The Court Martial of Chijin:

[Kubotan]

Konnichiwa, Sen'shi Kyokutei here on the transmission again.

I would like to protest against Mr. Malaclypse's statement that a resignment from Chujo Chijin would be the optimal "punishment" if I would be allowed to call it that. Chujo Chijin did not only perform exceptionally well in regards to the circumstances at the scene but is also an Admiral of the Kusari Naval Forces, it requires alot of skill, knowledge and unquestionable loyalty to reach such a rank. Therefore a need for a resignment from our beloved Admiral is an outrageous solution to the incident and that you are even willing to go so far as attempting to "hire" a honorable Admiral is a complete utter insult to our Empire and its Samurais.

Sincerely - Sen'shi Kyokutei, Black Dragon Society.

[Quorg]

Although the notice of jury duty was surprising to Desert, given that he was gaijin, albeit under Kusari employment, there was little choice but to make the trip to New Tokyo.

Upon examining the evidence, he cast his vote and made the following statement:

The gaijin trader was clearly in violation of Kusari law, and thus the destruction of his ship was certainly justified.

However, special circumstances require special consideration, and Admiral Chijin demonstrated a lack of forethought in his decision to destroy the vessel. I find his sincerity regarding the lives of those hold prisoner aboard the vessel to be questionable at best; a man of his experience was surely aware that destroying the ship would immediately kill the vast majority of those very same people whom he claimed to care for. It does make one wonder whether it is that same desire to make hasty decisions to kill criminals that brought Chijin-san to his current rank.
Even considering the possibility that they would have all died had the atmospheric re-entry been allowed to proceed, it is not anybody's place to make the decision to kill any innocent civilians who could have even been his fellow Kusaris.
Further compounding the problem is the fact that he acted without permission from the KSP, which was present and has primary jurisdiction with regards to such matters. Such disregard and disrespect for the Police is likely a cause for the low rate of recruitment for the KSP. Additionally, it is clearly against KNF standard operating procedures to use Capital Ships to chase and destroy individual smugglers.
However, hindsight is 20/20, and in the heat of the moment, especially when lives are at stake, the guiding compass of morality can be difficult to abide by. His intentions, although perhaps questionable, were clearly not malicious nor treasonous, which precludes execution and imprisonment as punishments for his action.
It is on this note and with a heavy heart that I recommend his discharge from the Kusari Naval Forces. Whether he chooses to take his own life will be his own decision.

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ATTENTION SMUGGLERS
The Midnight Express: A Slaver <strike>who doesn't completely realize what he's doing.</strike> (video)

Quorg, you're officially a moron.

...mongs like Quorg being like a malignant little cancer...

Way to be useless, Quorg.

[Col_Lodden]

Incoming Message ID: Takata Ran
Subject: Admiral Chujo Chijin - Trial at Jury

Konnichiwa Brothers and Cousins,

I feel it pertinent to comment here as a witness to the incident.

This whole episode happened over the course of a considerable period of time during which the ship with no registered ID and the Slaver were clearly employing delaying tactics, with both of them blatantly flaunting Kusari laws and ethics.

In the end, after much discussion and procrastination by these two pilots, the slaver chose to either run, as appeared to me, or attempt to enter New Tokyo's atmosphere, this was a bit difficult to tell as his navigation skills seemed to leave a lot to be desired. Either way, a bad choice in any decent pilots book and one which sealed his fate.

The slavers blather about 2 mill credits donation and excuses for his friends lack of paperwork over the extended period of the afffair seemed to me to be most likely to be a decoy and a smoke screen concocted to draw in Kusari resources as a distraction from other illegal activities in the System.

I think the Admiral's decision to curtail the incident in the most expedient way, whilst minimising loss of life in order to release resources to police the rest of Kusari was exemplary. Yes, a difficult decision, but the right one.

Completely Exonerated

Takata Ran

Black Dragons

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[LoTeK_]

If we were to let every lost soul with suicidal tendencies we may run into, to attempt to dock a planet without using the docking ring, we would have all our beatiful planets and gardens being living junktowns.
It seem a quite popular tendency nowadays, very disrespecful on every sense, if you let me.

Sensor recordings and trajectories calculators states that the slaver vessel with counterfait transponder was in collision route with the planet, no-return point passed.
Chūjō Chijin saved 1200 lives, he did not killed the other 3000.

The Kusari Naval Forces High Command hereby declare Chūjō Chijin "cleared of all charges and accusations".
Personally, I will recommend him to the Emperor for a medal.

Signed,

[Ophiuchi]

To: Sulu, Taicho, KNF, and Officers of the Court
Comm ID: Chijin, Chujo

Sensei.. your Honors,

I have always acted in the manner I thought best for the People of Kusari, the Emperor, and the Naval Forces.

I am grateful for the opportunity to return to duty, amongst my fellow warriors.

However, I fear that this incident has proven something to me. The years have taken their toll upon this old Fool. My reflexes, responses, battle skills and judgement are not as honed as they once were. I cannot match the prowess and agility of even the newest Shoi recruit.

Perhaps the incident at New Tokyo might have had a better outcome, had I let younger and cooler heads prevail. I dare not let those same young warriors be put in jeapordy by my actions, or failure to act, in the heat of pitched battle.

I therefore request immediate reassignment of myself, and my flagship the Chujo.Chijin, to Command of the Naval Guard in Hiroshima system. I have spoken with my Officers aboard the C.C., and we are in accord.

More and more of our Naval resources are being diverted from the Taus to respond to almost daily incursions into Hiroshima. Our honorable State Police can not be expected to perform the duties of Naval forces. They have their hands full with pirates and smugglers.

I feel that I can serve the Emperor best in an environment where my focus and duties will be limited, yet unimpeded by the clamor of pitched battle, the niceties of escorting intruders to our borders, or of offending our Police or friends through impulsive actions. These "distractions" are not present in Hiroshima. Actions there are simpler in scope, and swiftness of action is preferrable to forethought and negotiation.

If the Admiralty approves my request, I promise to place all my energies and ship's resources to secure Hiroshima from these gaijin smugglers and careless intruders. I will assist and support our newer pilots and recruits, see that KNF Guard patrols are increased, and make myself availabe at the slightest hint of trespassers. I will do this swiftly, thoroughly, and finally.

I await your orders, Taicho.

Humbly,

//signed

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<span style="color:#339999">Reg Waverly * Moira &quot;Kentigearan&quot; Waverly * Fnordette Sophie Noir</span>



<span style="color:#66CCCC">Sophie's on the Square * Veranda Incognita</span>