the judge's desk. It was round, about a meter and a
half high, and had stairs going to the top. That second platform was
where the prisoner would have to stand throughout the trial.
Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna took a deep breath as she looked at the
prisoner's platform. Already she had spoken on behalf of more than 100
clients, all of whom had to stand during the proceedings. However, the
memory burned into her mind was from the first time she saw that
platform, now more than eight years ago. She had been only 18, just out
of high school, and had entered the room as Prisoner # 98945. She was a
terrified and bewildered foreigner, with no knowledge of the culture or
language of Upper Danubia (as the country was called back then) facing a
20-year sentence for marijuana trafficking. How much things had changed
since then, but one detail remained constant in the Spokeswoman's mind.
Every time she saw that platform, her memory flashed back to her own
trial. No matter how many times she escorted her own clients into the
Courtroom, for a second Kim's imagination brought back to her, in vivid
detail, everything she felt the first moment she saw the platform. It
was only for an instant, but that instant never let her forget what it
felt like to be going on trial herself.
The Spokeswoman blinked and brought herself back to the present. The
cops were un-cuffing her client, who would not be able to escape now
that the door was locked. Kim took out the key to Maria Elena's
temporary collar and unlocked it. She handed the collar to a courtroom
attendant to return to the Ministry, since it no longer would be needed.
Maria Elena felt the cool air of the courtroom on her neck, knowing that
within a short time she would be collared again, this time permanently.
The Spokeswoman pointed to a worn spot in the Courtroom's old carpeting
and told her client to kneel. Then she issued the following
instructions:
"Maria Elena, when the judge comes in everyone will stand and salute
him, except you. You must kneel forward and put your forehead to the
carpet. You will stay that way until the judge orders you to step
forward. You will climb the platform and assume the prisoner's stance.
That means you must stand with your legs spread and your hands behind
your head. No matter who else is talking, you must remain in that
position, facing the judge. Director Sanchez will translate anything you
need to know or any answers you need to provide the court."
The prisoner sadly responded: "D�c-doc, Advok�tna Lee-Dolkivna." She
remained kneeling, nervously looking at the numerous spectators and
trial witnesses sitting in the benches to her right. She recognized
almost everyone who had been with the Inspector in the airport
interrogation chamber: all those cops who had fondled her and smiled
while she was being paddled and humiliated. She saw that female medical
assistant who had dishonored her. Unfortunately their eyes met and the
woman gave her a cruel smile.
When the Inspector entered the courtroom to take his seat among the
prosecutors, Kim signaled that she needed to talk to him privately. She
told Cecilia to remain standing with the kneeling prisoner while she
walked over to him. Her heart was pounding, because she had decided to
force him to request that the prosecutor drop the charge of perjury
against her client. With every bit of effort to control her voice and
maintain a calm, confident appearance she quietly asked:
"Inspector, are you aware that there are 13 demonstrators outside this
courthouse who are protesting on behalf of my client?"
"Yes, Spokeswoman, I saw them as I was entering."
"Well, Inspector. I believe that the fact there are demonstrators will
mean that we will have to play the entire interrogation video of my
client during the trial. The demonstrators are not going to accept that
my client committed perjury unless the actual footage documenting that
accusation is made part of my client's trial record. I am going to have
to call you and the medical staff as witnesses to explain your method
for proving that my client is guilty of the crime of perjury. When we do
that, I will ask that the demonstrators be brought into the courtroom to
witness that footage for themselves."
Kim noticed the Inspector's face going pale. She knew that the last
thing he wanted was for footage of his unit's interrogation tactics
played during a trial. The fact that there were demonstrators, who had
Church approval no less, present outside the courtroom, would obligate
him to show the film of Maria Elena being beaten and throwing up. There
was no question that would cause a huge scandal and possibly cost him
his position at the airport. He knew that the Spokeswoman had backed him
into a corner. He would have to drop the charge of perjury. He was
defeated, but outwardly maintained his calm.
"Spokeswoman, I would imagine, thinking about it, that perjury really is
not relevant in the case of your client. I am convinced that she did not
understand what we were asking of her. It will not be necessary to enter
the interrogation tape into the trial because it simply shows something
that we cannot be sure of anyway. If you wish, I will notify the
prosecutor of our misgiving about the perjury charge."
"Very well, Inspector. I appreciate your understanding about the perjury
issue. If that charge is not included in my client's hearing, I would
agree that showing the interrogation video will not be necessary. There
is something else."
"Yes, Spokeswoman?"
"Perhaps we might agree to minimize the number of switchings my client
will face? I think that, given her sentence will still be 35 years; we
could have her switched once a year? That would still be 34 switchings,
which I think is enough."
"Yes, I would agree, Spokeswoman. That would be plenty. I will discuss
our misgivings with the prosecutor."
"Thank you, Inspector."
As the Inspector turned to talk to the prosecutor, Kim struggled not to
faint and not to scream with joy. She took a deep breath and returned to
her client. She was trembling and trying to control her emotions. Maria
Elena looked at her with concern, while Cecilia whispered:
"What happened?"
"I... I think I'm going to get the perjury charge dropped. If I do, I'll
owe that to your students."
"My students?"
"Yes, your students. Because they're out there, I would�ve forced the
Inspector to play the video where they were interrogating Maria Elena.
He wants to keep that out, because he doesn't want a bunch of protestors
to see what his crew did to her. So, without that video, there's no
proof she committed perjury."
Kim and Cecilia watched as the Inspector and the prosecutor discussed
the matter. They glanced at the Spokeswoman with worried expressions.
The prosecutor then said something unpleasant to the Inspector, before
crossing off several lines from his statement. He glanced up again at
Kim, his expression full of resentment. It was obvious the perjury
charge would indeed have to be dropped. Kim whispered to Cecilia:
"They're really pissed. Essentially I blackmailed them. But I couldn't
have done it without your students. As soon as you can, I need you to
get out there and let 'em know what they've accomplished."
The judge entered the chamber. The entire room shouted "Doc-doc Danube!"
and everyone saluted, including Kim and Cecilia. As instructed, Kim's
client knelt forward and placed her hands on the worn carpet, her
forehead touching the ground. Maria Elena felt the cool air of the
courtroom blowing against her exposed vagina and bottom. She realized
how much she was on display, but after two weeks in Danubia, she
understood that modesty was a privilege that no longer was part of her
life.
The prosecutor read the charges, which included cocaine possession,
cocaine trafficking, and violating the sanctity of her body. Kim signed
with relief, because not included in the list was the perjury charge.
She had scored a significant win against the Inspector.
The trial judge asked Kim in Danubian: "Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna, is
your client properly aware of the charges she is facing and that you are
her representative in this court?"
"Yes, your honor, although with your permission, I'd like to clarify to
her what charges she is, and is not facing."
The prosecutor tightened his lips, because it was obvious his opponent
was referring to dropped perjury accusation.
"Very well, Spokeswoman. Please make that clarification so we can
continue."
Kim told Cecilia to translate what had happened, that the perjury charge
and its resulting 20-year sentence had been dropped. That detail only
heartened Maria Elena slightly, because she still was facing 35 years of
being collared and a bunch of judicial switchings. Still, Kim's
pre-trial victory heightened the prisoner's confidence that her
Spokeswoman really was determined to protect her as much as possible.
The trial judge addressed Kim again:
"Spokeswoman, please tell your client to present herself to the court."
Kim tapped Maria Elena's shoulder and pointed at the platform. The
prisoner approached it and climbed the steps, finding herself standing
about a meter and a half above the ground. Reluctantly she spread her
legs and put her hands behind her head. Four spotlights shined on her
from different directions. She heard the murmurings of the spectators
and saw the flashes of reporters' cameras.
The first portion of the trial was dedicated to presenting the evidence
against Prisoner # 101025. The prosecutor stood before the judge with a
metal cart containing the evidence. The most important item the official
presented was a tray containing 100 grape-sized bluish-gray ovals, the
"pellets" of cocaine that Maria Elena was carrying with her when she was
arrested. The prosecutor called the dog handler to testify how his dog
initially sniffed out the pellets Maria Elena had in her jacket, and
then the head doctor to explain how Maria Elena had the other pellets
concealed inside her body. That detail caused a stir in the courtroom,
because to use one's own body for such a disgusting purpose was totally
offensive to Danubian values.
Other evidence presented during the trial included Maria Elena's cell
phone and the arrest record of El Flaco in Germany. Kim did not contest
anything, because she already had eliminated the evidence that most
would have mattered, the interrogation video. Anyhow, both she and the
Inspector agreed that Maria Elena was much better off having been
arrested in Danubia than she would have been had she continued on to
Germany.
After two hours, Maria Elena's body was starting to cramp badly, and she
wondered how much longer she could stay in her position. Just as the
prisoner felt like she was going to faint, the judge stood up. Suddenly
the Spokeswoman whispered desperately "Maria Elena! Quick! You must
kneel!" The Colombian just made it to the platform on her knees when the
entire room exploded with "Doc-doc Danube!"
Kim ordered her client to step off the platform and passed her a glass
of water. Meanwhile, Cecilia went outside to tell Carmen and the other
students what they had accomplished by demonstrating. They stood up
along with the Priest, wincing as they stretched. Their knees ached and
their muscles were horribly cramped from being immobile for such a long
time. As for their initial unease of being naked in front of the
Courthouse, that concern had passed a long time ago. The loss of their
modesty was overshadowed by their ongoing physical discomfort.
"So far, just by being here, you've managed to cut 20 years off her
sentence. In this country that's a big deal. You really helped
Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna and she wants me to tell you how grateful she
is."
The Americans were relieved. They had accomplished something
significant, so their efforts had not been wasted. Cecilia could tell
that they were happy to be finished and thought they were about to
leave. However, their commitment was far from over.
"Kim and I need you to get back on your knees for the rest of the trial.
The next part is the defense, where the Spokeswoman�s gonna negotiate
her sentence. Right now she's hoping she can get Maria Elena's
switchings cut down to once a year. The Prosecutor wants her to get a
switching every three months. So if you guys leave now, Maria Elena's
still gonna get screwed. Keep at it, because you're making a difference
for her. You really are."
Cecilia briefly summarized what had happened to the Priest in Danubian.
He returned to his knees. Carmen immediately knelt and picked up her
sign. Reluctantly the others followed, trying to ignore the mounting
pain in their knees and the cramps in their legs and backs.
As soon as Cecilia returned to the courtroom to take her place next to
the Spokeswoman, the judge stood up to resume the trial. There was a
loud shout of "Doc-doc Danube!"
Maria Elena scrambled to get into her kneeling position on top of her
platform as the rest of the room saluted the judge. He read over some
procedural issues and then ordered the prisoner to stand. Cecilia
relayed the order in Spanish and she resumed her position on top of the
platform, legs apart and hands behind her head. The judge then called
the Spokesman of the Criminal to speak up on her behalf.
Kim made no attempt refute any of the evidence or allege Maria Elena's
innocence, because that was not her job. There was no question her
client had entered Danubia while transporting a kilogram of cocaine on
behalf of a drug trafficking organization. Her job instead was to point
out mitigating factors. In Maria Elena's case there were several
significant details that Kim was able to present to the court, the most
important of which was the fact that, thanks to the prisoner's
cooperation with the Inspector, her handler had been arrested in
Germany.
As she translated, Cecilia noted that neither Kim nor the Inspector had
any desire to tell the court the real reason Maria Elena had cooperated.
The Inspector was worried about his unit's abuse of the detainee
becoming public record, while the Spokeswoman wanted to portray her
client in a way that would make the court sympathize with her. How
ironic that the opposing sides shared the same goal, but for totally
different reasons.
Cecilia was able to appreciate how difficult and complicated her
friend's job truly was, because she had to use guile and tact to outwit
prosecutors and police officials whose only goal in life was to treat
all criminals as ruthlessly as the law would allow. Kim's job forced her
to be cunning and opportunistic, to look for whatever opportunities she
could find that would help a client avoid the maximum punishment. What
made her position more difficult was that she had to be scrupulously
honest about whether or not she believed that her clients actually did
commit the crimes of which they were accused. Cecilia knew that if Kim
ever attempted to declare a client innocent of a crime while knowing
that person was in fact guilty, she could be put on trial herself for
perjury and possibly executed.
The defense portion of the trial went quickly, since there was no
conflict between how the Inspector and how the Spokeswoman wanted to
treat the prisoner. Finally the judge looked directly at Maria Elena and
asked her a question in Danubian. Cecilia translated:
"They are about to pronounce the sentence. He wants to know if you have
anything to say to the court. If you do, get on your knees before you
speak."
Maria Elena thought for a moment before sinking to her knees. She was
neither educated nor introspective, but she felt that she did have
something to say. Haltingly she tried to express herself in Spanish,
while Cecilia translated and tried to put what she was saying into a
more coherent format. The court heard the following:
"I don't really have a good explanation for what I did or why I did it.
I know it was wrong... and when I was doing it I knew it was wrong. I
guess I'm going to get what I deserved. But I am lucky. I realize I am
lucky, because I didn't know what was really gonna happen to me. I
didn't know that... I wasn't gonna be allowed to leave... that they were
gonna keep me. And my Spokeswoman said to me that I have to ask myself,
why did all those other women end up as... prostitutes... and why didn't
that happen to me... why I was spared... and I don't really know. I
mean... maybe it was so that you could stop them from what they were
doing. But I'm sorry for what I did... I'm sorry for everyone I
disappointed... everyone in my life...�
Cecilia gently cut off Maria Elena's rambling so the trial could end.
She ordered the prisoner to remain kneeling during the reading of the
verdict and sentencing:
"This court finds the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres guilty of
the crimes of cocaine trafficking through the King Vladik International
Airport, possession of one kilogram of pure cocaine in the form of
powder, and violation of the sanctity of her body, an offense against
the gift that the Creator gave to her soul. The conditions of the
Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres' sentence are as follows:"
"Item One: The Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will wear the
criminal's collar for thirty five years. Twenty of those years will be
for bringing a kilogram of cocaine to the King Vladik International
Airport while transporting that drug on behalf of an international
criminal organization. For insulting the sanctity of her body the
Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will wear the criminal's collar
an additional ten years. Finally, for the possession of 1000 grams of
powdered cocaine the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will wear
the criminal's collar an additional five years. The collar will identify
her as a criminal, monitor her movements, and alert the police should
she try to leave this city. For the next ten years the Colombian Maria
Elena Rodriguez-Torres is prohibited from traveling more than 10
kilometers from this courthouse. At no point during her sentence will
the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres be allowed to travel outside
the Dan�bikt M�skt collar zone, unless such moment is deemed necessary
by the government of the Republic of Danubia."
"Item Two: For the duration of her sentence the Colombian Maria Elena
Rodriguez-Torres is prohibited from covering any part of her body with
any article of clothing. That prohibition will remain in effect for the
full 35 years, regardless of any other changes to the conditions of her
sentence. She has disgraced herself and our nation with her actions, and
the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres' disgrace will be shown to
the world as a result of this conviction."
"Item Three: the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres will receive 34
vigorous punishments on the naked buttocks with a standard leather
switch. One of the punishments will be given in this chamber immediately
at the closing of this hearing, the others on the anniversary of this
sentencing in the Central Police Station each year for the duration of
her sentence. The arresting officer or his assigned partner will
administer all punishments."
"Item Four: Finally, Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna will be awarded
full legal custody of the Colombian Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres for the
duration of her sentence. Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna will act on
behalf of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Danubia, and as her
custodian will be held personally responsible for any violations of this
sentence that might be committed by the Colombian Maria Elena
Rodriguez-Torres."
Kim looked up at her client.
"Maria Elena, you are now convicted and sentenced. You need to come down
and kneel at the judge's table."
Once Maria Elena was kneeling on the floor the judge issued another
command. The collar technician walked up to her and put a measuring tape
around her neck. He checked the pulse of her jugular vein and wrote down
the measurement from the tape. He left and shortly returned with the
collar-fitting device, which looked like an enormous pair of salad
tongs. Maria Elena glanced at it in terror.
"That's what they use to put the Ministry collar on you," explained
Cecilia. "It won't hurt."
The technician slipped the imposing tong-device over Maria Elena's head
and closed it around her neck. He checked to make sure it would not
pinch her skin, and then clamped it shut. There was a faint hiss and a
dull click. When the man opened the device and moved it away, Criminal #
101025 had a metal collar around her neck. Maria Elena now was marked as
a convicted criminal by a collar that was virtually indestructible. Like
every other person who had been collared, Maria Elena's hands went
involuntarily to her neck to feel the device that permanently set her
apart from the world of free citizens.
The court attendants were collapsing the prisoner's stand to reveal the
switching table. Maria Elena glanced at it not so much in fear, but in
sad resignation. Over the past two weeks, Kim and Cecilia had told her
how to behave in court and what to expect, so there was no need to
explain now. Kim would release custody of her client to the airport dog
handler, he would punish her and present her to the judge, she would
thank him, and she then would return to the police station to spend a
painful afternoon on the recovery table in Kim's office.
Kim and Cecilia, with Maria Elena kneeling at their side, saluted the
airport officer and his partner. There was the tap of the switch on
Maria Elena's shoulder, which was the cop's recognition that Criminal #
101025 had been handed over to his custody for the duration of her
punishment. The dog handler's partner tapped the criminal on the
shoulder, pointed at the switching table and touched one of the straps,
indicating that she needed to position her hands so she could be
immobilized. Maria Elena reluctantly complied. The female officer
tightened the leather around the criminal's right wrist, then took her
left hand and immobilized her other arm. She tightened a thick strap
around Maria Elena's waist before tapping the insides of her thighs to
force her to spread her legs. The criminal felt the cuffs tighten around
her ankles, forcing her legs to remain spread and completely exposing
her bottom. The cop placed the switch in front of Maria Elena's face to
let her see, close up, the implement with which she would be punished.
That small taunt had the effect he wanted; the criminal began trembling
with fright.
Cecilia whispered in Spanish:
"Maria Elena, a lot of people have sacrificed for you. You need to be
brave and show everyone you have guts and honor. It's gonna be hard, but
you've got to do it."
Maria Elena took a deep breath and nodded, but she couldn't stop from
trembling.
The dog handler exchanged glances with his partner, and then with the
Spokeswoman. He picked up the switch and tapped the implement to Maria
Elena's bottom to let her know where the first stroke was going to land.
He repositioned himself slightly, drew back, and struck hard at the base
of her buttocks. A reddish line appeared and quickly began to darken as
Maria Elena winced and clenched her fists. The pain continued to
mount... and that was just one stroke... the first out of 50. Tears
welled up in her eyes and she continued to tremble, but managed not to
make any noise. Honor... stay silent and defend your honor, she thought
to herself.
The dog handler slashed the switch through the air several times before
tapping Maria Elena's bottom again and striking another vicious blow. A
second line of solid pain marked her exposed bottom, soon to be joined
by a third, a fourth, a fifth. The criminal bit hard on her lip. She
couldn't believe how much the blows hurt, but she managed to stay
silent. For a while she pressed her forehead against the table as she
involuntarily pulled hard against her cuffs. She understood that there
was no way the officer would show her any mercy and no way that either
her Spokeswoman or anyone else could help her. However, as hard as it
might be, she knew that she had to show Kim and Cecilia, as well as her
two tormentors, the courtroom, and most importantly herself, that she
could take a severe punishment would courage and dignity. It had to be
that way, a vital step in her path to personal redemption and to the
beginning of the rest of her life.
The dog handler punished Maria Elena in the normal methodical manner
that was taught at the National Police Academy. He tapped the victim's
bottom to let her know where the next stroke would land, drew back, and
then delivered a fearful blow. He waited for his subject to fully
appreciate the pain from the stroke. After about 40 seconds he tapped
his target and struck again. He slowly worked his way up towards the top
of her bottom leaving it covered with 20 welts. Starting with the 21st
stroke he slowly worked his way back down, trying as best he could to
aim at the unmarked skin between the reddish lines on Maria Elena's
agonized backside. He wanted to leave her bottom a solid mass of evenly
placed welts before moving on to her thighs and shoulders.
Sweat and tears poured down Maria Elena's face as she gasped through her
clenched teeth. Her knees were shaking and her body jerked each time the
switch landed. The punishment was a real judicial whipping, far more
severe than the paddling she had faced in the interrogation room. As the
pain intensified, it forced her mind off of everything else that had
occupied her thoughts over the last several weeks. Her old life had
completely ended. Even as everything else faded in her mind: the blows
drove that point home. Her old life was gone and all she had left was
her future as a Danubian criminal.
The cop continued striking viciously. He carefully laid a series of hard
strokes at the base of Maria Elena's bottom cheeks and then continued
down her thighs. As the painful area extended beyond her bottom, Maria
Elena couldn't resist any longer. At the 28th stroke she let out a cry
and began sobbing, totally humiliated that she had not been able to stay
silent after-all. Kim and Cecilia exchanged looks. She still had 22
strokes and 30 minutes of punishment to go. As the cop continued to land
blows on the criminal's legs she sobbed, but managed to avoid screaming.
As the welts swelled and darkened, the Spokeswoman carefully watched the
final portion of the punishment. It was her duty to make sure the cop
did not come close to breaking her client's skin, and if she felt that
the criminal was in any danger she could order him to strike another
part of her body. At the 43rd stoke Kim raised her hand and pointed at
the Colombian's exposed back. The cop would have to finish by laying
blows across his victim's shoulders to spare her badly swollen bottom.
She screamed pitifully as each of the final blows landed.
Nearly an hour after the punishment began, the cop struck for the 50th
time and Kim was able to raise her hand. It was the Spokesperson's job,
not the cop's job, to make sure the switching did not go beyond 50
strokes. Maria Elena's body was jerking with sobs and her bottom was
deep red, with a series of dark purple lines punctuating where the dog
handler had landed his final blows before moving on to her shoulders.
Seven solid reddish stripes crossed her upper back.
Kim and the cop saluted each other as the man's partner began unbuckling
the broken prisoner. In spite of what she thought about her own
resistance, Maria Elena had held up fairly well. She wasn't the bravest
criminal Kim had ever defended, but at least she had not dishonored
herself either. Once the straps were completely unbuckled, she struggled
to get off the table. The pain seemed to be getting worse, not better,
even though the punishment was completed. In spite of what everyone had
warned her, she couldn't believe how much the switching actually hurt.
Her legs trembled and barely supported her weight as she struggled to
get up. She was unsteady while standing, but the dog handler and his
partner grabbed her arms, walked her over to the judge, and turned her
around. The judge counted the strokes to make sure she had been struck
50 times before signing the punishment certificate. Once he stamped that
document, the two cops led the still-crying criminal to Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna.
Cecilia translated:
"OK, that's it. All you gotta do is get on your knees and thank the
officer. Just kiss his shoes and say 'thank you for correcting my evil
behavior'."
Maria Elena clumsily got on her knees and between sobs repeated the
required sentence in Spanish, which Cecilia translated for the court.
The cop touched Maria Elena on the shoulder with his switch and saluted
Kim. The Spokeswoman saluted back, and with that formal custody of
Criminal # 101025 was transferred back to her.
With her client slumped on her knees at her feet, the Spokeswoman
saluted the judge. He asked if Criminal # 101025 had gainful employment
that exposed her body to public view. Kim responded that she did,
explaining about the gardening position at the university. The judge was
satisfied and stamped another document verifying that Maria Elena
already was working.
There was one final indignity waiting for Maria Elena at the Courthouse,
one that was a final ritual of her trial and conviction. Immediately
following her switching, Criminal # 101025 had to pose for a series of
photos for her official sentencing certificate. The certificate included
two photos of her teary face, now complete with her permanent collar,
and three shots of her body, with the evidence of her switching on
prominent display. Sadly she turned around for the camera, knowing that
the welts on her body would be forever part of her official criminal
record.
----------
A few minutes later Criminal # 101025 exited the Central Courthouse with
her Spokeswoman and translator. Kim held her arm as she struggled to get
down the stairs, but informed her that she would need to walk across the
plaza unassisted.
She passed 13 naked kneeling classmates, who looked at her injured
backside in horror. The Americans were not allowed to say anything,
because they had been instructed that to maintain the dignity of their
solidarity they needed to remain silent. As soon as she crossed the
plaza they would be allowed to stand up, after nearly four hours of
kneeling. However, they would have to accompany the Priest to the Temple
of the Ancients and go through the purification ritual to begin formal
Public Penance. The physical agony of kneeling in silence had ended, but
their commitment to Criminal # 101025 had only begun.
Maria Elena made her way across the plaza towards the Central Police
Station, a journey made by every criminal following trial and
conviction. It was a long, agonizing trip that exposed her punished body
to hundreds of ordinary people running about. A recently convicted and
punished criminal always drew a lot of attention, so most of the people
in the plaza stood still to watch as the injured woman made her way to
the police station. Kim and Cecilia gave their assistance to help Maria
Elena get up the steps to the entrance, and again assisted her as she
made her way up the steps leading to the third floor and the
Spokeswoman's office.
Merchant Victor Dukov was waiting for Criminal # 101025. Exhausted and
traumatized she fell into his arms. She began crying again, as he did
what he needed to do, hold her and not say anything. He gently helped
her get on a recovery table and continued holding her hand as she lay on
her stomach. Victor continued massaging his lover's hand as she quietly
cried on the table. After a long time she finally fell asleep, happy
that he was with her.
As they waited for Maria Elena to go to sleep, Kim and Cecilia stood in
silence, enormously relieved that the trial and punishment had ended.
Finally Kim commented:
"Go check on your students. And make sure they know that I am grateful
for what they did for her. Because of what they did, I got 20 years cut
off her sentence and her switchings reduced by two thirds, if not more.
Make sure they realize they made a difference, and that I am honored to
have them in this country."
Cecilia nodded and left the police station. As she entered the Central
Plaza, she realized that in one day 13 of her students had learned more
about what it meant to have honor in Danubia than she could have taught
them in an entire semester.
Chapter 12
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