In Charged

"Does the defence have any comments?" the Judge looks to David's side of the room after the Prosecution sits.

"Not at this time-" David's lawyer starts but he interrupts him, "Yeah actually," he stands, "Tanaka, where were you on the day your son hospitalised me?"

"Objection, Irrelevant to the current charges." the Prosection states.

"Overruled. Mr Tanaka?"

Tanaka just quirk a brow, "I'm not sure what you are referring to?"

"Really? That's weird, I got treated when I was visiting my dying mother... Seems like something my lawyer would've gotten for my case." he shrugs, "Whatever, it's not like chicken Corpo's were gonna let this go anyway. I hope you like your fuckin' theatre, cuz that's all this is." he spits.

"What are you suggesting, Mr Martinez? Because at this rate I will hold you in contempt of court." the judge leans over from his seat, glaring at him.

"I told you already, my lawyer's corrupt scum, Tanaka'll lie outta his ass, and this whole fuckin' thing is a god damn kangaroo court. Yeah, I kicked the crap outta Katsuo, but that's revenge for almost flatlining me and stopping me from trying to pay off my mother's medical bills! Fuckin' pigs, you can bitch and moan about what I've done all you like, but I know who the real criminals are. Everyone does, just no one has the balls to come out and say it," he waves his arm at the judge, "Wonder how much Tanaka and his cronies paid you to bend over and take it. Probably the most action a gonk-piece of shit like you gets anyway."

...

"Are you finished?" the judge rhetorically asks, "David Martinez, I find you in contempt of court, nay, in contempt of the entire criminal justice system. You are hereby sentenced to three years imprisonment, perhaps when you get out we can revisit your original charges. Take him away." he waves him off, prompting the guards to grab David and drag him out.

"Get your hands off'a me, I can walk on my own feet." he growls, shaking the men off and reluctantly walking away, but not before throwing a final challenging glance at Tanaka.

-------------------------

"That was something..." Ori states as the feed cuts away from the courtroom. "Any of you know he was gonna rant like that?"

Lucy nods, "Said he wanted to get his side of things out there, even if no one cares about it."

"Ohoho, 'no one cares about it'? You seen the net? People are going ape-shit!" Rebecca cackles.

"Ain't surprising, folks've been waiting for someone to get behind. Usually those Media Corps don't let anti-establishment shit on T.V." Falco remarks.

"Ah, those ass-hats are deleting people's posts!" Rebecca shouts as the Corporations finally seem to be taking active measures to prevent even more people from galvanizing against them... Of course, this would just only make those affect more ardent, even if they do lower the reach of the escalation.

"Well, it's to be expected, they did this shit before when Lizzie died, people linking the Tyger Claws to Arasaka got their shit locked or crashed." Kiwi states.

Ori gets up from his seat and cracks his neck, "Alright, we should probably get moving. Kiwi, get the drones watching the van carrying David, the locator chip in his neck should be buzzing at random intervals every hour or so. Let's make sure they don't kidnap him or flatline him before he gets to his destination."

-----------------------

"Eh, kid." David looks up at the small barred window showing the drivers of the truck, "Don't tell anyone I said this, but I'm rootin' for ya. Finally someone said what we've all been thinkin'. Fuckin' suits with their velvet toilet paper and fancy fucking steaks! I WANT MEAT TOO GOD DAMN IT!"

...

"Uh, yeah, no problem." David quietly says, unsure of how to respond to this cop...

"Don't mind 'em, he's just a little jacked after watching the feed." he nods, "Makes ya' wanna go to town on a sandbag with Emperor Arasaka's face on it."

"You should probably keep that to yourself then, chances are the Corps've got this thing tagged. No point gettin' hardworking joe's like you zeroed." David states.

The officers laugh, "Ahaha, don't you worry about that. Those jerk-offs can listen all they like!"

...

"Something wrong?" an officer asks after David goes quiet.

"No... I was just waiting for something to happen. Saying stuff like that is like daring them."

-----------------

*Click!*

A heavily armed and armoured robot aggressively snaps a collar onto David's neck, and he feels it puncture his flesh and insert a chip perilously close to his brain stem. "The hell did you do to me!?"

"Nano-Suppressant collar, the Humanitarian Imprisonment act of Fifty-five forbids us from directly removing any Cyberware until your death. This will prevent you from using any during your stay." a voice explains through an intercom.

David scowls, "You assholes didn't notice my arms and legs are all Cybernetic? My lungs!?" he shouts.

"Don't worry, it just severs the connection between them and your brain. They will work automatically, but you will be unable to use any active augments. That spine or arm cannon of yours are completely useless here, even if it had ammunition. Now move along, we have twenty others to process." the voice orders, prompting the robot to push David forwards.

The prison was huge, a giant box of metal and guns, holding the most dangerous criminals that while neutered, would still be incredibly dangerous for an average person to face. Guards didn't even dare to be on the same floor as the prisoners, instead sending robotic soldiers to escort, search, and convey orders.

Was it weird that David felt more comfortable here than he ever did at Arasaka Academy...? Probably not, at least here he didn't have to deal with Corpo pieces of shit. Those guys never went prison, either they sat safe in their glass towers or get dumped in the river with 'Companion Cubes' tied to their feet.