Chapter 4: Phoney Tony

“Really? How nice! Us too! We’re also from Aldabra, Seychelles! Are you attending the hearing, as well? You mentioned a legal matter. We are here for the hearing, maybe the same hearing?” Tony is suddenly more talkative and solicitous.

Looking at Bebe and Sally playing on the next bench over, brings home to me, how negligent I have been towards Bebe’s needs and development.

Conscious only two days, she is far advanced for her few cognizant hours, and while she seems happy with the adult society and social contacts provided, she isn’t. Not really!

Should be obvious, should have been obvious, Bebe needs to play. Play is the work of children. Kids need other kids as playmates. Sally is teaching Bebe patty-cakes. Bebe’s laughter and excitement, over a missed or mistimed hand slap, isn’t intended to be accusatory, but it says all that is necessary about how much she has missed having a peer playmate. Bad Dad! Bad Dad!

Laura is watching over the little girls, with a tolerant, loving, pleasantly reminiscing, haunted smile. I want to know more about Laura and her history. She’ll tell me, I imagine. I’ll tease it out of her.

Tony is talking about the case soon to be heard and his interest in it. A kidnapping of a impoverished hoka (Malagasky commoner) teenage girl.

Tony knows the accused, but not as a friend. Tony believes, he knows the accused is guilty. He knows the accused’s history.

The accused has abducted at least one indigent young woman, previously, and is an embezzler, who absconded to avoid justice.

An ex-pat American hiding in Madagascar. Tony has no plans or wish to testify. He just wants justice, harsh justice, see justice applied.

Not the same case I’m here for, I explain. Tony seems crestfallen! Why? Decide it’s better not to ask. My hearing of interest is, three former employees stole and fled here with my boat. I’m preferring charges. I too, am anxious to see, justice done!

The intentional grounding of EROS, it’s best I not mention. We have no permission to be in Aldabra, a Seychelles and UN protected wildlife refuge! Re-floating, suddenly becomes a more urgent problem. We are visible and vulnerable unless we can re-submerge. Can’t while high and dry on the hard!

Too bad, Lou’s concept of an invisible warship, only meant, hidden below the surface.

The doors are open to the public. Court officers, clients, prisoners, councilors, solicitors, barristers, whatever their titles and functions, have entered by other doors, and have already taken their places.

Now, interested parties are allowed seats in the gallery. When all is calm, organized, and dignified, the justice or justices, will sit and preside. It will be interesting to observe a foreign courtroom in action! But, reality is, I’m anxious to return to EROS, and the problem of re-floating her!

The kidnap charge is first on the docket. This is a Bina court. What we might call, an arbitration. Everyone agrees to abide by the court’s ruling. No constitutional guarantees or protections. A single arbitrator, judge, holds absolute authority over the case, including a possible sentence of capital punishment. Death!

While the agreement to accept and abide is supposedly binding, appeals to formal higher courts are reported common.

The accused is placed on the stand. Under French law, and thus Malagasy law, the accused is guilty unless proven innocent. This is the accused chance to convince the court he is innocent. But he isn’t interested in the court proceeding. He is intent upon Tony!

Obviously, the accused is terrified by Tony’s presence in court.

Says nothing. Responds to nothing. Answers no questions. Just stares in horror, at Tony. I glance at Tony. Tony has a hint of a smile about his lips, secretly enjoying this, but mostly he looks disgusted with the accused.

The judge is disgusted with the accused, sentencing him to prison. How long, I didn’t quite catch, intent upon Tony.

Two more cases are heard ahead of mine, then the hearing I came for. The three women deserters, salt stained, wind blown, un-groomed, just as they were upon arrival in port earlier in the day, stand shackled before the judge.

Judge asks if I am present. I rise. Asks do I charge the three with theft of my boat? I do. Sentences all three to three years hard labor on a government farm. My boat is released from evidence, and I may reclaim it, if I can produce ownership documents.

Laura has these. We’re finished. All the important muckymucks rise and leave the court first, then we file out last. FIFO and LILO. First in, first out. Last in, last out. Sounds like a investment scheme!

“Are you retuning to Aldabra immediately”, Tony asks. I say yes, very immediately. Can they hitch a ride with us, Tony begs. Need to consider this carefully. Getting back to EROS, could be by boat, the stolen launch, a voyage, or by using teleportation, zapping us back. Disclosing to Tony my teleportation powers, isn’t my favorite choice. A long, salty, wet, windy, miserable boat trip, is equally unappetizing, and quite maybe, more unappealing!

Let’s grab a bite to eat, before I decide what to do. What do you say? I’m famished! Anyone else hungry? The yays win, UNANIMOUSLY!

We find our way to an obscure curry shop. Tony says, he’s heard good reports about the restaurant, but has never been there himself, until now. We’ll be intrepid, and try it. The food is okay, a bit piquant for the little girl’s tastes. Tony and Laura seem to relish it.

Bebe interrupts my thoughts. Just a short mental message.

Cryptic, intriguing, curious.

Tony and Sally are not what they seem. They are much older than they appear. Their relationship is also a lie. Related only by marriage, not by blood. They fuck together. End message.

Pithy message!

What it’s about, I’ll need to discuss with Bebe later.

Tony and I need a private place to chat. After lunch, I suggest we check the boat out. Give her a test run, make sure the engines are okay. Laura minds the kids on shore. Takes them souvenir shopping.

Away from the docks and the little pitchers with big ears, I put Tony to the question.

What he told me, sounded to me, like the truth. Mainly, because it was so implausible!. A liar wouldn’t deliberately concoct a difficult to swallow tale, hoping to convince you of anything!