(no subject)
Very early that morning, Chao comes to Simon's cell and drops off a bag along with breakfast. In the bag: a suit. The shoes are a little too small.
Next is River's cell. Chao looks at her for a minute, and sighs, and says, "Katy Mokhtarian." And leaves to find her, and five other female guards. It takes him a minute to round them up, but -- he's not going to make sure the kid gets dressed. And while Chao himself wouldn't mind stripping in front of five women -- in fact, he'd love it -- he figures River Tam might feel a little differently about changing in front of five men.
After breakfast, Simon is brought to River's cell. He's the one who gets to deal with brushing her hair. Maybe it's against regulation. But as Chao puts it to Simon as they go down the corridor, if there's anybody who understands the need to be pretty, it's the military.
***
Reuben Finnegan stands beside River in his barrister's robes, though he's left off the wig. On River's other side is Simon. There are guards before and behind. Finnegan is unruffled.
The doors before them open onto a courtroom. The judge's bench is empty; the gallery is full -- cameras, reporters. A slight murmur runs through the room. The guards before them lead them into the room and gesture to the table and two chairs on the left. Finnegan places a hand on River's shoulder briefly, and asks Simon to take the seat on the end. River is settled into the middle chair. Finnegan himself takes the seat closest to the aisle.
A few minutes later, the prosecution enters; two men in barrister's robes and wigs. They nod to Finnegan, who returns the gesture, before sitting.
Finnegan steeples his fingers.
And ten minutes later:
"Oyez, oyez, all rise."
The judge enters from chambers -- a man with wire-rim spectacles and thinning white hair; Judge Curtis Maybach of Bernadette -- and is seated.
And says:
"This hearing will now come to order. Prosecution. You may proceed outlining the evidence."
Next is River's cell. Chao looks at her for a minute, and sighs, and says, "Katy Mokhtarian." And leaves to find her, and five other female guards. It takes him a minute to round them up, but -- he's not going to make sure the kid gets dressed. And while Chao himself wouldn't mind stripping in front of five women -- in fact, he'd love it -- he figures River Tam might feel a little differently about changing in front of five men.
After breakfast, Simon is brought to River's cell. He's the one who gets to deal with brushing her hair. Maybe it's against regulation. But as Chao puts it to Simon as they go down the corridor, if there's anybody who understands the need to be pretty, it's the military.
***
Reuben Finnegan stands beside River in his barrister's robes, though he's left off the wig. On River's other side is Simon. There are guards before and behind. Finnegan is unruffled.
The doors before them open onto a courtroom. The judge's bench is empty; the gallery is full -- cameras, reporters. A slight murmur runs through the room. The guards before them lead them into the room and gesture to the table and two chairs on the left. Finnegan places a hand on River's shoulder briefly, and asks Simon to take the seat on the end. River is settled into the middle chair. Finnegan himself takes the seat closest to the aisle.
A few minutes later, the prosecution enters; two men in barrister's robes and wigs. They nod to Finnegan, who returns the gesture, before sitting.
Finnegan steeples his fingers.
And ten minutes later:
"Oyez, oyez, all rise."
The judge enters from chambers -- a man with wire-rim spectacles and thinning white hair; Judge Curtis Maybach of Bernadette -- and is seated.
And says:
"This hearing will now come to order. Prosecution. You may proceed outlining the evidence."