Reznor and Atticus, attorneys at Meihomei

"Thank you for waiting, Mei Zim Atticus will see you now." The receptionist said. "Please go through the door to my right, then straight through the corridor, to the double doors at the end, in a straight line."

"Thank you." Flora acknowledged, automatically, then tentatively, she walked through the indicated door, then along the period-era Four-Emperors Moniq rice paper screens, if she had to guess, until she found the double doors that blocked the corridor at that end. She knocked.

"If you are Zim Flora Rolli, Mei FFOF-09 Eagle of Meihomei's Imperial Flying Forces of Great Kagome, Meritant of Honour, please enter.". Came the voice from behind the doubled black oak doors, smooth but for eight "hats" as was customary for the period, but unpierced by any orifice.

"Thank you for seeing me Mei Zim." She entered, and gave a military salute to the slim, petite lawyer, all in poise behind the desk.

"Thank you, we at Reznor and Atticus are honoured you consider us for your case, you are quite famous, Meritant one."

"Certainly my Grib can't make me that interesting..."

"You are the youngest OF-09 in the history of Kagomei, after being the youngest flag officer in its history for a while, certainly, you are of interest. And six boxes of honour, as my Miptun mentioned, is enough for anyone." Flora hid her smile to that.

"I'm going to need all the help I can get, won't I?"

"I'm afraid so, suing the sitting Bameimeito for forswearing himself before Meihomei? The very difficulty of what you propose intrigues us."

"Do I have more than one attorney, or you employ the plural affectation specifically?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, no I would be your attorney, once we sign the contract, but I speak for Reznor and Atticus, my partner has three months remaining on his sabbatical."

"Boat trip?"

"World Casho tour, he was a an attorney before joining the Dunkehl Elements."

"Dryden Reznor, that Reznor?"

"I see you follow the game..."

"No, not really, but my Grib's father is part owner of the Elements, I am hardly insulated from news affecting them."

"Yes, well, Dryden has been spending time away, he had a few very publicised cases, and felt they sapped too much of his energy."

"Yes, I know, that's what made me consider you. Despite despising the woman you defended, I feel you got her fair treatment, and her name wasn't dragged in the mud for it either."

"You refer to NFOF-09 Nessuna Osker Fransen Yargeais?"

"Yes."

"She will be retiring this year though."

"I'm told she was instrumental in closer ties with Rannick."

"So was your Grib, and his mother, but yes, that was her mission just before and also after the trial, and I'm told Meihomei is satisfied with her service."

"I'm sorry, I have to correct a misunderstanding though. I'm not bringing suit against the sitting Bameimeito, I'm bringing suit against the sitting Bameimeito who happens to be Secretary of the Order, Emerald Knights of Great Kagome, Valour-keeper of Kagomei  Fount-of-Honour-to-be, Bameimeito, Feyd Veneer, Legendary of Kimaguray, Domei of Garay-to-be."

"It is suddenly very much less interesting. Impossible missions we like, missions where language says we cannot win is an entirely different matter."

"I don't necessarily want to win, either."

"What?"

"I'm not over my Grib, despite the rumours, it's his idea, and we want a way for the lawsuits to stop."

"You misunderstand, you cannot sue someone above a Knight-Emerald of Great Kagomei, successfully, not in Kagomei. Let alone the fount of honour to be! He can just tell the court to leave him alone."

"What?"

"Marhamat Dandelion, your fifth degree cousin, I believe?"

"Sixth."

"Marhamat Dandelion, Star-Emerald-Knight of Kagomei, Thrice Meritant of Honour, Fount of Honour, Regim-for-life Meihomei's Own Lifeguards, Meihomei's Hero, cannot successfully be sued, not by anyone BUT Meihomei."

"Can't people sue Meihomei in this case?"

"Yes, for treason, perhaps, certainly not for misconduct of her subordinate."

"I would imagine he'd be stripped..."

"Marhamat Dandelion, stripped? He's saved how many Meihomei's lives again? Served with the highest possible distinction for what now, three decades? And your boy, your Grib, people talk about him as his Successor?"

"Well, people with multiple Merits aren't exactly thick on the ground."

"Exactly, and this boy is Meihomei's own blood, her second-degree cousin, by blood, and Meihomei's Mother adopted his mother, making him her Nephew by adoption? And Bameimeito, so he's the next Meihomei?"

"That's what I'm told."

"And you want to sue this individual, for Forswearing Meihomei? What do you expect to achieve?"

"Listen, there's an organized campaign, for his subordinates to sue him and me, for Title 65. Every single woman in the squadron has done it..."

"Ok, and?"

"They're all very shaky, it's the barest of circumstantial evidence, and I know at least one woman was blackmailed into suing him."

"Ok, go on."

"But there's like 15 dockets right now, and we're not sure they'll stop."

"How do you propose to stop them?"

"If I sue him, and my suit is blocked, won't that stop all the others?"

"Hmm, ok, that's sophisticated, but you wouldn't need me as an Attorney for that. Is your Grib paying for this?"

"No, my parents are."

"And they are?"

"Nessun-OPM Jima Rolli and NFOF-08 Taimine Andei Dandelion."

"That explains the credit check that passed, your mother's been living below her means for half a decade, she could probably burn currency to keep warm if she wanted to. That doesn't mean we have a chance to win..." Atticus' phone rang. "Excuse me, I must take this." She spoke into her communicator: "Yes Dryden?"

"Have you met her?"

"She's in my office, calm down Dryden."

"Turn on your telecaster then, it's all over the news." She hit a button, and a silk paper screen slid up, showing the screen of a jade bank. She fiddled with it, bringing up Kagomei News Network.

"Breaking News, Marhamat Dandelion found dead."

"Well, there goes money out of our bureau Dryden. Talk to you later." She turned back to Flora. "Well, you don't have to worry about anything, once he's confirmed as the Fount of Honour."

"..." Flora was silent, then she made a prodigious wheezing sound, Atticus realized it was followed by sobs.

"I'm sorry, he was a friend of yours?"

"Distant cousin, hadn't met him often, but he was so very nice when me and Amarat met him at Amarat's induction in the order."

"Nice? I'm told his manner to new people reminded Tadros Dandelion of all people, of the business side of an axehead, but with more aggression."

"He's a softy, at heart. So is Tadros, but please, please, please don't tell anyone I said that of cousin Tadros, he'd inflict creative painful painless punishments, I'm sure."

"State funeral to be held at Mei Imperial Palace of Kagomei at Innu, on Vividay, 16th Septem 815. All State department officials in Kagomei, as well as all Flag-distinguished officers , all Non-commissioned officers above quota are expected to attend.  All official buildings in Kagomei to have their air of mourning."

"I take it you're taking a trip to Innu?"

"A trip back to Innu, I was there for my Hannabrid less than a half-arnd ago."

"Hannabrid, so he's not just your Grib?"

"No, he's my husband."

"And you wanted to sue him?"

"I was hoping to block the cases, they're politically motivated.  You're sure you won't take my case?"

"I don't know what I can do to help you, your husband is legally protected from suit."

"But I'm not!  What do you think they'll do? Drop their suits, or just exclude him?"

"Oh."

"Except now, I don't have him armouring me, either.  And I can't sue myself to block the cases, I'll really need your help."

"You didn't have an attorney for the cases?"

"You don't need one until the charges are read and confirmed, that hasn't happened yet."

"What's holding up the Great Green Court of Megamisama ?"