The Diet: Part two

The National Diet Building. Councilors Recess Chambers. Six Hours later.

Six hours. Six hours of dogmatic bullshittery. Juzo had a very bad headage as he took some Tylenol and finish the third bottle of water. It should have been easy. All of the evidence was there and the testimonies from the U.S. Navy were not only credible but there was video evidence to go along with the testimonies. However, the lawyer that was representing the two accused was being an ass. Everyone knew it but every point the prosecution brought up to allow the Americans to due a tribunal at sea, which everyone in the room knew, the defense had something that went against it in both the old and new constitution. Juzo had a pretty good idea about who was paying the guy, as he saw that the defense lawyer kept his motions away from the side of the room that the Hiimejima's clan leader and also their own representative was seated. He was sure that everyone else also thought it as well as many of the 12 clan heads were talking, quietly but talking just the same. They knew the implications of this meeting and while they were told to stay out of this one because of the aforementioned reasons did not mean that they did not have their hands in it.

Carla watched from the sidelines as her heart wrenched in pain. She never like these meetings because of what they did to her lover's heart. He lost his father in the war and vowed to change his country through democracy. But just like the devils in the underworld, the Japanese Government had its own share of old-timers that wanted to keep things the same, and the Himejima was one of them. Carla watched as he passed back and forth, wishing there was a way to help him, to give him comfort to his aching heart; but there was nothing she could do. Since they were in a common room used for these long ass meetings, anyone could walk in and that would not help anybody.

After some time to calm down, Juzo looked at Carla as he said, "Sorry you have to see me like this. It is just so frustrating." Carla nodded her head as she felt frustrated. Thankfully, the Himejima as well as their representative, were not in the room or it could have gotten ugly really fast. As the two thought and thought of a way to end the deadlock, the prosecutor, a Navel JAG officer by the name of Harmon "Harm" Rabb Jr, entered the room caring with him two large and heavy books. One was the old constitution that had ruled the Japanese government for years while the other was the newer constitution created after the American Occupation of Japan ended in 1952.

"Excuse me, sir, Mr. Hydoudou current?" Harm asked as he placed the two books on a table. "Yes, what is it?" asked Juzo as he turned to look at the man. He was in his late 40s and from the Officer's Insignia on his shoulders and sleeve, he had the rank of Captain. Opening the two books to a page marked in them respectively, Harm said, "My Japanese is a little rusty. And seeing that you were a military man I was wondering if you could translate these two paragraphs for me." "sure. I can help. Which ones do you need to be translated?" Juzo answered as Harm pointed to a large paragraph in the older book and a smaller, but substantial paragraph in the newer book.

After a pieoed of ten minutes, Juzo finished the old translation. It was written in the old characters of the Japanese writing style. Taking a minute to read it over to make sure it would make sense Juzo eye's opened wide at the relation with what he was reading. Seeing his reaction, Harm asked, "It is what I think it was?" Nodding his head, Harm told him that he was looking for something to fully make it a crime, not a Japanese matter.

Within the paragraph in the older text was a law that stated that if a leading clan disowned a leading member of that house then after a set amount of time that house and or clan had no longer the ability to keep the family member in the house, any or all information that the person disowned did not want the family to have, and the most damaging of all; If any attack was made to the disowned family member or any person connected to or hiding said person was a crime punishable by death. What was even worse is that if the attack involves a person or identity of another nation, then the person or group that initiated the attack lost all rights of citizenship, and the ruling body at the time must give full authority to the party that got forced into the conflict.

Since the party in question was the U.S. Navy, no one would think twice to challenge the evidence that the Navy had on hand. Juzo smiled at this revelation and as he looked at the man in front of him he said, "I was such a fool. I could have stopped this before it even began. I must tell…" "Woow there Mr. hyoudou. It said that the ruling document would set the time limit, right? I need the time-limited expiration date in order to use this against them. That is why I need this." Pointing to the newer book, "To have this one translated." Nodding, Juzo started the translation when Carla came back in, telling the two that the Diet was assembling again to make a final motion. Juzo looked up as he finished writing and told Her to get Shuri there as fast as she can.

Handing Harm the pieces of paper, he told Harm that he would testify along with Shuri to finally put this to bed. Harm nodded as he read the translation, which said that the Family of the Disowned member's time limit was now set to 10 years. After that time limit was up, they had no more rights to that member or any information about their where about if they so chose to not tell. Picking up both books, Harm knew he would have to stall and so he previously made sure to close the book without marking the page. Leaving only the highlighted sections as his guide.