Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. ï>¿The Courier by EC Chapter 3 - Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna Upon receiving the call from the chief inspector, Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna wrote down the pertinent information: that a Colombian drug courier had been arrested with a kilo of cocaine in pellets concealed in her stomach, that she had undergone an initial interview, and that a Spanish-speaker needed to go to the airport to translate the suspect's recorded statements and conduct a follow-up interview. The Spokeswoman cringed at the words "undergone an initial interview", because she was well-aware what that actually meant. Kim called the one person she knew who spoke Spanish, her friend Cecilia Sanchez, who was a US citizen studying at the National University in Danubikt Moskt. She asked Cecilia to go directly to the airport, where they would meet and see how badly the hapless courier had been treated. Once she hung up, she went to the arraignment room to pick up a temporary criminal's collar, which would allow Maria Elena to be transported without a police escort. Kim's new client would have to wear the temporary collar until her trial. Upon being sentenced, she would be issued a permanent collar by the Ministry of Justice. Knowing the reputation of the Airport Unit, the Spokeswoman was certain that what awaited her would not be pleasant. Undoubtedly Maria Elena already had undergone physical punishment as part of the interrogation. Hopefully she had not attempted to lie to the Inspector, because Kim knew that he was notorious for nailing suspects with perjury. Furthermore, she figured that if the Colombian did not speak any English, she probably did not have a clue what was going on and would be scared out of her wits. Just getting her calmed down and explaining what was happening was going to take a lot of effort, and then there was the issue of teaching the suspect basic criminal protocol before taking her out on the street. Kim knew that Maria Elena already had been stripped and was sitting naked in a holding cell, but probably she was not yet aware that, as a criminal, she would be prohibited from wearing clothing at any time for the duration of her sentence. No doubt she would face a rough afternoon dealing with her newest client. The Spokeswoman took an express trolley from the Central Plaza to the airport, where her friend already was waiting for her. Cecilia had been born in New Jersey, but she was fluent in Spanish because she had spoken it in her Dominican household while growing up. Although she was only 24 years old, she held a prestigious position at the National University; as the exchange program coordinator for 60 US college students studying abroad in the Danubian Republic. Cecilia already had spent four years in the Danubian capitol and clearly had "gone native". Her black hair was done up in elaborate braids and she usually dressed immaculately in fine Danubian linen. Apart from her elaborate hair and fine clothing she wore three pieces of silver jewelry, a necklace, a hairpiece, and a silver ring, engagement gifts from her fiance. To her program's exchange students she struck a severe and oddly foreign image, but one that was necessary for them to understand what they faced while studying in Danubikt Moskt. The two women went into the airport chatting about the previous night's storm and Cecilia's students. Kim exchanged salutes with several airport officials on her way to the interrogation room by touching her right fist to her left shoulder. The two women descended the staircase that led to the interrogation room, knocked, and were let in by the Inspector. The two officials, even though they did not like each other, exchanged courtesies and salutes before addressing why Kim and Cecilia had been summoned to the airport. The case itself was fairly routine: the only detail that complicated it was the fact that the suspect did not speak a language commonly taught in Danubian schools. Kim introduced Cecilia to the Inspector, before promptly having her sit down to listen to the recording of Maria Elena's confession. The Dominican translated the most important points to Danubian and passed her notes to Kim, who looked them over and handed them to the airport official. "Inspector, have you formerly arrested the Colombian citizen Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres?" "No, Spokeswoman, we haven't. We figured that it would be proper for you to be present during her arrest and the assigning of her criminal number. So we chose to wait for you to come." Bullshit, thought Kim to herself. You waited so you could play around with her, you fucking pervert. However, to the Inspector she said nothing. Her duty was not to worry about what already had happened, but instead to take custody of Maria Elena, convince her that she needed to cooperate with the police, and get her out of the airport. "May I see the suspect, Inspector?" "Of course, Spokeswoman." Kim whispered to Cecilia in English: "She's gonna be in bad shape, so don't be shocked when you see her. Don't make a big deal about it. Just do what I tell you and keep your mouth shut unless you're translating." The Inspector flipped a light switch next to the cell door to illuminate the tiny room. He drew his gun and opened the door. Immediately Maria Elena crouched in the corner, trying to cover herself. She made a truly pitiful sight. Her hair was disheveled from being grabbed, her bottom was badly bruised, two switch marks crossed her legs, and the left side of her face was swollen from having been slapped multiple times. However, those details paled in comparison with the raw terror and absolute despair in her expression. "You can close the door, Inspector. I would like to speak to my client alone, please." "As you wish, Spokeswoman." As soon as the door closed, Kimberly spoke in English, which Cecilia translated: "Your name is Maria Elena? You are from Colombia?" Maria Elena nodded. "Maria Elena, my name is Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna. Later I will explain what exactly that means, but for now you can consider me your public defense attorney. It will be my duty to represent you in court. Do you understand me?" Again Maria Elena nodded, but she remained crouched in the corner. Kim's next words shocked Cecilia, who thought she was being very cold-hearted, given the Colombian's traumatic situation. However she dutifully translated: "I want you to understand that I will do what I can to ease your situation and protect you from those who wish to harm you. That is my position, my path in life. However, I also want you to understand that I am a public official, and at all times you will treat me with the respect that is due to my status under Danubian law. When I speak to you, I do not consider nodding an appropriate response to my questions. When I am in your presence, I do not consider you crouching in the corner appropriate. Do you understand me?" "I... si, senora... entiendo... lo siento... " "Very well. I expect you to get on your knees in front of me. You are not permitted to speak to me or any other public official unless you are on your knees. You will kneel straight, you will look straight at me, and you will place your hands on your thighs. You will not hunch over or try to cover yourself. Covering yourself is forbidden." Reluctantly Cecilia translated, adding: "I'm really sorry about this, but you have to do what she says. That's the rule in this country, you gotta kneel when you're talking to anyone from the government, and if you don't do it, they'll whip you." Tears ran down Maria Elena's cheeks as she knelt in front of her Spokeswoman. As directed, she knelt straight, forcing herself to put her hands on her thighs instead of using them to cover her breasts. Once her client was properly positioned, Kim commented: "The path of your life is to behave properly as a criminal, just as the path of my life is to protect your well-being and serve as your mentor." Cecilia was distressed that instead of comforting her new client, Kim was treating her in such a cold-blooded manner. However, Kim knew what she was doing, because protocol was a vital part of her relationship with all of the criminals in her custody. She was her clients' mentor, not their friend. When they had problems they would come to her for help and advice, and she would console and comfort them, but never as an equal. Very early in her career Kim learned why protocol was so important for the relationship between a criminal and a Spokesperson, because without protocol she could not have properly done her job. There was another important reason why Maria Elena needed to know how to display proper protocol before leaving the holding cell, one that Kim did explain to both the translator and the detainee. The Spokeswoman was formally assuming custody over her client, which meant that the Inspector and the other members of the Airport Unit no longer had any right to abuse her. As Kim put it: "As your Spokeswoman, I now exercise custody over your life and I will determine how other public officials can interact with you. Anyone who has anything to ask from you or say to you must go through me. I must approve anything that happens to you. You are to listen to no one except me. You are not to take orders from anyone except me. When we go into that other room and you kneel in front of me, you are letting them know that they can't hurt you anymore, because I won't let it happen." Maria Elena's mood changed upon hearing Cecilia's translation. She realized that, as bad as her situation might be, apparently those awful cops no longer could do anything to her. She was frightened of the young Asian woman who claimed to have "custody" over her, but if the Spokeswoman could protect her from that Inspector and his crew of sadists, Maria Elena was willing to do anything to please her. With the prisoner still kneeling and Cecilia nervously translating, Kim asked her about the arrest and the interrogation that followed. The Spokeswoman's expression changed slightly when Cecilia translated the description of her effort to convince the Inspector she had just five pellets, only to be proven to be lying. Kim asked for a detailed description of that part of the interrogation. She tightened her lips and sighed upon learning that, like so many others, Maria Elena had committed perjury. That simple act of lying in the wrong place at the wrong time would add 20 years to her formal sentence. The Spokeswoman would have to break the bad news later, when she could talk to her client alone in her office. Maria Elena realized that something was wrong, but before she had time to react, Kim continued: "I'm not going to be able to do anything about the length of your sentence, but what I can do is argue for better conditions. Some of that will depend on how much you are willing to cooperate with the Inspector. When you go on trial, he and I will have to work out the details of your sentence with the trial judge. If you cooperate with the Inspector, he will cooperate with me in court." When Cecilia translated, Maria Elena responded: "But... I did... talk to them... I... " "He's going to want to re-interview you and get your full story. He'll ask you all those questions again, this time with a translator. Basically, he's going to want to make sure he has everything straight before he does his report. You're going to have to give up whatever you know about your former drug group. Also, the Inspector is gonna want a recording of your voice that doesn't have a bunch of your crying mixed in with your information. Once that interview is done, you'll be coming with me." Noting the fear in Maria Elena's eyes, Kim commented: "I'm sure you're still afraid of what your drug group can do to you. Right now that doesn't matter because they can't do anything to you. What you need to worry about is us, not them. Under our laws, the Danubian government now owns you. You are property of the Republic of Danubia." Kim waited for the translation, fully expecting a shocked reaction and having to elaborate her last point. She had to do that with almost all of her foreign clients. "According to our laws, you have proven yourself incapable of exercising free will. So, that portion of your life has ended. You now have an owner, the government of the Republic of Danubia. Whatever information that is in your head belongs to the Danubian government as well, so you will discuss, in detail, what you know." Kim paused, waiting for the translation. Then she finished with: "As for your former employer, if they're stupid enough to send anyone into this country to come after you, the Danubian Secret Police will catch that person and they will execute him. The drug groups know that, and we're the one country in Europe they won't mess with." Cecilia finished with Kim's final statement, totally taken aback by her friend's blunt words. "Your drug group is no longer in charge of what happens to you. Do you understand me?" "Si, senora. Entiendo." "And one more thing I expect from you. When you answer me, you need to answer in Danubian. When you say 'yes', it will be: 'doc-doc, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna'. Repeat, please... doc-doc, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna." Maria Elena repeated several times; until the Spokeswoman was satisfied her client could be understood by other Danubians. "That'll work for the time being. When you say 'no', it will be: 'negat, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna'. Repeat, please... negat, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna." Once again Maria Elena repeated until Kim was satisfied she had it right. "Congratulations, Maria Elena, you've just learned your first three words in Danubian: doc-doc, negat, and Advodkatna." Cecilia felt uneasy about seeing her friend's domineering behavior up close. Although she had known Kim for years, she had never seen the Spokeswoman introduce herself to a client. With her clients there was no room for doubt, no question that she was in complete control. Cecilia noticed a change in the prisoner. Like most of Kim's other foreign clients, Maria Elena's situation would force her to be emotionally dependent on the Spokeswoman, at least during the first several months of her sentence. Trapped alone in a country where she could not even communicate properly, surrounded by hostile individuals, and stripped of her clothing, she knew that the only person she could turn to was Kim. The Spokeswoman already had shown herself as strict and intolerant, and Maria Elena was afraid of her. However, she offered the criminal some hope in her life and the promise of protection. More importantly, she clearly explained what her client needed to do and what was expected of her, which gave Maria Elena a sense of direction and made her desperate to please her. Only a few minutes after meeting Kim, Maria Elena already was adapting to her new life as a Danubian criminal. The next task was collaring the detainee. Like every other criminal in Danubia, Maria Elena would be required to wear a metal collar and would be prohibited from wearing anything else, with the exception of orange boots during the winter. There were no jails in Danubia, no such thing as incarceration. There were a few holding cells, like the one Maria Elena was sitting in now, but a holding cell was just that, a temporary place where a criminal was kept until she could be collared. "When I mentioned that you will be serving a sentence, you will understand you won't be serving any of that time in jail. We don't have jails in this country. Instead you will spend your sentence serving the people around you, and you will live your life in humility. And the mark of a criminal's humility is the collar... " She held up the temporary collar... "... which you'll have to put on before we leave this room. The collar shows you to the world for what you are, a criminal. However, it gives you some legal status, which is something you didn't have when you were being interrogated. Once I put this on you, the Inspector and his subordinates cannot touch you. That's why they waited. They didn't want you collared because that would have given you rights under our laws. Before you talk to the Inspector again, you'll need to put this on... unless... you want to risk being treated like you were the first time. Do you understand me?" Maria Elena looked at the collar in Kim's hand with a worried expression as she listened to Cecilia's translation. The thought of having that thing around her neck terrified her, because she rightly suspected that once she put on the collar, it would not be coming off anytime soon. However, the thought of being tormented by the interrogation team a second time horrified her. Her only choice was to trust the Spokeswoman and hope she was telling the truth. She took a deep breath and replied: "Doc-doc, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna." Kim directed Cecilia to hold up the detainee's hair while she positioned the collar around her neck. She locked the collar with a key, which she then put in her pocket. Finally she pulled out a small receiver and tested it against the collar's transmitter to make sure it worked. Maria Elena's collar not only marked her as a criminal, but also allowed the Ministry of Justice to know where she was at all times. "Alright, Maria Elena, let's go back and talk to the Inspector, and then I can get you out of the airport. Remember, how quickly our conversation ends depends on how thoroughly you answer his questions. If you try to hide anything, he'll keep pushing you until you answer, and it will affect what happens at your trial." "Doc-doc, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna." Kim banged on the cell door to let the guard know she, her translator, and her client were ready to come out. The three women crossed the hallway and entered the interrogation room. Upon entering, the Spokeswoman ordered Maria Elena to kneel and Cecilia to stand at attention. Then she crisply saluted the Inspector and the other cops in the room by touching her right fist to her left shoulder. The Inspector and the cops saluted back. In spite of the strict protocol and professional courtesies, Kim and the Inspector intensely disliked each other. Kim felt that the Inspector was a sadist and sexual pervert, while he resented the fact she was foreign-born but still held a position in the Danubian government. However, their mutual dislike did not prevent the two officials from cooperating and working together. Their understanding was that, in exchange for convincing her clients that they needed to share whatever information they had, Kim could expect him to ask for lenient sentence terms during trial. The Inspector was always true to his word in court. As long as Kim's client cooperated with providing information, he tried to convince the trial judge to impose the minimum number of judicial switchings during sentencing. Maria Elena trembled as she knelt upright. She was terrified of the Inspector and worried about displeasing her Spokeswoman. Her nakedness left her feeling very vulnerable, while the pain in her bottom, her burning intestines, and her sore stomach reminded her of the consequences of lying. However, more than anything else, it was the sinister feeling of cold metal around the prisoner's neck that convinced her that her old life was completely gone. She had lost her free will, and now was nothing more than property of a foreign government. The unforgiving feel of that hard object drove home that point more than anything else that had happened to her that morning. Over and over her Spokeswoman's words repeated themselves in her mind: "the Danubian government now owns you". Maria Elena's new understanding of her path in life had an immediate effect on her behavior. As soon as she started talking, it was obvious that she would cooperate completely. She found it surprisingly easy to speak honestly about her life as a drug courier. Not that she had all that much useful to tell the interrogation team, but it was clear that she would tell them whatever she knew about her trafficking group. Later Maria Elena would share her personal life with her Spokeswoman, but for the moment the Inspector's only interest was the story of her ill-fated trafficking venture. Armed with the information downloaded from her cell phone and copied from her address book, the Inspector pushed the prisoner for names, contacts, and addresses: in Pereira, in Bogota, in Panama City, and in Frankfurt. As he expected, she didn't know anything about her trafficking group that was not related to her own experience. It was obvious that the trip was her first effort at drug trafficking and that she really did not know what she was doing or understood what she had gotten herself into. Maria Elena's story took her from her hometown of Pereira to Bogota, where her boyfriend introduced her to his boss. After a couple of nights of partying she went from the Colombian capital to Panama City, where she met a sinister-looking subject called Alex Mejia-Silva. Alex's girlfriend spent a couple of days training Maria Elena to swallow pellets by having her swallow grapes without chewing them. Once she was satisfied that the courier could ingest pellets without gagging, the girlfriend turned her back over to Alex. Alex put Maria Elena in a cheap hotel room and booked a ticket on Flight 2298, which flew directly from Panama City to Frankfurt. He went over to the hotel and gave the courier the cocaine, divided into 100 small tight ovals wrapped in bluish-gray plastic. Upon arriving in Germany, Maria Elena was to call a number programmed into her cell-phone and ask for "El Flaco". She then would go to a hotel room and expel the pellets. Assuming she expelled 100 pellets, supposedly she would get her 1,000 Euros, along with the falsified work-permit, and be allowed to leave. Because the only language she spoke was Spanish, Maria Elena's plan was to travel to Spain immediately after receiving her money, where she would attempt to find a job and settle. In spite of what she had told people in Colombia, her plan had been to establish herself in Spain and permanently escape from her old life. The Inspector briefly pondered what really would have happened to his prisoner had she successfully completed her trip. It was possible that her first venture into drug trafficking would have been her last, even if she had successfully delivered all of her pellets. It just sounded too good to be true: 1,000 Euros and a visa... for delivering a kilo of cocaine? Yeah, right... The Inspector pushed that thought aside. He needed to finish his report and deliver it to INTERPOL. Whatever might have happened to Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres in Germany was irrelevant, because she now belonged to the Danubian government. Before leaving the airport, the Inspector had to formally arrest the detainee and take her mug-shots. The photographer turned on the lighting for the blank backdrop and set up his camera. The Spokeswoman unlocked Maria Elena's temporary collar and ordered her to stand up. The photographer snapped his fingers to tell the prisoner that she needed to position herself to be photographed. She glanced at her Spokeswoman with a pleading expression, but Kim tightened her lips and pointed at the camera. Yes, Maria Elena would pose completely naked for her official arrest photos. Cecilia translated the photographer's commands to turn around and assume various poses to the mortified prisoner. The first shots were of her face; one from the front, one from the back, one from each side, and two taken from different angles. Next came the full-body shots: hands at her side... facing the camera, facing away from the camera, facing left, facing right. Then another series of shots, this time with her hands behind her head and her legs spread: front, back, left, right. As soon as the prisoner was released from the photo session, the Spokeswoman ordered her to kneel to allow her to put the collar back on. Once again the collar clicked shut around Maria Elena's neck. Finally, the Inspector handed the Spokeswoman a small facial photograph of the prisoner which included her full name and her arrest number. Cecilia explained to Maria Elena that, at the moment the photo was generated with the arrest number, her legal name had been changed by the Ministry of Justice. Instead of Maria Elena Rodriguez-Torres, she would be known as, and listed in official Danubian documents as, Prisoner # 101025. "You can have your friends call you Maria Elena if you want, but that's not your name anymore. As far as the Danubian Ministry of Justice is concerned, your name is Prisoner # 101025. After your trial it'll change to Criminal # 101025. You'll have to get used to it, because that's what everyone's gonna call you." Maria Elena gasped with horror at this latest piece of bad news. The Danubians truly were planning to take everything away from her, her freedom, her clothing, her dignity, and even her name. *****-- The Spokeswoman asked for her client's arrest report and copies of her mug-shot photos, which she put in a briefcase to initiate a criminal file. She and the Inspector saluted each other before the three women turned to go out of the interrogation room. As she stepped into the hallway, Maria Elena instinctively covered herself. Yes indeed, she was about to be taken into the main terminal completely naked. It would only get worse, because her Spokeswoman then would take her into Danubikt Moskt. How could her mentor do such a horrible thing, forcing her client to walk naked on the street? Maria Elena gave Cecilia a pleading look, but the Dominican ignored her and pointed at the staircase leading out of the basement. Suddenly Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna spun around and snapped at her client to kneel. When the order was translated Maria sank to her knees, but still tried to cover herself. "Listen, Prisoner # 101025, you will remove your hands from your body this instant! I already told you that you are violating your status as a prisoner by doing that. Now, uncover yourself, immediately!" Tears ran down the prisoner's cheeks as she struggled to obey the order by lowering her hands. She turned to Cecilia and begged her in Spanish: "Please... for the love of God... don't make me go out naked... I'd rather die than go out naked... please... " "It's the way they do things here. You're a prisoner and you can't cover your body." "Please... I'd rather die." "It's not that big of a deal, Maria Elena. You'll see it really isn't. We're not in Colombia." Kim commented to Cecilia in English: "Look: just tell her that if she tries covering herself again, I will request a police escort and she will have to go downtown with her hands cuffed behind her back. People won't pay that much attention to her if she's simply walking with us, but they will want to have a better look at her if she's cuffed." Cecilia, still taken aback by Kim's harsh treatment of her new client, reluctantly translated the Spokeswoman's last statement. She concluded with: "We have to get out of the airport and get you downtown. Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna's really not that bad, she isn't. But you have to do what she says." Maria Elena took a deep breath, looked up the stairs, and then glanced at her two escorts. She realized that there was no point in any further resistance. Her old life had ended and there was no point in holding on to values that apparently had no relevance in the life she was about to begin. She would have to uncover herself, walk up those stairs, and accept whatever her new life demanded of her. She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and responded: "Doc-doc, Advodkatna Lee-Dolkivna." ***** The three women emerged onto the main floor of the terminal building. Maria Elena, with every bit of will-power left in her, forced herself to keep her hands at her sides. She tried to ignore the stares of hundreds of startled passengers as she walked past the security checkpoint, away from the boarding area and away from any hope of escape. She cast one last look at the passenger waiting area, thinking about her flight, which had long since departed for Germany. Kim tapped her on the shoulder and pointed at the front entrance of the terminal building. Maria-Elena worked up the courage to go outdoors in the nude. She hoped that outside would be less crowded than the terminal building itself, but the thought of being outdoors with no clothing mortified her. She never had been naked in a public location in her life. In fact, she almost never had been naked at all, even alone, except when taking a shower. The only two people who had ever seen her uncovered body had been her two lovers: the boyfriend who had loved her, and the other boyfriend who betrayed her. With Kim leading the way, the three women stepped out through the main entrance. It was a hot sunny August afternoon, with the air still damp and muggy from the previous night's storm. In front of the airport there was not a parking lot, but instead a small park with a statue of a king holding a sword. Later Maria Elena would learn the statue was of the airport's namesake, the country's national hero King Vladik the Defender. On the other side of the park was a large trolley stop that was full of commuters and luggage. The sidewalk felt hot on the prisoner's unprotected feet as she and her escorts made their way to the trolley stop. Maria Elena gave her companions a look of total despair, because she had been under the impression that "going downtown" meant getting into a car. She looked around at the front of the airport and realized there was not a private car in sight: only a couple of police vans. Cecilia commented: "I know this is all new to you, but the only way to get downtown is in a trolley, unless you want to walk. This place doesn't have cars 'cause there's no room for them." So, Maria Elena's body had to face a new round of public exposure as she lined up with hundreds of Danubian airplane passengers, family members, foreign tourists, airport employees, and police officers. The foreigners stared at her with wide eyes, but the Danubians only gave her fleeting glances. Among the throng of clothed people she noticed several that were naked, all of whom, just like herself, had collars around their necks. She noticed two naked young men moving suitcases onto the trolley for several older couples who couldn't move baggage themselves. An old man tapped the prisoner on the shoulder and started speaking to her in Danubian. Cecilia translated: "He needs you to put his wife's stuff in the trolley. Her suitcases are over there." Noticing the puzzled look on the prisoner's face, Cecilia continued: "If someone asks you to do something, as long as it's reasonable, you gotta help them out. Criminals have to make themselves available to serve the public. Just move the suitcases next to where the old lady is sitting. If they get off before we get downtown, we might have to get off too, so you can help them get their suitcases to their house." Exasperated, Maria Elena struggled to carry two enormously heavy suitcases onto the trolley while the old man followed carrying a much smaller bag. Her feet ached on the hard cement and the suitcases scraped her bare legs. Her bottom still throbbed from the paddling and her stomach and throat burned from the forced vomiting she had endured during the interrogation. She was sick, exhausted, frightened, and mortified with embarrassment. Nevertheless, even in her condition she was expected to exert herself carrying someone else's belongings onto a trolley, and the only reward she could expect might be to have to carry the luggage to the old couple's house. The trolley's seats were full by the time Maria Elena had the suitcases in place next to the old lady. Noticing that all the seats already had been taken, she reluctantly grabbed a handrail, thus exposing herself even more to the crowd in the trolley. Cecilia stood next to her, but decided not to say anything unless Maria Elena spoke first. The old man took the seat next to his wife, as the pair looked at the three young women with total curiosity. Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna, Cecilia Sanchez, and Criminal # 101025 were the only non-Europeans in the packed trolley. Added to that detail was the fact that Maria Elena was naked, collared, and her bottom covered with welts and bruises. However the detail that most disturbed the old couple was the fact that the Colombian's thick black hair was disheveled and not properly braided. At least the other two had the decency to braid their hair. Kim, noting the old couple's look of disapproval, explained in Danubian: "I apologize about the dishonorable condition of my client's hair, sir. She was arrested just this morning and I need to get her to the Central Police Station. I assure you I won't let her go back out like this." The old couple's disapproving expression relaxed as they responded: "Doc-doc, Advodkatna." Cecilia sighed, feeling very sorry for her naked companion. In this harsh and restrictive society, there were many things Prisoner # 101025 would have to learn very quickly. She would face many hardships; struggles that she would have to endure that she was not even aware of yet. Chapter 4 - The Arraignment Committee Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna was determined to escort her client downtown as quickly as possible, so Maria Elena was spared the hassle of having to take the older couple's suitcases off the trolley. Kim enlisted a nearby male criminal and ordered him to help out instead. Ordinarily he would have knelt while receiving her command, but in the crowded trolley kneeling was impractical and she excused him from doing so. He bowed his head and replied "Doc-doc, Advodkatna" as he positioned himself to take Maria Elena's place. Apart from her two lovers, of whom she had only caught fleeting glimpses in a darkened room, Maria Elena had never seen a naked man, and certainly had never seen a naked man in broad daylight in a public location. She stared at his body with fascination. When he tried to return her glance, Kim snapped at him in Danubian and he immediately turned away. Maria Elena studied his backside, which was covered with the fading marks of a whipping that he must have endured about a week before. She shuddered, wondering about those marks and what the young man had done to be so severely punished. The trolley was an express trolley, only stopping at transfer stations and bypassing everything else as it made its way downtown. There were only four transfer stations along the route, and as airport passengers got off, they were replaced by other commuters going to the government district in the center of the city. As the trolley approached the third transfer station, the older couple got off, along with Maria Elena's fellow criminal and their oversized luggage. She was very grateful she did not have to do anything more with those suitcases, because she was starting to feel sick again. The trolley passed through an opening in an enormous ancient stone wall and entered into a district of elaborate Baroque-style buildings. A few blocks later it stopped behind a large Gothic cathedral. Cecilia tapped Maria Elena on the shoulder to let her know that was where they needed to get off. She explained in Spanish: "The Spokeswoman needs to take you to her office to finish your in-processing, and then we need to figure out what we're gonna do with you." "Do with me?" "Yes. Under Danubian law you're supposed to be locked up until you go on trial, but I think Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna is gonna try to get a medical waiver for you so you don't have to go to court tomorrow. If that happens, you won't have to be locked up and you won't go before the judge until next week." Cecilia pointed at a large compound-style building that was partly visible up the street in front of the cathedral. "That's the Central Police Station, where Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna has her office. That's where we're going right now." The three women walked alongside the church as they approached the police station. Maria Elena instinctively crossed herself when they passed the entrance. Cecilia commented: "Stop that. They don't do that here. Their church is different from what you're used to." Maria Elena looked at the front door of the cathedral and noticed a Priest wearing a simple black robe and a tall black hat. Alongside him were two women wearing black dresses. However, what shocked her was the sight of a group of naked men and women kneeling in front of the three Clergy members. The naked worshippers knelt forward in unison, touching their foreheads to the ground. "Public Penance. They're big on that here. That's what those people are doing." "And... they... they do it naked?" "Yes. I'll explain later, but in this country if you're doing Public Penance, you do it naked." Maria Elena shuddered at the idea of appearing naked in front of a Priest because, of course, in the Western Hemisphere, something like that was unheard of. The prisoner and her escort walked along a large plaza as they approached the main entrance of the Central Police Station. Although it was late afternoon, the doorway was full of people going in and out: cops, lawyers, civilians, and a few naked criminals. As they ascended the steps, Maria Elena was greeted by a terrifying sight. Three naked criminals were descending, two young men and a woman who looked about 30. The youngest male in the group looked barely 18. He was walking supported by his two companions, his face contorted with agony and tears flowing down his face. When Maria Elena passed the naked trio she saw why. The young man's bottom and upper thighs were covered with welts; dark painful-looking lines that criss-crossed his backside and extended to his shoulders. The Colombian was horrified. Then she noticed something that frightened her even more; that her two companions seemed not to think there was anything unusual about what had happened to that young criminal. Was that normal? "Cecilia... I... that young guy... what... ?" "Probably he just received one of his scheduled switchings." "Scheduled switchings?" "Yes... I'd imagine it was part of his sentence." A very sick feeling swept over Maria Elena. Scheduled switchings... part of his sentence... She turned back to look again at the punished criminal and his two companions. Then she noticed the unchanged expressions of Kim and Cecilia. She had one more question to ask, but couldn't bring herself to voice it. She didn't dare, because she feared that she already knew the answer... ***** The three women passed through the main door of the Central Police Station into a huge entryway topped by a dome. Elegant but very weathered marble staircases led off the ground floor to offices on the second and third stories. Spokeswoman Kimberly Lee-Dolkivna's office was located on the third floor; one of 20 such offices on a back wall opposite the main entrance. The hallway outside was full of people: naked criminals moving about alone or in pairs, Spokespersons walking with their assistants, mail couriers delivering legal documents, and cops escorting a couple of recently-arrested prisoners. However strange and frightening the scene may have been to Maria Elena, it was obvious there was nothing unusual going on as far as the Danubians were concerned. As soon as Kim, Cecilia, and Maria Elena entered the Spokeswoman's office, a tall, attractive, naked pregnant woman immediately got up out of her chair and sank to her knees. She knelt forward, touching her forehead to the ground, and addressed her mentor in English: "Good Afternoon, Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna. I am pleased you have returned safely." "Good Afternoon, Criminal # 98946. Please rise, so we may fulfill our paths in life." Criminal # 98946 immediately stood up. Cecilia introduced her to Maria Elena, explaining that she was yet another fellow US Citizen and the Spokeswoman's legal assistant. The pregnant criminal quietly opened a door leading into a back office. The back room was dominated by a large desk. In front of the desk were two small chairs and an end-table. The naked pregnant woman entered with a tray of food and placed it on the table. She then spread a small towel on one of the chairs. Cecilia pointed at the covered chair and addressed Maria Elena in Spanish: "Stand over there until she gives you permission to sit down. Then you will be permitted to eat." Cecilia took a position next to the other chair, quietly standing at attention. Although she was Kim's friend, she fully understood that for the moment she was working under official capacity and was very careful to observe proper protocol. Kim took her position at her desk. "Please sit down, Cecilia Sanchez and Prisoner # 101025." Once seated, Kim told Cecilia to tell Maria Elena to eat. Maria Elena did not feel hungry, instead she felt nauseated. However, she forced herself to sip some blackberry punch and took a bite out of a roll. That first morsel of food, the first thing she had in her stomach other than cocaine for nearly three days, re-awakened her appetite. She ate and drank ravenously, completely emptying what was on the tray. Her stomach still hurt, but now she realized that part of her discomfort simply was the result of being hungry. Kim moved on to Maria Elena's immediate legal situation and the circumstances of her arrest. She already knew the details from the Inspector's point of view, but now wanted to hear the same details from her client's perspective. She also wanted to gage how honest her client was in telling her story and how well she remembered what had happened at the airport. She called in her assistant to take notes, before asking the prisoner for a detailed re-telling of her smuggling venture, the diverted flight, her arrest, and her interrogation. Maria Elena spoke honestly, which was good news for Kim, but her story differed very little from the Inspector's report. She had committed two very serious crimes and several other lesser offenses. There would be very little Kim could do in the courtroom to reduce her sentence because under Danubian law there were no mitigating factors. There was no question Maria Elena was guilty of both drug trafficking and perjury... no doubt whatsoever. There was no doubt that she would be spending most of the rest of her life, if not all of it, wearing a collar and serving the Danubian government as a convicted criminal. Once her client finished talking, the Spokeswoman had to break the bad news: "I hate to tell you this, but you might as well know right away. What you did in the interrogation room was commit perjury. That's a 20-year offense. From the way you're describing what happened, I'm not going to be able to get that reduced, especially if it's recorded." Maria Elena went white when she heard Cecilia's translation. "Twenty years?" "That's just for the perjury. You're getting at least five more on the possession charge, probably more than that. And I'm pretty sure they're going to go for trafficking, which was indeed what you were doing." The prisoner was left speechless. Kim continued, convinced that it was important that her client knew how bad her legal situation was from the outset. She would go to trial fully aware of what to expect. "Trafficking at your level carries a 20-year sentence. That's on top of 20 years for perjury, and at least five for possession. In Danubia there's no such thing as serving time concurrently, so you'll be wearing a collar for 45 years, minimum. And I can tell you that you face certain conviction, because there is no way I can contest the evidence the Inspector has against you. I can't refute what he has on that videotape." Cecilia translated as Kim watched the Colombian's expression become increasingly anguished. "But Spokeswoman... I didn't want to bring any cocaine here. I only came to Danubia because my flight got diverted. I was going to Germany... " "The fact remains that you did bring cocaine into this country. Why that happened doesn't matter, as far as the government is concerned. All that matters is the fact you entered Danubia with a kilo of cocaine in your stomach, and the fact you repeatedly lied about what you were doing. I can't change any of that. I can't change what you did. All I can do is help you come to terms with what happened and help you begin your new life here in Danubia." Kim paused to allow Cecilia to translate and continued: "Your old life in Colombia is gone. The only life you have left to live is the one you will lead as a criminal in Danubia." Maria Elena sat quietly for several minutes, as tears rolled down her cheeks. Finally she managed to respond: "Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna... I wasn't planning to go back to Colombia anyway... I wanted to go to Spain, and start a new life there. That was my plan... to get out of Colombia and start over in Spain. The money they were going to pay me was going to be what I lived off of until I got a job." Maria Elena sat silent while Cecilia translated. She continued: "After what I did at home, I was ashamed to face any of my family... so I was just going to leave. Go as far away from Pereira as I could." Cecilia translated the Spokeswoman's response: "Well, if you think about it, the Creator gave you what you wanted. Right now you are about as far from Colombia as you can get, and I can tell you there's a very good chance you'll never see it again." Maria Elena didn't know how to respond. Yes, her dream had always been to get out of Colombia, but this wasn't how she wanted to do it. To listen to the Spokeswoman, her departure from her home turned out to be much more final than she ever could have anticipated. The Spokeswoman stood up and ordered her client to stand up as well. "Turn around and stand still." Maria Elena complied, allowing her mentor to study her backside. Her bottom still was badly bruised from the cruel paddling and two painful switch marks crossed her legs. Kim also was worried about the condition of her client's intestines and her over-all mental health. There was no question that Prisoner # 101025 was not ready to go to court, so arranging a delayed trial was the next issue she needed to address. Kim called the arraignment committee to submit the request for a delay. The response was that Prisoner # 101025 would have to be arraigned that afternoon, and it would be up to the committee to determine when she should go to trial, not her Spokeswoman. ***** Four women, two of them dressed in fine linen, and the other two collared and naked, descended three flights of stairs and entered a large room where Maria Elena would be arraigned. Kim's legal assistant accompanied the Spokeswoman, carrying Prisoner # 101025's case file. The fact there was another naked member of the group made the situation slightly less daunting for Kim's newest client. Cecilia whispered in Spanish: "The arraignment committee has had the same members forever... I think every criminal in Danube City has gone before those three for arraignment." Kim and her party entered a large room dominated by a table with three very stern-looking officials seated behind it. There were two men who looked about 60 years old, and a woman who appeared to be in her 70's. Kim saluted the committee, while Cecilia stood at attention and Criminal # 98946 knelt, placing her forehead on the ground. Following her fellow criminal's lead, Maria Elena reluctantly knelt as well. She stayed in that position until she heard Cecilia's voice: "OK, Maria Elena. You need to stand up and present yourself. What you need to do is stand on that small rug with your legs spread and your hands clasped behind your head. They call that 'the prisoner's stance'. Unless they tell you to move, you have to stay like that. Whenever any of them speaks, you need to look straight at them. And do NOT say anything unless you are asked a question. I'll translate and tell you what to do." Prisoner # 101025 did as she was told. With every bit of willpower she possessed, she managed to spread her legs and put her hands behind her head. She desperately wanted to cover herself, to flee, to escape from her latest humiliation; but she knew that escape was hopeless. Even if she could somehow get past the cops standing at the door and somehow get out of the Central Police Station, she would be easy enough to catch because of her collar. It was at that moment she realized that she was every bit as trapped as if she were sitting in a high security jail cell. There was no escape, and there would never be an escape. The man sitting in the middle spoke to Cecilia in Danubian, who in turn translated for the prisoner: "He wants to know if you understand the charges against you. 'Doc' means 'yes' and 'negat' means 'no'. You need to answer in Danubian." Maria Elena responded in Danubian: "Doc." "He wants you to repeat the charges. You can tell me in Spanish and I'll translate." "Drug trafficking, perjury, and possession of cocaine." When Cecilia translated, the man spoke to her for a minute, every so often casting an angry look at the prisoner. Kim tightened her lips, but said nothing. Cecilia looked at Kim, who nodded for her to translate: "There's another charge they're gonna add: violating the sanctity of your body. That's another 10 years." The prisoner gasped with despair. Cecilia explained: "The Danubian Church makes a big deal out of stuff like this. According to their religion, the body is sacred, because it is a gift to your soul from the Creator. You can't do anything to abuse or mutilate your body. In your case you used your body as a place to store cocaine, and you insulted the Creator when you did that. So, you're gonna have to be punished for it." "But... I'm not from this country. It's not my religion... what they think... It's not what I believe... " Cecilia thought for a moment before posing a question: "Fair enough. But do you think God is happy with what you did with your body?" "No... I suppose not." "Well, the Creator isn't either. So you have to be punished for it. That's their logic. Doesn't matter that you're a foreigner. Doesn't matter that you're Catholic. What matters is that you dishonored your body." The next concern was making sure Prisoner # 101025 understood the charges and the sentence each one of those charges would bring. Cecilia repeated the arraignment committee's declaration that drug trafficking and perjury carried 20 years each, possession 5 years, and the body abuse charge 10 years. Maria Elena did the math in her head. She was facing 55 years. She would not be released until she was 74 years old. Essentially she was facing a life sentence. However, the next item that Cecilia translated terrified her even more. "Apart from the time wearing your collar, the committee is gonna recommend that you get the maximum sentence for perjury, which is a switching every three months. The trafficking charge is gonna get you a switching every four months. Since you'll be 59 years old when the perjury and trafficking sentences end, they'll wave the switchings on the other two charges." "A switching... " "Remember that young guy on the steps?" "Yes... " "He was switched. If the committee gets their way during your sentencing, that's what's gonna happen to you every three months, the same as what happened to that criminal on the stairs." Maria Elena gasped and started shaking badly. "No... please... " "Be quiet! Remember what I told you. Don't argue with the committee members or they'll also charge you with insurrection. Now, it's not gonna be that bad, because you won't get the maximum sentence as far as the switchings are concerned; it'll be less. That'll be worked out in you trial; Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna's gonna try to get the total number reduced. Usually the Inspector helps her out when the client has cooperated, which you did." Cecilia paused, contemplating her companion's terrified expression. "By the way, if there's anything else you can remember about your drug group, now's the time to come clean about it, because it would help you at trial." Before Maria Elena had a chance to respond, the committee chairman addressed her again. Cecilia translated: "He wants you to turn around and present your butt. They're gonna to decide whether or not to postpone your trial." As much as she hated what was happening to her, Maria Elena had absolutely no desire to go on trial any sooner than was necessary. She turned around, showing the committee her badly bruised bottom and the two painful switch marks on her thighs. The committee members talked among themselves and finally addressed Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna. She stood at attention while being spoken to, but as soon as the committee chairman finished talking, her expression relaxed and she saluted. Cecilia told Maria Elena to face the committee and resume the prisoner's stance. She explained what had just happened: "OK, you're in luck. They're gonna delay your trial for two weeks... give you a chance to recover. Everything else will be the same... for example you're gonna have to get a job within three days and all the rules of behavior for a criminal will apply to you." Maria Elena's emotions were in turmoil. As much as she dreaded going on trial and was happy about the delay, she also was dumbstruck that, even without a trial, automatically she was considered a criminal. Essentially it meant that she already had been convicted, and the trial would be nothing more than a formality confirming her status. There was no hope, none whatsoever, that she could get out of her situation. She continued to stand, trembling, and quietly cried while she listened to her Spokeswoman and the committee chairman converse in Danubian. Suddenly Cecilia came to attention and replied "Doc" several times in response to a series of questions from the committee. She saluted the officials before turning to the Spokeswoman to salute her. She touched Maria Elena on the shoulder but told her to remain in the prisoner's stance. "Here's what's going on... the committee has formally awarded provisional custody of you to Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna. That custody will become permanent after you go on trial. Whatever your Spokeswoman tells you to do, you will do. No arguing with her, ever. If you don't like something, talk to me and I'll get you an explanation." Cecilia paused while the committee chairman signed several documents to give to Kim. Once the Spokeswoman and the committee members saluted each other, she quietly continued speaking to the prisoner in Spanish: "There's a problem, and that is that your Spokeswoman doesn't speak any Spanish and you don't speak any Danubian or English. That leaves me to do all the translating. So, they're gonna allow her to delegate custody to me, whenever it's necessary, so I can take you around the capitol and show you what you need to do. When you learn Danubian, Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna will talk to you directly." The director of the committee suddenly stood up and drew his fist across his chest, indicating that the arraignment hearing was over. Cecilia ordered Maria Elena to kneel. Criminal # 98946 quickly moved forward and knelt next to her. Once her wards were properly kneeling, Spokeswoman Lee-Dolkivna saluted the committee members, who in turn saluted back. "Criminal # 98946 and Prisoner # 101025, please stand so we can fulfill our paths in life." The two naked women stood up, and with that Maria Elena's arraignment hearing came to an end.