The elevator doors opened, Katie stepping out the moment she had enough space. “He woke up five minutes ago,” said the officer waiting for her. She walked straight past, and he turned to follow. “He was surprised to be tied down for about five seconds, then he just… calmed down. Stopped struggling, didn’t even look around. Then he asked for you.”
“For me?” she asked as another guard unlocked an armoured door.
“Not by name,” he admitted. “But he asked for the Sheriff.”
Katie nodded. “So, he remembers where he is. “That’s something I suppose.” Walking through one last door, she stepped into what looked a lot like a hospital ward, although with everything bolted down and the cabinets armored. At the other end of the relatively small room, the Professor was strapped into a reinforced hospital bed, his eyes locked on a fixed point on the ceiling. “Good afternoon Professor,” she said calmly. “I’m Katie Roberts, Sheriff of Serenity Valley.”
“Sheriff,” the man replied, his voice shockingly calm. “I realise there’s a lot going on, but could you at least untie me?” he asked. Raising his head, he met her eyes and said with a wry smile, “I promise to try and behave, but being restrained like this is something of an allergic reaction for me.”
Eyes narrowing, the vixen considered him thoughtfully, then glanced at the deputy. “Untie him.” He darted forward, fumbling with the straps, while Katie met the Professor's eyes again. “Do you know why you’re here?” she asked.
“Not entirely,” he admitted. “I do remember the Serenity militia being around before I fell asleep, although I’m not really sure why.” Sitting up, he rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Did it have something to do with that odd fellow who was interfering in my research?” Climbing off the bed, he scowled. “Do you know who that man was? I need to file a complaint regarding his disrespectful and rude behaviour-”
Katie cut him off with the wave of her hand. “Professor, this isn’t Hades station. This is Serenity Valley. We have no laws that demand your research have priority above the well being and health of our citizens.” She suppressed a smirk at the man's mildly baffled expression. “However, we do have laws regarding trespassing, assault and attempted murder.” Eyes widening, the Professor tried to speak, but the Sheriff continued on before he could get a word out. “Captain Wood had rented that docking bay, and he had the legal right to refuse entry. You and your assistant responded with lethal force from the word go. It ended with a sentient droid losing a limb, and Captain Wood nearly dying from a chest wound that your minion caused.” Stepping closer, she glared up at the man, utterly failing to be intimidated by being nearly a foot shorter than he was. In fact, she used the opportunity to poke him hard in the chest, forcing him to back up slightly. “So to be honest, I don’t give a slightest damn about your research right now,” she snapped.
Blinking, the Professor looked down at her. “That man I performed an emergency biomod on?” he asked, eyes widening. “Miyu did that? Why did she do that? Wait, where is he?” he said suddenly. “I need to perform a full medical examination to document any changes the new strain caused-” He paused suddenly, shaking his head. “Right, sorry. I know you’re not in the mood for Science right now,” he apologised. “I get distracted there sometimes.” Closing his eyes, he took a breath.
“Sometimes?” one of the guards muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.
Eyes snapping open, the Professor pinned the man in place with a shockingly intense glare. “Do not mock what you can not understand Corporal,” the Professor warned. “Science, discovery, understanding. They are the core of my being, the embodiment of my soul. I dedicated my life to that eternal quest, and in doing so, I changed the world.” He stepped forward, his eyes still locked on the guards own. “I will not have it dismissed by a thug whose only purpose in life is to point a gun-” He paused, glancing at the reflection in the cabinet behind the guard, and turned slowly.
While he had been distracted, the Sheriff had opened up her duster, and now her left hand rested on the grip of one of the guns on her belt. “I suggest you step back Professor, or I will show you just how well I can point a gun,” she warned him, her voice level.
Meeting her eyes for a moment, the Professor considered her, then nodded slightly and stepped back towards the bed. “My apologies Sheriff,” he said quietly. “I meant no harm, I was just… offended.”
“You might want to get used to that,” Katie warned him, hand moving away from her sidearm. “There are a lot of people unhappy with you right now. Not just in Serenity Valley either. More than a few stations have already banned you, and your entire collection of minions, from their space. And I’m pretty sure some of them would be happy to back that up by kicking you out an airlock.” His eyes widened as he processed this, and she nodded in satisfaction. “Since you seemed unable to process it yesterday when there was a ship grade coilgun aimed at you, allow me to make it clear. You have been arrested and charged with criminal trespass, assault with a deadly weapon, destruction of public property and harassment. The decision was made for your trial to be delayed until you woke up. Now that you’ve done so, Mayor Reilly will schedule the trial, most likely for later this week.”
“Later this week?” the Professor managed. “But I-” he cut himself off, shaking his head, then nodded slightly. “I understand,” he said, his tone much calmer than he usually managed.
“The mayor has requested a physiological evaluation, in order to determine if you are fit to stand trial, and to help determine what actions will be taken in the event of a guilty verdict,” the Sheriff continued, watching the Professor’s expression shift as he considered her words. It seemed there was some truth to the stories that his instabilities were directly linked to his time awake, as it appeared his eccentric tendencies were almost completely suppressed. “That will take place later today. Your assistant, Miss Asakura, is currently attempting to find you a lawyer. Should she prove unsuccessful, one will be provided by the local government.” The Professor nodded, his shoulders slumping as understanding sunk in. “In the meantime, for both your safety and the safety of others, you will have to remain here. Do you understand?”
Slowly, almost reluctantly, he nodded. “I understand Sheriff. I will do my best to restrain myself.” Nodding in faint satisfaction, Katie turned and walked back towards the door. “Sheriff?” Pausing, the vixen turned back towards him. “What about Miyu? Is she alright?” he asked, concern in his eyes.
Looking at him for a moment, Katie took pity on the man. “Her injuries were relatively minor. TeeSeven-Oh-One shot her, but the bullet only damaged her skin layer and glanced off the frame underneath. The wound has already been treated, and shouldn’t leave a scar. As for her legal situation, her charges are much the same as yours… with an addition of lethal force resulting in biomod,” she noted, barely keeping the growl out of her voice. The Professor flinched slightly as he considered that. “Ryoko is looking for a lawyer for her too… but she’s having a harder time of it. Running someone through on system wide television tends to do that.”
That last sentence made the Professor back up slightly, his brain working through the information. After a moment, he shook his head sadly. “Thank you Sheriff… and I’m sorry for all of this. I just…” he shrugged, looking up at her again. “I was just checking up on an old experiment.”
“Did it ever occur to you,” Katie replied, “that the Friez never asked for what you did to them? Or that they don’t want to be part of your experiments?” His expression shifted, confusion settling in, and she smiled sadly. “Think about that for a while.”
“For me?” she asked as another guard unlocked an armoured door.
“Not by name,” he admitted. “But he asked for the Sheriff.”
Katie nodded. “So, he remembers where he is. “That’s something I suppose.” Walking through one last door, she stepped into what looked a lot like a hospital ward, although with everything bolted down and the cabinets armored. At the other end of the relatively small room, the Professor was strapped into a reinforced hospital bed, his eyes locked on a fixed point on the ceiling. “Good afternoon Professor,” she said calmly. “I’m Katie Roberts, Sheriff of Serenity Valley.”
“Sheriff,” the man replied, his voice shockingly calm. “I realise there’s a lot going on, but could you at least untie me?” he asked. Raising his head, he met her eyes and said with a wry smile, “I promise to try and behave, but being restrained like this is something of an allergic reaction for me.”
Eyes narrowing, the vixen considered him thoughtfully, then glanced at the deputy. “Untie him.” He darted forward, fumbling with the straps, while Katie met the Professor's eyes again. “Do you know why you’re here?” she asked.
“Not entirely,” he admitted. “I do remember the Serenity militia being around before I fell asleep, although I’m not really sure why.” Sitting up, he rubbed at his chin thoughtfully. “Did it have something to do with that odd fellow who was interfering in my research?” Climbing off the bed, he scowled. “Do you know who that man was? I need to file a complaint regarding his disrespectful and rude behaviour-”
Katie cut him off with the wave of her hand. “Professor, this isn’t Hades station. This is Serenity Valley. We have no laws that demand your research have priority above the well being and health of our citizens.” She suppressed a smirk at the man's mildly baffled expression. “However, we do have laws regarding trespassing, assault and attempted murder.” Eyes widening, the Professor tried to speak, but the Sheriff continued on before he could get a word out. “Captain Wood had rented that docking bay, and he had the legal right to refuse entry. You and your assistant responded with lethal force from the word go. It ended with a sentient droid losing a limb, and Captain Wood nearly dying from a chest wound that your minion caused.” Stepping closer, she glared up at the man, utterly failing to be intimidated by being nearly a foot shorter than he was. In fact, she used the opportunity to poke him hard in the chest, forcing him to back up slightly. “So to be honest, I don’t give a slightest damn about your research right now,” she snapped.
Blinking, the Professor looked down at her. “That man I performed an emergency biomod on?” he asked, eyes widening. “Miyu did that? Why did she do that? Wait, where is he?” he said suddenly. “I need to perform a full medical examination to document any changes the new strain caused-” He paused suddenly, shaking his head. “Right, sorry. I know you’re not in the mood for Science right now,” he apologised. “I get distracted there sometimes.” Closing his eyes, he took a breath.
“Sometimes?” one of the guards muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes.
Eyes snapping open, the Professor pinned the man in place with a shockingly intense glare. “Do not mock what you can not understand Corporal,” the Professor warned. “Science, discovery, understanding. They are the core of my being, the embodiment of my soul. I dedicated my life to that eternal quest, and in doing so, I changed the world.” He stepped forward, his eyes still locked on the guards own. “I will not have it dismissed by a thug whose only purpose in life is to point a gun-” He paused, glancing at the reflection in the cabinet behind the guard, and turned slowly.
While he had been distracted, the Sheriff had opened up her duster, and now her left hand rested on the grip of one of the guns on her belt. “I suggest you step back Professor, or I will show you just how well I can point a gun,” she warned him, her voice level.
Meeting her eyes for a moment, the Professor considered her, then nodded slightly and stepped back towards the bed. “My apologies Sheriff,” he said quietly. “I meant no harm, I was just… offended.”
“You might want to get used to that,” Katie warned him, hand moving away from her sidearm. “There are a lot of people unhappy with you right now. Not just in Serenity Valley either. More than a few stations have already banned you, and your entire collection of minions, from their space. And I’m pretty sure some of them would be happy to back that up by kicking you out an airlock.” His eyes widened as he processed this, and she nodded in satisfaction. “Since you seemed unable to process it yesterday when there was a ship grade coilgun aimed at you, allow me to make it clear. You have been arrested and charged with criminal trespass, assault with a deadly weapon, destruction of public property and harassment. The decision was made for your trial to be delayed until you woke up. Now that you’ve done so, Mayor Reilly will schedule the trial, most likely for later this week.”
“Later this week?” the Professor managed. “But I-” he cut himself off, shaking his head, then nodded slightly. “I understand,” he said, his tone much calmer than he usually managed.
“The mayor has requested a physiological evaluation, in order to determine if you are fit to stand trial, and to help determine what actions will be taken in the event of a guilty verdict,” the Sheriff continued, watching the Professor’s expression shift as he considered her words. It seemed there was some truth to the stories that his instabilities were directly linked to his time awake, as it appeared his eccentric tendencies were almost completely suppressed. “That will take place later today. Your assistant, Miss Asakura, is currently attempting to find you a lawyer. Should she prove unsuccessful, one will be provided by the local government.” The Professor nodded, his shoulders slumping as understanding sunk in. “In the meantime, for both your safety and the safety of others, you will have to remain here. Do you understand?”
Slowly, almost reluctantly, he nodded. “I understand Sheriff. I will do my best to restrain myself.” Nodding in faint satisfaction, Katie turned and walked back towards the door. “Sheriff?” Pausing, the vixen turned back towards him. “What about Miyu? Is she alright?” he asked, concern in his eyes.
Looking at him for a moment, Katie took pity on the man. “Her injuries were relatively minor. TeeSeven-Oh-One shot her, but the bullet only damaged her skin layer and glanced off the frame underneath. The wound has already been treated, and shouldn’t leave a scar. As for her legal situation, her charges are much the same as yours… with an addition of lethal force resulting in biomod,” she noted, barely keeping the growl out of her voice. The Professor flinched slightly as he considered that. “Ryoko is looking for a lawyer for her too… but she’s having a harder time of it. Running someone through on system wide television tends to do that.”
That last sentence made the Professor back up slightly, his brain working through the information. After a moment, he shook his head sadly. “Thank you Sheriff… and I’m sorry for all of this. I just…” he shrugged, looking up at her again. “I was just checking up on an old experiment.”
“Did it ever occur to you,” Katie replied, “that the Friez never asked for what you did to them? Or that they don’t want to be part of your experiments?” His expression shifted, confusion settling in, and she smiled sadly. “Think about that for a while.”