Raeburn's World: "Banned" system. No trader activity allowed with this system. System was "banned" for trading with another banned world. The circumstances of this action are disputed. The official appeal to the Ban was rejected in 3249. System is relatively advanced and has capacity to build FTL ships. Of the two primary Polities in the system, the Raeburn Federation, is the largest with the majority of artificial habitats and asteroid based colonies.
The Inner Union controls the majority of the system's habitable planet. While not at war, the two entities are mutually aggressive. The Raeburn militia is in theory neutral and is a joint service but in practice heavily favors the Federation. Care should be taken when traveling in this system.
Excerpted With Permission
Data Trader's Handbook
Copyright 3250, Interstellar Data Trader Guild
"Trader Apprentice Eddington, you understand that the evidence you are about to give will be recorded and that any perjury on your part will result in your expulsion from the guild?"
"Yes, master trader."
"Very well."
Guild Master Thorsten was looking very stern today. Seated on a hastily erected podium in one of the larger meeting rooms aboard the Reggie, he was the president of the tribunal.
Two other master traders (as required by Guild law) were also sitting in judgment. In this case, Master Trader Tiernen sat on his right side, and Master Trader Tomlin sat on his left.
All three wore the official dress uniform of the Guild, which was rarely seen: a black jacket, pants, and beret with silver piping along the pant legs and at the epaulettes. The berets were neatly lined up on the desk before the three masters.
"The tribunal has reviewed all the video and data evidence in this case. Unless you object, we will enter the logs into evidence."
At the slight question in his voice, Ramona shook her head—no objection.
"Very well. While the facts of this case are very clear, the circumstances are not. I don't think anyone is going to deny that the apprentice here shot a man dead and gravely wounded another."
He paused and looked around the large room. Nearly every master trader was present. None objected to this observation.
**"Therefore, this panel will restrict its investigation to the motivation behind this homicide.
"Apprentice Eddington, is it correct that you are a trained military officer and have a policing background?"**
There was a slight gasp at this.
Standards for homicide were much higher for military officers, serving or not. Since they were highly trained, the expectation was that they would use this training to improve their judgment—and thus be held to a higher standard of conduct.
**"No, sir. That is to say, sir, I was a member of the Raeburn Militia as a senior specialist. I graduated from the academy but did not sign my commission at the conclusion of my tour. I was not a commissioned officer.
"I do not have a policing background except as in accordance with my duties in the militia."**
Ramona stood ramrod straight before the tribunal, her eyes fixed on the wall behind the panel members.
Thorsten looked down at a pad. "However, you seemed to expect armed conflict. How is it that you knew there was an ambush waiting inside the buoy?"
Ramona's tone remained flat as before. "Sir, I did not know there was anyone inside the buoy. However, the system registered excess heat. This may mean the presence of unaccounted for personnel. It is standard practice in the Militia to scan unmanned buoys and stations for heat and to assume any unaccounted for personnel are potentially hostile. I was about to conduct a more thorough scan when Journeyman Timur opened the hatch. I was concerned about unaccounted for personnel so I acted on the assumption that they might be hostile. However, I did not initiate hostile action at that time. I was following my training and I was not aware that Trader practices are different in that regard. Sir."
Thorsten did not look impressed despite the fact that he must have watched her manhandle Leo half a dozen times on the sensor log. Leo certainly had. A couple of times in slow motion. "However, you did enter the station armed and you did aim your weapon at the persons you found inside, correct?"
"Sir, that is correct. There were two armed men inside. They were clearly not guild members based on their gear and as I said, they were armed. I felt that my life and the life of Journeyman Timur may be in danger which justified drawing my weapon. Sir."
Gunny sat up straighter and asked: "Based on what evidence did you feel your life was in danger?"
"Sir, they were both armed with model JMP-R 92 rail guns. Each weapon was fully charged and safeties removed. I knew this because of the three red icons on the side facing me. Sir."
This earned a nod from Gunny. However, Thorsten wasn't done with this line of questioning. "Apprentice, given your notable experience in this area, wasn't it possible to simply wound them instead of killing them? If you could precisely aim for their head, doesn't that mean you could have disarmed them?"
"Sir, no sir. I was trained to aim for center mass. In a firefight you don't aim to wound. You aim to kill. I offered them the opportunity to surrender and they chose to escalate. I took the only reasonable option available and fired. My intent was to shoot to kill. I do not regret my actions." There was a noticeable pause while she looked directly at Gunny. "Sir."
Gunny's muttered "goddamn right" probably wasn't the most professional thing a panel member ever said but it echoed Leo's thought exactly.
"Thank you Apprentice Eddington. Do the members of the panel have any further questions?" Looking at the two others and receiving head shakes, he continued. "Very well. We will withdraw to render judgement. The session is adjourned." The three members of the tribunal rose and left the room together.