MoM vs. James Roland

Khaat paused for a moment before deciding her words.

"Valid questions, Mr. Potter, ones that deserve answers. I agree with you. Every one of them. However, they are not here, and as such, the persons you refer to are not participants in this trial. We can pursue that matter if you would like to do so, but that is not a matter during the trial of Mr. Roland. He deserves our complete attention. That is what we are called here to do.

"If you want to discuss others, then perhaps we need to call a recess in order to reconvene when those procedural matters have been resolved. Are you willing to make such a motion?"

Jess shook his head, coughed once, then launched back onto the attack. "Quite the contrary Khaat, Ms Lupin. I find it a highly relevant matter to Mr. Roland's case, for how can we possibly hope to deliver a just sentence for the crimes he has committed, when ignoring the sentencing of the same crime? Justice cannot *Cough* be delivered if the law stands for one person, and differently for another," He argued, standing there for a few more seconds, trying to maintain an impressive silence, before bursting out in coughs again

"I do understand your arguement, Mr. Potter," she said. "But, in short, you were not as privy to Ministry information during those days as you believed you were. The 'everybody's-doing-it' argument, I find, has little place in real life, and even less of a place in a court of law. If you want to establish precidence here, then I have no issue wih it, if you can still do so in the face of the facts that you do not have.

"You will find you have very weak arguments if you jump the proverbial gun and point fingers at people you suppose to be part of this without having all your facts straight. I can't caution you strongly enough to investigate first before you bring your so-called evidence in here. Superficial circumstances won't serve you here."

Jack looked between Khaat and Jess for awhile, listening to each argument. She had equal respect for both, so she really did not want to come between them. However, it was a good argument that was being stated and she could not ignore her duty. She cleared her throat. "If I may. Aren't rulings in court decided based on set precendents, the way cases before have played out. I think the case of Mr Elldir is pivotal here, really. I'd like that recess to discuss what happened. We may not have been provy to Ministry information then, but should we not use it and discuss it now?"

Jess opened his mouth to reply.... and coughed, rather violently too, allowing Jack to get her foot in, and allowing her to give an almost identical response to the one he was planning on giving, before finally chewing on the lolly he'd popped in his mouth and feeling almost instant relief - funny how biting it could have that effect.

He couldn't help but feel a little bit stung though, there had been a rough patch between he and the lupins, but by the time amends were made between the Ministry and Thaor, he'd believed their quarells had been resolved. However, she was wrong, he remembered it clearly - kneeling beside the door and listening in on the conversation between Thaor, before entering and listening to the explanation from the Minister about how his friendships meant more than the law he was sworn to uphold.

"I would beg you to rethink that statement Ms. Lupin," he said, his voice flat and cold. "For I was not only privvy to the decision to pardon Mr. Elldir, I was there when it was made, and you were not. So, if you wish to take this recess, do so now, otherwise I am more than happy to air this before the court for all to hear," he said.

He hadn't been able to help it, he wasn't trying to attack Khaat in any way when he'd stood up, but when she had tried to imply that he had little to do with the goings on of the Ministry, it poked the wrong button inside of him.

Jack had no idea what Jess was referring too, which was sort of the point of the information he was alluding to she supposed. She again found her head moving as though she were watching a tennis game, or a really fast paced chess match, looking between Jess to catch his words, and Khaat to catch her response. She did not want to come between, but she wanted to know what was going on.

After Jess spoke, Jack realized Khaat might really want some help. Perhaps a recess would be the preferable option for her. Jack did owe Khaat a lot- she had saved herself and Vito after all, once in a nightmare. Jack raised her hand (she forgot the protocol Khaat had versed her in) and said, "I motion to call a brief recess."

Jess glanced up at Jack and nodded, thankful for her input. "I second the motion," he stated simply, walking back to his position on the bench and gathering his belongings before looking up at Khaat, waiting to see what would happen next

Jack looked at Khaat, giving her a look that she hoped convey her intentions. She did not intend on cornering Khaat, she was hoping that this motion would give her some relief. She kept her expression open and honest, turning it away from Roland. This was, after all, for his benefit, so she did not think any extra courtesies needed be afforded to him. She was worried, now, about Khaat's reaction and how she might take this. Jack did not need a friend of Michael's upset with her.

Khaat was angry. She worked a bit harder now to keep the stonefaced look plastered to her face and to keep her tone as patient and calm as she knew how. What the hell was wrong with Jess? When had he taken such a bloody love for James Roland's missteps? It wasn't that long ago that he had also realized the power of the lies Roland had been telling. And when had any authority in history captured all the members of an insurection all in one fell swoop? Did he think that by trying one, they weren't going after the others?

Perhaps Potter needed a brain transplant because his seemed to have left him. But if the oh so squeaky clean Potter was snuggling up to Roland, as it so seemed, then she was going to lose respect for Potter fast. If Jess wanted to play hardball, then as far as she was concerned, they could play. Here and now. She had rethought the idea of a recess. She looked at Brian.

"Mr. Quinn," she said, drawing out a parchment form and signing it with her quill. She floated it to Brian. "Be so good as to deliver this to the Minister. I shall let him answer these questions for us himself." This was all nonsense and she knew it, but her thought was that if Jess wanted to duke it out with her father, so be it. Brian merely nodded compliance and left. Then she looked at the aurors.

"Please escort Mr. Roland to the holding cells. This court is in recess," she announced.

Jess frowned and approached the bench, not caring what whether his fellows joined him or not. "What's the problem?" He asked, staring intently at Khaat. "You pardoned one man for the exact same crime, you pardon this man, there is no case, surely you can recognise this?" He asked, wondering what on earth had got into Khaat's head.