NOVGO.NET Chapter 89: No Record Found
Chapter 89: No Record Found
"All rise for the presiding magistrate of the Third Municipal Arbitration District."
The heavy oak gavel struck the sounding block with three sharp, echoing cracks that silenced the crowded gallery.
"Please be seated," Magistrate Hallowell announced, adjusting his iron-rimmed spectacles as he looked over the mahogany bench.
"We are convened to hear petition forty-four-B, filed by the High Temple of the Eternal Hearth against Hunter Fin, registered under coastal charter C-seven-nine-one."
Talla sat to Fin’s left, her legal ledgers stacked in four neat, leather-bound pyramids.
"Representative of the petitioner, state your claim."
A tall man in crimson silk robes trimmed with hammered gold thread rose from the opposing bench, clutching a rolled vellum scroll.
"High Inquisitor Brand, appearing under the consecrated proxy seal of Lord Ignis."
"State the basis of your petition, Inquisitor."
"The subject known as Fin awakened in District Four under an uncontrolled mana burst ignited by our Lord’s holy flame."
"Do you have the consecrated covenant contract?"
"Lord Ignis possesses an eternal, metaphysical covenant that transcends mortal ink, magistrate."
"This court does not adjudicate metaphysical ether, Inquisitor Brand," Magistrate Hallowell replied dryly. "Under Section Twelve of the Municipal Awakening Code, all patron liens require an authenticated contract signed by the hunter."
"Produce the signed document, Inquisitor."
Talla stood smoothly, smoothing her grey wool skirt before resting her fingertips on the oak podium.
"The defense moves for immediate dismissal under lack of documentary evidence."
"We hold that the awakening itself constitutes implied consent!" Brand shouted, his face flushing crimson against his gold collar.
"Implied consent does not exist under municipal contract law, Inquisitor," Talla countered, her voice ringing clear through the vaulted room. "A hunter’s core is personal property unless transferred by voluntary, notarized execution."
"Did your temple pay his medical debts?" Magistrate Hallowell asked.
"No, magistrate."
"Did your temple provide consecrated weapons, gear, or stipends?"
"No, magistrate... but our temple flame sustained the city’s heating ducts!"
"The municipal gas authority pays for the heating ducts via monthly utility vouchers," Talla noted calmly, presenting three stamped receipts. "Vouchers which were paid in full by the city treasury on the fourteenth."
A low murmur of chuckles rippled through the gallery, where Ruby sat with her arms crossed, grinning broadly.
"Inquisitor Brand, does your temple possess a single piece of parchment bearing the respondent’s signature or biometric thumbprint?"
Brand’s fingers tightened around the vellum scroll until the paper crumpled.
"We... we do not have a physical thumbprint."
"Then the court finds zero evidence of a binding covenant."
Magistrate Hallowell dipped his heavy brass pen into black ink, drawing a thick line across the municipal register.
"Petition forty-four-B is dismissed with prejudice."
"Hunter Fin is declared an unbonded free agent under full municipal jurisdiction, immune to ecclesiastical liens and summary clerical seizures."
"This is blasphemy!" Brand hissed, pointing a trembling finger toward their table. "You harbor an apostate while the seas rise to swallow your walls!"
"Inquisitor Brand, you are one sentence away from being held in contempt and fined five hundred credits," Magistrate Hallowell warned, his voice cold as slate. "Clear the well."
Brand turned on his heel, his crimson robes swirling furiously as he marched down the center aisle, flanked by two armed temple guards.
As he reached the double oak doors, his cold gaze locked onto Fin’s with unmistakable, lethal hatred.
The law had closed the ledger, but divine pride did not forgive an empty page.
Talla began gathering her folders, sliding each document into her satchel with practiced efficiency.
"A clean victory, Talla."
"A limited victory, Fin... don’t confuse a dismissed petition with permanent peace."
"What do you mean?"
"The ruling protects you from temple bailiffs seizing your core in the street," Talla explained, lowering her voice as they walked out into the corridor. "It does not stop Ignis from hiring mortal mercenaries or directing fanatic proxies to plant bombs under our van."
"And what about Gage’s hearing?"
"His docket is set for next Tuesday in the criminal magistrate’s division," Talla replied. "His testimony regarding Platform Tartarus is secured, but his auxiliary status depends on his continued cooperation with Sefu’s team."
"Look at the notice board near the clerk’s office, Fin."
Ruby pointed to a large yellow evacuation schedule posted on the wall, surrounded by anxious municipal clerks.
"What is happening to the evacuation staff?"
"Three transit districts just reported a fifty percent desertion rate among bus drivers and logistics volunteers."
"People are running," Nila said quietly, joining them from the stairwell. "Rumors of the leviathan advance leaked through the civilian radio bands this morning."
"If the drivers abandon the depots, the evacuation network will collapse before the first siren sounds."
"Which means Halden House will have to step into the gap."
"Can the Iron Dogs handle bus transit?"
"With their logistics commissions, they can drive the heavy municipal haulers and keep order at the loading platforms."
"How many buses are sitting idle in District Four right now, Maya?"
Maya held her portable terminal against her hip, scanning the municipal fleet diagnostics.
"Forty-two diesel transports sitting cold in the staging yard, Fin... zero certified drivers signed into the depot roster."
"Then Sefu assigns twenty veterans to take over the ignition keys immediately."
"Will the transit union complain?" Ruby asked with a dry chuckle.
"The transit union reps fled on the morning ferry, Ruby... nobody is complaining about soldiers keeping the buses rolling."
"What about fuel reserves?"
"The port authority command bunker authorized twenty thousand gallons of emergency diesel for our logistics pool," Talla reported, stamping another authorization docket.
"That gives us enough fuel to run continuous evacuation shuttles between District Six and the inland shelters for five days."
"What about the armed escort for each bus convoy?" Nila asked.
"Two Iron Dogs per vehicle, armed with non-lethal suppression shotguns and tear gas canisters," Talla instructed.
"And what happens if temple zealots try to block the evacuation gates?"
"The municipal police commissioner signed an executive directive ten minutes ago, Fin," Maya said, displaying the official digital stamp on her handheld screen. "Any unauthorized religious or corporate militia interfering with the bus lanes will be treated as hostile insurgents."
"Which gives Sefu full legal authority to clear the roads by any means necessary."
"Exactly," Talla said, checking her watch. "The first bus convoy departs the District Six depot at thirteen hundred hours sharp."
"Let’s get back to the office, Talla... we need to post the routes and transport capacity before the panic takes the streets."
"I will have the route maps printed on three thousand handbills within the hour," Maya confirmed.
"And I will make sure our drivers have loaded sidearms and full canteens," Ruby added, clapping her hand against the brass buckle of her belt.
"Fin, what about Jolly and Nim back at the apartment?" Nila asked as they reached the van.
"Sefu has four trusted veterans stationed in the stairwell with shotguns," Fin said, opening the driver’s door. "Jolly knows to keep the deadbolts locked until she hears my whistle."
"Nim can handle an intruder if anyone tries the fire escape," Ruby noted. "Her claws are sharp enough to slice copper pipe."
"I would rather she didn’t have to fight anyone on her first day of freedom," Fin said, turning the ignition key.
"Then let’s make sure our streets stay quiet."
Outside the courthouse, the grey coastal clouds hung low and suffocating over the city’s slate rooftops.
A battle had been won without shedding a single drop of blood, but the storm gathering on the horizon was deaf to municipal law.